Title: Piece of My Heart
Author: Lynn Maddalena Menna
Genre: Young Adult, Music, Contemporary
Publisher: Merit Press
Release date: June 18, 2013
ISBN-10: 1440561052
ISBN-13: 9781440561054
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

Still in high school, Marisol Reyes gets the chance of a lifetime to be a real singer, and she leaps at it. After all, this is the dream she held on to, all the days and nights she spent growing up on means streets of East Harlem. Marisol never gave in--no matter what her boyfriend or her best friend had to say. Who cares if only one in a hundred pretty, talented girls make it? She will be the one. In her rush to fame, Marisol tramples on the heart of her loyal best friend, and Julian, the boy she loves. But will it be worth it?

One night at a private gig in the Hamptons, the little Latino girl with the big voice from East Harlem gets a severe reality check. A famous rapper who claims to be interested in her talents turns out to be interested in something else, threatening not only Marisol's dreams but her body and soul. Will the realities of the gritty New York music scene put out the stars in Marisol's eyes forever?




My Review:
'Piece of My Heart' is your typical musician's fairytale; small town girl with big dreams suddenly gets thrust into the industry and finds out that it's not all it's cracked up to be. It's all very Sherrie Christian in Rock of Ages... minus the stripping. But instead of taking place in Hollywood, we're taken across the country to New York. Marisol is blessed with golden pipes and knows that she's made for more than small gigs at weddings and birthday parties. But is she ready?

Told from Marisol's perspective, Menna paints a pretty picture of both the gritty streets and glamorous side of the Empire State with its music, fashion, and nightlife, all of which are described very vividly. The music industry is all about connections, and boy does our starlet encounter a lot of those. Marisol, with all her teenage naïveté, is easily pulled into different situations that she gladly jumps into because, well who doesn't want to become a famous singer, right? She's travelling all over New York and playing gigs with people who, just months before, only played in her stereo as she danced and lip-synched to them in her room with her best friend. Speaking of best friends, while Marisol is living the high life, her relationships with her friends back home goes through the ultimate test and finds out that even those nearest and dearest to her might not be the people she thought them to be.

While I liked the premise (and the fact that the title is undoubtedly taken from one the greatest songs ever), I felt disconnected from all the characters throughout the whole story. But it had potential overall. Marisol's relationships with everyone went back and forth so much that it was hard to keep track of who she was actually friends with in the beginning. Maybe I would've liked it better if it wasn't written in first-person perspective, because Marisol's always moving around and there are a lot of other characters that it's hard to keep track of what's going on. I also wished that the issues Marisol faced were more fleshed out. Sometimes she went through big, big changes in her life and career, but it'd be over and onto the next issue just pages later. The narrative made me cringe at a few places, especially when she was performing. It just got really cheesy sometimes. Like Marisol was too good for her own good, if that makes sense. There's belief in your own talent, and then there's being cocky about it. There was also a lot of focus on describing the settings and fashion that it took away from the characters. Yes, it's interesting to know how great you think you look in that white dress with white-gold shoes, and how gorgeous your friend looked in her skin-tight mini dress that reached just above her knees, but for it to take up that much space? It all felt a little superficial.

'Piece of My Heart' is a light read, but if you're looking for some deep, thought-provoking fiction about someone truly struggling to make it in the music industry, this might not be for you. Behind it all is a rather relatable story about a teenage girl struggling to find her place in the real world as she finds out that sometimes the only person you can trust to make the best decisions for your life is, ultimately, yourself.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Merit Press for providing me with the ARC.

My rating:

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Title: Meant to Be
Author: Lauren Morrill
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release date: November 13, 2012
ISBN-10: 0385741774
ISBN-13: 9780385741774
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts... from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.




My Review:
Julia is the kind of girl who mostly keeps to herself and is quite the stickler for rules; a model student if there ever was one. When the chance to go to London for Spring Break comes along, she jumps at it and is ready to have the ultimate cultural experience. That's until she's buddied up with the class clown, Jason. Next thing she knows, she's breaking rules (against her will, of course) and getting in trouble. She thinks things will turn around thanks to an unexpected mystery person suddenly sending her romantic text messages after attending a party. She enlists Jason's help in figuring out who it could be, and that's where the story really begins.

The main girl -- Julia, right? -- wasn't that likeable (for some reason I kept forgetting her name was Julia. I kept thinking it was Judy). There's following the rules, then there's following the rules to the point where it gets annoying. If I was in one of the most historical cities in the world, I'd be jumping at the chance to go anywhere and everywhere. She was also very judgemental and whiny, which put a damper on my whole reading experience. And then there was Jason, who was a little too childish for my liking, even if he did get Julia to loosen up a little. They were such opposites and personally unrelatable for me, so I had a hard time connecting with either of them. I did like that the progression between them wasn't rushed, even if their romance fell flat for me.

Another thing that bugged me about the book was how it felt like it was trying too hard to be, dare I say, hipster; just pointing out that artwork came from Etsy, milking the Beatles, the word "meta", Julia's friend Phoebe's weirdly awesome and original wardrobe, etc. It just felt unnecessary to point those things out in such detail. The Anglophile in me did appreciate the cultural references and descriptions of London, so there's that.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate the book. I did like how things unfolded in the end. I kept expecting some weird but predictable plot twist involving Jason actually being Chris, but luckily the book at least kept that cliché out. The explanations tied everything together, and I found myself surprised at some of the reveals. Kind of a "why didn't I think of that?" thing. The last half was definitely better than the first, which is kind of a downer for me, as I want to be engaged throughout the entire story, not just a certain part of it. But that cover, my goodness. Absolutely gorgeous.

It was a good book for me to pick up on my vacation when I was lounging by the beach every few days, but am I jumping for joy over it? Not really. Not much to say except that it was a good book to pass the time.

My rating:

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Title: Lemonade Mouth
Author: Mark Peter Hughes
Genre: Young Adult, Music, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 13, 2007
ISBN-10: 0385733925
ISBN-13: 9780385733922
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Borrowed

Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries.

The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all of these things. But until now, nobody's known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be. How five outcasts in Opoquonsett High School's freshman class found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist's jingle, a teacher's coughing fit, and a beat-up ukelele gave birth to Rhode Island's most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Opoquonsett's "scene queen," freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is their definitive history.



My Review:
This is the story of how the band, Lemonade Mouth, came to be. Stella, Wen, Mo, Charlie, and Olivia met one fateful day in detention. They discovered their mutual love for music and slowly, the idea of starting a band formulated, thus turning them into a sensation. Even still, nothing ever comes easy. Individually, they weren't popular; every other student like them who took part in activities and clubs that weren't considered "popular" got demoted to the high school's basement. They're labelled as the freaks of the school, and it's up to Lemonade Mouth to use their newfound popularity to change things.

The characters that made up Lemonade Mouth were so odd and easily classified as misfits. There's a freakishly tall green-haired girl and a guy who's really insecure and hears the voice of his dead twin brother in his head, to name a few. But when they were together, it was magic. It was interesting to read how they formed, as it wasn't a sudden thing where all five kids completely went for it. It took time, and it was realistic. After all, they weren't really friends; they only really got together through detention, and they barely knew each other beforehand. They each had their own stories and struggles, which were touched upon equally and made their story as a band more believable. Hughes never gave one character more importance over another.

The core of the book is about five strangers who never really fit in anywhere, coming together and making something out of nothing. They became influences to their fellow classmates, and even though their journey wasn't an easy one, they never gave up. They were able to cope with the insanity known as high school through their growing friendship, all the while, touching the lives of their fellow classmates with their music and their message.

The overall concept isn't original by any means, but the way the author wrote it really puts it in a class of its own. The book was offbeat and funny; definitely had its own unique brand of humour, which I found totally refreshing. It's original in the sense that when you think of a high school band-- or any band, your mind immediately goes to a guitarist, singer, bassist, and a drummer. Lemonade Mouth throws all conventions out the window. Here, you have stuff like a ukulele, trumpet, bongos, and congas. In other words, this book is not full of your typical high school characterizations.

I picked up the book because I watched the Disney Channel movie that was adapted from it. I loved the movie, I'm not even going to lie. Even bought the soundtrack and everything. I'm such a sucker for feel-good teenybopper DCOMs. So sue me. I was curious to see how the book compared to the film; what they left out and kept in, what they changed, etc. I was surprised at how different a lot of things were in the book, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's a fun and interesting read, filled with quirky characters that I'm sure all of us can relate to, one way or another. The book is definitely more mature than the movie if you've ever seen it; I'd say it's appropriate enough for teens 14 and over. There is, however, now an age-appropriate edition for middle-grade readers as a movie tie-in, with content slightly adapted by the author. Just look for the blue dot on the cover!

My rating:

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Title: Stalk Me
Author: Jillian Dodd
Series: The Keatyn Chronicles, Book 1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Bandit Publishing
Release date: September 1, 2012
ISBN-10: 0985008660
ISBN-13: 9780985008666
Format: eBook
Source: Author

Keatyn has everything she ever dreamed. Her life is following the script she wrote for the perfect high school experience. She’s popular, goes to the best parties, dates the hottest guy, and sits at the most-coveted lunch table.

She’s just not sure she wants it anymore.

Because, really, things aren’t all that perfect.
Her best friend is threatening to tell everyone her perfect relationship is a scam.
Her perfect boyfriend gets drunk at every party they go to.
It’s exhausting always trying to look and act perfect.
And, deep down, she isn’t sure if she has any true friends.

To add to the drama, her movie star mom has a creepy stalker.
A hot, older man flirts with her and tells her they should make a movie together.
And she’s crushing on an adorable surfer. Dating him would mean committing social suicide.

So she writes a new script. One where all the pieces of her life will come together in perfect harmony.
But little does she know, there's someone who will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.



My Review:
Keatyn has everything; she's popular, has a loving boyfriend, cool friends, the trendiest clothes, and her mom is a famous actress. Growing up around the movie industry, she has a knack for coming up with her own scripts, reflecting how she wants her life to go. She's been doing a good job... until now. Her relationship isn't exactly perfect, her best friend is threatening to tell everyone about it, she's crushing on someone else, and to top it all off, her mom has a stalker. Can she come up with a script to fix it all, and will real life actually follow it?

The first few chapters were hard to get into. The plot was a little too vapid for me. I'm a fan of the Gossip Girl books (not a huge fan), so I thought, sure, I can probably get into this. I didn't.

Things seemed to pick up after Keatyn broke up with Sander. Although, I don't know why that was. Sander seemed to be a pretty stand up guy; got a little too into his tortured artist role for me, but that was better than surfer boy d-bag over there.

Her "friends" were absolutely heinous. Vanessa was straight psycho and RiAnne was basically her lapdog. I had a huge issue with the parental figures in this book. Almost as bad as the kids... almost. I get being friends with your kids, hell, my mom and I watch tv and go to the movies together all the time, we even go shopping together, and she knows what's going on in my life more than anyone. But Keatyn's mom and Tommy -- throw Kym with a 'Y' and the rest of the "entourage" in there, too -- were just not good people. The biggest issue of all was that they were barely involved in Keatyn's life and were so flippant when it came to all the crap she was pulling. Plus, what mom gets excited that her 16-year-old daughter loses her virginity? Really, you're going to pout over the fact that your daughter forgot to mention that she slept with her friend? "I still can’t believe you slept with Brandon and didn't tell me!" (Actual quote.)

Keatyn's use of "Ohmigawd" made me want to scream into a pillow. Or rip my hair out. Or scream into a pillow while ripping my hair out. Anything to numb the pain. Don't even get me started on the actual use of "OMG"/"OMFG" in the book. ...When I think about it, though, I actually would have preferred the acronym to "ohmigawd". How seriously aesthetically unappealing does that word look?

The writing style worked for this type of book, I'll give it that, but it's just not something that I favour. The scripts that Keatyn wrote were a nice touch. It gave a glimpse into how her mind worked and into her deepest desires... it was strangely romantic, in a way. Her realizations that sometimes things don't always go as planned but everything works out anyway could've been refreshing... if she hadn't been so annoying about it. Kudos to her for actually feeling bad for being a grade-A bitch at times. That's about the only positive thing I have to say.

I literally had the strongest urge to stop reading when she and Brooklyn got matching tattoos for her birthday. First of all, smoking weed before a tattoo? I'd be fidgety as all hell while getting it done, are you kidding? Second, tacky. But no, I didn't stop reading there. I actually did make it to about 80% into the book, but so much kept happening all of a sudden with Keatyn moving to a new school and yet again caring only about boys... it just got tiring.

The stalking aspect took up about 10% of the book. Weird, considering the book is called STALK Me. I found myself literally throwing my hands up in disbelief more than enough times. I felt bad about publishing this review, as I took part in the blog tour earlier with the intent of reviewing. I switched to a promo post, but I felt dishonest about not posting this. The author seems really lovely, and this review doesn't affect my opinion of her as an author, but this book just wasn't for me. I have seen a lot of positive reviews for it, so it really is a judgement call.

My rating:
DNF

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Title: Dancing in the Dark
Author: Robyn Bavati
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Flux
Release date: February 8, 2013 (North American release)
ISBN-10: 0738734772
ISBN-13: 9780738734774
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

He tossed her into the air as if she were weightless, and just for a moment she seemed suspended there, defying gravity. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I knew what she was feeling. It was in every movement of every limb.

Here was a power I had never seen before, a kind of haunting loveliness I had never imagined. Seeing it made me long for something, I didn't know what...

Ditty was born to dance, but she was also born Jewish. When her strictly religious parents won't let her take ballet lessons, Ditty starts to dance in secret. But for how long can she keep her two worlds apart? And at what cost?

A dramatic and moving story about a girl who follows her dream, and finds herself questioning everything she believes in.



My Review:
Ditty Cohen comes from a strict Jewish household; she is a Haredi Jew, one of the most conservative branches of Judaism. One day, during a bout of rebellion, she discovers ballet and is instantly hooked. She dreams of taking ballet lessons and of a future as a performer. However, she knows her family would never allow her to do so. This story takes readers on Ditty's personal journey through the years, witnessing her struggle with family, faith, and her passion.

I need to start off and mention that it was so interesting to me that this was set in Australia, because everything was unfamiliar. Locations, seasons, how school years work and everything. I actually learned quite a bit of cultural information that I've never known about before.

I felt like I related to Ditty quite a bit, in terms of expectations while growing up. Not necessarily in a religious sense, though I have grown up in a religious household and still practice Roman Catholicism (quite progressively, mind you); going to mass, receiving the sacraments, etc. I've never personally felt the same pressures and lifestyle that Ditty had, but on a broader note, I feel like quite a lot of people can relate to her, in the sense that she had a dream that seemed far from her reach and she was willing to overcome everything that it took to get there. I admired her zeal. As for the other characters, I loved that there were no catty ones competing with Ditty in her ballet school. As if she needed any more people to come into conflict with. Everyone was supportive, very nice, and realistic.

The only issue I had with this book, which unfortunately stuck through the whole thing, was how negative the family came off. It wasn't even just the family, but the whole ultra-orthodox community. Almost everyone came off as brainwashed and it felt like the only way for Ditty to pursue her dreams was to have to leave her community. I'm not going to pretend like I know a lot about the different Jewish communities and how much Bavati's portrayal rings true, so I can't really expand on this. But reading that Bavati grew up Modern orthodox made me think that this was why it came off the way it did. Linda (Ditty's cousin who, like Bavati, was Modern orthodox) was very detailed in her arguments with Ditty and the latter could never really defend herself or her community. It felt pretty one-sided, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. As a reader, I really did sympathize with Ditty, which I'm sure was the intention. You want Ditty to succeed, to break free from whatever's holding her back, but at the same time I wish she tried a little harder to find some common ground with her Judaism.

Ultimately, this is a universal story about a girl with big dreams, and her journey in doing whatever it took to achieve it. I loved Ditty's transition as a dancer and that the story brought us through her entire experience from her discovery to finally being an actual performer. It sped through five years of her life, which could have made the story feel really rushed, especially considering the length of the novel, but it was done surprisingly well. It didn't drag on, and I felt like all the important pieces in Ditty's life were touched upon enough for the story to end the way it did.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Flux Books for providing me with the ARC.

My rating:

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Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Razorbill
Release date: October 8, 2007
ISBN-10: 159514188X
ISBN-13: 9781595141880
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Purchased

You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret. . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her.

Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town...

...and what he discovers changes his life forever.



My Review:
Thirteen Reasons Why touches upon the issue of suicide through Hannah Baker, a teenager who committed suicide and told her story through a series of cassette tapes. Clay Jensen comes home one day to find these mysterious tapes boxed up and addressed to him. He discovers that Hannah sent seven tapes with thirteen reasons to different people who played a part in her ending her life. Clay, as a recipient, apparently affected Hannah's decision, but he couldn't figure out why. Through each tape, the story ultimately tells the tale of how people's actions can cause a ripple effect on someone's life.

It ultimately turns out that Clay, the narrator of the story, was the only one on Hannah's list that didn't leave such a negative effect on her. With each passing tape that he listened to, he started feeling more and more guilty and felt that he could have done something to prevent Hannah from killing herself. He was a good enough character; of course every story has to have a narrator that virtually has no flaws... that's cool. But he was kind of just there. Hannah was the real focus of the book. She didn't really jump off the page for me, either. However, I've seen several people say that her reasons for killing herself "weren't even a big deal" and all these other things, and to that I say: who are we to judge? No one knows the extent of someone's problems or their feelings but themselves. Just because someone doesn't deal with problems the same way you would doesn't mean they're less inclined in any way. Not everyone has the same amount of strength to deal with tough situations.

That being said, I have to commend Asher for not going too over the top with the "reasons". Was it realistic? Maybe not. Was Hannah at fault for a lot of the things that happened to her? Definitely. But she dealt with realistic teen problems, and this book just showed how even the simplest actions can affect someone, and it's possible for it to build up into something that might end in a similar, if not same, situation. I wasn't too invested in the characters, it was more the plot itself and that message of the book overall that kept me invested.

The book got an extra half star from me because of the intricacy concerning the tape concept. The story-telling was done well enough and I kept reading on, interested to read about the next tape. I would've given it a whole star if I wasn't so creeped out by the fact that she sent out tapes for specific people; talk about being haunted for the rest of your life. I found myself asking what exactly the purpose was with the tapes. Was it to make them feel guilty? For revenge? That's a little cruel. And if that doesn't make these people feel like complete crap for a lifetime, knowing that they contributed to her death, then I don't know what would.

The plot is original and I sympathized with both Hannah and Clay, but I didn't love the book as much as I wanted to. It was recommended to me by a friend and I've seen a lot of people talking about it, so I decided to check it out. It only took me a couple of hours to read, and while I was entertained, I wasn't blown away or anything. The ending was also a little disappointing. I would have liked for it to be more fleshed out. It's a good, quick read, and I'm glad to have read it because it seemed to have impacted a lot of people, but I was conflicted. It does send a good message that people should be mindful to how they treat others, because you never know what kind of impact your actions can have on someone. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I listened to it via audio book; that would've been interesting considering the context of the story. Of course, if the plot sounds interesting (which it is) and you're the kind of person who is intrigued by these kinds of stories, then definitely check it out for yourself and be the judge.

My rating:

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Title: River's Recruit (Sanctuary, #1)
Author: Charlotte Abel
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Age group: New adult
Release date: September 1, 2012

Devastated by the death of his identical twin, Jonathan McKnight flees to the Sawatch Mountain Wilderness. He seeks redemption, but all he finds is trouble... and a beautiful young woman named River that belongs to a primitive and dangerous cult.

Jonathan wants to rescue River and taker her back to his world. River wants to recruit him. Fate has other plans for both of them.



My Review:
Jonathan McKnight has lost a lot; his identical twin brother, his left hand, and himself. After serving in Afghanistan, he goes off on his own to find himself. On his journey, he encounters River and her people. River and her tribe harbour a secret -- they are shifters, and their lifestyle bothers Jonathan. While River claims responsibility over him, he wants to take her away from that life; keep her safe. But could there be a reason Jonathan was sent there?

Jonathan and River are characters that worked well together and apart. As individuals, I felt their vulnerability and their struggles, and both had their own stories to tell. River came from a tribe that separated itself from society; they never relied or indulged in anything from the outside world, and they never really needed to. The society that their people had built was its own world. But of course, every world comes with its own problems. Traditions and rules were to be upheld, but there were times where River found herself at a crossroad. She was arranged into an engagement with a man she didn't love, and the man's mother would stop at nothing to ensure her son climb up the political ladder. Jonathan, on the other hand, grew up in the modern world to a loving family. He went to school, did extracurricular activities, and went on dates. His story really started when he and his twin brother enlisted in the army. Tragedy struck one ill-fated day, and it left him alive while his brother died. While trying to fight a depressed state, he decided to venture off on his own and camp out for a while. He encountered River when he saved her from a mountain lion, and she provided him with a means to survive in the wilderness. As the story progressed, it's revealed that they might have more in common than they thought.

Jonathan and River worked very well together. While it might not have been an instant head-over-heels scenario, their build-up was worth the read. They did get a little too reliant on each other towards the end, but the mind frame and the way the shifter's world worked made it understandable. The romance between the two main characters was well-balanced by the other characters throughout the book. Specifically, there was major concentration on the characters in New Eden, where River was from. Everyone was unique and had their own voice and motive. When you think you have these characters figured out, they go and do something to throw you off, and to me that's one of the most exciting things you can come across in a book. All the characters had more than one dimension.

The world of New Eden, located on the outskirts of Denver, was such a treat to read about. Everything was explained: traditions, politics, hierarchy, and even the mechanics of how they engineered different parts of their living areas. Abel wrote in such a descriptive way with every part in her story. The emotions and actions from all the characters jumped off the page and the world she created was easily drawn up in my mind.

The ending left me wanting more, very soon. River's Recruit was definitely a page turner of a book, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it. I would definitely recommend this book to those interested in wolf lore and just paranormal romance in general. I'm already looking forward to the next installment in the series and can't wait to see what else fate has in store for Jonathan, River, and the people of New Eden.

My rating:

About the author:
Charlotte Abel was born and raised in Oklahoma where she met her soulmate, Pete. She chased him to Boulder, Colorado and finally convinced him they were meant to be together forever. They've raised three kids, two ferrets, three dogs and countless hamsters -- and are still happily married.
She's in love with "real" life and paranormal romance. When she's not reading or writing, Charlotte enjoys hiking, bicycling and primitive archery (although she's never shot at anything other than a target!)
The final book of The Channie Series, "Finding Valor," should be available by Christmas.
Charlotte Abel | Twitter

Check out the other stops on the tour, hosted by SupaGurl Tours:

Dec. 1 - Bend in the Bind *Review, Guest Post, Giveaway *signed paperback*
Dec. 2 - Night Owl Reads *Excerpt
Dec. 3 - Bookluvers Haven *Review, Giveaway *ebook copy*
Dec. 4 - Book Crook Reviews *Review, Author Guest Post
Dec. 5 - Bookworm Babblings *Review
Dec. 6 - Better Read than Dead *Review, Author Interview, Giveaway *ebook copy*
Dec. 7
Dec. 8 - Nomi's Paranormal Palace *Review
Dec. 9 - Starry Night Book Reviews *Review
Dec. 10 - Books & Other Spells *Review, Giveaway *ebook copy*
Dec. 11 - The Cover Contessa *Review, Interview
Dec. 12 - Beth Art from the Heart *Review, Author Interview, Giveaway *ebook copy*
Dec. 13 - A Dragon's Love *Review, Guest Post
Dec. 14 - Howling Books and Design *Review, Megan Likes Books *Author Interview
Dec. 15 - Her Fiction Fix *Review
Dec. 16 - A Reader's Devotion *Review
Dec. 17 - Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books *Review, Playlist
Dec. 18
Dec. 19 - Sweet Southern Home *Review *RR Tour*
Dec. 20 - Vamps and Stuff *Review, Guest Post, Giveaway *Paperback copy*
Dec. 21 - The Cover (and Everything In Between) *Author Interview
Dec. 22 - A Bibliophile's Thoughts On Books *Review
Dec. 23 - Sniffer Walk *Review
Dec. 24 - Bookishly Devoted *Review
Dec. 25 - Simply Infatuated * Author Guest Post
Dec. 26 - Happy Tails & Tales * Review, Author Interview
Dec. 27 - Black Lillies Are Deadly *Review, Giveaway *ebook copy*
Dec. 28 - Night Owl Reads *Review, Giveaway *Necklace*
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
Dec. 31 - Reader Girls *Review, Excerpt

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Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Series: Mara Dyer
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release date: September 27, 2011
ISBN-10: 1442421762
ISBN-13: 9781442421769
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Purchased

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.



My Review:
Mara Dyer woke up in a hospital with no memory of what happened. She was involved in an accident that killed her best friend, her boyfriend, and his sister. She was the only survivor. To help ease her pain, her family packed up and moved to Miami, Florida to start a new life. While thinking she left the tragedy behind her, Mara starts having visions. It's possibly PTSD, but things start getting out of hand; visions come true and things around her get destroyed, just the way she sees them in her head.

I have conflicted feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the way it was told; Hodkin is quite the writer. But the biggest problem I had were the characters. Mara was an okay character; what stood out for me were her narrations. Hodkin gave her a great voice and I literally laughed out loud at some of the stuff Mara said internally because it reminded me of how I talk. She was also clearly disturbed and dark at times, which was understandable considering what had happened to her. But then she took a dive after getting to know Noah. It all became kind of Bella and Edward at that point. Noah was the typical bad boy love interest who had girls dropping their panties left and right, but he never gave a damn about anyone until he met Mara. There's pretentious and cocky, then there's Noah Shaw. He was scruffy and unkempt and a total prick because all the girls dig that, but it turned out he was actually filthy rich with a butler valet named Albert, spoke six languages, was well-read, smoked while he drove, had "la vie boheme" parents, massive daddy issues, and was British. Oh, and he drove a Prius. Of course he drove a Prius. It also bugged me that Mara's older brother, Daniel, seemed to always not have a problem with this guy taking his sister out and asking him to lie to their mom about stuff. It was especially unbelievable after Daniel being so protective of Mara in the beginning. It's like the whole story shifted into this weird place after Noah showed up. Then there was Mara's new friend Jamie... who was black. And Jewish. And gay. Who had a tongue ring. And dreads. Even he pointed out how token he was. Then he just disappeared... shame, because I actually wanted to know more about him. On the paranormal side, it was another story. I really liked how Hodkin pulled it off with Mara's ability and the descriptive way it was written. I just wished there were more details, but that's why it's a series, right?

Plot-wise, there were some random things near the end that just came out of nowhere. Stuff like strange rituals, animal sacrifices, blood consumption, gunshots, something about alligators and leeches and chickens (oh my)... I don't even know. I was confused throughout the book; it just lacked something. I think it would've warranted another star from me if Mara wasn't so obsessed with Noah. It seriously took up 70% of the book once he was introduced, and I'd probably be less confused if there was more focus on Mara's ability and why she had it, instead of Mara wanting to "have his babies" (no, seriously). It also wouldn't have hurt to expand on Noah's ability and why exactly they were meant to connect with each other. It was all so vague and disjointed; I think a lot of it had to do with the lack of differentiating between hallucinations and real-life. About a third into the book, I kept going, "what the heck is even happening?!"

But to be fair, in all my questioning, I couldn't stop reading. I literally could not put it down. I wouldn't rate this book 3.5 stars if I didn't like at least half of it. I kept on reading hoping my questions would be answered; they never really were, but wow, was I ever entertained. The style that Hodkin wrote in made me want to keep reading and I've already gone out and picked up the second installment. A+ for the cover, too. Look at it, it's absolutely gorgeous.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a compelling, creepy read with romantic overtones. If you're curious, definitely check this book out. Then come back and explain it all to me because I'm still confused.

My rating:

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Title: The Lighter Side of Life and Death
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House Books
Release date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-10: 0375845895
ISBN-13: 9780375845895
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Purchased

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true and the future looks golden.

Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive 23-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world. Fans of John Green and Sarah Dessen will savor C. K. Kelly Martin's sexy, smart, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this feel good celebration of friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances.



My Review:
Mason Rice is living the life. With good friends and a successful run in the school play, nothing could touch him. After one amazing day, he heads over to a party to celebrate his recent accomplishments and finds himself alone with his best friend, Kat. They end up sleeping together, and this changes everything. Kat wants to pretend nothing happened so she starts avoiding him, and their other best friend, Jamie, is mad at Mason because he's also in love with Kat and was kept in the dark about what happened between the two. At home, Mason is dealing with some big changes in his family. He butts heads with his step-sister-to-be and they can never seem to find common ground. Mason then meets Colette, his future stepmom's 23-year-old friend, who he starts a secret forbidden liaison with. As their relationship prolongs, Mason starts slipping away from his old life.

Here's a little personal history for you: I first read this book the year it came out. I just turned 21, but was at that stage where I still felt 20; right smack in the middle of Mason and Colette's 7-year age gap. Fast forward to today, 23 on the verge of turning 24-- same age as Colette. When I was reading this book in 2010, I was just "meh" about their relationship. I got that it was taboo but for some reason I wasn't as affected as I am now. What a difference 2 years makes. My feelings about their relationship changed immensely! Can I imagine myself messing around with a 16-year-old? The thought makes my stomach feel weird. And not in the good way. God, no.

The plot was great and the execution was better than I can imagine. Martin had this style that never went overboard, no matter how big the issue. It was nice and made for an enjoyable light read. The book was full of adolescent problems but instead of taking them and making a big unnecessary show out of it, she wrote it so that the characters actually could deal and the reader could actually see these kinds of reactions to things in real life.

What set this story apart for me was the narration from Mason's perspective. I've never really come across a lot of contemporary romance novels from a guy's point of view. It worked really well for this story, and his voice was so refreshing. He went through a lot of emotions, like every teenager goes through, and it was interesting taking a look into the inner workings of a teenage boy's mind. Mason was easy-going and handled everything great on the outside, but he was slowly losing it inside as the story progressed. He had this illicit affair with an older woman and eventually admitted to it, but the consequences weren't too drastic. Actually, the whole book wasn't as dramatic as it could have been. I personally love Martin for that; the story could have gotten really over-dramatic and cliché, but it was all done with subtle grace. Of course Mason wasn't without his flaws, as all the characters in this book were, but he was definitely a great narrator for the story.

The other characters were all very diverse, which I commend Martin for. Various age groups, ethnicities, and sexual orientations were represented without going overboard. It gave it a more realistic feel that I definitely appreciated. The story went in the direction it did because of Kat, Mason's crush who just so happens to also be one of his best friends. It was interesting that she was Filipino when there are virtually none of us in contemporary literature, so that was kind of cool. And hey, look at that, the story took place in Canada. But that aside, Kat reacted to what happened between her and Mason in such an odd way. It was exasperating. I wanted to like her more and wanted to know more about her. But of course, she was avoiding Mason for more than half the book so that didn't happen. I had mixed feelings about her, but I'm happy with how the story ended. Jamie, though. The other best friend. I could have done without his whining and total abandonment of Mason. I can't even talk about him properly without getting worked up. Colette... I don't know if the readers are supposed to like her. It's just bad right off the bat; she had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy. Freakin' illegal. If it's not illegal, then it's definitely lacking in common sense. She clearly had some issues that she needed to work out; re-evaluate her life a little bit, maybe, because... woah. Ick. All in all, I think every character served their purpose, and it was done well. The fact that both of the leading females in the story were so different in every single way was a nice touch. They could have been severely butchered, one being an immigrant teenager and the other a 20-something woman having an affair with a minor, but Martin managed to stay away from stereotypes.

Funny thing, while I was reading this book the first time in 2010, I always pictured Logan Lerman as Mason. I don't know why. Seems like a character he would play if a movie adaptation was ever made. I've seen several other places online suggesting Aaron Johnson, which would have been good, too, at the time (not now, though). I've always thought he and Logan looked pretty similar. Anyway. When I start getting into potential movie casting is when you know I like a book a lot. It was one of my favourites in 2010, and re-reading it now brought back the feelings. They've shifted a bit, because like I mentioned earlier, 2 years can change a person, even by the slightest. A lot of things that I liked during my initial reading, I changed my opinion on. To add onto that, I noticed more things the second time around that I wasn't really paying attention to before. Regardless, this book remains one of my favourites, and I would recommend it to those looking for a light and not so over-exaggerated read, considering the subject.

My rating:

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Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release date: February 26, 2013 (North American release)
ISBN-10: 1250012570
ISBN-13: 9781250012579
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

"Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.



My Review:
Eleanor & Park is the story of adolescence and first love. It takes place in the 1980s in the Midwestern United States; Omaha, to be exact. Eleanor is the new girl at school. She's described as being slightly overweight with wild red hair and dresses in ill-fitting clothes. She's a target for your typical high school bullies, and unfortunately her home life isn't any better. Park is well-liked at school and has a loving family, but he still stands out from everyone else. He's half-Korean in a neighbourhood full of white kids, his younger brother looks way older than him, and he'd rather read comic books than play sports. Both are misfits in different ways, and after begrudgingly encountering each other one day on the bus ride to school, they find themselves drifting closer and closer together.

As the title suggests, the book focused on Eleanor and Park's relationship, all the way from the ground up. It started with Eleanor getting on the school bus and being forced to pick a seat, only to discover that everyone already had some pre-arranged seating plan. One kid, Park, speaks up (unwillingly and rather rudely) and lets her take the seat next to him. They didn't interact initially -- in fact, they developed preconceived notions about each other that made them speak pretty foully about one another. But after a while, they started discovering common interests, taught each other a thing or two along the way (which was done beautifully, by the way, through wordless interactions) and found themselves enjoying each other's company. By the middle of the book, they were clearly past sneaky glances and silently sharing comic books. It moved a tad fast for me at this point (there's a line where Eleanor stated that he made her want to have his babies and give him both of her kidneys. Woah. And they were only setting up a phone date!), but that aside, the build-up prior to that was near perfection. They fell in love, though Eleanor kept her guard up for most of the book, not wanting this part of her life destroyed by her situation at home. Eleanor lacked self-confidence, but Park always made her feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, even though everyone around them didn't quite understand why they picked each other.

They weren't only great together, but they were likeable as individual characters as well. I feel like this is such a plus when it comes to romances. It pains me when I love two people together, but not apart; that just emphasizes their dependency on each other. I loved Eleanor. She was snarky and hi-laaarious, and she liked the Beatles, so obviously she had great taste in music. Park, on the other hand, didn't know much about the Beatles. Which was a shame, but he made up for it with his adorable love for comic books and nerd references. They were completely different from each other, from their looks and personalities to their families. Eleanor's family was broken and impoverished while Park's was whole and very involved in his life (he even lived next to his grandparents). Their contrasting lives eventually weaved together and ended the story on a very heart-wrenching, very high note.

Rowell is an amazing writer. She ended off paragraphs with quotes and lines that had me clutching my chest and aww-ing more than once. There were parts that made me laugh and parts that made me cry. It was a whole range of emotions for me while reading. The book was written in both Eleanor and Park's perspectives, where Rowell would switch between the two. Thankfully it was written in third person narrative and not first, otherwise it would have been pretty confusing. The switching perspectives worked because it gives readers an inside look at both of their lives away from each other. Their familial situations were so different, and I felt horrible for Eleanor especially. Rowell didn't hold back on tackling the serious issues when it came to Eleanor's home life. It was utterly heartbreaking to read, but it made the story as a whole more real. It wasn't just a romance perfectly packaged and tied up in a pretty bow.

Ah, the pre-90's references. Loved them. I was born at the tail-end of the 80's, so a lot of the pop culture references were still pretty fresh; that, and my parents totally brought me up on all of it so I wasn't lost along the way. The references that Rowell used were the ones that stood out in the 80s; the timeless ones that won't be forgotten even 20 years later. I also think it's safe to say that we live in a time where the younger generation can actually appreciate a more older sound in music. I was at a bookstore one day and an older gentleman was talking to the cashier about how he and his 20-something year old son bonded over Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. I'm the same with my parents and know a lot of people who are also, so for me, this book wasn't dated at all. In fact, it seems like the perfect time to release this book.

Also, how perfect is this cover? It's the perfect representation for this story; simple but attractive, quirky, innocent, and depicts the connection that Eleanor and Park have with each other, away from the prying eyes of those around them. The incorporation of music in the cover also adds to the overall effect, as music plays quite a big part in the two character's relationship. This US edition will be released by St. Martin's Press on February 26, 2013. I'm happy to admit that this has been one of my favourite YA reads for 2012.

I also have to point out that Rowell has a book coming out in late 2013 called "Fangirl". About a girl who would rather live in other people' stories instead of her own. Are you kidding me? Sign me up.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the ARC.

My rating:

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