Mini Reviews: Poison by Bridget Zinn and The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction - which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart ... misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Bridget Zinn’s Poison had a much younger tone than I was expecting it to have. That said, I was still entertained by the lovable characters, charming world and Zinn’s easy writhing style. All in all, I’d recommend Poison to MG readers looking for a light fantasy with unexpected twists and to YA readers who want a story that’ll leave them with a smile.

Poison was released on March 12, 2013 by Disney Hyperion. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Disney Book Group) for free via NetGalley. 

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From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. Then Eli’s dream comes true. Now Dusty has to follow the clues - both within Eli’s dreams and out of them - to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett had a rather predictable mystery. However, I did have fun reading it, and give points to Arnett for coming up with a unique paranormal being – Nightmares. While the secondary characters could have been better developed, I liked Dusty, who I found to be witty and down-to-earth. A solid debut overall, I look forward to seeing what happens with Dusty and her friends in the sequel.

The Nightmare Affair was released by Tor Teen on March 5, 2013. 

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

Charming Canucks: Interview and Giveaway with Jane Nickerson

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

Today, I'd like to welcome Jane Nickerson.

 

A bit about Jane (as found on Goodreads): For many years Jane Nickerson and her family lived in a big old house in Aberdeen, Mississippi, where she was also the children’s librarian. She has always loved the South, “the olden days,” gothic tales, houses, kids, writing, and interesting villains. She and her husband now make their home in Ontario, Canada. 

Strands of Bronze and Gold, your debut novel, was released on March 12 by Random House Children’s Books. Give three reasons why everyone should read it. 

First off, Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of a traditional fairytale that is not at all fairy-tale-esque. Really it’s more gothic than magical, so if you’re a fan of Rebecca or Jane Eyre (but without the annoying/boring parts) this is the book for you. Second, Strands has a villain-to-die-for (literally for some), who (like the heroine, Sophie) you alternately fall for, pity, hate, and are creeped-out by. Third, Strands has a valuable modern message – that someone, against all odds, however outwardly helpless, can exercise her agency with integrity, courage, and a pure heart, in order to stand against and defeat evil. 

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a historical fiction with gothic elements based on the folktale of Bluebeard. Is there another genre you’d love to try your hand at someday? Is there a genre you could never see yourself writing? 
I really love high fantasy, and thought that the first book I had published would be full of wizards and mysticism and magic. Eventually I hope to do that. I can’t see myself ever writing contemporary realistic fiction, particularly the kind that involves a lot of brand-name dropping. There’s certainly a place for that, but I can’t get interested in it. 

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a planner? 
For short stories I’m a pantser – I leap into it and just write it into a story. For long books I start out with everything neatly planned and outlined in a notebook with carefully-marked sections. It’s sort of like a skeleton to hang the flesh on. Then, as I go along, the notebook becomes crammed with bits and pieces of paper I’ve scribbled notes on, and I’m allowed to change anything I want to change as the ideas strike me and as the characters demand. 

Describe your writing space. 
My writing space is a messy desk in a study lined with bookshelves. There’s a big window next to it, so I can gaze outside now and then, and there’s space in the middle to jump up and pace when I get fidgety. I need lots of water bottles, cashews, and quiet, haunting music like “Secret Garden” to keep me going.  I also have a few “fiddling” toys (for example, a small slinky), that I fiddle with when I’m thinking hard and not typing at all. 

I know Strands of Bronze and Gold is the first book in a trilogy. Can you give a hint of what to expect in the sequel, The Mirk and the Midnight Hour? 
The Mirk and Midnight Hour (available spring 2014) isn’t really a sequel to Strands - it's more of a companion book. It takes place in the same Mississippi County during the American Civil War, and is based on the “Ballad of Tam Lin.” The knight in the old Scottish story is a captured Union soldier in my retelling, and instead of fairies my story has voodoo practitioners. It has more fantasy/magical elements than Strands.  As for “trilogy,” I’m currently about two-thirds through the first draft of the third book. It’s unsold so far, so wish me luck. A Place of Stone and Shadow (which I think might be the title of this one), returns to Wyndriven Abbey (the house that was the setting for STRANDS), but years later, during Reconstruction after the war. The story is original - not a retelling. The abbey has been turned into a girls’ boarding school, and some of the deceased inhabitants of Wyndriven do not rest easy. As I’m now well into writing it, and I’m realizing that I have lots of good material, there may well be a fourth book. What’s the name of a series of four books? Quad-something? 

Quick Questions: 

You grew up in Mississippi but eventually moved to Canada. What was the biggest adjustment for you? 
I still feel nervous every time we cross the border back and forth, which is silly, but I have this fear, What if they won’t let me get by? 

What's the best thing about living in Bradford? 
A couple minutes from our house is an absolutely glorious nature area, where I can hike several times a week. 

You go on a cross-country trip across Canada. What is the one place you have to visit? 
I’m betting you get this answer a lot – I’m dying to visit L.M. Montgomery’s world at P.E. Island because she makes it sound like a piece of heaven in her descriptions. 

What's your favourite book by a Canadian author and why? 
I love Keturah and Lord Death, by Martine Leavitt, because of her beautiful writing and because of the fascinating character of Lord Death. 

A huge thank you to Jane for taking the time to answer my questions!

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

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Click here to find out more about Strands of Bronze and Gold

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Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

From Goodreads: When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation - on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting - from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi. Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives - all with hair as red as her own - in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Even though Jane Nickerson’s Strands of Bronze and Gold was a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale, I wish the synopsis hadn’t stated so because let’s face it: if you know what the fairy tale is about, it definitely ruins the climax. Assuming you don’t know the gist of the original fairy tale, let’s just say that Strands of Bronze and Gold is a slow-paced, creepy (beware, it does take some time to become that!) tale with gothic elements, set in the South before the Civil War. Although its secondary characters were forgettable (which is too bad because most of them were POC characters), Strands of Bronze and Gold features a sympathetic protagonist, a well-developed villain, and a realistic depiction of abuse.

Sophie was a character that I found pretty easy to relate to. Having her father die, she leaves her siblings to go live with her godfather who she hopes will provide her with a better life and eventually help her siblings as well. Once at Wyndriven Abbey, Sophie forgets her beliefs for a bit as she adjusts to now living a life of luxury. Fortunately, Sophie is able to see past the glitz later on and realize that perhaps she doesn’t want the exact life that her guardian is living. Nowhere is this more evident than in Sophie’s treatment of the slaves employed by Monsieur Bernard.

Poor Sophie is unable to handle her situation with Monsieur Bernard so easily however. At first, things appear great, with Monsieur Bernard providing her with ample gifts. But, she soon starts feeling slightly uncomfortable as Monsieur Bernard occasionally begins hitting on her. Having developed a minor crush on her godfather, Sophie initially brushes this off and makes excuses for her godfather’s behaviour, but the reader quickly becomes alert to more troublesome signs in their relationship like Monsieur Bernard’s temper and Sophie’s increasing isolation. Luckily, Sophie realizes that her godfather may not be as charming as he appears to be and quickly outgrows her crush, especially once she meets the local preacher, Reverend Gideon Stone.

The romance between Sophie and Gideon was very much insta-love, and I couldn’t buy it because I think Sophie would have fallen for anybody that gave her some attention and treated her decently. As a character, Gideon paled in comparison to Monsieur Bernard, who could be charismatic in one moment and furious, dismissive and manipulative in other. You just never knew which side of his you’d see! 

Strands of Bronze and Gold was released on March 12, 2013 by Random House Children's Books. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s so pretty!

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

original image from thegate.ca

Review: First Visions by Heather Topham Wood (and Giveaway)

From Goodreads: Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother’s home. Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can’t control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: For a self-published novel, Heather Topham Wood’s First Visions was a well-written mystery. The book, however, lost some stars when it came to the main character of Kate and the romance.

After contracting meningitis, Kate emerges out of a coma with a vision about an abduction case. Having seen her family’s and friends’ reactions to her newfound ability, Kate now pretends that she can no longer see visions of people’s past. Hiding her true self though has led to Kate becoming very defensive and being more or less a loner. When Jared shows up on her doorstep asking for assistance with his case, Kate initially continues the charade, but is eventually convinced by her mother to help.

Jared was a nice guy, and I thought he and Kate would have made good friends. But, the romantic tension between them felt very forced to me. I mean, how convenient that the first guy Kate started to fall for after becoming a psychic also happened to have an eccentric aunt who brought him up and therefore was very open to ideas like people being psychic. Of course he got bonus points for being attractive and a good listener.

Another reason I wasn’t a fan of the romance was because Kate just seemed so immature in comparison to Jared. For example, Kate crosses professional boundaries soon after meeting Jared by Googling his address and showing up at his apartment after a fight with her mom. Later in the book, she gets him to pick her up from a club and tries to seduce him while drunk.

Finally, I didn’t like the romance because I didn’t approve of Kate going after a guy that was already taken (even if he was sending some mixed signals). I think Wood tried her best to convince readers that Kate was the better option for Jared, but she unfortunately did so by depicting Nikki as a stereotypical mean girl.

The relationship I did like however was that of Kate and her mother. It was just so normal, and I liked how close they were with each other.

First Visions was released in April 2012 by CreateSpace. 

Comments About the Cover: It kind of screams “self-published” and doesn’t really relate to the story.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the author for free via Xpresso Book Tours. 

First Visions can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [Book Depository]

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Mini Reviews: Pantomime by Laura Lam and Bruised by Sarah Skilton

From Goodreads: R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass- remnants of a mysterious civilization long gone - are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide. Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Laura Lam’s Pantomime wasn’t at all like what I was expecting based off the synopsis! I thought I’d be reading about two characters slowly falling love at a circus a la The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Instead, the main characters in Pantomime have a surprising secret that leads the reader to think about gender identity and sexual orientation. I was also expecting Pantomime to be a standalone and so wasn’t prepared for the cliffhanger ending. Overall, although I really enjoyed the circus setting and the world of Ellada, I always felt somewhat disconnected from the characters and found the flashbacks in the latter half of the story to be distracting.                                

Pantomime was released in February 2013 by Strange Chemistry. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Angry Robot) for free via NetGalley. 

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From Goodreads: When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else - more responsible, more capable. But now her sense of self has been challenged and she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shootout.  

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Bruised by Sarah Skilton was a book I struggled to finish. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but I just couldn’t care about Imogen for some reason. By extension therefore, I didn’t care about Imogen’s family problems, the fact that she was suffering from PTSD, or her bland romance. While reading Bruised, I couldn’t understand why Imogen felt guilty about freezing up and hiding when someone came in the local diner with a gun. I don’t think there’s any shame in that kind of reaction – even if you know tae kwan do. 

Bruised was released by Amulet on March 5, 2013.

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

Review: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

From Goodreads: The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate - a twin raised by another family - and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage - life. Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love ... though both have the power to destroy her. 

My Rating: 2 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I love finding out about new Canadian authors. So, when I discovered that Elsie Chapman’s Dualed was available on NetGalley, I requested it. The synopsis sounded fantastic, and I thought that West and her Alt would become BFFs and try to bring down Kersh’s government together (or something like that). Yeah … not so much! What I got was a story with ridiculous worldbuilding, a protagonist that was hard to like, and a plot with very little substance.

In Dualed, the gated city of Kersh attempts to protect its citizens from the violence of the world outside by isolating them and making itself self-sufficient. In case the Surround does decide to attack Kersh though, the Board – which we get very little information about – ensures that every adult living in the city is capable of becoming a soldier since they’ve all been trained to kill (and have killed at least their Alt with what appears to be little remorse). Basically, that’s one of the purposes of having Alts; the other is that due to the problem of infertility, the Board wants that only the best version of two couples’ genes survives.

Though there seems to be some discontent with the Board’s system, I personally find it preposterous that most of Kersh’s citizens could be so complacent about having Alts. It’s sickening to imagine that people could be okay with the thought of ten-year-olds possibly killing each other! Also, for a city deemed to be a safe haven, the price of living in it seems awfully high what with all the violence (e.g. Alts killing Alts, Alts hiring strikers, civilians getting caught in the crossfire and becoming Peripheral Kills, etc.) occurring on a daily basis.

Then we have West herself. At the beginning of the book, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for West because she had lost her parents and siblings to violence. However, once West became an active (i.e. she has to kill her own Alt or risk being killed), it became really hard for me to understand her decisions. She freezes up when she’s initially activated (yet had earlier forced her brother’s best friend, Chord, to hunt down his Alt ASAP), pushes Chord away rather than letting him help her, and continues to work as a striker (West figured it would be a good way to get some more training) despite having a target on her back.

The only reason I finished Dualed was because Chapman’s ability to write a thriller was good enough to keep me curious about the ending. I kept waiting to see when West would run into her Alt, but eventually, all that chasing started to feel incredibly pointless. It took far too long to get to the predictable ending!

I’m not sure where the sequel will go since Dualed could have easily been a standalone, but I know I won’t be reading it. I really wanted to love Dualed, but it just ended up being a major disappointment.  

Dualed was released in February 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers.

Comments About the Cover: I really like the thriller feel to it.

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

original image from thegate.ca

Review: Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

From Goodreads: Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was. Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too. Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realize exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell. With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to ...

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington, the third book in The Violet Eden Chapters, picks up right where Entice leaves off. With only six months between releases, you’d think that I’d remember what happened in prior books better! But, for some reason, by the time a new book in this series is released, I can barely remember why Violet is so special, let alone the overarching plot. I really think having a list of major characters with their powers at the end of the book and a brief recap at the beginning would help solve my problem.

In terms of how The Violet Eden Chapters has evolved, a lot of things remain the same. For example, each book ends with a cliffhanger. As well, Violet continues to be pretty immature, having secret meetings with Phoenix and withholding information from her Grigori friends rather than letting them be a source of support. I’m also getting sort of tired of the whole wanting-to-be-with-Lincoln-but-not-being-able-to phenomenon. I love though that we still get some steamy scenes and that Shirvington remains able to smoothly incorporate her angel mythology with the historical background of the different places (e.g. Jordan, Santorini, etc.) the Grigoris travel to.

The one noticeable change in Emblaze is that Violet’s absent father suddenly starts to notice his daughter. He begins to question her whereabouts and even makes an attempt to ground her. Although it was weird to have Mr. Eden randomly acting like an actual parent, I like the development and am curious to see how this will change his relationship with his daughter. 

Emblaze will be released on March 5, 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire.

  

Comments About the Cover: It matches Entice’s a lot more than Embrace’s. The darker look also goes well with the darker tone of this novel. 

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

Review: None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing (and Giveaway)

From Goodreads: The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list. Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero? As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together ... when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing was a quick, easy read. Though the story was decent, it was one that unfortunately didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. Perhaps because of the short length, the characters were also a bit flat.

While I liked Sophie, she and her friends were just a tad self-absorbed. As a result, my favourite character in the novel was probably Johnny because of his easygoing attitude and the way he helped Sophie and her friends with their dares, eventually becoming a friend of Sophie’s.

I also appreciated that Downing didn’t force her characters to rush into a relationship. When Sophie realizes that her crush on Johnny might be reciprocated, she lets him know that she isn’t interested in being strung along or becoming the other girl. Instead, she gives him time and space to figure out who he wants to be with. It was really nice to see a YA protagonist deal with her love life in a mature manner.

None of the Regular Rules was released in November 2012. 

Comments About the Cover: Despite what the cover looks like, None of the Regular Rules is more of a coming-of-age story than a romantic novel. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the author for free via Xpresso Book Tours. 

None of the Regular Rules can be bought from: [Amazon]

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Review: Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) by Laurie Boyle Crompton

From Goodreads: Blaze is tired of spending her life on the sidelines, drawing comics and feeling invisible. She's desperate for soccer star Mark to notice her. And when her BFF texts Mark a photo of Blaze in sexy lingerie, it definitely gets his attention. After a hot date in the back of her minivan, Blaze is flying high, but suddenly Mark's feelings seem to have been blasted by a freeze-ray gun, and he dumps her. Blaze gets her revenge by posting a comic strip featuring uber-villain Mark the Shark. Mark then retaliates by posting her "sext" photo, and, overnight, Blaze goes from Super Virgin Girl to Super Slut. That life on the sidelines is looking pretty good right about now ... 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I hadn’t read any reviews of Laurie Boyle Crompton’s Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) before I dove into it, and so had no idea of what to expect from it. Usually, I’ve had good luck with these types of books because I’ve ended up liking them way more than I thought I would in hindsight, but that wasn’t the case with Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains). And to think it started off so well!

At first, I found Blaze to be an endearing character. She was responsible, made me smile with her thoughts, and had a great relationship with her brother and his friends. It was also pretty easy to relate to her crush on a guy above her social ranking. At some point prior to the halfway mark though, Blaze became more annoying than endearing; and eventually, became one of the stupidest main characters I’ve ever encountered. Here’s why:

• Her infatuation with Mark – we never really get to know much about him other than the fact that he loves soccer and likes blondes – started to feel obsessive. 
• She and her friends continually talk about what a slut one of their classmates is and thereby continue to perpetuate that rumour. 
• After Blaze suggests that her friend, Amanda, flirt with a buddy of Mark and he ignores her, Amanda sexts a picture of Blaze in a fit of anger. Instead of dumping her frenemy, Blaze remains best friends with her. 
• Even before Mark takes an interest in Blaze, Blaze’s younger brother hints that his coach might be a player. Blaze chooses to ignore Josh’s warnings and promptly proceeds to lose her virginity to Mark – after one movie date where she lets him get to second base! – in the back of her van … without using a condom! Blaze then assumes Mark is her boyfriend for some reason. WTF?!
• Although it’s clear that her dad doesn’t give a damn about his family after leaving them to pursue his acting dreams, Blaze thinks her dad can help solve her problems and decides to drive to New York from Pennsylvania (without letting him know she’s coming).

Though Blaze essentially ruined the book for me, the big positive about Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) was that Crompton showed the serious ramifications of sexting.

Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) was released by Sourcebooks Fire on February 1, 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: I like the pink hair, but why is the model’s entire face covered by her hair? The windblown look makes it seem as if there’s a hairdryer or something positioned at the back of her head? 

Note: Unlike my ARC, the finished copy has illustrations that resemble those of a comic book.

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

Review: Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs

From Goodreads: While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse. To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter - and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape. But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her - including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back ... 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs was a book that started off great, but could have used a little more clarity towards the end. Here’s what I liked and disliked about the novel: 

Pros:

• One of two female bounty hunters in the story, Greta is a likeable protagonist who’s quite capable of taking care of herself due to her career choice. However, she also displays moments of physical and emotional vulnerability. For example, having been stuck in Mylena for the past four years, she desperately wants to return home yet also wonders how she’ll fit in once she gets back.
• There’s plenty of action in Greta and the Goblin King.
• Mylena has tons of fantastic creatures.
• I liked the allusions to Hansel and Gretel.

Cons:

• I didn’t really enjoy the romance between Greta and Isaac. At the beginning of the novel, Greta is angry at Isaac for manipulating her; but midway through the book, she suddenly starts feeling differently and begins making out with him. The change in heart was way too fast for me!
• The attraction between Greta and Isaac stems from their first meeting – a meeting that Greta keeps referring to. However, we’re never given a proper flashback of it, and so I couldn’t really understand why Greta found Isaac so appealing.
• There’s a love triangle. Unfortunately, Greta comes to care about Wyatt pretty quickly too.
• I felt the ending was slightly rushed and so was left a little confused by the time story wrapped up.                               

Greta and the Goblin King was released in December 2012 by Entangled Teen.

Comments About the Cover: I love the cover since it indicates that the novel is most likely a fantasy, features a heroine who can wield weapons, and probably has a hot guy who may or may not be a villain. 

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

original image from thegate.ca

Waiting on Wednesday: Transparent

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: Transparent

Author: Natalie Whipple

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date of Release: May 1, 2013

Goodreads Description: Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is. An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years - everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults. After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily. Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

Why am I waiting? Besides the awesome cover, I love reading about characters with superpowers. And, it sounds like Fiona has some additional skills that make her a badass. 

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

From Back Cover: Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison - even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: In Scarlet, Marissa Meyer brings together two separate storylines into one. First, we’re introduced to a new protagonist who is trying to find her grandmother with the help of a mysterious street fighter. A few chapters in though, we rejoin Cinder as she attempts to escape from prison in order to find out more about her past from a woman named Michelle Benoit.

While Cinder won me over in Cinder because she was so different from her fairy tale counterpart, I didn’t love Scarlet as much since she was a lot more similar to hers. Thus, like Little Red Riding Hood, Scarlet is rash and willing to trust sketchy strangers. However, I also found her to be loyal, brave, determined and opinionated.

On the other hand, I actually liked Wolf more than Kai. Like Kai, Wolf’s life is complicated; but I feel as if he’s less of a pushover. Plus, Wolf is tough and very protective of Scarlet. I did find Scarlet and Wolf’s romance fast progressing though, and wish that Meyer had given it a bit more time to develop. After all, less than a week passes between the start of the novel and the end.

With the stories of Cinder and Scarlet now overlapping, I look forward to seeing how Meyer will integrate Cress in the next book. With POVs from all sorts of characters in Scarlet, I’m curious to find out whether there will be three main narratives in Cress (i.e. Cinder’s, Scarlet’s and Cress’) and whether Meyer can continue to keep her characters’ voices distinct. 

Scarlet was released on February 5, 2013 by Feiwel and Friends. 

Comments About the Cover: I love that Scarlet’s cover matches that of Cinder. The red cloak also instantly tells you which fairy tale Meyer is retelling.

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

Follower Love Giveway Hop

The Follower Love Giveaway Hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Reader's Antidote. 

For the hop, I'll be giving away any book of your choice worth up to $10 CDN from The Book Depository. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

From Goodreads: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both. Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night? 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having read an ARC of Veronica Rossi’s Under the Never Sky, I can say that I’d been waiting over a year for the release of Through the Ever Night. When I have such heightened expectations for a sequel, I’ve found that those sequels – particularly if they're the middle book of a trilogy – have often disappointed me. That wasn’t the case at all with Through the Ever Night because the stakes were raised and the characters continued to develop.

One of the issues I had with Under the Never Sky was that Rossi was very vague about the Aether and the Still Blue. Although Rossi still doesn’t say much about the Still Blue in Through the Ever Night, she does describe the origin and initial consequences of the Aether.

With the Aether storms worsening, both Aria and Perry are under greater pressure to find the Still Blue. I assumed this would mean that the two would set out on another journey together. However, for a large part of the book, Aria is with the adorable and hilarious Roar instead. Their relationship remains purely platonic, and I loved that Rossi demonstrates that a guy and girl can be capable of being just friends and nothing more.

Aside from Roar’s increased presence, we also get to see a different Soren and more of the Six, my favourite from them being Reef. As well, we finally meet Liv. I didn’t like her at first, but she grew on me once I understood her decisions. I am still shocked though by what happened to Liv at the end; I can’t believe Rossi did what she did with Liv!

While Perry and Aria still alternate narratives, I feel like Through the Ever Night showed more of Perry’s growth than Aria’s – the opposite of what I thought occurred in Under the Never Sky as Aria became more confident in her abilities to survive outside of the Realms. Here, Perry slowly but surely becomes a true Blood Lord as he makes some tough decisions that others may not think or approve of.

A novel that’s just as amazing as its predecessor, Through the Ever Night was released by HarperCollins in January 2013. I can’t wait to see what Rossi will put her characters through in Into the Still Blue! 

Comments About the Cover: Although I like how the cover matches the cover of Under the Never Sky, Perry looks quite modern and well-dressed for an Outsider. He doesn’t resemble the Perry of my imagination at all!

Mini Reviews: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking and Meant To Be by Lauren Morrill

From Goodreads: Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister - and who's immune to the girls' dark powers. While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life.  Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world.  It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs.  Just as she's drifting far away from her old life,  Harper and Daniel find her ... but no one can deny how much she's changed.  All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely - and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking delves further into the siren mythology and is a tad more gruesome than its predecessor, Wake. However, like with Wake, it still feels as if there’s something missing, preventing me from falling in love with this series. The characters – other than Daniel and possibly, Marcie – continue to be merely okay, and the romances aren’t really anything special.

Lullaby was released by St. Martin’s Griffin in November 2012. 

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From Goodreads: It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the - gasp - wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be"). But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts ... from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

My Rating: Wavering between 3 and 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: While I liked Lauren Morrill’s Meant To Be because of its London setting and a couple of surprising twists, it wasn’t as cute a romance story as I thought it would be. Perhaps that’s because I wasn’t overly fond of either Julia or Jason. Although I found Julia relatable in some aspects (e.g. she’s a nerd), she’s also terribly judgmental. As well, I found it ridiculous that just because they “married” each other at the age of five, Julia couldn’t get over her neighbour who moved away when she was seven. Jason, meanwhile, often acted like a douche and came off as very immature at times. 

Meant To Be was released in November 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

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