The Secrets of Lily Graves

Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Publisher: Blazer + Bray
Release Date: 13 May 2014
Summary: Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.  But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.  So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.  As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.
Review:  I fell in love with a cover and got a little bit burned.  I should probably preface that I went into this book cold.  Normally before I buy a book I check goodreads, and ask for second and third opinions, sometimes consulting Kirkus, and even then I usually sit debating for a while, but I saw this cover and thought, "Oh my heck!  I had that haircut for years!  I should buy this book!" (Don't question my logic, it cannot stand up to reason.)  I read the back, it sounded reasonable, like something I might be interested in, and it seemed quick.  I've been dying for a quick read.
Well, I got what I was asking for - The Secrets of Lily Graves was a very quick read.  It was also very "surface" and I kept waiting for something deeper, something more. . .I dunno, gratifying?  I really liked Lily, and although it churned by stomach, I liked the attention to detail and how normal it seemed to grow up in a mortuary.  I liked the process, and how Lily's family seemed normal and lovable, I even liked Lily doing her detective work (though this is NOT Veronica Mars style, like, say, Bethany Fantasky's Buzz Kill - it's definitely closer to Nancy Clancy.) 
I didn't guess the ending until about 1/2 way through the book (but take from that what you will, although I love mysteries, I rarely read them), but Erin's unflinching ability to keep a narrow mindset, especially towards the end read gnawed on my nerves.  The ending was also incredibly rushed.  I wish that is had been drawn out a little bit.
If you're looking for a mystery that also gives you a pretty in depth view on the life of your average mortician, check this out.  If you're looking for a fun, gratifying mystery, I would recommend Buzz Kill (Beth Fantasky), The Prince of Venice Beach ( ), and the new Veronica Mars series (Rob Thomas and Co.)

How I Live Now

Author: Meg Rosoff
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dystopia/Sci-Fi, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House Children's/Wendy Lamb Books
Release Date: 30 November 2004
Summary:“Every war has turning points and every person too.”
Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.
As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.
A riveting and astonishing story.
Review: I actually heard about this book after seeing a trailer for the film.  The film didn't get a wide release, so I picked up the book from the library and read it.  This book was unlike anything I had ever read before, and I'm still on the fence of whether that is a good or bad thing. 
Okay, upfront things to know:  There is no actual dialogue in this book.  It is written in the same vein as Stolen by Lucy Christopher (with the exception that I really enjoyed that book).  Second: there is cousin lovin, and it's not innocent.
The weird thing; it didn't need to be there.  It would have been so easy to make Edmond a boy from the village or a next door neighbor instead of a cousin - as a matter of fact, doing this would have probably made this story more poignant for me, because although everything is glossed over (this is YA after all) it was still creeping me out throughout the book. 
That aside, I really enjoyed the overall story.  Placing this bohemian family under a microscope on the outbreak of war was fascinating to watch.  Getting to see Daisy grow and change and evolve within this family and throughout the war was also wonderful.  I loved Piper's character, she was probably my favorite part of the novel, who knew I could get so attached to a fictional nine year old.  I loved the world Rosoff created, that she wasn't afraid to show us the truly gritty side of things, because this novel is dark and twisted and scary and real.  If it hadn't been for the incest, I would definitely have given this a four or five, but as it stands I'm throwing it up as something between a three and a four.
The film version is currently available to watch on Netflix (as of 6/25/2014).  I have yet to watch it, but here is the trailer:

Exile

Author: Kevin Emerson
Series: Exiles # 1
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery (sort of)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release Date: 29 April 2014
Summary: Catherine Summer Carlson knows how to manage bands like a professional—she’s a student at the PopArts Academy at Mount Hope High, where rock legends Allegiance to North got their start. Summer knows that falling for the lead singer of her latest band is the least professional thing a manager can do. But Caleb Daniels isn’t an ordinary band boy—he’s a hot, dreamy, sweet-singing, exiled-from-his-old-band, possibly-with-a-deep-dark-side band boy. And he can do that thing. That thing when someone sings a song and it inhabits you, possesses you, and moves you like a marionette to its will.
Summer also finds herself at the center of a mystery she never saw coming. When Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father, one band’s past becomes another’s present, and Summer finds it harder and harder to be both band manager and girlfriend. She knows what the well-mannered Catherine side of her would do, but she also knows what her heart is telling her. Maybe it’s time to accept who she really is, even if it means becoming an exile herself. . . .
Review:  You should know up front, I don't read a lot of novels about music - non-fiction yes.  I just finished Keith Richard's autobiography and it blew my mind - but novels?  Not so much.  The reason I don't tend to read a lot of novels where music is a central theme is because I judge from page one.  As a matter of fact, in recent memory, the only novels about music I remember distinctly enjoying were Gayle Forman's If I Stay and Where She Went, but then those weren't really about music were they? 
It is with that in mind, that bias I automatically have, that I went into this book; and let me tell you: Kevin Emerson knows music.  This guy gets it, he knows what it's like to feel the beat with every part of you.  To stand at the back of a converted-garage covered in sweat and smiling because you haven't felt this great in a while, because the music is flowing around and through you.  It's the beating of your heart, and the rumble in your fingers, its the thumping of the bass line in your heels, digging into the concrete, blowing you apart, and then piecing you back together.  I'll give him that, he knows music.
But, I constantly had one question going through my mind: why is this from a female perspective?  Caleb was the interesting character, Catherine/Summer felt stock.  She went through average high school troubles, and had average parent troubles, and average relationship troubles (hint: instant love is still annoying, even if you're acknowledging it through the entire book).  Whereas Caleb had all of these dimensions, he had a mystery surrounding him that I, personally, felt could have been better explored through turning him into the narrator - instead of turning him into the "broody love interest".  There was also something about Catherine/Summer's voice that felt sadly inauthentic.   Like she was trying to be every other young adult contemporary female out there, and unfortunately failing miserably.   
Don't mistake me: I loved the music, I loved reading about the music.  I just had a hard time standing the voice that told me about it, when I knew there were other characters in the story who were more passionate about not only the music, but what was happening to them.

The Chaos of Stars

Author: Kiersten White
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Mythology, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: 10 September 2013
Summary: Isadora's family is seriously screwed up—which comes with the territory when you're the human daughter of the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Isadora is tired of living with crazy relatives who think she's only worthy of a passing glance—so when she gets the chance to move to California with her brother, she jumps on it. But her new life comes with plenty of its own dramatic—and dangerous—complications . . . and Isadora quickly learns there's no such thing as a clean break from family.
Blending Ally Carter's humor and the romance of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly, The Chaos of Stars takes readers on an unforgettable journey halfway across the world and back, and proves there's no place like home
Review:  I read this book quite a long time ago, then went back and re-read some of it today as a refresher before writing this review.  Overall I really enjoyed this book, I always like it when I find a good young adult stand alone.  Funnily enough this novel made me realize why so many YA authors write series.  It's hard to fit a full, well rounded story with fleshed out characters into a YA novel.  I wouldn't have minded another 100-200 pages in this book.
I loved the character of Isadora. I thought she was funny and self centered and so much the epitome of teenager.  I spend a lot of time in schools, and although Isadora wasn't necessarily somebody I would want to be best friends with, I did think she had a very similar personality to a lot of girls in that age group.
I loved her friends, and her family (especially her family) the integration of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses was very well done, and in such a fun way that it made me want to read up on my Ancient Egyptian literature.  Growing up we always focused on Greek and Roman mythology, and it was refreshing to read about the Egyptians.
The only thing I had a hard time was the overall climax of the book, it was resolved so quickly.  I mean we just left Isadora and Ry hanging out, and all the ends were tied up but I still want something to happen next.  I would recommend checking this out from the library if you're in the mood for a quick fun read, but if you're thinking about buying it: wait for the paperback to come out - as long as the paperback has the same cover as the hardback that it (*swoon*).

The Burning Sky

Author: Sherry Thomas

Series: Elemental Trilogy # 1

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Released: 17 September 2013

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…
Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.
Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.
But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life

My Review: You know – I really wanted to like this (I feel like I start of every negative review this way).  It’s the honest truth though – if I didn’t think I would like a book why would I read it? I realized something while reading it though, I have specific tastes when it comes to fantasy fiction, regardless of whether it’s adult or young adult – and The Burning Sky wasn’t my taste.

The plot was seamless, the story intriguing, the characters well rounded, I was even okay with the third person narrative.  I just didn’t enjoy it.  It felt really long (longer than was necessary) and there was a lot of unnecessary conversations – that may or may not come in to play in book two.  It’s nice to see that Fairfax is out in the real world making real friends when Titus can’t, but all the conversations about the British empire and cricket and tea were boring. 

There were also a lot of terms I think I was supposed to just understand.  Things I probably would understand if I read a lot of fantasy (which I don’t, obviously.)   I also felt the ending was a little bit rushed but slow at the same time.  I don’t know, this is a really hard one for me to review.  I know that people who like fantasy books will really enjoy this – I just have a very specific taste for fantasy, and unfortunately it’s not the high fantasy that this is – it’s more coming of age action/fantasy (Finnikin of the Rock, Graceling, and Magic Study).  This was a good book, just not my kind of good book.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Author: April Geneieve Tucholke

Series: Between # 1

Genres: Mystery, Supernatural, Horror, Gothic, Young Adult

Publisher: Dial

Released: 15 August 2013

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.  Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?  Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.  Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch

My Review:  I know I’m in the minority here – and this may be a case of “getting my hopes up real high” but . . .I was disappointed in this book.  I got sucked in by the beautiful font on the cover (I’m a total font nerd) when I saw this, and I have been waiting since last November (over nine months) for this book to come out, and in the end it was – meh.  The “gothic” aspect of this novel was my favorite part – probably because it borrowed so heavily from the gotic-esque novels before it.  I liked how Tucholke brought in the idea of the Devil and the crossroads and Robert Johnson (one of my all time favorite musical artists) and I wish it could have been explored more, annnd I pretty much was unsure about everything else, from the tiny sleepy town to the large house to the mean brother (and mean best friend) to the mysterious house guest.

The problems I had with this novel were. . .numerous.  I felt like none of the characters were really driven.  Where are we going?  What is the point of this story?  There were so many things which were brought up and then quickly resolved.  This novel seemed like a character study more than an attempt to tell a story, and then I came away feeling like I didn’t know any of the characters at all.  There is something to be said about the beauty and idea of that, maybe Tucholke was attempting to grasp what it’s actually like to be that age – struggling and not know whether to be mean or nice, or flirty or withheld or shy.  Writing characters who don’t know who they are because it is how the age group depicted acts?  Yeah, I could see that being the attempt, but I'm not sure YA is the place for that attempt to be made.

My main issue however, with this was confusion.  Confusion at what, exactly River is, at how much he controls, at what Violet’s grandmother was warning her against.  I was confused throughout most of this novel and then confused some more when it ended.  Young Adult books don’t usually confuse me, I’m pretty willing to suspend my disbelief and just go with it, but with Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea I was left confused and wishing there had been more of an explanation.  It felt so episodic with a  few gothic mentions thrown in and then to have nearly nothing resolved (setting up for the next book I presume) I closed this book with a feeling of heavy annoyance.  Why were no questions answered?  It's like the blurb for this book.  It asks a lot of questions, and yet after over 300 pages you still have no clue what's going on.

Honestly, I feel like this review could have gone either way – in another world I would have praised Tucholke for her aptitude to capturing the teenage condition, and her ability to leave the reader wanting more, but as it stands both of those aspects left me annoyed and unsure of whether or not I will be picking up the sequel.

Of Darkness and Light

Author: Shayne Leighton

Series: Of Darkness and Light # 2

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Released: 28 June 2011

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com When one human stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of overcoming them in this coming-of-age modern fairytale may result in war between light and darkness.
Abandoned as an infant in Prague, naive and strong-willed Charlotte Ruzikova was raised by one of the last Vampires left alive. As a human, she knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches drew spells of enchantment, Phasers threw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin. Charlotte has lived her life in the dark with her Guardian, content to having him to herself and reveling in his attention, until she's realizes she wants more...
Resident medical doctor and Vampire, Valek Ruzik fears the day his ward would come of age and blossom into a fine woman, and he is forced to confront his own motives as time is of the essence once his past catches up to him, and their lives become endangered...
As genocide and war threatens their secret society, the dictator in power is ready to wipe out Valek's race, but Charlotte will not allow that to happen. Fighting for the only one she's ever loved and truly believed in, she will do whatever it takes to save their love...before the sun comes up and light takes over.

My Review: We’re going into this review feet first, because I tried to think of a witty opening line and couldn’t.  Here is the deal with The Vampire’s Daughter.  It was interesting.  The premise was well thought out and original (a human raised by a vampire ends up falling in love with her vampire “father”) and placing the story in Prague was a stroke of genius.   The world building was fantastic, and all of the supporting character had strong motivations.  However, there were parts of this novel that fell a little bit flat for me, and no, it wasn’t the romance.  It was the motivation behind the romance.

I didn’t feel like it was very well explained as to why these two fell in love with each other.  Except for a few crying scenes (Charlotte really, really likes to cry) I didn’t feel like there was a lot of explanation.  Why decide to start like Valek now?  Was there a psychological trigger or did you just wake up one morning and think: I’m going to have a crush on my dad now.  There are a few sentences here and there stating that she had been having these types of feelings for a while, but I wanted to know the trigger behind it, I wanted to know more about what motivated Charlotte to suddenly like Valek.  And in return I wanted to know why Valek decides to reciprocate.  Because there were some parts when it didn’t feel “real” to me.  Letting everyone feed off of the girl you love turned my stomach and really made me question what the heck Valek was thinking.  I was totally okay with rooting for Valek and Charlotte (their relationship was unconventional, but these days most are, and the idea was original so major bonus points for that.) I just wanted a little more explanation about why they felt this innate need to be together.  They’re taking on a lot in order to make it work.  I really hope it will be explained better if another novel featuring these two is written.

The Vampire’s Daughter gets 3/5 because although I really liked it (and I DID) I wanted to see more motivations between the characters.  If someone was looking for a new take on the vampire novel I would recommend this one.  It has romance, violence, and traditional take blood from the vein vamps that don’t go out during the day and are in a war against other paranormal creatures.  Awesome first novel Ms Leighton!

A copy of this novel was obtained via NetGalley for review purposes.

Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Released: 31 July 2012

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.
Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

My Review: Pushing the Limits was . . . good? (I’m waffling between “good” and “okay”) I   liked the idea.  For some reason I’ve been a little bit drawn to characters that have some type of disorder lately, and Echo definitely fits the bill.  Watching her slowly overcome her PTSD to reveal exactly what happened to her is what really kept me reading this one.  The relationship between Echo and Noah is good, but nothing really earth-shattering.  Honestly, the part of their relationship that I enjoyed was them uncovering the secrets that they believe are governing their lives together, more than anything else.

I mean, honestly, everything else in this novel bothered me.  I don’t know what is it, but why don’t YA characters have decent parents? I mean seriously? SERIOUSLY? And it was a little bit hard for me to handle Noah’s character changes.  He cares so much about his brothers, and yet he still smokes weed and gets high with his friends (until he meets Echo, the girl who will change everything. Obviously. Insertdrywithere)

My other question, how did Noah end up in the system when there were living relatives around?  Because there is mention in the novel of his brothers’ foster parents needing to fight off relatives in order to adopt the boys, but where did these magical relatives come from, and why has no one found them sooner?  There were a lot of missing pieces to this story.  It’s not that I hated it, I mean I wouldn’t give it three stars if I hated it.  It’s just that I would recommend others faster than I would ever recommend this one.  The writing is good, but . . . I guess what I want to say is: Echo. If the best thing if your life is a pot smoking pseudo-boyfriend trying to gain custody of his brothers, than really. Your life isn’t that great.

I liked the way that McGarry delved fully into PTSD, and I think she has an excellent understanding of the disease, I just felt like Echo’s life was sad enough with PTSD, the other sad (every major person in her life) stuff didn’t  need to be added.

Silence

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: The Hush, Hush Saga # 3

Genres: Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Released: 4 October 2011

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com Nora Grey can't remember the past five month of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend.
But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.
And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.
Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.

My Review: Wow, well, okay.  That was a little unexpected.  And when I say “a little” I actually mean, “a LOT”.  I mean, seriously.  Why did I feel like I had read this book before?  Oh wait, because I HAVE. Silence was basically retelling Hush, Hush and Crescendo.

Somehow while I was reading I kept wondering why I kept going.  I mean, Nora has done a 360 back into the “stupid high school girl” character and Patch is, well, whatever he is.  He doesn’t really change that much.  The only thing that keeps me going is Fitzpatrick’s incredible writing style.  Without that these two starcrossed-lovers would be more starcrossed-go-on-our-separate-way-ers.  The plot to this novel seemed overly simplistic, the only complexity coming from the dialogue between characters.  It was like an epic smoke and mirrors show.  When you get right down to it, what really happens in this novel?  Nora discovers a bunch of things that she already knew.  Fitzpatrick is pretty talented, because she’s written two characters that I can’t seem to get enough of, even though I’ve read this exact story before, in the two previous novels.  Her writing style, filled with its witty jabs and mysterious undercurrents is what will keep me and has kept me going to the end of the this series.  I hope in the future that Fitzpatrick will go after some heavier Melina Marchetta-style material.  I think she can pull off some depth if given the chance, but unfortunately the Hush, Hush saga doesn’t really have much of it, in my opinion.  I’ll read Finale, because I’ve read the first three, but do I doubt that Patch and Nora will end up together after a systematic fight of good versus evil, nope.  I don’t doubt it one bit. 

Crescendo

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: The Hush, Hush Saga # 2

Genres: Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing

Released: 19 October 2010

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.
Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn’t been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.
Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperately searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts

My Review:  Crescendo, for me, was difficult.  The circumstances that Nora and Patch are put into throughout Crescendo were grating.  Especially after coming off of Hush, Hush where you wait most of the novel for something substantial to happen between our two protagonists.  Which, admittedly is good writing, and was really enticing to read, but that doesn’t mean I wanted to re-read it.  Basically: it was really hard for me to get behind the plot of this novel.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still the same Patch with his cocky, un-explaining ways, and Nora finally steps up and makes some confident choices about their relationship, which was nice.  Patch is kind of a jerk.  It’s a dominant characterization of the guy, and Nora is still in high school and hasn’t learned her lesson yet, but in Crescendo she stands up for herself for a nanosecond and I was proud of that. 

I should probably address, I know that I rag on Patch and Nora, I have such a love/hate relationship with those two!  Fitzpatrick’s writing style is so freaking addicting that even though I see the two in what could only be conceived as a train wreck of a relationship, I still can’t help but read on!  However, what really got to me was this: In Hush, Hush Patch and Nora finish pretty strong.  They’re together, officially, Patch has kind of stopped being such a jerk.  They’re a couple, after dancing around it for a couple of hundred pages, so it bothered me immensely how everything went South between them so quickly.  Also, the “love triangle” seemed too contrived to be truly believable.

I understand star-crossed lovers.  However, I don’t think that the point of a novel about two people in love should be to make me believe that they shouldn’t be together.  By the end of Crescendo, even filled with its witty banter, and addictive writing style, I was beginning to believe that maybe Patch and Nora aren’t really meant for each other after all.  The writing was good, the plot strong, I just didn't like the direction the story was headed in.

What Happens Here

Author: Tara Altebrando

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Travel, Contemporary, Horror, Young Adult

Publisher: MTV Books

Released: 6 May 2008

Summary: via goodreads.com We were going to see the world together, Lindsay and I. We were going to eat it up, whole. But it didn't happen that way. It didn't happen that way at all.... When Chloe's parents decide to take her to Europe the summer before senior year of high school, she's ecstatic...she only wishes her best friend, Lindsay, could come too. Living in Las Vegas, they have long imagined the world through the casinos inspired by great cities and have vowed to travel the globe together someday. Unfortunately, Lindsay's parents won't agree to send her along. So Chloe goes to Europe and sends postcards to Lindsay every day. But when she comes home, she must cope with shocking news that rips her family -- and Lindsay's -- apart. And as she tries to uncover the truth about what happened, Chloe soon begins to feel that Lindsay's brother, Noah, is the one person alive for whom she'd go to the ends of the earth.... From the acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness, this is a stunning new novel of friendship, love, and loss, set against the dazzling dual backdrops of Europe and Las Vegas.

My Review:  Wow, What Happens Here blew my mind, and I’m still trying to figure out if it was in a good way or a bad way.  The subject material just felt so heavy.  You know what I mean?  I’ve read Altebrando’s past books, and all of them deal with grief over the death of a loved one in some way or another, so that part I was expecting, but there was something about What Happens Here that was just so dang intense.  Although I have to admit, I enjoyed the mystery aspect, and Chloe’s yearning to still be the best friend she can for Lindsay.  The Chloe/Noah intrigue was a little hot and cold, but I felt that it reflected back on the tone of the novel well, so it wasn’t incredibly bothersome.  As a matter of fact that bothersome thing for me was Lindsay’s death.  It’s told in snippets and through the surveillance cameras of Vegas, and though I liked the surveillance camera aspect of it, like I really really liked that aspect of it, I felt that it was pushed too much to the background of the novel, bringing mindless conversations to the foreground.  Altebrando has a really unique voice as far as writing is concerned, and in other novels of hers I have really enjoyed that.  She has a way of connecting with readers that are the same age as her protagonists.  However, with What Happens Here I was in a constant debate: Is this a mystery novel, of a best friend and an older brother trying to find justice for a girl that was killed, or is it a novel about a girl trying to find her identity after her best friend is gone?  Normally both of these plot lines could work really well together, but I felt that combining this with the European vacation and all of the family drama just made it into too much to handle.  Especially when the length of the book is taken into account, there just wasn’t enough time or words to explain everything justly, and that is why I had a harder time with this one than I’ve had with other of Altebrando’s works.  It was good, just not great.

The Bandit King

Author: Lillith St. Crow

Series: Romances of Arquitaine # 2

Genres: Fantasy, Romance(ish?), Adult

Publisher: Orbit

Released: 1 June 2012

Summary: via goodreads.com Tristan d'Arcenne is what he always wished to be--Vianne di Rocancheil's Consort. But Vianne is no more a noblewoman, she is the Queen of Arquitaine, faced with treachery, invasion, war, and a Consort whose secrets may well shatter their marriage. For before Tristan was hers, he belonged to a King...and that King died by Tristan's hand.

Arquitaine needs them both. The country is locked in a deadly game whose rules change by the moment. The Queen is an adept player, but hardly ruthless enough. The contest requires a man who has nothing to lose, a man who has already done the worst and will continue to do so for his wife, his country, and his own salvation.

The Bandit King approaches...

My Review: When I reviewed The Hedgewitch Queen I had (obviously) not read the second one. So some of the problems that I had with the first one were redeemed in the second because the slowness I felt in the pacing of the first was really a setting up of sorts for the second. Phew, I hope that made sense, probably not.
Anyways, The Bandit King is told from Tristan’s point of view. Now Tristan was the character that kept me interested in the series so I was pretty excited to read this one purely because it is his point of view. What I wasn’t expecting: How dark and dreadful Tristan’s mind was. I thought all those brooding stares were out of love. Nope. Well, kind of.
And that sums up how I felt about this book. Kind of good about it, but kind of annoyed. I feel like Tristan and Vianne never really get on the same page with each other. They’re always one step behind or ahead of the other. Vianne is cutting Tristan out of everything and does quite a few things without asking for his advice, though in her defense Tristan is kind of a lying dog jerk face meanie. The thing with these books is that I went into them thinking they were a fantasy-heavy light-romance fun kind of read it is not that. The Bandit King is based more on politics, intrigue, magic, and the inner workings of the aforementioned topics. The love story that we were first introduced to takes a complete back burner (if not being completely obliterated altogether).
I felt that this was a good conclusion, and I can’t say I didn’t like hearing from Tristan, he just wasn’t what I expected him to be. Then again, if I think about it, he was exactly what you would expect from a trained assassin and King’s Left Hand. I’m giving it a three because I was satisfied, but I was bummed about the stuff that went down romance-wise.

  

If I Stay

Author: Gayle Forman

Series: If I Stay # 1

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Released: 2 April 2009

Summary: via goodreads.com In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

My Review: If I Stay, to me, seems like the book that every other book wants to be. And I get it, really I do. But if every book is trying to be If I Stay than what happens to other books? Like, really original books that are just as good, or better than If I Stay? Just wondering…
Anyways, I really enjoyed it (like many) it was both heart wrenching and hopeful and seeing Mia’s memories from the perspective that they’re shown is something really different and incredibly enjoyable when it comes to YA lit. I felt like everything flowed together really nicely, especially considering the fact that not all of her memories are going in chronological order.
I really enjoyed that Forman gave us all a playlist at the end, music plays as much of a role as most of the characters, so I was grateful for that added help (and some of the songs became my favorites!) and thought that was put into this novel. I liked that at the end the choice is still Mia’s.
This book definitely makes you think about what happens after death, do the dead linger with us? Forman explores a lot of these concepts and really makes you think about what it’s like to die, and yet she still has a way of making you not think about death. This novel wasn’t morbid, nor was it incredibly hopeful. It was about a life, and a choice. Sometimes I think that the simplest of plots turn out the simplest of novels, and that’s how If I Stay was for me.

Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman

Series: If I Stay # 2

Genres: Realistic, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Released: 5 April 2011

Summary: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.
My Review: Okay, I’ll admit, when I saw Where She Went at the bookstore, I kind of freaked out. I had no idea that Gayle Forman was planning a sequel, and because of that I was really hesitant to pick this one up. If I Stay was such a good read for me, and I felt like it ended in a really good place without having to continue onwards. So, it was with this attitude that I picked up Where She Went. Purely to see what Forman had done.
And I’ll admit, I was a little bit surprised. And, I’ll admit, kind of bummed that Adam and Mia weren’t together. That Adam had, in fact, turned into kind of a dick. Maybe I needed a refresher of If I Stay before I headed into this one, but really? I don’t remember Adam acting this despondent. Of course, If I Stay was told from the perspective of a loving girlfriend, and not from Adam’s point of view, but still. A little confused at the character turn.
However, by the time Adam ends up in New York with Mia on their last night, I felt like he had begun to redeem himself a little bit. Where If I Stay was all about Mia and her healing, or at least acceptance process, Where She Went is all about Adam’s acceptance and healing process. I’ll admit, I spent a lot of time in this novel kind of wanting to rip my hair out, but in the end I was glad I read it. If only to see what happened after If I Stay. It was a quick read that definitely made you think, and if you’ve read If I Stay, I definitely recommend that you also read Where She Went.

Unraveling

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Series: Unraveling # 1

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance.

Publisher: Blazer + Bray

Released: 24 April 2012

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life. But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process. From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

My Review: There is a book that I’ve read recently that this book really reminds me of, or maybe it’s a television show that I’ve watched? That is how this book felt to me. Like I had read everything in it somewhere before. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. I liked the characters (could have done with out so many F bombs, though) and Janelle and Ben played really well off of each other in that cutesy first love sort of way. The science fiction aspect was pretty hard core and the author is pretty smart for being able to put it all together (although it did come out in the atypical “let me tell you everything about me” scenes) so that aspect I was a fan of.

I liked the action sequences, I loved the messed up character of the mom, but still, there was something that felt so familiar about this book…oh yes. Because it reminded me of Twilight. As in the epic read that everyone read and no one will admit to reading anymore. Yep, that Twilight. It felt like Twilight 2.0, with Norris going that extra half-inch with her characters that Stephanie Meyer never did, a lot of scenes felt like they were straight out of that read (the truck scene at the beginning, the big reveal, the in-fighting of a select group) it was a more action/adventure, science-fiction version of Twilight. I promise that I don’t say this lightly. Rarely do books remind me of other books, but as I was discussing this one with New Romantic I could not stop thinking about how familiar it felt, to the point where she wondered if I’d read it before (impossible, seeing as it only came out a week ago).

Unraveling was an entertaining read, it had everything that a reader is looking for in a young adult book, action/adventure, mystery, romance, a hint of the paranormal, some laughs, and some tears. It was well written, though at times became a little redundant plot-wise. It left me feeling a little bit ‘meh’. As in: maybe I’ll read the sequel, but maybe I won’t. It was really quick, pacing wise so you can read it in a few days, but it isn’t one that I would keep going back to like a bad habit, one read was enough for me.

Hereafter

Author: Tara Hudson

Series: Hereafter # 1

Genres: Paranormal, Ghost Story, Young Adult, Romance

Publisher: HarperCollins

Released: 7 June 2011

Summary: via goodreads.com Can there truly be love after death? 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. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever. Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, "Hereafter" is a sensation you won't want to miss.

My Review: Hereafter was definitely one of those books that I liked, but it didn’t necessarily stick with me. Amelia is such a lovable ghost. She is sweet and fun and I really enjoyed her voice in the novel. The same can be said for Joshua, he accepts all of the things that are happening to him with ease, and you can really feel that his love for Amelia goes beyond simply lust. I think those were my favorite things about this novel though. The ghost story is a little bit dated, like I had seen it somewhere on television, or I had read it somewhere before.
There was just something about Hereafter that made me keep saying to myself, “oh, well that’s typical” like there was a checklist of things that belonged in a ghost-story and the author went through and checked everything off that list and then sent it off to her editor. It wasn’t that there was anything bad about this book. There wasn’t. It was well written, and pretty light material. There were definitely some tense moments where you wonder what will happen next, but in the end I definitely felt like it was more typical than most, it didn’t really exceed any expectations that I had for a story about a ghost and a boy falling in love, but it did meet them.

Something, Maybe

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Realistic, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Released: 24 March 2009

Summary: via goodreads.com Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's girlfriends and is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar...and that's just how she likes it. Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants—only what she wants may not be what she needs...

My Review: Something, Maybe falls perfectly into the category of “Dessen-esque” as in, this book reminded me a LOT of Sarah Dessen’s work. I loved Sarah Dessen when I was in high school, and usually I’ll pick up her books if I see that she has released a new one. She has a formula, of course, but I love her characters so much that I don’t really care. So, anyways, Something, Maybe felt like her books.

I enjoyed Something, Maybe it was a pretty entertaining read, and Hannah’s voice had that insecure, realistic mood to it as well as that all-encompassing crush on the wrong guy that happens to all of us at least once. You know, the guy all of your friends warn you about. She works in the fast food industry and sometimes she gets to school late. Basically Hannah is the epitome of a “normal” teenager. Except for her family life.

Dysfunctional families are truly what Scott excels at, and Something, Maybe may have been the most dysfunctional of them all. Hannah’s dad is a Hugh Hefner like character with her mother being an Ex-Bunny. Her dad has a television show that is basically a Playboy version of Jersey Shore. I don’t watch enough tv, but I’m pretty sure there was actually a reality show about the man who doesn’t know how to get dressed in normal people clothes.

Anyways, this was actually the one problem I had with Something, Maybe. Hannah is so normal and Finn is a cutie, but it seems strange to me that she can be that normal with a mother and father who literally don’t seem to care about her (and basically just use her throughout the entire book). How do normal kids come out of these warped environments? I feel like this book is definitely more for the older set because in a lot of scenes Hannah’s mother is wearing basically nothing but lingerie. What’s even stranger is that this is a book, in which a major plot line is about the pornography industry, is quite obviously meant for High School and Middle Grade readers.

Although I liked the book, it was fun to see Hannah and Finn fall in love, and Hannah’s personality is one that kept me laughing, plus it’s pretty short, coming in at just over 200 pages, but I was disappointed with that major part of the subject material. Basically, I’m not sure I would want my 13-16 year old daughter reading this (I mean in the future, when I have kids, but still). I mean, I get the YA books are trying to be current on today’s issues, and bring a different focus to things, or whatever. But seriously, what happened to Caroline B. Cooney? I mean, she was awesome.