Tag Archive | 2013

Book Review: The Impossibility of Tomorrow by Avery Williams

Please note this is the second and final book in the Incarnations series and does contain spoilers.

For my review on the first book, The Alchemy of Forever.

Seraphina continues her story as sixteen-year-old Kailey Morgan. She was supposed to finish her life, end everything…until she met Kailey’s next door neighbor Noah. Sera is smitten, but her ex Cyrus is still lurking after her. He’ll do anything to return Sera to the fold, even if it means killing Kailey’s classmates in a man hunt to find Sera…

Sera thought she wanted a final rest, but now her priorities have changed, if Cyrus has taken Noah then his demise is the only answer for her safety. No one can be trusted and Sera lies on edge wondering who is truly who around her. She must find Cyrus before he discovers who she is, and everyone’s life depends on it.

I have to say that I love how this is another two book YA series. They’re really starting to grow on me and I am pleasantly surprised that two is enough. There were a couple of other surprises in this book and I praise Williams for not making her characters cliché.

Sera as a character tries to stay strong, but it’s the lovely bit that is her downfall. I felt her reactions to many plot points were weak and I wish her fiercely willed parts were more prominent. Ironically, I found myself wishing the real Kailey Morgan had more of a voice on the book. I’d be interested to read a prequel of her story as she is quite the fascinating girl that should be written about more in YA.

Overall I enjoyed the series. It hits all the targets for modern day YA with a few more diversity boxes checked, which YA is sorely lacking. For a romance series I am a fan and would recommend this range to anyone looking for a different series to be sucked into for a couple of days.

Book Review: Reached by Ally Condie

Sep17

Please note this is the third book in the Matched series and does contain spoilers.

For my review on the first book, Matched.

For my review on the second book, Crossed.

They are all waiting for the Pilot.

The Pilot will be the one to save them.

Xander, Cassia and Ky are tied together, tighter than ever before. When the Rising makes it’s move and the Pilot stands above all else, is this truly what kind of world they are wishing to create?

But when the unsafe need to be saved, the world runs rampant. With no help near and judgement lurking, it’s a race to find a cure.

People start to die and hope dies with them.

When Ky falls ill, will Cassia have the strength to live without him if they don’t find the cure in time? As Xander continues as the bystander, he must make a choice for his future.

Time is running out.

Welcome to the free world.

I’ve been such a fan of this series, but I felt the finale was clichéd and expected. However, the ending didn’t turn out as I expected, which I think is a good thing. I think Condie gave her hardcore fans what they wanted. She stayed true to her characters and the series, but I can’t help but be left wanting more. Not more in the series, but more of an ending. More drama, more explosions, more something. Not a little perfect Tiffany’s wrapped gift.

I’m glad I stuck through until the end. I have seriously loved how paper becomes much more than just an expensive currency. The limited use of words and how the ability to learn how to write being outlawed are bits of the books that people need to be paying attention to now.

They’re the bits that will become our future if we’re not careful. I do love this series, when you stop and think about the small things within the books, there is so much hidden that we need to be aware of for the future. It’s not as far off as we think.

Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGerry

Sep14

Echo Emerson used to be one of the popular girls. Talented in art, with long gorgeous red hair, the tall girl with the interesting name had the quarterback boyfriend and everything it seemed.

Then there was the night her mother tried to kill her. Echo has no memories of the evening, but the scars that grace her arms will never let her forget. Now an outcast, with an even more over bearing father, due to have a new baby with Echo’s former babysitter – yeah- it’s not as if her life could get any worse.

Noah Hutchins is a product of the foster care system. Dark and foreboding, he’s shed his basketball star rep for drugs and looking every evening for a new one night stand. His only pressure for getting on the straight and narrow are his younger brothers, taken from him after his parent’s tragic death.

Brought together but their pesky guidance counsellor, Echo and Noah try to repel each other until they discover how much they’ve lost. Both have secrets, both are so alone. But together they could find the answers that will help them move on from their haunting past.

This is fantastic romance YA! A round of applause for McGarry and Harlequin! I loved how this book was the perfect blend of teenage angst and toned down traditional adult romance novel. Only disclaimer – lots of foul language, so not for tweens.

This is a romance with heart. This is falling in love that isn’t clichéd, cheesy or unrealistic. There is vulnerability with both of the characters and their back-stories are engagingly brilliant! Ridiculous and fantastic – Pushing the Limits is a true romance book that is so much more than just the love of two lead characters. The love of family is stronger and I can’t recommend this book enough for romance junkies!

The rest of the series follows Noah’s best friends lives in separate books. I love the idea and can’t wait for the last book to be published in the fall!

Book Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Sep10

Forced to move to Japan to live with her aunt, there is only so much prep American sixteen-year-old Katie Greene can do.

Learning Japanese, adapting to a new school system culturally and making friends is the least of Katie’s worries. Getting over her mother’s sudden death and wondering about why her father left her only adds to turning her world upside down.

Then there’s Tomohiro. With a bad boy reputation over publicly breaking up with his latest girlfriend, Katie is drawn to this tortured soul. His art is his soul and soon he is Katie’s. Alone no longer the two connect across pages of Ink.

But there lurks a danger in the dark pigments. What Tomohiro can draw is hungry for Katie. As the pair tries to hide Tomo’s talents from exploitation, she wonders if their love can conquer his curse.

I loved the premise of Katie’s adventures in Japan. Can you imagine leaving the country of your birth because the only family you had was abroad? Not only that, but having to learn a completely new language and progress in such a short timeframe made the read fantastic. I love how Sun integrated Japanese words with English ones (she also includes a glossary). Even without the romance the book would have been a hit with me.

Now, the romance bit. It’s a bit clichéd for my liking. Too sudden and not entirely believable. The supernatural elements were enjoyable and have left me questions of wanting to know more about some of the other characters. I just wish the romance parts weren’t so expected.

Other than that, Ink is a refreshingly different YA book. For a debut in a series it has a lot going on and will keep readers wondering what exactly is going on. Plus the illustrations that are littered through the pages bring so much character to the piece. It’s beautiful to own as much as it is to read without being overdone.

Book Review: Demonic Dora by Claire Chilton

Sep3

Dora is born to heavily religious parents but is unfortunately stuck with quite the personality. Cursed by her love of black and desire to summon a demon from Hell, Dora’s parents attempt to burn her at the stake outside their house.

For once Dora is saved by a successfully summoned Demon Lord. As he whisks her away from her crazy parents and neighbours, Dora has only one choice to follow the demon back where he came from.

But it can be difficult to survive in a world where a fresh soul like Dora’s is the national currency. There’s treachery afoot. Even her demon lord might not be able to save her. Everything comes down to one final battle in the bowels of Hell between whom else? Dora and her demon lord….

The Good: All the interesting bits were about the citizens and structure of Hell. I really loved how Chilton went for the story and took me as a reader on a hilarious ride. Her writing is funny and it’s refreshing to have a book make me laugh out loud. Pooey is definitely my favorite character and I loved how Dora is a strong willed. And she still loves her parents even they try endlessly to kill her!

The Not So Good: For a story that held a lot of promise I’m a bit disappointed with how…rushed everything was. The characters are fun, the personalities of Hell’s occupants are witty, but everything breezes through where I wished the author had lingered. I also wished that the characteristics of Hell had more differences than the modern world. It’s pretty 50/50, and it bugged me that Hell could be so like current day life. There were plenty of other really creative bits, and using something obvious was a bit of a letdown.

I am curious to see where the series goes. It’s different, short and unusual.

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher Ragz Books and the author Claire Chilton for allowing me to review the book! Best of luck with the series and I look forward to reading the second book.

Book Review: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Aug20

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.