REVIEW: Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2)

Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2), by Victoria Scott
Published February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: hardback, purchased
Genre: young adult adventure/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Victoria Scott’s Fire & Flood series continues to surprise me at every turn. I love how it gets you thinking beyond the words on the page. There is an overarching theme in both Fire & Flood and in SALT & STONE of integrity and principles and loyalty and how high of a value you place on those things when faced with tough choices. Not easy questions for anyone, much less teenagers.

In Salt & Stone, Tella, Guy and the members of their alliance are facing the last two legs of the Brimstone Bleed, knowing that each leg will get harder and harder as they get closer and closer to the single cure available to save a loved one. Tella is particularly struggling. She has strong feelings for Guy, but he doesn’t seem to have much confidence in her abilities. This makes Tella determined to prove her worth and think for herself. Meanwhile, she is also struggling to maintain her integrity as the contenders are constantly faced with choices designed to break you. Does she stay true to her friends and the pandoras, or does she look out for number one and do everything she can to save her brother’s life?

Gah, Tella – this girl constantly amazes me. This girlie girl who loves glitter and chocolate and shoes is also the girl who made it through the jungle and the desert alive. This experience has changed her, though. How could it not? She has seen friends and enemies alike die. She has fallen in love, and is now faced with the possibility of it being unrequited. All these things have hardened Tella in some ways.

“I used to be the girl who catalogued sandwich shops by which had the best oatmeal cookies. Now, I’m the girl who catalogs death and the girl who vows revenge. “

The pandoras play a much bigger role in Salt & Stone than they did in Fire & Flood. It’s obvious they have feelings and thoughts just like the humans, which made them so much more important to me as the reader. To the race organizers, they are just as expendable as the humans are, which is absolutely infuriating. That they’ve made this race and created these creatures specifically for it, and are then able to dispose of them without a thought when their apparent usefulness has worn out is frustrating and just so… WRONG.

It appears that Tell has the same feelings, because as contenders die, and their pandoras are left behind, Tella brings them into her fold and cares for them. When pandoras are treated badly by their contenders, Tella offers them kindness. She’s often chastised for this practice, but this is where her principles kick in. It’s just not in her to mistreat any creature, and she’s determined to not have this race turn her into someone who does. As it turns out, Tella’s big heart and unfailing loyalty have both benefits and drawbacks throughout the book.

As in Fire & Flood, no one is safe in Salt & Stone. Characters die. Pandoras die. It wouldn’t be realistic if they didn’t. And, every time it happens, my heart broke. Seeing their deaths through Tella’s eyes was so sad. And, each time I found myself hoping that this death wouldn’t be the one to break her.

Tella’s relationship with Guy is complicated. It’s obvious they care about each other a lot. But, Guy has no faith in her or her abilities. He’s of the opinion that she’s only made it this far because of him and his help. Tella resents him for that (and rightly so), and in an effort to prove herself, she makes a few mistakes. Tella’s also frustrated because Guy refuses to talk to her about what he wants or how he feels. She thinks she’s being strung along, and it sucks for her.

I know that Victoria Scott has only been contracted by Scholastic for two books in this series. But, I am imploring the publisher to PLEASE sign her up to finish the series! Salt & Stone ends as if there will be a third book. The Brimstone Bleed comes to an end, but there are still SO. MANY . QUESTIONS. Tella’s and Guy’s story is not over, and it needs to be finished.

ROAD TRIP BLOG TOUR: Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5)

Now, I know that, if you've read PUSHING THE LIMITS and BREAKING THE RULES, you've wanted to hit the road with Echo and Noah. Who wouldn't, right? Well, you're in luck! Join me and a few other fabulous bloggers on a special road trip with Echo and Noah tour, organized by Inkslinger PR! Read on for information about Breaking the Rules, and a very special guest post from Katie McGarry about today's location. To make this tour even better, you can enter a giveaway exclusive to my blog to win a signed copy of Pushing the Limits (US/Canada)!

Today's Location: 

Vail, CO

Guest Post by Katie McGarry:
Nestled at the bottom of a mountain, Vail is possibly the most beautiful town I’ve ever visited. The cobblestone streets with tidy buildings transport me into a cute little Swiss mountain village. Each store I pass screams expensive and boasts if you break it, you buy it. Well, the ice cream shop doesn’t boast that, but it would be cool if it did.

I love Colorado. Absolutely love. My love affair with the state started eight years ago when I visited Vail, CO for a week. Even though I’m a writer, I’m not sure that I can describe the majestic beauty and peace found within this mountainous area.

It is because I love this place so much that I decided to have most of BREAKING THE RULES take place in Vail. Echo and Noah’s souls are so full of chaos and I wanted this place to help them find peace.

About the Book

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5), by Katie McGarry
Published December 8, 2014
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * iBooks

(From Goodreads) A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry

For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so... different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who’s never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything — except the one thing Echo’s just not ready for.

But when the source of Echo’s constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants — even as foster kid Noah’s search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.

Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn... seriously epic.

About the Author

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Tour Schedule

December 15-Vilma’s Book Blog

December 16-True Story Book Blog

December 17-KimberlyFaye Reads

December 18-Krista’s Dust Jacket

December 19-Nose Stuck in a Book

December 20-TSK TSK What to Read

December 21-K-Books

December 22-A Bookish Escape

December 23-Stuck in Books

December 24-Jenuine Cupcakes

Giveaway

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REVIEW: Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassins #3)

Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassins #3), by Robin LaFevers
To Be Published November 4, 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult historical romance/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...

We've seen Ismae and Sybella go through their training at the convent of Mortain. We've seen them go out on assignments to assassinate those who've wronged their Duchess. We've seen them fall in love and come to the realization that their abbess doesn't always know best. All the while, Annith has been sitting by, waiting for her turn to prove herself. In Mortal Heart, Annith gets her chance, but it comes in very unexpected ways. 

When the abbess tells Annith that she is to be the convent's next Seeress, Annith knows it's not her true destiny. So, she sets out on a solo journey to find out what exactly her destiny is. While her journey starts out solo, it doesn't stay that way for long, as she is joined by Mortain's own hellequin, led by the enigmatic Balthazar. While Annith tries to get a handle on her feelings for him, she continues to puzzle out the abbess' true motives and how they relate to her past. After reuniting with Ismae and Sybella, Annith's skills as a trained killer are put to the test as Brittany is surrounded by the French in the final stand-off. 

Throughout the whole of Mortal Heart, we experience Annith's crisis of identity right along with her. She has so many doubts. I can't imagine being brought up to believe one thing, and then having those beliefs shaken to the core like they are for Annith. It's a testament to her strength that she presses on for answers. 

Speaking of answers, we get lots of them in Mortal Heart. Answers to questions we didn't even know we had. As it turns out, Annith's curious past is full of lies and deceit. She's the only one of Mortain's daughters that came to the convent as a tiny baby. She was raised on that island. She had the most years of training. And, yet, she was never sent out on an assignment. Why? What are the abbess' true motives regarding Annith? How did she come to the convent in the first place? All the answers are here, and some of them blew me away. 

Mortal Heart is a big book - 449 pages. A lot happens in those many pages. Annith discovers the secrets of her childhood. And, yes - like Ismae and Sybella, she falls in love with a dynamic and powerful man. Her romance with Balthazar was the absolute best part of this book. She denies her feelings for so long, but it's so obvious how both of them feel about each other. Their dance around each other was sweet. 

Like the other books in this series, there is a fair amount of action in Mortal Heart. Annith is good with her bow, and she has plenty of chances to use it. There's also a lot of political maneuvering and plotting as Anne and her council try and find a peaceful way out of the mess in which they're in. We see the continuation of Ismae's and Duval's story and Sybella's and Beast's story, which is satisfying. I love those two couples as much as I now love Annith and Balthazar. It's awesome to see all of them interacting with one another. In a different place and time, they would all be having picnics at one another's house. 

Mortal Heart was an incredible ending to an incredible series. Balthazar was my favorite hero of the three. I was captured in the pages of this book, and every time I had to put it down, I was thinking of when I could pick it back up again. Balthazar's character, Annith's bravery and the culmination of all the actions in the first two books made this book a forever favorite. 

REVIEW: Deluge (River of Time #5)

Deluge (River of Time #5), by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Published August 21, 2014
Publisher: Bergren Creative Group, Inc.
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: young adult historical fiction/romance/time travel
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) IT'S ONE THING TO BATTLE FOR LIFE...BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN DEATH ITSELF COMES HUNTING?

The Bettarinis and Forellis have found rich fulfillment together in medieval Italia. But after fighting off countless enemies, they now must face the worst foe of all. As the Black Death closes in upon them, threatening everything and everyone they hold dear, Lia and Gabi–and the knights they love–must dig deep within to decide how they might remain safe…and if they need to risk it all in order to truly live as they’re called. 

Three years ago, Waterfall (River of Time #1) was the very first book I downloaded on my brand new Kindle. It was a freebie for a short period of time, and I downloaded it because it was about time travel, which is subject I like. I didn't know anything of the author, Lisa Tawn Bergren, or her previous works. 

I've never been more glad that I one-clicked a book. 

Deluge is the final book in the River of Time series. Lia and Gabi have come such a long way since they were first dropped in medieval Italy. Then they were scared and unsure and wanted nothing more than to get back to their own time. Now, they are fierce and confident and secure in the knowledge that they are where they were meant to be, both literally and figuratively.

They also have the burden of knowledge. Namely that the time of the black plague is nearly upon them. They know full well that all the provisions in the world won't matter if even one person in their keep contracts the disease. And, with each marriage comes spouses and babies which means more people to love and grieve if the plague takes them. It's an extremely heavy burden to bear, and I felt the weight of that on their shoulders throughout the book. 

I loved so much seeing all the different relationships in Deluge and how different they all are. Gabi's and Lia's parents are in their prime. They have a second chance at making their marriage amazing, and they are excelling at it. Gabi and Marcello are newlyweds and soon-to-be first time parents. They are learning how marriage works and that there's a possibility of loving another human more than yourself. Then there is Lia and Luca - the newest couple, not quite yet ready for marriage. Lia's struggling with a lot of fear. She's afraid of taking that step with Luca, knowing she might lose him or a child of theirs to the plague, and not sure if she could handle that. 

All previous books have really been Gabi's story as she came into her own, both as a "she-wolf," as a woman and as the love of Marcello's life. Although Deluge is told in dual POV - both Gabi's and Lia's - this is really Lia's story. She goes through so much in this book. Although, most of her experiences are shared with her sister, Lia seems to bear the brunt of them much harder. She feels more, internalizes more. It seems sometimes that Luca is the only thing that grounds her. 

I will say one thing about Lisa Tawn Bergren. She knows how to go out with a bang. Deluge has absolutely EVERYTHING. There are battles like none that have come before it. The plague is an awful thing, and Lisa made me feel all the sadness that came along with it. The romance as absolutely incredible. The utter adoration the Forelli boys feel for Gabi and Lia was so sigh-inducing. And that ending, albeit completely heartbreaking, was pretty perfect. 

Not all the characters we've grown to love make it out alive. Realistically, how could they? When those deaths happen, I cried so hard. I actually had to take a few breaks toward the end, because there were way too many feels to handle all at once. 

If you have never read this series, I urge you - please give it a try. It's so incredible.

REVIEW: The One (The Selection #3)

The One (The Selection #3), by Kiera Cass
Published May 6, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: hardback, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult fantasy/romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) The highly anticipated conclusion to Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series, The One will captivate readers who love dystopian YA fiction and fairy tales. The One is the perfect finale for fans who have followed America's whirlwind romance since it began--and a swoon-worthy read for teens who have devoured Veronica Roth's Divergent, Ally Condie's Matched, or Lauren Oliver's Delirium.

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!

Series enders have not been kind to me lately. I get it - finales are tricky for both the readers and the author. In all the previous books, dramatic situations, love triangles and bad decisions can all be put aside in our minds because the final book is still ahead, so everything has a chance still to be put to rights. But, once that last book comes out, you realize you're down to only 350 pages to clear everything up. The author has to answer to fans while maintaining their professional integrity. Authors - you are rock stars.

Perhaps this is why there are several series in which I've read all but the last book. I'm simply scared to finish it all up in case things don't go my way. I don't want it to taint the rest of the series, particularly if I've enjoyed all the previous books. So, it was with great trepidation that I cracked the spine on The One. And, when I was done, the main thought in my head was...

THANK YOU, KIERA CASS. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU.

I have to admit - given the state of affairs in the Maxon/America/Aspen love triangle at the end of The Elite, I was nervous. America seemed pretty screwed either way you looked at it. The king was pissed at her. Maxon was pissed at her. The public was pissed at her. And, she couldn't get a minute to talk to Aspen about any of it. The Selection was down to only four girls and rebel attacks were escalating.

I loved that the excitement started pretty much immediately. America is anxious to get back in the game, so she's stepping up her seduction skills, and the claws come out among all four girls still left in it because of it. For Maxon's part, he seems like he does still prefer America, yet it's obvious that he's also still keeping his options open, particularly with Kriss.

Thankfully, America seems to make up her mind what she REALLY wants fairly early on in the book. Where the stress and angst for me came in was when she decided it was a good idea to not tell anyone about it. ARGH! She doesn't even tell her ultimate choice, which was just... ARGH! The fact that America couldn't get outside of her own head for even a short while so that she could think objectively about her situation made me stabby.

The two guys, on the other hand, keep seeking out opportunities to come to a final decision about their feelings for America and to figure out her feelings for them. Her moments with Maxon were so sweet. The sexual tension between the two of them was off the hook, too. America's moments with Aspen were rushed and nostalgic. It was obvious they still cared about each other quite a bit. Both guys love America and would do anything for her. Lucky girl.

"Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway. I'll love you until my very last breath. Every beat of my heart is yours."

Finally we get a lot more information about the two camps of rebels in The One. We've been dancing around their motives and actions through two books, so it was awesome to get more insight into both the northern and the southern rebels, and even meet some of them. In addition to the bride wars going on in the castle, there's quite a bit of subterfuge and military strategy involved in this book. I loved how America threw herself into the thick of things without hesitation. She was really brave and selfless.

And, in the end, there's a final showdown between the Illeans and the rebels, and WOW. It did not disappoint. Characters were injured. Characters died. And yes. There was a wedding. I was so blown away by how everything ended up being tied together - I didn't see a lot of it coming, even though it had been building since book 1.

The One is a perfect example of exactly how a series finale should be done. Not everything goes smoothly. Many aspects of the plot aren't ironed out until the very VERY end. Not every character makes it. But, I can honestly say, it's been a long time until I've felt this satisfied when it was all over.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Branded (Sinners #1)

Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

A Sinners Series

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Excerpt

I turn on the faucet for a long while only to discover ice-cold water rushing out. The water never warms and I begin to understand. The Commander thinks he can wash away my soul by freezing me to death. He thinks he can destroy me by stripping away my possessions. But he can’t and I won’t let him take my memories, my ambition, and my pride.

He thinks I’m so easily broken.

The Commander doesn’t know anything about me, what I grew up with, what I endured—the father I lost, the mother I hate, the brother who walked out of my life, and the stepfather I was forced to accept. He thinks since I was rich, making me poor will cause me to give up. What he doesn’t understand is that, after my father passed away, I grew up behind walls of hatred. I had nothing, but had everything at the same time. I owned expensive clothes, enjoyed good schooling, and lived in a nice home. But my body was just a shell protecting an empty, desperate heart. My life was a colorful façade.

I had so much time to sit and think. I spent the majority of my life between four walls. I was abandoned, neglected, starved, betrayed, and abused. I’ve already been treated like the scum of the earth, so the Hole is nothing new. He wants to erase every sign of my existence on this earth, but I won’t let that happen. He can strip me naked, but he’ll never reach my soul.

It’s personal, completely personal.

Purchase

About Abi and Missy 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Abi's Goodreads / Missy's Goodreads

My Review

3.5 Stars

I'm thrilled to be a part of the Branded blog tour, organized by Mark My Words Book Publicity. I'm particularly excited for this tour, because the author duo of Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki are from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is only a half-hour or so away from me. So, these are local girls, and I'm so happy to help them promote Branded!

Branded was an intense, emotional book. Lexi Hamilton was named a sinner of lust by her mother, of all people, and sent to The Hole. In The Hole, she was branded - tattooed around her neck so that everyone knows what her sin is. She is assigned a guard and a job. Right off the bat, we see that Lexi gets preferential treatment from both her guard, Cole, and her boss, Sutton. That treatment keeps her alive, and as time goes on, she learns that things are going on behind the scenes that might change everything for her.

Branded could be divided into two parts. The first part I'd label as "The Hole." It details Lexi's arrival at The Hole, her branding, her meeting Cole and Sutton and her activities at the hospital where she works. It also chronicles her budding forbidden relationship with Cole.

The second part of Branded could be called "The Hole Beneath The Hole." This part would be about the rise of the rebellion looking to take down the Commander and his totalitarian regime.

The Lexi in part 1 was different from the Lexi in part 2. Drastically so. In part 1, she was timid and ashamed. She was afraid to open up and afraid of her own feelings. She forges relationships, though, in unlikely places. She befriends the head surgeon at the hospital, Sutton, as well as a terminally ill little girl. She develops a relationship with Cole and his big dog Zeus. At first, they're civil. Then, they're friends. Finally, they admit their feelings run deeper than that. But, in The Hole, guards can't have relationships with sinners or both will be tortured and killed. It definitely complicates things for both Lexi and Cole.

The Lexi in part 2, I honestly didn't like very much. Yes, she finally reaches deep down and develops some lady balls. But, she seems to sacrifice her softness and kindness in order to do so. She treats Cole like crap, which irked me to no end since he had risked his life over and over again for her. The second someone else from her past shows up, Cole becomes a very quick second choice, even though this other person doesn't always treat her well. I appreciate her wanting to stand on her own two feet, but she shouldn't do it at the detriment of the relationships she had formed to that point.

Cole is an awesome character. He's mean and awful in the beginning, but he softens toward Lexi pretty quickly. His efforts to protect her and take care of her made me melt. And, the way he loved his dog was pretty damn adorable too.

There's a lot of stuff going on underneath the surface. There's a rebellion growing, and its leader and how it got started is somewhat surprising. The Commander is always shrouded in secrecy, and when his identity is finally revealed, it was also surprising. I appreciated the twists and turns in the story and I'm glad the authors didn't draw out the reveal of some of them into the next book. I hate it when that happens!

Branded comes to a satisfying close, although there are enough loose ends still hanging to make me interested in what comes next. I hope the Lexi in the second book is closer to the one I saw in part 1. I liked her much better and I liked her with Cole much more. And, I hope there's much more Cole in book 2. More Cole could never be a bad thing. 

REVIEW: Not a Drop to Drink

Not a Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis
Published September 24, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: young adult post-apocalyptic
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

I must admit - I was sucked in by the cover of Not a Drop to Drink. I mean, look at it. It's gorgeous. It helped that the description was super interesting too. That's always a good thing. 

Lynn lives in future Ohio where water is short and violence is high. She has a pond on her property that she has to protect at all costs. When people run into her path, Lynn needs to decide whether to trust them or blow them away. One family in particular has a profound impact on Lynn and the way she looks at the world at large. 

Mindy McGinnis is a beautiful writer. The words that she strings together were so pretty and so impactful. She made the characters really come to life and made me really wonder what a world like this would be like - what I would be like. 

Lynn was awesome. Talk about living a sheltered life - Lynn was raised by her mom, and the only other person she ever interacted with was their next door neighbor, Stebbs. So when a family from the city, including teen hottie Eli, sets up camp nearby, Lynn doesn't know how to act. I loved her awkwardness and cluelessness. It was endearing and sweet and it softened her hard edges. That was very much needed, because Lynn had A LOT of hard edges. She was tough to love. But, through the course of the book, Lynn came a long way. 

I adored the relationship she developed with Stebbs. He was older, wiser, and actually very sweet. He has a tie to Lynn's past that she eventually finds out about, and that tie means that Stebbs has always watched over Lynn to make sure she was okay. He becomes her closest confidant and friend. 

Although the writing was gorgeous and I loved the characters, there were times when I felt the plot plodded along a bit. There'd be a lot of daily life punctuated by a bit of action here and there - at least until the action-packed last chapter. It was also pretty damn depressing at times, as survival stories usually are. I definitely prefer my books a bit closer to the happy end of the scale. 

I did enjoy Not a Drop to Drink, and look forward to continuing Lynn's story.

REVIEW: The Naturals (The Naturals #1)

The Naturals (The Naturals #1), by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published November 5, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: young adult suspense/crime/mystery
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

The Naturals is different from what I usually read. It's not driven by a romance. It's not paranormal. And, it's just a little bit scary. I felt like I had gotten in a bit of a rut lately, and was looking for something outside of the box I had found myself in. The Naturals sounded interesting to me, so I decided to go for it, and I was astounded at how much I enjoyed it!

Cassie has an uncanny ability - she can tell you all about a person just by observing them. She lives with her overbearing Italian extended family after her mother was murdered and her military father threw himself into his work. When Cassie is approached by the FBI and asked to work with them to use her gift to help solve cold cases, she jumps at the chance to do some good. The four other kids in the program have similar abilities to hers, and Cassie thinks she's finally found a home and a purpose. Until a serial killer the FBI is currently tracking seems to set his sights on her. 

The Naturals was like two parts Psych and one part The Alphas.

Cassie finds herself in a house with four other kids. There's Sloane who is like a walking encyclopedia, Michael who can tell people's feelings and emotions by looking at them, Lia is like a human lie detector and Dean is also a profiler like Cassie. Dean and FBI agent Lacey Locke take Cassie under their wings to teach her how to hone her ability and use it to help the FBI solve cold cases. 

Cassie is a really strong female main character. She is ballsey, takes chances, and goes for what she believes in. Despite the grisly nature of what these kids do, Cassie remains compassionate and sensitive. She's like most other 17-year-olds - she only wants to fit in and make friends. But, with her tragic past and her ability to pick people apart just by observing them, it's a little hard for her to be "normal." She thinks she's finally found her place in the world among the other teenage freaks. 

Her reception in the house is varied. Sloane, who is, by nature, very logical and calculating, takes her arrival in stride. I enjoyed Sloane's no-nonsense attitude and the fact that she's been banned from coffee because of what the caffeine does to her. Poor girl. 

Michael loves Cassie. He's a bit of a player with a screwed up home life. He sets his sights on Cassie and sets to work wooing her immediately. But, Cassie seems to be most interested in Dean, perhaps because of all the kids there, he is the most like her. Except for the fact that Dean is a brooder. He always seems angry and withdrawn, so it's hard to get close to him. That makes the moments when he lets his guard down around Cassie all that much sweeter. There's a reason for Dean's aloofness, and when it's revealed, you can sort of understand why he is the way he is. 

Finally, there's Lia, who is the book's token mean girl. She's BFFs in a weird way with Dean and an on-again, off-again hook-up with Michael. You can't tell even a little white lie around her or she will call you out. Do you have any idea how many itty bitty fibs you tell in a day? And how hard it would be to be around someone who knew every single time you let one slip? It would get old, fast. Lia was a great mean girl. You get the impression that, perhaps, she's not really as bad as she makes herself out to be. But, the uber bitch in her always comes out, and your temporary softening toward her disappears immediately. 

The overarching mystery was awesome. There is a serial killer giving the FBI trouble. He's killing girls, and although the kids were only hired to take on cold cases, they're eventually brought in on this active one after the killer starts leaving little presents for Cassie here and there. I loved seeing the two boys in protector mode - they both care for Cassie in their way, and it was clear she was in deep. I enjoyed watching all five kids use their abilities to work together to try and get to the bottom of the mystery before another girl turns up dead. 

I'm really excited for the next book! Although the mystery was solved, the love triangle was not. I use the term "love triangle" loosely - the romance angle was not pressed hard in The Naturals. It was more of an afterthought, which was fine since the mystery took center stage. But, there was a triangle of sorts between Cassie, Michael and Dean. I have my favorite, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see if I will get my wish.

EXCERPT & FOCUS ON Lych Way (The Undertaken #3)

Learn more about The Undertaken series by Ari Berk. The final book - LYCH WAY - was released recently, which means this exciting series is now complete! And, now you can read an excerpt from LYCH WAY - check it out below!

Lych Way (The Undertaken #3), by Ari Berk
Published February 25, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: young adult paranormal/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) If Love and Death die, what is left?

Silas Umber has returned from Arvale, his family’s ancestral home, having disturbed the tormented spirits of his ancient line. Frantic to retrieve the shade of his beloved Beatrice, he turns his back on the spectral chaos he has left behind, unaware that the malevolence he unleashed has followed him back to Lichport.

As his family and friends suffer and fall at the hands of the vengeful Huntsman from Arvale's sunken mansions, Silas must reach deep into his complicated bloodline to summon powers and wisdom beyond those required of a simple Lichport Undertaker. But the dark and painful secrets of his birth threaten to overwhelm him, and if he can’t lay the ghosts of his own past to rest, if he refuses to make the required sacrifice, Silas may lose everything and everyone he has grown to love and worked to protect.

With the stunning conclusion to the Undertaken trilogy, Ari Berk returns to the series that Publishers Weekly calls "thought-provoking gothic fantasy," School Library Journal praises as "reminiscent of the classic gothic works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shirley Jackson," and VOYA applauds as "a captivating world that seduces with each page turn."

Now, you can read Chapter 2 of LYCH WAY (The Undertaken #3). Check it out, and then go get it so you can read the rest!

COVER REVEAL: Burning Kingdoms (The Internment Chronicles #2)

One of my favorite new series from last year was Lauren DeStefano's PERFECT RUIN (The Internment Chronicles #1). It was exciting and unique and so beautifully written. The second book in the series, BURNING KINGDOMS is set to release on March 10, 2015, and I'm so, so thrilled to share with you the cover! You ready?

Burning Kingdoms (The Internment Chronicles #2), by Lauren DeStefano
To Be Published March 10, 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: young adult sci-fi/dystopian

(Synopsis) After escaping through the bottom of Internment, Morgan and her fellow fugitives aboard the great mechanical bird land on the ground to finally learn what has lived beneath their floating island home all these eons.

The ground is a strange place where water falls from the sky as snow, and customers watch moving pictures and visit speakeasies. A place where families can have as many children as they want, their dead are buried in vast gardens of bodies, and Interment is the feature of an amusement park.

It is also a land at war.

Everyone who fled Internment had their own reasons to escape their corrupt haven. But caught under the watchful eye of another king that wants to dominate his world, they wonder if coming to the ground will drag Internment down with them.

But, that's not all! PERFECT RUIN is releasing in paperback format on the same day that BURNING KINGDOMS hits the stands. Want to see what that is going to look like too?

Aren't they gorgeous?! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Don't forget to add BURNING KINGDOMS to your Goodreads TBR, too!

About the Author

Lauren DeStefano is the author of The Internment Chronicles and the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden trilogy, which includes Wither, Fever, and Sever. She earned her BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut. Visit her at LaurenDeStefano.com.

REVIEW: Through the Zombie Glass (The White Rabbit Chronicles #2)

Through the Zombie Glass (The White Rabbit Chronicles #3), by Gena Showalter
Published September 24, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: young adult paranormal/romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Zombies stalk the night. Forget blood and brains. These monsters hunger for human souls. Sadly, they've got mine...

Alice Bell has lost so much. Family. Friends. A home. She thought she had nothing else to give. She was wrong.

After a new zombie attack, strange things begin to happen to her. Mirrors come to life, and the whispers of the dead assault her ears. But the worst? A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do very wicked things.

She's never needed her team of zombie slayers more, but ultra bad-boy Cole Holland, the leader and her boyfriend, suddenly withdraws from her...from everyone. Now, with her best friend Kat at her side, Ali must kill the zombies, uncover Cole's secret and learn to fight the darkness.

But the clock is ticking...and if she fails at a single task, they're all doomed.

I have no words.

Well... yeah. That's not true. I ALWAYS have words when it comes to good books. But, seriously, as I was reading Through the Zombie Glass, there were many moments when I just sat in my car (because, this was an audiobook for me), mouth agape like a fish trying to get a handle on myself so that I could function normally when I walked into my office. There was some of this:

A lot of this:

This too:

To sum up... it was a feels-free-for-all. But, it wasn't all feels and no substance. Through the Zombie Glass was an incredible story about sacrifice and salvation. There is absolutely no sophomore slump here - it built upon the groundwork laid in Alice in Zombieland, had its own ridiculously awesome storyline and laid the frame for what I'm sure will be an epic finale, come September. 

Ali survived a near-death encounter with Anima, and is now healing at the Ankh's house and enjoying some snuggle time with Cole. After two new slayers join the group, including pretty Veronica, Cole starts distancing himself from Ali, until he delivers the final blow and breaks up with her. On top of that, Ali is dealing with another voice in her head that is telling her to do awful things. None of it makes sense at all, and Ali is feeling alone, lost, adrift, and not just a little hopeless. 

My heart absolutely broke into itty bitty pieces for Ali in this book. Gena Showalter was masterful at creating the perfect mood for Ali's eventual crash. Everything was perfect. Cole was finally hers, she was a lean, mean fighting machine, and they had won the initial battle with Anima. The beginning of the book dawned with hope and positivity, and I was buying everything that she was selling. 

Then, Cole happened and everything went to hell in a hand basket. 

UGH! He acted like such a colossal douche purse (LOVE Nana), I found myself wishing he was a real person, just so I could walk up to him and smack him a few times. It was clear from the beginning that there was more going on under the surface, but you just didn't know what that was. So, like Ali, I had to take things at face value for awhile, and that drove me crazy! I refused to believe that my Cole was really that cold and callous to dump Ali while she was still getting better from her wounds for no real good reason.

Thing is, Cole wasn't the only crazy person in Through the Zombie Glass. Everyone was doing their absolute best to make me nuts. Kat kept pushing away Frosty. Reeve was dating a new boy of questionable background. Ankh was extra frigid toward Ali. And don't even get me started on newbie Veronica, who - oh yeah - is another one of Cole's exes. 

And then there was Ali and her alter ego, Z.A. (short for Zombie Alice). Z.A. would show up in a mirror or start talking in Ali's head, making her want to do things, like bite her friends. Ali's fighting skills were compromised and she proved to be more of a danger to her team than a help. It was here when I started yelling at my car's stereo almost daily. "Talk to someone, dammit! Tell Cole! Tell Gavin! Tell SOMEONE!!" Ugh - communication is never a strong suit among teens. 

Ali's fight to kill Z.A. and survive the break up from the love of her life was absolutely what I live for when I read. She was inspiring and strong and kicked some major ass. But, Ali had her moments when everything just was too much, and she allowed herself some time to break down. I think those moments are so important. Without them, there's no humanization of your character. They're either too hard and you have a difficult time connecting with them, or they're too soft and they drive you drink. Gena Showalter wrote Ali so perfectly - she's the perfect blend of hard and soft; strong and weak. I believed her, I rooted for her, I cried with her, and I rejoiced at her triumphs. THIS is what reading is all about. 

Just a word about the audio version - it was SPECTACULAR.

Through the Zombie Glass was told entirely from Ali's POV. It's YA, and Ali and Cole spend much of the book emotionally apart, so there wasn't much sexy stuff to be had. But, that's okay. The story about Ali's search for a way to defeat Z.A. AND Anima had me captivated from the very first word all the way to the exciting conclusion. This series has very quickly become one of my favorites, and I will be chomping at the bit (pun intended) for Queen of Zombie Hearts, due out late this September.

REVIEW: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1)

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1), by Rachel Harris
Published September 18, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: paperback, borrowed from a friend
Genre:  young adult contemporary romance/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

With all the new adult and adult books I've been reading lately, I really was jonesing for something lighter and less serious. Awhile ago, I borrowed My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century from my super good friend Anna from Annaberry Reads, and when I saw it on my shelf, I knew that this was the book to break things up for me. I was SO right. My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was light and funny, silly at times, and not heavy-laden with tons of deep issues and drama. 

Cat is a Hollywood baby, being the only child of two famous parents. Her self-centered mother left her and her dad years ago, and now Cat's dad is preparing to re-marry. His fiance and Cat have never clicked, so this trip to Cat's dream city, Florence, for her 16th birthday party, is sort of a last-ditch effort to bond. Cat, however, has no desire for togetherness with the soon-to-be-step-monster. While out wandering around on her own, she steps into a gypsy tent, and steps out in the 16th century. Cat soon meets up with her long-since dead relatives and falls in love with an Italian artist. It's fun while it lasts, but soon, Cat really wants to get home, but she's not sure how to get there. 

I think one of my favorite parts of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is that Cat's problems are very real ones for a kid her age. Her parents are divorced, and it's just been she and her dad for years. Now, he's looking to remarry, and Cat isn't happy about it. She acts like a teenager about it, too. She gives her dad's fiance attitude and a hard time for no good reason. She dreams of blowing them off to explore Italy on her own. The thoughts that run through her head and the words that come out of her mouth are exactly like I think should come from a 15-year-old. In so many books, teens don't sound or act like teens. Happily, that is not the case here. 

The glimpse into medieval Florence was fun. Harris obviously did her homework. Everything from the wardrobe to the setting to the customs of the time seemed accurate and interesting. 

Lorenzo was positively dreamy. He was appropriately chivalrous and swoony and romantic with Cat. He's an artist, so he's not as buttoned up as most men of the time. Reading about how his feelings about Cat grew and changed was so sweet and romantic. I loved the chemistry between these two so much. 

My main problems with My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century surrounded the mechanics of how Cat was sent back in time. I thought the description on how it happened very convoluted and vague. If you're going to send a character back in time, obviously, some fantastical magic will come into play. But, it would be best if the magic was believable and explainable. It seemed a little to loosey goosey in this case for me. Also, I have a hard time believing that Cat's cousin would believe her story so readily.

Although I understand why Cat couldn't stick around in the 16th century, it was still seriously sucktastic when she left Lorenzo behind. Of course, we always want our couples to have HEAs, and in this case, unless Cat stays there or Lorenzo goes with her, that wasn't going to happen. As a true romantic, that seriously bummed me out. I did appreciate the twist at the end to try and smooth that over, though. 

If you're tired of all the post-apocalyptic YA or angsty NA or complicated adult books you've been reading lately, take a break and check out My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. It's a really quick, light read that will save you from the doldrums of what you're used to. 

REVIEW: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3), by Tahereh Mafi
Published February 4, 2014
Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: hardback, purchased
Genre:  YA dystopian romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  2 STARS

(From Goodreads) Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

It took me several days to congeal my thoughts about Ignite Me into something that I could actually put into words. My review that follows is not one I normally would write, in that, it’s rife with spoilers. I do apologize for that. To be honest, the writing of this review is going to be somewhat cathartic for me, and I’m sorry that you who haven’t read it yet, are on the receiving end of my word vomit. 

I will say that Tahereh Mafi is an absolutely beautiful writer. It flows and ebbs like water and she has the ability to elicit real emotion from me without much apparent effort. Her use of symbolism is unmatched. And, something new that I discovered about her – this woman knows how to write romance. Face-fanning, lady-bit tingling, jelly-legged romance. It’s good stuff.

"I will be here every night," he whispers, his words so soft, so tortured, "to keep you warm. I will kiss you until I can't keep my eyes open."

And, seriously, the covers of all her books in the Shatter Me series are orgasms for my eyes. They are the most beautiful series covers I’ve ever seen. 

So, on to the spoilers. If you haven’t read Ignite Me, you will want to stop now. 

Seriously – stop reading if you don’t want to know who Juliette picked. 

Last warning. 


My feelings on whether I “liked” or “did not like” Ignite Me are not wrapped up in whether my team won or lost. It’s not nearly as simplistic as that, although some might dispute that. Certainly, I’ll be the first one to admit that I wish Juliette had chosen the other guy, and that fact does color my overall opinion of the book to some degree. How could it not? 

We, as book fans, become so involved in our favorite characters’ lives that we create Twitter handles and websites dedicated to them. We passionately advocate for our favorite crushes and couples in tournaments and create badges and buttons announcing our allegiances for our blogs and Facebook pages. Of course the outcome of love triangles are going to affect our overall impressions of the books in which they are found, and there is nothing wrong with that. 

I have always said that the worst way out of a love triangle is to kill off one of the choices. And, I realized after finishing Ignite Me that that is exactly what Mafi did here. Granted, both Adam and Warner were physically alive in the end. But, all the qualities that made up the Adam that was introduced to us in Shatter Me died a fiery, horrible death over the course of this 408-page book, and frankly, it makes me more angry than anything else. 

Adam captured my heart from the very beginning. The story of how this boy helped this girl and became her only friend when no one else would dare brought tears to my eyes. Then, after spending years trying to find her, he risks everything to free her from both her physical and mental prison. He loved her practically his whole life, and the greatest gift was when he heard that her love was returned. He naturally wanted to protect her from all the bad scary things (love kinda makes you want to do that), but he also believed that she could be so much more. 

That man was nowhere to be found in Ignite Me.

I appreciate that Juliette wanted to stop hiding and start living. But, didn’t she do that the second she jumped out of her bedroom window with Adam? Wasn’t she standing up for herself when she pointed that gun in Kenji’s face while in Adam’s apartment? Didn’t she take charge of her life when she made the decision to take Adam and James to Omega Point in the first place? And, didn’t Adam support her and go along with it all? 

The Adam that was presented to us in Ignite Me was bitter, cold and hateful. He was indecisive and angry. It was almost as if Mafi was trying to force her choice down my throat. I hate to break it to her, but I could’ve gotten behind her decision to put Juliette with Warner if she had given me a good reason why. But, vilifying and demonizing Adam in order to paint a more radical contrast between he and the now angelic Warner felt so wrong to me. If two characters are going to completely switch personalities over the course of a series, I want a solid reason why, and unrequited love isn’t one. Not for these two guys. 

In the end, I just didn’t believe any of it. 

Sadly, if you put all the relationship drama aside, there isn’t much left in Ignite Me. Whereas Shatter Me and Unravel Me focused a lot on the development of Juliette’s powers and how they might take down the Reestablishment, Ignite Me was all angst and guilt and hormones. There was very little said about Juliette’s, Warner’s and Adam’s powers, and almost nothing about the secondary characters’ powers (so little, in fact, that I forgot what they were until about 85% through). 

All three books were leading up to the final showdown between Juliette and Anderson. We didn’t even see Anderson until the final pages of the book. And, then it was over. Just like that. All the waiting and anticipation was over so fast, and I literally said out loud, “So, that’s it then?”  I wanted so much more! I wanted to know what was beyond Sector 45 and how the destruction of it and Anderson was going to affect the rest of the country. Is there even a country? What does the world look like? The world-building has always been a little weak for my liking, and I was thinking we’d finally fill in those holes in Ignite Me. 

Not so. 

Now that it’s all said and done and I’ve had some time to reflect on my true feelings regarding Ignite Me, I realize that I just feel cheated. What I thought was the whole point (taking down the leader of the regime that has been oppressing people for years) ended up being buried amid the unrealistic destruction of one character loved by many and the unbelievable elevation of another to one who could do absolutely nothing wrong. The shaping of Juliette’s budding abilities and personality was squashed by her constant indecision in the “I love him, I love him not” game.
 
Or, maybe, I missed the point entirely.