I Walked With You, Once Upon a Dream

Expected Publication:  February 24th, 2015

A Wicked Thing

By: Rhiannon Thomas

HarperTeen

ISBN-13:  9780062303530

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return.  All the books say she should be living happily ever after.  But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead.  Her "true love" is a kind stranger.  And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her.  With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Review

       This book was a bit of an oddball in terms of fairy tale retellings.  We all know the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, who was awakened by true love's kiss and lived happily ever after.  In reality, Aurora woke up confused and frightened, with everyone she ever knew long dead and buried.  Now she's expected to marry a young Prince that she doesn't even know (just because he woker her up) and be a pawn in the political games of the people sitting on what used to be her parents' thrones.  Can Aurora manage to stay alive and get her happy ending?  Or will her whole world go up in flames before all is said and done?  I didn't mind that she was weak, confused and frightened at first.  It made absolute sense and was really realistic, in terms of how someone would really feel waking up 100 years after being put in a cursed sleep!  I felt almost as bad for Prince Rodric as I did for Aurora, being used as a pawn by his father, a cruel King, who wants to stay in power even with Aurora awake and able to rule her kingdom.  I liked that everything was in shades of gray.  Practically every character was morally ambiguous and this was really a story without heroes/heroines.  It was dark in a way that rang true.

       That said, it also felt like nothing happened till the very end of the book.  Now knowing that it's a planned trilogy (didn't know that, or I wouldn't have bothered reading it), it makes more sense to me.  This book was the build-up, the bare bones of a story that will (maybe) be fleshed out into something solid in the next two books.  But reading it while thinking it was a stand alone, it definitely fell short.  It was basically just a bunch of asshole-ish royalty (and some rebels) entertaining/threatening/messing with each other, until it turned to bloodshed and a "climax" to the action.  I did like that Aurora had a strength she wasn't aware of and the ongoing situation with the sorceress Celestine was intriguing (if bare bones, like everything and everyone else).  Probably my least favorite thing about this novel was the way it dragged on and on.  If it hadn't been written in such an easy-to-read way, I definitely would have quit it long before the ending.  Also, three possible love interest?  A love triangle isn't enough, now it has to be a LOVE SQUARE???!!!  At least the romance was basically non-existent - yet another of the few things saving this book for me.  Overall, not the worst thing I ever read, but also far off from the best.  I won't be bothering with the sequel.  To be frank the thought of reading it bores me.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I  received this book from HarperTeen, on Edelweiss.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on February 24th, 2015.*

Princesses Can Save the Prince Too!

Published:  December 17th, 2008

The Stepsister Scheme (Princess #1)

By: Jim C. Hines

DAW

ISBN-13:  9780756405328

You know how all those old fairy tales take you through lots of scary adventures till you finally reach that inevitable line: "And they lived happily ever after..."  Guess what?  It's not true.  Life in never-never land isn't all sweetness and light.  Cinderella - whose real name is Danielle Whiteshore (nee Danielle de Glas) - does marry Prince Armand.  And (if you can ignore the pidgeon incident) their wedding is a dream-come-true.

But not long after the "happily ever after," Danielle is attacked by her stepsister Charlotte, who suddenly has all sorts of magic to call upon.  And though Talia - otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty - comes to the rescue (she's a martial arts master, and all those fairy blessings make her almost unbeatable), Charlotte gets away.

That's when Danielle discovers a number of disturbing facts: Armand has been kidnapped and taken to the realm of the Fairies; Danielle is pregnant with his child; and the Queen has her very own Secret Service that consists of Talia and Snow (White, of course).  Snow is an expert at mirror magic and heavy-duty flirting.

Can three princesses track down Armand and extract both the prince and themselves from the clutches of some of fantasyland's most nefarious villains?

Review

     I am a fairy tale obsessed, freak!  I love retellings of fairy tales - modern ones, retro ones, historical fiction, christian fiction, disneyfied ones, humorous ones, etc.  Doesn't really matter what exactly it is, I am bound to be attracted to it, if not drawn in completely.  The cover on this book looks a bit like Charlie's Angels crossed with Brothers Grimm, so color me intrigued.  I was told by a couple of my online friends to read it, even if just to get to the second one (which they said is better).  So I decided to give it a go and see what would happen.  Is starts focused on Danielle de Glas (aka Cinderella), who has married the Prince and now has to learn to become a Princess.  She still can't help her instinct to befriend all the servants and clean the palace around her though; but she loves her husband, Armand, and is willing to make some changes to be what he needs.  Imagine her surprise when her stepsister Charlotte tries to kill her seemingly out of the blue, using magic she's never had before.  Danielle is saved from assassination by Queen Bea's secret protector - Talia, otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty.  It turns out she and Snow White work for Bea, and help her keep the kingdom and its royals safe from threats.  But when they find out Armand has been kidnapped by Charlotte and her sister, it's up to Danielle to rescue him - with the help of Talia and Snow she might even succeed.  However, what will the cost be to retrieving Prince Armand from the danger he's in?

     I enjoyed this one a lot.  At first it feels pretty slow moving (even with an assassination attempt), but once Talia, Danielle and Snow finally hit the road, the plot picks up its pace pretty quickly.  Probably my favorite thing about this book is that it uses the darker and older versions of the fairy tales that a lot of people only know from the Disney versions, for the back stories of the characters.  Talia's in particular is a real doozy and definitely gives a great basis for her inability to connect emotionally to other people and fondness for solving difficult situations with violent means.  Also, the fact that Snow herself worked with mirrors for magical purposes (a la the Evil Queen) was interesting and not something I've ever seen done before in a retelling or reworking of Snow White's story.  The lack of Prince Armand was both disappointing and refreshing.  So wonderful to see a fantasy/fairy tale book NOT laser-focused on the romance, but considering that Danielle is going to great lengths to save him, it would have been nice to get some more insight into her relationship with Armand (especially considering how little time they've actually known each other when you consider their relationship as a whole).

     The entire novel, while revolving around an assassination plot, still managed to feel like it was moving at molasses speed.  But when it hit Fairytown, shit really started to hit the fan!  I enjoyed them trying to find an ally and since by this point Danielle knows she's pregnant, the whole thing with every fairy asking for the baby in exchange for the help was hilarious!  Such a stereotypically fairy tale thing to do!  I also really was impressed at how much motivation and character development Hines managed to work in for the Stepsisters (Charlotte and Stacia) who are usually just cardboard cutout villains in any adaptation of Cinderella that's published/filmed.  The rescue of Armand and the imprisonment of Danielle are both full of very dark scenes and somewhat disturbing.  Especially when we're unsure whether or not the baby is going to come away from the ordeal unscathed.  The one complaint (as others have said) that I really can think of besides slowness, is the one dimensionality of Talia and Sleeping Beauty as characters.  But by the end of the novel, we've gotten closer to understanding what makes them tick.  Also, I have read the second book in the time before I started writing this review and it definitely gives us more meat to those two characters.  Overall, I had a swell time trying to figure out where Hines was taking this and I think I'm along for the whole ride.

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.**

Where There Are Sparks, Electricity Follows

 

Expected Publication:  September 24th, 2013

A Spark Unseen (The Dark Unwinding # 2)

By: Sharon Cameron

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545328135

 

When Katharine Tulman wakes in the middle of the night and accidentally foils a kidnapping attempt on her uncle, she realizes Stranwyne Keep is no longer safe for Uncle Tully and his genius inventions. She flees to Paris, where she hopes to remain undetected and also find the mysterious and handsome Lane, who is suspected to be dead.

But the search for Lane is not easy, and Katharine soon finds herself embroiled in a labyrinth of political intrigue. And with unexpected enemies and allies at every turn, Katharine will have to figure out whom she can trust--if anyone--to protect her uncle from danger once and for all.

 

Review

 

     Katherine Tulman has recently been through quite a lot: she has gained an eccentric Uncle, foiled an attempt by opposing governments to use one of her Uncle Tully's toy designs as a weapon of war, and fallen in love with a young man who is involved in espionage.  Oh, and she has also become an independent heiress in her own right!  But the governments haven't given up quite yet and when strange men break into the estate and attempt to kidnap her Uncle Tully, Katherine is forced into drastic measures.  After faking Tully's death and fleeing to Paris to avoid England's grasping hands, Katherine finds herself dealing with another set of dangers, including figuring out what has really happened to Lane, her Uncle's former assistant and the young man she loves, who has gone missing.  Can she figure out a way to get them all safely out of Paris and uncover the plot to steal her Uncle in a way that will end things once and for all?

      I read the previous book in the series warily, for I am by no means a fan of the steampunk genre and it is marketed as falling under that title.  As with the first book, this one proves that really the only steampunk thing about this book is the mentions of Uncle Tully's unique inventions.  I enjoyed the mystery of the first book, uncovering all of the characters' individual motivations and schemes.  This book felt like it was trying very hard to capture the espionage feeling of the previous novel, but never quite made it into that sphere.  It dealt with espionage of the international sort to a much greater extent, but I felt disconnected from Katherine and her troubles as an individual.  I did admire the ingenious way that she protects her Uncle (the mode of his transport to France was absolutely inspired!) but the quest to find Lane, the boy she supposedly loves fell extremely flat.  His mysterious disappearance felt like it was only included in the novel as a way to further along the kidnapping plot of the book.  Also, their interactions once she found him felt very formal and wooden to me as a reader.  I just didn't believe they were a great romance, and honestly would have preferred if the book had focused more on the espionage side of things and developed that storyline more than just 'We're on the run from the bad guys, we're hiding out from the bad guys.  We're confronting the bad guys, we're moving on with life.'  Easy peasy sure, but kind of vanilla and on the boring side of the line.  The side characters didn't provide any relief, as they were majorly two-dimensional.  And I am NOT a fan of anything to do with spies so my stance on this even surprised me!  The 'resolution' of the novel's plot(s) leaves things somewhat open for a third book, but also hints that this was possibly the series conclusion.  If that's the case, it was a cute series but somewhat underdeveloped and with the promise it showed, that was quite disappointing.  I won't so anymore so as not to spoil, but it's recommended more for fans of 19th Century Gothic romance books than steampunk adventures.

 

VERDICT:  3.5/5  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 is September 24th, 2013.**

My Feelings For You Died of Exposure

Expected Publication:  January 18th, 2013

Exposure (Twisted Lit # 2)

By: Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

Merit Press

ISBN-13: 9781440552618

Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?

Review

     Skye Kingston has had one hell of a year.  It has been filled with murder, intrigue, family issues and romance.  She just wants to put it all behind her now that she's at USC studying photography like she always dreamed of.  But after her roommates start spreading rumors about her and talking about her while she's there like she's invisible, Skye decides to set the record straight once and for all.  So she tells them the tale of Craig, the boy she secretly loved, and his psychopathic ex-girlfriend Beth covering up the accidental homicide of Duncan, captain of the hockey team and how it almost destroys them all.  Who is really to blame and will Skye and Craig ever get their happy ending?  This has all the set-up of a Macbeth re-telling and the lines are clear cut as to who represents what character from the original play.  The only one without any real place in things is Skye, a shy photographer for the school newspaper, who is secretly in love with hockey heartthrob Craig (a.k.a Macbeth).  Honestly, Skye came across very pathetically to me.  When Duncan dies, she overhears Beth telling Craig that they need to cover up their part in it.  Even after they find out that he died of exposure and didn't drown, still neither of them comes forward to confess what really happened.  And yet Skye is still making excuses for him and blames everything on Beth.  Oh yeah, she also doesn't tell the authorities that her classmate was probably MURDERED and she knows who did it!!!   All because she 'lurves' Craig so much and he's really a good person.  Honest, he is!  *Gags*  I thought that I would like this as much as the first book in the Twisted Lit series, but by the end I was so disgusted with all of the main characters that I hoped they all would get locked up in prison.  Overall, a very good book if you enjoy abusive relationships, where the female has no sense of self-worth.  It does get a star for the fact that it managed to keep me reading just to see if anyone would even get punished - they didn't, at least to my satisfaction! :(

VERDICT:  1/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 18th, 2013.*

Sparks Fly, When I'm Kissing You

Expected Publication: August 14th, 2012

Kissing Shakespeare

By: Pamela Mingle

Random House Children's Books

ISBN-13: 9780385741965

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide. 

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright. 

Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

Review

   Miranda's parents are famous Shakespearean actors and she has always aspired to be an actor someday as well.  But she has always felt like she is inferior and talent-less compared to them.  After what she thinks is a disastrous performance  as Kate in 'Taming of the Shrew', Miranda is hiding backstage.  Then her fellow castmate Stephen Langford finds her and all Hell breaks loose.  It turns out that Stephen is not from this century and he takes Miranda back to the 16th century with him - so she can save Shakespeare. Or so Stephen says.  It turns out that to save him Stephen seems to think that Miranda needs to seduce him.  Apparently Shakespeare is considering joining the Jesuit priesthood, a dangerous occupation during Elizabeth I's reign.  It is a possible death sentence, which would deprive the world of Shakespeare's genius.  Therefore it's Miranda's job to tempt him out of that choice.  Can she manage to save Shakespeare, even if it means sacrificing herself?  Also, Miranda's heart is in danger of being captured, but not by the famous playwright...  This book has two of the things that I love the most - Shakespeare and time travel!  I loved smarmy time traveler, Stephen Langford who confuses Miranda as a girl of loose morals after watching too much 'Gossip Girl.'  Which leads him to think she's perfect for seducing Shakespeare.  It is interesting to see Elizabethan life portrayed including the Jesuit plight, because it's something I've personally never encountered and never expected to in a YA novel!  The description of the book makes it sound lighthearted and at times it is.  But there is a lot of underlying depth, including Stephen's tragic romantic past.  My main complaint would be Miranda's lack of individual thought.  She went along with Stephen's plans for her, even if it was with quite a fight.  Not to mention, she was a majorly spoiled brat.  If your biggest problem in life as a rich teenager is not being a great Shakespearean actor like Mommy and Daddy...well boo freaking hoo!  Also, her blase attitude about losing her virginity was truly annoying.  But by the end of the novel Miranda really showed some major character development and the conclusion to her romance with Stephen left me crying.  It was an enjoyable read, I love any book with time travel that is fairly well done and this one fits the bill.  I recommend to Shakespeare, romance and time travel fans who like a little humor mixed into their books.

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is August 14th, 2012.*

The Magical, Mystery Chocolate Pot

Published: May 22nd, 2012 (as eBook, originally published April 15th, 1988)
Sorcery & Cecelia or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot (Cecelia and Kate #1)
By: Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Open Road for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9781453254677

A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it--so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is. Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives . . . if only they weren't having so much fun!

Review

   The year is 1817 in an England where magic is a natural part of life.  Kate and Cecelia are cousins that have trouble staying out of mischief when they are together.  That's why their Aunts decide to separate them for the summer - Kate will go to London for her Season with her younger sister Georgina and Cecelia will stay in the country with her brother Oliver.  It turns out that Kate doesn't need Cecelia around to get into trouble and this becomes apparent when she gets in the middle of a feud between an undetermined assasin and the Marquis of Schofield.  On the other hand, Cecy's summer in the country has become just as strange when she discovers neighbor James Tarleton spying on her very shy (and strangely popular) friend Dorothea.  Neither man will explain things to Kate or Cecy, so they decide to investigate the increasingly odd goings-on for themselves.  Meanwhile, they are corresponding everything to one another with surprising dedication and wit.  Someone has set a rather horrible plan into motion that may involve harm to the Queen herself - but it won't happen if Kate and Cecy have anything to say about it.  And what does an enchanted chocolate pot have to do with anything?  This book started off a little bit slowly, but once it got going it was so much fun!  I loved the intrigue surrounding (of all the ridiculous objects) the choclate pot, the strange enchantment of Dorothea and the plots swirling around the whole affair.  The idea of proper and boorish Oliver being turned into a tree was absolutely hilarious, as were most of the things that happend in the country setting.  The London issues were a slight bit more of the alarming sort.  I adored the letters between Cecy and Kate.  You could tell how fond of each other they were and how much they trusted each other. I thought the romances were well-done, if obvious.  My favorite was not Kate and the Marquis (Thomas) though it was wonderful.  I loved Cecy and Thomas because of how truly nonsensically they started out and by the end of things, I couldn't imagine them without each other.  At times things did seem disjointed, considering this book began as a letter game between the authors, with no real direction.  But other than that I loved the plot, characters, and the conclusion fit very well for me.  I loved this book quite a bit and would highly recommend it.  If the fact that it's part of a series is off-putting, be glad to know that this book can stand on its own.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published as an eBook on May 22nd, 2012.*

Don't Flirt With Me, You're Creepy...

Published: June 12th, 2012

Flirting In Italian

By: Lauren McBride

Delacorte Books For Young Readers

ISBN-13: 9780385741354

Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys!

Review

   Eighteen year old Violet is getting ready to go to university in the fall, but there is something she needs to know before she leaves - whether or not she was adopted.  After seeing a painting at the museum in which the girl is practically identical to her, Violet sets out on a quest to find out who the girl is.  The trail leads Violet to Italy.  For a cover story, she tells her Mum that she wants to learn Italian culture, art, history and language over the summer to prepare better for university.  Signing up for a course that will be taught by an Italian woman at her Villa home in the Italian countryside, Violet sets off to discover who she really is.  While there she befriends the other girls taking the course: two Americans, Kendra and Paige, and a fellow Brit, Kelly.  The girls are initially at odds, but they bond over mutual dislike of their teacher Catia's bitchy, evil daughter Elisa.  While trying to learn about the painting, Violet balances her studies, problems involving her new friends and the boy next door to the Villa, Luca.  He is sending her very mixed signals romantically, but Violet can't help but be attracted to his volatile personality.  But things may not be looking up, as it seems someone will stop at nothing to keep Violet from the truth of her birth - even if it means killing her...  This book started out very promisingly.  A light-hearted, summer adventure with mystery, romance and some good times with new friends.  I got a lot of that, but the mystery of the painting really intrigued me as well.  While being annoyed that Violet couldn't JUST ASK her Mum whether or not she was adopted, I did appreciate the need for it as a plot device.  The part that pissed me off was that Henderson inserts a mystery, then ignores it for most of the book.  Than, at the end of the novel, she gives a half-ass cop-out ending that hints at a rather unsatisfactory ending to the truth of Violet's roots.  Plus, a book that could have ended well in one volume suddenly spawns a sequel.  The idea of Violet belonging to the family that was insinuated REALLY pissed me off.  It was unnecessary, unlikely and utterly disgusting to my sensibilities (this coming from someone who managed to stomach the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy!).  Not recommended unless you love to be disappointed.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published June 12, 2012.*

The Girl Who Came Down The Mountain...

Expected Publication: August 21st, 2012
Palace of Stone (Princess Acadmey #2)
By: Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA
ISBN-13: 9781599908731


Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city seems a thrill beyond imagining. When Miri and her friends from Mount Eskel set off to help the future princess Britta prepare for her royal wedding, she is happy about her chance to attend school in the capital city. There, Miri befriends students who seem so sophisticated and exciting . . . until she learns that they have some frightening plans. They think that Miri will help them, that she should help them. Soon Miri finds herself torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends’ ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city.

Picking up where Princess Academy left off, this incredible stand-alone story celebrates the joys of friendship, the delight of romance, and the fate of a beloved fairy tale kingdom.

Review

   Miri is excited to go to the castle and help Britta prepare for her wedding to Prince Steffan.  But when she and the other girls arrive in Asland, the capital city of Danland, nothing is exactly like she thought it would be.  Peder, who came to the capital with them to apprentice a stonecarver, never has time to spend with her.  Her friends from home are diverging from each other and finding new interests.  Miri herself finds comfort in her education at the much lauded Queen's College.  But there is a revolution brewing due to the unfair treatment of the city's common people.  Miri will have to decide whether or not to stand with her new friends against the royal family and everything they stand for, or stay loyal to Britta and the mountain she comes from.  Can Miri sort out the confusion in her heart as well, and decide between Peder and the city boy who intrigues her?  This book was an interesting follow-up to a cute, if somewhat bland predecessor.  I did like the original book, but it didn't have enough action or intrigue for my personal tastes.  I loved the whole idea of Danland's citizens trying to mount a revolution against the King.  It was very realistically portrayed.  Not everything was solved by the end and wrapped up in a tidy bow.  There were still problems and all of the characters were very human.  The main complaint on my part for the book was how selfishly Britta is portrayed to be, after being so normal and down to Earth in the first book.  Also, Steffan came across as a prig and Miri's college friends for the most part, seemed truly idiotic in matters of common sense.  Other than minor annoyances, I loved Miri's parts of the story and the ending made me smile.  To me this novel was better than the one before it.  Recommended for fans of the original novel for sure.


VERDICT:  4/5  Stars


*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is August 21, 2012.*

That Girl Is A Drama Queen

Expected Publication: July 10th, 2012
Diva (Flappers #3)
By: Jillian Larkin
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780385740418

Parties, bad boys, speakeasies—life in Manhattan has become a woozy blur for Clara Knowles. If Marcus Eastman truly loved her, how could he have fallen for another girl so quickly? Their romance mustn't have been as magical as Clara thought. And if she has to be unhappy, she's going to drag everyone else down to the depths of despair right along with her.

Being a Barnard girl is the stuff of Lorraine Dyer's dreams. Finding out that Marcus is marrying a gold digger who may or may not be named Anastasia? A nightmare. The old Lorraine would have sat by and let the chips fall where they may, but she's grown up a lot these past few months. She can't bear to see Marcus lose a chance for true love. But will anyone listen to her?

Now that the charges against her have been dropped, Gloria Carmody is spending the last dizzying days of summer on Long Island, yachting on the sound and palling around with socialites at Forrest Hamilton's swanky villa. Beneath her smile, though, Gloria's keeping a secret. One that could have deadly consequences . . .

Review

   Gloria Carmody has been released from prison by the FBI - but only on the condition that she spies on wealthy playboy Forrest Hamilton.  They think that he's involved in illegal activities, but they need Gloria to gain proof for them.  And the only way to do that is by becoming part of Forrest's crowd.  Is Forrest really the bad guy, or is there more to this mystery than what's on the surface?   How are famous Broadway star Ruby and shady henchman Pembrooke involved?  Clara is still heartbroken over her split with Marcus, especially when she finds out that he's already engaged to another woman.  Still writing for The Manhattanite and partying the flapper way, Clara should be having the time of her life.  But it's empty without Marcus in her life.  Marcus's new fiance may not be as innocent as she seems and when Clara finds out that she's a gold-digging grifter, she needs to come up with a plan to save Marcus and stop the wedding - FAST.  Lorraine Dyer is living out her dream of being a Barnard girl, but she has no friends and is ostracized.  All because of her part in the plot to put Gloria in jail.  The only people who will even talk to her at all are Melvi, a really nerdy guy and her roomate Becky.  Lorraine still thinks she might be in love with Marcus, so when she finds out that his fiance is a con artist, she is desperate to get back into Clara's good graces and put a stop to the wedding before it's too late.  Along the way Lorraine finds out that looks aren't everything and that sometimes love is where you least expect it.  Will the girls be able to forgive and forget the past, to work together and stop Marcus from making a huge mistake?  Will Gloria be able to have her happily ever after with Jerome, or will they be kept apart for good?  This was a pretty awesome ending to a really action-packed series.  I adored the first book and liked the sub-plots in the second.  Surprisingly, I really didn't care much about Gloria or Jerome in this installment.  I just wanted to know whether or not Clara and Marcus would get back together.  I was really ecstatic to see Lorraine grow up and realize that she could be happy without popularity or wealth.  As always, there was a mystery that needed to be solved.  Where was Forrest getting his money?  Boy, I did not see THAT one coming!  I also liked Anastasia being a grifter, even if it was somewhat cliched.  I liked this book a lot and thought it sent off the series with a bang.  I can't wait to see what Jillian Larking writes next! :)

VERDICT:  4.85/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is July 2nd, 2012.*

I Haven't Got The Time...

Expected Publication: June 12th, 2012

Timepiece (Hourglass #2)

By: Myra McEntire

EgmontUSA

ISBN-13: 9781606841457

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Review

   Emerson Cole has been thrown into a world of intrigue and excitement, with a secret organization called Hourglass at the center of it all - oh yeah, time travel is involved as well.  Her and her friends are just now recovering from their altercations with Cat Powers and Jack Landers, evils former members of a group of time travel researchers who wish to steal Hourglass' powers and manipulate events in time to their advantage.  But than at a party at Em's brother's restaurant, they are threatened with an ultimatum to find Jack or have time be altered in a horrible way.  Also, saving Michael and Liam in the by changing the timeline has damaged the very fabric of time and the ripples of time are beginning to have more substance than they should.  It's up to Em, Michael, Kaleb and Lily to find Jack and put an end to possible problems before they happen.  This means that Lily will have to use a power that she's sworn not to since she was forced to leave Cuba with her Grandma years before.  But even then it may not be enough to save them from disaster.  And where does the InfinityGlass come into play?  Will Em and her fellow Hourglass team members all make it out alive?  I liked the first book decently enough, so I figured that I would give this one a shot.  I was glad that Em and Michael were not the focus in this one.  Their relationship nauseates and annoys me beyond belief.  Kaleb and Lily were my two favorite characters from the first book, so the possibilities excited me.  It ended up being another disappointing case of unrealistic, insta-love.  The book was from Kaleb's POV and while that could've made a difference, there was practically no distinction from Em's narration in the first book.  At first I didn't even realize that Kaleb was the one narrating!  And the time travel stuff was interesting, but too confusing.  If I wanted a physics class I would take one - there's a reason I'm reading fiction!  Lily was more in-depth in this book, which was the best part for me.  But towards the end of the novel even she devolved into a clone of Emerson.  The only thing that I really enjoyed was the action, Kaleb's discoveries of the complexity of his powers and how to help his Mother recover from Jack's devastating attack on her mind.  Not a book I would recommend unless you're okay with mediocrity or are in love with the first one already.  I will probably be sucked into the next one though, because of the cliffhanger.  It made me it's bitch and I totally admit it! 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is June 12th, 2012.*

One In A Million

Published: January 10th, 2012
A Million Suns (Across the Universe # 2)
By: Beth Revis
Razorbill
ISBN-13: 9781595143983


Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.
In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Review

   Amy and Elder have spent the last three months trying to come to terms with life on Godspeed, without the people drugged up on Phydus.  Elder is ruling in a way Eldest never did, with people making decisions of their own free will - and it's leading to chaos.  They are rebelling against him, refusing to work, stealing, attacking others and murdering.  Also, Amy discovers a series of clues left for her by Orion, someone she considers evil for his attempts to kill the cryogenically frozen people that include her parents.  But there is an even bigger secret hidden that Amy and Elder could never have imagined in their wildest dreams.  While the people around them are reading about rebellion and beginning to enact it and someone is trying to do anything to stop them from discovering the truth, Amy and Elder may have to make a decision in the end that will affect the future lives of everyone on board.  Will it be the right decision?  And who is the one behind the sabotage of Elder's new regime on board?  This book was a great follow up to the first one in the series.  I truly liked the development of both Amy and Elder, given the horrifically difficult decisions they were forced to make.  It was interesting to get an inside look at why Orion felt the need to destroy the frozens and if/when the planet landing was truly going to happen.  The conflicted feelings of Amy for the person who is the cause of her sometimes misery (Elder) and even being awake at all were so heartwrenching and true.  For an honest, gut-wrenchingly suspenseful tale of murder and intrigue in deep space, this is definitely the book.  I cannot wait to read the next book!  Highly recommended and if you haven't read Across the Universe, get to it so you can pick up this one!

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*