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!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

 #3 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 15, 2013 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Review:  Shades of Earth is the best of the three in the series, especially the first half.  We start off with the shuttle crash landing on Centauri-Earth and tensions mount as the people break into two groups, Earthborn and Shipborn.  I thought the racism was really well done and I could totally understand Amy's frustration at being caught in the middle.  I did enjoy their first impressions of the planet. My mind was coming up with all kinds of theories about what was going on with this planet and what kind of dangers they would face. Unfortunately I felt like my imagination was bigger than the planet because I felt like what actually happened on the planet was a bit of a let down.

The twists weren't all the surprising, I pretty much called everything that was going to happen.  I didn't appreciate Amy's parents as much as I wanted.  Her dad was all military all the time, and was set up as an antagonist which I thought was a step back in terms of plotting and the character development of Amy.  Her mom had no personality and was there basically to just be the scientist so new plot elements could be revealed easily.  That too felt like a cop out.  I honestly found the plot to be really confusing.  I literally just finished the book and I was trying to explain it to a co-worker and I couldn't summarize it.  Something about corporate greed and slavery?  It felt like Beth Revis was trying to get allegorical but also trying to do it subtly and it just didn't come out in a clear way.

Also I thought the love triangle was ridiculous and completely unnecessary. I hated how jealous Elder got, your girlfriend is allowed to be friends with other guys, though I thought Amy handled the whole situation pretty well.  Amy and Elder's relationship as a whole didn't really work for me, and honestly I would have rather Amy choose herself and learn to live as her own independent person. Alas, what YA heroine ever gets to do that?

Overall the Across the Universe series improved with each book.  I really appreciated that Revis stepped away from the sexual assault and intimidation in the second book.  That was a plot device that I really hated, as well as the general sense of sex is scary and bad that was in Across the Universe.  I appreciated the different allegorical themes throughout the series, but I did think some were more successful than others.  I think Across the Universe addressed racism very well throughout the whole series, whether it was the shipborns not trusting Amy because she looked different or the earthborns thinking they were better than the shipborns.  I thought the theme of government control were well explored at the beginning of the series, but fell flat later on.  Finally I don't think the evils of corporate greed were written about in great depth.  That portion of the story felt rushed and very surface level.

I would recommend the Across the Universe series to people who are looking for a science fiction with a lot of parallels to our current society.  While the series didn't really work for me, I know that many will find it compelling and surprising.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

#2 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

 

 Hey guys!  Long time no blog!  I was out of town for work for two weeks and had no time to blog (sad day for sure).  But I'm back and we can return to our regular scheduled reviewing!

Review:  More like a 3.5, but not enough to add up to a 4. I ended up liking this a lot more than Across the Universe and I'm actually excited for Shades of Earth. The follow the clues was a cool idea, but I'm not sure it worked in this context because Amy just told Elder everything from the start. However, I enjoyed the build up to the final book (even though I totally called it, like spot on. I'm so smart).

While I really liked the idea of the follow the clues to find the truth treasure hunt plot device, I don't think it worked in the context of this particular story.  Amy is told from the start not to tell Elder, that deciding what to do with the information discovered should be her choice alone.  But of course she runs to Elder immediately.  I felt like this was a missed opportunity to create suspicious and distrust between the two characters which could have lead to some interesting development in their relationship.  It also could have given Amy a real chance to grow and act independently.  It was also painfully obvious what the secret information was, so there really wasn't much tension while they were trying to figure out the clues.  A good idea, but not executed well. 

What did work very well was the dissolution of the Eldest/Elder system and the rebellions that start springing up all over the ship.  I felt like this was a great allegory for what is happening in the world today.  People who live in poor conditions who are controlled by their government will eventually rise up against the institution, often in violent riots.

Overall I thought that while A Million Suns missed the mark on a few plotting choices, it is a great improvement on the first book, Across the Universe.  The writing style was great and the deeper message about mob mentality and the inherent flaws in a dictatorial type of government work really well in the futuristic setting.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

#1 in the Paranormalcy series
Published August 31, 2010 by HarperTeen
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Review:  Paranormalcy is very cutesy and a little cheesy but overall enjoyable.  I'd really give it a 3.4, but not quite enough to earn a 4 star round up.  The characters are fun but kind of annoying at times, the plot is interesting but rather predictable, and the writing is definitely geared toward the younger end of the YA spectrum.  

Evie, the main character, was equal parts obnoxious and endearing.  I loved that her taser had rhinestones all over it, but hated that she called it "tasey".  I loved her girly sense of style, but hot pink boots and a zebra dress?  Come on.  However, I think a character that starts off rather naive has a lot of room to grow.  I loved her friendship with Lish and I wish we could have gotten to know Lish better.  I understood Evie and her motivations and my inner 16 year old girl could totally related to her.

Lend, the love interest was also great.  I thought their relationship was really well done, it developed at a believable pace and I thought their interactions were really cute.  He definitely helped bring the overall rating up.  The romance was believable and it also isn't the main focus of the book, which I found really refreshing for a YA paranormal book. 

I did have some problems with the pacing of the story.  I thought the characters were kind of going in circles and I wish the special powers and the mystery were explained better.   I finished the novel with a lot of questions unanswered, and while I suspect they might be addressed in the next book in the series it wavered between cliffhanger and unsupported plotting. 

Overall I found Paranormalcy a fun read that will appeal to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Paranormalcy is a spunky coming of age story with a lot of heart, I would definitely recommend it for your summer reading list.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

#1 in The Infernal Devices series
Published August 31, 2010 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Don’t miss The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters August 2013.In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

Review:  Clockwork Angel is an interesting novel in that it produces a conundrum.  I think it was better than The Mortal Instruments books, but pretty much the exact same story and characters.  I would love to see Casssandra Clare write something other than a love triangle of sarcastic teens with modelesque good looks.  All of her characters are the same, and it's getting old.   

While the writing was better, this did not really work as a historical or steampunk novel.  These characters are most certainly not Victorian, they are written in a modern voice with mostly modern sensibilities.  Occasionally Tessa will think that something isn't proper or that servants shouldn't act a certain way, but because none of the characters ever seemed to follow Victorian propriety all this did was make Tessa look judgemental and prudish.  It felt like all of the ideas about Victorian society came from Wikipedia.  Also, just having a cheap imitation of Dr. Who's cybermen doesn't make your novel steampunk.  Steampunk is highly stylizied speculative fiction and just inserting a few robots and putting "clockwork" in the title doesn't cut it.  This felt very gimmicky and like a way to cash in on a popular trend.

Now with that said, I still did enjoy Clockwork Angel.  Third times a charm I guess.  I think this is largely due to Jem, the one character that felt new and fresh to Cassandra Clare's world.  Tessa and Will are pretty much carbon copy's of Clary and Jace, but Jem actually felt like a fleshed out character with a unique back story.  I was actually surprised at how excited I was to read a different character from Cassandra Clare (can you tell that I've been marathoning all of her books back to back?). 

Overall the best offering from Cassandra Clare, but when you consider her other novels that's not saying much.  I think if I hadn't read The Moral Instruments before Clockwork Angel I would have enjoyed it a lot more, but sadly this comes off as a more polished version of the novel she has already written.

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.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

#4 in The Mortal Instruments series
Published April 5, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

Review:  First I just wanted to mention that I listened to the audio book of City of Fallen Angels and was read by Ed Westwick (also know and Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl) and Molly C. Quinn (Alexis Castle on Castle) and they are both absolutely amazing.  I highly recommend this audio book.

I actually liked this a lot more than the previous couple of Mortal Instruments books. If Clary and Jace hadn't been so terribly annoying throughout 98% of this I think It would have been my favorite of the series (Also freaking Alec gave me a migraine. Seriously, I can't tell who has more stupid angst, him or Jace. It's a tie for most obnoxious). As it stands they really knocked it down a few notches. However, I really enjoyed Simon's story. He's becoming a much more interesting character than...morewITH THAT SAID i'M GOING AGAINST THE GRAINwITH I actually liked this a lot more than the previous couple of Mortal Instruments books. If Clary and Jace hadn't been so terribly annoying throughout 98% of this I think It would have been my favorite of the series (Also freaking Alec gave me a migraine. Seriously, I can't tell who has more stupid angst, him or Jace. It's a tie for most obnoxious). As it stands they really knocked it down a few notches. However, I really enjoyed Simon's story. He's becoming a much more interesting character than the Nephilim. I'm curious to see what will come from his mark and I'm hoping he will become more vampire-y as the series goes on. He's basically the only interesting character at this point.  I also didn't hate his love triangle, though I thought he was pretty stupid about the whole thing.  I could relate to liking two people at the same time and not being able to choose one and worrying about hurting the other. I did think the story was interesting as well, at least on Simon's side.  Without giving away spoilers, I liked the cult a lot and hope they show up more.  I was a little disappointed by how the villain was delt with, it felt a little too easy/convenient.  I also thought the cliffhanger ending (and of course there's a cliffhanger) was ok, but I thought it was a little obvious (because Jace always has to have angst). So overall I enjoyed City of Fallen Angels a lot more than I expected.  Cassandra Clare does recycle plot points and characters and nothing in this book is all that original, but it was an interesting set up for a new "trilogy" in The Mortal Instruments series.

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

Published May 7, 2013 by Putnam
#1 in The Fifth Wave series
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Review:  I recently watched a really great video from Daniel Marks about Propping.  Propping is basically when book industry consumers who also have some sort of media outlet (youtube, blogs, twitter, ect) get caught up in the hype of a book regardless of it's quality.  I feel like The 5th Wave falls into this category.  People hyped the shit out of this book, it was the BIG RELEASE FOR SUMMER 2013!!!!! So I had high expectations....and The 5th Wave fell far short of them.

I feel like I'm the only person who thinks like this, but I was very unimpressed with The 5th Wave.  I think my main complaint is that at the beginning of the novel Cassie goes on and on about how the alien invasion was like nothing we had ever imagined, we were dead wrong about how it would happen, we could have never predicted it ect.  Instead what we got were many common tropes seen in a variety of science fiction.

***slight spoilers ahead for the different waves.  I won't talk about what happens to the characters, just the general world building***

Wave 1 - EMP takes out all technology.  As seen in The Matrix or War of the Worlds and in lots of modern warfare type video games.

Wave 2 - Natural disasters that cause tsunamis that take out most of the coasts.  As seen in The Day After Tomorrow, Deep Impact, 2012, and loads of other disaster movies.

Wave 3 - Terrible virus/disease that wipes out 95% of the population.  As seen in Contagion, Mask of the Red Death, lots of episodes of Star Trek, and a ton of video games such as Mass Effect and Deus Ex.

Wave 4 - Alien silencers (who look like humans) sent to root out survivors.  Reminds me of Animporhs mixed with Terminator mixed with Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  There are also floating eye machine things that made me think of the attack drones from Oblivion (that recent Tom Cruise Movie) and Portal's Wheatley.

Wave 5 - I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that it didn't seem all the original (and not very logical on the part of the aliens.)

Can you see my frustration?  Each wave didn't seem unexpected because I've seen these same tropes pop up again and again!  It felt like The 5th Wave was trying to be all of the things all at once, and I would have preferred just picking one and really supporting it or having the waves be things that I had never seen before.  This felt too spread out and too stuck in the same old sci-fi genre.

I also had a very hard time connecting with Cassie, especially when she teams up with Evan.  I felt like I was reading what an author thinks a teenage girl would feel or say, and not what his character would feel or say.  The romance was incredibly awkward and just didn't really work for me.  My biggest problem is that we get a very short chapter from Evan's perspective that reveals that he is in fact a silencer (at least that's how I read it) so when Cassie is doubting him and his intentions, we already know.  It completely took out the suspicious tension for me and made their whole romance just unbearable.

Now, with that said, the reason I gave The 5th Wave 3 stars was because I really enjoyed the ending.  I liked it when all of the different perspectives came together for the final show down, it just took forever for them to get there.  I am interested in continuing the story and seeing how they will deal with wave 5 (even though I don't really understand why the aliens would even bother at this point, but who knows.  Maybe we'll get more insight later on in the series).

Overall The 5th Wave was a disappointment.  I was expecting a fresh and exciting adventure and instead I got cliche tropes told through a lot of info dumps.  While I am interested in reading a sequel, it is not high on my list. 

Beyond the Wall by James Lowder



Published June 19, 2012 by Smart Pop

egalley for review from netgalley
3 stars

Goodreads Review
Foreword by New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore

Go beyond the Wall and across the narrow sea with this collection about George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, from A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Dragons.

The epic game of thrones chronicled in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series has captured the imaginations of millions of readers. In Beyond the Wall, bestselling authors and acclaimed critics offer up thought-provoking essays and compelling insights:

Daniel Abraham reveals the unique challenges of adapting the original books into graphic novels.
Westeros.org founders Linda Antonsson and Elio M. García, Jr., explore the series’ complex heroes and villains, and their roots in the Romantic movement.
Wild Cards contributor Caroline Spector delves into the books’ controversial depictions of power and gender.

Plus much more, from military science fiction writer Myke Cole on the way Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder shapes many of the leading characters to author and television writer Ned Vizzini on the biases against genre fiction that color critical reactions to the series.

Review:  I am a huge fan of the Song of Ice and Fire series.  I think it's absolutely brilliant and by far the best epic fantasy I have ever read.  The characters are complex and they live in a rich world with long running history, religions, and cultures (not to mention some fantastic geography, the backbone of any good fantasy in my opinion).  I love discussing the different themes and events that occur in the series so I was very interested in this collection of essays about the popular series.  However, we get kind of a mixed bag.  Some of the essays are thought provoking and worth the read, but others just felt like filler. 

A word of warning, do NOT read this book if you haven't read the first five books in the series!  These are discussion essays and will contain major spoilers!

My favorite essay in the collection is probably The Brutal Cost of Redemption in Westeros by Susan Vaught.  This essay talks about how seemingly good characters, such as Robb Stark, make terrible choices due to lack of foresight and are forced to pay the consequences.  The essay also looks at characters that start off unlikable, such as Sansa Stark or Jamie Lannister, adapt to their situation and struggle towards redemption, often having to make terrible sacrifices in order to do so.

Other notable essays in the book are An Unreliable World by Adam Whitehead, which discusses how over time events can be skewed and exaggerated, with average men being made into heroes and demons.  I especially enjoyed the discussion of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen and the uncertain truth to their relationship. 

In Of Direwolves and Gods by Andrew Zimmerman Jones we look at the different religions that are present in the Song of Ice and Fire series.  It analyzes the influence of these religions on Westeros society and also compares them to modern religion's influence on today's society as well.  The end point is summed up quite nicely in a quote from Varys "Power resides where men believe it resides.  no more and no less."

And finally in the essay A Different Kind of Other by Brent Hartner we look at the role of outcasts in ASoIaF.  Through this essay we realize that many of the main characters are viewed as unnatural or minority in some way - Arya and Brienne defy feminine social norms; Jon Snow the bastard; Tyrion the dwarf; Bran who is disabled; and Daenerys the literal outcast queen.  This essay looks at how people who don't conform to social expectations can develop into the strongest and most heroic characters of all.

There are other essays that touch on subjects of rape and feminism, post traumatic stress disorder, the use of magic in Westeros, and more publishing business topic such as adapting the books into graphic novels and a television show, the collection of prequel novels, the future of publishing in a digital age, and the expectations of the fantasy genre as a whole.  These essays are interesting, but not really stand out.

Overall the collection is just ok.  There are a few interesting points, but most of the essays are disappointing.  I would recommend this collection to the true die hard fan who really wants to dive into more thematic discussions but would say pass to the more casual reader.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner (100th Review, HOLLA!)

#1 in the Maze Runner series
Published October 2009 by Delacorte BFYR
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Review:  I was really excited to read the maze runner after having met James Dashner at a book signing for his newest series, The Infinity Ring.  He had such enthusiasm for writing for kids and encouraging them to read that I wanted to read all of his books right now!  However, I was really disappointed with a lot of what happened in The Maze Runner.  (sad panda!)

The one thing that got really old with The Maze Runner was the withholding of information from Thomas just because "you don't need to know that right now greenie".  UGH WHATEVER!  I hate books that try and create tension by purposefully keeping the main character in the dark.  It's one thing if the character has amnesia, that I don't mind, but it's when they ask a specific question and are told "you don't need to know that" or "I'll tell you later".  No. NO!  TELL ME NOW! 

This is especially true in a dystopian type setting.  Like ok, if it's a contemporary and the reason you don't want to tell the main character something is because you have too many feels and you're just not ready yet or whatever ok.  I get that.  BUT in a dystopian kind of setting information is how you survive!  Why would you with not tell someone some vital information for no reason other than you think it doesn't matter or they don't need to know?  That's crazy talk!  And yet this went on for pages and pages during The Maze Runner.

However, a pretty interesting story did develop.  While I wasn't a huge fan of the majority of The Maze Runner I like where it's going.  I was really drawn into the story in the last 25% of the book, so that's where the 3 stars came from.  So while the second book, The Scorch Trials, isn't very high on my TBR pile, it's in there.  I'm not giving up yet!

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Published June 3, 2010 by Hodder Children's Books
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
The story of Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly-skilled sisters who have been hunting Fenris (werewolves) -- who prey on teen girls -- since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Scarlett lives to destroy the Fenris, and she and Rosie lure them in with red cloaks (a colour the wolves can't resist), though Rosie hunts more out of debt to her sister than drive. But things seem to be changing. The wolves are getting stronger and harder to fight, and there has been a rash of news reports about countless teenage girls being brutally murdered in the city. Scarlett and Rosie soon discover the truth: wolves are banding together in search of a Potential Fenris -- a man tainted by the pack but not yet fully changed. Desperate to find the Potential to use him as bait for a massive werewolf extermination, the sisters move to the city with Silas, a young woodsman and long time family friend who is deadly with an axe. Meanwhile, Rosie finds herself drawn to Silas and the bond they share not only drives the sisters apart, but could destroy all they've worked for.


Review:  I came to Sisters Red with high expectations.  I loved the concept of this re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, and I loved the addition of hardcore werewolf hunting sisters.  It's such an interesting spin on the fairy tale, and I love the girl power behind the idea.  I thought the sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, have well developed voices and the mythology behind the werewolves was strong and made a lot of sense (I loved the reasoning behind the red cloaks!), but there were some shortcomings.

The best part of Sisters Red is the werewolves.  They are ferocious and frightening, and I really love the sexual predator aspect (I know that sounds creepy, but it totally works with the story).  Everything the girls do, from their red cloaks to their demeanor to their hatchets, is to lure the werewolves in.  I love how they take the wolves sexual nature and turn it back on them and use their sexuality as a weapon.  It makes for an evocative read.

I had two major problems with Sisters Red.  The first was the pacing.  I thought many aspects of the story became redundant, with the characters doing the same exact thing just in a different location without any growth.  The story really didn't pick up until the final 100 pages. 

The other problem I had was the lack of growth with the sisters.  Rosie got a bad case of insta-love which was about as far as she developed.  Scarlett is a fantastic character and starts off so interesting, but she really doesn't grow.  She starts off very jaded, and while some people have claimed her attitude as slut-shaming, I understand where she's coming from.  I think she's extremely bitter about the fact that her innocence, her change to be a silly girl, was taken away from her.  She's scared, both physically and emotionally.  I would have loved to have seen some of her scars heal, but I just didn't get enough which was really disappointing. 

Overall Sisters Red is an excellent start and though it has some flaws there is so much potential.  I am definitely going to be reading more of Jackson Pearce's fairy tales and I'm looking forward to more creative re-tellings!

Deadline by Mira Grant

#2 in the Newsflesh trilogy
Published June 1, 2011 by Orbit
3 stars

Goodreads Review
Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun when you've lost as much as he has.

But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, but the conspiracy is far from dead.

Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun.

Review:  This review will not contain any spoilers for Deadline OR Feed because I could never ruin such an amazing book for you!

OK guys, you know how much I loved Feed.  Seriously, Feed is probaby one of my favourite books of all time.  I could not put that book down, and I was still thinking about the plot and the characters months after finishing the book.  So I think it's pretty obvious I had monstrously huge expectations for Deadline, and while the book was enjoyable, it fell far short of the ridiculously high bar it's predecessor has set.

One of my biggest problems with this "zombie" book was it's distinct LACK of zombies!  There's some running away from zombies, but they only actually encounter zombies like, two times.  I wanted a little more suspense and action!  Lots of Deadline was spent in conversation.  The characters spent way too much time talking about what they were going to do, rather than actually doing it.  These conversations wouldn't have been too bad, but we switch narrators from Georgia to Shaun, and his inner monologue is very repetitive and gets rather annoying after a while. 

I also am missing the love that I had for the supporting characters.  I loved Buffy and Mahir in Feed, but I didn't feel the same love for Becks, Alaric, and Maggie.  In general I just wasn't nearly as committed to Deadline as I was to Feed, which I think is pretty apparent considering it took me almost 6 months to read!

Deadline is a good follow up, but is missing a lot of the magic of feed, which is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm not as big a fan of Shaun as I was of Georgia, and none of the big plot twists seemed that shocking. I am still very excited for Blackout, and I think it will be awesome based on the ending of Deadline.

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.

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.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published in 2009 by Viking Juvenile

3 Stars

Goodreads Review

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.

Review:  I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was really anticipating reading Wintergirls.  I read Speak a while ago after watching the movie (which I actually liked!  Who knew I'd like a K-Stew movie) and I loved the book.  However, I'm sad to say that Wintergirls fell short for me.

I really enjoy reading books about mental illnesses including eating disorders.  I find there are so many different ways an author can go when they're writing a story about mental illness.  I felt like Anderson was close to hitting the mark, but didn't quite make it.  I couldn't connect to her writing style which is surprising because I really enjoyed her writing in Speak.  However in Wintergirls it was a little too poetic and "flowery" for my taste.  I guess I was expecting a much more direct form of story telling, and Wintergirls kept me guessing as to what was really going on.  I couldn't tell if it was a contemporary or paranormal book, and that ambiguity frustrated me and turned me off from large chunks of the story.  


Another aspect of the book I didn't really like was the lack of character growth.  I didn't get the impression that Lia really learned anything by the end of the story.  I was hoping that I would get some sense that she was going to get better, that she would have some sort of epiphany about what she was doing to her body and her family.  That never happened for me.  At the end she still seemed selfish and defensive.  

This review isn't to say Wintergirls is the worst book I've ever read.  I did enjoy some parts, largely the horrific side effects of anorexia and bulimia, but for me parts of the book felt too hung up in a specific writing style or convention to tell the story clearly.  Overall I would say Wintergirls is a good book, but nowhere near some of Anderson's other works.

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

#4 in the Vampire Academy Series
Published August 25, 2009 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's Academy was the deadliest ever in the school's history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them . . . including Dimitri.

He'd rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa the one she has sworn to protect no matter what and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

Review:   I have to admit that after the awesomeness that was Shadow Kiss my expectations where VERY high for Blood Promise.  Sadly, I was disappointed.  Blood Promise was the only weak point in the entire series and it was very weak for 75% of the book.  With that said, there are still some really great parts of the book (mostly the ending, very awesome) and the introduction of some cool new characters (Sydney is super great as is Abe), but the book as a whole is far below the bar the rest of the series sets.

So, let's review the positives first.  Sydney is introduced in this book, and she becomes a pretty cool character in the rest of the series and in the spin off series Bloodlines.  However, in this book she's not that awesome, it's mostly just a way to put her in Rose's life.  I also really enjoyed the ending.  The final "battle" is exciting and really made me interested in the next book.  I don't want to give any spoilers, but trust me that the last 100ish pages are totally awesome.

However, there are 300 pages of BORING before you get to the awesome.  This book really takes a hit with the separation of Lissa and Rose.  Mead tries to have both their story lines run congruently, but neither are very interesting.  I found myself not really caring about Lissa when Rose wasn't around.  I didn't think the information revealed about spirit was that great, and most of Lissa's plot was just filler to give her something to do while Rose was away.  Also while Rose is in Siberia, we meet a lot of character that (with the exception of Sydney and Abe) serve no purpose to the main storyline and are basically just filler.  Which is very obvious.  Not to mention the way over use of flashbacks.  There was just TMI.  I don't care about the conversations that Rose had with Dimitri a couple months ago, I want to know what they're doing now.  This entire book (with the exception of the last 100ish pages) is just filler that doesn't do anything to push the main story along.

OK, even with all of that said, this is still an enjoyable read, just not as TOTALLY FREAKING AWESOME OMG! as the rest of the series.  Don't let this book stop you from the final two books.  They are super excellent, especially Last Sacrifice.  Overall Blood Promise is a bit of a hiccup in an otherwise enthralling series.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

#1 in The Mortal Instrument series
Published in 2007 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? 

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review:  City of Bones has some really awesome things going for it, and some not so awesome things as well.  This review is going to be a little different because I'm going to make a pros and cons list.  Because I feel like it.  And I can do what I want.


Pros

• The Setting - I almost always love books set in New York City.  It's one of my most favorite places in the world, and I loved the whole paranormal underground club scene. 
• Snark and Sarcasm - I can be a pretty cynical beyotch when I want to be, so I found myself giggle-snorting at a lot of the one liners and quips that the characters toss at each other.
• HOTHOTHOTHOT - Jace may be an a-hole, but he's a sexy a-hole.
• Clary is a red head - She's a pretty good heroine.  She deals with all of the bad stuff that happens to her and doesn't take shit.  She's not afraid to stand up for herself and that is awesome.
• Shadowhunter Mythology - I really enjoyed the overall mythology and I think there's a lot of cool stuff to develop in future books. 

Cons

• Repeating the same stuff over and over - There were just too many repeated jokes, references, and phrases for me to really enjoy the writing.  I HATE it when the same adjective gets used twice on a page, and I kept noticing that happening (Brindle.  All the time.  Everyone and everything is brindle colored).  It's called a thesaurus.  Get one.
• Every character is the same - All of the characters have the same sarcastic sense of humor and after a while they all blended together into one giant ball of snark.
• Random plot tangents - There were a lot of sub-plots that didn't really support the main story arc.  I would read a hundred pages and then go "why did we just do that?"  They serve absolutely no purpose for the main story.
• GROSS - I'm not going to spoil anything, but ew.  People who've read it know what it is.  One of the plot points takes a really icky turn that I just do not like to read about.  I was not please that that's the way the story went.

Overall City of Bones has a lot of potential, but I think it was failed by its editors.  I am excited to read the next book in the series because even though I was not in love with this book there were a lot of great moments.  I'm hoping that as the series continues some of the technical kinks will be worked out so the awesome story idea can shine through.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Published in 2010 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
3 Stars


Goodreads Review

Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul--the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbor, who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter--environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, total family man--she was doing her small part to build a better world.

But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz--outré rocker and Walter's college best friend and rival--still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become "a very different kind of neighbor," an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes?

In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's characters as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.


Review:  

I really enjoyed Franzen’s writing style.  He is clear, descriptive, and intelligent.  I had a clear picture of the main character’s objectives and their inner struggles.  Their backgrounds were laid out in a way that allowed me to see their growth without feeling like there was a massive info dump to get there.  However there were times when I thought Franzen was trying too hard to be “cool”, in the way a 6 year old boy thinks poop and dead bugs are cool.  There are some really weird analogies used that do not help me connect to the story (using the phrase “a firm little clitoris of discernment and sensitivity” to describe a woman’s intelligence for example….???? I’m sorry but I don’t know anyone who would describe a person as being a clitoris of anything.  Just saying).

In particular I enjoyed Joey’s transformation.  I loved how he went from a spoiled and entitled little shit to a man who had to make some huge choices.  He started off with that “nothing bad can ever happen to me” mentality that so many teenagers seem to have, and then when something REALLY bad happened he learned to take responsibility for not only his actions, but the ethical and moral implications of those actions.  In the end he turned out to be one of the most stable characters, which was something I could not predict based on his character at the start of the book. 

The character I could relate to the most was probably Patty.  I can completely understand how she can have everything she’s “supposed” to want and still be horribly unhappy.  I can also understand how a husband can do everything right and still be wrong, and that the man who does everything so horribly wrong can be the only man you can love.  It’s not healthy, but I get it. 

The only character I didn’t like was Richard.  I couldn’t understand his point of view or his motivations.  I didn’t like how he said he cared about Walter so much but couldn’t have enough self-control to stay loyal to the one person who always stood by him.  I also didn’t think this character was all that realistic.  Sure he was a “rock star” but I didn’t think he was neither famous nor rich enough to have women just throwing themselves at him.  He didn’t come across charming or sexy, just dirty and rude.

I think the overall theme of the book was a person’s sense of duty and if they were too cowardly to live up to their duty or if they had the courage to seek the freedom from duties that made them miserable.  Every single character had to make a decision about their duties in life, whether it be to their children, spouse, friend, company, country, or themselves, and if they were going to meet expectations or not.  More often than not they have to choose between two conflicting duties, which is not an easy thing.  This was probably my favorite aspect of the book, and the development and choices of the characters were both expected and surprising. 

Overall Freedom is like one of the videos on the weird side of youtube.  Whether it’s a dog scratching its balls or a kitten randomly puking, there’s something freakishly fascinating about it.  That’s what Freedom is; equal parts captivating and disgusting.  I can really only recommend this book to you if you’re willing to take a look at the nastier side of people and can handle seeing some of that reflected in yourself. 

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

Published in 2000 by Regan Books
3 Stars


Goodreads Review
We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks?

Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household -- and the treacherous truth of her former life.

Review:  I don't know what it is about Gregory Maguire, but I keep reading his books thinking I'll like them and I end up being disappointed at best, but more often than not annoyed and put off. I love the ideas of his novels, but every single one is a let down. Confessions is not so terrible as Mirror Mirror or Lost, but I'm still leaving feeling like he could have done so much more. There is all of build up in this novel and the ending feels rushed, like he got bored half way through and just decided to stop writing. Also, I am surprised at the lack of sexuality in this book, which is a very prominent topic in some of his other books. This story seemed ripe for sexual exploitation, and if there was any it was only hinted at. There were many aspects of this book that I thought were almost good, but just not quite developed enough.

I think I will always try and fail to enjoy his writing.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

#1 in the Mara Dyer series
Published September 27, 2011 by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
3 stars
DAC 2011


Goodreads Review
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.


Review:  This book was a major disappointment for me, and this review may get a bit ranty but I'll try and reign it in.  Now, I'm not saying that it was bad or poorly written.  But I was expecting an exciting and fresh murder mystery/ghost story, and what I got was an overdone and tired paranormal romance.  It's not a poorly written paranormal romance, but it was unoriginal.  People who liked Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick will really enjoy this.  I think if I had read this book in January or February, which is when I first started reading YA, I would have absolutely loved this book.  However I feel like I've read way too many YA books that go down the same road TUoMD did. 


This book divides into two parts for me.  The first part is a ghosty murder mystery where we don't know what is going on with Mara and it full of WTF moments (it's the part I really loved) and the second part falls into the stereotypical paranormal romance.  That's when TUoMD lost a lot of appeal for me.  It became predictable and I started to care less and less about the characters because the focus shifted from an awesome mystery to a boring romance. 

I'll start with the things I liked.  I loved the mystery around why Mara was in the hospital, what happened to her friends, and what the hell is currently going on.  I loved all of the scary stuff that happened and I wanted so much more of that.  When this book is good, it's damn good.  Which is why it was so frustrating too.  I don't understand why this book couldn't have been a paranormal mystery or even horror book.  It had SO much potential and great marketing.  I also LOVE the cover, it's so cool and mysterious. 

I had problems with the ending, mostly because I had a very hard time understanding what was going on.  I have pretty good reading comprehension skills and I found myself re-reading paragraphs because I was trying to understand what was happening.  Now, part of this was probably because I finished the book at around 3am, but it also was the unclear writing.  I think this was partially due to the fact that the story hadn't focused on the mystery for so long that at the end when it tried to go back to that it was underdeveloped. 

The other parts that I had an issue with was how the relationship was handled and how the friendships developed (or didn't).  Mara made a friend at school but he really seemed like a device to introduce Noah, the love interest, and once that relationship had started he was unceremoniously dumped from the story.  This pissed me off.  I hate it when romance=no other character is important in the MC's life.  I kept expecting the friend to make another appearance, but he never did.  He was just gone.  The romantic relationship between Mara and Noah was very Twilight-y.  Noah was too perfect (hot, smart, rich as balls) and Mara was too insecure about him and  her feelings.  And then the paranormal aspect of Noah was also too convenient.  It literally was like "oh, you have magic powers? I have magic powers!  What a coincidence!"  Their whole relationship and the plot devices used to move their relationship were frustrating, illogical, and too perfect to be realistic.

The final issue I had is a minor one that I didn't like but many people may, and that's the writing style used to create humor in conversations.  I know the author was trying to be amusing and teenager-y but it came across as too crude for my taste (and that's saying something because I'm a pretty crude person).  There were just too many immature boner jokes and sexual innuendos that didn't really fit with the voices of the characters nor the overall tone of the book.

Now, don't let this review get you down.  I still really enjoyed this book, even with all of the complaints I have.  I think I feel this way because I was hoping for something amazing, and what I got was a story I'd already read in 20 other books.  Many people will love TUoMD, I just wasn't one of them.