Title: Until I Die Author: Amy Plum Series: 2nd book in the Revenants series Publisher: HarperTeen Publication Date: May 8, 2012 Source: ARC
Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.
As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.
In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.
So...I have tons of scribbles for this book. If you know my reading style at all, you know that this is never a good sign.When I’m consumed by a book, or vice versa, I tend to forget to stop and record my thoughts.When a book is not living up to my expectations?THAT’S when I find myself with pages of notes.Granted, I can’t include a lot of my notes in my review because some of my thoughts were particularly spoilery, but you get the point.
I loved Die for Me when I read it last year.I liked the story, the characters, the setting…I even appreciated the bad guy.However, I’m starting to notice a trend.A big majority of the books I read this time last year – read: the first books in trilogies that are slated to release sequels this year – really wowed me.Maybe I was just getting back into my reading groove and was happy to read anything at that point.This was around the time I started my blog and everything was new and shiny and full of awesome.I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you compared my taste in reading materials from a year ago to the present, the results might be a bit skewed.Basically, I’m just warning you that I’m not going to review Until I Die as favorably as I did Die for Me, and I want you to know that I’m not picking on the book or the author.Also, it may not be any fault of the author or the book.It really could just be me that changed.
That said, I feel that Until I Die fell into the “middle book slump”.It was 350+ pages of fluff, nothing of any consequence really happening throughout the entirety of the novel.Sure, Kate is searching for a way for her and Vincent to have a somewhat normal life together, and he’s conducting experiments with the same end result in mind.However, the majority of the book was spent on Revenant history and unsubstantiated claims of a Champion and other Revenant-related lore that was neither unexpected nor unsurprising.After the first quarter of the book, I already knew where the storyline was headed, and although I love to be proven correct, the result left me quite dissatisfied.
My biggest complaint, though, was how contrived this novel felt.I have no less than five written examples of obstacles being overcome rather conveniently, despite the odds being stacked against the characters, and those are only the ones I felt compelled to document.Life, love and everything in between isn’t easy for your average human, so why would I find it believable that a human dating a not-so-gross zombie would have an easier go of it?
I did appreciate the fact that Vincent feels the need to point out to Kate that she has pretty much ostracized herself from all of her former friends and that she still does need those connections to the normal world.I can’t really fault Vincent for anything there; I do so hate a protagonist who dumps all of her former relationships for one with a guy who’s already warned her away from him for various reasons.On the other hand, Vincent doesn’t push Kate away because of the wrongness of their relationship, as so many wrong-for-her love interests are wont to do, so kudos on that front, as well.
I didn’t hate Until I Die, and I’ll definitely pick up the next book in the series.I just wish Until I Die hadn’t been such a middle novel.I was so excited about this book, and it just fell short of my expectations.I’ve been trying to curb those as of late, but when you’ve already read the first novel and adored it, what do you do?
Title: Shine Author: Jeri Smith-Ready Series: 3rd & final book in the Shade series Publisher: Simon Pulse Publication Date: May 1, 2012 Source: advance copy from the publisher
In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
I started the Shade series in November of last year, listening to the audio with the incomparable Khristine Hvam narrating.I was so engrossed in these novels, so consumed by them, that I plowed through them without taking any notes or really any analytical thinking at all on my behalf.I never even reviewed them, instead choosing to keep all of those feelings bottled up and savoring them.But Shine NEEDS to be reviewed.It needs to be discussed.So, what I shall do here is write a rather general review of the series as a whole detailed character analysis and sprinkle in some feelings from Shine.If you’ve read the other books in the series, you already know if you want to read Shine.If you haven’t, this should give you a good idea as to why you should read the series.
First things first:Aura.The books are told from her point-of-view, after all.I love that, in the beginning – okay, in the middle some, too – Aura is a bit unstable.The thing is, she’s not, though…not when you consider what she’s been through and what she’s discovering about herself and the world surrounding her.But she survives and develops her inner-strength and becomes quite the force to be reckoned with.She’s impulsive and big-hearted, both of which land her in hot water quite often.But Aura is a heroine of the realist sort.Living through her mistakes as I read along reminded me of similar mistakes in my own life, and her imperfections and indiscretions made me love her that much more.Aura is at her best in Shine, though, providing further proof that she is awesome and worthy of the no-less-than three boys that fawned over her throughout the series.
Speaking of…Zachary, oh Zachary…why can’t you be real?This is the guy we want our heroines to fall for.He is polite and sweet and mild-mannered, almost to a fault.And he is head-over-heels in love with Aura.From their very first meeting, there was a spark, and that flame only burned brighter throughout the course of the series.Zachary will (and does) go to any lengths to protect Aura and keep her safe from those who would do her harm.If that doesn’t do it for you, he’s got a Scottish accent and a kilt, to boot!Swooning yet?
But I haven’t even gotten to the Keeley brothers yet!When the series starts, Logan is actually Aura’s boyfriend.He’s in a band with his siblings, and though you might expect him to be one of “those” guys, he’s actually quite sweet and sentimental.Had it not been for Zachary and his Scottish brogue, Logan would have stolen my heart.For anyone worried about Logan’s presence in Shine, fear not…he’s very much there in spirit.(Ha, I’m patting myself on the back for that one.)
Despite delving immediately into characterizing the protagonist and her love interests, please do not read this and assume that there is automatically a love triangle.The relationships in this series are so much more complicated than that and it wouldn’t do the book or the characters any justice to label them.I am simply a character-driven reader and felt the need to point out just how amazing the characters crafted by Jeri Smith-Ready truly are.Even the supporting cast of characters are multi-faceted and fleshed out.Each serves a purpose and adds something truly special to the books.
Shine is just about the most perfect conclusion to the series that I could have possibly conceived.There are no lingering questions or doubts, but there were cataclysmic events that led to great discoveries, and I had so much fun on the ride.The series finale was everything I wanted it to be.It was sad, courageous, humorous, exciting and about a million other adjectives that all mean pure awesomeness.In other words, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.I’d always be up for more from JSR and the Shade world, but I’m also perfectly content with the way she left things.(And if she never writes another word about the Shade world, well, I can always revisit this series, right?Also, no offense to the original covers, but the new covers are just too pretty not to have their gorgeousness on my shelf.And again, I can now revisit the series any time I want so that I can swoon over Zachary some more.)And now I’m reviewing my schedule, trying to figure out where I can fit in JSR’s WVMP Radio series…
Title: Insurgent Author: Veronica Roth Series: 2nd book in the Divergent series Publisher: HarperTeen Publication Date: May 1, 2012 Source: purchased
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
Insurgent was probably one of THE most highly anticipated novels of 2012, especially for me. I list its precursor among my top five reads of 2011, and I read 130 books last year, so that’s saying a lot. However, I have noticed that my taste has changed a bit over the course of a year, and I don’t find myself immediately loving every book I pick up. That’s either due to the fact that I’m reading everything as if I’m going to write a full review of it and therefore deconstructing the story as I read, or it’s due to the fact that I’m relying more on recommendations from Goodreads friends and blogger buddies. And let me tell you, we do not always agree. I’m afraid we won’t agree whole-heartedly on Insurgent either.
Divergent grabbed me from the very first chapter, and I stayed up through the wee hours of the night to finish reading it. Insurgent was released on my birthday this year, and so my bestest blogging buddy Michele over at A Belle’s Tales suggested we stay up and do an all-night read-a-thon since Divergent was what brought us together in the first place. (Okay, it was really our love of Four, but don’t tell our husbands!) With Insurgent, I never really felt like I was fully back in that factioned world. The pull from the story wasn’t nearly as strong as it was with Divergent. Whereas I was Tris in Divergent, I felt like an outsider in Insurgent, watching from the sidelines as Tris made one poor decision after another.
I loved Insurgent. I did. It’s full of non-stop action. And Tris. And FOUR. I just felt disconnected from the story in a way that I didn’t with Divergent, and even though I’d been waiting a year for this sequel, it still felt like I was waiting…or rather like something was missing. If I had to put my finger on just why that is, my best guess is that it’s because the characters themselves did not feel connected. In the first book, there was a sense of camaraderie as the initiates trained together and even when they competed against one another. They were united in a common goal, at least. In this second installment, though, there is no one left. Not really.
Still, that missing piece, that loss, really set the tone of the novel, and even though I felt apart from it, the novel’s underlying theme paralleled my own feelings about the story. Be prepared. There is no light-heartedness or carefree and fun attitude in this book like there was at times in Divergent. Instead, the book serves as more of a cautionary tale revolving around loss and picking up the pieces and of human nature in general.
Another thing that bothered me? The dialogue. It seemed quite a bit immature and inappropriate at times considering the dire circumstances and dangerous situations the characters found themselves in. Or maybe Tris and Four just seemed more mature in Divergent? I love sarcasm and snark as much as the next girl, but it is not a good color on Four. You be the judge:
“Got that gun?” Peter says to Tobias. “No,” says Tobias, “I figured I would shoot bullets out of my nostrils, so I left it upstairs.”
Regardless, I still want to say a big thank you to Veronica Roth for not giving me a chapter or two simply summarizing the events of Divergent. And thank you for throwing me right back onto that train and continuing the story from there. (Note: If you do need a refresher, though, the author has put together just such a post, but beware that it will be spoilery if you haven’t read the first book yet.)
In summation: Do I think Insurgent was better than the first book? No. Did Insurgent at least live up to my expectations? Almost…probably. Could there have been more Four? Definitely. (BTW, did you read the Free Four short from his POV? Yummy.) Am I still excited for book three? YES, especially after that ending!
Title: Enchanted Author: Alethea Kontis Series: n/a Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication Date: May 8, 2012 Source:Southern Book Bloggers ARC tour
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
I love a good fairy tale retelling as much as the next girl. I enjoy reading fairy tales to my four-year-old daughter, as well, and I’m already stock-piling a few YA/MG titles to read with her when she’s a little older. Enchanted will definitely be going on that pile, probably sooner than most. I say that because it felt like it was written with a younger (or a young-at-heart) audience in mind.
Enchanted was cute and fun and completely harmless. There might be a few moments that are a tad scary for little ones, but when my daughter is capable of reading this book, I assure you I would have no problem giving it to her to read on her own. The romance is sweet and adorable and prudent, but that kind of goes along with the territory. It was shocking in those times to see two young people holding hands, let alone making out. I’m glad this retelling did not stray from those ideals.
My only real issues with this novel were the initial pacing and the sheer number of characters. This was a rather short novel – at least, compared to most I read – at 305 pages and the first 80 pages or so were spent on back-story. Add to that the fact that I practically had to draw a family tree to keep all of the characters straight, and I was a little put out.
However, once I saw how all of the characters fit into the story, it made sense. This wasn’t simply ONE fairy-tale being retold, and so all of the many characters were indeed necessary. I loved seeing how so many of my favorite fairy tales from childhood were brought to new life and incorporated into Kontis’ retelling of The Frog Prince. It was a pleasant surprise revisiting some of my old favorites.
This was a light, fluffy read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who adores fairy tales, retellings, or enjoys returning to some old friends every now and again. I can’t wait till my daughter is old enough to experience this book for herself!
Rating: 1/2
Book-A-Likes:Entwined by Heather Dixon, Beastly by Alex Flinn
Title: The Springsweet Author: Saundra Mitchell Series: 2nd book in The Vespertine series Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group Publication Date: April 17, 2012 Source: ARC
I hate staring at a blank piece of paper when I’m trying to write a review. Conversely, I love that I was so engrossed in the novel that I neglected to take a single note. Luckily, I’m caught up on reviews and not having to write this three weeks after I read it, so this should be relatively painless.
I loved Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine when I read it last year. I hadn’t read much in the way of historical fiction up to that point, but I was blown away with how easily the story pulled me in, and it turned me into a massive fan of the genre. The companion novel to The Vespertine was no different. You don’t have to have read the first novel in this series, but it will help explain some things that the author touched on in The Springsweet.
I didn’t fully appreciate Zora’s character in the first novel. She seemed pushy and flighty, and when things turned out badly for her, she withdrew into herself. That’s the Zora you first meet in The Springsweet. It’s been a year since her beloved Thomas was taken from her, and she’s still depressed and at a loss for what to do with herself. Her mother doesn’t know what to do with her sullen, yet impetuous daughter either. When things take a turn for the worse, Zora is shipped off to Oklahoma to help her young, recently-widowed aunt sustain her homestead.
Zora doesn’t believe she deserves happiness without Thomas. She doesn’t believe she will, nor should she ever, find love again. And so she is content with the manual labor necessary to maintain her aunt’s farmland, and for the most part, it keeps her from dwelling on the past much. But along the way, she unearths some things about herself. She is a springsweet, a water witch, a dowser. Zora can put this previously latent power to good use for other homesteaders and help support her aunt and cousin in the process. But as she learned from her cousin Amelia’s situation in the first book, powers of this nature can be taken for granted…and used against you.
Zora also discovers that she is still alive. That her heart can belong to another, even after the tragedy she has survived. She only has to let herself want it. But there are two boys vying for her heart, and though her aunt pushes her toward the better match, Zora is pulled much more strongly to the boy deemed the wrong choice in the eyes of her aunt.
The characters in The Springsweet are so well-written, so believable that I could envision them perfectly and could almost hear them speaking in a Southern drawl or in a genteel manner, depending on the speaker. Zora narrates the book, and she is from a respectable background, but she has a mouth on her, a tenacity that I found endearing. Her new locale only aids in the loss of her more refined manner. West Glory isn’t quite what she expected, but through the beautiful prose, I could picture it quite clearly. And it made me yearn to go back and read theLittle House series.
This isn’t a throw-you-for-a-loop kind of book, and I did find some situations a little predictable, but it wasn’t irritatingly so. As I was reading, it felt as if the book kept growing shorter. I wasn’t ready for it to end! And now that it has, I want the next book, especially after that ending. I expected it, but even so, I’m glad to have my suspicions confirmed and can’t wait to see how it plays out. From gorgeous gowns and balls to open prairie and yummy cowboys, this series just keeps getting better!
Title: The Last Echo Author: Kimberly Derting Series: 3rd book in the Body Finder Series Publisher: HarperCollins Publication Date: April 17, 2012 Source:Southern Book Bloggers ARC tour
In the end, all that's left is an echo...
Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye...
Okay, I’m going to get right to it. If you haven’t read the first two books in The Body Finder series, beware that there may be spoilers ahead for those books. I’ll try not to include spoilers, but I can’t promise that something I don’t think is a spoiler for the other books won’t seem spoilery to you. My apologies in advance. You have been warned. :0)
I won my signed copy of Desires of the Dead from the author herself, but I hadn’t really heard much about the series until that point. Of course, I had to go out and buy the first installment because I’m neurotic and can’t read a series out of order. (I wouldn’t want to, anyway, but that’s beside the point.) Anyway, the books hooked me from the very beginning, so to say that this latest book is my favorite yet should really tell you something.
For one thing, the writing – and the story in general – just gets better with each new book this author releases. (If murder-mysteries aren’t your cup of tea, check out her dystopian series, The Pledge.) The writing isn’t fluffy, but it flows so smoothly and keeps you so enthralled with the story that you don’t have a chance to form any expectations about what’s going to happen next.
But Violet’s unusual gift does leave a lot of room for unpredictable situations. And so does her behavior. Violet has remarkable instincts, but she’s impulsive…always rushing into things, usually without a moment’s hesitation to collect her bearings. But she’s determined, resolute in her need to end the recently departed’s suffering by finding their killers. And now she’s working closely with a secret organization that wants to put her skills to good use.
I was afraid for Jay and Violet’s oh-so-sweet relationship, knowing that Violet would be working closely with Rafe on the cases, especially since there seems to be something electric between them, but I needn’t have worried so much. Admittedly, there is still the potential for a love triangle, but it’s not seedy and off-putting like so many out there. The Last Echo gives the reader a much better view of Rafe than the few short glances we were given of him in Desires of the Dead, and from what I saw, I generally liked the guy. Don’t get me wrong…I still love Jay and hope that things remain carefree and lovey-dovey between him and Vi, but should Violet give Rafe more than a cursory glance and decide to take a chance on him, I wouldn’t be distraught. Rafe is deep and troubled and I honestly believe he needs Violet to make him whole again.
Speaking of troubled, the case in this installment is probably the creepiest Violet’s encountered yet, and she’s seen a lot of weirdness already. This time around, she’s trying to help catch a serial killer called The Girlfriend Collector and prevent him from killing again by determining his next target. But, as per usual, Violet’s involvement in the case has put her directly in the line of sight of the murderer, and if Violet doesn’t figure him out quickly, she may become his next victim.
I love all of the characters in this series, but Derting has a real knack for creating sinister, disturbing villains with well-developed motivations and backgrounds. I love the dual narrative of these novels, as well, switching the perspective from that of Violet to the inner-workings of the killer’s mind. Seeing things through the eyes of a murderer really increases the creep-factor.
Fast-paced and hair-raisingly intense, this novel kept me engrossed and inspired any number of frightening dreams. And I’ll never look at lilac nail polish the same. The author has set the bar high for herself and for the next novel in the series, but I have no doubt she’ll surpass my expectations.
Title: The Book of Blood and Shadow Author: Robin Wasserman Series: unknown Publisher: Random House Children's Books Publication Date: April 10, 2012 Source: ARC
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.
I’m going to be honest. This is going to be a hard review to write. Not because I didn’t like the book – I LOVED IT – but because I’m so afraid of accidentally spoiling something. I didn’t read a single review before plunging into this book, and I can honestly say I was pleasantly shocked at the direction the novel took at times, throwing me for loop after loop. I respect and admire a book that can keep me guessing, and The Book of Blood and Shadow did just that.
Robin Wasserman expertly weaves a beguiling tale, full of rich history and the menace of an unseen threat. It’s clear in the writing and in the story that the author did extensive research in preparation for this book, and she even discusses it briefly in the afterword. Though much of the story is based on actual events, much more is based on a fabled device that would allow the user to converse directly with God. The knowledge of the very existence of this mythical machine has put the lives of Nora – and her closest friends – in jeopardy.
The first half of the story is set at a leisurely pace, carefully crafting the back-story for our characters, showing how well-developed their friendship was and how they were simply normal teenagers, working on an independent study project for school. The story may develop gradually at first but it never feels bogged down in the history of the study group, nor is it weighed down by the actual history of the subject matter being researched. The author balances each focus well, and the end result is a book shrouded in mystery and secret societies, every bit as intellectually stimulating as The Da Vinci Code, which it will almost inevitably be compared to.
This book is not all dire situations and fleeing from crazy religious zealots, though. There’s a good bit of humor laced in there, with witty banter and a hilarious episode where two of the characters pretend to be engaged in order to gain access to an off-limits collection of astronomical manuscripts. There’s also the letters Nora translates from Latin that almost come to consume her in her search for answers. I very much enjoyed the correlation between Nora’s translations of Elizabeth’s letters and the situation Nora is currently faced with in the novel.
There is some romance in the book, as well, but it took a back-seat to the real problem at hand, and I appreciate that no matter how the love story was going at any particular time, it never overshadowed the rest of the story. The only thing that could have done that would have been the setting. Prague became a character in its own right. With the author pouring such beautiful and vivid descriptions into the story, it was no trouble envisioning myself as Nora, searching for answers and pieces to a puzzle she didn’t even know existed.
I’m not sure if this is slated to become a series. Though it’s over 400 pages long, I still had doubts that the author could wrap up the story before the book’s end. However, the ending was immensely satisfying and though left slightly open-ended, I would be content to leave things the way they are on the last page. Conversely, I wouldn’t be disappointed to learn that the author was continuing Nora’s story, either.
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
I loved this book soooooo much, and I almost thought I wasn’t going to get to read it until it was released. (I have a bit of an impatient streak, and so I might have cried myself to sleep, had that been the case.) I think I requested a copy every way possible, and being a somewhat green-behind-the-ears blogger, I assumed I WOULD have to wait. But lo and behold, I actually ended up with my very own ARC, thanks to @HMHKids, and I could have kissed their feet for their generosity.
You see, this is EXACTLY the kind of book I fall in love with. The kind that stays with me for days, weeks, even months later, begging to be re-read and discussed, shelved and re-shelved. It is YA historical fiction. It is romance. It is action-packed. It is everything I had hoped it would be and more.
I can’t imagine not loving a book about assassin nuns. Honestly, can you? There is no easing into this story. From the very first page, you are thrust immediately into Ismae’s story, meant to feel as she feels, see as she sees. It’s disconcerting at first, but wow, does that first chapter pack a punch! And then Ismae is propelled into a world she’d only heard stories of. She is now a daughter of Death and must be at Death’s beck and call. This new life not only opens her eyes but her heart, as well.
Ismae is conniving, quick-witted, and if you’re smart, she is to be feared. She knows all manners of killing, and you’re as likely to face her poison as her knives. This young woman is a trained assassin, and she is VERY proficient at the tasks set before her by Death himself, or at least by his emissaries. After the upbringing Ismae suffered, and the future she was sure to endure, this new path seems fitting. And yet, Ismae’s heart is not cold. She still manages to develop friendships with the other girls training at the monastery before she is sent out on her mission.
The love story…it’s the kind I adore. They hate each other. They work together toward a common goal. Someone saves the other’s life. You totally saw it coming, but it seemed like the characters didn’t, and then BAM! They came together and somehow, they had both known, without truly knowing the other’s feelings. I just love it when a romance works out that way. Yes, they held each other at arm’s length forever, but there were hints. And it was enough.
Coming in at 549 pages, this book is long by normal YA standards. But it never felt long. I read it in four days, but had there been no interruptions—like sleep, work and eating—I would have read it straight through. (And people might have found me a little more pleasant. I loathe the waiting to get back to a book I’m thoroughly enjoying, and people can sense this, even if they don’t know why.)
So, in case you didn’t catch it the first time, I LOVED this novel. I’m excited for the second in the series, although the synopsis makes it seem as if it is told from the point-of-view of one of Ismae’s friends from the monastery. Not that I didn’t like that character, but I fell hard for Ismae and Duval, and I’m not sure I’m ready for their story to be over. I don’t hate companion novels, but I never love them as much as the first installment. But for Ismae’s sake—and her fellow maidens of Death—I’ll definitely give it a try.
I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Review: Until I Die by Amy Plum
Author: Amy Plum
Series: 2nd book in the Revenants series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Source: ARC
As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.
In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Review: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Series: 3rd & final book in the Shade series
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Source: advance copy from the publisher
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
I started the Shade series in November of last year, listening to the audio with the incomparable Khristine Hvam narrating. I was so engrossed in these novels, so consumed by them, that I plowed through them without taking any notes or really any analytical thinking at all on my behalf. I never even reviewed them, instead choosing to keep all of those feelings bottled up and savoring them. But Shine NEEDS to be reviewed. It needs to be discussed. So, what I shall do here is write a
rather general review of the series as a wholedetailed character analysis and sprinkle in some feelings from Shine. If you’ve read the other books in the series, you already know if you want to read Shine. If you haven’t, this should give you a good idea as to why you should read the series.Rating:
Book-A-Likes: Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
Monday, May 7, 2012
Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: 2nd book in the Divergent series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Source: purchased
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
Divergent grabbed me from the very first chapter, and I stayed up through the wee hours of the night to finish reading it. Insurgent was released on my birthday this year, and so my bestest blogging buddy Michele over at A Belle’s Tales suggested we stay up and do an all-night read-a-thon since Divergent was what brought us together in the first place. (Okay, it was really our love of Four, but don’t tell our husbands!) With Insurgent, I never really felt like I was fully back in that factioned world. The pull from the story wasn’t nearly as strong as it was with Divergent. Whereas I was Tris in Divergent, I felt like an outsider in Insurgent, watching from the sidelines as Tris made one poor decision after another.
I loved Insurgent. I did. It’s full of non-stop action. And Tris. And FOUR. I just felt disconnected from the story in a way that I didn’t with Divergent, and even though I’d been waiting a year for this sequel, it still felt like I was waiting…or rather like something was missing. If I had to put my finger on just why that is, my best guess is that it’s because the characters themselves did not feel connected. In the first book, there was a sense of camaraderie as the initiates trained together and even when they competed against one another. They were united in a common goal, at least. In this second installment, though, there is no one left. Not really.
Still, that missing piece, that loss, really set the tone of the novel, and even though I felt apart from it, the novel’s underlying theme paralleled my own feelings about the story. Be prepared. There is no light-heartedness or carefree and fun attitude in this book like there was at times in Divergent. Instead, the book serves as more of a cautionary tale revolving around loss and picking up the pieces and of human nature in general.
Another thing that bothered me? The dialogue. It seemed quite a bit immature and inappropriate at times considering the dire circumstances and dangerous situations the characters found themselves in. Or maybe Tris and Four just seemed more mature in Divergent? I love sarcasm and snark as much as the next girl, but it is not a good color on Four. You be the judge:
Regardless, I still want to say a big thank you to Veronica Roth for not giving me a chapter or two simply summarizing the events of Divergent. And thank you for throwing me right back onto that train and continuing the story from there. (Note: If you do need a refresher, though, the author has put together just such a post, but beware that it will be spoilery if you haven’t read the first book yet.)
In summation: Do I think Insurgent was better than the first book? No. Did Insurgent at least live up to my expectations? Almost…probably. Could there have been more Four? Definitely. (BTW, did you read the Free Four short from his POV? Yummy.) Am I still excited for book three? YES, especially after that ending!
Rating:
Book-A-Likes: Legend by Marie Lu, the Matched series by Ally Condie
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Review: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Author: Alethea Kontis
Series: n/a
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Source: Southern Book Bloggers ARC tour
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
I love a good fairy tale retelling as much as the next girl. I enjoy reading fairy tales to my four-year-old daughter, as well, and I’m already stock-piling a few YA/MG titles to read with her when she’s a little older. Enchanted will definitely be going on that pile, probably sooner than most. I say that because it felt like it was written with a younger (or a young-at-heart) audience in mind.
Enchanted was cute and fun and completely harmless. There might be a few moments that are a tad scary for little ones, but when my daughter is capable of reading this book, I assure you I would have no problem giving it to her to read on her own. The romance is sweet and adorable and prudent, but that kind of goes along with the territory. It was shocking in those times to see two young people holding hands, let alone making out. I’m glad this retelling did not stray from those ideals.
My only real issues with this novel were the initial pacing and the sheer number of characters. This was a rather short novel – at least, compared to most I read – at 305 pages and the first 80 pages or so were spent on back-story. Add to that the fact that I practically had to draw a family tree to keep all of the characters straight, and I was a little put out.
However, once I saw how all of the characters fit into the story, it made sense. This wasn’t simply ONE fairy-tale being retold, and so all of the many characters were indeed necessary. I loved seeing how so many of my favorite fairy tales from childhood were brought to new life and incorporated into Kontis’ retelling of The Frog Prince. It was a pleasant surprise revisiting some of my old favorites.
This was a light, fluffy read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who adores fairy tales, retellings, or enjoys returning to some old friends every now and again. I can’t wait till my daughter is old enough to experience this book for herself!
Rating:
Book-A-Likes: Entwined by Heather Dixon, Beastly by Alex Flinn
Friday, April 13, 2012
Review: The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Series: 2nd book in The Vespertine series
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Source: ARC
I hate staring at a blank piece of paper when I’m trying to write a review. Conversely, I love that I was so engrossed in the novel that I neglected to take a single note. Luckily, I’m caught up on reviews and not having to write this three weeks after I read it, so this should be relatively painless.
I loved Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine when I read it last year. I hadn’t read much in the way of historical fiction up to that point, but I was blown away with how easily the story pulled me in, and it turned me into a massive fan of the genre. The companion novel to The Vespertine was no different. You don’t have to have read the first novel in this series, but it will help explain some things that the author touched on in The Springsweet.
I didn’t fully appreciate Zora’s character in the first novel. She seemed pushy and flighty, and when things turned out badly for her, she withdrew into herself. That’s the Zora you first meet in The Springsweet. It’s been a year since her beloved Thomas was taken from her, and she’s still depressed and at a loss for what to do with herself. Her mother doesn’t know what to do with her sullen, yet impetuous daughter either. When things take a turn for the worse, Zora is shipped off to Oklahoma to help her young, recently-widowed aunt sustain her homestead.
Zora doesn’t believe she deserves happiness without Thomas. She doesn’t believe she will, nor should she ever, find love again. And so she is content with the manual labor necessary to maintain her aunt’s farmland, and for the most part, it keeps her from dwelling on the past much. But along the way, she unearths some things about herself. She is a springsweet, a water witch, a dowser. Zora can put this previously latent power to good use for other homesteaders and help support her aunt and cousin in the process. But as she learned from her cousin Amelia’s situation in the first book, powers of this nature can be taken for granted…and used against you.
Zora also discovers that she is still alive. That her heart can belong to another, even after the tragedy she has survived. She only has to let herself want it. But there are two boys vying for her heart, and though her aunt pushes her toward the better match, Zora is pulled much more strongly to the boy deemed the wrong choice in the eyes of her aunt.
The characters in The Springsweet are so well-written, so believable that I could envision them perfectly and could almost hear them speaking in a Southern drawl or in a genteel manner, depending on the speaker. Zora narrates the book, and she is from a respectable background, but she has a mouth on her, a tenacity that I found endearing. Her new locale only aids in the loss of her more refined manner. West Glory isn’t quite what she expected, but through the beautiful prose, I could picture it quite clearly. And it made me yearn to go back and read the Little House series.
This isn’t a throw-you-for-a-loop kind of book, and I did find some situations a little predictable, but it wasn’t irritatingly so. As I was reading, it felt as if the book kept growing shorter. I wasn’t ready for it to end! And now that it has, I want the next book, especially after that ending. I expected it, but even so, I’m glad to have my suspicions confirmed and can’t wait to see how it plays out. From gorgeous gowns and balls to open prairie and yummy cowboys, this series just keeps getting better!
Rating:
Book-A-Likes: The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Review: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: 3rd book in the Body Finder Series
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Source: Southern Book Bloggers ARC tour
Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye...
Okay, I’m going to get right to it. If you haven’t read the first two books in The Body Finder series, beware that there may be spoilers ahead for those books. I’ll try not to include spoilers, but I can’t promise that something I don’t think is a spoiler for the other books won’t seem spoilery to you. My apologies in advance. You have been warned. :0)
I won my signed copy of Desires of the Dead from the author herself, but I hadn’t really heard much about the series until that point. Of course, I had to go out and buy the first installment because I’m neurotic and can’t read a series out of order. (I wouldn’t want to, anyway, but that’s beside the point.) Anyway, the books hooked me from the very beginning, so to say that this latest book is my favorite yet should really tell you something.
For one thing, the writing – and the story in general – just gets better with each new book this author releases. (If murder-mysteries aren’t your cup of tea, check out her dystopian series, The Pledge.) The writing isn’t fluffy, but it flows so smoothly and keeps you so enthralled with the story that you don’t have a chance to form any expectations about what’s going to happen next.
But Violet’s unusual gift does leave a lot of room for unpredictable situations. And so does her behavior. Violet has remarkable instincts, but she’s impulsive…always rushing into things, usually without a moment’s hesitation to collect her bearings. But she’s determined, resolute in her need to end the recently departed’s suffering by finding their killers. And now she’s working closely with a secret organization that wants to put her skills to good use.
I was afraid for Jay and Violet’s oh-so-sweet relationship, knowing that Violet would be working closely with Rafe on the cases, especially since there seems to be something electric between them, but I needn’t have worried so much. Admittedly, there is still the potential for a love triangle, but it’s not seedy and off-putting like so many out there. The Last Echo gives the reader a much better view of Rafe than the few short glances we were given of him in Desires of the Dead, and from what I saw, I generally liked the guy. Don’t get me wrong…I still love Jay and hope that things remain carefree and lovey-dovey between him and Vi, but should Violet give Rafe more than a cursory glance and decide to take a chance on him, I wouldn’t be distraught. Rafe is deep and troubled and I honestly believe he needs Violet to make him whole again.
Speaking of troubled, the case in this installment is probably the creepiest Violet’s encountered yet, and she’s seen a lot of weirdness already. This time around, she’s trying to help catch a serial killer called The Girlfriend Collector and prevent him from killing again by determining his next target. But, as per usual, Violet’s involvement in the case has put her directly in the line of sight of the murderer, and if Violet doesn’t figure him out quickly, she may become his next victim.
I love all of the characters in this series, but Derting has a real knack for creating sinister, disturbing villains with well-developed motivations and backgrounds. I love the dual narrative of these novels, as well, switching the perspective from that of Violet to the inner-workings of the killer’s mind. Seeing things through the eyes of a murderer really increases the creep-factor.
Fast-paced and hair-raisingly intense, this novel kept me engrossed and inspired any number of frightening dreams. And I’ll never look at lilac nail polish the same. The author has set the bar high for herself and for the next novel in the series, but I have no doubt she’ll surpass my expectations.
Rating:
Book-A-Likes: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Slide by Jill Hathaway
Monday, April 9, 2012
Review: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman
Author: Robin Wasserman
Series: unknown
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: April 10, 2012
Source: ARC
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.
I’m going to be honest. This is going to be a hard review to write. Not because I didn’t like the book – I LOVED IT – but because I’m so afraid of accidentally spoiling something. I didn’t read a single review before plunging into this book, and I can honestly say I was pleasantly shocked at the direction the novel took at times, throwing me for loop after loop. I respect and admire a book that can keep me guessing, and The Book of Blood and Shadow did just that.
Robin Wasserman expertly weaves a beguiling tale, full of rich history and the menace of an unseen threat. It’s clear in the writing and in the story that the author did extensive research in preparation for this book, and she even discusses it briefly in the afterword. Though much of the story is based on actual events, much more is based on a fabled device that would allow the user to converse directly with God. The knowledge of the very existence of this mythical machine has put the lives of Nora – and her closest friends – in jeopardy.
The first half of the story is set at a leisurely pace, carefully crafting the back-story for our characters, showing how well-developed their friendship was and how they were simply normal teenagers, working on an independent study project for school. The story may develop gradually at first but it never feels bogged down in the history of the study group, nor is it weighed down by the actual history of the subject matter being researched. The author balances each focus well, and the end result is a book shrouded in mystery and secret societies, every bit as intellectually stimulating as The Da Vinci Code, which it will almost inevitably be compared to.
The second half of the book is set at a more rapid pace and really ups the ante for our heroine. Nora and what’s left of her friends – after a devastating blow from those who seek the contraption – are in mortal peril. At this point, I’m just going to say it: TRUST NO ONE.
Even the hot cousin. Especially the hot cousin. It seems cliché to say that nothing and no one is as it seems, but in this story, there is not a truer sentiment.This book is not all dire situations and fleeing from crazy religious zealots, though. There’s a good bit of humor laced in there, with witty banter and a hilarious episode where two of the characters pretend to be engaged in order to gain access to an off-limits collection of astronomical manuscripts. There’s also the letters Nora translates from Latin that almost come to consume her in her search for answers. I very much enjoyed the correlation between Nora’s translations of Elizabeth’s letters and the situation Nora is currently faced with in the novel.
There is some romance in the book, as well, but it took a back-seat to the real problem at hand, and I appreciate that no matter how the love story was going at any particular time, it never overshadowed the rest of the story. The only thing that could have done that would have been the setting. Prague became a character in its own right. With the author pouring such beautiful and vivid descriptions into the story, it was no trouble envisioning myself as Nora, searching for answers and pieces to a puzzle she didn’t even know existed.
I’m not sure if this is slated to become a series. Though it’s over 400 pages long, I still had doubts that the author could wrap up the story before the book’s end. However, the ending was immensely satisfying and though left slightly open-ended, I would be content to leave things the way they are on the last page. Conversely, I wouldn’t be disappointed to learn that the author was continuing Nora’s story, either.
Rating:
Book-A-Likes: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, Illuminate by Aimee Agresti
Friday, March 30, 2012
Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
Author: R.L. LaFevers/Robin LaFevers
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
I loved this book soooooo much, and I almost thought I wasn’t going to get to read it until it was released. (I have a bit of an impatient streak, and so I might have cried myself to sleep, had that been the case.) I think I requested a copy every way possible, and being a somewhat green-behind-the-ears blogger, I assumed I WOULD have to wait. But lo and behold, I actually ended up with my very own ARC, thanks to @HMHKids, and I could have kissed their feet for their generosity.
You see, this is EXACTLY the kind of book I fall in love with. The kind that stays with me for days, weeks, even months later, begging to be re-read and discussed, shelved and re-shelved. It is YA historical fiction. It is romance. It is action-packed. It is everything I had hoped it would be and more.
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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