Review: Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

• Pub. Date: June 11, 2013
• Publisher:Harper Teen
• Pages:437
• Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

The spine-tingling horror of Stephen King meets an eerie mystery worthy of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series in Kate Karyus Quinn's haunting debut.

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.

First Line: The field didn't end so much as trail off, beaten back by the rusted-out trailer and circle of junked vehicles surrounding it.

Review: Wow I have to give the author some serious props Another Little Piece is so far the first book that was so confusing due to point of views switching up out of no where and having to figure out what past we are seeing that normally I would be highly annoyed and give up on a book but instead I found myself more and more intrigued the further along in the book I got.

I'm not going to go deep into the plot because I don't want to give anything away, but we have Anna and she is confused just like "us" the readers. She can't remember much of anything that happened when she disappeared to top it off she isn't even sure if she is Annaliese. We discover who and what she is right along with her and believe me when I say it is so twisted  and dark and totally unexpected.

As far as the characters go the author did a wonderful job with them. They were all very well developed and all interesting in their own way. Anna is by far one of the most complex characters I've come across in a while, she had so many inner demons which we saw more of as the story progressed and we learned about her past and the choices she made to be where she is today. There was also romance in the book, Anna fell for a boy named Dex who at first I didn't think much of until I kept reading and learned about his "ability" and his own personal struggles of dealing with it.

Overall Another little piece was different, it was disturbing and creepy and well worth the read.

Also check out the trailer

Mini Review: Epic Fail by Claire LeZebnik

Epic Fail by Claire LeZebnik

• Pub. Date: August 2, 2011
• Publisher:Harper Teen
• Pages:295
• Goodreads/Amazon/

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

- As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school--not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
- As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

First Line: The front office wasn't as crazy as you'd expect on the first day of school, which seemed to confirm Coral Tree Prep's reputation as "a well-oiled machine."

Review: Epic Fail was a fun light quick read, I read this in a matter of hours and found it to be a great "in between" book, you know the kind you read to take a break from all the serious stuff.

Elise is witty and intelligent, I liked how she had a realistic family although her mom was just a little over the top too annoying at times. As for the romance between Derek and Elise it was cute I don't really know how else to describe it.

What I didn't care for was how abruptly things ended and I guess I was just hoping for a little more complex characters. Also I found it to be pretty predictable but I'm not going to really complain much about that since I was looking for a light read and from my reading experience most light fluff books are predictable but still fun to read.

Review: Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

• Pub. Date: May 3, 2011
• Publisher:Harper Teen 
• Pages:375
• Series: Wings #3
• Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

 "I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

This is the third installment of Aprilynne Pike's Wings Series.

First Line: The halls of Del Norte High buzzed with first-day-school chaos as Laurel wedged herself through a crowd of sophomores and spotted David's broad shoulders.

Review:I freakin love love love Tamani he is such an amazing character!...Now that I got that out of the way on to the actual review... :)

I really enjoyed Illusions mainly because there was way more of Tamani  then the previous two books and then of course we get to see his pov in things also. In this one Laurel isn't really able to brush him aside like she was able to do in the first two books because in Illusions the guy takes up the role of her guardian and is pretty much wherever she is always protecting her. 

The book had some plot development but nothing too exciting happened until maybe the last few chapters of the book.  We are introduced to a new character Yuki who starts attending Laurels school, nothing to alarming except when you add in the fact that she is under Klea's care. Illusions was more so romance based and i'm not even going to lie when I say I loved every minute of it. I love seeing Laurel and Tamani together and it was fun seeing her discover that maybe her feelings for Tamani are stronger then she realized.  I even enjoyed seeing her getting jealous over Tamani flirting with Yuki (although he had alterior motives, the guy clearly only has eyes for Laurel).

Also of course there was David, I don't know why I just don't care for his character at all. He is a good guy, very caring and loyal to Laurel but dammit he is not Tamani ...end of story. For some reason I really see him better off with Chelsea.

The book also ends with a huge cliffhanger although to me it was just so abrupt if that makes any sense. Anyways i'm glad I waited for the series to come out fully before diving into it because I wouldn't have had the patience to sit around and wait for the final book. Overall a great read and if you haven't picked up the series I highly recommend it.

Review: Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

• Pub. Date: January 03, 2012
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Pages:299
• Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

Joy delamere is suffocating.

From asthma, from her parents, and from her boyfriend, Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. She can take his cruel words, his tender words . . . until the night they go too far.

To escape, Joy sacrifices her suburban life to find the one who offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. He introduces her to a world of fierce loyalty, to its rules of survival, and to love--a world she won't easily let go.

Set against the backdrop of the streets of Seattle, Holly Cupala's power-ful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the secrets we keep, and the ways to redemption. But above all, it is an unflinching story about the extraordinary lengths one girl will go to discover her own strength.

First Line: Slyt. Slyt.

Review: Joy is suffocating. She has had enough near death experiences to where her family has become obsessively overprotective of her. Then comes along Asher who seems great at first but then emotionally abuses her which soon leads to physical. All this is wearing Joy down until one day she comes across a boy who offers her an option which she didn't think she had.

Joy fakes her own abduction and pretty much runs away to Seattle where she finds Creed the boy who told her if she needs him he is there. And she meets his street family May and Santos. All the characters were very well written and we learn about each of their hardships and inner battles. Cupala also kept it very realistic as far as the street life goes and what it means to be a runaway. We met all kinds of people from pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers, addicts and the list goes on.

My only issue with this book was the ending. For a book so intense the ending wrapped up too quickly and perfectly. I guess I just expected more.

 Overall this book took me by surprise it had been sitting on my shelf for months and it's another one of those books where i'm cursing myself out for not picking up sooner.  Cupala not only creates a story so gripping about Joy's struggle to find strength in herself to live a life that she wants but she also bring attention to the teen homeless population and all the horrible things they are really dealing with in real life. 

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

• Pub. Date:February 1, 2011
• Publisher:Harper Teen
• Pages:480
• Series:Delirium #1
• Amazon/Goodreads

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

First Line: "It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure."


Review: This book was good, it didn't live up to all the hype for me but I still liked it and am interested enough in the characters and their world to go out and pick up Pandemonium the second book in the series. The beginning started off a little slow for me mainly because Oliver obviously took her time building up the society they live in and letting us in on every detail so we can understand it fully. Now the second half was much more fast paced and really grabbed my attention, especially those last few chapters, so much happened that I have to pick up the next book to see what happens next.

I really loved the concept of the book. The fact that they used love and made it to be a disease and then manipulated the people in their society with it in order to have control over them was pretty original. I did find the romance predictable but at the same time I expected it going in so that wasn't much of a disappointment. 

As for the main characters, Lena didn't grow on me until the ending. For majority of the book I didn't really find her interesting at all but with the way the book ended I have a feeling I'm going to love the hell out of her character in the next book. As for Alex I really liked his character especially when we learned more about him and then that ending ... I need to know what happened to him, I don't think I realized how into his character I was until the end of the book.

 If you haven't figured it out by my review the book ends with a heart-rending cliffhanger and I am so glad I waited to read this because there is no way I would have been able to wait a year to see what happens next. If you love Dystopian pick Delirium up, it was well worth the read. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday

Hosted by Jill by

Breaking the Spine

A weekly event that puts a spotlight on a book we are eagerly waiting to be released

Publication Date:February 12, 2013

Publisher:Harper Teen

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?" As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It's the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie's parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with–her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the "Norms," or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it's not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school–but she never wanted to be a quarterback's girlfriend. When Addie's father is asked to consult on a murder in the compound, she's unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she's willing to live through...and who she can't live without.

What are you waiting for???

Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

• Pub. Date: May 5, 2009
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Pages: 304
• Series: Wings #1

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful - too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Review: 

Darn love triangle! That's my first thought when it comes to this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it don't get me wrong but the love triangle made me knock it down a star. I've seen a few authors pull them off very well but in this one nope sorry David was a bust for me. I felt no chemistry between him and Laurel. Now Tamani, loved him the chemistry was there spot on between the two. I seriously wish David didn't exist...oh well.

I'm sure this book has been reviewed to death so I'll be keeping this one short.

So this was a new take on faeries for me. Seriously faeries being referred to as plants? At first I thought it was kind of strange maybe even weird and then somewhere along the pages I thought it was the coolest thing ever because of how original the idea was. And then there was the flower petals growing out of Laurels back,the way it was described in my twisted little mind I thought it was beautiful :)

I already told you my feelings on David so moving on to Tamani. Intense..passionate those are the two words that come to mind when describing him, I can't get enough of him. He was overall one of the more interesting characters in the book period. As for Laurel I liked her but she didn't wow me mainly because I felt a little disconnected with her character. She was still a decent character and hopefully she grows on me more in the next book.

Overall I really liked it and I can't wait to get the next book in the mail soon so I can see what happens next especially with Tamani. I personally think his character outshined every other character in the book.

Review: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

• Pub. Date: July 24,2012
• Publisher:Harper Teen
• Pages: 400

There's something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . .

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.

Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she's just read in the newspaper:

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she'll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

First Line: : "Dead!" a woman Screamed."It's the Dead!"


Review:

I picked this one up about a month ago read a few paragraphs and set it down because even though the opening line I'm sure was meant to suck you in, it didn't do it for me. But I gave it a second chance because I am trying to work on my love for zombie filled books and surprisingly as I kept on reading Something Strange and Deadly grew on me.

Eleanor Fitts is desperate for her brother to come home since they are running out of whatever money they had and her mother is driving them further into the hole by spending money they don't have to keep up with appearances in high society while also trying to marry her off to some rich eligible bachelor. Her brother ends up not showing up on the day he was supposed to and all she gets is a note from a dead walking corpse which makes her assume her brother is in trouble and needs to be saved. The dead are walking amongst the living, a necromancer is the doing for it all, the Spirit Hunters are out to stop them and Eleanor has somehow found herself in the middle of it all.

I liked Eleanor, the more of her personality that I got to know the more I started to enjoy the book. She went against society norms and was willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted which was of course to see her brother safe and at home. She was fiery and I loved that, she didn't hold her tongue which led to some entertaining dialogue.

As far as the Romance at first I wasn't sure what to think of Daniel but as I kept reading he became more and more interesting especially after the reveal of his past. I liked how things developed slowly and realistically between the two.

A couple of things that bugged me a little that made me go NOOO! WHY! was a key character got killed off. I wasn't a fan of the character but he made things interesting and brought more mystery to the book. Also the predictability of the book I had already figured out who and what and why before it was all revealed.

Another thing I was mixed up about was the ending, it does make me want to pick up the second book because I want to know what happens next but did it really have to end the way it did?

Overall I do see myself picking up the next book but it's not something that I will pre-order and rush out to read.

Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

• Pub. Date: May 01, 2012
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Pages: 464
• Series: The Sweet Trilogy #1

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

First Line: Nearly sixteen years ago..."The newborn wailed as the midwife wrapped her in a receiving blanket and quickly handed her to sister Ruth."

Review: I was really excited when Sweet Evil arrived in the mail, with all the hype surrounding it, I was expecting an out of this world amazing read, and yeah the book kept me engaged to where I was putting off some of my responsibilities but it didn't wow me like I thought it would. It was still a great read but I didn't see what all the hype was about it.

The main issue I had right off the bat was Anna. She was so innocent and pure, I understand she was part Angel but the girl was too unrealistic and not relatable, and in order for me to get into the story I have to be able to relate to the characters especially the main one. Then there was Kaiden the only thing I really liked about him was the fact that he had a British accent, I love that about a guy. His father was the Duke of Lust yep that's right so guess what Kaiden's job was? He had to seduce girls and have sex with them this included the groupies that hung around him along with random girls. Like that wasn't bad enough what really bothered me was when we learned the truth about Marissa and her "nieces", the girls were trafficked and Kaidens job was to introduce these girls to their new lives as sex slaves...it was just thrown in there and forgotten about soon after.

Honestly all the "jobs" the Nephilims had were disturbing and morally very wrong, but this was a dark book and these were children of demons so I can say for a fact they did live up to what was expected of them. I feel like I'm contradicting myself with this review... the same reasons why I was a little turned off by the book is the same reason why I loved it. Does that make sense? probably not. I didn't like how immoral and vile the nephs were but at the same time it made sense they are children of demons so of course they are going to be evil and do horrendous acts so actually the author did do a great job portraying their roles.

Even though the book was heavily centered around Kaiden and Anna's relationship or lack of since Kaiden was always running hot and cold, the mythology created by the author was done very well and captured my interest. I thought the whole concept of Dukes, Nephs, Angels and Legionnaires were pretty original. Also the pacing was great, everything flowed and moved very well. And minus the few issues I had with the book this was a great debut novel and I plan on reading the next book when it comes out.

Early Review: So Close to You by Rachel Carter

So Close to You by Rachel Carter

• Pub. Date: July 10, 2012
• Publisher:HarperTeen
• Pages: 320
• Series: So Close to You #1

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices—and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them... and herself.

Review:  I haven't read too many books on time traveling but So Close to You was a page turner for me, especially once Lydia travels back into time. 

Lydia is your typical teenage girl except she has a grandfather who lives with her and her family and he is highly obsessed with The Montauk Project which supposedly is based at Camp Hero a military base where conspiracy theorist believe the government holds experiments on time travel and developing psychological warfare. Lydia who is a non believer one day finds herself inside one of the abandoned military buildings which to her surprise is full of activity and accidentally gets herself into a predicament in which she is transported back in time to when her grandfather was just a little kid.

I really liked Lydia. She was a strong female character who was determined to right some wrongs in her grandfathers life even if that meant risking her safety. Yet at times it did make me wonder how could she not think about herself or how if she changes things it might mean she wont exist in her time or something worse. I enjoyed reading about her interactions with her family from the past. Things became really interesting and I loved how I was discovering so much about them right alongside her.

Also I have to talk about Wes. There was a lot of mystery surrounding him, the boy who followed her back in time to protect her and make sure she makes it out safely. I'm not going to give any spoilers about who he is or how he is involved but as his secrets unravelled I found him to be a very intriguing character and I wanted to learn more about him.

I am really hoping that there is a second book to this series because it can not end like that!( I just checked back on Goodreads and looks like there is yay!) Lydia and Wes broke my heart I have to know that there is a happy ending for them. And then at the very end there is a major twist which has made me very excited about the next book in the series.

Book Trailer: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Check out the official book trailer for Hemlock.

"Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love."

Review: Hallowed ( Unearthly #2 ) by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

• Pub. Date: January 17, 2012
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Pages: 403
• Series: Unearthly #2

http://www.cynthiahand.blogspot.com/

" For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. 


Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning."

First Line: "In the dream, there's sorrow."


Review: I am not a fan of love triangles but Hand pulled it off very well. Between Unearthly where we learn a lot about Tucker and Hallowed where we learn more about Christian I can truly say I am right in the middle when it comes to who I like. They both have characteristics that would make any girl swoon.  I personally love Clara and Tuckers chemistry but her being with Christian given the circumstances makes more sense especially in the long run. So I'm really interested to see how it all plays out between the three.


There wasn't as much action in Hallowed but it didn't take away from it at all. This was what I would describe as an emotional roller coaster read. So much heartbreak and moments of sadness that it really sucked me in to where it was hard to even tear myself away from the book.


Also a lot of the questions which were left up in the air in Unearthly are answered. Many of Clara's moms secrets are revealed, we learn tons more about the angels and their back story along with some surprising things about Clara and her lineage.


Overall this was a beautifully written book and if your looking for a good series about angels pick this one up.

Buy on

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