It’s officially #dystopianfeb which (if you know me at all) is a highlight to my reading year.  The awesome Lenore of Presenting Lenore (and fabulous author of Level 2 — don’t you love the title! — publishing from Simon & Schuster) has graciously invited me to gab with her about four books this month.  We’re reading, we’re discussing, we’re posting about it.  Just like we did for #dystopianaugust.  Every Thursday this month you’ll see something new!  To kick it off we’re chatting about Dark Inside.  You can read the first half of our discussion at Presenting Lenore.

Title: Dark Inside [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Jeyn Roberts [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher
Parental Advisory: violence, drugs, language, death
Teachable Moments: survival, good vs. evil

Element of surprise

Michelle:
There were some surprising points in the book (which I won’t spoil for those who haven’t read it) which pleased me.  Not everyone was who they said they were and that made for moments of interesting behavior and turns in the story and characters that influenced further progression of the story.

Lenore:
This element of surprise was probably my favorite part of the book – because I had the feeling that anything could happen.  Some of it surely has to do with the fact that no one really knew what the evil virus was and how it affected people. Most seemed to be almost zombie-like in their pursuit of destruction, but others were quite clever.  It did make me wonder what the ultimate goal of the evil influence was, because it didn’t seem to be killing each and every person on Earth (for that, I would have expected a more systematic destruction of stores and food sources – as it was, it seemed too easy for those on the run to survive).

Michelle: 
And see, that’s one of my problems (not the element of surprise that is) with this story.  There wasn’t a whole lot of consistency.  Maybe there is a purpose for the randomness that will be explained further down the line but without some cohesiveness and clarity in this story who really wants to find out later, you know?  Even so, I liked some of the unpredictability (in small doses) it mixed things up and made the story feel more suspenseful.  This was a good thing.

Lenore:
Yay for suspense!

Point of view

Michelle:
Initially I was excited for the multiple points of view.  I was looking forward to seeing the variety that experiencing the catastrophe from different angles was going to bring.  Unfortunately it was far too disjointed. Moreover, it took way to long for all of the different stories to finally converge and get to a somewhat meaningful point.

Lenore:
When you do multiple points of view, you need to make them all equally compelling and distinct.  Here we have four main points of view, Michael, Mason, Clementine and Aries.  At first, I was really drawn into their stories because they all start with a bang – the world changing inciting incident.  Clementine’s first chapter was probably my favorite, just because the idea of half the town going crazy and burning the other half alive is so creeptastic. Now this may be a little unfair of me, because we’re discussing a book I read several months ago, but honestly the narratives all blend together in my head and I’d be hard pressed to tell you which character experienced what.  To me that says the characters weren’t distinct or memorable enough.

Michelle:
I agree Clementine was my favorite because it had a more unexpected and probably (zombies aside) most realistic feel to it.  Her running away, needing to survive, etc. that was all something that could happen to anyone.  Aries, on the other hand, her story felt a bit forced.  She was the one who brought the good vs. evil story to the forefront with her interaction with the weird guy who knew things but we didn’t know exactly what.  There is only so far the action of world destruction is going to carry a story and having the four characters more differentiated and in deeper stories would have made a difference.

Lenore: 
Don’t get me wrong – while I was reading, I wanted all the POV characters to survive so it’s not like I didn’t connect with them at all.  I just might have liked more reasons to really care.

Dark Inside was definitely an action packed read.  One that will keep you on your toes!  The potential for conversation surrounding good versus evil is certainly there and worthy of exploration.

Title:

“I could take care of Kathryn if I wanted to, just like I did then. After that Homecoming punch, people got the message: if they wanted to be friends with me then they couldn’t be friends with her. And that was all it took.”

Summary(from the publisher):

What if your worst enemy turned out to be the best friend you ever had?

Meet Brooke: Popular, powerful and hating every minute of it, she’s the “It” girl at Douglas High in Lake Champion, Minnesota. Her real ambition? Using her operatic mezzo as a ticket back to NYC, where her family lived before her dad ran off with an up and coming male movie star.

Now meet Kathryn: An overachieving soprano with an underachieving savings account, she’s been a leper ever since Brooke punched her at a party junior year. For Kath, music is the key to a much-needed college scholarship.

The stage is set for a high-stakes duet between the two seniors as they prepare for the prestigious Blackmore competition. Brooke and Kathryn work toward the Blackmore with eyes not just on first prize but on one another, each still stinging from a past that started with friendship and ended in betrayal. With competition day nearing, Brooke dreams of escaping the in-crowd for life as a professional singer, but her scheming BFF Chloe has other plans. And when Kathryn gets an unlikely invitation to Homecoming, she suspects Brooke of trying to sabotage her with one last public humiliation.

As pressures mount, Brooke starts to sense that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had. But Kathryn has a decision to make. Can she forgive? Or are some rivalries for life?

Opinion:
If any of you have been following my reading progress on Goodreads it was made very very clear that this book and I did not get along.  I didn’t hide my disdain while reading it, but I finished it to give it the benefit of the doubt. Sadly my opinion did not change by the end.  I found the whole story, the characters and the plot points, underwhelming, annoying and a tad predictable. I must apologize if this is slightly spoilerish.

Rival is about two girls, Brooke and Kathryn, that dream of winning a highly respected singing competition in their small town in Minnesota.  As freshman they are both accepted into the honors choir program(something basically unheard off), but that is their only connection.  They are from two different worlds, Brooke being popular and Kathryn a loner.  But that all changed Junior year when Brooke’s friend Chloe comes up with the an immature idea to “draft” new friends. Because of this Brooke and Kathryn become fast friends and even sooner they are each others worst enemies.  Thanks to a lot of outside sources and incorrect information and selfish acts they are officially rivals and only one can win the competition.  Bet you didn’t see that coming.

The book is told from alternate view points(which I normally enjoy) and alternate time periods, from Junior year to Senior year.  Through the switch you learn not only what lead to the fight and how they not only became friends but what each girl is thinking and feeling as the friendship falls apart. With this style of story telling normally you can really get to know both characters the author is trying to showcase.  You get to see what is going on in their lives and what is in their heads.  It is a highly effective way to progress the story in most instances, a way to really get to know the characters.  The problem is I didn’t really like what I got to know.

To be honest I couldn’t stand either girl.  I could tell that I was supposed to like Kathryn because she was the one being “bullied” and I was supposed to feel bad for Brooke because she was just trying to save face, but both girls were so self centered and juvenile that I found myself rolling my eyes and wanting to throw my NOOK.  Kathryn thought everything Brooke did revolved around her. Sure Brooke embarrassed her when she ended their friendship, but Kathryn took it too far.  It was like the world revolved around her and she was waiting for her just due. She treated her best friend Matt like crap, was somewhat rude to her parents and was so paranoid it made me crazy!  And then there was Brooke. Her brothers were immature and kept hanging at high school parties even though they were in like their 3rd year of college, her mom thought she was one of the “kids” letting all Brooke’s friends drink and party at the house and her dad ran away with a famous actor forcing the whole family to move from NYC to Minnesota.  Fine, she had the poor little rich girl thing down. The problem was I didn’t believe it.  She kept saying music was what she wanted but never would stand up to her over the top, annoyingly sneaky best friend Chloe.  Brooke thought she deserved things like understanding and respect, but she never gave any to get any.  They both just rubbed me the wrong way and made it impossible for me to believe in their once friendship or their rivalry.

Now with all of that said I want to make it clear that it really wasn’t a bad book.  It was written well and a fast read.  And I’m more then positive that it would be enjoyable for others.  It just wasn’t the book for me.  I didn’t connect with it no matter how much I tried.  So don’t take my word for it.  Try it out and you be the judge. Maybe it will be the book for you.

BIG news!

Today Trish and I are pleased to announce the acquisition of The Book Blogger Convention by Reed Exhibitions (aka BEA).  Now, you all may have noticed that we have been pretty silent about BBC lately.  In fact all things BBC have been pretty radio silent since last year and now we can say that was by design.  We knew that we were going to be letting it go and due to some of the legalities involved we haven’t really been able to talk about anything.  But now that everything is buttoned up we can make the big announcement that BEA will be taking over BBC officially as of today.

So why are we doing this?

Time!  Quality of life!

Trish and I have organized the Book Blogger Convention together (with the help of so many fantastic bloggers) for the past two years out of love for blogging, the community and the publishing industry.  It has been our genuine pleasure to work with all of the contributors, panelists and speakers, and participants.  But as this event grows by leaps and bounds it has very quickly become apparent that neither of us has the ability to grow with it.  We both have full time (more than full time really) jobs, Trish has an ever expanding family and I am having some serious medical problems.  Neither of us, despite our desire to do so, has the ability to put the kind of time and effort an endeavor of this nature requires.  So, instead of shutting it down or putting in a weak effort and crafting a horrible event we were lucky BEA wanted to take it on.

Steven Rosato, Executive Director of BEA, has been an amazingly generous partner to BBC.  His support of the role bloggers play in the publishing industry is clearly evidenced by the fact that BEA felt us significant enough to co-locate in the same year we launched BBC.  Do you hear that y’all?  We add VALUE to their event.  So much value that they didn’t want to see it go away.  Heck, WE didn’t want to see it go away.  We want bloggers to have a place to schmooze and learn and connect with each other and the industry.  That was the purpose and goal of initiating BBC.  It was a hard choice but in the end, knowing that it was going to be difficult for us to make BBC happen this year, we approached BEA with the idea of transitioning the event to them completely.

Now, those of you who know me well know that I am a CONTROL FREAK.  So you must also know how hard it was for me to let this go.  To know that I’m not going to play a big role in something that Trish graciously invited me to take part in.  Something I helped grow into more.  It’s been a labor of love, one that I’ve enjoyed immensely, and one that I’m honored has given me the opportunity to work with and meet so many wonderful bloggers.  It has sincerely been my pleasure.

But have no fear, BBC is in GOOD hands.  It will still be BBC and is still an event I encourage ALL bloggers to avail themselves of.  I know I’ll be getting my registration on tout de suite!  Please be sure to come hang with us on Monday, June 4th when Trish and I become participants for the first time!

“No wonder I’d always felt lost. I actually was. The knowledge felt terrible, but in a strange way, it also felt good. Now I knew why I’d never connected to anything. Why I felt like I was outside the world around me, moving at a different speed from everyone else.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Sam leads a pretty normal life. He may not have the most exciting job in the world, but he’s doing all right—until a fast food prank brings him to the attention of Douglas, a creepy guy with an intense violent streak.

Turns out Douglas is a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and sees potential in Sam. Then Sam discovers he’s a necromancer too, but with strangely latent powers. And his worst nightmare wants to join forces . . . or else.

With only a week to figure things out, Sam needs all the help he can get. Luckily he lives in Seattle, which has nearly as many paranormal types as it does coffee places. But even with newfound friends, will Sam be able to save his skin?

Opinion:
Where is the number one spot to successfully stash a severed head? What makes pressed jeans SO creepy? And where can I get homemade waffles right now? These are just a few of the many fun questions that rolled around in my head and made me laugh while reading Lish McBride’s Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.

Ms. McBride’s tone and playful attitude throughout this tale hit the spot and really tickled my funny bone. The characters find themselves in some painfully awkward conversations and dangerous situations, but they always seem to come up with a smart-alecky, whip-smart comment or response. The story moved along and possessed a quick, sarcastic, fun, laid back feel and pace that made every page, adventure, interaction, and fall out of bed hilarious! The humor eases the reader into this world of darkness filled with werewolves, fairies, magic, and more. A world Sam has a connection with in his past and within himself.

Our hero, Samhain LaCroix, is struggling to find his place in this world. He has always felt a little incomplete or outside looking in, but a big missing piece of his life just fell into place when Douglas Montgomery comes walking through his door. Douglas is the most powerful necromancer (aka “ghostmaster” or “dead wrangler”) in town, who recognizes Sam’s power and potential as a fellow necromancer within seconds of meeting him. Can you imagine how frustrating and disconcerting that must have felt for Sam? Struggling his whole life to find a place or meaning and this guy just walks in, gives it a name, and pretty much challenges him for control of his powers. Let the showdown begin! Sam finds himself in a struggle filled with dark magic and new powers he will have to learn about and use in a hurry to defeat Douglas. Troubles even more terrifying than a life as a bitter fast food warrior fighting to survive the lunch rush with his soul intact! It’s a good thing Sam has his friends and family for support and to issue a good slap upside his head!

Even with all the sarcasm and smart-ass comments, the love and warmth all the characters feel for each other jumps off the page. I truly adored every character and how their love, fierce loyalty, and pride shined through in every situation. Sam, Ramon, Frank, Brooke, Brid (worst name ever), Haley, the Moms, and so many more were the backbone of this book for me. I just knew and felt they all had each other’s backs! A small to “could-develop-into-a-huge” crush has begun to burn for Sean! Hehe….He made me giggle and he wasn’t even in there all that much! Can’t wait for more scene stealing from that guy!

One of my favorite aspects of horror and fantasy is the “yes we have been right here in front of your face” angle. This tale does a beautiful job of creating a matter-of-fact vibe about the whole monster world with leaders, councils, bitter rivalries and even paperwork under the surface of everyday society. Sam is so “yeah-so-what” about the whole hanging out with werewolves, fairies, seers, and the undead. It makes me giggle. It notches up the pay attention to your surroundings to a whole new level. I so want to gossip about some of my favorite parts, but I feel like even explaining the setting will spoil some of the fun. Readers should just dive in and discover the giggles all on their own!

Raising and communicating with the dead is not all fun and games though. Several strong messages of loyalty, finding your way, and facing your past run deep through these pages. As we all know, history always has a way of catching up, repeating herself, or just plain beating the sense out of us eventually if it is not dealt with. Sam must find his past before he can fight for his future.

My only disappointment with the book was the big confrontation. I felt like it lacked bite! Come on! That’s all you got for me? The scene and Douglas himself felt a little reigned in at times, but that could just be my bloodlust calling out. Next time—I hope Ms. McBride knows her readers can take it. Bring it on!

Have fun with Necromancer and all the gang! I cannot wait for more!

Describing Venus (from publisher):
Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident.  As she tries to piece together the shards of what remains in the eerie stillness of life after the tragedy, DAvid — the son of the man responsible — swoops in an out of her life.  Laurel finds herself attracted to him against her better judgment, and their connection will change them both in unexpected ways.

How Mars & Venus Don’t Meet:
Oh how I wish I loved this book.  I really wanted to, a lot.  The copy on the back had me hooked months in advance of publication.  I mean, I’m a fan of emotional and angsty stories like this.  Sadly, The Beginning of After fell short on both.

To start, there wasn’t an overwhelming amount of originality to the story.  Though I wasn’t expecting it to be wildly unique I was hopeful that there would be a few twists and turns that made it stand out a bit.  But that didn’t happen.  Furthermore, what would have helped would have been dynamic characters that built strong connections which also were not present.  Laurel and David were bland and their romance lacked the spark or chemistry needed to make it understandable given the circumstances.

With the exception of the last several chapters of the book, where there was some remote emotional connection for me, this book felt flat.  That it took well over 200 pages to get to a place of significance; a place where it wasn’t just completely benign didn’t work for me.  Now, this may have been a conscious choice on the part of the author.  Perhaps she wanted readers to feel as numb to the situation as Laurel was. In that way, I suppose it was successful.  But as a person who likes to feel hopeful and inspired or at the very least have the ability to root for things to get better I was left feeling at a loss.

The Beginning of After wasn’t a book I had to put down completely. It was easy to read and I was interested enough in it to see how it all ended.  It just fell short of my expectations and desires.

Maybe your Mars & Venus Align:
My inability to get into this book should not be the only thing you hear.  I’d much prefer you end on a positive note.  Please visit these reviews to get more information and make a more informed choice:

The Allure of Books
Miss Remmers’ Reviews
Books with Bite
Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf
A Musing Reviews

Hello my bloggy friends!

I know, I know….it’s been awhile.  But, this thing called work has been kicking my patoot so I haven’t been able to do much in the way of chattering about Twitter or visiting blogs.  I miss you all!

I did want to stop by and say….TV Talk is going on indefinite hiatus.  I’m working 16+ hour days and weekends right now so that doesn’t leave much in the way of time for enjoying television.  Let’s not even get started on the backlog of my DVR.  To put it even further in perspective I didn’t even read a single page of a book this week.  THAT was disconcerting and tragic to say the least.  Not only that but it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better any time soon.

On a happy note, aren’t Andi and Laura great?  Such wonderful additions to the blog!  Be sure to show them some comment love.  Or, more comment love if you already are.

What’s the latest?  Any good gossip floating around that I’ve missed?  If you see me lingering around Twitter for five minutes be sure to say hello.

Title:

“I want to believe there is a somebody out there for me. I want to believe that I exist to be there for that somebody.”

Summary (from the publisher):
“I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Opinion:
The age old question…is there someone out there for everyone?  We’ve all thought it or asked it out loud or discussed it with friends, but have we ever actively gone out and searched for the answer?  I’ve always assumed the answer is yes, that there is someone for everyone.  I never went on the hunt for it though.  I never sought it out on my own, went out of my comfort zone for it.  I was never as brave as 16 year olds Lily and Dash.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is a story of two teens in New York at Christmas time searching for something. They are lonely and alone for the holiday and want something more then their average existence. They want a connection of some sort.  It starts out with a notebook, with a dare, left in a book store for someone to find and evolves into so much more.  It evolves into opening yourself up to someone and seeing where it could go.  Dash is the first one to take the bait and from that point on he and Lily have a connection that can’t be explained.  They pass the notebook back and forth traipsing through the streets of New York.

Through a series of bizarre dares and occurrences Dash and Lily get to know each other and themselves in a way they couldn’t have imagined.  Lily had always lived a very sheltered life, being watched closely by her overbearing grandfather.  She was considered the baby of the family so she was just never allowed to do things on her own.  No dates, no boys, no freedom.  She was kind of timid and unsure at the beginning but blossomed into a confident, capable teen as each dare pushed her farther and farther out of her comfort zone.  Dash on the other hand learned how to not be so serious.  Did he have a sense of humor through the whole thing, sure, but there was also a ‘wise beyond his years’ feel to him.  He seemed to stuffy at points, but with each of Lily’s dares he got to know the silly side of himself and for that I was appreciative.

Although I enjoyed Dash and Lily’s voices, their use of random SAT words, their snark and humor, their all around weirdness, and I loved how they connected the way they did through a form of trust and a notebook, the main part of this book that I loved was the role New York played. From the bookstore where you could actually smell the books to FAO Schwartz where you could feel the holiday crowd congestion to a neighborhood in Brooklyn twinkling in Christmas lights, I felt like I was in that red moleskin notebook. I felt like Dash and Lily were bringing me with them as they opened themselves up and learned more and more about each other.

There was a part of this book that left me cold.  Toward the end Cohn and Levithan added an pointless gimmick that gets Dash and Lily into trouble with a group of mothers and the cops and really should have had no part in the book.  It was silly and contrived because it wasn’t needed or necessary, the voices given to Dash and Lily were enough without a random gimmick.  It took something away from the book instead of adding something which is a cardinal mistake. But besides that, all in all a fun, really quick enjoyable story about friendship and young love.

“He has to be safe. What will I do if he isn’t? What will I do if I’m too late? What if Romeo has — “

Summary (from the publisher):
Juliet Capulet didn’t take her own life.  She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, who made the sacrifice to ensure his own immortality.  But Romeo didn’t anticipate that Juliet would be granted eternal life as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light.

For seven hundred years, Juliet has struggled to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent, while Romeo has fought for the dark side, seeking to destroy the human heart.  Until now.

Now Juliet has found her own forbidden love, and Romeo, O Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy their happiness.

Opinion:
I loved this book!  Loved, loved, loved it.  So very well written in a poetic yet straightforward prose.  The dialogue was modern and succinct but still provided that air of Shakespearean romance of the original.

So lets start there.  The concept of re-visioning the story of Romeo and Juliet in a more modern time but in a paranormalish way.  Now, for those of you who aren’t paranormal lovers don’t worry it’s not overwhelming.  It’s really just a means to an end.  This is a character driven read and an interesting one at that.  To see Juliet as a modern day savior of love while Romeo is the evil foe who is bound and determined to ruin it is a fantastic twist on their story.  They travel over time again and again to battle against each other — Juliet to bring soul mates together while Romeo is charged with keeping them apart.

In this story Juliet is a high-schooler who is setting forth to bring together her best friend and the boy she presumes to love.  The problem is that Juliet herself is falling in love with the same boy. Naturally this makes Romeo angry for a variety of reasons. One because he needs to keep the boy away from the girl but two because his best way to do so is to encourage his former wife and lover to be with the boy.  Jealousy ensues.

But there is a sub-plot as part of this as well.  Because the two of them are trying to finally find eternal peace where they no longer have to serve their supernatural masters.  Romeo (who Juliet doesn’t trust) has a plan to get them out of their respective purgatories.  Only it requires a lot of faith and trust on Juliet’s part….both of which are in limited supply where he is concerned.

There is romance and passion.  Plenty of it from a variety of sources and there is mystery and intrigue that kept me guessing as I was reading.  Basically this is a great action filled story with originality and fantastic characters that don’t lose their original essence while being modernized.

Fantastic read that I highly recommend.

Here are the details on how you can win:

Please note:

1. Responses in the comments do NOT enter you into the giveaway, only completion of the above form.
2. One entry per person, if you submit more than once your additional entries will be deleted.
3. One winner will be notified via a post on this blog of their prize, should that winner not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

** This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher and will ship directly from their location at their expense

Oh, and take a look at the book trailer!

“The virus has a voice, and it doesn’t sound very happy.”

Summary (from the publisher):
When sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her friend leave for school without saying good-bye, she never dreams she might not ever see him again.  But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community.  As patients start dying, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for the town’s dwindling supplies or risk losing any chance of survival.  While everything familiar is crashing down, Kaelyn discovers a friend in a girl she once saw as a rival, and a chance at love with a boy she through was an enemy.  But as the body count continues to rise and the virus touches those she holds dearest, it’s harder and harder to keep panic at bay.  Soon Kaelyn finds herself challenging not just her fears, but her sense of what make life worth living.

Opinion:
The Way We Fall was a slow-paced read through a surprisingly realistic catastrophic event.  It’s one of those stories that paints a very dire picture of events that could actually happen in our time.  In this time.  In that way, it was pretty terrifying.

Kaelyn lives on an small island with her parents and brother.  After moving back from living elsewhere she is relatively friendless and spends most of her time pining for a childhood friend she held secret feelings for.  This friend, who went off island to college, has left behind his new girlfriend who Kaelyn is not a huge fan of.  At least initially.

In short order a bird-flu like disease starts infecting the inhabitants of the island and spreads through the population like wildfire.  As people quickly begin perishing in large numbers the local medical facility, and Kaelyn’s medical researcher father, desperately try to find a cure.  As one would expect, the government quarantines the island to avoid a larger outbreak and so begins the downfall of their local civilization.

The Way We Fall was a very straight-forward read.  It was a story of day-to-day survival that showed the descent of this community and then how it’s population dealt with the fallout of this dangerous situation.  I appreciated that it wasn’t outlandish, that is truck to what one would think is the realism of such situations.  There was the inevitable darkness of hoarding, looting and violence against others.  But then there was also inspiration to be found in small pockets of charity and assistance, unexpected friendships blossom and even hints of love.  Though the story paints a bleak picture it is not too dark.

Where it fell short for me was in it’s pacing.  The story bore little action outside of the more violent sections where rioting, looting and criminal activities were taking place. The rest was much self-reflection and analysis of the situation.  Which brings me to the fact that the book felt longer than it needed to be.  There was only so many times I needed to hear about the medical research, or that another violent act was taking place.  I do realize that this it true to the situation and I appreciate that but it was just a bit slower for my liking.

Crewe does well to show the desolation and despair of the situation.  The setting is (as the story) very straightforward; there was less need here for grand world building.  Who doesn’t know about the typical small town atmosphere?  The politics of local life?  She paints a portrait of the isolation that comes with being cut off from everything else in the world. The fear of losing communication and utilities at a time when they are most needed.  The streets are dark and foreboding, houses completely silent, thus creating a highly-charged and stressful environment at a time when people are already emotional and ill at ease.

I did like the way Crewe wrote the relationships in this story.  Kaelyn comes from a loving and close family.  They have mutual respect and do their best to take great care of each other.  When it is successful they feel small moments of joy but when it is not there is much pain and sorrow.  Further, this tragedy provides Kaelyn the opportunity to develop new friendships.  Tessa (K’s former crush’s new girlfriend) is not someone she would ordinarily spend time with but circumstances push them together and the two form an unlikely bond.  Kaelyn also finds love in the tragedy with a boy named Gav.  As with her friendship with Tessa it grows slowly and allows for a true attachment as opposed to that feeling of insta-love that I am not fond of.

Was this my favorite read?  No, I felt somewhat ambivalent about it.  But, I didn’t dislike it.  It’s an interesting story and one that should be given a try if you are a fan of stories that focus on apocalyptic events that carry with them both despair and inspiration.

I’m going to say it, I’m addicted to reading!  I know, I know, no surprise there.  If any of you look at my Goodreads to-read list it is clear, very very clear.  But I’m still throwing it out there because the truth is I’m not ashamed of it.  I love the fact that I can spend a whole weekend in my house reading 3 or 4 books and doing nothing else.  Do I get made fun of and berated for it?  Sure.  But the honest truth, I don’t care.  I like picking up a book and losing myself in the world of the characters, getting lost in the author’s words or just plain falling in love with the romance of it all.  I am a far cry from the girl in high school, college even, that was BBF’s with Cliff’s Notes.  If my teachers could see me now.

With that said I thought I would give you a glimpse at what I like to read by telling you the top 5 books I can’t wait for in 2012 and why I can’t wait to read them:

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
(February 28, 2012)

To say I fell in love with Lena and Alex’s story in Delirium would be a huge understatement.  That book was pure magic in my eyes.  It was my first foray into a dystopian novel and it will always hold a special part in my heart.  Since finishing Delirium for the first time in May and again in December I have been waiting to find out what happens to my dear dear couple.  How will Lena cope? What has happened on the other side of the fence? Will happiness and love ever be accepted and not feared? So many questions and I look forward to getting the answers.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
(May 14, 2012)

I had heard amazing things about Divergent.  Everyone that read it couldn’t gush enough.  They told me about the chemistry between Four and Tris.  About the world they were living in and the love story.  They told me I would not want to put it down once I started.  And they were all 100% correct.  I picked up Divergent and didn’t close it until I was finished.  And when I was finished I wanted more.  I wanted to know what things would be like for Four and Tris now that everything had changed and the saw the world for what it is.  This is a highly anticipated follow-up for sure.

Letting Go by Tabitha Suzuma
(August 2012)

When I first heard about Forbidden I was unsure.  It seemed a little too out there for me to read. I debated with myself if I should go there or not and eventually I caved and I have never been so happy that I did.  Suzuma wrote such a poignant story of love and loss and pain that I couldn’t put it down.  She has such a beautiful way of writing that you just forget what you are reading and just enjoy.  To me it doesn’t matter what the book is about this time.  I just need to read more of Suzuma’s incredible talent.

The Kill Order by James Dashner
(August 14, 2012)

The Maze Runner series was simply amazing.  The world that Dashner created had me on the end of my seat in all three books.  It was believable in an unbelievable sort of way and made me want to know how it all started.  The announcement that we would all be able to find out made me ecstatic.  Instead of building off what was a great ending he is going to build backwards to an even better beginning.  The Kill Order is no doubt going to be one of those end of your seats, heart pounding reads like Dashner loves to do.

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
(January 3, 2012)

Although this book is currently out I have yet to read it but plan to soon.  I first feel in love with Ockler during Fixing Delilah and that love only grew with Twenty Boy Summer.  She has a way about her that makes you love the characters and the story line being told.  She can break your heart and put it together in a simple sentence and I commend that.  To me, that is what makes a great author and a book people will be talking about for years.  I have no doubt Bittersweet will be more of the same.

It was hard to pick out just five.  Easily This Is So Not Happening by Kiernan Scott or Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg or even Revived by Cat Patrick could have made the list, all three authors hitting a note with me last year.  But when I really thought about it these are the ones.  These are the five that I can’t wait for more then anything.  The stories I read by these five authors meant something to me leaving me needing more.

What are your five?

Title:

“When you lose someone, lots of things go on hold.  But you eventually come out of the fog and want to live again.”

Summary (from the publisher):

When Winter’s boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she’s robbed of the future she’d only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer’s presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can’t change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love?

Opinion:
It will never cease to amaze me how our worlds, dreams, and personalities—our very beings—are colored, supported, and influenced by the people around us.  When we loose someone close to us everything can change.  Things we loved doing are now painful.  People we once looked upon with love now cause pain laced with memories of the one we lost.  So. How do we keep going?

Winter Longing by Tricia Mills tells the story of such loss and the struggle the heart faces to try to move on.  Readers are introduced to Winter Craig on the most painful day of her life.  The day she lost Spencer, her best friend and first love.  The boy she just risked telling she liked more than just a friend.  Taken from her life with such sudden force and pain.  Spencer’s death changes everything in Winter’s life.  Spencer was a part of her everyday, her future, her dreams, her everything.  Where does she go to escape the pain and memories to find peace and comfort?

Look no farther than the boy next door! Oh-how I love that boy next door! Jesse Kerr is adorable, strong, and seemingly everywhere Winter needs a shoulder, hand up, or someone to listen. Sigh…The boy melted my heart at times with his concern and warmth. Winter and Jesse develop a new friendship filled with a lot of heat and longing. Winter’s heart starts to flutter for Jesse along with increasing guilt of their growing attraction. Can she have feelings for Jesse so soon after losing Spencer? How can she move on, be happy, and possibly love again with someone new? The struggle to be happy in the face of grief is a battle we will probably never have a clear-cut answer to in this world—the heart heals and moves on when it is ready. A little neighborly love doesn’t hurt either!

For me though, the most important ingredient of this book was the likeability of the characters. I really liked them all—Winter, her best friend Lindsay, Spencer, and Jesse made me cry, laugh, cheer, and swoon a bit. Even though Spencer was lost to us early in the book, readers still get to see, know, and love him through Winter’s memories, which were layered throughout the book and break up each chapter. The technique was a beautiful way to make readers feel Winter’s deep loss and longing for Spencer through out the story. Alaska herself might have been my favorite character though. The beautiful descriptions of the land, people, snow, “brrrrr-in-my-bones”cold weather, darkness, colors, hockey, and characters in nature all brought this tale to life in a magical, warm way.

“The winter chill was sniffing at Alaska’s door, trying to find a way in so she could blanket the land with snow, freeze the Naknek in to a rough sheet of ice, and invite long hours of darkness out to play.”

Winter Longing does a beautiful job of showing readers that grief is a process that changes moment to moment. Winter realizes she has to go on with her life, to learn to be friends with Lindsay one on one without Spencer, help others through their pain, and perhaps try to love again. You might be fine one day and then backslide all the way back to a big ole sobbing ball in bed the next, which is okay—as long as you get back up and try again. Love, friendship, kindness, and remembering are the best way to help a heart heal. Winter may just inspire you to open up your heart to love again.

Title:

“With a sinking feeling, she realized she’d ruined the plan.  She needed Mather.  Without a hostage, she had nothing to bargain with, no way to get the guards to open the locks on her mother’s cage.”

Summary (from the publisher):
If a violent battle destroyed the only world you’ve ever known, would you be brave enough to save who was left? Would love be strong enough to survive the fight? Either way, there’s no turning back.

The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. Part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers of New Earth. Waverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. Everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Still, there’s a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage, and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

Suddenly, Waverly’s dreams are interrupted by the inconceivable – a violent betrayal by the Empyrean’s sister ship, the New Horizon. The New Horizon’s leaders are desperate to populate the new planet first, and will do anything to get what they need: young girls. In one pivotal moment, Waverly and Kieran are separated, and find themselves at the helm of dangerous missions, where every move has potentially devastating consequences, and decisions of the heart may lead to disaster.

Opinion:
At the outset of this book I wasn’t quite sure I was going to make it through.  Not only was it a tad slow in the early chapters but it when it finally got going the abduction of the girls from the Empyrean had a bit of a creep factor (think leering older men vibe) that was a bit off-putting for me.  Generally, I’m not prudish in my reading but for some reason it really rubbed me the wrong way.   But, given the fact that so many of my trusted go-to reviewers loved it (and I was reading it for book club) I knew I needed to power through.

So glad I did!  Glow turned out to be one of the more compelling books I’ve read.  There is so much discussable content that it makes the perfect classroom or book club read.  It’s not polarizing but it is definitely a book that allows for strong opinions on either side of a debate. And much debate there is to be had — politics, faith, freedom of choice, etc.

I’ll start by discussing characters.  Waverly was very strong and powerful; a true leader in every sense of the word.  When taken from her home and forced to live in a more puritanical setting she didn’t retreat into her shell to hide.  She didn’t just blindly accept and give up hope.  No, she (being an extremely intelligent and resourceful young woman) went to work plotting how to get all of the girls abducted from the Empyrean home.  She had perseverance and courage, she was unafraid of making tough choices and was admirable in her ability to act upon them.  I found her inspirational and man did I want her to succeed.

Kieran, he wasn’t all that charismatic.  But, that was by design.  I believe he was intended to be reserved and more rigid.  His beliefs dictated much of what he did and said and that made him less accessible to me.  Though he was action oriented and had admirable leadership qualities I found him to be a character I wasn’t really able to root for.  Honestly, the only time I felt like I wanted to see him succeed was in his conflict with Seth.  In that I found him to have a particular strength and vigor that made me want to to see him get what he wanted.

Now Seth, I have a love/loathe relationship with.  I think this is because I can’t quite pin down where his intentions really lie.  His behavior is erratic which allowed me to feel he unreliability.  Does he want what is best for the Empyrean or does he want to make Kieran look bad so he can have Waverly?  It’s hard to tell.  This, of course, makes me really interested in him because the unpredictability in his personality and actions gives a kind of cliffhanger feeling.  The kind that makes me want to see what happens next while still being a little bit afraid of what that might be.

There are a variety of powerful secondary characters in Ann Mather (the super devout leader of New Horizon) who’s actions didn’t always match up with her words.  The family, crew members and children of the Empyrean as well as a number of the inhabitants of New Horizon were quite dynamic.  There was a bit of a push pull in them all where many were dedicated to either helping the girls or the cause of saving the New Horizon.  In some cases there were characters that were split between both.  In this case the characters furthered the right vs. wrong argument and the debate over whether saving their particular lifestyle through population control was more important than the girls freedom of choice.

When it comes to the romance department, Ryan did well with the love triangle.  Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of Keiran in the romantic sense I can see why Waverly loved him.  She grew up with him and was practically raised to love him.  They had a deep bond and affection.  But she also felt connected to Seth.  He brought mystery, spontaneity and a passion into her life that she’d not yet experienced.  That was a powerful attraction she couldn’t deny.  As a result her conflicted feelings are completely believable. It was also a such a small part of the story, a part that was infused to set up further conflict in the series I suspect, that it wasn’t overwhelming or burdensome.

This brings me to the plot.  Man, the whole taking the girls to be incubators story was interesting.  Creepy, at times, but interesting.  Mainly because it was used as the catalyst for the great religious debate and some of the ironies inherent in the idea that what is preached is directly contradicted by people’s actions.  The Empyrean was less devout than the New Horizon so there was a great deal of focus on the differences in their belief structures and how they lived their lives.  I don’t generally enjoy books that do a lot of preaching or analysis of religion but I have to say Glow did it right.  There wasn’t a time I felt like I was being hit over the head with a particular religious or spiritual viewpoint.  Only that such focus was used as a distinguishing factor between the two populations of potential New Earth inhabitants.  it was a different kind of space race, the kind where one population wanted to be larger and more dominant so when they converged there was power in numbers.  It was a very compelling story to read.

I can’t say much about the world building mainly because I don’t think Glow was really about it’s larger environment.  It’s a character based story so while the setting does matter it’s not the element that matters most.  The most significant role it plays is because New Earth (which we know little about) is where the two ships are trying to get to and because those ships have created the segregation between populations.  Outside of that knowing the look and feel of the characters surroundings doesn’t much matter.  At least to me it anyway.

An excellent sci-fi adventure with some real meat on it’s bones.  Filled with excellent characters and enthralling plot lines it’s one that will not disappoint.

Title: 

Describing Venus (from publisher):
For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery.  Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as aery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another.  But he won’t comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his strangle hold on the Faery court is his wife….Eloise’s aunt Antonia.  Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign.  Now Eloise must become the rescuer.  Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan’s mysterious son, Eldric who may or may not betray them.

How Mars & Venus Don’t Meet:
As much as I love Harvey’s Drake Chronicles series I can’t quite put a finger on exactly why her other books haven’t worked well for me.

So here’s the thing.  I think I would have liked this book so much better if the focus of the story had been on Jo and Eldric.  As characters they were far more charismatic and enjoyable than main character Eloise and her romantic entanglement Lucas.  The latter two were very vanilla in their personalities and didn’t have a whole lot of depth.  Whereas Jo and Eldric had personality to spare.

The plot was simple and predictable not that this is bad as it has been my experience that the ability to craft story in the Faery world is incredibly difficult.  There is only so much to work with.  It always ends up being a battle for the crown.  In this case, the plot should have been secondary to the characters (as it was) but unfortunately some of those characters just weren’t compelling so it dragged down the whole experience for me.

I’ll also add that there was a whole lot of insta-love in the romance departments here.  The kind where on one page there was nothing and the next it was “oh my gosh I need you forever”.  Again, with Jo and Eldric their characters were far more fun and had better conflict so that was more easily overlooked.  With Eloise and Lucas it felt far more disjointed.  This is most likely because neither made for a fantastic stand-alone character so putting them together made no real difference.

Harvey’s writing style is still the right combination of prose and dialogue (which I prefer) and there isn’t any shortage of action.   I was happy that it was so fast paced as it made for a quick read.

Maybe your Mars & Venus Align:
My inability to get into this book should not be the only thing you hear.  I’d much prefer you end on a positive note.  Please visit these reviews to get more information and make a more informed choice:

Dot Scribbles
My Favourite Books
Read My Mind

Title:

“But hey, at least we’ll have this strange story to tell, love and death and blood and daddy issues.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Opinion:
I sometimes, occasionally, every once in awhile—giggle, giggle—okay, okay…I fall for fictional characters a lot! This past year quite a few characters have swept through my heart and many more have remained there. But, once in a blue moon, I fall head over heels in love with an author! After reading Anna Dressed in Blood, I have the biggest crush on Kendare Blake!

This book had me at “hello”. The cover jumped right out and spoke to me. What a gorgeous introduction! Then as the pages turned taking me deeper into the tale, the language and words washed over me, formed and fell out of my mouth, and made me smile, laugh, jump, and swoon! The beautiful prose will pull you right into a breathtaking embrace causing tingles and chills up and down your spine!

Anna Dressed in Blood is a ghost story wrapped up with love, friends, family, scares, chills, blood, and voodoo!  A tale brimming with spookiness and dark beauty that made me sit up and yell–”What are you crazy?–Don’t go in there!” more than once. Is there anything better than a good old fashion dark, creepy, and creaky haunted house?  Every town has one or should!  Cas actually says it so much better:

“But hey, at least we’ll have this strange story to tell, love and death and blood and daddy issues.”

Theseus Cassio Lowood (Cas) is a hunter of evil, ghosts, and various big bads like his father before him. When we are introduced to Cas, he is set on killing Anna Korlov—Anna Dressed in Blood. Sounds like any other job on the surface, but nothing feels black and white on this one to Cas, which makes my heart very happy. Good vs. Evil should not be so clear cut. People and life do not work like that. Kendare Blake presents this struggle with such grace, beauty and pain. Can something made by evil be used for good? Can someone forced to do such evil make amends? Cas, Anna, and all the ghost busters will have to find out.

Cas and Anna could very well be the most adorable pair. When we first meet Cas, he possesses and portrays this just-swinging-through-town, cool as the other side of the pillow persona, but as the tale begins to come to light and friendships begin to form we see our hero’s heart. I loved the hands in his pockets, shuffling from foot to foot, blushing, tug on your heart Cassio that Anna brings out in him! It was done in such beautiful, subtle, flirty ways. I adored their time together.

I realize horror is not for every one, but the star of this show is Anna.  She is a strong, beautiful, deadly, mysterious young woman who stands up for herself and the people she cares about. If you are anything like me, constantly hoping and searching for a strong heroine, look no further than Anna.

Anna Dressed in Blood became one of my favorite reads this year. It had everything I needed—from the scares and love to the little things that spoke to me. Any book that quotes Back to the Future, uses the word wonky, and throws in a shout out for Peter Venkman has a permanent spot in my heart and book shelf to read again and again!

I can’t wait to dive into Kendare Blake’s world again.

Hi ho my tv loving friends!!  It’s a new year, which means that we’re finally starting to see the return of all new episodes of our favorite shows.  Even more exciting is the fact that we’re also starting to see the return of some mid-season shows.  Some favorites!!  I’m particularly excited for Shameless to start back up tonight.  I’m also going to be adding in the new Kristin Bell show, House of Lies, that follows it to my DVR to see how I like it.  It looks like it’s going to be snarktastic fun!  I’ve also seen some previews for mid-season shows that intrigue, most particularly Alcatraz so I’m likely going to be giving that one a shot when it starts up.

But, for now lets look at some of the shows I watched this week.  Short but sweet this time because I gotta get back into the swing of things.  Spoilers abound!

Revenge

Revenge came back with a bang this week, literally, as Tyler finally went completely off his rocker.  The boy was the central focus along with some Greyson divorce drama.

Let me start there since it’s pretty straightforward.  Mama G is done with Papa G but has decided, given her charitable ways, that she won’t completely stiff the hubby and is only asking for some key pieces of art, the Hamptons house and oh full custody of Charlotte.  Papa G doesn’t blink an eye at the art and house but puts his foot down on the custody business.  Well, then the lawyers start playing hardball and his pitbull gal pulls out the fact that Mama G signed a big ol’ prenup that restricts her from his money. OH, oh oh but does Mama G’s pitbull have a bit of a twist for her.  It seems Mama G was with child when she signed so it can be argued she did so under duress.  Can you say null and void?  Alas, it comes out in a private conversation between Mama G and her lawyer that she was lying (go figure!) and wasn’t really pregs and that she faked a miscarriage after the wedding.  Lawyer guy gets all snippy and pissed off knowing they are now entirely screwed.  Only, as it turns out he totally pulls through in the end and scores some doctor somewhere to falsify records that show she really was.  Not that I’m surprised by any of this I do find it interesting that it seems Mama G may have come from the wrong side (or at least less affluent) side of the tracks.  Wondering how that will factor in.  Oh, and it seems that Daniel is Team Mama G and is going to take a year off from school to work for Papa G so he can spy for her.  Way to join the family ranks D, in a variety of ways!

So Tyler, he’s just super duper over the edge now.  Without his meds he’s lost even the allusion of rational thought and starts tearing his way through the Hamptons throwing crap in the faces of pretty much everyone he’s ever encountered.  First he goes to Papa G and lets him in on the fact that he’s got video evidence of the lovely Lydia’s accident and Frank’s role in it.  He also lets it be known that he’s in possession of a copy of her scathing speech about what the Greyson’s real role in the whole David Clark scenario is.  Thems some powerful pieces of the pie he’s got there and Papa G is not so stupid as to deny it.  Thus Tyler is pretty much holding the upper hand.  Only, being off his rocker and all, he goes all ape shit and after realizing that someone has come into his apartment and stolen all said evidence (that would be Emily by the way) he goes ripping into Nolan and pretty much beats him down, ties him to his chair and leaves him stranded without a way to warn everyone that T’s finally made his stop in crazytown.  Next up on the Tyler hit parade is a stop at Daniel’s.  Of course T does his best impression of a reasonable man and tries to convince D of his innocence and even hits on him.  D’s having none of it and pretty much calls him a loser and to get the hell out of dodge.  Well, yea, we all know that isn’t going to happen right?  Because all that does is send a crazy gun toting Tyler to Emily’s house (where she’s hosting a clambake for Daniel’s birthday) to crash the party and start terrorizing people.  Good news is that Nolan had the the foresight to call Tyler’s brother to come help with the problem and once there Daniel and Jack are able to bum rush Tyler and steal the gun back.  Tyler is now officially in the hands of the cops.  But, I still don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of him!

There were a few other snippets of things going on like real Emily seems to have some sort of secret agenda going (I know, shocking).  Fake Emily sucked it up and apologized to Nolan and showed that she really does have a heart for her friends.  She’s also so super really in love with Daniel.

Liking the return?  I am!  Still such a fantastical twisty turny show!

The Vampire Diaries

I found this return episode a bit lacking.  Sure there was a yummy, yummy kiss between Elena and Damon at the end and Klaus staked his sister but still it was kind of meh for me.

I have to admit, the whole Klaus thing is getting old.  Does anyone else think so?  Sure, I get there has to be some sort of evil for the gang to fight against but yea, enough is enough lets get this all moving forward to completion and segue into a different big bad m’kay?

So, Stefan has Klaus’ family o’ coffins stashed away.  Of course, this means that for some reason he still has to treat Elena like crap.  Not quite sure why but he does.  Ironically this doesn’t keep him from putting her BFF Bonnie in danger by asking for her assistance.  Ultimately, he also brought Damon into the mix by finally telling Damon why he’s squirreling away the fam.  It was all to protect him!  Dun, dun, dun.  Thankfully that was a bit of progress!  Oh and it also means that Damon is feeling guilty which makes him more protective of Elena.

This episode also had the whole family dynamics thing at play.  Jeremy is a bit on the rebel side right now.  Getting all buddy buddy with Tyler (who as we know is sired and loyal to Klaus) in the woods shooting at crap.  Inviting him into the house even though he knows Elena doesn’t agree and isn’t wanting anything to do with T.  This all turns out to be a big mistake (naturally) because Tyler is part of a plan to help Klaus and some random new bad ass torture Elena’s family in order to encourage her to push Stefan into giving up the coffins.  But, really all it does is get Alaric run down by a car and Jeremy compelled by Damon to leave town and forget everyone in it.

Blah Blah Blah…

This episode was a little darker than usual.  I missed Caroline’s snark and some of the lighter moments.  I also missed that it lacked the really big “holy smokes” moments in the last fifteen minutes that turn the episode and the show on it’s ear.  So, yea a little bit of a let down.

Secret Circle

This episode was all about Cassie feeling inadequate about finding out she’s all about the dark magic.  She’s having nightmares, is able to choke her friends with just her thoughts, and is just generally whiny about it all.  So whiny and nervous, in fact, that she agrees to go with Diana’s grandmother to the woods to try and rid herself of it all.  You know where this is going right?  Exactly!  Grandma tries to kill her knowing that the dark magic is oh so bad and oh so dangerous to the rest of them.  She buries Cassie alive.  Only, yea, that just pisses Cassie off to the level that she actually embraces her dark magic, explodes the casket and all the earth on top of it and crawls out perfectly alive.  Once home with Diana Cassie is appropriately traumatized but admits she liked how embracing her dark magic made her feel.

Then at the very end we got a glimpse of Jake watching her from the shadows.  So, yea, I can see where this is going a mile away.  Cassie is going to get a rush from the dark side and Jake is going to encourage it.  They’ll become the “dark pair” for awhile until Cassie can be brought back to the light.

Sure, Faye will be a distraction in this because in this episode she went to some fake shaman to try find a way to get her magic to work independently.  So yea, people will assume she’s the one doing naughty naughty things but in reality it will all be wrong.

Not the worst episode but the show is pretty predictable still and definitely lacks the shocking moments that the Vampire Diaries typically has.

More new episodes abound next week!  Castle is back and I’m sure a variety of other shows too!  What did you watch this week that was a welcome return?

Title:

“Suddenly I grasped what was happening- they were all trying to save me.  I never thought I was worth saving.”

Summary (from the publisher):

Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides…and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living—or if there’s no turning back.

Opinion:

Meeting new people you never know what will bond you.  Will it be your dislike of something, your fear of something, something you both find funny? Will it be a silent moment or a laugh you share? Or will it be something deeper, something darker?  For Owen, Frank, Audrey and Jin-Ae they were connected by one thing and one thing only.  They all wanted to die.

Finding each other on-line, Owen and Jin-Ae being the only two that “know” each other because they are from the same town, the four teens decide they are going to take a road trip and visit the places were famous people have killed themselves.  Armed with a car, minimal money, the open roads of the US and each other they start making their way across the country to Death Valley where they plan for it to be their final resting stop.

As they navigate the streets of the country and go from place to place, adding new locations on the way to extend the trip, they not only learn more about each other, but they learn more about themselves. Owen the quiet introvert, who had tried to kill himself numerous times, learns how to come out if his shell and deal with the issues that have rocked his family.  He opens himself up both physically and emotionally with Audrey and slowly starts to see things differently, to not feel so alone. Audrey, the breath of fresh air, isn’t what she seems.  She is the rebel, the girl with spunk and pizzazz that doesn’t take crap from anyone.  Terrible things have happened to her in her childhood that have led her on this journey, but there is something so real about her. And then there is Frank, the boy obsessed with sports because his father wanted him to be good at playing them.  Be the star athlete he was never destined to be.  And finally Jin-Ae, the closeted lesbian afraid to come out to her family and to be who she is. All four of these characters become more than what they are on the surface.  They become hope and light instead of death and darkness.

Going into this book I knew it would be a heavy read. The description alone gives that away.  How much more depressing can you get besides a suicide club. But as the book progressed and I became more and more attached to these 4 characters.  I became invested in whether they lived or died.  I wanted them to be happy.

Getting to know Frank, Owen, Audrey and Jin-Ae I realized that these kids were just that, kids.  They were so lost in their lives and in their own heads and thoughts that they were desperate to find a way out.  They didn’t all come from the most stable of families, leaving them with no one to turn to but each other, strangers on the internet.  Through their journey and conversations with one another they found a life they never imagined, they found hope and a life worth living.

This story broke my heart and put it back together. The loneliness all 4 characters felt just jumped off the pages.  You could feel the depth of their emotions, but as their journey progressed you could feel the change in their spirits.  What started out as a trip to end their lives became a way for them to learn what exactly is worth living for.

Title:

“Few people ever kill for the right reasons, June. Most do it for the wrong reasons. I just hope you never have to be in either category.”

Summary (from the publisher):

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’ 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.

Opinion:

Legend is a story about a girl and boy that have been living in two different worlds.  One is the privileged, “smart” girl that is destined for a high ranking in the Republic’s government.  The other is a street rat that does everything he can to take the Republic down and save his family who are the most important people in the world to him.  He has been classified as “useless” while she is classified as “important”.  They have no idea who the other is other than through rumors and gossip until there is an incident that will forever connect them.  I know, I know, it sounds like it has been done, a cliché plot. But trust me when I tell you Legend is anything but cliché.  It is a journey of discovery and love and family and truth.

In all honesty, I was skeptical going into this book.  I had heard a lot of great things about it, hardly anything bad, and I was scared it was going to end up being like a hyped up movie that just didn’t live up to expectations, that the plot was going to be the same thing done a million times in a million different ways.  That added to the fact that I had read a few duds prior, I was just waiting for disaster to strike.  Luckily for me Lu didn’t let me down and Legend was just what everyone had said it would be and more.

I must admit in the beginning I was reading it and hoping for failure.  I was intrigued by the Republic (a variation on Los Angeles’ slum sections, rich sections and government sections) and found the setting to be very believable.  Within it’s confines, though,  I wasn’t all that inclined  to care about Day and his problems or June and her poor little rich girl lifestyle. They seemed to be a little too contrived which didn’t go with the realism of the background. But true to life, the more I found out about both of these amazing characters the more I wanted for them.  I wanted Day to be safe and to save his family.  I wanted June to take her blinders off and see what was right in front of her eyes, that the Republic wasn’t what it seemed.  I truly wanted them to both succeed.

To me June may have been 15 but she was a child.  She believed in something with her whole heart because she was told it was true.  She never questioned it or sought any kind of answers because what she was told was all she needed to know.  That is until things didn’t start to add up, make any sense.  Slowly the blinders came off and June blossomed before my eyes.  She became a heroine and that made her even more likable.

Now Day, Day was a mystery to me.  Like I said I wasn’t all that enthralled with him at the start.  I didn’t really want to know his back story.  He was an Aladdin type to me, a character that had been done. But as the book progressed he captured me.  Because really all he was was a kid that loved his family and wanted them safe. He wasn’t some sinister boy trying to fool the government. He was just who he was.  He was a smart boy with a goal.

The twists and turns in this novel had me riveted and on the end of my seat.  My heart was pounding in my chest during the end and I wanted to finish and let the story last forever at the same time. Lu totally captured me with her incredibly woven tale of street punk meets girl of privilege and made it seem like a story I had never read before.  If you like action with a bit of mystery and a side of romance, this book is for you. I promise it won’t disappoint.

Alas, I still do love me these books and strongly encourage you to pick each up if you have the opportunity.

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater [review]
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater [review]
Bumped by Megan McCafferty [review]
Forbidden by Tabitha Szuma
Where She Went by Gayle Forman [review]
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton [review]
Divergent by Veronica Roth [review]

Each of these books has fantastic characters, compelling plot, and emotional connections that made me want to read the book straight through from first to last page.  For those books I have a review posted check out specific thoughts on each.  For those that I haven’t yet had the opportunity to comment on just know that there is a certain wow factor to each that makes it worthy of your attention.

It’s one of my favorite times of the year.  Cybils shortlist time!

This year I’m sitting on the round two judging panel and I gotta say I really like what the round one judges sent forward for us to read.  I’ll be starting right away (well after the book I’m currently reading) so I can immerse myself in conversation and hopefully pick a good winner that all you awards watchers can appreciate and enjoy.  Sure, all of the shortlisted books — in every category — should be read and admired but I’m particularly interested in the YA batch.

To check out individual shortlists amongst the different categories click the corresponding link below:

• Book Apps
• Easy Readers & Early Chapter Books
• Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade)
• Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult)
• Fiction Picture Books
• Graphic Novels
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Nonfiction for Middle Grade & Young Adult
• Nonfiction Picture Books
• Poetry
• Young Adult Fiction

For those of you interested in knowing right away the Young Adult Fiction shortlist titles I’ll be reading are:

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
• Bunheads by Sophie Flack
• Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
• Frost by Marianna Baer
• Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen
• Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

Which books are you most excited to see on this list?

My good friends Andi and Laura are going to be joining the ranks here as reviewers as of tomorrow.  I’m excited by the prospect of adding contributors as it gives the opportunity to provide reviews and content with multiple perspectives as well as the ability to cover a wider variety of books (backlist, new and pending releases) that I can’t get to on my own.

Don’t worry, you’ll still get the same quality reviews you always do, just more!  You’ll also continue see regular features like Teachable Moments, Backlist Blitz, TV Talk, author guest posts, interviews and, of course, giveaways!  Things won’t change too much with the exception of adding more people to provide more and consistently scheduled content.

Andi and Laura can each be found around the web in the usual bookish haunts too.  Andi is on Twitter and Goodreads while Laura hangs on Goodreads.  Do me a favor, goad Laura into joining Twitter will ya?!?

Please join me in welcoming them to Galleysmith by showing some comment love below.  Introduce yourselves and say hello!

Title: 

“I wanted him back.  I wanted him back so much I couldn’t think about anything else.  Everywhere I looked was suddenly somewhere Danny wasn’t.  My hands were empty because Danny wasn’t holding them.  My room echoed with quiet because Danny wasn’t there whispering ridiculous things to make me laugh, or make me shiver.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Four months ago, Danny died.  In a heartbroken fury, Wren used her mysterious powers to bring him back — never thinking that the Danny who returned would be just a cold shell of the boy she fell in love with.  Now, Wren is struggling to hide the not-quite-living but definitely not dead Danny from the world.  As she begins to lose control over what she has wrought and everything in her life starts to spiral into chaos, Wren realizes that she must find a way to make thing right — even if it means breaking her own heart.

Opinion:
Cold Kiss is not your typical zombie fare.  Sure, Wren’s dead boyfriend is brought back to life but it’s more of a magical raising as opposed to what one would typically imagine like a bite or some such thing.  You see, she’s so devastated by Danny’s sudden loss and so completely unable to deal with being without him that she uses her mystical powers to bring him back.  Hiding him away in a neighbor’s garage she sneaks off to spend time with him as if he was still completely alive.  That is until he starts to change.  In the beginning he is docile and only remembers certain happier times between the two of them.  Then as time progresses he starts asking questions that she doesn’t want to answer about his circumstances.  Then, finally, he begins to remember more than just Wren; he begins to remember how he died.

It’s at this point that Wren’s increasing discomfort with her decision to bring him back turns into all out realization that she’s made a huge mistake.  She’s hurt both herself and Danny even more by making this choice to raise him. Moreover, there is now a sense of urgency to rectify this mistake as Danny has started wandering from the room she’s formerly been able to convince him to stay in.  Knowing that there would be large scale problems if he’s seen in town by anyone who could recognize him she starts the frantic process of trying to find a way to send him back peacefully.  No small challenge, mind you.

Cold Kiss was a far more touching and emotional read than I was anticipating.  I knew that there would be a paranormal element to it but the infusion of the magic gave it a far different tone than they usual post-apocalyptic zombie fare.  The love Wren felt for Danny was so all encompassing and overwhelming that she was willing to do the one thing she knew she shouldn’t.  The one thing she’d actually been warned not to do.  Bring him back.  I can see where grief can make a person do that which they wouldn’t ordinarily consider doing so despite the implausibility of raising the dead this situation felt somewhat realistic.  Having said that I would have liked more historical perspective on their relationship because there was a bit of a disconnect as to how she got to that point.  Using his presence after death as the jumping off point left a good chunk of the emotional punch out of the story.  The few flashbacks given did provide perspective but not enough to really show the deep and abiding kind of love that would be needed to create this kind of circumstance.

Starting where she did in their relationship, however, Garvey did an excellent job of showing Wren’s progression.  Starting at that place where she’d desperately brought Danny back so she could feel a degree of happiness with his presence (in whatever form possible) through her realization of what a mistake it was to do so and then finally to acceptance that she had to rectify it by sending him back.  This was the crux of the story.  How she made that happen while still acknowledging her own grief and getting Danny to a final resting place peacefully.

Garvey created a complex and interesting character in Wren. A girl who can be respected both for positive attributes as well as her flaws.  Though there is definitely an air of desperation about her she has an underlying power that allows her to exhibit a degree of strength during situations most would buckle under.  She’s realistic though — short tempered, angry and frustrated a good deal of the time.  In short, quite realistic for a teen aged girl grieving the unexpected loss of her boyfriend.

For his part, Danny was the perfect zombie.  He wasn’t all a shambling, stuttering mess.  He was a real person who happened to be undead.  His confusion was clear and his frustration even more so.  That he was increasingly aggressive and so unaware of his actions and emotions made him the most understandable (and frankly relatable) zombie out there.

I had a hard time putting a finger on my feelings for Gabriel.  On his own I found him nice enough, though I didn’t quite understand why he was so quick to involve himself in Wren’s life.  I know their commonalities created a way for them to bond but even so, I never quite got a feeling for him outside of his investment in how she used (or didn’t use) her magic.  He never really shaped into his own person but rather was just an extension of her.

The weakness of this story?  The budding romance between Wren and Gabriel.  I get why it was there, to show Wren the possibility of love and moving on is still there, but the fact that she actually acted on that instead of just pondered it came about far too quickly.  Particularly given the fact that this is a girl who loved her boyfriend so much she literally brought him back from the dead.  The fact that she pretty much bounced over to new cute guy number one in two point five seconds felt off putting and even more unrealistic than Danny coming back at her magical hands.  Don’t get me wrong, Gabriel was a sweet guy and definitely someone worthy of swooning over in some capacity but the relationship that developed between the two of them would have been much better if it were to stay more platonic in nature.

Having said all of that, I was pleased that there was plenty of emotionally charged story here.  Wren deals with the loss of Danny not once but twice.  Then she also finds herself awakening to the possibility of moving on which just might be scarier than all the magic and death swirling around.  This is the strength of the book to be sure and if you go into reading it with that focus it will definitely not disappoint.

“But I can’t blame her.  I understand what it’s like to take risks for someone you love…to break rules to be with someone you love.  I angle my head, studying my mother.  I always thought I was like Dad but maybe I’m more my mother’s daughter than I ever realized.”

Summary (from the publisher):
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda exposed an ancient secret.  Now that she’s back within the protection of her kind, she is seen as a traitor.  Even worse though, is the knowledge that she can never see Will again.  But when, against all odds, she has the chance to be reunited with him, is the cost too high?  or will she risk everything for love?

Opinion:
Sophie Jordan, how I adore thee!

I always fear coming into the second book of a series where the first ended on such a gigantic cliffhanger but boy did you start with a bang.  Plopping the story right at the same exact moment and filling it with loads of action to start the story off right.  Bravo!

Alright, so my review of the first book basically went into the whole idea of how much I enjoyed the preposterous (for me) idea that there are humans that can shape shift into dragon form.  Sure it was a surprise that I would like it but I did.  As of the end of Vanish, yep still do.

There was a little more insight into the dynamics of the draki pack in this story.  Enough to enhance what was previously revealed without being too overwhelming and all historical like.  Vanish is the further extension of the story where Jacinda is looking to assert her independence from the pride and from family only this time around she’s more trapped than ever.  Dragged back to her former home by the dark and broody Cassian she’s made an even bigger outcast than ever.  She’s got few friends and her family is separated by punishment and circumstances as well.  Basically, she’s being isolated in order to force her hand towards getting her mating bond on to firm up her place amongst them.

Right, so about the seriously hinky family dynamics going on here.  Jacinda’s mother is kinda on the outs with the pride for taking her daughters (Jacinda being a rare and special form of Draki they covet and all) away.  What story involvement we see on her part amounts to is a whole lot of her trying to be a part of her daughter’s lives only getting stymied at almost every turn.  Then there is Jacinda’s sister Tamra who ends up spurning one of the larger new revelations during Firelight.  It’s a good one too.  One that ADDS to the story instead of diminishes.  The kind of thing that makes the story better and more complete.  Good good stuff.  Then there is Cassian, who is the defacto leader of the pride once his father is gone, and his desire for Jacinda as a bonding mate.  Sure, controlling pride leader daddy dearest is all for it too because, you know, the powerful fire breathing and all that but Cass has feelings and he’s definitely letting them be known.

Anywho, there is a fantastic love triangle in here because Jacinda is still all wrapped up in Will (who she had to ditch at the end of Firelight) but is starting to better understand and appreciate reforming bad-boy Cassian.  Again I say bravo Sophie Jordan because all through Firelight I though Cassian was the biggest jerk on the planet but in these here parts? Yea, I’m all about switching allegiances.  Because frankly Will has turned into an annoying gnat while Cassian got his swagger on but with just the right touch of humility and vulnerability.  Yup, Team Cassian here!

So let me skip to that, the love triangle.  I actually liked it.  I’m not a huge fan of the triangle as a plot devise but have to say in this case it really works.  Jacinda is legitimately conflicted with real and good reason.  Each boy has value and merit as a selection.  Sure, I have my preference at the moment but in the end I wouldn’t be completely bereft with either choice.  Even though Will wasn’t my favorite in this book I can see where he makes him a viable option both because of his emotional attachment and his actions.  Kudos to Jordan for doing the triangle right.

Let me take a moment to focus on the whole character thing because I’d be lying if I said I liked Jacinda as much in this book as the last.  Man, did she whine quite a bit.  Especially in the beginning.  She was a great big bag of self-loathing and depression over Will and being back with the pride and how things were shaking out with her family and former friends.  But then, Cassian started to grow on her (and me!) and things started to turn around again.  Then Will showed up and she got a bit wishy washy, but only for a little bit, until she finally….FINALLY got her girl power back and took the bull by the horns.  By the end of the book I was back to liking her again.  Will….yea, totally vanilla and meh.  Just not feeling it as much in this book.  He lost a little of his charisma (or maybe it was shifted to Cass) and just felt really flat for some reason.  But whoooo-eeee, Cassian was deee-lec-table!  Best character progression (or turn around) ever.  Sweet, sexy, broody, loyal, dependable, caring…yup he was all sorts of perfect (only in a bit of a selfishly flawed way) for this girl to read.  Then there was Tamra, who was still annoyingly, though understandably, selfish. But she came into her own and really ended up taking a stand for her family in the end.

At any rate, I think you get the point.  I liked this book.  I like this series.  I think you should read it.  It’s a fun and interesting take on the paranormal genre with great characters and an interesting story.  One that is quick to read and filled with good twists and turns.  Go on….get your draki on, I know you wanna!

“Lindsey’s words have been looping inside my head all week.  How is it possible for me to feel this way?  To be interested in Cricket and still be concerned about my relationship with Max?  I want things to be okay with my boyfriend, I do.  It’s supposed to be simple.  I don’t want another complication.  I don’t want to be interested in Cricket.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion…she believes in costume.  The more expressive the outfit — more sparkly, more fun, more wild — the better.  But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future.  And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket — a gifted inventor — steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Opinion:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Perkins is a master of the contemporary genre.  In this sophomore effort she writes a fun and fluffy story that entertains with quirky characters and valuable lessons about tolerance and individuality.

So, let me start with what didn’t work for me so that I can get to the good stuff.  First, I found that this story didn’t quite live up to the awesomeness that was Anna and the French Kiss.  I can’t say that is entirely Perkins’ fault as I would certainly factor in the hype factor in the blogosphere and my own huge expectations.  I think, given those circumstances, it would be difficult for anyone to live up to that standard.  Having said that I did feel like there were some elements of the the book that just didn’t work for me.

To start, many times I felt like Perkins was making things quirky for the sake of being quirky….kind of piling it on as it were.  Lola was “different” in a variety of ways and then adding in Cricket who was also nebishy in his own nerdy ways and then add in the two gay dads having their quirks  and of course the older rock star boyfriend and it was just…yea, you get the point.  A little bit much for me.  I’m not typically a comparer but with Anna the characters were more down to Earth and straight forward, the story was more muted in it’s tone whereas Lola was more outlandish and felt a bit more forced.

Even so, I still found Lola and the Boy Next Door to be an enjoyable read.  Ironically (given the overpowering originality of the characters) the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was the message of encouragement for people to be themselves.  That it’s acceptable and good to be the person you want to be and to accept that fact in others no matter what.  I find that threading this theme throughout the book was one that enhanced the experience.

Another strength was Perkins seizing the opportunity to show an alternative family lifestyle.  Lola’s parentage (two fathers instead of the traditional mother/father) arises as a result of being born to a mother who lacks the responsibility and capability to raise her.  Her mother is still in her life — which I think goes to show the complexity of the situation and how well adjusted Lola really is — but doesn’t have any true influence over her.  Her fathers are the sole and primary carers and nurturers and provide her a loving and supportive environment where she’s learned to be independent and free-thinking.  This isn’t to say that she doesn’t have the typical teenaged drama.  Her parents don’t like her boyfriend, she’s a bit of a stand-alone at school and is busy trying to navigate that, and she’s got romantic problems. Sure, the romantic problems are self-imposed but still, a problem is a problem right?

Speaking of which, as always, Perkins’ creates a good angsty romance with a fair share of push and pull between the love interests as well as some external forces to reckon with.  Lola has her rocker boyfriend (again, that her parents aren’t particularly in love with) and then she has boy next door Cricket who is clearly  more straight laced and socially acceptable.  Of course it’s not a stretch to realize who Lola’s dads would prefer.  But, the romance is written in the way that even though there are small nudges from such external forces as her fathers and Cricket’s family (specifically his sister) the crux of the experience is solely initiated by Lola’s own thoughts and actions.  It’s kind of like sweet and sour — where on one hand she’s got her current harder edged boyfriend and on the other she’s got the more docile and even tempered Cricket.

I doubt anyone will find this book has loads of surprises or unexpected twists and turns as they read through.  I didn’t.  But in the end, I quite enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door.  I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to but think it’s a good addition to the contemporary genre and brings the fun and fluff.  Even with it’s touches of angst and conflict it’s a mostly fun and light read; a good pick-me-up!

Title:

“After she leaves, Alex and I are quiet for a long time.  This used to be my favorite time of the year.  It was always perfect running weather: just cold enough, the air thin and brisk, and I used to love the way my feet crunched against the leaves as I ran along the road.  But now I am constantly chilled, more so than ever.  At least I can still lay on the grass,staring up at the stars.  I can still keep watch over my own grave.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Elizabeth Valchar — pretty, popular, and perfect — makes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday party on her family’s yacht, where she’d been celebrating with her six closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her.  When she goes to investigate, what she finds will change everything she thought she knew about her life, her friends, and what lies in between.  As Liz begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding her birthday night, she will find that no one around her, least of all Liz herself, was perfect — or innocent.

Opinion:
Between is a classic murder mystery in which a young popular girl is found dead after a night of partying with her friends.  It’s a straight-forward plot that doesn’t have a tremendous amount of originality to it.  In fact, it felt a little lock step to me.  Murder – check, potential suspects scurrying about – check, grieving friends and family trying to make sense of it all – checkity, check, check.  BUT the advantage Between has over other similarly plotted stories are the nuances Warman’s beautiful writing provides.

There is definitely a lot of prose here so if you’re not a fan of a lot of detail then this book may not be for you.  Careful to provide lush descriptions and robust analysis of situations and locations.  Despite it’s beauty and the fact that it was all well written, at times I found it to be burdensome.  It was just too much and I often thought “just get to the point” which I’m not fond of when reading.  This isn’t to say Warman excludes dialogue, because she doesn’t, she’s just sparing in how her characters verbalize themselves.  Thankfully, what’s provided does hit it’s mark.  Warman gets the point across minimally but effectively.

As it relates to the plot, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see the end coming a mile away.  The reason and circumstances surrounding Liz’s death was clear to me early on.  Thankfully the way Warman crafted how the story progressed made it enthralling enough to make me curious to see how it went from A to Z.  Also, despite Liz’s initial whininess, the  majority of characters created were compelling enough to keep me caring for positive outcomes on their behalf.

So, let me talk characters.  As I mentioned Liz is (at least initially) pretty whiny.  When she discovers she’s dead it’s understandably disconcerting and lonely for her but she quickly realizes that she isn’t completely alone as she’s met with Alex, a young boy who had passed away not long before her.  Together, in their ghostly state, they wander through the afterlife watching their loved one’s adjusting to their deaths.  For his part, I had a bit of an ambivalent connection to Alex.  As the guide through the afterlife for Liz he seemed fairly well equipped and stable, I also found the bitterness and contempt he held for her previous mean girl ways in life to be a good addition, it added some decent conflict between them.  This also allowed (along with the circumstances of her death) to see tremendous character growth for Liz.  She lost her more selfish tendencies as the story progressed and became a more thoughtful and caring person. I actually also really enjoyed Liz’s boyfriend Richie.  He was one of the more typical teenagers — caught up in some questionable legal activities and not the best decision-maker it was clear he loved Liz.  He was a closet academic and like Liz, after her death, he wanted to change his life for the better.  He too showed a great deal of growth as a result of the challenges he faced after she was gone.

Though the plot was more than accessible and a little light on the mystery for me I did enjoy Warman’s scene setting, the journey she created and the characters she built.  The supernatural element of the story wasn’t overwhelming or distracting either.  For those who like a mystery with a little different twist to it I think Between would fit the bill.