The Betrayed by Deborah Andreasen

The nice thing about having my own blog is that I can post about my own books. :)

The publication of The Betrayed is a little over two weeks away. That's coming right up! And here is the official cover of The Betrayed:

 Am I in love with this cover? Absolutely! I'm thrilled with the way it turned out. My poor designer sent me like six versions and I kept saying, "I like it, but..." Ultimately, I didn't love any of the drafts she sent me. The night before we were supposed to wrap it up, she texted and said she had one more draft and she thought I was really going to like it.

I was so nervous! What if I didn't? We were pushing up against a deadline and I needed that cover! But, one look and I went, "That's it. That's the one." What a relief!

Here's the back cover with the synopsis:

 

Is that amazing, or what? Sounds like a great book to me. I can't wait until it's released. 

It's now on Goodreads! Go, add it to your shelves and make me feel awesome. ;)

Starting this Friday, I'll post one quote a day from the book on my website: http://www.deborahandreasen.com

Pin It

Book Review and Tour and Giveaway!: Shadow Eyes by Dusty Crabtree

Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.

Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.

As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.

****

Shadow Eyes was ultimately a good read. For the first 3/4ths of the book, I just took my time. Reading it here or there, whenever I felt like it. It was an interesting but slow read.

For the last quarter of the book, I had to sit down and read it in one sitting. I felt like I was finally getting to the good stuff. Pieces started to click, mysteries were revealed. At one point, I even felt my heart racing a bit. That's always a good sign.

The story was interesting and strong. Iris was pretty likeable, if somewhat a little lacking in confidence. There were a few times when I wanted to say, "Really? You just walked away from that?" She has the unique ability to help people and she completely avoids the situation rather than even contemplating how she can help at all. I would have liked to have seen her ease into it, even if she only did one or two good deeds through the whole book.

Patrick, the off limits love interest, was a gem. He was suspicious, and I had my preconceptions about him being a bad guy. But by the end of the book I was hoping there was some way he and Iris could be together.

There were a few things I didn't love. The dialogue between Iris and her friends sometimes felt forced, possibly fake. Occasionally, the similes left me scratching my head.

I liked that the characters were put in believable situations; things that young adults today actually face. There was no swearing and a few scenes of intense romance, though nothing explicit.

The ending was a pleasant cliffhanger that makes me anxious to find out the rest of the story.

**Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a print copy of Shadow Eyes, your full name in the sequel, and a KINDLE FIRE!**

Author Bio:

Dusty Crabtree has been a high school English teacher at Yukon High School in Oklahoma since 2006, a challenge she thoroughly enjoys. She is also a youth sponsor at Cherokee Hills Christian Church in Oklahoma City and feels very blessed with the amazing opportunities she has to develop meaningful relationships with teens on a daily basis.  Her passion for teens has poured into her writing as well.  She is the author of the young adult urban fantasy, Shadow Eyes, through Musa Publishing, which she wrote in order to give teens an intriguing and provocative book series that promotes moral messages.  She lives with her husband, Clayton, in Yukon, Oklahoma, where they often serve their community as foster parents.

Check out Dusty’s blog at http://dustycrabtree.wordpress.com/
Find her on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dusty.crabtree.1
Follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/dustycrabtree
Buy Shadow Eyes at http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=176 (also available at all major online bookstores)






*The author provided me with a copy of Shadow Eyes in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for my review.

And now for the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Pin It

Book Review: Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.


Print Length: 464 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen; Reprint edition (April 19, 2011)

My Review:
This is the first time I've truly enjoyed a book in the angel genre.  I have read quite a few angel books, but most of the time I find them tacky and cliche.  Unearthly had it's fair share of cliche's, but I enjoyed the characters so much that I almost didn't even notice the things that would normally bother me.

I loved Cynthia Hand's writing.  Especially in the first few chapters, I thought her writing was beautiful.  As the story moves further along it loses a bit of the eloquence, but by that point I was so wrapped up in everything that I didn't care.

I found the concept of a Purpose very interesting, especially since Clara has such diluted angel blood.  She is only a quarter part angel.  The way her Purpose is communicated to her was fascinating, coming in a dreamlike vision while she is wide awake.  The love triangle was different than in most YA novels, and I liked the way Clara navigated her love life.  I felt like she fell in love with the right guy. ;)

Christian is a typical, overly gorgeous hero that most people seem to love and I never do.  Not that there is really anything to dislike, but I just like Tucker more.  Tucker is awesome.  He is 100% adorable.  His reaction to Clara was perfectly normal and I was happy to finally see that in a paranormal romance.

I was left with a lot of questions about the story, which was probably intentional so that I will read the next books in the series.  I couldn't help but wonder what Clara's brother was involved in, and why she didn't really seem too concerned about it.  I also wondered what was the deal with the dark angel and why did he pop up in the story?  Why was he even there?

There were a few things that irritated me about the book, but I really enjoyed reading it.  It was an intriguing book and I have to admit that I am hooked and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

The Cover:  It's a nice representation of the actual story.  It is similar to other books in the genre while still having a unique aspect about it.  I LOVE the title design.  I want to find that font...

Amazon | Goodreads | Website | Twitter

About the Author:

Cynthia Hand grew up in southeast Idaho (very near the Wyoming border). Currently she lives in southern California with her husband and two small children. She teaches courses in creative writing at Pepperdine University. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Unearthly series with HarperTeen: UNEARTHLY, published in 2011, HALLOWED published January 17, 2012, and BOUNDLESS, due out in January 2013.










Pin It

Review: Of Poseidon, by Anna Banks

From Goodreads:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

***

I love books that make me laugh, and this one held some fantastic scenes that had my family members sending questioning looks in my direction.  I have never read a mermaid book before, and this was a great introduction to this sub-genre of the paranormal.  It was a unique twist on a common theme. 

The characters were awesome.  Emma is feisty, funny, and independent.  Galen is a fantastic hero, but a little bossy and obstinate while still being adorable.  I enjoyed that even though their attraction was immediate, their relationship took time and testing to develop.  I loved Galen's sister Rayna, and her mate, Toraf.  They added a fun dynamic to the story and kept me laughing.


The plot moved along at a nice pace.  There weren't any slow parts that I had to struggle through.  I enjoyed seeing both Emma's and Galen's side of the story.  Emma's parts were written in first person, and Galen's in the third person.  The entire book was written in the present tense, which usually throws me off, but it worked well for this story.


The book contained a little bit of cursing, but it was kept on the mild side.  There was romance and attraction, but nothing got out of hand or made me squirm in discomfort.  There were a few places where I felt a little bit lost, like things hadn't been explained well enough, but they were all minor incidences and not crucial to the storyline.  All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I will be looking forward to any sequels that might come out.

Don't you just love the cover?  It's gorgeous! 


Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 22, 2012)
Amazon
Goodreads Pin It

Review: Hush Hush, by Becca Fitzpatrick

From Goodreads:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. At least, not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and probing eyes, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust—she can’t decide whether she should fall into Patch’s arms or run and hide from him. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth more unsettling than any feeling Patch evokes. For Nora stands amid an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen—and choosing the wrong side will cost her life.

***

You never know if you are going to love or hate any book that you pick up.  This was a little of both for me. 

What I loved:

I loved the writing.  It was clear, concise, and interesting.  The story moved along at a good pace and I didn't meet with any slow parts that I had to struggle through. 

I loved the hallucinations/mind manipulating that happened to the protagonist, Nora.  That was something that I hadn't encountered in a book before, and it really added an edge to the mystery. 

I loved Nora's lack of coordination.  I liked how she was a little bit of a nerd, and a little self conscious.  She was scatterbrained enough to make her enjoyable. 

I absolutely loved the cover.  The black and white is beautiful and gives it a surreal feeling.  

What I didn't love:

I didn't love the love story.  That was the main point of the book, so it was unfortunate that I didn't connect with it.  Maybe I have read too many YA novels lately, but the whole premise for the romance seemed cliche and overdone.  It was a typical girl meets a dangerous and mysterious boy that she knows is wrong for her.  He scares her, and yet she just can't seem to stay away from him.  She eventually finds out that he is immortal, possesses superhuman powers, and wanted to kill her until he fell desperately in love with her. 

I didn't love Patch, the fallen angel boyfriend.  He was rude, evasive, and arrogant.  Nora was a little clueless.  She thought Patch was stalking her, and worried about her safety when she was with him, and yet she was obsessed with him.

And I didn't love all the talk of sex.  There was SO much of it.  There were a lot of innuendos spread throughout the book.   At one point, the two of them even check in to a motel together when the electricity goes down.  I am more a fan of squeaky clean romance.

Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (October 13, 2009)
 Amazon
Goodreads Pin It

Author Interview and Giveaway!

Today we are very pleased to have Vanessa Morgan with us. She is the author of Drowned Sorrow and The Strangers Outside.

Her upcoming screenplay, A Good Man, will be released on April 15th. It's actually being turned into a French feature film by Radowski Films.

Here is a short blip of her bio, stolen straight from her webpage:

Vanessa Morgan was born May 24, 1975 in Vilvoorde, Belgium. She graduated from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and she first worked as a freelance journalist, a language teacher and a pet supply store manager before becoming a full-time writer. Her native language is Dutch, but she loves to write in other languages such as English and French.

Vanessa Morgan lives in Brussels, Belgium, where she is at work on a French vampire screenplay for Radowski Films and a comic book series starring her beloved cat Avalon.

And on to the interview:

It's great to have you Vanessa. So, tell us about your upcoming release, A Good Man.

A Good Man is a dark comedy with a few horror elements.  I could best describe it as American Psycho with a vampire. Some people have also compared it to the TV-series Dexter.  It's a fun and moving story and it turns the vampire myth completely on its head. It's not the kind of vampire story you've seen before and if you think you know how things will turn out, then think again.

It sounds pretty exciting! Can you tell us a little more about Louis as a character. Is he your stereotypical vampire?

Not at all. Have you already seen an old, Botoxed, self-conscious vampire with arthritis? Probably not. And that's just the beginning. Louis has several other traits that set him apart from 'normal' vampires. He's a funny character, obviously, but he's also touching and even a bit tragic at times.

Is A Good Man the first in a series?

I don't have the intention of turning it into a series, but who knows... Only the future will tell.

This is actually a screenplay. It's being made into a French feature film; will we be able to see it in the states?

Sure. It will be a big production with a French star cast, so it'll be available on DVD and it should make it to the American screens as well.

What made you decide to start writing?

Seeing movies and stage plays that I adored and recognizing something of myself in it. It's all about creating emotions and about sharing something that 'rings true'.

Can you tell us a little more about yourself?

I'm obsessed with my cat, horror movies, tea and spicy food. All the rest is secondary. I've come to a point where writing has become my day job, so that means that I'm fortunate enough to combine my job with everything I love.

When will A Good Man be available to readers and where can we get a copy?

The Screenplay of A Good Man will be released on April 15, 2012 and will be available in all the digital formats such as Kindle, Kobo, Nook etc. It will also be released in French as Un homme bien. The movie itself is still in preproduction, so you will all have to wait a little for that one, but the screenplay is an excellent way to have an exclusive preview.

Where can fans go to learn more about you and watch for upcoming releases?

I have a personal blog at http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com where I post updates about upcoming releases, pictures of book signings and extracts of guest posts. I'm also doing a cute web comic about my cat at http://avalon-lion.blogspot.com.

Vanessa is giving a way a copy of A Good Man to one lucky reader! Enter below, and a winner will be announced on Friday April 20th. You must verify your winning email address within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. 

Good Luck! (Click the Read More link to enter)

Pin It

Review: Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay (Juliet Immortal #1)

From Goodreads:

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

**

OK, here comes a long review. Ready?

I have been wanting to read this book for a very long time. I saw it on Amazon and read the interview posted there with author Stacey Jay. I loved her interview and thought, "I've got to read this book!" Because, let's be honest, Romeo and Juliet is a classic, but it's also morbid. They don't call it a tragedy for nothing. I won't mention that I was completely obsessed with it as a teenager.

Anyway.

When my library called and told me they'd bought the book because I requested it, I was ecstatic! I drove over right then and got the book. I finished it 4 days later. The surprising thing was that, while I felt a push to finish and know what was going to happen next, it wasn't all that hard for me to put the book down in between my reading spurts. So, while 4 days seems pretty fast, it's actually longer than I would have expected.

Juliet: Eh...I'm not quite sure how I liked her as a character. If she were a normal person, rather than the heroine of a love story, I'd probably like her just fine. But the fact was she supposedly had 700 years of practice, and all of a sudden it's really hard for her to do her job. What? There was a little bit of light shed on that subject late in the book. For those of you who've read it, it's the comment Nurse makes about the number of shifts she's done. For those of you who haven't read it, read it and you'll discover what I mean.

Overall, I was sort of unmoved by her performance. I didn't hate her, but she wasn't one of my all-time favorite characters. And really, being distracted by a guy...wasn't that what got her into this mess in a first place?

Romeo: Surprisingly, I liked him. Sorta. Kinda. Just a little. He's super complex and totally warped. I'm probably a tad bit biased toward him because I've already started the sequel (called Romeo Redeemed...). But in the end we discover that even though he's a monster, he is still doing what he thinks is best and what will save Juliet. It's like he says, he's always loved her.


Ben: Um, I'm just going to say that I would have totally loved Ben had it not been for one simple thing. The head-over-heels, complete devotion kind of love that abounded seemed way too fast for me. It's supposed to be love at first sight, but that's what got Juliet into this mess in the first place! (Wait...have I said that before?) So really, it's not his fault. As a guy, I liked him. He was awesome. The situation was what make me pull back just a little. However, there was a twist at the end that was totally brilliant. 


The plot was fascinating. It was unlike anything I've ever read before. Two thumbs way up. The pacing was good and I didn't feel any jerks in the storyline (except for with Ariel's "best friend" Gemma. 'Scuze me? What kind of friend....never mind.) A drawback is the amount of blood, guts and gore mentioned in this book. The Mercenaries are the bad guys, and they are way bad guys. They feed (literally) off of killing people and convincing lovers to murder each other. Yeah, ick. There wasn't always a ton of detail, but that's the beauty of a good writer. She suggests just enough to let your mind fill in the blanks. And then, of course, there are the times when she just lays it out on the line and you don't need an imagination to know exactly what's happened.


All in all, if you don't have a weak stomach, this is a very interesting book, worth reading if you've got a gap in your to-be-read pile. I am already reading the sequel and finding it very interesting.


There is heavy violence, sexual references and swearing.

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (August 9, 2011)
• Source: local library
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Pin It

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test #2)

RELEASED TODAY!!


From Goodreads:

Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it. 

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. Henry's first wife, Persephone.

***

If you've read my review of the Goddess Test, you'll know that I adored that book. The second book in a series is always hard because it has such huge shoes to fill. The Goddess Interrupted was a fantastic sequel! The beginning felt a little uncomfortable because it was like, here is a character that we know and love, but we haven't heard from her in six months (in the book timeline). All of a sudden, we're back in Eden, about to see Henry, etc. I'm glad we jumped right into the action, but it almost made me feel like I was missing something.*


Kate was still a worthy heroine, though, true to her character, I found her over-analyzing things. A lot. There were a few times in the book I was disappointed with her because I thought she was giving up, but it turned out to be just what the story (and Henry) needed.


There were other times when I just wanted to put my arm around Kate because I felt so bad for her. Persephone? Really?! 


Henry is such a complex character. I loved it. He's not perfect, not even close. I loved that about him. Of course, there were times I wanted to shake him by the throat, but I ended up forgiving him.


The plot felt a little rushed at times, and the resolution came faster than I expected. It sort of felt like an intro to the last book, rather than a second installment.


The ending was a huge cliffhanger! I read the last page and thought, "Oh no, that can NOT be the end!" But sadly, it was.

And seriously, we won't even mention how much I adore these book covers. I know that shouldn't be a contributing factor, but let's face it. It is. 


All in all, I gladly give this book five stars. I wait with much anticipation and bated breath for the third and final book.

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Source: The Publisher (via NetGalley)
• Amazon
• Goodreads

 *There are two novellas, soon to be published, that will fill in the blanks between books. Or so I hear. The Goddess Hunt (#1.5) and The Goddess Legacy (#2.5). Pin It

Review: Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate

From Goodreads:

Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.

And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they
least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce
will spend a night together like none other.

Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories . . . the ones everyone has been waiting for.

True love never says goodbye. . .

***

As a fan of the Fallen series, I was pretty excited to read this book.  It is a compliation of love stories from some of the main characters in the series.  In falls in between books #3 and #4.  


I don't know exactly what I expected from this book, but I was disappointed.  I only rated it as two stars on my Goodreads profile.  The writing was fine, but it lacked the good storytelling and mystery of the series.  Most of the stories were a little weird because there hadn't been any mention of them before.  You were just tossed into the middle of a relationship you didn't know existed.  There wasn't much of a plot, either.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a horrible book, but it wasn't the great read I had been looking forward to.


Romance-wise, it was pretty clean.  A few simple kisses but nothing over the top.  Also, it may be helpful to know that one of the stories is about a homosexual couple.  I don't have any qualms about it, but I thought readers might want a heads up in case you need to have a "talk" with a child who's reading it. 


Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 24, 2012)
Amazon
Goodreads Pin It

Review: Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

From Goodreads:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

*****

I don't even know where to start with this book. It was fabulous, and at the same time it kind of made me pull away a bit and ask, "What?"


Elisa is the chosen one. She literally has a Godstone in her navel. This stone is almost like a link to God, and it directs her in some of her more challenging moments. The Godstone means that she has been chosen to do something amazing! But she has no idea what, and she doesn't know if her task will ever be completed. Many of the Chosen don't live long enough to complete their tasks. 


On her 16th birthday, Elisa marries a kind and handsome man who is the king of a neighboring country. When they reach his kingdom a few weeks later (with much trial and hardship), Elisa soon learns he means to introduce her merely as a "guest" and wishes to keep their marriage a secret. A marriage that was nothing but a contract for more troops in a war that is fast approaching. 


And thus begins an epic tale of a girl who must overcome her self-doubts and find the courage to save a nation. And yes, I mean epic.

I read this book a month ago, and I can still see the story in my head. It was that good. The author does an amazing job of giving the reader enough detail so that we can see what's going on, but not so much that I'm flipping the pages looking for dialogue. 

Elisa is the kind of character that grows naturally, and yet she still has her self-doubts and lack of confidence, even though she's slaying the dragon. Hypothetically speaking. I thought she was so real, she could have been the girl next door instead of the girl of fire and thorns....:)

Battles and war are always a little difficult for me to follow because there is always so much history shoved into a tiny little space. However, with The Girl of Fire and Thorns, the war history was only a tiny bit tiresome, so that's pretty good. 

I sometimes had a hard time figuring out who was the bad guy and who really was good. There were a few times I thought a good guy was about to betray Elisa, and he never did. That's a little confusing as a reader. I like a surprise, but I don't want to be constantly on guard for something that never happens.

This is a very, very sweet love story as well. And that was one of my most favorite and least favorite parts of the book. I won't say more because it will give away too much.

This was a clean book with battle violence. If you're like me, you'll be heavily invested emotionally. This is apparently a trilogy, and you can bet your bottle rocket I'll be reading the other books in the series.

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (September 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• Amazon.com
• Goodreads.com
• Souce: Publisher via Netgalley

Pin It

Review: Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?
     
As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?
    
Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob,Wherever You Go is is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light.

***

Wherever You Go was a lot of things to me. It was a sweet love story, it was a creepy stalker story, it was a frustrating story of a girl who is, for all intents and purposes, still a kid and has to take on adult roles. I thought it was fantastic. 

I loved how every character's point of view is told in a different way. That makes it easy to slip from character to character, though sometimes the transition was a bit like a speed bump. 


There are so many morals to this story, but it doesn't feel crowded. I thought Holly's grandpa was a perfect cohesive element.


One of the things I loved the best about the book is that there's a secret. A dark secret that is only hinted at for a while. Then the clues start to build and you find out the secret and it's like the light flashes on. It was really cool. In fact, while I was reading it, I was telling my sister-in-law about the book, and I specifically said, "I think there's a secret, but I'm not sure what it is. I think it could be this..." and she and I got speculating. 


There was underage drinking, some swearing, some sexual references.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; None edition (November 15, 2011)
• Source: Publisher via Netgalley
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Pin It

Review: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

From Goodreads: Three angels- Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human- are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.


Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.


The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

**

There seems to be a lot of love/hate toward this book, and now I see why. I neither loved nor hated this book, but I'm glad I read it.

The story is wildly interesting. I thought the premise was fantastic, the characters were intriguing, and the ending was satisfying.

What I didn’t love about this book was the intense love story between Xavier and Bethany. Not that it was too physical or anything. Actually, their lack of physical relations and their reasoning behind it was quite refreshing. What I didn’t like was the fact that they so strongly professed their love for each other, then after one little setback, Bethany is essentially ready to commit suicide. It wasn’t healthy or believable.

Also, there seemed to be a conflict with the character of Bethany. She’s an angel and this is her first trip to earth. She’s incredibly naive about some things, and it understandably takes her a while to get oriented to her physical body. However, she speaks in slang and makes references to things that no one but an experienced teenager could understand. I would expect this if she sat around watching TV and movies for research purposes, but their family deliberately doesn’t have TV or internet. So that was a bit too much for me, as a reader, to swallow.

And if you notice, the book description mentions hiding their luminous glow and super human strengths. Uh, I don't remember them having to hide their strength, and Bethany only mentions her glow once...maybe twice. After that, it doesn't seem to matter that she glows in the dark. She goes to beach parties a couple of times with no concern.

All in all, I enjoyed Halo, and I will probably read the sequel.

And seriously? How could you NOT adore that cover?!

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Square Fish (August 30, 2011)
• Source: Local library
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Pin It

Review: Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight: something both her parents have forbidden. In an angry rage, she chases after a legend and finds her way to modern-day California where she finally belongs. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.

**

Wow. Was this a surprise or what? While I was reading this book, I enjoyed it. But by the time I finished the book, I was in love.

I always admire female characters who want to break through the norm. But Andrea is different. She is very strong willed, but she tries her hardest to do what her parents ask. When that doesn’t work, she decides to take things into her own hands.

She accidentally finds a door to modern-day California, and discovers a world where she finally belongs. When she, again accidentally, finds her way back to her medieval home, she finds herself causing a war. In an attempt to save her people, she makes matters worse. She has to use her knowledge of the modern world and put it to work to save her ancient home.

I absolutely loved the story. And just when I’d given up all hope of any romance in this book at all, I was blind-sided with one of the sweetest love stories you can find. 

I just learned there is going to be a sequel and I’m so excited!

The reading level is officially middle grade, but I found it to be a bit more mature than that. Not that there's mature content, I just think older readers will enjoy it as well.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 323 pages
• Publisher: Tanglewood Press (April 1, 2007, re-released June 16th, 2010)
• Source: Publisher, via NetGalley
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Pin It

Review: Witch Song by Amber Argyle - Traveling ARC

From Goodreads: The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fades, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.

**

Take what you think you know about witches, and throw it away. In Witch Song, witches, also called Chanters, are singers. They sing to make their magic work, and their gift is with elements. They make plants grow and steady the seasons, making them a friend to all…though not all have eyes to see what a blessing they are. I loved this book. I thought the writing was fantastic. The story was vividly interesting. Brusenna showed real character growth. The love story was perfect. There was almost constant danger and suspense.

There were a few things that were maybe not my favorite though. I hated how no one took Senna seriously, even after she’d proven herself time and time again. The other thing that I didn’t love was the passage of time. I think it was totally realistic for an untrained witch to take as long as Senna did to learn everything she needed. But I felt like it was one page she’d been at it for a week, and the next it’d been six months. Like I said, I think the timeline is realistic, but I felt like the transition could have been smoother.

Like I said, I loved this book! I highly recommend it to all readers.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing (September 1, 2011)
• Source: Publisher for Review
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Pin It

Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Helen is tall, gorgeous, brilliant, incredibly strong, and painfully shy. Literally. Her stomach cramps if she finds herself the center of attention. She lives a quiet life on Nantucket island with her father, and does everything she can to shrink down and fit in. But her super-human strength and shockingly real nightmares tell her she’s anything but normal.

When the Delos family moves to Nantucket, Helen battles with uncharacteristic hatred. When she finds herself trying to kill Luke Delos, the most beautiful boy to ever walk the earth, in front of the entire school, she really knows she’s crazy. She is losing the battle against anger and hatred, and someone is going to get hurt. That someone could be her.

Slowly but surely, Luke and his family teach Helen about who she is: a demigod, endowed with surprising powers. Like their ancient counterparts, Helen of Troy and Paris, Luke and Helen know that to be together means starting a bloody war. Can they fight their attraction if it means saving the world?

**

At first I was not entirely sold on this book. I finished it and gave it a shrug. But then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had to open it and re-read most of the book. After the second read-through, I picked up on things I hadn’t read the first time. I noticed things the author snuck in and understood so much more.

There was such fantastic family dynamics, but to be honest, I sometimes got confused as to who belonged to whom. Maybe that was the point. It wasn’t so much, “these two are cousins and those two are siblings,” as it was, “they are family.”

Helen and Luke are the perfect star-crossed lovers. I was rooting for them the whole time. There was one love scene that was pretty cheesy, but who doesn’t love a cheesy love scene now and then?!

Word of caution, this is not like Percy Jackson. If you go into it thinking like that, you’ll be disappointed. I think this was a great read, and if you feel dissatisfied or confused the first time around, give it another skim through and you’ll catch on to more the second time around. I am looking forward to the sequel.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 31, 2011)
• Language: English
• Source: the Publisher (via NetGalley)

Pin It