Immutable (Ripple #5) by Cidney Swanson

Published:  July 22nd, 2014

Immutable (Ripple #5)

By: Cidney Swanson

Williams Press

ASIN:  B00M1ZMJJM

Purchase Links:  Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Kobo // 

Seventeen year old Martina, raised as part of Helmann's elite Angel Corps, wants nothing more than to rebuild the life she lost because of Helmann's lies.  In a single afternoon, she discovers the truth about the woman who raised her and the boyfriend she thought she'd never see again.  Meanwhile, her Uncle Fritz Gottlieb has his eye on the Angel Corps, and he has no qualms sacrificing Martina's dreams to make his own come true.

Review

     Immutable is one of those books that gets you involved and smashes you to pieces in the process.  After reading the other books in the Ripple series (Rippler, Chameleon, Unfurl, & Visible).  But there is still a side of the story that hasn't been told - that of the children that Helmann engineered for his nefarious purposes.  We do get to see how Sam, Will, Gwyn, Sir Walter, Chretien and the others are doing in brief scenes, along with glimpses at the evil of Fritz from inside his own mind.  But the majority of this book is about Martina, one of Helmann's daughters, and an ex-member of his "Angel Corps."  When we first meet Martina, she's living in France, in the city of Nice, feeling absolutely alone and forgotten.  Two of her brothers have chosen to take a drug called Immutin from Dr. Pfeffer, who has been monitoring all of them.  It will take away their ability to Ripple permanently and they can live a normal life.  Martina herself is taking a supressant to curtail her abilties, while working in a clinic to help others.  Her other two brothers, Hansel and Georg, have refused to take the supressant and have taken off with their evil half-brother Fritz.  Martina thinks she is doing some good, using her abilties to steal from the corrupt and help her poor, underpriveleged patients in the small time frame between injections when her medicine wears off.
     But Martina is so low and depressed, all she wants is to see her beloved adoptive mother, Mutti.  When Pfeffer puts her on a plane to the Caribbean, Martina thinks that she'll be happy again soon.  But upon arriving there she discovers secrets that have been kept from her, and learns of a recent tragedy.  This sends events spiralling out of control, until a life or death situation results.  Martina is forced to seek out Pfeffer in Las Abuelitas, California.  She's thrown into the paths of Sam, Will and their friends and family, while trying to find a way to save her own loved ones.  Can they all find a way to stop Fritz from gaining information that could destroy all their lives?  Or will Martina be forced to make an impossible choice between her beliefs of what's right, and saving her loved ones?  I absolutely loved getting into Martina's head and watching her form opinions of the world around her, without Helmann's twisted philosophies to guide her.  She's very smart, but emotionally damaged and trying to cling onto the remnants of a life she doesn't have anymore.  There was some great action in this book, but I felt like it was building more towards another one than giving a resolution.  The whole thing with Fritz and the Immutin makes sense, but I did feel like it was on the backburner for a good majority of the book.  I really enjoyed seeing old friends again and making new ones.  Another favorite book from Cidney Swanson, in one of my favorite series! :D

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the author herself.  No money was exchanged for this review.*

I Am Yao, King of the Rock (Not Really, but Whatever)

Published:  February 9th, 2010

Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles #1)

By: Melina Marchetta

Candlewick Press

ISBN-13:  9780763643614

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom.  He stands on the rock of three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to save Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace.  An imposter seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock -- to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive.  This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the Prince.  Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home.  Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united?  Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

Review

     I have only read one of Marchetta's books before this, a contemporary called Looking for Alibrandi, and while I liked it, I was by no means in love with it.  I didn't really know what to expect from a high fantasy written by her.  But a good portion of my Goodreads friends and fellow groupmates in my one active corner of the internet were mentioning it a fair bit.  This made me curious and I really do love me some well-written, deeply developed fantasy.  If I step into a book and the world catches my attention, I like to stay and visit for awhile.  So I figured this might be the one to get me out of my reading slump.  I actually think I may have been right, if not for the reasons I originally thought.

     Finnikin is the son of Captain Trevannion of the Royal Guard and best friends with the royal children.  Making a blood pact with Prince Balthazar and his cousin, Lucian of the Mont people, the boys vow to protect Lumatere to the death.  Then five days of unspeakable horror come to Lumatere, during which the entire royal family is slaughtered, Finnikin's father is imprisoned, many of the people become exiles, and a curse is laid upon the land.  Ten years later, Finnikin along with his mentor Sir Topher follow a rumor to a sort of convent (can't remember the exact word they called it), looking for information about Prince Balthazar possibly being alive.  What they get instead is Evanjalin, a mysterious novice, who claims to walk the sleep of the people of Lumatere.  She claims she has been chosen for the King and will lead them to him.  Of course nothing is really that simple, and Evanjalin is hiding secrets of her own.  Can they unite the people of Lumatere, break the curse, and restore the rightful heir to the throne?  Or will they kingdom continue to lay in ruin, destroyed by the horrors of the past?

     I think my biggest problem with this book was that it had so much potential.  The characters were well developed, with Finnikin especially taking center stage and garnering the interest of me as a reader.  I didn't quite like him, but I could understand his motivations.  Evanjalin, is a girl who has a purpose.  She has suffered great horrors, but it willing to sacrifice everything to make Lumatere right again.  That said, the constant lying, manipulation and flat-out refusal to tell Sir Topher or Finnikin anything got on my everlasting nerve!  Not to mention, she treats them like dirt and speaks to them like they're idiots - when she even speaks to them.  More often than not she just does something seriously dangerous, just expecting to be excused for her reasons, which are always worthwile (*snorts in derision*).  I felt like everything was just a little too smooth.  Yes, there was some struggle along the way, such as breaking Trevannion out of the mines, and when they're attacked by a tribe in Yutland Sud.  But I never felt like anyone was ever really going to die in the process of reinstating the kingdom.  That's strike one.  

     Strike two happened to be that I had already figured out Evanjalin's identity by the time I was even halfway through the book.  A complete lack of the element of suprise in what should have been a major plot twist just had me speed-reading to see how things would end.  The side-story with Lady Beatriss and Trevannion, not to mention the witch Tesadora was probably one of the most interesting things in that interim.  The only things other than that really catching my interest was the growth of Froi, who starts his place in the story as a thief, slave and general scum of the Earth.  By the time the book ends, Froi is loyal to both Evanjalin (who he almost did serious harm to) and Finnikin, pledging himself to Lumatere and learning to better himself.  It was a very stark and realistic character development throughout the course of the book and the characters are definitely where Marchetta shined.  I might not have liked Finnikin (his density towards his destiny annoyed me greatly as it dragged on) or Evanjalin all that much, but they were well-written.  That said, this book is full of action, magic, curses and some serious court/political intrigues - I won't say anymore to try and avoid spoilers.  I recommend it if you're a fan of high fantasy and if you can make it through this one, you'll be after Froi's story next if only to find out what happens.  I got caught in that trap myself.

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.**

A Baker's Dozen Is One Too Many...

Published:  February 4th, 2014

Something Real

By: Heather Demetrios

Henry Holt BYR

ISBN-13:  9780805097948

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV -- she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker's Dozen.  Since the show's cancellation, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight.  But it's about to fall apart....because Baker's Dozen is going back on the air.  Bonnie™'s mom and the show's producers won't let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show.  Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own -- even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

Review

     Ever since Bonnie™ Baker was born, her life has been documented on film and watched on TV by millions of strangers.  They got to see her and her many siblings (twelve to be exact) grow up -- and their family fall apart.  The show ended with Bonnie's parents getting divorced and her barely alive after a failed suicide attempt.  Now four years later, Bonnie is just beginning to heal from the anxiety, depression and isolation that being on TV brought to her life.  Going by the name Chloe, she has close friends, a boy she likes and a decent relationship with her siblings.  Then Chloe/Bonnie™'s Mom invites the camera crews back into their lives, rekindling the show after writing a tell-all book.  Of course she doesn't tell any of the kids about it until the crews show up.  Bonnie and her brother Benton are absolutely furious.  The last thing they want is to be back under a microscope.  Can they find a way to take control of their own lives, in the face of total dehumanization, marketing ploys and the unwillingness of their own mother to let them live their lives free?

     When you think of reality TV (or at least when I do), I never consider the children.  I tend to focus on the trashiness and greediness of the adults involved with the shows.  They're exploiting their own personal lives, relationships, privacy and themselves for money and fame.  Not to mention the poor taste they usually exhibit while they do it.  This book shows me what it must be like to be a child on TV, displayed for the entire world to gawk at.  Bonnie's relationships with her parents crumble.  Her Mom never has any time for her after they adopt the rest of the kids, and she hasn't seen her Dad since the divorce four years before.  Her sister Lexie blames her for the loss of the cameras and the fame.  The only one in her family that Bonnie really has a good relationship with is her older brother, Benton.  That's because Benny is of the same opinion she is - fame isn't worth the price of admission.  All the family drama and the complicated relationships were compelling stuff.  

     Probably my main complaints would be the lack of depth to Chloe's friends, Tessa and Mer, who really seem to exist as her connection to normality.  I did like the way Benton's relationship with Matt wasn't portrayed as being a big deal.  They were just two boys who were in love with each other.  There was bit of friction with Matt's religious parents near the end, but overall their relationship is treated as just the normalest thing ever - as it should be in books and real life, always!  Patrick, the love interest for Chloe, was extremely close to Gary Stu territory.  He was entirely too perfect and I could not spot a single flaw.  The only thing that ever caused problems with him and Chloe was when she tried breaking up with him "for his own good."  And honestly, he's loving and supportive, never gets mad at her and is willing to put off his acceptance to Columbia for a year, so he can travel around the world with her (all because she was too chicken-shit to apply to any colleges).  The end is kind of loose, with Chloe and Benton patching things up with Lexie, moving out after they turn eighteen, and hiring a lawyer to sue MetaReel and tank the show the best they can.  But we readers never get to see the resolution to any of these conflicts.  All in all, an intriguing book that really makes you consider the people behind the reality show "characters."  I'd recommend this to someone who enjoys a good character study.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  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.**

Stubborn Blog Tour - Review and GIVEAWAY ($20 INT. Amazon Gift Card)!!!!!

TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.itchingforbooks.com/2014/02/blog-tour-sign-upstubborn-by-jeanne.html

Release date: January 6th 2014

Purchase: Amazon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19211063-stubborn

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

With a train ticket, a bad attitude, and an unfortunate scribbling of obscenities across her forehead, seventeen-year-old Avery Ross is tossed out of the frying pan and into the fire when she’s sent from New York to the vast oil field region of North Dakota. When a green-eyed boy with a sultry Texan accent comes to her defense, Avery has no clue that his actions will lead her into a passion-charged summer, full of temptation and loss. 

Defiant and relegated to work at her aunt’s boarding house, Avery discovers a connection between her aunt and the striking boy. He and his brothers are seeking revenge for the wrongful death of their sibling, and Avery becomes entangled in their battle over oil rights, loyalty, and love. Avery falls for the brooding, younger brother, Gabriel Halden, against her aunt’s forewarnings and creates more tribulations than any of them could anticipate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeanne Arnold is the author of STUBBORN and other young adult romances. At a young age she found her creative outlet in art, and for years her fictional characters came to life in drawings and paintings, until they demanded a voice. Now they grace the pages of her stories. Jeanne shares her time with her fictional teenage counterparts and her human family in Central New York. 

www.jeannearnoldbooks.com | http://twitter.com/jeannesbooks

Review

     Avery has been sent to oil field rich North Dakota after getting in trouble at home.  Summer with her Aunt Meggie isn't something she's expecting to be very interesting.  After all, she's not there to have fun.  Then she meets the Halden brothers and they totally turn her life upside down...especially the youngest one, Gabriel.  But the boys are still recovering from the death of their older brother Eli, especially Gabriel who it hit the hardest.  Gabe is also still trying to take down Hunt, the guy he holds responsible for the drunk driving accident that killed Eli - and the guy that stole his girlfriend Jordan, who was also in the car.  Avery has her own issues and Gabe definitely isn't looking for a girlfriend, and flat out tells her so.  But they keep being drawn together, inexplicably and sparks are flying.  Now if only it didn't seem like his brothers (epsecially suggestive, flirtatious Caleb), her Aunt Meggie, and the whole universe were conspiring to keep them apart!  Can Avery get through to Gabe before it's too late, or will he just let her slip through his fingers?

     I kind of fell in love with this book.  The summary doesn't really do it all that much justice!  I loved Avery as a heroine so much!  She's just a regular, smart-mouther, tough as nails girl - but she definitely has a vulnerable side that she tries to hide from everyone.  I loved the reasons for the swear words on her forehead!  She consistently made me laugh out loud and her banter with Gabe and his brothers, Caleb and Lane (Caleb especially), was hilarious.  I loved the complexity to these characters, and how even when Gabe was pulling away he'd have moments that completely melted your heart.  And Caleb was a lascivious asshole, who kept hitting on Avery but Jeanne still managed to make me like him!  Probably my least favorite thing was how Jordan was portrayed as a complete and total moron, and like she could've left Hunt's abusive ass at any time.  Anyone who's ever suffered abuse of any type knows that its never that easy.  As one of my favorite T.V. characters ever once said, "We accept the love that we think we deserve."  It is extremely true, not to mention she was motivated by a fear for her own life as well.  Not that I liked the character (she was a sometimes underhanded, bitch in my opinion).  But the abuse storyline could have been played out better.  

     Aunt Meggie was wonderful and I loved the subplot involving her own romantic life and I loved Avery's cousin Josh (maybe a book about him in the future?), who was typical teenage boy, but loyal to a fault.  And you could tell he really loved his Mom and his cousin.  The characters and situations were just SO REAL in this book!  Getting caught making out in the car by a family member, climbing in bedroom windows, and no one was a "damaged drug-addict/rock star/billionaire that needed saving (I don't count Gabe, because its his Dad's money not his).  This was a New Adult book that I could be proud to recommend to a friend and it definitely stands out from the crowd.  Never once did I feel like I was reading a Mary Sue, written in by the author trying to live through her character.  This book exemplifies what I love about romance and the reality that sometimes teenagers are stupid and do stupid things - that doesn't mean that they can't surprise us.  I highly recommend this one!

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

**I received an ARC from the author and tour host for the purpose of this blog tour. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published January 6th, 2014.**

**GIVEAWAY**

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Broken Skies Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway!!!

TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.itchingforbooks.com/2014/01/blog-tour-sign-upbroken-skies-by.html

Series: Broken Skies #1
Release date: March 2014
Self-Published

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20764638-broken-skies

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Thirty years ago, there was the Collapse. A massive war fought with biological weapons and followed by plague. Almost everyone died. 

Ten years ago, the aliens showed up. They made one of our cities their own and that's where they stay, for the most part anyway.

One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.

Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back even if it means partnering up with the enemy, an alien boy who makes me think things I shouldn't and makes me feel things I don’t understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. She writes predominantly in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Residing in central Virginia, she juggles two kids, a husband and a full-time job in addition to her writing and in her free time she reads almost anything she can get her hands on.

http://www.theresakay.com/ | facebook.com/TheresaKayAuthor

Review

     So, I was completely unsure what to expect when I initially started reading this book.  I knew that is was some sort of post-apocalyptic novel that involved aliens.  I definitely got a whole lot more than I was expecting!  I always feel like I have to re-iterate this every time that I read a self-published novel, but I have been burned so many times in the past when giving my time and energy to self-pubbed books.  This book is so much more than just one thing - it has sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, adventure, romance, family secrets, drama and a hint of cultism going on as well, with the society that Jax and Jace join to stay alive.  The book starts out with the two of them living in that society (Bridgelake), abiding by the sexist and domineering rules of Dane (the leader).  Jax is chafing under his reign, in a place where a girl like her, who was raised to be independent, has no basic human rights and is a bargaining tool of the men around her.  One day when Jace goes out to hunt and Jax follows him, they witness the landing of an alien ship.  Jace is taken away by the intruders, and Jax is only left with an alien boy they abandoned to help her find him again.  Lir is stubborn, somewhat mysterious and has his own motivations.  But as they journey together and overcome many obstacles, some of them deadly, Jax builds a bond of trust with him - and maybe some other feelings too.  Once they reach the city where Jace is being held, will Jax have their new bond shattered by the secrets tainting their fragile connection?  Or will they be able to save each other?

     Jax is a heroine who has been through a lot.  It becomes obvious after reading this for a little while, that she is struggling to live normally in the aftermath of an assault.  Jax was catatonic for some time afterwards, which forced Jace to make some harsh decisions.  The domino effect from his decisions is still happening, even months later.  I loved that the twins, while they happen to love each other, do not have a perfect relationship.  Jace is trying a little too hard to protect Jax, dominating her every waking move and keeping important secrets from her.  Factoring into this as well is their best friend, Flint, who also happens to be the son of Bridgelake's villainous leader.  At first, I thought this was going to be another love triangle with Jax, Lir and Flint.  I was like, "Oh great.  Another one."  But then Theresa Kay pulls a surprise out of left field, that fits completely in with the story mind you, that shears off the Flint corner of the triangle!  Leaving a still very complex, and beautiful romance between Jax and Lir.  Hats off to Ms. Kay for that!  Their journey is wonderful and exciting, with never a dull moment.  All the way from her breaking him out of jail in Bridgelake, to an incident at a trading post that threatens to break Jax, to a rattlesnake bite that changes both of their perspectives.  Not to mention all of the stuff that happens once they reach the city where Jace is being held captive!  

     The world-building in this book was wonderful, and I always felt like I was trekking alongside Jax and Lir in the woods.  Also the idea that humanity nuked itself into oblivion, while not exactly new, is definitely effective and believable.  The thing I was curious about was just how many people survived in other ares of the world.  Especially after an encounter with Lir's cousin Rym, who gets his slang from "British vids" according to himself and his sister (and who is kind of hilarious - I'd love to see more of him)!  The brutality of humanity is emphasized, but also the secrets and betrayals of the E'Rikon alien society as well.  There are political, inter-familial power struggles going on and the aliens have some major issues that could lead to the end of their race as a whole.  They are unable to sustain themselves on Earth, without finding some way to fuse their DNA with the humans'.  Let's just say that there is more to that particular endeavor than anyone originally thought...  And the secondary characters were interesting as well.  Peter, the ex-Priest, who is living on his own and gives shelter to Jax and Lir on their journey.  Emily, the seemingly good Bridgelake girl, who has a hidden rebellious side and is desperate to change her restrictive society.  Also, Lir's parents and uncle, who have motives that are unclear until the end of the novel.  Lir himself is a mystery until it seems that he's chosen his side in the struggle - opposite of where you thought he was!  Probably my one problem with this book, was the presence of some seriously distracting spelling errors near the very end.  But this is an advance copy, so hopefully they are fixed in the final release.  Other than that, I absolutely loved it beyond all measure!  SO DYING FOR THE SEQUEL!  I NEEDS IT NOW!  The pulse-pounding action from start to finish was breath-taking!  In other words, pick this one up and be destroyed by the cliffhanger in the best way possible.  You'll fall in love!

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an ARC from the author and tour host for the purpose of this blog tour. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published March 14th, 2014.*

GIVEAWAY

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A Long Time Ago, We Used to Be Friends

Published:  June 11th, 2013

Spies And Prejudice

By: Talia Vance

Egmont USA

ISBN-13:  9781606842607

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend.  She's busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she's sure all men commit.  And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eigth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant -- and gorgeous -- Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her "nothing amazing," it's no loss for Berry.  She'll forget about him in no time.  She's more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother's death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way?  Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat?  And why can't Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

Review

    Berry Fields has been working as a private investigator for her Dad for years now, because no one ever notices a teenager following them.  And she usually manages to catch all the liars and cheaters that are trying to scam other people.  Berry herself doesn't date and isn't really interested in it.  Then Tanner blows into town and declares that Berry is nothing special.  She can't help noticing how hot he is, even while she's determined to ignore and shun him for his arrogance.  All of this romantic confusion doesn't help either, when she sees her best friend's Dad handing off papers with her dead Mom's name on them.  Berry thought, along with everyone else, that her Mom committe suicide.  But now there is a very real possibility that her Mom might have been murdered to stop her from blowing the whistle on something illegal.  It's up to Berry to find out the truth, with help from her best friend Mary Chris Moss, her crush Ryan and of course Ryan's annoying brother, Tanner.  But will the truth be worth uncovering and will it hurt more than the lies ever did?

     I had some major fun with this one!  It was snarky, funny and I loved how much it had in common with one of my favorite shows ever, Veronica Mars.  It's a pretty loose adaptation of P&P, with mostly just the title and character types playing into the original frame of Austen's novel.  Every once in a while, there is a nod to the original novel - an enterprise named Pemberly, Drew who is the obvious Wickham parallel, etc.  It isn't overwhelming though.  I liked that Berry was a smart, independent girl who has a strong friendship with Mary Chris.  My least favorite thing about her would be her "damage" when it comes to romance.  It just felt a little too much like a convenient excuse for a strained romance dynamic between her and Tanner for my taste.  Berry's relationship with her Dad was mostly good and it did seem to have a pretty great depth to it.  But the way he treats her Mom's death and the investigation was a little too head-in-the-sand to appeal to me.  Berry acted more adult about it than he did.  

     The whole corporate espionage, FDA scandal thing was kind of bizarre but I did appreciate it for being different from most of what all else I've seen other authors do when it comes to "murder" mysteries in YA fiction.  The ending while resolved, was still a little bit open.  It makes me wonder if Vance is considering a sequel at all, but if not I am satisfied with the end.  Overall, it wasn't very good as a P&P retelling.  I feel like that component to this book was almost completely unnecessary and sometimes actually harmed my enjoyment of the plot and characters.  But it definitely succeeds as a slightly fluffy, slighty deep YA mystery with a sense of humor.  If you're into the teen P.I. thing, or a VMars fan I'd recommend it to you.  But if you're looking for a strong YA P&P retelling, look elsewhere.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received this book from Egmont USA, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on June 11th, 2013.*

Sugar and Spice, but Nothing Is Nice

 

Published:  January 7th, 2014

Salt (Salt #1)

By: Danielle Ellison

Entangled Teen

ISBN-13:  9781622663484

 

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks.  But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents -- and stole her magic.  Since then, she's been pretending to be something she's not, using her sister's magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

 

When she's finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change.  With her sister's help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon.  To take back what was stolen.

 

Then she meets Carter.  He's cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too.  He knows her secret -- but he also has one of his own.

 

Suddenly Penelope's impossible quest becomes far more complicated.  Because Carter's not telling her everything, and it's starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda...and they're far too interested in her.

 

Review

 

     It took me A LONG TIME to become invested in this book.  Probably because Penelope is kind of stubborn, stupid and overall annoying for a great portion of this book!  The whole premise of this one, is that Penelope is a witch (part of a secret community of witches) and her sacred duty is to protect the Nons (humans) from demons.  But when Pen was a young child, her parents were killed by a demon who also took away her essence, leaving her without magic.  It should have killed her, but instead it left Pen almost an ordinary human and only able to do magic with family members around to draw power from.  Penelope is absolutely determined to be one of the elite demon hunters prized by her society, since it will give her access to the ritual she needs to restore her essence.  But one problem - without powers she can't pass the tests!  When mysterious fellow witch Carter comes into her life unexpectedly and she is able to draw magic from him, Pen needs to find out why.  Also why are all these demons after her?  Can they discover the truth before it's too late?

     The very first scene of this book, after us learning how important it is to have salt to fight off demons, is Penelope being cornered by one - without any salt, because she forgot it at home!!!  For someone with absolutely ZERO powers, you'd think she'd have a heck of a lot more common sense.  Also, she has a truly asinine need to join the Enforcers and fight against demons.  Every time her Grandma, Grandpa, or younger sister try to reason with her and get her to come to terms with her lack of magic, Pen basically does everything but actually stomp her feet and throw a fit!  She basically sticks her head in the sand and comes up with stupid plans to "work around it," by using her sister's magic secretly so she can pass her tests.  She doesn't seem to think about what will happen afterwards, when she has no one to draw from out in the field, and has to face a demon on her own!  Her family is made up of pretty flat characters, and her sister is especially a cardboard cutout only there when Pen really needs her.  There's a nice moment near the end, when she's forced to tell her boyfriend Thomas the family secret and he breaks up with her.  Then we see a little more depth to Pen's sister - too little, too late though for the most part.

     The whole family secret thing and speshul snowflake reveal of why Penelope is so different from anyone else with no essence, wasn't really all that surprising.  The reluctance of any adult in this book, EVER to listen to reason and do something about the demon crisis also wasn't surprising.  That's what happens when you write a young adult fiction book with NO strong, sensible, capable adult characters and make the teens the end-all-be-all of you fictional world.  They are the only ones able to clean up the mess, even if all they do is make out with each other and fumble the world saving until they barely squeak by.  Carter was nothing special as heroes go, though he was a likeable protagonist and I liked his backstory much more than Penelope's.  But him saving her stupid ass every five seconds from her own inability to THINK BEFORE ACTING got very old.  I'm glad  I didn't DNF, because I truly hate doing that and I did start enjoying myself later in the book.  Near then end it started getting its act together and the cliffhanger left me genuinely curious.  But all said and done, I don't think I'll be reading any further in this series for one reason alone: Penelope.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received this book from Entangled Teen on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on January 7th, 2014.*

I'll Have You For Me

Expected Publication:  February 18th, 2014

Maybe One Day

By: Melissa Kantor

Harper Teen

ISBN-13:  9780062279200

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick.  Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before.  It has to.  Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

Review

     Zoe and Olivia have been best friends their entire lives.  They planned to be famous dancers, someday, together.  When that dream went up in smoke and they get kicked out of ballet school, the girls are just focused on being normal high school students together.  All Zoe wants is to find a purpose again and completely forget she ever knew how to dance, because it breaks her heart to think about it.  Neither girl is even contemplating the worst when it happens.  Olivia has been diagnosed with cancer, a form that has a really low survival rate.  Now the girls will go through months of treatment and terror, trying to keep hope alive that Olivia won't lose her fight.  But when Zoe starts keeping secrets, it might not be cancer that ruins their friendship.  Can Olivia and Zoe make it through this, or will they be forced to say one last goodbye?

     This book is narrated from Zoe's point of view, and at the beginning her thoughts mostly revolve around figuring out where she stands now that she can't be a dancer anymore.  She loves Olivia, but feels like she was more affected by the loss than Liv was - especially since Liv is still teaching a ballet class for underprivileged little kids.  Also, Zoe kind of hates the guy her friend is crushing on, Calvin, because he seems to think he's so awesome.  But then Zoe's thoughts jump to something else.  She starts thinking of what the world might be like without Olivia in it, after Liv is diagnosed with cancer.  I loved that this book looks at a deep friendship between the girls, who are really more like sisters, rather than focusing on a romance like most books about terminal illness do.  I almost didn't want to read this book, because I thought it was going to be yet another book involving a friend cheating with another friend's boyfriend, behind their back.  SO SICK OF CHEATERS IN YA BOOKS.  I was pleasantly surprised when this wasn't one of those books!

     It was truly difficult to watch the way Olivia's illness affected her family, especially the way it ate away at her Mom.  It seemed like a pretty realistic portrayal of the devastation of an ordinary family.  For awhile it seems like Zoe is in self-destruct mode, on the verge of doing something truly reckless because of how upset and alone she feels.  But thankfully, Calvin stops her from doing something she might regret.  We do get to see her build a friendship with Calvin, bit by bit and unwillingly at first.  She mostly is around him because he's best friends with Liv's older brother.  Therefore he's at the hospital almost as much as Zoe is.  But soon enough, she starts to realize just how much she misjudged Calvin as a popular player.  The interactions between Zoe and the kids in Liv's ballet class were realistic as well.  I liked that she wasn't miraculously the best teacher ever and it took her quite some time to connect with the kids at all.  Zoe botches things pretty badly at first, barely managing to smooth them over in the end.  But my favorite thing all in all, was the sense of humor Liv and Zoe maintained with each other, throughout the book.  My favorite quip was when the doctor was explaining the cancer to Zoe (per Liv's request) and tells her it is most common in men ages 65+.  The girls joke around about how Liv has old man cancer, and it's so embarrassing!  It made me laugh out loud! :D  Overall, this one is a beautiful look at lifelong friendship and the triumph of love over illness, even if that doesn't mean it defeats death.  I highly recommend this one.

VERDICT:  4/5  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 February 18th, 2014.*

Revival Blog Tour - Spotlight, Sneak Peek, & GIVEAWAY!!!

Revival (The Variant Series, #1)

Author: Jena Leigh

Check out on Goodreads!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble and Amazon!

Synopsis: 

Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.

If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.

After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.

Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Jena Leigh spent ten years in the mountains of North Carolina before returning home to the lightning capital of North America. A shameless geek, she loves bad sci-fi movies, Skittles, writing cracktastic e-mails to friends and taking shenanigan-filled road trips to faraway concerts. She has a degree in English from Appalachian State University. REVIVAL is her first novel.

Where to Stalk Jena!

Website/Goodreads/Twitter/Facebook

**SNEAK PEEK**

Babysitting.

Declan O’Connell had been reduced to babysitting.

This was so humiliating. He was going to have to have a talk with Grayson when he got home. Surely his punishment for last month’s misunderstanding should be nearing an end.

It wasn’t his fault they needed a new roof in the atrium. That had been entirely Nathaniel’s doing. Declan had merely supplied a little motivation. It was the Golden Boy that did the glass breaking.

So how was it that the Golden Boy kept picking up all the choice jobs, while Declan was stuck trailing around after high schoolers?

He leaned heavily against the brick wall of the alley and watched as his target disappeared into a restaurant across the street, only to reappear a few moments later on the wraparound patio, trailing after a hostess. They settled in at a table overlooking the water.

At least with this vantage point he wouldn’t have to follow them into the restaurant.

She’d spotted him twice already. Not that he was particularly trying to hide from her at this point. It made things easier when the target didn’t know he was there, sure, but there wasn’t any hard and fast rule about it.

Declan had been shadowing the pair for nearly an hour before he’d realized that something was off.

Usually, his job involved protecting innocent humans from the monsters that walked amongst them unnoticed. From the things that went bump in the night. Things a whole lot like him, just without the charm … or a functioning moral compass.   Judging from the haze of static electricity that followed the girl around like a rain cloud, however, there was something very different about this mark.

Playing a hunch, he’d broken his cover and followed the two girls into a clothing shop. Ten minutes later the store’s registers were toast and his suspicions had been confirmed.

He wondered if the girl knew what she was.

Better yet, he wondered if Grayson had known when he’d given Declan the assignment and just hadn’t said anything.

“I want you to keep an eye on the girl, Declan.”

“No other specifics?”

“Just keep her away from bookstores, if you can.”

Bookstores.

Thanks, Grayson. That helps.

Apparently whoever said, “no harm ever came from reading a book” hadn’t met this girl.

Grayson’s orders were usually pretty detailed. The fact that these weren’t could mean a couple of things. Either Grayson didn’t know the specifics of the danger the girl was facing, or he did, but for whatever reason, he felt Declan didn’t need to know.

It was the second possibility that worried him.

He didn’t think that Grayson would ever intentionally send him out on an assignment at a disadvantage, but if Grayson felt like he couldn’t trust Declan with the details, then Declan wanted to know why.

The cell phone tucked in his jacket pocket began to vibrate. He fished it out and checked the screen.

The caller ID read “GRAYSON.”

Declan narrowed his eyes at the shuddering phone. Weird. Grayson never called anyone while they were in the field. He knew better.

Returning his gaze to the restaurant patio, Declan answered the call. “Miss me already?”

“I want an update on the girl.”

Declan considered telling him what he’d learned about her, and then thought the better of it. That could wait. “She’s spending the day shopping with a friend.”

“Shopping?”

“Clothes shopping. No bookstores in sight. Not so far, anyway.”

“Hmm.”

“You going to tell me why this girl is so special you’re calling me for updates? My next check-in’s not for another two hours.”

“Just do your job, Declan. Keep her safe.”

The line went dead.

If Declan had been suspicious before, now he was outright convinced that something was up. 

What was so important about this girl?

GIVEAWAY

**MUST be 13 or older to enter**

**Winners have 48 hours to respond before new winners are chosen**

*ONE winner will receive a SIGNED hardcopy of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB)**

**FIVE winners will be chosen to win e-copies of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB)**

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REVIVAL BLOG TOUR BROUGHT TO YOU BY TEAMNERD REVIEWS