When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.
As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

My Review

Author: Lara Avery
Pages: 320
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Source: Library

I honestly don’t even know why I’m so angry. Actually, I’m nauseated. I cannot deal with how this story progressed.

Right off the bat, we have a very touchy topic. Kelsey’s sister Michelle dies while her boyfriend, Peter, is deployed. Struggling with the loss of her twin, Kelsey responds to Peter’s Skype and decides that she has to act like her sister to get Peter through the deployment and things get complicated, of course. 

What happened to Michelle was sad, but I didn’t feel the brunt of it because I didn’t even know her and she died in the first few chapters. Instead, I was left with an immature Kelsey who threw all her friends, boyfriend and family away to then toy with someone’s feelings. 

I think, Kelsey is sick. Very sick and struggling severely with Michelle’s death. Her lack of regard for others’ time, money and emotions was beyond my comprehension. How blind, self-centered and grief-stricken do you have to be to ignore right and wrong? 

As for Peter, he was sweet, the perfect forever boyfriend type but he didn’t have any growth and wasn’t very interesting. In fact, all of the secondary and tertiary characters were flat. Non-existent parents except for in the background and to preach in the end, non-existent school  except to fill in the time-slot in a day, and the predictable role set out for Peter’s sister was unrealistic. 

Stories about basically catfishing someone are hard to swallow but I was ready to if there was more of a story arc with Peter and Kelsey as themselves coming to terms with Michelle's death, Kelsey's catfishing, and Peters military duties. Instead, lengthy duration of the cat fishing exceeded my tolerance level and I can’t forgive Kelsey. She had several chances and she blew them with weak excuses. In the end all of the falling action, growth and preaching was condensed into maybe 20 pages, resulting in lost realism and notching my enjoyment level down dramatically.

-MARI

Author: Ann Aguirre
Date of Publication: Aug26/14
Pages: 352
Source: Library

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. 

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. 

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

GOODREADS

Review:
It seems that every DNF review starts with the premise/disclaimer "So I finally got to pick this one up after having read many positive reviews and enjoyed the sound of the synopsis.” And once again that is exactly the case with this one, unfortunately it’s followed by the default, “However, I couldn’t get into the story”.

I Want It That Way is Ann Aguirre, author of YA Enclave Series’, foray into new adult. The story is about Nadia who moves into apartment 2B with her roommates: BFF Lauren, playboy Max and gay friend Angus. They all make an adorable cast, playing, dating and bonding. However, Nadia’s attentions is drawn by the hot downstairs neighbour Ty, a grumpy and tired young father. Mutual interest rises and the rest is history. 

I liked how Nadia came from modest means and was not the common NA heroine with serious psychological damage. She was driven and dedicated to her Special Education degree and this was shown through her daily activities, school, daycare, practicum, home, repeat. It was nice to see a character have a life for once and complain about not having time to eat but sometimes I felt like there was a junk paragraph in the middle of the page telling me that Nadia went to work today where everything was same old, same old; a little unnecessary.

Ty was alright. I did’t really understand him. He was hard to relate to not because he was a father, I think that was my favourite bit about him. His interactions with his 4 year old son, Sam, were wonderful. His job and architecture major were also nice additions, but anything beyond that and voyaging into the world of social skills were questionable. I didn’t find him romantic and for a romance that’s a major of a killer. I’ll say it this way, there were no sparks flying, it was all tell and no show and I can’t take that.

I guess whenever the story surrounds a common or cliche story line there are risks. That could’ve been the main problem here but my issue was more general. There was a wide disconnect between the reader, the character and the plot. Despite being in Nadia's head, I didn’t connect with her, I didn’t understand how or why she started to like Ty (besides the fact that he is a ginger). And the push and pull was all kind of nonsensical for me. I was lost and felt nothing. I skimmed through the sex scene and felt nothing.

It honestly, is too bad because people have enjoyed it, but the direction the story was taking by 56% of the way through was not something that pulls me enough to keep me on the hook. I was intrigued by the possible development of Lauren and Max’s relationship in the future books, so maybe I’ll try that one, but this book is not for me. 

-MARI

Recently, I'm really into movies with great fantastical graphics. Movies like 300, Dracula Untold, Pompeii. I'm been thinking about watching Snow White and the Huntsman for a while and so I finally did. The cinematography looked quite similar to what I was expecting and craving, but the story and the execution was very very different.

I’m glad I watched this one on Netflix because at some point I started to fast forward so I could see the end and be done with it. The story of Snow White is almost a cliche now. We all know it and have seen it played out inside our heads so many times that it's hard to impress. This movie had a different visual take on the story and I enjoyed the narration in the beginning about the three drops of blood and the spell. However, that may have been the only creative element. Everything that came after felt out of place and didn't impress.

There were really three reasons why I watched this movie in the first place.

1. I like Chris Hemsworth.
2. I wanted to see if Kristin Stewart has improved.
3. The cinematography, graphics and special effects looked awesome.

Sadly, no matter how much one like Chris Hemsworth, if the movie’s plot and dialogue has no oomph, good looks can’t help too much. Same goes towards the cinematography that was pretty impressive. It was nice on the eyes but the same could not be said of the acting and the story.

Kristin and I have had a love hate relationship for a long time. I enjoyed Twilight but I never really liked Bella Swan in the movie. Why? Well, I notices Kristin’s awkwardness. It was understandable as Bella, because that is very similar to Bella's personality. But it seems that it's something Kristin can't shake off. She is awkward and carries it to all her roles and that just doesn’t work for me. The other problem with that is, I see Kristin playing a role, her acting never allows me to fall into the story and see a character. 

Overall, this was a disappointment. There just wasn't much development or anything special to keep me interested.

-MARI

Author: Avery Hastings
Date of Publication: September 2 2014
Pages: 272
Source: Netgalley- thank you!

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or “Imps.” A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother’s legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.

Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he’s a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father’s campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.

Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis’s friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's Feuds.

Review:

I did not enjoy Feuds. If it was meant to be like Romeo & Juliet, it succeeded in the sense that it was overly dramatic and full of impulsive characters that make poor decisions. It also wasn't a story I enjoyed.

The synopsis and the cover persuaded me to give Feuds a try. Plus, I love that name: Feuds. It conjured thoughts of deliciously twisty conflicts that resulted in bloodshed. In reality, Feuds was like a soap opera and a lot in the story frustrated me.

The biggest issue that stands out to me is the characterization. I thought it was poor. There's a lot of "this character thought this and felt like this" and there's so much explanation compared to characters actually doing things, and I thought the characters' actions didn't always reflect what was written in this "tell" style of narration. One clear example of that is Cole, who is supposed to be a fighter, good and brave, except he decides to let go of everything for a girl he just met whom he wants to protect and love.

It wasn't just that Davis and Cole were characters I couldn't connect with, it was that they were not real in any sense. The way Davis would describe her family so blindingly, always saying they were perfect was strange to me. And Cole, the guy who is supposed to be so devoted to the people he loves, but who endangers them and causes so many issues because of his decision not to be honest with them irritated me. Together, their romance made little sense.

I think it was a passage where one of Davis and Cole (I can't remember, their narration is not too different) is describing the reason why they love the other, and say something along the lines of, "it's not just that they're hot, there's a spark" as an explanation for their love. That doesn't work for me, especially when the romance is suspiciously close to insta-love, chalk full of "she wasn't like everyone else" from the first time they meet. And then, Cole creeped me out a few times because some of his actions were aggressive. Like, he would pull Davis, whom he just met, away from her friends and I understand why now that he could have acted that way (even if I still don't like it), but the way Davis went along with it was too much for me. I'll stop there, but again, the way Cole was written in the narration vs his actions was a bit jarring to me. Maybe my mental imagery of what happened is different than what the author intended?

The other relationships didn't feel very real to me. I think the narration was detrimental because it just kept explaining so much rather than showing it firsthand. So, while I knew who was who and what they were supposed to be like, the indirect reinforcements of that characterization were not there. Davis, in particular, had a POV that was so much "my parents love me" "they are so great" that I was sure that one of the subplots was going to be that this girl was abused or something because it was just so awkward to have her fawning over her dad and stepmother. I know that most people love their family, but Davis was so bizarrely devoted to them that I thought she was brainwashed or something!

The plot really isn't worth discussing all that much because Feuds is a romance with the romance being the primary attraction. I wasn't feeling that, which is probably why the rest of the story fell apart.

However, I do think that somewhere in Feuds there could be a really interesting story. The division between the Priors and the Imps, while minimally described in terms of history, was fascinating just because of the way the Priors were so brainwashed. The segregation, if focused on more, could have added a fascinating dark undertone that could have given the story a greater meaning, but as far as I saw it in Feuds, it was just one of many obstacles between Cole and Davis.

I don't think it's constructive if I were to write more on why Feuds didn't work for me, so I'll try to focus on some positives now. Feuds is easily readable and digestible, so if someone were to be enamoured by the romance they'd have a nice time reading it. There are also some extremely creative parts to Feuds that I thought were fun, like all the dietary supplements the Priors took as well as the parties. The concept remains fascinating to me, but I can't say I enjoyed how it was executed.

So, Feuds gets 1 star.

Author: Sherry D. Ficklin
Date of Publication: October 7, 2014
Pages: 262
Source: Net Galley - Thank you!

ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES...

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

GOODREADS

Review:

I'm in the minority with this one, and at this point I've accepted that. So I'm here to share why no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't appreciate this book. The problem, I feel is rooted quite deeply into this novel, to the point that almost every aspect had a flaw for me.

P.E. isn't a historical person and so her loving this was what introduced me to this novel. I mean great historical plus Russian royalty? Yes please. I envisioned great world building, character development, proper court etiquette, and a fantastically gripping plot... What I got was none of those. This book is a light romance (if you want to call 1 girl x 3 guys insta-love a romance). Little to no time is spent one bringing the surroundings to life and the plot consists of holes and conveniences.

Sophie was very inconsistent for me. She would boast about being so strong as her father taught her how to wield the sword and hunt but she talks a lot. The rest of the time she tells us how she is ready to sacrifice herself for her family (marrying a king is very undesirable apparently) and how she has no desire for love, then she has insta-love relationships with two other men and reciting Shakespearean and Hellenic love poetry. But once she sees the trouble in the path of her "one love" she quickly hides in her shell but is never decisive on what she wants to do. She wants to be queen but they she wants to be in love and now she doesn't want to be queen.. Boo hoo.

Going into this one, I knew that it wasn't correct in its history so I completely excused that and looked past it. A thing that I will never pass by is historical etiquette. 17th century Russia has a culture of its own very different from today or even 17th century England. I don't mind if Sophie's story is fictionalized but at least try to make sure the world is correct. They kept talking of Shakespeare and Helen and Paris of Troy. The latter I guess would have been translated to Russian or Germain by then but Shakespeare was way to new to have been accepted into different languages. Even if it had been, I found the constant bombardment of fake, one dimensional love proclamations through quotes from Shakespeare and the story of Troy very annoying.

I'm not a big fan of Shakespeare but I've read my fair share and this novel to me is a little bit of a Romeo and Juliet remake. We have a naive girl and a lusting fickle guy and they fall in love after two sightings but of course their relationship is impossible and so they lust away.

As for the other characters, I didn't like any. It was honestly hard to do so as we don't learn anything about them. The book is set around Sophie and her romantic interests. The interests have a shallow backstory and we know their titles but Alexander has no personality besides being devoutly in love while Sergei is dark, loyal and nobel. I guess I kind of like Sergei but I always like the dark, loyal and nobel, he just had no character development for me to appreciate him enough. Something that really bothered me about characters is that I notices some of them were there for one purpose. Example, Sophie's mother. She was plain mean. Hence Sophie hated her. End of story.

I've been going through a lot of Goodreads reviews on this one and many compared it to the CW show The Reign. I haven't watched that show but what I have gathered from it and the reviews is that the show has many differences from actual history and is more about love and teenage relationships than real history. Similarly, Queen of Someday takes a very key historical figure Catherine the Great of Russia and ignores everything else while making a light romance. I can imagine that it is enjoyable for those who appreciate such stories. I always love some romance but I need substance and this one didn't have that for me.

Love Poetry Galore

"Where both deliberate, the love is slight. Who ever loved, that loves not at first sight?" -Alexander

"The last think i remember is wishing that if I were about to die, that I could do it back in Alexander's arms." - Sophie

"I bite my lips against the suffering, for fear I will call out, and for fear of who I will out for." - Sophie

"If I ever find out who did this, I sweat to you, I will kill them with my own hands." -Alexander 

...

"Please don't do anything rash. My time at court would be too dark to bear without your presence."-Sophie

"Her lips suck forth my soul, see where it flies. Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again. Here I will dwell, for heaven is in these lips."-Alexander

-MARI

Author: Robison Wells
Date of Publication: October 1 2013
Pages: 432
Source: Library Ebook

Laura and Alec are trained terrorists.

Jack and Aubrey are high school students.

There was no reason for them to ever meet.

But now, a mysterious virus is spreading throughout America, infecting teenagers with impossible powers. And these four are about to find their lives intertwined in a complex web of deception, loyalty, and catastrophic danger—where one wrong choice could trigger an explosion that ends it all.

Review:

Blackout is an incredibly frustrating read. It has an interesting premise, but being the impatient person that I am, I am irritated that I've read the first book and I still don't understand why what's happening is happening.

In Blackout, for some reason, teens with powers that come from mutations are going around committing acts of terrorism. You really learn absolutely nothing about why they're doing this, and very little is learned of how. The story just kind of forces you to accept what is happening. Normally, I can do that, but Blackout was maddening. There are a group of characters that I don't understand and it's deliberate. They're not likable either: I don't know if they're psychos or if they have their reasons. The mystery of it all is driving me crazy.

I think that's the first thing to know about Blackout: this is a book that will raise endless questions with no answers. That means the world building is incredibly strange because on the one hand, due to the fact that the narration is being done by both terrorist teens and innocent kids you know more about what's happening then the innocents do, but you know less than the minds of the people that are blowing up bridges and dams. So where does that leave you?



Utterly confused. There is mystery but there's no release or relief. The questions pour on but the answers don't. And I guess I'm not into that kind of storytelling.

Besides that, I feel like Blackout is surprisingly light on actual details and substance. I don't find the world plausible (this being the parts I do know of). The characters with powers get away with too much and I think the technology from the military is ridiculously insufficient. I mean, I know little about the military, but I would assume every room in a military compound would be videotaped and there would be microphones. Also, land mines around the entire district from a fence. I'm really talking out of my ass here because I don't know if Blackouts descriptions are really quite accurate, but it's far less fun than a story like this sounds.

Also, I don't like the characters. That doesn't mean I hate them. I don't find any of them that interesting, except for Alec who is messed up but smart enough that I can't help but wondering about his motives. The characters aren't well fleshed out enough for me, and I personally can't relate to them. Like Aubry who can't afford anything but can drive? Like, how? Cars and tests are expensive and if she can't afford new clothes, how does she afford lessons or a car to practice? That's insanely nitpicky but it's the type of thing I wonder because there isn't much of an attention to detail. Jack doesn't really care about his family. I don't know them at all, and at one point he contemplates killing someone for Audrey. Their relationship moved too fast for me, especially considering how easily and shallowly it was broken off in the first place. Also, I really hope that Aubrey isn't shallow enough to have given up her friends for some popularity that she didn't even enjoy.



I think on all levels, Blackout didn't work for me. What it was however is readable. The idea is fun enough- kids with superpowers!- but I thought the execution wasn't that good because there was nothing in the story I ended up loving, but a lot that irritated me. Blackout ends up being a very light read without much emotion, but surprisingly engrossing all the same because the mystery of motive. Maybe not everyone cares about that as much as I do, but knowing so little was incredibly frustrating. It was like I was perpetually in the dark. (Get it? Blackout?)

Anyway, I want to know the why so badly so if anyone ever reads the sequel, please email me telling me what these attacks are all about because as it stands, I'm not interested in reading more of this tease, which arouses interest and then just ends. (The ending was incredibly abrupt. I was shocked when I flicked the page and there were acknowledgements. Nooo it can't end there. Ugh.) I have quite a few negative thoughts towards Blackout so it gets 1 star from me. Although this one could get 2 because it did manage to get me invested in something, even if it did irritate me.

Final reaction gif?

-P.E.

Author: Elizabeth Richards
Date of Publication: November 13 2012
Pages: 374
Source: Library

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-old Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Black City.

I'm supposed to be reviewing this book, and how do I begin? I'll get Dean Winchester to help me so this doesn't end up being too awful.

It was disappointing. You know the stereotypical paranormal? With minimal development and a plot that revolves completely around a strange romance? In the mold of Twilight and Fallen, this was it.

Black City was an extremely disappointing read. I'm always up for more vampires because I still consider them and their symbolism to be interesting. I think Black City had an interesting take on them because it wasn't a paranormal in the uh, normal sense. The vampires, known as Darklings, had different variations from different parts of the world and lived in a dystopia-ish society with a big wall right in the middle separating the Darklings from the humans. 

Darklings were second class citizens that were impoverished and continuously being taken advantage of. Darklings' struggles brought to mind several classes of genocide that I've read about, and the politics of the racism were fascinating. This was a pretty great foundation from a story, and I can't say I'm too happy about where the book went from there. 

I know not everyone is as into politics as I am, but I don't see why everything always has to be so black and white: this person is evil, this person is not. I don't get it. In Black City, a lot of the conflict comes from characters making stupid decisions that they just know won't work out in the end. The characters seemed so shallow and I couldn't like any of them. I mean, I know you're allowed to make mistakes but they didn't feel like people to me. The characters weren't complex, and the dialogue was unnatural. 

There were some parts of Black City that reminded me of other stories too much. There was one interaction that was straight out of Harry Potter (you know, Malfoy's right type of people speech?) and I was so shocked to see it there. Maybe the author was paying homage to one of the best books ever? I don't know. I also found it very Twilight-like how the author would keep mentioning Ash's sparkling eyes. Every time Natalie would look at him, or think about him, it was always mentioned. 

The romance did not work for me in the slightest. It was instalove, shameless instalove, and oh wow did I hate it. The characters fell for each other from pretty much first sight. They start thinking about getting together, and it all happens so fast, and I didn't see the development. It was too fast for me because pretty soon they start making those "I need to protect her!" or "I choose him!" vows, and I'm like, "Seriously?". And this time, there was even a reason given, and I hated it. I thought it was a copout because instead of having characters deal with the shit they do, they can justify it. It was a copout because the author didn't have to develop the romance. She could just point to that, and it was supposed to be it. 

I think she did try to address that, but not convincingly enough. There was even a bit of a subplot with the romance that threatened to turn the story into a love triangle, and it was like, "NOOO stop stop stop" and happily, the story didn't go there, but not before Ash and Natalie made more stupid decisions. They do know about this magical thing called communicating, right? 

And I can't say how much I despised the ending. I was almost impressed until I read the next chapter and I realized Black City wasn't establishing itself as a worthwhile read for me. I mean, of course the ending happened like that. It's like in the bad paranormal playlist. I thought it was another copout. 

So in the interests of not sounding like a complete jerk, I'll mention why I kept reading Black City when it obviously wasn't a book I thought very highly of. 

1. - Hope. I mean, it has to get better? 
2. - The plot wasn't that bad. It even started out sort of interesting before the boring romance began. 
3. - The political subplot could have been SO GOOD.
4. - Family actually did play a role in the story, as did friendship.
5. - I head some good things about the story. 

People have enjoyed Black City, and it's one of those things where I wonder if we read the same book. I'm a huge fan of paranormal and Black City was the type of paranormal I try to avoid at all costs: light, without much substance. I don't think someone new to the genre might pick up on all the ways it's so similar to every other paranormal and maybe they'll look at the story with new eyes. I couldn't fall for the romance, the characters, or the soap-opera like plot. I wish I did thought because the cover is pretty. :)

1 star. 

-P.E.

Author: Len Vlahos
Date of Publication: January 21 2014
Pages: 256
Source: Library Ebook

A severely burned teenager. A guitar. Punk rock. The chords of a rock 'n' roll road trip in a coming-of-age novel that is a must-read story about finding your place in the world...even if you carry scars inside and out. 

In attempting to describe himself in his college application essay--help us to become acquainted with you beyond your courses, grades, and test scores--Harbinger (Harry) Jones goes way beyond the 250-word limit and gives a full account of his life. 

The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying, and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality. 

The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry's description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but he ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love, and how to fit in the world. While he's looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates.

Review:

I don't know why I finished The Scar Boys. I think it's because I wanted to finish something and get that sense of accomplishment. Plus, it's summer and I have nothing better to do. I'm not saying The Scar Boys is awful. I'm just saying it is definitely not my type of read. By that, I mean that I was bored.

I kind of read "band" and "rock and roll" and thought "Oooh, this book is going to be about fame and drugs and music!" while in reality, the story was only about one of those things, music, and finding yourself. Which I guess is fine and all, but I'm not really into realistic contemporary. I like dark contemporary.

Harry was tied to a tree that was struck by lightning when he was a kid, and that left several scars, physically and emotionally. Harry is the narrator of The Scar Boys. This is the essay for his college application. He's an interesting person that has some wit. He's also a complete pushover. Harry has been bullied and no one, not even the teachers, does anything about it. Take note that this story is set around the 70s, I think, and I wouldn't know, but I suppose the anti-bullying campaigns common to schools now weren't around back then.

The Scar Boys is mostly about Harry's life. I don't think there were that many actual plot events. I thought the story was slow and boring, and none of the characters or their relationships interested me. But, I can't just say I was bored with a story and end my review. So, I guess I'll try to elaborate a little more.

One thing I know YA readers will appreciate is that Harry has a relationship with his parents. That is a part of the story, and the conflict and love that comes from those relationships help define him. Also, assuming you know rock and roll, or punk rock, the title of every chapter is a song. Maybe you'll enjoy thinking about the relevance of that song to the book, or you're the type of person that likes playlists. I didn't recognize any of the songs (my parents are from the Middle East, my mom doesn't listen to foreign music and surprisingly enough, my dad is more into pop like Madonna and Michael Jackson than rock, which he intensely dislikes).

There was not much romance within the novel, although there was some conflict about crushes. A lot of the focus was on the friendship between Harry and Johnny, which still doesn't make sense to me. I don't really like Johnny because Harry made him sounds like a jerk. I thought the relationship was rather dull to me, and maybe it could have been explained in way that would make me root for it rather than wish it would end.

There was a twist at the end that I was completely apathetic towards. It wasn't much of a twist because it wasn't explored, and the story ended quite weirdly. There wasn't a large sense of closure and I don't understand the big revelation. Or rather, I didn't understand how it came about.

I didn't enjoy The Scar Boys and there wasn't much I got out of it. I don't know if this will be the case for everyone, so if you're more into these kind of stories, give it a shot. This was a bit of a stretch for me as I'm a speculative fic type of person hoping this book would be the next coming of Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan. It wasn't. Let's move on.

1 star because I didn't like it.

-P.E.

Author: Amber Hart
Date of Publication: July 29, 2014
Pages: 320
Source: NetGalley - Thank you!

Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it is both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying in exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture-perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it’s all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen-year-old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past—a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love—it will ruin you and save you, both.

GOODREADS

Review:

As a huge fan of Simone Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry, I’m always on the lookout for the next best thing. When I saw Before You, I needed to have it. The synopsis was so intriguing and I loved the mysterious pasts and bi-racial relationships. Too bad the excitement waned after the first few pages.

I may have psyched myself out of this one, because there is nothing I can say except I was disappointed. My problem wasn’t with the writing, Ms. Hart is obviously talented, it was with the story, the plot and the characters.

The story is the classical West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, forbidden romance. It’s formulaic but when done right, enjoyable. That wasn’t the case with Before You. The story was lacklustre and obviously formulaic. There were so many plot conveniences that it made the story unrealistic and unrelatable. 

There was also a stark resemblance to Perfect Chemistry. They both start with the beginning of senior year and the protagonists are getting dressed for their first day. Faith, like Britanny, is dance captain with a friend who is hellbent on taking her spot. Faith is also queen of her school and is dating the star quarterback and a class -A jerk. But, they are perfect for each other and have been together forever! The similarities were a little too much and they bugged me.

As for the characters, I read up to halfway and I honestly couldn't appreciate them. Faith was unrelatable and frankly, a little pretentious. Her constant comments on her restricted life and messed up past didn't help me connect with her, they just made me see her as ungrateful. 

Diego on the other hand, was also a very flat character. He had a bad past with the cartel and was now in America building a new life. From what I read, Diego moved to America for his safety but he didn’t act like someone who wanted to be there. Also his constant comments about the white girls he labeled as sluts were uncalled for. I don’t think all guys think like that and I don’t much like those that do.

Many the side characters like Faith's friend Melissa, her boyfriend Jason, and his mother were completely one dimensional. All Melissa wanted to do was break Faith's relationship with Jason because Faith was "restricting" herself. Jason was the perfect boyfriend until he conveniently turned into an ass after seeing Diego. His sweet Housewives of Orange County mother soon turned into a snake as well. I just could not find one character to help redeem this story, especially when things started going downhill thanks to the instalove.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into it. There were so many things that bugged me upfront and it’s a shame because when done well these types of books are my favourites. Not this time.

-MARI

Author: Kiersten White
Date of Publication: September 10 2013
Pages: 277
Source: Library Ebook

Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy, is back with The Chaos of Stars—an enchanting novel set in Egypt and San Diego that captures the magic of first love and the eternally complicated truth about family.

Isadora's family is seriously screwed up—which comes with the territory when you're the human daughter of the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Isadora is tired of living with crazy relatives who think she's only worthy of a passing glance—so when she gets the chance to move to California with her brother, she jumps on it. But her new life comes with plenty of its own dramatic—and dangerous—complications . . . and Isadora quickly learns there's no such thing as a clean break from family.

Blending Ally Carter's humor and the romance of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly, The Chaos of Stars takes readers on an unforgettable journey halfway across the world and back, and proves there's no place like home.

Review:

It was pretty much as expected, which isn't very much at all. I had the feeling that The Chaos of Stars would be very light without much depth. It is a standalone, after all. I was hoping I would be pleasantly surprised, and I can't say I was.

First, if you're looking for a light and sweet paranormal, you will love this book. It's just that I'm looking for more details, more emotional maturity, and more epic, rounded stories, and so "sweet" isn't really what I want in a book these days. I can't write this review as anyone other than myself, so I think it's important to note that if you like light contemporaries, then ignore what I thought because this is a good book for you.

I thought Isadora wasn't that fleshed out. She was tall, pretty, very moody, often angry, and yet I couldn't relate to her that much. She acted without a lot of consideration for the people around her, and no, I don't think that's a teenage thing. She's 16, I'm 17, and I think she needed to be called out a few times for the way she acted towards her parents. Maybe it was a fault in the writing but Isadora's background was weak. The reason she was so angry, her impermanence, is so ridiculous to humans and I don't feel like Kiersten White really showed why this was so shocking to Isadora. I mean, we have a lot of telling, but that's it.

The world building was um, open, to say the least. Due to her upbringing, Isadora doesn't know about ATMs and how to manage cellphones, yet her mother videochats with her brother, she emails her mom, and they phone each other. I didn't understand: did she grow up with or without technology? And that seems like such a nitpicky thing to comment on except there was a faint subplot of Isadora having some culture shock. It was very weak because it didn't feel real in the slightest (she has a TV but doesn't know how to text?).

The mythological world building wasn't well explained either. The reality of the Egyptian Gods was barely touched on. Apparently, they need to be worshipped so they have kids. Care to elaborate on that? Nope? Okay. Or how about one of the twists, which could be seen a mile away, and what a deus ex machina it ended up being.

Excuse me, this is the part where I stop writing my review to check if there's a sequel, and nope, there isn't. And that is kind of pissing me off because there are loose ends like the romance which is due to instalove and something else, and the reader doesn't even get an explanation of what is happening. It was instalove and even more unrealistic, the more I think about it.

The ending was not that climatic because the story was about Isadora making friends and learning how to stop hating her parents, with a faint bit about some evil danger, and of course Isadora is much more capable then anyone thought she could be. The ending is very typical, very vanilla, and it's pretty dull.

I sound very negative right now and you might wonder why I ended up finishing the book. While there was a lot I don't like about The Chaos of Stars, it's an easy, quick read that requires minimal effort by the reader. I've read Kiersten White before and The Chaos of Stars is a lot like Paranormalcy in terms of tone, although Isadora is much less bubbly than Evie. The story lacks the darkness of Mind Games, and that was my favourite Kiersten White read, which is probably why I gave this one a shot against all indications. There's a pretty cover and a readable story, but I don't think the story is very good. I think it's below average because the world building is a mess, the instalove, the characters aren't all that significant, and overall, there is a major lack of development in the story. So, if that's your thing, knock yourself out. The Chaos of Stars is pretty and can be entertaining. If you want more from a book, well, this one gets 1 star from me.

-P.E.

Author: J. C. Carleson
Date of Publication: February 11 2014
Pages: 304
Source: Borrowed ARC (thanks!)

When her father is killed in a coup, 15-year-old Laila flees from the war-torn middle east to a life of exile and anonymity in the U.S. Gradually she adjusts to a new school, new friends, and a new culture, but while Laila sees opportunity in her new life, her mother is focused on the past. She’s conspiring with CIA operatives and rebel factions to regain the throne their family lost. Laila can’t bear to stand still as an international crisis takes shape around her, but how can one girl stop a conflict that spans generations? 

J.C. Carleson delivers a fascinating account of a girl—and a country—on the brink, and a rare glimpse at the personal side of international politics.

*Bonus Backmatter includes a note about the author's CIA past, and a commentary by RAND researcher and president of ARCH International, Dr. Cheryl Benard. Recommendations for further reading are also included. 

Review:

The Tyrant's Daughter disappointed me, but I think I am the person that is mostly to blame. What I didn't like was a conscious decision by the author to make Laila's story universal. Laila and her family never originated from any one country, nor did they speak their own language. I don't even know if Laila actually was religious or not. Every single detail about Laila's culture was vague enough that it belonged to no specific country. After reading the author's note, I realize that this was done on purpose. The Tyrant's Daughter doesn't attempt to emulate or base itself off some real life crisis. It is instead meant to be about one girl, the daughter of a dictator, and her family's actions through her perspective.

The author chose not to include any identifying cultural details, and my problem is that I wanted that. I never read YA about the Middle East, and I was so excited about what I believed to be a story about a girl forced to leave her country to live in the West. I wanted the details about adjusting and reconciling the two cultures. Ultimately, I was hoping for a story that didn't exist, and that is the root of my disappointment. It is totally my fault for assuming something like this. At the same time, knowing logically that my disappointment is more about what the story isn't, won't change my emotions.

I think that I am probably a harsher critic for this book than most people because I do have some personal knowledge on adjusting to different cultures and ties to the Middle East. The story didn't really teach me anything new. Nor would I say anyone reading The Tyrant's Daughter would glean anything other than an absolutely basic, and I mean basic, understanding of Middle Eastern culture. So, this book is not one that will really teach anybody anything about the Middle East, but it is a useful story if you look at it from a more human perspective. Laila's struggles with reconciling knowing her father is a bad man, but still loving him is really what's supposed to be the star of the story.

Regardless of the vague world building, I thought the story was weak because Laila didn't really know anything. Her mother was scheming and Laila always knew something was going on, but she never realized the specifics until the end. Her role in the big arc was so small that it took away from the plot. Instead, The Tyrant's Daughter focused on Laila's new life. It was about her adjusting to American culture and I guess this was weak for me because a lot of the remarks weren't all that insightful as there never was a definite culture for Laila to compare her new world with. I couldn't really understand Laila's culture shock because somethings she let go of so easily and others she held on. I don't believe culture is something that you can let go as easily as Laila did. This is just from my experience, but it is ingrained in you from the day you are born to act a certain way and the way Laila was able to let go of certain beliefs didn't make sense to me. I'm not saying it's impossible, but for me, it was completely unrealistic. Laila's school life was utterly boring to me. It was very regular contemporary school-ish, which is fine if you're into that kind of thing, but I'm not. I thought the more interesting parts were the CIA storyline which was very short.

In terms of characters, two stood out: Amir and Laila's mother. Amir was angry with the world and for good reason. His part was the most emotional I got during The Tyrant's Daughter, and I was fascinated by his mixture of hate and his desire to have the world be a better place. Laila's mother was a strong woman coping with the loss of her husband. She was solely in charge of her children, and her airy, manipulative ways were fascinating to me. I could imagine her very easily and I enjoyed reading about her. I suppose I should write about Laila. I don't have much to say about her. She didn't interest me very much, nor did I connect with her.

If I had known The Tyrant's Daughter would lack so many cultural details, I wouldn't have read it. That's because it would not interest me on a personal basis. Now that I have read it, the one major positive I can take is maybe what the author intended: I would like to be better educated on what is going on in the Middle East and the world. I took a politics course last semester that opened my eyes a lot, but there's still a long way to go. There's so much more to the world.

This may sound harsh, but I personally though the author's note and the commentary were the most inspiring parts of the story. This is a topic I'm interested in (world conflict) and I think I will continue to read books dealing with the subject. But for people that aren't interested in the facts as much, I think you'll enjoy The Tyrant's Daughter much more than I did. I believe it's for younger YA, and if it opens anyone's eyes than it's a book worth reading. This one just didn't work for me at all.

-P.E.

Author: Sarah Crossan
Date of Publication: October 8 2013
Pages: 368
Series: Breathe #2
Source: Library

The sequel—and conclusion—to Sarah Crossan's Breathe. Three teen outlaws must survive on their own in a world without air, exiled outside the glass dome that protects what's left of human civilization. Gripping action, provocative ideas, and shocking revelations in a dystopian novel that fans of Patrick Ness and Veronica Roth will devour.

Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie. Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, and shattered society in this wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.

Review:

Resist did nothing to pull me in emotionally.

I thought I may as well start this review with brutal honesty. I can tiptoe around it, but this is by far the biggest issue of Resist. I wasn't a fan of Breathe, but I read a review that spoke so highly of Resist that I convinced myself that it deserved another chance. So, here we are.

The characters were barely distinguishable to me. Alina was fierce, Bea was strong, Quinn was umm, mature? Ronan was the only one I felt had any real characterization and he was probably my favourite character. Maybe it was the writing style but I just felt so detached from all of them. The story featured alternating perspectives but it wasn't done too well and I really couldn't tell who's perspective I was reading.

The world building failed when it came to plausibility. I don't understand why the evil villains did their evil deeds. There was no explanation besides that they're insane, which I can't really believe when so many people supported them. It feels like it was written for shock value, but with no real basis and that's irritating. Furthermore, I had a lot of trouble believing in the lack of technology. The fact that there weren't any cameras and microphones in every room was strange. The plan the good guys concocted just seemed too lucky.

I didn't like the structure of the story either because I felt like some parts dragged out, and other were way too short. The ending, with a scene that was supposed to be epic, fell rather flat because there wasn't enough build up. Something happened for shock value (again), and I realized to what extent I was emotionally detached when I couldn't bring myself to care and moved on.

Resist was easily readable, but in the sense that you could make yourself read it and be interested. When I put the book down however, I felt no compulsion or curiosity concerning the story. None of the characters were fascinating, the premise wasn't believable, and the plot felt dull.

Maybe this is a writing issue in the sense of execution. I feel like this series could have been good, and when I think of it, the idea is cool. Imagine living without oxygen? Sounds awful to be given or denied oxygen based on your social class. However, somehow Breathe and Resist both fell flat. I don't know if there are more books. (Turns out there are not.) Neither do I care. Resist didn't work for me.

-P.E.

Author: Elizabeth Norris
Date of Publication: April 23 2013
Pages: 479
Source: Library ebook
Series: Sequel to Unraveling

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Review:

I'm not very happy with Unbreakable. I liked the first, Unraveling, but this sequel disappointed me in many ways.

First, the writing irritated me. I felt like the entire story was completely overwritten. There were so many unnecessary details and I didn't like that some chapters would end off with an extremely detailed thought, and the next chapter would again elaborate on this insignificant piece of information. It felt like complete overkill, and this book should not be 400+ pages because it doesn't have 400 pages worth of content.

Here's an example.

*Something shocking happens*

Janelle: OMG this is crazy!

--Next Chapter--

Janelle: This is crazy and I do not know what to do about it.

*someone else walls in*

Person: This is shocking!

Janelle: What do we do?

--Next Chapter--

Janelle: I'm so screwed.

Person: Here's a plan.

--Next Chapter--

Janelle: This so dangerous!

--Next Chapter--

Janelle: I still can't get over that twist.

I admit to some hyperbole, but that's genuinely how the story felt to me. It just kept repeating itself and it was incredibly frustrating to read.

I sound like some kind of hater, but I didn't hate this book. I think you can actually attribute my anger to the story itself because I was not at all happy about the ending. Most of my complaints are personal. I personally didn't like where the story was going, and that made me pretty unhappy with the book overall.

I remember near the beginning, except for the overwriting, I didn't think there was anything wrong with the story. I liked Janelle because she is badass and capable. What I didn't like was her moping for Ben.

Ben is pretty much the second issue I had with Unbreakable. There's nothing wrong with him, except that I have no interest in him. I was pretty impressed with Janelle and her thoughts on Ben at some point, but then she changed completely and so many of the issues she had before were overlooked. I didn't believe in their romance and I did not like how Janelle would pine for Ben.

The romance was a complete miss, and I continued the story despite it because there was another character I really liked. Taylor Barclay was awesome. He was badass and brave and capable and I thought he was the real star of Unbreakable. Don't worry, there's no love triangle, but I enjoyed his interactions with Janelle a lot. I felt that near the end of the book, Barclay was much less prominent in the story, and that pretty much coincided with my declining enjoyment of Unbreakable.

The other characters were decent, but they didn't play as big a role as Ben, Janelle or Barclay.

The plot would have been much more exciting if it didn't move along at a snail's pace because of the writing. The idea behind the story is very cool, and I wish Janelle kicking butt and making a difference was the bigger storyline than the romance.

I think I'm pretty much done with this series because it didn't really go the way I wanted it to. I'm giving Unbreakable a very emotional, subjective 1 star.

-P.E.
 

Author: Amber Kizer
Date of Publication: November 13 2012
Pages: 544
Source: Library ebook
Series: Fenestra #3

Fans will be thrilled with the final novel in the Meridian trilogy as the romance between Meridian and Tens heats up. And Juliet returns, but her obsessions leave her open to evil exploitation.

Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra, an angel infused human, destined to transition souls into the next world. Together with Tens Valdes, her soulmate and Protector, they've made a home in Indiana, making sure the dead safely enter the light and aren't stolen by the Dark, known as the Nocti. 

Upon rescuing Juliet Ambrose from her terrible childhood, Juliet has become vulnerable without her Protector and grasps at any hope to find her parents, even when it's offered by a proven Nocti, Ms. Asura. Juliet is now faced with the horrible choice between uncovering her past and having a future.

Meanwhile, time may be running out for the hundreds of thousands preparing for the festivities surrounding the Indianapolis 500 car race. As centuries of secrets are revealed, the battles will pit Light versus Dark. Not all with survive as Meridian, Tens, and Julie join forces to try to thwart a potential tragedy.

Review:

I deserve a medal for finishing this book. No seriously. Speed of Light was excruciatingly long with very little action and a serious case of overwriting.

The characters were stale. You couldn't really care about them because they were so clearly good that it was a little frustrating. Meridian's perspective was particularly boring. She was so sweet and seemed to have no personality beyond wanting to help everybody and being in love with Tens. Tens was perfect. He didn't screw up once. He never needed reassurance. He wasn't human, and I became increasingly apathetic over their relationship. They are in love, I get it. I don't need to be slammed with this fact over and over. I ended up skipping most of their unnecessary love scenes.

Speaking of unnecessary, I would say about 1/3 of this book should have been cut, and I'm being generous. The plot is crawling and so slow. Nothing happens. It's really badly written because so many scenes don't advance the story so that by the time you get to the end, I don't know why the ending is rushed and completely anticlimactic.

I always liked the mythology in the series, but this book failed it. It became too preachy and sweet. There was too much good versus evil and not enough why. I would have loved to know more about the inner psyche of a Nocti. And not like Ms. Asura. She was supposed to be scary, but she was the most pathetic villain ever. I didn't once fear her and so it made Juliet look a little weird to be so scared of someone like her. Her confrontations with the Fenestra were almost laughable because she was all "I'm a villain! WE WILL WIN!" And Meridian would say something cheesy like "Love is stronger than everything!"

You may wonder why I read this book? Well, Juliet was interesting in the beginning. By the end of the book I kind of tired of her. But just as my interest in her waned, a new character was introduced. Fara.

Fara is the only character I have any interest in by the end of Speed of Light, and that's because of one thing: she's Persian. Whoa! Diversity! How bad does YA need diversity? I read a whole 544 page book just because of one character who has the same heritage as me. Yeah, I'm Persian, and so Fara maybe interested me a lot more than she would others. It's just the cultural things I find interesting. I grew up with parents that were kinda lukewarm in sharing culture. I knew all about Nowruz and stuff, but I didn't know the stories behind it. That part was fascinating. The food part was cute too. Anyway, I connected with Fara and I have to applaud the author for successfully writing in some significant diversity.

Even with that though, the story was boring. I'm extremely disappointed with it. 1 star.

P.S. I just read that this isn't the end of the series. Interesting, because I thought it was. It even says "trilogy" in the synopsis. Either way, I'm done.

-P.E.