Review for Untouched (Denazen #1.5) by Jus Accardo

TITLE: Untouched
SERIES: Denazen #1.5
AUTHOR: Jus Accardo
PUBLICATION DATE: March 27, 2012
PUBLISHER: Entangled Publishing
PAGES: 82 pages
FORMAT: ebook
SOURCE: Purchased
RATING: 4 bows

Kale is going cross country with Dez to find and warn other Sixes about Denazen. He’s learning a lot about the outside world on this trip and he gets to spend more time with Dez, which is always a plus. But when contacting the last Six Kale is sure they are being watched and when Samsen shows up and Dez sacrifices herself to save Kale, he knows he must find away to get her back. The problem? Samsen is the most powerful Six he has ever met and he might just be powerful enough to overcome Kale. Can he find a way to save Dez? You’ll have to read to find out.

Holy shit. That’s pretty much my entire response to this book. In Touch, Kale was adorable and perfect and we all fell in love with him. Here, we get into his head and holy alien babies! I didn’t think it was possible to swoon anymore than I already had, but I was wrong. He reminds me a bit of Kyle XY, but deadly-er. He’s so smart and has the whole fight thing master, but at the same time, he’s got this worldly innocence. He doesn’t understand much of the slang and he doesn’t like how no one says what they really mean. Geez people, English is hard enough to master on it’s own, without adding crazy connotations to everything. But watching him misunderstand everything had me cracking up. I wanted to hug him…except that I’m not Dez and that impulse would probably get me killed. It might be worth it!

Dez is the same badass she was in Touch. It’s fun seeing her through Kale’s eyes instead of her own.

Samsen, the new baddie, is terrifying. Someone who can control you with the power of their voice? ::shudders:: Can we not? That is one scary ass power. We all know that Kale will defeat him, but it’s nerve-racking to read about.

This novella may be tiny, but it’s action-packed. The only thing it was missing was a good make-out scene from Kale’s perspective. It wouldn’t have hurt to add a few pages for that, right? Oh well, I’ll keep dreaming about that and hopefully we’ll get there one day. Regardless, if you enjoyed Touch, you’ll love this!

Review for Touch (Denazen #1) by Jus Accardo

TITLE: Touch
SERIES: Denazen #1
AUTHOR: Jus Accardo
PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2011
PUBLISHER: Entangled Publishing
PAGES: 284 pages
FORMAT: Book
SOURCE: Purchased
RATING: 4 bows

Adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross was minding her own business walking home one night when a mysterious stranger literally falls at her feet. This, she is certain, is a gift from whatever gods exist because it is the perfect opportunity to piss of her father. Nothing would make him angrier than to come home and find his daughter home alone with a total stranger. But the longer she spends in Kale’s presence, the more she thinks there is something off about him. She’s completely right. He is a Six, which is this novel’s way of saying he has supernatural abilities. He’s specialty? Death touch. One touch from him and anything living dies and literally dissolves into dust. Even better? He’s escaped from a secret compound that uses him and those like him to do their dirty work and her father, Marshall Cross, just happens to be the ringleader. Denazen Corporation isn’t a law firm as she has always believed. They seem to be the home office of evil incarnate and they are hellbent on getting Kale back. He’s one of a kind and they’ll be damned if they loose him. Can she keep Kale safe or will she be a casualty of his recapture?

Dez was a girl I loved almost instantly. She’s tough and cool and completely confident. YA doesn’t have may confident female characters. We get too many Bella Swan girls who are just so “ugly” but yet every attractive guy in a ten mile radius lines up to try to win her heart. I’m not the most confident person myself, but it’s great to read about someone who is. She knows exactly who she is and she refuses to compromise that person for anyone. This is me, take it or leave it kinda of attitude that instantly had me rooting for her. Her determination to irritate her father was an intriguing idea for me. Most teen girls would be a weepy mess if it was obvious that their father doesn’t really care for them. Not Dez. She takes it in stride and figures she’ll just keep him continually pissed off so he is at least aware of her presence. She’s just a bad-ass. How can you not love a girl who intentionally skateboards off a roof within the first chapter?

Then you have Kale…adorable, deadly Kale. This is a guy who has never been outside Denazen before. He’s fascinated with everything and his fascination was incredibly endearing. He doesn’t understand the outside world beyond the tiny sliver he has been granted and because of that it’s hard not to sympathize with him. Plus there is the whole my touch kills people thing. It’s not something he knows how to control. It’s simply what happens. Even if he just accidentally bumps into someone, skin to skin contact is deadly. Can you imagine having to live with that? Can you imagine having to live with the knowledge that you’ve killed people accidentally. Or worse, that you’ve done it on purpose because Denazen commanded you to? I don’t even really want to think about such a life. It’s not hard to see why Dez falls so hard for him.

Then you have jackass Alex, the other point in the late-blooming love triangle. I’m not a fan. Even if he didn’t do the bad thing he does at the end, I wouldn’t be a fan. This is a guy who had Dez’s love and he intentionally fucked it up. He cheated and he knew she’d find out and that it would break her heart. What the fuck kind of person does that? There were others ways to accomplish the goal you had in mind. And now? Dez is almost over you and you decide to pull this shit? Dude, Let. It. Go.

This is a fast paced little novel that keeps you guessing until the end. It’s exceedingly well-written and addictive. Once you get about 50 or so pages in, it’s impossible to put down. You have to know what happens next. Does Kale get captured? What is Dez’s secret? Why the hell is Dez’s dad such a jackass? DO KALE AND DEZ END UP TOGETHER?!?!? You find out all those answers and more. It gets 4 stars instead of 5 because love triangles annoy the fuck out of me. Seriously, that particular plot devise is unnecessary. It actually plays into the plot and story pretty well, but that doesn’t change the fact that I hate them. It also has a mild cliffhanger….or maybe I just think it’s mild because the next book is already out and I continue on the story as soon as my copy arrives in the mail.

The other small issue I had was that it was almost too fast paced. You don’t get a minute to catch your breath and digest what’s happening until it’s over. On the one hand, that keeps you incredibly interested, but on the other, dude, breathing is kinda important. You’re just hit with one event after the next with no space in between to really absorb how what’s just happened will affect the plot. If anything, it’s a good probably to have, but still, I almost wished it was slowed down just a twinge.

I’ll admit that one of the reasons I wanted to read this was because it’s the novel that Katy gushed about in Obsidian. At least, I’m pretty sure it is. Either way, that perked my interest and the description did the rest. This novel has lovable characters, an intense plot, and sizzling romance. What more could you want?

Review for Eyes Ever To The Sky (The Sky Trilogy #1) by Katie French

TITLE: Eyes Ever To The Sky
SERIES: The Sky Trilogy #1
AUTHOR: Katie French
PUBLICATION DATE: April 9, 2013
PUBLISHER: Katie French Books
PAGES: 198 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: Publisher via NetGalley
RATING: 2 bows

Hugh wakes up in the middle of a crater in a park completely naked. He has no memory. The only thing he knows for certain is that he’s name is Hugh. The longer he wanders around, the more he realizes that there is something off about him. He is stronger than he should be and heals incredibly fast. He crosses paths with 15 year old Cece and things really get interesting. He’s instincts tell him to trust no one, but she’s so kind and caring that he wants to let her help him. Cece has enough on her plate without an amnesiac homeless teenage boy following her around, but she can’t help the desire to aide him. How can you not want to help a boy who is literally sleeping in a dumpster and scavenging for food? Add to these twos needs, there is also a murderer on the loose, ripping peoples throats out. Can they help each other and find the killer? Or will Cece be the next victim?

That was kinda a crappy description, huh? I’m sorry about that, I just couldn’t find a good way to tie it altogether that doesn’t give everything away. This was another one of those novels that I requested right when I started reviewing books because it had an interesting cover and it sounded interesting enough. Now my screening process is much stricter. I read the entire description several times, I check Goodreads to see if anyone I follow has read/rated/reviewed it so I have something to go off. I really think and consider what I’m downloaded. In the beginning, though, that is never the case. I think every reviewer can tell you that in the beginning they downloaded nearly anything they could. You, person I don’t know, are going to give me access to a book free of charge? All I have to do is leave a review?

As long as it sounded mildly good and was in a category I read (ie YA or NA or historical romance), I was all for it. I’m paying for that now because I’m making a point to read through all of them, in that better late than never spirit and get reviews up for them. What sucks is having to write negative reviews. I realize that negative ones help just as much as positive ones, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad about shooting down some indie authors baby. Speaking of….

Cece was a character that was fine, if somewhat annoying. I feel like her story was so cliched. Teen girl with only one parent with is so affected by a mental illness that she can’t bring herself to provide so said teen girl must support them. I think that is part of what irritates me. I don’t understand anyone who has a mental illness that doesn’t want help. My husband actually is bi-polar, like Cece’s mom, and there wasn’t a day when he wasn’t on medication that he didn’t want help. That whole “the side effects aren’t worth it” argument just angers me more. There are hundreds of different pills! There are many different choices and options and tons of generic versions for each of them! I know the first set you try isn’t going to be a magic set. But you keep fucking trying. Period. I don’t understand or sympathize with anyone with a different view than that. Especially someone with a child! LADY! Get off your ass and take care of your kid! Go to a free clinic and get yourself an appointment and work something out. Make it happen! So…maybe it wasn’t Cece who irritated me. But she kinda did too because she was so trusting of Hugh. I mean, the audience knows he didn’t kill those people, but she has no real proof of that besides the fact that he seems kind. You do realize that sociopaths are usually very charming, right?

Hugh wasn’t really any better. I actually am trying to think about how to describe him and I can’t. He’s a non-person. He is personality-less. He is scared because he doesn’t know who he is or where he’s from or anything and then he becomes fiercely protective of Cece (oh yes, the dreaded insta-love).

As far as writing, it was written well, but it was a little boring. It was slow and all over the place. I felt like it almost had too much going on. The crazy mom, the forcing Cece into work, the Hugh-alien thing, the conflict with the aliens….just too much for this bitty 200 page novel. And then, the ending just felt forced. Cece’s family thing working out the way it did had me screaming “THAT’S NOT HOW REAL LIFE WORKS!”

In a nutshell, this novel was disappointing. The premise was intriguing, but it had no follow through. It felt very unfinished. It also is supposed to be the first book in a trilogy, but there is no word on releasing the next books. That really sucks for anyone out there who genuinely liked the novel because it ends on a cliffhanger.

****Thank you to Katie French Books for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Otherworld Nights (Otherworld Stories #3) by Kelley Armstrong

TITLE: Otherworld Nights
SERIES: Otherworld Stories #3
AUTHOR: Kelley Armstrong
PUBLICATION DATE: October 7, 2014
PUBLISHER: Piatkus
PAGES: 320 pages
FORMAT: Book
SOURCE: Publisher
RATING: 4 bows

This is an anthology of stories set in the world of the Women Of The Otherworld. Let me say first that I have not read any of the novels in this series, despite the fact that a good friend of mine is always singing their praise (or the fact that I’m interested in watching the Bitten show that is based off them). Now, I want to read them even more, especially the one about Hope. These short stories are intriguing and intense, even if all of them don’t end happily.

Demonology

This one is short and sweet and to the point. It’s the journey of Talia to find out more about her sons abilities and how to help him control them. It’s pretty easy to follow and clear cut. I wanted to know more about this boy. I think it plays out pretty well from my perspective of a newbie. People who have read the series already know about Adam and what he is, but I think it’s readable for either set of people.

Twilight

I wasn’t a huge fan of this story. It’s about Cassandra trying to make her yearly kill to remain “alive” for another year. It’s an interesting concept, having to kill someone yearly to remain a vampire. For whatever reason, is finding this task more difficult than normal this year. The short was well written, it just bored me a little bit. Typically, when I’m reading an anthology, I try to finish the short in a single sitting, but this one took two to finish because it just didn’t hold my interest.

Stalked

This was my very first look at Elena, who I know is the start of the fist few books in this series. From this story alone, I wasn’t in love with her. Clay, her mate, is fascinating. I may have liked him more because it was told via his perspective. It’s a story about them taking a honeymoon and being stalked by a stray werewolf. It’s clear from this little tale that these two are completely in love. The hints about their past make me extremely interested in getting my hands on their novel. I image their journey back to each other is far from easy, but hopefully it’ll be worth it.

Chivalrous

This story is heartbreaking and therefore my least favorite of the set. It’s about Reese falling in love with a girl and the consequences of that mistake. I can’t really say much without giving it away. I will say that when I started it, I expected it to be my favorite and it turns out that I hate it. I like happy endings. This was the very opposite of that. I realize it’s just Reese’s back story and whatever adventures he takes in the future would not have been possible without this tragic thing, but that doesn’t mean I want to read it and have my heart stomped on.

Lucifer’s Daughter

Ah. This is my favorite. Hope’s story is so interesting that I couldn’t tear myself away. This is possibly the most humorous of the tales, cause me to snort and giggle on more than one occasion. I love the banter between her and Karl. If I didn’t have a need to read stories in order, I’d find a copy of her particular book in the series and devour it quickly. This is the story of a demon being released and the ensuing chaos. It was extremely entertaining.

Hidden

This story is what made me fall in love with Elena. She’s so strong and tough, but soft and vulnerable. Her love and fierce determination to protect her children is something I think we can all relate to, even if we haven’t had children yet. The way she agonizes over how and when to tell her children that she and Dad are werewolves is endearing. She wants to make the right choice when it’s obvious that there is no right answer. Speaking of her kids, Kate and Logan are amazing. I want a spinoff of their story. Do we ever find out if they turn on their own or not in the normal series? I need to know! Anyway, this is the story of Elena and Clay finding the bad guy and saving their children all before a perfect Christmas morning. This is the longest story in this anthology.

From Russia, With Love

This is another Elena story. It’s just a little tale of the lengths Clay and Elena will go to protect their children, even if the threat isn’t as serious as they originally perceived it to be.

Vanishing Act

Savannah’s story is a bit different than the rest. It’s about her protecting a kid with teleportation abilities, but it’s also about her fixing her relationship with her boyfriend. Things seem perfect and are, in a lot of aspects, but there are problems they are avoiding and the events of this novella make them impossible to set aside any longer. I really enjoyed their story as well as the others and I’m very interested in reading their novel.

Well, there you have it! Those are my thoughts on all the stories. Anthologies aren’t normally a favorite thing of mine. There aren’t many authors who can give me a fully satisfying story in so short a time. They are either rushed or they leave me with unanswered questions or I just feel like they need more. That wasn’t the case with these. Even though I know there are novels written completely about some of these characters, Armstrong manages to tie everything in neatly and give me exactly what I need to follow the stories. I think it’s a great tool to grab someone’s interest and make them want to read the series as a whole!

****Thank you to Piatkus for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review****

Review for White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) by Jennifer L Armentrout

TITLE: White Hot Kiss
SERIES: The Dark Elements #1
AUTHOR: Jennifer L Armentrout
PUBLICATION DATE: February 25, 2014
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen
PAGES: 304 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: Publisher via NetGalley
RATING: 5 bows

Layla will never be normal, no matter how much she wishes she was. She’s half gargoyle, half demon, an unheard of combination considering it’s the Gargoyle’s duty to destroy demons on-sight. But that doesn’t make her existence any less real. All she wants is to be normal and to be with Zayne, the insanely hot Warden (aka Gargoyle) who she’s had a crush on since he walked into her life at 7. But there’s one problem, besides her despicable demon blood, and that’s she will take his soul if they kiss. She’s can’t kiss anyone with a soul without relieving them of that particular asset. But then she meets Roth, the gorgeous tattooed demon who keeps saving her ass. Trusting him could mean the end of life as she knows it and would be seen as betrayal by her Warden family. But there is something about Roth that she can’t resist. Would she happily follow him to her doom or will he be the savoir no one expects?

One day, I will read a JLA book and not be surprised by how awesome it is. That day is not today. I know I spend a portion of any review of her book raving about how epic she is, but really, I’ve yet to read something written by her that wasn’t awesome and this is no exception. Armentrout tackles this particular brand of supernatural creature as beautiful as she does everything else. This is everything I expect it to be and more, just as addictive as the Lux series.

Layla (love her name, by the way) is that misfit I think we can all relate to, taken to a whole new level. Not only is she the odd man out at school, but her very DNA prevents her from fitting in even among her adoptive family. Though she has forged a close bond with a few members of the Warden family, she’s still dislike by many and downright hated by some. She copes with it all rather well, all things considered, and is content (sorta) to spend her days in school, her afternoons tagging demons, and her nights lost in conversation with Zayne. Zayne, the ultimate crush she can never have. Even if it was possible to have a physical relationship with him, her demon blood would taint the Warden line, something the other Warden’s wouldn’t stand for. So when Roth enters the picture, she knows she should walk away and report the activity, but she can’t make herself do it. Roth is intriguing and doesn’t look down on her “bad” blood…and he’s gloriously soulless, meaning she doesn’t have to deal with that pesky soul-eating temptation she has to fight around everyone else.

Roth, oh dear Roth. You’d think that I’d get tired of JLA strolling out cocky bad-boy types by now, but it’s just not the case. What’s that phrase Katy uses, holy alien babies? That sounds about right. Roth is a self-serving demon with a sinfully hot body, a smart mouth, and several powerful abilities. He’s just…::drools:: He’s awesomesauce, k? He’s so damned confident that it’s impossible to even think he’ll fail at whatever he puts his mind to. And when he puts his mind to convincing Layla to trust him….damn. He succeeds with flying colors. I’m definitely team Roth, just so we’re clear.

Then there is Zayne, the other corner of this infuriating love triangle. Zayne is Roth’s polar opposite. He’s good and righteous and caring and equally as hot. The fact that a love affair would be impossible between him and Layla, along with the clairvoyant knowledge that he’ll end up with Danika, makes it impossible for me to root for him. I know Layla’s had it bad for him forever, but it’s just not meant to happen. Not to mention the major letdowns here. In many ways he fails Layla in this novel, forgetting her or downright ignoring her when she needs him. She does some bad things too, but never anything to deliberately hurt him.

Can I comment on JLA’s genius-ness again? This woman is quickly becoming my favorite author, with her ability to wow me in everything she writes. Here she shines with the Gargoyle lure, the badass demon, and the plot twists that I didn’t anticipate. She shines because I love this book in spite of the love triangle and the awful, horrid cliffhanger. That end and Roth and the revelations about her parentage and holy fucking cow, I feel traumatized. I can’t even….

So yeah, if you aren’t overly fond of cliffhangers or not knowing if a particular character is dead for good (AND THAT CHARACTER BETTER NOT BE! I’m just sayin’, putting that out there because that will make me angry and you won’t like me when I’m angry), then you might wanna wait until book 2 (and probably 3, because let’s face it, 2 will probably have a cliffhanger too) is out because the ending it’s the rainbows and sunshine I’d been dreaming of.

This novel is everything you’d expect from JLA, with cocky male leads, a sassy heroine, and enough romance and turmoil to keep you enraptured. The romance between the characters ranges from hot to sweet, managing to give you just the right amount of smut for a YA novel without going overboard. Even those who prefer smut-free novels should be fine with this. I keep trying to figure out the best way to summarize this review, but it really comes down to a simple statement: It’s JLA. I absolutely loved it and I cannot wait for the next one. Seriously, I may sell my first born child to get my hands on it if I can get any takers for that offer. Oh, and before I forget, there is an exclusive excerpt at the end of the novel from Roth’s point of view that will only be available in the print version, so if you’re planning on buying it, there’s a little extra incentive to get it in print. Trust me, it’s totally worth it. It makes you love Roth even more, if such a thing were possible.

****A huge thank you Lisa Wray and all the people Harlequin Teen for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

TITLE: Secret
SERIES: Elemental #4
AUTHOR: Brigid Kemmerer
PUBLICATION DATE: January 28, 2014
PUBLISHER: KTeen, an imprint of Kensington Publishing
PAGES: 352 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: NetGalley
RATING: 5 bows

Nick Merrick has always been the dependable one. He seems to do everything, keeping his grades up, helping Gabriel with his school work so he can get into fire-fighting training, help Michael with the landscaping business so they don’t have to live off ramen noodles, and keep his brothers from tearing each others heads off with things get too heated. But Nick is about ready to break because he doesn’t know how much longer he can hide his secret, especially when he can’t seem to stay away from Adam, his “girlfriend’s” dance partner. He’s terrified to break the news of his homosexuality to his brothers because he wouldn’t be able to handle they rejection, especially Gabriel’s. Add that stress to the ever-present stay alive scenario with the Guides constantly out to get them and our Nicky has quite a been to handle. Can he keep it all locked in or will he allow someone else to help him?

It seems like every time I read one of the Elemental series, the book that particular brother is mainly about becomes my favorite Merrick and this is no exception. Nick problems felt so real. Unlike the rest of the books, this almost reads like a contemporary romance because you don’t go into a lot of the Elemental stuff. Sure, it’s there and the threat of the Guides is present, but this is much more about Nick’s journey to come out of the closet than anything else. He’s such an easy character to sympathize with. I think he was a bit stupid to worry so much about his brother’s reactions because it’s obvious to anyone that they would support him through anything, but I can also see why anyone would worry, because there are a lot of close-minded people out there. Watching his relationship with everyone here was completely enthralling, but it’s the interaction with his brothers that gets me. This entire series has captivated me in the way we see them, which shocks me as much as anyone else because I’m usually all about the romance, but there is something mesmerizing about this close-knit group of brothers that keeps me coming back.

Another interesting thing about this is it’s told via Nick’s perspective (obviously) and his fake “girlfriend,” Quinn’s perspective. The obvious choice would have been to alternate between Nick and Adam, but Kemmerer is having none of that. While I would have enjoyed being in Adam’s head for a while, seeing deeper into Quinn really balanced her character out for me. I have never hated Quinn, but she was never been my favorite character. I always found her drama a bit much and though it still gets under my skin a bit here, I can finally understand her situation. Her living situation is far from ideal. Her family is downright abusive and she’s trying to get away from them, but has no where to run to since her best friend is too wrapped up in her boyfriend to make and effort and Nick’s so stressed from everything else that she doesn’t want to burden him. It was pretty obvious early on that she was going to end up with Tyler, but watching him jump from psychotic jackass to caring sweet guy was interesting. I don’t know if I can ever really support the couple because Tyler has done a lot of fucked up things, but we start to see him redeem himself and I’m interested to see if he can really turn everything around.

Everything here is just as good, if not better, than the previous novels. I adored everything about it. It makes me want to create a 6 star rating just because it was that good. This is the first novel I’ve read where the main character is gay and if they are all this good, sign me up! It’s not that I have a problem with the subject, just that none of them ever really caught me attention. But Nicky here has had my attention since the first book, so I’m all for whatever kind of story she wants to tell and I get this epic thing and, damn, is the term rabid fan-girling strong enough? I have no personal experience to backup my opinions here, but Nick’s journey felt very realistic to me. I hated seeing him struggle, but that made it more believable and I love that he continues to struggle even after he decides he wants to be with Adam, that everything wasn’t instantly rainbows and sunshine just because he found a boyfriend. And, if I wasn’t already in love with each of his brothers, their reactions to the news would have pushed me over that edge. Chris with his sweet caring nature and quiet understand and Michael with his pride in his brothers success. Gabriel’s inital reaction left a lot to be desired, but I truly believe that had less to do with the fact that Nick is gay and more to do with the way it was sprung on him. Trust me, he makes it up to Nick in the end.

So I made no secret of the fact that Spirit pissed me off in many ways, but this completely makes up for that. Well, okay maybe that’s the wrong word choice, but I would gladly suffer through Hunter’s trials and tribulations (and heartbreak) to get to the epicness that was this book. It was so good that I really want to stop what I’m currently reading, ignoring the massive stack of E-ARCs that will be keeping me busy until June and just read it again. That, in and of itself, is the highest recommendation I can give because I don’t re-read many novels. Seriously people, I know I ranted to no end about Spirit and how it ruined to series for me, making me regret ever recommending the series because I knew whoever I recommended it to would get to Spirit and be monumentally disappointed. While I stand by the fact that it was a terrible novel with terrible things occurring within those pages, I find that now I would recommend the series because the rest of the books make up for that fuckup. This particular book makes up for it and I highly recommend it to everyone, whether you’ve read the rest of the series or not, this book (& Nick) will win your heart!

****Thank you to KTeen, an imprint of Kensington Publishing, for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Fearless (Elemental #1.5) by Brigid Kemmerer

TITLE: Fearless
SERIES: Elemental #1.5
AUTHOR: Brigid Kemmerer
PUBLICATION DATE: July 31, 2012
PUBLISHER: Kensington Teen, a division of Kensington Publishing Corp
PAGES: 59 pages
FORMAT: Ebook
SOURCE: Purchased
RATING: 4 bows

Hunter Garrity has always been picked on in school. He knows how to defend himself, but doesn’t really want to fight so mostly avoids the bullies. So when Clare approaches him wanting help, he’s a bit off kilter. She claims she just wants information, but is she telling the truth?

I’ll admit I’ve been avoiding this. I should have read it when I read all the previous books, but I’m not exactly Hunter’s biggest fan. Now, since I am going to read Spirit, which is also about Hunter, I thought I just read this novella first to gage how bad it’s going to be. The answer? Not so bad. Hunter’s past is bad enough that, once you get past the bullshit, you can’t help sympathize with the shit his been through. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not in love with him, but I do like him a bit better now and I’m not as apprehensive about reading Spirit now. I’d still rather skip to Secret because I’m dying to read Nick’s book, but maybe Kemmerer will surprise me by making me love a character I don’t really like now.

Anyway, this short novella follows Hunter as he tries to educate a classmate about gun safety. It’s obvious there is more going on than she’s admitting too, but with his Elements, he can’t help wanting to help her. Even after she fucks with him, he still runs to her aid when she’s in trouble. So, maybe I can see the appeal of Hunter. Despite the dickish things he does in Storm/Spark, maybe he’s not so bad. I’ll let you know for sure after I finish Spirit!

Review for Pretty Dark Nothing (Pretty Dark Nothing #1) by Heather L. Reid

TITLE: Pretty Dark Nothing
SERIES: Pretty Dark Nothing #1
AUTHOR: Heather L Reid
PUBLICATION DATE: April 23, 2012
PUBLISHER: Month9Books LLC
PAGES: 321 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: NetGalley
RATING: 2 stars

Quinn is being tortured by shadow demons. Normally they only invade her dreams, which is why she hasn’t slept in 23 days, but lately they are popping up when she is wide awake. She is failing in every aspect of her life, academically, romantically, and in health. When she pushes herself too far and collapses in the school hallway, Aaron swoops in just in time to save her. Aaron has always liked Quinn, but been too chicken to do anything about it. When he saves her from busting her head after the collapse, he accidentally enters her nightmare world and is left wondering what all this girl is hiding, and how he can possibly help.



I really wanted to like this novel. The premise was great, the cover was gorgeous, and, at least at the time I requested it, it was a stand-alone. Now, I see that there is a sequel planned. That’s a good fucking thing because this is another one of those novels where it just stops. It’s like the author is just like “Oh, my novel has 321 pages. That’s a good length for YA, so I’ll just stop here. What about the plot you ask? Well, that’s not important.”



Beyond the horrid non-ending, ****SPOILER****where we don’t even know if the main love interest is alive or dead****END SPOILER**** this novel still had umpteen problems. One of the biggest is the Mary Sue we get for a leading lady. Quinn is such a whiny pushover that I wasn’t actually overly upset when things fuckup. ****SPOILER****Your cheating ex, who you just got back together with and slept with after dumping the sweet guy who is pining after you, impregnated the slut he cheated on you with? ::pat:: poor you! Actually, bitch, you deserve it. What the hell did you expect?****END SPOILER**** She spends the entire first half of the book pining over Jeff, her ex-boyfriend. Jeff, a dick-headed jock who dumped her via text after cheating on her with her archnemesis. I get the whole “the heart wants what the heart wants” argument, but seriously lady, get some self-esteem. When we finally see her realize that there is better out there, it doesn’t last. Also, for the entire novel she is being tormented by demon creatures that no one else can see and she doesn’t mention it to any-fucking-one. Not the hot guy chasing her, not her best friend, not her oh so precious Jeff, no one. Look, either you’ve went off the deep end and are seeing things or these fuckers are really and out to get you. Regardless of which it turns out to be, you’re gonna needs some goddamn help.

Then there is Aaron. I’ll admit that his whole knight in shining armor role had me cheering for him, but really, I think he deserves better. Plus, he was a bit irritating, with the do I/don’t I actions towards Quinn. Every other page, he is changing his mind, just like her. I felt like the whole thing between was forced and fake. Unexplainable connection? Check. Need to “save” her? Check. It felt like I was seeing someone take what they thought were the best parts of paranormal YA (and what I think are the worst ones) and mash it together to see what happens. Not to mention the incredibly one dimensional side characters. Marcus? Can you say Emmett Cullen rip-off because that is exactly how he came off to me.

One thing is definite; this was not the book for me. I didn’t care for the characters, I didn’t fall for the writing style, and I found absolutely no humor in it. In a world where I feel obligated to finish any series I start, I can honestly say that I have very little intention of picking up the next book in this series. There are too many books out there than I am dying to read to force myself to suffer through another one of these, unless it’s a tremendous improvement.

****Thank you to Month9Books for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

Review for If I Should Die (Revenants #3) by Amy Plum

TITLE: If I Should Die
SERIES: Revenants #3
AUTHOR: Amy Plum
PUBLICATION DATE: May 7, 2013
PUBLISHER: Harper TEEN
PAGES: 405 pages
FORMAT: Ebook
SOURCE: Borrowed
RATING: 3 stars

Picking up right where Until I Die left off, we follow a grief stricken Kate on her determined journey to save Vincent, who was killed and then had his body destroyed by Violette. Now he is just a wondering spirit and the idea of spending eternity never being able to really be together is too much for Kate to take. Soon enough, they have the spark of an idea of how to help Vince and lead an epic battle to destroy Violette and the numa once and for all.

Before I say anything else, I just want to express my utter disappointment with this novel.


I waited with baited breathe for this sequel since Until I Die left off with such a dreadful cliffhanger and I was dying to know how Amy would successfully wrap this story up. The answer? She doesn’t, really. I mean, yes the main plot and story all come to a close on a relatively happy note, but I don’t think it was wrapped up well. It just felt rushed and thoroughly predictable. ****SPOILER***I saw it all coming, from Jules disappointing lack of resolution to them finding the reimbodiment ceremony and Violette pulling Vincent back at the exact moment they were attempting the ritual. Even the little detail about Kate’s necklace with Vincent’s hair being the key to make the ceremony work. To Kate being the champion and leading the Paris kindred into war with Violette.****END SPOILER**** I feel supremely cheated and unsatisfied because I adored book 1 and enjoyed book 2 right up until the cliffhanger that pissed me off and now, this final book just didn’t do it for me.

I think mostly, besides the fact that it’s utterly predictable, I hate the way not everyone got a happy ending. Yes, Kate and Vincent do live happily ever after (as do Ambrose and Charlotte), but one character dies ****SPOILER****Jean Baptist****END SPOILER**** leaving his lover to live in despair for the rest of eternity and Jules gets a non-ending. I realize that they are in a war and there will be casualties, but I just didn’t like it. Not to mention the death, which occurs at the very end in the battle, was beyond unnecessary. Yes, this person jumping in front of Vince to save him was fine, though a little cliché, but he/she was a revenant therefore the death would have been fine, but nope, his/her body was destroyed before it could be recovered and it just felt….well, wrong is only word coming to mind. Jules is basically pushed to the side after the middle of the novel and I hate that. He’s one of my favorite characters and even though I love Vincent and Kate together, a tiny part of me was rooting for him.

It’s worth a read, if only to finish the series, but don’t get your hopes too high up. I don’t think it lives up to the first book and that’s just depressing.

Review for The Wrong Girl (Freak House #1) by C.J. Archer

TITLE: The Wrong Girl
SERIES: Freak House #1
AUTHOR: C J Archer
PUBLICATION DATE: May 25, 2013
PUBLISHER: Independent
PAGES: 218 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: NetGalley
RATING: 4 stars

Hannah Smith has been locked in the attic for almost her entire life. She is the companion to the daughter of Lord Wade and as such, is confined to live the life that Lady Violet does. You see these two both have unusual afflictions. Hannah is narcoleptic and Lady Violet is a Firestarter, which is why she is locked in the attic. Though she dreams of freedom from this gilded prison, she is well aware of how lucky she is. As the orphan of servants, her life on the streets could have been much worse and she is currently offered every privilege that Violet receives, from the clothing to the education. But when she dreamed of her freedom, she never imagined it would arrive via a kidnapping. Suddenly she is thrust into like at Frakingham House with a science mad cripple, a mute, a seemingly normal girl, and a Firestarter. There is only one problem (well beyond the fact that she has been kidnapped), they think she is Violet. They claim they mean her no harm but what will they do when they realize they grabbed the wrong girl?

This sentence is going to seem like a repeat but I can’t help that its how I’ve felt about almost everything I’ve read lately. This novel was interesting and intriguing, if a little predictable. I don’t know if it was truly predictable or if I’ve just developed some type of clairvoyant powers lately, but I have been able to accurately predict how not only my last few books have ended, but also the last few films would go and the last few tv episodes. Is it me or has everything become a mite too predictable lately? I’m dying for something to knock me completely off my feet. Anyway, beyond the predictability, this short novel was wholly enjoyable. Hannah’s loyalty to Violet had me loving her instantly, but her naivety about what was really going on had me wanting to shake her. Seriously? You really didn’t see any of this coming? Not even the part about you?

I really thought you were smarter than that.

Jack was an unexpected surprise. I loved the duality of his character and how he seemed torn between his old life and his new one much of the time. He’s is definitely my favorite character here, even if he does get a little annoying in how he treats Hannah in the beginning. Then there is Sylvia, who I think is the biggest mystery of all because she is not portrayed as one. It’s obvious from the beginning that Jack is hiding something, but Sylvia seems utterly normal and yet not at the same time. It’s seems like she doesn’t belong at Freak House, beyond being August’s (the owners) niece, and yet here she is. I think there is more to her than we see in this novel and I can’t wait to learn more.

I think my only real problem with this is that by the end you have more questions than answers. Who were Jack’s parents? Who were Hannah’s parents? Why did the Earl keep Hannah locked in the attic? Is Violet really the Earl’s daughter? How much does she know? Why are Hannah and Jack different? Who the fuck is this psychotic Tate guy and why is he so obsessed with Hannah but not Jack? How did August know Hannah as a child? The questions go on and on and I need the next book as soon as possible to answer them!

****Thank you to C J Archer for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****