Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Best of the Bunch: August

Best of the Bunch is a monthly meme hosted by Lyrical Reviews about our favorite book of the month.

I've read a lot of books this month that I've had a really hard time choosing which I thought was my favorite read of August. I mean, there's just been SO MANY great books I've read this month!

THE SHATTERING by Karen Healey is August's Best of The Bunch book. I freaking loved this book and hope a lot of people will go out and buy it when it releases, Sept. 6 from Little, Brown. My oddly formatted review is here.

Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?



What was your favorite read of August? 

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Breaking Down The Monster: September

Breaking Down The Monster is a monthly meme hosted by Bloggers[Heart]Books. It's to manage the TBR pile, which let's face it, is huge. The Monster is the TBR pile, and each month, you select a number of books to read and try to get them all read by the end of that month. Review books take priority, of course, if they show up randomly in your mailbox (which they do!) More information over at Bloggers[Heart]Books.

For Fun Books: 
1. Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. I bought this book mid-July, and in August while in Borders I saw the sequel and bought it. So I need to read the first book to see if I like it, but after reading the first couple of chapters, I believe I will.
2. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. Another book I bought a while ago that I haven't read yet. Yay! I actually was going to read this after I read Lament by Maggie Stiefvater since they both deal with fae, but didn't. And now, I am going to read it this month so it doesn't stare at me from my bookshelf.

Review books: 
3. Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson.
4. Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel. Another book I've read a few chapters of, but it released July 1, so I need to read and review it asap!
5. Blood by K.J. Wignall.
6. Frost by Marianna Baer.
7. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey.
8. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
9. The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
10. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

What's on your to-read pile? 

Monday, August 29, 2011

Review: ASHES by Ilsa J. Bick

ASHES by Ilsa J. Bick | September 6, 2011 by EgmontUSA | 480 Pages | Three Stars | Source: NetGalley (thanks!)

It could happen tomorrow...

A cataclysmic event. An army of "The Changed."
Can one teen really survive on her own?

An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, destroying every electronic device and killing billions. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human...

Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the Changed, Alex meets up with Tom---a young army veteran---and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse.

This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to survive

Summary from Goodreads.

REVIEW: 
ASHES started out good. Bick really knows how to write, and man, she knows how to up the stakes in a book. There’s a scene where wild dogs are coming after Ellie and Alex, they have one gun, and Ellie drops the gun in the water.

Dude.

I was terrified for the characters in this book. Bick isn’t afraid to do anything – anything – to her characters, and it really, really, REALLY scared me. I still get a bad feeling in my stomach when I think about it. I haven’t been this terrified for characters since earlier this year when I read all six books of The Vampire Academy series.

I wish I could say “best. Book. Ever!” for this, but it’s not for me. It was really good at the beginning, then it started falling apart near the end. It’s a cliffhanger ending (RAWR!) but there’s still too many holes in the plot. It feels like it was split at that end because it was getting too lengthy already.

Sigh. I hate cliffhanger endings. I hate the feeling for this book.
It was going so well, too. I am sadden by this. Bick is a great writer, she knows how to torment readers, and excellent character development. But I still stand by my whole “Can we please have standalone books in series?” Actually, I don’t even know if this is a series. I hope so because I cannot – CANNOT – live with the cliffhanger ending. *Edited to add: it is a trilogy! :D

Sigh. I do recommend this book, though. It’s an amazing apocalyptic book. Everything is normal at first then ZAP! The world is in chaos. Love it and I'll be getting a finished copy as soon as it releases.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

In My Mailbox (2)



In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. For more information about IMM, click here.


For Review: 
Double by Jenny Valentine. It looks SO good, and I can't wait to get to my winter 2012 pile to read this one! 
Crave by Melissa Darnell. It's a vampire book, but I think it'll be a good one. Am excited to see how it turns out! 
The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison. Another winter 2012 book and it looks so good! 


Gift: 
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans. My grandpa actually got this one for me, and I'm intrigued by it. I do wonder if he just jumped on the YA train because it's so popular. Let's hope this book isn't horrible. 


Also, I got a CD and bookmark from Dutton on Twitter after winning their Monday giveaway. The CD is for Meg Gardiner's THE LIAR'S LULLABY and looks really cool. I can't wait to listen to the songs on it! Also, next week, I should be getting a copy of her latest book, THE NIGHTMARE THIEF since that was part of the giveaway.  




That's all I got! What did you get in your mailbox?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

On My Wishlist (1)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list books we want, but haven't had the money to get. They can be old, new, or forthcoming. Want to join in? Go To Book Chick City to sign up, and you can learn more here.


Holy crap, I want this book. I read the sample a week or so ago and ever since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I love the cover, and the first three (? I can't remember) chapters aren't bad. Want, want, want! This is probably going to be the first book I buy when I get a paycheck. 


Between by Jessica Warman
August 2, 2011 by Walker & Company
Elizabeth Valchar--pretty, popular, and rich--wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday on the yacht where she'd been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead.

She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death. She's also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them.

In her regular life, Liz was a runner. It wasn't abnormal for her to run 8-10 miles per day. But as memories from closer to her death begin to surface, Liz finds that she'd been running much more than normal, and that she'd all but stopped eating. Liz's mother, who died when Liz was nine, had battled with anorexia as well, and those around her worried Liz was following in her mother's footsteps. But something more sinister was consuming Liz from the inside out. . . .

From critically acclaimed author Jessica Warman comes a shocking mystery, a heartbreaking character study, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go



Another book I'm excited for is Steph Bowe's GIRL SAVES BOY. It debuted in Australia last year from Text Publishing, and I think it's suppose to come out from EgmontUSA this year, but I haven't heard anything about that since last year. 


I am excited to read it, though, and may end up getting the Australian copy once I have money. 


I am, however, confused by the cover. Is she sitting on something? Flying? Floating? Just random legs in the sky...? And what's with the lights? 


Told ya, confused. :p 


Girl Saves Boy by Steph Bowe
August 30, 2010 by Text Publishing (AU)
The first time we met, Jewel Valentine saved my life. 
Isn’t it enough having your very own terminal disease, without your mother dying? Or your father dating your Art teacher? 

No wonder Sacha Thomas ends up in the lake that Saturday evening… 

But the real question is: how does he end up in love with Jewel Valentine?

With the help of quirky teenage prodigies Little Al and True Grisham, Sacha and Jewel have a crazy adventure, with a little lobster emancipation along the way. 

But Sacha’s running out of time, and Jewel has secrets of her own. 

Girl Saves Boy is a hugely talented debut novel, funny and sad, silly and wise. It’s a story of life, death, love… and garden gnomes.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Review: VANISH -- Sophie Jordan

VANISH by Sophie Jordan | September 7 by HarperTeen | 304 Pages | Four Stars | Source: eGalley from NetGalley (thanks, HarperTeen and NG!) | Book two in the Firelight series.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

Summary from Goodreads.

REVIEW: 
I read FIRELIGHT and cursed the cliffhanger. Then I read VANISH and died.

Wait. That’s an exaggeration, but it’s close to how I felt!

In VANISH, the stakes are higher; Jacinda’s no longer the pride’s special drake because guess what? Her twin sister, Tamra, has manifested… and her draki is rarer than Jacinda’s. Now Cassian is eyeing Tamra, which from Firelight, we know Tamra has had a crush on Cassian for a while. This makes Tamra happy, but Jacinda can’t seem to let it go.

This could be that her wings might get clipped, or Corbin, Cassian’s creepy cousin, might be the one who Jacinda will marry.

*shudder*

What I really liked about VANISH was we got to learn more about the pride and the world Jacinda lives in and more about the other draki’s powers. And like I said, the stakes are higher. Will’s memory is wiped, so we don’t know if he remembers Jacinda, and a lot of the pride wants to banish Jacinda and Tamra’s mom and clip Jacinda’s wings.

VANISH is a fast-paced, page turning sequel to Firelight that will leave you wanting to know what happens next (hello, horrible cliffhanger.) Bring on the third book, Jordan!

Other books in the series: 
The book that started it all...
Firelight

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

By blood, by word, by magic…


Most can’t touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.


Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.


But when her friend’s daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can’t rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.


Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it’s over…

I haven't read anything by Rachel Vincent, although all of her first books in her series are on my to-read list. I love the premise of this new book by her, and the teaser trailer is creepy:



Ahh! So excited to get my hands on a copy of this book.

Places to buy Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent:
Books-A-Million
Amazon
Barnes & Nobel
IndieBound

Rachel Vincent is running a contest on her blog for two signed copies of Blood Bound. Click here!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz
December 20, 2011
Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan 

Ever since twelve-year-old Wil Lowenstein's older brother Graham died a few months ago, Wil's spent most of his time fighting off imaginary zombies with spatulas in Zombie Tag, the Mafia/Capture the Flag hybrid he invented with his friends. What Wil doesn't tell anybody is that if he could bring his dead brother back as a zombie for real, he would. In a heartbeat. 

So when Wil finds a way to bring back all the dead within five miles, he seizes the chance. But the Graham who comes back isn't the same. None of the returned are. At first they're just emotionless, apathetic - lifeless. But then some of the zombies slowly start to get one emotion back - anger. And Wil is going to have to find a way to fix zombie-Graham and turn him back into the angsty teenager he's supposed to be before it's too late.  Because some of the zombies are banding together and plotting something. And Wil isn't sure his mom's spatulas are really going to do the trick if the zombies really do want to eat his brains.

I love middle grade and Hannah's writing style. I am so excited to see how this book turns out and I love the cover. So cute! I can't wait for it to release so I can read it! 

What are you waiting for? Leave links so I can visit your WoW posts!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Review: THE SHATTERING -- Karen Healey

THE SHATTERING by Karen Healey | September 5, 2011 by Little, Brown BFYR | 320 Pages | Five Stars | Source: NetGalley (thank you, LB and NG!) 


Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?
REVIEW: 

The Shattering was amazing. At first, from the summary, I thought it’d just be a book about murders (which I love, btw!), but it’s so much more. I’m awed at the amount of complexity this book packs together—suicide, murder, bullying, being gay, and magic.

Yeah, you heard that: there’s magic included in this book. And it’s not like waving wands or anything, but more Wicca magic. White magic and black magic and oh my god, so amazing.

What I really loved about The Shattering is it’s told in three points of view: Keri, Janna, and Sione. And it’s set in New Zealand. Summerton, specifically, and it’s CREEPY once you figure the book out.

I don’t know what to say without spoiling the book or gushing about it. I don’t have to say everything about it (because I LOVE IT SO MUCH) or just gush (again: I LOVE IT SO MUCH) about it either. So let’s go with the characters:

Keri. She’s smart, knows what to do, but when her brother kills himself, she doesn’t have a plan and this throws her life in chaos.

Janna. Janna, Janna. Janna can sometimes be a bitch, but she’s also nice at times. And she’s in a band called Vikings to the Left (love that name!)

Sione. Oh, my poor Sione. He’s the one who’s being bullied most of the time and god, every time it happened, I wanted to kick somebody’s ass. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like they treated him!

Also, since it’s told in three points of view, I must say this: they’re distinctive. Keri’s POV is told in first person while Sione’s and Janna’s are in third person. And even if they were all told in one narrative, I think you’d still be able to figure it out. Janna’s voice is a bit rougher at times, while Keri’s is soft—but she also has a rough edge, and Sione. Sione sounded like a wounded puppy or a turtle stuck in its shell. He was just so wounded that I really do want to give him a hug and kiss him.

And all the issues? They were tackled neatly and not like you were being pounded over the head with a message. This is one book I’m definitely going to have to shove in people’s hands at bookstores. So much love! <3

I also believe this is a standalone novel. The ending (not the climax, mind you) takes place a year later, so I do believe it is a standalone novel. High five!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Review: THE GRAY WOLF THRONE--Cinda Williams Chima

THE GRAY WOLF THRONE by Cinda Williams Chima | August 30, 2011 by Disney*Hyperion | 528 Pages | Three Stars | Source: NetGalley (thank you, D*H and NetGalley!) 


This is the third book in the series. Please don't read if you haven't read THE DEMON KING and THE EXILED QUEEN. Thanks!


Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisaana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it—he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive—and even that might not be enough.

The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate.



REVIEW: 

Ugh. Ugh. UGH. I don’t know what to think of THE GRAY WOLF THRONE. I was swept up in the world (I have been since the very beginning with THE DEMON KING!) but this book… it felt like a filler book. I say this because it doesn’t have a conclusion. Did the others? Kinda, not really, but this book it really felt like it was a filler book. I was so mad that it ended without knowing who was trying to kill Queen Raisa!


But holy crap was I swept up in the world. I have a feeling that Chima is one of those authors whose motto is “Nobody is safe” and the fourth book is going to be terrifying! All three have been already, and when Raisa was near death, I was biting my fingernails (which I don’t do. Ick.)

God, my emotions were everywhere with this book.  Especially when it finally sunk in that Raisa and Han will never be together. *sob sob* I hope they are able to be together; there is some serious tension between them. And I really love it when my emotions are thrown around.

I am excited for the fourth book to come. I hope there will be ARCs of it so I can read it early like I did with THE GRAY WOLF THRONE. But I’m saddened to think of this series ending.

My only wish is there was some sort of conclusion to this book. I felt, no, I feel like I’m still falling from that cliff.

*Warning: this book takes it to the next level. And by next level, I mean more romance, more action, and more heart-clenching. You’ve been warned.

Other books in this series: 

Sunday, August 21, 2011

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It's to show off books you received in your mailbox.

In My Mailbox: 

From NetGalley
Summary
From GalleyGrab
Summary

I also received The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman from NetGalley, and there's no cover for it yet. I am so excited to read it! I almost started it the night I found out it was on NetGalley, but there's twenty-some books to read before this one. Such is life. But, still, very excited!


Bought: 
Red Glove by Holly Black. I'm so excited! I loved White Cat and have already started to read Red Glove. 
Wildefire by Karsten Knight. I already read this as a galleygrab, but the books that I love, I always buy the finished copy. The cover is so soft! 
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers. I have Personal Demons, just haven't read more than three chapters yet. This was an impulse buy. I couldn't help myself! 

For Review: 
Unwelcome by Michael Griffo. I haven't read the first one yet, so I don't know if I'll be able to read and review this book before the release date (Aug. 30, I think.) 
Red by Kait Nolan. This will be my first Nolan book, so I'm excited to see how she writes. 

What did you get in your mailbox? 

Friday, August 19, 2011

Review: BAD TASTE IN BOYS -- Carrie Harris

BAD TASTE IN BOYS by Carrie Harris | July 12, 2011 by Delacorte Press | 201 Pages | Four Stars | Source: Won in a giveaway


Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.



REVIEW: 



Carrie Harris’ BAD TASTE IN BOYS is a fun, fast read. The hardcover page count is 201, but don’t let that discourage you: it’s the perfect length for this book and the pacing doesn’t suffer from it.


The heroine, Kate Grable, is hilarious at times. And I really liked that she wasn’t one of the YA clichés of girls—she actually has glasses. She has epilepsy. She wants to be a doctor. She’s a nerd, plain and simple, and it was awesome.  And it so fits for this story. Love! 


And the cover is one of my favorite covers. I love the lips and the sugar and the font and the LIPS.


I also really liked Aaron, although I wished we got to know more about him. I hope to see more of him in the sequel!


Just a few problems with Kate/the story: 


1. She sounds more like a twelve year old than seventeen. I kept forgetting she was seventeen until she was a) driving or b) reminding readers that she was a senior and seventeen. Given the length and the voice, this would have been a hysterical middle grade and I really wish it was. But it’s not. 


2. Through this story, Kate’s football players are falling for her. It’s awesome, but Harris doesn’t explain why finally they’re asking Kate to homecoming or kissing her or grabbing her ass. (Truth.) I still think it’s because they were turning into zombies, but it’s not told straight out why. I wish it was because it’s one of “those problems” in YA—the girl thinks of herself as plain and never going to get a boyfriend but all the guys thinks she’s the most beautiful thing ever. Agh!


But aside from that, I really enjoyed reading Kate’s adventure! I was cheering for her and laughed throughout the book. It’s braaiiin-tastic.


Other books by Carrie Harris: 


The sequel, BAD HAIR DAY, coming November 2012 by Delacorte Press!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (1)


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
November 15, 2011
Harper/HarperCollins


Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.



I love the cover for this--HarperCollins does some amazing work on their covers. I requested an ARC awhile back, from my regular blog and I hope I receive one! Otherwise I'll be waiting for it to release in November.


What are you waiting for?

Review: SWEETLY--Jackson Pearce

SWEETLY by Jackson Pearce
August 23, 2011 by Little, Brown
Pages: 307
Source/Binding: Hardcover/Little, Brown
Stars: 4/5


SUMMARY: 
SWEETLY is a modernization of Hansel and Gretel and a companion book to SISTERS RED.

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.



REVIEW: 
SWEETLY was my first Jackson Pearce book. I’ve been meaning to read SISTERS RED, just haven’t got to buying or reading it yet. (I know! I am lame.) So when I had the chance to review SWEETLY, I jumped at it.

Spoiler alert: I loved it. (Not a real spoiler alert.)

The main character’s voice, Gretchen, cuts through the pages cleanly and I noticed halfway through the book that she had her own voice. Ever read a book then hear the author talk and notice how the character and the author sound ALIKE? Or maybe that’s just me? But Pearce does video blogs (aka vlogs), and I’ve watched probably all of them, so I know what her voice sounds like (which sounds a tad bit stalker-ish…) and still! Gretchen had her own voice.

The story flowed wonderfully, a mixture of emotions along with the plot: happy, sad, pain. There were a few spots where I was surprised because I did not see them coming.

And it’s addictive. I noticed I kept turning page after page after page to learn one thing, and when I did learn that, I kept reading more because there were several other things I wanted to know!

Also? There’s kissing. ^___^

Overall, a fantastic retelling of HANSEL AND GRETEL. I loved the bits of the original story in the retelling (Samuel being a woodsman; Sophia owning a candy shop; Ansel and Gretchen having a stepmother…) I also liked that Pearce added a few Southern superstitions to this paranormal book.

Now, I need to stare at this cover more because how AWESOME is it?



This review was also posted on A Gypsy Writer blog

Monday, August 15, 2011

Review: BUT I LOVE HIM--Amanda Grace


Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.

REVIEW: 
That was intense. O_O From the description and starting to read it, or hearing about it, you know it's intense, but until you've read the whole thing, I don't think you'll understand how intense it is.

Amanda Grace chose to write this story in reverse chronological order. I see it as two parts, because there's a few chapters (five?) that are told in one day, and the rest are from when Connor went too far to when Ann met Connor.

And now I want to read it backwards.

The reverse chronological order was weird at first, because there was references brought up that I didn't understand until several pages later. I think that's what kept it so page-turning.

I also hated Connor right away, but by the end, I liked him. He was nice in the beginning and I love how him and Ann met--and even their first few dates. One thing about the reverse storytelling is I never knew what Connor looked like until three, two? pages until the end. It was weird, but I sorta liked it.

My brain is still trying to mend itself after reading this book. It was a very fast book for me to read, less than two hours, and I didn't stop. Once I started reading, I had to know how it was going to finish. (Although the dog and I had an... eventful morning. She woke me up at seven this morning because she was barfing! Yay... but yes. The only time I put down the book was when the dog decided to puke again.)

Everybody should read this story. It's sad, but so powerful.



BUT I LOVE HIM by Amanda Grace | May 8, 2011 by Flux | 245 Pages | Paperback | 5 Stars | Signed paperback copy from the author


Other books by Amanda Grace: 


In Too Deep coming from Flux February 2012! 

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Welcome

I'm probably an idiot for starting a new blog, but after some thought, I decided I wanted to separate my writing and reviews, so now I have a writing and a reviewing blog. I am slowly going to be shifting the reviews here, so there will be cross posts probably until the new year.

I would love it if you followed this blog, and if you do, please link your blog in the comments below! I'll add you to my blogroll. :)