Review - Bones & All

Written By: Camille DeAngelis

Published By: St. Martin's Press (MacMillan)

Release Date: March 10, 2015

Pages: 292

Genre: Horror, Coming of Age

Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

Maren Yearly doesn’t just break hearts, she devours them. 

Since she was a baby, Maren has had what you might call "an issue" with affection. Anytime someone cares for her too much, she can’t seem to stop herself from eating them. Abandoned by her mother at the age of 16, Maren goes looking for the father she has never known, but finds more than she bargained for along the way. 

Faced with love, fellow eaters, and enemies for the first time in her life, Maren realizes she isn’t just looking for her father, she is looking for herself. The real question is, will she like the girl she finds?

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This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2015 and I was so thrilled to end up being on the street team!  I feel like right off I should say that this book is not for everyone.  It's dark, it's gritty, and there are parts of it that are downright gross, but if you can get past that it's a very original, enjoyable read.  While it's being marketed and sold as an adult novel it is very much a YA novel, seeing as the protagonist is 16 years old and trying to figure out who she is without her mother.  Despite having a main character who eats people whole, bones and all (hence the title), the book is largely a coming of age story along with learning to accept yourself for who you are, which is an important message.  There were also some lines that I really loved and thought were very artfully worded, which doesn't always happen.  I will say that there were a few things that either struck me as odd or confused me in some way, those things were as followed; first, there was the time period, the book actually takes place back in the late 90's which I wasn't expecting.  It wasn't a problem though, so much as just a shock and, initially I was a little confused as to parts that seemed outdated (as it turns out they were).  The other thing that I found slightly confusing was that things happened in the novel and the main character made some sort of "ahh, now I see" deceleration when I as a reader did not.  That was slightly jarring and I found myself going back a page or two trying to figure out it I just skipped over something important or if I just didn't "get the joke" so to speak.  I would have liked to see more focus on the eaters, they fascinated me and while there was some information it did at times seem very glossed over, but I think that's more of a personal thing, seeing as the idea of cannibalism is something I find intreguing. As a heads up I do have to say that there were a few places where the story lagged somewhat, but once I got through them - and they didn't seem to last very long - I was pulled back into the story and things got going again.  Overall it was a deliciously unique novel that those with a flare for the macabre will enjoy, and I'm excited to see what the author comes up with next.

4/5 stars

Review - Fairest

Written By: Marissa Meyer

Published By: Feiwel and Friends (MacMillan)

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Pages: 222 (Not including excerpt of Winter)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Retelling

Source: Purchased

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

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Honestly I wasn't overly crazy about Fairest.  Sure, it's a Marissa Meyer book and part of the Lunar Chronicles, but I personally am not a huge fan of back stories about villains.  I never have been.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good villain, they're fantastic and a story, especially a sci-fi fantasy story, can't really BE a story without one, but while it is interesting seeing how evil came to be that way I always end up circling back to the same thought; "Cool motive.  Still murder."  This being said I think I enjoyed Fairest a bit more than I thought I would.  There's something about Marissa's writing that makes it hard for me to put her books down, an ease that lulls me into reading page after page after page, somehow oblivious to the time ticking by.  Fairest, like all of her other books, does just that.  And despite being about a character that eventually turns into someone evil and heartless (haha, that's funny cause that's the title of Marissa's next book!) there are pieces of it that were so pretty.  Sure there were parts that weren't, there were even a few parts that irked me, mainly the whole "I am not a child" thing that shows just how much of a child the character actually is, but I understood the need for it.  I also found myself sympathizing with Levana for a period of time.  I think what I loved the most though was, having read all of the previous (other?) books in the series, I made connections between the books and saw all of the little tidbits Marissa had put in.  It's little Easter eggs like the ones in this book that push the story to the next level because it really shows that the author is thinking about every little detail, which just blows my mind.  Overall I'm pretty happy with this book, and although I wish that maybe it had come out after Winter because I NEED THE END OF THE SERIES I respect that Marissa needed to flush out this character, her villain, to help her write the end, and while it was short it was a quick, enjoyable read.  Fans of the Lunar Chronicles will surely enjoy this look into the most feared character in the series, and even though it's not the ending we were hoping to see at this point in the year it is part of the world and enough to, hopefully, hold us over until Winter's release this November.  

4/5 stars

Review - Melt

Usually I do not read self published books but when I was just starting out as a blogger an author sent me a copy of her newest YA novel for me to read, and being who I am I decided to read it.  What I found was a really good, emotional novel that I would never have found if I hadn't taken that chance, so when that same author asked me to read her upcoming YA release I decided that I would take that chance again.  When it comes to books with difficult subject manners (this one deals with child abuse and drug and alcohol abuse) I usually find that it takes me a while to get through them because they're so intense.  Now, while this book is intense, quite intense actually, I didn't find it difficult to read at all.  In fact despite the slightly strange formatting (which might have been because it was an early uncorrected copy) and jarring voice of the male POV (which made sense in terms of the story) it was a really quick read.  I found that the pages just flew by and I was invested in what was going to happen to the characters next.  I also loved being able to see things from both character's POV, and trust me when I say there was no mistaking one character for another, which I know can be a big problem for some people.  There was one thing that was slightly irritating but after thinking about it I realized that for the character it made sense.  That was the fact that the female character seemed a little young, but like I said after giving it some thought I realized that it wasn't as big of a problem as I thought it was, that it fit with the idea of the character.  Overall I was very pleased with this book and I'm interested in seeing what happens to the characters next.  Like I said I don't rarely read self published books, and even rarer do I recommend them to people, but this book managed to touch me in just a way that makes me think I will be thinking about it for quite some time, and on top of that it's a quick read that sets itself apart from other things that are currently on shelves.

Out November 6, 2014

4/5 dust spirits

*Thanks to Selene for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Review-12 Things To Do Before You Crash and Burn

I saw this book in an indie bookstore I went to because I thought they had Clockwork Prince out early (they didn't) and for some reason it reminded me of Gae Polisner's The Pull Of Gravity so I just had to pick it up.  I read it in less then a day (mostly at Costco. Man that store is HUGE) and although it wasn't amazing by any means it was a cute quick read.  There were a few laugh out loud moments (which I'm sure earned me a few odd glances at the store) and it was also a great book for guys.  There aren't a lot of books out there that appeal to guys, especially in the YA genre, and even fewer that have male narrators, but this one does.  Although it's a little crude in some places, and there is some language that's a little harsher then what may be in other YA books I still think it's a book that everyone could enjoy.  I myself am not a teenage boy, but seeing as I do have to put up with many of them in school, and I used to have many guy friends I can tell you this is a pretty accurate portrayal of the average teenage guy.  It's also got a whole adventure thing going on, and even though it's not life and death (although there is a scene with some pretty mean dogs, and then a crazy linebacker) it's amusing and enjoyable.  Basically this is a short read that has no profound statements in it that will change your life, but it will make you chuckle once or twice and is a good light read.  I do suggest caution for those of you under the age of 15 though, there are choice words and some various sexual parts referenced.

4/5 dust spirits

Review-Crank

I read Crank for a school project, because I had it on my shelf, and because I had read and really liked the other two books I read by her, Impulse and Perfect.  I do have to admit that i didn't like this book as much as I liked the first two books I read by her, but it was still good.  The raw emotion that it portrayed was just in Ellen's style and the real life factors were right in your face.  The one thing that I couldn't seem to get past was the fact that Kristina was such an average girl, a girl so much like myself, could get dragged into such a mess to begin with.  I wanted to scream at Kristina but now that I've had time to think about it I realize that sometimes it isn't that easy, because sometimes things aren't always your choice.  Peer pressure and teenage years make you see things differently and sometimes love makes you do things that you never thought you would do.  Kristina's story was so informative, and although I did feel very much connected to her in a way I just couldn't accept some of the things she had done because the way she just gave in made no sense to me.  The one thing I don't understand is when people go into things knowing the outcome, knowing what they can do to your body.  I understand feeling the urge to continue when you've stared, but when you know something is so wrong how can you just start.  This is really a book that everyone should read because it shows you what can happen when you start something you never expect to begin.  It's a good lessen for everyone, and maybe if you can see the consequences happen to someone your own age it will stick with you longer then your parents telling you just to not do drugs because they are bad.  I can see why this book is highly controversial, but maybe if we all read things like this things would be a little different.

4/5 dust spirits

Review-Name of the Star

When I first read the premise of this book I was really excited, and when my blogger friend Sarah said she had a review copy and that I could borrow it I was thrilled.  I'm all for books about serial killers because, honestly, I love the idea of a good one.  No that doesn't mean I like when they're at large, but I love watching shows about them.  For some reason I'm facinated with them, books that have to do with crime in general.  I'm also rather fond of the idea of Jack the Ripper so when I heard this book was ABOUT Jack the Ripper I was all for it.  Now that I've finished reading it I'm not really sure how I feel about it.  It wasn't a bad book by any means, it just wasn't amazing.  Maybe it was because I was SO excited about the whole idea of this book that when it finally came down to reading it I found that something was lacking.  The idea was really fresh, it wasn't something that had been re-done hundreds of times in the teen section and although there was some romance it didn't overpower the story, because the story wasn't really ABOUT romance.  I really liked the main character Rory.  She was independant, didn't end up falling in love with a guy and falling all over herself to impress him, and she really did hold her own.  If you're a fan of books with some romance, some thrill, a few near death experiences, and some history then I definetly suggest you check out this book.  I'll be reading the next book in the series just to see what happens (and because there are very few times when I don't continue a series) and will definetly check out her Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes series because I've heard they're really good.

Out now!!!

4/5 dust spirits

Review-The Eleventh Plague

The Eleventh Plague is, at it's core, a novel about the end of the world and what happens next, but it's also a book about the basic instincts of human nature.  Most of the time I don't dive deep into book because, in all honesty, it bores me.  I know, you have to do it in school, but whenever we have to I want to shoot myself.  With this book though I think it's really had not to.  Maybe my take on the book is not at ALL what Jeff wanted to convey when he wrote the book, but we all see things differently so that's okay, right?  Right.  Stephen, the main character was really great.  Not in the sense that he was hott (although he didn't sound too bad looking) but that he was a teenage boy and was really trying to find himself.  This book is definetly gonna be a hit with boys becase, well, let's face it, there aren't many books for teenage boys and this one just really does a great job at grabbing your attention, especially if you're a boy (I mean, just LOOK at that cover, what boy WOULDN'T want to read it?).  The book gives us a shocking look at what could very well happen to our society, on some level it really hits that deep fear that we all have about a plauge being  unleashed upon the US.  The premise of this book is, in my mind, "hell is other people".  When you take humans and put them into dire situations you see who they really are, and maybe all it takes is the end of the world.  I really enjoyed this debut novel because it's really different from most of the YA book on the market because, in the end, you don't get a nice bow, you get life, as in, things don't generally end up nice a neat, they're ugly and broken, but there's room for improvement in life, and that's really what I enjoyed most about this book.  I will admit, it took some time for me to get into it, and I didn't always want to read it ALL the time, but I think we could all learn a little something from this book.  When your life is turned upside down and nothing is like it was maybe the only thing you can do is adapt.

4/5 dust spirits

Review-Envy

I'm always weary of a book when an author of another genre moves into YA but Gregg Olsen does a pretty good job.  He's regularly an adult fiction writer who focus is thriller novels and he has decided to take that into YA now as well.  I have to admit this book was a little hard for me to get into.  I'm not sure why this is, but it just didn't grab me like some YA novels do.  It wasn't the story, cause that was interesting, and the characters were really great, but I think it just jumped around a little to much for my tastes.  There were a few times when I found myself having to look back in the book to figure out who a character was.  I did LOVE the fact that the book was based on true events and that it was set in Washington, because ever since Twilight there haven't been many books set in Washington State.  Envy was creepy and was a great mystery book that is geared towards teens and the reason for what happened in the book really makes you think about the  law, what's appropriate, and how you treat that girl that's more of an outsider.  The book comes with a sneak peek at the second novel in the series and from the small excerpt I'm looking forward to reading the sequel as well.  If you like a good mystery and don't mind a paranormal element in your books I would suggest that you pick this book up at your local bookstore or at least check it out at the library.  Envy wasn't a bad read but it wasn't one of my favorite books in the world, but the sneak peek at the second book gives me hope that it will be better.   This one really sets up the characters and story, but there is still that good story line that keeps you entertained throughout the book.

Out Now!!!

4/5 dust spirits

Review-Small Town Sinners~Blog Tour

Before I start this review I want to let you guys know something, I'm not a religious person.  My father is religious but I myself have no feelings towards God and am fine with some of the things extremist's are upset about, mainly abortion (I'm pro-choice) and gay marriage (I'm all for it).  I know that when you go into reading a book, especially as a reviewer, you want to be objective, but every person brings their own experiences and beliefs into the books they read and they really do shape what we think about a book.  I did come into this book with an open mind, and I'm actually surprised at how much I did end up enjoying this book despite the religion that was a huge part of the book.  I think that all teenagers are trying to figure out who and what they are, and Melissa does a great job at showing how difficult it can be to do that, especially when you're told exactly who you are supposed to be from the moment you were born.  This novel is really about two things, finding yourself and then finding your place in the world when you're not sure what you believe anymore.  The main character was really great, and although I wanted to bang my head against the book and yell at some of the characters Lacey Anne was not one of them.  It was really great to see how she goes to just blindly following the things she's been taught to finally starting to question the world around her and thinking for herself. Also, can you say yum when it comes to Ty? He's pretty much what I want in a guy, well, maybe minus the whole deep secret thing, but I could get over that because he's actually the exact kind of guy I think I would like.  The Hell House part of the book was really fascinating because I had heard of them but they had never actually been incorporated into a teen book before, so that was really interesting.  As I said I didn't exactly agree with all of the things that were being said in the book but that was okay because all in all it turned out to be a good read.  I think that even if you don't believe in God like me it's a good book to read because it's an interesting take, and if you do maybe you should read it too because it might change how you look at the things around you.

Out Now

4/5 dust spirits