eARC Review: The Shadowing - Hunted

Title: The Shadowing - Hunted
Author: Adam Slater
Pages: 208
Rating: 5/5

Once every century, the barrier between the human world and the demon realm begins to break down. Creatures gather, anxiously waiting to cross the divide, to bring death and destruction from their world to ours. This time is called The Shadowing.

Callum Scott has always known that there is a supernatural world out there—he’s seen ghosts for as long as he can remember. Lately, he’s had visions of children being brutally murdered by a terrifying creature. Then the visions start coming true, and Callum realizes that he’s being hunted, too.

Driven by a dark destiny, he must stand against the demons that threaten our world.

And The Shadowing is almost here. . . . (amazon.com)

I hadn't heard anything about The Shadowing: Hunted until I received the galley from Net Galley. I was instantly intrigued by the cover shot, and looked forward to digging into the book. With it being fall, I was looking for something just a bit scary to celebrate the season. I wasn't disappointed.

Set in rural London, The Shadowing: Hunted, follows the life of young Callum. Callum has always been able to see ghosts, and has a special bit of "luck" that helps him to avoid trouble. Because of this Callum is a loner, making himself almost invisible to those around him. He tries to avoid trouble, spending his evenings hanging out with his grandmother at their tiny cottage in the woods.

However, things take a turn for the worst when Callum notices that the ghost have fled the cemetery grounds and all that remains is a lone boy and a massive dog like animal. It is here that things begin to take a turn for the worse.

I don't have a enough good things to say about this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat, had me checking to make sure my doors and windows were locked, and made me look twice at every cemetery I drove by. The writing was very good, and the story flowed from one scene to another. I found myself reading deep into the night, trying to figure out what was happening. I also thought this story was something fresh, and touches on other creatures of lure that have not been so overdone. I like learning about different creatures, and found that to be one of the biggest attractions to this book.

I'm looking forward to continuing on with this series.

Audio Review: 1st to Die

Title: 1st to Die
Author: James Patterson
Listening Time: 9 hours and 1 min
Rating: 3/5

Imagine a killer who thinks, "What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?"--and then goes far beyond it. Now imagine four women --a police detective, an assistant DA, a reporter, and a medical examiner --who join forces as they sidestep their bosses to track down criminals. Known as the Women's Murder Club, they are pursuing a murderer whose twisted imagination has stunned an entire city. Their chief suspect is a socially prominent writer, but the men in charge won't touch him. On the trail of the most terrifying and unexpected killer ever, they discover a shocking surprise that turns everything about the case upside down (goodreads.com).

1st to Die was my first Patterson audio, and I have to say that it absolutely freaked me out!!  I completely forgot how violent Patterson's novels can be, and 1st to Die was no exception.  I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened.  There were a few times I had to shut off my MP3 player and give myself a break.  It was that intense.  I'll definitely be checking out more of his books on audio because I think they bring a whole new feeling to his books.

However, the story itself seemed to be a bit lacking.  This was the first in the Women's Murder Club series.  Before this time, all the books I've read of Patterson's were from the Alex Cross series.  I'm actually looking forward to going back and re-reading these in order because I know I've missed some.  But anyways, back to the book at hand.  1st to Die introduces us to Lindsay Boxer, a tough, hard as nails detective, who is trying to solve a serial murder case involving newlyweds.  As the case moves along, Lindsay finds herself problem solving with her three friends: Cindy, Jill and Claire.  Hence, the women's murder club is born.

I loved the girls in the murder club, it was just the whole "mystery" aspect of the book that I found to be a bit absurd.  First off, I had the killer figured out by the time the book was half way over.  It kind of took a lot of wind out of the books sails, but I stuck on to figure out how Lindsay discovered everything.  Secondly, the epilogue threw me for a complete loop and left me feeling a bit sad and upset...not the type of feeling I like to have when finishing a book. 

So, basically, I loved the audio aspect, didn't really like the book itself.  I'm going to try 2nd Chance and see if I like that one any better.  I'll let you know :)

eARC Review: The Juliet Spell

Title: The Juliet Spell
Author: Douglas Rees
Pages: 304
Rating: 4/5

Expected Publication Date: 9/27/2011

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it—even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.

I didn't get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren't any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I'd cast the next best—a Fame spell. Good idea, right?

Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William's younger brother.

Good thing he's sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and—ahem—maybe a little bit hot. But he's from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him—cars! And cell phones? Ugh.

Still, there's something about him that's making my eyes go star-crossed....(goodreads.com)

I was thrilled to receive The Juliet Spell through Net Galley, as it was a title that I had wanted to read for quite a while. I like the Harlequin Teen line of books, and enjoy a wide variety of there titles. The Juliet Spell was no expection.

Miri is a girl with a dream. She is hoping beyond hope to be cast as Juliet in the community performance of Romeo and Juliet by the great William Shakespeare. She puts her wishes into a spell, and magically Edmund Shakeshaft appears in the middle of her kitchen. Edmund is the brother of Shakespeare, and my favorite character in the book. He's quitty, and charming, and pretty much had my heart as quickly as he captures Miri's. I loved how his character was protrayed. He was scared and quizzical, and some of his scenes had me laughing out loud, especially the first time he ever drove in a car. That being said, there were also times when I was so angry and disappointed in Edmund's decisions that I wanted to shake him. But I thought that this love hate relationship made the book that much more real.

I also enjoyed Miri's characters. I did find her to be a bit dense at times, and I wanted to shout through the pages everything that she was missing. But she had a charm about her that made her too likeable to stay annoyed with her. Her love for Edmund was young and fresh, and took me back to that first "real love" I experienced.

There were things about the book that bothered me, but I don't think they took away from the reading. I thought it was awfully strange how everyone, especially Miri's mother, just accepted that Edmund had come from the past and was now residing in her guestroom. I'm pretty sure if that was my mother, she would have riden me the riot act and then kicked Edmund to the curb. I don't think she would have dressed and fed him and helped him to find a new identity.

All in all, I thought The Juliet Spell was a cute, quick read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading YA lit.

Review: Welcome to the Great Mysterious

Title: Welcome to the Great Mysterious
Author: Lorna Landvik
Pages: 352
Rating: 2.5/5

Megastar of stage, screen, and television, Geneva Jordan now has a command performance in Minnesota, where she agrees to look after her thirteen-year-old nephew, a boy with Down’s syndrome, while his parents take a long-overdue vacation. Though Geneva and her sister, Ann, are as different as night and day (“I being night, of course, dark and dramatic”), Geneva remembers she had a family before she had a star on her door. But so accustomed is she to playing the lead, finding herself a supporting actress in someone else’s life is strange and unexplored territory. Then the discovery of an old scrapbook that she and her sister created long ago starts her thinking of things beyond fame. For The Great Mysterious is a collection of thoughts and feelings dedicated to answering life’s big questions—far outside the spotlight’s glow. . . (goodreads.com)

This is the second Landvik book that I've read and I had really high hopes for it.  I thought that Welcome to the Great Mysterious started out slow (very slow), got to be really good in the middle, and then kind of left with like a limp noodle at the end.  I'm pretty sure I've never had a book touch on so many emotions at once, and I'm just not sure how that blend worked for me.

The other thing that I think made this one drag for me was the fact that I absolutely hated the main character for about the first half of the book.  I couldn't get over how selfish she was, and I had a super hard time making any kind of connection with her.  She just wasn't my cup of tea.    I disagreed with so much that she did, that it made it hard for me to feel any type of bond with her.  In fact, I really didn't care what happened to her.

I think the other reason why my disappointment was a bit on the huge side, was because I absolutely adored "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons."  I couldn't read it fast enough.  I thought this book was missing all of the charm that, AHEBB had. 

I'm not going to give up on Landvik yet though.  I still have quite a few of her other books to read and I'm going to give them a chance.  I'm just going to wait a bit before trying again...

Review: Chain Reaction

Title: Chain Reaction
Author: Simone Elkeles
Pages: 308
Rating: 5/5

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge (goodreads.com)?

I've been obsessed with this series since reading Perfect Chemistry two years ago.  I couldn't get enough of these bad boys.  Despite being a book that I should absolutely hate, the Perfect Chemistry books are three books that I absolutely ADORE.  Elkeles is an awesome writer and something about these books is addicting.

The Fuentes brothers are back, and Chain Reaction focuses on Luis Fuentes, the youngest of the three boys.  In both Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, Luis was the all around good boy.  His brothers always said he wouldn't live the life they had, he wouldn't be involved in the gangs and so on.  So when I found out he had a book coming out, I wasn't sure how Elkeles was going to develop his character.  Despite my hesitation, Luis is my favorite of the three boys!

One of the things I love most about these books is the insane attraction between both the male and female protagonists and how they fight it almost the entire time.  I can't turn the pages fast enough to see what is going to happen next and who is going to end up with who and what kind of trouble everyone is getting in.  I think these are definitely one of those books where you live vicariously through the characters.

I bought this one for my Kindle because I had to have it RIGHT NOW, and we no longer have a bookstore (so crappy...).  I will, however, be getting it to match the other two in the series.  This is a set of books I think I will read over and over!!

Here's the trailer for a little bit more enticement...:)

Audio Review: Cloaked

Title: Cloaked
Author: Alex Flinn
Listening Time: 6 hrs and 45 mins
Rating: 4/5

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all. It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked (harpercollins.com).

I've been listening to my MP3 player again at work, so I find myself again turning to audio books to keep me company during a long day.  This week I listened to Cloak by Alex Flinn.  Last year, I read Beastly by the same author and absolutely adored it.  I enjoyed Cloak just as much.

To me the best thing about Cloak was the male protagonist.  I don't read a lot of books featuring a male narrator, and I don't know why because I really like them.  Johnny was an easy to like character, and I found myself rooting for him throughout all of his struggles and challenges.  I really wanted to see him prevail.  I think I always have a thing for the underdog.

The other thing that I really loved about Cloak was the use of fairy tales that weren't nearly as common as the fairy tales used in Beastly.  I absolutely had that story figured out before I even started it.  Cloaked on the other hand, while still predictable, held a bit more mystery. 

Flinn is a very strong writer, and I find myself being sucked into her stories.  They make we want to find a comfy chair, a warm blanket, and an amazing cup of coffee and settle in for a long and enjoyable ride.

As far as the audio itself, the reader was phenomenal.  I absolutely loved him!!  He truly made the story come alive.  This is probably one of the best audios that I have ever listened to, and it is all because of the reader!

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Chilren

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Pages: 352
Rating: 5/5

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows (goodreads.com).

This is probably the best book I have read in 2011.  I was completely hooked from the very first page.  I was enthralled by the story, and even more so by the pictures that litter the pages of this book.  The old photographs were equally creepy and fascinating, and I found myself looking at them again and again.  I couldn't get enough of them.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is an extremely character driven story.  Told through the eyes of 16 year old Jacob, we learn of a fantasy world that his grandfather told him about.  I fantasy world that his grandfather swears is real.  But Jacob doesn't believe him...at first.

I love Jacob.  I love Miss Peregrine.  And I love the Peculiar Children.  This entire story is just spellbinding.  The writing, for one, is magnificent.  It's smooth and flowing.  It's detailed without being boring.  It's perfect.  I think everyone should give this book a try.  And as an added incentive, I'm posting the book trailer which I really love!!

Review: Firespell

Title: Firespell
Author: Chloe Neill
Pages: 246
Rating: 3/5

Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens.

They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet...(goodreads.com)

This was a cute, quick read that I enjoyed.  It wasn't ground breaking, but it did keep me interested and turning the pages. 

I found Lily to be a bit annoying at first.  I thought it was almost like the "poor Lily" show, and found the book to remind me of almost every other story I've ever read about a girl that has to go to a boarding school.  Things got to be a bit better once Lily followed Scout into the basement.  From there, the story really picked up the past and had me turning the pages faster and faster.

I loved the idea of magicians and dark magic users.  The entire concept was pretty interesting, and I thought the two sides were pretty well developed.  I'm curious to see what happens with Lily and the dark side and how Neill will handle that relationship.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Hexbound, but I won't be breaking down any doors to get to it.  

Review: The Iron King

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 363
Rating: 5/5

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart (goodreads.com).

I don't even know what to say about this book.  It was just pure awesomeness!!  I'm so angry at myself for waiting for so long to read this because I was scared of the "fantasy" aspect.  If that is what is holding you back too, DO NOT BE AFRAID.  Kagawa does an amazing job, and her writing just flows.  This book read super fast and was addicting. 

I absolutely adored Meghan, and was rooting for her the whole time.  I understand that she was a bit naive, and didn't know her way around, but she was brave and strong.  She's probably one of my favorite heroines I've read about in a long time.  I'm excited to see how she continues to grow throughout the series.  I think there's a lot that she still needs to discover about herself, and I can't wait to find these things out with her!

This was also my first introduction to the world of "Fae" and can I just say that I absolutely loved it.  I loved reading about my favorite characters from "A Midsummer's Night Dream" especially Puck who I think I have a wee bit of a book crush on.  However, my heart truly belongs to Ash.  I can't wait to see where Kagawa takes his story in the next few books.  Regarding the "Fae", I think that this has opened up a whole new world for me.  There's so many other books out there that circle around this theme that I've been too scared to read because I was scared I wouldn't enjoy them because of the subject matter.  I don't know why I'm so hestitant to try new things.  It can be so eye opening!!

All in all, this was an excellent, well written adventure that had me hooked from page one.  I don't think that 363 pages have ever gone by so quickly in my entire life!  This series is definitely addicting and I cannot wait to read the next book and then the next book and then the next book...lol!!

Review: Forgive My Fins

Title: Forgive My Fins
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Pages: 293
Rating: 4/5

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned (goodreads.com).

Forgive My Fins is not deep literature, but its a really cute fun summer read that I fell in love with!!

This is the first book I've read by Childs and it won't be my last.  I just loved it.  Lily is such a cute character and Childs writing just kept me coming back for more.  I can't believe I haven't picked this one up before now!

My favorite character of the whole book though was definitely Quince.  I just knew when he threw that first spitball that I was going to like him.  He was so endearing and no matter what Lily did he never really got angry with her.  He was just adorable!

As for Brody, I thought he was an a**...nuff said.

The one thing that did drive me crazy about this book and the reason why I only gave it four stars was the ad nauseaum mention of "the bond."  At times I felt like I was getting hit over the head with it and by the time I got to the last 30 pages, I didn't really like "the bond" anymore...lol.  Other than that I thought it was such a fun read.

I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel "Fins are Forever."  I can't wait to see what Childs has in store for Lily next!!

Review: Fearscape

Title: Fearscape
Author: Simon Holt
Pages: 314
Rating: 5/5

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS TO THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES THE DEVOURING AND THE SOLSTICE.

The Vours: evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the Winter Solstice.

It's been a year since Reggie first discovered the Vours, and the Winter Solstice is approaching once again. It will be another night of unspeakable horror for those unlucky enough to be taken by the Vours, because this time, she won't be able to stop them. The Vours have imprisoned Reggie in a psychiatric hospital, where she is subjected to a daily routine of unfathomably sadistic experiments. Her life is a living Hell, but she won't give up. They attacked her brother. They killed her friend. And Reggie will never stop fighting back (goodreads.com).

At the end of The Solstice, Reggie is hauled away to the psychiatric hospital where the evil Dr. Unger lurks. Here Reggie is subjected to hundreds of experiments, visiting fearscape after fearscape. One of the darkest and scariest scenes, for myself, happened while Reggie was still in the hospital and it involved Dr. Unger. That being said, I think that Holton's writing is truly terrifying. The descriptions of the different fearscapesin this book are even more frightening than those in the two previous books. Holton has gone above and beyond in Fearscape to bring the reading to the truly terrifying. I was completely sucked into the story and found myself avoiding dark rooms and for a week straight I went to bed whenever hubby went to bed - never after.

My favorite character in this book has to be Quinn. I think he overcame so much after Reggie freed him from the vour in The Solstice, and it was nice to watch him grow in Fearscape. I also think I might have a tiny little crush on good Quinn...lol.

One of the things that really made this book for me were the surprise twists and turns. Holt took this book in a direction that I never saw coming and I was completely shocked by the end. I thought this was a perfect wrap up to a really good trilogy and one I'll enjoy reading again.

If you like a good scare, pick up this trilogy and enjoy...just don't read it with the lights out!!

Review: Hearts at Stake

Title: Hearts at Stake
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Pages: 248
Rating: 4/5

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

Even fans of the genre who’ve seen it all will find a fresh read with kick-butt characters and family dynamics that ring true for all brothers and sisters—vampire or otherwise (goodreads.com).

I avoided Hearts at Stake for a long time, simply because of the cover.  I thought it was ugly, and dare I say it, made the book look stupid.  However, after reading a few reviews on Goodreads, I felt the need to at least give it a try.  I'm awfully glad I did.

Hearts at Stake is the first book in the Drake Chronicles and tells the story of Solange Drake, the first female vampire to be born not made.  The story is told from two perspectives - Solange and Lucy her best friend who is very much a human.  I absolutely adored the character of Lucy.  I thought she was spunky and fresh and not scared to hold her ground amoung a group of vampires.  Plus, I found her relationship with Solange's brother Nicholas to be adorable.

Hearts at Stake is a fast paced, fun read that at times can be a bit predictable.  The writing is good and I loved the characters.  I look forward to reading more about the Drake family.  Plus, the other covers in the series are so much better!!

Review: But I Love Him

Title: But I Love Him
Author: Amanda Grace
Pages: 245
Rating: 5/5

Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong (goodreads.com).

But I Love Him is a quick read, but there is so much power behind its 245 pages that it left me simply breathless.  I don't think words can even describe how I felt as I flew threw its pages, feeling Ann's emotions, seeing how she surrendered everything to Connor.  I was wrapped up in Connor and how he was a broken, emotionally distraught young man, who didn't understand his emotions, let alone what he was doing to someone else.  By the time I turned the last page I was breathless and exhausted.  This book was that good.

But I Love Him is told from the end of Ann and Connor's relationship to the beginning.  We don't know how or when things start happening.  We can't judge Ann and say "Why would she do that??" because as the reader, you don't have any background to understand what happened before hand.  It made me look at an abusive relationship in a whole new light.  I think so many times, people think "Well I would have left the first time he raised his fist to me."  However, But I Love Him plays with your mind, let's you see exactly how Ann is thinking and what finally changes for her so that she can see the light.

Despite the fact that Connor is the abuser in this relationship, I felt sorry for him.  I could see how his life had made him the way he was.  I understood how confused he was, how the circle of his life as caused him to be the way he is.  Rather than hating him, I wanted to help him.  Make him see the errors of his way.  Help him to get better and lead a different life.

Amanda Grace left me feeling so many different emotions, and I can't say enough good things about her writing.  I look forward to reading more of her works, and But I Love Him will definitely be one of my top reads for 2011.

Review: I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Title: I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Pages: 227
Rating: 1/5

Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl gets boy back...

...sort of.

Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.

Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds (goodreads.com).

I've read a few different books told in verse, and I'd heard good things about Lisa Schroeder so I wanted to give her a try.  I Heart You, You Haunt Me is a short, fast read that I was able to complete in one sitting.  However, unlike the other books in verse that I've read, I didn't love it.  In fact, I didn't even really like it.

For one thing, I absolutely detested the main character Ava.  I'm not really sure what it was about her I didn't like, but she constantly grinded on my nerves.  I just found her to be a bit whiney and depressing.  Not exactly great character traits for the main person in the story.  Secondly, I thought the book was much too short to fully flush out the story.  Many of the other books I've read in verse have been around 400 to 600 pages.  At a little over 200, I thought this book seemed to be a bit rushed.

I'd looked forward to reading this one for quite a while, so I was disappointed in my feelings about it.  However, I'd like to give Schroeder another chance and see if it was just this particular book I didn't like or any of her books.  Wish me luck!!

Review: Fall Out

Title: Fallout
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Pages: 672
Rating: 3.5/5

Hunter, Autumn, and Summer—three of Kristina Snow’s five children—live in different homes, with different guardians and different last names. They share only a predisposition for addiction and a host of troubled feelings toward the mother who barely knows them, a mother who has been riding with the monster, crank, for twenty years.

Hunter is nineteen, angry, getting by in college with a job at a radio station, a girlfriend he loves in the only way he knows how, and the occasional party. He's struggling to understand why his mother left him, when he unexpectedly meets his rapist father, and things get even more complicated. Autumn lives with her single aunt and alcoholic grandfather. When her aunt gets married, and the only family she’s ever known crumbles, Autumn’s compulsive habits lead her to drink. And the consequences of her decisions suggest that there’s more of Kristina in her than she’d like to believe. Summer doesn’t know about Hunter, Autumn, or their two youngest brothers, Donald and David. To her, family is only abuse at the hands of her father’s girlfriends and a slew of foster parents. Doubt and loneliness overwhelm her, and she, too, teeters on the edge of her mother’s notorious legacy. As each searches for real love and true family, they find themselves pulled toward the one person who links them together—Kristina, Bree, mother, addict. But it is in each other, and in themselves, that they find the trust, the courage, the hope to break the cycle.

Told in three voices and punctuated by news articles chronicling the family’s story, FALLOUT is the stunning conclusion to the trilogy begun by CRANK and GLASS, and a testament to the harsh reality that addiction is never just one person’s problem (goodreads.com).

The first book I ever read by Ellen Hopkins was Crank, and while depressing, I was extremely moved by the story itself.  I was excited to read Glass when it was released, and couldn't wait to get my hands on Fallout.  However, despite my initial enthiusiam, Fallout fell flat for me.  I'm not sure if it was the fact that it was told from Kristina's children's view, or if it was the fact that I was burnt out on the entire story line, but I felt that this particular story seemed to drag a lot more than either of the two prior novels.

One thing I did enjoy about Fallout was the way that Hopkins allowed us to see what happened to minor characters we had seen in the first two books through short news clippings and articles scattered throughout the pages of the texts.  It did help to wrap up a lot of loose ends that remained at the end of Glass.  I also enjoyed Hopkins writing style.  Her poems are always delivered in neat designs and often you'll find that there's almost two poems in one.  However, I did read this on the Kindle, and I felt that a lot of the power of the set up of the book was lost in e book format.  I think from now on I'll be reading Hopkins books the old fashioned way!

My favorite character in this book was Hunter.  I think its because I felt the closest connection to him since he was Kristina's first child and we learned so much about him in both Crank and Glass.  I had a hard time connecting with both Autumn and Summer.  I had a hard time feeling anything towards them.  In fact, they both almost got on my nerves, especially towards the end of the story. 

This was definitely my least favorite of the trilogy and I'm glad it's the last book in Kristina's story.  I'm not really sure how much more of it I can take before I threw a book across the wall, she just makes me that angry!!  If you read Crank and Glass, I would definitely say to read Fallout because it gives a lot of closure to the story, but I certianly wasn't awed by it like I have been previously by Hopkins.

Review: Bitter End

Title: Bitter End
Author: Jennifer Brown
Pages: 359
Rating: 4/5

When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole, a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her, she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate-someone who truly understands her and loves her for who she really is.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her best friends, Zack and Bethany, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all of her time with another boy? But as the months pass, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats. As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose - between her "true love" and herself (goodreads.com).

Last year, Jennifer Brown's debut novel, Hate List was one of my top reads.  I was extremely moved by that novel, and was thrilled to see she had another book coming out.  I downloaded Bitter End onto my Kindle the day of its release and finished it by the next morning.  While I didn't love it like I did Hate List, I was still quite moved by the story and Brown's writing.

Bitter End is a raw, moving teen contemporary.  I thought Brown did a good job of tackling the tough topic of domestic abuse, and at times I felt as though I could feel every bit of Alex's emotions.  One of my favorite things about Brown's books is her character development, and Bitter End was no different.  By the end of the story, I felt like I knew Alex as well as I knew myself.  And I understood why she felt the way she did about Cole.  Cole was a product of his environment.  His father was abusive and degrading to women.  Cole didn't know of any other way to be.  I'm not saying that that is an excuse, I'm just seeing how a person can get to be that way.

All in all, I really enjoyed Bitter End.  The only issue I had was the ending.  I felt there was some issues that were left hanging, but I'll let you see that for yourself!

Review: Jellicoe Road

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Pages: 432
Rating: 5/5

"What do you want from me?" he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.

In this absorbing story by Melina Marchetta, nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future (goodreads.com)

For my first Mother's Day, Hubby bought me a Kindle which I have named Geraldine.  I love her!!  The first book I downloaded and quickly read was Jellicoe Road.  And can I just say, it was simply amazing.  I don't understand why I haven't heard more about this book on the blogs.  Maybe I'm just behind, but I couldn't put this down. 

First of all, Marchetta's writing is absolutely exquisite.  I can't think of a better word to even describe it.  The book simply flows, with this gorgeous writing that had me enveloped in layers upon layers of emotions.  I loved every minute of it.  I immediately fell in love with the characters, and was brought to tears by the last page.  It was one of those books in which I immediately wanted to start reading it again. 

I know a lot of people have started this book and given up on it because it was confusing.  DON'T DO IT!!  Stick with it, keep notes, do whatever you have to do.  Once the story is right in your mind, you'll be so happy you stuck with it.  Each of the characters just crawls into your head, and pretty soon you'll feel as though you are hanging out with them.  Their story will become your story.  Trust me on this one. 

I'm looking forward to reading more of Marchetta's writings, but Jellicoe Road will be a book that read again and again and again.  It touched me so profoundly, that I just can't say enough!  It's a story about forgiviness and moving on, friendship and love, life and death. 

Review: $#*! My Dad Says

Title: $#*! My Dad Says
Author: Justin Halpern
Pages: 158
Rating: 3/5

After being dumped by his longtime girlfriend, twenty-eight-year-old Justin Halpern found himself living at home with his seventy-three-year-old dad. Sam Halpern, who is "like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair," has never minced words, and when Justin moved back home, he began to record all the ridiculous things his dad said to him:

"That woman was sexy. . . . Out of your league? Son, let women figure out why they won't screw you. Don't do it for them."

"The worst thing you can be is a liar. . . . Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar. Nazi one, liar two."

More than a million people now follow Mr. Halpern's philosophical musings on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his quotes. An all-American story that unfolds on the Little League field, in Denny's, during excruciating family road trips, and, most frequently, in the Halperns' kitchen over bowls of Grape-Nuts, Sh*t My Dad Says is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father-son relationship from a major new comic voice (goodreads.com).

This past winter, hubby and I found ourselves rolling on the floor laughing at the new comedy starring William Shatner, called "$#*! My Dad Says."  At the time, I had no clue it was actually based on a book and that there was a man as funny and too the point as William Shatner's character.   However, after a little research, I discovered that it was based on a true story and had to get the book.

At times, $#*! My Dad Says had me rolling on the floor laughing.  I one point I had tears falling from my eyes.  However, at other times, I found myself being quite put off by the language used, and found it to be a bit offensive.  I certainly wouldn't recommend this book to just anyone.

Halpern's father is too the point, crude and also, in a strange way, extremely loving.  While at times, I was extremely taken aback by what he had to say, I totally understood the point he was trying to make.  Despite his tough exterior, Halpern's father truly cares about his son and it shows through on the pages of this book.  All in all, $#*! My Dad Says was a decent read, but now one I'll be returning to any time soon.

2011 YA Historical Fiction Challenge

This will probably be the last challenge I'll enter to 2011 (except for the Chunkster Challenge which will be crossovers).  This challenge is hosted by Yabliss and has the following rules:

• You are not required to review the books unless you wish to enter one of the exclusive giveaways for participants that will be offered during 2011 for which the entries will be reviews.
• Books do NOT have to be 2011 releases nor do they have to be debuts.
• All books must be YA or MG to count.
• You do NOT have to run a blog to participate, although there must be a public website where I can find you (Goodreads, LibraryThing, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, etc)
• Your blog does NOT have to be a book blog.
• If you enter with your blog link, you MUST post about the challenge so I may link.
• Books that are paranormal or urban fantasy set in a historical setting (Clockwork Angel) are still technically Historical Fiction. They DO count towards your total. I dont have them in any of the lists because the idea was to promote realistic historical books that are less popular.

Level 1: 5 YA HF books in 2011

Level 2: 10 YA HF books in 2011

Level 3: 15 YA HF books in 2011

I'm choosing to partipate at Level 2.  Here's my list:

1. A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
2. Rebel Angels - Libba Bray
3. The Sweet Far Thing - Libba Bray
4. Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
5. The Luxe - Anna Godbersen
6. Rumors - Anna Godbersen
7. Envy - Anna Godbersen
8. Splendor - Anna Godbersen
9. What I Saw and How I Lied - Judy Blundell
10. Sarah Plain and Tall - Patricia Maclachlan

2011 South Asian Author Challenge

S. Krishna's Books is hosting this challenge this year.  Below are the rules.  This challenge is completely out of my comfort zone so I'm looking forward to the challenge!!


What books are eligible for the 2011 South Asian Challenge?

There are two ways for a book to qualify for the South Asian Challenge

1.A book must be by a South Asian author. For these purposes, South Asia includes the following countries: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and the Maldives. There are no limitations on what the book can be about.

2.A book must be about South Asia. In this case, it can be set in a South Asian country or be about South Asians living abroad. It can also be a biography or memoir of a South Asian, or of a non-South Asian traveling or working in South Asia. In this case, the author does not need to be South Asian, as long as the subject matter focuses on the region, peoples, or cultures in some way.

Any type book qualifies, as long as it meets one of the two guidelines above - a cookbook, short story or essay collection, travel guide, etc...AND if only part of a book is about South Asia it still qualifies.

Other guidelines:

•Everyone is encouraged to participate.

There are several levels of participation:

•South Asian Encounter - 1 book
•South Asian Wanderer - 3 books
•South Asian Explorer - 5 books
•South Asian Adventurer - 7 books
•South Asian Hero/Heroine - 10 books
•South Asian Guru - Over 10 books (you can set your own goal)

I'm looking to read 7 books for this challenge:

1. Brick Lane - Monical Ali
2. The 20th Wife - Indu Sundaresan
3. The Feast of Roses - Indu Sundaresan
4. The Splendor of Silence - Indu Sundaresan
5. Gifted - Nikita Lalwani
6. The Space Between Us - Thrifty M Umrigar
7. The Dowry Bride - Shobhan Bantwal