This Shattered World Giveaway

One of my top books in 2014 was These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.

You can read my review of it here:

These Broken Stars

The next book in that Starbound series is This Shattered World.

I'm currently listening to it on audio as narrated by Donnabella Mortel and Callard Harris.  Kaufman and Spooner have been very involved in the audiobook process, working closely with Random House Audio to make sure the audiobook matched the feel and sound of the book as they heard and felt it.  On that basis alone I can recommend it on audio - and you can purchase it from Audible.com here.

There's also a giveaway happening until January 4, 2015!  You can find the details for that here:

Several bloggers are hosting posts along the blog tour and you can find links to each one at every stop along the way.  The winners will receive autographed copies of the Starbound books and some swag, as well as some one-on-one time with the authors during their book tour or via Skype.

There's also a novella that bridges between the two books:

Bonus!  The novella is free from the authors to read online!  Find it here.

This is an absolutely wonderful book series.  It's well-written and totally worth reading.  Check it out on Goodreads for more reviews and an in-depth synopsis.

If you'd like to read a Q&A that we did on Goodreads via the David Estes Fan group, check it out here - I was the winner of the swag pack that included the necklace - it's so cool!

Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner Q&A

Love & Other Unknown Variables

Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here is a sweet little story with a lot of heart. Shannon Alexander has managed to capture the nerdiness of a prodigy and mesh it with the carefree live-life-to-the-fullest girl.

The story is told by Charlie, a smart guy going to the smart kids school. His two best friends are a very sassy girl who's known him since childhood and her boyfriend - also smart and extremely likable. Even though they're at the smart kids school, Alexander paints it as a very normal experience - not much different than a regular public high school. The difference, as Charlie notes, is simply that the homework is harder and the kids pay much more attention.

He's standing in line at the local coffee shop when he notices the girl in front of him has a tattoo on the back of her neck. He's immediately intrigued by the mystery. This prompts him to want to know more; turns out this girl is the good friend of his younger sister. Charlie is awkward without being cliche - he's not antisocial or out of his comfort zone with people in general. He's just a smart kid who likes numbers. He has it all figured out.

Charlotte challenges him in an unassuming way while charming him at the same time. The real pleasure of this book is seeing their relationship unfold. Charlie slowly becomes aware that the world around him is unpredictable, and this has really nothing to do with entropy. He develops an antagonistic relationship with the old lady across the street, which evolves nicely into a tenuous yet companionable friendship. She can see right through his masks, which both threatens and draws him.

There is a lot of astute observation about life in this book. Alexander is not afraid to broach the subjects of loss and death and coping with a terminal illness. This isn't really the focus of the book. Rather, it is the way it changes Charlie and not only opens his eyes to the chaotic world around him, but challenges him to question everything he's ever thought about his future.

All in all this was a heartwarming story that tugged at my heart without being sappy or cliche. The characters are not pretentious, just regular kids dealing with life the best way they can. The side characters were well developed and enhanced the story nicely. The plot moved along well, and all in all this was a great story told well.

I'm interested in what Shannon Alexander does next. For a new author and a debut novel, this was impressive.



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New book release!

I don't know about you but I'm really excited to see this new series by David Estes - Brew!  It's being released October 1.  Be on the lookout onTwitter with the hashtag #Brewrelease for great giveaways!

David is the prolific author of several series and Brew is the latest.  Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

"Salem’s Revenge strikes without warning or mercy, ravaging the powerless human race under the forces of united gangs of witches, wizards, and warlocks. During the slaughter, Rhett Carter's foster parents and sister are killed, and his best friend and girlfriend are abducted by a gang of witches calling themselves the Necromancers, who deal in the dark magic of raising the dead. Rhett’s sword-wielding neighbor with a mysterious past saves Rhett from becoming another casualty of the massacre and teaches him the skills he needs to survive in this new world.

Rhett is broken, his normal high school life of book blogging and football playing shoved in a witch-apocalyptic blender. The only thing he has left is his burning desire for revenge. Armed with his new witch hunting skills and a loyal, magic powered dog named Hex, he sets out into the unknown with one mission: hunt and destroy those who took away everyone he ever loved.

But Rhett isn’t just a witch hunter; he has secrets of his own that he has yet to discover, secrets that his enemies will stop at nothing to keep him from.

And discovering the truth about himself is the human race’s only hope."

Join us on Twitter for some cool stuff.  And a great story!

Housekeeping and Giveaways

Most of the time I only publish reviews here - the reason for that is that I have a BookTube account where I talk about books. Although I started as a blogger with other subjects - house, sewing, etc., I spend most of my time these days making videos.  But not always. Every now and again I'll be putting up a post where I just yammer on about things. For example, telling you about giveaways that are happening and books I'm reading.

 Currently, I'm working my way through The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy is not my genre of choice, unless you count the fairytales written by all the New Adult authors. Those fantasy men . . . but I digress. Name of the Wind has captured my attention, but it's a long book. 19 hours of listening time on audio, but hey - it's Nick Podehl and he can do no wrong as a narrator. I'm interspersing that with some NA romance and Children's Classics. Matilda by Roald Dahl, The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe (which doubles as a self-published book on my list), and The Black Lung Captain by Chris Wooding in print. That's a lot to have going on at once, but I do like to have a balance. One romance, one self-published, one children's, and one other that's different from the rest. 

Some books I have on tap: A re-read of The 5th Wave followed by the recently released Infinite Sea, both by Rick Yancey and both on audio. Heir of Fire, the third in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Unbound, the sequel to The Archived by Victoria Schwab. And a couple of NA romances on audio as I find them.

 Here's a giveaway you should enter - it's an entire box of books! It's being hosted by Once Upon a Twilight, and you can enter via Instagram here: http://instagram.com/p/siwq71hnHC You can also enter the giveaway via Twitter and Facebook. Now that's worth a re-post and a tweet!

 I'll be back with more giveaways, some my own, and some news about authors I love. David Estes is one and he has a new series coming out - I'll tell you more about that later. So enter that giveaway and feel free to comment on the books I'm reading - have you read them? Any thoughts? And join me on BookTube at Today in Jen's Library there.

Only With You

Only with You by Lauren Layne
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book was not for me. Technically I DNF'd it; in reality I skimmed through about the latter 75% of it.

I found the characters, especially Sophie (the main character), a study in contradiction - and not in a good way. She knows she's given the wrong impression to someone, but given many chances to fix said impression, she does nothing. This translated as a predictable, frustrating plot device. No thank you.

This book felt like it was trying to be the literary version of a "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" remake. Sophie was very Marilyn Monroe - ditzy blonde who's dumb like a fox. Again, no thanks.

All around, it just wasn't enjoyable for me. I think it would entertain true romance fans - but for those of us who need some substance and depth to our main characters, it is best avoided.

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Landline

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two words that sum up this book are magical realism - magical because it's Rainbow Rowell, and realism because it's a picture of real life.

I love this author; for me, Rainbow Rowell can do no wrong. I loved Fangirl and I loved Eleanor and Park. I've only started Attachments but already like that one too. But this one? Not so much.

All the elements were classic Rowell: amazing character development, fabulous side characters, good pacing, lots of interesting introspection. I could go on and on. Instead, let me tell you what I didn't like.

Georgie and Neal are hitting a wall in their marriage. Every couple hits a wall at some point or another, usually around the 10-15 year mark. In this case, the roles are reversed somewhat. While it's usually the husband's career that costs the couple their marriage, this time it's the wife. Georgie's about to hit it big, but it's going to cost her Christmas with her family. Throw in the idea that she can talk to her husband 15 years in the past, while he was still her boyfriend, and it turns into a light-hearted look at true love.

Except that evaluating a marriage is anything but light-hearted. For Georgie, the reality is that it's going to cost much more - her marriage, because she has been slowly choosing her career (and her best friend) over her marriage from the beginning. I didn't like Georgie very much. She put up with a lot of demeaning nonsense from her best friend and writing partner. She compensated for neglecting her husband and daughters by simply feeling guilty about it. She loves her family but continues to choose her career over them again and again. So when push came to shove, she got a big wake-up call. Hello Georgie, this is what happens when you don't pay attention to the most important relationships in your life. Here you are thinking your husband may have left you - exactly what did you think would happen? Did you think feeling guilty about it would make it all better?

I loved Neal. He was patient and kind and although droll, always honest. He was sweet and endearing and had that dry wit, always funny. And what a lover - he loved Georgie and their daughters with that strong, faithful kind of love that keeps a marriage strong. I hated seeing him having to deal with this woman whose life and career were running her instead of the other way around. This was a man who decided the thing he loved the most was staying home with his young daughters. He liked to cook and do laundry and take kids to school; taking care of these things was the way he took care of the family. He didn't begrudge Georgie her dreams, or even begrudge coming in second place to them. He was solid, and most important - he loved her. His life screamed how much he loved her.

I liked Seth; at least he was true to himself. He didn't pretend to be something he wasn't and there was no pretense there. And the extraneous family members were entertaining, as were Georgie and Neal's daughters. Rowell can write people that are really, really likable.

I loved the ending of this book. The emotional journey that Georgie has been on is echoed in the events that take place - and honestly, she gets what she deserves in every sense.

My main problem with this book is simply that it is light-hearted in its approach to a very serious situation. Rainbow Rowell is an amazing writer and she did it all right. I loved this book. The only thing I didn't like about it was . . . the book.

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Carrier

Carrier by Anne Tibbets
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a strong book, very strong. And not because the characters are strong - which they are - but because it carries a strong message.

Carrier is a dystopian story about Naya, a sex slave who is released from confinement and has to then deal with the real world. She's been on "the Line" for nine years; essentially a government-sanctioned brothel. The women are prisoners kept in cells. The food is terrible but the medical care is relatively good. And they have 10 "appointments" per day, seven days per week. She was sold into this life when she was 13.

Naya is strong; she's shut down her emotions in order to cope with her imprisonment. As the story unfolds, we watch her get in touch with those emotions she held at bay for so long. We watch her flounder in the real world, trying to find solutions to the challenges she faces. We watch her struggle to trust people who want to help her. We see her emerge as a person. She is never a victim; rather, she continually tries to face her situation realistically and her naivete lends a sense of realism. She garners our admiration, not our pity.

The other characters are relatively well-developed but not overly so. We are given enough of them to want more, and as this is the first book in a series, it is to be expected that the secondary characters will change and grow.

The story is slow at first, and this is primarily because Naya is trying to figure out what to do with herself. How does she solve the problems with which she's faced? But even with the pace slowing, the world building that happens is substantial. The story doesn't lag - it's more like a change of focus. The background becomes clearer for a bit, and then we focus back in on the main character.

The plot was a standard dystopian-bad-government-wants-to-take-over-the-world-at-everyone's-expense sort of thing. It would have been just another in the long line of YA publishing today, except this isn't YA. It's NA and that's important. Naya is 22 years old and those around her are also her age and older. These are not teenagers and in many ways that makes this a much more believable story. The story here is relevant today and addresses several things, the sex-slave trade being the most prominent. We see poverty, people trapped in horrible situations with no choices or opportunities to get out. There are desperate people doing desperate things. There is a general disdain for life; add to that all the emotional fallout that these situations entail and the book could be one big sinkhole of despair.

But it's not. There is action and hope throughout. It may not be a completely original plot, but the setting is definitely original. There is virtually no romance, which is also refreshing because of the main character's situation. Her relationships grow slowly.

This is a great book with extremely difficult themes. It's not hard to read, but it's hard to look at; the idea that this happens today is a good reminder that we are never as advanced a society as we think we are.

It will be interesting to see where the author takes this series. If the first book is any indication, it will be remarkable.



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(Once) Again

(Once) Again by Theresa Paolo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After reading (Never) Again, I almost gave up on this author. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised with this sequel. In fact, I'm kind of astonished that the same author wrote this particular book.

As with most NA contemporaries, this second book in the Again series picks up with a secondary character from the first book. Josh, the main character, has been wounded in a school shooting at his university and is home recovering roughly 3 weeks after the incident. His home health aide turns out to be a girlfriend from high school that he never got over. And the story goes from there.

This book had a great backdrop with the school shooting and main character's PTSD. Also notable was an attack/near rape incident. But these two things were just the backdrop for the romance; they were a canvas on which to paint the interaction between the characters.

The character development here was great. Josh has made a lot of mistakes which he begins to see more and more clearly, in light of the near-death experience he's just had. His slow but steady willingness to change is refreshing. The way he goes overboard is endearing. Once we get to know his character, we see him progress - but not unrealistically. It makes for a much more believable story.

Sometimes with a story like this one, the plot can really slow down and drag if the characters get together too quickly. Not so in this case. The bit of drama towards the end helped move things along without over-complicating things. It didn't feel like too much.

The cheese factor in this story is huge. There's a lot of Josh "lifting her chin with a finger" and "running a finger down her face, trailing her jaw." Ok once or twice - but every time they have a serious moment? It was a bit much.

Overall, this was about standard as NA contemporaries go. It is a dramatic (dramatic!) improvement to the series. If the author continues at this pace, the next books will be amazing. We'll see.

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ACID

Acid by Emma Pass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There seem to be some impressive dystopians both set in and are written by authors in the UK these days. This is definitely one.

ACID, (Agency for Crime Investigation and Defense) refers to a controlling regime that has taken over Britain in the near future. The country is now called the Independent Republic of Britain and is completely closed off from the rest of the world. There is a resistance group struggling to gather evidence to peacefully end the regime, a splinter group of anarchists who just want to blow things up, and a horrible dictator/leader/military head determined to take over. And although we don't know much about the planet at large, we don't need to know. We only are told that it is not controlled like the IRB. That said, the world building here is substantial. The society is well-defined and the general description of the place was easy to visualize. The writing here was vivid with detail; it was easy to feel the freezing cold of the Orkney Islands and smell the moldy books of an abandoned library.

The character development was equally well done. Jenna Strong is a formidable character but not without her weaknesses. So often in these sorts of stories the heroine is undefeated, occasionally scared but always capable and triumphing. Not so with Jenna Strong. She is caught fleeing, beaten up, drugged, cursed by friends she comes to love, shot. When she gets out of a tough spot it is usually because someone helped her out, not generally on her own volition. There were also moments when she lost her memory and immediately reached out to the bad people who caused it - because what else would she do? Some might say this was her not thinking for herself. But it was realistic and lent an edgy vibe to the story. She was brave, but bravery is often as stupid as it is clever. She was also reasonably intelligent and made mistakes that mere humans make.

The pacing in this book was fabulous. It moved along and the action really didn't stop. Just about the time there seemed to be a lull, things picked right up again and the shooting and sneaking around began. The tension was always strung tight. There were surprises and things in general were not predictable.

There was the question as to why the main character was so important. This seems to crop up on a regular basis with these sorts of stories - what made her so special that the highest person in the government wanted her dead? Or for the rebels to want her alive? This question wasn't clearly answered here; the reason given was pretty weak.

The resolution of the book could also been seen as somewhat anti-climatic: the rebel group wants to bring the regime to justice by trying them for crimes against humanity. Not your general "shoot them all and the good guys win" sort of thing, but again, this makes the story a bit different. It still got the job done and it was a refreshing change from the standard YA dystopian.

The audiobook is narrated by Fiona Hardingham and she was incredible. One of the better narrators out there, she distinguished each character and read with engrossing emotion.

This book deserves a wide audience and a lot of success. So many stories like it are badly done, so it's nice to encounter one that rises to the top and delivers.





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The Revealed

The Revealed by Jessica Hickam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book aims high and hits the middle. That is this book. In the great race of dystopians, The Revealed is hanging with the pack - not in front, and not lagging behind. It's set a nice pace right in the middle.

The premise here is good: X-Men meets Chasing Liberty. It's a good setup for a potentially fantastic story. The writing is not outstanding but certainly readable. The pacing is good and there aren't any lags. There's a great bad guy and an engaging plot. So what is it with this book that makes it just ok?

The main character is inconsistent, immature, and generally annoying. She is being kept safe in a secure compound - so why does she keep getting out so easily? There's a boy who betrayed her back in high school that she suddenly trusts. And trusts again after he gives her reason not to trust him. She herself garners the trust of some people in authority and when she breaks that trust, they give her a slap on the hand and tell her "people's lives are at stake."

There is no weight here, no serious tone, no depth to the action. None of these characters are taking their situations seriously. They're just talking about taking their situation seriously. So why should we care if they all get blown up or shot or generally just killed?

Cue love triangle. Enter cute boy while main character is pining away for other boy she can't trust or figure out. Give readers cause to shoot themselves.

This book is a good story told relatively well. The characters, for the most part, are likable (save the main character). There is a plot twist that isn't readily visible, although it becomes apparent. This book just has so much going for it -

And yet it's just not enough to push it into "great" territory. And that's a shame, because it really could be amazing. This is the beginning of a series and it has great potential to get better and better. Hopefully it will as the main character grows up and gets over herself. It's worth continuing.

But overall? Sadly, it's unremarkable. Hopefully it will gain a large following and distinguish itself. More likely it will hang right there in the middle with all the other dystopian hopefuls. This series has great potential, but it remains to be seen as to whether this author will pull off a hit.

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Before He Was Famous

Before He Was Famous by Becky Wicks
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

With all due respect to an author and what it takes to write a story - what a mess! This book should be near the bottom of your new-adult-to-be-read list.

This story began as cute, sweet, your general romance. It had such potential! But things began to go downhill as soon as I started reading slang I didn't understand. The book is set in Colorado and New York and these characters are American. So what's with all the British slang? And as soon as the British stage manager is introduced, he starts talking in a rhyming slang that is common to Aussies, not Brits. So to further confuse things, it's not just British slang that makes an American stop and have to figure it out - it's Aussie rhyming slang that makes no sense at all to an American. None of this would be an issue if the author had simply changed the setting of the book to the UK. But for American characters set in America? No.

Things continued on a downward slope as the book gratuitously drops current celebrity names and songs interspersed with fictional ones. If the author had simply chosen one or the other - preferably the fictional ones - it would have been fine. But to intersperse them made no sense, and using current names and songs will quickly date the book.

The main characters were well-developed, although they tended to make stupid decisions which clearly were intended to simply build tension in the plot and push it along. The stock secondary characters were sadly underdeveloped. The backdrop of a new celebrity gaining his footing was well done and would have easily been enough conflict in the plot. But the addition of a sub-plot with one main character getting death threats was just unnecessary.

This book feels as if the writer read a book about how to write a book and then wrote a book. Some of the elements are right, even good. But others are lacking. Add to that some questionable editing and this novel becomes forgettable before it even ends.

This book is a tragedy really, because with some tweaks it might be average or even really good. In its current state it is a nominally passable story in desperate need of major changes. It has a lot of potential, but it's just not there. This author needs to make some serious changes in her books if she aspires to any degree of success in the publishing industry. There is a reason self-published books often fail, and this is a prime example of one. What a shame.



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Let the Storm Break

Let the Storm Break by Shannon Messenger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book is amazing. Sometimes a book is well written. You'd think the two would go hand in hand, but that's not always the case. And in this case, the book is very well written - and yet not completely amazing.

The reason this book deserves five stars is simply this: Shannon Messenger knows how to take a story and create tension, then give some slack, then create tension again, then let it loosen, then pull the tension so tight it leaves you gasping for the next book. Cliffhanger? Definitely. Worthy of five stars on that count alone? Absolutely.

In this second installment of the Let the Sky Fall series, we follow the main characters Vane and Audra as they grow in their relationship. Audra has gotten past much of her self-condemnation, thankfully. Vane is less impulsive and more focused as he prepares to be the king of the Sylphs. These two characters continue to explore their roles in Sylph society and Vane struggles to remain connected to his adopted human family. There are some new characters introduced in the form of Vane's guardians and trainers. And the girl to whom he has been betrothed without his previous knowledge, Solana, makes her debut. Just about the time the words "love triangle" come to mind, our hero stays true to his love. And as such, it becomes harder and harder to figure out just who's in cahoots with the bad guy.

The pacing is what makes this book so awesome - just about the time things seem the most dire, the tension eases and there's a slight resolution. Just about the time the plot seems predictable, it takes a turn. It was up and down and up and down and the whole thing left me exhausted. And what a cliffhanger! The setup for the last book is stunning.

One of the best things about the story is Vane and his sarcastic sense of humor. Messenger's use of the Haboob dust storm and Vane's commentary on it is laugh out loud funny. Vane himself is just a great character, likable, affable and sweet.

On audio, the book is narrated by Kristen Leigh and Nick Podehl. Podehl is perfect for Vane's point of view. He really embodies Vane's character and makes him come alive. Vane wouldn't be nearly so funny or endearing without Podehl's narration of him. Leigh as Audra is good enough, but not amazing. Podehl is just flat out astounding.

This story isn't really knock-you-down amazing. But it is very, very good, and when combined with the push-pull of the plot, it earns every one of those five stars. And after the buildup and setup in this novel, the last in the trilogy promises to be five-star worthy as well.

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Crossing the Line

Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This little novella was tacked onto the end of an ARC of Take Me On. The characters were introduced in the first book of the series, Pushing the Limits.

McGarry is expert at following YA characters faced with fear, emotional damage and the consequences of their actions both good and bad. She does the same thing here and it's wonderful. The story, although a novella, didn't feel rushed at all. There was less depth, sure, but overall a heart-warming peek at some likable characters. I was cheering them on, especially in one scene that involved retribution for stupidity. You have to love it when the girl gets the guy - and not in the traditional sense.

I really hope they do a cover change on these books. They are obviously marketed to girls even though the subject matter is often interesting to both male and female audiences. Just because it's a romance doesn't mean guys wouldn't enjoy things like kickboxing and cars.



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Take Me On

Take Me On by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kickboxing, MMA cage fighting, homeless kids and families, abusive parents, dysfunctional families, the loss of a job and a home, an abusive boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, and a sort-of gang. Sounds like a total mess of a book trying too address too many things - but Katie McGarry does what she does best and turns out an amazing teenaged romance.

McGarry seems to be expert at damaged yet mature characters who journey to move beyond their pasts. She does this by often using the characters to encourage and support one another. This is a great example because it's always easier to see past and support those around us rather than deal with our own problems; a great reminder that anything is possible. Contemporary fiction is always relatable to real life, so when it does it in a positive way, it's translatable to real life. Like it or not, we often live out what we read. And in this case it's a very good thing.

The character development here is pretty standard for this series. And yet it feels fresh as McGarry tackles the whole world of MMA fighting. The story could have been all about angry people doing angry things. But it goes beyond that with a maturity that, although in most cases is relatively unrealistic, is a good goal for which to strive. West Young is a character who is an 18-year old who is full of rage and yet still able to step into a loving counselor role when dealing with the girl he loves. Not likely in real life, but it served the story well. And again, sets a great standard to live out in real life.

The book has all the right things - great story, good pacing, well-developed characters. Katie McGarry is just really good at what she does and was smart to do a series - every single book in it is strong. I will be looking forward to the next book because I know I can expect it to be great. This is YA contemporary at its best.



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Divided

Divided by Elsie Chapman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elsie Chapman, you have done it again with this sequel. It does not disappoint.

We return to the story of West Grayer, who now teaches weaponry at a local high school. She also attends the school. She is in a committed relationship with Chord, her dead brother's best friend. And they continue to live in a dystopian society where every person has an alternate, and when they are "activated" at some point during age 13-18, they must kill the other one. It is a society of assassins.

West was a "striker" in order to learn how to defend herself. This is essentially an assassin-for-hire; someone you can pay to kill your alt for you. It served her well, but is against the law and marked her for life. This doesn't matter to Chord but does play largely into the plot.

West is a fascinating character. She is private, logical, driven. She is able to evaluate a situation's politics and make good decisions as to what to do and why. She is sly, clever, detail-oriented. She is also able to defend herself well. And yet in spite of all these things, she admits to being terrified. She has enough wits about her to control her fear, though. And it's a good thing, because in this dystopian world, there is plenty to be afraid of.

While West tended to be desperate in Dualed, she is more conflicted in this sequel. Chapman balances West's drive with her conscience; West is haunted by the things she did in order to survive. When put in an impossible situation, the only thing she did that bothered me was to be unaware of the inevitable consequences of her actions. I knew what would happen, so shouldn't she? And yet Chapman is able to tell West's journey to the end so well that I didn't even mind. I wasn't really smarter than her, I just saw it coming. Perhaps West did as well, since so much of her thought processes were both hidden and revealed.

I did love the romance, which was grounded and consistent. West didn't trust anyone in Dualed; now she's learned to trust Chord and grows in her relationship with him. There are also other relationships which she views with compassion rather than the cold calculating style she had in Dualed. It is a natural progression for her character.

The plot is action packed and full of surprises. The fight scenes are stellar. The betrayals and details of the society are revealed, which accented the world-building nicely. It made for a great package that was both engaging and entertaining. The series would make a great movie.

I'm sad to see this dualogy end. The characters are great, the plot is great, the writing is great. It's got the total package. Thanks, Elsie Chapman, for the ride!


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Forever Layla

Forever Layla by Melissa Turner Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ah, time travel. How you vex me so.

Here is a story which tries to avoid paradoxes and treat time travel incidentally. And yet it is a huge part of the plot. Although the book is largely character driven, there is still the backdrop of that pesky time travel going on.

This book actually does have a great story. Although it sets a circular time pattern in motion, it compensates for the general lack of scientific detail by concentrating on the characters. Layla is a woman out of her own time. Part of what drives the plot is her unwillingness to talk about herself - who she is, where she's from, how she got there. This is slowly revealed as the two main characters, Layla and David, forge their relationship.

The characters developed nicely. The relationships in the book changed realistically. David and Layla's relationship takes some turns that, were they happening in real life, seem a little farfetched. Not that it never happens, just that mostly it doesn't. But these things about their relationship were what endeared me to them. The author touches on some things momentarily, but doesn't dwell. Rather, she just gives them enough of a mention to accent the story.

What's interesting about this plot is that it seems predictable and yet it's not. The ending, while it went the direction I thought it would, still surprised me slightly. Things that were on the fringes of implausible were balanced with things that were completely what you'd expect in real life.

What did bother me about this novel was the writing. It reads very much like a first novel. There are a lot of informational statements interspersed with dialogue that just don't have that nuanced "between the lines" feel to them. It was fine; it just wasn't stellar. It didn't flow. The story progressed, but it felt a bit rough. Maybe it's just the author's style. She told the story well, but she didn't write exceptionally well. Again, the flow - this is what distinguishes an amazing writer from an average one.

I will be interested to see what Turner Lee does next. She can tell a good story. I'm sure she'll get better and better with the way she tells it as she continues to write.

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The Kiss of Deception

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let's face it, everyone loves a good fairytale. A reluctant prince or princess, kingdoms that need to be united, bad guys, horses, magic - these are the elements of good fantasy. And this book has those abundantly.

The plot here is one that has been done time and time again: headstrong princess runs away from an arranged marriage. Prince goes after her. Enemy country sends an assassin to kill the princess. Epic adventure ensues. Happily-ever-after results. The end.

However, it has some nice twists that make it interesting. The story is told from three points of view; the princess, the prince and the assassin. Two male characters are introduced, but it is not clear which is the assassin and which is the prince. Thankfully, the reveal is about midway through the story. And once the roles are defined, the characters continue to grow. Loyalties are questioned and feelings are never really declared. The tension is kept until the end, which is not so much a cliffhanger as a prime setup for the next book.

So suffice it to say that the plot is well done. It moves along with a slowdown here or there, but nothing to really weigh down the story or make it drag. There is magic here but it is not the focus. And it is gypsy magic, perhaps with a Native American influence, which is a nice change of pace. The bad guys felt like a cross between Celts and Comanche, replete with headdresses and body paint and mounted on horses.

Lia, the main character, underwent significant character development from story's beginning to end. She never seemed spoiled or shallow, but she did seem naive. It was nice to see her undergo a gritty confrontation with her own shortcomings. And the dramatic shift in the assassin, which begins at the reveal, is unclear and keeps him a mysterious figure. We are never sure where his loyalties lie.

The ending was dramatic and left me wanting the next book. It was the ending of a journey but definitely the start of a tricky negotiation. I am anxious to see where it goes.

All in all, this was a wonderfully written YA fantasy adventure with some interesting twists on the lore. It may well prove itself to hold a place with the best YA fantasy of its kind as the trilogy unfolds.

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Falling Into You

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a book that felt like two books; two stories interwoven and loosely connected.

The first story revolves around two high-schoolers, best friends since birth, coming of age and discovering first love. It's a fairytale friendship that grows into a beautiful relationship. And then in a freak accident, the boy is killed.

Insert here the fact that the accident felt conjured up, a dramatic plot device for the sake of drama.

The second story revolves around the surviving girl and the dead boy's brother, their journey to survive the grief and pain caused by the freak accident - and other things. When we meet Nell again, she is two years older, in college and seriously emotionally damaged. Colton, who is the older brother of the dead Kyle, happens to run into her. He is also emotionally damaged, although in a better place than Nell.

Jasinda Wilder has done a couple of things very well in this book. Her characters are well fleshed-out with a fair amount of depth. Their self-destructive actions make sense. Their emotional turmoil is well written; in fact, the whole thing is well-written. Wilder manages to communicate the scope of guilt and loss in a gut-wrenching way that garners our empathy. Her characters are honest and raw. She also proves expert at writing steamy hot passion.

What this book does not have is a believable plot. The story really does require setting reality aside. There are so many problems in Colton's life that are just implausible, as well as Nell's inability to have dealt with her post-trauma emotional incapacities. The NA genre sometimes tries to deal with dark issues like self-mutilation, gangs, pregnancy and death and generally speaking it is done badly. Once in awhile it's done very well, and in this case it was somewhere in the middle. To her credit, Wilder does not attempt to explore many of these issues in depth. Simply touching on them was like adding flourishes to a painting; they enhanced the broader picture of overall grief rather than detracting from it.

The ending was very good. I'm not sure if I liked who the characters were when the story ended, but the ending itself took a step towards believability. It seemed a natural progression. At least it was hopeful.

All in all, it was on the up side of average. Points for seriously steamy scenes and for not trying to reach too far. It's a good balance for the genre.





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Delectable

Delectable by Adrianne Lee
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book is about cherry pie. Seriously, it even has a recipe at the end.

It's also contemporary chick-lit romance. It was moderately entertaining, entirely predictable, and irritatingly simplistic in its scope. In a word, it was . . . meh.

It is important to note that while this book had its problems, they are generally problems with the genre in general and not this book specifically. The characters were stock and somewhat flat; their actions were questionable at best. Fictional real life should at least vaguely resemble real life, and this case it doesn't begin to do that. The idea that a failed marriage born out of neglect can be salvaged with a crisis and great sex is laughable. The happily-ever-after here should have taken a lot more effort. There was no tension or real plot. Really the only good thing about it was the pacing.

While many might consider this a great beach read, there really are much better choices out there. This book lacked substance and depth. There are far more stories out there that offer both.

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Fury

Fury by Charlotte McConaghy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was not was I thought it would be. It's hard to know what to expect from a relatively new author. In this case, the story quickly went from ambiguous to riveting. I couldn't put it down. It was, in fact, amazing.

This is the story of Josephine, whom we meet when she is speaking with a therapist in a mental health facility. She has tried to kill herself several times and her therapist is nearly at his wits end trying to figure out how to fix her. And apparently this is a facility for the criminally insane, since Josephine insists that she has killed several people.

The story then continues in flashbacks from three points of view: Josephine, her friend/lover Luke, and Anthony, the therapist. It also jumps the timeline, with each chapter dated. It sounds as if this would be difficult to track, but it's not. The tone and context of each chapter make sense with the jumps. It's never hard to figure out what's happening and when; it's not a complicated plot. It simply reveals itself bit by bit, grabbing you and leaving you hanging on for the next detail. It plays out like a very good action movie, complete with horrific murders and fighting scenes and shootouts. The whole package is very, very good.

Josephine and Luke, the main characters, are sympathetic and strong. Their relationship develops slowly and is a bit of a departure from the standard YA couple. This is what makes it somewhat believable; it was very easy to visualise these two as if watching them in a blockbuster movie. There is a marked age difference between them, but this plays well into the story as it develops. The scenes between them are wonderful as their relationship slowly grows and each one's strengths and weaknesses emerge.

The world building here is relatively sparse. Since the story ends on an uncertain note (not a true cliffhanger), it is assumed that will be explored in more detail in the next installment. There was enough to frame out the plot and give the characters context. And honestly, about 20% in I thought 'this is going to be just another werewolf book. You've gotta be kidding me.' I was never so glad to be never more wrong.

I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. I hope this books gets the promotion and press it deserves, because it could well be the next in a long line of dystopian book-to-movie adaptations. 4.5 stars from me, and I highly recommend it.

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Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. Just, wow. What a rush.

This book starts off with a bang and never lets up. It is a roller coaster ride that twists and turns and finally deposits you in a place you didn't expect.

Tabula Rasa means "a mind not yet affected by experiences." It is a fitting title. In this story, we meet Sarah as she's undergoing brain surgery. It is creepy and difficult not to feel the terrifying loss of control right along with her. She is a patient in a hospital, undergoing treatment which will enable her to rejoin society. The goal of the treatment is to erase memories, to give her a new start, a blank slate.

Turns out Sarah is also known as Angel, a nickname her mother gave her after finding her atop a tall building. Angel likes to climb, to be up high. And yet she has no memory of being up high, only the feelings that it evokes. This is true for several things she encounters through the course of the story - emotions associated with the thing, but no memory of the thing itself. At her foundation, Sarah doesn't even really know who she is.

Things start going awry when Angel gets back to her room. When she starts to hear things like explosions and gunfire, she finds that someone has provided a means for her escape. She takes it, and the action doesn't stop from then on. In fact, the plot is non-stop action, taking only a moment here and there for one character to sleep or recover from injury while another character works.

The characters here are believable and diverse. Angel as a protagonist is nicely balanced. She isn't drop-dead gorgeous, she's a bald hospital patient with metal clips in her head. She's compassionate but not to the point of stupidity or senseless martyrdom. She is resourceful without being a genius. And as things unfold, she gets angrier and angrier with good reason.

Pierce, whose name turns out to be Thomas, is a worthy companion. He is a no-nonsense hacker. Whether or not he's a genius is never really clear, but what is clear is that he's really smart. He errs on the side of caution but doesn't hold Angel back. Rather, he just steers her in the right direction. The two make a formidable team.

The secondary characters are interesting enough. Hodges makes a passable villain. But the real villain is the mystery and who's behind all the soldiers and guns. Other hospital patients are introduced with varying side effects of their treatments. It makes for a pretty crazy cast.

All this is set against a backdrop of intrigue, lots of things blowing up and being crushed and falling from great heights and being washed away. In a blizzard. It was hard not to shiver as I read this.

The plot is intricate but not difficult to follow. It unfolds amid all the action and things make sense in a timely fashion. There is the slightest hint of a romance, just a dash to make things interesting. And the witty dialogue between Angel and Thomas lightens things up and made me smile.

All in all, this was a page turner. I really couldn't put it down. It would make a terrific action movie. I'm rounding this one up from 4.5 stars.

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Plus One

Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was not what I expected, both in good and in bad ways.

First off, that cover! The cover of this book lends itself to an epic romance full of sweetness and depth, even hints at tragedy. I think a lot of people will purchase the book based on the cover alone. It is gorgeous.

The basic premise of this book rests on the idea that in an effort to cure the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918, the US government divided the population into two groups: people who live and work during the day and people who live and work during the night. This set up a dystopian society where people who work at night, "Smudges," tend to get the blue collar jobs. The white collar jobs - and better living conditions all around - went to the "Days."

While I'm not sure how this was the answer to a flu epidemic, it did set the stage for an interesting society. Basically, half the population is on third shift. They handle circadian rhythms with drugs and the Smudges have an appreciation for the world after dark. It is a fascinating setup. Throw in Hour Guard police who have more power than they should and another societal subset called Nomas and there you have the makings of a solid dystopia. This is a backdrop that, despite its flaws, works. And although the actual world building was sparse, it was just a tiny bit over the brink of enough.

The characters here were not what I expected. Soleil is a girl who tosses authority over her shoulder carelessly. A Smudge, her family is slowly falling apart, leaving her alone. Her response is simply not to care what happens to her. We watch her change over the course of the book to a person who might consider that she does deserve a better life. She is never so jaded that she isn't willing to dig deep past her pride for tender feelings. Although full of false bravado, she really is a brave girl with a tender heart. There is no sweetness here.

D'Arcy is solid as a love interest, but I found him predictable. Ciel, Sol's brother, is unexpected, but more because we have only seen him through Sol's eyes. Gigi the Noma was tragic, but really just a more vivid version of Sol. I wish Jean, D'Arcy's father, had been more involved; he was a bit of reason and softness in a world full of edges. The whole cast worked relatively well against the backdrop. I never understood the point of Minister Paulsen, the supposed villain..

And this brings me to the plot. The idea that Sol wants to steal a baby is ok. But her reasoning is questionable and her methods are pretty much ridiculous, even unbelievable. This felt like simply a device to bring Sol and D'Arcy together. It just didn't make any sense. We move from that into various conspiracies and more kidnappings and endless questions about who was on whose side and who the bad guys really were. It was further complicated by the familiar element of having Sol do things we don't know about but that she does. Gigi's behaviour came out of nowhere. It all seemed like a convoluted way to paint the romance as doomed. Having said that, these are all elements that would make a good story. They just didn't gel for me.

I have to mention that while some would say that this was insta-love, I didn't find that to be the case. The flashbacks (and premise) of the romance were inventive and happened slowly. When Sol and D'Arcy do come together it seemed to happen naturally and in a timely fashion. And while they were attractive people, they were not drop-dead gorgeous. I appreciated the realism there.

Fama's writing is beautiful. The imagery she uses was vivid and easy to see in my mind's eye. The flashbacks and views of the national park were done so well that I felt I was there. I could feel the sun and see the moon. I could easily picture Gigi and the Nomas. The French gave the story a nice romantic flair.

Overall, this is a good story with great elements. The writing is beautiful, the characters are varied and the setting is interesting. If only the plot were less complicated and more believable, it would be a stunning book. I've rated it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. And the best thing about it? I want to read more of this author's work. If that writing is combined with a good plot in her other works, they will be exceptional.



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The Forever Song

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one fantastic end to a fantastic series.

The Blood of Eden series began with The Immortal Rules, wherein the main protagonist Allison Sekemoto becomes a vampire. This is a life she freely chooses, which is important: Immortal Rules explores Allison's journey to accept herself for what she has become. Several other characters are introduced as well; most notably they are Kanin, the master vampire who "turned" Allie, Zeke, the love interest, and Jackal, the comic relief and resident bad guy. These characters shine against a backdrop of a plague that has swept the former United States, enabling vampires to take charge and make all the rules. The basic plot follows a group of humans making their way to a haven called Eden, a protected island free from threats.

The second book, The Eternity Cure, introduces a very bad villain named Sarren. In this sequel Allie finds a new family of sorts in her vampire community. She continues to question her identity as Sarren raises a new threat - he intends to wipe out not just the humans, but everyone on the planet. New alliances are made between old enemies. The story ends on a horrific cliffhanger, and the thing about cliffhangers is simply this: that last book had better be amazing or readers are going to be disappointed, tainting their opinions of the entire series.

Kagawa has outdone herself with this conclusion. It is suspenseful, horrific, gory and unpredictable. It is at times endearing and romantic. The action really doesn't stop at all as the family of vampires hunt down Sarren, the psychopathic villain. And this guy is one bad dude, leaving an unrelenting trail of senseless, bloody massacre. Although the journey is clearly laid out, the scenes are full of unexpected action and traps set by the antagonist. The tension in the buildup to the story's climax never slackens; it builds like the foam on a glass of soda, overflowing just a bit before settling down. And along the way we are continually glimpsing into Allie's psyche and her observations of those around her.

There are no new characters introduced here; instead, we are able to watch the cast from the previous book as they change according to the events that happen. There is a lively banter between Allie and Jackal, which provides a lot of the comic relief. There are laughable moments as Kanin, the "blood father" of Allie and James, endures their childish bickering with dwindling patience. Jackal's character was never quite clear in terms of his motives, but his dry humour provided some much-needed comic relief.

All in all, things concluded perfectly. There were no loose ends, no wondering about what might happen beyond the scope of the story. This is the way a trilogy should end: hopeful, conclusive, and satisfying. Thank you Julie Kagawa - well done!



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Dream Girl

Dream Girl by S.J. Lomas


I received this from NetGalley for review. And in good conscience, I cannot recommend it. I gave up at 25%.

Where do I begin? There were problems everywhere. The premise was good, but from the outset it was just a disaster.

Christine, the main protagonist, is a young girl whose parents are moving to another state. This is going to require Christine to leave her friends, her school and her job. Granted, this is a difficult thing to ask of a girl who will be starting her senior year of high school in a completely new place. Christine's parents allow her to stay in her hometown for the summer, alone, continuing her job at a library until the fall when school starts. Christine's plan is to find a way to stay indefinitely.

Christine is only seventeen. And while many seventeen year old seniors are mature enough to live on their own, most are not. The first chapter begins with a tearful goodbye between Christine and her mother at an airport. This does not lend credibility to the idea that Christine's parents would be affable to the idea of her living on her own for her last year of high school.

Adding to this implausibility, Gabriel enters the scene. He is the great-looking guy who walks in as the new library employee. Within a few pages of meeting Christine, he hands her a copy of a short story he has written. He doesn't know her, has just met her, is acting kind of creepy and then asks her to comment on his creative work?

Gabriel's odd behavior is explained soon after, outlaying the premise of the story. He lives in dreams and now he's seen Christine in them. Are they awake? Are they dreaming? Why should I care?

Had this story began with more solid characters it might have worked. As it is, we are given contradictory ideas about who these people are. There are few indications that Christine is a capable, focused girl. Instead, she seems like a silly love-smitten airhead who is making a wild stab at a dream of independence. Gabriel is an angsty artist-type who apparently instantly loves Christine. Honestly, if this guy were real I'd be worried. And I'd stay far, far away from him.

Gabriel's stories don't make sense and neither do the dreams. Perhaps these are explained as the book progresses. Sadly, I didn't care enough to know if they were explained or not. This was not a plot that made sense. This was not even a plot.

This is a book that seems like a first draft. The premise is good; the idea that it is difficult to tell the difference between dreams and waking is interesting. But the storytelling is just non-existent. The characters are flat and unlikable. The initial setup doesn't make any sense. The dream sequences are boring. This book needs a complete reworking in order to make it successful. Sadly, I can't recommend it.



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The Best Kind of Broken

Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this from NetGalley for review. Overall, I found it to be one of those New Adult stories that while entertaining, tries a little too hard to be something it is not.

The story follows Pixie and Levi. As cutesy as the name "Pixie" implies, it works here. It is a nickname for the protagonist Sarah and is oddly appropriate. Pixie and Levi have a history of being best friends, although apparently something caused them to be estranged.

The story begins with them both working summer jobs at an inn owned by Pixie's aunt. They also live at the inn, in a wing where they are the only two boarders. They share a bathroom and that is where the fun begins. The book opens with an hilarious exchange between the two, an ongoing fight that establishes several things: their open disdain for the other, the obvious sexual tension between them, their badly disguised love for each other, and the longing they both have to get past their problems and move on.

The story alternates between Pixie and Levi's point of view. This works nicely; it gives us a glance into their personal demons and thought processes. There is an event that has caused both of them extreme pain and left them despairing, each for their own reasons. The plot is basically their journey to get beyond the event.

There are the usual plot devices - the sassy best friend, the perfect boyfriend that somehow isn't perfect, the knowing/winking aunt and cook who work to put the main characters together. It is predictable. It is true to the New Adult genre in its descriptions and foregone conclusions.

The dialogue is really what makes the book so entertaining. While it doesn't really set the story apart from others in this genre, it does make it fun to read. What makes this book mediocre is the way it attempts to chart a journey from self-blame and grief to acceptance. There is a bit of a twist on it, but it is not really enough to justify the effort to turn this into a story with a real message.

So while this book makes a valiant attempt to comment on grief, it mostly just entertains with the comedic banter between the characters. It isn't overbearing or preachy. It is light and fun and mildly pensive. All in all, I liked it very much. I would place it above the average books of its type and recommend it for a light, romantic read. It was a nice way to spend an evening - and it made me laugh out loud.

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The Here and Now

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. And what a pleasure it was.

Time travel is difficult to get right. It is often chock full of plot holes and fabrications, making the whole story seem completely implausible. But in this case, it's done very well. The science isn't the focus and that's what makes it work.

Prenna James, the main protagonist, is an interesting character with depth and dimension. Her inner conflict paints a girl who desperately wants to follow the rules and avoid trouble, and yet she longs to be free of the constraints of her community. The beautiful thing about this character is that she remains consistent as she grows. She never struck me as timid, even though she didn't want to upset the balance of things within her community of immigrants. She was smart but never underhanded. She was courageous but never reckless. She behaved as a cautious teenager would; taking some risks but never stupidly. What she did made sense.

Ethan, the primary side character, was likable, sweet, endearing. I loved the way he behaved like a typical teenaged boy. Even so, he was intelligent but not beyond his years. Sometimes the young adults in time-travel fiction are drawn as unrealistic geniuses. Not so in this case. Although he spoke of "forever" in terms of Prenna and their future, it was clear that forever is a relative, even hopeful term rather than a solid commitment.

What is stellar in this novel is the writing style. Brashares has a way with imagery, giving voice to emotions in a way that is both beautiful and relatable:

No one talks about what really binds us together. The gap between what we say and what we fell is so big and dark that sometimes I thnk I'll fall into it and keep falling.

The plot was somewhat typical of time travel; there are always those places where things get circular. Someone has something in their possession, but they find it in another's possession, which is possible because it hasn't happened yet. These sorts of paradoxes are inevitable. Brashares avoids them for the most part in favor of character development. The most interesting thing here is the unknown. She leaves us wondering whether the future really has been changed.

And yet this not knowing isn't unsatisfying. The ending of the book is the best kind of conclusion. It is rare that an author can leave things up to the reader's imagination without leaving loose ends. Brashares does this exceptionally well. It is a fitting ending that reflects the overall writing style, and perhaps this is why it feels so appropriate.

A bit of romance, a bit of mystery, a bit of philosophy and science and rich characters. What's not to love about this book? It was wonderful.



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Independent Study

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Testing series, and things have gotten political. The obvious comparisons are to Insurgent (Veronica Roth) and Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins), which are both second books in a series. It doesn't really suffer from middle book syndrome. It just takes a familiar direction, laying framework for the last book.

In Independent Study we find Cia and Tomas, who have survived The Testing, beginning their educations at the University. They are again tested and placed on tracks for the jobs they will hold in the future - and these are not necessarily the vocations they would have chosen for themselves. The administration at the University seems to have it in for Cia. And what is termed "induction" and "orientation" is just more life and death testing.

The country has survived the Seven Stages War and is basically a wasteland with a central city and some outlying colonies. And while there is a government in place, the real people running the country are those in charge of the Testing and University. Politics are a big part of this plot. There is mystery as to what's really going on, why it's going on, and just who's in charge. Lines are drawn. Allegiances are in question. There is a lot of tension created by the mystery within the story, and Charbonneau does a great job of creating a world full of questions.

In that respect, the world building here is stellar. We are given a clear picture of the country and its citizens. It was easy to visualize the capital city and some of the colonies, as well as the areas of testing during the orientation. The reasoning behind the politics is revealed slowly and carefully, and there is a plot twist that sets up the final novel quite nicely. There are unanswered questions, but that's ok. The real entertainment is going to be how it all gets resolved in the final book.

Cia is an interesting character. She's so logical. And while it was great to watch her unravel the puzzles of the testing, it also tended to be overly descriptive to the point of info-dumping. Her thought processes, while fascinating, got tedious at times. I wished at some points that the details could have been revealed bit by bit, using the action to explain. Instead, we got inside Cia's brain.

Having said that, being inside Cia's brain lent definition to her character. While I felt somewhat spoon-fed in terms of information, I also appreciated that this was just the way Cia thought things through. It may have gotten slow at points but this felt justified because Cia grew so much.

Tomas and the other secondary characters were interesting. In this installment we got much less Will and lots more Rafe. Tomas was better defined. There was even some class warfare going on among the students. It got downright cutthroat while calling morals into question, which defined Cia's inner conflict. It never really got quite to angsty and the romance was just enough. The ideal of patriotism was balanced by the corruption of power. And again, this set up the last book for the final showdown.

The audiobook was narrated by Elizabeth Morton. While she gave Cia an interesting voice, the rest of the characters were pretty much terrible. All the guys (Tomas, Enzo, Will, Ian, etc) were given voices that sounded childish and even cartoonish. At times I felt like I was listening to an Anime episode. Reading this in print would have been far better.

The plot had a fair amount of action, although tended to be more cerebral than The Testing. Even so, it was an enjoyable book. If Charbonneau can avoid overly complicating the last book, this will prove to be a great series. As it is, Independent Study is a nice combination of thinking and action. Who's really in charge and who's part of the rebellion? These were great questions raised in an interesting way. A great follow-up and second book.



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Undone

Undone by Shannon Richard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was just what I needed - a cute romance with no major issues. Just a boy and a girl who fall in love and live happily ever after.

Paige, the main character, is a smart girl who has fallen on hard times. While she's initially painted as a bohemian-like free spirit, she seems a bit more spunky. She's an artist but does photography and digital design. Painting seems more like a hobby and less of a vocation. And while she struggles to be a take-charge kind of gal, she ends up being more passive and happy to be taken care of. Maybe this is because she's an only child with great parents (especially being a daddy's girl). All in all, she seemed pretty capable. Letting herself be fiercely protected was at least her choice.

Brendan is the quintessential hot guy who steps in as the knight in shining armor. Kind of predictable, but that was ok. It's just that kind of book. He was swoon-worthy and steady and all the things women love. He was a typical guy written by a woman, and women authors are notorious for writing romantic men that aren't at all realistic. They're written as the man most women want, not the man that most men are.

This book didn't need to have a big bad thing happen. It was just a little slice of life, a guy and girl who fall in love pretty quickly, stay in love, go through a couple of regular life tiffs and tragedy and live happily ever after. It was entertaining sweetness. And the nice thing was that it didn't try to be anything else. So many romances these days try to address flawed characters in horrible situations. Not this book. It's not that it didn't have any depth; it's just that it didn't need to be heavy. It floated along with just the right amount of romance, cute characters, ridiculous and catty old bats and a diner with great pastries.

This would be a great beach read. And who doesn't like a hot mechanic? The cover alone is worth the time it takes to read. I highly recommend it when all you want is dessert.

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What I Didn't Say

What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

YA romance can be hit or miss. In this case, I'd call it a base hit. It's a romance with a few moral messages, bordering on being preachy about some social issues.

Jake, the main protagonist, is the proverbial big fish in a small pond. He's popular, a high school jock, handsome and an all around good guy. He goes to a party one night, gets tipsy, gets in a truck with his two best friends who are also tipsy (one of the friends is driving), and ends up in an accident. His injuries necessitate the total removal of his vocal cords, rendering him mute. This is the story of how the event completely changes not just his life circumstances, but him as a person.

Jake is a likable character. He's a good kid from a good family. He takes responsibility for his actions while still moving through the stages of grief over the loss of his voice. He's also a typical teenage boy, so there is a fair amount of angst and immaturity going on. But this doesn't overpower him as a character; rather, it just rounds him out. He loves deeply and is loyal, even to the friends that carry the actual blame for the accident. I think Taylor was smart to allow Jake to wallow in self-pity for awhile, rather than making him more like a Superman who could rise above the emotional fallout. She could easily have erred with Jake's character by weighting him either heavily on the "able to cope" side or on the "can't cope or function" scale. Instead, she balanced him in the middle quite nicely.

Jake is in love with Sam, a longtime friend who has her own issues. These are revealed slowly and compassionately. Sam is also a well-rounded character that I liked immediately. Again, Taylor balanced the scales with Sam's distrust of people and yet her cautious willingness to love.

The secondary characters were not overly developed and there was even one that I felt was unnecessary. Overall they did add to the story and enhanced the main characters. Again, this story was chock full of teenaged angst. Having said that, it wasn't over the top.

The story is character driven; the plot is really just the framework for the way the characters grow and change. The exploration of muteness as a disability is refreshing. It was nice to see this showcased as it played out in real life. The idea of one's voice being stolen was fascinating as we watched Jake re-learn how to communicate. We are privy to his thoughts, so seeing the contrast between his internal and external dialogue was really interesting.

There is the usual distrust of parents and those in authority. Fortunately in this case Jake's parents are painted as loving, caring heads of a big family. Sam's parents are the stock good mom/deadbeat dad. Her dad may have been a bit exaggerated in terms of motives, but was not completely over the top or unrealistic. The main antagonist is also somewhat of a cardboard character. I didn't like her at all and I wasn't supposed to like her at all. This wasn't a story about a bad girl/slut being misunderstood. She was just mean.

The story does get a little preachy when it comes to drinking and driving. Because it's set on an island where the high school is quite small, the actions they take are relatively believable. At least, they're believable up to a point. Taylor frames it out realistically - people commit to a good idea. But most lose interest and generally revert to the behavior that caused the tragedy, and that's pretty standard for the majority. It plays out like a New Year's resolution that is forgotten over the course of the year.

Amid YA romance, this book falls in the above average category for me. It wasn't outstanding, but it was enjoyable and good. There was a fair amount of good tension created by the stupid decisions of teenagers. But it wasn't outrageous. It felt like just enough of all the good things I expected.

The book on audio is narrated by Matthew Dunehoo. He was ok; he didn't differentiate between the voices, really, but he did give them a lot of expression. I wouldn't call him a voice actor. He was more of a narrator - but a very good one. He grew on me.

All in all, I'd recommend this book. I liked it a lot; it wasn't the best book of its genre, but it was definitely better than most. The premise alone gives it points in its favor. Put that with likable characters and you get a good story with a happy ending. It was good storytelling.

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Altered, Book 2 in the Crewel Series

Altered by Gennifer Albin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant.

The sequel to Crewel, this continues the struggle for Adelice to defeat the Guild, make allies on Earth and figure out her relationship with Jost. After landing on Earth, they find that they've been told lies about its desolation (or lack thereof). They encounter Kincaid, a sort of mob boss with his own goon squad. Erik, Jost's brother, figures prominently in a love triangle that is resolved within the scope of the book.

The world building in this story is flat out amazing. The way that Albin has taken the idea of space, time and matter and framed it in a setting where it is woven together like a tapestry is just brilliant. The science on which this premise is built is complicated and fascinating. Add to that the politics of the world, power plays, and a bit of romance and you have one amazing read.

Adelice was annoying at times; her angst over the romance got a bit tedious. That said, it was a good look at the way outlying issues can damage a relationship from the inside out. Jost got to be a bit of a boor and Erik was the trickster who really proved himself. There were some interesting reveals in terms of characters early on, which played into the whole world-building thing. The allies that Adelice, Jost and Erik found were solid - but then alliances with others were up for debate.

There is no suffering of "middle book syndrome" here. Altered has taken the world of Crewel and expanded it greatly. The ending held a twist that may have been expected on some fronts but completely took me by surprise. It is an interesting ride from beginning to end, and I can't wait to see how she winds up the series in the last book. It cannot come soon enough.

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Saga, Volume 1

Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one interesting book. It's an adult comic. Key word there: adult. This book isn't for young kids.

Narrated from a child's perspective, it is the story of her life from the day she's born through about the first couple of weeks of her life. It is the first in a series, so the story of her life will continue in succeeding volumes.

It involves her parents Alana and Marko, each from warring factions from which they are attempting to flee. There are robot people, assassins and bounty hunters, lots of blood and gore, a brothel planet, lots of politics, and creepy ghost children that are really kind of nice people overall.

The best part for me was the relationship between Alana, a total badass, and Marko, a reformed badass who's now a pacifist. Or struggling to be one, until you threaten his daughter or wife (in which case he reverts to total badass status).

I only gave it 3 stars, but that's simply because I am not the intended audience. I think for an adult who loves comics and sci-fi graphic novels, this would be perfect. It was just a little too out there for me.

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The Art of Wishing

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a great little book!

This is a clever story about a girl who meets a genie and then discovers what is really important in life.

Margo is the main character; she's really into theater and the book begins with her audition for the lead in her high school's production of Sweeney Todd. Unfortunately, the lead part goes to another girl whose talent is passable at best. But oddly, everyone thinks she's fabulous. Margo is given a lesser part (as a boy, no less), and when she gets over her disappointment decides to throw herself into the role.

While in the school bathroom one day, she spies a ring sitting on the windowsill. She picks it up to examine it, and suddenly a somewhat irritated boy appears. The boy is Oliver, the new kid at school who's been tasked with taking photos for the yearbook. Turns out the girl who got the lead in the play is the former owner of the ring and apparently she doesn't want it anymore.

With the ring in her possession, Margo gets three wishes. The fun part of this book is watching her figure out what to wish for; Oliver, although on the run from a bad guy, decides to help Margo with her choice of wishes. As things move along, various things become important to Margo at the time - but does she really want to spend a wish on them?

The characters in this novel are multi-dimensional and well-developed. There's a romance, but it's more of a backdrop for the whole genie thing. Ribar takes the time to give us Oliver's whole backstory interwoven with the genie mythology. We learn not just who Oliver was before he became a genie, but what a genie's life entails and how one becomes (and unbecomes) a genie. And best of all, questions are raised as to whether it's really worth it.

There were a few laugh-out-loud moments for me in the book. Hearing Oliver be frustrated by being trapped in a 16-year old body was pretty funny. The ending came somewhat as a surprise to me; I didn't expect for it to go exactly as it did. While it might have seemed abrupt to some, I thought it both concluded and left room for the imagination of the reader.

This book is a solid 4 stars for me. It's a nice departure from the standard vampires, angels, demons, shadowhunters, mermaids, werewolves and/or other supernatural creatures. It's lighthearted, a very quick read and perfect for winter since it's set in the winter season. I found it delightful.

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Gift

Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this from NetGalley for review, and boy am I glad I did! What a pleasure.

This was a fun read. It took awhile for me to really figure out what it was about. Was it reincarnation? Special powers? Ghosts? Turns out, it's a combination of all of those, nicely rounded out by an evil villain who's a psychopath.

The main protagonist and hero of the story is Daisy Jones, a typical high school sophomore. She's pretty average other than the fact that she short-circuits electronics around her, meaning she can't have a cell phone or tv or computer. This makes her guarded, which makes her a bit awkward around friends and boys in particular. She has some maturity, though, probably because of the way her "power" has caused some problems in her life. Being normal is important to her. She held a lot of interest because of the way she behaved in the story; she fell prey to some selfish thinking and had to find her way out. This is typical of most people and not surprising in a person her age. It enhanced both her character and the story, and made me cheer for her all the more when the really bad stuff started happening. She was entirely likable.

Danielle, Daisy's best friend, absolutely stole the show. She was smart but hilariously funny in a "valley girl" kind of way. Reading her dialogue had me laughing out loud. She was the perfect outspoken skeptic, always speaking aloud what everyone else (and me as a reader) was thinking.

But the best part about Danielle was that while she was initially drawn as the stock sidekick, Buchanan chose to develop her character and give her some real dimension. She wasn't just funny; she was scared, withdrawn, boisterous, frustrated. I cared about her as much as I did Daisy.

Vivi and Kevin, the other secondary characters, were also well-developed. Buchanan gave Kevin a maturity that was consistent with his age difference as a high school senior. Vivi was the brooding introvert and Mr. Perry was a lot of fun with the California surfing references.

The plot was generally entertaining, maintaining some suspense while still moving along at a good pace. The climax and plot twist at the end was not predictable and took me by surprise. And the dialogue, oh, the dialogue! The best part of Buchanan's writing was her ability to capture a California high school teenager. Also notable is the way Buchanan brought epilepsy in, framing it as a relatively common, non-threatening condition that is sometimes stigmatised.

I read this as an ebook, although it is available on audio. Listening to a sample indicated that it would be well-narrated by a competent voice actor. In addition, it is really impressive that included with the book are a short story from Danielle's perspective, a graphic short story from artist Vivi's perspective and two songs from Kevin (YouTube links were provided) that he wrote for Daisy. An author who can write songs and draw? Apparently the genetics in Buchanan's family favoured her in terms of artistic ability!

I'm giving this 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. It's a quick read and altogether an absolute pleasure. I highly recommend it.

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