Sweet Unrest

Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But try as she might, she can’t come up with a logical explanation for the recurring dreams that have always haunted her. Dark dreams. Dreams of a long-ago place filled with people she shouldn’t know…but does.

When her family moves to a New Orleans plantation, Lucy’s dreams become more intense, and her search for answers draws her reluctantly into the old city’s world of Voodoo and mysticism. There, Lucy finds Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever. Lucy knows Alex is hiding something, and her rational side doesn’t want to be drawn to him. But she is.

As she tries to uncover Alex’s secrets, a killer strikes close to home, and Lucy finds herself ensnared in a century-old vendetta. With the lives of everyone she loves in danger, Lucy will have to unravel the mystery of her dreams before it all comes to a deadly finish.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
This book has a really cool premise and interesting narrative structure. Weaving past and present together in the form of dreams isn't necessarily new, but allows for creating a richer story. The old plantation/New Orleans setting helped enhance the weight of history on the current action of the plot. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that I guessed wrong as to the identity of the final villain. The plot was reasonably well executed, although it could have been tighter in parts. I was mildly frustrated with how long it took for Lucy to figure out some fairly obvious facts. With some information reveals a bit earlier (more in line with how long it takes the readers to put pieces together) the flow would have been much smoother. It also would have allowed for a little more time spent in the past to fully flesh out the characters and plotline there.

The biggest problem in the novel is the lack of development of the secondary characters. It's primarily Lucy's story and it shows in the flatness of everyone else. We get a slightly better picture of Alex than anyone else, but it takes until pretty far into the novel to really get anywhere with even him. The other characters severely lack depth and other interest, at least for me. I liked Lucy well enough, despite occasionally being a bit slow on the uptake. She did grow over the course of the novel, always a plus for the main character. I can't do too much more commenting about the characters because the others aren't worth it. The only other note is that the voodoo priestesses are quite fun and bring in a very different edge to the world.

Overall this is fun and well-timed coming close to Halloween. It's just enough spook for me to not freak out reading alone at night, but still compelling. If a bit of old school Creole voodoo and romance sound good to you I'd suggest giving it a whirl.
ebook from Netgalley

Of Scars and Stardust

Publication 10/8/2014

Claire knows they're after her. For two years, they've been hunting her.

Two years ago, Claire Graham ran away from her hometown and a tragedy that still haunts her, even in New York City. But when she learns that her sister, Ella, has gone missing, Claire decides to return to Amble, Ohio, and face what happened there. And her involvement in it.

Determined to find Ella, Claire turns to Grant Buchanan, the soft-spoken boy from her past who, like Claire, has secrets he guards closely. The two of them navigate their growing attraction while following clues that Ella left behind. Through a series of cryptic diary entries, Claire tries to unlock the keys to Ella's past - and her own - in order to prevent another tragedy. But not all things lost are meant to be found.
from amazon.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
This book intrigued me, despite being a fair bit off my normal path as far as genre is concerned. I guess that I initially thought that there would be a supernatural component with the wolves. Instead, it was much more of a psychological mystery/thriller. It starts off in Amble just before the initial tragedy strikes and then picks up two years later with Claire living in New York City and going about a different life.  Unfortunately for Claire, she can't escape the trauma and horror in Amble; it follows her to New York.  Upon her return to Amble, old and new mysteries combine and intertwine as Claire tries to prevent history repeating itself.  The plot kept me guessing and moved along at a good pace.  The reality of what happened is a complete mystery that I didn't guess in its entirety (I got part of it, though!).

Claire works well as a narrator, although her strong perspective colors everything that she sees. Throughout the book I was questioning if what Claire was seeing was real.  Claire had decent depth, but her instability and unreliability made her so much more compelling.  She reacted to different situations by either shutting down or lashing out and being inside her head allowed me to always know what she was thinking.  Ella (although physically absent for most of the book) plays such a huge role in shaping the plot.  Every appearance of hers adds a little light to the darkness that Claire carries with herself.  Of course, it wouldn't be complete review without mentioning the sweet, freckled Grant.  He brings out the best in Claire and helps her investigate while keeping her from losing her way.

I enjoyed this book despite having the wrong idea about its topic. The ending completely unexpectedly broke my heart and the mystery kept me guessing for the whole book.  If you're looking for something that's off-kilter, mysterious, and filled with creepy wolves pick this one up.
ebook from Netgalley

Wikedpedia

It's the return of Point Horror for the Internet generation! Don't open the door. Don't answer your phone. And whatever you do, DON'T turn on your computer...

Cole and Gavin love playing practical jokes through Wikipedia. They edit key articles and watch their classmates crash and burn giving oral reports on historical figures like Genghis Khan, the first female astronaut on Jupiter. So after the star soccer player steals Cole's girlfriend, the boys take their revenge by creating a Wikipedia page for him, an entry full of outlandish information including details about his bizarre death on the soccer field.

It's all in good fun, until the soccer player is killed in a freak accident... just as Cole and Gavin predicted. The uneasy boys vow to leave Wikipedia alone but someone continues to edit articles about classmates dying in gruesome ways... and those entries start to come true as well.

To his horror, Cole soon discovers that someone has created a Wikipedia page for him, and included a date of death. He has one week to figure out who's behind the murders, or else he's set to meet a pretty grisly end.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 2.5 Stars...
So I have to comment on two things first: I absolutely loathe the cover and the summary is flat-out wrong. It doesn't actually tell what happens in the book and gets key information completely wrong. Not really the best way to go about selling your book... As far as the plot goes, the concept is cool and put a new twist on the creepy death prediction subgenre. However, the actual execution of the idea was utterly off and really not very entertaining. The deaths were definitely a bit grisly, so it has that going for horror fans. The issue is that some of them were more than a little absurdly constructed. I'm pretty sure that giggles happened because of said ridiculousness. The whole reveal of the killer was poorly done, including the final scene of violence. The characters didn't react in any manner of a normal way and there are serious questions of plausibility. I totally get suspension of disbelief in novels, but it seemed like this was (for the most part) attempting to be realistic. I had an issue with the formatting as well, with the tweets featured in some chapters coming from most to least recent like in a news feed. However, that's not particularly helpful for someone trying to read a bit of narrative through them - they should have been chronologically arranged like what happens when you click on a thread of tweets.

None of the characters were compelling in the least. One of my favorite moments in the book was when we got a peek into the mind of the crotchety old teacher. Cole annoyed me with his utter obsession with Winnie, his ex-girlfriend, and by being incredibly uninteresting. Gavin, Winnie, and the other players weren't any better. All of them played their flat, one-dimensional roles with nothing extra. There really isn't much to say, except that the murderer is pretty obvious before too long.

Overall this is a book to skip. I did manage to get a little baking inspiration and some unintended laughs out of the novel, so it's not a total loss. However, when that's the best that can be said about a horror story it's obvious there's a problem somewhere.
ebook from Netgalley

All Those Broken Angels

Comforted by a shadow. Haunted by the truth.

Richard Anderson was the last person to see his friend Melanie alive. She vanished when they were six and while the police never found Melanie, a part of her remained - a living shadow that is now Richard's closest friend.

For ten years, Richard has never questioned the shadow that keeps him company... until a new girl moves into town, claiming to be Melanie. Desperate to prove the girl is a fake, the shadow leads Richard to the place where the killer buried her bones. But Richard finds skeletons from several different children... and evidence suggesting that perhaps the shadow isn't who she says she is.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
This book definitely falls into the category of super creepy. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of the cover; I don't see the strong connection to the story, especially since Richard is a visual artist. There were so many other options that would make the initial sight of the book much more striking. I really enjoyed having a book set in Savannah, having just recently visited, because I could recognize some of the locations. The story also made a lot of sense in the context of the city, which claims to be one of the most haunted in America. The plot was definitely the highlight of the novel. It had a great combination of meandering moments and edge of your seat twists and turns. The ending was masterfully done, with the reveal of the killer happening in a subtle manner that still made me gasp. Authors take note; that's the way to begin the final unraveling of a mystery.

The characters themselves aren't the main draw of the book and really exist to serve the plot. Richard was fine as far as protagonists go, with the nice little addition of having a sentient shadow living inside him to make it more interesting. I did appreciate hearing about Melanie's previous trauma and how her reaction is different than the standard resilience. Her early experiences broke something inside her instead of strengthening it. There is some weird development with Richard, Melanie, and the shadow that I'm not entirely sure how to feel about. It might give a bit of an ick factor to some readers, especially when you put everything together at the end.

Overall this is a great read if you're looking for a murder mystery with a creepy supernatural twist. It's nice and atmospheric for the fall, with enough turns to keep you engaged. The ending is absolutely awesome and makes the book completely worth reading from cover to cover.
ebook from Netgalley

Faces of the Dead

When Marie-Therese, daughter of Marie Antoinette, slips into the streets of Paris at the height of the French Revolution, she finds a world much darker than what she's ever known.

When Marie-Therese Charlotte of France learns of the powerful rebellion sweeping her country, the sheltered princess is determined to see the revolution for herself. Switching places with a chambermaid, the princess sneaks out of the safety of the royal palace and into the heart of a city in strife.

Soon the princess is brushing shoulders with revolutionaries and activists. One boy in particular, Henri, befriends her and has her questioning the only life she's known. When the princess returns to the palace one night to find an angry mob storming its walls, she's forced into hiding in Paris. Henri brings her to the workshop of one Mademoiselle Grosholtz, whose wax figures seem to bring the famous back from the dead and who looks at Marie-Therese as if she can see all her secrets. There, the princess quickly discovers there's much more to the outside world - and to the mysterious woman's wax figures - than meets the eye.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3 Stars...
Sometimes a girl just wants to read about the lush world of an Old-World monarchy, even as it breaks down during a revolution. This book did a wonderful job of capturing the feeling of the end of the French monarchy at the hands of revolutionaries. The details were delightful and really rounded out a full picture of the time, from describing the luxury of the palace to the squalor of the streets. I think that has to be the book's greatest strength; the ability to transport the reader back to the end of the 18th century. Unfortunately, the plot fell extremely short of the lovely world it was supposed to fill with action. I already knew the basics of how it was going to end from my brushes with European history, so I wasn't really on the edge of my seat. The most disappointing part of the novel was the how the supernatural element was handled. There's a way to delicately add a bit of the strange and paranormal, and then there's just severely underwhelming writing. I expected so much more and just ended up disappointed with the result. I wanted some excitement, or for there to be some actual influence on the plot from it. There would be almost no difference in the book if it had been straight up historical fiction, and it probably would have been better.

Marie-Therese was a decent character, but not entirely believable in my mind. Her reactions are too calm and collected for someone brought up to be a well-mannered princess. I can't imagine that someone in her position would take a fall with such grace and ease. The rest of the royal family served their purpose to give Marie-Therese motivation to do various risky things that somehow worked out fairly well for her. Henri was a fairly standard love interest. A poor boy who could show her how the rest of the French lived and offer her a new perspective on the world, all with sweetness and kindness. There was nothing wrong with him, but he lacked a spark to bring him off the page. Most of the characters fell a bit flat, unfortunately.

Overall, I'd say this is one to skip. Lovers of paranormal stories won't find enough to interest them and it strays a bit too far from traditional historical fiction to appeal to fans of that genre. This is a case where less probably would have been more.
ebook from Netgalley

Feuds

Publication 9/2/2014

In this breathless story of impossible love, perfection comes at a deadly cost.

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, 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's friends start dying. When the 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 Hastings's Feuds.

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
The cover of this made me super happy, primarily because the background has a nice set of what appear to be chemical structures and I'm a giant science nerd. The initial concept is interesting, if a bit done, with the class difference defined by genetic engineering or a lack thereof. The biggest issue I had was in the world building. I know this is the start to a series (or at least the ending implies another book is on the way) and so I'm sure Hastings feels that she'll have ample time to explore the world of Feuds. However, so much was left undefined and only vaguely mentioned. Why are the Olympiads so important and what actually happens to the winners? Are the Imps prohibited from the genetic engineering by cost or other regulations and was it always that way? I felt that the book raised more questions than it answered, and not in a good way. The actual plot was fine, if a bit scattered and slow to get to the point. I couldn't have guessed a fair bit of the final direction from the way it began.

I quite liked Davis, for all that she inhabited a bubble of perfect privilege. Her passion for ballet immediately provided a slightly different side of her than expected of a dystopian heroine. Her willingness to just pretend that everything was just fine mirrored that of the Priors as a whole and was mildly annoying. At least the introduction of Cole into her world made her face some of the harsher realities. I quite liked Cole, who very definitely falls into the category of hot and broody. Again, though, the romance went too intense too quickly for my liking. They met a couple of times and all of a sudden are incapable of living without one another. I wish that we'd been able to see more of the secondary characters, but with Cole and Davis's lives having basically no overlap, all of the minor characters' appearances were quite brief.

If you're super into dystopian then this has the potential to get better. There were some revelations at the end that set up a next installment pretty nicely. Personally, I'm still a bit on the fence about whether to read a second book.
ebook from Netgalley

Amity

Publication 8/26/2014 

Inspired by a true-crime story of supernatural happenings and gory murders, Amity spans two generations and beyond to weave an overlapping, interconnected tale of terror, insanity, danger, and death.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
Based on the cover one would expect this book to be creepy and it certainly was.  Start off with a creepy house with a history, a couple of desperate families moving in ten years apart, add a dash of psychological damage, and you have the perfect set up for a horror story.  The narrative alternates between the first person accounts of Connor and Gwen, which kept me from getting bored with one of them.  It also allowed Ostow to delve into two similar, yet different accounts of the house's horrors.  The plot moved quickly and consistently forward with both stories adding information and occasionally giving different perspectives on the same thing.  I'll admit that I scare easily, but I had serious problems with this as bedtime reading.  Although there's some grossness, most of the fear comes from the psychological games Amity plays with everyone who comes into contact with her.  That's right, I'm talking about the evil magic house like it's sentient.  Amity plays the biggest role in moving the action forward and acts as the core of the book.

The characters serve the purpose of Amity and act as vessels for or antagonists towards her power.  What I found so interesting was how the two main characters could have such different reactions to Amity.  It's unsettling to be in either Gwen or Connor's head for opposite reasons.  Gwen's constantly questioning her sanity and thus ends up ignoring all of her instincts.  Not only that, but everyone around her also refuses to believe her since she's supposedly unstable.  On the other hand, Connor is terrifying in his psychopathy and love of Amity.  He embraces and enjoys the darkness and evil that permeates the house, which is a super creepy head space to inhabit for however brief a time.  The siblings of the main characters fill their roles nicely.  Honestly, the characters are only really there to be vehicles of the story and it works.

This book is one for horror fans that don't want an overabundance of gore, but still want something to unsettle them.  There isn't much productive character development because the plot is the major focus.  I know this isn't going to be for everyone.  I found it a nice, albeit scary, change of pace.
ebook from publisher

The Diamond Thief

No one performs on the circus trapeze like 16-year-old Rémy Brunel. But Rémy also leads another life, prowling through the backstreets of Victorian London as a jewel thief. When she is forced to steal one of the world’s most valuable diamonds, she uncovers a world of treachery and fiendish plots.

Meanwhile, young detective Thaddeus Rec is determined to find the jewel and clear his name. Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel? Or is it really Rémy that he needs to save?
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
The summary fails to mention that there's a delightful little steampunk element to this story that makes it a bit more than a Victorian mystery.  The set up is a bit odd initially, but soon works itself out and the storylines connect in a more logical way.  Gosling gets a bit ambitious with the scope of the novel and tries to bring in tons of elements.  They eventually coalesce after some time and kinks.  Occasionally some ideas didn't receive the full explanation I would have liked to see, especially some of the oddities mentioned closer to the end of the book.  Despite all this, the plot had a nice flow to it and drew me in slowly.  The mystery unveils gradually with a few moments that accelerate the plot forward.

I quite liked Rémy as a character.  She was a little off in the best possible way, mysterious and suspicious.  Everything in her world wasn't shiny and happy, but she always survived in the best way she knew how.  Her specific skill set often proved useful and she knew when to accept help when things were too far outside of her experience.  Her interactions with Thaddeus were delightful, ranging from verbal sparring to emotional upheaval.  Thaddeus made me smile with his uncanny instincts, propensity for being ignored, and love of technology.  Having chapters that followed both him and Rémy made both of them seem more real and offered insights into the similarities and disparities between their worlds.  In an utterly not shocking turn of events, I particularly enjoyed the Professor with his offbeat scientist/inventor ways.  Although he was a bit stereotypical, the mad scientist archetype is always fun for me to read.

Overall this was a fun, quirky little novel.  I certainly enjoyed it.  If an adventure featuring a circus, a diamond, and a dash of romance sounds good then this is for you.
ebook from Publisher

Nihal of the Land of the Wind

Nihal lives in one of the many towers of the Land of the Wind. There is nobody like her in the Overworld: big violet eyes, pointed ears, and blue hair. She is an expert in swordplay and the leader of a handful of friends that includes Sennar the wizard. She has no parents; brought up by an armorer and a sorceress, Nihal seems to be from nowhere.

Things suddenly change when the Tyrant takes charge. Nihal finds herself forced to take action when she is faced with the most difficult mission a girl her age could imagine.

Fierce, strong, and armed with her black crystal sword, Nihal sets out to become a real warrior. Readers will be riveted as she forges her powerful path of resistance.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
So this year I decided to make a bookish New Years Resolution and it's been the only one I've ever kept going this long.  A part of that was to read more books from outside the Anglophone world and that's the main reason I was interested in Nihal, which was translated from Italian.  Well, that and the awesome cover/summary.  The plot takes a bit to get going because it's an introduction to a whole new high fantasy world, but is totally fascinating.  I really liked the world building and want to know more about the lands of the Overworld.  The Tyrant makes an excellent unseen enemy and I quite like the idea of his development into an evil powerhouse.  There is a big problem with the book: the writing.  It's hard, however, to discuss fully because this is a translation and quite often issues not present in the original bubble up in a new language.  The prose doesn't flow as smoothly as it should and tends to get unwieldy.  It's impossible to know if the issues stem from the translation or are inherent in Troisi's original writing, so I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.

For some reason I found Nihal palatable despite the fact that she has some qualities I rather dislike.  She's obsessive, thoughtless, and constantly disregards advice she should listen to.  However, by the end of the book she has grown quite a bit and begins to recognize her weaknesses.  Sennar is a better character by far.  He's interesting, thoughful, and compelling.  Although the first time we meet him he's obnoxious, he grows to become Nihal's biggest supporter and a powerful crusader for peace.  I really would like to have a book from his perspective!  A strength of the book is its supporting characters, who have depth and offer a range of ideas and experiences.  The fascinating politics of the Overworld form an undercurrent with many of the characters involved in one major political entity or another.  I hope that the next books explore this further.

The series is promising and I can see reasons it would be a best seller in Italy.  It's one that serious fans of high fantasy should definitely give a try.  The world is fascinating and there's serious potential for the story during the rest of the series.  I know that I'll keep going to see what happens in the Overworld.
ebook from publisher

High & Dry

Framed for a stranger's near-fatal overdose at a party, blackmailed into finding a mysterious flash drive everyone in school seems anxious to suppress, and pressured by his shady best friend to throw an upcoming game, high school soccer player Charlie Dixon spends a frantic week trying to clear his name, win back the girl of his dreams, and escape a past that may be responsible for all his current problems.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3 Stars...
I like the idea of this book quite a bit more than its execution.  The story plays out in a community where performance-based teaching fully controls the school system.  Not only that, but the high school cliques are like Mean Girls on steroids; the groups protect one another and upperclassmen can't speak with an underclassman without permission from the group leader.  This is the high pressure world where the action unfolds.  The book tries to frame itself as an intense mystery with a dash of thriller and does it somewhat successfully.  Again, I had a problem with the pacing of the plot.  Beginning with a bit more information about the flash drive and why it's so important would really have helped.  It's hard to care when the players and the main driving force are kept mostly secret.  Another issue was the intricacy of the plot.  It felt like Skilton tried to do far too much within the story and tied herself up with various plot threads.  Keeping with one main problem and applying more effort to centering the the book on it would have helped with the pacing and made it better.  There were definitely clever moments that hinted at potential for a better written mystery in the future.

I didn't particularly like Charlie or find him a compelling character.  I've read about characters I loathed, but if they're complex and interesting likability becomes secondary.  Charlie didn't capture my imagination, especially because he alternated between aggressive and whiny, with brief flashes of wit and fun.  The best part was when he let his inner nerd shine and made a few references that got a smile from me.  The secondary characters were just as bad or worse than Charlie.  The irritating Saint Ellie could do no wrong in Charlie's eyes and lacked all dimension.  She existed primarily as a projection of her perfection from Charlie's mind.  The bad boy friend, Ryder, was perhaps the most interesting of the characters in the book.  I wanted more from him because he felt more complex than anyone else.  Instead of being confused and a pawn in the game, he had layers of motivations.

Overall, the book suffered from an overabundance of ambition and a less-than-stellar main character/narrator.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly good either.  It's fine for someone who really enjoys high school mysteries, but if this isn't your prefered genre I'd skip it.
ebook from Publisher

Til Death

Sixteen-year old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a day-dreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally this is not a problem as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. Except from her best friend Kyle and her grandparents, of course. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky even for her.

Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more droolworthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Unfortunately, Dillan makes it more than clear that he does not feel the same. They just met, so why would he act like he hates her?

When Dillan and Selena are forced together one weekend to work on a school project, Selena prepares to be ignored as usual. But when she stumbles across a few undead in the backyard, Dillan comes to her rescue and reveals a whole lot more. Not only is he part of a society that hunts otherworldly creatures…she is too. And she is being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easy, especially when she discovers that Dillan might not actually hate her after all.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
I just have to start off by mentioning the cover... how absurdly gorgeous is that?  After reading the book I'm not entirely sure what it has to do with the plot, but I'll take the pretty where I can.  We first meet Dillan as he's on his way to live with his uncle after some sort of mission.  As the book goes on we learn about the strongly hierarchical society of world protectors he's grown up in, although it does take a while to get a decent explanation.  The pacing of the book is a significant problem because information isn't distributed in a logical manner.  Some things that would be important to know at the beginning of the novel aren't revealed until halfway through or even later.  The action also clusters around certain events, moving the plot rapidly forward at sporadic intervals.  A lot of the in between bits felt like filler and did nothing to advance character development or enhance the story.  Of the two major reveals in the book I was able to easily guess one and in hindsight should have figured out the other.  The mystery wasn't that intense; I was more interested in getting information about the supernatural society.

The synopsis is a bit misleading as this is as much Dillan's book as it is Selena's.  The narrative alternates between their two perspectives, although Dillan's is told from a third person narrator while Selena's is in the first person.  I found that a bit odd and it took a little while to get used to, but after the initial transition period it wasn't too bad.  I enjoyed the way the relationship between the two of them built up.  The constant bickering and vexation reminded me of a scenario in my own life and made me smile.  It shows that often those who push and challenge you most can be a good partner.  However, the magical (and unexplained) electric shock-like sensation that the two have when they touch each other is a bit too convenient.  They literally have a physical spark between them.  The secondary characters had promising starts and will hopefully have time to mature over the course of the series.

This is a fairly standard entry into the paranormal romance genre.  The end was quite exciting and sets up the next book pretty solidly.  In fact, it rather cut off in the middle of an intense scene and is certainly a cliffhanger.  You might pick this up if you're really into paranormal romance as this has a bit of a different slant on the paranormal side of things, but doesn't diverge too greatly from the usual.
ebook from Publisher

Gorgeous

When eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived.

Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.

Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.

A screamingly defiant, hugely naughty, and impossibly fun free fall past the cat walks, the red carpets, and even the halls of Buckingham Palace, Gorgeous does the impossible: It makes you see yourself clearly for the first time.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 5 Stars...
The premise of this book is ridiculous and I love it.  The beginning is a bit odd and slow, but once the action starts it doesn't let up.  One thing to know going into reading this is that it's a satire which will explain a lot about the style because I initially found it extremely jarring.  The continual commentary about pop culture, our obsession with celebrity, and beauty is spot on and razor sharp.  I personally love that it often gets played out to absurdity and was constantly giggling during my reading.  As someone who also loves fashion, I appreciated some of the references to the industry and how things work.  I devoured this book in one sitting, reading straight through and completely ignoring the rest of the world.  The magical elements require a suspension of reality because people don't instantly turn beautiful.  What does happen is that suddenly someone seemingly pops out of nowhere and becomes famous overnight.  The plot capitalizes on that scenario and takes it to ridiculous heights.  Although there are a few predictable bits, there's a lot of originality and the unexpected in the book.

Becky/Rebecca's head was a fun place to inhabit for a few hours.  I love how she recognizes her own ordinariness without always letting it run her life.  She also manages to embrace the changes that Tom brings about in a relatively normal way, with a nice combination of excitement, confusion, and totally freaking out.  A detail I adored about her was how her and her mother's obsession with celebrities ended up helping her!  I know that I've definitely spent more time that I should on E! or something similar and seeing how it played into the story made me smile.  Becky's best friend Rocher (like the chocolate) is equally hilarious and her extensive knowledge of the British royal family comes in handy.  Prince Gregory fills the charming shoes of the heir to the throne just perfectly.  He's a combination of what a stereotypical modern royal should be.

The only caution I have with this book is the language; there's a fair bit of profanity.  Otherwise, grab it for a delightfully satirical romp that will pull you into a world of glamor and absurdity.
ebook from publisher

The Academy - Thief

Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…

Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.

Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 1.5 Stars...
Ugh, this book.  It starts out with Kayli, who I initially liked.  At the beginning she's working and picking pockets to try to make rent because her alcoholic father can't keep a job.  When the "team" catches up with her, the action supposedly starts.  I say supposedly because Stone doesn't actually reveal much information and has things happen without explanation.  The plot is totally confusing, with the actual badness of the bad guys constantly up for debate.  Throughout most of the book the team is chasing this guy without knowing any real details of what's going on.  The pacing was always off; sometimes really slow and other times all together too fast.  The climax of the book left me very unsatisfied and didn't serve to actually resolve any of the issues brought up during the story.

So I initially liked Kayli, but that quickly faded.  I thought she was going to be reasonably interesting because she seemed conflicted, but with morals and a giant protective instinct.  However, when she met the boys of the team it completely turned me off.  Literally every time a new young male character was introduced she had the hots for him.  EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.  Then she started feeling conflicted because her heart got all aflutter when the super sexy mancandy entered the room, no matter who it was.  At that point all of the potentially compelling parts of her personality were shoved aside to make room for romantic longing and thought.  Either she was sinking into angst about her thieving lifestyle or wanting to make out with someone.  I couldn't even pay attention to the male characters because I was so frustrated with the insane focus on flirty romance at the expense of all development.  It basically evolved into a love star with Kayli at the center connected to most of the guys introduced in the book.

My advice about this book: don't bother with it.  There were occasionally quips that made me laugh, but the rest of it isn't worth the time it takes to read the novel.
ebook from publisher

In the Shadows

Book released 4/29/2014

Cora and Minnie are sisters living in a small, stifling town where strange and mysterious things occur. Their mother runs the local boarding house. Their father is gone. The woman up the hill may or may not be a witch.

Thomas and Charles are brothers who’ve been exiled to the boarding house so Thomas can tame his ways and Charles can fight an illness that is killing him with increasing speed. Their family history is one of sorrow and guilt. They think they can escape from it . . . but they can’t.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book - I initially thought it would be in more of a straightforward graphic novel format.  Instead there are parallel stories told alternatingly through written chapters and the drawings.  This is one of the few times that I'm really sad that I had an ebook version of a novel because I'm sure the illustrations are even better in the hardcover.  I spent quite a bit of the book a bit confused about what was happening in the visual part.  By the end I realized what it was, but it definitely took a while.  Because of the transitions between the text and illustrations, the book can be a bit harder to follow than if it was exclusively text based.  However, Di Bartolo's artwork fits in perfectly with the style of the rest of the story.  I ended up going back and looking over the narrative from the pictures after I finished the book and got so much more out of it on the second go round.  The plot isn't a wild thrill ride, but instead relies on creating and unsettling and mysterious atmosphere while lettting the mystery slowly unfold in a surprisingly short number of pages.  I did wish that there would have been a bit more explaination around the mythology of the evildoers, but I always want more!

The characters were all quite well done.  Since the beginning of the story is told in chapters that center on the different characters before they all meet, it's easy to get a sense of their individual natures before the main action takes place.  Although there's romance between various characters, it doesn't feel false.  None of them immediately fall in love with one another; in fact, some of them even mention just having fun and flirting with someone they just met!  The shock.  What's nice about having an ensemble book rather than one with a single main character (and their love interest) is that everyone responded to the situations differently.  Thus, White was able to explore a vastly greater range of human emotion and action.  Arthur had a completely different history and knowledge base from, say, Thomas and thus acted in another manner entirely. Even though the book was short, the characters got time to grow, change, and connect with readers.

I really enjoyed this book.  It's definitely something different in a good way.  If you're tired of all the paranormal romances, but still want something magical this could be for you.  I would strongly recommend getting the physical book because I think it might be a better experience rather than reading it on a computer/tablet.
ebook from Publisher

Alpha Goddess

In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3 Stars...
I really like the idea of this book.  I'm not particularly familiar with Hindu mythology, so the idea of learning something through the novel was exciting.  Granted, I do know more now than I did when I started the book.  I know it's common, but I really wish that the end notes that actually described the gods, goddesses, and other parts of the philosophy and mythology would have been at the beginning.  I probably would have been less confused and had a lot more fun while reading it if I'd known more about the different gods, goddesses, and other mythological players.  I had an issue with the pacing of the book and its distribution of information.  Although the plot summary makes it seem like the book moves quickly into the main action, that isn't the case.  It took (for me) too long for Howard to explain the basics of the plot; we spent far too much time with Sera attempting to figure out what's going on with her.  Once the action finally got going the book pulled me in, but it just took too long.  Had I not been both a compulsive book finisher and given this for review, I might have put it down.

Sera handled the situation pretty well.  I kind of liked her as a character and thought that she did have a bit of depth.  However, I couldn't muster up really strong feelings for her even when she was in danger.  I didn't emotionally connect with her or her journey.  There is, of course, the requisite love triangle putting our magical heroine in between two extremely different, yet still amazingly hot, guys.  The different heros vying for Sera's attention do make sense, but I sometimes get irritated with how overused the plot device is.  Of course, one guy appeals to her light side and the other to her dark side like romantic duct tape.  I actually want a story about Sera's parents and more details about how they ended up together because that would be juicy.  I guess that's telling; I found the vaguely detailed romance of the main character's parents more compelling than the central love triangle of the book.

The book was just okay.  I feel as though this might be the set up of a series and I'm a bit torn as to whether or not to continue if Howard does.  On one hand I now have a better grasp of the mythology, but on the other I don't find the main character particularly compelling.  This might be good for someone who's really into Hindu mythology, but I've heard a few things about some inaccuracies.  Regardless, this one was just okay.
ebook from Publisher

The Here and Now

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
I was a bit apprehensive about this book, because I'd read some of Ann Brashares books before and they weren't quite my cup of tea.  However, the set-up for this one made me want it in the worst way.  Time travel, pandemics, and attempts to save the human race!  Count me in.  The vision of the future that Brashares presented was chilling in its basis on current events.  Imagine what might happen if the whole world becomes tropical, resource scarcity is major problem, and insect vectors never die.  I will say that the plot got a bit confusing at times, but it moved really quickly.  The book is fairly short, which means that there's not a lot of filler meant to boost word count.  Everything is meant to propel the story forward in some way.  I found the structure of the 'immigrant' community particularly interesting.  I have a thing for totalitarian type societies and how they're interpreted in different contexts.  The formation of such a distinct subculture focused on secrecy and blending in added another dimension to the story.  Sometimes the trajectory of the story was a bit difficult to follow and the different threads took a while to converge.  However, the book was short enough that the confusion couldn't last too long.

I really liked Prenna.  She wasn't the bravest or most ferocious, but she had a determination to do what was best and help as many people as possible.  I also enjoyed that her strength was in her intelligence and not something physical.  The glimpses we gained into her past/our future were absolutely fascinating and I really wanted more of them.  I found Ethan to be well-developed and a nice counterpoint to a lot of the current leading men.  Again, he was smart, determined, and just generally likable.  Occasionally it's nice to read about a character without a tortured past.  The supporting characters have enough of a backstory to add complexity to the story, but the book really centers on Prenna and Ethan.

Overall, this is a quick and fun time travel book.  I have no idea if this will be a series, but I hope so.  I have so many questions that I want answers to!  Pick this up if you want a fun time travel book that might just make you think about humanity's current path.

ebook from Publisher

The Devil in the Corner

Penniless, and escaping the horrors of life as a governess to brutal households, Maud seeks refuge with the cousin-by-marriage she never knew. But Juliana quashes Maud's emerging friendships with the staff and locals - especially John, the artist commissioned to restore the sinister Doom in the local church. John, however, is smitten with Maud and makes every effort to woo her.

Maud, isolated and thwarted at every turn, continues to take the laudanum which was her only solace in London. Soon she becomes dependent on the drug - so is this the cause of her fresh anxieties? Or is someone - or something - plotting her demise?

Is the devil in the corner of the Doom a reality, or a figment of her imagination?
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3 Stars...
The cover makes this book seem so atmospheric and I felt that the gothic mystery would hit the spot.  Elliott did a wonderful job of constructing the proper ambiance and backdrop for the story.  The creepy manor with the small village nearby was a perfect setting to welcome the penniless former governess with dark secrets.  I had a huge issue with the pacing of the novel.  It seemed to drag on and on, with no progress made.  For a fair bit of the middle I wasn't entirely sure what the mystery I was supposed to be interested in even was, despite feeling like something should have been there.  The ending moved super quickly and packed more twists and turns into 50 pages than the previous 200.  Had the book been more evenly paced or given some sort of amazing twist I would have enjoyed it more.

The odd courtship between Maud and John didn't fascinate me or propel the story enough.  It seemed like Elliott was trying to make it a central focus, but without really investing in action or forward momentum.  John isn't a particularly well developed character; all we really learn about him is that he's a painter with feelings for Maud.  Any other depths are simply missing with him.  Maud was better, although I wish we could have learned more about her past.  Any information comes in half-remembered bits and pieces, but added so much to her character.  It made her actions more reasonable and generally made her a more sympathetic heroine.

If you're super into gothic type novels then this might be worth your while.  There were parts of the book that I really enjoyed, but the lack of plot for the length really brought it down in my opinion.  However, the end wrapped things up nicely and finally gave me the development I was looking for.
Book from Publisher

Jaded Stone

In Cornerstone, Valencia Roth died to protect her daughter. In Jaded Stone, she'll live for her.

Twenty years before the events of Cornerstone, Valencia Roth is the Crown Princess of Sheas, as lonely as she is privileged. She wants for nothing, except a clear path toward peace for her land. She’s always known personal happiness might not be in The Three’s plan for her. As the future ruler of Sheas, and a Cornerstone, her life belongs to her people.

But when Valencia meets the charming Reid Hendel, she dares to believe love could be within her reach. That is, if they can both survive long enough for it to blossom. A new threat prowls the land, and she’s their primary target. Armed with stubborn pride and all the resources of Sheas, she fears nothing—until her brother leads her intended directly into the fray and at least one of them doesn’t return.

Burdened with grief, Valencia must carve her own path forward. From the forge of chaos, a new era will be born.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
I need to come clean and say that I haven't read the rest of this series, but since it's a prequel I figured it wouldn't matter too terribly much (plus the cover is all sorts of awesome).  Although I might have missed some details, Easter eggs, or intricate plotting, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.  I'm hoping there was more information about the Stones and the history of the three kingdoms in the other novels, because I felt it was lacking in this book.  The mysterious curses and prophecies were never really explained and that detracted a bit from the story.  I enjoyed the court politics that were at play because I'm a sucker for political intrigue coupled with magic.  I thought the book had a few pacing issues; the middle could have been compressed a bit and the final chapters would have worked well if they'd been expanded.  I did really like how the chapters started off with bits of character diaries; they gave nice insights and complimented the ongoing story.

Valenica was awesome.  Strong and determined, but still possessing flaws and the need for growth.  As the book progressed Valencia learned more about her position in Sheas and did some major maturing.  The secondary characters weren't anything special, but it really was Valencia's book.  She definitively formed the center of the story and maintained her importance throughout.  Since I read it as an ebook I can't quite tell how long it was, but it felt short to me, which is another reason the secondary characters lacked significant subplots.  There was a significant romance component, which mixed nicely with Valencia's struggles over duty to country versus individual desire.

This was a lovely little read.  I will be on the look out for the other books in the series.  If you want a light fantasy with a hint of darkness this is for you.  Plus, there are already more books out if you can't get enough!
ebook from publisher

Manor of Secrets

The year is 1911. And at The Manor, nothing is as it seems . . .

Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy, and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society. She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure. And most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid. But she isn't sure she possesses the courage -- or the means -- to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for change. As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed. Secrets that will alter the course of their lives. . . forever.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
I'll admit, this book appealed strongly to the part of me that loves Downton Abbey.  The cover is gorgeous and the model looks oddly like a cross between Lady Mary and Lady Sybil.  Plus, all sorts of drama both upstairs and downstairs?  I'm sold.  However, despite how short the book felt, it took most of the plot to really get into the interesting story.  The set-up filled over half of the novel and didn't even provide hints as to the secrets waiting to be discovered.  When things finally got going all of the revelations piled on top of one another.  I found pacing the biggest issue of the book.  If some of the ending excitement had spread throughout the rest of the story I think it would have been a major improvement.  It wasn't too bad for me because I don't particularly mind a lengthier buildup, but I can see impatient readers deciding it isn't worth their time.  The end was super fun and delivered some super juicy secrets both upstairs and downstairs

The characters were decent, but nothing remarkable.  I occasionally wanted to shake Charlotte for her entitlement and shortsightedness.  She is sometimes so absurdly absorbed in her idea of what the world is that she completely misses reality.  She does really mature throughout the book and has a great moment at the end.  I may or may not have given her a well-deserved fist pump.  I distinctly preferred Janie, with her no-nonsense attitude and focus on accomplishing her goals.  Her practicality coupled with the repressed desire for more endeared her to me.  The secondary characters were serviceable, but there were a few individuals I wish had received more page time.

Overall, this is a fun book if you're going through Downton Abbey withdrawal.  If historical fiction or the British aristocracy dealing with the changes of the 20th century isn't really an interest of yours, I'd skip this one.  However, if any of that sounds appealing this is a quick read that goes well with a nice cup of tea and fake posh accent.
ebook from publisher

Don't Even Think About It

Release Date March 11, 2014

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.

So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
I love the premise of this book.  Who doesn't want to know what everyone around you is really thinking?  The start of the book shows that it's not going to be your typical high school YA read.  I was thinking about what genre to put this book in and I can't quite classify it.  It has a little element of other (telepathy anyone?), but it isn't really paranormal.  Whatever it is, I had an absolute blast reading it.  At first the plot doesn't seem clear; all you know is that these teens are going to need to deal with their new ability.  There's not a ton of breakneck action, but I think it works to the book's advantage.  It focuses on interpersonal drama and all the little twisty relationships that everyone has to deal with on a daily basis.  I quite liked the way it was written from the collective consciousness of all of the kids who developed telepathy.  It makes so much sense if you think about it; when you're constantly in someone else's brain personal lines start to get a bit fuzzy.  This made the book a nice little change of pace from standard narrators.

The one problem I had with the book was I wanted more!  The cast of characters was quite large and Mlynowski didn't go into everyone's lives.  There were some people I was dying to learn more about, but alas.  The characters that did get a significant amount of page time were nicely developed.  I particularly enjoyed seeing the range of reactions to the telepathy.  Some of them flourished, some couldn't handle it, and everyone received a serious lesson in honesty.  It was a delight to see all the ways that they decided to use telepathy to their advantage. The relationship dramas were the center here and having characters you could empathize with made it that much better.  The best part was that the focus wasn't exclusively on romantic relationships, ongoing or otherwise.  There were friendships, formerly apathetic individuals, and borderline enemies.  Throw all of them together to get a perfect high school meltdown waiting to happen.

Overall, this is a great little quick read.  I finished it in one sitting and had a blast while doing so. If you're looking for something that's a bit different, but not too crazy, grab this when it comes out.  It'll be great for curling up on an afternoon when going outside seems highly inadvisable.