This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

This Is Not A Test
by Courtney Summers

Genre: Dark Fantasy | Young Adult | Post-Apocalyptic

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up.

As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

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The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Traveling Fashionista
on board the Titanic
(The Time-Traveling Fashionista, Book #1)
by Bianca Turetsky

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Time-Travel | Fantasy | Historic | Young Adult

What if a beautiful vintage dress could take you back in time?

Louise Lambert has always dreamed of movie starlets and exquisite gowns and longs for the day when she can fill the closet of her normal suburban home with stylish treasures. But when she receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail, her once painfully average life is magically transformed into a time-travel adventure.

Suddenly on-board a luxurious cruise ship a hundred years ago, Louise relishes the glamorous life of this opulent era and slips into a life of secrets, drama, and decadence....

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According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

According to Jane
by Marilyn Brant

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Romance

In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart...

It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there.

Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the trauma of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go, but Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham.

Still, everyone has something to learn about love -- perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond all she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending...

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Fall For You by Cecilia Gray

 Fall For You: 
A Modern Retailing of Pride and Prejudice
(Jane Austen Academy, Book #1)

by Cecilia Gray

Review on behalf of AToMR Book Blog Tours

Genre:Young Adult | Contemporary Romance

To say Lizzie and Dante are polar opposites is the understatement of the century. He’s a snooty Exeter transfer with more money than Google. She’s a driven study-a-holic barely keeping up with tuition. It’s obvious that Dante thinks he’s way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pushing her buttons.

But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie’s quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets… Secrets Lizzie can’t seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries…

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Existence by Abbi Glines

Existence
( Existence Trilogy, Book #1 )

by Abbi Glines 

Genre: Young Adult | Dark Romance | Fantasy

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course. Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him. Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead. Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all. He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

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The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star
(Shades of London, Book #1)
by Maureen Johnson

Genre: Young Adult | Supernatural Thriller

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Moving to London was to be a new experience for Rory's last year of high school. The most she was expecting was to make new friends, try out some new sports, and move back to Louisiana with new memories of living abroad. But what she got instead was a morbid life-altering adventure into one of London's darkest mysteries that became a little to personal for Rory and her roommates. Thus, as the gruesome Ripper copy-cat killer begins re-creating the bloody murders right in Rory's East London neighborhood and Rory herself becomes the only witness . . . a darkness unlike anything she has ever known existed begins to take over the whole city.

I found this book to be quite refreshing within the current YA releases. Yet, the beginning and the end almost created two totally different stories for me. It was easy to devour the first few chapters since Rory was witty and very accepting of her new transition into her London boarding school. The settings created were richly detailed & highly intriguing and the variety of side-characters created added enjoyable sparks to the overall tale. The thrilling murders along with the instant media sensation of "Ripper-Mania" blended realistically well into Rory's new lifestyle and set up for a very dark/suspenseful read, but then the story took a bit of a supernatural spin . . . something one would think I would be highly anticipating, but unfortunately I felt it took away something from the story. It was not as if this new direction during the second portion of The Name of the Star was any less gripping than it's first portion, it just created a different reality within the tale that was some-what lacking. All in all, I'm still tempted to check out Book #2 and will judge the series better after that book.

Likes: The New Orleans/Louisiana references were fun and easily relatable (i.e. hurricanes, swamps, gators, etc.)

Dislikes: Loved the beginning, not so much the ending!

Rating:

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Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red
(Ruby Red trilogy, Book #1)
by Kerstin Gier

Genre: Young Adult | Time-Travel

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Gwyn's family is quite unique since they share a secret time-traveling gene. Her cousin Charlotte is the most recent of family members to go through the extensive training that will prepare the travelers for their adventures into the past. Little does the family expect that the lessons have been wasted on the wrong family member since Gwyn suddenly develops dizzy spells herself and literally falls back into the past--twice! Caught off guard by her new ability, she keeps it secret until the truth becomes revealed and she's quickly brought into a mysterious society that is deeply rooted with dark passages, archaic passwords, and oddly enough. . .a cute (but egotistical) boy with the same time-traveling ability. Since Gwyn's new skill was discovered ( along with another darker hidden talent she reveals to only a select few ), she and those around her have been questioning her past and just who she really is. Can the truth be revealed in the past?

This was an okay read. Nothing really special, but interesting enough that I'm tempted to check out Book #2, Sapphire Blue, in hopes it will get better and much more enjoyable. Unlike many books in a series that have continuous stories that AT LEAST contain one plot line which gets concluded within that book. . . this story just keeps going and going. So much so, that I was left hanging at the end going "That's it?" even though it was obvious book #2 would be coming out soon. I didn't feel there was a sense of completion within the tale and because of that, makes me imagine this trilogy as one big substantial book cut into three smaller/duller parts -- boo! Yet, all in all, it contained an intriguing concept that was both unique and puzzling. Book #1 gives you a taste of what to expect further into the series with little glimpses/foreshadowing of Gwyn and Gideon's adventures into the past, so I guess I'll give this series a fuller evaluation after reading further.

Likes: The clothing attire needed for each past visit was fun and I was amused by each character's reactions to their apparel.

Dislikes: With a family that was so use to discussing/praising it's "rare" gene and being very open about it, I was somewhat taken back by Gwyn's reluctance to reveal her ability to her mother due to the fact she was afraid many would consider her crazy. Didn't make sense to me!

Rating:

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The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test
(Goddess Test, Book #1 - Harlequin Teen)
by Aimee Carter

Genre: Young Adult | Romance | Mythology

Every girl who has taken the test has failed.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Katie is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll becomes Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails . . .

Kathrine Winters is in a difficult place right now. She's trying to keep it together even though her Mother is close to death and she has to start a new life in a new place, knowing she could be alone in the world within just a few months. She has no other family, thus she desperately clings to her Mother and knows once the cancer becomes fatal that everything will change and she's not prepared for that. Then one night she meets a young man who makes some outlandish promises and her life now takes her in a whole new direction. Can the myths of the past really change her future?

It's been awhile since I've read a book as quickly as The Goddess Test. I simply couldn't put it down!!! I highly enjoyed the mythology and the simplicity of the overall story. When a reader can engage solely on the protagonist without a lot of outside interference ( too many side-characters, side-plots, settings, etc. ) it makes the tale a lot more entertaining, especially for my reading taste. I quickly become engrossed in Kate's emotional struggles that before I knew it . . . it was over. Thus, I'm thrilled Book #2, Goddess Interrupted, is coming out soon on March 27th.

Likes: Kate was very down-to-earth and easy to identify with as a character, thus her tale quickly become emotionally gripping since it wasn't difficult to see the world through her eyes & experiences.

Dislikes: The ending somewhat surprised me and it will be interesting to see where this will lead in Book #2 since many of the "relationships" between the characters quickly got altered.

Rating:

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Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde
by Beth Fantaskey

Genre: Young Adult | Supernatural Thriller | Romance

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, this good girl is tempted to peek inside, because the contents just might be key to winning a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. As things heat up in the lab though, Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and will compel her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

Jill, a brilliant student, tragically lost her father and after learning some dark truths about him, must now win scholarship money to keep alive any hope of attending college. Tristen, an accomplished musician, is a British heart-throb, but deep down inside contains a dangerous monster just waiting to get out. Thus, both teenage descendants of the legendary Dr. Jekyll ( Jill Jekel ) and Mr. Hyde ( Tristen Hyde ) team up to recreate tricky experiments with the aid of an old box holding “original documents detailing the actual experiments that inspired the novel”. They both enter into their chemist partnership for different reasons, but soon realize things could never really turn out as they hope!

I had high hopes for this book since I thoroughly enjoyed Fantaskey's first book, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, but this book just kept getting worse and worse. I don't mind a dark tale as long as it is a good tale, but this one was just too morbidly unsatisfactory for my taste. Rape, abuse, murder, depression . . . those are just a few of the grim subjects touched throughout the story. Also, I couldn't say I liked the main characters: Jill was either way too timid or too brassy & Tristen came off as too vigilant and intent on only doing what he wanted. I could go into a lot of detail here as well on how the writing style conflicted much of the plot, how unbelievable their romantic relationship developed and the unsatisfying ending, but won't since I'll just say I was sorely disappointed and begrudgingly finished the book even though I knew it would get a low rating.

Likes: Can't think of much since there was just too much sadness and self-pity going on throughout.

Dislikes: Lots, but mostly . . . contains really heavy topics . . . so don't expect a cheery or delightful read.

Rating:

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Love Struck by Melissa Marr

Love Struck
by Melissa Marr

Genre: Short-Story | Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Alana knows the legends of selchies, the sea-fey who leave their seal-like pelts behind when they walk on land, passing for humans. But she never imagined she would meet one—let alone two—on the night of an otherwise forgettable beach party.

The selchie Murrin, though, has long imagined actually meeting Alana, the girl he has chosen over the sea. He never expected that the meeting would be so complicated, or that an old rivalry would make winning Alana's trust—and love—so difficult.

Alana is a head-strong girl who knows what she wants in a relationship and she especially knows she doesn't wish to turn out like her mother. Thus she sets up stick rules when dating (ex. no 'eye-candy', six month limit, no visits to the bedroom, etc.) When she meets a selchie (selkie?) on the beach one night, she is enchanted into taking his pelt but has major remorse when he comes to find her shortly thereafter. Can a relationship truly bloom when there's so much against it?

This was an okay read. It's a quickie, but an enjoyable folkloric tale that mostly focuses on the beginnings of a relationship. Murrin comes off as quite sincere and very grounded in his beliefs that a bond (ie. marriage in his eyes) could really work between himself and Alana. On the flip side, Alana is freaking out. From the beginning she feels trapped by his affections and is constantly looking for a way to sever their union. It takes her awhile to become accustomed to their friendship, but when she does finally accept what is between them, trouble a brews, and their bond is emotionally shattered. The end is sweet though and poignant for them both.

Likes: Alana is stubborn but very realistic as well. She's a great lead due to her maturity and knows what her future has planned for her (more school before marriage) and that's a hard thing to find in many YA stories where the romance seems to overshadow everything else.

Dislikes: I'm not a fan of short stories or anthologies (too short!), but the subject matter caught my attention and I just had to check out this story. Plus, I would have liked to learn more about how Murrin came to the decision that Alana was the one for him before coming to shore.

Rating:

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Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed
by Josephine Angelini

Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy

Helen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is—no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.

It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed. Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken to her startling powers, they can never be together—not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store.

Helen begins her school year with frighteningly realistic dreams by night and constantly annoying gossip by day about the new Delos family in town. Upon meeting Lucas Delos for the first time at school, Helen alarmingly attacks him in hopes to kill (acting totally opposite of her usual peaceful temperament) all becasue of three insanity educing spirits (i.e. Fates) that agonizingly cry for his death. Things begin to quickly spiral downhill for Helen when she personally gets attached (more than once!) by an unknown assailant and ancient mythology beings to play an important part in her every day actions. 'Keeping your enemies close' is a motto Helen holds to dearly and thus begins to learn about just what (crazy powers!) she can use from the Delos family all while trying to figure out about her mother and just who she really is.

A LOVE written in the stars . . .
A FEUD started in ancient Greece . . .
A CURSE not even the gods can break . . .

I'm finding a similar characteristic that many young adult novels are recently sharing: single children families with a father raising them solo b/c of the lose of the mother figure. About three of the books I just read all contained the same family structure, but all in all, Starcrossed was an interesting read that ended up being quite enjoyable. I find I really liked the beginning of the story best since the ending kind of went downhill for me, but the book really begins quite nicely - lots of intense emotions, dark dreams, family mysteries, creepy characters - all fun and intriguing stuff! The book contains a fascinating theme throughout that will carry nicely into a series and book #2, Dreamless, is slated to come out May 2012, so jump on the bandwagon and enjoy.

Likes: Helen's nightmares are quite cryptic and captivating.

Dislikes: I'm not exactly a fan of stories where characters all "match" up...meaning...Lucas's two closest siblings "matching up" with Helen's two closest friends making this supper-dupper group where everyone perfectly dates and everything works out evenly, BLAH!!! Boring!!!

Rating:

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Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Forgotten
by Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Contemporary

Past. Present. Future. Which matters most?

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all London can “remember” are events from her future and the people who will play a part in it. In order to get by, London relies on reminder notes and a trusted friend to navigate relationships and high school life. Adaptable by nature, she tries to view her memory loss as a fact of life rather than a condition. But when London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes that in order to understand her present and her future, she must solve the mystery of her past.

10/14 (Thurs.)

Outfit:
-Straight-leg jeans
-Navy tunic with the little flowers
-Blister-inducing red flats

School:
-Bring book for English
-Get Mom to sign permission slip for history
-Spanish quiz tomorrow (not on syllabus)
-Read over history homework in the morning. . .too tired. . .

Imagine living your life from notes. Notes that remind you of the last 24 hours; who you met, what you wore, where you went, and what you're to do next -- that's London's life. She can't remember the past and struggles with it day by day, but the perk is. . .she can see glimpses of the future. She knows what actions will trigger events years down the road and can easily remember the people she'll know later in life. Even though her world is a crazy juggling act of lie after lie to get by at school, London can blow it off -- since the next day she won't remember a thing. Yet, when a new boy begins to appear more often within her notes and strange dreams begin to keep her up at night, London begins to question her past, as well as her future, and just what both may have planned for her.

Interesting concept even though it was a bumpy ride. London is easy to like and the reading is just as intriguing since much of it is in diary-format, but the overall book was a classic example of 'beginning with a bang and ending with a whimper' since it starts out enjoyable and quickly fizzles out. I felt the mystery part of the story was all over the place since halfway through the book, London switched focuses all together (no longer about Luke) and begins this new plot (about her odd dreams) without any real connection between the two. Also, the story was well rounded at the beginning but near the end became apparent that Mrs. Patrick wanted to create a continuing series, thus leaving some mysteries unsolved (personally...it really felt like she got tired of writing and wrote a quick/abrupt finish) All in all, Forgotten was an okay read but very disorganized & cluttered with gaps that it had me, the reader, questioning "What just happened here?" Maybe I just fizzled out near the end at well and lost focus, but here's hoping you may enjoy it more than I did!

Likes: Ha! Loved Luke's minivan ;)

Dislikes: Sucks not to remember your first date!

Rating:

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Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young Adult

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—the instant 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.

Lily came to the main land to experience life as a "Terraped" (aka 'Human' to Mermaids) and get close to the memory of her long-lost human Mother; who died shortly after she was born. Living at her Aunt's house, she goes to school as a normal teenager and becomes involved with the swim team and yearbook club. Her royal mermaid destiny claims she has to find her mer-mate before her eighteenth birthday, thus she's on a mission to kiss her long-time crush, Brody, and bring him back to her under water kingdom. Unfortunately, her annoying neighbor, Quince, always seems to get in the way of all her romantic attempts and when one finial Brody slip up occurs, Lily has to return to her home in the sea to set things straight, with Quince in tow.

I've been on a mermaid genre reading spree lately, but found this book sadly underwhelming and quite callow overall. Lily can come off sometimes are endearing but mostly she's frivolous & indecisive -- almost annoyingly so! Quince is easy to understand, but quite a push-over when it comes to Lily. Though it's nice that he can push Lily's buttons and add some much needed playfulness to the story. The side characters were all very bland, stale, and didn't really excite me that much; except for the Father/King -- he created an emotional bond that really added to Lily's family history. All in all, if you are looking for an easy juvenile paranormal read ( with silly characters doing foolish things! ) you may enjoy this book more than myself (esp. with Book #2 coming out shortly)

Likes: Lily has quite a collection of ocean-related potty-mouth slang she uses throughout the whole story. (ex: "Son of a Shark", "Carp","Holy Crab Cakes", etc.)

Dislikes: The story's plot was very underdeveloped and Lily's naivety put a damper on the tale as well.

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Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Raised by Wolves
(Raised by Wolves Book #1)
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Bryn doesn't exactly feel like she fits in at school as well as at home. She's part of the wolf pack, but many members won't even willingly accept her if not for the Alpha's protection. She's an orphan with a dark past and knows something is up since new laws have been put into place for her to get home at dusk and many more rules shes unwilling to follow. When a new discovery of pack secrets is revealed, Bryn must go against her "human" instincts and fully accept the pack lifestyle, accepting the good with the bad. Yet, can Bryn willingly change for the better when even more secrets from the past become known?

I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of this tale, but the end kind of fizzled out for me. It was fresh, very intriguing, and written in a manner that was quite easy to follow, but the plot turns at the end had me wishing for something different. It's not that it wasn't a nice ending, just not as satisfying as I would have personally liked and it was a little sad. Bryn's relationship with the different characters was what interested me the most. She acted differently with everyone and that kept the story spicy and from becoming too slow to enjoy.

I would have liked a better conclusion (maybe even an epilogue?) to this story and perhaps I'm unaware of a series that will soon follow, but I felt many of the side characters had their tale unjustly cut short and I would have enjoyed to learn more about them and where they were headed. Oh, just found out : TRIAL BY FIRE (the Raised By Wolves sequel) okay, that makes my reading taste much happier to know there is more coming overall.

Likes: I enjoyed the concept behind the story and am excited to read more into that world in Book #2.

Dislikes: I want to know more about Bryn and her ability, much was left out and I know there is more of the story to come soon, but what was lacking had me scratching my head in confusion.

Rating:

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The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

The Eternal Ones
(Eternal Series Book #1)
by Kirsten Miller

Genre : Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Haven Moore is a high school senior who has had visions of previous lives since she was a small child. Her strict, religious grandmother and guardian insists that she is possessed by demons. Haven believes she is being driven to find the current reincarnation of her true love.

The teen is a fine seamstress and has saved $12,000 making prom dresses with her gay friend, Beau. As her small-town world closes in around her, she decides to make a run for it to New York City, where she has seen the love of her lives come back in the tabloids because he has been accused of murder. This novel is a mystery, a thriller, and a love story. There is also a touch of the occult via the Ouroboros Society, an organization that purports to gather members from the reincarnated of the world. The element of mystery is consistently sustained from the beginning as Haven tries to determine if the man she loves is trying to kill her.

Ever since Haven Moore was 9 years old, she's been having flashbacks of realistic events that haven't happened yet. As a child, she would always mention of having "another mother", talk about her "other big self" and other unnatural things for someone so young to even know about. Thus, she was shunned early on by the students at school, thought cursed by her church, and practically kept prisoner by her strict grandmother/caretaker. Luckily, she had a best friend, Beau Decker, who kept her sane while memories of a past love, Ethan, kept her dreaming of something better in life. Eventually, research on her visions led to actual historical facts which convinced Haven that she was the reincarnation of a girl named Constance from the 1920s. She also discovered her "Ethan" was reincarnated as well as Ian Marrow, a New York rich society boy whose face is across all the gossip tabloids. Yet, as things begin to heat up in her home town in Tennessee, Haven escapes to try to figure out what all her visions means and just who she really is.

This was a refreshing read, something paranormally different from most of what is out there. Past lives that are reincarnated over and over again so that they may finally be together, a true love that doesn't end . . . utterly romantic and still sadly tragic. I enjoyed Haven's struggle of dealing with her debilitating visions of places/people she had never seen in her current life. The past twist was just as fascinating and I wish we would have gotten even more detailed glimpses into more of their past lives besides the most recent one in 1925. I adored the relationship between Haven and Beau and found myself easily getting caught up in the overall mystery of The Eternal Ones. Yet, about 2/3rds into the book, I felt Haven became very wishy-washy in her Ouroboros Society beliefs and that she was exasperatingly tedious with going back and forth in her trust in Ian/Ethan. I did find some parts shockingly spooky (ex. her discoveries while being held captive near the end), but all in all I thoroughly was captivated and cannot wait for what is next.

Coming Soon: Book # 2 - ALL YOU DESIRE - August 9th, 2011

Likes: What little bits we got of the past-life stories was fascinating, especially the story set during ancient Crete.

Dislikes: Lots of controversial religious beliefs were brought up throughout the story and since I'm not really not a fan of religious debates or political prejudices brought up in any type of book, I frowned upon it here too.

Words of Wisdom: "Unless you make the jump, you'll never know what is on the other side." (audio-book)

Rating:

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The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering
by Kelley Armstrong

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Review on behalf of Dark Fairy Tales

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It doesn’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

Maya is from a very private and privileged town (or hamlet as she prefers to think about it due to the size) called Salmon Creek. She is liked by all, best buds with the most popular boy at school and, if she wanted, could easily be the track team captain. Yet, she is very grounded for her age, has good morals, is secretly suffering/dealing with the loss of a very dear friend, and cares deeply for her family, nature and surrounding wildlife. Her sixteenth birthday is soon approaching and all Maya asks for is a tattooed outlining of her odd birthmark to her parents dismay. But not all is as it seems since her town, home of the St. Cloud Corporation (aka top secret "medical" research facility for corporate bigwigs), is having some new "reporter" sniffing around trying to dig up personal information on the students. Things also get a little out of control when Maya begins to fall for the high school trouble-maker Rafe (Rafael), but as some startling truths become known and even more dark secrets still remain hidden - can Maya except the change that is to come?

I got absorbed into this story from chapter one. Armstrong's writing style flows wonderfully and is easy to follow. Plus, the characters are very realistic and all likable. I highly enjoy Maya as the protagonist, since she is quite witty and very open in regards to her feelings and thoughts. She did, sometimes, come off as older than her sixteen years, but she is great as a female lead. Her Navajo background was very interesting as well. Rafe and Daniel grew on my throughout The Gathering and the other side characters were all very intriguing in their own ways (including the wildlife). Maya shares lots of personal (ex. alcoholism) and touching (ex. mentally disabled sister) moments with the two lead males and it just goes to show that even though she leads this "perfect" life in this "perfect" town, not everything is glitter and gold -- in more ways than one!

The plot was well planned out and the ending had me wishing for more (even though it did finish quite abruptly). But now, I know this is the beginning of a series and I cannot wait for Book #2. So many questions, so many possibilities! The setting was great and I had a "small town" bond between Maya and myself since "almost all of us[students] plan to go off to college or university, and not many intend to return, but we're happy enough living here until then" (pg 35) hit home for me! Yet, with Salmon Creek offering "the best of everything" (pg 17), it really makes you think - "If something seems too good to be true, it's probably because it is . . . "

Likes: Maya's humor!

{while on the tattoo trip} Maya: "I've decided to skip the paw print. I'm thinking of a tramp stamp with flames that say 'Hot in Here.' No, wait. Arrows. For directionally challenged guys." to her father.

Dislikes: I was shocked her parents seriously allowed her to get a tattoo for her sixteenth birthday, WHAT!?!

Words of Wisdom: Maya's Mom - "Yes, you set high standards for people. Too high sometimes. But you set higher ones for yourself and that's what worries me more, Maya. I want you to have big dreams, big goals. I want you to strive to achieve them. But I don't want to see you beating yourself up every time you make a mistake." (pg. 306)

Rating:

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Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days
(Vampire Queen #1)
by Rebecca Maizel

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

“Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you…no one.” Those were some of Rhode’s last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face. It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste. Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust. I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn’t Rhode. But Justin was…daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream. I never expected to be sixteen again…then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me…

Lenah awakes after sleeping for 100 years to find herself mortal and newly enrolled within a high school to slowly adapt to her new surroundings. Her sire, Rhode, sacrificed himself so that she may have a chance at mortality again and can experience a life that she gave up so many years ago. Yet, being queen of a powerful coven and stepping down from her responsibilities isn't something to be taken lightly, thus, her old "family" is on the hunt to bring her back . . . alive or (re)dead!

This book was praised rather highly and because of that, I eagerly anticipated reading it. But, sadly . . . I wasn't impressed. The main problem I had at the end was I felt none of the characters had any real depth to them. Sure, you learn their past stories and/or meet side characters that relay more facts about them but, when all is finished, I felt that I didn't really know these people any more personally than I did at page 1. Thus, Infinite Days was one of those tales were the blurb on the back of the book was better than the actual story overall.

I wish I could put my finger on the actual reason behind me not enjoying this (AUDIO!)book; perhaps the character development was lacking or the plot lagged too much - but the main part is - the story wasn't doing anything for me! I never got around to liking Lenah herself and I was not happy at all with her relationship with Justin (it just seemed so fake from the beginning) and of all the ways to end . . . blah!

I had also expected more from an old vampire soul like Lenah, maybe more knowledge of the world, more insight into love/relationships, but she just came off as a normal inexperienced teenager. Plus, she kept talking about how really horrible she was during her vampire reign that I so desired to hear more about that as well, but it was unsatisfactorily left out. The one praise I have for this book is that the concept was original, but I felt it could have been written into a much richer tale and for me, it was just so-so.

Likes: Great characters names like Rhode or Vicken.

Dislikes: *Spoiler* How Lenah had to kill her coven to stay alive and because of that . . . she came off as very selfish to me. She made her coven into what they are, she also made the decision to become human again and now she's making those of her past suffer for it. I could go on and on about this fact, but I'll stop at that.

Rating:

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Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution
by Jennifer Donnelly

Genre : Young Adult, Historical, Time Travel, Romance

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Diandra Xenia Alpers, aka Andi, has been dealing with some tough times for the last couple of years. Depression dominates her day, her parents are separated, her Mother isn't mentally there anymore, and her heart aches constantly for her lost brother. Her grades are suffering, all but one friend has deserted her, and she's developing suicidal thoughts. During her Christmas break from school, her father forcibly whisks her off Paris to have a change of scenery in hopes of completing her Senior thesis and graduating on time.

During her stay, she is gifted an old guitar to continue her hobby of music, which is basically an obsession and escape route from her daily life. Yet, one day she discovers a secret compartment in her guitar case and the hidden documents within now becomes Andi's newest obsession, a memoir of a girl from two hundred years before. Though both ladies lead separate existences, Andi and Alex share the same age (being seventeen) and both suffer from the lose of someone they love dearly - except one has to deal with the feelings associated with a tragic quick death while the other a long enevitable one - they're bonded in their grief.

While following Alex's diary, Andi begins to come out of her dark shell and slowly learns to turn to others for comfort. It's a long journey to overcome grief, but Andi takes a step back from her lonely music playing and distracts herself with her thesis research and a Parisian boy, Virgil. Along the way, she learns a bit about her father, a lot about the Revolution, and begins to realize she's not alone in the world as she had previously thought. It's a guy-wrenching tale at times to follow, but the story evolution is truly amazing. You feel all the pain/despair Andi & Alex experience and you dearly hope for a light at the end of the tunnel for each.

Near the end, the whole story begins to blur and it becomes a challenge to tell the girl's lives apart. They share the same city, same passions, same love for another, and even Andi's Malherbeau (favorite musician and her thesis topic) comes into play. It's really amazing to witness both girls grow throughout Revolution and be warned : you will cry, you will become obsessed with following Alex's memoir, and foolishly wish for a happy ending for all. Overall, it's a refreshing read!

Likes: The personal experiences of Alex's life in Versailles and with the Royal Family is a new twist on old boring historical facts. Even if it is fiction, it shines a new light on an old tale.

Dislikes: Andi comes off as VERY emotional distraught in the beginning, almost enough to where the reader cannot feel her pain along with her without finding her being immaturely distracting.

Rating:

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Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

Misguided Angel
(Van Alen Legacy Book #6)
by Melissa de la Cruz

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart.

I had another long ride home last week for Thanksgiving and listened to the audio-book version of Misguided Angel during the drive. I was excited to catch up with Schuyler & Jack, but I was surprised to enjoy the interactions between Oliver and Mimi even more. Mimi came out of her glamour shell to step up into her new role of elected Regent quite well (even though her vamp society is crumbling around her; it was nice to see the inter-workings of her group) and it was bitter-sweet to see her and Oliver lean on each other while in their heart-broken state. Almost foreshadowing to something "more" in the future of the series . . . IF she doesn't find a way to bring Kingsley back.

I was a little lost about 1/3 into the story since the reader is closely following Jack & Schuyler's mission in pursuing her Grandfather Lawrence's study of the guards & gates of Hell . . . and then the story cuts to Mimi, back in New York, with new characters joining in to discover the truth behind the missing vampires. It was like two major stories going on at the same time, which did eventually intertwine in the end, but threw me out of the loop for a bit. Overall, I highly enjoyed getting back into the Upper East-Side richy high school scene again after the last couple of books had us traveling the world and dealing with family deaths & disappearances.

Likes: I cracked up listening to the audio book voice actor doing a human conduit's voice (Jemma) . . . since it sounds IDENTICAL to a friend of mine! Too Fun!

Dislikes: I just wish we would have gotten more of one story instead of having it split into two.

Words of Wisdom: "The way to female friendship is through flattery" - by Deming Chen

Rating:

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