Review: Deadly Cool

Deadly Cool

by Gemma Halliday (Website | Facebook)

Series: Deadly Cool, #1

Published: October 11th, 2011 by HarperTeen

Pages: 303 (Paperback)

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name. 

But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.

Every now and then I find myself craving a fast and light book that'll put me in a good mood. It's easy for me to burn out on my reading when I read multiple novels from the same genre, one after another. Not only did Deadly Cool provide a much needed change of pace, but its humor-filled pages and lovable characters won me over big time. I did have a couple minor issues with it, but Deadly Cool was just what I needed.

While Deadly Cool immediately caught my interest, I had my reservations about it. First off, as a lover of super complicated mysteries, its short length concerned me because I worried it would lack enough plot development and twists to keep me intrigued. Second, I was warned that despite the obvious chemistry between Hartley and Chase, there wasn't actually any romance in the novel. Because of these two reasons, I was really surprised at how much I loved this book! Even though I guessed who the murderer was and had a good idea of his/her motive from early on, I loved following along with Hartley and Chase as they worked to figure it out. I was always entertained and engrossed in their progress, and it never annoyed me when they didn't see something right off the bat. Even more surprisingly, I LOVED how Gemma Halliday didn't put romance in. She put Hartley in so many awkward yet hilarious situations that built up their chemistry and kept me wishing they'd just kiss already! But it was so realistic! I'm hoping we see more them in book two.

Hartley, Sam and Chase were great characters who felt like real people. I liked the fact that Hartley didn't have super awesome detective skills but relied on her ingenuity and quick thinking. I also loved that Chase didn't fall into the typical dark, brooding, and mysterious guy pattern. Gemma Halliday gave all of her characters (except for the killer) the right amount of quirkiness to make them stand out and conventionalism to make them recognizable and relatable.

Halliday also did an excellent job of capturing the ways teens interact with one another. My favorite part of Deadly Cool was how funny the dialogue was! Within the first few pages I was literally laughing out loud. I NEVER do that when I read but I just couldn't help it! Hartley is one snarky, clever girl. And when she and her best friend Sam would censor themselves, I just about lost it. They reminded me so much of me and my best friend (except we aren't that funny) in the way they talk to each other and to those around them. I would honestly love to be friends with them, although I don't know if I'd be able to keep up.

The only thing I didn't really like about Deadly Cool was the motive of the murderer. This might be super vague since I don't want to give anything away, but I didn't fully buy it. I know people have killed for much less but I still would have enjoyed a more complicated explanation. Finally, while not a dislike or a negative, Hartley's school dynamic surprised me. My high school wasn't as drama/gossip centered as her's, so I found it weird just how much these kids relied on camera phones and blogs to blackmail each other and spread "news". I've always wondered what going to a school like that would be like, and I am so glad that I didn't have to deal with that kind of crap for four years.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I loved this novel! It's a hilarious and creative book with wonderful characters and snappy dialogue that you will devour in one sitting.

Review: Slide

Slide

by Jill Hathaway (Blog | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Slide #1

Published: March 27th, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Pages: 250 (Hardcover)

Genre: Mystery, Paranormal

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth--her sister's friend Sophie didn't kill herself. She was murdered. Vee knows this because she was there.

Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn't actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else's mind and experiences the world through that person's eyes. She's slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed "friend" when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie's slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can't bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting distant lately, especially now that she's been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

Slide will stick with me for a long time. Not because it’s a great mystery or paranormal novel, but because of how prominent the elements of family bonds and forgiveness are. Each of the novel's characters has to work through his or her own set of personal and familial tragedies. They all have to find ways to let go of their pasts, to forgive themselves and each other in order to find what is truly important and what's worth living for.

As far as the mystery goes, there were a few jaw dropping moments... evident by Bill screen capping me when I was reading while on Skype... but it wasn’t the chilling or intense thriller I was craving. Instead, Slide ended up being a much deeper story. Honestly, I forgot a couple of times that I was reading a paranormal book because it reads so much like a contemporary - delving into family dynamics, suicide, depression, and vengeance. Vee’s slides are there, but they aren’t a huge part of the book. Now, while I see this as spicing up an otherwise contemporary novel, I understand how this can frustrate other readers because there were times when I wished her ability was more prominent.

I absolutely loved how close Vee and Mattie were. Guys, there is some serious sisterly love going on in this book. Even though they have very different interests and friends, their love and loyalty to one another always comes first. Since their mother died of cancer, their dad has basically become a walking shell of a person. He tries to be there for his daughters, but it’s difficult for him. So Vee is left to take care of her sister. Which she does without a complaint. However, even though Mattie is SO damaged during this novel, she still worries about her sister and does her best to be there for Vee too. The love this family has for each other is unwavering, and I love how well the relationships were created.

The only thing I did not like about Slide was the ending. Everything seemed to come together at the very last minute. It didn't feel crammed or rushed, but the whole reveal and finale happened in like 20 pages. The answer to the overarching mystery made a lot of sense, and I definitely didn't see all of it coming, which is what I want in a mystery… I just wasn't satisfied. Jill came up with a great way to pull together and end many of the novel’s subplots, while at the same time creating some leeway for more character development and relationship building. But there were parts I wished she would have fleshed out. Like Vee’s last slide! Why did it have to happen like that?! :( As soon as my excitement rose and I started turning the pages faster and faster, it was over. 

When I finished it, I didn’t know that Slide is the start of a series. While I would love to see what happens with the characters, I’m not quite sure if the novel really needs a sequel. I for one am perfectly content with the story’s ending. But if Jill has more in store for us, I'm down. Beautifully written with a captivating storyline, Slide is very much a novel about a broken family trying to be whole again. It’s a great book for lovers of contemporary, and those a bit hesitant about paranormal. 

Rating: 3/5 stars
As a mystery and paranormal book, I was disappointed with the big reveal as well as the lack of info on Vee's slides. As a contemporary with a little extra magic, I loved the family aspects and the bond between Vee and her sister. Give it a try, but check it out from the library.

- Alysson

Review: Matched & Audiobook

Matched

by Ally Condie (Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Matched, #1

Published: November 30th, 2010 by Dutton Juvenille

Pages: 369 (Hardcover)

Genre: Dystopian

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. 

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Have you ever started a book thinking it would be all that and a bag of chips? And then it was?! Well that’s how I felt about Matched… my second time around anyways. My first try was disastrous. I was bored, I couldn’t figure out how to pronounce Cassia’s name, and Xander with an “X” was irritating me. I actually gave it another go because of my mom. She asked me if the series was worth the time AND YES, Maja, it's SO WORTH IT! I was curious about the world, fell in love with the characters, was sucked into the love story… I just thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Let’s start with the negative – Matched has a ridiculously slow beginning, as in you would’ve got 5 stars but I almost stopped reading you twice so now you get 4. During the first couple of chapters we get some very basic information on The Society and about Cassia. It’s informative but also super dry. I hoped the novel would quickly pick up speed because I was hesitant of its premise - I wanted to know if this book would be about more than Cassia and a forbidden romance (more on this later!). Unfortunately, the first third or so was excruciatingly slow and I was seriously considering calling it quits again when I decided to check out the audiobook. Well, I ended up loving the story!

Condie really knows how to create a world full of intrigue and secrecy. At first I thought Matched was just a love story. But oh how I was wrong! It took a while to figure out where she was actually taking the novel, but I am so thrilled about how she used Cassia and Ky’s relationship to set up rebellion and conspiracy, as well as a means of uncovering the dark details of The Society. I was so excited (I’m still excited) about how much deeper Matched gets! Safe to say, I am now sufficiently addicted to the series and invested in what happens to everyone.

The character development in Matched is flawless. Cassia buys into everything The Society tells her and she honestly believes it has improved the way people now live. Her devotion to her family and to The Society’s rules is believable since it’s all she has ever known, but it takes falling in love with Ky for her to stop blindly following orders. I liked this; it showed Cassia growing out of her ignorance and naivety in a totally believable way.

There is a love triangle in Matched but I actually liked this one. It added to the character development and (obviously) got the plot moving. Xander is Cassia’s best friend and her match. He’s sweet and loving, fiercely loyal, and all around a great guy. But he just didn’t have that umph for me. Out of the three major characters, Xander fell a bit flat. Not like Ky. Ky, why must you be so mysterious and intelligent and sexy? Oh… to make me fall for you? Okay, I’m good with that. ;)

Matched is one of those books that takes a long time to finally get going, but once it starts, it flies by. The world Cassia lives in is ruled by statistics and probabilities. Everything is calculated and decided for you. You have no free will. Watching these characters break out from underneath that mindset in their own ways was a rewarding experience, and I can’t wait to finally start Crossed.

Rating: 4/5 stars
I would have liked to have been sucked into this book sooner, but the payoff was great. Buy a copy pronto (or better yet listen to the audiobook!) and don’t give up on it!

Matched

Narrated by Kate Simses

9 hours and 54 minutes | Unabridged 

Kate Simses does a spectacular job with this book! She really is an amazing storyteller. I got lost in her narration so easily, particularly because of her spot on voices. Cassia’s voice was cool and calculating, void of most emotion and matter-of-factual. But as the story unfolded, Cassia’s character changed into a more emotional and spirited girl, and so did Simses’ voice. :D She also added depth and dimension to the other characters as well: Bram sounded like a scared little boy; Cassia’s mother was strong but hesitant; Ky – restrained and measured; Em – emotional and full of life… it goes on! She gave Matched the life it needed to really suck me in, and I found myself digging around for my old CD player so I wasn't limited to listening in my car.

I absolutely loved the dramatic piece of background music that would play during a heartfelt or intense scene. I thought it added an extra bit of emotion and urgency to the situations in which it played. Honestly though, I didn’t listen to the last disk… I couldn’t stand having the last 40 pages be drawn out to a little less than hour, so I went to Barns and Nobles and sped through it. So if the last disk was AWESOME and had lots of sound effects, I have no idea.

Rating: 5/5 stars
I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a listen though, whether you’re reading Matched for the first time and especially if you’re re-reading it, you won’t be disappointed!

Have you read Matched and/or the rest of the series? If you have, did you enjoy it? If not, what’s keeping you from checking out a copy? I’d love to discuss! :)

- Alysson

Review: This Dark Endeavor

This Dark Endeavour

by Kenneth Oppel (Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #1

Published: August 22nd, 2011 by HarperCollins

Pages: 304 (Hardcover)

Genre: Steampunk & Historical

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real. They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only peaks Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not be satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. Elizabeth, Henry, and Victor immediately set out to find assistance in a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula.

Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrads life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another.

I hate not finishing a book. I’m one of those people who will stubbornly cling to a novel, reading a few pages every day just hoping to finally fall in love with it. Because, what if, in the next 10 pages something totally epic happens and I missed it?! After my experience with Code Name Verity, I’m scared to death of DNF-ing a novel, which is why I had such a difficult time deciding whether I should keep going with the beautifully written This Dark Endeavor or call it quits.

This Dark Endeavor is about twin brothers, Konrad and Victor. Konrad is everyone’s favorite and he always seems to outshine Victor at everything they do. Needless to say, while Victor’s love for his brother is evident, he struggles with his jealousy. When Konrad gets really sick, Victor, their cousin Elizabeth, and best friend Henry set off to create the elixir of life. That sounds awesome right? Full of brotherly love, drama, and some serious questing action? That’s why I was super excited when I finally checked it out. But alas, I can only begin to tell you how disappointed I am that I didn’t like it. And truth be told, I only got halfway through the audiobook before I decided it was time to part ways.

Normally I like it when the books I read have a lot of description and strong character development because I like the feeling of being grounded in and a part of the characters’ lives. In this area, This Dark Endeavor did not disappoint. I devoured Oppel’s lyrical writing through which he formed a vivid image of Gothic Geneva. I loved being able to clearly and easily imagine Victor and Konrad’s home and the novel’s various settings. Also, from early on I felt like I had a pretty solid understanding of the characters’ motivations, even though I didn’t connect with or honestly like them. This all is well and good, but I just wanted more. I wanted a fast-paced, gripping adventure of love and loss and alchemy and deceit and all that good stuff! And who knows, maybe if I saw This Dark Endeavor through to its end my wants would have been satisfied.

While Oppel’s dark and beautiful writing made up for the lack of action in the beginning, pretty soon my patients ran out, my frustration with Victor and Elizabeth grew, and my boredom from the narration ultimately lead to my decision to stop listening. Overall, I liked the premise and I liked seeing how Victor struggled with his hedonism and his love for Konrad, but it wasn't enough to keep me enthralled.

On the audiobook…
Sometimes a narrator can add life into a novel making it amazing. Other times, a narrator can ruin an otherwise wonderful book. In this case, the narrator killed a good deal of my initial excitement. I didn’t like his voices and he sounded so apathetic. I don’t know if it’s just me, but when the narrator sounds like he’s bored, my motivation to keep listening dwindles. If the audiobook wasn’t the only thing I had to listen to on a four hour drive, I probably would have stopped reading sooner.

Rating: Did not finish.
I'd recommend this to someone who doesn't mind a slow story. Oppel's writing is wonderful, and you get a good feel for the characters, but I really do think you should pass on the audio version.

Have you read This Dark Endeavor? If so, did you like it better than I did? What is your experience with audiobooks? Has one ruined a novel for you like it did for me? 

- Alysson

Review: The Kill Order

The Kill Order

by James Dashner (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Maze Runner, #0.5 (Prequel)

Published: August 14th, 2012 by Delacorte BFYR

Pages: 327 (Hardcover)

Genre: Dystopian

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

I really really liked the Maze Runner series so if you haven’t read it yet, you should. That being said I was understandably excited for The Kill Order. I did really like this book, but in a really different way than the other books in the series, which wasn’t something I expected. I’ll try to leave out as many spoilers from the Maze Runner trilogy as possible in this review, but there might be a couple.

First off this is a prequel to The Maze Runner so I feel like reading the trilogy first would make The Kill Order more enjoyable since there are some things in it that spoil parts of the trilogy. I might have just noticed them 'cause I was looking for them though. Although, I think Allie said she was going to read this one first and then the Maze Runner series and see how that is, so keep an eye out for that in the future!

The characters in The Kill Order did have depth and I did care about them, but only to a point. It might be that I’m really attached to the characters from the Trilogy, but the characters in this were a little flat. Also, I felt that the point of this book wasn't necessarily to tell its characters' story but rather to flush out the world of Maze Runner. I was about halfway through The Kill Order when I realized it seemed like I hardly knew any of the characters, I got over it by the end of the novel but it definitely took me a while to feel connected to the characters. I did like the way that the group dynamics worked because it felt real. Like I hate it when the interpersonal relations of a novel are like this: there are 7 characters and they're all "oh we're best friends every single one of us!" There's no depth in that.

The Kill Order is set 13 years before the events of The Maze Runner, right as the world goes crazy. I thought the world-building was awesome, and I love how a major portion of this book was about building on to the world that the characters from both The Kill Order and The Maze Runner live in. I really did feel like by the end of the novel I had learned a lot more about the fascinating world Dashner created, and how people adapted to it. Also, it gives a lot of background on some of the major players from the main trilogy - which I really appreciated because when I was reading them, I wanted to know more about why things were the way they were and how the world got to the way it was.

Overall I think that The Kill Order is better seen as a sort of companion novel to the Maze Runner trilogy since it provides a lot of details on the world and its politics. I still really enjoyed it and I think that if you've read The Maze Runner and need something to read for a rainy weekend that this is a great choice. On a side note: the back of this book is awesome, it’s just the words “ EXPOSURE INFECTION TRANSMISSION PANDEMIC EXTINCTION”  in bold font, which would definitely make me intrigued if I saw it in a store or library.

I'm giving this one two ratings: 
    - For a standalone novel - 3/5 stars: It was good but not breathtaking
    - As an extension of the main series - 4/5 stars: I loved world building and it provided lots of answers.

Review: The Assassin's Curse

The Assassin's Curse
by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: The Assassin's Curse, #1

Published: October 2nd, 2012 by Strange Chemistry

Pages: 320 (Paperback)

Genre: Fantasy

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

The Assassin's Curse seriously has everything - pirates, assassins, wizards and curses! Everything to make this one of my favorite books. The story starts with Ananna, the daughter of a pirate captain, being married off to form an alliance within the pirate clan. This is not what Ananna wants - she wants to become the captain of her own vessel and sail the seas. Naturally she runs away and an assassin is sent after her, to bring her back to be married or if not, kill her. This is where the story starts to get really interesting because in the course of fighting off her assassin, Ananna saves his life, which sets in place a curse that makes Naji have to watch over her for the rest of his life. That certainly is an interesting premise, and one that was delivered quite well I might add.

Waiting on Wednesday (1): Quantum Coin

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's a feature designed to spotlight upcoming novels we can't wait to get our hands on. Click the link for more!

Quantum Coin
by E.C. Myers
Series: Coin, #2
Release Date: October 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Pyr
Genre: Science Fiction
Goodreads 

Ephraim thought his universe-hopping days were over. He's done wishing for magic solutions to his problems; his quantum coin has been powerless for almost a year, and he's settled into a normal life with his girlfriend, Jena. But then an old friend crashes their senior prom: Jena's identical twin from a parallel world, Zoe.

Zoe's timing couldn't be worse. It turns out that Ephraim's problems have just begun, and they're much more complicated than his love life: The multiverse is at stake—and it might just be Ephraim's fault.

Ephraim, Jena, and Zoe embark on a mission across multiple worlds to learn what's going wrong and how to stop it. They will have to draw on every resource available and trust in alternate versions of themselves and their friends, before it's too late for all of them.

If Ephraim and his companions can put their many differences aside and learn to work together, they might have a chance to save the multiverse. But ultimately, the solution may depend on how much they're willing to sacrifice for the sake of humanity...and each other.

I read Fair Coin earlier this year and I thought the concept was pretty awesome. But I didn't realize it was part of a series! I'm excited to learn more about all the different worlds introduced in the first book. Luckily this comes out next week. :P

- Bill

Review: Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies
by Isaac Marion (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Standalone

Published: April 26th, 2011 by Atria

Pages: 241 (Paperback)

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Borrowed from library

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion is not your typical zombie story; it’s from the point of view of R, a zombie with a surprising amount of intellect. Much like how some vampires are shown to hate their existence as such, R hates being a zombie, as much as his stunted emotions allow him too. Throughout the novel R shows a surprising amount of depth for a guy who eats brains.

Review: Shadows

THIS REVIEW MIGHT HAVE A SPOILER FOR ASHES

If you haven't yet read Ashes, you might want to find a spoiler-free review of Shadows.

Shadows
by Ilsa J. Black (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Ashes Trilogy, #2

Published: September 25th, 2012 by Egmont

Pages: 528 (Hardcover)

Genre: Post Apocalyptic & Horror

Contains: Lots of gore, zombie like people

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.

Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she’d come to love. But she was wrong. 

Now Alex is in the fight of her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don’t trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive.

Shadows starts right where Ashes left off, which if you read Ashes,  is a really good thing. After having read the first book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Shadows - if only to know about the very first scene.  This book adds on to Ashes well and delivers in some ways that Ashes didn’t, but it also has some of its own short comings.

Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy
by Richelle Mead (Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter )
Series: Vampire Academy, #1
Published: August 16th, 2007 by Razorbill
Pages: 332 (Paperback)
Genre: Paranormal
Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

 
I’ve been hearing things about the Vampire Academy series for years but for some reason they never appealed to me. Maybe that was because of all the twilight hype suffocating me and I was turned off of vampires. Maybe it was because I had read so many  mediocre vamp books that I had little faith in starting a new series. But I was a flipping idiot because not only is Vampire Academy now my favorite book in the genre (only after Morganville <3) it’s one of my favorite books in general.

Review: The Unquiet

The Unquiet

by Jeannine Garsee (Website | Blog | Twitter)
Series: Standalone

Published: July 7th, 2012 by Bloomsbury

Pages: 388 (Hardcover)

Genre: Contemporary & light paranormal

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

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?

The premise of The Unquiet appealed to me instantly: a bipolar teen with a troubling past, now questioning reality? Yes please. I thought a novel centered on a mental disorder and ghosts would make a great story, but I was disappointed with the delivery. I love ghost stories. I love all the things a good ghost story brings and all the things that, sadly, The Unquiet did not. At almost 400 pages, the haunting elements of this book were lost in the process of questionable character development and an excessive focus on relationships. That being said, and even though the ghost story was weak, the unnerving atmosphere undeniably saves the novel.

Review: Ruined

Ruined

By Paula Morris (Website | Blog | Twitter)
Series: Ruined, #1
Published: August 1st, 2009 by Point
Pages: 304 (Paperback)
Genre: Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans. She's staying in a creepy house with her aunt, who reads tarot cards. And at the snooty prep school, a pack of filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey gives Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, among the oak trees in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to show Rebecca the nooks and crannies of New Orleans.

There's just one catch - Lisette is a ghost. A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle.

As Rebecca is drawn deeper into a web of old curses and cryptic customs, she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

Morris has an enviable ability to produce a novel so rich in history and details and culture without making the reader overwhelmed. Usually paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions are daunting for me. I just want to get back to the plot. But with Ruined that was not the case at all. Everything Paula Morris wrote was relevant to the story and to Rebecca's growth as a character. I got lost with the ornate descriptions of historic mansions, debutante gowns and Mardi Gras festivities transforming into vivid scenes in my head many many times while I was reading.

Review: Human.4

Human.4
by Mike A. Lancaster (Blog | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Point 4, #1
Published: March 8th, 2011 by Egmont
Pages: 272 (Paperback)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Source: Bought

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie 

It's a brave new world.

'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.' So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded on to old audio tapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax. But perhaps they contain the history of a past world. If what the tapes say are true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie. 

And if everything we know is a lie does that mean that we are, too?

Human.4 (also titled 0.4) has become one of my favorite books. It's one of those stories that, when you finish that last page and set the book down, you think "Holy crap. What if this is real?" My mouth was literally hanging open for a large portion of the novel.

Review: The Obsidian Blade

The Obsidian Blade 
by Pete Hautman (Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube)

Series: Klaatu Diskos #1
Published: April 10th, 2012 by Candlewick
Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Source: Borrowed from library

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished — only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness.

But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing — one right on top of the roof — hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journey — from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman was an exciting read that gripped me from beginning to end. The premise of the story is fairly simple: sometime in the future people built portals called Diskos that travel to various locations and times throughout human history. And now, some of the people from those times are finding the portals. The story follows Tucker Feye as he discovers and eventually learns the nature of these portals.

Review: Purity

Purity
by Jackson Pearce (Blog | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube)

Series: Standalone
Published: April 24th, 2012 by Little, Brown BFYR
Pages: 218 (Hardcover)
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Borrowed from library

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

Jackson Pearce tackles controversial subjects in her contemporary debut, Purity. Death, sex, faith, love - Purity had it all. I picked it up soon after I read Sister's Red because I couldn't get enough of Pearce's lush and vivid prose. And while the writing definitely lived up to my expectations, I was extremely disappointed with how much I didn't enjoy this book. I heavily rely on strong main characters and compelling plots to stay interested in what I read. Purity, unfortunately, lacked both.

Review: Ashes

Ashes
by Ilsa J. Black (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Ashes Trilogy, #1
Published: September 6th, 2011 by Egmont
Pages: 465 (Hardcover)
Genre: Post Apocalyptic & Horror
Contains: Gore, zombie-ish creatures

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. 

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

I thought Ashes was really intriguing. It had a really interesting premise and I had high hopes going into it. However, I found that it was a little slow to start and spent a lot of time building up to the main story. It especially spends a surprisingly large chunk talking about Alex’s “monster,” which was a bit frustrating because once the book really starts moving there is very little mentioned about it except at a few points. The best way to describe Ashes is a rollercoaster - there’s a long buildup in the beginning but once you reach a certain point it starts moving faster and really pulls you in.