Two of a Mind~S M Stuart | Review

Title: Two of a Mind 
Author: S M Stuart
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Length: 256 Pages
Release: March 2015
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

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

Synopsis

What’s the response when diplomacy fails? How will it affect our future? Do we really want to know?

24th July 2110: When the midnight chimes end at Dez’s 16th-Eve Party she realises she’s destined to be an 'Empty'. Her subsequent attempts to connect with her Psyche-Twin have startling consequences and she soon finds herself facing the worst of nightmares.

Seth has his own demons. He needs to unearth the truth about his mother’s death and enlists Dez to help in deciphering the clues hidden in her diary.

Little do they realise that they will soon be searching for a merciless killer - one who is connected to them by a cruel twist of fate. Unwittingly their enquiries bring them to his attention.

Review

Most of this novel is told in first person from Dez's perspective, but there are some portions told from various third person perspectives of past events. I really like this method of storytelling. I think it makes for a great story where you get more than just one view of things. I found it somewhat choppy in this story.

The jumping from present to past (with a rather large cast of characters in these scenes from the past), was somewhat hard for me to follow at times. Most of the characters were connected somehow through family ties, but even this was sometimes difficult to remember. The past and present scenes all tie in together eventually and overall it worked fairly well, I just think a bit more polish on these transitions would have helped me stay connected. 

I found the concept of the "psych-twins" very interesting. The way it was presented was very intriguing and I was always interested to see what else was going to happen, particularly with Dez and Seth and their issues with their PTs. 

  

At times I found the choices the characters were making to be a bit abrupt. Or the novel would just jump from fighting to laughter in a way that I didn't really find made much sense. I just found it rather distracting at times for things to be so back and forth. I also found the use of exclamation points (particularly in these situations) to be rather distracting. 

With some polish I think I would enjoy this novel a great deal more. As it is, I thought it was a fun read, but not overly gripping or brilliant. I will be interested to see where the author goes with the rest of the story. 

Along for the Ride~Sarah Dessen | Review

Title: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: YA Contemporary
Length: 383 Pages
Release: June 2009
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

This was my fifth Dessen novel and probably my second favorite out of the five (behind Lock and Key). What I enjoy most about Dessen's novels is how much time you just spend in the main characters head, hearing her thoughts. Sometimes those thoughts can be frustrating, but as a person who likes to think a lot, this appeals to me. There are things I liked and disliked about this novel, so lets get into them.

Auden was a likable character, but I didn't find her brilliant. She made some stupid decisions occasionally that didn't really seem to fit her character all that well. She did grow throughout the novel and I enjoyed watching that growth, even if it was slow going at times. 

The novel doesn't really pick up pace until over half way through. Even then there isn't a whole lot happening, but what was happening kept me interested. It was nice to see Auden having to question her opinions of Heidi and Maggie. She thinks they are superficial at first, but learns over time that nobody can be categorized so simply. 

The thing I disliked most about this novel was Auden's parents. I just found nothing about them appealing. I know they were supposed to be self absorbed and annoying, but I was hoping for a little more growth than we got. Her mom was working on it and her dad was too, in some ways, but I was constantly frustrated by these two. 

What I loved most was Eli. Out of the five Dessen novels I've read I haven't liked a guy character as much as I liked Eli. He was complicated, but caring. He wanted to help Auden experience the things she missed out on growing up and their adventures together were so much fun. Honestly, I think this novel would have been better with more of Eli. 

Overall this was an enjoyable read. It wasn't as emotionally charged as some Dessen novels I've read, but in some ways that was a good thing.

Tuesday Talks | Those Hard to Pronounce Names

Tuesday Talks is a goodreads discussion group created by Janie and Janelle. You can visit the group and join the discussions here. Come and share your thoughts with all of us!

Hard to Pronounce Names

We've all read them. Those names of characters and places that either have weird spellings or are just made up. So, what to do about that odd name. 

Generally, if I can't find out how it's actually supposed to be pronounced, I just make up my own pronunciation. I know a lot of people will just skip over names they can't pronounce, but I like having something to call the person/place in my head. When I'm saying the name for a video or something, I'll sometimes use my pronunciation and spell it out so people will know who/what I'm talking about. 

Personally I actually enjoy these types of names. I love just creating something that's different, so I love reading about them as well. This probably has something to do with my favorite genre being fantasy, where this tends to be a regular occurrence. 

So what do you do when something is hard to pronounce? Do you skip it? Make up your own way of saying it? Or something else? Let me know in the comments!   

The Ruins of Gorlan~John Flanagan | Review

Title: The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice #1)
Author: John Flanagan
Genre: Middle Grade/YA Fantasy
Length: 249 Pages
Release: June 2006
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

I've been thinking about reading this book for a long time. It's one of those that would constantly pop up as a recommendation online or that I would pass on the shelves in the library, but I never picked it up. I'm really glad I finally did. 

The story is kind of slow in some points, but it's a really fun fantasy read for younger audiences. I think I would have absolutely loved this book about ten years ago. I still really enjoy it, but then it would have been a definite favorite. I love these fantasy stories.

The world building for this was simply but well done. The society that Will (the apprentice) is growing up in is well described. At fifteen all of the inhabitants of his city either become an apprentice to a task master or become farm hands. Will is an orphan, so the likelihood of becoming a farm hand is more likely because he doesn't have a family connection to get him into one of the crafts. 

Each craft has a craft master and I really enjoyed getting to see a few of them, if only briefly. There is definitely room for development in this area as the series progresses and I'm sure that many of them get more attention. 

One of my favorite things about this novel was Halt, the Ranger, and his relationship with Will. It was really nice to see how much he appreciated and cared for Will even though he was a closed off sort of person. The development of this relationship was really well done. I also really liked the rest of the relationships we got to see develop throughout the book. 

This was a really fun book and I'm looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series at some point in the future. 

The Art of Lainey~Paula Stokes | Review

Title: The Art of Lainey (The Art of Lainey #1)
Author: Paula Stokes
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 374 Pages
Release: May 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

I read the prequel novella Infinite Repeat in March and decided that I wanted to give this novel a try. I really liked Infinite Repeat and loved Micah. I picked this book up and now here are some of my thoughts. 

First, let me tell you the main thing I disliked about this novel: Lainey. Yes, I know, the novel is told in first person and Lainey is the main character, but I had a hard time learning to like her. I understood in the beginning that she was somewhat shallow and needed to grow up, but I had a hard time connecting with her complete dependence on her friends to define who she was. When her boyfriend broke up with her she freaked out and didn't know how to define herself anymore. She did grow throughout the novel, but I felt like too much of it was toward the end and not developed enough. 

I'm not even going to get started on Lainey's friend Kendall. She just made me so mad. I could rampage about that for hours. 

Onto things that I did like.

Micah and Lainey. They start out fake dating so that he can get his ex-girlfriend back and she can get her ex-boyfriend, but then they actually start to get to know each other. I loved the development of their relationship, because it wasn't really sudden. They already knew each other somewhat and when they started hanging out they just became friends before their were any deeper feelings. They were themselves around each other (which Lainey needed) and they actually cared about what the other was feeling, even when it had nothing to do with them. It was just a really well done progression for me. 

I also loved Micah and his sister Trinity. We got more of them in Infinite Repeat, but what we get here was great. It was nice to just see two siblings and how much they love and support each other. He even made being nice to Trinity a rule for fake dating Lainey, which was so sweet. They were just adorable. Lainey and her brother Steve were a nice touch as well.

Watching Lainey discover herself and make new friends was nice. She realized that not everything about her old life was really as great as she thought it was. It's better to be true to yourself than be someone you're not. Leo and Bee were two of my favorites. She was already friends with Bee, but I think she actually learned to appreciate her. And Leo was just such a nice guy. I really would like more with these two. 

Overall I thought this was a really fun read. Parts of it really annoyed me and I think there is room for improvement, but it was fun and most of the characters were enjoyable. Or hateable. Take your pick.

Some Kind of Normal~Juliana Stone | Review

Title: Some Kind of Normal
Author: Juliana Stone
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 304 Pages
Release: May 2015
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

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

Synopsis

What is Normal?

For Trevor normal was fast guitar licks, catching game-winning passes and partying all night. Until a car accident leaves Trevor with no band, no teammates and no chance of graduating. It's kinda hard to ace your finals when you've been in a coma. The last thing he needs is stuck-up Everly Jenkins as his new tutor—those beautiful blue eyes catching every last flaw.

For Everly normal was a perfect family around the dinner table, playing piano at Sunday service and sunning by the pool. Until she discovers her whole life is a lie. Now the perfect pastor's daughter is hiding a life-changing secret, one that is slowly tearing her family apart. And spending the summer with notorious flirt Trevor Lewis means her darkest secret could be exposed.

Review

The cover and title of this novel are what originally drew me to it. I'm not generally a fan of cover models, but with this view and perspective, it really worked. And the title on its own is very intriguing. Once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to give this novel a try. 

Trevor and Everly were both compelling characters. The story is told with a dual perspective first person narrative, which I love. We get Trevor and Everly's take on things. Each of these characters is fighting some sort of demon, trying to find their way back to normal. 

One of the main things I really enjoyed about this novel was the development of Trevor and Everly's relationship. Trevor is struggling with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) after a car accident the previous year left him in a coma for weeks. Everly is dealing with the stress of a failing family that everyone else sees as perfect. The two are forced into each others company, but soon start to actually care.

I liked seeing Trevor's growth. We get glimpses of what he was like before his accident and how he wants to change now. He makes some major mistakes concerning Everly and their situation at points, but I appreciated that when he realized he didn't want her to be like the other girls he's been with that he actually treated her differently. So often in novels the guy says this but doesn't actually follow through. Here I thought it was done beautifully. And we get to see him fighting his battles and facing the fact that his life isn't going to be what he thought it was. 

Everly is trying not to fall apart. She knows something that no one else does. She knows a secret that could-and is-tear her family apart. She just doesn't know what to do about it. Seeing her struggle through her day to day life, pretending that everything is fine, was painful, but satisfying. We get to see her grow as she faces all of these new developments with the family that everyone around her always thought was perfect.

Throughout the novel you're kind of kept in the dark as to what exactly is going on with Everly's family. You know that something is happening, and you get some of Everly's take on the situation, but this doesn't become apparent until nearly the end of the novel. It makes sense from a story telling point of view, but it was frustrating to not be given at least a little more toward the beginning.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It was a bit vague at points, particularly concerning Everly's family issues, which kept me from enjoying the story as much as I might have, but it was fast paced and emotional, which kept me reading. 

From The Ashes~Shelby K Morrison | Review

Title: From the Ashes (Legend of the Liberator #1)
Author: Shelby K. Morrison
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length: 285 Pages
Release: May 2015
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

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

Synopsis

For eighteen years Aia Wynnald has lived a lie. Raised as a highborn in the Kingdom of Tharien, she’s filled her days with tutors and archery lessons. But simmering beneath her polite surface is a dangerous gift, one which she must keep a secret. Aia is a Bender. And in Tharien, Benders are feared and hunted.
When her unruly power breaks free with dire repercussions, Aia’s lifelong goal of independence shatters. As she scrambles to piece her life back together while evading capture, she disturbs a vengeful force intent on destroying the kingdom.
Now, with the help of an unlikely ally, Aia will decide the fate of Tharien. To rescue those she cares about will require accepting what she is. But can she risk becoming the monster she’s dreaded to save the very citizens baying for her blood?

Review

If you've read the excerpt I posted on my blog March 1st, then you already know that this story begins with action. It doesn't let up much throughout either. It is truly an excellent read. 

Shelby K Morrison certainly knows how to weave a compelling story. The writing here was beautifully done. The world building was superb. Fantasy is my favorite genre and world building is always what has me wary of a new read. There are so many that promise greatness just to fall flat. That's certainly not the case here. The magic system with the Benders and their special abilities is developed and explored as the story progresses, so nothing is thrown at you all at once. The descriptions of the world and society are woven very nicely through the story.

The characters were all beautifully portrayed and their struggles were so real. You could feel what they were feeling, understand their emotions, and wanted to be there helping them along. Most of the book is spent with Aia as she faces her once suppressed abilities and must decide where she stands with the Tharien. Does she try to protect them from the evil that would see them destroyed? Or should she turn her back on the people that have tossed her away? Her development as she faces these challenges is beautiful.

The rest of the characters are just as excellent. Cole, a Breaker (the people who track down Benders), is one of my absolute favorites. There is so much going on within his head. His loyalties are split in so many different directions and he faces some really hard decisions. Watching him grow was one of the highlights of this story.

The Kingdom is on the edge of destruction as a force of great power returns to exact revenge. All of the characters must decide where their loyalties lie and who they will fight for. There are some excellent action sequences throughout the novel that had me flipping page after page. It was a hard book to put down.  

If you're a fan of fantasy novels, this is one to pick up. The ending is perfect for the first book in a series. Enough of the main conflict is resolved so that it stands well on its own, but enough is left open to keep you interested in book two. No over done cliffhanger here. I am very excited to see where the story will take us next.

So go read this book. You won't regret it.

Buy your copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble.

***

Shelby K. Morrison is the author of Shattered, devout member of the Pointless Research Addicts support group, and was voted Most Likely to Be President in high school. She believes fiction should be an escape and any great escape involves a world of wonder, characters you wish you knew, and good food. She can usually be found in three places; her office, the couch or....well just those two unless an overcast day calls her out of doors. She has a particular weakness for animals, Studio Ghibli movies, and Flamin' Hot Cheetos (resulting in a frequently stained keyboard). She is not opposed to tokens of appreciation, particularly edible ones. But if you really want to make her smile, drop her a line! 

You can visit Shelby online in the following ways:

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