Assassin Study

Author: Maria V Snyder
Series: Study #1.5
Publication Date: March 1, 2008
Source: Purchased

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Summary from Goodreads: Yelena, the heroine of Maria V. Snyder's stunning debut novel Poison Study, is on her way to her ancestral homeland of Sitia to be reunited with her family and to learn more about her magical powers. An order of execution hangs over her head should she ever return to Ixia. But her true love, Valek, quickly learns that an assassin has taken it upon himself to make sure Yelena doesn't reach her destination.
As Ixia's chief of security, and a highly skilled assassin himself, can Valek track down the killer in time to save Yelena's life?

This short story is told from Valek's perspective, but it doesn't really add to the series - it is straight forward and there is no character development. In terms of timing the novella takes place right in between books 1 and 2, however it seemed kind of pointless. The quality of the writing was not nearly as good as Poison Study. Honestly, it was a bit of a let down.

Important Note: After looking at the Author's website (where you can read this short story for FREE, it is apparent that the reader's were given the opportunity to vote on Valek's actions, which might explain some of the problem with the character development.

This Monstrous Thing

Author: Mackenzi Lee
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Source: Purchased
Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Summary from Goodreads: In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.
His brother, Oliver—dead.
His sweetheart, Mary—gone.
His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.
Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.
But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.
Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

I picked up this book after hearing Mackenzi Lee talk about it at Boston Teen Author Festival. At the event Mackenzi described the book as a steampunk Frankenstein retelling that was unique because Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, is a character in the book. Listening to how excited Mackenzi was about her book and the way she described it, I expected to be swept away to 1818 Geneva into a mysterious place where people had clockwork body parts.

Unfortunately, I found the world building to be lacking, I never felt pulled into 1818 Geneva. I also felt like the steampunk aspect could have been given more attention, but it just kind of felt like there was an expectation that the reader was already familiar with steampunk and would fill in the gaps of the descriptions.

The characters were OK. They were consistent and flawed, but not particularly well developed. The plot moved at a somewhat slow pace. There wasn't enough action for me, it felt a little ho-hum at times. There is a great deal of hinting toward a secret and an eventual big reveal, but unfortunately when the big reveal came, it was pretty predictable. There were a few surprises, but nothing spectacular.

All that being said, I ultimately felt like this book had a lot of potential but fell a little short. I enjoyed it, but likely wouldn't pick it up again.

The Fire Wish

Author: Amber Lough
Publication Date:July 22, 2014
Source: Boston Book Festival
Summary from Goodreads: A jinni. A princess. And the wish that changes everything. . . .

Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad—which she’ll do anything to avoid. So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form—as each other. A jinni and a human, trading lives. Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered—enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.

"Meh" about sums up how I feel about this book. It had so much potential, but unfortunately was under developed. The main character, Zeyele and Najwa, were not well developed which made the alternating point of view difficult and made the switching places aspect a bit difficult. The secondary characters were so so. The plot moves at about an average ho-hum pace. About two thirds of the way into the book, things start to get good. We learn about the history behind this human vs jinni war and the action finally begins. The climax and resolution are quick and really would have benefitted from some fleshing out. Also, the ending wasn't even really an ending for a book, it felt more like how you end a chapter. While I liked the book, I can't say that I would continue the series. I do think that this book would be a good read for middle grade students.

Dorothy Must Die

Author: Danielle Paige
Series: Dorothy Must Die #1
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Source: Purchased
Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Summary from Goodreads: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.
What happened? Dorothy.
They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission.

Rating: êê

Review

I had really high expectations for this book. The Wizard of Oz is my all time favorite movie and I was really excited to see that this book had such an awesome twist to the well known classic. I liked the twist, I liked that our preconceived notions about Dorothy were challenged and that she was the villain, I liked that our heroine was a nobody from Kansas, and I liked the twist on the other well known characters from the classic. While the writing was good, I wasn't entirely swept away. I really liked Amy, but I wasn't really crazy about any of the other characters. I guess part of my problem is that I felt like there was so much potential for this book to be amazing and it fell a little flat for me.

Bright Fire (Blog Tour, Review, Interview)

Author: MJ Austin
Published: January 17, 2015
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Amazon

Summary from Goodreads: Delfia thought she was a normal girl about to turn sixteen until her adoptive parents are murdered by creatures from the underworld. Her life gets thrown into chaos as she teams up with her best friend, a strange guy, and a prophetess. She soon discovers her biological father, Hades, ordered the attack on her and her family because a prophecy names her as the one to take him down. She must first complete a set of tasks to free Persephone, her mother, from the underworld and defeat Hades. Will she be reunited with her mother or will she get sucked into the underworld?

*Book is geared towards readers that liked Percy Jackson Series, Need Series, etc.*

Interview

Who is your favorite Greek Mythology character and why?

This is a very hard one. I would say right now my favorite greek mythology character is Hephaestus. Strange I know, but I love how he was given hardships and still became someone very important. Monster wise, I would say Gorgons (Medusa) because that's what my family calls me when I wake up. HaHa!

I love Greek Mythology and find the story of Hades and Persephone to be one of the most interesting ones. What made you to choose them as Delfia's parents?
When you are trying to write a novel, your biggest asset is the 'what makes you different' factor. I saw a bunch of books with Zeus and Poseidon as parents and i thought, what about Hades? Plus I love Persephone's story and thought writing around that would be fun, and it is. 

Is Delfia's name inspired by the city of Delphi? Where does her last name come from?
Wow I didn't even think of the angle with Delphi, that would have been interesting. I actually really liked the title Bright Fire and decided to look up names that matched it. I wanted to bring something that represented both Persephone and Hades. 

Terentia means guardian is Greek, how much research went into including details like that in the story?
This I did research for that purpose. I knew there had to be greek versions of everyday american things. It took hours upon hours, but it is totally worth it. I am still researching all the time. I loved mythology in school and now that I can appreciate it even more, it is so much fun to learn. I remembered the basics, but every time I research, something else in my writing just falls into place. It's amazing. 

What is the most interesting thing you learned while researching? 

Hmm. I am an education junkie so this is hard for me to answer. The most interesting thing would probably be that Zeus was kind of a floozy. I had no idea just how many offspring the guy had. It makes it hard to correlate people into the story without screwing up facts. I know fiction is subjective, but still. 

Lyla seems like a really great best friend, how did you go about writing and developing her character?
I wrote Lyla in the image of my best friend Jen Jen. Every author pulls from their life, after all that's where most of your experience comes from. You can't write it, if you don't know it. We did actually have Binge Nights as kids. And she is one of those perky blondes everyone takes for ditzy until she wows you with a smart comment and they are put in their place.

Rating: êê

Review

I love this unique spin on the story of Persephone and Hades. It's clear that the author did a great deal of research prior to writing this story with the way she wove together small details. The story is written from the perspective of the main character Delfia, but the voice does not sound like a 16 year old girl, it sounds more like someone pretending to be a 16 year old. Delfia is not a well developed or likable character. I had two major issues with Delfia: insta-trust and insta-love. It also felt like the author was trying to overcompensate for the insta-love by drawing attention to and having Dell say things like she doesn't want to be the girl who falls for the savior, over and over again. The most consistent character is Lyla, she seems like a great friend. The plot moves at an OK pace, but there were a couple events that didn't really make sense and felt like they were included simply to move the story forward. The climax was resolved quickly and the resolution felt too easy. Overall, the book was OK - it has an awesome concept, but there is room for improvement.

About The  Auhor
M.J. Austin is the author of the Bright Fire series and NaNoWriMo 2014 winner. She has always found the world of fantasy preferable to the real world. She channels this love of mystical worlds and creatures into her writing. She is an avid reader and proud bookworm. She has a Master's Degree in Project Management, but her true passion is writing.
When she isn't working or writing she is diving into random projects as often as possible. She lives in Tennessee with three children, husband, and three dogs.

Author Links
Blog | Facebook |Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

The Donor

Author: Nikki Rae
Parts 1 - 3
Published: October 30th, 2014
Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: Casey Williams and her family are poor. Her parents work non-stop and so does she, just so they can keep the trailer roof from leaking. They’re getting by fine enough when the headaches start. Then there’s the nosebleeds. And the inevitable doctor’s bills.
Fortunately for Casey, there’s MyTrueMatch.com: an exclusive, quick, and almost easy way to pay it all back before her parents even have to know.
All she has to do is give a man she’s never met whatever he wants from her body.
Inside or out.

Rating: êê

Review

The first words that come to mind for this book are: lacking, undeveloped, and draft. From the summary, I knew that this book would be dark, but for subject matter so dark the book failed to give depth. The world building is poor <spoiler> the paranormal element took me by surprise and felt underdeveloped, like it was thrown in as a filler. <end spoiler> The characters fell flat for me; it was impossible to sympathize with them and their situations. The attempt at romance does not work, it's unbelievable.  The writing style, shifting between past and present, didn't work for me. It felt jolted and made it difficult to keep track. Ultimately, I think this book is too short for what the author was trying to do - it needs to be at least twice as long with several revisions.

The Glass Magician - Book Review

Author: Charlie N Holmberg
Series: The Paper Magician Series #2
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary from Goodreads: Three months after returning Magician Emery Thane’s heart to his body, Ceony Twill is well on her way to becoming a Folder. Unfortunately, not all of Ceony’s thoughts have been focused on paper magic. Though she was promised romance by a fortuity box, Ceony still hasn’t broken the teacher-student barrier with Emery, despite their growing closeness.
When a magician with a penchant for revenge believes that Ceony possesses a secret, he vows to discover it…even if it tears apart the very fabric of their magical world. After a series of attacks target Ceony and catch those she holds most dear in the crossfire, Ceony knows she must find the true limits of her powers…and keep her knowledge from falling into wayward hands.
The delightful sequel to Charlie N. Holmberg’s The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician will charm readers young and old alike.

Rating: êê

Review

This book is a mediocre continuation of the story from the first book in the series.

Unfortunately, our main characters do not really develop at all. Their relationship continues to be confusing and sort of takes over the first half of he book, in a somewhat annoying way.

While there is action in this book, the reason is unclear. Usually I do not complain about characters making poor decisions in order to move the action and the plot forward, however I really struggled with this because I really didn't understand what they were fighting against. The villains do not have a clear motive and lack character development to truly make them detestable.

The writing is ok, but similar to the first book the story drags in places. There was also a strange jerky transition where we switch POV for a chapter which felt unnatural, like it was a filler.

I am curious about what where the third book will lead and what will happen with the two main characters and the stories are quick enough to read in a day or two so it is likely that I will complete the series.

Unrequited

Unrequited by Emily Shaffer
Release Date: 09/23/14
Swoon Romance
Source: Exchange for honest review

Other Stops on Tour

Summary from Goodreads:
In the town of Belle Ridge there are doctors, lawyers and teachers... but there is only one vampire. Will Leighton has become an expert in making a life for himself amongst the unsuspecting small-town inhabitants, as the high school history teacher. He has spent hundreds of years crafting an identity and routine that make him feel almost human, but he is always missing that important final element, love.
Ashton Wallace is beautiful, smart, and angry. She was forced into an eternal existence, and now her family has moved her away from everything and everyone she knows. In Belle Ridge she is supposed to finish high school and start her life again, but how do you make plans for the next several centuries?
Will has never met another of his kind, and is immediately intrigued by Ashton. He longs to show her that the perceived vampire lifestyle, so popular in storybooks, is far from reality...but will she let him be a friend and guide in this new existence? Can Ashton accept Will into her life, or will she be led astray by a dark stranger with whom she shares an unknown connection?

Rating: êê

Review

Within the first few pages I knew how this review was going to go. The writing starts off terrible - it felt like a young author who used a lot of adjectives to make up for telling and not showing. But I stuck it out because I had agreed to review the book. Eventually the writing gets better.

The author has clearly tried to put a unique spin on vampires, however my big issue here is that they aren't very vampirey. For example, they don't need to drink blood, they can be out during the day time, they can go to church, they don't have to be invited into someone's home in order to enter..... so, they are basically immortals who could drink blood if they wanted? And what's the deal with Ashton and Will both thinking they are the only vampires? Someone obviously created them!

The first half of the book is extremely dull. Ashton tries to go about her life, Will wants a relationship with her, la-di-da. But on the plus side, Unrequited seems to be the perfect title for this book.

Then there is this strange break in the book where we jump to "four years later" - it did not feel natural at all. Now, I am at about the 54% mark and all of a sudden we have a small plot twist. But, this dark strangerand his role are a bit predictable. Then we have another stranger brought into the mix, which feels like the author's attempt to thicken the plot, but it's actually pointless because it's handled way too easily.

And THEN, the mother of all pet-peeves happens: the book ends. Just like that it's over. Clearly the author is going for a cliffhanger, but it was actually just a pause in the story.

I gave this book two stars because despite it's faults, I was interested enough to keep reading.

Captivate Me

Author: SJ Pierce
Publication date: April 1st 2014
Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:“My mom had always told me – when you meet “the one”, you’ll know; they’ll captivate your heart the moment you lay eyes on them. I had always wondered, though, if my mom’s words of wisdom were finite – if they applied to everyone. Maybe those who had found their one great love were the lucky few, and maybe the rest of us would have to settle for less than earth-shattering.”
Seventeen-year-old Kat Walsh is a Gifted – a human with paranormal abilities. With her mom a former Angel and her dad a dream prophet, it’s always been in her genetic make-up to be extraordinary. But, unfortunately for her, the world can’t handle the strange or unusual. So when she slips up and uses her powers at her high school in Ireland, the entire student body treats her like a freak – even the ones she thought were her closest friends.
Broken, but hopeful for a fresh start, she allows her parents to enroll her in a boarding school buried deep within the forests of a small Colorado town. At Midland Pines, School for the Gifted, she feels as though she can finally be herself; she makes new friends and even has the attention of the most popular guy in school – Levi. Everything feels normal again… or does it?
Not long after her arrival, weird dreams of an alluring boy whom she’s never met surface during the night, and the eerie, shadowy trees encircling their school seem to call to her. As these disturbing, yet enticing developments intensify, other bizarre occurrences happen – students and staff turn up missing, and mystery visitors leave gifts while she sleeps. With all of these other things fighting for her attention, a desperate Levi has to fight even harder to keep her interest. But with the dreams of the attractive boy slowly captivating her heart, Kat has to make a choice – will she settle for ‘great’ Levi, or will she search for her elusive dream visitor, possibly stumbling across ‘amazing’?
From the author of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles, comes a refreshingly different Young Adult series with plenty of love, suspense, and a new take on the Paranormal.
Recommended for readers 16 and up due to mature content.

Rating: êê

Review

Realistically, this book is 1.5 stars, but I gave this book 2 stars because it did have a couple decent pieces that made it OK.

I love the idea of children of angels, it's one I have never read about. However the execution could have been better with more details about these people. 

At the start there was this in-your-face blatant attempt to avoid insta-love that I found even more annoying than actual insta-love. Then there was insta-love, which made the whole avoidance of insta-love even more annoying. The world building needs a lot of work, I had so many questions about where this book takes place and why things are they way they are. Unfortunately, I never got the answers.

The characters didn't do it for me either. The story is told from Kat's point of view and I found her voice to be annoying especially when it came to Levi and her mothers advice on love, it felt like to droned on and on and on about it. We barely get to know Gabe which makes the whole captivation thing concerning - how can you be captivated and not know someone?! 

 I struggled with this book. Reading was a chore, I found myself checking Facebook and email just because I was bored or needed space. I'm not sure I would recommend it.

The Here and Now

Author: Ann Brashares
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.
This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.
But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

Rating: êê

Review

This book started out OK. The world building was excellent, to be honest the dystopian future created by Ann Brashares is scary and believable. However, this is not a dystopian novel, it is a time travel novel that takes place in 201. Prenna started out likable, but quickly became annoying because of her inconsistent nature. The inst-love was just as awful as you expect insta-love to be with the savior-like boyfriend. The plot was dull, yet I held on and hoped it would get better. There was also a lot of things that simply didn't make sense or contradicted something that I had previously read in the book. 

Ecliptic

Author: Sara Lunardi

Author Blog/Website: http://www.saralunardi.com/

Publication Date: October 10, 2013

Summary: "Have you ever wondered what the signs of the zodiac really are, and why they have influence on all human beings?" Alex asked us out of the blue. Was he kidding? What did this question have to do with our situation? 

On the night of 13th June 2035, during an exceptional shower of shooting stars seen all over the world, mysterious signs representing zodiac constellations appear on the shoulders of Izie De Rossi and her twin brother Sam. From that night on, their lives will never be the same. 

A cruel countdown begins, leading them to fight for the survival of the entire human race alongside extraordinary creatures of the zodiac, endowed with supernatural powers, the Guardians. How is it possible? Izie is just an ordinary girl and she wants nothing to do with supernatural things.

In the midst of all the dangers and sacrifices forced upon her by her mission, Izie meets the handsome and mysterious Riley. She feels immediately drawn to him in a shocking and overwhelming way... but things are not always as they seem. He hides terrible secrets from her. Will she have the strength to carry out the mission? But at what price? (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Source: Author in exchange for an honest review



Rating: 2 stars

Review: I’m so-so about this book. It has a unique concept – the zodiac idea really drew me to this book, but it didn’t really deliver. First of all the book started out challenging because we are introduced to a lot of characters and there are several different locations making it difficult to keep track.  I also think the Guardian idea, the connection to the zodiac and the powers should have been better explained.

Once I got through the first part of the book, the plot started to move at an OK pace. The insta-love romance was annoying, and didn’t work for me. Also there were some connections between characters that didn’t feel realistic. Towards the end of the book, the action picks up and started to really hold my interest.

So, my final judgment on this one is that it has the potential to be a good book, but needs editing and adjusting to get there.

Generally, I don’t dock stars for grammatical errors, however this book feels like it was thrown into Google Translate and never looked over. There were a lot of sentences with misplaced prepositions and words that really didn’t make sense in the context that they were used. It made the book somewhat difficult to read.

Moon Angel

 Author: F.W. Pinkerton

Author Website/Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/FWPinkerton

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Summary: SOMETIMES OUR DESTINY FINDS US, whether we want it to or not

What happens when it gets dark and we start to dream?

Fifteen-year-old introverted teenager Katie Reynolds has always held a secret, only she does not know it yet.

On her 16th birthday, she finally starts to unravel the mystery of what has been happening to her recently, when a set of mysterious presents, left to her by a grandmother she barely knew are given to her.

Her true path in life starts to form, and she finds out that things really do go bump in the night, as chilling shadows lurk everywhere.

Will a mysterious stranger and a black cat with glowing purple eyes protect her? As Katie makes her way on a fantastic journey of discovery and adventure – she begins to learn her true destiny.   

Recommended for young adult readers. The MoonAngel series is a YA
Paranormal / Fantasy.

Source: Author in exchange for an honest review



Rating: 2 Stars

Review: I am struggling to write this review. I’m torn between “Eh, it was OK” and “I sort of like this book”. The overall concept was unique and the story really has potential, but I don’t think it was well executed. The first chapter drags, it gives a lot of background in a straightforward way. The book is like a strange and inconsistent ride, sometimes I’d feel sucked in and like I was moving with the momentum, then suddenly I’d be jerked to a stop and the book would drag. I also felt like there was a strange split in the plot, at first we were learning about what Katie is and what her role will be, then suddenly we are learning about this place where Moon Angels live, and then suddenly there is some war-like action thrown in. Perhaps if the book were longer, the transitions could have been better and more fluid.

I also had a few problems with the writing: the book takes place in US, but is written in UK English; there is a lot of repetitive sentence structure; and the conversations between teens do not feel real – it’s too proper. The book also ends suddenly – like literally out of nowhere, it’s not a cliffhanger.

In my opinion, this book would benefit from some fleshing out, and a few good rounds of editing. The concept of Moon Angels, what they do and where they live is awesome and there are some parts of this book that were well written.

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Me Since You

Author: Laura Weiss
Publication Date: February 18, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Summary: Laura Wiess captures the visceral emotion of a girl’s journey from innocence to devastating loss and, ultimately, to a strange and unexpected kind of understanding—in this beautiful and painfully honest new novel.
Are there any answers when someone you love makes a tragic choice?
Before and After. That’s how Rowan Areno sees her life now. Before: she was a normal sixteen-year-old—a little too sheltered by her police officer father and her mother. After: everything she once believed has been destroyed in the wake of a shattering tragedy, and every day is there to be survived.
If she had known, on that Friday in March when she cut school, that a random stranger’s shocking crime would have traumatic consequences, she never would have left campus. If the crime video never went viral, maybe she could have saved her mother, grandmother — and herself — from the endless replay of heartache and grief.
Finding a soul mate in Eli, a witness to the crime who is haunted by losses of his own, Rowan begins to see there is no simple, straightforward path to healing wounded hearts. Can she learn to trust, hope, and believe in happiness again? (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Rating: 2 Stars

Review: This book is sad. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, eh is was OK.

The book explores the concept of grief and how everyone deals with it differently. It introduces readers to the ripple effect and pretty much encourages people to think about the consequences of their actions. I liked that the book was realistic in the sense that it didn’t sugarcoat grieving and it truly demonstrated the amount of time it takes to even begin to heal.

I guess part of my problem is that I never felt connected to the characters. I know I should have been drowning in emotions, but for some reason I felt detached from the characters.

The writing was good, so I would give the author another chance, but I’m not sure I would recommend this book.

Don't Even Think About It

Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publication Date: March 11, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Summary: Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).
We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.
Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening. (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Rating: 2 Stars

Review: This was a pretty light read that is perfect for 8th to 10th graders.

As an adult I found the writing a bit elementary, but I can easily see a teen enjoying it. The point of view was unique, switching from character to character to the group as a whole and back. It was a bit confusing at first but it worked and helped me to understand the connection between the characters.

The characters are ok, given that there were so many of them, they weren't entirely developed it seemed like each character had just a few traits.

The plot felt a bit slow for me; the day to day events were pretty typical for teens, I think, at least for teens in this type of community. There was one serious issue that I think was included in order to make the character relatable, but I wish it was dealt with me and maybe even overcome.

Overall it was ok, and I think that its intended audience will enjoy it.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sun and Moon

Author: Elizabeth Paradise
Publication Date: December 8, 2013

Source: NetGalley

Summary: Imagine having your world turned upside down. You realize that nothing is what it seems.
Emily and Ashe were born without magic in a land that ranks you on how powerful your talents are. Suddenly the source of that magic is destroyed. Emily and Ashe are forced to fight their way through obstacle after obstacle to find the truth about who they are, and how they can save the lives of people in not only their own world, but other dying worlds. (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Rating: 2 Stars

Review: The concept and the summary of Sun and Moon drew my attention right away. It sounded like such a unique book and I was excited to dive into reading. However, it feels like it’s an early draft in desperate need of editing.

Generally, I am not one to complain about typos and formatting issues, however there were several poorly written sentences that I had to re-read several times, and still was unable to understand them. There were also several spots where a sentence would be chopped and a new paragraph would begin.

The plot of the book felt choppy. It felt to me like the author wrote an outline, crammed all the pieces into a first draft and only went over it a few times. The transitions were poor from one scene to the next. It also felt like the book started out on one path and then suddenly shifted in a new direction.

The characters were so-so. The book was so rushed that there was little time for character development. Emily seems ok, and I’m sure I would like her if I was able to get to know her. The other characters felt a bit flat to me.

Overall, I think the book has the potential to be good, but it is in some desperate need of editing and fleshing out.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brianna's Bewitching

Author: Selene Grace Silver
Author Website/Blog: http://www.selenegracesilver.com
Publication Date: March 10, 2013

Source: Author, in exchange for an honest review

Summary: It’s 1977 and Brianna Marston is a feminist finishing up her final university courses. She’s a little bit wild, but isn’t that what being young and free is all about? It’s a new age for women and she intends to reap the benefits that new status provides her. She’s focused on developing a rewarding career and finding an adventurous lover. She’s also a witch-in-training. Her inherited powers are growing faster than her skill though. She’s not sure if one of her reality shifting spells is the reason she’s become the love interest of one LAPD officer.
Jack Ross never does anything without a well-thought out plan. On track to make detective within the year, he’s lined up a perfect woman to be his wife and raise their children. She’s thoughtful, gracious, and lovely to look at, and best of all, she’s not one of those radical bra burning feminists. She desires a traditional life as a wife and mother. If he doesn’t exactly love her yet, he’s sure that he will once they marry. He’s never been in love and it seems to him that it’s as easy to love one attractive woman as another. Then one unruly, mouthy blonde lands in his arms, disrupting all his carefully-laid plans. (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: This is quick, sensual read.

While I enjoyed the book, I was never enthralled with it and it felt a little flat to me. We learn more about the characters in the synopsis than in the book. They felt a little rigid to me, like they were too stuck in their stereotypes. Brianna is a young witch, and yet there is very little in the novel about her craft, besides stating that she is one and that she cast a spell that shifted reality.

There was very little plot to the story – basically it’s a quick (insta-love) romance and the focus is on their sexual relationship. The erotic scenes were well written, and clearly there is some great sexual chemistry between the characters, however there was very little development in other areas of their relationship.

It was an OK story, but it didn’t feel complete to me, especially with the somewhat abrupt ending. There is definitely more to come in a second book.