Forever Review

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Pages: 388 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Scholastic
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: Bought
Other titles in series: Shiver, Linger

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

There is no feeling in the world like the one you get when you read the last book in one of your favorite series. You're excited because you know it'll be amazing, but also depressed because your character's story are coming to an end and you're just not quite ready to say goodbye. This creates a whole new, indescribable emotion in you that you can't really get any other way. The last time I felt this was about one year ago, when I read Mockingjay, and it's what I felt when I started Forever.

Much like Mockingjay, a lot of people seem to be disappointed by the way this series finished. And--just like when I read Mockingjay--I have to disagree with those people.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series has some of my favorite characters ever. Ever. Sam, Grace, Cole, Isabel...I would've read a million more books about them. (And still will. HINT HINT.) But I'm happy. Stiefvater did justice to these character's end with her always poetic and suspenseful writing that I want to memorize. She's one of my very favorite authors, and I will read anything she ever decides to write.

Much like it's predecessors, Forever was romantic, impossible-to-put-down, and absolutely heartbreaking for so many reasons. I fell hard for Forever, just as I expected. This is one of my top favorite series ever and now I guess I'll just be rereading it as soon as I possibly can.

Plot: As usual, those who crave action won't love it. But I thought it was incredibly suspenseful and amazing.

Characters: The only thing I dislike about them? They're not--technically--real. :(

Writing: So. Fricking. Amazing.

Ending: I liked it. It wasn't perfectly wrapped up, but I feel like that's kinda appropriate for this story.

Kid friendly? There's some swearing, drinking, and sex.
Should I read it? READ THIS SERIES.

Overall:

Do you even have to ask?

(I realize this review is not really a, well, review. Sorry.) 

Wolfsbane Review

Author: Andrea Cremer
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Pages: 390 (ARC)
Publisher: Philomel
Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review through tour site
Other titles in series: Nightshade

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer-one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack-and the man-she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

I had such high hopes for Wolfsbane, since I absolutely loved Nightshade. Unfortunately, I ended up very disappointed with pissed at Wolfsbane.

I knew something was off in the first chapter. I don't know about you guys, but I am a forgetful person, especially when it's been a couple of months since I've read a sequel's predecessor. So I like to have a bit of a recap. Well there is none of that in Wolfsbane. I felt so confused for the first fifty pages just trying to remember what happened.

"But Jessica," you say, "at least the fabulous characters from Nightshade are still there!" Um, NO, Voice. No, they're not. We spend a good 75% of the book with Searchers, trying to keep up with their different connections and personalities, when really I just wanted the pack back, who didn't make an appearance in the novel until the last 90 pages.

And that wasn't my only annoyance with the characters. Shay and Calla seem to be completely different from how I remember them. (Whether this is because of me or Wolfsbane I'm not sure, honestly.) Shay seems to be evolving from the boy Calla first met in the woods. I remember him as this sweet, slightly rebellious boy. Well, he is gone, folks. He was replaced by some annoyingly possessive and horny boy that I spent half of the book wanting to slap.

But he's not the only one! Nope, I wanted to slap Calla as well. Not only did she follow the Searchers--who have been her enemy for her whole life--without an ounce of skepticism, but she was stupid too! ("Why would he call himself a fool?" OMG I almost threw the book at the wall. Seriously? How blind can you--UGH.)

My problems with Calla don't end there, though. What I don't get is why this love triangle is continuing. In Nightshade, the love triangle made sense; she's supposed to be with Ren and has almost gotten used to it, when this new guy comes along and their love is forbidden. But in Wolfsbane, Calla is free to be with whomever she chooses. So you'd think she would actually choose then, right? Especially since she's this strong, powerful, alpha, she should be able to pick between two guys, right? Um, WRONG. Calla is as annoyingly indecisive as ever. She would be heavily making out with Shay, then think about Ren, then decide she needed to be alone. I can almost excuse Shay's butt-cheese-iness (sure, it's a word) cause the poor guy has to put up with the Calla's constant mood swings.

Just, GAH! WOMAN. MAKE UP YOUR FREAKING. MIND.

As if that wasn't enough to turn me off of Wolfsbane, the pacing seemed so slow. Wolfsbane is a 400-page book that takes place in two days. Two incredibly long, boring days. There was an action scene or two thrown in just to appease the reader, but the build-up to them seemed way longer than it had to be.

This feels like the worst review I've ever written. It might've been because I know that Wolfsbane could've been stellar, and because I expected it to be stellar, and it was just so far from that.

Having said all of this, it might've been me, too. I have grown much pickier since I read Nightshade, so I guess things I didn't notice while reading Nightshade I noticed when reading Wolfsbane. Though luckily, not everything was wrong with Wolfsbane. I still love the unique world Cremer has created and what she's added to it, and her writing is still pretty impressive. I know that I'll be reading book 3, Bloodrose, because I need to know how this story ends. But hopefully it's as good as Nightshade.

Plot: The world is good, but the pacing was off.

Characters: The ones I loved weren't there, and the main characters were annoying. Some of the Searchers were pretty cool, though.

Writing: Good.

Ending:  Open-ended, but not a huge nail biter.

Kind Friendly? There was some heavy making out, violence, death, and swearing.

Overall:

Reviewers who liked this book more than I did:

A Story Untold

Gone With The Words

Magical Urban Fantasy Reads

A Cupcake and a Latte

The Lost Saint Review

Author: Bree Despain
Release Date: Dec. 28, 2010
Pages: 404 (ARC)

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: For review from publicist
Other titles in series: The Dark Divine

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace’s relationship with Daniel is put in danger — in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her — not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to The Dark Divine.

2010 will be the year known as, "The Year of Amazing Sequels". I mean, seriously, it's like a bunch of YA paranormal authors (Julie Kagawa, Becca Fitzpatrick) took some kind of awesome class or something! Well Bree Despain clearly took it too, because The Lost Saint was absolutely no exception.

This book was completely and utterly infuriating. The plot twists and turns like nobody's business, the characters make you wanna scream at them (which I actually did), and NOTHING GOES RIGHT. But that just made this book all that more addicting. I mean, seriously, this one is so un-put-downable that it's not even funny.

Speaking of funny, April continues to crack me up. Her not-too-up-beat personality always managed to put a smile on my face. And, while we're talking about characters, I need to get something straight just so everyone's clear: Daniel is amazing. He is so much more than just the average pretty-faced werewolf and I love his character so much. Talbot, while he could possibly be an interesting character in the books to come, can never hold a candle to Daniel in my opinion. As for our awesome main character, Grace...ugh I just want to hug her and comfort her throughout the entire book!

OK, it pains me to admit it, but parts of this book were just a little cheesy. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it was noticeable.

Even with the tiny bit of cheesiness, I completely loved The Lost Saint, and I absolutely can't wait for the sequel.

Book Report:

Plot: So exciting and heartbreaking.

Characters: Love love love.

Writing: Awesome.

Ending: AAAAAAAAAAAH!

Kid friendly? Yeah. Only a little bit of swearing.

Should I read it? Read The Dark Divine first.

Overall:

 

Blog Tour: Low Red Moon Review

(1st review with new reviewing style!)

Author: Ivy Devlin
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Pages: 196 (ARC)

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Most Appropriate For Ages: 13+
Where I Got It: For review for tour

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans.
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I refuse to compare Low Red Moon to Twilight. This has been done with countless other books, this one included, and I don't think it's fair to anyone. So I won't do that, even though I totally could....However I will say that this book is aimed to readers who enjoyed Twilight, definitely.

I will also start this review with one of my biggest problems about Low Red Moon: the romance went WAY too fast. By page 60 Ben and Avery are already prepared to go all the way, and this is only on their second encounter. I swear these two were more horny than "in love" since sex is all either of them seemed to care about. (Yes I can see why they may move a little fast, but come on, that is really fast.) Although I will say that I did enjoy their connection, but it could've developed at a smoother pace.

Maybe one of the reasons I didn't like how fast the romance moved has something to do with not liking the characters. Avery never really showed much of a personality aside from the forest, grieving over the loss of her parents, and being in love with Ben...wait, no, that's no entirely true. She also seemed to enjoy disobeying her Grandmother (who was the one character I liked) even when it's clearly for her own good or when she knew it would hurt her Grandma. Ben wasn't too bad, but he was very vague and beautiful and I've just read his type before.

As for the plot, I did enjoy that. I didn't know in advance who the murderer was, which is always nice. And I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of it as well, even if it wasn't all that original.

The writing was grabbing. But, and maybe this was just because I have the ARC, there seemed to be a lot of too-long sentences, or too many paragraphs ending in dashes. This could totally just be me being particular, but it stood out to me.

Like I mentioned, I think this one is aimed for readers who are still in their Twilight phase. I've grown and become pickier since my Twilight phase, so maybe this one just wasn't for me. So although it doesn't really offer anything new to the YA paranormal genre, I do think it has it's place with readers.

Book Report:

Plot: Well paced, easy to follow, and enjoyable.

Characters: Blah.

Writing: Grabbing, but I spotted some things that could've been done better. (This may have just been me.)

Ending: Wrapped it up nicely.

How kid friendly is it? Well, they seem to constantly talk about sex (they're just horny!), and there are 1 or 2 swear words.

Should I read it? Depends on how picky you are and what kind of read you're looking for.

Overall:

Nightshade Review

Author: Andrea Cremer

Release Date: October 19, 2010

Pages: 452 (ARC)

Publisher: Philomel

Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: Around The World Tours

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she;ll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
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As I'm sure you know, there is a lot of hype surrounding Nightshade. A lot of undeserved hype, if you ask me, since this "novel" is completely atrocious.

...I would slap anyone who said that. Hard. The hype for Nightshade is very well deserved!

(Let me apologize in advance for using a lot of synonyms for "REALLY FRICKING AWESOME".)

The plot, you know, werewolves. Sure, it's been done before, but not like this. Andrea Cremer completely dived into the normal werewolf story, twisted it, added some more magical elements and Keepers, whose rules must be followed at costs, and came out shaking her fists triumphantly. It also did something that very few paranormal books have done: it made me think. The plot was fast-paced, with twists and turns at every corner that I didn't even anticipate since I was still absorbing the last twist!

Calla was just so awesome. Seriously. I want her as my best friend (not to replace my best friends, just as one of them ((yeah, I know my friends read this blog, so I need to make sure I do not offend them). She had every quality you want in a protagonist: strength, humor, logic, independence...I cold go on. Point is that she rocked. She has two love interests, Shay and Ren. Ren; the sexy, arrogant guy that Calla has been matched up with since birth. Then there's Shay; the rebellious, amazing new guy that makes Callla question everything she's ever known. I am definitely Team Shay. I won't say anything more about the love triangle though, cause I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Each member of the pack--meaning Calla and Ren's combined pack--had their own personality. Sometimes, when reading a group conversation, it's hard to keep track of who's saying what, but you could tell just who was speaking just by what they said in Nightshade. The characterization was brilliant!

Andrea Cremer is an author to watch. And stalk. Her writing was fresh, descriptive, and addictive. She really made Nightshade all it could be and then some.

The ending. I...I...NO. It was SUCH a cliffhanger! It made me question everything I'd thought true! I have no idea if it is physically possible to wait for Wolfsbane, book two. Overall, this is one to pre-order. Like, NOW. It was sexy, addictive, fast-paced... I loved it even more than I'd expected to!

How kid friendly was it? There were mentions of drugs and sex as well as swearing.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Review

I highly doubt that I need to post a synopsis, do I? So instead I'll just state my thoughts.

The first time I saw Twilight I thought it was good. They could've done better, but good. The second time, it was worse. The third time it was bad. They changed so much that I had to separate the book from the movie; pretend that they were completely unrelated. But when I did that, all that was left was a lame movie where the romance was too forced, the acting wasn't up to par, and the special effects made the vampires look like sweaty animals or something; but definitely not the amazing vampiric ability that is needed from vampires.

So, please imagine how thrilled I am about honestly being able to say: New Moon was SO much better than Twilight.

The acting was way better. We see less of Edward (Rob Pattinson) and more of Jacob (Taylor Lautner) which is good, because Taylor is noticeably a better actor than Rob. And, guess what? Kristen Stewart (Bella) can act! Instead of stuttering and blinking rapidly when upset, and she seemed less nervous on screen, and (this wasn't really her fault in Twilight, though) she looked better. Dakota Fanning did great in her role as Jane, even though (again, not really her fault) her contacts seemed too big. I loved Bella's dad, Charlie, and the very rare times that the Cullen family were in the movie they were all great.

New Moon actually stuck to the book, too. They didn't cut out very important scenes like Twilight did, luckily. And they didn't add much, either. (Except one scene involving a motorcycle and a guy. My friend and I were literally freaking out and most likely making everyone around give us odd glances.) They stayed very true to the book, though.

Special effects wise: Edward still looks sweaty. Maybe a little more sparkly, but still not what's described throughout the series. I was too relieved that they didn't make the weird sparkly sound to care too much though. The wolves were so cool! I loved the human-like expressions they would have, and the close-ups they did of the wolves eye.

It's weird, because in the books I love both guys, but I know that Bella should be with Edward. But, in the movies, she looks like she should be with Jacob. They showed their relationship progress so much better than Bella and Edward's did in Twilight, and they have better screen chemistry.

My friend and I would giggle through the movie while we cracked stupid jokes and watched men take their shirts off for no apparent reasons. ("Bella, you're bleeding! Let me take my shirt off to stop the blood.") Oh, and, here's something that made us roll on the floor laughing in the theater that you need to look out for: Edward's nipples. One seems giant, hairy, and possibly slightly deformed, while the other is very small and dainty. It was just weird and hysterical. Oh, and Jasper's hair. It was like some kind of Weird Al perm.

All in all, my faith in the movie franchise has been restored! Huzzah! Hopefully Eclipse, with its new director and new Victoria (both against my wishes) will live up to its successor. If the second time I watch this, its significantly worse than my first time, I'll re-review it, but I highly doubt that will happen.

Shiver Review

Release Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Age Group: 14+
Pages: 390 (Hardcover)

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

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This book was great. Yes, all those raving reviews you've read about it are valid. That's really all there is to it. I think I could end this review right now, but I want to continue raving about it, so I'll go on.

The plot in itself is really original-well, not the werewolf part, but how they "shift", and the entire take on werewolves. Although it's low on action until the last 90 pages or so, it keeps you reading religiously; fueled by romance, a little mystery, and an excellent storyline.

The characters are wonderful. Grace isn't the "normal girl" in most teen fiction, she's more logical, level-headed, and relatable than lots of protagonists. And Sam was more creative, afraid, and sensitive then most guy characters. The only character that annoyed me was Jack-obviously, and Olivia a little bit too. I was only annoyed with Beck until he explained himself.

Grace and Sam's romance is amazing. They're so sweet. At first I thought that they were moving too fast for only knowing each other for a short amount of time, but then I realized that they had shared a connection, an unbreakable bond for six years. And that definitely shows.

I think the writing was one of the things that made this book so great. OK, here is what I meant when I said it was taking me a long time to read it in a good way: The writing is so beautiful and poetic that I'd have to re-read sentenses to make sure I understood it correctly, or sometimes just to savor it's beauty. It was that good.

Overall, a great book! I can't think about anything negative to say about it except that the next book doesn't come out unitl 2010! I was very satisfied with the ending-but I want Linger, the next book, in what is supposed to be a series. And I want it now. I want to be sucked back into Maggie Stiefvater's wondeful world of werewolves now. Trust me, go read it this very moment.

Was it better than Blood and Chocolate? Oh yeah. This is, without a doubt in my mind, the best completely werewolf dedicated book I've ever read.

City of Ashes Review

SPOILERS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ CITY OF BONES

Release Date: March 25, 2008
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Group: 14+
Pages: 453 (Hardcover)

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

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It's official, I love this series.

It's an extremely original plot, with unexpected twists constantly being thrown your way. It's definitely something that's hard to put down. I love/hate the forbidden romance with Jace and Clary. But there were, literally, times where I yelled at the book.

The characters are unpredictable, lovable, and at times extremely frustrating. Unlike some characters, their not level-headed and put together, and at times it makes them seem easier to relate to and real.

The writing is unreal. The descriptions and emotions in this book couldn't be possible without Cassandra Clare's amazing writing. It's one of the main things that makes this book great.

It was missing a little bit of City of Bone's mystery, but was still great. I can't wait until I have a chance to get started on City of Glass, and will be very sad to see the enthralling series end.

Tantilize Review

Release Date: February 13, 2007
Publisher: Candlewick
Age Group: 12+
Pages: 336


Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her hybrid-werewolf first love threatens to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. And just as she and her uncle are about to debut Austin’s red hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef.

Can Quincie transform the new hire into a culinary dark lord before opening night? Will Henry Johnson be able to wow the crowd in fake fangs, a cheap cape, and red contact lenses? Or is there more to this earnest fresh face than meets the eye?

As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?

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I'd heard that Tantalize was a slow read, one that you could easily put down. I was obviously misinformed because the third chapter includes a supernatural murder, which immediately grabbed my attention. And then, throw a best-werewolf-friend/love interest into the mix and I'm hooked!

I loved just about all of the characters, or a least the ones that were meant for you to love. I even kinda liked the villain. Quincie was an awesome heroine! She wasn't cold, but she was always in control of the situation.

Cynthia Leitich Smith is a very good writer, too. It was really easy to picture everyone, and the storyline was well-plotted and easy to follow.

In the back of Cynthia Leitich Smith's other vampire book Eternal, it states: "Finally, this story takes place earlier in the same universe as my novel Tantilize. Members of both casts will cross over in a forthcoming book, Blessed." I've also read Eternal, which I really enjoyed, but actually liked Tanatlize better. Blessed will definitely be a book I'll be looking forward to! You don't have to read either in any order, though.

Tantilize is a book that I'd recommend to any romance, vampire, or werewolf fans! The book is constantly throwing twist and turns at you, making this a great summer (or anytime) read!