Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Book Details:
Inside Out
By Maria V. Snyder
Genre: Young Adult
Published April 2010, Harlequin Teen
e-book, 320 pages
ISBN: 9780373210060

Synopsis:

          Keep Your Head Down.
Don't Get Noticed.
Or Else.
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

I got into this book because I loved Maria V. Snyder's Study series, and I even enjoyed the Glass series. I've been reading alot of dystopian literature in the past year or two, and this fit right in. Honestly, this book resembled Beth Revis' series in many ways, only simpler in design.
Trella is the typical teen, unaware of the people around her and how she affects them, but her uniqueness among the citizens of the lower levels makes her stand out no matter how she tries to hide in the pipes. Her curiosity causes her to uncover many of the secrets the run her world, especially when she finds a romantic interest in Riley. The character of Trella seems to resemble the main female leads of Snyder's other books, but I haven't grown bored of it yet.
Many of the rules that govern Trella's world are not far from what is occurring in current events, such as the Uppers' rule about number of births allowed. This very rule is one of many to rock her understanding of the way her world operates, and serves to propel her to seek out the mythological "Gateway". Though I was able to predict what this actually is, I was still saddened by the outcome. Trella's reaction is very realistic, though, coming from her very sheltered existence. I cannot fathom which direction this revelation will take Trella and the other members of her society in the next book, Outside In.

The Cover: The cover is enticing, but vague. I originally thought the girl was ripping paper, but after reading the book, only metal would make sense.

First Line: "A vibration rippled through my body."
That opening line brings to mind many things, so of course I need to know more.

Favorite Quote: “Exactly. You can shoulder all the blame and become a martyr. Provided anyone knows what or who you're martyring for. Or you can accept that some things are important enough to fight for and realize there will be sacrifices along the way.”

Read For: Young Adult Reading Challenge, Dystopia Reading Challenge 

Review: Autumn Winds by Charlotte Hubbard

Book Details:
Autumn Winds
By Charlotte Hubbard
Genre: Christian Fiction
Published 2012, Zebra Books
Paperback, 324 pages
ISBN: 9781420121704

Synopsis:

          Winds of change are blowing through Willow Ridge, and they're bringing a stranger to the Sweet Seasons Cafe. At first, widowed Miriam Lantz has misgivings about Ben Hooley, a handsome but rootless traveling blacksmith. But as she gets to know the kind-hearted newcomer, she wonders if his arrival was providential. Perhaps she could find love again - if only there weren't so many obstacles in the way. With Bishop Knepp relentlessly pursuing her hand in marriage and the fate of her beloved cafe at stake, Miriam must listen to God and her heart to find the happiness she longs for, and the love she deserves.

I've been anxiously awaiting the sequel to Summer of Secrets, and this book was worth the wait. A few matters that were left unfinished in the previous book are accounted for here, such as Rachel and Micah's wedding, and the humbling of Bishop Hiram's brash behavior. The introduction of several new characters, such as Ben's two maidel aunts, served to add color to the community of Willow Ridge and even added a dash of humor to the several romance-heavy sub-plots.
I thoroughly enjoyed following along in the lives of Miriam Lantz and her daughters, especially when reading about all of the mouth-watering food that the Sweet Seasons Bakery and Cafe served up everyday. I plan on trying out of a few of the recipes in the back of the book, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a bread recipe that I've tried among those listed.
The background of Amish culture I have also continued to find fascinating, as I learned more of the nuances in speech, behavior, and traditional beliefs. While I find some things too restrictive, such as the clothing and lack of electricity, the adherence to gender roles, the respect they give to one another, their beliefs in the Bible, and their use of wholesome and naturally-grown foods are all things I greatly admire. This book only serves to bring it all to life and make it that much more appealing. I look forward to reading more of this series.

The Cover: The picture of the Amish woman and the background with autumn pumpkins is fitting for the context of the book.

First Line: "Lord, if this rain's gonna cause another flood like Ya sent Noah, I hope you'll give me a sign to get to higher ground."
Both a humorous way to begin a book, as well as a reminder of its religious roots - nice hook.

Favorite Quote: "We've been blessed with each other, so how can Hiram or anybody else spoil a single hour of our life together? We just won't let them."

Read For: Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge, TBR Pile Reading Challenge

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher for review purposes.*

Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Book Details:
The Thirteenth Tale
By Diane Setterfield
Genre: Fiction
Published 2006, Atria Books
Hardback, 406 pages
ISBN: 9780743298025

Synopsis:

         Biographer Margaret Lea returns one night to her apartment above her father’s antiquarian bookshop. On her steps she finds a letter. It is a hand-written request from one of Britain’s most prolific and well-loved novelists. Vida Winter, gravely ill, wants to recount her life story before it is too late, and she wants Margaret to be the one to capture her history. The request takes Margaret by surprise—she doesn’t know the author, nor has she read any of Miss Winter’s dozens of novels.
Late one night while pondering whether to accept the task of recording Miss Winter’s personal story, Margaret begins to read her father’s rare copy of Miss Winter’s Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories. Where is the thirteenth tale? Intrigued, Margaret agrees to meet Miss Winter and act as her biographer.
As Vida Winter unfolds her story, she shares with Margaret the dark family secrets that she has long kept hidden as she remembers her days at Angelfield, the now burnt-out estate that was her childhood home. Margaret carefully records Miss Winter’s account and finds herself more and more deeply immersed in the strange and troubling story. In the end, both women have to confront their pasts and the weight of family secrets. As well as the ghosts that haunt them still.

This book is like several stories woven together - Margaret's story, Vida Winter's story, and the story that Vida tells to Margaret. There was so much to keep track of that I really took my time reading and digesting the book.
Before Margaret meets Vida, the reader learns about Margaret's childhood filled with books, growing up in an antique bookstore with a book trader for a father - so many things for a bookworm to envy! Her love of nineteenth century literature seeps through the pages of the book in subtle ways, and I doubt I picked up on all of the hints.
Vida draws Margaret into her world through secrets, ghosts, and promises of some greater truth. Margaret is suspicious enough of Vida's story to do her own investigative work into Vida's past, which reveals more secrets and ghosts, as she is also battling with her own personal ghost.
The "thirteenth tale" is the big mystery and hook for Margaret, and very little of the book is predictable, so I was just as surprised by how it all ends as Margaret is. Margaret's dedication to Vida' story and her past goes way beyond that of a simple biographer, and I can't help but root all her varied efforts in tying up all the loose ends before Vida expires.
The over-riding theme of the book is the duality of twins, which makes for a very interesting concept and plays into so many sub-plots throughout the book. Without giving it away, uncovering the big revelation is worth the 400-plus page read!

The Cover: The cover captures me immediately, since it is a stack of books - I love books!

First Lines: "It was November. Although it was not yet late, the sky was dark when I turned into Laundress Passage."
There is nothing particularly interesting about this opening line, not even attractive, so this could have been done differently.

Favorite Quote: "All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes -- characters even -- caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you."

Read For: Alex Awards Reading Challenge

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Book Details:
Enclave
By Ann Aguirre
Genre: Young Adult
Published April 2011, Feiwel & Friends
Hardback, 259 pages
ISBN: 9780312650087

Synopsis:

          In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

This book is less dystopia and more post-apocalypse, with zombies thrown in - though they are never given that name. Though the plot focused solely on Deuce's life inside and outside the enclave, I was much more curious about the details of the world that Deuce lived in. The answers to these questions were sadly few and far between. It quickly became apparent that it was not in Deuce's nature to be inquisitive, and I was often distracted from Deuce's single-mindedness to be a Huntress. Deuce's two closest friends come from the other two groups, but little is told about these groups or the members that populated them. I was especially curious about Deuce's Breeder friend, who fathered a baby boy, but he is unfortunately removed from the plot before much development could occur.
Many loose threads are pushed aside to make way for the character of Fade, and Deuce's relationship with him. I saw much potential in Fade's character because of the potential of his backstory, but the possibilities of what he could accomplish in the enclave are wasted. In the end, despite the title of the book, the plot seems to be more about what happens Topside than saving or reforming the enclave. Plus, I know little more about the Freaks (zombies) than I did when I started the book. While the book brimmed with potential, much of the characters' potential was unrealized, and the book ended with too many loose ends and unanswered questions. While I typically love YA literature, I think this book was too juvenile for me.

The Cover: The cover is both mysterious and creepy, especially with that hand coming out of the corner, which hints at the rabid creatures hidden within the pages of the book. While creepy is not always my thing, this works.

First Line: "I was born during the second holocaust."
What a shocking way to open a book - and immediately I have all kinds of questions regarding this second holocaust.

Favorite Quote: "Instead I'm here, where day by day, I don't know if I'll have food to eat or a place to sleep, if I'll wake up with something trying to kill me. It's hard. And it will get harder, the farther we get from known territory. We have no idea what's out there. None. And either you're ready to start over... or you're not. No more of this. If I didn't let go of what I've lost, I'd go crazy. I suggest you do the same."

Read For: Young Adult Reading Challenge, Read Your Own Name Reading Challenge, Dystopia Reading Challenge

Review: The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay

Book Details:
The Virgin Cure
By Ami McKay
Genre: Fiction
Published 2011, Random House
Paperback, 354 pages
ISBN: 9780676979572

Synopsis:

          Following in the footsteps of The Birth House, her powerful debut novel, The Virgin Cure secures Ami McKay's place as one of our most beguiling storytellers. (Not that it has to… that is pretty much taken care of!)
"I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart." So begins The Virgin Cure, a novel set in the tenements of lower Manhattan in the year 1871. As a young child, Moth's father smiled, tipped his hat and walked away from his wife and daughter forever, and Moth has never stopped imagining that one day they may be reunited – despite knowing in her heart what he chose over them. Her hard mother is barely making a living with her fortune-telling, sometimes for well-heeled clients, yet Moth is all too aware of how she really pays the rent.
Life would be so much better, Moth knows, if fortune had gone the other way - if only she'd had the luxury of a good family and some station in life. The young Moth spends her days wandering the streets of her own and better neighbourhoods, imagining what days are like for the wealthy women whose grand yet forbidding gardens she slips through when no one's looking. Yet every night Moth must return to the disease- and grief-ridden tenements she calls home.
The summer Moth turns twelve, her mother puts a halt to her explorations by selling her boots to a local vendor, convinced that Moth was planning to run away. Wanting to make the most of her every asset, she also sells Moth to a wealthy woman as a servant, with no intention of ever seeing her again.
These betrayals lead Moth to the wild, murky world of the Bowery, filled with house-thieves, pickpockets, beggars, sideshow freaks and prostitutes, but also a locale frequented by New York's social elite. Their patronage supports the shadowy undersphere, where businesses can flourish if they truly understand the importance of wealth and social standing - and of keeping secrets. In that world Moth meets Miss Everett, the owner of a brothel simply known as an "infant school." There Moth finds the orderly solace she has always wanted, and begins to imagine herself embarking upon a new path.
Yet salvation does not come without its price: Miss Everett caters to gentlemen who pay dearly for companions who are "willing and clean," and the most desirable of them all are young virgins like Moth. That's not the worst of the situation, though. In a time and place where mysterious illnesses ravage those who haven't been cautious, no matter their social station, diseased men yearn for a "virgin cure" - thinking that deflowering a "fresh maid" can heal the incurable and tainted.
Through the friendship of Dr. Sadie, a female physician who works to help young women like her, Moth learns to question and observe the world around her. Moth's new friends are falling prey to fates both expected and forced upon them, yet she knows the law will not protect her, and that polite society ignores her. Still she dreams of answering to no one but herself. There's a high price for such independence, though, and no one knows that better than a girl from Chrystie Street.

I loved Ami McKay's first book, The Birth House, so I was eager to read this one without even knowing the synopsis. This book did not really live up to the quality of the first book, but I did still enjoy it. While the title conveys the idea that the focus of the book is this social problem of the myth of the "virgin cure", in reality the book was really about the life of the main character, Moth. The virgin cure only plays a part in two small events, and serves better as a footnote to Moth's life.
Moth is quite an interesting girl from the start, having the maturity of a much older person as she deals with her mother's methods of making money along with her drinking habits, even as she finds her own ways of survival. Despite being of such a young age, she is aware of the struggles of the people around her and knows enough to recognize what a better life would look like for herself - even beyond the trappings of wealth. While sold by her own mother for the price of a sack of coins, Moth still longs to impress her and return to her. From there, she encounters one horror after another, many hidden behind a veneer of wealth and privilege. Her desires propel her to take on a different name in an effort to change her very identity into the kind of person she longs to be.
Dr. Sadie's intervention into Moth's life provides a nice contrast to what Moth lived with day-to-day. As McKay's original protagonist, she provided another appealing way of life other than one of wealth and privilege. Her journal entries in the book also showed how Moth appeared to others. Despite the struggles that Dr. Sadie endured as a female physician, I liked the part she played in Moth's life and the things she showed Moth.
As for the format of the book, I found it a bit strange sometimes. The pages often held side notes that had little to do with the plot, and were better at serving as distractions, plus chapters often began with poems or quotes that were vague at best and required some intelligent deciphering to figure out how they contributed to the book. The journal entries of Dr. Sadie that peppered the book held the most valuable writing, as it fit in with the timeline of the plot. I think the book would have fared better with less distractions, more plotting, and a better title.

The Cover: I liked the cover for the picture of the main character, as well as the moths that littered the cover, but I did not care for the title. I did not feel that the title adequately conveyed the main plot.

First Line: "I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart."
This is a very succinct opening line, as it does a good job of summing up the main character.

Favorite Quote: "I don't want to belong to anyone."

Read For: Just For Fun Challenge

Review: Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead

Book Details:
Thorn Queen
By Richelle Mead
Genre: Fantasy
Published August 2009, Zebra Books
Paperback, 374 pages
ISBN: 9781420100976

Synopsis:

          Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she's also become queen of the Thorn Land. It's hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one--except Eugenie--seems willing to find out why.
Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren't making things any easier. Her boyfriend Kiyo is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty--even if it means facing the darkest--and deadliest--side of her nature. . .

I liked this book more than the first in the series, Storm Born, simply because the complaints I had about the first book were answered to in this one. I thought that Dorian was by far a better match for Eugenie than Kiyo, and really, Kiyo just becomes a major wimp in this book. Even his ability in the bedroom is shown up by Eugenie's mere memories of Dorian - and that's just sad.
The second complaint I had in the first book is also answered for - but definitely not in a good way, as it was about how Richelle Mead wrote Eugenie's reactions to the multiple rape attempts made on her. This book took things much further and really drew an emotional reaction from me. I really hope that the next two books don't revisit this issue. Moving on.
Dorian is nearly perfect in every way in this book, answering to Eugenie's many sensitivities and internal struggles, as well as exacting justice when Kiyo was too cowardly to do the deed. Honestly, I'm at the point where if Dorian says to do it, Eugenie should do it. After all, I loved that Dorian tricked Eugenie into claiming Aeson's kingdom, as she genuinely cares about and wants to help her people just as much as she would want to in the human world.
Oh yes, and some of the other quirks of this plot were quite enjoyable, such as watching Eugenie gain greater access to her storm abilities, as well as her angsty half-sister Jasmine coming to her aid at the end. I look forward to reading the next installment, Iron Crowned.

The Cover: Honestly, I wanted to see Eugenie in one of the typical gentry gowns, instead of her fighting leathers. Other than that, the desert with the castle is great and helps me to imagine her desert kingdom.

First Line: "Sad fact: lots of kids know how to use knives and guns."
While a strange way to begin a book, it is arresting and pulls me in to the plot.

Favorite Quote: "You have no idea what love is.” “Oh, I do. I know that it’s the best high and the worst hurt all at the same time—not to mention confusing as hell.”

Read For: 101 Fantasy Challenge

Review: Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Book Details:
Veiled Rose
By Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Genre: Christian Fiction
Published 2011, Bethany House Publishers
Paperback, 375 pages
ISBN: 9780764207822

Synopsis:

          Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.
Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, rumor says, stalks these lands.
But the hunt which began as a game holds greater risk than Leo supposes. Rose Red can scarcely guess at the consequences should he insist on continuing his search. Dare she trust him with her secret? Or tell him what dwells at the top of the mountain in the cave only she can find?
Above all, when Leo asks Rose Red to leave the mountain and follow him to the low country, dare she agree and risk the wrath of a Monster that is all too real?

I am always a fan of fairy re-tellings, even if it is for a fairy tale I am not actually familiar with, as that of Rose Red. It took me awhile, but I also gathered that the book is a kind of Christian allegory, and parts remind me of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.
Rose Red is by far the most intriguing character, as her birth is shrouded in mystery, her friends are animals with voices, and she cloaks herself in veils and layers to hide even the smallest scrap of skin from any prying eyes - including her own. The shame she bears for her own appearance is so great that her very existence is surrounded by grand tales of monsters and demons told by all of the local villagers, yet she bears a strength much greater than she appears to possess and she has a kind of magic that allows her to walk the secret Paths and face down death in all its forms. Even at the end of the book, I could not fully grasp who or what she is.
Leo manages to find and befriend Rose Red in boyhood, but he has a burden of his own as Prince Lionheart of Southlands, destined to become King. Leo knows his responsibilities, but he secretly just wants a friend and to make people laugh as a court jester.  These polar opposites manage to pull him across the world again and again as he struggles with the simple question, "What do you want?"
Many other characters litter the pages of the book, which was at times confusing as I attempted to deduce which creature or character was on the side of good or evil, such as the Dragon - which became apparent at its occupation of Southlands. As an allegory for Christianity, some characters were clear - such as the Prince, but others were murkier, such as the Lady.
The structure of the book itself was off-putting for me. The book is divided into five parts, with chapters in each part, but in between each part a vague sense of time has passed, so that the reader cannot pick up where the last chapter left off. At each break, I would get the feeling that the plot was picking up, only to be let down that the climactic moments have been glossed over. I also really disliked the ending. Certain things are expected of classic fairy tales, and none of this was included in the ending of this book. Perhaps the author was aiming for something more "realistic" or to simply get the reader to continue the series, but loose endings this big make me feel like I wasted my time reading the book, only to get no satisfaction at the finale.

The Cover:I love all of the details in cover while still maintaining some mystery. I was so intrigued by the cover that I kept returning to it while I read the book.

First Line: "Hill House, though abandoned, had remained unscathed during the years of the Dragon's occupation."
Oh, that sentence is just filled with questions - what is Hill House, what is the Dragon, and what occupation? Of course, I had to keep reading.

Read For: TBR Pile Reading Challenge, Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge, Young Adult Reading Challenge

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher for review purposes.*

Review: Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Book Details:
Spy Glass
By Maria V. Snyder
Genre: Fantasy
Published Sept. 2010, Mira Books
e-book, 535 pages
ISBN:  9780778303916

Synopsis:

                            An undercover mission
                                                     leads to danger, adventure
                                                     and an impossible choice.

After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, student glass magician Opal Cowan lost her powers. Immune to the effects of magic, Opal is now an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had. Powers that make a difference in the world.
Suddenly the beautiful pieces she makes begin to flash in the presence of magic and Opal learns that someone has stolen some of her blood. Finding it might let her regain her powers or discover that they're lost forever...

I finally got around to finishing this series, and I am glad I did. While the series sometimes seemed to drag on and on, and I often found Opal's character frustrating, she finally figures out her own purpose in life in the final book, as well as ties up all of the loose ends of her life.
Forgiveness seems to be a central theme in this series, but most especially in the final book with Opal's interactions with Devlen's character. While I am still conflicted over their relationship, I tend to take the position that if the main character is happy with it, I'm happy with it, too. Devlen's changes seem to pose the question: Do people really change? We like to believe they do in theory , but when it comes to those who perform the really evil crimes, few people are willing to accept that it's truly possible. Opal actually did finally believe this about Devlen, which makes her a rare individual.
Opal's character can be quite confusing at times - she can be very emotional and reactive, but at the same time she has endured unimaginable circumstances and has made herself into a battle-hardened warrior. How many females today can do what she can - even without the magic included? She has certainly earned the right to make her own decisions - and handle whatever consequences come along.
I loved the two children she picks up along the way, and how they help her to understand her own magical abilities. They bring out the maternal instincts in her, which I always appreciate in literature of this nature. The cult that these two were members of fits the stereotype very well, at times both disgusting me and making me want to jump in and rescue those poor people myself.
The coolest part of the book was when Valek taught Opal how to be a proper spy - it reminded me of the Study series by Maria V. Snyder that I loved so much. Valek is such an enigmatic character that he deserves his own trilogy!

The Cover: The cover matches the previous two in design while incorporating the title with its representative object. I like it.

First Line: "Crouching in the darkness of the closet, I stilled as footsteps approached."
While this opening fills me with suspense, I don't really know why. It's not the best way to open.

Favorite Quote: "I'm your mother. I see all. Hear all. Know all."

Read For: What's in a Name Challenge, Finishing the Series Challenge

Review: Storm Born by Richelle Mead

Book Details:
Storm Born
By Richelle Mead
Genre: Fantasy
Published , house
e-book, 361 pages
ISBN: 9781420100969

Synopsis:

        Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants. . .
Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl's got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy—one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.
Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne'er-do-well, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her...

I'm a huge fan of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, so I had to see what her adult books were like, and she did not disappoint. Eugenie Markham is a shaman, but unlike another shaman series I've read, she knows what she is doing and has been trained at it since she was a child by her step-father. What she never bothered to do in all that time, though, was question who her real dad was or how she could do the things she did - which I found a little unrealistic.
Her latest case forces her into entering the Otherworld for a longer-than-usual stay, which results in a few discoveries about herself, as well as some rather interesting situations with the fey, or gentry. She acquires a sort-of boyfriend in Kiyo, but I prefer her with Dorian, as he challenges her defenses and can match her in strength and abilities.
The prophecy means that just about everything male in the fey world wants to jump her bones, which gets old pretty fast. Rape is a traumatic experience for anyone, but the few close calls that Mead writes with  Eugenie seemed to fall short of the mark. Eugenie's fear and defeat were there, but were understated.
On the flip side, I loved how Dorian was able to teach Eugenie about her powers, as well as play a very convenient trick on her at the end - Eugenie may not have liked it, but it was certainly better than the alternative. Now on to Thorn Queen!

The Cover: The cover is pretty typical for an urban fantasy novel, and ever after reading it, I still am not sure of the relevance of what the woman is holding. It's not necessarily a bad cover, just not unique.

First Line: "I've seen weirder things than a haunted shoe, but not many."
That is both strange and humorous for an opening line, and I certainly want to read more.

Favorite Quote: “Oh, God. I’m trapped in the f------- Chronicles of Narnia."

Read For: What's in a Name Challenge, 101 Fantasy Challenge

Review: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Book Details:
Before I Go To Sleep
By S.J. Watson
Genre: Fiction
Published 2011, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Paperback, 358 pages
ISBN: 9781443404068

Synopsis:

          "As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I’m still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me. . . ."
Memories define us.
So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?
Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love—all forgotten overnight.
And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story.
Welcome to Christine's life.

I read this book on the avid insistence of a friend, and I am sure glad I read this book. The premise is quite intriguing - a woman with a very unique type of amnesia in which she wakes up every morning not remembering anything from as much as several decades of her life. What is most interesting is that sometimes she wakes thinking she is a child, while others she believes she is a young adult. There is no predicting at what believed age she will be when she wakes, and no controlling it.
A few things bugged me about the plot, the first of which was that on the mornings that she was supposed to wake as a child, nothing in her behavior indicated that of a child - she still behaved the same as when she woke as a full-grown adult. I was also immediately suspicious of Ben, as his behavior towards her did not seem very motivated towards achieving a return of her memory- but I suppose that was the point.
Despite Christine's loss of memory, in many ways her actions are instinctual - which is very realistic and made for some tense scenes. A Dr. Nash comes to her aid in secret, both because her case is no unusual and because he really does want to help her. Despite the difficulties of Christine not remembering him from day-to-day, he is still able to make progress with her - all behind Ben's back. On his advice, Christine begins  keeping a journal of each day, as well as what memories return to her. This is when the book really picks up in intensity, as Christine comes to realize that her own mind could be her own worst enemy. At times she is not even certain if she can trust the words in her journal, since she cannot remember writing them.
As she fills up her journal, she begins to uncover lies and secrets in her life that create nail-biting, mind-blowing scenes that had me riveted. I was a little disappointed with how the book ends - after all of the build up, it seemed almost anti-climactic. Other than that, the book was an excellent read, especially for a first-time author. Everyone should read this book!

The Cover: The picture on the cover alludes to the title, plus the fact that the woman's face is hidden goes well with the plot of the book. It's fitting in its simplicity.

First Lines: "The bedroom is strange. Unfamiliar. I don't know where I am, how I came to be here. I don't know how I'm going to get home."
What an interesting way to begin a book - my curiosity is peaked!

Favorite Quote: "What are we, if not an accumulation of our memories?

Read For: Just for Fun Reading Challenge

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Book Details:
A Million Suns
By Beth Revis
Genre: Young Adult
Published Jan. 2012, Razorbill
Hardback, 386 pages
ISBN: 9781595143983


Synopsis:

          Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.
In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first book in the series. While in some trilogies, the middle book can feel like a "filler", this one was packed with more secrets, lies, and mind games to keep me guessing. So many secrets, where to begin!
For starters, Orion's influence is not over yet, as he has a special message for Amy - and he couldn't keep it simple of course - there would be no plot otherwise. Then there is the mystery of the engine and what can be done about it. More secrets are revealed when Amy becomes curious about Elder's past, and the myriad secrets are only part of the problem.
Since the power of Phydus is no more, unrest and discontent are brewing among the other members of the ship, questioning Elder's leadership and abilities, as well as Amy's strangeness and own influence over others.  What is most intriguing to me while reading the novel was how so many of the ship's members completely lacked in wisdom and maturity thanks to the robotic-like existence under the influence of Phydus. While they were supposed to have learned from the problems in the history of Sol-Earth, they behaved rather predictably in the given situation with rioting, sexual deviance, violence, withholding of valuable goods, bribery, blackmail, etc. It causes me to wonder just how well such people can be expected to survive on a new planet... should they ever land on it.
I cannot wait for Shades of Earth!

The Cover: I love the cover, with the imagery of both the inside and outside of the ship. It's very "sci-fi."


First Line: "This isn't going to be easy," I mutter, staring at the solid metal door that leads to the Engine Room on the Shipper Level of Godspeed.
This is a great opening line, especially since it is a real foreshadowing of what Amy goes through in the rest of the book.


Favorite Quote: “Well, sometimes home is a person.”

Read For: Young Adult Reading Challenge, Dystopia Reading Challenge

Review: The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarkey

Book Details:
The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven
By Kevin & Alex Malarkey
Genre: Christian Non-fiction
Published 2010, Tyndale House Publishers
Hardback, 224 pages
ISBN: 9781414336060


Synopsis:

          In 2004, the author and his six-year-old son, Alex, were in a horrific accident that left Alex paralyzed. When Alex awoke from a coma, not only had the most severe of his spinal injuries been healed without medical intervention, but he had an incredible story to share of entering heaven and meeting Jesus.

I find I don't even really want to critique this book, so much as praise everything about it. The trauma that Alex endured in his accident was unbelievable, yet God decided he should live as a testament to God's miraculous power - and that is exactly what this book serves as. Furthermore, I also drew wisdom from the attitude of Alex's grandpa - that someone else is always in worse circumstances than I am, as well as the many excerpts from Kevin's pastor Robin Ricks, who provided a unique perspective filled with Biblical references.
The pictures in the middle of the book helped to give me a visual reference for what the Malarkey family endured, and the many quotes from others that were present as each event described in the book also helped to give a well-rounded view of all that was occurring.
What I loved most of all was how concerned Alex was that everyone realized that this was not about him, but about God. I find that I completely agree with one of the women in the book when she explained that she just could not feel sorry for this blessed boy. I also found it interesting that at one point Alex explained that he saw Don Piper in heaven, too, who wrote the book 90 Minutes in Heaven. Kevin showed the man's photo to Alex, to which Alex responded that he only saw him there for hour and half - so I will be reading that book next!
This book really was amazing to read. From everything I have learned about heaven from the Bible, I can't help but believe that the story this boy and his father tells is true. Reading about how each detail of their lives is watched over and taken care of with miraculous results can only give me hope in my own life and circumstances.

The Cover: The cover is simple, with the silhouette of a boy in a wheelchair against the background of angels' wings - very lovely.


First Line: "We were made for so much more than the things of this world."
I love this opening, because it is exactly what I believe about mankind.


Favorite Quote: "And so the real question is not, What is it like to be in a wheelchair? The question is, What is God like when you're in a wheelchair?"

Read For: TBR Pile Challenge, Read Your Own Books Challenge

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher for review purposes.*

Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Book Details:
Water for Elephants
By Sara Gruen
Genre: Fiction
Published 2007, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Paperback, 335 pages
ISBN: 9781565125605


Synopsis:

          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.

This is one of those books that I read because I loved the movie first. So, I was quite surprised when I read how the book begins - with the murder of one of the main characters. When I further realized that August does not own the Benzini Brothers, I began to see the movie as its own story separate from the book.
Jacob is by far the most interesting character of the book, especially since he tells the story as an old man in a nursing home - and has the wisdom and experience to go with his age. His emotions are infectious and I longed to sit down with him and listen to all of his stories in person way before I finished the book.
August is the kind of villain that is confusing in his evil deeds - he has schizophrenia - which makes it somewhat unfair to dislike him so much. His irrational behavior has been exploited for the almighty dollar by Uncle Al - but the real villain tends to fade into the background.
Marlena is beautiful to the point of angelic, very little of what she does can be considered wrong in any way, as she is a victim struggling for freedom for most of the book. She approaches August's mood swings with the same caution due a wild animal, and remains faithful to him despite her personal feelings, and does not leave until he first betrays her. Considering how women today will leave their husbands for any reason, I admire her strong morals.
The background is set during the Great Depression, which made for many intense situations as the circus struggled to profit, as well as the survival of the cast of characters. Though I studied this period in American history, the direct experience gave me a clearer idea of the desperation of people alive during this time - how easily morals could be put on hold for the sake of another mouthful of food or another coin in the pocket. So many men of the circus would work without pay for the promise of another meal and unending hope that life could still improve.
Rosie, the elephant, is also one of the most fascinating characters in the book. She proved to be only one example of how animals were exploited to the point of cruelty for profit. I could not help wondering where the animal activists were.
Needless to say, this book sparked many conversations and inspired many moments of personal contemplation for me. I loved this book, and I highly recommend it.

The Cover: This was the cover that was on my copy of the book, though I think I would have preferred the original cover. Though it matches the movie, there are many things here that contrast with the book - the couple's hair colors and Rosie's headpiece are the most obvious.


Favorite Quote: “When you are five, you know your age down to the month. Even in your twenties, you know how old you are. I'm twenty-three you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties, something strange starts to happen. It is a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I'm--you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you are not. You're thirty-five. And then you're bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it's decades before you admit it.”

Read For: Alex Awards Challenge, Just for Fun Challenge

Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Book Details:
Fever
By Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Young Adult
Published 2012, Simon & Schuster BFYR
Hardback, 341 pages
ISBN: 9781442409071


Synopsis:

          Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I found this book to be much grimmer than the first book, Wither. In this book, Rhine and Gabriel spend most of their time trying to escape and running from or to some place. It was rather tiring at times, and I often wondered while I was reading, Don't they need to eat more? Seriously, they subsist on almost no food until they get to the orphanage, and even then, Rhine still seems to have an anorexic-like view of any and all food. Not very realistic for teenagers, in my view.
Moving on. Rhine's behavior while trapped in the carnival showed me that she can be very scatterbrained and disorganized, without any real planning abilities, even though I saw her as just the opposite in the first book. She seemed to just give in as the power of the drug "angel blood" is forced on her and Gabriel to control them. Her lack of motivation was disappointing, to say the least. The little girl she escapes with proves to be one of the most interesting variables in the whole book.
Further events once they escape seem to just delay the inevitable, but they do help to draw a more detailed picture of the world that Rhine comes from - the desperation and depravity that so much of society has sunk to as the hope of its children continues to inexplicably die. The division between those that want to continue looking for a cure and those that don't is clear, but what is not clear for most of the book is what is killing Rhine, who should still have 3 years of life to go. The horrible Vaughn of Wither is like a haunting presence throughout the book, and he has more secrets than even I can fathom.
The romance between Rhine and Gabriel is stagnated without the threat of discovery by Rhine's abandoned husband. Between escaping capture, living on the run, and futilely hunting down Rhine's brother, it has little chance to grow much at all. In fact, Rhine seemed to have more chemistry with another boy at the orphanage than she can maintain with Gabriel. Plus, Gabriel knows nothing about the world outside the mansion and is flung reeling into this life of survival that he could not have been prepared for - I can't help but feel sorry for him.
The most fascinating scene in the book is hinted at on the cover from the tarot card in Rhine's hand, but unfortunately those elements won't be covered until the final, untitled book in 2013. I look forward to a conclusion that more cleanly wraps up this series.

The Cover: The cover is much like the first cover, only the girl is wearing a different dress to match her experiences in the carnival and the carousel horse, along with a tarot card to represent a later experience in her travels. I like it.


First Line: "We run, with water in our shoes and the smell of the ocean clinging to our frozen skin."
I love the imagery of this opening line, and it reminds me of how the previous book ended.


Favorite Quote: “Momentum,' She repeats. 'You can't just stand there if you want something to fly. You have to run.”

Read For: Young Adult Challenge, Dystopia Challenge

Review: Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest by Waheed Rabbani

EDIT: This author has repeatedly harassed, belittled, and criticized me for the contents of my review in email, despite my insistence that this is my opinion. Be warned.

Book Details:
Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest
By Waheed Rabbani
Genre: Fiction
Published 2008, youwriteon.com
Paperback, 417 pages
ISBN: 9781849231770


Synopsis:

          "Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest" is Book I of a trilogy covering India's struggle for freedom from the British Raj.
American Doctor Margaret's sea chest is discovered in a hospital in Delhi. The coffer contains her diaries and other artifacts.
Margaret, despite facing tremendous obstacles, is one of the first American women doctors to graduate in 1850. She marries her Canadian cousin. They travel to serve in the 1854 Crimean war. There they have to not only face hardships of battles, but also endure other conflicts.
The surprise ending of Book I, leaves Margaret in a quandary on whether to seek revenge or to continue on with her journey to India.

The synopsis on the back of the book confused me before I began reading, as it seemed to tell me the plot for the entire trilogy, instead of just this first book. I also struggled with staying interested in the book, as every page is saturated with foreign words and expressions that I needed to look up in the Glossary at the end of the book if I wanted to understand anything. It was quickly apparent that the history of India also played a major role in the plot of this book, as the author spends large chunks of time teaching the reader about India through the thoughts and conversations of the characters.
I felt like the plot really dragged its heels in progressing, and I often got lost in the details, unsure of what I was supposed to be focusing on the most.
In short, I simply could not progress with the book. I stalled on page 72, and I never picked it back up. Maybe I was not in the right frame of mind to read it, maybe it was too intimidating, I don't know, but if I feel like I am forcing myself to read the book when I struggle to stay focused after only a page, then the book is not for me.

The Cover: While the cover image does match the contents of the book, I am rather unimpressed with the cartoon-ish quality of the woman on the cover. Lacking an actual photograph of a woman to represent Doctor Margaret, the cover would have been better without her presence.


First Line: "The full moon hung in a cloudless sky, like a lantern held by an invisible force."
This is beautiful imagery for the first line, though it does little in the way of telling me about the actual plot.

Read For: Outdo Yourself Challenge

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher for review purposes.*

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Book Details:
Hex Hall
By Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Young Adult
Published 2010, Disney-Hyperion Books
Hardback, 323 pages
ISBN: 9781423121305


Synopsis:

     Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

The first thing that I found curious was that the author does not begin with when Sophie first discovers who she is, but instead begins with what incident propels her to switch to the paranormal-reject-filled boarding school, Hecate Hall - also affectionately known as "Hex Hall." The incident shows the softer side of Sophie, so it is easy to predict the choices she makes throughout the rest of the book.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.

The Cover: The cover is one of the major reasons I wanted to read this. The duality it suggests is intriguing, though I must say the cat does NOT belong, as is made clear early in the plot.


First Line: "Felicia Miller was crying in the bathroom. Again."
While a depressing way to begin a book, I am curious as to who she is and why she is crying, plus my maternal instincts flare up and all I want to do is give her a hug.


Favorite Quote: “Let's just say you may regret that second piece of cake.' Oh my God. Regret cake? Whatever was about to happen must be truly evil.”

Read For: Young Adult Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge

Review: Destined by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Book Details:
Destined
By P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult
Published 2011, St. Martin's Griffin
Hardback, 325 pages
ISBN: 9780312650254


Synopsis:

          Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet—which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx’s gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together—if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father’s shadow...
But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more—or possibly less—than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him...
Will Neferet’s true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox’s humanity in time to protect him—and everyone—from his own fate? Find out what’s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

I was pleasantly surprised in the improvement of characters in this book, as my expectations of this series have dimmed over the course of the series. This book was better. Both Dragon and Lenobia's character are shown more insight as their back stories are revealed, which I'm sure is further explored in the books, Dragon's Oath and Lenobia's Vow. Also, one of the "twins" shows some backbone and stands alone in her beliefs - about time, I might add. Those two drove me nuts every time their dialogue appeared on the page.
Rephaim also continues to battle with his origins and his new lease on life, thanks to Nyx's forgiveness. Though Rephaim himself does little to progress the plot, his presence serves as a major catalyst for both sides and drives Kalona to make some interesting choices.
There is also the addition of a new fledgling to the mix, whose addition answers one question about the red fledglings, but brings up many new questions as she has a new gift of True Sight. From the descriptions, she can see auras, though the word is never used for whatever reason, which I also found annoying. One other addition is another adult to the Tulsa House of Night, a major supporter of Zoey and company, who brings a good dose of sanity and maturity that it so desperately needs. I have renewed hopes in the continuation of this series.

The Cover: This cover features Neferet's supposed creature, Aurox, with a hint of his true nature in the shadow of the bull.


First Line: "I think my mom is dead."
This is certainly a shocking way to begin the book, and it reminds me of what happened in the previous book.


Favorite Quote: “The question of what we are can only be answered by ourselves. We each decide what we are by the life choices we make. How we were made, who are parents are, where we are from, the color of our skin, who we choose to love, all those things do not define us. Our actions define us, and will keep defining us until even after death.”

Read For: Young Adult Challenge, Finishing the Series Challenge