REVIEW: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Jen's Review

Wake
by Amanda Hocking
August 7, 2012
St. Martin's Griffin (HC) // Tor (PB)

Having heard nothing but fabulous things about Amanda Hocking, I decided to finally pick up one of her novels on a whim. Fortunately, Wake was a superb choice; I loved almost everything about this book! The characters were all unique and special in some way, the plot was intriguing and mysterious, and the sirens were done very well. I couldn't have asked for a better novel from Hocking!

I'm not the biggest fan of 3rd-person character stories, but the way it was done in Wake was necessary, and adequate. Since there were so many characters, it would have gotten confusing if it was told in 1st-person. Speaking of characters, every character was enjoyable in some way. Gemma, the main--MAIN--character in the novel, was driven, and motivated. She was a strong character, but hid a lot of things from her friends and family. Her sister, Harper was a whole different story. Harper was very protective of Gemma, but it never annoyed me. I loved how much she cared for Gemma. And then there are the love interests, Alex and Daniel (NOT a love triangle. Alex is with Gemma, Daniel is with Harper). Thank you Amanda Hocking for not writing cliché guys! Alex was totally geeky and swoon-worthy at the same time, I loved him! Even though Daniel wasn't as big of a character in Wake, he was probably one of my favorites, no doubt! His ability to accept and empathize with Harper was so beautiful and sweet. All of the characters in Wake were very well done.

Now, the other characters, the sirens--Penn, Thea, and Lexi-- were awesome sirens. When readers first hear "siren", they think "mermaid". Well, after reading Wake, you won't be thinking "happy-go-lucky-pretty-mermaids" anymore. The sirens in Wake were gruesome and disgusting, mean and manipulative. They created a tense atmosphere and kept the story exciting!

Finally, the plot that Hocking wrote up for the readers was thoroughly engaging and intense! There was definitely a murder mystery going on, and while it was predictable, there was some fabulous dramatic irony happening simultaneously. There were plenty of twists and turns around each new chapter and it really kept me wanting more. The storyline was simply excellent!

Overall, I highly enjoyed Wake. Wake will entrance the reader just like the sirens do to the mortals. Wake was captivating with it's outstanding case of characters, well-done sirens, and exciting plotline. Wake will not disappoint!

Audiobook Review: The audio for this one was really really great. I certainly recommend it! The narrator has a beautiful voice, as well as a gorgeous singing voice, too! Yes, the narrator sings for us! Highly recommended.

4.5 teacups for Wake!

REVIEW: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Jen's Review

Starcrossed
by Josephini Angelini
May 31, 2011
HarperTeen
488 pages, Paperback

This book was a MONSTER! A monster as in, a long book… Sadly, not as in "it was absolutely amazing". Because unfortunately,  Starcrossed fell a little flat for me. It wasn't terrible in any way--I quite enjoyed it, actually--it just kind of let me down. I was expecting this totally epic love story with TONS of awesome Greek mythology. While there definitely was a beautiful love story and many elements of Greek mythology that I loved, there were some things here and there in the story that I just didn't like.

For example, probably the major letdown of the novel for me was the amount of characters in the novel. You've got Helen, her family, the ENTIRE Delos family (which was like 10+ people, I swear), and the bad guys, and the Gods. I totally lost track of a lot of the characters, and I thought some of them really didn't even need to be part of the story. It all just confused me and made me frustrated.

The other thing that bothered me terribly was Lucas and Helen's relationship in the beginning. I was fine with their romantic relationship after they fell in love, but in the beginning, their romance just didn't make any sense and it could have been done better. When Helen and Lucas first meet, Helen tackles (yes, the girl attacks the guy) and they have an instant hatred for each other. WHAT? That makes no sense. WHY? Why the hate, people? The reader goes on wondering this for a good chunk of the book. That's way too long, and I still had a problem with when they DID fall in love. Their sudden transition from hate to love was spontaneous and didn't make much sense at all.

Aside from the negative, everything else was pretty nice and solid. The Greek Mythology was really fantastic and interesting, probably the best part of the book! I always love reading about different authors' views on mythology, and I couldn't have loved Miss Angelini's mythology more. It was great! The plot was very fabulous as well. I wasn't expecting mystery and thrill. Alas, Josephine Angelini adds it in there and it's done very well! Her crafting of plot line was exciting with tons of plot twists and shocking scenes.

Starcrossed is overall a solid Greek mythology novel--while the romance and characters were certainly baffling, Starcrossed proved to be a great story with exciting scenes and entertaining Greek mythology elements thrown in. Definitely recommended for readers who want to try out a good mythology if they won't mind the romance.

Audiobook Review: The audio was.. Alright. Could have been better, but I'm not complaining. It's long though, so I think it's probably faster and it's easier to understand if the reader physically reads it.

3.5 Teacups for Starcrossed! 

REVIEW: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Name: I Hunt Killers

Author: Barry Lyga

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Release Date: April 3, 2012 (US)

Pages: 361, Hardcover

Source: Online Audiobook Library

Rating: 5 Teacups

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?
Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.
But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.
And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.
In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

In anticipation for Halloween, I decided to pick up I Hunt Killers. I've had my eye on it for awhile now, but I've always been hesitant to pick it up, because it's WAY out of my comfort zone! I'm a weenie and I can never handle anything too scary. Luckily, it had JUST enough creep factor to keep me excited and reading, instead of pushing me away from it. I Hunt Killers was a fantastic, bone-chilling murder mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed!

One of the many things I loved in I Hunt Killers were the characters, especially Jazz. Jazz, the son of the world-famous serial killer. Jazz was not bad-ass. He was not the bravest person, but he proved to be a strong character. Even though his thoughts wavered from time to time, he was able to overcome the bad thoughts and stay as a good person (not kill anyone). I also freaking loved Jazz's best friend, Howie. Howie was hilarious and kind of stupid, in a way, but also adorable. He definitely lightened up the story when it was dark and scary. And we can't forget Connie, Jazz's girlfriend! Connie was extremely supportive, and unbelievably brave! Being the girlfriend of a serial killer's son? Talk about courage. The characters were fantastic and very well done!

The next-best-thing was the PLOT. Ahh, Barry Lyga, you are incredibly awesome! The plot for I Hunt Killers was so intense, captivating, and gripping! I couldn't stop reading until I knew who the new killer in Lobo's Nod was! I loved the suspicion, plot twists, and the creepy scenes. It's suspenseful for sure, and awesome. I had no problems with it whatsoever!

Pretty much what I'm trying to say is: GO READ THIS BOOK. If you're a fan of Pretty Little Liars (without the romance-y part), creepy and spine-tingling emotions, this is THE book for you! Even if you don't like that area of YA, I'd still give it a shot! This one surprise me, to say in the least. Outstanding!

Audiobook Review: SO GOOD. I so so so recommend the audio! Of course, it's narrated by a male and it's just perfect for the voice of Jazz! It definitely adds to the story, and it's flawless. 5 teacups for the audio as well!

5 Teacups for I Hunt Killers!

REVIEW: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Name: Shade

Author: Jeri Smith Ready

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: May 4, 2010 (US)

Pages: 320, Hardcover

Source: Online Audiobook Library

Rating: 3.5 Teacups

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart. Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.
Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

Prior to starting Shade, the only thing that I had heard about it was "Amazing", or "one of a kind"--things along that line. What could I do? Of course I had to pick it up! I'm always up for a good ghost story, especially with romance involved. I am pleased to say that I enjoyed it, but there was definitely a lot of things I could complain about, such as the love triangle and the characters themselves. However, I loved the plot and creativity of Shade. My conflicting thoughts for Shade equal out for it to be an overall good read.

As I mentioned before, there were definitely things I thoroughly liked in Shade; that is, the creative paranormal aspect, and the plot. Jeri Smith Ready takes the ghost creatures onto a whole new level. In Shade, only people born after the Shift can see the ghosts, and they can turn into Shades: bad ghosts. I thought that was totally original of Jeri and I really appreciated her for trying something new. Likewise, the plot was really fun to read about. I constantly wanted to know more and it keeps the reader entertained and captivated.

On the other hand, there were things that I think could have been better, like the romantic relationships and the characters. Throughout the entire novel, I never understood for a second WHY Aura was so in love with Logan, and vice-versa. There relationship together didn't work very well. It was very quarrelsome and I just did not like it. Moreover, the characters in general didn't stand out. They definitely weren't terrible, but they were just very mediocre. The only exception to that was Zachary, the third person in the love triangle; he was so patient and a gentleman, and he was very lovely.

As a result, Shade was an okay book: very entertaining, but had it's character flaws that derailed it's potential for an awesome ghost story. Still, if you're looking for an exciting, fresh ghost story, Shade would be a great pick!

Audiobook Review: The audio was pretty good for this one! It's acceptable; the only problem I had with the narrator was that she made the male characters (Logan) sound like a 5 year old. If you don't mind your 17 year old male protagonists sounding like a kindergartner, definitely check out the audio!

3.5 Teacups for Shade!

REVIEW: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Name: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: August 31, 2010 (US)

Pages: 335, Hardcover

Source: Audiobook Library

Rating: 2.5 Teacups

Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.
But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

It's ridiculous how long I've wanted to read Paranormalcy. I've had my eye on it before I even knew about blogging! The cover always intrigued me and I was a sucker for paranormal YA novels at the time. 4,381,470 years later, I have finally picked it up. However, I'm sad to say that it wasn't my cup of tea.

To start off, one of the things I didn't like was the fact that the paranormal creature setup was all over the place. I understand that Kiersten White made this novel unique by having all different types of paranormal creatures, but for me, it didn't work out very well. It felt crowded and hectic. Perhaps I'm just used to reading about one or two paranormal creatures in a book, but the amount that is presented in Paranormalcy was overwhelming and disorganized.

Second of all, the characters weren't real to me, and boring. I couldn't care less what the main character Evie did with her job at the IPCA. Evie was annoying and whiny. Her relationship with Lend wasn't bad, but it was awkwardly developed, which made it unbelievable. The romance wasn't anything special. I didn't feel for any of the characters, actually. In a nutshell, the characters of Paranormalcy fell extremely flat for me.

Not only were the characters unentertaining, so was the plot itself. Areas where the plot was fast-paced, I found myself not needing to know what happened next. I was constantly thinking, "Oh. Intense part coming. It's done? Okay, moving on then." It just kind of went along and there wasn't much to it. I know, sadness.

All in all, Paranormalcy just wasn't for me. It's hard for me to say that I'll continue with the series. However, I do still recommend it because I know many readers who enjoyed Evie's spunky, light-hearted personality. If you're a big fan of paranormal YA novels that has different supernatural creatures involved, I do still recommend giving Paranormalcy a try, even if I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

Audiobook review: Let's just say I'd give the audio of this 1.5 stars. Reading this novel in print is highly recommended. The narrator has an extremely nasal-y  voice, I'm surprised I got through the entire audio!

2.5 Teacups for Paranormalcy!

REVIEW: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Name: If I Stay

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile//Speak

Release Date: April 2, 2009 (US)

Pages: 201, Hardcover

Source: Audiobook Library

Rating: 4 Teacups

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

I'm so glad to say that reading If I Stay the second time around was much more enjoyable. When I read this book previously 2 years ago, I didn't like it much at all. Music? Blegh. BOOOORING. I was particularly annoyed by books about girls in comas, too. But reading it again, I feel like I understood it so much better and it was beautiful. I was so naïve back then.

GAW-JUS WRITING

Gayle Forman's writing is definitely unique and flawless in her own way. I loved it--it's lyrical and it just WORKS, kay? It all flows together and it makes reading the story really enjoyable.

UNIQUE PLOT

If I Stay doesn't follow the usual plot line. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm talking the beginning- climax- solution thing. If I Stay kind of has two stories going on, if you will. Some present day happenings at the hospital, but mostly memories of Mia's past. While the plot wasn't FAST PACED or anything, it's calm and still great. Again, it just WORKS OUT.

GENUINE CHARACTERS

I really could connect with the characters. While Mia and I have no similarities, I liked her still. Her love for music and the cello was passionate and eye-opening. Let's not forget about Mia's family and friends--I couldn't have asked for a better cast of characters. They were all so wonderful!

In all, If I Stay is a must-read contemporary novel for music fans, or heart-wrenching lovers. You won't want to miss out on Forman's beautiful writing style, exclusive plot, and authentic characters!

Audiobook review: My first impression of the audio was that the performer's voice was too old and mature for Mia's voice. But after awhile, I realized that it was perfect and soothing, and it totally made the book THAT much better. Definitely check out the audio if you can!

4 Teacups for If I Stay!

REVIEW: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Name: Everneath

Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray

Release Date: January 24, 2012 (US)

Pages: 370, Hardcover

Source: Audiobook Library

Rating: 3 Teacups

"Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen."

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

I've always loved learning about Greek mythology, so when I found out that Everneath is based off of the Hades and Persephone myth, I've been excited ever since. Truth be told, Everneath is my first retelling story that I've read about Hades and Persephone! Sadly, however, I found many flaws in the story that I couldn't enjoy much. The characters were flat and boring, and there was that cliché paranormal love triangle aspect going on. The only thing I really enjoyed was the plot and world-building.

THE OH-SO-DREADED LOVE TRIANGLE

You all know what I'm talking about. That love triangle that typically happens in paranormal romance stories. Well, here it shows up in Everneath (I know it's greek mythology, but I'm counting it as paranormal). Guys, I used to like love triangles. I still do. If they're done correctly and not annoyingly. It was pretty aggravating in Everneath, unfortunately. None of the boys were flattering in my opinion, and it just did not work for me.

BORING, AND FLAT AS A PANCAKE

Nothing is worse than characters that aren't entertaining and fun to read about! I couldn't connect to any of them, and there was no spark. I was especially disappointed with Jack--the fact that Brodi Ashton made him a cliché boy. The football player, floppy brown hair… Can we get something new here?  And Nikki was so indecisive that it just ended up annoying me. None of the characters stood out.

AWESOME WORLD

I have to say, the plot and world-building was quite great. The world was very believable for me, and I kept wanting to know more about it. Along with the Everneath world itself, the plot delivered exciting twists. The storyline was able to keep me reading until the end.

All in all, I was quite disappointed with Everneath. I expected a lot more out of it, but didn't get what I wanted. It's decent, but it definitely won't be a memorable read that will stay with me. Although, if you're looking for a greek mythology story, I would still recommend giving this one a try!

Audiobook Review: I definitely suggest reading the book, physically. The audio wasn't my favorite--the narrator sounds a little too robotic and caused the character to sound like she was droning. Acceptable, but it could have been better.

3 teacups for Everneath!

REVIEW: Every Day by David Levithan

Name: Every Day

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: August 28, 2012 (US)

Pages: 336, Hardcover

Source: Online Audiobook Library

Rating: 5 Teacups

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. 
Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.
With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

This book is beautiful. That's it. Every Day opened my eyes in so many ways, and it actually left me breathless in the end. Every Day is one of those books where, after you finish it,  you are left satisfied and filled with so much peace and tranquility.

Aside from the completely and utterly beautiful conclusion to the novel, let's jump back a bit. The concept itself is extremely unique and unlike any other book I have ever read, landing itself in the "Books I'll Remember For A Long Time" part of my brain. It's unforgettable, and the idea just clicked with me perfectly. The reader is able to get sucked into the story from sentence number one. Talk about a good hook!

While the concept was extraordinary, the characters weren't far behind. "A", the main protagonist in the story, is neither a girl, nor a boy. "A" simply inhabits a different body everyday, but DOES have a personality. And I loved "A"'s personality from the start. "A" has been through so much, you can't help but sympathize with "A". And of course, there is Rhiannon. Her qualities were perfect for "A"; patient, understanding, and all around enjoyable.

Lastly, the writing style played a major role in my enjoyment for this novel. I previously read one other piece of Levithan's work: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. I had found that his writing was a bit annoying and too sarcastic for my taste (that's a whole nother story!). However, in Every Day, the change in voice is SO drastic, it's fascinating. I fell in love with it instantly. In Every Day, we are able to read Levithan's more sincere and serious side of him, one that I prefer much more.

In all, Every Day is a book you won't want to miss out on: with it's awe-inspiring concept, memorable characters, and lyrical writing, Every Day is sure to make your list of favorite contemporaries.

Audiobook Review: If you're thinking about reading this book, don't. Listen to it on audio. The narrator is a clear speaker, and while her voice is scratchy and a little raspy at first, it's actually perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better narrator for Every Day. The performer is able to capture the essence of the story and it makes the story THAT much more gorgeous. The audiobook for Every Day is highly recommended!

5 teacups for Every Day!