From Goodreads:   Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.

*Recommended for ages 15 and older due to mature content.*

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This second novel in the Kindrily Series picks up just a few days after the first novel, Grasping at Eternity, ends, which is great for readers who are continuing the series without a huge lapse between readings.  However, for those who haven’t read the first novel in quite some time, I highly suggest refamilarizing yourself with the cast of characters and the ending plotline, because there are a ton of characters to keep track of, and things move very quickly in this sequel. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this novel piqued my interest even more so than the first—Hooper’s characters are more refined and now that Maryah remembers pieces of her past life, mainly, Nathan, the novel dives even deeper into the romantic side of the story, which made me very happy.  Gone are the wishy-washy ways of Nathan and Maryah as they tip-toe around one another (which heavily irked me in the first novel), and instead we see these two characters develop together, pulling the reader deep into their mix and, honestly, making us feel like a part of the story. 

This novel, like the last, ends on a happy note, though fear and sadness are present throughout; however, if you’re like me, then you won’t’ be able to wait for more, and Hooper delivers in a rather awesome way.  At the very end of the novel, Hooper tells readers that she couldn’t decide where to end the novel, because some readers like cliffhangers, and some don’t, so she does something I found rather remarkable: she lets the reader choose.  The novel has technically concluded, BUT, if the reader so chooses, they may turn a few pages after the conclusion and note from the author and continue the story, which ends with a pretty epic cliffhanger, even if it was heavily foreshadowed throughout the last 1/5 of the novel.  I highly suggest reading it—it will leave you screaming for more!

I also really enjoyed learning even more about the kindrily gifts each member of the kindrily possessed, and the novel itself reads like a classic journey story, which was fantastic.  Like I previously stated, I liked the characters much more in this novel, and I felt much deeper connections to them, and even days after finishing the novel, I still have thoughts about the characters and their plights, as if I’m a part of their world.  

My one concern with the series, however, is that every time the novel seems to take a turn of the worse, it seems that Hopper quickly squelches it and makes the heroes and heroines come out on top fairly quickly, which isn’t bad, by any means, but I’d like to see a little more adversity between the members and the evil they are fighting—especially because I still don’t know all that much about him.  Four stars.    

From Goodreads: Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she’s supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah’s memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

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This novel starts off with a pretty quick jab to the gut as a fairly gruesome murder scene takes place, instantly gripping the reader and piquing interest while also creating sympathy for the main character, Maryah.  From here, the reader is whisked away on a journey of self discovery as Maryah must come to terms with the loss of her family and the truths that surround her concerning her past. 

The fantastical side of this story was absolutely amazing, and I loved getting to know all the characters and their special powers, but truth be told, Maryah and Nathan drove me a bit insane.  Between Nathan’s mopiness and Maryah’s continues silence and trust issues, the two dance around one another in a way that I felt was a bit too drawn out for my liking.  Nathan is rude and sulks a bit too much for me, and while it was plain to see that he loves Maryah, he has a very strange way of showing it to her, and some of his actions made me really angry.  The fact that he disappears from the home for so long also makes him seem childish, and I couldn’t wait for him to finally tell Maryah the truth because his actions were killing me.  Maryah also made some choices that made me upset, such as her silence and lack of trust, even in her best friend.  If I had dreams or believed I had an angel of death following me around, and then I saw him in the flesh, the first thing out of my mouth would be that I knew this guy.  I mean, maybe I’m just bold and don’t care what others think, but if I’m pretty sure someone is out to kill me, I’d hoot and holler as soon as I saw him in the flesh.  And, this would have saved much time in the storyline because what I really wanted was for Maryah to remember and Nathan to help her do so. 

Of course, the plot drives itself and, main character antics aside, the story was very well written and fairly captivating.  There is much foreshadowing leading up to the climax of the novel, which was nice because I knew what was going to happen without knowing exactly how or when, and I was extremely excited by the last fifth of the novel, especially as many of the questions I had as a reader were revealed, and Maryah and Nathan stop dancing around each other.  So, although I didn’t care for the main characters in this first installment, they grew on my as the story concluded, and I’m excited to read the sequel and see what happened next, especially because the characters are now exactly where I want them to be.  Three stars. 

From Goodreads: Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.

She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.

Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.

For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

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I have never met anyone with Munchausen syndrome; I’ve never studied it outside of a one-day Health class discussion, and I’ve certainly never read about it in a novel, so when given the chance, I jumped at it because this is something completely different.  And honestly, I think this is what made the story itself so interesting to me, as Saylor is far from the run-of-the-mill protagonist I see in many novels, and delving deep into her mind and sickness really made me stop and think about the world and the many, many people in it.  For someone who doesn’t suffer from Munchausen, Saylor probably seems a bit crazy, and it’s very easy for those around her to pass judgment on her.  Heck, it’s easy for readers to pass judgment on her, too, and to even dislike her because of her issues, but I found it extremely interesting, refreshing even, to have a main character with such a deep rooted issue like this, stemming from her childhood and her yearning for attention.  It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read, and though I don’t condone her behavior or her lies, I get it, and that’s what made the story come together for me.

One of the huge underlying issues that this book addresses is Saylor’s relationship with her mother, the crux from which Saylor’s Munchausens and attitude towards life stem.  Though the main focus deals with Saylor’s whirlwind romance with Drew, the heaviness of the novel really sits on the mother-daughter relationship, which I found to be quite profound and intriguing.   

While I liked the novel overall, I will say that I found many of the situations within the novel itself to be rather unbelievable for me, personally.  For instance, if I were a therapist for someone with Munchausen, the last place I’d try to get them a volunteering job would be a hospital where they could potentially obtain medications and syringes, etc.  That just doesn’t sound smart, especially if all that stops her from going into certain areas is a badge… but hey, I’m not a therapist or a Munchausen specialist, so maybe this is completely normal and feasible.  For me, however, it had me slapping my forehead because it truly sounds like they’re just asking for something bad to happen.

Saylor is a dynamic character whom I truly enjoyed getting to know, even if I’m not necessarily a fan of her choices in life, and I am extremely happy with the ending of the novel because it did seem very realistic.  It wasn’t one of those novels where love heals all things, or peoples’ lies go unpunished.  It was just… perfect.  Three stars.

The publisher has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its publication on June 3, 2013.

From Goodreads: ‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

I have never seen one.’

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.

But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?
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This is a rather short novella that has a very interesting premise. However, I feel The Island could have been more fleshed out and less choppy had the story been more developed. I do understand the idea of a novella, but in this case, I’d really like to see this piece become a full fledged novel.  Truthfully, I believe this novella has all the workings of a great story, but just needs to flow a bit more and add in more storyline, further developing all the characters, their plights, and the background of the island, slowing down the pacing and giving readers time to digest it all, because, this story is actually quite phenomenal.

In terms of characters, I found them to be a bit too flat for my liking.  Yes, they all undergo a huge change, but I felt like they offered little to no resistance to this huge change that invades their lives, and they instead believe everything they are told without second guessing or much struggle. And, when the story really could have taken a turn and beefed up the plot through the climax, I found that everything resolves itself a bit too neatly. Truthfully, I liked the overall concept and the characters, but I need more substance, and making this a full novel, I believe, would do the trick.

Now, I feel I must also mention the connection to Star Wars, which had me baffled throughout much of the story.  I was initially floored by the introduction of this very well know movie saga, and, truthfully, I groaned a little when I made the connection because I couldn’t fathom where the story was going or how on earth these fictional characters from the movie flowed into this novella.  BUT, it did!  Minkman floored me again with her explanations at the end, which comes on very fast and all at once, shedding a very interesting light on the famous movie saga and how it all comes together for the characters in The Island.  And, for that aspect alone, I think everyone should read it, because it really blew my mind!  Three stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review prior to its release on June 1, 2013.

Make sure you check out the sequel, The Waves, which fleshes out the above story through the eyes of another character–it’s very well done!

From Goodreads: Two guys who’ve stolen her heart.
Three races and only one of them worthy.
Countless enemies with insatiable bloodlust for power.
Will one girl’s curse ultimately save her?

Half-vampire Brooke Keller barely survived the slaying of her worst enemy, only to learn that Zladislov—the world’s most powerful vampire, leader of the vampire world, and her father—wants her dead. However, this time, she’s not only fighting vampires but a raging monster within her that endangers what’s left of her humanity. And when a deadly disease threatens to take her best friend’s life, Brooke tries to convince Kaitlynn to accept a monster of her own: becoming a Zao Duh.

As a former slave to the Pijawikas, Mirko is driven to protect the innocent at all costs, but he has never faced a foe more formidable than Zladislov. And when the Commission bears down on Brooke, Mirko finds the stream of enemies runs deeper than he ever imagined.

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I’ve waited a very, very long time for this second installment in the Vampire Born series, and let me tell you, it was worth every minute!  Kace once again grips readers in this tale of love and betrayal, gluing readers to the pages as the plot develops, twists, and turns, leaving the reader wondering just who the enemy within the ranks really is…   

Mirko, Mirko, Mirko.  That boy is so epically swoon worthy and I envy Brooke to the highest degree!  In Descended by Blood, I couldn’t choose between Mirko or Jaren, Brooke’s two love interests, but Enemy Within sealed the deal and, like Brooke, my heart belongs to Mirko, with good reason.  Any guy who is willing to risk his life for mine is a keeper, and any guy who pushes me to the side because he can’t deal with my heritage, well… he has to go.  Kace does a phenomenal job fleshing out Mirko even more in this novel, giving readers more of his background while also playing up the boy rivalry and adding some steamy romance scenes (it’s still tame though).  Mirko melts my heart, and I just want to reach through the pages and bring him into the real world.  We could do with a few dozen men like Mirko walking the earth…

This novel also deals more so with the idea of the Pijawikas, former slaves of the vampire world, and I love how Kace brings in the themes of bigotry, racism, and hypocrisy, teaching very important lessons throughout her phenomenal story.  There are many similarities to the human world and the mistakes we’ve made in our treatment of other humans, and I loved that, while a sensational storyline, it also has its teachable moments.  And, of course, not all is as it seems, and not everyone should be trusted…

The cliffhanger in this novel nearly killer me, just like it did in the first, and I’m hoping and praying that we won’t have to wait another year and a half for the third book to release.  Five amazing stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

To see my review of Descended by Blood, click HERE.

From Goodreads: Jess Mackey is living a meticulously fabricated lie of necessity. She’s left the secret tragedy of her past behind along with who she was and is forging ahead with a clean slate. But Jess soon discovers that passion can’t be left behind—neither her own, nor that of the one man who sees who she really is…and whose unexpected presence may breach the peaceful life Jess has painstakingly created for herself.

Devin Castile didn’t expect to meet a young woman who may be the missing puzzle piece to his existence…and who is also the victim of a heinous crime. Devin convinces himself that he can remain emotionally distant even while indulging his physical desire for her. But when Jess’s lies begin to crumble in the face of their undeniable attraction and the truth is revealed, one of them might pay with their life.
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I picked up this novel because it’s written by one of my favorite authors, Tamara Rose Blodgett (pen name Marata Eros).  Though I really try to shy away from most novels that I know deal with content of a more sexual nature, it’s somewhat impossible for me to pass up a book written by a favorite author, and so I purchased a copy and sat down to read.  And, once again, I’m very glad I did. Yes, there are some intense sexual encounters in this novel, and sexual tension abounds throughout, however, Blodgett walks a very fine line, staying just this side of too explicit, for which I am eternally grateful (I’m a bit of a prude, as you know).

Truthfully, though, I was worried I wasn’t going to like this novel as I found that the men in it, all of them, it seems, are demanding.  Most also seem to relish hurting women, which just isn’t my thing in any way, shape, or form.  That, in and of itself, really gets my blood boiling.  No, it’s not Fifty-Shades of Greyesque, thank God; it’s not that type of “hurting women,” but more so physical abuse.  In fact, I had more issues with the way men treated women in this story than I did with the sexual encounters, which is saying a lot, because I am a bonafide cringer—and cringe I do—when a scene becomes too explicit for my liking. But in this novel, I wasn’t cringing over the sex scenes, I was cringing over the inhumane treatment of Jess by the men around her, by their nasty demanding nature, and by their physical abuse towards her.  But, the story is so well written, and the ending revelation so perfect, that the novel did sweep me off my feet.  Sure, I screamed at the male characters a lot, especially Cas, who I originally disliked just as much as the other male characters, but he is redeemable, and Blodgett redeems him quite nicely in the end, as the truth is unveiled.  

Despite my reservations and dislike of abuse, this novel won me over, and I think much of that has to do with the characterization.  While Jess isn’t perfect, by any means, and she makes some bad choices, overall she’s got a good head on her shoulders and she’s believable.  And, truth be told, any novel that can get me so riled that I yell at the characters through the pages is a winner in my book, because it caused me to really feel, and really interact, and that is exactly what Blodgett did in A Terrible Love.  Blodgett has written a beautiful tale of redemption, full of suspense and mystery, and I highly recommend it for a more mature audience.  Five stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

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I really enjoyed this new twist on mythology, especially as it’s Norse mythology, something I haven’t come across in a YA novel before.  As an avid reader, I am always looking for something brand new and original, and this novel definitely has elements of that.  I won’t say it’s completely original, though, because the idea of a mysterious boy and a sweet innocent girl falling for each other instantly has been done many a time, but even so, not like this. 

Torin is definitely a swoon worthy character, and I highly enjoyed him.  He’s got the whole dark and brooding thing down pat, and it really works well for him.  He’s shrouded in mystery, and I was dying to learn the truth about his origins right alongside Raine, though I don’t harbor as many fuzzy feelings for her. 

Raine is… aggravating.  She and her best friend in the whole world have finally started dating, something she’s been waiting for her whole life, but her inability to stop checking out Torin, even before they “bond,” made me think much less of her.  She also decides to hide everything instead of trusting the people around her, which is very much a YA aspect that I don’t care for in my novels.  I’d like my heroes and heroines to trust someone, and it’d be nice if, on occasion, that person could be an adult, say, a family member.  I do get that teens hide a lot from their parents and family, but something huge and scary should break that ice, in my opinion, and I’d have liked for Raine to step up and ask for help, or, you know, at least tell her boyfriend something weird is going on and she can’t figure out why she’s drawn to Torin.  Bucking up and facing the music is so much better than running around and trying to see two boys at once.  Well, I think so, at least. 

The Norse mythology was very interesting, but I don’t feel like I know enough as of yet.  We’ve just hit the tip of the iceberg, and I expect, and hope, to learn much more about Torin and his posses’ origins and powers in the next novel, because, truth be told, I am hooked, even if I didn’t like the main character.  Three stars.

From Goodreads: Flattered by the attentions of Nick, the cutest guy in school, seventeen-year-old Grace Warren, captain of the math team, lets down her guard and gets pregnant the night she loses her virginity. Hopeful that Nick will drop to one knee and propose when she breaks the baby news to him, Grace is heartbroken – Nick wants nothing to do with her. Her best friend, Jennifer, thinks she should get an abortion, but Grace is certain that her morally upright parents will insist that she keep the baby. After she comes clean to her super-religious, strait-laced parents, they surprise her by insisting that she terminate the pregnancy to avoid humiliating the family. But when she sees the fetus on the ultrasound, she decides she can’t get rid of it. Deciding to save the tiny life growing inside of her, Grace must face the consequences of being that girl – the good girl who got knocked up.

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This novel is absolutely, 100% amazing, and even days after I finishing it, I am still haunted by the story.  It’s one of those that really makes you think, mulling over the character’s choices and decisions, and wondering if, faced with the same adversity, you’d be able to do what Grace does.  She amazes me, as do all young women who choose adoption over abortion.  Truth be told, I wouldn’t be here today had my birth-mother not made the same choice as Grace, so this story definitely hits close to home.  But, it isn’t just the choice to keep the baby that is difficult for Grace.  It’s her parents’ abandonment of her, as well as the talk among her peers and community, that make it fifty times harder.  With no support system, I feel I’d never make it through the long nine months, but Grace perseveres and finds solace and true love, which made this heartbreaking tale one of triumph, one that will stay with you long after the last page, and one you definitely need to read—it will make you laugh, and cry, and rage all at once, it’s that good.

My only issue with this novel is that it seems to be making a derogatory statement about religious people.  In a secular society that already looks down on religion, especially Christianity, tagging the more conservative as bigots and the like, this novel furthers that belief.  Had Grace’s parents not been religious, the fact that they disown her wouldn’t have been as big a deal—still a big deal, but not as big—because so much more is expected out of someone who claims God and religion, as if they are not allowed to be human, be selfish, or make mistakes.  I feel the author chose to make Grace and her parents religious as it adds much more to the shock value, and believe me, some of the things Grace’s parents do shocked me to the core, but it also irked me just the tiniest bit that it becomes a religious issue and not so much a human issue, anymore.  I don’t think that it was done intentionally, again, readers and publishers are always looking for shock value in novels, but even so, coming from a religious background, I did view it as a bit of a dig at religion. 

No matter what, disowning a child should never happen, and I definitely was livid and angry, and didn’t want Grace to ever speak to her parents again, let alone forgive them, but then again, that just goes to show how religion can also be a healing power, allowing Grace to be the bigger person.  So, basically what I’m trying to say is, I dislike how the novel seems to look down on religious people, but at the same time, this is such a well written, well-rounded story that smoothes itself out in the end.  And, I highly recommend this novel to all!  Four and a half stars.

From Goodreads: Share the spine-chilling thrills and great emotional epiphanies as this company of friends are forced into the adventure of leaving their hollow lives in Moscow and Berkeley and becoming the earth mothers and fathers of Thunder Valley… if any of them survive the journey.

Thrill with the discovery that a hypercomputer can be fun, kind, happy… and the most dangerous person in existence to those who would destroy the earth – with the possible exception of one strange and lovely woman who grew up being told she was mentally deficient and utterly broken.

As this company of friends get to know each other better, the story accelerates into hyper-drive, with heart-pounding crisis after crisis, drawing you ever closer to The End of this high-stakes game for the continued existence of the human race on Earth. Winner takes all. If there is one.
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I’m sorry to say that this novel is not for me.  The synopsis was intriguing, but the story itself was not what I expected. It’s very scientific and matter-of-fact–from the very first page, and getting through it was very difficult for me as I didn’t know what the characters were talking about a majority of the time. Likewise, the character names were long and difficult for me to keep straight, so I struggled with that aspect as well in terms of understanding the story.   I’m sure people more interested in science and history book-like writing will enjoy this more than I did. It’s just not for me. One star.

I was gifted a copy of this novel, from Amazon, in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy’s mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who’s always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Rachel Hawkins’ delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

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While I enjoyed this novel for the most part, I also found that it wasn’t exactly what I have grown to expect from a Hawkins novel.  It’s not that is wasn’t well written, but rather that it seemed a bit cliché.  The main plotline itself had a very interesting premise, but I figured it out a little less than halfway in, and knowing the ending that far in advance sort of takes the fun out of the story, in my opinion.  Likewise, the idea of a young adult having to mainstream themselves in high school has been done a great deal in books and movies, so I felt that this novel lacked some originality.  Now, I don’t want to sound like I didn’t like the novel, because I did, I just have some personal issues with the plot development and scenarios presented.

The characterization was very well done, though.  I really liked Dex, though he’s about the only one from the Paranormal Management Society that I really liked.  He’s not dreamy, necessarily—in fact, he’s a little sickly, but I like that he’s unusual for a hero, as well as the fact that the story really seems to center around him.  The novel also ends quite well, and it’s not a cliffhanger, which is wonderful because Hawkins just announced last week that there won’t be a sequel for a very long time (maybe not at all).  So, while not all our questions are answered, like where Izzy’s sister really is, the novel ends in what I deem the perfect spot.  Three stars.