Thursday, November 29, 2012

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series
Summary:(from goodreads) There can only be one alpha.Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone. 
Review: This is the second book in this series and I was pleasantly surprised by it. The plot was exciting. As soon as you thought you knew everything another little piece of information would be revealed and would change things. Also, the way this book ended made me really curious to see how this series is going to continue. There was a lot going on that kept things exciting and was very surprised by the events that happened at the end. Bryn is a really awesome main character. Her determination to protect everyone made me really like her. She is a really tough character but also has her share of issues. Devon and Lake were awesome and fun as well, but I thought Chase was annoying. Their relationship didn't seem all that believable and it seemed like it was barely brought up in this book. Hopefully that will change in the next one. overall, this is a good read and i am excited to read the next book.
 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Summary:(from goodreads)  It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants--what she "must" do--is to bring Danny back.But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her--and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought--even if it means breaking her heart all over again. 
Review:  I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and thought it played out really well. Although, it was a little bit too drawn out which made it a little bit slow in parts, I really enjoyed it. I read this book pretty quickly and had a hard time putting it down in parts.  I have mixed feelings about it because some things about I really liked and others I didn't. The message that this book sends about love, loss and grief is strong and adds another dimension to the story rather than typical mushy paranormal romance. On the other hand I thought Wren was annoying for most of the book. I was frustrated with the fact that she was determined to do everything by herself and keep everyone who cares about her at arms length. It started to get annoying after a while.  At the same time though, I could really relate to her struggle with love and loss and trying to move on and do the right thing. I did like this book though and will probably read the sequel eventually but I'm really not sure what else could happen.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Summary:(from goodreads) Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?
Review: This is the first book in this fairy tale retelling series. It is a retelling of little red riding hood and I really enjoyed it. Although, there are many parallels to the original story. In this book the story is completely transformed into something unique. The plot was paced really well and there were a few surprising plot twists to keep things interesting. The action at the ending worked well, but I was a little bit confused about how things worked out so nicely for them, it's not really explained.  I thought the way things were left was a good ending to the story, but I do wish the epilogue had been a little bit more detailed. Scarlett, Rosie and Silas were all awesome characters. I especially loved the connection between the two sisters. Although, they were both very different they had a very close connection that nothing can break. The history of these three characters really added a lot to the book and made me connect with them even more. So, even though I did have a few small problems I did enjoy this and will definitely continue with the series.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Summary:(from goodreads) No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.
Review: This book was better than I thought it was going to be. The premise sounded interesting and I think it was done really well. It was well paced. Once things got exciting towards the end I couldn't wait to finish. However, the way it was narrated kind of annoyed me, especially in the beginning.  I can't exactly pinpoint what the difference is but I didn't like it. I think that also made it difficult to connect with Juliette as a character. Although I did like her, I couldn't completely relate to her situation. I did like Adam though. he was a really awesome character and I liked him more and more as the story went on. I hope in the next book we learn more about the dystopian society and how it came about. Overall, I enjoyed this book and i am definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from goodreads) Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend.
But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.
 
Review: This is the third book in the Hush, Hush series and I thought it was a pretty good addition to the series. I was a little bit annoyed with how things started off but was glad when it started to pick up. It has been a while since I read the last book in the series and it was nice to get back into this world. The pacing of the plot was good. The second half of the book was a little more intense and fast paced and I flew through it pretty quickly. Nora was a good main character towards the end but i started to get a little bit frustrated with her memory loss. It was a little bit slow as Nora had to rediscover everything that had been revealed in the last two books. The way this book ended made me really curious to see how this series is going to end. Overall, I liked this book more than i thought I would and will definitely be picking up the sequel.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Summary:(from goodreads) In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.
Review: I picked this book up completely on impulse back when my local Borders was closing and finally decided to read it. I have to say I am really happy that I did because I really loved this book. The plot was well paced and there was a lot of depth added that made the story really interesting. This book is close to 500 pages but I raced through it and couldn't put it down, especially towards the end. Although there are a few good fight scenes, this book doesn't really focus on that side of the story, which might disappoint some people, but I thought it was one of the best things about the book. I absolutely loved Benny and Tom. They are both such awesome characters. They are both struggling to come to terms with the way of their society. It was fun to see the way Benny changed throughout the book. Tom was probably my favorite character though. As the story goes on you slowly learn more about his life and past and it made me really like him. Also, the epilogue made me cry. I loved this book and can't wait to start the next in the series.

Once by Anna Carey

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary: (from goodreads) When you're being hunted, who can you trust?
For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.In this breathless sequel to "Eve," Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

Review: This is the second book in the Eve trilogy and although I enjoyed the first book this one was not my favorite. Aside from one big twist at the beginning, the plot was pretty predictable. I found myself getting bored throughout the book. Things did start to get a little bit more exciting towards the end and based on the way it ended I might have to pick up the third book eventually just to find out how things end. I hope that there is more excitement in the third book.  This was a pretty typical dystopian book which isn't enitrely bad, I just wish more had happened. I do like the characters though. Eve is a good narrator, she was a strong and determined but was still vunerable at some points. Caleb is also really awesome. The way things stand with these two characters at the end is really the only thing that makes me want to pick up the third book. It's not going to be a priority to ick it up though.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Perception by Kim Harrington

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
 Summary:(from goodreads) When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you? Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past. Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her. But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back? One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. 
Review: This is the second book in the Clarity series and I thought it was a good follow up. Although, the plot was somewhat similar to the first book it was different enough to keep things interesting. It was well paced and the way things turned out was pretty surprising. I really liked the characters in this book. Clare is a really awesome narrator although the way she dealt with the romance issues in this book were really annoying to me. I also thought that Perry and Mallory were both really great side characters as well. I don't really see how this series is going to keep going. Hopefully the author can come up with another plot line that is completely different than the first two books. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and look forward to reading more.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Chaos by Rachel Ward

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from goodreads) Adam sees “numbers” – when he looks in peoples’ eyes he can see their death-dates, just like his mum Jem used to. Adam has trouble dealing with his awful gift, and when he realises that everyone around him has the same series of numbers, he becomes deeply afraid of what might happen in 2027.Desperate to find out what could be about to go wrong, Adam spends hours researching possibilities – war, nuclear accidents, killer viruses. He knows something big is coming, but what? And is there anything he can possibly do about it?
Review: This is the second book in the numbers trilogy and I thought it was a really good story. Although, I thought the plot was somewhat similar to the first book, it was still unique enough and very well written. The plot was well paced and I couldn't put this book down when I got to the last few chapters. Adam and Sarah were both really great main characters although they both did things that were kind of annoying towards the beginning. Sarah's pov was a really great addition to the story. I thought her story line made things more exciting and the book wouldn't have been as good if the entire book was Adam's pov. I'm excitied that there is alittle bit of mystery at the end of this book and I am excited to read the final book in this trilogy.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe

Summary:(from goodreads) Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game all on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a popular pretty boy who's never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he finds love with a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes his only hope for survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...
Review: This was a really awesome story. I've had this book for a while and was excited to finally read it. The premise was really interesting and very well paced. i was somehwta surprised to find out that this was the first in a trilogy because I think it works well as a standalone book. However, i will definitely be reading the rest of the series. I really liked Cameron as a mian character. He is really likeable and easy to relate to througout the enitre book and I really love the character develoment that he goes through. This book had quite a few funny parts, while other parts were more serious. The balance really made for an awesome book. Although, I think its unnecessary I am glad that there is more to come.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins

Summary:(from goodreads) After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target. Full of romance, mysticism, and intrigue, this dark take on Navajo legend will haunt readers to the final page. 
Review: I thought this book was just ok. I thought the plot was a little bit slow in the beginning and it took to long for the paranormal elements to be discussed. Towards the end things started to get more exciting but I think it could have been made a little shorter. After a while the paranormal parts of the book seemed to get a little bit repetitive. However, I did think the paranormal aspects were done really well. the concept of shape shifters was used really well in this story along with Navajo legends being tied in. The characters in it were believable although I thought they started to get a little bit annoying after a while. I'm also pretty sure that this book is a standalone, which I liked about it. It was nice to have everything all wrapped up in one book, which doesn't happen very often with paranormal books. Overall, I this was a good book and I know lots of people will enjoy it.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Angry Management by Chris Crutcher

Summary:(from goodreads) Every kid in this group wants to fly. Every kid in this group has too much ballast.Mr. Nak's Angry Management group is a place for misfits. A place for stories. And, man, does this crew have stories.There's Angus Bethune and Sarah Byrnes, who can hide from everyone but each other. Together, they will embark on a road trip full of haunting endings and glimmering beginnings.And Montana West, who doesn't step down from a challenge. Not even when the challenge comes from her adoptive dad, who's leading the school board to censor the article she wrote for the school paper.And straightlaced Matt Miller, who had never been friends with outspoken genius Marcus James. Until one tragic week--a week they'd do anything to change--brings them closer than Matt could have ever imagined.Chris Crutcher fills these three stories with raw emotion. They are about insecurity, anger, and prejudice. But they are also about love, freedom, and power. About surviving.And hope.
Review: This is a book of three short novellas based on the characters from some of Crutcher's other books. All of these stories are about characters who are viewed a certain way by the people around them and are trying to live their lives in spite of that. I really liked all three stories but the one that stuck with me the most is Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James. It was really well written and I couldn't help but feel bad for some the characters. I also liked the fact that Sarah Byrnes was included in this anthology because she is such an awesome character that think a lot of people can relate to in some way. I always think its somewhat hard to review anthologies so I'm just going to say that I think that fans of Chris Crutcher will enjoy this one as well.