ONE SMALL THING by Erin Watt

Rating: A
Synopsis:
Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.

My thoughts on the book:
This was my first Erin Watt book, and I loved it! I really enjoyed this novel, though at times it was incredibly frustrating. The situations were very real, and sometimes I wanted to smack people for being blind, etc., but it was so much like real life that I related to the characters on a deep level. I lost my father this year, and I understand that pain, and how there's never a right way to grieve. No matter how you grieve, someone is going to tell you that you're doing it wrong. The other social issues in this book were extremely realistic, too, and the writing was beautiful. 

Beth was, in my opinion, a very relatable character. I felt so bad for her because of her parents being way too over-protective, to the point of insanity. No one would listen to her. No one cared what she wanted. Everyone wanted to dictate how she should feel and act because apparently they all thought she was incapable of making her own decisions. Therefore, she acted out. A lot. Which didn't help her cause any, but I can't say that I blame her for her reactions. Chase was a complex love interest, and not just because he's the one who is to blame for her sister's death. He has a lot of baggage in addition to that, but he's a good guy. I liked him quite a bit. Scarlett wasn't my favorite person, but she redeemed herself a bit in the end. 

My favorite thing about this book is that it didn't pull any punches. Not everything was sunshine and roses. Horrible things happened, things that wouldn't be okay, and that was okay. I like messy books with messy endings a lot better than everything in the book being fixed at the end. I mean the ending wasn't depressing or anything, but it wasn't perfect, and I appreciated that. Also, it's always refreshing to see authors take on behaviors such as bullying, grief, parental over-protectiveness that borders on abuse, sexual assault, and relationship abuse. This is a real book. Additionally, but just as important, the book was well written and the plot was engaging. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good YA contemporary romance that deals with real and very messy issues. 

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THE GLASS BUTTERFLY by A.G. Howard

Title: THE GLASS BUTTERFLY (Haunted Hearts Legacy #3)

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: August 15, 2018

Publisher: Golden Orb Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 278

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

All other formats and vendors will be available on the official launch date: August 15, 2018

For close to a decade, twenty-five-year-old Felicity Lonsdale has masqueraded as a dowager almost twice her age—selling caterpillars to butterfly consortiums—enabling her to hide an ill-fated past while raising her late brother’s daughters. Together, the three live on an isolated Irish estate bequeathed by a dying earl. When the earl’s estranged son arrives to claim his inheritance by threatening to expose Felicity’s true identity, she longs to pack up her nieces and run. But a ghostly secret within the castle’s turret holds her captive. 

Nick Thornton—a Roma viscount’s heir—is also captive. After a tryst with an investor’s wife nearly destroyed his family’s holiday resort, Nick forsook everything to elope with her. However, a tragic mistake at his hand led to her and his baby’s deaths. Refusing to turn to the family he shamed, Nick travels to seek the countess who once co-wrote a romance with his sister. There’s rumor of a special butterfly in her keep—a transparent-winged species with ties to the afterlife. Nick hopes to contact his dead wife and child, for only their forgiveness can free him. 

Upon his arrival to Felicity’s estate, Nick offers to help her defeat the earl’s son, on the condition she allow Nick to investigate her glass butterflies. Felicity agrees, though fears the closer he gets to the ghosts of his past, the closer he’ll come to uncovering her own. As Nick spends time with Felicity and her nieces, he realizes the mystery enshrouding this fragile countess and her castle is more intriguing than the ghosts he originally came to find. And perhaps putting his dead to rest and helping her do the same will be his true path to redemption.

My review:

Rating: A-

My thoughts on the book:

When I saw that The Glass Butterfly was a book by A.G. Howard, I jumped at the chance to review it. Howard is a fantastic author, and I love her Splintered series. When I requested this book for review, I wasn't aware it was the third in a series. It read as a standalone, so I actually didn't know it was a part of a series until I started working on this review. I want to read the other two books, now that I know that there are more novels in this series, and I'm confident that they will read like standalone novels as well. 

This novel was very different from Howard's Splintered series in most ways, but one thing was very similar. The obsession with butterflies throughout the book reminded me of Splintered and Alyssa's hangup with bugs. However, that is where the similarities end. The main characters in this novel are adults, and they have very different goals and personalities than anyone in the Splintered series. The story and world are extremely well-developed, especially with this being the third book in the series. I didn't feel lost at all. The plot was extremely intriguing and kept me reading into the early morning. 

The two main characters, Nick and Felicity, are well-developed and extremely complex. I love how their stories unraveled throughout the narrative instead of just having one major info dump at the beginning. Their secrets were slowly revealed to each other and to the reader, and that seemed much more organic. Neither character is perfect, and while they have a past connection, neither character has a "good" past. They are both broken in many ways, and I really appreciated that about them. The secondary characters were also well-developed, and I really loved Felicity's two nieces. 

The writing for this book was beautiful, of course. I've come to expect nothing less from Howard. The world-building was fantastic, and the descriptions were wonderful. The pacing of the story was perfect, and there was enough mystery to keep me guessing throughout the entire novel. The characters' growth throughout the book was also really great to watch. The romance between Nick and Felicity is natural and progresses at a normal speed. They have a great chemistry. My only problem with this book is that it felt like Howard was trying to use Jane Austen's free indirect discourse, where the third person limited narrator skips between characters to allow for a range of thoughts to be shown to the reader, but it didn't work out. There was no separation between Felicity and Nick, as far as narrative voice went, and it got confusing from time to time. I couldn't figure out whose thoughts I was privy to, which pulled me out of the story. Aside from that, the book was amazing, and the ending was lovely.

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THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SLOANE SULLIVAN by GIA CRIBBS

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
No one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.

Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service. You know, the people who run the witness protection program or, as it’s officially called, the Witness Security Program? Yeah, the WITSEC folks definitely don’t want me talking to you.

But I don’t care. I have to tell someone.

If I don’t, you’ll never know how completely wrong things can go. How a single decision can change everything. How, when it really comes down to it, you can’t trust anyone. Not even yourself. You have to understand, so it won’t happen to you next. Because you never know when the person sitting next to you isn’t who they claim to be...and because there are worse things than disappearing.

My thoughts on the book:
Wow. This book seriously blew my mind. I sat down not really knowing what I was getting into, and from the prologue to the epilogue, I could not put my Kindle down. I even read while I ate lunch. I have never read a book quite like this one. Cribbs has earned a spot on my favorite authors list. The emotional depth in these characters and in their relationships is stunning and realistic and raw and painful and beautiful. The descriptions and Sloane's perceptions and everything just make this book so real. I fell for the lies right along with Sloane. I fell for everything. There was a surprise around every corner, and while I suspected one of the big reveals, I wasn't expecting it to be SUCH a big reveal. This is a novel that will grab you and not let you go until the very last page. Cribbs' beautiful writing style, the flawless weaving together of the past and present, and the constant surprises will captivate any reader. If you only read one book this year, it needs to be this one. 

Sloane is the narrator, and while she's not 100% trustworthy, you can't help but believe her as she draws you into her story. It's clear from the start that she is a strong, logical, and good heroine. She is just one of those people who radiates goodness. She wants to do the right thing, and it's important to her. Her integrity is obvious early on, and that really gives the reader a sense of trust. We need more YA heroines like Sloane, to be honest. She never once complained, and she never acted like some boy crazy teenage girl (I hate when teenage girls are depicted that way). Mark is a really complex character, but I couldn't help but love him and feel sympathy for him as his story unfolded. Jason is wonderful and amazing. Even the crappy people in the novel are so wonderfully developed that you just feel something for them because they feel real. That is so hard for authors to accomplish, and Cribbs did so flawlessly. 

The story itself is so complex and intrinsically woven that you will be immersed in this world full of deceit, murder, and treachery before you realize it. Everyone seems so "normal" on the surface, but as their demons are uncovered, you quickly learn that nothing is what it seems. I am in awe of the emotional depth that Cribbs was able to convey, not just from the characters, but the strong emotional bonds between characters, as well. I laughed and cried and smiled and held my breath in suspense more times than I can count in the 5 or so hours it took me to read this book. The reveals and surprises were believable, though some things seemed ridiculously convenient, it all made sense, and it was certainly plausible that things would work out that way, especially with certain explanations at certain points throughout the novel. Therefore, I was easily able to suspend my disbelief and dive head-first into the story. Not only was the story itself amazing, but the ending was a wonderful surprise. Everything about this book was just beautiful, heartfelt, and real. Words can't express how much I loved it. 

Obviously I'd recommend this book to anyone. If you enjoy any kind of YA novel, especially, you will adore this book. 

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MOONLIGHT SEDUCTION by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: A+
Release date: June 26, 2018
Synopsis:
The de Vincent brothers are back—and so is the intrigue that surrounds them—in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s sizzling new novel...

Nicolette Bresson never thought she’d return to the de Vincents’ bayou compound. It’s where her parents work, where Nikki grew up... and where she got her heart broken by Gabriel de Vincent himself. Yet here she is, filling in for her sick mother. Avoiding Gabe should be easy, especially when so much of Nikki’s time is spent trying not to be stabbed in the back by the malicious hangers-on who frequent the mansion. But escaping memories of Gabe, much less his smoking-hot presence, is harder than expected—especially since he seems determined to be in Nikki’s space as much as possible.

Gabriel spent years beating himself up over his last encounter with Nikki. He’d wanted her then, but for reasons that were bad for both of them. Things have now changed. Gabe sees more than a girl he’s known forever; he sees a smart, talented, and heartbreakingly beautiful woman... one who’s being stalked from the shadows. Now, Gabe will do anything to keep Nikki safe—and to stop the de Vincent curse from striking again.

My thoughts on the book:
I absolutely LOVE Jennifer L. Armentrout. Words cannot express how much I love JLA and her writing. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing her at BEA 2016, and she is a lovely person and a phenomenal author. No one can write romance like she can. Her characters are always realistic, and her pacing and plotting are just amazing. Moonlight Seduction is a beautiful, touching, and steamy romance. If you want a book that you can't put down with a strong female lead and a swoon-worthy bad boy, then this novel is for you. 

Nikki is one of my favorite female characters of all time. I'm a "helper," and an animal lover, and a bleeding heart, more or less, and it is so hard not to be a doormat. Then I feel bad because I refuse to be a doormat, but I just let myself feel guilty because it's better than being walked on. ANYWAY, because of this, I absolutely loved her character. She is a person who cares about the world around her, and she grows into someone who will protect herself, no matter what, and I had an immense amount of respect for her. I wish she was real so we could be friends. I'd also like my own Gabe, please. Yes, he's dark and somewhat broody and makes stupid mistakes, but he's good deep down, and he really does a lot for those he cares about. Seeing things from his perspective and Nikki's perspective really made me feel a connection to both of them. I also wish he was real, and would clone himself. I wouldn't steal him from Nikki because they are just beautiful together, so cloning it is. 

The plot made me not want to put this book down. Watching the characters grow and interact while also wondering who the worst of the bad guys were (let's face it, there are a lot of bad guys in these novels haha) made this book hard to put down. The pacing is spot on, and nothing feels rushed or too slow. Everything unraveled at the perfect time. There was one thing I didn't see coming, though I had the "bad guys" figured out, and it shocked me. The romance was super hot and steamy. There was nothing PG13 about this book, that's for sure. The writing was fantastic, of course. 

Overall, this is a fantastic, and hot, summer read. Give this book (and series) a try, if you haven't already. You won't be sorry. 

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MY LADY JANE by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Rating: A-
Synopsis:
The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

My thoughts on the book:
I will admit that I was a bit hesitant when it came to this book. I am a history dork (my minor was history), and I am absolutely obsessed with Medieval Europe especially the Tudor and post-Tudor era. Therefore, I wasn't really sure how I'd take a revisionist, comedic history written about Lady Jane Grey. However, Ashton, Hand, and Meadows are three of my favorite authors, and I knew that if anyone could pull this off, they could. As it turns out, I was absolutely enthralled with this novel. It is light, funny, and a ridiculously engaging read. I couldn't put it down. I read it all over the course of 3 days after work, and considering it's over 500 pages, that's a pretty big feat. This was simply a lovely story.

I'm always a bit nervous when I hear about historical fiction reworking actual historical figures, rather than setting a book in a certain time period and creating one's own characters. The authors rarely get the characters "right," in my opinion, and any history buff would say the same thing. We could all nitpick everything to death until the end of time. However, this book didn't really *try* to get the characters right. Since it was a comedy, and the narrators made it clear that it wasn't to be taken seriously, I was able to completely delve into their world, the characters, and the alternate version of the time period. Yes, the language was off, and yes, one of the characters wanted to be called G, which would just never happen in that day and age, but I loved all of the characters, nonetheless. Jane was a strong heroine, and I really loved their version of Elizabeth I. I feel like they actually had Bloody Mary pretty spot on, to be honest. Edward was more engaging than he would have been had they stuck to his actual personality. I wasn't a fan of what they did with Mary, Queen of Scots, but that's because I'm a huge fan of the Scottish Queen. 

The writing was cute and casual and incredibly engaging. They had little side notes and parentheticals throughout the novel to let the reader know that they were the ones telling the story. I enjoyed that, and their random (some real, some fake) historical facts, too.  They didn't try to pass this off as anything close to authentic for a single second, and I loved that. It took a lot of courage and wit to pull this off. The pacing was quick but not rushed. The ending was adorable. The romances were cute and appropriate for all ages of YA readers. Each author took one one character, and the book was told from 3 perspectives. I have an idea who wrote which character, but I don't want to ruin it for other readers, so I won't hazard my guesses here. In my opinion, this was a courageous, witty, and fun modern day fairy tale. We don't get many actual fairy tales nowadays, and I appreciate these ladies writing one for us.

I'd recommend this book to anyone. Whether you're a fan of romance, historical fiction, comedy, fantasy, or all of the above, you are sure to be charmed by this book. 

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A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: A
Synopsis:
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.


Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

My thoughts on the book:
As a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series, I was super excited to get my hands on A Court of Thorns and Roses. The synopsis makes this book sound like another tale of a leading lady having Stockholm Syndrome, but this book is nothing like that. I got the last copy at my local B&N, and I'm so glad that I did. Maas weaves a beautiful and terrifying world in this novel. Her new cast of characters is unique, and Feyre's story is very different from Celaena's. The romance is sweet and a bit steamy, and the writing is lovely. I absolutely adored this book and can't wait for the next installment.

19 year old Feyre is a strong, yet vulnerable character. She loves fiercely, and while she has a few emo moments, they're understandable. Feyre has had a tough life, but she somehow manages to hold onto her heart. She is compassionate and fierce. I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. I really liked Tamlin, too, and he's a great love interest. He's not nearly as awful as the synopsis makes him sound. I also really enjoyed Lucien and Rhysand. I am looking forward to learning more about Rhys, especially.

The plot is fairly fast-paced, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Poor Feyre just doesn't get a break. The faery world is really creepy and beautiful, and Maas does a terrific job of world-building. I felt like I fully understood the rules of the world, and the author paints some wonderful pictures of the contrasting landscapes. I hope we get to see some of the other courts in the next installment, though. The ending ties things up nicely, but leaves room for a sequel.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves high fantasy. I can promise you that you'll love Maas' new and unique addition to this genre.

Order A Court of Thorns and Roses today

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NOWHERE BUT HERE by Katie McGarry

Rating: C
Release Date: 5/26/15
Synopsis:
An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

My thoughts on the book:
As you guys know, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary lit. Reading is my form of escapism, and when I escape, I want to visit worlds that don't really exist. However, Katie McGarry is one of the few contemporary authors I really like. Her characters always have fantastic chemistry, and her stories tug at your heart strings. Nowhere but Here didn't stand out to me like the Pushing the Limits series did, though. The characters aren't quite as likable, and the world they reside in isn't as captivating. That being said, the chemistry and wonderful writing make up for the things this story lacks, and I did enjoy this novel. 

I wasn't a huge fan of Emily, and that was part of why I didn't like this book as much as the others by McGarry. I just felt like Emily was too much of a goody-goody, and Oz was too much of a bad boy. It was just too much of a clash. However, there were tons of sparks between the two, and even though I couldn't stand their personalities that much, the chemistry between them really did make up for their annoying habits/personality traits.

The plot was pretty run of the mill for teen romance. Good girl meets bad boy. They fall in love. No one wants them to be together. They "rebel" against society and do what they want. Happy endings for all. Regardless of that, it's still sweet to read stories like that some times. They do tug at one's heart strings and let's face it, there are a lot worse things out there people could be reading and watching. 

Overall, this book was okay. It wasn't what I'd come to expect from McGarry, but it wasn't a complete disappointment, either. 

Pre-order Nowhere but Here

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Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal other-wordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?" -Goodreads
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Page Count: 418
Buy Link: Amazon.com
Favorite Quotes:
"She was lonely, and she feared the missingness within her as if if might expand and...cancel her. She craved a presence beside her, solid. Fingertips light at the nape of her neck and a voice meeting hers in the dark. Someone who would wait with an umbrella to walk her home in the rain, and smile like sunshine when he saw her coming. Who would dance with her on her balcony, keep his promises and know her secrets, and make a tiny world wherever he was, with just her and his arms and his whisper and her trust."

"It was like stepping into the pages of a book-- a book alive with color and fragrance, filth and chaos-- and the blue-haired girl moved through it all like a fairy through a story, the light treating her differently than it did others, the air seeming to gather around her like held breath. As if this whole place were a story about her."

"The blade of his long sword gleamed white from the incandescence of the wings-- vast shimmering wings, their reach so great they swept the walls on either side of the alley, each feather like the wind-tugged lick of a candle flame."

"It was a remarkable sight, the sky beginning to flush pale at the roots, all the towers bathed in a soft glow, the streets of the city still shadowed and aglitter with fireflies of lamplight and the weaving, winking beam of headlights."

"The sun climbed above the hills and she watched as its glow herded night into the shadows where it gathered, all the darker for its density-- all of night crowded into the slanting places beyond the reach of dawn."

"Happiness. It was the place where passion, with all its dazzle and drumbeat, met something softer: homecoming and safety and pure sunbeam comfort."

Wow, wow, wow. Liani Taylor, you are my new literary hero.

Karou is a normal girl, if you consider normal knocking on doors behind which lie the portal to another world. She has tattooed eyes on her hands, wishes on a magical beads from her necklace, and meets bounty hunters to collect teeth. She was raised by Brimstone, a Wishmonger, and three of his chimaera hybrid friends. She fills her sketchbooks with pictures of her creature companions but feels a void inside. She doesn't know her parents or her past or what Brimstone does with the animal teeth.

Creative and fantastical storyline. The made up mythology blew my mind, especially about the sun and two moons. The connection between characters was electric. Not just between our two main characters who have the hots for each other, but even the friendship between Karou and Zuzana was entirely believable. I absolutely adore Zuzana's patience with Karou. She puts up with her "errands" without explanation, gets really protective when meeting "the new guy," and artistically carries out Karou's semester project idea.

You'll love this book if you like...
- Artists or hobby driven characters (Karou and Zuzana both attend an art school in Prague)
- Exotic locations intrigue you (Did I mention Prague? That's only the tip of the iceberg)
- People leading double lives (Behind door number one is...)
- A good love story that builds in tension
- Creativity
- Mystery (I couldn't guess the twist)
- The non-traditional angel (fiery wings, guys)
- Wishes and/or knives (Be surprised)
-  Writing that sweeps you away

I couldn't put this book down. And even though a ton of the book was flashbacks, they built the world up in such a strong way. I know this has set the second book up to be amazing. I even saw there's a 2.5 volume that goes into Zuzana's love story!

The best thing about discovering a series so late...all the books are already out.  I don't have to wait that agonizing year in between books and forget all the details.

This brings me to my question for you:
What awesome series did you discover after some or all of the books were out?

--BUY DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE HERE--

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Inland

Inland by Kat Rosenfield

Callie Morgan has long lived choked by the failure of her own lungs, the result of an elusive pulmonary illness that has plagued her since childhood. A childhood marked early by the drowning death of her mother—a death to which Callie was the sole witness. Her father has moved them inland, away from the memories of the California coast her mother loved so much and toward promises of recovery—and the escape of denial—in arid, landlocked air.

But after years of running away, the promise of a life-changing job for her father brings Callie and him back to the coast, to Florida, where Callie’s symptoms miraculously disappear. For once, life seems delightfully normal. But the ocean’s edge offers more than healing air … it holds a magnetic pull, drawing Callie closer and closer to the chilly, watery embrace that claimed her mother. Returned to the ocean, Callie comes of age and comes into a family destiny that holds generations of secrets and very few happy endings. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 I was completely drawn in to Rosenfield's Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone, and had high hopes for the creeping horror in this novel, many of which were met. The prose was gorgeous. Callie's family mysteries were intriguing. The romance was mostly sweet and believable while not overwhelming the plot. I loved the ambiguity of Callie's condition- is she really ill, or is she some depth-dwelling horor-beast with gills?? 

Unfortunately, that's exactly where this book lost me. I really can't blame Rosenfield. It's not her fault that I'm so much more likely to believe, and be interested in, a fantasy plotline than a mental illness one. A book can drop all the hints it wants that the narrator is unreliable and likely disturbed- I'll still root for them being a mermaid or visited by fairies.

(One exception to this rule is Caitlin R. Kiernan, but I think that's because she writes about people encountering supernatural occurrences while also battling depression or schizophrenia, all with a deft hand and distressingly evocative language)

So, while there were plenty of things I liked about this book (and gave it 5 stars on Goodreads), I think it's one that will work better for its target teen audience, especially those who haven't binged on similar titles. If you're looking for something more adult on related marine themes, check out Caitlin R. Kiernan's The Drowning Girl or Sarah Monette's Somewhere Beneath Those Waves, and there's always the Mermaid tag on this very blog! 

If you need me, I'll be rereading "The Shadow over Innsmouth."

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ARC Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Stats:

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Page Count: 304

Buy Link: Amazon

Favorite Quotes:

“…grief is slippery, a tangle of thorns that dig in so deep you don’t know where they stop and you start. You don’t know where you are. I think of Caleb... He has thorns too, and I wonder if he knows where his end and he begins.”

“…I knew he understood grief. I didn’t know that it had spilled out of him and into the world.”

“I feel his smile then. I don’t just see it anymore. It crawls inside me, curls up alongside all my grief. Confuses me, just like I said.”

“I want to have his hair in my hands while he holds me.”

“’Emma,’ he says, and it’s too soon to say it, way too soon, but what’s in my heart is in his too and he touches my face, cupping the side of my jaw and my name is a prayer in his voice, four letters of joy.”

Elizabeth Scott is one of those authors that just gets people. Most of all, she explores emotion, and she does a fabulous job in her writing, as you can see from the above quotes. I am never disappointed after any of her novels.

That being said, this story was touching. Heartbreaking. The premise hooked me right away. Emma’s mother is dead, being kept alive by machines because she is a human incubator. Emma is pissed. Dan, her step-dad, is keeping her mother alive so that the baby inside her can live. She talks to her mom at the hospital daily, keeps her up to date with things at school, but she can’t be in the same room as Dan for more than a few minutes.

Now, this perfect valedictorian is beyond caring. Until she meets the notorious car thief at her school, Caleb—a trifecta of gorgeousness with a lot of crazy.

Emma soon finds out that first impressions can be wrong. A common past of tragedy links the two together.

Things I loved:

• The romance that blossoms between the two. Well written, sigh worthy. Sweet.

• Relationships. Olivia, Emma’s best friend, is always by her side and knows her needs often before Emma does. Even though they grow apart because of Caleb, Olivia is a strong and dependable friend. Dan and Emma’s constant tension is so tangible it jumps off the page. Caleb’s entire family is beyond sad. They treat him like he’s not even there because of an accident they blame him for. I really connected with the characters and their feelings through the whole book.

• The way Emma’s mom is described. The memories they made are strung throughout the pages. Even though she’s not alive in the story, I felt what a great person she was. She hated peas. She put her wallet in her purse first. She made peanut butter and corn chip sandwiches. She loved better than anyone could.

• Emma’s end epiphany. To find out what this is, you have to read the book.

Rating: 4/5 Good Read!

--BUY HEARTBEAT NOW HERE--

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Night of Cake and Puppets

Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor

In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

I haven't been completely won over by ebooks. Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a hater. Plenty of friends have told me they read more since getting an ereader, and that is fantastic. I love that people can access hundreds of thousands of books from nearly anywhere in the world, instantly. Hell, I used my Nook a lot when traveling this year, especially while waiting in lines at NYCC. Still, I haven't made the switch to electronic books and never will. BUT!

There's something really, really cool happening because of ebooks. Authors are releasing short stories, novellas, and assorted material that, for whatever reason, isn't to be found in their printed books. This story, for example, happens during the events of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It doesn't have any business in that novel though, as it's from the perspective of a character other than the protagonist, has a very different tone, and would detract from the narrative flow of DoSaB. Instead of trying to shoehorn it in, or never write it in the first place, Taylor has provided this magical story in a completely independent format. Yay! 

I'm really impressed that this story manages to be sweet and magical and romantic without ever seeming trite or saccharine. Zuzana, Karou's "rabid fairy" friend is far too cool for such twee, Hallmark nonsense. Instead, we're treated to more trips down the crooked streets of Prague, along its twisty rivers and between medieval buildings. We get to revisit the Poison Kitchen, with its gas masks, coffins, and sugar bowls labelled "Arsenic." Best of all, we get some romantic tropes turned on their heads and a peek inside Zuzana's slightly mad, puppet-infested brain while she sets out to win the heart of "Violin Boy."

It's a joy to read, especially at this time of year and while waiting (im)patiently for the third book in Taylor's phenomenal series. If you loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, go ahead and spend the $3 to buy this novella. You won't regret it.

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