Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

#2 in the Infernal Devices series
Published December 6, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

Review:  I can't believe I actually liked a Cassandra Clare novel. I never thought I would see the day.  This is my fifth Cassandra Clare book and the first one I can say I honestly enjoyed.  Even though the main plot didn't really go anywhere (much like Clare's other middle books City of Ashes and City of Lost Souls) I wasn't bored, unlike the other middle books.    

Honestly, the character development in the Infernal Devices is so much stronger than in The Moral Instruments it feels like two different authors.  I don't understand how engaging the characters of The Infernal Devices can be and how flat and dull the characters are in The Mortal Instruments.  There are a lot of writing faults in The Infernal Devices.  The word "startlingly" is used way too much!  It's like Cassandra Clare thinks that everyone in Victorian England walked around jumping at literally everything they see "ooh your eyes are blue!",  "ooh you are handsome!", "ooh your skin is pale!".  Just stop, seriously, it's so bad.  I also feel that Will is incredibly anachronistic.  I know he's supposed to be a rapscallion, but the way he talks is just too modern. 

I thought the romance was really well done.  I mean, this is of course the over used love triangle trope, but The Infernal Devices is actually successful because we don't know who Tessa will choose.  Both Will and Jem are viable options and we as readers actually have to read the rest of the series to see what will unfold.  So even though Will was a huge idiot (seriously, didn't he ever think to I dunno, talk to someone about his issues?  Why would he just take everything he was told as the truth and believe it blindly?  I don't understand) and I don't thing Jem (my boo) has a snowballs chance in hell, I'm excited for clockwork princess.

Overall The Infernal Devices series is turning out to be leaps and bounds better than the Mortal Instruments.  If I may be completely truthful I would recommend just skipping the Moral Instruments all together and starting with Clockwork Angel.  You get the same characters and plot, but more interesting versions.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

#1 in the Georgia Kincaid series
Published in 2007 by Kensington

3 stars

Goodreads Review
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

Review:  Richelle Mead's writing is so fun and charming in The Vampire Academy series, and the same can be said for Succubus Blues.  I liked this, but it wasn't as awesome as Vampire Academy. My intuition about certain characters were correct but I was still surprised by the (depressing) ending. 

I do want to continue the story because I really do like Seth and I want to find out what happens to him. I tend to root for the beta males (I don't do that whole macho man thing, it's annoying and not sexy!) and I thought he was a compelling and charming character.  I'm not so sure I really like Georgina though, she could really use a backbone. No means NO!  However, I really liked that she's a flawed character.  So often the heroines of paranormal romance are sweet and innocent.  I liked that Georgina has a history but also tries to make the most of who she is and her situation.  She accepts herself, which is refreshing because so many paranormal main characters can't come to terms with their moral conflicts of their nature.

I really love Richelle Mead's writing.   The dialogue is snappy and fun and we get the added bonus of fun sex scenes!  Succubus Blues felt a lot lighter than some of her other books.  There was still a good plot and well developed characters, but overall things were more light hearted, fun, and sexy! 

Overall Succubus Blues is a fun adult urban fantasy.  I would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick paranormal romance with some snark and sass.  Succubus Blues is a great vacation or summer read!

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Published November 6, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

#2 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
5 stars

Goodreads Review
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

First, I am so sorry it took me so long to write this review.  I read it the day it came out and I swear I had written the review then.  You all know my undying love for Laini Taylor and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and that is no different for Days of Blood and Starlight.  So I am so sorry this review is so late, but here it is!

Review:  Guys, Days of Blood and Starlight gives me ALL THE FEELS.  Seriously, Laini Taylor just writes these words on the page and gives me all these feeling that I don't know how to process!  Basically I was just one big ball of ugly crying face.

 



Days of Blood and Starlight is much darker than it's predicesor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. While we certainly still have Taylor's beautiful writing, the beauty of the story is replaced by something a lot more mature. I really enjoyed how Days of Blood and Starlight leaves the love at first site (sort of) theme behind and focuses on much more difficult subjects like war, rape, and genocide. 

 

Poor Karou!  She is just at rock bottom, wracked with guilt.  She goes through a lot of terrible things in this book, and I have to say I really loved it.  I am a bit of a sadist I guess, but I really like it when the main character's world is completely ripped apart in a way where they can never fully go back to who they were before the beginning of the novel (part of the reason why I loved Mockingjay).  I like seeing how events of a novel change a person, for better or worse, and books where the main character never goes through any turmoil feel a little cheap to me.  Well, you don't have to worry about Karou not going through abuse in Days of Blood and Starlight, let me tell you.  I'm really excited for Dreams of Gods and Monsters to see how all of this bad stuff will change her from the first book. 

And Ziri...oh Ziri.  He is so amazing and brave and wonderful and all the bad things that happen to him just is NOT FAIR.  I didn't think I would grow so attached to a character just introduced in this book, but I DID.  His character really expands on the interesting "purity" theme because he is the last of the natural born Kirin and therefore Karou sees him as special.  But where Thiago's desire for only natural born women (not resurrected) is very negative and a parallel to the idea that virginity is the most important quality a woman can have, Ziri's purity feels a lot more important.  He is the last of her kind, not just in physical appearance but in culture as well.  I can understand Karou's protectiveness, much like a big sister not wanting her sibling to lose their innocence. 

I have to admit for a while I thought he was introduced to create a sort of love triangle with Karou and Akiva, but now I am a little ashamed that I thought Laini Taylor would take such a cliche road.  Gurl, I am sorry I doubted you and your amazing writing abilities.  I honestly hope Karou in the end will not be with either of them.  I think that Karou will eventually forgive Akiva, but forgive doesn't mean forget.  I dont' want her to go back to him.  I want Karou to love herself.

We also have to talk about the angels.  I really loved how their society is an allegory for today's government.  They really show what can happen when you don't question the ethics of the decisions made by the government and just follow blindly. 

So overall I think you all can tell that I love this series.  It is one of the strongest YA(ish) series out there and I am so so so excited for the final book, Dreams of Gods and Monsters (due April 2014, OMG WHY). 

No excuse me while I go re-read this and cry.

 

A Shore Thing by Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi

Published January 4, 2011 by Gallery
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
It’s a summer to remember . . . at the Jersey Shore.

Giovanna “Gia” Spumanti and her cousin Isabella “Bella” Rizzoli are going to have the sexiest summer ever. While they couldn’t be more different—pint-size Gia is a carefree, outspoken party girl and Bella is a tall, slender athlete who always holds her tongue—for the next month they’re ready to pouf up their hair, put on their stilettos, and soak up all that Seaside Heights, New Jersey, has to offer: hot guidos, cool clubs, fried Oreos, and lots of tequila.

So far, Gia’s summer is on fire. Between nearly burning down their rented bungalow, inventing the popular “tan-tags” at the Tantastic Salon where she works, and rescuing a shark on the beach, she becomes a local celebrity overnight. Luckily, she meets the perfect guy to help her keep the flames under control. Firefighter Frank Rossi is exactly her type: big, tan, and Italian. But is he tough enough to handle Gia when things really heat up?

Bella is more than ready for some fun in the sun. Finally free of her bonehead ex-boyfriend, she left home in Brooklyn with one goal in mind: hooking up with a sexy gorilla for a no-strings-attached summer fling. In no time, she lands a job leading “Beat Up the Beat” dance classes at a local gym, and is scooped up by Beemer-driving, preppy Bender Newberry. Only problem: Bella can’t get her romantic and ripped boss Tony “Trouble” Troublino out of her head. He’s relationship material. Suddenly, Bella’s not sure what she wants.

The cousins soon realize that for every friend they make on the boardwalk, there are also rivals, slummers, and frenemies who will do anything to ruin their summer—and try their relationship. Before July ends, the bonds of family and friendship will be stretched to the breaking point. Will the haters prevail, or will Gia and Bella find love at the Shore?

For everyone who loves MTV’s hit reality show, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s sweet, funny, and sexy novel perfectly captures the heat, the energy, the fun, and the drama of Jersey Shore.

Review:  I have a confession.  I love Jersey Shore.  I mean, freaking LOVE it.  I don't know why, but I can't get enough of this fist pumping, hair poofing, GTL-ing mess of a show.  If you're like me and have no idea why you love Jersey Shore as well, then A Shore Thing will be a great summer read for you.

 

A Shore Thing may be a fictional story starring Gia and Bella, but it reads like any episode of Jersey Shore starring Snooki and J-Woww, the obvious inspirations for the characters.  In A Shore Thing Gia/Snooki and Bella/J-Woww get a house on the Jersey Shore for the summer to party and hook up with hot guido gorilla juice-heads, but nothing ever goes smoothly for these two.  I had a lot of fun reading about all of the crazy antics Gia and Bella got up to and I also loved how they were able to charm their way out of pretty much everything. 

 

A Shore Thing isn't a perfect book by any means, the plot is ridiculous at times but always predictable, the writing can be a little clunky, and let's be real this isn't going to be winning any great literature awards anytime soon, but it does address topics like confidence and body issues, friendships and healthy relationships, and what it means to be independent women, and it does it a lot more smoothly than I expected.  If you're looking for a funny summer read with a heart A Shore Thing may be just right for you.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Published in 2007 by HarperTeen
2 Stars

Goodreads Review
I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright--a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever--ruined--unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Review:  I picked up a copy of Beastly because I surprisingly enjoyed the movie (starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer) and I wanted to see what the novel was all about.  I thought Beastly was ok, and was actually enjoying it despite the incredibly cheesy writing and the fact that Beastly sticks closely to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast and not the classic fairytale.    However, it all went downhill when I got to the ending.

The writing in Beastly is just very safe.  While this is set in "modern day" New York (I use the term modern lightly because the pop culture and technology in Beastly is already vastly dated) Beastly doesn't do much else to deviate from the original fairy tale.  There are no risks or interesting interpretations of the moral of the story, it's the Disney movie in New York.  No more no less.

What really bothered me was how Beastly seemed to miss the whole message of the original fairytale.  The whole point of Beauty and the Beast is to show that inner beauty is more important than outer, but at the end of the book Lindy and Kyle/Adrian are still worrying about each others looks. It's like they learned nothing from Kendra's spell.

Overall Beastly is a very simplified re-telling that doesn't go too deep and keeps the writing and themes very surface level, almost to a fault.  This would be a good book for young readers, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for a challenge or an exploration into the true meaning of beauty.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Published in 2006 by Ember
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Review:  Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is the first book written by the duo Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, and it has a witty, punk rock feel that makes it a quick yet poignant read.  It has that same kind of teenage expectation and excitement you get from The Breakfast Club and My So Called Life. (For serious though, there's enough angst to fill the grand canyon and ride a boat across it). There's plenty of teenage antics and some sexy times, but there's also a deeper context too.  It's a story where two strangers can come together and have an immediate connection and share parts of themselves that they usually keep bottled inside.  It's about letting go of the past and realizing that this time, with this person, it doesn't have to be that way again.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published September 29, 2011 by Dutton
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:  How have I not reviewed this yet!?  Mega fail on my part!  I read Stephanie Perkins's other book, Anna and the French Kiss, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't in OMG LUV like so many other readers.  Well, I can say that with Lola there was a lot of OMG LUV.  Much more than with Anna. 

Firstly let's discuss this PERFECT cover.  This is what all book covers should be, a reflection of  the story within.  We know exactly what this book is about because of the cover.  We know it's about a girl with a cool fashion sense, the setting is in San Francisco, and we even get Cricket's bracelet/writing on his hands habit and that their relationship is based around their bedroom windows (they're sitting on a window sill). 

There are so many aspects of Lola that I love.  I really enjoyed Lola's zaney fashion sense.  I am not like that at all (I'm such a tomboy) so it was fun to live vicariously through Lola.  I also loved the setting and her family situation.  It's so refreshing to see a same sex couple in a completely normal life.  Her dads are regular dads, they live normal lives and react like any father would.  I have to give major props to Stephanie Perkins for making Lola's parents an important and stable part of her life.  I also loved how Lola is a companion novel to Anna, and we get to see some of the characters we love from Anna, but from a completely different perspective.

One of the best things about this book was how I could relate to every character.  I have been in Lola, Cricket, and Max's positions in different relationships.  I've been in a relationship that isn't working and gotten feelings for someone else, I've been head over heels for someone with a girlfriend, and I've also suspected a boyfriend of cheating (and I think he probably did) and turned into a green-eyed jealous monster.  It almost felt like this book was my love life in novel form lol. 

Ok now let's talk about Cricket.  Oh Cricket, you are soooo my type (way more than St. Clair).  Let's see.  Tall and dark?  Check.  Engineering and Science?  Check.  Shy in a you-don't-know-you're-beautiful way?  Check.  Hopelessly romantic?  Check.  Cricket is everything I look for in a YA romantic interest and he totally captured my heart.  Lola and Cricket's relationship is believable, it's a slow building love, and it seems completely real.  (Writing this review some 8 months after reading it makes me want to pick Lola back up again!  Oh why do I have so little time...)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

#1 in the Across the Universe series
Published January 11, 2011 by Razorbill
2 Stars

Goodreads Review
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. 

Review:  Look at this cover.  Look at it.  It is phenomenal.  Seriously, take off the words and I'd hang that on my wall.  But sadly I cannot say the story inside the book was as wildly exciting as the cover.  I rarely think that books are overwritten, but There were so many plot twists it got to be too much and I found myself figuring out everything long before they were revealed and rolling my eyes. 

The biggest problem in Across the Universe is world building, as is often the case with lack luster science fiction.  I did not understand why there needed to be a society of people to maintain the ship in the first place.  Couldn't there be a group of frozen technicians who are awaken at certain intervals?  Couldn't most of the ship's functions be run by computers?  Also, what was the point in the mission at all?  I don't remember if that was explained but I never really knew why Amy and her parents were frozen in the first place. 

I found myself really disliking Elder and Amy, the two main characters.  I felt like there wasn't anything special enough about either of them to make them stand out and I couldn't relate.  Amy was particularly bland.  I came away from the novel knowing she was different because she had red hair, liked track and field, and spent a lot of time whining about her parents, her ex-boyfriend, and how different life on the ship is.  I got a bit of a better feeling for Elder, mostly because he had the opportunity to develop as he learns more about Eldest and the deceptions of the ship's government.  What really bothered me about these characters was how terrible things could happen to them but then they'd get over it in a matter of minutes.  Amy, in particular, had some very unbelievable reactions.  The romance between these two was boring and poorly paced.  By the time they finally meet we're a third of the way through the book and I found it very difficult to care. 

There were some good themes in Across the Universe, namely does quality of life matter if something can survive?  It questions government control through various means: medicinal, class structure, and religion.  It was like Revis had these great ethical themes that were bogged down with poorly built science fiction and tiresome romance. 

Across the Universe looks like a beautiful romance set in outer space, but don't let that cover fool you.  The book plods along with a clunky and more than slightly creepy romance and while there are some huge plot twists, they're hinted at with extremely obvious clues and then solved with extremely convenient solutions.  This would have been a one star read, but that stunning cover is worth a star all on it's own.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlick

Published in 1999 by Vintage
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Oprah Book Club® Selection, February 1999: Originally published in Switzerland, and gracefully translated into English by Carol Brown Janeway, The Reader is a brief tale about sex, love, reading, and shame in postwar Germany. Michael Berg is 15 when he begins a long, obsessive affair with Hanna, an enigmatic older woman. He never learns very much about her, and when she disappears one day, he expects never to see her again. But, to his horror, he does. Hanna is a defendant in a trial related to Germany's Nazi past, and it soon becomes clear that she is guilty of an unspeakable crime. As Michael follows the trial, he struggles with an overwhelming question: What should his generation do with its knowledge of the Holocaust? "We should not believe we can comprehend the incomprehensible, we may not compare the incomparable.... Should we only fall silent in revulsion, shame, and guilt? To what purpose?"

Review:  I picked up a copy of The Reader after watching the beautiful movie version (in which Kate FINALLY got her Oscar.  About time!).  Sadly the book did not live up to the movie at all.  It read like a technical article.  It was cold, stiff, and unemotional.  The best part of the book was when Michael was a teenager, and even then I had  a very hard time connecting emotionally to the characters.  Once we move on to the trial the book completely lost me.


I think that this book is best for the people who lived during the time the book was published.  It is an interesting look at the group of people trying to come to term with the crimes of their parents generation.  There was so much opportunity with the idea of this book, but while the movie executes the themes in a way that will just crush your heart, the book falls far, far behind.  This is one of those rare moments where I would say skip the book and watch the movie.  Further, you MUST watch the movie, it is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Published March 9, 2010 by Dial
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide I world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

Review:  I read The Sky is Everywhere because my friend Gabrielle Carolina over at The Mod Podge Bookshelf really loves this book, and I can totally see why.  By far the best thing about The Sky is Everywhere is the writing.  WOW.  Nelson's writing style is one of the most compelling and unique of any that I've experienced in YA.  The story itself isn't uncommon, a girl loses her sister and is trying to put her life back together after her death, but it is the way in which this story is present that makes it so special.  I could completely relate to Lennie, even though I have never gone through the tragedy of losing a sibling and best friend, how Nelson writes Lennie's thoughts make her totally relatable, hilarious, and heart breaking. Also, I loved the note convention used at the beginning and end of the chapters.  I loved that the poems were printed on paper, cups, wrappers, trees, whatever was around.  I love visuals in books and these really lend to the story and make it way interesting. 


I also could totally understand why Lennie has feelings towards two different people.  With Toby she's looking for someone who can understand her pain and make it go away.  It's not so much that she actually loves Toby, quite the opposite she has tremendous feelings of guilt, but at the same time she is drawn to the person who can understand.

And then there's Joe.  Let me just say that a man who can play an instrument well is dead sexy.  He's the boy who can actually help heal her.  I think it's so important that he moved to town after Bailey's death.  He doesn't know pre-death Lennie, and loves her as she is now.  I loved how he helped draw the music out of her and healed her with his.  He helps her accept what happened and helps her see that life will go on and that she can go on, not forgetting her sister, but remembering all of the beautiful lessons she taught.  (My only criticism of Joe is that he fell in crazy love with Lennie a little too fast.  I would have liked to see the beginning stages a little more, so the healing love they experienced at the end would have been more supported).


Overall The Sky is Everywhere is a beautifully written book about losing a loved one and finding out that love can heal.  (Word to the wise, the UK hardcover edition has full colored photos of Lennie's poems.  I really wish I could get my hands on a copy, if anyone knows where I can buy it, please comment!)

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Published in 2010 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

5 Stars

Goodreads Review

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Timesbestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Review:  I love treasure hunt type stories.  Like, really really love them.  When I was a little kid I would make up treasure hunts for my younger siblings and I would spend HOURS drawing maps, hiding clues, and creating decorated boxes for the "treasure" (usually some apples or something, what I was only 6, don't judge).  I've always daydreamed about finding a hidden passage, a secret diary, and some sort of clue trail of my own.  I just LOVED the idea of finding a secret message tucked into the stacks of my favorite bookstore.  It is my ideal adventure.


I absolutely loved the two main characters, but I think I connected more to Lily.  I loved her kooky style and her brother and her dog and her freaking majorette boots.  I also loved how she was the one to initiate the journal.  She is more bold than me, because while I dream about finding a secret, she creates one and puts it out into the world.  


Overall Dash and Lily is an adorable romance.  It's an excellent tale about how the idea of a person may be different that who they really are, but that doesn't mean they still aren't right for you.  It has a great theme that fairy tale prince charmings and princesses are wonderful, but they're only fairy tales.  Real life relationships aren't as perfect, there are things that will frustrate and annoy you, but they're real and that is magic.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

#1 in Perfect Chemistry Series
Published in 2008 by Walker Books for Young Readers
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. 

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.


Review:  Perfect Chemistry is a modern day West Side Story.  It's a classic tale of two star crossed lovers from opposite sides of the tracks defying social norms to be together.  


I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, when Alex and Brittany both had preconceived notions about each other's motivations.  I liked that as the reader I had insider knowledge and knew just how wrong each was about the other.  I also really enjoyed some of their sweeter moments as Brittany and Alex learned the truth about each other (the wedding scene in particular was excellent).  I also really enjoyed Alex's relationship with his family and how he tried to protect them from the gang while still appearing loyal.  He walked a fine line, and it was really interesting to read.  


There were a few parts of the books that weren't bad, but did leave me a little disappointed.  Once Alex and Brittany recognized they liked each other it got a little cheesy and cliche for my taste.  I tend to be a pretty cynical person so sometimes I didn't fully believe the character's motivations.  Also Alex is in a gang but I didn't feel like there was enough gang violence.  Gangs are really serious, and I can't help but feel there should have been more intimidating Alex into doing more bad things.  I didn't feel like the gang was as in control of Alex as they should have been.  And let me just say that I know this book is YA, but  this is a romance people, I needed a little more in the sex scenes!  Lots of good making out, not enough doing it.

The one thing that bumped this review down from a 4 star to a 3 star is the epilogue.  I felt like the book had a good, concise ending until I read the epilogue.  That took the book into ridiculously perfect happily ever after territory and I just couldn't take it seriously anymore.  


Now don't get me wrong.  I still really enjoyed this book, I just think it wasn't quite what I was expecting.  So many people raved about it so I think I set myself up for failure.  Perfect Chemistry is a great book for people looking for a forbidden love/Romeo and Juliet type story.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Published January 10, 2012 by Dutton Juvenile
5 Stars


Goodreads Review
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


Review:  I need to put a disclaimer on this review that I highly doubt this review will adequately describe just how much this book means to me.  I've always been a fan of John Green's work, but The Fault in Our Stars takes him to a new category.  There are definitely still the elements that make it a John Green book, such as teens that have a better vocabulary than most dictionaries, references to obscure books, music, and lots of poetry, and in-depth analyses of the meaning of life.  But with The Fault in Our Stars, he does this better than any book he's written before.  Yes these teens are maybe too smart, and yes I had to look up a word more than once, but never the less this book looks at death, love, and illness in a way that is so REAL.  


First I want to give you a little background on where I'm coming from, and why Hazel in particular touched me on a very personal level.  When I was 14 (just about to enter high school), I had to go to the doctor for a routine checkup.  I had some basic bloodwork done, then went home to await the results.  I got a call at 1:00 AM that night saying I had to go to the hospital right then and there.  It turns out my platelet count (they're in your blood and cause it to clot) was so low I was considered a "medical emergency" (An average count is 150,000 - 500,000.  I was at 7,000).  On top of that my red blood cell count was HALF of what it should have been.  I spent that first of what would be many weekends in the hospital with doctors trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  

They eventually diagnosed me with ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura) which is basically where my immune system attacks my platelets for no reason.  But I went through months before the diagnosis where they thought I could have anything from ITP to a bone marrow disorder to leukemia.  Yes, I went around for about three months thinking I had blood cancer.  Not very pleasant for a girl just starting high school.  Luckily for me I didn't have luekemia, but I was still in the hospital 1-3 times a week for two years.  I was on a very aggressive steroid treatment as well as periodic IVIg treatments that not only didn't really fix my blood problem, also caused me to gain 80 lbs, have severe mood swings, and lead me to some pretty hard core self image and depression issues.

After 2 years my doctors decided I had to go to a more drastic from of treatment by way of splenectomy.  Word to the wise, if you can avoid having abdominal surgery, I suggest you do it because it hurts like a bitch.  If that didn't work we would have had to resort to forms of chemotherapy, which totally scared the shit out of me.  Luckily the splenectomy worked and after a couple weeks my counts leveled to a perfectly healthy 300,000 which was way better than expected.  I'm basically cured and I don't have to take any medication or do anything special now.  I just have to be aware of my immune system because I am missing a spleen, so I can get sick more easily than other people.  But compared to having blood cancer?  I'll give the spleen freely, again and again.

Ok, I'm telling you all way too much information so you can understand where I'm coming from when I say this book hit me on a very personal level.  John Green does an excellent job capturing the feeling of being sick.  From puffy steroid face to midnight hospital runs to being afraid that your death will ruin the ones you love, John Green covers the realities of illness with sensitivity and honesty.  He really gets what it's like to be sick, and to be so sick that you could die.  It doesn't fall into that sappy lifetime movie-esque melodrama of so many other cancer books.  

I also just LOVE Hazel and Gus.  So much.  And I won't spoil the plot, but I totally did not expect what happened to them in this book, and I am so glad it didn't go the way I was expecting it to.  I loved how their relationship forms and how they understand each other.  What's really great is these characters are people, not just their disease.  Plus the banter back and forth is adorable while their serious conversations made me think about my life and what I really valued.  I particularly loved the lesson Gus learns about wanting to leave a mark on the world, a legacy, something to be remembered by after he has died.  I think we all feel like that, but is the whole world knowing who we are really what's important?  Isn't having people who love you and loving them back enough?  I also loved their "infinity".  I don't want to say more than that, because I don't want to spoil, just tell you a little bit about why I love this book so much.  

While I'm not happy with the cover nor the blurb (I get why Jodi Picoult is on it, I just hate the fact that she is) I hope people outside the YA and nerdfighter community will pick this book up.  The Fault in Our Stars should be read by everyone who has ever felt like their life was less valuable due to something they cannot control, anyone who has ever wanted to be seen as more than "that cancer girl", and anyone who has ever had to come to terms with the finality of a human life.

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

Published in 2006 by Penguin (Non-Classics)
2 Stars

Goodreads Review
Sue Monk Kidd's phenomenal debut, The Secret Life of Bees, became a runaway bestseller that is still on the New York Times bestseller list more than two years after its paperback publication. Now, in her luminous new novel, Kidd has woven a transcendent tale that will thrill her legion of fans. Telling the story of Jessie Sullivan-a love story between a woman and a monk, a woman and her husband, and ultimately a woman and her own soul-Kidd charts a journey of awakening and self-discovery illuminated with a brilliance that only a writer of her ability could conjure.


Side note, this review is slightly spoilery, but I wanted to talk about some of the themes.  You have been warned ;)


Review:  The mermaid chair was the first book I read by Sue Monk Kidd, being attracted to her books after seeing the movie of The Secret Life of Bees.  While I really enjoyed the movie, my first  step into her books was sadly disappointing.


I found the plot of The Mermaid Chair to have great themes, but poor execution.  It's a story about how relationships can fizzle out after a while and the temptation to find that spark in someone new.  It's also about how the sense of duty and propriety can prevent a person from choosing their own happiness.  But at the same time The Mermaid Chair is also about how people can have a life changing experience with a person even though they only know them for a short while and that meaningful relationships don't have to happen over twenty years.  I just didn't like how these themes were displayed.  There is very little room for the reader to draw their own conclusions, for the author will spell out each and every (obvious) symbolic meaning.  


The biggest problem was my inability to care about the characters.  On one hand I can totally understand Jessie and the choices that she made, having been there myself, but in reading her thoughts all I could think was that she was selfish and shallow.  I didn't feel any sense of empathy towards her and couldn't bring myself to understand why she felt the way she did about her husband.  I also didn't believe her "love" with Whit.  It was definitely more of a case of lust and using a lover to hide from depression than true romantic love.  


I want to make it clear that I didn't mind the affair, I can actually completely understand why she did that and her emotions behind it.  I just didn't like how it seemed like she was fooling herself by calling it love.  I wish she has at least cared enough about her husband to let him go first.  He seemed like a honest man and didn't deserve her betrayal.  Why are we all so afraid to admit our unhappiness to the people we care about before we do something that will end up hurting them way more than just telling the truth?   


Whit was probably the best character.  I could really identify with the choices he made in going to the monastery and his inner conflict trying to decide to stay or go, both from the monastery and his relationship with Jessie.  I like the theme of taking that cave time to heal from something bad, but then also realizing when it is time to come out of the cave and begin to create a new path in life.  The religious aspects and events that can totally shake the foundation of your faith and make you question everything you've always believed to be true was very interesting and well handled.  


Overall I really liked the themes in The Mermaid Chair, and some of the setting and imagery was very nice, but the deliverance of the themes in general fell flat and unemotional.  

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

 Published October 11, 2011 by EgmontUSA
egalley for review from netgalley
1 star

Goodreads Review
A modern retelling of the German fairy tale "Tristan and Isolde," Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Review:  Tris & Izzie is a first on a few different levels for me.  It's the first book I've ever read on my new Kindle, the first book I've ever received for review from netgalley, and my first ever one star review on this blog.  It's very rare for me to give out a less than two star rating, but there is nothing remotely redeeming about this book.  I'll try and hold in my negativity, but there's gonna be some snark and sarcasm.  Even I'm not that good.  (oh and p.s. this review may get spoilery, so if you really care (but why would you) you have been warned.)

First let's talk about the few things I did like about this book.  The cover is beautiful and it's what drew me to the book in the first place.  Not like I could see the pretty cover on my Kindle, but I could imagine it.  Ok, the other things I liked about this book are.....um....well there was....I liked the part where.....did I mention the pretty cover?

Let's talk about the characters.  Every single character in this book has bi-polar disorder.  One minute they're professing their undying love for each other and then not even ten pages later they're punching each other in the face.  No seriously, a boy punched his girlfriend in the face.  And she was cool with it.  I'm sorry but if my boyfriend punched me in the face I wouldn't be ok with it, I would be lying on the ground sobbing in a pool of my own nose blood.  Izzie is probably the worst.  She decides that her BFF Branna is too depressed and mopey and the best way to fix it is to give her an irreversible love potion with a guy they met literally TEN MINUTES AGO.  AND this was after Branna said she didn't want a love potion, that she wanted her love to be real.  Wow, some friend no?  And then when Mark (Izzie's "perfect" boyfriend (he's the one that punched her in the face)) almost drinks the love potion instead of Branna what does Izzie do?  Drinks it instead.  She doesn't, oh I don't know, pour it ON THE GROUND!?  No she has to drink it and then she acts all pissed off about being in love with a boy that's not her boyfriend.  Hum, maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to trick your best friend? 

These characters play musical chairs with their relationships.  They swap partners faster than the cast of Jersey Shore, I'm not exaggerating.  Mark goes from being in love with Izzie to Branna in literally five minutes.  Izzie goes from loving Mark to thinking that she never really loved him and that he and Branna are a much better match, even though earlier in the book she was super pissed that Branna had a crush on her boyfriend.  Tristan is just an idiot.

AND THEN there's the "magic" in this book.  It makes no sense other than to provide a greater enemy than this weird-o love square.  It's poorly supported and even more poorly executed.  The enemies and fight sequences are frankly, lame.  The ending made me want to gag it was so happily ever after.  I wish it had been like the real Tristan and Isolde and everyone had just died. 

Sigh.  Ok, end rant.  As a side note, if the author/publisher/editor/anyone involved with this book ever reads this, I don't mean to be a douche.  Promise.  But I just really disliked this book (ok loathed may be a more appropriate word), and I'm not going to try and sugar coat it.  Hope you're ok with that.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published December 2, 2010 by Dutton
4 Stars

Goodreads Review

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

Review:  Anna and the French Kiss is just a cute story.  It's a story about a girl who is thrown into a completely new setting where she is exposed to new experiences, meets new people, and even falls in love.

I really enjoyed this story.  The flirtatious interaction between Anna and Etienne was just adorable and so much fun to read.  The romance is certainly the strong point in this book, and it's done very well.  The character interactions and development were very well done as well.  I thought all of the characters were relate able and believable.  No one was completely bad and no one was perfect either, which I really appreciated.  Finally I LOVED the setting.  I've never been to the Paris part of France (I have been to the Riviera area like Toulon and Nice) and Anna and the French Kiss really made me want to travel there.  Everything was described so well I thought I was actually there.  I just wanted to stroll down the street visiting various monuments while eating a delicious baguette. 

My only real criticism has nothing to really do with the book or the writing, but just my general frustration with the characters themselves.  I think that if they had all just sat down and talked a lot of the drama could have been avoided.  I kept thinking, oh my gosh, why didn't you just TELL her/him/them!?  Also, I know a lot of people are head over heels for St. Claire, but I was not attracted to him.  His description was not my type and the picture of him in my head wasn't attractive, so I didn't have that attraction to him like most people.  I think that if I knew Etienne in real life I wouldn't have been attracted to him or been friends with him.

On the other hand, I LOVED Anna.  I loved her love for old movies, we could have totally bonded over that.  I am a movie freak too and it would be so much fun to have a movie marathon with Anna.  She goes through a lot of drama and a lot of really crappy things happen to her, but I loved reading about her growing as a person and learning from her mistakes.  She is not a perfect person, and I can really relate to her. 

Overall, Anna and the French Kiss is an adorable book set in the romantic streets of Paris.  It's a perfect light romance that is sure to charm and become a favorite.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Published in 2003 by Harcourt, Inc.
4 stars

Goodreads Review
When Henry meets Clare, he is twenty-eight and she is twenty. Henry has never met Clare before; Clare has known Henry since she was six. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare's attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. The Time Traveler's Wife is a story of fate, hope and belief, and more than that, it's about the power of love to endure beyond the bounds of time.


Review:  The Time Traveler's Wife is a unique love story that uses a fantasy premise of unintentional time travel to analyze completely real topics of death, infertility, loss, and love.  The non-linear timeline is a wonderful and interesting way to tell this rare love story.


I read somewhere that this book was like two books crammed into one.  One book was an amazing love story that could move you to tears and the other book was a boring list of grocery items, punk bands, book titles, and abstract painters.  I think this book just tried to be too much all at once.  I little more careful editing to cut out some of the sulfurous detail would have made this book a home run.

As it is The Time Traveler's Wife is still a great romance that really touched me.  I really liked how the time travel added a new dimension to their relationship.  Claire knows what has happened and Henry knows what will.  I also really liked the aspects of this book that dealt with child bearing and infertility.  I thought that was really interesting and it dealt with those topics in a very strong way.  I also really liked Alba and her interactions with Henry.  She was my favorite character; touching, sweet, and gentle with her parents.

Overall The Time Traveler's Wife is a beautiful love story that sometimes gets bogged down in the details.  I still highly recommend it for anyone interested in an adult novel that deals with all of the pain and happiness associated with loving someone.

Sidenote, I listened to the audio book and I thought it was really well done.  The actor for Henry was especially talented.  I really enjoyed the emotion shown in the audio book.

Another sidenote, the movie was a great adaptation of this book.  It took all of the important parts and made a great representation of the heart of the book.  Well done.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

#1 in the Chemical Garden series

Published in 2011 by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
3 Stars
DAC 2011

Goodreads Review
What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Review:  Wither was a very difficult book to review.  First I love the cover, so it gets at least 2 stars for the art alone. But then it loses stars for the completely ridiculous science/economic/social inconsistencies that make the premise for the life of the characters. But then it gains stars for the characters themselves, which I really loved. It also gains stars for the descriptive and impressive writing style. I'm torn!

ok after much consideration here's how the star math goes. (Don't read if you don't want spoilers)

+2 for the cover art
-1 for the illogical end of the world scenario
-1 for the illogical "virus" that comes from genetic manipulation
+1 for pretty dresses (whatever, don't judge)
+1 for addressing polygamy in a way that isn't 100% vile
+1 for a female character sticking to her ideals
-1 for not consummating the marriage (doesn't make any sense)
+1 for Jenna being a bad ass prostitute
+1 for elements of subterfuge and conspiracy theory (just what exactly was going on in that basement?)
-2 for then not answering questions raised by said subterfuge and conspiracy theory.
+1 for making me want to read the next book in the series.

TOTAL= 3 stars

Overall, this book is an awesome romance/Stockholm syndrome book, but pretty poor science fiction book. However, I think the positives of the narrative outweigh the pretend science.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson

Published in 2007 by Harper Teen
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Sometimes you have to get lost . . .

The Girl: Clio Ford, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan.

The Mission: Survive her father's crazy antics. Oh, and also find some missing underwater treasure that could unlock the secrets of civilization.

The Crew: Dad's wacky best friend Martin, his bizarre research partner Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant assistant.

What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway?

As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more cryptic than the sea—her own heart.

. . . to find what you're looking for.

Review:  Girl at Sea is an adorable tale of a young girl searching for herself, love, and buried treasure on the Mediterranean Sea.  This book does a really great job explaining the different dynamics of Clio's relationship with her friends, her father, and her budding romance with Adian.  The characters are totally believable.  The strongest part of Girl at Sea is the character development.  I had a clear sense of every character's opinions and goals even though the story was told from the perspective of Clio.  The romance with Adian was developed realistically.  There was not love at first sight, nor did some huge catastrophe bring them together. 

Girl at Sea book is not just a love story though.  There is an interesting mystery where Clio tries to discover the purpose of her father's mission and then the mysterious objective of the mission itself.  The historical experts add a fun bit of insight into their mission.

I also LOVED the setting of Girl at Sea.  I've been to Italy a couple of times and I've traveled to every location mentioned in the book.  Maureen Johnson did a wonderful job describing the Italian scenery and atmosphere. 

Overall Girl as Sea is a fun book about a girl growing up oh the high seas.  She encounters many adventures, some exciting and some dangerous, and through it all learns to forgive and love.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

#1 in The Forest of Hands and Teeth Series
Published in 2009 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
2 Stars

Goodreads Review
In Mary's world there are simple truths. 

The Sisterhood always knows best. 
The Guardians will protect and serve. 
The Unconsecrated will never relent. 
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. 

But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her. 

And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Review:  The Forest of Hand and Teeth gets one star for the description of the zombies (though not their explanation) and one star for the awesome title.  That's about it for the positive aspects of this book.

1. There needs to be an explanation for why the zombies exist, and the science has to make sense.  I am a stickler about there being science in science fiction and that science is based on fact.  If a virus causes the zombies I need to know how the virus is spread, where it originated, if it had an intended purpose or if it was just an accident, how it works in the body, ect.  I also need to know how the zombies specifically act in this story.  Are they fast or slow?  Are they thinking and planning zombies or mindless one?  Do they live until their bodies wear out or do they have to feed to survive?  I need to understand the cause of the zombies and how they act and why they act the way they do. 
2. There needs to be an explanation for the way society deals with the virus.  How do they adapt and what strategies have they developed to protect themselves from the zombies?  If there is a government still in place, why does it work, why do the citizens live the way they do, and what are the motivations of the governments decisions?
3. The heroes/heroines need to be smart.  They need to have an understanding of their enemy and survival needs to be their main focus.  They have to be imaginative, determined, and ready to fight.  That's the only way to survive a zombie apocalypse. 

The Forest of Hands and Teeth had none of these elements.  There was no explanation for the existence of zombies, just that they existed.  There seemed to be some knowledge hidden by the "government" of the village, but it was never revealed even though there were many opportunities for the main character to do some sleuthing.  There was almost no history about the zombie outbreak and how the village came to exist.  I got absolutely no understanding about how the zombies worked and how to best defeat them.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth was way too focused on the completely illogical romantic drama.  If the villagers believed that they were the last of humanity in the entire world, why would they force women into becoming nuns?  Shouldn't every viable womb be used to keep the population up?  I can understand forcing teens to marry in order for this to happen, but if a girl cannot find a match when she is 16 it made no sense for her to be forced into a life of celibacy.  Polygamy would have been a more logical system.  The particulars of Mary's relationship were also similarly mind boggling.  The teens involved inflicted a lot of unnecessary stress upon themselves.  They should have all just gotten together and talked about it.  A round table would have saved them all a LOT of problems.

I also really hated the attitude taken towards the zombies.  There seemed to be absolutely no protection and preparation beyond a few vaulted platforms and a chain link fence.  And where did all of the technology go?  This book read more like historical fiction than science fiction.  If it were me, people would be training every day in combat and survival skills, and they would all have the knowledge about zombies that was available. 
I'm surprised that these people lasted as long as they did because there was no preparation for a breach in their defenses.  They always seemed to be taken by surprise by a zombie attack, even though they had weeks to prepare.  The characters needed to get their priorities straight.

Overall I think this author had too many ideas and couldn't wrap them up.  None of my questions were answered or even hinted at having answers.  The Forest of Hands and Teeth focused too much on creating a complicated love square and didn't focus on the more pressing issue at hand, the fact that zombies were trying to eat some brains.  The zombies seemed like an afterthought added in to make a romance story more marketable.