Review: Fever

Author: Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2
Pages: 341
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind. 

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. 

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.


Review:

I must admit, I didn't come into this book thinking I would like it.  I read Wither a while ago and it was okay for me, but this book...this book is something special.

I loved it.  Loved loved loved it.  The writing, the story line, the characters, everything, it was all perfect.  Although it was boring at some times, I still really loved the series of events that lead to the climax, which is what should happen in any book.  The adventure was great, and the writing topped everything off and really made this book wonderful.

In the first book I wasn't really a big fan of Gabriel.  Well, I am now.  Love love love love him.  He's so sweet and caring and sexy and just PERFECT!  Why oh why can't he be real!?
I also really really liked Rhine.  She was such a strong character, one of the strongest I've ever read about.  She was smart, kick-ass, and strong.
And, of course, I have to mention the little cute baby in this book, Maddie.  I really liked her.  Although she couldn't speak she had personality, and I think DeStefano did a great job developing her.

Before I sign off I have to say one more thing.  I hate this cover.  It looks like she drugged out.  After the amazing cover that was Wither this one really disappoints.  But, that isn't a big enough thing to make me hate this amazing book! :p

Review: The Gathering

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Darkness Rising #1
Pages: 359
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5


Summery:
Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. 

Until now. 

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet. 


Review:

To be honest, I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book.  It was amazing!

I loved this book!  I just loved it.  Everything about it was perfect: the action, the writing, the story line, everything.  Although it kind of started off slow I was kept interested because Kelley Armstrong is such a good writer and she captures your attention on page one and keeps it throughout the whole book.  The story line was really good.  It was a perfect combination of chic-lit and paranormal.  The social and paranormal and mystery parts of this book went together perfectly, and I've never read a book that has that combination and it actually WORKS!  And the worst thing is that Kelley Armstrong put the biggest cliffhanger EVER at the end of this book.  HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?!?!?  The ending was amazing though, and really completed an already amazing story.

*swoon**swoon**swoon*  Can you guess who I'm swooning over.  Come on, just take a wild guess!  Well I'll tell you.  Rafe.  *swoon**swoon**swoon* (Sorry, just the mention of his name makes me swoon again).  I LOVE RAFE!!  So nice and sexy and totally hot.  I. love. him.
I also really liked Daniel, but not the same way.  He was the best friend anyone could possibly hope for, and I'm so glad Kelley Armstrong didn't make it into a love triangle because it worked so much better with him being Maya's best friend.  Usually in books like these with that kind of situation it's turned into a love triangle, but if Armstrong had done that, I probably would have given this book like 2 stars, so I'm so glad she didn't.
And, last but not least, I loved Maya.  She was so strong and kick-ass and just perfect.  I loved this cast of characters.

But seriously, if I don't get my hands on the second book in this series I WILL EXPLODE!!

Review: Shattered Souls

Author: Mary Lindsey

Pages: 326

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4/5

Summery:
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Review:
I have mixed feeling about this book:  On one hand, I loved it.  On the other, I hate it.  And on the third (What?!  There's a third hand?! :P) it creeped me out.

First off, I have to say that the idea was really good.  The society that Lindsey created was very good.  The story line was great, the staging was great, and the writing was great.  There wasn't a dull moment throughout the whole book and the story flowed together perfectly.

The characters are big problem in this book:  they're all screwed up.  Lenzi is cheating on her boyfriend and lying to him about it.  Alden keeps things from Lenzi because she "can't handle it."  And Zak is a screwed-up jerk.  I really, really hate the characters in this book.  You are supposed to respect the female main character, but how can you do that when she's cheating on her boyfriend?!  Alden, as the male main character, should be irresistible.  I, however, found myself being repulsed by him treating Lenzi like she's weak.  I have no idea why Lindsey would portray females as weak.  Plus, Alden is a creep who is "turned on by fear and pain".  What?!  Zak, I would have to say, is my favorite character, and that's just because I feel bad for him.  Honestly, I don't know why he didn't just dump Lenzi's ass.  Maybe Lindsey was trying to portray him as noble and caring, but he came across as dumb and clingy.

I don't know.  For me, this just wasn't a great book.  Even the cover is creepy.  It looks like the designers cut a model in half and threw rose petals over her.  *shiver*

Review: Darkness Becomes Her

Author: Kelly Keaton
Series: Gods & Monsters #1
Pages: 273
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Review:

I have never read a book like this.  I have never read a book where there is this kind of combination of paranormal beings.  It's something different and I really enjoyed it.

The story line is amazing.  There was tons of action and fighting and it was high-energy the whole time.  It was fast passed and there was never a boring moment.  It was a great idea.  I have never seen Athena portrayed as the bad guy before and I really liked the different point of view.  Kelly Keaton really knows her mythology.  She tweaked it just enough to make it a really interesting read.  The writing was perfect and I laughed out loud several times.  And, like I said, I loved the combination of supernatural beings.

I LOVE SEBASTIAN!  *swoon* *swoon* *swoon*.  I absolutely loved him.  He was so sexy and sweet and caring.  The only thing I didn't like was the supernatural he was (I won't tell because it's kind of a spoiler).  I don't like those supernaturals in general.  It's just my opinion.
I love Ari.  She's pretty, kick-ass, and can totally handle herself.  I loved that she was a strong main character and I loved that she could take care of herself.

All in all, a really good book, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Review: The Iron Witch

Author: Karen Mahoney

Series: The Iron Witch #1
Pages: 289
Format: Paperback
Rating: 3/5

Summery:
Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.
When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

Review:
It's really weird, but I don't usually like faery books.  I've read some of the Iron Fey series and I really like that, but I'm just not really into faeries.  And this book was just okay for me.

When I first started it I was like Ok, this has a great story line and is going to be super exciting! but then I kept reading and although it did have a good story line, it wasn't very complicated.  It was actually a really easy read and not really young adult.  There is only one task that has to be completed and that was done in twenty pages.  There weren't any climaxes, and the staging was obvious.  However, I do think it was really good writing, I just wish there was more going on.  And the ending wasn't as exciting or complex as I think it should have been.  In my opinion, the ending should have the reader on the edge of her seat, and that just wasn't an element in the book for me.

I really like Xan.  He sounds really sweet and nice and totally swoon-worthy.  And I like him better than Navin.
I also like Donna.  She's a strong female character and I really like that Mahoney wrote her like that.

All in all, kind of disappointing but a good read none the less.

P.S. I apologize for the short review.  I'm feeling spacey today and this is the best I can throw together. :P

Giveaway: Elemental Reality

Hello fellow book fanatics!  I've decided to have another giveaway today!!  I'm going to give away ONE PAPERBACK copy of Elemental Reality, by Cesya MaRae Cuono.  And, as an extra bonus, it's SIGNED.  Please make sure you read all the rules carefully and if you have any questions or comments, don't be shy, comment below. :)



MAKE SURE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING RULES VERY CAREFULLY!!

The Rules:

1. There will be one winner. 
2. Giveaway ends on March 15, 2012 @ 11:59 p.m.
3. Must be a GFC follower
4. Must be 13 or older.
5. US resident.  If you're not, no entry (sorry).
6. The winner WILL have to pay for shipping via PayPal.
7. Fill out the form.

Review: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Pages: 338
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review:
Oh my God.  Oh my God.  I love this book.  When I started it I didn't think I would like it because Tahereh Mafi had this weird way of writing that I wasn't used to, but wow.  I loved it.  This review is going to be really short because this book is so good.

The story line was amazing.  The writing was amazing.  The idea was amazing.  I mean, how did Mafi even think of this?  It's amazing.  And by half-way finished I had finally gotten used to Mafi's writing and actually really enjoyed it because it got the point across better.  I really don't know how to explain it, but it just really, really worked.  I loved the action, I loved the humor, I loved everything.

I LOVE ADAM.  And I'm serious.  I TOTALLY AM IN LOVE WITH ADAM.  He sounds so cute and caring and just the most perfect guy you could think of.  Why, oh why, can't he be real?
I also really liked Juliette.  She was strong, kick-ass, and really got on Warner's nerves, which I loved.
Speaking of Warner, I HATE HIM.  HATE, HATE, HATE HIM.  He is the most evil person I have read about in a long time and I really, really wish Juliette had killed him.
One of the most funny characters I've read in a while is Kenji.  Gosh, this dude is just so funny.  He's so full of himself and gosh, just the comments he makes, they crack me up.

All in all, hands down the best book I've read this year, and probably the best I'll read all year.  Mafi is amazing.

Review: Ripple

Author: Mandy Hubbard

Pages: 260
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. The water calls to her, draws her in, forces her to sing her deadly song to unsuspecting victims. If she succumbs, she kills. If she doesn't, the pain is unbearable. To keep herself and those she cares about safe, she shuts herself off, refusing to make friends or fall in love-again. Because the last time she fell in love with a boy, he ended up dead.
Then Lexi finds herself torn. Against her better judgement, she's opening up again, falling in love with someone new when she knows she shouldn't. But when she's offered the chance to finally live a normal life, she learns that the price she must pay to be free or her curse is giving him up.

Review:
I knew I was going to love this book after I read the summery.  I knew it was going to be amazing and the story line would be captivating.  And I was totally right. :p

I love this book.  Everything just works together perfectly: friends, boyfriends, her being a siren.  The story line was amazing, the writing was amazing, and the ending was amazing.  Hubbard wrote it like there was no way Lexi could break the curse and still keep Cole, but somehow she managed (I'm not going to tell how so don't ask :p).  It was a great idea from the beginning, and it was just perfect, well rounded book.

I love, love, love, love, love, love, love Cole.  He is the perfect boyfriend.  I adore him. *swoon*.  Totally, totally, totally swoon-worthy.  He's just so nice and caring and he really, really loves Lexi.
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Erik.  Words cannot describe how much I hate him.  The little slime-ball. ************ ***** * **** ***.  That's what I think of you.
I also really, really liked Sienna, and I'm so sad that things didn't work out between her and Lexi because I really, really wanted it to.

All in all, the best siren book I've ever read.  (Ok, so it's the only siren book I've read, but...still good. :P)

Review: Angelfire

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire #1
Pages: 453
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 15th, 2011
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:
I have wanted to read this book so bad and I'm so happy I finally have.  And boy, was it ever worth the wait.

WOW.  That's all I can say.  This is going to be a very bad, very short review because I can't describe it.  It was just amazing.

The story line was amazing.  The plot was awesome.  There were times when I was reading so fast, so caught up in the story, I actually didn't know where I was.
I loved the fighting scenes.  I'm so glad that Moulton described them with such detail.

And OMG.  WILLL!!!!  SO HOT!!  I can't get him out of my head.  He is hot, he's nice, and he's a bad-ass fighter.  Wow.  I think I may be in love.
I loved Ellie.  She was such a strong character.  And I love the role she played.

All in all, MOULTON BETTER RELEASE THE SECOND BOOK ASAP OR I WILL EXPLODE!!!

Review: XVI

Author: Julia Karr

Series: XVI #1

Pages: 325
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 6th, 2011
Rating: 4/5

Summery:
Every girl gets one.
An XVI tattoo on the wrist--sixteen.

Some girls can't wait to be sixteen, to be legal. Nina is not one of them. Even though she has no choice in the matter, she knows that so long as her life continues as normal, everything will be okay.

Then, with one brutal strike, Nina's normal is shattered; and she discovers that nothing that she believed about her life is true. But there's one boy who can help--and he just may hold the key to her past.

But with the line between attraction and danger as thin as a whisper, one thing is for sure...

For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet.

Review:
Wow.  This book is really, really complex.  The plot is so good.  Zarr did such a good job writing this book to make it look like Nina had no way to make all the problems right, but I was really impressed with how she did it.

When I started reading it I thought, Wow, I'm not going to like this book very much, because Zarr came up with all these new abbreviations for everything, like PAVs and feLS, I had no idea what they were.  But as the story progressed and grew I finally figured them out and started to really enjoy it.  The plot is simply amazing.  There were so many elements and things going on, I don't know how Zarr kept track of it all.

When Zarr first introduced Sal I didn't really like him at all, but towards the end he started to show his sensative, caring side and he grew on me.
I love that Nina's mom was a strong, defiant woman that saw through the facade the goverment had put up.
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Ed.  That guy is a slime-ball.
I felt so bad for Sandy at the end (not telling what happens).  Although she was completely swept up in being a sex-teen, I kind of liked her and really hoped Nina would make her come to her senses.

All in all, a really good dystopian novel, and I can't wait to read the second one.

What do you think about this book?

Review: Fury

Author: Elizabeth Miles
Series: The Fury Trilogy #1
Pages: 370
Format: Hardcover
Publish Date: August 31st, 2011
Rating: 3/5

Summery:
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen.

Review:
I really, really, really want to like this book (well, I do kind of like it) but the negatives outnumber the positives.  By a lot. ):

In a well written book, the story builds on itself.  The author drops hints here and there to give the reader clues to what this book is about.  Mermaids, unicorns, werewolves, ect.  But Elizabeth Miles didn't do that.  She went on and on for about 200 pages about Chase and Emily's social life, and at the end of every chapter they see someone looking through their window.  That does nothing.  That doesn't help the reader figure out what's going on, what creature is out there, or why.  All it says is that Emily and Chase are popular and that someone is looking at them.  The one good part of the book was the end, and that was pretty much because I finally found out what the heck was going on.

I really wish that Elizabeth Miles had incorporated more into the story, had dropped hints and had things happen.  The only things happening were Emily making out with Zach and Chase running around after Ty.  And that would be completely fine if Elizabeth Miles had just gone for a real-life, chic-lit type story, and not even mentioned supernatural.  But, as the wrote it, it didn't work out.

There really isn't any boy to swoon over in this book. ):  Zach's a jerk, Chase is an idiot, and J.D. is sweet but not swoon-worthy.  Although he is my favorite guy in the book.

The mistakes Elizabeth Miles made were beginner's mistakes, and as she learns more and writes more she will learn to make the plot complex and build the story up.  I really hope her next book shows all she will learn.

OTHER COVER EDITIONS:

What do you think about the covers?  And the book as well, of course? :P

Review: Fateful

Author: Claudia Gray

Pages: 325
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Rating: 5/5
Summery:
Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.
Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .
Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

Review:
Wow.  Before I read this book I never thought I would like reading about the Titanic, but did Claudia Gray ever prove me wrong.

This book is amazing.  The plot was so complex, and the characters were so good.  If Claudia Gray had picked a single other historical event and had the same paranormal stuff going on, I don't think it would have worked half as well.  The plot was amazing, all the events happening and flowing together and leading up to one another.  The way Gray wrote Tess's situation, it was like she was pretty much guaranteed to be killed, but somehow, she always managed to survive and keep her cool.  If I had been in that situation, with some lunatic werewolf coming after me, I would have freaked. :p

I love Tess.  I love her name, I love her strong will, and I love her defiance.  She is the kind of strong female character that all books like this need, and she's so sweet to Mr. Marlowe and Miss Irene.  She is the perfect character for this book.
I hate Mikhail.  Hate, hate, hate him.  But in a way I also like him because his evilness and ruthlessness was what made this book as good as it is.  He is the perfect villain.
I really, really wanted Tess to take Irene with her when she quit her job, because I just felt so bad for her.  Her mother is so mean, and Irene is so kind and different from the rest of her family.
Alec *swooning*.  OH MY GOSH!!!  I love Alec.  He is so cute!  He is so kind and gentle, and he really feels bad about what he does when he is "different". (I won't say anything more because I would give away the story.)

All in all, this is a really sweet romantic fantasy that I think everyone will love.  And you also learn about the Titanic :P

OTHER COVER EDITIONS:

  

Which cover is your favorite?  And what do you think about this book? (:

Review: Hooked

Author: Catherine Greenman
Pages: 276
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 4/5

Summery:
Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.
Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.
This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

Review:
I know this is totally random and weird, but I got this book out of the library, and I think I may have been the first to read it.  That has never happened before and I'm really excited about it. :p
Ok, enough with the creepy statements and to the review.

Although I really enjoyed this book, there were some things I didn't like about it.  The romance was too quick.  They meet, talk, whatever.  That's fine.  But then they go on a date, have their first kiss, fall in love, in one evening.  And then soon after they do "it" all the time.  Thea was kind of easy.

Will was kind of creepy, and I didn't completely like him, even in the beginning.  And it wasn't just his eye; it was the things he did and the people he hung out with  He just wasn't what I would call "good boyfriend material."

I like and admire Thea for sticking with Ian and taking such good care of him and having him in the first place.  Although, I do think she messed up getting pregnant in the first place, I think she did the best that she could with the following situation.

Ian sounds so cute and perfect to me.  Which, I will admit, isn't saying much since I love babies and think they are the most adorable things ever.  Even animal babies. (Pandas are the cutest ;p)

You've just got to love characters like Carmen and the dad, and I guess the mom as well, although I didn't like her.
Carmen was so nice to Thea, helping her and all, and I really liked her.  I also really like the dad.  I thought he was a real jerk in the beginning, but after Ian was born, he started to soften up, and that's when I really started to like him.

What are your thoughts on this book?  Leave comments, I love them. (:

Review: The Iron Thorn

Author: Caitlin Kittredge
Series: The Iron Codex #1
Pages: 492
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 20, 2011
Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 4/5 (a bit raunchy)

Summery:
In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.
     Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

Review:
To be perfectly honest, I am very disappointed with Caitlin Kittredge's young adult debut.  NOT!!

The story is just amazing, to have the complex plot it has, it's just mind blowing.  The science, the "necrovirus", the monsters, the faeries, the whole shebang, it's amazing how Caitlin Kittredge managed to keep track of it all.
I don't usually like books with romance/adventure, but Caitlin wrote it in such a way that you don't really notice the romance, and when you did it was some huge event in the book.

I love that Aoife is a strong, smart-mouthed character who can take care of herself and is brave and selfless.
In the beginning I hated Cal because he was always calling her crazy and claiming everything she said was a result of the necrovirus.  I liked him more in the end when he saved them (I'm not going to tell you how so you'll have to read the book :p).
And Dean.  OH MY GOD DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED!!  I love Dean!!  I mean, really love him.  I can't really explain it.  He's really sassy, rebellious, smart-mouthed, and really nice, and as I read more and more I fell more and more in love with him.

All in all, I can't wait for the next book to come out because Caitlin Kittredge left this book on the biggest cliffhanger you could imagine, AND I WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!

What are you thoughts about this book?  Leave comments, I love them. (:

Review: Starcrossed

Book: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Pages: 487
Series: Starcrossed #1
Publish Date: May 31, 2011
Rating: 1/5
Cover Rating: 4/5
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Summery:
Heleen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is-no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.  It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed.  Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken her startling powers, they can never be together-not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store...

Review:
To be perfectly honest, I was disappointed. It was a pretty good story line, but reminded me of the Twilight Saga, which I'm not crazy about. The writing was choppy and disconnected, and there wasn't any building to the story. There was no foreboding comments, no climax leading up to an event, it was just sudden and unexpected, and not in a good way.

I didn't like--or understand--how Helen and Lucas were one second trying to kill each other and the next deeply in love. Lucas is, however, completely swoon-worthy. He sounds so cute and like the perfect guy.

I didn't like the fact that Lucas and Helen could fly.  It was a little over the top.  I did, however, like that Helen was a powerful character, and I loved the lightning.
Although I like the cover, I don't like the content, and I'm really sorry I don't becuase a cover like that just has to have a great book inside it.  I really hope that Josephine Angelini does better with the next book.

OTHER COVER EDITIONS: 


Rating: 5/5

What do you think about the book?