Reviews written by Amanda Welling

My Review: Awhile back I requested this book to review since I read the book synopsis and I really liked the overall premise of the story. If you know me, then you know I really like to read books that deal with tougher themes and stories most authors don’t like to deal with. So, basically the book had some promise. Lucky for me, the publisher agreed to let me do a full review.

Unfortunately, this will be a small review. In short, when I finished reading this book, I realized I didn’t care for it at all. It isn’t my cup of tea, per say.

Let me start by saying that this is a very short book in length, at just 200 pages. To really be able to capture all of the heavy emotions of the four main characters, the book needed to be more in depth then what it was. It lacked characterization. I had a really difficult time trying to connect with any of the characters because the author didn’t give them enough room to really spread their wings and become great characters that have each an individual voice. It’s really tough to explain, but the best way to describe it is that if the author didn’t label which character was speaking, I wouldn’t be able to differentiate between all of them.

I also had an issue with the basic setup of this book. The story flip-flops between each of the characters and their points of view. I usually don’t have a problem with this sort of thing. Take Ellen Hopkin’s books for example. She deals with tough issues and she typically has a storyline that is viewed from multiple characters…but she is able to pull it off well. I think where Ashley Sanders went wrong was adding too many characters instead of just focusing on one character. Once again, the book is too short to really give each of the characters justice. In this book, it was just too confusing and sometimes throughout the book I was completely lost as to what exactly was going on.

Final Thoughts: I’m not too sure I would give this book a recommendation. It’s one of those “enter at your own risk” types of book. I’m sure some people will really like it, but it wasn’t for me. I think the author should use this book as a learning experience to become a better author. I do so a lot of potential and I really hope that his next book will be better than his first.

First Impressions: I found out early this fall that Brodi Ashton would be coming out with her very first novel and that it would have her take on a certain mythology legend, Hades-Persephone. Being the inner dork that I am, I knew that I wanted to get this book as quickly as I could! What can I say? I’m a total sucker for anything to do with mythology and/or old legends. Plus, if you ever get the chance to talk to this author, Brodi is one of the nicest people! She treats her fans so nice!

First 50 Pages: One of the things that I liked immediately about the story was the alternating narratives between the past and the present. It flip-flops between Nikki’s return to her home from spending six months in the Everneath, to her final six months before being dragged back down to the tunnel. It also includes everything that was going on leading up to the time that Nikki first went to the Everneath. That might sound confusing for some, but trust me, it’s not. The author does a fantastic job weaving all of these storylines together that also prepares you for the ending and the next book.

Almost needless to say, this fascinated me and had me totally hooked. I loved how the mythology was thrown into just about everywhere in this story. I also have to say that I didn’t think the play on ancient mythology was at all confusing. There have been some other books recently that go a tad bit overboard with explaining things in too great of detail that can make it hard to read or follow. I think that Everneath had just the right amount of detail to make it very entertaining without sounding like a textbook. I also want to point out and say that if you never heard of the original myth, don’t worry. I actually think that this re-telling of sorts is far more interesting than the original!

Plot & Characters: The story follows Nikki (of course) to the Everneath, which she initially believes is the land of the dead, but is really a place for immortals that make themselves immortal by feeding off of their human sacrifices. She actually volunteers herself for this in a moment of weakness and sadness and she comes back to the mortal world six months later. She will have an extremely tough decision to make before she is sucked back into this immortal land. Does she choose to become an Everliving (an immortal)? Or, will she become a human offering for the shades that lurk in the underworld? Oh, and then there are matters at home to settle and adjust to. How does one go back to normal after experiencing was Nikki has?

Nikki was an interesting character. When she decides what she wants to do, she doesn’t bend it anyone and sticks with her plans. She doesn’t compromise for anyone and I enjoyed that about this character. She knows what she wants, at least, she thinks she does. And as a pre-warning, there is a kind of love triangle going on in this story between Nikki, Jack (the earth boy), and Cole (the immortal, who well, fed on her she was in Everneath). I’m usually the first person to stand up and say that I can’t stand love triangles and that I get bored of them easily. Yet, in this particular book, I think it was necessary to have.

It’s really hard for me to say which boy I prefer. While Jack is a total sweetheart and completely worships the ground that Nikki walks on, Cole is a the bad boy per say, and well, I’m a total sucker for a good bad boy every now and then. I’m think I might be Team Cole on this one, but I think most people are going to swoon over Jack and his romantic ways.

Final Thoughts: The book ends with a cliff-hanger to set up for the next book in the series. Blah! Now I have to wait forever until I can find out what will happen next for these characters. I’m interested to see where exactly the author will take the story! This was a superb, mythology based book I think everyone will enjoy. I’d highly recommend seeking this one out in 2012!

First Impressions: From time to time, I like to take on a book that has a heart-wrenching story line like this one. It reminds me that every day shouldn’t be taken for granted. It is also nice to read a story that doesn’t involve the paranormal and stays true to real life. I really liked the premise of this book. It reminded me a bit like Juno, which I absolutely fell in love with. I was excited to read a book by this author since I’ve never read any of her other books before this one.

First 50 Pages: Have you ever read a story that you felt completely absorbed in? As soon as I started to read this book I felt like everything else around me was no longer there. It made me forget anything and everything except for what I was reading on the page. I was completely immersed into this story. It’s hard to even describe just how much I was sucked into the world and the writing. How to Save a Life is one of those life-changing stories. It stays with you long after you have finished reading it. I’m not sure if I can give this book a review that will do it justice. It’s just that good!

Style of Writing: I want to focus on Sara Zarr’s style of writing for a moment. She has a unique quality of heaviness and emotion. She puts an immense amount of feeling into her writing that you can’t find in too many Young Adult novels lately. Her words make her characters uncharacteristically human-like. They could walk right off the page and be human, that is how real she makes everything feel. Everyone can relate to this story, even if you have never experienced what her characters have gone through for yourself, which I never have and I hope nobody else ever has to. I love author’s who can deal with the heavier issues of life. Not every writer can or is will to try. Sara Zarr is a darn good author!

Characters: The story follows Jill and Mandy with inter-loping POV’s. These are unforgettable characters with a great supporting cast. Like the synopsis states, Jill is still grieving for her father and her mother is, I guess, trying to fill in the huge gap he had left behind by adopting a new baby. Jill is memorable character because she is completely mean, rude, and basically a huge jerk. I can honestly think of a better word to call her, but I’ll try to be nice. Jill on the other hand, is not as nice as I am. She has her own excuses for the way that she acts, but honestly, there was no good reason for her to act the way she did in the story.

Mandy is unpleasant. That is best I can describe her. She made me feel like she was hiding something and she came across as being very manipulative. It’s hard to say much about Mandy without giving away too many spoilers. Let’s just say, there is more than meets the eye with this particular character.

Final Thoughts: I was blown away by this novel! I really need to go back and read more from this author and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes out with next. The ending was predictable, but that doesn’t even matter with this story. Sara did an outstanding job pulling the story off just right with her incredible characters and her unusually talented writing skills. I definitely would recommend picking this one up the next time you are looking for an emotional read!

First Impressions: Every once in a while, I like to take on a book that seems to be a bit of an underdog. Usually it’s something that catches my attention, but flies under most people’s radar. Something Witchy This Way Comes had a neat cover and once I read the synopsis, it seemed like it would be something I would enjoy.

My Review: I ended up really enjoying this book. It was a nice and easy read and it seemed to just fly on by. The writer has a way of moving the plot along at a laid-back speed that I thought made this book stand out. I also liked the alternating first- person POV’s between the main characters, Hayden and Tessa. I’m not a huge fan of first-person perspectives, so that is saying something since I actually enjoyed them in this title.

While I did like the character Tessa, Hayden was my favorite! He changes so much throughout the course of the story and it was fun to see him grow as a character. He starts out as the ultimate bad-boy, but once you dig a little deeper, you find out that he might not be so bad after all. His character was really fun. Oh, and super hot!

The romance between these two characters was super entertaining and fun to read about. I liked being able to tell what each character was thinking and how they felt towards one another. Usually, we only get to see one person’s perspective, especially when it comes to romance. The author creates a ton of tension and suspense even though as the reader, we know what each character is thinking and feeling. It takes a very creative person to accomplish something like that.

I will say that I do have a couple small disappointments. When I had read the book synopsis, I thought that the main plot line would be about the paranormal aspect of witches and covens and such, with a romantic sub-plot. It ended up, in my opinion, the other way around. I think the romance most definitely took precedence over the paranormal and that was semi-disappointing. Usually if the actual book is nothing like the book’s synopsis I wouldn’t give this good of a review or recommend it. In this case, I did really enjoy the romantic plot of the book even though it wasn’t what I was suspected. Just be warned that if you aren’t into a lot of romance, you might not care too much for this book, but I hope you will give it a try.

Final Thoughts: Altogether, I think that author did a pretty good job with this book. I think it will appeal to an older teen and while I wasn’t prepared for that much romance, I did really like the book. I think that the author could have added in some more action and made the book a little darker, but if you like nice and easy reads, this one would be a good choice!

First Impressions: I’ve been reading a lot of paranormal young adult books lately, which deals with all matters of undead creatures, vampires and zombies, for example. But, I had never read a book about just plain old dead people, so the premise of this book intrigued me.

First 50 Pages: I love books where I can relate to the characters. I was immediately able to relate to Donna in so many ways. All of the characters are likable and lifelike, but some of the characters I felt could have been well-developed, but didn’t quite make it to that stage. I’ll get to that in a minute.

The Plot & Style of Writing: There isn’t much of a plot line here, which would usually bother me when reading a book. Putting Makeup on Dead People is an exception. It reads almost like a memoir of Donna’s life after her father passes away from cancer. Life has no plot line, especially when dealing with death and grief. Every person handles those two things in their own way. For some people, it takes years to overcome their grief. Other people may never release their pain, and others bury it deep down inside and never show their emotions. This story is really a story of a young woman overcoming and dealing with her father’s death, finding out her true calling in life. You can’t have a plot line for something like that. Being a teenager and graduation is a scary and difficult time in a teenager’s life. They must choose what they want to accomplish after high school has ended and face what is coming next. The author captures this important time in Donna’s life and shows anyone who reads this book that they can make their own choices, with or without the immediate approval of their parents. My parents for example, were always set on me becoming a nurse. So, I went to nursing school and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. But, I hated the line of work. Now, I go to school for something I truly love. Parents don’t always know what is best. Donna’s mother is a perfect example of how a parent can be wrong, which is okay; parents are only human too.

Characters: Donna is a very complex, well developed character who faces many difficult choices for the present and her future. Donna tries to balance life and death, cultivates her own sense of herself and who she really is, instead of what everyone wants her to be. She faces adversary from her mother, who doesn’t want her going to mortuary school and from her friends who think she is strange for wanting to work at a funeral home. As a reader, you can track Donna’s progression from a child to a young woman throughout this book. She starts out as a timid, semi-religious girl, overcome with grief, and blossoms into a woman who is sure of who she is and what she truly wants out of life.

Donna’s mother bothered me a little bit, probably because she reminds me so much of my own mother when I was Donna’s age. She is close-minded, religious, and strict. In my opinion, she is a bit too strict for a 17 almost 18 year old girl. But, I think it is mostly her over protectiveness that irked me at first. We watch her grow as well throughout the book. Donna isn’t the only character who blossoms in this story.

The other characters in the book, Liz, Charlie, Tim, and Aunt Sylvie, could have been more developed. We do hear a lot from them, especially Liz and Donna’s aunt, but they aren’t focused on as much as I would have liked them to be. Aunt Sylvie had an immense amount of potential to be a really interesting and influential character, but she didn’t live up to my expectations and Liz, I felt the same way. Tim and Charlie are important characters for their own reasons, but we don’t see much coming from those characters either.

My Final Thoughts: Putting Makeup on Dead People is a wonderful book about overcoming life’s obstacles, grief, and dealing with death. There are only two certainties in life: Death and Taxes. I am so glad to have read a book that isn’t afraid of dealing with death. Death is another taboo topic not many people want to speak about, even though it is guaranteed for every living being on this planet. Jen Violi does a fantastic job bringing the topics of death and grief into the young adult genre without the need for undead creatures, like so many other young adult books. I really enjoyed this book.

First Impressions: Alright, well I had heard a zillion amazing things being said about Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so it went high up on my never-ending To-Be Read list. But, as usual, I had to get through about 10 other books first before I could start reading this book. So I was thrilled when I was finally able to sit down and cuddle up with this book. I love the cover art, too!

First 50 Pages: It was intense and I could not put it down! I love long lengthy books and lately I haven’t read too many really good, long books. It seems like so many YA books are becoming shorter and shorter in length, which is a disappointment. At 432 pages, I felt like my time was well spent by reading this book. However, once again the author decided to use some very strange, unique names for her characters. It took me a while to get use to all of the characters and made it difficult for me to connect to them at first. I really wish this new trend would end!

Characters & Plot: At its core, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is just another paranormal YA book. It has all of the right elements to make it an excellent, paranormal book. Nowadays, there are SO many of these kinds of books (not that I mind) that it makes it hard to decide which book you should buy when you are browsing at the bookstore.

What makes this book different from all of the rest? So many reasons! First, it has an amazing mix of romance, supernatural elements, fantastical beasts not commonly found in other books, and little twists and turns with every page that is flipped. Second, only Laini Taylor can pull of having demons and angels be the most exciting characters. I usually can’t stand books with angels because they are, well, boring most of the time. Laini creates angels that are completely out of the ordinary and mixes their personalities with a hint of mythology. The way she explains these characters might even tick some people off and create a bit of controversy. It wouldn’t surprise me if certain groups attempted to get this book banned.

And what can I say? Karou is now one of my all-time favorite female characters. She is strong, self-assured, and I love how she doesn’t need to be “saved.” My feminist side is gleaming with pride for this character. It’s about time an author decided that a woman can play rough with the boys. And win!

Style of Writing: Imaginative is the only word that comes to my mind. Highly imaginative and creative. I admire Laini Taylor because she is truly a fantastic author. Her writing style isn’t confusing and is easily followed, but it’s not simple. That is a hard trait to pull off well. Laini Taylor makes it look easy!

Final Thoughts: Another must-read, must-have book. While the main theme that runs through this book is hope, all I could feel was an annoyance and dread upon reaching the final pages. I didn’t want this book to end and then have to wait, who knows how long, for the next addition. It was that good and I highly, highly recommend picking up this book. It will appeal to young and older readers equally. This is one of the best paranormal books I have read all year!

My Review: Where do I start? I like to speak open and honestly with my opinions and my reviews. Books are not the only thing I write about, and a more negatively biased review is never fun to write. Someone, in this case, the author, poured their heart and soul into that project and I don’t like to rain on anyone’s parade. But a review is nothing more than a critique. And perhaps the author may appreciate it? I’m not sure.

The Scorpio races just did not grab my attention. Throughout the entire book I found myself struggling to carry on a little more. Once in a while, I would find myself wanting to read a little bit more, but they were self fulfillment moments for me. I wanted to hear the gossip about a particular event. I wanted to know why this person did this or that. I wanted to see one of the protagonists have his butt handed to him. But those moments were sparse. Overall, it just didn’t do it for me.

I don’t want to say that The Scorpio Races is a bad book though. There have been many other readers that have loved it. I can understand why. The writing is very artistically done. The author weaves her words like a fine quilt, examining every stitch with every bit of perfectly chosen letterage. By every means, the author is a damn good writer.

There was a lack of emotions in the wording that I felt. It just didn’t connect. It works for this title as the whole island is very drab. But an author has the capabilities to express that little bit of emphases here or there, much like a musician will choose to soften a low part of a song or make the guitar strings screech much louder. Academically, the author is excellent. Emotionally written, this book is drab.

I have a feeling that The Scorpio Races will become one of those classics that are used throughout the educational system as a work of art and material to dissect for students much like Lord of the Flies. But I found the plot line very boring. It feels much like a lifetime movie. A small sequence of important but subtle events takes place here or there. There is a lot of filler, like feeding the horses, or the house wife going grocery shopping in her 1980s Volvo wagon a la Lifetime. There is some fun at the end, but the reader must fight their way to that point. The plot line has a very interesting concept, but the book could have been much shorter or included additional powerful events that would have spiced things up a bit.

I think my boredom may have been caused because I am a guy (sorry, forgot to mention that I read this book and not my wife. She may have a different opinion then I do after she reads the book) and I read for personal enjoyment, not personal gain. The Scorpio Race is a book filled with moral high ground examples and life lessons. But just like my movies, I want some fast paced action, gripping stories that don’t let you breath, and maybe a little sexual frustration thrown in just to make things interesting. This book is much drabber and low key.

Final Thoughts: The Scorpio Races will become a classic revered by readers to come for many generations. I am willing to bet on it. This book is very well written. There will be a good majority of readers that will really enjoy this book. It was a little boring to me though.

First 50 Pages: The first 50 pages of Misfit grabbed my attention pretty quickly. There are not many books that can do that. Usually, I have to force myself past the first few chapters before the story really starts to get interesting. There are those few exceptions and Misfit is one of them.

Review: Misfit is a good book. I’ve been told that there have been plenty of good reviews for the book. I never take that into consideration though. I’m often the odd one out. That is no exception with Misfit.

The characters are your normal teenage characters; slightly cliché, slightly normal, and very teenager. All of them in this case are rather loveable. Jael represents the main character, the half demon and half teenage girl. She doesn’t start the book knowing she is a half-breed. Surprisingly, she receives that news rather well. Jael faces a tough life with her upbringing. Again, she seems a little too well-adjusted, all things considered.

Jael’s father is a bad ass, ill-adjusted father. The reader will find out his background as the story progresses, so I don’t want to say that much about him. He comes across as a pompous ass until the end of the book.

The two other supporting characters, Jael’s friends, are just that, supporting. Both play interesting parts through the book to help develop and shape how Jael ultimately acts and reacts. One will make her think the best of herself while the other forces Jael’s hand against her will. But both help the main character to grow and progress through the book.

The plotline is good. Misfit is a very entertaining read. There isn’t much of a life lesson, or any analogy to life or society or any of that mumbo jumbo. Misfit is just pure entertainment. That is the way I like it. I spend a lot of time reading in the car waiting for my wife to finish her classes. Misfit fit the bill and kept me plenty entertained. This book wouldn’t make such a bad movie honestly, although maybe one for the younger crowd.

I do have my grievances though. The dialog is very plain Jane. I love well thought out and creative dialog in books. I love when authors purposefully misspell words to convey that accent. The creative expressionism gives some good taste to the title. Kind of like when a musician will play a note harder or softer, or draw it out. It shows their creative spirit. It expresses emotion in ways that a by-the-book method couldn’t. Misfit is very “said Jael”, or “said Rob.” The characters feel like they have no differing personality in their speech. Any differing personality traits are explained through imagery and explanation. But there isn’t anything in the dialog. Even the protagonist could be confused as Jael speaking with a couple of swear words. I think if the author had added a little more life in the dialog, Misfit could easily become a title that really stands out.

On the flip side though, the imagery is well played. The dialog may have been lacking, but the wordsmithing used to describe the scenery and thoughts of the main character were well done. I especially love how the author describes how the natural forces of nature were feeling, thinking, and acting. My favorite piece was the near the end of the book when Jael created a storm, she falls asleep, and the wind notices, gently brushes her checks as if to say good bye, and then leaves. The author wrote it much more beautifully than that, but you will have to read the book to see for yourself. Jon Skovron may want to spruce up the dialog a bit, but his expressionism for imagery is head on.

Conclusion: Misfit is a book for the younger audience. Adults may find it a little bland and boring. The plot line is good. Misfit is very entertaining. But the dialog will throw readers off a bit. The dialog structure is more in tune for the younger audience, maybe 11-17 years old. I would highly recommend this book for any readers of that age. Misfit is pure entertainment that will attract younger readers to keep reading.

First Impressions: Anything that claims to be up to par with The Hunger Games is an automatic must read for me. Plain and simple. Even though I never, ever read books that take place in outer space, I just had to read this book.

First 50 Pages: I finished the entire book in just a few short hours. That is how good this book is. Like I said, I’m not a outer space kind of girl. I’m not big into Science Fiction. I’m not a Star Wars fan or a Trekkie. It’s just not for me. So, I was amazed that I was instantly hooked to this book. My family was trying to talk to me while I sat in our living room and read and I have no idea what was being said. It’s just that good.

Characters & Plot: Without giving too much of the plot away, more than the synopsis already has, I will say that the premise of this book is extremely unique. I’ve never read a book quite like it. The thing that makes this book go beyond ordinary is the fact you (the reader) cannot guess who you should or should not trust and who you need to root for. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to tell who the good and bad guys are in the book. Every time I thought I had it all sorted out, something would happen to make me question everything. The plot is completely unpredictable.

With that said, trying to explain characters is also impossible. By the end of this first book in the series, nothing is wrapped up. I mean, absolutely nothing. We don’t fully know the characters yet to be able to explain them. I can’t even give logical educated guesses, and I LOVE that about this book. The only downside? I have no idea when the next book will be available and it is going to drive me bonkers until I find out what happens next.

Final Thoughts: I was in no way disappointed. The hype around this book is there for a reason, a very good reason. I would love to see this series made into movies (even though the movies are never as good as the books). This book does contain dark themes and incidents that are probably not suitable for a younger teenager. I think teens and adults alike are going to love this book. It’s going to create controversy and that is WONDERFUL! I can't recommend this book highly enough!

First Impressions: I have a small confession to make. I’m a huge Shakespeare nut and proud of it. So many people don’t understand or dislike Shakespeare. I’ve never understood why. Yes, the writing style takes some getting used to, but once you understand one play well, all of the others come easily. When I say that I’m a Shakespeare nut, it doesn’t just mean I’ve read his works. I’ve read ALL his works at least once a year since grade school, seen just about all of the plays live multiple times, played the part of Juliet in high school, took a Theatre class in college just so I could read more Shakespeare, AND I can recite Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, and King Lear back-to-front. Oh, and my dream vacation would be to go to the UK so I can see The Globe Theatre. I think all of this qualifies me as a nut. Needless to say, I gravitate towards books and movies that offer a spin-off of his works. When I found out that this book was coming out, it went right to my Amazon Wishlist and I was fortunate enough to receive a copy from the publisher for review.

First 50 Pages: My very first thought was, “Well, obviously Ophelia doesn’t end up dead.” For anyone who has not read Hamlet, I’ll give you the short and sweet synopsis of the play:

This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. The themes of the plot cover indecision, revenge and retribution, deception, ambition, loyalty and fate. Prince Hamlet mourns both his father's death and his mother, Queen Gertrude's remarriage to Claudius. The ghost of Hamlet's father appears to him and tells him that Claudius has poisoned him. Hamlet swears revenge. He kills the eavesdropping Polonius, the court chamberlain. Polonius's son Laertes returns to Denmark to avenge his father's death. Polonius's daughter Ophelia loves the Prince but his behavior drives her to madness. Ophelia dies by drowning. A duel takes place and ends with the death of Gertrude, Laertes, Claudius, and Hamlet.


Style of Writing & Plot Points: Falling for Hamlet follows the basic structure of the original Hamlet. All of the main players are included with their same basic positions in the story. The two largest differences I picked up on was, of course, the fact that Falling for Hamlet is now set in present day Denmark.

The second thing that I noticed was that, once again it is pretty obvious, Ophelia is the main character. In the original, Ophelia is not seen very much and is made to go absolutely insane after her father’s death. In this version, Ophelia is very much NOT insane and it is Hamlet that is truly losing his mind. I can’t even be positively certain that Hamlet is going insane. It seems like he is just extremely distraught over his fathers, the King of Denmark, death and wants revenge on Claudius. His father’s ghost is visiting him, just like in the original, and tells Hamlet that Claudius has poisoned him, but nobody believes him but his best friend, who has also seen the ghost of the former King. In the end of Falling for Hamlet, Ophelia also sees the ghost, which leads me to believe, if Hamlet was going crazy, it was more from everyone not believing in what he knew to be true.

One of my favorite things that this author added to the story was the use of the public and the paparazzi. The author really captures the feeling and emotions of people who are in the spot light for every minute of their lives. The judgment for every single little thing that you do, and when you are in a position that you are born into and don’t have the choice to withdrawal. Michelle Ray makes the reader feel every tiny bit of the lack of privacy these characters have. It really made me never want to be famous for anything.

In Shakespearean Tragedies, typically all of the main characters will die. The mood is very dark and full of drama. Falling for Hamlet lost me a bit at the end of the book once we got to the final death scene of Gertrude, Laertes, Claudius, and Hamlet. I didn’t care for the way the author decided to end their lives. It seemed convoluted and confusing. As the reader, we don’t get to read the death scene in a first person perspective, which I feel would have made it so much better.

Final Thoughts: This is one of the best re-telling of Hamlet that I have ever read. I actually would love to see this book be made into a movie because I believe that the final death scene will come across so much better on film then it does in the book. For anyone who is a huge Shakespeare fan like me, this is a must-read!

First Impressions: I’ve always loved the old fables ever since I was a kid, even though most of them aren’t really meant for children in my opinion! I was terrified of wolves when I was younger partially from reading Little Red Riding Hood. Today, I love my spin-offs. I am total spin-off junkie. I was familiar with Jackson Pearce from reading Sisters Red, which I completely loved. So, I was excited to have the chance to read Sweetly which is based off of Hansel and Gretel. Hansel and Gretel is a really gruesome and twisted story if you ever get to read the original version of it, so I was very interested to see how this author would handle this story and make it her own.

First 50 Pages: Wow, I’ve been reading a ton of great books lately and I knew from the start that I wouldn’t be able to put this book back down. The first chapter alone held me to the edge of my seat when the author was describing what had happened to the twin of Gretchen and the sister to Ansel. Specifically, how the witch in the woods took her, which plays a key role throughout the rest of the book.

Style of Writing & Plot Points: I’ve always liked the way Jackson Pearce formulates her stories. She is a very talented writing when it comes to keeping the suspense going. I never felt bored when I was reading this book. Everything kept me guessing right up until the very end. I thought I had everything figured out about halfway through the book and once I finished I realized I really didn’t have anything figured out at all. That is why I really like this author.

With that being said, I think the characters in Sweetly are better done then they were in Sisters Red. This time around, they had more depth and I especially liked the character Gretchen. You just feel so bad for her throughout the book and it is hard not to like her. Gretchen transforms from a scared little girl to a woman who is capable of controlling her fears and reacting to intense situations. I like strong female characters in books instead of having a character that has to rely on a man to save her. In the end, Gretchen becomes that kind of character, making me like her even more.

The romance in this book is below par for my taste, but the action in this book makes up for that. I just didn’t see the chemistry between either of the couples and I thought their relationships were a bit shallow and unnecessary.

I will admit I wasn’t too impressed with the explanation of the disappearances of the girls from Live Oak. There is a twist to the ending of the story that I don’t want to give away in my review, but I’ll just say that I think it could have been done much better.

Final Thoughts: Even though Sweetly had a few disappointing moments and flaws, I still really enjoyed this version of Hansel and Gretel. It has a few surprising twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and I love how it has modernized the tale. Jackson did a good job with this one, and each with each book she comes out with I can see her growth as a writer. I’m looking forward to her next release!

First Impressions: I actually didn’t realize that From Willa, With Love is the 5th installment in Paratore’s Wedding Planner’s Daughter series. Regardless, I had requested it from the publisher for review because I thought the story plot sounded cute.

First 50 Pages: Even though I had not read the previous 4 books in the series, I didn’t have a hard time following the storyline. Of course, I was expected to know some of the characters, but I don’t think that had any huge effect on me.

Willa: The book revolves around her. This character is adorable and lovable, dynamic and completely relatable. She is a really sweet girl who has this tremendous passion for reading and a great love for books. She also has an interest in planning weddings and being involved in her community. What I loved the most about Willa is that I think she will inspire young adults to read. Any book that can inspire a love for reading is a must-have in my opinion. She is a true role model I wouldn’t mind having my children look up to.

Plot: There seems like there is a lot going on in this book, maybe a bit too much for such a short book. There are so many side-plots happening, that I think the author could have spent more time developing each one. This isn’t a bad thing, for what I am saying is, is that I would have enjoyed a longer book. It just felt a bit rushed to me. There is this love triangle that is introduced, but I won’t give away which boy Willa chooses in the end! Both boys are likable, but I liked Willa’s choice. This book is very PG rated. There is romance, but no heavy stuff. Nothing that would make a parent concerned for their younger child to read. It is all very innocent.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, even though I am much, much older than the intended audience. It was sweet, a fast and easy read, and I think it can inspire children to read. Young girls could always use another great role model in their lives, and I think Willa makes an exceptional one.

First Impressions: So, as you all know, I am a sucker for books with awesome covers. When I first seen the cover of Swoon, I knew I needed to read this book. Gotta love the pretty cover! The story sounded interesting to me and reminded me a bit like Twilight. The author was kind to send me this book along with Swear, the second book in this series, for my reviews.

First 50 Pages: I had a love/hate relationship with this book from the beginning. While I loved the author’s style of writing and I thought the material was clever and entertaining, the names of the her characters really bothered me. The names were Dice, Sin, Pen, Doll, Con, Marsh, Gel, Crane, El and Em, Duck, Wick, Boz, No and Way. This was extremely distracting and unnecessary. It also made it very difficult for me to be able to connect to any of these characters since I had a hard time following who was who. It wasn’t until I was about ¾ of the way through the book that I was able to tell exactly who was speaking. I’ve been seeing unusual names in books lately and I really wish that this trend would stop.

Plot Points: The initial premise, as seen in the book synopsis, of this book really grabbed my attention and for the most part, it delivered. What I wasn’t expecting was the sexual references and scenes. I know that most teens are driven by their hormones and some practice casual sex. Whatever. That is their prerogative. This story wasn’t so much of a romance as it was borderline erotic. It is very racy for a YA book. It isn’t a bad thing, but I’m not sure how most parents would feel having their child read this book. I don’t think I would want my teenage daughter (if and when I have one) reading this book. There is A LOT of sex. I mean, an absurd amount of sex. This book would be much better suited for an adult or a very mature older teen.

Final Thoughts: Besides the fact that it is overly sensual for a teen novel, the core of the story was very good and like I had said before, the writing style is unique and edgy. This book isn’t going to be for everyone. A more conservative reader and young teens should skip this book, it’s not for them. It’s a decent book and I believe in second chances. I hope that Swear will be less focused on the sex and more focused on, well…just about everything besides sex.

First Impressions: I previously read Jessica Warman’s novel, Breathless, and was impressed with this young debut author’s style of writing, so I knew I wanted to read more from her. I love the cover art that Between has so I knew I had to read this book. I’m a sucker for pretty cover art!

First 50 Pages: All I can really say is WOW! Right from the start, this story totally sucked me in and wouldn’t let go. I knew after the very first chapter that I wouldn’t be able to put this book back down, and that is exactly what happened. I sat all day reading this book and ignoring my other pressing matters I had to attend to. But, that’s okay. This book is completely worth the time!

Characters and Plot: The story at its core is essentially a ghost story, but is the most believable and real ghost story I have read in a long time. So many authors will try to write a ghost story and they can’t pull it off well because they put their characters out of touch with reality. They aren’t believable.

Every single character Jessica Warman created in Between could easily step out of the book and be someone you know. Take the character Liz for example: She is popular, perfect, and pretty. Oh, and she is rich. And she acts the part of a total snob who needs to be brought back down to earth because she is so full of herself. She is the girl that you love to hate. Any high school kid could point you in the direction of at least one other student who could fill that description. Liz’s father is a workaholic, her friends are a bunch of bullies who torment the less popular kids. I almost don’t feel bad about what happens to Liz in this book, even though she does become remorseful about her actions from when she was alive.

Poor, poor Alex Berg. He is the character I really felt for throughout this story. His life was just so pathetic and sheltered and he never really was able to live while he was alive. He never got to witness life outside of high school, which is a shame because of the way he was treated, like he was invisible. I guess being invisible is better than being picked on every single day at school. I was a nerdy kid myself, so I can relate to Alex in so many different ways.

As for the plot, there is this humongous mystery weaved into the story. How did Liz really die? Was it accidental or did someone kill her? She has no memory at first, then pieces of the puzzle start to unfold and she gains her memories back with Alex’s help. There are also smaller, less central mysteries that take place parallel to the big mystery that helps this book become more interesting and less repetitive. The reader is also trying to figure out who killed Alex and if Josie is really Liz’s half sister instead of her step-sister. There are clues everywhere throughout this book that lead to revealing all of the answers. I took a guess towards the middle of the book as to what the final outcomes would be, and I was partly correct at the end.

Final Thoughts: I’m not going to reveal any more then I already have. I will say that you need to read this book. It is a must-read, must-have, type of book. I literally could not put it down. The writing is fantastic and the characters are very human-like in emotion and presence. I highly recommend!

First Impressions: I remember reading Lessons from a Dead Girl when that book was first published and I really enjoyed it. So, when I found out the author was coming out with Pearl, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

First 50 Pages: I struggled a bit through the first 50 pages. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, but it was just so slow. 50 pages is a lot though in this book since the entire book just reaches past 200 total pages. Regardless, I was enjoying the characters and the laid back style of writing the author has.

Let me just stop and take a moment to say this is a difficult book to try to review. Why? Because I hate giving out spoilers and for a lengthy review, I would have to spoil this book way more then I want to.

The Plot & Style of Writing: As said before, the author doesn’t mince her words. The style of writing she incorporates is very straight forward and has a relaxed feel to it. This book is no exception from her previous titles. Everything flows very easily.

The plot is quite simple and I hate to say it, but predictable as well. The story centers on Bean and her best friend, Henry, in one setting, their neighborhood. There are multiple, big family mysteries and secrets going on in both households, which is what the book reveals along the way. Unfortunately, I figured most of secrets out about half way through the book. I wish the author had decided to hold back on giving hints throughout the story when she wrote the book. It would have made the ending and final wrap up much more surprising. Although, there was one twist I didn’t see coming regarding Bean and Henry’s fathers.

Characters: Bean and Henry have this really amazing relationship with one another and it is sweet to see them blossom in this book. They have this incredible bond of friendship and it was touching to see how Henry was always there for Bean when she needed him the most. Even though Bean is the central character and pushed the story along, the character I thought was the most interesting was Henry’s mother. As a reader, I felt more sympathy towards her character then I did for the children. Bean’s mother is quite the character as well. To say she is a horrible mother is a bit drastic, but she does lack in the whole motherhood department for most of the book.

I wish the author would have advanced Bean and Henry’s relationship just a bit more. Their romance could have been better developed then it was. It would have been nice to have seen Bean’s feeling progress for Henry. Her feelings seemed so sudden to me.

What I really love about Henry is that he isn’t your typical hot guy. He is a shy, slightly overweight loner type. So many books always make the main character’s love interest out to be this perfect guy every young girl would want to date. That isn’t the case here, which is so unique and I love it.

Final Thoughts: This book started out slow and was predictable, but was still a really good read. I really enjoy the author’s style of writing and the characters in this book are great. If you are looking for a heavy theme or heavy romance, this isn’t the book for you. There are some interesting and unexpected twists that kept me reading and I look forward to reading more books from this author.