Book Review: The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Series: The Testing #1
Genre: YA Dystopian
Publication Date: June 14, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Before I do anything I will just say...

The Hunger Games > The Testing

Ok, so let's start with the outside of this book. I purchased the UK edition of The Testing and I have a couple lil nags about it really.

1. I'm fed up of people putting 'For fans of The Hunger Games' on the front of books because either the book is nothing like The Hunger Games or is basically a replica - if I wanted to read another THG then I would just re-read the damn original and not a knock off copy cat dystopian story.

2. It is pretty (very) similar to the US edition cover of Divergent - even down to the massive symbol on the cover.

BUT it is a pretty cover, I guess. :)

Now onto the actual story. 

I'mma list my nags first (of which there are many) but note that I did actually quite enjoy this book!

I thought the story as a whole was actually really well done and I love the author's writing style - Charbonneau is very talented indeed. Many elements of the plot were original, dark and kept me intrigued. BUT then there was the overlap to several other existing dystopian novels...

Firstly there were the colonies (Districts - The Hunger Games / Factions -Divergent).

Each group in The Testing had it's own symbol (Copying Divergent?)

Also, the graduation ceremony reminded a lot of The Reaping from The Hunger Games.

A certain character reminded me very much so of Cinna.

There is another Peeta.

There is a substitute for the silver parachutes in the arena from The Hunger Games.

Our protagonist, Cia, is singled out and recognised just like Katniss was, only Cia had no reason to get attention.

A certain injury sustained and the use of a crossbow were used - I found both lacked originality. 

Also, have any of you watched the Japanese movie Battle Royale? If you have then Joelle kinda copied a certain element of those necklaces the kids are forced to wear.

These are just a few of my nags.

Now I know I've made this book sound awful and completely unoriginal but I refuse to lie (unlike many reviews out there). This book DOES have many copied elements but it also has MANY original parts to it too!

Some of Charbonneau's ideas blew me away and many of the twists I didn't see coming. 

I did really enjoy this novel and will definitely be picking up the sequel but I had to point out my nags.

Book Review: Scarred by J.S. Cooper

Scarred by J.S. Cooper

Series: Scarred #1

Genre: NA Contemporary

Publication Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Independently Published

Format: ebook

Pages: 112

Source: Received for review from the author via NetGalley

Everyone in Jonesville thought that Bryce Evans had the perfect life in High School: he was the Mayor's son, the quarterback for the football team, the boyfriend of the head cheerleader and had a 4.1 GPA. His acceptance to Notre Dame came as no surprise but when he chose to enlist in the army instead everyone was shocked.

Lexi Jones was the quiet girl in school and kept to her small group of eccentric friends. She had no connection to any of the popular kids except for one incident on Prom Night when her path crossed with Bryce's.

When Bryce enlisted Lexi was the only one that wasn't disappointed and decided to send him anonymous letters as a way to feel connected to him. She stopped after a year because she felt there was nowhere for their relationship to go.

Fast-forward four years and Bryce is back in Jonesville and once again he and Lexi cross paths. Only he's no longer the seemingly perfect man and Lexi's no longer the quiet girl.

This time their relationship is quite different but both of them have secrets from the past and friends that threaten to ruin their chance at happiness together. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I immediately requested it because I'd been on the search for an NA book with a more mature romance (I guess one with more steam). Don't get me wrong, I ADORE YA, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for lots of kissing and less plot. And this book was exactly that. This review took me literally about three minutes to write and I posted it to my Goodreads account right after reading the book, unsure whether or not I was going to post it to my blog. But then I decided why not?

Basically, this was a quick read. Almost like reading a novella. It was sort of a fluffy read. For me, it was a good distraction read. There was good back story to the drama, though there weren't exactly overarching plot lines, ya know? Like, it was interesting and pretty well thought-out, but not an incredible amount of depth.

Because this book was quick and sort of fluffy, I wasn't worried about connecting to the characters. I was reading it more for entertainment than a soul-deep connection. I enjoyed reading about the characters for the most part, though, and I was rooting for them to get their happily ever afters. I'll admit that at times the characters seemed a bit too young. It felt like I was reading about 15 year olds, not people in their early-twenties.

This story could have benefited tremendously from a professional editor. I mean, the writing wasn't awful or anything, but there were some grammatical errors and some places where the writing could have simply used more.

I'm curious enough to see where the next book is headed, because if nothing else, this story line is interesting. If you're looking for something quick and distracting, if you don't care that the writing or the plot or the characters aren't completely mind-blowing, then I say go ahead and read this. I don't feel like it was a waste of time or anything. But if you're looking for the next Book Of Your Soul, I'd recommend saving this for later.

Book Review: That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard

That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Point
Format: Digital ARC
Pages: 272
Source: Received from the publisher for review, via NetGalley

Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.

When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.

But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.

With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

 My thought process: A YA circus book? Heck yezzzz! Romance, tarot cards. Man this is going to rock the pickles off of me! In reality, this book is pretty good, but not nearly as dazzling as I'd hoped it would be. Basically, this book was sheer potential and lackadaisical execution.

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I may have liked them while I was reading, but all of them left me the minute I exited out of Adobe Reader. Lexi (Xandra, X, Lex) isn't awful to read about, but she sure isn't winning a Best Protagonist award anytime soon. She is a bit too angsty for my tastes: a penchant for fainting, crying, making things more dramatic than necessary. There were other characters, such as Eli, Jamie, Liska, and Lina, who I could have easily been charmed by but turned out to be sort of a let down because I could never really get a good enough feel for them. I guess Liska ended up being my favorite in this book, with her studious habits.

The writing was pretty mediocre most of the time. There was a large amount of telling, rather than showing. And through out the book I was like: Wait, what? You love him? When the frack did that happen? Or: When in tarnations did you guys become friends? It was like things just happened and I didn't understand when or how. Sometimes I wondered if the author was going to go a certain direction then changed her mind, not bothering to smooth over the abrupt jag in the story (not a twist in the plot--a jag in the entire story). And the romance? Miles and miles from being beautiful and heart pounding. I did enjoy the plot, for the most part, even though there were some things that were a little unbelievable (Okay, so my mom isn't actually at this circus, so I guess Ill just join it myself; What do you know, after a few hours of practice, I'm good enough to drive on the highway; Oh, look here! My mom really coincidentally shows up somewhere with a perfect explanation for everything she's done wrong. Even though I "hate" her and am still reluctant to accept her back into my good graces, we patch things up in one conversation.)

My initial response to this book after reading it: "Wasn't perfect, but it kind of made my heart happy, so that's good." I honestly can't remember what about it "made my heart happy." I do know that this was a quick read, though, and interesting enough for me to want to see it through to the end. I don't think I could really recommend this, because it was simply lacking in too many areas.

Book Review: Gotcha! by Shelley Hrdlitschka

Gotcha by Shelley Hrldlitschka

Series: Standalone

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers

Pages: 259

It's "bead season" at slippery rock high. This year the bead-snatching grad game called "Gotcha" has been banned as an official school activity because the teachers have decided to put an end to a dangerous tradition. After paying an entry fee the players are given a bead and someone's name. The object of the game is snatch the bead of your victim and take their name. The winner ends up with all the beads--and all the money.

After the game is banned it becomes even more appealing. The game goes underground and more grads than ever are participating. Katie is reluctant to join in, but as a member of grad council she feels she has to go along.

The game quickly spins out of control. Katie finds herself losing friends and falling victim to her classmates' obsession with the game. She considers dropping out of the game but then devises a better way of getting even with her classmates. Katie finds herself sliding further and further down the chute that leads to disaster. Can she bring a safe end to this deadly game? (Summary from Goodreads.com)

So, this story is about a game called Gotcha being played in high school for the seniors. It's basically a gigantic game of tag, but it's also dangerous because people break into others houses. And through all this craziness, a girl named Katie is peerpressured into playing, despite knowing that it's wrong.

It's really not a book I would've chosen on my own. I'm not very good when it comes to choosing books, because I choose one genre to always circle. But, my teacher told me it was going to be a quick read and also that it seemed interesting.

I found out that apparently the events are real (for the most part) and they happened in Vancouver, which isn't actually all that far from me in Toronto. That was kind of why I read it.

Anyway, to the review. I was really conflicted by the time I was done. It only took me an hour to read because it's such a tiny book.

What I liked was the idea, but technically it really wasn't the author's "idea" per-se, just because she's writing it off real events so it's just like journalism or writing an article, but you're doing it in story format. I don't think that this book actually reflects off on the author's talent, not that I've read her other books... not that I really want to...

I can imagine my friend popping out of nowhere, screaming this...

Another pro was the author's writing style. I don't know if it was like AHMAZING, but I do know that I breezed through the book easy and there really was no moment where it was like "no, I can't keep reading... it's too bad!" It was simple to read and before I knew it, I was at the back cover.

Cons? Well, there are a lot of them, so brace yourselves.

Number one is that the story opened up to a series of emails between Katie and her father. The thing is that Katie uses "text talk" like "OMG" "enuf" "brb" etc.. Anyway, I loathe that kind of talking, so that nearly dissuaded me into reading the actual book. Of course, I got over it and skipped those parts, even though they were kind of vital to the story.

Also, in the beginning, the emails being exchanged made Katie look like a complete brat. I didn't know what was going on, but the conversation was that her father was apologizing about something and Katie was telling him where to go, if you know what I mean. It let me judge Katie before ven reading the story and I had her characterized as a stuck up brat, but she surprised me.

In terms of a first impression, this story didn't really have a good one.

But I still admired the idea and the way it was executed, for the most part. The story didn't go too fast or move too slow. The story's pace was good, but I felt like some of the events were far too fast. For an example, in chapter 1, Katie had a best friend and in chapter 3, her best friend hated her guts or something like that.

It was easy to ignore, but still makes for a bad story.

After all that is said, I still can't help but love the story. It had an amazing meaning with values of not doing stupid things, despite "tradition". People can seriously get hurt from things that started out with games and I know this because I, myself am in school.

Gah, I don't want to review anymore or I'll be more biased.

So I give this book 3 stars because pros minus cons equal middle ground or... 3 stars.

Book Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Series: Warm Bodies #1
Genre: YA Post Apocalyptic
Publication Date: January 1, 2010
Publisher: Atria
Format: Paperback
Pages: 239
Sources: Purchased

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Confession: I saw the movie before reading the book. Honestly, I'm glad I did. In my opinion, the book and the movie have two completely different feels. Seeing the movie first allowed me to just sit back and enjoy it with no expectations, and enabled me to be able to keep the book and the movie in completely separate vaults. In the end, they both deliver the same message, but the movie does it in a funnier way. Like I said, though, I am able to keep the movie and the book in separate vaults, so here are my thoughts on the book. 

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters, really. R is a great narrator, but he's also a zombie--incapable of real memories, and true feelings. It makes it hard to connect to him when all one really knows about him is his present: he likes to collect thing, he lives in a plane, he likes to listen to old records. There's no trauma, no experiences, no fear: all the basic building blocks that make up a person. I think he is a character people can relate to because his desire for more is obvious in every thought.You can hear it, but you can't really feel it. Or at least I couldn't. I couldn't feel any of R's "feelings" because they're not really feelings, they're acknowledgements of feelings. And with Julie...I don't know. I just don' know why the connection wasn't there. She kind of annoyed me, but it was more than that. She felt flat. 

The relationship between R and Julie was not the greatest, not the most dynamic, not the most heart-stopping...but I still liked it. It was a zombie and a human and I thought it was cute. Sure, R had no reason to fall for Julie besides that he saw her in Perry's memories. Still, I enjoyed the romantic aspect of this book. 

So, in my opinion, zombies are pretty hard to pull off. Marion's zombie lore has some good stuff and some bad stuff. I loved the wedding, and "church", the bonies. It adds a little more depth to the classic "me heart brains" idea of zombies. However, even with that added layer, there were still some things I found a little unbelievable. Little inconsistencies and holes that prevented me from fully surrendering to the world Marion created. The story itself progressed quite nicely, though. There were a few times when I was like, "Okay. Enough of this random fluff. Get on with the story!" All in all, though, I think the pacing was decent and it got a lot better toward the end. There wasn't an abundance of action, but Marion does the action pretty well. 

All in all, Warm Bodies isn't the most incredible book I've ever read. The writing is a bit literary and it's pretty fluffy for a zombie book. But I certainly do not regret reading this. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, only those who are mature enough to deal with the obvious message in this book, told with a zombie disguise. I feel like I gained a little nugget of...something from reading this book. And I don't know how to describe that nugget to anyone who hasn't also gained it. 

Book Review: Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole

Dante's Girl by Courntey Cole

Series: The Paradise Diaries #1
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: June 22, 2012
Publisher: Lakehouse Press
Format: eBook
Pages: 356
Source: Received for blog tour

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.

My heart just might be crazy.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole isn't a particularly stellar novel, but for some reason the characters and their stories resounded with me. This is a very cute and light summer read with a gorgeous setting, hot foreign guys, and a secret scheme occurring right behind the Prime Minister's back! Courtney Cole has included all the components for the perfect summer read, and yet I still had a few issues with it that prevented me from really falling in love with it.

My biggest problem is the whole cliche, "He so purrrfect and I so ordinary OMG!" Like, I'm sixteen, okay? I get it. Teenage girls can be insecure. But I am so sick of reading about how amazing, perfect, and completely gorgeous the guy is and how boring, ordinary, and plain the girl is. And seriously, every scene that Dante is in, Reece mentions how gorgeous he is at least once. I know it sounds stupid, but this small factor really did interfere with my enjoyment of the novel. However annoying her gushing got, though, I did like that Dante's actions provide support to how much Reece admires him. He proves himself to be sweet and a genuinely good guy that truly cares for Reece. The other characters were great entertainment--Gavin's flirtacious confidence, and Mia's need to rebel against her father--though Elena felt stereotypical and the drama with Becca was entirely unnecessary.

Despite all the fluff and Dante-gushing, there was a bit more depth to the plot than I had suspected going into the novel. It may be a little predictable in some ways, but in other ways I was shocked. Nate, Dante's "friend", is definitely up to something sketchy, but it's not overly emphasized throughout the book, which is good because it contributes to the shocked factor and keeps the mystery in the back of your mind.

Overall, this book was an okay read. This is the first I've read by Courtney Cole, and I'd probably read more from her.

Book Review (rant?): Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Series: Vampire Born #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publication Date: August 26, 2011
Format: ebook
Pages: 263
Source: Angeline Kace

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Indiebound ~ Book Depo

 Tons of bloggers have hyped this book up since before it was released. I mean, they were GUSHING, and I was like, "Bro, I want this book so bad!" Then one day I was totally creeping checking out her website and there was a review request form and I filled it out. I knew it had been released for a while so I figured Angeline wouldn't even see my request, but she did and she sent me a kindle copy. I was so excited! I could not wait to get started. Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be and as much as everyone else seemed to be. The unique-ish world building gave this novel a lot of potential, but I just wasn't feeling it.

Descended by Blood begins with a bang. There is this lion that attacks the main character Brooke and her friend, but somehow Brooke manages to control it. There's this creepy guy in a trench coat. Though the seen itself is sort of strange, the tension sets readers up for things to get epic, then it all just...fades away. The next 25% of the book is nothing but relationship drama with a little sprinkling of, "Oh, whadya know. This dude is following me, but I don't think I'll tell anyone. Now let me get back to worrying about my boyfrannnn!" Then BAM! The plot picks back up when a creepy vampire guy tries to kill her and Jaren, her boyfriend. It was weird pacing, though it got better, and I don't think the book started off in a good place. The lion scene wasn't actually much of an inciting incident because afterwards everything pretty much fell back to normal. 25% of a book should not be dedicated solely to developing a relationship. A lot of the development was actually unnecessary.

I didn't like Brooke. She was selfish and annoying. She worried about the wrong things. She was a hypocrite of sorts. She whined, cried all the time, and jumped to conclusions. She hears that Jaren was caught talking to his ex at the park, and she automatically assumes they're getting back together. She starts bawling her eyes out and going on about how her heart is broken. She doesn't give him a chance to explain or anything. And when she finds out that he kissed aforementioned ex-girlfriend, she freaks even though he clearly states that the kiss made him realize how much he cares for Brooke. He tells her he loves her and she thinks she loves him too, but he apparently "tarnished" it. Then, she thinks it's perfectly acceptable to be all over Mirko because she and Jaren technically broke up. Seriously, she bawled her eyes out at least four times throughout the book. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with girls crying in books. But when she cries about everything, or cries when she should be, like....I don't know--saving vampire kind? Excuse me if I get a bit annoyed. I wanted to shake her....or punch her. But I'll admit, I do like her a liiiiiittttle bit more when she does decide to step up to the plate and realizes that she needs to do more than sit around and worry abut her guy problems.

Then there's Mirko and Jaren. Everyone raves about Mirko, but honestly? I didn't find him all that swoon-worthy. I suppose he had his moments, but it was obvious he was trying to be aloof and sexy and it felt completely artificial. I did like learning about his past. It was sad what he went through, but it made me wonder--what does he see in Brooke? The man is tough. He went through some pretty heavy crap...and he falls for a whiny teenager? I'd love to see more depth to his feelings for her. And Jaren? At first he seemed like a great guy. He's sweet and obviously cares a lot about Brooke. Sure, he had a moment of doubt when he kissed his ex, but he knows it was a mistake and immediately goes to talk to Brooke about it. His dad is an extreme jerk, but he doesn't let that keep him down. Then he discovers that Brooke is a half-vampire and transforms into someone else entirely. He breaks up with Brooke because he "needs time" but then flirts with this other vampire girl. He feels like he can stake a claim over Brooke even though he dumped her. It's infuriating.

The only character I really liked in this book is Kaitlynn, Brooke's best friend. She's there for Brooke through everything, and supports her no matter what. A real best friend is something that is not seen too often in YA anymore. I really enjoyed the parts with Kaitlynn and I wish she was in it more.

The writing itself was pretty good. Angeline has a way with describing things that is really beautiful, although at times it can become a but much. The world building is original and well done. I didn't have any confusion. And the plot was interesting and engaging. These are the things that kept me reading and will make me read the next book. I can't wait to see what happens. Hopefully, I'll enjoy it more than I enjoyed this novel. The book wasn't bad, but there were a lot of things I didn't like and I didn't connect to it in the way I would have liked.

Blog Tour: From Fame to Shame by Veronica Blade (Review)

From Fame to Shame by Veronica Blade

Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: April 2012
Publisher: Crush Publishing Inc. 
Format: eBook
Pages: 125
Source: Received for tour

When good-girl Maddie switches places with her famous bad-girl twin Jackie, she has some pretty high stilettos to fill.

Despite the danger of tabloid drama if their identity swap is discovered, Maddie has to save her sister's butt. When Jackie’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a rekindled spark for “Jackie,” his deep gray eyes and sweet kisses make Maddie's heart thumpety thump. But dating the guy who dumped her sister is a no-no. Too bad Dallas isn’t used to girls saying no. What will happen when he discovers Maddie’s deception? (Summary from Goodreads.com)

 From Fame to Shame by Veronica Blade was a quick read with a fun premise and an adorable romance. I flew through it at lightning speed. It was a good read to just take my mind off of things.

Maddie and her twin sister do the ol' switcheroo and suddenly she's living this life of fame and glory. It has been done before, but it was still cute. I would have loved to see more fame drama. Sure, Maddie has to deal with some gross tabloids, and she has to walk the red carpet, but there's no major repercussions. Maddie's sister doesn't even get mad at her, really.

The characters were cute, but I didn't really connect to any of them. Maddie wasn't annoying, but she wasn't particularly appealing either. Dallas, on the other hand, was a total sweetie pie. AND HOTTIE. Who says chivalry is dead? Dallas will give you his coat when he's cold, and he'll cook you a scrumptious meal, and he'll do anything for his family. He may be a celebrity, but he's a seriously great guy. I also adored Stella. Even though she didn't appear a whole lot, she was still an interesting presence, helping Maddie pull off the switch and making sure she doesn't get into too much trouble. I couldn't get a very good grasp on Jackie. She's a main character, and yet she's not. She's always there, and yet she barely is. She seems nice enough, and pretty down to earth, though the way the other characters talked about her made her seem kind of bitchy and a complete party girl.

Overall, this is a quick contemporary with a light, yet steamy romancer and a satisfying ending. I wasn't a huge fan of the way the characters knew each other for about two days and were head over heels for each other, and I do wish there would have been just a bit more tension, but this is a book I would recommend to contemporary lovers.

Book Review: Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler

Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler

Series: Dark Secrets #1

Genre: YA Paranormal 

Publication Date: August 4, 2009

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Format: Paperback

Pages: 496

Source: Borrowed from friend

Two girls haunted by the past...and destined to relive it In Legacy of Lies, Megan has to stay with the uptight grandmother she wants nothing to do with. She's determined to get through the visit without any drama, but when she falls into a twisted love triangle with potentially fatal consequences, Megan may be caught up in her family's legacy in more ways than she realizes. In Don't Tell, Lauren knows that by returning to the town where her mother drowned seven years ago, she'll be reliving one of her most haunting memories. When she arrives, she is propelled into a series of mysterious events that mimic the days leading up to her mother's death. Maybe her mother's drowning wasn't an accident after all...and maybe Lauren is next. (Summary from goodreads.com)

Goodreads - Amazon - B&N - Indiebound - Book Depo

Both of these books were extremely quick reads. They were fast-paced, mysterious, and actually quite creepy! 


Legacy of Lies, the first book in this bind-up, was originally published in 2000, and Don't Tell, the second book, was published in 2001. Keeping that in mind, the writing was different than what I'm used to. However, I will be reviewing it as normal. 


Both of the plots were interesting. They both had secrets and betrayal and subtle paranormal aspects, and that was cool. The author did an excellent job of making you guess who is really responsible for all the bad things happening. While I'm happy the romance didn't overshadow the main story, I wish there was a little more depth to the relationships. It's not exactly insta-love, but in both the books the main character falls for the boy and we really don't know why. I kind of feel like both of the stories could use more depth in general. I couldn't really connect to the characters and I didn't feel like I really got to know any of them. The writing wasn't bad but it was certainly lackluster. 


But really, the intrigue of the plot was what kept me interested. After I finished I could genuinely say I enjoyed the story, though I didn't emerge from the book with the characters in my heart and constantly darting through my mind. Both of these stories were quick, creepy, and pretty fun reads. I liked Don't Tell a little bit more than Legacy of Lies because it's creepier and the characters are certainly more interesting. I'd recommend this bound edition if you're looking for something interesting yet doesn't require a deep emotional investment. 

Book Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Series: Slide #1
Genre: YA Paranormal Thriller
Publication Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: eARC
Pages: 187
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

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

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

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

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When I read the premise for Slide by Jill Hathaway I knew this was a book I had to read. I mean, I've never read anything like it. This girl can slide into other people's mind and she witnesses a murder. No big deal, right? Seriously, though, this story is epic. It's full of deaths and mystery and so much frackin intrigue. How could anyone resist? 

The beginning was really strong. We're introduced to Vee's narcolepsy, and in turn her sliding, which really sucked me in! But then the middle kind of sagged for me. Vee spends a lot of time wishing and wanting. She wishes that she could tell Rollins the truth about sliding, she wants to figure out who the murderer is, and she wishes people would consider the prospect of a murder instead of suicide. It killed me because it's like, Girl, you've got this incredible skill and you're not even trying to utilize it. But once she realized she could use her gift to help her solve the mystery, things got much more interesting. All of a sudden, everyone was a suspect. As the story unfolded, though, it was pretty obvious who was guilty and his or her motivations. 

I simultaneously liked and disliked the ending. I mean, it was really intense, but it almost felt like I was watching a scary movie. You know the whole, "DO NOT GO UPSTAIRS. DON'T LOOK IN THE CLOSET! TURN AROUND. RUN. RUN NOW!" kind of thing. Sometimes I thought that Vee was kind of dumb. Everything was right under her nose the only way she saw it was with a big neon sign. At first, I wasn't pleased with the ending, because I thought this was going to be a standalone, but when I discovered it is a series, I thought it was all wrapped up quite nicely. Still, there are more things I want to know. Like, why does she slide? Is there a way she can control it? And did the very very very ending mean what I think it did!?

I thought that the characterization was executed pretty well, for the most part. Vee may not be the brightest, but I do love her background story and the way that, even though her sister is a complete brat to her, she is still always there for her and eager to protect her. Rollins was my favorite, of course. He was mysterious, but not in a way that we didn't get to know anything about him. He was sweet and obviously really cared for Vee. I hope there is a buttload more of him in the sequel. Zane was an okay character. We learn a few major things about him but for the most part we don't get to know him at all. There was a case of insta-love with him, but the romance doesn't play a particularly prominent role in the book, so it's not as annoying as most cases. 

All in all, Slide by Jill Hathaway was a quick read with an interesting premise. I will definitely be looking forward to the sequel. Although I wasn't particularly blown away by the book, I think it's a book that appeals to everyone, and I'd recommend you give it a shot! 

Book Review: Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Format: eARC
Pages: 287
Source: Netgalley

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them.

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I was not as enchanted by this book as I hoped to be. I hate to say it, but this book was far from spectacular.

There were a lot of parts where the book felt rushed. At first I thought that the author just wasn't including much detail in the story, but as I read on I realized that there was details that, as a reader, I really didn't care about. I think they were used to "set the mood", though it felt sort of like the author was just saying, "This happened, then this, and then that," and then describing what the clouds looked like and the precise color of the grass. But sometimes when something important happened, it would be wrapped up in a sentence and I'd have to go back and re-read the sentence just to realize what happened.

As a book about the Fae, I expected this to have a very vivid, very unique world that sucks me in and sweeps me away. The was not the case, unfortunately. I just couldn't see it all, couldn't picture it all. The world building got kind of confusing for me at times, and there was not enough depth for my liking, especially considering this is a standalone novel.

The characters were all right. I didn't really get to know them much. I understood their personalities, but they felt flat. The same goes for the romances. There was one case of extreme instaluv.And I mean extreme. She was ready to say "I love you" before she even learned his name. The other relationship was slower and slightly more believable, but I still didn't feel it. They didn't know anything about one another, really. They hardly even spoke. Thank the frackin heavens, though, there was no love triangle. I would have loved more of Devin, though. He was funny and nerdy, which, ya know, is awesomesauce. And Isadora. I loved her! She was fierce and sassy and only about 2 inches tall.

I didn't see the point in the alternating perspectives. Jo's part seemed all together unnecessary. I have a feeling I would have connected to this book much easier and even enjoyed it a lot more if we would have just stayed in Eloise's mind.

Obviously, I wasn't particularly impressed with this book, but it was definitely a quick read that was really fast-paced. The pacing was definitely what made this book so easy to read. Because even though I didn't exactly understand what was going on at times, it was still interesting and engaging, and fly-throughable. It was also very light. It's good if you are looking for a quick read that leaves you with no attachments to the characters or the world. I'd suggest it if you need something simple for a school assignment or for traveling. I'd say this is a book to get from the library.