Life Before Legend

Life Before Legend by Marie Lu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore this series, and reading these two short stories was a treat. We get a peek at a much younger Day and June, before they became older. We see them as innocents surviving in their respective worlds. What a treat indeed.

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Charade

Charade by Nyrae Dawn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Here's a pint of Make Your Heart Smile Little Romance. It's nothing mind-blowing, it's just a nice little story. Of course the characters are 1-gorgeous, and 2-damaged. But they heal each other and it all ends well. All you need is a literary spoon to dig into your e-reader. Perfect for those times when you're depressed and feeling lonely.

That's about it, really. The ebook needs some editing; there are a few typos. There's virtually zero depth and a lot of the characters behave in ways that are just ridiculous. Attempts at heart-wrenching sorrow were made. And Nyrae Dawn hasn't quite risen to the levels of Abbi Glines (who's always fun) or Colleen Hoover (who is the queen of this sort of thing). It's a quick read, moderately entertaining. It's New Adult, so be aware - and the only other thing I will say is this, quoting from the book:

"You kiss your mama with that mouth, boy?"

Yeah. Enjoy.





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Eleanor and Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All those reviews raving about this book? They'e all right. This book is amazing.

Rainbow Rowell has managed here to take us inside a pocket of America that we all know exists, but we all left. Either we grew up and moved away, or times simply changed. Set in the 1990's, it is the story of Eleanor - a beautiful person trapped between a self-absorbed father and a mother who married a monster just so she wouldn't be alone. She is thrust into a terrible situation, as many teenagers are, at the mercy of a stepfather who hates her and siblings who need for her to defend them. It is the definition of an impossible situation.

And then there's Park, with his Korean mom, dad who looks like Magnum P.I., and brother - all forming a relatively happy family. They like each other. They have reasonable expectations.

The relationship that forms between Eleanor and Park is sweet and endearing and slow. But not slow in a "when is this going to pick up" sense. It is sensitive to their personalities. It is a sweetness that grows, timid at first and then becoming braver.

This book on audio is narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra. The voice that Lowman gives Eleanor is nothing short of amazing. It defines her in a way that is so in tune with Eleanor's description and behaviors that Eleanor absolutely comes alive, right off the page. Malhotra does Park equally well. Listening to this story was an absolute pleasure that was difficult to put down.

The plot was basically a coming-of-age romance. But the ending was surprisingly realistic. I was afraid it would be tragic; instead, it is hopeful.

Do yourself a favour and don't just read this book, buy it and put it on your shelf to read again and again. It is wonderful.

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Frigid

Frigid by J. Lynn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Boy and girl are best friends. Girl loves boy, boy loves girl but is a player. Boy and girl get trapped in a blizzard. Weird stuff happens. Weird stuff and relationship gets resolved. The end.

There you go, except for lots of sex. Which is fine in this sort of a book, and to be expected - your typical romance from Jennifer Armentrout. She's an expert at this sort of story. There's a bit of honesty and apprehension, each of the characters has a preconception that the other one misconstrues. This creates tension and moves the story along. And honestly, that would have been enough.

And then there's the weird stuff. Why the weird stuff? There didn't seem to be a point to it. The side characters involved in the weird stuff weren't well-developed. It's as if it was an afterthought - c'mon J. Lynn. Your main characters are plenty interesting enough. There's no need for crazy weird stuff to happen.

This was a quick read but decidedly more shallow than others I've read. It's your standard romance novel. Nuff said - except for this: that guy on the cover has to be freezing, standing there with his shirt open. I mean, I know he's hot and all, but . . .

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Illuminated

Illuminated by Erica Orloff
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Sometimes an author makes a valiant attempt at romance based on a legend. Sometimes it results in a long saga that lags in spots, sometimes it is completely brilliant, sometimes it is a half-hearted attempt, and sometimes an agonizing failture.

This one seems to be Weighted on the side of half-hearted. The story has such potential that it's almost a shame that it ends up being so contrived. Callie is the spoiled, pampered-but-ignored daughter of a successful Boston lawyer. She is spending the summer with her uncle and his companion in New York. The uncle is an expert in ancient manuscripts, and is working with a colleague. The colleague is agoraphobic with a stunningly handsome young son named August. And within 20 pages into the story, it is more than evident that Callie and August (who have just met) are deeply in love.

What?

Exactly. The manuscript is apparently a diary written by the son of Heloise and Abelard, legendary lovers whose story ended tragically. It is also a book written over another book, which is a palimpsest. The idea of a palimpsest is a great one and yet seems to have been completely wasted here. The themes in this book - forbidden love, tragic love, mysterious artifacts, secrets and thieves - they're all wonderful elements. Wonderful elements for a saga, which this book is decidedly not. There was no time taken to really explore the themes, the relationships, the artifacts. Honestly, this book really can't decide whether it's young adult romance or historical romance or the movie "An Affair to Remember." It's all over the place.

I had a problem with the characters being inconsistent. Callie is confident but sassy; she is rude to her uncle and then sweet. She is completely taken with August and then doesn't want to speak to him for days. The backstory with her mother and father is out of place within the story; I found myself wondering why this was such a big deal when all the other stuff is going on. We are given a peek at Callie's father through her eyes and the eyes of her uncle - but then when Callie and her father have dinner, they bounce between hating each other and being sympathetic, even loving, to the other. It was a complete contradiction of behaviour.

The same was true with August. He's completely in love with Callie, and yet as soon as something bad happens, he can't even remember her name.

Talk about drama overload.

When the adventure and search for answers finally begins, it is ridiculous. The trouble is that it waffles between two kids doing things that get them in a lot of trouble . . . except no, all is forgiven in the end. I'm not even sure why these adults didn't taken Callie and August to task for completely defying what they'd been told to do.

In the end, the fairytale wraps up nicely and the teenaged romance concludes happily ever after. Right. Because virtually every teenage romance lasts forever.

Ah well. Even with so many glaring problems, this was a light, moderately enjoyable read. It could have been a spectacular, fantastic read. Forget Heloise and Abelard - the real tragedy here is simply the wasted potential.



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Arclight

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OK, let's face it. The title "Arclight" and the cover are both gorgeous. Put that with the label "dystopia" and who wouldn't want to grab it up and read it?

Arclight is yet another great dystopian tale. The basic storyline follows Marina, our protagonist, in her journey to discover who she really is. She lives in a compound surrounded by light. The light is there to keep out the "Fades," which are monsters on the outside of the light. The plot takes us on a circuitous, creepy ride to find out just what's really going on in the compound. The puzzle unfolded bit by bit and was just dark enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The action starts with a bang on the first page, and we are thrown into a lockdown situation where it's dark and there are monsters. Things are bad, children are scared, and even the adults are afraid. Guns, alarms, loads and loads of tension set the pace for the story. And a great pace it keeps until the last few pages; things come out all in a rush at that point, a bit of information overload. Loose ends are tied up, but things are generally left open for new things to happen in a sequel.

Part of the reason that the plot works so well is Marina herself. She begins as a scared, sickly girl who is unsure of everything, especially herself. She is like an egg whose shell starts to crack, and as it does, Marina emerges stronger and better. What at first smacks of insta-love with Tobin ends up being a gradual acceptance from him; we learn that by the time we meet him, he's already processed most of his bad feelings toward Marina. As such, he's taken a liking to her. That was a smart move on the part of McQuein, avoiding that insta-love trap on which so many of these sorts of stories depend.

Marina did progress to the point of confusion for me near the end. It's clear what is happening, but trying to visualize or feel it is difficult. There are more facets to Marina that she herself is working through, which leaves us as readers as divided with her feelings as she is.

Tobin is probably the most well-developed character. And yet it is easy to say this because he is the character most easy to understand. He behaves in a way we would expect. Because of this, he serves as a good anchor for the rest of the characters and action.

I love language, and this book capitalizes on it in a big way. There are characters who don't really speak, but communicate with feelings that evoke words. Because of this, the words are more complex and descriptive than they would be in regular spoken language. It was a delight to read the conversations between the speakers and non-speakers.

Some of the lesser characters could have been better developed, and the villain's demise was weak. It is possible, even probable, that these issues will be addressed in the next book in the series. But this book is clever enough; if the sequel is anything like it, it will be a great read. The world building was fantastic.

This book didn't rank up there as amazing for me. But it is a good, solid dystopian that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'll definitely be looking for the sequel.



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The Transfer

The Transfer by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Veronica Roth has done a great job here, giving us a peek into Four's life before he meets Tris in the first book in this series, Divergent.

It's a treat because we're given insight into why Four really "gets" Tris. There are things in his background that give him great insight in Tris' character and decisions. We also learn how he got his name and why.

This short novella also gives us a chance to see Four before he was really Four - when he was young and fresh to Dauntless.

While this isn't a necessary read, it is a wonderful companion to a great series.

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Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Move over, Hunger Games!

This book seems like somewhat of a marriage of Hunger Games and Blood Red Road. The heroine is small, pensive, conflicted, etc. She is also really, really brave. I liked her focus and her responses to situations. Some have said that it isn't true dystopia, but I think it qualifies. It's set the US, but a dramatically changed US. And for all those who say that the way the US got to being split into factions wasn't explained, well, it wasn't explained in depth. But references were made as to the reasons why, and that was all I needed. To have gone into some lengthy section about how and why the factions were formed would have bored me to tears, and probably made me just give up on the book entirely. Maybe a paragraph with some background of Tris' family could have been included (i.e., grandfather fought in some war, etc), but I thought we knew enough. The story wasn't about that; it was about Tris.

I liked Four a lot. I had my doubts at points because he seemed like such a wimp. He, however, rose above my doubts and lived up to my initial impression. I didn't like Eric at all, and I suppose Roth could have gone deeper into his character. But again, I got enough to make me thoroughly dislike him and the book wasn't about him. Same with Peter. As for Jeanine, we really didn't get much about her at all. So on that count, I suppose we had one of those "insert villain here" situations. It seemed to progress into a situation where time wasn't taken to ease us into it. It was at that point when I thought the book got WAY too ambitious and desperate to be compared with Hunger Games.

The whole last section of the book came up rather quickly. I get that it had to happen relatively quickly in the whole scheme of things, but we barely had time to catch our breath and then all the fuss happened. After all the emotional highs and lows of the training, the whole combat thing just seemed anti-climactic to me. I wish she had gotten far less into that and just left it for the next book. So much of it seemed contrived in contrast to the training. There were events near the end which easily could have been great starters to Insurgent. I would have greatly preferred an introduction the ending rather than the actual ending, which again, seemed anti-climactic to me. We'd already had all the action with the training. If we had just gotten a taste for Insurgent, it could have stood alone as the war/revolution/actual combat portion of the story. Roth could have taken all the time she spent on the revolution and invested in Jeanine and the reasons for the revolution. With just a bit of action, it would have been the perfect setup.

I love, love, love me some romance. And this had just the right amount. More than Hunger Games, and no triangle, which would have completely stolen the plot. Nicely done, Veronica Roth.

I actually got this book from the library in print, and couldn't get into it. I'm glad I also got it on audio, although it took FOREVER from the library! The audio version was much better in that it moved a lot faster. Emma Galvin is very good at giving Tris just the voice she needed - somewhat matter of fact, not overly emotional and yet had feeling.

If you liked Hunger Games and the other dystopias that are out there, you'll probably like Divergent. But be warned, Hunger Games will color your opinion of this book. It has its own flavour and needs to stand apart, so if you give it that chance, you'll love it.


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Obsidian

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hot alien, sassy blogger. And hot alien is a complete and total jerk. Sexual tension plus alien battle equals pretty good story.

Jennifer Armentrout is expert at this sort of thing. The aliens she creates here are very appealing, with an ability to bend and transform light. While it plays off the whole light equals good, dark equals bad cliche, it works. These aliens aren't just hot to look at, they're pretty in their natural form, and their language sounds like music. I want to be their friend. I want one for myself.

Katy is a well-written character. She's a bit insecure without being completely undone by it. It's clear that she covers her insecurity with some false bravado - but that's typical of any 17-year old. She's pretty without realising she's pretty, but this is done in a way that is also typical of any 17-year old, or really of any female in general. We all think we're too fat and too dull and that there's some fatal flaw in us. American girls have a very bad habit of standing in circles admiring each other, envying each other, and all thinking they are the worst of the bunch.

I like this about Katy. It makes her endearing and normal. She's someone I can imagine living down the street.

Daemon is decidedly not typical. And it is not at all typical that he keeps being drawn to Katy. I can believe Katy, I find it much harder to believe Daemon. I get why the story plays out as it does, but he isn't behaving the way a regular guy would. The sexy alien is all fiction. Hot, swoony fiction, but fiction nonetheless.

The secondary characters were well-drawn and not at all shallow. They were only explored as was necessary to the plot. So when things didn't focus on them that much, it was ok. They really were the accessories to the main event.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was well-paced, the action alternating with the exchanges charged with all that sexual tension. Armentrout thought through the backstory; it all made sense. But let's face it, the romance is the central focus here. And in terms of a romance surrounded by a story about aliens, it's well done. It's what Armentrout is great at - romance.

All in all, a great read. I finished this in about 2 hours as a re-read. I liked it even better the second time. And although I've read all the books in the series up to this point, I am looking forward to the last one. Armentrout has a way of taking each plotline and changing it up just enough to make it interesting. And the characters continue to grow. Call it a guilty pleasure - I'm happy to go back and visit Daemon and Katy anytime.

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Defiance

Defiance by C.J. Redwine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book has all the right elements - good plot, good characters, interesting setting, good storytelling. And yet for some reason it doesn't add up to a book that just blows you away. Such is the case with Defiance.

Problem one: the world wasn't really well developed. There was a fortified town, a wasteland with a lot of trees, villages with "tree people" (whom I assume look and act like native Americans), and apparently other towns. The image I had in my head of the village was somewhat renaissance, with cloaks and swords and long dresses and the traditional roles of men and women. The extremes of the gender roles was touched on lightly, but there wasn't any background given as to why it was that way. The town was fortified with steel and concrete, and yet people used horse-drawn wagons. There was a beast but it sounded like a cross between a dragon and one of the worms from Tremors. There was a ruthless dictator, but he didn't seem overly smart or clever.

Problem two: everything seemed to happen too fast. But really, it didn't. I think it's just that the backstory wasn't there. We just got to vaguely know some of the characters and then they were gone before they were fully developed. When some of them died, I just didn't care because I wasn't invested enough in them. And this was sad, because they were really good characters who, had they been fully developed, would have given the story a rich depth that it lacks.

The characters were likable enough. Rachel is tough and smart, if a bit reckless. Her father has taught her to not be such a girly girl, and yet she doesn't seem to have lost a feminine softness. What seems to be lacking in her is a confidence in herself that apparently was shaken when she was spurned by a boy. She is full of a lot of bravado that overshadows her true abilities. She may be a great fighter, but the whole insecurity thing was a bit overdone.

Logan is better drawn. He's part hunk, part MacGuyver, part geek, part strong protector. Above all else, he's a thinker. It was so enjoyable to watch him think through each situation logically by mapping out each possible scenario and its conclusion. He was also fairly emotional, although that didn't seem to influence his actions overmuch. He was a wonderful romantic lead.

Quinn and Willow were wonderful characters that I wish had held a larger role in the story. It was as if we just were introduced to them and then they disappeared. Oliver, Sylph, Eloise and even Jared seemed shallow characters, poorly developed within the scope of the story. And I find this sad, because I really liked each of them.

This was a great plot and for a book that is 403 pages long, you'd think it would have been a gritty saga. Instead, it seemed like a relatively short camping trip with a few bad guys thrown in. I never felt the characters' lives were ever in any real danger. The romance was okay, but it lacked the tension and buildup that would have made it really great. And the bad guys - who was the real enemy? The Commander? The beast? The opposing army?

The synopsis for this book calls it "post-apocalyptic." I'm not sure what I missed, but it didn't feel post-apocalyptic to me. Generally, I think the term "world-building," is overused but I find it extremely appropriate here. The background setting was just empty, with no reason for the world being as it was. Why were the towns isolated? Where did the beast come from? What caused a "wasteland?"

What happened?

Perhaps these questions will all be answered in the sequels. I liked the story enough to continue with it, but this is definitely more of a so-so read. It is apparently the author's debut novel. A debut is always a starting place, and this author seems to have written a lot about writing. That would explain the idea that this story has so many fabulous elements that just never seemed to congeal. I have every confidence that it will start to make sense with the next installment.

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In Time

In Time by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novella in a word? Heartbreaking.

This little snack between books in the series gives yet another look into the world of The Darkest Minds. It is so nice when an author gives readers yet another peek into the world they create, and usually from another perspective. To read about Gabe's view of the changed kids based on what he'd been told by the press and the government was enlightening. And this because up to this point, we've only heard from the kids who've been mistreated by said government and press. Here's a regular guy in a real-life situation: economy has tanked, he has no prospects, he needs to make money and wants to do it honestly. Why not become a skip-tracer and round up the freaks?

Suzume is the perfect character for Gabe to catch. The fact that she is mute gives the story such depth! Her personality in general is rich and sweet, so combining that with Gabe's lack of trust/preconceived notions makes for a wonderful look into the world.

There's also another peek into the story at large that will spark the hearts of Darkest Minds' readers.

I wouldn't say this is a must-read for the series, but it definitely added to it. It's possible that the conclusion will figure into Never Fade. Regardless, this novella is worth the short time it takes to invest in the stoy.



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Finding Cinderella

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love it when I'm vaguely familiar with a character because I've been introduced to them in a previous story. In this case it was with the characters in Hopeless. I think Hopeless may be my favourite New Adult book. I love the way Colleen Hoover writes. I think it's because she writes New Adult romance, but with social issues that are handled well. And the physical relationship is kept to a minimum and within the context of the story. It isn't the focus - the focus is on the characters and their situations.

This particular story is all about Daniel, who is Holder's best friend. It's also about Six, who is Sky's best friend. It is their story and it is a sweet one.

This was just enough; a short story that encompassed an entire relationship. Daniel and Six are a delight and their interaction is funny and sweet. What a pleasure.

While reading Hopeless isn't entirely necessary to read before reading this short story, it does help. On the other hand, it is a wonderful taste of what to expect from Hoover in Hopeless. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was a treat.



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Dare You To

Dare You To by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Now here's a refreshing take on the whole teenage romance. He's a baseball star and she's a mess. He's cocky and she's from a trailer park. It's about time the traditional good girl/bad boy roles are reversed.

This is the story of a dare. I loved the way this theme echoed through the book. The title is so appropriate because the whole plot really does hinge on just that - a dare. Ryan is popular, good-looking jock from a nice family. He and his friends have a game where they dare each other to do the typical stupid high school things. But they're ball players and they take winning very seriously, so one of them losing a dare means merciless (albeit good-natured) teasing from the two others. One of the guys dares Ryan to get Beth's phone number while in a Taco Bell one night. What ensues is an interesting journey into their screwed-up lives. He thinks she's a rich girl living with her famous former NY Yankee uncle and she thinks he's the typical jock with the upper-class family (which he actually is). Neither could be more wrong.

I think the thing about this story that I liked the best (and the thing that disturbed me the most) was how realistic it was. We have Beth, who is completely deluded with a saviour complex. I wonder how many kids really are in her situation, with a deadbeat drug-addicted mom and a dad in prison. The thing that's unique about her is that this screwed up family of hers really does just dump all the responsibility for her mother into her lap. Everyone, that is, except the uncle who abandoned her to follow a career in pro baseball. After she gets arrested by covering for her mom, her uncle Scott comes in and really does rescue her from her life. Beth has been coping the way anyone in her situation would cope: she gets high, she skips school, she hangs out with gang members and she fails at life. She expects to fail at life. And who wouldn't, surrounded by a whole host of failures? Scott takes her to his big house in their small hometown, removed from the city slums where she's been living, away from her friends and her mother and her mother's abusive boyfriend. All Beth wants to do is get away from him and his snobby wife - who does he think he is, anyway? She doesn't belong in a normal high school with normal friends, she's on a mission to get her mother away from their excuse for a life.

Scott is patient but firm. What makes the relationship between he and Beth work is their history. Scott was there to take care of her when her mother was damaged, abused and married to a drug dealer. He's a father figure that protected her when she was small, and that works to his favour when he gets custody of her. He's able to remove her from her failure of a life and give her hope, something she sees as weakness. Trust is a big deal for Beth and with good reason. A child whose parents are selfish and place blame on someone so young is both unfair and irresponsible. It is appalling.

Ryan, on the other hand, is the consummate perfect boy with the image-conscious family. Everything looks good from the outside, but there are secrets and impossibly high expectations on the inside. While it could be said that he has what amount to first-world problems, he is completely relatable for many teens. The pressure to perform can be as debilitating as the expectation of worthlessness and failure.

The way these two characters come to break out of the lives in which they are stuck is encouraging and uplifting. It's a slow process, with complicated relationships and trust issues which give the characters depth and definition. The secondary characters are completely necessary to the story and give it angst without being shallow - a pretty good trick to accomplish. The relationship between Beth and Isaiah could have been trite and cliche, but McGarry is able to give it a heart-wrenching perspective. The revelations toward the end of the story are emotional and raw while remaining true to reality.

This book will literally wring out your emotions and leave you exhausted. Talk about drama!

This story is the furthest thing from a light romance. It's a romance, sure. But be prepared to be dragged through slums, backstabbing high school princesses, seriously faithful friendships and equally screwed-up families. It's a pretty girl and a swoon-worthy guy. But boy do they have issues. How McGarry pulls out a happy ending is a real feat considering the big confrontation at the end.

The book is told from two points of view. It is narrated on audio from two points of view on audio as well, by Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer. Pressley's performance tends to sound like she's reading. She gives the characters good voices and has emotion true to the scenes, but I found it difficult to distinguish the character's thoughts from their actual dialogue. Gebauer, on the other hand, was wonderful. His portrayal of Ryan was just that - a portrayal. He really brought Ryan to life. It's so nice to have a true voice actor instead of just a narrator.

Katie McGarry isn't afraid to tackle some big, big issues. She does it with realism while managing to entertain us, which I find pretty amazing. I will be helping myself to her other books - but I'm going to have to prepare myself for an emotional roller coaster. Her stories are not for the faint of heart.

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The Edge of Never

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Road trip with hot guy and pretty girl. Sounds like a recipe for a great story, right? Between the synopsis and the reviews I'd read about this book, I had some optimistic expectations. I wasn't disappointed.

Camryn starts out as a sad, depressed character whose friends are insisting she break out of her comfort zone. Her boyfriend was killed in a car accident, and this has left her pretty much emotionally destitute, moving through her life as a sort of zombie. She makes a bold decision and takes a big chance by getting on a bus and just leaving her life behind. She doesn't have a physical destination, but she does have an emotional one - she is determined to get past the heartache and devastation which has held her prisoner.

On the bus, she meets Andrew. Andrew is a guy with his own issues (what is a hunk like him doing on a bus?) He is persistent, she is stubborn. The story predictably follows the thawing of Camryn's refusal to give him the time of day, to their friendship, to their romance, to tragedy, to a happy ending. And the best part is the road trip.

I liked Andrew a lot. He was a nice contrast to Camryn's friends at home - people who tried to fix deep questions with shallow answers. Natalie is the stock best friend trying to pull Camryn out of her funk. Damon, Camryn's friend and Natalie's boyfriend, is a jerk. And Natalie is blind. Although I found their behaviour to be realistic, I didn't like it. They may have added some dimension to Camryn, but in the end they really weren't needed beyond the initial setup of the plot.

One of the reasons I liked Andrew was the way he insisted that Camryn be smart. Honestly, the idea that a 20-year old pretty girl gets on a bus smacks of out-and-out stupidity. Fortunately for Camryn, Andrew addressed that situation with an appropriately protective attitude. He was totally a guy without being obnoxious. He continually drew Camryn out, faithful to their friendship without losing the fact that he was attracted to her. He was also the typical heartthrob which admittedly is unrealistic but who cares? He's good-looking and not afraid of a fight. He's funny and caring. He's irresistible. What's not to love?

The road trip, while immensely entertaining, was a bit unrealistic. Apparently Andrew had unlimited funds with which to drive around the country and just have fun. This was explained later - but the idea that they were just able to drop their lives seemed to be a bit of a stretch. Enviable, though. Seriously, who wouldn't love just leaving their life for awhile?

The love story - which we all knew would end well - really did develop nicely. This wasn't insta-love, but rather a gradual exploration of the issues that plagued both characters. I think that's what made the story good; getting to the bottom of all the problems alongside the relationship made for a great romance. The banter was a lot of fun and the ending came out of nowhere. It carried an emotional punch that gave the book a nice bang with which to go out.

This is decidedly New Adult. This isn't a couple of teenagers mooning over each other. These are young adults behaving like adults, so be warned.

The audio was narrated by Lauren Fortgang. She gave great voices to the characters. Her expression and emotion was great, although she does have a bit of a whiny tone that might be off-putting to some.

I really did like this book a lot. It's one of the better NA contemporaries out there, with characters who have depth. I'm not raving about it, but I am recommending it. Romance lovers will be braiding their long hair and longing for an Andrew Parrish of their own.

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Bittersweet

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the synopsis on this book and thought it would be about cupcakes. Not so. It's really about ice skating, high school, and living in a small town. Who knew?

It's the story of a girl who is doing her best to deal with real life in a practical way. Hudson is one of the most angst-ridden protagonists I've ever encountered. She spends almost the entire story second-guessing herself and cringing at the decisions she's made. She likes Will, doesn't she? Shouldn't she? She likes Josh, but then there's the Will thing . . . she wants to please her Mom. She's desperate to leave her small town while consumed with guilt over not wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps. She makes sacrifices without trashing her dreams or losing sight of her goal. Then she doubts whether she should be sacrificing in the first place.

OK all that aside, Hudson really was likable. Her banter with the hockey team was thoroughly enjoyable. She was committed, faithful, funny at times. She was a terrible friend and yet I never thought she was a jerk. The cupcakes seemed to me to really be a side issue and indeed they were her coping mechanism. I'm conflicted on my feelings for the love triangle; Hudson seemed to take a long time to figure it out when it seemed so obvious to us as readers. But she does get to the bottom of her feelings in the end with a very satisfying conclusion.

I liked Will but I didn't trust him (I knew it!). I had mixed feelings about Dani, the stock gum-cracking funny friend. In the end, Dani's behaviour gave her a bit more depth than the traditional best friend. I really liked Josh, I loved Bug, I even liked Hudson's mom. All the points of view were clearly distinguished, the characters well defined. The story was sort of like a rocky path to a predictable ending. But that was ok because this story is a light read, not trying to tackle any major issues. And let's face it, titling each chapter with a mouth-watering cupcake description didn't hurt.

Ockler does a great job of placing us in a busy diner in a small town. I felt the cold, heard the sounds of skates on ice. I saw the icy lake. She's a good writer.

I do have a bone to pick, though. It seems that a lot of the contemporary YA that I read lately has characters that can't communicate. While this drives the plot along, it gets annoying. They aren't honest when they should be, and that feels a bit contrived. Can't an author move things along without resorting to the traditional measures of insecurity and dishonesty by omission with their characters? Or is this just reflective of real life and the thing that makes the characters interesting? I'm on the fence about this whole plot device because so many of these stories are thoroughly enjoyable.

The book is narrated on audio by Ariadne Meyers. Her voice for Hudson is wonderful - I think it's what makes the story so good. She really did bring the story to life with expression and emotion.

All in all, I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed it even with its problems. It's a sweet story. Fans of Sarah Dessen will love it.

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I tried to read this a few months ago and just couldn't get into it. I am so glad I picked it up again. Everyone who says that it's fabulous? They're right. It's beyond fabulous. It blew me away.

The setting is Prague. While Prague is a beautiful city, it's not one that I think I would particularly enjoy - I visited St. Petersburg, Russia in February and found it cold and bleak. That impression was probably the thing that was off-putting for me when I first tried to read the story months ago. The main character, Karou, seemed at first to be a tough girl, rebellious and cheeky and not at all endearing. I read blue hair and tattoos and thought 'oh, here we go with the predictable kickass fantasy heroine who's going to slaughter strange creatures, lie to the regular folk (in their best interests of course) and take over some kingdom.' I expected a long adventure completely unrelated to real life. I expected all the things I find tedious in fantasy stories.

But not so, not even close! This time around Karou just seemed to be a regular art student with a strange family. Art students in general tend to be a bit odd, and Karou is no exception. She is the "daughter" of a rather daunting and fantastic creature named Brimstone. Mr. Brimstone and the others who live in his shop are chimaera - monsters who are part animal. Brimstone sends Karou on errands to gather teeth, and he grants her small wishes. Karou is like anyone with an odd family - they're all she knows so they don't seem strange at all. Monsters? Seeing them through her eyes makes us love them as she does. And Karou has a lot of questions about her heritage, all of which are unanswered by the mysterious and gruff Brimstone.

She meets and does battle with an angel, Akiva, in an alley in Marrakesh. There is a mysterious pull between them, and the story then unfolds to answer the questions of the attraction between them and Karou's origins.

Karou is actually pretty tough. I'm not sure I'd call her a badass heroine but she certainly approaches that. As the story unfolds, so does her character. Part of the charm for this book was the way the actual plot is entangled with the person of Karou. She is a mystery not only to us as readers, but to herself. We come to understand who she is as she does. As a protagonist she is complex: conflicted, curious, bold, unafraid and courageous, protective, confident. As the story progresses, a more tender side of her is revealed. She becomes more and more endearing; by the end of the book I was completely taken with her.

Akiva is a wonderful balance to Karou. He knows things, he's tortured by what he knows, and he opts for the honest rather than easy way out. We know him as a merciless, driven soldier, loyal to his cause and believing what he has been taught. But as with Karou, his personality emerges and is equally complex, with a depth that makes him completely amazing. The best thing about him is that the qualities that make him antagonistic at first never change, but simply are a basis for his entire character. The more I saw, the more I liked him. By the end, I was in love.

This book had me speculating all over the place with what would happen next - I was absolutely riveted! I never imagined the true situation revealed at the end. And what a reveal it was, with language so beautiful that I could have listened to it for days. The imagery was astounding. Some authors are just able to put language to a scene that leaves you breathless, and Laini Taylor is one of those authors.

The audio is done by Khristine Hvam and she is nothing short of fabulous. She really made the characters come alive with varying accents and voices. The emotion she gives to the scenes is spot on.

I'm putting this one up there as one of my favourites of 2013. And if it can capture a non-fantasy-fan like me, it will certainly capture fantasy and non-fantasy lovers alike. It is a spectacular start to what I hope will be a spectacular series.



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The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vampires are not my thing, even reluctant ones. Having said that, I must admit that I do read some books where they play a part. And in this case, they are the central part.

Allie is a vampire, having seized the option offered to her after having been savagely attacked and left to die. Where her existence previously consisted of scavenging a life from the dregs of society, now she is taken under the wing of a "sire." He teaches her how to defend herself, about the way vampire society works, and how to eat like a proper lady . . . vampire. There comes a point when they have to separate, and Allie finds a ragtag group of survivors in the wilds. They are trying to get to what may be a mythical place while trying to avoid "rabids," vampire-like zombies responsible for Allie's near-death. There has been a plague which decimated the human population and scientists tried to find a cure; the rabids are the result of trying to use vampires to do it. These rabids inhabit the areas around and between vampire cities. Additionally, Allie's sire Kanin struggles to find a cure for the plague while avoiding vampire hierarchy.

This sounds like a complicated plot, but it's really pretty straightforward: vampire girl tries to find her way in dystopia. That about sums it up.

The book is written well, which is what kept me reading. The action and dialogue are cohesive; nothing seems stilted or to come out nowhere. There's really no lag in the movement of the plot either. There is action, battle, running from danger, facing impossible odds. This would make both a wonderful graphic novel and a movie. Our reluctant hero never seems to sit and whine about her situation. Rather, she tends toward self-loathing with a realistic view that things are what they are, and that being a vampire was indeed her choice. She is decidedly not a whiner. Basically, she just gets over herself.

The turning point, of course, is when she decides that she is not the monster she might otherwise be. Then things get a bit dicier along the adventure. Allie's character didn't really change as much at that point as simply expand - part of the appeal of the story is to see Allie grow into herself, accepting her choices and finding her way amidst those who would certainly reject her if they knew what she was. This plays out in a good way and a bad way; good in that she gains maturity and self-acceptance. It is bad in that her ability and choice to communicate are somewhat lacking. I found myself many times wondering why she wouldn't just be honest with those around her and simply take the adventure from there. I realise that it creates a tension in the story that keeps us interested, but I find I am increasingly weary of heroines who refuse to be honest because they are afraid of being rejected.

The other characters - Kanin (Allie's vampire "dad"), Zeke and Jeb, are well-defined. There is a love story between Zeke and Allie, but it is largely incidental within the scope of the story. It provides the basis for some of their choices but is really a minor plot element. Jeb was an interesting guy, a nice contrast to Zeke which is interesting because he is a father figure for Zeke. Kanin is probably my favourite of the characters. He's dark, brooding, wise, and most definitely a big bad vampire.

Also regarding characters, I have to say that I was easily able to see them in my mind. They were real images of people rather than just ideas or vague images. To Kagawa's credit, she is a very good writer on that front. She was unafraid of killing many of the characters off, which I found to be a brave choice.

The book struck me as basically a YA version of The Passage by Justin Cronin. The action is more PG here, which I preferred. The book is relatively dark and gritty, but more in a wild west sort of way. Good people are better able to survive really, really bad stuff. This seemed to lighten the story enough to where the world didn't seem quite so bleak. That said, some of the plot turns were typical and predictable. I was led along a storyline that I have been down enough times to easily navigate and expect.

Regardless of its problems, Kagawa has written a very good story that deserves the acclaim it has received. Although I have not read the The Twilight Collection by Stephenie Meyer, I understand from lovers of this sub-genre that Kagawa's story stands head and shoulders above Meyer's series.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Therese Plummer. Although she kept the story riveting, I didn't care for many of her characterizations. Like Justine Eyre, she tends to pause the dialogue in odd places in order to define the characters. This isn't the way I would imagine the characters actually speaking, and it threw it off for me. Perhaps this is one better read in print.

All things considered, this was a good book. To its credit, this Blood of Eden series promises to be outstanding - even for vampire-avoiders like me.

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All Our Yesterdays

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time travel done right. Finally! Thank you, Cristin Terrill! The cover flap of this book says ""All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice." Having just closed the cover, I couldn't agree more.

Time travel inevitably involves a complicated story that is difficult to follow. That is, unless an author sets simple rules and sticks to them. In this story, Terrill has done it expertly. One of her laws - the idea that time has a sentient quality - fixes many of the mistakes made by many storytellers. I also loved the idea that time is not linear as we understand it. What if it's really not? The way she explains paradoxes is brilliant. The bottom line is simply this: when we as readers know the rules the author has created and she doesn't break those rules, we can finally enjoy a great story that makes sense.

The tale is told from the viewpoints of Em and Marina. By alternating perspectives with each chapter, it is far more easy to keep track of what is present and what is past. Even when it starts to get really complicated - and it does near the end - it is not difficult to understand.

The plot is fairly straightforward. Isn't every time travel story about going back to fix things in the past? The thing that's unique about this particular story is that it's been done 14 times previously by the protagonist. Will she get it right this time? Well, that's the story.

Em is a gritty main character. She's been through torture, she's been on the run from authorities, she's been part of a rebel/terrorist organization and she's both escaped and been caught. She's been betrayed. She is determined and focused, and yet never seems to have lost her true heart or humanity. She is fiercely protective of Marina. She is somewhat of a study in contradiction, and that's what I liked about her. Every time I thought she was tough and heartless, she was overcome by her love and compassion.

Marina, on the other hand, is a spoiled rich girl who is shallow and a bit silly. These negative qualities can be attributed to her insecurity, though. She is at the same time loyal and loving, devoted to James. Mostly she is simply immature. But even at that, she is not unlikable. So much of today's society is full of teenagers just like her. On a list of the best of them, I'd at least put her at the top.

James is a brilliant character, both in his personality and in the way he is written. Finn is charming and funny, practical and humble. The lesser characters (Richter, Nate, the Shaw family, Marina's parents and Finn's mother) are really just highlights. They serve the plot and are each distinct without drawing attention from the main points we really care about.

The action doesn't stop for a minute. The suspense kept me riveted enough to read the book in one sitting. The climax of the story is terrifying, shocking and complicated at the same time. I found myself shaking my head at the end, wondering exactly what happened, having to think it all through again to make sense of the paradoxical aspect of the events.

This book is smart, and I like that. It's also not pretentious. It is heart-wrenching, scary and romantic. It may even be possible, and I think that is what may be, for me, its most attractive quality. I do love a story that just might happen. This isn't just a great story for time-travel lovers. Fans of dystopia and apocalypse will also enjoy those elements that it offers.

And the ultimate irony here is that virtually every novelist goes back and rewrites their book. Isn't that some version of time travel, rewriting the past? Well done, Cristin Terrill. Could you do it again please?




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Crewel

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was expecting a lot from this book due to all the reviews of people I trust. I was not disappointed. I think this is right up there at the top of my favorites. That's 4.75 stars up there.

The two major reasons for this are 1-I am fascinated with string theory, and 2-I am a sewer and I get all that warp/weft/weaving stuff. It's easy for me to visualize what is happening with the tapestries.

On the dystopian front, this is a book that has probably the most interesting premise I have as yet encountered. Being able to "weave" time - that's quite a creative concept. And to handle it within the framework of a controlling futuristic society built on earth, well, wow. Just wow. The whole weaving time thing had me at the start. Taking matter and forming it into an entire world, formed "on top" of earth but really in a separate dimension. Mind = blown.

Albin's Pinterest page for the book is full of great visuals. I didn't realise it was quite so Art Deco in its setting, but I did get the whole women-in-skirts thing. A movie of this book would be a feast for the eyes.

I did like the characters, although I have to admit that Maela was a bit much. Corwin was interesting, since he wasn't a really bad villain but certainly bad in his apathy. A lot of villains are just horrid mean - he was more cocky in a detached way that conveyed his absolute belief that he was in control.

The standard love interest/triangle is there, but the triangle part is really incidental. While I wish I knew more about the characters, I knew enough about the ones I didn't care quite as much about. The ones I did care about will be appearing in the next installment, and I'm happy with that.

The pacing is good. I wasn't bored at all. It was slightly predictable, but that ending! And thank you Gennifer Albin for a cliffhanger ending that doesn't have me emotionally destroyed until the next book comes out. This book alone should probably be read a couple of times just to really get the science of what's happening. That whole time/matter/space thing is tricky.

All in all, one of the best books I've read this year. I liked it enough to get it on Amazon - I wanted a print copy to really read through the science. Can't wait (except I guess I have to wait) until October and the second book.

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Origin

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you, Jennifer Armentrout, for not taking the easy way out. This latest installment could have been one big long, drawn out mess concentrating on stuff we could have cared less about.

But instead, you gave us some great stuff! Katy and Daemon! There was action, there was suspense, there was danger. There were new people. Katy and Daemon kept their sass but their relationship deepened and grew. You didn't shortchange us on any kind of level.

Thank you. Thank you for not trying to make the story into something it wasn't, too realistic or too fanciful, nothing like that. You just stayed true to the characters and gave us a great showdown. WELL DONE. Thank you! Thank you!

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Survive

Survive by Alex Morel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now here is a take on survival that I hadn't ever encountered. What if you wanted to kill yourself, only to be presented with a situation where you are forced to survive in order to save someone else?

This is the story of Jane, who jokes about killing herself. She comes from a family of suicides; her grandparents killed themselves, her father killed himself, and now she decides it's time for her to kill herself. Even after a stint in a rehab facility for those who have unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide, she is undaunted. She has calculated this and she is determined. While on a plane heading back to visit her mother, she goes into the small lavatory armed with pills and cold medicine. But before she can swallow, the plane crashes, and ironically it is the small closet of a bathroom that stays intact. She survives the crash, along with Paul, the passenger who was seated next to her.

After the crash, they have to survive climbing over a mountain to get to safety. It isn't easy, and the book doesn't make it seem easy. But it also doesn't overemphasize the nature of the disaster. They are probably not going to live through the snow and cold and dangers. They need to get lucky, and they need to be smart.

And they are smart, for the most part. The book is much more about the mental game of survival than the physical one. It is much more a journey of how Jane and Paul manage to view the experience through their own past challenges and faults. Some of it may seem unrealistic, but then again, desperate people do desperate things, even silly emotional things. When you're not sure you're going to live through something, I am quite certain that we do things we would not otherwise do.

This story is brief and that's good, because it isn't some sort of black hole of despair, as some accounts of these sorts of journeys are. It is to the point, honest, straightforward. It is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything else. The aspect of depression is not at the forefront of this story. Rather, it is simply one of, well, survival - in a broad sense. Of course there are more riveting stories of managing to stay alive despite plane crashes on snow-covered mountains, with injuries and starvation and the usual problems. This is not one of those stories. It is simply a study in what it means to want to stay alive. What things are worth living for?

Its title is fitting. It is well-written, well-paced, and overall a very good book.

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Hourglass

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time travel is probably my most favourite of sci-fi themes. So when I saw time travel plus that gorgeous cover, I knew I'd probably love this story. Love it? Not so much. Like it? Yes.

The story is about Emerson, a 17 year old girl who is an orphan being looked after by her brother and his wife. She has recently returned to Tennessee from a boarding school in Arizona. Apparently she has had some emotional and mental problems in dealing with the death of her parents; playing into these problems are the fact that she can see apparitions. Her brother has tried many things in an effort to help her and finally happens upon the Hourglass organization, and he hires a consultant to assist Emerson in dealing with these problems.

I'm not sure if I liked Emerson or not. She was wisecracking, headstrong, reckless and just flat annoying at times. No matter how those around her tried to help her or advise her, she always seemed to think she had a better idea about the way things should be done. She didn't seem to make even one wise decision. I think I could have liked her a lot if she'd either dealt more seriously with her backstory or if she hadn't had the backstory and was just sarcastic. But the marriage of the two made her less than believable for me.

Michael was all over the place for me. I never did seem to grasp his purpose: was he a therapist? Was he a friend? How could he be just a couple of years older than Emerson and yet in a position to advise her counsel her? Did he live in the apartment loft or at the pseudo-frat house at the unnamed college he attended? Was he able to ever give Emerson a straight answer about anything and did was he ever going to tell her anything specific about anything?

The plot started out seeming like a ghost story. But wait, wasn't this supposed to be time travel? The story seemed to take a lot of time laying out details that didn't connect at all. I was lost - and thus bored - for about the first half of the book. And then suddenly things got interesting. All these random facts and situations started to tie together and make sense, and lo and behold there was time traveling happening!

Fortunately, the time travel wasn't excessively complicated and followed some simple rules. But the way it was couched within superheroes with super powers didn't appeal to me at all. Mad scientists? Yes. Empaths? OK, but what does that have to do with time travel?

When the story got to the actual time-traveling and stopped being about all kinds of other paranormal nonsense, it got pretty good. There was mystery, intrigue, really evil villains, and some degree of unpredictability. Emerson seemed to get a brain and Michael got a purpose. The insta-love stopped being stupid and started making some sense. The random happenings at the beginning of the story started to tie in, and the whole story ended up being pretty good.

I liked the secondary characters more than the main characters, which seems odd. But Kaleb and Lily had some depth and great qualities. Apparently Kaleb has a big role in the sequel "Timepiece," which immediately makes me want to read it.

So much of this story seems convenient and cliche. There are definitely books out there that do time travel better. But this one does an adequate job. I can't put a hearty recommendation behind it, but it is a somewhat entertaining and quick read. If my expectations had been lower, I think I would have enjoyed this book more. That said, I will be reading the sequel. Often a series gets better if the first book is less than stellar. And hey, it's time travel. That alone makes me want to keep going.

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Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. Loved it. Hands down, no question, loved loved loved it. I am wondering why I took so long to read it. It is also enigmatic, so in order to keep this review spoiler-free I'm basically going to tell you absolutely nothing about it.

While the premise is not the most original I've ever read or seen (in film), it is masterfully handled. The writing is funny, inventive, silly, clever. The truth is revealed inch by inch but not in a way that has you raving at the book to "just tell me already!" The plot does not drag or even lull. The ending is a surprise and not a surprise and a surprise.

The characters make this book:

Sloane, who is reserved, smart, loyal, devoted, wise, somewhat blinded to herself and others around her in terms of physical beauty, focused, sarcastic, generous, thoughtful, loving, introverted, everyone and no one all at once, and aware she is blessed but is not happy.

Maggie, who is fun, outgoing, clever, confident, self-aware but with a healthy dose of realism, perceptive, happy, funny, always in the moment, direct, honest, quick to forgive, wonderful to be around, generous and smart.

Andrew, who is funny, sly, sweet and caring in a I'm-not-letting-on-what-I-really-feel kind of way.

James, who is perfect.

Gordy, who is also perfect but in a way completely different than James.

Thomas, who is calculating and duplicitous.

Jade and Max, who are adorable, which may or may not be what they really are but what they are in this story.

And the parents, who are the people you'd expect in the situations they're in.

This book will pull all your emotions and ends without making you cry. It is a happy book while still being complicated with sad parts. It is one of those stories written by screenwriters which makes a much better book. If they choose to make this into a movie (or if they already have), I'm sure it could never encompass the range of emotion and feeling that the book evokes. It was refreshing and sweet and clever and wonderful.

Just read it. You'll see what I mean.

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10 TINY BREATHS

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes a New Adult novel handles a social issue extremely well, and this is one of those novels.

Ten Tiny Breaths is the story of Kacey and her struggle to overcome the trauma of a car accident, of which she was the lone survivor. It's an excellent commentary on the way we handle stress and emotional overload. And it's a nice romance as well.

I appreciated greatly that the plot here is believable. The people that Kacey gets involved with are reasonable folks; they're not the most savoury of characters, but they aren't entirely bad. If there is something that enters into the plausability factor, it is simply that people who generally work in strip clubs and live in furnished, run-down apartment buildings are all really nice people who care for each other. That's probably a stretch. But here, it works.

Kacey is not your general damsel-in-distress. She has a whole host of coping mechanisms. And for someone dealing with her real-life issues there is a real point of connection. Her feelings are conflicted. She's a mess. And she doesn't try to cover that up on any kind of level. This character is honest about her failings and is endearing because of them. She takes positive steps to move away from the bad things in her life, and when she gets tripped up, we are right there with her feeling her pain and anguish.

Trent, although somewhat stereotypical in looks and manner, isn't stereotypical after all. The way KA Tucker weaves him into Kacey's story is just interesting enough to be unpredictable. When an author can keep me guessing he/she gets high marks. And I didn't expect for the story to go where it did.

The secondary characters are just delightful. Storm, Dan, Mia, Livie, Cain, Nate, Bob . . . they're all likeable and entertaining. Somehow Tucker has managed to give them just that slight bit more depth than I would have expected. It's as if they're each a bit of a cliche, but with a twist.

I couldn't put this book down, and it was a relatively quick read. It was engaging and well-paced. Not only did I not get bored, I didn't get easily distracted.

The ending was neatly tied up, which threw the reality factor out the window. But in these sorts of books I don't think we readers really care. We aren't looking for real life, after all. We want a beautiful romance between flawed individuals who are struggling to overcome their own personal issues. We want that happy ending for them. And in this case, the fairytale opens up and takes over the entire ending.

The story did a great job of addressing PTSD and the serious damage it can do to a life. It also handled the issue of drunk driving extremely well. The idea that people do the best they can with the information they have is paramount, and if that isn't reality I don't know what is.

The book is funny at times, certainly entertaining, and the characters are endearing. There are so many books in this genre which try to tackle various social issues; this one does it well. It's an honest peek at engaging people. And I'm looking forward to more from this author.

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THROUGH TO YOU

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What did I think? Hmmm. I'll have to think about that.

This was an interesting story. Great premise - alternate universes, and as I'm a sucker for time travel (which generally involves alternate realities), it was excellent on that count. The way the two realities differed provided the mystery and plot. And this was such fun because the characters were the same - just, different.

Cam was hard for me to picture at first. Former football star, popular, jock who then gets injured and withdraws. The whole juxtaposition of that kind of threw me at the outset, this odd compilation of details that didn't fit into a nice box. But this character didn't lapse into the stock bad-boy or the injured, fragile kid. He was just a guy who is dealing with a lot of loss and coping the best he can.

Viv is a character we only know through Cam's eyes until we meet her - and even then, it's not really her. So that contrast made it fascinating. This is especially true because Nina is new to Cam, and he only knows her as one person. Cam's mom and dad just frame him out, as does Mike. Owen is a wonderful surprise that I didn't expect.

The pacing seemed a bit slow in parts, but it always picked right back up. it would have been nice if the characters had asked some obvious questions or reached obvious conclusions without things being so drawn out. But, I never got bored. I will say this: Cam and Viv's relationship seemed shallow after a bit. And what I would have expected to be a more heart-tugging reunion turned out to be just what it should have been, based on the way the characters were. Without giving anything away, suffice it to say that the scenes lacking depth only reflected the characters in them.

The plot surprised me; I have to say that I did wonder who the bad guy really was. it wasn't predictable. And I did like the ending very much. I was afraid it would stop earlier, but fortunately it followed through to an appropriate point that didn't leave the reader wondering. It wasn't trite, but it was nice.

As always, I listened to the audio version. The narrator was ok - he didn't wow me at all. I think it could have been better done. But I say this because of the timbre of his voice. I think Cam should have had a more high-school, higher sounding voice. This narrator made him sound borderline whiny at times.

This is the author's debut, and it is a good one. While it didn't knock me down with emotional intensity or have me at the edge of my seat with suspense, it was a great story. I'm looking forward to more from her. If her next novel has this good a premise, it will definitely be worth a read.

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THE GENIUS OF LITTLE THINGS

The Genius of Little Things by Larry Buhl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a pleasure this book was to read! I received it from Read-4-Review and just loved it.

Larry Buhl has taken the typical awkward high school senior and raised him to the next level. I did not expect this character at all. I found myself alternately laughing and shaking my head throughout the story.

Tyler, the main character, is fascinating because he is such an odd combination of things. Many authors address the Foster Care system in a sappy, analytical, or disparaging way. But here, it is simply a component of what has shaped Tyler's personality. He is not an "expected" person at all. He is focused, logical and driven. He seems like someone who might have Asperger's Syndrome. He does not communicate well with others. And when he does things that don't make sense to others (and vice versa), he simply seems to shake his head and simply move on. He obsesses, but not in a way that is creepy. He is sympathetic without being pathetic.

I loved that this book is written like a diary. The lists that Tyler makes are laugh-out-loud funny. But here's the interesting thing: while I was laughing at Tyler, I wasn't laughing at Tyler. It's as if all along this character knew what he was saying was funny, explaining things in a witty way that was not self-deprecating but also not offended at what we, as readers, would think. He wasn't laughing with me, but he was so analytical that he didn't see why I wouldn't laugh at him.

The secondary characters were varied and interesting. Carl and Janet had experienced a situation I did not expect, which although out of their control was nonetheless one for which they felt responsible. Normally the whole lack of communication between them and Tyler would have annoyed me. In this case, not so. Janet's sister was a hoot. The kids that Tyler tutored annoyed me like they annoyed him.

Tyler also gets into trouble, but not because it's just cool to do it. Amid the laughter about his observations, there is a deeply troubled boy trying to cope with his circumstances. Somehow this is always apparent without being glaring.

My only problem with this story was the ending. It seemed to come out of nowhere. And yet, it was abrupt in a way that Tyler was abrupt. I hope that was the author's intention, because it didn't work and yet worked - just like Tyler himself.

This story was a departure from my normal genre, and a welcome one. It's worthy of a re-read simply for the laughter alone. UCSD, you're in for a treat!

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THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore this book.

Where do I begin? The slow awakening of a person who is realising that she's a person. The introspection. The observation -- I think it's the observation that grabbed me the most. The development of odd relationships. The insight, and the growth into response.

I know I'm being vague here, but honestly, that's just what I loved about this book. I didn't expect this and was really bowled over. I think I expected more sci-fi, more of a straight-line story with lots of action. Oh, no. This is a slower -- not dull, it's well-paced -- unwrapping of philosophical issues about identity.

I especially liked the way Jenna looked up words and defined them. I love the way her relationship with Lily evolves. I love the way she grows into herself and becomes someone else.

Do yourself a favor and listen to this on audio. Jenna Lamia reads it and she's fabulous.

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CINDER

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were a few problems - mainly, that it was predictable. But any author who can take a fairytale and turn it into this is pretty talented.

I enjoyed the characters - none of them are really formulaic, as such. I would like to have known more about what was going on in Kai's head, but then again - Cinder was the main character. Some things seemed a little too-good-to-be-true, like this friendship between Cinder and Kai. But hey, it's Cinderella we're talking here, so all the rules are put on hold.

This isn't the best book I've ever read. But it certainly was enjoyable.

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LEGEND

Legend by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Move over, Hunger Games. Make some room on that YA Dystopian shelf.

I have been devouring YA Dystopian romance lately. Many of the authors I've read have been very young, and their writing has shown it. How refreshing to read something that truly finds the balance between "dystopian romance" and dystopia that has been graciously seasoned with just a dash of romance. Just enough. Perfect.

The characters here are clearly drawn. We know who everyone is as much as we want to know. The main characters are revealed layer by layer, which is exactly the way they should be revealed. And although some are formulaic, some surprised me.

I loved the ending, which left me both satisfied and yet looking forward to more. No cliffhanger, thank God. And no love triangle! There was the hint of one, but it faded into the central focus of the story. It was just enough to keep me interested.

I also liked the narrative going between the two main characters, told in first person. Having just finished another YA Dystopian which was told in third person but still went between the two characters drove me insane. If you're going to move between two points of view, then move between two points of view already!

The audio version has narrators, not really voice actors, so be forewarned. If you want the thing acted out, you should read it in print and leave it to your imagination.

Although I'm looking forward to Prodigy, I think I may wait until later this year to read it. I liked Legend so much that I don't think I can stand a cliffhanger that takes a year to resolve. That said, I highly recommend this book.




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THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is absolutely delightful.

I laughed. I cried a bit. I laughed some more.

I loved the characters, all of them, and the honesty between them.

I loved all the wonderful word pictures. Call the literary devices what you will - it was beautifully done.

I loved the poems, the pieces of things she'd write (even though that did make her a little strange).

I'm looking forward to more from Jandy Nelson. I read a book by Sarah Dressen just after this and was left wanting - so formulaic, so cut out of a pattern - which this book is decidedly not. It is surprising and funny and warm and, well, delightful.

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SHATTER ME

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My impression? "Out of balance."

I'd give this 3.5 stars, not just 3. I agree with Book Geek - this isn't dystopia, it's flat out romance. I'm starting to understand that there's an entirely new genre of young adult fiction that echoes those trashy paperback romances - "dystopian romance." Now don't get me wrong, I love me a good romance. And young adult romance in particular is very sweet, rather than trashy. But this isn't dystopia, so if you're looking for that, look elsewhere. It's simply a romance set in a dystopian future.

I loved the beginning of the book. Mafi at least jumps right in with the romance and the general setting was very intriguing. The whole numbers thing fell right into step with insanity, so she did set us up for a wild adventure. But she quickly descended into a rather tedious series of events that either weren't that interesting or didn't move fast enough or weren't told well, I'm not sure which. The story lost momentum right after it got interesting. So as far as the plot goes, adjust your expectations appropriately going in.

On the subject of the writing - the thing I noticed first? A lot of alliteration. Good grief, every sentence is full of it! And the similes, and the endless ethereal descriptions of feelings - clearly this author is very young as a writer and while she bodes great potential, she is no Lauren Oliver.

It is also important to mention that I listened to this book rather than read it. While other reviewers were put off by the word repetition and endless crossing out of lines, that didn't bother me. When a voice actor does it, it makes sense. In fact, it took me a little while to realize that the sound of a pen going across a page was the "sound" of the character crossing out lines in a journal. You get the effect without having to be annoyed by the way it looks on paper.

As for the story in general, I found that the balance of plot and characters to be off. By this I mean that the plot could have been stronger if the characters had been stronger. I would have cared more about the action if I'd known the people better - all that describing could have been put to much better use by giving us more about Warner's background, Adam's background, even Juliette's background. To simply say that her family had to move a lot doesn't really give us any idea about how she came to be the way she is. If Mafi was going for the young adult version of the trashy romance novel, she succeeded. But if she had taken a more mature approach and focused on the background of the story, she would have had a great dystopian plot enhanced by the romance between the characters.

I have great hopes for Mafi. I think she's going to grow into herself as an author. I'm looking forward to more from her. And I did enjoy the book overall, despite its problems.

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DUALED

Dualed by Elsie Chapman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well now here's a dystopian that has something to offer. It reminded me of Insurgent and Blood Red Road, and even Legend. We have a young impulsive heroine who has some priorities and the maturity to put her emotions aside to accomplish them.

OK, not really your realistic 15-year old, but this is fiction. And dystopian fiction at that. And on the plot side of things, we've got some Hunger Games action with the whole government-says-you-have-to-kill-your-twin thing.

This story was full of action and angst without being overmuch of either. What I loved was the plotting, the scheming, the planning of an assassination. I loved the way we were able to get inside West's brain. And the whole having to figure out how to beat someone that thinks just the way you do was a highly entertaining puzzle. On the down side, I didn't really see what being a Striker had to do with much. It seemed like unnecessary filler, and although the story moved well, there was a slowdown midway. And this had to do with the whole Striker thing. Fortunately, it picked back up at the end.

Chord was a character I liked most of the time. I do wish he'd be a tiny bit more take-charge with West, but he was there just enough to let us see how West developed. And West, while emotionally (and predictably) immature, made up for it in the responsibility department. I think it would have added to things if Chord had just throw up his hands in frustration with West. At least we readers would have had some emotional release.

There was no profound musing philosophy, not really many witty remarks. There were a few heart-wrenching situations. It was nice to have a few surprises, and not have everything be predictable.

So all in all, it was a great read. I'm looking forward to the sequel.




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ARTICLE 5

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm giving this a solid 3.75 stars. I feel as if I have a love/hate relationship with this story. Not surprising, when you read all the reviews. People generally are on the "I love it!" side or the "This was a total waste of my time" side.

On the positive side, the story was pretty good. Some true lovers of the genre were disappointed that everything wasn't explained. For example, the war wasn't explained. Was it a civil war? Were our borders breached? I'm not sure it mattered in the long run. There was a war, it was terrible (as are all wars), it's over now, and the FBR is in control as we start the story. The Articles, as well as martial law, were made clear.

The pacing was good. There was a lot of action and suspense. It was predictable if you read this sort of thing all the time; there were no real surprises. There were some really creepy scenes, which added to the appeal of the book. It was nothing if not entertaining. This speaks to the writing, which was good. It wasn't overly flowery or poetic, which would have been inappropriate for this sort of plot. There was really nothing profound, either. And I didn't find it witty or funny or smart. These are things which would have made it better, but the book was still good without them. I think it just reflects that this author is young in her writing.

I had some serious problems with the characters. First off - great name, Ember Miller. Love that name! And for someone with such a great name, you'd think she'd have a functioning brain cell! There were so many times I found myself yelling at her idiocy that I almost gave up. It was hard to like a main character who wasn't just badass stubborn, but just flat stupid. She did impulsive things, didn't really learn anything from her mistakes, and most of all, didn't change until the very end. She never apologized for her behavior, blaming Chase for everything. And the thing that bugged me the most was the way she held this idealistic expectation of the world even when time after time it proved to be a bad place. I wanted to smack her and yell "Duh! What did you THINK was going to happen?" What may have been planned as naivete came across as willful, spiteful, childish behavior. She was anything but sympathetic.

I did like Chase. He was as likable as Ember was irritating. His PTSD was believable. He was honest. The only fault I think he had was his dogged determination to "just keep her safe." I think one of my favorite parts of the book was when (view spoiler)[ they have the conversation on the road after getting away from the crazy lady in the trailer. He finally tells Ember that she's an idiot. (hide spoiler)] Emotionally, Chase did all the work. It might have been ok if she had at least appreciated it.

The angst and tension between the characters really got on my nerves. Just when I thought they'd finally be honest and get somewhere in terms of trusting each other, they would retreat or make asses of themselves. And here's the thing: I had to keep reminding myself that these two were 17 and 19 years old. Ember's maturity level should have risen far before it did based on her circumstances. If she was supposed to have street smarts from growing up poor and avoiding the soldiers, then she should have had more common sense than to think she could trust people.

In the end, Ember did redeem herself, so I suppose that also redeemed the story for me. It's ok to dislike a character in a story as long as the story is still good. I don't think Simmons wrote a bad story, or wrote a good story badly. She just wrote a really irritating character with no common sense. For me to have gotten as mad at her as I did tells me that Simmons did a good job. If I hadn't cared about Ember, then it would have been a badly written book.

Jenny Ikeda does a great job with the narration. And all things considered, it's a good read. I'm looking forward to the sequel, since Ember has (hopefully) finally gotten a clue. It's about time.



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