If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

"Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?"-GoodReads.

Paperback, 256 pages

Published October 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Source: Sourcebook Fire via Netgalley

If I Tell tackles a lot of issues. It addresses wanting to fit in, not really having parents, the danger of keeping secrets and even the danger of telling secrets. But the issue I thought just shined in this story, everyone is not always what they seem and that everyone has a secret. 

Through most of the book Jaz acts like she is the only one going through a hard time. That she was the only different one and the only one holding onto a secret that could ruin lives, which was not true at all. 


This was all good to a point. Sometimes the multitude of issues became a lot to keep up with.
Jaz was also a whiner about all of the issues she was faced with. She complained about not having anyone in her life, but she never made any attempt to get close to anyone. And when anyone tried to get close to her she held them at arms length.
She kind of acted like since bad things happened to her she has the right to hate certain people and mope around complaining all the time. Bad things happen to everyone. You don't like it, you change it. That what I wanted to yell at her multiple times. And to stop jumping to conclusions about everyone before she knows the whole story.


Even though I had some problems with Jaz's character, I did enjoy the book. The writing style was very enjoyable and I did appreciate how everything came together in the end. Though all I could keep thinking was, if you hadn't have kept this secret none of this would have happened...but then there would not have been a book so I suppose that doesn't matter.
If I Tell was a solid contemporary that I enjoyed reading. It is a bit heavy and faces some serious issues, but I suggest giving it a try.

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.

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

"Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published August 3rd 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Source: NetGalley

I have always had a bit of a fear or being stuck in one place forever, never being able to see anything other than one place for my entire life. Reading Dark Parties gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to be forced to stay in one place. To be stuck under a dome, never knowing what was on the other side. Honestly, the whole book made me feel claustrophobic. But I'm lucky because I have the choice to leave though, to go new places. Neva doesn't. She is stuck under the Protectosphere with the need to be free and an incredible case of wanderlust, but not being able to satiate it. So she does what pretty much every teenager has done, she rebels a little bit.
Well, she thinks it is just a little thing. But that little thing, that little spark, ignites into a wildfire that changes Neva's life forever. 


Instead of the world growing, it feels like it keeps getting smaller as the story progresses...and I mean this in a good way. It made the story feel very intricate and definitely more intense at times. Things that may not have seemed like they would connect would in fact be connected to each other, making it a 'smaller world'. 


Neva was a great character. The book starts with a makeout scene, which I will admit, I rolled my eyes at. I did not care enough about the characters at that point to want to 'see' them making out...but, for me, it ended up being a really good opening to the story. It really puts you in Neva's mind right away. What she thinks, who she is, what she's scared of. The beginning grew on me as the story went on.


I really had no idea what to expect when I decided to read Dark Parties. I certainly did not expect it to be so...dark (though the title should have really given me a clue, right?). It was though. Dark and gritty.
Some of the scenes felt a bit choppy, but over all it was a great read.
After getting attached to characters just to have them be ripped away or betray Neva (which left me feeling betrayed), I was emotionally drained. Seriously, I walked around in a weird mood mumbling to myself that I couldn't believe how the book had ended and that there better be a sequel so that all the wrongs could be set right. That I could not be left with an ending like that.


Dark Parties is more than just a fantastic dystopian, it is also a great thriller and chock full of suspense. So if you like any of those three things, pick up a copy for yourself.

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

"Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. 

Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. 

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. 

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. 

Most of the chosen do."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 423 pages

Published September 20th 2011 by Greenwillow Books

Source: NetGalley.

I really had no idea what kind of book this was when I started reading it. I had only skimmed the description when I decided to request it from NetGalley, but fellow bloggers said that is was completely worth it so I gave it a shot.

Girl of Fire and Thorns was most definitely worth giving a chance as it was nothing short of incredible.

The book, for me, started off a little slow. I wasn't quite sure where or when it was taking place, and there wasn't the normal character introductions. You just get thrown in Elisa's world right before the biggest moment of her life, her secret arranged marriage. At first I was thinking 'I don't know her, why should I feel bad for her about this?' And that worried me, but Rae Carson is an brilliant writer and calmed my fears right away. As the story continues I got to see inside of Elisa's head without having an information overload. It was a gradual get to know you, so I ended up really caring about Elisa.

This isn't a book where the main character feels like the world rests on their shoulders but it really doesn't...the world really does rest on Elisa's shoulders. She is the Chosen One, but she's not really sure what that means or what she is supposed to do. All she really knows is that she is not strong enough, pretty enough, or brave enough to complete whatever her task may be, that is should have been her sister that was Chosen. 

She has to go to this new land where she doesn't know anybody and figure out quickly who she can and cannot trust, which is difficult since people are constantly keeping things from her, telling her half truths, or just out right lying to her. So as the story goes on, Elisa doesn't know anymore or less than we do. It is kept through the whole thing that the reader really only knows as much as she does, so you get to find out things with her, which I liked a lot. I don't like stories where everything is spelled out for the reader, but the characters seem to miss everything. It really kept me drawn into the story that was being told. 

Girl of Fire and Thorns has a lot of history to it with this great twist of fantasy that goes back centuries. You can tell that a lot of thought went into not only the characters, but the plot and story line, as well. It is rich and very fulfilling. It's wonderful one moment and heartbreaking the next.
It a good size book with a big story in it, but if you like fantasy with a touch of romance, lots of action, and always guessing who is the good guys or bad guys, then this is the book for you.


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.

Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

" As a wedding planner, you'd think she would have the perfect wedding experience...

Sherilyn Caine has left Chicago behind to marry Andrew Drummond IV, an Atlanta native with a family name that tops all the social registers. Landing the job as The Tanglewood’s wedding planner is a piece of cake for someone with a Type A personality; she’s the perfect fit for a wedding destination hotel known for its attention to even the tiniest details.

But when everything else is going along swimmingly, why are her own wedding plans drowning right before her eyes? One way or the other, Sherilyn is determined to make this wedding work—until the latest development threatens to call the whole thing off. Is it possible that Sherilyn is allergic to her fiance?"-GoodReads.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published October 28th 2011 by Abingdon Press

Source: Publisher Review Request. Thank you, Abingdon Press!

In Always the Baker, Never the Bride we are introduced to Emma Rae Travis, the diabetic baker. And in Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride we are introduced to Sherilyn Caine, Emma Rae's best friend from college. While Emma couldn't hardly ever eat anything with sugar, Sherilyn eats sugar at almost every possible moment. A habit that Emma told her would catch up with her after college when life slowed down. Which it eventually does and Sherilyn is now very self-conscious about (along with many other things).

When she first comes to the Tanglewood Inn she finally feels as if she fits in somewhere and she thinks that the transition her and her fiance are making back to their hometown will be completely smooth. And that her wedding plans will be too. But, of course, that would not make for a very good story.

Many things go wrong from wedding plans getting messed up to exes randomly popping back into their lives to thinking Sherilyn is allergic to her fiance because she keeps getting horrible rashes whenever she is around him. All in all it's a cute and fun story.

Though I did enjoy meeting new characters, I really loved Emma and Jackson in the first book so whenever they were present in this story I found myself missing them being the main couple. But at least they were in the story enough to satiate my curiosity for what was going on with their relationship. And I end up enjoying Sherilyn and Andy's story, as well.

A few times it felt like there were one too many relational problems between Sherilyn and Andy. I know a lot had happened to them since they got together and they hadn't known each other for very long before getting engaged...but still, I needed a problem break every now and then but rarely got it. 

Also, there a few sentences and conversations that didn't make a lot of sense so I would have to read them a couple times to figure out what was meant by them. So that ended up jarring me out of the story. But then sentences like this: "…wearing a fine Italian suit, polka-dotted with rain-drops,’ would happen and I would be reminded of how much I enjoy Sandra's writing.

Other than my couple of qualms, Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride is a cute story that has me looking forward to the 3rd and 4th books.

If you read the first in the Emma Rae Creations and loved it I would most certainly suggest you giving this one a go. If you haven't read either of them yet, get to the bookstore and get them. They will satisfy your craving for something very sweet.

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.

Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

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

Hardcover, 272 pages

Expected publication: October 11th 2011 by EgmontUSA

Thank you Egmont & NetGalley!

One word and one word only comes to mind when I think about my reading experience with this book. Disappointed. 

 

The first thing that pulled me in and made me want to read this is that beyond amazing cover. I mean, look at it, it is so beautiful. It has probably become one of my favorite book covers. And then I read what it was about. Cue the jaw dropping. There is actually a whole lot more to the synopsis now then when I first read it.

Now I have not yet read the original tale of Tristan and Isolde so the only thing I actually had to go off of was the movie that had James Franco and Sophia Myles in it. I do love that movie though. And the tag line for it was "Before Romeo & Juliet, there was Tristan & Isolde." Romeo and Juliet just happens to be one of my favorite Shakespearean plays, so I knew this story would have to be good.

The movie was good. As I said, I love the movie. I thought that is what the book would be like.

I don't think I have ever been more wrong in my life. After waiting since the beginning of this year for this book and getting sooo excited that I received it early I had high hopes for it, and my hopes were crushed. 

From what I know of the story, the only thing that is the same in this book to the original, are the names of the characters. Except for Tristan...that ends up not even being his actual name in the book.

Which for me, didn't even really end up mattering since I did not like Tristan in the least. He was such a flat character. And Izzie was such a brat that I couldn't even pretend to like her.

There were also numerous inconsistencies and most of the time the story just felt forced. It almost felt like reading a really rough draft of what had the potential to be a great story. But as much as I wanted to like this story and sticking around for all of it, I just could not like it at all. Though I still may have to get a hard copy just so I can have that gorgeous cover on my bookshelf. 

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.

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.

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

Stay by Deb Caletti

"Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published April 5th 2011 by Simon Pulse

Source: Simon&Schuster Galley Grab

Clara found out the hard way what happens when you let someone take hold of you emotionally and use that power against you in the worst way possible.

She meets Christian at a school basketball game and decides to just go for it, to act a little wild. Everything starts off great. Christian makes Clara feel beautiful, special, and sexy. He claims she has put a spell on him and he will do everything in his power to make sure she never leaves him. Little does she know how serious he really is when he says that.

While reading this book I kept thinking about a guy used to see and how he reminds me of Christian in almost every way. He was an emotional terrorist. I literally would go "Oh wow. J used to do that" or "Yeah, been there done that." It was like deja vu. Lucky for me I got out before I was in too deep. Clara was not so lucky. She let Christian dig so deep into her soul that she had to runaway and practically go into hiding to get away from him.

Her dad was pretty neat too. He is very involved in Clara's life and tries to help her in any way he can. But (since there is always a but), he gives his opinion about Christian, that Clara needs to leave him and Clara claims her dad's opinion yet she has to "train him" when to keep him mouth closed about Christian. And he does it! When she doesn't want to hear that Christian is an emotional abuser he actually stops talking to her about it. He pretends it's not happening...that was not okay with me.

I adored the little sea side town they went to. The more I read about it the more I wanted to move there myself. Finn made the town even more appealing. He was sweet, fun, adventurous, and just the right amount of protective. And he could sail you off into the sunset. I'd say that's a pretty good guy to have around.

Even though Christian had many creepy and controlling moments, I was intrigued by him. I would actually have liked to know more about him, about his life, what really made him snap and act like he did.

The 'Jesus Christ's' got to be a bit too much though. It seemed like barely a page could go by without someone saying it, and because it was said so much it didn't feel realistic. I'm married to a guy in the Army, so I am around soldiers all the time. Soldiers have foul mouths but even they don't say 'Christ' that much.

I've also never read a book with footnotes before...unless you count text books...so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about them and buy the middle of the book I decided I did not like them. I didn't really understand why what was in the footnotes couldn't be part of the paragraph they belonged in. Though I did read them all when I came to one because they pertained to the story, at times I got pulled out of the story because I had to stop, look down, read it, then go back up to where I was.

Though the footnotes were annoying at times, this story is very much worth looking past them. I think it will definitely hit home with many many girls as I am sure they have either a) been friends with someone in a bad relationship like this one or b) have been in one themselves. Either way, this story is so relatible. It still has me thinking about it even a week after I have finished.

If you are working on a "Summer Reading List" or maybe looking for some books to take with you on a beach vacation, add this one to your list. Or even if you are just in the mood for a good contemporary book, pick this one up. It is most certainly worth a read.