July Top 5

OH hey last day of July. I think I say this every month, but how in the world did we get here? I don't know about you, but my July has been kind of life-altering in a scary, but great, way. Caralyn has been doing a fab job keeping up the blog while I've been out - I've popped in here and there, but she's been pretty much running the show. It's hard to, you know, have a life AND maintain 6 blog posts a week, so I've been very happy to have someone to rely on. Anyhow - I've still managed to sneak a few books into my schedule and I have read some pretty awesome stuff. This month, though, Caralyn and I are splitting our top five. Here are the books that rocked our world in July:

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Hannah says: Such awesome fantasy. This novel is joining an already rich genre and it so deserves a spot up there as one of the best. Read my review here. 

2. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Hannah says: It's been a few weeks since I read this incredible book and I still miss these characters. Whenever I see the book cover my heart leaps. I think it's safe to say this book is pretty permanently etched into my mind. Read my review here. 

3. Rift by Andrea Cremer

Hannah says: YES. Andrea Cremer's new series is SO wicked and intense. I loved the Nightshade series, so it's pretty epic to see where Calla's world all started. Review to come. 

4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Caralyn says: I loved the futuristic retelling of Cinderella and the strength of Cinder's character - it definitely has its own innovative twists on the classic story. Read my review here. 

5. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Caralyn says: This sequel to Angelfire was packed with more romance and more butt-kicking angels. Still love Ellie's sarcasm and Will's selflessness. Wellie forever! Review to come. 

What were your top reads this month? 

The Waiting Sky - Lara Zielin

Synopsis: One summer chasing tornadoes could finally change Jane's life for the better
Seventeen-year-old Jane McAllister can't quite admit her mother's alcoholism is spiraling dangerously out of control until she drives drunk, nearly killing them and Jane's best friend.Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left the problems at home years ago for college. A summer with him and his tornado-chasing buddies may just provide the time and space Jane needs to figure out her life and whether it still includes her mother. But she struggles with her anger at Ethan for leaving home and feels guilty--is she also abandoning her mom just when she needs Jane most? The carefree trip turned journey of self-discovery quickly becomes more than Jane bargained for, especially when the devilishly handsome Max steps into the picture. (From Goodreads)

This book hit way closer to home than I'm comfortable with. It reads like it's quick and easy, but it actually deals with some pretty tough stuff, like being the child of an alcoholic. I'm not going to go into the aspects of this that made me uncomfortable and I'm not going to get personal - I'm just going to say that this is something I struggle with (I'm not a child of an alcoholic, but some people I love very much are). Between that and the fact that she's from Minnesota and hangs out with storm chasers - I started to squirm with the similarities (I don't hang out with storm chasers, but I am fascinated by storms). I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I kind of shut down pretty early on in the book - my own way of protecting my emotions.

I still really enjoyed the book, but it's hard for me to talk about objectively. It has its weaknesses - the relationships felt rushed and a little flimsy, and for a book about storm chasing I really wish there were a lot more storms. I was kind of hoping for a Twister for teens kind of thing, but the story wound up dealing more with cleaning up a town after a tornado destroys it. There was a bit of chasing, but those scenes were a little brief. I actually picked up this book because I have a morbid fascination for tornadoes. I absolutely adore storms, but tornadoes really frighten me. So I have to say I was a little bummed when that aspect of the book didn't quite come through for me.

But of course, the book isn't really about the storms. Jane is spending the summer with her brother in order to get away from a toxic home situation. He tries to convince her that she doesn't have to be the one to take care of their mom. She, on the other hand, is afraid her mother won't survive if she doesn't have someone to take care of her. This story line is done very well. Like I said, I shut down pretty quickly - but I feel like the emotions and the situations were very true to life.

This is definitely a great August read and kind of cool if you're in the Midwest during tornado season - you'll know what it feels like when there's a tornado warning. The tough stuff is handled quite nicely - it doesn't every get too intense or too heavy - unless you're overly sensitive like me. If you like the sound of what this book has to offer, definitely give it a shot.

Secondary Character Saturday (15)

This is a weekly meme created to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Iko from Cinder

I really loved Iko as Cinder's android sidekick. She provided a lot of comic relief and an escape for Cinder from the horrible treatment she receives from her adoptive family. I love her response of "I don't compute" when she doesn't understand a situation...it serves as a reminder that shes a machine, even though she's one of the most compassionate characters.

Iko technically belongs to Cinder's stepmother, Adri, as property, but she's joined at the hip with Cinder as her friend. In a world where there's a definite separation between humans and robots, Iko bridges the gap. She has a defective personality chip that allows her to be more human so that she empathizes with Cinder and does her best to avoid Adri. I especially loved the scene where Iko has taken some of Adri's make-up and pearls and tries to dress herself up just to poke fun. She's a seriously cool robot who acts more human than most humans and always has Cinder's back.

I don't want to give too much away if you haven't read the book yet, but Iko is in a bad way when the book ends, but the story isn't over. She's going to be with Cinder for the rest of the Lunar Chronicles, I'm sure...in one form or another. I'm really interested in what role she'll play in the later books because I know Cinder will need her. 

What did you all think of Iko or any of the other characters in the story?

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. (From Goodreads) 

Throne of Glass has been one of my most highly anticipated books of this summer. I actually finished The Girl of Fire and Thorns this spring and was so in love with it that I was seriously craving more fantasy. I couldn't really find anything that would live up to Fire and Thorns, but then I came across Sarah J. Maas and found her book. Which, was exactly what I wanted, and of course not yet released. Luckily there are the short stories that precede Throne of Glass. I've been following Celaena through the short stories and I really came to know her and love her before I even got my hands on a copy of the novel.

While there's certainly no shortage of strong heroines out there, Celaena kind of takes the cake - you know after she escapes from confinement, scales a wall, takes out ten guards, frees a hundred slaves, and uncovers deep secrets - she kind of deserves a piece of cake. So I have to crown her the most bad-ass of all YA heroines. She is so in control, even as a prisoner, it's impressive. She's strong, she does whatever she needs to in order to survive, and she has her emotions in check. Actually, the moments where she thinks she's alone and lets herself feel grief are almost more intense and powerful than her moments of public triumph.

I also completely love Celaena's attitude towards love and relationships. She's totally toying with the freaking PRINCE. Princes notoriously mess around and hold power - both in kingdom and in love. But somehow Celaena has him infatuated with her and she's kind of just like - Yeah, this is fun...for now. So great. But Chaol....sigh. He's written so perfectly. He's jaded and distant, for great reasons. He has a tough shell to crack and watching him soften - something that happened so subtly - was incredible. I was talking to Alexa at Alexa Loves Books on Twitter about how much I loved him. We were discussing the love triangle and I think it's just done so well, because the stakes aren't all or nothing. It's not really a triangle, it's just kind of timing and sort of the way things really work out. So this book is all about the prince - but I'm sensing some major Chaol action coming up in book two and I can't freaking wait.

And of course - the world building. Yeah - more brilliance on Maas's part. I don't know if it was because of the stories that came before or what, but Celaena's world is very vivid. I never felt lost or like something was unbelievable. I love the feel to it - a castle of glass that shows the transparency of the royal class - an empire built on slave and death camp labor, that is corrupt and slightly menacing - a world where being an assassin doesn't even make you the worst thing out there. Yet, it almost feels safe to explore because Celaena can handle anything thrown at her.

I can't properly convey just how much I love this story. This is one I'm going to attempt to shove into the hands of anyone who will let me. Read it, read it, read it. I recommend reading the short stories first - because they definitely enhance The Throne of Glass. Plus, you can read the stories now (the first one is "The Assassin and the Pirate Lord") so you don't have to wait until the book is released to get started.  But just trust me, you're going to want to spend as much time in Celaena's world as you possibly can.

Bones of Faerie - Janni Lee Simner

Synopsis: The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza’s world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see—into the past, into the future—and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza’s quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.
Janni Lee Simner’s first novel for young adults is a dark fairy-tale twist on apocalyptic fiction—as familiar as a nightmare, yet altogether unique. (from Goodreads)

This book reminded me a lot of The Road by Cormac McCarthy because of the desolate landscape Janni Lee Simner portrays in this story. It's a fascinating mix of post-apocalyptic and fantasy where magic is the reason for such a stark and threatening place that once called itself the Midwest...more specifically, Missouri. I loved the tension created by the vicious trees and ruthless animals Liza encounters on her journey. You can really feel the fear the townspeople have toward the magical wilderness; its almost a force of evil.

The use of reflections was also a really cool effect of this world. Whether it was a reflection in a mirror of some sort or standing water, reflections have a power all their own. And since Missouri has two huge bodies of water, the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, not to mention the arch (a gigantic metal mirror), I can see how Simner was inspired to set her story right here at the confluence.

Although this story was very original and all the references to St. Louis made me happy (Go Cardinals!) I feel like it could have been more developed. Everything that happened felt like it needed to be expanded upon. I wanted to know more about the characters: their histories, motivations, etc. The narration only skimmed the surface. We're introduced to Liza and her family and the problems with magic surrounding the town, but I wanted more about their relationships. Especially between her parents. It was an interesting world, but it just didn't hit a deep nerve with me.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who drives I-44 on a daily basis, but I wish it had a little more.

Glitch - Heather Anastasiu

Synopsis: In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.
When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. (From Goodreads)

I was trying to explain how I felt about this book to my manager at the bookstore and she condensed my babbling into..."So it's solid good?" Yeah. So I'm stealing her words. This book is solid good. It doesn't quite reach great because it falls into the traps of your typical dystopia and these repetitions are really beginning to push me off the dystopia band wagon. I honestly guessed the ending pretty early on in the book - not because it's obvious but because it's what I've come to expect from dystopian novels. Still, the ride was enjoyable and reading was pleasurable.

It was interesting seeing how Heather Anastasiu handled both the fact that the main characters in this book are feeling emotions for the first time, and the fact that their teenagers - a time when you emotions are already naturally on overdrive. Watching them try to name what they were feeling, while feeling it so intensely, and seeing how they managed to sort out (or fail to sort out) what each emotion meant was the best part of this book. I was worried initially that the love story in this book was driven based on the fact that Zoe was just latching on to the first person that felt something too. But, that was actually countered quite well with the introduction of Max.

Yeah, there's a love triangle. But don't let that discourage you. This love triangle is incredibly lopsided and it seems to actually serve to give Adrien a leg up. Max was a frustrating character, but he was also very well written. His side story became complicated and I still don't really know what to make of him. He made some interesting choices and his motivation isn't always entirely logical. Adrien on the other hand, was almost way too sweet for his own good. He didn't really have flaws, or if he did they were pretty minor. But he and Zoe seemed to work really well together.

There's a lot of double crossing, not knowing who to trust, and lots of secrets that were actually erased from the characters' memories. These were the elements that kept the story moving along - wondering when memories would resurface, trying to decide who was worth trusting, and - well, I guess, wondering if Zoe and gang would make it out of the Community without being deactivated.

So yeah. If you're a dystopia fan then give this one a shot. There's a bit of science fiction mixed in there as well if you like that. Honestly, though, it's not the world that's created that drew me into this book - it's the characters and their issues that kept me interested. It's not a book that I'd gush about, but it's one I would include when talking about this genre. Solid good.

Cinder - Marissa Meyer

Synopsis: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. (from Goodreads)


I've always enjoyed the story of Cinderella, ever since we read a bunch of different versions from different cultures in elementary school. Cinderella is truly a universally loved fairy tale.This version kinda follows the Drew Barrymore - Ever After retelling more so than the Disney classic. It's a bit more believable that way. You'll see what I mean.

Cinder is extremely resourceful, smart and very proactive in the situations she's thrown into. She never gives up, no matter the circumstances. That's what I like about this girl. She's so strong. The problem is she's not a complete human girl. There was an accident at some point in her life and a chunk of her body has been replaced with robotic parts...including one of her feet. ;-) In Cinder's world, being a cyborg puts you way below humans and not far above androids. It creates a type of class system of the future that she has no control over and can't escape. Just like no one of today has any control over being born into extreme poverty, Cinder had no say in becoming a cyborg.

The hierarchy that Marissa Meyer has developed for her world got me to thinking about the prejudices we face today. Not to be too political, but it reminded me of racism in the 50's and 60's during the Civil Rights movement and even the Feminist movement after that. And I guess you could say today the big movements are for equal marriage rights and immigration rights as well. Basically, at almost every point in out history there has been some group that has been marginalized and treated like second-class citizens due to race, gender, religion, etc. It's interesting to me because the generation that fought for civil rights way back when are now the same generation fighting against equal rights for gays, lesbians, etc.

It's odd how as young people, we seem to embrace everyone but as we age, there are certain things we just can't except. My parents, for example, love listening to hard rock music and my grandparents, on the other hand, thought rock was sacrilegious. And I guess you could say that currently, rap music has replaced rock music's role of being the "corrupter of youth", and my parents can't stand it. They hate rap. It upsets them. But I like it. It doesn't bother me at all. I guess what I'm trying to get at is there will always be something that your generation refuses to accept into society, no matter how inviting and open you were in your youth. Makes me wonder what "thing" my children will be into that I won't have tolerance for.

This is what fascinates me about this story; in the future, the people who are looked down upon are the cyborgs. And there really is no logical basis for this reasoning, just like all the prejudices we face today. I didn't tear through this book like I've done with others, but it was more like a steady, page-turning thriller. I just wanted to soak it all up. And even if you know the story of Cinderella, you'll never guess how this ends!

Dark Days Tour - St. Louis

For this Saturday I wanted to do something a little different from Secondary Character Saturday, which I'll pick back up next week. About a week ago the Dark Days Tour finished up in Orlando, FL and luckily, incredibly, AMAZINGLY, St. Louis was one of the stops on the way! The tour featured YA authors S.J. Kincaid (Insignia), Aprilynne Pike (Destined), Dan Wells (Partials) and - wait for it - VERONICA ROTH!!! Yup, that's right. I am now the proud owner of signed copies of both Divergent and Insurgent. I know what you're thinking and the answer is yes, my life is complete.

Needless to say it was really great to listen to these four authors talk about their books and YA in general so I thought I'd share some of the cool stuff they talked about. Unfortunately I have no pictures of the event. I was just so super focused on what was going on that I didn't even think to whip out my camera. I was in the zone. Oops. :/

One question that got asked was: what is the best and worst thing about writing YA? This opened up a discussion/rant on YA lit being considered "childish" and "not good". Veronica Roth said that the one question she gets a lot is "When are you going to write novels for adults?" as if YA is just a stepping stone into the world of "real" authors, which is ridiculous. This prompted Dan Wells to add his frustration at the comment of "Your books are really good!...for kids" as if teens don't deserve good reading material, or something. It made me stop and think. There definitely is a lot of stigma surrounding the YA world even though I'd say it's experiencing a sort of "Boom". There's so much more out there than when I was a kid/teen. But even though I'm not a young adult anymore, it doesn't mean I've forgotten what it's like to be one. And it certainly doesn't mean I can't enjoy a story whose protagonist is a teenager...just like I can still identify with a character that's older than me if the author makes them relatable (is that a word?).

I know Hannah has tackled this subject on the blog before, and I'm sure you've all experience this type of criticism before as well...I know I have. I used to work at my school's library during the summer and a few of my coworkers would make snippy comments when I brought one of my YA books with me (summer=empty library=Caralyn has lots of reading time)...stuff like, "aren't you a little old to be reading that?" or "what kind of teenage fantasy are you reading today?" They weren't malicious comments, but I felt the need to defend myself, which I didn't like. I can't stand ignorant people.

Not to mention some of the most successful books/series out there happen to be YA. And where do people think some of the most successful movies of all time have come from?? YA!!! Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and even Twilight (sorry Hannah, I know we don't use the T-word around here, but I had to include it) - they're all YA phenoms whether you're a fan or not. They're out there and they are  ridiculously popular. Everyone and their mother has heard of these books. And somehow I doubt that only 12 year-olds are responsible for the $500 billion those franchises have made, or whatever the amount. My point is that YA hits a nerve with everyone. That's what's so special about it. I don't know what there is to be afraid of.

Anywho, what are your thoughts on YA being considered a sub-genre? And if any of you saw these or other authors on tour, please share your experience!!

Random fact: Veronica Roth is team Hufflepuff :)

Happy Reading!

Incarnate - Jodi Meadows

Synopsis: New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life. (from Goodreads)

I don't know, but I didn't have any expectations when I read this book. To be honest, I thought the cover was a little hokey and I'm always a little skeptical of fantasy worlds. There's so much fantasy out there that I love so the bar was set high. And Incarnate just set the bar higher. And now that I get the cover, it seems beautiful to me. Funny how that happens.

I DEVOURED this book!! This was the first book I read in a long time that made me want to call in sick to work so that I could just sit and read the whole darn thing in one sitting. It rocked my world, to say the least. I just loved the magical imagery of the world, and the religious undertones just made it seem more real. I usually scoff at religion, but I think the whole, reincarnation/life force/Jana?/mystical city motif gives more depth to the characters. They have this odd struggle of living in a utopian-type world and at the same time constantly being surrounded by the same people/souls. There's only about 5,000 souls that become reincarnated year after year for thousands of years. Just imagine if there's a certain someone you don't get along with who will be stuck with you in one form or another for the rest of eternity. Yikes! Ana experiences a serious grudge firsthand. 

I thought the concept of same souls, different bodies would be confusing, but Jodi Meadows seems to have a firm grip on her world that I never got "lost". Ana is new to everyone so her history is not complicated. Everyone else, on the other hand, have been reincarnated into different bodies ever since New souls were discontinued. In one life you're a woman and in another, a man. A soul who might inhabit the body of your mother in one life might just be a neighbor in a different one. It's so bizarre, but like I said, you're guided through the craziness of this world so seamlessly. As you see in the story, it brings a whole new meaning to "soul-mates".

What I really enjoyed about this book was the element of music that Jodi Meadows included. I mean, it's a book so you can't hear anything, obviously, but music is still soooo important to the story. It's what really ties Ana to Sam. They are one of the few couples in YA that really seem drawn to each other. I'm really convinced that they love each other, it's not just some I'm-drawn-to-you-for-no-particular-reason-but-I-love-you-anyway kind of romance. It's slow-building and heart-pounding and I'm dying to know what happens next!

What's Next? (5)

This week I've selected four ARCs Hannah has sent me that are all slated to come out this July, and one of which that came out in June. It's always so exciting to open up a package FULL of books :-) , so I need your help in deciding which ones to start with. 

Devine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough

This book sounds really sweet and hilarious at the same time. Just reading the premise kinda made me laugh out loud. Having just read Angelfire, I'm already in guardian angel-mode. This book just might be the yin to Angelfire's yang.

AWorld Away by Nancy Grossman

Ever since I visited an Amish community with Girl Scouts when I was 12, I've been fascinated with these domestic outsiders. I think we can all say that we've been intrigued by the Amish at some point. This book follows a young girl during her "rumspringa", where she gets to leave her community. I'm curious to see our world from her perspective, aren't you?

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

The cover of this book alone makes me want to pick it up. I love the medieval-esque city depicted. And dragons. Dragons are cool. And these dragons can disguise themselves as humans! Now THAT is a new twist.

Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein

First line of description: "Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure." Awww yeah!!

I never get tired of reading about a butt-kicking heroine.

Let me know what you all think!

Skylark - Meagan Spooner

Synopsis: Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.
Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret – but can she stay alive long enough to find them? (From Goodreads)

I was surprised how much I liked the beginning of this story. I was impressed with the concept of magic powering a city and mixing elements of magic with dystopia. In theory, this should have turned out to be a great novel - in execution, it fell short for me.

There were pieces that had so much potential. I love the concept of using humans as resources. Lark lives in a protected city that is entirely powered by magic harvested from its inhabitants. The architects who run the city take the magic out of citizens when they are young and then use that as a resource. There are people with renewable magic, but they don't live inside the city, so it seems everyone is worried about a shortage. This idea very much applies to our current predicament with dwindling resources. It brings up the questions of what does it really mean to abuse our resources and how would we treat those resources if they were used at a great personal cost?

There are a few other things that weren't quite explained and holes that were enough to shatter the illusion of another world. Lark seemed to have no attachments to anyone, other than her missing brother. She has parents, but they don't even make an appearance. They are talked about once or twice, but other than that she seems to have just sprouted out of thin air. She has no friends, until she's spurred into this journey and suddenly she has two boys in her life who she seems to like. I didn't really understand the concept of the monsters - who lived like they were wild, were cannibals, except when they were around magic they were perfectly human. The vague allusions to the "wars" that depleted the magic in the world, killed the birds, and brought the world into its current state, didn't really do it for me either. Lark claimed she liked studying the history of the wars, but she never talked about them. I had no idea what happened, because "war" is a pretty general term.

The book started out great and it felt different. I was really excited about where it was going, but it quickly fell into the same pattern of most post-apocalyptic dystopians out there. Girl is nobody, girl finds out she's very different, girl makes an enemy out of the government, girl goes on the run and meets a wild boy who saves her, girl tries to survive and figure out who she is. The pixies though, I did love the pixies - clockwork machines that are drawn to magic - designed to be a sort of law enforcement. Lark has one that follows her around, talks to her, and helps her out. That was really precious. Basically, it has potential and there are some things that are really great about it. If it sounds interesting to you then go ahead and give it a shot. I'm just sad it didn't quite do it for me.

Top Ten Tuesday - People who like...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books for people who like book X...more specifically, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

1. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

2. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

3. Graceling by Kristin Cashore4

4. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

   

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I know it's Top Ten, but I'm limiting it to five, mainly because these are some of my most favorite books I've read, and I just realized that they all fall under the paranormal/fantasy romance genre. Fantastic!

Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry

Synopsis: No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. (From Goodreads)

There are literally mascara marks across the pages of this book. Actually, I'm pretty sure my hands were entirely black from trying to avoid black streaks down my face at certain points of this book. The thing is, this is one of those books that doesn't really warrant bawling, but it kind of happens anyways. I was just hit so hard by these characters whose lives were great until a certain event caused it all to turn terrible so fast. Both Noah and Echo lived relatively normal, so their failed attempts to get back to the life they knew before was just devastating. They worked so hard to get past their issues and it wasn't easy.

But I really think what got me going was that these two are so frustrated, so let down by all the people in their lives. They really don't have anything or anyone they can count on and they have every reason to be bitter and to shut out the world. But they don't. They feel things so fiercely, there is so much passion and life in their relationship that it's intense and just beautiful. I think one of the strongest things you can do is hold the reasons not to love, and love anyway. And this strength just shone through these characters.

This book does have hints of Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry. This book has those elements of a boy with a bad reputation meets a rich girl who has problems of her own. They shouldn't be together - especially in terms of social acceptance - but they find they can't stay apart. Those are the bones of this story - but McGarry's story is so much more intense, raw, and real than Perfect Chemistry.

Noah is perhaps one of the most amazing characters I've read in a long time. He starts out as a boy who's earned his bad reputation and he grows so much - and it all happens after a lot of work and adjustment on his part. Because that's the other thing that's real about this book. Noah and Echo have a lot of issues but they do really work at them. They don't just meet each other, fall in love, and find everything is miraculously solved. They work at changing things in their lives, at understanding what happened that caused them trouble, and working at finding a new kind of happiness. They are there to support one another when they need it, they're there to defend one another, but they don't function to actually fix the other's problems.

And the secondary characters in this book are all so wonderfully written. I loved their clinical social worker. I couldn't even imagine doing her job. But she does it so well and she helps Noah and Echo so much - even just getting them to trust her was impressive. Noah has a couple friends who support him (or sometimes cause him grief) like a family - and they were vibrant characters. And Echo's best friend - I just wanted to hug her. Echo used to run with the popular crowd- and all of them pretty much give up on her except her best friend who demonstrates unconditional love so well.

I completely devoured this book. I couldn't get enough Echo and Noah, no matter how much they made me cry. Even when I wasn't reading they were on my mind. Even now I find myself wondering how they're doing, as if they are live friends of mine I knew in high school. I so highly recommend this book. It's such an amazing novel that it's easy to forget it's fiction.

What's next? (4)

                                                    

What's Next is a new meme hosted by Iceybooks, and you can participate!
Every Thursday select three-five books that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first. 

Again, I'm not as in-tuned to what is new and great in the YA world, so here are a couple books I've been meaning to get to, but for one reason or another they still sit on a shelf waiting to be opened!

Legend by Marie Lu

I've seen this book around the internet and in book stores multiple times now, and as a fan of post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction this could be epic. I really need to pick this up soon.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 I'm always interested in twists on classic stories, and this is the first one I've seen that's set in the future and with robots! Plus, it takes place in New Beijing...who'd a thunk it?

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Now this book I've chosen solely because it takes place in Missouri, even using the St. Louis arch as an important landmark in the story. As a native St. Louisan, this makes me very happy. I must read.

What do you all think? Let me know your thoughts!

All Unquiet Things - Anna Jarzab

Synposis: Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save. (From Goodreads)

Hi all! Sorry it’s taken until Wednesday to get a post up, I literally spent the weekend without internet and electricity…it’s a long story. And, while I might be YA fanatic I am also technologically illiterate so it might take a blog post or two before I get the hang of this. Bear with me.

My first book as a temporary blogger is not a new one, and I actually read it earlier in the year, but I constantly go back to it when thinking about some of my favorite books I’ve read since being introduced to YA. All Unquiet Things was published in 2011 so it’s not old but definitely not hot-off-the-press new either. I randomly picked it up while I was hanging out in the Teen Lounge of my local library. For some reason the cover just struck me so I decided to give it a try. Wow. Good move on my part!

I loooved this book! It’s set in an upscale neighborhood where everything seems to be perfect. You can just imagine the gorgeous mansions sitting atop manicured lawns with a BMW tucked neatly away in the four-car garage. It even has its own expensive and prestigious private school to complete the picture. Of course, the place is really a mess, which brings me to the characters. They all have serious issues. Neily is dealing with divorced parents who have different ideas on what is considered good parenting; his dad just throws money at him hoping that will be a good substitute father-figure. Hence, the fancy school. Audrey is living with her grandparents because her mom is MIA and her father is in and out of jail. Carly, ex-girlfriend of Neily and cousin of Audrey, is dead. Murdered, actually. And Audrey’s father becomes the scapegoat. Throw in a major underground drug trade and you start to get an idea of the situation.

What I loved most about this story is how real the characters all felt. The story is told through a mix of present day and flashbacks, and from both Neily and Audrey’s perspectives. It creates such a whole picture of how all these people are hurting over the death of such a close friend and how it’s so important that they figure out who really did kill Carly. Neily and Audrey are not friends, but they come together to get to the bottom of the murder that rocked their town, and end up finding out more about the person they both lost.

Lets focus on Neily. My heart goes out to him. He loved Carly so much, almost to a fault, which led to their eventual break-up. It breaks him, and it broke me too. I mean, I lost sleep over it. It really got to me because I’ve been in the same situation, once as the person in the relationship who wasn’t very interested and once as the person who was too invested. I’m not sure which position is worse because either way you lose someone who was important to you. Neily knows he loves Carly too much, but what makes it so much worse is that her murder wipes her completely off the map. He can never make things right with her or even one day just be friends. It’s extremely final.

OK, I could go on forever about how much this book stuck with me. I had to go through a grieving period before I could move on to something else. Anna Jarzab just has an incredible writing style. It’s so gritty and honest. I know there’s a lot of really great stuff coming out all the time, but if you have a chance to go back to this book I think you’ll be just as enthralled as I was. And of course, let me know what you think!

Happy Reading :)

Passing the Reins

Hey lovelies.
Next week I'm leaving for Denver and I have plenty of homework, work, and family reunion-ness to keep me more than busy up until then. I will be in Denver for a month attending the University of Denver Publishing institute, and while I'm there I'm really making that my focus. So I'm turning my blog temporarily over to a really great friend of mine. She's popped in on the blog a few times with joint reviews and guest posts. I'm more than confident she'll keep you all entertained and up on what's awesome (or what's not). I have a few reviews scheduled through this month, but other than that it's all her! She's going to try to keep up Secondary Character Saturday while I'm out - but when I get back I'm going to be restructuring that feature a bit.
I'll miss you all, but I'm really excited about what's happening in my life right now and I'm so glad I have someone I can count on to run things while I'm away.
Thanks so much for being great readers and I hope you'll love Caralyn as much as I do. See you in August!

So I'm going to turn this over to Caralyn here:

Hi all, I'm Caralyn!! I met Hannah when we both decided to take the plunge and move to Madrid to work on our Master's...although I study Spanish, oddly enough hehe :-p Both being adventurous and itching to see the world, we hit it off instantly. We're not together in Madrid  anymore, so now we keep in touch through our love of YA, which Hannah got me hooked on. Seriously, this stuff is addicting! Anywho, now that I've recieved my M.A. and I'm not in school anymore, I enjoy reading, listening to Christmas music (The Nutcracker is where it's at), and watching Spain dominate the football (soccer) world! And I can't wait to add blogging to this list :)

Such a Rush - Jennifer Echols

Synopsis: A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.
High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.     But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly. (From Goodreads)

I honestly don't know how to write about anything Jennifer Echols writes without turning into a blushing, gushing crazy person. Let's add crushing to that "...ing" list of descriptors. Because I don't think Echols has written a boy that I wouldn't fall head over heels for if he were actually a real person (and I were about  6 years younger...gah I feel like a creep writing that, but oh well). Such a Rush comes in just below Going Too Far on my list of Echols books - which basically means I want to run around with a Such a Rush flag (or make a Such a Rush banner for Leah and Grayson to fly around over my town) and jump up and down like, again, a crazy person.

So, I guess I'll actually talk about the book now. I don't know how Jennifer Echols manages to write characters who are nothing like me, have lives that are nothing like mine, are put in situations I've never been in and I STILL feel like she's written a book ABOUT me. It's crazy. I can't even put my finger on what it was about Leah that I connected to so well, but she's just one of those characters that I feel like I could tell her my issues and she'd understand me. You know? Actually, I do know why I connected with Leah. She flies because she likes the idea that if she really wanted to she could just fly away. As the anywhere but here girl, I totally understand this feeling. If I wasn't so afraid of heights, I'd love to learn to fly just to feel like I could fly off on a whim.

And then there's Grayson. Who once again demonstrates Echols's talent in creating characters who aren't perfect but are perfect for each other. Leah is a little crazy. Grayson is a little crazy. Put them with the wrong people and you have something dangerous and explosive (in a bad way). But when you put Leah and Grayson together, you get a lot of blushing and swooning. Not gonna lie, I wanted to smack him a few times, but he redeems himself so well. I love the way he fights for his family, he fights to show people he can be more than they expect of him, and even if he doesn't always like to show it - he has a huge heart.

The flying thing was just wonderful. It made this book unique in a sea of contemporaries - so even if you're not a rabid Echols fan (which, if you aren't, I seriously hope it's just because you haven't read something she's written yet) it's a book that will draw you in. The setting is so vivid - I've never spent time in the types of planes these characters fly, or hanging out in a plane hangar, but I felt like I grew up with these things the same way Leah did. I can imagine what it feels like to fly a plane now. It's such an awesome thing to read these things and get the sensation that you're living it.

Just read this book. It's a summer story. It's a love story. It's a break away from what people expect of you kind of story. It gives you the rush that the title promises. I can't think about it and not grin. And sigh. Oh, this book. I just freaking love it so much.

Thus ends this gush fest. There will probably be more to come...

Between the Lines - Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Synopsis: Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale. (From Goodreads)

I so was not going to read this book. I was really curious about it so I read the beginning just to get an idea of what the book was about, how the writing was, and if it was anything like Jodi Picoult's adult novels. Yeah. I got totally sucked in. This book was surprisingly delightful and not at all the heavy social commentaries that seem to exist just to make you cry that her adult novels are. Which, I suspect is where her daughter came in. I did quickly forget that this book had Jodi Picoult's name on the cover (although the cover tries very hard not to let you forget...) and I just fell head over heels for these characters and the beautiful possibilies held within these pages.

If you are a reader, here is your love story. This is a book about a fairy tale, but it becomes a fairy tale itself. Only instead of a princess and a prince (although there is a prince) it's a love story between a reader and a story. The villain with a heart of gold is the people who don't understand what it is to be a reader. And the writer is the group of fairies that bestow their wishes upon your birth. It's about writing your own story, changing the ending if you don't like it, and of course falling in love.

Best of all, part of the plot line is about convincing people you aren't crazy for reading a book over or for being convinced that your favorite characters are real and can talk to you beyond the confines of the book. Which, as readers, we know that the best fictional characters are real and that sometimes they do speak to us. Something that non-readers definitely would think is crazy. Even my mother who IS a reader thinks I'm crazy and that I need to get a life that doesn't exist only in words. So I completely related to Delilah.

Oliver was so charming as well. As a prince out of a fairy tale - he was perfect. Charming? Check. Self-Assured? Check. Handsome. Double check. Oh yeah...did I mention the illustrations yet? Part of the reason I'm so enthralled by this book is the gorgeous illustrations that accompany the story. There are pictures of what is meant to be the original fairy tale (which is how we can actually see what Oliver looks like). And there are fun little black and white illustrations that pop up through out the text. Adorable.

So yeah. I'm pretty impressed by this book. It's beautiful, sweet, and it completely swept me away.

Burn Bright - Marianne de Pierres

Synopsis: In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .
Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.
But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.
When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?
Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark. (From Goodreads)


I feel a bit neutral about his book. I didn't love it and I didn't dislike it. It was perfectly good and I found it enjoyable. It is different from your typical dystopia out there - pursuing pleasure instead of order - although order still plays a huge role whether the characters would like to admit it or not. The concept of Ixion was fascinating. Especially for the age group - where being young is a party. You can go, have people take care of all your needs, and you only need to have fun and remember to sleep every once in awhile. Sounds ideal, right? Right. (Ok. If I were 18 still, it would sound ideal. I think I'm aging way too fast - because this lifestyle sounds way too exhausting for me).

Retra was an interesting heroine. She chose to go to Ixion, but she didn't want to be there. As much as she wanted to escape the rigid obedience of the dystopian society she was raised in, she was also very reluctant to let go of her upbringing. I guess she wasn't really just escaping either - she's after her brother - who I actually think is a bit selfish and misguided. But she experiences this major change half way through the book and her character does a 180. That change is what sets Retra apart from other heroines. She doesn't change because she learns more or grows into herself - she changes because she is forced. It's not gradual either. One page she is Retra the Seal and on the next she's completely different. That was a bit jarring, but in a good way.

All the creatures, gangs, politics, rules, etc. of Ixion were a little hard to keep track of, but it didn't impede my understanding or enjoyment of the book. There's a lot of set up in this book, so I imagine the second would have the opportunity to be a lot more action and not as much explanation. There were a few characters, like Joel and Markan (the possible love interest...), who weren't fully fleshed out in this book and I'm really curious to know more about them. And the pirate! I got so excited that there was a pirate in this book and she barely made an appearance. Although, I think that might be a bigger part in book two, which makes me excited to continue in the series.

I can't put a finger on anything in this book that is lacking, but it just didn't have that extra umph - or it just didn't quite draw me in enough for me to go crazy about. Still, I'm really happy that I read it and I would recommend it to fans of dystopia who are getting a bit tired of the same plot lines and stock characters - because this one does (thankfully) break away from those things.

This book was published in Australia - so thanks so much to Dani @ Refracted Light for organizing the book tour and allowing me to read it!

My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick

Synopsis: The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself? (From Goodreads)

There are a lot of dysfunctional relationships in YA lit. Lots of stalking like it's cool, lots of possession and control, plenty of it's forever as long as we don't talk about anything really serious, and of course- quite a bit of - I'm 100 years older than you so I know a lot more than you do. So I can't thank Huntley Fitzpatrick enough for writing a book that shows what a healthy relationship looks like. There are plenty of great descriptors I could use for this book but I can't help fixate on this one - healthy. This book looks like the one vibrant sunflower if a field of dead plants.

Jase and Samantha have some problems, but I love the way they TALK about what is bothering them which allows them to resolve the issue. They also TRUST one another. Even when Samantha makes some poor decisions, Jase is so good about forgiveness. Their channels of communication are completely open. When they go through things, they go together. This relationship feels real and vibrant. This is what you should strive for in a relationship, and I'm so happy there's an example out there now to refer to.

The Garretts were an amazing part of this book. I don't know how Huntley managed to write so many characters and make each one a well rounded individual. Even with a mom and a dad, and 8 kids, somehow each one had their own thing going on and were an important piece of the story. I can see how Samantha was so drawn to them. I used to wish I had a ton of siblings (I'm now, honestly, grateful that I don't) and families like the Garretts always seemed like they'd be so fun to be a part of. Watching Sam become an appendage of that family was like watching one of my own wishes come true. These people had so much love and life in their house and that's just beautiful.

There are some questions about what makes a good family that are raised through the comparison of Samantha's quiet and sparse household next to the noise Garretts next door. In the end it comes down to the people you love and how you show that love, but it's still interesting to see the way this is laid out. Friendships are also incredibly important in Sam's life. Samantha and her friends go through fluctuations - she loses some, she gains some - just like all teenagers. But still what's incredible is all these things are going on in Sam's life, but she and Jase share all these things with one another.

I'm just so incredibly impressed with Huntley Fitzpatrick's debut. It really is the perfect summer read and Jase puts all (or most) other YA boys to shame. If you're ever feeling overwhelmed by negativity or darkness, or books that seem to exist only to rip your heart out of your chest - turn to this book. Or if you just want to read awesomeness. This is a book that lifts you up and gives you something to aspire to - that really, shouldn't be out of your reach if you look in the right places. Most YA relationships make it seem like forever is easy and I get really cranky about that. Jase and Sam are one of the few (fictional) couples that I've really had faith in making it through the (theoretical) forever.