Review: Three Truths and a Lie

THREE TRUTHS AND A LIE
Brent Hartinger
YA Mystery/Thriller
272 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
A weekend retreat in the woods and an innocent game of three truths and a lie go horribly wrong in this high-octane psychological thriller filled with romantic suspense by a Lambda Award–winning author.

Deep in the forest, four friends gather for a weekend of fun.

Truth #1: Rob is thrilled about the weekend trip. It’s the perfect time for him to break out of his shell…to be the person he really, really wants to be.

Truth #2: Liam, Rob’s boyfriend, is nothing short of perfect. He’s everything Rob could have wanted. They’re perfect together. Perfect.

Truth #3: Mia has been Liam’s best friend for years…long before Rob came along. They get each other in a way Rob could never, will never, understand.

Truth #4: Galen, Mia’s boyfriend, is sweet, handsome, and incredibly charming. He’s the definition of a Golden Boy…even with the secrets up his sleeve.

One of these truths is a lie…and not everyone will live to find out which one it is.

MY THOUGHTS
Three Truths and a Lie is lightning-fast read, a weekend getaway with friends turning into the stuff of nightmares with shocking speed, but despite the characters being in their upper teens, the story as a whole reads young.

It's clear from the opening chapter that Rob is talking directly to us, recounting his story in all its embarrassing and horrifying detail so that we can be witnesses to the events and share in the burden of his truth. The fact that he at times breaks from the telling of the story to address us or ask us rhetorical questions does tend to rip us from the action for that brief moment and remind us that we're reading a piece of fiction though, and we then find ourselves attempting to settle back in after we've mentally supplied an answer to his query. Rob's posing of questions also makes his voice feel younger than his seventeen or eighteen years, a feeling compounded by a more simplistic writing style and fairly straightforward murder mystery.

The fact that this one reads young wouldn't be a mark against it necessarily as it would certainly appeal to younger readers (rather than much older readers of YA like myself ;-), but there's also a heavy focus on sex, with both innuendo and fairly detailed descriptions of male anatomy thanks to Rob's ogling of both his boyfriend as well as Mia's. Rob and Liam also have sex not five feet from the dead body of one of their friends as a way to remind themselves they're still alive, something hugely off-putting for obvious reasons. With the subject matter being more appropriate for slightly older readers and the writing style seeming better suited to younger, this murder mystery finds itself in a bit of a limbo in terms of target audience and leaves us on the outside looking in.

All of that being said though, the way Mr. Hartinger brings this story full circle and links the final paragraph to the opening one is clever, adding a nice little twist that leaves us with a smile of appreciation on our faces.

Rating: 3/5

Find Brent:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Unhooked Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway!

Today I'm super excited to kick off the promotional tour for Unhooked, an entirely new take on the world of Neverland thanks to author Lisa Maxwell. Lisa was nice enough to answer a few fun questions for me about what readers can expect when they crack the spine, so I hope you guys enjoy. Welcome to Supernatural Snark Lisa!

Before being kidnapped and taken to a Neverland inhabited by monsters, what would Gwen say was her biggest fear?

Before Neverland, Gwen’s biggest fear was that people would realize how unstable her mother was and separate the two of them. She grew up fast, because she knew that if people really knew what her mother was like—the strange fears, the delusions about monsters chasing them, the erratic behavior—she might be taken away from her mom. She’s worked her whole like to make their life appear as normal as possible, and that’s all she’s ever wanted to be—normal.

If Gwen could get those of us in this world a message about the dangers of the Fey, what would her most dire warning about them be?

Human life means less than nothing to the Fey. They aren’t interested in us, unless we get in their way. And if that happens, well… good luck. Because with the glamour, you won’t even see them coming.

If you somehow knew ahead of time you were going to be taken to Neverland along with Gwen and Olivia, what one character from another piece of YA fiction would you beg to teach you a course on supernatural survival training before you went?

I’d have to say the Darkling. A) because who wouldn’t want to sit in a class and watch him teach? Yes, Please. And B) I’m not sure that you really have a chance to survive in this version of Neverland if you aren’t willing to play a little dirty to get what you want.

Gwen has a choice between trusting a fairy-tale hero and a young pirate in this story. If she had time to make a pros and cons list to help her figure out what to do, what’s one pro that she would list for each of them?

The only pro that matters is “Is he trying to kill me?” Too bad that the answer for each is… maybe?

If you could take any other fairy-tale (or myth/fable) world and turn it completely on its head, which would you most like to recreate in your own way?

What a great question! It’s a hard one, too, because as much as I did turn the Neverland we know on its head in this book, what I really did was go back to the source material. For UNHOOKED, I really wanted to bring out a part of the original story that gets forgotten, because the Neverland we know is so muted and Disney-fied that we don’t realize just how dark Peter Pan really was. Snow White might be interesting to do, though. Or maybe Hansel and Gretel? I like the idea of characters venturing out into the unknown and figuring out what they’re made of.

Thanks so much for stopping by Lisa!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

UNHOOKED

From “talented wordsmith” (Publishers Weekly) Lisa Maxwell comes a lush, atmospheric fantasy novel filled with twists and turns about a girl who is kidnapped and brought to an island inhabited by fairies, a roguish ship captain, and bloodthirsty beasts.

For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home. Her mother believes they are being hunted by brutal monsters, and those delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. Gwen’s only saving grace is that her best friend, Olivia, is with her for the summer.

But shortly after their arrival, the girls are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and dragged to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey. And Gwen begins to realize that maybe her mother isn’t so crazy after all…

Gwen discovers that this new world she inhabits is called Neverland, but it’s nothing like the Neverland you’ve heard about in stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through your fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and tries to find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the captivating pirate who promises to keep her safe.

Caught in the ultimate battle between good and evil, with time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to finally face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But can she save Neverland without losing herself?

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N • iBooks

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

LISA MAXWELL

Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep (Flux, Fall 2015) and Unhooked (Simon Pulse, Spring 2016). When she's not writing books, she's an English professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys. 

Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Pinterest • Tumblr • Instagram

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

As a thank you to the lovely authors who blurbed UNHOOKED Lisa is giving away…

• (1) winner will receive a signed finished copy of UNHOOKED, a large Neverland map, and a Funko Pop Captain Hook, US Only.
• (5) winners will receive a swag pack containing a NVR sticker, bookmark, postcard, other stickers, US only.  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour for more interviews, reviews and guest posts!
 
WEEK ONE
1/25/2016- Supernatural Snark- Interview  
1/26/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review  
1/27/2016- Please Feed the Bookworm- Guest Post  
1/28/2016- Stories & Sweeties- Review  
1/29/2016- A Glass Of Wine- Interview

WEEK TWO

2/1/2016- A Reader Under The Sea- Review

2/2/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

2/3/2016- Owl Always Be Reading- Review

2/4/2016- Lili's Reflections- Interview

2/5/2016- Mundie Moms- Review

Waiting on Wednesday: Shades of Darkness

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

SHADES OF DARKNESS

Ravenborn #1

A.R. Kahler

Paranormal Young Adult

Releases March 8th from Simon Pulse

From Goodreads:

When Kaira Winters decided to go to Islington—a boarding school deep in the woods of Michigan—she thought she could finally get away from everything she has tried so hard to forget, including some things from her past that she refuses to believe ever actually happened.

Everything seemed great until the bodies of murdered students started appearing all over campus. The victims seem to have been killed in some sort of ritual sacrifice. And even worse, Kaira’s dreams are giving her clues to the killer’s identity.

Though she tries to resist, Kaira quickly realizes that she is the only one who can stop the violence, but to do so she must come to terms with her past. She’s going to have to listen to the voice that is buried deep within her…the one that claims to have unimaginable power…the one that claims to be an actual goddess.

But even if Kaira can harness the power within her, will it be enough to stop the darkness that has fallen over her school? And if it is strong enough, then what’s to stop the goddess from wreaking her own havoc once she’s released?

Confession: I'm a sucker for a boarding school story. Especially a paranormal one. I don't know what it is about them (maybe the intimacy of all the characters being forced to spend time together in one place?) but whenever I find one it goes on my list immediately. Plus this is set in Michigan where my parents live and I've spent a great deal of time, so that of course makes this boarding school paranormal murder mystery an even bigger winner in my book. *makes grabby hands*

Goodreads • Amazon 

Review: Anne & Henry

ANNE & HENRY
Dawn Ius
Contemporary Young Adult/Retelling
304 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

MY THOUGHTS
Anne & Henry is an ambitious novel, one that modernizes and condenses the truly epic relationship between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, plucking them from the annals of history and placing them in a more relatable high school environment. Unfortunately, the scope of Anne and Henry’s relationship is simply too big to fit in a contemporary YA setting, the explosive nature of their rise and fall something that gets lost in this retelling, and we’re left instead with plenty of drama minus the hard-hitting impact of the original infamous couple.

In this updated take, Anne plays the part of victim more than world-altering seductress and social climber, allowing things to happen to her rather than being a catalyst for change the way the woman herself was. Instead of fighting for Henry, claws out and masterful scheming in full effect as she attempts to usurp Catherine and win Henry’s affections, she simply waits, mildly baiting him here and there but ultimately remaining a passive player in Henry's casting aside of Catherine. The real Anne Boleyn changed the face of history in her quest to win Henry and become queen, and the force of her personality must have been something to behold in order to achieve–for better or worse–all that she did, but that fight and fire is sadly missing from the young woman splashed across the pages of this novel.

Henry, though, is more believable in his role than Anne, as fickle and impulsive as his historical counterpart, easily dismissing Catherine in favor of Anne and then turning on her just as quickly. He’s easily swayed by those around him, granting them his ear whenever they ask for it and allowing their words to settle in and take root; public opinion edging out personal preference time and again. Though he’s in a relative position of power–granted, one far less impressive than a royal throne–it’s all an illusion, and he remains a puppet bound to the strings wielded by those lined up beside and behind him.

Anne & Henry is undoubtedly well-written, Ms. Ius’s style one that flows well and keeps the pages turning with plenty of speed, and her creativity with the final parting line's nod to the real Anne’s fate beautifully executed. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are simply a couple too immense, too full to bursting with power, personality and tragedy to be reduced to high school angst, the brutality and Machiavellian conniving missing from their relationship and the petty jealousies of Henry’s peers.

Rating: 3/5

Find Dawn:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Waiting On Wednesday: Love & Gelato

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

LOVE & GELATO

Jenna Evans Welch

Contemporary Young Adult

Releases April 2016 from Simon &Schuster

From Goodreads:

A summer in Italy turns into a road trip across Tuscany in this sweeping debut novel filled with romance, mystery, and adventure.

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and ever herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more. 

You guys. THIS BOOK! It's like it was written just for me. Italy? Romance? GELATO?!!!!! *falls down dead of want* I've been lucky enough to visit Italy a couple times, and I may or may not have eaten my weight in gelato on both occasions. It's made of magnificence. This whole post could be an ode to my love of gelato, but I won't force that misery upon you, so instead I'll just reiterate that I cannot wait for this book. I want to know all about these secret romances and hidden bakeries, and of course I want to met the charming Ren. Yes to Tuscany. Yes to family secrets uncovered. And of course an enormous YES to gelato.

Plus, that cover is too cute for words.

Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Compulsion

COMPULSION
The Heirs of Watson Island #1
Martina Boone
Paranormal Young Adult
448 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

MY THOUGHTS
Compulsion is molasses and a deep southern drawl, transporting us to the atmospheric world of Watson’s Landing and, once there, moving us forward slowly and carefully until the past finally decides to give up its ghosts. Those looking for a page turner will not find it here, Barrie’s journey one that allows us to dwell on the small nuggets of information we learn along the way, slotting the various pieces of a lengthy family feud into place before moving on to the next one. While certainly slow at times, Compulsion gives us quite a bit to think about as questions are raised, magic is brought to light yet never fully illuminated, and a cast of secondary characters hovers intriguingly on the darker end of the gray spectrum.

Barrie is a young woman who’s lived a life of near isolation, her mother’s disfigurement keeping her hidden behind doors, veils and wigs with little inclination to be a part of her daughter’s life. With the terminal diagnosis delivered to her godfather just before we meet her, she suddenly finds herself truly alone in the world, something that keeps us from being overly frustrated at the way she handles herself once she gets to Watson’s Landing. In her understandable desire to fit in and finally make a place for herself, she’s enormously forgiving of those who quite frankly don’t deserve it, making excuses for them again and again for the sake of her newfound family connection. We can’t really blame her in the beginning–her loneliness and longing palpable–and just as we start to reach the point where we can no longer rationalize away certain behaviors, Barrie seems to reach the same conclusion and finally snaps a spine of steel into place.

Though Barrie is certainly likeable and someone we can’t help but want good things for given all she’s faced in her short life, an emotional connection isn’t something that forms quickly or easily. Her relationship with Eight is one characterized by a great deal of push and pull, Barrie’s prickly nature clashing with Eight’s propensity for keeping useful information about her family history, the feud, and the magic of their families close to his chest. They have their sweet moments to be sure, but there are times when questions about what exactly they see in each other find their way to the forefront of our minds and stay there. There are thankfully no dramatic declarations of love or secondary love interests waiting in the wings to make things difficult for them though, and despite their flaws individually and as a couple, the desire to see how their relationship progresses and strengthens in subsequent books is strong by the end.

Overall, Compulsion has some fascinating elements, a few of the secrets long harbored by the Watson, Beaufort and Colesworth families finally revealed, bringing with them not only a sense of satisfaction but also the lingering sense of unease that comes from knowing they are but the tip of the iceberg.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Martina:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Darkest Fear

DARKEST FEAR
Birthright #1
Cate Tiernan
Paranormal Young Adult
368 pages
Simon Pulse
Available January 7th
Source: e-ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Vivi has known the truth about her family—and herself—since she was thirteen. But that doesn’t mean she’s accepted it. Being Haguari isn’t something she feels she’ll ever accept. How can she feel like anything but a freak knowing that it’s in her genes to turn into a jaguar?

Now eighteen, Vivi’s ready to break away from the traditions of her heritage. But all of that changes with the shocking, devastating deaths of her parents and the mysteries left behind. Vivi discovers family she never even knew she had, and a life open with possibility. New friends, new loyalties, and even romance all lay ahead—but so do dangers unlike anything Vivi ever could have imagined.

MY THOUGHTS
Darkest Fear is a tale that begs lovers of paranormal stories to pick it up, promising a closer look at a lesser-known shifter than the werewolves who are so prevalent in supernatural fiction, and while the jaguar-shifter element holds us fascinated throughout, this first installment feels more like a novel-length prequel rather than the opening book in the series. We’re introduced to a variety of different plot threads–not so many as to be frustrating luckily, just enough to give the story a well-rounded feel–but unfortunately not a one of them finds resolution before the end. Whenever we pick up book one of a series, we know not all our questions will be answered by the time we reach the last page, but with Darkest Fear we’re like runners warming up for a big race, working our way up to the starting line fully prepared to make swift progress toward our ultimate destination, but then the gun never even goes off and we’re instead left behind the line wondering what happened.

Vivi is a young woman who can be a challenge at times, her disgust and rather violent aversion to her Haguari (jaguar shifter) heritage something that’s a touch confounding for us as readers. If Vivi had just discovered her ability when we first meet her, her confusion, anger, and fear would be completely understandable, but we come into this story years and years after her parents have–quite unsuccessfully–brought her into the Haguari fold. Trying to come to terms with the fact that you can change bodily forms is certainly not something that everyone would rejoice over upon discovery, so in the beginning we can't help but give her a bit of a break and attempt to give her the benefit of the doubt as we get to know her. There’s many a moment in which it seems as though our faith in her has been appropriately placed, with Vivi starting to realize how childish and hurtful her complete rejection of her heritage had been to her parents and continues to be to those around her, but then as soon as an opportunity to embrace the Haguari in her presents itself, she backs away from it so quickly we practically get whiplash trying to follow.

This pattern repeats again and again over the course of the story, Vivi simultaneously finding comfort in the presence of the Haguari relatives she never knew she had and yet running away from all that they hold dear when they try and share it with her. It’s not to say Vivi is unlikable however, she’s quick to recognize this behavior in herself even though she doesn’t make a huge effort to change it until the end, so our time with her is not time we necessarily regret spending. It’s clear Vivi’s growth and the gradual discovery of who she is both as a human and a jaguar is going to be a prominent aspect of this series as it continues, so hopefully the Vivi of future books will be the fierce and proud young woman we so desperately wanted her to be in this one.

The lack of resolution in terms of Vivi’s acceptance of her heritage, though at times frustrating, is not one of the reasons this book feels so much like a prequel, that honor lies with the remaining unresolved plot threads: the romance with her boss at work, the murder of her parents, the discovery of a couple key family secrets, and the dissolution of her relationship with both her aunt and her human best friend due to the lies she continues to feed them (though her reasons for not telling her best friend about being a jaguar shifter make sense). We’ve made hardly any progress on the above items when we suddenly find ourselves on the last page, a semi-cliffhanger leaving us scratching our heads as to why this particular moment was the moment chosen as a stopping point. Overall Darkest Fear, while entertaining enough, is a touch disappointing in the end when all the promises made go unfulfilled, but perhaps book two will step up to the plate and make good in the way we’d hoped this first one would.

Rating: 3/5

Find Cate:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon 

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday: Darkest Fear

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

DARKEST FEAR

Birthright #1

Cate Tiernan

Paranormal Young Adult

Releases January 7th, 2014 from Simon Pulse

From Goodreads:

Vivi’s animal instincts are her legacy—and maybe her downfall—in this start to a romantic fantasy series that will appeal to fans of The Nine Lives of Chloe King.

Vivi has known the truth about her family—and herself—since she was thirteen. But that doesn’t mean she’s accepted it. Being Haguari isn’t something she feels she’ll ever accept. How can she feel like anything but a freak knowing that it’s in her genes to turn into a jaguar?

Now eighteen, Vivi’s ready to break away from the traditions of her heritage. But all of that changes with the shocking, devastating deaths of her parents and the mysteries left behind. Vivi discovers family she never even knew she had, and a life open with possibility. New friends, new loyalties, and even romance all lay ahead—but so do dangers unlike anything Vivi ever could have imagined.

I'm not overly familiar with The Nine Lives of Chloe King so I have no idea how this book compares to it, but I'm pretty darn excited over the fact that she's a jaguar shifter (I'm not sure why Vivi feels like a freak, how cool would it be to turn into a jaguar?! Honestly ;-). I can't think of many YA novels that feature jaguar shifters so I'm very curious to see how Ms. Tiernan will develop the mythology. I'm a fan of her Immortal Beloved series, so it's safe to say I have fairly high expectations for this book going in. And of course the mention of a romance pretty much sealed the deal for me, you all know how much I love my romance!

Review: The Book of Broken Hearts

THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS
Sarah Ockler
Contemporary Young Adult
352 pages
Simon Pulse
Available May 21st
Source: Received from publisher via Edelweiss

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

MY THOUGHTS 
Both poignant and funny, with a focus on relationships both familial and romantic, The Book of Broken Hearts pleases on a variety of levels, giving us a taste of reality without any added drama for effect. What we get when we crack the spine of this book is a glimpse at life – a glorious collage of good moments and bad, heartfelt conversations and witty banter, and old doors closing as new ones open wide to beckon Jude through. There's plenty of pain as well as many a scene between her and her father that make us tear up even though we know Jude would despise our sympathy, but never once does Ms. Ockler heighten tensions or toss in layers of drama unnecessary to Jude's journey just to play on our emotions, instead every minute with Jude is one we value, and one that's a vital piece of the Hernandez puzzle we long to see in all its stunning completeness.

Jude delights with her sass from the very first page, an internal monologue in which she questions the intelligence of wearing her current wedgie-causing shorts in an attempt to give off a biker chick vibe immediately causing a grin to paint our faces, something we'll soon learn is a common occurrence throughout. While her ability to make us laugh comes smoothly and easily, her very real fear for her father's worsening condition as his Alzheimer's rapidly progresses echoes in her every smile, and we can't help but long to wrap our arms around her and squeeze tight. She handles her father's less lucid moments beautifully, hating and cursing his disease but loving him through it, and basking in the moments when the Alzheimer's deigns to return her father to her.

One of the highlights of Jude's character is her lack of judgement, the painful past of two of her sisters leading to the vilification of the entire Vargas clan, but despite that history she opens herself up to Emilio and decides to trust him with things she doesn't even share with her own family. She's not one to keep secrets from him or hold on to her anger when they have an argument, and thankfully Emilio is much the same way, both of them communicating to the best of their ability instead of bottling up all their emotions and simply waiting to pop. Their romance is definitely of the slow burn variety, and their sweet, simple moments together are made all the more significant given the seriousness of Jude's father's condition, his episodes bringing clarity to both them and us as to how important it is to accept and appreciate the brevity of life.

Though we don't get to know Emilio quite as well as we might like, this story as a whole is a highly enjoyable one with a strong emphasis on family, something that is all too rare in young adult fiction. Ms. Ockler has a gift for writing quirky, hilarious young women, and Jude is absolutely no exception, making us giggle-snort in a most undignified manner even as we wipe away a tear the chapter after. A dog with what can only be described as a bunny fixation, a Holy Trinity of older sisters, and a sexy, motorycle-building love interest solidify this read as a one-sit wonder, easily devoured in just a few hours.

Rating: 4/5

Find Sarah:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Surrender

SURRENDER (Possession #2)
Elana Johnson
Young Adult/Dystopian
480 Pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Received from author and CBB Book Promotions for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque...

MY THOUGHTS
Surrender is a lengthy expedition into a theoretically flawless world, the perceived burden of decision making removed from citizens entirely as their government oversees every aspect of their lives, small or large, to ensure perfection is achieved through the absence of independent thought. Like its predecessor, Surrender can be a chaotic story at times, our time split between protagonists Raine and Gunner as we follow their separate but linked journeys and uncover layer after layer of deceit. We’re given information, as are Gunner and Raine, in tiny fragments, bits and pieces revealed to us quickly before we must file them away and move on with our lead couple, but our collection of precious knowledge slowly but surely starts to paint a terrifying picture, and we can’t help but curl our lips in disgust the more we learn about those in power.

While Gunner and Raine are both interesting and likable characters, they aren’t necessarily what draw us into this grotesque mockery of an ideal world, instead it’s their roles in the resistance that have us rapidly turning the pages. Ms. Johnson has created in Director Hightower a villain in the form of a man; a father whose involvement in his daughter’s life stems not from any semblance of affection, but rather from a keen interest in her powerful talent, and in him, we find our emotional attachment to Gunner and Raine’s story. Typically emotional attachment comes in the form of more positive feelings – the love and support of beloved characters – but in this case, it comes in the form of utter hatred, our tether to him a sharp, pulsating thread of abhorrence that flares and causes a red haze to cloud our vision at every demonstration of his cruelty.

With his every action, our desire to see the resistance succeed grows tenfold, but as it does, we find a nervous anticipation accompanies its growth, our understanding of Director Hightower’s intelligence and his reach within Freedom making us horrifyingly aware of how likely a favorable outcome truly is. Ms. Johnson does a brilliant job of building that tension to an almost unbearable degree, giving us brief moments of happiness only to yank them away again as even the strongest of minds proves it can only withstand so much tampering before it shuts down. Through it all though we cling to glimpses of resistance we’ve been given, holding out hope that a small collective David will be able to topple one monstrous Goliath.

Though Surrender does have a tendency to be a touch choppy at times, bouncing back and forth between Gunner and Raine as well as between past and present when both characters have flashes of memory, the somewhat splintered nature of the story seems to fit the world itself. Freedom is not a smooth, tranquil city; it’s a thin film of complacency covering a seething underbelly of dissent, and the staccato rhythm of the chapters seems to match that of Gunner, Raine, Vi and Zenn’s lives. There are some momentous revelations in the final chapters, ensuring our need for the third and final book is at an all time high when we close the back cover, and I have already begun the countdown to June 2013 when I’ll finally get to see how all the pieces fit together.

Rating: 4/5

Candace over at CBB Book Promotions has organized a fantastic tour for the first two books in Elana Johnson's YA dystopian series, and Elana herself is offering up not one, but THREE, amazing giveaways to those who are following the tour. Below are the Rafflecopter forms for each of the giveaways:) Be sure and check out all the other fabulous stops on the tour HERE and you can find more information on Elana and her books on the these sites:

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Review: The Dark Light

THE DARK LIGHT
Sara Walsh
Paranormal Young Adult
496 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.

Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.

MY THOUGHTS

The Dark Light is a grand, sweeping story that not only shares with us the journey from normal to paranormal for one young woman, but also shows us just how rich an imagination Ms. Walsh possesses. Reading Mia’s tale is like opening a box of the finest chocolates only to find the printed guideline telling us what's beneath each light or dark coating is missing – we sink our teeth into the story after the first few chapters confident we have at least a general knowledge of what’s waiting for us in the coming pages, but we quickly discover our confidence misplaced and our expectations completely and delightfully derailed. We as readers are proverbial Dorothys wandering into Oz, common elements like a new boy at school with a mysterious past and a possible love triangle lulling us into a sense of enjoyable familiarity before Ms. Walsh literally and figuratively shows us the light and changes the game entirely.

Mia is a beautifully flawed heroine, possessing traits that both earn our admiration when her actions at times belie her young seventeen years, as well as our utter frustration when her behavior serves only to reinforce them. She’s fiercely protective of her younger brother Jay, so much so that she often wants to leap into the fray to come to his aid before taking just a few brief moments to evaluate her situation and come to the realization that her course of action will only result in failure. Despite her love for her brother overwhelming her common sense on occasion, she’s someone with an easy sense of humor and ability to adapt to strange situations and revelations without crumbling, earning our respect page by page as she does everything in her power to keep those around her safe. She’s often an impediment on her journey with Sol rather than an asset, but instead of that being a drawback to the story, it’s something we can’t help but appreciate as she becomes our anchor of normalcy in a fantastical setting.

As the story itself goes an unexpected route, so too does the romance. Initially, Ms. Walsh sets us up with a dynamic we’ve seen on numerous occasions before, with a young woman’s attention split between a longtime crush and the stunning new guy with a potentially dark past, but to our relief the triangle shape quickly topples, leaving behind the beautiful simplicity of a single line that has Mia on one end and Sol standing opposite her. Their chemistry isn’t necessarily blistering, but there’s plenty of tension thrumming between them to keep us intrigued, and we contentedly revel in the fact that our expectations of typical young adult clichés are slowly being ripped away as Ms. Walsh lovingly sets us on new and welcome ground.

There are a few mild complaints with the story overall, namely a fairly quick and seemingly easy showdown with the villain as well as a lack of background for Sol once we learn more about who he is, but we’re so caught up in characters and creativity these issues are but minor blips on our enjoyment radar. The ending is nicely resolved but the door is definitely left open a crack, and we read the last page with the sincere hope that Ms. Walsh is not going to let us walk out of this world and never return.

Rating: 4/5

Review: If I Lie

IF I LIE

Corrine Jackson
Contemporary Young Adult
276 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Received through Teen Book Scene for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

MY THOUGHTS

If I Lie is a stunning story, heating our blood and squeezing our hearts as we watch our young heroine bear the brunt of a community’s anger and disappointment while she remains bound and gagged by her unwavering loyalty to best friend and boyfriend Carey. Quinn’s isolation and status as a traitor affects us from page one, each confrontation with her family and former friends thinning our skin until we feel as fragile as the paper on which Quinn’s story is depicted; until every verbal jab and every look of loathing seems to tear a piece of us from the whole, letting it flutter to our feet where it’s joined shortly by the tattered remnants of our hearts. Ms. Jackson spares us nothing, brutally showing us how easily people don blinders when it suits them, and how quickly they allow themselves to look at a situation without ever really seeing it.

Quinn is a remarkable young woman, wearing a scarlet letter she doesn’t deserve with as much grace as she can muster, and while she strains against the invisible hand Carey has so cruelly placed over her mouth, she never once tries to remove it to spare herself anymore pain. While both Carey and his best friend Blake are revered and praised for their separate loyalties—Carey’s to God and country, and Blake's to Carey’s family in their time of need—it’s Quinn’s loyalty that outshines them all, and while she certainly isn’t free of blame for the situation all three find themselves in, she is the only one to own the fallout and condemnation, left on her own to cover and shield two people who prove repeatedly to be uninterested in returning the favor.

It would be easy to argue that Quinn had little choice in bearing the substantial weight of her traitor’s cross, physical evidence of her “betrayal” of Carey publicly flouted and completely indisputable to give her nothing to deny, however, she is presented with the opportunity again and again to share her burden by giving voice to Carey and Blake’s secrets yet she remains admirably silent. She recognizes her role in the events leading up to her current ostracization, never wallowing in self-pity because she knows that every finger she points at either Carey or Blake could be turned and pointed right back at her, and while her treatment at the hands of those who’ve known her her entire life is despicable, Quinn brings a wobbly smile to our faces as she stands strong against the onslaught.

Heartbreaking and beautiful, If I Lie creates in us a tangled mess of conflicting emotions as we attempt to sort through the splintered remains of what seemed months ago to be the perfect life. Though Quinn is the one issued the gag order disguised as a plea from a desperate and hurting friend, we feel its effects just as strongly, longing to open our mouths and spill the truth of Carey, Blake, and Quinn to anyone and everyone who will listen as though speaking it aloud in our reality will somehow provide her relief in hers. While we desperately want to hate Carey for what he’s inadvertently forced Quinn to endure, Ms. Jackson crafts all her characters in such away that our anger fades in the face of the individual pain each of them faces, and we read eyes wet with tears as we wonder if, after everything that’s happened, the truth is even capable of releasing any of them their secret-lined bindings.

Rating: 4.5/5