Young Adult

Review: Rain of the Ghosts by Greg Weisman

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17286840 This cover is beautiful and made me want a lot from the book. But I didn’t get it unfortunately. Everything seemed to happen pretty quickly in this book so I felt like I never quite got my bearings.

When we were introduced to the islands in the book, it was made to appear very mysterious, as if there was a big reason for such a separation between the others and the Islanders. I’m honestly still not clear what the point of that was, or if that is coming later in this new series.

The main character. Rain, loses her grandfather suddenly and the book changes drastically. All of a sudden we’re thrust into a different world where we’re looking for ghosts and possibly for Rain’s dead grandfather.

Then there was supposed to be a Dark Man who is connected to the Island in some way. Quite frankly by this point I was lost and confused and didn’t really care about the Dark Man. For a young adult book I was surprised at how convoluted I found the plot. Usually with a YA book the plot is straight forward and from paint A to point B. I felt that the bare bones of a good book and a good series was present here but wasn’t quite done all the way.

2 disappointed stars.

~Clio

Rain of the Ghosts

Review: Pawn, by Aimee Carter

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18221310 If you liked Divergent and The Hunger Games, then you will like this book. It’s kind of a combo of both. I’ve been waiting til closer to the release date, to read it, since I knew I was gonna like it, but I didn’t want to talk about it so early and make people mad. 🙂

In Kitty Doe’s world, you take a test, when you turn 17 and that will tell you what job you will do and how you will live. You need a VI or higher to live a comfortable life with enough food to survive. Anything lower, you’ll be lucky to live til 18. And if you do, you’ll end up Elsewhere. That is one place you don’t want to be. Kitty just took her test, and is now a III. That means she is pretty much nothing. She will barely make it. But here is nothing she can do about it, but try and survive, even if it requires her giving up something so sacred.

When she decides to leave and find a way to survive, until Benjy can take his test, she is offered a chance to be a VII, no questions asked. And she took it. She then finds herself Masked as the Prime Minister’s niece, Lily, and then forced to reverse all the damage the girl has caused.

There are so many characters that you think are good, but turn out bad, and vice versa. Kitty has to determine who she is with and how can she get away, before she is no longer needed.

“Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.”

There were quite a few twists and turn is this story and a few scenes which shocked the crud outta me. Kitty is trying to figure out how to survive being someone else but also trying to change the game to fit her. She is not your simple pawn.

The Prime Minister’s family is quite twisted. Their dynamics were way to crazy, and a little creepy, to even list. Some of their activities, for instance their visits to Elsewhere, were so disturbing, I was shocked. A few times I was wondering who was good and who was bad. But I guess everyone is a little of both.

It seemed that there was a lot going on, in just one book. Everything moved very fast. I’m not sure if I liked that or not. But after that ending, I am dying to see what comes next!!

~Melpomene

Harlequin Teen
Buy it now Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion)

Review: This Is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell

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20131120-190720.jpgIn an ideal world, parents would send their little ones off to school each day worrying about nothing more serious than if they’ll have someone to play with at recess. Teachers would be free of the worry that they might have to step in front of an armed gunman to protect their students. And those precious little ones wouldn’t have to suffer through lockdown drills where they practice what to do if a “bad guy” gets into their school. Unfortunately that world does not exist.

Emery and Jake are high school seniors who spend time volunteering at their local elementary school. Their hours at the school are spent tutoring the children in French and just helping out wherever they can. It’s understandable that they’ve formed attachments to the first graders they spend so much time with. Brian Stutts is an Iraqi war veteran who is going through a custody dispute over his son, Patrick. Because he is suffering from violent outbursts as a result of PTSD, he is not allowed to spend unsupervised time with his son. A confrontation occurs between him and the teacher, resulting in an armed Stutts holding the first grade students, the teacher, and Jake & Emery hostage. The high schoolers must not only worry about their own safety but also the safety of the little ones who look up to them.

This is a fast-paced book that’s full of tension and suspense. The author tells the story from two viewpoints, switching seamlessly between Emery and Jake. It’s hard to take at times, coming so soon on the heels of Newtown and all the other school shootings that seem to be in the news on a regular basis. But, will there ever really be a perfect time to grapple with this issue? I also found myself feeling some sympathy for Stutts and what he experienced in Iraq. There’s never an excuse for this type of violence, but there are very real issues that must be addressed before we can even begin to end the violence. Regardless of your politics or where you stand on the issue of gun control, this is an excellent book for young adults and older readers as well.

~ Thalia

Buy It Now: This Is Not a Drill

Sneak Peek Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

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17233800 I have loved this series from the beginning – I gave the first book 5 stars, and the second 4 stars (as I wasn’t a big Beth fan). This is Isaiah’s story and he intrigued me from the first time we saw him in Pushing the Limits. I can’t help it, I like guys with tattoos. Guys with tattoos AND feelings? That’s not even playing fair in my opinion!

Isaiah has a crappy life, has been in foster care has a crappy Mom who was in prison but is now out. But he has a few things going for him and he knows it – Noah, his best friend being the most important. They’ve been through hell together and when Noah got out of the foster system he promised to take Isaiah with him and he hasn’t let him down yet. The other thing he has is his mechanical abilities – Isaiah knows he’s talented in that area and he uses it the best he can to make any money he can. He had a third thing – Beth his other best friend, but she disappeared into a better life.

Rachel, however, has a perfect life. She has wealthy parents and brothers who love and protect her…and no friends, crippling anxiety and too many secrets to count. The only thing that makes her happy is taking off in her Mustang. One night she ends up in a street race and when Isaiah saves her from Eric, a street thug who mean business, neither can figure out what just happened.

They have 6 weeks to get Eric the money he thinks they owe him or they are both completely screwed. Meanwhile, Rachel is drawn to Isaiah in ways she didn’t think she could be and Isaiah wonders what exactly she could see in him as messed up as he is.

What I love about Katie McGarry’s writing is that she really gets the details of every little thing. Every aspect of the book felt very fleshed out. From the minor background characters at the street races to the major characters like Rachel’s brothers. I really appreciated finding out in book 2 that Beth did not end up with Isaiah but what I appreciated even more in this book was that the romance did not falter at all. Obviously they had their ups and downs and big obstacles to overcome but there wasn’t hot and cold when it came to the emotions of the main characters. I felt that Rachel balanced Isaiah out much better than Beth ever could have.

I really, really disliked Rachel’s family and there is a scene in the book I all but stood up and cheered. Everyone but Isaiah took her for granted and no one appreciated her. It seemed like she was how many girls feel to the extreme.

Just a small taste of what I liked about the romance –

I don’t want to be without you. I like who I am with you, and I don’t want to go back to who I was before. I love you, Rachel. So this will work. No matter what or who stands in our way.

Overall this book had just about everything I could ask for in a young adult/new adult book: romance, action, family drama, guys with tattoos. OOH – also for fans of this series I just about died when I got to the end and found out that IT’S NOT DONE! She’s writing MORE! The next one will continue on with one of Rachel’s brothers. Who I really despise right now so I will hold out on judging it at the moment. But I love this author’s writing so YAY!

I received this ARC via the Publisher in return for an honest review from both NetGalley and Edelweiss.

5 Stars

Links for all 3 books below because all 3 are great!!

~Clio

Buy it Now (Book #3 ) Crash into You (Harlequin Teen)

Book #1 Pushing the Limits (Harlequin Teen)

Book #2 Dare You To

Review: See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles

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20131110-155653.jpgI remember with absolute clarity the angst and turmoil that came with being a preteen and entering middle school: hormones, self-image issues, embarrassing family members, bullying, secret crushes…See You at Harry’s encompasses all that and more.

Twelve-year-old Fern, named after the character in Charlotte’s Web, is entering middle school and all the accompanying drama that goes with it. Her eccentric but loving family includes three siblings, all also named after book characters, each accompanied by their own drama. Brother Holden is coming to terms with his sexual orientation. Charlie is the much-loved and over-indulged baby of the family. Older sister Sara has recently graduated from high school but is trying to find herself while working in the family restaurant. Fern’s mom, although a loving parent, distances herself from the family by withdrawing into her private world. Fern’s dad is understandably tied up with the day-to-day business of running a restaurant. And speaking of the restaurant, this is the center point in the family’s life and the source of much of Fern’s discomfort. However, when tragedy strikes the family they must all come together in order to survive.

This book is an amazing account of a young girl’s journey through one of the most difficult life events imaginable. Jo Knowles does an amazing job of bringing this story to life. Fern’s story is funny, embarrassing, sad, and entirely believable. It’s an excellent read for young adults and preteens as well as adults such as myself. There was also an element of suspense as the story led me to believe one tragedy was about to occur before going in another direction. I couldn’t pull myself away from this one and can’t wait to read more by this author.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: See You at Harry’s

Review: 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

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18273649 Jane Shilling is 15 year old and pretty much hates her life. So she escapes into one of her alternate online lives, of which there are many. Her mother died last year, her father drinks and she is pretty much invisible at school so she balances her different personas. One is an emo, goth boy who likes to blog about dark feelings, another is an angry woman who likes to pick fights online but mostly she is Rachel online. Rachel, who likes to write fan fiction for her favorite sci-fi show.

Jane hates her therapist at school and hates her teacher when she tries to send home notes about her missing 27 homework assignments. Why do they care? What business is it of theirs? She begins to become friends with some online people but finds it tricky when none of the things she reveals is true. A boy at school tries to be her friend but Jane can’t understand why he would want to and is he really a skee-ball champion?

I found this book to be funny and touching in surprising ways. The cover definitely underwhelms and I wish it would get a new one just so it would draw some actual readers in. I always like when books use multiple mediums to tell stories and the use of IM’s, emails and journal entries definitely worked for me. Through this medium we were able to tell at a glance which of Jane’s online personas were “talking”. I loved reading Jane’s actual journal entries because her venting about her school was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The surprisingly touching parts came in the forms of the IM’s. Both the therapist and Jane’s friends had conversations that were insightful and real. I know some older people might find it hard to read the IM’s because they were in “text speak” that teenagers use, but since this is a young adult novel I thought it was very appropriate and right on. I would recommend this book to any young adult reader.

I received this book via Netgally in return for an honest review.

4 stars

~Clio

Buy it Now 4 to 16 Characters

Review: Reality Boy by A.S. King

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RBI don’t read as much YA as I used to. However, sometimes you just have to feed a need! This book did not disappoint. I have never been a big fan of reality TV. This book pointed out many reasons why reality television isn’t necessarily a positive influence in the world. Especially when it comes to the stars of the show. It seems that instead of learning from the pain and heartache of what some of these shows have created, the public just wants more. Like a train wreak we are unable to tear our eyes away from.

This story is about Gerald Faust. He is an almost 17-year-old that is still known to the world as the young child that starred in a reality television series. Even though more than 10 years have gone by…even though much of the show took place when he was only 5 years old, he is still known, and judged by the events that the show chose to show the world. Just imagine how anyone can take a few minutes out of your week and sculpt them into what they want the world to see. Imagine that everyone judges you by those few minutes alone. You have no chance to show them the events that led up to those events. You have no chance to tell your side. No one is allowed to see how others treated you prior to those events. No one is allowed to see what happens after the events. Now imagine this is how you will be judged not only in that week, but in the rest of your life. Isn’t being a teenager hard enough?

I can’t really say that this book has a happy ending. I can’t say that you’ll fall in love with any of the characters. I can say that parts of it will make you sad. Parts of it will scare you. Parts of it will also make you angry. You’ll be reminded that we should not judge those that we do not know. You’ll be reminded that you’re not alone no matter how much you might feel that way….

Should you read this book? Yes! Turn off that damned telly and pull out this book. It was a quick read. It will have you wanting to hurry to the end to see how Gerald fairs in life. You will want his reality to be a happy ending! I won’t lie to you….this is based on reality tv…and just as reality is never “wrapped up in a pretty bow” at the end, this book won’t be either. Nothing is really ever perfect, is it? Some people never get the help that need. Some people never choose to face the hard facts…about those they love or about themselves….but sometimes, life does get better! Sometimes you do find positive people to surround yourself with. Life CAN get better…perhaps not perfect, but at least you can make changes that improve it….at least in this respect, this book is very much like “reality”

Enjoy! Until next time….

Urania xx

Reading copy obtained from Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now Reality Boy

Review: Waterfell by Amelie Howard

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17397760 This is a young adult otherworldly book but with a feel that I hadn’t really seen or read before. Nerissa Marin is royalty of an undersea kingdom but is in hiding on land until she comes of age and can return and claim her birthright. She lives with her guardians, goes to high school and plays sports like her best friend Jenna does. However she has to be careful around the ocean as she has major pull over the creatures in the water and over any water actually.

When a new boy at school, Lo, is drawn to Nerissa, she can’t seem to fight her attraction to him. She’s been told her whole life that while she can date humans she definitely can’t fall in love with one. Nerissa is meant to bond for life with one of her own kind. At the same time she’s dealing with finding out the mother she’s always thought was murdered has really been held hostage by someone who wants her crown.

I really loved so much about this book, I have a thing for books that have their own mythologies and then build on them. The author did a good job in not bogging down the reader with a ton of details but revealing things slowly over the course of the book. I also really appreciated that there wasn’t a love triangle in here, as there is with the majority of young adult books that are out right now.

There were a ton of twists and turns but they were not too convoluted to follow. The plot was fast paced and made me want to keep reading and not want to put it down any time soon. I love that there were surprises that I didn’t see coming and I love that there wasn’t a cliffhanger for me to freak out about. I was excited to see that this seems to be the first in a series, although it doesn’t say of how many. I’m looking forward to reading more.

I received this ARC from Harlequin TEEN via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

4 stars

~Clio

Buy it Now Waterfell (The Aquarathi)

Review: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

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20131023-174824.jpgWhat really happens to your soul after you die? Personal beliefs aside, it's impossible for anyone to answer that question with absolute certainty. This novel offers a beautiful possibility to that question.

When fifteen-year-old Liz is struck by a car, she wakes up aboard the
SS Nile. Baffled by the mostly elderly strangers around her, Liz eventually comes to the realization that she did not survive her accident and is in fact dead. She and all the other passengers are on their way to Elsewhere, an alternate reality-type world where humans as well as their pets go after their death. Here they spend their years aging backwards until, as babies, they return to Earth to be born again. Liz has a difficult time coming to grips with her death and mourns the loss of all that she left behind-never turning sixteen, no driver’s license, no prom dates, never going to college…

I loved this book for so many reasons. Gabrielle Zevin has created a beautiful world full of waterfalls, beaches, sunny days, great food, museums, encounters with famous dead people, and reunions with lost loved ones. I was hooked from the first page as the story opens from the perspective of Lucy, Liz’s grieving Pug. I also loved the talking pets and the humans who are able to speak their language. Yes, it sounds far fetched, but it really works with the story. The characters are fun and likeable and a subtle sense of humor runs throughout the book. Conversations flow easily and are believable, fantasy world aside.

Highly recommended for all, but especially for fans of young adult novels and fantasy in particular.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Elsewhere

Review: The Iron Traitor, by Julie Kagawa

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15811405I was so excited when I received this ARC. I even did a happy dance. But no, you don’t wanna see it. This book is the second in the Call of the Forgotten series, which is a spin off of the Iron Fey series. I loved The Iron Fey so much, I just knew I’d love this one as well. I was not wrong.

This book takes place a few days after The Iron Prince ended. We find Ethan Chase trying to get back to normal life. Well, as normal as you can get, when you see the fey no one else can see. He’s determined to be a good boyfriend to Kenzie and to NEVER go back to Nevernever. But you know what they say….

When his nephew, Keirran, goes missing, Ethan decides to go and find him as quickly as possible. But finding him and stopping him from doing something so drastic, are two different things. Keirran is determined to save his love, even if it causes great damage and forever change this world. But Ethan tries to help him anyways, cuz he’s family. But that help, just may be the thing that destroys him.

I love that we get a glimpse of Meghan, Ash, Grim and Puck. It was wild seeing Ash as a formidable man and father. He was frightening. But I just love Puck!! I loved the way he never changed and was still the jokester at times, but at the same time, he could also step up and help.

All Puck’s scenes made me wanna go back and read the Iron Fey from the beginning. Many of Ethan and Keirran’s scenes reminded me of Ash’s and Puck’s adventures, from the Iron Fey. They may be different, but they fight together against anything that was thrown their way.

Grim still helped them, too, and yet disappeared when trouble comes. I wonder about that cat….

This book took me four days to read, and I made sure to highlight everything I deemed important. I don’t wanna forget a thing. But that ending…..A CLIFFY!!!!! I am speechless….What…..where……how…..And now I have to wait til next year!! I was seriously shocked. I NEVER saw that coming.

Well done Ms. Kagawa. You have written another fabulous YA book. And, like you tweeted me, your muse was well feed by my tears. So glad I could help you out. 😉

I received this ARC for an honest review.

~Melpomene

Release day: October 29th
Buy it now: The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey)