Elegy by Tara Hudson

I actually preferred the second book Arise in Tara Hudson's Hereafter Trilogy to the first, so I decided to pick up book three, Elegy not long after, hoping it would be even better. Unfortunately, it was not. In this final book Amelia is threatened by the demons of high bridge that unless she turns herself over to evil forces, one person she knows will die every week. She and her friends plot to destroy the bridge-- and stop evil from crossing over for good. However, Amelia has a plan of her own, and she's not telling anyone until it's too late to stop her.

I felt like a lot of Elegy was a bit of a mess. The plans the teenagers make don't always make sense, like showing up at prom to recruit people for a secret plan. With alcohol. It just felt random and like a bad idea, created only to cause tension that didn't come across as authentic. The ending also felt like it was really trying to tie up all the loose ends and as a result it came across as forced and wasn't overly satisfying-- nor did it really tie many of them up. Despite getting some enjoyment out of book two, I was just really tired (and bored) of this series by the time I finished Elegy.

Release Date: June 4th 2013 Pages: 386  Publisher: HarperTeen  Buy It: Book Depository

Arise by Tara Hudson

I felt okay about the first book in this trilogy, Hereafter by Tara Hudson, but I wasn't blown away enough to know if I'd bother continuing. Now that all three books are released, and I want to finish up some unfinished series in 2014, I decided to give book two a shot. So what did I think of Arise by Tara Hudson?

Well, things are far from paradise for Amelia and Josh, as they can't even kiss too long without Amelia vanishing, and Josh has basically ditched all his friends so they don't think he's crazy for making out with empty space. Dating a ghost sucks. It isn't long before there is more drama thrown into the mix, as it turns out the underworld doesn't just "give up" and they want Amelia-- along with anyone she cares about who happens to get in the way. Amelia travels with Josh to New Orleans for one last Christmas together before she knows she has to leave him forever, but of course, once there, things do not go as planned. 

I found Arise pretty easy and enjoyable to read. It took a little chunk for me to really get engaged in it, but once I did I had a fun time reading it. This isn't a book to change your life or to reread again and again, but it had some interesting twists and it definitely kept my attention. Neither Amelia or Josh are the most interesting characters, but I did like Amelia a lot more in this book, even if she was still a bit whiny in this book. I also thought the tension between Josh and Amelia in Arise was well done, and played off the interesting dynamic of the human/ghost relationship. 

There were a bunch of new characters introduced in Arise and one in particular, Gaby, I really enjoyed. Gaby, along with the easy writing, is enough incentive for me to finish this trilogy up with the final book, Elegy, sometime in the next couple months. Overall I'd say this is a fun, decent read if you're looking for a paranormal romance and although Arise isn't groundbreaking for me, Hudson provides enough suspense and an action-packed second half of the book to keep me hooked. 

Release Date: June 5th 2012  Pages: 407  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Harper   Buy It: Book Depository

Overbite by Meg Cabot

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Overbite, but does contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Insatiable, a review of which can be found here. 

Overbite by Meg Cabot

Release Date: July 5th, 2011
Pages: 278
Format: Hardcover and Audiobook
Publisher: William Morrow
Narrator: Emily Bauer
Source: Publisher and Personal Shelf
Buy It: Book Depository
Also By This Author: Prom Nights From Hell; Abandon

Meena is now working for the Palatine, a demon-hunting organization, despite having Lucien Anton­escu, son of Dracula, for an ex-boyfriend.  She knows convincing her co-workers—including Alaric Wulf—that vampires can be redeemed won’t be easy, especially when a deadly threat begins endangering the lives of both the Palatine and Meena's friends and family.

I enjoyed Insatiable enough to be curious about its sequel Overbite, but unfortunately this one fell flat for me. It seemed like everything Cabot was mocking in the first book, she took seriously in this one. You know all that wonderful snark I talked in Insatiable? Yeah, it's gone. And I missed it. A lot. The result is that Overbite becomes a fairly generic paranormal romance and without the sharp wit that made Insatiable enjoyable I often found myself bored and disinterested while reading Overbite.

Overbite was nearly half the length of Insatiable but the book actually felt longer, and not in a good way, even though it often seemed quite rushed. That said, I didn't really mind how rushed the storytelling was, because the story itself was predictable and cliche. Everything Meena mocks in Insatiable suddenly becomes the norm in Overbite and it bothered me how easily she gave up a lot of backbone that made her so feisty.

Lucien also became really weird and creepy, even for a vampire, in this book and it felt like Cabot was introducing a brand new character rather than developing an old one.  Everything from the plot, to the character development to the ending of the book felt hasty. The ending in particular came out of nowhere and Meena's decisions seemed to contradict with everything she'd spent two books emphasizing. Overall a disappointment, I cannot see myself continuing the Insatiable series following Overbite. 

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Release Date: June 8th, 2010
Pages: 451
Format: Paperback and Audiobook
Publisher: William Morrow
Narrator: Emily Bauer
Source: Publisher and Personal Shelf
Buy It: Book Depository
Also By This Author: Prom Nights From Hell; Abandon

Meena Harper knows how you're going to die, but even her precognition can't prepare her for what happens when she meets Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side... a dark side an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would like to see him dead for.

Although I've dabbled with Meg Cabot before but Insatiable was my first time picking up one of her adult titles and I was curious to see how it would compare to her YA. Well, in comparison to her YA paranormal romance title Abandon, Insatiable definitely pumps up the romance, the violence, and even the length of the book. However, more isn't always better and this was one of those cases where I did wish certain elements had been scaled back quickly and not quite so far over the top. Still, while it's no secret I'm usually not a fan of vampires, I did enjoy Cabot's snarky twist on the topic: a main character who is sick of hearing about vampires, only to find out she's dating one.

The story itself flowed smoothly, and although I got very sick of hearing the name "Meena Harper" repeated again and again on audiobook, it managed to keep me interested the entire time. Insatiable was also another one of those books where I couldn't have cared less about the love interest it seems female readers are supposed to swoon over, in this case Lucien, but I definitely appreciated the underdog in this story, Alaric who is a vampire-hunter. Cabot also includes some charming side characters, and often got some chuckles out of me when it came to  Meena's neighbours and co-workers. The tiny details that make a character unique and interesting is something Cabot is incredibly talented at. I also really enjoyed the sarcastic tone of the book.

Although not perfect for me, Insatiable is an entertaining book that I'd certainly recommend to readers interested in a paranormal romance with a touch of bite.^*

*pun totally intended

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Release Date: June 7th 2011
Pages: 404
Format: E-Book and Audiobook
Publisher: HarperCollins 
Narrator: Emily Eiden
Source: Netgalley and Personal Shelf
Buy It: Book Depository

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

I'm on the fence about Hereafter- I guess you could say I'm midway between two worlds (okay bad joke, I know). There were aspects of the novel I enjoyed and others that I felt were lacking. Amelia was pretty passive and timid, and I had a hard time believing that it took her so long to become curious about what had happened to her, what her life was, how she died. I just felt like with nothing to do all day she might have started wondering about these questions sooner.

The other problem I had besides the waif of a main character, was the whole relationship between a ghost and a human component, and the fact that the human seems to have so little issue with it. I mean, isn't it just fundamentally creepy to be making out with a dead girl?

What I did appreciate was that for once the girl was the supernatural being (and she saved the boy! even if she spent the rest of the novel afterwards being the one in need of saving) and there was no love triangle at all, both aspects which made Hereafter refreshing compared to many paranormals. I also enjoyed Hudson's writing, this is a debut but she manages to cultivate the creepy and ominous feeling you want out of a ghost story especially since I listened to it on audiobook. Ultimately,  I'm not entirely sure if I'll read the rest of the trilogy, it depends on if the synopsis for the next book catchers my attention. Even though I wanted more backbone from the main character, I did enjoy the mystery component of Hereafter and I would definitely consider reading another novel by Hudson in the future.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Surprisingly, in many ways Unearthly by Cynthia Hand was another Vaclav and Lena, despite the fact that the books have basically nothing in common except both were mailbox surprises that I wouldn't usually read, but made an exception, and ended up really glad I did.  

Unearthly is the first in a trilogy about Clara Gardner, a normal teenage girl, except the part where she's a quarter angel a fact that makes her stronger, more beautiful, and more talented than all the humans that surround her. It also means her life revolves around a purpose, a reason she was born, the only problem is that Clara has to figure out what it is from her visions of forest fires and a handsome boy. The result is that her family moves to a new town, so she can get close to the mysterious stranger from her prophecy, only it turns out he is already plenty close with his serious girlfriend. It doesn't help that Clara keeps getting distracted by Tucker, the handsome yet annoying Southern boy who won't leave her alone. Ultimately, Clara has a choice to make, and its consequences are more complex than she could ever fathom. 

Okay- let's just stop and take count for a moment:

1. Paranormal Romance ✓
2. Angels ✓
3. Love Triangle ✓

These are the three major components that were standing in my way of loving Unearthly, and somehow, Hand's wonderful writing meant I was able to get over all three. And yes, I realize #1 is kinda the combination of #2 and #3, but that's besides the point (I mean, it is possible to have Angels and a Love Triangle but not an Angel in a Love Triangle, so I'm holding onto that distinction). The point is, this is not a book I'd like, and yet I did.

What makes Unearthly such an anomaly is not only the incredibly adorable love interest- Tucker has all the masculine charm and blunder of Quince from Forgive My Fins, plus a Southern accent which really came to life since I listened to the audiobook- but simply good, strong, clear writing so that even though Clara's life was extreme, a lot of the issues she faced were realistic teenage ones. The truth is, regardless of if you are part angel or not, parents keep secrets, friends make plans without you, boys you like ignore you, and sometimes you just want to fit in even if it means dulling down your shine (literally, in Clara's case as she has to dye her sparkly hair).

Without being heavy on the religion, Hand manages a unique and interesting backstory for Clara and the rest of her kind, and I am definitely interested in finding out more as the story develops. Plus, despite being part of a series Unearthly works quite well on its own, with a fun twist at the end I definitely didn't see coming. I also liked how this wasn't a story about a girl magically discovering powers, but rather figuring out how to manage them, which makes it unique from many paranormal stories out there.

Ultimately, Unearthly wasn't the cliche book I thought it would be but instead a unique and engaging spin on a paranormal being dealing with normal teenage life- although I tend to avoid angel storylines, I make have to rethink my opinion when encountered with other books in the future.  The second novel in the Unearthly Trilogy, Hallowed, will be released January 24th 2012 and this time, you can bet I won't be hesitant to pick it up.  

Release Date: January 4th, 2011
Pages: 435
Source: ARC From Publisher / Audiobook
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Review Elsewhere: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

I'm going to be doing weekly book reviews for my student paper and that means a few less books will end up appearing here. Still, because I love my consistently you will still get a review of every book I read, some of them will just be linked to instead. First up was Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey.

"Cold Kiss is the kind of book I would recommend to paranormal fans looking for a story with a contemporary twist, or contemporary fans looking for a paranormal setting for their story."

You can read my complete thoughts here. Also, feel free to leave comments on my review on The Meliorist website directly so I come across as awesome and exciting. THANKS :D

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Die for Me by Amy Plum is the story of Kate, a sixteen-year-old American girl who moves to Paris with her older sister to live with their grandparents, following the death of their parents. Kate is a recluse, still dealing with the grief she feels and spending most of her time reading or visiting museums, when she first meets Vincent, a handsome and mysterious man. As she gets to know Vincent she learns he is not who he appears to be at all, but a Revenant, an immortal being who sacrifices themselves in order to save lives. Now that Kate knows who the Revenants are, is she willing to put her heart, and possibly her life, at risk for a boy that will keep dying?

I liked the concept of setting the novel in France, but initially I didn't see the point. There's a few references to Kate being good at the language and I guess "Vincent" qualifies as a French name, but at first there was nothing special about the book that indicated it had to be set in France. However, when the background of the characters is introduced to include various European wars and events it started make sense and over time the setting began to feel more believable.

My biggest problem with Die to Me was the romance aspect of the novel- and you'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now, but apparently not. I just want to know why are girls in paranormal novels always falling for these kind of guys- as Kate says, reflecting on her attraction to Vincent:

"I realized that whatever it was about him that made him seem a bit cold, almost dangerous, actually heightened my interest instead of scaring me off."

And of course, the main female character is always a pretty, but insecure, girl who can't believe the guy would ever want her:

"My heart caught in my throat as I wondered (not for the first time) why this too-gorgeous-to-be-true guy had any interest whatsoever in plain old... okay, maybe slightly pretty, but by no means beautiful on his level...me"

Kate's insecurity and awkwardness is unsurprising, but Vincent seems even more eerily familiar to me. Here are some examples:

• Immortal paranormal being much older than Kate but looks to be the same age
• Lives with "family" to which he is not related but who are other similar beings
• Does not sleep, but prefers to watch Kate outside her window without her knowing to make sure she is okay
• Has never felt love since he became immortal and does the unacceptable thing by becoming attached to a human who learns the secret of who he really is

If you thought Edward Cullen, you're not alone. That said, if you loved Twilight, which I didn't, then Die for Me could be very well be your next favourite book. There are undeniable similarities which may not bother readers who loved Twilight, including a few chapters which are eerily reminiscent of New Moon.

Personally, I can put up with predictability on occasion when there is otherwise really good writing or tension in the story. Unfortunately, when Plum tries to be descriptive I didn't quite understand what she was going for. At one point, Kate describes Vincent as smelling "like oak and grass and wood fires. He smelled like memories. Like years and years of memories." when it's unclear why wood fires smell like years and years of memories. I just about gave up on the book immediately after reading this sentence:

"Georgia treats friends like outfits, happily trading one for another when it's convenient- not in a mean way, but she just doesn't get too attached."

I really think that it is impossible to "treat friends like outfits" not in a mean way, and overall the statement just felt really ridiculous and yet another example of the melodrama that plagues Die for Me. In terms of the storyline, the book just didn't work for me and I don't think it really adds anything new to the genre of paranormal romance. Overall, Die for Me enticed my interest with the idea of the Revenants, but everything else about the book was predictable and unoriginal- this is one trilogy I will not be continuing.

Release Date: May 5th, 2011
Pages: 352
Overall: 1/5
Source: Netgalley
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