The Golem and the Jinni (TLC Blog Tour)

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Grade: 4 stars out of 5
Published: April 23, 2013; Harper / hardcover
FTC: ARC provided by publishers for tour

"In The Golem and the Jinni, a chance meeting between mythical beings takes readers on a dazzling journey through cultures in turn-of-the-century New York.

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free

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Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection. Marvelous and compulsively readable, Helene Wecker's debut novel The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale."

Helene Wecker built a fantastic world in The Golem and the Jinni. In the beginning of the novel, the onslaught of characters was overwhelming. The story does not truly revolve around the golem or the jinni, but rather the communities in which they dwell in. Imagine their tale to be a ball of yarn and slowly it unravels. At the end, all the characters that were introduced, that was originally thought to be irrelevant, were all tied together. Quite honestly, the first half of the novel barely caught my attention, but the last half was a whirlwind of emotions--grief, anger, and finally satisfaction.

Wecker did a wonderful job writing the different lives: Sophia (the wealthy heiress), Saleh (the blind doctor turned ice cream maker), Arbeely (the tinsman), Anna (the charismatic baker), Michael (an atheist and a Rabbi's nephew), Schaalman (an intelligent evil trapped wizard). Somehow or another, Wecker managed to combine this motley crew with the golem and the jinni to create this tale. The golem,named Chava by her guardian Rabbi, was given curiosity  intelligence, and properness, but her growth, given those few traits, was expotential. She is a strong heroine, literally and figuratively, but has weak moments of insecurity. The jinni, named Ahmad by Arbeely, was someone who was difficult to sympathized in the start. He was pompous with a full ego, a frivelous attitute towards women, but had moments like Chava of insecuity and homesickness, that was touching. I grew to empathize Ahmad. Chava and Ahmad's character grew to become someone with human qualities despite being made from earth and fire, respectively. In the end, I enjoyed reading all the characters for not one was truly evil. Wecker added depth to her characters and their tale.

I would recommend The Golem and the Jinni to those who enjoy reading character driven plots. It was slow build to the climax, and the climax was worth it.

---

Visit Helene: website / twitter / facebook

 

Helene Wecker grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, a small town north of Chicago, and received her Bachelor’s in English from Carleton College in Minnesota. After graduating, she worked a number of marketing and communications jobs in Minneapolis and Seattle before deciding to return to her first love, fiction writing. Accordingly, she moved to New York to pursue a Master’s in fiction at Columbia University.

She now lives near San Francisco with her husband and daughter. Her first novel, THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI, will be published in April 2013 by HarperCollins.

Three Sisters Blog Tour Review

Three Sisters by Susan Mallery
Grade: 4 stars out of 5
Published: 26, February 2013; Harlequin MIRA paperback
FTC: ARC was provided by Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. as part of blog tour.

"After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life – buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's Box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself, and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one other has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all."

Three Sisters was the perfect blend of humor, love, and angst. Three Sisters reminded me of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but instead of pants connecting the girls together, the houses tied the women together. Even though Andi, Deanna, and Boston don’t have much in common, but their houses, they still work together and help one another. Each tries to comfort the others using humor, snark, or just a good bottle of wine.

Initially, the multiple POVs and jumping right into the story can be daunting, but once you start, it’s had to stop.

For me, I enjoyed reading Deanna’s POV the most. Her story hit me the hardest and I remember lying bed just full on ugly crying by the middle of her story. I enjoyed the juxtapositioning of her need on control of her life by washing herself and the destruction of her family. But Andi and Boston hold their own as well. Both have had experiences that hurt them terribly and unable to move on. I had more trouble relating to them because I never experienced what they went through, but I was sympathetic to their troubles and rooted when lives started to come back together again.

I loved the setting and the sexy men and the fact that even though Three Sisters is the 2nd installment to the Blackberry Island series, I didn’t have to read the 1st book to follow this. I really loved the stories even though Boston had moments when I just wanted to punch her and Andi’s storyline seemed to go off tangents at times. I would definitely pick up another book by Susan Mallery.

You can follow the rest of the tour here: http://blogtoureditors.booktrib.com/2013/02/28/blog-tour-three-sisters-by-susan-mallery/

Visit Susan Marlley: website / facebook/ twitter

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Published: February 26, 2013; mass market paperback; Harlequin HQN
Grade: 4 stars out of 5
FTC: book was provided by publicity firm

Why are all the good men taken, gay, or married?

For Faith Holland, Jeremy was the perfect guy. Respectful, sweet, smart, just perfect, but because of Levi Cooper, Faith was left at the altar.

"Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle."

Ever had the feeling where you read so many teen lit that you become desensitized and you just want something different. You want something spicier, a little more mature, but still craving fun and humorous. I found that with The Best Man by Kristan Higgins.

Faith Holland is this blend of nativity, whimsical, in-your-face directness that makes her endearing. If this were an urban fantasy novel, she’ll probably be gutting down demons with her adorable dog at her side. Alas, this is contemporary, but Faith can definitely hold her own against men. Her string of bad luck with men only draws more sympathy and definitely laughs out loud scenes. Faith also has epilepsy, and while 90% of the novel does not focus on it, it does place a heavy burden on Faith’s shoulder. Faith isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and with the death of the mother and her father’s non-interest of getting back into the dating pool, Faith’s guilt and the darker of her personality comes through.    

Levi Cooper, when initially introduced, is an ass. Plain and simple, he is a complete ass. Gradually over the course of the novel, my impression of him changed; he became dynamic, softer, caring, damaged. After several terms in a war, a failed marriage, a deadbeat father, and a childhood where money was very tight all the time, Levi had an edge to him. But as the novel delved deeper into his back-story, his sweet nature started to appear. What appeared to be an act that destroyed a potentially great marriage was actually an act of true friendship. Levi is a true and great friendship that will stick by someone through thick and thin. He has his own sense of justice that showcases his compassion. Granted there are still moments where he is a complete ass, but I believe his intentions are good.

The relationship between the two was a mixture of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. Their personalities at times can clash as neither fully trusts each other nor can they can admit that they like each other. Actions, however, can speak louder than words so while sweet nothings are hardly ever whispered in their ears it is undeniable that the two have a connection.

Family is huge in this novel and rightfully so. And while I can’t talk much about it without explaining and possibly spoiling the entire novel, I can say that it’s a nice break from the emotional tug-of-war which is love.

The Best Man is a delicious blend of dark, gritty experiences and light, fun humor. Kristan Higgins writing is crisp, easy to follow and straight to the point. I find her writing style appealing and her novels always entertaining. This being my fourth or fifth novel of Higgins I will say that it wasn’t my favorite of hers—mostly for wanting more from Levi in regards to his outright affection for Faith—but The Best Man was still one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

---

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristan Higgins writes down-to-earth romantic comedies...real life, true love and lots of laughs.

Find Kristan on Twitter or visit her website.

Purchase your copy of The Best Man on Amazon.

Booktrib.com is also doing a Live Chat with Kristan on March 12 at 3:00 PM EST. You can ask her any questions you might have, and hear about her new projects!!

This is Not a Test

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
Grade: 4 stars out of 5
Published: June 19, 2012; paperback
Source: ARC from LibaryThing ER

I have a love affair with Courtney Summers’s books. I’m usually strictly a paranormal gal (I mean, have you seen my bookshelf?), but as soon as Courtney Summers’s has a new book I’m on it like as if it were a cupcake—devoured with a every-man-for-themselves attitude. So when Summer’s announced her new book involving zombies I had to read it!

And thank you jebus that these zombies are not the cuddly, happy-go-lucky zombies that’s French kissing some cheerleader/goth dude. No, this is eating-the-flesh-off-your-face zombie.

Oh yeah.

This is Not a Test is about Sloane and a motley set of teenagers trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. Of course, what’s a Summers’s work if there isn’t emotional tension, angst, and drama. A boring one is what that will be.

This is Not a Test is heart pounding, jaw clenching novel that really leaves you hanging off the edge of your seat. (I know, I know, second POV is bad because it makes me sound obnoxious, but truly, this novel will have you on the edge.) While the zombies attack is an essential part of the novel, it is not the main focus. For This is Not a Test is a character driven novel with Sloane being the instigator. It is about living to survive from abandonment. Learning how to breathe even when the room starts to feel small and closing in. Learning to forgive people.

Summers’s draws forth an emotional response from the reader in every chapter. Even with the first person point of view, there’s an attachment and connection to the other characters. Take a deep breath in, and exhale slowly because it’s easily to get wrapped up in the characters. It’s so easy to get caught up in the loneliness and the despair from Sloane. Sometimes the urge to yell at someone is strong, other times tears sting your eye. There were so many times I had to stop reading, close the book, and take a minute to collect myself before I started to bawl. I became so emotionally invested in Sloane that it surprised me. I wanted to follow her tale till the wee rosy-fingered dawn. But I passed out around midnight so instead I dreamed about it. I wanted her live, but I wanted her to want to live even more.

By now you might have noticed my lack of mentioning of the zombies aside from the initial introduction. There’s a reason for that. Courtney Summers writes fantastic contemporary works of fiction. This is Not a Test reads just like a contemp. book with zombies being in the background. The zombies may be the ones that started the book, but the story of Sloane started before that. What the zombies do is make everything much more intense; it kick-starts the adrenaline. That’s not to say there aren’t any zombie fighting and chasing scenes. And that’s not to say what Summers’s wrote about the zombies wasn’t frightening. Because there were and it was. There is more to This is Not a Test than flesh-eating zombies.

The one part of Summers’s novels that frustrates me: the ending. They are typically open-ended and for me, I need to know what happens. Will they make it? To the new safe house? As a couple? Will Sloane continue to want to live? What happens now!?

With Summers’s terse writing and some unforgettable lines, This is Not a Test will haunt you; it’ll stick with you even after you finished reading it. I want to carry this book with me always so I can smack people in the face and demand that they read it. Now!

Cover A-

Absolutely love the blood splatter and the tilt of the model's head.

The Disenchantments

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Grade: 4 stars out of 5
Published: February 16, 2012  Buy from Amazon
Source: won from LibraryThing ER

After reading the praise behind Hold Still I caved and read Hold Still. I liked it. I wasn’t jumping off my seat in love with the book. Then I gave the book to someone else because maybe that person will love the book like many people who encouraged me to pick it up.

Then I got The Disenchantments in the mail. My conscience is telling me to pass this book, but a part of my brain says “maybe this is the book that will make you fall in love with LaCour”. And you know what, it wasn’t, but it was on the right track. The Disenchantments is a roadtrip that will break your heart and find redemption.

Colby (which is a guy by the way because yay for unisexual names) and Bev go way back. They’ve been friends for a while time. They’ve made a pact: after graduation they’ll go travel Europe together. No college. So on tour for Bev’s all-girl band, The Disenchantments (who aren’t good at all), Colby expects things to go smoothly with fun before the band goes their separate ways. But when Bev announces that she’s going to college, Colby starts to wonder why and what else has Bev been keeping a secret?

The Disenchantments took me a little over a month to read. It’s been an on-and-off read where I managed to finish almost 10 books in-between the starting and ending point. I couldn't connect to the book; I couldn’t connect to Colby as a narrator. I couldn't understand why Colby liked Bev so much.

Once Bev admitted that she knew Colby liked her, I gave up. Bev was already distant to being with, but when she made the announcement I really had a hard time trying to figure out what made Bev the girl to Colby. She is selfish, she leads people on, she lies. She’s a borderline b’tch. And then have Colby mooning over her for god knows how much longer in the book, I wasn’t going to last. I had to put The Disenchantments down.

After several weeks enough was enough. I put on my big girl pants and dragged myself through the rest of the book. (I was only about a third way finished.) I don’t know where and when it happened, but I hit a spot in The Disenchantments where I really just started to like to.

The little towns where the band was stopping seemed to shape Colby into a much more interesting narrator. Bev started to flesh out as readers find out what secrets Bev has kept hidden. It’s more emotional than I ever expected from the same girl I once considered to be a b’tch. What started as an innocent road trip turns into self discovery, family struggles, and forgiveness. No one is perfect and The Disenchantments point to that, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

The Runaways: Hello Dad! Hello Mom!

I love the intermingling of art (especially finishing up Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley) especially the various forms of art: drawings, paintings, sculpting, music, acting, photography, tattooing, etc. Each of these forms bring in more characters to the novel, and while it normally would irritate me, I found that it worked quite well in The Disenchantments. The characters were different enough that I was able to keep track of them and saw that they had purpose to the novel.

The Disenchantments is a bold novel with bold characters. Bandmates Bev, Meg, and Alexa with tag-along Colby make this roadtrip an unforgettable one.

Cover A-/B+

I love the vibe I get from the cover and how well it translate from the book.

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Ingrid and her cousins have been stuck at the Kid Table for every family function. At every event, the teenagers have been sitting at a small aluminum card table with a toddler. However, Ingrid cannot believe her eyes when she sees her eldest cousin Brianne sitting at the adult table. Even more disconcerting is how hard Ingrid falls for Brianne’s boyfriend Trevor. Over the course of a year, Ingrid reevaluates herself, her cousins, and the relationships she has with those around her.

I’ll read almost anything. I will only actually like about half of what I read. And even less will I actually say I love. It has to have quality writing, original characters with flaws, a different variation of standard plotlines, etc. Something different, you know? The Kid Table is one of those rare books.

I loved it. I loved how it was written in the course of five family events, and only those events, but that Ingrid narrates what happens in between those events, so you know she has a life outside her cousins. It didn’t feel like there were holes in between chapters, and it was just so REFRESHING.

I love that Ingrid is such a complex woven web of WISDOM and LUST. It just makes her seem so much more real. In real life, people aren’t perfect, so characters in fiction books shouldn’t be either. Ingrid’s cousins Cricket, Dom, Micah, and Brianne are no different (though I wouldn’t say the same about Autumn). Seigel had a way of making sure everyone was heard, but without their issues taking over.

I’m a sucker for super romantic chick lit. What I like even more is unconventional love stories. Ingrid’s love for Trevor was palpable; she saw him across the room and their eyes locked. So was her disappointment when she found out he was Brianne’s boyfriend. I felt her confusion when he sent her mixed signals, her excitement when he kissed her, her devastation at the pool party. I’m a fierce believer in true love, and this was a heart-wrenching example of it.

I’m sorry I’m babbling. I’m trying to express how much I liked this book without giving too much away. No summary will be fair enough, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself. It’s one of the only books I would actually want to see a movie be based on it and I wouldn’t be mad if they changed a few things, namely the ending, which is probably my only complaint (and why I can’t give it a 5). It feels abrupt, even though there was some evidence that led to it.

If I didn’t get the point across yet, I loved it. I would recommend it to everyone that’s a tad bit tired of the same old cliché romances.

Glow (Sky Chasers 1)

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Narrated by Matthew Brown and Ilyana Kadushin

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

As someone who has heard of Amy Kathleen Ryan before and read one of her novels, Zen and Xander Undone, I was surprised to see this dystopian, science fiction novel by her. Also not being the hugest fan of her work—found Zen and Xander Undone to be eh/okay—I was very much hesitant about Glow. But the reviews were generally positive when I first heard of it so I dove straight in. Glow was everything that I did not expect.

There are so many different synopses to Glow and many of which doesn’t seem to capture that essence of the book. Here is the synopsis I first read when the news about Glow started buzzing:

"The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. Part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers of New Earth. Waverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. Everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Still, there’s a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage, and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.


Suddenly, Waverly’s dreams are interrupted by the inconceivable – a violent betrayal by the Empyrean's sister ship, the New Horizon. The New Horizon’s leaders are desperate to populate the new planet first, and will do anything to get what they need: young girls. In one pivotal moment, Waverly and Kieran are separated, and find themselves at the helm of dangerous missions, where every move has potentially devastating consequences, and decisions of the heart may lead to disaster."--from Amazon

My initial thought: So it’s a love triangle in space. Okayyy. And the first couple of discs seemed to point at what I thought, but then…then the New Horizon came. Dun dun dun. Continuing and finishing Glow was like an obsession that had taken over.

You might have noticed that I said discs. Yes, I listened to Glow as an audiobook while I was doing biology slide drawings* and preparing for my practical. I’m nothing if not a multitasker who doesn’t know when multitasking isn’t exactly the best thing to do. Glow is distracting! I barely remembered what I drew and annotated and am pretty sure I spelled a couple of things wrong. But it was worth it. (Managed to get a perfect score on the drawings so it’s a win-win situation.)

Let’s talk about the specifics on the narration because Glow is my first full audiobook. I’ve sampled bits and pieces of other audiobooks before so I’m not a true “noob”, but it was very exciting. The first thing I noticed was the voicing. Matthew Brown voiced Kieran and Ilyana Kadushin voiced Waverly**. My preference flip-flops between the two over the course of the 8 discs, but I do think they both spoke very clearly and depicted the right emotions. I struggled for a bit on the speed of the audiobooks. I can read about 250 pages in about 3-4 hours so for a 300 page book (of course the fonts are smaller than most YA novels) to take 8 hours had me itching to read the book myself. Another thing that I struggled with was when the characters were screaming, but it was through with whispering(ish) on the audiobooks. Some of the voicing for secondary characters took time to get used to.There were some nasally voices that were not pleasant to the ear. (3.5 out of 5 stars).

Now onward to the storyline!

Glow goes beyond love triangles in space. It’s about inner strength, defying against the norm, and finding the truth for yourself. It’s about religious cults, government propaganda, gender oppression, abuse, and the ever escalating fear of the Earth’s environment. It’s about a lot of things that the synopsis doesn’t seem to hint at. Ryan put everything together so effortlessly.

That’s why I was so pleasantly surprised when I hit the midpoint of the story because it went against my initial judgment. The tension was at its peak. The chance of survival was slim. (And finally a set of characters who manages to show rather than tell their emotions and their actions followed what they say.) The emotions were raw; the desperation could be felt in the air. The actions were sickening. Each character was like an apple: some ripe, some bruised, some tart, but each with its own texture. The antagonists seemed like good guys from one perspective and the perfect villains in the other perspective. The protagonists were just the same—with both good and bad traits.

From the middle of the novel I just couldn’t stop listening. I needed to know what happened next. It’s as what Lauren Myracle said; Glow is “Utterly engrossing.” It is electric. It is all-consuming. It is shocking.

I found the resolution to be impeccably done. None of that happier ever after crap because, really, they hardly happen in real life. There are still questions to answered and people to be rescued (literally and symbolically), but the focal conflict was resolved. The last scene just hit the ball out of the park*** for me. My lips are sealed, but I expect some backstabbing in the next installment.

My qualms about Glow were mostly with Waverly and her relationship with Seth. I was iffy about the whole thing. It had its purposes, but there was nothing fleshed out about it. After Waverly is taken away, she doesn’t really mention him at all. Waverly, herself, I couldn’t connect to. She was all over the place emotionally. What she represented I thought was amazing and powerful.

Look into Glow. The synopsis doesn’t do it justice. Glow is so much more than teens hooking up. Far from a quick and breezy read, Glow is thought provoking and heartbreaking and captivating.

Hey, since the holidays are right around the corner you know what make an awesome present for readers...hint hint.

*they are so tedious to do and it feels like a waste of time

**Glow is broken into two POVs. To recreate this Brown would voice one CD and Kadunshin voiced another. They don’t narrator the same discs.

***I can’t seem to stop my cheesy metaphors. Really got into baseball this season.

Cover B+

I love the simplicity of the cover. It hints to a spaceship with the porthole, but not as much as I would have liked. I do wish that there was male on the cover, but perhaps Kieran will be on the sequel and Seth on the last book.

Published: 2011, September 13; ebook, hardcover, audiobook.

Source: audiobook from Macmillan

Amazon / IndieBound

Legend

Legend by Marie Lu

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Legend by Marie Lu has gotten huge advance buzz way before its release date. It was the hottest YA book for a week or two, but then the buzz died off. After finishing the book, I’m happy and sad at the same time. Happy because Legend deserves the buzz (and the film deal). Sad because most of that buzz has faded away right before its release date.

The first thing I noticed about Legend was its presentation. The novel alternates between two narrators; the chapters alternate between two different fonts and colors. (Gold for Day and black for June.) It is awesome-sauce with a side of stunning! Kudos to whoever came up with the idea because it pops out immediately with its creativeness.

UK/Aussie cover--it is
kickass!

After finishing Isle of Night, I picked up Legend. I was apparently bloodthirsty that week. Legend while not as gory as Isle of Night, is no stranger to death and violence.

 "What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets." [from Amazon]

June and Day as drawn by Marie Lu;
more artwork

Legend, for me at least, reminded me a bit of Robin Hood and some of Aladdin. While Day doesn’t steal from the rich to give to the poor, he became a legend to the citizens as the one who stands up against corrupt government and military. He never kills; not even the enemies who want to kill him. He’s skilled, resourceful, and intelligent. And a big flirt. There is one question that lingers in my mind. When June read a profile on Day, his main ethnicity was Mongolian. So why does he then have blond hair and blue eyes? As far as I know, the darker phenotypes are more dominant than the lighter ones. I could be wrong and maybe it didn't say that at all about him being Mongolian.

On the opposite hand, there’s June. In terms of socioeconomic status, she’s far ahead of Day. She’s a legend of her own, being the only person known to have gotten a perfect score on her exam.

Separated, they’re both dangerous. Together, they’re a deadly combination.

Lu has created this perfect balance of the rich and the poor, of two misfortune teens struggling to keep their own worlds together while exploring this new world they just discovered. And with them is this group of characters who play key roles in the novel. While many are not the most likeable, there’s something memorable about them. Isn’t that the best thing an author can write? A character that’s sturdy even in the time of the YA boom.

Marie Lu’s writing style in particular made me fall head over heels. I love that she writes details to appearances, to fight scenes, to the scenario, and so forth without creating this massive block of words. It’s subtle. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine how Day, June, their companions and families, the villains, all look like. Lu’s words gravitate out of the pages, into my mind, then twirl and dance and shape until this picture forms.

What weren’t subtle were the punches of surprises that Legend had. I know that there have been reviews where they felt it was predictable, and I have to agree…just not completely. There is one scene in the Legend that I’m sure they wanted to make readers gasp, but it’s been done before and expected. But there were still scenes with plot twist that I was not expecting. Lu manages to pull in external problems—corrupt governments and officials—and internal problems—greed and selfishness. There’s a lot packed in Legend, but it never becomes overburdened.

Legend by Maria Lu was the perfect balance of romance, action, with something dark in the shadow. Exhilarating! Addicting! Just gorgeous!

On a completely irrelevant note, I think someone can write a paper about nature vs. nurture with Day. Gah, too many psychology classes for me.

Source: unsolicited ARC from Putnam

Cover B+

it stands out because it's different and simplistic

Published: 29, November 2011; hardcover

Preorder on Amazon

Isle of Night

Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff

Grade: 3.8 / 4 stars out of 5

When people releases make comparisons for new books with old books that had great success, I scoff. So-and-so is the new Hunger Games, Twilight, Vampire Academy, Harry Potter, etc. Right…and my unborn child from the future will be the next Michelle Kwan because I’m Chinese and small.

But sometimes they’re spot on.

Isle of Night infused both elements similar to the Hunger Games and Vampire Academy to make for one gory, violent, and addicting novel. Survival of the fittest and this book is plenty fit to survive in the sea of YA novels.

Annelise “Drew” has drawn the interest of an old creature.

With her abusive father back home, and college no longer possible, the temptation to leave is great. When a mystery man with a Proust tattoo offers Drew an escape, she seems unable to say no. But the island where the mystery Ronan takes her threatens her life. For on that island, human girls are trained to become Watchers: partners to vampires.

And the only way off the island is to fight. To lose means death.

Midterms apparently make me violent as I devoured this book. Forget sleeping and studying, I wanted blood. I admit that the beginning was very slow. I admit that I read the first couple of chapters then decided to set it aside because I wasn’t feeling it. A couple of weeks later I craved into my imaginary pressures, and turned the next page. Let’s just say that I might have missed my bus as I left late all because of a certain book. Once I got over the initial drag of the beginning, Isle of Night became what Chloe Neill says, “A compulsive page-turner”.

It was exciting, thrilling and blood racing. But let’s go back to the beginning.

When we’re first introduced to Drew, we know that she is brilliant—a genius on paper. What I’ve read in several reviews was the question of how could a self-proclaimed genius follow a random stranger into a car to an island. And I felt myself nodding right along with that because it was also my initial thought. But then I decided to play the devil’s advocate with myself (I know, I’m such a dork). Drew didn’t grow up in the most stable home: her mother died when she was young, her father abuses her, and her stepmother just sucks. She can’t trust the male figure in her life that society says to trust. Why shouldn’t she trust this guy who she feels an instant connection to? Who is safer than her own father? There’s also the possibility of Drew being book smart, but lacking in the common sense department. Of course, I’m pretty much making stuff up that makes sense in my mind.

Drew is a multifaceted character with an array of emotions. She can be snarky, the new B in town, an awesome friend, timid, afraid, and happy. She’s human who happens to drink vampire blood to become stronger, faster, and totally kickass.  Her closest companions are obviously equally kickass.

Yasuo is a vampire in training. There’s not much divulged about this part in the island. Hopefully there will be more explanation and details about this in the following sequels. He and Drew hit it off immediately which provides some of the comic relief.

Then there’s Emma from the neck of the woods. She’s very quiet, but you want to be best friends when trapped in an unknown environment with monsters. It’s always the quiet ones in the back….

And what’s a good cast of good guys without villains. And boy, do you want to punch them in the face and run away screaming for your life at the same time. Lilac, the leader of the pack of hunger teenage wolves, is a ruthless being who physically and verbally bullies Drew. And just won’t die! Luckily, Drew can dish it right back to Lilac even with 99% of the girls out to kill Drew.

And there’s the seductive stranger turned mentor who pulled Drew from the old world. There’s not enough information or contact with Ronan for me to form a full opinion. For now, he’s tall, handsome, with a wicked accent, and broody.

Isle of Night ended with an explosion. With detail fight scenes, Drew’s cunningness in full light, and an end to a character that had me cheering, Isle of Night finished with an exciting cliffhanger. This, my friends, was not a bad ending at all. Isle of Night is the perfect example of an exponential line graph. (Have I mentioned how I’m a dork?) Started off slow, but immediately took once it hit its stride. My love for Isle of Night also grew exponentially.


Cannot wait for the next book.

Read an excerpt of Isle of Night!

Cover C-

Not feeling it at all. This one is a "Don't Judge a Book by its Cover".

Source: NAL publisher

Amazon

Dark Companion (Early Review)

Yan: *waves* Well this is strange since I haven't reviewed anything in a long time, but hopefully the following review is coherent. It's a very VERY early review so I will be posting this again closer to a release date, but I wanted to get this out while it's still semi-fresh in my mind.

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Dark Companion by Marta Acosta (website/twitter)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever? 

Note Dark Companion is *not* a paranormal romance novel. Marta Acosta calls it dark gothic.

Dark Companion is a great title because it gives a sense of the plot and just how “dark” this novel can actually get. 

When the manuscript for Dark Companion first arrived in my hands, I admit that I was a little scared. It was daunting stack of 200+ pages that would later be printed, bound, and shipped off as a book. While 200 pages might not so scary on screen, when you have it your hands and feel its weight, you worry if you can ever finish it. So I set a goal for myself, a chapter per day while eating breakfast/lunch. (The convenience of a lightweight single paper as opposed to a huge book makes that possible.) But for some reason I couldn’t stop at one chapter per day.

Dark Companion is addicting. It immediately drew me in from the very first page and wouldn’t let go until the last. With its combination of sinister secrets and equal parts light and dark romances, Marta Acosta’s debut YA novel will surly captivate new readers. (And have some fans asking for their own Jake; I know I want my own Jack.) With strong, but conflicted heroine Jane Williams leading the charge of a delightful motley crew, Dark Companion really asks what the true worth of free will really is to a person.

The prologue leaves readers wanting to know what happens next, what happened before. Rather than forcing the readers to continue on just to make any sense of the scene, Marta Acosta dangles a carrot to entice the reader.

It was a great hook for what I hoped to be a great book. The characters alone seemed to seal the deal for me. When I say a motley crew, I meant it. From Jack, the epitome of an organic, healthy, silly boy to the melodramatic and amusing Mary Violet, every character is different. However it was Lucian (Lucky) that I suspect will leave readers torn down the middle. He is rather childish, selfish, arrogant and hard to emphasize with. I spent a good 10 minutes ranting to someone how much I disliked him and why Jane liked/pitied him. This is not necessarily a bad thing since polarization creates discussions between readers and what better way to spread a book than through talking.

Jane Williams was a surprising character. On one hand she is constantly praised for her intelligence. She’s book smart, but she’s also street smart. And yet I felt that because she’s never known physical and emotional security she latches onto Lucky (whom you might recall isn’t the most giving and kind boyfriend). He comes from a well-do-to family and definitely shows some sort of attraction towards her, which would later prove dark. He can provide physical security, but emotionally he’s much more immature than her. I could empathize with Jane while at the same time I wanted to shake her. Her development over the course of the novel showed Jane transforming from the little Mousie and just Jane and her taking roots. Her old lifestyle was all that she knew and can’t forget (that results in a charity that made me proud), but this new lifestyle was one she grew accustomed to.

Dark Companion delves into the issue of security that separates the major characters into two separate groups. There is the survival of a population and there is the individual survival. Which is worth more depends on the character’s personality which comes through the dialogue and action. Their actions are far from the norm which makes it hard for me, particularly, to comprehend and swallow. I understood why—for the sake of survival of course—but the motives were evil and dark.

Dark Companion will shock readers with its many twists and turns. While readers might have an inkling of what might come, the finer details will be a complete surprise. Marta Acosta has begun to what I hope will be a long continuation of YA novels.

Cover B: after finishing the novel I'm less in love with it*

Source: accepted manuscript from author

Publication Date: June 2012 from Tor/Macmillan

Add this on Goodreads 

(not available on Amazon yet)

*this was my initial reaction that I expressed to the author:

I think the cover is pretty. Really pretty. It's simple and catches a reader's eye immediately because there's a great contrast of colors. And all the you really need is the chance to catch the reader's attention before convincing them with the synopsis. I mean after looking at it, I'm a little bit more eager to read it!

It fits nicely with the other YA fantasy novels now. Following the trend, however, can be bad at times. The cover is less "wow" than some of the other covers for example, The Girl in the Steel Corset. 

The leaf border on the bottom, I feel, is not needed. Most YA book covers do not have any type of bordering. The font of the title I'm iffy about. It gives off a playful air which is different from the sober environment/coloring.

I will say that the designer did a great job with the setting. In your synopsis, you mentioned birch trees, which thankfully was incorporated into the cover. Too many times I see covers that have absolutely nothing to do with the book. So while the cover is following the trend of 'girls in dresses', it's one of the better ones. Especially for a stock image. 

You described Jane Williams as a plain girl and what this cover is showing is a plain girl with a simple dress. The background is what gives the book a light fantasy element that you mentioned.

Zombies vs. Unicorns

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

This is a collection of stories about unicorns or zombies from today’s contemporary young adult writers.

First off, I’m Team Unicorn before I read the book (look to the side to see my avatar). I noticed this book before, but I didn’t really want to pick it up until I received a poster for it. Because I needed to buy some college textbooks/food, I borrowed this copy from the Philadelphia Free Library. (The library has been one of my best friends for the last 5 years. I support it fully!)

Anyway, this anthology is Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black arguing over whether zombies beat unicorns. Black isn’t as militant as Larbaletier, and I pretty much skipped their conversations before every story. They were all the same (Larbalestier: ZOMBIES WIN! Black: Unicorns are cool too!).

Now, since this post would be too long, I have a selected a few stories and shared my feelings on each one:

“The Highest Justice” by Garth Nix—I love Garth Nix’s stories. I think he has an amazing imagination and I would love to live in his worlds. I read Sabriel and Lirael and I hope I get to finish Abhorsen soon because it’s so good. I also read a story he did for another anthology (Teeth: Vampire Tales) so I was pumped that his was the first story and about unicorns too! All of Garth Nix’s stories have a hint of adult themes to them, which I love, and this one was so… realistic (is the best word I can come up with). I really liked the inter-family struggles and the magic and the dealing-of-the-justice and thought “Hey this is off to a good start”. YAY!

“Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Alaya Dawn Johnson—My favorite zombie story. The beginning was just awesome and gave me a craving for mac n cheese for a week. The middle where everything is explained and Grayson doesn’t eat the girl made me want to eat the book it was so good. I even loved the random hipster bands mentioned. Also, I must add Johnson to my list of authors to read things by. YAY!

“Bougainvillea” by Carrie Ryan—Didn’t even finish it. I tried, I really did. It was 40 pages long, and I was like a quarter of the way through and nothing was happening other than people casually mentioning there were zombies (mudo). I read “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” and it took me a really long time to actually finish the damn thing. I don’t like Ryan’s zombies. YUCK!

“The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn” by Diana Peterfreund—Favorite unicorn story because it had unique unicorns in it! I love the concept of the “evil” unicorn (*ahem* see avatar). I loved the names (Yves, Wen, Aidan, etc.) because I like original naming of characters. I could do without the God-aspect, but the struggle was REAL. “Do I want to spit on my family by taking care of this monster, or do I want to kill this monster in cold blood?” It was so touching, and I want to read more! YAY!

“Inoculata” by Scott Westerfeld—I learned that Larbalestier is married to Westerfeld, so it makes sense that he’d be on her side. I liked the Zombie safe-zone idea, and the endless practices with the dessert points, but the zombies (zees) were weird. I wasn’t aware that there could be a mild form to zombie-ism. It was well-written, but not exactly exciting. MEH!

“Cold Hands” by Cassandra Clare—OMG! So I know Holly Black and Cassie Clare are like BFF’s (I saw them at a Philly Free Library talk), but I was surprised to see Clare go with the zombies. Oh well. Reminds me of Generation Dead by Daniel Waters: acceptance of the dead rather than trying to survive. I liked the romance especially. It was warm, rather than cold. *wink* YAY!

I’m loathe to admit it, but zombies won. I think as soon as I get my paycheck I’m going to go on an Amazon.com shopping spree (Peterfreund, Johnson, etc.) TOTALLY PUMPED!

Also, I realize Yan kinda did a post already, but she didn't talk about the anthology much. :P

Copy: From the Philadelphia Free Library

The Taker by Alma Katsu

The Taker (Book 1) by Alma Katsu

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Surgeon Luke Findley is working the night shift at the hospital in a small town in Maine when a young woman accused of murder is brought in for an evaluation. The girl, Lanny, admits her guilt to Luke but also begs him to help her escape. However, he doesn’t give it a second thought until Lanny cuts herself and heals miraculously. Suddenly, play-it-safe Luke turns to his subconscious to let his impulses out in order to help Lanny escape across the border, all the while telling her story of love, beauty, sex, and immortality.

Yan gave me this book to read. “Start with it first,” she said. I never heard of it and it’s not even young adult (what I usually read). The Taker would never appeal to me, especially with the synopsis that is given. The Taker is close to a “bosom-heaving romance” (Yan’s words) [ETA by Yan: LOL, I was implying "bosom-heaving romances" to another book which I stuck in the bag for you], but without the descriptiveness, which I was grateful for. And it is well-written, with an even flow and classic 19th century air of politeness (similar to Jane Austen). I found that I really enjoyed it. The plot only dragged on in a few places, but everything Lanny told Luke was important. Even the things she omitted only enhanced the magic (I admit it; I stayed up for an extra ten minutes wondering what terrible thing happened to Lanny that she didn’t tell Luke). I really like the whole story-telling bit. I even liked the story-within-a-story, how it was Lanny telling Adair’s background. It just seemed more real, or at least as real as you can get with a character that’s immortal.

On the point of immortality, I loved that magical realism element: we don’t know why, but we are, and we’re just doing to live with it. How very Kafka (^_~). One of my favorite things about high school English class was reading magical realism, and The Metamorphosis was one of the few stories I completely finished in high school. (Spoiler alert?)The best part of this immortality business was at the very end where Luke sorta-kinda wants it, and Lanny just wants to be done with it. Honestly, while I didn’t like the ending compared to the rest of the novel, it was the only way to finish it.

Most of the book was about Lanny, but Katsu didn’t write about Lanny; she wrote about Lanny and Luke. So this was as much Luke’s journey as Lanny’s which moved me. Lanny helped Luke break out of his shell, his daily routine of *blah blah I-need-to-leave-but-I-won’t-blah*. Luke was the first person Lanny met after her arrest that Lanny felt she could trust, which was why she told him the truth, which would be the first step to breaking the spell, and everything just comes together.

I didn’t like the ending. I wanted ACTION. But like I said, it was appropriate. I also didn’t like the fact that the story didn’t return to Luke’s mother’s death. I thought it would somehow be important to the plot, but it wasn’t (though as I’m writing this I think I understand why she died that way *cough cough* more magical realism).

One last comment, my late grandfather once told me that it’s a mitzvah (~human kindness) to “die on your own”. My grandfather said this in Russian, so I’m roughly translating. What he meant, I think, is that it’s a mitzvah to not expire on someone else’s command, whether it’s a doctor or someone else. I thought about this a lot, since my grandfather died ~2 months ago on his own, and I just thought that this fit rather well with the theme of the novel. Once you read The Taker, I think you’ll understand. *wink*

All in all, The Taker was a great read, and it decidedly answers the question "Who Wants to Live Forever?".

Source: I borrowed this book from Yan. And she didn’t give me the cover, though I would LOVE to see it.

Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead

ETA by Yan: Pst, this was written by Fallon. Who will be blogging with me. Proper introductions will be made soon. :D

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Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When Rose Hathaway was accused of killing the Morio Queen, Tatiana, Alchemist Sydney Sage was the one that put her into hiding. Now, Sydney’s Alchemist superiors distrust her, simply for the reason of seeming “too comfortable” with vampires. She is given a second chance; a job to accompany Queen Vasilisa’s sister and tie to the throne, Jill Dragomir, to a human school in Palm Springs and pose as her sister. With tension in the Moroi kingdom, Jill’s life is in danger, and Sydney has to keep the young girl under the radar of the vampires that want to hurt her. But things aren’t as quiet as the Alchemists promise. There is a nearby threat of Strigoi killings, metallic tattoos humans are getting that are eerily similar to the Alchemist’s own tattoos, and, of course, some romantic turmoil.

First off, I am a huge fan of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy. Bloodlines is set in the same universe with the same characters including royal Moroi Adrian Ivashkov, dhampir Eddie Castile, and even Abe “Zmey” Mazur. I was excited to see that it was almost a clean continuation of the last book of the Vampire Academy series. Many questions were partly answered (Rose + Dmitri = ?, Adrian = ?, What was the deal Sydney and Abe made?, etc.) and I can only assume that they will be fully explained in the coming books. I was glad to see Rose make an appearance, and that she had a small part in the novel. It is, after all, Sydney’s story, and even thought I love Rose, I don’t want to hear any more about her. I heard Mead in an interview that she wanted to write Sydney as a character who was trying to become more impulsive (opposite of Rose who sought control of her impulsive actions). Indeed, Sydney spends half a page talking about how much she wants to be like Rose, and spends the rest of the book finding herself. She picks up on some of Rose’s habits, but is mostly calculating, so I thought this transition between narrators was well done.

Similarly, the characters were also consistent. Jill was always timid/in awe of Adrian, and she still is, but she also did some growing up. Eddie is still the stone faced guardian. Adrian is still carefree, but harbors a pain in his heart after what happened with Rose, but one could see that he is slowly healing…

…which brings me to the romantic portion of the novel. This is the part that I had the most trouble believing. I lost track of who is most likely to end up with whom. I don’t want to get too into it, but I didn’t like the romance. I thought there were three guys going after Jill and two going after Sydney, and the pairings I liked best didn’t turn out. It was so confusing and only cleared up, rather abruptly, at the end. I hope it gets better in the upcoming novels.

Other than the romance, I really like the novel. There were twists and turns characteristic of Richelle Mead’s novels, so it makes it a fun read, even if you didn’t read the Vampire Academy series at all. I actually read this thing in a day, and I’m a slow reader. A day is lightning speed for me, and I can only do it with novels I really enjoy. I highly recommend Bloodlines.

This is my real first review, so thanks for reading! If anybody has constructive criticism, I'd love to hear it! :)

A&L Do Summer

A&L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Aspen and Laurel are practical nobodies in their small town of Cottonwood Creek, Iowa. In their attempts to make this summer the best summer ever, Aspen and Laurel will talk dirty to customers, take a skunk for a stroll, puke their guts out, steal a chicken, and you know, save a neighbor’s life. All in the name of summer. And maybe by the end of the summer everyone will know their names.

While I know that A&L Do Summer is far from being the most realistic contemporary read, there’s outlandishly fun about this read that made this a great end of summer. My summer was far from exciting with school starting in a little over week from now, but I was able to experience a wild vicariously from A&L. A&L Do Summer  was a hilarious read with an ending that vindicated Aspen and Laurel rightfully. With a happily ever after, A&L Do Summer  would be a great way to end the summer.

Aspen is the more level-headed person in the relationship where as Laurel is always out looking for something to do. I wished Aspen had more of a back-bone and I wished Laurel would think things through, but together they make one heck of a pair. The yin to the yang.

With every good-feel book, however, there is a lack of development. The side-characters were one-dimensional and the villains were flat. I wasn’t able to pick up an array of emotions from them as I did from Aspen. Even Laurel seemed to be one noted.

Despite this I would recommend A&L Do Summer to readers looking for something quick, fun, and comedic.

Cover B-

Source: ARC from media firm

Published: 2011, May 3; paperback

Amazon: part of 4 for 3 promotion

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

From Bad to Cursed

From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alender [read review for Bad Girls Don’t Die]

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Things are finally looking up for Alexis: her family is in no immediate danger, she has a sweet boyfriend, and her best friend still has her back. Finally her sister, Kasey, is back from the mental hospital after a murderous run with an evil spirit. But rumors start to spread and rejoining some old classmates after the first week of school can be tough for any girl. When Kasey and a couple of odd friends join and form The Sunshine Club, Alexis is a little more than weary. After all, with one evil spirit there’s bound to be more right? 

From Bad to Cursed immediately follows Bad Girls Don’t Die. Readers who are curious about this sequel will need to brush up with the prequel. If you don’t, be prepared to be lost. And now onward to the review!

While I found From Bad to Cursed not as creepy as its predecessor, I still found it chilling. Alender takes old classics—porcelain dolls, Ouija boards, creepy Stepford wives—and somehow manages to give it a creative spin. Or an all consuming black sludge. Really, whatever comes first. Alender explains everything that was needed but leaves behind an air of mystery. I found From Bad to Cursed lacking the humor I first saw in Bad Girls Don’t Die, but I didn’t mind too much. (Not when Carter Blume is showing the nice guys how it’s done.)

Alexis is still the strong, likeable female and sister. With her pink hair and bad girl attitude, she looks the part. Ah but, From Bad to Cursed keeps the readers on their toes when Alexis redyes her hair to a proper color. Even without her punkrock hair, Alexis is still a fierce girl to be reckoned (just as is her sister who can be kickass at times). Alexis love for photography and her skill is showcased when she enters a contest and manages to advance to the final stages. It’s the little things within the details that make From Bad to Cursed such a great read. With Alender’s love of crafts, it’s expected to find aspects of art in her creations.  

If you follow Katie Alender, the author of the Bad Girls Don’t Die series, on twitter you’ll notice that she loves her dog and why wouldn’t she? He is adorable. But don’t let that fool you; From Bad to Cursed is just as gruesome as her first and she holds nothing back when it comes to haunting ghosts who loves to play with peoples’ mind. Alender enjoys teasing the readers by building up the anticipation and drama. Everything things start to fall to place and while its not a happily ever after, it’s somehow perfect for what it is. We’re left with the possibilities and the anticipation of the third book.

Cover B+

Published: 2011 June 14

Source: ARC won from author/ finished copy for review from publisher

Amazon

Want to Go Private?

Want to go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

With life becoming more and more digitalized and social networking becomes a must, the danger of internet predators looms overhead. For Abby, starting high school is scary. Best friend Faith begins to spread her wings in high school leaving behind Abby. Alone and betrayed by her best friend and her parents Abby turns to Luke whom she met in the virtual world for comfort. Luke, however, is more dangerous than what is perceived by his screen name.

Sarah Darer Littman or should I say Sarah “Daring” Littman constantly writes the darker side to life not censoring even the more graphic details. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but depression, confusion, and loneliness. Littman was able to capture the life of an adolescent girl with low self-esteem beautifully and somehow transformed her life to one with power and strength. Want to Go Private? tugs at the readers’ heartstrings and pulls them along with Abby’s dark journey. Be prepared to feel sadness, sympathy (or empathy), anger, and relief.

Broken into 3 different parts, readers follow Abby through her fall, her capture, and her road to self-redemption. Want to Go Private? is told in multiple perspectives to showcase how many people the villain can affect besides the victim. Best friends, parents, siblings, and even crushes from school plays a role in Abby’s rescue and her recovery.

Littman does an amazing job at describing the life after the attack. Abby had been groomed to believe that Luke loved her and cared for her. She becomes reluctant to leave and blame Luke and doesn’t fully understand the true depth of the crime. She willingly goes to Luke and willingly gave herself to him, but to the world Luke is a sick bastard. Abby is judged and bullied by her classmates and her father making them as sick as Luke. Littman doesn’t begin the book with happiness and butterflies and she doesn’t leave the book as such. Instead Littman writes Abby as a survivor who tells the world of what she had been through, which makes her stronger. Want to Go Private? is an inspirational novel.

However with all that being said, I wished Littman took her time to cultivate the relationship between Luke and Abby. While Abby was in a dark place making her more susceptible to influences, the level of trust and quickness to agree to meet up with Luke is hard to believe at times. One thing that struck me strange was when Luke asked about Abby’s bra size within the first week of chatting. That to me should have struck an alarm because who asks about the size of a girl’s chest? When Abby replied back believing that because he’s online and that they aren’t face-to-face she’s safe, I wanted to shake her. No! Lie! There are reasons why some things are personal!

Things escalate sexually and I must warn readers that the book gets very graphic. When pictures are shared and videos are streamed, I wondered why Abby never asked Luke to remove his hat. She points out how his face is obscured by his hat and the shadows yet she never asks for a better picture. Abby’s naivety is less endearing and more annoying.

Want to Go Private? is still a remarkable novel. Sarah Darer Littman proves as always that she is an amazing storyteller.

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Published: 2011, August 1

Source: unsolicited ARC from Scholastic

Amazon: preorder