Author Interview: Vanessa Barger (and Giveaway)

As part of Decadent Publishing's YA Blog Stomp, Vanessa Barger, the author of Steaming, is here today to answer some of my questions. 

A bit about Vanessa (as quoted from Goodreads): Vanessa is a Young Adult author who teaches high schoolers all about technology education (and yearbook!) in rural Virginia along the Chesapeake Bay. She is the owner slave to one cat, Molly, who looks a little like a cow when she gets a haircut, and writes in her free time. Vanessa is actively involved in the YA Fiction Fanatics critique group, which is dedicated to helping its members produce the best MG and YA novels they can write. This past summer she finally bit the bullet and also joined the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). 

I haven't read many steampunk novels, but I've enjoyed what I've read. What made you decide to write a story within the YA steampunk genre?

Steampunk is a great genre because there are so many possibilities. I love history, and the combination of Victoriana and technology is really inspiring. I also like it because of the aesthetics. If you ever look up steampunk on the web, you get an amazing array of costuming ideas, gadgets and gizmos. All of them are brass and a mixture of modern sensibility and Victorian England and the US. It’s really anything you want it to be, and adding magic in just feels natural. 

Steaming also contains deities from Norse and Greek mythologies. Is there a particular type of mythology you especially love and which anthropomorphic god or goddess is your favourite?
I love most mythologies. If I have to pick some, it would be Celtic, Norse, and Greek. I also love Indian and Mayan, but they weren't as easy to add in ;)  As for which god or goddess … it would be a tie between the Celtic god and goddess Cernunos and Morrigan. 

As a Tinker, Cornelius' idol is the Duke of Windsor. Who is/are your idols as an author and why?
Oooo ... I adore Shakespeare. Like, if he were living, I'd be a groupie. My other big favorites are Bill Bryson, Katie MacAlister, Jane Austen and Carrie Ryan. :) 

In Steaming, Cornelius manages to surprise people a few times. What is one thing about you that would surprise others?
I'm not sure. I suppose that I am way more talkative than I think, and that I adore Renaissance faires and that I have this weird obsession about the shapes of trees. Lol.  

Will there be a sequel to Steaming and if so, can you tell me a little about it?

Steaming does have a sequel in the planning stages involving Cornelius and Isadora, and what has happened to Lord Stevens. 

Are you working on anything else at the moment?

Right now, I've just finished a paranormal thriller called "Shame the Devil" and am shopping it around. I've also got about seven stories started while I decide what to work on next!

A huge thanks to Vanessa for taking the time to answer my questions! Decadent Publishing's YA Blog Stomp continues tomorrow at Coffee Time Romance.

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Decadent Publishing has also generously offered to give away an ebook of Steaming. This giveaway is open to everyone only for the day so just leave a meaningful comment and your email address to enter. 

Review: Steaming by Vanessa Barger

From Goodreads: My name is Cornelius Latimer, and I have fallen in love. The object of my affection isn’t tall and blonde with all the right curves. It isn’t even human. My love belches steam and breathes fire. My world runs on steam and hard metal, and I am a master of both. My Uncle, Rufus Harrison, has funded my expeditions. He’s gifted me with a lab containing all the parts and space I could possibly need. For weeks I have been toiling over my journals, crafting my biggest and best creation yet. It’s heady, this feeling of power. But I made a fatal error. I told a friend about my machine. And now someone who should not know, does. I should tear everything apart, but I can’t. Love does strange things to people.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Steaming by Vanessa Barger is a fast-paced and entertaining story revolving around nineteen-year-old Cornelius Latimer, an inventor who was always more interested in fooling around with machines than girls. That is, until his eye is caught by the beautiful Temperance at a ball. But, there is more to Temperance than meets the eye and her secret will strain Cornelius’ friendship with his best friend, make him to come face-to-face with the Time Keeper and get him charged with treason. Will Cornelius be able to clear his name and get credit for the airship he invented?

Steaming was fun to read, and though I knew that it was a steampunk novel, I wasn’t expecting there to be elements of mythology. It was a nice surprise to have the Norse gods Odin and Tyr and the Greek goddess Athena as characters, especially since they were incorporated into the story fairly well.

Barger’s characters were also well-written. Cornelius was easy to relate to and I liked Bea, who later becomes his romantic interest. After fancying himself in love, Cornelius learns from his mistake and his relationship with Bea begins as friends. In addition, despite the story not featuring her much, I found Isadora intriguing and would love to know more about her relationship with her father and Bea as well as what she has been up to after helping Cornelius escape from the Time Keeper. The ending of Steaming suggests that there will be a sequel so I’m looking forward to having some of those questions answered while tagging along with Cornelius on his next adventure.

Steaming was released by Decadent Publishing in March 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s easy to tell right away that Steaming falls within the steampunk genre because of the huge gear behind the title and the picture of London in the background. The use of brown and orange as colours also give the cover an olden day feel. What I don’t like is the huge face of the guy I presume is Cornelius since he doesn’t look very Victorian-like to me, and his face distracts the eye from the rest of the cover.

In exchange for an honest review, this ebook was received from Decadent Publishing as part of their YA Blog Stomp event. 

Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

From Back Cover: It's been six months since Evie fled the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shape-shifter boyfriend, Lend, and she finally has the normal life she always dreamed of. But when her faerie ex-boyfriend shows up hinting of a battle brewing between the faerie courts over Evie herself, she realizes that she hasn't left her no-so-normal past far enough behind.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: One of my favourite reads from last year was Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy. So, I was super excited to receive an ARC of Supernaturally, Paranormalcy’s sequel, in the mail.

The pacing of Supernaturally is slower than Paranormalcy, and it has less action. Instead, this is a book that’s more focused on character development, with Evie trying to figure out who she is (literally) and where she belongs. While I didn’t love Supernaturally as much as Paranormalcy because Evie repeatedly keeps secrets from those she cares about, – Lend and her relationship in particular suffer (I wanted more kisses!) – in no way does Supernaturally fall prey to the sequel syndrome.

White successfully brings back Evie’s fresh and distinctive voice, and though Evie is often insecure (which isn’t surprising considering what she discovered in Paranormalcy), she continues to remain loveable (for the most part) and hilarious.

As well, the secondary characters remain well-rounded and have their own backstories. There isn’t much of Lend or Reth, but readers meet new paranormal creatures, learn more about Arianna and are introduced to Jack, whose presence thankfully doesn’t create a love triangle situation. Rather, Jack is more like a brother whose antics are amusing to hear about (or read in this case) but annoying to deal with. Considering how I thought of Jack, I was really surprised by what he reveals to Evie and his actions at the end. It’s going to be a long wait now to find out how this fun trilogy will wrap up in Endlessly.

Supernaturally will be released by HarperTeen on July 26, 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: Supernaturally’s cover is as great as Paranormalcy’s, and once again I love the dress that the model portraying Evie is wearing. The cover’s darker feel also reflects Evie’s thoughts and emotions. While she was very bubbly in Paranormalcy, she’s less confident of her relationships and future in Supernaturally.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollinsCanada) for free.

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

From Back Cover: Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf - her wolf - watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why. Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace ... until now. For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human - and Grace must fight to keep him - even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: With the hype around the recently released Forever and Maggie Stiefvater’s trip to Ontario, I figured I’d see what all the fuss is about by reading Shiver. Shiver though was just … okay. While the writing style was good and I liked the mythology around Stiefvater’s werewolves, the plot and the characters didn’t really captivate me. 

The main goal of Sam and Grace in Shiver was to find a cure for Sam so that he could stop changing into a wolf and be with Grace. Their attraction and claims of love were too sudden for my tastes, and I found it strange that Grace seemed to take most things about Sam in stride. For example, if I found a naked and bleeding guy outside my house who I thought was a werewolf, rather than bringing him inside the house, I’d freak out about it first and then call an ambulance.

In terms of the characters, the secondary characters in Shiver other than Beck and Isabel didn’t really appear interesting. Part of the problem is that Grace and Sam seem to often be in their own little bubble at Grace’s house because her parents are never around. This gives the two plenty of time together, but since I didn’t care for the romance, I just wanted Sam and Grace to go do their own thing or have someone disrupt their state of blissfulness.

Even as an individual character though, I wasn’t a fan of Grace. She lost my respect right from the start when I learned that while the wolves were biting her years ago, she didn’t fight and just lay there. Why the heck would you not fight for your life?! It would have been great if my opinion of her had changed, but I closed the book feeling like I still barely knew her. All I can tell you about Grace is that she is a good cook, seems pretty independent and would be much better than me in an emergency. Oh yeah, she also loves Sam who is a fictional guy I would normally crush on because he is good looking, reads, plays the guitar and is very romantic. In this case, however, I didn’t.

Although there will be those who love Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, it didn't meet my expectations. The weak plot, instant romance and lacklustre characters left me disappointed.

Shiver was released by Scholastic Press in August 2009.

Comments About the Cover: I don't normally like illustrated covers but I like Shiver's. The trees and the wolf in blue really remind me of winter.

Review: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

From Goodreads: Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby. But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood. 

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: At first, Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma seemed like a contemporary novel about two sisters, and I found it slightly hard to get into it because the narrator, Chloe, kept talking about her older sister Ruby. But then an unexpected twist occurred, the novel no longer fell within the contemporary genre, and things became interesting. Chloe starts discovering some hidden secrets, and at the heart of it all is Ruby.

The pacing of Imaginary Girls is slow, which makes it creepier and gives you time to enjoy Suma’s writing. She manages to create a surreal world that draws the reader in and blends the normal with the supernatural effortlessly. In this reality, there are no room for questions since anything is possible. It was only after I was done reading that I realized the supernatural elements were never explained in depth, and breaking down the story detracts from its enjoyment.

Heavily driven by its characters, the star of Imaginary Girls is Ruby, the charismatic and pretty older sister who creates her own reality. Suma purposely makes the reader form no attachments to Ruby so that she seems more sinister, and as such, it’s hard for me to figure out how I feel about her. On the one hand, Ruby is pretty much a bitch whose bad side you don’t want to get on, – look at what happened to Owen! – but on the other, her love for Chloe is obvious. Ruby will do anything for her younger sister. Likewise, it’s hard to form an emotional connection with Chloe. Not  only is her presence dwarfed by Ruby’s, but she’s also an unreliable narrator. You end the story having absolutely no idea whether Chloe is actually telling the truth about what happened or simply imagining things.

A mesmerizingly eerie read, Imaginary Girls was released in June 2011 by Dutton Juvenile. 

Comments About the Cover: I love it. The drowning is such a central part of the storyline and the bright blue, red and white quickly catch your eye. It’s hard to tell whether the girl is still struggling or has finally exhausted herself trying to regain control of the situation.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Dutton Juvenile) for free via NetGalley.

Waiting on Wednesday: Nightshade, Epic Fail and Possess

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on. 

It's been awhile since I did a WoW so here are some upcoming titles I'm super excited about.

Title: Wolfsbane
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Date of Release: July 26, 2011 

Goodreads Description: This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer-one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack-and the man-she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Why am I waiting? I loved Nightshade and can't wait to get back to the world Cremer has created. July 26 promises to be a good day for sequels since Kiersten White's Supernaturally comes out that day too.  

Title: Epic Fail 
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date of Release: August 2, 2011

Goodreads Description: At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school - not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects. As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list. When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long. 

Why am I waiting? Sometimes you just want a fun and light read, and this one seems like a good bet to fulfill that wish. 

Title: Possess 
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date of Release: August 23, 2011 

Goodreads Description: Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

Why am I waiting? I still haven't read many books featuring demons so Possess will help change that. Also, it doesn't hurt that the cover is gorgeous and yet kind of creepy. I'll probably be reading this one in the daylight just in case it becomes scary :)

Review: Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

From Inside Jacket: When her father leaves their beloved Mexico in search of work, Nora stays behind. She fights to make sense of her loss while living in poverty - waiting for her father's return and a better day. When the letters and money stop coming, Nora decides that she and her mother must look for him in Texas. After a frightening experience crossing the border, the two are all alone in a strange place. Now, Nora must find the strength to survive while aching for small comforts: friends, a new school, and her precious quinceañera. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Bettina Restrepo’s Illegal is the touching story of one illegal immigrant girl’s journey from Mexico to Texas in search of her father to bring him back home and reunite her family.  

I really admired Nora’s determination to find her father and stand up for herself when she sensed she was being taken advantage of. Occasionally though, I felt she was a bit naïve because it seemed like she thought that she and her mother could easily find her father; and that once he was found, all their problems would be solved. However, this also made Nora very relatable because even as you’re growing up, sometimes you can’t help but wish for life to be simple.

While Restrepo does touch upon the hardships faced by many immigrants, I thought it was portrayed somewhat lightly. Although Nora and her mother faced a gruelling trip crossing the border, – I would have expected nothing less since they are illegals – once they arrived in Texas, they were relatively lucky, securing fake papers and decent paying jobs in a short amount of time. This is not the case for many immigrants. The situation of Arturo, Nora’s father, was portrayed more realistically, and it really makes you think about all the sacrifices illegals must make for the chance of an improved life for themselves and their family.

A solid debut that captures the hopes of those who move to a new country and the obstacles they experience while settling, Illegal was released by Katherine Tegen Books in March 2011.

Comments About the Cover: It matches the tone of the book very well. When I look at the cover, I see a girl standing in an empty field, which portrays the poverty of Cedula, Mexico. She’s looking though at some tall buildings in the distance that she believes her father has helped build; and to me, that represents her dreams of a better tomorrow.

Review: Solid by Shelley Workinger

From Goodreads: Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are brought together at a classified site where they forge new friendships, find love, develop "super-abilities," and even unearth a conspiracy.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Solid by Shelley Workinger was a quick read with a good cast of characters and an interesting plot.

As someone who is in the science stream, Workinger’s explanation for her characters’ superpowers made sense without making me annoyed for being too simplistic. At the same time, those who know absolutely nothing about genetics will still be able to understand what has transpired without feeling like they’re being overloaded with scientific information.

Workinger’s characters – even Miranda once you get to know her – were likeable enough, but I never got fully attached to them. I think part of the reason may be because as a reader, you don’t know exactly what they’re capable of since Clio, the main character, and her friends are still trying to figure it out themselves. So, they pretty much acted like typical teens (except sometimes the dialogue made them seem older) when I was expecting them to do amazing things.

This also led to the expectation that there would be a lot of action. However, Solid focused more on character development, with Clio discovering things about herself and making new friends with whom she felt comfortable with. Even when there could have been the potential for some action, the conflict was resolved a little too easily.

Despite its issues, I still liked Solid. I think if it had been longer, some of my expectations could have been met; and hopefully that’s going to be the case in Settling, the sequel to Solid.

Solid was released in July 2010 by CreateSpace.

Comments About the Cover: I like it. The bright chromosome caught my eye and the way the purple is used also makes the font stand out.

This ebook was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Winners

The winner of my signed copy of Delirium is #41 - Ariel from The Librarian's Bookshelf. She has already responded and I've shipped the book to her. Congratulations, Ariel!

 

The winner of my Canada Day Blog Hop Giveaway is #139 - Danya from A Tapestry of Words. I'll be sending you an email shortly, and you'll have 48 hours to respond back or a new winner will be picked.

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives - and the way they understand each other so completely - has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

My Rating: 5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: When Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma was made available to me, I chose to ignore it because I didn’t like the cover. It’s a good thing then that Missie from The Unread Reader chose to review it because I totally would have overlooked an amazing book. The main theme in Forbidden is incest, but Suzuma has created a masterful love story revolving around a taboo love. Her characters have chemistry and it becomes hard to remember that Lochan and Maya are siblings.

Right from the start, it was easy for me to like Lochan and sympathize with him. Though he is good looking, he is painfully shy around strangers; and as the eldest at home, is responsible for taking care of his younger siblings. It’s not hard to understand why Lochan would fall for Maya, the one person he can truly be himself with.

It was a little harder for me to see why Maya would love Lochan back as more than a brother because unlike Lochan, she is sociable and has friends. Sure, she can never be entirely honest about her life at home, but it can still be possible for her to date someone else. But, then there wouldn’t be a story.

As I already mentioned, Lochan and Maya have incredible chemistry. However, my favourite parts of the book were when they were interacting with their brothers and sister. Suzuma did a wonderful job creating this complex family and making me feel like an insider. I wanted to strangle Kit at times for being mean to Lochan who is trying his best to keep it together for his siblings, and yet I understood that Kit as the middle child felt like he had no clear role. I felt sad for Tiffin and Willa who were still young but wise about so many things, and I loved it when the entire family came together to do things like play a game.

A brilliant book that will make you smile and also break your heart, Forbidden was released on June 28, 2011 by Simon and Schuster. 

Comments About the Cover: I’m still not a fan of the cover but I like that the heart is made out of barbed wire and that the background is red – the colour of love.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

From Goodreads: Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to - Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight. But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives - visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I requested Cara Lynn Shultz’s Spellbound on a whim, not knowing anything about it but captivated by its unique cover. While reading the book, I thought at first that I wouldn’t like it because Spellbound contains a bunch of clichés such as the gay best friend, the great looking guy, the mean girl threatened by the presence of a new girl, etc. So, it was a little unexpected that I actually ended up enjoying the novel.

Emma was a great protagonist and it was easy to root for her. Despite having a difficult life, she’s not moping about it. Rather, she manages to be strong and continues to fight for what she wants, even standing up to bullies in the process.

I also liked Emma’s relationship with hot, rich and adorable Brendan (where can I get a guy like this?). Normally, I’m not a fan of instant love but the romance in this case worked because even though the two are soulmates, Shultz still took the time to develop Emma and Brendan’s relationship at a reasonable pace. I felt however that in the latter half of Spellbound, the focus on the romance sort of overshadowed the paranormal aspects of the book like reincarnation and magic.  

A book that starts off slowly but ends up having a heart pounding climax, Spellbound was released by Harlequin Teen on June 28, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I love that a scene from the book was captured in such an enchanting way. The girl running, the bridge extending into the background and the shards of glass that seem to fly out at you all stand out against the black background and beg the reader to pick the up book.  

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Canada Day Blog Hop

 

The Canada Day Blog Hop is being hosted by Aislynn from Knit, Purl, Stitch...Read and Cook and Chrystal from Snowdrop Dreams of Books.

For the hop, I'll be giving away a copy of either:

  

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom 

OR

 

Haunting Violet

Rules:

1. This giveaway is open internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to your country. Click here to see the list of countries to which shipping is available. 
2. You must be over the age of 13.  
3. You have to be a follower to enter.
4. This giveaway will end on July 2 at 11:59 PM EST.

Review: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

From Goodreads: The first boy disappeared on the day of his birth, on a night when the pale yellow moon of the nighttime sky turned red and bathed the heavens in the ghastly color of blood, on the same night the Kingdom of Cokyri abruptly ceased its merciless attack. Across the land of Hytanica, under the shadow of the crimson moon, infant boys continued to vanish. Not until the blood had faded from the sky did the disappearances stop and the bodies of the murdered infants were found outside the gates of the city, a final word from the greatest enemy Hytanica had ever known. For the next sixteen years, peace reigned, but one mystery remained unsolved. The Cokyrians had abducted forty-nine newborns, but returned only forty-eight bodies.Now, as seventeen-year-old Princess Alera of Hytanica is besieged from all sides by suitors vying for the Throne, a teenage Cokyrian boy, Narian, is encountered within the walls of her Kingdom, a boy who will show Alera a world where women serve a purpose and not just a husband. As Narian helps Alera find her voice, she struggles against an arranged marriage that will shatter the life she has scarcely begun to live. And when Narian's shocking past is uncovered, and war with Cokyri looms once more, he must fight to defy a fate ordained at his birth. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I have a weakness for princess stories and with a gorgeous cover like that on Cayla Kluver’s Legacy; I knew I had to read the book. The writing was nicely paced and with elements of action, duty, betrayal, love and family, the story kept me engaged until the end.

One of the things I noted though was that there is a lot of description about the food, setting, clothes, etc. As someone who is bad at visualization, this made it easier for me to imagine stuff, but at times even I found all the descriptive passages bothersome.

In terms of the characters, I felt like I only knew them in a superficial way. Alera, as crown princess, wishes that she could have more input but is hindered by her patriarchal society. She spends little time with her mother so readers don’t really get to know the queen, and although Alera and her sister Miranna are close, Miranna seemed friendly but kind of shallow to me. As for Alera’s dad, I disliked him because he was putting immense pressure on his daughter to marry Steldor just because he wants to abdicate.

While Alera doesn’t like Steldor as a person, she thinks he is handsome and so in a way there is a love triangle. Her romance with Narian – he and Alera’s bodyguard London were the two people I thought were really interesting – is sweet and I liked that they got to know each other a little bit before hooking up. I’m interested to see what’s going to happen with Alera’s (romantic) life considering the ending.

Legacy is a little unpolished but it’s obvious that Kluver is talented. With some editing, I think the Legacy series has the potential to become great.

Legacy is released by Harlequin Teen today! 

Comments About the Cover: The cover reminds me of The Luxe series, which also had amazing covers. I love the colour scheme, the choice of the font, the pose and am a big fan of extravagant dresses being worn by the cover model.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

From Back Cover: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Sixteen year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job. Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from. When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.  

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having taken an anthropology class dealing with global health and issues like IVF and surrogacy, I knew I would find the subject matter covered by Megan McCafferty’s Bumped to be personally relevant. I’d also been expecting from previous reviews I’ve read that it would be hard to get into Bumped because of the terminology it uses. Those reviews were right. Even as I got more comfortable with the vocabulary, I could never get fully immersed into the story because words to which I didn’t know the meaning of would crop up, disrupting the flow of the story. Oh, and what was up with the use of the word ‘rilly’ instead of ‘really?’ It was rilly annoying to read.

The other thing that bothered me about Bumped was the character of Harmony. I have no problems with characters being religious, but Harmony was just so preachy! Any sympathy I could dredge up for her as I began to see that she was struggling to actually believe in and follow the Church’s ideals would vanish with her repeated insistence to save Melody’s soul and actions I didn’t support.

Luckily, every alternating chapter in Bumped is told from Melody’s point-of-view and so I only had to tolerate Harmony’s narrations for half the book. Adopted by economics professors, Melody appears to be living the perfect life except that she’s a Surrogette who is still not pregnant and has doubts about getting bumped after serving as a peer birthcoach for her best friend and watching her breakdown.

Despite my gripes with Bumped, I thought McCafferty wrote a very thought provoking novel with an original plot. While Bumped examines the issue of teenage pregnancy, it does so in a context where the Human Progressive Sterility Virus (HPSV) has left those above the age of eighteen infertile, making teens the most important members of the planet. Reproduction is commercialized and teens are expected to have sex for breeding rather than love. In exchange for giving up their babies, amateurs (i.e. those who choose their sexual partner and bump) hope to make an adequate amount of money. Reproductive Professionals (better known as RePros) on the other hand sign a contract with a RePro Rep, are matched with a family who then pick a sperm donor – here the issue of eugenics arises – and the two reproaestheticals bump. In Melody case, a pregnancy will result in her college tuition being fully covered along with her getting a car, tummy trim and a huge sum of money. On top of that, pregnancies create new members for society, making bumping kind of a patriotic duty. In Bumped then, McCafferty constructs a society that has exploited its teenage population by making bumping difficult to resist while exploring how hard it can be to go against the norm and make your own choices.

Bumped was released in April 2011 by Balzer + Bray.

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover is super cute. Most covers tend to have bright colours or feature people so the big egg and the monochromatic look make Bumped stand out and hard to forget. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollinsCanada) for free.

Review: The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

From Goodreads: Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)

Kate, I'm here ... sort of. Find Cameron. He knows. I shouldn't be writing. Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder ...

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: It’s been a long time – probably a decade at least – since I read a mystery because the last ones I seem to remember reading are those from the Nancy Drew series. So, it’s a good thing that sisters Lisa and Laura Roecker’s debut, The Liar Society, reminded me how entertaining sleuthing with a fictional character can be rather than turning out to be a disappointment.

The Roeckers’ writing was so much fun to read even when events in The Liar Society took a darker turn. Much like Kate, I didn’t trust anybody and was as confused as her by the mystery behind Grace’s death. The Roeckers even had me wondering if Grace’s ghost would suddenly show up! Luckily, there is a reasonable explanation for Grace’s emails and the book never delved into the paranormal realm.

Kate was a wonderful main character who was spunky and smart. She knew when she needed backup and wasn't above accepting help. Seth, Kate’s neighbour, however was my favourite character because of his conspiracy theories, huge crush on Kate, and general nerdiness. In real life, I’d probably find Seth annoying; but in The Liar Society, I just wanted him to be Kate’s shadow so I could laugh at their interactions.

For those looking for a break from reading paranormal/dystopian/whatever your preferred genre, The Liar Society is a good choice as a book to pick up. Be warned though, while the mystery of how Grace died is wrapped up, the ending opens up a new can of worms that will leave you wanting the sequel.

The Liar Society was released by Sourcebooks Fire in March 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: Readers got to vote on the cover of The Liar Society and I voted for this one. The pink hair, pearls and pose just make the model look so sassy!

Review: Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney

From Back Cover: As the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Fairmount, Lady Victoria "Tory" Mansfield is destined for a charmed life of status and wealth. The envy of many young girls, Tory knows she is lucky which is why she goes to great lengths to hide her special talent ... magic. If her powers were exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Which is exactly what happens when a shocking accident forces Tory to reveal her magic, and she is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for other young men and women in her unique position. What lies ahead is a strange and wonderful world where Tory will learn that it is not her social standing or her family's wealth, but destiny and magic, true love and friendship, and courage and strength that determine her real worth as a young woman. 

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: With elements of time travel and magic, Dark Mirror, the YA debut of M. J. Putney, is a novel with an interesting plot but one that fell short of its potential because of a lack of character development and a rushed romance.

In the late 17^th century, the aristocracy decides to ban magic in the nobility so that those with magic in future generations are treated as social outcasts. Unsurprisingly, when Tory discovers that she has magical abilities, she is horrified and realizes that she must keep this part of herself hidden. However, when Tory is the only one who can save her nephew, she decides to do so at the risk of exposing herself as a mage. As a result, Tory is sent to Lackland Abbey, a reform school meant to cure young aristocrats of magic.

At Lackland, Tory meets not only students who want to be cured so that they can go home but also those who embrace their magic in spite of what society says. It is at Lackland that Tory must choose whether she wants to be cured like the majority of students or join a group known as the Irregulars who hone their skills underground so that they can defend England one day against Napoleon in case of an invasion.

While I thought Tory was pretty courageous and admired her resolve, I never felt like I connected with her as a character. The same can be said for all the secondary characters as well. In addition, Putney built up the romance a little too quickly for me. Tory is attracted to Allarde after spotting him through a hole in a wall, and it just so happens that both feel a connection between themselves the first time they actually meet. For me, it just felt like another case of love at first sight.

Dark Mirror was released in March 2011 by St. Martin’s Griffin.

Comments About the Cover: The cover is pretty and I like the use of darker colours to give it a mysterious feel. Also, the clothing reflects both time periods – 1803 and 1940 (which is the future that Tory travels to) – well. 

This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads.

In My Mailbox (18)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme held by The Story Siren. 

For Review: 

Legacy by Cayla Kluver (thanks to Harlequin Teen via NetGalley)
Bumped by Megan McCafferty (thanks to HarperCollinsCanada)
Graveminder by Melissa Marr (thanks to HarperCollinsCanada)
Supernaturally by Kiersten White (thanks to HarperCollinsCanada) 

Bought:

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

A huge thanks to Shannon from HarperCollinsCA for sending me ARCs of Bumped, Graveminder and Supernaturally.

Review: Wild Child by Mike Wells

From Goodreads: Briana Fox is the wildest girl in school. She and Kyle have been close for a long time...almost lovers. Kyle is afraid that if he pushes her, he'll have his heart broken and lose his best friend. When Briana discovers a mysterious "power drug" in a cave, two government agents are desperate to find the source and turn Briana into a human experiment. Will Kyle risk everything to protect his love? 

My Rating: 3 hearts  

Thoughts on the Novel: Wild Child by Mike Wells is a short – it’s only about 50 pages – but well-written and suspenseful story told from the perspective of Kyle. After a boating accident that should have somehow left his best friend Briana dead, Briana tells Kyle that she is only alive thanks to some mysterious green water that she managed to drink. Briana then takes Kyle to the cave where she found the water and Kyle takes a sample of it to give to his dad, a chemical engineer. Unfortunately, the water’s effects begin to wear off the next day and Briana and Kyle have to head back to the cave so that Briana can drink more of the water. Soon, the government finds out about their discovery, and Kyle must make a decision about what’s best for everybody involved. For such a short story, Wells does a good job showing off the personalities of both Kyle and Briana and creating a completely unpredictable – albeit abrupt – ending.   

Wild Child was published in March 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: Briana’s expression freaks me out even though it goes very well with the story. The mysterious green water is almost like a drug and makes her capable of doing strange things.  

This ebook was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

From Goodreads: Can there truly be love after death? Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life - or her actual death - she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world ... forever.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I’ve been vacillating back and forth between how I feel about Hereafter, the debut novel of Tara Hudson, and I still can’t seem to make up my mind. So, I figured it was time to do another pros and cons list rather than a formal review.

Pros:

• The first chapter manages to ensnare the reader into the story and convey just how terrifying Amelia’s “nightmares” are.
• The writing flows nicely and I enjoyed reading Hereafter.
• The secondary characters are or seem pretty interesting.
• I could feel the chemistry between Amelia and Joshua.
• Amelia is a likeable protagonist, and even though I feel like I don’t know much about Joshua, he was a decent romantic lead.

Cons:

• While I liked reading Hereafter, I almost feel like there was more of an emphasis on the romance between Amelia and Joshua and less on the mystery around Amelia's death. I think that’s why I’ve forgotten most of the novel even though I read it only two days ago.
• In terms of the major secondary characters, although Eli seems to be well-developed, I feel like I barely know Ruth and Jillian.  
• Joshua adjusts way too easily to things. Soon after almost dying, he’s looking for Amelia, accepts that she’s a ghost and falls in love with her. Yes, once again, there’s a case of love at first sight.
• Some of Amelia’s powers could have been better explained by Hudson. For example, how does a ghost start crying real tears?

Hereafter will be released by HarperTeen on June 7, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover is pretty and makes it easy for the reader to know that the main character is a ghost. I like that the background incorporates water since it is important to the story and that the scene kind of looks bleak because Amelia is stuck in limbo. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperTeen) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

From Inside Jacket: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves ... or it might destroy her. 

My Rating: 5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I haven’t read many dystopians since I’m not a huge fan of the genre, but the ones I’ve chosen to read all have one thing in common besides being good: they’re full of action. Veronica Roth’s debut, Divergent, is no different. Set in a world where people have split into five factions based on personality, Divergent had me eagerly flipping through pages and reading as fast as possible to see what would happen next to Tris, the main character.

The world Roth has created is an interesting one. At first glance, it doesn’t sound too bad because people are trying to cultivate desirable qualities and eradicate those like selfishness, ignorance and cowardice. More importantly, unlike in many dystopians where freedom of choice is limited, adolescents in Divergent choose what faction they’ll join. Roth though does a really good job showing how the concentrated pursuit of traits we value can become problematic.

Tris is a well-developed character who you can’t help but support even if you don’t agree with all of her actions or think that she’s too harsh in some cases. When readers first meet her, she seems meek; but over time, you come to discover that beneath her small frame there is a will of steel. I loved watching her grow throughout Divergent and learn to accept all of herself rather than just trying to be Tris the insert adjective.

Although some of the secondary characters aren’t fleshed out as well, Four – you’ll have to read Divergent to find out why that’s his name – was a complex character. He appears tough and can be a jerk at times but also has a sweet and vulnerable side. Four’s relationship with Tris is a key element of the book and their romance actually progresses realistically (more of this please, YA authors!) rather than simply being one of love at first sight.

At almost 500 pages, Divergent is by no means a small book. However, it feels like one because it is so engrossing!

Divergent was released by HarperTeen in May 2011.       

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover looks okay. The flame surrounded by a fiery ring (i.e. the symbol of Dauntless) is eye-catching and will leave people wondering what it’s supposed to mean so that they’ll pick up the book.