Review: Inland - Kat Rosenfield

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 2.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (I really like this cover.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: June 12, 2014
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Page Count: 388 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Callie can't breathe. She hasn't been able to ever since her mother died and her father took her away from the sea. Finally, her father gets a job offer he can't refuse which takes them to the Florida coast. There it is like Callie can take her first real breath in years. Now that they are closer to the sea though, Callie starts to feel it pulling her, calling to her. She knows that the sea is where she belongs, because that's where her mother is.

This was quite disappointing.  I don't know what it was about this novel, but I had the hardest time getting through it. I loved Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone and this one sounded so promising, but then...nothing. It took me almost a month to read this novel, which is crazy. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for a Kat Rosenfield novel.

It was an interesting premise, but a bit predictable. Nothing about it was surprising and I figured things out long before Callie even thought to think about them. There's really not much else to say about this novel. It just wasn't right for me.

Review: The Merciless - Danielle Vega

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Love it!)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: June 12, 2014
Publisher: Razorbill
Page Count: 279 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Sofia just moved to a new school in order to outrun her past. She meets the popular girls and they take her under their wings. She sees another girl, Brooklyn, making out with one of her new friend's boyfriend and tells them about it. Next thing Sofia knows is she's getting dragged out of her house in the middle of the night and taken to an abandoned housing development by her new friends.  When they get inside one of the houses Sofia sees Brooklyn tied up. She wants nothing to do with this, but since she's there she's already a part of it. Riley informs Sofia that they are going to perform an exorcism on Brooklyn, because clearly she has been possessed by a demon. Then all semblance of control that Sofia thought she had is lost. Will any of them leave this house alive?

Oh my goodness! What an intense read. This is seriously a one sitting kind of book. The beginning starts of a little meh, but as soon as they take Brooklyn things start racing. I could not put this book down and have already made three other people read it and they all devoured it too. So much awesome.

The only thing I didn't like about this book, was something that barely even mattered in this plot-driven thrill ride. The thing is—I didn't care about any of the characters. I wasn't really invested in who was going insane and all that. The characters were simply part of the plot and I sped through it.

I would love to have some companion novels to this that gave more background of the characters. I also feel like there could be a sequel set like five or ten years in the future. I would love that.

If you are looking for a book that you will not be able to put down, I highly recommend this. It is very violent, but it just adds to the story. Seriously, check this one out as soon as you can.

First Line:
"I snag my thumb on the lunch tray's metal edge, and a crescent of blood appears beneath my cuticle."

Favorite Line:
"Her breath smells like blood and smoke."

Stuff I Got This Week

For Review: Thanks Quirk Books!

Secret Agent Gadget Battle - Bob Pflugfelder & Steve Hockensmith 

Robot Army Rampage - Bob Pflugfelder & Steve Hockensmith 

High-voltage Danger Lab - Bob Pflugfelder & Steve Hockensmith 

  Nick and Tesla are bright 11-year-old siblings with a knack for science, electronics, and getting into trouble. When their parents mysteriously vanish, they’re sent to live with their Uncle Newt, a brilliant inventor who engineers top-secret gadgets for a classified government agency. It’s not long before Nick and Tesla are embarking on adventures of their own—engineering all kinds of outrageous MacGyverish contraptions to save their skin: 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, mobile tracking devices, and more. Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects.

From Library:

Rooms - Lauren Oliver

Already started this and really enjoying it so far.

Remember Me - Romily Bernard

Tape - Steve Camden

Review: Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (So pretty.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Page Count: 358 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Alina is not really good at many things. She's okay at some things though and that's always been alright with her. Then, while crossing the darkness of The Fold, her group is attacked and Alina discovers a power inside her she never knew she had. She's not sure what had happened until she's being whisked away and told that she is one of the Grisha and that she will be trained by the Darkling himself. This is not ideal for Alina, but she has no choice in the matter and if she cares about anyone at all, she will complete her training.

What a great fantasy. I really enjoyed it. Parts of it reminded me of The Bone Season and I really enjoyed that book too.

The Fold sounds terrifying and not like a place I would ever be willing to cross...unless I was making a run for it I suppose.

The Darkling was a hard character to read and I was very intrigued by him. Alina and Mal make a great team and I'm glad that they were both in this story. One without the other would have been less great. The three of these characters really work well together (well not really together, together) and play theirs roles. I can't wait to continue reading this series.

First Line:
"The Servants called them malenchki, little ghosts, because they were the smallest and the youngest, and because they haunted the Duke's house like giggling phantoms, darting in and out of rooms, hiding in cupboards to eavesdrop, sneaking into the kitchen to steal the last of the summer peaches."

Favorite Line:
"When the tears came, he pulled me close and held me, until there was nothing left but ashes."

Things I'm loving this week

1. Community

Mike and I have watched this show so many times now and are going through it again. It's just so good. All the characters are perfect and it's hilarious. If you haven't tried it yet, you totally should.

2. Crochet Boutique - Rachel Oglesby

This book was suggested to me on Amazon, so I Interlibrary loaned it to check it out. As soon as I started making some of the items I knew I needed this book. I wanted to make everything in it. The patterns are so easy but they make fantastic looking pieces.

3. Inside Amy Schumer

She's funny and I'm quite enjoying Season 2 on Amazon Prime.

4. Lions Brand Heartland yarn

It's so nice to work with and feels great. A bonus is that it's 100% acrylic so you can machine wash and dry without fear. 

What are you guys loving this week?

Review: No One Else Can Have You - Kathleen Hale

Where I got it: My Collection
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Love it!)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 380 p.
Add it: Goodreads

A small town in Wisconsin, where everyone feels safe is shook up when a girl is found murdered. Worse yet, she was strung up in a field like a scarecrow. There aren't many murders in Friendship, Wisconsin, so the police are at a bit of a loss as to what to do. Kippy Bushman is determined to solve this case though even though all she has is the dead girls' diary.

First off, that is one very violent and gruesome death. The description of it gave me goosebumps. What a terrible way to go. The killer is clearly an insane person, completely and totally.

I really enjoyed this book though, it was quite fun for a murder mystery. The murderer was kind of a slap in the face. Not wholly unpredictable, but still surprising. The book was so good though that the mystery was only part of the fun.

Kippy was an interesting character. I don't know if I could be friends with her, but it was enjoyable watching her work. She was weird and blunt, which makes her a great character, but possibly not great friend material (actually, that sounds like great friend material).

If you are looking for a satirical murder mystery, than I definitely recommend you check this one out.

First Line:

"A police officer comforts a woman in the shoulder of a rural highway."

Favorite Line:

"He looks great but I'm trying to be practical."

Happy October!

and I'm actually back this time!

So, it's been a while guys. I've been off doing things and I guess I was in a bit of a blogging slump, so instead of blogging and hating it I just took an extended break from it. I'm back and ready though with a new arsenal of things to blog about. Before, I pretty much was strictly a review post kind of gal, but as I delve deeper into Young Adult services at my job, I found that the YA programming material is a bit lacking on the internet. I hope to post more about that aspect of my life here too. I'm sorry if some of you are not interested in that, but don't worry, I will still post lots of reviews and LOTS of book related fun stuff.

I think to celebrate being back I will start off with a giveaway! This giveaway is open internationally and is for a random box of books. To enter, just fill out this form before October 31st. So hello all my lovelies and it already feels great to be back!

Dangerous Boys by Abigal Haas RELEASE DAY!

Out Now!

August 14th, 2014

Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

Three teens venture into the abandoned lake house one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense?

Or murder? 

Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

Purchase Now!

Amazon: amzn.to/1wrph3u

iBooks: bit.ly/1mS0PXB

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Boys-Abigail-Haas/dp/1471119165/

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1AYM77B

 

Early Praise

Dangerous Boys is a taut, compelling thriller balanced on the razor's edge of suspense. I could not put it down, and could not stop grinning wickedly as I raced through the pages." -- Leah Raeder, USA Today bestselling author of Unteachable

"Abigail Hass is a master at her craft! This is a special book and a special author. This is the kind of storytelling and writing that stick with you no matter how much time passes." -- The Book Geek Blog

"As with Dangerous Girls, the closing left me with a huge, admittedly rather twisted smile on my face. I don't know how Haas manages to turn me into such a gleefully evil creature." -- Dahlia Adler, blogger.

"Dangerous Boys was an intense, psychological read which was full of suspense and drama,...Abigail Haas has a way of writing books which reel you in and keep you there, hooked and addicted until the very last page." -- Goodreads.com

About Abigail Haas

Abigail Haas has written two adult novels and four young adult contemporary novels under the name Abby McDonald. Dangerous Girls is her first young adult thriller. She grew up in Sussex, England, and studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University. She lives in Los Angeles.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Review: Great - Sara Benincasa

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 2 stars  
Cover Rating: 3 stars (Meh.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 263 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Naomi doesn't enjoy spending her summers in the Hamptons with her mother. She'd much rather stay home and study for the SATs. Everyone else is mega rich and while Naomi's mother embraces that lifestyle, Naomi herself shuns it. Then she meets the girl next door, who is anything but the typical girl next door. Jacinta invites Naomi to hang out with her, and even though it's to get closer to Delilah (someone who Naomi's mother forces her together with) Naomi finds herself fascinated with the mystery of Jacinta. But most mysteries don't stay mysteries for too long and worlds can crumble will secrets escape.

I was so excited for this one and was quite disappointed with what I got. I suppose if you haven't read The Great Gatsby you might enjoy this because it will be a while new story for you. I just felt like this was far too close of a re-telling to actually hold my interest. I just guess I wanted the author to do more with this. I wanted this story to be larger than life and it was just regular sized.

There weren't really any characters that I found myself liking and that makes it hard to really enjoy a book.

All in all I just found this title to be a bit lackluster. I enjoyed the big changes that were made, but there were not nearly enough for me to be super excited about this one.

First Line:
"My dad, who did all the heavy lifting when it came to child rearing and was far better suited to the job than my mother, gave me some good wisdom after my first summer away in East Hampton."

Favorite Line:
"She didn't look like the type who could generate scorn, but if she was anything like every other girl I'd met during my East Hampton summers, scorn was her second-favorite feeling, after boredom."

Review: The Distance Between Us - Kasie West

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 3 stars (Kind of generic, but a little fun.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 312 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Caymen and her mom are very under-whelmed by rich people. The only thing they can be counted on for is spending money on things no one needs. Caymen knows Xander is rich and a first wants nothing to do with him. When he keeps showing up though, he starts to grow on her. Caymen knows that her mother will never approve though and she can't really explain why. Honestly she isn't even sure why her mother's hatred for the rich runs so deep. The more Caymen hangs out with Xander the more she realizes that you can always judge a man by his wallet.

I didn't think this one would wow me, but it did. It was a really good story. It was also quite giggle-inducing. I was often chuckling to myself at the exchanges between Caymen and Xander. It was also quite steamy between those two. Nothing too explicit, but definitely enough to make you fan yourself giddily.

It was very interesting finding out the real root of all evil (and it's not money) at least from Caymen's mom's perspective. It was not quite what I was expecting and I'm glad for that.

This novel definitely makes me want to read more by the author, though honestly I just want to re-read this one. Definitely check it out if your looking for something a little steamy, even more funny and a little tiny splash of surprise.

First Line:
"My eyes burn a hole in the page."

Favorite Line:
"Then he takes me by the waist and lifts me onto the counter."

Review: Cold Calls - Charles Benoit

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 3.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I like it.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Clarion Books
Page Count: 278 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Three strangers all get the same phone call. An anonymous voice stating "I know your secret". What does the person on the other end want? They want each person to bully another specified person and for the grand finale, record it and put it online. The bullying doesn't go so well for any of them though and they end up in counseling. Which is lucky for them, because it brings them together. With all three of them working at it, they might be able to figure out who is blackmailing them before that person shares their secrets with the world.

This was certainly a fascinating read. Mostly I just wanted to learn what everyone's secret was. I didn't think Eric's was all that bad. Definitely not great, but not as bad as the other two. Fatima's is the worst one when it boils down to the truth. Shelly makes hers horrendous, but in actuality it's not really as bad as Shelly makes herself feel.

It was a bit surprising what all the hub-bub was about. It was almost a let down, but it was pretty ingenious and realistic and just worked. This novel will definitely make you think twice about both sides of bullying.

If you're looking for an interesting mystery within a mystery, grab this one.

First Line:
"The phone rang and he answered it."

Favorite Line:
"Eric opened the stairway door and started down the hallway to the cafeteria, where he would share lunch with a stranger."

Review: This One Summer - Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki

Where I got it: AmazonVine
Rating: 3.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (I really like the illustrations.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: First Second
Page Count: 319 p.
Add it: Goodreads

What is usually a getaway for Rose and her family feels less so this summer. Rose's friend Windy is there, but Rose is on the cusp of teenagerdom and Windy is still a pre-teen. On top of that Rose's mom seems to have receded inside herself and always ends of fighting with her husband. Even though she sometimes finds Windy juvenile, she's glad she has her by her side.

I loved this little snapshot of life. The illustrations perfectly matched the whole tone of this novel.

This whole story takes place during one whirlwind of a summer. Rose is growing up and with it comes the realization that not everything in life is fun in games. I feel like this summer is a loss of innocence for Rose and that is shown a bit by all the things that crash around her and the horror movies.

Windy is a vibrant character and she makes the contrast between her and Rose really stand out. Sometimes I found her to be a bit tiring and I imagine that's how Rose sometimes feels too. It's tricky staring teenagehood in the face. On one hand you still feel like a kid sometimes on the other hand your starting to view the world a bit differently.

This is not a happy-go-lucky summer tale. It's dark and a bit crushing. It's hopeful though, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you are a fan of realistic fiction and love graphic novels. I recommend this one.

First Line:

Favorite Line:

Review: Half Bad - Sally Green

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I like it.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Page Count: 380 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Nathan is a witch, this they can tell. What they aren't sure about is if he is a white witch or a black witch. He's half of each, but they aren't sure if that makes him good or not. Nathan has been raised by white witches, but this doesn't put the council at ease. When Nathan turns fourteen the council decides that he is more likely to be dangerous and they take him away and lock him in a cage. He is then held prisoner by a woman who is trying to keep him in line. Nathan knows he must escape though. It's his only chance. He has to escape before his seventeenth birthday.

Definitely a fan of this one. Such an interesting witch story. Yes there were themes that we've all seen a million times before, but there was a lot of new and fascinating details in this novel that make it well worth the read.

Sally Green creates a lot of new witch mythos and I for one, love it. Nathan is an interesting narrator for the tale too. He's not great at a lot of things that others are good at, but he's excels in other areas. He is incredibly strong-willed and that's a great thing to see in a character forced to endure such nonsense.

Nature versus nurture plays a large role in this novel, it's pretty much the thing the council is trying to decide on. Nathan is raised as a white witch, but they are worried that his father's blood will infect him and cause him to go dark. This is only mildly amusing seeing as what the white witches seem to be capable of. They seem far more terrible than any black witch, because they pretend to take the high road.

I'm very eager to see where Nathan's journey takes him in the next book. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a novel about witches that has action to it.

First Line:
"There's these two kids, boys, sitting close together, squished in by the big arms of an old chair."

Favorite Line:
"Never underestimate the enemy."

Review: Golden Jessi Kirby

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 3.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (It's fitting and a bit more elaborate than just a plain picture, so I approve.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 278 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Parker is a good girl and has always had her life mapped out for her. She leads a safe--if boring--life and doesn't cause her mother any grief. But then she finds something, something that causes her to break out of her good girl mold a little. She finds the journal of a girl who died ten years ago and she takes it to read it. She just wants to know more about the girl who was half of the Golden Couple of Summit Lakes High. What she finds out is more then she bargained for, and Parker wonders if there could be even more to the story that isn't contained on those lined pages. With the help of her best friend and a boy she has a crush on Parker might finally start living her one wild and precious life.

I really enjoyed this novel. The mystery wasn't too hard to figure out, but it was a little different than I first suspected. There were enough twists to make me not lose interest. I fell like Parker is the slowest reader in the world though. Unless we didn't see everything she read. I feel like what we saw was like an hours worth of reading. I was dying for her to get a move on and finish reading it.

Parker was a really good girl and so it's surprising to see who her best friend and crush were. They certainly didn't seem like the top of the class types. I guess it's a case of different people gravitating towards each other.

I really enjoyed the journey in this novel. Parker's and the physical one. Parker comes a long way by the end of the book and to think that if she hadn't found that journal it may never have happened is astonishing. Such small moments can change the course of life so dramatically.

Definitely check this one out if your looking for a gentle mystery that isn't full of murder and mayhem. It was a great story.

First Line:
"Life is made of moments."

Favorite Line:
"He sat on the log next to me, dripping ice cold water, bare skin covered with goosebumps, and the biggest smile on his face."

Stuff I Got This Week

Title links send you to the Goodreads page for the book. Author links send you to their website.

Bought:

Angel Fire - L.A. Weatherly

Mystic - Alyson Noël

Stay - Deb Caletti

Where it Began - Ann Redisch Stampler

Crewel - Gennifer Albin

Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor

Every Day - David Levithan (my review)

The Diviners - Libba Bray (my review)

City of Dark Magic - Magnus Flyte

Wentworth Hall - Abby Grahame

That's what I got this week, what did you all get? 

Review: Calling Dr. Laura - Nicole J. Georges

Where I got it: Inter-Library Loan
Rating: 4.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (I really love the artwork in this graphic memoir. This cover is very fitting.)
Genre: Graphic Memoir / Adult?
Publication Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Mariner Books
Page Count: 288 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Nicole's family told her that her father was dead. When she became and adult, she saw a psychic who told her he was alive. Her sister confirmed that indeed he was. Now Nicole isn't sure who she is and what else she may have been lied to about. Luckily, she has radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger to give her some advice.

Memoirs are always tricky to review, because it's a story about someone's actual life. There's not really much to criticize with this one anyway. I enjoyed it, thoroughly. The illustrations were fantastic, the story was honest, what more can you ask for in a graphic memoir. At times I didn't like some of the people, Nicole included. Sometimes they too dramatic for my taste, but it is what it is.

This was just a great almost coming-of-age story and I would totally be friends with Nicole Georges if given a chance.

First Line:

Favorite Line:

Blog Tour and Giveaway : Torn Away - Jennifer Brown

Where I got it: Netgalley
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 3 stars (Kind of plain.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Page Count: 288 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Jersey is ready for the tornado. They've practiced it every year since she was little. She knows that you go to the basement and ride it out. She isn't too keen on having to go through it alone and she's nervous about her mother and sister who are at the dance studio. What Jersey wasn't ready for the noise and the aftermath. Jersey loses everything to the tornado and is shipped off to live with her alcoholic father. When that doesn't work she goes to live with her grandparents that she didn't even know existed. Jersey isn't sure where home is anymore now that she doesn't feel like she belongs in any of the places she's shipped to. She'll slowly realized that you sometimes have to make the most of it and redefine what losing of everything really means.

Reading this book came at a hard time for me. I had just lost someone that I was fairly close to and so this book made me quite emotionally distraught. I think I still would have been distraught regardless of that.

This was such a raw and honest novel. Jersey was all over the place emotionally and it was totally realistic. Her situation just kept getting worse and worse and worse. Since this book takes place over only a short time, there is no real happy ending. Things start to look up though, so that's a nice thing.

I didn't really care much for most of the secondary characters, they all fell a bit flat. I did like Kolby and wished he played a bigger part in this novel. I feel like this novel took place in the moment. There was no past and there was no future, we were thrust right into the moment with Jersey. I think this is why some of the story and characters were underdeveloped.

This was an intensely emotional read just like all of Jennifer's other novels. I enjoyed it though and learned a lot about tornadoes from it. I would definitely recommend this if you like heart-wrenching reads.

First Line:
"Marin wanted to teach me the East Coast Swing."

Favorite Lines:
"If what he said was true, the story of my life was a lie."

"Meg's pink mouth had been replaced by a much larger red one."

"'Hold your breath. You don't want to breathe in judgment. Oppression is contagious.'"

"I'm wondering if it's even possible to lose 'everything' or if you just have to keep redefining what 'everything' is."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award (2005 & 2006), Jennifer's weekly humor column appeared in The Kansas City Star for over four years, until she gave it up to be a full-time young adult novelist. Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.
www.jenniferbrownya.com | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to Itching for Books and the publisher I get to have a giveaway for one paperback copy of this novel. This is open to U.S. residents only. Please enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stuff I Got This Week

Title links send you to the Goodreads page for the book. Author links send you to their website.

Uninvited - Sophie Jordan (signed)

Won from the Skip the Starbucks Fundraiser

Don't Try to Find Me - Holly Brown

For Review from William Morrow

Landline - Rainbow Rowell

For Review from Amazon Vine

Love Letters to the Dead - Ava Dellaira

For Review from Amazon Vine

This One Summer - Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

For Review from Amazon Vine

A Natural History of Unicorns - Chris Lavers

Purchased

That's what I got over the past few weeks, what did you all get? 

May TBR Pile

Hey all. Back from my temporary absence, it's been a crazy and busy spring for me so far. Hope you all have been doing well. I did get some reading done while I was away from the internet, so there should be reviews up soon. For now I shall share with you titles that I hopefully will get through in May.

Mannequin Girl - Ellen Litman
Torn Away - Jennifer Brown
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige
Cold Calls - Charles Benoit
Long Lankin - Lindsey Barraclough
Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo
Spoils - Tammar Stein
Tease - Amanda Maciel
Dangerous Girls - Abagail Haas
The Line - J.D. Horn
The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker
Nil - Lynne Matson
Pointe - Brandy Colbert

What are you hoping to read this month?
Have you read any of these?

Review: The Ghost in the Glass House - Carey Wallace

Where I got it: Amazon Vine
Rating: 3 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (It's fairly lovely.)
Genre: Middle Grade
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Clarion Books
Page Count: 240 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Clare's mother moves them to a new house set back by the woods. All of Clare's friends are out on the coast and are puzzled by why her mother chose to be inland. On the property is a glass house that immediately fascinates Clare. When she knocks on the glass somethings, or someone, knocks back. The knock comes from a ghost of a boy that Clare can't see but can hear. She tries to find out more about the boy, but people seem to be unwilling to discuss him. She prefers his company though to that of her friends. They seem ready to grow up, and Clare wants to hold on to be young.

So this seemed like a middle grade book in theory, but in practice it leaned more towards YA. I feel like this novel balances the line between the two age groups. On one hand the story seems to be closer to Middle Grade, but the voice is not that of a young girl, she sounds much older.

I did enjoy this book though. There was some ghost story with a hint of mystery and a sprinkle of romance. I didn't care for Clare's friend Bridget, she seemed mostly unpleasant. I doubt Clare would have chosen her as a friend if they weren't thrust together by their family's migration patterns. I wish the other characters were better developed I feel like we were meeting them all through a shroud of fog.

The house sounds very magnificent and I wish I could just roam around staying in various lovely places all the time. Although, I wouldn't want to have a dead husband be my catalyst.

This was a nice read. Nothing too exciting, but a nice read. Very appropriate for younger readers who want a little bit of a ghosty mystery and maybe a coming-of-age tale feel to their story.

First Line:
"Clare Fitzgerald had seen so much in the twelve short years of her life that she could almost always guess what was going to happen next."

Favorite Line:
"She ran the rest of the way, up toward the garden and sky reflected in the kitchen glass, which changed all the familiar shapes and made them shine so bright that they seemed like windows into another world."

Review: Find Me - Romily Bernard

Where I got it: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4.5 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (It's quite interesting.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 307 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Wick is a pretty brilliant hacker. She learned from her dad, who is wanted by the police and has already escaped them once. She now lives with her sister in their new foster home. Wick does some hacking on the side to earn money for her and her sister. She doesn't believe that they will have a forever home with her foster parents and wants to be prepared. Then she gets an odd package on her doorstep. Tessa Waye's diary. The same Tessa Waye who just killed herself. Inside there's a note that says "Find Me". Wick doesn't want to work this case, because she has no idea what she's supposed to be finding...but then she finds out. Tessa was being abused by someone, someone she doesn't name even in her diary and Wick's sister is his next target.

What a fast-paced read. I had to force myself to pause my reading so that I could go to bed. I didn't want to stop. Every few pages you learn just a little bit more that grabs you and pulls you in. Romily Bernard creates a thrilling tale here with Wick.

I didn't love the relationship between Wick and Griff. It seemed a bit extraneous. I did like Griff though and thought that as the series progresses I wouldn't mind him weaving in with Wick's story more. It just felt rushed especially with how prickly Wick is to everyone.

I liked how we slowly got to find out more and more about Wick's life as we are faced with her trying to unravel Tessa's. Wick's life is not an easy one and I can see why she is suspicious of everyone. It's hard to trust anyone when the people you are supposed to be able to trust are monsters.

I would definitely recommend checking this one out. Yes it is the first in the series, but it stands by itself perfectly well. It leaves you craving more story, but wraps up it's mystery nicely.

First Line:
"I'm halfway through the remote computer's firewall then Detective Carson parks on the other side of our street."

Favorite Line:
"It's just four little words, but they make my insides go cold:
Will you do it?"

Review: The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs - Jack Gantos

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 3 stars  
Cover Rating: 2 stars (Suitable, but I don't care for it.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 18, 2006
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page Count: 192 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Ivy discovers something very strange in the basements of the Pharmacy across the street from where she lives. She isn't sure what to do with the information and it unsettles her. Her mother tells her it has to do with the Rumbaugh's love curse and Ivy might have the curse too.

This was a very peculiar book and I'm not entirely sure if there are an young adults that I could recommend this too. There's love curses, taxidermy and plenty of other weird stuff packed in to this book. I feel like I missed the point of what Jack Gantos was trying to convey with this story besides the fact that people are strange.

This book was certainly fascinating. I read through it and was kept interested, but thoroughly perplexed. I really feel as though I missed something with this book.

If you're looking for a very, very strange read, maybe check this one out. It won't take you very long, and then maybe we can discuss it (although discussing it with my co-worker didn't seem to help).

First Line:
"I expect you might think the story I am about to tell you is untrue or perversely gothic in some unhealthy way."

Favorite Line:
"It was crumpled up a bit from dryness, and if I had known it was their mother I would have screamed."

Stuff I Got This Week

Title links send you to the Goodreads page for the book. Author links send you to their website.

Won on Goodreads:

The Inventor's Secret - Andrea Cremer

Sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape from the coastal cities or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

That's what I got this week, what did you all get? 

Dorothy Must Die book trailer and sneak peek!

DOROTHY MUST DIE will be available April 1st
Crash landing via tornado into a childhood nightmare, Amy Gumm finds the lime-lit, sparkling city of Oz a far cry from its former over-the- rainbow glory. The culprit? That bitch from Kansas: Dorothy Gale. Power-hungry and invincible, Dorothy has turned everything on its head. Now, the Scarecrow conducts inhumane experiments on the winged monkeys, the Tin Woodman is a trained killer, and the Lion is a deranged monster out for blood. Upon arriving, Amy is immediately inducted into The Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, a group of not-so-wicked witches that are determined to rid their land of Dorothy. Now, Amy will have to show more gumption than was ever necessary in her Kansas trailer park life. When everyone has ulterior motives and no one is whom they seem, it's not easy to know what to do next. But one thing's for sure: Dorothy must die.


Can't wait to see what Dorothy has become? No need to click your heels together... just head over to Epic Reads for a sneak peek at the first 12 chapters: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/read-the-first-12-chapters-of-dorothy-must-die/

To learn just how Dorothy Gale got back to Kansas and what made her so evil, plunge into Paige's world with NO PLACE LIKE OZ, the prequel digital novella to DOROTHY MUST DIE, on sale now: http://www.epicreads.com/books/no-place-like-oz/9780062280763/

Danielle Paige is a graduate of Columbia University. Before turning to young adult literature, she worked in the television industry where she received a Writers Guild of America award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She currently lives in New York City.

Review: Through the Zombie Glass - Gena Showalter

Where I got it: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (I love how gorgeous these books are.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Page Count: 480 p.
Add it: Goodreads
Sequel to: Alice in Zombieland

Alice has lost a lot and now just has her Nana...and maybe Cole. She goes out zombie hunting with the others one night and gets bitten and things start to get weird. She tries to bite Cole moments after being bitten. The zombie virus shouldn't have spread that quickly. Afterwards, things keep being weird. Her reflection isn't of her, not really. She also keeps getting hungry...very hungry...for souls. Soon after she starts noticing these things Cole disappears from her life and the other slayers lives too. Now she has to try to fight the darkness in herself by herself. If she can't manage to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it the few people she has left might be in danger...from her.

A very nice sequel. I had forgotten a lot of what happened in book one, but I feel like this book did a good job of reminding me without just retelling the whole first book again. Now I'm just dying to find out what happens next.

Alice's inner battle is fantastic and I'm intrigued to see what will happen with it. I still didn't really care too much for Cole in this story. He was still a jerk for most of it. Nearer the end he started to be more tolerable though.

There was a ton of action in this novel too and lots of twists and turns. There were a lot of unknowns, mostly about who Alice could trust. It was not made more clear when Cole abandons her and turns sullen.

This was a good sequel in which a lot happens and I'm super excited to see what happens with Anima and everything in the next book. If you liked the first novel this one will not disappoint.

First Line:
"Where should I begin?"

Favorite Lines:
"If they decided to play Animal Planet, I'd...let them, I decided. Both would end up unconscious and I would no longer be trapped in this tug-of-war. Sure, I'd have to clean a pool of blood, but just then that actually seemed like the better choice. We had plenty of baking soda and vinegar."

Review: Lovely Vicious - Sara Wolf

Where I got it: Kindle
Rating: 3 stars  
Cover Rating: 2 stars (meh.)
Genre: Young Adult / New Adult
Publication Date: November 4, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Page Count: 209 p.
Add it: Goodreads

Isis has sworn off love. She lost a ton of weight, dyed her hair and moved to a new town to start a new life with her mother. Enter Jack Hunter. He's the guy all the girls love but Isis loves to hate. She doesn't like anything about his smug face and wants to take him down a peg or two. Unfortunately he proves to be a worthy opponent and Isis finds herself stepping up her game.

This was a fascinating read. It wasn't that the writing was to die for (it wasn't bad) and it wasn't that I was in love with the characters, I was just intrigued. I didn't want to stop reading. It was so engrossing I just wanted more!

Both Isis and Jack seemed to make Sherlock like observances. They would look at the pet hair on someone's sleeve and deduce wildly. It seemed a bit intense for these two, but I guess they were smart.

The other thing I was confused about was the scene were Isis leaves a restaurant and Jack also leaves the restaurant and Isis throws up. She throws up quite a bit. Now, a couple things bothered me with this part. First, Jack takes her into his car while she's throwing up, whereas I would allow them to remain outside until they were quit done vomiting. He also doesn't ask why she's throwing up (not crazy odd, but still). Then, Jack takes them out to eat (now I understand Isis might be hungry from her expelling her lunch, but Jack just ate). So they go out to a sushi place and I don't think sushi settles your stomach. Also, it's Ohio. I don't live in Ohio, but Isis describes it as the middle of nowhere and I just doesn't see Sushi being a high schoolers meal of choice in the middle of nowhere. I could possibly see it in a city setting, but it just seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Beyond those small complaints I found the book enjoyable. A bit unbelievable at times with some of the character's actions, but enjoyable. I like the dialogue between the characters, especially Jack and Isis. It was very real.

If you're looking for an intriguing and somewhat quick read I would recommend checking this one out. The ending will probably have you dying for the second book, it's quite a shocker.

First Line:
"When I was six, Dad told me something really true; everyone has a to-do list."

Favorite Line:
"It was sacrifice helplessly, like a ritual priestess on the altar of callous assholery."