All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon

I picked up All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon when I was just getting out of a reading slump and my main criteria for books was that they were short. Cause honestly, sometimes just finishing a book helps me get back into the reading groove. At 240 easy-to-read pages, I was able to finish Salomon's novel in a single day. But was it worth it?

All Those Broken Angels is told from the perspective of Richard, whose best friend Melanie disappeared when they were six-years-old. Despite never finding a body, she was declared dead, a fact Richard knew to be true because after he vanished a part of her remained-- a ghostly shadow named Melanie. But then a girl moves into town, also claiming to Melanie, and it's up to Richard to figure out that if the shadow is a fake, then who is she really?

This is a mystery novel with a paranormal twist, which isn't incredibly creepy but has a fun storyline that kept me interested in finding out what happened. That said, the characters were a little flat for me, and I didn't really find a connection with Richard. There were also too many aspects that just seemed unbelievable or unlikely or a bit confusing. Basically Melanie's entire story. However, the plot itself kept my interest, and even if there were some predictable elements there were still some surprises. Overall, All Those Broken Angels was an okay read for me, there was enough I enjoyed to keep me reading, but it isn't a book I'd rush out to recommend.

Release Date: September 8th,  2014 Pages: 240  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Flux   Buy It: Book Depository

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

(Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

 I was trying to write my reviews in order of when I read books to somehow manage to get back on track with them, and I was doing an okay job at it, but then I read (Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn and I instantly had to skip ahead. I needed to share my thoughts on this book right away, because honestly, I absolutely adored it. And sometimes it's just really nice to write a gush fest about a book that you love, and for me, this is one of those books.

(Don't You) Forget About Me is a gorgeously written, eerie novel about Gardnerville, a place where nobody gets sick and nobody dies. Of course, there is a cost for that and every four years strange urges come over the teens in the town and it doesn't stop until people end up dead. Those who caused the damage are sent to the reformatory, a strange building where nobody comes out the same. Four years ago, Skyler's sister Piper lead 16 of her peers into the river, and she's been missing ever since.

Skyler is not a narrator you can trust. She keeps forgetting things, which isn't helped by the pills she's started taking ever since Piper disappeared. There are a lot of unreliable characters and weird things going on in this book, but somehow they all fit perfectly into place. Quinn's storytelling reminds me a little of Nova Ren Suma in Imaginary Girls but this is an even more magical story, where it is clear from the beginning that things are different in Gardnerville. The writing itself is gorgeous and there are tiny perfect details that just made me fall more in love with the words with each page. If I had one small complaint, it's that it is a bit predictable at times, but there are enough twists and turns that there were still a few small surprises in there as well.

(Don't You) Forget About Me is filled with creepy moments and surreal images. Past memories that Skylar has with Piper are told through short chapters about the past between each present tense chapter. This kind of technique can be annoying, but Quinn uses it so well, and the chapters themselves are short enough, that I really felt like it added to the story and helped to reveal all the pieces rather than being distracting. As a result, I really felt like the book flourished in the second half as things started to come together. There is a hint of romance, but to me it was not very important to the book.

Overall, (Don't You) Forget About Me is an amazing book and one of my favourites I've read so far in 2014. I am so excited that Quinn has an earlier novel which I will definitely be picking up, as well as whatever she writes next. Highly recommend this book!

Release Date: June 10th 2014 Pages: 336  Format: Egalley
Source: Edelweiss  Publisher: HarperTeen  Buy It: Book Depository

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I fell absolutely in love with Nova Ren Suma's novel Imaginary Girls, which I actually bought a finished copy of after reading an advance copy of because I knew I would want to reread it in the future (and I do). Her writing was haunting and vivid, and she instantly made it on my "must read YA" list. However, her most recent novel, 17 & Gone, just didn't excite me with the premise as much so it took a little while (almost a year) to pick it up. 

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma is the story of 17 year old Lauren who begins having visions of girls, all of whom are seventeen and missing. She begins searching for clues and trying to solve what is going on, both to the girls and to herself. 

As expected, the writing in 17 & Gone is flawless. Suma has a way with description and imagery that is hard to describe except to say it is pretty much perfection. However, the characters themselves were just not as interesting and complicated as those in Imaginary Girls, and the story itself was not as enigmatic or surreal either. 

The mystery of 17 & Gone was a little too predictable and expected to me, but there is still a disquiet to the book, and combined with the vivid writing, made it something I still really enjoyed. However, I would easily still recommend Imaginary Girls instead when referring to Nova Ren Suma, but if you are craving a little more from her you may want to give 17 & Gone a shot. I am definitely not deterred from picking up future books by Suma, with writing like that she has me completely under her spell.

Release Date: March 21st 2013  Pages: 354  Source: Personal  

Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile Buy It: Book Depository

Crow Memory + The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton

I found the first book in the Blood Journals Duology (that's what you call it when it's two books, right?) an incredibly addictive and delicious surprise. Blood Magic was an original, clever, well-written and passionate debut, and I was incredibly excited when the follow up novel, The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton, was released. I thought it would be an easy favourite.

Unfortunately, I didn't account for one important factor: The Blood Keeper isn't a traditional sequel. It features two entirely different narrators than Blood Magic, and although it is set in the same universe and there is a connection, this is a totally different story. While it's still a good story, I was honestly nowhere near as fond of the narrators in this novel as I was in the first, which meant The Blood Keeper was a surprising letdown to me. I spent most of the book longing for Silla and Nick from Blood Magic, and although the male narrator this time round, Will, was pretty good, I honestly found myself quite bored during many of the female narrator, Mab's, sections. It was really just too bad because I wanted to love this book the way I loved book one, and although I still firmly believe in Gratton's writing, her books are definitely less of an "insta-read" for me after this experience.

The story itself was interesting in The Blood Keeper, but with disappointing narration as well as a lot of description  about preparing to do different things and planning and less of the actual doing, it had a difficult time keeping my interest as well as the previous book. I actually still read it very quickly over 2 days, but the feeling I had while reading it and even afterwards is a lot more indifferent than excited, which makes it difficult to recommend and I'd prefer just to stick to Blood Magic which I really did love.

If you are interested in a little more of the characters from Blood Magic-- and I definitely am-- Gratton has published an online short story called Crow Memory from the perspective of a character in that novel, whose identity I won't share because, spoilers (although it's obvious if you've read Blood Magic). You can read it here on her website. It's short and I don't have an awful lot to say about it, but it is nice to pick up and a get a little more insight into that character, although I just want more and more of them. Pretty much I want more Blood Magic, and a little short story and a sequel that's not a sequel aren't going to satisfy that craving. Perhaps only rereading Blood Magic will.

Release Date: August 12th 2012 Pages: 432  Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher  Publisher: Random House 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

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

I was honestly never very into vampires in the first place although I don't mind the occasional paranormal, vampires had just already been so overdone by the time I started reading YA that I was tired of them before I even read any vampire books. Sorry. But I still pick up the occasional vampire novel that catches my eye, and one of those was The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. 

I have wanted to read a Holly Black novel for ages, and that just never happened but with the release of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown I decided it was finally time––plus it was a standalone novel and those just generally appeal to me, especially in YA where they are far less common. Oh, and that gorgeous cover, I know we're not supposed to admit it, but just look at its beauty! 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is the story Tana, a teenage girl living in a world where vampires are locked behind walled cities, or Coldtowns, and sometimes humans get stuck there as well. After a party gone horribly wrong, and unsure if she's infected or not, Tana heads behind the wall hoping to save herself and return home to her family. 

The premise of Coldtown really caught my attention, and it was immediately fulfilled when I began reading the novel. Unfortunately, as the story continued it just didn't have the same spark and tension as the first 100 pages or so (and at over 400 pages long, that's a pretty big problem). I did enjoy Black's writing, and there's a lot of nice twists in the book, but it is definitely heavy on the story and lighter on the character depth. 

Tana goes through a lot, and I really wanted to connect with her struggle, but it– as well as the romance– just didn't have the impact on me that I expected. Part of that might be due to the third person narrative, but even then, I expected more of an emotional investment in the story, rather than just one to the plotline.

Even though I never really connected with Tana, I still enjoyed following her journey, so I don't regret reading (or finishing) The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. It's a fun twist on vampires and it's got a complicated storyline that I didn't expect. I would definitely be willing to pick up more books by Holly Black in future and if you enjoy thrill-filled vampire stories, I do recommend The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013  Pages: 419  Source: Borrowed 
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers  Buy It: Book Depository

Fire With Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

I really enjoyed the first collaborative novel between Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, Burn for Burn, so I was definitely excited to pick up the second book in their trilogy, Fire With Fire and see what my favourite revenge-seekers Lillia, Kat and Mary were up to.

Originally when I was reading about this trilogy it was described as having a paranormal edge to it, but that didn't appear at all until the very end of Burn for Burn. Likewise, while it is definitely more apparent in Fire With Fire it's not until the very end that we really find out where all the clues have been leading, with a cliffhanger that has me already begging for book 3, Ashes to Ashes, which sadly must wait until 2014.

As a general rule, I prefer contemporary to paranormal, so I don't really mind that these books come across more contemporary, especially because they are so well-written and I enjoy the characters so much. That's really what makes the Burn for Burn trilogy, the character voices– all three of which are very distinct– and the writing. The revenge storyline is entertaining but not terribly original (although I do love the twist at the end of Fire With Fire and can't wait to see where it goes) but the writing is so strong it carries these books into "really really enjoy" territory for me.

Fire With Fire begins almost immediately after Burn for Burn as the girls learn whether or not they got away with their homecoming hijinks and if their revenge changed anything at all. I was especially drawn to Kat's voice and story in this book, although a lot of the mystery revolves around what's going on with Mary. The book itself is really long at over 500 pages, which is maybe too long, but with good enough, easy to read writing, I don't mind.

In Fire With Fire it's once again, it's impossible to tell where Han's writing begins and Vivian's writing ends, as the collaboration is smooth and easy flow and realistic details make me want to pick up both of their books. After reading Burn for Burn I did grab Han's Summer Trilogy but I still need to read a solo book by Vivian. I guess that's something to keep me occupied until Ashes to Ashes, the final book in this awesome trilogy, is released.

Release Date: August 13th, 2013  Pages: 528  Format: Egalley
Source: Edelweiss  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Buy It: Book Depository

Scorch by Gina Damico

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Scorch, but may contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Croak, a review of which can be found here.

Gina Damico's debut novel, Croak, about the teenage grim reaper Lex, absolutely blew me away with its intensity and hilarity, and so I was incredibly excited to pick up the sequel Scorch. It did not disappoint!

In Scorch, Lex is left behind to pick up the pieces after Zara– off on a murderous rampage– takes her twin sister's life, and her own ability to damn. Combined with Zara's thirst for vengeance, things aren't looking good. But Lex has her own craving, and no matter what it costs, she's going to make Zara pay for killing her sister.

Like the best sequels, Scorch builds on the foundation Damico laid in Croak but ups the stakes, the action, everything. The result is incredibly exciting, but also clever, well-written, and heart-wrenching. It's the kind of mix that Damico manages to balance so well. In less skilled hands, Scorch would have been a confusing mess. There are a lot of elements at play, and a lot of twists and turns along the way. But what Damico has written is a complicated and thrilling story that will keep the reader turning the page, and will definitely offer up some surprises in the well-structured plot.

There's a lot more history and background in Scorch, and the reader also gets a chance to visit another Grim city, which I loved– although it was around then that I found the story slowed down and became temporarily about Lex getting dressed up and not about catching a serial killer. Luckily, the pace picks right back up, and ends with a huge punch in the gut that has left me gasping for the final book in this trilogy. There is an element of the story, that whole punching in the gut part, that I'm not totally in love with yet and so I'm excited to see where Damico takes it and if she wins me over like I expect she will. After having been thrilled by the awesome wit and exciting story that Scorch provided, I will absolutely be picking up the final book in 2013. So far, this is a great series from a talented new author. Damico has definitely earned her place on my 'must read' list.

Release Date: September 25th 2012  Pages: 352  Format: ARC
Source: Thomas Allen & Son Ltd  Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 
Also By This Author: Croak (Croak #1)  Buy It: Book Depository

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Release Date: September 18th 2012
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Buy It: Book Depository

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister. Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay. Four years ago, May left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him. Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Han and Vivian are two popular contemporary YA authors I've been meaning to read for ages... so when an unexpected copy of the first book in their co-written trilogy showed up in my mailbox, it was two birds with one stone.

I was really impressed by the writing in Burn for Burn, it flows smoothly and I never would have guessed there were two authors behind it instead of one. Each of main three girls is unique and interesting, and I never had to worry about getting them confused despite the multiple POVs– which is usually not my favourite. The book starts off a bit slowly, probably because it is first in a trilogy, but there was plenty of character development and back story that made it engaging to read.

At its core, even according to its title, Burn for Burn is about revenge but when it came to that aspect of the story it felt a little rushed or weak. Even though the authors told me why the girls had reason to be upset and want revenge, their emotions and the events in question were so complicated it was hard for me to really believe they wanted such hard, terrible things. Then, when it came to the execution of the revenge, it felt rushed, or not as bad as I would have expected.

That said, Burn for Burn is a rich, multi-layered story full of realistic characters whose motivations aren't always what they seem. There's a very, very slight paranormal twist to it, that honestly felt unnecessary but will probably get developed further in the next two books. Even though there are some very light romance subplots, this is definitely a story about friendship, and I felt like it captured the complexities of it really well.

The setting of Burn for Burn is also really great; everyone lives on this tiny island that's a mix of the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy, and everyone knows everyone else, which leads to some interesting conflicts. I also found the high school hierarchy authentic to read about, and it reminded me a little of Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers for that reason (especially in combination with the revenge component). 

Overall, I really enjoyed Burn for Burn and though I'm unsure if the paranormal aspect was really necessary, the writing and characters have given me plenty of motivation for picking up book 2; as well as solo novels by Han and Vivian.

Waking Storms by Sarah Porter

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Waking Storms, but may contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Lost Voices, a review of which can be found here.

I really loved the dark beauty of Sarah Porter's debut novel, Lost Voices, so I was incredibly excited to delve into the sequel, Waking Storms. It picks up with Luce living on her own, having abandoned the murderous group of mermaids she was once a part of. It's a life of solitude she's content with, until the boy she saved– breaking the most important mermaid rule– comes back into her life. Dorian should hate Luce, she was responsible for the death of his family, but there is a deep sadness that connects them, even if being together means risking everything, including their lives.

Porter's writing is just as beautiful in Waking Storms as I remembered– especially her description of the haunting mermaid songs. Interestingly, there are a few chapters that follow Dorian in his life without Luce, which helped emphasize how big a risk the both of them were taking and made the potential consequences of their actions even more clear. At first, I really did love the story between Luce and Dorian; it was the ultimate star-crossed lovers. But as time passed, I grew weary of Dorian. He becomes so possessive of Luce, so unaware of her feelings, that it made me not really want them to be together at all.

In opposition to Dorian, Luce actually grows a lot as a character throughout Waking Storms. It was amazing to see her begin to embrace her powers, and start to realize exactly what it means to her to be a mermaid. I think she gained a lot more confidence, and that was reflected in the way she interacted with others and made me really root for her to figure things out. There's a minor storyline involving Luce spending time on a remote island, and it honestly wasn't my favourite. I think because the subplot spends so long going on, the the point of dragging, when what I really cared about– the conflicts among mermaids– gets forced to the back burner. I especially hope there will be more about that in the third and final book, The Twice Lost, because I did miss it in Waking Storms. Unlike Lost Voices, this is a book that is less about mermaid drama and more about Luce's romance.

There are some interesting new characters introduced in Waking Storms and they are just as authentic as the ones returning from the previous book. Porter does a fantastic job of creating characters that are flawed but with an emotional core that makes them feel real, even if the reader disagrees with their actions. Overall, I really enjoyed Waking Storms and although I preferred the mermaid-centric conflict to the romance, Porter's beautiful writing has once again blown me away and I will certainly be picking up The Twice Lost in 2013.

Release Date: July 3rd 2012  Pages: 400  Format: Hardcover
Source: Thomas Allen & Son Ltd  Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 
Also By This Author: Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1)  Buy It: Book Depository

Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Just For Fins, but may contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Forgive My Fins and the second book Fins Are Forever. A spoiler-free review of the first two books can be found here. 

For some unjustifiable reason I still haven't picked up any other books by Tera Lynn Childs after falling in love with her clever and funny mermaids in the Fins series, but when I heard there was going to be a third book I definitely had to rush to read it. Even though the last book, Fins Are Forever, wasn't quite as amazing as the first one, Forgive My Fins, I still had very high hopes for Just for Fins. And while it was a cute, enjoyable story, it didn't blow me out of the water in the same way Forgive My Fins first did.

In Just for Fins, Lily is finally Princess of Thalassinia, and her boyfriend Quince finally has the ability to breathe underwater. Things should be perfect, but of course they're not. First, there's that mer-bond (in name only) and promise Lily's made to her friend Tellin, whose kingdom is being destroyed by changing ocean temperatures. And it's not just Tellin's kingdom at risk, all over the globe mer people are suffering, and Lily knows she'll have to bring them together if she has any hope of making things right. Then, if that wasn't enough, it turns out there's actually some ancient law that might keep Lily and Quince apart after all! It will take everything Lily has, along with help from all of her friends– and maybe a few new ones– in order to make things work but Lily has no intention of going down without a fight.

I really, really loved Quince when he was first introduced. But for some reason, he just didn't really capture my heart in this novel. I think it may have been his minimal page time, because when he was there he was mostly just confessing his love for Lily or making out with her. And the whole future together forever after only dating for a few weeks seemed really rushed, especially without much of a reminder of what they love about each other in the first place. Mostly though, Quince just didn't have the snark of the first book, and that was what I loved about him so much. In Just for Fins, the romance is mostly an afterthought, and it seems like every hurdle possible was being thrown at Quince and Lily. I get that the series isn't over and it's not time for them to swim off into the sunset yet, but I wanted a conflict that was more internal and had more to do with Quince and Lily themselves and less to to do with yet another unheard of ancient law. What I did appreciate was that there was even a joke in the novel about how this keeps happening; and I can only hope that means that it won't again if there's a book four.

In addition to Quince, I just didn't feel so strongly about the supporting characters in Just for Fins either. They felt pretty flat to me, and those that did change from previous books seemed to do so too easily. There were a few instances of bad characters becoming good, which is great, but their change didn't feel realistic, it just seemed sudden. And even though they were suddenly helping Lily instead of working against her, didn't give them extra depth or layers which is what I wanted. Another minor complaint was the way Lily treated college, like of course she didn't need it because she was going to be a mer princess and they didn't teach mer politics. But obviously the marine biology she was originally interested in would still have been helpful to know about. Also, when it came to Quince she said he already had a job lined up in construction. Which is great, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have gone to trade school or gotten an apprenticeship or something. For such a big life changing decision, it really felt brushed off.

Surprising to me was the fact that the major storyline, about Lily trying to get the mer kingdoms to work together, was definitely the component I enjoyed most in Just for Fins, because going into the novel all I wanted to read about was Quince. But I liked the sweet message of harmony behind Lily's quest, and I thought it would be really wonderful for younger readers especially. It also gave Lily a chance to be a strong leader, but at the same time it showed how much she needed support in order to accomplish her mission. I loved that she couldn't have accomplished what she did on her own, because even though this is a book about mermaids, it made it feel true-to-life. It also showed how much Lily has grown up, even though this series takes place over a matter of weeks.

This Fins series by Tera Lynn Childs are definitely my favourite cute mermaid books, but I admit that some of the charm is starting to wear off and I'm afraid that additional novels will only decrease the sparkle for me. That said, I really love Lily, and I absolutely adore Childs' writing (especially the puns), so that I have a hard time claiming I wouldn't pick up another book. I probably would. I enjoyed the main storyline of Just for Fins and thought it showed a lot of growth for the character and the series, but the book just didn't awe me in the same way the first one did, and even though it ends on a good note it definitely leaves the possibility open for further novels– I'm just conflicted over if I want any more. I think I'll be picking up a different Childs' series next instead.

Release Date: July 3rd 2012  Pages: 272  Publisher: HarperCollins  Buy It: Book Depository
Also By This Author:  Forgive My Fins (Fins #1);  Fins Are Forever (Fins #2) 

Auracle by Gina Rosati

How could I not want to read a book with a cover this beautiful? But surprisingly, it wasn't the cover itself that drew me to Rosati's debut novel, Auracle, it was the incredibly unique and intriguing summary that matched it.

At the centre of Auracle is sixteen-year-old Anna a girl with a secret ability that she's only ever shared with her best friend, Rei: she can astrally project, meaning she can leave her body behind as her spirit explores the world, and even the universe. With a crummy home life, astrally projecting offers Anna the kind of escape that would otherwise be impossible. But when a fatal accident claims the life of girl in her class, and that same girl takes over Anna's body instead, what was a temporary escape may become a permanent condition. With only Rei to help her, Anna has to race to get her body back because their innocent friend has been accused of murder, and the person accusing them is using Anna's body to do it.

Auracle is a really easy to read book that's more about the paranormal and its romance subplot than the mystery I initially expected. But once I realized that, I was able to appreciate the actual story instead of the one I had thought there would be.

Anna was an interesting and authentic character and I really enjoyed reading the story from her perspective. Also, because she isn't limited to where her body can go, the reader gets to listen in on a bunch of conversations and situations that would usually remain behind the curtain in a first person narrative. So that was cool. Anna also wasn't perfect– she could be jealous and selfish and mean, but she was also real and kind and hurting. In contrast, Rei was a bit too flawless. I actually can't think of anything negative about him, except maybe that he liked to hang out with a friend besides Anna sometimes, which is really only a negative from Anna's perspective. Still, I definitely thought the friendship between Anna and Rei was genuine, and I loved their interactions and all the history they had. There were some really perfect moments between them, like sharing the headphones on an iPod, or (especially) looking after Rei's little sister together. 

The character I had the most issues with in Auracle was the villain, the classmate that takes over Anna's body. She just felt all mean and evil, in the same way Rei was all good and handsome, and I wanted her to have more complexity than that. There is one attempt at it, when it turns out her parents have pushed her into a life she didn't really want, but it's barely anything and seemed like an afterthought.

The story of Auracle takes awhile to develop, which means that at first the book is a bit slow. But as time passes, it turned out to be something I really enjoyed even if I could have done with a surprise or two. The other issue I had was with some developments near the end, when it seemed like a lot of powers were suddenly (and conveniently) being added in. Still, the way the book wrapped up is one of those nice endings where everything feels concluded but there's definitely still room for a sequel, and I'll be curious to see if Rosati writes one since I can't find any news about it yet. Auracle definitely caught my attention with its characters and incredibly original storyline, and if there is a sequel to Rosati's debut novel I would certainly pick it up.

Release Date: August 7th 2012  Pages: 304  Format: E-galley

Source: Raincoast Books  Publisher: Roaring Brook Press  Buy It: Book Depository

Struck by Jennfer Bosworth

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
 
Release Date: April 26th 2012
Pages: 373
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
Buy It: Book Depository

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her. Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

I'm conflicted over Struck, there were some parts I really enjoyed, but a few aspects that didn't quite work and left me wanting a little more from the novel as a whole. In particular, sometimes there is some absurd statements, like a really intense moment right near the climax and Mia is rushing to get somewhere, and she says "This was one instance when it would not do to arrive fashionably late for the party." and it just seemed so out of her voice and character, as well as the story context. This sort of thing happened a few times, like another part that quoted (without credit) the factually inaccurate The Dark Knight saying, "Fear not, for it is always darkest before the dawn. At this moment, things are very dark, in the world at large, but especially here, in the so-called City of Angels."

But even though there were moments that jarred me out of Bosworth's world, those moments when I was one hundred in it were far more frequent. Specifically, I loved the premise of this book, I love the reality that Bosworth has created, the creepiness of these cults and the world on the brink of destruction and the lightning that strikes through it all. Struck is the kind of book that simmers beneath the surface, and when everything finally explodes it is just wow.

As a main character, I really appreciated Mia. She has this physical manifestation of everything she's been through, she's covered in lightning scars, and it gives a unique and intriguing element to her personality. She's also just really strong, she feels an obligation to take care of her family– since her dad is dead and her mom is completely useless. There's a backstory to her mom that makes her actions more understandable but there were definitely still times I wanted to shake her and wake her up.... then again, I think Mia did too!

It took awhile for me to get involved in Bosworth's world, because the background to her story is extreme– definitely relies on some suspension of belief– and not instantly clear, but when I did I found myself in for a really exciting experience. I do wish that it had been more clearly set out from the start, and that some of the phrasing in the book had been rethought. However, ultimately, Struck is an incredibly unique and thrilling book with a strong but realistic main character and a premise that is unlike anything I had ever read before.

Peeps and the Last Days by Scott Westerfeld

The Peeps Series by Scott Westerfeld includes only two novels, Peeps and it's sequel The Last Days. However, even though The Last Days takes place after Peeps it features a brand new cast of characters so I've decided to once again combine my reviews of these two novels while providing no spoilers for either.

Peeps, which I actually listened to on audio book, is told from perspective of Cal Thompson, a guy who should be busy with freshman biology but instead he's chasing down lunatic ex-girlfriends. Ever since Cal was seduced and infected by a parasite-positive, he's been a carrier for the disease, passing it on to the girls he's kissed. Cal himself is lucky enough to only have minimal side effects, like superb nigh vision, inhuman strength, and a fondness for raw meat. Peeps, like Cal's ex-girlfriends, undergo a much more extreme change, one that leaves them with an awful similarity to vampires.

I really enjoyed Cal's voice in Peeps and not just because I was listening to it on audio! He's a charming narrator, Southern and well-meaning, and I really wanted things to work out for him. Like all of Westerfeld's books, I found the storyline really engaging and unique but there was an element I found unnecessary and distracting. The chapters of Peeps alternate between Cal's story, and short ones that discuss various real parasites. At first the non-fiction bits were interesting, but there were so many of them that I felt it dragged down the story. Maybe one every few chapters would have sufficed, but when there was one after every chapter it really took me out of the story I was starting to become involved in, and ended up feeling abrupt.

Despite my complaint about the fact-heavy chapters, Peeps was a novel I enjoyed, and definitely the most intelligent vampire novel I've read. Not only is Westerfeld's writing smart, but his characters are too, which is always refreshing to read. That said, they aren't perfect, and that's part of what makes them, especially Cal, so charming.

As I said, the companion book, or sequel, The Last Days, features an entirely new cast of characters, though a few familiar faces show up near the end. As much as Peeps is a science novel, The Last Days is a music novel, as all five of its narrators are in a band together. And yes, I said five narrators. Generally, I dislike novels with more on than two narrators, but I admit that Westerfeld makes each character distinctive, and balances their stories well enough, that I didn't mind the fact that there were five points-of-view in The Last Days.

Unfortunately, even though I appreciated that the story wasn't interrupted with non-fiction chapters, I didn't find The Last Days quite as engaging as Peeps. Having learned the intriguing background of the disease in the first novel, I was mainly left to focus on the story itself. In comparison to the massive stakes of Peeps, all the characters in The Last Days really want, for most of the novel, is to get famous. And it wasn't really a goal I could find a lot of enthusiasm for.

The Last Days does offer answers to some lingering questions from Peeps but even those don't come till near the end. The rest of the story was based around characters I didn't really care for, the drummer Alana Ray was kinda interesting and definitely unique, the keyboardist Pearl had some moments, but one character is infected and pretty crazy and the other two feels mostly like throw-aways. Perhaps I can blame my lack of connection with them on the fact that I spent so little time in each of their heads, but none of them kept my interest the way that Cal did in Peeps.

This mini series– does two books count?– has a unique and interesting premise, one that I definitely enjoyed being introduced to in Peeps. Unfortunately, while The Last Days does fill in some blanks in Peeps the storyline and the characters weren't nearly as engaging to me. Unless a reader is desperate for answers, I'd recommend just reading Peeps as a standalone, because I think it works really well that way. Overall, I'd have to say that while Peeps is my least favourite of the three Westerfeld series I've read, falling behind Uglies and Midnighters, it still has that intelligent and creative Westerfeld flare that I love. Though I won't be rereading this one, I'll definitely be trying another series by Westerfeld in the future.

Mini Reviews: Divergent and The Gathering Tie-in Short Stories

Note: These reviews contain spoilers of the novels that the short stories tie into, Divergent and The Gathering.

I like to review every book I read, even the tiny ones, and so last time I read a couple short stories that tied into novels I'd loved I did some mini reviews on them (see here). Now I have stories from two other awesome authors, Veronica Roth with a tie-in for Divergent and Kelley Armstrong with two tie-ins for The Gathering. Although both novels have sequels I've read recently, and loved, it's been about a year since I picked up the originals and these stories were a great opportunity to revisit some crucial scenes from those novels.

Roth's Free Four and Armstrong's The Invitation retell scenes from the original novels from the perspective of the male love interest, which seems to be common in these free tie-in short stories, as that's what happened in both Miranda's Eleven Minutes and O'Brien's Tortured. But if that's a new thing for authors to do, I'm not complaining, as I loved the insight into what those moments would have been like for the guys, and it was great to get a chance to find out exactly what the character's voice was like.

In Free Four by Roth, she retells the Divergent scene that involves Four throwing knives at Tris, his future girlfriend. As a reader we get to see how Four feels about her, before any of the romance has had a chance to happen. Tris is such a strong narrator in the Divergent Trilogy that it was really cool to see what she is like from an outside perspective. Unsurprisingly, this is a really intense read– even though you know that Tris isn't going to get a knife into her face, I found myself anxious as things unfolded, because that's how Four feels. Overall, it was really cool to see the other side of the story, and I hope that Roth decides to do this again with an Insurgent scene in the future.

The New Guy and The Invitation are two bonus short stories available in a special e-book of  Kelley Armstrong's The Gathering, but she's also posted them on her website which is awesome. Like Free Four they really compliment the original novel and provide plenty of spoilers if you haven't already read it. If you have picked up The Gathering then these are both a great way to get a little more insight into the characters and the events that unfolded.

In The New Guy, Maya has to deal with her first day back at school, a day that used to be her best friend Serena's favourite day, and it includes some flashbacks into what life was like two years ago when Serena was still alive and gives the reader an even better idea of her personality. It also contains the first meeting between Rafe and Maya, which I thought was really interesting to read especially since I knew how things ended up between them.

The second bonus short story from The Gathering is The Invitation, which is written from Rafe's perspective and shares the scene when he goes to Maya's birthday party. It also showed some interaction between Annie and Rafe, which I found especially neat to read about because I got to see how Rafe felt about his sister, and how much he wanted the "real" Annie back. As a result, it was even more clear why Rafe was willing to use Maya to make that happen. Armstrong also did a great job of showing the complex dilemma going through Rafe's mind, even as he was happy that Maya might be the one he was looking for, he was already dreading having to tell her the truth about what he was doing there, already realizing that it would probably be impossible for her to trust him once she found out the truth.

Overall, I really enjoyed all three of these short stories. Free Four, The New Guy and The Invitation all give added insight and development to two amazing novels. It is especially neat to read scenes you already know from the perspective of another character, and I feel like Roth and Armstrong both did an awesome job with the new point-of-view and male voice. I don't think any of these short stories work on their own, but if you've read and loved Divergent and The Gathering like I have, you'll definitely want pick up these stories as well.

Mini Reviews: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand and Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Two of my favourite novels I read in 2011 were definitely Unearthly by Cynthia Hand and Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien, and I was so excited to dive into their follow-ups. Luckily, neither author disappoints and I've decided to do mini reviews for these two intense novels. Plus, I’ve somehow managed to discuss them without spoiling the first novels in the series, incase you somehow managed to miss out when they were first released (and you can now fix that by getting them in paperback!)

Hallowed is the sequel to Cynthia Hand’s debut novel, Unearthly, in which part angel Clara Gardner is torn between her quest, and reason for existing, and the boy that’s not a part of it. The complicated love triangle continues in Hallowed, in which Clara deals with love, lost, and trying to figure out who she is. Hallowed was even more intense than its predecessor, in particular due to a tragic event I did not see coming. What Hand does so well in her novels, besides for a charming love interest with a Southern accent, is make Clara, despite her powers, relatable.

The Unearthly Trilogy is a unique spin on coming of age novels, in which teenage concerns are only part of the growing responsibility that Clara faces. The only thing that I didn’t enjoy about reading Hallowed is how the final book won’t be released until 2013. There’s also a decision made at the ending of the book that I didn’t agree with and I’m seriously hoping that Clara redeems herself in book three.

As much as I loved O’Brien’s dystopian debut, Birthmarked, featuring the strong heroine Gaia and perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, I did not expect the follow up to be anything like Prized. In fact, Prized takes place in a totally different world than Birthmarked, in which Gaia has to face a slew of new and incredibly difficult trials when she finds herself in a community where women are the minority, and the rulers. The perverse truth is that although things are extremely different than the marginalization that Gaia is used to, they aren’t any better. In this world, a kiss is a crime, and for Gaia, falling in love may be the most difficult struggle of all.

My only disappointment with Prized was that after being accustomed to such a strong heroine in Birthmarked it was disappointed to see how weak Gaia became, accepting society’s norm without the fierce questioning that characterized her in book one. Though in context, it is slightly more understandable, it was a relief when she got some of her fire back.

Overall, at a time when bookstores are flooded with paranormal and dystopian stories, Hand and O’Brien have managed to write two with compelling and authentic characters, as well as storylines so intense it’s amazing I didn’t get paper cuts while flipping the pages of these books, they were that heart-pounding. If you’re unsure about continuing these series, or if you’ve managed to miss out on them so far, the release of the second books in the Unearthly and Birthmarked Trilogies is a perfect excuse to get started because if anything, the second books get better.

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong  

Release Date: April 10th 2012
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Random House Canada
Also by this Author: The Summoning; The Awakening; The Reckoning; The Gathering
Buy It: Book Depository

Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

When I picked up The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong last year, I had no idea what kind of surprise I was in for. I hadn't read much paranormal literature in the past, and I wasn't sure I'd like it. It turned out it wasn't so much the paranormal aspect that blew me away as Armstrong's writing: so exciting and easy to read. And as much as I loved The Gathering, the first novel in the Darkness Rising trilogy, when I then read the Darkest Powers trilogy, which consists of the first three books in this Darkest Powers series, I was even more impressed. To me, The Calling reaches the same level as the Darkest Powers Trilogy and in that it surpasses The Gathering.

As great as The Gathering was, it had a lot of background to build on and so was fairly slow-paced until the ending. In contrast, The Calling is explosions and crashes and kidnappings from page one right until the heart-pounding ending. It's one of those books I devoured in a day, and when it ended I just wanted more. Unfortunately there's another year to wait until the final book in this trilogy, The Raising, is released.

Everything that was great and unique about The Gathering is still present in The Calling. I loved the Canadian setting, especially because so much of this novel takes place in the wilderness, which Armstrong expertly brings to life. I loved that the main character was a strong, powerful girl and that not only was Maya not white, but she was also adopted and happens to love her family. There are plenty more secrets that come to the surface in this novel, and Armstrong handles each plot twist in a page-turning and believable way; even the ones I wouldn't normally have believed (Rafe anyone?).

I really loved the way things came together in The Calling and the character growth and dimensions that developed. Sometimes animals get one-dimensional treatment in novels, but I thought Maya's dog, Kenji, had such a real personality for a canine and loved her role in the story.

Overall, The Calling is such a thrilling novel and I absolutely adored it.  It's not a book about complex issues, instead it's easy and enjoyable to read, the kind of story you can disappear into without thinking too hard. I really have nothing negative to say about The Calling, I'll just be desperately waiting for the final book next year because like always, Armstrong ends on an intense and riveting note.

Croak by Gina Damico

Croak (Croak #1) by Gina Damico

Release Date: March 20th 2012
Pages: 311
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Buy It: Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort in Croak for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

From the instant I heard about this novel, it made me think of the television show I loved, but lost too soon, Dead Like Me. The fact that I was a huge fan of the show, meant that not only was interested to pick up Croak, but I had fairly high standards for what I wanted out of it as well. If it was just going to rehash what I'd seen on TV, then what was the point?

Luckily, Damico has taken the familiar concept in a totally brand new direction, and besides for the fact that George (from Dead Like Me) and Lex are both teenage grim reapers, the similarities end there. Lucky for Lex, she didn't have to die to become a grim reaper, though she did have to get sent away to the tiny and mysterious town of Croak to live with her over-the-top and scary uncle, appropriately named Mort. Mort's not the only one with a convenient name, Croak is jam-packed with them, everything from a gym named "Dead Weight" to other Grim towns like DeMeyse and Necropolis. Somehow, Damico manages to stop before going overboard, and instead just make the subtle death references really entertaining.

Lex isn't one of those main characters that is instantly likeable– she's violent and rude. Once she gets to Croak, it's not like her love of punching people suddenly makes her somebody I'd want to befriend, but it does seem more understandable given her career of killing people. Plus, fulfilling her destiny does mellow Lex out a bit. Still, I loved her angst and her dark twisted humour. Lex has such a sharp, clear personality, and I felt a connection with her that is hard to achieve in third person point of view, but which Damico executes* flawlessly.

As much as I enjoyed the relationship between Lex and her reaper partner, Driggs, there was one instance near the end that had me rolling my eyes a bit. Their snark was irresistible, and I just kept wanting them to make out already. Saying more about the event I disliked would spoil part of the book, but it involved a photograph and felt like it cheated the authentic development Damico had written thus far.

Croak is also a flat-out hilarious book, which is incredibly refreshing among a sea of paranormals that take themselves too seriously. Croak is a well thought-out and believable world, all the details seem to have been considered, but it's also filled with people who swear and joke and make the novel, despite its fantastical elements, seem completely real. I'm just glad I only have to wait a few months for book number 2, Scorch, due out in September. Croak is a fantastic, hilarious, cleverly brilliant start to a brand new series from a talented debut author and I just hope Damico has plenty of fresh puns stored up because I'll be eagerly awaiting them.

*pun fully intended

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Release Date: January 17th 2012
Pages: 262
Format: E-galley
Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Buy It: Book Depository

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

I went into reading Fracture hoping for one of those creepy paranormals, that don't revolve around creatures or immortal beings, and have mostly gotten pushed aside for star-crossed love stories. Plus it's a standalone novel, which is always nice. Miranda doesn't disappoint, but there were definitely some things about the novel that surprised me as well.

For one thing, even though I just said I wasn't looking for a love story, I have to admit that Decker is an incredibly swoon-worthy love interest. I even like the way Decker and Delaney sound together, I mean, why hadn't these two hooked up? Sigh. In Decker, Miranda's created an authentic but charming character, he might get mad, but you can't help loving him anyway.

Delaney, on the other hand, is a lot colder (no pun intended) emotionally, and because the story is told from her perspective, as a reader you get a lot of the creepiness that surrounds her experiences and her learning to understand what has happened. Still, I found her fairly easy to relate to, as she's conflicted between wanting to just accept the miracle that's happened, and wanting to understand it. I can imagine how difficult the kind of thing she went through would be for somebody scientifically minded, and I didn't blame her for trying to probe deeper, even as it put her– and others– in danger.

I was honestly not at all interested in Troy, and his entire storyline was the part of Fracture I found least compelling (especially its climax, though I won't give anything away, but I just didn't understand why he hadn't taken certain actions sooner since it didn't seem like the sort of thing that would just spontaneously happen). The romance between him and Delaney didn't warm me up to him either. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have missed him if it had just been Delaney figuring things out on her own, and it might have given the reader a chance to get to know her better, too.  I know Troy's not exactly the good guy in this novel, but he wasn't intriguingly bad either. He just didn't work for me as a reader.

Despite my reservations about Troy, overall I enjoyed Fracture, a dark thriller with a paranormal hint that enticed me to the last page with twists and turns.