From Goodreads: The people of Tryailla have few concerns. The godlike beings that care for them provide anything that is required, but when long forgotten enemies resurface, their peaceful lives are destroyed. With threats appearing all around them, Altruvia and Graiylin, the heirs to the throne, discover the true extent of their own powers.

Unfortunately, their enemies fail to be thwarted by this new obstacle. Taking Altruvia from her home, they hope to use her power for themselves but she is no willing captive. She hones her fledgling abilities in hopes of escape. With these new skills come new insights about those who hold her hostage. There are many more mysteries she must now solve.

With Graiylin aiding her escape, she flees from her captors and the relentlessly pursuing Shinga. They embark upon a search for answers that brings them to Egypt 17,000 years ago where they learn the extent of the secrets their mother had kept from them and that the conflicts that plagued their ancestors have yet to be resolved.

__________________________________________

I’m sorry to say that this novel just wasn’t for me.  The idea and the premise are great, but one of the hardest aspects for me to overcome was the love bond between Altruvia and Graiylin.  They are twins, and yet they are destined to be “together”… which makes their relationship all the more difficult for me to stomach.  I know that some cultures and societies, back in the day, wedded siblings together, but I just couldn’t get beyond it and it made me a bit sick as I read.  Had Altruvia and Graiylin not been siblings, I think I might have felt differently, but I just couldn’t get past it, especially as they have a sexual encounter so early on in the novel, which floored me, and their sexual experience acts as the initiation into higher powers… which again, floored me.

Aside from these two main characters, I found the novel itself to be a bit long, but the sci-fi/fantasy aspects of it were very well done.  There are cat people, wolves, and dragons, as well as a prophecy and a series of misunderstandings that make for some great twists and turns.  It is interesting, but again, overall the novel just wasn’t for me.  I think those with a more open mind and a deeper love for science fiction/fantasy will really enjoy this novel, where as I did not.  Two stars.

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

From Goodreads: A new breed…a new evil…

Hidden deep beneath its landfill lair of trash and filth, a strange new organism has come to life. When an accidental fire drives it out, the mysterious creature escapes across the drought-blasted Kansas prairie and finds the home of elderly hoarder Anna Grish. In desperate need of shelter, it burrows in, concealed amidst the squalor and mess.

When Adult Protective Services force Anna to vacate her junk-riddled home, she moves in with her son and his family. But there is something wrong with Anna, something more than her declining mental condition and severe hoarding disorder. Something sinister has taken hold of her, and it’s not only getting stronger, it’s spreading.

Amidst the wide-open Kansas plains, with endless blue sky above and flat, open vista stretching from one horizon to the next, there is nowhere to hide from…THE HOARD.

______________________________________________________

This was a really interesting premise and I found the novel to be a good read, too.  I have to admit, I definitely didn’t care for the characters, though.  I’m not sure if I was supposed to like them or not, but I just found them a little bit… uncaring—if that’s the word for it?  Anna is a very elderly hoarder, and the fact that her son, Pete, who lives down the lane, next door, doesn’t know it, makes me wonder just how much he cares about others.  I feel like he’s a bit of a “bad” son.  I mean, I have a great relationship with my family, so I might just not get it, but aren’t children supposed to care for their elderly parents at a certain point?  Now, I do understand that he’s not allowed in his mother’s house, but… I’d be curious enough to go in anyway, no matter what she said, and see what all the fuss is about.  And, once I knew the condition of her house, I’d make sure she didn’t go back there and that she got the help she needed.  Pete doesn’t do that, and his actions throughout much of the novel made me very angry with him, especially as he chastises himself, but doesn’t seem to do anything about it.  Of course, psychologically speaking, Pete is messed up due to a family death that occurred when he was young, but even so, I’d think that protecting my family members was more important than making my mother happy.  Perhaps that’s just me, but that’s the reason I didn’t care for Pete very much.  His wife also seemed to be quite uncaring and, while I know it’s said that daughter-in-laws hate their mother-in-laws, I also tend to believe that, when someone is in trouble, you care for them.  Pete’s wife is someone of a jerk, in my opinion.  And Anna… well… she’s a hoarder willing to put her lifestyle and cats above all else, and it’s really disgusting.

But, it probably it a good thing that I don’t have any loving connections with the characters because some crazy things happen in this novel, and none of them are good.  I definitely was anxious throughout much of the novel, and the ending just killed me.  After all the battling and trying to save people from The Hoard… I almost felt like the ending was a bit anti-climactic.  It was good, don’t get me wrong, but I was hoping for a more happy resolution—I mean, the book itself just isn’t very happy and I thought it would go differently in the end.

Do I recommend this book?  Yep.  I thought it was very well done, though I didn’t connect with the characters.  And by the end, I was very glad I didn’t.  It’s very well written and The Hoard itself is really creepy—it’ll make you think twice about any pile of junk you come across, for sure, and the events will stay with you for days.  The horrific elements within the book and Anna’s loss of sanity do spur the reader on and I highly suggest reading it if you’re looking for a horror novel that’s completely different. Three and a half stars.

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

From Goodreads: They come at night.

Forward.

A stranger staggers out of the wilderness under the cover of a blizzard and stumbles into a diner full of people. He collapses in the entryway, unzips his jacket, and allows the object hidden inside to fall out. Screaming commences.

Down.

Four old college buddies embark upon their annual elk hunting trip into the Rocky Mountains. This promises to be their last, for the passage of time is as merciless and unpredictable as the Colorado weather. And they’re not alone.

Help.

There are other hunters in the mountains, stalking game of a different breed. They know exactly what they’re doing, because they’ve been hunting in these woods for a long, long time. And no one ever survives to betray their existence.

____________________________________________________

This is a great novel!  I was drawn to it by the bloody cover, and then the synopsis had me so curious that I just couldn’t pass it up, and I’m so glad I didn’t!  This is a horrific gem that I recommend all to read… it’s that good!

If you haven’t figured out what it’s about yet, you will fairly quickly as you being to read the fast-paced novel.  I was sucked into the pages from the very beginning, and my heart nearly beat out of my chest on many an occasion.  Of course, I did read this novel on a cold evening when I was home all alone, so it may have affected me more than someone reading it at, say, Starbucks, but I believe, in the end, it’ll be just as creepy and awesome no matter where, or when, it’s read.

McBride is a master storyteller, weaving together his plotline so seamlessly that it all just makes sense.  There were many times that I thought, “Oh, well, there’s a hole,” but then McBride closed it over with another great explanation and I really was just floored as I read this novel.  Not that I would ever plan a trek out into the mountains for any reason, but this novel solidifies my resolve to never go on a expedition in to the unknown Rockies just for fun.  Hell.  No.

There is so much that I want to say about this novel, but it all involves the amazing, twisted plot, and so I feel that I cannot go any further than to say that this is a must read.  I really, really enjoyed it.  Five stars.

DarkFuse has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this AWESOME novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: Before William Wallace, before Robert the Bruce, there was another Scottish hero…

In 1296, newly knighted by the King of the Scots, Andrew de Moray fights to defend his country against the forces of the ruthless invader, King Edward Longshanks of England. After a bloody defeat in battle, he is dragged in chains to an English dungeon.

Soon the young knight escapes. He returns to find Scotland under the heel of a conqueror and his betrothed sheltering in the hills of the Black Isle. Seizing his own castle from the English, he raises the banner of Scottish freedom. Now he must lead the north of Scotland to rebellion in hope of defeating the English army sent to crush them.

________________________________________________

If you’re a fan of Braveheart, then you’ll probably really enjoy this novel following the life of Andrew de Moray.  I’m not a history buff by any means, but based on what I know of Scottish and English history, I’d say that J.R. Tomlin has done a phenomenal job capturing the events and putting them to paper.  It’s a very historical novel, mixing fact and fiction and spurring the reader on as de Moray fights for the freedom of Scotland.

What I liked the most about this novel was the different points of view.  We follow de Moray through his trials and tribulations, but we also follow Caitrina as she grapples with the unwanted idea of becoming a nun.  The beginning of this change between point of view is a little awkward because we’re given the information about Caitrina, but then the text sort of pushes her aside, focusing on de Moray.  It’s not until much later that Caitrina takes the forefront again, but once the two become balanced, it’s really interesting watching them grow as individuals.

I thought this was a very well-written novel, though parts of it seemed a little long for my taste, such as the year de Moray is locked in the dark dungeon, and the many intricacies of the battle plans, but even so, Tomlin juxtaposes the slower, more mundane events with fast paced battles, and even a little romance.  Those who dislike historical novels probably shouldn’t pick up this book, but if you’re even a little curious about the many events taking place in Scotland as the Scots fought for their freedom, then this is a book you should check out!  Three stars.

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

From Goodreads: Annie Farnsworth is a 27 year old single mother, with a secret. Since the conception of her 7 year old son Harry, she has kept the identity of the father from everyone including the father, only one person knows the truth, her best friend Lissa but Lissa has just announced that she is to be married and Tom the secret father and the love of Annie’s life, is coming home to be the best man.

The next 5 weeks are a rollercoaster ride which Annie is not prepared for, with two men on the scene, her disgruntled parents to deal with, Harry’s new family to impress and some lies and deceit thrown in for good measure, it’s going to be a very bumpy ride.

____________________________________________

With its many funny scenes and “accidental” happenings to the main character, Annie, this is definitely a novel for adults to kick back with, and enjoy.  The circumstances surrounding Annie are quite funny, and many will grow to love her, though I personally found her to be a bit daft and somewhat annoying.  Don’t get me wrong, I found a lot of her circumstances to be hilarious, but her idiosyncrasies and irrational behavior also made me want to reach through the pages and smack her around.  Her disillusionment with Tom drove me insane, and though parts of it were funny, and I enjoyed the story overall, I still think Annie has a lot of problems…

One aspect of the novel that made it a little difficult for me to read was the many typos throughout the novel.  I’m not sure if they’ve been corrected since I was given a mobi by the author, but in all honesty, the typos were quite distracting, so I’m hoping they’ll be fixed in a second edition as the story really is quite good.

There’s a major twist towards the end of the novel that I didn’t see coming, but once light was shed on what really happened seven years ago with the conception of Harry, all the pieces came together, and it made a lot of sense.  I really enjoyed the twist; the happy ending also really solidified the story, and I was glad to see it all work out in the end as I really thought Tom was going to ruin everyone’s lives.  Overall, this is one of those cute reads that I suggest you pick up when you’re in the mood for something light.  Three and a half stars.

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

From Goodreads: They had a pact.
Leave the world behind much as they had lived it.
No one would miss them. No harm, no foul.
Their personal demons would be left behind once and for all.
It was the only thing they could count on.
It was all she had.

Madison Hanson has spent the last four years being a “shadow.” Her parents ignore her. The students at her school stopped talking to her years ago, and the majority of her teachers forget she’s even there. In her desperate yearning to leave her invisible life behind, Madison makes a pact with her only friend, James Garrison, to end their lives as inconspicuously as they live them. No fuss, no muss. No one would miss her and she would miss no one. Their plan is set, and it’s all she can count on. That is, until fellow student, Mitch Peterson, beats them to the punch. Everything Madison believed in is shaken to the core when she watches the aftermath of Mitch’s death unfold. By taking his own life, Mitch unwittingly saves hers. What a selfish prick.

She is now left with the daunting task of living. Trying to bury her demons once and for all, and finally trusting someone with her fragile existence.

Living is hell.
Death would have been so much easier.

_______________________________________________

It is no secret that Tiffany King is one of my all-time favorite authors.  I absolutely adore her work, and every single novel she’s written has been a 5 star in my book, from her lighthearted paranormal Saving Angels series to her more realistic, darker YA titles, Wishing For Someday Soon, Forever Changed, and Unlikely Allies. King has repeatedly blown me away, and her realistic novel, Miss Me Not is no different.

King is, once again, tackling a very difficult subject in this latest novel—that of suicide.  It’s a touchy subject, and some may have difficulty reading this book, but it’s an amazing story, one that needs to be told.  Yes, it will make you cry.  But it will also make you see the many hundreds of reasons that we should live, and that’s the point.  Being a teenager is an extremely tricky time in a young person’s life, and Miss Me Not is exactly the type of novel that so many teenagers need to read.  The situations are extremely realistic, though Dean may seem to be too good to be true (swoon), and Madison’s thoughts and feelings are easy to identify with.  I’m not sure if all teenagers think about suicide at some point or other, but I know when I was younger, I did, and my problems were nowhere near those of Madison, or Mitch, or James.

Though this is a very difficult topic to read about, I think it will help young adults very much when it comes to working through their own problems and choosing to live. Too many young people commit suicide every year, and the effects on those left behind are always devastating.  Mitch’s suicide is no different, and for Madison, it is a wake-up call, though she doesn’t realize just how much he’s saved her right away, and she still has to work through her own demons before she can come to terms with living.  Miss Me Not is extremely well written and I loved every minute of this amazing story, tears and all. It’s extremely touching and I highly suggest you pick it up stat!  Five stars.

Miss Me Not releases on November 23 and will only be 99 cents for its first weekend!

From Goodreads: A desperate flight from brutal oppression—and everything to lose if it fails…

Two women, one white, the other black, find themselves trapped in bondage on a South Carolina plantation in 1850’s America. Their unique friendship gives each the strength to endure until circumstances threaten not only to rip them apart but to place their very lives in jeopardy. They undertake a harrowing flight with the aid of the Underground Railroad. Will slavery’s powerful tentacles hold them? Or will they find the freedom they crave…

____________________________________________________

This is a very well written novel showing the immense atrocities of slavery.  Julia is a young woman who has grown up under the oppressive hand of her religious father.  Afraid she may never get away and take ownership of her own life, she chooses to marry the mysterious Nathanial Hamilton, a plantation owner from the Deep South.  However, instead of taking ownership of her own life and starting anew, Julia finds herself in a new oppressive environment, hundreds of miles from her family, in a new society where men and woman are even more highly divided than in the North, and where slavery is a business.

Sheltered and alone, Julia must fight for her own “freedom,” though not a slave in the same terms that her young maid, Fanny is, Julia is anything but free.  Together, these two women, one white and one black, forge a relationship that binds them deeply together as the story unfolds, and I found it highly intriguing.

Though the story is a bit long, the depth of the characterization is exemplary and the reader is drawn into the story, falling in love with Julia and Fanny, feeling their pain, watching their hopes and dreams die and rekindle… and what I loved the most is that these strong females never give up.  Though they are put down and terrible things happen to them, these women remain strong and it is impossible not to cheer them on as they fight for their own freedom through the Underground Railroad.

There were some great, uplifting parts of this novel as well… with a twist of character that I really didn’t see coming.  And though there were a few typos here and there, honestly, the story itself was so intriguing that I easily overlooked them.  Truthfully, this novel is very interesting and I highly suggest that history buffs read it.  Likewise, it’s a great tale for young adults as it shows what life was like in the 1850s and how terrible slavery was.  It also shows the bonds that can be created between people regardless of color, and that, in the end, we are all created equal, which is a theme that many of our young still do not fully understand.  I highly recommend this novel.  Four stars.

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

From Goodreads: With the Skin-walkers closing in, Kiera and her friends flee across the English countryside. Learning Potter has been keeping secrets from her, Kiera makes the painful decision to split from the group and leave her friends behind to go in search of her father. Can Kiera reach him before she turns into a statue, like the ones that appear to be following her?

Desperate to win back Kiera’s trust, and fearing she is walking straight into a trap, Potter goes after her. But with a more desperate and cunning enemy anticipating Kiera’s and Potter’s every move, will Potter’s past secrets ultimately lead to the death of Kiera Hudson?

____________________________________________________________

Once again, O’Rourke sets the scene for a powerful Kiera Hudson book that will have readers second-guessing all the characters, but mainly… the most beloved, Potter.  This novel is much darker than the rest; with the recent death of a character very close to our hearts and the constant fighting and “betrayal” amongst the remaining characters, O’Rourke makes this a heartbreaking tale. Moreover, the vivid descriptions of flesh being torn from bodies makes this novel not for the faint of heart.  It definitely made me cringe at a level I haven’t experienced in an O’Rourke novel until this point, and it’s my understanding that it has to get worse before things can get better.  But, I love it.

O’Rourke’s novels whisk me away to an alternate world where werewolves and vampyrus walk the earth, and though it’s very dangerous, especially in this “pushed” world (a world turned upside down—like a parallel universe), I still very much want to be a part of it.  And when O’Rourke begins his tales, that’s exactly what happens.  Don’t miss out on this amazing series, especially as O’Rourke has just released the next installment, Dead Seth, so if you’re afraid of the cliffhanger (and what a cliffhanger it is!), rest assured, the answers are coming.  Four stars.

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

From Goodreads: With a werewolf and a vampire for company, Zach Black makes his way across a vast apocalyptic wasteland in search of the box which contains the Heart of Endra. In the desert, they stumble across a mechanical man who tells Zach and his friends that if they want to reach the box, they will have to cross a desolate land inhabited by terrifying creatures, which have been smuggled from the other side of the doorways.

But with a traitor amongst his midst, Zach’s every step is being planned and manipulated by the evil sorcerer, Throat. As Zach makes his journey, little does he know he is being led into a trap which could ultimately lead to his death and the destruction of the world he has promised to save.

____________________________________________

Tim O’Rourke is one of my all time favorite authors.  In the last year alone, he’s written over 10 novels, many of which are for his Kiera Hudson series, which are dedicated to vampires and the vampyrus, but he’s also written real-time horror novels, werewolf novels, and, of course, his paranormal, alternate universe novels as well.  Tim amazes me.

Out of all O’Rourke’s novels, I’d say the ones most appropriate for the younger crowd would be the paranormal, alternate universe series, Doorways.  Zackary Black, along with his friends, embark on many intriguing adventures as they battle to stop the evil sorcerer, Throat, and save Zach’s little sister, Ann.  With a former cast coming back together again in this sequel, and the entrance of an entirely new cast of characters, including a robot man named Faraday, this novel is sure to entice any MG/YA reader who picks it up.  And, I do recommend it!  With flying machines, a vast desert, decrepit/decaying characters, and a quest unlike any other, this novel is sure to please. O’Rourke is a fantastic writer, and this novel will certainly you hungry for more, especially with its epic cliffhanger!  Four stars. (Read my author interview with Tim O’Rourke for more insight into his epic Doorways series! )

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

From Goodreads: A Novel Of America’s Most Disillusioned Generation

For Steve, Sophia, Dave, and Brooke, life hasn’t turned out as planned. Rather than easy fame and fortune, these happy-go-lucky teenagers of the 1980’s found young adulthood a mystifying series of dead-end jobs, failed relationships, family scandal, and surging frustration.

Now approaching middle age, all they want is to reverse their gradual alienation from life and one another, reconnecting with their earlier, innocent selves.

But there’s a catch. Before any of them can move forward, they must collectively confront that one outrageous night back in college that first drove them apart, revealing secrets potentially shattering everything they ever were.

______________________________________________

This is a pretty interesting novel that follows the disappointing lives of three “used-to-be” friends (the fourth couldn’t be contacted, so Steve finds a stand-in).  There are a lot of funny parts that made me snicker aloud; these characters are definitely crazy, and I really hope they don’t emulate too many people out there.  Really, I spent much of the novel thinking, “what is wrong with these kids?” So, here’s the line-up:

Dave married a crazy girl named Jen, and he really should have gotten rid of her when he had the chance, but he never did, and she’s been plaguing his life ever since.  A lot of the information surrounding their relationship is a bit quirky and I can’t help but feel sorry for him, but I also think he’s an idiot for falling into the trap she “set” for him, aka. making him the fallout boy all the time, etc.

Steve wants to be a writer, and when the story focuses on him, it’s pretty hilarious.  I loved his side-commentary, especially when he was talking about the people who run out to grab the tennis balls during a tennis match—good thoughts there! Why are those people there?  How did they apply for that job?  Did they want to grow up to be a ball grabber?  It just makes you stop and think for a moment, and it definitely brought a smile to my face.  It’s a bit twisted, too, I mean, I kept asking myself, “where does this stuff come from?”, as I was reading.  It actually reminded me of an awesome book of short stories called Watching Grandma Circle the Drain, where the author comes up with crazy and hilarious scenarios.  And for that, I loved Steve (though I’m not going to lie, some of what he had to say is offensive, such as his comments about fat people and homosexuals).

Sophie… has a lot of sexual escapades.  I actually felt like she was just a part of the story to add that sexual element… I’m not a fan of lots of sex in my novels, so she wasn’t my favorite, but… oh well.  On that note, everyone seems to be a tad bit obsessed with sex in this novel.  I think there’s more to life than that, and this novel really talked about sex way too much for my liking, but overall, the story was interesting, though I, personally, found their falling out that one, fateful night, to be a bit anticlimactic.  But, overall, I liked the plotline and depth of the characters, craziness and all.  Four stars.

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

From Goodreads: In 9 AD, the 17th, 18^th, and 19th legions marched into the Teutoborg Forest to crush a rebellion among the Germanii. The legions were never seen again. Quintus Druronius, a young tribune who had come to the province with the new governor, is one of the few survivors and he struggles to escape from the victorious Germanii, carrying the secret knowledge that he may have been the cause of the massacre.

In the dying years of World War 2, Rolf Patzer is pulled from combat duty by a mercurial SS officer who takes him on an enigmatic odyssey, carrying several small crates out of Germany just ahead of the advancing Allied powers.

Jos Fál, a former intelligence operator, reaches out to his old NATO comrades when he finds his fiancée Emily missing and her dig staff murdered. With their help, he begins to unravel the history of an artifact that is older than human civilization. In his struggle to save her, he comes to learn that history is far older than anyone ever imagined, and it is about to come to an end.

___________________________________________________

This was a really interesting novel following the lives of three different men over the course of history.  I really loved jumping between the past and present, trying to put it all together.  From as far back as the 9^th century to the present, these awesome characters are entangled in a web beyond their knowledge base, trying to put together the pieces.

I think my favorite character was Rolf Patzer.  I loved getting to know about his flight during WWII, suspecting the cargo, and getting no answers.  His story really interested me, especially as he ended up having to make a grand escape in order to save his life.  While this is a fictional piece, it really does show the strength of soldiers and I liked it a lot.

Jos’ story is also extremely interesting.  I can’t imagine going to visit my fiancé only to find that her entire team is dead and that she’s been kidnapped.  This game of cat and mouse was really intriguing, and I enjoyed his story immensely, though the ending was a little cryptic, in my opinion, and not as satisfying as I had hoped it would be.  I almost felt like it was a little pushed… events unroll at a very fast pace throughout the entire novel, but once the climax is hit, the novel sort of spirals out of the realm of belief and too much happens too fast, though it’s very interesting idea. This book seems to be a part of a series, so perhaps the next installment will shed more light.  Four stars.

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

From Goodreads: Thousands of years in the future the divide between humanity and technology has become nearly unrecognizable. Each thought, each action is logged, coded, backed up. Data is as easily exchanged through the fiber-optic-like cables that extend from fingertips as it might be through ordinary conversation. It’s a brave new world: A world that the Straker Tapes say is a result of many human “upgrades.” But no one is sure whether the Straker Tapes are a work of fiction or an eerie peek into an unimaginable past.

Nearly sixteen-year-old Peter Vincent has been raised to believe that everything that the backward Strakerites cling to is insane–an utter waste of time and potential. Since his father is David Vincent, genius inventor of the artificial bees that saved the world’s crops and prevented massive famine, how could Peter believe anything else?

But when Peter meets Alpha, a Strakerite his own age, suddenly the theories about society-upgrades don’t sound quite so crazy, especially when she shows him evidence that another upgrade is imminent. And worse, there may be a conspiracy by the leaders of the establishment to cover it up. A conspiracy spearheaded by Peter’s own father.

Gripping and full of unexpected twists, The Future We Left Behind takes the unsettling questions raised in Human.4, and flips them entirely. What if we knew that the very way we live was about to be changed in an instant, and we could stop it? And what if everything we are sure we know is entirely wrong?

________________________________________________________

This novel had a very interesting premise and I liked that, though it’s a series novel, I didn’t have to read the first book to understand what was happening.  I find that most novels in a series, nowadays, demand knowledge of the previous books in order to make any sense of the plot, and it was nice to be able to just pick up a book in a series and not have to backtrack to follow the story.

This is like an alien/dystopian/romance/sci-fi kind of read, and that was a little weird to get used to at first, especially as I found the beginning to be a bit on the slow side.  But, the novel quickly picked up and I enjoyed getting to know Peter and Alpha, as well as the mystery surrounding the Straker Tapes.  Peter’s world isn’t one I’d like to live in, with technology taking the forefront and “frivolous” literature being looked down upon (I’d be out of a job in this future realm).  The fact that technology has such a huge hold over humanity, and their lack of thought concerning this, was really somewhat creepy in the sense that they didn’t seem to have any thoughts of their own.  Of course, this is where the upgrades and alien/scifi information comes into play, but even so, it’s definitely not the world for me, though I did enjoy reading about it.

Peter has some pretty big shoes to fill as his father believes Peter will take over the lab and continue his great work as a scientist, but Peter isn’t like all the other kids, which is why I liked him so much.  While others tend to walk around in a daze, allowing their memories to be wiped, Peter fights back upon stumbling onto the truth.  And, I found this really enjoyable… to a point.  Then I sort of lost my way in the book, as it were.  Things began happening very quickly and I just couldn’t follow everything, especially with all the technical terms.  My imagination isn’t too vivid, you see, and so I can read a book and really enjoy it, but if it’s something I can’t imagine in my head, sometimes I get confused, and I think that’s what happened in this novel.  Everything was great until about the last twenty percent of the novel where I wasn’t sure exactly what the characters were discussing anymore.  Don’t get me wrong, I got the main gist, but it was hard for me to understand what was happening to Peter as he ran around the lab trying to stop the “evil” coming towards earth.  I don’t know; it’s probably just me, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the ending, either.  Hopefully you’ll have an easier time understanding the terminology and visualizing it.  Three stars.

Egmont USA has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on November 13, 2012.

From Goodreads: Reality TV meets a chillingly realistic version of America—and the fame game is on!

Amy had dreams of going to college, until the Collapse destroyed the economy and her future. Now she is desperate for any job that will help support her terminally ill grandmother and rebellious younger sister. When she finds herself in the running for a slot on a new reality TV show, she signs on the dotted line, despite her misgivings. And she’s right to have them. TLN’s Who Knows People, Baby—You? has an irresistible premise: correctly predict what the teenage cast will do in a crisis and win millions. But the network has pulled strings to make it work, using everything from 24/7 hidden cameras to life-threatening technology to flat-out rigging. Worse, every time the ratings slip, TLN ups the ante. Soon Amy is fighting for her life—on and off camera.

___________________________________________________

The synopsis of this book really piqued my interest as it sounded like a highly engaging  dystopian novel, very Hunger Games-esk, as it were.  But in reality, it’s actually nothing like The Hunger Games, which I found refreshing, further adding to the uniqueness of this novel.  However, my feelings toward the novel are a bit mixed.

While the beginning of the novel helped set the stage, I have to admit that it moved a little too slowly for me.  We meet Amy and her family, hear about how she has no money and doesn’t think she’ll amount to anything, and then we meet the soon-to-be cast for the reality TV show.  I know the background does need to be explained, but it just didn’t draw me in, and, based on the negative reviews I’d seen prior to reading, I began to worry.  But, rest assured, the novel did quickly start to pick up, though it occasionally slowed down again, and I was confused by a few things.

Number one, I wasn’t sure what the Collapse was (and I’m going to say that this is my own fault, and not the authors).  In my mind—since this novel is obviously very high tech, what with TLN having the ability to create holograms and film, unnoticed, anywhere—I thought this was the distant future and that there was some sort of war that caused the Collapse, but I didn’t find anything in the text that really explained it to me, so I was confused about what the Collapse really was.  Now, I do feel a little idiotic as I didn’t realize it right away, but the Collapse seems to be another term for Crash, as in, the Crash from 1929.  While this novel isn’t set in 1929 (it’s definitely the close future), the Collapse and the events leading up to it, as far as I can tell from the story, mirror what we actually experienced eighty plus years ago.  It’s fictionalized, of course, and with much more technology, but for some reason I just didn’t even think about that when I began the story.  I’ll guess I just had it in my head that the Collapse happened due to war because I’ve read so many dystopian novels that start that way, so I couldn’t fathom that the setting for the Collapse was as simple as a “depression.” And, obviously, this is my own fault.  I think I was about 40% into the novel before I figured it out… and trust me, I feel a little stupid for not realizing it sooner.  But, I didn’t, so I thought I’d throw it out there for potential readers so they know what the Collapse really is.  I think it helps the reader really understand what’s happening if they know and aren’t constantly wondering, like I was…

Number two, I don’t know what a phantom is.  For the most part, the novel seemed like it was realistic.  Yes, there is highly advanced technology and they can do things that aren’t currently possible in real life, but the people’s dispositions and problems were very down to earth.  However, Amy has these “phantom” experiences where she visualizes strange things and somehow tries to connect them to what’s happening around her.  I don’t know, perhaps I missed something as I was reading that would have clued me in, but I just didn’t get it.  Here, in the midst of the realism, is a random paranormal type insertion, and I never did understand them as I read.  Instead, I began to gloss over the “phantoms” because it just didn’t make sense.

But most everything else was great!  I found the characters to be extremely real, and I truly felt for them.  Amy has a huge struggle: continue the reality TV show knowing each scenario is going to be stranger and scare her even more, or go back to having no money and watching her grandmother die without medical help.  While I yelled at Amy all the time, I think I would have continued to work for TLN, too.  I mean, money isn’t supposed to be everything, but when it’s the only way to help your sick family member, well… it becomes really important.  More important than a few scares, at least.

Now, this is where the story itself gets tricky.  Kress is writing a novel about a reality TV show, in which scenarios are created to up the ante and see how people react.  I’m not going to lie, I’d watch that show.  People amaze me and I love to guess what they’ll do next.  Of course, I wouldn’t think they were in harm’s way at any point during the filming, but that isn’t necessarily true in this reality show.  But neither the cast, nor the audience know it… So anyway, this is where it gets tricky.  Kress is writing the TV scenarios in order to show how the ratings go up, and then down, so of course, some of the scenarios are going to be a bit… boring.  If they weren’t, the ratings wouldn’t be going down.  But here’s the thing: boring scenarios for TV equal boring scenarios in a novel.  Make sense?  Now, not all of them were lackluster.  There’s definitely a fair share of really interesting scenarios, especially the very last one, but there were also points while reading the novel that I found it slowing way down because the interactions amongst the cast just wasn’t all that interesting.  But I don’t fault the author at all.  What’s Kress is trying to do is extremely difficult and I think she did it well.  I wouldn’t be able to imagine half of what she does, let alone get it down on paper, and I think Kress really did an amazing job.  This story is very unique, but the audience really needs to know what they’re walking into when they pick up this book, or they just might not enjoy the novel as much as they could.  Three and a half stars.

Penguin Young Readers Group has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release tomorrow, November 8, 2012.

From Goodreads: In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue–Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is–she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are–and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

_________________________________________________________

This is one of those books that’s been sitting on my shelf since it first came out, but I never got around to reading it.  I heard glorious things about it, but it wasn’t until I learned it was being made into a movie that I actually picked it up.  Shame on me.  I know.  Sometimes, that’s how things go, though…

Divergent is so much more than I expected it to be.  Completely unique, I loved the separate factions.  The entire time I was reading, I kept trying to decide what group I’d choose.  I’m not selfless, or brave, or very intelligent, so that leaves honesty or peacefulness.  Well, I’m certainly not honest all the time, but I do think that I like to keep the peace, so I’d probably end up joining Amity.  But that’s all besides the point.  Tris joins Dauntless and it’s a crazy world that she’s chosen to join.  She had no idea what it would really be like, and of course, neither did I.  My eyes just kept bulging with each new task the Dauntless gave to Tris and her peers as they attempted to become a part of the faction.  And I just loved the ups and downs and the feelings of the new entrants… it was very real to me, though a bit sickening at times, as well.

Basically, Dauntless seems very evil.  The higher ups think pain equals bravery, and that’s not how I see it, personally, but for all intensive purposes, it worked for this novel.  There’s the good, the bad, and the very ugly… a little bit of romance, a lot of fighting amongst themselves, and even attempted murder… and it made my heart beat double in my chest as this very long story unfolded. Personally, I think some of it could have been shaved off so the book wasn’t so long, but most of the events really helped shape the characters, which I loved, so while I thought it was a bit too long, I honestly don’t know what I’d cut.

Tris is tough, but I wasn’t sure she belonged in Dauntless until the very end of the book.  Things get way out of hand, what with mind control and mass hatred towards other factions, and I was blown away by the events that transpired—Tris really is brave, in my eyes, and what she had to do in the end, to survive, made me love her all the more.  Roth definitely scared me for a minute; I was sure she was going to do something drastic to one of my most favorite characters of all time, but luckily everything panned out in the end, though families and friendships have been destroyed forever.

I really thought all the characters in this novel were well developed.  From the major to the minor, we get to know them all quite well, and I loved that Roth was able to create such vivid love/hate relationships while divulging more of the secret behind what it means to be “divergent.”  Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book, and am eager to read the next installment, Insurgent, sooner, rather than later.  Four stars.

I bought a copy of this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: When Madison Westin, the main character, inherits her aunt’s beachfront motel in the Florida Keys, or so she thinks. Tarpon Cove is not your typical sleepy beach town: Seduction, drunks, ex-cons and fugitives are not the usual fare for someone looking to start a new chapter in their life. Wrestling control of the property from both the lawyer and the conniving motel manager will be no easy feat. But Madison likes living on the edge so she feels right at home. Bullets fly, a dead body turns up, a kidnapping and blackmail. Madison really has to learn not to leave home without her Glock or it could get her killed.

_________________________________________________

This is a really good read if you like novels with quirky characters that are a bit extreme.   It’s very fast paced—something is constantly happening—and the characters are all quite funny; I definitely snorted a few different times due to the outlandish circumstances surrounding the characters, especially Madison.  I mean, if I could meet them all in real life, it’d be one heck of a party… but these also aren’t the type of people I’d surround myself, for my own safety!

The novel itself, I’d say, is a bit on the unrealistic side.  I mean, it could happen, maybe, but I found a lot of it to be a little too far out there for it to be “real” (hey, maybe I just haven’t lived enough), but I think that might have just been the point.  It’s a good comedy, but I didn’t necessarily connect with any of the characters on a deeper level.  But do we always have to have extreme connections with the books we read?  I don’t think so.  And, this is a great story for you to read when you just want to let loose and read about someone else’s crazy problems, especially if they’re nearly impossible to believe.  If that sounds like you, I’d say you should definitely pick it up.  Three stars.

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

From Goodreads: Naomi Roberts finally receives a scholarship for a semester abroad in Maine. When Naomi’s grandmother suddenly claims that Naomi will soon be transformed into a panther, like her great grandmother Romina, Naomi believes it is a final and desperate attempt to keep her from departing to the USA.

Having arrived in Maine, Naomi enjoys her student life with new friends and her first love, Roman. Even though she feels magically drawn to a mysterious clearing in the woods, believes she is being watched and begins to sleepwalk, she does not remember the prophecy of her grandmother. Until her very first transformation. And – Naomi is not alone, which not only exposes her to mortal danger, but also Roman.

_______________________________________________

This is a very interesting take on the shape-shifter story, focusing on that of werecats.  It’s quite original, though the translation itself makes it a somewhat brusque tale.  I read the most recent release of this novel, which I am told is much better than the original translation that was in a funky color and didn’t capture the story very well.  And, in this latest translation, I thought the translator did a good job portraying the story, but it is still a bit rigid and choppy, as I would expect a translation to be.  Yes, its syntax seems to be short and simple, but I, personally, found the diction level to be on target and the story itself was explained well enough that I wasn’t really bothered by the choppiness, though the overall story did leave me with a lot of questions at the end.

I really liked the beginning of this book. Although the background story isn’t actually explained in any further detail throughout the story, it piqued my interest and hooked me right away.  But, as the story continued, I began to note that the story itself slowed down in order to explain, in detail, all of Naomi’s new friends and their outings.  Now, I’m not sure if it’s the translation or the story itself, but I found this to be a rather dull section as the action began to lull.  It did pick up again, as we learn that not all the characters are good, but here, and I think it depends on how picky of a reader you are, a lot of information seems to be glossed over.  There is much more action near the end of the novel as we learn who is good and who is not, but in doing so, we have some situations that occur that aren’t explained to the reader very well, such as the “rape” that is mentioned in passing. It’s just sort of there, and while I think I understand where Bidell is going with it, the fact that so little attention is given to the monumental detail was a bit jarring.  Likewise, readers aren’t really given too much specific background information explaining the different factions of  the werecats, and so I wasn’t sure what made Sammy and Kai so different aside from the quick conversation Kai and Naomi have.  But, then again, this is only part one of the saga, and so it is very likely that the missing information in this novel will be explained in the next portion—I just think that the choppiness of the novel makes it a little more blatant that pertinent information is missing, whereas a novel that flowed a bit more seamlessly wouldn’t make it as obvious that some explanations are absent.  Overall, though, I enjoyed the story.  Three stars.

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

Ready, Set, Review-a-thon Goals!

So, it’s November.  And I’m not an aspiring author, so I’m not joining NaNoWriMo, but I do need to catch up on reviews.  I tend to read, read, read, because my Kindle allows me to easily do it nonstop with its text-to-speech feature—in the car, waiting in line, anywhere—but the same isn’t always possible when it comes to writing reviews.  I don’t have any “on the go” typing tools, no iPad, Kindle Fire, or small laptop, so reviews don’t get done half as quickly as the reading part does.  Hence, I’ve joined a November 2012 Review-a-thon hosted by Faye, from A DayDreamer’s Thoughts, and Danie, from Booktacular.

So, what am I planning on doing this month?  Well, first off, here’s the list of books I’ve read that STILL need to be reviewed:

1. Goosebumps: Most Wanted: Planet of the Lawn Gnomes by R.L. Stine

2. In the Shadow of the Moonlight by J.J. Bidell

3. Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown

4. The League of Doorways by Tim O’Rourke (Doorways #2)

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Divergent #1)

6. Gods’ Marks, Book 1 of the Moirean Tapestry by Tara K. Young

7. Love Lies Bleeding by Meghan Ciana Doidge

8. 5 Weeks by June Hopkins

9. Last Stop Freedom by Ann Heinz Nolder

10. Freedom’s Sword by J.R. Tomlin

11. The Bull Years by Phil Stern

12. Prometheus Bound by A.G. Claymore

13. Weaver by John Abramowitz (The Weaver Saga #1)

14. The Fallstaff Vampire Files by Lynne Murray

15. Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton (Chanda #1)

16. Dead on Ice by Lauren Carr

17. Scourge of an Agnostic God by Michael Juge

18. The Future We Left Behind by Mike Lancaster (Point 4, #2)

19. Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman

20. Driving to BelAir: A Novella by William G. Jones

21. Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie

22. Snowblind by Michael McBride

23. Wings by Aprilynne Pike (Wings #1)

24. Dead Statues by Tim O’Rourke (Kiera Hudson Series Two #3)

25. Moon Rising by Laurie Bowler (Moon Rising #1)

26. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (Little Blue Envelope #1)

27. 27. Miss Me Not by Tiffany King

28. 28. The Hoard by Alan Ryker

29. 29. Dead Seth by Tim O’Rourke

30. 30. Dead Statues by Tim O’Rourke

31. 31. The League of Doorways by Tim O’Rourke

32. 32. Flash Point by Nancy Kress

So, yeah.  32.  And that’s not counting the books that I’ll read in-between my hectic life and writing these reviews, so that number… yeah, it’ll go up.  But, for all intensive purposes, I’m saying that, in November, I’ll try to write ALL 32 of these, because I really need to.  They’re scheduled to be released on the blog in November/December, so… here I go!

As I write the reviews, I’ll hyperlink them once they’re live in order to keep track of what’s done and what’s still on the list of reviews to write.

Wish me luck!

-ABookVacation

From Goodreads: Catch the most wanted Goosebumps characters–undead or alive…

The infamous, Most Wanted Goosebumps characters are out on the loose and they’re coming after you! There is no place to hide. Nothing is safe!

Jay Gardner is a mischievous kid who can’t stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, Jay gets in so much trouble, his family is forced to move. The new neighborhood offers Jay a chance at a fresh start. But there’s something odd about Jay’s new town. Why does everyone have lawn gnomes in front of their homes? And why is everyone afraid to go outside at night? The lawn gnomes don’t come to life at night-do they? Jay is about to learn that mischief can quickly turn to horror.

______________________________________________________

When I was a tween, I loved Goosebumps.  I read them whenever I could, and I just thought R.L. Stine was the best author ever.  His plotlines were just crazy enough to entice and glue my middle school self to the pages, and I liked that they were a little bit scary with a little touch of chill, though they never gave me nightmares.  And the covers, with the ooze?  I loved them.  I loved to touch them and I had a small collection on my bookshelf… at one point I actually  planned to begin with book 1 and eventually own them all—a feat that never did happen as, you know, middle schoolers can quickly be overcome by some new phenomena and forget all about their previous loves, which is what happened with Goosebumps.

But, nearly 20 years later, I came across a new release from R.L. Stine on Netgalley, and I just had to read it… I wanted to know if the novels still held as much appeal to me as they once did.  The verdict?  Well, no, not really—my logical side whispered to me throughout my reading of this novel, telling me just how ridiculous the plot really was, and I was thinking to myself that it’s such a shame that I’ve changed so much.  And then… the ending happened.  That’s right.  The ending threw me out into left field and I was like, “whoa.” R.L. Stine’s still got it!  And I’d give these books to any MG/tween out there looking for something a little weird, a little scary, and something that’ll definitely make them think, and wish the novel kept right on going.  So, while I’ll admit that R.L. Stine’s books don’t appeal to me like they once did, because I’m not a tween anymore, R.L. Stine hasn’t changed a bit, and his books are still awesome, and I have to give this novel four stars because the twist at the end really was “kick butt.”  This novel is definitely a winner.

Scholastic Inc has been very gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.