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Book Review: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Vanessa Alder has been haunted since her older sister Margaret’s disappearance. Three years later she finds herself in Margaret’s place as a standout freshman at the New York Ballet Academy. As the handsome Zeppelin Grey catches her eye and head choreographer Josef hints Vanessa could be up for the lead in the winter ballet, she’s easily caught up in the movements.

However, Vanessa isn’t there to dance. Her main goal is to find her sister. Reported as a runaway, Vanessa is positive that Margaret is lurking somewhere in New York. Yet as the pressures of dance begin to overwhelm her, Vanessa wonders if she is starting to hear and see things. There are secrets hidden within the NYBA and Vanessa will do whatever it takes to discover what happened to her sister.

This book was a real letdown. The cover? Fantastic! The blurb on the back? I need to read this now! The verdict? BOOOOOOO.

Let’s go over the reasons why. 1. The romance not only doesn’t make sense, but it makes the plot clunky and derails from a possible interesting plot. Zeppelin Grey? The name annoyed me so much I hated every scene he was in. 2. It wasn’t executed well. 3. The ending is blurry, and there are bits and characters that are completely forgotten about. This is a first in the series, but there was no alluding to ‘there’s more that lies ahead’ until the last page. 4. Vanessa as a whole is one-dimensional and her heart and soul for finding her sister isn’t followed throughout the book. It’s a mistake that could have changed the outcome of the book.

I really wanted to like this book; it had such promise. I was excited from the prologue and cover, but this was not carried through with each chapter. I loved the idea of a dark mystery surrounding an elite dance school in New York. The beauty and grace of ballet flitting through the pages. Perhaps someone else can give it a go. I won’t be continuing the series. There isn’t enough intrigue for me to want to know what happens, but kudos to the Bloomsbury marketing team! They did a standout job! I just wish someone had held the author to the same standard as the cover design. It really could have been a perfect match.

Book Review: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Jul30

Please note: This is the third book in the Hush, Hush series and does contain spoilers.

Check out my review for Hush, Hush (1) and Crescendo (2).

All summer Nora Grey has been missing. When she appears out of nowhere in the middle of the cemetery, she discovers she can’t remember the past five months of her life. It also turns out her mother has been dating the father of her biggest enemy Marcie Millar. Talk about living an nightmare.

Traumatized and feeling alone Nora tries to piece her life back together. Her friends say one thing and other people from her past say another. Nora knows her mother is keeping something from her, but as she muddles through her memories each road comes up empty.

Try as she can to figure things out there are other forces drawing Nora into danger. Each time she lands in perils way, a handsome unknown stranger swoops in to save her. Like a guardian angel. If only Nora could just remember what really happened…

Sigh. It’s been a slow deterioration for this series. Granted, again, Fitzpatrick has made me eager to know what happened to Nora. However the plot is beginning to thin. I found this book to be ‘too easy’. There were many sections where I thought ‘That seriously wouldn’t happen’ to ‘The world doesn’t operate that way’.

Now I understand this is a YA book and sometimes you come across ones that don’t make sense and it’s supposed to be ok. However, the best YA can weave a tale where even if things don’t make sense it’s still believable. This is not one of those series.

My disappointment is growing, but there is only one book left so I feel I’ve invested this much and need to finish. My hopes are not high though.

Book Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Jul23

Please note: This is the second book in the Hush, Hush series and does contain spoilers.

Check out my review for Hush, Hush (1).

A few weeks ago Nora Grey almost died. When her life was in danger, the smoky hot mysterious Patch did the unthinkable and saved her life. If she died Patch could have taken her life and become human, but instead he saved her and became her guardian angel.

Yet the angels above are keeping an eye on Patch, Making his relationship with Nora…complicated. When an old childhood friend of Nora’s comes back to town, suddenly there are questions involving her father’s death. In this small town of Maine there are a lot more secrets than Nora could ever imagine. If Patch isn’t by her side to sort them out, will she be able to handle the truth?

I can’t say that this sequel was as good as the first. The habits that Nora had established in the first book were completely absent and she reverted to an unimaginative one-dimensional character obsessed with her love interest.

However, I kept going because the plot was intriguing. What lacked in character development/progression can be slightly overlooked due to the thrilling mystery the story created. Fitzpatrick did a brilliant job of giving the reader just enough hints of information to keep me turning the pages.

Plus, the ending is even more explosive than the first book. I’m going to keep reading the series but I was disappointed that the second seemed to forget everything good it had established in the first.

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Jun18

Please note this is the second book in the Delirium Series.

Find my review for the first Delirium.

THEN: Lena has escaped her life. Over the fence she has crawled, leaving Alex behind to trek through the Wilds into the unknown. Now Lena has been born anew. As apart of a group of those that wander the Wilds fighting for survival, Lena tries to move forward, grieving for Alex. The ways of her old life are long forgotten. Her body and mind shift to withstand the harsh reality of living beyond the wall.

NOW: Together with her group Lena tries to gather more information as she lives undetected within society. When she gets caught up in the kidnapping of Julian Fineman, the son of the Mayor and symbol of a Deliria Free America. She’s going to have to use everything she learned out in the Wilds to insure their existence.

Throughout everything, the struggle, tears death and hunger, Lena pushes more. Alex died to give her a real chance at life. But in a world where feeling love is outlawed, what’s the point in living when that love is gone?

I really liked the format of this book. Switching between THEN and NOW, as readers we learn how Lena has evolved as a character and she does not disappoint! Multi layered and tough, I have loved to see how Lena has grown into a strong female character. Her heartbreak is also all too real and relatable. The grief within this book is harsh but realistic. I praise Oliver for taking her world to the limits and not backing down from anything uncomfortable.

I was also pleased to read how much more complex this world became. There are more adult themes present. The more I think about it, it’s a standout sequel that does a 180 from its debut. Lena has woken up from the false reality that her government has been controlling and as it’s weaknesses become more apparent the future for everyone looks bleak. It’s a terrifying reality.

Yet throughout Lena never losses hope nor determination. It made me feel as if this world environment was the starting catalyst for The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Humans always want power and control, but a small group will never win over the population thus chaos is inevitable. This is book has hints on that power and it was a pleasure to read something that speaks lightly about the world around us now. Gritty and well paced this second book is a great revelation.

Book Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

May28

Addison Coleman is an extraordinary teenager. Gifted with the power to see the future outcome when making a decision, she is just your average teenager. Growing up on a compound with others just like her, she has a best friend, crushes on boys and is faced with a difficult choice when her parents announce they are getting a divorce.

Addie must decide to either remain on the compound with mother or she can leave to the normal world with her father. If she remains with her mother, Addie will grab the attention of the hottest guy in school. On the outside Addie learns that not all ‘Norms’ are as ignorant as she’s taught to believe. The choice should be easy. Two different choices like a fork in the road. Which one will she choose?

But Addie’s power comes with a difficult price, for she must choose one of the paths. When each present results with tragic results, she’s got to decide whom she can live with forever, or without.

I really loved this book! Such a great premise and it’s exciting right from the first chapter! Totally TV worthy and the only thing I’m disappointed about is the fact that it’s becoming a book series. I really liked this book as a single, but it’s very impressive so I’m not shocked that more books are on the way.

Anyways, the format is written as every other chapter in the perspective of each path. It’s best not to be reading other books whilst reading this one. There is so much to each story and they’re beautifully interwoven as alternate realities. This book will keep you up reading until the final chapter to see which future Addie chooses. Not heavy on the romance it’s focus is more on being an ‘average’ teenager (somewhat) and I loved how relatable the story was.

If you’ve ever wondered ‘What if?’ in your life, this book will make you think about choices. Now which point will you take?

Book Review: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Apr9

Angelina (Angie)’s life is instantly changed on Prom night. Her best friend Lizzie is caught sleeping with her boyfriend. Pretty and popular cheerleader Angie – the victim of the biggest scandal at Verity High School. The ultimate betrayal between girlfriends is the only the beginning. After the weekend fun and drama, four little letters appear in black permanent marker on Lizzie’s locker – SLUT. Unable to bring herself to speak to Lizzie, Angie fades into the background as a spectator to witness as this word grows all over her locker. It continues to spread to her backpack, notebooks and etched like wallpaper onto her car.

The fascination was supposed to fade, but Lizzie kills herself leaving only behind her diary for Angie to sort through. The word SUICIDE appears in Lizzie’s handwriting above SLUT. Angie becomes obsessed with discovering who has written these words, the catalyst to her best friend’s death. The truth can be more painful than reality and Angie must live with her choices. In the matters of the heart in high school there is more than just what everyone sees.

The S-Word is brutal, but so brilliant in it’s depiction of modern High School drama. Angie is essentially the popular girl that everyone loves to hate, but through her story readers grow to learn about the insecure girl that rose to be a Princess Bee. She’s real with flaws and passion. Angie’s voice is amazing. She’s harsh and cruel and I loved everything she said. It’s hard to explain unless you give this book a read.

Although this novel deals with sensitive topics, it’s so honest that’ll you’ll be hooked from the first chapter. I loved that this wasn’t about romance and that this also isn’t a series. It’s a breathe of controversial air that will have you reliving those painful high school days but will also be able to shed some light as to why people act the way they do. Everyone has secrets. The S-Word is a brilliant set of words. Well written and realistic to a fault this is a stand out for the Young Adult genre.

This book was provided by the publisher Simon and Schuster from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author Chelsea Pitcher for book! This book will be published May 7^th. Buy your copy in advance today!