Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Genre: Romance, Political Intrigue
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pages: 368
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Blurb: An okay read, but never really grabbed me.

Review: I've heard some people say that fans of the Grisha Trilogy will like this book. And eh... I think I can see where they're coming from. But I adore the GT, and this book... was just okay.

Does this book have a lot of politics? Honestly... not really. I felt like we never really got to see the inner workings of their world. The class systems and heirarchy were mentioned, but never fully explored. I didn't really get to know anyone but the two main characters. And so all I got was two perspectives when I wanted a lot more. And I don't mean I wanted a multiple POV book, just a more diverse cast of characters. Or even better, a more in depth exploration of those characters.

Was the love story interesting? Yes. It was very interesting to see the two main characters struggle with their loyalty to their culture, and to each other. That was something unique. And I appreciated that neither character was willing to throw either away easily. In most cases like this it seems that the characters decide to forget everything they've known for their whole lives and just run off together, OR they decide that the only way they can move forward is to completely abandon each other. Not so in The Winner's Curse. The characters wrestled very well with their conflicting emotions.

But in the end, I'm not quite sure I was invested enough to crave the sequel. I might pick it up someday if I get the chance. But I would recommend you get this one from the library before buying 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: October 22nd 2013
Genre: Dystopia, Romance
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 526
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Divergent #3 (Review of #1, #2)
Summary (spoilers, highlight to view):

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Blurb: Not an awesome finale, but certainly not terrible

Review: Like most of my end-of-series reviews, I'll keep this fairly brief and spoiler-free. I was really nervous to read this book because it seemed like it caused SO much angst in the YA world when it came out. I have since discovered that this angst is primarily due to two things: 1) the slow pace, and 2) Tris' actions at the end of the book.

Neither of these things bothered me. I thought the book was "fine." I never felt like I was dragging through it, and was eager to read it. I didn't notice the slow pace at all, but perhaps that's because it has been ages since I read the first two, so I had nothing to compare it to, and I also read most of it over Christmas break, and so had big chunks of time to read. So perhaps it was slow, and I just missed it.

BUT, I can speak with confidence when it comes to the second issue. Tris' actions at the end of the book did not bother me at all because it was typical Tris. I felt like even though Veronica decided to do something fairly drastic with the story, she did not jump the shark. I totally believe that Tris, Four, Christina, and everyone else would have acted the way that they did. Does that mean that I liked the choices they made? No. Not even. But it didn't diminish the book for me at all because even though I didn't really like what happened, I felt like it was the right thing for the story. There was even sequel-phase in this story (which I usually hate) that felt totally natural and right.

If anything bugged me, it was that although this book claims to be "told from a riveting dual perspective," there were several times where I lost track of who was speaking. It didn't regularly switch back and forth each chapter, and Tris and Four have such similar voices, that I got lost quick. It would have been helpful to have their name at the top of the page or something, like that hilarious Brian Regan sketch. I should find a link to that...

Anyway, there you go. I didn't hate the book, I didn't love the book, I just thought it was a satisfying end to the series and I don't regret leaving it behind now. Though, I will go see the movie, if just for curiosity's sake.

Other Reviews:

• TBA (Loved it!) Coming soon! My school district blocks blogger blogs (except mine for some reason...) so I will have to add this later!
• The Quiet Voice (It was okay)
• TBA (Didn't Like It.) Coming soon for the same reason. :)

*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 29, 2013
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 368
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

In the world of SORROW'S KNOT, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry, something deadly. Most of the people of this world live on the sunlit, treeless prairies. But a few carve out an uneasy living in the forest towns, keeping the dead at bay with wards made from magically knotted cords. The women who tie these knots are called binders. And Otter's mother, Willow, is one of the greatest binders her people have ever known.

But Willow does not wish for her daughter to lead the lonely, heavy life of a binder, so she chooses another as her apprentice. Otter is devastated by this choice, and what's more, it leaves her untrained when the village falls under attack. In a moment of desperation, Otter casts her first ward, and the results are disastrous. But now Otter may be her people's only hope against the shadows that threaten them. Will the challenge be too great for her? Or will she find a way to put the dead to rest once and for all?

Blurb: An AWESOME story, but not one to read if your brain is tired.

Review: I am a HUGE fan of the author's first book, Plain Kate, and so I had really high hopes for this book. I loved this story and the world and the characters. HOWEVER I never really understood what was going on...

This was one of those books (and maybe there's a word for this?) where they never actually come out an explain anything. You are just supposed to piece things together by watching the characters live their lives. And maybe it's just because my brain is super tired from my penultimate semester, but I just could never wrap my brain fully around anything. I found myself CRAVING an omniscient narrator who would explain the rules of the world to me, or a new character to stumble in so that the existing characters would have to explain what was going on to him/her. And even though a new character eventually DID stumble into the world, the existing characters DIDN'T explain anything. At least, not more than they already had. They expected the new character to figure it out, just like me.

Things that I wish had been more fully explained:

1. What exactly is "binding"? Where did it come from? How was it discovered? Why does string have power? Does ANY kind of knot have power?

2. Where do the dead come from? Are the non white-hands recognized as being the dead versions of people who were once alive, or are they just mysterious malevolent spirits? (honestly, I only JUST realized that the dead hide in shadows, and that's why the traveling folk don't come to the forest often. They're trying to avoid shadows.)

3. How is the society organized? I was kind of able to piece together the idea of the cords, but I would have liked to know more about the different kinds and options, what it takes to belong in each.

4. Why aren't there very many boys? Why do only women have power? Has there EVER been a boy with power? Do the boys leave because they DON'T have power, or just because it's the norm for boys to leave?

I THINK that all of these things were in the book somewhere, but they were never explicitly explained. And so I feel like in order to answer these questions I'd have to do a lot of guesswork and fill-in-the-blank. And even if someone were to tell me the answers to these questions now... I still wish I had been able to find them in the story.

With all that said, I did REALLY enjoy the book. Maybe if I had gone into it after having read some kind of author's note or summary it would have helped. OR if this had been a book club book and so I could now TALK to people about it. But as it is, here I am 400 pages later and I'm STILL not quite sure what happened...

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: April 16th, 2013
Genre: Romance, Dystopia
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 360
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Review: (Keep in mind that I read this in one day, and almost EVERY book I read in one day I say "goes too fast" but I think this one really did regardless of how fast I read it)

This book started off great! It started really interesting because it posed lots of questions that none of the characters considered "questions." Why is there a wall around our village that we can't cross? Why do 18-year-old boys disappear? The characters ask these questions, then shrug and move on.

What I initially loved about this story was that it actually GAVE US ANSWERS! I get so tired of books that string you a long with question after question and just expect you to keep reading even though you're NEVER given ANY answers! Not with TAKEN. Not long after questions were asked, they were answered. And then more questions were asked an answered. And then... we started getting answers to questions we hadn't asked... And by the end I found myself wishing that the author had held SOMETHING back. Because now that I've finished it, all my questions have been answered, and the only thing that might motivate me to read the second book is the love triangle.

But here's the thing about the love triangle. It's an interesting one (since it's two girls and one boy), but I never really connected with either of the girls. Perhaps it's because I read the book too fast, or perhaps it's because the book was full of "one week later"s and "two months later"s. I'm not a huge fan of books that skip so far forward in time. I want to SEE what happens there! Put your big breaks in between books!

But even though I've listed what I think are the books 2 faults (answers too many questions and goes too fast), it has many more virtues. I love the story, I love the setting, I love the premise, I love the main character (Bowman does a GREAT job writing from a male perspective [said a female]). And I certainly will read the second book. But am I dying to get my hands on it? No. The ending to this one left me perfectly content. Hopefully that doesn't mean that it also made this book perfectly forgettable.

EDIT: I initially wrote this review on April 24th. About a week ago I was trying to decide what to read and I saw this on my shelf and thought "Oh yeah! I really want to read Taken! Why haven't I read that yet?" I even picked it up and put it in my purse before I realized "Wait... I have read that." So, forgettable? Apparently.

Other Reviews:

• Xpresso Reads (Loved it!)
• Speculating on SpecFic (It was okay)
• A Girl, a Boy and a Blog (REALLY 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: July 24th, 2013
Genre: Horror
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 388
Rating: +1/2
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Review: I'll admit, I'm a little zombie-crazed right now. I watch the Walking Dead, run using an app called "Zombies! Run!" and obsessively read zombie-related literature. That being said, Something Strange and Deadly was a zombie book that didn't quite fit into the zombie pop-culture genre and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

I think the main thing I wanted to point out is that the zombies were...normal? The book clearly takes place in a parallel universe where things are, for the most part, relatively the same. The only difference is that every now and again a corpse reanimates in a cemetery and no one bats an eye. Bells placed by graves (they used to do this in our world to avoid burying people alive- a 'deceased' person would ring the bell if they woke up in a coffin (which sounds absolutely horrific if you ask me)) alert the people in Eleanor's world that a corpse has woken up. The catch here is that beyond this occasional and normal reanimation, the zombie infestation that plagues the characters was not the result of some mysterious plague or disease. They were brought back to life by a necromancer, which definitely does not feature zombie pop-culture today.

Beyond the zombie commentary, I found the characters to be likable and interesting for the most part, but poorly written for the other part. I didn't feel like I knew any of the characters. This is completely random, so forgive me, but if the end of the book had revealed that every single character was a schizophrenic creation straight out of Eleanor's mind, I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest, despite the fact that mental illness had no bearing in the story and such a revelation would have been akin to a "and then she woke up" type of ending. They just seemed like props to the story. Eleanor was a strong main character and the others were incredibly weak in comparison. The stark contrast here hampered the story.

As for the story itself, it was interesting enough. It was a weird mix of science and black magic, which was vaguely off-putting (I tend to like books that stay solidly in one camp or the other) but I still managed to finish the book and enjoy it just fine, even though it took me much longer to read. I've discovered that the rate at which I finish a book correlates quite strongly with how good it is. If it's good, I'll finish it within the day. If it's average, like this book, I'll finish it randomly over the course of a week. This was a book that took me about a week to read. The pace of the story was frenetic in some spots and slow and repetitive in others which meant that I would read through the fast spots and put it down during the slow spots. I like it when books have a steady, building crescendo. Also, you can completely predict where the plot is going (at least who the necromancer is) by the end of the second page.

Overall, it was a little better than average, but nothing superb.


*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 13th, 2006
Genre: Graphic Novel, Sci-fi
Publisher: Image Comics
Pages: 112
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

True story: in 1899, Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla decided to end war forever. With Twain's connections and Tesla's inventions, they went into business selling world peace. So, what happened? Only now can the tale be told - in which Twain and Tesla collided with Edison and Morgan, an evil science cabal merging the Black Arts and the Industrial Age. Turn of the century New York City sets the stage for a titanic battle over the very fate of mankind.

Blurb: Woah. This book was crazy.

Review: This review is probably going to be a little rocky since it's my first real graphic novel review. I haven't quite built up the pallette to say what makes a graphic novel great/not great. So I'm going to give this my best shot:

I really liked the little historically accurate tidbits. The authors took A LOT of liberties with the story, but they also made it very clear where the truth was within the fiction. It was really cool.

I also loved how much was in here! There's a science, humor, magic, monsters, and more! Just when I thought I had figured out where the story was going, it twisted another way. Loved it!

The only thing I didn't like was how short it was. I felt it EASILY could have been twice as long. There were some things that were skimmed over so fast that I couldn't follow what was happening even after going back and re-reading.

All-in-all I have only one wish: that there was more than one book, or that it had been longer. Both because I just want to read more about this world, and because I think it would have made it easier to understand.

*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 28th, 2009
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Athenum
Pages: 362
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Nevermore #2 (Review of #1)
Summary (Spoilers, highlight to view):

Varen Nethers is trapped in a perilous dream world -- a treacherous and desolate realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel Lanley, plagued by strange visions and haunted by the nightmares of Varen's creation, is the only one who can save him.

Isobel knows that her only hope lies within a Baltimore cemetery. There, in the early morning hours of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, a mysterious stranger known as the "Poe Toaster" will make his annual homage at the legendary poet's grave.

Only the Poe Toaster holds the key to the way between worlds. But even greater dangers lie ahead for Isobel. An ancient evil, draped in veils of white, is watching, challenging her for Varen's affections. When Isobel finally finds Varen, he is no longer the quiet and brooding boy who once captivated her, but a dark force, powerful and malevolent.

Blurb: Disappointing after the awesomeness that is Nevermore.

Review: To be honest, this book disappointed me. Almost NOTHING was resolved. In fact, it was primarily made worse. And about 80% of the book was just us seeing how broken Isobel was. If you were to ask me what happened in that 80%, all I would be able to tell you was "Isobel had strange dreams and argued with her parents." Granted, the last 20% was EPIC beyond belief. This would make the best movie ever. But... after NEVERMORE I was expecting... more.

Did I still like it? Heck yes. I love how Kelly weaves in truth among the fiction. And as a Poe-lover, I adored the references to his books. Will I read the next book? HECK yes. I still really want to know what happens to Varen and Isobel. But did I love this book? No. Honestly, you probably could read JUST that last 20% and be totally fine. This book definitely suffers from 2nd-book-bridge syndrome*.

*2nd-book-bridge syndrome is where the second book in a trilogy does nothing but set us up for the third book. Not much happens, but you can tell something WILL happen eventually.

Other Reviews (most contain Nevermore spoilers!):

• Reading After Midnight (Loved it!)
• Some Like it Paranormal (It was okay)
• The Book Smugglers (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: April 24th, 2012
Genre:  Romance, Dystopia, Post-Apocolypse
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 320
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Blurb: What a great atmosphere. Never once did I imagine the sun shining, even when the characters said "the sun was shining."

Review: This book was an interesting beast. I'm a HUGE Poe fan. I own a gilded collection of his most famous works. I adore him. So I was really excited for this book! And it didn't disappoint. Griffin has an amazing ability to create an incredibly dark atmosphere. I never once imagined the sun shining while reading this book. Even when the characters would say "the sun shone on his hair" or something, I would picture storm clouds and darkness. That's some writing ability. And the little Poe Easter eggs made me squeal with delight.

However, like Poe's original tales, the characters seem to be secondary to the plot. I couldn't relate with Araby AT ALL. She was just too wishy washy. I've never experienced guilt like she has, which may be why I couldn't relate to her. And the fact that she self-medicated her guilt with drugs and alcohol... not my favorite thing. And the two love interests just confused me. Yes, I said TWO love interests. There's a love triangle, brace yourself 'cause it's a doozy (mainly because I didn't like EITHER guy by the end, and I don't think you're supposed to).

BUT, I still loved the world of the book. And in this case, that will be enough to bring me back to the next one. All in all Masque of the Red Death kept me twisting and turning and looking for more. Griffin says that the real action from the ORIGINAL "Masque of the Red Death" comes in the sequel to this book, and I can't wait!

Other Reviews:

• Good Choice Reading (Loved it!)
• Emily's Reading Room (It was okay)
• So Many Book, So Little Time (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: August 1st, 2009
Genre:  Historical Paranormal,
Publisher: Little, Brown
Pages: 352
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other.

Blurb: Historical fiction meets urban fantasy in a spine-chilling tale of mystery and murder.
Review: I was worried about this book. I sometimes struggle with historical fantasy because it can come off sounding so... forced. I feel like the author is trying really hard to make us believe we've gone back in time. Michelle Zink doesn't have this problem. Her ability to create a realistic historical setting is brilliant. I was able to forget that I was in a different time and really enjoy the story.

I also loved the mood Zink created. The whole time I was reading I felt eerie, like someone was watching me. It was really spooky! I loved the relationship between Lia and Alice, and it still gives me shivers to think about it.

There was something off, though. The whole time I was reading it I kept feeling like something was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what. I'm still not sure what it was, so I'm going to list some possibilities:

1. Too many questions, not enough answers.

• I felt like there were A LOT of questions in this book, and even though most of them were answered they were answered in these really vague ways. Either in Latin, or in a poem, or in some mysterious voice on the wind. You get the idea. Instead of creating a feel of mystery, this just confused me. I'm still not entirely sure what the "Prophecy" part of the book is about.

2. Jumped too quickly into the story

• The story starts with a funeral. Bam! There it is. And now we're jumping into the story. Lia's already started to notice some weird things when the book starts, and she's already in a pretty serious relationship with a guy. While I was grateful to be spared the "I like him, does he like me?" part of the book, the quick start made me feel disconnected with the story. Lia already had so many opinions about things, and I didn't know how she had developed those opinions.

3. It was too well written

• Yup. You read that right. Perhaps one of the reasons I didn't get it is because it was too well written. While I was reading this you could have told me that it was written in the 1800s and I probably would have believed you. The thing is I don't like books written in the 1800s. The main reason I'm not an English major is because I hate reading classics. Like I said, this is just a possibility, but maybe my subconcious thought this read too much like a classic despite the paranormal twist.

So there are my theories. I'm not sure if any of them are correct. Perhaps #1 is correct, but not #2 or #3. Or maybe #2 and #3 are correct, but not #1. It's like one of those stupid multiple choice questions where the anwers are A) 1, B)2, C) 3, D) 1 & 2, E) 1 & 3, F) A & D. You get the drill.

I did purchase the second book and plan to read it soon. Perhaps it will unveil why I feel so disquieted.


*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 4th, 2011
Genre:  Romance, Dystopia
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 336
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Blurb: Although initially a charming (if unremarkable) story, Eve ends in a way that will leave most readers unsatisfied and unhappy.

Review: While I was reading Eve I was worried. The story was charming and interesting, but mostly unremarkable. I wanted to know what would happen next, and I wanted to know more about the world Eve lived in; but other than that nothing in the story WOWed me or made it stand out from the many other romance/dystopians that have been flooding the shelves.

Therefore, I was worried because this book was heading for a 4-flower and VERY boring review. One of those "it's good, but nothing special" reviews that I detest writing because they seem so... bland.

I'm not sure if what actually happened is any better, though.

Eve was chugging along, a perfectly enjoyable book (I read it all in one day) and then it got to the end. It was one of those endings that had me flipping pages in confusion. What? That was it? Really? You went through all that to get THERE? It wasn't a cliffhanger (though some people might see it as such) it was just... strange. It was hurried and awkward. It made me feel like the author was thinking something along the lines of "I want to end this story now. What can I do to end it quickly, but still on a dramatic note?" But it just fell flat.

I'm not saying this is what the author was ACTUALLY thinking (duh. Not a mind reader *wink*). If you are completely IN LOVE with the story by the time you reach the end, you might find the ending an utterly gripping cliffhanger. However, since I wasn't WOWed by the story, the ending was just annoying.

Dunno if I'll pick up the rest in this series. I liked the story as a whole (hence the 3.5 stars), and I'm very interested to see what happens to some of the secondary characters (Arden FTW!), but as for Eve and her love interest... I can do without.



*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 1st, 2007
Genre:  Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: EOS (HarperTeen)
Pages: 410
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary: 

He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule.

She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound.

Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden at all costs. Proud, stubborn, bound to marry for the good of their kingdoms, this prince and princess will steal your heart, but will they fall in love?

Review: I've had this book on my shelf nearly since it came out, but picked it up this month because it's Utah author month! Hurrah!

The beginning of this book (and sometimes throughout) reminded me a lot of The Goose Girl. The "animal magic" is very similar to Ani's "animal speech." The Princess and the Hound was similar enough to The Goose Girl that I warmed to it instantly, but not so similar that I wanted to compare them.

The writing in this book is beautiful. Full of wonderful ideas, prose, and descriptions. The problem I had with it is that I kept feeling like I was missing things. I don't know if I just wasn't reading into the text deep enough, or maybe some things were worded in such a way that I got something different from it, but I just felt... confused. The prince jumped to a lot of conclusions, and I wasn't sure how he'd gotten there.

For instance, I TOTALLY missed when he fell in love. One moment he's acting all awkward, and then he proclaims "I love you!" I had to do a double take. I flipped back a few pages, wondering when and how he'd had this sudden realization. I still haven't figured it out.

I found that what I needed to do was just let my mind relax. If I let myself get hung up on all the little details it would drive me crazy. But if I just let the story flow, it all seemed to make sense. Kinda like original fairy-tales. Those stories usually have so many plot-gaps and holes that if you try to analyze it, it doesn't make any sense. But if you take a step back you can see the meaning. This story follows the tradition of fairy tales in that way. Which is good, 'cause I love fairy tales. Have I made that clear yet?

So even though there was definitely some confusing moments in this book, I still really enjoyed it and the lore behind it. That, and the beautiful writing, make this book definitely worth reading. I've heard that the next two books get better and better. I'll be sure to let you know. EDIT: I'm reading The Princess and the Bear right now and I already LOVE it. Honestly. So good. I hope it stays this good.



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