All the Appeal of an Ambulance Siren

Published:  October 28th, 2014

Gotham City Sirens: Book One

By: Paul Dini, Guillem March (Illustrations)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401251758

This graphic novel features the bad girls of Gotham City!  Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other peoples' rules regardless of which side of the law they're on.  These tough ladies have a new agenda that's all their own, and they'll use any means necessary to pursue it.  But can they get along and work as a team?  And who will get hurt along the way?

Contains issues 1-13.

Review (HERE THERE BE SPOILERS, YAR!) 

I was enjoying myself pretty good for the whole volume, until that last issue. I was annoyed by the constant referencing of Hush which I've never read. But it wasn't so tied into the story that I couldn't figure out what was going on and it didn't really diminish my enjoyment -- so I was letting it slide. I also really liked the portrayal of Harley as a somewhat coherent adult, albeit one with major issues and tendency towards childish behavior. The holiday issue with Harley's family definitely gives some background on how she could've turned out so messed up. So, things were chugging along decently. Than in that last issue things got really BIZZARE! 

Selina's homeless sister Maggie, a former nun (who has been locked up in the mental hospital after going bonkers -- I'm assuming she escaped!), goes to see another nun -- a renowned exorcist. Turns out, she thinks Selina is being possessed by a cat demon of some sort and Maggie thinks she has to "free" her...then the nun's cat comes into the room and Maggie kills it and the nun, cause she's been "compromised." WTF???!!! Maggie then goes through her relics and gets possessed by an "angel" (probably not a real angel - they never are...), who wants her to kill Selina. Who she then doesn't kill, because when Selina ripped off a holy relic from Maggie's church when she was a nun, turns out she felt GUILTY and took it back. So there's "hope" of saving her...y'know, from the cat demon!!! 

I kind of want to know what happens to Ivy, who was on the verge of murdering a co-worker at S.T.A.R. Labs that learned her identity and was trying to kill her, but don't know if it's worth my effort now. Just, wow. What the actual fuck???

VERDICT:  2.5/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

The Heart Is a Complex Thing

Expected Publication:  April 21st, 2015

Things We Know By Heart

By: Jessi Kirby

Harper Teen

ISBN-13:  9780062299437

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend's donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life.  She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent's heart has remained silent.  The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart.  If she finds Trent's, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas -- a guy whose life has forever been changed by this priceless gift.  But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction.  She doesn't want to give in to it -- especially since he has no idea how they're connected -- but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again.  No matter how hard she's falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she's lost...and all that remains at stake.

Review

       I am always on the lookout for books with unique premises.  That said, though this one sounded a bit like a Lurlene McDaniel story, I'd previously read a book by Kirby that I liked well enough.  So I decided to take a chance on this one and try it out.  Let's just say I wasn't particularly impressed.  Quinn is so broken up over Trent's death, that she decides to meet with the people that received his organs after the accident.  The boy who got the heart doesn't reply, so Quinn does what she can to find him so they can meet.  Only, she doesn't tell him about their connection to each other through her dead boyfriend's heart -- and a relationship is built, based on lies of omission.  I wanted something else when I decided to read this book.  I wanted a story about someone struggling with grief and learning to love again.  I didn't really want a love story with the grief as a side order.

       Mostly, it comes down to the fact that this book was bland for me.  I was not surprised by a single, solitary thing that happened to these characters.  Also, as sweet as the romance between Colton and Quinn was, and as much as I liked Colton, I really wasn't so hot on Quinn.  I understand that she was grieving, not necessarily thinking things through.  But just because she was dating Trent and the heart USED to be his, didn't give her the right to find Colton when he didn't respond to her letter.  I honestly find that kind of creepy, truth be told.  What entitles her to find him and build a relationship with him, based on something he has no knowledge of?  I guess the difference between adult me and teenage me, is that I no longer find that kind of thing even remotely romantic (yet another reason that movie Return to Me is bizarre).  

       As someone who is a registered organ donor, I wouldn't want my loved ones harrassing the people who gets pieces of me to help them live their lives.  My heart is just a heart; my soul is what they love and that will be long gone.  Overall, this story was okay, Quinn's family was wonderful and the romance was sweet.  But the cliche, predictable plot and underlying aspect of creepiness was too much for me to truly enjoy it.

VERDICT:  2/5 Stars

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is April 21st, 2015.**

Screams All Sound the Same

Expected Publication:  May 26th, 2015

The Tenderness of Thieves

By: Donna Freitas

Philomel

ISBN-13:  9780399171369

Jane is ready for a fantastic summer.  In fact, she's pretty sure the universe owes her one.

This past winter, Jane was held at knifepoint during an armed robbery and the specter of that night still haunts her.  A summer romance with one of the town bad boys -- sexy Handel Davies, who takes her breath away and makes her feel like a bolder version of herself -- seems like the universe's way of paying her back.

But bad boys always have secrets, and Handel's secret just might shatter Jane completely.

Review

       I just seem to be striking out with books lately, and this one was no exception to that rule.  I requested this from the tour site that I belong to, because almost four years later I still remember her book The Survival Kit fondly.  I remembered comparing her to Sarah Dessen and really enjoying myself while reading her books, namely her characters.  I read the synopsis to this one and the comparison to Gone Girl (a book that, despite the hype, I still haven't read yet) did give me a moment's hesitation.  But I decided to request it anyways, even though the synopsis doesn't exactly cover up what the big "secret" Handel's keeping is regarding.  I have a soft spot for bad boys.  Well, me and this book did not get along.

       It started with a phrase the author, narrating as Jane in first person, uses in her thoughts - "me and my girls."  That phrase sounds like some sort of animal pack, or something out of a Brooklyn-ized Mean Girls revival.  This phrase happens at least four times within the first chapter.  I flipped through and it happens way more than just that, with "the girls and I" heading chapter thirteen, for example.  I am a freak and I know this, fully admitting it right now.  But something about that phrase SCREAMS ghetto trash, Maury-show contestant -- or rich, spoiled, partying Daddy's girl.  Either way, I cannot STAND that phrase.  I have come to the collective realization that I am now officially old in a way that I never was before.  Plus, the whole first chapter is a "meeting" between Handel and Jane, where he says her name twice, she says his once and he walks away.  Then she goes and rehashes the whole thing to her friends as an "interesting" story.  Overall, I think the current generations might like it, but I'm an old lady.  I kept thinking to myself, who talks like that?  And in what universe are this girl and her friends interesting?  Not for me.

VERDICT:  DNF, No Star Rating

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is May 26th, 2015.**

Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill -- Mini Review

Published:  July 4th, 2012

Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill (Batman and Robin Vol. II #1)

By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason (Illustrator), & Mick Gray (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401234874

Batman begins battling evil with his son, Damian, at his side and now realizes that the hardest part of the job may be trying to work together.  As Batman and Robin try to adjust to their new partnership, a figure emerges from Bruce Wayne's past: his name is NoBody, and he's not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil...

Review

       For those of you unfamiliar with Damian Wayne's back story, here is the short version: Damian is the product of a drug-induced night of passion between Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Talia Al Ghul (daughter of the head of the League of Assassins).  When Talia decides it's time for Damian to learn the bat-legacy from his father (who doesn't know he exists), she drops him off in Gotham.  Unsure in his new relationship with his son, who is a miniature assassin and the exact opposite of Batman, they try to forge a connection despite their differences.  In turn, they clash at every possible crossroads between good and evil, black and white.

       Damian is still struggling with who he wants to be, his mother's son or his father's. As someone who has never read a Batman & Robin title before (including Batman and any of the other four Robins before Damian!), but being aware of Damian's origin story etc., I didn't have much confusion about the contention in his relationship with Bruce. I liked that this shows Bruce attempting to bond with Damian in a fatherly way as well, such as buying him a dog (a Great Dane that Damian eventually names Titus), and playing catch in the backyard. But when they're out in the field as B&R, I felt like I wasn't necessarily convinced that Bruce would even allow Damian to work as Robin. It's kind of like he didn't learn his lesson with Jason Todd. Yes, Damian's a trained assassin, but he's still an angry ten-year-old boy and often refuses to follow orders. In the fight scene in this book we get to see the consequences of Damian's borderline reckless behavior and the ways it brings him closer (and yet further in principle somewhat) from his father. The connection with Bruce's own past to the villain, NoBody, was interesting if somewhat contrived to display the dynamic of good vs. evil between father and son. Overall, a decent read. But definitely NOT my favorite of the New 52's so far.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

Rogue or Just Plain Asshole?

Published:  July 29th, 2014

Rogue (Real #4)

By: Katy Evans

Gallery Books

ISBN-13:  978146755618

The fourth story in the new adult series that began with the New York Times bestseller Real, featuring Brooke's best friend, Melanie, and the ROGUE she can't resist.

Greyson King...

My boyfriend.  My friend.  My protector.  He's the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, and the reason I fall asleep limp, worn out, and aching for his warm arms around me.  When we make love, he says my name like it means something.  Like I mean something.

He lied.

His name is Greyson King, but his alias is Zero.  There's no trace of him, he has zero past, and now I know that with him, I will have zero future.  He may leave no trace of him anywhere, but his imprint is in me, in my very soul -- and I hate that a mere look at him commands the beat of my heart.  The temperature of my body.

I've looked love my entire life.  I've waited for the butterflies, the rainbows...

Instead, I'm in a free fall of emotions and there's no one here to catch me but the one man I should be running away from.  The one man I thought was my prince charming.  Except this prince charming went rogue.  Greyson will stop at nothing to make me be with him.  He'll let no one stand in our way, will allow no one to threaten me, and maybe this is what scares me most of all...

What will my rogue do to keep me?

Review

       Thank me later for my edits to the original Goodreads synopsis, which is a run-on sentence if I ever saw one!  Jesus Christ, they're called line breaks and commas people.  Yes Virginia, there is a wonderful and magical thing called grammar & sentence structure.  That bitching and moaning aside, I read this one thinking that maybe it could be better than Real, which I read and pretty much completely disliked.  I didn't mind Melanie too much, so I figured I'd give her book a shot.  After all, less Brooke and Remy is a good thing right?  There was a story to this one, with some legitimate angst to it.  Greyson King is the heir and enforcer to The Underground, which is basically a mafia that collects on debts that people incur gambling and recovers money loaned out that hasn't been repaid.  Melanie is a bit of an airhead/free spirit, who has grown disillusioned with one-night-stands and wants to find her own Prince Charming.  She wants a love that's passionate and all-consuming, like her friend Brooke's.  They collide one night when he helps save her Mustang convertible from the rain and they have a sexy night together.  But with Greyson having a hidden connection to Melanie that changes everything and some serious intimacy issues, can they make a relationship work or will it burn out?

       The grammar, sentence structure, and overall writing "style" is completely atrocious in this book.  The effusive metaphors and hyperbole used by both characters are laughable and stupid.  NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT!!!  Not to mention the fact that Greyson and Melanie can't have a single conversation that doesn't delineate into filthy, sex-talk.  Which yeah, I can see that in the bedroom, and sometimes out of it, but not ALL THE TIME.  Not to mention, he supposedly thinks she's cute and amazing beyond belief, but the way that he talks to her about what to expect from him is superbly shitty.  This guy is the epitome of being an asshole.  He basically tells her that he's toxic and is going to use her.  Who thinks that's romantic or sexy???!!!  Not me personally, so that really annoyed me after awhile.  Basically I liked some of the humore and there were a couple of sweet moments, but everyone acted juvenile with each other and talked like the older, even more sex-obsessed "Dawson's Creek" teens -- just with a filthier vocabulary and some sexual experience.  Prime example of the dialogue that made me crinkle my nose in disgust:

     "For me this is a fantasy.  You're the fantasy.  For you, this will be a mistake.  A long, pleasurable mistake."  I watch her eyes darken, and I've never been a man to mince words.  "I'm going to be everything you never wanted," I warn on a gruff breath, "nothing that you need."  I slide my other hand further up her thigh.  "Sometimes my work will take me away, and I won't call, and I'll piss you off."  I graze my longest finger over the V covering her sex.  "I'll be selfish, I'll take everything I want, whenever I want it.  I'm not the man of your dreams, Melanie.  I'm your worst nightmare."

     And it just goes on like that, with them continuously talking like this: "You look delectable, Melanie, you taste delectable.  Who is that you're panting for?"  Seriously, what the actual fuck?  I guess this isn't the author for me, considering I want an actual plot in my reading material (and the debt collection side of things was extremely thin, as was the mob life in general) and some dialogue other than dirty talk.  After awhile it got really repetitive and boring.  There was a sex scene every other page and practically all they did was have sex, or do stupid shit/have dumb conversations when they were apart.  And Melanie's man-hater friend Pandora was just the worst stereotype ever.  No one I know, no matter how bitter (and God was she a SHREW) they are in their own life, would be that rude and hurtful to someone who's supposed to be one of their closest friends.  If a friend has made a questionable choice and you have qualms, you voice them and let it be if they insist on ignoring you.  We can't live other people's lives for them, we can just be there to support our friends - approving or not.  Their scenes were painful for me to read.  All in all, a waste of my time and I totally give up on this author.  Not my cup of tea, at all.  Not to say I won't read more New Adult, because I know there's better stuff out there than this (i.e. Cora Carmack, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Park, etc.).

VERDICT:  1.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Jazz Is All That's Between Your Ears

Published:  October 22nd, 2014

Jazz Baby

By: Tea Cooper

Escape Publishing

ISBN-13: 9780857991928

Sydney is no place for the fainthearted -- five shillings for a twist of snow, a woman for not much more, and a bullet if you look sideways at the wrong person.

Dolly Bowman is ready and willing to take on the brash, bustling city has to offer.  After all it is the 1920s, a time for a girl to become a woman and fulfil her dreams.  Turning her back on her childhood, she takes up a position working as a housemaid while she searches for her future.

World War I flying ace Jack Dalton knows he's luckier than most.  He's survived the war with barely a scratch, a couple of astute business decisions have paid off, and he's set for the high life.

But a glimpse of a girl that he had forgotten, from a place he's trying to escape suddenly set all his plans awry.  Try as he might he can't shake the past, and money isn't enough to pay the debts he's incurred.

Review

       I do not normally branch out past the USA for my contemporary authors (classics are a different story), but occasionally I'll find myself testing out an Australian, Canadian or British author because the book synopsis appeals to me too much to ignore.  This was one such case.  I know next to nothing about Australia in the 1920s Jazz Era, but I've loved learning about America during that time.  This book promises a strong, independent heroine and a somewhat emotionally scarred hero with a past romantic connection (at least it alludes to it in the blurb I read).  How can you loose with a brash, ex-WWI pilot and a gutsy jazz singer falling in love?  Well, apparently it's a possible outcome as I found out from this particular read.

       Dolly IS NOT who the blurb makes her out to be.  She only left home so she wouldn't have to get married, as that's all that was left for her at home after her father died and her brother never came home from the War.  She is timid, lets people talk to her like she's a doormat and is extremely naive about the real world.  Upon getting a job at a "boardinghouse" it takes her almost two days to realize that it's really a high-class brothel!!!  She spends a lot of time fighting the fact that the Madam of the house wants her to sing for entertainment and at first has almost crippling stage fright.  Jack Dalton is the boy next door, who served in the Air Corps with her brother, Ted, who was killed in action.  He sees Dolly at the brothel in Sydney and immediately tries to control her life on behalf of her dead brother.  He tells himself it's out of guilt, because he was unable to save Ted.  But he spends an awful lot of time staring at Dolly, basically drooling over her, for that to be true.

       There are a lot of plot "twists" in this short romance, each of them more eye-rollingly predictable than the last one.  Who the owner of the "boardinghouse" actually is, the identity of the mysterious boxer that Jack runs into, whether or not Cynthia (Jack's prostitute friend and occasional bed-mate from what I understood) could manage to keep Jack and Dolly apart.  It ended the way I thought it would and fact of how short it is and just how much is supposed to have happened in only a couple of days, is another thing that makes me unable to suspend my disbelief.  Plus, there is a whole thing at the end with another madam and some drug runners that is caused by Dolly's absolute inability to think that was ridiculous.

VERDICT:  1/5 Stars (Only because I finished it and it was pretty readable)

*I  received this book from Escape Publishing, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  The expected publication date is October 22nd, 2014.*

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

Published:  November 19th, 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

By: Tom Taylor, Jheremy Raapack (Illustrations), Various (Illustrations)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401245009

From the makers of Mortal Kombat comes the critically acclaimed prequel comic to the smash hit fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us!

Things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves the most.  Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him.  But not every country will submit to his new world order and neither will Superman's greatest threat -- Batman!

Collects #s 1-6 of Injustice.

Review

       So, I am more of a casual comic nerd than anything else.  I have my favorites, just like anyone who gets drawn in by comics.  In general, I make it a point to read off the wall rando stuff like Panthaa or Vampirella just for the hell of it.  But my must-reads are Hellboy (Dark Horse comics) and Green Arrow (DC Comics), usually.  The rest of the DC Comics characters I could usually do without, although I have a casual interest in them.  I had been curious about the game (I'm a fan of the original Sega Genesis Mortal Kombat games - yes, I'm old!) and finally played some single-battle mode with my brother.  I'll stick to my Genesis gaming-wise, as there are too many damn buttons for an X-Box 360 fighting game.  The story still intrigued me though as a fan of anything to do with alternate universes, so when I was in Comic City the other day I bought this Volume to see what the hype is about.  I definitely understand now!

       

       God, what can I say about the artwork and the story that hasn't already been said?  It starts with Superman finding out he's going to be a father and asking Batman to be the baby's Godfather.  Than the Joker targets Superman (wanting to win for a change, instead of losing to Bats again) and basically tricks him into killing Lois (and the unborn baby) and blowing up the entire city of Metropolis.  So Supes loses his city, his wife and his child all in one fell swoop.  Mad with grief, he decides that the superheroes in the world should use their powers to force the humans to stop their wars - an enforcement of peace on earth and all that jazz.  So he goes out and starts enforcing.  Batman is against Superman's tactics (which veer into "violence for the greater good").  He manages to convince some of the other heroes to join with him and oppose Superman.  But who can really oppose a man with godlike powers, with others that are the same backing him up?

       

       It's got questions of morality, and focuses a lot on making the right decisions, i.e. when to interfere and when not to.  Batman understands that even without the fighting/weapons, the conflicts still exist and aren't truly resolved.  It surprised me to see Wonder Woman (aka Diana) as Superman's right-hand man and top enforcer.  The Amazons sent her there as an emissary of peace and she's fighting bloody battles.  I particularly like the interactions between her and Ares, God of War, who she impales and taunts harshly.  The scenes with Aquaman and Arkham Asylum reiterate the fact that no one is safe from Superman's self-imposed reign of peace/terror (depending on your views).  Batman protecting the villains wasn't surprising in and of itself, as he doesn't believe in being judge/jury/executioner like Supes does.  It creates some scenes of comic gold, especially between Harley Quinn and Green Arrow, who are thrown together when he agrees to protect her from death via Superman.  The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, with every one of the characters coming across as flawed and human.  I especially liked the sequence with The Flash, where he's running on that Australian road, thinking about a kid that was playing superhero that got paralyzed because of Superman's tactics/orders - and his compliance.  It's an amazing moment of self-introspection and probably one the things that stayed with me most after I finished reading.

       

       There are three main character deaths in this (four if you count Jimmy Olsen) and they definitely won't be the last if it continues the way it started.  And I really hope that it does.  It's a brave new world, with Superman as the antagonist (which doesn't necessarily translate to "bad guy") and Batman as the protagonist.  There is particularly interesting, if albeit a little preachy, scene with Catwoman and Batman visitng the President and telling him that he has to do better, for the people that voted him in.  I think that's something that speaks to the general feelings of the American public, in our actual world we live in right now.  The cliffhanger left me reeling, but hopeful for another truly interesting comic volume.  One that makes me think, gives my eyes beautiful artwork to feast upon, has beautiful and funny dialogue and it just plain fun.  I highly recommend this to people who love comics, a good story, and just long for something different! :D

VERDICT:  5/5 Stars

One Of My Favorite Scenes

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Talking In Your Sleep...

Expected Publication: April 28th, 2015

The Secrets We Keep

By: Trisha Leaver

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

ISBN-13:  9780374300463

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins.  Ella has spent her high school life living in popular Maddy's shadow, but she has never been envious of Maddy.  In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When -- after a heated argument -- Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy.  Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy.  Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets.  Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options -- confess her deception, or live her sister's life.

Review

       The premise of this kind of reminds me of a true story from a few years back, about two girls that were close friends and looked like sisters.  They were in an accident, and one of them died.  The other lost the ability to speak for awhile and was gravely injured, so she spent months being cared for by the other family, while her own family assumed she was dead.  All because she had no way to communicate her own name to them.  Probably my biggest problem with this book, is that the reasons Ella keeps the secret of who survived is ultimately selfish and to ease her own guilt.  The author makes a point to say that Ella in no way envies Maddy's popularity or "perfect" life.  But I believe on some level she must have, to be so willing to take on the mantle of that life for herself.  At first it wasn't so bad, because she legitimately didn't quite know who she was when she first woke up.  Everything was still fuzzy, which is understandable after a major car accident.

       What about the people that love her, Ella?  You have to be pretty mentally damaged and without self-esteem to believe that it's better to assume another identity and for people to think you're dead, than to tell the truth about the situation!  It's not like no one cares about Ella - her family and her friend Josh grieve for her fairly obviously.  Yet Ella, for some odd reason, has it in her head that just because everyone's relieved Maddy is alive, it means they're glad she was the one that was killed - that she's expendable, because she's unpopular.  WTF???!!!  That is why I had to DNF this book.  I sympathized with Ella's grief over losing her sister but had ZERO tolerance for/ability to emapthize with the predicament she gets herself in by assuming its easier to lie and "be" Maddy then it is to tell the truth.  In my opinion, she deserved every problem she got.  The grass is always greener and all that.  But what a selfish thing to do, by depriving everyone of their grief and taking advantage of the situation, so that she didn't have to deal with her own survivor's guilt.  What about when the truth comes out, as it always does?  How will anyone even be able to stand her then?  Just disgusted by the main character's weak willed nature.  Oh yeah, she's so brave for stealing her twin's identity.  SURE.  The true bravery comes from confronting your grief head on, and taking that bitch down.

VERDICT:  Did Not Finish Reading

***I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is April 28th, 2015.**

Frankly My Dear, I DON'T Give a Damn!

Published:  August 26th, 2008

Rhett Butler's People

By: Donald McCaig

St. Martin's Paperbacks

ISBN-13: 9780312945787

Rhett Butler's People fulfills the dreams of those whose imaginations have been indelibly marked by America's greatest novel, Gone With the Wind.  Here you'll meet Rhett as a boy, a free spirit who loved the marshes and tidewaters of the Low Country, and learn of the ruthlessness of Rhett's father, whose desire for control resulted in the unspeakable.

Through Rhett's eyes, you'll encounter those who shaped him in other ways: the Overseer's daughter, Belle Watling; Rosemary, Rhett's brave and determined sister; Tunis Bonneau, the son of freed slaves who understood the young Rhett like no one else; and Jack Ravanel, whose name became inextricably linked to heartbreak.  And then there's Katie Scarlett O'Hara herself -- the headstrong, passionate woman whose life is inextricably entwined with Rhett's; more like him than she cares to admit; more in love with him than either of them will ever know.....

Review  (BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!)

       I mostly enjoyed this book, and thought it gave a fairly good representation of Rhett's history.  Even the first bit of it after Rhett left Scarlett felt realistic to me (I liked him raising hell with Tazewell Watling and Scarlett returning to Tara - they both rang true for me).  I didn't even mind Rosemary's relationship with Ashley Wilkes deepening past mere friendship, especially after her earlier correspondence with Melly (I loved the depth that McCaig gave Miss Melly in particular).  Where things started to devolve for me personally, was the minute Rhett sent Scarlett the Christmas present and she sent him the telegram.  It felt forced, like a way to somehow bring them back together before the book was over.  And that whole scene at the livestock auction, with Isaiah and his two goons, where Ashley and Will bust in to "handle it" and Will gets SHOT AND KILLED!!!  It was completely unnecessary!  And AS IF Suellen would just leave Tara with her kids and give it to Scarlett!!!  That whole thing made me scoff in disbelief.  Then Rhett just comes home, for seemingly NO. REASON. OTHER. THAN. THAT. GODDAMNED. TELEGRAM! (i.e. nonsensical plot device).  When he gets there, they're just together again.  Zero explanation and Rhett's money apparently saves the day, with them deciding to throw a barbecue "like the old days."  Then McCaig has the novel end with Isaiah Watling BURNING DOWN TARA!!!  Even Sherman didn't burn that freaking house, but THIS happens to IT?

       The ending just put the final nail in the coffin.  I could ignore the cheesy parallels between little Meg Haynes (Rosemary's daughter) and her cousin Bonnie Blue, and the whole thing where Rosemary ended up marrying that scoundrel Andrew Ravanel -- even when she seemed to have grown beyond such an idiotic choice.  But that ending...I don't think I can forgive that.  Unless you think you can get past my qualms, don't even bother reading it.  I actually think I preferred Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley.  I know, right?  That's not the best sequel ever either, so that ought to tell you something about this one!

VERDICT:  2/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

I Don't Like You That Way

Published:  September 1st, 2014
The Opposite of Love
By: Sarah Lynn Scheerger
Albert Whitman Teen
ISBN-13:  9780807561324

Rose is the wild girl nobody really knows.  Chase is haunted by his past.  Both are self-proclaimed "disappointments," attracted to each other enough to let down their defenses.  When Rose's strict, adoptive parents forbid the relationship it only makes things more intense.  But Chase can't hide from his own personal demons, and Rose has secrets of her own.  After they're wrenched apart, a cryptic email arrives in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, beginning a desperate pursuit and a look back over their tumultuous romance.  Will they find each other before the night is over, or will they be torn apart forever?

Review

       Rose has been with her parents since she was really young and they adopted her.  But she remembers her "real" mother and refuses to be the obedient, docile daughter that these people want her to be - she's going to do things her way.  Chase's father was a violent, abusive bastard.  His mother is not very maternal, to say the least, and he pretty much takes care of running their lives (and making sure his sister is taken care of).  When the two of them actually meet one another, sparks fly and trouble seems to be on the horizon.  After they are forbidden to see one another things come to a head with a mysterious email Cahse receives on Christmas Eve.  Can Chase and Rose find their way back to one another?  Or are both of their self-destructive tendencies too much to handle?

       I could not stand Rose.  She was a complete and utter, spoiled brat.  Yes, she has reasons to be upset with the strict and over-the-top way that her adoptive parents treat her all the time.  But she definitely invites it, with her completely outrageous behavior.  And yeah, it's sad that she lost her real mother, but her real mother had apparently been a down on her luck prostitute.  So, as much as she loved Rose, she had no business trying to take care of a child when she couldn't take care of herself.  Plus, it's obvious to see that her adoptive parents love her (even if I don't agree with their methods - the police?  Really?!).  Chase on the other hand, while being from the wrong side of the tracks, was a fairly sweet boy.  I didn't mind him quite so much.  I did think that him deciding to pursue Rose, who obviously was in self-destruct mode, was a dumb-ass thing to do.  Not to mention, it could ruin his life right alongside hers, which would just be a waste.  

       It's kind of hard to truly like a book though, when you feel like the author is cramming issues down your throat.  I also had a hard time with the "romance," seeing as I hate one half of the romantic couple.  Then the author had that so-called "twist" happen near the end of the book.  Really?  That's how she chooses to end this book, and make the two dumb teenagers grow up?  Cliched and overall, I've seen it so many times as a reader that it just makes me tired.  Overall, nit my cup of tea and not something I'd recommend.  I was skimming near the end, cause I just frankly didn't care.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published September 1st, 2014.*

Anything For You

Published:  April 10th, 2014

Mayday

By: Jonathan Friesen

Speak

ISBN-13:  9780142412299

Why'd I do it?  I suppose it's the only question that really matters.

Seventeen-year-old Crow will stop at nothing to protect her younger sister -- even if it costs her her own life.  But then she's given a chance to come back and make things right.  There are a few catches, though.  First, she won't come back as herself.  And before she can set things straight, she'll have to figure out what's what -- and things aren't exactly as clear-cut as she remembered.

Review

     Crow has been protecting her younger sister Addy from any harm, ever since she can remember.  It started when their father left, and the girls' mother got involved with a seemingly nice Doctor.  Crow doesn't trust him, and it turns out to be for a good reason.  Now as teenagers, Crow is still trying to protect Addy, this time from a boy she thinks just wants to use her good-hearted sister.  This time Crow winds up in a coma, between the paths of life and death.  She's granted a walkabout, a chance to make things right in her own life.  Crow uses it as another chance to go back as someone else and protect Addy.  But can she actually change anything that's happened in the past?  And how can she stop her own bitterness and pain from devouring what's left of her soul whole?

     I liked the characters in this one.  In a way, Crow reminded me of myself.  Always trying to fix things for other people and never having a life for herself.  But during the walkabout, Crow is given a chance to look back at her life through new eyes and realize that nothing is quite as black and white as she had originally thought.  I liked that Crow got to go back and interact with her younger self.  First as a middle-school-aged girl named Shane, and then as a teenaged boy named Shane.  She's there on the pretext of protecting Addy.  But then she really starts to get a look at herself and the things that she's done, how she has nothing other than her sister.  She starts to care about younger Crow and finds herself trying to save, well, herself right along with Addy.  I liked the ending and while the idea that she couldn't stop some of the bad things from happening might piss off some people, I like that she realized that maybe Addy didn't need as much saving as her own soul did.  Kind of a beautiful concept and I liked the realizations.  The only thing that weirded me out a little was the slight Shane/Crow romance.

VERDICT:  3.5/5 Stars

*I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published April 10th, 2014.*

Beyond the Ominous Gates

Expected Publication: September 9th, 2014

Winterkill

By: Kate A. Boorman

Amulet Books

ISBN-13:  9781419712357

Emmeline knows she's not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement.  The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters.  Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean -- even if she has eyes for another.  But before she's forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can't help but follow.  The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect.  Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price.  If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

Review

     Emmeline has a curiosity about things beyond what she's allowed to know.  It's what causes her to break the rules of her settlement and skip services, instead exploring things that are only treasures in her own eyes, natural ruins of another time.  She is shunned by much of her people, for a sin that her grandmother committed, a Stain against their family name: going beyond the settlement walls.  Just as Emmeline begins to feel things for a boy named Kane, the settlement leader asks for her in marriage.  But then her dreams lead her out into the woods, where a dangerous secret lies.  Can Emmeline find out the truth and will it destroy her - or set them all free?

     I had to put this one down and could not bring myself to pick it back up again.  Emmeline seemed like she was being contrary just 'cause, and I couldn't stand her from page one.  The dialectical decisions of the author left something to be desired.  WHY are they speaking French words?  Where are we, what happened to bring these people there, and why after mutliple generations are they (as described in the Goodreads summary above) are they still in an "unfamiliar land?"  I found myself not giving a crap, as the sentence structure was atrocious.  As I saw another reader observe, it felt like most of the words were chopped in half and the sparsity left a lot to be desired for me personally.  In other words, it was driving me absolutely insane.  Not to mention, been there and done that - the gates, the big secret in the woods.  Can you say rip-off of The Village or what?  Just not the book for me, and I wish I would not have even wasted my time.  I seem to be in the minority with that opinion though, at least on Goodreads.

VERDICT:  DID NOT FINISH

*I recieved this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is September 9th, 2014.*

Selling Hell To a Bishop

Expected Publication:  September 16th, 2014

Sway

By: Kat Spears

St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN-13:  9781250051431

In Kat Spears' hilarious and often poignant debut, high school senior Jesse Alderman, or "Sway," as he's known, could sell hell to a bishop.  He also specializes in getting things people want -- term papers, a date with the prom queen, fake IDs.  He has few close friends and he never EVER lets emotions get in the way.  For Jesse, life is simply a series of business transactions.

But when Ken Foster, captain of the football team, leading candidate for homecoming King, and all-around jerk, and hires Jesse to help him win the heart of the angelic Bridget Smalley, Jesse finds himself feeling all sorts of things.  While following Bridget and learning the intimate details of her life, he falls helplessly in love for the first time.  He also finds himself in an accidental friendship with Bridget's belligerent and self-pitying younger brother who has cerebral palsy.  Suddenly, Jesse is visiting old folks at a nursing home in order to run into Bridget, and offering his time to help the less fortunate, all the while developing a bond with this young man who idolizes him.  Could the tin man really have a heart after all?

Review

     So, this book turned around my reading slump in the best of ways.  I feel like there has been very little amazing contemporary romance/whatever in my reading so far this year.  I actually picked this up expecting absolutely nothing, and the description of this as yet another Cyrano De Bergerac knock-off did nothing to interest me.  I got this through the tour site I'm part of on a fleeting whim.  Boy am I ever glad that I did!  This one is told in first-person, by the main character Jesse, whose sense of humor and choice of language leave a lot to be desired.  Not to mention the less than legal activities he is most well known for among the other kids at his school - even the adults come to him asking for favors!  The overall tone and balance of emotion and humor reminded me of two of my favorite contemporary reads of last year, Cherry Money Baby and Firecracker.

     Jesse "Sway" Alderson is the go-to guy for anything you want: drugs, exam papers, favors of an indeterminate nature and whatever else you want - for a price.  So when Ken Foster, the moronic asshole captain of the football team, comes to Jesse asking for help with getting the saintly Bridget Smalley as his girlfriend, Jesse agrees to do it.  But following Bridget around and getting to know her causes Jesse to grow a conscience and fall in love.  How can he let Bridget be with Ken, knowing the whole thing is a lie?  And what effect will all the deceit, growing feelings and new friendships out of random circumstance have on the rest of his life?  Can Sway make things right, or will Jesse be stuck cleaning up the biggest mess he's ever made?

     Jesse doesn't care to censor himself.  He just says whatever pops into his head first, consequences be damned, and I truly admire that!  There are a lot of people in his life: his gothy and sarcastic best friend Joey, his distant alcoholic father, Carter from the football team, a drug dealer named Digger, truly scary supplier Skinhead Rob, and his ex-girlfriend Heather.  But he never really connects to anyone until he meets cranky Mr. Dunkleman at the old folk's home and uses him as his pretend grandfather.  Another nail in the coffin was the shine he takes to Bridget's kid brother Pete, always calling him on his shit and never treating him as disabled because of his condition.  He calls Pete retarded to his face!  The romance in this was sweet, but this book was more about self-realization than anything.  What can we do to fix things, when we realize that our entire life is built around a philosophy that could cause us to lose the one thing we actually want?  Another big part of this book is Jesse coming to terms with living again after his mother's death by way of pill overdose.  He doesn't know whether to feel everything or nothing at all.  I loved that the ending isn't wrapped in a neat little bow, with every loose thread tied up.  We never do see whether Pete and Jesse get close again after their blowout.  Or the fallout of Skinhead Rob's ultimatum.  The open-endedness was nice for a change though.  A lot more like real life!  I absolutely love this book and if you want to be an emotional yo-yo, you should just pick it up already!

Favorite Quotes:

"Why do you call him that?" Pete asked.  "Sway?"

"Because he is sway," Carter said simply.  Pete looked at me but I just shook my head and turned to stare out the plate glass window at the deserted main street.

"But what does it mean?" Pete asked.

"You never heard of sway?" Carter asked, baffled by Pete's question.  "No."

Carter shrugged.  "Sway ain't somethin' you can define.  A brother who's got sway is the man -- don't have to try to be cool, just ...is.  Jesse's as cool as the underside of my pillow.  He's so slick, he could convince you that I'm white, have you believin' it like it's gospel."  

Carter turned his attention to me as he said, "I thought you were ed-you-catin' this boy."

In the haze between consciousness and oblivion I mumbled crazy shit and started to shake with the cold.  Joey covered me with a blanket, then curled up on her narrow bed beside me and held me close as she stroked my hair.  Carter sat behind the bend in my legs and they warmed me with the heat from their bodies.

"I wanted to die," I said into my chest, my voice a grunt as I jerked with another shudder of cold.  "I want to die."

"I know," Joey said, and shushed me and kissed me on the forehead.  "I know.  But you can't die.  If you die, I'll be all alone."

"Shit," Carter said, and I felt him start to shake with quiet sobs as I drifted into the black.

Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" drifted through the air from Joey's iPod, and I remember thinking how appropriate it would be to die listening to that song.

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is September 16th, 2014.*

A Plague On Both Your Houses

Published:  February 4th, 2014

Prince Of Shadows

By: Rachel Caine

NAL

ISBN-13:  9780451414410

In the Houses of Montague and Capulet, there is only one goal: power.  The boys are born to fight and die for honor and -- if they survive -- marry for influence and money, not love.  The girls are assets, to be spent wisely.  Their wishes are of no import.  Their fates are written on the day they are born.

Benvolio Montague, cousin to Romeo, knows all this.  He expects to die for his cousin, for his house, but a spark of rebellion still lives in him.  At night, he is the Prince of Shadows, the greatest thief in Verona -- and he risks all as he steals from House Capulet.  In doing so, he sets eyes on convent-bound Rosaline, and a terrible curse begins that will claim the lives of many in Verona...

...And will rewrite all their fates, forever.

Review

     Retellings are something that I love to try, because I hate to see a good story end.  As a younger person I was NOT a fan of Romeo + Juliet, thinking that they were beyond stupid and I couldn't understand why people romanticized their story.  But as an adult I look at them and think, "Those poor, stupid teenagers.  That's not what love is and they never had a chance to figure that out."  I was intrigued when I learned that Rachel Caine, whose Morganville Vampire series I happen to love, was writing a R&J retelling from Benvolio's point of view I was excited.  I am definitely happy that I gave it a chance!  In this book, set months before the events of the infamous Shakespeare play, Benvolio is chafing at the bit of family responsibility.  His rebellion is to be the greatest thief Verona has ever known, the Prince of Shadows, and humilate all of his enemies.  One night, he decides to attempt a truly deadly theft and steal from Tybalt Capulet.  While in the Capulet household, Benvolio is seen by Rosaline and the interaction between the two promises that things will never again be the same.  Then Benvolio's domineering Grandmother orders him to retrieve Romeo's love letters to Rosaline, and stop his infatuation.  All this while Benvolio is trying to hide Mercutio's love affair with another man from everyone, for fear of his friend being put to death.  When everything comes crashing down around them, will both Montagues and Capulets be cursed beyond redemption?  Or will Benvolio and Rosaline be able to bring themselves out of destruction and start over again?

     The majority of this book was set before the events of the original play, which in and of itself was different than the majority of retellings.  Most of them seem to be set during and in the aftermath.  But this book chose to give readers a backstory and some reasoning for the whole disastrous sequence of events.  I love Benvolio as a narrator!  It was wonderful to get his side of the story, since in the play he's basically just Romeo's right-hand man.  I also liked seeing Rosaline as more than just a mere mention and learning a bit more of who she actually was.  In this version, she is strong, feisty and makes up her own mind.  But she is also a practical realist.  Rosaline just wants to go to the convent and be away from the whole mess between the Capulets and Montagues - and away from her brother Tybalt's rage and heavy hand.  Probably my absolute favorite thing about this retelling though, was the focus on Mercutio, his story and the reasons for his behavior, etc.  I loved the relationship between him, Romeo and Benvolio (both of whom are keeping Mercutio's secrets).  They has some great quips and banter going on, and the scenes with Romeo and Mercutio creating drunken diversions for Benvolio's thieving were hilarious.  

     I think the only thing that seemed abrupt and out of place were the random inclusions of Shakespeare's dialogue, sometimes slightly butchered, and the inclusion of witchcraft and curses.  The book has a decidedly modern feel to it, and though witchcraft was often in Shakespeare's plays and it was a plausible explanation for the whole mess, it still felt kind of odd and out of place in this particular book.  Overall though, this was definitely a great read for fans of R&J, but not necessarily the actual characters of Romeo and Juliet.  They are both shown to be what they were in this book: thoughtless, dreamy children with a penchant for leaping before they looked.  I would recommend this one though.  It was definitely worth my time.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**