Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne {Review}

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publish Date: December 20, 2011

Source: Library

Goodreads

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He's leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they'll never forget.
But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn't seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin's dark side, and her own safety.
Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

Still Waters is quite the ride, let me tell you.

Gripes:

1. Hannah: When I first started reading I was annoyed with basically everyone. Hannah was acting completely absurd about a few things. For one, she kept acting as if “breaking into” her boyfriend’s house was going to damn her to hell and the police were going to jump out and arrest her. It was a little too dramatic for me. Second, I don’t think the story delves enough into the relationship between Hannah and her younger brother for her to feel so guilty about leaving him. For two days. But the thing that was annoying me the most was probably that her boyfriend kept acting like a creepy weirdo and she just shrugged it off for a long time. I do understand that to a degree, but at some point it started to become absurd.

2. Colin: I never really like Colin through the course of the book. Except for maybe the ending, but I’m still not his biggest fan.

3. Plot-holes: There were some small little plot-holes at the end that just made it seem like they got kind of lazy at the end of the book. Not to mention the town not being on the map and the house looking lived in are never really explained.

4. Dialogue: This is something I rarely notice, but I found it to be a little odd at times in Still Waters.

Anyway, that’s enough griping because I did actually enjoy this book.

Before this book I read a zombie book and I can honestly say that Still Waters creeped me out way more. I think part of that has to do with the fact that this story was much more realistic. It’s easier to place yourself in a situation such as Hannah was in.

It also seriously got my pulse pounding. Sometimes I felt like I was watching a horror/thriller in my head and I kept wanting to yell “No! Don’t do that! Can’t you see you’re going to get killed or something?!?” Still Waters had me absolutely pinned to the edge of my seat in anticipation. So much so that I accidentally stayed up until 4am finishing it.

The Nutshell: Though there were quite a few things in Still Waters keeping it from being completely fantastic, it was still rater enjoyable. It was a quick read, especially after hitting all the scary parts. If you love a good thriller (sort of) mystery then this one is definitely worth your time.

Pages: 212
Series: No

Rating: 3.5 stars

Bird by Rita Murphy {Review}

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: October 14, 2008

Source: Library
Goodreads

A girl easily carried off by the wind.
An elderly widow whose husband died under strange circumstances.
An isolated dwelling that breeds fear.
Miranda has no recollection of where she came from -- only that years ago, a gust of wind deposited her outside Bourne Manor.The Manor's soul inhabitant, Wysteria Barrows, took Miranda in and promptly outfitted her with special boots -- boots weighted with steel bars to keep her anchored to the ground. But aside from shelter and clothing, Miranda receives little warmth from the aging widow. The Manor, too, is a cold place, full of drafts and locked doors. Full of menace. Full of secrets.
Then one day a boy named Farley appears. Farley helps Miranda embrace her destiny with the wind...and uncover the Manor's hidden past.

Bird was a whimsical read. I wouldn’t quite call it cute because at times it almost seemed tragically sad, but in a way that younger kids can still read and appreciate.

I would almost say that Bird would be better appreciated by an older audience than seems to be the target. Not older than myself, of course, but it seems to be marketed as middle grade and I don’t think a 12-year-old would really appreciate the story. Most would probably be bored by it, actually. I’m really not trying to talk down to people of that age, either. It was just a story that was more about the message than the actual story and I know I didn’t really appreciate that when I was younger.

Moving on, though.

Actually, I’m not really sure what else I can say since it was really short. So, straight into the Nutshell we go!

The Nutshell: Bird is a quick read with beautiful writing. It has a lovely story that is sort of melancholy, but ends on a nice positive note. It’s definitely a book that most could read in about an hour or two. I suggest it for an older audience only because I don’t even think I fully appreciated it.

Pages: 160

Series: No

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler {Review}

Publisher: Razorbill

Publish Date: November 21, 2011

Source: Library

Goodreads

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long -- at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right -- and wrong -- in the present.

The thing I most appreciated about The Future of Us was probably that Emma and Josh didn’t just accept that Facebook was real. I’m sure I’d be freaking out if I discovered something as strange as that my first time out on the internet! It definitely helped a storyline that was super crazy feel a little more realistic.

I appreciated that Josh and Emma already had a history. A lot of times the whole best-friends-in-love thing is the entirety of the story, but that wasn’t the case this time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a best friend relationship, but it’s cool that Asher and Mackler came at it from a different angle.

Now, speaking of those two characters. I really like Josh. He was the perfect boy-next-door/best friend. Of course, he was also a teenager and a human so he had his selfish moments (and teenage boy moments), but it made him really realistic. Emma, on the other hand, I was not such a fan of. Her character really worked for the story, but that doesn’t mean I had to like her. She was selfish and couldn’t see that her outlook on life was actually the thing making it so bad. She did grow eventually, and I appreciate that, but she’ll never be one of my favorite characters or anything.

The Nutshell: The Future of Us is a fun, quick read which will likely be best enjoyed by those who were kids of the 90s, but can still be appreciated by all. Though Emma got on my nerves the other characters were done well and I liked the story overall. If you’re looking for a flash to the past or simply a cute romance, this one’s for you.

Pages: 356

Series: No

Rating: 3.5 stars

Above World by Jenn Reese {Review}

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publish Date: February 14, 2012

Source: Publisher for honest review

Goodreads

Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean, just like all the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after remaining hidden from the Above World for centuries, her colony is now in trouble, its survival in doubt -- the tech that allows the Kampii to breathe underwater is beginning to fail. Yet the colony's elders are unwilling to venture to the dry and dangerous Above World to search for answers.
So it's up to Aluna and her friend Hoku to face the terrors of land to find a solution. Will Aluna's warrior spirit and Hoku's intelligence be enough not only to keep themselves safe but also to find a way to save their city and possibly the world?

Above World was a fast and crazy wild ride. When the book first starts you’re thrown into a shark attack within the first 5 pages! It was a bit jarring since my last book was pretty slow, but once I got used to it, it was rather enjoyable.

Jenn Reese creates a completely different world I never saw coming. I knew Above World would be a little different than anything else I’d read since the synopsis seemed to point to an underwater world without mermaids, but there’s so much more to the world than that. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, though, so I won’t get into too much. Reese’s descriptions of all the technology and how it was used kept blowing my mind, but in a good way.

Hoku was definitely my favorite character of the bunch. He was timid, but still managed to be strong when he needed to be. His character growth was the most natural. Aluna did grow as a character, but it seemed almost too manufactured. I really, really enjoyed the Aviars as a whole, but I don’t want to spoil them.

Zorro was so cool! I want one for myself :]

The Nutshell: Above World holds much more than an underwater world and its inhabitants view of the world above. There’s adventure, action, awesome characters, and a totally new earth in a strange future. From the instant you open the book you’re thrown into a whirlwind of activity and it doesn’t let up until you turn the last page. If you enjoy quick-paced middle grade and crazy futuristic worlds, you should definitely give this book a try.

Pages: 368

Series: Above World #1

Rating: 3.5 stars

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman {Review}

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Publish Date: November 1, 2011

Source: Library

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares -- with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains...What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Dark Eden was quite the ride. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.

But.

Yes, but. Something about the story and the writing was just off. Sometimes it was as if Will made the perfect assumption about whatever was going on. Instead of cycling through different possibilities to a scenario, he jumped to the correct conclusion automatically. It was just too perfect and always had me feeling a little off balance – like something jump out from behind the curtains at me.

That aside, I really did enjoy Dark Eden. It was definitely creepy. It was completely unique and I definitely didn’t see that end coming. Although, come to think of it, it’s very rare that I ever see an end coming…

I really enjoyed the creepy setting of the old, rusted fort in the middle of the woods. It set the perfect atmosphere for the story.

One other minor annoyance: Will and Marisa. Their relationship was odd and sprouted out of nowhere. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

The Nutshell: Despite my complaints, Dark Eden is a solid read overall. The setting is perfectly creepy and there’s a good chance you can identify with one of the fears. Chances are you enjoy a good scary book that gets your heart racing every once in a while if you’re even considering reading Dark Eden and it most definitely achieves that. Though the writing felt a bit awkward at times, this is certainly worth the read (taking into account that last statement) and I really look forward to the rest of the series.

Pages: 336

Series: Dark Eden #1

Rating: 3.5 stars

Flirt Club by Cathleen Daly

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publish Date: January 2011

Source: Library

When two self-professed middle school drama geeks -- Isabelle and Annie (a.k.a Cisco and The Bean) -- fail at their attempts in romance, they start Flirt Club, an after school support group for similarly afflicted friends who decide to take decisive with hilarious and touching results.

There were some things I liked and something I didn't like so much making this just an overall okay read. I really enjoyed the whole form of the book -- the notes, diary entries, Flirt Club documenting. All the notes totally reminded me of things I wrote when I was in middle school. I didn't really enjoy how some of the stuff just didn't really jive for me with their ages.

I loved the characters. They were so weird and crazy -- just like me in middle school. I loved that while they kind of thought it would be cool to be popular they still loved themselves and didn't want to change. I also loved the whole drama geek aspect of it all. I'm not one personally, but I enjoy reading about it quite a bit. It was also really fun to see how all the dynamics changed -- friends, relationships -- throughout the whole school year. 

Now for the not-so positive. Like I said, some things just didn't really seem right for the age group. Most of the kids were probably 13 or 14 but it seemed more like they were 16. It talked about the girls going grocery shopping, to the mall, and tons of other places, but it never mentioned parents and that just felt really odd. And there was second base going! I just kept thinking "yeah, I know that happens, but it just feels completely weird in this book."

Final Thoughts: It kind of dragged a bit in the middle, but overall it's a cute book. I'm sure most of you are capable of ignoring the odd, seemingly absent parents unlike me. This will totally take you back to middle school, especially if you were one of the geeky kids :]

Pages: 288

Series: No

Rating: 3.5 stars

Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publish Date: June 2011
Source: Library

On Lily Sanderson's eighteenth birthday she'll become just a girl -- still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all. 

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she's almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily's father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily's former crush, Brody? 

The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily's past shows up -- Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There's a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?

You can usually count on mermaid books to be fun and fluffy and that's exactly what Fins Are Forever was. There were some semi-serious parts since Lily is growing and learning how to fit into the adult world, but overall this was a pretty light read. Not that that's a bad thing, in case you were wondering.

It was nice to see Lily growing up, but she really can be a bubble brain (see what I did there?) at times. She was incredibly rude to Dosinia for a good bit of the story. I'll give you that Doe can be quite nasty, but Lily was being mean before Doe even did anything wrong. Lily also tends to have a flare for the dramatics, but I found it to be endearing rather than annoying. I'm still a big Quince fan, but I didn't like him quite as much as in Forgive My Fins. I still liked him, of course, but he seemed much more like a background character here and I would liked to have seen him come around a bit more.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but it felt as if too much stuff was shoved into this one tiny book. With everything in there, some things just ended up being kind of swept under the rug by the end. Case in point: for the entire book Lily is stressing about college and SATs, but by the end of the book we had no idea as to the outcome. And everything that happened with Dosinia felt rushed but also like it came out of nowhere. These both contributed to the feeling that the end was a bit rushed and left me wanting more.

Final Thoughts: Fins Are Forever is a nice fluffy read complete with soft-hearted biker dude and super cool mermaids. If you're in for something light with just a little more fantasy than contemporary, this could definitely be the one you're looking for.


Pages: 272
Series: Fins #2
Rating: 3.5 stars

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publish Date: July 2011
Source: Library

then. 

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives. 

now. 

That should have been the end of their story, But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt. 

forever. 

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in once pure moment -- a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

I'm really, terribly sad that this wasn't everything I had hoped it would be. Maybe I put it on a pedestal, but no matter what the reason it really fell a bit short. I felt as if I was continuously waiting for something else to happen. And let's not even talk to me about that ending (quietly grumbles to self).

First, the writing. Stiefvater's writing is what first pulled me into Shiver and caught me again in Linger. It's the sort of beautiful writing that just takes your breath away and leaves you wondering "why can't I do amazing things like that?" There were pieces in Forever that completely recaptured that feeling and others that just felt a bit...odd. Sometimes the characters seemed to say things or talk in ways that simply didn't fit. The teenagers talked and used words I couldn't even hint at the meanings of. And Officer Koenig talked in a formal way that I couldn't put with my image of him.

I still quite enjoy the science behind the wolves instead of the simple "BAM! And then he was a wolf." I liked getting a little more into the science with Cole this time. I almost wish I could have learned more about. Speaking of Cole. I kept hearing everyone talk about Cole and he was so awesome in this one. I never payed much attention since Cole was always give or take for me. But seriously. I'm not in love with Cole or anything, but I absolutely loved reading about him and all the bits from his point of view. He was an awesome character. If you pick it up for nothing else, pick it up for Cole.

I have to say that Sam and Grace have the type of love everyone should aspire to. They're comfortable like an old married couple only they still get those butterflies (and, you know, those sexy-times urges). I hope to have a Sam and Grace love for the rest of my life.

I'm quite sad there's nothing left for us in Mercy Falls. I'm also quite sad that the ending left me feeling a little unfinished. Not a happy camper did this ending make.

Final thoughts: While Forever wasn't the best of the Mercy Falls books for me, it's still worth the read. There's a little bit of action with a good dash of love mixed in and all the different points of view make for a fantastic addition to the reading experience.

Pages: 390
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3
Rating: 3.5 stars (really, this was the hardest rating I've decided on yet. It doesn't quite deserve the low status I've given it, but I also can't really bump it up.)

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson

When Brian and Gregory receive an invitation to stay at a distant relative's strange mansion...well, they know should know better than to go. Trips to distant relatives' strange mansions rarely go well. And this mansion is even stranger than most. Uncle Max doesn't really know what century he's in. The butler boils socks. And the attic houses the Game of Sunken Places. 

Is the Game of Sunken Places an ordinary board game? Hardly! The Game of Sunken Places looks like a board game. And most of the time it acts like a board game. But from the moment Brian and Gregory start playing, they are caught up in an adventure that goes far beyond the board. Soon the boys are dealing with attitudinal trolls, warring kingdoms, and some very starchy britches. 

Luckily, Brian and Gregory have wit, deadpan observation, and a keen sense of adventure on their side.

The first thing that drew me into this book was the premise. It sounded a bit like Jumanji what with the board game adventure and all. It turned out quite similar to that, but much darker. I was impressed with the story line itself, but sadly, everything else was a bit unremarkable.

The characters weren't all that memorable. Gregory was sadly pretty flat for a main character. He was all about being the "easy-going funny guy" and that was basically the end of his personality. Brian seemed to mostly be the "shy-unassuming-best-friend" but he had some shiny moments and if you look for it, you can even detect some growth. I was actually most impressed by one of the secondary characters most. (I would tell you who he is, but that would be a spoiler.) It's a little sad when a secondary character can outshine a main character.

I have to say though, I was pretty surprised by the ending. Maybe I should have seen it coming, but I really didn't. A surprise ending is usually a plus (as was in this case.) I found the writing to be a bit awkward to begin with, but I settled into it after a while.

Final thoughts: Overall it was unremarkable, but not bad. The story would be good for a MG reader, but the writing may be a bit hard for them to get used to.

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publish Date: May 2004
Pages: 272
Series: Norumbegan Quartet #1
Rating: 3.5 stars

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence: dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy, thirteen-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own antisocial, anti-cheerleader attitude. 

When a family argument results in tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunctional to dangerous. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green; she uses odd, old-fashioned language - and she even loses track of times, claiming to know nothing about her weird behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on the unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough for the girls to see their breath. 

Alexis wants to believe it's all in her head, until these seemingly harmless occurrences become life-threatening - to her, to her family, and to her budding relationship with the student council vice president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey; but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

I rather liked this book, but not that much. It was a quick read and really sucked me in. Now, I know a lot of book bloggers out there read at lightning speed, but I'm not like that. I'm really okay with getting books done at a moderate pace, but this time I discovered my library wanted me to take this back to them - soon. In short, I ended up finishing this in about a day and a half. It wasn't all because of my deadline though. Bad Girls Don't Die was written in such a way that it pulled me in almost immediately.

I don't usually jump at ghost books, but the story here made it feel like it could happen to anyone. Alexis was your typical outcast teen with your typical dysfunctional family. Only, not quite. The family aspects played in pretty well with the story which I enjoyed. What I didn't enjoy was Alexis's attitude.I understand the whole grumpy-teenager thing, but it seemed like Alexis was taking it a little too far sometimes. She complains about The Doom Squad because they "try to hard," but that's exactly what Alexis does in her efforts to continue being an outcast.

It also felt a bit like the poor love interest only made about three appearances in the story. It felt as if the story could have moved along perfectly fine without him and he was just thrown in to appease the swoony teenagers out there. Normally I'm all for a little romance (who isn't?) but I felt as if Bad Girls Don't Die almost could have done without it.

One more downside, I predicted the outcome LONG before Alexis. I kept wanting to scream at her because she was being so dense.

My griping aside, this was still a great story. I loved all the back stories and history. It was nice to read about normal people going through something paranormal. Many times the main character or their families aren't quite normal which works just fine, but normal characters created a nice change of pace for once.

Final thoughts: I know, I didn't have absolutely positive things to say about this, but it's still worth the read. If you're in the mood for a quick spooky, ghost story pick this up and give it a go.


Publisher: Disney*Hyperion
Publish Date: April 21, 2009
Pages: 346
Series: Bad Girls Don't Die #1
Rating: 3.5 stars

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Every night, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. 

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting - before it destroys her future. 

I absolutely loved the premise for this book, it's such an original concept. The synopsis had me a bit confused, but surprisingly, the book actually cleared up the confusion quite well. I've heard that Forgotten can be confusing, but I honestly didn't see it. The book puts you inside London's head where this is an absolutely normal thing, so it felt normal to me as well.

Speaking of London, she wasn't what I was expecting. This was a good thing, though. Often, girls in these types of books (reality with a twist, if you will) like to pretend they're normal (other than whatever makes reality abnormal) while truly there's something that makes them different than you and me. This wasn't the case with London, though. I found her to be just as normal as normal as any old girl in high school if maybe a bit more mature. I enjoyed reading about her and trying to figure out what she may do next.

Sadly, Forgotten wasn't quite as fantastic as I'd hoped. The love interest kind of seemed to pop out of nowhere to me (page 10 is a little early for me) and though this was sort of explained, I still didn't feel it was a good enough explanation. I also found the ending to be a bit lackluster. I felt like I was left with questions unanswered and quite big questions at that. Overall, the writing was only okay as well. It wasn't bad and it got me through the story just fine, but that's all it did for me.

Final thoughts: Though the writing wasn't what it could have been, the original story makes up for that. It's definitely worth picking up.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publish Date: June 2011
Pages: 288
Series: No
Rating: 3.5

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Beyond the mirror, the darkest fairy tales come alive.

For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed the Mirrorworld’s secrets and treasures. Not anymore. 
His younger brother has followed him.
Now dark magic will turn the boy to beast, break the heart of the girl he loves, and destroy everything Jacob holds most dear… 
Unless he can find a way to stop it. If you’re looking for happily ever after, you’ve come to the wrong place. 

Funke is a fantastic world creator. I enjoyed Inkheart (but sadly never made it to the rest) and the description of the fantastical world. This book did not disappoint in the department of fantastical worlds. I loved the little sprinklings of fairy tales throughout the story.

The beginning started out quickly pulling me into the story anxiously awaiting the next twist. Sadly, it got a little slow after that though. While there was action, it fell a little short of the beginning for me. It picked up again at the end and I was flipping pages to find out what outcome awaited Jacob and his companions.

Now, page-turning aside, I found myself rather confused at times. It became a bit jumpy at times just throwing things at me out of the blue. I would find myself flipping back to previous pages to see if I missed something. These random happenings felt like they were simply thrown into the story to invent conflict instead of letting it invent itself.

In short, I found this to be a fairly quick read, but it won’t be making it into my favorites list anytime soon. I’ll definitely look into the next one when it comes out though. (Also, I was rather surprised by the ending, but in a good way.)

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 394

Series: 1/5

Rating: 3.5