The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Monday 24 February 2014 0 comments

The Promise of Amazing, by Robin Constantine
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 3/5 stars


Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.
Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how. 
One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

Review:
  • This was your average typical chick-lit love story. I wanted more from it, but it never came. I've read many stories like this before, where you think something big is going to happen, but it never does. I got frustrated with this. 
  • If you're new to reading chick-lit teen books, give this a try. But, if you've read as many as I have, then don't give it a try. That's basically all I can say.
  • Wren wasn't as quiet as her family told her as, she was more loud than Grayson. I didn't find the chemistry very interesting, but you know, you can see something in there.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls,  by Patrick Ness
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.

Review:
  • I always thought that this one would end up creepy and weird... But it actually was deep and had a beautiful meaning. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a light, deep read. A Monster Calls was absolutely riveting.
  • Conor was so lost at times, poor little guy. But I still liked him and his story! He was so cute!
  • The thing the monster had going on was so deep. The monster was kind of like life itself and Conor was the events happening, you'll understand once you read the book. 
  • UGH! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3), by Beth Revis
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: 4/5 stars

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.
But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.
Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES. RULED BY CHAOS. ALMOST HOME.

Review:
  • I never thought that this trilogy would end up like this. Them ending up at the planet so soon? Never in a million years, I was so dumb not to read the summary.
  • This had the perfect ending. It was so shocking and gorgeous at the same time. The romance had just enough of it and it was so interesting to start.
  • This was so good and I'm so happy of how it ended up!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2), by Beth Revis
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: 4/5 stars


Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.
But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.
Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Review:
  • Across the Universe was amazing, and it left me at a cliffhanger wanting more. I finally got what I was waiting for- more romance, more action, and definitely more Elder. 
  • This one was also really good, the story flowed perfectly and the way I wanted it to. I wish there was more romance, but overall, it was almost perfect.
  • I loved the whole mystery going on, and I found that Amy was the perfect detective. I love this series!

The Grass Is Always Greener by Jen Calonita

Sunday 23 February 2014 0 comments
The Grass Is Always Greener (Belles #3), by Jen Calonita
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

How many secrets can one family keep?
Amid preparations for Emerald Cove's extravagant Founders Day celebration and their own shared sweet sixteen, Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are longing to break free from the tight constraints that come with being the daughters of a prominent public figure. When Izzie's estranged aunt, Zoe, breezes into town, the already uneasy family dynamic is turned on its head.
Izzie's finally found her footing in Emerald Cove by leading the Social Butterflies, her school's prestigious club, and she has no interest in getting to know yet another long-lost family member. But Mira, who's on a mission to try new things and make new friends, is drawn to Izzie's artsy aunt. And when Mira meets a handsome, brooding painter, her entire perspective on life begins to shift.
As tensions mount in Emerald Cove, Zoe's laid-back attitude appeals to both girls. But when she offers Izzie the chance of a lifetime, it's time to make a tough decision. What's more important: family or freedom.

Review:
  • I never thought that this chick-lit series would end as a trilogy. But, hey, that's not a problem, this series had the perfect length and ending, just what any good chick-lit trilogy would have.
  • Izzie has definitely grown out of her shell in this one, like completely. She's finally close with Mira and her father, and really, everything was basically going as planned in the book. Not too much drama, this was a light novel of Jen Calonita's, which I felt was time for, because this trilogy had too much drama. 
  • I can't wait for more from the fantastic author, she always leaves me wanting more!

Winter White by Jen Calonita

Saturday 22 February 2014 0 comments
Winter White (Belles #2), by Jen Calonita
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are still reeling from the revelation that they share more than just the roof over their heads. The media has pounced on their story and the girls are caught up in a flurry of talk-show appearances and newspaper interviews. They've put on a happy public face, but someone is leaking their true feelings to the press, and while it seems like the world is watching their every move, at least they have each other.
But with cotillion season right around the corner, Izzie and Mira have barely had time to process their newfound sisterhood. Mira has dreamed of making her debut in a gorgeous white gown forever-now, if only she could find an escort. Izzie, meanwhile, is still struggling to find her place in Emerald Cove and it's seeming ever more impossible with EC mean-girls, young and old, doing their best to keep her down. As cotillion preparations heat up, though, there are dance steps to learn, manners to perfect... and secret initiations to complete? As if sophomore year wasn't hard enough!
It's time for the gowns to go on and the gloves to come off.

Review:
  • Belles, in my opinion, was better than this one. I needed more ROMANCE! To me, in books, romance is a big deal, but I felt that Jen Calonita didn't put enough of it in this book. To me, it was just an ordinary sequel, the boring filler one.
  • Isabelle has definitely grown in this novel, you can definitely see that. She's more mature and knows what she was doing. Mira kind of annoyed me, she was too snobby at times and I just wanted to rip her hair out. *innocent face*
  • Hopefully the next book will be better.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Friday 21 February 2014 0 comments
Out of the Easy, by Ruta Sepetys
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 3/5 stars

It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer.
She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street. Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.
With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.

Review:
  • Between Shades of Gray was much better. The author had a deeper meaning into the book, and the storyline was full of plot twists and shocking secrets... this one, not so much.
  • I see this as one of those rebel gangster books. I'm not really into those with those concepts and maybe that's why I didn't enjoy reading this novel?
  • I wish that Josie was more abundant to her surroundings, and less emotionless than she was. Good, but not the best.

Rapture by Lauren Kate

Rapture (Fallen #4), by Lauren Kate
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Angels
Rating: 4/5 stars

The sky is dark with wings . . . .
Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.
Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.
For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.
In the fight for Luce, who will win?
The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

Review:
  • PERFECT ENDING. The Fallen series always surprises me with the outcome of its novels, but I had a feeling that this one would be good. Daniel and Luce's romance was better than ever, and I became fully obsessed!

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Sterle

When You Were Mine, by Rebecca Sterle
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars













Review:

I love retellings, especially those about fairytales! When You Were Mine was gorgeous and riveting! I was glued onto from the first page and didn't want to let it go until it was over.
  • The romance was beautiful. The characters were very easy-going and everyone truly made a sort of difference in the book.
  • Great!

Bound to You by Christopher Pike

Sunday 16 February 2014 0 comments
Bound to You, by Christopher Pike
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural-Paranormal
Rating: 4/5 stars


A thrilling bind-up of two classics from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Pike.Epic love crosses space and time in these two sexy, suspenseful stories from #1 bestselling author Christopher Pike.
     In Spellbound, weeks ago, a girl’s body was found in the mountain stream after a freak animal attack. The only witness to the tragedy was her boyfriend, Jason. Now, Jason has a new girlfriend. Cindy wants to trust Jason…but as secrets start to come out, she doesn’t know what to believe. And the truth just may be more horrific than anything she’d imagined.
     In See You Later, Mark has fallen hard for Becky…even though she already has a boyfriend. He’s close to giving up when the mysterious Kara arrives, determined to bring Mark and Becky together. But why does Kara care so much? And just how far will Mark go for the girl he loves?

Review:
  • Until The End, Christopher Pike's other double saga novel, was worse than this one. Bound to You had one really good story, See You Later
  • Spellbound is older, so maybe the writing style became a little cheesy for me. It was okay, but the story wasn't the best and I've heard of things like this before.
  • See You Later on the other hand, was fantastic. I loved the characters, especially Kara, she had that whole kick-butt attitude going on and I just loved her! 
  • Pretty good!

Used to Be by Eileen Cook

Friday 14 February 2014 0 comments
Used to Be, by Eileen Cook
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

Hailey is tired of always doing exactly what’s expected of her. She’s going to prove she’s not perfect by breaking a very big rule in a very public way…with a very unexpected partner in crime. When Hailey gets caught, she loses everything--her best friend, her boyfriend, her popularity, her reputation. Now Hailey is up for anything . . . maybe even the boy she never noticed before. But even with her new bad-girl image, she still has to ask herself: How far is too far?



-------------------------------------


Lauren and Helen used to be best friends…until Lauren betrayed Helen in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Now Helen is back, and she’s planning to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren--starting with her boyfriend.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

Review:
  • I loved Eileen Cook's Unraveling Isobel. It was the perfect ghost-chick-lit story. I definitely expected Used to Be to be just as good, and it almost made it that far. I liked the storyline better in UR, but Used to Be also had two great stories about rebelling and first love and revenge.
  • I preferred Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood better. It reminded me of some experiences that I had to go through in life not too long ago and kind of made me depressed at one point, lol. Helen was a very strong main character and I liked her thinking and attitude toward things. Lauren was such a beotch. Ugh she made me SICK and I hated her so much.
  • The Education of Hailey Kendrick was also pretty good. Hailey reminded me of myself in a way, I really care about my education and like Hailey, I want to get a medical degree one day.
  • The romance wasn't too crazy and big in these two books for me but I did like them anyways. Amazing!

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Wednesday 12 February 2014 0 comments
The Beginning of After, by Jennifer Castle
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5 stars


The Beginning of After is a story of hope and healing from Jennifer Castle, a powerful new voice in teen fiction.
When Laurel’s family dies in a horrific car accident, she struggles to put her life back together. She is now connected to David Kaufman, who lives down the block, and who lost his mother in the same crash. Both of their lives change—but not in the ways that they thought…
Castle blends tragedy with romance, teen angst, and wit in The Beginning of After, a bittersweet, powerful debut novel that stands as a testament to how people can survive the unthinkable.

Review:
  • This was the perfect contemporary book about healing after a gigantic loss. The author got me to feel for Laurel and for everything that happened to her. By the end, she was a totally strong character that readers will remember for a long time.
  • The romance here wasn't memorable, I'm sure that readers won't remember the whole love triangle that was going on here. But to me, this book wasn't about romance at all, it was just something on the side that Laurel had to battle with.
  • This was definitely a powerful book after all, it got me thinking about how much life is worth.

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

Nobody But Us, by Kristin Halbrook
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Will:
Maybe I'm too late. Maybe Zoe's dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I'll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I'm any kind of example, but we can learn together.
When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough.
Zoe:
Maybe it'll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. Maybe it'll take forever. I'll stay with him no matter how long it takes to prove that people don't always leave, don't always give up on you.

Review:
  • This is one of the best contemporary romances that I've read in a while. It's the book that I was waiting for.
  • Authors normally don't choose to write about runaway teenage romances, but I'm glad that Kristin Halbrook did. The romance in this book was so so strong, I just loved it! 
  • Zoe was the "wimp" of the duo. I understand that she was a female and didn't do and wasn't supposed to do a lot of unexpected things, but I wanted her to be a little more kick-ass, if you know what I mean. 
  • Will was absolutely adorable. I wanted him to ride with me into the sunset, NO JOKE.
  • I can't wait for more from this brilliant work from this amazing author!

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire

Don't You Wish, by Roxanne St. Claire
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Reality Check
Rating: 4/5 stars

Plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions into a parallel universe Ayla Monroe - gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school. In glitzy Miami, her different billionaire dad supplies money but is absent. Friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilarating, and illegal. Ayla has a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen, but she's still Annie on the inside. Will she take the chance to leave the dream life and head back to dreary Pittsburgh?

Review:

  • This is the perfect reality-check contemporary! Don't You Wish was hilarious and lesson teaching, I need more from this fantastic author!
  • Annie was a great heroine. She didn't freak out at all that she was stuck in this parallel universe. Her romance with Charlie was adorable and I loved that he made a big difference in the novel.
  • The first chunk of the book was kind of boring and not to the best start, but the middle and end was thrilling, in a chick-lit way.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Tuesday 11 February 2014 0 comments
Nightshade (Nightshade #1), by Andrea Cremer
Genre: Supernatural, Werewolves, Love-Triangle
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Calla is the alpha female of a shape-shifting wolf pack. She is destined to marry Ren Laroche, the pack's alpha male. Together, they would rule their pack together, guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But then, Calla saves a beautiful human boy, who captures her heart. Calla begins to question everything - her fate, her existence, and her world and the orders the Keepers have asked her to follow. She will have to make a choice. But will she follow her heart if it means losing everything, including her own life?

Review:
  • I normally don't EVER EVER read or like werewolf books. They all end up the same with that cheesy romance and everything. BUT I WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME. Nightshade is the BEST werewolf book I've ever read in eternity.
  • The characters were thrilling, and I adored the love triangle, TEAM SHAY FOR LIFE! The romance was gorgeous, definitely proving how much Calla loved Shay with all her heart and would do anything for him. She truly showed that love has risks, and she was willing to take those risks naturally and for her own good.
  • In the beginning, the book was very slow paced and took a while to get to the point, that was basically my only flaw that I saw in this novel. I sticked with the gorgeous book and it definitely got better, in fact, it turned out amazing by the end.
  • I CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE NIGHTSHADE!

Vanished by Meg Cabot

Saturday 8 February 2014 0 comments
Vanished (1-800-WHERE-R-U #1-2), by Meg Cabot
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural
Rating: 4/5 stars

A gift…or a curse?
Jessica Mastriani has never liked attention. All she wants is to make it to high school graduation like any ordinary girl. But when Jess is struck by lightning, she becomes anything but ordinary: suddenly she has the ability to locate missing children.
Now Jess is getting noticed in all the wrong ways and by all the wrong people. The media is obsessed with her and her story. The FBI is tapping her phone. And what’s going on with sexy senior Rob? Soon Jess learns the hard way that not everyone who is lost wants to be found….
With no one to trust, it's up to Jess to decide what to do with her new power—before it’s decided for her.

Review:
  • I really enjoyed this book! Lightning is a concept that I love to read about and this was a perfect example of that! I do wish that the books would've stayed as one- particularly the first one by itself. To me, that's where everything started and basically ended, and it was the best out of the two.
  • Jess was definitely a kick-ass character. She was so good at hiding her emotions and definitely hiding herself from the FBI and everyone else who didn't understand what she was going through. I loved these two books though!

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight #1), by Darynda Jones
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural/Paranormal
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Sophomore Year Was Never Supposed to be This Complicated
Ten years ago, Lorelei McAlister's parents disappeared without a trace, ans she is finally beginning to accept the fact that they're never coming back. Life must go on. She's got her grandparents and the support of her best friends, and high school is not quite as painful as she thought it would be.
But This is What Happens When You Fall for the Angel of Death.
Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, tough, sexy Jared Kovach - comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other, and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.
Life as She Knows it is About to Change Forever.
What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real? Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Death and the Girl Next Door proves Darynda Jones is a force to be reckoned with.

Review:
  • I expected this book to be much better. I normally do like books about psychics and such, but Death and the Girl Next Door wasn't the best around.
  • The concept was okay. To me, the story was a little too cheesy and predictable. I wish that the author would've added less romance and cheesy talking and more drama and history about who Lorelei was and is.
  • I rate it a 3.5/5 stars because for the boringness it created at points, but the characters weren't too bad.

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal

Friday 7 February 2014 0 comments
The Lifeguard, by Deborah Blumenthal
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

Spending the summer at her aunt's beach house, teenaged Sirena struggles with her parents' divorce and falls in love with a mysterious lifeguard.






Review:
  • Since I am currently on vacation, I wanted to read a fun summer novel and that's just what I got! The Lifeguard was the perfect summer love story for all the chicks out there. 
  • In the beginning, I didn't like Sirena at all. She was too whiny and only wanted Pilot to notice her. Pilot was adorable and a total heartthrob.
  • The author created a gorgeous contemporary-love story that made me laugh and build up tears in my eyes.

The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride #1), by James Patterson
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery/Thriller/Murder
Rating: 4/5 stars


From the bestselling author James Patterson comes the stunning, breathtaking start to the blockbuster series! Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.

Review:
  • James Patterson always pleases me with his beautiful novels. I found that The Angel Experiment could've been better, but I still liked it.
  • The characters were alright- Nudge was the only one who made me angry at times with her weird personality. Max was a great leader, and that's how I saw her. The restaurant scene was hilarious!
    The book became boring at times but it was still definitely enjoyable and I will definitely read the rest of the series.

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

The Karma Club, by Jessica Brody
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and you’ll get what’s coming to you. But when Maddy’s long-time boyfriend gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and they wind up the hot new couple at school, it seems like Karma is on a break. So Maddy and her friends decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization for dealing with messes the universe is leaving behind. They’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place, right?

Review:
  • I love chick-lit books. I really do. I love the idea of Karma being put into this. 
  • Here's my main complain- the main character, Madison. SHE IS SO ANNOYING AND OVERLY ATTACHED. Like to me, she is so unlikeable and I wanted to strangle her. The author did a horrible job trying to relate to readers using her. Ugh. Overall, the idea was cute and all, but the main character wasn't.

Every Day by David Levithan

Every Day (Every Day #1), by David Levithan
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Review:
  • The concept of this book is gorgeous. It's so theoretical and I love it. A was a great character who was strong and just adorable. David Levithan has one great mind. 

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1), by Sarah Porter
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mermaids
Rating: 1.5/5 stars

What happens to the girls nobody sees—the ones who are ignored, mistreated, hidden away? The girls nobody hears when they cry for help?
Fourteen-year-old Luce is one of those lost girls. After her father vanishes in a storm at sea, she is stuck in a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village with her alcoholic uncle. When her uncle crosses an unspeakable line, Luce reaches the depths of despair. Abandoned on the cliffs near her home, she expects to die when she tumbles to the icy, churning waves below. Instead, she undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. The mermaids are beautiful, free, and ageless, and Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: they feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks.Luce’s own talent at singing captures the attention of the tribe’s queen, the fierce and elegant Catarina, and Luce soon finds herself pressured to join in committing mass murder. Luce’s struggle to retain her inner humanity puts her at odds with her friends; even worse, Catarina seems to regard Luce as a potential rival. But the appearance of a devious new mermaid brings a real threat to Catarina’s leadership and endangers the very existence of the tribe. Can Luce find the courage to challenge the newcomer, even at the risk of becoming rejected and alone once again?Lost Voices is a captivating and wildly original tale about finding a voice, the healing power of friendship, and the strength it takes to forgive.

Review:
  • I really thought that this book would be great, but it really wasn't. I usually enjoy books about mermaids but this one didn't seem to catch my eye.
  • The plot was very slow and the characters were snobby. I didn't find this book amusing at all. 

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Wednesday 5 February 2014 0 comments
Ask the Passengers,  by A.S. King
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Gay/Lesbian
Rating: 2/5 stars

In this truly original portrayal of a girl struggling to break free of society's definitions, Printz Honor author A.S. King asks readers to question everything--and offers hope to those who will never stop seeking real love.
Astrid Jones desperately wants to confide in someone, but her mother's pushiness and her father's lack of interest tell her they're the last people she can trust. Instead, Astrid spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn't know the passengers inside, but they're the only people who won't judge her when she asks them her most personal questions...like what it means that she's falling in love with a girl.
As her secret relationship becomes more intense and her friends demand answers, Astrid has nowhere left to turn. She can't share the truth with anyone except the people she imagines flying over her at thirty thousand feet, and they don't even know she's there. But little does Astrid know just how much even the tiniest connection will affect these strangers' lives--and her own--for the better.

Review:
  • I expected this book to be much better and it was on my TBR list for a short time because I got it not too long ago. 
  • The concept of a girl speaking to the people that fly in planes over her is stunning. I wanted the author to emphasize more on that. 
  • To me, the whole book was about gay people partying. I didn't find that interesting in any way. I wanted it to be my favourite, to be so good. 

Watch Me by Lauren Barnholdt

Watch Me, by Lauren Barnholdt
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5 stars

She thinks she has nothing to hide…
Ally has everything under control. She’s about to move into a house full of strangers and have her life broadcast to the world, but as long as she still has her long-distance boyfriend, Corey, nothing can go wrong. Nothing, that is, until Ally starts spending time with her housemate Drew, the hot and sensitive guy who always seems to be around when she needs someone the most.
As suspicions and lies start pulling Ally and Corey apart, she’s not sure if she can trust anyone, not even herself. Ally is about to learn the hard way that life is what happens when everyone is looking, and it doesn’t always capture her good side…

Review:
  • Lauren Barnholdt always pleases me with her novels. She is one of my favourite chick-lit authors and I find that she has the best story ideas forming in her mind.
  • I find that books about reality TV are always the same and end up predictable, but Lauren made this idea form into a gorgeous book with too much drama, not in a bad way.

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1), by Emmy Laybourne
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: 5/5 stars

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.
In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.


Review:
  • When I first saw the cover of this book, I knew that it was going to be amazing. Is it weird that I read books about the fear that I have? I'm really scared of storms, especially thunderstorms and tornadoes, but reading books about them actually really interest me and some of them end up becoming FAVOURITES.
  • This is the ultimate survival novel. Like these kids are smarter than anyone. Most people would think that being trapped in a superstore would be easy to survive in, but Dean and the others really showed that it's not difficult at all. 
  • The characters were just plain awesome and I totally feel what they felt. 

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Want to Go Private?, by Sarah Darer Littman
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Abuse
Rating: 5/5 stars

Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.
Abby is starting high school--it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke--he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

Review:
  • Wow. I knew that the book would be spectacular, but I never thought that it would be this good. I loved it and it ended up being one of the best books I've heard in a while. It's super-duper contemporary, and really speaks up on the issue of rape and internet safety, which I thought was great.
  • The author made the readers totally understand what Abby was going through the whole time. She was fed up with "doing whatever her parents wanted her to do," and needed a break, especially by talking to someone who understands her, and will "never meet anyways."
  • Luke was really cute in the beginning, but of course, we grew to hate him, duh. Even though we all knew what was coming, you still wanted to be able to read the book more and more until it was completely over. I loved it so much!


The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Sunday 2 February 2014 0 comments
The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2), by Michelle Hodkin
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Rating: 4/5 stars

Mara Dyer knows she isn't crazy. She knows that she can kill with her mind, and that Noah can heal with his. Mara also knows that somehow, Jude is not a hallucination. He is alive. Unfortunately, convincing her family and doctors that she's not unstable and doesn't need to be hospitalized isn't easy. The only person who actually believes her is Noah. But being with Noah is dangerous and Mara is in constant fear that she might hurt him. She needs to learn how to control her power, and fast! Together, Mara and Noah must try and figure out exactly how Jude survived when the asylum collapsed, and how he knows so much about her strange ability...before anyone else ends up dead!

Review:
  • I mainly love this series because it has to do with psychological beings. It's different than other books and the characters are so riveting. 
  • Noah is so, so bookishly attractive. He's my new favourite male fictional character, if he was real, we'd be riding into the sunset together, no kidding. 
  • Michelle Hodkin is a fantastic author, the way she puts her thoughts into words is unbelievably haunting and she causes readers to want absolute more. The Evolution of Mara Dyer was beautifully gorgeous, that's all I can say.

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Illusions (Wings #3), by Aprilynne Pike
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Faeries
Rating: 3/5 stars

I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."
Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.
But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.
This is the third installment of Aprilynne Pike's Wings Series.

Review:
    • I liked the second book better! What happened here? It was really good from the start, but then it got worse and worse. 
    • The plot was really good at first, but then it slowed down and it became really boring. In my opinion, the series started off well but ended up getting worse and worse. I am not planning to read the final book.


The Fox Inheritance, by Mary E. Pearson

Saturday 1 February 2014 0 comments






The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles #2), by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian

Rating: 4/5 stars








Goodreads Summary: "Once there were three.
Three friends who loved one another - Jenna, Locke, and Kara.

And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, then centuries.
Two hundred and sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.
Everyone - except Jenna Fox."


Review:

  • The first Jenna Fox Chronicles book was fabulous and I couldn't wait to read the second. I finally got to see what Locke and Kara are like as characters, and a trip to the futuristic dystopian world of Jenna Fox wasn't a bad thing either. I'm very proud to admit that this was the best book I've read for a while and cannot wait for the next.