Legend~Marie Lu | Review

Title: Legend (Legend #1)
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA Dystopia
Length: 305 Pages
Publication: November 2011
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

What was once The United States is now split into two separate societies: The eastern portion is known as the Colonies and the western portion is the Republic. In the Republic, everyone takes a trial when they are ten years old. Earning a high enough score gets you into high class jobs, receiving a low score means you're sent to a Labor Camp. 

Day failed his trial and was believed dead. Instead he has spent the past five years fighting the system. June is a prodigy, the only known person to score a perfect 1500 on the Trial. When Day is believed to have murdered Metias (a young military captain and also June's brother), June is called in to track Day down. But nothing in the Republic is really what it seems. June and Day soon learn that there is more going on beneath the surface.

 "Each day means a new twenty-four hours. 

Each day means everything's possible again.

You live in the moment, you die in the moment,

you take it all one day at a time. 

You try to walk in the light."

Review

This is my second reading of this novel. The first time was two and a half years ago. I'm sticking with my original rating of 4/5 stars, although I enjoyed the novel even more this time around. It was much faster (surprisingly) the second time around and I found myself even more engaged with the story. 

Marie Lu has a very nice, simple writing style that I have come to appreciate through her works. Her writing is good, but not over the top. There are beautiful portions throughout this novel that just made me want to cry. She really has a talent for writing emotions that readers can feel.

The characters are very well developed and easy to relate to. June and Day are both excellent characters and I have a hard time picking a favorite between the two. The story is told dual perspective from both of them and that is one thing I love about this novel. June frustrates me at times with her blind acceptance of things, but she grows throughout the novel and although still very logical allows herself to be swayed by her emotions. 

Metias became one of my favorite characters this time around. Although we only get to see him living only briefly, June's memories of him really let me connect with him. I also really enjoy Day's family. There are portions throughout this novel where I just had to cry (only a little, but it did happen). I also really like Tess and Kaede. They both add their own flare to the story.

Commander Jameson and Thomas are fascinating. I won't say too much about them here, but knowing what I know about them from the later novels definitely changed my view on this second reading.

There was so much I didn't remember from my first read of this novel and so much I feel like I was able to pick up on because I already know what happens later on. I think I'm going to have to start re-reading all of my favorite series a couple of years after my initial reading. 

June and Day's relationship was a little rushed (that was one of my problems my first time around), but it was never the complete focus so it wasn't too annoying. I also love them together and the way they bring out new aspects in each other. They really are like two halves of a whole in many ways. And both of them are very connected to their families and the memories of their loved ones. I think that draws them together even more because they understand the pain the other feels. 

This is definitely a novel to be read if you enjoy the dystopia genre. An excellent trilogy by a talented author. 

Let me know what you thought of this book!

Happy reading!

Courtney

A Barricade in Hell~Jaime Lee Moyer | Review

Title: A Barricade in Hell (Delia Martin #2)
Author: Jaime Lee Moyer
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Length: 331 Pages
Publication: June 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Delia is living a happy life with her husband police Captain Gabriel Ryan. Delia and Gabe have known their share of heartache in their lives and their short marriage has had its share of ups and downs. When two murder investigations set Gabe and his partner Jack on edge they call in Isadora and Delia. The two women can communicate with spirits and it looks like they might be their best chance of catching the murderer before it's too late. Then more bodies begin washing up at a local plant on the coast and everything seems connected. When the ghost of a young girl starts haunting Gabe, Delia is sure it's all connected. And the spirits of two of the dead men have gone missing. These weren't just murders, but ritualistic sacrifices.

Review

It's been a while since I read the first Delia Martin novel, but I was able to catch up on everything pretty quickly. I can't say which of the novels I enjoy most, since I haven't read the first one in over a year. I did find this one very interesting. 

The paranormal aspect of these novels is always an interesting touch. Delia's connection with ghosts paired with Gabe's position as a police Captain always has an interesting story. In this novel Delia is working more closely with Dora (Isadora) as her apprentice in the spirit realms and their friendship is always nice to see. 

The novel is set in the early 1900s, around 1917 in San Francisco. The historic aspect, paired with the paranormal portions makes for a very interesting read.

One of the things I love most about these novels is the relationships. Delia and Gabe have a beautiful, solid love that is depicted so marvelously. Their love is not overdone and I never feel that the story surrounding their relationship takes away from the mystery in any way. It was really nice to see the progression of their love from the first novel to this one. 

Delia and Gabe's friendships are also beautiful. Their lasting connection with Jack, Sadie, and Dora are wonderful. All of the young police officers that show up throughout the story are great as well. It's just nice to see a series where the friends work together and not against each other. I feel like so many novels I've read recently have love stories that are riddled with insecurities and miscommunication, so this one is beautiful in it's simplistic devotion to shared loyalties. 

The novel is spit between Delia and Gabe. Delia's portions are told in first person and Gabe's are told in third person. I find the difference to be a nice touch overall. The novel is well written and the characters well developed. It can be slow at times, but I never found myself bored by the story. I will definitely be reading the next novel in the series. 

If you enjoy historical or paranormal novels, give this one a try. I would love to know what you think of the story so let me know if you have read or plan to read this novel. 

Until next time, Friends.

Courtney 

Poisoned Waters~Ermisenda Alvarez | Review

Title: Poisoned Waters
Author: Ermisenda Alvarez
Genre: Mystery/Historical
Length: 258 Pages (Kindle)
Publication: August 2013
My Rating: 2/5 Stars







I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

The Diamond Royale is a cruise ship bound for New York. When Helen Gardener is murdered aboard the ship and her murderer is unknown a search for the killer begins. The story follows seven different individuals as their lives are changed in various ways through the events of this cruise. Each of the seven must face their own demons and come to terms with who they truly are. 

Review

This novel sounded really interesting. I really wanted to like it. I just couldn't. I didn't even end up finishing the entire novel. I just skimmed through the last half or so. What started as a promising story quickly went downhill for me.

I found the writing enjoyable and easy to follow, but the characters were what turned me away. I usually enjoy novels that are split between multiple perspectives, but I found this one hard to follow. It took me a long time to figure out who everyone was with the constant changing of perspective. And even when I knew who they characters were, I didn't like any of them. 

I understood going into the novel that all of the characters were greatly flawed and I was fine with that. Flaws are what makes us human. Having flawed characters is what allows us to relate to them in the first place. I just found that none of these characters were relatable. I'm sure there are many people who enjoyed their story, but I didn't find myself drawn to any of them. 

The mystery itself was interesting and something I think I would have enjoyed ordinarily. Again, it comes back to the characters. The murder mystery on a cruise ship in the 1950s was an interesting idea, I just couldn't connect with anyone involved. I found that the more I read, the less I liked the characters and the more I just didn't care about the mystery. 

Overall I think the story had many interesting aspects and I'm sure many readers would enjoy the novel. It was well written. Not overly compelling, but easy to follow. The mystery was well played out and I found the conclusion satisfying based on what I read (I only skimmed the last half). I was never drawn to any of the characters and that is where my enjoyment fell short. I need to connect with at least one main character to enjoy a novel and this one just didn't have anyone I could connect with. 

Happy Reading!

Courtney

Revelation~C.B Stone | Review

Title: Revelation (Unbelief #3)
Author: C. B. Stone
Genre: YA Dsytopia
Length: 171 Pages (Kindle)
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 5/5 Stars






I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Sinna has decided that the only way to help Alex and Jasper get home and rescue her father is to become their prisoner and have the two return her to Rehabilitation. She refuses to consider taking Jacob. When the three leave the Garden-the city among the ruins where believers dwell-Sinna doesn't know if she'll ever make it back. She doesn't know if she'll ever see Jacob, but she has to take the risk. Because she also left Samantha behind and they will have to rescue her too.

Review

One of the things I continue to like about this series is their length. Stone doesn't use a lot of filler just to bulk up the story. She gets straight to the point and keeps it there. They are super fast to read, with a well developed plot. 

This novel was a nice conclusion to the story, but left me with just a few problems. Many of the events toward the end of the novel are not explained very thoroughly. Since we are inside Sinna's head we aren't privy to much of the information that would have been necessary for many of these events. I do think their should have been some more explanation in the end as to exactly how things were working and where the characters were headed. 

I wish there had been some closure with Miriam as well. She was only in Rehabilitation briefly, but I would have liked some more about her to pop up here. 

I do like the fact that Stone started to show both sides of the story here. Sinna started to realize that neither side of the argument was completely right or wrong. Many of the Elite soldiers believed in their cause. It wasn't something they were forced into, but they actually believed in what they were doing. I thought this was a brilliant touch since so many novels in this genre ignore this. It's just like the people on the other side are automatically wrong or forced/brainwashed. It's always been something that bothers me.

I don't want to give too much detail into what happens in this story because I don't want to ruin the story for anyone. If you've enjoyed the first two novels, you will likely enjoy this one. It's definitely worth the time it takes to read and Stone has a nice writing style.

I do think that Stone would do well to consider continuing on with these stories. Perhaps not by writing more novels, but by taking and expanding on these shorter ones. There is definitely a lot more material that could be developed into a longer novel. The society and people could be explored more deeply. It would definitely be something I would re-read as a longer, more in depth series. I've heard of other authors doing similar things in the past. And after getting all the feedback from readers now it could be expanded in the next few years to be a longer, deeper story. 

Whether she writes any more about Sinna or leaves this story behind to explore a new one, I look forward to reading more of C.B. Stone's work in the future. 

Happy New Year and good luck with all of your reading goals!

Courtney

 

Blood Of My Blood~Barry Lyga | Review

Title: Blood of My Blood (Jasper Dent #3)
Author: Barry Lyga
Genre: YA Suspense/Thriller
Length: 468 Pages
Publication: September 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

At the end of Game, Jazz was bleeding to death in an abandoned warehouse with two corpses for company, Howie was bleeding out on Jazz's floor, and Connie had been captured by none other than Billy Dent himself. Now Jazz must go on the run, relying only on himself, and face down all of the demons from his past in order to bring Billy down once and for all. And is the Crow King really Billy or is Jazz in for even more surprises?

Review

This novel was a great conclusion to the trilogy. Jazz is forced to face down his demons, determining once and for all if he's a killer or not. His path is sad, tragic even. While he's isolated from Connie and Howie he becomes darker, more brooding. He also faces his worst nightmares and is forced to confront them head on. 

Connie shows us her signature sass in this novel. Even while in Billy's clutches Connie isn't just a little girl. Is she afraid? Sure. Does she want to beg for her life? Who wouldn't. But does she fight and run? Yes, yes she does. And while she's not as actively involved in the events of this novel as she was in the last, she does play a key role. 

Howie is the ever clever sidekick once more, not willing to throw away his friendship with Jazz even when things start looking very bad. Their bond is one of the great things about these novels. Jazz is careful with Howie because of his physical limitations. He protects Howie. And Howie does the same for him. It really is a beautiful friendship. 

Billy and Ugly J are as sick and twisted as ever. The games they like to play with people and other killers is disturbing. And their ability to evade police capture is top notch. 

So this novel is not as action packed as I would have liked, but it has some great moments. The ending is not nice and sugary as some might like, but it was beautiful because it was more realistic. At the end of the day, we're the ones that decide who we are. Sure nature and nurture have something to play in our lives, but that doesn't define us. And we get to see Jazz face his nature, his nurture, and determine for himself what path he wants to walk. 

Overall I really enjoy this novel and this series. It's not the most suspenseful. You can often see what's going to happen well in advance, but I feel like the story is more about experiencing Jazz's reactions to these events and not being surprised yourself. I definitely look forward to reading more Barry Lyga novels in the future. 

Until next time. Enjoy the end of 2014!

Courtney

See Them Run~Stacy Green | Review

Title: See Them Run (Lucy Kendall #2)
Author: Stacy Green
Genre: Suspense/Thriller/Mystery
Length:  304 Pages
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars






I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

While helping the police find Kailey Richardson, Lucy delved into the world of child sex trafficking. Now she's bent on bringing down a local ring of traffickers who operate out of high society businesses. When one of the women involved is found murdered Lucy is the prime suspect. In order to clear her name and bring down the trafficking ring Lucy must confront the darkness that resides inside of her. With Chris by her side and unwilling to let her slip any further into the dark void, she fights to stay ahead of the game, constantly worried she's falling behind. 

Review

This book was just as captivating, dark, and hopeful as the last. It made my heart race, ache, love, and hate. All on one page. Go read it. Right now.

Ever since Mother Mary, (Chris and Justin's murdering mother), escaped their clutches in the first installment, Lucy has turned her attention to a local ring of child sex traffickers. Chris is bent on keeping her out of prison and on tracking down his dear mother to inflict some Lucy Kendal justice. Chris is worried that the path Lucy is headed down will be her undoing-the ring is far too big for one person to take on their own. He constantly tries to derail her, reminding her of the promise she made to track down Mother Mary, but remains by her side through it all. 

Lucy infiltrates a salon she and Chris have determined is involved with the sex trafficking ring right there in Philadelphia. When Lucy steals Sarah (the owner's) phone for information, Sarah confronts her and she tells her she knows all about the trafficking. Shortly after, Sarah is found murdered-gruesomely-and Lucy becomes the prime suspect. Now Todd Beckett-the man who simultaneously suspects, respects, and likes Lucy-is on her trail again. This time, however, his hand is being forced by someone else. 

To crack this case Lucy will have to go deep, deeper than she's ever gone before, and dark. She will be forced to embrace the darkness within her and hope it doesn't consume her completely. But those around her aren't going to let her slip too far, if they can stop her.

One of the things I love most about these books is the characterization. Lucy is strong, selfish, selfless, complicated, everything you could say about a person. She has flaws-lots of them. I really appreciate the fact that we see her face some of the darkness, question it even, and try to come to terms with what she's done and what she's still doing. We see the fear she has of herself and the things she might do, things she never really thought herself capable of doing. There are no clear cut answers for Lucy, we don't get anything nicely wrapped up and I'm pretty sure we never will. Life isn't a pretty package. Lucy has flaws. Deeply rooted and festering flaws. She does crazy, illegal stuff. She starts to see herself as a monster, even when she thinks what she's doing is right. She's just so real. It's very nice to have this in a character when I've read so many others lately that lacked her complexity. 

The rest of the characters are phenomenally written. We get to see all the favorites from the previous novel. Chris continues to grow in this novel and his attachment to Lucy is fascinating. Their relationship is complicated, but gives the story a solid grounding. I don't feel like the novels could function without Chris playing the part he plays. We don't see Kelly as much, but we do get some time with her. I feel like their is a lot of room for character development and story lines with Kelly and I'm sure we will get some of them in future installments. Justin makes only a few brief appearances, but we do get some insight into his new life and how he's adjusting. I think we'll be seeing more of him. And Todd is around-of course. I find his character very interesting and I love his and Lucy's interactions. I feel like we don't really have a lot of back story on Todd and there are many ways he could further grow and be used in the series. 

All of the street kids and pimps we encounter we wonderfully created. These novels deal with very real, very dark subject matter and the way the characters are written helps bring the story to life. It's not just a novel to get lost in, but one that requires deeper thought. And of course there is a mystery in trying to figure out the real killer and who is behind the sex ring. It all kept me on the edge of my seat. 

My main drawback with the novels and their story line is the plausibility of what Lucy is doing and how she's getting away with it. Chris, while very smart, cannot be the only person capable of figuring out Lucy's secret. Yes, Todd has his suspicions, but why hasn't he figured it out for himself yet. And maybe some of that has to do with the fact that those who suspect just truly don't want to know. And overall this is not a huge deal for me. The rest of the story and Lucy's struggles more than make up for these holes. 

While dark and often deep this novel reads very quickly and I had a hard time putting it down. And it's not too dark, there are always moments of sunshine that brighten the story up. Definitely recommend this one if you like the genre. It's thought provoking and original. An excellent start to a series. I am eagerly awaiting the third book.

You can also find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter. 

Until next time, friends. Happy reading!

Courtney   

Isla and the Happily Ever After~Stephanie Perkins | Review

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After (#3)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 Pages
Publication: August 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Isla has had a crush on Josh since their freshman year of high school. Unfortunately, Isla has never been able to have a full conversation with Josh. During the summer before their senior year, Isla and Josh meet unexpectedly at a cafe in New York. Three months later, the two meet again at school. This time Isla isn't the only one with a crush.

Just as the two are falling in love they are unexpectedly separated. Now their love is tested with time and space. Each of them has to face their own insecurities and try to save the future they had planned together. 

Review

This novel might have possibly been my favorite of Perkins' three novel series. I'm having a hard time deciding whether I like this one or Lola and the Boy Next Door more. What I love about this one is that Isla is so easy to relate to. Obviously that differs from person to person, but I find myself to be most like Isla in reference to the three girls. She's smart, shy, secluded, insecure. She's pretty much everything I've been in my life. So many of her struggles felt almost too close to me, it was almost painful to read at times. 

I also really like that Isla and Josh had already be introduced through Anna and the French Kiss. Isla was not in that novel much, but it set up her crush on Josh. And Josh played quite a role in that novel. I really liked him from the beginning. And while some may say that this story was too much like insta-love, I disagree. Yes it moved very quickly, but Isla and Josh already knew each other to some extent and both of them already had crushes on each other long before they started going out. So while their relationship progressed rather quickly, I didn't find it over the top or annoying. In fact, they are by far my favorite of Perkins' couples. 

I also really enjoy the fact that there is not some over the top love triangle in this one. There is Isla and there is Josh. The end. Even mentions of Rashmi don't compare to the annoying love triangles in the previous two novels. The couple obviously faces some challenges, but one of those is not the fact that one of them already has a boy/girl friend. 

Kurt was a nice addition to the story, though he never played a very large part. He and Isla were cute together and I loved the way they loved each other. Hattie was also interesting. I wish we had gotten some more time with both Isla and Josh's families. It would have been nice to see more of their lives where parents and siblings were concerned, but most coming of age type stories tend to down play parents, so this was expected. 

Out of all three of Perkins' novels I found the characterization here the best. Isla, Josh and all the minor characters made sense and never randomly changed for no known reason. In both the previous novels I felt that the characters broke character toward the ends of the novels, here I didn't feel that way. Isla, Josh, and the rest felt the same the entire way through. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that this is the latter of the works and Perkins' skills have improved. 

In the end all three stories from the three novels were tied together. The interconnectedness of the stories is a nice touch. I like that the books are not a series in the sense that I'm used to thinking about a series, but are still connected. It's a nice addition to the individual stories. 

The main problem I had with this novel was the fact that Rashmi never appeared. I just felt like she played such a large role in Anna just to completely disappear. It would have been nice for Isla to confront some of her insecurities where Rashmi was concerned. I just feel like she should have been there in the end. Her absence just seemed odd to me.

Overall I found this novel very enjoyable. Anyone who enjoys contemporary romance would likely enjoy this. 

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Until next time,

Courtney       

Lola And The Boy Next Door~Stephanie Perkins | Review

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door (#2)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 338 Pages
Publication: September 2011
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Brief Synopsis

Two years ago Lola's heart was broken by Cricket, the boy next door. Then Cricket disappeared and she hasn't seen or talked to him since. And she's happy. She's seventeen and has Max, the best boyfriend ever. She's in love. He is the one. She knows he is.  They will run away together someday. She'll be a designer by day and at night his band will play for packed stadiums.

Then Cricket moves back in next door and Lola is torn, her old feelings begin to resurface, and Max becomes distant. Lola finds herself constantly drawn to Cricket-who seems to accept her for who she is-but doesn't want to let Max go. She loves him. Doesn't she?

Review

This novel follows Anna and the French Kiss. They are not actually a series, but the three novels, (these two and the conclusion), are all connected in some way. Anna and Etienne are actually quite a prevalent presence in this novel. I expected them to appear briefly and was surprised by how much time they were actually in the novel. 

I enjoyed this novel a great deal more than I enjoyed Anna. I found Anna to be a faster read, but Lola to be much more enjoyable. Both only took a few hours to read. So, let's get to the main points I liked and didn't like.

The characters were easy to relate to in this novel and I often felt like they were people I might know. Lola, while quirky, is easy to understand and relate with. My main problem with Lola as a character is that her strengths and weaknesses seemed to contradict each other occasionally. Overall she was likable. Cricket was great (much better than Etienne, in my opinion). He's the kind of boy every girl dreams of having next door. Maybe not as bold as most girls would dream of, but cute and fun either way.

Lola's parents (her dads and even Norah) played important roles in this novel, which was a nice change from Anna, where the parents were pretty nonexistent. Lola complained about her dads making her check in with them while she was with Max, but honestly, he was twenty-two. I'm pretty sure it was normal for them to want her to check in with them. That was one of the things that made it real seeming I guess.

Which brings me to Max. I actually kind of liked his character. I think he was rather poorly written, but would have been very interesting otherwise. I think this is the spot where Perkins' writing and technique fall somewhat flat. She introduces these characters with lots of potential, as obstacles that the main love story must cross, but then just throws the characters away after a while. And by throws them away I mean that they stop showing the same development they had in the beginning. Yeah, the situation with Max, Lola, and Cricket was awkward, but this character was all over the place after only a few chapters. I felt like I had a good handle on him and then he just started morphing into something else that was never really explained and didn't feel right. The Max situation could have definitely been better.

Lola's struggles and insecurities were more understandable than I felt Anna's were in the first novel. While I don't like the entire progression of the story with Max, I do enjoy this love story more than Anna and Etienne's. One thing that improves this one is that we're in Lola's head and Lola is the one with two guys, not one of two girls. I also loved that Cricket kept pushing her away when she would get too close. Read my review of Anna for more thoughts on that story and you might see why I prefer this one. 

Overall this story was very enjoyable. I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romances in general, but this one was cute and while over the top in portions, wasn't nauseatingly irksome. Worth a read, even if you didn't enjoy Anna that much. 

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Your book loving friend,

Courtney        

All Good Deeds~Stacy Green | Review

Title: All Good Deeds (Lucy Kendall #1)
Author: Stacy Green
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Length: 310 Pages
Publication: September 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars







I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Synopsis

After working for a decade as a Child Protective Services case worker, Lucy Kendall has seen too much of the dark side of the world. After witnessing the systems failure for too many children, Lucy embraces her own dark side. Now, working as a vigilante with some clever sidekicks who carry their own baggage, Lucy gets caught up in a case that involves a missing child and the men that were part of her first case. Lucy must confront her own demons if she is going to help save the missing child in time.

Review

This novel was dark, gritty, and crushing. The writing is beautiful and I found myself pulled into the novel from the first sentence: "I'm not a killer." There are so many things that made this novel enjoyable despite its dark subject matter. In fact, the dark subject matter might be part of what makes it so readable. The issues raised throughout this novel are ones that we should be facing head on, but that are generally ignored by society as a whole. 

Lucy's first case involved Justin, a kid she thought was being abused but was unable to have removed from his parents. When, shortly after their meeting, Justin murdered another child, the real cracks started to appear in Lucy's plan to rid the world of filth. Now, ten years later, Justin has been released. Lucy believes that he cannot be redeemed. That's the final straw for her mental psyche. Now she deals out her own brand of justice, usually a highly concentrated vial of cyanide. 

When Kailey, a little girl in Justin's neighborhood goes missing, Lucy is convinced he's the one behind the kidnapping. The biggest issue she faces now is Todd, Justin's older brother who is also the head detective on the case. Todd also has his own suspicions about Lucy's "extracurricular activities". There's also the problem of Chris, the man who knows too much about Lucy and her deadly deeds. He also claims to be a sociopath who murders to rid the world of scum as she does, but lurking in his eyes is a brand of empathy that no sociopath could ever feel.

The interactions of these characters is what makes the story really enjoyable. Lucy is strong, complicated, and not flighty like so many other leading women I've read about recently. She has a dark past and questions her decisions the entire novel. She also faces her own selfishness in many instances. Her gut reactions are not always accurate and sometimes she overlooks the obvious, but that makes her human. Definitely a character you can relate to in some way.

Todd and Chris are also very interesting characters and their interactions with Lucy are very well written and believable. We don't learn a whole lot about Todd (he's Justin's half brother and now a detective) and I really hope we get to see more of him in future novels. Chris is revealed slowly, a new layer revealed every few chapters as the story progresses. 

This story managed to keep me guessing as it went along. The final conclusion was not obvious to me from the beginning, though I'm sure there were clues. Justin was an interesting character and I always felt that there had to be more to his story. Seeing that story unfold was heartbreaking in so many ways.

This novel deals with very real, very dark, very twisted aspects of humanity. As I said before, that might be one reason it is so readable, at least for me. It makes you want to help change the world, not in the way that Lucy does, but somehow. There is definitely more to be developed through more novels and I am very excited to read them. 

The novel, while dark, is not overly dark. The subject matter is a very heavy topic, but is written and handled in such a way through well developed characters that it's not an overwhelmingly depressing read. In fact, it gives hope. I look forward to the future stories following Lucy and her endeavors to help children who need protection. 

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter. 

Until next time. 

Courtney  

Ruin~C.B Stone | Review

Title: Ruin (Unbelief #2)
Author: C. B. Stone
Genre: YA Dystopia
Length: 99 Pages
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Synopsis

Sinna is not a believer; sometimes she would like to believe, but she's seen too much of the world to allow herself to do so. Then, while breaking out of Rehabilitation, Sinna finds someone she never expected. When she escapes and finds shelter in the ruins of the Old World, Sinna's life, and beliefs, are changed. Now she has to decide: stay out in the ruins, living a happy life or go back for those she left behind? 

Review

This novella picks up right where the last one left us with a cliffhanger. Sinna is escaping with Alex and Jacob when she runs into someone she never expected to see again. Can she accept this person in her life or will she turn her back? No, I'm not going to detail who she saw or why she didn't expect to see them. That would give too much away for both books one and two.

Alex, the young soldier who is helping Sinna rescue Jacob, has a plan. This plan involves his best friend Jasper, another soldier. With Jacob's life on the line Sinna decides to trust these two soldiers, knowing it's her only chance to save her best friend. She convinces them to drive into the ruins near the compound that is Rehabilitation. What they discover there surprises them all.

This novella introduced us to even more characters, developing Sinna more along the way. One thing I love about the way Stone writes is that even though they aren't lengthy novels, I feel like I know these characters better than I do the characters of most 300 or 400 page books. Some people have a talent with characterization and Stone is definitely one of them. 

Alex is a frustrating character, but I like him (and I'm pretty sure I have an idea about who his father is, hinted at in this novel). I wish we were able to have more time with Jacob, but his story line made sense. Jasper was a great character, I found myself enjoying the way he thaws slowly, allowing himself to be close to Sinna after a little time (obviously not much time, since the entire novella lasts only a couple of days, but still). 

The only downfall of the novel is the fact that it kind of suffers from second book syndrome. It's great, but Sinna gets a little self absorbed and mopey for portions. It's not nearly so extreme as many other novels I've read recently. The second book is often a major downer for me, but this one was really good despite all that. 

We get to see some of Sinna's struggles as she finds her way toward God, having been raised in a society where believing is not allowed. The entire society is based on Science over God, thus believers are punished by being sent to rehabilitation. 

I know a lot of people would like for this novella to be longer, but honestly I appreciated it's length. The story is just as developed as many several hundred page novels, it just lacks the fluff that gives those their bulk. That's something I can appreciate. If developed more on certain issues within the society, this novel could easy be a 400 page book. Since Stone didn't see fit to develop those avenues anymore, I think the length is just about perfect. 

If you enjoy dystopias, this is definitely a novella to pick up. I highly recommend it. They are super quick reads as well, so you could read both in one day. I am eagerly awaiting the final installment in the trilogy.

You can find Rehabilitation on amazon here, and Ruin here. 

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter. 

Find this novella, and enjoy the read!

Courtney

Ghost Box~Derek Neville | Review

Title: Ghost Box
Author: Derek Neville
Genre: Horror
Length: 80 Pages
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars







I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Synopsis

In 1992 a child name Isabelle disappears inside a high school and is never seen again. Over the next twenty odd years there are many more disappearances...and they may all be linked.

When Boyd, a "retired" homicide detective, takes a job doing security in a building being remodeled as a hotel, he thinks it will be easy. Then he starts hearing Morgan's voice, telling him that he shouldn't have left her and he's sucked into the evil that plagues the building. The same building that Isabelle walked into all those years ago...

Review

This is a very captivating, edge of your seat, horror novella. I found myself sucked right into the story. I don't read straight horror often, although I do read a lot of suspense, but I'm glad I decided to review this novella. 

Boyd is haunted by a past with a daughter he couldn't save. When he gets drawn into this twisted darkness that surrounds the old high school, he wants to run. He does a few internet searches and brings up all of the information that no one wants to see: disappearances, fires, deaths. By that point it's already too late to turn around. Soon he's hearing Morgan's voice, saying his name, telling him to stay. And once he's in this deep, there really isn't any way out.

One thing I really like about horror novels written in this style, (novels in general, but predominantly horror), is that the reader never really knows how much of what's going on is really happening and how much is in the characters head. I love that! 

Another thing I really appreciate about authors in this genre is that they aren't afraid to end with a cliffhanger. Sure, this has an interesting ending, but it's not nicely tied up and packaged for you. A lot is left to the imagination. I really appreciate that. It makes the story stick in my head longer, imagining what might happen next. 

Overall it's an enjoyable spooky read, but don't wait until next Halloween to pick it up. If you like horror stories, add this one to your list. 

You can also find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter.  

Enjoy your reading!

Courtney

Tuesday Talks | Bookstores Vs Online Shopping

Tuesday talks is a weekly meme hosted by Janie and Janelle. You can join in the fun by joining the goodreads group here. It's always fun to discuss bookish topics with fellow readers. :D

The topic today is-shopping in a bookstore or online, which do you do and why?

I, like I'm sure most people do, shop both online and in store a lot. I prefer being in the store. There is something about being in the store, smelling the books (I can't be the only one who does that, right?) and browsing the shelves that online just can't compare to. Seriously, seeing hundreds of books all together, lined up on shelves makes me happy. In college I used to go to the library and just walk down the aisles of books. I just love it!

Sometimes shopping online can be more convenient. Recently I've had to order a lot of books because they aren't carried in the stores I tend to shop at. Sometimes I can also get deals online that I can't find in a store. I do like to support my local bookstore though and when I can I buy there. 

Another thing is ebooks. Sometimes there are books only released through kindle and other reading apps/devices that you have to purchase online. It would be a shame to miss out on these because you only shop for books in the store. Also, independent authors often publish books through places like Amazon, so their books might not be available for sale in bookstores yet. 

If given the choice, a bookstore would be the place for me. Sometimes online is just the way I have to go. And I've found some great novels by shopping online, so it's definitely not a bad thing. 

So what do you think about bookstores vs online shopping? Tell me in the comments!

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter. 

Until next time...go read! 

Courtney

Abstract Love~Samantha Christy | Review

Title: Abstract Love
Author: Samantha Christy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 316 Pages
Publication: November 2014
My Rating: 2/5 Stars







I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Synopsis

Keri lost her parents when she was sixteen, now, at twenty-four, she might lose her breasts. After being diagnosed with breast cancer Keri and her best friend/roommate Tanner begin saving all their money to cover the expense of her treatment. During Chemotherapy Keri meets Jace, a handsome artist with throat cancer. The two form an immediate bond that continues to grow as they go through treatment together. 

As Keri and Jace grow closer their personal lives start to intrude on their budding relationship. They have very different backgrounds and their families have very different expectations for them. As their bond grows they discover that sometimes you have to fight for what you want, even if you have to fight your family. Even if you have to fight yourself. 

Review

I really wanted to like this novel. I started it with every intention of enjoying it. Some parts I did enjoy, but overall it fell far short of what I was hoping for out of it. Many people will love this novel (I know several people right now that I could recommend it to who would like give it a full five star rating), so don't get turned away by this first piece. Read on and see what you think.

The idea of a story about two cancer patients meeting in treatment and developing a relationship was interesting to me. This is not necessarily the type of story I typically read, but I liked the concept and I want to branch out-try more things. The idea was good, the execution was just lacking. 

I think this novel could have easily been cut nearly in half. There was far too much filler that could have been almost entirely cut. It would have been much more enjoyable that way. With just a few changes and cutting out that extra fluff, this could have been a really nice book. 

The writing was lacking in some aspects. No one is perfect and this is something that Christy can improve on. With some more editing to improve the flow of the novel and the dialog, the writing would have been fine. The writing was almost too formal in some parts. I would have preferred a more relaxed, conversational approach, since we were inside the head of Keri-the main character. The dialog, again, was too formal. I felt that it was stilted. This could easily be improved. And Jace. He was much more enjoyable through his texts than he was speaking. I'm not exactly sure why. 

The love story in this novel reminded me of Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins in some ways. Jace already has a girlfriend and his conflict with his feelings between the two was very Etienne St. Clair like. The thing that made it somewhat worse here is that this is a twenty-seven year old man, not a seventeen year old. I just felt like he should have been more concerned with falling for someone when he was in a committed relationship. 

My biggest complaint with the story is Keri. She had so much potential, but I just never felt an extreme connection to her. She was constantly putting herself down and then making reference to how she had been so strong in the past. It would have been nice to see some of that strength, but you never really do. She was always thinking of how she wasn't good enough for certain people because she was poor or because of her past. It was very off-putting. Insecurity makes sense, it just wasn't shown well here. You can be insecure and strong. Keri was more insecure than strong in most cases. 

Overall it was an ok read. If you enjoy love stories and romance novels that get quite cheesy in parts, then this might be for you. With just a bit more work I would have enjoyed this novel much more. If you read this novel, let me know what you think in the comments. 

You can find me on YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Happy reading!

Courtney   

Michael Vey: Hunt For Jade Dragon~Richard Paul Evans | Review

Title: Michael Vey: Hunt For Jade Dragon (Michael Vey #4)
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Length: 320 Pages
Publication: September 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Brief Synopsis

Michael, Taylor, Austin and the rest of the Electroclan are taken from Peru to The Ranch (located in an undisclosed location) where they are briefed on their next mission: rescuing Jade Dragon. Jade Dragon is a nine year old genius who has discovered equations that are very important to the future of the electric children. Dr. Hatch and his Glows are set on getting the information out of her no matter what. The only problem: she's deaf, mute, and autistic. 

Michael and his friends must unite to rescue Jade Dragon and prevent Hatch from unleashing more evil on the world. They will have to band together and welcome in old enemies if they are to succeed. But not everything will go according to plan.

Review

This novel, while very enjoyable, was much more slowly paced than the last three (at least as far as I can remember). More of the novel was spent planning than actually doing. But, as I said, still very enjoyable.

Michael Vey is a great character and I really enjoy watching him grow throughout these books. I do feel like their were some things done in this novel that were somewhat out of character for him (I won't say what, I don't want to spoil you). His relationship with Taylor is cute and his friendship with Ostin is great. There is not a member of the Electroclan that I don't like. 

There are many characters that kind of disappear during the course of this novel and I am intrigued to see exactly how they will reappear in the next installment. One thing that I find interesting about these novels is that, due to changing perspectives, we often know things that certain characters have yet to find out and yet, it still somehow works. Even though we have an inkling into many things that Michael doesn't know yet, I find that discovering them with him is important to the story and having some idea about the outcome just seems to make since and work in a way that I don't find true with other similarly written novels. 

My main drawback with this novel is the writing. While I like the writing overall, I find the dialog to be stilted and repetitive in many instances. While inside Michael's head I find the writing very enjoyable and smooth. Dialog just gets a bit iffy. Constantly putting "he/she/(insertnamehere) said" gets old when used consistently within one conversation. There just needs to be a bit more imagination behind the dialog to make this fantastic.

I don't want to say too much about the story, not wanting to give too much away. The ending is satisfactory, though more of a cliffhanger than any other installment. I am not entirely sure how the remainder of the story is going to take up three more novels, but I'm sure it easily can. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

You can connect with me on YouTube, Gooodreads, and Twitter.

Until next time. Your book loving friend,

Courtney  

His First His Second~ A.D Davies | Review

Title: His First His Second
Author: A D Davies
Genre: Mystery
Length: 396 Pages
Publication: November 2014
My Rating: 3/5 Stars







I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Synopsis

Detective Sergeant Alicia Friend is one of the most highly skilled and respected criminal analysts in the country. Alicia is assigned to work with Donald Murphy on a kidnap-murder of two victims. A third girl has been taken and the two and their team have less than a week to dig up the closely guarded secrets of the high-society family where everything started; otherwise, Katie dies.

Richard, Katie's father, has other plans. Plans that involve a return the dark past he left behind in the United States. He launches his own investigation, utilizing resources and tactics the police would never condone. And all the while he and Alicia are drawn closer together. 

Can they save Katie before it's too late? Will Alicia's actions cause her to let her guard down around the wrong man and at the wrong time?

Review

The mystery in this novel was really interesting and well developed. I had my suspicions as to who was involved with the kidnappings and murders from the beginning and some of those hunches paid off. There were some curve balls thrown my way that made the story more thrilling and enjoyable. I found myself somewhat glued to the page as the novel sped toward it's conclusion. The actual mystery portion of the novel gets top marks from me. 

The novel is told in first person, but uses a swap between several different perspectives. This can be very compelling and informative, particularly in this genre. As a reader we are able to see through Katie (the kidnapped girl's) eyes, giving some insight into the kidnapper without ever really spoiling the whole thing. The differing perspectives got better was the story progressed. In the beginning I found many of them to hinder more than help, but toward the end I was loving them. Most of the characters and perspectives we see are very complex and insightful. I found that the only one I never really enjoyed was that of Alicia. 

As a character I did not find Alicia compelling or very well developed. I would have preferred more time inside Murphy's head. Alicia was interesting, but too childish at times. And I found her ability to be completely rational and intelligent one minute and then silly and clueless the next very off putting. I felt that there were things she should have picked up on, or at least had an inkling of, from the beginning, but she never did. 

I really enjoyed the two murder mystery stories interconnecting and getting confused. Even as a reader it was sometimes difficult to see where one was beginning and the other ending. There was so much interconnectedness. That's one thing I love about mystery novels, they weave so many mysteries together and allow you to search for clues that will keep you on the right track.

Overall I think this novel was a good read, particularly for fans of mystery. I've seen some reviews that say it should be labelled horror because of details involving the murders, but I never found it particularly graphic as far as any of that was concerned. I really liked the mystery; I just think the execution could have been improved somewhat and the characters more thoroughly developed.

You can find me on- YouTube, Goodreads, and Twitter.  

Happy reading, my friends.

Courtney    

You Are Destined to be Together Forever~Dean Koontz | Review

Title: You Are Destined To Be Together Forever (Odd Thomas 0.5)
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Suspense/Thriller/Paranormal
Length: 38 Pages
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Synopsis

Before the events of the Odd Thomas novels, Odd was just an ordinary teenage fry cook with an unusual gift: he can see the spirits of the lingering dead. This short story outlines a day in Odd's life with his girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn and their adventures with the paranormal. 

Review

This is a great little short story. If you've read the Odd Thomas novels and are eagerly awaiting the seventh and final installment (to be released January 13th 2015!), then you were likely just as eager to get your hands on this as I was. The title, that cover, everything about it was just perfect. I love Odd and Stormy (as many of my booktube videos can attest). 

This story was mostly designed for fans of Odd Thomas to see where his love with Stormy began. The card on the cover, which they receive from a fortune telling machine in this short story, is included in every single Odd Thomas novel to date. Odd and Stormy's love crosses all barriers.

This little story also gives us a nice glimpse into what Odd's life was like as a teen (since he's sixteen here and twenty in the first novel). We also get to see some of the obstacles he and Stormy face as a young couple dealing with intense life situations. 

I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Odd Thomas. And if you have yet to read Odd, go read it now. Seriously, what are you waiting for?

You can find me on:

YouTube

Goodreads

Twitter

Your book loving friend,

Courtney 

Tuesday Talks | Favorite Genres and Putting Others Down

You can find the goodreads group for Tuesday Talks here. If you want to participate, that would be awesome. :)

What's Your Favorite Genre and do You Put Others Down?

The topic for today is all about what your favorite genre is and if you put down other genres because they aren't your favorite. Personally, I love fantasy the most. It doesn't matter if it was written for adults, young adults, children, whatever. If it's a good fantasy story that can pull me in, I'm there.

Having said this, I read many genres. In fact, I wouldn't even say that fantasy is my most widely read genre. Fantasy is the genre that makes me love reading the most, but there are so many other genres that I read and love too.

As far as putting a genre down goes, I don't think I do this. There are some that aren't my favorites, but I know many people who read these genres and enjoy them immensely. Not every book is for every person. We also change so much in life that we will most likely find ourselves enjoying genres we never expected to like. I know I have come to love many novels that I never would have expected to like ten years ago. Life experiences changes our outlook on many things, literature included. So to put something down just makes no sense. Someday it may be your favorite. And even if it's not, there are so many other people out there who enjoy it. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you should steer other people away from it.

There are my jumbled thoughts on this weeks topic. Connect with me:
YouTube
Goodreads
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Until next time.

Courtney

A Thousand Pieces of You~Claudia Gray | Review

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird #1)
Author: Claudia Gray
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Romance
Length: 368 Pages
Publication: November 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Brief Synopsis

Marguerite Caine's brilliant physicists parents, with the aid of their research assistants Paul and Theo, have developed a new technology known as the Firebird. The Firebird allows an individual to cross between dimensions, into another version of themselves. When Marguerite's father is murdered and all fingers point to Paul-who has escaped into another dimension-Marguerite follows him with only one thing in mind: I must kill Paul Markov.

Review

First of all, I know everyone says this, but seriously, look at that cover. Every time I look at the cover I find it even more interesting than I did the time before. The colors, the contrast between the two cities, just everything. It's beautiful. The title is also very intriguing. 

Now, for the real stuff. If you are expecting a novel where the main focus is a nice blend of science fiction and cross dimensional travel, you will likely be disappointed. If, however, you like love stories that span from one dimension to another with some travel between said dimensions and all the science fiction goodness that go along with it, you will likely enjoy this novel immensely. 

Throughout the novel Marguerite hops between several different dimensions that are all beautifully imagined and well described. I find each dimension and the different connections between the characters throughout these different dimensions very interesting. I am very interested in seeing if we get to explore any more of these worlds in the future installments of this trilogy. 

Marguerite was somewhat annoying in parts of this novel. It is told from a first person perspective, so we get to spend our time in her head. There are many things that I feel in her shoes I would want a few more details before being completely satisfied. Many of these questions don't seem to plague Marguerite. I still found her a rather interesting character, despite her ever changing opinions at the drop of a hat. 

I don't feel like I can really give too much detail into the meat of the story without major spoilers. I do think that Gray has created a very interesting love story. She makes you fall for one guy before you really know the other and then the second one is really the one you're madly in love with. But the first guy is still great, so there is so much drama that could ensue. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, but this is one that actually kind of works. 

Overall I think this was a very enjoyable and quick read. If you are into love stories with a science fiction setting and cross dimensional travel, then you will likely enjoy this novel. I am eagerly awaiting the second installment in this trilogy. 

Let me know what you thought of this novel or if you plan to read it. 

Your book loving friend,

Courtney     

American Goulash~Stephanie Yuhas |Review

Title: American Goulash
Author: Stephanie Yuhas
Genre: Memoir
Length: 157 Pages
Publication: December 2014
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Details

This memoir chronicles Stephanie's dysfunctional upbringing with her Transylvanian family in the suburbs of New Jersey. The reader follows Stephanie from infant-hood into her first semester of college. It's full of both humorous and heartbreaking stories. 

Review

I don't know that I have ever read a memoir all the way through until now. This seemed interesting, so I decided to review it and I actually really enjoyed it. I found Stephanie easy to relate with through her struggles with life and family. Although I am not an immigrant, I do have a large and dysfunctional family. While at times humorous, I often found myself somewhat heart sore. I guess I have not yet gotten to the point in my life where I can accept things as easily as Stephanie has been able to do with hers.

I found this very easy to read and captivating. Not as easy to lose yourself in as a novel, but just as enjoyable in a different sense. Watching Stephanie grow up through the stories and pictures (she was very cute in all of them) was really interesting and made me think that maybe, someday, I can write my own memoir in such a humorous light. 

I definitely recommend this memoir to anyone who finds Stephanie's past of dysfunctional family and nerdy mishaps intriguing.  I don't feel like there is much else I can say, you just need to read and find out for yourself what it was like growing up a Transylvanian girl in the suburbs of New Jersey. 

Your friend in all things books,

Courtney      

Casket of Stars~Julia Debski | Review

Title: Casket of Stars
Author: Julia Debski
Genre: Poetry and Short Stories
Length: 62 Pages
Publication: August 2014
My Rating: 3/5 Stars






I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

Review

First of all, that is a pretty cool cover, don't you think? Stars with a coffin outlined. Very nice imagery. And now, to get to the real question at hand. What did I think? Continue reading to find out.

This little novella contains two short stories and several poems on various topics. The first short story is centered around a young woman who is talking about her family and her favorite relatives as everyone gathers for a family reunion. I found this short story very interesting, but lacking in enough detail to make it as interesting as it might have otherwise been. 

The second short story focused around mother who is trying to deal with the loss of her twenty something daughter. The mother is desperate to find out what the last words were that her daughter spoke or wrote. This one was not as compelling as the first short story, but was still rather enjoyable. 

The poems were on a variety of topics, mostly centered around life and love and acceptance. At least, that's what I felt. They were alright, but lacked a strong emotional connection and flow.

Overall this was an enjoyable quick read. With more polishing I think that Debski will be able to hone her skill and be a very good author. Being somewhat of a poet myself I know that it can be difficult to get phrasing and flow at times. This is where this collection falls short. There needs to be more natural flow through the short stories as well as the poems. 

Until next time, my friends.

Courtney