Tori's Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Standalone

Expected Publication on April 29, 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction

336 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

In this powerful debut novel inspired by real-life events, Amanda Maciel weaves a narrative of high school life as complex and heartbreaking as it is familiar: a story of everyday jealousies and resentments, misunderstandings and desires. Tease is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt readers long after the last page.

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness in exchange for an honest review. 

I really can't stand Sara, her problems, and her friends. The pace wasn't prime either, and I feel like the plot never really "took off" in a sense. The writing was irritating at times, because the author wrote like Sara spoke, therefore there were instances of "like" everywhere. And I could never decide whether or not Emma did the things Brielle and Sara accused her of or not. That's the drawback of the book being in first person--it's biased.

First off, There's a difference between having the characters say those phrases and putting it in the actual narrative. It made Sara seem like a very unintelligent character in my opinion. (*See additional information.)

(pg. 145) Oh, that's what she means. My nice, thoughtful, hot boyfriend. Anyone would want to have him. So I shouldn't be surprised that Emma's trying to, like, climb into his back pocket.

Other than my irritation for her, Sara surprised me. Regardless she was still annoying and dumb and her oblivious attitude toward the severity of her actions made me want to rip my hair out. I'm glad she met Carmichael though or she probably never would've learned that bullying was not okay and that what she did and said to Emma was not okay. Also, it was almost as if she didn't expect court to be so hardcore, and maybe she didn't. Maybe she thought that bullying a student to death wouldn't have any repercussions.

(pg. 306) God, I'm an idiot. This whole thing is rigged. We're not even on trial anymore, but everyone is still playing the game. Playing the system. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. I don't even know.

Emma Putnam. The girl that killed herself or the girl that Sara and her friends killed?

(pg. 307) ". . . For a long time, I thought we were enemies. I thought she'd done things to hurt me--and I did things to hut her back. . . . I know that she was in a lot of pain. More pain than I'll ever really understand, though I definitely understand better now. . . . I don't think that pain is anyone's fault, exactly. . . . But I made that pain worse. For no good reason. . . . and I'll be sorry for the rest of my life. . . ."

I should mention that I don't in any way like any of the characters in this book except Carmichael, and only because he was barely in the book. I felt like they were all very whiny. They never failed to find something in their life that they could complain about.

Other than the life lesson threaded through this book, it was slow. I'm sorry. I liked it and all, but it was freaking slow. And Sara's irritating narrative for the first 75% really wasn't something that I was happy about. Also, the entire book is supposedly about Sara going to court and what her sentence is going to be. As the reader, I never found out what her sentence was. Did she get probation? Did she get jail time? Did she get sued? And the author never mentioned whether it was a civil case or not. (I think it was since Emma's parents were more involved than not.) The plot holes angered me.

In conclusion, it was really the slowness and those loose ends that kept this book from a higher rating or a better review. I'm glad Sara (sort of) felt something about Emma's death at the end, or this would've been a one star review. It was really only the side characters that never really developed, Dylan especially. He was a cheater scumbag in the beginning, and he was a cheater scumbag at the end. I'm really not sure who would enjoy this, because for some reason I feel like I shouldn't have enjoyed this book. Yet I did.

I think this book is just brutally honest in the truth of what teenage girls can be like. What life can be like. It's tough crap, life and drama.

*I am not in any way saying that people who use those phrases as place-holders in speech are unintelligent. (It do it myself.) I'm just saying that putting that in a novel's narration isn't something that agreed with me. I mean no offense to anyone at all.

Tori's Review: How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

Standalone

Expected Publication on April 22, 2014 by Running Press Kids

Young Adult

272 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty." To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.

Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for Fifty Pounds to Freedom, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To be truthful, I wasn't completely sure about this book at first. I was about thirty percent in and the characters seemed too unrealistic and too shallow. I thought about how maybe by the end of the book characters' behaviors would be explained in one way or another and that they would grow. Well, I was right. They did.

My favorite aspect of this book was either the characters or simply just Emery's, the main girl's, sarcasm. I'm one to root for the sarcastic, hilarious girl, and Emery's that girl in How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love. Oh, and let's talk about that monster of a title. It's hilarious and it's intriguing; it's what brought my attention to the book in the first place! I usually don't like long titles, but this one I actually like.

Along with the characters' shallowness, I really just didn't like Emery's family. At first (I make a lot of assumptions about books that usually end up being wrong by the end, but oh well) I thought that they were all carbon copies of each other. Angel and their mother are extremely uptight about their weight and are exceptionally superficial. Like I said, originally I thought they were carbon copies of cliches but then I came to realize that Angel was the way she was because of their mother and not because she was simply shallow on her own. There's a scene in the book where Angel and Emery have a sister heart-to-heart, and I loved that particular scene to bits.

This book shows a lot about the structure of a dysfunctional family as well as loyalty and trust, which is something that I also really enjoyed about this book. Although I'm partial to action and adventure, I still do quite like the books that focus around family. Along with family, this book sends a strong message to girls. Despite the fact that losing fifty pounds in fifty days is not healthy, Emery represents somethings that every teenage girl must face in society--rejection. I think by the end of the book that Emery handles the rejection (and approval since she's famous in the book by the end) in such a way that creates a strong female figure for young girls. She's tough and she learns that although the media makes it seem like being skinny is everything, it really isn't.

On a random side note, Emery's menu from when she was fat made me want to hurl. I pride myself on being a semi-healthy human being, and Emery's eating habits did not agree with me whatsoever.

In conclusion, I think this book is well worth the read if you're looking for a fast and fun book. It sends me a good message in my opinion and although I didn't give it five stars or even four, I did enjoy it. It just wasn't a favorite and there were parts about it that I didn't like, particularly the characters. Characters are a big deal to me. They always will be.

AJ @ So Paranormal gave it 4/5 | Kate @ Musings of  Book Lover gave it 3/5

Tori's Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚♚½
Pages: 408
Published by HarperCollins on March 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I expected a lot from this book. I didn't get exactly what I was hoping for, but I wasn't disappointed either. The pace was decent, and the plot was sort of thrilling. The characters were typical, but I connected with them a bit as in they made decisions that seemed realistic and matched their personalities. In a way, the characters made the plot predictable, but not too terribly so. The world-building, in all, was pretty good, and I wasn't left hanging.

This book had been raved about a lot, therefore I was expecting something spectacular. Sadly, Panic is pretty average. The pace wasn't fast paced, but it wasn't slow either. A bit slow at first, but after the first 50-60 pages, it picks up more. I read it in a single night, because I had to know what was going to happen to Heather and Dodge next. It was a page turner for sure!

Dodge was dodgy to me. Really. I like an unreliable narrator though, so I sort of liked Dodge. The one thing that really got to me about him was that he was obsessed with Nat, Heather's (the main character's) best friend. It was cute at first, but after so long I got irritated with him and his infatuation. The same thing goes for Heather and her obsession/infatuation with her ex-boyfriend Matt. There was this line at the beginning of the novel that I felt was extremely true.

There's just something about her.

Something about her. Which meant: Nothing about you.

I felt like that is how a lot of girls feel after a guy uses the line, "It's not you; it's me." Not the same line, but still. Same meaning. Trying to pin the blame on themselves or some imaginary force that doesn't exist. Heather just seems so dead set on being with Matt. It's sort of sickening, and it got annoying. Plus, the players' motives for participating in Panic didn't really fly with me. Their backgrounds/histories were a bit shady, which ultimately made them shady as characters.

The one character I liked through and through was Biship. His motives were a bit predictable and cheesy, but in the end I liked him a lot more than the other characters. I originally thought I'd like Dodge, but I ended up not liking him as much. I liked Bishop more than Dodge.

On the world-building side of the story, it was good. There was a page or two in the beginning that explained the background of the city Carp. Usually, this wouldn't work since it would be considered a form of info-dumping, but since the book is written in third person (she, he, they), I think it worked out a lot better than if it was in first person (I, me, we).

Panic was nothing like I expected. I thought it was going to be more action-y and adventurous, but it ended up being thrilling and suspenseful, maybe even a bit mysterious. I'd recommend it to people who have liked Oliver's previous works since the writing is still really good as well as people that are just interested in the synopsis in general. I don't think you'll be too disappointed with Panic if you're already interested in reading it. I think I'll leave this review with my favorite quote.

"That's the thing about trust. You don't know [if you can trust me]."

Tori's Review: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1) by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚
Pages: 346
Published by Balzer + Bray on Janurary 28, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I'm going to start off this review saying that Rosamund Hodge can create the perfect atmosphere for a fantasy novel with her beautiful writing. Let me also say that I wasn't a fan of her character's relationships with each other. I liked the characters by themselves but not with each other.

Nyx was a fun protagonist, but she was also sort of irritating when she kissed Shade in the beginning, and for an assassin, she sure lusted over Ignifex a lot. But take those boys out of the equation, and I enjoyed her personality a lot. She was strong, and she knew her priorities. In the beginning (note that I say "beginning"), she doesn't let Ignifex's appearances (he's gorgeous) get in the way of her mission, which I loved.

Also Ignifex interested me. His entire story interested me. Some aspects of the novel felt unexplained to me (the darkness eating him. Correct me if Hodge did elaborate, and I'm just forgetting it), but maybe that's just me. His perspective regarding the people he made bargains with was fascinating as well. It allowed me to understand his character on a deeper level. And the fact that the never got angry with Nyx for her antics (you know, trying to murder him and all) was intriguing and made me like him as a love interest even more.

On the other hand, Shade seemed uninteresting to me. He was also irrelevant to me. I wish he had played a larger role in the novel so I could've gotten to know him more as a person. In honesty, I didn't really like his personality. From what I read, for someone who had been around Ignifex for so long, he sure didn't know much about his master. And all he ever talked about was how Nyx was their last chance. Talk about repetitive.

Nyx's relationships with both boys didn't really settle with me correctly. I didn't think she had a bond with either of them, Shade even less than Ignifex. Sure, Nyx and Ignifex has some cute/adorable lines in the course of the novel, and I liked them, but I didn't like them as a couple. They just didn't mesh well for me.

The world-building was amazing. Seriously. Despite a few holes in Ignifex and Shade (I think they were warranted with his situation), I thought that the history of Arcadia was explained very well, and I loved that aspect of the novel. Also, Hodge's writing just made everything so much better. Her word choice was marvelous.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, but honestly not to the extent that I wanted to. Before reading this book, all I read were rave reviews, so I was expecting something jaw-droppingly amazing. It was good, but not a favorite. It was a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, so if you're looking for one of those, go right ahead!

Tori's Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal
Rating: ♚♚
Pages: 336
Published by Delacorte Press on March 11, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

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.

NOTE: I received this review from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pointless. I'm sorry, Mlynowski, but it was. I was really excited to read Don't Even Think About It when I got an email from NetGalley saying that I was pre-approved for this title, but once I started reading it, I wasn't so sure anymore. This was definitely a fast read regardless of it lacking plot, and I appreciated that, hence the two stars/crowns. I felt that its pace needed to be recognized. And the writing was good, which also deserved a star/crown. The lack of the other three stars is the characterization, world-building, and my emotions throughout the novel.

For one, I felt no attachment toward the characters by the end of Don't Even Think About It, and I wasn't okay with that. There were two characters that I liked: Tess and BJ--BJ more than Tess. I just didn't agree with the way that Tess thought/did things. She mind slut-shamed Sadie, which was not okay, and she was always talking about how she wanted to lose weight so badly...and then she'd eat cheeseburgers, a milkshake, and fries. BJ was hilarious. Besides the fact that his name is BJ for the stupidest reason (because he thought it was funny), I liked him as a character. He was nice to Tess.

Two characters I couldn't stand at all would be Mackenzie and Pi. I just couldn't with those two. Mackenzie was pompous, and she thought everyone lived to serve her. Same thing with Pi. And that ending? What the heck, Pi? She ruined the ending for me. (Actually, they all did.) I just couldn't stand her character or her. She admonished the others for cheating on tests and then she goes and cheats, using her powers to read the smartest kid in school's (the one she envies) mind during a test. Hypocrite much? It's not his fault you didn't study!

There was practically no world-building. All the kids know is that their powers came from a batch of flu shots. By the end of the book, all the kids know is that their powers came from a batch of flu shots. Can you see the problem here? Literally nothing is explained by the end, and I wasn't okay with this just like I wasn't okay with the characters.

This ties in with my lack of feelings for the characters, but I could've cared less about these kids. The entire novel was a drama-infested high school, and it made me want to hurl, maybe even rip my hair out. It was annoying, and it irritated me to listen to their thoughts. They had nothing interesting to say. Ahem, I mean, think. I was excited to read about super powers, but this book lacked in that department too. And everyone was trying to be funny, but they just weren't. A character would say something "funny" and another character would laugh. But me? I didn't. I didn't laugh.

In all, I didn't dislike this book so much that I'm never going to read another Mlynowski book. I haven't completely written her off. I still enjoyed her other novel, Ten Things We Did. I'm sad to say that I wouldn't recommend this book for anybody unless they're looking for a drama-driven novel.

Tori's Review: Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper

Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Zombies, Romance
Rating: ♚♚½
Pages: 250
Published by Entangled Teen on March 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Donna Pierce might hear voices, but that doesn’t mean she’s crazy. Probably.

The voices do serve their purpose, though—whenever Donna hears them, she knows she’s in danger. So when they start yelling at the top of their proverbial lungs, it’s no surprise she and her best friend, Deke, end up narrowly escaping a zombie horde. Alone without their families, they take refuge at their high school with the super-helpful nerds, the bossy class president, and—best of all?—Liam, hottie extraordinaire and Donna’s long-time crush. When Liam is around, it’s easy to forget about the moaning zombies, her dad’s plight to reach them, and how weird Deke is suddenly acting toward her.

But as the teens’ numbers dwindle and their escape plans fall apart, Donna has to listen to the secrets those voices in her head have been hiding. It seems not all the zombies are shuffling idiots, and the half-undead aren’t really down with kids like Donna…

NOTE: I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

On one hand, this book was light and funny and easy to read. On the other hand, it wasn't what I expected from young adult, and it definitely wasn't what I expected from a zombie book. There were good aspects in Donna of the Dead—the humor that Deke brings to the table—and there were not-so-good aspects in Donna of the Dead—the writing.

Let me start off by saying that the writing wasn't bad; it was just young, to say the least. While reading Donna of the Dead, I felt like I was reading a first draft. Not because of mistakes, but because of Donna's lack of character arc and a few other things. I'm just going to leave it with, "The writing wasn't my favorite."

Donna was my next least favorite. She wasn't irritable, but she definitely wasn't a protagonist that I enjoyed. She was too much like myself. Saying humorous jokes in the midst of awkward situations. Being completely wrapped up in a guy where it's almost unhealthy. Donna's personality and how it was similar to my own was what made me not like her. I don't want to read about myself. And she didn't develop until about 80%, and it was pretty sudden.

The one character that I did love, though, was Deke, Donna's hilarious and hot best friend. He always knew the right thing to say, and I loved his relationship with Donna, because he always challenged her to do her best. The two of them just worked, in my opinion. The one thing I didn't like about Deke was how long it took him to admit his feelings for Donna. Like, dude, it's not that difficult. Just say you like her.

The thing about the supporting characters is that they're extremely forgettable. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I want to be able to remember a character months after reading the book and describe what I liked about them. I can't do that for the supporting characters in Donna of the Dead. I can barely remember their names.

The zombie science in this book was interesting and unique, which I enjoyed yet thought was weird all at the same time. For some reason, I really just don't want the zombie myth to be tampered with. Vampires? Okay. Werewolves? I don't care. But zombies? No, thank you. Although the way everything came together at the end was great, and I liked that a lot. The world building was a bit lacking in terms of Donna's voices, but in the end things are sort of explained, which I can deal with.

In conclusion, the part I liked the most in Donna of the Dead would be Deke. He's my favorite. And the ending was hilarious, too. I thought Kemper really knew how to end her book well. I would probably recommend this book for readers who don't read a lot of zombie books and for readers that enjoy funny apocalypse books.

Tori's Review: The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚½
Pages: 256
Published by Albert Whitman Teen on March 1, 2014
Amazon | B&N

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

NOTE: I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's extremely difficult for me to review this book for two reasons: one, I enjoyed this, but there were problems, and two, I'm a critical reader, and that plays a huge role in my overall rating of a particular book. On one hand, I had fun reading this book, and it was an enjoyable read, but on the other hand, there were multiple things that annoyed me about The Summer I Found You, making me not want to give it a higher rating than two and a half stars.

The first thing I need to get of my chest: Is Aidan's name spelled Aidan or Aiden? Throughout the book, there were constant mishaps where both spellings of the name were used. This really irritates me. I think an author should know the name that they chose for their character, especially if said character is the first thing mentioned in the acknowledgments at the end of the book. Also, the overall grammar in this book was just downright bad. Not unbearable, but not good. I understand that this is an ARC, but I haven't read an ARC yet with so many grammatical errors as this one.

But even though the grammar was bad and the author couldn't decide what way to spell her love interest's name, I thought the book was fun and easy to read. At the time, I was simply looking for something cute and light, and this book is definitely that. This is where my next problem comes in.

This book isn't supposed to be cute and light. The Summer I Found You is dealing with a wounded veteran who lost a limb and a girl who's suffering from a breakup and diabetes. (Is it just me, but don't you think Aidan's circumstances are just a little bit more severe than Kate's? The only reason diabetes is a big deal for Kate is because she never keeps track of her carb intake, and she doesn't take her shots like she's supposed to! And everyone gets dumped. Kate should get used to that if she's only seventeen.) There are some serious issues being dealt with in this book, I think, and in my opinion, The Summer I Found You just sort of glazed over them.

The characters weren't amazing, but they were normal. They're what one expects from a contemporary novel, to be honest. Kate and Aidan aren't exceptional or anything, but they're entertaining. The thing with those two is that they're okay as separate people, but I don't think they make a good couple. For the first half of the novel, they're both using each other as distractions for the hardships they're enduring in their life. Then they "fall in love," but I think they're still leaning on each other too much. I think that a healthy relationship has balance.

I also think a healthy relationship is based on trust and honesty, but Kate sure doesn't think so, because she doesn't tell Aidan about her diabetes until it's almost too late. Kate and Aidan both struggle with this, but they need to realize that they're not the only ones with problems in their lives. They're a bit selfish like that, and they didn't appeal to me as much as I would've liked them too.

Also, the split POVs weren't working for me. It was better than some novels that I didn't like that had split POVs, but it still wasn't done amazingly. Sometimes I found myself in Kate's POV, wishing I was in Aidan's and vice versa. It should've just been in Kate's or just in Aidan's. (Aidan's, preferably, because he was dealing with a lot, and it would've made a powerful YA novel.)

Lastly, the cover image and the title have nothing to do with the book. For the cover, they never go to a beach. Kate passes out before they get there. For the title, it wasn't even summer in the book. It was during the school year. They thought about summer, but it was never really summer.

Kate and Aidan are rough around the edges as characters, and they didn't work well together as a couple, because they were essentially using each other the entire time even after they thought they fell in love. This book needs a copy editor, because the use of Aidan/Aiden was annoying, and the sentence structure in many of the sentences wasn't great. Overall, this book was enjoyable, and readers who aren't critical will enjoy it for sure.

Tori's Review: My Life with the Walter Boys (My Life with the Walter Boys #1) by Ali Novak

My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Series: My Life with the Walter Boys #1
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚
Pages: 368
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on March 1, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Sixteen-year-old Jackie Howard is devastated when her parents are killed in a car accident. She has no one to turn to except for her mom's best friend Katherine Walter. Jackie quickly discovers that Katherine is no stranger to being a mom-she's got twelve boys! And every single one is a handful...

Adjusting to life with the Walter boys is not going to be easy, especially when two of them start to show an interest that definitely goes beyond brotherly.

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I feel so different when I read a published book that used to be a Wattpad book. On one hand, I'm very proud of the Wattpad author for making it so far with their writing, but on the other hand, I'm trepidatious before reading the book, because I know that Wattpad books are very different from published books. Nevertheless, My Life with the Walter Boys was no different from any other Wattpad book. I have to admit that it improved a lot from when it was first published on Wattpad, because I had read it then, but I still think the characters need to get a reality check before entering the publishing world.

The first things that irritated me about My Life with the Walter Boys were the characters. Jackie, for one, was stuck up, and I really didn't like her. She made decisions that were out of character. She was portrayed as a goodie-goodie who didn't drink and didn't go to parties, but lo and behold the moment Cole Walter tells her to, she does it! Then there was Alex Walter. He was very hormonal for a teenage guy, and that's all I'm going to say.

Finally, there's Cole Walter himself.

Oh, Cole Walter. What will I do with you? On one hand, I really liked Cole and his brooding self. But then as the story went along, he really started to irritate me as well. He thought he was all that when he clearly wasn't all that. Sure, he was hot, but he really didn't have a personality. The author gave Cole somewhat of a past to try and make him relatable, but I wasn't buying it. Also, I was extremely iffy on Lee and his supposed "hatred" for Jackie.

Other than the characters, the plot was fun. A bit dramatic, but I suppose that's what contemporary is about. The whole my-brother-stole-my-ex-girlfriend-but-it-was-just-a-misunderstanding fiasco between Alex and Cole got a bit old, but it kept things entertaining. In my opinion, everyone's problems were solved too easily. It was as if everything just sort of fell into place at the end, which didn't make me mad but didn't please me either. I like endings to be difficult, but the ending to My Life with the Walter Boys was nothing short of easy.

But the very, very ending/goodbye between Jackie and Cole was touching, and I found myself rooting for the two by the end of the book somehow. The end left at a hint for a sequel, which I think will be happening, according to Goodreads. (Plus, the sequel is on Wattpad, so... I probably won't read it unless it's published, though.)

In conclusion, this was a decent debut novel for a Wattpad writer to published author. The characters weren't my favorite, but I didn't despise them, which is good. The plot kept me entertained and kept my interest, which is also good. There were a few instances where things didn't quite match up, but I'm sure the book's ARC status is to blame, which should be no big deal when it's published. If you're looking for a fun, quick read, then this book is definitely for you! Remember that three stars doesn't mean that I didn't like it.

Tori's Review: Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1) by Victoria Scott

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
Series: Fire & Flood #1
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: ♚♚♚
Pages: 320
Published by Scholastic on February 25, 2014
Amazon | B&N

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

NOTE: I received this as an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing that I disliked about Fire & Flood was Tella, but I'm pretty sure this was the case for nearly every person that read this book. She was irritating, and all she really thought about was herself. That's kind of sad considering she was racing to win the Cure for her brother who was sick and dying. The majority of the narration was "I," "I," "I." Honestly, I don't know how Guy put up with her.

Guy Chambers. Since this is only the first book, I'm sort of hoping that they change his name. After reading Jon's review over at Scott Reads It, I can't get it out of my mind that Guy Chambers sounds like the mens' restroom. Tella made this huge deal out of him like he was there to win for her. She always forgot that Guy was there for somebody too and was there to win the Cure for a loved one too. He wasn't going to give it up for a girl he just met. The same thing goes for all the supporting characters. They're all there to win the Cure, not to make friends. Tella knows this, and still she's so shocked when one of her "friends" betrays her to get win the game.

Plus, the romance between Guy and Tella is very basic and nothing new to the YA genre. It's not horrendous, but it's not something that I'm over here swooning over.

The supporting characters were slightly irritating and forgettable. If it weren't for the plot, I don't think I could've read on. Despite the similarities between The Hunger Games and Fire & Flood, the two were still pretty different in my opinion. I loved how there were separate legs in the Brimstone Bleed, and I liked how people didn't have to die in order to win. They just had to beat out the other Contenders.

The world-building a bit lacking, and I really didn't understand what was going on until about 75% through the book. It's never really confirmed what time period it is, and that bugs me. There's no advancement of technology (that's mentioned), and yet there are hybrid animals being hatched out of eggs? It's illogical and kind of made me want to rip my hair out.

I have to admit that the action was great, though. I thought that Scott really knew how to frame her novel and turn it into something adventurous. The things Guy knew about survival made sense and weren't stupid. They were perfectly logical. When Guy said to empty the packs, I was like, "Let's empty the packs!" Leaving the tents behind was sort of sketchy to me, but Guy knew that he had his Pandora to keep them warm at night.

Ah, Pandoras. I loved them. I loved them so much. They were so cute. Madox is the best Pandora in the world. I really liked Harper's Pandora, too, though. They were all great in their own way. I think the best thing about Fire & Flood was the Pandoras. (Titus's Pandora, AK-7, sounds like a gun.)

Well, and the action. But mostly the Pandoras.

Going into this book, I thought I was going to hate it, but I ended up liking it quite a bit. In the end, it's worth the read. The characters are a bit rocky and forgettable, and the romance wasn't anything special. The plot was a bit predictable, but it didn't hurt or add anything to the novel. I'll recommend this to people who aren't critical readers and are looking for a quick, fun, intense read with action and adventure along with some survival aspects along the way.

Tori's Review: Unforgotten (Unremembered #2) by Jessica Brody

Unforgotten by Jessica Brody
Series: Unremembered #2
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚½
Pages: 416
Published by Farrar, Struas and Giroux on February 25, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Some memories are better left forgotten...

After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await Sera and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her. A weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect. And it won’t stay forgotten for long.

Packed with mystery, suspense, and romance, this riveting second installment of Jessica Brody’s Unremembered trilogy delivers more heart-pounding action as loyalties are tested, love becomes a weapon, and no one’s memories are safe.

NOTE: I received this book from this publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A continuation of Unremembered by Jessica Brody, Unforgotten picks up several months after the end of Unremembered. The first thing that really irritated me about Unforgotten was the pace. I honestly would've liked this book so much more if the beginning went faster. I understand that the book needed to start somewhere, and, yes, action did happen in the beginning, but I just really wasn't feeling it. I wish it was a bit more interesting. Although after Sera was accused of witchcraft, the book definitely got better.

Kaelen, a new character, was by far my favorite other than Cody. I can't really say anything about Zen, because he was barely in the book. In my review of Unremembered, I said that I wanted to see more of Zen and Sera to decide whether or not I liked them together. I was a bit bummed out that I didn't get to see them grow as a couple, because I really wasn't feeling them as a couple in Unremembered.

Because of me not feeling them as a couple, it was easier for me to latch onto Kaelen. On one hand, he's a horrible love interest that doesn't go with Sera at all, but when you really think about it, he's the best fit for Sera. They're the same. They're both created by Diotech. They're both supposed to be emotionless. They're perfect for each other. To me, Zen was a set of training wheels for Sera in the sense that he prepared her to really connect with someone that understood her more—Kaelen.

Like I said, other than Kaelen, Cody was my other favorite character. I don't think it's a spoiler saying that he was in the book. I mean, there's no other way that I can talk about this book without saying a few things that aren't in the summary. Cody is all grown up in this book, and he's still the same old Cody. I'm really glad that Brody was able to maintain Cody's voice even thirty years into the future.

The world-building aspect of Unforgotten is pretty good. I wasn't as confused in this book as I was in Unremembered, which is good. More science is added to the plot, and I feel like Brody explained it well.

The ending was alright. Just alright. Most of my rating is coming from the very beginning and the very ending. I'm not saying the ending was bad; I'm just saying that part of it was predictable. And infuriating. I suppose the infuriating part is okay, but it just sort of ruined the entire book for me. I realize that there's going to be another book, which I'm anticipating greatly! I need to see how the rest of this series pans out...

This book was good, and I liked it. The was beginning was slow. The ending was a bit predictable, and it made me groan, because of I saw it coming. I loved Cody, and Kaelen is my favorite between him and Zen. I just don't see Zen and Sera as a couple, so if they're the end game, I hope Brody justifies their connection in the third book. The science is easy to understand yet still complex and interesting. In all, this is well worth the read! I'm wondering if it's a trilogy or if it has more books than just three. (Everything's a series these days.)

Tori's Review: Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚½
Pages: 288
Published by Point on February 25, 2014
Amazon | B&N

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. 

First off, let me tell you that you need this book in your life. Lately, I've really been digging contemporaries, and that's why I requested this book on NetGalley. I don't think I've ever been so grateful that I requested on NetGalley. This book was hilarious, cute, and everything good in life. It pained me to read about Levi and Macallan not being a couple.

One of the best aspects of Better off Friends is that Levi and Macallan are characters that you can relate to. They make stupid, rash decisions in the story and in real life people make stupid, rash decisions. Eulberg makes middle school and high school sound real rather than the fake cliche stuff most of the contemporaries I've read are all about.

Macallan and Levi's relationship together—their friendship and their love for one another—makes the entire novel. Surprisingly, it's not boring. In fact, this book is actually quite entertaining. I read it in one sitting, on the way home from my out-of-town tournament, and it's honestly the best road trip book. It's light and cute, which is what I just need some days. The writing is simple and to-the-point, which I love.

Each character goes through a hardship in life that is reasonable and realistic with reasonable and realistic responses. It's interesting to see how each characters deals with each event in their life differently.

I especially loved the double POV. Lately, I've been loving split POVs. Levi and Macallan have such interesting voices, and I love them both. Levi is a meat-head—a typical boy—and Macallan is bordering on needy—a typical girl. I love how the two feed off each other and seem to be better people with one another.

But let me say that the tension between the two is sky-high, and it made me want to toss my phone out the window at one point or another. It was amazing how blind they were toward each other's feelings throughout the entire novel.

Honestly, like I said before, the entire novel is their relationship with one another. There's nothing I can really say about this novel without repeating myself. If you're not going to read the novel, you're mistaken, because you are going to read Better off Friends. It's simply amazing, and I loved it. Everybody needs this book in their life, because it might just teach them a thing or two about making stupid decisions and moving past them. Plus, Levi and Macallan are hilarious.

Tori's Review: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #3
Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 416
Published by HarperCollins on February 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

Ignite Me was one of my top anticipated books of 2014, and it feels great to finally have read it, and to finish another series. I have to admit that I started out Team Adam, but as the book series went along, I was less Adam and more Warner. If you've read Destroy Me, no doubt you felt the same. Tahereh Mafi has a way with characters. She so beautifully crafts their personalities and their voice as well as their mannerisms. Some people think her writing is choppy, but I think it's genius.

Warner absolutely breaks my heart. His character survived a long character arc since Shatter Me, and that makes me really happy. I'm glad that he's made it out not-so-unscathed but alright. Ever since Destory Me, I've been in love with that dude. In Ignite Me, he made my heart break/swoon/ache. Just all of those adjectives. He made me feel.

He smiles like it hurts.

In my opinion, each and every character in this book has their own demons they need to learn to face. In Fracture Me, we as readers learn that Adam does have his own inner anger that he needs to tame and learn to deal with. If it weren't for Fracture Me, I don't think I would've been ready for Adam's hostile personality in Ignite Me. His anger surprised me.

Other than Warner, Kenji was my favorite. I think if you've read Shatter Me and Unravel Me, you'll know that Kenji is hilarious. But in Ignite Me, I really start to see Kenji and Juliette's friendship for what it is—hilarious. Not in a sense that it doesn't work, but in the sense that they work so well together as friends. They feed off each other.

That's because you're not fragile," Kenji says. "If anything, everyone needs to protect themselves from you. You're like a freaking beast," he says. Then adds, "I mean, you know—like a cute beast. A little beast that tears shit up and breaks the earth and sucks the life out of people."

Plot-wise, Ignite Me was lacking. The common thread throughout the trilogy was that Juliette wanted to take down the Reestablishment, right? But it seemed as though Juliette's sudden drive to make a change was sudden. Too sudden. She wanted to take down the Reestablishment after Warner's father, the leader of the Reestablishment, shot her, which was reasonable, but I felt like it could've been improved a lot. This trilogy has been solely based off relationships and character arcs, which I'm perfectly fine with, but I wished that it had more substance.

And lastly, the world-building was pretty much nonexistent. Tahereh Mafi barely touches on how this dystopian world came to be. I think I remember hearing about radioactive events occurring prior to Shatter Me, but I think it should've been covered more thoroughly. Even at the end of the book, I'm left wondering if Juliette ever truly gets a happy ending. Plus, the action happened within the last 20 pages, which more or less irritated me. I feel like endings should be big. This one wasn't.

In conclusion, if I wanted to rate this book not thinking about its faults, it would no doubt have five stars. But sitting down and really thinking about the book, I can't give it more than five stars. It was amazing, but it wasn't all that. Regardless, Ignite Me will be a 2014 favorite.

On a final note, Tahereh Mafi is very good at hot scenes, let me tell you.

Tori's Review: The Cellar by Natasha Preston

The Cellar by Natasha Preston
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 368
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on March 1, 2014
Amazon | B&N

"Lily?"

My stomach dropped as a tall, dark-haired man stepped into view. Had he been hiding between the trees? "No. Sorry." Gulping, I took a step back. "I'm not Lily."

Before I could blink, he threw his arms forward and grabbed me. I tried to shout, but he clasped his hand over my mouth, muffling my screams. My heart raced. I'm going to die.

_____

For months, Summer is trapped in a cellar with the man who took her-and three other girls: Rose, Poppy, and Violet. His perfect, pure flowers. His family. But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out...Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe – that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation can track her down. Spending months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin’s abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family…his perfect, pure flowers. But flowers can’t survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out….

NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I remember this book when it was on Wattpad. I have to admit that I never read it, but my friend did, and she said that it was scary as hell and that I shouldn't read it in the dark at night time. Because of this, I expected something way more scary than what I got. Yes, The Cellar is creepy on many levels, but it wasn't downright scary. It didn't make me want to pee my pants. For some reason, scary movies and TV shows scare me way more than books do, and I'm seriously waiting for that one book to pop out and scare me so bad that I loose sleep over it (thank you to The Grudge for doing that to me. I appreciate it). 

I honestly didn't care that the book didn't scare me; I just anticipated for it to scare me, and it didn't. It's not even a real problem that I had with the book. A real problem I had with The Cellar was the fact that the psychological issues weren't that severe for Summer. She was locked in a cellar for nearly a year, witnessed girls being murdered, and was raped. I just thought that the psychological impact on her mentality would've been worse that just, "Oh, I feel a bit woosey. Ooh, I can't really remember you. Ooh, I don't want you to touch me." I sort of wanted her to have a panic attack or something. Going into this book, I even thought she would develop Stockholm Syndrome. (She didn't.) 

On the other side of the spectrum, the POV change was refreshing and nice. At first, I thought that I was going to hate the POV changes (I usually do), but I didn't in this case. I'm actually glad that the author decided to do them. If she hadn't, I would've gotten bored with Summer's POV after so long of her being locked in a cellar day in and day out. 

If anything scared me in this book, it would be Clover's point of view. It showed that he wasn't completely all there. He honestly believed that murdering people was okay. I think that this part of the novel was done very well. Another part I thought was done really well was Rose's (Shannen's) attachment to Clover. It was explained adequately, which I appreciated (apparently I appreciated a lot of things regarding this book). Also, I really enjoyed watching Clover's obsessive compulsive disorder span out through the entire book. It was fascinating. 

I have to admit that I didn't really like the flashbacks because they got a bit confusing at time, but as time wore on, I started liking them more often than not, and by the end of the novel I was completely fine with them. 

Preston might have sort of glossed over the psychological aspects of the book, but she sure didn't gloss over Clover's murdering, which I also loved. In my search for a book that really scares me out of my wits (it's safe to say that I haven't read Stephen King yet...), I've noticed that books really don't scare me much, so I appreciated the fact that Clover did managed to creep me out more than I liked. 

In the end, this was a solid novel for Natasha Preston, and I'm glad that I requested it on NetGalley to review. I'm really glad that I read it, and I learned to never go out at night in the dark looking for a friend because I might get kidnapped and shoved into a cellar. I'll most likely be ordering this online once it comes out so I can showcase it proudly on my bookshelf!

Tori's Review: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Series: Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 560
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

NOTE: There are no spoilers for Cinder or Scarlet in this review. You'll just know who ends up with who coupling wise if you read this review, which really isn't that big of a deal. 

Oh, man. I honestly don't even know how to begin this review. To be truthful, I am still so shell-shocked when it comes to the Lunar Chronicles. I loved Cinder and Scarlet, but I don't think I realized how much I loved those books until I read Cress. 

The action in Cress is never-ending, which I loved. There's never really a dull moment. Looking back on this book, it's constant action. I would've read this book in one night if it hadn't been 12 in the morning and I wasn't about to pass out. I couldn't stop reading this book, because that's just how amazing it was. I hate writing extremely negative and extremely positive reviews, because this is how they end up—jumbled and incoherent.

I seriously ship all the couples in this book so hard. Thorne/Cress (Thress?), Wolf/Scarlet (Wolflet/Scarf?), Kai/Cinder (Kinder?), and then there's going to be a Jacin/Winter (Jater/Wincin...?) coupling in Winter. I swear, I don't know how Meyer does it, but she manages to make me ship every single one of her couples. I feel like I'm forgetting a couple, but then again, I don't think I am.

The only characters that I had extreme feelings for in Cress were Thorne and Wolf. I loved Thorne so much in this book. In Scarlet, I was pretty neutral about him, but once I read this book...wow, I loved him so much. Wolf—not so sure about. The more that I think about it, the more that I come to the realization that for the majority of Cress, Wolf brooded and sulked. In Scarlet, he took action and he was amazing, but in Cress, he was easily manipulated and just...there. I think he was a much better character in Scarlet. Regardless, this is the only complaint I have when it comes to this book.

Other than Wolf, there was a character arc for nearly every single character (except Scarlet, but if you've read this book, you would know why. She didn't get much book time), which I loved. Kai grew quite a bit in this book, and I think this was when I really started to love him. So did Cinder. Just everybody grew, and that made me love this book even more. I have so many feelings while reading it.

There were so many POV's too! But I surprisingly was content with this. Usually third person writing with a lot of POV's is a recipe for disaster and no attachment to the world/characters, but Meyer has no problem with this whatsoever. I really love Meyer's to-the-point writing, and she made everything work out in the end. I thought I would get confused with all the different plots going on, but I didn't. It was fairly easy to keep track of, which I loved. (Wow, I loved a lot of things when it comes to this book.)

Overall, this is one of my top favorite of 2014 so far. I've read 16 books in 2014 as of February 9 when I wrote the review, but out of those 16, this is my favorite. I think this will probably remain at the top. I want to reread it right now, and I probably would if it weren't for the fact that there are a million other books that I need to read. I could seriously go on and on in this review, but I think I'll stop it here.

I HIGHLY recommend this series. HIGHLY.

Oh yes, and on a final note, Levana is probably one of the best villains I've ever read about.

Tori's Review: The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher 

Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: ★★★
Pages: 384
Published by Chicken House on January 7, 2014
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fatal attraction, primal fear, survival in the forest: From the author of the Printz Honor Book STOLEN, the highly anticipated thriller about deadly games played in the dark.

Ashlee Parker is dead, and Emily Shepherd's dad is accused of the crime. A former soldier suffering from PTSD, he emerges from the woods carrying the girl's broken body. "Gone," he says, then retreats into silence.

What really happened that wild night? Emily knows in her bones that her father is innocent -- isn't he? Before he's convicted, she's got to find out the truth. Does Damon Hilary, Ashlee's charismatic boyfriend, have the answers? Or is he only playing games with her -- the kinds of games that can kill?

NOTE: I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation in return for writing this candid review on the product. 

First off, I just wanted to say that this book is nothing like Stolen, Lucy Christopher's other book. I absolutely loved Stolen, and I probably wouldn't have ever requested this book from Chicken House on NetGalley if it weren't for the fact that Christopher's name was tacked on it. When reading this book, I hate to say that I expected more from Christopher, but I did. I expected to be emotionally invested in the characters, which didn't happen. The one thing that did happen was the imagery.

The imagery in The Killing Woods, like in Stolen, is amazing. I could picture Darkwood in my mind like I was actually there. The details and precision in explaining Darkwood was just astounding, and it reminded me of why I loved Christopher's writing in the first place. But like I said above, I wanted to be emotionally invested in the characters. Well, I wasn't. In fact, I was pretty apathetic toward the cast. And after learning how Ashlee really died, I couldn't care less. I was pretty neutral throughout the entire book as far as feelings go.

Also there was Damon and Emily, our two narrators. Yes, the book is in split points of views. I honestly liked Damon, to be fair. Emily? Not so much. I've decided that I only liked Damon because I felt bad for him. Sure, he shouldn't have been on drugs and all, but it would suck to not remember. Plus his girlfriend died. I had minor sympathy for him, but it was still there.

Emily was a flat character without substance. I didn't like her at all. She was too soft (except when she tackled Kirsty), and she just didn't appeal to me as a "heroine." I found myself rooting for her to be the next victim. Simply put, she just really irritated me.

And I guessed the murderer about 20 pages into the book. That isn't a good thing. I'm usually really bad at guessing the killer, so when I actually do, it must be pretty obvious. It just irritated me that this book was a murder/mystery/thriller, and yet I still guessed the killer before any real hints were given. It was just a bit too predictable.

Something I did like about the book, though, was the creepy and ominous "Game" (okay, well, the Game ended up not being that creepy and ominous but the buildup toward the revelation regarding the Game was great!). I also liked the fact that I liked Ashlee less and less as the book went along. I love books where the main character(s) slowly uncover secrets about a murdered person. It reminds me of a scandalous Bones episode.

In conclusion, I thought this book was okay. I'm not too overly excited about it, but I think it's worth a read if you liked Stolen. Just don't have your hopes up too high. I think I would've liked The Killing Woods a lot more if I hadn't read Stolen first.