Review: Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

ASHES ON THE WAVES
By: Mary Lindsey
Published By: Philomel
Release Date: June 27, 2013
Series: None
Pages:
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Author
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.

With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make a wager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial — and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem Annabel Lee, Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.



I wanted to read Ashes on the Waves from the first time that I heard Mary Lindsey talk about it. I love Poe and I love retellings, so a retelling of Poe's poem Annabel Lee with Celtic mythology added in sounded like the recipe for a great book. And it was.

Liam has lived a hard life on the island of Dochas. Crippled from birth, he is shunned by the other inhabitants and haunted by the wails of Bean Sidhes. The only happiness he knew was when he played with the heiress Annabel Leighton as a child. But at seventeen, he had resigned himself to only seeing Anna in magazines. But one day Anna returns to the island, exiled there by her family. With Anna back on the island, Liam is once again happy. But there are forces threatening to tear them apart, both human and otherworldly. Will their love survive all of the trials that they are forced to endure? And more importantly, will they?

If you have read Mary Lindsey's first book, Shattered Souls, you may think you know what to expect in Ashes on the Waves. But Mary has truly outdone herself with this book. From the very first page I was transported to the mystical island where the love story of Liam and Anna unfolded. There were Poe quotes at the beginning of each chapter that set the stage and told the story in their own way, and out of them grew a wonderfully tragic narrative. The writing is both lyrical and vivid, and everything about the island came to life in a story that I didn't want to put down. Even though Anna and Liam seem like an unlikely pair at first, you can't help but be swept away by the depth of their love. The story is told from Liam's perspective, and his devotion to Anna as well as the hard life he's lived and the way he overcomes it make him completely swoon-worthy.

In addition to the sadness that pervades this book, there is also magic and mythology. I liked the portions for Muireann's perspective, and I loved how the real and fantastical worlds blended. The magic world housed a lot of secrets, and I enjoyed uncovering them along with Liam and Anna. Despite everything that happens, there is always an undertone of hope, reinforcing the idea that love never dies. I hated turning the final page, because even though I knew that the story was over, I still wanted more.

Ashes on the Waves is a beautiful, haunting novel. It is definitely a not-to-be-missed read!

Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

FROSTBITE
By: Richelle Mead
Published By: Razorbill
Release Date: April 10, 2008
Series: Vampire Academy (#2)
Pages: 327
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series. The following summary and review may contain spoilers if you have not read Vampire Academy.

Goodreads Summary: Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...



I really enjoyed the first Vampire Academy book, and I was eager to continue the series. Frostbite was a great sequel, continuing the story while developing more of the world and bringing in new, intriguing characters. And best of all, there was more Dimitri.

After being on the run for two years to try and protect her best friend Lissa, Rose knows better than most Guardians that Moroi are never safe. However, in the wake of an unprecedented Strigoi attack just before the Christmas holidays, times seem more uncertain than ever. Moroi families with students at the Academy (and their Guardians) decide to spend the break together at a ski resort for safety. But Rose wasn't prepared for her mother to show up. She wasn't prepared for Adrian, or Tasha, or Dimitri's possible relationship with Tasha. And she certainly wasn't prepared for the changes that this Christmas holiday will mean for them all...

Danger, adventure, and (a lot of) romance - those three words can sum up Frostbite. But at the heart of it, Frostbite was really about Rose's evolution. She's slowly turning into the guardian she's meant to be, but there are still times that she can't avoid making rash decisions or giving into impulses. Sometimes she acts her age, but at other times she has insights and behavior that are definitely more mature. I liked seeing how Rose tried to develop into a leader, thinking not just about Lissa but about the bigger picture. This book also shows Rose with her mother, something we don't usually see in books with boarding schools, but I appreciated getting to see that side of Rose. Overall, she became stronger mentally and emotionally as well as physically, and I'm excited to see how she continues growing in the next books.

In addition to Rose's journey, there is even more action and adventure in Frostbite than in Vampire Academy. We see more of Mead's vampire world in this book as Rose interacts with other Guardians and Moroi; new characters are also introduced (like Adrian), and I am very curious to see how they affect the next books. There were also a couple of events that I never expected, and I have to say, I appreciate that Mead doesn't seem to hold anything back. Finally...no Vampire Academy review would be complete without mention of Dimitri. As far as YA books go, he's definitely near the top of the list of book boyfriends.

I love the world and characters that Richelle Mead has created in Vampire Academy. I can't wait to read Shadow Kiss!

Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

VAMPIRE ACADEMY
By: Richelle Mead
Published By: Razorbill
Release Date: Aug. 16, 2007
Series: Vampire Academy (#1)
Pages: 319
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.



I tend to be late to a lot of things, so I shouldn't be surprised at myself for taking so long to start this series. However, now that I've finished Vampire Academy, I don't know why I waited so long to read this book. Something about this story immediately drew me in and kept me turning pages without realizing any time had passed.

Rose and Lissa have been on the run from St. Vladimir's Academy, but they both knew it couldn't last forever. When they're brought back by school guardians, Rose and Lissa realize that returning to life there will be more difficult than they thought. They're behind in their classes, and the danger that Rose tried to help Lissa avoid certainly hasn't gone away. While Lissa contends with her own internal debate, Rose has a much more physical fight - daily training sessions with her new mentor, Dimitri. He pushes her past all limits - including those she didn't know she had. As with any high school, rumors abound, and many are about Lissa. To make matters worse, someone seems to have it out for her. Can Rose fulfill her job as a guardian and and keep Lissa safe? And will Lissa and Rose ever be able to return to the life they once knew?

I can sum up everything good about Vampire Academy in one word: Dimitri. All right, that's really not true, but Dimitri is rather great. Handsome, mysterious, a skilled fighter, and able to whisper things in another language...what's not to love? I have a weakness for guys like that, and I loved seeing Dimitri throughout the book. However, in addition to Dimitri, I enjoyed the other characters too. Rose occasionally annoyed me, but most of the time I loved her snark. I also thought it was great to see such a strong friendship in the story, and I liked her fierce determination to protect Lissa. Christian was intriguing as well, even if he couldn't quite live up to Dimitri, and I'm looking forward to seeing how his character is developed in the future books. Beyond the characters, the world brings yet another fresh perspective to vampires - Richelle Mead has her own spin on the creatures, and I enjoyed the lore associated with them. After all of the vampire novels I've read, it was nice to find a vampire story I could still appreciate.

The story itself was fast-paced with a great balance between mystery, romance, action, and introspection. The book managed to surprise me with some of the events, which doesn't always happen. Yet I still wanted more from the whole story - more information, more fleshed-out scenes, more of the world. I'm sure all of this will come as the series unfolds, but I've never been one for patience. I can't wait to keep reading this series to see what happens next.

If you've been debating about reading these books, or just never gotten around to them, move them up on your to-read list. This is definitely a series worth picking up!

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

BORN WICKED
By: Jessica Spotswood
Published By: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: Feb. 7, 2012
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles (#1)
Pages: 330
Genre: Historical Fiction / Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship — or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood — not even from each other.



Witches are one of my favorite paranormal creatures. Maybe it's because witchcraft seems more possible than something like shapeshifting, or maybe it's because of Harry Potter, but regardless, I love witches. So when I learned that Born Wicked combined witchcraft with historical fiction and a little romance, I knew that I had to read it.

Cate Cahill has a good reason for keeping herself and her sisters out of society as much as possible. People might whisper that the Cahill sisters are eccentric, but Cate hopes to keep them from guessing a worse truth - that the Cahill sisters are witches. Since their mother's death, Cate has tried to keep her sisters and their magic under control as best as she could. However, once Cate finds her mother's diary, magic is all that is on her mind. Well, magic and a certain boy named Finn Belastra. As Cate begins to unravel the prophecy and secrets in her mother's diary, Cate realizes that she has to be more careful than ever, not only with her magic but also with her heart. But how long can the truth stay hidden...about anyone?

Born Wicked is a book that draws you in from the beginning and keeps you turning pages because you never know what will happen next. There is no shortage of intrigue, scandal, and secrets throughout the course of the book, and I stayed up most of the night reading it. Cate is a character who is frustrating at the beginning but soon becomes someone easy to sympathize with. She's taken on the responsibility for her family and is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of her sisters. Both Maura and Tess are developed with Cate, and their interactions all felt real. In addition, I loved watching her relationship with Finn develop - there was definitely chemistry between them - and I enjoyed seeing Cate come into her own and embrace her magic.

The one thing that did bother me about this book was the setting. It's set in an alternate 1890, and while I liked the idea, it never felt quite authentic to me. While some elements of the setting were definitely vivid, it was hard to be fully immersed in the world. Despite this, I enjoyed the other aspects this book. The last fifty pages were such a roller coaster, and the ending left me needing the next book already.

Born Wicked is a great debut novel from Jessica Spotswood, blending genres into a spellbinding story. I can't wait to see what happens next for Cate!

Review: My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend

MY LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE
By: Natasha Friend
Published By: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 21, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 294
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: What if you lost the thing that made you who you are?

Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield. Now she's not sure what's worse: the scars she'll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her trombone-playing, defiantly uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she's much more than just a pretty face.



The beginning of the summary poses a very interesting question - if you lost one thing that defined you, how would you define yourself? That premise coupled with the cover made this book one that I knew I'd have to read.

Lexi knows that she is beautiful - she has been told so all her life, even by strangers. Even her best friend Taylor approached her years ago because she was pretty. Her life seems to be fairly perfect. But in one night, that all disappears. Lexi sees the unthinkable happening between her best friend and her boyfriend. Desperate to escape the sight, she gets into a car with someone who's more interested in her than in watching the road...and before she knows it, her face has gone through a windshield. After being hospitalized and enduring several surgeries, she's faced with the task of putting her life back together. But how can she do that with no best friend, no boyfriend, and a less-than perfect face? Now that she can't rely solely on her beauty, who will Lexi be?

In Lexi's struggle to reinvent her life, this book explores a lot of relationships - those with family, those with friends, and romantic relationships. Throughout the book she spends more time than she expected with her mother and her sister, coming to know her sister especially in a way that she hadn't before. As for her friends, Lexi has to decide which is more important - her anger or her friendships. Finally, Lexi saw that sometimes love can be found in unlikely places. With all of these things, I have to say that I really liked the person Lexi grew to be. She definitely went through a process similar to the five stages of grief, but she made it through them. This book really shows how you can take control of your life and recover from setbacks if you're willing to work at it.

The one thing that I really would have liked to have seen more of is the relationship between Lexi and Theo; it felt a bit rushed and glossed over. However, I really enjoyed the time that we did see between them. I also liked the activity that Lexi picked up as she worked to rebuild her life - it's something not often seen, and that made her character stand out. Even after finishing this book, I've wondered if Lexi's life continued on the new path she set it on.

My Life in Black and White is a quick read but one with a lot packed into its pages. I look forward to reading more from Natasha Friend!

Review: Rift by Andrea Cremer

RIFT
By: Andrea Cremer
Published By: Philomel
Release Date: Aug. 7, 2012
Series: Nightshade Prequel (#1)
Pages: 413
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

This book is a prequel to the Nightshade trilogy, which includes Nightshade, Wolfsbane, and Bloodrose. To see those reviews, click the name of the book. You do not have to have read Nightshade to read Rift.

Goodreads Summary: Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.



It's no secret that I love Andrea Cremer's books. If you've read my reviews of the Nightshade trilogy books, you know that I think Andrea Cremer is brilliant and that her books are amazing. Rift was one of my most-anticipated books of 2012, and it did not disappoint.

Ember Morrow has been promised to Conatus after healers saved her mother's life during childbirth. Ember is excited to go - she would much rather fight than be subject to an arranged marriage. Her friend Alistair is there also, and she has missed him while he was at Conatus a year before her. But Ember never expected that her arrival at Conatus would cause such a stir, and she finds herself choosing her own path despite her father's wishes. She expects things to calm down, but that is before Barrow Hess himself becomes her mentor. Though Ember wants to learn from him and make him proud, she cannot help but have feelings for him. But he is her mentor, important at Conatus, and there are many more pressing issues. One of the leaders is dabbling in dark magic, threatening to destroy the world as they know it. Can she be stopped? And what will the fight mean for Ember and Barrow?

As much as I love the Nightshade trilogy, I think that Rift may have been even better, if that is possible. From the very first page I loved this book, and I loved it even more by the time I had finished reading it. Set in the fifteenth century, Rift is a wonderful blend of historical fiction and fantasy. The world is fascinating, and I loved the intersection of church and magic found at Conatus. Within this world is Ember, a strong character who brings the story to life. I enjoyed seeing her training and watching her grow into the person she was meant to be. But I have to admit that one of my favorite things about this book was Barrow. Barrow, with his skill with a sword and his handsome features, is most definitely swoon-worthy and now on my list of Top Five Book Boyfriends. I loved seeing his relationship with Ember develop from mentor/student into something much more. There are some very touching scenes between them, and I'm looking forward to seeing more in the next book.

The writing in Rift is brilliant, as always. Everything from the characters to the setting was incredibly vivid, drawing me into the story and making me forget everything else. I wanted to read this book in one sitting, but I forced myself to drag it out so that I would be able to enjoy it longer. My only complaint is that there is a wait until the next book!

If you haven't read any of Andrea Cremer's books, what are you waiting for? And if you have read Nightshade, you certainly won't want to miss Rift. I'm already counting down the days until the next book!

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
By: John Green
Published By: Dutton Books
Release Date: Jan. 10, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.



I think I may be one of the last to read this book, but even still, I have to offer my thoughts. This might not be a "typical" review as far as my reviews are concerned, but then again, TFIOS isn't a typical book.

There are books that make you think. There are books that make you laugh and cry. There are books that make you want to scream. And then there is TFiOS, which makes you do all of those things and so, so much more. I haven't read a book like this one in a long time. That's not to say that I haven't read other amazing books that made me think/laugh/cry/scream/etc. But this book is different from most, at least for me. And this is why. You can take this book at face value - as a book about two cancer survivors who are star-crossed lovers, who have what might actually be a perfect romance if it weren't for the cancer complication, who are both wonderful, smart, quirky characters in their own right and are even better together. You could read this book on that level and be perfectly satisfied with the story.

But to me, what sets this book apart from so many others isn't the snappy dialogue, or the swoonworthy boy, or the fact that even though the book is sad you can't put it down, or anything else that one would typically gush over in a review. No, to me it is the philosophy, the language, the way that I had to reread sentences just to appreciate and ponder them again. It's the metaphors, the postulated thoughts, the way that this book calls into question your fundamental views on life and mortality and then offers new ones. Above everything else wonderful about this book, the language is what really made me fall in love with it and is what will bring me back to this book to read it again.

This was the first book I've read by John Green, but it will certainly not be my last. After this book I know that he will be one of my auto-read authors in the future, and I will be reading his other published books soon. If you haven't read TFiOS, go straight to your bookstore (or Nook or Kindle store) and get it. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. You won't regret it.

Review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore

GILT
By: Katherine Longshore
Published By: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: May 15, 2012
Series: The Royal Circle (#1)
Pages: 406
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free — and love comes at the highest price of all.

When Kitty Tylney’s best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII’s heart and brings Kitty to court, she’s thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat’s shadow, Kitty’s now caught between two men—the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat’s meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.



I love historical fiction, especially books about England's Tudor period. I was particularly excited about this book because it looks at someone other than Anne Boleyn. While reading, I truly was transported to the court of Henry VII and caught up in the gossip, scandals, and flirtations that come with life at court.

Kitty Tylney has always been a "lady-in-waiting" to her best friend Catherine Howard, the "Queen of Misrule." Living away from home while their fathers try to make advantageous matches, Kitty and Catherine plot and scheme about how they can make their way to court. And then one day, their dreams come true. Catherine catches the eye of Henry VIII and is taken to court to be his new wife. Before long, summons also come for Kitty and two of their other friends. At first it seems like old times, but tensions run high at court and secrets are rampant. And no matter how much Catherine might try, she cannot always escape her past. When Catherine starts to fall out of favor at court, what will happen to Kitty? And will Kitty ever have a life of her own?

The thing with historical fiction books is that you already know the ending. However, this book was an exception, because this book was not about Catherine Howard, it was about Kitty Tylney. Gilt is a classic example of a book in which characters come to life. Cat and her life dominated the story. In many ways Cat drove me crazy, infuriated me, and made me want to smack sense into her. At the same time, though, I kept rooting for Kitty. I wanted to see her find her own happiness, and I loved that she was willing to keep trying despite everything that happened to her. I enjoyed some of the games and the glamour of life at court, but underneath that not much was sunshine and roses. There is an underlying element of fear to everything Kitty does, and that kept this from being a completely easy read.

For most of this book, I was whisked away to Tudor England. I found most of the writing style and dialogue to give the sense of the past without being overly stuffy or formal. A few phrases were anachronistic, but for the most part everything was consistent. The descriptions are wonderful, and the romantic interests for Kitty certainly spice up the story.

I definitely enjoyed this debut novel from Katherine Longshore. If you are not fans of historical fiction, I do know of several people who don't typically read this genre and still enjoyed Gilt, so don't let that put you off. I will look forward to reading more from Longshore in the future!

Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

BLOODROSE
By: Andrea Cremer
Published By: Philomel
Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Series: Nightshade (#3)
Pages: 414
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed
Buy the Book: Amazon

Disclaimer: Summary may contain spoilers if you have not read Nightshade or Wolfsbane. To read those reviews, click on the links.

Goodreads Summary: The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.



If you've read Nightshade and Wolfsbane, then you know how awesome this trilogy is. (If you haven't, go buy them and move them to the top of your to-read list.) I was thrilled when we had the chance to read the first chapter of Bloodrose early, and I knew from reading it that this book would be incredibly intense and just as amazing, if not more so, than the first two. And Bloodrose did not disappoint.

Bloodrose begins just after the events of Wolfsbane. I don't want to say too much and give anything away, but I will say this. Bloodrose follows Shay's quest to retrieve the Elemental Cross to use to defeat the Keepers. In this final installment, almost nowhere and no one is ultimately safe, and time is of the essence. And despite the battle raging around her, Calla still has to decide who will be the alpha at her side.

I know I have said this before in both reviews, but it bears repeating. Andrea Cremer is a genius. Perhaps an evil genius sometimes, but a genius nonetheless. All of these books are brilliant; the writing is excellent, utterly engrossing and captivating. Just like the others, Bloodrose was a book that I could not put down. You are constantly guessing and wondering what will happen next, and when the answer comes, it is never what you expected. As much as I love the main trio of this story, I also love the smaller characters. I especially enjoyed watching Sabine grow and change in this book. Despite the high stakes, there was no shortage of humor from Connor and Adne. There may have even been some new romances blossoming with the close quarters and dangerous missions...

And then there was the love triangle. There are scenes that made me sigh, scenes that made me swoon, scenes that made me want to yell, "Just pick him already!" Both the tension and the love were palpable. In the end Calla does make a choice...and I think I will leave it at that.

Bloodrose will make your jaw drop, will tear at your heart, and will make you laugh and cry. And for those of you who love the Nightshade world as much as I do, fear not - Andrea has plans to write not one but two prequels to the trilogy! I cannot wait to read more from her!

Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

THIS LULLABY
By: Sarah Dessen
Published By: Viking
Release Date: May 27, 2002
Series: None
Pages: 345
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?



I've read other books by Sarah Dessen, but this one has been on my to-read list for a long time. I'd heard that it was one of people's favorite Sarah Dessen books, so I had high hopes for it. However, this book wasn't quite was I was expecting.

Remy is an expert at relationships - after watching her mother go through husband after husband, she has to be. Remy has everything down to a science: How long a relationship can be good, when all the speeches need to be given, and when things need to be over. She and her friends have their summer planned; there's going to be nothing but fun (and her mother's fifth wedding) before they all separate for college. But nothing could have prepared Remy for Dexter. He somehow gets under Remy's skin without her realizing it, and it seems like he will stay there. But sometimes in love, things don't always go as planned...

Remy is a character with a lot of issues. Her mother's relationship troubles have definitely made her cynical about love. All she really knows of her father is that he wrote "This Lullaby" for her, in which he admits that he'll always let her down. Thankfully Remy has a close group of friends - Jess, Lissa, and Chloe - and together the four of them can face anything. In fact, even though this was supposed to be Remy and Dexter's story, I loved the interactions among the four friends more than anything else. They had just the right mix of humor, insight, and support. As for Dexter, to me he seems like one of those guys - the kind that annoys you at first, but after a while you can't help but come to like him. He's not a "dream guy" by any means, but he still has his own appeal. He and Remy certainly prove to be good for each other.

Despite the fact that I enjoyed the characters of this book, I did have an issue with it: things often seemed stagnant. I felt like certain scenes got bogged down with unnecessary descriptions, which really affected the pace. Although I enjoy introspective books, and even though I could identify with Remy, the internal conflict wasn't quite compelling enough for this book to completely draw me in.

Even though This Lullaby wasn't everything I hoped for, it certainly had good moments. There are still other Sarah Dessen books that I want to read, and I look forward to seeing what those stories hold!

Review: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

SHATTERED SOULS
By: Mary Lindsey
Published By: Philomel
Release Date: Dec. 8, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger.

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.



Shattered Souls had a lot of advance hype, and after reading the book, I can certainly see why. Mary Lindsey has spun a story that is incredibly gripping and one that left me wanting more.

Lenzi has been hearing voices, and this terrifies her - she is afraid that she is turning into her father who recently committed suicide because of his mental issues. Lenzi tries her best to block out the voices, but they just keep coming. On the night of her birthday, the voices suddenly turn into hallucinations...or do they? She meets a mysterious stranger who just happens to know a few things about her, and Lenzi must accept that Alden, as well as what he's saying, is real. Only Lenzi doesn't want any part of the life Alden describes. She is happy with her boyfriend Zak, and everything else she will handle. But Alden can help her with the voices - the lost souls - and she quickly finds herself drawn into his world. Soon Lenzi has a decision to make: will she lead the life she wants or the life she is destined to lead?

Shattered Souls is a book that you can't put down. I loved that the paranormal aspect was introduced so quickly, and once I knew a bit of the world I was dying to know even more. Lenzi and Alden were both characters that I enjoyed getting to know. Lenzi is a genuinely good person and Alden is incredibly devoted to her, even if I did want to tell him to speak up for what he wanted. Even though the world is new to Lenzi, they quickly manage to work together and are a phenomenal team of Speaker and Protector. Beyond this, I loved the history woven through this book. It was interesting to learn not only Lenzi and Alden's stories but also the stories of the souls that Lenzi helped. Then there were Race and Maude, whose quips added just the right touch of humor to the book. And finally there is Zak. As much as I wanted to dislike him, I just couldn't. All of these characters manage to tug at your heart, each for their own reasons. And if you thought you'd seen evil spirits before...think again.

I do have to admit that several aspects of this book - reincarnation, lost memory, and teamwork through centuries - reminded me of another book that I read earlier this year. Even though I loved the characters and the idea of helping souls pass on, I couldn't help but be distracted at a few points. Even so, I couldn't stop reading until I had turned the last page.

I do hope that Mary will write more books in this world - these characters and the world are too good to let go of this soon! And I am very much looking forward to her next book, a retelling of Poe's Annabel Lee!

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

THE FUTURE OF US
By: Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Published By: Razorbill
Release Date: Nov. 21, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 356
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.



After reading Thirteen Reasons Why, I was especially excited to read this book. Add to that the fact that this book is set in the 1990s and involved Facebook, and I knew it was a must-read.

When Emma loads her AOL CD onto her computer, she has no idea that she will get a glimpse into her future. But that's exactly what she sees - her Facebook page in fifteen years. Together she and Josh, her neighbor who gave her the CD, are lost in the world of Facebook, learning about their futures as well as their friends' futures. Only their futures constantly change based on even the smallest decisions. As Emma struggles to make her future exactly perfect, Josh struggles with his feelings for Emma. However, Emma soon comes to learn that some things about the future she is better off not knowing...because once she does, how can she change them?

This book has such an intriguing premise, and it was very well executed. Haven't we all wished that we could see what our future holds? I loved seeing how little decisions could affect status updates and bigger decisions could change the course of their lives. Reading this book certainly makes you think about how little decisions impact your life. Beyond that, one of my favorite things about this book was the time setting. I loved revisiting the 90s - reading this book was like a trip down memory lane. I also enjoyed the alternating points of views in this novel; they allowed me to feel connected to both of the characters, and I cared about both of them. Emma especially had a lot of growth as a character. Aside from seeing into the future, everything about this book was very realistic and it made for a very enjoyable read.

Although the 90s references may not matter much to current teens, there are still many aspects of this book that would be appealing. Occasionally the plot moved a bit slowly with emphasis on Emma trying to figure out her life. While I enjoyed some of these moments, at times I just wanted to know what would happen next. With that, I would also love to know what really does happen for these characters fifteen years down the road.

Once again, Jay Asher, along with Carolyn Mackler, has written a novel that carries a great message about how choices impact your life. I will look forward to reading more from both of these authors in the future!

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY
By: Jay Asher
Published By: Razorbill
Release Date: Oct. 18, 2007
Series: None
Pages: 288
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.



I have heard so many good things about this book for a while, so when I wanted a powerful contemporary novel to read, I decided it was time to read this book. Once I picked it up, I read it straight through in one sitting. Jay Asher has weaved a tale that is completely engrossing and one that will leave you thinking long after you've read the last page.

Clay Jensen has missed Hannah Baker since her suicide two weeks ago. But he never expected to have the chance to find out why she killed herself. Then one day, a box of cassette tapes shows up on his doorstep. Once he starts listening, Clay learns that there were thirteen reasons that Hannah killed herself, and she considered him one of her reasons. Clay spends the night listening to her tapes, following Hannah's map around the city to the locations where some of the events she retells took place. As Clay tries to piece everything together and wonders what his own part in this was, he remembers his own version of the events, learning a great deal more about his classmates than he ever knew before. But when he finds out why he made the list...what will he do with the knowledge?

It's hard to talk about what I liked in this book, because it's certainly not happy. However, I was immediately drawn into the story, wanting to know what all of Hannah's reason were and how Clay, who is clearly such a sweet, nice guy, was part of this. I loved the dual narrative of Hannah's tapes and Clay's reactions to and opinions about what she'd said. This really added depth to the story and emphasized the point that not everything is what it seems. The same is true of Clay following Hannah's map through the town; Hannah's tapes helped him embark on an emotional, metaphorical, and physical journey. Hannah's story was very intriguing and I appreciated finally learning how everyone and everything related to each other.

While I really liked Clay's character, I had some issues with Hannah. Although some of the points that she made were very true - people don't know what others are going through, and people don't always know the far-reaching effects of their actions - she was also very limited by her own context. She shut down instead of opening up, and even when she found something good she wouldn't let it change her mind. I know that this happens, and while it was frustrating, that is one of the great things about this book - hopefully it will reveal that there are choices and options other than suicide.

This book and the message that it carries are certainly very powerful. I can only hope that the people who need a book like this will find it and let the story encourage them to think. Given the power of this story, I cannot wait to read Jay Asher's next book, The Future of Us.