Book Review: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Raven Cycle #1
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Pages: 409
Read it in: 3 days
Source: ARC from the publisher

Summary: It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

LC's Take:

"There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve, Blue. Either you're his true love...or you killed him." 

With a darkly prophetic tag line like that, I knew pretty much right away that I had to read The Raven Boys. I've never read a book by Maggie Stiefvater before, but I can definitively say that I was not disappointed! With its diverse cast of characters and supernatural mystery and adventure, The Raven Boys was a really awesome and unique story that stood out from a lot of other YA...

Blue Sargent lives in a family of clairvoyants-- her mother is a psychic, along with the other women who live at her house. Blue doesn't have the gift of clairvoyancy, but she does have the ability to give energy to people and places, making supernatural occurrences much more likely when she is around. When Blue meets Gansey, one of the "the raven boys" from the elite Aglionby Academy, she is pulled into the supernatural rather unexpectedly, as they search for the legendary lost Glendower, an ancient Welsh king who is said to be hidden along a powerful ley line in Blue's town of Henrietta-- and can be re-awakened by whoever finds him.

So the thing that I loved most about this book was how much depth and complexity Maggie gives to her characters-- they aren't just there to add filler to the story; they have histories, they have inner conflict, and they have imperfections that make them seem real. It was this kind of in-depth character analysis that made me feel invested in the story, because the people I was reading about were easy to picture and relate to. Gansey, born to a life of privilege, worries that he'll never do anything meaningful in his life and is passionately driven in his quest to find Glendower. Ronan, who appears so dark and cold-hearted at first, turns out to have a very kind heart and strong sense of justice. Adam, who has a very troubled home life, struggles with overcoming his miserable life circumstances. Told from multiple points of view, Maggie lets the reader into the minds of her characters and you feel as though you really know them...

Except-- and here was the *one* thing that bugged me about this book-- I never felt like I got to know Blue Sargent as a character. This really surprised me, because I felt so connected with all the other characters in the book, even the minor ones-- but Blue, who is the main character, seemed very vague to me. Besides the fact that she has a special energy about her that can increase the force of supernatural occurrences (and the fact that she has an absolutely horrible sense of fashion and dresses like an 80-year old cat lady), I never felt like I was able to get a grasp on her personality. She was just... there. It was as though I could see things happening around Blue but she herself was very underdeveloped as a character, and I found this to be really strange, considering how vividly all the other characters were portrayed.

Besides Blue being a somewhat underdeveloped main character, I thought that everything else in The Raven Boys was very well done, so don't let that throw you off. The story and the pacing of the plot were done just right, and kept me anxiously turning the pages. Throughout the book, you can tell that there is something very strange going on, but you aren't given enough information to be able to fit all the pieces together right away. I loved this kind of suspense and build up, where as I read I learned a little bit more about all the characters and how they were connected and what was going on. And the supernatural in this book was made even better by Maggie's haunting and beautiful writing style-- everything flowed and made this book very easy to read.

So overall, I think that The Raven Boys stood out as a unique take on the supernatural genre, and I would highly recommend it if you are looking for something different. The end left me wondering what will happen next, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where this series goes!

 ~Cover Talk~ 

I am insanely in love with this cover-- I know it is really simple, but I think that is what makes it stand out from other YA book covers. And I only have the ARC edition, but they still splurged on the cover art-- The painted image of the raven is gorgeous, and both the title and Maggie's name are in raised lettering. The entire thing is on a shimmery paper, and what I really love most about the cover art for this book is that it doesn't appeal to only one group of readers-- it doesn't scream "YA!!" and it isn't directed only at girls by featuring a model in a fancy dress. I think that this is the kind of book cover that is eye-catching without trying too hard-- it's simple and beautiful, and a little dark and creepy at the same time. What's not to like? ;)

LC's Rating:

A unique and intelligent take on the supernatural, The Raven Boys was a story full of mystery and adventure. Vivid descriptions, deep character portrayals, and a well-paced plot kept me glued to the pages-- definitely a TBR add! 

 

Book Review: When the Sea is Rising Red

Author: Cat Hellisen
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Pages: 296
Read it in: 1 day

Summary: In Pelimburg-- city of storm and sea and spray-- magic is power. Both are controlled by the elite class, who inhale scriven dust to enhance their natural talents.

As the only daughter of the city's founding family, Felicita has a luxurious but narrow life, one that is ruled by a list of traditionally acceptable and appropriate behaviors. When her dearest friend Ilven throws herself over the cliffs and into the sea to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own suicide and escapes to the slums, leaving behind everything she's ever known, including the means to practice magic. Soon she's living in a squat, working as a scullery girl, and falling hard for the charismatic renegade Dash while also becoming fascinated by the strange, thrilling magic of vampire Jannik.

Then translucent corpses begin to wash up on shore. As it becomes clear that Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic that the upper class with their scriven are powerless against, Felicita must decide where her loyalties lie-- with the family she's abandoned, or with those who would harness this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.

LC's Take:

Honestly, I thought that this book was brilliant. That would be my first reaction after reading it. And after that, I would say that it was very unique and refreshing after reading so many YA books that all seem to run together with the same kinds of characters and plots-- I really was blown away. I originally took an interest in this book after I saw Rae Carson's review for it (author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns-- another awesome book) and I ended up reading it in less than 24 hours, which is almost unheard of for me, it was just that amazing!

So what is so great about this book you ask? Well for starters, I thought that it had the most perfect mix of subtle creepiness and dark, dreamy atmosphere. It was the world of Pelimberg-- which almost seemed to take on a character itself with its atmosphere and mood-- that really drew me into the story. The plot centered around a girl named Felicita whose home is a nightmarish place of slums and magic and vampires and sea witches. When the Sea is Rising Red was very much like an Edgar Allen Poe story--the dark and dream-like quality and just the whole eerie sense of foreboding that builds the plot really pulled me in and didn't let me go. There are vampires, selkies, magic, nightmares, and an evil sea witch intent on revenge. There is a Red Death plague rising from the sea, killing off anything in its path. All of these elements combined to create one awesome story and a unique world that is hard to forget.

I also fell in love with Hellisen's writing style and thought that it was totally addicting and hypnotic. This worked perfectly with a story that is filled with hallucinogenic and dream-like states and a plot that builds up suspense slowly but with increasing urgency. Added to this, the writing seemed very Victorian in its style and character dialogue, which is always a plus for me with any book!

Felicita, Dash, Jannik, and the other characters were very intriguing, mainly because they seemed more like actual people than characters you're reading about in a book. They weren't censored or sugar-coated, and they had me totally invested in what was going on to them. Felicita proved herself to be a survivor, and even though there wasn't anything about her that made her stand out as an awesome heroine, I liked her simply because her character wasn't forced. I felt like the author didn't try too hard to make her characters likable, but more to just make them real, and I definitely appreciated that.

Be warned: This book is definitely on the darker and more mature side of YA fiction-- there is sex, swearing, suicide, and lots of drinking laced with hallucinogenics. To put it simply, this book does not censor much of anything. Honestly, it was that kind of edginess that made me like the book even more. Much of the plot centers around upper-class magical families like the one Felicita is from, where the only way they can actually do magic is by snorting a very addictive powder called "scriv." When Felicita runs away to escape an arranged marriage, she is cast into the darkest places of society, and one of her only means of escape from the cold and cruel world is through the drugs of the proletariat-- I wouldn't say that this was glorified in any way; it's just part of the world Felicita belongs to.

So overall, I really enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. I thought it was very unique and Cat's writing style was instantly alluring. I would recommend this book to some of my more adventurous fellow readers, since there are a lot of mature themes in it. But if you're looking for something that stands out from many other YA novels and has a slightly creepy feel to it, I would definitely say check this one out!

~Cover Talk~

Totally dark and creepy to match the story, the cover for When the Sea is Rising Red captured my attention right away. I personally love this cover because it's so chilling, although I've heard other readers say they think it's deceiving because it doesn't really hint at the fact that the story has a Victorian vibe to it-- the cover looks more modern. But I really love it and think it's very eye-catching!

LC's Rating:

Absolutely loved it! Wonderfully dark, eerie, and filled with an increasing sense of foreboding, this book had me totally addicted from the first chapter.

Check it out!
Amazon| Goodreads

ARC Book Review: Glimmer

Author: Phoebe Kitanidis
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Pages: 352
Read it in: 2 days

Summary: When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.

Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

Video Review:

So as you may know, I have started doing video reviews for some of the books I read. Here is my review for Glimmer-- also see my full review below!

 

LC's Take:

So, what would you do if you woke up naked in a strange bed, in a strange room, with a strange guy you've never seen before? And you have zero recollection of how you got there or even who you are? Elyse Alton wakes up in this strange predicament-- and things are only about to get stranger.

Glimmer was a very... interesting story, let me put it that way. For the most part I did enjoy reading it, but at the same time, I felt like it was trying to do too much, and I would've liked it a lot more if the plot hadn't gotten so nuts towards the end. So first, here is what I did like about this book:

The town of Summer Falls that Elyse and Marshall find themselves in was flipping creepy-- and the residents are even creepier. As Elyse and Marshall try to find answers to who they are and what their pasts were like, the townspeople of Summer Falls seem oddly ignorant to anything strange or unnatural going on-- and they also have a weird habit of fainting dead away whenever something negative happens to them. And when they wake up, they can't remember anything. I thought that the eerie atmosphere of the book was done perfectly, it seriously gave me the chills!

I also really loved how the mystery and suspense in this story built gradually-- not too much was given away all at once, and it kept me guessing pretty much the entire way through the book. However, as the story unraveled, I felt like it left me more confused than anything else.

Which leads into the main issue I had with Glimmer, which is that I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the heck was going on for the last half of the book. Now of course, this could just be me. Maybe I just confuse really easy, but I just felt like the plot got sort of "whacky" if you know what I mean, and I found myself stopping to figure out whole chunks of the plot multiple times. And DON'T read any more of this paragraph if you don't want any spoilers, but the whole explanation with the founder Preston putting this occultist magic spell on the town using the waterfall as his power source, and then Marshall having to do all this strange voodoo magic to erase Elyse's memory and save the town, and then the ghosts and the native american spirits-- I was just like, HUH?! I just don't like when plots become super odd and complicated.

But then there was also the fact that when I started reading this book, I was expecting it to be a dystopian, because it takes place in this seemingly perfect town with all this strange, scary stuff going on to these brain-washed people-- and it even says on Goodreads that Glimmer is a dystopian-- well let me tell you, it's not.  Not that that's a bad thing, I just went into it expecting one thing and ended up with something completely different. There's the ghosts and magic, and all of sudden, it's not dystopian, it's actually a supernatural/paranormal-- I don't know, I just got pretty confused with the gist of the whole plot. And the fact that it was sometimes really hard to distinguish between Elyse and Marshall's alternating points of view didn't make things any easier.

I did like the dynamics that played out between Elyse and Marshall, I thought it was awesome how their pasts slowly unravel and we discover piece by piece what their connection is. I can't say I really bought into their romance however, since it was really more physical, lusty attraction than anything else, but whatever, it was still pretty hott so I'm not complaining ;)

Overall Glimmer was a like and not a love. I liked it for the built-up mystery and suspense of the plot and the awesomely creepy atmosphere created in Summer Falls-- it's rare to find an author who can literally create a "mood" or atmosphere so perfectly as Phoebe did in this book, I swear you will get chills from reading it! Unfortunately, I started losing interest in the story about three-quarters of the way through, because there was just too much going on-- ghosts, magic, elemental spirits, memory-erasing, brain-washing-- I felt like the story was trying to do too much, and it just ended up being really overwhelming and confusing for me. I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for a very unique and creative story that takes risks and is different from anything else you've ever read!

~Cover Talk~

While I do like this cover, and think that it is very pretty, it's not my favorite or anything. First of all, something about the color combination isn't all that attractive to me-- the aqua fading into mauve and the lime-green title, I don't know, it's just not the best color combo ever. And second, while yes the doe-eyed model is super-pretty and all-- isn't Elyse supposed to have brown hair, not platinum-blond? So I'm not entirely sure who is supposed to be depicted on the cover!

LC's Rating:

The mystery and suspense in Glimmer kept me guessing and turning the pages, and parts of the story were irresistibly creepy, which will have you on the edge of your seat! My only issue was that the plot became really confusing towards the end.

Book Review: Born At Midnight

Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Series: Shadow Falls #1
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Pages: 398
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

LC's Take:

So I know this probably goes without saying, but I just adore fun books with fun, snarky main characters who make me laugh. I love reading from the voice of a down-to-earth, yet slightly goofy chick who has confidence and isn't afraid to make fun of herself a little. I also love when that same snarky, fun character has a serious side as well, with real emotions and issues that are tough to deal with. And so the main reason I loved Born At Midnight was because Kylie, the main character, was all of the above.

Seriously guys, read this book just because of Kylie, that's all I'm saying! She was an awesome character who was easy to relate to-- you just can't help but love her. The poor girl has to go through so many things throughout this book, including her parent's divorce, dealing with her friend Sara's pregnancy scare, a broken heart from her ex-boyfriend Trey, and then to top it all off, dealing with a major identity crisis! After getting landed at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie has to try and not only figure out who she is, but what she is, since it becomes clear that she's not totally human, but no one can really explain for sure what makes Kylie so different... To make matters worse, she has a creepy ghost she's nicknamed "Soldier Dude" following her around wherever she goes, and even in the supernatural world, it's not a common thing to be able to see dead people.

Another thing I totally loved about this book was that it took place at a summer camp-- and not just any summer camp, but one especially for supernaturals. This was such a fun twist on the typical "boarding school" kind of story, and I thought it made the book both unique and memorable.

And then we have the boy love interests: Trey is the guy who ditched Kylie awhile back, but she can't seem to get over him. Derek is the super-sexy half-fey guy she meets at Shadow Falls Camp, and he was definitely swoon-worthy! And then there's Lucas, a werewolf who's more on the dark and dangerous side, but who Kylie can't help but be equally attracted to. So yes, there was plenty of romance and love triangles and quadrangles going on in this book, but it was still fun to read about! 

The deliciously suspenseful cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter definitely made Born at Midnight impossible to put down-- it was like getting to the end of a TV show that you're just dying to see the next episode of because it ended by leaving you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails to get to the next plot twist. That really made this book fun to read!

The only thing that threw me off a little bit was the gigantic mish-mash of supernatural and paranormal genres-- I didn't mind there being faeries, witches, vampires, unicorns and werewolves all together in the same story,  but then there was also talk about Kylie being "descended from the Gods," and at that point I was just like, whoa whoa-- what?! There are gods in this book too?? Adding in mythology when there are already so many different things going on in the plot made it a little more difficult for me to follow. Oh, and the eyebrow-twitching thing was also a little weird. Basically, supernaturals can "twitch" their eyebrows to get a vibe about another supernatural, and I kept trying to picture this in my head, and every time ended up mentally giggling to myself :)

Overall Born at Midnight was a great book because it had a fun setting and fun characters, and the plot was definitely suspenseful and kept me reading. I would highly recommend picking up this book if you like the whole "boarding school" genre, or reading any kind of supernatural story. 

~Cover Love~

OMGosh, this is total cover love! Not only did this cover draw me in right away with the mysterious picture of the split tree and girl, but it's like, purple and silvery! This is one of those covers that is beautiful anyways, but when you see it in person, it's even better. I also think that the girl looks just like Kylie would look.

LC's Rating:

Awesome characters and a suspenseful story line made this book a must-read! Add in the fact that it takes place at a summer camp for supernaturals, and you have yourself one awesome book-- definitely have this one bumped UP on your TBR lists! :D

ARC Book Review: Perception

Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Series: Clarity #2
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Pages: 288
Read it in: 2 days

Summary: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past. Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

LC's Take:

I really can't explain how freaking awesome Kim Harrington's books are. Clarity was such an amazing surprise-- I had no idea how awesome the story would be-- and Perception was another brilliant mix of suspense, hilarity and endearing characters that was just impossible to put down. Yes, I am totally sold on this series!

Clare "Clarity" Fern has just had one crazy summer. After being at the center of solving a murder case involving a serial killer and her own brother as the prime suspect, she's ready to start a normal school year. But this year Clare is no longer the outcast at school who everybody used to call a freak because of her supernatural abilities-- after solving the case, she's now a celebrity, and everyone's vying to be her new best friend. However, things start getting weird when Clare starts getting letters and gifts from a creepy secret admirer. Then a girl in Clare's Cap Cod town turns up missing. Clare has no idea who she can and can't trust-- or if she'll be next on the list.

Perception was a bit different from Clarity, in that the plot centered more on Clare's relationships with Justin and Gabriel and less on her supernatural abilities. Also, there seemed to be more focus on school drama than on the murder case-- even though there is a murder mystery with a missing girl, just like in the last one. I really loved this book just as much as the first one though, because even if it wasn't quite as involved with the crime, it was just as fun, fast-paced and action-packed. And seriously guys, Kim Harrington is the master of cliff-hangers-- every chapter ended in such a way that I HAD to read the next!

Clare is definitely one of my biggest reasons for loving this series-- she's got major personality, she makes me laugh with her snarky thoughts and comments, but at the same time she's also a very genuine and sincere person. After solving the murder case from the first book, Clare is seriously starting to re-think the reasons she has supernatural powers and how she could use them to save others. Her brother Perry jokes that she's gone into Spider-Man mode, spouting about how "With great power comes great responsibility." But I love this about her character-- while she can be funny and clever, she has a deep-down desire to use her abilities to help others.

Perception is filled with crazy twists and turns, and honestly, I had no idea who the killer was until *almost* the very end. And as far as the romance goes-- well, personally I was rooting for Gabriel the whole time, I'm not really a big Justin fan, but I'll let you read it to see who Clare ends up choosing! Bottom line, this is a deliciously addicting series and I absolutely love Kim Harrington's writing. If you are a sucker for a good story with lots of suspense and humor sprinkled in, I would highly recommend starting these books!

~Cover Talk~

I really love the cover of Perception-- and that is saying something for the design, because I typically do not like white book covers, or at least I'm not drawn/attracted to them. That's actually why I had never planned on reading Clarity, because I wasn't a fan of the cover (although side note: Have you seen the NEW Clarity cover? It's such an improvement!) But anyways, I could be a little biased nonetheless due to the fact that there is a redhead and I love covers with redheads (Go figure, I am one haha). I also love the lighting on the girl's face, the birds in the background, the way the colors fade from the bright gold-red to green-- it's just all around a very beautiful book cover in my opinion! Which do you like better? The first or second?

LC's Rating:

This sequel to Clarity was another amazing murder-mystery story that I could NOT put down! Kim Harrington will keep you guessing till the very end, and you'll still be laughing the entire time. I love this series!!

Book Review: Harbinger

Author: Sara Wilson Etienne
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Release Date: February 2, 2012
Pages: 320
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

LC's Take:

Harbinger was a super creepy, darkly mysterious book with amazingly good writing that was also nothing like what I was expecting it to be. It definitely stood out from a lot of other YA fiction out there because it had such a unique and interesting plot twist-- which I'm not going to give away here, because I want you to be just as surprised and taken away as I was if you decide to read it!

Faye has suffered from terrifying visions and nightmares ever since an incident down at the beach when she was a little girl. Her parents think she is going insane. Heck, Faye even thinks she's going crazy. But she never expects her dad to bring her to Holbrook Academy one day, abandoning her to the sadistic tyranny of Dr. Mordoch and the school's "care takers." The craziness only gets worse, as Faye and the members of her new Holbrook "family" start waking up on the floor of their rooms with red stains on their hands and disturbing drawings on the floor...

So let me just start by saying, holy crap was this book creepy! The mystery was done really well and definitely gave me chills-- I mean, people's hands turning red overnight and strange symbols drawn on the floor and a secret diary and talisman hidden in an old library? Add in some screaming statues and an old set of tarot cards with an unnerving poem on the back, and I was seriously on the edge of my seat!

I also really liked Faye's character, mainly because she was smart and completely aware of what was happening to her. She wasn't some clueless, TSTL bimbo who couldn't put two and two together-- she knows something very strange is going on, has been going on for awhile, and she's absolutely determined to figure out what it is. It made the story so much easier to follow because I was reading from the POV of an intelligent character.

The romance in this book was more understated than a lot of other YA books, which I thought was kind of refreshing. There is some romance going on between Faye and Kel, but for the most part it takes a back seat to focus on the mysterious harbinger plot. I think a lot of readers will like Kel's dark, emo-ish vibe but honestly, he didn't really stick with me as a character, and I don't remember all that much about him...

So with that being said, there were some things I didn't like about this book as well. First of all, the questions Faye asks herself are repeated over and over-- and OVER again to the point where I was like, OK give us some freaking answers already! There was a lot of repetition in other places as well that got to be pretty tedious, and about three-quarters of the way through I was starting to wish that the story would just move forward. Now, I'm one of those people who would almost never DNF a book three quarters of the way through unless it was absolutely putting me into a coma-- I'm just OCD like that-- but just to warn the reader: there is a "hump" to get over in this book, that was kind of frustrating.

On top of tedious parts, there were other parts that were (I thought) very overwhelming. Within the last 100 pages or so there was just so much explanation and background info being thrown at me that I started to get a slight headache. Basically, the mystery unravels of who exactly "The Harbinger" is, and what their purpose is, and it all goes back to like, 5,000 years ago! I don't want to give anything away, but the final part of the book was both totally unexpected and a **little** difficult for me to follow. By the end, I had things figured out for the most part, but I was nervous there for a few chapters that I was going to wind up being completely lost!

Harbinger did end on a positive note for me, despite some hang-ups in the middle. And also, the writing was absolutely beautiful, I have to add that! I was really impressed by Sara's writing style. I'm not sure this book is for everyone, but I would go for it if you are looking for something that will give you the creeps for it's darkly disturbing mystery, or if you just want something really different than other YA fiction out there!

~Cover Talk~

What a unique and eye-catching cover to go along with an equally unique and suspenseful book! And not only is it wonderfully different and gets you thinking (um... why is she blind-folded?), it's also a perfect fit for the plot. You know those books where you're like, what the heck does this cover really have to do with the story? Well, as you read this book you'll realize just how much thought went into the design of this cover. Also, I think that the stark paleness of the girl against the deep blue background is really beautiful. Definitely like this one!

LC's Rating:

Harbinger definitely gets points in my book for creativity and creepiness. This book was nothing like what I had been expecting, and I love being surprised! However, some parts got to be either tedious or overwhelming, which led to confusion. Luckily, things ended on a positive note!

Book Review: Clarity

Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Series: Clarity #1
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Pages: 242
Read it in: 1 day

Summary: When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

LC's Take:

Holy Moly, I absolutely adored this book! In fact, it is one of those rare books that I finished in one day, which for me is a milestone because I am a super slllloooowwww reader. If you are looking for something totally irresistible, filled with tons of snarky humor that'll have you laughing out loud and a murder mystery plot that you can't put down, well then this is SO the book for you!

Clare "Clarity" Fern lives with her mom and older brother Perri in a small tourist town in Cape Cod. Summer is turning out to be just as boring as usual until a girl turns up murdered in a local hotel room. Before she knows it, Clare is being sucked into the murder investigation thanks to her supernatural ability to see memories and flashbacks of other people just by holding objects that they once touched.

To make things even more complicated, Clare is working on the case with two guys-- her cheating ex-boyfriend Justin and the mysterious (and hott) new guy in town, Gabriel, who Clair isn't sure whether to be attracted to or suspect.

OK guys, so Clare? AWESOME character, I absolutely LOVED her! She had so much personality she practically jumped off the pages. The story is told from her very lively perspective and seriously I was laughing throughout the entire book due to her witty sarcasm and snarky humor. Clare definitely became one of the best female protags I have read about in a long time-- she just made the story so gosh-darned entertaining!

The murder mystery plot was great too, very addicting, and it kept me guessing pretty much the entire way through the story. And did I mention that I could NOT put this book down to save my life because every single chapter ended with a huge cliff-hanger that just begged me to keep reading? I love it when books do that, and I flew through this one thanks to the fast pacing and the author's amazing ability to tell a completely engrossing story.

Honestly, I had not been planning on reading this book to begin with, and it was only after I picked it up randomly off the library shelf a couple weeks ago and read the synopsis that I finally decided to give it a try. I am so incredibly glad that I did! I highly recommend this book to my readers, because the humor will have you rolling on the floor laughing and the awesome storyline will keep you on the edge of your seat till the last page. Altogether, Clarity was a wonderful surprise and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book, Perception, when it comes out this March!

~Cover Talk~

Well I have to be honest, I do like this cover, but I'm definitely not in love with it. In fact, it was because of the cover that I didn't pick this book up sooner (Ugh, I know, how superficial am I?!) I think it has something to do with the colors-- for some reason, I'm never really attracted to white book covers, and this one with the white and pale blue just seems sort of washed-out to me. So when I saw it on the shelf next to all those other irresistible rainbow-colored YA books, I just passed it by! Which is totally a shame because this book rocked! Maybe that's just me? What do you guys think of the cover for Clarity?

LC's Rating:

This book was beyond awesome and I am SO glad that I finally got around to reading it. The murder mystery plot was not only impossible to put down; it was also totally hilarious thanks to the snarky main character. I definitely recommend picking up Clarity-- trust me, you won't regret it!

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Quirk Publishing
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Pages: 352
Read it in: 3 days
Source: The library

Summary: A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

LC's Take:

I absolutely HAD to read this book. As a sucker for anything creepy, bizarre, or otherwise strange and phantasmagoric, I had this one on my TBR list from the moment I saw that disturbingly odd little girl levitating on the cover. Add to the fact that the story centers around an abandoned orphanage on a mysterious island?? Yup, I was all about it.

Jacob has just lost his grandfather. At 16 years old, all Jacob has left are memories of the fantastical, sometimes horrifying, stories that his grandfather used to tell him as a child, and the last words his grandfather uttered-- clues to the real story Jacob never knew. Now Jacob wonders if the nightmarish monsters his grandfather spoke of were not just metaphors for the Nazi soldiers that killed his family, but real monsters that still exist somewhere...  and whether they are out to get him like they got his grandfather.

I'm actually not really sure what to say about this one. It's not that I didn't like it, but I had pretty much the same reaction to it as everyone else: it just was not at all what I had been expecting. I think the main problem is that people going into this book are like me-- they saw that extremely creepy cover and flipped through to see some equally creepy old photos and thought that this book was going to be scare-your-pants-off terrific, but then when you get into the actual story it just... wasn't. Definitely no scary-pants-action going on here.

And honestly, it's not that the story was bad-- there was a lot of suspense, some romance, some folklore, some mild creepiness with the villains. But I went into this book expecting something totally different. The kids were not creepy. And I was looking for creepy ghost children. I was looking for a story that gave me chills and shivers and made me jump every time I heard a noise while reading. What I got instead was a good story, but it fell a little flat next to what I had worked myself up to experience.

The concept was really great, and I loved how the pictures were incorporated into the story. That was such an incredibly unique and awesome idea, and it definitely kept me interested throughout the book. The story told through Jacob's voice was very real, incredible funny, and I loved all the uncensored snark and raw emotion that came through from his perspective. Jacob's point of view really made this story come alive for me.

In the end, I was a bit disappointed with this book, despite some great characters and an interesting premise. I really needed this story to amp-up the creepiness factor because I had been expecting a bone-chilling ghost story and got something very different instead. Not bad, just not totally living up to my expectations.

~Cover Talk~

Seriously one of the most intriguing covers I have ever seen. If I was walking past this book, I would stop dead in my tracks to pick it up and see what it was about, even if I was running late to be somewhere. It would be like an involuntary reflex, that's how awesome this cover is. That picture of the levitating girl with the creepy face is so haunting, and the pics on the back of the book are even more nightmarish-- like, super scary! I wish that the story had the same creep-out factor as some of the photos did.

LC's Rating:

A good story with a good premise that unfortunately fell slightly flat for me. I was expecting a very scary, creepy story with freaky ghost children, and got something totally different. It wasn't bad, just unexpected. I did really like the mix of old photos with the story! Altogether, still a unique and intriguing book.

Book Review: Luminous

Author: Dawn Metcalf
Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books
Release Date: July 7, 2011
Pages: 371
Read it in: 3 days
Source: The Library

Summary: As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.

LC's Take:

I like to think of Luminous as a very unique piece of modern art-- you're either going to love it or hate it, and everyone is going to interpret it differently. Now, I actually fall on the side of people who loved this book-- I thought it was creative, different, kind of bizarre, and always surprising!

Consuela Chavez is just your typical teenager-- until one night while she's in the tub, she finds out that she has the ability to step out of her own skin-- quite literally, she can pull it off like she's taking off a sweater-- and put on new skins made of fire, air, and water. I know, kind of creepy, huh? Stepping out of her bathroom, Consuela finds herself sucked into "The Flow," a kind of alternate reality where others with special abilities like her exist in order to save people from untimely deaths. However, once in The Flow, Consuela has no way to get back out and go home. To make matters worse, people start mysteriously dying in The Flow, and Consuela is the only one who can stop the killer.

The best parts about this book were the concepts it presented and the mood it created for the reader. The entire story brings you into this dreamy, almost trance-like state, where it's difficult to tell which end is up. The ideas that it explores were very metaphysical, like, what is the purpose of life? What comes after death? What is the standard for morality? What makes a person good or bad? The thought-provoking questions underneath the layers of imagery and imagination of The Flow had me completely wrapped up in this book.

The one thing that made Luminous difficult to grasp was that the plot and the setting were not clearly defined-- I don't even know how to describe The Flow or what it really was, and the series of events that took place were very much like when you dream-- one minute you're there, the next you're inexplicable somewhere else. I liked how this really gave you the feeling that you were in a dream, but at the same time, it made it tricky to pinpoint exactly what was going on.

I had actually already read a few reviews for Luminous before I read it, so I had a pretty good idea of what the book would be like. Which is probably a good thing, because it's one of those books that is just so wacky and bizarre, that if I went in totally unsuspecting, my first reaction to Chapter 1 would probably have been: What the CRAP is going on!?! Haha but anyways, I knew going in that this book was going to be very different than any others I've yet read. I really did enjoy it, and thought that Luminous was daring, unexpected and creative. I would definitely give it a try!

~Cover Talk~

I've heard mixed reactions about this book cover. Some say it's absolutely stunning. Some say it looks like Photoshop threw up. I for one, really like it. In fact, I was so in love with this cover, it was the number one reason I read the book, that's just how much I like it. It's one of those covers that if it was sitting on the shelf alongside a hundred others, it would make me stop and pick it up without even thinking. The colors, the patterns, the butterflies-- I don't know, I just really love it! And the back and insides of the jacket cover are just as beautiful.

LC's Rating:

Luminous was a super-crazy, very imaginative book like no other I have ever read! Go into this one with an open mind and appreciate the unique concepts and vivid imagery that it presents. I think you will enjoy it if you don't mind something a little different every once in awhile!

ARC Book Review: Darker Still

Author: Leanna Renee Haber
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Pages: 320
Read it in: 3 days
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Summary: The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

LC's Take:

Alright, so I had mixed feelings about this book. There were definitely things I liked, and things I was a little bit disappointed with. We'll start with the likes!

First, the characters were great. Natalie was a strong, smart, unique, and independent heroine whose intelligent thoughts and eloquent account of events had me mesmerized from start to finish. While her rationality compels her to disbelieve what is happening between herself and Lord Denbury, she is still inexplicably drawn to his portrait. Her inquisitive nature and vulnerability were the perfect mix to create a very likable main character. I also liked no-nonsense, slightly kooky Mrs. Northe-- she was the epitome of Victorian etiquette and proper manners, but she had a subtle sense of humor that had me smiling to myself every time she entered the story. Her quirky notions and habits made her both endearing and memorable. And then of course there was Lord Denbury-- talk about melt-your-heart irresistible! Dark, brooding, but with a vulnerable, sweet side that longs to do good in the world, Lord Denbury was the perfect gentleman. He sort of reminded me of Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre, and I think you will fall in love with him too!

The writing was also incredibly well-done. Leanna can take the simplest of movements or gestures and with words, turn them into something stunningly beautiful and real. When Natalie reaches to touch the painting of Lord Denbury for the first time, I could actually see and experience the scene. Furthermore, the narrative of Natalie Stewart was witty, intelligent, descriptive and flowing-- it definitely kept me reading!

The story itself was downright creepy and sent shivers down my spine-- it was eerie and Gothic and the plot built up suspense in all the right places. I loved all of the Victorian literature tie-ins too! Leanna vividly captures a proper and superstitious Victorian society with all of the dark undertones and rigid social rules that characterized the time. Reading like a ghost story of old, Darker Still had plenty of shivers, thrills and creepiness!

However, there were some things about this book that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not trying to turn anyone off from reading this book, but I wanted to point out where I personally had some issues-- probably most people won't even be bothered by these things.

OK, so the first issue had to do with approaching religion and faith in books. I was going to go off on a big tangent about this, but I decided not to. Why? Because it's a personal issue that has nothing to do with the literary merit of the book, and I don't think it's fair to base a review on what I personally believe. Furthermore, I totally understand that much of the story drew its inspiration from Gothic-Victorian elements, which were heavily influenced by religion, spiritualism, superstition, etc. So, while the whole religion thing bothered me somewhat (I won't go into specifics), please disregard this entire paragraph if it's not something that would affect your own enjoyment of the book.

On a (slightly) less controversial note, I sort of thought that this book was a **bit** condescending and derogatory towards men. Now, I'm not saying this was intentional, but I have my reasons for being a little miffed. First of all, nearly all the men in this book were portrayed as being either devilish villains who victimize women, clueless and bumbling idiots, paid cronies, or helpless victims in need of saving. Meanwhile, all the women seemed to be categorized as either fiercely independent and the only ones with enough sense to deal with serious issues, innocent victims of male brutality, or glorified saints and angels. Added to this, Natalie tends to hint at the superiority of women over men, describes her father as though he's nothing more than a child, and mentions repeatedly how unfairly women are treated-- but then makes some rather unfair stereotyped statements about men. Maybe it sounds like I'm being too uptight, but I think that if we read a book written by a male author where all the women were made out to be clueless bimbos and all the men were awesome, we would be pretty offended, so it's only fair to have it go both ways in my opinion... let's not stereotype please! Yes, it is true that women were mistreated and not given equal rights in the 1800's-- and still aren't completely even today. I get that, so I really don't need to be reminded every dozen pages. This only makes me feel like some kind of hidden agenda is being pushed on me, and I don't like that very much.

I also thought that the plot began to drag somewhat, due to the fact that there was so much description and explanation. And the story just got so convoluted! I mean, we've got Christian dogma, Biblical stories, Spiritualism, Mysticism, magic, spells, witchcraft, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Latin incantations, demons-- it was very difficult to sort out and then process the gigantic mish-mash of plot twists. The ending got to be pretty lengthy due to all these conflicting elements, and it took a long time for all the loose ends to be tied up. (You know how at the end of The Lord of the Rings movie there are like half a dozen points where you THINK the story is about to end, but then it just keeps right on a-going? Yeah, similar story here. Side note: I LOVE LOTR, I just thought it was a funny comparison!)

Altogether this was a tough book for me to review because I had so many conflicting opinions about it. Added to this, some of my hang-ups were personal, and while I wanted to stay true to myself and at least mention them, I didn't want them to bias my review. Still-- personal opinions aside-- the writing was awesome, the narrative and dialogue were wonderfully done, and the Gothic-Victorian elements made for a dark and creepy story that was very unique. It did feel to me a little drawn-out towards the end, and I didn't like some of the main characters' opinions. But overall I'm pretty sure that this book will appeal to most readers, and be thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining!

~Cover Talk~

I do like the cover for Darker Still-- I think that the deep purple background goes really well with the purple dress, and I like the glow coming from behind the model for Natalie. However, after reading the book, I think that the model, the dress and the cover all look too modern for the Gothic, Victorian themes and the old-fashioned narrative that the story was told through. The model is very pretty, but not at all how I would picture Natalie! Still, the whole effect is very eye-catching, and I think it will appeal to a lot of readers.

LC's Rating:

Darker Still is a unique and imaginative story that mixes Gothic-Victorian tones with mystery and suspense. Despite some personal hang-ups that I had, I think this was very well-written and that most readers will really love it.

Book Review: Through Her Eyes

Author: Jennifer Archer
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Pages: 384
Read it in: 2 days

Summary: The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar-- a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal-- that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality-- before she loses touch with her own life forever.

LC's Take:

Have you ever read a book that catches you totally by surprise? You're just working your way through your TBR list, and happen upon a book that doesn't particularly stand out to you, and then by page 2, BAM! You're completely, irreversibly HOOKED. You can't stop reading, the characters are jumping off the page, the scenes are so vivid you feel like you're right there, and the story is so incredibly addicting, you can't stop thinking about it. Yeah, that pretty much describes my experience with this book.

I picked up Through Her Eyes without any preconceived ideas-- yes, the cover is pretty awesome, the story sounded pretty good-- but it's not like I was super-excited about it or anything. But then I started reading. From the first couple pages, I knew this was going to be a really, really good book.

Tansy Piper has just moved to Cedar Canyon, a small West Texan town in the middle of nowhere, with her mom and grandpa. The house they move into is very big and very old-- and it also happens to have a very disturbing past. Long ago, a boy named Henry lived there. One night, Henry jumped off the bridge into the canyon, and now it is rumored that his ghost still haunts the old house. Soon after moving in, Tansy discovers a journal that once belonged to Henry, along with a crystal pendent, and a pocket watch. For some reason, Tansy feels inexplicably drawn to Henry's past, and soon she finds herself becoming more and more wrapped up in his dark and troubled world. Is she going crazy? Or is she really being haunted? The only way she'll be able to find help is by finally letting her guard down and learning to trust other people.

I loved the characters in this book, because the author gives them history, motives, and depth. Tansy Piper, for me, was a wonderfully flawed character, and I really felt for her throughout the story.  I got to know her past, her pain, her fears, her passions, and her hopes. Tansy has been on the move her entire life, going from one city or town to the next-- she's known what it feels like to be an outcast and what it feels like to be betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. The emotions and thoughts that run through her head and the inner struggles she has felt very real to me, and I was definitely able to connect with her.

And then there was Papa Dan. Papa Dan was hands-down one of my favorite secondary characters ever. Over eighty years old and suffering from dementia, Papa Dan barely ever says a word, and yet JA creates a tragicomic character who you can't help but love like your own grandpa. Throughout the book, I laughed and cried, as Tansy learned to appreciate all the memories she had with Papa Dan, while learning that she has to let go of him eventually.

The mood set in this story was eerie, yet irresistibly alluring. The small town of Cedar Canyon completely draws you in until you feel like you're actually there, and really can see through Tansy's eyes. The story itself moves along at a bit of a slower pace than others I've read-- there's a good amount of internal dialogue as Tansy struggles with what's going on-- but I didn't mind because I was so thoroughly invested in the main characters. Also, I had to see how everything ended!

I could probably say a million different things about this book, about how I couldn't put it down (I couldn't), about how brilliant the writing was, about how easy it was to understand and follow the characters because we know their history, but I feel like that still wouldn't be doing it justice. I will just end this review by saying, give this one a chance, because it completely threw me off guard and exceeded my expectations. Beautiful, mysterious and haunting, Through Her Eyes was one amazing book.

LC's Rating:

I went into this book without any kind of expectations and absolutely loved it-- extremely well-written with unforgettable characters and an addicting story, I won't soon forget this one!

Book Review: The Replacement

Author: Brenna Yavonoff
Release Date: September 21, 2010
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 343
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a tattooed little princess. He is a Replacement-- left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us. He just wants to play bass guitar and find out more about an oddly intriguing girl named Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the slag heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

LC's Take: 

So to put it simply, I was not a fan of this book. Like, at all. Actually, I kind of hated it. I'm really not sure what I was expecting it to be, but I definitely wasn't thinking it would be a lame high school drama mixed with painfully dull characters and even more painfully boring and lackluster writing. I guess the cover is what attracted me to read this book in the first place, but honestly, great packaging and poor content does not equal a good book.

First, there were the thoroughly unlikable characters: Tate was an angry stalker full of contempt towards Mackie, Roswell was a total perv who treated women like pieces of meat, Mackie's parents were typical and stereotyped and completely unwilling to do anything useful, and everyone else was easily forgettable. I didn't like these characters, therefore I didn't care what happened to them.

Then there was Mackie Doyle, the "tortured soul" main character. Usually I love reading from a guy's point of view (Ship Breaker, Leviathan-- amazing.) but I could not connect with him at all. All Mackie seemed to do was a.) be pale and emo b.) get nauseous or faint every time he was around metal or blood or loud noises or strong smells or slight air currents, or c.) lust after Alice the slutty hot girl in school, or d.) talk about how incredibly fake everyone is in town. It got old very quickly. I have a difficult time sympathizing with a character who does nothing but whine and complain all the time, even if it's for a legitimate reason. In the end, Mackie was just a male version of Bella Swan-- empty, dull, bland, vapid--  and I couldn't bring myself to care about what happened to him either.

Speaking of tortured, the writing was just awful. It was serious work just trying to slog through each chapter. To give you some idea of what I'm talking about, imagine reading something like this for 340 pages, and you'll get the picture very quickly:

"I yanked off my T-shirt and pulled the shades down. Then I lay down with my face to the wall and pulled the covers over my head. I woke up with a jolt. It was dark. My phone was buzzing on my bedside table, and I rolled over.... I wanted to go to sleep. The phone just kept buzzing."

Soooo... have you fallen asleep yet? I don't know, but for me, this kind of writing is incredibly bland and formulaic: I woke up and did a. It was b and c. Then I did d. I felt e. Then... blah, blah,blah. I just can't stay focused on writing like this! It's almost as exciting as watching paint dry. 

And then, how about character dialogues like this?

"Come on, you don't want to miss this. 'Tis the season for girls to dress like hookers. We'll catch up with the twins, get a little socially lubricated. I have this feeling that Alice is particularly looking forward to your company."

Are you kidding me? First off Brenna, nobody talks like that. In my 4 years of high school and 6 years of college, I've not once heard anyone use the term "socially lubricated." Second of all, no one is going to like characters who either are hookers or who label girls as being hookers or obsess over girls because they dress like hookers. Maybe people do this, but that doesn't make me want to read about them, and it sure doesn't lead me to care about what happens to them. Furthermore, I would not recommend a book that makes women out to be hoes or treats sex so casually. I'm not being unrealistic or a prude-- I just find it to be completely unnecessary when it has nothing to do with the plot or the characterization. If you have an awesome story and brilliant writing, you don't need to waste your time or the reader's with cheap add-ins about getting trashed and banging the popular girls at school. 

Another aspect of the writing that drove me crazy were all of the contradicting statements. I'm guessing they were intentional, but I didn't understand the point of them, except to make me really confused:

• "She looked strange and fantastical and startling and normal." (How do you look strange and normal at the same time?)
• "...when I glanced in the mirror again, I recognized myself, and I didn't." (So... did you or didn't you?)
• "As soon as I reached the bottom of the ravine, I felt desperately relieved. And much, much worse." (Umm... relief means alleviation and the removal of pain, so... how would you feel worse if you were relieved??)

Finally, I hate obvious plot holes-- even little ones. I consider myself to be a halfway intelligent person, and I don't appreciate books that try to breeze over contradictions like I'm too stupid to notice. So, if I'm reading along and something clearly makes no logical sense based on what the author has already laid out, it drives me right up the wall. For example:

• Mackie is supposed to act like a "normal kid" and not get noticed. Yet some days he has completely black eyes-- don't you think that someone would maybe, just maybe, notice something that freaky?
• Mackie is hypersensitive to loud noises, like doors that close too fast-- and yet he can go to heavy metal rock concerts with mosh pits and be just fine. WHAT?
• So, Mackie can drink beer out of a can, huh?? I thought he was deathly allergic to metal in any form.
• Every seven years the town gives one of their children to the underworld demon-creatures and they, in turn, make the town "prosper." So I was picturing something like out of the Stepford Wives-- beautiful mansions, manicured lawns, everything perfect to cover-up something ugly. But not once is the town described as perfect or prospering-- in fact, it's run-down and poor. So I don't get it-- what was the point of sacrificing a kid every seven years?

I will end by just saying that this book wasn't for me. That doesn't mean it isn't for anyone, but I personally disliked it to no end. The writing was stale and stilted, the characters were completely unlikable, the dialogue was fake and cheesy, and the premise-- while intriguing-- was never able to reach its full potential. I did finish this book, trying to give it a chance, but in the end, there really was nothing about this book that I liked. 

LC's Rating:

Poor writing and bad characterization ruined this book for me. Which is sad, because the plot could have worked. Altogether, a big disappointment.