I'd So Rather Be Reading: September 2010

Cover Reveal: FOREVER by Maggie Stiefvater

The US cover reveal for FOREVER, the final installment of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, has just been released and it is red!

These covers are beautiful and what originally caught my eye. I loved the blue and green covers for the first two books and I REALLY like the red for Forever... it screams passion, love and heartache (yes, I got all that from a cover). I also really enjoy how the covers are evolving with the story... this time it is Sam looking at Grace as a wolf... What will happen? Only Maggie knows... for now.

Reviews from the series: Shiver, Linger.

Want to know more, click to visit The Wolves of Mercy Falls official page.

Book Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

Summary:

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.

Review:

I babysat for several families on a regular basis while in my teens. One of the families had a little girl named Jacqueline, whom I watched every week for four years, until her family moved away. I loved that little girl! One of Jacqueline's favorite movies was Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I can't tell you how many times we watched that movie together---enough times that we knew every word, sang every song, and could recite entire passages of the movie by heart.

Reading Beastly made me remember those special times with Jacqueline, as well as start singing the songs from the movie incessantly. Funny how that was over 12 years ago but it all came crashing back when I started this book.

Beastly is a perfect modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The twist is that the story is told from the Beast's point of view. The modern addition of the chat group Kyle (the Beast) is a part of was a nice touch. Beastly is a sweet, heart-felt, fast-paced read. I had a hard time putting the book down! I would recommend Beastly to anyone looking for a short (I sped through this one in less than two hours) escape. This was my first time reading Alex Flinn and I am putting the rest of her books on my to-be-read list.

Just One Gripe:
Not all characters get a happily ever after---just a warning. One of the minor characters gets a very sad ending.

The Best Thing About This Book:
Kyle's personal growth.

Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 4/5

Originality: 3/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 18/25

Author Interview: Amber Robinson (Mercy Rising)

I recently chatted with Amber Robinson, who wrote the inspirational Mercy Rising, which is about ways to serve others in Christ's love. To read a summary and my review of Mercy Rising, click here. If you've ever thought about the injustices of the world and said to yourself, "It's not that I don't care, I just don't know what to do," then read this interview to discover ways to help others. Mercy Rising would be a great choice for a book club or a Bible study.

What inspired you to write Mercy Rising?

My girlfriends and I started having conversations along the theme of "What now?", when it came to justice issues. It seemed like most conversations about justice were geared to children, students, men, or those who worked for non-profits. What could we do in the midst of our lives at home, in our workplace, or with our family and friends? Was this even possible? I set to find out and was disappointed in the resources out there for my demographic. A year later, I felt convinced through some wild circumstances that I needed to gather this research I was doing for myself and my friends into a resource that would help other women also.

You started serving others in the middle of living with a chronic illness. You had plenty of reasons not to give, but gave anyway. Can you tell us a little about that decision?

One word that would describe that choice was fear. I was completely afraid that if I did "one more thing" my health would collapse as I was barely making it. Living with chronic illness, just going to the grocery store was extremely difficult. But there is a real hazard having your own life circumstances loom so large in front of you is that if you aren't serving your selfishness begins to expand as well. I became convinced that there are no "escape hatches" with the promises of God. We all need to find ways to serve. We don't get an exemption with our "special circumstances". Sometimes we just need to be more creative to find ways to serve in those circumstances, for me that was being sick.

I have story after story of amazing days where God has added time, energy, and resources back to me in abundance when I offered the very little I had to kingdom work. It's all worth it.

What are some simple things a busy woman can do for others?

This may sound odd, but I feel that most important thing is to give the genuine kindness that is missing from our daily interactions with each other. Taking initiative in conversation to ask someone else about themselves and being willing to listen to anyone, especially those overlooked or on the fringes of our "crowd" is the most needed thing I see today.

Other simple things are:

Change our internet search engine to www.goodsearch.com
Buy local to stop funding items bought in sweatshops.
When we do buy products from chain stores to check our brands. www.chainstorereaction.com
Sponsor a Compassion International Child. www.compassion.com/amberrobinson
Be brave enough to keep learning about the needs in the world around us - even when we feel burnt out.

What do you say to people who tell you that they want to help but don't know where to start?

One of the women I interviewed for Mercy Rising runs a medical clinic. She told me a story about a time when she was an ER nurse and had been in surgery for 16 hours. When the doctors left the room it looked like a bloody war zone. The nurses had to clean up the area before they left and the other nurse said to her, "Pick a corner and work your way out."

That's how I feel about the problems that are "too big for us". I often refer to myself as a reluctant optimist. I feel like that nurse reluctant to know where to start, but optimistic that we can do one thing to help. In the book I give guidelines and resources how to connect with one thing that energizes you and to find others to join you.

What's next for you?

Right now I am leading justice events at colleges, churches, and social groups on the Mercy Rising book tour. I am teaching through interactive events how to creatively meet the needs of those around us.

Thank you for your time, Ms. Robinson, and for writing such a great resource for women in today's world.

Book Review: Stopping Time (A Wicked Lovely Story) by Melissa Marr

Summary:

Leslie walked away from the Dark Court, determined to reclaim her life and live it on her own terms-even if it meant leaving behind the two faeries who love her. She knows Niall and Irial watch over her, and she would give almost anything to keep them from hurting. But she resists the pull to be with either one of them.

Someone knows about Leslie's past, however, and is intent on using her to reach the fey. And he doesn't care who gets hurt.

Review:

Boy, I just love Melissa Marr. My only complaint about her beautifully written Wicked Lovely series is that we don't get a lot of closure on the different story arcs. Some of that was resolved with Stopping Time, a sequel to Ink Exchange. Stopping Time is a novella (boy I wish it would have been a full-length novel) which picks up where Ink Exchange left off.

Leslie left the Dark Court and Niall and Irial behind. She loves both of them and they both love her. They are still looking out for her, protecting her, and Irial meets with her once a week in a public spot, but never speaks to her. Leslie fights her attraction to both fey and fights her dark side, which sanctioned the immorality and violence of the Dark Court when she was a member. Leslie is determined to make a new life for herself but she can't let her feelings for the two fey go.

Stopping Time was one of the best novellas I've ever read. It had its own plot and twists, unlike many other novellas which just provide a back story or a closer look at certain characters. Stopping Time is a must-read for fans of the Wicked Lovely series. It was the perfect thing to tide me over until the final Wicked Lovely book--Darkest Mercy---is released February 22, 2011.

Just One Gripe:
This is my gripe with all novellas: I always want more. Reading a novella is like taking one bite of a delicious dessert---just enough to tease me. I really felt this way with Stopping Time because it was so good!

The Best Thing About This Book:
I had always suspected that something was going on with Irial and Niall. It was so gratifying to have my suspicions confirmed...

Appropriate for a younger audience:
It's no more explicit than any of the other Wicked Lovely books.

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Setting/Imagery: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 21/25

Book Review: Sisters Red (Sisters Red #1) by Jackson Pearce

Summary:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.

Review:

I grabbed Sisters Red from the YA shelf on an impulse during my last trip to the library. At first glance I knew nothing about it, but I recognized the cover from seeing the book reviewed on other blogs. I didn't even read the summary---I just picked it up while I was waiting for my favorite librarian, Rebecca (sorry, Roxanne and Toccara, I like you a lot too) to pick up my library holds from the magical back shelf.

When I got home, I read the summary and remembered why I've had this one on my TBR list for a while. The premise is intriguing, isn't it? The book started off strong, in my opinion, but then got kind of bogged down in repetitiveness when Silas, Rosie and Scarlett go to the city to hunt.

Scarlett's obsession with hunting and the fact that she eschews sleep, a balanced life, relationships, and everything else for the hunt started to get old after a while. What saved me from putting the book down at that point was the development of the love story, which was very tenderly written. The last 70 pages saved the book as a whole for me, especially the twist at the end, which I have to say I did see coming.

I will definitely read the next book in the series, and will seek out As You Wish, Pearce's debut novel. I love the way she writes!

Just One Gripe:

It was really hard to like Scarlett, until the end of the book, when she finally grew on me.

The Best Thing About This Book:

The writing style.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

No sex, but it does get pretty violent.

Score:

Characters: 3/5

Plot: 2/5

Setting/Imagery: 3/5

Originality: 3/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 15/25

Book Review: The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Summary:

The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses. The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England. Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.

Review:
I am so glad I found this series and this author. It's my new mission to read all of Philippa Gregory's books---I love her blend of history, rumor, and fiction. She combines these elements into a compulsively readable novel that I find impossible to put down.

I think the mark of a great author is their ability to make you care about a character whom you don't really like. I did not like Margaret, the heroine and narrator of The Red Queen, but I found myself rooting for her time and again. I wanted her to realize her goal of putting her son on the throne, and I wanted her to find love, or at least, find happiness.

The story starts with Margaret as a ten-year old girl, who prays constantly. She has visions of Joan of Arc, and wants to be a saint, or at least an abbess. Margaret is thrilled to discover that she has saint's knees (worn, wrinkly knees achieved by kneeling in prayer for hours on end). She fasts every week and on holy days and spends many hours each day in prayer.

Margaret is dismayed to learn that she will be married when she turns twelve, and is expected to produce an heir for the Beaufort house and the Lancaster line to the throne. She dedicates her life to putting her son on the throne, stopping at nothing (even ordering the murder of children!) to make Henry the king.

Margaret fancies herself a holy woman, high above all others, including Queen Elizabeth, due to her fastidiousness, education, prayer habits, life of sacrifice and superior birth. Her high opinion of herself got old sometimes, but I had to admire her unflinching dedication to her cause. The thing I found humorous is that she commits these atrocious acts and believes them to be done in the name of God. I found her entire mindset to be very ironic.

I would recommend this book to fans of Philippa Gregory and fans of historical fiction.

Just One Gripe:
Margaret was a supremely unlikable character. The fact that The Red Queen takes place at the same time as The White Queen, made me want to go back and read Elizabeth, The White Queen's story again. My second gripe is that the ending felt rushed.

The Best Thing About This Book:
It's hard to define, but there is a compulsively readable element to Gregory's work which makes it impossible for me to put her books down.

Appropriate for a younger audience:
Maybe

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Setting/Imagery: 4/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 20/25

Book Review: My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

Summary:

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

Review:

I am not really a fan of short stories. It takes a lot for me to really enjoy one. That said, My Soul to Lose was the exception to my usual reaction to short stories---I really enjoyed this one!

My Soul to Lose is a prequel to Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. When you start My Soul to Take, Kaylee's stay in a psychiatric unit is alluded to but you get no details. In My Soul to Lose, we get the rest of the story: what led to Kaylee's hospitalization and her stay in the psychiatric unit.

I felt so sorry for Kaylee during this novella! She has no idea why she sees shadows around people, feels like they are going to die, and then can't stop screaming. Her aunt and uncle are no help and Kaylee has no one to turn to. She meets Lydia in the psychiatric unit, but does not forge a friendship with her until the end of the book. When Kaylee finally finds someone who might know what's going on with her, circumstances change and she is left in the dark again.

I would recommend reading this before My Soul to Take. Fans of the series will love this novella.

Just One Gripe:

It was just too short! I wanted more, more time with Lydia, more time to get to know Kaylee, more story.

The Best Thing About This Book:

Finding out the circumstances behind Kaylee's hospitalization.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 3/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 3/5

Total Score: 17/25

Book Review: Kelly's Chance (Brides of Lehigh Canal #1) by Wanda E. Brunsletter

Summary:

Life for Kelly McGregor is a daily drudge of driving her overbearing father’s mules along Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Canal. She dreams of one day owning an art gallery where her own drawings and paintings are on display. But these dreams don’t include marriage. . .not after seeing what her father has done to her mother. How then can Mike Cooper, a general store owner, make her realize he is different than her father and wants to support her artistic talent? Will Kelly learn that dreams can walk hand in hand with a love created by God?

Release Date: January 1, 2010

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Age Group: Adult Christian Fiction

Pages: 224

Source: NetGalley

Review:

I like to mix up my paranormal, YA, mystery, and historical fiction books with some Christian fiction from time to time. When I saw Kelly's Chance on NetGalley, I thought it sounded like the perfect foil for my heavier reads of late. I was right.

Kelly's Chance was the epitome of Christian romance: an unassuming heroine, a young man in search of a Christian wife, and their journey from casual acquaintances to something more. The feelings between the two were tender and well-described. This book is extremely clean and appropriate for any age group.

One thing I want to say is that it took me forever to figure out what Kelly's actual job was on the canal. This may be due to the fact that I was reading at night when I was super tired. There was probably a good explanation that I either missed or forgot. Anyway, this is how I understood it: Kelly walks the mules on the canal bank. The mules are tethered to the boat and pull it down the canal.

Kelly's father hauls coal up and down the canal and Kelly's job is to drive the mules up and down the towpath all day. She loves to draw, but has no supplies so she has to use old pieces of coal from the fire and scraps of paper. Kelly dreams of painting with real paints and opening her own art gallery. The problem is that her father forces her to work for free so she has no money of her own, and no means of getting out of her situation. Much of the book focuses on Kelly's dream and her hopes for the future.

I would recommend Kelly's Chance to fans of historical and Christian fiction. It was a very sweet, clean feel-good story.

Just One Gripe:

No gripes about this one.

The Best Thing About This Book:

I just love a good happily ever after, and I got one here!

Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes

Score:

Characters: 3/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 3/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 17/25

Book Review: Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses #1) by Ellen Schreiber

Summary:

In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven -- a vampire-crazed goth-girl -- is an outcast. But not for long...

The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in. Who are these creepy people -- especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town prattle actually ring true? Are they vampires? Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.

Review:

This was a sweet, quirky book told by a rather perky goth girl. Vampire Kisses reminds me of cotton candy: light and sweet but insubstantial. The book is YA but read like middle grade to me. I confess that I was waiting for the entire book for the story to take off, but it never really did for me. It could be that I never adjusted to Schreiber's writing style, which is very light and fluffy. I have read other reviews calling the writing ditzy. I wouldn't go that far, but the writing style is what made this book feel middle grade to me.

I really had no idea a goth girl could be so perky, but Raven was. She is obsessed with vampires and becomes convinced that the new family living in the haunted mansion in town are vampires. Raven's dream in life is to become a vampire, so she sets out to find out the truth.

One thing I really liked was Raven's sense of self-awareness and self-esteem. She could very easily have gotten played by the most popular boy in school who was trying to make a fool out of her, but instead she turns the situation around and makes him out to be a laughingstock. She keeps the same can-do attitude and refuses to let people get the best of her throughout the entire book. I think that was my favorite thing about this story.

I would recommend Vampire Kisses to fans of YA vampire novels only.

Just One Gripe:

The whole book was just too light for me. It was fine while it lasted, but I won't be buying the rest of this series.

The Best Thing About This Book:

Raven's high self-esteem.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters: 3/5

Plot: 2/5

Setting/Imagery: 2/5

Originality: 2/5

Ending: 2/5

Total Score: 11/25

Book Review: Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters #1) by Michelle Zink

The original cover

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.

Review:
I enjoyed this dark, emotionally suspenseful debut. Those of you who know me know that I am very easily spooked by books about ghosts, spirits, the devil, and 'woo-woo' kind of things. Reading back over that sentence, I'm realizing that Prophecy of the Sisters contains all of those elements! It was because of this that I almost gave up on this book, but I'm glad I didn't.

This book is told in the first person from Amalia's (who goes by Lia) point of view. Her twin Alice, whom she has always had a special bond with, is changing and exhibiting a dark side that scares Lia. Lia has an unusual mark on her wrist and the book starts with Lia trying to find out what the mark means. She soon uncovers a prophecy involving twin sisters, that she and her sister are unknowing parts of. Zink explores the battle between good and evil in all of us, as well as the difference in nature versus nurture. I really liked that focus of the story.

This book is more of an emotional thriller than your typical an action-packed fighting novel. It was a bit of a slow starter but worth it in the end. Prophecy of the Sisters is set in Victorian New York---you know how much I like historical fiction so that aspect of the book really appealed to me.

I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one. If Guardian of the Gate gets any darker than Prophecy of the Sisters, though, I may be in trouble. People who like scary books will probably really enjoy this series.

The new cover---I love this one!

Just One Gripe:
The aforementioned scariness. It almost did me in.

The Best Thing About This Book:
I liked Lia's voice and the battle between good and evil.

Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 4/5

Originality: 3/5

Ending: 3/5

Total Score: 17/25

Book Review: Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

Summary:

Colleagues, friends, and lovers know Dodge Hanley as a private investigator who doesn’t let rules get in his way—in his private life as well as his professional one. If he breaks a heart, or bends the law in order to catch a criminal, he does so without hesitation or apology.

That’s why he’s the first person Caroline King—who after a thirty-year separation continues to haunt his dreams—asks for help when a deranged stalker attempts to murder their daughter . . . the daughter Dodge has never met. He has a whole bag full of grudging excuses for wishing to ignore Caroline’s call, and one compelling reason to drop everything and fly down to Texas: guilt. Dodge’s mind may be a haze of disturbing memories and bad decisions, but he arrives in Houston knowing with perfect clarity that his daughter, Berry, is in danger.

She has become the object of desire of a co-worker, a madman and genius with a penchant for puzzles and games who has spent the past year making Berry’s life hell, and who now has vowed to kill her. Dodge joins forces with local deputy sheriff Ski Nyland, but the alarming situation goes from bad to worse when the stalker begins to claim other victims and leaves an ominous trail of clues as he lethally works his way toward Berry. Sensing the killer drawing nearer, Dodge, who’s survived vicious criminals and his own self-destructive impulses, realizes that this time he’s in for the fight of his life. From acclaimed best-selling author Sandra Brown, Tough Customer is a heart-pounding tale about obsession and murder, the fragile nature of relationships, and, possibly, second chances.

Review:

I've always said that if you've read one thriller, you've read them all. However, I cut my adult fiction teeth on Sandra Brown, so I was excited to read her latest. It took me days to get to page 133, and I don't know if it was me or this book, or a combination of the two, but I just couldn't read any more of it.

It could be that I've been sick and in a major reading slump, the likes of which has my family very scared---since nothing usually keeps me from reading. Or it could be that I've had my fill of thrillers. Or it could be that I just didn't like any of the characters in Tough Customer. At any rate, I gave up on this one---for now. I may request it from the library later and try to finish it. I think the problem is more me than it is Sandra Brown. She is an excellent writer, and I've always enjoyed her smart, sexy thrillers.

Score:

Did Not Finish

Book Review: Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2) by Richelle Mead

Summary:

Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she’s also become queen of the Thorn Land. It’s hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one—except Eugenie—seems willing to find out why.

Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren't making things any easier. Her boyfriend, Kiyo, is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty—even if it means facing the darkest—and deadliest—side of her nature…

Review:

I just love Richelle Mead. Her Vampire Academy series is unparalled, in my opinion, in terms of strong female leads, romance, tension, suspense, action, and plot twists. I was trying to wait to read her Dark Swan series until all four books were released, but alas, I failed.

A couple of weeks ago, in the midst of my book slump, which scared my family and friends because I was barely reading at all, I caved and read Storm Born (Dark Swan #1). Yes, I was defeated by the lure of Richelle Mead's writing---a defeat I savored as I raced through the first two books in the Dark Swan series.

As excellent as Storm Born was, I enjoyed Thorn Queen even more. The romantic tension, the plot twists, the suspense, the tough heroine: all the things I love about Vampire Academy are here in full force in an adult series. I would recommend these books to anyone---they are just that good.

And I can't end this review without declaring my team affiliation: I have always been and probably will always be Team Dorian! Down with Kiyo!

Just One Gripe:
The way Eugenie calls the fey "gentry" and "shining ones" gets me confused sometimes. Sometimes I actually forget I'm reading about faeries---maybe that's how Mead intended it?

The Best Thing About This Book:
That typical Richelle Mead style.

Appropriate for a younger audience:
No

Score:

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 5/5

Setting/Imagery: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Ending: 5/5

Total Score: 25/25

Book Review: And Then I Found Out the Truth by Jennifer Sturman

Summary:

Delia Truesdale is still searching for the truth about her mother, who is in hiding somewhere in South America. But for now, Delia has to make do with her mystery-solving in New York City, alongside her Aunt Charley (a downtown hipster), her Aunt Patience (an uptown ice queen), a detective with a questionable taste in neckties, an eccentric psychic, her brainiac friend, and Quinn, the wealthy, gorgeous boy who--gasp!-- seems to return Delia's affections. Too bad Quinn's shady CEO dad may be involved in the scheme Delia is trying to crack. And a trip to South America may be in order after all...

Review:

This book was just as much fun as its predecessor, And Then Everything Unraveled. And Then I Found Out the Truth picks up right where And Then Everything Unraveled ended.

Delia knows that her mother is alive and well in South America, but T.K. can't come home until the people responsible for her disappearance are brought to justice. The hilarious cast of characters we met in book one are back: Aunts Charley and Patience, the flying monkeys (Delia's cousins Gweneth and Grey), Caroline the psychic, Natalie the brainiac, Rafe the private detective, and most of all, Quinn, the love interest.

Everyone works together (sort of) to discover the truth about what happened to Delia's mother. In the middle of it all are some really funny circumstances, such as when Charley's director friend Dieter plasters pictures of Delia and Charley all over New York---in subways, on billboards, ice cream trucks and bus stops in an effort to keep them safe. It doesn't make sense now, but if you read the books, it works!

I like Delia a lot---she never gives up. She has the same teenage insecurities when it comes to Quinn that I think every girl has about the guy she's in love with. But my favorite part of these books are the well-developed side characters. They are so believable, funny, and well-done.

I would recommend this two-book series to anyone looking for a light-hearted, fun read.

Just One Gripe:

I wanted just a little more of the love story.

The Best Thing About This Book:

The characterization.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 3/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score: 18/25

Book Review: She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide #1) by EJ Stevens

Before you gasp and ask "Where is Kelli?"... stay calm... I do occasionally like to give my two cents and review a book :)

Summary:

It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

Review:

To begin I really enjoyed the cover art! I like a good book cover and it is one of the first things that attracts me to a book (other than Kelli’s recommendations). What also caught my attention was the title, Smell, this was a new catchy paranormal twist that I had not read before. I knew I would enjoy this fun read right from the beginning... I like love and EJ didn’t mess around.

The story is based on the new paranormal life of Yuki, a spunky heroine who is experiencing love for the first time and a new-found gift (that delivers terrible smells) all while trying to be a senior. Her two closest friends, Calvin "Cal" and Emma, know about her heightened sense of smell and the dead spirits that follow.

Yuki and Cal have a very comfortable friendship that is free of the typical high school stereotype. She is the freak and he is the hippie-jock and it works. It was very fun to read how Yuki just one day realizes that Cal is “hot,” it made me giggle and think how blind we are in our teenage years. I also enjoyed the time Cal told Yuki to stay the same, that sends a nice message to youth to remember who you are and love it. Yuki doesn’t even think twice to ask Cal to go on her sleuthing adventures... both of them just saddle up and go!

The characters in this story are very unique and can easily remind you of different people you might have met or know. The best friend and best friend's boyfriend are an oddity to say the least, from vegan living to anime, what a pair. And of course the mentor that Cal and Yuki are training with, Simon... oh cocky Simon, how I have pictured you in so many ways... his personality is a mixture of Fennick from the Hunger Games series and Adrian from the Vampire Academy series... need I say more.

The ending is nice and clean and leaves you with a lot of hope for Yuki and Cal but still with a black cloud hanging over their future... will they master their new paranormal powers in time... that remains to be known until the release of Storm Spirit (Spirit Guide #2) set to release Spring 2011... and so the waiting begins!

Just One Gripe:

Everytime I read the word incredulous, I cringe... Thank you Twilight series for the harsh overuse.

The Best Thing About This Book:

I loved the sleuthing aspect that goes along with Yuki’s gift/curse... This series is like Nancy Drew meets the Winchester Brother’s from Supernatural.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Absolutely, this is a fun quick read for preteens and up.

Total Score:

PS: Spoiler Alert for She Smells the Dead:

My hopes for Storm Spirit (Spirit Guide #2):

1. We will learn more about the world of the wolves and their bond to their mate.
2. What is up with Yuki’s parents... trusting or do they secretly know about what she is going through?
3. I would like to learn a little more about Simon.
4. More of Yuki and Cal's backstory.