Waiting on Wednesday: Unraveling and Sweet Evil

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. 

Title: Unraveling

Author: Elizabeth Norris
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date of Release: April 24, 2012 

Goodreads Description: Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed - as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows - with every fiber of her being - that Ben has somehow brought her back to life. But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something - but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened - the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life - points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets - and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

Why am I waiting? A clock counting down to something unknown? Tell me more, please! I've also heard from reviews that the worldbuilding is scientifically sound which is always a good thing.

Title: Sweet Evil

Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date of Release: May 1, 2012 

Goodreads Description: Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna. A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns? 

Why am I waiting? I'm not going to lie ... there have been a lot of angel novels that have disappointed me. I'm still a sucker for them though so hopefully Sweet Evil will be one of the better ones out there.

Review: Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

From Goodreads: In 1888, following her mother's sudden death, 17-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother's request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there. But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Based on the summary, I thought Amy Carol Reeves’ Ripper had the potential to be a novel I’d really enjoy. Unfortunately, even though Jack the Ripper was on the loose, I never got the urge to flip pages as fast as possible to see what would happen next. Personally, I attribute this to the plot (which ends with an open ending) and the characters.

The first half of the book sets up how Abbie begins working at Whitechapel Hospital and introduces you to some of the doctors working there. Nothing really exciting happens until patients start getting murdered and their bodies are found mutilated. While the police suspect Jack the Ripper is potentially a doctor due to the precise incisions made on the bodies of the dead, Reeves adds a bit of intrigue by having Abbie experience visions of the serial killer before he murders each of his victims. The historical element of the book though seems to be replaced by supernatural elements in the second half – a change which I wasn’t fond of. The air of mystery around who Jack the Ripper could be disappeared; and I just couldn’t muster up the energy to care about how the supernatural twists affected Abbie. Here’s also where the characterization came in.

There’s isn’t anything about Abbie that particularly stands out in my mind other than that she doesn’t want to be a demure lady and is attracted to two doctors who form part of a lacklustre love triangle. In fact, sometimes Abbie acted like a TSTL character, running all over the place and sneaking out at night without a care for her safety.

Ripper was released on April 8, 2012 by Flux.   

Comments About the Cover: I really like the background because it manages to evoke a feeling of creepiness. I find the foreground a little odd though for some reason. 

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

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: While I was initially tempted to read Brodi Ashton’s Everneath simply because of its pretty cover, I knew I had to read it once I heard that it was a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone because I love Greek mythology. Everneath, however, wasn’t a strict retelling. Rather, it’s more like Ashton was inspired not only by the myth of Hades and Persephone but also by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; and then created her own interesting Underworld (which I feel like there’s still more left to be learned about).

The book opens with the reader being aware that Nikki willingly went with Cole to the Everneath, but the circumstances around her decision are revealed slowly throughout the book. Thus, I found it hard to connect with Nikki at the beginning, especially because she was stripped of all her emotions in the Everneath. Through flashbacks interwoven seamlessly into the main narrative though, it became easy to care about her and understand how and why she could just leave her family and friends behind. As time ticked by, I couldn’t help but hope that Nikki would somehow escape the Tunnels.

What I liked about Nikki was that she wasn’t perfect. She had insecurities and if you think about it, she’s a little selfish for coming back when she knows that she’ll disappear again in six months. (Then again, if I was in her position, I’m sure I’d want some sort of closure too.) I also really liked that Nikki was willing to face the consequences of her decision; but she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

The romance was nicely done as well. Although there’s a love triangle in Everneath, it didn’t annoy me because it didn’t feel like one. Ashton does a good job of making both Jack and Cole equally complex and having Nikki distinguish her feelings about the two. Cole may be the antagonist in the story, but he’s not just a simple villain who you’ll hate outright.

Cole and Nikki may have a bond because of their time together in the Everneath, but she genuinely loves Jack. In fact, so did I! I’m normally a fan of fictional bad boys but Jack managed to win me over in Everneath. The relationship between Jack and Nikki was just so sweet and real; and I really liked that not only was there a shared history between the two but that they had some ups and downs as well.

A paranormal novel that manages to have a unique concept, Everneath was released in January 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Comments About the Cover: The colours of red and black look very good together, and it does seem as if the model is coming up from underground. The whole girl in a gorgeous dress idea though doesn’t logically make sense because who runs away dressed like that?

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

Mini Reviews: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows and The Stone in Meadow by Karleen Bradford

From Goodreads: Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies - human and creature alike - let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows was a book that I thought started off well but ultimately disappointed me in the end. The novel begins with eighteen-year-old Ana finally leaving her home and abusive mother to figure out why she, a Newsoul, was born and how she fits into a world where everybody else but her has been reincarnated over and over again. The world Meadows created was initially fascinating to me, with reincarnation, dragons and sylphs. It later started to feel weak though because it didn’t really seem to have any rules behind it. Things just existed or happened that would simply leave me with more questions.

In terms of the characters, I liked how patient and gentle Sam was with Ana when her past made it hard for her to trust him. However, neither Sam nor Ana stood out in my mind; and when their romance became the focal point of the majority of the book, it distracted Ana from her quest and in my opinion, caused the worldbuilding to suffer as a result. Also, I found the romance to be a little strange because Sam has been a girl in the past and it’s kind of weird to be wearing a girl’s clothes and know that they belong to the guy you’re interested in or be jealous of that guy because he filled out those clothes better than you. 

Incarnate was released in January 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books.

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

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From Back Cover: The large, black stone in the meadow in Cornwall held a strange, hypnotic fascination for Jenifer. One day she found out why. Was it just a dream? Or could the stone really transport her back in time - a hundred years ... a thousand years ...? If it were a dream, it was so vivid Jenifer knew that as long as she lived she would never forget Perran, that small boy from the past who had shared her adventure. And Fedelm - the Druid priestess who was the image of Jenifer, and who was so frightened of her. But, above all, she would remember Bron, with his blue eyes and flaming hair, who would remain forever her first love. 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Karleen Bradford’s The Stone in the Meadow was a short book that took me a really, really long time to read because I kept putting it down to read other books in between. As was the case with Bradford’s The Other Elizabeth, I thought the amount of historical detail in the novel was great but had a difficult time caring about the characters or getting invested in the story. Furthermore, I found the depiction of Bron as being Jenifer’s first love in the synopsis to be misleading because a) Jenifer is only thirteen and b) the two speak different languages and therefore don’t understand each other. First crush, maybe; but saying he’s her first love is taking it a little too far.

The Stone in the Meadow was released by Starburst Digital Rights International Inc. in September 2011. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher.

original image from thegate.ca

Review: Life Is But a Dream by Brian James

From Back Cover: Sabrina has always been special. She sees swirling colors that streak across the clouds like rainbows in soapy water, and feels the win blowing through her soul like the fiery wave from an atomic blast, things she uses in her art. Before, she felt special in a good way, like she was delicate and rare. Not like now, when everyone thinks she's sick. Now, she special like something's wrong with her. That's why her parents put her in the Wellness Center. Then one day, she looks up and sees Alec. He seems like a familiar stranger - someone Sabrina recognizes from her dreams, as if they've always known each other and were meant to be together. Alec looks at her as if she were still special, but in a good way. In his mind, it's the world that's mad, locking them away because they aren't like all the other brain-dead teens shuffling through the malls. Listening to him, Sabrina becomes afraid that the doctors are going to turn her into someone else, someone she won't even recognize. Now, Alec and Sabrina have a choice: to stay and be changed into the people the doctors want them to be, or to run away and chase their dreams ... 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Life Is But a Dream by Brian James was a book that took me a while to get into because of its slow pace, especially in the first half. However, I also thought this was an advantage because it enables you to enjoy this beautifully written novel and really get into the mind of Sabrina as she slowly starts unraveling again.

When we first meet Sabrina, she’s at the Wellness Center; and her schizophrenia seems to be under control. By interspersing flashbacks throughout the novel, I thought James did a good job of showing the difference in Sabrina’s behaviour and personality in the present as opposed to them in the past.

As well, I found Sabrina’s perspective on her disorder to be pretty interesting. You can kind of understand why she doesn’t want to change and misses her old self, but at the same time, as an observer, you realize just how blurred the line between reality and imagination is for Sabrina when she’s having hallucinations or delusions. For me, reading Life Is But a Dream was sobering and scary because schizophrenia is an actual disorder that makes life very disorienting. James gives you a glimpse of that reality when Sabrina starts having hallucinations and delusions again. This makes her narrative unique, and it's jarring when her flashbacks start colliding with the present.

The romance in Life Is But a Dream wasn’t as enjoyable because it felt sort of fake. I also didn’t like the character of Alec because I thought he was a bad influence on Sabrina and didn’t understand how serious her disorder was. It’s hard for me to understand why a place like the Wellness Center would accept someone like Alec, and hope situations like that don’t occur very often in real life – or if they do, people need to be monitored more.

Life Is But a Dream was released by Feiwel and Friends in March 2012.

Comments About the Cover: I like how the girl is just lying on the ground and seems to be staring at the reader. I think it’s haunting and kind of creepy.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Raincoast Books) for free. 

Guest Post: Avery Olive (and Giveaway)

Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves. But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia's arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up? With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn't realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she's thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia's this time. 

Today, I'd like to welcome Avery Olive, fellow Canadian and author of A Stiff Kiss, to my blog. For today's stop on the blog tour for A Stiff Kiss, Avery will be listing the ten things she wants to do before she dies. 

Okay, this was extremely hard! I mean like, I spent weeks mulling over the question, coming up with answers and then scratching them off the list. Partly because I’m content with how my life is going and partly because I’m mildly afraid of death, and didn’t want to think about all the things I want to do before death knocks at my door. 

Then again, putting it all down puts things into perspective, showing me there are some really great things on my list that I must do!

So, without further adieu ... My top ten things I’d like to do ... in life and in no particular order - cause that would just make the list that much harder.

1. Visit a Castle. Sadly, Cinderella’s castle at Disney Land just won’t cut it. I’d like to go to Scotland or Ireland and see one up close, with its history, charm and dungeons.
2. See the Sistine Chapel. It’s just one of those things that should be on everyone’s list!
3. Have at least 5 novels published. This one hopefully now has become more attainable. I’ve got one under my belt.
4. Celebrate a 20^th Wedding Anniversary. I know that seems silly but every day you read about someone, or hear about someone that’s had a failed marriage. I took my vows seriously, and truly hope for my own Happily Ever After. I figure after 20 years, we’ve made an honest go of it, so if it fails after that, I won’t feel so bad.
5. Have one of my novels turned into a major motion picture. I know, right, that’s probably on everyone’s list. But seriously, how cool would that be!
6. Win the lottery? Is that too cliché? Cause, what I wouldn’t give to have some extra dough lying around. And I’m not talking about million, just a little extra nest egg.
7. Meet all the wonderful Authors I’ve befriended. It’s amazing that Author hood is like its own little cult. I’ve met (through Twitter, Facebook and the like) some really amazing people and I’d love, love to meet some of them!
8. Get a tattoo. I know, not anything WOW or exciting but I’m a chicken, a big fat fraidy-cat! But I have a design that I would love to have inked on my body forever. I just have to work up the nerve.
9. Become a Grandma. I know. Most people aren’t concerned about that. I gave the world one child, and what happens if he doesn’t have any kids? I’d better put down my want for grandchildren just to be sure it happens.
10. See the Northern Lights. I live in place that yes, you can see them. They faintly dance about the sky in flickering hues of greens and purples. But if you go further North - almost to the top of the world apparently they are freaking amazing.

Thanks for stopping by, Avery!

A bit about Avery: Avery Olive is Canadian.  She is married and has one child. When she’s not helping raise her very energetic and inquisitive son, she can be found working on her latest novel--where she devilishly adds U’s into every word she can. When she is looking for a break Avery enjoys cake decorating, losing herself in a good book, or heading out to the lake to go camping. The release of Avery’s first novel proves to her it won’t be the last. As long as her family continues to be supportive, she can find the time, and people want to read, Avery vows to keep on writing.

Avery can be found on: [her blog] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

A Stiff Kiss can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository]
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Besides the grand prize being offered on her blog, Avery has generously offered to give away some swag to one lucky winner. Here's what she's offering: mousepad, signed bookmark and collector card.

To enter, read the rules below and then fill out this FORM:

1. You do not have to be a follower to enter.
2. You must be over the age of 13.
3. This giveaway is open internationally and will end on Tuesday, April 10 at 11:59 PM. 

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

From Inside Jacket: Escaping from the brutality of an arranged marriage, seventeen-year-old Ismae finds sanctuary at the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts - and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany, where she must pose as mistress to the darkly mysterious Gavriel Duval, who has fallen under a cloud of suspicion. Once there, she finds herself woefully under prepared - not only for the deadly games of love and intrigue, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? 

My Rating: 5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: One of the books I’d been eagerly waiting for to be released this year was Robin LaFevers’ Grave Mercy. Regardless of the genre, in my opinion, any novel which involves an assassin is worth at least checking out. Having read Grave Mercy, I can now say that the wait was totally worthwhile because this historical fantasy not only has a protagonist who’s an assassin, but also contains political intrigue, mystery, Death as a character (which you just can’t go wrong with), a sexy romantic lead and a great romance.

I loved that Ismae was such a kick-ass heroine. She’s smart, strong, and knows how to inflict pain and kill people using all kinds of weapons and poisons. LaFevers also makes you care for Ismae right away because we’re told within the first five pages that Ismae bears a scar left by the poison her mother used to try to get rid of her from her womb, and that her father is physically abusive as is her new husband. When given the chance to either become one of Death's handmaidens or be married to another man, it’s not surprising that Ismae chooses to learn how to kill men.

The secondary characters in Grave Mercy were also well-characterized; and LaFevers does a good job of showing the complexity of her characters. People’s actions are motivated by different things and when circumstances change, who the reader defines as “good” and who they define as “bad” changes as well.

Of course my love for Duval was unwavering. I mean, the guy is a handsome noble who’s loyal (although that’s in question), persistent, and always plotting something! Come on, admit he’s irresistible! Oh, and that last quote of his … *swoon*

What I really loved about Duval however was that he was good for Ismae’s character development. Although their relationship starts off rocky since neither of them is thrilled to have to work together on their separate missions, it blossoms gradually; and in the process, causes Ismae to open herself up to the possibility of love and the idea that people can redeem themselves. By spending time with Duval, Ismae learns to follow her own instincts rather than just blindly obeying the orders of the abbess of St. Mortain.     

                                                                                       

A novel sure to appeal to fantasy lovers and those who enjoyed Lisa T. Bergren’s River of Time series; Grave Mercy will be released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 3, 2012.  

Comments About the Cover: It’s perfect for Grave Mercy! The castle and brewing storm in the background captures Anne of Brittany’s tumultuous situation. I also love that the model is holding a crossbow and wearing a long dress that’s not only appropriate for the time period but can easily conceal a number of smaller weapons.  

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Thomas Allen & Son) for free.

Review: Allegiance by Cayla Kluver

From Goodreads: Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica - until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge. Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn ...

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: With the prospect of war looming between Hytanica and Cokyri, Cayla Kluver's Allegiance raises the stakes for its characters and has a darker feel than Legacy, the first book in the Legacy series. That said, Allegiance can kind of be divided into two parts: the slow first half which goes into excessive detail about Alera's daily life as queen – the writing still hasn't been tightened – and a more intense, exciting second half.

Alera remains as annoying as ever in Allegiance and makes me so happy that I'm not a Hytanican subject under her rule. The other characters in the book seem to think she's so great, but I have no idea what they see in her. I mean, even though war is brewing and she's the queen, Alera just seems to mope about losing Narian or attempting to meet him in secret, thus putting herself and her country in jeopardy. Talk about selfish! Narian may have sworn to never harm her but he is on the enemy's side.

Narian actually isn't present much in the book and so there's not a lot of romance. However, Kluver does give Steldor a chance to make more of a lasting impression on the reader. I wasn't really a fan of Steldor in Legacy and at the beginning of Allegiance because he was smug and cocky, but he matures so much over the course of the novel that it’s hard not to be in love with him by the end. It doesn't hurt that while Alera is trying to learn more about Steldor, she gets to spend time with his dad Cannan and his uncle Baelic, two characters I liked.

As well, I was really pleased with the way Kluver ended Allegiance. Unlike a lot of books which end on massive cliffhangers because they're part of a series, the ending of Allegiance wrapped things up very nicely. It was so satisfactory in fact that I was actually planning on not reading the final book in the trilogy since I thought Kluver wouldn't have much more of a story left to tell (aside from what happens with the romance between Narian and Alera of course). That is, until I read the excerpt of Sacrifice. It looks like I was wrong!

Allegiance was released in February 2012 by HarlequinTeen.

Comments About the Cover: Although it’s gorgeous, it’s not very accurate. Alera is capable of riding on a horse by herself and when she does so, she wears breeches.

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

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

From Goodreads: It all begins with a stupid question: Are you a Global Vagabond? No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America - the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward. But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back. 

My Rating: 5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Lately I’ve been reading a lot of books that have I’ve been feeling pretty ‘meh’ about. So when I picked up Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard, little did I expect to fall in love with it. Since I’m now having a hard time trying to describe how I feel about Wanderlove, here are five reasons why you should read it immediately:

1. The setting: I’ve never been to Central America, but Hubbard conveys the culture and vibe of the places Bria visits so vividly that I felt as if I had. After reading Wanderlove, I wanted to drop everything, board a plane and backpack through all the places mentioned just so I could actually see them in person! 
2. The characters: Every single character, regardless of how big or small their role, played an important part in Bria’s travel experience. Hubbard’s characters felt like real people, and I could easily imagine encountering someone similar abroad. 
3. The journey to self-rediscovery: As much as Wanderlove involves a physical journey, there’s also a mental journey. After defining herself through her horrible boyfriend and being dumped by him, Bria wants to discover who she is without him and regain her passion for art. Meanwhile, Rowan – he’s a bibliophile! – is trying to forget about his past and become a better person. The two grew so much as characters, and I loved watching them open themselves up to each other and to new experiences. 
4. The subtle romance: Neither Bria nor Rowan are each other’s type, but they do manage to forge a friendship. Despite some flirting early on, I really liked that the two came up with a list of subjects off-limits and clearly defined themselves as friends and nothing more because it gave them a chance to learn about each other through meaningful conversations, without any sort of underlying awkwardness about their relationship or what topics they could broach. Of course setting parameters on their relationship creates some delightful tension later on. 
5. The drawings: How could I not talk about the drawings drawn by Hubbard herself?! They’re simply amazing!

A contemporary that will easily be among my favourite books of this year, Wanderlove was released on March 13, 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers. 

Comments About the Cover: I like the simplicity of the cover. But, it gives you absolutely no clues as to what the story is about.

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

Review: Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

From Goodreads: Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones. Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected. The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan. But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Elisa Ludwig’s Pretty Crooked was an entertaining story that I thought was relatively good while reading it. After reflecting upon it however, I realized that perhaps I overestimated how great it was.

The Robin Hood connection was what made me request Pretty Crooked; but I didn’t like how Willa chose to help the scholarship kids (aka the Busteds because they’re bussed in from a poorer neighbourhood) or her motivations for stealing from the Glitterati. Instead of standing up to her so-called friends, Willa steals from them and justifies it by saying they’re getting what they deserve for cyberbullying. She then buys outfits – yes, this is her way of helping the less fortunate! – for the Busteds and leaves them on their doorstep. Sure, having a flattering outfit can boost your confidence; but at the end of the day, it doesn’t solve the underlying problem of bullying. Also, considering that Willa only manages to buy one outfit for each person that she helps before she gets caught, her method of helping really doesn’t help in the grand scheme of things because I doubt the Busteds plan on wearing the same outfit every single day for the rest of the school year. (Personally, if someone bought me something fabulous to wear, the last place I’d be wearing it is to school.)

Although Willa was a bit stupid for thinking that she could help the Busteds by stealing rather than by not being a passive bystander, I can kind of see where she’s coming from. I think it would be easy for a lot of people to get sucked into the lifestyle that the Glitterati maintain and not want to give it up if they grow up poor and suddenly find themselves as one of the affluent.

Despite the outrageous plot, I actually got annoyed with Pretty Crooked near the end when there was just too much going on and not enough resolution. For example, throughout the book, Willa’s crush Aidan (who came off as a spoiled rich kid) is trying to get expelled and Willa's mom is secretly seeing a man. By the end, Aidan achieves his goal but how he does so remains a mystery – much like the role of the man Willa’s mom is seeing. I understand that Pretty Crooked is the beginning of a series, but it would have been nice if Ludwig had tied up some of those loose ends.  

A book that you can enjoy as long as you don't think about it too much, Pretty Crooked is released by Katherine Tegen Books today! 

Comments About the Cover: It doesn’t really give off a Robin Hood feel, but I still kind of like it because it represents a part in the book. The girl however should be disguised covertly rather than being dressed fashionably. 

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

Mini Reviews: The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison and The Other Elizabeth by Kathleen Bradford

From Goodreads: Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dad's consulting job means she's grown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place - possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home. But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire" - a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind. As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagined - a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: As a murder mystery, I thought The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison was rather predictable and far-fetched. Lo stumbling upon clues that the police miss; Lo disguising herself to appear older so that she can try to get hired at Tens, a strip club, in order to talk to the other strippers about Sapphire; the connection between Bird and Oren … all of it was just hard to believe.

The Butterfly Clues does a much better job of capturing the thoughts and behaviours of someone with OCD. Lo’s disorder begins at a young age and has gotten much worse since Oren’s death – to the point where she’s now also a kleptomaniac and hoarder. This information is shown in such a natural way that you come to accept it as part of Lo’s personality. As a reader, you can see how severe Lo’s disorder is; yet through Lo’s eyes, it’s just who she is.    

The Butterfly Clues was released in February 2012 by Egmont USA. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (EgmontUSA) for free via NetGalley.
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From Back Cover: It was a lovely day in June. Elizabeth was enjoying a visit to Upper Canada Village with her Grade Seven class when a strange compulsion urged her toward Cook 's Tavern. Curious, she walked into the old building, and stepped into the past. A fire burns in the fireplace ... men in buckskins sit around the tables ... she is wearing a long dress of grey homespun ... "Why, it's young Elizabeth Frobisher," said one of the men. "But I'm not," Elizabeth wanted to say, "I'm not Elizabeth Frobisher! I'm Elizabeth Duncan!" 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: With its attention to historical detail, The Other Elizabeth by Karleen Bradford takes you back to October 1813, just as the Canadians are about to engage in war against the Americans in the Battle of Crysler’s Farm. Although I love historical fiction, The Other Elizabeth seemed really dry because before Elizabeth goes home, there was very little action and just a lot of day-to-day stuff so you got an accurate feel for how the pioneers lived. As well, there was no explanation for why Elizabeth travels back into the past when she enters Cook’s Tavern or why she soon enough starts acting like Elizabeth Frobisher and forgets her life as Elizabeth Duncan. I normally love MG books, but The Other Elizabeth, sadly, wasn’t for me. 

The Other Elizabeth was released by Starburst Digital Rights International Inc. in September 2011.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher.

original image from thegate.ca

Author Interview: A&E Kirk (and Giveaway)

Today, I'd like to welcome A&E Kirk, the authors of Demons at Deadnight to my blog. They'll actually be answering my questions in video format so enjoy their fun video below. Alyssa and Eileen have also made a video to show how to bake Jayden's Triple Chocolate Cookies which you can check out as well.

I think watching Supernatural is a great way to get some research done, you two. And Jake pimping himself was way too funny!
 

My sister actually watched this video with me and laughed because I have problems simply microwaving food sometimes. Oh, and the other day I burned the kettle really badly trying to make tea for myself. I did like seeing the cookies being made though, Alyssa and Eileen. Now if only you could somehow transfer those cookies to me ... 

A huge thank you to A&E Kirk for taking the time to answer my questions and make the cooking video! 

A bit about A&E Kirk: Anyone who says this mother-daughter team doesn’t mesh has only seen them trying to put out the fire from the stupid wires behind the television that should’ve been more clearly labeled. Alyssa, the A in A&E, has gone from mucking out horse stalls and taping her eyes open during college lectures, to writing novels. When she’s not writing, reading, or running down the halls flapping her coat while singing the Batman theme song, she’s either dancing or immersed in anime. Eileen has much more class. Even a degree. Fancy. Mother of three lovably peculiar children - all of which like to point out how short she is. Even though she really isn’t - they’re just freaking giants. Happily married, she enjoys escaping like a bat out of hell horseback riding at a leisurely speed around the mountains surrounding their home.

A&E Kirk can be found on: [their website] [Alyssa's Twitter] [Eileen's Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

Demons at Deadnight can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] 
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A&E Kirk have generously offered to give away some awesome swag to one lucky winner. Here's what they're offering: handcuffs key chain, Bubbles and a poster of either the cover of Demons at Deadnight or the Hex Boys.

To enter, read the rules below and then fill out this FORM:

1. You do not have to be a follower to enter.
2. You must be over the age of 13.
3. This giveaway is open internationally and will end on Tuesday, March 27 at 11:59 PM.
4. Make sure your entries are tallied correctly (or else you won't win).

To enter to win the Kindle Fire you need to know the secret phrase given out one word at a time by each blog tour host. Put the words together in sequential order and you'll eventually have the secret phrase! Right now you can Tweet and Follow on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page to get points but starting March 9 (at the end of the tour) you can enter the complete phrase on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page and earn BIG entry points! Your Kindle Fire will also include your choice of a DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT Skin. Either from the cover, or a Hex Boy group shot or individual "Team" skin of your favorite Hex Hunk!

My secret word is: NEX

Charming Canucks: Interview and Giveaway with C.K. Kelly Martin

Charming Canucks is a feature I’ve created that will be posted every other month in an effort to spotlight more Canadian YA authors and their books. 

Today, I'd like to welcome C.K. Kelly Martin.

A bit about C.K. (as found on Goodreads): After graduation C.K. headed for Dublin, Ireland and spent the majority of the nineties there in forgettable jobs meeting unforgettable people and enjoying the buzz. She always thoughts she'd get around to writing in earnest eventually and began writing her first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then she'd discovered that young adult fiction felt the freshest and most exciting to her. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once! She's currently residing near Toronto with her Dub husband, became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continues to visit Dublin often (although not as often as she'd like!) while working on teen novels.

If you had to pick one character from among all those you have created, which one would be your favourite? (I know I'm being evil ;) 
You are devilish indeed; you know we shouldn’t play favourites! Before I answer, I have to say I love being asked these questions with proper Canadian spelling. So far all my books have been published to match up with American dictionary spellings but it still doesn’t seem right to me to see words like neighbour and colour missing their U’s. Anyway, generally my favourite character is whichever one I’ve worked on most recently but overall I’m probably fondest of Finn from One Lonely Degree because she’s a lot like me right down to her introversion, fondness for music and burning desire to go to London (I’ve been six times now and am still crazy about it). 

You’re known for writing intense realistic YA contemporaries. Is there another genre you’d love to try your hand at someday? Is there a genre you could never see yourself writing? 
YA contemporary is my favourite but I enjoy variety. My upcoming YA book has some sci-fi elements and I think it could be fun to write more books with either paranormal (like My Beating Teenage Heart) or sci-fi elements sometime. Maybe even horror. I’ve also written a book with a twenty-year-old main character who is grieving for her boyfriend when she becomes physically involved with someone else (more on that later in this interview). I’m really not in traditional type mysteries so that’s something I can’t ever see myself diving into. Also, although I enjoy reading about older characters it’s difficult for me to envision writing about character over the age, say, twenty-five or so. 

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a planner? 
I let the story unfold in my head in a sort of vague way first and then I usually write a chapter by chapter outline (a couple of sentences per chapter). So I usually have a pretty good idea of where the story is heading by the time I sit down to type it out, but sometimes I’m wrong and things take a different turn! 

Describe your writing space. 
The den is a mess. It’s a very small room to begin with and the bookshelf behind me is totally overcrowded. There are also notebooks and bits of paper strewn everywhere (the futon is always covered with stuff). I have a couple of Beatles posters on my wall and a Jane Austen action figure, that I can see from my computer, to inspire me. The big things I need are quiet and solitude. I’m not one of those writers who can write in a coffee shop or while listening to music (although I like to listen to music before and after writing and while working on my website and stuff). 

I know Yesterday is coming out in September 2012, but do you have any other writing projects currently planned? If so, can you give a hint of what to expect. 
I’m rewriting the first YA books I ever wrote (which were a trilogy but which will now be one book) and am also planning to release the book with the twenty-year-old main character I mentioned earlier as an e-book.

Quick Questions: 

What’s the best thing about living in Toronto? 
Often when I’m in the city (I actually live in the burbs but near enough to Toronto to take advantage of all it has to offer) it’s to go to a concert, the theatre or watch movies that don’t make it out to the suburbs so I have to say the best thing about being near Toronto is the arts scene. 

You go on a cross-country trip across Canada. What is the one place you have to visit? 

Lately I’ve been feeling really intrigued by Labrador because it seems so unspoiled, remote and breathtaking. 

What's your favourite book by a Canadian author and why? 

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson because she's amazingly perceptive about people and the complex nature of family relationships. 

A huge thank you to C.K. for taking the time to answer my questions!

C.K. can be found on: [her blog] [her website] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

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Click here to find out more about C.K.'s books!

For this giveaway, C.K. has generously offered to give away a signed copy of My Beating Teenage Heart to Canadian readers. If you have a Canadian mailing address and are over the age of 13, you can fill out this FORM.

In addition, one person will get the chance to win one copy of any of C.K.'s books. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

From Goodreads: Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human - oh, and same goes for her. A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden … 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I love books that involve angels so I was really excited about finally being able to read Jessica Shirvington’s Embrace in North America. At the same time, I was a little wary as well because I’ve read quite a bit of angel novels and many of them haven’t been particularly great. Embrace though turned out to be one of the better books even if I did have several issues with it.

My main problem with Embrace was the characterization. I liked Violet in the beginning and could easily relate to her not wanting to celebrate her birthday or pining over Lincoln but not telling him how she feels for fear of jeopardizing their friendship. Given that she went through something traumatic and told Lincoln all about it, I could also see why Violet felt so betrayed by the fact that he never told her he was a Grigori. Over the course of the book however, Violet became increasingly emotionally unstable and it became hard to understand her actions. Shirvington does provide an explanation for this at the end so I currently feel very ambivalent towards Violet.

I also didn’t fall in love with either Lincoln or Phoenix. (Griffin, Lincoln and Violet’s mentor though was a different story, and I’d love to know more about him.) When compared to Phoenix, Lincoln is simply boring. That said, I’m rooting for him because it's obvious that he really cares about Violet whereas I found Phoenix to be controlling and a total stalker. I figured Phoenix had his own motives for wanting to know Violet and spending time with her, but I never guessed his backstory! It’ll be interesting to see how the two interact with each other in Enticed, the sequel to Embrace, now that Violet knows the truth about him and it appears that he may have developed some genuine feelings for her.

Another thing I found problematic in Embrace was the lack of parental presence. You’d think that Violet’s dad would be more protective of his daughter considering what she has been through; yet he remains a workaholic and rarely appears in the book. Similarly, Violet’s best friend Steph can do whatever she wants because not only is her family rich, but her dad is constantly away for work.

Despite its issues, I ended up enjoying Embrace since Shirvington created a tight story exploring free will vs. destiny with an interesting (though at times confusing) take on angels. It’s clear that Shirvington has talent and can write, especially romantic scenes; so I think Enticed definitely has the potential to be better!  

Embrace will be released by Sourcebooks Fire on March 6, 2012.

      

Comments About the Cover: The bottom half of the model’s pose is a little weird but I love the background and the wispy wings that hint at Violet’s angelic side. I also really like that there are falling black feathers because it suggests that just as exiles of light will vie for Violet’s powers, so too will exiles of the dark.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Raincoast Books) for free.