Shattered Hearts and Broken Things

Expected Publication:  December 23rd, 2014

This Shattered World (Starbound #2)

By:  Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Disney-Hyperion

ISBN-13:  9781423171034

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood.  Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children.  But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelenting war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner.  But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever.  He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

Review

     This had all the important things that the first book had: adventure, outer space intrigue, romance and character development.  Lots of conflict to keep me busy as a reader.  Yet, I didn't quite connect immediately with Lee or Flynn, quite like I did with Tarver and Lilac in the first book.  Maybe because Lee and Flynn seem to have a much clearer understanding of who they are and where they belong, etc. (not that this lasts for the entire book, but it didn't draw me in to have such self-assured characters).  Maybe it's because I'm such so insecure myself.  Also, Flynn came across as a pretty big idiot.  You're part of a fairly big rebellion, and your first instinct is to kidnap one of the opposing leaders when you have the chance.  Did he honestly believe he could convince his people to peacefully let her go once they had what they wanted?  As if!  Dreamworld buddy, total dreamworld - especially since his sister had been a violent rebellion leader herself, executed for her actions.

     Honestly, Lee was my favorite character and I still wasn't all that attached to her for whatever reason.  I did enjoy the flashbacks into her past.  It gives a deeper insight into the character, especially when you realize the purpose behind them and why Lee never seems to acknowledge these remembrances/hallucinations at all.  The romance in this one just felt too cliched and rehearsed to me.  It never really rang true.  I seem to be in the minority here, so don't mind me - form your own opinions!  So as not to spoil all that much, I will say that the ending resolves the conflict very nicely.  I think any further books will be about different characters again.  The conflict with the corporation owned by Lilac's father has a lot more mileage left in it for Kaufman and Spooner before it starts to get tired.  My favorite part was cameo by Lilac and Tarver (both of whom play a part in the climax of the action, near the end of the book).  I recommend reading this if you've read the first one and it really is a solid second series book.  It just wasn't anything special to me personally.

VERDICT:  3/5  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 December 23rd, 2014.**

Neverwas, Otherwhen & Maybe Soon...

Published:  January 7th, 2014

Neverwas (The Amber House Trilogy #2)

By: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, & Larkin Reed

Arthur A. Levine

ISBN-13:  9780545434188

"I was sixteen the second time I had my first kiss..."

At the end of AMBER HOUSE, Sarah made a choice that transformed everything -- and now she must choose it all again.

Things are very different -- better -- for Sarah and her family: her Aunt Maggie grew up; her parents are happily married; her grandmother died after a long, productive and respected life.  But other things are different too, and not for the better.

After growing up in the free country of the Pacific Northwest, Sarah Parsons has settled in at Amber House, the stately Maryland home that's been in her family for generations.  But the world surrounding the House feels deeply wrong to Sarah.  It's a place where the colonists lost the 1776 Insurrection, where the American Confederation of States still struggles with segregation, and where Sarah is haunted by echoes of a better world that she knows never existed.

Her friend Jackson shares these visions of a different world -- and together, they manage both to remember the way things ought to be, and to plan a daring mission that will reset the universe once again.  Sarah must figure out what has changed, and why, and how she can fix it -- how she can find her way to an otherwhen.

Review

     I can see why some people would be confused by this book, especially the theory behind the alternate history in it.  It's a whole Hell of a lot to take in, even if you have read the first book in the series.  I did understand that in saving her younger brother, Sarah has managed to reset time.  She is now living in an alternate reality, where the colonists lost the Revolutionary War (known as the "Insurrection") and "America" doesn't exist as we know it.  Slavery continued a lot later on, the Civil Rights movement is basically happening now and North "America" is divided up into territories (the naming of the land as the American Confederation of States confuses me, as it's NOT really America).  In Sarah's own life, her Aunt Maggie is still alive, her brother Sam is okay, her Grandma wasn't a lonely alcoholic who drank herself to death and her parents are still marries.  For the Parsons family, life is good.  Everyone else, not so much.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that the Nazis won WWII and they are still around as a major political influence?  But the major mystery is what exactly did Sarah do that changed things so drastically?  Just saving Sam, or even Maggie couldn't have caused such a ripple effect, so far back in time.  So what else is different?  Where does the buck stop?  And just what lengths will Sara have to go to, to make the world the way it should be?

     I enjoyed trying to figure out the catalyst for the time travel and the break as to where the major shift was caused.  I definitely loved all of the intricacies of the plot involving Sarah's family history and the way it played into the present of the alternate timeline - and Sarah's original timeline as well.  As in the first book, Amber House in this one seemed like a living character alongside all of the people.  The addition of Aunt Maggie mixed things up in the family dynamic, with it causing Sarah and Sammy to not be quite as close as in the original scenario.  Also, the cultural differences definitely showed us that this Sarah was different from the old Sarah.  Similar in some ways, but definitely different in others (this Sarah loves designers, is comfortable with wealth, and only seems to be liberal when it suits her to be).  The relationships between Sarah and Jackson, & Sarah and Richard were at a contrast in different ways in this book than in the first.  Especially with a South that is reminiscent of Jim Crow era-South in our own timeline.  

      Sarah's biggest challenge in this book is to do what she knows to be right.  She spends a lot of the book trying to puzzle through her visions of an alternate timeline, with some help from Jackson, and waffles quite a bit on whether or not she wants to mess with the timeline again.  What if she makes things worse this time around?  Is it worth trying to get back to where she was, if it means the possibility of something even more horrific than her current time?  Probably the biggest problem for me was the contradictions of the alternate timeline.  At times it felt completely clear to me, and others it was a bit of a muddled haze.  How could a failed Insurrection in 1776 lead to WWII?  With a skewed geography, history and timeline of events, you'd think Europe would be more heavily effected than it seemed to be.  Also that means WWI still happened in this timeline.  How much different or the same was that from originally?  This is just the nitpicky history nerd in me though, dying to puzzle everything out, and fit it together!  Overall though, it's definitely a pulse-pounding adventure, sweet romance, historical mystery and time travel adventure of the one-of-a-kind variety!  It keeps you thinking the whole way through, and if you're willing to suspend some disbelief and enjoyed the first one, you should check it out!  Personally I can't wait to see how the ladies resolve it this time around, in the last book!

VERDICT:  3.5/5 Stars

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

The Greatest of Ease

Published: December 10th, 2012
The Daring Young Man (Mumbo Jumbo Circus # 2)
By: Jane George
Paper Grove Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780985130701

Sixteen year-old Dante Delgado is staring down the barrel of a gangbanger's gun when he's surprised by the arrival of a clown on a unicycle.

Dante hates clowns. He hates everything to do with the circus. He once dreamed of being one of the few trapecistas able to do a quadruple somersault in the air. Then a tragic accident took his parents, their circus, and his ability to fly. But when faced with the choice between the circus or a bullet, he jumps on the clown's shoulders and rides off to an even more mysterious adventure involving Dia de los Muertos, two dangerous girls, and the nemesis of the tiny, magical Mumbo Jumbo Circus, the evil Las Vegas spectacular, Cirque Patron.

Review

 

     Dante Delgado has given up on circus life after the death of his parents, his brother's desertion, the ruin of his hand and the loss of their small family circus.  Now he works jobs only given to illegal immigrants and associates with lowlives.  Then a clown appears when he needs to be rescued and Dante is swept into the magical world (with it's very real problems) of the Mumbo Jumbo Circu, including all of its colorful members.  Dante is drawn in against his will when his dead Grandmother promises the Ringmaster their family's Big Top in exchange for making Dante whole again - but he only has a few days to do it!  Throw in romance, betrayal, and the possibility of a fresh start and you get the adventure of a lifetime.  Can Dante find himself again and save the Circus in the bargain?  Or will the evil Cirque Patron destroy Mumbo Jumbo once and for all?  Recently I read The Mumbo Jumbo Circus for the first time and really loved it.  I truly fell into the world of the circus and all the magic (and heartbreak) involved in it.  This book picks up where the first one leaves off, using a new main character to continue the story.  Dante was definitely a teenage boy, with his stubborn resistance to accepting his new situation and inability to see beyond a pretty face.  But he also had a heart bigger than Texas and a strong sense of loyalty, which endeared him to me enough to keep going.  My main disappointment was the way that the relationship between Wally and Evan fell apart.  I think that my favorite new character in this one was the mysterious water creature/girl, who shows Dante what's most important in life.  The conflict with Cirque Patron continued, throwing in an interesting twist of alternate dimensions (time travel?) through one of their tents.  Kind of unexpected to me, but cool all the same.  The interaction between Dante and the Pickled Punk (my fave character EVER) was hilarious and made me laugh.  I was slightly disappointed by the way he and the Ringmaster were out of commission for most of the book.  Overall, a good follow-up to the first book in the series.  I am really excited to read the third one and find out about Chandi, the tiger girl from Cirque Patron.  I would recommend it to fans of the first book and the young adult fantasy genre in general.

 

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.**

The Moonlight Made You a Monster

Published: January 29th, 2013
Othermoon (Otherkin # 2)
By: Nina Berry
Kensington Teen
ISBN-13: 9780758276933

Everyone has secrets. I had no idea mine would lead me into shadow. Dez has found the place where she belongs. With the otherkin. With Caleb. Or so she thought. As the barriers between our world and Othersphere fall, a wall rises between Dez and Caleb, leaving her fiercest enemy her only friend. 

And maybe something more. 

Now Dez must make a devastating choice: keep the love of her life, or save the otherkin from annihilation.

Review

     Dez is hoping life might head in the direction of normal - at least for a little while.  After rescuing Siku, a fellow shifter and friend, from the Tribunal with the rest of their friends she just wants a break.  But then a stranger breaks in  and steals her DNA, and her Mom is possessed by something from the Othersphere - something that just may be Dez's birth mother.  Forced to go on the run again, Dez returns to Morphael's school so that they can make a plan to stop the Tribunal from wiping out all the otherkin in one attack.  But can Dez and her friends stop a particle accelerator or is that too big for the teens?  And will Dez be able to do the right thing for the damaged Lazar and keep her relationship with Caleb from crumbling?  I went into this with very high hopes, having really loved the first book.  I was disappointed.  Dez has almost no character development, shows signs of idiotic martyr syndrome, and moons over Caleb who treats her like dirt for most of the book.  Not that she's perfect either, as she persists in lying to him about anything involving his enemy, half-brother Lazar.  I thought that the only one who really showed any development was Lazar, who became a truly interesting and layered character in this book.  November and Siku's relationship wasn't a surprise, and Arnaldo's family issues were just another situation for Dez to meddle in when she should have kept out of it.  I was surprised by London and Amaris' relationship and how close they became, but it was extremely sweet.  It almost made up for the emotionally unstable train-wreck that Dez and Caleb were building throughout the book as I watched in horror.  The plot itself felt like a less thought-out redux of the first book, with them trying to stop the bad guys against all odds.  And the revelations about Dez's birth mother and her true origins were kind of 'blah.'  Ximon became even more one-dimensional as a villain, with even more evil deeds being added to his greatest hits.  But I am still holding out hope for the next book and thinking that maybe Nina Berry just succumbed to the disease that seems to plague YA authors.....the dreaded sophomore syndrome!  Overall, not what I would have liked to read but better than a lot of second books in series that I've read in the past.

VERDICT:  2.5/5  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 January 29th, 2013.*

Hearts On Fire, Hiding From the World

Expected Publication: May 28th, 2013
Monument 14: Sky On Fire (Monument 14 # 2)
By: Emmy Laybourne
Feiwel and Friends
ISBN-13: 9780312569044

The world hasn't ended...yet.

In this sequel to MONUMENT 14, the group of survivors, originally trapped together in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, has split in two. Most of the kids are making a desperate run on their recently repaired school bus for the Denver airport where they hope to reunite with their parents, be evacuated to safety, and save their dying friend.

But the world outside is dark and filled with dangerous chemicals that turn people into bloodthirsty monsters, and not all the kids were willing to get on the bus. Left behind in a sanctuary that has already been disturbed once, the remaining kids try to rebuild the community they lost. But when the issues are life and death, love and hate, who can you really trust?

Review

 

     Brothers Dean and Alex have parted ways, with Dean staying behind at the superstore and Alex going away with most of the other kids on the school bus, trying to make it to Denver.  Both groups still face horrible dangers, with all of the kids in the store being Blood Type O which makes them violent when exposed to the chemical compounds in the air outside.  When the bus is hijacked and the store is under siege by a group of teenage raiders, it will be up to Dean and his brother to each try and keep their respective charges safe until they can find a way out of their destroyed world and back to their families, in the safety of the world beyond.  So, I had really enjoyed the first book and went into this one with pretty high expectations.  I mean who has never once wondered what it would be like to live in one of those superstores.  Well, this book picks up right where the first one left off.  It deals with some harsh realities, like when to give up on a friend if they're dying and there's nothing you can do.  Jake, the father of Astrid's baby, finds his way back to the superstore but because he wants the drugs in the pharmacy not to help anyone else.  Dean still has feelings for Astrid and she treats him like shit until the chemical reactions bring them together involuntarily (which I still don't know how I feel about that - did she even really like him, or was it 'just because?').  The kids on the bus deal with being stolen from, on the verge of starving, and being the guests of a crazy old guy in an airtight bunker (who is most likely a killer).  The fact that more than half of their parents are still MIA was very realistic and I was disappointed that not everyone made it to Denver, but the author's realism pleased me and makes up for it.  This is an 'apocalypse' book.  Not everyone gets a happy ending if the author's doing it right!  I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next one in the series, especially with the cliffhanger the author dropped on me at the last second!  I highly recommend this series to fans of Ashfall by Mike Mullins, The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and Article 5 by Kristen Simmons.

 

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 May 28th, 2013.*

It Makes You Feel Happy Like An Old-Time Movie

Expected Publication: February 1st, 2013

The Return of Abracadabra (Hocus Pocus Hotel # 2)

By: Michael Dahl

Stone Arch Books

ISBN-13: 9781434247216

Charlie Hitchcock figured out that Brack is really Abracadabra, the missing magician. But as Brack prepares to unveil his true identity to the rest of the world, magical mysteries continue to unfold at his hotel. Charlie and Tyler Yu have solved challenging tricks here before, but can they do it again before time runs out for Brack . . . and the hotel?

Review

     Charlie Hitchcock, class geek and Tyler Yu, class bully are stuck in a tentative friendship after solving the mysteries happening at the hotel Tyler's family owns so Tyler could buy the motorcycle he had been saving up for.  Now the elevator operator Brack (who is really the famous missing magician, Abracadabra) is planning to put on a show at the hotel and reveal his secret identity to the press and the rest of the world.  The only problem is that the currently famous magician Theopolis comes to the hotel and performs some seemingly impossible feats of magic - all at the same time.  Can the boys figure out how he managed it, or was it really magic after all?  And will Theopolis succeed in stealing the show and Brack's part of the hotel right out from under him?  This was a good follow-up to the first novel, which had Charlie and Tyler solving the mysteries of the hotel itself.  This time they have to find out Theopolis' secrets before Brack loses everything.  To me the illustrations were the best part, just like in the first book.  It was a cute book about friendship and mystery, but I felt like it was lacking some of the magic in the original.  The description and following picture of Brack's secret room on top of the hotel was awesome.  And the answer to the mystery was plausible, but predictable.  I think this book would have been a lot more fun if I was still under 13 years old and loved magic tricks.  Overall, a fun book that was just a good fluffy, middle-grade read to give my brain a break from all the YA and Harlequin angst.  I would recommend this to middle-school and late elementary teachers for reluctant readers and young boys.

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 February 1st, 2013.*

Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up

Published: November 13th, 2012

Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up (Lemonade Mouth # 2)

By: Mark Peter Hughes

Random House Children's Books

ISBN-13: 9780385737128

Olivia, Wen, Stella, Charlie, and Mo—the members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth—have been labeled many things. But just how did this little group of misunderstood outcasts end up rocketing from high school nobodies to household names?

In their own words, the band tells the story of the momentous summer when an overworked music promoter, an unwanted visitor from India, and an unexpected reappearance by a figure from Olivia’s past shook their world and launched them on their roller-coaster ride to destiny. There are plenty of false rumors out there, but this is the real story, the continuation of the official history of Rhode Island’s most influential band. Lemonade Mouth is going worldwide and taking no prisoners. The outcome will be nothing short of revolutionary.

Review

     Lemonade Mouth is still riding on the high of what happened at Catch a RI-ZING Star when they start their summer vacation.  They are recording new music and their friendship is stronger than ever.  So of course things immediately start to go wrong.  Wen's Dad quits his job to start a hot dog food truck business and enlists Wen to be a dancing hot dog on street corners - unpaid.  Olivia is contacted by the Mom who abandoned her when she was just a toddler.  Mo's parents force her to be friends with Rajeev, the Indian teenage son of their college friends who is staying with them for the summer, with the obvious hopes of an eventual arranged marriage and Charlie is going through a philosophy crisis.  Oh yeah, and Stella just might be falling in love!  Life is never boring for the band, especially when a famous music producer named Earl Decker reaches out to them and they sign a contract with his record company.  But when the music and the things they believe in begin to fade into the background in favor of corporate greed, it's time for Lemonade Mouth to take a stand again.  Even if it means that they lose their chance at the big time.

     I was hesitant at reading a sequel for a book that I felt didn't really need one.  I was afraid that it was just scheme to make more money, based on the popularity of the Disney Channel movie from the first book.  But once I started, I couldn't put it down!  It is once again started off by Naomi Fishmeier, aspiring reporter and friend to the band, who is assembling the real story of their rise to fame.  It is also in the POV of every member of Lemonade Mouth, with a few other POVs thrown in like some of the parents, Naomi, Larry, a limo driver, and some other contestants on a reality show that they audition for.  I feel like it managed to capture the somewhat magical quality of the first book, but also with some serious realism thrown in.  I especially loved the crack that Olivia makes about like not being a Disney movie when Charlie asks where all the cool clothes and the money went to.  It made me laugh so hard.  The addition of Rajeev was a good one and I liked the tension/balance he provided to the group.  And the pros and cons of being indebted to a corporate mind by contract were definitely represented, especially in the ad campaign that eventually makes them break the contract and quit.  I loved the interactions with Sista Slash, the resolution of Olivia and Wen about whether or not they're dating, and Ray's secret soft spot for animals.  The characters matured a lot through the novel and by the end they had each changed for the better.  The ending was perfect and left the way open for it to really be the end OR for there to be another book, which I think would be perfectly okay with me.  Overall, fans of the original might really like it if they can get past the fact that it came on the heels of the Disney movie.  It is not at all related to it! :)

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 November 13th, 2012.*

Kiss Me In the Milky Twilight

Expected Publication: September 25th, 2012
The Mephisto Kiss (The Mephisto Covenant # 2)
By: Trinity Faegen
Egmont USA
ISBN-13: 9781606841716

The eyes never lie. No one’s eyes are darker than Eryx. Not even the Devil’s.

When Jax and Sasha first see Jordan Ellis, they know she is no ordinary teenager. She’s the daughter of the President after all, but she’s also Anabo – a descendant of Eve.

What they don’t know is that Eryx plans to kidnap Jordan and force President Ellis to pledge his soul. If Eryx’s plot succeeds, the consequences would be catastrophic.

But the Mephisto brothers do know about Jordan’s secret identity. And for one of them, she could be the match that leads to their soul’s salvation.

Now it’s a desperate race against time to save Jordan and prevent Eryx’s haunting eyes from discovering her true identity.

Review

 

   Jordan Ellis is the President's daughter and for quite a few years now has had very little say in her life.  She's used to people making decisions for her and is with her boyfriend Matthew because he doesn't use her for her status.  But in one horrific moment Matthew's life hangs in the balance and Jordan is being taken away by some very bad men to be used as leverage against her Dad.  One of these bad men is Eryx, the ultimate evil who is trying to dethrone the devil and take over control of Hell.  In order to further his goal he needs the President's soul.  But he didn't count on Jordan being Anabo, a descendant of Eve before the introduction of sin.  She is the redemption of one of his Mephisto brothers, if she can be rescued from him in time.  Can Jordan be the one thing that will save Key from himself and the hold Eryx still has over him?  I actually liked this book even more than the first book with Sasha and Jax.  To me Jordan and Key were more normal in an abnormal situation.  I adored the fact that they didn't suffer from a case of insta-love like most YA romances do nowadays.  In other words, Ms. Faegen didn't take the lazy way out.  I thought that Jordan being the President's daughter was a nice touch and added an urgency to the action the was slightly missing from Sasha's background.  I was happy that it seemed like Phoenix will be getting a second chance at romance and redemption, but was slightly dismayed at the cliched way in which it was approached.  I will say no more than that to avoid spoilers.  I also liked getting a look at the relationship between Key and Eryx before the latter turned evil and was cast out by the other brothers.  It gave some insight were there previously wasn't any.  The one thing that truly annoyed me in this book was how whiny and cry-babyish that Sasha seems now that she's part of the Mephisto.  I just wanted to smack her upside the head for most of the book.  Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it didn't seem to suffer sophmore syndrome the way most second books in series do in YA.  I would highly recommend it to fans of the first book.

 

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 September 25th, 2012.*

Not A Match For Me

Published: November 1st, 2011
Matched
By: Ally Condie
Dutton Juvenile
ISBN-13: 9780525423652


The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Review

   Cassia is still holding on to the hope that being exiled from society will lead her to Ky, who has been pretty much marked for death.  Ky is just trying to survive and stay the kind of person that he thinks Cassia can love and believe in.  Cassia and Ky both escape from their prospective death camps to find The Rising, a group of people who have built a rebellion from civilization.  Along with them are Indie, Eli and Vick who are also looking for a better future.  But will any of them survive to see it?  And what secret is Ky keeping about Xander and his role in the rebellion?  This book was one I was excited to read.  That said, I ended up being bored out of my mind.  I read it up till the end, but it was a struggle and I really wanted to bitch-slap Ky and Cassia both, most of the time.  I truly disliked the change in style, that Condie used to give us Cassia's pov AND Ky's.  Unnecessary and not working in any way. shape or form in my opinion.  I will definitely not be reading the third book because I really have no desire to find out how things end.  This book could have been so much better for me, but it ended up being an epic fail and a complete waste of time.  I would not recommed this book to anyone.

VERDICT:  1.5/5  Stars

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