From Goodreads: The next chapter in the struggle for equal rights begins!

Hunter Gamble is an idealistic young attorney in a very special area of the practice: arcane defense. Funded by enigmatic billionaire Charles McClain and aided by shy-but-energetic research attorney Kirsten Harper, he’s making the world a better place–one vampire, zombie, or werewolf client at a time. After all, they deserve their day in court too, right?

When a young zombie walks into Hunter’s office accused of murder (by brain-eating), Hunter’s idealism is tested as never before as he struggles to secure the man’s freedom. To do so, he must square off against a savvy and ambitious district attorney, contend with a judge who is deeply biased against arcanes, and stand up to a human-supremacist group which will stop at nothing–not even Hunter’s own death–to see his client convicted.

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This was a very interesting novel idea that takes a hypothetical look at the justice system and what might happen should an unveiling ever take place (aka. the fabled zombies, werewolves, vampires, witches, and the like admit their existence and turn out to be more than a figment of our imaginations).  In a world where the human is at the top of the world, Abramowitz brings forth our imagined adversaries and creates a world in which these Arcanes want to co-exist within the human spectrum.  But, as is true every time humanity comes upon a group or race it’s never seen or dealt with before, bigotry and hate crimes abound.

Hunter Gamble has had enough.  A lawyer for the Arcane defense, Hunter takes on the case of the “little people,” fighting back against injustice one witch, zombie, and vampire at a time.  When the case of a lifetime falls into his lap, Hunter struggles to do all in his power to bring justice to a Zombie who, for all intensive purposes, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, let alone his best friend in the world, who’s brain he’s been accused of eating.

I really liked Hunter.  He’s a bit strange, but he stands up for what he believes in, and I enjoyed getting to know him as a character.  Of course, I hated the bigots he was up against, and it was very interesting to see how Abramowitz’s story unfolded through the justice process.

While I’d say the beginning was a little bit slow, once the accusation against Sam took hold, I found myself really getting into the trial, though I could have done without the rather lengthy background information Abramowitz uses to set up the story.  In terms of the trial, I really liked the arguments presented by both defense and prosecutor, and Abramowitz did a great job fleshing out the case, especially with the arguments and red flags thrown around during the proceedings.  I did a have a few questions, though, such as why Sam, the Zombie accused of murder, was allowed to wander around free during his trial, especially when the jury was out deliberating.  That, along with the somewhat hurried ending had me scratching me head, made me take a step back from the awesomeness of the trial, but overall, it was a delightful, short read.  Three stars.

I recieved a cpy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Since they were six-year-olds, Madison and Dayton have had soccer sync. Maddie doesn’t have to see her best friend on the field to know where she’ll be. Her passes to Dayton are perfect, as if the two of them can read each other’s mind. Together, they’re a scoring machine. There’s only one problem: lately, Dayton seems more interested in partying than playing soccer. And Dayton’s change of heart couldn’t have come at a worse time. Now that she and Maddie are sophomores, they have to really focus–or they’ll have no chance of making it to a Division I college team. Can Maddie get through to her best friend? Or will the scoring machine break down?

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This novel was much shorter than I originally thought it would be.  At 100 pages, it’s technically a novella, but I didn’t know that going in, and I feel there just wasn’t enough time to develop any of the characters to the point that I really connected with them.  Madison is in love with soccer and wants to go pro, and that’s about all the depth we get from her.  She cares about her best friend, Dayton, but even more so about soccer, and that’s really all she talks about the entire story.  Dayton wants to party all the time, and soccer is too much pressure, and that’s about all we learn about her within these 100 pages, as well, so I really felt that the story was too short and forewent any depth of character or plot.

This story’s main focus is soccer, and it has lots of details about plays, kicks, and scores… but as I’m not that interested in the sport, a lot of that went right over my head and I felt like it was more or less a filler where I’d rather have had character depth.  Truthfully, I think this story could easily be fleshed out to add depth and more conflict to create a longer, fuller read, and I probably would have enjoyed it more had this been the case.

I think this story might be good for the reluctant reader that’s really into soccer as it talks shop a lot and is on a lower reading level, but if they’re not into soccer, I’m not sure they’ll really care for the novel, either.  Two stars.

Lerner Publishing Group has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads:

1. Never trust anyone.
2. Remember they are always searching.
3. Don’t get involved.
4. Keep your head down.
5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

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This is one of those stories where I liked it enough, it kept my interest, but I didn’t feel any real love for it for quite some time.  But then, in a matter of unforgettable moments, that all changed, and I found my heart suddenly beating rapidly as I read faster and faster to find out what would happen next.  Granted, this didn’t occur until I was about 3/4 of the way through, but the fact that it did happen made me really giddy with delight.  I love it when I’m reading along and the author sends a curveball my way that has me going, “WHAT?!!!” as I read, and that’s exactly what Kade did as she spun her tale.

Ariane Tucker has been living a lie for ten years, blending in as best she can with the human world as she attempts to stay under the radar of GTX’s constant prowling eyes.  They want her back.  She wants freedom, and the only person who knows her true identity is her adoptive father.  Enter Zane Bradshaw, who throws Ariane for a loop, forcing her to question the rules as she struggles to choose between her freedom and the protection of her friend.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Ariane or Zane.  They were a little bland, but as the story evolved, they became very interesting indeed, especially as they had such different lives and experiences.  I loved the constant pull between the two, and his worry for her made him my very own knight in shining armor, as it were, because he was different from all the rest.  Ariane isn’t a pushover, either.  She sees just how cruel people can be, and although she knows she’s supposed to stay under the radar, the fact that she chooses to protect others instead of herself made me really respect her.  Especially when the walls came crashing down and the betrayal of a lifetime ensued.  Phenomenal.  Four stars.

Disney Hyperion Book Group has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read and ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on April 23, 2013.

From Goodreads: It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

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I was really interested in this novel when I first read the synopsis, but I am very sorry to note that this novel wasn’t really for me.  The main character, Quinn, rubbed me the wrong way from the get go, and it’s never a good sign when I can’t connect, and don’t want to connect, with the main character.  In my personal opinion, Quinn was too much of a whiney, negative character for me to feel any kindred with her at all.  She made bad decision after bad decision, and constantly had to rely on males, namely Aaron, to help her through her bouts of weakness.  She is so weak that, at some points, I really wanted to reach into the pages and smack some sense into her, especially as she tends to wallow in her inability to take care of herself.  She truly acts as if the whole world revolves around her, hurting others more than helping when she “attempts” to help, and at one point, she made such a stupid decision that I lost all respect for her.  I was livid, truth be told, and I just couldn’t handle the stupidity.  I understand that she does have demon’s whispering to her, and they’re at fault, but I don’t feel like she really fought back, and I just couldn’t stand her idiocracy.  Now… before you write off this book completely, remember that we all react differently to characters, and I feel like many would say the exact same thing about Bella from Twilight, whereas I loved her!  So… there is a very distinct possibility that my feelings for Quinn might be very different from your own.  Keep that in mind.

Now, my feelings for Quinn aside, I liked Aaron enough, though he doesn’t seem to catch a break, and while I really thought that the questions about how and why the demons were attacking, and how Aaron’s amnesia fit in, weren’t going to be answered, they are, in the very last pages of the book.  And you know what?  It made me want to read the sequel a little bit… I mean, now that I know more information about it all, and I never saw it coming, my interest is really piqued.  So, even though I really dislike Quinn, and I’m not in love with this book, it has made me feel strongly enough that I’m pretty sure I’m going to read the sequel as soon as it releases.  I’ve just got to know, you know?  Two stars for this round—but hopeful for the second.

Month9Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read and ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on April 23, 2013.

From Goodreads:  An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, EXILE is the breathtaking sequel to MERCY in a major new paranormal romance series.

There’s something very wrong with me. When I wake up, I could be anyone…

An angel in exile, Mercy is doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does. Now she “wakes” as unhappy teen Lela, a girl caring for a dying mother but never herself.

As her shattered memory begins to return, Mercy remembers Ryan, the boy she fell in love with in another life, and Luc, the angel haunting her dreams. Will Mercy risk Lela’s life to be reunited with her heart’s true desire?

An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, Exile is the second book in the spellbinding MERCY series.

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Mercy, a fallen angel, is forced to move from body to body by a higher power.  She doesn’t know why she is destined for this existence, hijacking human bodies, and she doesn’t remember her past lives.  All she knows is that she could go at any moment.  But, this time is different.  Mercy begins to remember her latest life, and the boy she fell in love with, Ryan.  I loved that Ryan is back in this sequel, though he’s definitely a secondary character this time around, but my main question is this: If Mercy can remember much of her past life and humanity, then shouldn’t she know that the visions she’s seeing in the present are warning signs? This time, she knows what love feels like.  She knows how people should treat others, and she knows wrong when she sees it.  Yet, Mercy seems blind and willing to stay that way when it comes to the huge, epic foreshadowing that Lim employs to warn the reader.  For me, it just doesn’t make sense, and Mercy’s reasoning doesn’t either.  She has the ability to see into the minds of those around her, yet she takes the knowledge she gains and chalks it up to humanity, stating that what she’s seen, what makes her ill, is just the way kids are, etc.  Although warning signs go off all around her, her inability to put things together and make smart choices made me like her less and less as the novel proceeded, and the connection I initially felt with Mercy in the first novel was nearly non-existent in this sequel.  I can’t really say any more than that because spoilers would ensue, so I will leave it at this: Mercy is not as smart or crafty as I would like her to be this time around. Thus, I am very sad to say that this second novel in the Mercy series did not live up to my expectations.  Whereas I absolutely adored Mercy, the first novel, this sequel seems to have fallen into the rut of second novel syndrome, a bit flat and dry. Two stars.

Disney Hyperion Book Club has been extremely gracious is allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on April 23, 2013.

From Goodreads: 

HOT: Coco Beardmore
NOT: Coco’s calamities
HOT: Mike West’s fantasies
NOT: Mike’s reality

That’s right, Coco Beardmore is sizzling hot and she’s landed in Mike West’s lap. The problem is Coco’s middle name is chaos! Her driving skills are a real bang–into Mike’s horse trailer, and her sultry seduction will set the room on fire–the kitchen that is.

What’s worse are her Thoroughbreds ability to mimic their owner’s habit of screwing things up. It’s enough to drive a normally calm and collected Mike West to the very edge.
But Mike’s not the only one having problems with women. His father Eric has taken on more than he can chew, and he’s about to get spit out by two women: one that he’s in love with and one that thinks he’s in love with her.

Oh yeah, things are hot around Westwood Thoroughbred Farm… and someone’s about to get burned!

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I have some mixed feelings about this second novel in the Unbridled series.  First of all, the writing was good and the mystery aspect of the novel, once it began, was also quite interesting.  However, the overuse of adjectives and words like “naked” didn’t do much for me as a reader, especially as the focus always seemed to be on the buxom blonde, Coco. The characters all seemed obsessed with sex, as well, and as that’s not something I enjoy in my novels, it somewhat put me off as I read.

Truth be told, I wasn’t really sure where the story itself was going. The first portion of the novel was all about Coco and Mike, and then suddenly she’s out of the picture and it’s about Margie and Keith. Then, it’s about Coco and Tom… and I wasn’t really sure where the plotline was truly headed, who the story was really targeting. Based on the synopsis and the beginning of the novel, I would have said it’s about Coco and Mike, but by the end, I think the story was actually about doing the right thing, focusing on Keith teaching people to read.

Overall, I think it’s well-written, but I’m not still not sure exactly where the plot itself was going, or if I perhaps missed something important along the way. Truthfully, I was hoping for another mystery novel, like the first novel in the series, Deadly.com, but there wasn’t really anything but life and awkward relationships in this one.  Two stars.

Acorn Publishers was extemely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: Ella, Astrid, and Sydney were planning the perfect summer after high school graduation. But when Astrid commits suicide in a lonely cabin, the other girls’ worlds are shattered. How could their best friend have done this–to herself and to them? They knew everything about Astrid. Shouldn’t they have seen this coming? Couldn’t they have saved her?

As Ella hunts for the truth, and Sydney tries to dull the pain, a chilling message from Astrid leaves them wondering whether their beloved friend is communicating from the after life. The girls embark on a journey to uncover Astrid’s dark secrets. The answers to those questions–questions they never dreamed of asking–will change their lives forever.

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The premise of this novel really drew me in, especially as I really loved Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, and I was hoping this novel would be similar.  Unfortunately, as I read and got to know the characters, I found that I really didn’t care for them.  While the community grieves for the loss of Astrid, Sydney becomes somewhat of a callous character, partying and distancing herself from her hurt as much as she can, even if that means losing Ella in the wake of it all.  Ella, on the other hand, embraces her grief, becoming obsessed with figuring out why Astrid chose death over life, and her obsession sends her on a downward spiral throughout the summer, placing her friendships and relationship with her boyfriend in jeopardy.

Truth be told, the premise sounds a little bit like Pretty Little Liars (I have only seen the TV show, not read the books), and while some aspects of the novel shadow the TV show, it’s also vastly different.  Yes, these surviving girls don’t necessarily strum on the readers’ heart strings, and the callousness of Sydney made me think of the nastiness of the girls in the show, but there is no taunting from Astrid like A taunts her friends, and so, in my opinion, this is where the similarities end.  Astrid’s messages to Ella are not coldhearted, and there are only a few strategically placed throughout the novel.  In truth, as no one else sees them but Ella, it makes her look even more disheveled and obsessed, leaving the reader wondering if these messages are actually real, or a figment of the imagination.

I know that everyone grieves differently, and that we should not judge others, but as an outsider looking in, I really grew to dislike Ella and Sydney as the novel unfolded.  The world became all about them, and their epic fights and obsessive behavior really made me wonder just how much they truly cared for Astrid in the first place.  As Sydney struggles to outrun her guilt, questioning why she never asked Astrid about her family, or pushed deeper when Astrid seemed on the verge of sharing, she becomes very real, but her shut down of these emotions time and time again made me lose interest in her on the whole.  Ella was interesting, but I also felt that her obsession went too far at times, and in the end, I honestly didn’t care much about either girl, or even why Astrid did what she did.  The ending was eye-opening, though, and I’m happy to say that things do brighten for the characters, but getting there is a bit of a hike.  Two stars.

  Merit Press has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netally.

From Goodreads: Worlds Apart – An Epic High School Supernatural Tragedy

The high school prom was the worst night of David’s life, and twenty years later, he’s unable to get over high school. But who could, given the tragic circumstances that night?

There are nine student deaths at Stanton High School every year. Surviving senior year has never been so stressful. In the 1980’s, crime, gangs, and violence, have taken over New York City, making life a challenge for any student.

The story follows David from the first day of his senior year, all the way to graduation. Doubts, a lack of direction, and regret are weighing heavily on his mind. He is a musical prodigy confused about college, life, and career choices. He can’t trust his classmates at his ultra-competitive high school, where the goal is Harvard (no matter who gets hurt in the process.) Delancey is the girl of his dreams, but she is out of his league. The SATS, choices for college, school dances, and the prom, all start to overwhelm David.
A fellow student, obsessed with the metaphysical world, befriends David, opening the door to a whole reality. David must give the musical performance of his life in order to win back the girl of his dreams. An unforeseen supernatural plot twist leads the reader to a thrilling and suspenseful ending, as David finds himself in a life or death situation.

Worlds Apart is a modern day retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

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I’m sorry to say that I did not care for this novel.  The typos, choppy narration, and unrealistic character dialogue made it difficult for me to read.  Having spent most of my life around teenagers, from the 80s-present, I feel like I have to note that most teens do not speak to their friends using proper grammar, forgoing the use of contractions.  Yet, in Worlds Apart, that’s generally how the characters interact with one another, which, for me, isn’t fluid or real, hence my issues with the dialogue.

While I don’t doubt there are many gangs in NYC (and most big cities), especially during the 1980s, the lack of police and the school’s lack of protection for students was quite unbelievable, for me.  Stanton is the best prep school in all of NYC, with many extremely wealthy patrons, but it’s also in the worst part of town.  This is true for many great schools, and so I do not questions the reality here.  It is the gang violence that the school does nothing about that caused me pause.  Gangs hang out around Stanton and chase students down, sometimes killing them, and sometimes only orchestrating a huge fight in which they stomp on the Stanton students, right outside the school doors.  Where are the police?  Why aren’t school officials involved in protecting their students?  Why don’t they hold onto students who threaten others with guns and turn them over to the police, instead of letting them go?  For me, this was very strange.  While I know police and school officials can’t really stop gang violence, I do believe their presence around the school and the route to the subway would be beneficial in squelching much of the violence towards these minors trying to get an education.  Likewise, some of the circumstances surrounding death’s was questionable for me, so, overall, I was left questioning the validity of the school, the characters, and their situations as I read.

For me, the novel was also extremely long.  We follow David from the beginning of high senior year until the end, and truth be told, I found myself drifting off in certain sections that I felt didn’t add anything to the novel, such as David’s many discussions of his job.  I also never felt any kindred for the characters within the novel, which is another reason I, personally, didn’t enjoy it.  However, in looking at the reviews for this novel, it seems many did enjoy it, so I suggest potential readers look into the many reviews on Amazon and make their decision of whether or not to read it based on multiple reviews and not just mine alone.  We are all different, after all.  I, unfortunately, can only give this novel one star.

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

At NCTE last November, I had the pleasure of meeting David Levithan!  And, I picked up an extra signed copy of his amazing novel, Every Day, just for this giveaway!  Haven’t read it yet?  YOU MUST!  It’s fantastic, amazing, superb… and the list goes on.  Read it already?  Then you know what I mean!  And here, you can WIN a signed copy of the novel!

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From Goodreads:

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

To see my 5 star review click HERE.

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To enter my giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Agree to HONESTLY REVIEW the novel via a blog (if you have one), or Goodreads, or any other media format you use for book reviews

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

From Goodreads: “Love at first sight is so much easier when time moves in the right direction.”

Rebecca has just met Mark, and thinks he might be her ideal man. He’s funny. He’s smart. He has a time wormhole in his telephone that gives them access to unimaginable wealth. These all qualify as ‘PROS’.

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I am so sorry to say that this novel isn’t for me.  Personally, I had too many issues with the novel to enjoy it in the least, though I do think the premise is there for a truly great read.  Going in, I was excited as I liked the synopsis and the idea that Mark’s phone created a sort of time-travel experience, but upon reading, I found that I didn’t care for either of the main leads. While the beginning started off okay,  I soon found that the interactions between the characters, especially Mark and Rebecca, seemed a bit unrealistic and juvenile. Both have an obsession with sex, and for me, romance isn’t based on sexual attraction or physical release, so I didn’t see the romance aspect of the novel at all.  The sections were also quite choppy, jumping from one scene to the next without really setting the scene or the background to serve the characters and their situations justice, in my eyes.  And, as a teacher myself, I really had an issue with the fact that Rebecca talked about her relationship issues with her students.  That’s a huge no-no, and it turned me off immediately.  Truth be told, I think this novel has a lot of potential, and the ending was quite interesting, but I didn’t like the characters enough, or their plight, to really enjoy the novel at all.  Personal preferences, I guess.  One star.

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

From Goodreads: Henry Galloway is a seasoned MI6 officer who finally returns home, from India, on the eve of WW II. Galloway, who is in his retiring days, starts picking on his old acquaintances when he surprisingly finds that his protégé and friend, Michael Aniston, had fled arrest after charges of treason. However, Galloway believes in his innocence without any doubt. After all, he was one who relayed the orders in one of those incriminating missions. Believing that the Directorate is infiltrated and that he cannot start a search from within, he recruits the services of Zach Taylor, a fellow WW I veteran, who excels as a detective journalist.

Suddenly the novel shifts gear and jumps back in time tracing the unbelievable adventure of Idris, a Sudanese soldier in the army of the Egyptian Khedive, who joins the French invasion of Mexico in 1863. With a twist of fate, Idris crosses the Northern borders, into the United States, in the midst of the American Civil war, where he encounters a major battle, the result of which he bears witness to a terrible secret. He encodes his secret onto a parchment and leaves it in safe hands before returning back home and gets himself engulfed into obscurity.

A bunch of Confederate aristocracy, a British Governor-General and a discrete organization are on his track and are just about to strike gold when Zach Taylor jumps into action miraculously once again.

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I’m sorry to say that this novel just wasn’t for me.  Initially, I was reading a version the author gave me for review, quite some time ago, and truth be told, I had trouble following the story.  Upon contacting the author about it, I found that a newer, edited version was now available, and he sent me that instead.  I was very happy to note, as I began the new version, that it is much easier to read, and it flows more steadily, however, it’s still not for me.  Now, I loved the idea of mystery and intrigue, and the morphing of stories of the late 1800s and post WWII was very interesting.  I also enjoyed finding out the truth behind Michael Aniston, Henry Galloway, Idris, and the aristocracy, and how everything was connected, but the story itself still jumped around a little too much for me to really make a deep connection with any of the characters, or their plights. The novel itself seemed too move too quickly at times, and too slowly at others, and though I enjoyed the premise, it just wasn’t for me.  I think those who like war stories complete with mystery and intrigue will really enjoy this story though, as it has a very historic feel and contains a very interesting secret.  I, personally, can only give it two and a half stars, though.

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

From Goodreads: The cat’s answer to Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe, Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed is a hilarious collection of full-color photos and letters of excuses and suggestions from cats to the people who love them—no matter what bad thing they’ve done! Inside Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed, writer and comedian Jeremy Greenberg presents a collection of laugh-out-loud letters and photographs that offer a cat’s eye view on common feline vs. human cohabitation conundrums. It’s the perfect gift for crazy cat lovers and anyone who appreciates hilarious (and so true!) insights into cat—and human—nature, including:

• Your cat sits on your laptop not just for warmth or attention, but to prevent you from interacting with the outside world. After all, isn’t the main reason to have a cat so you don’t have to waste time developing normal human relationships?
• If you spent a third of your life licking yourself, you too would occasionally forget to stick your tongue back in your face.
• Eating grass has medicinal purposes, and most cats believe grass should be legalized.
• The cat feels bad about barfing on your bed…because now it must get to up to go sleep on your clean laundry instead.  

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This is for us cat lovers out there.  I wouldn’t say I’m a “cat lady,” but I do enjoy the companionship I have with my two felines, and their awkward sleeping habits, as well as strange actions in general make me giggle on many an occasion.  I actually picked this one up on Netgalley because, not too long ago, my Bella did barf on my bed—while I was in it, no less.  I woke up to it, right below my chin, on my brand new comforter.  Best. Present. Ever.

This short picturesque storybook has real photos of cats doing awkward things, and Greenberg’s wit concocts a humorous letter from kitty for each one, explaining just why they do the things they do.  It’s great for a giggle and a smile if you’re looking for something light, a bit funny, and a little awkward.  Three stars.

Andrews McMeel Publishing has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this book, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: The future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky. If you’re outside, life expectancy takes a nose dive.

Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through and murders her sister.

She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable that she ever imagined.

Cut to the present day where Eleanor’s world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won’t be quite so civilised…

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I really, really enjoyed this novel!  Boland has created just the right mix of present and future interactions that it blows the mind.  One of the aspects I really enjoyed was the fact that this novel takes place in the future, as in, most of the action is in the future, it’s the future we’re focused on, which feels like the present, but it’s not.  The novel cuts back and forth between the future and present day, and it’s these small snippets of the present that show us exactly why everything is panning out in the future as it is.  I know, that probably sounds confusing, and I’m not explaining it well enough, but just know this: it works.  Very well.  Boland takes the idea of a post-apocalyptic world and flips it on its side by using the present/future to tell the story, instead of the past/present style that so many authors employ.

Another aspect that I really enjoyed was that Riley is on the right side of the fence, aka. the safe side.  In many of the post-apocalyptic novels I’ve read, the main character is usually outside trying to get in, and I found it unique and interesting that in Boland’s novel, Riley is on the inside trying to get out.  This change of perspective was awesome, especially as we learn that the inside is actually quite a nice, safe, great place, free from tyranny and hatred. It is the outside that is a mess…

Boland opens this riveting futuristic novel with the death of Riley’s sister.  As the intruder is believed to be an outsider, and then pinpointed as someone employed inside the fence, Riley takes matters into her own hands in attempts to catch the suspected murderer, since no one else is doing anything about it.  It’s too dangerous on the outside, and there aren’t enough people to be trusted out there, so… case closed.  But not for Riley.

I really enjoyed Riley’s resolve to find the murdered and bring him to justice.  While some of the situations and circumstances Riley and Luc, her long-time crush, get into seem a little far-fetched, Boland did a great job building up the world in which they live, explaining their ability to fight and their armor covered cars very well.  The back and forth narration giving readers a peak into the present, into the life that Eleanor lives and the tragedy that is about to strike in the terrorist attacks was amazing, and even though it took me a while to figure out how all the pieces fit together, I really loved the mystery of it all.  Eleanor’s story was gut-wrenching and poignant, but perhaps even more sad is the fact that her decisions in the present affect everyone in the future.  A ripple effect, as it were.  If you liked Mike Mullin’s Ashfall, then you really need to read this novel.  Four and a half stars.

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

From Goodreads: On Gay Pride Day in 1973, someone set the entrance to a French Quarter gay bar on fire. In the terrible inferno that followed, thirty-two people lost their lives, including a third of the local congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church, their pastor burning to death halfway out a second-story window as he tried to claw his way to freedom. A mother who’d gone to the bar with her two gay sons died alongside them. A man who’d helped his friend escape first was found dead near the fire escape. Two children waited outside of a movie theater across town for a father and step-father who would never pick them up. During this era of rampant homophobia, several families refused to claim the bodies, and many churches refused to bury the dead. Author Johnny Townsend pored through old records and tracked down survivors of the fire and relatives and friends of those killed to compile this fascinating account of a forgotten moment in gay history.

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One of the deadliest crimes against the LGBT population in American history occurred on June 24, 1973, an event that, at the time, was widely swept under the rug, hushed, and forgotten. Thirty-two people—husbands, wives, friends, lovers, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters—died that day in the Upstairs Lounge Fire, a fire that quickly cut off the only stairwell exit and trapped the 60+ patrons celebrating in the gay bar that day.  Townsend’s novel is a history of sorts, giving a voice to the many that died in the fire, though it is untraditional in that Townsend has limited records to show his research.  Many of his interview dates and times went undocumented, and thus, the novel cannot be classified as a “true history,” though he does provide a bibliography for further research for inquiring minds.  As Townsend states in his forward, he wrote much of this novel in 1989-90, a time before the internet, and as an English major, focused more so on telling the story than documenting his sources.  Thus, this novel, while historic, is more of a memorial commemorating the lives that were lost that day.

Let the Faggots Burn is told in a series of vignettes, shedding background information on the bar, it’s patrons, survivors, media attention (or lack thereof), and the response of the world at large.  It was a time when homophobia was rampant and, in light of the massacre, many wanted to forget, refusing even to claim the bodies of their loved ones through dread of stigma.  It’s a very sad account, but it also gives life to the patrons’ memories, those that no longer have a voice, those that should be heard.

Townsend begins with the fire, then spends many vignettes familiarizing readers with each individual patron that died.  While this writing style leaves the chapters unconnected, in a way, it also brings everything together as most of the chapters all lead up to the events of the fire.  To break up the sole focus on the victims, though, interspersed are chapters that focus on the before and after as well, such as how the bar got its start, what happened to unidentified bodies, the injured, the lawsuit that followed, the churches response, and the survivors.  While some of it reads as a history text-book, much of the novel is written in a “story-like” fashion, allowing reads to connect with the characters and events as they unfold.  It is impossible not to feel anger, sadness, horror, and even terror as Townsend paints the portraits of the people who lost their lives and those who lost their loved ones in this fateful, awful event, and I, for one, hope the world never forgets.  Three and a half stars.

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

From Goodreads: Love or Death? A simple question really. The choice seems obvious. But. What if you never knew love, what if your life was spent just trying to survive? What if you knew your fate before you were fully grown?

Love or Death?

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Truth: I bought this book because of the cover.  I know, I know… we’re not supposed to judge… but I do.  And I did.  And wow, that’s a beautiful cover! Covers sell, people.  They do. Seriously. And, I lucked out, as well, because the novel itself is pretty darn good, too.

I really loved that, from the very beginning, Hebert starts off every chapter with a “word of the chapter.”  It’s kind of catchy and informative, because I read the word and definition, and then couldn’t wait to see how it’d come up in the chapter.  It’s like a mini preview of what’s to come, and I highly enjoyed it (I also run the SAT Word of the Day for my school, so… I felt a little kindred here).  I also liked that, in the beginning, the chapters were told from overlapping perspectives.  One chapter would be from Dex’s point of view, and the next Piper’s, and they’d overlap just a little to give readers an inside to what was going on inside each character’s head as the events unfolded.  This overlap ebbed a little as the novel went on, but I still really enjoyed the alternating points-of-view, which is my favorite style as a reader.

I really enjoyed Dex’s character.  He has a huge struggle throughout the novel, especially as he must choose whether to kill or be killed, but I liked his resolve.  I did find that the situations kind of repeated themselves a bit every time Dex got an opportunity with Piper, and Piper’s a bit flighty, but regardless, it was still a fun read, and I wasn’t expecting the ending at all.  Overall, this is a cute light read that would be perfect for a lazy afternoon.  Four stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: The Conclave—a secret group with twisted ideals and freakish practices—has been wiped out, thanks to Arabella Sharp. Now there’s a new malevolence afoot. Fishermen are getting killed, their partially devoured bodies washing up on the shores of Scotland. Is the Ripper responsible? Or have the Conclave’s sinister experiments left behind something more monstrous? Abbie fears the worst when her beloved Dr. William Siddal vanishes. To save the man she loves, Abbie must comply with the Ripper’s dreadful orders—and put her own life in grave danger.

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I’m sorry to say that this second novel in the series just didn’t do anything for me.  Abbie is extremely wishy-washy, and her issues with William drove me a bit nutty.  I understand the idea of purity, but quite honestly, you can’t hold people accountable for their past relationships, and when Abbie starts doing this, I lost a bit of respect for her.  Add in her inability to do anything for herself, and her constant bad decision-making, and I was less than pleased with her character, overall.

Likewise, William jumps off the deep end in this novel, and his turn to alcohol and women made me lose all respect for him.  Maybe Abbie had a point that she couldn’t trust him, but still, she made that call prior to any of his indiscretions, and his indiscretions stemmed from jealousy and misery (not condoning it, but), so I still don’t see how she could make that call prior to the fact.

I truly felt like too much of this novel focused on Abbie’s inability to make good decisions and not enough on the monster that skulks through the waters.  I liked how we progressively learned more about this entity at the beginning of the chapters, but I also felt like it was drawn out and the in-between information concerning Abbie didn’t keep my attention well enough for me to really enjoy this novel.  Two stars.

Flux Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its widespread release on April 8, 2013.

From Goodreads: Moonset, a coven of such promise . . . Until they turned to the darkness.

After the terrorist witch coven known as Moonset was destroyed fifteen years ago—during a secret war against the witch Congress—five children were left behind, saddled with a legacy of darkness. Sixteen-year-old Justin Daggett, son of a powerful Moonset warlock, has been raised alongside the other orphans by the witch Congress, who fear the children will one day continue the destruction their parents started.

A deadly assault by a wraith, claiming to work for Moonset’s most dangerous disciple, Cullen Bridger, forces the five teens to be evacuated to Carrow Mill. But when dark magic wreaks havoc in their new hometown, Justin and his siblings are immediately suspected. Justin sets out to discover if someone is trying to frame the Moonset orphans… or if Bridger has finally come out of hiding to reclaim the legacy of Moonset. He learns there are secrets in Carrow Mill connected to Moonset’s origins, and keeping the orphans safe isn’t the only reason the Congress relocated them…
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This is a very intriguing story full of witchcraft and half-truths. Justin and his adoptive family of five have grown up learning that their heritage is one of debauchery and deceit. As the children of Moonset, they have been feared all their lives, shifted from one home to the next, treated like prisoners, and all for a good cause, according to Justin, who doesn’t want to turn out to be anything like his parents. However, not all is as it seems, and when the teens realize their safety is the last item on the Congress’ list, Justin and his family must fight back or meet the same end as their parents.

I have a real problem with adults that treat children/teens badly. And that’s all Justin and his family have ever known, really. The Congress has constantly moved them around, made comments about wishing they would have died alongside their parents, and stood back as entities threatened the teens, only stepping in at the last moment. I was heated throughout much of this novel, just like Justin, and while I do enjoy novels that give me strong emotions, I was so angry at the adults, and even some of the Moonset children, that it kind of took some of the fun out of this novel. No child/teen/adult should ever be treated the way these teens are treated—made fun of (by peers AND adults who are supposed to protect them), made to fend for themselves, refused help or training for protection, using them as pawns to draw out evil, constantly belittling them. Ugh. It sets my teeth on edge just thinking back on the story, and my shoulders are so tense right now it hurts.

Yes, the teens are the children of Moonset, but that doesn’t mean they’ll turn out just like their parents. In fact, the way the Congress treats them pushes them more towards acting out like their parents than if the Congress had been loving and caring from the very beginning… but then again, does the Congress want them to turn into their parents?? Perhaps… Tracey spreads a great message in this novel, one that speaks to the treatment of others as well as the fact that, regardless of our parentage, we are our own beings. And what I really liked about this novel is that, along the way, we realize that maybe, just maybe, Moonset wasn’t exactly what they’ve been chalked up to be. And neither is the Congress. Three and a half stars.

Flux Book has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its widespread release on April 8, 2013.

From Goodreads: Fiddlesticks killed her with his razor. Slit her throat and then forgave her.

Deep in the Appalachian woods stands the old Fiddlesticks cabin, the scene of a bloody double murder from decades past. Now the haunted cabin lures young thrill seekers who hope to hear the killer’s ghostly fiddle music. When a group of college students comes to call, Lisa Wilson–the daughter of a former North Carolina governor–is tragically murdered, and her flesh is mutilated with disturbing symbols.

Pisgah County sheriff Jerry Cochran is in hot water when the ball-busting politician shows up, threatening to tear the county apart in search of his daughter’s killer. But Nick Stratton–the handsome raptor center specialist and Lisa’s boss–is in even hotter water when evidence points to him as the prime suspect. As Nick turns to attorney Mary Crow for help, it’s up to the Pisgah County native to discover the truth. Did Nick do it? Or is there a deranged mountain killer on the loose?

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This mystery novel was a ton of fun to read.  I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters, especially as Bissell deeply fleshed them out for her readers.  This is my first Mary Crow novel, though it’s number five in the series, and what I really enjoyed was that this is a stand alone novel in which we get to know Mary Crow very well, regardless of whether we’ve read the other novels.  While I do love series novels that build off of each other, I also really enjoy the stand alone, and was very happy to see that this was the case with the Mary Crow novels.

Bissell opens The Music of Ghosts with a bewildering murder, thrusting readers into the chaos as we watch and learn about Lisa Wilson and the events leading up to her untimely demise.  I really liked the way Bissell did this as, truth be told, I wasn’t really a fan of Lisa, but I was interested in her and her friends, and their sleuthing of the abandoned Fiddlesticks cabin piqued my interest from the very first page.  With Lisa out of the way, the novel moves quickly into a case of whodunit as the five surviving members in the cabin, as well as the others who had contact with Lisa throughout the summer, become prime suspects.  Enter Mary Crow.  Struggling with her own set of problems and her promise to never take a murder case, Mary must decide whether or not to follow her gut and, in so doing, brings about the demise of some, including former relationships, and the triumph of others.

This novel is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, focusing on Mary’s heartbreak, Jerry’s murder case, Nick’s innocence, and the very real possibility that someone very near to the Fiddlesticks murders is exacting their revenge.  Bissell kept me guessing the whole time.  Four stars.

Midnight Ink has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to it’s wide-spread release on April 8, 2013.

From Goodreads: Ashton Garrison walked away from a privileged life in order to hide from the one thing she’s not willing to face. She knows she left behind a trail of pain, but in the long run, her betrayal will hurt less than the truth. She now has one goal: Live life to the fullest with no regrets and no attachments. She has high hopes that a move to new surroundings will provide the escape she desires, but what Ashton doesn’t count on is how fate always seems to find a way to screw up any good plan. Sometimes, when love comes knocking, the pull is too strong not to answer. Suddenly, what she thought she wanted to escape from is what Ashton now wants more than anything.

Nathan Lockton has one mission: find his target and complete the task he was hired to do—no attachments and no emotion necessary. He’s done it over and over again. What he thought was a typical lost-and-found job has turned into a life examining moment as Nathan is forced to deal with something he has always ignored–his feelings. Now faced with a decision, Nathan must choose to either follow his heart or complete the job.

Love can come when you least expect it. The question is: if the odds are stacked against you, how far are you willing to go for the one you love?

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Tiffany King is breaking into the new adult genre, and I must say, she’s doing a lovely job of it!  No Attachments, slated to release at the end of April, is a breathtaking journey through the fragile lives of Ashton Garrison and Nathan Lockton.  Told from alternating points-of-view, readers learn these magnificent characters’ fears, deep-rooted secrets, and how far they’re willing to go to protect their hearts.  This poignant and often times hilarious novel looks at the gritty aspects of love and learning to let go of the past in order to harness the future.

I absolutely adored this novel.  While filled with sexual tension and ultimately, relations, King treads lightly on the topic, making it an art form rather than a vulgar exploration of sex.  King gives just enough information without overdoing it, leaving much to the imagination, but much on paper as well.  It’s a fine like to walk for authors of all genres, as too much too fast can tip the scales into slutty and trashy, but King’s novel is soft and refined, focusing on aspects of love and romance, and even a prude like myself highly enjoyed it.

Ashton’s secret is hidden through much of the text, but enough foreshadowing leads the reader to see the truth much earlier, and it’s one that will have readers hoping they misread the clues.  It’s a raw look at life and love, and while the beginning is light and romantic, the story builds to a crescendo, and readers will want to have a box of tissues nearby as the story takes a turn and all is revealed.  I highly recommend this novel to college-aged readers and beyond.  Five stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: A prequel to In Her Name: Empire, the events of First Contact take place a century earlier:

Led by Commander Owen McClaren, the TNS Aurora is embarked on an extended survey mission, searching for new worlds that could support human life. Drawn to an uncharted star system that appears to have not just one, but two potentially habitable planets, the crew of the Aurora discovers something even more unexpected: the planets are already inhabited, but not by humans. Approached by gigantic alien starships, the human crew prepares for humanity’s very first contact with another sentient race.

But nothing could prepare them for what fate has in store. For they have entered the domain of the Kreelan Empire, which has waited thousands of years to find another spacefaring race against which to wage war to honor their Empress. With all but one of the crew killed in ritual close combat, the aliens send Aurora home bearing the sole survivor: the Messenger, a young midshipman who carries with him an alien artifact that is humanity’s only sign of how much time remains until they are plunged into an interstellar war…

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In a word, this is long.  That’s not a bad thing, especially if you’re a sci-fi, fantasy, or space-odyssey lover.  I’m none of those things, and yet, I still enjoyed this novel, aside from the length.

Hicks has created a very real novel filled with multiple characters that all have a place and a story to tell, be they human or Krellan.  Beginning with the crew’s finding of life on two other planets, a battle of epic proportions begins as the Krellan Empire slowly prepares to take over yet another world, and it is here that Hicks draws in his readers.  If you’ve ever seen any of the Star-Trek movies out there, any, then you have a pretty good idea what the battles between ships looks like in this novel.  It’s amazing, fast-paced, and epic.  The Krellan warriors, all female, are huge, trained and built for war, and ready to die to honor their Empress, making survival of any who cross their paths a virtual impossibility. The first battle, ending in the death of all on the Aurora, save one, gives readers the much needed background to solidify this series, explaining both the Aurora crew and their purpose, as well as introducing the Krellan race.

Hicks’ ability to weave his story from multiple personas, focusing on the thoughts and feelings of all races, make for a riveting read as readers get to know the many characters. This novel deals mainly with war, fleshing out the characters and societies, but ultimately focusing on the ongoing assault from the massive female Krellan warriors.  There is much battle and blood-shed throughout this novel, but it’s not too gruesome or overbearing, as some novels are.  Instead, Hicks focuses on building up his world and characters in order to continue his saga, which, at this time, is now three series deep.  I highly recommend this novel for any of those who have enjoyed Star-Trek.  Four stars.

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