Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

From Goodreads: Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan ... But for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words ... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: After seeing so many positive reviews for Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park and then Fangirl, I figured I should probably give one of her books a try. Since Fangirl is Rowell’s latest novel, I thought I’d start with that.

As someone who has never even been remotely interested in fanfiction, I wondered if I’d be able to relate to Cath. Fortunately, I found that I could. While I’ve never been so socially anxious that I’d resort to hiding in my room and surviving on granola bars for over a month to avoid going to the cafeteria alone, I can understand why Cath would do that because I, myself, tend to feel uncomfortable at large gatherings. Also, though I’ve never written fanfiction, I know what it’s like to be part of an online community and the friendships and drama that can come as a result of that. 

It wasn’t just Cath who was a realistic character; all the secondary characters were as well. Of those, I think Levi deserves a special mention. As the love interest, Rowell could have easily made him a physically handsome guy, but she doesn’t. Instead, Levi is described as too tall and skinny with a receding hairline. I thought that was awesome because YA novels tend to delude you into thinking that you can find guys who look like models on every corner.

Another strength of Fangirl was its focus on different relationships. The book gives equal page time to familial relationships, friendships and school relationships. My favourite of these would probably be Cath’s relationships with her father and her roommate Reagan whereas my least favourite was that of her relationship with her twin Wren, who I disliked.

Besides not liking Wren, I also didn’t enjoy the random excerpts from the Simon Snow series and Cath’s fanfiction at the beginning of each chapter. I thought they were kind of all over the place and not really necessary to the plot.

Fangirl was released in September 2013 by St. Martin’s Press. 

Comments About the Cover: I like its simplicity. It does a great job of showing off the characters of Cath and Levi.

Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (and Giveaway)

From Goodreads: It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder - would they be better off staying here forever? Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: As part of the blog tour arranged by The Midnight Garden for Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's These Broken Stars, I’m going to provide five reasons to read their book. Here they are:

1. The plot: Although I didn’t understand the scientific reasoning behind the major plot twist at the end, I thought the book was very original. I’ve never been a sci-fi fan and previously hadn’t really enjoyed the few books that I read that fell within the genre, but I was entertained by These Broken Stars. 
2. The writing: Not only was Kaufman and Spooner’s writing descriptive, but they also added an element of suspense. Each chapter, for example, begins with part of a record of Tarver’s interrogation, and you can’t help but wonder what it is that Tarver and Lilac discovered while being stuck on this abandoned planet.
3. The dual POVs: As long as the voices of the characters remain distinct, I love reading about a situation from multiple perspectives. That’s definitely applicable to These Broken Stars as well. 
4. The protagonists: Most people might find Tarver easier to like than Lilac, but I had the opposite reaction. I felt sorry for Lilac having to push people away and appearing like a snob. I also realized there was a lot more to her than meets the eye when she hot-wires their escape pod. I was just waiting for her to show her strength and capability to Tarver, who seemed to have this “I know best” mentality that disappears as the novel progresses. 
5. The slow building romance: Though both Tarver and Lilac are attracted to each other at the beginning of the book, the way Lilac is forced to treat Tarver causes him embarrassment. As a result, both Tarver and Lilac believe that the other person thinks the worst of them even as they start to develop respect for each other. It all makes for some nice sexual tension.

These Broken Stars will be released in December 10, 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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Tour Schedule
Visit each stop for more exclusive These Broken Stars content and additional chances to earn prizes!

Monday, 11/11   The Midnight Garden (World-Building for the Future)

Tuesday, 11/12   Love is Not a Triangle (Author Interview)

Wednesday, 11/13   The Perpetual Page-Turner (Using Technology to Write with a Partner)

Thursday, 11/14   Good Books and Good Wine (Audiobook Sample + Narrator Interview)

Friday, 11/15   The Starry-Eyed Revue (Character Interview with Tarver )
Monday, 11/18   Cuddlebuggery (Author Interview)

Monday, 11/18   Review Stops: Ex-Libris Kate, Step Into Fiction, Books and Other Happily Ever Afters, Musings of a YA Reader, Ramblings of a Daydreamer, Curling Up with a Good Book

Tuesday, 11/19   Books With Bite (Amie & Meg's Favorite Things)

Wednesday, 11/20   Xpresso Reads (Establishing Characters with Role-Playing)

Thursday, 11/21   Great Imaginations (Co-Authoring Books)

Friday, 11/22   Nawanda Files (Lilac's Gorgeous Dress: A Look at These Broken Stars' Cover Art)

Monday 11/25   Promo stops (fun facts about the book!)

The Flyleaf Review,  YA Romantics, WhatchYA Reading?, Scott Reads It!, My Friends are Fiction, Books and Whimsy, Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks, Forever 17 Books, Cecelia Bedelia, Another Novel Read, In Bed with Books, Falling for YA, Forever Literary, Effortlessly Reading 

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Visit the These Broken Stars website for the latest news on the series and follow the authors on Twitter at @AmieKaufman and @MeaganSpooner. You may also sign up for their newsletter as well! These Broken Stars will be available in North America on December 10, 2013.

If you pre-order the book from Malaprop's Bookstore, you can also get a collectible TBS poster autographed by the authors! 
 

It's Been Quiet Here ...

Hey everybody! I just wanted to apologize for my sporadic posts and lack of comments lately. The Master’s Program I got accepted into this year has been a lot more time consuming than I expected. I spend Monday to Thursday mornings teaching, going to classes in the afternoon everyday, and working on assignments and essays on the weekend. As a result, I have very little time for reading and blogging. So when I do read, it’s for fun rather than for review purposes. I also just moved, which meant I spent quite a bit of time packing and now, unpacking. I’ll start posting regularly in December, but have a couple of posts scheduled for the month of November and am keeping my fingers crossed that I can leave some comments during the next few weeks.   

Review: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

From Goodreads: In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds. Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe. As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returns, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I adore fairy tale retellings so when I heard that Stacey Jay’s Of Beast and Beauty was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I knew I had to read it. After reading Of Beast and Beauty though, I’d have to say that it’s a very loose retelling. It reminds me of Everneath in the sense that it uses ideas from a few stories to deliver an entirely new creation. In the case of Of Beast and Beauty, there are elements from Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel.

For me, the best aspect about Of Beast and Beauty was the writing. It was just so poetic and enchanting! I loved that a lot of the imagery relied on the sense of smell and touch – due to Isra’s blindness – because it really made the city of Yuan and the surrounding desert come alive in my mind.

The characters were great as well. I found both Isra and Gem to be equally complex. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Bo wasn’t as bad as I suspected. Silly me for judging a character in a book about appearances!

Although I thought that Gem’s and Isra’s realizations that they loved each other was a bit sudden, I did like the romance. Gem and Isra had chemistry, and there was a believable transition from the two being enemies to learning that they had things in common.

Another thing I enjoyed about Of Beast and Beauty was the way it conveys its message. Not only does the book teach the reader to look past appearances and to consider the idea of beauty not being the same for each person, but it also distorts their perception of who is Beauty and who is Beast over the course of the story.

A spellbinding novel, Of Beast and Beauty was released in July 2013 by Delacorte Press. 

Comments About the Cover: I like that the cover hints at all the fairy tales that Of Beast and Beauty appears to be inspired by. You can clearly see the tower (Rapunzel) and the rose (Sleeping Beauty), and obviously, the title (Beauty and the Beast).

Mini Reviews: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor and This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

From Goodreads: Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side - that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school. When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor was an average read. While I liked that the mystery was hard to solve, I couldn’t really understand why Anne was so invested in trying to solve her roommate’s murder herself since she only knew her roommate for a week or so. Although I found Anne initially kind of spoiled and annoying, she slowly grew on me. The same can’t be said for the secondary characters in Prep School Confidential. The love interests were dull, and everybody else wasn’t developed enough for me to care about them.

Prep School Confidential was released in July 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (St. Martin's Press) for free via NetGalley. 
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From Goodreads: When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Like Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I feel as if her novel This Is What Happy Looks Like is missing something that will make it go from a cute, decent read to an amazing one. That being said, I think I enjoyed This Is What Happy Looks Like just a bit more because the dual narrations enabled me to get to know both Graham and Ellie equally well. I would have liked this story even more though if I had been able to see Graham and Ellie’s friendship develop over email. 

This is What Happy Looks Like was released by Poppy in April 2013.

Review: Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

From Goodreads: Alex and Lila are on the run, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of the Unit, which is somehow tracking their every move. While Alex is determined to keep Lila safe and her ability secret at any cost, Lila's only thought is of finding a way back to California so she can rescue her brother and mother from the military base where they're being held. Struggling to control both her growing power and her deepening feelings for Alex, Lila decides the time has finally come to stop running and start fighting. Together with Alex, Demos, and the others she's come to think of as family, Lila plans not only to save her brother and mum, but also to completely destroy the Unit and everything it stands for. But the plan requires Lila to return to California alone, and to make friends with the enemy - and in doing so, she risks losing everything: Alex, her family … even her life. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson begins a week after the end of Hunting Lila. When the novel starts, Lila and Alex are on the run from the Unit. Jack is in a coma after having been shot. Demos’ original group has splintered and those that remain with him are trying to divide the Unit’s forces by having the Unit chase them rather than Alex and Lila. Readers dive headfirst into the action, and it’s awesome!

As a character, Lila is definitely more mature in this novel. She’s still impulsive, but her impulsivity is reined in. It’s also evident throughout the course of Losing Lila that she has become more comfortable with her power and is able to control it better. As well, I really liked that she was able to stand up for herself, especially when it came to decisions made by Alex (who shows some emotional vulnerability in this installment) or Jack as those two tended to make the decisions for her in Hunting Lila.

I continue loving the sibling dynamic between Lila and Jack! Their interactions never fail to amuse me, and I love how they know exactly what buttons to push to annoy the other person. If I could have an older brother from a YA novel, Jack would probably be on the top of my list (although his protective streak might get old after a while)!

With the return of beloved secondary characters like Nate and Suki, Losing Lila is as enjoyable as Hunting Lila. While Hunting Lila may have been more fun, Losing Lila balances that out by having more emotional depth.

Losing Lila was released in August 2012 by Simon & Schuster UK. 

Comments About the Cover: I’m not really a fan of the cover. I liked Hunting Lila’s cover better.

Review: My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling (and Giveaway)

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following: a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.) b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame. Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy teen yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world. Literally. This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed. Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her. Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe … and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling was a humorous blend of contemporary and Greek mythology. Even better, the characters were likeable and there was a strong display of friendship throughout the novel.

I think Darling did a good job of creating strong female characters. I found Sophie to be snarky and amusing, and liked that Hannah was a proud geek. Although I don’t understand why there was such a focus on Hannah’s beauty (since it wasn’t really important to the story), it’s nice that Darling made an attempt to show that beauty and brains aren’t mutually exclusive.

Another thing I liked was how obvious it was that Sophie and Hannah cared about each other. They had their very own rituals as best friends, and didn’t keep secrets from the other person. For example, when Sophie found out that she was a goddess stuck in a mortal body, she told Hannah right away. At no point was Hannah kept in the dark simply for being a human. In fact, Sophie even urges Hannah to accompany her when she goes to kill Delphyne, the dragon appointed to guard the oracle of Delphi, because she knew it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for Hannah to see a dragon.

Though it could have been a tad more serious at certain points, My Ex From Hell was a fun read overall. 

My Ex From Hell was released in April 2013 by Te Da Media. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s a bit too plain looking for me. 

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

 

original image from thegate.ca

My Ex From Hell can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [Book Depository] 

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If you're interested in reading My Ex From Hell, you can enter to win an e-copy by filling out the form below.

To enter: 

1. You must be a GFC follower. 
2. You must be over the age of 13. 
3. This giveaway is open internationally and will end on Thursday, October 17 at 11:59 PM. 
4. Make sure your entries are tallied correctly!

Mini Reviews: Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris and Tied by Laney McMann

From Goodreads: Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths - and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days. And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about - someone from her own world - has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head - and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed? 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: The sequel to Unraveling, Elizabeth Norris’ Unbreakable was even better than its predecessor! Not only did it have all the elements of Unraveling that I liked (e.g. tight pacing, tons of action, great character development, etc.), but I was very pleased that we got to explore some of the other universes as well. I also enjoyed the romance a lot more in this book. Usually when there’s trouble between couples in a YA novel, it’s because there’s another love interest or a superficial problem that's introduced. I loved that the romantic tension in Unbreakable came instead as a result of Ben and Janelle’s individual growth as characters while apart. They still love each other, but have done some questionable things in the name of love and so have to try to reconcile the consequences of their actions with their motives.

Unbreakable was released by Balzer + Bray in April 2013. 

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From Goodreads: Normal people don't believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either. Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal. Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares. Or is that all in her head? Layla doesn't know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken. No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible? The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever - if it doesn’t kill them both first.  

My Rating: 2 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: A huge reason why I decided to read Laney McMann’s Tied was because I don’t know much about Irish mythology. Unfortunately, I found Tied to be a rather disappointing read. The Irish mythology that I was so looking forward to just wasn’t incorporated into the plot as cohesively as I was expecting, and most of the information was typically provided in info dumps. The entire book was pretty much Layla discovering she hadn’t been told something, finding out more about it (for example, researching and looking at a website in one case), freaking out, and then having the cycle repeat.

My reading experience probably could have been improved if I had connected with the characters. Sadly, I didn’t because they weren’t very well developed.

Tied was released in September 2013 by J. Taylor Publishing. 

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

Review: Red by Alison Cherry

From Goodreads: Felicity St. John has it all - loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair. Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power - and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note: I know your secret. Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it - money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school. Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred? 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: When I first saw the summary of Red by Alison Cherry, I thought it sounded like a weirdly interesting read. Only after I read Red did I realize that it’s a satire. If you substitute being redheaded for different cultural ideals of beauty, you quickly see that it’s not just in the fictional town of Scarletville that some people have a higher status than others based on some absurd criteria. 

In terms of the characters, I found it easy to empathize with Felicity because her mom is one of those parents that claim to want what’s best for their child but really just want their child to be a younger version of themselves. And because Felicity doesn’t want to disappoint her mom, she constantly worries about her ‘red cred’ – even going so far as to do whatever her blackmailer tells her to do – while trying to figure out how she can achieve her own goals without hurting her mother. My favourite character, however, was Ivy because she was so individualistic. 

Although I did like Red, I had several issues with it. As a satire, I thought it required a lot of suspension of disbelief, yet turned out to only be an average read. I also didn’t like the idea of resorting to blackmail to change the status quo. Had the cause for change begun in a positive manner, I think I’d feel a bit more sympathy for Felicity’s blackmailer. Lastly, the novel wasn’t as mysterious as I expected; Felicity basically suspects one person to be her blackmailer, confronts her (pretty early in the book), and finds out that she’s right.

Red will be released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on October 8, 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: There’s nothing particularly special about it. I do like the model’s pose though. 

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

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her - or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having loved the fantastic world that Leigh Bardugo created in Shadow and Bone, I couldn’t wait to read Siege and Storm. Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint! 

After running away from the Darkling with Mal, Alina is physically feeling the effects of not being able to use her power on a daily basis. She’s also struggling to feel useful because unlike Mal, she can’t make herself fit in easily everywhere. Soon enough though, the Darkling manages to find Mal and Alina … and he appears to be even stronger than before! 

While I was disappointed that the Darkling wasn’t as present in Siege and Storm as he was in Shadow and Bone, I loved that his actions very much continue to influence Alina throughout the novel. That being said, Bardugo does incorporate a new character who manages to be just as enticing as the Darkling. Sturmhond is charismatic, cocky, witty, ambitious and unafraid to take risks. It’s impossible not to fall in love with him!

Another thing that I really liked about Siege and Storm was how Bardugo addresses the seductiveness of power. In Shadow and Bone, there’s a clear difference made between the Darkling and Alina. But in Siege and Storm, once Alina starts hungering for more power, you see how having a taste of it can begin to change someone and their motives.

With Sturmhond vying for Alina’s attention and the power differential between Mal and Alina, there’s admittedly some tension that builds in the relationship between Mal and Alina. It felt very natural though, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the two of them get over the issues that developed in this novel.

Although I didn’t love Siege and Storm as much as Shadow and Bone, I did think this darker installment was a worthy sequel. Siege and Storm was released in June 2013 by Henry Holt and Co.  

Comments About the Cover: I just realized that part of the cover design of both books in the trilogy alludes to which one of Morozova’s amplifiers the book will be dealing with!

Author Interview: Laney McMann

Normal people don't believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either. Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal. Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares. Or is that all in her head? Layla doesn't know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken. No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible? The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever - if it doesn’t kill them both first.

As part of the blog tour for Tied, I'd like to welcome author Laney McMann to my blog. 

A bit about Laney (as found on Goodreads): With a passion for the supernatural and all things magical, Laney developed a voracious appetite for reading fantasy at a young age. A vivid imagination helped set the stage for creating her own worlds and placed her onto the writing path. By the time she reached her teens, she'd accumulated notebooks full of poems, which led to short stories and finally novels. Young adult dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and mythology are among her favorite genres. A former classical dancer and chef, she grew up in sultry Florida where she still resides with her family. 

What was the inspiration behind Tied? 
I'm fascinated by mythology, and even more so by Irish myths because I'm of Irish descent, so the idea to write something in that direction has always been in the back of my head. The idea to recreate one of the lesser known mythologies just hit me one day, and the more I wrote, the more it took shape and flowed out.

How much research did you do for Tied?

A good amount of research went into the creation of the storyline, and as mythology can be a tangled web to weave through, it was a challenge at times. The story itself is a mixture of history, mythology, and my own fantastical spin on it all.

Tied contains a variety of paranormal creatures. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Hm ... that's a good question. I'm not sure to be honest. Maybe one of the Fae.

In Tied, Layla finds out that people have been lying to her whole life to protect her. What’s a lie (big or small) that you believed in for a long time and how did you find out it was a lie?

Another good question I'm not sure about. I guess, when we're little, we all believe in different fantasy stories – I did anyway, and as we grow up we lose some of that magic. We start to doubt it and question it. That's probably why I write fantasy. I'd rather still believe.

Layla thinks that Max is an imaginary friend for quite a while. Did you have an imaginary friend growing up and if so, tell me a bit about him/her.

I didn't that I remember, although my mom may say different. ;) My imaginary worlds were entirely built on books. Even now, I can get completely consumed by good stories, and I hate it when they end.

A big thanks to Laney for taking the time to answer my questions!

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

Tied can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository] 

Review: Darker Days by Jus Accardo

From Goodreads: Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They’re your girls - but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They’ll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course ... When gorgeous new client, Lukas Scott, saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case - until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin. Seven deadly ones, in fact. They’ve got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy - except for one thing ... There’s a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family - or lose everything.

My Rating: Wavering between 3.5 and 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Darker Days by Jus Accardo was a light, entertaining read featuring a feisty heroine and a great mother-daughter relationship. I do think however that I was in just the right mood for this novel as I wasn’t as bothered by certain things that typically annoy me (e.g. insta-love).

The main character, Jessie, was someone I liked. Although her choice of curse words was a bit strange, she was relatable for the most part. I also found her to be snarky, loyal and very determined.

Another thing that I liked was the close relationship Jessie had with her mother. It was nice to read a story where the main character not only had good rapport with her parent, but more importantly, idolized them as a role model.

As much as I enjoyed Darker Days, I wish that Jessie and Lucas hadn’t fallen in love so fast. I also found that despite being the personification of Wrath, Lucas was remarkably in control of himself most of the time. It would have been more interesting to see him lose his temper a few more times to remind us that he’s not a normal guy.

The first book in The Darker Agency series, Darker Days wraps up satisfyingly, without a cliffhanger.

Darker Days was released in August 2013 by Entangled Publishing. 

Comments About the Cover: I think the model’s pose suits Jessie’s personality, and like how the background shows both Penance and the Shadow Realm. 

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

Mini Reviews: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill and The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

From Goodreads: "You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain. Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present - imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 
Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill starts off simply with a prisoner magnetized by a drain, but quickly becomes an engrossing, fast-paced read with plenty of action. That said, I probably won’t remember much about the novel in a few months because I didn’t really connect with the characters in a meaningful way. As well, because Terrill did her best to avoid time paradoxes, it was hard for me to see how the characters grew from their past selves into their present selves, making it seem as if the two storylines were a bit disconnected. 

All Our Yesterdays will be released by Disney Hyperion on September 3, 2013. 

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: Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing - spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop. So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company. She knows her mom can’t find out - she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Since I really liked Kasie West’s Pivot Point and thought that it felt very much like a contemporary novel despite not being one, I was looking forward to seeing what she’d do with an actual contemporary. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy The Distance Between Us as much as I was expecting to, mainly because I found Caymen to be very judgmental. I also didn’t like the way she treated Xander. But, I did like the unique doll shop setting and the focus on Carmen’s relationship with her mother.

The Distacnce Between Us was released in July 2013 by HarperTeen.

Review: Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier

From Goodreads: Neryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec. Neryn must journey with the tough and steadfast Tali, who looks on Neryn's love for the double agent Flint as a needless vulnerability. And perhaps it is. What Flint learns from the king will change the battlefield entirely - but in whose favor, no one knows. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: In Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier, Neryn has recovered her strength after the events of the previous book, Shadowfell, and plans on seeking the Guardians’ help in spring. But with the conditions of a potential ally’s aid being time bound, she’s forced to speed up her learning of what it means to be a Caller, and so decides to start her journey by going west to find the Hag of the Isles instead of north to seek the Lord of the North.

Accompanying Neryn on her journey is Talia, a girl who serves as Neryn’s foil. Whereas Neryn is physically weaker and morally struggles to use her canny skills for the greater good at the expense of individuals, Talia is a survivor who always puts the rebellion first. Talia also considers love to be a sign of weakness and can’t believe that Neryn and Flint are willing to get closer to each other, knowing that the enemy can easily use their love against them.

While Shadowfell was full of Flint’s presence, he is only given a brief amount of page time in Raven Flight. This means that the tentative romance between Neryn and Flint doesn’t get much deeper, but it does serve to highlight Flint’s perilous role as a member of the rebels.

Although I’ve liked both books in the Shadowfell trilogy so far, I still haven’t fully fallen in love with this series because it’s so slow. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to Caller and expect there to be a lot more action in it since Regan’s Rebels will finally be going up against Keldec and his army.

Raven Flight was released by Knopf Books for Young Readers in July 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: I like the use of darker colours because it lends some bleakness to the scene chosen since it was a time of loneliness for Neryn. 

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

Review: Starglass by Phoebe North

From Goodreads: Terra has never known anything but life aboard the Asherah, a city-within-a-spaceship that left Earth five hundred years ago in search of refuge. At sixteen, working a job that doesn't interest her, and living with a grieving father who only notices her when he's yelling, Terra is sure that there has to be more to life than what she's got. But when she inadvertently witnesses the captain's guard murdering an innocent man, Terra is suddenly thrust into the dark world beneath her ship's idyllic surface. As she's drawn into a secret rebellion determined to restore power to the people, Terra discovers that her choices may determine life or death for the people she cares most about. With mere months to go before landing on the long-promised planet, Terra has to make the decision of a lifetime - one that will determine the fate of her people.

My Rating: 1 heart 

Thoughts on the Novel: Though I’m not a big fan of sci-fi novels, I was pretty interested in reading Phoebe North’s debut, Starglass, because of North’s presence on Goodreads and in the blogosphere. Unfortunately, I struggled to finish Starglass due to several reasons.

First, I found it incredibly hard to believe in the worldbuilding. Having discussed the challenges of traveling to another planet in an astronomy course I took, I just didn’t find the existence of the Asherah very realistic. I might have been able to put aside my skepticism if the Asherah were a spaceship consisting of a few people traveling to a planet nearby, but North made it almost like a miniature city. There were a few hundred people, pets, crops being grown on fields, babies being born in a hatchery … all on a spaceship engaging in interstellar travel!

Another thing I was constantly focused on was the strong incorporation of Judaism in Starglass. It was very unexpected, and left me wondering why there weren’t any people of other religions present on the Asherah. Midway through the book, I finally learned that the Asherah is owned by the Post-terrestrial Jewish Preservation Society. Had this been explained earlier, I think it wouldn’t have been nagging me so much, allowing me to concentrate more fully on the plot.

Speaking of the plot, Starglass’ is really slow and meandering. For the first third of the book or so, there isn’t much going on other than Terra going to work, wanting to be kissed, and planning her marriage. Later on, she joins a rebel group and is chosen to assassinate somebody but is too busy making out with them.

As a character, I did not like Terra! Aside from the fact that she’s a bad friend, I thought that Terra seemed very desperate for romantic love since she’s constantly thinking about kissing guys. I hate when girls appear needy in that sense. I also didn’t find her to be a strong character – she does quite a bit of crying – which was too bad because she sometimes found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and then would get involved in things I thought she probably had no business getting involved in.

Finally, I didn’t know what to make of the absurd ending. Spoiler alert: While the Asherah has been in space, Terra – for reasons unknown – has not only been dreaming about Zehava (the planet the Asherati plan on colonizing) being inhabited but also of a particular Zehavan guy. (The Asherati don't know that Zehava is inhabited until the Asherah gets near and a team is sent to scope out the planet.) After witnessing something dangerous, Terra realizes she’ll no longer be safe on the Asherah and so decides to seek safety with the Zehevan guy she has been dreaming about, a guy who happens to be a total stranger!

Starglass was released in July 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Comments About the Cover: I really like the pretty cover, and think it relates well to the story because it has a girl looking through a window at a planet. She is surrounded by leaves, which symbolize Terra’s occupation as a botanist.  

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Simon & Schuster) for free via Edelweiss.