Dead To You Review

Author: Lisa McMann
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Most appropriate for ages: 14+
How I got it: Received for review through Around The World Tours 

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

McMann's books are like chocolate in that I love chocolate and I love her books. (I suck at metaphors, ok.) Her most recent novel, The Unwanteds, was my least favorite of hers so far, but she really pulled it out with Dead To You.

Ethan's voice is so sad and authentically male that you can't help but want to hug him...but not too tight cause you know that guy would think about the way your boobs feel against him as you hug him, and that would just be tres awkward. Honestly, though, I really loved his character and sympathized with him. I also loved the way McMann built relationships between Ethan and others, like Gracie (oh man, that little girl was too freaking cute),  Cami, and the rest of his newfound family.

 But Dead To You was not perfect.

My main complaint would be THAT IS NOT AN ENDING. I am all for standalone books but not in this case because IT DID NOT END. IT JUST SAID THE WORDS THAT MCMANN KNEW WOULD RIP MY HEART OUT. It just ended really quickly and abruptly. And I saw the ending coming a little and I think it did help the book pack an even bigger emotional punch but I didn't want it to happen but I CAN'T EVEN. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS IS A STANDALONE?

*composes self* Anyways.

I liked this book enough that I was willing to overlook my big problem with it and I know that I'll still shove it into the hands of my friends and family and tell them, "IT WILL TEAR YOU APART AND IT'S AWESOME."

McMann has again proved herself to me. She always manages to write fast, dark books that leave a lasting impression on you. I admire her skill and can't wait to see what she does next.

...But seriously where's my sequel?

Plot: Fast yet dark and unique.

Characters: Ethan was just...perfect. I even liked that little turd Blake.

Writing: I feel like it wasn't particularly remarkable, but I enjoyed the storytelling and Ethan's voice.

Ending? See the above gif.

Kid friendly? There (obviously) was talk of child abduction. There was also swearing, and some just overall dark subject matter, especially in those last two pages.

Overall:

Cryer's Cross Review and Giveaway

Author: Lisa McMann
Release Date: February 8, 2011
Pages: 240 (ARC)
Publisher: SimonPulse
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: For review from Around The World Tours

The small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain.

When a second student goes missing—someone close to Kendall’s heart—the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing, calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality. But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school—messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there—Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions.

Something’s not right in Cryer’s Cross—and Kendall’s about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

I fell in love with Lisa McMann's stories and writing with her Dreamcatcher Trilogy, and Cryer's Cross definitely didn't disappoint me one bit.

Cryer's Cross was, what I like to call, deliciously creepy. I didn't exactly know how much this book would freak me out...and I have to admit, it did it's job pretty well in certain places. But that wasn't all Cryer's Cross had to offer, it also had a pretty awesome romance with two characters that I was easily able to sympathize with and enjoy reading about.

I feel the need to point out how I found it kind of interesting that Kendall, the main character, had OCD. I've never read a book about a character with OCD, and exactly how much it affects people who have it. For some reason, this made Cryer's Cross stand out a little more in my mind.

In fact, I enjoyed the entire cast of characters. It was nice to see a functioning family instead of a miserable broken one, as well as some good friends and neighbors.

And, OK, in case you're wondering: I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I did the Dreamcatcher Trilogy. I can't quite put my finger on why though. But I did really enjoy this one.

Book Report:

Plot: Creepy, mysterious, and grabbing.

Characters: Unique and easy to connect to.

Writing: Lisa McMann. So, yeah, awesome.

Ending: Wraps things up very nicely.

How kid friendly is it? Pretty. While there was swearing, there wasn't any drinking, drugs, or sex.

Should I read it? Yeah, you really should.

Overall: 

So, thanks to the awesomeness of the people at Simon and Schuster, I have one ARC of Cryer's Cross to give to one lucky winner! Due to me (extreme) lack of money, this contest is only open to people living in the US and Canada. Contest ends December 16 at midnight. Fill out THIS FORM to enter! Good luck.

The Body Finder Review

Author: Kimberly Derting

Release Date: March 16, 2010

Pages: 327 (ARC)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from Dark Faerie Tales Tours

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I flew through The Body Finder, I couldn't put down and I never wanted it to end!

The plot throws together a thriller, a romance, and just a tiny bit of paranormal, but it doesn't get too deep into Violet's special ability. The plot is always moving forward and keeps you on the edge of your seat either with question about the killer, or questions about the romance that Violet's began to feel towards her best friend since childhood, Jay.

The book also had some great characters. Violet was a strong, well-rounded female protagonist who was stubborn, realistic, and a lot of fun to read about. And Jay was probably one of the sweetest guys ever. I also love that Violet had some other, very likable friends; Chelsea, Claire, and Jules. They were each unique and funny in their own way.

Kimberly Derting really surprised me with how well she wrote. Everything just flowed so seemingly effortlessly, and I really loved her writing.

I don't really have any complaints about this book. Overall, definitely pick up a copy of The Body Finder. I stayed up in the late hours of the night and tried to read in the dark because it was so addictive. Kimberly Derting is definitely an author to watch, and I cannot wait for whatever she puts out next!