Blog Tour & Review: Lonely Souls by Karice Bolton

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Lonely Souls (The Witch Avenue Series, #1) by Karice Bolton

Release Date: June 29, 2012
Publisher: Bulldog Press

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Witches/Wizards
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

It’s two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother’s disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother’s empty grave.

When Logan, her best friend from junior high, moves back to town for college, he vows to help her find the answers she so desperately seeks surrounding her mother’s disappearance. As they begin uncovering clues, it becomes apparent that the life of white magic they both grew up loving is not what the majority practices, and their lives are in danger.

With a haunting feeling that her mother may still be alive, she begins to hear a call to the wilderness. Triss realizes that in order to find the answers she needs, she must learn the ways of her ancestors and become the hunter, not the hunted before it’s too late, and she becomes part of the lonely souls.

Review:

A coven of witches. Magical mayhem. A cute boy from the past. Sprinkle in some emotional turmoil and a little mystery, and you have yourself a rather amazing and intriguing paranormal read!

Triss was supposed to meet her mother at the beach, but when the only things she finds are personal items, she knows something is wrong. Her mother has disappeared without a trace, and she is presumed to be dead by the coven. However, Triss refuses to believe that her mother is gone. She reacquaints herself with Logan, a friendly face from childhood, and they slowly begin to piece together the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance. When some of their discoveries leave them questioning the coven and their magical practices, what started out as a quest to find Triss’s mother becomes something a lot more dangerous and deadly.

While the premise of the story was what initially peaked my interest, I found there were many other things to appreciate about this book. The magical aspects of this novel were fascinating, and it’s nice to see what I consider to be a more ‘traditional’ form of magic (such as herbs and other earthly elements) being used. The concept of a lonely soul was also interesting to read about (but I will say no more- no spoilers!). However, this book did suffer a bit from poor pacing. There were a few moments where my attention was easily diverted and I lost interest in the story, but then things would quickly pick up again and I would be unable to stop reading. I think if the pace was a bit smoother and some of those unnecessary/drawn-out moments were removed, this would have been a much more engaging read.

Triss, the main character, took a while for me to warm up to. For the first half of the book, she struck me as being withdrawn and slightly abrasive, and I did not find myself really caring for her until the second half of the book. She has to deal with a lot emotionally throughout the story, and while I understand that and did not hold it against her when she was being prickly or rude, it just made it a little harder for me to really get a feel for her character. Logan, on the other hand, I instantly loved. I loved how steadfast his character was and the depth of his feelings for Triss. It is always nice to have a boy who is in your corner supporting you! :) (He has major swoonage potential!) The romance between Triss and Logan was solid, and some of their interactions left me in hysterics and were completely adorable.

Overall, this book did have a few problems, but it is a wonderful read all the same. It provides some originality to the YA paranormal genre, and it is definitely an interesting start to a new series. I cannot wait to see what Bolton has for us next!

A Decent Escape

Review: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Monument 14 (Monument 14, #1) by Emmy Laybourne

Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter
Genre: Survival, Dystopian
Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Shelf: Want to Buy
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

Review:

How can you not be interested in a story where what appears to be a normal, rather mundane day turns into a struggle to survive with the world literally falling apart around you? There are all kinds of crazy things going on in the beginning of this book: deadly, destructive hailstorms, exploding cars, and buses ramming into supermarkets, and I was immediately pulled into the story. Throw into the mix some nuclear disasters and megatsunamis, and I was hooked (yeah, survival of the fittest, baby!). It sounds like a great premise for a survival dystopian novel, right? However, while the book was quite enjoyable and entertaining, it lacked a few things that made it memorable for me.

With the beginning of the story starting out action-heavy and rather dramatic, I expected a similar kind of tone/pacing for the rest of the story. However, once the children get confined to the supermarket, things really decelerate and cool down. Survival for them comes in the form of structure and order, where everyone has chores they need to carry out, such as cooking, sorting supermarket items, and taking stock inventory. While it was impressive to read about how these teenagers and children were able to care for themselves, especially in such trying times, it lacked entertainment value. The only intense moments were intermittent fights over who would be leader of their group or relationship drama between a few of the high schoolers. These moments helped the story progress, but the slow pacing kept me from being fully invested. My favorite moments were when they were able to get information about the outside world, but unfortunately those moments were few and far between. I mean, the world is being destroyed, I want to know what is going on!  Even at the end of the book, I was uncertain of what the current situation was and the ramifications of all the disasters, but hopefully those things will be further explained in the next installment.

I found the characters to be a tad superficial. Dean was a decent male lead, and I like how the story is told from his perspective (yay for male POV!), but I found his overall emotions to be rather dull and listless. There were many times where he would be distressed or tensions would run high, but I never really felt any kind of heightened emotions myself. Also, some of the characters just annoyed and/or disturbed me. Two of the older teenagers, who should be role models for the younger children, spend most of their time either high or drunk, Dean peeps on his crush and her boyfriend getting physical with one another (the boyfriend naming her boobs = super distasteful), and one girl is so desperate for male attention she usually is flashing some kind of feminine body part. While personality flaws like this worked well with creating dramatic moments and establishing character dynamics, they did not make me particularly care for any of the characters. To me, the characters were ordinary and… just there. I had a pretty strong disconnect to almost all of them throughout the novel, and I think they should have been fleshed out a bit more.

One other aspect to the book I want to mention is the writing style. While it did not bother me, I can see how it would grate on others. Laybourne has a very simplistic prose, and she mainly uses basic sentence structures and does not delve too far into emotions and explicit details. This is in no means a bad thing, and I personally attributed her prose style to the fact that the story is told from a teenage male’s perspective, but some people could be very turned off to this kind of writing style.

Overall, while this book is not perfect, I did enjoy it. The ending definitely saved the book for me, and it left room for a lot of potential in the sequel. I liked the idea Laybourne has about children surviving the end of the world (that actually sounds terrible of me to say ><), and while she could have expanded on the story and made it more action-packed/dramatic, Monument 14 is nevertheless an entertaining read and I am excited to see where the second book takes us.   

A Decent Escape

Giveaway and Blog Tour: Retro Geeks by Karen Mueller Bryson

Retro Geeks by Karen Mueller Bryson

Release Date: March 29, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace
Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
My Shelf: Own (eBook)
Buy the Book: Amazon

Retro Geeks is a Short on Time Books for Teens, fast-paced and fun novels for readers on the go. Remember when it wasn't cool to be a geek? That's so yesterday! Retro Geeks, chronicles the (mis)adventures of two self-proclaimed geek girls, Molly and Ally, as they attempt to land super-hot dates for their senior prom. The 80s obsessed BFFs attempt a variety of date-finding schemes, including spying on the popular girls for the 411 on fitting in, in their quest for top-tier prom dates.

Review:

What a fun, fluffy read! Retro Geeks is a nice coming-of-age story of how two girls come to embrace their individuality. Molly and Ally are self-proclaimed retro geeks, but being retro does not equate to being ‘cool’. Determined to become part of the In-Crowd, they devise a series of plans to land them popularity and handsome prom dates.

The story itself is light, and there are a few fun moments that make Retro Geeks an entertaining read. Molly and Anna have a very tightly bound friendship, and some of the schemes they concocted together were so crazy it was ridiculous. Their story is all kinds of adorable, and it really made me recall (and not miss) how over-the-top and dramatic everything was in high school.

Some moments in this book were very reminiscent of the movie Mean Girls, and Elisa and friends reminded me a lot of Regina and her crew, cattiness and all. Also, as an added bonus, there is a guy named Tucker who just so happens to be a cowboy, and his kindhearted personality is very similar to Unearthly’s Tucker Avery (*swoon* I <3 Tucker Avery!). Overall, the story can be kind of silly and juvenile at moments, and it is easy to see how the storyline will progress, but it serves well for a short, fun read.

A Decent Escape

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Blog Tour and Review: Caged Moon by Rachel Deagen

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Caged Moon by Rachel Deagen

Release Date: January 18, 2012

Author Information: Blog / Twitter

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Available Formats: eBook
My Shelf: Own (eBook)
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Haunted by an animal attack, seventeen year old Charlotte feels she is being followed. When she runs into a mysterious boy while camping, she’s afraid. Nothing seems right about him. Despite trying to stay away, there is an unmistakable draw to be near him. Even his scent smells familiar. But the closer she gets, the faster the secrets begin to unravel. Not only is he not human, he may have a link to her past. When Charlotte finds out someone wants her dead, she is torn between love and fear. Can she trust him to keep her safe?

Review:

To say this book was a pleasant surprise is an understatement. When it comes to self-published books, I tend to be extremely reserved, and very few works have ever really captured my attention or left me satisfied when I turn the last page. Caged Moon is one of those rare exceptions. This is one of those books that keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. The plot is slowly revealed, with each new piece to the puzzle making you reanalyze your previous conclusions, and just when you think you have something figured out, you learn that you are so very wrong. I love books that make me keep guessing, and Caged Moon does exactly that. The werewolf elements of the story were obvious, but the main villains and their motive were kept under wraps very well.

I liked the characters, for the most part. There were a few moments where Charlotte was a little too recalcitrant and childish for my tastes, but overall, she was a decent lead. I really liked Liam, and I wish we could have learned more about him. A few hints to his past were brought out into the open, and I cannot help but be intrigued by his character. (There is just something about those werewolf boys… * swoony sigh*) Liam’s pack provided some much needed comedic relief amidst the unraveling plot/story, and I caught myself giggling at random times. Now onto the romance! Liam and Charlotte’s romance suffers heavily from insta-love. They fall in love in the matter of a few days, hardly knowing anything about each other, which was a little off-putting for me. However, I tried to tie their feelings for each other to the wolves inside them, and the insta-love became a bit more bearable. I did not fully buy into their love, but I am not one to turn away romantic scenes! J

There is one thing final thing I want to mention. I tend to be a stickler for grammar and spelling, and this book does have a few cringe-worthy mistakes (in the first edition release). There were many absent/missing commas, and some pretty bad spelling errors, such as ‘overroad’ instead of ‘overrode’ and ‘wreaking’ instead of ‘reeking.’ I know I can be unnecessarily anal about these types of mistakes in books, especially considering this is a self-published work, but they just bug me. I know I am not the only one out there plagued by this grammarian disease, so I just wanted to ensure other knew about it before reading so they will not be overly critical.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It is rather short, so most will be able to finish it in 2-3 hours, which is all the more reason to read it. With a storyline that leaves you guessing with some rather romantic moments mixed in, what do you have to lose?

A Decent Escape


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Blog Tour and Review: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Paranormal, Religious
Available Formats: eBook

My Shelf: Own (ARC eBook)

Other Information: Debut Author

Buy the Book: Barnes and Noble

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

ANGEL EYES

Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

Review:

Well, this book definitely added some variety to my paranormal reads. Recently, having read series such as Hush, Hush, Halo, and Fallen, I have essentially avoided most books dealing with angels like the plague. Angel Eyes has restored some of my faith in angel-demon paranormal books. The story is refreshing and Dittemore adds her own flare to the proverbial angel story to make her own unique.

Angel Eyes was a great read. It has an intriguing plot, solid characters (including one guy who is swoon-worthy), and romance. The story is a bit confusing in the beginning, with Brielle being plagued by past events, and the reader does not find out what happened until a decent way into the book. However, once the backstory is provided, it is all systems go. The story gets more intense and a major plot line starts to develop (something which I will not spoil), and it definitely makes for a gripping read. I liked Dittemore’s explanation for the use of halos and how they can lead to advanced powers in people who are worthy to wield them. I also liked the characters, which were well-crafted, and I adored the romance. Jake is such an awesome male lead, and he had my attention from the get-go. As far as God and the religious aspects of this novel are concerned, I am not going to delve into them too much (it is probably best for me to keep things nice and simple, no?). For the first half to two-thirds of the novel, there are very few religious undertones, but there are many towards the end. I am going to leave it at that.

One thing that did bother me a bit was the conflicting character viewpoints. Overall, there are four main players in this novel: Brielle, Jake, Canaan, and Damien. Brielle, Canaan, and Damien all have their own viewpoints being told, yet Jake is the lone man out. Unlike the others, the reader never gets to hear any bits of the story from Jake (save the afterword, which was all of 2-3 pages). Why? I did not understand that. In addition, Brielle uses a first person point of view, but when Canaan and Damien’s viewpoint is being expressed, their voice is the third person perspective. I did not like this mash up between first and third person point of views. It is easier and less confusing to just stick with one of them. I think it would have been better to stick with Brielle’s perspective throughout the book and fill in the other missing pieces told from Canaan and Damien’s viewpoints through dialogue or something. It would have made for a more fluid read while not detracting from the story or any type of character development.

Overall, Angel Eyes was an interesting story with a new take on angels that I think anyone would enjoy. It is one of the better angel-related reads out there, so for those of you looking for a more original angelic story, look no further than Angel Eyes!

A Decent Escape

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Release Date: September 27, 2011

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Pintrest

Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary

Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Shelf: Own (Hardcover)

Other Information: Debut Author

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

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

It can.

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

There is.

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

She's wrong.

Review:

When a friend recommended this book to me, they informed me that I would either love or hate it. She told me there is no middle ground, no neutral territory. Well, in the end, it gives me no pleasure to say she ended up being wrong. My feelings on this book are rather ambiguous. It has taken me over 3 weeks to write this review because I could not really decipher how it made me feel. Even now I am conflicted! So let’s start breaking things down, shall we?

The great:

1. The dialogue. Oh man, I am such a fan of the dialogue. It is not the usual ‘teen speak’ that is prevalent in most YA books today. The dialogue is witty and intelligent, and it is definitely on a higher difficulty level than a majority of YA books! It was very refreshing.

2. The cover. Just look at it! It’s gorgeous! Do I need to say more??

The mediocre:

1. The paranormal plot twist. I know, I know, some people hated it. I did not mind it so much myself. Could the twist have been better executed? Of course, without a doubt. Even I was a little thrown with how quickly things seemed to change in the book/story. The story focuses almost completely on the romance, and in the last quarter of the book, the plot rears up and smacks you in the face. However, hints of this paranormal element were present throughout the book, such as Mara’s name. (Mara DYER- as if we needed a bigger clue!) So the plot twist was not overly surprising or anything, but it lacked a certain finesse that would have made it good. For me, it was just okay.

2. The side characters. They were your typical characters with the standard one-dimensional personalities. I did not care for any of them. In fact, even though I just read the book a couple of weeks ago, I cannot remember any of their names! I guess that says it all, no? They did not really add any depth to the story, nor did they detract from it, so they were just meh.

3. The romance. The romance was a typical YA romance. Nothing about Mara and Noah’s romance stood out or was memorable. The dialogue exchanged between the two of them was great, but the characters themselves were terrible (which I will get to in the next section), and I could not bring myself to invest any attention or feelings into their relationship.

 The doldrums:

1. Mara. Oh Mara, Mara, Mara, I did not really care for you. She causes certain catastrophic events in the book (she kills people- some who are innocent!), but never once did she feel guilty about it. If you were the reason someone died, no matter how horrible of a person they were, wouldn’t you feel even a little guilt? Especially when their death resulted from your inability to control your anger/feelings? Instead, she just complained about it all and talked about how unfair it was for her to be burdened with her ‘gift.’ This attitude of hers really irked me towards the end. I really hate it when characters just cry and whine about something instead of being proactive and figuring out a way to solve their problems. Sure, Mara’s gift was not much of a gift at all, but do not spend most of the book sobbing about it. Figure out a way to control it instead.

Another thing that bothered me was Mara’s feelings towards Noah.

What could I say? Noah, despite you being an asshole, or maybe because of it, I’d like to rip off your clothes and have your babies. Don’t tell.

That is not why you should like a guy. That is NEVER why you should like a guy. I do not like that these kinds of thoughts are becoming more and more prevalent in books. Girls should not like a guy because he is a jerk, even if he is popular, rich, and/or all other girls like him (or have slept with him). This is not something that young girls should think is okay, and that is exactly what thoughts like Mara’s teaches them.

2. Noah.  Here comes the rant. I detested Noah. There is no easy or nice way to say that. Initially, I was totally on the Noah bandwagon. He is described as being good-looking, rich, smart, and just all around perfect without meaning to be. To top it off, he even has a sexy accent and speaks six languages. Sounds nice, right? But then a few other details started to trickle in. He throws away women like they are ‘used condoms,’ has a tendency to talk down to them, and has literally slept with all the girls in the school, earning him the title of King Wham-Bam-Thank-You-Ma’am (graciously bestowed by me). He is a complete womanizer, and all the girls know it, yet they continue to fan over him even though he treats them like they are undeserving of his attention. Promiscuity is not sexy, and neither are boys who treat girls like crap. His attitude towards Mara is different since he seems to really care for her, but I had a hard time disassociating him with all the other girls. In his defense, a few of the girls are rude and seem deserving of being told off by him, but the way he treats them overall is really just disconcerting to me. In my opinion, no guy should treat a girl like that and no girl should be okay with a guy treating them with anything less than respect.

(Just as a quick note, most of my thoughts and feelings for the characters stem from my own personal beliefs, so please do not let me deter you from reading this book. Plenty of other people have enjoyed it and have fallen completely in love with Noah, so you should definitely read it for yourself and formulate your own opinions.)

Overall, this book was just okay. I loved the dialogue and the plot really grabbed my attention initially, but with poor plot execution and unlikeable characters (for me, anyway), this book left me feeling underwhelmed. I will try reading the next book in the series, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, to see what happens, but I think my expectations are going to be a little lower. 

A Decent Escape

Review: My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, #2) by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: December 29, 2009

Publisher: Harlequin

Author Information:  Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Genre: Paranormal

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
My Shelf: Want to Buy

Other Books in Series: My Soul to Lose (#0.5), My Soul to Take (#1)
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn’t wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can’t cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.

Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

Review:

Oh, my disappoint runs deep. After having loved the first book, maybe my expectations were too high for this one? Regardless, I am disappointed. I enjoyed this book, but that is about the extent of it. I have no resonant feelings or thoughts concerning the story, making My Soul to Save just….forgettable. It’s a decent read and a passable sequel, but nothing more.

I think the thing I am most dissatisfied with is the change in character personality and dynamic. Was Kaylee always that infuriating and headstrong? Did she always come across as a grating know-it-all, and this is just my first time noticing? I really liked her in the first book, but she seemed to have undergone a change for the worst in this one. Nash is much the same as before, but seeing as how I did not really care for him before says little. However, the person that changed the most was Tod. Seriously, Tod’s personality did a complete 180. What happened to his snarkiness and snubbery that I loved in the first book? Also, he never striked me as a character who would lie and risk Kaylee’s life, especially when he went out of his way to save her and her family last time. In this book, he just seemed uncaring and stubborn, and not at all like the Tod I was hoping to see more of. I was also hoping for some more reconciliation/emotional bonding moments between Kaylee and her father, but there was little to none of that either.

However, the one thing that irritated me the most in this book was Nash and Kaylee’s ‘love.’ While I never particularly cared for Kaylee and Nash’s relationship in My Soul toTake, this book quickly turned my mundane feelings for their romance into hardcore resentment and hate. There is no depth to their feelings for one another. They do not have any heartfelt discussions, no exchange of feelings. Kaylee wonders a few times what Nash wants from her and what he sees in her, and that question is never answered, which made me even more disenchanted with their ‘romance.’ They just seem like hormone-filled, lustful teenagers whose relationship only consists of (heavy) pawing at one another. For me, their relationship has become intolerable.

I also never understood why they tried so hard to save Addison. I could not see why they would risk everything, especially their lives, to save a pop star they hardly knew. She made her bed, so she should lay in it. I know it seems uncompassionate of me to say these things, but even at the end of the novel, Nash was yelling at Addison to quit thinking of herself and to get her head out of her rear. So why, WHY, WHY, would you risk your life to save someone like her? It made no sense to me, and I was not buying it.

Like I mentioned in the beginning, this book is a decent read, just not was I was expecting. (Please excuse all my ranting.) The story did have some good points, such as delving into the idea of selling your soul for fame and fortune. I also liked discovering more of the Netherworld and its components/inhabitants. I hope the next book in the series, My Soul to Keep, proves to be better than this one. I am going to try and lower my expectations this time around.

A Decent Escape

The Other Life (The Weepers) by Susanne Winnacker

The Other Life (The Weepers) by Susanne Winnacker

Release Date: February 1, 2012

Publisher: Usborne
Age Group: Young Adult (14+)

Formats Available: Paperback and eBook (Hardcover will be published in May with a new cover)

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world.

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers.

But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?

Review:

Well, this was certainly an enthralling, action-packed read! I was captivated from the very beginning, and all the action had me on the edge of my seat. This was definitely an exciting story from debut author Susanne Winnacker, and while I enjoyed the story immensely, I felt that there was just a little something missing that would have made this good read a spectacular one.

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world. From just those few sentences alone, it is almost impossible not to draw parallels to Shatter Me. Juliet, the MC in Shatter Me, hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days and has been locked up for 264 days with 1 window. 4 walls. 144 square feet of space. Sounds a little similar, no? Add to the fact that both these books are dystopian literature, and even I was expecting The Weepers to be a lot like Shatter Me. However, these books are two completely different types of dystopian fiction. If you picked up this book expecting something like Shatter Me, be prepared for something a little different.

A rabies epidemic has been unleashed, and in order to avoid being contaminated, people moved into basements and bunkers. After spending over 3 years in their bunker, Sherry and her family have run out of food, forcing her and her father to brave the now unknown world awaiting them outside. Their old neighborhood is desolate, and dead bodies litter the streets and sidewalks. During their search for food, Sherry’s father is taken by Weepers, human who have become mutant creatures (or zombies, if you will) from the rabies outbreak. Sherry joins forces with Joshua and his companions to help find her father and figure out the truth behind the Weepers and the rabies spread.

The action in this book was crazy! As soon as Sherry exits the bunker, her life basically becomes a constant fight for survival. Emotions were always heightened, and there were some scary moments that made my heart beat a little faster (but I am a huge baby, so that is no surprise…). However, while the action and intensity of the novel was bar none, there was very little time to introduce a decent plot and really bring the characters to life. I have to say, the premise of this novel definitely drew me to the book, and I was really looking forward to learning more about the world and the rabies infestation/zombie problem. However, there was almost no plot throughout most of the story. There were constantly fights with Weepers for survival with a little romance thrown in intermittently, but the whole plot was introduced in the last couple of pages. Now, the plot was great and really interesting, and the introduction of it all in the end definitely served as a big cliffhanger that left me wanting more, but I really wish there had been more of it throughout the story. It would have been better to have introduced the plot twists pieces at a time instead of exposing everything at once. While the wow factor at the end might not be as great through slow exposure, it definitely would have kept me more invested in the story.

I liked the romance between Joshua and Sherry, but there was little chemistry between them. They are constantly fighting for their lives, and I felt their romance was more a production of the high of surviving after a rough battle instead of two teenagers falling in love in a dystopian world. I really wish I knew what they saw in each other, or even what they felt about one another. And that leads me to my next point: I think the reason I did not really understand their love was because I did not really understand them. The book was told from Sherry’s perspective, but I felt like I really did not know much about her at the end. What did she feel? What did she think? And it is not just Sherry’s character. I felt like I did not really get to know any of the characters. This book was a really quick read, so I think it would have been best to make the book longer and add in emotional or romantic moments to help flesh out the characters more. While the book was good without these added moments, I personally think they would have made this story better.

Do not get me wrong, I loved the action in this book, and it left me riveted and constantly on my toes. However, I just wish there would have been a little more substance to the story. In the end, it just felt as though something was missing. However, this is a good book and a quick read, so you should definitely check it out! I will definitely be reading the sequel, The Life Beyond, to see what happens next, and hopefully we will learn more about the characters and the new world!

A Decent Escape

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2, 2012

Publisher: Poppy

Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

Genre: Contemporary, Romance
My Shelf: Borrowed

Buy the Book: Amazon

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review:

This is a story that makes you ponder the idea of something being fated. All the minor problems that made Hadley four minutes late enabled her to stumble across the path of Oliver, a handsome British boy who missed the same flight. Through meeting this adorable Brit, Hadley spends the next 24 hours learning more about herself, confronting some of the issues she has just been letting simmer, and falling in love. But what would have happened if she made the flight? What would have happened if she was not sitting next to Oliver on the plan to England? Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

I was super excited for this book. I felt like I had been waiting ages to finally get my hands on a copy. It was a fairly quick read, the writing is excellent, and the story was light, cute, and romantic. I enjoyed reading it, yet I felt a little underwhelmed at the end. Sure, there were cute moments where I laughed, but that was about it. I think one of the problems was the point of view. This story is told in the third person narrative, yet it purely focuses on Hadley. If only one character is going to be in the limelight, why not just use first person narrative? I feel like if the story was told from Hadley’s perspective in first person, the story and the characters, especially Hadley, would have been fleshed out more.

The characters were decent, but I had a hard time to really connecting with them. They felt superficial to me, and try as I might, I just could not find it in myself to really care for them. In the beginning, I could not stand Hadley. She was extremely rude to her mom before she left for England, and she is even more callous and abrasive towards her father. I found her to be selfish and overly stubborn, acting like a stuck-up princess who deserves everything served to her on a silver platter (when in actuality, all she deserved was a royal beating). She did get better at the end with her self-actualization and all, but I think who she was at the start of the story stuck with me a little too well. Oliver was the one character I can say I liked. He is a nice, funny guy, but I felt like his character was undeveloped. I really wish we got to know more about him, since he seemed like a really interesting fellow. Hadley’s mom was on the periphery the whole time, and the only thing I can really say about her is she seemed nice and kind-hearted (and she also should not have had to put up with her daughter’s attitude).

And then we get to Hadley’s dad. *begin rant* He is going to get his own paragraph since his character really angered me. He has a wife and daughter that he leaves behind to go and teach at Oxford for a while, and while there, he finds a thinner, younger woman (who happens to be TERRIBLY superficial) and decides to end his marriage. Really? Who up and abandons the family and life that they had FOR YEARS for a superficial woman they have known for less than a year? To make matters worse, he never really returns home to sort anything out. I really disliked his character. He wanted his daughter to be happy for him and his new wife. You ditch your family, move to England, and then want your daughter to understand why you left and apologize to you for being rude? His reasoning behind leaving Hadley and her mom is that love is ‘illogical.’ Is that the best you can come up with? No, Professor, you are illogical! All you have left in the wake of your divorce is an emotionally damaged wife who is afraid to connect to men and a daughter who has turned sour since you left her behind without a word. You are the one who needs to apologize, not Hadley. *end rant*

I feel bad for giving a less than positive review, but it is the truth. (I am going to follow the advice of Mulan and be true to my heart. That’s right- I totally just threw a Disney reference in there.) Overall, this book was an easy, quick read, and it does have a few nice moments. This is a good read if you are looking for something uncomplicated and cute! However, it is definitely no Anna and the French Kiss or Where She Went, so do not expect to be blown away. 

A Decent Escape

Existence by Abbi Glines

Existence by Abbi Glines

Release Date: December 13, 2011

Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

Age Group: Older Young Adult (16+)

Pages: 194

Format: eBook
ISBN: B006LFVZ8E

Buy the Book: Amazon

What happens when you are stalked by Death? You fall in love with him of course. Pagan Moore doesn’t cheat Death, instead, she falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore, has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn’t let them know she could see them, they left her alone. Until she steps out of her car on the first day of school and sees an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead. Not only does he not go away, when she ignores him he does something none of the others have ever done; he speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What Pagan doesn’t realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul. He is Death and he is about to break all the rules.

Review:

Hello, pretty boy on the cover. Is it shallow of me to say that I wanted to read this book after I saw you and all of your glowy eyed-ness? Because that is what happened. *ashamed*

But anyway, enough of the beautiful boy cover and on to the actual story. This book was a great read. The premise of the story was very original, so if anyone is looking to escape reading books about vampires, werewolves, or any kind of thing thereof, this is something you should definitely check out. I also really liked Glines’s writing style. When a good story line and good writing are coupled together, you get a good book. And that is what Existence was.

I really liked all the characters for the most part. Pagan is a great female lead. She is a smart and strong, and her emotions came across really well. When she was afraid, there were moments I would look around my room to make sure no one was watching me. I also liked Dank (although I am not a fan of his name). He is a brooding and dark man with a sexy smirk, which is otherwise known as my weakness. He and Pagan together make a decent couple. But I gave my heart to Leif. (I have to admit, when his name first came up, I went and made sure that this book was not written by Maria V. Snyder. I was like, What?? Leif Zaltana? I thought this was a story about Death, not the Study series…? Whoops. My bad.) In any case (quit getting distracted, Bri!), I really liked Leif. He was all about breaking stereotypes. Here was the star of the football team who used to date the most popular girl in school. I know, you have heard this story, right? But things are revealed about Leif that broke all the stereotypes and really surprised me. Here is a guy who beat some pretty unfavorable odds to become the person he is today and he just happens to fall in love with a girl who is enamored with Death. I couldn’t help but root for him! He really cares for Pagan and I thought the chemistry between them was nice. I really hope there is a sequel to this story and he can find his own happiness.

I still have some questions after reading Existence. How was Dank able to become human and why, oh why, did he even bother with Kendra? Was there a point to it? Did he want to make Pagan jealous or try to forget about her? And why did no one remember him once he left school? Hopefully there will be a sequel (*COUGH*PLEASE*COUGH*) and some of things will be explained! Plus, with the ending Glines wrote, there HAS to be a sequel! ><

I recommend this book to any fan of paranormal romance! I have never read any of Abbi Glines books before, but I will be catching up on her other works pretty quickly if they’re anything like Existence. I have definitely become a fan (and I am an absolute sucker for any kind of romance). Glines has another book, Because of Low, due out February 7, 2012 and I am excited to read it! 

A Decent Escape