Review: Home by Brenda Kearns

Home
by Brenda Kearns
Published: July 12, 2014
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
It’s Allie’s 14th birthday, and she’s in her 17th foster home. “Suck it up,” her mom says. “Play the game and they’ll let you come home.” And Allie’s great at the game—at lying about her mom’s drinking, at hiding the weird things her little brother does that worry social workers, at pretending the counseling is actually helping. Allie is so great at the game that she never has to stay in a foster home more than three months.

Now Allie has a problem: Her newest foster family has caught on to her game. They see right through her lies, and they’re trying to stop her from going back home. Ever. Yet the last place Allie wants to live is on a smelly old farm in the middle of nowhere.

But how do you fight it when everyone around you is saying that where you were born isn’t where you belong?

HOME is a touching tale about a girl struggling to reunite her family, protect her young siblings and gain control of her life—all in the face of family problems that no one believes she can fix.

Review:
Home by Brenda Kearns was completely different than I had anticipated. I usually prefer books where I actually like the main character. That is a big factor for me. Yet, I never really like Allie and I didn't need to. Allie's goal isn't to make anyone like her, it's to get her and her two siblings home. Kearns does an amazing job of getting us into Allie's mind, so that while I didn't like her, I understood her.

Kearns' personal experiences have obviously given her a view into the mind of a young foster child, and this builds the authenticity behind Allie's voice. I do wish the story were longer (it is a novella). I wanted to find out what happens next  because it is more than evident that Allie's journey is far from over.

Review: Dead (A Lot) by Howard Odentz

Dead (A Lot)
by Howard Odentz
Published: July 31, 2013
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books

Synopsis:
Last Friday night, the world changed-and not for the better. 

Zombies are among us. School's out for the foreseeable future, and with Mom and Dad at the lake house, my twin and I are on our own in this mess. Which is fine as long as we can avoid being on the menu.
 
Tripp Light's teenage world is suddenly filled with "poxers"-the infected ones, the ones that have the Necropoxy virus. In an entire world gone mad and bad, Tripp's only hope of survival is to clear a path through zombie land with his sister and head for the hills (aka his aunt's farm) to rendezvous with his parents.
 
Success clearly favors the fittest and the fastest. Survival demands the twins make hard, ruthless decisions, but that all changes when Tripp and his twin hear a distress call via the radio. Prianka Patel, a girl Tripp loves to hate, is trapped and surrounded in a bakery. Soon, the twins have quite a collection of misfits and survivors and miles to go before anyone can sleep safely again.
No matter where Tripp looks, everyone everywhere is dead.
Like really dead... a lot.

Review:
Zombie book are my current favorite read, yet I have come to the realization that not all zombie books are equal. Thankfully, Dead (A Lot) is on the positive side of that equation. Odentz manages to create a zombie novel that is not simply a zombie book.

The character Tripp is an amusing and probably pretty accurate portrayal of a teenage boy. He's not the politically correct main character that we can view as perfect. He's rude and childish at times, chauvinistic and even discriminates against a physically disabled man. Yet, he is likable, because he isn't spiteful and most importantly he changes and grows. If you don't like Tripp in the first few chapters, keep reading.

The only issue I had was with the ending. I felt it was a bit rushed and wished Odentz had spent just a few more pages fleshing things out.

  

Review: More Than Good Enough by Crissa-Jean Chappell

More Than Good Enough

by Crissa-Jean Chappell

Published: January 1, 2014

Publisher: Flux

Available: Amazon

Synopsis

Trent Osceola's life is turned upside down when his mother announces that he will be moving to the Miccosukee reservation to live with his father, who was recently released from prison. Only half Miccosukee, Trent feels alienated from rez society and starts to question who he really is. When he changes schools, he reconnects with Pippa, a childhood friend who moved away, and together they tackle the class assignment to make a film of their lives. When he starts to see himself through Pippa's eyes, Trent’s not sure he likes what he sees. Will he ever be good enough for the rez, for school, and for her?

Review:
More Than Good Enough is a very interesting novel. It was hard for me to get into the story while reading the first chapter, but by the end of the second chapter I really wanted to know where Chappell was going with Trent.

While there is obviously a plot, More Than Good Enough was really a character driven story. Trent is constantly having to examine himself and question not only who he is, but who he wants to be. For years, he has been bombarded with the idea that he's worthless. He's been physically and emotionally abandoned by his parents, the school system is failing him, and the people on the rez are reluctant to embrace him into their society. Chappell, though, doesn't let this be a case of blame everyone else. Instead she brings out an awareness that Trent's attitudes and actions contribute to his circumstance as much as other of others.

I really liked the inclusion of Pippa's character. While Trent initially views her as having what he wants for himself, she comes with her own baggage that is completely different than what he has had to deal with. It is her attitude though that balances Trent's and makes their relationship believable.

The only issue I had was the ending, which felt rushed. There were threads left hanging that I had been wanting closure to, but I could see how doing that would have taken away the realistic feel to the story. That said, a few more pages would have fleshed things out a bit and felt more satisfying.

Review: In Too Deep by Coert Voorhees

In Too Deep
by Coert Voorhees
Published: July 9, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Available: Amazon

Synopsis
Annie Fleet, master scuba diver and history buff, knows she can’t fight her nerd status as a freshman at her Los Angeles private school. And she doesn’t care—except for the fact that her crush, Josh, thinks she’s more adorable than desirable. Annie is determined to set him straight on their school trip to Mexico. But her teacher has other plans: he needs Annie to help him find Cortez’s lost-long treasure.

Suddenly, Annie finds herself scuba diving in pitch-black waters, jetting to Hawaii with Josh, and hunting for the priceless Golden Jaguar. But Annie and Josh aren’t the only ones lured by the possibility of finding the greatest treasure ever lost at sea. Someone else wants the gold—and needs Annie dead. In deeper danger than she ever imagined, can Annie get the boy and find the Jaguar, or is she in over her head?

Critically-acclaimed author Coert Voorhees delivers breathtaking romance and non-stop action in his newest novel, the spirited and captivating In Too Deep.

Review:
I absolutely loved the idea of this story. An adventure story with a girl who is not only the more knowledgeable, but also the one who saves the day grabbed my attention. The cover was great and I had some pretty high expectations. Voorhees did not disappoint. In Too Deep is a well developed, fast paced adventure with some great romance thrown in the mix.

Annie is a great protagonist. She is shy, geeky, and completely head over heels for a guy she doesn't think would ever be interested in her. And she stays this way. All the way to the end. There is no sudden change in her interest in treasure hunting. There is no end to her love of scuba diving. There is no disappearance of her shyness or geekiness. Not that she doesn't grow as a character, because she does. But there is no sudden 180 just because she develops some confidence. 

Josh isn't the typical hot male protag that so many YA books are focusing on. Yes he's hot and funny, but he's also a real guy, and he reacts just like a real guy would. There's no cheesy, over the top romantic gestures or words coming from him. But it didn't matter. In the end I could forgive his name dropping, inflated ego, and his lack of amazing ability at everything he does, because I believed in him as a person.

So, why the 4 star rating if I loved the story and the characters? Well, it had to do with the believability of Annie being 15 years old. I didn't buy that aspect. Not only were we expected to believe that she was a master scuba diver, but also that she had been giving lessons at her mom's scuba shop for a long time, that she was left to train people in dangerous situations, and that her parents went along with ideas of her going for extended trips not only as part of a school group, but also on one with a guy and his famous mom? I had to ignore all of the references to her age and pretend she was 17 or 18 in order to buy into these aspects.

I noticed that Voorhees has another few YA books out and I'll definitely be checking those out.

 

 

Review: Flutter by Gina Linko

Flutter
by Gina Linko
Published: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
All Emery Land wants is to be like any other 17-year-old—to go to school, hang out with her friends, and just be normal. But for as long as she can remember, she’s suffered from seizures. And in recent years they’ve consumed her life. To Emery they’re much more than seizures, she calls them loops—moments when she travels through wormholes back and forth in time and to a mysterious town. The loops are taking their toll on her physically. So she practically lives in the hospital where her scientist father and an ever-growing team of doctors monitor her every move. They’re extremely interested in the data they collect when Emery seizes. It appears that she’s tapping into parts of the brain typically left untouched by normal human beings.

Escaping from the hospital, Emery travels to Esperanza, the town from her loops on the upper peninsula of Michigan, where she meets Asher Clarke. Ash’s life is governed by his single-minded pursuit of performing good Samaritan acts to atone for the death of a loved one. His journey is very much entwined with Emery’s loops.

Drawn together they must unravel their complicated connection before it’s too late.

Review:
This is a very hard review to form. There was so much about Flutter that I loved, yet all of it is dashed by the ending. I promise no spoilers, no matter how hard they are to avoid!

Linko has a beautiful writing style. The story had at times an almost otherworldly tone to it that I felt really built up the looping and the daze that Emery's life has become. The concept was awesome. That Emery is looping to another place or time was such an interesting idea. I loved that this wasn't an easy ability. By that I mean it wasn't something she just did with no consequences or notice. Her looping caused extended seizures which were causing her organs to shut down. She was dying and people around her were attempting to place a scientific explanation on it.

The main characters are very well developed. Emery and Asher are complex people and each have their own secrets. While Emery struggles to trust Asher, he is driven by guilt to protect her and everyone else. Their romance builds slowly and it progressed naturally. That said I felt that the 'villians' in the story felt one dimensional. Oh, there were hints that maybe there was something more about them, but in the end they are simply bad guys doing bad things.

So with an amazing concept, beautiful writing, and great characters, why didn't I love it? Two words. The ending.

I stayed up until one in the morning reading Flutter, anxious to find out what happens and when I got to the last few pages I just felt let down. I wanted an explanation. I wanted a real conclusion to the story lines and closure to relationships. I got none of that.

I've been going back and forth on my rating. I rated it a 3 at first, but I'm leaning more to a 4. The longer I think about it the more I realize that if I hadn't truly enjoyed the writing and story, I wouldn't have felt so let down by the ending.

Review: The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab

The Opposite of Hallelujah
by Anna Jarzab
Published: October 9, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.

Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her. Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

Review:
The Opposite of  Hallelujah was a well crafted story that delved into the psyche of a teenager struggling with faith, family, and life. I though Jarzab did a great job of building believable characters and even though Caro got on my nerves a lot, it was because she was responding in a way that would be typical of a teen. She didn't know how to deal with some of the things happening to her and her family, so she was trying to take the easy way out. 

I really enjoyed seeing how Caro grew throughout the story. And that is probably the biggest reason why I didn't mind that she got on my nerves. In the beginning she acts like a spoiled brat, but even then there are hints that maybe she could be likeable. By the the time the climax comes around, I really felt for her and could see her realizing that the people around are more than what she sees on the surface.

There is of course a romance angle, and I actually liked Pawal. He's not the over the top romantic lead, or the bad boy, he's just a regular boy. There is no inta-love between them, and their relationship made sense. I especially loved how Jarzab deals with him finding out about Caro's lies.

Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

The Dead and Buried
by Kim Harrington
Published: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

Review:

The Dead and Buried is a well written, well paced ghost story. There is no gore, but the spooks are definitely there. I've always been a bit freaked out about the idea of ghost and seances, and you will never convince me to try a Ouija board. Not that I believe in that. 


Harrington does a good job of developing Jade into a 3-dimensional character. While I thought she was a bit of a brat at first, she managed to redeem herself and I realized that when I was a teen, I would have acted in a similar way. She's a bit shallow, but at the same time refuses to back down in the face of peer pressure and befriends the school oddball. Harrington doesn't get preachy with the anti-bully undertone and that's what made me like this book even more. She gets her point across and does it without seeming like it was forced or driven by an agenda. This was the same with the issues of blended families. Jade obviously has some pent up emotions form her mother's death and her father's remarriage that she needs to deal with. At first it all seemed one sided, and that is where I felt Jade's brattiness took over. Then bits and pieces of her stepmother fell into place and it was easy to see that some of the issues were hers.

Secondary characters are written just as well and each hint at the deth of their lives beyond the pages that they appear on. While it's hard to see any of them as a killer, it is also hard not to question their guilt. None of them are truly innocent of the things that Kayla (ghost girl) was doing, and each had their own motives for wanting her gone. I thought that the morbid curiosity of the other students was spot on. It's like a giant group of rubber neckers who have nowhere else to go. They all want to be friends with Jade simply for the fact that she lives in the dead girl's house.

There were few surprises in The Dead and Buried, but that did little to curb my enjoyment. This is a ghost story that works well and isn't trying to be something it isn't. If they made this into a movie it would be exactly the kind I would want to see.

Review: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

Love and Other Perishable Items
by Laura Buzo
Published: Dec. 11, 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available: Amazon


Synopsis:
Love is awkward, Amelia should know.

From the moment she sets eyes on Chris, she is a goner. Lost. Sunk. Head over heels infatuated with him. It's problematic, since Chris, 21, is a sophisticated university student, while Amelia, is 15.

Amelia isn't stupid. She knows it's not gonna happen. So she plays it cool around Chris—at least, as cool as she can. Working checkout together at the local supermarket, they strike up a friendship: swapping life stories, bantering about everything from classic books to B movies, and cataloging the many injustices of growing up. As time goes on, Amelia's crush doesn't seem so one-sided anymore. But if Chris likes her back, what then? Can two people in such different places in life really be together?

Through a year of befuddling firsts—first love, first job, first party, and first hangover—debut author Laura Buzo shows how the things that break your heart can still crack you up.

Review:
Love and Other Perishable Items is one of those hard books to pin down. The book is written through the points of view of both Amelia and Chris. I wasn't expecting that. Amelia's voice is very true to her age and I could definitely relate to her innocence. It was refreshing to read about a young girl who isn't involved in drinking, drugs, and sex. A girl who is not worldly. Amelia is 15 and frankly she acts it. Does she fantasize about Chris, yeah, but the reader is also aware that the chance of this being her 'one true love' is pretty slim. This is a testament to Buzo's ability to accurately capture the mind of a teenager.

Chris's voice was different. He's a 21 year old guy and has obviously experienced more of life than Amelia is even aware of. He's slightly melodramatic, but hey he's an English buff. He sees in Amelia what he is looking for, but he's also very aware of her innocence and like most 21 year old guys, he's not really interested in a chaste relationship.

The relationship that develops between Amelia and Chris is interesting to say the least. As the story progressed I grew a bit concerned with how Buzo was going to pull it together. I had seen 2 possible endings. One I would have rolled my eyes at and the other not really satisfying. Yet, she managed to pull out a completely different ending and at first I was a bit put off, but when I read the final page I felt like it had ended perfectly. 

If you're looking for a coming of age story then I definitely think this is one to pick up. Aussies may be interested to know that the story is set in Australia. :)

  

Review: The Rules by Stacey Kade

The Rules (Project Paper Doll, #1)
by Stacey Kade
Published: April 13, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

Review:
I really loved how this story started off. It doesn't try to fool us into thinking the Ariane has a great life among the humans, or that it's easy for her to follow 'the rules' her adoptive father has established for her. She's part alien and there's nothing sexy or glamorous about it. For me that is the best thing about this. Other alien books I've read have managed to make the aliens hiding among us to be highly attractive with superpowers galore.

Ariane definitely has some super powers, but there's also a physical downside to being an alien, such as the mention that her bone break easily due to their lower density levels and the grayish tinge to her skin. It was these little differences that made Ariane believable in her role as E.T. and stops this from being another alien story. Kade manages to keep some of the scary alien stereotypes while mixing it with a more sympathetic alien.

I ended up reading this through in one sitting and enjoyed the story. There were parts were I felt it lagged, but the story would quickly get back on track,  and I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.

 

Review: Stung by Bethany Wiggins

Stung
by Bethany Wiggins
Published: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

Review:
I loved that this book jumped right into the action. The rest of the story was actually really fast paced. Fiona is on the run and doesn't know who to trust in a world she has no memory of. The action is what made this a fast read and I read it pretty much straight through in one sitting (maybe stopping briefly for food).

I loved the concept of the tattoo marking her as 'infected' and early on we learn that her mark signals people that she is among the deadliest of all the marked. I can't expand much more on how they were marked or 'infected' without giving away too much, but I will say that the explanation was interesting and I was satisfied with the science of it (or lack of science, depending on your personal preference for detailed scientific explanations).

The romance between Fiona and Bowen didn't do much for me. I liked both characters and could see a bit of a spark between them but the constant action along with the tight time frame had me doubting the intensity of what they claim to feel. I would have been just as happy without the romance.

 

Review: Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

Being Henry David
by Cal Armistead
Published: March 1, 2013
Publisher: Albert Whitman Teen
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything --who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David-or "Hank" and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past. The only way Hank can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past, to stop running, and to find his way home.

Review: 
I have to admit, I was expecting something more along the lines of an adventure story when I started reading. Not that there wasn't adventure, because there was, but I suppose I thought Being Henry David  would be a bit fluffier. 

Being Henry David is a coming-of-age, adventure story written for boys. Even though it could appeal to girls, Armistead clearly didn't write a 'girly' boy (by that I mean another Edward or Jacob or any other male character in a book for girls). Armistead has created a character boys will understand. Hank thinks and acts like a typical guy. He's not obsessively in love with a girl, or waxing poetic at the sight of his love interest. That fact alone had me liking this book.

There is a nice mix of adventure and literary fiction. Even if you're not familiar with Henry David Thoreau there is enough information about his life and work scattered throughout the novel that it is easy to see why Hank has connected with this long dead author.

Being Henry David would be a great book for mid- to upper teens, particularly boys. There is some violence and drug use (or at least the reference to drug use), but nothing gratuitous.

Review: Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

Rapunzel Untangled
by Cindy C. Bennett
Published: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
Rapunzel is not your average teenager.

For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

Review:
I have to admit that I love fairy tales and while I was never a Rapunzel kind of girl growing up, I absolutely love the Disney movie Tangled. It made me suddenly wish I had twenty feet of hair to brush and brush and brush and brush some more while wondering when will my life begin. And yes, I did just sing that out loud while ignoring the baffled look my husband gave me. Anyways, I suppose that was my way of explaining just why I immediately jumped at the chance to read Rapunzel Untangled, not to mention the cover is gorgeous!

I figured out pretty quickly that this was going to be a fairly faithful, though modernized, retelling of the age old story. The initial contact between Rapunzel and Fane is fairly contrived and I struggled to believe it. I mean why would a hot, super popular guy suddenly want to hook up with a girl he's not even sure is a girl? Once the two finally meet face to face, I loved their interactions. I thought Fane came across as very sweet and funny, while Rapunzel lost a bit of her over the top naivety.

For me, this was a 5 star read all the way up until the end. This is where I felt like the story just fell apart within a few short pages. Suddenly there was magic and it was very vague and then the story as wrapped up. I felt cheated out of a realistic ending that I had been led by the rest of the story to believe I was going to get. However, I do still think this is a retelling that any fairy tale fan would fall in love with.

Review: Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E. Pearson

Scribbler of Dreams
by Mary E. Pearson
Published: October 2002
Publisher: Harcourt Paperbacks
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Romeo and Juliet had the right idea. About dating the enemy that is. They were true to their hearts.

Kaitlin Malone know what it's like to date the enemy. She was raised to hate the Crutchfields, and absolutely does - until she meets Bram Crutchfield. It turns out he's a great guy - one she could talk to, share things with...even love. But when Kaitlin gives her heart to Bram, her world spins out of control. Soon the Crutchfields are her friends and she's a traitor to her own family.

To make things worse ,Bram was raised to hate the Malones,especially Kaitlin's father - who murdered Bram's dad. Bram doesn't know Kaitlin is a Malone. If he did he would hate her, too.

What's a star-crossed lover to do?

Review:
This was a filler pick for me when I needed to buy something for a few bucks to make my free shipping on Amazon. I thought it sounded like a sweet romance and would be a nice change from the other books I've been reading lately. It wasn't until I wrote the author's name in this blog post that I realized why it sounded familiar. Mary E. Pearson also wrote The Adoration of Jenna Fox, one of the first YA books I read and reviewed for my blog.

Scribbler of Dreams is not a futuristic or sci-fi story along the veins of Adoration, instead it is much more grounded in the realities of a typical romance novel. Not that that is a bad thing. It was exactly what I was looking for and Pearson delivered nicely. Girl meets boy, falls in love, but they are torn apart by deception, in this case the deception is due to their warring families, a la Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As a Shakespeare lover I can't say I hate the story, and Pearson resists following too closely.

The only part that bothered me was the insta-love (and yes, I know this does follow R&J), but I found in today's world it just wasn't as believable. Kaitlin feel for Bram before even speaking to him, and within a few pages she was in love and willing to defy her family for a boy who believes she is someone else. Someone who's father hadn't killed his own. **Not a spoiler, as it's clearly on the back cover** I understood her deception initially, but the further along it went the more frustrating it became. Luckily it's a quick read at only 223 pages in pocketbook size, so I didn't have time to get really annoyed.

If you're looking for a sweet romance with some tear jerking scenes this is a quick and easy read.

Review: Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell

Midnight City (A Conquered Earth Novel)
J. Barton Mitchell
Published: October 30, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Assembly. The human adult population is gone, having succumbed to the Tone---a powerful, telepathic super-signal broadcast across the planet that reduces them to a state of complete subservience. But the Tone has one critical flaw. It only affects the population once they reach their early twenties, which means that there is one group left to resist: Children.

Holt Hawkins is a bounty hunter, and his current target is Mira Toombs, an infamous treasure seeker with a price on her head. It’s not long before Holt bags his prey, but their instant connection isn’t something he bargained for. Neither is the Assembly ship that crash-lands near them shortly after. Venturing inside, Holt finds a young girl who remembers nothing except her name: Zoey.

As the three make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, they encounter young freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and the amazing powers that Zoey is beginning to exhibit. Powers that suggest she, as impossible as it seems, may just be the key to stopping the Assembly once and for all.

Midnight City is the breathtaking first book of the Conquered Earth series.

Review:

Midnight City is a complex tale that weaves together a post-apocalyptic story with aliens and magic. Barton does an amazing job of focusing on both world building and character development, not sacrificing one for the other.

Holt is a great main character. He has a depth to him that is continually exposed in increments through out the story. His personal experiences with the Tone have left him jaded, without turning him into a complete jerk. He comes across as very real with his fears and insecurities mixed with his strength and determination. Mira was also very interesting. She had a sassy, tough side to her, but it didn't define her. She also came across as caring and vulnerable without ever seeming weak. I loved how she was constantly planning and never felt like there was no way out of a bad situation.

The chemistry between Holt and Mira is obvious from the first meeting, but it doesn't consume the story. This is not a romance novel. It is a Science Fiction book with a bit of romance thrown in. And despite being a romance addict, I was perfectly all right with that.

The biggest issue I had with Midnight City was that the alien technology was pretty much exactly like War of the Worlds. It's extremely hard not to notice the sticking similarities, even if you're like me and have only seen the Tom Cruise movie.

Ultimately, what I love about this book and had me putting aside the WotW similarities is that Midnight City is a story for boys and girls. One of the biggest complaints I hear about YA books is that there aren't enough books that appeal to boys. Midnight City is one of those that I think has the potential to do so.

Review: Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris

Bad Hair Day (Kate Grable, #2)
by Carrie Harris
Published: Nov. 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Senior year is positively hair-raising.

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program. Except when he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies. And when Kate’s brother Jonah stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, she realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone’s murdering kids—something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.

Is it werewolf awesomeness like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate’s supposed to be a butt-kicking zombie killing genius...but if she can’t figure out who’s behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what’s left of them—are going to keep piling up.

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

Review:
Carrie Harris's sequel to Bad Taste in Boys is exactly what I expected from her. If you've ever visited her website you'll know what I mean. Bad Hair Day picks up soon after Bad Taste in Boys ends and Kate is still adjusting to all of the attention she's been getting ever since curing the "zombie" virus. In Bad Taste in Boys she got the boy she wanted and now she's struggling to deal with having a boyfriend who is really beyond her geeky social status while at the same time trying to save the world again.

I love that Kate's character doesn't change from one book to the other. Even though she's famous, she stays true to her science geek character and once the new mystery starts she is completely focused on solving it. There were some interesting scenes between Kate and her boyfriend Aaron. But he wasn't a big player in the story, mainly because Kate is too independent to fall into the whole "I love you too much to do anything without you" routine. In fact, Kate almost forgets about him while embroiled in her mystery.

I actually found the interactions between Kate and her brother, Jonah, to be the most entertaining. I don't have a brother, but can imagine how one would be so annoying, especially if he wore tights and played with a sword all day.

There is of course a certain amount of reality that needs to be checked before opening the book, even for a paranormal book. Kate's ability to perform some complex surgical procedures, the police department's willingness to divulge sensitive information to her, and the hospital's lack of knowledge that a high school senior is acting as medical examiner makes things convenient for the plot, but doesn't toe the line of reality.

For me this was a quick, fun read and really, once the line "You don't understand. I'm team Edward!" crossed the page, I was all in. This is a definite must read for anyone who's looking for something a quirky and fast paced.

Blog Tour ~ Reaction by Jessica Roberts *Review

I am so excited to be hosting the next stop on the Reaction by Jessica Roberts Blog Tour! Reaction is book 2 in the Reflection series by Jessica Roberts and is a heart warming romance that straddles the Young Adult - New Adult genres. After reading the review and entering the giveaway, click on the banner to check out more stops along the Reaction Tour!

Reaction  
by Jessica Roberts
Published: November 5, 2012
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Harmony…

I’ve previously had that in my life, but only once, briefly, a while ago. It was during the time I’d started my first year of college. My own apartment, a new old car, and a life free of deadbeat stepfathers, all of which was fulfilling enough. But if it wasn’t, I also had a best friend, soul mate, and boyfriend all in one. Yes, life was near perfect.

But one stormy night can change everything…

For many months I rested in a prolonged sleep, fighting for my life. Well, more than fighting for it, also dreaming of it. Dreaming of him. Thank goodness, the dream is over and I’m back in the real world now. And all I want is for everything to return to the way it was. But nothing’s the same; most of all, us.

Once again, I find myself at the crossroads of a ruthless battle, this time not for life, but love. Do I fight for the guy I twice fell for, or do I let her take him away?

Review:

The first thing I have to say about Reaction is that if you haven't read Reflection first, do it. I'm sure you could figure out pretty quickly what was going on, but the emotional impact is so much more knowing what Heather has gone through.

Reaction picks up only weeks after Reflection ended, jumping right into Heather's life as she leaves the hospital and giving us drama right away. I love happy endings and while Reflection didn't exactly give us that, Reaction starts off with the slightest hint of hope. Heather has learned that the boy she has been dreaming of while in a coma for years has moved on with his life. I actually liked that Nick hadn't spent years just sitting around pining after her, although it does become obvious that he's never gotten over her completely even though he thought she had run off to marry someone else.

Reaction is a very melodramatic book, in the best way possible. Yes, there are parts where I was rolling my eyes at the frequent disagreements and the all-too-convenient run ins Nick and Heather have, but those were also those moments where I was hoping that and thinking "this is the moment", and then feeling the disappointment each time it wasn't. It's exactly the type of drama I love in my romance novels.

I definitely recommend the Reflection series to those who love romances that constantly have you alternating between crying and smiling.

About the Author:

JESSICA ROBERTS grew up in the San Francisco, California Bay Area where she spent most of her time playing sports alongside her six siblings. She was crowned Miss Teen California her senior year of high school, and went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated in Human Development. Her love of family, church, writing, athletics, and singing and dancing keeps her life busy and fulfilled. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

http://www.jessicarobertsauthor.blogspot.com/

@JRobertsAuthor

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Blog Tour ~ Defy the Stars by Stephanie Parent *Review

I am thrilled to be part of the Defy the Stars Blog Tour by Stephanie Parent! Defy the Stars is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic Romeo and Juliet. After checking out the review and entering the giveaways, click on the tour banner to check out more stops along the tour!

Defy the Stars
by Stephanie Parent
Published: July 30, 2012
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:
Julia Cape: A dedicated classical piano student just trying to get through her last semester of high school while waiting to hear from music conservatories.

Reed MacAllister: A slacker more likely to be found by the stoners’ tree than in class.

Julia and Reed might have graduated high school without ever speaking to each other…until, during a class discussion of Romeo and Juliet, Julia scoffs at the play’s theme of love at first sight, and Reed responds by arguing that feelings don’t always have to make sense. Julia tries to shake off Reed’s comment and forget about this boy who hangs with the stoner crowd—and who happens to have breathtaking blue eyes—but fate seems to bring the two together again and again. After they share an impulsive, passionate kiss, neither one can deny the chemistry between them. Yet as Julia gets closer to Reed, she also finds herself drawn into his dark world of drugs and violence. Then a horrific tragedy forces Julia’s and Reed’s families even farther apart…and Julia must decide whether she’s willing to give up everything for love.

Defy the Stars is written in an edgy free-verse style that will appeal to fans of Ellen Hopkins and Lisa Schroeder; however, the writing is accessible enough to speak to non-verse fans as well. The novel’s combination of steamy romance and raw emotion will appeal to fans of Gayle Forman, Simone Elkeles, Jennifer Echols, and Tammara Webber. With a story, language and form that both pay homage to and subvert Shakespeare’s play, Defy the Stars is much more than just another Romeo and Juliet story.

Review:

As I started reading Defy the Stars, I found myself completely torn. On one hand I love anything Shakespeare (yes, even the cheesy 10 Things I Hate About You), and Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorites. On the other hand is that I hate sad endings and Defy the Stars starts off letting you know this will be a sad ending, which really shouldn't be a surprise considering it's a retelling of one of the saddest love stories ever told.

So, where did that leave me? Well, I went in cautiously. I tried not to let myself care about Julia and Reed, to realize that I knew exactly where their story was going so that I wouldn't feel let down. And for a while it worked, I picked apart things about them I didn't like, how quickly their relationship developed, how cliche the characters were, but by the end I cried. I can't say I was a big fan of Julia. She was so easy to jump into danger again and again, I just wanted to smack her, especially since she does it simply because she likes a guy. Reed, however, felt like a much more powerful character. He has deep problems that even at the end I didn't feel were ever truly revealed. I really wanted to know more about him, and while his storyline was realistic for his character, it was also very sad. Ultimately it was Reed's character that kept me reading, and hoping that maybe this reimaging of Romeo and Juliet would have a happy ending.

I didn't quite getting the happy ending I wanted, not surprising considering Parent let's us know that right up front in the prologue. But neither did the ending go exactly the way I was expecting. While Parent stayed true to some aspects of Shakespeare's original tale, she does make it her own. Despite finding the ending sad and hopeless, there was just a touch of light at the end, something to make the reader think that maybe all hope is not lost, and that the experiences we have that seem so unsurvivable can make us stronger.

The writing style was definitely different as it is set up as verse, and while there were times I could fall into the rhythm of it, other times I would stumble over a word that didn't follow the regular soft-hard pattern of the syllables and it pulled me out of the story. After a while, though, I found myself focusing more on the characters, and simply reading the story as regular prose.

I would recommend Defy the Stars to lovers of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and anyone who loves a romance with a good cry at the end.

About the Author:
Stephanie Parent is a YA author repped by Brenda Bowen of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. She is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major.
http://www.stephanieparent.blogspot.com

Giveaway Info:
1st prize: $30 gift card from Amazon and a e-book copy of Defy the Stars.
2nd place: 4 e-book copies of Defy the Stars.
Additional Prize: A query letter critique by Stephanie Parent.
All giveaways are open internationally!
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Review: Blackwood by Gwenda Bond

Blackwood
by Gwenda Bond
Published: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Available: Amazon


Synopsis:

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Review:
For some reason I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Blackwood. I wasn't expecting to not like it, so maybe it was because it had been a while since I requested it and downloaded it that I'd forgotten what it was that had intrigued me. Whatever it was, I'm glad that I finally sat down and read it.

Blackwood manages to walk a fine line between creepy and creeping me out. I hate ghost movies and books, simply because to me of all paranormal activity it seems most likely. When Bond first introduces the paranormal to the book, the main character Miranda believes that she has hallucinated it, yet she doesn't need to suffer thinking that long, because Bond moves the plot along quickly. The fast pace doesn't let up much and it made for a really fast read. I finished in one sitting of maybe 3 or 4 hours.

Miranda is an outcast in her small town. She is harassed and bullied, yet she is not a victim. She hits back (verbally) and doesn't wallow in self-pity. I liked that she stood up for herself when she felt like it and ignored the bullies when she didn't. Phillips was a bit harder to connect with. I felt that when in his perspective it was further removed from him than when in Miranda's perspective. There seemed to be so much more to his character than we get to see and I wish Bond had revealed more about him.

The one thing that kept me from absolutely loving this was the lack of depth in Miranda's dealing with her father's death. She alternates between being sad, devastated, and coming forgetting about it. Considering he was an inattentive, negligent, alcoholic father, I could have believed her lack of emotions at certain times, if it had been consistent.

Overall, Blackwood was a good read, and I think it has potential to appeal to some male readers as well since it alternates perspectives and the focus is on the ghost mystery and not some insta-love.

Review: Shakespeare on Toast by Ben Crystal

Shakespeare on Toast
by Ben Crystal
Published: 2008
Publisher: Totem Books
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Who's afraid of William Shakespeare? Just about everyone. He wrote too much and what he did write is inaccessible and elitist. Right? Wrong. "Shakespeare on Toast" knocks the stuffing from the staid old myth of Shakespeare, revealing the man and his plays for what they really are: modern, thrilling and uplifting drama. Actor and author Ben Crystal brings the bright words and colourful characters of the world's greatest hack writer brilliantly to life, handing over the key to Shakespeare's plays, unlocking the so-called difficult bits and, astonishingly, finding Shakespeare's own voice amid the poetry.Told in five fascinating Acts, "Shakespeare on Toast" sweeps the cobwebs from the Bard - from his language, his life, his time - revealing both the man and his work to be relevant, accessible and full of beans. This is a book for everyone, whether you're reading Shakespeare for the first time, occasionally find him troublesome, think you know him backwards, or have never set foot near one of his plays but have always wanted to ...It's quick, easy and good for you. Just like beans on toast.

Review:
When I was in junior high I took a Shakespeare class from my favorite teacher ever. Mr. Stefan was not only a teacher, he was also an actor in the local theater production that year of Fiddler on the Roof. Why am I writing about him in my review? Well, Crystal points out something that I had never considered about Shakespeare, and it's something that I think Mr. Stefan would have 100% agreed with - Shakespeare is meant to be heard and seen, not read. The experience of being in a Shakespearean theater such as The Globe, seeing the actors use minimal props, and understanding the subtle references in the slight changing of word usage from thou to you or in moving from prose to verse, can never be fully appreciated by simply silently reading one of Shakespeare's plays.

Mr. Stefan's Shakespeare class was not about reading Shakespeare (which we didn't even do!). It was about watching his plays being performed on the screen - whether big budget or film student versions, and most importantly learning about his life and times. Crystal's idea is that Shakespeare shouldn't be read like a novel, or even a modern play, simply because what Shakespeare needed to accomplish in his writing was more in direction to the actors on how to perform than to a reader on how to enjoy. Maybe that's why whenever I read Shakespeare I can't help but read it aloud, and yes, I do use a cheesy accent that I'm sure would horrify my Welsh and British relatives.

I had never considered how important all of these pieces were until I started reading Shakespeare on Toast. Crystal manages to point out how easy Shakespeare is to understand when you put him in context. Knowing who he was writing for, how his work was being presented, and most importantly the cultural influences he was under, makes certain things much easier to relate to. I have to admit there were certain things I had never even thought of, such as Shakespeare's use of the iambic pentameter, yet when it was explained in the book, I quickly found myself testing it out on random selections of Shakespeare.

Now that I've finished Shakespeare on Toast, I am feeling an overwhelming urge to read, ad watch, some Shakespeare. My husband on the other hand is rolling his eyes at my continued efforts to make him discuss The Bard :)

Shakespeare on Toast is a great book for anyone struggling with understanding works by Shakespeare, or just a general obsession with him!

Review: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

Without Tess
by Marcella Pixley
Published: October 11, 2011
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can't live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess's battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.
Review:
This was a very strange read. Pixley wrote beautifully, and it was very emotionally gripping, but at times I felt myself a bit bored and wishing the story moved at a quicker pace.

Lizzie is struggling to come to terms with her sister's death, and through therapy sessions and reading Tess's journal struggles to find a way to keep her sister alive while still moving on. It's pretty obvious early on that Tess suffered from some type of mental illness, and that Lizzie felt some responsibility for her death. The mystery comes in as to how Tess died and what role Lizzie really did play.

I felt the story moved really slowly and much of the time I wanted to just strange Lizzie and tell her to get over, because her sister was a b***h that didn't deserve her unfailing loyalty. Then there would be a flashback, or a poem from Tess's journal that made her death so sad, and made it clear how much Lizzie idolized, loved, and feared her sister.

Without Tess is definitely a book for someone looking for an emotionally charged story without a bunch of overdone drama.