Review: Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Book: Cross My Heart

Author: Sasha Gould

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Release date: March 13, 2012

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary from Goodreads: Venice, 1585.

When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

First impressions: Man, I am such a sucker for historical settings. The rich details and ominous beginning had me hooked.

Lasting impressions: A fun historical mystery that's recommended for fans of both genres.

Conflicting impressions: The romance didn't feel real for me, and I felt the story could have done without it.

Overall impressions: If there's one thing I love more than historical fiction, it's secret societies. This book offered me both, and for the most part I was not disappointed.

Laura is a pleasant protagonist, who is stuck in the most unfortunate situations for much of the book. I really rooted for her, because nobody likes to see nice people in sucky circumstances. Forced to live in a convent while her father uses all the available dowry money to try and marry off her older sister, Laura's life is bleak. When her sister dies suddenly in a mysterious drowning, her father pulls her from the convent to use as a back-up bride.

Say it with me: ICK.

Laura goes along with this plan while out enjoying society for the first time, but soon learns that her new husband-to-be is a decrepit, dirty old man who promises nothing but a lifetime of misery. He's skeezy in every sense of the world and I shuddered at the thought of poor Laura forced to spend the rest of her life with him.

Say it with me: DOUBLE ICK.

This is where the Segreta comes in. They are a secret society of powerful women that help make things happen in Venice. They pull strings, using the power and influence of secrets to bribe and undermine the men that rule over their lives. It's an intriguing concept, and one that I wish had been developed a little more. We are given only the face value of this group, with no explanation into their surely rich history and inner workings. As written, it felt a little like a device used to propel Laura's story forward instead of a vital, integrated thread of the plot.

Similarly, Laura develops a romance that was very ho-hum for me. I didn't sense much chemistry or connection between them, and it jumped from friendly to ohmigodpleasemarryme in 4 seconds flat. Though the character provides an interesting subplot to the book, I personally would have found the book more satisfying with more emphasis on the Segreta and less on the romance.

The mystery of Laura's sister's death at times gets shuffled to the backburner as the story progresses, but the reveal at the end was interesting and I enjoyed the mystery component. I think fans of Renaissance Italy and mystery books will like this one as much as I did, despite its few small flaws.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Book: Incarnate

Author: Jodi Meadows

Publisher: Katherine Tegen

Release date: January 31, 2012

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Series: Newsoul #1

Summary from Goodreads: NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

First impressions: Without a doubt, the concept of this book had me sold from the beginning. Ana's status as a newsoul, within this well-visioned fantasy society of recycled souls, was intriguing and captivating. I loved setting out on this journey to discover the secrets of why she is different in a world where everything is the same.

Lasting impressions: Ana and Sam were interesting characters, but the real standout here is the world where their story takes place.

Conflicting impressions: The book didn't have enough answers for my taste. We spend the majority of the book waiting for Ana to buckle down and search for the reasons for her newsoul-ness, only to have them explained in the blink of an eye amidst too much other action. The last third of the novel threw way too much new information at me during a flurry of major events.

Overall impressions: Vexing. That's what this novel was to me. The beginning is beautiful, brilliant, exciting, and full of so much promise! I was rooting for this book. So when the ending fell flat for me, I wanted to scream and smash things. Consider me thoroughly vexed.

At first, the mysteries of the book completely captivated me. Ana is the first completely new person, and we as readers are as desperate to find out why as she is. Ana has led a somewhat sheltered life, interacting only with her abusive mother, so when she sets out on her journey there is a lot she doesn't understand. I loved being a part of her discovery of her world.

Secrets are everywhere, and the tension arising from this fact is delicious. Ana doesn't know who to trust, and neither do we. Everyone seems to be hiding something, particularly Sam, and part of the fun of the novel is trying to ferret out the truth from the clues given. I felt there were lots of times when I was picking up on things that Ana's past couldn't let her see, and it was a really enjoyable reading experience.

That led to an even bigger disappointment, however, when so few of these hints and clues amounted to anything. Ana never calls anyone out on their sketchy behavior. She never notices the small things that seem so obvious to the reader. Worst of all, things that we are led to believe are significant turn out not to be. For instance, Sam in his past lives has constantly been targeted by the dragons that periodically attack town, and he wonders if that's true or just his imagination or coincidence, but we never find out. The idea is simply dropped. Similarly, Ana has a unique and strange reaction to the pulsing walls that surround the city of Heart and make up the sacred temple, and this is likewise never explored but instead left to dangle like an errant thread.

I kept waiting for that "a-ha!" moment when answers would be revealed and Ana would have some peace, but it never came. I feel cheated out of a whole, complete novel, and wish things would have wrapped up in a way to give us some more answers before plunging on into the next book. It's a shame that I'm not looking forward to the next installment in this series, because it truly started out in all the right ways.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Book: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harrington

Publisher: Harlequin

Release date: November 22, 2011

Source: Review copy received via NetGalley

Summary: (from Goodreads) ‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

First impressions: Can Harper be my new book BFF? In the first few scenes she is funny, irreverent, rebellious, and sympathetic. She is the most authentic teenager I've read, perhaps ever.

Lasting impressions: Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Magical. Hilarious. Although this one hit close to home for me, it was wonderfully cathartic.

Conflicting impressions: I can't think of anything that didn't work for me in this book.

Overall impressions: Harper has lived in the shadow of her sister her whole life, unable to understand why she doesn't have June's innate ability to exceed everyone's expectations. Feeling like the loser letdown of a daughter, Harper has carefully constructed a persona to match her perceived failings - black nail polish, a wall of truancy and detention slips, smoking cigarettes. June is the golden child and she is the black sheep, invisible to her warring parents.

When June commits suicide, there is no note, and everyone struggles to understand why she did it. Harper feels the weight of being the one that's left, and has a hard time shaking the feeling that everyone thinks the wrong sister died. While going through her sister's things, Harper finds a mix CD that June had been listening to right before she died, as well as a postcard of California - the one place June had always wanted to go.

Jake Tolan is a boy who seems to have no ties to June, but shows up at the wake. After Harper discovers June was tutoring him, and that he works in a record store, she realizes he made the mix CD. Soon Harper, Jake, and Harper's best friend Laney have concocted a plan to drive to California and put June's ashes to rest in the place where she wanted to belong. June wanted nothing so much as to escape the pressures of life and family, and to be free to do and be whatever she wanted, and Harper is determined to make that happen as a final gift to her sister.

As Harper experiences impromptu protests, concerts, and landmarks, and shares these exciting adventures with new people, she begins to find herself. The road trip experience is full of powerful moments that reveal things about her desires and strengths, as well as her feelings about her sister. We don't watch Harper change as a result of the trip, we watch her discover that the person she has been all along is nothing less than her sister. She has always been strong and capable, but her fears and insecurity colored her perception of herself.

Harper is without a doubt one of the best characters I read this year. I related to her and her struggles on so many levels, from her inability to cry at a funeral, to her need to just run away from it all and so something meaningful for the person she feels she failed the most. Hannah Harrington has written a girl so complete that I had a hard time believing she wasn't real. Harper lives far beyond these pages, showing us the way teenaged girls really think and feel.

This book is one that will definitely stick with me. With a love story that seemed genuine in its slow growth, and an exploration of music through the eyes of Jake Tolan that provides a perfect soundtrack to Harper's journey, this one is full of life and memories. For anyone who's lost someone close to them, especially from suicide, this is a cathartic story that allows us to process our feelings alongside Harper. This is a powerful treasure that should not be missed.

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Book: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release date: November 15, 2011

Source: ARC received from Around the World Tours

Series: Shatter Me #1

Summary: (from Goodreads) Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war - and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel — with a paranormal twist — that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

First impressions: Juliette is a beautiful character. From the beginning, we are alone in her thoughts, as she whiles away her time in isolation. Her touch kills people, and for the last 264 days she has been alone in a wreck of a psychiatric hospital/jail with only a window and a notebook to pass the time. I fell in love with this sweet girl who dreamed of birds in flight and wished for a taste of fresh air.

Lasting impressions: Never has a title of a book been more appropriate. The writing and the characters and the world all made me want to shatter into pieces. Though the ending of the story went a different direction than I anticipated, it was not unwelcome. I'm excited to see where the next chapter in Juliette's life takes us.

Conflicting impressions: At times the stylistic prose pulled me out of the story. How many ways can Juliette describe falling to pieces? A lot. I also wish that we'd gotten more of the history of her world in order to understand Warner's motives as the villain. He kidnaps Juliette for his own purposes, but we don't really know what those are because Juliette is so in the dark about the world outside her cell. I felt like I was flying blind a lot of the time.

Overall impressions: Despite the aforementioned flaws, and a perhaps tired plot that feels like a re-tread of the X-Men, I still absolutely loved this book. Tahereh Mafi fills her plot with such incredible characters that I couldn't help but be captivated by all of them.

Juliette is one of the most sympathetic characters I can remember reading recently. She has been neglected by her parents and forced to avoid human contact for her entire life. My God! I would die! Yet she has remained kind, thoughtful, and perhaps most surprising, sane. She never gives up, and I admired that about her.

Adam is a bit of an enigma. He starts off almost cruel toward Juliette, but later reveals himself as a Peeta-like admirer from afar. Working for the enemy, it takes a while for Juliette to fully trust him, but he is so pure of heart and full of love that he ultimately wins her, and the reader, over.

Warner is a great antagonist. We may not be sure of his motives, but we know he wants to have Juliette as a pawn in his war against The Reestablishment's enemies. He will do anything to achieve this goal, and forces her to do some pretty awful things along the way. For such a smart and sadistic guy, however, he seemed awfully gullible when it came to Juliette's feelings.

This is an interesting paranormal crossed with a dystopian setting that never failed to keep my interest. Powerful characters are all seeking to find their destiny, and the new direction Juliette's life takes at the end of the novel will have profound consequences for the next book. I'll definitely be looking forward to the sequel as one of my most anticipated books of 2012.

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Book: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release date: September 27, 2011

Source: ARC for review from Around the World Tours

Summary: (from Goodreads) Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

First impressions: I tried really hard to avoid reading much on this book before I read it. It was majorly hyped at BEA this year, and everyone has been buzzing about it since. I wanted to keep this one fresh, so I had few expectations. That made the beginning a lot of fun to experience, with no idea where we were going. I loved the letter up front that tells us "Mara Dyer" is a made up name to protect her identity. Mystery for the win!

Lasting impressions: Without question, the best thing in this book is the romantic interest, Noah Shaw. He is my new book boyfriend.

Conflicting impressions: Our heroine has a big change in direction in the last part of the novel, and her motivations went against the character we'd followed for so long. It made her actions disappointing and let me down as a reader.

Overall impressions: There are two big reasons you should read this book: Noah Shaw and masterful intrigue.

The entire book is spent playing catch-up, as we follow Mara Dyer trying to remember the blacked out portions of her memory where she may or may not have killed her friends. As she slowly pieces the story back together, we learn more about her and that she has strange powers that can have devastating consequences.

When she arrives in a new school for a fresh start after her family moves to Florida, she meets the notorious Noah Shaw. He's a playboy who has worked his way through most of the female student body, but he's not just a pretty face. He's insanely intelligent, incredibly caring, and feisty to boot. The banter between Noah and Mara is TO DIE FOR. Noah's witty comebacks, coupled with smoldering looks, had me fanning myself as I sped through the pages.

I was not crazy about the plot of this book once all of the information came to light toward the end. There were a few moments that didn't make much sense to me. Noah arrives in the middle of the night and leads Mara on a crazy trek through alligator-filled water, yet she never questions him on what they're doing. Really? Later, she makes a life-changing decision that seemed to go against everything we thought we knew about her and her feelings for her family and Noah. I didn't understand the motivations behind that choice, beyond the obvious need for retribution.

And the ending! If you are not a fan of game-changing twists, do not read the last page. It sets up a strange new chapter that I'm not sure I want to see explored. I made the mistake of skimming the last sentence while doing a page count check, and sort of ruined it for myself, so I repeat: DO NOT read the last page of this book!

I liked the supernatural elements in this one, although I do wish we'd gotten some more information along the way. Still, the overall story was intriguing and fun to read, and I haven't been this into a romance since Bella and Edward in Twilight. Noah is majorly swoon-worthy, and his chemistry with Mara is white hot. No matter what the novel's other shortcomings, it is completely worth a read just to spend some time with Noah Shaw.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Book: Legend

Author: Marie Lu

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Release date: November 29, 2011

Source: ARC for review from Books with Bite Book Tours

Summary: (from Goodreads) What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

First impressions: Is it enough to say that I knew I'd like this just because it's a dystopian? From the first few sentences that set up a militaristic, controlling, dystopic future, I was on board with this one.

Lasting impressions: Very few books bring on a full cry from me, but this was one of them. The ending was so full of tension and sacrifice that I couldn't help but sob, right there at work during my lunch break.

Conflicting impressions: I intended to give this 5 stars after finishing it, but when I sat down to try and write a review, I couldn't remember what happened or why it made me cry without a bit of a refresher. Considering it's not as unforgettable a tale as some of my other die-hard 5 star favorites, I knocked it down a peg.

Overall impressions: This is a story about starcrossed lovers. June and Day are two 15 year olds who come from very different backgrounds, but are thrown together by circumstance, only to find themselves falling in love instead of destroying each other. Um, yes please!

June is the smartest kid, with the brightest future, in all of the Republic. She scored a perfect score - twice, since they didn't believe it the first time around - on her required exams. This landed her on the fast track to a promising military career, following in the footsteps of her older brother, Metias.

Day, on the other hand, failed out of his exams and was sent to the labor camps - or so the Republic would have the people believe. He escaped his terrible fate, and now acts as a Robin Hood of the poor districts where he was raised. He cheats and steals his way into money, giving some back to his destitute family when he can, though all except one of his brothers believes him to be dead. Day is known to wreak havoc on the Republic, making him the most wanted criminal in the country.

When a plague (one of many constantly striking the poor districts) rolls through his family's neighborhood, Day sets out to find a cure to save his youngest brother, who has been infected. After a dangerous break-in and an incident that leaves Metias dead, June is set on the trail of Day to find and kill him in revenge for the loss of her brother.

If only things were that easy.

Day is a charmer - bold, flirtatious, charismatic - and even June cannot resist being drawn to him. He challenges every preconceived notion the Republic would have her believe about him, and she struggles with how to keep hating him, even as the doubts set in about Metias's murder. June is likewise intriguing to Day. She is strong, smart, and ruthless, though also gentle of heart. She is quiet, thoughtful, and listens to Day, just when he thought no one was left to care about what he had to say. I loved these two together, and the tension that came from them not truly trusting each other.

The story moves quickly, and it's very hard to put this one down. None of the mysteries unraveling throughout are big surprises, and I wish the book was a bit longer, if only to get some more background. The Republic (Los Angeles) is at war with the rest of the continent, but I found it unclear why or how it started. I wasn't sure the exact history of this world or who the real villains were, so it was difficult to get invested in the political allegiances. For this book, June and Day were enough, but in the future I hope we get more information on the conflict that's brewing around them.

This is a must-read for all dystopian fans, and I think it's a good jumping in point for anyone looking to try out the genre for the first time. It has an intriguing setting, enjoyable characters, and a lot of heart. I very highly recommend it!

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Review: Dark Parties by Sara Grant

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Book: Dark Parties
Author: Sara Grant
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release date: August 3, 2011
Source: ARC received from Book It Forward ARC Tours

Summary: (from Goodreads) Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.

First impressions: If you have any question about the title, it gets answered in the very first scene. Neva is literally stumbling around in a "dark party" where kids make out in homemade sensory deprivation chambers. It's the starting ground for her mini rebellion with her best friend, Sanna, and sets up a dark world indeed.

Lasting impressions: A solid entry into YA dystopian. I found the world believable and Neva appropriately rebellious and ballsy.

Conflicting impressions: I didn't feel the fear as much as I could have. The fact that Neva's high-ranking father can whisk her away from the big bad government meant I wasn't ever truly nervous that anything awful could happen to her.

Overall impressions: Man I love dystopians, and this one doesn't disappoint. Neva lives in a world where people, and increasingly, young girls, are disappearing. In the Protectosphere, they are taught that the world outside has deteriorated to nothing. Their society has remained enclosed in this small area for so long that people are starting to look the same, and disease is ravaging the life expectancy rates.

Neva is the daughter of the Minister of Ancient History, and has some privileges as a result. When she rebels against the government and the Protectosphere, she gets questioned but ultimately released to dad's custody. Not so for her boyfriend Ethan, who gets strapped with a subdermal tracking device and receives the scare of his life. Along for the ride is Neva's best friend, Sanna, and Sanna's new boyfriend Braydon.

At the dark party in the opening scene, Braydon kisses Neva, unbeknownst to Sanna. This starts a cycle of confusing feelings and the struggle to not want what she so obviously wants so bad. Braydon likewise shows an interest in Neva, but won't back off Sanna. Stuck on the sidelines is Ethan, who wants to marry Neva and start a family.

Neva knows something is not right in the Protectosphere, and suspicions planted by her now missing grandmother are becoming entrenched in her mind. She uses a position at her dad's division to try and find out what is happening to the young girls that keep getting wiped from society without a trace. She dutifully records their names in a secret journal, desperate to not forget them.

I was totally sucked in to this story. Neva is bright, impulsive, and loyal to her friends if not her government. Above all, she wants to do the right thing and find justice for the missing, even if that means breaking the rules. When her nearest and dearest succumb to the worst of circumstances, she does all she can to right her wrongs. She is stuck between two boys and her best friend, and no matter which way she decides, she's hurting someone.

The action moves briskly, and though the ending was a bit abrupt and ultimately predictable, there were some nice twists and turns along the way. I loved the idea of the Protectosphere - a place the authorities tried to shelter its citizens from the toxic world, but ended up creating even more toxicity within its walls. Though the world didn't come off as scary as I think was intended, there was plenty of tension within the scenes to keep me flipping pages as fast as I could.

Very highly recommended to dystopian fans, or anyone who appreciates their rebellious side.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

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Book: Spellbound
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: June 28, 2011
Source: ARC received from NetGalley

Summary: (from Goodreads) What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to — Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives — visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

First impressions: Emma is immediately likable. I loved her smooth demeanor in the face of anxiety-inducing situations. In the first few pages she's on her way to a brand new school, assigned a basement locker (the lowest of the low in status), and facing down catty remarks from the mean girl. Her response is to put the girl in her place, trust her instincts, and soldier on. Awesome.

Lasting impressions: That cool demeanor served her well in the end, and I was so disappointed that there weren't 100 more pages after the final scene. Emma is one of my favorite characters of 2011. Can she be my new best friend?

Conflicting impressions: There were a couple of things that seemed under-developed. Her scar and the car accident were mentioned a few times, and seemed like they should be important, but didn't really affect the story. Likewise, her potential as a witch didn't quite get there the way I would have liked.

Overall impressions: I'm going to admit this up front: the pacing is a bit slow. And yet, I loved this book. This only goes to show that for every rule, there is an exception.

In this story, Emma moves to New York City to live with her aunt after her deadbeat drunk of a stepdad manages to wreck the car and leave her with a nasty scar on her arm. Her mom and twin brother are dead (from different circumstances), which creates an overly complicated back story. Emma basically picks up the remaining shreds of her life and moves with hardly any of her belongings, save for some essentials and a unique necklace she received from her brother before he died.

The opposing forces she walks into at her new private school are intense. The resident blonde, perfect popular kids are mean; the quiet, smoking hot dude is nice. Emma picks up a couple of other friends along the way that tow the middle line and keep the story from veering into cliche territory. Her necklace garners some interest right away from Brendan (resident hottie) and Angelique (resident weirdo witch girl).

Emma feels way too attracted to Brendan. She's not sure what's going on there. He comes on strong, but then cools off. When she finds a drawing of her necklace in his locker, she gets really intrigued. What's with him? Or more importantly, what's with her necklace?

With the help of Angelique, she tries to find out, and stumbles upon a pretty awesome legend that ties in to her dreams, Brendan, and the necklace. It appears that her growing feelings for Brendan will only lead to death. What's a girl to do?

Emma, ever the calm and collected one, rises to every obstacle in her path. This was the main reason I loved her so much. Whether it's telling off the mean kids, outrunning mysterious events in Central Park, or simply dealing with drunk kids at a party, she's got it under control. She flirts easily with Brendan, and I could really relate to her trying to read something into his every move. Is he really putting his hand on my back or just resting it on the bar?

C'mon. Who hasn't been there?

This is one of those books where I can see the flaws other people find with it, but my love for the characters made this a favorite for me. I didn't mind the complications, and could overlook some parts where details were a bit glossed over. I just wanted to read about Emma and Brendan and see if they could find a way to make it work. Their attraction seemed honest and real, and Brendan is to-die-for lovely.

The rumor is that a sequel is on the way, so I'm hoping that I get more witchcraft in it, as it was one of the more interesting parts of the book, but didn't take up much real estate. The NetGalley ARC included some extra pages told from Angelique's perspective involving a new legend. I'm hoping that's where the next book is headed!

This book was fun, swoon-worthy, and unlike anything I've read so far this year. I highly recommend it! It's a contemporary tale with just a hint of paranormal and a kickass heroine. What's not to love?

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Want more information on this fab book? Check out the Kismet blog tour happening right now!



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Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

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Book: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: May 31, 2011
Source: ARC received from NetGalley
Series: Starcrossed #1

Summary: (from Goodreads) How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

First impressions: I got hooked into this book pretty quickly. I loved the New England rustic setting and Helen and her best friend were really likable.

Lasting impressions: I'm struggling to find words. Though I didn't outright hate this book, I'm actively trying to forget that I read this one.

Conflicting impressions: I'm going to admit something that for me is really difficult to do: I'm not sure I followed a whole lot of what was going on. I felt like I needed to read the Cliff's Notes on The Odyssey before attempting to process the backstory, and that made this a lot less enjoyable for me.

Overall impressions: I'm starting to think that the whole gods/goddesses YA subgenre is just not for me. I've read a couple now, and my experiences are turning me off to picking up another any time soon. What I don't get is that I feel like this should be interesting to me. I like Greek mythology. So what am I missing?

As I mentioned above, this book started out great for me. Helen is cool, and the super extreme killing urge she experiences upon first glance at Lucas was a hoot (HOOT I SAY - make fun of me if you wish). It seemed so fresh and interesting, and when Helen is nearly killed shortly thereafter, I got even more excited about the possibilities.

Where was this going? Why did she want to kill Lucas? Who is trying to kill her? Why is she waking up with dirt and blood on her feet? Mysterious! Love it!

And then I waited 400 pages for the answer. 400 incredibly boring pages at that.

Somewhere in that middle portion, all of this exposition is laid out for us, but in this very dry manner that made it about as exciting for me to read as the Wall Street Journal. Trust me when I tell you that the WSJ is not my scene. Helen discovers all of these things about herself (I can fly! I can love Lucas after all! I'm a demi-god!) that should be exciting, but instead are presented with all of the pomp of a deflated souffle. There is very little explanation, and a whole lot of Helen simply practicing her skills while she waits for the antagonist to arrive.

Which brings me to my primary problem with this story. Said antagonist doesn't arrive - literally does not set foot in Nantucket - until two-thirds of the way through the book. There is nothing as frustrating as watching a heroine prepare for a fight against someone who hasn't even been introduced yet. It may have taken Harry Potter seven books and thousands of pages to prepare for his final battle, but at least we knew from word "go" that his nemesis was Lord Voldemort.

The ending did pick up and engaged me in much the same manner as the beginning, but the long middle stretch totally undid any positive feelings I had for this book. I recommend it if you love Greek mythology and Twilight (to which this has often been compared), but this one just wasn't for me.

Rating: 2/5 stars

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Want a different perspective? Read this cute review by Kaitlyn in Bookland.

Review: Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

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Book: Awaken
Author: Katie Kacvinsky
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Release date: May 23, 2011 - TODAY!
Source: NetGalley ARC

Summary: (from Goodreads) Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

First impressions: BANG! Did you hear that? That was me racing through the front half of this book. Cannot. Put. Down. Even. To. Eat. Feeding myself was far less of a concern than finding out what was going to happen next.

Lasting impressions: I am in love with Justin. He is my official book boyfriend until further notice. The love story here is so sweet and real and satisfying. Even if I did sometimes want to punch Justin in the face.

Conflicting impressions: Seriously Justin? You put work over personal happiness? Your seemingly well-meaning chivalrous attempts to protect Maddie don't make any sense. You either want her on your side or you don't.

Overall impressions: Okay, so maybe Justin and I are in a time-out. He can be so irritating!

See, Maddie is not the innocent I first assumed her to be. This is part of what I loved about this book. She's a bit of a rebel, and is on probation for hacking into her uber-powerful dad's computer and helping the resistance movement try to take down Digital School. After a rash of violent incidents years ago, Maddie's dad developed an online educational system that has quickly spread to almost all facets of life. It's like the internet on steroids, where people rarely leave their homes because everything can be done online.

Kind of cool. Kind of scary.

Justin is one of the folks that thinks this is more scary than cool. He wants to bring people out of their homes, offline, and back into open society. He reaches out to Maddie, and she soon realizes that he's trying to recruit her. She's not sure whether or not to tread back into Bad Girl territory, but Justin is quite the temptation. Her unraveling relationship with her super strict dad only pushes her harder into Justin's arms.

This is mostly a love story, after all, despite the dystopian (ish) setting. Digital School had its drawbacks, but it wasn't all terrible. In fact, it was kind of mostly awesome, especially for people like me who prefer to avoid awkward social interactions. Sure it's also a cautionary tale about the internet taking over our lives/world, but at heart this is really about Maddie coming to terms with her own views on society's direction, and how her feelings for Justin influence that viewpoint.

So why is Justin so irritating? Well, he has this hang-up about his little underground rebellion. He works to recruit people to his cause, and this takes him on the road for long periods of time with little to no reliable means of communication. Despite Maddie's strengths and abilities, he continually insists that she's too valuable to be out in the field, so OBVIOUSLY they can't be together.

Please.

I'm so sick of the "we must protect the fragile female" perspective! For once I'd like to see the dude go "SICK! You're beautiful and smart and capable of man-handling the organization we're fighting with one hand tied behind your back - and you WANT to help? Let's go take them down and be super happy love partners in crime together!"

But no. That never happens. Instead they just whine about how much they want to be with the girl, but do The Right Thing and protect them by quarantining them somewhere away from the action until the manly men types save the world for them. BARF.

I forgave Justin, though, because he's so darn cute. And even though Maddie didn't step up as much or as often as I would have liked, she reminded me so much of myself that I forgave her too. They're just too awesome! Maddie is brilliant, funny, shy, and a bit of an adventure-seeker. I so related to her willingness to go with the flow and get caught up in the wild capers that start to come her way, not wanting to turn down the opportunity to just live a little and maybe meet some cool people. You never know when you'll meet that person who changes your life, in either a good or bad way, and sometimes you just have to walk on the edge of good and bad until your choice reaches its consequence.

Bottom line? Loved, loved, loved this book, but the end and the Justin-isms were enough to knock it down a star. If you're in the mood for a great love story in a futuristic setting, definitely pick this one up. Immediately.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Bumped by Megan McCafferty

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Book: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release date: April 26, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC
Series: Bumped #1

Summary: (from Goodreads) When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that "pregging" for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

First impressions: I love the language in this book. Right away, Megan McCafferty sets us up in a new time with new slang. Personally, I tend to say "for serious" a LOT in real life, so it tickled me every time I saw it here. McCafferty does a great job of grounding us in this alternate time so we feel comfortable right away.

Lasting impressions: That's it? It's just going to stop there? I kept looking for the rest of the story. Needless to say, there's a cliffhanger at the end, and it's quite abrupt.

Conflicting impressions: I found Harmony to be quite grating. I didn't really care for her, so found it really hard to care about what was happening to her.

Overall impressions: I don't like it when things go awry, especially when the characters seem so content with the status quo. I need to be shown, fairly explicitly, how a character comes to accept his or her change in circumstance, otherwise I get a bit cranky.

Here's an example. Have you seen the movie Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon? I wanted her to end up with Patrick Dempsey. She had a good, full life with him. Why should she give that up to be with Josh Lucas? Apparently, for love, but I couldn't for the life of me find the reasons as to why she didn't love Patrick Dempsey enough. It irked me that she gave up a good man and a life she worked so hard to build just to throw it all away for an old love she hadn't seen in years.

This book similarly irritated me. Melody has spent her entire life doing everything she can to make a good match. She is a good student, a star athlete, active in school clubs, and an all-around good person. Because of this, she signed a lucrative contract that will fund her future, which she seems incredibly happy with.

When her secret twin sister shows up on her doorstep, having run away from a strict Christian cult, everything gets all messy. Harmony is mistaken for Melody and ends up running off with Melody's match, Jondoe. He's the prize bull everyone has been waiting for to "bump" (impregnate) Melody, and over the course of one day Harmony manages to screw everything up.

What most bothered me was the ease with which both characters seemed to completely flip-flop their views. Harmony starts out as a repressed Christian and Melody is this pro-pregg, pro-bump leader of her school. Somehow over the course of a day or two, they wind up miles from where they started. They not only don't seem to care that their views have changed, but they also seem happy about it. Neither of them seem to fully think through anything and when the tides turn they just sort of go with it in this hard to believe, impulsive manner. McCafferty does give us hints that these girls aren't all that comfortable with the things they were taught to believe, but the climax of the story doesn't do enough to justify how easily they leave behind their world views.

I did very much like the world McCafferty created, however, and the story itself is fascinating. I would have liked some more conflict between the sisters after the dust settles on Harmony's mis-steps, but the build between best friend Zen and Melody is perfectly done. Melody is believably clueless about Zen's feelings for her, and yet it's easy to see why she could fall in love with him without even realizing it.

Although we don't get a lot of background on this virus that prevents reproductivity after age 18, I felt like the scenario seemed valid for that circumstance. If women couldn't have babies, wouldn't the free market lead to teens selling their babies? Harmony's cult/faith represents the opposite view, where people are rejecting this practice and instead opting to marry and have children at an early age. I'm not sure if I'm more comfortable with teen mother-wives or with teen baby-sellers. I wish we'd had a view of the middle ground in this debate.

This book is certainly a conversation starter. Although for me the characters were frustratingly nonsensical with their choices at times, it was still an interesting story. I would recommend it to dystopian lovers or anyone who wants a thought-provoking perspective on teen pregnancy.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Want a different perspective? Check out this rave review by girl loves books.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

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Book: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: April 19, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC
Series: Goddess Test #1

Summary: (from Goodreads) It's always been just Kate and her mom — and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld — and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy — until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

First impressions: I loved the relationship between Kate and her mom. The book opens with Kate driving her mom from their home in New York to the mom's childhood home in Eden, Michigan. Her mom is dying from cancer and wants nothing more but to be at peace. Kate is really struggling with this, and it broke my heart. I liked Kate instantly.

Lasting impressions: It's a fun take on the Greek gods and goddesses. It's hard to say if I would have gotten some deeper meaning from it if I was more familiar with the gods (since the last time I studied them was in 8th grade), but overall my lack of knowledge didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the book. I was really caught up in the story and flew through this book.

Conflicting impressions: It was kind of a bummer that Kate didn't know what the 7 tests are until the end, because it meant that we didn't know either. This wasn't a deal breaker for me, but kind of made me wonder when the end was coming. We had no frame of reference for when the final tests would take place, so I ended up not really caring about them since I also knew we wouldn't get clues as to what the tests were.

Overall impressions: Kate is kind of a pushover, which made some of the scenes ring a little false. As soon as she gets to Eden, she is forced to accept an invitation to a bonfire party by the head cheerleader, Ava. Kate doesn't want to go, because she wants to spend as much time with her mother as possible, but ultimately accepts.

Ava ends up trying to teach Kate a lesson about who exactly is Top Dog in Eden, but the plan goes sour. When Kate is given the opportunity to rectify the situation by striking an odd deal with Henry, she jumps at the chance. I didn't really have a problem with Kate trying to save Ava. Just because someone is a bitch to you doesn't mean you want to see them suffer, even if they are a stranger. I thought this spoke volumes about Kate's compassion and desire to do the right thing.

Meeting Henry, however, is when things get weird. Good weird, but still weird. This mysterious guy asks her to devote 6 months of the year to live with him at his secluded estate and she agrees? Okay, suspension of disbelief, blah blah blah. When push comes to shove, though, Kate backs out and Henry flexes his karmic muscle and then she really has to agree or things are going to get scary weird.

The only thing that ends up spurring Kate through this twisted reality is the thought that Henry could save her mother. Since I found this relationship so believable, I also believed that she would do anything for her mom. I decided to just go with the flow and accept that Kate would do all of these things she didn't want to do, just for her mom. Sure there are lots of lingering questions - Why would her friends let her go? Why wouldn't anyone in Eden wonder what happened to her? - but mostly I could forget my doubts.

After Kate moves in to Henry's house, however, things slowed down. There's no real timeline pushing the story forward. There is a vague threat on Kate's life that I found a bit unclear, so it didn't suffice for me in creating much tension. Mostly I just wanted to know more about the tests.

When the end finally happens, though, the resolution worked for me. I found myself quite satisfied with how they chose to reveal the tests and how Kate had done on each of them, though it could have been expanded just a bit more. I liked how everything wrapped up at the end, and overall I found the story sweet and kind of magical. I think Small Review nailed it with her comparison to Beauty and the Beast because it definitely had the same elements. Girl sacrifices own freedom to save a parent, girl likes overbearing freedom denier despite herself, girl ends up with Stockholm Syndrome.

No? That's not it?

I still found the book to be fun, exciting, interesting, and quite a page-turner. I gobbled this book up in two sittings because I liked Kate and wanted to know what would happen to her. If you like fantastical tales or even fairy tale retellings, I think this book will appeal to you. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Want a different perspective? Check out this review by Rabid Reads.

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

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Book: Waterfall
Author: Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: David C. Cook
Release date: February 1, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Writer Musings
Series: River of Time #1

Summary: (from Goodreads) In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in sixteenth-century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the sixteenth-century—and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

First impressions: I actually read the first chapter, put the book down, and thought about not picking it up again. But if I have any advice it is this: KEEP READING! It doesn't take long for the story to zoom off, whether or not you're buckled in for the ride. Once I picked it up again, you practically had to pry this book from my clenched fingers.

Lasting impressions: Disgustingly good. Lisa Bergren is a diabolical plot genius who will keep you fully immersed in this world, despite bedtimes, homework, jobs, or significant others.

Conflicting impressions: For me, the opening chapters with the girls in the present time weren't as engaging as the rest of the novel. For some reason, I just didn't connect with that material as well, and felt I got more backstory than I really needed.

Overall impressions: If you're not already loading this one into your online shopping carts, you haven't been paying attention. This story has it all: adventure, suspense, romance, and mystery. It will keep you guessing, and keep your heart in your throat.

Gabi is a wonderful protagonist. She is thrust back through the centuries, uncertain if her sister is there with her, and winds up smack in the middle of an ongoing Italian turf war. Despite political, physical, and emotional hurdles, she uses her brain to make the best of her unexpected situation. Even though she doesn't know who she can trust, she outmaneuvers everyone to put together a daring plan to rescue her sister.

I am a sucker for time travel books, mostly because it is a personal fantasy of mine. In the hands of an excellent researcher, that wish nearly comes true. I can always tell when a historical novelist really knows their stuff, and Bergren does not disappoint. Everything about the world rings true, which only sucked me deeper into the story. I melted into Gabi's castle life with ease, and every room, road and character was brought vividly to life.

And oh, the characters! A flirtatious sidekick, a mothering cook, a sickly heir, a mean girl. It would be so easy to write the caricature and be done with it, but Bergren doesn't do easy. She writes complicated, deep characters that read like actual humans faced with difficult circumstances. Each of these types becomes so much more, surprising our expectations and threatening our snap judgments.

Above all, this story has heart. Gabi will stop at nothing to find and save her sister, yet just when she thinks she is ready to leave, the beautiful Marcello gives her pause. It is a testament to Bergren's gift that we can simultaneously want Gabi to leave and to stay. Her choice is difficult because we see the good Gabi can bring, and the love that can be her reward. Yet she struggles to cement her own fate one way or the other. It is the ultimate impasse, and completely riveting.

To me this book was like Outlander for teens. No lust. No sex. But a courageous, stubborn, time-traveling heroine who discovers more about herself in the past than in the present? Oh yes. That, and so much more.

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Not enough gushing for you? Want to see even more high praise for this amazing book? Check out Small Review's take and see if you can resist this book after that!

Need it now? Check out this interview with Lisa Bergren and win a copy of Waterfall at I Am A Reader Not A Writer. Be sure to check back here tomorrow, where I'll be hosting a giveaway of my own!

Review: The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

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Book: The Water Wars
Author: Cameron Stracher
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release date: January 1, 2011
Source: Ebook purchased for Kindle

Summary: (from Goodreads) Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

First impressions: I was really anxious to read this book. I got swept up in the world right away. This is my ultimate nightmare scenario, and one that could realistically come to fruition. Stracher does a nice job setting up this dry, dusty, water-starved world. I found it believable and disturbing.

Lasting impressions: I didn't connect to this book the way I thought I would. There was something missing for me, and though I really wanted to fall in love with this book, in the end it wasn't what I thought it would be.

Conflicting impressions: I lacked a strong connection to the characters. It felt like Stracher was writing from a distance, and so even when the action was heart-pounding, I wasn't invested in the outcome.

Overall impressions: When the story begins, we are introduced to a world with very strict access to water. Companies are mining the oceans and desalinizing water for consumption - at a price. The rich water miners have to travel by armored guard. The poor have to spend large portions of their income on water with a chemical aftertaste.

Access to potable water is a very important issue, and unfortunately this book seemed more focused on the issue than the story. We follow Vera and her brother Will on a wild journey from their home territory of Illinowa, through Minnesota, and into Canada, desperate to find their new friend Kai. They fear he has been kidnapped by pirates, and it is the pirates who end up stealing this story.

There are good pirates, bad pirates, scientists, miners who exploit children, greedy corporations and evil politicians. It was in the balance of all of these characters and mixed interests that the story seemed to get away from Stracher, with the focus more on the water and who has the right to it over the initial interest in whether the children will ever get home safely.

I wanted to see Vera struggle more, love more, and learn more from her adventure. She barely knows this boy, and asks her brother to accompany her on what appears to be a suicide mission in order to find him. The farther she travels, the more she discovers about this world, and that the good guys aren't always good and the bad guys aren't always bad. Yet she doesn't seem to process any of this, remaining stubbornly fixated on Kai without understanding the power he holds. I felt that as the reader I learned more from her journey than she did.

Despite my disappointments, the writing is well done and the book is a quick and exciting read. I recommend it particularly to anyone with an interest in discussing environmental issues, as the book does a great job raising awareness about the fight for scarce resources.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Want a different perspective? Check out this four star review by i swim for oceans.

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Book: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: February 15, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC

Summary (from Goodreads): When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

First impressions: This book engaged me from the first few pages. We meet Ellie in a normal high school classroom, then are soon introduced to a mysterious boy, followed by a death. Needless to say, I was eager to keep reading.

Lasting impressions: The fight scenes are really stellar in this book. Moulton has an ease with which she communicates what's happening without miring you in details or slowing the pace. These scenes were the high point of the book for me.

Negative impressions: I felt like the subplot with Ellie's friend Landon was underdeveloped. He has a crush on Ellie, but it never really goes anywhere, and then he sort of ends up with someone else. There wasn't a lot of emotion tying me to Landon and I felt like he could have been erased from the story and it wouldn't have mattered.

Overall impressions: Although I'm not sure that I'm as crazy about the angel/demon genre as your average YA reader, I did enjoy this book a lot. I thought the mix of the contemporary high school setting with the mythology and mystery of the Grim setting was really exciting. I loved that Moulton chose an average high school girl and then built up this mysterious backstory that made her timeless as well. The flashbacks were nice glimpses into the Preliator's (as Ellie is known) past, and I didn't find them distracting at all.

One of the things that really keeps you turning pages is the need to know more about Ellie's past. Since much of the novel hinges on her gaining back her memories, you really feel her anxiety and impatience to remember so that you, as a reader, can find out the answers as well. Moulton does a nice job at the end of giving us a huge payoff for all of that pent-up frustration, and I am eager to see where the next book goes.

Ellie's relationship with Will is simply wonderful. Will is a great character - darn near perfect in my mind. He does have some of that brooding male mystery, not because he's written to be sexy and mysterious, but because he doesn't know any other way to act after 500 years with only one purpose to his life. Moulton smartly chooses to have Ellie frequently call him out on this, with tongue firmly wedged in cheek, so that we laugh at his stiff, quiet, and evasive manner right along with her. It's a nice reminder that sometimes we don't have to take our men, or our books, so darn seriously.

This is a solid debut for Moulton that perfectly blends the fantasy of reaper slaying and the heaven vs. hell fight with contemporary realism. Ellie is a normal girl struggling to come to terms with a past she can't remember, a world she can't quite make sense of, and the responsibilities of remaining a popular high school student. Her strained relationship with her father and the wealth of knowledge she gains at the end of the story provide more than enough plot for her tale to continue, and I look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.

Rating: 4/5 stars