Review- Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Title: Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Author: Maria Semple
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Release Date: January 01, 2012
Source: Purchased
Find it Here: Amazon, Goodreads

Bernadette Fox has vanished.

When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces.

Which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where'd You Go Bernadette is an ingenious and unabashedly entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are, and the power of a daughter's love for her mother.

My Thoughts: 

100 page evaluation: Where'd You Go Bernadette is definitely a different type of book. A narrative broken up by emails and hand written letters and notes.  I liked it at first but then it started to get a little slow.  Bernadette let's too many little things bother her to the point of obsession. It's a little bit annoying. And I thought by 100 pages the story would have progressed more than it already has. Still interested to see how it ends and what the rest of the book club has to say about it.  

As you can see, Where'd You Go, Bernadette was a book we read for book club a couple of months ago.  I don't know why it has taken me so long to write a review for but here we are, months down the road and I'm just now writing it. When it's all said and done, I can say I have never really read a character quite like Bernadette. In both a good and bad way. She takes everything to the utmost extreme. For example, she promised God that if He let her baby live, she would never create art again to the extreme that she wouldn't keep up the house and roots and dirt were literally coming through the floor boards. She also hated all the other mothers at her daughter's school to the point that she had a feud going with some of them. So the whole book was pretty weird and she didn't even go missing til almost the end of the book.  

Elgin, her husband, was also very weird. Doesn't pay attention to anything that's going on with his wife or his family. Did he even realize his house was falling apart? As soon as something goes wrong in his marriage, he has an affair with a woman at work and, shocker, gets her pregnant. Let's his teenage daughter talk them into taking an outrageous trip to Antarctica. All the characters in Where'd You Go, Bernadette are so weird. It's just a weird book all around. 

If you don't mind reading a book from all different perspective, from emails, IM chats and written notes than you might like this book. But beware, the characters are weird and extremely outrageous.

Early Review: The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters

Title: The Cure for Dreaming
Author: Cat Winters
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Source: ARC via ALA
Find it Here: Amazon, Goodreads

Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

My thoughts: 

Going into The Cure for Dreaming, I was super excited and really looking forward to reading something somewhat spooky! Hearing about books like this really makes me excited that fall is coming in a couple months and makes me wish it was coming much sooner.  The Cure for Dreaming takes place in the overcast city of Portland which just makes me think that creepy things can happen there all the time.  

The main character Olivia lives in a time people when women were finally voicing their concerns and really wanting to be treated as equal with men.  When she hops on board with the Women's Suffrage movement, her father becomes so concerned that she is becoming too independent that he hires a hypnotist to help "cure" her dreams of going to college and other "nonsense". 

100 page Evaluation: Really interesting so far! Set in Portland so totally dreary but in a good way. Gives the book a really creepy feel. May have a paranormal aspect? They talk about Dracula a lot which makes me was to read it. Perfect fall read for around Halloween. Interested to see where this hypnotism thing goes.  I really like the creepy pictures.  

Overall thoughts: I was really hoping for something a little scarier, maybe something that was scary enough that I couldn't read it at night for fear that it would keep me up.  But it's nothing like that. The whole tone of the book is just creepy. It ends on a fairly good note and, I don't want to spoil anything, but she definitely doesn't turn out to be the typical girl in the end.  It was a little disappointing only because I thought it was going to be absolutely amazing and the cover just makes it seem like it's going to be different than it really is.  I'm definitely glad I read it because it was one of my most anticipated reads of this fall! 

Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Title: The Promise of Amazing
Author: Robin Constantine
Publisher: Balzar & Bray
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Source: ARC
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

My Thoughts: 

Wren works at her parents reception hall where she is a waitress during weddings and other big events.  During a wedding reception she saves a teenage boy from chocking on a pig in a blanket and cuteness follows throughout the of The Promise of Amazing.  

A lot of people are saying that they didn't like The Promise of Amazing because it has a bad case of insta-love. While I can see why there are a lot of harsh reviews with insta-love running rampant in YA right now, I'm willing to let this slide.  There are a few other things that bothered me about this book. 

So we have the usual story of the plain girl with the beautiful best friends but of course the hottest guy inexplicably wants her. His friends don't really want to be friends with him anymore because he's acting all different and doesn't really want to party like he used to.  They don't want him to get too serious with this girl because they know that she will make him a better person.  

Wren was kind of annoying and she doesn't listen when people tell her that Grayson is bad news.  Of course she looks the other way when he confesses his academic crimes that were worthy of expulsion.  Wren starts by forgiving the little things in the beginning which makes it easier for her to forgive the big things when the shit hits the fan.  And the whole thing about how she calls Grayson Gray right off the bat without him even telling her it was okay for her to call him that.  For some reason that really bothered me. I guess I know a lot of people who don't like nicknames.  

I consider Wren to be a very big person for being able to give Grayson a second chance after she finds out what he was really doing with this friends.  If I was in her position I don't think I could do it, but hey, she saved his life and apparently she loves him.

Overall, The Promise of Amazing was an okay contemporary read.  It kept my attention and I wanted to know how everything was going to play out.  I give The Promise of Amazing 3 starts for being enjoyable.

Review: Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepard

Title: Her Dark Curiosity
Author: Megan Shepard
Series: The Madman's Daughter #2
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Source: ARC

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

My thoughts:

Sequels are always ify for me and it never fails. No matter how much I loved the first book I’m always hesitant going into a sequel because I have been completely disappointed in the past. So I was very hesitant when I picked up Her Dark Curiosity the sequel to The Madman’s Daughter. I absolutely LOVED The Madman’s Daughter and I didn't want anything to taint a really great story.

I went into Her Dark Curiosity completely blind. I didn't read the synopsis and I really had no idea where this book was going to pick up after that crazy ending of The Madman’s Daughter. Her Dark Curiosity picks up about six months later and Juliet is back living in London and has become the ward of one of her father’s co-workers/friends. I thought it was very convenient that she is now living in wealth and she has her best friend’s company again which allows her excuses to steal away to a low rent apartment where she is working on reproducing her father’s serum and trying to make it better so it can cure her. The first part of the book was slow going, the only interesting parts were the string of murders of people who had wronged Juliet in the past.

Why is Juliet crazy though? WHY? What is this attraction she has to that beast boy who changes into this horrible animal who has a very strong blood lust? I’m thinking maybe it’s the animal parts in her speaking to the animal parts in him. It could be something. But she has enough of a rational mind to know that she shouldn't be having such feelings for a murderer! But then she remembers how he kissed her behind the waterfall on the island and she literally remembers that like 10 separate times!!!

Luckily Her Dark Curiosity gets better towards the end and it turns into quite the adventure. There are some very shocking moments and some revelations that are going to make the third book very interesting. I have a feeling there might be some kind of half human half weird beast animal baby happening. But we’ll see! I’m excited!

I'm giving this book a 3 and that's being very generous.

Review: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Title: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Author: Robin Sloan
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Girous
Source: Purchased
Find it Here: Goodreads, Amazon

Global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, young love, and the secret to eternal life — mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore. The Great Recession shuffles Clay Jannon from his web-design drone job to night shift at Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Curiously, few customers come in repeatedly and never buy. Analysis reveals astonishing secrets ...

My thoughts:

I heard about this book a little while ago and ever since I read the synopsis I knew I wanted to choose Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore for book club.  An independent bookstore that never closes, some kind of conspiracy going on with the patrons who only borrow books and never buy and a mystery that I was convinced would have me on the edge of my seat.  

Even though it was good and it was fun to read, it just wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be.  After reading the synopsis, I really thought that the patrons were going to be spies and that they were passing secret messages back and forth in the books they were borrowing.  But as it turns out, these mysterious patrons are trying to solve the secrets of the universe a.k.a. the secret to physical immortality.  These people in this cult are literally scrambling around, decoding all these books in the hopes that they will find some kind of code or recipe for a concoction that will grant them immortality.  

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is an adventure that was pretty fun to read.  Clay, the main character, and his quirky group of misfit friends set off to help Mr. Penumbra uncover what he has been searching for for many years.  Conveniently they have unlimited resources that allow them to travel to New York City at a moments notice and also allows them to get their hands on all the technology that they need.  By the end, when he happened to have connections to a librarian that got him what he needed, I felt that he was a little too lucky.  I liked the characters but I felt their only purpose was to help out Clay and Mr. Penumbra. They didn't have any depth and they were very static throughout the whole novel.  

Overall, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was a fun book to read and very appropriate for the book club. And hey! The cover of the paperback is pretty cool! It glows in the dark! I give Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 3.5 stars for being entertaining and fun.

Review: Hysteria

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Source: ARC from Netgalley and Publisher

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others.

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

My thoughts:

I have really been putting off this review. I just don't know what to write! I didn't hate Hysteria but I didn't love it either. The only way I can put it, is that it's weird in a weird way. I absolutely loved Megan Miranda's debut Fracture and I was so excited to hear that she had another book coming out and I was couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

Sadly to say, I was somewhat disappointed. The story could have been great! A girl who murders her boyfriend but was so traumatized by the event, she can't really remember what happened. Now she's being stalked by her dead boyfriend's mom and brother and to help her get away from all the drama, her parents are sending her to boarding school. That's the basic premise. And of course there's a new boy because what YA novel wouldn't be complete without a love interest.

I've read other reviews and people have talked about Hysteria being some sort of retelling of The Tale Tell Heart by Edgar Allen Poe and if I had known that going in I might have liked it a little more.  Honestly the parts when she could hear the mysterious heart beat kidn of annoyed me. They seemed a little out of place. Maybe if it had been pitched at a re-telling everything might had made more sense.

The main character Mallory didn't really do it for me. I didn't feel her guilt over killing her boyfriend nor could I feel her desperation that led up to that situation. I didn't have anything invested in the character so I didn't really care how it ended.  I really on continued to read so I could find out what really happened that night and why she killed him.

Hysteria was a flop for me.  Like I said before, I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. Have you read Hysteria? How did you feel about it?

Review: The Turning

Title: The Turning
Author: Francine Prose
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find it Here: B&N, Goodreads, Mysterious Galaxy
Source: ARC from HarperTeen

Jack is babysitting for the summer on an isolated island with no Wi-Fi, no cell service, and no one else around but a housekeeper and two very peculiar children. He immediately senses something sinister-and it's not just the creepy black house he's living in. Soon he is feeling terribly isolated and alone, but then he discovers there are others. The problem is, he's the only who can see them. As secrets are revealed and darker truths surface, Jack desperately struggles to maintain a grip on reality. He knows what he sees, and he isn't crazy…Or is he?

Where does reality end and insanity begin? The Turn of the Screw reinvented for modern-day teens, by National Book Award finalist Francine Prose.

My thoughts:

When I first saw the cover of this book, I thought to myself, “I must know what that book is about because it looks so creepy!” And then that synopsis sounded even creepier! So I went through the proper channels and practically begged for this ARC. I absolutely had to have it!

It was a really quick read which is something I am always grateful for. What kind of threw me off about it is the fact that it is written in letter form instead of chapters and I had a really hard time believing that a high school, teenage boy would write such lengthy letters as these. Some parts of the story were really creepy and other parts were really just weird. And even after it’s all said and done, the whole reason why the children were so weird was never really resolved. Maybe it was and I just don’t remember. It’s not really a book that stuck with me.

When I first started reading The Turning I had no idea that it was a modern retelling of an old classic The Turning of the Screw. I've never read it so I don’t have anything to compare it to but I enjoyed this really odd book. I like how he thought that he was seeing people who he thought were dead but then towards the end it got really weird because he was convinced he was falling in love with one of the ghosts. But overall, I give The Turning a solid 3 hearts for definitely being a different kind of book!

Audio Book Review: Because it is My Blood

Title: Because it is My Blood
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Series: Birthright #2
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Find it Here: B&N, Goodreads, Mysterious Galaxy
Source: ARC from ALA/Audio book for review from publisher

“Every time I think I’m out, they pull me back in.”- Michael Corleone, The Godfather

Since her release from Liberty Children's Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on: Natty has skipped two grades at Holy Trinity, Scarlet and Gable seem closer than ever, and even Win is in a new relationship.

But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world that she had been determined to escape. It’s a journey that will take her across the ocean and straight into the heart of the birthplace of chocolate where her resolve--and her heart--will be tested as never before.

My thoughts:

I really loved All These Things I've Done! So when I picked up the ARC of Because it is My Blood at ALA I was really excited to read it! But because I am a blogger and I always have a stack of books screaming at me to read them, the ARC got pushed aside all summer. Then I received the audio book in the mail and I saw the perfect opportunity to continue the story!

When I finally got into Because it is My Blood (not a fan of that title) I felt like the story was night and day from All These Things I've Done! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I read the first and listened to the second. The story just seemed to trudge along and not really have any direction! There were so many times I thought, “Where is this story going? What does the main character wish to accomplish?” There were a least three or four times where I thought the story could end between discs seven and nine but it continued on, in my opinion, aimlessly. I also felt that Anya getting in trouble and going back to Liberty Island was just another repeat of what happened before! I was really hoping that Zevin would have moved on and been able to further the story of Anya’s life.

As for Anya herself I thought she was complacent and somewhat removed from her family and the plot line. Instead of Anya being pro-active and moving the plot forward, the plot was moving her. It was annoying because I wanted to do something about it! Where as in All These Things I've Done, she is very involved in the affairs of her family and is very much the protector but in Because is it My Blood she seemed knocked down and for most of the book she allowed herself to be. Don’t even get my started on the way she acted with Win! She was like a deflated balloon the whole book! The only glimpse of the Anya I recognized was when she used her badass machete and cut off that guy’s hand!

I really believe that some of these complaints stem from the fact that I listened to the audio book. The narrator’s voice grated my nerves and didn't really embody the character of Anya that I had grown to love in All These Things I've Done. I am tentatively giving Because it is My Blood 3 hearts because I still want to know what happens in the next book. And I really hope there is only one more book in this series.

Review: Through to You

Title: Through to You
Author: Emily Hainsworth
Publisher: Balzar & Bray
Release Date: October 02, 2012
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC from ALA

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn't Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn't the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

My Thoughts:

The concept of the parallel universe has really hit big in the media and pop culture lately. Fringe is a really popular TV show and even though I have somewhat fallen away from, it’s a really great show! The idea that there are parallel universes out there with ourselves living different lives is a very interesting concept and I too wonder how my life would have changed had I made different choices.

Through to You starts off sad when we learn that Cam’s girlfriend Viv has died in a car accident. His whole life is turned upside down and he doesn't seem to know what to do to feel better. I have an easy time relating to characters that have lost someone very important in their lives and I immediately felt attached to him. Every time someone would try to get him to snap out of it, I would get a little upset because I know that everyone grieves differently. I was just so sad for him.

The Viv from Cam’s memories seemed like a really nice person and I could see why he really liked her. They got along well, they had common interests and when Cam because unpopular because he had to quit the football team, Viv supported him and quit cheer leading  They seemed like a really great couple. But when he starts hanging out with the other Viv in the other universe, I could see almost immediately how the two Vivs were different. Cam doesn't quit football in the other universe and it makes all of Viv’s unattractive qualities come out. She selfish, self-centered and jealous of all Cam’s other commitments. She was also very reckless.

The choices and the circumstances surrounding the choices that these characters made turned them into very different people. I’m really glad that Hainsworth was able to make that distinction. And sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side. I give Through to You 3 hearts because Hainsworth did a great job of combining science fiction and contemporary and turning it into a very enjoyable story.

Review: Beautiful Lies

Title: Beautiful Lies
Author: Jessica Warman
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release Date: August 07, 2012
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC, ALA

Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins-so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself?

My thoughts:

Beautiful Lies was a complete mind confusing mystery straight from chapter one! I don’t know any other way to explain it but to say WHAT??!!?? Rachel and Alice, identical monoamniotic twins, take readers on a really crazy adventure that never fails to throw twists and turns right in your face!

Rachel and Alice are identical monoamniotic twins which mean that they shared the same amniotic sack while they were in their mother’s womb. Apparently this type of twin is very rare and back when doctors didn’t know much about it, very few survived. That’s not too hard to wrap your head around because you can google it and read all about it. But then the reader is hit with the fact that the twins claim they share physical sensations such as pain. So when one twin is chocking the other twin chocks as well even though nothing is obstructing her airway. It’s a pretty interesting concept and it plays out really well in the book! Beautiful lies really reminded me of that really weird Lindsay Lohan movie I Know Who Killed Me. Even though the story lines are completely different, both sets of twins experience their sister’s physical sensations.

Although Alice and Rachel are identical, it turns out that their personalities are completely different. Rachel is the straight-A honors student who dresses conservatively and never breaks the rules. Alice is definitely the rule breaker. She struggles to pass her classes, breaks curfew and throws all of her energy and emotions into her art. I had the most difficult time keeping up with the flash back parts of the book. The littlest thing would trigger Alice’s memory and without warning the reader would be thrown into a memory that would last for pages! I sometimes forgot what was happening in the present time. I also got the implication that there was a history of mental illness in the family so I was never really sure if things were imagined or if they were real. The scene in the barn was the most bazaar for me. Alice is convinced her sister is bound and gagged in the hay loft and truly believes that she watched Rachel pull one of her own teeth out. Then suddenly Rachel is gone and when Alice goes back to the house, it’s like it never happened. Super weird!

In the end, I still don’t really know what happened! Were some of the characters real or imagined? I don’t know. Was it Rachel or Alice who was kidnapped? I don’t know. Was Alice seeing ghosts? I don’t know. Do the twins have special powers? I don’t know. I’ve struggled over the rating but I’ve decided to give Beautiful Lies 3 hearts because I was left with so many unanswered questions. If you’re looking for a good mindf**k, then this book is for you!

Review: Cold Kiss

Title: Cold Kiss
Author: Amy Garvey
Series: Cold Kiss #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Be careful what you wish for. . .


When Wren's boyfriend, Danny, died, Wren decided that what she wanted—what she had to do—was to bring Danny back. And so, in a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, she did.

But the Danny who returns isn't the boy Wren fell in love with, and she must hide him away while her life unravels around her. Then Gabriel transfers to her school and somehow he knows what she has done—and he wants to help make things right.

But Wren alone must undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.

My thoughts:

Cold Kiss was definitely not what I expected. I had heard that it was about zombies because the main character brings her boyfriend back from the dead but he's definitely not your typical zombie. Actually, I wouldn't really call him a zombie. Cold Kiss was more about witchcraft than anything else. It turned out that I kind of liked it and I kind of didn't like it. I've wavering between a rating of 2.5 and 3 hearts.

Wren is a weird character to me. She was really hard to relate to which is really the best way I could put it. I didn't like any of the decisions she made and I didn't enjoy getting to know this character. The parts that I did like were the flash backs of how she met Danny and the scenes that they had together. I really enjoyed their relationship before he died. Gabriel was an okay character and I'm kind of iffy about what I feel towards him too. I definitely did not like Wren's mom! She kept so many secrets from Wren even when Wren insisted that she tell her even a little bit! I was very annoyed!

Then there was the case of insta-love. Maybe it wasn't necessarily insta-love but it was definitely insta-connection. Gabriel is the new kid at Wren's high school and as soon as their eyes met from across the classroom they started to have feelings for each other! You don't even know him! You only know what he looks like! Things like this frustrate me very much!

I pretty much skimmed the last few chapters because I understood the jist of how it was going to end by then. I felt like most of the book was pretty predictable and I was ready to move on to my next read. I give Cold Kiss 2.5 hearts because it just wasn't anything special to me and I felt like this story has been told before.

Review: God Save the Queen

Title: God Save the Queen
Author: Kate Locke
Series: The Immortal Empire #1
Publisher: Orbit
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.

My thoughts: 

I thought this was a really interesting book! I really enjoyed the world building and the development of the creatures. Locke described it kind of like an evolution and the royal families evolved into the vampires that they are in the present time in God Save the Queen. It’s a very unique take on a world with vampires, werewolves, faeries, goblins and half bloods of everything in between!

I do have to say that Xandra is a pretty awesome main character! She’s part of the royal guard and had devoted her life to protecting the members of the aristocrat. She’s also a halvie so in her case she is half vampire and half human. Or is she? In the beginning of the book, one of her sisters, who has been at Bedlam, the mental institution, has gone missing and it sends Xandra on a mission and she ends up uncovering a lot of secrets about her family and the royals.

Looking for her sister brings her to meeting a very hot werewolf and I believe he is the leader of the werewolves of Scotland. This book became very confusing for me because I didn’t know there was a glossary of terms in the back. Soon, they get to know each other very well and they become lovers which I expected to be really fun because I thought this was an adult novel. But the author just skips right over all the sexy times. I’ve read some YA novels that were more graphic than God Save the Queen.

I also thought the cover was very misleading. The girl on the front is totally decked out in awesome steampunk cloths yet the steampunk is very minimal in the book. I expected more of a Girl in the Steel Corset (same author) feel but it definitely wasn’t there. I really enjoyed the vampire skulls on the cover; those are really awesome!

Overall, I was just a little disappointed. The cover and synopsis of God Save the Queen gave me expectations that were not met in the story. But the world building was interesting enough that I gave it 3 hearts because I will probably continue the series to find out what happened with the characters!

Review: The Little Woods

Title: The Little Woods
Author: McCormick Templeman
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC

Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school . . . until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth.

Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and . . . well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience.

My thoughts: 

I was so excited to get my hands on this book and start it! I thought I was really going to get a good scary story but when I discovered was a bit different. I wasn’t necessarily disappointed, because it was good, but it turned out to be more of a mystery/thriller type book. It isn’t bad because I love a good mystery that I can’t figure out but I was really hoping for something with a little more horror.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis! A little girl and her friend go missing in the wood near a boarding school and then about ten years later the little girl’s sister decides to attend that boarding school. We’re given no information of the facts surround her disappearance, so going into the story you don’t know if there could be a paranormal aspect to it. So there’s all this mystery surrounding this school before she even gets there.

Personally, I think the main character Cally is a little crazy for willingly applying and enrolling in the very school where her sister went missing! Really, really creepy! And of course there is more going on than Cally could ever have imagined. Before she arrived at the school, another girl went missing and most people believed she ran away. But when Cally and her friends find a body in the wood, things begin to unravel very quickly!

Boarding school dramas are always very interesting to me because with the absence of parents and constant chaperons, almost anything can happen. You don’t question why kids are sneaking around the school grounds late at night or throwing parties or hooking up behind the gym. It’s a boarding school and they’re usually not going to get caught.

Overall, I really enjoyed this thrilling mystery! I couldn’t figure out who had done it by the end so that’s a win in my book. I give The Little Wood 3 hearts for being an interesting mystery even though I was hoping for a horror.

Review: Love Story

Title: Love Story
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..


For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

My thoughts: 

Jennifer Echols is one of my favorite authors ever! Going Too Far completely changed the way I viewed contemporary novels. I read YA contemporary because of Jennifer Echols. The way she draws me into the story is incredible and I just find myself lost in her books.

I wish I could say all these wonderful things about Love Story. I struggled with it. We fought, Love Story and me. In the beginning, I actually considered putting it down and not finishing it. “But this is Jennifer Echols” I said to myself. I can’t not finish reading it! So I powered through and it turned out okay.

I got a bad taste in my mouth as soon as I met the main character. She seemed like one of those really popular girls that I can’t stand who treat other people as if they’re below her. I went to a somewhat expensive private high school so I’ve known quite a few of this type of girl. She may have felt bad for the way she treated Hunter but she never did anything about until it bit her in the ass.

I liked Hunter though. He’s a really great guy and still went after Erin even though she barley spoke to him in high school. I enjoyed the game that he played with her trying to get her to obviously want him and flirt with him. Playing hard to get! I think she deserved it.

In the end, it was interesting how they came together in a united front against her grandmother. But it still left me wondering who was going to take over the farm because her grandma can’t live forever. I give Love Story 3 hearts because it’s not one of my favorite Jennifer Echols books.

Review: The Unquiet

Title: The Unquiet
Author: Jeannine Garsee
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of the publisher

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?
Annaliese? Or herself?

My thoughts: 

The Unquiet seemed like it would be a really creepy and interesting ghost story. I had really been craving reading it when I first saw the cover and read the synopsis on Goodreads. I immediately requested it on Netgalley and I couldn’t wait to start it!

As soon as I began, I was a little bit disappointed. It started out like a lot of contemporaries I’ve read in the past. Girl arrives in a new town right before school starts, first boy girl meets she likes and they become a thing (because of course he’s good looking and single) and girl gets an immediate in with the kids at her new school. This aspect of the story really bothered me because I think it only shows one side to the character’s personality. All we’re seeing is that Rinn must be this amazing person because all the people flocked to her and wanted to be her friends instead of her having to seek out her friends. I think it show the complexity of a character.

What I did think was really interesting was her past and the disease that she struggles with and how it affected her before she moved to the new town. Like a lot of characters I read, Rinn carries around a lot of guilt and blames herself for the death of one of her loved ones.

I also really enjoyed the ghost story part. Annaliese was a really great ghost! She haunted the school’s pool room where she died and has feed off the energy of the other students. As she gets stronger and stronger she is able to affect people outside of school and Rinn’s friends start acting really crazy! I really loved the complexity of Rinn’s mom. She practically became a different person when Annaliese started gaining power. The mean girl inside of her starting coming out and it was pretty creepy!

As a whole, the book was pretty good and I enjoyed the ghost taking revenge on those who harm her story. I give The Unquiet 3 hearts because even though I liked it, I struggled to finish it.

Review- The Immortal Rules

Title: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My thoughts: 

This is a very difficult review for me to write. So many people are big fans of Julie Kagawa, her Iron Fey series and of The Immortal Rules. I’ve read the first two books in the Iron Fey series and even though I thought they were pretty good and enjoyable, I felt like they were unnecessarily long. And I have the same feelings toward The Immortal Rules. I enjoyed it enough, but I felt it was unnecessarily long.

When I heard Julie Kagawa was writing a vampire series, I inwardly groaned because I have grown somewhat weary of vampire books. There are only so many ways you can write a vampire story and after a while they all start sounding the same. But somehow Kagawa was able to make it different. I really enjoyed the dystopian aspect of the book and the world building. Allison is human in the beginning and she talks of humans being taken over, books being outlawed and not a lot of use for the modern technology that we have now. What really made her vampire story different was the hierarchy of the vampire race and the mass population of rabid vampires. When a master vampire creates anther vampire, the bloodline become diluted. So when that new vampire tries to create a new vampire it becomes even more diluted and it doesn’t take as easily. Thus ending up with rabids who have no inclination of common sense or self control.

But there the story becomes the same is the vampire who is struggling to hold on to her humanity. This is a very common story line in vampire books which is understandable because the vampire was once human and they don’t want to be some kind of killing machine. They don’t want to become what they once hated.

Allison is an enjoyable main character. She’s a strong, kick ass, Asian girl who wields a samurai sword! That’s pretty awesome! She has a fierce survival instinct but can also be compassionate. She took a weaker kid under her wing; she protected him from the bullies and fed him when she was struggling to feed herself. I really felt for her most of the time. She’s had it rough. As for the romance, I think it's doomed from the start! She meets Zeke on the road to Eden where vampires are not allowed in, but they still managed to fall for each other. I don't see how this romance could possible continue in the future! But it definitley has me looking forward to see how it's going to play out!

Even though I enjoyed The Immortal Rules, I have a feeling it was all build up to the next one. It makes me really excited to thinks that the second book is going to be completely awesome! I give this book 3.5 hearts for an action-packed adventure and incredible world building!

Review- The Girls of No Return

Title: The Girls of No Return
Author: Erin Saldin
Publisher: Scholastic
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Erin Saldin's The Girls of No Return is a lacerating young adult debut about girls, knives, and redemption. The Alice Marshall School, set within a glorious 2-million acre wilderness area, is a place where teenage girls are sent to escape their histories and themselves. Lida Wallace has tried to negate herself in every way possible. At Alice Marshall, she meets Elsa Boone, Jules, and Gia Longchamps, whose glamour entrances the entire camp. As the girls prepare for a wilderness trek, Lida is both thrilled and terrified to be chosen as Gia's friend. Everyone has their secrets – the “Things” they try to protect; and when those come out, the knives do as well.

My thoughts:

It’s been almost a month since I’ve read this book and I still don’t know how I feel about it. I guess it just threw me completely off guard and not in a good way. When I first saw the cover and the title, I thought that the book would be a little bit scary. I was actually hoping that it would be. Here is what I thought it would be about in one sentence: A bunch of girls who are at a camp or boarding school, row off together but something so terrible happens that only one of them returns. That was not what The Girls of No Return was about.

I crack open the book, so excited to get started on this super crazy, creepy mystery, that I could hardly contain my excitement when the book starts off with these really cryptic journal entries about something that happened that the main character can’t talk about. My excitement continues until about half way through the book when I realize that my assumptions are probably wrong. As it turns out, it’s about a girl who is sent to an all girl boarding school in the middle of nowhere because she’s rebellious.

Lida is a pretty cool character who really discovers who she is and what she’s good at while she attends the Alice Marshall School. I felt so bad for her after another girl cut off her hair while she slept during her first night there. Which made me think there was going to be some kind of mean-girl action going on which would have been awesome, by the way.

As far as the story goes, I really liked it. I’m always up for a good boarding school book and even though it was an all girls’ school, it still kept me interested. It was paced really well and I didn’t find myself getting bored. The ending was crazy and I definitely didn’t expect it. I give the Girls of No Return 3 hearts because the back and forth flash back action was done really well.

Review- One Moment

Title: One Moment
Author: Kristina McBride
Publisher: Egmont USA
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of Egmont and NetGalley

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

My thoughts: 

One Moment is about a girl going into the summer between her junior and senior years of high school and realizes just how much her life and her world can change in One Moment. As the truth unravels, she begins to understand that what she knew and what was really going on are completely different.

I was so excited when One Moment popped up on NetGalley and “read now” title at that! No permission required. I’ve been looking forward to all the great contemporary summer romance books coming out this summer and this one was near the top of my list! Even though I knew it wasn’t going to be a traditional romance but I was looking forward to unraveling all the secrets surrounding this close-knit group of friends.

Unfortunately, it was slightly disappointing and the most of the secrets were painfully obvious; obvious to everyone but the main character. Maggie loses her memory from the one moment where everything changes and spends the rest of the book trying to remember why she didn’t jump off the cliff with her boyfriend. I wouldn’t go to the extreme of saying the Maggie was annoying but she was definitely very naive. I was even getting frustrated with her when she still couldn’t recall the memory.

I am a grudge holder by nature so there is no way that I could have been a good person like Maggie and try to be friends with Shannon after everything that happened. Hats off to Maggie for being the bigger person. The ending was good and I was glad that she was able to discern the difference between the Joey (her dead boyfriend) that she build up in her head and the true Joey after all the secrets came out. And she was able to forgive him and let him go. That’s a lot to accomplish before starting your senior year of high school. I give One Moment 3 hearts for an interesting story and juicy, juicy secrets.

Review- Breaking Beautiful

Title: Breaking Beautiful
Author: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Publisher: Walker Children's
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of the publisher

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

My thoughts: 

Breaking Beautiful is about a girl dealing with the after math of a very serious car accident that ended her boyfriend’s life and coming to terms with their abusive relationship after his death. Most of the crash is missing from her memory because of her head injury but it turns out there is a lot more surrounding the accident than she first believed.

I really wanted to absolutely love this book. I really did. I mean, look at that gorgeous cover! I’ve been pinning for this book ever since I read the synopsis almost a year ago. But to be honest, because I must always be honest, it was slow and hard to get into. It’s evident after the first two chapters that her boyfriend was abusing her for most of their two year relationship. There are a few flashbacks but I really would have liked more.

I have a really hard time reading books about abusive relationships because they really get my blood boiling. Personally I can never understand what it’s like to love someone and have that same someone hurt you over and over again. If it had been me, I would have kicked him to the curb the first time he laid a hand on me. The part that really pissed me off was when he hit her in front of his friends and they pretended like they didn’t see it. What a bunch of pussies for not standing up to their friend.

I didn’t like that everything happened so suddenly at the end. I think I would have liked it better if it had been more progressive. A whole lot of shit when down at the end, almost all at the same time. Maybe the book wouldn’t have been so slow if it happened intermittently instead of all at once. I was feeling overwhelmed while I was reading it. I give Breaking Beautiful 3 hearts because even though it was heartbreaking it was slow going.

Review- Goddess Interrupted

Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Series: Goddess Test #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of Harlequin and NetGalley

Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person whom she would really rather not meet. Henry's first wife, Persephone.

My thoughts: 

I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with this series. I thought The Goddess Test was just okay so I wasn’t anxiously awaiting the release of Goddess Interrupted. I knew that if it was available on NetGalley then I would probably read and of course, it was, so I did.

My attitude towards this book while reading it was annoyance. I was annoyed at Kate because she was too passive sometimes. I was annoyed at Henry because he was just a complete douche bag throughout most of the book and wouldn’t even touch her or look at her. It was like a flashback from the first book. And I was annoyed at the rest of the gods and goddesses because they wouldn’t tell her anything. They would just brush her off and she would sit in her room by herself. She’s a goddess now! NO MORE KEEPING SECRETS!! Don’t even get me started on Persephone. She was a bitch. Calliope is a bitch too!

I believe that most of my annoyance with the characters stems from their complete lack of communication. No one was telling Kate what was going on, not even her mother. Henry and Kate barley spoke to each other. Henry just assumed things about Kate because he wouldn’t tell her how he was feeling. When they finally did speak, everything got a lot better. Funny how sitting down and talking can fix a lot.

The only thing that really kept me reading was the action and the journey through the Underworld. Even though I liked the action, it was kind of confusing. Most of the fighting happened away from Kate and with Henry so it wasn’t something we always got to see. And then her visions confused me too. I thought they were visions of the future. So when they happened I didn’t realize that what she saw was going on in real time. I also think it’s interesting that Kate is finally realizing that she’s going to have to navigate through learning how to be fair and just when sentencing people in the Underworld.

All the confusion, annoyance and lack of communication was completely made up for in the end. OMG what a cliffhanger!!!! WOW…just wow! Now I really, really, really want to read the next one. But there better not be a three-peat of Henry and Kate’s relationship. I would have given this book 2 hearts but that ending was so out of the blue that I had to throw in another one! 3 hearts to Goddess Interrupted!!