Giveaway and Review of The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

series

Blood of Eden #1

Source: ARC

 

 Plot: 

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for. 

My Thoughts: 

And who says the vampire genre is dead? The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa has renewed my faith in blood thirsty, kick-ass vampires. Finally we have a teenage vampire who isn't afraid to sink her fangs into someone when the time comes.

Allie begins as a human who hates vampires in the beginning of the novel, which is a great place to start. We find out from her why vampires are so evil. Then later on in the novel when she becomes one, we understand her personal self-loathing at times.

I did enjoy this novel, however, I will warn you, it took me a while to get into this one. Nearly 150 pages. Things for me didn't pick up until Allie leaves the vampire city and runs into Zeke. I loved reading about the crew of drifter Zeke was with, and how they were on a quest to find a vampire free paradise called Eden. Get past the beginning, and I promise there's vampire action!!

The picture below I found while looking up book cover images. Apparently, this was a cover outtake, but I admit I love this picture. It's perfect for Allie's character!

I also read that this novel is in the works to become a movie!! So you better act fast and read this one before the craze hits!

Check out the amazing book trailer for this novel:



Overall, I say read it if you are a vampire fan, or love I AM LEGEND or just a fan of kick-butt heroines!

Now on to the good stuff! I have ONE copy of THE IMMORTAL RULES to give away. Leave a comment below with your email address to enter. No, you don't have to be a follower of this blog, but I will love you forever if you are!


Contest open today, July 4th 2012 through Monday, July 9th at midnight!
I will announce the winner Next Tuesday and email the winner!

Good luck!!

The Weepers: The Other Life (The Other Life #1) by Susanne Winnacker Review

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Title: The Weepers: The Other Life (The Other Life #1)

Author: Susanne Winnacker

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published May 15th 2012 by Marshall Cavendish (first published February 1st 2012)

more details...

Series: The Other Life #1

 

 

 

 

Plot:

 

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

This novel had me hooked from the jump. When we meet the main character,  Sherry, in this novel we discover they have been living in this underground bunker in their home for over three years and they have just ran out of food. You can feel the desperation from the pages. Imagine yourself with a family to feed and not having anything to feed them. Desperate times, my friend, desperate times.

Sherry sets out with her father to try and locate food, while the rest of the family stay behind.

The tension is so thick at the beginning because you're not sure exactly what they are going to be up against. We they run into their first pack of Weepers, humans turned into mutated beasts with puss spilling from their eyes, the action takes off.

While Sherry escapes the Weeper attack with help from the mysterious Joshua, her father goes missing. And Sherry is willing to risk anything to get him back. Joshua agrees to help her move her family to a safe haven and try to locate her father in the Weeper ridden city of Los Anglos.

I adored this novel. Ms. Winnacker pounds out the action and kept me hooked the entire ride. The romance element between Sherry and Joshua was just enough to be believable in their crazy world. I can't wait to get my hands on book two and find out what happens to them because there were some twists I didn't see coming!

 

Read this is you like I AM LEGEND mixed a little HUNGER GAMES.

 

 

 

Hushed by Kelley York

Hushed

by Kelley York

Paperback, 260 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing
ARC courtesy of NetGalley

Plot:

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.


Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

My Thoughts:

When I read the summary for this book I thought I wouldn't like it. The cover grabbed my attention because it looked creepy, but a possible love triangle between two guys and a girl didn't interest me. I don't know why I downloaded it, but am glad I did.

I like older MCs. This one takes place in college and he's a serial killer. The first chapter kept me reading, not because I liked it, but because I was shocked. I liked the voice, so I decided to see where the author went, but I had reservations. How does one write a sympathetic serial killer? How can it possibly end? And seriously, this boy LI doesn't look at the crazy killer in a bad light? By the end of the book I was hoping he wouldn't get caught and he could live happily-ever-after with the sweet boy he was falling for.

On to the technical stuff. Pace, plot, voice, character development-it was all great. I was hooked and really liked the book. I can't complain. I did have to suspend my belief with Evan, the LI, but not because the love story was a bad one. It was fantastic the way their love grew. Sweet and very realistic. I would've liked to have seen more into Evan and why he could accept someone like Archer, I just didn't buy it. However, I thought the ending fit the story.

This gets a four rating because it stayed with me and I want to reread it. It was different from other stuff I've read, which intrigued me. It doesn't get that high of a rating because it was the greatest book and I absolutely loved it. I kept wondering what could happen and how it could be pulled off. I used my brain with this book and wanted a serial killer to walk away free-I don't know how that makes me feel as a person.

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

by Kendare Blake

Hardcover, 316 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Tor Teen 

Source: Tor Teen provided Review Copy

Plot:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

My Thoughts:

Anna Dressed in Blood isn’t your typical ghost story. More than anything it’s about the strange connection between Cas and Anna. Anna is unlike any other ghost Cas has encountered. And when we first open the novel we read all about Cas and his ghost killing family tradition, and how the next ghost on his list is Anna Dressed in Blood.

The first chapter hooked me. I was caught up in the moment with Cas and the hitch-hiking ghost he had in his car. There was so much action packed into chapter one, the rest of the chapters kinda felt like filler until our first encounter with Anna. That was a scene I wasn’t expecting, but I can’t say I felt bad about what happened in there…I won’t tell you what happens because it’ll totally ruin for you.

I loved the darkness in this YA Paranormal novel. I wish more authors would push the limits like what took place in some of the scenes in Anna Dressed in Blood. I really liked those scenes, but the ones where Cas is alone and just thinking or feeling I found a little monotonous.

Overall I found this novel to be engaging and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dark and twisted paranormal stories.  This one was a 3.5 for me.

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Everneath (Everneath #1)

by Brodi Ashton 

Hardcover, 370 pages

Expected publication: January 24th 2012 by Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray 

Source: Netgalley

Plot:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My Thoughts:

I just closed this book and felt compelled to write this review right away. There are so many paranormal books out there that sometimes they all seem to blend together. Then, when you least expect it, you begin a paranormal novel that is so different you can’t put it down. I love it when a novel is so out in left field, it defies ever rational thought I have about what the underworld is suppose to be like. Plus, anything that can tie in Greek mythology and make you wonder if some things could actually be true…is a fantastic book. EVERNEATH grabbed me by the arms and yanked me into it’s world. I could not put it down. I read it in, like, two sittings. It’s that good!

The Everneath is a place where immortals called Everlastings, take Forfeits, basically human sacrifices, to the Feed.  They feed off emotions. And when we meet our main character she is just coming out of the Feed, and things are a little confusing, but so interesting you’ll find that you can’t turn the pages quick enough to find out what’s going on and how things got to the point they are. This was so different. This was a completely new description of hell and what is like. And I’ve never met an immortal like these.

Another interesting thing about this book is the transitions. Often times I find myself skimming parts of the story on how a character gets from one scene to the next. Everneath there wasn’t a need to do that. There will just be a short italicized line that says: In my room, in my car, at Cole’s condo. That was really refreshing. I liked it because it cut to the chase and kept me hooked.

I recommend this novel to ANY paranormal lover. I cannot wait for book #2. I gotta know what happens. Nik and Jack’s love story tore me apart and I want more. It’s so great. This novel makes my top ten best books I read in 2011 list! Mark this one on your TO BE READ list immediately.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Keneally

Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Keneally
Source: NetGalley
Published: December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Plot:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

My Thoughts:
All I can say is wow. I absolutely adored this book, the cast of characters was well-rounded and not what I was expecting AT ALL. A girl who is not only the leading quarterback, but captain of her team, respected and loved by the team mates? Never would've thought it could be pulled off and with such talent. It was believable, partly because she wasn't just some girl who happened to be able to play football, she was from a football family with a pro father and brother on the way to the pros. The family complications were real, along with her flaws and insecurities. It had a great plot that didn't depend on a mean girl or guy to bring conflict to the main character, which is refreshing. Great voice, hooked me from the beginning and I ignored everything else in my life until I finished it. In the middle of the day! And the romance was hot, believable and so messy, just like real life. Add in a swoon-worthy cover and I give it five stars!

Dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzen --Review

Title: Dancergirl
Author: Carol M. Tanzen

Pub date: November 15, 2011 Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley

Book description from Amazon:

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Me, too. But lately it's been happening in my room.
When I'm alone.
A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I'm no longer Alicia Ruffino. I'm dancergirl. And suddenly it's like me against the world—everyone's got opinions.
My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he's acting weird. And some stalker isn't content to just watch anymore.
Ali. Dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you've seen me online, I've trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5


I found this to be an intriguing story. The idea of a stalker and the things that happen to Ali are very realistic. I can see them happening. I like the way Ali grew as a character and the ending was a satisfying one. Her character, along with best friend Jacy, were nicely developed. I was a little disappointed that the other characters weren't developed as well. Her friends were a mixed bunch, and there were some insights into their personalities, but they leaned toward the flat side.
The choice for the stalker was a great one. I figured it out when the first clue was given and waited to see if I was correct, or if it was one of the red herrings thrown in here and there. I devoured the book in one sitting which is why it got the extra half star. The writing was tight and a nice pace was achieved, however I didn't love any of the characters, nor root for them. It was extremely entertaining, it just didn't draw me in.


---Jenn



ARC courtesy or NetGalley

---

THE FUTURE OF US!

How excited was I when I opened a package from my editor and this (THIS!) was inside?

YES! An ARC of the eagerly anticipated Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler collaboration!  I happen to be a HUGE Jay Asher fan.

It came with the stipulation that I had to finish the draft of my revised manuscript before I read it - how's that for motivation?

Published by Razorbill, THE FUTURE OF US is set to release November 21 and is available for pre-order.

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

In alternating POV, Asher and Mackler take the reader on a journey with Emma and Josh into their future and also through their present and what this discovery means to both of them. 

Romance complicates everything for Emma and Josh.  Are they dating "the one"?  If they find "the one" now, how will they keep "the one"?  Are they too young to know what they want in the future for themselves or from a partner?  Are they even the same people fifteen years from now (1996)? And what happens when they interfere with the future?  Can it ever go back, or have they destroyed it forever?

Added to the dual main characters are their two best friends--an on again, off again couple--who are fun and quirky.  The ending is sweet and satisfying--not over-done or under-cooked. 

I give THE FUTURE OF US five stars!  (Who didn't see that coming?) :)

---Jamie

Populazzi by Elise Allen

Title:  Populazzi
Author: Elise Allen
Hardcover, 400 pages

Published August 1st 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books (first published July 20th 2011)

Plot:

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.


Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

My Thoughts:

I adored this novel. Cara was so fun to read about. She takes some major risks and at times I found myself biting my nails to see what she was going to do next. Cara and her best friend at times seem like they are only interested in climbing the social ladder and don't care who they hurt, but I was able to look past that because I was into the story.

There are so many deliciously steamy boys to read about in this novel. It really kept me hooked to watching Cara's climb to the upper hierarchy of popularity. There are some twists in this novel I didn't expect, but glad they were thrown in to make this novel stand out amongst the other YA contemporary novels out there.

All and all, I really liked it. I recommend this to any YA contemporary fan who likes plots centered around high school popularity and smexy time with guys.

CRUSH CONTROL Review and Giveaway!!

Title: Crush Control 
Author: Jennifer Jabaley
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: ARC

Reading, Writing and Waiting is excited to be part of Jennifer Jabaley's CRUSH CONTROL blog tour! 

I read through CRUSH CONTROL at lightning speed because I couldn't stop myself!  I remember reading about this sale in Publisher's Marketplace and thinking how awesome it sounded, and it didn't disappoint.  I loved it!

Here's the blurb:

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

From the first chapter, I was a fan of Willow.  She's quirky and funny and 100% relatable.  When her dog starts humping hot guy, Quinton's leg at the park when they first meet, I was as humiliated for Willow as she was for herself. 

Willow's BFF, Max, once chubby nice guy turned hottie, is swoon-worthy, but not above letting Willow know when he's disappointed in her for considering using hypnosis herself.  But once the popularity takes hold and Willow can honestly say her hypnosis is helping others, it's hard to turn back...until it all goes very, very wrong.

Threaded through the story is a secondary plot about Willow's mom and grandma and what it takes to accept your child for who they are.  It's equally well done and heart-warming. 

This is a five star book that I plan to read again and again. 

Do you want to own the Crush Control ARC?

All you need to do is leave a comment with your email address.  Extra points for tweeting the contest - just make sure to @JamieMBlair me, so I know you tweeted!  Winner will be picked at random on FRIDAY, July 22!

The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

By Risa Green

Paperback, Published 2010 Sourcebooks
Source: Sourcebooks

In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt...right?

Erin Channing is convinced that she’s the most boring, normal girl on the planet. But when her kooky aunt mysteriously dies and leaves Erin a pink crystal “answer ball” that really is magic, Erin’s boring, normal existence gets turned upside down. With the help of her two best friends, Lindsay and Samantha, Erin deciphers a set of cryptic rules for how to use the ball, while at the same time finds herself falling for a guy she thought she couldn’t stand. But when Lindsay and Samantha try to convince her to break one of the rules and use the ball to solve their own problems, the plan backfires on them, and Erin realizes that she must use her common sense and intelligence to get everything back to, well… normal.

My Thoughts:

This book was very enjoyable. I laughed a lot at the main characters and her friends. True to teenage form there is very definitely a moral to the story and the main trio, Erin, Lindsay and Samantha, go through some extreme character growth by the end. They get into several jambs, that upon further attempts to extricate themselves just land in more hot water. This book is a light, easy read, perfect for a day at the pool.----Michele

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?

by Sloane Tanen

Paperback, 354 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire (first published April 27th 2011)

Source: Sourcebooks Fire

 

 

Plot:

High school junior Francesca Manning is an outsider, an aspiring writer and secret devourer of celebrity gossip mags. A fake essay to Seventeen wins her the celeb-schmoozing opportunity of a lifetime, but after the plane crashes, she's stranded on a desert island with five of the most clueless, self-involved headcases to escape Hollywood. Happily skewering their foibles in witty observations on her iPhone proves surprisingly educational for Francesca. The group must work together to survive-if they don't insult each other to death first.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all the great summer reads I've been sent lately. Are You Going To Kiss Me Now? was the funniest novel I've read in a long time. It took me back to the day when Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie started The Simple Life. Posh celebrities and their lifestyles crack me up. If they only knew how the other half of us live, right? This novel had the same kind of humor. I literally wanted to reach in and smack some of the characters for being so dumb.

The plot wasn't terribly involved, so if you are looking for a light read to throw in your beach bag that will entertain you for a while, this is it. You'll be able to zip through this one fairly quick and maybe get a laugh or two.

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2)

by Lisa Desrochers

Paperback, 398 pages

Published July 5th 2011 by Tor Teen 

Source: Review Copy from Tor Teen

Plot:

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

My Thoughts:

Going into this novel I knew there was a new point of view coming, thanks to Lisa's twitter teasers, but I wasn't sure who it would be until I got into the the book. I was surprised to find out it was Matt, Frannie's twin brother, whom we met in Personal Demons. It took me a while to get into his perspective on things mainly because he came off a little too pissed off at Frannie and Luc's relationship. I've always been Team Luc. But after reading further, I discovered the view from his eyes was imperative to propel the story forward and possibly lead us into book three. 

Luc is still Luc. Hot as ever and totally into Frannie, willing to do anything for her. And yes there are some smexy time scenes in this book. I can always count on Frannie to deliver those. That girl has some raging hormones. 

Gabe is still in the picture too, but he really only appears in the first and last 3/4 of the book. He wasn't really vital in the meat of the plot line this time. Frannie's attraction to Gabe is still there even though she and Luc are an official couple now. Is is wrong to lust after an angel? Because Frannie seems like she's always ready to jump his bones, which doesn't bother me because I love the love triangle and tension it creates. 

There's nothing like two guys jealous over a girl.

We meet some new demons this round as well. I like the spin Ms. Desrochers created on demons and biblical mythology. It was a cool twist. When you meet the villain, you'll want to punch them, or maybe that's just me.

This sequel is a must read for Personal Demons fans. If you haven't read book one and like demon vs angels stories, run out and get it. You won't be disappointed.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Sometimes It Happens

by Lauren Barnholdt

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Simon Pulse 

Source: Galley Grab

 

 

Plot:

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

My Thoughts:

There's nothing like a good contemporary in the summer. They can totally lift your mood because they are fun and the plots aren't super complicated, kind of like a romantic comedy. Ms. Barnholdt wrote TWO WAY STREET, another contemp novel that I feel in love with, so I was excited to review this novel.

 

The main character (MC) of Sometimes It Happens had such a great voice, as well as all of the secondary characters. If you've read any of my reviews before, you know the voice of the novels make or break a book for me. In young adult fiction, the teen voice has to ring true. If the MC sounds like an experienced adult or uses phrases that no teen would say I totally get turned off. YA is all about making mistakes and learning from them while you are coming of age and the voice needs to represent that.

 

I'm glad to say Hannah, our MC, pulled me in immediately. I loved how the novel switched from present time to past (over the summer) so we could watch things unfold. I understood why she liked Noah by reading the past parts of the story and then understood how guilty she felt by reading the present part of the story.  

I would recommend this novel to any YA contemp fan. Readers who enjoyed novels like The Duff, Twenty Boy Summer, The Sky is Everywhere, Something Like Fate, Sarah Dessen novels, Anna and the French Kiss and Rachel Hawthorne novels will fall in love with this story.

 

The Book of Lost Souls by Michele Muto

The Book of Lost Souls

by Michelle Muto

Kindle Edition, 324 pages

Published March 6th 2011
Source: Author Provided ARC

Plot:

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven – was involved with the darkest of magic.


Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school’s resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick’s offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book – he’s offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end.

My Thoughts:

I must say that this cover is quite alluring. It immediately drew my interest and I had to find out more. I was pleasantly surprised to find the story is a blessedly fresh new take on the supernatural world. There is lots of mystery, plotting, subterfuge and generous handfuls of comedy throughout the story. While there is a love triangle, it does not overwhelm and derail the plot line. I particularly liked the group of friends and their intra-dynamic.


The story itself is fast-paced, had me laughing out loud and rooting for bad-boy love interest Nick. This YA novel is definitely worth the wait.

----Michele

Love Story by Jennifer Echols ARC Review

Love Story

by Jennifer Echols

Paperback, 256 pages

Expected publication: July 19th 2011 by MTV Books

http://jennifer-echols.com/lovestory.html

Source: Galley Grab

Plot:

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..


For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

My Thoughts:

I love Jennifer Echols. Her contemporary YA stories hook me every time. I think I've read GOING TOO FAR at least three times. So, when I saw this book listed on Simon and Schuster Galley Grab I just had to read it.

This book is different than most YA contemp stories currently out there. Our main character (MC) Erin is a writer, just like many book worms out there. We follow along with Erin as she goes through her first critique session and watch as it doesn't go along as planned. We also get to read some of her work, including some steamy historical romance pieces that are based on events that have actually happened to her. No one would ever know this story is about her and the guy she used to lust after if said guy, Hunter, wouldn't happen to have joined her writing class on the second day.

I was embarrassed right along with Erin while Hunter read steamy scenes that obviously included him. I would've been mortified. I kept thinking OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD.

Another cool thing about this book is we get to read some of Hunter's writing, which obviously includes Erin. It was a way to get inside his head without the book having dual points of view. Let me just say, I don't know if I could've ever written about groping someone for my class. lol These two are very brave.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was it ended too quickly. I wanted more closure at the end. Sure it was implied what would happen, but I wanted to experience it with them. I wanted the showdown. For that reason I had to give this novel a 4/5 just because I felt a little gypped.

Read this one if you like a contemporary romances!

Die For Me by Amy Plum--Review

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Hardcover, 341 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen
Author Website: http://www.amyplumbooks.com/
Series: Revenants #1
Setting: Paris, 2010 (France)

Plot:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.


When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Thoughts:

The story of Kate and Vincent hooked me. I like a good old fashioned romance, matter of fact, that's what I liked best about this book--the romance. The mystery of where the relationship of Kate and Vincent was going sucked me in. I rooted for them to get together. They had great chemistry.

The premise was different. I hadn't read a spin on zombies like this before. It kept me reading on because I wanted to know more about the Revenants. Ms. Plum did a great job creating the world and explaining the world's rules in this novel.

Read this one if you like paranormal romance with a zombie twist. 

The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge

Title: The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1)
by Caitlin Kittredge

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published February 20th 2011)

Plot:

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.


Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all these dystopian novels that are out right now. This was one was so dark and twisted, which to me, made it stand out among some of the others. There is some very dark imagery in his novel, but I kind of expected that going in because I have read Ms. Kittredge's adult series. I very much appreciate a dark story. They really pull me into the world.

The main character is very caring and somewhat brainwashed in this novel, but she a little snark in there and isn't afraid to turn it on when it comes to her family. The journey this story takes you on is awesome! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you root for Aoife to succeed.

Read this one if you like dytopian, steam punk novels! 

STARCROSSED by JOSEPHINE ANGELINI - Review

Title: STARCROSSED
Author: Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 496 pages

Expected publication: May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen

Plot:

How do you defy destiny?


Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

Gah! I love, love stories. Especially when the two people in the relationship want to kill each other all the time! LOL

This one was so good. I loved the spin on Greek mythology--very original. The first couple chapters really just help the reader get to know the main character and build repore with her, but then once we meet Lucas I was absolutely hooked. Romance makes or breaks a story for me and it definitely made the story here for me.
Read this one if you are a romance junkie!

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1)

by Sarah Porter

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: July 4th 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books

Plot:
Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead 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. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

My Thoughts:

This book has some pretty dark themes. There's abuse and neglect and a near rape scene, so even though the the protagonist in this story in only fourteen don't expect a fluffy story. I read this novel in one sitting and while I found some slow parts in the novel the main plot kept pulling me through. I just had to see how Luce was going to deal with the struggle and choice she was faced with. I loved the spin on the mermaid tale in this one, but this one isn't the typical type of book I like to read.

Read this one if you like novels like SPEAK and WINTERGIRLS with a supernatural twist.