ARC Review: Heartbeat

by Elizabeth Scott
5/5 stars
Harlequin Teen, 2014
233 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release January 28, 2014

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and loved every Elizabeth Scott novel that has been released so far so it was hard for me that this book was pushed back from an earlier 2013 release. Luckily I managed to score an early copy and sneak it in to my reading schedule before the official release.

Going in, I didn't really know what to expect other than that it is a contemporary. I had decided to treat myself by reading just a few pages as a teaser but soon myself through 20% of the book. I had to charge my e-reader then but quickly returned to finish this book. It was a struggle because despite this book's brevity, it packs quite an emotional punch.

Main character Emma visits her mother every day in the hospital accompanying her stepfather Dan in these tragic circumstances. These are made more so by the fact that her mother is essentially dead and is being kept alive in order to preserve the life of the baby inside her, a decision that Emma believes Dan made solely to beget his progeny and in complete defiance of what Emma's mother would have wanted. The loss of her mother has sent Emma deep into herself; the girl formerly on track for valedictorian is now failing all of her classes, speaks just to her best friend Olivia, and cannot fathom forgiving Dan for his egregious betrayal. However bad boy Caleb starts to catch her eye as she realizes that he is also sinking in grief. Together these two broken people may be able to continue to face the day.

Sadly I don't really have the words to sum up the experience of reading this other than to start with "intense." Emma is so sad and so angry and it is painful to read much of the time. I've been very blessed in this arena and don't have any experiences to compare but just reading about her pain was emotionally difficult. I thought Scott did an excellent job of varying the descriptors and bringing out all the facets of Emma's emotions-she's never just sad or angry or regretful but all of these and so much more over the course of the book.

One element that made me especially happy was Emma's commitment to being a good friend to Olivia and to celebrate her normality like when the boy Olivia likes likes her back! This is explicitly represented in the book and it made me happy as I've read in the blogosphere and observed myself in books how sometimes the main character just completely shuts out her best friend or doesn't even have them before being brought into a supernatural world by the hero. This book defies that stereotype.

Though there is a dreamy boy (Caleb is definitely a ten!), his emotional presence plays the biggest role for Emma here. He has also experienced death and the pall grief casts over a family so he is able to fully empathize with Emma here and be a suitable partner. Though I prefer Will in Perfect You, Caleb is a perfect match for Emma.

Overall: A heartwrenching novel about an incredibly difficult period in one's life; beautifully written.

Be sure to come back in January as I will be hosting a giveaway to coincide with the release date!

ARC Review: Crash Into You

by Katie McGarry
3.5/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
489 pages
YA Contemporary Romance
Scheduled to release November 26

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I tend to shrink away from the extreme melodrama of books like Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, I still sometimes find myself drawn to them, craving the beautiful romance that sometimes emerges as well as the addictive writing. After reading the blurb for this book included in Dare You To, I had extremely high expectations for this story of Isaiah. We've seen him in the previous two books and it seemed high time that he got to tell his side of the story.

All started strong. Isaiah is a tough foster kid who has spent years cultivating his image so that no one can mess with him: maybe he wasn't the biggest kid to start but now people know not to mess with him; he doesn't have parents but he has his best friend Noah and Echo around him to provide some family; and he has cars and all his knowledge that can provide him a job and a way out of his life.

Rachel appears to be anything but strong. Born as a replacement for a daughter who died of leukemia and battling an anxiety disorder, Rachel's father and four older brothers "protect" her but they can't stop her from sneaking out to drag race, a need for speed that sends her colliding into Isaiah and putting the pair in debt to Eric, a street thug who is bad news.

Like McGarry's two previous novels, this looks at two seemingly disparate young people with practically uncountable problems who are thrust together, fighting an attraction with various degrees of success. We are already very familiar with Isaiah as he is friends with characters from the first two books. As the MC of this book though, more is shared about him. His love for cars is in the forefront and his family history is laid bare as are his convictions that he isn't good enough for a girl like Rachel.

Rachel is a new character to the series and we've not really seen someone like her. She is very rich and privileged but like the saying goes, "Money can't buy happiness." She is the youngest child and is incredibly overprotected due to the fact that her older sister Colleen died of leukemia. The view in the family is that she is there to keep the mother happy, to the extent that Rachel pretends to like purple and shopping like Colleen, downplays her fascination with cars, and hides her anxiety attacks even as they leave her completely sapped of energy, all so that she won't be a burden to her family. I clicked with Rachel's naivety to be honest; when she ventures in to the world of drag racing, she can't quite believe everything that's happening and I couldn't really either.

The real standout, for me and others as I've seen in reviews, was Abby, a drug dealing friend of Isaiah's who easily welcomes Rachel and is welcomed in return. There are several oblique hints at how she got in to the business but it's kept vague, indicating to me that she will be getting her own book at some point. As book 4 is about Rachel's brother West and a new character Haley, I am hoping book 5 will be Abby's and I'm sure there are others who've read this book that feel the same!

More of an enigma was Eric. First I know an Eric who is nothing like this villain so it was hard for me to keep seeing his name. Second this Eric is nineteen but seems to be in charge of a large swath of territory with his hands in many pots. As I confessed, I certainly overlap Rachel in naivety so I don't know if that young age is really plausible for his position but I suspect it's a bit unlikely. I felt a lot of menace from him though he wasn't nearly as frightening as Rachel's dad when he discovers what she's been hiding being that the father is a very rich and therefore powerful man who likely has many connections to law enforcement that he can call upon.

My biggest problem with this book (as I think it was for the previous two) is just the lack of communication between people. Rachel could have shared with her family on multiple occasions about her anxiety and her feelings as a stand-in for Colleen. It would have been hard, so hard but also so worth it to perhaps face her anxiety attacks and give her some piece. Similarly I wish they had felt comfortable turning to more of the people around them to fulfill their debt to Eric as they do have people in their corner. I feel like that's one of the conditions for melodrama though-people can't share what's going on or problems are headed off before they even occur. I also think I'm a pretty blunt and honest person so this whole "not sharing things that really bother you" thing is kind of foreign to me.

Overall: I don't think I will ever be completely won over by this category of melodrama but I remain committed to the series and look forward to more of the cheeky Abby.

Other Opinions:
A Belle's Tales
Alison Can Read
Belle's Bookshelf
I'm a reader; what about you?
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics-review day twins!
Love is not a triangle
The Reader Bee

ARC Review: Pawn

by Aimee Carter
3/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
346 pages
YA Dystopia
Scheduled to release November 26

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In a future America, rankings are assigned at age seventeen to put you in your place. Get a IV or up and you're set; III or lower and you're basically dead. Kitty, an orphan in a group home, knows this and laments her III status planning something desperate before being snatched up and brought into the wealthy enclave of the ruling Hart family to replace the dead niece figurehead Lila. Upon being inducted into the family, she realizes just how much of a pawn she is within the politics of the family but also starts to grasp how powerful a pawn can be when making the right moves (there is actually a conversation about pawns in chess and how they can end up being the most powerful so this comparison is fairly stressed even within the context of the book.)

I didn't have the best experience with Carter's The Goddess Test so I was leery of trying more of her writing. Still I thought For about the first third of the book, I was thinking I had really second-guessed the plotting. Then things really started happening and I got confused, leading to me feeling muddled and overall mixed-up about this book.

The setup was fascinating. Right away we see Kitty who has a good head on her shoulders but cannot read, making the test nigh on impossible to pass. Her unique eyes are what rescue her and insert her in to the Hart family. All of that setup was fine. Even the first few chapters of her acclimating to life as Lila were acceptable. However she soon starts getting involved with the family and discovering more about the rebellion against their dictatorship, which is when secrets start to emerge. Of those secrets, I was genuinely shocked by them but the impression of them mostly left me confused-I just could not picture those scenes in my head and I can't be more explicit without entering spoiler territory unfortunately.

Before that part I was really enjoying myself though. Kitty is a very sympathetic character and I was rooting for her as soon as I understood the implications of being branded a III. Of the people she meets in her new life, I really liked Greyson, her sweet cousin who seems the least conniving of the bunch. I also appreciated that there wasn't really a love triangle. Kitty remains firmly committed to her childhood boyfriend Benjy despite being involved with Lila's fiance Knox.

Lasting impression: Be prepared for a wild ride as we move very quickly through plot points with revelations unfolding in practically every chapter with only more secrets to be unraveled. I'm not sure I'm involved enough with the characters to want to continue with the series but I do highly encourage fans of dystopia and those who are tired of love triangles to check this one out.

Other Opinions:
Getting Your Read On
I Swim For Oceans
The Best Books Ever
Young Adult Book Haven

Witchstruck

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
3.5/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
303 pages
YA Historical Fantasy

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a bit surprised not to have seen more reviews of this. Though historical fiction, it does feature witchcraft and HarlequinTeen is an imprint I trust to put out the kinds of books I tend to like. Though this one was not an all-around winner, I am still curious enough to want to try the sequel, due March 2014.

Going back to 1554, Lady Elizabeth is under house arrest under suspicions of treasonous dealings against her sister Queen Mary who is preparing to marry the Spanish Catholic Prince Philip, perhaps birthing an heir and forever stifling England in Catholicism. Accompanying Elizabeth is a small cohort including Meg, a witch who must navigate her own tricky path in deeply superstitious patriarchal England.

This book initally caught my attention due to its historical setting (I adore Elizabeth but haven't read much about her life under her sister's reign) combined with the paranormal element of witchcraft, being that fear of witches and their persecution was rampant, women without a male's protection being especially vulnerable to such a charge.

What's striking to me in hindsight is comparing Elizabeth and Meg's journeys over the course of the book. Though neither gets to travel much given that Elizabeth is under house arrest for almost the entire book, they share many parallels. Both are young women whose mothers died young with rather uncaring fathers, currently under the control of someone else's indifference. Both would be given in marriage by others for political gain (Elizabeth to a royal prince, Meg to the powerful local witchfinder). And both attempting to wrangle power as Elizabeth wants to cement her position as heir to the throne and Meg wants to consolidate her witchly powers. Both would also like to just plain survive, which is threatened at several points.

The problem comes about as I was absolutely fascinated with Elizabeth but less enthralled with Meg, who is our main character. I thought Meg was kind of dumb and unduly possessed with growing her powers especially as she's under almost constant surveillance. I would prize survival higher and it's only when she's almost caught on several occasions that she ever really considers this. I was frustrated with her at several parts for the dumb choices she made though I do admire her determination to correct the wrongs.

Probably my least favorite part was a budding romance with a Spanish priest Alejandro who is planning to join an order that does allow for marriage albeit with some vows of chastity for most of the year (this is told to us several times). I was not charmed by him though he's certainly the best male character depicted as almost every other male is absolutely vile. I was not feeling the sparks!

Overall: This book just lacked some magic for me-I found the writing easy enough to follow but I wasn't thrilled with anything. I plan to check out book two and hope for more amazement there.

Cover: I love the colors and seeing Woodstock but I'm not really a fan of what we can see of the girl's face-it's just awkward.

Other Opinions:
Buried in Books
Inspiring Insomnia
The Reader Bee

Ink

Ink by Amanda Sun
3.5/5 stars
Harlequin Teen, 2013
350 pages
YA Paranormal Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

On the one hand, I feel bad for this book because it might have been a victim of my feeling sick, which made me a little impatient with books. On the other hand, it has earned a wide variety of reviews from the very negative to the very enthusiastic so maybe the way I physically felt doesn't really affect anything. My general impression of this book is pretty meh. I didn't fall in love but nothing left me outraged. It just was.

This book has a lot of positives in its favor: it is set in Japan and cultural differences are conveniently noticed by American-born and raised Katie who initially feels like she will never adapt to her new life. Of course she does though, attending Tea Ceremony practices, learning kendo, making friends, and meeting a boy Tomohiro, who plays a pretty big role in changing her mind. After accidentally spying on Tomo breaking up with his girlfriend and seeing one of his drawings move, Katie becomes very curious to learn more, finding herself drawn to him despite the potential danger he represents.

Like I said, I wasn't really feeling this book. There was nothing to make me angry but I never found myself passionately drawn into it. I liked Katie well enough and strongly empathized with her feeling out of place especially as she had only a few months of frantically studying Japanese before her full immersion. The other characters were also fine although as she meets Tomo pretty early on in the book, he soon comes to pretty much dominate everything about her world. I would have liked more about her platonic friendships (also more descriptions of the food, which sounded amazing!)

The paranormal concept is really cool-Tomo has the ability to bring his ink illustrations to life, which is dangerous to him and those around him (like the friend who was once attacked by one of his drawings) as well as the fact that there are those who would use this power for evil. I'm a little unclear on the best way to harness the power as it seems more likely to hurt the drawer than anyone else. I also really loved that illustrations were included-this would probably be a beautiful book to own in hardcover.

One note about this e-copy: I was pleased to discovery that it did have a glossary at the end after struggling with some Japanese words throughout the text. If you pick this up, be sure to utilize the glossary as I was really wanting one before I stumbled upon it. That's the difficulty with e-books-it's hard to flip to the end!

Overall: An average read that takes advantage of its atypical setting.

Other Opinions:
A Reader of Fictions
Finding Bliss in Books
Great Imaginations
My Shelf Confessions
Young Adult Book Haven

Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend

Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend by Louise Rozett
4/5 stars
Harlequin Teen, 2013
288 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the biggest book revelations for me last year was reading Confessions of an Angry Girl. I was just blown away by its compulsive readability and the relatability of main character Rose. The ending was a bit abrupt, which makes sense when you realize there is a sequel covering Rose's sophomore year of high school and chronicled in this book.

The book opens in the summer and follows Rose through another crazy year at school: continuing to deal with the aftermath of her father's death, her anger with both parents and her older brother, drama at school, and of course her ongoing crush on Jamie Forta who is almost her boyfriend if not for a ton of extenuating circumstances.

As in the previous book, I appreciated Rose's vocabulary and the care she took to express herself to the best of her ability, which is far more eloquently than a lot of us could manage especially as teenagers. She does not always make the best decisions as she acknowledges but she knows right from wrong and she can stand up for right.

I was also touched by some of her self-conscious thoughts, in particular the following quote, which really spoke to me, even today when I am (thankfully) far away from my teenage years:

"What bugs me is that what I see in the mirror doesn't match what I see in my head. In my head, I'm prettier than I am in real life, so when I look in the mirror and see what I see, I feel let down. And also a little crazy. Where did I get that image in my head if not from the mirror?" (page 148)

My big problem nowadays is thinking that I have much thicker voluminous hair (kind of like a Disney princess) when I have quite the opposite. It's often a shock to look at myself in the mirror and realize that I don't have nearly as much hair as I think I do and how that changes my perception of myself. Quotes like this and others really helped me click with Rose.

Of course I couldn't finish this review without mentioning the situation with Jamie. The first book ended with him standing her up and though she tries to shake her Jamie problem she just can't, which is well articulated in the book (there is some kissing). I personally don't much see the appeal of Jamie on his own but I fully understand the way he makes her feel.

Overall: A great sequel-that fans of the first book must pick up (if you haven't read the series, definitely start with the first before moving on to this second; it will make more sense and be more meaningful that way.)

Other Opinions:
Fluttering Butterflies
Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks
Mostly YA Book Obsessed
Pure Imagination

ARC Review: The Girl with the Iron Touch

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
377 pages
YA Steampunk
3rd in series

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have eagerly followed The Steampunk Chronicles since the beginning, reading and reviewing The Strange Case of Finley Jayne, The Girl in the Steel Corset, and The Girl in the Clockwork Collar. Firstly I really enjoy the covers with the beautiful pops of vivid color and with a strong, not-dead young woman. Then, looking at the actual content, I've been drawn to the fun steampunk imaginings, fantastical settings, and healthy dose of romance.

After an outing to America in the previous book, the gang is back on their home turf in London. But their dangers are far from over with Emily falling into danger and everyone mobilizing to bring her back home and to face a not-so-new enemy. I don't want to get too enmeshed in the details for fear of spoilers but rest assured that you get to see all your favorite characters again (including blogosphere favorite Jack Dandy.)

Although I have been a bit disappointed not to focus entirely on Finley, who I think is so cool and who still has layers to demonstrate, it's tough to remain displeased when the focus shifts to the brainy and cool Emily. I love how she's always the smartest one in the room and is fully appreciated for her abilities. Of course we can't forget Griff who continues trying to carry the weight of the world on his own shoulders instead of sharing the burden with his friends. We can try to forget Sam who's never been my favorite character but who keeps working toward redeeming himself to me. And although Jack Dandy is also not very beloved by me, I found him quite charming in this book especially with his "accent." That needs to be explored more.

Two last notes are that this one seemed a little less romantic than the previous books...at least until the end. While we were a bit plagued by love triangles at the start, those have tapered off into the predictable couplings. The other note is that I initially thought this series was a trilogy and yet the ending seems to hint at a possible fourth book. Looking at the author's twitter, that seems to be in the works-thank goodness!

Other Opinions:
Candace's Book Blog
Ladybug Storytime!
The Book Swarm
The Reader Bee

ARC Review: Dare You To

Dare You To by Katie McGarry
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
479 pages
YA Contemporary Issues
Scheduled to release May 28

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In my review of the companion novel Pushing the Limits, I mentioned how much I enjoyed the snippet of Dare You To included with the e-ARC I reviewed-it was one of my favorite parts of the reading experience. Something about Beth's toughness clashing with Ryan's cockiness drew me in and primed me to fall for this novel.

And in fact I did. I would have to say that I preferred this to Pushing the Limits despite its many similarities especially its incredible melodramatic chockful-of-issues plot. I thought Echo and Noah had problems; Beth and Ryan have just as many and all different. But this time I found that Beth and Ryan fit somewhat into my beloved tough girl/sweet guy archetype (although Ryan ain't that sweet ;) and thus their romance worked better for me.

Another bonus for me was that Ryan plays baseball, which brought me back to my real life playing recreational softball, and just gave me happy feelings especially as he wrestled with the opportunity to potentially go to the majors or follow his passion of writing to college and gain more skills there. I loved how important his future was to him even if he didn't always handle the situation to the best of his ability.

Meanwhile Beth exhibits tremendous loyalty even to those who do not seem to deserve it like her junkie mother in some truly heartbreaking scenes-I just wanted to protect her and raise her up in a better environment surrounded by people who would not betray her love and trust.

Like I said, this plot is very melodramatic but if you've already read the first book, you knew that and should be prepared. As last time, the teaser at the end for the next book in the series was one of my favorite parts. I can't wait to spend more time with Isaiah, his new girl, and the world of automobiles.

Other Opinions:
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Novels on the Run
Realm of Fiction
The Midnight Garden

Cover: This isn't ordinarily the kind of cover I like but it is really working for me in this context. Dang, Ryan looks hot!

ARC Review: The Eternity Cure

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
4.5/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
436 pages
YA Dystopia Vampire
Scheduled to release April 30

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Immortal Rules since I did not like Kagawa's Iron Fey trilogy nor do I generally like vampire books. What struck me about the book was when main character Allie was turned from human to vampire, choosing existence over certain death and how her mentor Kanin instructed her that she had a choice over what kind of monster she'd be. These words guided her as she journeyed toward Eden, aiding humans on their quest to find a fully human city among the ruins.

Book two picks up with Allie trying to find Kanin who has been captured by a crazed vampire who is furious at how Kanin sold out his fellow species to help humans. Because of their blood tie, Allie can track Kanin but she also finds her blood brother Jackal along the way and must form an uneasy alliance with him as the book progresses. I was very impressed with how Kagawa reminded us of what happened in the previous book. Some authors just dive right into the story but she took the time to touch on the foundations and most important plot points to get us ready for what was to come.

Not sure how much of the plot I should reveal as I don't want to spoil anything but some highlights are the return of some of your favorite characters as well as a lot more insight into vampires and the history of this dystopian world. There are many action sequences and a lot of violence. I found the plot a bit less straightforward this time although it is ultimately a quest just like in the first. It is expanding wider to encompass every remaining living creature, setting us up for some epic battles in the conclusion. I kind of predicted something about the ending, which I will address at the very bottom of the review in the spoiler section.

Allie continues to battle her monstrous instincts in favor of her more human feelings. This is by challenged and supported by love interest Zeke. On the one hand, he really does love her; on the other hand, he would taste so dang good! Their relationship is not easy but it has some really good moments here. Kanin was a bit of a disappointment to me here-I loved him a lot in the first book but he was less compelling this go around. That is possibly because of the charisma of Jackal who overshadows most.

Overall: An excellent sequel to The Immortal Rules-you'll want to know what came next!

Other Opinions:
The Book Lantern
Katie's Book Blog
Realm of Fiction
Red House Books
Supernatural Snark

SPOILER DISCUSSION:
As we approached the end of the book, I thought book 3 would be opening with a description of Zeke as vampire because no way was he dead-dead. Then book 2 ends with us knowing he's alive-he has to be a vampire right? Kagawa made such a big deal about how he didn't want to be turned so that's what has to have happened. Do you think Zeke is a vampire?
END SPOILER

ARC Review: Hooked

Hooked by Liz Fichera
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2013
351 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release January 29

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Right off the bat, I would like to say that this book reminded me very strongly of PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry so if that book appealed to you (and I have to say that I saw a lot of positive reviews of it), this one may as well.

Meanwhile I had thought this book would be about drugs, you know with at least the main character hooked on something and struggling to quit, possibly dying in the process. I don't know-I was in a dark place? Anyway, that's NOT at all what it's about.

Like Pushing the Limits, it has two narrators from different economic backgrounds whose paths start to cross leading to romance. In this book, though, the rich kid is the male while the poor kid is the female (so that's a little switch). Ryan's family is white, incredibly wealthy, allowing him the money and time to pursue golf but with that comes little face-time with his parents, incredible pressure from his father to succeed, and a huge sense of entitlement. Meanwhile Fred (her nickname but probably best if you don't call her by her full name) is a Native American whose father works his fingers to the bone, whose mother drinks herself into a drunken stupor most nights, and who craves something more than being a waitress her whole life while struggling to carve out time to pursue her love of golf. When the coach recognizes her skill, he places her on the varsity boy's team, displacing Ryan's best friend in the process and setting off conflict.

For me the main similarity to PtL is that dual narration in addition to the many problems and dramas for both characters. A lot happens and is touched on in this book although I didn't find it too overwhelming. I adored Fred so much-she's in a tough place, facing discrimination and harassment with a mostly calm attitude. Ryan was a lot less sympathetic, coming off as spoiled and selfish for the most part although he comes through in a pinch for Fred near the end.

A surprise for me was the golf element, from which the title derives. To hook a shot in golf is for it to curve severely, missing your intended target. I guess the way the characters' lives make sharp turns makes this appropriate. Like many people, I find golf incredibly boring to watch because it's very slow-moving and the spectators all have to be silent. But reading about it, at least from Liz Fichera, is quite interesting and added some great moments to the story. I've never read a book featuring golf and that added to the uniqueness of the book.

Cover: I wish there had been some element teasing at golf since it plays such a big role in the story. As it stands, it just looks like a generic clean YA romance.

Other Opinions
Good Choice Reading: 4.5/5 stars
Obsession with Books: 3/5 stars
Reading Teen: 4/6 pieces

Speechless

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
282 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had somehow originally confused this author with someone else and had avoided the book because I didn't like that author. Then I started seeing reviews for this book, which reminded me that actually I did like Hannah Harrington's debut Saving June, a standout in the dead sister subgenre as far as I'm concerned. So what's this one about?

1. Chelsea is a blabbermouth, the class gossip, and lackey/bff to most popular girl Kristen.
2. Chelsea sees a male classmate making out with another guy and blurts this news out while drunk at a New Year's Eve party.
3. Kristen's meathead jock boyfriend and friend beat up said gay guy in a parking lot.
4. Chelsea tells the police about their intentions.
5. Chelsea is ostracized at school for hurting their athletic chances and for upsetting Kristen and in response decides to take a vow of silence.

I think the vow of silence idea is so cool! First it makes me think of the Day of Silence, designed to bring attention to the literal silencing of LGBT people. Second I love the idea of this girl who is so careless with her words, starting to pay attention. Once something is out there, it can't be taken back. We need to value our words and be more aware of how they affect people (I think I might be preaching to the choir a little bit here as we're all readers and a lot are also writers-we care about words and their meanings). And third I love that this was inspired by a National Geographic article Chelsea read about a Buddhist monk's vow of silence. Although Chelsea does not manage to go for years without speaking, the time that she does spend allows her some serious time for reflection while also making new friends who actually care about her and aren't judgmental controllers.

Unlike some reviewers, I liked Chelsea from the beginning. I strongly sensed that she had a good heart even her actions didn't always line up and I'm also predisposed to like the narrator as long as she isn't whiny or annoying and I would not classify Chelsea as either of those things. She's just young and maybe hasn't experienced many negative repercussions up until this point in time. Despite Chelsea's vow of silence, because she narrates, we still get a lot of funny moments as well as deep insight into how Chelsea is coping.

As for her supporting cast, I loved them a lot too, especially sweet Asha, the first person to reach out to Chelsea and the one who welcomes her to a new crew including cutie-pie Sam. I mostly liked the way their relationship developed but an incident at the end had me bump my rating down half a star (I didn't think it was very respectful to her parents).

Overall: A must-read for lovers of contemporary especially if you don't usually read "issue" books. Although talking about some important things, this book seamlessly weaves them in without coming across as preachy. There are also a lot of fun moments and the writing is flawless so you should be able to lose yourself pretty easily in the narrative.

Cover: Love it! The white is a big risk but its plainness helps set it apart while also staying true to teh story.

 

Confessions of an Angry Girl

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
266 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to sound really bad but I didn't have very high expectations for this book. I just thought, "Oh cool, YA contemporary. That's my fave genre." And I've read a good amount and they can run together sometimes without the defined mythologies of fantasy or the various disintegrations of order in dystopias. So my expectations were minimal.

What I got though was a compulsively readable story with a very intelligent heroine who I could empathize with very strongly. Not that my family situation is anything like hers. First her father died in Iraq (not as a soldier but as a contractor). Then her shrink mom basically shut down and no longer talks while her older brother Peter throws himself into his first year of college, basically leaving Rose alone. Well, not entirely as she does have her best friend Tracy but Tracy is dating a jerk, seriously contemplating losing her virginity to said jerk, and joins the cheerleading squad in an effort to claim popularity. The two are very much at odds throughout most of the book. One last situation is junior Jamie, who Rose knows through her brother and who she kind of crushes on but who has a terrifyingly mean girlfriend who runs the cheerleaders. So there's a lot on Rose's plate.

Even though the specifics of Rose's situation differ greatly from mine, I still identified with her. Why? Because of her uncertainties in navigating high school for one. Like Rose, I sometimes felt like everyone else had a rulebook or had received some guidance that completely passed me by. And as a teenager I felt very uncomfortable in my skin. Additionally Rose is a good student with an interest in vocabulary, something that should connect with us bookish people.

I thought Rose's narration was excellent with a good balance between levity and seriousness. A prime example of the funny would be the oddly hilarious scene of Rose's first gynecologist appointment. I don't know why that struck me so but I was cracking up. On the more serious side is Rose's attempt to build a website honoring her father, part of her grieving process.

I did have a couple of problems with the book. Firstly Rose at 14 seemed a little young for everything that was happening but I think that is because the author wants to have multiple books covering her years in high school. Second was her crush Jamie. I think the conflicted feelings that Rose had were very well-written as was the kissing (not that this is a kissing book) but I didn't think much of Jamie himself. He certainly wouldn't have been the guy I crushed on.

Overall: I'm so glad I picked this book up because I ended up really loving it and I can't wait to find out how the cliffhanger is resolved in sequel Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend.

Cover: Not my fave but I feel like the block characters convey a certain amount of anger as does the model's posture.

Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
409 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to pick this book up! Three main reasons for that: 1. Lots of buzz from other bloggers including those who don't normally read much contemporary; 2. the fact that I do read a good amount of contemporary and have a special soft spot for it; and 3. I have read and loved a lot of HarlequinTeen books lately and I think they are just hitting it out of the ballpark with their lists of books. But I was also nervous because it seems like heavily hyped books tend to let me down...what would be the case for Pushing the Limits?

As it turns out, I am not one of the people who will gush over this book: not because it was bad or because I didn't like it. It has a lot of good points and I am comfortable giving it four stars. But it is very much not my kind of story. There is drama on top of drama on top of more drama with little humor to lighten the plot and lift my spirits.

I mean, so much drama! One of our narrators (did I mention this was dually narrated between the lead characters? That was a definite plus for me-I love multiple narrators!) is Echo, former popular girl who lost her status following the news of the death of her brother in Afghanistan and then a night she can't remember but that resulted in serious scars on her arms and a restraining order against her mother. The other narrator is bad boy Noah, orphan, druggie, and foster kid who is trying to fight the system to gain custody of his two younger brothers.

Now that is a lot to take in, right? But it's only a snippet of the drama these two go through. Every time I thought they might catch a break, something else had to break. It added layers and ratcheted up the intensity of their circumstances but it ended up feeling too much for me. I know some people love these melodramatic romantic contemporaries but I'm not one of those people. If you are that kind of person, then I definitely recommend this for you!

Another thing is that while I liked the two narrators, I didn't love them. My love is reserved for supporting characters Mrs. Collins, the slightly off-beat school psychiatrist who just might be an adult they can trust; Isaiah and Beth, Noah's two friends who have been as battered by the foster care system as him; and Lila, a true friend to Echo. In fact, one of my favorite parts of this reading experience ended up being the sneak peek at a companion novel following Beth due in 2013; I can't wait for that!

Overall: A strong contemporary if heavy on the drama and light on the comedy.

Cover: Love Echo's hair-very true to the story. Personally I don't think the cover is very dynamic but it suggests a contemporary love story.

Circle of Silence

Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
281 pages
YA Contemporary Suspense

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this on Netgalley and decided to take a shot on something new. After researching it, I discovered that it was a companion novel to dancergirl but made you do not have to read the first book. This one made perfect sense as a standalone to me. In fact it does a great job as I now want to read dancergirl and I will be keeping an eye out for more books in the series (*fingers crossed*).

So what is this book about? It is about a secret society that springs up with journalist Val Gaines and her class TV crew becoming the ringleader in hunting down the members and preventing them from escalating their schemes. I found the plot to be very suspenseful and was on the edge of my seat. Val comes up with many avenues to explore and while at some points, it is one step forward, two steps back, she makes steady progress and kept me engaged. I was about 3/4 of the way through and thought I would call it quits for the night. But then I figured I could read one more chapter...which turned into finishing the book. I just could not put it down.

A surprise for me was the prominent sister-sister relationship; I also like to read about those. This features sisters very close in age with younger sister Beth being very moody and sulky to Val but ultimately blood is thicker than water and their bond is reaffirmed. Val also has an excellent best friend Marci as well as the other members of her crew.

One member in particular stands out: Jagger, Val's ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately I agree with Marci in that he is not good enough for her. He's the pretty typical bad boy that many swoon over in YA but who doesn't do it for me. I like sweet boy next door. Furthermore the romance isn't a very big part of the story so even I was so inclined to care for Jagger, there wasn't much time for that to develop. And while I was caught up in the plot, it was pretty predictable. Early on I suspected a certain character was involved in the secret society although not the leader and ta-da! I was right. However I did not unravel all of the bits, which is what kept me reading.

Overall: Engaging main character's actions to unravel dangerous secret society kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to work with her to solve everything. A really fun read!

Cover: It's pretty cool with the words forming her face-I love those kinds of pictures but it's not to my taste. I like a lot more color in a cover in general.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross
4.5/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
411 pages
YA Steampunk
Steampunk Chronicles #2

Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book The Girl in the Steel Corset and was super excited to pick up this second book, content in the knowledge that it would be a standalone book without a cliffhanger (I bet you could read this without having read the first although I don't recommend it), excited to have more character development, and intrigued to discover a steampunk America. Most of the steampunk books I've read have been set in London, which makes a journey to America standout.

We are quickly reunited with our main characters from the first book: Finley Jayne, a girl with incredible strength who is struggling to understand the two sides of her personality that almost turned her into another Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Griffin, wealthy duke who feels a great responsibility to those in his crew; Emily, sweet redheaded genius; and Sam, part man, part machine. There is also one other character, Jasper, whose capture ended the first book. He is being taken to America to repay a debt to a powerful gangster who is keeping Jasper's old love Mei in a clockwork collar that could strangle her at any moment. Now that we have our characters reintroduced, what about the rest?

The America that is presented to us is exciting, offering glimpses of the elite of society as well as the rough and tumble dangerous areas of New York City. It's all together in one place, the city that never sleeps. One awesome side-character is Wildcat, a gang leader who has a past with Jasper and has amply earned her nickname. Another character was a society miss desperate for a title who confounds the group's plans several times. Then there is the gang leader who is holding Jasper and Mei captive. He is quite ruthless but very far-thinking once you discover what his ultimate end-game has been.

I did think this was better paced than the first book, which I thought could have used some more help with editing. But I did grow a little weary of Finley thinking the same things over and over again about her split personalities, strength, and feelings toward Griffin (also would have taken more romance between Finley and Griffin although what we got was delicious). The writing was just as good as the first book, very absorbing and good at keeping me engaged. Every time I finished a chapter, I told myself that I probably had time to read the next too and would keep going because I had to know what would happen next! I also felt that Emily (and Sam to an extent) were pushed off to the side to make room for Jasper and Mei. Since I adore Emily, that made me sad.

I remember feeling like love triangles were a big element of the first book and it was something I commented upon in my review. For this book, that definitely takes a backseat. Emily reciprocates Sam's affections although it is not much elaborated upon and with Jasper out of the way, there aren't really any obstacles for them. Meanwhile with the roguish Jack Dandy in London, Finley and Griff only continue to deepen their feelings for each other despite their social divide and his tendency to treat her as something fragile in need of protection. Finley is driven to prove her strength to Griffin, resulting in several reckless instances.

If I had to guess what would happen in the third book (assuming this is meant to be a trilogy), I would say that all of the powers of the ether will come to a head, perhaps with all being revealed to the world. Additionally Jack Dandy will probably insert himself between Finley and Griffin for more tension although I hope they can make it work.

Overall: Another delightful entry in the Steampunk Chronicles with more of the adventure, romance, and fun that could be expected!

Cover: I am so happy that we get to see another beautiful dress in a bright, eye-catching color. Wish we got to see the bottom! I am also happy that we have a Chinese cover model and not someone who was white-washed so bravo to HarlequinTeen for a step in the right direction!

The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
4/5 stars
HarlequinTeen, 2012
504 pages
YA; Dystopian Paranormal

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unlike most people, I did not enjoy Kagawa's Iron Fey trilogy. Firstly I mostly hate fae stories but I also really hated the romance of Meghan and Ash (want to punch his stupid face) so I was initially going to skip this because I mostly hate vampire stories and hadn't had a good experience with the author's previous work. But then everybody seemed to be reviewing it and I am very susceptible to hype. So I picked up a copy to give it a shot.

The beginning did not ease my suspicions as it seemed to drag on and on. I didn't really care about Allison and her gang's struggle for life on the Fringe and I was so fed up with weakling Stick and his inability to toughen up and care for himself. While I admired Allison for her unrelenting hatred of vampires, nothing much was keeping me engaged with the book. However I do like the main character's name (Allison (that's with 2 L's) is my favorite sister's name) and seriously pretty much everyone raved about this book. I kept going.

At the end of the first section is when Allison is almost dead and has the option to die forever or to become a vampire. She chooses to survive and is turned. This is when I was really drawn into the book. Her mentor is Kanin, an ancient vampire with many secrets who trains Allison in what she needs to know. She will forever have to battle her Hunger but she has the ability to decide what kind of monster she will be. I love Kanin and lament his disappearance from the narrative so early but the book actually got even better (and we should see more of Kanin in the next book-fingers crossed)!

After Allison is on her own, she falls in with a band of humans and must masquerade as one despite suspicion from several members of the group. One who accepts her almost unquestioningly is Zeke, the second in command in the party on the search for Eden, a human city entirely without the menace of vampires. As they journey, Allison continues to struggle with the monster within as she has to make many difficult choices such as how to feed to keep herself going and how far she needs to go to help everyone on their quest.

While the internal struggle of Allison hating her new nature as a vampire plays a big role, to my delight, there is also a lot of action, which was very exciting and helped keep the book moving. Vampires are impossibly fast and nearly indestructible which gives Allie an edge but sometimes she has to face other vampires and what then? Those who like a lot of action will be well-pleased.

Those who like well-developed characters will also be pleased though. As mentioned, Allison continues to be deepened throughout her narration but the other characters get the full-scale treatment too. Of particular interest to me were Zeke as the human love interest who is probably the nicest person Allison has ever met, giving without expectation and acting in what Allison might think is a naive way. And yet he has deep resources of strength and determination. I did like Zeke; he's just a good guy. His father is a strict man determined to protect the whole even if it means sacrificing an individual. And as mentioned earlier, Kanin was probably my favorite character.

Overall: Slow beginning but even this vampire story hater was won over by the masterful writing and plotting. I will definitely be back for the next book.

Cover: Not only is the model staring at me (something I find creepy), her eye is dripping blood (doubly creepy) so while it's appropriate (because vampires do cry blood in this world), it is not to my taste at all.

Spellcaster

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz
HarlequinTeen, 2012
371 pages
YA; Paranormal
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After being pleasantly surprised by Spellbound, I was excited for a second book. While I originally anticipated it focusing on Angelique, viewing the conclusion of the first book as teasing that, I was fine with it returning to focus on Emma and Brendan especially as we do get a good dose of Angelique.

The epilogue of Spellbound led me to believe that Angelique would be the focus as Emma and Brendan had broken a centuries-old curse-what kind of obstacle could possibly top that? Didn't they deserve to just be young and blissfully in love? Well, that is how they start the book  but it is not long before some malicious forces conspire to cause pain to the couple. Especially difficult for Emma is Brendan's playboy past. He got around and everyone knows his reputation; even now girls still throw themselves at him, causing Emma to doubt Brendan's true feelings. Does he only feel because of the curse?

Beyond internal doubts, are the very real external threats that physically harm Brendan, Emma, and some of the people care about. Interestingly Brendan's past plays a big role in this as does Emma's magical abilities. We really get to see her start to exercise her talents throughout the book, building up to the big climax.  The magical aspect is definitely my favorite along with Angelique's snarkiness. Like me, she doesn't think Brendan is all that great but she is a good friend as she provides support and advice to Emma.

Again I grew weary of hearing about how attractive Brendan is and how much in love they are but that is the fundamental point of these books. They are in love and the strength of that love is integral to their ability to have a future together. It's just not my favorite part.

Overall: If you liked the first one, I think you'll like this one too: with dollops of magic and adventure and a heavy helping of romance :)

Cover: Of course, the same lovely font is used for the title but this time I really like the lovely green accents that make the cover seem brighter.

Saving June

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
HarlequinTeen, 2011
322 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit that I wasn't totally enthused to pick this book up, having seen that it revolved around a girl dealing with the death of her sister. I've read several of those books in the past year and while I'm a sucker for the sister-sister dynamic which can be explored through them, they're not my favorite. Especially because the surviving sister is often really mean and resentful of her "perfect" sister (the dead sister always seems to be eulogized as just perfect and living up to expectations).

And at the start that is sort of how Harper seemed; she rebelled against the perfection of her sister June and slacked off at school, cultivating an appearance diametrically opposed. She also cursed and smoked a lot, two disgusting habits in my opinion. But in this case, a lot of the book focuses on a road trip from Michigan to California which leads to other insights and was very captivating to me.

Accompanying Harper on this trip are best friend Laney, definitely one of the best friends I've read in a YA book, and bad boy Jake Tolan who has his own mysterious relationship with June. Along the way, they meet some awesome college students (who have some great discussions that were among my favorite parts of the book) as well as several side trips. Admittedly I'm a bit more organized so while I could appreciate what happened at these stops, it also grated against the control freak in me who would have just wanted to reach California.

Once I got past those feelings though, I was really absorbed in the road tripping. It seemed to take a bit too long to reach that point but the pages flew by once I was immersed. I do think that Harper made some dumb decisions but she's only a teenager and she has a lot of problems; she's not perfect. Laney also has her problems, BIG ones but she still supports Harper and can almost anticipate what Harper needs-applause for her! Jake was a bit cliched with his rebel ways but I did like his near-encyclopedic knowledge of music (I'm a sucker for trivia).

Besides the great depiction of a best friend, an awesome part of this book is that it introduced me to another song with my name in the title, Velvet Underground's "Stephanie Says," as well as featuring some great classic rock and other genres of music. Track lists are included at the back for you to explore for yourself-I thought they were great lists!

Overall: An unexpected delight with moments of levity interspersed with the seriousness.

The Juliet Spell

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
HarlequinTeen, 2011
265 pages
YA; Time-Travel
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was not sure what to expect from this book other than some significant Shakespeare references but what I received was a fun book with a plot that cannot be taken too seriously.

All Miranda wants is to be Juliet in her school's production of Romeo and Juliet, to serve as a tribute to her actress mother who never got to be Juliet and to fill her love of theater. To ensure this outcome, Miri casts a spell and is startled to discover Edmund Shakeshaft aka William Shakespeare's brother in her house.

The reason I say this plot cannot be taken too seriously is partly due to the time travel and Edmund's very easy acclimation to modern day standards as well as how easily everyone accepts his presence and how conveniently other events play out. I bought into the story and was willing to allow Rees to guide me along; others may not be able to accept that.

Of course there's a lot of Shakespeare, from Romeo and Juliet and from the plays written after-I bet it would be fun for a Shakespeare nerd to read through this and pick out all the references! The idea is that Shakespeare stole from everyone, especially from the words of his brother and we are getting a preview of how Shakespeare was inspired. However there is also a lot of science (or pseudo-science, I can't tell) revolving around how the Shakespeares are arriving and how that is affecting the past as well. I really appreciated that the time travel had serious consequences even in a book as light-hearted as this one.

There is a lot of drama though; first in the casting of the play and then its actual production as well as in the relationships of the cast. Miranda falls in love at almost first sight with Edmund even though a practically perfect guy from her own time is RIGHT in front of her. He was probably my favorite character although I liked most of them.

The one character I really didn't like was Miranda's dad, who left the family to "find himself." They struggle along with his paycheck contributing to the family's finances but welcome him back with open arms when he finally wakes up and returns. That was probably my biggest issue and I doubted the likelihood of that particular scenario ever happening in real life way more than I doubted the time travel or other issues.

Overall: A fast read that requires some serious suspension of belief but rewards you with a lot of fun!

Spellbound

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
HarlequinTeen, 2011
324 pages
YA; Paranormal
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received a free e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the idea of reincarnation and soul mates sounded interesting and a bit different from the usual paranormal YA so I requested this from Netgalley, eager to give it a shot.

For the most part, I enjoyed the story. Main character Emma has had a hard life. Her father left her family when she was young, her twin brother died, and her mother died a year later leaving Emma in the care of an abusive alcoholic stepfather. After he almost killed her, she moves to New York to live with her aunt, attending a ritzy private school and immediately attracting attention, both positive and negative.

The negative comes from a mean girl who senses a threat and while for the most part, she is only vicious with her words, she does have a darker side. The positive comes from two jocks; one is Anthony, who's a total player and whose attentions are most definitely not welcome. The other is the enigmatic Brendan.  As the book progresses, Emma falls even more in love with him and together they must confront a dangerous and mysterious past.  Additionally Emma has her adorable younger cousin Ashley, a friend named Anthony, and a witch-friend named Angelique who provides important help in solving the reincarnation curse. One last aid is the ghost of her dead brother who seems to be warning her...about something.

I really loved the reincarnation aspect and all of the mystery around it; centuries ago, the fate of Emma and Brendan was set by selfish people in an epic fate.  Together they must act selflessly to chart a new course. However the language used to describe their love is familiar to regular readers of YA paranormal romance and bored me.  The reincarnation helps explain their immediate attraction and enduring connection and they do spend time together talking and getting to know each other. But they become a couple almost overnight and it was way too fast for my taste.

One final note is that the book is concluded and is not going to have a direct sequel. It seems like Angelique might get her own story set within the same universe but dealing with something entirely different.

Overall: A fair YA paranormal romance with a spunky heroine and some good action bits. Recommended for people who like PNR but hate cliffhangers and dragged out stories.