Book Review of "Eve" by Anna Carey

Title: Eve (Eve #1)
Author: Anna Carey

Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Library

Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

No. A mediocre addition to the genre.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

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My Thoughts:

While Eve had a great premise, a stunning beginning, and the potential to be great, flat characters and poor plotting really doomed this Dystopian to a life on the shelf.

When we first meet Eve at the private girl's school she attends with her best friend Pip, we find that she is the smartest girl in her class, beautiful and talented. Then, when Eve learns that her and her other classmates will not be able to learn about Art or Economics after they graduate, but will be put to more sinister uses instead, she escapes without a moment's hesitation.

During this great beginning, I admired Eve's character, especially her strength of will to escape the school and figure out the truth for herself. However, my glee was short-lived, as we soon find that Eve's character is as malleable as play-dough.

While Eve encounters dangers, friends, and enemies after her escape, we find that she is extremely easily swayed by those she comes across. She easily pushes aside her fear and worry for Pip and her other friends that she left at school, despite the fact that she knows what true fate awaits them.

Eve's enemy-made-friend Arden would have made a much more interesting protagonist, in my opinion! She is strong, mean, and willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

Although the story in Eve allows the reader to be entertained, the main character's lack of resolve and weak nature, as well as serious plot-holes and clichéd events, make it impossible for most readers to fall completely in love with the novel. Readers can only suspend disbelief for a certain amount of time, people! Readers can only take so much of sweet, sappy love between an amazing hero and a super-dumb heroine!

All in all, while Eve will certainly entertain and bring many readers to wait anxiously for the sequel with its killer cliffhanger ending, there are other Dystopian adventures that are more worth their time.

For a more in-depth, thoroughly SPOILERY look at my take on Eve, check out my Goodreads review.

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Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

No. A mediocre addition to the genre.

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Book Review of "The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

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Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) 
Author: Michelle Hodkin

Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 

Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

Only if you don't mind a formulaic plot & clichéd love interest!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.
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My Thoughts:

While The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer had the potential to be a very intriguing and addictive series in the paranormal genre of Young Adult literature, Hodkin's characters fell flat on the page and the story fell victim to an unbalanced and poorly organized plot.

Before the negative aspects of this paranormal debut are discussed, I would like to go over what actually worked well in the novel. Firstly, the writing itself was pretty well done. At times, Hodkin even bordered on prose of a lyrical quality, especially during times when Mara was in severe emotional distress. I also noted several very amusing lines from Mara's narration and great quotes from Noah.

I would also like to say that the areas of the novel that were focused on Mara's character specifically and her battle with mental illness were done very well! However, these moments ended up being few and far between as Hodkin decided to focus on Mara's romance with Noah rather than the paranormal aspects.

This balancing act delivered very disappointing results, as huge chunks of each story line would be devoted solely to the mystery or paranormal story line while ignoring Mara's relationship with Noah, and vice versa. As a reader, it is hard to enjoy a love story when you know that the main character should really be focusing on a far more important issue at hand! Readers aren't stupid!!

Another very irritating aspect of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is the character of Noah. Seriously, are readers really supposed to believe that a completely gorgeous guy with an English accent who is incredibly brilliant, but doesn't need to try in school, is completely and utterly LOADED with cash, is a huge animal-lover, speaks 5 languages (or is it 6?), and is very funny/sarcastic/snarky is a realistic love interest for Mara Dyer? (Who doesn't ever wear makeup, I might add. Which bothers me.)

While Noah was a very interesting character to read about, and I enjoyed certain aspects of his relationship with Mara, I just don't understand the appeal of creating such a clichéd male love interest anymore.

I guess this spawns a whole new debate of whether or not authors should be more realistic in their writing, but that can be saved for a later date.

Lastly, a note on the overall plot of the novel: It seems as if Hodkin delivered her major events in sporadic chunks throughout the book, ending with a big "reveal" and cliffhanger ending that makes the entire novel seem like one giant prologue to the next installment.

While Mara Dyer proved sometimes satisfying, Hodkin's debut was held back by poor plotting and characterization. Fervent readers that are looking for something fresh, addictive, and satisfying in the paranormal young adult genre that is not formulaic and trite may want to skip this one!

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Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

Only if you don't mind a formulaic plot & clichéd love interest!

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Book Review of "Personal Demons" by Lisa Desrochers

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Title: Personal Demons (Personal Demons #1)
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 
Source: Library

Overall Grade: 
D
Would I recommend it? 
Nope.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him. 

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul. 

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

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My Thoughts:

I have to admit, Personal Demons had me hooked in the beginning of the novel. The concept that was invented, with demons and angels regularly vying to "tag" different mortal souls for either heaven or hell before they die, is rather inventive. However, it was not long before Personal Demons gave way to seriously overused, redundant plot elements that made me beat myself senseless for even wasting my time finishing this book.  

Yeah, parts of it were that bad.  

The writing itself was nothing special, told from Luc and Frannie's points of view in an alternating first person narrative. However, as the plot thickened and grew more confusing, more contrived, and less entertaining, the writing itself also gave way to triteness and cliche (see my rant on cliches in YA lit) that nearly made me beg for death... or at least a satisfying ending, rather than the drawn-out conclusion that I suffered through.  

Apart from the overall unpleasantness of this highly unremarkable read, I found the idea that not only was the main character, Frannie, able to somehow attract the interest of two incredibly gorgeous guys that are literally as old as the earth, but she also had the amazing ability to both possess a black belt in Judo and transform into a helpless shell of a person whenever either Gabe or Luc were in the room.  

I wanted to like Luc, and I mostly succeeded, but I was completely baffled by his relationship with Frannie. Gabe on the other hand, I had no idea why Frannie liked him, apart from his (literally) angelic looks.  

All in all, a very disappointing and thoroughly forgettable paranormal romance.

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Overall Grade: 
D
Would I recommend it? 
Nope.

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Book Review of “The Body Finder” by Kimberly Derting

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Title: The Body Finder

Author: Kimberly Derting
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Source: The public library

Overall Grade: 

B-
Would I read it again? 

Yes!

Would I recommend it to others? 

Yes!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

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My Thoughts:

The Body Finder was a great read overall! I enjoyed the way Violet’s strange gift allowed the book to flow quickly and gave it a more thriller-like feel. However, I did find that in places, Derting’s pacing was seriously lacking. I felt like I was suddenly plunged from gut-wrenching suspense into everyday life like it was nothing at all, which is probably the reason why the book was so accessible. It felt more real than other modern thrillers, which was both frustrating and refreshing.

I also loved the way that Derting dealt with Violet and Jay’s relationship. She did a great job of merging their friendship into romance without feeling trite or cheesy. Well, there were certainly a few cheesy moments, but I have yet to read a YA novel that hasn’t had them.

Also, the premise for the entire novel is also very intriguing and unique. However, I would love for there to be some kind of explanation for Violet’s ability, perhaps involving some other paranormal aspects to keep the excitement alive.
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Overall Grade: 

B-
Would I read it again? 

Yes!

Would I recommend it to others? 

Yes!

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Book Review of "Falling Under" by Gwen Hayes

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Title: Falling Under
Author: Gwen Hayes
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Source: ARC review copy from the publisher.

Overall Grade: 

C
Would I read it again? 

Meh.
Would I recommend it? 

Perhaps

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

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My Thoughts:

What Worked:

• The characters. I felt like Theia and her friends Donny and Ame were very real teenagers for the most part. Hayden was also intriguing.
• The story. Falling Under is not exactly like any paranormal romance you've read: It's a bit darker, a bit spookier and a bit more creepy.

What Didn't Work:

• The dialogue. There were some points in the story where Hayes lost the authenticity of her characters with the dialogue. Take the following example from the book:

"When one of the varsity basketball players tried to pass without even seeing us, Donny drew the line. 'Hey, Bill, did I ever tell you how much it meant to me that you made sure my needs were still met that one time you couldn't get it up? That makes you a real gentleman,'" (page 14 in my version.)

• ... To me, this doesn't seem like a normal thing for a teenager to say. I know that authenticity isn't the most important thing in a novel, but this crossed the line a bit for me.
• The pacing. I felt a bit confused at times in Falling Under. It seemed to take Theia an awful lot of nights of seeing and visiting Hayden in her dreams before she actually approached him in real life. I think the pacing of the story was a bit lost in the grotesque world of Under that Hayes created.

Overall, Falling Under is definitely a haunting new page-turner that will delight the more morbid fans of paranormal romance immensely!

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Overall Grade: 

C
Would I read it again? 

Meh.
Would I recommend it to others? 

Perhaps!

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Book Review of "The Iron King" by Julie Kagawa

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Title: The Iron King (Iron Fae #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 

B +

Would I read it again? 

Sure.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Yes! 

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

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My Thoughts:

I'm not sure what to say about this book.  I heard such a hype about it from fellow bloggers and friends on Goodreads, but I'm not sure I really grasp the appeal of it.

Something that sets The Iron King apart from other young adult fantasy books I've read recently is that it is largely an adventure tale.  The romantic story-line in the book is far less prominent than the story of Meghan's quest.  I found this to be equal parts refreshing and frustrating, because at many points in the narrative, the plot of the story was not strong enough in itself to keep me hanging on. I often became bored during the long gaps between personal interactions.

However, despite the somewhat lagging pace, I enjoyed the book and felt that Kagawa created a well-organized lush world that is easy to fall in love with.  Having said that, there are several points in the narrative where Kagawa fails. For example, in the area of Meghan's character, I did like her, but I found her a bit cookie-cutter and bland at times.  However, she does seem to grow with the story, which is definitely a plus!

Then there was a series of action scenes where I almost lost it.  I think in the space of 5 pages Kagawa uses the verb "snarled" about 7 times.  Instead of characters screaming or exclaiming something, they "snarled" it.  This overuse of a memorable word was amateur and annoying.

At the end of The Iron King, the story is wrapped up nicely, but also ends on another note that makes you want to continue the story in the next novel.  I will definitely pick up the next book, The Iron Daughter, because Kagawa's world and characters were enough to carry me through the weak points in the novel.

Have you read The Iron King? If so, do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear what you think!
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Overall Grade: 

B +

Would I read it again? 

Sure.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Yes!

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Book Review of "Wondrous Strange" by Lesley Livingston

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Title: Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 

B - / C +

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Maybe. 

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Summary:

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

(Summary from Goodreads page). 

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My Thoughts:

Wondrous Strange is the second book about faeries that I've read in the last month. (I read Wings by Aprilynn Pike too... here's the book review).  I have to admit that this book pulled me in right from the beginning.  I loved the fusion of Kelley's theatre-life and her independent nature combined with the story of Sonny as a Janus warrior, a guard of the gateway between the land of Faerie and the mortal realm, fittingly located in NYC's Central Park.

Another unique trait about Wondrous Strange that I enjoyed very much was the inclusion of lines, quotes and characters from Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream.  I felt that Livingston did very well to draw on the Bard's talents without relying too heavily on it: it was the perfect mix of borrowed and new.

I also really like Sonny's character.  He seemed more normal than other male love interests in recent YA lit that I've read.  For example, he caught himself thinking about Kelley during inappropriate times and he frets over what to wear one day, wanting to pick out something that she will like on him.  This was extremely cute and endearing and I greatly enjoyed seeing his character develop in the novel.

However, there are several problems I had with the book.  Firstly, the cast of characters, especially in reference to Sonny's other Janus teammates, grew too long, too fast.  I started to try and memorize all the characters' names and standout personality traits as Livingston described, thinking they would be important later on in the book.  But these minor characters were only mentioned once more and I had already forgotten all about them by that time.

Secondly, I'm a big fan of nicknames in love stories.  Like Dimitri's "Roza" in the Vampire Academy series, Puck's "princess" in The Iron King, and more. I think it's nice if done right and generally helps the reader figure out the character who does the name-calling.

Having said that, I had a big problem with Sonny's nickname for Kelley: "firecracker." Yes, the nickname fit in the beginning of the book when he mostly used it in his head and was referring to the odd aura surrounded the redhead heroine (nice tie-in, huh?).  But when things between these two got more intimate, I found myself cringing as Sonny cups Kelley's face in his hands (HOLY CRAP, can we please get another romantic gesture in the mix once in awhile?!) and whispers passionately, "My firecracker." It was trite and stupid and... strangely enough, embarrassing as a reader to find a perfectly good love scene smashed to smithereens by poor verbiage.

Going along with this same feeling, I also found myself wondering how, all-of-the-sudden, Sonny and Kelley were in love.  It's not that I didn't see it coming, and it's not that I'm against instant love situations when it's done well.  It just seemed a bit predictable and unexciting to be worth my suspended belief that these two could really and truly be in love after the time they've spent together.

All in all, the story and the characters had potential, the setting was exciting and innovative, and Livingston's writing was well-executed... for the most part.  If you can look past my list of grievances mentioned above to get to the real heart of the story, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book.  I'm just not sure it's really worth it with the landslide of faery novels that are out today.
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Overall Grade: 

B - / C +

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Maybe.

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Book Review of "Vesper" by Jeff Sampson

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Title: Vesper (Deviants #1)

Author: Jeff Sampson

Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: ARC from the Publisher

Overall Grade:
C +
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it? 

Yes, if they're not too into the romance element and aren't too picky about the way it's written.

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?

As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?
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My Thoughts:

Vesper is different from your average YA novel. The tone was closer to your average teen than I've read in most other novels, Emily is a geeky girl that doesn't win the heart of a brooding, mysterious guy despite her... circumstances and the book is written by a guy. That last one may not seem like an important factor, but I beg to differ. Reading a YA novel written by a man rather than a woman is like reading a YA novel with a male protagonist rather than a female protagonist. The gender of the protagonist/author changes how the story unfolds.

That being said, here is what I thought about Vesper: the tone was conversational and thoroughly teenage, but bordered on contrived. I can recall several moments in the novel where Sampson's narrative just sounded like Sampson and not like Emily.

The plot of the novel was interesting, but not enthralling. In fact, the end of the novel was a much more exciting than the rest of it. I find myself wondering why Sampson didn't introduce the overarching conflict of his novel (and potential series) earlier in the narrative and if I just wasted my time reading a 300 page prologue to his next book where the real action happens.

A recurring theme I found in Vesper is sloppiness. Sloppiness in Sampson's creation of character (bordering on trite and contrived), and sloppiness in the pacing of the novel and the plot in general (heavily unbalanced towards the end of the story).

I don't know if I am invested enough in Emily Webb's character to continue with the series, because although I generally like Emily, I'm not too thrilled with how she is written.
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Overall Grade:
C +
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it? 

Yes, if they're not too into the romance element and aren't too picky about the way it's written

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Book Review of "Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side" by Beth Fantaskey

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Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1)

Author: Beth Fantaskey 
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 

C - - (two minuses) 

Would I read it again? 

No. 

Would I recommend it?

(shrugs).

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Summary:

Jessica Packwood is waiting for the bus to take her to school on the first day of her senior year when she notices a dark, mysterious stranger across the road, staring at her intently. Then, just as the bus pulls up, she here's him whisper her old name, "Antanasia...".

You see, Jessica was adopted by her parents from Romania when she was just a baby and her Romanian name was discarded for a more "normal" American one. So how did this mysterious guy know her name... her real name?

Well, it turns out that the stranger is also in her first class of the day and is a foreign exchange student from Romania and is going to be staying with the Packwoods. Great. But that still doesn't explain to Jessica why he's here in the US and why he knew her real name...

That's when her parents reveal that when they brought Jessica to the US when she was just a baby, because her birth parents were killed in a deadly village riot, they forgot to mention one teeny tiny detail: her parents were vampires. Jessica is a vampire. Lucius Vladescu, the mysterious foreign exchange student, is a vampire. And before the untimely deaths of both Jessica and Lucius' birth parents, they made a pact that stated that the last heirs of the royal Dragomir and Vladescu lines would marry when of age, therefore creating a peace among vampires that had not been seen for centuries.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ok, so not only is the hot new guy from Romania that has a strange accent and dresses like Mr. Darcy and talks like a Victorian Gothic novel staying with her family, he is also a vampire (which do not really exist... right?) and her so-called betrothed, sent to the US to fetch his new bride upon her 18th birthday, only a few short months away.

Well, she knew senior year was going to be interesting, but this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind...

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My Thoughts:

The premise for this book was so intriguing, I knew I had to pick it up, and it seemed within the first few pages that I had made a great decision! Then, I realized something that made me cringe: I didn't believe Lucius Vladescu. And I don't mean this in the way that Jessica's character doesn't-believe-that-Lucius-is-a-"vampire"-like-he-says-and-that-he-is-maybe-just-a-little-bit-INSANE, either. What I mean is that I don't believe his sexy accent and his elaborate sentence structure and his ability--no, need, to command a room, even in a high school classroom. I just don't believe his act and his big vocabulary and I think his character is shallow and trite.

Believe me, it pains me to write this, because I so very much wanted to like Lucius. But I can't sit here and actually lie about what Fantaskey's writing is telling me: that she doesn't know how to breathe life into a character like Lucius. I will admit that Jessica's character is more believable and likeable. That is, until the end of the novel when the relationship between the teens changes, and then Jessica's character turns into something that is just as vapid as Lucius, in that her actions and words don't match what we previously knew about her character and I just did not buy it!

I know I may sound pretty harsh right now, so let me lighten the mood a bit. I am interested in their story. I want to love this book. But this cannot change the fact that every time Lucius spouts off a crazy monologue with antiquated turns of phrase, I cringe in my seat. So, I probably will not read the sequel, but I might if I have nothing else to read. Plus, I may not be as picky by then and Fantaskey may have switched gears for the next novel... you never know.

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Overall Grade: 

C - - (two minuses) 

Would I read it again? 

No. 

Would I recommend it to others?

(shrugs).

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Book Review of "The Dark Divine" by Bree Despain

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Title:  The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine #1)
Author:  Bree Despain
Classification:  YA Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Source:  Public Library

Overall Grade:

B-

Would I read it again?

Probably not.

Would I recommend it?

Sure?

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Summary:

Grace Divine's basically ordinary life is again interrupted by the return of Daniel Kalbi, childhood sweetheart and former best friend of her brother Jude.  That is, he used to be until that night Daniel disappeared... coincidentally the same night Jude came home horribly injured and covered in blood.  Then, Grace and her younger sister were immediately sent away to live with a relative for three weeks, never getting the full story from their parents or Jude about what happened... and where Daniel went.

Daniel's sudden reappearance in Grace's life several years later threatens her potential romance with the gorgeous Pete and her relationship with her family.  You see, Daniel used to be considered part of the Divine family until that night that no one will talk about.  Now he's a blemish on their perfect records and even the mention of his name will send Grace's family members into an uproar, especially Jude, who makes Grace promise that she'll never talk to or see Daniel again after their first reunion moment at school.

But Grace knows Daniel and thinks she is possibly the only one that can help Daniel in his troubled state.  Plus, Daniel seems to know more about the mysterious disappearances and gruesome maulings that have been happening around town...

But when Daniel reluctantly gives up his secret, Grace finds that Daniel isn't the only one carrying a terrible burden...

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My Thoughts:

This book through me off a little.  The bold-faced type of the book may seem trivial, but definitely takes some getting used to when you first start reading.  However, I quickly got past that and started falling into the story.  I love the characters that Despain created, a very well-round cast and very well-written.  I love how Despain was able to write about a religious family (Grace's father is a pastor) without the moral aspect being preachy or trite.  However, where I did find the narrative a little trite was with the relationship between Grace and Daniel.  I found their dialogue, especially Grace's, to be extremely cheesy at times, which definitely hurt my love for these characters.  But, having said that, I still really enjoyed their relationship, a great testament to the strength of the book, since usually a couple weak moments can make me close the book forever.

Also, the plot of the novel was great: it was exciting, mysterious, and a fresh new take on a popular theme in today's YA lit.  Again, however, there were a few areas of weakness.  For example, while the development of Daniel as a re-emerging character, yet a new character for the reader, was great.  I thought the pacing would be too slow and the slow revelation of his secret too teasing, Despain executed the plot in a way that was still exciting, yet built up tension until the big reveal.  However, I found the action scenes to be clunky and awkward, taking a lot of imagination to make sense of Despain's inexperienced narrations.
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Overall Grade:
B-
Would I read it again?
Probably not.
Would I recommend it?
Sure?

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Book Review of "Wings" by Aprilynne Pike

WARNING: Spoiler Alert!   

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Title: Wings 

Author: Aprilynne Pike
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 
C+
Would I read it again? 
Maybe if I'm desperate. 
Would I recommend it? 
Meh!

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Wings is a fairy-tale. A romance. A mystery. A tale of self-discovery.

Because I want to get the point about what I actually thought about this book, I'll try and make the summary short-and-sweet:

Laurel is a faerie, but she doesn't know it yet. She always knew she was adopted, but what really happened is that the faerie world decided to place Laurel, as a young child, in the hands of her parents because they own the land that guards the portal to their sacred city Avalon, thus ensuring that the land will eventually pass into faerie hands (Laurel's) and will remain safe. Laurel doesn't remember anything about her previous life because she agreed to have her memory wiped before embarking on her mission. In her previous life, she was best friends with Tamani, who now acts as sentry for the land where Laurel grew up. Tamani is Laurel's (sort-of) childhood sweetheart: he is a bit arrogant, out-going and funny.

When Laurel starts her new life in public school, she meets Daniel, who welcomes Laurel into his group of friends and is always incredibly sweet. Laurel and Daniel are sort-of boyfriend and girlfriend before Laurel meets Tamani. Tamani helps Laurel deal with her new-found faerie traits, such as no blood, a flower-like blossom on her back, gracefullness and more. Where Daniel was supportive to Laurel in scientific ways, such as taking samples of her DNA to examine under his microscope, Tamani is supportive by telling Laurel about the world she comes from, because it is his world as well.

The mystery of the story comes with an ogreish man, Mr. Barnes, who insists on buying Laurel's parents' land. This should be impossible, because sentry faeries like Tamani frequently wipe the memories clean of prospective buyers of the property, in order to ensure its purpose of coming into Laurel's possession. Then, Laurel's dad becomes gravely ill and the hospital cannot figure out what's wrong. This places further strains on the family's finances, and Laurel's mom is forced to sell to the creepy man. This just doesn't feel right to Laurel though, so she convinces David to help her follow Mr. Barnes to the address on his business card and check it out. That's when they encounter Barnes and his henchmen: all trolls with unbelievable strength, enemies to faeries and desperate to discover the portal to Avalon. The two teens are kidnapped and left for dead in the river, only escaping by Laurel's ability to hold her breath for an incredible amount of time.

After the fiasco, Laurel's dad is cured, the land is safe and Laurel gets to tell her parents the truth about her... anatomy. But, instead of staying with her people in Avalon, she chooses to live her human life with her parents and Daniel, a heart-breaking decision both for herself and Tamani.

Overall, I sorta liked this book. I liked the blend of fantasy, romance and mystery. I think the book is well-balanced and perfectly executed for a fun, light, YA fiction novel.

However, I have problems with the characters. For the life of me, I just can't seem to like David. He is just too nice, too sincere, too accepting. This is totally evident in the first few pages of the novel where Laurel and David have their first conversation: their words are rehearsed, out-of-place and clunky, not at all like a real conversation between teens on their first day of school.

Also, the love stories between Laurel and David and Laurel and Tamani are problematic. For Laurel and David, it's the same problem that I have with David's character: it's too picturesque and sweet. As for Laurel and Tamani, it's a little better: a little more mysterious, a little more history between them, a little more tension. However, at the end of the book when Laurel comes to Tamani to tell him her decision to live in her human world away from him, his reaction is unexpected. He is completely heart-broken, a reaction that doesn't seem logical from the casual meetings he and Laurel had, even given their history. To Laurel, she hardly knows him. Yes, I understand the mysterious pull between them that Laurel can't place and that seems to make their attraction grow, I just found their parting to be heavy-handed and... odd.

However, I may change my mind when I read the sequel, Spells, next. I'll let you know what I find out!

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Overall Grade: 
C+
Would I read it again? 
Maybe if I'm desperate. 
Would I recommend it? 
Meh!

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Falling Short - Book Review of "Fallen" by Lauren Kate

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!

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Title: Fallen

Author: Lauren Kate

Classification: YA Fiction, Teen Fiction, Fantasy

Source: Public Library 

Overall Grade: 

D+

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it? 

No.

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Mysterious male love interest?

   Check.

   Cool premise for the plot?

   Check.

   Amazing, intriguing cover?

   Check.

   So how, exactly, did this book totally disappoint me?!

I did not like this book.  But, before everyone who loves the book goes berserk on me, let me explain.

Lucille Robinson, or Luce, has had a rough year.  After witnessing the mysterious death of a friend / boyfriend, everyone thinks she had something to do with it.  And, on top of this stress, she's also having strange visions.  When she tells her parents about it, she can tell right away that she scares them, so she learns to hide her abnormalities.  That is, until it gets too much and her parents decide to enroll her in a reform school called Sword & Cross, located not more than an hour from her home in muggy Georgia.    

Then, on the first day of classes, she notices an incredibly hot guy across the quad and simply can't stop looking at him.  She insists that there is something so desperately familiar about him.  When he notices her staring, a brief moment of recognition flashes across his face. Then, he promptly decides to flip her off.  After that moment, Luce is all but obsessed with Daniel Grigori and she constantly does all she can to learn more about him, getting in lots of trouble along the way.  But, things are also complicated by another super-hot guy that's actually interested in her, so unlike Daniel's hot-and-cold treatment of her: Cam.  With her new-found friends Penn and Arriane, not to mention her almost-boyfriend Cam, Luce starts to get used to life at her new school.

 Not to go into too much detail about the rest of the book, let's just say that lots of weird stuff keeps happening to Luce, Daniel always plays hard-to-get and Cam is as endearing as ever.  That's when the book takes a ridiculous turn.  From the prologue of the novel, it's pretty evident that Luce and Daniel are basically star-crossed lovers who keep appearing in each other's lives, over and over again, (as in reincarnation).  This is affirmed when Luce discovers a book in the library written by a Daniel Grigory (who she assumes is her Daniel's ancestor), but has an old photograph of Luce and Daniel hiding in the cover.  Ok, so all is still good at this point.  I'm following the story, I'm mildly entertained and I'm interested in the characters.  Then, all hell breaks loose and the characters take part in a weirdly occult battle in the school's cemetery.  It appears that Arriane, Daniel and others are fighting against Cam, the sullen Molly and others.  Then, Luce is weirdly kidnapped by the little-old-lady librarian (of all people) who wants to murder her and does succeed in murdering Luce's best friend Penn.

But never fear! Daniel flies in on giant angel's wings to save the day!  In fact, everyone else enrolled at Sword & Cross, other than Luce and Penn, is an angel in disguise.  Isn't that delightful?!  Also, it turns out that Luce is reincarnated in her same form and always finds her way to Daniel, but then is always tragically killed before they can really be together.  

So let me tell you where Lauren Kate went wrong.  The pacing of the book is dreadfully slow, but fast enough to keep a quick reader interested.  The portrayal of Cam makes him far more likeable than the sullen Daniel, and Luce's obsession with the latter is hard to swallow, especially since she's toying with Cam on the side.  Then there's the weird Arriane, who starts off as Luce's best friend and then mysteriously disappears for most of the novel.  And lastly, the worst part, the angels.  The way Kate writes the angels into the story made me feel how most guys feel when they read Twilight, particularly the part where Edward glitters for the first time. Sure, if you love the book enough, if the rest of the story is amazing enough, you'll look past the little imperfections that may make you want to vomit.  But in Fallen's case, the rest of the book is simply not good enough for the reader's to stomach the weirdly cheesy, fairy-tale like angels that come at the end of the book.  Even the promising love story between Luce and Daniel is ruined by this turn in the story.  

And no, this is not my opinion because I think angels are stupid.  It is because it is not well done!  I think Lauren Kate should take a few pointers from Becca Fitzpatrick and her Hush, Hush series, which deals with much of the same premise, but executes it in a way that leaves you breathless.

Overall Grade: D+

Would I read it again? No.

Would I recommend it to others? No.

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