CoHo's Latest is an Important Book About a Really Difficult Subject

Title: It Ends With Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
Narrator(s): Olivia Song
Series: stand-alone
Length: 11 hrs 11 mins
Publisher: Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
Source: purchased ebook, audiobook received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

April buddy-read this with a friend and I just received the audio from the publisher for review, but despite that, we both feel this is the type of story we should review together, for better or worse.

What made us read this/initial thoughts:

April: Colleen Hoover is on my auto-buy list. I own everything she has written and I usually drop everything I'm doing when her books hit my kindle. My initial thoughts on this one... I liked it. I didn't love it as much as some of her other stories. I'm glad I read it though.

Jen: I'm pretty much guaranteed to read whatever this woman writes. (With the exception of the Slammed series, which I haven't finished, and the Maybe novella, which honestly just didn't interest me.) She's from Texas, like me, and I always want to show Texas authors some love. But it's more than that. Despite it never explicitly being said in the synopsis, this book deals with abuse, and having just witnessed a very similar situation happen to someone very close to me, I thought maybe this story would lend some healing powers to the ordeal.

The Story:

Jen: There is no love triangle in this book, as the summary seems to imply. Some might call foul on that, but it's just not. I don't even know if I'd truly call this a romance because that was far from the focus for me. It's a story about abuse and how the ones we love can do us the most harm. It's about how some people never truly leave our lives. And it's based on the author's real-life experiences, which endeared the story to me even more.

April: Basically the story revolves around abuse. I kinda saw that coming from the beginning. I actually didn't realize it was based on real life experiences. That was a surprise when I got to the Authors note at the end.

The Characters:

April: I loved everyone except Ryle. I didn't like him at all. From the very beginning, and maybe it's because I had a bad feeling.. I don't know. I think it had a bit to do with his arrogance. Being a rich surgeon and not wanting any relationships.. his whole persona just reminded me of a different male book character that turned my stomach. Everyone else was great though.

Jen: I found some of the names in this book to be kind of ridiculous, but the characters are anything but. They take bad situations and turn them into dreams. And they're all incredibly well-rounded, considering everything.

The Friendships:

April: The friendships in this book were one of the highlights for me. With the story revolving around such a touchy dark subject, the friendship moments were almost a comic relief. It's what pulled me back and reminded me that I was reading a book written by Colleen Hoover.

Jen: I always love the friendships in CoHo's books. Honestly, I sometimes find myself wishing I had friends like them in real life. Even the husband of Lily's best friend made a lasting impression. It was kind of like watching an episode of How I Met Your Mother at times.

The Romance: 

Jen: There were two separate romances in this book. One from Lily's teenage years that helped her get through a tough time. And then what should have been a one-night stand that turned into something more later in her life. And though her first love does appear after she's met Mr. Just This Once, nothing happens. I repeat. Nothing. Happens. Yes, that old connection is there. Yes, Mr. First Love would like things to pick up where they left off. But Lily is faithful. She keeps a few things secret (especially from her past) that maybe she should have shared with her current love, but it is absolutely not her fault if he lets his mistrust of the situation get the better of him. I honestly never felt the love there, anyway.

April: The romance was seriously lacking for me. That's my biggest complaint about It Ends With Us. I wasn't buying either one. Like Jen says above, there isn't any infidelity, or any of that jazz going on. Since I wasn't a fan of Ryle, I didn't buy into their romance. But I guess that's part of the purpose of this book. I'm on the outside. I didn't see the appeal in him the way she did. I definitely felt more chemistry with them, than I did her first love.

The Family:

April: I like how Lily's family life ties into her current life. I really enjoyed her relationship with  her mom and how it changes throughout the book.

Jen: Lily's mother was actually kind of great as the story progressed and really helped me understand the thought process of an abused person. I mean, I've been through it, to a certain degree, but I refused to put up with it and walked away. So, it's hard for me to understand those who subject themselves to that kind of treatment for years. But I love that Lily also had the support of her best friend, who for all intents and purposes was a sister to her, even with her relationship to Mr. Just This Once.

The Elephant in the Room:

April: A big part of this story is about abuse. If you are sensitive to those kinds of things in your books, this might not be for you. But, its not just about abuse. It's about saving yourself from it. One of my best friends lived for 10 years married to a man who abused her. She fell right into another relationship where she was abused. I never really understood her, but I think I might understand her a little better now.

Jen: As I said before, this book focuses on the cycle of abuse. It's a tough subject on its own, but even more so if you have personal experience with it. Like me. Like the author. I know this had to be the most difficult novel CoHo's written to-date because of that, but I think it's the one that spoke to me the most. It's not my favorite, and not just because it brought out a lot of feelings I still don't want to deal with. But this book is still important.

The Narrator:

April: I read the kindle edition, so sadly I have no opinion on this. :)

Jen: I don't have any previous experience with Olivia Song as a narrator...as far as I know, anyway. Sometimes narrators go by different pseudonyms depending on the type of book they're performing. But regardless, I think her presentation of this novel was beautiful and heartfelt. I'd like to hear more of her narrative performances. Maybe even on another CoHo book.

Overall:

April: Hmmm, overall, I'll be honest. I'm torn. I probably would have rated it 3 stars had I reviewed it on my own. I love that Hoover went there with this story. Not a lot of authors do, and I feel like there need to be more books like this. My biggest complaint is that it's over the top in places. As stated above, I have a best friend who went years living in abuse. She didn't stay because she "loved him" She stayed because he tore her down, and told her she could never do better than him. She stayed because they had 3 kids and financially she wasn't sure she could support them on her own. The characters in this story are pretty well off financially. Obnoxiously so. I think it would have been more relatable had some of those factors been toned down a bit. It dealt with a very real subject but it felt a little unrealistic at times. So it was not a favorite of mine, but I still liked it. I will still buy everything that woman writes.

Jen: This is an important book. An emotionally fraught book. Did I like it? Not really, but that's because of the subject matter. I did enjoy the moments of levity, the friendships and the support...the overall message that you are not alone in this. And although I'll never truly love this story, it did make me feel a lot of things.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Colleen Hoover is the New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, and This Girl. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

Find Colleen:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: audiobooks, colleen hoover, contemporary, it ends with us, new adult, reviews, simon schuster, tx authors

Those Characters Got What They Deserved in THE SKYLIGHTER

Title: The Skylighter
Author: Becky Wallace
Series: The Keepers' Chronicles, book #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Johanna and Rafi are in a race against time to save their country before a power-mad Keeper destroys everything they hold dear in the “enthralling magical world” (Cinda Williams Chima, author of The Heir Chronicles) introduced in The Storyspinner.

As the last of the royal line, Johanna is the only person who can heal a magical breach in the wall that separates her kingdom of Santarem from the land of the Keepers, legendary men and women who wield elemental magic. The barrier protects Santarem from those Keepers who might try to take power over mere humans…Keepers who are determined to stop Johanna and seize the wall’s power for themselves.

And they’re not the only ones. As the duchys of Santarem descend into war over the throne, Johanna relies more than ever on the advice of her handsome companion, Lord Rafael DeSilva. But Rafi is a duke too, and his people come first. As their friendship progresses into the beginnings of a tender relationship, Johanna must wonder: is Rafi looking out for her happiness, or does he want the throne for himself?

With war on the horizon, Johanna and Rafi dodge treacherous dukes and Keeper assassins as they race to through the countryside, determined to strengthen the wall before it’s too late…even if it means sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their world.

What a great ending! I didn't realize this was a duology until I was getting close to the end and it seemed like the story was actually going to wrap up in this book, so I checked and yep, this is the conclusion. Hallelujah for duologies! I love when an author keeps their story concise and clean and doesn't try to stretch it for three books when two will more than suffice.

I'm not usually a big fan of sooo many alternating perspectives, but in this duet, it works, and it does so beautifully. It's not like seeing situations from more than one point-of-view. Rather, each vantage point allows the reader to see the full story, not just what's happening in one locale but all over the country, from the sea to the wall protecting Santarem from the Keepers. Each perspective contains vital information and introspection, resulting in a fuller, more complete story. I only wish we'd have gotten to see Maribelle's point-of-view, though I understand why we couldn't.

With all of these perspectives, one would think that betrayal and deceit would be easier to detect, but that's not necessarily the case. Ulterior motives are hard to guess and you just never know what someone might be willing to sacrifice, even if it's for the greater good. I loved how unpredictable this story was, how it constantly left me unsure of whom to trust.

I think the aspect that I enjoyed the most, though, was that every time I thought this story was about to get all tropey on me, it went in the opposite direction, leaving me surprised and elated. For instance, when a situation arises where the love interest might push the heroine away for her own safety/best interest, he does something else entirely. Time and again I would cringe, thinking I knew exactly what the characters were going to do, yet they'd surprise me at nearly every turn.

I do recommend re-reading The Storyspinner before picking up this sequel/final book. The Skylighter picks up right where the first book left off, but with all of the perspectives, you're bound to need a refresher. There were definitely details I would have missed, had I not re-read the previous book first. Additionally, I think this series would be great on audio, with a full cast performing it, simply because of all of those points of view.

I'm very satisfied with this conclusion. So very satisfied. The pacing was perfect, the writing was spectacular, and the story was exceptional. I loved The Storyspinner when I read it last year, and I'm so happy that these characters got the ending they deserved.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

In second grade, Becky Wallace had to sit in the corner because she refused to write anything besides princess stories and fairy tales (and because she talked too much). Her time in isolation gave her plenty of opportunities to dream up the fantasy worlds she's been dabbling with ever since. She was lucky enough to find her own, real-life prince charming. They have four munchkins and live in a happy little town outside Houston, Texas.

Find Becky:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Labels: becky wallace, fantasy, favorites, reviews, simon schuster, the keepers' chronicles, tx authors

{Audiobook Review} Empowering and Genuine - DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Narrator(s): Eileen Stevens
Series: stand-alone
Length: 9 hrs 2 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: September 15, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss, purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Books set in Texas are my jam! Books set in Texas, written by Texas authors, and featuring Dolly Parton fanatics? Even better! I mean, seriously: "Go big or go home." Julie even mentioned Clay Dooley, a Ford dealership owner, as a pageant judge and I about died laughing. Because I'm assuming she's referencing Clay COOLEY, who owns about every type of car dealership imaginable in North Texas...except Ford. :P

I kind of loved this empowering little book about accepting yourself as you are. Maybe not as much as the rest of the blogging community, but I was definitely entertained. The thing is, I try not to hold fictional characters to standards that I myself cannot achieve, but it was hard with Willowdean. I think it was the whole fact that she didn't take the beauty pageant seriously that bugged me the most. I don't really buy into the beauty pageant thing either, but Will entered for all the wrong reasons. And then she has the nerve to tell her best friend -- the one who's supported her through thick and thin (no pun intended) -- that she shouldn't enter the pageant because she might actually win. What kind of friend does that?

I also didn't love the romantic elements, especially since there were two guys involved, but I did appreciate that she valued her dignity and ended things with one when the relationship got a little toxic. But rebounding with the sweetest mama's boy ever was the wrong choice. She was stringing him along, just like she had been, and that wasn't fair to either of them. But them's the breaks at that age...you live, you learn, you probably regret a little of it, but you (hopefully) come out a better person on the other side of things.

This book is funny. Especially Willowdean's personal brand of self-deprecating humor. But she also has this voice that commands your attention. You just have to take notice of her. But it's not just her. All the girls who enter the pageant with her bring something special to the table. I just loved watching their weird little friendships grow.

I haven't listened to much narrated by Eileen Stevens, but I thought she was a pretty good choice to narrate Dumpin'. She lets a hint of Southern drawl into her narration, especially when Willowdean's mama is around, but it's not overly twangy. I promise, we don't all have that twang, though if you ever heard my sister-in-law speak, I daresay you wouldn't believe me. ;0)

What I like best about Julie Murphy's books is that she's not afraid to have her characters be human, to make mistakes, even when those same choices might make the characters unlikable. It's the same reason I really enjoyed Side Effects May Vary. Her characters resonate with me because they are real and genuine...they remind me of myself at that age. Bad judgment and all.

GIF it to me straight:

\

About the author:

Julie lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Side Effects May Vary is Julie's debut novel.

Find Julie:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | YouTube | Tumblr

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Labels: all the feels, beautiful covers, contemporary, dumplin', favorites, harper-collins, julie murphy, must-read, reviews, tough subject, tx authors

Waiting on Wednesday: Until The Beginning & Dumplin'

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:




Title: Until the Beginning
Author: Amy Plum
Series: After the End # 2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 5th, 2015

When Juneau's clan disappeared, she lost so much more than her friends and family. She soon discovered everything she thought she knew about her life was a lie. Her people's gifts were actually secret abilities that others wanted, desperately enough to kidnap an entire village.

Juneau and her new companion Miles's cross-country journey to find her clan has led them to a game preserve in New Mexico. Now Juneau's people are finally within reach, and she will stop at nothing to save them. But she has a target on her back too, because unbeknownst to her she is the key to unlocking everything. To rescue her people - and herself - Juneau must discover what she, and her abilities, are truly capable of.

I wasn't hugely blown away with After the End. It was good... but not what I was expecting. That being said.. I am very curious to see what happens next. :)




's Pick:



Title: Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

I absolutely loved Julie's debut last year, even though I knew some people took issue with the "unlikable" main character. I found her refreshing, though, and I think Julie's newest MC is going to be even more so. Doesn't Dumplin' just sound like a girl you'd love to be besties with? I can't wait to meet her! And that tag line -- Go big or go home. -- it's too perfect! Also, I can't help but add books to my TBR from Texas authors, set in my home state and featuring the iconic Dolly Parton. =)


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: amy plum, contemporary, dumplin, harper-collins, julie murphy, tough subject, tx authors, until the beginning, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Audiobook} Review: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Narrator: Grace Grant & Deacon Lee, featuring Elizabeth Louise
Series: stand-alone
Length: 9 hrs 14 mins
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Source: from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

Man, Colleen loves her tortured love interests, doesn't she? I kept wondering why she said Miles was the first of her leads to make her cry, and now I know why...because after finishing this audiobook yesterday, I still feel like bawling like a baby. Saddest. Hoover. Book. Yet. Also? Maybe the steamiest.

I think the aspect of this novel that I enjoyed the most is probably the aspect that will annoy most readers: because of the technique used by the author to slowly but surely reveal the cause of Miles' strife, the reader only gets Tate's perspective in the here and now. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to reach into the story myself and discover what terrible tragedy befell Miles' love life to make him so against even the possibility of love -- if not for Tate's sake, then for my own -- but patience definitely pays off. I had my theories, and I was THIS close, but when I got to the thick of things, I was overcome with flashbacks to my own past -- oddly enough, also about six years ago.

And that's the thing: Miles' point-of-view is told by six years ago Miles, not present-day Miles. Miles who wasn't having casual sex with his best friend's sister. Miles who wasn't an airline pilot. (YUM.) Just the Miles who was a genuinely good guy with a bright future ahead of him. I actually just finished reading another book where one character's perspective is told in the present, and the other's is three or four years in the past, and I have to say, I really like this manner of storytelling, how it all has to come full circle until both characters are in the present and all the truths are out in the open. If I didn't know that I'd eventually get tired of this method, I'd wish that all stories could be told in this format.

Tate is a grown woman with a good head on her shoulders. She realizes that with her career and continuing her education, she doesn't have time for a relationship. So, this mutually beneficial agreement she and Miles reach will set her up nicely to have a little fun and take care of her own needs while remaining no strings attached. Except that Tate sees glimpses of six years ago Miles and can't help but fall in love with him. By continuing their relationship agreement, she's setting herself up for failure and she knows it.

Miles knows it, too, but still, they continue to pretend that what they have is only casual. The push and pull between these two is hard to read, especially seeing how it affects them both, but the entire book ended up being a really cathartic experience, as is usually the case with a Colleen Hoover novel. She's very good at that, though this one may have been the hardest to read yet. At least after she rips your heart to shred for most of the story, she never leaves you entirely heartbroken. I will say that for her, even if she does love subjecting us to cruel and unusual punishment in the form of a tortured love interest.

Colleen's books are always beautiful on audio, too. I haven't found one yet that I didn't enjoy. And I just loved the choice of narrators for Ugly Love. I don't know that I've actually heard an audiobook performed by Grace Grant before this, but she fully encompassed Tate's passion and strength while also hitting the mark on those brilliant asides that had me in fits of giggles...or welling up with tears depending on the situation. And I'm getting more familiar with Deacon Lee's narration style with every new adult novel I listen to, and I have to say, he's going on the favorites list. He didn't use that Southern drawl this time around, but he was the epitome of the heartbroken Miles.

I don't know if I have a favorite novel from Colleen Hoover because they're all so great, but if I did, it might just be Ugly Love. This novel felt a bit more adult in nature than her previous books, with plenty of naughty times, though you won't hear me complaining. And the author excellently balanced the emotional parts with humorous bits so that I never felt overwhelmed one way or the other. I wasn't sure about that cover or that title when I first heard about this book, but they are completely fitting and entirely perfect. I recommend you try this book so you can see for yourself.

GIF it to me straight:

*le [big, fat, happy] sigh*

About the author:

Colleen Hoover is the New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, and This Girl. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

Find Colleen:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: audiobooks, colleen hoover, contemporary, favorite narrators, favorites, new adult, reviews, simon schuster, tx authors, ugly love

Review: Meridian by Josin L. McQuein

Title: Meridian
Author: Josin L. McQuein
Series: Arclight, book #2
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Marina thought that she had solved all of the Arclight’s mysteries. She had found her own history—that she was one of the Fade, that she never should have been human. She knows that the Fade who surround the Arclight don’t want to be the humans' enemies at all. She knows that the leader of those inside the Arc, Honoria Whit, never told the whole truth. But there is so much more that Marina is just discovering. There are more survivors out there. Only Marina—and her friends, all of whom have connections to the Fade they'd never known about—can lead her people to them. But there are also darker dangers, things that even the Fade fear. And Marina slowly realizes she may never have been “cured,” after all. The sequel to Arclight, Meridian is an intense, action-packed page-turner about the lines we draw between right and wrong, light and dark . . . and the way nothing is ever that black and white.

I'm just going to be upfront and say that if it's been awhile since you read Arclight, you're going to want to re-read it prior to picking up this sequel. Or listen to the audio like I did. Tara Sands is a solid narrator, and I enjoyed my re-listen as much as I enjoyed reading the novel the first time. Also, I feel like I should mention that this is now a series. When I read Arclight, I was under the impression that it was a stand-alone, and that's part of the reason I enjoyed it so immensely. I was impressed that the author could tell her science fiction tale in one book and leave it at that. I'm not upset that there's a sequel by any means because I definitely thought there was more story to tell at the end of the first book, but I do feel slightly disillusioned by it all. Especially after reading Meridian, thinking that at most this was a duology, only to come to that ending and realize that there has to be another book coming. I haven't seen anything official, and I'm not really complaining about this fact; I just believe it's always better to know what you're getting into when embarking on a story like this.

As I've said, I loved Arclight. I loved Marina and the Fade and discovering what importance each held to each other, as well as to the world after the fall of civilization. In Meridian, the tide has turned. The Fade are no longer the enemy the humans of the Arclight feared them to be. Instead, a far more destructive enemy lurks in the Dark, and it means to assimilate all who cross its path. With the Arclight down for that short period, it's decided its next target.

The Fade were creepy to me in the beginning, what with that click-clack Rue's claws made as he ghosted along the wall, but knowing what they are now makes them less so. Not true of this new presence. But it didn't affect me in the same way; it wasn't horror movie scary. It was simply the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, run-for-your-life kind of terror. There were lulls in the story for sure, but whenever these things were around, I couldn't turn the page fast enough, if only to get to the next scene so that they wouldn't be there.

So...new enemy...check. There were some other new characters, too, but they matter little in the scheme of things, so I'm just going to pretend like they never existed. What does matter in the long-run is the sheer volume of information we get regarding the days before, which we're privy to by way of none other than Honoria Jean Whit's journal. By providing the info this way, the author avoids one massive info dump, and it also serves to humanize Honoria when we all know she's done some pretty monstrous things along the way. I hated her character before, and I don't hate her any less now, but I do have a massive amount of respect for her.

Rue has also proven to be more than just a foil for Tobin's character. He is completely self-sacrificing, at least when it comes to Marina and what she wants. Which means he takes the safety of those in the Arclight very seriously, much to the chagrin of Tobin who just wants him to accept the loss of Cherish and accept that Marina is his. I'm okay with this love triangle. It feels legitimate, since Marina wasn't Marina when she was Rue's mate, and she wasn't Cherish when she fell for Tobin. And now, that dividing line isn't so divisive. Marina is Cherish and Cherish is Marina, and each feels pulled in a different direction, toward a different boy. I have to admit, I do lean more toward Rue as the better choice, especially after certain developments in this book. Rue and Tobin continually snipe at each other throughout this book, but Tobin is so worried about Marina returning to Rue, and he comes off as whiney a lot.

This is probably where I should mention that this novel is told from both Marina and Tobin's perspectives. And if the author's purpose in providing us with Tobin's point-of-view was to make us like him less, it worked for me. It's not that he's a bad guy. It's just that Rue makes so much more sense. Then again, I didn't get his perspective, so I only know what he broadcast, not what's going on with him internally. Still, actions speak louder than words, and considering Rue doesn't like human speech all that much, he takes a lot of action. I wished this book had only been told through Marina's eyes again like the first book. For one, I just didn't find each voice distinctive enough. For another, I just think it would have made for more cohesive story-telling, had we been left with the original narrator.

Especially since I really liked the direction the author took with Marina's character. She's really grown as a character, a much-needed change from who she was when we met her in the first book, when she barely knew herself, let alone anyone else. I love her tenacity, her willingness to go to bat for the Fade, and I love how now she could choose to live her life on either side of the Arclight because of who and what she is.

This sequel isn't perfect, but it held much of the same allure for me as the first book did. I found it nearly impossible to quit reading each night, desperate to know what would become of these former enemies, allied together in the face of a common foe. I also enjoyed how often morality was called into question, how nothing is ever as black and white as it seems, which is saying a lot when everyone thinks the shadows are out to get them. Like I said, so far this is only listed as a two-book series, but there is definitely room for more story. Meridian ends on the right note, a resounding call to arms, as the enemy is surely not done with the humans of the Arclight yet.

GIF it to me straight:

Creepy and somewhat terrifying at times, but so totally worth the nightmares. =)

About the author:

Josin L. McQuein was born and raised in Texas and can trace every place she's lived in by the movies that were filmed there. She currently lives with three crazy dogs in a town so small that the buffalo outnumber the people and things like subways and consistent internet service are creations of that far away fantasy land called "Civilization."

Find Josin:

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Labels: arclight, beautiful covers, dystopian, favorites, harper-collins, josin l. mcquein, post-apocalyptic, reviews, sci-fi, tx authors

{Audiobook} Review: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Title: Uninvited
Author: Sophie Jordan
Narrator(s):  Rebecca Gibel
Series: Uninvited, book #1
Length:  9 hrs 54 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Source: from publisher for review via Edelweiss/audio from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

I'm just gonna say it...this book totally reminded me of Article 5, only slightly better written. I really should have known better because I'm all but over the dystopian trend, but the hype surrounding this book gave me pause. I own all of Jordan's Firelight series, but I've yet to read it. And my curiosity being what it is, I requested Uninvited for review and then promptly forgot about it. Then the audio became available at my library, so I decided to go that route.

The audio was probably the book's saving grace, at least for me. I think I might have DNF'd it otherwise. Even if the narrator did make Davy sound whiny and rather pathetic. It made sense, though, because Davy's inner monologue and actions make her seem whiny and pathetic. She was such a disappointing protagonist: weak, in constant need of saving, and all around annoying. I enjoyed Rebecca Gibel's narration of the Splintered series, but there was nothing she could do to make me find Davy likable.

Okay, okay...I sort of understand how Davy could turn out to be such a miserable heroine: she's just had her whole world turned upside down because she tested positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, which means there's a likelihood that she'll one day become a killer. Her friends have abandoned her. Her boyfriend dumped her. Her parents are afraid of her. And now she's been taken from them to some type of government training facility to turn her into a weapon.

So, yeah, her dreams of Julliard are gone. Her status as a musical prodigy means next to nothing. But on the bright side, the dreamy but dangerous Sean O'Roarke is there with her. He keeps Davy at a distance for as long as he can, but it's obvious she's incapable of keeping herself out of trouble. In the short time since she tested positive, she's been sexually harassed by a teacher, become the target of a bully, and managed to piss off the cruelest of the other HTS kids at the training camp. Davy is not the girl I'd pick for Sean, but some guys just love a damsel in distress.

Like I mentioned earlier, besides the annoying protagonist, the premise also reminded me a lot of Article 5, in which the government can determine one's morality and punish accordingly. In Uninvited, Davy's basically "uninvited" from all aspects of normal life because of the "kill gene" present in her DNA. I suppose both of these worlds are plausible, but I feel like the DNA testing is a more probable reality, especially if it were determined that this type of behavior really could be explained away by a genetic predisposition toward it. However, it did seem as if the public at large in this story was a little too easily accepting of the forced testing, that they were all too ready to write those people off who tested positive. I expect the second book in this duology will focus more on the rebellion against the testing and treatment of people with HTS.

I know this review sounds incredibly negative, but I didn't hate Uninvited. I actually found it riveting at times and the fast pace and action sequences compelled me to keep listening. And I liked that the author didn't shy away from violence in her novel, that she made the fear in this world palpable. However, a little less focus on the romance and a stronger main character would have made this book so much better for me. I'll likely pick up the second book, but I'll probably play a drinking game while I read it, taking a shot for every time Sean has to save Davy's ass. Should be fun, plus it might serve the dual purpose of helping me find Davy slightly less annoying.

GIF it to me straight:

We'll see how the next one goes before ultimate judgment.

About the author:

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet Cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.

Find Sophie:

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Labels: audiobooks, book trailers, dystopian, harper-collins, reviews, sophie jordan, tx authors, uninvited