Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was just wow. Pick up it and embrace it.

That doesn’t convince you? Well let’s keep going….

But first, the beginning. When word first came out about Laini Taylor’s new book, I immediately dismissed it. I was trapped under piles of books and didn’t have the time to start a new paranormal romance series (because they’re really starting to annoy me). Then the reviews started to pour in. And pour in. They were positive, glowing, and urging other readers to pick this book up!  (Well here’s another one I guess.) When an offer was given to me to read an early copy, I caved in.

"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?" [from Amazon]

Daughter of Smoke and Bone captivated me from the very first page. Taylor was able to capture emotions, bottle it up, and share them with the readers. I felt the anxiety, anguish, and confusion with Kaoru rather than reading about it. Whether it may be rooting for the angels to win or the demons to win, Taylor makes it impossible to truly hate someone. The print may be in black and white, but the characters are all shades of grey. Taylor drew the evil from the beauty of the angels and the kindness from the demons.  It was effortlessly done that I didn’t read the book as good versus evil, but simply a story of rebellions looking for peace.

I felt most connected to Kaoru and Zuzana from the start of their adventures until the end. Their friendship was ruffled a bit, but it continued to hold strong. This is an example of a good and stable friendship that is so believable; good friends bicker and fight every so often, but when push comes to shove, they’ll remain true to each other.

I absolutely love the side-characters. Point-blank they’re such amazing characters that I can read several chapters solely on them.

Akiva and Kaoru relationship was one of Romeo and Juliet’s, but it didn’t feel contrive or forced onto the readers. It was a fragile relationship that seemed to teeter: fight for their relationship or destroy it to save each other. I loved how the mystery came together as well as how the memory was restored. Taylor was able to build up the tension and mystery before unveiling in a big way.

In general the book was truly magnificent. It merged the past and the present flawlessly. It struck a balance between good and evil. From deadly fight scenes and tender moments of love almost too sweet to look, Daughter of Smoke and Bone can be aimed at many readers. With its fantastic elements and human emotion blended thoroughly readers who are sick of vampires can have another option. Taylor left little hints everywhere without the reader even knowing it; and gave the readers just enough information to explain concepts without dulling the experience.

Just try it okay? Don’t make me come over there and smack the book in your face now….

Cover C

Source: ARC from HipScout

Published: 2011, September 27; hardcover

Preorder on Amazon

Falling for Hamlet

Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray

Grade: 2 stars out of 5

On and off again playboy/boyfriend Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. As the daughter of the King’s advisor, Ophelia’s relationship is far from being blessed by her father, brother, and Hamlet’s mother. But they’ll make it work unless, of course, there’s a murder and murderer in the royal family.

Having read Hamlet in senior year of high school I am familiar with the original storyline. My classmates and I read the play at home, performed certain scenes in class and watch two versions of the movie. I was instantly pulled in by Falling for Hamlet by the synopsis and my love for Hamlet. I loved the character Ophelia and couldn’t wait to begin Ray’s rendition of Hamlet where Ophelia does not die. Sadly Falling for Hamlet was a difficult read for me.

I found Falling for Hamlet to be a very dull read during the first half of the book. Ray’s takes her time to situate the characters in the modern time period and redefine Ophelia’s personality. That process was mundane and stifling. It was so hard to get pass the first couple of chapters that it took two weeks for me to finally force myself to read the book, even then I will admit to skimming pages. Here’s the part where I think my love for Hamlet was Falling for Hamlet’s downfall: I know the storyline, I know where it’s heading so nothing is of great surprise, which was why I found the book boring.

When Hamlet’s madness finally kicked in I realized how much I missed his soliloquies. His soliloquies were what made the readers believe that Hamlet was on the border between sanity and insanity. In Falling for Hamlet, the readers only see what Ophelia sees. Hamlet in Falling for Hamlet doesn’t have the fluidity; his actions aren’t very clear. When the other characters fell into madness it came off more as selfish and annoying than crazed. Ray didn’t take the opportunity to develop some of the other characters as much I hoped she would. While the King was more fleshed out in the short time the readers know him, Gertrude, the Queen, was still one-dimensional.

Ophelia’s role is a subtle one and doesn’t play a huge part. When Ray decides to continue the original storyline of Hamlet, Ophelia is not present in the scenes. In my personal taste I wanted Ophelia to be in on the action and have Ray shift the storyline a bit to incorporate Ophelia while still have that signature “tragedy”.

As I mentioned the lack of fluidity of Hamlet’s actions, Ray decided to write a talk show, an interrogation and Ophelia’s retelling all at the same time. Each chapter began with the talk show then moved into the retelling and abruptly shifting into an interrogation from investigators. Too much. Scenes also become borderline ridiculous when Ray moves everything to modern times. People still fence right? For me, it was strange when Ray replaced fencing with lacrosse in the climax. Again, maybe it is a reader’s preference and Ray wanted to add something original and something of her own. Lacrosse is a dangerous sport.

Finally I have to point out the text speech Ray incorporates quite frequently in the book is annoying. I realize that books take years to be published, but I think she should have gone back in and edit those text messages. For example: “Strnge thngs r afoot @ the circle K…. Go hm. H wl need u” (Ray 90) is confusing. It took a while for me to understand whatever the heck Ophelia was trying to say. I even read the previous paragraph again, but still couldn’t decipher this code. I don’t know why Ray decided to spell out circle when it could have been abbreviated to “cir.” and then remove all the vowels in “home” to spell “hm”. At least I think that was supposed to be home. Ray does this again in another text message on page 250 with come (cm) to my confusion.

Falling for Hamlet was not for me. I’m sure there is an audience out there for this classics retelling by the other reviews are saying for this book.

Cover D-

Er. No. No, no, no, no. Awkwardly placed chair. A couple up against a wall? Micro-mini skirt? Definitely speaks Hamlet (sarcastic). 

Published: 2011, July 5; hardcover

Source: HipScout

Amazon: preorder

Spoiled

Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Grade: 3.3 stars out of 5

When Molly’s mother finally spills the beans about her father she never expected him to be Brick Berlin, famous actor and director. Now she’s a little terrified of heading out to LA—leaving behind her on-and-off again boyfriend, her best friend, and everyone she knows—to meet Daddy dearest and half-sister Brooke. It might mean a change of scenery, but that doesn’t mean Molly will change. Right?

Tag team authors, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan bring together a double perspective novel about the ups-and-downs of Hollywood; the bitter resentment of a busy Dad; and a runaway Mom.

GoFugYourself is a website by Cooks and Morgan and it says a lot about Spoiled. Readers find themselves chuckling here and there about some crazy antics Shelby (Brooke’s archnemesis), Molly, and Brooke come up with to humiliate each other. (Also fashion, be familiar with designer names, but don't be discouraged since it's not as much as I first thought.) While it’s gratifying for Molly to get a little backbone and get back at Brooke, somewhere down the line it got a little tiring. One thing that I never understood was the whole animosity between Brooke and Shelby. It was explained in bits, but I have trouble believing what the other is saying. There are two different stories on how it all started and each one points to the speaker as the “good” one. Neither Brooke nor Shelby has great track records of being 100% honest.

I found Molly to be naïve in the story. She’s such an honest and trustworthy person, and thinks highly of many people despite warnings. Is Molly that typical girl from a small-town implanted to a big city (NYC, LA, etc.)? Very shy, quiet, and from the readers’ perspective, someone you want to shake. That said and done, I will go back to my original statement and mention that Molly does get a backbone and can fight her own battles.

Brooke’s underlying soft, hurt nature comes through her emails to her mother. I thought Brooke’s character development shined as the novel progress. Molly and Brooke’s make-up chat played nicely with readers’ sympathy, but the seemingly quick shift from enemies to best friends left me a cross-eyed. Brooke’s internal thoughts helped smoothed the transition, but her actions hardly matched her thoughts and what the readers’ know is different from what Molly knows.

I found the epilogue lacking when trying to wrap everything left. It felt more like an extra chapter than an epilogue. The “love interest” was also lacking and believed that the novel would have been better if that was taken out. It didn’t add to the novel because there wasn’t a real ending to the relationship. I enjoyed the friendships that was presented, but wished that there was more of a focus on the mothers since it’s the core of all the major issues in Spoiled.

ETA: This is apparently the first book in a series. Seriously? Wow; I am getting tired of books becoming a series when it doesn't need to be.

Source: ARC from Little, Brown and Company for HipScouts

Cover B

I like the concept, but wanted more types of makeup

Published: 1 June 2011; hardcover

Amazon

I'll Be There

I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Raised by an unstable father who keeps the family constantly on the move, Sam Border hasn't been in a classroom since the second grade. He's always been the rock for his younger brother Riddle, who stopped speaking long ago and instead makes sense of the world through his strange and intricate drawings. It's said that the two boys speak with one voice--and that voice is Sam's.

Then, Sam meets Emily Bell, and everything changes. The two share an immediate and intense attraction, and soon Sam and Riddle find themselves welcomed into the Bell's home. Faced with normalcy for the first time, they know it's too good to last.

I’m at a lost of words when trying to describe I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan without spoiling the entire novel. After finding out that Sloan is a screenwriter, I was able to imagine  I’ll Be There as the movie I would have gone out to see. With its strong opening of gospel music and the happily ever after ending, I I’ll Be There starts off the new year with a bang.

Firstly, let’s get rid of the unpleasantness out of the way.  I’ll Be There is a novel not suited for everyone. It had a much faster pace than what I’m accustomed to. The first love instant connection was a stretch that was not followed up on as much I would have liked.  I’ll Be There took some time to warm into, but after the initial couple of chapters the book was hard to put down.

The fluidity of the novel could only be compared to the strength of the characters. Sam and Emily come alive and come across as real people. Their relationship with their family and the social environment is touching, a bit dramatic in Emily’s case, and made the entire novel spectacular. Bobby was the perfect villain with equal parts charismatic, dastardly, and insanity. Bobby was a truly frightening character with power at his fingertips. However, fate acts in the most strangest of ways.

 I’ll Be There is for those willing to step out of the perfect box. For those who believe in coincidence in the most oddest, but amazing of ways. Told through multiple perspective, even a bear's!,  I’ll Be There will bring a smile to your face.

Cover

Source: Bound manuscript from HipScout [Little, Brown and Company]

Published: 3, May 2011

Amazon

You Killed Wesley Payne

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

Grade: 2.8 stars out of 5

You Killed Wesley Payne was just too much for me. While in the midst of being surrounded by Beaudoin’s originality and creativity I was lost more than once, and bored a good third of the book. After finishing the book I was a little ticked off. There’s a thin line between a great plot twist and some random bloshite* and Beaudoin tip toes his way back and forth on that line.

You Killed Wesley Payne offers readers some extras: a clique chart and index, a glossary because readers will really need this, and a few original Dalton stories. On screen this is a brilliant idea. On paper the chart is complicated, difficult to follow, with bolded text, bigger bolded text, and lines crisscrossing whichever way. The index was massive blocks of text that after two full paragraphs I gave up entirely. The glossary and extra stories I had no qualms with. Those I enjoyed immensely especially with the continuation of Dalton’s side notes and remarks.

With the actual body work of the novel the language is the first thing I picked up on. Some reviewers called it neo-noir. I have no idea what that means and will not pretend otherwise, but as I stated previously, the glossary will help out immensely. Secondly I noticed the lack of authority figures and the amount of violence and corruption there is in the book. Dystopia, anyone, within a high school setting? That’s a new one for me. Continuing through, readers find scenes dealing with relationship issues—parental, siblings, and opposite sex wise. Realistic, almost contemporary fiction? I’m a fan of contemporary. So You Killed Wesley Payne was imaginative, definitely something I haven’t particularly read, with two possible genres that I’ve enjoyed before, with a murder mystery at the forefront; what’s not to love? The answer to that question is the pace. The heavy text, the random dialogue that does not fit, and the slow crawl with no action set the book back so far.

In the end I did not enjoy You Killed Wesley Payne. There is a big audience for the creativity that You Killed Wesley Payne demonstrated, but I am not part of that audience.

*a term originated by Beaudoin

Cover C-/D+

Source: Hip Scout / Little, Brown and Company

Published: 01 February 2011

Amazon

Fixing Delilah

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Source: ARC from Little, Brown and Company

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

After the announcement of her grandmother’s death, Delilah and her mother travel to Vermont to deal with her funeral and aftermaths. Delilah finds old memories and scars hidden throughout the old house where she spent her childhood and rekindles her relationship with her childhood friend Patrick.

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler is reminiscent of her debut novel, Twenty Boy Summer with its emotional intensity and sublime romance. Ockler once again weaves a tragedy effortlessly into the story that blooms.

Delilah is a well-rounded character that portrays the teenage mind of angst, love sickness, and confinement. She is a phoenix rising from the ashes and into the fire while retaining that level of self-respect, but self-destruction as well. Curiosity killed the cat, and the curiosity in Delilah may kill the relationship she has with her mother. Fixing Delilah delivers an important message of talking and discussing with others and not the unnecessary words to fill the silence—“How was school”. With Delilah, readers can see a sister, a daughter, or a friend in their life. She is that unlikely heroine that sticks with you after the novel is finished.

Another pro to Ockler’s work I have read is her seriousness with friendships. There is an equal balance between the two friends: Delilah and Emily. They can gossip, squeal, and turn to one another when some surprise strikes and—dare I day?—BFFs. Instead of this over consuming need to please one another that I find in some YA lit novels, Emily and Delilah can argue and, get this, apologize. Shocking isn’t it?

However, what I had trouble with Fixing Delilah is the relationship of Patrick and Delilah. In my opinion, as others will definitely vary, the relationship relied heavily on the fact that they were childhood friends. It acted like a crutch in the first steps toward the romantic edge where the interactions didn’t match the pace. It was just that one hurdle to jump over—the first meeting turned something more—that had me concerned. (Looks to lust to love?) Once I got comfortable within the story I felt more comfortable about the sizzling attraction.

Despite the elements and components of chaos there is a lingering soothing undertone to Fixing Delilah. On the other hand, the soothing undertone can also be considered the missing spark, a need to read, an addiction factor that lacked throughout the novel. For that Fixing Delilah is a great read, just not the best of reads. It is though a wonderful tale of self-identity and the spoken words.

On a very, very side note I love the presentation of the book, from the willow tree to its branches throughout the chapters to the leaves as the page numbers. In some ways I am sad about the change of covers but that was completely obliterated when the new cover was presented.

odd cover and title

Order your copy of Fixing Delilah: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository. 

Bloodthirsty

not the clearest of images, sorry

Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

Source: ARC from Litte Brown (Hip Scouts)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

It's not hard to admit that vampires are the "hot" new things right not. Girls, mothers, even some men are hooting for Team Edward, Team Eric, or Team Damon, but what about Team Finbar? Finbar plans to use his allergic reaction to the sun, his brooding manner, and his lanky built to its advantage. By pretending to a vampire to get the girl.

Flynn Meaney has created a pop cultural novel that will leave both boys and girls laughing out loud.

I knew immediately from the synopsis that I had to get my hands on a copy of this book, either now or later, but preferably now. For one thing, the synopsis demonstrated a sense of originality by instead of writing about someone who is a vampire, write about someone who is pretending to be a vampire. Hello! Genius, I say! The other reason why I wanted to get my hands on a copy of Bloodthirsty was for my brother. He is someone who constantly asks if I have anything good to read and thinks a teen novel about vampires is trash. Of course, he was the one to read the book first. So below is 2-for-1 packaged review.

His response: It was funny in the beginning, but then it got boring and cliche towards the end. The book promoted getting a girl by being a vampire, which does not really happen [though I will disagree]. 3 stars.

A man of few words it seems; those few sentences took me an hour to drag out of him.

My response: Bloodthirsty delves into the mind of a hormonal teenage boy who happens to have a twin brother named Luke. His twin brother also happens to excel as sports thus a chick magnet. Finn is sensitive and smart, but pathetic in that first glimpse. He evokes a sense of pity from me. Finn's narration makes me want to cuddle him yet keep a foot of space between us; teenage boy=pervert. Bloodthirsty was pitch-prefect novel with a narration that is realistic and somehow endearing. (In my brother's words I asked if the narration was realistic: "It was okay". Trust me, I think that was the biggest reaction I could get from me and I believe, but I believe that is a "yes" to the question.)

The book was indeed hilarious: "When I didn't leave the house for three days after the football game, my mother worried that I was antisocial. My mother has suspected me of antisocial behavior since last year when I didn't cry during The Notebook. After much prodding, I managed one tear. I didn't tell her that the tear came from the fact that I was home on a Friday night watching a Nicolas Sparks adaption with my mother" (52, ARC). This is a novel that I can reread and still find funny. Bloodthirsty makes time fly when reading.

Bloodthirsty branches out into family relationships, which after piles and piles of teen novels that hardly mention a family, is exhilarating and refreshing. I love the mother's obsessive cleaning habits, Luke's constant movement, and their father's, well, fatherliness.      

The ending was cliche, I will admit, but I could not imagine it in any other way.

However I do wonder how well Bloodthirsty will do in the next decade, when and if the vampire craze will end. Bloodthirsty is heavy on pop culture references and I doubt that True Blood will be a classic so where does that leave it?

Bloodthirsty is a chortling good read of a coming-of-age-story by debut author Flynn Meaney.

Aus. cover

You can preorder your copy of Bloodthirsty today: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository

Dark Song

Dark Song by Gail Giles

Source: ARC from Little, Brown and Company

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Dark Song is broken into two parts: the before and the after. Before her father lost his job because he was caught stealing from his clients’ money and short selling, Ames’s life was perfect. Her family was perfect, her grades were great, her life was going exactly as she hoped. After she was forced to give up herself she grew up to pay for expenses and moved to Texas, Ames meets Marc. Marc is the bad boy you do not want your parents to meet; he owns a gun collection, has a baby face (twenty-two years old), and is prone to violence.

The first part is the steps to the diving board. Slow, methodical, tedious you can say. Step, after step, after step with no real change. Several pages before the break and the beginning of part 2 is the last of the steps and onto the diving board itself—a change of pace from Boulder to Texas. Part 2 is the rush and the exhilaration of drama escalating and the stakes raised higher and higher until you are at the point of diving. The climax and ending passes by in seconds, you are diving from the board and into the water. You receive a measly 2.5 out of 5. Why?

I honestly do know about this novel. I find that there is no real progression from the start to the end in terms of characters and plot development. Frankly I have trouble figuring out the plot was going. My intuition says that the plot is about Ames falling off the line with Marc and trying to align herself once more. And it was. Yet it was not.

Marc appears in the second half of the novel and things move fast. One minute they are introducing each other, the next they’re already having sex, and finally just when there is less than a centimeter’s worth of pages left, the situation is resolved. After half a novel’s worth of being rebellious, shoplifting, and selling possessions I expect the second half to make up for the lackluster read. It didn’t meet those expectations.

For one thing Ames and her mother. They are Thing 1 and Thing 2, two peas in a pod. Their personalities include stubbornness, selfishness, and a smidgen of delusional. They are neither likable nor relatable, which doesn’t bother much, but they are unchanging, which bothers me. Sorry I have to take that back, they do change. I just find it hard to believe. One minute it is claws extended and the next it’s a soft-spoken I-understand-you tone, which came from nowhere. The change is immediate and before you know it, the novel ends.

The epilogue reads as though Giles wrote it first then backtracked to fill in the blanks. He had great tension and build-up with wonderful lines:

“'You.” His voice flat. Emotionless. “Who are you?”
Had had asked the right question.
I didn’t have an answer.
Who was I?
Who had I been?
Who would I be?
I don’t know.
I do know this.
I am not innocent." (page 292 of the ARC)

A part of me is frustrated that I did not see that throughout the novel.

Here is some good news: I do love some of the secondary characters. I found Em, the best friend, a strong support system to Ames and an overall good friend to her. I find Chrissy, Ames's 6-year sister, to be the one voice that doesn't need to be accessed and dissected because it always speaks the truth. I find the grandmother Robin to be such a forgiving mother, a lovable grandmother, and added that sweetness that Dark Song needed.

P.S. There is a scene where Ames and her friend try to steal an iPod because her mother took her iPhone. They think it’s no big deal to shoplift an iPod. My mind boggles at that: FLABBERGASTED.

Cover A-

I do so long this cover. I think there is symbolism of the thorned rose of its own rebellion. Or I can just be looking too deeply into it.

Order Dark Song: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository

The DUFF

The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Source: ARC from Carol

Grade: 3.8 stars out of 5

I think the description from the back of novel is a lot better than whatever I can up come with:

“Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.”

I think Kody Keplinger hit a home run (and yes I am going to use a baseball analogy throughout this review) with this novel idea (bad pun yes?). She chose a topic that I am sure resonates with both genders: female and male. For me I always had this image whenever I compared myself to my friends: not the smartest, not the thinnest, not the prettiest, not the more artistic, not the funniest, and the list goes on and on. I can relate to Bianca because I am “cynical”, though I like to call myself a realist, and have a similar thought process.

The DUFF is epic win when it comes to snark. This is a rapid quick humor that will keep its readers on their toes and their mouths poise to be let open-wide and laughing. Grins ready? Read, settle, laugh!

Example 1:

“The guy is a man-whore. I can’t stand him. He sleeps with everything that moves, and his brain is located in his pants—which means it’s microscopic” (8, ARC)

Example 2:

“Most girls find me charming.”

“Those girls must have their IQs low enough to trip over” (41, ARC)

That’s not too say that Keplinger cannot write a gut-wrenching scene, because she can. She throws a curveball that I should have seen coming, but surprisingly didn’t. Maybe I was reading the sex scenes too much? Nah. But yes, readers, The DUFF is big on the ‘s’ word. Not just the word, but the act too. Copious scenes, but it’s not in-depth as you would find in the adult novels.

The DUFF overall has an extremely liberal stance on everything, so just to be safe: lotsa sex, lotsa cussing.

However The DUFF does get a little repetitive and the BTW, WTF, and OMG grates on my nerve because no one that I know of says B-T-W, W-T-F, or O-M-G. (Do people really spell things out?) I do wish that the characters were a little more flesh out and had grown more. It seemed as though many did not develope at all throughout the book.

Cover C+

Like the new cover a lot more than the old cover. Old cover creeped me out.

You can order your copy of The DUFF: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository

Twilight Saga

Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer

Series in Order: Twilight / New Moon / Eclipse / Breaking Dawn
Spin-offs: The Short Life of Bree Tanner / Twilight: the Graphic Novel (which I reviewed here)

Source: Personal

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

For someone who has piles and piles of books that need to be read and reviewed I had the extreme craving to reread the Twilight Saga over the weekend. Which, as you can tell, I followed through and lightly read / skimmed the novels.

Twilight, it seems, forces the two extremes out: Hate or Love. It is one of the most bashed on teen novels that has inspired many parodies, YouTube videos, and "Vampires Suck" movie. But I'm not here to mention that. Instead I am here to say that I like Twilight to an extent. Heck, I own the entire series and a movie poster and the graphic novel.

Honestly I have no idea why I am writing this review. I am also certain that I am forgetting a few points here and there.

Cons:
1. It is not a great piece of literature and, in my opinion, will never be a "classic". That is just a fact of reality despite the intense twihards who permanently tattoo themselves across their skins.

2. It needs more editing. Just copious amounts of fine combing.

3. The whole Breaking Dawn book. Too happy-ending, too much build-up for nothing, too odd of names. Renesmee!? EJ (Edward Jacob)!? Carlie is a perfectly great first name, which I would have really preferred over Renesmee.

4. It has taken over Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Wal-mart. And perhaps several other chain stores.

5. It started a domino effect: paranormal fictions are hot. Now and then I miss a good ol' contemporary novel that deserves more credit than what it has gotten.

Neutrals:
1. Edward: Edward is a creepy stalker and the relationship of him and Bella is a bad influence to tweens and teens across the world. Really though? In my opinion I like to say that we have some common sense here. I would like to believe that the majority of teens, in my case, should know better than to date guys who likes to sniff you, drink your blood, and stare at you sleeping every night. Common sense: stay clear from stalker/creepy guy and call 911. It is also common sense to not be an "abusive" relationship. (The word abusive is stretching it far.) It aggravates me a bit that Twilight is constantly bashed on for the relationship and yet some of the adult paranormal novels' relationship are not much better.

2. Bella: she is a Mary-Sue plain and simple. But Bella is someone that many teens can relate to (sort of).

Pros:
1. It is an addicting, guilty-pleasure read. I have read each book several times already, almost second to the Poison Study series.

2. It has gotten many teens to start reading on their own. I, for one, am one of those teens. I was always a reader, just not a big reader; perhaps I would read a book a month, but no more. Twilight, as some of you may cringe, sparked that first initial reading habit so there is a sentimental value for me.

I am 99% positive (in my guesstimating ability) that Twilight did not deter already avid readers from reading again. Sure, Twilight might have some strong negative opinions, but it never forced anyone to stop reading.

And perhaps Twilight gave some reason for the older audience to pick up teen novels. (Twilight Moms--enough said.)

3. Some of the classical readers are probably pissed at this, but teens are now picking up Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet because of Twilight. Harper Teen realized that with the re-released updated covers to match Twilight.

4. Yay paranormal fictions!

Immortal Beloved

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Source: ARC from HipScouts (Little, Brown)

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

IMMORTAL BELOVED releases on SEPTEMBER. This review is extremely early, but I had to review it for HipScouts and the urge to just spill my guts on the blog was strong. I will most likely repost this review near the release date.

After witnessing her best friend, Innocencio, breaking the back of a cab driver for no significant reason, Nastasya quickly realizes that she needs to leave. She no longer feels comfortable and has the strong urge to hide herself from her once close friends. Recalling back a time when River, a stranger at that time, offered her ‘help’ (help that she thought she didn’t need at that time) located in a small town in Massachusetts, she finally takes that offer just a few centuries later. Well here she is now picking beets, grooming horses, and star-gazing. Wait, why? Apparently it is a rehabilitation process that also apparently works! Nastasya is feeling and looking better for the longest time after decades of partying, but someone seems to not like her new sense of contentment and wants her gone. But Natasya’s tough, she’s been through a lot, and may have more power than she first thought…. And did I mention that she’s immortal with magical powers? Really? Because almost all the characters in the novel are immortal: good and bad. We just need to find out who the good ones are and who the bad ones are, but here is to hoping that tall sexy Viking god Reyn will be good.

In a very detailed first installment (yes this is trilogy), Cate Tiernan tells of a haunting dark past with a distinct narration. A style of writing that really ticked me off plenty of times if I dare say. I find the excessive commas, self-answering questions, and just the aloof disregard to time very, very angering. The constant flashbacks were abrupt, random, and forced half the time. The other half of the time I felt it was well placed with enough emotional angst and gory imagery that left me wanting to continue in Nastaya’s past life.

After finishing the last sentence I closed the book, looked up then back down and thought to myself: What the heck did I just read that took 400 pages to explain? Oh no, there were some excellent points brought up, effortless gut-wrenching scenes, and the occasional symbolic nature of life, but a chunk of the novel discussed the past of immortals—how they came to be, the aging process, how they were hunted and whatnot. It was wonderful how Tiernan explained everything, scrutinizing even to the smallest details of the stars, but could it keep the reader enraptured long enough to finish the book (and possibly read the next two installments)?

It required about 150 pages into the novel for me to become interested enough to continue reading the next 250 pages. Yes despite this I still crave more detail abut Reyn, about River and how she came to form the rehabilitation farm, about Nell and about the other residents in the farm. (I still also have trouble comprehending the deep connection/attraction between Natasya and Reyn aside from their past unless it becomes this emotional handicap that they develop and whatever did happen to Innocencio since he is hardly ever mentioned yet plays a large role in the novel?) Curse you first person limited view point for wrecking havoc on my mind as it tends to wander and consider possible scenarios.

About midway through the novel, somewhere between the pages of 180 to 200, the action began to really pick up that left me slightly breathless and disorientated. And that, my friend, is a good thing. The garbled information finally began to make sense in my mind (yet my math does not seem to match the book’s math when it concerns the age appearance of some of the characters), the various ties to other characters start to root and grow, and there is discussion of magic! Sprinkle every so often are humorous scenes, hot and heavy scenes that will appease the romantics at heart, and a scene that left a body skinless and hairless for those few gore fans; Immortal Beloved does cover almost everything that will leave readers happy at least with one chapter.

As for the ending, it leaves plenty to be desired, but then again it is a trilogy.

Cover C-

I didn't realize that it was girl until I saw the online cover. In real life (in my opinion) it's very hazy and blurry so it was just a slew on tints and values of red.

Read an excerpt of Immortal Beloved at Cate Tiernan's website: here.

Sisters Red

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (June 7th 2010—Little Brown)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Source: HipLit (Little Brown)

Summary: “Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.”

Review: After reading Pearce’s debut novel, As You Wish, I knew that she was capable of writing romance so I looked at Sisters Red more closely for the action than anything else. I love the action—very kick-butt modern-day hero—that still managed to incorporate the beloved fairy tale aspects—hatchets, capes, countryside and grandmas. However, it was the romance that I felt brought the level of the book down. It felt so forced that I had a hard time buying it.

Jackson Pearce does a great job of creating two very contrasting characters that still has close ties; how one event can change so drastically that these two sisters have very different personalities. Rosie is the romantic while Scarlett is the cynical realist. This is a visible attribute with Scarlett’s scars and missing right eye. In essence Pearce does an amazing job creating symbolisms and ironic situations. There are times when dramatic irony becomes, well, not really dramatic nor ironic and just plain ol’ predictable.

Overall: Sisters Red while original, despite it being a fairy tale retelling, proved to be sluggish at points. It is still a good step in the right direction that I think will bring a new group of readers.

Cover A+

Mini-Reviews

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

Information overload—hoping the sequel will delve deeper into the plot. Great promise though.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black

Half liked, half ehh.

After by Amy Ewaf

Really, really liked the beginning—great voice, intriguing plot—but then I got stuck halfway. It was like with The Cinderella Society, information overload, situation lost control (opps sorry, song stuck in my head).

Suite Scarlett/Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Weee. That was fun! Defintiely something to pick up when bored or looking for a good read. There is a big Spencer-favor in Scarlett Fever, which is good for the people who love him! I kind of grew tired/annoyed by him later.

The Season by Sarah MacLean

It’s sort of this separation of romance and mystery. Like with The Body Finder it goes back and forth fighting for dominance. The mystery aspect really lacked. Easy read with lots of giggling :)

Guardian of the Dead

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey (April 1st—Little Brown)

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “At her boarding school in New Zealand, Ellie Spencer is like any ordinary teen: she hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; obsesses over her crush on a mysterious boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline. Then everything changes: In the foggy woods near the school, something ancient and deadly is waiting.

Karen Healey introduces a savvy and spirited heroine with a strong, fresh voice. Full of deliciously creepy details, this adventure is a deftly crafted story of Māori mythology, romance, betrayal, and war.”

Review: I was so terribly excited to read this book. Guardian of the Dead was near the top of my wishlist for tenner books, sadly it did not live up to my expectations.

Karen Healey takes us where few authors published in America have gone, to New Zealand. Going in I had absolutely no idea what to expect of how she was going to incorporate such a new environment in an interesting fashion without being overbearing. Healey crafts together a realm of fantasy amidst the beauty of the island that, surprisingly, works.

I had just finished the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and was elated to find similar tales between the two. While Riordan applied the Greek and Roman treatment to the mythology, Healey twists the myths with a New Zealand flare! Again she weaves the myths to the story beautifully while still managing to create this ethereal allusion.

While the novel is intricate by its very nature and design I found the novel as a whole tedious. Be it a contradiction but Guardian of the Dead dissected into elements was as wonderful as I had imagined it to be though as a whole it lacked. It lacked a finesse that made me want to read more. Even so Guardian of the Dead had an unconventional ending. Rabid fans of ‘happily ever after’s will face a reality check that will still leave them pleased.

As discombobulated as this review is it is a reflection of my opinion of the book. I wanted to love this book since I first heard of it last year, but I am just disappointed at the final product.

Cover B

Ftc: review copy provided by publishers

Freaks and Revelations (Review and Winners!)

Freaks and Revelations by David Wills Hurwin (September 1st 2009—Little Brown)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “This raw, moving novel follows two teenagers-one, a Mohawk-wearing 17-year-old violent misfit; the other, a gay 13-year-old cast out by his family, hustling on the streets and trying to survive. Acclaimed author Davida Wills Hurwin creates a riveting narrative told in alternating perspectives of their lives before and after the violent hate crime that changed both their futures. This tragic but ultimately inspirational journey of two polarized teens, their violent first meeting, and their peaceful reunion years later is an unforgettable story of survival and forgiveness.

This story is inspired by the real lives of Matthew Boger and Timothy Zaal, who have shared their story on The Oprah Winfrey Show and NPR.”

Review: Freaks and Revelations was the final book I read for 2009 and what a great way to end it. I will admit it when I say that when I first heard of this book my immediate reaction was that this was not my cup of tea. I mean, I’m more comfortable with the whole fantasy vampire/faery realm biz than a novel inspired by an actual occurrence. I picked it up because why not?—it’s short, perfect for squeezing another book under my 2009 belt. But I was wrong, again of course, and was spell bounded by this novel, captivated by the characters, and cocooned into the two separate colliding stories. Hurwin was able to create two distinct voices in one novel with a countdown at every new chapter for that one moment. Freaks and Revelations was an impressive novel that had me surprised.

Jason, the gay 13-year-old, and Doug, the Punk Rock, both have had a hard past and a difficult family. One had a family that was greatly religious where being gay is a sin that will lead you to hell and the other lives with an abusive father. I fell in love with Jason’s story. To me his was more about hope whereas Doug’s was about redemption. Originally I was empathic to Doug but after so many chapters of drugs and mosh pits I soon grew bored. It was wholly repetitive with so many nameless faces. Jason’s tale was a bit more disturbing especially when considering the age, but satisfying. That was what made it so much more powerful. The opinions flip flopbetween the two. At one point I liked Doug’s tale more than Jason’s and finally Doug’s.

Aside from the redundancy of Doug’s story my other issue would have to be the epilogue. It was like stepping along and instead of the next step, the book leaps.

I would recommend you to pick this novel up, at the library or the bookstore. Now I'm off to see if my library has this book and if not then you will be sure I'm asking them to buy it.

Cover C

FTC: review copy was provided by the publishers.

Also congrats goes to Mandy, Allison, and Audrey (for being lucky #12) for winning a copy of Freaks and Revelations!

The River

The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand (February 10th 2010—Little Brown)

Grade: 3.7 stars out of 5

Summary: “Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from the city to rural Oregon with her parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard.

Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen's body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.

As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen's death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.”

Review: Despite The River starting off with a dramatic entry of a sudden death the storyline began to settle down and I had to crawl through the rest. From that point on it was a jumbled mess of a regular teen life with an abnormal connection to the river spirit. (Something that the author never fully explained on. Did Veronica have a sixth sense or was this all a delusion?) I had gone in expecting a mournful, heartbreaking, book of a death but instead gotten something…not that. Then we reached midway and came across Gretchen, another plot. I could not imagine the ties these two situations had, a river death and an illegal drug use? I was a bit peeved some might say—the author was clearly biting off more than she can chew.

Some chapters after that scene, Beaufrand did something I could only smile about, she connected these scenarios together. She then carried the reader through a monsoon of actions and emotions. A high stakes game of resolution, revenge, and a runway that lead almost to another death. I had devoured the last several chapters of the book in the time it took me to say “no way”. In spite of this I still did like not some elements of The River.

I had already mentioned the slow crawl of the book and the randomness which is where Tomas’s relationship with Veronica stands. While I accepted Beaufrand’s attempt to humor the story, it did little for the actual plot. I did, however, find it amusing and gave a chuckle here and there but ultimately felt that it distracted the reader from the essence of the book. I found Tomas’s relationship with Veronica cute and endearing but had a weak foundation. The author barely cemented their affection to the reader before thrusting them to a love cocoon. Although it ties in with Karen and some of the background information of the characters it stole some of the spotlight of the heaviness of the topic.

Overall: The River will surprise will the reader for sure. Expect a tale that is similar to that of Stephanie Kuehnert—raw and emotional at times.

Cover B

FTC: copy from HipLit Program was exchanged for review

Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (December 1st 2009—Little Brown)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “There were no surprises in Gatlin County We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. At least, that’s what I thought. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. There was a curse. There was a girl. And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.”

Review: Beautiful Creatures was a 600 page book worth of intricate detail, mesmerizing scenes, and diabolical…mothers?

The connection between Lena and Ethan started off rocky with just a dream that held them together. I was hesitant of how I should understand their love when the only thing they had was fragmented scenes of a dream where they could barely recognized each other’s faces. The foundation was shaky at best and no amount of her being “different” could explain why these two were so perfect for each other. On one hand I was glad that the authors gave the two 600 pages to spark the sizzle to each other—I do not think that I would believe the relationship of anything less. It blossomed to something tangibly sweet where they both leaned on one another’s shoulder a bit.

The Caster detail was extensive but sometimes dragging. I enjoyed the various chapters especially ones that recounted the past and filled in the many gaps. The scenes of the past were most attentive to conjoining with the present. It gave small hints to the larger picture so the readers can understand what had happened, the reasons, as well as retelling a tragic love story—a story within a story.

The diverse powers that the authors cultivated were fun to imagine. I normally never have a solid image of a character in mind, rather their personality and essence but the authors made it possible to contour the planes of the faces to what I believe the appearances are. I can picture a different of faces for each different power—the strong jawed face of Macon, the sharp, intelligent face of Reece and the delicate face of Lena. Each power can aid the reader in recreating the person making them a living breathing person.

The ending was split to the good and the not so good. I had trouble keeping up with the chapters and the creditability of it. Where had Amma come from? How do the Greats have the power to control time and space? Why is everything in italics? Is it a conversation in their minds? Can they somehow move objects while everyone else is frozen? What are the perimeters of how far the Greats can freeze? And the poem at the end gives a hint of sequel, perhaps? One can only hope. The good side of it was that it was not all complete happy ending that I’ve come accustomed to. A twist here and there in a story is always nice.

One of the things that I would like a little more clarification was Ethan’s mother. What types of magic does she possess? Was she a Caster librarian?

Overall: A 600 page book of awesomeness! Could have done without so many details though.

Cover B
It simmers in the light! How cool is that!?

Soulstice

Soulstice by Simon Holt (September 1st 2009—Little Brown)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “The terrifying, nail-biting, and grossly intriguing sequel to The Devouring.

It's been six months since Reggie first discovered and fought against the Vours, malicious and demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on the eve of the Winter Solstice.

The Vours still haunt Reggie, but only in her dreams-until one night, when an unexpected visitor turns her nightmares into reality.”

Review: I swear this series is out to get me. I read Devouring, Soulstice’s prequel, on Sorry Night, and guess what else? Turns out not only do the Vours come out during then but also on my birthday! June 21st, summer solstice. Case in point, this series is really out to get me.

Soulstice really outdid The Devouring by a much larger margin than I had anticipated. There was a whole new factor of fear. This time it was not the physical fear—spiders, clowns, and killer mothers—but rather desolation, fear of oneself, and guilt. It is more of the essence and the ever lingering taste that never fully leaves unlike the more physical fears. The tone of the novel developed into a larger reader’s group from the child-like stance to the more teenage/young adult. I much prefer this type of story as the characters can be empathized. Spiders and clowns are fine but children typically grow out of that fear as they age and yet guilt and isolation will forever be a part of you.

As far as the characterization goes, we focus more between Quinn and Reggie now. I have come to grow fond of Quinn, who knows why. He has that dry humor that I seem to enjoy quite a bit and the interaction with Reggie was cute. It was like two feisty little kittens that made that smile. Maybe not kittens per se…

Reggie was an independent person that stood up when no one else would. That was what I really appreciate. I have come across some many female leads that depend on someone so much that irritates me. She was a kick-butt heroine!

The writing style however was disjointed. It has been rumored that Simon Holt does not exist but rather it is an assembly line of writers that forms this so called “Simon Holt”. Personally I do not care if it means that we will get quality books such as the Soulstice and The Devouring has proven. But the difference in style can be detected when we switched from Aaron and Reggie. It slightly disrupts the flow of the book in my opinion.

Overall: Soulstice surprised me in the most pleasant way with its unexpected twists and great scare tactics. I look forward to the third installment of the Devouring series.

Cover B+
Mmmm purty…

Ash

Ash by Malinda Lo (September 1st 2009—Little Brown)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.”

Review: Holy cow, Ash completely blew my mind. I went in not expecting anything and came out stunned, pleased, and wanting more.

The entire storyline is indeed a spin-off of Cinderella with some minor twist, Kaisa being the largest. The fairy godmother was Sidhean where each gift required a trade and Prince Charming opted out for the King’s huntress Kaisa. Minor twists that creates a whole new tale.

For the most matter I was sucked in to Ash’s life, her mother’s death, her father’s death, the cruelty of her stepmother, and her good fortune of Sidhean and Kaisa. Ash was a strong character as well as Kaisa. Readers can emphasize to Ash through the pain and misery just they did to Cinderella.

We come to read of her mother’s life prior to that of Ash’s birth—the curse that she struck. Complete surprise! Throughout the book I was confused on how he played a role in the book, where he came from, why he stuck so closely to Ash, so when the entire thing blossomed out I was a bit surprised. It was slightly odd though to me because you fell for the mother but ended up with the daughter which reminds me of Blue Bloods series. It just kind of grosses me out a tad.

I also would have liked to see the scene where Ash pays her dues to Sidhean. What was required? What had happened? The ending as well could have lead to a sequel—a possibility in the making perhaps?

Overall: Not really that much focused on the lesbian part, Ash could have been bisexual it seems. Still amazing based solely on the storyline.

Cover B+
I love the concept behind the cover. The rich purple of the title as well as the dark green of the grass. I would have liked to less green hues on the girl though, it just forces her to blend in with the background.

Twenty Boy Summer

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (June 1st 2009—Little Brown)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary:
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it." "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had her romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.”

Review: Sarah Ockler weaved a tragic love story as easy as pie. Effortless and yet full of tender and care she told of a brother, love, and a best friend’s death cause to the breakdown of two families life.

I am a sucker for a tragic love story and Sarah delivered it to me. It was a stunning book that left me breathless. Matt’s accident left a hole in Anna’s heart where she faces life with a façade even to her closet friend. It was a tender matter, holding back your own tears and trying to be the strong one that you promised to be. Francesca’s and Anna’s friendship is one with ups and downs but always remaining strong despite the heated fights. Sarah crafted the constant struggle to maintain to strained smile, wishing—hoping—to remember the past but still letting go what needs to be done in a expert manner that needs to be applauded. Although I may have not cried throughout the book, I was still emotional attached to Anna’s journey, so bravo to Ms. Ockler for making me almost cry—almost.

One of my favorite parts was this quote “Shhh, ahhh. Shhh, ahhh” (I pick the oddest quotes ever). There are so many ways you can interpret this. The sound of the waves—coming and going, the quiet hum of secrets, the possibilities of the future lingering with the past, I can go on and on with it.

It was like Matt was still with us; cajoling Anna to hold onto their secret but a slight hesitation that if told would might make things better. Or even voicelessly trying to tell Anna what they were, what they could have been, and yet telling her that he’s gone to live life to the fullest. It’s the gentle lull of the waves pulling you closer—helping you forget, but then regretting it a step later, maybe, just maybe, you can make things right for yourself. It whispers into your ear with a sad voice that it is okay to cry but to not let it hold you down—pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and face on to life.

The intensity of the book was the strongest at the beginning and toward the end. It somewhat faded in the middle where she focused more on Sam and vacation. While I enjoyed this one touching scene between Anna and Sam, I would have liked a bit more dialogue between the two. It was a bit fast paced and not really developed that left me grasping the thin thread.

Overall: Read it and pass it on. “Let someone else have a lucky day”.

Cover A
This cover is something that I love. Rich and intense colors, great symbolism, and the appearance that the pieces were randomly placed.