Review: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone (Group Read-A-Long Discussion Review)

Title: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Category/Genre: YA, Mystery, Drama, Contemporary

Amazon


Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.



Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone was a slow mystery/melodrama surrounding the events of a teenage girl and her small-town life. Alongside this, there was also the story of Amelia, the tragedy of her and her death after her body was discovered on the side of a back road in Becca’s hometown.

I’d received a copy of this book thanks to Wendy Darling after it being on my wish list for the longest. Funnily enough, I hadn’t read much into the reviews, or even focused heavily on the blurb before I came across the book and just knew I wanted it badly. So maybe I had different expectations or ideas of how I thought it was supposed to be, but once I began reading I found I wasn’t exactly reading what I thought I was going to be reading.

Also, at the end of September, I’d done a group read-a-long with Jessie from Ageless Pages Reviews and Lyn from Great Imaginations and we had a lot to discuss regarding the title when finished. So this is a group review as well, by sharing some of the discussion below so you can get the general idea of how I (and they) felt about the book. And I’ve only shared a part--not the whole conversation.

A Portion of a Spoiler-Free Discussion

 

Jessie: So, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone. Or Amelia Anne Is Dead and Becca Has Boyfriend Problems.
Lyn: That is...the greatest thing I have read.
Lyn: I was a little miffed when the honest-to-Gods good story cut away so we had to read about a high school graduate and her boy issues

Pixie: That's how I felt Jessie. I liked Amelia Anne, but my expectations going into it was at a really high level.. and I was so bummed.

Lyn: I had a high bar set as well.
Lyn: It felt like two different books in one novel.

Jessie and Pixie: YES.

Jessie: I wanted more from each storyline. The switching back and forth helped to make Amelia more of a character, but Becca was left feeling less developed.

Lyn: Becca's part wasn't bad, it did hold a level of beauty, but I liked Amelia's story much more. I think if we had seen the same level of backstory from Amelia, it would have made a much better book.

Pixie: I really liked (though it was so sad) Amelia's story. Wish the whole book would've been THAT and Becca’s would've been cut.

Jessie: I would love to read that book. Amelia was a pretty great character. And Luke had some definite potential as an antagonist. More than Craig anyway.

Lyn: I agree with Pixie that Amelia should have been the focal point of the book - Becca should have been the back burner.

Jessie: And though the storyline wasn't as much as I'd hoped.. I admit I LOVED the writing. From the first page, I thought Rosenfield was talented.

Pixie: I do agree.
Pixie: I’d def read more of her work.

Jessie: Especially if she continues to write like that.

Lyn: The writing is BEAUTIFUL! It was haunting and it had a beautiful flow.
Lyn: If this is what the author promises for the first book, then I am excited to see what else she has to offer. Her prose is lovely and chilling.

Jessie: So, this book was a mixed bag. Some I really enjoyed and some that could use some more work.

Lyn: I think this author shows a lot of promise. I am going to add her to my list to watch. This wasn't a bad book, but I think it would be fair to make a side note

Jessie: I wanted to love it, but I admit I do feel rather lukewarm about it.

Pixie: I'm also lukewarm.


We agreed on some major points--- the biggest things being that the three of us were really taken by the beautiful writing of this book. This author is going on our watch lists for sure, and I already know that I’m looking forward to reading more of her work. It was clear throughout that she was talented at telling a story and creating a cast of characters. Another was that while we’d been slightly let down by the overall story, we did still enjoy it by the end. Mostly because of Amelia’s side of things. So... it didn’t end up being a favorite, but I’m sure I’d still recommend it to someone even the slightest bit interested in this dramatic tale of loss, small-town life, moving on, and mystery.

With that said, I give it a decent 3.5 rating!

Also, I just adore read-a-longs and group discussion reviews, don't you? =D

Review: The Last Policeman

Title: The Last Policeman
Author: Ben H. Winters
Category/Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic

See it at Goodreads


What’s the point in solving murders if we’re all going to die soon, anyway?

Detective Hank Palace has faced this question ever since asteroid 2011GV1 hovered into view. There’s no chance left. No hope. Just six precious months until impact.

The Last Policeman presents a fascinating portrait of a pre-apocalyptic United States. The economy spirals downward while crops rot in the fields. Churches and synagogues are packed. People all over the world are walking off the job—but not Hank Palace. He’s investigating a death by hanging in a city that sees a dozen suicides every week—except this one feels suspicious, and Palace is the only cop who cares.

The first in a trilogy, The Last Policeman offers a mystery set on the brink of an apocalypse. As Palace’s investigation plays out under the shadow of 2011GV1, we’re confronted by hard questions way beyond “whodunit.” What basis does civilization rest upon? What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?


The Last Policeman presents a thrilling pre-apocalyptic scenario of a world facing the end. There is a set date, and the clock is ticking its way down every second as the asteroid plummets its way to earth. With suicide rates going up, jobs being tossed aside, economy going to hell, and food sources depleting, people just don’t care about anything. Not even murder. Except Detective Hank Palace.


And I liked Hank. While everyone around him kept shrugging off the murder case or poked fun and jokes at him, he was determined to solve it no matter the state of the world. This was a realistic read with how society was portrayed in reaction to this possible situation. Fast-paced and riveting. I enjoyed the book, as well as the sequel, Countdown City, and look forward to finishing this trilogy!

Did you know I’m also doing a giveaway to win the first two books? Check it out here.

 

Review: The Dark Heroine (Dinner With a Vampire)

Title: The Dark Heroine (Dinner With a Vampire)
Author: Abigail Gibbs
Category/Genre: YA/NA, Paranormal, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy *

See it at Goodreads


One moment can change your life forever...

For Violet Lee, a chance encounter on a darkened street draws her into a world beyond her wildest imaginings, a timeless place of vast elegance and immeasurable wealth – of beautiful mansions and lavish parties – where a decadent group of friends live for pleasure alone. A place from which there is no escape...no matter how hard Violet tries.

Yet all the riches in the world can’t mask the darkness that lies beneath the gilded surface, embodied in the charismatic but dangerous Kaspar Varn.

Violet and Kaspar surrender to a passion that transcends their separate worlds – but it’s a passion that comes at a price...


I don’t even know where to start with The Dark Heroine (Dinner With a Vampire). I received this book after winning it through Early Reviewers at LibraryThing so I admit to feeling a bit obligated to at least reading it. After all, I requested it. I had some hope that it would be alright. The premise at least interested me to an extent, and I had avoided reviews so I had no idea what I was going into when I picked it up.

Let’s just say before writing this, I had to take a few days to calm myself down so that my review wouldn’t be filled with anger and rant-fueled hate for the book. I’m surprised I made it through the entire book. I trudged my way through. It took me three weeks to finish this book because every single time I picked it up, I could barely read twenty pages without setting it back down from having the feeling of wanting to vomit. And this is putting it nicely, folks.

The characters are absolutely disgraceful. I’m still angry at them. Gibbs presented a potentially good idea and poorly executed it with this cast of characters and their actions and manners that left me fuming before I even reached the halfway point. Abuse. Attempted rape on more than one occasion. Slut shaming constantly. Personality changes that didn’t make sense at all. And a confusing storyline that jumped all over the place with holes everywhere. My head spun so much. Not to mention the term GIRLY so overused that I lost count within the first thirty pages (15 times there alone, so you can just imagine how much in 540 pages) and left such a sour taste in my mouth. Girly? Really? That just makes it creepy. Not endearing.

And how Violet, or any woman for that matter, could be “attracted” to a guy that is consistently threatening, belittling, abusing, and controlling them is beyond me. THAT IS NOT ROMANTIC. I don’t care if the character is a vampire. It’s. Not. Okay.

The only thing I liked a bit was the dual PoV. Sometimes it helped ease the confusion of the plot--though, sometimes it made it worse. Often I felt like things were just made up as they went along and that’s why I’d sit there like, “huh?” I’d even find myself flipping back a few pages to re-read just to make sure I didn’t accidentally skim over something. That was an annoyance.

Glad that’s over now.


**I categorized it as YA/NA, though it's at a bit of a cross-genre to be in adult. However it seems many are categorizing it into YA/NA as well.

 

Review: The Diviners

Title: The Diviners
Author: Libba Bray
Category/Genre: YA, Fantasy/Paranormal

See it at Goodreads


Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.


What a monster of a book! I like big books (and I cannot lie). The Diviners interested me from the moment I’d heard about it. Then some of my blogging friends were continuously giving it high praises. So I knew I just had to have this book as soon as possible.

It felt incredibly good reading something so fresh. At least for me. Until this book, I really hadn’t read anything that has taken place during the Roaring 20’s. It was great and now I feel like this is one of those fashion time periods that should be brought back. I have to say though that the blurb for The Diviners doesn’t really give it justice. I was going into it expecting something fluffy and fun, and instead I received an intense dark story, heavy with creep factor, and an in-depth read full of WOW.

I’d read Bray before, several years ago with Great and Terrible Beauty, and while that particular story didn’t blow me away, I’d always known that I would like more of Bray’s work. She has a crazy talented writing skill that displays so much characterization, story-building, and details. Maybe my biggest qualm with The Diviners was reading a lot of the 20’s slang--often times just wanting to see more normal dialogue--and sometimes it felt a bit bogged down with too much information or details. It has a bit of a slow start. As I said, it’s a long book, so there were some moments where I did get a bit bored with too much of it tossed in. Not necessarily bad, because it progressed the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed it by the end. It is worth the time to sit and read. Before I knew it, the pages were flying from my fingers until the last page was turned.

Extremely glad I read this--now I want more Bray!


 

Review: Shifting Pride

Title: Shifting Pride
Author: Laura Diamond
Genre: YA Paranormal, Romance

See it at Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Nickie Leone has proof that her missing (presumed dead) father is still alive. Receiving his watch in the mail is the first in a line of clues bringing her closer to discovering his whereabouts. But clues aren’t the only new thing in Nickie’s life. There’s the Memorial Banquet her mother insists she help prepare for, there’s the new kid/hottie, Xavian, and...well, the growth of whiskers and a tail!

Filled with secrets and a new love of tuna fish, Nickie must partner up with Xavian (don’t you know he’s a shapeshifter too?) to rescue her dad before she loses him forever. Oh, and she needs to figure out how to be a cat, too.



I don’t normally read a lot about shifters, more specifically any type of werewolf or wolf-type creature usually, because to be bluntly honest about it I’m just not a big fan of the supernatural being in most cases. I’ve had rare instances of picking up a few books here and there that have involved shifters or werewolves and have actually enjoyed them, but as I said, it’s rare. A good ninety-percent of the time, those reads end in disaster so I tend to stay away and keep to my favorite kind of species instead when it comes to reading any kind of paranormal creature.

However, Shifting Pride was a different case. Sure these were shifters…but there was a little spark of interest at the back of my mind when I found that it was about were-cats. I don’t find this often in any paranormal read, so despite my wariness toward shifter reads, I had the urge to read this title because of that. Well, it might also help that I really adore cats, too. :P

Shifting Pride starts with the action right away as you’re immediately pulled into the story and mystery of what is going on in Nickie’s life. I felt sympathy and empathy for her with her constant struggle through the loss of her father, as well as her trying to have the most normal life that she can…until it starts to go a bit haywire, of course. The only minor nitpicks I may have was that I got a bit aggravated at her overreactions toward her mother as well as Xavian at times--it felt as if there were moments when she couldn’t stop and take a calming breath. But it wasn’t a big deal and not enough to take away the story for me. I liked Xavian’s character and the bits of humor I felt from his and Nickie’s interactions often. It was cute. Even when Nickie kicked him in no-no’s.


Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. The story paced along quite well and I enjoyed reading about the characters, this interesting were-cat shifter species, their unusual world, and interactions. It’s action-packed, compelling, and fun. Diamond crafted a unique story and I look forward to reading much more of her work in the future.

Review: Days of Blood & Starlight

Title: Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2)
Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.
Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?


There was no doubt in my mind that Daughter of Smoke & Bone was probably one of my favorites last year. It’s a rare occasion for me to go out and buy a brand new, just-released book due to hype, but I felt an instant pull to it and I’m glad I’d given it that chance. I think it’s well worth the hype. So, needless to say, I grew antsy the last year waiting for the sequel to come out so I could just find out what’s going to happen to our blue-haired heroine and this strangely unique angel-being of hers. I was nervous. I get this condition I call “second book syndrome” almost too easily when it comes to series. I often find it hard to continue a series because of this, unless the sequel is just as good as the first…or better. And I didn’t want my awe from Daughter of Smoke & Bone to be taken away with a bad sequel. I was terrified of disappointment, but I went rushing right to it anyway.

Days of Blood & Starlight did disappoint me in some ways. Unfortunately, I can’t go into many details. I want to stay spoiler-free, and that can be difficult when it comes to reviewing sequels. I can say this: the writing style felt different from the first page. Perhaps it had a lot to do with the new style in general. Days is told in a few POVs from characters, rather than only Karou’s like it’d been in Daughter. The writing itself is still beautiful and crafty, very visual, but it’s slow. That’s a warning. It takes time and patience with this one before you may find yourself back into the story. It took me almost two hundred pages before I finally started to truly devour the book. I can understand any frustrations a reader might have if their book is slow-going in the beginning. But hang tight. Once it gets there, it really gets there. And then you’re off with a bang into Taylor’s amazing characters and world-building all over again. By the end, I found myself wondering if I liked Days better than Daughter, and I honestly can’t answer the question, even now…weeks after I’ve finished reading. Days felt different to me on some levels, but in a good way. It was thought-provoking. I learned to love new characters. I lost some and felt a deep heartache. I laughed. I cried. I learned.

If you enjoyed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, don’t miss out on Days of Blood & Starlight. It’s completely worth it.

 

Best Reads of 2012

These aren’t in any particular order, but here are my favorite reads of 2012. Also, please note, not all were released in 2012.


Touch of Power/Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder -- This was my first foray into Snyder’s work and I fell in love. I read Touch of Power at the start of January (it’d been released last December), and waited anxiously until I could get my hands on the sequel. I can’t wait to read more books by this fabulous author.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green -- another first for me. I hadn’t read any Green before until this one, and now I’m on a mission to pick up every book he has. I don’t think I’d ever cried so much. It was a very emotional read.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead -- I love everything Richelle Mead. And I’m really loving this series. Especially Adrian. But, I’ve always loved Adrian, so that’s not exactly new… I’m just enjoying this new story with MORE Adrian. ;)

Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick -- Ashes was one of my favorites of 2011. Shadows may have even been better for me.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi -- I couldn’t understand why I took so long to read this book. While I had some small nitpicks here and there, I still think about it, the characters, the beautiful writing, and can’t wait for Through the Ever Night.

Quicksilver by R.J. Anderson -- this is a bit of a cheat maybe because it’s not even released until March of 2013. But I did read it here in 2012, so I count it among my 2012 favorites. I loved it as much, maybe more, than Ultraviolet, which was a favorite of 2011 also.

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff -- One of the most unique reads I’ve encountered.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab -- another 2013 release, but had the honor of getting to read early. A book I highly recommend to any and everyone. Also one of the most unique I’ve read in years.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky -- this book gave me so many feels. Why did I take so many years to pick it up?

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor -- I haven’t reviewed it yet. I don’t know if I like the first better or not. I had a few nitpicks, but I still adored it and anxiously awaiting the next. Ms. Taylor certainly knows how to build a scene and make me emotional. This book. That is all.

Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt -- One of the best dystopias I’ve read. Hurry up, book two. ;)

Wither by Lauren DeStefano -- this book took me by complete surprise. I went into it expecting to hate it, and instead I was wowed.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- between this one and The Fault in Our Stars, this was the year I fell in love with contemporary romance.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry -- another contemp/NA that left me at a loss for words. It was sooooo good! I’m looking forward to the companion novel coming this year.

And last but not least:

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz -- this is to be released on Jan. 1 of 2013, but I’d read it earlier this year and was floored by the raw emotion and beautiful detail. Normally not into mermaid reads, but it’s much more than that… it left my head spinning. I’m glad to include it on this list of faves as well.

　

As you can see, I had quite a few favorites. But I also read a lot so I guess that’s okay. LOL. It’s always tough for me to narrow them down anyway. ;)


What were your faves of 2012? Any on this list as well?


 

Review: Sweet Evil

Title: Sweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?


This book was almost laughable. So cheesy, yet engaging enough to hold my attention and keep reading. In fact, despite how much I was annoyed by this one, I’m almost sure that I’ll read the sequel to see what happens.

The positives in Sweet Evil were that the mythos and back story had been really well thought out. It wasn’t confusing in that area, or just some weird nonsense that’d been tossed in. It was the parts that actually felt a bit real, original, and redeemed it overall because of it. It’s quite obvious that Higgins took a lot of time thinking the history through, and I quite liked that. The writing was also descriptive and lovely, sprinkled with some humor here and there, and nicely paced.

But what I didn’t like? That was a list of small annoyances. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Kai and Anna especially. Anna was too good. It was annoying. For a teen, I just didn’t see it fitting, no matter what she was. The idea of romance with Kai was not romantic at all. The guy was a complete jerk, constantly abandoning her, belittling her, and leading her on--only to go off and sleep around with others. And as always, we have a character that thinks it’s okay to be treated that way. I didn’t have any kind of emotion toward the two until closer to the end of the book when I may have finally felt some sympathy toward events. Who knows? Maybe I could like them better in the next book.

Also, should I mention this absolutely ridiculous idea of Anna’s guardian allowing her on a road trip across the country with Kai--someone they both barely know at this point--after Anna’s guardian had just had a fit a few pages before that about Anna hanging out with the guy? Yeah….that really makes sense.

The thing about Sweet Evil is that I see the appeal, I really do. I think I’m the oddball here because I know many people who adore this book. All of the crazy, positive reviews are what attracted me to it even though I’m always a bit wary about picking up angel reads. It was engaging and held my attention. A quick read with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Despite my annoyances throughout, I’m still curious to see what comes next.


 

  

Review: Easy

Title: Easy
Author: Tammara Webber
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

See it at Goodreads


A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.


I’m going into this review a bit wary actually. I mean, a lot of people loved this book. The amazing reviews are what attracted it to me and helped me to decide to give it a chance. Maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe some of my own life experiences hindered my full enjoyment of the read… I’m not sure. Either way, I just didn’t love it as much as so many of my other blogger friends did, and in the end, this made me really sad. It’s rare for me to feel bad about not liking a book as much as I think I should’ve, and it happened to me in Easy.

Let me get to the plus points first of Easy and what I really enjoyed.

Lucas is definitely crush-worthy. I can see his appeal with the readers and why he’s among the favorite male characters. He’s protective and smart and creative.

Jacqueline is a great character that handles her situation pretty well. I like how she takes self defense. I really love the messages throughout the book. The rape wasn’t just a plot device for the romance between her and Lucas later in the story. It was really part of the story and to give off a strong message. This is definitely good. I also found her professor particularly enjoyable, despite his few appearances. His concern and care touched my heart.

It’s engaging and completely un-put-down-able.

So what were my problems?

Sometimes I didn’t really feel it. The so-called twists were not only really predictable, but felt forced and cliché to run along with the story. Of course, I can’t go into detail because I don’t want to give away spoilers. Lucas and Jacqueline’s romance came off rushed at times. Her attitude toward what happened to her felt a bit careless and reckless. It really aggravated me at times.

While I had my nitpicks and I was a bit disappointed, it was certainly engaging. I see where all the hype and love is coming from for Easy. And I will definitely still keep an eye out for more work from Webber in the future.

Oh and on a final note: I really adore the cover of this one, too.

Review: Under the Never Sky

Title: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Genre: YA, Dystopia, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.


I was so surprised that I loved Under The Never Sky as much as I did. I was wary to pick this one up, though excited because it sounded just so unusual. I think a lot of my problem was that at the start of the year when it was first released, I’d been beyond ecstatic. I wanted the book. I wanted it bad. But as the days and weeks and months flew by without me still not having read it, and reading a few of my friends’ reviews on it, the wariness crept in and I held off from reading for a little while.

I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi. I think we’ve all learned that by now through the last year and half of my blogging. And while this is clearly a dystopia, it has its sci-fi elements and technology mixed throughout. Sometimes, I find my hidden gems though, and Under The Never Sky was one of them for me.

I think my only biggest problem with this read was that I felt like there wasn’t enough background to the world. I really would have liked to learn more about the history and how things came to be for the world and the characters. Instead, the reader just jumps right into the story and this strange new futuristic place with unusual happenings, and not really much of any explanations or back story. This bugged me over all, but it didn’t yank me away from the story either.

I found the new developments of humans really interesting. About like evolution. And in a way, I think it could be quite realistic. Our own future humans down the line may live to be 150 or longer at the rate science is developing. Sight could possibly become perfect for everyone--another science development already in the works. It’s a possibility anyway, and I liked seeing it cross-over into the characters for Under The Never Sky and show through their own varied specialties. Once again, another area where I would have liked to know a bit more background information because it was so fascinating.

Now, on to the R word. Not that word, sillies. I hate that awful word. For this one, I’m talking about: Romance! *breaks into Lady Gaga song*


Normally I’m not all gushy over romance in most books. I have my favorites, of course (Hello, Adrian Ivashkov?). But it’s always a struggle for me to get into a book that focuses heavily on romance and love, and even the minor characters show their struggles with that pesky emotion. I like the romance to be more the backdrop, rather than the focus. But Rossi…oh, you adorable author you, has done a fantastic job with the budding couple of Aria and Perry. Their romance started a little rocky, I’ll admit. I liked that, though. It immediately let me know it wasn’t going to be some insta-love let down. And it wasn’t. By the end, I was yelling at my book and the characters, and smiling and gushing and swooning. Nevermind. I’ll just say AWWWWW instead and be done with it. Needless to say, I adored the romance. The characters. The building tension between them. Very nicely done.

There were also a few unexpected twists here and there. And to catch me off guard is a great thing. I always seems to guess the twists beforehand. I didn’t here. Boom. Extra half-star points for that.

Really, I just found myself enjoying a great story with some absolutely fantastic characters and beautiful writing. If there’d been a bit more information perhaps to the background, rather than leaving questions hanging in the air, I’m almost sure this would have been a quick solid five stars. Either way, I highly recommend it.

Holy crap I can’t wait until the next book.


 

 

ARC Review: Scent of Magic

Title: Scent of Magic (Healer #2)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: December 18th

See it at Goodreads


Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.


Let’s get this out of the way first: Maria V. Snyder is perhaps one of the most awesome writers I’ve encountered in the last year. And unfortunately, so far I’ve only read this series of hers--but I’m remedying that by buying all of her other works and starting those soon. Touch of Power (book one) is toward the top of my all-time favorites’ list. I love it. I read it just after release in back in January and have been unable to stop thinking about the characters and the world and had been sitting on the edge of my seat all year waiting for Scent of Magic. So, I was pretty excited when I snagged an e-ARC from NetGalley (thanks to Harlequin!) and started reading soon after.

Unfortunately, I felt like it lost some of its magic compared to the first. Maybe it was just me. I’m not sure. I wasn’t a big fan of the switching view points constantly, especially since it didn’t happen in the first book, and while it did help to get to know Kerrick better, I think it made the story weaker in comparison to before. I love Kerrick. He’s rough on the edges, loyal, and determined. I did like reading about his struggles throughout along with Avery’s, but there was a slowness to it and as a reader, I had to be patient at times. I didn’t rush through this one like I had with Touch of Power, and maybe that was a bit of a let down in the end for me.

Also, sometimes, there’s a need for characters to die. And I understand this. It’s an emotional thing, and it carries into the reader. We get attached to these characters. We loved them. We remember them by their deaths. I kind of don’t feel it if they suddenly come back to life. I get this--there’s a story plot here, and something for Avery to work with in the future, but there were times when I wished it had been a different character, maybe a newer character, for the emotional reasons I wanted to hold on to.

The writing is always solid and beautiful and so descriptive I can easily visualize the scenes. And the characters are fantastic. There is no denying that. Each one has their own uniqueness to them.

Once again, I’m left with a cliffhanger that leaves me nail-biting for the next, too. Scent of Magic was fantastic. I adored it and will be anxiously awaiting the next, but it still doesn’t hold a candle to Touch of Power. And I’m really looking forward to reading more Maria V. Snyder.



 

Review: Through Indigo's Eyes

Title: Through Indigo's Eyes
Author(s): Lorna Nicholson, Tara Taylor
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


“I was always going to be on the outside because I saw visions, visions that came true. And I’d been seeing them since I was little. When they first started, I was naïve enough to think that everyone around me also saw and heard things. I didn’t know that other people weren’t like me.”

       More than anything else, Indigo Russell longs to fit in. And if she can’t accomplish that, then she’ll settle for fading into the background, which she’s managed to do rather well over the last couple of years. To most of Ridgemont High, she’s just another teenager walking the halls, doodling in her notebook during class, never raising her hand. An average student. That’s what she’d like you to think.

But Indie isn’t average; she’s different. She has visions, visions that allow her to see into the future and back again. Only her family and best friend, Lacey, know about them. But when she sees Lacey’s boyfriend with another girl, Indie has to decide whether to trust her instincts or her friends. As she grows closer with John, an enigmatic loner who recently transferred to her school, the visions intensify, threatening not only to alter the lives of others, but also to expose her well-kept secret.


As someone who has experienced the paranormal as well, I can say that Through Indigo’s Eyes intrigued me. I’ve always had a fascination with spirits and psychics, and knowing that this was part non-fiction and part fiction, I sat through this read with interest and curiosity at how the story was going to play out for the characters.

I found it mostly entertaining, and I enjoyed reading it. The characters are complex, full of personality through the pages, and sometimes a bit outrageous and eyebrow-raising.

I was more interested in the emotion and visions behind Indigo’s struggles day-to-day more than the romance. The romance was really a back-burner to me, and I didn’t feel it much when it came to that. The romance moved too quickly really for my liking. Ouch. But I saw the point. And there were points clearly made. Teens do rush into relationships in reality at times. And Indigo clearly got into one of those situations when she fell into clear lust. It caused her to make some rushed decisions, and also to brush off some important activities at the same time because of the infatuation--and the controlling. I understood and did connect with this, but I still just didn’t like the romance overall in this one either way, sorry to say it.

I liked that Indigo’s mother was extremely supportive and open-minded, along with all of the research she provided as well. It was a big deal and I understood that Indigo needed at least one person in her family to be that way for her. It was refreshing seeing that, rather than the typical parental abandonment that tends to happen in some YA.

All in all, Through Indigo’s Eyes is a page turner with a captivating story. It comes across as very realistic and makes a reader, whether skeptical or a believer of the paranormal and also psychic abilities, really think.



 


Don't miss the guest post from Tara and Lorna November 21st as part of Through Indigo's Eyes Blog Tour!

ARC Review: Undeadly

Title: Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries #1)
Author: Michele Vail
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy
Release Date: November 20th

See it at Goodreads


The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath.

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another...except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain—-Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble....

Dear Undeadly,

 

You not only gave me a fun, refreshing read, but there was something there in your pages I found absolutely entertaining. Maybe more entertaining than I should have liked. I admit to a bit of surprise by the immediate connection I had. I wasn’t able to quit turning those pages. What was it that made you stand-out so much compared to the other YA books I’d read all year?? Why couldn’t I forget you, even days after I finished reading you??!

 

Pixie

To get my point across, there are diary entries throughout Undeadly, and I felt the need to start my review with a short snippet myself. Normally, I’m not fond of most styles like this, but it worked in Undeadly, and I really quite liked the informal style and tone of the narration. I have to say I was wary in picking this title up. Wary and excited. The blurb reminded me a bit of the House of Night (um, ew) but with the idea of reapers and so much ancient Egyptian mythology ideas behind it (definitely awesome), I couldn’t help but feel drawn to it either way. I only hoped before starting that it wouldn’t be a let down. And it really wasn’t in the end.

There are some odd nitpicks I might point out. There are some annoyances that I’m sure would bother some readers--like when it comes to the big plot twist, there is a lot of foreshadowing, and I pretty much had it guessed halfway through reading. And Molly makes some stupid mistakes at times, to be honest. But for once in one of my rare occurrences, I wasn’t over-analyzing everything, and just genuinely enjoying the story itself because I was so entertained by it.

One thing I might say: I do say Whatevs a lot myself. It’s in my daily vocabulary/texting. But when it comes to the narration of a character, I don’t like seeing that word so much. It read funny and I often got annoyed seeing Molly use it so often throughout the story.

All in all, I found Undeadly to be an entertaining page turner, refreshing, and down-right fun. I look forward to the next installment for sure!



  

Review: Greta and the Goblin King

Title: Greta and the Goblin King
Author: Chloe Jacobs
Genre: YA Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...


I’m going to admit now that my expectation were rather high going into Greta and the Goblin King. I’d been waiting for this book for months, filled with excitement simply from the blurb and cover alone. There was something there that kept screaming READ READ READ.

And after reading, was I disappointed? Not. At. All. I loved this book. I adored the cast of characters and the world of Mylena was fascinating. There were a few nitpicks (like a potential love triangle I could have personally done without), but all in all, Greta and the Goblin King was such a refreshing read from the piles of YA that I’ve picked up in the last year. The world-building was interesting, and I wish I could’ve learned so much more about the history of Mylena. Scenes were easy to visualize. Creatures were a bit creepy. Greta and Isaac’s relationship felt realistic and their banter back and forth was often amusing. I continuously found myself cheering the both of them on throughout the story, despite their obstacles.

Greta is a fantastic heroine: strong-willed, determined, loyal, compassionate, and sometimes even a bit stubborn. But she is also vulnerable and very human. I really liked her. But the best thing I liked about reading this story is that it wasn’t written in first person. I know…how weird is it for me to sit here and point out something like that and talk about how much I liked it? But I think that’s what made everything come together so much better too. I like first person if it’s fitting, but I’m really glad it wasn’t the style of this one. I felt more connected to the cast and scenery through the third person from here.

As far as the very minor nitpicks go, I didn’t feel it too much in the romance department sometimes. I liked Isaac. It was quite obvious he had the most history--and chemistry--with Greta. But at times, I was confused or questioning the notion of growing attraction. In the beginning, it’s quite clear Greta hates him…then suddenly she feels differently, and I didn’t personally feel that transition, or find anything that could trigger that transition. Then there’s a potential love triangle that I felt was all wrong, and I really didn’t feel that romance at all. But I did like Isaac and Greta together a lot more toward the end. So I’m quite looking forward to seeing how it all develops in the coming installments.

I read this title in less than a day really. I just unfortunately didn’t have the time to post my thoughts and review up during the tour. But it’s a great page-turner full of action and romance. Afterward, I watched one of my favorite movies ever: Labyrinth. Oooohh yeahhh…

Greta and the Goblin King is refreshing and fun and magical! Next one soon, please!!

 


 

Review: The Dark Unwinding

Title: The Dark Unwinding
Author: Sharon Cameron
Genre: YA, Historical, Steampunk

See it at Goodreads


A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.
 
To be honest, I don’t find many steampunks that I can fully enjoy. They’re always either too technical for my liking or just too unbelievable for the story. I don’t read much in the way of this genre because of this, though I still continue to try when one appeals enough to me.

There was something about The Dark Unwinding that immediately attracted me and I knew I was going to have to read this book. And I’m so glad I did. This is that type of steampunk I can get behind and love. This is that story that I will remember.

It’s not as “high-tech” as some, and I think that’s why I managed to get through it so well. To top it off, it’s completely believable and there’s an amazing cast of characters along with a really gorgeous writing style. I didn’t find this to be a quick read though because it can be slow moving at times, but I did devour this book. Every time I started to set it aside, a little voice in the back of my mind would tell me “just another chapter.” I didn’t want it to end. And I certainly looked forward to every scene that featured Uncle Tully. His character made a huge impact. I adored him so much.

A great, compelling, and well-crafted read. The Dark Unwinding isn’t to be missed by any fan of steampunk or historical fiction.


 

Blog Tour: Greta and the Goblin King (Author Guest Post)

Today I have the fabulous Ms. Chloe Jacobs as a guest here at the blog posting about her upcoming work, GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING, as part of a tour. Don't forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway at the bottom of this post and visit the other stops! (Also, look for my review of this lovely title later this week!)

Goodreads

 

When I was writing GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING, I started with one idea and thankfully, it ballooned from there into many other ideas which worked together to build a story. But the one little spark that started it all was actually a question.

What would you do if you were removed from everything you knew, separated from everyone you loved? If, in fact, the entire world was literally out to get you?


Once I had this little worm in my brain, it was impossible to let go of it. I immediately knew that this wasn’t going to be a simple matter of having a character who moves away from home. I needed the separation to be brutal and complete. There had to be NO way for her to reach the people she left behind. No Facebook or texting, or even snail mail.

I also knew I had to take it a step further. Her situation had to be as bleak as I could make it. To me, it wasn’t enough that she was separated from her home and friends, Greta (she had a name by this point) had to be barred from making NEW friends. In fact, if everyone she met wanted to slit her throat, that would be even better!

I even made sure that the weather was harsh and forbidding. A world where winter never ended, where the ice and snow would make anyone feel lonely, depressed, and strip you of hope for a new beginning.

Why was I so desperate to torture this poor girl?

Because when you’re left with absolutely nothing and absolutely nobody, that’s when a person’s true nature asserts itself and I wanted to see what Greta was really made of, so I could know what her story needed to be.

　

　

Thank you so much, Ms. Jacobs for being at the blog today! And thanks to Itching For Books and Entangled for the opportunity to be a part of the tour. ^^

　

So, what would you do if were thrown into a world with a bunch of nothing? No Twitter. Sorry, folks.

　

　

Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

Official Site | Twitter

 

Enter the tour-wide giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Don’t forget to visit the Itching For Books’ Greta and the Goblin King Tour Page to visit the other stops on the tour!

And look for my review of Greta and the Goblin King coming later this week.