The Paper Critic: Book Review

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[Book Review] - The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie and Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Title: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
Author: Paige McKenzie and Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Series: #1 - The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 24th, 2015
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Something freaky's going on with Sunshine's new house . . . there's the chill that wraps itself around her bones, the giggling she can hear in the dead of night, and then the strange shadows that lurk in her photographs. But the more weird stuff that happens, the less her mom believes her. Sunshine's always had a quirky affiliation with the past, but this time, history is getting much too close for comfort . . .

If there is something, or someone, haunting her house, what do they want? And what will they do if Sunshine can't help them?

As things become more frightening and dangerous, and the giggles she hears turn to sobs and screams, Sunshine has no choice but to accept what she is, face the test before her and save her mother from a fate worse than death.

The first in a frighteningly good new series based on the popular YouTube sensation The Haunting of Sunshine Girl Network, created by Paige McKenzie.

My Review:

This book surprised me, mainly because I bought it on a small vacation and just wanted something to occupy my time and keep me busy. While I wasn't particularly looking for a haunting of supernatural book at the time, there was just something about this book on a Meijer shelf that caught my eye. I don't know exactly why anymore, other than the book just short of kept my attention throughout. I am not sure if there was just nothing to do on the vacation or I just wanted a book to read at night.

What caught my eye was the ghost, it's not really about Sunshine being the ghost other than she can see or experience the ghost of sorts. Sunshine is just a normal everyday girl whose mother happens to be a new doctor at the hospital. Sunshine is trying to find her way, and make sense of why her mother is constantly at the hospital. While Sunshine pretty much survives and fends for herself, you get the idea that while being somewhat independent she's looking for that friend.

The story revolves around how when Sunshine moves into the new house, she believes and finds it to be haunted. What gets me is how the glass unicorns she receives are slightly moved, and yet it doesn't always surprise her completely. I mean yea it's creepy and awkward, but she always has this idea that there's something there. As the tale goes on, you learn of the fate that's happened in that house. The story and how it as told and unfolded was great. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better story in something I just randomly picked up.

This book for just being a random pickup surpassed everything I thought it would be. Not saying that I pick up terrible books at all, it was just something I wasn't looking expecting or knowledge of. It's worth the read, and while not being a terrible or overly impressive book, it's something to keep your interest and maybe fill a gap in here and there. I am curious to read more out of this series as Sunshine and her friend, while not being perfect and great realistic personas, they have a good relationship and Sunshine has a heavy burden on her shoulders. I am looking forward to a second.

Title: No Safety in Numbers
Author: Dayna Lorentz
Series: #1 - No Safety in Numbers
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 29th, 2012
My Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

When a strange device is discovered in the air ducts of a busy suburban mall, the entire complex is suddenly locked down. No one can leave. No one knows what is going on.

At first, there's the novelty of being stuck in a mega mall with free food and a gift certificate. But with each passing day, it becomes harder to ignore the dwindling supplies, inadequate information, and mounting panic.

Then people start getting sick.

Told from the point of view of two guys and two girls, this is a harrowing look at what can happen under the most desperate of circumstances, when regular people are faced with impossible choices. Some rise to the occasion. Some don't.

And for some - it's too late.

My Review:

No Safety in Numbers is a rather odd book, and while I am mostly on the fence about this book. I was hoping this book would be such a turn around and while there was some potential in this book. I mean what could possibly go wrong with a whole terrorist attack/bombing and a shopping mall. However, there was something that kept me reading a hope that it'd get better, but frankly it just wasn't there.

I am looking at some of the characters, who frankly confuse me. There are those who wander around and manage to survive; those who join gangs to survive; and yet there are those who for some reason are still manning their jobs. Which is what confuses me the most, and makes this whole book start to crumble. I mean I get the whole wandering around and the gang bit, but those who are still at their job is just unbelievable. I can see staying for a few hours, but those staying for more than a day in hopes of getting paid better are just straight ludicrous. In the real world people would abandon their post, and go about their daily life.

Second bit, those inside the mall are way too passive. Lock me in a mall and as people start dying and food running short, there would be a mob. I would be uneasy, and expect answers. Yet in this book, they all seem to stay quarantined like good little sheep and while some start to question the end result is just far too little too late. I honestly can't say it is accurate or remotely realistic.

When people start trying to escape it's not something simple like breaking a ground level window with something. However they try to do something drastic that ends up in either getting them killed or maiming someone. One attempt was trying to climb up through one of the sky windows and it frankly didn't work. There was an attempt at driving a car through one of those lovely garage gates, that ended up driving straight into a cement wall. It was all so silly and dumb, but at while the attempts were made, there just didn't seem much effort or realism behind them.

I would love seeing this book or a similar idea done by a different author. The idea is sound and great, but there's just something off about this version. It was more of a silly dumb book, and while it didn't do it for me, maybe there is a young adult who will enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I am going to finish the series, against my better judgement. I just wish there was something more and better from this specific novel.

Title: Scorpion Shards
Author: Neal Shusterman
Series: #6 - Star Shards Chronicles
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 7th, 2013
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Six teenagers are horrified to discover that an evil force has taken control of them. A force that feeds on them hungrily and finds its only outlet in the blind desire to destroy. The force must be destroyed. But how? What follows is the ultimate battle for supremacy between the forces of good and evil.

My Review:

Taking a break from the dreaded House of Night series lead me to my first Star Shards Chronicles and there was something oddly captivating. I normally am pretty hesitant on books that jump perspectives between a list of characters, but Neal just did such a great job that it was enjoyable. As well, the story worked. It was your pretty "Hi I'm a superhero. I'll save the day now" sort of book, there was the constant choice of good and evil. Which I think is what the book strived for, but also magnifies some of the changes and problems real world teenagers go through.

The book switches between 6 characters every so often, Dillon, Deanna, Winston, Lourdes, Michael and Tori. In the start, it's pretty slow, but it's mainly due to building the character. The foundation for each character is set well, there's just enough to get you interested, see who they are and then moves on to keep that pull going. The transition between characters isn't the best, it just simply ends or cuts. Sometimes I wanted to skip ahead to see what happened to another character, but if I did you'd lose on most of the story and timeline because it was all linked together. It just needed cleaned up and it would have been a better flowing book.

The characters are typical teenagers until an anomaly takes hold and they all gain different powers. It's not the typical flying, lasers or spider webs, but more of insatiable lust, uncontrollable obesity, the classic Benjamin Button reverse growth and the eye to cause chaos. There's this voice or void inside all of them that wants them to feed their ability, but if they do it causes pain and chaos in the outside world. It's a hunger that never ends, and the more they give into their inner voice the more the next demands. There's a lot to digest in how their abilities work and just what it does to all the characters, but most importantly it completely isolates all of them.

Now I didn't really realize it at the time, but the more I think back to this book and as I am reading it, there's a lot here to take in. There's this bit that reminds me of the peer pressure and the whole isolation bit. Their abilities isolate them from the world and they are striving to be accepted, they want it they strive for it. As teens, I felt that way until I made some of the best friends I have ever met. So we all are going through or went through that phase, it happens we know about it. But then you add in their inner voice they have to feed, peer pressure. How often as teens did we constantly hear people asking or nearly begging us to do things. "Everyone's doing it." "It won't hurt anyone." "YOLO" So it's a no brainer they are afraid to go against their voice, it's the same pressure we all had growing up.

There's just so much that Neal addresses in this book, and it's not pretty. There's a reckoning their pain, death and morbid moments in which someone gives in completely. It's just like real life though, it's not pretty, it will eat you alive and spit you out if you can't cope and manage what you are doing. The choices are always there. It's a pretty good, fast paced book that leaves enough meat on the bones to make you want more. I enjoyed it, I would love to reread this book having done the review now and have a bit more on my mind with regards to some of the motives in it.

Title: Tempted
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #6 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 27th, 2009
My Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0

So…you'd think after banishing an immortal being and a fallen High Priestess, saving Stark's life, biting Heath, getting a headache from Erik, and almost dying, Zoey Redbird would catch a break. Sadly, a break is not in the House of Night school forecast for the High Priestess in training and her gang. Juggling three guys is anything but a stress reliever, especially when one of them is a sexy Warrior who is so into protecting Zoey that he can sense her emotions. Speaking of stress, the dark force lurking in the tunnels under the Tulsa Depot is spreading, and Zoey is beginning to believe Stevie Rae could be responsible for a lot more than a group of misfit red fledglings. Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from Kalona and his dark allure, but they also show that it is Zoey who has the power to stop the evil immortal. Soon it becomes obvious that Zoey has no choice: if she doesn't go to Kalona he will exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. Will Zoey have the courage to chance losing her life, her heart, and her soul? Find out in the next spectacular installment in the House of Night Series, Tempted.

My Review:

So another book down, and I'm past the halfway mark. And yet why do I feel like I haven't accomplished much of anything. The writing stays pretty much stagnant and the characters don't really change. I am finding it harder and harder to continue and actually finish this series. I think after this one I may take a break and finish binge reading the rest at a later date. I just can't take it much longer.

This picks up right where the other one left off, and while everyone is underground and trying to move up above and reclaim what was taken from them, the world again squeezes on them. The visions from Aphrodite show Zoey as this savior if she goes and confronts Kalona, yet if she hides and attempts to ignore her he sets the world ablaze. I find it rather insulting that time after time, Zoey is this heroine that does nearly nothing. The growth in this book is so small and almost none existent. I would love to see her doubt Stevie Ray (which does start to happen).

Stevie Ray is the new Red Priestess, and with it comes more baggage than she is letting on. She has this larger group of Red Vampires that doesn't appear to have made a choice between right and wrong. Which means they are crazy and more or less in a world of their own and they have already made an attempt on Stevie Ray's life. I understand that Stevie Ray feels responsible for them, but at some point you need to draw a line and give them an ultimatum.

The rest of the book is normal Zoey going after Kalona followed by her harem and whatnot again. However near the end they decide to travel, and it brings the council of vampires into focus. There wasn't a whole lot of their dealings in this book, but they are so arrogant and presumptuous that part of me hopes they die painfully later. I am just not a fan of the whole "look-at-me" character style and all of them have that sort of characteristic. I will say this though, the ending was by far the best part of the series so far. I just wish something dramatic happened like this sooner in the novel, maybe would have made it more interesting and better to follow.

I am honestly not sure how some people can binge read this series. I find it just hard to get to read and the better parts of the series are coming later and later. I am still surprised at how boring some of the writing is, there'll be chapters where almost nothing happens or develops and you're left wondering what is going on and why is this even here other than to pass the timeline. I am a completionist so I will complete the series, sometime.

Title: Hunted
Author: Anna Carey
Series: #5 - Eve
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 10th, 2009
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth's population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying.

My Review:

I had a friend of mine asking why I hadn't read Eve yet, and why it was still on my wishlist. Which then turned into why is it still on my shelf and not read? And honestly I regret not reading it sooner. The book surprised me more than most of the books I have read in the past. For an apocalyptic world, I didn't buy the whole bit of this is the state of the world, and yet the world building of America after a varus and government fallout was good. Now what I did find good about the novel was how the new government decided to manage and guide its people. That part is what I think sold the book for me, and yea there was some aspects of survival. Overall, I enjoyed the book, I just wish there was some more originality behind it. It started out with such a great gripping beginning, yet nothing was really done with it.

First off, the book starts with Eve and her friends in a little town/camp that's cut off from everything, even the outside, mainly keep the outside out. Everyone in the small camp is more or less taught/trained to behave, do as you're told, not speak out and above all, going outside is forbidden. Which if you have any ounce of a brain, spells trouble at any turn. It surprises me that just one person happened to even think or questioned, but than again maybe there are others who just happen to go unnoticed.

Eve was a character I actually enjoyed. She was smart and questioned the world around her and yet didn't want to leave her friends behind when she finds the truth about her little camp. A reality of the men in charge, the ones who think that that because humanity is running out they have the right to do anything regardless of those they hurt. The truth is plausible I guess, but I don't foresee woman enjoying or even dreaming this world on anyone. Even if it was men that were held captive, it's just cruel. Basically the girls are told they will aspire to great things if they behave and do good. At graduation they are turned to the building on the way out for a test of sorts, however it's a maternity camp. Men come in and do what they will and help prolong the human race, even if the women don't exactly know what they are signing up for.

Who wouldn't run and try to escape that? It's a bit foolish to stay, and I guess if you haven't seen the events/building I could see your doubt. It's all you've grown up with. However Eve has always questioned the camp and the world she lives in. Its almost as if she's saying, "This is too good to be true" or "Why are some other people just disappearing." Even the person, who more or less pointed out and planted the seed of doubt in Eve's head, practically lays it all on the table for Eve.

Than the outside world, with a girl who has been told that Men are evil. Men shouldn't and won't be trusted, all they want to do is touch and rape you. So that's why the book got good for me. When a simple boy, Caleb, finds them and offers them what little help he can provide in showing them the way to a possible safe haven. I love how Eve who as she trusts her world and where she came from, starts to open up to the possibility that all men aren't inherently evil. The interaction of the relationship was very dynamic and great, which helped contrast just how harsh the world was they were walking through.

Now the ending was a bit melodramatic, yet it struck a cord. I hate Caleb's action in the end, and how the story ends. I understand why Eve did what she did, and the end of the book leaves no doubt about the sequel. I just hope that we don't go down this love Triangle road that Crossed with in the Matched trilogy, I like Caleb too much to allow myself to do that.

Eve is one of those books that I think will surprise a bunch of people. So if you have time, pick it up at a local library and give a solid day or two. Its not too overly new or refreshing, but there are parts of the novel that stuck out, and Eve's relationship with Caleb was pretty well balanced. There just wasn't enough to wow me or push me to give this book a higher rating. I wish I could, honestly. I hope to start the next book soon and get the series finished by the end of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Title: Hunted
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #5 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 10th, 2009
My Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you? At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

My Review:

So I made it to book five, and frankly I am still sort of stumped how I made it so far. Zoey is still utterly annoying and the fact that she's still the entitled little girl emotionally and yet the world against doesn't seem to revolve around her. Her friends still somehow manage to be her friends, and stick together, but there is a newcomer to the show.

Kalona, the ancient vampire, a spawn of Neferet is now after Zoey and possibly her next romance. What I don't seem to understand if Kalona supposedly makes all the girls/women around him so turned on to him alone, why isn't Neferet? Or is she, and I just failed to pick it up? Kalona actually could've made the story interesting, but the lack of depth and single mindedness just turned me off. There was so much potential in this character and yet again, with another character, it is squandered away. Kalona is supposed to be this badass, sexy vampire, however he's more of an overblown, glittery bean bag chair.

The one good part of this book is that Stevie Rae actually picks up some of the letdown of a book. She is the main reason I continued with the series, but I am not sure it was worth keeping going. The plot of this book was again, pretty simple and there wasn't much to it and the dynamic and depth just isn't there. To be honest, the only reason I am going to continue this is just the completionist in me. I honestly wouldn't really suggest this to a mature audience at all.

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: #1 - Throne of Glass
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 7th, 2012
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Review:

Alright, alright. I read this book and I understand what all the hype and all the talk was about. This book was just downright amazing, the worldbuilding, the plot, the characters, everything just belonged together and Maas put herself on the map in a big way with this book. Calaena was just spectacular, she's that sort of cocky girl that yeah it does great on you, but you realize as the story goes on that she's just as human as anyone one else in the novel. She's an assassin, and a good one at that. Being trained specifically for the trait, and frankly I don't get the whole play on assassins lately, but this is the best example of how to do it right.

Calaena is from what I understand is a malnourished 18-year-old when she is pulled from the salt mines of Endovier, and how she is even considered as assassin is beyond my imagination. She talks like her health and how some of the guards beat on her, just took a toll on her body. Through the beginning of the book she actually is working on building her muscle and body image back up. So I just don't understand how her condition made her even eligible to be part of the contest. Either way the prince seems to have taken an interest in her.

This is the part of the book that just ground on my nerves. Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall both take interest in her pretty quick. So here we go with a love triangle again. I would understand the theory that she is an assassin so she is just playing on them to get further and has another agenda, but she generally seems interested in both. Gah, I hate novels where girls can't just make up their mind. However you get the feeling that she's got a choice deep inside of her somewhere.

Dorian, the prince of Endovier, who while being interested and worried about Calaena, there is a sort of heir to his ways. I got the feeling like he expected to get what he wants, and didn't seem to take well to rejection either. Dorian is always fighting for his father's approval and sponsoring Calaena, he gives her the choice to start her life over. It's not really a choice, but he is the one that seems to go against his father and bring the best assassin out of a cage. Dorian's father and mother seem completely off the wall. His mother is so bent on finding him a good respectable noble wife that she doesn't even see the romance under her own nose, even if she would disapprove. Dorian's father is the same person who helped catch Calaena and for the most part wants to use her or needs a Champion to help do his dirty work. The king I wanted to see more of, but the other aspects of the story made up for the lack of the kings domineering presence.

Westfall, Calaena's trainer and captain of the kings military, is the one character I thought Calaena fell in line with the most. Their ideals and morals seems to come together, even if they didn't agree how to get a task done, they both agreed on the outcome. Their twisting relationship is what I thrived on in this book, but it also gave Westfall a great character depth, that I thought Dorian was lacking a bit. Further, the rest of the plot is what helped drive Calaena toward Westfall, and the dark underlying that slowly kills off the contestants.

The contest is what made the book. While it wasn't exactly a duel the entire way, there was enough obstacles or tasks to eliminate the others that you know it was leading up to something big. Than with the killings and trying to figure out who was trying to take out the contestants. The slight mystery lead me on a wild goose chase and frankly I didn't find out till the end, it was great. The book needed that dynamic otherwise it would have been bland. When everything was laid on the table and the book moved, there just wasn't a way I was going to put it down.

The hype behind the book, doesn't do it justice. Please, just read the book. If you haven't and are having doubts, stop. Maas does a great job with the characters, and even the supporting ones. It's the sign that this book is going to captivate me and frankly I am dying to marathon the rest of the series to get caught up. I should put that on my schedule to do soon.

Title: Untamed
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #4 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
My Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you.

Just ask Zoey Redbird - she's become an undisputed expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a tight-knit group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. And the worst part is, she knows it's her own fault. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead, unMarked, and unable to stop bickering with each other. So who can blame her for befriending the House of Night's newest transfer student, the majorly hot Olympic archer, James Stark?

Meanwhile, Neferet has declared a war on humans after it appears that the People of the Faith have murdered two vampyres. But Aphrodite's latest visions show a world completely different from the High Priestess's promises, a world full of violence, hatred, and darkness, all because of Zoey's death--and the only way it seems she can prevent it from happening is to make things right with her friends. Zoey knows in her heart that fighting with humans is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

My Review:

   This is the book where I thought some of the trials and the point in which I would decide if the series as even worth it. Frankly with the low scores and the poor reception I've had of the series, this book actually felt a bit better than the rest, but that's not saying a lot. Previously everything Zoey's been trying to hide and trying to protect collapsed into her lap, and she's left in a world that's left her lonely. I find it almost refreshing from the whorish Zoey we had in the last book, which was almost repulsive. However, I don't see that Zoey staying too long.

     The best part of the novel was Zoey was left with just two friends who are complete polar opposites of each other. It was great seeing her struggle to regain their trust, and actually earn something in the series instead of just being handed everything. However, the reason she gains their trust back, is a joke. It's borderline laughable. As well the story revolves around her getting back together with her friends, if she hadn't, the whole world would've been dead. It doesn't say much for Zoey's character and what few strengths she has. Its to the point in the series where I'm expecting more out of her than just some wishy-washy, who expects people to grovel at her feet or be her friend.

     The story was rather mediocre as, there wasn't depth or really anything that I wanted to go tell my friends about. It was the generic run of the mill YA story, that is used over and over. "I need my friends to come together and shape up, or the world is going to explode and we all die." Put some more thought into it, give us a reason to believe the world is actually going to end, other than some premonition, on wait that happens all the time in this series.

     Aphrodite and Stevie Rae, being the two that stick by her side are the reason the book has any life. They would be better candidates for the main character than Zoey. Stevie Ray being the red queen for the red vampyres, which is sort of odd, is faced with some rather harsh and important decisions for those she leads around and those she cares for, as queen.. Aphrodite has turned a new leaf and the depth of her friendship with Zoey grows, she actually sticks up for Zoey and puts her own neck on the line. It's great seeing that of a character that I hated in the beginning of the series. I just hope the supporting characters continue on this trek.

   Than there is the whole newcomer James Stark, who frankly doesn't last long at all in the novel, but plays a more unique role. Oh and James and Zoey hit it off, pretty quickly, so here's to a four-way relationship. What I don't understand is how Zoey can land nearly any guy she looks at, I mean it's mind boggling. I don't see any guys falling over girls like that in reality land, and if they find out she's been cheating on them, or more or less leading them on, they drop them like a rock and don't look back. I know I've said this before, and I'll say it again, if you are a guy, stay away from any girl like Zoey.

     So all in all, while this was marginally better than the other books, I don't think it was the best one of it all. It just made some of my more glaring problems with the series more pronounced. I just don't understand why the authors are writing Zoey in as such a weak character. She hasn't really done anything, other than be in the right place at the right time or her friends help her to get to a point she just can't get to on her own. I find it rather sad and annoying. Here's to wishing things change by the end.

Title: Chosen
Author: Kerstin Gier
Series: #2 - Ruby Red
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 10th, 2011
My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My Review:

This was by far one of my more favorite books that I've read in a while. I wanted a book that just twisted a old victorian world and made a lasting impression on it. I love the whole victorian era and the sense of hopeless romantic sort of feel with the whole genre, however I didn't expect this book to go all sci-fi and take it a step further. I know most of you are like, "Did you read the synopsis?" Frankly, no. I got this book on a whim, I've heard a lot of good things about the book and just ordered it without really thinking or doing any research, which is rare for me.

Personally what got me the most about the book was Gwyneth. She was terrific for this book and what it needed to take shape. She's an average girl, almost a servant from what I can tell just by reading it once and the first book alone. She has a normal life, her family believes that her sister Charlotte is a carrier of a gene or the child born at a specific time which means when she's old enough, she will be a time traveler. However part Gwyn is that she's not been completely honest with everyone, and while seeing ghosts her whole life doesn't seem strange, it all changes when one afternoon in class she manages to travel.

What gets me the most is the family, yeah they are shocked. Her mother not so much, but her aunt and other relatives they live with, almost hate her. Some still care about her, but it's the way Charlotte is heartbroken and turns completely on Gwyn that just puts the nail in the coffin for her character. I like how Gier molded the characters so well. Each has their own place and purpose. However, when you think about it, it has bit of the whole Cinderella theme to it.

The whole idea that drove the story home, was how Gwyn knows nothing about the world she is heading into. Gwyn is thrust into a world she knows nothing about, and what she is going through is completely new and just like entering high school all over again. What I find great about the whole bit, is she jumps in head first and manages to survive and manage herself. I find it endearing and brave, that she faces it all head first, and the world she is used to changes dramatically.

Gideon is supposed to be Charlotte's and when Charlotte isn't who she thought she'd be, when Gwyn is forced Charlotte's shoes. Gideon comes with it, Gwyn is something else. Their romance is rather shocking and almost a bit rushed. I wish there was more of it, or time for it grow. The times they are together and trying to figure each other out, it's more or less spent defending each other. I found the two great and refreshing, I wanted more of the two together, and there is something about the two that doesn't seem too off or unusual.

The book was a great intro, and while there is more to be known about the whole time travel issue. The book ends great and while there is more to see in the next book there is something that pushes me on to the next book, I want more out of the whole kit, and while there were some small issues with the romance and the whole plot, I am hoping there is more to the series in the next book. I am looking forward to starting and reading the next book. Here's to Gier's great work.

Title: Chosen
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #3 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5.0

Bloodlust and dark forces are at work at the House of Night…

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school are about to take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be her friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover about the secretive and sinister power that’s turning dead fledglings into bloodsucking monsters must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity.

Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected position of having three boyfriends. Mix in more than a little forbidden desire to the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster of massive proportions. Then, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-loser in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends find out, things are not always what they seem…

My Review:

"I think I'm turning into a Ho." Zoey Redbird (pg. 82).

That sums the major issue I had with this book, the amount of boys that are interested in her are staggering and Zoey is just too whiney and gullible that it's laughable. Although the story was slightly better then the first there was still the underlying issue that the plot could move faster or it could be done differently. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I could do it better it's just how the story or the main character acted that drove me nuts. So while the story was better and the character growth seems to falter, I enjoyed this book better than the last.

Zoey grows a bit in this book, but it's in a completely different direction. In past novels she is a whiney little high school girl who is worried about boyfriend issues and whatnot. However in this novel I think she becomes what she had hoped she wouldn't be. She gets tangled between three guys, two nearly the same age, and one who knows how old he is. The relationship with Loren was just wrong, and frankly she almost knew it and fell into his seduction. It was easy to catch on to, and was distasteful and wrong. Zoey falls hard in her character growth (almost growing backwards) but its a subplot to the whole story and Neferet.

Now my big problem with this book is the representation of men in this book. What I don't understand is Health and Erik know about each other. When Loren shows up and Erik questions her about it, she points the finger at him calling him jealous. Most guys wouldn't do that, they know she's with another but to throw a possible third into the mix, like or not, they would drop her like a rock. I wouldn't ask, I would just be done and move on. No name calling, no arguing, just drop it and move on, it's not worth the time and effort if she isn't going to choose. It's almost hard to read for this reason alone, I couldn't stand it. Guys won't always be there to pick you up, dust you off, and wipe your tears, if you keep pushing them aside and saying their attitude is the problem.

Stevie Rae is back, and she is probably the main reason I enjoyed this book. Her death and undying of sorts makes the main plot of this book just amazing. Trying to figure out what is missing with Stevie Rae and what it means to choose a path in life is great. Stevie Rae is the life of this book, and with her comes of lot of mystery which again opens the story up for more. The whole lacking a soul bit was a bit over the top though, I like when they stepped back and said it was her humanity. It's the sense of right vs. wrong and what it means to be human, which Stevie Rae needs.

Aphrodite again steps to the front in my mind in this novel, and it's mainly her spunk that makes her fit the space well. She doesn't put up with anything, and while she comes to Zoey's aid, she snaps at her friends. It's great to see Aphrodite change and grow into her role more, I love how she is transitioning, and her growth. She's the one character that I have found more relatable and likable than the rest of the characters. It's how the others turn on Zoey and question her instantly, Aphrodite is the one that sticks with her and has her back when no one else does. She was great.

So while this book just falls short, it's still better than the last few books. That's not saying it's all that much to be proud or going home to tell everyone about. Zoey is by far one of the weakest representations of her character and she falls short is this novel hard. I almost stopped reading the series (the marathon) because of how bad she is in this one book. However Stevie Rae's dilemma and Aphrodite's great character transition that give this book some life. I will finish my marathon, I just hope I don't want to strangle Zoey or any of the close circle before the end.

Title: Betrayed
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #2 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5.0

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She's come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group. Best of all, Zoey made some new friend and she finally feels like she belongs - like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend...or two.

Then the unthinkable happens: human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night, straining human-vamp tensions in Tulsa to a breaking point. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey's old life, she finds herself drawn into an intoxicating forbidden flirtation that threatens to distract her from the growing crisis. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night. Too late, Zoey begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves, and she must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world. Betrayed, the second installment in the bestselling House of Night series, is dark and sexy, and as thrilling as it is utterly shocking.

My Review:

I am going to take and assume if you are reading this you have some idea of what happened in the first novel.

So I am making my way through this high school House of Night series. I am just not sure how much more of the whining and complaining I can take before I send the book through the shredder. Zoey is just always in over her head. and it just happens to always be the notorious Neferet that is on the other end. I was expecting a better betrayal in this book, and while it is more of a somber tone, it just fell way short in my expectations. The book was just so mediocre I couldn't give it much higher.

Zoey in this novel is reeling from the loss of her friend, Stevie Ray. Her other friends are trying to fill in the gap and make sure that Zoey is okay. However, what bothered me the most is high the other friends are around, they don't seem to feel the loss at all. It's like they all just immediately felt the loss than when Zoey collapsed they seemed to move on and fill the gap. I just found it tasteless and almost insulting. I mean friends tend to get together and talk and comfort each other, not try to fill a hole and whatnot.

However the whole whiny Zoey continues and with the loss it only gets worse. In the beginning it's near Christmas and Zoey's birthday, they come close and she hates the Birth-mas gifts, but doesn't tell anyone other than Stevie Ray. Now when the other friends give their gifts they have that Birth-mas theme and it upsets her. I'm sorry don't hold them accountable if you never mentioned your feelings on the topic. It's not their fault entirely, and the more the novel goes on it's a wonder why her friends even stick around.

Aphrodite is back with a vengeance. I thought she would be more of an annoyance or just a straight up bitch. However, there is more than meets the eye to Aphrodite, and that's the part of her character that I found more realistic. It gives her character depth and personality. She was one of the few characters that grew on me as the novel went on, while the others seemed to hover and dance around the pampered annoying Zoey.

Now the Betrayal, gives a lot of story away, and I'm going to try to explain it without trying to get give it away. You would think it'd be Neferet or Aphorodite, because they are the obvious picks and with Aphrodite getting so close to Zoey. I was rather shocked at the whole revelation and the plot twist that surrounded the Betrayal. However, after it was revealed the rest of the story seemed to follow a straight line to the end. I don't understand the story writing, it's beginning to twist to end. There is little room left for imagination and letting the story simmer and grow, or twisting to let the reader get more immersed in the story.

This is a rather large review for such a mediocre to poor book. I wanted to see more world-building or a better character growth, but that came at the cost of the plot. I like Aphrodite more so than Zoey in this novel and it makes her more realistic and believable in this novel. However Aphrodite just seemed to steal the spotlight from Zoey and it was well deserved. If you made it past the first book, I would be weary about diving into this novel. Take some time, and read some more reviews, I already had it on my shelf so I went on, but I would think twice.

Title: The Truth About Alice
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: June 3rd, 2014
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party.

But did you know Alice was sexting Brandon when he crashed his car?

It's true. Ask ANYBODY.

Rumor has it that Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the bathroom stall at Healy High for everyone to see. And after star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons dies in a car accident, the rumors start to spiral out of control.

In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students—the girl who has the infamous party, the car accident survivor, the former best friend, and the boy next door—tell all they know.

But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.

My Review:

The Truth About Alice is one of the more depressing books. It's entirely about the cliques everyone knows and has been part of in HIgh school. I always thought the book would take Alice's perspective but the message is entirely different. I never really understood what was going on, what the story was trying to pass on but it wasn't until the end that I think I finally understood what the message was. Further, there is something beyond just the story, the characters are done so well. It's hard to pinpoint which one I felt sorry for most of all.

Alice is a Slut. The book takes that message and runs with it. Alice Franklin is the popular girl, but its more on her looks than just about her personality. She's becoming friends with Brandon, the most handsome and popular guy at school. When he's killed in a car accident, rumors start compounding against Alice. However those close to her never really stop and question her about the rumors, or get her side of the whole ordeal.

The book is told from multiple perspectives gives a great detailed look at the cliques, but also gives Alice definition. I don't normally enjoy books with so many perspectives, two just seems to be the max without spreading them too thin. I found that some of them were just hard to follow, but it was more of trying to capture the character well. You do get used to the style of writing after a while. This book does the multiple perspectives very well, I loved her take on this and the different cliques.

Mathieu breaks down those cliques and dives into them and how people perceive those stereotypes. I love how Mathieu questions every one of those stereotypes. It makes you question those, and for me it was more about how the people got those stereotype. The Queen, The Jock, The Nerd, The Virgin, and The Slut each have their own take and in this novel no one is safe from light. I love the take here, and frankly it deserves a lot more respect than what it got.

What makes this book great is the cliques, how Mathieu broke down every stereotype. It's that part that the books makes and defines itself. Its the growth of a few characters, and how the writing made them all jump alive. This book is just so beautifully written, and begs to be read. I honestly can say that though I did put the book down a few times, it probably one of the hardest books to put down and tend to life. I sincerely wish I could say I finished it in one sitting, it deserves that.

Title: Marked
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: #1 - House of Night
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
My Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed.

One minute, sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is a normal teenager dealing with everyday high school stress: her cute boyfriend Heath, the school’s star quarterback who suddenly seems more interested in partying than playing ball; her nosy frenemy Kayla, who’s way too concerned with how things are going with Heath; her uber-tough geometry test tomorrow. The next, she’s Marked as a fledgling vampyre, forcing her to leave her ordinary life behind and join the House of Night, a boarding school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change—and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint with Heath, who just doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: when she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny—with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

My Review:

So I would love to start this with the most simple, "This girl is a Ho." Zoey was one of those characters that I never really got into. There is just a personality difference in what I seek in a main character, but overall it's just not that bad. The world of the House of Night brought me and I took the hook and made this my first marathon series of the year. I thought it would be good to get into and while the series is complete on my shelf, I just couldn't resist. However, the book just didn't wow me, or impress me as much as I had thought.

Zoey Redbird is your typical teenage girl who happens to get Marked at school. Being marked means you die and wake up as a fledgling, and in the process of changing into a vampyre. On her way home her parents are devout People of the Faith (religious group), and it throws her family into the warpath. Her father hates that she's been marked, and blames her for her bad behavior as to why she's marked. Her family turns on her, and its her grandmother Zoey runs to that aids her. At her house, she passes out and has a vision of Nyx, the vampyre goddess who changes her life even further.

Now I am used to strong female character leads and frankly this just isn't one of those. Personally she acts like a pampered teenage girl who whines constantly. I find I wanted to rip her throat out to stop all the whining and complaining, than there's the nearly constant dreaming of the hot vampyres that waltz around her. Further there are so many celebrity comparisons that it was so overdone and just terrible to read. Plus her infatuation with older men as a teen and wanting to be with 35-40 year olds is rather disgusting.

Her friends Damien, Shaunee, Stevie Rae, and Erin all are just about as bad. There is the gay geeky Damine, the separated twins, Shaunee and Erin, and the country Stevie Rae and they compliment each other pretty well. I just couldn't get attached to any of them at all, because they are so over the top obnoxious that I found it nearly nauseating. I wish they were a bit more down to earth and frankly less drama focused/obnoxious. I just couldn't get into them at all.

As well, there is almost nothing to the plot. I felt it was like being on a roller coaster; yeah there are twists and turns, but you always know exactly where you're going to end up. There was almost no shock or wow factor in the novel. Pretty much you always knew where you were going throughout the book. There is one I forgot to mention the evil Aphrodite that I actually enjoyed. Aphrodite is a crazy stuck-up snob, but there is a sort of realistic nature to her that I found was done pretty well.

I said before that "This girl is a Ho." That is because she is juggling two "boyfriends" at the same time and while they both seem to know about each other, she cannot just pick one and stick with it. Okay yeah, she imprints with Heath, her old human ex-boyfriend, and she is emotionally attracted to Erik, a fellow fledgling at the House of Night. They both fight for her and it's rather sad that they both don't drop her like a rock. I found that both were just stereotypical jocks with almost no personality aside, "Must have Zoey" and thumping their chest.

While this book is rated a 3.0 I would suggest reading something else. This book just isn't written well, but it tells the story even if it is slow and boring at times. You will always know where the turns are and when they are coming, but what makes the book far worse is the obnoxious characters and the male counterparts that don't know when enough is enough and fight over a girl who can't make up her mind. I found that while Zoey isn't all that strong of a lead, but further the solutions seem to fall into her lap and she doesn't really have to work on the solutions just be present and wave her hands around. It was rather disappointing, but I found it to be somewhat enjoyable. It's not the best paranormal I've seen, but it's far from the worst.

Title: The Vanishing Season
Author: Cassandra Clare and Holly Black
Series: #1 - Magisterium
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 9th, 2014
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

My Review:

The Iron Trial is the Middle School version of Harry Potter. I found this book to be rather good and a disappointment at the same time. I just hope the series doesn't continue for around 6-7 books as Cal grows up. I would like to see the book continue in it's own direction and not feel like it's trying to copy or appear like Harry Potter or etc. And when it came to the two authors, I just thought their own individual novels were almost better than what this was. I just expected more out of these two.

The main point of the whole novel, at least from what I gathered, was how Callum Hunt didn't want to be a Mage. To put it in perspective, everyone at a certain age, goes through a test to see if you are picked up to be trained as a mage. If you fail, you go home and back to a normal life; if you pass you go on to be trained by a small group of mages and go through the Iron Trial.

The characters, Callum, Aaron and Tamara, all seemed to work together really good. They were so simple and well done, what hurt was it all seemed so similar... Oh yea, HP again. What did I say before, do your own thing. Callum seemed to be the dimwit who wasn't trained at all, and of course Aaron and Tamara have been informed/trained as good as they could, coming from magical families. It was slightly different from HP, but it has some similarities to the old novel, that I find it just disappointing.

Now I want to touch on the whole magic bits in this novel. Earth, Fire, Wind and Water are your normal typical elements, and they are just usd over and over, I like the little twist with Void being in there as well. However the void seems to make things crazy or chaotic, and people born able to control Void are rare and extremely sought after. Another twist is that if you consume certain parts of the element, you can become stronger in that element. Who would eat earth, or a match, or blood (oxygen for air)? It's unique, but how it's described is just silly.

Now the plot of the whole bit is what brought this novel back around. The start is with Callum's father and describing part of an ongoing war with mages and a person known as The Enemy of Death, a powerful void mage. Sarah Hunt and their child are present for what would be a massacre, and Alastair is left to find them with a cryptic message of "Kill the Child" which more or less foreshadows the rest of the book. The book then takes off with Callum as he enters the trial and then into The Iron Trial. It is a pretty standard, follow the dotted line till the end, where finally in the last few chapters, the book opens wide up. I loved the twist at the end, and brings a great dynamic to the series, I just hope they stick with it.

The Iron Trial has it's fair share of HP comparisons, and relates a lot to it, but I feel the audience target is a younger age group than what HP was at the time. I found the characters pretty standard, and was hoping for a bit more dynamic. At times it just seemed like they were trying to hard with the amount of characters they were putting in the novel, that I think it hurt them instead of helping. The ending is what I feel saved this book from completely being dull and boring. It's worth the read, but remember there are similarities and it may upset you, but I feel the novel is worth the time and effort to read the first novel.

Title: The Vanishing Season
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: July 1st, 2014
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig. I am looking for the things that are buried.

From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.

My Review:

The Vanishing Season was one of those books that I was confused on the rating. I wasn't sure if it was a 4 or a 3 and settling on a 3.5 just didn't seem right at first. However when I get down to it, there was some bit of the book that I didn't quite understand. I haven't read a whole lot by Anderson, and I was looking for something bright and cheery; while this book wasn't entirely, it was a good quick read. However I'm not sure exactly where to put my finger on how I feel on it afterwards. It wasn't the book I thought it was going to be, but it was a surprising new take.

Door County is just your local rural no-name town in the middle of nowhere on the lake. While the book focuses on the three main characters, Maggie, Pauline and Liam, there is a third ghost or abaration that kind of foreshadows the ending and it's done so well. The town is very small, almost nothing in it besides maybe a few vacation local spots and the salvage/junk store that the show American Pickers could be aired at. But the story picks up when girls start disappearing and "dying" in nearby towns.

First of all the book is not a paranormal book at all, it has a sort of narrative from a ghost or something of the sort. Further there is no love triangle in this book, there is a bit of drama with the friends, but it tends to work its way out. And finally there is no mystery, there is nothing to solve. However, this book is pure entire character growth and a good study of what makes a character who they are. I love how Anderson just makes them all realistic, and relatable.

So to dive in Maggie is the main focus in this novel and she comes from Chicago in the wake of the recession. I love how her family works with the small income and turning a rugged, almost condemned house into something worthy of calling a home. She was easy to understand, however, I wonder why it almost seems like she never goes to school. Maggie is the perfect daughter, she almost never gets in trouble and chooses who she loves and falls for carefully.

Pauline and Liam enter as the high school sweethearts and long time friends. However the relationship is slightly different, Pauline views it as a friendship and Liam is begging for something more. While their relationship doesn't strain too hard, they differ on where they stand. At one point they split apart, and Liam turns his eyes on the Maggie. The drama lasts shortly, but in the end Liam and Pauline ends up back together which did get me a bit in a bind. If you knew you had feelings for the one girl, why did you end up expressing it with another?

I never got the feeling that Liam had any deep feelings for Maggie, which hurt my representation of Liam. He's supposed to be this great gentleman, and he is. Until it comes to the mixed feelings on the two girls. It's not hard to tell that he repurposes the ideas and what he wanted to give Pauline, to just do the same with Maggie. I found it contradictory of his character design.

Overall the story is rather short and nothing dramatic happens. However, there is some great character growth in this novel and is by far some of the best I've read thus far. I wanted something more to happen, maybe with the murders or something, or the "ghost." It just needed an extra flair to the book to bump it up, because the plot was rather boring and slow. The characters and their interaction is the main key point in the whole ordeal. So if you are looking for something quick and character focused, this is your novel.

Title: Exquisite Captive
Author: Heather Demetrios
Series: #1 - Dark Caravan Cycle
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 7th, 2014
My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Forced to obey her master.
Compelled to help her enemy.
Determined to free herself.

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.

Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?

Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.

My Review:

Heather Demetrios came out swinging with this book and while it didn't fall flat on its face, it stumbled through the first read. While I thought the book was a bit touchy here and there, there was a part of me that found the book more like a reversal of Aladdin than anything else. The book was sweet and while there was a supposed love triangle, it was more of disjointed love affair and survival that bound some of it together. The book surprised me for something I randomly picked up at Barnes & Noble, and I am glad that I did.

I will say, I never thought I would be a fan of jinni or something that's just so far sci-fi and magical that it tends to stretch and redefine magic nearly every other page. Yet with Demetrios, there seemed to be a set boundary to the jinni and how the standards and practices they had. It was refreshing to have an author that knows that what they are creating on the page could and will have an endless power, yet they seem to rein them back into a culture or set standard. It brought relatability and understanding to such unique and diverse characters.

Nalia was just sweet and stubborn throughout the book. There is part of her that bleeds the heir of superiority from her background, in her actions, but she understands the fault in her past. Furthermore, she is sorry and feels guilty for the old jinni lifestyle and how wrong it was. I love how humble she is, she knows she could be queen but realistically all she wants is to save her little brother. Time and time against, Nalia reflects on the past and the old Arjinna world, the happy moments, but she's also knows that part of deserves the slave labor she's been sold into.

Malek was a character who I nearly hated throughout the book. He's one of those cunning sly characters that just slithers underneath everything and makes you question every little action. He's the owner of Nalia and tries at first to make Nalia obey him by force, that fails rather miserably. Yet, he changes suddenly seeming to fall in love with Nalia and want more from her than just some slave jinni. There is much more to Malek, than what Nalia can see and that's what bothered me the most. He was mysterious and almost fluidly changing with an almost multi-personality throughout the book. I wish he was a bit more stable in who he was and grounded.

Raif seemed to make up for everything though. The leader of the rebellion in Arjinna has come seeking the queen and in doing so finds much more than what he bargained for. The relationship that starts between Raif and Nalia is great, and while at first they constantly fight and bicker, it adds depth to their growing relationship. It's as if they never really planned on falling for each other, and when they did it was deep and hard. Their relationship went in great contrast to the relationship with Malek and Nalia and the two were constantly close and it's not hard to compare the two.

Now this book isn't nearly entirely romance, but a good part of it is. The magic and the culmination of the war between the Ghan Aisouri and Ifrit, which has been brooding for ages. This means that all the while Raif is trying to win Nalia's support and help in the coming rise against the Ifrit, an assassin is sent after Nalia. I loved how Demetrios put a ticking time bomb in the novel. It gives the book a specific timeline it needs to adhere to, but further it makes it so that no character is safe and free from harm. The few little fight scenes between the jinni give the depth and power of the jinni, but I never really anticipated the style of power they'd so.

Demetrios stole my breath away, and while it wasn't a perfect book, by that I mean flawless and gut wrenching, it did find a permanent place on my shelf. At times the book is a bit harder to get through, but I find the ending was well worth the effort. I didn't anticipate some of the twists, and I love how Demetrios handled the implied love triangle (NOTE: there isn't a love triangle in this book). It was one of those books that's so unique and pleasant that while you utterly hate some characters, you appreciate and understand the need to dislike them so in the book. Great work, and I look forward to more!

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: January 2nd, 2012
My Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

Four minutes changes everything. Hadley Sullivan 17 misses her flight at JFK airport, is late to her father's second wedding in London with never-met stepmother. Hadley meets the perfect boy. Oliver is British, sits in her row. A long night on the plane passes in a blink, but the two lose track in arrival chaos. Can fate bring them together again?

My Review:

This book was cute, and while it wasn't what I thought it would be AT ALL, it touched my heart with how cute it was. For a short read, I will say the book was worth the small amount of effort that it took to get through it. I was hoping for a happily ever after ending with some hearts, stars, and horseshoes, which happened to a bit of degree. I also never thought the book would take a different turn than a simple romantic one, but the twist it took was done well.

Hadley is like any normal seventeen year old. However, she has serious daddy issues. Which I guess in her position I understand, he did pretty much bail on his wife on a trip to England. What I never really understood though is the small trips that Hadley took after the divorce to see her father on vacation, she never brought it up, never talked about it than. It was like she felt betrayed and made at him for leaving her mother for some other woman she knew nothing about. I understand that there's underlying family issues, but they almost seem to have been avoided so much in the past.

The book picks up as Hadley is trying to switch flights since she missed hers, and in doing so manages to make her dad mad or nervous (hard to really tell). The flight she needs to get to England, and be part of her fathers and step-mothers wedding, lands her next to Oliver. I love how Oliver seems to be distant and almost mysterious when Hadley tries to ask questions pertaining to why he missed his flight as well. Which begs to question how many times to they have to come in contact with each other for coincidences become stalking.

The two connect and it's like they were meant to be, and that brings me to my first issue with the book. I stated it just a few moments ago, at what point do the coincidences be too much? It was cute that they happened to miss the same flight, and managed to work around getting to sit next to each other. But after that when the coincidences happened to keep showing up, it was just a bit much and was almost like the author was asking too much of the reader to buy into. I didn't give up, mainly because I had hope for the happy ending.

Now Oliver is one of those guys that's outgoing and funny, but for some reason I had this good-looking nerdy image picture of him constantly. I actually enjoyed him, and okay he did lash out at Hadley at one point, but at the same time given the circumstances, it wasn't entirely expected. Yeah I think he was wrong, but at the same time there is some perspective he conveys. The reaction from Hadley and how it entirely brings her around to what needs to happen makes the story.

I would love to talk more about the book, but frankly if I did I would be giving away some pretty good plot points. I don't like to spoil certain parts of the books, and that's why I have to say this book I would probably read again, and maybe pass down. It's not one of my favorite, but the message in the book was great. Smith before seemed to let me down, but this book more or less renewed my believe in her style and story-telling, even if it's a tad-bit cute and cheesy. If you have a short moment between books, take the time and read this book; it's not the best, but it will make you feel warm and cozy afterwards.

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 18th, 2007
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Review:

I hunted and hunted for this book, I had heard so much about this book and how touching and fantastic it was. I didn't want to read some paperback flimsy book, I wanted to find a good first edition and get the full reading experience out of this novel. The synopsis caught me straight and over my two month hunt for this book, I found it and devoured the book in a few days. This book just tore me apart, there is so much that touches you and the aspect this novel takes is so unique, well thought, and just straight downright brilliant that I am so glad I found a first edition to sit on my shrine. This book will stay with me, forever; in fact it will probably haunt me afterwards as well. This is the caliber of book that should and needs to be passed down through generations.

This book was near torture, and it's mainly because of Hannah. Hannah kills herself, and the suicide really isn't what gets you, but how she handles her death, and what goes into the whole ordeal. Prior to her death she makes a series of 13 cassette tapes, and mails them to the 13 people who played a part in her demise. It's such a sad story, and while I don't buy into all of Hannah's story, it's more of a difference of opinion/perspective, but I completely understand and see where she is coming from. That's the part that makes the book great, is while it differs from my personal ideals, I find the book relatable and overall enjoyable.

The story picks up with Clay who is just overall likeable, maybe a bit too much.He's the one who while not the first (more so the middle of the pack) who receive the tapes, is by far the most devastated by their implication. I mean how can someone like Clay be part of Hannah's death? His reaction to the tapes is the most realistic and I can only imagine how I would react if I had to deal with listening to tapes of those nature.

Now most of everyone is probably asking, why doesn't he just stop and not listen to them. That's what my first question and issue was which was addressed quickly; Hannah made a second set of tapes and another student (her friend of sorts) and their supposed to keep track of where the tapes are at and if they don't make it to the end, the second set is to happen to show up at a police office. I find this adding a dynamic to the book that forces the reader and Clay to continue.

What makes this book so impactful is the message. While at the beginning the acts against Hannah are almost laughable and so miniscule that even I almost gave up on the book. However, as the book keeps going, those small little events escalated to a much larger issue. It's how even in high school no one really thought of how their actions would affect the person, let alone the long term. It's that part there that makes this book so realistic, and so compoundly amazing. I wish there was more to this novel and about Clay, because it deserves it.

Jay Asher lit up the whole YA world with this novel, and frankly I wish there were more books like this. Its life changing and while it's probably one of my favorite books of the year, there are parts that I disagree with. Now I am able to look past that and really, those differences don't hurt the book at all. Its more of a lifestyle difference, it's those difference that make the book that great and realistic. I found that this book makes the whole situation heart-wrenching and an emotional rollercoaster. There need to be more books like this.

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