“Tessa has just months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is Sex. Released from the constraints of ‘normal’ life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallised in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out.”
Expectations: Had never read a Jenny Downham book, I look forward to reading more.
My Thoughts: An enjoyable book. It felt real for me, growing up myself with a lot of doctor visits I can understand the need/want to get things done before it’s over. Some of the things however felt a little silly. Though now that I’m older I have a different perspective. I’m sure if I was that age I would have had a lot of off the wall things on my bucket list as well. The cover is nice, although that is not the cover I had but I like this cover much more than the cover I had. Since I tend to be more picky about covers with models on them. This book really was a tear jerker for me. The ending totally did me in. It was an inspirational book for me at the same time. Life really is too short to worry about small things.
“Jenny Downham (born 1964) is a British novelist and an ex-actor. In her first book, Before I Die, the fictional account of the last few months of a sixteen-year-old girl who has been dying of leukemia for 4 years. The book is told in the first person. The book was acclaimed and was short-listed for the 2007 Guardian Award and the 2008 Lancashire Children’s Book of the Year, nominated for the 2008 Carnegie Medal and the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize, and won the 2008 Branford Boase Award.”
“J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have introduced readers to a “different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing” (All About Romance)world. Now, as the vampire warriors defend their race against their slayers, one male’s loyalty to the Brotherhood will be tested-and his dangerous mixed blood revealed…
Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.
Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.”
Expectations: I was really looking forward to reading more about Revhenge. He was always so mysterious in the previous books. I was interested to see who Ward picked to be his mate.
My Thoughts: First, I will try not to put to many spoilers but I mean…it’s the seventh book. You are warned. Okay moving on, I really enjoyed this one. “The king, must die.” The first sentence in the 527 page book. I couldn’t put this book down. The story just kept rolling and I really enjoyed the pace of it. I loved Lover Awakened with Zsadist, and I loved all the characters related/around him. (Bella and in turn Revhenge) He is such a powerful male and I loved his story. I like that in this book it gave you more insight to Wrath and Beth. (I enjoyed the first book with Wrath as well.) This is in my top three for this series. 1,2, and 7.
So the characters. I loved Revhenge. He is so powerful yet in a way weak at the same time. He kept searching for acceptance but couldn’t find it. Until he met Ehlena. (Loved her in this book as well.) Ehlena is a troubled female, dealing with her father being ill and working all the time at Haver’s clinic. She meets Revhenge when he come in to get his meds from Havers and none of the nurses ever want to be around him. Nonetheless, Ehlena volunteers. From there, their relationship has started. As usual, the relationship is flip flop and then it builds. The complexness of both of these characters lives is just…wow. I loved all surrounding Revhenge. All the badassness just made him seem so much cooler. (That and I wanted to get more into Sympaths.)
I felt like this book moved more into the plot than just with Rev’s and Ehlena’s relationship. I like that Wrath and Beth and the brother’s were still involved even though Revhenge is not a brother. Also, we got to see more into John Matthew (I’ve been waiting for the book based off him, I like his character to.) and Xhex as well. She is such a hard ass but I enjoy her character. She is troubled as well and I am excited to explore and go more into her character in the next book.
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t enjoy the Lesser parts as much as the other parts. (Although that was because I wanted to know what the heck was going on with everyone else.) But I can’t wait to see what goes down with Lash and John Matthew.
I gave this book a 4/5. It isn’t a perfect book, but I did really like it.
“J.R. Ward is a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author of erotic paranormal romance. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. After graduating from law school, she began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.
Under her maiden name, Jessica Bird, she writes contemporary romance novels”
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 12th 2010
Pages: 336
Young Adult
Rating: 4
“Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to? Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.”
Expectations: I had heard wonderful things about A. S. King and her writing. I was hoping that I would enjoy it as much as other people seemed to.
My Thoughts: Wow…alot of emotions after finishing that book. I enjoyed it alot, I can say that much. The writing is good, and I love all the different perspectives. It worked very well for the story. The flashbacks worked out very well to. I do however wish I could have gotten a bit more out of Charlie’s character. Jenny Flick and her band of “detention-heads” were realistic and believable and I liked that. Vera felt so realistic it was scary. Her father kind of plucked my nerves at times but not too much. The plot was okay, but the ending was great. The end of the book was just the beginning for her and her father. The cover is perfect. End of story. Overall I’m going to give this book four stars. It wasn’t perfect but I really enjoyed getting to know Vera and Charlie. I enjoyed King’s writing and hope to get my hands on more of her books in the future.
“A.S. King is the author of the critically-acclaimed EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS (Little, Brown 2011) the Edgar Award nominated and 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ (Knopf 2010) and award-winning THE DUST OF 100 DOGS (Flux 2009) and other fiction for teens and adults. Next up: ASK THE PASSENGERS coming October 2012.”
“Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. The question is not if it will happen, but when. Do you understand?”
I didn’t then, not really.
I DO NOW.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.”
Expectation: I surprisingly received this novel courtesy of Netgalley. I have never read a Julie Kagawa novel before but had heard wonderful things about her Iron Fey series. (Which I have not read yet but plan to.) I expected a lot of action and was hoping for something new.
My Thoughts: I’m going to start off by saying that the first half of the book was a bit slow for me. Then the character that I enjoyed the most (of course) disappeared. The ending of the book was thankfully fast paced and filled with action and plenty of emotion. Some of the fight scenes made me feel like the first time I read the Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The rabids seemed a bit more zombie at times than vampire but I liked that about them. They weren’t something to fall in love with and they didn’t sparkle. They were what they were intended to be, vicious demons that eat human flesh. It was quite refreshing to read a young adult novel that got more into the gore than the romance. Don’t misunderstand me though, there was romance but I felt like there was enough action to compensate for the amount of romance thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed Allison’s character. The love interest on the other hand, didn’t click for me. I liked his character but I didn’t feel the connection between them. Although that may be because some other male caught my attention. (I’m not naming names but I’m sure you will understand if you have read the book.) The love interest was a bit expected for me. The cover is sadly a letdown for me. Allison is Asian…and the girl on the cover…is not. The world-building however was wonderful and I could fully picture Allie’s surroundings. I will continue the series, I’m hopeful that the next book is just as good or even better. I’m giving this book a four stars, I was tempted to give 3.5 but I don’t give half stars and I felt like the ending pushed it to 4 stars. Read the book for yourself to see how Kagawa’s shot at vampires plays out for you. I give her a high five for her wonderful world-building and play on emotions.
Favorite Quote: “Do you believe in God, Allison?”
“No.” I said immediately. “Is this the part where you tell me I’m going to hell?”
SPOILER ALERT- CONTINUE AT OWN RISK! SKIP TO VIDEO IF YOU WANT TO SKIP SPOILERS
*I was frustrated with Kanin leaving the story so early. Well, the beginning I felt was a bit too drawn out, once I was getting into Kanin’s character he was taken out of the story.
*Jeb was another thing that frustrated me. I felt like I needed a bit more from him. And Ruth should have had another talk with Allie or something, though I liked that she stood up for her brother, even though she was pretty much terrified of her own shadow. The scene with Caleb and Allie was heartbreaking.
“Born in Sacramento, California, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine, where she learned many things. How to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math
class was a fantastic way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate.
Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and a plethora of pets. She still laughs whenever she sees a centipede. She is the author of the bestselling Iron Fey series and can be found at http://www.juliekagawa.com.” – Info courtesy of Netgalley.
For People Who Like: Strong heroines, Vampires, Dystopian, Fighting for Humanity, Good world-building, Epic fight scenes, Intense action, and much more…
“For aspiring artist Amanda Walsh, who only half-jokingly goes by the nickname Zero, the summer before college was supposed to be fun—plain and simple. Hanging out with her best friend Jenn, going to clubs, painting, and counting down the days until her escape. But when must-have scholarship money doesn’t materialize, and she has a falling out with Jenn that can only be described as majorly awkward, and Zero’s parents relationship goes from tense to relentless fighting, her prospects start looking as bleak and surreal as a painting by her idol Salvador Dali. Will life truly imitate art? Will her new, unexpected relationship with a punk skater boy who seems too good to be real and support from the unlikeliest of sources show Zero that she’s so much more than a name.”
Probably my favorite contemporary so far. If you enjoy contemporary novels, pick this one up. The characters overall I enjoyed. Sometimes Zero’s angst was a bit much and sometimes I felt she said the same thing to many times. Example ” Later, skater” It was appropriate at times and others…not so much. But other than that I liked Zero. Boy angst worked, girl angst…not so much. She learned something about herself and her life in the end. I didn’t like her dad but that may just be because he is a drunk. The best friend, I wanted more from her! I loved the plot line that was going on between her and Zero. What I liked the most is that the story is believable.
Something I want to point on in this book is, the sex scenes were more detailed than I expected for a YA novel. I’m not sure which range of YA he was aiming for…
But! Score points for Leveen – No Insta-Love!
Sometimes the art metaphors were a bit overwhelming. I like but I don’t know enough about it.
Sad? It had its moments. It definitely had potential to be a a way more sad book.
Overall I give the book four stars. I enjoyed the book and was happy with the ending and happy overall with the characters. The story was believable.
Summary: “The Download was supposed to change the world. It was supposed to mean the end of aging the end of death, the birth of a new humanity. But it wasn’t supposed to happen to someone like Lia Kahn.
And it wasn’t supposed to ruin her life.
Lia knows she should be grateful she didn’t die in the accident. The Download saved her–but it also changed her, forever. She can deal with being a freak. She can deal with the fear in her parents’ eyes and the way her boyfriend flinches at her touch. But she can’t deal with what she knows, deep down, every time she forces herself to look in the mirror: She’s not the same person she used to be.
Expectation: I really wasn’t expecting anything, because I didn’t know much about the book and I had never read a Robin Wasserman book before, but I was hopeful.
My Thoughts: The beginning was a bit confusing, but then for the most part Lia’s condition made sense. World building…I was a bit confused on how the society worked. I would have liked a bit more back story concerning the faither’s. I felt like that part of the plot died off. The pacing was fine, I felt like it could have moved a bit faster but it wasn’t too slow. With Lia going through what she does, looking at her life, and trying to find herself, it makes you look at your own life. Makes you think about whats important and what it’s like to be human. The romance wasn’t really the focal point of the book and I liked that. The ending wasn’t necessarily surprising but it was kind of sad, and I like when there is a sort of sad element to an ending. Not all endings are happy. It seems a bit more realistic that way.
I prefer the original covers, or the covers that when you put them together make a body, although that set had different names. I’m not sure why. Not to self: Look into the other covers. If anyone knows feel free to let me know. I feel like the cover (the one at the top of the review) doesn’t match up to what’s inside of it. Overall I’m giving the book three stars. I enjoyed it and I will most likely continue the series.
“I’m the author of the Cold Awakening Trilogy (Skinned, Crashed, and Wired), Hacking Harvard, the Seven Deadly Sins series, and the forthcoming Book of Blood and Shadow. I’m also a crazed Stephen King fan and David Foster Wallace evangelist with an embarrassing list of Important Books I’ve Never Read But Can Bluff About Well Enough to Discuss at Cocktail Parties. I’m working on it.” – GoodReads
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for YoungReaders
Released: March 22nd 2011
Pages: 358
Young Adult – Dystopian novel.
Rating: 4 stars
Summary: “By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape–before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden’s servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?”
Expectation: I expected a lot from this book, there was so much hype around it, yet I didn’t know much about it. I don’t think it disappoints. For being a debut novel, I am impressed.
My Thoughts: I’m just going to start off with this book got me out of my reading funk. I was sitting in my classes waiting to get out to read a few more pages before my next class. This book was tragically beautiful. I loved the characters, they all very much had their own personalities. The writing just made me feel for Rhine and her sister wives. Not so much for Cecily though, she got on my nerves in the beginning. I loved Jen as well, all throughout the book. I liked Rhine because she never gave up. She was determined no matter what to escape her unwanted “marriage”. The main love interest (or the forces upon interest) was okay, he was kind of a bizarre character. He does seem a bit naive in a way though. Now for the actual love interest, I enjoyed him. It’s an almost impossible friendship that could be more…I can’t wait to find out what happens in Fever.
The plot was interesting, I feel like it could have been a bit more extravagant but it was still nicely done. The world building I could understand and I enjoyed. I had never read a book with polygamy so it was something new. The cover is nice, normally I don’t like covers with just pretty models but the designing makes the book. The pacing was also nice, I almost couldn’t put it down. There wasn’t really a time where I was bored or it was slow. The ending left with a cliffhanger, naturally. I think it was nicely done and a good spot to leave off. Not that I’m happy about the cliffhanger. I mean I want to read fever right now! But alas, I shall have to wait. But look forward to fever in the future. I am giving Wither 4 stars. Overall I could barely put the book down. As I said I look forward to reading fever and will definitely be continuing the series.
“Lauren DeStefano (pronounced: de STEFF ano) graduated Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT in 2007. Her debut novel, WITHER, the first in The Chemical Garden Trilogy, published by Simon & Schuster BFYR, is out now.” – GoodReads
Series: The Chemical Garden – Wither #1 & Fever #2
Format: Bought, Hardback
For People who enjoy: Dystopian, Controversial topics, Strong Heroine, Evil father in laws, Secret Laboratory, The concept of sister wives or Polygamy, Death Disease, and more…
Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould
Standalone Novel
Pages: 262
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 13, 2012
YA Novel
Format: Ebook courtesy of NetGalley
Add to Goodreads
“Venice, 1585.
When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura’s father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice’s fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura’s prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister’s death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.”
While, I enjoy historical fiction, it is not my favorite genre. I did however enjoy this book. The characters for the most part were nice, the only person that really got under my skin was Laura’s father. I will never understand people who put status and money before family. (I will not go to much into it for fear of spoiling anything) Laura is a bit naive when it comes to certain things.
I very much enjoyed the plot of this book. The opening sentence just begins a wonderfully descriptive historical fiction novel. I feel like the synopsis only scratches the surface of the amount of drama and all that goes on in the novel. The setback for me is that the storyline for the love interest is expected. I’m not sure how I felt about the love interest and I was feeling some insta-love along throughout the story, but maybe that’s just how I perceived it. The villain however I felt was nicely introduced.
Cover= Love! I love the cover with The face mask is beautiful, just with her not having a neck it throws off the bottom half of the cover.
I am giving this book a three star rating but will be recommending it for those who enjoy historical fiction novels.
Published March 17th 2009 by Pocket Books/MTV Books
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
“HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far…and almost doesn’t make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge — and over….”
My first book by Jennifer Echols, I enjoyed it more than I expected. The cover looked like other Young Adult contemporary novels, but I did enjoy this novel.
Meg’s angst is really explained towards the end of the book and I was surprised. (which doesn’t happen often) I love that she had blue hair, why? I have no idea. I really felt for Meg, but I also felt for John (another surprise twist, although I guessed that part.) He overall was a nice character as well, Makes me want to find myself a copper. ;] As for side characters, they worked for the story. Tiffany made me laugh sometimes, and I really just wanted to smack Eric, but then again so did people in the book.
The pacing in the book was fine, I wish it moved a bit faster but it wasn’t too terribly bad. The last 50 or so pages were a nice pace and I read the last 100 pages in an afternoon, I couldn’t put it down. Things were heating up and attitudes were flaring. And then it ended and I was relieved the way it ended.
Overall as I said in the beginning I enjoyed the book. I mean cops, parties, blue haired girls, jealousy and more packed into a 245 page book, what more do you want? I give this book a three, if you are into contemporary and have not read it yet then I suggest you pick it up.
“The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on… until Kendall’s boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it’s crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear…and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating…and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico’s mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.”
One of the first books that I have read in a day in a long time. (I am a super slow reader.) I was rather skeptical about this book because I could not get into Gone which is another book by Lisa McMann. I am so glad I picked up this book. This was a quick read but I couldn’t put it down. The plot kept moving and things kept getting more intense.
I really enjoyed Kendall’s characters, the OCD really added something unique to her character, and the story. You really felt her anguish over the missing students, and especially her best friend. Jacian is another wonderful character in the story, you really get a feel for him and I liked that. I really connected with the characters in this novel.
Also, it is nice that it is a stand alone novel, series tend to be the trend right now and it was nice to break up all the series I’ve been reading with a stand alone.
I am only giving this book a four because I have read a book similar but it was fairly close to a five with me. I definitely recommend it to people who want a quick and chilling read.
Lover Avenged by J. R. WARD
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
“MY VAMPIRE CREATOR TOLD ME THIS:
Zero by Tom Leveen
Skinned by Robin Wasserman
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould
Standalone Novel
Pages: 262
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 13, 2012
YA Novel
Format: Ebook courtesy of NetGalley
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