From Goodreads: “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

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The premise of this novel is absolutely amazing, but unfortunately, the story itself didn’t really hold my attention.  The beginning of the novel started off strong, but with the introduction of the Raven boys, I started to become confused and lose interest.  For me, Gansey was just a little too technical and too haughty, constantly looking for a lost medieval noble’s grave, overly obsessed with ley lines and mediums, and to be quite honest, I didn’t understand what he was trying to do most of the time.  Between the shifts in narration (which I usually adore, but had a hard time following in this novel) and the lack of a resolution concerning the main synopsis (Gansey being Blue’s true love or the boys she kills), I found myself unable to really immerse myself in the story.  I don’t think having so many characters helped me understand it any easier, either.  Between Blue and the four Raven boys, Blue’s mother and the three other “witches” living at her house, Gansey’s parents and teachers, and Ronan’s older brother, I just couldn’t keep up.  Too much seemed to be happening all at once, and since I had a hard time connecting it all together, I became frustrated, and I think a lot of the story was lost on me.  It’s unfortunate because my interest was again piqued when the ghost revelation was revealed, but that, again, was short lived as I became thoroughly confused again.

Seeing as this novel is getting extremely high reviews on Goodreads, it’s obvious that most readers really enjoy this story, and I am, in fact, in the minority, so I do urge you to at least try it out and see what you think because our tastes in books might be vastly different.  Unfortunately for me, I just never got to the point of really caring for any of the characters or the plotline as it unfolded.  One and a half stars.

Scholastic Press has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on September 18, 2012.

From Goodreads: Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake — this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

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Gabe is my absolute favorite.  I thought Chris was my guy, but having now read a book focusing all on Gabe, resident bad boy with a fetish for fire and blowing things up… Chris has fallen by the wayside.  He was a little young for me, anyway.  Lol. No, but in all seriousness, Gabe has stolen the show in this second novel in the Elemental Series, and I loved every minute of it.

I believe that the Merrick boys’ temperament is really decided by their element, and since Gabe plays with fire, as you can imagine, he runs a bit hot.  Losing his head in many a situation, Gabe struggles to connect with those around him and control his anger, especially as fire constantly calls to him. What’s not to love?

While Chris, Becca, and the whole rest of the clan are a major part of the story that’s still unwinding after the climax of Storm, I loved having a new character to get to know in Layne.  She’s completely different from all the other characters and I really enjoyed her, especially as she morphed and grew into herself, as did her relationship with Gabe.  Ah, Gabe.  Of course, he lands himself in more trouble than usual in this novel, and I loved watching him come to grips with his past as the story unfolded.  I also loved watching his friends and family really be there for him, standing behind him even when they were concerned about his exploits… I definitely cried a few times while reading this book—I wouldn’t say it’s epically emotional, but some of the situations really got to me; they were so beautiful.

Kemmerer is a very gifted writer and so far, I’ve loved every single book I’ve read of hers.  She really knows how to create and flesh out characters, and her stories flow so seamlessly that they pull you in and don’t let go until the very end.  And even then, I found myself sitting there in Merrick withdrawal, wanting to read them all over again, especially as May can’t get here fast enough, and I need more!!!  Five stars.

I received a signed ARC of this novel from the author and I also purchased it from Amazon (don’t want to ruin the signed copy!!! Gotta have one for the Kindle, too!).

From Goodreads: Being a force of nature doesn’t keep you safe.

Hunter Garrity is used to watching his back. The kids at school sense something different about him. And they’re right.

Hunter has powers that have nothing to do with how hard he can throw a punch.

Maybe that’s what Clare Kasten is picking up. She’s shy, quiet, and intense, but she’s sought him out. There’s no telling what she wants from him.

But Hunter knows enough to sense a secret when it’s close. And getting close to Clare is a danger he’s ready to face…

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Alas… Hunter.  He is one of the characters from Storm that I really enjoyed, though about halfway through the novel I was able to figured him out, partly.  Kremmerer still threw me for a loop because, while I was 99% sure about him, that 1% still crept up and bit me.  And he’s such a great character!  Vying for Becca’s attention, totally swoon worthy, but something was always off about him…

Now, if you haven’t read Storm, then you must before you pick up Fearless, as this novella would completely spoil your perceptions of Hunter (and perhaps this review will too, SPOILER ALERT DECLARED), and that would be a tragedy.  So go read Storm.  Right now.  Seriously.  It’s amazing.  Then read this (novella and review).  It’s really good too.

I love that Kemmerer continues to give her readers glimpses into her characters’ lives in-between her full-fledged novels.  First with Elemental, giving us insight into Michael, the oldest of the Merrick boys, and now with Hunter, an elemental outside the Merrick family.  Not only does it help tide the reader over while we wait on pins and needles for the next novel, but it fleshes out the characters even more, giving us added insight into their personalities, and I absolutely love it.

In this novella, which take place prior to the series’ start, we learn a lot about Hunter’s personality.  Like I said, I really liked him in Storm, and his heroism continues to shine through in Fearless, though I really wish there was even more to this novella (aka. LONGER!).  It was great to get to see how his family interacted/reacted to him, further solidifying some information we learn in Storm, and I truly enjoyed this quick glimpse into his life as the kid who gets picked on and is duped by a girl.  It really put everything I previously knew about him in proportion and I can’t wait to see what happens next for him, especially after such a rocky conclusion in Storm.  Four stars!

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys, all the ones she doesn’t want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

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This is one of those books that steals you away from reality, wrapping you up in its enticing story and captivating you long after the very last page.  I can’t believe I didn’t know about this series sooner (I became aware of it one week prior to going to PAYA 2012) and I’m so very glad that I found it.  Kemmerer is a fantastic writer, an epic storyteller with such a vivid imagination.  This story, with the element manipulation, romance, feuds, and life threatening situations is a must read for all!  A. Must. Read.

Chris Merrick is the youngest of his brothers.  He’s the water elemental, just coming into himself and attempting to fully harness his element, while his older brothers, Gabriel (Fire), Nick (Air), and Michael (Earth) all work to hide their abilities from all prying eyes.  As a family of full elementals, considered the most dangerous by partial elementals, the Merrick boys have much at stake—they’re not supposed to be alive, no full elemental is, because they’re too unpredictable and dangerous, even if they don’t mean to be, and the teenage years, with learning to control themselves, are the hardest.

Chris and his brothers are doing the best they can, but with their elements constantly beckoning to them and the partial elementals badgering them from every side, things have a tendency to go from bad to worse, especially when they can’t even get along with each other.

I loved Chris.  I loved all the Merrick boys, but Chris is the main character in this novel and he really steals the show.  He’s extremely well written and I loved watching him grow and mature throughout the novel, especially as he’s got so much to contend with.  It’s not easy being a teenager, and Kemmerer does a phenomenal job fleshing Chris out to the point that the reader really feels like s/he’s a part of the story.  Becca is another phenomenal character and I highly enjoyed watching her slowly figure things out as the story progressed.  I kept wishing I was her… her life, while not all glitz and glamour, is so much more exciting than mine… not to mention she’s hanging around five seriously sexy guys… In terms of all the characters, I really love that not everyone is what they seem in this novel, and while I was able to guess who was behind what on occasion, I was still floored by the revelations Kemmerer sets forth as the story winds down.

Another aspect I love about this series is that each novel (and novella) focuses on a different character, so even though the story is moving forward as it would in any series, we’re seeing it through the perspective of a different character.  While Storm focuses on Chris and Becca, Elemental focuses on Michael, giving the reader his back-story. Fearless focuses on Hunter’s back-story, and Spark focuses on Gabe (who I’m totally enamored with, btw).  I think it’s so cool that we get to know each character on a deeper level and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!  Five stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

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This is a great intro novella that swept me up and whet my appetite for the full Elemental series that, at the time, I wasn’t certain if I was going to read.  Rest assured, a few pages into Elemental and I was dying for even more, so when this novella ended on a cliffhanger, I immediately bought the rest of the series, in both eBook and paperback format, because it’s a real keeper—something I definitely want gracing the shelves of my bookcase and eReader.

This novella introduces us to the characters of Michael Merrick and Emily Morgan as teenagers… a full five years prior to the first full novel’s opening (I think).  I wasn’t aware of that while I was reading, so I was a little confused when I picked up Storm, but as I began piecing everything together I realized that Elemental is really building up the back story for Michael, giving the reader a glimpse into what his life was like before he became the brooding head of the family.  It also gives insight as one reads Storm because the characters briefly grace over and allude to past events that aren’t fully explained, but having read Elemental I knew the whole back story, which I thought was really cool.

Michael is a very interesting character, the oldest of four, with the power to control the earth to the extent that he’s extremely dangerous.  The fact that he lives in a normal town surrounded by normal people is extremely jarring, but he’s not alone in his abilities.  Other elementals live nearby, but with powers less extensive, which makes Michael and his family a threat, especially as the teenage years are the hardest for a pure elemental when it comes to controlling their immense powers.  And from this stems the entire series… no full elemental should live… Yet there are four Merrick boys…

I loved getting to know Michael and watching his relationship with Emily bud.  I also felt a lot of rage against Emily’s family and friends due to their reactions to Michael and his family, and the circumstances that surrounded the cliffhanger in the end made me automatically side with Michal’s family.  Having done nothing wrong, and being constantly provoked, I thought Michael did a phenomenal job keeping it all in check, whereas I would have blown everyone to smithereens…

Like I said, I really enjoyed this novella, and I highly recommend it, either as a precursor to Storm (as it should be), or as a follow up right after the completion of Storm as, by that time, you’ll have a better grasp of all the key players.  If I had it to do over, I’d probably read Elemental second to Storm as I think it gives readers even more insight having met Michael in the later years and seeing what has been going on in his family.  But either way, it’s definitely a five star read!

I purchased a copy of this novella from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Named Notable Book of 1955 by the American Library Association, this is the very moving story of a peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life was a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loved.

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This is an absolutely beautiful novel that I’ve now read eight times, and I love it more with each reading.  Markandaya really has a way with words, painting a vivid picture of what life is like in rural India, how wealth is decided by the season and weather, and how everything can be lost in an instant.

In this circular novel, Rukmani tells her life story, beginning with a dream, then delving deep into the past, tracing her life from childhood to present, causing the reader to rejoice and cry alongside her as she reveals all in this heartbreaking yet triumphant novel.  Having married young and leaving her family behind, Rukmani learns what it means to be the woman of the house, working the soil alongside her husband, praying for sons, and caring for those around her.  Coming from wealth, her life is not what she expected, but her easy demeanor and good nature cause her never a grumble, making her a lovable character that the reader easily connects with, though we may never experience all the triumphs or tribulations that Ruku does.

The fact that the story is so poignant and easy to follow, let alone interesting and intriguing, makes for a fast read, and though Rukmani’s life is so vastly different from my own, I can’t help but look up to her.  She experiences vast heartache, but always comes back strong, making her twice the woman I am… The truths Markandaya presents in this novel are absolutely amazing and learning about Ruku’s culture, her way of life, her happiness, and her sadness really presses upon me the importance of living each day to the fullest and focusing on the good in life, as Ruku does.  I find that this is a very powerful novel and I strongly believe that all should read it.  Four stars.

I purchased my copy of this novel at Barnes and Nobel.

From Goodreads: Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

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Sarah Rees Brennan did a phenomenal job with this enticing novel; it wrapped me up so tightly in its story that I couldn’t put it aside until the very last page.  Complete with mystery and mayhem, Kami Glass, a reporter for the school newspaper, and her entourage, Angie, Holly, and the Lynburn boys, set off to discover the truth behind the sinister animal killings and, unbeknownst to the Lynburns, the truth about them, as well.

I really enjoyed this novel.  From Kami’s own eccentricity to her best friends love for napping, I was enthralled with both the characters and the storyline itself.  I love Kami’s down to earth banter with her friends, and the revelation behind her “imaginary” friend was really interesting.  I loved trying to figure out the many mysteries throughout the novel, such as who was behind the murders, whether or not Jared could really be trusted, how Jared and Kami could be inside each other’s head, who (or what) the Lynburns really were… it was all around a really fun read, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the next installment, especially as I hated the way Unspoken ended.  I realize that most cliffhangers today always leave the reader wanting more, and while that’s true with this novel as well, I was hoping for a more happy ending.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not tragic, necessarily, but I was not happy with Jared at all.  Not one bit.  But you’ll have to read this riveting story to find out, because while you might think I just gave away too much information, in truth, I didn’t… Four stars.

Random House BFYR has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on September 11, 2012.

From Barnes and Nobel: In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. People consider themselves lucky to live in the quaint, serene beachside town, and native Clare Knight, now a city girl, feels doubly lucky to be moving back there a week before the July festivities kick off.

But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year’s Fourth of July festival won’t see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing’s wrong.

And they’re not the only ones hiding something.

Clare has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people’s pasts when she touches their clothes. And since she’s a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, her visions are frequent—and usually unwanted. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year’s Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.

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This was a really interesting novel that had a great premise, though the beginning was a bit too slow for my tastes.  Once the novel picked up, though, and Clare found the jacket belonging to the missing teen, Amanda, the novel held my attention quite well.  I will say that a lot of the intro chapters were a bit boring for me; I found Clare’s friends to be quite stale and I certainly wasn’t as interested in learning about them and their selfishness as I was about the mystery surrounding Amanda’s disappearance.  In my opinion, it took a bit too long for the novel to get moving in the direction the synopsis states it will go…  it was nearly 60 pages before any mention of the jacket took place, (if my math is correct—I read on my Kindle and it was about 22% into the novel), and even then it wasn’t right away that Clare took stock in what she had or decided to do anything about it.  But it was a start and my interest piqued double time as soon as Clare began using her ability to help track the truth about Amanda.

While I will say that I didn’t connect with most of the characters to any extent, I really did like Clare, though I felt her relationship with her friends, and especially Jack, were a bit pushed.  She goes from liking them to disliking them, to being scared and then in love, and it happens a bit too quickly for it to have validity.  But, it certainly didn’t ruin my reading of the novel.  With the revelations of Amanda’s jacket, the story keeps itself afloat and holds the readers interest with the many twists and turns.  And, in all honesty, I didn’t see the truth coming, which is always a plus in my book, because I like being completely jarred by the revelations.  Thus, overall I liked the novel and wouldn’t mind reading more by this author.  Three and a half stars.

Random House Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release on September 11, 2012

From Goodreads: Josh McDonald, a frumpish and somewhat ethically challenged accountant, and his friend Adam Barnes, an ambitious Homeland Security agent, are infected by a highly communicable viral vector of unknown origin containing super-charged DNA that rejuvenates the human genome so as to prevent disease, regenerate damaged or lost tissue and reverse the aging process. Adam sees an opportunity to bolster his career by persuading his superiors that the virus should be treated as a weapon accessible only to society’s elites, who over time will leverage their immortality to assert global political and economic dominance. Josh, prodded by his quirky but kind-hearted girlfriend Belinda, hopes to thwart Adam’s power grab by spreading the contagion to as many people as possible. Adam counters with a disinformation campaign claiming that the virus yields lethal side effects and that Josh and Belinda are terrorists working at the behest of sinister foreign powers. Who wins the ensuing struggle as the virus diffuses rapidly throughout the United States and around the globe? Perhaps neither, as the entire world, wrenched by the competing claims, degenerates into confusion and anarchy–old conflicts, prejudices and jealousies sharpening under the pressure of fast-moving events. THE EDEN FACTOR is an apocalyptic novel that blends the potential of modern genetics with an old-fashioned love story to reach a surprising conclusion about the corrosive effects of immortality in the hands of those who aren’t quite ready for it.

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I really enjoyed this novel.  At the start I wasn’t sure where the novel was headed (I didn’t read the synopsis prior to beginning—I had my Kindle but no computer or phone to look it up), but I definitely started liking it when Josh and Adam met in the park as Josh, a grown man, spends the entire conversation with his “friend” poking a dead fish.  I don’t know, I just thought that was really funny and I could just see it happening in my mind’s eye.  Poor Josh, as if Adam didn’t already have a point about Josh leading a boring, somewhat pointless life… but that aside, this is where all the action begins.  It is with this pointless, mind numbing action that Josh unleashes a communicable virus that cures all illnesses, sending both men into a fervor trying to contain and control its power.

This novel really makes you think.  I’d like to say that, if I discovered this virus, I’d use it on the world to help heal, but then at the same I’d be scared of the powers that be, potentially poking and prodding me, and likewise, Peters brings up some great points through his novel… if no one dies anymore, and everyone can be healed, what’s to stop the world from becoming a destructive force?  If a knife to the back can’t hurt me, or a shot to the head, then why not begin a life of crime instead of working a 9-5 job?  Then, who’s going to figure out how to stop the virus, and who will the test subjects be to see just how extensive the healing power of the virus really is?  Now we have all sorts of problems that my naive self didn’t even think about, and here I was spreading the virus as a do-gooder… These are all aspects that Peter’s discusses throughout his novel as the plot unfolds, and let me tell you, while I originally was like, “that virus is so cool! I wish we could heal everyone,” I quickly changed my mind.  So much good can only bring about so much bad. Josh and Belinda really try to do what’s right, and I think they’re much less greedy, and certainly less sinister, than Adam when it comes to this virus, but in the end, it’s just not something the world is ready for, and both groups are at fault, in my opinion.

I think this is a great philosophical novel that will get your mind flowing, questioning, and even bickering with itself, and I highly recommend it!  Four stars!

I won a copy of this novel from Luna Moth’s Far From Reality Blog.

From Goodreads: When Jason Milwaukee’s best friend Sunshine vanishes, Jason knows that something is terribly wrong, but solving her disappearance will require pushing through all the voices in his head and then getting the world to listen to him. His schizophrenia is stopping him from remembering the events leading up to her disappearance, and often he discounts his own memories, and his own impressions. But his deep knowledge that he would never hurt his friend, plus the faith of his parents and a few others in the town bring him to the point of solving the mystery. In the end, it’s Sunshine’s own love for Jason (Freak) that persuades him of his own strength and goodness.

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This novel is written is such a way that I think it might actually mirror the mind of someone suffering from schizophrenia.  Now, I can’t be 100% certain of that, and I  honestly don’t think anyone can be, but the way Jason interacts with those around him and the way he thinks during this narrative sounds like it might be spot on to me.  Freaks Like Us gives the reader a very in-depth glimpse into Jason’s mind allowing us to see and understand why it’s so difficult for him to explain his feelings, remember the truth, and interact with those around him.  It’s very well written and though the narrative takes off into left field on many an occasion, I found the novel fairly easy to follow, though I completely understand where someone might get confused because Jason’s mind is literally all over the place, and on occasions I found myself lost, just like him.  But in retrospect, I think that’s supposed to happen, in order for us to truly understand what a day in the life of Jason is like.

I think seeing such an in-depth glimpse into Jason’s mind helps endear him to the reader’s heart.  But I had a hard time connecting with the other characters.  I realize that this novel is about Jason and is supposed to focus on him, but I always want to get to know all the characters within a story, and I didn’t feel like I was able to do that in this one. Jason feels very strongly for Sunshine, but she’s not really a part of the story as much as she is the focus.  And Jason’s parents seem to be a bit worthless.  I completely understand the stresses of having a child with a mental disability, and I feel like there are so many novels out there pointing that out, but I feel like it’s rare to have one from the child’s point of view, and here we see that while Jason’s parents think they’re doing what’s best for him, they really don’t seem to have a clue.  That’s really interesting to me, actually, as we’re always so quick to decide what’s best for others when we actually don’t know because we’re not in their shoes…

I think Jason is a very strong, well rounded character and loved getting to know him, though I would have liked to get to know his friends, Drip and Sunshine, a lot more too.  But even so, Freaks Like Us is a very well written story and the ups and downs, along with the mystery behind Sunshine’s disappearance, really made the book appealing.  Three and a half stars.

Bloomsbury Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release today.

From Goodreads: Hybrids.

If I had to choose one word to sum up all of my problems, this would be it.
Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to watch my best friend slowly becoming a monster. Without hybrids, I could let go of the mentality “hunt or be hunted.” CHAS wouldn’t be scouring the Earth, intent on slaughtering and using Alex to do it. Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to be on guard that losing my temper meant losing my shape. There would be no monster inside me, struggling to get out.

Then again, without hybrids, I wouldn’t have Wesley St. John.

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Oh. My. God. This series is absolutely amazing and I’m already jonesing for the next installment… if you haven’t picked it up, then you’re seriously missing out, and I highly suggest you start ASAP, especially as this third installment, Blood Bond, takes the cake! Of course, it always helps that our swoon worthy males, Wes and Alex, are back and feuding more than ever now that Tara’s home from school and the war between Hunters, Weres, and Hybrids is really heating up.  And of course, Hildenbrand has done such a phenomenal job fleshing out the plot that this amazing story seamlessly flows together and holds the reader’s attention until the very end, when a massive, heart pounding cliffhanger drops the bottom out from under him/her.  That’s right… it might kill you, but it’s so worth the read!  All I can say is, one of our very sexy male characters is going to be pissed at the start of book four… royally.

But, back to the story.  Hildenbrand has created some amazing characters that I’ve loved since the very beginning, and watching them grow and change as the story evolves and becomes more intense is possibly one of the most rewarding things for a reader.  I love a good plotline, but I love real, vivid, fleshed out characters even more, and Hildenbrand knows just how to make them.  I have to say that Tara has come very far over the course of the series, and she has had to make some tough decisions, but I think the toughest yet are in this third installment, and I don’t envy her.  While I agree with her wholeheartedly, I don’t think I could do it.  If faced with the same situations, I feel that I would not win out, and I respect Tara all the more for being able to make the difficult decisions, knowing someone’s life might hang in the balance. It’s just amazing!

And the hybrids?  I love the hybrids.  Well, let me rephrase.  I love the idea behind the hybrids, and the mystery they bring to the novel, as well as the fear and heartache they evoke.  A war is coming and I’m dying to know the outcome… pins and needles, people.  Pins and needles.  Five stars.

I receieved a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Click HERE for an exclusive peak into Wes’ and Alex’s thoughts concerning each other… and a chance to WIN Blood Bond!

From Goodreads: Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

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Finally!  Folks, we have a winner!  This is the first true mermaid book that I’ve read and actually really enjoyed.  While it’s true I’ve read two other’s that I’ve really liked, such as Lies Beneath, I’m not counting it here because that’s about a merman, and that’s one of the main reasons I liked it.  And I’m not counting Of Poseidon either because I feel like that doesn’t count as its more mythological and the character’s don’t even classify themselves as mermaids/mermen, but rather Syrenian’s, Poseidon’s children, and its focus, once again, is on the male faction more than the female.  But here, in Monstrous Beauty, we have a story about a mermaid who fits the true mermaid mold: selfish, murdering, thieving, and in the end, ruining the lives of all those around her, casting a curse down upon her lineage for years to come.  And yet, I didn’t hate her.  I think part of this is due to the fact that while the story stems from her, it actually revolves around her great-great granddaughter, Hester.  And Hester is a good person.  And in the end, Syrenka tried to be one too.  This, I feel, is the difference between all the other true mermaid books out there that I’ve read.  The main characters, who are mermaids, are evil, twisted, and generally want terrible things to happen to others (or at least don’t fight for what’s right), and if I don’t like the main character, well, then it’s over before it began.

One of the things I like so much about this novel is that it is a mystery.  While I was initially confused and found Syrenka an abhorrent character, Fama seamlessly crafts glimpses of the past into her novel, and her scenes between Ezra, Syrenka, and others help piece together what really happened to call down a curse upon Syrenka’s kin, allowing us to understand why Syrenka ultimately did what she did.  Hester’s story is then juxtaposed with that of Syrenka’s, though more prominent throughout the story, and I loved how well Fama intertwined them, brining it all together for a fabulous conclusion.

Hester, along with all the other characters, is greatly fleshed out, and I was easily able to connect with her over the course of the novel.  Fama did a great job creating her characters and making most of them extremely likeable, while at the same time adding that hint on anxiety as the reader knows it can’t end well.  And of course, I just loved how this novel is set up in such a way that it reveals just enough to spur the reader on, not giving away too many clues, but helping the reader understand the connection between the past and present as it all unfolds.  It’s just fabulous.  Four and a half stars.

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on Septmeber 4, 2012.