Don't Look a Gift Horse In The Mouth...

Published:  March 27th, 2012
Gift
By: Andrea J. Buchanan
Open Road E-riginal
ISBN-13:  9781453220214

Daisy has an electrifying secret that could save her life—or kill her
High school sophomore Daisy Jones is just trying to get by unnoticed. It doesn’t help that she’s the new girl at school, lives in a trailer park, and doesn’t even own a cell phone. But there’s a good reason for all that: Daisy has a secret, unpredictable power—one only her best friend, Danielle, knows about.  Despite her “gift” (or is it a curse?), Daisy’s doing a good job of fitting in, and a gorgeous senior named Kevin even seems interested in her! But when Daisy tries to help Vivi, a mysterious classmate in a crisis, she soon discovers that her new friend has a secret of her own. Now Daisy and her friends must deal with chilling dreams and messages from the beyond. Can Daisy channel the power she’s always tried to hide, before it’s too late? 

Extra features include:•   A short graphic novel telling Vivi’s story•   Danielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts •   Lyrics and video links for Kevin's music (songs composed by Fredrik Larsson, otherwise known as YouTube sensation FreddeGredde). 

Review

 

    This one I requested off Netgalley, originally because I thought it was a re-pub of some '90s teen paranormal book - and I love those cheesy things to death! :)  So imagine my surprise when I saw a Twilight reference in the dialogue - but it was a nice surprise.  The main character Daisy is the new kid in school for what seems like the millionth time when she and her Mom move because of trouble at her last school.  She has an ability that they've kept a secret, to manipulate electricity and it makes her a death sentence to things like cell phones, computers, mp3 players, and anything electrical.  The only person she tells is her new friend Danielle, until Daisy saves another classmate Vivi from an overdose in the school bathroom.  Afterwards Vivi confesses to Daisy that she has her own personal ghost, Patrick, who's been with her since she was little.  And he says that the girls are connected somehow.  When Daisy, Vivi and even Danielle start sharing dreams of things that never happened to them, and people they've never met - but who really did exist in the past - they begin to wonder what it all means.  With the help of cute senior boy Kevin, the girls begin to piece things together and discover that not everyone is who they say they are, and that someone wants revenge on them.  Can they stop evil from destroying them all or will it consume them completely? 

     It was a little bit short and did read kind of young for my tastes.  But I really enjoyed the fact that for the most part, the main character's special powers weren't the focus of the book.  They were just a part of who she was as a person.  The main focus is really on the relationship between Vivi, Danielle and Daisy, how their past lives intersected and why Patrick (who Vivi is in love with and calls her 'angel') is haunting the three of them.  As the plot moves along, things do get a little bit convoluted with Daisy's inability to be around technology without breaking it getting glossed over and the situation with one of the teachers being solved way too neat and tidy in the end.  Honestly the sarcastic quips, overdramatic flair and fun personality of Danielle kept things moving along for me as a reader.  I liked Daisy, who as a sweet, shy, good-girl was a nice foil for Danielle's over the top ways and Vivi's naïve, stupid, head in the sand life philosophies!  Kevin as a love interest was very sweet and boy next door, but I liked his banter and interactions with Daisy.  I also highly enjoyed how present Daisy's Mom was in the book and in the best possible way.  So nice to see a parent represented in a YA book and not made into a monster, or a complete cliché.  The ending wasn't a complete surprise but the twists and turns kept me going through the book.  Plus this release included some really cool extras: a graphic novel by Vivi of what happened in the book, the lyrics of Kevin's songs and a link to his YouTube channel, and Danielle's diary which clears up some confusing things about her possession.  The inclusion of mythology was nice and the fact that it was the story of Eurydice and Orpheus was pretty awesome - they don't get a lot of play in contemporary fiction.  Overall an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to those who don't mind books that read younger.  It has an awesome enough premise and execution to make up for it. 

 

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 was published March 27th, 2012.*

You Have Drawn Me In

Published:  March 5th, 2013

Infatuate (Gilded Wings # 2)

By: Aimee Agresti

Harcourt Children's Books

ISBN-13:  9780547626154

Haven Terra is still recovering from an internship that brought her literally to the brink of hell when a trip to New Orleans leads to more trouble. Graduating early from high school leaves the spring semester free, so Haven and her friends Dante and Lance head to the Big Easy to volunteer with community service projects. But their true mission becomes clear when they run across an enclave of devils known as the Krewe. New Orleans is a free-for-all for these shape-shifting devils, who are more reckless and vicious than any Haven, Lance, and Dante have encountered. 

And they soon discover their French Quarter housemates are also angels-in-training, and together they must face off with the Krewe in their quest for wings. But Haven’s resolve is tested when Lucian, the repentant devil with whom she was infatuated, resurfaces and asks her for help escaping the underworld. Can he be trusted? Or will aiding him cost Haven her angel wings—and her life? Thrilling, romantic, and full of surprises, this gripping sequel to Illuminate takes the battle of good and evil to the next level.

Review

     Haven Terra and her friends want nothing more than a stress free trip to New Orleans, where they will spend their time volunteering on community service projects and enjoying the local history and attractions.  In other words, voluntourism.  Haven leaves thinking that after everything at the Hotel she and Lance will be closer than ever in their relationship.  She and Dante will be rock solid.  The second assertion yes, the first one not so much.  Lance and Haven are drifting further away from each other than they ever expected and with the demons actively campaigning for their souls, now is not the time to be divided.  Also, their pretty and emotionally wounded housemate Sabine's attention focused on Lance, Haven just might lose him for good.  But when all of the housemates learn they are participating in a secret bootcamp to train as angels, the threat becomes all too real.  As the Krewe, a group of seductive demons, rampages on a murder spree through New Orleans can Haven and her friends come together long enough to defeat them once and for all?  Will all of them still be alive when the dust settles?

     I really enjoyed the first book and it's retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray in a completely new and interesting way I had never encountered before.  This book doesn't manage quite the same feat for Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it is still well crafted and easy to immerse yourself in while reading.  Haven was still too good for me in this one - even when she's jealous of Sabine and Lance she never once lashes out.  She basically just gives up and doesn't fight for what she wants.  Plus her continued communication with Lucian, who is reaching out from the Underworld just strikes me a s stupid after the experience that she Lance and Dante has at the Hotel during their internships.  I thought that the undercover voluntourism was a nice touch, but I didn't necessarily buy the sudden surge of Haven's powers and the ease with which all the teens learned what they could do.  The idea of Dante as the sage adviser was fun and well written.  He's still Haven's BFF, but has an extra dimension with his very happy romance and place at the head of the class.  I loved his interactions with Voodoo Queen he's apprenticing for as well.  

      The Krewe as the villain seemed very obvious, but at the same time extremely disjointed and I had a difficult time keeping track of who knew what and whether or not someone was really evil.  All of the human sacrifice and murders became repetitive to me as a reader and therefore less effective as plot devices the more they were used.  The final battle seemed kind of played out, but maybe that was because of the way the plot began to drag near the end.  I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did, it was somewhat anticlimactic.  There was some awesome character development and the reconstructing of the relationship between Lance and Haven after it crumbles was very nicely done.  I am interested to read the next book in the series.  I want to know how it will end for the gang, especially after they've suffered so much.  The world building had just enough detail mixed in with mystery to keep me hooked.  Also, Agresti's prose is fairly gorgeous.  Overall, if you're not such a fan of the angel trend (as I am not) I would recommend this book to you as it happens to be mostly character driven, with a pretty well constructed plot.  Not too much religion or flying around talking about Heaven and/or Hell to be interesting.

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 was published February 5th, 2013.*

What's Behind Door Number Three?

Expected Publication:  February 12th, 2013
Pivot Point (Pivot Point # 1) 
By: Kasie West
HarperTeen
ISBN-13:  9780062117373

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Review

     Addie has a serious decision to make - whether or not to leave the Compound she's lived in her entire life to live with her Dad or to stay there with her Mom.  On the outside things would be completely different with the Norms, people without special abilities like Addie, her friends and family have at their fingertips.  So Addie does what she always has, she uses her ability to search both potential outcomes to decide what to choose.   But when things get dangerous and it looks like Addie's only choice is what way she prefers to be unhappy, what will she choose?  And can her choice mean the difference between life or death, hate or love?  This was an extremely interesting book.  I loved the fact that Addie could search into the future and DECIDE which choice to make based on the outcomes.  Usually in fiction, if a characters has a time travel/alternate dimension related ability, they can't use it to make their future different in any way.  Addie is able to bypass that stifling rule and do things her own way.  The relationships she has with her parents and best friend, Laila,  are very well developed and highly realistic. I loved the snarky comments and the rebel hair-streaking in the reality where she chooses her Mom.  The romances with Duke and Trevor, respectively, were both carried off perfectly.  Only at the end do you realize that one of them has been playing Addie  and using her for their own purposes.  There is also a side story with the paranormally inclined teens using their powers to hurt other athletes, striking out competition.  Honestly, I didn't find it completely necessary but it did help tie the two realities together nicely and bring things full circle.  The ending was something that disappointed me but also made me happy.  Addie did what was right and missed out on her happy ending.  But it seemed like she might find her way back to it at the end.  Overall, a fun and well-written mystery/romance that I would recommend to fans of time travel and alternate realities.  I will definitely be reading the next one in the series! :)

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. It will be available for purchase on February 12th, 2013.*

Our Love Is Elemental

Published: March 27th, 2012
Elemental (Elemental # 0.5)
By: Brigid Kemmerer
Kensington Teen
ASIN:  B006MLKZAG

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.

As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

Review

   In a world that harbors people with power linked to the elements, Michael Merrick shouldn't be that unusual.  But given that he has enough power to probably level the entire town if his emotions get out of control, he's different from the other earth Elementals.  His parents have made a deal with the rest of the Elemental community that as long as he doesn't use his powers, they'll allow him to stay alive - but that doesn't mean they're going to stop trying to provoke him into slipping up.  Emily Morgan is an air Elemental from a wealthy family and has been told her entire life that Michael is dangerous and off-limits.  She never questioned it, until her brother came home with a black eye and she found out that he got it from jumping one of Michael's younger brothers.  Now, working at the batting cages/driving range where he goes twice a week after work, Emily is frightened at first to be around him.  But soon he has her questioning the truth of her life, her family and the very definition of danger.  Can they bridge the gap that hate has caused between their families?  Or will their story have a tragic ending?  I have been hearing so much about this series lately, about 99% of it glowing praise, that I decided to take the plunge into reading it sooner rather than later.  I absolutely loved this short story!  I don't usually read them, but after hearing that it made Michael seem more sympathetic than book # 1 (Storm), I chose to read in sequence including the short stories.  I like that the story manages to showcase the differences between Michael and Emily's family lives in such a short period of time.  He loves his family and they want the best for him, trying to protect him at every turn.  Her family is more distant and cold, stiffling in their protectiveness.  I appreciated that Emily, as much as she was desperate to escape her life, had never realized until meeting Michael just how sheltered and inclusive she really was.  Emily thought she was so different, but had instinctively believed eveything her parents and brother Tyler told her.  When Michael and Emily truly begin to interact it turns intense pretty fast.  I love the initial standoff with Em wielding the golf club.  It made me crack up.  My main complaint is that Brigid got my heart racing and my mind going crazy, only to end on a cliffhanger!  Then book # 1 picked up years later, with a different brother as the focal point!  What the h-e-double hockeysticks HAPPENED???  Now I have to read all of them just to find out!  I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance with some snarky attitude and awesome characters - but do yourself a favor, and have the next one on hand to read immediately afterwards!

VERDICT:  4.25/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available online.  I purchased my copy at Amazon.com*