In My Mailbox!

Hey fellow readers! It's a posting of In My Mailbox. Hosted by The Story Siren, This week I got...

For Review:

Cycles -- Lois D. Brown (e-book)

From Library:

What Happened To Goodbye? -- Sarah Dessen

Bought:

Deadly Cool -- Gemma Halliday.

That's all the books I got this week. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what you got. Hope you all have a good weekend :)

Review: Rae Of Hope by W. J. May

E-book: Rae Of Hope by W. J. May

Pages: 237

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: Ever since Rae's parents died in a tragic fire, Rae has always felt out of place. The only family she has left is her uncle, who has enrolled her in a mysterious boarding school called Guilder Academy, where Rae discovers who her parents really were, and to have a chance at fitting in.

My Thoughts: A cute entertaining read filled with romance, intrigue, and self discovery.

Rae always felt she was a bit different than anyone else, but never really knew why. Since the death of of parents at a young age, the only family Rae has left, is her uncle. Her uncle decides that what's best for Rae is to attend a mysterious boarding school called Guilder Academy.

Rae reluctantly agrees to attend, but from the moment she steps foot in the school, Rae is suddenly thrust into a world, far more than she bargained for.

Rae soon learns that her father might not be the greatest guy in the world, and that her mother may have purposefully started the tragic fire that killed them both. Rae also learns of her legacy and inheritance of a special power called a Tatu, which gives individuals certain abilities. Rae also learns that each Tatu is unique and that students must learn to control their power among humans. But as Rae continues on with her studies, she must also learn who she can trust with her secrets, and her life.

I was immediately attracted to this book because I love school settings, and mixed with a bit of the paranormal world. Rae is a strong character, and it was appealing to read Rae's trials and occurrences.

I loved reading the chemistry between Rae and Devon. Though rather amusing, I wasn't too fond of all the male attention. What made Rae so special compared to other girls that she had all these males vying for her attention?

The back story also kept reminding me a bit too much like a 'Harry Potter' scenario with the death of both parents, the only child surviving, and being extraordinarily special, and an evil villain. However, I really enjoyed reading about the Tatus and how every student had something unique.

Overall, still an entertaining read, with interesting characters. I look forward to reading more about Rae's adventures and to learn more about her Tatu, and who she really is.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 3.5/5.

Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Book: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Pages: 322

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Source: Sent from Harlequin Teen

Short Synopsis: Harper Scott's family has fallen apart after the suicide death of her older sister, June. After finding a post card about California, Harper decides that she must take June's ashes and spread it through out the Pacific Ocean, just as June would have wanted it to be.

My Thoughts: An interesting read about self discovery and discovering what life is like after the death of a loved one.

Harper Scott's world comes crashing down when she finds her sister dead one day, in the back of her sister's car. With no note or any clue on why June decided to kill herself, Harper reluctantly continues through life, attending her sister's funeral and her wake.

Harper visits her sister's room and finds a post card with the words, California, I'm Coming Home. Harper suddenly knows what she must do.

With her best friend and a boy she met at June's wake, Harper embarks on a journey with June's ashes and decide to head to California to take June to her dream home, California. As the three head on a road trip from Michigan to California, Harper and the gang have many experiences, from attending a protest, to camping in the woods, and meeting a musician from a concert. But through all this journey, Harper never imagined that she'd fall in love.

An interesting read with emotional scenes. It was really interesting to read what was going on in Harper's life and what she was struggling to come to terms with. I enjoyed reading about the different experiences that Harper went through within each state that they crossed. It was also very entertaining to read how Harper and Jake's relationship grew and how Harper was coping with the loss of her sister.

There were a couple things that bothered me, however. It just didn't make much sense that the parents seemed so lenient that their children were off road tripping without really telling anyone, and not really experiencing any major consequences in the end. The ending was a bit too predictable as well, and everything seemed to fall too in place, and it didn't seem like the characters had changed much in the end. Overall, the pace seemed a bit slow through out the novel, but it was still an entertaining read of self discovery and love.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 3.5/5.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Hey guys! It's a posting of Waiting On Wednesday. Hosted by Breaking The Spine, this week's pre-publication is...

Illuminate

by Aimee Agresti

Expected Publication Date: March 6, 2012

Book Summary:

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything changes when she is

awarded a prestigious internship at a posh Chicago hotel under the watchful eyes of a

group of gorgeous strangers: the powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her

second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of

glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are

not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers the evil

agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed

in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to

thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the

hotel?

-- From Amazon

I believe this is a debut author, and I've seen this book around. It certainly has a mix of what I love, outcasts, school settings, and romance. I especially can't wait to read the romance between Lucian and Haven. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what pre-publication you are waiting for.

Review: The School For Dangerous Girls

Book: The School For Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

Pages: 341

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Library

Book Summary From Amazon:

Angela's parents think she's on the road to ruin because she's dating a "bad boy." After her behavior gets too much for them, they ship her off to Hidden Oak. Isolated and isolating, Hidden Oak promises to rehabilitate "dangerous girls." But as Angela gets drawn in further and further, she discovers that recovery is only on the agenda for the "better" girls. The other girls -- designated as "the purple thread" -- will instead be manipulated to become more and more dangerous . . . and more and more reliant on Hidden Oak's care.

My Thoughts:

I really liked the whole boarding school/ psychological aspect of the book, but there was just too many loose ends, and not enough explanations. It seemed as if Schrefer was trying a bit too hard to be too mysterious about the school's background information, and in my opinion, fell short. Sometimes it works that a certain situation tends to be a bit vague, but about 115 pages into the novel, if there is no foundation of explanation, it kind of puts the reader off.

I was also a bit annoyed with the character Juin and felt like she was sort of the "queen bee" or the boss of everything, but it really wasn't explained why and how she was able to survive the first year, and why the school accepted her back in the second year. It also seemed kind of strange that there were students that kept mysteriously disappearing, but the school leaving no kind of explanation of where they went, or why they were taken away. Overall, after 100 or so pages into the novel, if there is no real answer of what is going on in the story, it's likely that I will not be able to get into it.

Would I recommend this book: No

Rating: I give this book a DNF.

In My Mailbox!: Holiday Edition

Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. These past couple of weeks have been super hectic and I haven't had much time to read and review books, but after the holidays, things should start getting back to normal. Anyway, it's time for another posting of In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren! This week I got...

For Review:

The Lying Season -- Karina Halle (Experiment In Terror #4)

Saving June -- Hannah Harrington (Thanks to Harlequin Teen! )

Book Won:

Angel Fire -- L.A. Weatherly (Angel Burn #2)

Thanks to Rebecca @ Bending The Spine

That's all the books that I got this week. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what you got, and happy holidays, and hope you all have a safe and happy holiday :)

Review: The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson

Book: The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson

Pages: 304

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: Library

Book Summary from Amazon:

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.

Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.

Everyone except Jenna Fox.

My Thoughts:

What attracted me to this book: The cover was very interesting. It made me want to pick it up and find out more. I was also intrigued with the whole futuristic, psychological aspect of the novel. It was also really interesting to read about the trials that Locke and Kara had to go through in their condition, and what they were meant to do for the hospital that saved them.

What I didn't like about the book: The pace felt extremely slow to me, none of the characters were all that memorable, and all of the characters got on my nerves. Kara was the most annoying of them all, blaming her actions on Locke, running away, and acting as if she knew better than anyone else. Locke was annoying because he really didn't seem to stand up for himself, and automatically assumed that the Doctor was his friend. And though it was explained, I still didn't really understand why Dot the Bot would go to such great lengths to help these two runaways. It was also confusing how the reader thinks that the Doctor was killed by Kara, but he magically appears as soon as Kara and Locke are on the run again? I also didn't get the Jenna situation. Why wouldn't she help her supposed friends who were trapped in this situation, and after all these centuries, how was she still alive? I also didn't know that this was the sequel to the Adoration Of Jenna Fox, which I haven't read. But either way, there shouldn't have to be so many unanswered questions that the reader goes through, regardless if they've read the previous novel or not.

Conclusion: I really wanted to enjoy the plot, but after 100 or so pages into the novel with no real explanation of what really happened to Locke and Kara, and so many unanswered questions, and the fact that it felt like it was taking me days to get at least half way through the novel, was most unfortunate.

Would I recommend this book: No.

Rating: I give this book a DNF.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Hey all! It's another posting of Waiting On Wednesday! Hosted by Breaking The Spine, this week's pre-publication is...

The Immortal Rules

by Julie Kagawa

Expected Publication Date: April 24, 2012

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

--From Goodreads

It's a Julie Kagawa novel. How could you NOT want this book? If it's anything like her Iron Fey series but with vampires, you know I'm already bound to be hooked by it. Super excited for this book. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what pre-publication you are waiting for.

Contest For Aspiring YA Writers!

Hey all! Just wanted to let you all know about a new writing contest from Book Wish Foundation...

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

• Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

• Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

• Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winnerOut of the Dust

• Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

• Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

• Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen. With a Foreword by Mia Farrow. Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

I'm Back!

Hey all! Just wanted to let you all know that I'm back. I took a much needed short hiatus. I went to Denver for my sister's graduation. She was getting her Master's Degree in Business. It was a pretty fun event. I also combined it with last minute Christmas shopping, so I was running around everywhere with no time to read or blog. But now I am back and hopefully will have more time to do what I love. Happy Monday, and hope you all are doing well. :)

In My Mailbox!

Hey all it's a posting of In My Mailbox! Hosted by The Story Siren. This week's posting is coming to you a little earlier than usual because I will be away for my sister's graduation this Thursday through Sunday. She's getting her master's degree, and I'll probably be away from my computer most of the time, and won't return until Sunday night. Anyway, this week I got...

From Library:

Sweet Venom -- Tera Lynn Childs

The Fox Inheritance -- Mary E. Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox -- Mary E. Pearson

That's all the books I got this week. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what you got. I probably won't be able to reply until after Sunday.

Review: Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Book: Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Pages: 352

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Library

Short Synopsis: Three long lost identical twins who are descendants of the mythical creature, Medusa, each having a special power, re-unite to fight monsters that have been leaked into the human world.

My Thoughts: Wasn't what I really expected it to be. Pace was was a little slow.

Gretchen, is a young girl living in San Francisco, that knows who she is. She is a huntress. A demon fighter, that hunts and sends evil monsters back to their world. Ever since her mentor, Ursula, rescued Gretchen from homelessness and told her about her true destiny, Gretchen has been on a mission to rid the world of evil creatures.

Grace is excited to start at a new school in San Francisco with a whole new attitude. But almost as soon as Grace moves to San Francisco, she starts seeing weird flashes and second guesses herself. Is she really going insane, or can she really see these horrible creatures?

It isn't until Grace meets Gretchen by accident, and together they learn what they really are. Guardians and descendants of the mythical creature, Medusa, and must protect the world of these evil creatures. Together, they also figure out that there is a third sister, named Greer. Each sister has a special power that is geared toward fighting these awful monsters and sending them back home. As if things weren't bad enough for the sisters, they also learn that there is a bounty on their heads. The three must learn to get along, train to fight these horrible creatures, and survive the assassination attempts of these horrible beasts.

I initially was attracted to the story line, but it certainly wasn't what I expected this novel to be. First off, I wasn't a fan of the multiple points of views. I didn't like the fact that I had to switch constantly back and forth between who was narrating and what was going on.

And was it me or did these three girls constantly talk aloud to themselves the majority of the time? And the potential boy relationships between the two main characters, Grace's relationship with Milo and Gretchen's relationship with Nick seemed to just disappear, and not really explained.

It also seemed kind of odd to me that Greer was introduced in the novel, when the novel was about half way over. Like she was just an extra, and not really included in the story. Like Childs was just filling up space. Greer's part of the story also didn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the novel.

The reading pace was extremely slow to me, and I usually love mythical backgrounds in YA novels, but I wasn't a fan of this one. The only thing that saved me from not completing this novel, was the boy relationships which were mildly interesting. There was just SO much hype with this novel, I was just a bit disappointed in the end. Over all, it was an okay read, but not the best of childs' series. There is a sequel in this series, but I'm not quite sure if I'd continue.

Would I recommend this book: Maybe

Rating: I give this book a 3/5.

Review: Variant by Robison Wells

*Contains spoilers

Book: Variant by Robison Wells

Pages: 376

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Source: Library

Short Synopsis: Benson Fisher, a foster kid applied to a boarding school named Maxfield Academy to get out of his horrible situation. But little does Benson know, that Maxfield Academy was more than he bargained for.

My Thoughts: I loved reading this novel. A really interesting read, but I wasn't too fond of the different direction it turned towards.

Benson Fisher has been a foster kid since the age of five. He's switched to so may different foster homes and schools, that he's lost count. But at the age of seventeen, he decides to apply for a scholarship at a boarding school called Maxfield Academy to get out of his situation. Benson is ecstatic once he is accepted to the school. But not all is as it seems.

In this school, there are no adults. No teachers, and only students. These students run the school, teach the classes and look out for their own. But they are also split up in groups, otherwise known as gangs. There are three different type of gangs: Society, whose in control of security, and teaching jobs, Havoc, whose in control of cooking, but is also one of the ruthless gangs of the bunch, and Variant, who don't want to belong to either Havoc or Society, and is in control of maintenance. The school is monitored by cameras and by the group Society who enforce punishments. And if students don't obey the rules, they get detention, where the students never come back. And if you try to escape, the students mysteriously end up dead.

But as Benson starts getting used to the school's system, he figures out that not everyone is who they say they are, and Benson can trust no one. Can Benson survive this strange school and find a way to escape?

This novel reminded me of a modern day Lord Of The Flies meets Divergent. I was hooked on this novel from page one, and couldn't get enough. It was interesting to read how everyone was separated into different groups, and how they maintained the school without any adult supervision except for cameras placed that are through out the school.

I was a little disappointed that this novel took a turn in the robot direction, which I'm usually not a fan of, but it still kept me entertained, and kept me guessing which students were real and which were robots. I was pretty shocked that two of the characters turned out to be a robot, when I wasn't expecting them to be. I won't say who, for those who have this book in their TBR pile, but it's two characters that you least expect.

I was a little confused on how Benson and Becky were able to escape the school, and how Becky got hurt. But all in all, a pretty entertaining read, and I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Hey guys! It's a posting of Waiting On Wednesday. Hosted by, Breaking The Spine, this week's pre-publication is...

Mirage (Haven #2)

by Kristi Cook

Expected Publication Date: June 5th, 2012

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Violet McKenna is back for her senior year at Winterhaven, and her visions have returned as well. With her friends in danger, a mysterious (and hot!) new teacher as her psychic coach, and her Sabbat tendencies threatening her relationship with Aidan, Violet may just be in over her head.

--From Goodreads

The description for this second novel in the series is pretty vague, but I remember reading the first and loving it. I can't wait for this second novel, and as simple as the cover is, it still looks pretty amazing. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what pre-publication you are waiting on.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

ARC Book: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Pages: 370

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Sent from Balzer and Bray Publishing

Short Synopsis: Nikki Beckett spent last spring in an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of humans. Nikki returns once again to the surface, with only six months left to say a final goodbye to the ones she loves.

My Thoughts: An interesting twist to the underworld aspect, and a fast paced, entertaining read with fascinating characters.

For a century, Nikki has been held captive in an underworld called The Everneath. The Everneath is a place where everlings or immortals live and feed off the emotions of humans. After a century, Nikki is able to return to the surface, above, giving Nikki a chance to make amends to those she has left behind.

All Nikki wants is to be left alone with her boyfriend Jack. But there are certain things preventing Nikki to enjoy her time on the surface. Nikki finds out that she has a Shade inside her which means that she only has six months left on the surface before the tunnels take her, to pay her debt to The Everneath.

There is also the fact that Cole won't leave Nikki alone. Cole is convinced that since Nikki survived the Everneath, she is destined to become the next queen and together they will rule the Everneath. Can Nikki find a way to escape her fate and still be with the one she loves?

I really enjoyed this novel. It seemed like a really unique plot with interesting characters. I loved that it has a mix of mythology involved. I have to admit that I was a little lost at times with the explanations but I was still fascinated nonetheless.

There were times when I was annoyed by the character Cole and what he put Nikki through and felt like he manipulated her. I felt like he could have elaborated a bit more on the situation that Nikki was about to go through.

It also wasn't really explained why Nikki was the only one that survived the Feed and how she was able to break away from Cole to get back to the surface. And it also wasn't really explained how Mary ended up the way she was and how she was able to survive the Feed as well.

I was a little disappointed with the ending because it wasn't what I'd expected, and it sounded as if there was more to come, which hopefully there will be. Aside from a couple unexplained issues, Everneath is a beautifully crafted tale of love, mystery, and deeply immersed in mythology. Ashton is definitely an author to look out for.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.

Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Book: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Pages: 370

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Library

Short Synopsis: It's winter break in Ascension, Maine, and Emily Winters is absolutely psyched that the guy she's been crushing on is finally noticing her. But things are starting to take a downward toll as students mysteriously start to die.

My Thoughts: It was okay, and it kept me interested, especially the last few chapters, but I felt that it could have had a bit more potential.

Emily Winters has always been the girl on the sidelines, especially with a best friend like Gabby. As Gabby is away with her family on winter break, Emily and Zach, Gabby's boyfriend start becoming closer friends. But things aren't going the way Emily planned.

There have been rumors that a fellow student out of the blue named Sasha has tried to commit suicide. The students at Ascension High are at a loss and had no clue that Sasha was that type of individual. As the days continue after Sasha's suicide attempt, Chase, Zach's friend, meets an eccentric girl with red hair, and is immediately captivated by her. But as he continues his relationship with Ty, he becomes both enraptured and humiliated, as Chase's most private moments with Ty are spread about the school.

And even though Emily knows that it's wrong to be with Zach, she continues to do so, knowing how badly it can hurt her best friend. But thing's aren't going so great for Emily, as she has a feeling of being followed. Emily runs into another classmate named Drea, who tells Emily that she is being cursed by creatures named the Fury, and must find a way to put a stop from the Fury's evil doings.

Interesting characters, and a plot that left me curious, but there was just too many unanswered questions. I also felt that this book kind of sent the wrong message to its readers, that it's okay to cheat on your significant other.

Some of the major problems that I had with this book, was that there was no back story about the Furies, and what they were actually all about, and how they pick their victims. Just a small section of the novel, where Drea tells Emily to read some books about the Furies, but was never really explained.

It also really bothered me that Chase was so enthralled with Ty that he just dropped whatever he was doing, to go meet her, even though she hurts him time and time again. Zach was also a douche for cheating on Gabby and not coming to Emily's defense and Gabby was also a jerk for not giving Emily an explanation. Over all, the story itself was okay, and fast paced, but the characters and their points of views weren't really up to par for me. This is the first of three books, and I'm not really sure if I'd continue with this series.

Would I recommend this book: Eh.

Rating: I give this book a 2.5/5.

In My Mailbox!

Hey all! It's time for In My Mailbox! Hosted by The Story Siren, This week I got...

From Library:

Fury -- Elizabeth Miles

Variant -- Robison Wells

Iron Knight -- Julie Kagawa

Swear -- Nina Malkin

Juliet Immortal -- Stacy Jay

Traded For:

I traded my finished copy of Awake At Dawn by C.C. Hunter for an ARC of A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies.

That's all the books I got this week. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what you got in your mailbox! :)

Book Break Up: Swear by Nina Malkin

Book: Swear by Nina Malkin

Pages: 468

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Library.

Summary From Amazon:

It’s been six months since ghost-turned golem Sinclair Youngblood Powers confessed his love, stole Dice's heart, and disappeared from Swoon, perhaps from existence. Despite the hurt, Dice has been moving steadily toward ordinary. Dreams of Sin still plague and pleasure her sleep, and the mark of Sin's love remains on her skin, still sore. But Dice has been throwing herself into music, finding solace in song and sometimes even in the arms of her band mate, Tosh. Life seems almost…normal. The last thing Dice wants is to mess with anything remotely supernatural. But when her best friend’s boyfriend goes missing, Dice has no choice but to become very much involved. She knows that his disappearance was no accident, and it somehow has everything to do with Sin. Because Dice can feel it: Sin is back. And the promises and deceptions he left in his wake have returned to haunt him.

What do you do when an oath of devotion threatens to destroy the one you love?

My Thoughts:

I remember reading the first book, Swoon and loving it, and so when this book came out, I was excited to start a new series. But the problem is, the span from the first book and the second was SO long, I've completely forgotten the story. That explanation aside, I still tried to carry on.

About 140 pages into the novel, I just had to call it quits. Malkin just seemed to be trying too hard to captivate her readers by pouring paranormal aspect after aspect with each chapter. I mean, I love the paranormal world, but haven't you ever heard of the saying, "Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing?"

I also felt the characters were a little bit too whiny for my taste, especially Dice. Here she was, pinning over Sin, who left her without much of an explanation. And then when Dice gets kissed by a different guy, Sin suddenly comes back all jealous? About 140 pages into the novel, I still had no clue what it was really about. Just too many different stories going on, with no real back drop of an explanation.

Rating: I give this book a DNF.

Review: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Book: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Pages: 374

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Sent from Harper Teen

Short Synopsis: After a night out with friends gone wrong, Aria has now been exiled from her home. She meets an Outsider named Perry and together, they must find a way to redeem themselves into their respective groups.

My Thoughts: I hadn't realized this was a fantasy novel at first, but as I read on, I was slightly surprised by how much I ended up liking this novel.

Aria spends one night out with her friends, not realizing it might be the last time she would time in her comfortable home. The only reason Aria agreed to the outing was to find a way to contact her mother who is in another location due to work. After being attacked by Soren, the son of a powerful Consul, with no proof, Aria is suddenly cast out and left for dead.

As luck would have it, Aria meets the same Outsider named Perry, who saved her from the attack. Perry has been cast out from his tribe as well, after hunting one night, and loosing his nephew, who happens to also be the son of the Tribe's leader. Together, the pair decide to work together, with Aria finding a way back into her world, and Perry trying to find his nephew. But there are also certain Dwellers that Aria and Perry must avoid in order to get to their destination. Together they embark on a journey, and find love in an unlikely situation.

I really enjoyed this novel. With great characters and an interesting plot, this was one book that I didn't want to end. Even though it had hints of fantasy and was a bit slow in some areas, I was still addicted. I was curious and wanted to find out more about Aria and Perry's story. It was very entertaining, reading how Perry and Aria's relationship progressed from reluctance to love.

Rossi makes it very easy to dislike the characters Soren and Council Huss. I was rooting for Aria all the way. An unputdownable, and entertaining read, with characters that leave you wanting more. Very fast paced, and a great action novel, Rossi's debut novel reminds me of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series. Be sure to add Rossi's Under The Never Sky to your to be read pile.

Would I recommend this book: Yes!

Rating: I give this book a 5/5!

Review: Ugly To Start With by John Michael Cummings

*Contains strong sexual content, cursing, issues with racial backgrounds

Book: Ugly To Start With by John Michael Cummings

Pages: 168

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: A young boy growing up in the 1970s, dreams of being an artist but must survive through his teenage years first.

My Thoughts: Interesting characters, but not my usual type of read.

Jason Stevens didn't have the greatest childhood, growing up in the 1970s. While dreaming of becoming an artist, Jason grew up with a strict father, and living in a back words town. While growing up, Jason has many experiences, such as meeting a street artist, standing up to an abusive husband, and hearing rumors of his best friend's father's affairs over the radio. Not having the greatest childhood, Jason is determined to do things differently and change the views of his father.

Interesting characters set in a past with a colorful background. Jason the main character is very sheltered, and we go through his life as he questions what it really means to be different from his family as he breaks into his own shell.

This novel was not my usual typical read. I wasn't too fond of the strong sexual content that was involved, and I'm usually not a fan of novels that are set in the past. There were a couple chapters that I did find interesting, but the transition from one chapter to the next didn't really seem to flow together for me. Overall, there was some potential, but not my usual typical read, and I couldn't really seem to fully enjoy the novel.

Would I recommend this book: Eh

Rating: I give this book a 2/5.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Hey guys! It's that time again...! Hosted by Breaking The Spine, This week's pre-publication is...

Partials

by Dan Wells

Expected Publication Date: February 28, 2012

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

-- From Goodreads

I'm usually not one for science fiction type novels, but this one sounds really interesting and it also seems to have a hint of dystopian which I've just recently gotten more into. Plus the cover looks pretty awesome too. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what pre-publication you are waiting for.

Review: Angelina's Secret by Lisa Rogers

Book: Angelina's Secret by Lisa Rogers

Pages: 186

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Sent by Spencer Hill Press

Short Synopsis: Ever since Angelina has been a young child, she had an imaginary friend named Josie. Years later, Angelina starts to have premonitions which comes true, and in turn also brings back her friend Josie. Angelina is forced to either accept that she can see ghosts or that she has gone insane.

My Thoughts: An interesting read, with a psychology aspect and great characters that leave you wondering for more.

Angelina has always been able to see her friend Josie at a very young age, when others couldn't. Her family had always just written it off as an imaginary friend. But what if Angelina's imaginary friend wasn't what everyone thought it was?

Years later, as a teen, Angelina starts to have weird premonitions which actually come true, and her friend Josie comes back to haunt Angelina. Angelina doesn't know what to believe and who to trust. She now has two options to choose. Either she has gone insane, or she can actually see ghosts.

Angelina chooses the latter, and accept her gift for who she is. But not everyone is on Angelina's side. Her family, especially her mother, believes that Angelina has definitely gone insane, and has Angelina admitted to a psychiatric facility. Angelina must devise a plan to convince her mother that she can in fact see ghosts, and to get out of the mental institution.

I was originally attracted to the story because it had both elements of psychological and paranormal which I found to be really intriguing. It was interesting to read the how the main character struggles with trying accept the fact that she is in fact sane and can see ghosts as well as dealing with people who can't wrap their minds around that particular subject.

Rogers did a great job of really wanting to dislike Angelina's mother, and though she does redeem herself, it was rather annoying that her mother didn't believe her, and couldn't accept the fact there are in fact ghosts in the world.

The ghosts were interesting as well. I liked reading about the background information on each of the ghosts and how they came into the position they are now in. It was also interesting to read how supportive the ghosts were of Angelina's situation. I was a little disappointed with the fact that it wasn't really as scary as I'd hoped it would be, and it had a light upbeat tone through out the story, considering the situation was pretty serious. Overall, it was still an entertaining read, with an interesting plot.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 3/5.

Review: Notes To Self by Avery Sawyer

E-book: Notes To Self by Avery Sawyer

Pages: 103

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: After experiencing a horrible accident leading to amnesia and her best friend in a coma, in order to stay sane, Robin tries to put the pieces back in order and find out what happened that awful night.

My Thoughts: A surprisingly interesting read. A bit slow in some areas but still kept me entertained.

After spending a day with her best friend, Robin and Emma wind up in a terrible accident. Robin wakes to discover her best friend is still in a coma. After being released from the hospital, Robin decides to go back to school.

Due to amnesia, Robin's doctor has given Robin an assignment to write down things that she remembers from her past, in order to try to gain her memory back. As Robin returns to school, her classmates aren't as kind and assumes that Robin is the reason that Emma is in her condition.

Robin struggles each day to remember the tiniest normal details as well as what happened that awful night, Robin turns to a long lost friend, Reno, to help her remember. Can Robin get her memory back along with her best friend?

Interesting characters, and an intriguing plot that left me curious for more. The audience takes a ride along with Robin as she struggles to remember what went wrong that awful night. We start feeling sympathetic to Robin and her situation and try to figure out the events leading up to the accident along side with her. The only problem I had with this novel was that I wasn't too fond of her classmates that made fun of her and assumed that she was to blame when they didn't even know the whole story. The ending was left at a cliffhanger as well, and hopefully there will be more to follow. Overall, an entertaining read, with a surprising ending.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 3.5/5.

In My Mailbox!

Hey all! It's a posting of In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren. This week I got...

For Review:

Notes To Self -- Avery Sawyer (E-book)

Ugly To Start With -- John Michael Cummings

From Library:

The Name Of The Star -- Maureen Johnson.

That's all the books that I got this week. Be sure to leave a link to let me know what you got in your mailbox. Hope you all had a great weekend. :)

Review: The Name Of The Star by Maureen Johnson

Book: The Name Of The Star

Pages: 273

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Library

Short Synopsis: Aurora, a.k.a. Rory and her family move to London due to her family's job opportunities, and is forced to attend a boarding school. But as soon as Rory is starting to adjust in a foreign place, a horrific murder takes place, and in turn, leads to a string of horrible killings.

My Thoughts: It was okay. It kept my attention long enough, but I was kind of disappointed in the end.

Rory and her family move to London, and Rory is forced to attend a boarding school for the first time. She has a roommate named Jazza, and is adjusting to school on Saturdays, and playing hockey in any weather. There's also a boy named Jerome whom Rory has a strong attraction to.

But just as soon as Rory starts to adjust to life over broad, there is a horrific killing, and rumors are starting to spread about there being a new Jack the ripper. And with a series of killings becoming more graphic and horrible, the streets of London are no longer safe, and all students and teachers are forced to retire before nightfall.

As the enforced curfew takes place, students become more daring and restless. Rory is also starting to have weird occurrences as well. Rory has an experience where she can see other people, but no one else can. Rory starts to figure out that because of her "near death" experience, she has the ability to see ghosts. Rory must find out more of her special ability, and find out who are killing these innocent people, before the killer comes after her.

I was initially attracted to the story because of the plot, and I love ghost thrillers, but I was a little disappointed with this one. I felt the pace was a bit slow in some areas, and there were a few unanswered questions.

I loved reading about the relationship between Rory and Jerome, but was also disappointed that it didn't amount to much, and from the middle of the story, it just seemed like he just dropped off, like Johnson either forgot about him, or didn't want to elaborate on their relationship.

Jack the ripper also didn't really make much sense to me either, as it was never really explained how he was able to have so much power and hold on Rory, than other ghosts. It was also left unexplained with the situation of Boo's crew and her feelings for Lucas. All in all, it was an okay read, but it also kind of felt like there might be another sequel, which I hope will happen.

Would I recommend this book: Eh

Rating: I give this book a 3/5.

Review: The Power Of Six by Pittacus Lore

*May Contain Spoilers

ARC: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Pages: 406

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Source: Won from contest from Harper Collins

Short Synopsis: John is now considered a terrorist with a price on his head, and is on the run now from government officials and the Mogadorians. Paradise, Ohio is facing the after affects of the chaos that John has caused. And Number Six is planning an escape to meet John.

My Thoughts: I was kept interested in the story, but the point of views switched so often, it was a bit hard to keep up.

After finding shelter in an nunnery, Six and her cepan have now changed their identities to Marina and Adelina. Marina and Adelina grow accustomed to life in a nunnery, and Adelina has been convinced that they are safe from the Mogadorians.

Meanwhile, John is faced with an unfortunate dilemma, as his cepan has died from the chaos that happened in Paradise, Ohio, there is now a price on his head, and considered armed and dangerous by government officials. Sam, John's best friend is sticking with John no matter what, and is still adamant about finding out what has happened with his father.

Six is starting to become restless in the nunnery with girls that torment her, Six searches for any information she can on John and his current situation. She also has a sinking feeling that someone is watching her, and fears the Mogadorians have found her hiding place.

Six must try to find John and the others in order to unite together to start training and developing their legacies if they have any chance of survival against the Mogadorians.

It was an interesting fast paced read, with a plot that left me hanging for more. The one major problem I had with this story was the fact that there was a lot of point of views and none of them were actually labeled, with only a hint of change in format, so you didn't really know who was narrating and if it was past or present.

I loved reading about the characters and what they were going through. It felt as if this was more Six's story than anyone else's. I was also a bit confused by the character Ella and what she was supposed to do. My favorite character was the dog, that is able to shape shift into different animals, Bernie Kosar.

Some other things that bothered me, was the fact that we still do not learn too much about why the Mogadorians are hunting them, and the reasons given are pretty vague. I wasn't too pleased that Sarah was the one to turn John and Sam in. And it also seemed kind of a mess that Six liked both Sam and John. Overall, just too many unanswered questions and the change of points of view was too many and too inconsistent.

Would I recommend this book: Maybe

Rating: I give this book a 3/5.

Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Book: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Pages: 293

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Won for review from The LibraryThing

Short Synopsis: Ever since her mother tried to kill her when she was just six years old, claiming that she was an evil monster, Wendy's life has never been the same. But she discovers that not everything is as it seems, and maybe her mother might've known the truth.

My Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed this novel!

Ever since Wendy was a little girl, she always knew she was different from the rest of her family. And things didn't help much either when her mother tried to kill her when she was just six years old, claiming that Wendy is in fact a monster.

Eleven years later, Wendy now lives with her older brother, and aunt in a new place, and their mother is locked in a mental institution. As she continues through life, she becomes involved with a classmate named Finn.

Finn discovers that Wendy has a special ability, the power to persuade people's minds, and tells Wendy the truth. That she is in fact a changeling, a baby switched at birth to live amongst the humans until she becomes of age to learn the truth, that she is a troll.

Finn and Wendy return back the trolls' home town, Trylle, so that Wendy can adjust to the reality of what she is, and learn their ways. But Wendy also learns that on top of being a troll, she is also royalty, and the only living heir to the trolls' kingdom. As if things weren't bad enough for Wendy, there is a group called the Vittra who are after changelings, and have decided that Wendy is their next target. Can Wendy survive the life of being a troll and royalty, and stop the Vittra from coming after her?

I really loved this novel. Which is definitely surprising, due to the fact that I do not normally read fantasy genres. This is actually the first book I've read by Amanda Hocking, and I was completely hooked! I usually can't get through novels with different worlds, and weird names, and special abilities, but I have to say that Hocking did not over do it, like most fantasy authors do.

I loved how realistic most of the situations were and nothing was too overdone. It was a nice change to read a novel where the characters actually had to drive to get to the place they needed to be, rather than being "transported" magically.

It was really interesting to read the monarchy aspect of the trolls, and how things were done differently in their world, as opposed to the humans. I loved the paranormal angle of the novel, and can't wait to find out what crazy powers Wendy might develop. I really enjoyed reading the relationship between Finn and Wendy, and am dying to read what happens next. With entertaining characters, a fast paced read, and an enjoyable plot, be sure to add Switched to your reading pile.

Would I recommend this book: Absolutely!

Rating: I give this book a 5/5.