Tag Archive | 4 Stars

Book Review: Hooked: When Addiction Hits Home, edited by Chloe Shantz-Hilkes

I don’t usually cover non-fiction, but I was interested when this title became available on Netgalley.

This is a moving collection from teenagers that grew up with a family member suffering from an addiction. Covering alcoholism, drug abuse and even workaholics, the fearless stories don’t shame their family but show the negatives of their situation. Not every story has a hopeful ending but the truthfulness is courageous.

Much like the Chicken Soup for the Soul books of the ‘90’s, Hooked is an excellent source of comfort for teens of today that need to know they are not alone. Well put together and executed right for its market, Hooked has been well worth the read.

Many thanks to the publisher Annick Press for the copy of the book, Chloe Shantz-Hilkes for doing a great editing job and to the authors that contributed powerful yet difficult stories. It takes a lot of guts to write about something so personal and painful.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review; Hooked was published on March 5^th, 2013.

Book Review: Promised by Caragh M O’Brien

May14

Gaia Stone has successfully lead the people of Sylum out of the dangerous fog and back towards her old home of the Enclave. As the new Matriarc, she plans to build New Sylum next to the unlake. All that’s standing in her way is the fear of the Protectorat.

Yet as Gaia pleads her case to the ruthless leader of the Enclave, she learns that the haemophilia has continued to spread out of control. Worse still, Gaia becomes a piece of a complicated puzzle. The struggle for a brighter future for everyone rests between Gaia and the Protectorat, a frightening situation for everyone involved.

I found Gaia to be strong but still naïve. Which is good when remembering she’s still only sixteen. A sixteen year old should never have to endure all the responsibility, guilt and hardships she faces in this book.

Gaia never gives up and is always trying to do the best for people. Yes she makes rash decisions and sometimes the pace of the book moves a bit swifter than I would have liked, but I enjoyed this conclusion overall. Gaia Stone stands for a determined and independent woman. My only criticism is how she loses the plot whenever Leon is concerned. There could have more to that relationship and I was disappointed to see how their love shifted instead of grow.

Overall the first book, Birthmarked has been my favourite. I’ve enjoyed reading this series as it’s moved in different directions for dystopian YA, but I’ve been left wanting more. Not more books, but more from what’s already been written. I wish the author had done some aspects different. I am sad the ride is over, but I look forward to reading what’s next in O’Brien’s writing future.

Book Review: Evermore by Alyson Noel

Apr30

Ever Bloom used to be the popular cheerleader. Tall, blonde and living the spoiled life in Oregon, looking good was her main responsibility. That is until her entire family died in a car crash. Ever survived, but can now read people’s thoughts and see the colour of the auras. Human touch creates thoughts and feelings that make life unbearable. Living with her Aunt in California is only the beginning of this new life.

Hiding from the world as much as she tries to hide from herself, Ever is confronted by the hot new guy Damen in school. His mind calms hers and he can make scarlet red tulips appear before her when he wishes. Falling in love is the least of Ever’s interests, but try as she might to ignore him; he always creeps up when she needs him the most. Can she find the strength to accept who she now is? Or will she fade into nothingness to reunite with her family?

For a paranormal romance, Evermore follows most of the traditional YA rules, making this first in a series one that teens and tweens will love to swallow up. I really liked Ever as a character. She’s not oblivious and has a good head on her shoulders. She’s still selfish and native about things, but she’s 16 and that’s to be expected.

Ever has guts and it’s nice to read about a strong female character in a romance YA book. It’s a rarity. Ever doesn’t even want a boyfriend, that’s not a concern of hers and it’s a refreshing thought to see that she understands she doesn’t need a man to consider herself worth something.

There’s a lot more to these books and I can’t wait to see here Noel takes this type of genre.

Book Review: Gates of Paradise By Melissa de la Cruz

Apr2

Please note this is the seventh book in the Blue Bloods series. If you haven’t read any of the books you may not want to read this review.

This is the epic conclusion for the half blood Schuyler Van Allen. Left with only a clue as to how to save the world of the Blue Bloods. Oliver and Schuyler must again travel the world in search of answers. Jack and Mimi, traitors to their kind must mask their true intentions from the Lord of the Underworld. Whilst Bliss, now one with the hounds of Hell must claim her birthright and fix the broken fissure of time.

Three different paths that will all lead to the finale battle for the survival of their kind. Who will end up on what side? Schuyler is destined to lead her people back to Paradise, but she’ll have to make a sacrifice to do so. Filled with questions will she be able to find the answers before Lucifer re-enters the Gates of Paradise?

I was thrilled that my library had a copy of this freshly published book! Oh joy! Such rapture! I’m a very empathetic person and although I was excited to sink my teeth (hehe) into this finale, I was also so sad to lose such a comfort of an engaging series. I’ve been following since it began in 2004 and it’s been hard to keep the facts straight as the books have been published every few years. One of the things I loved about this series is that it’s intelligent and smart, delving into ancient history and roman mythology. This book is no different and I am so impressed with Cruz’s ability to blend historical fiction into the modern age.

I gave the book four stars because although I was happy that Cruz took care of the cat (writer’s term), I do feel as if everything happened a bit too neatly. However, this is a personal taste and I believe that how Cruz ended her loved filled destiny series is perfect for her loyal fans that have been pouring over her books for the past nine years. The send off is just what it needed and because of this I would love to own the entire series and reread it when the mood strikes me. I’m very sad the journey is over, but praise Cruz for a job well done. I’ve been there since the beginning and you’ve never disappointed.

Book Review: When Cooper Suns Fall by KaSonnda Leigh

Mar30

Chela and her twin brother Micah are not your average siblings. Born from a human father and angel mother tends to complicate things. Especially when your mother’s race has been outlawed for hundreds of years, and should Chela or her brother be discovered for what they are they’ll shot on the spot. Micah is Chela’s other half, but a sickness threatens his life as he lies in a coma.

As Chela tries to do anything she can to get proper medical assistance for Micah, her temper and curiosity lands her in a bit of trouble. Soon she’s fighting for her right to stay in society, but it’s only the beginning. There are others like Chela, that fight just as hard to stay under the radar but also train with their gifts. A prophecy is exposed. A murderous beast haunts Chela’s world. Teenagers continue to be kidnapped, never to be seen again.

Chela is huge piece of this puzzle. As she learns more about her gifts and her mother’s world she’s going to have to make a choice to stand up and claim her place or turn her back on her future, no matter how complicated it may be.

This has been quite a refreshing read. I was really impressed with quality of writing and instantly curious to learn more about this world and the main character. I don’t normally read this kind of genre, there’s a lot going on. It’s a science fiction fantasy that’s kind of like The Hunger Games? There’s a lot of fast paced action and characters.

For those that love this kind of genre this book doesn’t disappoint. Rich with details of this different type of world and society it’s got a little bit of everything. Even romance is on the line but it’s not the main focus. It’s not easy to breeze through, so make sure you’ve got the attention span for it.

This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to for the book and the author!

Slated by Teri Terry

Feb16

Kyla Davis is sixteen and has never been kissed, well she doesn’t have any memories of it. She’s been Slated. 2054, in the United Kingdom, it’s the government’s job to stop terrorists. A program has been implemented that wipes their brains of their former life, giving them a clean slate, a second chance at life. If Kyla has been Slated, then does that means she was a terrorist?

Struggling to adjust to this second chance Kyla tries to settle in with her new family, home and school. Her emotions are kept in check through her Levo – a device on her arm that monitors her feelings. If she’s not happy Kyla runs the risk of getting shocked causing her to blackout. A Slated must be happy in order to fulfil their contract.

Even as Kyla tries to stay Level, her mind is still stuck with memories, which should be impossible. She’s different than the other Slated. By some miracle Kyla can think for herself without compromising her Levo. It’s dangerous for a Slated to talk back and think their own thoughts, but Kyla can’t stop asking questions and the more she asks the deeper she falls into the darkness of this new, Slated world.

I’ve been reading a lot of American YA lately so this was a special treat. I had seen this book on NetGalley but unfortunately was denied my request. It was all right in the end as I was able to get it from the library (WIN). I also have to say that yes, I mainly wanted to read this book because the author’s name is Teri Terry. Don’t judge.

I really loved Terry’s language in this book. She repeats a lot, but it worked in this setting and genre. The way information is delivered is well written and a pleasant surprise. The only cliché bit was the romance but even that was still understated (but not the control government bit). The ending left me asking millions of questions as it took a direction I didn’t expect. I tip my hat to Terry and I look forward to reading more about the Slated world!