REVIEW: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Description

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer-one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack-and the man-she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

About the Author

Andrea Cremer lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she's a professor in the history department at Macalester College. Wolfsbane is her second novel.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (July 26, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399254838
• ISBN-13: 978-0399254833

SOURCE:  Book It Forward ARC Tours

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

After escaping from her betrothal to Ren, Calla wakes up in her enemy's, the Searchers, stronghold. As Calla regains her strength and starts to question what happened, she is reunited with Shay. As Calla starts to trust the Searchers and slowly realizes the lies she has been told by the Guardians.  The first part of the book details the truths and falsehoods of each group, but I still had a bit of a feeling that all is not what it seems in either camp.  Calla is now faced with mixed feelings about Shay and Ren once she learns that Ren has helped her escape.  The last part of the book is fully action packed so much that your heart will race until you turn the last page.

This book leaves us with a major dilemma facing Calla about Ren and Shay as to which one really holds her heart.  Shay makes her feel giddy and in love, while Ren inspires the steady love that she has always known.  Ren does not make any real appearances in this book, but he is there in the background and a central force in Calla's actions.  So yes, you are faced with a triangle which I hope will be worked out in book three.  I have extremely mixed feelings about Ren and Shay in which neither seem exactly right for Calla.  Calla, to me, is a typical girl, very confused and yet strong when she needs to be.  She needs some answers instead of just acting on instinct as she seems to be doing in this book.  I really hope all of my questions are answered in the next installment.

Yes, I know the cover I used has been changed, but I like this one better.

REVIEW: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Description

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

About the Author

Melissa Marr is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, and Radiant Shadows.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061659258
• ISBN-13: 978-0061659256

SOURCE:  Book It Forward ARC Tours

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

The series ended exactly how it was supposed to.  Well, at least I was happy about it.  I felt that Melissa Marr wrapped up the series with a reasonable plot line and that all loose threads were tied together.  It may not be the ending some people were looking for but it worked for me.  The story does flip around with each character given their own time in the sun and point of view.

You find out what Seth really is, what Niall really wants, what happens to Irial and of course the queens.  Donia and Aislinn have come to an understanding and compromise that in turn makes them each stronger.  Keenan find his own place in the world. I did miss some of the minor characters like Leslie although she does make a brief appearance.  The Hounds figure somewhat prominently in the story like Baranach.  I thought this was a real page turner with lots of action and a little romance. 

REVIEW: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Description

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

About the Author

Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, CARRIE RYAN is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University Law School. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can visit her at CarrieRyan.com.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385738595
• ISBN-13: 978-0385738590

SOURCE:  Book It Forward ARC Tours

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

**slight spoilers -- don't read the beyond the first paragraph!**

This was such a wonderful conclusion to this series.  I didn't expect it to end this way, but it slowly built up to the ending and everything seemed to fall into place.  There, did I pique your interest? I am trying not to give anything away, so I will just say that those of you who adore this series will not be disappointed with this last book in the series.  To me, this was the best of the series.

There is a lot of action and cliff hangers built into the majority of chapters and it was a really quick read for me.  Annah and Gabry, along with Elias and Catcher fight there way through the forest and this lands them in the Dark City where Annah and Gabry come face to face finally.  There appears to be a love quadrangle between the four of them through out most of this book and the conclusion of that will be twist you won't forget.

The first two books have little clues about the outcome of the book, so be sure to take note.  I reread the first two books, to remember everything.  One of the downfalls of having a series spaced out a year apart is that you can forget the details that turn out to an important factor in the outcome.  This is just a beautifully written series that should appeal to older teens and adults.  I am sad to see it go, but there was a little bit of an opening to possibly have another one.  Maybe?  PLEASE!

REVIEW: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Description

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.
It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.
There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.
Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

About the Author

Alex Flinn loves fairy tales and is also the author of Beastly, a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast that is a feature film starring Vanessa Hudgens, and A Kiss in Time, an edgy twist on Sleeping Beauty. Her other books include Breathing Underwater, an ALA Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults, Breaking Point, Nothing to Lose, Fade to Black, and Diva. She lives in Miami with her husband, two kids, a cat, and a dog.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (February 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060874228
• ISBN-13: 978-0060874223

SOURCE:  BOOK IT FORWARD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

***spoilers***

This is such a sweet story and a mash up of a bunch of unloved fairy tales, a few of which, I have actually read.  Johnny is working at the family shoe repair and designs shoes in his spare time at a swanky South Beach Hotel.  Things are not going well his family since his father disappeared, his mother is working two jobs and they are having trouble paying the bills. One day, a princess checks into the hotel and Johnny thinks if he can only meet her, he can change his fortunes.  Of course, the princess breaks her shoe and arranges a meeting with the young cobbler.  In order to win her hand, he must help find her brother who was turned into a frog by an evil witch.  In exchange, the princess offers a reward and marriage that will help ease life for him and his mother.

So the trial begins and Johnny goes on a quest to find the Frog Prince.  He has to jump through several hoops to find the prince and to help him, the princess has given him a magical cloak which will transport him to where ever he needs to be.  His best friend,  Meg, also has some magic up her sleeve and helps Johnny on the quest which takes you through several fairy tales like The Six Swans, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Valiant Tailor, The Golden Bird, and of course, The Frog Prince.

There are truly sweet and touching moments as well as a few good laughs.  This is probably safe for younger teens with just a touch of violence, some kissing, a bit of alcohol use and good old fashioned romance.  Of course Johnny ends up with the girl of his dreams who has been beside him all along.  Oh, and the princess does help Johnny out in the end by publicizing his creations.   I received this book at no charge from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW: Teeth - Vampire Tales Anthology

Description

 Sink your teeth into these bite-sized tales exploring the intersections among the living, dead, and undead. Features stories by Neil Gaiman, Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare, Garth Nix, and many more. 

About the Author

Ellen Datlow was the fiction editor at Omnimagazine for seventeen years. She is now editor of the web zine Event Horizon She has edited numerous successful anthologies, including Blood Is Not Enough, Little Deaths, Off Limits, Twists of the Tale, and Vanishing Acts. With Terri Windling she has edited the popular anthology series The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror for thirteen years. A multiple World Fantasy Award-winner, she lives in New York City.

Product Details order HERE

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 5, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061935158
• ISBN-13: 978-0061935152

SOURCE:  BOOK IT FORWARD ARC TOURS

 MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Wow, this one is packed with adventure.  This one is best suited for older teens since there seems to be a bit more violence, sexual situations and language than the average vampire tale.  Three stories really stood out for me: 
Best Friends Forever by Cecil Castelucci which is a twisted tale about a girl who is allergic to the sun becomes BFFs with a vampire when they meet at night school.  Both yearn for a normal life and seem to find a bit of happiness in each others company.

Transition by Melissa Marr in which a newly minted vampire learns the way of her new world and with a lot of wit and sarcasm finds a new path.

The Perfect Dinner Party by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black is almost a Victorian short story with a wicked twist at the end.  I guess when you look at who the writers are, it completely makes sense.  


I received this book from Book It Forward ARC Tours at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW: Starstruck by Cyn Balog

Description

Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since.
At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can.
But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

About the Author

CYN BALOG has been a California girl and a Maine girl, but she's first and foremost a Jersey girl. No matter where she's lived, she's been writing.  Now, she's the Race and Event Manager for Runner's World, Running Times, and Bicycling magazines.  Which means that when she's not writing, she's probably either running or trying unsuccessfully to solve a Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle from 2003.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and infant daughter.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (July 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385738501
• ISBN-13: 978-0385738507

SOURCE:  BOOK IT FORWARD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVE IT

Do looks matter?  Are they worth compromising your life in order to appear as something you are not?  These ideas are explored in Starstruck.  I read this one straight through and really enjoyed it.  I thought Gwendolyn "Dough" is very likable and sympathetic although she doesn't make you feel sorry for her.  She knows she has gained weight and doesn't look like she did when her best friend, Wish, moves to California.  Wish has his own secrets and feels as unloved as Dough does, except he has a secret about his appearance.  Having a gorgeous, thin,  younger sister, Evie, doesn't help her self esteem either.

Dough is constantly berating herself for her weight and when Christian comes to work in the bakery with her, she finds he doesn't talk down to her and treats her as a normal person.  I think Dough takes quite a bit away from her talks with Christian even though he is a minor character.  He helps Dough solve the mystery around her boyfriend.  Things get weird when Wish moves back to New Jersey from California and looks like a movie star.  He doesn't seem to notice that Dough has changed.  Dough flirts with the popular group through Wish and finds that they are as shallow as she has imagined.

The ending caught me a bit off guard and it is pretty magical. I think this is best suited for teens over 14 and there are mentions of sexual situations, underage drinking and sexual situations although nothing graphic. I received this book at no charge from Book It Forward in exchange for my honest review.