The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson {Review}

Publisher: Walden Pond Press

Publish Date: February 26, 2013

Source: ALA for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 432

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

Two kids from opposite ends of the country find themselves on a road trip to save the world from an impending alien attack - and bolster their middle-school transcripts in the process.
First came the missing people, missing time events, and untraceable radio signals. Then came Juliette, Arizona, a town that simply disappeared from existence. Suffice it to say, something strange is going on. Enter Haley and Dodger, two kids from opposite sides of the country who both think they can prove that these unexplained phenomena have a very real cause: aliens, and they are about to discover that their fledgling theories about extraterrestrial life are one-hundred-percent accurate.
Having each been awarded a Fellowship for Alien Detection (a grant from a mysterious foundation dedicated to proving aliens have visited earth), Haley and Dodger and their families each set off on a cross-country trip over summer vacation to figure out what is happening to figure out what is happening in towns across America. They soon realize that answers to many of their questions lie in the vanished town of Juliette, AZ, but someone, or something, is doing everything in its power to ensure they never reach it. If Haley and Dodger don't act quickly, more people may go missing, and the world as we know it may change for the worse.

The Fellowship for Alien Detection is the kind of book that reaffirms my love for middle grade. There's adventure, interesting characters, and best of all: aliens.

I like that The Fellowship is told from both Haley and Dodgers point of view for many reasons. 1) Having the point of view of both a boy and a girl makes the story more well-rounded and gives a draw for both genders, 2) it adds more to the mystery since you start out with Haley's side of the story then get Dodger's so the two sides of the story end up coming together to create one (mostly) complete picture, and 3) Haley and Dodger's lives are really different so you get quite a few different dynamics like academic/doesn't care about school much, close family/awkward&distant family, etc.

The mystery in The Fellowship was fantastic. I was hooked from page one and constantly kept on the edge of my seat trying to fit some answers together. Thankfully, everything was answered by the end, though.

The road trip aspect of the story really added to the element of adventure. Haley and Dodger are running from state to state both in escape and pursuit giving the story that extra little charge that kept me flipping pages and eager to find out what happens next. And not to spoil anything, but does it get much more adventurous than flying in a spaceship?

I enjoyed the undertone of Haley and Dodger discovering who they were and finding their places in the world and the contrast between both characters' journey. Haley thought she'd already had everything figured out but ended up discovering she didn't quite know herself as well as she'd thought. Whereas Dodger had always felt lost and ended up discovering things about his past while also figuring out who he really wanted to be and what he believed in.

I do have one small complaint, though. It seemed everything in the story was brown: brown landscape, brown cows with brown eyes, brown seat covers, brown smells. I swear every time I turned there was some new brown thing being described. Now, I know they were in the desert for a chunk of the story and there are, in fact, many brown things in life, but it's okay to use a little creative freedom to make the cows white or the seat covers blue.

The Nutshell: The Fellowship for Alien Detection is a whirlwind of mystery, adventure, and self-discovery. Haley and Dodger each give their own unique voice and point of view to the story making the adventure and mystery all the more thrilling. If you want an adventure wrapped in a mystery with aliens thrown in for good measure, then try The Fellowship for Alien Detection.

Pivot Point by Kasie West {Review}

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publish Date: February 12, 2013

Source: Publisher for honest review
Goodreads

Pages: 352

Series: Pivot Point #1 (totally didn't think this was a series.)

Rating: Direct Hit

Knowing the outcome doesn't always make a choice easier.Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?"As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It's the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie's parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with -- her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the "Norms," or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it's not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school -- but she never wanted to be a quarterback's girlfriend. When Addie's father is asked to consult a murder in the Compound, she's unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she's willing to live through. . .and who she can't live without.

This books is just, uhm, wow. It's been a while since I've wanted something as intensely as I did in Pivot Point. I'm perfectly fine to go with the flow of a story, but when you have something to root for it definitely adds to the experience.

Since this is kind of a complicated book let's break it down. Also, it's my blog so I can do it for no reason anyway :P

Two Storyline Aspect

You'd think this would get a little confusing sometimes right? Well, yeah, it actually does sometimes. BUT, it's really not that bad since any confusion gets cleared up pretty fast as the two storylines are really different despite the fact that they contain a lot of the same characters.

At first I didn't really have a favorite. I was kind of leaning towards one, but wasn't particularly rooting for it. By the end, though, I'd not only changed my mind, but was rooting for it hardcore. And then the end happened and I'm still feeling conflicted (also confused. Can someone please explain it to me? Since I know it's a series now, that's unnecessary.)

Characters

Pivot Point has an great cast of characters.

Addie isn't exactly always likable, but it's not in an obnoxious way. I mean, she even admits she's whiny. Hey, if you can see your shortcomings then you're a step ahead of most paranormal girl leads. She's not all bad, though, she makes tough decisions when necessary and really cares about her friends.

All the side characters have full personalities and it's great. Addie's best friend never gets shoved to the side like so often happens and she isn't just comic relief. Laila (the BFF) is certainly funny, but that's not all she is. She's a pretty integral part of both storylines.

I loved Rowan. I know he was a little persistent, but it was kind of cute (in a slightly pathetic way.)

Romance

So get this, there's two guys, but there is NOT a love triangle. Since the two different guys are in separate futures, they don't even (really) know each other. Therefore, no love triangle just a love choice. And it's all Addie's since no one else knows about the futures she saw. [Sidenote: for those who have read it, the choice was totally unfair.]

The Nutshell: Pivot Point is an incredibly unique story with a great set of characters. If you, like me, see “paranormal” and immediately lose interest, don't fret. It's not your typical paranormal romance. Yes there's paranormal and yes there's romance, but there are no broody, dark guys or wimpy, needy girls. If you're looking for something original that will suck you in and give you something to root for then check out Pivot Point.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe {Review}

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publish Date: January 24, 2012

Source: Contest/Own

Goodreads

Pages: 309

Series: Fallen World #1

Rating: Direct Hit

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they're old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick n.And then you're dead.When sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without saying goodbye, she never dreams that she might not see him again. But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community, infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for the island's dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?

I'm almost glad I hadn't heard that much about The Way We Fall because it made for a really nice surprise.

First off I want to talk about the format. Sometimes journal entries can bring a book down and make it feel a little too young or silly, but that's certainly not the case here. The journal style made me feel more connected to Kaelyn and I liked the way I made everything feel more personal. I don't think I would've gotten as attached to the characters if it was third person POV. Kaelyn's entries were so vulnerable, I couldn't help feeling for her. She writes about the kind of things people don't want to admit: she thinks she's the reason for people around her getting sick, she wonders what the point of it all is, she's mad at ___ for dying, etc.

You know how sometimes romances that bloom in the middle of a disaster can be a little hard to swallow? Well, that wasn't the case with The Way We Fall. For one, the romance wasn't even hinted at until page 127 (unless I'm just really oblivious.) I love the fact that we got some time to just be with Kaelyn and her thoughts before love started to sprout. I hate when the love interest is immediately introduced so all we get to see is the version of the main character who likes This Guy. It's not my favorite romance ever, but I thought it was sweet and intense at the same time which, in my opinion, works pretty well in a disaster situation. I mean, how can you not fear for someone when everyone around you is dying.

The island setting made it much more interesting than it otherwise would have been. It gave the story a little mystery because they were completely cut off from the mainland. Nobody knew what was going on on the outside. So while Kaelyn (and I) was worried about everything happening on the island, there was a little part of her that wondered what could be going on in the rest of the world.

The Nutshell: If you love a good disaster scenario then The Way We Fall is a good choice. The journal-style format makes it easier to connect with the characters and really get immersed in the story, the romance isn't the main focus, and Crewe isn't afraid to kill of characters.

Skylark by Megan Spooner {Review}

I'm terrible with library due dates &
forgot a pic before I returned it :P

Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab

Publish Date: August 1, 2012

Source: Library

Goodreads

Pages: 344

Series: Skylark #1

Rating: Direct Hit

Sixteen-year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.
Her world ends at the edge of the cast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that's left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence.
When it's Lark's turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend herself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it's been stripped.
Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city's clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She's heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret -- but can she stay live long enough to find them?

I've read a lot of just good and pretty meh books lately and let me tell you, Skylark was a breath of fresh air. This is the book I've been waiting for and silly me didn't pick it up until now.

Man, I just don't even know where to start because Skylark is just this explosion of awesomeness packed in between two covers. There's just enough action and suspense to keep me glued to the pages without being overwhelming. The little (and big) mysteries of the world and the story are subtly weaved in so it doesn't feel like the reader is constantly being bombarded with THIS IS A MYSTERY AND IT'S A MYSTERY SO I WON'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS YET.

And oh my gosh, the twists. Yeah, I didn't see any of them coming. Well, there might be one, but I don't really think Spooner was hiding it from the reader, only Lark. It was so nice to actually not know what was going to happen which has been the case with most of my reads lately.

I'm not going to lie, it was kind of a lot to take in at first, but I got into the groove of the world after a bit and loved it. It's absolutely nothing like anything I've read before. I love the idea of magic being some kind of natural resource. And, as with any limited supply of anything, the government has complete control over it. So the magic isn't for personal use, instead, the city uses it to power itself. And we're talking everything from their artificial sun to little “pixies” which fly on their own and serve kind of as a police alarm (can that be a thing). I don't really want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that I found the pockets of magic fascinating (read it and you'll know what I mean ;])

And boy, does Spooner have a way with characters. I fell in love with all of them. Well, besides a certain guy (no, I didn't even like him from the moment he was introduced) and the rest of the evil city people.

Lark was stubborn and scared and realistic. She had some serious trust issues so I wanted to shake her and be like “just trust them!” but I can't exactly fault her for it. I wouldn't trust anything or anyone after what she'd been through either.

Ohmygosh, Nix. I liked it (always thought of it as a her for some reason) from the moment it entered the story. I can't really say much about it since 1) it's kind of confusing and 2) it's a little spoilery.

Oh, Oren. Despite all the reasons he wasn't to be trusted I just kept thinking “Lark and Oren 4evah.” He's such a complex and wonderful character. Talk about a tortured soul (not in the usual way, though. Ponder that one!)

The Nutshell: Basically, I could go on and on about Skylark so you should just trust me on this one and go read it. I mean it has magic, complex characters, twists you'll never see coming (unless you're the master of figuring things out), and a world that you've probably never seen the likes of before.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer {Review}

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publish Date: February 5, 2013

Source: The lovely Heidi :]

Goodreads

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2

Pages: 454

Rating: Direct Hit

Cinder's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.
As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Though it's just come out I have no doubt you've already seen countless raving reviews for Scarlet.

And this one will be no different.

I must say that I feel like all the hype spoiled it just a little, but I still loved Scarlet. It's just that true awesomeness is better appreciated when you're least expecting it, you know?

Moving on to the lovefest review.

First of all, I love the way Meyer weaved together all the different POVs. It didn't feel jarring or awkward. It was natural and one flowed into the next easily. Normally a ton of POVs throws me off, but I loved that Scarlet, Cinder, Kai, and then some were all included. Although, it does help when you love all the characters ;]

Speaking of characters.

Cinder: Definitely my favorite. Gosh, I just love her and don't even know where to start! She's stubborn, but she's also vulnerable and confused. I appreciated that she was confused by all the new craziness in her life instead of just marching forward without thinking (which seems to happen with a lot of YA heroines.)

Scarlet: Now, I liked Scarlet, but she's not my favorite heroine ever. There's nothing wrong with her character, but I'm not quite as drawn to the “punch now, think later” kind of gal. I did like how wary she was of Wolf and how reluctant she was to start anything with him. Woo for non-insta-love!

Wolf: I loved how gentle he was with Scarlet. I could tell how much he liked her, but instead of being all “you're cool, let's makeout” he was actually a little scared to get too close to her. I liked being able to see them grow and bring out the good in each other.

Captain Thorne: Okay. So, there's absolutely nothing wrong with him (once you get to know him,) and I've actually grown quite attached along the way. But. For most of the story I couldn't stop picturing him as Zapp Brannigan of Futurama. It was a little disconcerting :P

Now about the fairytale bits.

Meyer is officially my favorite reteller. You wouldn't think cyborg Cinderella could work, but it did. You wouldn't really think scifi Red Riding Hood would work either, but it SO DOES. You can certainly read the story and probably not pick up on the fairy-tale bits (without the red hoodie mentions, because those are a little obvious :P) and yet, they're there and they're great. The grandmother isn't eaten, but she is captured. The wolf aspect fits in so well with the overall story that it just feels natural instead of stuck in for the sake of the retelling. And of course, Scarlet isn't walking to her grandmother's house to deliver cookies, but spaceships and being on the run is really the way the story ought to be told anyway.

The Nutshell: Basically, the characters are great, Meyer is a master storyteller, and you need to read this book now. Also, I really need Cress. And Winter.

The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson {Review}

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Publish Date: January 8, 2013

Source: Publisher for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 240

Series: No

Ratng: Direct Hit

In this modern-day suburban town, one percent of all fatalities come about in the most peculiar way. Deaths -- eight-foot-tall, silver-gray creatures -- send a letter ("Dear So-and-So, your days are numbered") to whomever is chosen for a departure, telling them to wrap up their lives and do the things they always wanted to do before they have to "depart." When sixteen-year-old Gabriela receives her notice, she is, of course devastated. Will she kiss her crush Sylvester before it's too late?

I never thought I'd find such a wonderful story hidden behind this unassuming cover and strange description, but there it sits, nonetheless.

I would describe Arnston's writing as uncluttered. He doesn't use extravagant descriptions or take more time than necessary to get the point across and it works splendidly. Often times, this kind of approach creates a disjointed story that doesn't pull you in, but that isn't the case with The Wrap-Up List. The writing makes all the emotions more palpable and real. During the last few chapters I was finding it difficult to read because my tears were making everything blurry. And what an ending it was. Beautiful and yet melancholy. I honestly didn't have any idea how it would turn out either.

Gabriella is an admirable character. She is shocked and mournful when she first receives her letter. But then she comes to terms with it. She keeps it together and doesn't spend her last week tears. She works towards getting her pardon, but she's also there for her friends. It should be the other way around, and they are there for her, but she's right there supporting them as well. She's not helping them mourn the loss of her, she's helping them continue their lives once she's gone.

I love how much Gabriella grows as a person in her last week, as well. She starts to have different views on life and start forming opinions that she can call her own.

The Nutshell: Don't let the simple cover and somewhat strange description put you off of The Wrap-Up List as it is an amazing book. The story is one that's completely new and yet still conveys some of the struggles most of us go through in our lives whether it be in our teenage years or when we face death, that of a loved one or your own. I know this will end up being another book buried under all the shiny covers and trendy plotlines, but it's a book that deserves to be read.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman {Review}

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: Rachel Hartman

Source: Ambuzzador program on Random Buzzers

Goodreads

Pages: 451

Series: Seraphina #1

Rating: Direct Hit

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical, minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary day draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered -- in a suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. 

I’m quite glad I got the chance to be an Ambuzzador for Seraphina since I otherwise wouldn’t have read this amazing book. I’ve been burned by fantasy a few times before and had decided that I just didn’t like the genre. Seraphina definitely has me rethinking that, though.

The language confused me a bit at times, but it wasn’t confusing in a way that hindered my enjoyment. Plus, Hartman was kind enough to provide a glossary! I was afraid there’d be tons of made-up words and confusing imaginary creatures, but that wasn’t the case. There are a few creatures and words that need explaining, but Hartman does just that. She didn’t leave me hanging in the dark wondering what in the world I was reading about.

I love the subtlety of Seraphina. It’s possible that most of that is due to the historical setting in which it’s set, but no matter the reason I loved it. The humor is never blatant and mystery is one that slowly seeps into the story. I actually found myself laughing out loud at times!

The characters are all fantastic as well. I really felt for Seraphina. I can’t imagine what it would be like to hate your own body not because you’re “too fat” or “too skinny” but because you have scales! When she took a knife to her scales I could feel her pain deep in my bones but I completely understood her determination and likely would’ve done the same to myself. Not only did she find the look of herself ugly, but she was an abomination to both societies. And yet, she was a strong, determined woman with a loving and compassionate side. In short, I adored her.

Then there’s Kiggs. He’s so prickly at times, but I could see the determination and reasoning for his action so I respected him as a character.

And then there’s Glisselda. I really thought I’d hate her when I first started reading but she turned out to be a completely wonderful character!

The story itself is both quiet and dramatic. The action and intrigue is never thrust right in your face, but I also found myself to never be particularly bored.

The Nutshell: If you think you don’t like fantasy, you might want to give Seraphina a try. I was a self-proclaimed fantasy hater until I read this. The characters are wonderful; the story is intricate, beautiful and fantastic; and the fantasy elements are actually easy to understand and wrap you head around.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd {Review}

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publish Date: January 29, 2013

Source: Publisher for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 432

Series: The Madman's Daughter #1

Rating: Hit/Direct Hit

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London -- working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.
Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward -- both of whom she is deeply drawn to -- Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius --and madness-- in her own blood.

Um, Miss Shepherd, can you explain what you were thinking when you wrote the ending? Because really, that's just cruel. Now, it is a series, but I'm not really sure where things can go from here. I'm curious to see where Shepherd takes the story next.

Enough about the future of the series, though, let's talk about the story itself.

For some reason I have this idea in my head that all historical books are always really slow and boring. The Madman's Daughter is yet another in the genre to prove me wrong. It did move a bit slowly, but not in the boring sense. It was maddening when mysteries were hinted at and answers felt just within grasp, but in the most delicious way. And don't fret about the aforementioned ending, you get all the answers it's just heartwrenching.

Characters

Juliet is pretty badass especially considering the setting. Here she is in a world where women are thought to be delicate, ignorant creatures and she's not afraid to do what needs to get done. She works scrubbing laboratory floors so she can survive without prostituting herself, she studies medicine, she stands up to her father, she chooses a guy for herself, among countless other things. She's not afraid to ask for help, either, which is an awesome thing on its own. One of the things I truly loved her for, though, was how confused she was. She knew her father was mad and found the things he did sickening but was drawn to them as well. The internal struggle was both wonderful and terrible.

I suppose you'd like me to talk about the boys as well? I honestly don't consider it much of a love triangle. There are two guys and only one girl, yes, but Juliet states from the beginning who she wants,. She does get a little confused, yes, but I think it's pretty fair given the circumstances. Plus, she doesn't go about stringing them both along. She ends up kissing both, sure, but she clearly tells boy B that she has feelings for boy A.

Juliet's father is absolutely terrifying and I felt anger, hatred, fear, and pity for him. Sometimes all at once.

Story

If you're squeamish you might just want to back away now. The animal dissections were described so vividly I found myself wanting to wash my brain clean of them a few times. That's not to mention how I felt for the animals themselves. Maybe it's the vegetarian in me, but I can't stand to see animals abused. I mean, those damn ASPCA commercials make me want to cry and go adopt them all. So reading about vivisection? Not exactly awesome. It was, however, an important part of the story and meant to disturb the reader.

The mysteries here are crazy. I mean, we have Juliet trying to figure out whether her father is truly mad or a misunderstood genius (I mean, yeah, he's mad, but Juliet has some serious internal struggles about it), weird-looking islanders, unexplained deaths, and just general shady personalities. It was practically torture at times, but you'll get all the answers in due time. And I promise I do mean all (unless I missed something.)

The Nutshell: the Madman's Daughter is historical fiction/fantasy, but it's definitely not all busy London streets and corsets. The bulk of the story takes place on the island and they don't exactly sit around having tea parties. The romance is a nice addition to the story, but the mystery and horror is what will keep you turning the pages.

Splintered by A. G. Howard {Review} + Giveaway

Terrible picture, I know, but it was late and
the post needed to go up :P

Publisher: Amulet

Publish Date: January 1, 2013

Source: Publisher for honest review

Pages: 384

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

Alyssa Gardner hears the thoughts of plants and animals. She hides her delusions now, but she knows her fate: she will end up like her mother, in an institution. Madness has run in her family ever since Alice Liddell told Lewis Carroll her strange dreams.
But perhaps she's not mad. And perhaps Carroll's stories aren't as whimsical as the seem.
To break the curse of insanity, Alyssa must go down the rabbit hole and right the wrongs of the real Wonderland, a place full of strange beings with dark agendas, a twisted fun-house reflection of Alice's childish tales. Alyssa brings her real-world crush -- the protective Jeb -- with her, but once her journey begins, she's torn between his solidity and the enchanting, dangerous magic of Morpheus, her guide to Wonderland. But no one in Wonderland is who they seem to be -- not even Alyssa herself...

Splintered is officially my new favorite Alice in Wonderland spinoff/retelling. I loved the Tim Burton/Disney rendition and the Syfy Alice special and Splintered is kind of like an awesome mish-mash of both. The bright colors and creepy setting of the Burton retelling combine with the awesome story and characters of Alice to create one amazingly fantastic book.

Though I compare Splintered to other renditions, it completely stands on its own. The story is totally new while still drawing similarities from the original and putting a creepy twist on them. There are certainly no fluffy pocket-watch carrying rabbits here. There are, however, boys. Yes, plural, but I think it works (then again, I'm not an adamant love triangle hater). I'm not one to think romance makes everything better, but it really adds to the story. I certainly wouldn't have cried had there been no romance...

Alyssa reflects Alice with her stubbornness and curiosity, but is definitely her own character. She takes the fate of her life in her hands and literally jumps down the rabbit hole headfirst. And when she's faced with a tough decision (be it who to trust, what to do when a walrus-octopus wants to eat you, or which guy to choose) she makes one. Of course, she's not always right, but we wouldn't want it that way, now would we?

Shall we talk about the boys?

First we have Jeb, the cute, scruffy skater guy who happens to be Alyssa's best friend. He's pretty overprotective, but he always has Alyssa's best interests at heart. Jeb is my favorite of the two, hands down with his sweetness towards Alyssa and their teasing banter.

Then we have our bad boy: Morpheus. He's dark, obsessive, and mischievous. Of course, he also has an irresistible and romantic side, but only for Alyssa. The tortured soul thing does something going on for it, though which made me almost sway towards Team Morpheus a few times.

Part of the ending felt a little rushed to me, but not all of it. More like the intro the climax and ending. That's really the only negative thing I have to say, though.

The Nutshell: If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland retellings/spinoffs then I can almost guarantee you'll like Splintered. However, if you're not a fan of dark and creepy or simply refuse to read any love triangles at all it might not be the book for you. Splintered does a fantastic job of standing on its own and it kept me flipping pages as fast as I could right to the end.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

And as a little added bonus I'm giving away my ARC :D

Must be 13 or older (or have parents permission)

US only (sorry, to all my international followers. I'll try to have another giveaway open to you guys soon :])

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle {Review}

Publisher: Speak

Publish Date: October 2, 2008

Source: Gift/Own

Goodreads

The weather outside is frightful, but these stories are delightful! When a huge blizzard (that doesn't show signs of stopping) hits, Gracetown is completely snowed in. But ven though it's cold outside, things are heating up inside, proving that the holiday season is magical when it comes to love. In three wonderfully (and hilariously!) interconnected tales, YA stars John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson create a must-have collection that captures all the spirit of the holiday season.

Let It Snow is basically the most perfect holiday book ever. Could you really expect less from 3 amazing authors, though? First, I'll break it down into the tree stories.

The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson

Take hilarious shenanigans, Christmas, and romance; mix them thoroughly and what do you end up with? Magic, I tell you, magic. I can't even count how many times I laughed out loud while reading this. I could read a whole book about Jubilee because she's unintentionally hilarious. Plus, she's the type of girl who'll trudge through 5 feet of snow by herself to go to a Waffle House and that's the type of girl I like to read about.

Her relationship with Stuart is good even though they had a lot of unnecessary miscommunication at the end. They start out as strangers (Stuart seeming a little more strange upon first glance) in a Waffle House then progress to friendly jabs at each other, and finally they realize that being together is kind of nice. Basically what I'm saying is that it all felt really natural except, you know, for the fact that the first night they met she slept on his couch...

A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green

Mr. Green presents a familiar situation: guy friend and girl friend both like each other but neither realizes. Part of me was always going “Tobin, you idiot! Can you not see the googly eyes Duke is making and the massive elphant-sized hints she's dropping?!” But no, because I've totally been there. Before my (now) husband and I started dating I'm pretty sure everyone in the entire town knew we liked each other but could we see it? Hah, not a chance. So Tobin and Duke's relationship was predictable, but that didn't diminish its cuteness.

I liked that even though there were three (well, technically four, but he was mostly just on the phone) friends the third didn't just become a third wheel left out in the cold. JP (said third friend) was hilarious and had a great relationship with both Duke and Tobin and the story certainly wouldn't be the same without him.

The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle

Myracle's story wasn't the laugh-out-loud hilarious type like the other two, but it kind of ended up balancing everything out. Now, it's pretty obvious within the first couple pages that this will be a coming-to-terms-with-the-fact-that-you-need-to-change type of story, but again, predictability isn't always a bad thing.

I didn't really understand Addie. All the people closest to her are telling her she's self-absorbed and she refuses to listen and just rattles off all the problems with her life instead. Plus, why in the world would you break up with someone if YOU are the cheater and your other half DOESN'T want to break up? I just don't get it. That's kind of the point of Addie, though. She's dramatic and just does things but you get to see her grow into a better person by the end.

One of the best things about this little trio of stories is the way you get to watch them all come together. At first it's just a few references to people or happenings you heard about before, but then it all builds up into this giant avalanche of crossing paths and you see how everyone affected everyone else. It's pretty neat and (for the most part) believable too.

The Nutshell: If you want a cute, funny winter read by some awesome authors then you simply must pick up Let It Snow

Pages: 352

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

Across the Universe by Beth Revis {Review}

Publisher: Razorbill

Publish Date: January 11, 2011

Source: Bought/Own

Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was o mere computer malfunction. Someone -- one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship -- tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could have never seen coming.

GAH! That ending! It was perfect in the way that it wrapped things up, but it just left me with such a bittersweet feeling.

So here’s the deal: Across the Universe is brilliant. So all those people that have been telling you to read it? They weren’t lying.

If I had to pick out one thing about the story that was my favorite, it’s that there’s not really any romance. When I saw that (gorgeous) almost-kissing cover I just knew Amy and Elder were going to get it on. It just so happens that I was wrong, though. Oh sure, there’s a spark there, but the story isn’t about the romance and I loved that. The non-romance means I can go around waving this book in everyone’s faces without having to worry if they’re romance haters or not.

Which leads me to what the story is about: secrets. Lots and lots of secrets. And mysteries galore! Sure, I knew about the whole “Godspeed is a ship built on lies” tagline, but I didn’t fathom just how many lies Revis was going to manage to shove into it. Every time I thought I had something figured out I was faced with another plot-twist or mini-mystery. I admit that for a while towards the beginning I was like “MORE secrets?! When do I get some answers?!” but I assure you that they’ll come and in the meantime there’s plenty of crazy stuff to keep you occupied.

I’m really hoping we get to see more of the science behind Godspeed in book two. It didn’t really have a place in Across the Universe because of everything else that was going on, but I still love learning about (fictional) science.

And can I just say that the Season seriously creeped me out? Because it really, really did.

The Nutshell: Across the Universe is a fantastic read. If you’re looking for something with minimal romance, fantastic characters, and a great story full of mystery then you’ll definite find it in AtU.

Pages: 398

Series: Across the Universe #1

Rating: Direct Hit

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross {Review}

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publish Date: April 10, 2012

Source: Library

Goodreads

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday -- and discovers a world she never could have a imagined.
In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems -- the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.
But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own...brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and and hidden thorns.

Looking at the cover of Kill Me Softly you probably aren’t imagining the story inside to be so dark (despite the blood), but it is. Oh, by golly, it is. Incredibly, deliciously dark.

The first third of the book wasn’t so awesome for me. I spent it being astounded by Mira’s stupidity and unwillingness to question things. I mean, I understand Felix has magic working on his side, but come on. He’s 21, you’re a few days shy of sixteen and you just crawl in bed with him after a few hours spent together? Where is your brain, Mira?! And then when everyone is telling her he has a curse she’s all “but this is true love and you wouldn’t understand!” instead of digging a little deeper to find out exactly what this curse is.

BUT, then things start to clear up. Then we start learning about the curses and the fairytales, and let me tell you, it’s pretty gruesome. It’s one thing to read the fairytales and think they’re dark, but it’s another to think about applying it to life today. And I absolutely love how Cross weaved the fairytales into modern life.

Then there’s Blue. Oh, Blue. I kind of loved him from the start even though he acted like a complete jerk for a while. The poor guy is just so tortured and selfless. If you’re looking for a noble knight in hiding, look no further than Blue.

Felix, on the other hand, always just felt a little slimy to me. And, in my opinion, he is, but I’ll let you make that decision for yourself without ruining anything ;]

Mira became a much more complex and likable character by the end of the story which I greatly appreciated. Instead of continuing on the lovesick puppy path she starts to actually question things and search out answers.

Spoilers 

I’m feeling pretty torn about the ending, though. On the one hand, I loved it. On the other, well, let’s break it down:

-- Umm, hello, what about Felix? It alluded to the fact that he’d need to be killed, but we’re just going to end the story with him wandering around with his head intact? Not cool. I was really looking forward to seeing a fight with him.

-- What about our poor knight, Freddie? I know he already knew Mira didn’t like him that way, but what is he supposed to do with his life now? He’s spent years looking for his princess and when he finds her she runs straight into the arms of another guy. That definitely deserved some follow up.

-- The elusive parents? I know it’d be long and complicated to build a relationship between them and Mira, but all I’m asking for is one little meeting. I just wanted to meet them!

-- What’s up with her fairy godmothers saying something about fairy prison? They act like we should know what rules they broke and what trouble they’d get in instead of just telling us. Not cool.

I know I can’t have everything, but that’s a lot of stuff to introduce only to leave unanswered.

End spoilers

The Nutshell: If you love your fairytales dark then you’ll definitely like Kill Me Softly. The story is complex and fascinating and it’ll really make you question right and wrong (at least, it did me).

Pages: 336

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman {Review}

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Publish Date: April 10, 2012

Source: Library

Goodreads

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend, Adrianne, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also -- according to the police, to her parents, to everyone -- a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that may not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

The Book of Blood and Shadow is one seriously crazy, twisty adventure. There were so many plot twists you’d think it’d be hard to keep up, but the story actually flowed in a fantastic way.

This is a whopper of a book, so let’s break it down:

Characters:

Nora – Flawed, but in a good, believable way. This girl has dealt with some serious tragedy in her life, so I don’t blame her for being pessimistic. She was also headstrong and stubborn; unwilling to let anyone do anything for her. The fact that she was unwilling to ask for help may seem stupid, but I actually admired that in her.

Max – I felt kind of on the fence about him most of the time. I could see why Nora liked him and how she reasoned away his moody side, but I can’t deal with moody and I don’t appreciate guys snapping at their girlfriends just because they “get that way.” I didn’t hate him, but I also didn’t really like him.

Adriane – Sometimes I liked her and sometimes she just seemed so damn full of herself. Plus, her and Nora had kind of a strange relationship.

Just because I complained about the characters doesn’t mean they weren’t great in the story :]

Story:

This is one crazy storyline, guys. Just when you think you’ve figured it out BAM there’s another twist you never saw coming (or, at least, I didn’t see coming). I kind of like that the story starts about by telling you Chris is dead and then backtracks and gives you a little of what happened before Chris was murdered. The backtrack made it possible to get to know Chris and a little of why he died without it having to just be info-dump or telling instead of showing.

I loved the story. I loved everything from Latin translations (although, I could’ve done without Latin/Czech/whatever that wasn’t translated throughout the book) to the idea of this crazy machine hidden away in Prague that does who know what. Everything was mysterious enough to keep me going but Wassernan also provided enough answers I didn’t want to pull my hair out from all the not knowing.

My one complaint is all the religion talk. It probably won’t bother most people since it’s not the preachy kind. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Norah doesn’t believe in any type of religion so since they’re searching for some religious artifact, you can imagine how often she’s preaching her non-belief. (I know I said it wasn’t preachy, but it isn’t what people normally think of as preachy.) I completely understand why the questioning was important to Norah’s character, but I just wish it wasn’t so “God could not exist and whoever believes in him is kind of stupid” all the time.

The Nutshell: If you’re looking for a good cross-country mystery then The Book of Blood and Shadow is definitely your book. There’s so many plot-twists I can just short of guarantee (because I can’t guarantee anything :P) you’ll never be bored or figure out the story early on.

Pages: 448

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts {Review}

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: November 1, 2011

Source: Library
Goodreads

Since the beginning or mankind, civilizations have fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs...and now us. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something eve more awful is happening: An ancient evil has been unleashed, and it's turned 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 to the heart of darkness -- and to find each other and a place of safety.

(A little aside here: It talks about Mercer Hall which is amusing since it no longer exists. They tore it down a year or two ago. It’s also the dorm Husband stayed in when he was there.)

To be quite honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of Dark Inside. It seemed as if most of the reviews I read were just “okay” and it immediately dropped off under the radar after its release which typically isn’t a good sign, but it really shouldn’t have happened this time. This is a fantastic apocalyptic novel that needs to be read.

First off, Dark Inside has a little something for everyone. There are four narrators: two boys and two girls. See, we’re already pleasing both genders. Past that, there really isn’t any romance to speak of, but there’s definitely plenty of blood. Not trying to force gender stereotypes on anyone, but I will say that this is a book I’d recommend to my brother or Husband.

Now, you probably noticed that I said there were four narrators. Don’t let that freak you out. That’s actually the biggest reason I put off reading it for so long. I was afraid it would be hard to connect with any of the characters and keep all their stories straight, but it really wasn’t. It did get a little confusing with all the names, especially towards the end, but Roberts does a good job of establishing exactly who each character is in each new chapter. I thought it was pretty fascinating to find that I’d connected with each character in some way or another and really felt for everything they went through.

And I’ve got to ask, for those who’ve read the story, did you try to assign a character to Nothing from the beginning? Maybe it was just me, but as soon as I could, I was tacking everyone onto Nothing to see if they fit. I think I had it figured out by the end, but I’m not positive. If you want to discuss in the comments make sure to put some kind of spoilers notification up :]

The Nutshell: Dark Inside has flown under the radar for the most part, but it’s about time this book has its moment in the sun. It’s a fantastic read with everything from great characters to interesting settings to scary bad guys. This is definitely one that I could easily suggest to both guys and girls. Don’t yell at me about gender stereotypes either, because most guys I know look at me like I’m insane if I suggest a book to them with romance :P

 Pages: 329

Series: Dark Inside #1

Rating: Direct Hit

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins {Review}

Publisher: Dutton Books

Publish Date: September 29, 2011

Source: Own/Contest
Goodreads

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit --  more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) util the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out of his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Oh. My. Golly.

This book made me want to squee and laugh and jump up and down and hug myself. So I did. Mutiple times. One cannot contain the joy and happiness and emotions that Lola and the Boy Next Door holds.

If I’m not careful this will just be one long, gushy review, so let’s start with a list of things I loved:

1) Lola’s parents and her relationship with them. When I’d seen people saying how much they liked this I figured they would be the “best friend” type of parents, but they weren’t. Her dads are very protective of her, but you can tell how much they love her too. They yell at her and ground her and do normal parenty things which is awesome.

2) Max and Lola’s relationship. Going in, I figured I was going to hate Max since he sounded kind of douchey. I didn’t, though. No matter how much I wanted to hate him I just couldn’t. It was interesting to watch Max and Lola’s relationship deteriorate knowing that theirs wasn’t the most important relationship of the story.

3) Cricket Bell. I mean, really, do I even have to say it? He’s kind, funny, sweet and fantastic, but he’s more like a real boy than almost any other I’ve read. I love that he’s transparent about his feelings which means, yeah, he does yell at Lola (not in an abusive way, promise) once or twice because he’s so dig darn frustrated. In more ways than one. He gets angry and sad and we see it all. Plus, he’s super nice to his sister and little niece. Oh gosh, I’ve got to stop now before this turns into an all out “gush about Cricket” fest.

4) ANNA AND ST. CLAIR! They aren’t just a small part of the story, they’re Lola’s friends! How cool is that?

5) Lola. She’s so colorful and lively and real. She yells at her parents, storms out of the house, cries on her bed, agonizes over guys, makes impulsive decisions, gets gooey-eyed over her neighbor, and makes mistakes. I could go on and on, but what I’m trying to say is that Lola is someone most girls will be able to relate to. She’s always second guessing herself and wondering what she’s supposed to do which basically describes the being a teen.

6) All the clothes talk. You might think that it would get to be too show-and-telly, but it didn’t. It was fun reading about everyone’s clothes from Lola’s costumes to Cricket’s pin-striped pants.

And then the review was getting long and gushy so let’s wrap this up!

The Nutshell: Lola and the Boy Next Door will make you laugh, break your heart a little, and have you swooning all over the place. This is definitely not your typical girl-meets-girl-long-journey-to-love-happily-ever-after story. I mean, there is a happily ever after, but it’s not all about Lola getting the boy next door. In fact, she’s still with Max for over half the story which I thought was really interesting. This is one book you do not want to miss. Even if contemporary isn’t your thing, you should give this one a chance!

 Pages: 338

Series: Companion to Anna and the French Kiss

Rating: Direct Hit

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand {Review}

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: August 28, 2012

Source: ARC from contest

Goodreads

At the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls you will definitely learn your lesson.
Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster -- lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.)
But then Lawrence goes missing. And he's not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out...different. Or they don't come out at all.
If anyone can sort this out, it's Victoria -- even if it means getting a little messy.

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is spooky, disturbing, and downright awesome. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read a middle grade so dark, but I loved every minute of it, and I’m pretty sure my twelve-year-old self would have too.

First of all let me just say that Victoria’s not a very likable character. She’s prim and proper and has to have everything just so. And yet, believe it or not, I didn’t hate her. Her personality was absolutely perfect for the story.

Legrand is a master when it comes to the creep-factor, let me tell you. I thought I could feel little cockroach feet all over me while I was reading. In fact, as I wrote that I got a creepy-crawly feeling down my spine. I HATE beetles.

You know how when you know something’s afoot but you don’t know what and so you expect anything? Yeah, well I thought I did too, but Legrand threw surprise after surprise at me with the creepy goings on in the Cavendish house. There’s the birds with hands, the hanger, the changing walls, and then there’s the gofer’s! Those poor, poor things :[

The Nutshell: I adored The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls. If you’re looking for a quick, creepy middle grade read, then you should definitely pick this one up!

Pages: 352

Series: No

Rating: Direct Hit

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh {Review}

Publisher: Antheneum

Publish Date: August 31, 2010

Source: Library
Goodreads

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due -- so unfair -- on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he'd rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can't help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.
Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allen Poe come to life.
As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.
His life depends it.

Can I just start by asking how in the world everyone who read this when it came out has managed to wait so long for a sequel?! Seriously, that is one killer ending an I’m really not sure how everyone managed to keep it together for this long :P

I never really had want to read Nevermore since I shy away from paranormal and I’d heard some mixed reviews, but now I just kind of want to be like “be gone, naysayers!” The beginning 100ish pages were a little wordy for me with descriptions galore, but it seemed to die down after that and focus more on the story itself. Honestly, that’s my only complaint. I know with a book so large (540some pages) you may worry that it’s going to have a slow start or lag in the middle, but that’s really not the case with Nevermore. Creagh does a fantastic job of keeping you entertained and giving you just enough information at a time that you don’t get annoyed, and instead, stay interested.

Let’s talk about Isobel. When the story started, I thought I was going to end up hating her the entire time. She’s a cheerleader who is a little stuck-up and more than a little rude at times. But then she actually grows and changes throughout the course of the story becoming someone who can stand up for herself as well as others. Heck, by the end, she was making choices and doing stuff I’m not positive I’d do in her situation.

Can we just talk about Varen for a minute? He’s basically High School Jasmine’s perfect guy. He’s got the bad boy/goth look going for him, he likes to read (mostly Poe, it seems, but still :P), he writes poetry, has a lip ring (!), and is, you know, swoon-worthy ;] Yeah, it’s safe to say Varen is one of my favorite YA guys.

Shall we talk about the paranormal aspect? Instead of being all BAM paranormaly stuff is going down, the supernatural elements slowly weave their way into the story. I really liked that. It seems a lot of times you’re just moseying along and then Hey, the main character’s an angel and they spend the rest of the book being attacked by Bad Forces, making bad decisions, and learning all about angel stuff. Probably a good 3/4s of Nevermore the paranormal aspects are only sprinkled in instead of thrust upon you. Furthermore, the paranormal elements are unlike anything I’ve ever read before which kept me wanting to know more.

The Nutshell: Despite the size, Nevermore is likely to keep you enthralled the entire time. The paranormal aspect can’t be pigeonholed into the typical paranormal stuff like angels or ghosts. Creagh’s created a paranormal world that’s like nothing else I’ve read. On top of the great paranormal world, the characters are great. Isobel turns out to be more than your typical cheerleader and Varen isn’t just some mopey goth guy. Even if paranormal isn’t your thing, you should still try giving Nevermore a chance. What could a chance hurt, anyway? ;]

Pages: 543

Series: Nevermore #1
Rating: Direct Hit

Variant by Robison Wells {Review}

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publish Date: September 26, 2011

Source: Library
Goodreads

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfirld Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he's trapped in a school that's surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school's real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape -- his only real hope for survival -- may be impossible.

After finishing Variant I actually just sat there mumbling “but…whaa…but…how!?” for a good 30 seconds feeling all twitchy before I immediately logged onto Goodreads to read the synopsis for book two. I’m just incredibly glad I waited until now to read it. If I’d had to wait an entire year for the next book I really don’t know if I could’ve handled it!

So first of all, I just want to say that I’m really not sure how people think Variant is a dystopian. Sure, the setting is apart from regular society, but that doesn’t make it a dystopian. Moving on now.

Variant is a thrill ride from the beginning. We’re talking “buildup? What buildup?” kind of thrill ride, and it’s oh so good. I’m fine and dandy with buildup, sure, but it’s quite the treat when I can be thrown right into the midst of things and not be terribly confused. Some books like to try to start out with a BANG by going for the shock factor or throwing the reader into the middle of a fight, but Variant just starts building a subtle creep factor right out of the gate and it totally works. I was completely hooked by page 7.

I can’t really say Benson was someone I could connect with, but I admired his perseverance. If I were plopped into Maxfield Academy I probably would’ve been lulled into a state of complacency by the simple fact that they have good food (what can I say, I’m a food girl). Plus, you know, I tend to play by the rules so the threat of death would’ve had me dressing in my uniform and sitting in my seat like a good little girl along with the rest of the students. And, even though Benson was all “fight the power!” he never wanted anyone else to get hurt. The only reason he tried to persuade anyone else was to save them from impending death (I totally wrote ‘doom’ right there, but it sounded too dramatic :P).

The Nutshell: Variant is a non-stop thriller that will have you hanging on the edge of your seat (or couch, or bed, etc) frantically flipping pages to find out the answers. The tension was often so high that I had to force myself to keep my eyes from jumping ahead to find out what happened. If you’re looking for a book that’ll keep you guessing until the very end (and after) then Variant is your book. Be warned, though, it ends in one heck of a cliffhanger and the sequel doesn’t come out until October ;]

Pages: 373
Series: Variant #1
Rating: Direct Hit

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty {Review}

Publisher: Crown Publishing Group

Publish Date: August 28, 2001
Source: Library
Goodreads

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy -- and shopping-crazy -- girls at school, her dad's obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany's lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

I just finished Sloppy Firsts and all I can think is “helloooo! Since when is it okay for contemporary novels to end in a cliffhanger?! Not cool Miss McCafferty, not cool.” But of course, the sequel was published years ago (seriously, I can’t believe this one came out 12 years ago) so I don’t really have to wait that long to read it, but that doesn’t change the fact that I do not, actually, currently have it in my possession. And I’m dying here. Oh, wait, you actually wanted a review? Okay, I suppose.

Honestly, for a little over half of Sloppy Firsts I was afraid I was going to come out feeling luke warm about it causing half the YA blogosphere to throw virtual rotten fruit and hit me on the head with giant virtual books. But I was wrong. Oh so happily, wonderfully wrong.

As a 19-almost-20-year-old (not that this makes me sage or worldly or anything) a lot of Jessica’s problems seemed pretty trivial and sometimes I found myself wanting to tell her to just suck it up. But another part of me was right there with her screaming the “parents suck and my friends don’t understand me” mantra loud and proud for everyone [in my head] to hear. Sure, I may not have been right there with her on everything she ever thought, but I could commiserate with a great deal.

And then there’s Marcus. Freaking. Flutie. Sure, I’ve heard all about this guy since starting my blog, but I’ve always thought to myself “he can’t be that great.” Once again, I’ve been proven oh so very wrong. He had me all in a tizzy sometimes with his tension building and ear whispering and overly enigmatic status. And I hear it gets better. I’m really not sure if I can handle better, though. In fact, I’m slightly afraid :P

The Nutshell: Sure, the pop-culture references and the slang are outdated, but Jessica’s teenage feelings aren’t. She’s having normal (for the most part) teenage problems that most girls out there can relate to which makes Sloppy Firsts stand the test of time. This is a book about dealing with your best friend moving away, boy problems (and lack thereof), not-so friendly friends, how relationships grow and change (from mother-daughter to best friend relationships), and so. Much. More. I could never possibly sum up how great this book is. Just please, please, give it a chance.

Pages: 298
Series: Jessica Darling #1

Rating: Direct Hit

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake {Review}

Publisher: Tor Teen
Publish Date: August 7, 2012
Source: ARC/Own
Goodreads

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could lie -- not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with. Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.
Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her right now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

It’s a pretty well-known fact that the sequel can never be as good as the first, but every once in a while, a book or movie comes along that defies all logic and does just that. Girl of Nightmares was one of those books for me. I liked Anna Dressed in Blood well enough, but it didn’t turn out to be a favorite. Girl of Nightmares, on the other hand, was utterly fantastic.

I found Anna to be scary in the “oh, I’m glad I live in the city instead of the middle of nowhere” kind of way whereas Girl of Nightmares had some parts that were more like “pardon me while I turn on every light in the house.” For those who’ve read it, are you with me on the forest part? I read it in the middle of the night and it gave me a serious case of the willies!

Cas is still Cas, for sure. He’s all about “I’ll do what I want, when I want, how I want” but he also cares deeply for his friends and family. He may not be my favorite character of all time, but I can definitely respect that.

I still quite liked Thomas as well. He’s usually scared out of his pants by the things they deal with, but he still manages to keep his head and help out Carmel and Cas.

Carmel’s the character that throws me through a loop. I can be thinking “that’s it; I do not like this girl” one minute and the next she completely changes my mind by doing something awesome like beating up ghosts with a  stick or telling Mr. High and Mighty to shove it.

I liked the story a whole lot better in Girl of Nightmares as well. It was just kind of meh like the first one for me until about halfway through. I was enjoying it, but it wasn’t anything to make shout to the rooftops about, but then it started getting really good and I was completely invested, flipping pages to find out what would happen to Cas and Anna. 

The Nutshell: Girl of Nightmares is a fantastic sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood. I actually enjoyed it more than the first book. If you want to find out what happens to Anna and Cas next, then you should definitely read this one. If you want to be scared out of your wits then this is definitely your book ;]

Pages: 336
Series: Anna #2 (Sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood)
Rating: Direct Hit