Between the Sea and the Sky

Between the Sea and the Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Grade: 2 stars out of 5

"For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship...and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air." [from Amazon]

I had hoped that story would be just like the cover: breathtaking. But it wasn't.

Let me go off tangent a bit and hopefully bring this back to Between the Sea and the Sky. For class I read Free to Choose by Milton Friedman and Utopia by Thomas More and currently reading The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. On paper it sounds terrific, but idealistic. The world has too many variables for many of their ideas to be true. What they had on paper could not and did not translate into the real world. That was how I felt about Between the Sea and the Sky.

Between the Sea and the Sky had wonderful elements that should have transformed the book from being OK to being WOW. Perhaps Dolamore should have pulled back some elements and just focused on one or two aspect of the novel: saving Dosinia and rekindling the friendship between Alandare and Esmerine.

Instead Dolamore decided to incorporate racial discrimination and the rippling effects of stereotypes into the novel. It might have added an additional layer to the novel, but it took away the character development and story development. I felt disconnected to everything.

I thought the secondary characters (such as the younger sisters, all 5 of them) were empty fillers. They brought nothing substantial to the novel and quite frankly I had to edit to number (5) three times before I managed to count them all. I only enjoyed two secondary characters: the bookstore owner who was once a mermaid and Alandare's father. She, the bookstore owner, was quirky with a fascinating history. The same with the father. He was not the most well likable character, but he was fascinating and interesting with so many nuances.

I didn't care for the relationship development between Alandare and Esmerine. I thought their childhood friendship was the best part to read having a soft affection for their shared of books, but the tension ridden sexual relationship was too quick. The leap from friends to something more to {SPOILER} marriage {END SPOILER} blew my mind. Between the Sea and the Sky clocked in at 240 pages. There was not enough pages for me to believe the transition AND the final decision that changed Esmerine's life forever AND saving Dosinia. The characters themselves were good. They had good history, solid internal conflict, and intriguing personalities.

Another aspect that I had trouble connecting to was the cause of the entire novel: Dosinia. I did not like Dosinia. I found her actions very selfish. I know that we should do what makes us happy, but we should also consider how our actions affect others. For me, I was not unhappy about her motives, but rather her inconsideration to not tell anyone. She is a daughter, a sister, and a great sister. It affects a lot of people.

All in all, I love the world Dolamore created. I love it to bits. It was imaginative, vivid, and dark at times. I'm trying to figure out if there was a moral to the story because if there were this would be a great fairy tale story. But the fatal flaw was the shortness. I couldn't connect to characters or the general story.

Cover B+/A-

Source: ARC from Bloomsbury for blog tour

Published: October 25, 2011

Order on Amazon

Between

Between by Jessica Warman

Grade: 3.8 / 4 stars out of 5

Between by Jessica Warman was a read unlike many others.

When a constant thumping noise wakes Elizabeth Valchar up during the evening after her birthday party, she goes out to explore. By the side of the boat, Liz finds her biggest surprise of the birthday. Her own body.

Beautiful, rich, popular Liz is stuck in the limbo until she discovers what’s keeping her. With the unexpected help of Alex Berg—a former classmate who was killed by a hit-and-run driver—Liz explores the life as a ghost. Life with and without Liz isn’t as beautiful as it seems on the outside. 

Between by Jessica Warman will keep readers wondering who the murder really is. With an unexpected curveball throw at the very end, Warman does not disappoint with this highly publicized novel. Well paced with timely flashbacks, Warman keeps the book moving. Between brings up modern topics such as drugs, eating disorders, driving while drunk, and this overwhelming need to be better than someone else. The pressure to be the best forces people to do crazy things and Between takes that to the extreme.

While the concept and ending of Between were amazing, I found the characters to be unrealistic. It was just hard to swallow. Perhaps there truly are evil girls out there, boys with single-minded thoughts, and the cliché concept where popular always means rich, pretty, and mean. There were two characters that strayed from the pack, not completely, but enough to make a difference. I absolutely love those two characters because they had a bad side and a good side.

Then there’s Alex. He was a peculiar character.

But it is Liz that’s the most dynamic of her group. Her mother was anorexic. Her father had an affair. Her stepmom seemed to just swoop in right after her mother dies. And she’s keeping the biggest secret of all that’s eating her alive. This all comes together in the most interesting of ways especially when the mental stress transforms the physical body. Liz is nervous bundle of energy that just projects itself off the pages. I love the passion she has for running. I love the raw, intense, confused emotions that surrounded her in every chapter.

Cover B

Published: 2011 August 2; hardcover

Source: ARC from Walker for blog tour

Amazon

Haunting Violet

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

When her mother’s fake séance goes wrong, Violet is forced to step up. Her newfound spiritual powers will either make her the newest superstar or kill her when an avenging young girl wants Violet to solve her death. 

I fell in love with Alyxandra Harvey’s debut novel (Hearts at Stake), but fell shortly out of love with her two sequels. For me, Haunting Violet was a welcoming read as it strayed away from the vampires and into the realm of ghosts. Different readers have different preferences when it comes to books. I, myself, love paranormal romances. They’re like chocolate. But gluttony is a sin and too much can give a girl a stomachache. Haunting Violet was just another paranormal romance that had me intrigued, but I soon discovered (in addition to many other paranormal books) that it was a disappointment.

Before I start talking about what I found troubling about Haunting Violet, let’s start with some happy thoughts. I found the premise exciting. Violet was a well-likeable girl who didn’t throw tantrums when things didn’t go her way. Her love interests were sweet and one of them bordered on sexy (but not the dark, dangerous and bad sexy). One particular character that stood out that I am sure many of the readers will not like was Violet’s mother.

I found her to be such a fascinating character that has had her ups-and-downs. She was a housemaid that was forced to go to on her own when she was found pregnant. She created a world for herself, clothed and fed Violet. There is a deep level of resentment she holds against Violet and it’s understandable. While she wasn’t the most well-liked character, she was one of the strongest and I could feel her charisma through the pages.

I found Haunting Violet to be less than stellar and in need of a clear direction. The random bumbling to towns and the hazy plotline left me turning to another book. What I expected was a good mystery with an air of forbidden romance as Violet deftly lays down the clues of the death. Instead I read about Violet suddenly founding herself fancying her mother’s helper Colin (who, as Harvey keeps bringing up, used to always tease Violet and hide bugs in her things when they were younger). Her new self-consciousness around him is only bolstered when the charming (and again as Harvey keeps pointing out, the wealthy) Xavier tries to court Violet. Kissing two guys in one day? What a scandal!

Haunting Violet is an endless barrage of names and gossip that serves absolutely no purpose besides confusing the readers from trying to figure out the murderer. And that’s really hard to do when the entire thing gets dropped for a couple of chapters as Violet suddenly has amazing spiritual powers and understands the “third eye” from reading a book. In one day. I wished that Harvey spent more time taking time to explain the little details. Her mother’s affair; Colin’s history with his mother; Marjorie, the family’s maid I’m guessing, seems to vanish in thin air; Lord Jasper’s “powers” and his dead wife.

Haunting Violet has a good framework. It was the finer points, the lack of details or too many details in certain areas that drove the book to nowhere.

Cover B-/C+

I originally love the cover, but now I find the colors a bit muted and the girl awkward.

Published: 2011, June 21; hardcover

Source: ARC from Walker Books for review

Amazon

Tempest Rising

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Tempest’s mother left her, her father, and her two younger brothers six years ago for the ocean. On Tempest’s seventeenth birthday, she will make the same choice: to remain on land or to live in the ocean. Because of Tempest’s seventeenth birthday, she will become a mermaid just like her mother, but unlike her mother, Tempest is vehemently against the idea. She wants to travel abroad, become an artist, be there for her father and brothers, and continue to catch the waves with her on-and-off again boyfriend, Mark. As the dark ocean calls to her and a new boy shows up, Tempest finds the decision harder than she expected especially as the lives of thousands rest of her shoulders.

Tracy Deebs likes to dance around words. Many times while I was reading I wanted to cross out some phrases because they were so unnecessary. For example, “He was in here, doing this, not because he was in the mood to play anymore than I was, but because he didn’t want to leave me alone” (289 of ARC). This pattern of writing comes up frequently:  blah blah blah not because blah blah, but because blah blah blah. Be direct, say what needs to be said. I couldn’t really enjoy the novel because this and some other glaring writing styles kept staring back at me. The other “glaring” detail I noticed was the author’s love for dashes. A majority of those dashes could have been replaced by simple commas or eliminated altogether. I dare you, to those who own a copy, to open up a random page and not find an em dash.

I had trouble sinking my teeth into Tempest’s relationships. Tempest Rising is on the borderline between “love” and “lust. More than half the time I swear it’s lust. I wanted a lot more from the novel in terms of dialogue and character connections before drooling all over each other. SPOILER [highlight to read]: when Tempest cheats on Mark, I expected Tempest to confess and live up to her mistakes. But she doesn’t and that really disgusted me. The ending really really pissed me off because it was a cop-out. I needed Tempest to face her punishment, but she gets away looking like the good guy when clearly she was just as guilty. 

The world building was vivid and nicely executed. Having read about mermaids and other sea creatures before, I’m no stranger to the underwater world.  Deebs managed to differentiate between each sea creature while still keeping intact the traits that make them “sea creatures”.

What Tempest Rising excelled in was the emotional turmoil that drove the book along. Readers can feel the angst that Tempest dealt with when deciding life’s choices. The little glimpses of the mother’s disappearance were evident in the other characters, fleshing them out instead of being just mindless secondary characters.

But don’t knock down the fight scenes. Tempest Rising had rough, hands-on fighting and wasn’t afraid to kill off some people. A little sad twist in the end.

Tempest Rising could have been a contender, but the writing style of Tracy Deebs was not for me. The nuances of the novel kept me from really enjoying what other readers seemed to love.

Cover A

Published: 2011 May 10; hardcover

Source: ARC from Walker Books for blog tour

Amazon

Flawless

Flawless by Lara Chapman

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Sarah Burke is confident, but just not about her humongous nose. Everyone is always starring at it and she can feel the whispers behind her back. Luckily best friend Kristen is there to cheer her up. But when it comes to new transfer student Rock, Kristen is far from making Sarah happy: Kristen has her eyes set on Rock and is desperate for Sarah to help make her seem smarter in things art and literature. Too bad Sarah’s got a massive crush on Rock herself.

Conceptually Flawless would be a magnificent coming of age, take life by its horn, and just be you type of novel. There are aspects of the novel, however, that stopped it from reaching its full potential. That being said many people enjoyed Flawless and found it pretty near flawless. It’s all in the matter of taste.

I found Flawless to be a frustrating book to read. Sarah’s thoughts and actions seem to never connect. I was rooting for Sarah from the start, but as time went on I grew increasing anxious as to why Sarah continued to pretend she was Kristen when facebook messaging Rock or when writing letters. Sarah started to dig her own grave. And when things finally exploded, it was just very much to the extreme.

Kristen and Sarah’s friendship tips back and forth. Sometimes there was a balance. Other times I wanted to punch Kristen in the face for pressuring Sarah into doing something she obviously did not want to do. And being vocal about it. But Sarah seems to justify Kristen’s actions because she’s her best friend and one of her only friends.

Flawless does a wonderful on drawing out emotions from readers. Everyone has something about themselves that they hate. Readers can be empathic to Sarah when giggles and whispers start as she passed or readers can cheer when Sarah takes a stand for herself against a couple of tween boys. Sarah understands her flaws and accepts them. She focuses on the positive of her features. But I do appreciate when Chapman writes the scene when Sarah considered surgery especially with the added pressure by her mom who had undergone surgery. With the trend in surgery as the fixer upper, this is a very real possibility many people turn to.

One thing that made a little confused was the incorporation of Sarah’s mom’s job. The rivalry of old generation versus new generation and underhandedness is the business world was well done. But it felt out of place with the whole Sarah-Kristen-Rock scheme. The climax of the side plot when the intern claimed Sarah’s mom was a lesbian and her mom’s reaction was awkward. I wasn’t sure if Chapman would take it from there as a sob story or a ridiculous claim from a desperate intern.

Oh and the dude who had a huge crush on Sarah seemed to appear and disappear into thin air. Taught a great lesson to Sarah how she pushed people away without really realizing it, but then poof. Too bad, I kind of liked him.

Flawless had a really great concept in a time when people are always comparing themselves to models, actresses, actors—the people on magazines. But the awkwardness and unclear direction of the main character took it from being amazing to being okay.

Cover B

Published: 2011 May 10 in paperback and hardcover

Source: ARC from Bloomsbury

Sean Griswold's Head Review + Giveaway

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Payton has always been close with her parents especially her father. But when discovers, in an awkward situation, that her dad has multiple sclerosis she’s more than a little hurt. Her parents aren’t sure what they should do so they ask for some help. Now Payton has to attend guidance counseling to deal with her inner turmoil. The assignment is to get a focus object, but she’s not sure what exactly. So it’s fate when Sean Griswold’s mentions “focus” to Payton Gritas in class. Payton has her focus object.

I found Payton to have a little essence of Lindsey Leavitt in her. Payton loves organizing. Each chapter has an outline of some sort talking about her “focus object” (Sean’s head) for the day. And let me tell you, they are hilarious. Some outlines are ones that I haven’t encountered since my middle school days: What do you know, what would you like to you, and what have you learned charts. She’s borderline obsessive with her organization, but inside Payton is a mess. She’s an organized mess. Her disarray is reflected by how much the news of her dad’s multiple sclerosis has impacted her. However, Payton can be childish at times especially the cold shoulder she gives to her parents.

Sean is like the epitome of nice guys. We need more nice guys in novels.

Sean Griswold’s Head went further than what I had originally imagined. I was able to connect Sean Griswold’s Head with a recent novel, The Running Dream. Payton is different than Jessica because she is not the going through the drastic life changes, but Payton is still directly affected. They both find sports to be a way of driving their discomfort, hurt, and pain with a positive spin. Through their new extracurricular activities, both involving of course cute guys, Jessica and Payton were able to run/bike for charity. In that way, Sean Griswold’s Head adds another dimension; no longer does the novel focus on the characters but the condition and disease. It expands from an individual viewpoint to a community based viewpoint where a vast majority can contribute for a good cause. This is what makes Sean Griswold’s Head relatable because the reader doesn’t have to be handicapped or ill to be part of something extraordinary.

Despite the humor, Sean Griswold’s Head can be serious and saddening. Readers be warned that you might get a little teary-eyed when reading. Overall I am definitely impressed with Leavitt’s YA debut and am looking for more of her works (which will I believe be coming out in 2012)! Now I’m going to venture back to her debut MG novel and hopefully be dazzled by that book as well!

Source: ARC for blog tour from Bloomsbury

Cover A

Published: 1 March, 2011 (today!)

Amazon

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin

Grade: 2 stars out of 5 [for the plot, its potential and the side-characters who were great]

Jenna aka Charlie Tracker is having a fauxmance with costar Jonah aka Fielding Withers aka Aaron Littleton. In reality they can barely stand each other. But their agents need them to fake it so ratings could stay up. But when rumors start to fly that Fielding is gay and their relationship is a lie, Charlie and Aaron hide away.

I am so freaking happy that Fielding is not his real name. No offense to any Fielding's (first names) of course. Anyway onto the novel.

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance sounds quite adorable, but in reality the two fight so much and practice their scripts/fake life/how they should act that it's not adorable. They're both quite the blockheads and the novel drags. I kept hoping in the end that the pace would pick up and the story would lighten up. Um, not so much. I gritted my teeth and held on just hoping and hoping. 

The novel is quite repetitive and I felt the same scenario being played over and over again. On and on, back and forth Charlie and Aaron bicker, piss at each other, fake romance for the cameras, and then make up...sorta. I didn't see much character development and got a little annoyed with both. If this were to be a movie I would be the person in the back of the theater screaming "shut up and get on with it!". 

As I don't have much positive things to say about Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance I'll be the one to shut up now.

Source: Walker Books

Cover B

Published: 2011 February 1; paperback and hardcover

Amazon

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Hunter is from a very long, long line of vampire hunters. So when she meets Quinn, a vampire prince from the Drake prince, it’s very bad. Instead of wanting to kill Quinn, Hunter wants to kiss him.

The Drake Chronicles is one few remaining vampire series that I am reading and there’s a reason for that. Out for Blood is a flirtatious book read in a classic situation of star-crossed lovers locked in a less-than-happy family drama. For one thing Hunter hunts Quinn’s people. That won’t sit well over a family dinner. While the main conflict in the story is this sudden illness and strength pills that plagues the academy, Harvey tends to lean toward developing relationships than the bigger picture. Or that’s just how I feel as the characters are really all that I remember.

Both Quinn and Hunter are self-sufficient, independent beings without being the snotty, self-absorbed bastard we’ve all come to hate. That by itself makes me like the book. Quinn and Hunter have a sizzling chemistry and if air was combustible their make-out sessions would cause some fires.

Yet as I’ve come to expect to expect from Harvey’s works, the here-and-now is dandy, but after the book is placed down, nothing sticks with me. Once I got into the novel, nothing else mattered, but the novel is forgettable once I was done. I think the reason for this was because of how singular the story line really is. There are not many layers in the relationship that is Quinn and Hunter. How much can you rely on physical attraction because granted, everyone in the novel is apparently gorgeous. Can you substitute attraction for that quintessential perfect love, soulmate, deal? Out for Blood is told through alternative point of views and despite that I feel like I needed more from the two. I needed a heavy handed sit-down where Quinn and Hunter talked all about their feelings where I grin a little, sympathize a bit, and wholly accept the whole shebang as being “it”.

As I read more and more of The Drake Chronicles I enjoy each story separately. Collectively there’s a tendency to merge as there is a pattern between many of the relationships. Out of Blood is a light read that I can breeze through as a pick me up. I would recommend this to friends for a first time paranormal read. For the hardcore readers or even the moderate ones, Out for Blood has elements that you have most likely seen before (and will continue to see).

I am still really REALLY eager to read the 4th installment though. Anything about Lucy and her family has got to be funny and awesome.

Source: ARC from Walker Books for blog tour

Cover: B-/C+

Hunter looks fierce. I am not feeling any of the guys thus far.

Published: 21 December 2010; paperback

Amazon: Hearts at Stake; Blood Feud; Out for Blood

Entice by Carrie Jones and Giveaway

Entice by Carrie Jones

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Zara is on a quest to bring back Nick, but how had her decision to turn into a pixie—a pixie queen—affected her life and her friends? It changes everything.

Entice was originally the third and last book in the Need trilogy. That has changed and the Need trilogy has become a full-on series. At first I was a bit frustrated by this new development, but after finishing Entice the change made sense. Entice was just that one more step towards the final battle. It was an installment held a video game feel: fight mini-boss A and B; solve a riddle, find the treasure and unlock the treasure. Each chapter allowed for more tension and anticipation for the big showdown. However, Entice was also more than just that.

Entice was a nice installment that went deeper into the character of Zara and the secondary characters. This was almost as a filler for the Need series as Jones worked with inner turmoil and the added dimensions of the pieces and soldiers in Need. After turning into a pixie, there is the constant fear that Zara is not the same, and she isn’t, but there is a fear that she has become evil. Pixies are always evil. Her friends are weary and paranoid of Zara; Zara tries to defend herself. Being a queen makes it all that much harder because now has people who are under her protection and vice versa that are pixie. Can there be good and bad pixies? Yes.

Astley is one of the good people. Jones makes it difficult for fans as the perfect couple suddenly finds themselves with another love instance forming a love triangle. Team Astley of Team Nick? Readers will be torn between both male leads. While Team Nick has its pros, I’m going to over at my little corner and possible say Team Astley for me…for now. What can I say? I’m a girl who likes some bit of anguish with the niceness.

However, Entice does throw things from left field that startled me. Again as I’ve said before, there is a fine line between believable and shock-worthy. And, forgive me if this sounds contradictory, but a lot happens in Entice, but there is also not a lot happening. On a much larger scale, stepping back to look at progress Entice made in the Need series, there wasn’t much. Entice is a filler one with riddles, fights, and enemies.

In all Entice was a nice installment that only makes readers eager for the 4th book and Carrie Jones continues to deliver what the readers' expect.

Source: ARC from Bloomsbury for blog tour

Cover A-

Published: 14 December 2010; hardcover

Amazon: Need; Captivate; Entice

Check out their facebook page as well: www.facebook.com/NeedPixies

Thanks to Bloomsbury I can offer you readers a chance to win Entice and some awesome bookmarks! Details below:

Mad Love

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Grade: 3.7 stars out of 5

Alice Amorous is the daughter of the Queen of Romance, but she has yet to experience love and all of its consumption let alone tell a love story. But that’s what Alice has to do if she wants her mom better and her life not on the street. Heartstrings Publishing will cut off royalty checks and demand their $100,000 advance back if the Queen of Romance does not produce another work and soon. How hard can it be to keep your mother’s bipolar disorder a secret from the world and writing a romance novel under her mother’s name? Alice has the perfect love story—Cupid and Psyche’s tragic tale—with firsthand accounts from Cupid himself. Now time’s a-ticking.

Mad Love hits many disorders, illnesses, and life stress. Realm, former known as Lily, is staying with her grandmother in Amorous’s apartment duplex and has an eating disorder. Alice’s mother has bipolar disorder. Alice lives in fear of possibly having the same disorder as her mother. Cupid has cancer and dying. Reverend Ruttles is living with gay legal secretary Archibald after his wife’s death. Tony Lee, cute boy with freckles, is allergic to selfish. However, despite this load of severity and heaviness Mad Love didn’t focus a lot on these topics. Instead we dealt with Alice’s life while her mother was in the hospital: the loneliness and self-doubt.

A part of me found Mad Love to be a frustrating read. It took more than half way through the book for Alice to be convinced that Errol was in fact Cupid. A part of me understands that in the realistic sense, it will most likely take several days, weeks, to come to terms that maybe a guy isn’t crazy, but really is Cupid. Yet the time from being introduced to Errol to accepting Errol as Cupid was slow-crawled. The rest of the novel definitely picks up the slack and speeds along. The climax was punctured by the heavy thunder storm yet as the saying goes, after a storm comes a rainbow. There isn’t a happy-happy ending per se, but it fits nicely in the plot.

Characters: Realm and Alice butt heads quite a few times. I think because they have similar personalities and life experiences are the reason why. While Realm is selfish and stubborn and fairly cruel, Alice is blind sighted of what’s right in front of her. They both choose to see things differently than what it is. Reading Realm was so very, very aggravating for the reasons above. Alice was also very, very aggravating to read because being the reader I can expect what comes next and what should happen, but Alice is slow to act.

Once finished with Mad Love there were still concerns and questions: who was the one to oust the Amorous family. What did the doctors switch? Who was publishing the love story of Cupid and Psyche? The explanation of the auras: why so many colors?  

Cover A

Source: ARC from author; accepted pitch

Published: 4, January 2011

Amazon

Deception Review and Giveaway

Deception by Lee Nichols

Source: ARC from Bloomsbury

Grade: 3.8 stars out of 5

"When Emma Vaile's parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, her brother's very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma's knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family's museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can't explain—it's as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an otherworldly murderer."

--from author's website

Deception by Lee Nichols exceeded my expectations though I will admit my expectation was not as high as it should be. Deception is a giant ball of yarn that you just have to continue unraveling, untwisting, and discovering that perhaps something was accidently rolled into it as well.

The romantic tensions were palpable and the characters’ likability soared. There’s something about each character that defines that person uniquely while still maintaining a believable and go-to personality. While development may be a problem there is plenty of space to grow in this series.

Despite this I found the plot to be idealized to be coincidental as in unexplained and a tad “perfect”. My biggest issue with the book, however, was how lightly death affected the characters in the novel. While there may a sentence here and there reflected some of the guilt and grief of deaths, it goes almost wholly unmentioned again.

Cover B-/C+

P.S. You can find other stops to this book tour at Nichol's website (see above). But I'm pretty sure you're eager for this so leave me a comment about a forbidden love. It could be from a book, a movie, an actual event you've partake in. Contest is for US mailing address and will end on the 25th:

(note the last question is not required. you can leave it unanswered if you do not plan to leave a comment ;))

Demon Princess: Reign Check

Demon Princess: Reign Check by Michelle Rowen

Source: ARC from Walker Books

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Nikki’s back to school more stressed than ever. If being a new transfer student to a high school isn’t bad enough she just found that her dad—who left her and mother years ago—is a demon King making her a half-demon princess. And it turns out that her “servant” Michael is really nice, hot, and protective. Too bad it’s against the law to date a Shadow, but what the hey it’s not going to stop Nikki and Michael to have a secret relationship. But now Nikki is attending school with Rhys, the king of the faery realm. Oh crud. Apparently he’s here to observe Nikki since it was prophesized that she’ll destroy everyone. Oh and let’s not forget that her best friend Melinda is training to become a demon slayer. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want to be Nikki. Though I have heard “Those horns could not be cuter” straight from the demon cockroaches mouth (page 216, ARC).

Michelle Rowen knows how to write a novel to make a girl smile. Demon Princes: Reign Check is a guilty read similar to that of her paranormal series. It combines silly puns, dramatized scenes, and scandalous relationships that will make readers giggle. Oh and let’s not forget what happens when you give beer to a faery—mmm.

Reign Check offers nothing truly unique that would make one gasp and scream that this is the ‘NEW THING’! But it does offer a sense of comfort like in any romantic comedy movie—just with a few demons and hellhounds here and there. It’s a novel where you wouldn’t want to curl in a comfy couch on a rainy day, but outside for a little sun-tanning. It’s much too happy and grin inducing book to be kept indoors in my opinion.

The pace is quick and to a certain beat like snapping your fingers and the character development is less than what you might call extraordinary, but it all contributes to this guilty read. I for one need a quick and delightful read (it took less than 3 hours to finish) every once in a while to keep my spirits up. And look a blurb from Richelle Mead: "This is a series I definitely want to keep reading"—can't agree with that statement more :)

(above is the new cover; this is the old cover)

Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (April 13^th 2010—Walker)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Source: Borrowing from Gail.

Summary: “Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?”

Review: Rules of Attraction oh long I’ve waited for this moment. When the news of a sequel to the coveted Perfect Chemistry reached the ears of the blogging world it was sheer mayhem. Which was what?—like 2 to 3 months ago? Now I finally had a copy of this sucker in my grubby hands and it crumbled. It was just…so scandalous! Take the romance what you know from Perfect Chemistry and amplify that to the tenth power and add raging teenage hormones.

It’s been several months since I last skimmed Perfect Chemistry so forgive me if this was prominent in there as well as I did not warn you (but I believe it wasn’t so in-your-face). Rules of Attraction had a heavy heaping of sexual tensions, two almost sex scenes, and one actual sex scene thing. Before anyone says anything there was no mention of the P-word or the V-word or any of that sorts. Rules of Attraction is for older teens or just really mature teens, comprende? Fans of romance will rejoice, but this takes away from the actual storyline to me.

Carlos Fuentes is trying to change his life after some…incidents…occur. Kiara is just what he needs; she’s a strong minded female that won’t swoon to the likes of him (very much that is). The relationship between these two is a bundle of joy. They balance each other out and give readers plenty to laugh at. With the addition of Tuck, Kiara’s (gay) best friend, there are scenes that are laugh out loud funny. (And if you’ve read it already did you think the Ultimate Frisbee was funny?).

As for Kiara’s family, well they are in their own categories. Elkeles seems to also craft her secondary characters wonderfully just as with Paco from Perfect Chemistry. Alex and Brittany also make quite a reappearance that gives previous readers still something to smile about.

Overall: The reason why the grade is fairly average to low was because I’ve seen most of this before...in Perfect Chemistry.

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The Mark

The Mark by Jen Nadol (January 19th 2010—Bloomsbury)

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?”

Review: And since I am currently on an ice-skating binge I thought I would add some analogies from them. I expected a quad, got a triple…with a two-foot landing. Expected a wonderful performance, but instead received a meek substitution.

The Mark for me was less about the actual mark, but rather a somewhat coming-of-age story rather than this fantasy book. Cassie is basically trying to understand who she is and what her purpose is with The Mark. Throughout the book Cassie delivers several soliloquies (sorry reading Hamlet right now) that question if she should prevent death or accept it. In the book she does both that results in more questioning if she should continue the path. Both options have good and bad consequences. With such a heavy topic it’s no wonder that Nadol incorporates famous philosophers.

Okay first off I have to mention that I took a philosophy class last semester. Why? Because I wanted Calculus, but they gave me philosophy instead for some apparent reason! Anyhow…. A lot of the names mentioned, scenarios given, and possible answers I’ve already dealt with in class. Aristotle, Kant, and all that good stuff. For me I ended up skimming those scenes. I already knew the point and counterpoint arguments, but I believe that this was a highlight of the novel. Readers unfamiliar with these people will find the bantering interesting. I’m not sure if euphemism is specifically mentioned, but that’s one topic I felt really fits into this situation. That was one positive aspect of the book; a negative would have to be the romance.

The romance between Lucas and Cassie was so heavy and so fast that I felt brought the book so down. Even though it mentioned that they spent a few weeks together before “the thing” happened the readers can’t understand what Cassie is feeling. We get a few pages of her swooning and a sentence of how long they spent together.

The ending is bittersweet. While I do love the open-ended feel I also despise it. It felt incomplete.

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In a Heartbeat

In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth (Feburary 2nd 2010—Walker )

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Summary: A touching novel of last regrets and second chances in

the tradition of Lurlene McDaniel and Gabrielle Zevin.

When a small mistake costs sixteen-year-old Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition, she leaves many things unreconciled, including her troubled relationship with her mother. From her vantage point in the afterlife, Eagan reflects back on her memories, and what she could have done differently, through her still-beating heart.

When fourteen-year-old Amelia learns she will be getting a heart transplant, her fear and guilt battle with her joy at this new chance at life. And afterwards when she starts to feel different — dreaming about figure skating, craving grape candy —her need to learn about her donor leads her to discover and explore Eagan’s life,meeting her grieving loved ones and trying to bring the closure they all need to move on.

Told in alternating viewpoints, In a Heartbeat tells the emotional and compelling story of two girls sharing one heart.”

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by how well I liked the book. I initially believed that…well I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into. I typically shy away from contemporary fictions after several bad run-ins because I find them a) too boring; b) too dramatic; c) just not my taste. While In a Heartbeat is not something I plan to reread 10 times a week (though I’ve done that with some books) I do foresee reading some scenes again by the end of the year.

In a Heartbeat had a rather slow start. I began reading the book sometime in late January and reached the high tens—70 of so pages. Then I just abruptly stopped. Something didn’t compel me enough to finish those last 110~ pages. With the deadline looming oh so very close (less than 24 hours!) I needed to finish the book and write my review. The novel eventually picked up fast enough for me to breeze through the rest in about an hour or so. I would definitely recommend sticking with it until the end for this book.

Eagan’s POV I struggled through with in the beginning. I had a hard time coping with the flashbacks. It was a shift from the limbo to Eagan’s past that that did not sit well with me. I also had a hard time with Eagan in the beginning. I felt disconnected and a bit weary of her. This changed as well from the middle to the end with the introduction of several other characters. She grew on me.

Amelia, for some reason, I’ve always like from the start. Case closed.

Overall: Like with a car in winter, it takes a while before you start driving, but once it warms up, you’re breezing by with your favorite radio on.

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What can I say, I love the typography.

ftc: review copy was provided in return for a review.

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go here for the schedule for Loretta's blog tour!

Captivate

Captivate by Carrie Jones (January 5th 2010—Bloomsbury)

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure—despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life—and his.”

Review: If you love Need, the prequel to Captivate, you will love Captivate. If you thought Need was okay then Captivate was okay. If you did not enjoy Need then there is no point for you to read this review.

We jump immediately back into town with Zara, Nick, and their friends. The old king, Zara’s father, has been dealt with along with the other pixies—locked up behind iron fences. Then Zara starts to get the tingly feeling and begins turning blue—holy smokes! Pixies are back dun dun dun.

The actions in Captivate are similar to that of baking [we’re doing cookies]. You start out with the general premise—the butter and sugar. Then you slowly add the eggs—the new plot line that sticks everything together. Then with a handful at a time you add the flour, baking soda and/or baking powder and salt—new characters, a couple rising climaxes, and the big HOLY CRAP! But see here, this Captivate cookie has some issues. It’s a bit dry, a bit crackly, and a bit off shaped.

The pacing I found to be awkward at times, sometimes too fast or too slow. You get a sense of déjà vu, a nagging feeling that we’ve been through this before…countless times. There were still a lot of shockers in Captivate, like adding sprinkles or frosting—YUM—which were definitely appreciated and licked clean.

Overall: Action, romance, and fantasy galore.

Favorite line: "'With our lovely Is as the exception," he adds and pets her head. She sort of wiggles."--ARC page 250.

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FTC: Review copy was provided by publishers

Hearts at Stake

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey (December 22nd 2009—Walker)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “Solange Drake always knew she was destined to become a vampire queen. And as the only female vampire ever born, not made, she is surrounded by danger on all sides—from vampire suitors who want to join with her lineage to bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family. When she is kidnapped, it’s up to her older brother Nicolas and her human best friend, Lucy, to save her. But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with his every look? And what will be Solange’s own fate if she surrenders her to the vampire hunter helping her survive the deadly intrigue at the royal court?”

Review: Hearts at Stake is a feel-good book. I found this book a perfect stress reliever in between cramming sessions for Finals. It was a wholesome enjoyment when you are feeling down in the dumps looking for a quick fix of laughs, smiles, adventure and love. Hearts at Stake features two point of views—Lucy’s and Solange’s—with two separate tales occurring at the same time.

Despite Lucy’s affection towards physical actions (i.e. punching people in the nose) her chapters revolve around the relationship with Nicolas. I found myself really captivated by this pull and push relationship as neither one wishes to accept the fact that they like each other though I do believe that Nicolas has liked Lucy for quite some time now. He’s just one of those typical males that tease girls that they like. I found Lucy such a riot to the point where my affection for her character can be summed thusly: I ♥ Lucy.

Solange’s story involves more action with bloodthirsty vampires as well as hormonal vampires who shower her with blood bags and cats’ hearts? Can we say ‘Yum’?. Luckily for the readers, she is as grossed out as we are and does not go into a deep discussion of its delicious tangy taste though I have heard that it is better than chocolate. It’s rather fast-paced with fighting, an evil queen, and a very much awesome butt-kicking mother. I ♥ Solange’s butt-kicking mother. I happen to like most of the characters….

The only issue I have is the development of both relationships in the book. We start off with both hating each other than all of a sudden they like each other. It does delve deep and is predictable that makes it such fun read.

I cannot wait for Blood Feud when comes out later next year. CAN. NOT. WAIT. Okay maybe just a little.

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FTC: Review copy was provided by the publisher

The Tear Collector

The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones (September 1st 2009—Walker Books)

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “Between hookups, makeups, and breakups, there isn’t a day at Lapeer High School without drama turning to trauma turning to tears.

And tears are just essential as air for Cassandra Grey. She and her family are vampires who thirst for human sorrow, and the energy that they soak in from a good crying jag can keep them fueled for days.

Anytime a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, Cass is there. Anytime a boyfriend gets too secure, she breaks his heart. Cass’s work as a school peer counselor and hospital volunteer also provides the perfect cover and access to her family’s energy source. But she is getting tired of all the lies and manipulation—especially now that she’s actually fallen in love with a human. Can she bear to betry her family for a chance at happiness and a life lived with joy?”

Review: I think there is a misconception for the Tear Collector. So far I’ve seen many call this book a new twist to an old vampire lore. “…she’s just like me now—not human, but not a classic horror movie vampire either. I’m more of a succubus that maintains a human form to get along in the world but is void of so much of what makes a person human—such as the ability to love.” This is where things throw me off track. I’m not sure if I can call this a vampire novel or not. There are certain attributes that make a vampire just as being able to transform into a wolf makes a werewolf. I’m grasping at thin straws right now; I guess it’s up to the reader to decide. Anyway that’s the least of my worries.

While I do think that The Tear Collector is unique within its idea and premise, the execution faltered. There seemed to be a lot of high school drama, redundant scenes, and many missing details.

I found the whole scenario of high school a bore actually. Jones starts a great idea then stops short from anything really excited. We have the generic mean girls, the popular but still nice cheerleader, the why-do-you-keep-mentioning-that-Cassandra-gives-blow-jobs-often-to jocks, the weird but deep Goth/Emo girl, and finally the not-the-best-looking-but-so-sweet guy. It’s a battle between which environment is dominate—high school or Cassandra’s family. There are times when they both intermingle but other times it’s more of a Monopoly game—pass Go and collect $200.

Cassandra hangs out in high school, comforts people, collects their tears, gives them to her great godmother, goes back to high school and collects tears again. This is where the redundancy comes into play. You can throw in random hissy cat fights but that doesn’t make it any better. I did, however, like the friendship with Samantha and Cassandra. We follow them when they were enemies to being something special. I thought her story was touching but had missing details to make it even more of a pow.

I couldn’t fully connect with many of the characters. I wasn’t as empathic to Cassandra as I would have liked, I didn’t like Scott as much as I hoped, and I couldn’t get the full intimate details of why they like each so darn much. I mean there were scenes that I thought “wow” but the conversations they had were very similar to other conversations she had.

Then there’s Alexei, her cousin whom she was promised to. A third of the novel was a build-up to this point and even then it fell short and anticlimactic. Again it showed promise, the chapter articles of children kidnappings, the suspense, and the anticipation but in the end all I could say was “that’s it”?

And the ending! Oh goodness. *no comment* I just wish we can get the inside scoop who her cousin killed….

Overall: It’s frustrating because it had so much potential not because it was horrid! I craved for something more.

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Ehhhhhhhh

8 Reviews Each Under 8 Sentences

During one of my periods where I grew increasingly frustrated of how I've spent weeks for review books but not on my own personal books, I decided to take several days off to tackle it.I read these books from August 9th-August 11th along with this other book: TwiLite. I plan to do a full review for that one

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith [3 stars]

"Emma Healy has never fit in with the rest of her family.

She's grown used to being the only ordinary one among her rather extraordinary parents and siblings. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she feels like a part of her has been justified in never feeling quite whole. Suddenly it seems important to visit his grave, to set off in search of her missing half. When her next-door neighbor Peter Finnegan -- who has a quiet affinity for maps and a desperate wish to escape their small town -- ends up coming along for the ride, Emma thinks they can't possibly have anything in common.

But as they head from upstate New York toward North Carolina, driving a beat-up and technically stolen car and picking up a stray dog along the way, they find themselves learning more and more about each other. Neither is exactly sure what they're looking for, but with each passing mile, each new day of this journey, they seem to be getting much closer to finding it."

It was clean and nice but the romance sparkled from out of nowhere. The author tries to connect these two teens together but it seemed more like "I've seen the light and now I see that I love him". Coming of age story that deals with past grief. Enjoyed some scenes and found the book to be decent.

Girl V. Boy by Yvette Collins and Sandy Rideout [3 stars]

"When offered a chance to write an anonymous column for the school paper chronicling Dunfield High's efforts in Chicago's citywide literacy challenge, 16-year-old Luisa Perez jumps at the chance. She hopes to distance herself from her family's legacy of academic underachievement as well as to differentiate herself from the ten other Luisa Perezes in the school. The competition between the girls and boys heats up, as each group tries to outdo the other in fundraising. Luisa offers the girls' perspective for the paper, while another writer provides the male point of view. As if juggling her writing, a part-time job, school and a sudden rush of possible F.B.s (future boyfriends) were not hard enough, Luisa has to contend with her sister, Grace, who moves back home with her young daughter. Readers will dope out the identity of the boy writer long before he is revealed in the narrative, but a strong voice and quirky characters keep the plot moving despite the absence of dramatic tension. Smart dialogue and realistic scenes add to the story's appeal."

*shrugs* okay. Nothing much really.

Feels Like Home by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo [3 stars]

"Growing up in a dead-end South Texas town, Mickey had two things she could count on: her big brother, Danny—the football hero everyone loved—and a beat-up copy of The Outsiders. But after the accident—after Danny abandoned her to a town full of rumors and a drunken father—all Mickey had left was a smoky memory, her anger, and the resolution to get out of town for good.

But Danny is back—and he's not the golden boy who left six years ago. He's altogether a different person, and the life Mickey has worked so hard to rebuild seems to be falling apart. Danny's anger is something Mickey just can't forgive, and his best friend's mysterious death six years ago keeps coming back to haunt the edges of her mind. No matter how hard she tries, she can't remember what happened that night—and she's starting to realize that remembering is the only way she can move on. She'll have to face the brother who broke her heart, and that beat-up book that will never again feel like home."

Ended up teary eyed at some parts. Found this one very similar to You Are Here but enjoyed this a bit more. The ending, however, would have liked to be more developed. Some answers are never answered and I wish the author would delve deeper in the death.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles [4.5 stars]

"A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart."

Sensual. Hot. Sexy. Deep. Strong. Brittany was annoying sometimes though. Really impressed with the entire book. Ending was superb! Epilogue was pure fan service that I loved! LOVED!

How To Take The Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend by Janette Rallison [4 stars]

"Sixteen-year-old Giovanna Petrizzo finds it hard enough to fit in. Three years since her family moved to Texas, she's still the newcomer compared to everyone around her. It doesn't help matters when her twin brother, Dante, takes on the mayor's son by running for class president. The least she could expect, though, would be for her boyfriend, Jesse, to support their cause. But Jesse's apparent defection triggers Giovanna's rash emotional side, and before she knows it, she's turned Jesse from the boy of her dreams to the exboyfriend she dreams of winning back."

A perfect book if you want something funny and wholesome. Great love story.

Two-way Street by Lauren Barnholdt [3.5 stars]

"There are two sides to every breakup. This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation. Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet. It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care. But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot. Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other."

No comment. Was good, but I have no words as to express really why. Love the format of the novel. Two POV, flashback, present, cause and effect.

How To Hook A Hottie by Tina Ferraro [3 stars]

"At 17, Kate Delvecchio has one goal in life: to become a millionaire before the age of 20. And as far as she’s concerned, college will only slow her down. Unfortunately for Kate, the one thing her parents do agree on is that they totally disagree with her strategy. And so the deal is born. If Kate can raise five thousand big ones by graduation day, her parents will hand over the balance of her college account to invest as she pleases. No college, no degree, and no way she’ll ever be able to pull it off. But when Kate accidentally agrees to go to the sports banquet with the hottest guy at school, she stumbles upon a possible cash cow. The rest of the junior class is amazed that no-nonsense Kate could hook such a hottie, and one by one they approach her for help hooking their own. She doesn’t know anything about getting guys, but for $100 a pop, she’s more than willing to invent a six-step plan for How to Hook a Hottie. And how could that possibly backfire?"

Cute. Main character annoyed me at times.

Top Ten Uses For An Unworn Dress by Tina Ferraro [3 stars]

"Sophomore year, Nicolette Antonovich was dumped two days before prom by the hottest guy at school. As a result, she became the proud owner of one unworn, perfectly magical pink vintage dress. But Nic is determined to put that night behind her for good. She's a junior now— older, wiser, and completely overwhelmed by a new set of problems: (1) The bank's ready to foreclose on her childhood home. (2) Her father's too busy with his "replacement" daughter to care. (3) Her best friend's brother is an eternal thorn in her side. (4) Her best friend isn't exactly the rose attached to that thorn. (5) Rumors are flying around school that could get her kicked off the volleyball team, which would (6) ruin all chances of a college scholarship. (7) She still likes the boy who dumped her in the first place. (8) And what in the world do you do with an unworn prom dress, anyway? Strangely, it's getting to the bottom of this last dilemma that just might hold the answer to all Nic's problems."

Starting to sense a pattern to my reviews for Tina Ferraro's books. Once again, cute. As was How To Hook A Hottie and ABC's of Kissing Boys.

Sprout

Sprout by Dale Peck (April 30th 2009—Bloomsbury)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Summary: “How many secrets can you hide in plain sight? Sprout Bradford has a secret. It’s not what you think—he’ll tell you he’s gay. He’ll tell you about his dad’s drinking and his mother’s death. The green fingerprints everywhere tell you when he last dyed his hair. But neither the reader nor Sprout are prepared for what happens when Sprout suddenly finds he’s had a more profound effect on the lives around him than he ever thought possible. Sprout is both hilarious and gripping; a story of one boy at odds with the expected.”

Review: Forget what you think you might know about this book because you don’t. Seriously from the summary alone this book heads in an almost completely opposite direction.

While the gay factor is there in the book there is quite more. Daniel aka Sprout is an intelligent child that is similar to that of Holden from Catcher in the Rye. He has a certain mindscape and drive with a large lexicon that forces the reader to bring out the dictionary at points. But he is still a child in some areas. Relationship wise and sexuality wise he reminds me a baby chick. Hesitant, passed off constantly to another person every turn, and adorable in the whole “skinny guy with the bright green hair” type of way…ish.

I just have a teensy weensy compliant about how the author can write a 25 letter long word but cannot seem to write the word between=btw. It just bothers me a tad more than it should I guess.

I think I’m just going to give up. I can’t seem to come up with anything decent to write! ARGH!

Overall: Confusing at times, odd most of the time, and intriguing all the way.

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I’m not exactly sure which is the final cover…Is it the one with the design on it? Or the one with just plain SPROUT on it?