Romeo Redeemed

Author: Stacey Jay
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Random House Children's Books (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: eARC
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.
Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

My Thoughts:

WARNING: If you haven't read Juliet Immortal, this may contain spoilers.

When we first come into the story, Romeo is suffering in his rotted corpse.  An Ambassador comes back and gives him a chance to redeem himself and come to the light.  He gets sent to an alternate universe where Ariel hasn't died.  He is put back into Dylan's body right as Ariel discovers he went out with her on a bet.

And he has like, three days to make her completely fall in love with him.

I loved the concept of both Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed.  Because Romeo and Juliet is such a well known play, I loved the idea that Stacey Jay made her own twist with paranormal elements.

Also, I really enjoyed that Romeo wasn't a truly horrible person like I previously thought, and that we got some major insight into his reasonings for what happened back in 1304.  He was really naive and made some really bad choices (obviously).

But, I struggled a lot with the insta-love.  I mean, all he did was buy Ariel things and pay attention to her for a day and a half and she fell madly in love with him.  There was no real merit to their relationship at all besides that.  At least in my mind.

And so when the romance happened, there were no butterflies fluttering in my stomach, because it was just so fast.

The Mercenaries and the Ambassadors, quite frankly, both sound like messed up sides.  The Friar was one messed up dude.  Personally, if I were to die, I just want to be dead, not having to choose sides and living in mist until I'm needed. Just sayin'.

So while I did enjoy reading this book, I definitely did have some issues with the insta-love aspect of it.

Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Random House Children's Books (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: eARC
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
 The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

My Thoughts:

This is my first ever Sarah Rees Brennan book and all I can say is, what the heck was I waiting for?!

Kami is absolutely hilarious.  She hears a voice in her head, a boy named Jared, and they have spoken to each other this way since they were born.  The fun thing about Kami is that she hasn't been quiet about hearing the voice, and she doesn't seem particularly perturbed by it. In fact, it's quite comforting.

She doesn't seem to be afraid to voice her opinion, and she takes charge on things and isn't afraid to jump in.  She's one of the quirkiest characters I've read in a while and I loved her.

The Lynburns have returned to Sorry-in-the-Vale when the story starts.  Rumors and whispers have been heard about them and people seem frightened.  Kami ends up befriending both Lynburn boys, Ash and Jared.  She realizes Jared in person in the same Jared that is in her head.

Talk about creepy.

What I loved about their "romance" was that it was completely unique.  They are both incredibly uncomfortable with the fact that their "imaginary friend" has a face and is a real person. Kami doesn't want him to be in her head all the time, and she doesn't want him to love her just because he can be in her head.  It's kind of a strange situation.

The Lynburns actually do have an air of mystery around them, and I found myself surprised at some parts of this book, particularly relating to Kami and Jared.

The banter in this book is hilarious and I loved that not only is Kami's family present in this book, but they have personalities too!  Her dad, in particular, was quite funny.  And she has brothers, Ten and Tomo, and they were present too (and had personalities!)

I did find that sometimes Unspoken was so humorous, that parts were hard to take seriously, when they were being serious.  Other than that, this was a great read and I can't wait to read more!

Velveteen

Author:  Daniel Marks
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Random House Children's Books (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: eARC
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that's not the problem.
 The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it's not a fiery inferno, it's certainly no heaven. It's gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn't leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what's really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she's figured out just how to do it. She'll haunt him for the rest of his days. It'll be brutal . . . and awesome.
 But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen's obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she's willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can't help herself when it comes to breaking rules . . . or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.

My Thoughts:

I literally made it two pages into this book and I was just enthralled and horrified all at the same time. The story starts with Velveteen trashing Bonesaw's house, again.  Soon after, she discovers another victim in his shed.  She's angry and horrified and vows to try and help this girl escape.

The descriptions and the emotions depicted from being brutally murdered were intense and made my skin crawl.  This is not a book for the faint of heart.  I couldn't help but understand Velvet's anger and bitchiness.  That's a lot of emotion and fear to die with.

Velveteen technically lives in purgatory and she isn't supposed to be visiting the "daylight" to haunt Bonesaw, but she kinda can't help it.  If you get caught haunting, the consequences are to stay in purgatory forever.

As far as Velvet's character, I loved her.  She was fierce and bitchy and determined.  I felt like her character was so well fleshed out, that I understood her and cared about her.

As far as romance in the story, at first I was kinda iffy on it happening.  It felt really fast without a ton of drawn out angst between the two characters (surprisingly). But then when they finally kissed, it felt right.

The only thing I wish was that more time was spent at Bonesaw's house.  The story starts there but moves to stay mainly in purgatory.

Overall, Velveteen is a dark, thrilling tale that I definitely recommend.

The Color of Snow

Author: Brenda Stanley
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Tribute Books (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: ebook
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.

My Thoughts:

This book hooked me right from the beginning!

Sophie lives with her father and isn't allowed to have friends or visit anyone. She knows of no family or anything, until the authorities discover her and realize who she is, the missing Callidora.

What I liked was that this story flipped between the present day of Sophie, to the back story of her father, the man she grew up with.  It really gave the story more depth and insight into the characters, which was awesome.

Sophie realistically struggles with her new life, and I couldn't help but sympathize with her. Everything she's ever known has been turned upside down.

What I didn't realize upon entering this book was how big a role religion would play into all of this. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, this book is NOT preachy, but there is a lot of discussion of religion in the story, from both her father as well as her new family.

Overall, this was an interesting read and while it wasn't a personal favorite of mine, it was good enough that I can safely say I recommend you try it out!

The Jellybean Crisis

Author: Jolene Stockman
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Author (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: ebook
Release Date: August 1, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love. The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.

My Thoughts:

I'm such a fan of contemporary YA, and this book was no exception.

Poppy has a theory about life, the jelly bean theory. I'm personally not a huge fan of jelly beans, but I loved the way she thought about the different colors and how she applied it to life. It actually made sense to me.

She gets a full scholarship to Columbia, but decides she isn't sure that's what she wants. Poppy ends up getting a gap month (like a gap year but much shorter) to figure out what direction she wants her life to go.

I found this book to be so relatable. It's so common for teenagers to hit that "what does it all mean and where is my life going" phase.

There is some romance in this book, but it's seriously so not the main part of the plot at all. I like how it was just included, kinda like sprinkles on an ice cream sundae. Not necessarily necessary, but a fun add on.

Overall, The Jellybean Crisis is a quick, fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: HarlequinTeen (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: eARC
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Add to reading pile: Goodreads
Rating:

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

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

My Thoughts:

It's been a while since I've read a book that's made me cry. Like, not a cutesy cry either.  I cried because I was frustrated for the characters and their situations, and then I cried because I was happy for them.  Let's be honest here, I was just an emotional mess reading this book.

Echo has scars all over her arms.  It happened one night while she was with her mother (who is bipolar), and she can't remember what happened to get them.  She hides her scars behind long sleeves, no matter the temperature outside, and she has gone from popular girl to unpopular. She's secretive and keeps to herself.

I found her friends (minus one who I actually liked) to be really shallow and I wasn't sorry that she wasn't popular anymore.  They wanted to dictate her life, and would only accept her if she went back to dating her old boyfriend (not old, like literally, but an ex). Who wants to be friends with people like that?

Her father pissed me off to no end. He's controlling and seems to be super preoccupied with his new wife (who is pregnant). I understood Echo's anger.  She's angry because she is scarred and can't remember why, she's angry she has to go to therapy, she's angry that her father doesn't seem like he loves her, and she's angry her brother died.

On the other side, we have Noah. Noah whose situation caused me more tears than Echo.  His parents died in a fire and both he and his two brothers are in foster homes. They've been separated (Noah from his two brothers) because Noah hit his first foster dad (there's an explanation behind it).  Noah was also angry, but obviously for different reasons. He's lost his entire family and he's powerless to do anything about it.

I was so angry for Noah's situation, because 1. he's a minor and 2. no one seemed to believe him or really listen to him.  They just pegged him as a bad kid.  He isn't allowed to visit his younger brothers unless it's supervised visits.

The love in this story is incredible. Both Noah and Echo have issues of their own, and then they try to be together and realize that they have to work through their own issues in order to be together.

It made for one rocky road throughout this book that, like I said, had me bawling at the end.

It takes a lot for me to rate a book 5 stars, but Pushing the Limits earns every single one of those stars and then some.

Glitch

Author: Heather Anastasiu
Genre: YA Dystopian
Source: St. Martin's Griffin (I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
Format: eARC
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Add to reading pile:  Goodreads
Rating:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

My Thoughts:

I find that no matter how much I read dystopian novels, I still don't tire of them.

Zoe, (or Zoel as she's referred to in the Community), has been glitching for some time.  Everyone has a chip inserted into the back of them, and that's how they can link up and get news and information.  Everything is orderly and has a place.

Everyone is basically a human robot with no emotions.

I will say, I was disappointed in the insta-love at the beginning of this book.  I understand that Zoe is waking up to her emotions and discovering new feelings, but she totally just fell for the first boy to really look at her, which would happen to be Adrien.

But then, the story takes a twist.

As far as characters, Max was my absolute least favorite.  He started to really piss me off as the book went on; he was pushy and demanding and angry.

Adrien was the typical boy love interest.  Not really giving Zoe a ton of answers, trying to protect her, so on and so on.  I did get tired of reading the words: glitch, shunting, and godlam.  I know that shunting and godlam were curse words in the book, but it made for awkward reading, from my perspective anyway.

What jumped this book up from a three star to a four star were some of the twists near the end of the book.  I didn't see them coming and it made for some good, "Uh, what?!?"'s when I was reading.

Overall, Glitch is an interesting dystopian that has me intrigued as to what will be in store in the next book.