Trial By Fire

I was first drawn to Trial By Fire because I liked the author's first trilogy so much (Starcrossed).  I didn't even know what it was about when I picked it up to read.  That didn't matter though.  The author has a way of drawing you into the story and hooking you from the very start.  Full of action, there was never a dull moment.

This story follows Lily, a girl weak of body but strong of mind.  She is practically allergic to the world.  All she sees of her future is the eventual isolation in a plastic bubble.  When her heart is broken, she succumbs to a voice in her head asking her to come with her.  Before she knows what's happening, Lily is sucked into a world different from her own.  This world is filled with magic.  The version of herself that belongs in that world is the most powerful witch in all the Covens.  All Lily wants is to go home, but Lillian has no intention of sending her back.  Lily flees the Citadel and runs across Rowan, former lover, current enemy to Lillian.  After some cajoling, Rowan begins to train Lily on how to use magic, for she has the same power Lillian possesses.

The question is, can she progress enough in her training before it is too late?  Can she find her way back to her own world?  Does she still want to go back?  This book is filled with great characters.  I just loved Lily.  Despite being thrust into a foreign and scary world, she is able to persevere.  She makes friends, learns to control her own power, and stands up for what she believes.  She is the kind of character you can get behind and find yourself cheering on at every turn.  Rowan is another character I really enjoyed.  Powerful in his own right, Rowan is distrustful and hesitant to let another Lily into his life in any form.  He is always on guard, but will ultimately do anything to protect Lily.  The two make a great pair/team.  I am definitely excited to see where their story goes.  This is a strong start to another promising series from Josephine Angelini.  I only wish I didn't have to wait so long for the next book.  Happy reading!

What I Thought Was True

What I Thought Was True is a summer romance with a little more depth than usual.  I didn't think it was quite as multi-leveled as Sarah Dessen tends to pull off, but I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of this seemingly simple summer romance.  It isn't a typical summer fling story though.  The main character, Gwen Castle, lives on a small island and definitely cannot wait to escape it.  She just has one more year of high school to go and she will be free.  She just has to make it through the summer first.  The one problem, she is constantly bombarded with the one boy she can't seem to get out her mind, despite their less than pleasant past.  He is a rich boy from across the bridge.  She shouldn't have to even see him over summer break.  Unfortunately, he has taken the job yard boy to the island.  Now she can't avoid him.  Over the course of the summer, she begins to realize that she never really knew him, or even herself really.  While all the relationships and people around her seem to be changing or revealing truths she never saw coming, Gwen is forced to decide for herself what she really wants and what will truly make her happy.  Mistakes is the underlying theme of this story, but perhaps some mistakes are not that at all.  Perhaps it is the mistakes that will shape the future and decide the truth path.  I rather enjoyed the characters in this book.  Gwen, trying to be herself despite an unfortunate and maybe undeserved reputation.  Cass, a good guy plagued by an unfortunate choice in best friend and a family that expects more from him.  Emory, the little brother that is not quite right, but finds his way to every heart.  There are more characters, but those three are my favorites.  I just loved little Emory.  Grandpa Ben was a lot of fun too.  Coming from a small town that is invaded by outsiders in the summer, I could relate a little to how Gwen felt.  For her though, it was a bunch of rich entitled people coming in for the summer and treating the island people like the hired help, even those who weren't.  Mrs. Ellington and her group of ladies provide a fun comic relief.  It did bother how long into the book you have to wait to find out what happened between Cass and Gwen in the spring.  It is alluded to throughout, but not revealed until almost the ending.  That bothered me because it left me unable to fully develop an opinion of Cass.  I liked him from the beginning, but couldn't know for sure if I should, since I didn't know whatever he did or didn't do to Gwen previously.  Overall, I enjoyed the book.  It was a solid three out of five stars for me (I rarely give anything five stars, so keep that in mind.  Three for some people may be low, but for me it is a solid book).  You can decide for yourself.  Happy reading!

How To Love

How to Love is definitely not a book for everyone.  I hesitated to read it because I don't like books dealing with teen pregnancy.  This book does have a teenage mother, but it isn't about her being pregnant.  In fact, her entire pregnancy is skipped over.  This book jumps back and forth between Before and After, letting the past and present unfold simultaneously.  It tells the story of Reena and Sawyer, from Reena's point of view.

In the Before, she has been in love with Sawyer since the seventh grade.  Their parent's are best friends, so they have grown up side by side.  Sawyer is two years older than her.  Despite her obsession with him, he doesn't seem to even notice her.  Then one day, he asks her to hang out and the rest is history.  The two fall in love.  He is far from perfect though.  He drags her around to parties she has no interest in going to.  All she wants is to graduate early and get out of town.  With college acceptance on the horizon she discovers she is pregnant.  When she goes to Sawyer's to tell him, she watches him packing into his jeep like he is going on a trip.  Little does she know, his trip will last over two years, with no word to anyone on where he is or if he is okay.

The After begins with Sawyer's return to town.  He wants to pick things back up with Reena, but she is less than thrilled to see him.  When he learns about their daughter, Hannah, he wants to be a part of her life.  Reena has a new boyfriend, a new life.  Sawyer, however, cannot be ignored.  He keeps popping up at inconvenient times, forcing her to deal with him.  This is definitely an unconventional love story, but that is indeed what it is.  Both Reena and Sawyer have to learn what it truly means to love someone else and even more importantly, how to love themselves.  Both characters are very flawed.  A lot of people don't like Sawyer, which makes them not like this book.  I listened to it on audio, and the reader did a good job of capturing his character.  If I had read him instead, I may not have liked him.  In the audio version, I couldn't help myself from cheering him on.  I wanted him to get it together.  I had an easier time excusing his idiocy and empathizing with him.  Reena's best friend, Shelby, was lots of fun.  Overall, I enjoyed the book.  Like I said, Sawyer will either make or break this book for you.  It definitely isn't for everybody, but I liked it.  Happy reading!

Isla and the Happily Ever After

This is the third and final book in the series.  As far as series go, these books are barely tied together.  Each title has it's own character and own story.  The overlap is the couple from the first book are minor characters in the second book, and the couples from the first two books make an appearance in the third book.  It is lots of fun to have those characters visit though.

This third book follows Isla Martin as she embarks on her senior year of boarding school in Paris.  Things seem to be looking up when longtime crush, Josh, not only notices her, but might actually be interested in her.  All her dreams are coming true, until a mistake is made and the love birds are torn apart.  As Isla gets an inside look into Josh's life, she realizes that maybe she doesn't really know him at all.  On top of that, she starts to question his feelings for her.  She doesn't believe he really loves her.  Can she learn to trust herself and Josh before her happily ever after melts away?

After reading this book I really want to reread the first one (Anna and the French Kiss).  Josh is best friends with St. Clair, one of the main characters from the first book.  I don't remember Josh much from that book and now I want to reread it.  He is only a minor character, but he is in the group of friends that Anna makes.  Isla even makes a cameo in that book.  Now that I've gotten to know Josh better, I am curious about his character in the first book.  In this book he is all alone.  His friends all graduated the year before.  This book takes place the year after the first book.  I wish I could remember more, but it is a really good book so I don't mind rereading it someday.  It's a really good series and this was a fun ending.  All the main characters from the three books come together for a night.  It was a fun reunion.  The books are all worth a read.  As far as teen/young adult romance is concerned, Stephanie Perkins is one of those authors that takes it to the next level, in my opinion.  She writes interesting characters that are fun to get to know.  Give her books a try.  Happy reading!

The Mortal Instruments

Most people have probably heard of this series, but if you haven't (or just haven't read it yet), here is my shout out to the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.  There are moments that will infuriate you, but over all the books are very good.  They are jam packed with action and danger.  The world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders that the author has created is very interesting.  It is set in 2008 in modern day New York (mostly).  The Shadowhunters (Nephilim) are a race of angel blessed people set to the task of protecting the world from demons.  They are warriors with special weapons and covered in runes that help enhance their natural abilities.  The main players are teenagers who live and train at the New York Institute, a Shadowhunter establishment.  Brother and sister Alec and Isabelle Lightwood, adopted brother Jace make up the three musketeers.  Enter mundane (ordinary human) Clary Fray.  She sees the trio slay a demon at a night club.  The only problem, mundanes can't see Shadowhunters.  They are glamoured to the naked eye.  She and her best friend Simon are thrown into the Shadow World, and their lives will never be the same.  Warlocks, Vampires, and Werewolves (the Downworlders) as well as the Fair Folk fill our the cast of characters.  The first three books (meant to be a trilogy) have an overall story arc that plays out at the end of book three.  The next three follow a continuing story arc with a newish big bad.  The books are well written, fast-paced, and full of excitement.  The characters are complex and far from perfect.  There is a wide variety of characters that make up the complex world expertly created by the author.  They are definitely worth reading.  If you are interested in them, the author wrote another trilogy set in the same world, only 100 or so years earlier called The Infernal Devices.  The two series tie together nicely in book six (City of Heavenly Fire), as well as set up her next series, The Dark Artifices, whose first installment is set to be released sometime next year.  If you are interested in trying one of her series, this one is the best.  Just a bit of advice, don't let any revelations in book one stop you from continuing the series.  I promise everything will be satisfactorily resolved in further volumes.  If you haven't read this series yet, give it a try.  Happy reading!

Fangirl

Fangirl is the ultimate coming of age story.  Twin sisters Cather and Wren are heading off to college.  Wren, the extrovert, wants nothing more than to branch out.  Cath, the introvert, has no interest in meeting anybody.  Her whole world revolves around her fan fiction site.  She has spent years writing Simon Snow (a Harry Potter-like character) fan fiction, gaining thousands of followers.  She prefers to live in that world.  Wren wants to walk away from the fangirl life that bonded them as kids.  She spends too much time partying it up and immersing herself in the college life.  Cath spends all her free time writing.  Her roommate Reagan and her boyfriend Levi make constant attempts to coax her into the real world.

At its core, this book is about growing up.  Change is not something everyone is good with, but it happens anyway.  Cath is one of those people forced to deal with the changes that come from growing up.  She has to decide what she really wants and whether she will let fear keep her from getting it.  It is a story about falling in love, accepting who you are, making new friends, letting go of the past and embracing the future.  The characters are spectacular.  They are so well written you can't help but feel you know them.  This book will just suck you in and keep you going to the very end.

I myself am not now nor have I ever been a fan fiction reader/fan, but the culture of fandom is something that fascinates me.  The passion that people feel for fictional characters and worlds can be contagious.  It always entertains me when I read about or see that world come to life.  This book is really about fandom, so if you are not interested in that, don't let that be what stops you from reading this.  Also, don't read it hoping to get a book about fandom.  This book is about a fangirl who is forced to grow up and figure out what life outside the fantasy world of Simon Snow means.  On her own for the first time, she has to find herself and figure out who she wants to be.  It is definitely worth reading.  Once again, the characters are what make this story stand out.  They are exceptional.  Happy reading!

Sinner

When I saw a follow-up book to the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy was coming out, I was so excited.  I really liked that series, and Cole was a very interesting character.  In Sinner Cole and Isabel get their very own book.  The story takes place after the trilogy.  Isabel has moved with her mother to California.  Cole is ready to get his life back.  What he wants most is Isabel.  He accepts a Reality TV gig, following him as he records a new album, and heads to LA to win Isabel over.  She is less than thrilled with his appearance.  She doesn't know if she can trust him, and she doesn't want to let herself fall in love with him again.  The book alternates perspectives as we watch Isabel try to deal with Cole being back in her life and what that might mean for the future.  We watch Cole try to face his own demons.  His past is only a step behind and he has trouble not giving in to temptation.  Instead of drugs, he turns to the wolf, forcing changes to help himself cope.  His character is very interesting to follow.  His manic and addictive personality is quite entertaining.  I found myself constantly cheering him on, hoping he wouldn't succumb to his demons.  His relationship with Leon was the best.  I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great follow up to a series I was sad to see end.  Cole's dynamic personality definitely begged for more attention.  This book was perfect for that.  He is very complicated and deserved to be the main character of his own story.  I loved seeing him back as the famous rock star, dealing with what that meant for his new life and trying to reconcile with his past self.  This was an excellent self-discovery story.  He needed this and as a fan, so did I.  Anybody who is a Cole St. Clair fan, you will love this book.  If you haven't read the trilogy first, you will be a little lost though.  All four books are quite good, in my opinion.  Give them a try.  Happy reading!

The Iron Fey

For years I though about reading The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.  It wasn't until she started a new series, The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, that I finally gave it a try.  The author said the first four didn't have to be read before book five (aka book one in the new series).  That sounded like a good deal to me.  I really liked that fifth book and was instantly intrigued by the previous four.  Of course I hurried to read them, as well as the bridging novellas, before book six came out.  I found that I actually liked the original four better.  The bad thing was, by reading book five first, a few things were ruined for me.  The second series takes place twelve or so years later and follows Ethan Chase, the younger brother or the main character in the Iron Fey series.

The original series follows Meghan Chase as she heads into the Nevernever to rescue her four year old brother, Ethan, after he is kidnapped by faeries.  It isn't long that she learns she is part faerie herself, the half-human daughter to none other than Oberon himself.  The Summer princess makes friends and enemies along the way.  Her travel companions are the Summer prankster, Puck, and his best friend/worst enemy the youngest Winter prince, Ash.  Finding Ethan is not their only problem.  A new kingdom, made of iron, is rapidly growing.  The Nevernever is starting to die as the poisonous iron overtakes the land.  None of the faeries can stop it.  Meghan's human half makes her immune to the effects of iron, so it is up to her to try to stop the Iron King before all the Winter and Summer lands and faeries are dead.  Of course there is also romance.  Puck is in love with Meghan from the beginning, but it is the forbidden Ash she is drawn to.  He is cold, cunning and lethal, just like his mother, Mab, values.  Meghan catches glimpses of who he is under that mask.  The two can't help but fall in love.  The problem, their parents are mortal enemies and it is forbidden for Summer and Winter to be together.  Will they risk exile to be together or walk away?  You'll have to read to find out.

While there is romance, as in most young adult books, it is by no means the driving point of the story.  The life and death action and adventure will keep you reading.  If you are at all interested in the world of Faerie, I think you will enjoy these books.  The Iron kingdom is fascinating to me.  I think it was a brilliant idea to shake things up in Faerie.  I really enjoyed the characters, especially Ash, although Puck's antics are always entertaining.  The stories are well-written and well-paced.  I never got bored.  The first three books are more of a trilogy, following Meghan, while book four is about Ash.  Meghan is only in it for a little bit.  It feels like a bonus book to satisfy Ash fans, although it does tie into the overall story.  Like I said, they are quite enjoyable.  Give them a try.  Happy reading!

The Kiss of Deception

The Kiss of Deception is one of those books that reminds me why I don't like reading advanced copies from the publishers.  When you read a book early, it is an even longer wait until the next one comes out.  I was first drawn to this title by its cover.  I think it is a beautiful cover.  Once I started reading the story, I was immediately sucked in.

On the day Princess Lia is set to marry an unknown prince from a foreign land, she decides to run for it instead.  The marriage was arranged by their fathers, and she has no interest in a marriage without love, especially to who she thinks is a stuffy, old papa's boy who didn't even care to meet her before the wedding.  She flees to a small town and instantly falls in love with life she finds there.  She finds work as a barmaid, and has no intention of ever looking back.  One day two young men walk into the bar and immediately catch her eye.  Both are attractive in their own way and both have their sights set on her.  One is none other than the prince she was to marry, come to check out the girl who jilted him.  The other is an assassin sent by a neighboring land to kill her.  Lia begins to form friendships with both boys, but soon discovers she is falling in love with one of them.  She doesn't realize the danger surrounding her until it is too late.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book.  Rafe and Kaden were fun to figure out.  It was pretty obvious to me early on which one's the prince and which one's the assassin, although the author doesn't come out and tell us until Lia begins to learn the truth of it.  She is a very strong and likable leading lady.  Her fire and independence makes it obvious early on that court life was never for her.  Duty is not something she bows to easily.  She is fierce when it comes to her brothers and friends.  I am really excited to get to know her more in the books to come.  I don't want to say too much about the boys so as not to give away their identities, but they are both likable and interesting in their own ways.  This book is well paced and full of intrigue.  There is an air of suspense that kept me reading.  I hate that it ended and now I have to wait until sometime next year for book two.  I really enjoyed the writing and am excited for the story to continue.  If you are looking for a good low fantasy book, give this a try.  Happy reading!

The Violet Eden Chapters

I found The Violet Eden Chapters, a.k.a. the Embrace series, to be quite good.  The author created a world involving fallen angels (exiles of light and exiles of dark) and angel-made human warriors known as Grigori.  The two sides are in constant battle.  The exiles are strong, ambitious, and a tad crazy.  Most desire to rule the humans, and it is up to the Grigori to protect the human race.  Grigori are made when an angel imbues his essence upon a baby during its first few weeks of life.  Violet is one such baby.  On her seventeenth birthday, her world changes.  She learns of the hidden world surrounding her and the new powers growing inside her.  She feels betrayed by Lincoln, the man who has been training her (and who she has been falling in love with) for the last two years.  It turns out he is Grigori and knew all along that she is too.  He was training her to become his partner.  All Grigori have partners that can help heal them and fight side by side with them, the down side is they can never be together as a couple because it weakens them.  The books are filled with the whole will they won't they between Violet and Lincoln.  They are in love, but can't be together.  Then there is Phoenix (my favorite character in the series).  He is an exile, only different from the others.  He hasn't gone mad and is able to pass himself off as human when he wants to (it is because of who his parents are).  He also has his sights set on Violet.  The two have a complicated relationship.  Part of him loves her and part of him wants to destroy her.  His dual nature makes him the ultimate unpredictable foe.  Despite all he does, Violet repeatedly trusts him.  He is a very interesting character.  The love triangle is fun too.  You always know Violet is in love with Lincoln, but a part of her will always belong to Phoenix.  Outside the love story, it is a story of life and death, survival and annihilation, friendship and loyalty.  A war is brewing and Violet and her friends have to do all they can, including give their lives if need be to stop the exiles.  There is lots of action and danger, suspense and twists, betrayal and grief.  Each book will keep you on the edge of your seat.  They are all well written with interesting and action-packed plots.  I vastly enjoyed this series and highly recommend it.  Happy reading!

For Darkness Shows the Stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars will appeal to fans of Jane Austen.  It is a futuristic, dystopian retelling of Persuasion.  As far as everyone knows, the inhabitants on the two large islands they live on are the only survivors left in the world.  It is a couple generations since daring scientists/innovators tried to make themselves and all their followers into gods.  They replaced body parts with better working ones, tapped into the human brain to make it better, etc.  The result was catastrophic.  The Luddites (those who didn't embrace the technology), thought God punished them by Reducing them to little more than simple-minded people who couldn't take care of themselves.  It fell to the Luddites to care for and protect the Reduced.  In reality, the Reduced are now little more than slave labor to most Luddite lords.  A new generation (Children of the Reduced, or CORs) has been born unaffected by Reduction.  These Posts are starting to rebel against life on the estates, striking out to make lives of their own.

The story takes place on the North estate.  Eighteen year old Elliott North is left to make sure the farm and its inhabitants survive.  Her father is power hungry but has no sense of how to run a farm.  Her older sister doesn't want to have to get her hands dirty.  Elliott spends her days working the land and taking care of the Reduceds and Posts on her estate.  Her energy goes to convincing herself she didn't make a mistake four years earlier when she chose to stay on the farm instead of running off with Kai, the Post boy she grew up with and came to love.  One day the famous Cloud Fleet, a group of Post explorers, comes to rent out her grandfather's land in order to build a new ship for renowned captain Malakai Wentforth.  He turns out to be none other than her Kai, only he is very angry and hostile toward her.  The boy she knew is long gone, replaced by a man she almost doesn't recognize.  Can the two learn to be friends again, or did her decision to stay end all hope of any future?

For fans of Persuasion, you will know how the story goes, but it was still rather enjoyable.  I really liked Elliott.  She was a very strong and interesting character.  Between chapters there were letters from Elliott and Kai's youth that they had left for each other.  It was a lot of fun reading them and getting to know the younger versions of them.  It was a clever way of filling in back story while remaining in the present tense.  Baron North was a horrid individual.  I wanted to strangle him.  I hated seeing Elliott impotent under his reign.  There is a sequel I am very interested in reading.  I want to know what becomes of all the characters.  Even if you aren't a fan of dystopian, but are a Jane Austen fan, I think you will enjoy this story.  Happy reading!

Slammed

A friend of mine recommended Slammed to me last summer.  I pretty much read it from cover to cover.  It was one of the those books I just didn't want to put down.  In my opinion, the book was poorly edited, and at times it really bothered me.  The story itself was enough to keep me reading and ultimately overlooking all the errors.  If that is something that you just can't abide, don't even bother with this book.

It begins with Layken (Lake), Kel and their mother moving from Texas to Michigan after their father dies of a heart attack.  As soon as Kel steps out of the U-Haul, their new neighbor, Caulder, comes running out to meet them.  The two young boys become instant friends.  When Caulder's older brother (and guardian), Will, comes out to meet them, there are instant sparks between him and Lake.  The two go on a date and have the best night of their lives.  They are quickly on their way to falling in love.  A few days later a bitter truth is revealed that puts a halt to their budding relationship.  The two are forced to try to forget/get over their feelings.

This book has a lot of layers to it.  There is a lot going on in the lives of all the characters.  It is far from boring.  The characters are wonderfully written.  The little boys, Kel and Caulder, provide a humor and honesty when faced with the worst of circumstances.  They are like a ray of light in an otherwise dark world.  Lake's new best friend, Eddie, also provides a much needed energy and optimism that helps buoy Lake up.  The title comes from Will's love of slam poetry, a
fun addition to the story.  It has a lot of poetry, which I usually don't like much.  In this book I found myself rather enjoying it and getting caught up in the energy of it.  There are also lots of twists/reveals in the book that left me feeling "slammed."  The title works in more than one way in this book.  If you enjoy it, the story continues in Point of Retreat, told from Will's point of view.  It isn't quite as good as the first, but still worth reading.  I could have done without the third book.  I was pleasantly surprised by this title.  Perhaps you will be too.  Happy reading!

Starcrossed

The Starcrossed trilogy is one of my favorite teen series dealing with Greek Mythology.  The cast of characters are all modern day incarnations of tragic demigods of old.  History is stuck in a loop, the same tragic tales played over and over again spanning multiple generations.  The same will happen this time around unless Helen can somehow stop the Fates.  It's a series full of action, betrayal, danger, friendship and family.  It is also a story of starcrossed lovers.  Helen and Lucas are drawn to each other, almost to the detriment of all.  They are this generation's Helen of Troy and Paris.  They share a love that defies all else, but they can't be together.  Both of them constantly struggle to accept the fate they are dealt, all while trying to save the world.  They have to contend with angry gods, try to keep the Furies at bay, and unmask a traitor in their midst.  At the end of the day, all the weight rests on Helen's shoulders.  Can she be strong enough to beat the gods and end the cycle the Fates have them all stuck in?  I really liked this series.  I thought these books were well-written and vastly entertaining.  The characters are all quite enjoyable, even the less than likable ones.  I loved Helen's relationship with her father.  Also, her best friend was all types of fun.  The stories are filled with all the markers of a good fantasy/mythology story: a prophecy, an epic battle, the fight for survival, the responsibility of great power, and a romance to end all romances.  This is a series that I highly recommend.  Happy reading!

The Fault in Our Stars

After months of The Fault in Our Stars being on the bestseller lists, I figured I should see what all the fuss was about.  That was over a year ago, and it is still on the bestseller lists.  If you have yet to read it, I recommend seeing for yourself what the big deal is.  There are plenty of people who have read it and still wondered about all the stink, but I was not one of them.  I absolutely loved this book.  It is one of those stories that keeps you thinking about it long after it is over.  I don't know if I would have had the same reaction if I had read it.  You see, I listened to the audio version, and it was phenomenal.  The voice actor did such a wonderful job of portraying the characters.  I've been saving this book for June, which is audio month.

As far as audio books go, the reader definitely holds a lot of power as far as making a book wonderful or forever ruining it for the world.  I have listened to plenty of books that I may have liked a lot better if I had read them myself instead.  Sometimes it is simply the readers voice that bothers me.  Other times it is their inability to do proper accents when appropriate.  Whatever the reason, I have definitely come to appreciate the true talent that voice acting involves.  Narrating an audio book is a lot more than merely reading it--Listen to Harry Potter and tell me anyone can do it.  I dare you.  I have listened to books that I love and been unable to even finish the audio version, forever grateful I read it first so as not to miss out on it.  There are also plenty of audio books that I probably liked better than if I had read them myself.  I have yet to read this book, for fear I will not like it as much, although I did purchase it with the intention of someday reading it.

I rarely give five star reviews on Goodreads, but this is one of those titles that made the cut.  Like I said, the reader had me so absorbed in the story I hated to see it end.  You'll definitely need a box of tissues on hand.  All the main characters are cancer patients.  When Hazel's mother makes her go to a cancer support group, she makes friends that will forever change her life, short as it may be.  She knows she is terminal, but when she meets Augustus she truly begins to live.  It is a story about love, friendship, loyalty, dreams and living your life to the fullest.  If you have not yet read it, I highly recommend giving it a try.  Better yet, listen to the audio version.  The movie comes out on Friday, and I can't wait to see it.  I hope I won't be disappointed.  Since the previews make me cry, I may have to wait until it comes out on video so I can blubber in the privacy of my own home.  Although, I will hardly be the only one reaching for a tissue.  It is not a feel good book, but it will definitely make you feel.  Happy reading/listening!

Cruel Beauty

Lately there seems to be a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings out there.  Cruel Beauty is interesting because it combines the fairy tale with Greek Mythology.  People should know better than to make deals with the Gentle Lord.  The price is always higher than you expect.  When Leonidas Triskelion desperately bargains for a child, his wish is granted.  His wife gives birth to twin girls, one of them promised as a bride to the Gentle Lord.  That is the price Leonidas agreed to.  The hidden barb is that his wife does not survive childbirth.  Seventeen years later, Nyx is preparing to marrying the king of demons.  She has a secret mission she has been training for her whole life: to kill the Gentle Lord and save her people from  900 years of living under his curse.  As she tries to discover the secrets of his house and figure out how to destroy it, she instead discovers truths she never imagined.  Perhaps the Gentle Lord is not the true enemy.  Perhaps he is himself a victim of the curse.  Plus, Nyx finds herself falling in love with the demon.  Can she continue on with her mission to destroy him?  I love fairy tales and I love Greek Mythology.  This book gave me a little of both.  The Children of Typhon, Pandora's Box, the Kindly Ones, plus the mention of various other myths weave their way through the story.  I really enjoyed the characters.  Nyx is a spitfire, constantly amusing Ignifex/the Gentle Lord.  Her tenacity is what keeps her alive.  She is strong and passionate.  As wife number nine, she just might be the one to survive.  Ignifex is not what his reputation leads us to believe.  As all Beast re-imaginings,  he is a lot kinder and he is definitely more than meets the eye.  This is more than a love story.  It is about family, duty, destiny, loyalty, betrayal and consequences.  Nothing comes without a price, and the cost may be more than you can ever imagine.  As far as Beauty and the Beast retellings, this is one of my favorites so far.  It is quite enjoyable.  Happy reading!

Under the Never Sky

The Under the Never Sky trilogy is not entirely my kind of series, but I gave it a try based on a recommendation.  I love dystopian books, I just prefer less science fiction heavy ones.  That said, I rather enjoyed this series.  It was probably because the majority of the series takes place outside the domed, technologically advanced cities.  In the beginning, Aria, a "Dweller" from the city of Reverie, is tossed out into the wasteland to die.  There she reluctantly teams up with Perry, an "Outsider."  They need each other, although neither wishes to rely on the enemy.  They soon grow to be friends, and then fall in love.  Shocker, I know.  The main struggle throughout the series is the fight for survival.  The world is being ravaged by Aether storms.  The amount of safe land is diminishing.  Worse yet, the Dweller cities are starting to fall.  Their only salvation, a rumored land known as the Still Blue where Aether never lights up the sky.  It is literally a fight to the death to try to get there first.  Outside tribes are fighting for the coordinates and safe passage.  The Dwellers have the ships, but one Outsider is crucial to survival.  Whoever can control him, controls the fate of all mankind.  These books are filled with interesting characters.  One of the best villains I have encountered in a long time is the big bad Sable, Blood Lord of the Horns.  He is pure evil.  My favorite character is Perry's best friend Roar.  He is funny and entertaining, yet quite complex.  I really enjoyed watching him grow and change as his life is turned upside down.  Aria is a fun character to watch develop as well.  She goes from being a Dweller that is totally dependent on technology, being completely tough and self-sufficient.  I love strong female characters, and she is definitely one.  Cinder and Talon are also characters I love.  They are young boys with entirely too much weight on their shoulders.  You just want to wrap them up in a hug and protect them, which is exactly the instinct Perry has toward them.  The books are told in alternating chapters from Perry and Aria's perspectives.  It works because Aria and Perry are often not even in the same settlement half the time, so we get to have multiple story lines going at once.  Their love story is at the heart of the story, but there is definitely a lot more going on.  You route for them to make it work, even when the very world seems to be against them.  It is a tale of star-crossed lovers fighting until the very end, more than willing to die for each other.  While the romance is obviously at the core, the book is primarily science fiction/dystopian in nature.  If any of those genres interest you, I recommend trying out this series.  Happy reading!

The Summer I Became a Nerd

The Summer I Became a Nerd is a lot of fun. It does a good job of addressing the social pressure to fit in in High School, and the crippling intensity of caring what other people think to the detriment of your own happiness. After a traumatic experience of being made fun of and ostracized for showing her true nerd self, Maddie vows to hide that side of her at all costs. She is a comic book, role-playing, video game lover on the inside, and a popular, quarterback dating cheerleader on the outside. When she is forced to enter the local comic book shop to buy the newest and last edition of her favorite comic, her world is turned upside down. Logan, her longtime secret crush is behind the counter and her attempt at hiding her identity doesn't fool him (he has been crushing on her for years too). As she begins to get closer to Logan, the lies she tells to hide her secret nerd side start to unravel. Maddie spends all her time trying to make and keep everyone else happy, but doesn't think about her own happiness. Logan makes her realize that there is nothing wrong with being herself. She is surprised to find out that her true friends don't care about her secret identity anyway. This is a cute love story filled with all the High School anxiety of being with who you truly like despite what others think. It really resonated with me and brought back memories of High School. Not a lot of books can do that.  If you are a comic book geek in any way, you will enjoy this book.  I'm not, but I can appreciate that world.  I have lots of friends, even a husband, that venture into that world in some degree.  I liked it mostly for the way it captured the social anxiety that high school can cause.  I remember feeling a lot of what Maddie felt.  It definitely hit a spot for me.  Overall it is a cute book with a good message.  A perfect summer read.  Give it a try.  Happy reading!

We Were Liars

I think I liked this book more than I would have if I knew more about it before I read it.  I received a free copy from the publisher months ago and completely forgot the premise long before I started it this week.  Going in with no expectations definitely allowed for a greater impact when the story unfolded.  This is one of those books that by telling you about it will ruin it for you.  I will tell you a few things though.  It is told from the point of view of Cadence (AKA Cady).  She is the oldest grandchild of an extremely wealthy, self-important man who loves to stir the pot of contention when it comes to his impending inheritance.  He owns his own island where he has built houses for each of his daughters.  The entire family spend each summer there together.  That is where the majority of this book takes place.  Cady and her two cousins Mirren, and Johnny, along with friend Gat have been inseparable since childhood.  The four, known as The Liars, pal around each summer.  In what they call Summer Fifteen, events unfold that will forever change all their futures.  I thought that Cady was a very unique narrator.  Her brand of storytelling was quite appealing to me, but I know that not everyone will agree with me.  So, just a warning, you may not be able to deal with her as a narrator.  I liked it because it was different than your classic teen voice.  I really enjoyed the characters.  The kids at least.  I could do without all the adults.  They were pretty awful, stereotypical rich people who care about money first and foremost.  Now this book may not be for everybody, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished.  To me that is something.  There are plenty of books I read that don't really leave an impact.  This one did.  So if you are looking for something a little different, give this book a chance, just don't read the description first.  You'll enjoy it more if you don't have any expectations.  Happy reading!

Don't Look Back

I received a copy of Don't Look Back from the publisher and couldn't wait to read it.  Jennifer Armentrout is one of my favorite newly discovered authors.  She was recommended to me by a friend who has almost an identical taste in books as I do.  I pretty much like everything she has recommended to me, so I wasn't surprised to discover I liked this author.  This new book will be hitting shelves in just a couple weeks (April 15th to be precise).  This book starts out with a girl wandering on a mountain road, looking a little worse for wear.  When a police officer stops to check on her, we discover that she has no idea what happened to her.  Even worse, she doesn't remember who she or anybody else is.  We come to find out that Samantha has been missing for four days and her best friend, Cassie, disappeared with her.  As she gets reintroduced to her old life, we learn she is fabulously wealthy, is half of a society super couple, is the Q Bee of mean girls, and a total party animal.  She, of course, remembers none of that, and is quite frankly appalled by the lot of it.  She doesn't like her "friends," is vaguely repulsed by her "perfect," gorgeous boyfriend, and doesn't at all like the person she apparently was.  All Sam wants is to remember what happened to her.  She thinks that is the key to discovering what happened to Cassie.  As far as mysteries go, this book is a little thin.  The police investigation is happening off page.  Sam makes no real effort to regain her memory.  Nobody around her seems to really care about what happened to Cassie.  That whole story line is almost secondary.  However, the struggle that Sam goes through trying to decide who she is and what she wants, reconciling the new her with the old her and dealing with Dissociative Amnesia is quite engaging.  I really liked the whole idea of getting a do over.  Most people don't get the opportunity to have a clean slate, and I enjoyed watching Sam find herself.  Mixed in with the self-discovery is the fear that she is crazy.  She keeps hallucinating and finding little notes with clues as to what happened that fateful night.  Her memories are starting to come back in flashes that leave her wondering what's real and what's imagined.  I really enjoyed the characters, especially Sam, her twin brother Scott, and childhood best friend Carson, and Scott's girlfriend Julie.  Like I said, it was hardly an edge-of-your-seat thriller.  You still get a whodunit story, although the clues are there for the taking (it is not super obvious though).  I love a good mystery, but to me this was more of a character journey.  The danger element was missing for most of the book.  I didn't like it any less for that.  Strong characters are what I look for in books, and this one did not disappoint.  It also has an element of romance for those looking for that aspect (there is a little sex for those who are wondering).  This was well written and very enjoyable.  Overall, a good read.  I would definitely recommend it.  Happy reading!

Tuesday Talk: Better off Friends

A book I recently read and enjoyed a lot more than I expected was Better off Friends, by Elizabeth Eulberg.  Since finishing it, I have checked out a few of her earlier books from the library to see if they are also good.  I'll let you know what I think.  This book was 100% right up my alley.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love books that have a romance that springs from friendship.  The kind of relationship that forms during the friendship stage is always enjoyable to me.  In this book, Levi and Macallan were wonderful characters.  They met at the beginning of 7th grade.  Bonding over a mutual love for a quirky BBC TV show, they quickly became best friends.  This was a When Harry Met Sally type story for teenagers.  It was told in alternating chapters so you got to hear what both characters are thinking and feeling.  In between the chapters there are snippets of banter between the present tense Levi and Macallan, mostly responding to the previous chapter/story told about their past.  Those little narrations between the stories were lots of fun.  This was a fun love story with all the fun of falling in love but without the sex and language that a lot of books think they have to include.  Like I said, my kind of book exactly.  I highly recommend it.  The characters kept me very entertained.  I loved "watching" them grow up.  It was a fun, light read that I thoroughly enjoyed curling up with.  I think you will too (if this is your kind of book).  Happy reading!