What Light by Jay Asher

Goodreads Summary:

From Jay Asher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, comes a romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing again. . . .

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.

My thoughts:

This book is not life altering and thank Joss (Joss Whedon is a god) for it! I was in the mood for something easy and relatively light to read. This book delivered. While Caleb has one bad incident in his past it isn't so bad that you get depressed reading about it. It adds just the right amount of drama for a sweet little love story between two teens. 

Sierra isn't whiny, nor is she annoying. I like her, she knows how to play along when needed but she also doesn't put up with people being dickheads. I feel for her as a character and she feels like a real person. We don't learn everything about everyone but we learn enough to feel like everyone in the story is authentic. 

I recommend this book to people looking for a mostly light holiday read. 

While writing this review I was listening to the washing machine. Yep, laundry is super interesting.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Goodreads Summary:

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Goodreads Summary:

In this third book in Marissa Meyer's bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she's just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she'd ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Goodreads Summary:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

My Thoughts On The Whole Series:

Instead of reviewing each book I am decided to review the whole series. Part of this is due to how long ago I read this series and part because I think on the whole the series is better than breaking it down book by book. I like the fairytwists that each book takes on four different fairy tales. First we have Cinder, an obvious twist on Cinderella. Scarlet is a take on Red Riding Hood. Cress is a new take on Rapunzel (I was least familiar with this story). And lastly Winter which is a take on Snow White. I have not read any of the novellas in this series. I don't generally read those supplementary stories in a series. Each female lead is her own person, which honestly can be difficult to maintain different and strong voices when dealing with so many story lines. The common story is about Cinder, the long lost princess from Luna. She was sent to Earth when her murdery Aunt wanted the kingdom to herself. She tried to kill Cinder but that failed. Cinder has to fight for her freedom from a spot of trouble on earth and the freedom of her people from the crazy Levana. Scarlet, Cress, and Winter all play a part in the story. 

I did find it a little annoying that a love story had to be involved with each character. I get that the original fairy tales all had love stories but it would be nice if that wasn't something that was still being pushed. Which leads me to my biggest complaint. Cinder, this strong independent woman at the end of the series makes a lame choice about her role for the future. I don't want to spoil it, so I will just say that it was disappointing. I was really liking the series until the very end. I wish wish wish it had a different ending.

Overall, I would recommend this series to YA fans, those who like a little Sci-Fi with their YA, and fans of dystopian books. 

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Gilmore Girls. Yes, I am marathoning it.

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Goodreads Summary:

A powerful retelling of Sleeping Beauty that is "heartbreaking and heartwarming."

An American Library Association "100 Best Books for Teens"
An American Library Association "Best Books for Young Adults"

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma's stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma's astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope.

My Thoughts:

This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. I was looking for a fairytwist and I got this heartbreaking story that I think should be required reading when covering World War II. 

I don't want to spoil this book for anyone so I will just say that there are awful things told in this story. This being said I think they are told in a way that has more impact than just reading a list of things that happened during a war that was a long time ago. This story makes what happened real and what the long lasting legacy such atrocities leave not just on the history of one person but their whole family.

I recommend this book to anyone. I think it is well written and powerful. 

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Gilmore Girls.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads Summary:

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 four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. 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 Thoughts:

I should say upfront this isn't my normal genre. I don't generally care for fantasy books. They bug me. That being said this book is only borderline fantasy and I liked it, mostly.

I think this book falls into the same trap as a lot of YA books. We are told how awesome the main character is but we don't really get a chance to come to that point by ourselves through the actions of the character. I wish strong female characters were just that, strong without it having to be repeated (often and loudly). Strength can be shown without being shouted. This is the biggest complaint I have about this book. 

Overall the story is interesting and has some new ideas to it. I think it is worth the read but I wouldn't get your hopes up that this book will rock your world. I think there are probably "better" books out there but I am not the one to ask. I will say that this book kept me engaged and I found it a good way to pass the time. This book didn't require too much from me, which is often a good thing. 

I have decided to read the second book in this series. I am working through that book a bit more slowly than this one so it may be a while before I review anymore of the series. I would recommend this book to those looking for an okay read which has potential.

While writing this review I was listing to the intro song of another Gilmore Girls episode. Man I love that Paris, so snotty!

AngelFall by Susan Ee

I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads. This has no impact on my thoughts or feelings for this book.

Goodreads Summary:

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

My Thoughts:

I admit I received this book a while ago. I read the first chapter or two and then put it down. I wasn't in the mood for what I thought would be yet another run of the mill post apocalyptic teen girl hero story. Which this book does have some of that, but it has some other elements which made it stand out for me once I gave it a real chance. I read this book in its entirety in one day. Part of that is it is a really fast read, the other part is my curiosity of where this story would go.

Penryn is the stereotypical I didn't choose this I just want to be normal hero of the story. What I like about her is her faults. For instance he accidentally throws a rock at the person trying to help her. She just had bad aim. Which if this book were real I suspect things like that would happen more often, as real people don't always hit their mark.

Raffe is the totally hot totally broody angel who lost his wings. I don't hold that against him too much. He isn't an overbearing douche trying to control Penryn which is often the case in these books. I like that he bets on her and leaves her to fight her own fights.

Penryn's family is of course a broken family. Mom is craycray and little sister is in a wheelchair. The mental illness of Mom is interesting in that in a lot of ways the craycray are better equipped to handle life with angels trying to kill you. Her insanity if finally a strength rather than a weakness. Now little sister gave me nightmares after what happened to her. She is part of the book that totally creeped me out and I wasn't expecting the hair on the back of my neck to get the wiggins. I won't go into too much detail but mad doctors are doing things to angels and humans alike which is bad news bears. I don't read many books that could be considered scary sauce so I am probably extra sensitive to creepy concepts. I don't watch horror movies either and this would fit right in with a horror movie.

So overall, I would recommend this book to fans of the genre and maybe horror fans but note that the creepy stuff is much later in the book and I am a wuss. I would say that it was a fast and entertaining read, so if you want something that meets that criteria I would recommend this one. 

While writing this review I was listening to Giles sing from the Buffy musical episode.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary:

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.


My Thoughts:

I should say up front I love Sarah Dessen books ever so much. I look forward to each new book anxiously and then read them as soon as I can get my paws on them. I have never been disappointed and this book is no exception. It took me under 24 hours to start and complete this book and the slight hit my sleep schedule took was well worth it.

Sydney is every younger sibling who lived in the shadow of a brother or sister with a world of personality and problems. In a lot of ways I could relate to being "the little sister of..." This isn't a slam against my brothers but those experiences lead to me fully relating to this book. While my parents never over reacted with me the way that Sydney's eventually do I could still relate. I love this about Sarah Dessen books. I can always relate, learn something about myself, and remember how I got to where I am.

This book isn't complicated and that is part of why I love it. Straight forward and good story telling is so rare anymore, most people are trying to create the moment of shock or have a catch of some kind. Sarah Dessen doesn't fall prey to the trend of incomplete stories for the sake of selling more books. All of her books have a beginning, middle, and end with clear visions of the possible future. You leave her books feeling better and in a dark and twisty world I think she is a beacon of light.

I would recommend this book to Sarah Dessen fans and anyone looking for a light fast read.

While writing this review I was listing to One Republic - Love Runs Out.

if I stay by Gayle Forman

Goodreads Summary:

Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.

I open my eyes wide now.
I sit up as much as I can.
And I listen.

Stay, he says.

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.


My Thoughts:
I read this book because I was interested in seeing the movie. I found it to be an interesting way to talk about being a teenager and everything that comes with that. Insecurities, figuring out who you are, and all of the other things that come along with being a teenager. 

Mia is that black sheep in her family by being into classical music and being overly responsible. I think at some point everyone feels like the odd man out in their own family. I certainly have more than once. It is hard sometimes to find your place in your family and the world. Mia tells her story from the bed of an ICU after the rest of her family is killed in a car crash. Mia is both ready to leave and wanting to stay to be with her friends, boyfriend, and remaining relatives. That struggle between fighting for your life and letting go isn't one that most of us really experience and then talk about.

The teen romance is a little over the top but I think that is accurate for teen romance. I know all of mine were ridiculously over the top. It is part of how we grow up and figure out what love actually is and isn't. I haven't decided if I am going to read the second book or not. I liked this one well enough but it wasn't amazing.

Overall I would recommend this book for those looking for an easy and fast read without a lot of expectation.

While writing this review I was listening to Yo-yo Ma. 

A Girl Called Fearless By Catherine Linka

*****I received this book as an ARC about a year ago, it took me a while to get to it. In no way is my review influenced by the fact that I got this as an ARC****

Goodreads Summary:

Avie Reveare has the normal life of a privileged teen growing up in L.A., at least as normal as any girl’s life is these days. After a synthetic hormone in beef killed fifty million American women ten years ago, only young girls, old women, men, and boys are left to pick up the pieces. The death threat is past, but fathers still fear for their daughters’ safety, and the Paternalist Movement, begun to "protect" young women, is taking over the choices they make.Like all her friends, Avie still mourns the loss of her mother, but she’s also dreaming about college and love and what she’ll make of her life. When her dad "contracts" her to marry a rich, older man to raise money to save his struggling company, her life suddenly narrows to two choices: Be trapped in a marriage with a controlling politician, or run. Her lifelong friend, student revolutionary Yates, urges her to run to freedom across the border to Canada. As their friendship turns to passion, the decision to leave becomes harder and harder. Running away is incredibly dangerous, and it’s possible Avie will never see Yates again. But staying could mean death.From Catherine Linka comes this romantic, thought-provoking, and frighteningly real story, A Girl Called Fearless, about fighting for the most important things in life—freedom and love.


*****I received this book as an ARC about a year ago, it took me a while to get to it. In no way is my review influenced by the fact that I got this as an ARC****

(Advanced Reader Copy)

My Thoughts:

I was a serious slacker in that it took me forever to pick up this book. I admit I judged the book by the cover and honestly it turned me off. However, once I picked it up, I read this book in a day. Part of this is because I didn't want to put this book down. The other part was I was home sick and didn't feel like watching TV. 

This being said I liked the book but I didn't think it was the best thing ever. 

It follows the dystopian/post-apocalyptic formula, but I don't think that is a bad thing per se, just a little boring at this point. The plot point in this book that is different than others is that the majority of women have been killed off from ovarian cancer caused by hormones in our food. I actually think in a lot of ways this is more likely than a lot of possible end of the world scenarios. My point of view on that isn't really important to this review but I will say that this book gave me something to think about, which is always awesome.

Avie is a likable character, she is less annoying and whiny than some other female leads. I feel like she is more relate-able as a person. She is called fearless, but that doesn't mean she actually is. I think that people can force themselves to be fearless  when they are just trying to survive. And Avie is just trying to survive. I think this book is a bit more honest about the intentions of people. No one brave really intends to be that way, they just have to be.

Additionally, I felt the supporting characters were more believable. The intentions of all the characters were realistic and not overly complicated by plot twists that didn't feel natural which is often the case with the genre. Overall, I liked the book and I would recommend it to fans of the genre. I do intend on reading the second book in the series when it comes out later this year.  I could tell that this book was a first book for the author Linka. I think she has enough of a voice that she could really expand the ideas presented in the first book in a really smart way in the second. I hope she lives up to that potential and doesn't let anyone change her voice too much.

While writing this review I was listening to REM Losing My Religion.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Goodreads Summary:

In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.


My Thoughts:
First I would like to say that the drawings for this story are awesome and really add to the story. It has been a long time since reading a book with any kind of illustration and this book has made me think I should read more. I know that the same artist drew all the illustrations but there is such a difference in the styles that it helps with moments in the story where you feel raw emotion and growing up moments. The art really added to the storytelling.


Recently, I took a class in college about inequality in a democracy specifically in terms of economic inequality. A fellow student wrote her 20 page research paper on reservation life here in Utah. I heard about her experiences of first feeling Native and secondarily feeling like an American. I found it interesting that Junior also had those feelings. He had to come to terms with life on the rez and what he experienced when he dared to go to a public school not on the rez. The extreme poverty was something I expected to hear about. But from the point of view of a child is vastly different than the scholarly views I am used to.


***SPOILER***
The second or maybe third story in the book is about Junior watching his Father kill his dog because they didn't have the money to take the dog to the veterinarian. I got choked up thinking about what an experience like that will do to an adult let alone a child.
It was sweet though the way that Junior found friends who accepted him for who he was and didn't hold his poverty against him. So often in high school I saw how the poor kids were treated, or anyone who was even slightly different was treated. That isn't to say that Junior was accepted right away, he wasn't, but eventually he won some people over. I never saw that for the kids I went to school with who were picked on.


Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read, even with the heavy parts of the story you don't really need a break from the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a clear picture of Indian reservation life, but expect your heart to break a little. Additionally, I think anyone could benefit from reading this book.


While writing this review I was watching a rerun of Castle, the one where Alexis is kidnapped and taken to Paris.

Days of Blood and Starlight / Dreams of Gods and Monsters By Laini Taylor

Goodreads Summary:

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. Forhope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Goodreads Summary:


By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

My Thoughts:

I read the first in this series for the 9 3/4 Book Club. For some reason I can't start a series without finishing it. So I did.

...

And the thing is that I wanted to like these books. I didn't hate them, but they weren't great. They could have been good, the idea was solid. The execution was middle of the road with sudden swerves to extremely annoying. I don't have much to say about the second book but always whining is not hot. The third book however...

***SPOILER***

OK, seriously? Who introduces a crazy important character in the third book? Eliza the mostly human angel who happens to have the answers for everything ever? Oh yeah let's introduce her and make her the key and then barely explain all the huge crazy shit that has been going on with all the many worlds. What.The.Fuck.Ever.

I feel like the third book was a "just kidding on concluding all the shit I have been writing about for three books, I am really setting up my next series of books."

And really that is all I have to say about that. Sure, the writing was pretty in a lot of ways but I feel like the story was lacking (not Twilight lacking but pretty close).

I would not recommend these books. Sorry to the writer. I know you probably put a lot of work into these and writing is hard, but I just can't recommend these books even to fans of the genre.

While writing this review I was listening to a rerun of Castle.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Goodreads Summary:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hairactually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:

This was the first selection of The 9 3/4 Book Club, which was recently formed by myself and my bestie. We judge books by their covers. Which the cover of this book is pretty. I am such as sucker for blue with black and white.

This was a really fast read for me. I would say the average reader could finish it in a week or two. I finished it in a long weekend. This is not a book I would have selected on my own as I am not a huge fan of fantastical books. This book has a lot of fantasy creatures running around making a mess of things. That being said, over all I liked the book once I suspended my disbelief enough to enjoy it. 

I was creeped out by the whole teeth hunting thing and what the point of the teeth ended up being didn't help with the creep factor. This book was more imaginative than a lot of YA novels. I liked that it was primarily set in Prague, which isn't a city I get to read about very often but have always wanted to visit.

Karou is a better female lead than a lot of YA females. But she still has some of the same annoying qualities that I wish writers would give up on. Vulnerability doesn't always have to take the form of weakness, which is all I am going to say on that.

Akiva could use a little work, which may or may not be addressed in the next book. For a fierce fighting angel he has a lot of growing up to do. I didn't love the overly masculine and immature nature. Those two things don't really balance this character so mostly I wanted to punch him and say "dude, grow some balls." But the end of the story he is all sorts of mean and evil so I am not sure how I feel about that.

Overall, I would say this was a good read. I would recommend it to fantasy folks who love some teen drama but want something better than the Twilight series.

While writing this review I was listening to They by Jem.

Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Goodreads Summary:

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City – and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be – and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

My Thoughts:

Well I hated the movie of Nick and Nora so I wasn't expecting to like the book. As it turns out movies sometimes ruin everything! I actually really enjoyed this fast read. The characters were accurate teen characters without being overly annoying or cliched. I liked the flare that the writers brought to a pretty basic story.

There weren't any shocking parts to this read and frankly that is what I liked about it. Everyone could tell a story like this as it feels like a story I lived. I enjoyed the music references but didn't notice them that much. I had heard so much about how the music references would blow my mind, but honestly, they weren't that big of a deal to me.  

I would recommend this book to David Levithan fans, you won't be disappointed. I would also recommend this as a summer read, it was fast and light.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Hung.

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads Summary:

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

My Thoughts:

Just when I think I have figured out Lauren Oliver's writing style she mixes it up on me, and I couldn't love it more. Panic is another excellently written story that draws you in from the first page and spits you out at the end feeling like you have just been on the most amazing magical carpet ride and it didn't want it to end.

As you can tell I really enjoyed Panic. It was a fast read but it made me think which sometimes those two things don't go very well together. A big theme of this book is motivation, meaning what motivates us to do the crazy things that we do. Revenge and love, which oddly are so closely entwined are huge motivators in this book. At no point did I feel annoyed with any of the characters, even when they did predictable things. Lauren Oliver writes this story in such a way that it comes off as human behavior rather than a cliched book idea.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting good read. I think fans of Lauren Oliver will be pleased that she has created another snap shot world that will be looked at fondly over and over again.

While writing this review I was listening to the birds outside squabble over bits of bread in the grass.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Goodreads Summary:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

My Thoughts: *******SPOILER ALERT********

The trend of having a split narrative in YA is really starting to bother me. In order for this format to work the author has to be really good at creating two very distinct voices and two world that over lap but don't look or sound the same. This can be achieved but most authors fall flat, and this is sadly the case with Veronica Roth.

I loved Divergent. Insurgent was okay. Allegiant was hard to get through. Mostly I wanted to smack both Tris and Tobias and tell them to stop whining already. I don't think Veronica Roth took enough time with her second and third books in this series and the third was not great.

This particular vision of post apocalyptic America was annoying and unconvincing. Genetics are the cause of everything that went wrong and the purity war that came out if it destroyed most of the United States. This led to experimental cities like the one that Tris and Tobias we raised in/ and then left. These cities were supposed to produce those with pure genes which supposedly would lead to making the human genetic code pure and whole again. 

So, of course, Tris has pure genes while Tobais does not. Blah blah blah so bored with how predictable this book was. I even saw Tris sacrificing herself for the greater good and finally kicking the bucket (of course her Mother appeared to her in her death hallucinations). It was so obvious that when the main character of this series died, mostly I was relieved I wouldn't have to read her whining anymore.

I was so disappointed by this read. I had waited for it for months and was completely let down. I wanted so badly to like this book. Alas, we don't always get what we want.

I do not recommend this book to anyone, unless you want to finish out the series. Just don't get your hopes up.

While writing this review I was listing to bits of the TV show Star Crossed.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Goodreads Summary:

Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My thoughts:

In my last review I had nothing more than blah to say about that book. This book was anything but blah. I was taken back to my own high school memories and the lives of my friends back then. I haven't looked back on those days with much fondness until reading this book. For better or worse our personal journeys make us who we are and sometimes it is good to relive it, even if it is through the eyes of someone else.

Stephen Chbosky captured the youth of a generation that hasn't realized they have grown up. We all make stupid choices and it is nice to look back at the common ones with humor and a smile rather than regret which so often comes with the inevitability of maturing. It seems like not so long ago that I met my friend Spencer at a night of Rocky Horror Picture show viewing and poetry (oh the bad poetry!) reading at a mutual friend's home.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It is heart breaking as much as it is heart warming but you come away from it in a good place.

While writing this review I was listening to Asleep by the Smiths.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Goodreads Summary:

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.

My Thoughts:

This is the high school that I wish I had attended. From the drag-queen quarterback to the straight kids not being judgy assholes I would have actually liked high school if this had been my school. As it was, I went to high school in a Utah suburb which was not even close to accepting of diversity.

David Levithan captures a great "I wish it were true" reality. We walk in the shoes of Paul throughout the book. Paul is super secure in his sexuality and identity and it is nice to have a teen have his shit together. We have secondary characters who represent the rest of us, ya know, the hot mess folks. Those of us who aren't sure about our sexuality or who we are and what all of that even means are represented clearly and when it is cliched it doesn't work against the story.

I wish this story were true.

I would recommend this book to fans of David Levithan and the not so normal kids out there. I will say that sometimes the story is a bit over the top, but I like it. I know not everyone digs exaggeration in this style so I definitely don't think it is for everyone.

While writing this review I was listening to Justin Beiber. He is just awful. I really need to stop listening to pop music. If only it wasn't so catchy!

Requiem By Lauren Oliver

Goodreads Summary:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

My Thoughts:

When I heard this book would be told from two narratives, Hana and Lena, I was annoyed. The biggest complaint I had with Pandemonium was the switching between time frames. I am pleased to say that I was not annoyed when reading Requiem. It felt natural to switch between Hana and Lena"s worlds. It was nice to get the POV from a cured person, indicating that the cure doesn't really work.

****SPOILER ALERT****

Hana has the fuzziness and weirdness from having her brain missing scoops. She is still herself though, underneath it all, and she still cares about Lena. I was not shocked to learn that it had been Hana who betrayed Lena and Alex in Delirium. She causes the dominoes to fall far too quickly for the two lovers. I had always suspected that it was Hana. She was the only one who know the plans between Lena and Alex. I love where her story ends.

Lena is still in the wilds with Raven and Tack. Julian has come along even though Alex has resurfaced. Love triangles tend to bother me but this one didn't bother me. I felt Lena had gone through a natural grief process with thinking Alex was dead. I felt her feelings for Julian were also natural. I would say the best thing about the way this story unfolded was that it all felt natural and not pushed or forced.

I like that Lauren Oliver didn't sum up the story in a nice pretty package. We know that Alex and Lena still love each other but we don't know for sure what will happen to them. We know that the Resistance has staged a massive protest in Portland but we don't know if it will last or work the way they wanted. I really think this was the best way to end my favorite series. I really enjoyed this book. I will say that it was hard at times to get through a chapter without getting a little choked up. 

I would recommend this book and the whole series to any one wanting a good read. Lauren Oliver is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Downton Abby.

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

************************** I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy, this in no way impacts the review that I give this book *******************************************************

Goodreads Summary:

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.


My Thoughts:

I actually felt anxious while reading the Everneath parts of this book. It is pretty rare that I feel anxious when reading a story so coo-dos to Brodi Ashton. I was also far less annoyed with the love triangle in this book than I was in the first. I am not sure if that is because Jack wasn't actually there or if the characters were more developed, likely it was a combination of factors.

The Everneath is an odd fantasy world that I liked, and also really disliked. It was interesting but also frustrating. There are a lot of unanswered questions about the Everneath the the High Court, which is pretty normal for the second book in a series. I really started to like Cole in this book, we got a lot more of his history and started to learn more about his motivations.

Overall, I liked this one and I look forward to the next one which likely won't be out for at least a year. I will say I didn't expect the ending, which is a good thing. I would say generally I can see things coming, but I didn't see that ending coming.

I would recommend this book to those who like series books, dystopian books, and possibly mythology lovers.

While writing this review I was listening to snow fall.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Goodreads Summary:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's 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 precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is 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 queen.

Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

My thoughts:

I really dug the angle this book took. I have read a lot of books with the love triangle with big crisis but this book has a new take with the outlying story being rooted in mythology. I have never been big on mythology so it was fun for me to learn that stuff right along with the main character Nikki.

I was a little bored with the love triangle aspect because I think it has been done so many times before. Sometimes people fall in love and there isn't a third party. I can see how it was needed for this book, but Jack was a little too predictable as was Cole. I would have liked a little more diversity there, but over all I really enjoyed this read. I read it earlier in the semester and didn't pay enough attention to it to review it, so after I received the second book as an ARC I re-read this one and got a lot more out of it this time. 

I liked that Nikki is more complicated than other female leads. I also like that Nikki doesn't really shy away from her dark and twisty like so many other characters. I wouldn't say that she loves her dark side, but she doesn't really try to hide it either and I liked that.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dystopian novels or teen lit. Since I am not sure how close the mythology stuff follows I only have recommend it to mythology lovers.

While writing this review I was listening to coffee brewing.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Summary:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


My Thoughts:

The first half of this book follows the dystopian genre formula to the T. Enough that I almost put the book down because I have read it all before and better. This being said, once the book got into its own groove, I warmed up to it quite a bit, enough that I intend on reading the follow up book which comes out next year sometime.

The second half, I feel like we, the readers, get to know each character a little better and by that process I started to like them more for the most part. I liked that America loves music, and can get lost in notes. I liked that Maxon admits that he doesn't know everything, which is hard for Prince types to do. I would say I am not a huge fan of Aspen. I never fully warmed to his character, or should I say, lack there of. He seems like the typical scared guy. I feel like I have seen versions of Aspen in a lot of books, and this book like the others doesn't really give me a reason to like him, unless you count the hotness factor (which I don't).

Also, can I just say I am a little tired of a female lead, who is so pretty she thinks she is ug-o. For once I would like someone to be plain, PLAIN JANE and be embraced or loved for who they are rather than the main character having to struggle with accepting outside beauty. This is my compliant with a lot of YA books. Not everyone is gorgeous, but everyone does have something gorgeous about them. I worry these books are just as destructive as magazines that don't show short girls, or heavy girls, or girls who aren't white. Most of us, if not all of us, have something about us that is imperfect. For once I would like to read about a character who struggles with the same things normal people struggle with. Rather than the struggle to accept they are hot. Seriously writers, come up with something else to focus on.

I would recommend this book to dystopian genre lovers, but watch out for that formula for the first half. Beyond dystopian fans I am not sure a lot of people would like this book. I do have hopes that the second is better and not so contrived.

While writing this review I was listening to the wind beat against my windows.