NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Title: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Author: Kasie West

Publication Date: May 5 2015

Publishing House:  HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780062336385

Summary: 

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend - two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that she can win back to real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favour and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party - three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Out of all the contemporary books Kasie West has published, this has got to be my least favourite. Why? Maybe because the character is boy obsessed? She's more concerned with appearances which makes her come off as really shallow. And don't get me started on her obsession with social media and the validation of strangers. The number of likes your photo on Instagram or that picture you tweeted of your hipster coffee does not make you.

These are the characters I cannot relate to. I just can't wrap my mind around not ditching people who aren't good for you or for being too concerned about what other people think. I'm super chill, I don't get worked up over boys and what people think. I don't find myself losing sleep over tossing toxic people to the curb or for not being on top of the social hierarchy. I couldn't relate to the obsession with social media too. I'm known to delete photos on Instagram though, not because of the number of likes but because of the overall quality of the photo. (Sometimes I don't because I'm lazy and I have way too much nail ideas.)

So maybe this is why as I was reading the book I found that it contained way too much unnecessary drama. Also the whole fake boyfriend trope isn't really my thing. I hate it with a vengeance. And Gia's friends - all I have to say is what kind of friends are they? I'd insert a few cuss words here but I'm not allowed to swear. Pffffff.

That's not to say the book was a total disappointment. I did finish it in one go and while the romance wasn't the best, it wasn't the worst too. After reading The Distance Between Us and On the Fence though, I kind of expected more from Kasie. I did notice that there was more character development in this book seeing as how Gia goes from shallow, flighty popular girl to someone more mature. Not perfect, never perfect, but way better than how she was at the beginning. And as for the fill-in boyfriend? Cute. He's probably my favourite out of this cast of characters. Different from the type you normally find in contemporary novels.

Overall, in my opinion, this isn't one of Kasie's best works. A bit of a let-down but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on her books. If you want to try her contemporary books may I suggest The Distance Between Us? That one was so cute I find myself reaching for it from time to time when I'm in need of fluff in my life.

Thank you to Harper for an advanced copy of this book.

Rating: 

 

                         

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Dollhouse by Anya Allyn

Title: Dollhouse

Author: Anya Allyn

Format Acquired: eARC 

Publication Date: September 30, 2012

Publishing House: The Studio

ISBN: 9781629210230

Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via NetGalley

Summary: 

When Cassie's best friend, Aisha, disappears during a school hike, Cassie sets off with Aisha's boyfriend Ethan and their best friend Lacey, determined to find her. But the mist-enshrouded mountains hold many secrets, and what the three teens discover is far more disturbing than any of them imagined: beneath a rundown mansion in the woods lies an underground cavern full of life-size toys and kidnapped girls forced to dress as dolls.

Even as Cassie desperately tries to escape the Dollhouse, she finds herself torn between her forbidden feelings for Ethan, and her intense, instinctive attraction to The Provider, a man Cassie swears she has known before...

Because Cassie's capture wasn't accidental, and the Dollhouse is more than just a prison where her deepest fears come true - it's a portal for the powers of darkness. And Cassie may be the only one who can stop it.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary courtesy of NetGalley)

Review: 

What horror movie characters lack for depth and some interesting back stories, the actual psych-you-out stuff more than makes up for it. It is, after all, kind of hard to feel some sort of connection to someone who's either being wigged out by some paranormal, psychological stuff, or who ends up being killed just twenty minutes into the movie.

Dollhouse is like that, given that the creeptastic factor of the actual Dollhouse is actually the kind of flick Hollywood dreams are made of - if only its slew of characters weren't so darned caught up in their teenage drama, despite all the paranormal stuff that's been happening around them. (Come on, you guys. You can resume that catfight when you're outside, and not dead.)

When Cassie's best friend Aisha disappears, all fingers are pointed at Ethan, Aisha's boyfriend. Cassie knows that Ethan can't be involved in her disappearance, juvenile delinquent or no. The only way to clear Ethan's name is to find Aisha, and the only way to do that is to comb the mountains where she disappeared during the school hike. But these teens find more when they bargain for when they stumble across a decrepit house, with a different kind of horror awaiting them inside.

Earlier, I remarked upon the creepiness factor of Dollhouse. It's like this: Think about the last horror movie you watched that involved dolls (Child's Play? Annabelle?) and take note that since this is a book where everything is fleshed out and described in very attentive detail, everything is basically playing out in your mind. Which I think, is just as bad since it amps up the creepiness factor. Live, moving dolls that beat you up when you're misbehaving? Check. A girl who forces every teenager to act like a doll? Got it. Err, ancient Greek paranormal stuff? ...Yup.

While I was morbidly fascinated with how eerie and messed-up this whole scenario was, I was still iffy about the teenagers and their little romantic drama, given that they may not even make it out alive out of that house. The paranormal Greek thing was a bit out of sorts so while it did magnify the creep factor, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Dollhouse is still a bit fresh in my memory simply because I was really surprised at how disturbing the whole shebang was. The actual dollhouse set-up was golden for macabre-fans like me, but the forgettable characters and random plot twists was too much for me.

Rating: 

            

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Feuds by Avery Hastings

Title: Feuds

Author: Avery Hastings

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: September 2 2014

Publishing House:  St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 9781250057716

Source of Copy: NetGalley

Summary: 

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Prior's Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or "Imps". A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother's legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.

Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he's a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis - her father's campaign hinges on total segregation of the Imps and Priors - but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.

Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold - and Davis' friends start dying. When Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hasting's Feuds.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Davis is a ballerina. Genetically enhanced since birth like all Priors are, she's smarter, stronger and basically just better than the Imperfects. Or Imps as they're called. She's about to qualify for the Olympiads and nothing will stop her from becoming a renowned ballerina like her mother. Until she meets Cole. Unbeknownst to her, Cole has another reason for bumping into her one night at a party - to sabotage her father's campaign through Davis. They never expected to fall for each other. Never expected to unveil secrets that the government is desperate to hide.

I have a bone to pick with this book. Truthfully. It has a gorgeous cover which I love love love but's basically a romance in a dystopian setting. Oh sure, there's a deadly virus sweeping through the Priors and Cole's attempted sabotage of Davis' reputation but it really just focuses on the romance. It's not the swoon-worthy kind of romance too, it's instant love. Th kind where a connection between them is forged through subtle glances and the mystery surrounding Cole's persona and the fact that he's major eye candy. Sometimes I'm okay with instant love. Sometimes. This is not one of them. 

It doesn't help that Davis was a damsel in distress kind of heroine. She has zero self preservation skills. When Davis and Cole first met he was a major creeper. I mean if a guy just so happens to put his had on my bare back at a party I'd run screaming for the other side of the room or maybe just hide behind my friends. Don't get drawn in by a pretty face and a grin. Seriously. Davis' friendships also seem superficial. I couldn't get a feel for the connection between her and the best friend. 

And you know, I might have forgiven the insta-love if the focus of the story wasn't on that. I didn't want to read about Davis wondering about Cole. Didn't want to see her swoon, or look forward to when they were gonna bump into each other. People are dying Davis, people you know. You should be scared.

And if that wasn't enough, the world building for Feuds was just...shoddy. There wasn't enough back story. Not enough details on their society. Like why the divide? Priors and Imps? Technology? Barely there. I want the details, the little things that come together to give me an image of what their society is like. It's supposed to be futuristic but the thing is, aside from the social divide? There's nothing here that really screams that. Aside from genetically modified human beings who are immune to all kinds of sicknesses. 

Half baked world building and forgettable characters? Not my thing. And while I do like my fair share of romance I expected this book to lean towards the sci-fi side more. My mistake. Looking for sci-fi that's actually science-y and believable? Try Insignia by SJ Kincaid or Proxy by Alex London. 

Rating: 

                       

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: The Mean Girl Apologies by Stephanie Monahan

Title: The Mean Girl Apologies
Author: Stephanie Monahan
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: June 2, 2014

Publishing House: Entangled

ISBN: 9781633750210
Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via NetGalley

Summary:

You know that catchy song you keep hearing on the radio? It's about you.

Natalie Jamison has spent five years trying to forget the girl she was in high school: popular, pretty... and, okay, mean. Now in her twenties and living once again in her small town, she's right back where she was: following Queen Bee Amber and keeping secrets from her best friend, Sarah. 

Secrets like Jack Moreland. 

Everyone knows Jack Moreland - his new album, "Good Enough", is everywhere. He's famous. Impossibly handsome. Completely untouchable. But what none of Natalie's old clique knows is that in high school, Natalie and Jack fell in love. And their secret relationship was incredible, painful - and earth-shattering enough to inspire an entire album. Facing friends and enemies isn't easy, but Natalie will go to great lengths to prove she is good enough - to her friends, to herself, and most of all, to the small-town boy turned worldwide heartthrob she never forgot.

(Image, summary and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:

Never in Natalie Jamison's wildest dreams did she ever imagine she'd be going back to the tiny town she grew up in. And just when she thought she left high school behind, it seems that her old clique is still in town, and one of them in particular, is just as awful as she was back in the day. Jack Moreland, however, is on his way to the stars. But his heart? Just as shattered as Natalie left it. When a chance meeting reunites the two old flames, Natalie must decide whether she'll let other people's opinions trump her own feelings.

While Natalie never always approved of Amber's mean girl antics, she nevertheless was part of the popular girl clique. And Natalie knows that if you want to stay in, you have to act in. Jack Moreland? Definitely not in the clique, but definitely in her heart. But Natalie's insecurities always end up pushing Jack further and further away, until all that's left is their relationship in tatters.

While I did like the concept of two old sweethearts reuniting and realizing that the spark was very much still alive, I didn't feel as giddy as I expect I would when Natalie and Jack were together. Sometimes, there are chance novels that make you just want to smoosh the romantic characters together because all they need is a proper snogging to make them realize their true feelings because they obviously are very adorable and go together as soundly as bread and butter. But Jack and Natalie didn't have the kind of electrifying chemistry that I liked in my romance, which was kind of a bummer.

I did like how Jack was a bit wary about where this new, older version of their relationship would go, seeming as he was always the one fighting for the both of them back when they were younger. It then left things up to Natalie to face on her insecurities and slaying her own dragons (read: Amber, that evil, nasty little two-faced troll). 

The Mean Girl Apologies is okay, but not as magnetic as I made it out to be in my head. Truthfully, I have read about five or six books in between reading this one, just to shake things up a bit. 

Rating:

             

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Push by Eve Silver

Title: Push
Author: Eve Silver
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: June 10 2014

Publishing House: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 9780062192219
Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary:

It's either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she's pulled into the Game, where she - and her team - will die unless she followes a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don't mean answers, and without answers, it's hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she's being watched, uncertain if it's the Drau or someone - something - else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light. 

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki's and her friends' lives, and there's nothing in the rules that can save them now.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

I read this book right after Crown of Midnight (thank the universe I gave the series another chance). I was in my give-the-sequel-a-chance phase and thought why not. If you've seen my review of Rush (HERE) you'll know that I'm not a fan but to my surprise Push is actually a touch better than its predecessor.

It's a mess. After the events in the first book there's no time for Miki to get her emotions sorted out as she's thrust right back into the Game. She has to deal with bloodthirsty aliens, teammates she can't trust and her growing worries about the Committee. Her feelings must not get in the way. But when things start to unravel and lines start to blur it's all or nothing for Miki and her team because survival is of the utmost importance and things just are not what they seem.

Miki does a little growing up in this book. I'm still not a fan but I can at least give her that. Jackson is still Jackson and I there's nothing about him to write home about. He's still a douche and I doubt that's going to change no matter how sweet he is on Miki. And yes, he's alive, he's okay and did we really doubt that he was going to be anything but? (Fans of Jackson please don't pelt me with rocks, who'll paint fabulous bookish manicures when I'm gone?) 

One good thing about Push is that we get a little more info about the Game. Oh it's still convoluted and messy but at least some things are starting to make sense. I guessed that there was something going on with the Committee and I was right. Miki sees Jackson's sister in the Game and they brush it off and the Drau are winning. Let's face it, a bunch of teenagers against vicious aliens out for blood? If I'm being truthful I think the human race is doomed and the odds are not in their favor. 

All in all fans of Rush will likely enjoy the sequel. I feel like something more should have happened and there is a cliffhanger in case you guys are wondering. I'll probably be reading the next book because I'm a glutton for punishment and I'm quite curious to see how the author will wrap this series up. So much questions left unanswered and all that.

Rating:

 

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Elites by Natasha Ngan

Title: The Elites
Author: Natasha Ngan
Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: Hot Key Books

Publishing House: September 5 2013

ISBN: 9781471401527
Source of Copy: Purchased from FullyBooked

Summary:

Hundreds of years into the future, only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a melting pot of cultures and peoples - and fear and discrimination. As a 'Red' - an ethnic Chinese - Silver could never have dreamed of becoming an Elite, a guard of the city's Council, yet she is now on the brink of her first major covert assignment.

But when Silver's parents go missing, she is forced to confront the Outside - life beyond the walls of Neo-Babel. Silver is plunged into a strange new world of slums and dissidents, of secret splinter groups and deeply guarded secrets. And as the dirty truths about Neo-Babel begin to reveal themselves, Silver has to search deep within herself for the strength to fight against all she has ever known.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

When Silver fails her assignment as an Elite and her parents go missing her whole world's turned upside down. She's determined to find her parents and this particular endeavor leads her to the Outside. She's never realized that there was life beyond the walls of Neo-Babel and the world outside reveals truths about Neo-Babel that Silver could never have imagined were possible.

The Elites disappointed me. The characters were flat and lifeless and boring. Silver is, despite being an Elite, strangely inept at what she does. Butterfly, despite that adorable name, is as dull as Silver. Silver and Butterfly have been friends for a long time and I suppose it would not have been surprising for them to get together. But there was absolutely no spark to their romance, no feeling, it's like they got together for the sake of adding a romantic aspect to the story. 

The antagonists in The Elites didn't fare any better. Silver's Senior Ember is your generic too pretty, too skilled, I'm-better-than-you character and I couldn't resist rolling my eyes when she started brandishing knives and threatening Silver. She's obviously got some issues. The bad guys were bad and the good guys were good and that just about sums it up.

The plot is a convoluted mess. I mean I like books with lots of action scenes - I have a predilection for violence - but for the first time I find myself wishing that this book would slow down with the fight scenes and start developing a story. Back story would have been nice, and a little more world building would have been helpful. It's just Silver getting into trouble, blowing stuff up, getting chased, blowing more stuff up and so on.

If this is going to be the trend of future dystopian books...I don't know. Maybe I should start thinking of shifting genres. 

Rating:

                        

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Project Cain by Geoffrey Girard

Title: Project Cain
Author: Geoffrey Girard
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

Publishing House: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9781442476967
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Jeff Jacobson had never heard of Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous serial killer who brutally murdered seventeen people more than twenty years ago. But Jeff's life changes forever when the man he'd thought was his father hands him a government file telling him he was constructed in a laboratory only seven years ago, part of a top-secret government cloning experiment called 'Project CAIN'.

There, he was created entirely from Jeffrey Dahmer's DNA. There are others like Jeff - those genetically engineered directly from the most notorious murderers of all time: The Son of Sam, The Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy... even other Jeffrey Dahmer clones. Some raised, like Jeff, in caring family environments; others within homes that mimicked the horrific early lives of the men they were created from.

When the most dangerous boys are set free by the geneticist who created them, the summer of killing begins. Worse, these same teens now hold a secret weapon even more dangerous than the terrible evil they carry within. Only Jeff can help track the clones down before it's too late. But will he catch the 'monsters' before becoming one himself?

(Image, summary and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:

Jeff is on the run. From what, he's not exactly sure. All he knows is that they are coming. He doesn't know what they want from him, because he has nothing they could possibly want. That is, until he finds out that he is the only one of seventeen boys to be 100% replicated from the DNA of notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. Jeff's not the only one cloned from a serial killer; almost every serial killer has at least one living, breathing representative, and Jeff must track them down before everything turns into the biggest living nightmare the world has ever witnessed.

I've read a lot about Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and almost all the serial killers documented from the United States. Most of them are violent because of the environment they grew up in, triggering all these synapses for brutal killing. And some, only a handful of them are, because it's in their genes. Project Cain once again brings up the old debate between nature versus nurture, wherein a fictional - at least I hope it is - US company, in conjunction with the military, use clones of serial killers to be their guinea pigs. Some families are instructed to raise the clone in a good environment, and some get paid to re-enact the clone's "original" home life. The novel is rife with conspiracy theories that I did enjoy, and short biodata of the serial killers, which did refresh some of my memory. 

But other than that, Project Cain did not really carve out a niche for itself just like I hoped. There was no internal conflict drama from the main character, which I badly wanted, and there was little to non-existent action. (Actually there are some action stuff going on, but it'll hardly keep anyone buzzed.) And could you really fault me for thinking this one was going to be good? Look at that cover! It looks more than well-versed in butt-kicking than staying in hotel rooms (which was like, what, 85% of the novel?) I get that Jeff's supposed to be hiding from the other kids, and that DIST, the company that "created" them is after them as well. (Yes, them. This other guy gets roped into helping Jeff.) But guess what? DIST doesn't seem to actually give a fig about Jeff. Those replicas of serial killers seem be to way more interested in killing people than recruiting Jeff to be part of them. And the secret weapon that's supposedly very dangerous? Heck yeah it's dangerous, but it wasn't as exciting as the blurb made it seem.

Jeff was hardly interesting, and the way he was written made it seem like he was this very young boy instead of being around sixteen or seventeen. He was fighting his inner demons for a bit, sure, but it was more like he was fighting his own delusions. And because he's technically 100% Jeffrey Dahmer (Yes, even the egg carries Jeffrey Dahmer.) he sees Dahmer's victims all over the place. Which is weird. But despite being a clone of Dahmer, Jeff is normal, for lack of a better term, to the point of being of coming across as sheltered. Well, DIST did pick this Jeff to be raised in a good environment, so the Dahmer characteristics obviously did not show up. 

If books with serial killers are your thing, I'd really rather recommend Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers. Project Cain may have a very tempting blurb, but it hardly delivered, what with its lackluster characters and weak storyline.

Rating:

           

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

Title: When You Were Here
Author: Daisy Whitney
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: June 4, 2013

Publishing House: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780316209748
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation - the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lives in how she died.

(Image, summary and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:

Before his high school graduation, Danny's mother succumbed to cancer. Stuck with only his dog and ex-girlfriend's mother for company, Danny doesn't think twice about high-tailing it to Japan when a letter from Tokyo arrives for him. Because there are some things that don't exactly fit the picture right...

Danny lost his mother to cancer, and his dad earlier to a car accident in Kyoto, so he's basically an orphan. Being rich and gorgeous, and having everything he could possibly ever ask for, are just some petty things to fill in the void of what really matters. I could understand his snap decision to jet off to Tokyo because his mom always loved it there, the property he's inherited, as well as needing some time to himself without anyone reminding him of the way things were before. Not that Danny's a stranger to Tokyo either, but it's a good place to lose himself for a while. And while the fact that there are Japanese who are very well versed in witty English banter did kind of shock me for a bit on top of it being entirely too coincidental (I mean, I know that there obviously are fluent English speakers, but I do wish that I had even just one very coincidentally fluent English-speaking local Japanese stranger to intervene on my behalf all these times I've been to Japan when I've always had to use Google Translate or hand signs to communicate.) What I also appreciate is that Danny's Japan is a different Japan from what I'm accustomed to. Danny's Japan has that lived-in approach to it, something that's off-limits to even a frequent visitor like me. But, this Japan is not as flavorful as one hopes the book will be, so if you're intrigued by this because it might shed some light on modern-day Japan, it actually doesn't.

Let's move on to Danny. Danny doesn't really talk to me. As a reader, I'm inside his head but there's absolutely nothing about him that evokes any kind of feeling from me. I'm not saying that Danny's pain isn't real, or that he's a total fake just because his angst wasn't as, err, angsty, as I expected it, but I didn't really feel anything, save for annoyance because dude. That. Freaking. Surprise. Twist. (But more on that later.) I'm not saying that a book has to make me hurt inside and cry and bawling, "What happens to my life now?!" for me to actually press people to read it because LIFE. (Which I do, and have done. Twice. The hurting and crying and bawling part. Which I don't usually do. And the person I usually press to read stuff I cry over is my co-blogger, who I'd like to think reads the stuff anyway because she loves me, and because she takes delight in something that has tormented me.) I thought that the reason I could not fully absorb Danny's character was because he always held himself away, even from the readers. And at that, his time to "get over" his Mom's death just felt a bit too quick for me, too... formulated. Hold up before you say that maybe Danny's not done moving on yet, or that Danny's still grieving in his own way and readers shouldn't get a blow-by-blow account of how he feels like scum every time he opens his eyes and realizes that he's alive and his mom isn't and that we all grieve differently. It just didn't really work for me.

On to a good thing that I did however, feel the need to thank the heavens for, would be because there was no convoluted love triangle to speak of. I did initially think that "Oh no, his heart's broken and here comes this Japanese girl who heals him." No, there was none of that, so that was one cliche dodged.

I have talked about Danny, but I haven't quite gotten to the other people in the novel yet. There's Holland, the ex-girlfriend Danny's still pretty much into and who's still pretty much still in love with him. I'd like to say she's nothing spectacular, except for being the most gorgeous girl in Danny's eyes, and she has to do with the surprise twist, which by now I'm guessing, you can tell that I don't like. Kana, the housekeeper's daughter who helps Danny piece together his mother's life in Japan, was okay. She kept Danny company, and was amusing to watch, most especially when she was not 'fessing up to her Harajuku-inspired fashion choices. 

Now to the hard part. When You Were Here was, in all honesty, a chore for me to finish. Like I said, Danny was holding himself back from even himself, and he does things in a way that could probably be attributed to his emotions, but even then, Danny's just sort of there and we're all just watching him from the sidelines. The surprise twist absolutely threw me off, and not in a good way either. I wasn't a big fan of it, and I know that in real life, sometimes spit hits the ceiling fan real good, but c'mon. Just... no. It wasn't just something that you could and should hide from anyone, least of all the party involved, and it was just all kinds of wrong. While it did make Danny "grow", it was hardly the right time to deal with that. Two lefts don't make a right, after all. They just kind of put you back where you came from. While Danny did deal with it in a way that he's kind of supposed to, I kind of doubt that it was the kind of thing that would have been really helpful.

If you plan on reading When You Were Here because Japan is involved, I'm not really sure that this is the book for you. While it does feature Japan heavily, it's not exactly the same Japan I'd want people who've never been to, imagine. If you plan on reading this one because of the nature of the circumstance, I get it, but likewise, I'm not exactly sure that this will resonate with you either. 

Rating:

          

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Rush by Eve Silver

Title: Rush
Author: Eve Silver
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: June 11 2013

Publishing House: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 9780062192134
Source of Copy: Fully Booked

Summary:

Miki Jones's carefully controlled life spirals into chaos after she's run down in the street, left broken and bloody. She wakes up fully healed in a place called the lobby - pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game in which she and a team of other teens are sent on mission to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures.

There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Every moment of the game is kill or be killed, and Miki has only the questionable guidance of Jackson Tate, the team's alluring and secretive leader. He evades her questions, hold himself aloof from the others, and claims it's every player for himself. But when he puts himself at risk to watch Miki's back, he leaves her both frustrated and fascinated. Jackson says the game isn't really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival. And the survival o every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn't. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Rush is strange mix of time travel, aliens, romance, teen angst and insta-love with some action - the killing people kind - on the side.

When Miki gets run down on the street, she finds herself waking up in another dimension. She has unwittingly become part of this group of people who save the world in secret by killing aliens called the Drau. While she'd like to think of it as a game, it's not. Not unless you're into games where when you die mid-game, you die in real life. No respawn, no second wind.

I''ll admit to being a gamer and I've been through a few RPGs. Diablo3 being the last one I played. So when I read the premise for this game I was like "Hey this is pretty cool, it's kind of like that Hardcore mode in Diablo3". In case you guys are unfamiliar with it, it's this mode in the game where you basically have to run through the acts without dying because if you do die, well, you stay dead and you can't ever play that character again. Something like that. So obviously I was excited but when I finally got to read the book? I just wanted to curl up in a corner and cry.

Miki is a decent character, she's nothing really special but she managed to not get on my nerves. That is until she gets into a fight with her best friend Chloe because Chloe called dibs on a guy, and that guy is showing interest in Miki. Are you kidding me? If I were in Miki's shoes I'd toss Chloe to the side because you don't need friends who act like little brats. But Miki does the exact opposite, she wants to get back into Chloe's good graces and grovels. I was actually imagining doing a number of violent things to both girls because of their idiocy. 

Rush also features a sort-of love triangle. Jackson and Miki and Luke - Miki's friend who is also part of the team she gets dropped into. Jackson is like your typical YA bad boy love interest. He runs hot and cold, he's caring one minute and the next he's cold and frigid and tells you to shove off. Obviously Miki is drawn to him because aside from being their team leader, he's got secrets and that adds depth to his character. Right. Luke on the other hand is like Jackson's opposite but that's all I have to say on him. I'm not a fan of either boy. Can I also mention that there's a serious case of insta love? This is crazy.

Another thing I didn't like about Rush was the plot and the world building. I mean it's original, but the execution was just...very, very confusing. The info-dumps weren't particularly helpful too. And as I said, this book is a mix of well...aliens, time travel and some other things that make for a very puzzling read. 

I won't deny that Rush has a very interesting and highly original plot and the action scenes were okay to read but I guess it's just not for me. If you're into aliens and books that have a video game feel to it and killing stuff you could always give this one a try. 

Rating:

 

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Dark Light by Sara Walsh

Title: The Dark Light
Author: Sara Walsh
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: August 28 2012

Publishing House: Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781442434554
Source of Copy: Fully Booked

Summary:

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she's concerned, that's about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia's not one to fall for just any guy, but she can't get intense Sol - or the brilliant tattoo on his back - out of her mind.

Then Mia's brother goes missing. Mia's convinced that Sol knows more than he's sharing. But getting close to Sol mean reevaluating everything she once believed to be true. Because Sol's not who Mia thought he was - and neither is she.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Strange lights flicker over Mia's town and she's somehow convinced that they're related to the missing boys. Then Sol appears, he's the new guy in town with a strange tattoo on his back. The same tattoo that her brother has. When her brother goes missing, Mia's pretty sure Sol's got something to do with it, or at least has an inkling of the strange disappearances. She's now determined to do whatever it takes to bring her brother back home, like stepping into those strange flickering lights.

Speaking of strange lights - those lights send whoever calls them into another world that overlaps with ours. Its got magic and demons and other supernatural things that go bump in the night. This is the world that Mia enters when she steps into the light, right smack in the middle of an ongoing war between this evil magician and the king of their realm.

Mia is an unremarkable character. She's not very interesting and can be annoying sometimes. Running into the middle of things without any idea what she's doing? Yeah, that's a sure way to get yourself hurt. I mean she's obviously incapable of protecting herself in light of the fact that she can't wield weapons and has no fighting skills to speak of and she wants to siege the enemy castle/base? Right. I wasn't very fond of the way she pined after Sol too, I mean yes he's a pretty boy but that's just about all I got from him. I mean he's a warrior, he's part of a rebellion to overthrow an evil sorcerer and all but aside from that... Nothing. He's not very swoon-worthy.

Why didn't I enjoy the book? It's boring. And the characters didn't help either. There was too much information crammed into the story. So much was happening all at the same time and I'm not exactly sure why, or how, but the story was extremely slow paced despite all the things going on. 

Rating:

                     

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Temptation
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: June 26, 2012

Publishing House: Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373210541
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Your heart misleads you. 
That's what my friends and family say. 

But I love Noah. 
And he loves me. 

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be 

Rose & Noah 

forever, easy. 

But it won't be. 

Because he's Amish. 

And I'm not.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Rose and her family have just transferred to Meadowview. When a flood makes their journey to their new home rather difficult, their Amish neighbors, eager to make an acquaintance out of Rose's doctor father, step in to help them. But Rose gets more than help when her eyes land on gorgeous Noah, who seems to can't leave the English girl alone either. When their secret romance turns into something more serious, Rose and Noah have to make a choice to either stay together against their respective societies or go back to their own kind, because a love like theirs isn't an easy one, and they may have just took on more than they thought they could.

Hopkins' characters seem to have a mind of their own as character flaws are very obvious. There are just some things that I cannot let go of. As it is, I am critical about teenage romance, especially those that believe that they will be together forever and ever. Any teenager who claims to "cannot live without the girlfriend/boyfriend" earns a raised eyebrow and a harsh bark of laughter from me. But when Rose and Noah lock eyes on each other and decide that they're meant for each other straight off the bat is a bit over-the-top. 

Noah got on my nerves at times, especially when he was okay with Rose take the brunt of it. As far as the relationship goes, I seem to see that Rose is doing most of the giving, and Noah is more than content with all the taking. Since Noah is Amish, I get that he will have a lot more to lose as compared to Rose, such as familial and community ties, and financial security. If things won't work out with Rose, Noah will practically be a lone drifter, very much alien to the workings of the modern world. But does he really have to be that controlling of Rose?! Also, Rose's wild spirit is the reason why he was so drawn to her in the first place. If he's going to even attempt to somehow tame subdue her "Englishness", Rose wouldn't be any different from the horses he takes care of. 

Rose, on the other hand, is only too happy to spoil Noah. She loves him so much that she's willing to turn back on  the convenience of the modern world, her family, and even on her passions in life, like dancing. That is a huge, HUGE sacrifice to make for a guy you've only just met, even if said guy is scorching hot and an exceptionally good kisser. Rose is just sixteen, mind you, and she has her whole life ahead of her. She can't seriously be contemplating turning Amish and getting married, just because it's the only way they can be together. Rose isn't even entirely sure where the relationship is headed, although Noah is convinced that it's headed to the altar.

But despite the fact that the only reason why they're convinced they belong together is because of their intense chemistry and the heat that always seems to radiate off them when they're next to each other, I can't seem to look away! I swear I am getting such a kick out of this book for reasons I cannot absolutely pinpoint. Maybe it's the fact that I am a sucker for "forbidden" relationships. Or maybe it's because I found myself fascinated at how different the Amish are. Or even maybe because I keep guessing how long this obsession will last. 

But even if the relationship is shallow and off-putting, I am weirdly intrigued enough to read the next book.

Rating: