Most Likely to Succeed by Kate Davies

Most Likely to Succeed by Kate Davies
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Kelsey Moore is embarrassed to still be working at her family's flower shop when her 10 year high school reunion. The only thing that could draw her to the event is the hope of seeing her high school crush, Nathan Barrow.

Review
This novel felt short and light. None of the characters were really explored, this made the story feel like a light romp. Unfortunately, it also meant that I was never able to actually get into the story. The plot was very quick, and I had expected a bit more something.

My RecommendationIt was a fun, very light read. I give it 3/5 - Good, but not something I would repeat

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green


Synopsis
Hazel spends her time tethered to an oxygen tank and occasionally attending the cancer survivors support group. She may be alive following her battle with lung cancer, but she's not actually living. All of that changes on day when she sees a new guy staring at her in group. Augustus is also a survivor and forces her to change her views on sickness and living.

Review
This book is sad, I can't really state that enough. As usual, I jumped into this book without reading the description and then spent several hours crying as I made my way through the book. I don't know if I was having an emotional day or if this is seriously the saddest book ever. In my opinion, the emotion that the middle of the book wrung out of me overwhelmed the actual story. I also felt like the last 5th of the book just kind of lost its momentum. There was so much buildup, and then it kind of petered out.
The characters are pretty strong and feel like they could actually be real. I also appreciated that there wasn't an immediate love, or any kind of normal love triangle. The reality of the story may lose some of the younger readers that are used to the fluffy paranormal books that are running around today, and that would be a shame. This is certainly the first YA book that I have read in a long time that evoked an emotion.

My Recommendation
If you are in need of a good cry, go for it! I give it 3/5 - Good, but not something I would repeat

I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta

I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Chloe has the gift to mentally talk to animals and, it turns out, werewolves. Following a series of brutal murders, she is pulled into a paranormal world that she knows nothing about and asked to help solve the crimes. Along with the pack beta and his friends, she races against time to figure out who is killing innocent humans.

Review

I was so excited to read this book because I loved the title. I had hoped that the book would be humorous, but sadly the tone of the book didn't quite live up to the title.
I don't know. I liked the story, it just felt like it went the wrong direction to me. The story almost felt like two different stories squished together. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but it somehow lost me about half way through. The incorporation of Chloe's gift into her everyday life was interesting, and I felt that her relationship with Luke should have been explored more. Instead, she was sudden whisked into this crazy paranormal word and the plot was just inundated with ideas. Then there was the complication of Valimir, a vampire; I almost felt like it was thrown in there as the required love triangle as opposed to really belonging in the story.
The plot was coherent, and had an interesting cast of characters. Chloe was a bit odd. I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her either. The book was clearly written and read pretty easily. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I'm not quite sure if I will read the sequel.

My Recommendation

While sometimes a bit grisly, this is a safe paranormal novel for most readers (there are a few sexy parts, but nothing compared to the romance end of the paranormal genre). I give it 3/5 - Good, but not something I would repeat.

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

What would you do if you had a thousand lives to live? Would you become insular and stuck in your ways? Or would you be innovative and accept change?
Ana is the first person born into her society that hasn't lived before. The night that she was born, the tower went dark and the soul that would have been reborn was replaced with Ana. When she leaves the woman who raised and hated her, she sets out on a journey to discover who and what she is.

Review
I liked the premise of this story, I just wish that there was a little bit more action in the plot. The entire novel feels like a set up for the sequel. While Ana discovers herself and, shockingly, falls in love with the first man she ever sees, random elements are thrown in to the story and never explained or utilized. I would have loved it if the novel actually explained the presence of sylphs and dragons as opposed to randomly introducing them when Ana needed a prod to change her direction. Some stories are able to focus only on the internal growth of one character, but this novel just wasn't able to.

My Recommendation
I enjoyed this story, but it is a bit slow in places. I give it  3 /5  - Rent it/Borrow it.

What do you think?
Do you agree/disagree? Do you want to read it now? Or not? I love to hear(read) feedback!

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Hester refuses to love. Every woman in her lineage has died shortly after the birth of their first child, and she doesn't want to be the next on the list. Unfortunately, she is drawn to a mysterious man that she meets in a cave, and her feelings prompt her to start researching the women in her family. What she finds there will change the way that she sees the world, and the way the world sees her.

Review
Sadly, I didn't like this book as much as I hoped to. I found it difficult to start, as the prologue was dry and did not grab my attention. I kept going, but the story simply lost steam in the middle and I got a bit bored. I did enjoy the two timelines, and fond the switch to be fairly easy to follow.
The main character, Hester, was not as annoying and clueless as she could be, but there were still times when I just wanted to beat her over the head. The males in the book, with the exception of the priest, were not developed at all. Even Ezra, whose motivations should have been fairly clear, was just a bit flat.
I really enjoyed the mermaids in the book. They were slightly different and horrible, which I thought was great! The plot was interesting, and one of the more original ones that I have read lately.

My Recommendation
Readers that enjoy historical romances with a twist of paranormal would like this book, but it probably won’t be paced fast enough for the average teenage reader. I give it  3 /5  - Rent it/Borrow it.

Ember by Carol Oates

Ember by Carol Oates
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Shortly after being pushed out of a window by a sexy redheaded woman in leather, Candra begins seeing things that can't possibly be real. Suddenly her life is inundated with overly attractive people that won't tell her the whole story. All she knows is that the ridiculously good looking and surly Sebastian is constantly following her and won't even leave her alone while she sleeps and that the redheaded woman is back. Candra is finding it harder and harder to figure out what the is really going on around her and who the good guys are. Can she figure it out in time to decide if she should sacrifice the one person she might love for the possible safety of the world around her?

Review
Once I started reading the book, the first theme that popped into my head was I don't know if I can deal with yet another fallen angel book. The tend to be overly romantical star-crossed lover type stories without much substance. Yes, this story falls into that category. Honestly, the read is a bit slow, and I found that I didn't really care about the characters. I finished this book only because I started it, not because I was invested and wanted to see what happened.
The one interesting factor in the book is that the take on angels was just a little bit different. The story was set in a fictional city, and humans are "protected" by watchers, angels who where denied reentry to heaven after doing some terrible deeds on earth. The book might have been a whole lot more interesting if the story had gone into more detail about the watchers, as opposed to occasional bits of backstory that may or may not be lies.
Then there was the ending. There was buildup that a few of the characters may actually be evil, or at least had some nice nefarious plots. The tension was mounting, Candra was being pulled in two directions; and then it fizzled out. I'm not sure what happened, but it almost felt like the author gave up and just said here's a random happy ending, I'm out. Who knows for sure, but I'm sure that we will find out in the inevitable sequel.

My Recommendation
While my review may be a bit harsh, I did like some facets of the story. I give it 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Juliette hasn't seen or been touched by another person in years, so the day that a boy is shoved into her cell she has no idea what to do. Not to mention that she also has a little problem, anyone that touches her skin dies...


Review

This is a book that should be read and not listened to on audiobook. Believe me. The audiobook had a bunch of scratching noises that I'm sure would have made a bunch of sense if were on print on a page.

I enjoyed the book as a whole, but I found the love story to be a bit juvenile. Though, my opinion could still be influenced by the whole audiobook experience. I enjoyed the premise of the story, and the world that it was set in. I wanted to know a bit more about the world surrounding Juliette, but I understand that a limited world view made sense in the context of the story. The plot would occasionally stall out with excessive descriptions, but still flowed well enough.


My Recommendation

Read it, don't listen to it. 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Cinder is an outcast in a land living in fear of invasion and plague. One day, a man in a hooded sweatshirt enters her booth at the market and her life changes forever. Cinder must decide who she can trust and how hard she is willing to fight for the people that she loves.

Review
First off, I love the cover. When I picked up the book to start reading it, I wasn't actually aware the the story involved any kind of androids or cyborgs. Imagine my surprise when the book was based around mechanized beings... Not that I'm against science fictiony technology, I was just startled by their appearance in what I imagined was going to be a fairly classic fairy tale.
I really enjoyed the premise of the book, though a few bits were easily predicted. My biggest complaint is the fact that the story doesn't end, it simply sets up for a sequel. I really wanted to know what happened next, but I don't know that my interest will carry over for the next year or so until the sequel is released. I miss the days when books had a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is possible to end a story and still leave the reader wanting more, but it seems to be a rarity in the young adult genre anymore.

My Recommendation
My best advice is to wait until the inevitable sequel is released so you can hopefully get the full story and not just the first part of it. I'm giving it a 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.

The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff

The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Following the events with Allie in the Enchantment Emporium, Charlie is drawn to the east coast and a Celtic music festival that is taking place. Aunt Catherine has once again set a trial for one of the Gale girls, and Charlie must decide how she will embrace her wild powers.
Review
First off, I really don't like the cover for this book, it looks like a throw back early 90's fantasy...
I was excited to read this after finishing the Enchantment Emporium, but felt that this book fell short of the first novel. It was not as engaging as the previous book, finding it hard to care about Charlie at all. I wish that she had been shown as a deeper character as opposed to a flighty one.

My Recommendation
It works well as a companion to the Enchantment Emporium, but won't be the best as a stand alone novel. I'm giving it a 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it. 

13 to Life - Shannon Delany

13 to Life
Synopsis
Jessica is assigned to escort the new guy, Pietr around school. While he has that bad boy attractive factor, Jessica knows that she needs to focus on her crush Derek. Not to mention that her best friend Sarah has a crush on Pietr. Can Pietr and Jessica fight their growing attraction and continue to hide the dark secrets that they both harbor?

Review
This novel forgot the details that help to support the plot. So many elements were introduced in the book that were only lightly touched on, like the loss of Jessica's mother, Sara, and Derek (seriously, is he a vampire?) that the book felt a little flighty. Jessica has a very advanced case of martyr syndrome, and at times, you really want to knock her in the head. The Russian mafia aspect of the story, while an interesting twist on the typical werewolf story, felt tacked on at the end in an attempt to set up for a series.

My Recommendation
While people who love Twilight will probably love this book, there is a lack of depth that may bother some readers. I give it 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.

Tattoo 1 and 2 - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 Tattoo
Synopsis
Four friends are shopping at the mall when the meet a mysterious mall vendor that sells them accessories and some temporary tattoos. After each of the girls apply their tattoos, they discover magical powers and must work together to save the world from a great evil.

Review
I found this book to be a quick, easy, predictable read. I wasn't overly invested in the characters, but enjoyed the book enough to read the sequel as well. The girls were all plain stereotypes, and were only developed enough to keep the plot going. Though, I enjoyed the Greek myth references.

My Recommendation
This book is great for tweens, there are no questionable elements like sex, drugs, or rock'n'roll.  3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.






Fate

Synopsis

Set two years after the events in Tattoo, Bailey and her friends are getting ready to graduate from high school and move on with their lives. Unfortunately, Bailey is not ready to move on, or away from her friends. Plus, everything is complicated by her work as a Fate and the quickly approaching Reckoning. Can she find a balance in her life?

Review

This novel was at least as enjoyable as the first novel. I really enjoyed the fact that Bailey's friends would get mad at her for "moping" as many teen novels really focus on the angsty side of life. The new characters were interesting, though I found some of the references to Greek and Roman mythology to be a bit confusing and muddled in this installment. 

My Recommendation

This book is great for tweens, there are no questionable elements like sex, drugs, or rock'n'roll.  3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.

Winter Shadows - Margaret Buffie

Winter Shadows

Synopsis
Cass resents her new stepmother and stepsister. She feels that there is no place for her  in her father's new life and no longer feels like she has a home. When she finds a mysterious broach, her life begins to get even worse; she begins to see people that aren't there and Christmas without her mother is right around the corner. Can connecting with a girl from the past help her push the shadows out of her life and enjoy life again?

Review
I found the story line of Beatrice to be fascinating. I had never heard of Scottish/Indian children in Canada. The story was so interesting, that I could have read an entire book on Beatrice's life alone. Unfortunately, it was interspersed with the story of Cass, a resentful and hurt young girl. I found it very difficult to connect with Cass, she came off as pretty when I know that she had deeper feelings that I simply never felt. I did appreciate that both girls were able to learn something about their stepmothers that allowed them to be seen as flawed people instead of the enemy.

My Recommendation
A great read for teenagers, especially those dealing with parental loss or family transition. I give it a 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it.

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided by the publisher through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Vampires Suck

Vampires Suck


Synopsis
A parody of the Twilight movies with current pop culture references. Becca is new in town, living with her father, the sheriff. She falls in love with the local hottie, Edward Sullen. Her childhood friend Jacob also loves her, and the two fight over her.

Review
I expected this movie to be horrible like Disaster Movie, but it was surprisingly entertaining. Hate the Twilight craze but basically know what's going on? You might like this movie. There is the standard prop/gross out humor, but as this movie seems to be targeted more at girls than most of the spoof movies seem to be, it's not that bad. My boyfriend actually enjoyed it a bit more than I did, and he doesn't even know what happened in New Moon (he did suffer through a rental of Twilight though). His words were "if Twilight was like this, I may have actually watched it."

My Recommendation
It's very entertaining, but I don't know if I would be willing to pay full ticket price for it. 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it

Linger - Maggie Stiefvater

Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 2)

Synopsis
Grace and Sam are back. Sam is still trying to convince himself that he is really cured, dealing with taking care of the Pack, and worrying about Grace. Grace has a headache. Isabel is drowning in the drama that is her home life when a naked guy shows up outside of her house. His name is Cole and he's one of the new recruits to the pack. She hates his cocky persona, but at the same time is drawn to him and his desire to lose himself as a wolf.

Review
I think that it would have been really interesting to write this book from the perspective as Isabel. Her story line with Cole was the most interesting part of the book, and the Grace story line could have easily been placed as a secondary story line. By the end of the book, I was actually hoping for Grace to die. She was incredibly whiny the entire book, giving into her illness instead of taking any kind of initiative to help herself. I think that my biggest problem with this book is that Grace fell into the heroine trap where she is "in love" to the point where she thinks she will die without her partner (ie New Moon) and looses all personality and spunk in the process. Bleh. Sam is still sad, confused, lost Sam.
I still look forward to reading the next book in the series, as I hope the Isabel/Cole story will continue. They seem to have the beginning of an interesting relationship. Cole is a very complex as a character, fighting his way out of nothingness. Isabel is still strong and opinionated.

My Recommendation
Fans of Shiver will enjoy the continuation of the story, but this probably isn't a great read as an introduction to the series. 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it

Forgive My Fins - Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Synopsis
Brody is Lily's dream man. He's at home in the water, has a beautiful body, and is popular. It's too bad she was tricked into kissing Quince, the annoying boy next door. Now this probably wouldn't matter so much if Lily wasn't a mermaid princess and her first kiss bound her love to her and the ocean...

Review
An easy, fluffy (or bubbly) read. It's interesting to watch Lily be forced to grow from an incredibly superficial girl into a person of substance.

My Recommendation
A great read for tween girls or anyone looking for a quick mermaid story. 3/5 - Rent it/Borrow it

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Synopsis
Two story lines mingle in this Swedish cold case movie. Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist that was set up for a crime. After being found guilty, he is contacted by the former head of the Vanger family to solve the mystery of his niece's death in the 1960's.
Lisbeth is a hacker working for a security company. She was responsible for investigating  Mikael Blomkvist, and doesn't sever her ties to his computer when she is finished.
Together, they try to solve the mystery of Harriet's murder and uncover a series of violent murders that may be related to her death.

Review
I attempted to read the novel this movie was based on, however, I found the book to be very slow going and eventually gave up. While at times the pace of the movie echoes the book, the development of the case still keeps you involved. The original name of the book was "Men Who Hate Women" which, while less attention grabbing than the current title is certainly accurate. This movie is dark, graphic, and intense. There are scenes of graphic rape and violent crimes. Not to mention, the movie is long.
I really liked the character of Lisbeth. She is vibrant, mysterious, and aggressive. Physically, most of her femininity is gone, but she is a Valkyrie at heart. Mikael seems to be more of a foil to Lisbeth than a developed character. He is more of a faceless "good guy" than an actual person.
Overall, the movie was different than I expected, in a more violent rape kind of way. It actually makes me want to read the rest of the series, if not watch the movies.

My Recommendation
While I'm not entirely sure if I liked the movie, I liked that it made me think. Parts of it certainly made me uncomfortable. I don't recommend this for anyone under 18, even then, I would still think about if you really want to see it.  3/5 - Rent it/ Borrow it

Little Goddess Series - Amy Lane

Vulnerable: The First Book of the Little Goddess Series

Synopsis
Cory is putting herself through school by working graveyard shifts at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. One night, with the simple touch of a finger, her entire world changes. She starts to notice the no one around her is what they seem.
When a body is discovered in the bushes by her business, Cory must come to grips  with vampires, fey, and more myths than she could have imagine. 


Review
I feel like the author couldn't decide if she was writing erotica or a paranormal adventure. I enjoyed the story, but I was almost embarrassed to read this book in public. I understand that if you have a power that involves sex, there will be sex scenes, but these just seemed a bit much for a non-romance genre book. 
The characters started out as simple stereotypes, however they did grow in depth as the story continued. By the end of the story, I did identify with the characters and their situation. Though sometimes the main character, Cory, felt flat, it did help to remember that she starts out as an innocent trying to figure things out around her, and that she might not always respond in the most  logical manner. 
Overall, I enjoyed the plot, and that was what kept me reading when the story was derailed with sex, sex sex. Plus, it's always nice to read a book that isn't a 120 page serialized novel. This book can stand alone from the rest of the series.


My Recommendation
While I enjoyed the story, the erotic material was a bit overwhelming and reminded me a bit of the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton. If you enjoyed that series, you will probably enjoy the Little Goddess series as well.
3/5 - Rent it, Borrow it




Wounded: The Second Book of the Little Goddess Series


Synopsis
Cory is lost after the death of her first love, so she does the first thing that she can think of, she runs away. Green sets Cory and Renny up with an apartment in San Fransisco, hoping that they can heal each other while attending the university. Unfortunately, the city is not as safe for Cory as it seems. After having the memories of her firsts (first kiss, first love, etc) torn from her, Green realizes that the paranormal community of San Fransisco is under attack and that if he is going to retrieve Cory's memories he will have to fight the group trying to take over the city and face old enemies from his past.


Review
This book is similar to Vulnerable in the combination of erotic scenes and plot. While I found the story to be very engaging, I was almost deterred by the sheer amount of sex scenes. The character of Cory is slightly annoying in the book as she feels very similar to Bella in New Moon with her grief. Thankfully though, she has some will to live and does work to get her grief under control and kick some ass. Some of the relationships between the characters are still a bit flat, but they do have quite the barrage of situations thrown at them, so I suppose that could be why.
I will continue reading the series, and did enjoy the story.


My Recommendation

I enjoyed the story, but the erotic material was still a bit overwhelming and the emotions in the story reminded me of New Moon (with sex that is). 

3/5 - Rent it, Borrow it