A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

"On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites--like fire and ice--Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move--only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past. 

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: September 27th 2011 by HarperTeen

                                                                  Source: HarperTeen via NetGalley

I am a sucker for paranormal with romance. What makes them even better for me is a love triangle (even though I think I am one of the few that like them). So when I was trying to pick out my next read I knew that this one was it. It was pretty much calling to me when it so boldly stated in the synopsis that Skye is torn between two guys. And let me tell you, it is pretty understandable why she is. Asher is dangerous and wild while Devin is sweet and thoughtful. Skye doesn't automatically think they are the greatest thing ever and she questions things about them that any normal person would question, which helps up the realness of the story.

The backdrop was perfect. Losing myself in the frigid winter of Colorado was a very nice break from the melting heat that we are having right now in Texas.
Even though I could basically feel the cold air of Boulder because the descriptions are so great, there wasn't a lot of story. Basically it's just about Skye trying to figure Asher and Devin out. Which was fine for me because that was what I was in the mood for. 


Now, I know the synopsis doesn't give much away in what kind of paranormal story this is and I have seen a lot of people assume that it is vampires and say they aren't going to read it because they are tired of vampires. Well I am here to tell you that it is not about vampires. It is about angels. Now hold on. Before you roll your eyes and say "Oh they have been done too many times also" let me tell you that A Beautiful Dark provides a whole new twist on them. It was pretty great.


And here's a little teaser for you (that includes a huge hint as to what they are):
"All of a sudden he’d taken two giant steps towards me, and before I knew it, had taken my face into his hands and taken me into the darkness of his wings, and he was kissing me and I was kissing him and we were kissing each other in my little bedroom, in my little house, in my little town, while the mountains soared into the sky." 


Yeah, that's one of my favorite scenes in this book. It was perfect.


My only problem was that Skye's best friend Ian is just so obviously in love with her but she acts like she doesn't know even though it is the most obvious thing in the world.  And she flirts with him allll the time, but when Asher and Devin walk into her life she starts ignoring Ian and her other friends. He does not deserve that at all. He is so super sweet, really perfect boyfriend material so Skye lost some of my respect when she started acting like a jerk to him.


The end is probably one of the biggest cliff hangers ever. I mean it was cruel how it ended. There better be at least a sequel. And I am thinking with how this one ended the next one will expand on the story much more.


So if you are in the mood for a good paranormal packed with romance put this on to be read list and grab it when it comes out! Definitely worth the read!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

"How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 496 pages                                                         

                                                                            Published May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen

                                                                            Source: HarperTeen via NetGalley.

Starcrossed is an amazing Greek Mythology retelling. Probably my favorite so far. At almost 500 pages it may seem a little daunting, but it is so fantastically told that I hardly even noticed how long it was.

And being that long really allows for story and characters to development. Angelini also takes the time to introduce readers to the world of Greek Mythology, instead of assuming that they already know the myths. But don't worry, it is informative but it does not read like a history book.

What I truly loved about Starcrossed is that it is not about the Greek Gods directly, but about the Scions- or demigods as more people may know them- and how 'The Houses' are fighting due to past transgressions that the Fates keep repeating throughout history. 
High school relationships are hard enough as it is, but then you add in the Furies trying to get you to rip apart a family you haven't even been formally introduced to and then falling for the very guy the Fates have dictated you are supposed to kill. And then on top of that, finding out that if you and the aforementioned guy do find a way to be together, you cannot really be together-together or all the Heavens and Hell will break loose and a war will be started. The entire fate of The Houses rest upon Helen's and Lucas's shoulders. As long as they can control their raging teen hormones they should be okay, right? Yeah, I guess that is easier said then done.

Helen was an okay character. Not my favorite female protagonist, but definitely not my least favorite. It was just a bit hard to relate to her at times since one of her biggest problems in life is dealing with being a model look-a-like and not enjoying the attention she gets because of that. She is sweet and likable, I just enjoyed the Delos family much more. What an array of characters they were. I am loving books where the secondary characters really stand out and help make the story. In Starcrossed I got that with Helen's best friend Claire. She was a fun girl to have around. Very lively and a great best friend.
Lucas on his own was also an alright character. He was a much stronger and more likable character when he was with his family or around Helen. He may not have reached "book boyfriend" status for me, but he and Helen were great when they were together. The tension, the longing, the need to kill the other. It was all just so romantic.


So if you have not had very good luck with finding a Greek Mythology book that you like lately (as was the case with me), but you still kind of want to give this one a shot, do it. As I said before, even if you don't know the myths, Starcrossed does a wonderful job of telling them in the story. 
Or maybe you are a Greek myth book trip and just cannot get enough of them. Starcrossed will not disappoint and it most definitely satiate your desire for another great myth read.

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

"“It seemed so right. Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn't going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead, not anymore. I didn't think any further than what it would feel like to kiss him again, to wrap my arms around him and bury my head against his shoulder. 
That was my first mistake. It also turned out to be the biggest.”

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned."-GoodReads.

Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Expected publication: September 20th 2011 by Harper Collins, Inc.

The premise of Cold Kiss sounded really intriguing. Who wouldn't want to bring back a loved one after they died? 

It didn't turn out to be as good as it could have been. About the first half of the book was really slow and felt very forced. It was just Wren going on and on about how her and Danny had been just the perfect couple. No couple is that perfect. Especially not in highschool. And then things that Danny did that were not good for the relationship she just really played off as not a big deal. Then she would start thinking about how he just wasn't the same as he was 'before'. You brought you boyfriend back from the dead! No duh he's not the same!

Wren also knows nothing about the powers she has. Her mom has them, her aunt has them, and her sister is starting to get them. So why doesn't she know? Because her mother is in denial and refuses to talk about these powers. It was a bit ridiculous and unbelievable. The powers that they display are dangerous (as in electrical things tend to blow up around her) and this mom refuses to tell her daughters about how to control them? Seriously?!  

Then in comes Gabriel, which kind of made things a bit more interesting because he knows about her and can sense her power so he tries to help her out. If it hadn't been another case of instalove and their relationship had been allowed to develop a little bit more it might have helped boost my positive feelings for this story.

There are a ton of unanswered questions at the end so I am kind of hoping for a sequel just to have those things explained.

Overall, Cold Kiss was alright. It's a quick supernatural read that just needs a bit more development. But if you are wanting something with zombies that has a romantic side to it, give Cold Kiss a try.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

"Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published May 3rd 2011 by HarperCollins Children (Katherine Tegen Books)

Wow. Divergent was an INCREDIBLE story. So much so that when I was done reading it I wanted to start it all over again. There have been only two other books that I have wanted to do that with. 

The characters, the plot, the world...everything was amazing.

I read the first page and a half one Sunday morning on my way to church. Not the best time to start this book, because I was hooked. I was so intrigued by what happened on that first page that I had to know more, I had to know why, and I had to know soon. It was a bit difficult to put the book down and go inside. 

The illustrations that Veronica Roth paints with her words are just so vivid and make her story come to life. 

Oh, and Veronica, thank you soooo much for writing such a great lead female. Tris was perfect. Unlike so many main girl characters who whine about everything, act weak, and depend on guys to do everything for them, Tris knew she had to become strong in order to survive, so she did. Not without difficulties, and not totally alone, but she didn't think everyone else should be fighting her battles. I don't think I have ever felt so connected to a character as I did to Tris. Finally a girl that I got to actually think "hey that's what I would do!"

And also Veronica, thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating Four. Strong, mysterious, a born leader...ah-maz-ing! Seriously...can I have him? Cause I want him, real bad.

The secondary characters brought so much life into this story, as well. There are a lot of them so it took me a little bit to remember everyone, but they all add something to the story and make it feel just that much more real.


Not only does this book have great characters, but it has an awesome plot set in dystopian Chicago, which was really neat. For the most part we are in only one of the factions (which one I will not say), which works for this story, but I am hoping in the next book we get to go out into the world that Tris lives in and explore it more (and by the way Divergent ended I'm pretty sure that will be happening).

Divergent is most definitely one of my favorite books now. Just writing this I am craving a re-read, to be able to get back into the characters heads and sucked back into their world. I cannot wait until my to be read pile is down a little bit so I can dive back into this one.

If you haven't read this one yet I would like to know why not? Go to the store, buy it, go home, and read it. Now. Do nothing else until it is finished. That's an order...or peer pressure. Which ever will actually make you read it.

And don't forget to add Insurgent (Divegent book #2) to your reading list. The expected publication date is May of 2012. I cannot wait!

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

"This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action. 

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 453 pages

Published February 15th 2011 by HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books

I had been putting off reading this one for a little while because of that scary ol' hype monster. I literally do not think I have seen one bad review for this book, so I was just not sure if it really was what everyone was saying or if people were just bandwagoning it.
I finally caved, obviously, and read it. After finishing it, putting it down, and thinking about it for a little bit, I have decided that I did really like it. 


I'm not a big Ellie fan. She would have been more enjoyable if she hadn't complained so much. Or acted like such a brat sometimes. Girls like that annoy me. Though she did end up having some cool moments, I stuck around for Will. I liked him. A lot. You know what I loved most about him? His love for root beer floats. I love them too. So anyone who likes them is cool in my book. So he was awesome because of that, and his undying dedication to Ellie. No matter what happened he was right by her side ready to do whatever she asked him to do.

My biggest problem with the book was Ellie's mom. I mean, really, she has to be the most unrealistic mother EVER. "No alcohol at your party," *later catches Ellie drinking* "Oh Ellie, we know we can't actually stop you from drinking, so I guess I would prefer you do it in the house then out other places." *Mother forbids Ellie to see a certain guy then later finds out Ellie really likes said guy, a lot* "Oh Ellie, I know we can't actually stop you from seeing this guy, so just be careful with him, okay?"
*FACEPALM* Seriously Mom? She is your daughter, living under your roof, you can tell her not to do things and she is supposed to listen to you...that's called 'being the parent'. I wanted to throw the book multiple times because of things like this...but decided against that since I was reading the book on my Kindle...

Other than the few things that I did not care for, I do have to say, Courtney Moulton does know how to write a super action packed book though. It was page after page of heart-pounding action. And it was appropriate, not over done at all.


If you love action-adventure, fantasy, and forbidden romance, give Angelfire a try. And don't forget to keep your eyes open for the release of Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) which is supposed to be released sometime next year, and then Hymn to the Fallen (Angelfire #3) which is scheduled to be released in 2013.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, altered my opinion of the story or my review.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

" It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess."-GoodReads.

Paperback, 304 pages

Published April 19th 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Harlequin Teen via NetGalley




The Goddess Test seemed to be at the top of everyones to-read list, including mine. When it became available on NetGalley, to say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. I wasn't able to get to it right away though since I had other books I needed to get to first. Then, finally, The Goddess Test was the next book I got to start.


In the beginning we meet Kate as she is moving her mom back to her old town because that is where she wants to be when she dies. The only thing is is that her mother could die any day. So Kate has just moved to a new town and new school where she has no friends just to watch her mother pass away. 
Lucky for her (though she doesn't really think so), on her first day of school she meets James...or rather, James makes her meet him. He kind of just decides they are supposed to be friends and nothing she says will change his mind. So maybe things won't be so bad after all.


She then meets Henry, "Lord of the Underworld". He promises her that if she accepts his offer, he will keep her mother alive. All she has to do is pass seven tests, the only catch is that no one else has been able to pass these seven tests. But Kate is willing to do pretty much whatever she has to to keep her mother alive.


Sounds exciting right? Sound like it would be action packed? Yeah, I thought so too. But after the first few chapters when Kate goes to Henry's house things come to a screeching halt. Not a lot seems to happen after this. Mostly it is just Kate trying to avoid wearing dresses, drinking hot chocolate, and trying to decide if she really likes Henry or not. By the time we are told what the seven tests are it is when Kate is finding out if she passed or not....wait, what?! How could that be? They were made out to be such a big deal and we don't get to know what they are or even when they are happening?! Which is too bad because what the tests ended up being was really neat. Way too simple to get immortality from passing them, but a really cool idea.


Now I don't know about you, but I LOVE Greek Mythology. That was a huge reason why I was wanting this book, but there is so very little actual mythology in it. Of course, since it is kind of a "re-telling" it is not supposed to be exact. But the one thing that I think should have been closer to the actual thing was Henry. Hades, Lord of the Dead my foot! He is quiet, brooding, kind of cold (because he had his heart broken by Persephone and he doesn't want to love again)...he just was not Hades. Henry, you are an Olympian God...so ACT LIKE IT! 
Usually I end up liking the main guy, but for this story, I would have loved to see Kate run away with James. He was such a doll. 


The Goddess Test is a really quick and easy read and I did enjoy Aimee Carter's writing style. And it was nice having the heroine be normal, you know, without all of sudden finding out she has magical abilities and all. Though I wasn't really impressed by this one I will more than likely pick up the next one. Mostly because I am hoping there will be a lot more of James in it after what happened in the end of this one.
So if you are a fan of fantasy and romance, and you are not as big of a stickler about Greek Mythology as I am, you should check out The Goddess Test.

Die For Me by Amy Plum

" My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?"-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 341 pages

Expected publication: May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen

Source: NetGalley

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

 "When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. 

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. "-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: April 26th 2011 by Balzer + Bray

Source: HarperCollins via NetGalley.

I really almost don't know where to start with this review, there is just so much that I have to say about this book. I had been so excited for this one for a really long time and when it became available on NetGalley I freaked. When I got approved to read it, I freaked again. I started reading that the slang was hard to understand but I wasn't going to let that stop me from trying. Then some reviewers started talking about how much the book made fun of religion and made religious people out to be crazies. Well, I get pretty tired of that in books so I was really really close to just passing Bumped up. 

But, in the end, I read it (obviously, since I am writing this review) and am so glad that I did.

In Melody and Harmony's world getting paid to "bump" is the popular thing. Girls are encouraged to start "pregging" at a young age so that they can have as many babies as they can before their baby making parts shut down for good. 

While Melody has been raised with the thought process that bumping and selling the babies is what she is supposed to be doing, Harmony has been raised to believe that she needs to get married as young as possible to start having kids "the right way".

This book was definitely about extremes, and once I really got into the story it really started making me think. How far away from this type of world are we? 

Teen pregnancy is still on the rise, and it makes me wonder if people will continue to try and discourage it, or go the way Bumped did and start trying to make a profit off of it. Scary thought, aye?

Since it has such major extremes it was harder to relate to the characters, but on a couple levels I did connect to Melody and Harmony. In the way that religion is important to me (like Harmony) and in the way that mine and my husband's families are just waiting for the day we tell them we are having a baby, but until then they like making it clear that they are waiting and not very patiently (like many people in Melody's life).

In this book you really get to see Otherside and all it's little oddities, so I am hoping in the second book we get to see more of Goodside.

The slang is a bit abrasive at first, but I caught on pretty quickly. Even though this book is about teens "bumping" (having sex) there isn't a lot of actual sex, it's mostly just talked about in that worlds slang. But the slang can be sexual, colorful, and very blunt. So, you are now warned.

The one thing I didn't get was how they were able to tell mere hours after the girls has bumped that she were pregnant. I know that right now it's at least two weeks after you have been impregnated that you can maybe get a positive on a test. I guess maybe an advance in pee stick technology?

Even though Bumped was addressing a very serious issue there were some laugh out loud moments, which I felt worked because Bumped's world does make light of the situation. 

And just to clarify, this book is not anti-religion/pro-sex or anti-sex/pro-religion. It really is about being allowed to make your own decisions. Both of these girls world are making them do things they aren't sure they want to do, but have been raised to think that is what they are supposed to do.

I really enjoyed this book, but I enjoyed the message even more.

And Megan McCafferty, how dare you end the book like that! Absolute torture! I cannot wait for the next one and will be waiting incredibly impatiently until I find out what happens to these girls.

The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)

Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...

Paperback, 361 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire (first published February 8th 2011)

Source: Bought

Warning: By reading this book you will have the sudden urge to drink lots of Starbucks, 
start wearing long strands of pearls, and dye your hair pink.


I had been pining for this book for what felt like forever. And then everyone started
reading it and gushing over it, authors were making crazy videos to show how much
they loved it, pink haired avatars were everywhere on Twitter. There was some serious
Liar Society love going around.
I was seriously green with envy of anyone who got to read it before I did. When my copy
finally arrived in the mail , when it was finally in my hands, I got really nervous. All I could
think about was what if it wasn't as amazing as I thought it was going to be?
All of my worries and doubts went away within the first few pages.


Kate was a badass, but still so realistic. The downs in her life made her extremely easy to 
relate to. She was damaged from losing her best friends, one to death and the other just 
didn't want to be her friend anymore. Kate wasn't perfect or fearless by a long shot, but she
trusted her instincts and kept pursuing the clues she kept getting about Grace actually being
murdered.Even when her parents sent her to see a shrink because they thought she was just 
obsessed with what happened to Grace, she kept going. The girl had gumption.


I really did not like the parents though. I know they were working and busy, but anytime their
daughter just needed to talk or needed them to believe her they thought it was a better idea
to send her to a therapist. They never once just talked to her. Their daughter went through 
something really tragic and they were more worried about her hair being pink then what
she was going through. That bugged me a bit.


The love story was sweet, but not the main focus, which made for a much more 
enjoyable read. The story telling and dialogue was incredibly witty and snarky which 
kept me hooked through the whole thing. I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed 
this book, but I think it would be better if you got yourself a copy and saw for yourself. 
I have some serious love for this book and cannot wait to see what awesomeness
Lisa and Laura have up their sleeves for their next book.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

"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 limted time she has left."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 356 pages

Published March 22nd 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Source: EGalley- S&S Galley Grab. Thank you Simon and Schuster!!

Challenge: 2011 Debut Author


Think about this, in our world doctors perform brain surgery, do heart transplants, and heal people of cancer. Our medicine and medical technology is amazing.
But what if sometime in the future none of that mattered? That something happens to a future generation, something that makes girls die at 20 and guys die at 25. And nothing that anybody does can stop the dying? Welcome to Rhine's world.

Since the younger generation is dying off, girls are being kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages so that they can breed children to be tested and experimented on to see if the first generation can find a cure. Rhine ends up being one of those girls.
Now stuck with one sister wife who is content with dying in their new mansion prison, the other who is actually excited to be married and cannot wait to get pregnant, and an extremely sheltered husband who thinks she choose to be there, all Rhine can think about is getting her freedom back.

I was surprised at how fairly calm this story was for a dystopian. I guess since most of the ones that I have read are action packed with a war or something going on I thought something like that would be going on in this one too. But no. Most of it was mental battles. Dealing with dying so young, having your freedom taken away, being trapped, being forced to bear children. Oh, and having a psycho father-in-law to top it all of.

Most of the book is Rhine being stuck in her husband's mansion. Which is quite the amazing place. But she is not willing to give up her freedom for the life of luxury (even if that luxury does come with an amazing library). She has a twin brother out there in world that she used to live in that is missing her and is probably looking for her and she wants to get back to him to spend the remaining years of her life with him.

She becomes fast friends with Gabriel, who is a servant in the mansion, mostly because she just wants someone to talk to, but then she starts falling for him and then decides to ask him to escape with her. Which is a problem since she is married to Linden. Whom she tries desperately not to like, but that starts to get difficult.
Even though Linden was clueless as to what his father was up to and really thought those girls wanted to be there, he was endearing at times, and that made it hard not to fall for him a bit. Which happened to Rhine more than once. Falling for the servants, limos, fancy dresses, and falling for Linden was so easy.
She has a big decision to make. Try to escape with Gabriel? Or stay with Linden and give birth to lots of babies?

Her sister wives were also really neat characters. All three of them were so different, coming from different backgrounds, thrown into the same situation, and doing what each feel like they have to do to survive. Their growth and development made them so real.

I had a bit of a problem with the ending. I know there is going to be another book, so the ending was kind of segueing into that one, but what happened was just too easy. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what she was going to decide to do, and then when she finally decides...it just happens too easily. With all the build up, I was expecting a bit more conflict. So I was a bit disappointed with that.

This really was a wonderful book to read though. DeStefano really is a terrific writer. Her descriptions were beautiful but not verbose, her characters were real and believable and most importantly, her world is scary. And it's scary without a war or an overbearing government. Which was new and refreshing. I can't wait to see what Lauren DeStefano has in store for Rhine in the next book.

XVI by Julia Karr

"Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer."- GoodReads. 

Paperback, 325 pages

Published January 6th 2011 by Puffin/Speak

Source: Bought.
                                                 Challenge: 2011 Debut Author

What would it be like to live in a society where when a girl turns 16, she is fair game? What would it be like to be told being a "sex-teen" is great, that throwing yourself at guys and sleeping around is "the in thing", and guys are supposed to act like your are a piece of meat? Scary thought, right?
Well that is just the kind of society Nina lives in, though she is in the minority of not wanting to be a "sex-teen". She doesn't read Sixteen Ways, a magazine that shows girls all the right ways to flirt and be the perfect sexual sirens to boys. She doesn't even want a boyfriend just to make sure she doesn't turn into what so many girls have turned in to, what her best friend is turning into; basically a tramp. Nina doesn't want to turn 16.

What really got me while I was reading XVI was how I felt this could actually happen. I'm not sure in such a drastic way so fast, but with how our own media is, it could be possible. So many TV shows, movies, magazines, and books glorify girls as sex kittens no matter their age. And that was the big thing in XVI, the media encouraging girls to be "sex-teens".

I actually really liked Nina. She was a strong lead who didn't have all the answers but was willing to find out what she could. But as much as I liked Nina, I was really interested in Sandy, the best friend. She is selfish, superficial, and so excited about being a sex-teen that she is already practicing flaunting herself to any and all boys. I think it would have been amazingly interesting to see inside her mind and get her side of the story.
And Sal, sweet and charming Sal. He's a doll. Oh and it was so nice that Nina didn't meet him and automatically fall in love. She didn't want a boyfriend...she has major mixed emotions about this boy and I really felt that. How confused she was. Should she or shouldn't she?
Nina's friends were pretty neat characters, too, though I hope we get to know them a little better in the next book.

One of my only complaints about this book was the futuristic terminology. Pretty much none of it was explained. After a while I caught on to what was what, but some stuff it took a little bit and that was a bit annoying. So for me, it took away from the story having to stop and re-read a section just to try and figure what the termonolgy meant.

XVI is going to have at least a sequel. On Julia Karr's website it says it is a work-in-progress and it will be called Truth. There is also another work-in-progress that says it is going to be a spin-off to XVI and it is called Cinderella Girl.
I will be interested to see if Cinderella Girl's main character will be a character that we have already met in XVI.
Definitely looking forward to both though.

Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney

"Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status. 

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, itcould strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth. "- GoodReads.

Paperback, 306 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Review Request from publisher

M. J. Putney has created such a fun and fantastic world. As a lover of historical fiction I was so excited to receive Dark Mirror. What I really loved about this story is that it is historically accurate, well, except for the magic part. For me that is just so neat that she took real events but added the fun twist of magic and mages being the cause for things that happened.
I really enjoyed the characters, as well. Tory was a really good main character. When she knew she had to do something to help other people she didn't care how it made her look. She did it. Whata woman.
Jack was my favorite though. He was such a scene stealer, so funny and full of himself. I think there should have been more with him. 
The romance was sweet for the most part, but there could have been a little more to it. It was nice that after two pages the characters were not declaring their undying love for each other, but it could have used more than a couple glances and a couple of very short conversations.


My hitch with the story was just how easily everything that they needed to happen, happened. I was always wondering where the conflict was. Where were the hurdles that they had a hard time getting over? It just seemed like every time they decided on a plan, things went accordingly. And I just needed more "Oh my gosh how are we going to get out of this mess. Everything we try is not working. What are we going to do?!"


Other than that it was a sweet, fun, and quick story and I will be reading the second one, Dark Passage, when it is released. I am very interested to see where that one is going to go and what M. J. Putney has in store for the students of Lackland.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, altered my opinion of the story.