Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath

By Brodi Ashton

Published by Harper Collins

Released January 2011

ARC Tour with Once Upon a Twilight

From Goodreads:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. 

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. 

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. 

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My Thoughts:

What a great story! I was happy to see some indication that there will be a second book, because the ending simply blew me away, and I still have so many questions!

In Everneath Nikki Beckett goes to the Underneath as a forfeit, meaning she literally forfeited her life so that she wouldn’t have to feel pain anymore. Only afterwards she realizes that it was a mistake and chooses to return to the surface for six months instead of going straight to her end in the Tunnels of the Everneath.

Cole, the Everliving who took Nikki to the Underneath to feed off of her energy, realizes that she is special and wants her to go back to the Underneath as his queen. Only Nikki doesn’t want to give up her heart and feed off the energy of others for eternity.

In her six months on the Surface she tries to reconnect with those she hurt most by leaving. She tries to be a good daughter and sister, and most importantly she tries to reconnect with her boyfriend Jack, the reason she wanted to give up her pain in the first place.

The story that unfolds revolves around the ancient myths of the Greeks, and the strong emotions of young love.

This is definitely a book worth reading. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series to see what comes next.

Sidenote: I love that the strong connection between the teens in this novel didn’t revolve around sex, but rather around their long friendship and their honest love of being together. I know that teen sex is a reality, but I hate seeing it glorified. This novel didn’t do that and I was very grateful for that.

Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

New Girl
by Paige Harbison
Published by Harlequin Teen
Expected Release January 31st 2012
NetGalley

From Goodreads:


They call me 'New Girl'... 

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her. 

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault. 

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be. 

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this novel. Although I had to pretend this was college and not boarding school. I hate thinking about  teens drinking and having sex. Probably because my sister is a teen and I want to think it's not really happening. But I digress.

This novel was full of drama in the style of CW or ABCFamily. I kept waiting to see what really happened to Becca. There was a lot of tension in the novel, I felt like I was holding my breath a lot. I had so many different suspicions while I was reading! Was Becca alive? Did one of the boys kill her? Did Dana have something to do the her untimely disappearance? The writer really allows your mind to explore all kinds of possibillities before we find the answers.

This is the kind of book that I would love to talk about with someone who has read it. My favorite part is at the end of the book when the main character finally comes into her own. I don't want to spoil anything and there was a definite, "oh my gosh" moment at the end when I realize that the writer did something incredibly difficult throughout the book and I didn't even notice!

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the high-drama of a good YA novel.

Review: Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Remembrance
by Michelle Madow
Self Published
Released July 2011
E-book provided by Author


From Goodreads:


New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet. 

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.


My Thoughts:


This was a really cute book. I enjoyed the whimsical premise and the vivid imagery of Lizzie's dress and her flashbacks. She seemed like a neat character. I would have liked to have gotten more from Drew's character. I didn't feel like I got a good feel from him at all. He seemed all over the map at times.


I was never confused about what was present and what was past, which is a good thing, I will say I would have liked to have seen more of the characters that allowed me to distinguish their past selves from their current selves. 


The build-up of the story was really good, I was definitely trying to figure out how she was going to resolve the story. There are a few unfinished plot lines that I imagine will be addressed in the next book this author is releasing, Vengeance.


This was a very lighthearted quick read with a fun premise. I was fascinated by the idea that a music video inspired the plot. (The author was inspired by the music video for Taylor Swift's 'Love Story'.) I am guessing that it was actually the dress in the video and not the video as a whole, now that I have read the book, but it was definitely fun.


I would give the book a 3.5 if I didn't try to keep to whole numbers. My only complaints were that the characters could have been developed a little better, and while there was a lot of build-up, if felt like there was a lot left out of the resolution that isn't likely to be addressed in a story from Chelsea's point of view.


I enjoyed it! I will likely read the next book in the series to see what happens with Chelsea and Lizzie's friendship.

Review of The Near Witch

The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Hyperion Books
Released August 2011


From Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. 

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

My Thoughts:

I received this book as a RAK in September and I was really excited to read it. It was a pretty good story. For me personally that was all it was though. I like folklore type story lines. I love authors who mix fairy tales with reality and I love stories of witches. For all of those reasons, I did enjoy this book. I liked the main character, she had a lot of grit and determination.

I always want to know more, though. I want to know more about why she doesn't like Tyler Ward. I want to know a little more about her relationship with her mother, who at times is critical in the plot, and yet we know so little about her. She is trying to protect her sister throughout the entire book, and so I want to see more of their relationship, beyond the doting and silly games.

Then I stopped myself. This is a book intended for a young adult audience. It was fast paced and entertaining. There was a little fantasy, a little romance, and a little rebellion. I'd say it was a perfect novel for it's intended audience. So I'll combine my wanting more rating with the rating that I'd have probably given it ten years ago :)

3 out of 5 cups!

Review of Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl

Start Me Up
By Victoria Dahl

From Goodreads:

Lori had always planned to get out of tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado, but when her late dad left her his beloved auto body shop, she'd stayed. Now, according to her crazy best friend, Molly, what Lori needs is some excitement, in the form of hot, no-strings-attached sex…and lots of it.

Quinn Jennings has buildings on the brain—not love and romance. A serious architect, he's delighted to discover that Lori is willing to skip dating protocols and head straight for the sheets. And aided by the steamy books on Lori's bedside table, he's busy indulging both of their wildest fantasies. But when life in Tumble Creek takes a dangerous turn for Lori, Quinn's protective instincts kick in.

Suddenly he cares. More than either of them ever expected….

My Thoughts:

Another sexy, entertaining read from Victoria Dahl! The second in the Tumble Creek Series, this story is incredibly fun! I love the characters in this series. They remind me of people I might hang out with. I enjoy contemporary reads with likable characters that you can sympathize with. 

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I read a lot of reviews where people complained that there was no "I love you" or Happily Ever After ending. While this might have some merit, I would argue that it shouldn't have. Lori's character is just coming to terms with the fact that she can plant roots without settling. Even though it's obvious that she and Quinn are heading toward a happily ever after, making that declaration before ending the novel would have been forced and unrealistic. I was very satisfied with the ending!

I really did enjoy this book! I give it four out of five cups!

Book Club Read: Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen
Published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Released March 1st, 2011

From Goodreads:


As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.


My Thoughts:


I really enjoyed this novel. There were definitely parts that were hard to read. I saw a bit of my own great-grandfather in the 90 or 93 year old Mr. Janowski. I felt that Sara Gruen did a great job describing the grit and grime of the circus, and the the horrifying realities associated with it. There are tales of animal cruelty that might be hard for some people to read.


I would have liked to see more personality in Marlena's character. I know that it was Jacob's story, told from his point of view. I still would have liked to know more about the woman he was in love with, aside from the fact that she was beautiful. But I know that I have a preference for strong female characters.


I was a little disappointed with the end of the book. I kept hoping for something great. I can think of a few ways I might have rather she wrapped it up.


Aside from the last few pages though, I really did love it. I give it 4 out of 5 cups!

WoW: If you hear her by Shiloh Walker

Linking up with Jill over at Breaking the Spine for Waiting on Wednesday!

Title: If You Hear Her
Author: Shiloh Walker
Publisher: Random House
Expected Release Date: October 25, 2011


A CRY IN THE WOODS

The scream Lena Riddle hears in the woods behind her house is enough to curdle her blood—she has no doubt that a woman is in real danger. Unfortunately, with no physical evidence, the local law officers in small-town Ash, Kentucky, dismiss her claim. But Lena knows what she heard—and it leaves her filled with fear and frustration.

Ezra King is on leave from the state police, but he can’t escape the guilty memories that haunt his dreams. When he sees Lena, he is immediately drawn to her. He aches to touch her—to be touched by her—but is he too burdened by his tragic past to get close? When Ezra hears her story of an unknown woman’s screams, his instincts tell him that Lena’s life is also at risk—and his desire to protect her is as fierce as his need to possess her.

What are you waiting for?

Talk me Down (Tumble Creek #1) by Victoria Dahl

Molly Jenkins has one naughty little secret: her job as a bestselling erotic fiction author. Until her inspiration runs dry—thanks to a creepy ex—and it's time to skip town and move back to tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado. 

One look at former high school hunk chief of police Ben Lawson and Molly is back in business. The town gossip is buzzing at her door and, worse still, a stalker seems to be watching her every move. Thankfully, her very own lawman has taken to coming over, often. The only problem now is that Molly may have to let the cat out of the bag about her chosen profession, and straitlaced Ben will definitely not approve.…

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud a few times, and the chemistry between Molly and Ben was just awesome. The premise of the book is fun and lighthearted. I can't wait to read the next in the Tumble Creek Series! It was an easy read and I definitely recommend it! 4 out of 5 cups!

Spicy romance scenes, not suitable for children ;)