Ehhhhhhhh. Ok, what we have here is a self-published title, and I hate to be the asshole who slams those kinThanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book
Ehhhhhhhh. Ok, what we have here is a self-published title, and I hate to be the asshole who slams those kind of books. It takes guts to put your hard work out there for the world to see, and without a professional team behind you, there's a lot of things that can go wrong. So what I'm going to do is make this review short and...well, not sweet. But it will be short, because I feel like a big enough jerk already.
Lost in Shadows is...no. Amazon has the paperback edition listed at $8.99, and the Kindle edition a t $3.99. So, this is not a super-cheap freebie book. Just...no. There are technical issues, like jumping from one character's introspective thoughts to a fight scene in a different realm with no warning whatsoever. This is probably a product of being self-published, so I won't dwell on it. The plot is a bit convoluted. There's just too much random stuff with too many characters that aren't important to the plot. The dialogue is cheesy, and the love scenes are nothing to write home about. Although, there are only so many ways to say, He pinched my titties and I liked it!, so that's low on my list of complaints.
I'm going to give you two examples of the things that happened in this book, and then I'm done.
For this one, you need to know that he's been in a fight and is slashed all to hell. She's squeamish about blood, but is sewing him up with a needle and thread. Don't ask me why a doctor wasn't called in to do this.
It was harder than it looked. It was difficult to go through skin, not to mention the needle made a popping noise as it entered the skin. She could hear the thread making that squicking sound as it pulled through the skin, tissue, and blood.
And then they start making googly eyes at each other...
His groin tightened , he shifted to ease it, Gods, he burned for her.
M'kay. That's just gross. I get that guys think about sex all the time, but I'm willing to bet that getting sewn up on a table (without anesthesia) after getting knifed would be the exception to that rule.
For this one you need to know that they were attacked by bad guys on the way to his castle. The weather is horrible and it won't stop snowing. He killed the guys, took off his clothes, and pushed their car (with his bloody clothes and the bad guys inside) off a cliff, so that the evidence of the fight would go up in a fiery explosion. Also, they have a flat tire. Wait for it, wait for it...
Colin quickly replaced the flat, slipping in the snow, cursing as he worked. Finished, he opened the trunk, pulling on a change of clothes.
Why in God's name wouldn't he put his clothes on first?! I've seen my husband squat down to change a flat, and it wouldn't be pretty if he attempted to do it naked. Much less in the freaking snow! Hello? I don't care how Immortal a guy is, a frozen nut sack is a frozen nut sack.
For those of you who don't know, Ally Carter is the young adult author of The Gallagher Girls (a series abo Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book
For those of you who don't know, Ally Carter is the young adult author of The Gallagher Girls (a series about an academy that trains teenage girls to be spies) and The Heist Society ( an Ocean's Elevenish series about teenage thieves). Double Crossed is the highly anticipated crossover novella that brings these two different groups together. *insert squealing tween fangirls here* I've never read any of the Gallagher Girls books, but I have read the first book in the Heist Society. While I thought it was cute, it didn't really inspire me to run out and grab any more of Carter's stuff. However, after reading this, I might just change my mind.
Alrighty, you have two society kids at a charity function, and both are more than they seem at first glance. When a group of gunmen take the room hostage, they each utilize their own different set of skills to bring the bad guys down. *insert theme from Mission Impossible here*
The story itself was surprisingly fun. And I say surprising, because I am nowhere near the age of the intended target audience. No, it's not gonna blow your mind, but it was really good for a novella. And since it's short, it's a good way to see if these might be something you'd be interested in, without having to commit to a full-size book. I don't think prior knowledge of the characters is a must, either. I recognized Hale from the Heist Society, but I had no idea who Macey was, since she's a Gallagher Girl. It didn't impact my enjoyment of the story at all, but there may have been a few inside jokes that I missed. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a fast-paced easy read, or maybe just looking for a book for that special tweenage girl in your life.
Good ghost story for the younger readers, but I think older teens and adults will be bothered by some of tThanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Good ghost story for the younger readers, but I think older teens and adults will be bothered by some of the plot holes involving Daisy's powers. At first, Daisy's gift seems to be the ability to short out electronics. Not a cool gift. Yes, I would like to return this gift, please. It's defective, and I would like a refund. No, I don't have the receipt. Why? Because I obviously didn't purchase this for myself! I thought the purity ring Dad got me for my last birthday was shitty, but this year he went too far! TOO FAR! Yes, store credit will be fine, thank you. As you can probably guess, her power gets a little more useful as time goes on, but I doubt the poor girl will ever be able to own a cell phone. In fact, this was where the plot holes come in. Why can't she have a television in her home, but she can ride in cars?
I noticed this because I used to own a POS when I was in my 20's that would totally shut down whenever this certain sensor would go out. Seriously, I would be driving down the road, and that fucking turd-mobile would just stall out. You may have passed me on the side of the road...I was the girl kicking the shit out of a blue Chevrolet.
Huh. I had managed to repress those memories until I read this book. Thank you, Ms. Buchanan! But back to the original point. Why she could she could be around some electric-powered things, and not go near others? Not a big deal in the grand scheme of life, but it bugged me.
As for the rest of the story, it was pretty good. The story opens with Daisy being sent to check on another student, because the girl had been in the bathroom a little too long for the teacher's comfort. Turns out, the teacher was right to be worried. The girl, Vivi, was trying to OD on sleeping pills. Fortunately, Daisy managed to get help in time to save her. This experience ties Vivi and Daisy together in a way neither one of them expects. See, Vivi has a secret, too. Since she was a child, there has been a spirit who has been protecting her. Now that she's older, she's fallen in love with him, but his presence is fading out and getting weaker by the day. He had been gone for a while when Daisy found her on the bathroom floor. Oh. So that's why she tried to kill herself... Hmmm. Nope, she's still an idiot. Something about Daisy's presence managed to re-energized him, and now Patrick (the ghost boyfriend) tells Vivi that he thinks Daisy has the power to help them be together. They just have to convince her to help them. And then there's Danielle. Danielle is Daisy's best friend, and even though she knows about Daisy's secret, she's not ready to believe Vivi about the whole ghost/soul mate thing. Well, until she and Daisy start having different versions of the same frightening dream. Somehow their past lives were all connected, and if they want to survive this lifetime they'll need to solve a mystery that happened over a century ago.
Warning: There are some illustrations that pop up from time to time during certain parts of the book. To be very honest, the first one scared the shit out of me. I wasn't expecting it, and when I flipped the page (or pressed the button, to be more accurate) there was this creepy penciling of a chick holding a big-ass knife. I'm pretty sure I peed myself a little. What? I've had four kids. My bladder control is shot to hell.
In the end, I'd recommend this one for someone looking for a horror-lite ghost story.
Some of you will probably crucify me for this, but the guy on the cover does nothing for me. Less than nothing. BleAlso reviewed for Addicted2Heroines
Some of you will probably crucify me for this, but the guy on the cover does nothing for me. Less than nothing. Blech. Not my type. At all. See, my subconscious makes these crazy leaps. Here's an example: Hot Movie Star = Actor = Dude From Drama Club = 90% Chance He's Gay. At this point, I hear a klaxon horn and a voice saying,"Danger! Danger! Swerve to avoid!". Same thing with rock stars. Rock Star = Musician = Emo Band Geek. Danger! Danger! Writes bad poetry and cries after sex! It's wrong, it's insensitive, and probably more than just a little politically incorrect. So, why am I admitting to being the kind of jackass who would dump a guy because he's sensitive? Shhh. Pay attention, 'cause this is actually going somewhere. I'm telling you this, because this book was yummy enough for me to forget my prejudices and just roll with the story. In fact, while I was reading the book, I felt like I could potentially fall for a singing sissy-man! My therapist thinks I've made a HUGE breakthrough with this, by the way. So exciting!
The story starts when Ev opens her eyes in a hotel room sporting a massive hangover, and unable to recall the previous night's events. Her mission in Las Vegas had been to finally get back on the sex saddle. Her first (and only) time had been with an asshole in high school who didn't exactly make it an awesome experience. Turns out, she still didn't end up getting laid, but she did end up getting married. To the sexy guitarist of one of the hottest bands around. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Upon hearing the news, she pukes on his shoes and locks herself in the bathroom. Off to a good start, right? At first, it looks like it's Annulment City for those two, but once they finally start talking, she realizes that he didn't randomly marry her because he was drunk...and maybe she didn't either. After spending a few days getting to know each other, they decide to give married life a try. Of course, at some point in every relationship REALITY rears its ugly head, and David and Ev are no exception. Between their jacked-up families, trust issues, and the pressures of fame, it's not going to be easy for these two kids to make it work. Now in real life, a scenario like this one would be a train wreck, but in the hands of a skilled author it's a sweet love story that I gobbled up like an unguarded bag of chocolate. If you enjoy the angsty goodness of the New Adult genre, I recommend you bump Lick up to the top of your TBR list!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book...more
Uhhhhh.... The last part of the book was pretty good, but to get to it you have to wade through some pretty murky waAlso reviewed for Addicted2Heroines
Uhhhhh.... The last part of the book was pretty good, but to get to it you have to wade through some pretty murky waters. I had a really hard time understanding what was going on for the majority of the book...and not in a good way. There were numerous times when I couldn't even figure out who was speaking, mainly because it wasn't clearly stated. It's not that I like the Bob said, "Such-n-such" style of writing, but there has to be more than just quotation marks letting me know that someone else is talking after a while. In little doses it's a good thing, but after a page or so? Well, I lose track of who is saying what. Especially if there are more than two people in the conversation.
In the beginning it was also had to swallow Elle's attraction to Brian, mainly because she was so frightened of him. I didn't understand how she could switch gears that fast. She would be almost ready to pass out from a panic attack (because she was convinced he was a dangerous stalker), but she was simultaneously blushing and feeling butterflies in her stomach? Oh God! I think he's going to kill me! *swoon* He's so gorgeous! That just wouldn't happen. I've known quite a few guys who were extremely attractive, but they gave the the creeps. So. While I recognized they were good-looking, nothing fluttered around my abdomen except that tingly Danger! Danger! feeling. And honestly, that's more of a churning nausea than a tingle. Bad-Boys? Yes please! Showing-Up-At-Odd-Times-Stalker-Boys? No thank you. There's nothing sexy about a guy that you think might stuff you in his trunk. And even if you're not right when your gut is telling you some dude is a possible creeper, you're not going to get a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy if you find him lurking in the shadows. Ever. P.S.-Even if he's not planning to ask you to 'put the lotion in the basket', there's a reason your instincts are giving off a warning vibe. Trust your gut, ladies.
There were manymanymany other parts of the story that didn't add up...even at the end, but I would have to give spoilers to point them out. And there's no point in reading a mystery/thriller if you already know all the secrets, right? If you can make it through the first 70% of the story, the rest of the book is very readable. At that point I got sucked into it, and flew through till the end. Would I recommend it? No. But if you're a fan of YA mysteries then you might enjoy this more than I did.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book....more
Now I was totally lost when I first started reading this, because I unwittingly grabbed the second book in the series.Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC
Now I was totally lost when I first started reading this, because I unwittingly grabbed the second book in the series. Hmmm. The blurb sounds kinda confusing. And I've missed an entire book's worth of information. Lovely. *bangs head on desk* I'm sure that's never happened to any of you.... Whatever. Liars! At any rate, my initial thought was that I should probably go get the first book and read it. Then I remembered that my to-read list is longer than.... I don't know, let's just say there's a lot of freakin' books I need to read!
Anyway, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to plow ahead and make the best of it. And like I said, I was totally lost throughout the first chapter. But by the second chapter, I had caught on to the gist of the story, and by the third chapter I was bumping along nicely. Anytime you can plop yourself down into the middle of a series and enjoy it? Well, kids, that's how you can tell the difference between a decent author and an exceptional author.
It wasn't like there were mass info dumps or an entire rehash of the first Shifters story, but there were gradual reminders of what had happened previously. It's helpful not only to people who haven't read the other book, but also great for people (like me) who read several books a week and tend to forget the exact plot details of a book they read over a year ago. Ok. Fine. I forget the characters' names after about two days.
As for the story itself? Forget the blurb, 'cause it doesn't do it any justice. Dear Blurb Writer, In the event that you are big and scary, I just want you to know that I am in no way insulting your blurbing abilities. You are an excellent blurber. Sincerely, Cat...or Jamie (NOT Anne)
The plot revolves around these kids who have the ability to reverse any decision that they make. Imagine if you could think back to that time when you bought sushi from a roadside vendor and take back the horrible round of food poisoning that you suffered with for the rest of the weekend? You've never..? Huh. Just me then. Ok.
So these kids have this power, and of course the government (or a shadow agency inside the government) has put them to work. Scott is one of the more powerful shifters, because not only can he reverse his decisions, but he can also remember all of the alternate versions of his life that would have happened. Even better, he can (if he concentrates) remember when other people make shifts that result in massive changes. It's a blessing and a curse. As an added bonus, he can act as a power damper to other shifters if he's close enough to them.
In the last book, he discovered his powers, fell in love, and stopped an evil scientist who was trying to give adults they're shifting powers back by removing parts of shifter kids' brains and implanting them in the adults. Whew! That's a mouthful!
And now Scott and his girlfriend, Aubrey, are hunting down the remaining people involved in the project. It's all going pretty well until Scott stumbles onto something bigger than he can understand. Someone shifts, and things change dramatically. The Prime Minister is different, ARES is different, and politicians who should have dead children suddenly have their kids back alive.
Obviously, not all of the changes are bad, but Scott is the only one who can remember what things were like before, and he has a feeling that something is very wrong with what's happening. It seems the power to shift may not be the only power out there, but by the time he starts to figure out what's happening and who's behind it, there may be no one left that trusts him...
And the ending! Ahhhhhhh! You're kidding, right?! I'm almost upset that I read an ARC, because now I have to wait that much longer for the next book to come out. Hmmm. At least it will give me some time to go back and read Shift, 'cause now I'm really interested in seeing exactly what I missed out on!
P.S. There's an 'almost sex' scene in the book, but Aubrey and Scott decide to wait. I'd be fine with my boys (10 and 13) reading it, but every parent is different. I'd say this is geared toward the 14 plus crowd, but I don't think it has anything in it that a mature younger reader couldn't handle. ...more
What's the cardinal rule for bibliophiles? Don't judge a book by it's cover. I know that! I do. It's just..Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
What's the cardinal rule for bibliophiles? Don't judge a book by it's cover. I know that! I do. It's just...well, I do it all the time. An awesome cover draws me in, and a cheesy cover repels me. I can't tell you how many times I passed Runes over in favor of another book, simply because the cover made me think I would be reading the equivalent of a B movie. I mean, what is up with that dude's bangs?! Are they feathered or something? *shudder* Let me tell you something, when I fantasize about a sexy bad-ass, I imagine a guy who looks like he just rolled out of bed and ran his fingers thorough his hair. I don't imagine a guy who looks like he just spent 30 minutes in front of his mom's mirror with a bottle of Aquanet. Ever. Needless to say, I was expecting the worst when I finally decided to start reading this one. So, imagine my surprise when it didn't suck! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I was once again fooled by a bad cover! However, I've learned my lesson, and promise to never ever think bad thoughts about ugly covers...maybe.
The story did have some things about it that kept my rating from going any higher, though. While I loved Torin and Raine, the attraction they felt for each other seemed a bit over-the-top. Kind of reminded me of one of those weirdo couples that sit around sniffing each other, because they can't seem to get enough. Know what I mean? I didn't feel like things were realistic when it came to her missing father, either. To me, that whole plotline felt undercooked. There were also a few times when I thought the way Raine spoke was sort of out of character for a normal teenager. "He straightened his body, the smile disappearing from his face. Aye, he was intimidating when he stopped smiling. Antagonizing him would get me nowhere." Um, I'm pretty sure kids nowadays don't use the term, 'aye'...unless they've been raised by pirates. Just sayin'. I also thought that toward the end things seemed a little rushed. There were quite a few things I would have liked to have seen explained in greater detail. I did, however, like the actual ending of the book. It sets itself up with a nice cliffhanger that made me want to see what was going to happen next.
With all the complaints I've listed, it might seem like I didn't like the book very much, but the truth is, I didn't want to put it down. It bumped along at a nice pace, and kept me engaged in the story until it was over. I've seen some other reviews that complained about it being a rip-off of The Mortal Instruments series, and I'm guessing it's because in both stories they draw runes on their bodies for strength, healing, speed, etc.. While it may be a big deal to some, I don't think Cassandra Claire is the only author allowed to use runes in her books. This book deals with Norse mythology, which is pretty different from TMI's more paranormal plotline. If you want to get picky, you can say that Runes has a girl who is unaware of her supernatural heritage, and that aspect totally mirrors City of Bones. Except, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a young adult book that has that very same plot. Sorry, I'm not buying that Walters tried to copy Claire.
So. What have we learned today, kids? Don't be a cover snob, because you never know what little gem you might be missing, and swinging dead cats* is a great way to choose your next series!
*No animals were harmed during the making of this review...
The blurb just doesn't do this book justice! After reading it, I wasn't expecting much beyond a dry sci-fiThanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
The blurb just doesn't do this book justice! After reading it, I wasn't expecting much beyond a dry sci-fi story about androids on Mars, but Retta's voice was actually really funny. She's an overly-dramatic hormonal teenager, but her saving grace is that she knows it. Her inner monologue is filled with lots of eye-rolling that she directs at herself for being...well, an overly-dramatic hormonal teenager. Her observations about herself and everyone around her was absolutely my favorite thing about this book.
The story is set hundreds of years in the future on Mars. Because you couldn't have figured that part out on your own, right? Mars has seceded from Earth, but the planets are on friendly terms at this point. Sort of like the the U.S and England, maybe? Originally, the planet was was made habitable by using metal machine-like androids that could withstand the harsh environment. No one is sure when it happened, but the androids that live on the planet now are almost impossible to distinguish from humans. However, if you look closely enough you can find their tells. Even though they live, work, and go to school with humans, they don't have any of the same rights or protection under the law. Humans are raised to believe androids (or Blue Hearts) are nothing more than soulless machines that should be happy they are allowed to exist at all. Why should they have rights?
Retta is still in high school when the story opens. She's a typical teenage girl whose main concerns are how to afford cool clothes and gadgets. Gadgets?! Did I just write that? Shit. I've officially turned into my grandmother. "You kids and your new-fangled doohickeys...tsk, tsk." Anyway, Rhetta is pretty unconcerned with the world around her, until she meets Hemingway. She knows he's an android, but something about him intrigues her (I'm going to go out on a limb, and say it's because he's super-hot). Over a cup of coffee, the Insta-Lovebug bites both of them pretty hard, and they decide to start dating. Which is a huge deal in their society, because dating an android is not just looked down upon, it's actually illegal. But the story would have only been about ten pages long if these two crazy kids didn't decide to buck the system, right? To hell with the rules, we love each other! Retta starts out clueless to the way androids are treated, but as their relationship progresses, she realizes that androids are more heavily persecuted than she ever imagined. Watching what Hemingway has to endure on a daily basis breaks her heart and opens her eyes. The more injustice she's exposed to, the more she wants to change things for all androids. But if she can't even convince her own father that Hemingway is human in every way that matters, what chance does she have to change an entire planet's bigotry?
They tough it out for a while, but eventually Hemingway breaks up with Retta to keep her safe. Brokenhearted, she is determined to find anything might be able to help them stay together. Even though he won't have anything to do with her anymore, she and a friend break into the building that 'builds' the androids (ok, I admit this part is fairly implausible, given that they are both high school students with no special 'spy' training), and manage to download shocking documents about what the company plans to do with androids. Unfortunately, before she can do anything with the information...The Zombie Apocalypse Begins! Kidding. But how cool would that have been?! Seriously, I don't want to give any more of the plot away, because it's well worth reading for yourself. I will say that in the end there's a great twist revealed that changes everything. Everything! Still no zombies, though. Oh well, you can't have it all...
Tons of great review for this book, so I guess I'm the only one who was underwhelmed. It was ok. Things finally picked up toward the last hal2.5 stars
Tons of great review for this book, so I guess I'm the only one who was underwhelmed. It was ok. Things finally picked up toward the last half of the book, but for the most part I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's because I hadn't heard of the original fairytale about the Goose Girl (not even sure if that's the real name)? The story just moved too slowly for me, I suppose. Also, her powers were a bit...boring? Talking to animals and kinda sorta controlling wind? sigh It was...not for me. Anyhoo, everyone else seems to like it....more
This was a weird book. If it's so weird, then why am I giving it three stars? I'm just assuming you're askThanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
This was a weird book. If it's so weird, then why am I giving it three stars? I'm just assuming you're asking that question, by the way. Ok, ok, I'll tell you. Because I can't stop thinking about it, that's why! At first, it looks like it's just going to be your regular old dystopian novel about some strange society. And then you start to notice the Star Wars references. Star Wars!? That's right, my friend, Star Wars. As in, the huge blockbuster movie that was so popular, it made it seem as though it was a good idea to wear your hair like two giant cinnamon buns on either side of your head. That Star Wars. I mean, do you see anything in the blurb that screams, "The entire society is based on George Lucas fan fiction!". No. No, you do not. In fairness, I just checked again and this was added to the blurb I recently read on Goodreads: (Please note: this novella contains a few references to the famous sci-fi movie Star Wars which are pivotal to the plot. None of the characters in The Island are in any way related to the characters in the movie. Leia is named after one of the ancient heroes of her culture/religion.) A few references? Ha! As if!
At the age of ten, all children on the island leave home and cut all ties with their parents. They then go to live in a smaller community with other children under the age of eighteen in order to become independent...and find the Force within themselves. Once they get married, they return to the adult community, but they don't really have anything to do with their parents anymore. It's considered a sign of weakness or something. On the other side of a wall live another type of people whom they refer to as Fools, but they don't really know much about them. Well, other than they're foolishly waiting around for someone to save them, hence the name, Fools.
Leia is a young girl named after her ancestor, the famous mighty female twin of Luke. The story starts when she and her twin brother leave home to go live with the other kids. Flash forward a few years and things are falling apart in their Lord of the Flies compound. A ruthless leader has taken over, and Leia discovers that The Book may hold evidence that will make the others revolt against his leadership. Now, this Book is like their Bible, right? It's holy, sacred, infallible, and it holds the history of her people. So when she steals it, it's a pretty big deal. Ok, the entire time I'm reading about this Book, I'm almost embarrassed for this girl. Seriously. These people based their lives on some poorly written Star Wars fanfic. Oh. My. God.
While she's trying to hide the Book (so she can read its sacred information later), she meets a Fool who is searching for someone who washed up on their side of the shore. Less than witty banter ensues, and he agrees to keep the Book with him until they can meet again. Obviously, this kid is the Love Interest. I didn't feel much in the way of sparks, but it's a novella, so I let it slide. And honestly, any questions I had about their romance was going to take a backseat to the more important questions this book poses. How the hell did some nerd with a lightsaber get his own island?! How did they convince other people to go along with this dumbass idea?! And most importantly, what was the author thinking?! In my mind, I just couldn't see a way for Ms. Minkman to make this work. There was no reason for this crazy society to exist. At all. Ever. Then along came the ending. And you know what? It kind of made sense. Yeah, I know. I'm as surprised as you are. So three big fat stars for pulling off the impossible, Ms. Minkman!
I had no idea this book was in the New Adult genre when I started reading it. In fact, I didn't even know the genreAlso reviewed for Addicted2Heroines
I had no idea this book was in the New Adult genre when I started reading it. In fact, I didn't even know the genre existed until...well, until I went to write this review a few minutes ago and had to look it up. Evidently, New Adult is for those kids who are just starting out in life. I use the term kids, because I'm old past the age of, ahem, being a kid. Out of high school, starting college, or just on their own for the first time. They're new at being adults, get it? Catchy, no? And pretty self-explanatory, now that I think about it. So I probably could have skipped this first paragraph entirely. Aw, hell with it. Typing is hard. I'm keeping it.
Ok, on to the good stuff. Rory is adorable if a bit clueless about the way people interact. I liked that about her, actually. I know this will surprise you, but occasionally I have verbal diarrhea when I'm plunked down in unfamiliar social territory. Just FYI, honesty is never the best policy with strangers. Ever. The story opens with a pretty heavy scene that might upset some people. Not the fact that it happens, just the aftermath. Rory is drinking with some friends, and gets left alone in the living room with a guy she's kind of crushing on. She's convinced that he's a wounded soul that she might possibly be able to make a connection with. Unfortunately, he's not wounded. He's broken and disgusting. He lets her know he's interested in her roommate, then tries to force his dick in her mouth. Yum. Nothing compares to an unwanted penis poking you in the face. *shudder* Thankfully, Tyler comes out of one of the bedrooms and puts a stop to it. I kept waiting for something awful to happen to Grant (the owner of the gross penis), and nothing ever did. Nothing. At first I was like, What?!, but then I realized that it was actually what would have probably happened in real life. Sad, but true. And that's how Tyler and Rory first start to get to know each other.
Tyler is your standard Bad-Boy-With-A-Heart. He's been handed a crummy lot in life, but he still manages to do the right thing. His mother is a drug addict, so he still lives at home in order to take care of his two younger brothers, one of whom has Downs Syndrome. After you see how awesome he is with both of those kids you can't help but fall for him a little bit. Oh my God, I wanted to wrap him up and stick him in my purse! At first, Rory is intimidated by his tattoos and piercings, but it turns out that he is just as intimidated by her brains and sense of honesty. He thinks she's too good for him, and she doesn't think a guy as cool as he is, would ever really consider dating an inexperienced plain-looking girl like her. Of course he likes you, girl! Otherwise, you wouldn't be the star of a New Adult Romance novel!
Naturally, something has to happen to tear them apart. Boo! But I loved the way Rory didn't stop living even though she was totally heartbroken. She still went out with friends, worked hard at school, and even worked on her relationship with her father. And THAT'S how it's supposed to be, ladies! However, this is a romance. And I'm not giving out 4 stars to a book that doesn't have a Happily Ever After, dammit! And I did give it 4 stars. Soooo. Yeah, the ending is sweet and filled with caramel nougat.
There's a slow burn to this romance that I really liked. Couple that with the fact that Rory isn't an idiot, and you have a really good book to snuggle up with on a rainy day. It's mentioned in the blurb that her roommates offer him money to deflower her, but how that all plays out is not for me to spoil. Read it for yourself...
I don't hand out five stars very easily anymore. Years ago, I wasn't as picky, but now it's rare to never that I find a book worthy of the 5 STAR labeI don't hand out five stars very easily anymore. Years ago, I wasn't as picky, but now it's rare to never that I find a book worthy of the 5 STAR label. It's special...like me! Ashen Winter is one of those few books that is so freakin' awesome it actually deserves the whole five. Have you read Ashfall, yet? If not, stop reading this review and go get it. Now. Are you seriously still sitting there? Move your ass! Go, go!
If you're still reading this, I'm going to assume that you've already read Mike Mullin's stunning debut novel. Or possibly you're just being stubborn. At any rate, the first book was so good that I almost didn't want to taint it's goodness with Second Book Syndrome. You know, 1st book rocks, but the 2nd one sucks. We've all been down that disappointing road, right? Fortunately, a friend of mine's kid forced me into action. That's right, a kid made me read it. Here's what happened: A month or so ago my friend's son comes over and asks me, "Miss Anne, have you read anything lately you think I'd like?". I mull it over for a second, and it occurs to me that Ashfall is one of the best books I've read (YA or otherwise) in the past year. So I say, "Logan, go get Ashfall! Now. Move your ass! Go, go!". And then, because he's not my kid, I don't think about it anymore. Fast forward two weeks, and he shows up (uninvited) at my doorstep. Naturally, I assume the little bastard is sniffing around for baked goods, 'cause not only am I kind and caring, but I can rock some chocolate chip cookies. Anne's Free Tip of the Day: Never let the kids in the neighborhood know you can cook. Those little fuckers are harder to get rid of than stray cats. And due to some bleeding-heart liberals, it's apparently illegal to take pot shots at children. Go figure. Then again, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around... So was he looking for food? Well, yes. But he also told me that he loved Ashfall so much that he already read the second book. Only it sounded like this: OhMyGodMissAnneAshfallwasBEAST!Thesecondoneisevenbetteryougottareadit! Lucky for me, I have kids of my own, so I was able to translate. Also lucky for me, he had it with him, and offered to let me read it. Or maybe I hit him over the head with my cookie tray and snatched the book. Mwahahahahahaha! Sometimes I black out....
Anyway, was he right? Is Ashen Winter even better than Ashfall? Unbelievably, it is! In the first book, a supervolcano in Yellowstone goes ka-boom, and the end results are freezing temperatures, a technological return to the Dark Ages, and (as an added bonus) groups of marauding cannibals. Yes, evidently if when bad people get hungry, they'll eat anyone. It's total chaos, and without any real form of government, it's each man (or woman) for themselves. Alex was just an ordinary teenager until the ash started falling. Now he's a veteran survivor who's only goal is to find his parents. The end of the last book was so bittersweet. He and Darla finally made it to his uncle's house, only to discover that his mom and dad were out there somewhere searching for him. He agreed to stay put and help his uncle in the hopes that his parents would return. Ashen Winter opens with Alex and Darla finding a clue to the whereabouts of his parents. They leave the relative safety of his uncle's farm on a rescue mission, and, of course, things quickly take a turn for the worse. Ok, Darla is undeniably my favorite character. To say the least, she's got mad skills when it comes to surviving an apocalypse. Is there anything this chick can't do? No. No there is not. She's the perfect counterbalance for Alex's soft-hearted nature. And after reading this, I will never underestimate an injured girl with a screwdriver. That's not to say that I don't love Alex. He is such a good guy. A reallyreallyreally good guy. Unfortunately, in this kind of world, you just know his decent nature is going to cost him eventually. And it does. He makes a choice to help some people, and because he does...well, you know what they say about good deeds going unpunished. What happened, you ask? Oh. My. God. Nooooooooooo!MikeMullinyoubetterbekiddingwiththisshit! Suddenly it's a race against time to...
Anyhoo, Ashen Winter is an amazing ride from start to finish. I'm not doing this book justice with my crappy reviewing skills, but you're just going to have to trust me. Also, this is mature YA, so don't go out and get it for your favorite 10 year old nephew. There are lots of adult situations that include off the page rape, and fade to black sex scenes. Oh, and ten dollars says that by the time you get done with these, your new favorite hobby will be planning which annoying neighbor to eat first!
Zombies. Gotta love 'em. Or I do, anyway. Now if zombies are your thing too, then Mortality isn't a bad choice for a rainy afternoon of readin3.5 stars
Zombies. Gotta love 'em. Or I do, anyway. Now if zombies are your thing too, then Mortality isn't a bad choice for a rainy afternoon of reading. Is is groundbreaking? No. There's nothing super-duper different about the walking dead in this one, but it's fast paced and well written enough to keep you flipping the pages. Besides, can you really say no to that cover? Yeah, I didn't think so.
It's told from the POV's of two different girls, Savannah and Zarah. Savannah is the main character, but the reason for Zarah's story doesn't become clear till the end of the book. I will not give spoilers, I will not give spoilers... Anyway. We get introduced to Savannah and her friends, who are living in an abandoned high school with the rest of their small community. Both of Savannah's parents were killed in the Zombie Apocalypse (it's coming, people!), and now her days consist of training to fight the two types of infected. The first are the zombies who were infected when the virus initially hit. These guys are what you've seen in every horror flick. A slow-moving, groaning, mindless corpse that wants to eat you up. Yum. The second type are a bit different. The scientists came up with a 'cure' for the virus, but didn't get a chance to properly test it. You know that can't possibly end well, right? Surprise, surprise, the people who were inoculated after the first wave, and then bitten by an original zombie...turned into Super-Zombies. This second kind of zombie is much faster, stronger, and smarter than the first generation. So, yeah. The vaccine didn't work. Since Savannah is part of the under 18 crowd, the adults have decided to sideline her (and the other kids) for their own protection. Unfortunately, Savannah isn't content to let others do all of the fighting, and while she and her friends are out on a relatively safe medicine run, she talks the boys into attempting something a bit more daring. And it works! Well, sort of. Ok, not at all.Turns out, they're pretty much responsible for the destruction of the community's safety. Kids these days. Tsk. They never listen! I blame the internet. Alrighty. Due to their lack of foresight, zombies overrun the community's compound, and the group is forced to make a run for it. Unfortunately, Savannah and her friends get left behind, and have to try to make it to the designated safe house on their own. *cue ominous music* What about Zarah? Well, her journey is sprinkled throughout the book in a way that keeps you interested, but doesn't really compare to Savannah's. Her story somewhat parallels Savannah's in a What If kind of way, but it soon becomes obvious that she's a secondary character. . Things also get more interesting once Cole is introduced. At first, he seems like a bumbling idiot, but he turns out to have quite a few useful tricks up his sleeve. To top it off, he's got some pretty interesting secrets. I'm not really sure I was feeling the chemistry between him and Savannah, though. It wasn't insta-love, but it kind of felt like they ended up together because there weren't many other choices left.
In the end, I'd say this was a decent zombie book...with an awesome cover. If you're new to the genre, I wouldn't start here, there's better stuff out there to cut your teeth on. However, if you're already addicted to rabid flesh-eaters, then this will probably satisfy your craving for braaaaains!...more
It was weird, there were plot lines that were just dropped at the end, and when Snow finally found heOthers may enjoy this, but it just wasn't for me.
It was weird, there were plot lines that were just dropped at the end, and when Snow finally found her Prince Charming it was a total WTF?! Where did this guy come from? moment for me. Oh, and the egg thing at the end...creepy. Not cute. Creepy. In an attempt to not give spoiler for those of you who would like to read this, I'll stop right here.
I will say, that midway through the book I was interested enough to want to find out what happened to the characters. It's not unreadable. Maybe you just have to be looking for a fairlytale about vampires to really like this one? Soooooo. If that sounds like something you've been itching to read, check out Blood and Snow.
The basis of this world is that we have learned how to genetically alter ourselves. So now everyone has the potential to Free today on Amazon! 3/30/15
The basis of this world is that we have learned how to genetically alter ourselves. So now everyone has the potential to be totally hot and live for a couple hundred years, as long as they can afford it.
I would say this was a middle-of-the-road kind of book for me. It was entertaining enough while I was reading it, but I'm not sure I'll continue with the series. I can't really pinpoint why, other than the concept just didn't intrigue me enough....or something. God. I'm a terrible reviewer! Oh well, you get what you pay for, people.
Zoe is a typical spoiled little rich girl. She's not evil, just unaware that other people live in her world, so to speak. Her parents are distant, but she has a close relationship with her brother, Liam. Or she thinks they're close, anyway. One day Liam just disappears, and it seems to Zoe that no one is looking very hard to find him. Distraught, she takes it upon herself to discover just what happened to her brother. She manages to find out that he was working on a secret project with her boyfriend and one other researcher outside the city. Unfortunately, she needs help in order to maneuver safely outside the protected inner city that she and the other GAPs grew up in. She needs a natural to help her, but the only natural she knows is her housekeeper's son, Noah. Not only does he dislike her snooty family, but apparently he's a leader in the anti-GAP movement. The only thing she's got going in her favor is that he needs money to help his family pay bills....and that's one thing she's got plenty of.
What starts out as a business transaction slowly turns into friendship, and then into something more. As they spend time together trying to uncover the truth, it becomes hard to control the way they feel about each other. The sparks begin to fly, and finally they give in and admit their feelings. *sigh* Nothing quite compares to Forbidden Love. Conspiracy theories, death threats, and shocking revelations be damned! Together they decide that nothing is going to come between them.
And then something super-duper shocking comes between them! Gasp! But I'm not going to tell you what it is. Or whether or not they end up together. *shrugs* Hey, I told you I was a crappy reviewer when I started writing this thing.
After thinking about it, I'd say this was a decent book. Not awesome, but certainly not boring. I would definitely read something else by this author again. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
I love fairytale retellings. Love them! It's hard to find one that's actually good, though. So is Enamoured good, you ask? Well, yes. Yes, it is. But it'sI love fairytale retellings. Love them! It's hard to find one that's actually good, though. So is Enamoured good, you ask? Well, yes. Yes, it is. But it's not a good fairytale retelling. Huh? I can see that you're confused, so I'll explain. Yes, it's a good novella. The hero and heroine are both likable, the villain is deliciously evil, the plot is fun, and the romance is cute. Except that nothing in the story has anything to do with The Frog Prince tale. I mean, there are a couple of Fairy Godmother Enforcers who are working behind the scenes to supposedly get the fairytale back on track, but if it weren't for them saying that this was somehow related to a fairytale, I honestly wouldn't have noticed anything remotely fairytaleish about the plot. I would have just thought it was a good romantic short-story. So if you're looking for a good retelling...look elsewhere.
However, if you're looking for a fun romance with some fairies running around in the background, then this book would fit the bill. It's far more well-rounded than most novellas that I've read, and I didn't feel like I was getting gypped out of a back story, plot, or ending. Nothing felt rushed at all, and that is fairly unusual. I've read some novellas by authors who already have a well-known character in place, and still haven't been able to pull that off. Lots of stuff labeled Blah Blah 1.5 or Blah Blah 3.5 come to mind.
So, no, it wasn't what I was hoping for, but I really enjoyed it anyway. If nothing else, it made me want to check out more by this author. In fact, if the ending of Enamoured was any indicator, it looks like there will be more stories featuring Rump and Esmeralda in the future. If so, bring it on! Those two were adorable!
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this book. ...more
Wow! For a debut book, this was really quite good. I wasn't sure what to expect from the story when I first picked it up, but I certainly wasn't expecWow! For a debut book, this was really quite good. I wasn't sure what to expect from the story when I first picked it up, but I certainly wasn't expecting to become so engrossed in Kenny's story that I didn't want to put it down. I'm thinking the author is going to make a nice splash with this book. First, let me say that although this is a YA book, it reads like a coming of age story that adults can easily relate to, as well. So, if you normally shy away from this genre because of melodramatic love triangles and angsty characters, don't be afraid to try this one out. Think of it as The Wonder Years meets Dr.Who...ish
So, why not 5 stars? Well, I've grown picky about what I label that highly, and this wasn't a perfect book. Most of the problems I had with it stemmed from confusion over The Rules of time-travel, and not with the actual plot itself. And since I have the attention span of a gnat, this could very well be mostly my fault, because I tend to skim and scan the technical (aka boring) aspects of books. I kept finding myself thinking, "Huh? I thought they couldn't do that?". Then again, I am also the kind of reader who is too lazy to go back and check out previous pages to see if I'm right or not. Sorry, but if I don't catch it the first time around, I'm just going to assume I missed something important...and keep on chugging. I know, I know. Somebody worked really hard to pour their heart into writing a book, so it deserves your full attention. Hey, don't judge me. In fact, you're probably skimming this review right now. Ha! Caught ya! At the same time, I really liked the fact that Lomax actually had rules to traveling through the mirrors. I've read books that allowed all kinds of things to happen willy-nilly because of some sort of time-travel device/powers, and it gets old...fast. How annoying is it to read an entire story, only to have a giant Reset! button pushed on you at the end? Very. For me, these kinds of stories work better when there is a limited amount of change or damage that can be done by the travelers. That aspect of the book is one of the ways that Backward Glass manages to really shine. Can you change the way things turn out, without being able to change anything? A running theme in this book is that you can't necessarily control Fate, but you can control your Soul. It's also the main lesson that Kenny and his friends learn during their amazing year with the mirror. In life, much of what happens to you is beyond your control. I've always believed that the only thing in life you can truly control is the way you react to what is thrown at you. What you say or do when something goes wrong, determines who you are and who you will become. Can you change the course of Fate? Maybe. But even if you can't, you can have the knowledge that you did the right thing and at least tried to make it better.
The story starts in 1977 with a boy named Kenny. Wait. No, it doesn't. It starts decades before, and decades after Kenny finds a dead baby and a mysterious note begging for help. Cool, huh? Add that to a creepy urban legend about a mysterious figure called Prince Harming (who may or may not be stalking the mirror kids through time) and you have a sci-fi mystery to die for.
The dynamic between Kenny and Luka was also pleasantly surprising, especially considering this was written by a male author. Hmmmm. That sounded less sexist in my head... *shrugs* Oh, well. Kenny isn't some super-powered guy who has all of the answers, and Luka isn't some fainting schoolgirl who expects him to protect her. She's smart, brave, feisty, and ends up saving his butt several times over. Luka equals Batman, and Kenny is her Robin. And a guy wrote it that way? Yep. Don't get me wrong, Kenny isn't some bumbling idiot, but he is just a teenager. He makes mistakes, gets scared, and loses his way occasionally. His heart is in the right place, though, and I found myself totally rooting for this kid to find his way toward a Happily Ever After. And does he? Let's just say that the last pages left me with a big old fat grin on my face.
The ending ties everything up quite nicely, but there is also enough wiggle room left over for more books. And since I have no shame, I pestered Mr. Lomax to find out what his plans are regarding these characters. I'm happy to report that if all the stars align just right, there could potentially be two more books. The first would feature Luka as the protagonist, and the second...well, I don't want to spoil the ending of Backward Glass for you, so you'll just have to read it and figure that one out for yourself.
I enjoyed reading Damocles, but I'm going to bet not everyone will like it as much as I did. There3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book
I enjoyed reading Damocles, but I'm going to bet not everyone will like it as much as I did. There are probably some questions you need to ask yourself before you decide whether or not to pick this one up. Are you looking for action, romance, or maybe a just good alien invasion story? If so, move on to something else. This is a story about trust and friendship. Awwwwww. Ok. Touchy-feely stuff is not my thing. At all. In fact, I actively avoid anything that features children or animals on the cover. Well, unless the children or animals are covered with blood and gore. Anything about the Power of Friendship (think: Ya-Ya Sisterhood)? Out. Nicholas Sparks? No. Just...no. I'm not saying these books aren't good. Obviously, they make lots of people happy. I'm just not one of those people. Having said that, I was pretty shocked that I liked Damocles. I think the thing that really saved it for me was the surprising amount of humor in the story. I'm not saying I was clutching my sides with tears streaming down my cheeks, but I definitely giggled.
Damocles is told in Meg and Loul's alternating POVs. Sometimes I find multiple POVs too distracting, but this is one instance in which I don't think the story would have worked as well without both sides to the story. Meg is a language specialist from Earth, and Loul is a low-level government employee from Didet. As the story unfolds, they form an unusual bond with each other. *sigh* And before you perverts ask, no. That bond has nothing to do with Meg getting some kinky alien lovin'. Jeez, you guys are gross!
The basic plot is, sometime in the distant future, the inhabitants of Earth receive a message (the how is not explained) from an advanced species stating that they were the ones who seeded the planet. Not only that, but there are other planets out there that they seeded, as well. The message included the coordinates of the other humanoid planets, so that they could reach out to them if they wanted to. Shockingly, some of the religious groups didn't take this news very well. After a few attacks on scientific buildings, the government (of the world?) decided to fund an expedition to discover if the message was real. This is where Meg and the crew of Damocles come in. Meg is a brilliant linguist, and her job is to help the crew communicate with any alien life forms they might find.
Loul is introduced as your run-of-the-mill nerd. He has a desk job that he hates, and a group of friends that he hangs out with to play a game called Circle (which sounds a lot like Dungeons and Dragons). He's disillusioned with his life, because he was demoted and labeled a nut job after he wrote a What To Do If Aliens Invade report. So imagine his surprise when the Men In Black collect him and drop him off at an alien landing site! The poor guy is torn between pooping his pants and totally geeking out. In the end, his inner dork wins, and he ends up being the one who makes First Contact.
The rest of the book is filled with many funny (yet touching) moments. And as the two groups try to learn how to communicate with each other, there are some hilarious misunderstandings. Now, some of it was kind of kind of boring (like I said, this is not an action-driven plot), but for the most part I thought it was pretty entertaining. It also made me think. I mean, what if aliens really are out there? And what if they aren't some hyper-intelligent beings who want to spread peace? Or what if they aren't evil reptilian space monsters hell-bent on galactic domination? What if they're just like us? Huh. Personally, I'll be kind of let down if they can't at least shoot laser beams out of their eyes.
This is book two in Kagawa's Blood of Eden series, and I'm happy to say it doesn't suffer from the Second Book Syndrome. In fact,Thanks you NetGalley!
This is book two in Kagawa's Blood of Eden series, and I'm happy to say it doesn't suffer from the Second Book Syndrome. In fact, I think this one was much better than than the first book, The Immortal Rules.
The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are an endangered species. Vampires rule the large cities, offering protection to the humans in exchange for blood. These are not benevolent vampires. Protection from what, you ask? Why, from the Rabids, of course! In the first book, you learn that humans were almost wiped out by a disease called Red Lung, and in a failed attempt to cure it...dum, dum, dum...zombies were created. Now, if you want to find out how Allie met Kanin, became a vampire, and fell in love with Zeke, you'll just have to suck it up and read the first book.
The Eternity Cure starts off with Allie on her way to rescue her friend and mentor, Kanin. On the way she runs into Jackal, and the two strike up an uneasy alliance in an effort to find their sire. Jackal is snarky, rude, and basically evil. The book wouldn't have been as good without him tagging along, though. Yes, he's awful, but you can't just have a bunch of good guys running around trying to save the world, can you?! Boring! You need to have at least one character that pulls his pants down in the middle of a sappy moment. And Jackal is definitely the guy who lights a fart at a funeral.
Hey, Zeke, remember that time I fed a bunch of your friends to Rabids? Good times, good times. You know how easy it would be for me to chop your head off while you sleep, Allie? Nighty-nite! Sweet dreams! So, yeah. Jackal was definitely my favorite character.
Things really get going when Zeke shows up in Allie's old stomping grounds, the Fringe. There are some tense moments when they first meet, but Zeke is still in love with Allie and wants to find a way to make it work. His only request is that if something happens, she won't Turn him. Reluctantly, she agrees to let him go forever if he's mortally wounded. They're still in pursuit of Kanin and the cure for Rabidism, when a new strain of Red Lung crops up in the Fringe. It's all connected to Sarren, the brilliantly unhinged vampire from the last book. When it's revealed what he's up to, it puts their group of mismatched heroes in a race against time to save everyone and everything they care about. And when it's all over with, nothing will ever be the same.
Oh, and the ending? Oh. My. God. *screaming and sobbing* How could you leave me hanging like that, Kagawa?! Oh, fine. It was brilliant. Brilliant!
So, even if you weren't impressed with the first book, I'd recommend you go ahead and check this one out. I think you'll be surprised.
Hmmm, I don't want to smack an indie book around, because it's just not a very nice thing to do. Besides, there isAlso reviewed for Addicted2Heroines.
Hmmm, I don't want to smack an indie book around, because it's just not a very nice thing to do. Besides, there is evidently a special ring in Hell for people who give bad book reviews...more on that later, though. However, this is definitely a two star book. Now, according to Goodreads that means the book was ok. Not great, not awful, but tolerably readable. There were several things I liked, and several things that just didn't do it for me, but they were all fairly interconnected with each other. In other words, some of the things that I enjoyed, were also the things that kept the book from totally working. Here's a very simple run-down of the story: Dora is the daughter of a crazy televangelist. To rebel, she practices black magic, and (for some unspecified amount of time) has been attempting to summon a demon. Evidently, she would like this demon to get rid of all of the pink that her parents insist on having in her room. Shortly after the story opens, she manages to summon a teenage demon named Kieron, who's basically a sweet (but horny) teenage boy. Her parents and the rest of the town try to burn her at the stake, Kieron saves her, and they escape to Hell where they compete in a Hunger Gamesish competition to become full-fledged demons. Or something.
The silly tongue-in-cheek writing style wasn't bad. Unfortunately, I think the plot had too many holes in it to attract the age group that the author is aiming at. If the book were written for the pre-teen group, the silly stuff would go over well. For example, people get pooped on a lot. It's a running theme in the book. It got old kinda quick for me, 'cause I'm a grown-up and poo is icky. My kids never get tired of poo jokes...go figure. Also, an older set of readers will probably wonder how an entire town goes crazy enough to try to burn a teenager at the stake. Really?! As an adult, I found that questionable. While a younger group of readers might just assume that the Big People are weird like that, ya know? The writing is good enough that the author could get away with some of this stuff...if it were a middle-grade reader. The content is definitely too mature for kids, though. The f-bomb gets dropped even more than the poo, and even though Dora and Kieron never do it, there's quite a bit of sexual content. Including, but not limited to, a bad guy getting ass-raped by a Minotaur. Erk! And then there's the (above mentioned) ring of Hell dedicated to reviewers. When Dora is finally introduced to the Worst Sinners, it turns out...dum, dum, dum...they're people who gave Bad Book Reviews. Which, was so totally hysterical I actually laughed out loud! I mean, how can you not love that, especially coming from an author?! And then, like the poop jokes, it went on too long. What could have potentially been one of the best one-liners that I've ever read, devolved into a personal rant from the author. Frigid librarians, reviewers with tiny man-parts, wannabe writers, and baby killers! They are worst of all humanity rolled into a nerd with a keyboard. *Gulp* It quickly shifted from really funny into really awkward.
One of the things I did like was the male character, Kieron. For once you get to see a teenage boy act like a teenage boy. He's continually trying to get into her pants, but he's not portrayed like some skeevy rapist. He's just a goofy kid who wants to touch boobies. Which, let's face it, is a pretty accurate description of the majority of teenage boys out there. I remember being in high school (they had just discovered fire), and none of the boys I knew wanted to 'wait for marriage'. Yet YA books are littered with young men who seem to be actively trying to avoid sex. Makes sense to me!
So, in conclusion, here's what I think: This author has talent and a sense of humor, it just hasn't all come together quite yet. If Chilton polishes her quirky humor, she could be an extremely funny adult writer. Or she could get rid of the adult content and write for the Percy Jackson crowd. There's definitely a lot of potential in this lady, and if she can find the right age group for her books, she could really do well.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book...more
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