Mini Reviews #31

I've got three fabulous summer reads for you today. If you haven't read these last year you should definitely find a place for them in your beach bag this season. Enjoy!

The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morill

Lauren Morill stands for quirky, funny and sweet YA contemporary reads. Her debut novel MEANT TO BE is one of my favourite books.

In her newest book Lauren Morill sends her characters around protagonist Liza on a luxury ship cruise. She and her friends are trying to win back funding for their school band and are entering the Destiny's talent show. There's a lot of band stuff going on throughout the story, with rehearsals and battles with their greatest rival in the talent show.

The ship's name Destiny is a little hint towards Liza's romance, too. On the ship she meets former crush Lenny and there's also cheeky jock Russ. Pranks, misunderstandings and romantic confusion are all preprogrammed in this romantic comedy.

3,5/5 ***/* THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY - A fun high school cruise with friends and... rivals. Show your talent!

THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY wasn't entirely what I expected the story to be, because Liza's romantic delusions and her kind of love triangle was going on for too long and sometimes the talent show fights between the high school kids were just a bit too juvenile. Still Lauren Morill's THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY is a quick and fun read and promises a unique setting and storyline. Where else does a high school band contest take place on a cruise ship?

Publisher: Delacorte
Publishing Date: December 8th 2015
Length: 263 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, love, friendship, ship cruise, talent show
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads Summary  

Author's Homepage

Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Maya plays in a band, she is ambitious and has great talent. Music means everything to her. And so she is supposed to be shadowing famous country star Jesse for her career mentoring day. It would've been too easy if these two had hit it off from the start. Jesse is cocky and quite impolite. And Maya, too, fears that this boy is only just a cliché.

Miranda Kenneally's HUNDRED OAKS series has concentrated on different sports so far, now the soul of JESSE'S GIRL is music. Two people connecting over music is really beautiful.

Jesse and Maya have a great chemistry and sizzling attraction between them. They clash, they kiss, they connect. Jesse is gorgeous, a sexy country star and he always supports Maya. She can be a bit stubborn, too, but Maya is loyal and passionate about the things she loves. Maya really is this cool rock chick and bike fan! When it came to their relationship I truly believed it, because Miranda Kenneally really accomplished to show what it means to fall in love in the music business, about all the hardships and insecurities.

Maya is Sam Henry's little sister and of course that calls for many Sam und Jordan updates. I just loved that! If you don't know who they are drop everything and go read CATCHING JORDAN immediately!

4/5 **** JESSE'S GIRL - A musical YA contemporary with a sweet and sensual romance!

Mellow country ballad or powerful rock song? You don't even need to chose, Jesse and Maya are a package deal. Music, a sexy romance and even more Jordan and Sam Henry. Fans of Miranda Kenneally's HUNDRED OAKS series will love her fifth companion novel, JESSE'S GIRL! 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publishing Date: July 7th 2015
Length: 304 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, love, friendship, school, music, celebrity

Source: Netgalley
Goodreads Summary  

Author's Homepage

The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Strom Sandy left big parts of the New Jersey shore in pieces. After the storm and the terrible losses it has brought with it, the land and its people need to start healing again. Two people who are brought together in this healing process are Lucy and Connor. Both are back on the little barrier island where Lucy has grown up. The intriguing part of their story is that they already have a past together. Now we need to find out what happened this past summer between them and if they can ever find their way back to each other. Theirs is a very kind and gentle love story, complementing the very emotional and devastating story of their island. THE SUMMER AFTER YOU AND ME is such an authentic read because Jennifer Salvato Doktorski considered all the factors that influence life of the locals after such a disaster, like personal loss, financial hardships, the repairing that will take a long time, media coverage and political notions all well. At the beginning of every chapter there's a fun tidbit about the sea life's mating rituals. That's because Lucy writes her junior thesis about marine biology and it also cheers up the story a bit. Very lovely idea!

4/5 **** THE SUMMER AFTER YOU AND ME - An emotional story about mending fences, rebuilding life and finding back to yourself.

Jennifer Salvato's second YA contemporary romance tells a story about storm Sandy that hit the New Jersey shore and its inhabitants hard. She tells the story with much sensibility and emotion and therefore made it easy to connect with her characters after only a few short chapters. THE SUMMER AFTER YOU AND ME is a great summer read for people who are looking for meaningful stories with personal fates.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publishing Date: May 5th 2015
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, love, friendship, storm Sandy, New Jersey shore

Source: Netgalley
Goodreads Summary  

Author's Homepage

Book Review: Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

Title: Assassin's Heart
Author: Sarah Ahiers
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publishing Date: February 2nd 2016
Length: 400 pages
Keywords: YA, fantasy, romance, murder, family
Source: Publisher

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay. (Goodreads)

Set in the kingdom of Lovero, ASSASSIN'S HEART introduces us to a world where killing means honor and death resurrection. Lea Saldana is a Clipper, an assassin from one of the nine Families who rule Lovero. She is well trained and clever. So how come love blinded all her assassin senses and got her entire Family killed? 

Her love to Val, a boy from the rival Family of the Da Vias, could be the thing that destroyed her family. What a dramatic plot! I was intrigued when I first heard about ASSASSIN'S HEART, especially about the emotional world of our protagonist Lea that would be sent into turmoil after the alleged betrayal by Val. That part of the story was a very interesting mind game, too. Like Lea, the reader doesn't know for a long time if Val's betrayal was real or if someone played a game with the young lovers' hearts. The revelation of this mystery and the direction in which the story was headed was promising at first, sadly losing its appeal in between and recapturing my attention towards the end. And the ending wasn't one I could've foreseen. Sure Sarah Ahiers gets plus points for writing surprising story turns, still I would've wished for a more romantic ending for Lea and Val. 

Sarah Ahier's debut novel isn't directly a Romeo & Juliet re-telling, but it features some of the key elements of the original story. Of course there are star-crossed lovers Lea and Val and the feuding families. There is also a priest that helps Lea find her way. Then there's still so much more to the story. A big part of ASSASSIN'S HEART, Lovero and its history are built on strong religious beliefs. In Lovero assassins kill people to honor their Goddess Safraella and the entire story is filled with mentions of this cult and its practices and what happens when someone disobeys the great Goddess. Religion is what lends Lea's existence and her actions its true meaning. 

   Lea's story is an emotional rollercoaster. She feels betrayed and seeks revenge. At the same time she's in love with someone she should want to kill. Sarah Ahiers did a good job portraying all these inner conflicts in Lea and expressing them in her actions and moves. 

In addition the story has a paranormal touch. And it's a scary one. There are ghosts roaming the plains outside the main cities in Lovero. If they spot or come near you, you are as good as dead. Strangely, Lea has a special gift that allows her to feel something different than fear around these ghosts. More about that and Lea's journey through Lovero you better find out yourself.

We learn a bit about Lea's family (biological) and her Family (her clan, defined by their solidarity) and Val's Family story as well. There would've been some room for one or two subplots exploring the relations between the other seven Families, too, while some parts of the story as it was felt redundant and kind of repetitive. 

   When I read ASSASSIN'S HEART I was expecting to read a standalone. Lea's story has an ending but it's part open, too. So I'm curious if there will be a sequel. I'd definitely give it a try because I liked the overall feel of Sarah Ahiers debut and its premise.

 

3,5/5 ***/* ASSASSIN'S HEART - An explosive debut about murder, heart-break and vengeance with ghostly fantasy elements!

Sarah Ahier's debut is a sure recommendation for YA fantasy readers! Her writing is engaging as is her world building. The conflict of the star-crossed lovers just sucks you into the story. A story that promises a mix of extraordinary religious beliefs, paranormal activity and action-packed duels between rival Clipper Families. And don't forget the most important part of the story: Lea's heart which is torn between revenge and love. Will she have it both in the end and triumph or perish as the last of the Saldana Family? Grab a copy of ASSASSIN'S HEART to find out!

 "Yes, my mother had tried to kill me again tonight. But she'd done it to make me a better clipper. In her own, twisted way she was protecting me by making me stronger. If Val's Family ever tried to kill him, they'd make sure he wouldn't have an antidote." – p. 16

ASSASSIN'S HEART by Sarah Ahiers you might enjoy RUINED by Amy Tintera, REIGN OF SHADOWS by Sophie Jordan or THE MURDER COMPLEX by Lindsay Cummings about a quest for revenge, star-crossed lovers and a murderous society.

* Click here to read an excerpt of ASSASSIN'S HEART.

* For more information about Sarah and her books visit www.falenformulatesfiction.blogspot.com.

Mini Review: Oh Yeah, Audrey! by Tucker Shaw

Audrey Hepburn fan alert! OH YEAH, AUDREY! is to be read after a successful shopping day on Fifth Avenue, or a Breakfast at Tiffany's movie marathon with your best friends. It is a fast and fun read!

Oh Yeah, Audrey! by Tucker Shaw

"It’s 5:00 a.m. on Fifth Avenue, and 16-year-old Gemma Beasley is standing in front of Tiffany & Co. wearing the perfect black dress with her coffee in hand—just like Holly Golightly. As the cofounder of a successful Tumblr blog—Oh Yeah Audrey!—devoted to all things Audrey Hepburn, Gemma has traveled to New York in order to meet up with her fellow bloggers for the first time. She has meticulously planned out a 24-hour adventure in homage to Breakfast at Tiffany’s; however, her plans are derailed when a glamorous boy sweeps in and offers her the New York experience she’s always dreamed of. Gemma soon learns who her true friends are and that, sometimes, no matter where you go, you just end up finding yourself." (Summary by Goodreads) 
   Just look at this funky cover! It promises a light and fun read with lots of fabulous Breakfast at Tiffany's fandom moments. OH YEAH, AUDREY! has a simple but stylish page design as well. It nicely compliments the 60s theme and Audrey Hepburn chic of Gemma's story.

In Gemma's story there is a great focus on style, fashion and pop culture! The movie Breakfast at Tiffany's is our protagonists' pop culture bible and so there are many comparisons, quotes and references strewn across the story. I really enjoyed them! It's no surprise Gemma's adventure starts on Fifth Avenue at 5 a.m. in the morning. I bet you can guess why...that's the beginning of Holly Golightly's story, too.

   Divided into three parts, with various shorter chapters, OH YEAH, AUDREY! tells the story of fans, of friends who dedicate a special day to their idol Audrey Hepburn. The first chapter starts at 5:00 a.m., followed by the next chapter at 5:05 a.m., the next at 5:10 a.m. and so on. This makes it easy to keep track of Gemma's adventurous day. Set in New York, Gemma's story shows what it means to be young, get swept away in the rush of a big city and so many new possibilities.

   Readers should be prepared to spend one crazy fun day in New York. Not every of Gemma's decisions is reasonable and it might be possible that she isn't the reader's favourite all the time. Her story isn't always as substantial as I'd hoped for it to be. But in general she and her friends were awesome, young and lively characters that allow readers to identify with. Everyone has had to be fan of someone or something at some point in his life. When I thought of my beloved series and icons my heart only grew fonder of the Audrey fanatics we meet in Tucker Shaw's OH YEAH, AUDREY!. More people should celebrate what they love, no matter what others think. Most important is to feel good about yourself and what you do and have fun!

3,5/5 ***/* OH YEAH, AUDREY! - A fun, quirky tribute to Audrey Hepburn and the glamour and kindness she contributed to Hollywood!

Gemma's story empowers readers to fully embrace their fandom! Fans of Audrey Hepburn, Tiffany & Co. and Breakfast at Tiffany's will sure enjoy Gemma's story, filled with live-the-moment decisions, big city glamour and classic fan talk. More YA books should be dedicated to outright crazy adventures, where everything is possible, created by fandom.

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publishing Date: October 14th 2014

Length: 243 pages

Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, friendship, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn

Source: Publisher
Goodreads Summary  
Oh Yeah, Audrey! Excerpt  

Book Review: Not a Drop to Drink & In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

Title: Not a Drop to Drink, In a Handful of Dust ( Not a Drop to Drink #1, #2)
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publishing Date: September 24th 2013, September 23rd 2014
Length: 309 pages, 384 pages
Keywords: YA, dystopia, water, survival, romance
Source: Bought, Publisher

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Summary by Goodreads

_________________________________

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

Summary by Goodreads

I witnessed readers begging for a sequel back in 2013 when NOT A DROP TO DRINK was released and I wondered what all the buzz was about. I couldn't be more glad that the actual sequel came out in fall 2014 and that I waited to read them both back to back. It sure was a thrilling reading experience. Now can we please make this a trilogy?!

NOT A DROP TO DRINK tells the story of Lynn and her mother who defend their house and pond from strangers who are looking for fresh water sources. We see how Lynn grew up, what her days at the pond look like and what it takes to change her view on the world.

   In IN A HANDFUL OF DUST the story picks up approximately ten years later when Lucy, an orphan Lynn took in in the first book, is a young adult herself. The two women go on a journey to the ocean and see if it could be true that people can obtain fresh water from it. There are many survival tests the two have to pass in order to reach their goal. I promise you won't be bored!

Despite their hard and laborious lives both women, Lynn and Lucy, find time to think about love and what it would be like to have someone who cared for them on a romantic level. The romances they got are unlike any other dystopian romances I've read so far. They are highly unpredictable but rewarding nevertheless.

   In both books the most important element besides survival and resources is trust. It's very hard for Lynn to trust anybody and so her progressing friendship to the young Lucy is something that we can follow admiringly throughout the entire duology. They are tough and strong women who fight for a better life and a chance at happiness. And they are kick-ass YA heroines!

Uncertainty, natural forces and the survival of the fittest are determining this story from its very beginning to the end. Water as you might have guessed plays a major role in Lynn and Lucy's story. People are fighting for this most important resource and the two women do anything it takes to protect what is theirs. NOT A DROP TO DRINK invites its readers to think about the consequences of worldwide droughts and water shortages and maybe think about being more careful and saving with our one most important resource.

The fighting over water often turned so violent and cruel it made me cringe. I have never read a series that confronted its readers with so many shocking and brutal scenes. On the one hand they kind of went against my happy-end-loving personality. On the other hand I appreciated that Mindy McGinnis chose the outcomes to certain events that made it into the finished book because it let the entire story appear even more honest. I definitely want to recommend this duology to readers who enjoy a fascinating dystopian read, but I advise you to keep your hearts guarded just in case something happens to one of your favourite characters. In Mindy's NOT A DROP TO DRINK books you just never know what happens next.

3,5/5 ***/* NOT A DROP TO DRINK duology - This brutally real and honest YA dystopian duology is sure to melt and break some readers' hearts!

You better test your YA survival instincts before you read NOT A DROP TO DRINK and IN A HANDFUL OF DUST. These two books were written for readers who are looking for a challenging read and who want to be pushed out of their reading comfort zone. If you are looking for a dystopian series that is different than everything you've read so far and you are ready for something new you should pick up NOT A DROP TO DRINK and IN A HANDFUL OF DUST as soon as possible.

"Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond, the sweet smell of water luring the man to be picked off like the barn swallows that dared to swoop in for a drink." ― p.1

 

the NOT A DROP TO DRINK duology you might enjoy THE WATER WARS by Cameron Stracher, THE WARD by Jordana Frankel or ASHES, ASHES by Jo Treggiari. These are three more books confronting readers with thoughts about what would happen if the world actually had to withstand life-threatening droughts, water shortages and destructions.

* Read an excerpt of NOT A DROP TO DRINK.

* Click here to watch the NOT A DROP TO DRINK book trailer.

* For more information about Mindy and her books visit www.mindymcginnis.com.

* Thanks to Harper Collins International for sending me a copy of IN A HANDFUL OF DUST for review!
 

Book Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1)
Author: Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books
Publishing Date: September 11th 2014
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: MG, friendship, magic school, elements
Source: Publisher

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst – and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

Summary by Goodreads

Callum, our protagonist, is such a kind and lovely boy. He is also a lonely boy. That is, until his life changes radically when he is accepted into the Magisterium, the one place on earth he's always wanted to avoid at all costs. 

   He has a disability and has been an outsider all his life. So even if he didn't want to attend the new school, this opportunity means a new start for him. It's his chance to make new friends and prove the world that he can be good at something, maybe even the best. 

   The character of Callum is a character who represents all the kids who are struggeling with a disability themselves. He shows that many things are possible when you believe in yourself. Call will encourage many readers to be as brave as he is.

Together with his new friends Aaron and Tamara, Call introduces readers to a new generation of magic apprentices at the Magisterium. THE IRON TRIAL kind of reminded me of the Harry Potter world. Yet Cassandra Clare and Holly Black's book has so many bewitching peculiarities that are solely Magisterium-made that you can't but think of it as its own magical world. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this new and different brand of magic. 

The three kids are only getting to know the Magisterium and its rules. As part of their apprenticeship Callum and his friends are presented with little tasks and small missions to develop their magic skills.  They are mostly harmless missions, so the story comes along less adventurous than expected. It is a very innocent kind of magic the kids are practicing. And they are learning to control the elements with the help of their mentors.
   Despite the big author bonus and the friendship story that works great I am not fully content with the rather slow pace of the story. The introductory part was longer than necessary and it was a while until I felt at home in the Magisterium.

This Middle Grade read is suitable for younger readers. The friendship part of the story is very important. Cassandra and Holly go into detail how such a strong bond of friendship between Callum, Tamara and Aaron develops over time and how trials are mastered together. I really like this wizard trio!

3,5/5 ***/* THE IRON TRIAL - Readers all over the world will fall in love with Callum's story of bravery, magic and friendship!  
 
Two beloved authors of mine teamed up to write a new magic school series, and now that I know there will be five books in this series I am an even happier reader. Clare and Black's writing is rich in detail and very strong in creating lovely atmospheric background settings to every chapter. I would recommend THE IRON TRIAL to younger readers but older fans of magic schools will definitely get their money's worth, too.

"As he bent closer, he realized they were words - words his wife had carved into the cave ice with the last of her dying strength.

As he read them, he felt them like three hard blows to the stomach. 

KILL THE CHILD" ― p.4-5

THE IRON TRIAL you might enjoy HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL by Soman Chainani and THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan. These are YA and MG reads with a good portion of magic.

* Check out the German cover for THE IRON TRIAL. 

* THE COPPER GAUNTLET, the second book in this series comes out 2015.

* Click here to watch the THE IRON TRIAL book trailer.

* Here's an excerpt of THE IRON TRIAL for you to read.

* For more information about the authors and their books visit www.blackholly.com and www.cassandraclare.com.

* Thanks to Random House UK for sending me a proof copy of THE IRON TRIAL for review!

Mini Review #24

Today I'm sharing three mini reviews of two sequels I should have reviewed a long time ago and an omnibus edition. A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis, WINGS OF THE WICKED by C.A. Moulton and SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE by Rachel Vincent.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Three months have passed since the events of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Elder rules Godspeed and Amy is still adapting to life on the spaceship. When a revolution starts building and mysterious clues about the ship's history appear, the chance for a happy landing is dropping rapidly. A MILLION SUNS is practically a big hunt for clues as to what happened on Godspeed many years ago, what the future holds and how the past might still have the power to influence the present. 

The story was fast when I needed it to be fast and reveal many details at once. And when it came to my favourite moments and I wanted them to last longer, my wish was granted. Beth's writing is in an unique sync with her reader. The chapters alternate between Amy and Elder's point of view, both fabulously written! Amy and Elder's romance is even better than it was in the first book (and that was one book I loved to pieces!). So I'd say A MILLION SUNS has everything you expect from a great sci-fi space adventure.

5/5 ***** A MILLION SUNS - Beth Revis's Godspeed appears like a whole new YA world of its own.

A MILLION SUNS is one of the best sequels I have ever read. I'm considering myself very lucky to have been introduced to the sci-fi genre by Beth Revis' excellent trilogy. I have already read all three books in the series. Wish I could get a do-over and read this trilogy for the first time again.

Publisher: Razorbill

Publishing Date: January 10^th 2012
Length: 386 pages
Keywords: YA, sci-fi, thriller, romance, spaceship adventure

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

A Million Suns Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

Wings of the Wicked by C.A. Moulton

ANGELFIRE was one of the first great book loves in my early blogging life. The reason I loved it so much was the sharp contrast between Will and Ellie's love story and the dangerous and harsh demon hunting life. Demons we encounter plenty in WINGS OF THE WICKED, too. And the action and fights fit the story. It was the romance between Ellie and Will that confronted me with too many silly back and forth situations between wanting each other and knowing they couldn't be together.

Almost a year passed after ANGELFIRE until I read WINGS OF THE WICKED and I could hardly remember anything about the story. And now it's been a while since I read WINGS OF THE WICKED. I might have to re-read both books before SHADOWS IN THE SILENCE so that I can really enjoy the end to Will and Ellie's story with all the background knowledge and details of their history needed. I'm still curious how it's all going to end!

3,5/5 ***/* WINGS OF THE WICKED -  A tough second round in the battle against evil!

Ellie and Will's fights against demons are as furious and dramatic as in the first book in the ANGELFIRE trilogy. There's just too much teenage drama going on in WINGS OF THE WICKED for my taste. Hoping for a more mature love story in the third book!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publishing Date: January 31^st 2012
Length: 516 pages
Keywords: YA, action, angels, demons, romance

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Wings of the Wicked Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

Soul Screamers Volume One by Rachel Vincent

Kaylee is a bean sidhe and hers is a very old power. Whenever someone dies she screams. Together with the two brothers Nash and Tod she's trying to come behind all the secrets about her beansidhe existence and special talent.
So the story is told from Kaylee's perspective who is your average YA narrator with a love story that was good in some scenes, but nothing breathtaking either. A relationship conflict between Kaylee and the two brothers is insinuated. I really don't want to deal with the whole impact of that and think it best to stop right here before I start the next five books and am disappointed again. The background info on bean sidhes, female and male, about them singing to the dead souls was something new, something I hadn't read about before.
SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE includes the first two books in the series and a prequel to Kaylee's story that's about 60 pages. MY SOUL TO LOSE, the novella, was actually my favourite part of the entire story. MY SOUL TO TAKE and MY SOUL TO SAVE both had promising beginnings, too, but fast became tiring and too tedious to hold my attention for more than a few pages every time I tried to get back into the story.

2,5/5 **/* SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE – Despite the very cool bean sidhe story construct, the soul screamers couldn't enchant me.

While I was reading this very lengthy SOUL SCREAMS VOLUME ONE I was wondering when I would be finally done with the book. And that clearly is a warning signal to keep my hands off the other books in this series. For everyone who can get into the story, I bet the seven books in this series plus various novellas will be much fun.

Publisher: Harlequin

Publishing Date: November 22^nd 2011
Length: 570 pages
Keywords: YA, bean sidhe, romance, paranormal, brothers

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

My Soul To Take Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

Book Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Title: Side Effects May Vary
Author: Julie Murphy
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishing Date: March 18th 2014
Length: 336 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, contemporary, leukemia, bucket list, romance, friendship
Source: Edelweiss

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

Summary by Goodreads

'Alice' and 'Harvey', 'Then' and 'Now'. Two names and two tenses are all it needs to describe Julie Murphy's captivating writing arrangements. You know that an author did a fantastic job when you can't decide which chapters you are loving more and are more eager to get to. I wanted to read them all at the same time!

Alice and Harvey are friends in the 'Now'. In the 'Then' parts they aren't even talking to each other. So how did they become friends or maybe even more, recognizing how important their childhood friendship was when Alice has suddenly no time left? 

The way the childhood friends find back to each other and the chapters Alice and Harvey spend working on Alice's bucket list, clinging to life and to each other, that was exactly what I was looking forward to read when I picked up SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY. Good moments in bad times, tears, heartbreak, loss, hope. I was so invested in Alice and Harvey's relationship that I was screaming injustice when Harvey thought it was time to say Goodbye.

As you already know, Alice doesn't die. She goes into remission, the leukemia doesn't win. And from that point on, things aren't as easy as they were before.
SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is very much about loss, the joy to be alive and the fear of losing it all over again. No one can blame Alice for needing time to adjust to the new situation and to shed all her fears of the past months. Julie's approach at dealing with leukemia and surviving it is unique and totally got me thinking. I never thought about there being a fear of living after something like that happened to you, but clearely there can be.

Now that Alice has her whole life ahead of her, she gets difficult and very hard to like. Her attitude isn't anything you want to deal with in a story that could've been such a destined, easy and sweet love story. It was as if she didn't want to think about what her actions were doing to other people and especially Harvey. One is expected to feel sorry for Alice all the time and excuse her behaviour, no matter how wrong she's acting. But at some point I just couldn't bring myself to try to get into her head anymore.

Where Alice isn't always so darling, Harvey is the one readers will fall in love with. The quiet and caring boy, who's always been in love with the girl whose days had been counted. Harvey is such a sweet guy and there will be lots of swoon-worthy Harvey moments for all of us to make up for the sour Alice parts.

3,5/5 ***/* SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY – A pensive and sentimental story about the unfathomable, cruel and comic ways of life. 

The first half of Alice's story, and her relationship with Harvey, is simply awesome to read. Then after Alice's remission news everything seemed to go in the wrong direction. Still, SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY as a whole story is written with such beautiful skill that I just have to recommend it. To everyone who is looking for a YA contemporary read that isn't only dedicated to the sad outcomes of leukemia. A read that explores how ambivalent feelings about a new chance at life can be.

"About a month later, I got the big distraction I'd hoped for. I was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer. I had fucking cancer." ― p. 13

SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY you might enjoy THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green, SECOND CHANCE SUMMER by Morgan Matson or NOW IS GOOD by Jenny Downham. Tissue box recommended, should you decide to read them.

* Yep, that's Julie Murphy on the left. 

* Julie Murphy's second book DUMPLIN' comes out in 2015. Add it on Goodreads!

* Click here for an excerpt of SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY!

* Want to meet Julie? Check out her event schedule.

* For information about Julie and her books visit www.juliemurphywrites.com.

* Thanks to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the chance to review SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY!

Mini Reviews #22

Today I've got three very different books for you. The first is BUMPED by Megan McCafferty, a dystopian read where teenagers are encouraged to get pregnant in order to give many couples the chance to adopt. The Middle Grade read of WONDER by R. J. Palacio will open every reader's heart for young August, an exceptional boy with facial deformity. And then there is PUSHING THE LIMITS, a steamy YA contemporary 2012 debut novel by Katie McGarry.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Imagine a future in which everyone over eighteen is infertible and teenage girls with baby bumps are the new stars for all the couples who can't get their own children anymore. Harmony and Melody are sixteen-year-old identical twins who were separated at birth. They are reunited the day Harmony, who was brought up in a religious community, shows up on Melody's doorstep and wants to convince her that bumping with a stranger for money is just not acceptable.

Melody and Harmony are twins but have very different opinions about the whole pro teen pregnancy hype going on. One of them is supposed to get pregnant very soon, the other isn't at all for premarital sex. It's not all about sex, there is still room for proper love stories for both teens, that were surprisingly funny and cute to follow. So BUMPED has a good portion of contemporary romance feel to it.

Harmony is highly religious and believes in God and keeping herself pure. I liked Harmony's story a little less because of its overly religious touch, which sometimes was just too much.

In our world people aren't always that enthusiastic about teenagers getting pregnant early, so it was a smart move of Megan McCafferty to base her story on a society that depends on teenagers getting pregnant, making BUMPED a provocative and very controverse read.

3,5/5 ***/* BUMPED - YA contemporary queen Megan McCafferty shows her talent to spin mere ideas into an affecting and thought-provoking dystopian novel. 

A future world with advanced technologies and a society plagued by infertility is kicking off debates about teen pregnancy, sex and all different kinds of aspects about adoption, religion and the right to decide what's best for you, your heart and your body.  

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publishing Date: April 26^th 2011
Length: 323 pages
Keywords: YA, dystopian fiction, romance, teen pregnancy, sex

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Bumped Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

I have no idea why I don't read Middle Grade books on a more regular basis. Starting WONDER I expected an emotional story - and emotional it was. It is the story of August Pullman, a boy with an unique facial deformity.

So far he's never attended a regular school, but his first day of school in 5th grade is nearing. It was interesting to witness the process of socialisation and integration of Auggie into the class and seeing how other children reacted to him.

WONDER is told from Auggie’s perspective, an utterly honest and brave little voice. Auggie’s sister Via, his best friends and Via’s friend share their views and reactions on current events and their relationship to Auggie, too. Overall WONDER is written in a very easy and authentic language.

Chapters are rather short and are oriented at Auggie’s events, realisations or experiences. Familiar episodes alternate with Auggie’s experiences in a new school environment, daily life scenarios and the blooming bonds of true friendship, acceptance and respect.

5/5 ***** WONDER - This is a story about many first days of school, moments of bravery and a small boy who shows unbelievable greatness.

Auggie is a truly wonderful boy. What he lacks in conventionally good looks he has in integrity and natural sense for other people's feelings and intentions. He is one of the most adorable MG characters, one who earned my trust in his strength after only a few minutes into his story. 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: February 14^th 2012
Length: 315 pages
Keywords: Middle Grade, school, friends, family, facial deformity

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Wonder Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Meeting the love of your life in front of a school social worker's office isn't a sweet start? Well, read PUSHING THE LIMITS and reconsider. Echo and Noah both have issues and secrets of their own, but that doesn't keep them from colliding with each other. Logic and reason out of the way, they just want to get the other mad, tease, and get closer, much closer than to any other person ever before.

Their love story is one of the extreme kinds, they are both very torn characters and their romance is just the same.

What kind of threw me off the story, only a small detail that had an amazingly big effect on me liking the story a bit less, were the names Noah and Echo were calling each other. I just can't stand for a girl being called Baby more than once in a story.

The title is well chosen since there's always a constant pushing and pulling marking the relationship of Echo and Noah. They get to tell parts of the story from their perspectives and you see that they are both strong personalities, who are stubborn and not always willing to give in first. Especially chapters from Noah's point of view are marked with strong language, drug abuse, drinking and sex.

4/5 **** PUSHING THE LIMITS – A YA contemporary debut with a scorching love story with depth and an addictively written plot demanding to be devoured in one sitting.

PUSHING THE LIMITS is the first book in the highly acclaimed romantic series by Katie McGarry. Fans of Simone Elkeles should definitely find a new favourite read in Katie's debut novel.

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publishing Date: July 31^st 2012
Length: 392 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, family, loss

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Pushing The Limits Excerpt 

Author's Homepage