Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Genre: Romance, Mystery, Adventure
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Pages: 384
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.

Blurb: A nice relaxing read. Gritty, and yet fluffy.

Review: Sorry to review this so early, but I can't keep quiet about this one! This was the book that brought me out of my reading slump. It was really easy to get engaged, and the plot was very interesting. However... it was a strange paradox, the plot seemed gritty, and yet it always felt fluffy. I never really took it seriously. This is probably because the romance always seemed over-the-top and silly. But then again... I almost always say that teen romance is over-the-top and silly; so that isn't necessarily a trustworthy stance. And anyway, I really appreciated how easy it was to read (which could be interpreted as fluffy, I suppose) because it was like a happy roller coaster for my brain. Didn't have to fight it to like it.

Even though it seemed fluffy, I was definitely invested. I like that the book is a stand alone (it is a stand alone, right?), but it drew me in and I definitely wanted to know more about Nil. This is the kind of book that I really wish had a map and/or pictures. Ooh! And a prequel would be really cool!

This book comes out in spring, and I think it'd make a great spring break read!

Other Reviews (TBA):

• TBA (Loved it!)
• TBA (It was okay)
• TBA (Didn't Like It.)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: May 28th, 2013
Genre: Apocalypse
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 212
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Monument 14 #2 (Review of #1)
Summary: (Spoilers, highlight to view)

The world hasn't ended...yet.

In this sequel to MONUMENT 14, the group of survivors, originally trapped together in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, has split in two. Most of the kids are making a desperate run on their recently repaired school bus for the Denver airport where they hope to reunite with their parents, be evacuated to safety, and save their dying friend.

But the world outside is dark and filled with dangerous chemicals that turn people into bloodthirsty monsters, and not all the kids were willing to get on the bus. Left behind in a sanctuary that has already been disturbed once, the remaining kids try to rebuild the community they lost. But when the issues are life and death, love and hate, who can you really trust?

Blurb: AWESOME, but WAY too short.

Review: I want to avoid spoilers, so like most of my sequel-reviews, I'll keep this short.

I loved the first book in this series, and I loved the second book just as much. I found the characters just as engaging, and I loved getting to see more of the world. There were some moments that I was literally sitting ramrod straight because I was so excited about what was happening.

That's pretty much all I have to say in terms of a review. However, I do have one complaint: It was way too short. Not even an "I wish there was more" kind of short. It was a full-on "this isn't long enough." It read more like Monument 14 #1.5. A pre-sequel novella, or something. Maybe I've just become spoiled by big books lately, but anything under 300 (MAYBE 275) pages seems tiny. The first book was pushing it for me at 294 pages, but this one was just plum too short.

So, if you want my advice, I would read these back-to-back as if they were one book. Sky on Fire takes up immediately where the first book left off, so I don't even think it would feel weird. And if this were 1 500-600 page book I think it would be perfect. After all, when I love characters and a story this much, I want as much as I can! Hopefully book 3 (Savage Drift) will be bigger! But I'll definitely read it regardless of how long it is, 'cause this series is awesome!

Other Reviews (May have spoilers!):

• Chick Loves Lit (Loved it!)
• On the Wings of Books (It was okay)
• TBA (Didn't Like It)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

(NOTE FROM ENNA: River is going to be helping me a lot with reviews for a little while. I'm doing my senior project this semester, and it's kind of consuming my life. I'm in class/work/rehearsal from about 9-9 every day until March. Hopefully I can get my act together on the weekends and schedule some stuff. Until then, enjoy another River Review!)

Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Genre: Dystopia, Sci-fi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 320
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa's talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation called AMRF threatens his life in no uncertain terms.

But what Noa and Peter don't realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who'd stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Review: I wasn't blown away by this book, but it was still fairly good. I had really high expectations for it at the beginning when the first chapter was so action-packed, but they slowly slipped away as the protagonist seemed to spend a fair amount of time perched on her Apple laptop (This is a complete exaggeration, but I feel like the words "macbook" or "apple" were used more than the main character's name, which was annoying- there were just way too many references to her computer!) in coffee shops, wondering where she was going to sleep for the night. In all fairness, considering Noa's circumstances and her history as a computer hacker, it made sense that she would be rotating coffee shops and that she would be fairly obsessed with her laptop, but it still made for boring reading for me at times. 

However, it wasn't all boring, and in retrospect, most of the book was lively and fast-paced. When I first discovered what had happened to Noa, I admit I was fairly unimpressed, but the author managed to turn it into something interesting and curious, dropping mysterious hints about future sequels as I read. Noa herself was a likable protagonist, even if she wasn't the usual kick-butt, hard-edged heroine that I like. She was still smart and the other main characters were equally well-written.

Michelle Gagnon vanquished most of my doubts about the novel in the last few pages when she completely turned the tables on me, which frustrated the snot out of me. Things were finally looking for the main characters and for humanity as a whole, and she viciously squelched my rising hopes with a crusher of an ending that, of course, made me feel obligated to read the next book to find out what happens. Overall, I guess my final description for the book is that it was pretty good, and I ended up liking it for a book that really didn't seem like my type from the get-go.


*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: October 30th, 2012 (US) August 2nd, 2012 (UK)
Genre: Post-Apocolypse
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 432
Rating: ()
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Dustlands #2 (Review of #1)
Summary: (Spoilers, highlight to view)

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants?

Note: I was provided a UK edition of this book for review. I have not been informed of any differences between this edition and the US edition.

Blurb: Wonderful follow-up to the amazing Blood Red Road. Not your typical 2nd-book!

Review: Once again, Moira Young has created an amazing story with AMAZING characters. I still totally love Saba. I love her because she's an idiot, and she knows it. She's still got her "I'm going alone!" attitude, but she's much quicker to acknowledge that she needs people. I loved seeing the effect of what the first book had done to her. In too many books a character is subjected to TERRIBLE things, and then they just go on to their next adventure. Not Saba. The things she does truly have an impact on her.

The relationships between all the characters were great as well. Moira perfectly captures what it's like to grow up and away from family members as you get older and gain your own experiences. It was heartbreaking, but also authentic. I imagine, though, that many people won't like this book because they'll say the characters are "too whiny" or something like that. And maybe they are, but they are REAL. Put yourselves in their shoes and tell me you wouldn't whine. You can't. Can you?

But, oh. How this book breaks your heart. In so many ways. First of all, Jack and Saba go through some HARD CORE sequel-phase. To be honest, I could have done without this. It made me super-sad. BUT, the story is still great. This book didn't read like the 2nd in a series to me. 2nd books are usually bridges: full of boring talk and setting up for adventures that will happen LATER. Not this one. There are loads of adventures in this book. We also get introduced to some new characters, reunited with some old friends, and some old enemies.

To be honest, this book was heading straight for 5 stars. No question. And then... I hit the last 100 pages. And they have made me waffle between 4 and 4.5 stars (hence that parenthetical half-star).

Those last 100 pages... they have stymied me. Clearly, they weren't BAD (I mean, I'm still giving it 4/4.5 stars), but... they were perplexing. I feel very conflicted. On the one hand, I can understand why Saba/Jack does what she/he does. On the other... I don't want them to do it. While the first 300 pages seem to go fairly slow (though action packed) the last 100 pages are BAM BAM BAM BAM of crazy decisions, people dying, and relationships destroyed. It's just left me a little... shaken. Whereas when BRR ended I felt an awesome rush but I also felt a sense of closure. There is very little closure in this book. And that distresses me, because the third book isn't even anywhere on the horizon.

As for content, there is some profanity (though it's strange phonetically-written profanity. And mild), and some sexual content (nothing graphic. I believe the two people are described as "bare as they day they was born).

So that's the gist of it. I LOVED this book, but the ending left me so bumpuzzled that I just can't give it 5 stars

Other Reviews:

• TBA (Loved it!)
• Realm Of Fiction (It was okay)
• TBA (Didn't like it)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: November 1st, 2011
Genre: Apocolypse, Thriller
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 329
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

Since the beginning of mankind, civilizations have fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs… and now us. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening: An ancient evil has been unleashed, and it’s turning everyday people into hunters, killers, and crazies.

This is the world Mason, Aries, Clementine, and Michael are living in—or rather, trying to survive. Each is fleeing unspeakable horror, from murderous chaos to brutal natural disasters, and each is traveling the same road in a world gone mad.

Amid the throes of the apocalypse and clinging to love and meaning wherever it can be found, these four teens are on a journey into the heart of darkness—and to find each other and a place of safety.

Blurb: Drew me in. Genuinely scary, fast-paced, and thought-provoking.

Review: I suppose I just have a thing for apocalyptic books, because Dark Inside earns the same four drops of water that This is Not a Test earned, but outside of personal preference, this book really deserves its high rating. I read this book on my flight home to Detroit and normally I get air-sick reading, but I was so drawn to the book that I finished it easily, pausing to dry-heave only once (Only kidding; I managed to keep my insides where they belong the entire time). I found myself eyeing my the young couple next to me and their tiny newborn with careful interest, wondering what would happen if "The Dark" was to suddenly take hold of the people on my flight.

For some reason, many of the books I've read lately just haven't managed to capture my interest and really draw me in, but Dark Inside was the type of book that involved me. I was fascinated by the premise of a mysterious darkness that seemed to be harnessing the darkness already residing inside the souls of much of humanity. It was genuinely scary without being unimaginable and made me consider the state of humanity without being too preachy.

It was thoughtful, simple and fast-paced and despite its character switching (each chapter focused on one of about four different people), it still managed to make sense. I didn't have to double back to check on who a character was (one of my biggest reading pet peeves). Honestly, I can't even think of anything at the moment to critique; it was just really good. So that raises the question as to why I didn't give it five water droplets. Five stars would be akin to Harry Potter, in that I literally tear-up when I reach the end because it makes me hideously sad that there will never be any other books. So while Dark Inside was vivid, semi-deep and crazy (violence levels might not be appropriate for younger audiences), the end didn't make me cry. In fact, I was actually quite relieved when it ended in just the right (and somewhat expected) place; my terror quota was easily filled.

The last third of the book did follow a very common apocalyptic plot line, but it was so well done that I didn't even care. If you're a slower reader or don't have a lot of time to devote to the book in one sitting, you're more likely to get the characters and their separate stories confused, but other than that, I would recommend this to any lover of apocalyptic fiction. I was reading a copy that Enna loaned me, but I went out and bought my own copy; It makes a nice addition to my "End of the World" book collection.

Other Reviews:

• Love of Books (Loved it!)
• The Book Cellar (It was okay)
• Redhead Heroines (Didn't like it)

River is a regular guest reviewer on Squeaky Books. Follow her on twitter!

All review content © Enna Isilee, Squeaky Books 2007-2012

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: June 19th, 2012
Genre: Apocolypse, Psycological Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 323
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Blurb: Very real and gripping. Started looking for escape routes.

Review: Hi everyone! It’s River! I just finished one of the ARC’s Enna asked me to read (I’m new to the world of book reviewing, so holding an ARC in my hands made me feel important in a convoluted sort of way and I have to mention it) called “This is Not a Test” and this is my first book review ever, so bear with me.

“This is Not a Test” is the story of Sloane, a suicidal high school girl who takes refuge in her high school with five other teens in the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. Her father was abusive, her sister has abandoned her and now suicide is out of the question for Sloane. She must struggle with her own desire to die, memories of her broken family and the students she is now trapped with.

Overall, “This is Not a Test” was an enjoyable read, outside of the smothering “Omigosh, what if this actually happened” panic I feel every time I read zombie apocalypse books like this (I actually started looking for escape routes from my apartment). The book was so real to me; the characters acted like the panicked high schoolers they were—and for the most part, nothing was over the top; it was easy for me to imagine myself there in the high school auditorium with them, trying to sleep on gymnastics mats while zombies flail against the doors.

The book has a certain quality that keeps you from getting restless or bored with the story, because even though the vast majority takes place in one setting, I didn’t get tired of it; the characters and story moved at the perfect pace. What’s more, the story revolved around just more than the zombies outside; it dealt with raw emotion and human nature, and made me wonder what I would be like if I was forced into a situation where I had to survive just for the sake surviving.

On the downside, I never found myself super involved with the majority of the characters so when the author tried a killing spree along the lines of “I will kill everyone you ever loved”, I calmly turned the page and continued on.

The ending was rushed (however, I assume most things are going to be rushed when zombies are after you) but there were some unexpected things that happened that were refreshing to me. Overall, it ended in the perfect spot. If you like the TV series “The Walking Dead”, this is the realistic and more feminine book version.

Note: This book is for more mature readers due to heavy use of profanity and sexual scenes.

Other Reviews:

• Xpresso Reads (Loved it!)
• Clockwork Reverie (It was okay)
• Sweet Tidbits (Didn't like it)

River is a guest reviewer on Squeaky Books. Follow her on twitter!

All review content © Enna Isilee, Squeaky Books 2007-2012

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: February 28th, 2012
Genre:  Post-Apocolypse, Sci-fi, Romance
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 468
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Blurb: Good for those who already love dystopia, not recommended for newbies

Review: This book is pretty entertaining. It has a fast-moving plot, a variety of interesting characters, and a splash of romance. What it doesn't have is a very strong world. I feel like there was SO MUCH left unexplained, and so I spent most of the book confused when the characters referred to anything other than what was immediately happening.

I mean... did they ever say what (view spoiler)(spoilers, highlight to view) made Partials, partial? No. Ever really tell us what ParaGen was? No. Ever explain what RM stood for or exactly what it did? No. Or if those questions WERE answered in the story, they were answered so stubtly/slowly that I missed it. ANNOYING! I need a fully flushed out world to be satisfied. But I'll admit the plot was still very engaging, if not very saturated. It was engaging enough to be worth 4 flowers, even with the unanswered questions. However, if Wells doesn't answer some of those questions in book 2 I will probably re-think those 4 flowers.

If you're already a fan of dystopia novels, then you'll probably like this one. If you haven't been exposed to dystopia before, I wouldn't start with this one because it might scare you away from the genre.

Other Reviews:

• Total Bookaholic (5 Stars)
• The Allure of Books (2 Stars)
• The Reading Housewives (2 Stars)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: August 23rd, 2011
Genre:  Mild Horror, Mystery, Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 298
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's Gothic classic, Frankenstein, sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor can cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and his best friend, Henry, on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love ? and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Blurb: Simple, easy, and subtley creepy.

Review: I love me some prequels. I, like many, read Frankenstein in high school. I was hoping for a story full of magic, horror, mystery, and more. Well... I got some of that.

I wasn't prepared for how simple this book was. It didn't have very much magic, or horror. The book was set up very episodically. It was focused on the main characters gathering three ingredients, and it essentially followed the pattern of 1. find what the ingredient is, 2. go through something dramatic to get the ingredient, 3. wait around for information on the next ingredient.

Along those same lines, Victor was a relatively normal boy with only glimpses of the man he would become. It made the story a little less exciting, but also very authentic. I could easily believe that this boy could become Victor Frankenstein.

This pattern and Victor's easy way of thinking and talking made the book very easy to read-- I found the pages flying by-- but it also wasn't the crash bang boom I was expecting from this book. There was very little of the drama of the original Frankenstein. But all in all, a very enjoyable story. It was horror-lite enough that I think any teen could read it. And by the end I REALLY wanted to read Frankenstein again just so I could see how closely the two matched up. It was subtle, but still wonderful.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: June 21st, 2011
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher: Greenwillow
Pages: 311
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away.

Albion is at war . . . and losing.

The wardens have descended, kidnapping innocent citizens for their army, but looking for one in particular.

And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.

As her home is torn apart by the wardens, Kate's discovery that she is one of the Skilled—the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death—makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Only she can unlock the secrets of Wintercraft, the ancient book of dangerous knowledge. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—with its secret tunnels and underground villages, and where her own parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she'll make a pact with a murderer to do it.

Blurb: Simply enchanting and wonderfully haunting.

Review: I feel like this book slipped under the radar. I don't remember hearing anything about it when it first came out. That's too bad, 'cause it's pretty awesome.

Shadowcry is a very simple book. It reads like the first 150 and last 50 pages of a much longer book, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just means that there's not a lot of detail, so you feel like you're flying through the story. What a perfect read for a lazy day, or to get you out of a reading slump (as was my case). The story was engaging, though not particularly deep. I didn't feel much connection to the characters, but was easily drawn into the world. It reminded me of a very light version of Sabriel.

Burtenshaw is a master of creating the sympathetic villain. She had me perfectly conflicted. I wanted to like this guy, but he was truly evil. It takes quite a wordsmith to make such strong, conflicting feelings in a single character. I also liked that it didn't end in a cliffhanger, but still has me wanting the next book. If you aren't in the mood for a series, you could definitely read this as a stand-alone.

All in all I really enjoyed it. If you're stuck in a slump, or looking for something you can read in a single sitting, I'd recommend Shadowcry in a heartbeat.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Genre:  Um... fiction?
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 205
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming. . . .

This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.

Blurb: It's like The Giving Tree gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Review: I have an interesting relationship with this book. I'm still not sure if I love it or hate it. I thought this book was SOOOOOOO boring for the first 100+. I thought it was didactic, and I KNEW there was supposed to be some kind of deep message, but the fact that it wasn't affecting me was really bugging me.

But then... something changed. I don't know what it was. All of a sudden... I loved it. And then I thought it was a cheap shot. And then I thought it was beautiful. And then I wanted to throw it against the wall. And then I was sobbing. And then I decided that I would give this book the worst rating ever.

And here we are.

I think what was the hardest part was that by the time I finished the book and was sobbing, I thought "This isn't fair! I don't like this book, so why is it making me cry so much?!" It made me angry. I had been prepared to hate it. There was so much that made me want to hate it. And then for it to suddenly make me want to love it?! Gah! Emotional turmoil!

It boils down to this: A Monster Calls was not my kind of book. It was a little too dependant on its metaphors, etc. However, I really liked it. Hence the conflict.

The bright side is that it's really short. It only took me a couple hours to read, if that. So whether you love it or hate it, it's not going to take a lot out of your day.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: April 3rd, 2012
Genre:  Horror, Dystopia, Sci-fi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 576
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Gone #5 (Review of #1, #2, #3, #4)
Summary:

This is a blood-pumping, white-knuckle sci-fi thriller of epic proportions. Night is falling in the FAYZ. Even though it's been nearly a year since everyone over the age of fifteen disappeared, the sun has continued to shine on the kids of Perdido Beach. Now, though, the gaiaphage has blotted out the sun and plunged the FAYZ into perpetual gloom. Divided and dispirited, the survivors face their greatest enemy yet - the darkness of their own minds...

Blurb: Fear crosses the invisible line in more ways than one

Review: I've always loved this series. They're almost a guilty pleasure of mine. They are so gripping. They certainly don't feel like nearly 600 pages each.

If you haven't read this series, then you probably won't care much about this review. And if you have read the series, then you know a lot about it already, so I'll keep it brief.

I think this book crosses the line in some places. This series has always been disturbing, but I felt like this one was SO disturbing that it made me enjoy it less.

And that's all I'm gonna say. Seriously. If you are familiar with the series and would like more information, feel free to e-mail me.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: January 17th, 2011
Genre:  Romance, Paranormal
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 423
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Unearthly #2 (Review of #1)
Summary(Spoilers, highlight to view):

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Blurb: Only someone with steel skin wouldn't be touched by this book.

Review: This book hit my Achilles heel: mother-daughter relationships. Ah! I LOVED this book. It is written so magically and wonderfully. I even cried at the end. Seriously cried. It broke my heart.

I said I would read this book because I loved the romance in Unearthly. Unfortunately, this book suffers from quite a bit of sequel-phase and love-triangleness. So the romance wasn't doing it for me in this one.

BUT, the main reason I'm only giving it 4 flowers is because... well... nothing really happened. There was one BIG (and heartbreaking) event that the book focused on; and while I loved it, it wasn't exciting. This is really common with the second book in a series. Everything is set up for where it needs to be in book 3, but the set up made this book very... simple. Almost no action at all except for one intense car-crash scene. But that was over in a couple pages.

All in all this book didn't have the WOW factor of Unearthly, though it was still touching, and I'm really excited to see what Cynthia does with everything she's built up.


*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: August 30th, 2011
Genre:  Romance, Paranormal
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 564
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Intertwined #3, (Review of #1, Review of #2)
Summary (Spoilers, highlight to view):

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.


Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

Blurb: Sexy, suspenseful, and oh-so sexy (yes, again), Twisted is sure to keep you on your toes.

Review: As always, it's awkward to review the third (but not final!) book in a series when there's a good chance that the majority of you have not yet read any of the previous books. So I'll keep this brief.

The first book in this series (Intertwined) was AMAZING. Probably one of the best books I've read all year. The second book (Unraveled) was an UBER disappointment because it was nothing but romance. This book is very much a mix of the two.

There was still A LOT of romance (probably MORE than was in Unraveled) but it was pared with A LOT of action and intrigue which made it all right. My [usual] standard is that if you can take out ALL of the romance and still have a good story, then it's [usually] a good book. Due to the fact that this book is nearly SIX HUNDRED PAGES LONG, you could take out the romance and still have a good story.

Along those same lines, I do think that this book could have been shorter. There was a lot of internal conflict things that I felt were restated over and over and over and I just wanted to scream I GET IT,  ALREADY! However, Showalter doesn't make you feel like you're being strung along, so it was worth.

Oh, and a warning, there's some UBER-cliffhanger-ness at the end of this book. The kind that makes you want to grab the book and shake it until it comes apart at the seams. I'm not sure whether or not I think the cliffhanger is brilliant, or a COMPLETE cop-out. The jury is still out.

Okay. To sum up what is probably a confusing review: if you like this series so far, then you'll like Twisted. If you haven't yet started this series, and don't mind a lot of romance mixed in with your action, then give this series a go. It's pretty good. If your tolerance for paranormal romance is worn down to nothing, then maybe you should avoid this one. The first book will trick you into thinking it's more action-oriented than the series actually is.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: August 30th, 2011
Genre:  Horror, Adventure
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 519
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Benny Imura #2 (Review of #1)
Summary (Spoilers, highlight to view):

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them.


Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?


In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.

Blurb: A mystery that gives you time to think and a story that makes your mind run wild.

Review: I LOVED Rot & Ruin, and as such I knew there was a chance that this book would leave me feeling underwhelmed, and it did.

Rot & Ruin is full of action and emotion and running and jumping and zombies and monsters of the human variety. It's an imaginative smörgåsbord! Dust & Decay, however, is a much slower book. I felt like it took a LONG time for the story to get ANYWHERE.

The beginning of this book is a lot of "talk-talk-talk" and then FINALLY they get moving, but there is SO MUCH going on that the whole book only spans a couple days even though it's 500 pages long. The thing is, that "so much" that's going on isn't very... interesting. Sure there are zombie attacks and crazy-rhino attacks and new mysteries that really make you think, but they didn't go anywhere. Aside from some character growth, I feel like this book didn't progress the story at all. And because it was so slow, I felt like there was a lot more cheesy stuff in it. Lotsa teens acting like doofuses.

HOWEVER, this book is going to be quite a long series (I know there are at least two more books), and if Maberry works well with the other two books then this book could really pay off. I have a feeling that Dust & Decay may be one of those books that you don't really appreciate until you've read the entire series (i.e. Prisoner of Azkaban).

So if you liked Rot & Ruin, PLEASE pick this one up. R&R is WONDERFUL and I can't wait to see where Maberry takes the characters in this series. I just hope the next book takes them somewhere a little quicker.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011
Genre:  Paranormal
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 512
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Skinjacker Trilogy #3 (Review of #1, Review of #2)
Summary (Spoilers, highlight to view):

While Mary lies in a glass coffin aboard a ghost train heading west, her minions are awaiting her re-awakening by bringing lots of new souls into Everlost to serve her. Meanwhile Jackin’ Jill has met Jix, a fur-jacker—a skin jacker who can take over the bodies of animals, most notably jaguars. Jix serves a Mayan god who collects Everlost coins, and has his own agenda. In the concluding volume of The Skinjacker Trilogy, Neal Shusterman reveals new sides of the characters of Everlost, who are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth

Review: This is going to be more of a series review than a review of this specific book, since if you haven't read the first two you probably don't care about this specific book.

I read the first book in this series over two years ago and loved it. I had recently read Unwind and thought Shusterman could do no wrong. Unfortunately, since I loved Everlost so much Shusterman really didn't have anywhere to go but down. I've had much more mixed feelings as I've re-read the series in preparation for this book.

The thing is, the series reads like a middle grade series. Even though the characters are mostly mid-late teens and the subject matter is quite mature and disturbing, something about the writing makes me think it belongs in the MG genre. I don't like middle grade, so this colored my opinion. Also, there were some inconsistencies in the book that bugged me. It seems like he wasn't sure if he was going to write sequels to Everlost and when he did he had to change some things. I'm a stickler for consistency, so this bugged me.

However, I definitely enjoy the series. It's one I'll probably give to my younger brother when he's a little older. He'd get a kick out of it. It's got monsters and ghosts and tyrants. Awesome for an early teen. But it also has murder, suicide, and other mature themes that make it fit older readers.

This series has a special place in my heart. Two years ago it was the coolest thing I've read in a long time. However, I also think it's one of those books that is better as a memory and I won't be re-reading them again for a long time, if ever.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.