[ARC Review] Sketchy by Olivia Samms

Sketchy
The Bea Catcher Chronicles

Olivia Samms
April 30, 2013

Amazon Children's Publishing

ARC courtesy of Amazon Children's
Publishing via Netgalley                                                          

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Bea's life has been a mess ever since she got kicked out of private school and sent to rehab. Now clean, Bea is starting over at Packard High School, in a city shaken from two assaults on young women. The latest victim, Willa Pressman-the one who survived-doesn't remember a thing. But Bea has a disturbing new "skill": she can see-and then draw-images from other people's minds. And when she looks at Willa, Bea is shocked by what she sketches. Bea might be the only one who knows Willa's secrets-and who can take down the killer before he strikes again.


After finishing this book about a girl named Bea that can see the thoughts of others when she draws, I have to say for me this book was just okay.  It wasn't bad but it was kind of predictable and the mystery was easy to figure out.  The book is about Bea who was a drug addict and is starting over.  In her new school though the homecoming queen and been beaten and raped and Bea is the only one who can see what Willa is hiding.  Bea decides to connect with Willa, using her gift help catch the killer. 

Sketchy was fast paced and I liked Bea she felt real.  I liked that she was trying to staying clean and parts of Bea's personality reminding of Veronica Mars.  I could totally see this book as series a on the CW because it had murder, mystery, and even alludes to an illicit attraction.  I really liked that the pictures Bea draws were illustrated in the book it really made it feel like I was reading Bea's journal and getting insight into what makes her tick.  I felt like I could connect with Bea because she definitely had faults but she is a good person just trying to do the right thing.

In the end I felt the mystery fell flat.  It was easy to solve and for me there just wasn't a whole lot of suspense.  That is why I give Sketchy three laser pistols, I like Bea but the mystery was kind of lacking.  I will probably check more from this series because I am intrigued by Bea and what other conundrums she might find herself pulled into. I recommend Sketchy if you are looking for a quick and easy, beach day, kind of read. 

[WINNER] THE ELITE GIVEAWAY

The winner of our THE ELITE giveaway was GINA H.

An email was sent to the individual that was immediately returned. Please contact Fry at literatishuffle@gmail.com as soon as possible with your address.

If I haven't heard from Gina in a week, I'll pick a new winner.

Thank you all for entering.

[Book Review] Werewolves be Damned by Stacey Kennedy

Werewolves be Damned
Magic and Mayhem #1
Stacey Kennedy
April 15th, 2013
Entangled: Edge

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Nexi Jones—part witch, part guardian, and wannabe kick-ass warrior—can’t throw a punch or conjure the simplest magic. But that doesn’t stop her from hunting the werewolves who slaughtered her human family. She’ll have her revenge, but only if Kyden, the elite guardian, would get the hell out of her way.

Kyden can’t decide if Nexi wants to get herself killed or if she just has no clue what she’s doing. But her father made it clear: keep Nexi safe…or else. Of course, the more Nexi runs toward revenge, the more she needs Kyden’s aid, and as she grows into her power and confidence, so does his desire to protect her. The only problem? She’d rather he dropped dead.

But when a vampire paints a bull's-eye on Nexi’s back, she’s hard-pressed to deny Kyden and the help he’s offering. Even if it means getting her revenge will be a little bit harder. At least it will still be as sweet.

This book starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the end. There is one cliffhanger moment after another and I found it hard to put this book down after I read it. The story starts off with Nexi Jones watching her parents murder at the hands or teeth of werewolves. As if things couldn't get anymore unbelievable for Nexi, she finds her parents were not her birth parents. The man who saved her from the werewolves that night is her father.

Now Nexi is living in the otherwolrd and she has a choice to make, to live there and train as a guardian and possible witch, or to go back to the human realm and live as a human. The werewolf who killed her adopted parents is still out there, and there is a conspiracy that nobody sees coming and it will take all of Nexi's strength to make it out alive.

I really liked how this story flowed and the world building was fantastic. I did feel like maybe the love interest was rushed, but it was definitely hot and I could feel the chemistry sizzle off the page. I liked how the mystery moved along and I loved that I didn't see that twist in the end. The story is very acation packed. I would almost describe it as an action flick for women. It definitely had some softer sides. It was nice to see Nexi go from scared and unsure to a confident woman. I liked how she grew in the book.

In conclusion, I really liked Werewolves be Damned by Stacey Kennedy and I look forward to reading more stories from this world. If you are looking for a quick and easy read that is full of action and sizzling romance, then pick up this book and read it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I give it four laser pistols.

[Animorphs Reread] The Predator by K.A. Applegate

 

The Predator
Animorphs #5
K.A. Applegate
December 1996
Scholastic
152 pages

Amazon

Marco never wanted to be an Animorph. He never wanted the ability to change into any animal he touches. He just wants to chill. Whatever happens, happens.

Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias know why Marco feels the way he does. He's worried about his dad -- the only family Marco has left. And if anything happens to him, his father will be all alone.

But something is about to change Marco's mind. It seems the Yeerks have a little surprise waiting for him. And it's definitely not nice. Now Marco has a reason to fight...

This story was from Marco's point of view. It's much easier to tell that beyond that sassy exterior is a big ball of mushy feelings and sensitive characteristics when the book is entirely in his head.

Marco was always my least favorite of the Animorphs, though I think that Cassie may have relinquished the title from him at some point, because there is really only so much tree hugging I can handle before I just want to set everything on fire.

Let's grab our suspension of disbelief hats and jump right in! Ax wants to assemble a distress beacon in order to call a Yeerk ship to Earth. Why? So he can steal it and flee back to his homeworld. The boys end up going with him to Radio Shack in the mall. That's right, they took an alien to the mall. Somehow they didn't expect him to go all crazy culture shock weird on them. Yet, that is exactly what happens. How? How could you not have predicted that?

In their escape they morph into lobsters at a grocery store. Really? That grocery store doesn't have surveillance cameras? No one requested the tapes after the culprits mysteriously disappeared inside? I think that it might blow the entire lid off their secrecy had the bad guys been in control of half a brain.

With all these shenanigans happening, they do have a really cool couple of scenes in which the crew morphs into ants. It all goes a little pear-shaped, but what in these books has not. Even their distress beacon call creates a situation in which they are taken captive and leave Earth's atmosphere.

Of course, they meet Visser One, who's identity is one of the biggest shockers of the entire series. Since the Vissers are all teenage girls, the Animorphs are able to escape with Visser One's help. There's no way Visser Three is going to be prom queen now!

This episode of the series was a lot of fun, even if it did get really silly at times.

[Arc Review] The Elite by Kiera Cass + Giveaway!

 The Elite
The Selection #2
Kiera Cass
April 23rd, 2013
Haper Teen
336 pages

Arc won from Story Crush. I am reviewing as that's how I do.

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

This book was far more action packed than the last. There are plenty of attacks on the palace. There are several fights between the occupants. There's a public humiliation style punishment. Most of the action was off-screen, but hopefully it's a precursor to how the third book will play out. It was certainly a far cry from the prim, proper brooding of the first book.

There's still an awful lot of brooding. America has even less of an idea of what she wants in a man and is tugged between the two corners of the love triangle somewhat violently. When she makes up her mind about one, something else will happen and thrust her into the arms of the other. It's quite the most frustrating thing. After awhile I stopped rooting for either boy. I'm on team America Singer. I want her to live in a nice house equal to her standing with several cats while she teaches others to play instruments and perhaps masters a few more to fill out her repertoire. She'll have some radical thoughts that will keep the town twittering about her mind behind her back, but she'll be happy. Just saying.

The worst blow for her is when her best friend in the competition is taken away from her in a rather violent fashion. America is set adrift with no one to turn to except the two guys, who are mostly trying to convince her to stay with them. This causes her to waffle quite intensely, polarizing completely to each of the boys the second she's with them alone. She eventually does bring another girl close, but she is as guarded with her as she is with Maxon.

A mystery is developing, of sorts. America is allowed to read the founding father's diary. This causes her to learn things they never bothered to teach her in history class. Their revisionist history astounds and sickens her, driving her, in the wake of another romantic spat, to do radical things.

With the king now rooting for her to fail, rebels invading the palace searching for something mysterious, and rebels capturing the loved ones of the Elite in order to shut down the Selection, this book raised itself above the previous one in terms of action and excitement. It still kept the elements that made it what it was, but it threw in more to create something that could, if done right, be pretty awesome.

For those of you who've stuck with me this long, I'm giving away an ARC of this. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below.

 

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[Review] The Selection by Kiera Cass

 The Selection
The Selection #1
Kiera Cass
April 24th, 2012
HarperTeen
327 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

 For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

After all the drama last year over the reviews of this book, I couldn't have been less inclined to read it. I tried the first two chapters back then, found them frivolous and lacking. Whether this was from previous perceptions or underlying grumpiness on behalf of all those involved with the drama-llama, I don't know. But, I had won a copy of the Elite and my co-blogger seemed to enjoy the series. So, in light of these recent developments, I picked it up and re-started it. Time must heal at least some things, because the second time around I didn't hear the snarky pitter-patter in the back of my head scoffing at everything on the page.

While some people try to tote this as "Hunger Games" meets "The Bachelor", throwing around the Suzanne Collin's hit in order to, I don't know, increase interest, it does the book a disservice. People are expecting that gritty post-apocalyptic randomness. That is not what this is. People in these books still have money and pay for things. Some people go hungry due to money issues. In fact, most of the population does. But, winning the Selection only helps the girl's family. It doesn't help her city-state as a whole. There is already rioting in the streets, nothing any of the girl's dressed up in pretty dresses do causes more or less dissension.

What it is, is very much Bachelor-esque. Thirty-five girls are chosen from applicants and sent to the palace in order to entertain and court the prince. It's a tradition going back generations. The prince will marry a common girl to boost morale and will choose his love from the spectacle that is the Selection. Like every Bachelor show, there are some in it for reasons that are not true love. There are essentially those that make the relationship between themselves and the prince more than it is. There are plenty of hurt feelings.

Within that love tetrahedron, American Singer has her own struggling love triangle. Originally I was glad she had moved away from Aspen. He seemed a poor choice, given his blatant disregard for her hard work. When he is moved to the castle and put on guard duty outside her room, the feelings reemerge. You would think with a possible death sentence for cheating on the prince that they'd be a little more discreet. But, no, they are upon each other immediately.

Some people have mentioned that the book ends on a 'cliff-hanger'. I wouldn't so much call it that as a lack of  conclusion. Where the book ends is not overly exciting. It doesn't leave you in throws of intense emotions like a season finale for LOST. It just is.

I enjoyed the book more this time around. It was definitely fluff. Nothing to take overly serious. A good escape for the mind. I'd equate it to watching reality shows, but that seems shallow. It has a bit more heart, despite outside appearances.

[Review] Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messanger

 Let the Sky Fall
Let the Sky Fall #1
Shannon Messanger
March 5th, 2013
Simon Pulse
416 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

 Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

This book was free on pulseit.com last week so I took advantage of reading it. I wasn't disappointed.

While the book starts much the same way as an anime, it is endearing in its execution. How many times can a boy meet a mysterious girl? How many times will they have a connection? Divide by how intense the super powers are that the boy has. It's really just Bleach with more air and less demonic souls.

The POV changes ever chapter, and while that can get a little taxing when some of the chapters are a page and a half, the characters both have their own unique personalities and internal snark. Unlike most books written in this format, I didn't have a favorite character to read. I didn't feel taxed when the other character would make their thoughts and feelings known. They were both equally enjoyable.

The main baddie is named Raiden. While he was off screen the entire book, I completely imagined him as the Mortal Kombat character, silly hat and all. So, I had a knack for giggling every time they were attempting to tell me how terrible he was.

I'm still unsure of how terrible he is, as he didn't seem to be the one causing all the issues in the first place. That was a pretty big shocker. I probably shouldn't say anymore in order to not spoil y'all.

I was engrossed in the narrative and the book flew by. The only time I was pushed out of the story was the several page advertisement for In-n-Out. Granted, living near Chicago in a state that doesn't seem to even have ONE of these so called 'amazing' burger joints, I can't vouch if the hype is worth it. I didn't find it endearing. It took away from the plot.

That aside, it was a really fun book. Just different enough from the usual YA paranormal crowd to try. Uniquely voiced enough to enjoy.

[Audiobook Review]Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Rot and Ruin
Benny Imura Series
Jonathan Maberry
September 4, 2010
Simon and Schuster


Amazon/Book Depository/B&N







In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.


So, what do you get when you mix zombies and a ruin wasteland run like the old west?  You get Rot and Ruin, the first book in the Benny Imura series.  For me Rot and Ruin was a book with old west values and lots of spunk.  This world that Benny has grown up in is safe because he lives behind the fences while the zoms live in the rot and ruin.  His brother Tom is a bounty hunter and kills zoms for a living.  Benny is not sure what kind of job he wants but he knows it is not working with older brother.  Benny has a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas and has not forgiven Tom for the events he thinks happened on First Night, the night the dead started walking.  After trying his hand many different jobs Benny realizes that the only thing he is cut out for is the family business.  After going on his first hunt with Tom Benny then realizes that there is more to Tom and his way of hunting than what he first thought and it is about to change the way he looks at zoms.

I really enjoyed this book because it was full of adventure, action, and of course zombies.  Who doesn't enjoy a good zombie book?  For me the book starts of slow and then takes off like a rocket.  There is this one scene in the book where Benny asks an artist in town about a girl and he tells his story of First Night.  That story is still haunting me two days later because I loved the monologue it was so horrifying and yet captivating.  I loved how honest the story was and I felt like I could really see the horror of what it would be like to see the dead rise and have friends and family try to eat you.

Rot and Ruin is more about zombies and trying to survive.  It is about not losing your humanity in the process.  It is about recognizing who the real monsters are because zombies are just mindless creatures no more dangerous than a pack of wild dogs.  The real monsters are other humans who have lost their sense of humanity and do terrible things.  I liked that it is a coming of age story for Benny and to see him go from boy to man.  There were parts of the book I cheered for Benny and parts I almost cried for Benny.  Even the romantic in me was pleased because Benny also finds love.  Rot and Ruin is a book I  highly recommend if you like zombies.  Brian Hutchinson does an awesome job narrating.  His voice is very easy on the ears.  I give Rot and Ruin the audiobook four very solid laser pistols.  I will be listening to Dust and Decay very soon.

[Audiobook Review] Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

 BloodlinesBloodlines #1
Richelle Mead
August 23rd, 2011
Razorbill
421 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N





 Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Emily Shaffer did an excellent job narrating this book. The voices were distinctly different without being over the top. The characters shine through her acting skills. I'm very glad that she narrates the entire series. She has just enough snark in her voice and sounds like she enjoys reading it as much as I enjoy listening to her.

That being said, I really don't like Sydney. She wasn't my favorite character from Vampire Academy. She redeemed herself a little bit, but she was still prim and proper and overly analytical. There is still a lot of development for her if she is going to reach a character level I deem as alright.

Adrian is fresh off the Rose and Dimitri train. While he wasn't the most commendable of characters to begin with, he is pretty much back to being consistently deplorable. He seemed to have gotten his act together by the end of the story, partially. An artistic outlet and a bit of danger temporarily slapped him out of his overeager indulging ways.

Jill was still adorable, despite the emotional backlash from Adrian and the consequences of her unfortunate romance. I always enjoyed her as a character and she seems to be fully coming into her own despite the pressure put on her by society.

The story itself, while a little 21 Jump Street, presented some interesting mysteries to solve. There are mysteriously dead girls as well as magically drugged tattoos to deal with. This leaves the book with very little downtime once the initial setup has been established.

The cliffhanger really didn't leave me yearning for more. Though, I hear that they progressively get better. As much as I enjoyed Vampire Academy, I was sorely disappointed with this installment in the universe.

[ARC Review] The Demon's Daughter by Paula Altenburg

The Demon's Daughter
Demon Outlaws #1
Paula Altenburg
March 26th, 2012
Entangled Secret
400 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

 Hunter is the only man capable of killing the demons that left the
world in ruins. But when he’s hired by a notorious priestess to bring
a thief to justice, the Demon Slayer gets more than he bargains for.

Airie was raised in an abandoned temple as a priestess’s daughter,
having no idea of her true origins. In a time when any half-breed
spawn of a demon is despised by mortal and immortal alike, not knowing
the truth is the only thing keeping her safe.

Forced to flee her home in the wake of disaster and discovery of who
she is, Airie must place her trust in a man who believes she should
never have been born. And when a demon uprising threatens lives he has
sworn to protect, Hunter has to make a choice: abandon Airie to an
uncertain fate, or overcome his own personal demons and love her for
who she truly is.

Look at this cover. No really. Look at the cheese factor of this cover. This book is so much better than this cover could ever indicate. There is so much heart and soul and wonder in this book. The beefcake adorning the front could never hope to allude to it.

The setting was exquisite. While on the surface there are western type settlements, they ride fantastical beasts and the surrounding desert is full of demons. They live in an immortal battlefield. Demons and Goddesses exert their power over mortals. Day to day life is interrupted consistently by these beings. Men worried about being slain. Women worry about demonic allure and childbirth.

The main characters are brought together by fate and despite all prejudices their romance kindles and slowly burns to life. Even the secondary characters are fully fleshed out. Each has their own motives and tragic back story. Each contributes in some way to the story.

I was expecting a standard paranormal romance with a bit of a western setting, what I got was something far more interesting. I literally cannot wait for the next book, especially once I saw who the main character was.

[Animorphs Reread] The Message by K.A. Applegate

The Message
Animorphs #4
K.A. Applegate
October 1996
Schoolastic Paperbacks
151 pages

Amazon

 It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn't pay much attention to them. She and her friends had all been having weird dreams since they'd first learned to morph. Maybe it was just some crazy side effect.
That's when Cassie discovers that Tobias has been having the exact same dreams. Dreams about the ocean. And a strange feeling that someone is calling to them. Calling for help.
Now Cassie, Tobias, Jake, Rachel, and Marco have to figure out if the dreams are a message - or a trap. And if it is a trap, it could mean the end - for everyone...

Continuing on this journey, I've reached the first of many Cassie POVs. From what I remember, she was always a bit over the top in-tune with nature, a bit tree-huggy. Her first book is really no different. Based on dreams she has of the see and psychic conversations she has with whales, the team decides to take a deep sea diving expedition in order to see if something happens to be down there.

A little far fetched, and considering their first attempt at it failed miserably and people were hurt, Cassie tries to hold back on deciding if they should go on the mission. The doubt doesn't last long. Mission two sees them directly where they need to be, right when the enemy arrives, as per usual.

The story would have been more interesting if there weren't moral dilemma's about morphing intelligent creatures, but that is just Cassie. She always finds some way to bring the group down with talk of what they're doing is morally upsetting. There was also the bit about mentally talking to the whales, which, had I not just read the book before, would have been way far fetched.

This book held a lot more excitement. The previous books were recon, and though Tobias's book attempted to be exciting, it roamed into silliness. In this book, one thing after another happens, and they find Ax, who is by far the most amusing addition to the group.

[Review] Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

 Struck
Struck #1
Jennifer Bosworth
May 8th, 2012
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
373 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

This story was way more 'The Stand'ish than I thought it was going to be according to the blurb. There are two sects fighting over the main character. One goes with the voices in their Prophet's head, full of brainwashed purity, preaching the good word, wearing all white. The other side is just as strange, but more rebellious, more druidic in structure. One side wants the main character to bring forth the cleansing apocalyptic light. The other wants her for less devastating, but no less crazy reasons.

Mia is an interesting character, subject to the holdups and confusion of any teenage girl encountering a cute boy or a few cult members bent on making her an addition to their crazy plans. The beginning of the book held a lot of promise for her character, the world building and the supporting characters. It went in a direction I didn't expect, but I feel that while it might not have lived up to the potential originally set forth, it did a good job sustaining and building upon itself.

The religious aspect is a bit overwhelming, I'm not going to lie. I feel like it did a good job depicting how followers would act when confronting a deadline for the end of the world. They are pushy and will do what it takes to get what they want.

Overall, this book wasn't terrible. I'm sure there are aspects of it that can and will turn people away from it. It has a slow build up, some of the characters are one-dementional for both sections of the story and overall. There are some large, gaping holes in explanation and plot. Still, I had a lot of fun reading it and would definitely pick up future books by this author.

[Audiobook Review] Deadly Sting by Jennifer Estep

Deadly Sting
Elemental Assassin Series
Jennifer Estep
March 26. 2013
Pocket Books

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Red is definitely my color. Good thing, because in my line of work, I end up wearing it a lot.

Most people shy away from blood, but for an assassin like me— Gin Blanco, aka the Spider—it’s just part of the job. Still, it would be nice to get a night off, especially when I’m attending the biggest gala event of the summer at Briartop, Ashland’s fanciest art museum. But it’s just not meant to be. For this exhibition of my late nemesis’s priceless possessions is not only the place to be seen, but the place to be robbed and taken hostage at gunpoint as well. No sooner did I get my champagne than a bunch of the unluckiest thieves ever burst into the museum and started looting the place.

Unlucky why? Because I brought along a couple of knives in addition to my killer dress. Add these to my Ice and Stone magic, and nothing makes me happier than showing the bad guys why red really is my color.

May contain spoilers to other books in series.

With a plot that is something out of Die Hard, Deadly Sting grabbed me up and didn't let go. I love, love, love the Elemental Assassin books and I was curious after Gin killed Mab Monroe in Jennifer Estep could keep the series fresh and exciting. She has proven that with these last couple of books. Mab may be dead, but somehow she is still causing trouble for Gin and friends.

Gin is invited to go to the social event of the season with her step brother Finn. A showing of all the treasures of Mab Monroe's estate at the art museum. Gin gets all gussied up in a fancy red dress and starts to look forward to the party. Of course where Gin goes, trouble is bound to follow. While at the party Gin runs into her lover Owen who is there on a date with a woman in the same exact red dress. After that things go to hell in a hand basket for Gin because a group of terrorist Giants take over the museum to rob the place. The first thing they do is shoot the other girl in the red dress in the face. They just assume they have killed Gin. "Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy."

After mayhem ensues Gin has to save the day and kill the bad guys. She has help in the end, but most of it is on her own. I really liked the action in this book. Some parts while I was listening I was almost biting my nails while I waited for Gin to get out of one scrape after another. What I didn't like was the angsty part of the book with Owen. Owen, Gin's lover, is still upset from the last book where Gin killed his fiance. Sometimes you can't reason with people and something people just need killing. I know it sounds old west but that is one thing I like about these books in Gin's old west style of vengeance, Owen has forgiven by the end of the book but not forgotten and he can't get past it. So this book has excellent action and I liked the plot twist in Mab's will because it will definitely come back to haunt Gin. I felt like it was filler at the same time because nothing was solved in Gin's personal life and things are still the way they were at the end of the last book. With Owen and Gin on a break.

With that said I still found Deadly Sting on enjoyable listen. Lauren Fortgang is a wonderful narrator. I honestly don't know if I would love Gin or the world as much is Lauren Fortgang didn't bring the characters to life in my ears. She brings the drama and emotion that are Gin Blanco and I feel like I am right there in that museum watching Gin kick bad guy butt. I give Deadly Sting four laser pistols and look forward to the next book.

[Short Story Review] Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth

 Prophet
Struck #0.5
Jennifer Bosworth
April 25th, 2012
Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
32 pages

Amazon (Free)

 Some men are born monsters . . . others are made so.  In “Prophet,” Rance Ridley, the teenage son of a cult leader, lives on an isolated compound, disconnected from modern civilization. There is no running water. No electricity. And no law but the Prophet’s. When Rance is caught in an act of flagrant disobedience, his father delivers the ultimate punishment, and Rance is set on a course that will change everything.  ‘Prophet’ is a disturbing glimpse into the past of the villain of Jennifer Bosworth’s debut novel, Struck.

This was another prequel in the Fierce Reads anthology I picked up in order to read the Grisha short. It's compellingly written. I fell in love with Jennifer Bosworth's writing and immediately picked up Struck, the novel set in the same universe that this story is supposed to be a teaser for.

This story is a bit too cultish and preachy, it is meant to be that way. After reading Struck, this story really gave a sense of how Rance Ridley came to be and what his motivations were. Sure, it killed a few of the supposedly 'surprising' reveals later on in the novel, but it gave me more of a sense for the character as a whole.

[Animorphs Reread] The Encounter by K.A. Applegate

Wow. I didn't mean to be so late with this post, but I've had very little time to sit down and write reviews. I have a queue of seven to purge from my head. In any case, onwards!

The EncounterAnimorphs #3
K.A. Applegate
August 1st, 1996
Scholastic Paperbacks
154 pages

Amazon

When Tobias, Jake, Rachel, Marco, and Cassie were given the ability to morph, they were also given one very important warning: Never stay in a morph for more than two hours. It seemed a small price to pay, since the kids know that humans everywhere are being forced to let slimy, spineless creatures creep into their brains. And the only way the kids can fight back is not to be human.

But Tobias stayed in his morph too long. And now he's a hawk -- with a boy's mind -- forever. Tobias knows they can't give up. That they all made a promise. So now it's four kids and a hawk against a force that's determined to destroy them. Or die trying...

I know that I've read this book more than once. I literally could not remember the ending. That being said, this entire novel is so far fetched, that I just purged the ending from my mind. It really is that ridiculous. The entire story is ridiculous.

I understand that the Yeerks probably have human controllers up on the mother ship. I understand that those human controllers probably require oxygen and water. What I don't understand is why they would collect water from a dirty lake and keep it in tanks. Where is the filtration system? If War of the Worlds has taught me anything, it is that aliens can't deal with pathogens. Pair this with the environmentalist actions at the beginning, and some of the things Tobias does as a bird, this book is just way silly.

It's redeeming qualities come from Tobias's inner struggle. He is learning to live in his new state, battling with the instincts that come with being in morph. His friends are there to ground him, but he loses himself for awhile. Inner strength and friendship endures and he eventually rediscovers himself, but not without permanent and lasting sadness.

As long as this series is, they can't all be winners. I feel like I'll be repeating this mantra a lot.

[Review] Prophecy Girl by Cecily White

Prophecy Girl
Cecily White
April 2nd, 2013
Entangled Teen

Copy provided by Entangled Publishing via Netgalley for honest review.
Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.

Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.

Then he shows up.

Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?

Wrong.

Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

So, what can U say about Prophecy Girl? Decent, enjoyable in some parts and easy to put down in others. This book is about a girl named Amelie who is part of a guardian league that fights demons. She goes to guardian school to train, and the first day back meets her new instructor and is instantly attracted to him. She feels like she has found the boy she could bond with. There is just one or two minor problems. The boy is supposed to die according to the prophecy and she is supposed to kill him.

Sounds like an amazing plot, tight? That is what I thought so I got the book and began reading. Bondmates, spells, angel blooded guardians, and falling for the instructor. This book felt like for me there was a lot going on and none of it was really new or exciting. It was like Harry Potter meets City of Bones. This book felt confusing. At times even dragged in parts.

There were parts I liked. I thought the mystery aspect of the story was well plotted and I never guessed the real motives that were behind why the chancellor wanted the prophecy to play out so bad. I liked all the surprises at the end I didn't even see it coming when the chancellor's helper was revealed. I liked how the old adage be careful what you wish for was never truer at the end of this book. Ami wants Jack, the boy she loves so much she would die for him, she listens to the words of the Book of Lies. The book had shown Ami a happy future for her and Jack. So while things turned out not bad at the end they didn't turn out quite the way Ami wanted. I will probably read the next book because I am curious to see how Ami handles the changes that are coming her way.

In the end I give Prophecy Girl three laser pistols.

[Audiobook Review} Wasteland by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan

Wasteland
Wasteland Trilogy

Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan

March 26, 2013

HarperTeen                                                         

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Esther thinks there's more to life than toiling at the assignments - harvesting, gleaning, excavating - day after day under the relentless sun, just hoping to make it to the next day.

She doesn't care that her best friend, a variant, is considered "the enemy". She doesn't care that Levi, who controls the Source, is the real enemy and might send his Taser boys after her if she makes one wrong move.

Then Caleb shows up. Could there be another way to fight for survival?

This week I listened to Wasteland and the best thing I can say about it is meh. It wasn't a bad book, but it was just ok. The book had great premise but I felt like it was lacking. Don't get me wrong, I didn't feel like I wasted my time either. It was just another average run of the mill post-apocalyptic dystopian story.

In this post-apocalyptic "wasteland" the people get partnered at 14 or 15, have babies not long after and most don't live past 19. This book felt like Lord of the Flies meets The Enemy by Charlie Higson. I don't know, it lacked something those books had.

The story wasn't really new, there was one boy in town behind the scenes and everyone looked to him because he controlled the supplies. This boy was manipulative and of course, gets his in the end. There was insta-love between the new boy and the misunderstood girl who doesn't want to follow the rules and be like others. There are mutants, a new race called variants that are hated and mistrusted because they are because they are different. All of it was very interesting, but that I have  multiple times.

I like the world building and the idea that alludes to a planet that has been ravaged by nuclear war. These kids really are growing up and trying to survive in a wasteland. I liked the feeling of hope at the end of the book and that the variants and the norms realize they need each other if they are both going to survive in this new world that is not kind to the weak. I likes that Ester, the main girl, matures and grows into a capable woman. I liked the narrator Laura Knight Keating. Since Wasteland was a decent, not great, read I give it three very solid laser pistols.