Book Review: Unmarked

He is here . . . and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free. 
Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?  Quoted from Goodreads

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Happy Halloween!  I actually read this book at the beginning of October, but it was such a perfect, spooky book, I decided to save it for today. Warning, there are some spoilers for the first book, which you should also read if you haven't already.  What are you waiting for? This series has everything you could want in a book coming out this time of year. Ghosts. Demons.  Possession. Murder. Kidnapping. And Mystery. 

Andras, the demon freed at the end of the last book, is killing girls.  He's also possessing different people's bodies, so the Legion members never know what he looks like or where he is.  He's a delightfully creepy bad guy.  One of my favorite scenes is where he literally moves towards Kennedy, switching bodies every few steps.  Everything in the first book builds up to Andras, and he more than lives up to the hype. What can I say, I love my villains.

This book is fast paced, with plenty of action and twists. This round, we also get to learn more about Kennedy's background: her mother's secret past, the father who left her, and the aunt she never knew.  It's through Kennedy's connection to her family that we learn more about this world and the generation that came before.  We also get to see the Illuminati close up.

As for our heroes, a lot of different stuff goes down, but I love how they all pull together.  I particularly enjoyed learning a little bit more about Alara and Priest, though the real character growth goes to Kennedy and Jared.  As for Jared, he's a great love interest, and I adore where the author leaves the book, especially in regards to him.

So, should you read this book?  Yes.  Especially if you're in the mood for a spooky, paranormal series.  With enough twist and painful reveals to keep it interesting, this really is the perfect halloween book.  I'm giving it a haunting 4 stars, and eagerly await the third and final installment.

Book Review: Perfect Lies

Annie and Fia are ready to fight back.

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie's visions of the future can't show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia's first love, Fia knows he's hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other - but that may not be enough to save them.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I think I liked this book even more than Mind Games. It was everything you could hope for in a sequel and then some. 

In the first book I was totally team Fia, probably because I absolutely love her unique super power.  Fia's was the POV that I loved reading, while Annie was more filler/take a break from poor Fia's issues. I feel like in this book it's much more equal.  Annie grew into a much more interesting character once she was out of the school and away from Fia.  Plus, I loved her romance in this.  It was cute, adorable, and different because of her ability.

The conflict in this book is even more action packed and stressful.  It's so interesting when your opposition is staffed with mind readers and feelers (people who can sense your emotions), so you can't actually plan anything to take them down or they'll know and stop you.  It sort of drove me crazy but at the same time made for a really compelling read because you didn't know exactly what would happen.

I actually enjoyed the writing this time a lot. Kiersten did a great job with Fia as she mentally spirals towards the end, and it contrasts nicely with Anne's POV. Both voices and characters are really distinct and I never questioned whose POV I was reading. The only thing that was a little confusing was the timeline, since Fia's chapters were several weeks/months later than Anne's. At the same time, it made for some interesting reveals once I learned to pay attention to the chapter headings.

Basically, if you're looking for an action packed, fast read, look no further.  It's got everything from super powers, romance, action, importance of family, betrayal, covert missions, mind games (yes, I'm referencing the first title), and assassinations.  It's a strong 4 stars for me.  Part of me wishes that this was a trilogy, but at the same time I really liked the ending of this book. I guess I'll just have to wait for Kiersten's next book.

Book Review: Split Second

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.
As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.  Quoted from Goodreads

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There is the great great possibility that I actually liked this book even more than the first one.  I'll admit it's hard to judge, but I really love the way Kacie West continued the story.

The second book picks up right were the first one leaves off. Laila is on the cover this time instead of Addie, and I actually didn't realize that half the book would be told from her POV (so instead of two different paths both featuring Addie, we get two different caracters.  In fact, the first time Leila started talking, I was kind of nervous I wouldn't like it as well---but I did!  Sure, I want more Addie and Trevor. That was my favorite plot line in the last book, but the author does a great job of weaving action, intrigue, and romance into Leila's half, that I ended up loving both POVs. Plus, Addie and Leila both feel different.  It's very clear which on is speaking at any given chapter despite the constant POV change.  

In fact, all the characters are well thought out and developed. Everyone you know and love, or love to hate, is back. The author fleshes out the characters even more this time around.  The stereotypical high school bad guys (you know, the mean cheerleader and the entitled jock) are given depth, and even redeemed at points, this time around. It's also fun because Addie goes out of the compound, not remembering the search she did in the last book, so we get to meet a bunch of the characters all over again, but it's very different this time around, and I think the author had a lot of fun with that.

As for the plot, it's deceptively intense.  It's a lot like Pivot Point, where all these little, innocuous things, start building up into something horrible and life altering that our main characters have to overcome.

Basically, this is the third Kacie West book I've read, and I just love it.  Her characters are always realistic, her plots intense (for their genre), her humor subtle, and her writing descriptive (I'm talking, she knows how to really show, not tell).  I don't know if Split Second is the last book in the series or not (it could be but there are a few loose ends I'd like to know more about), but I really loved the ending and am giving this book a high 4 stars.  If you want to read a well put together book, you really should check this one out.  It's excellent.

Book Review: The Morning Star

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1890

Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, wants to be known as a doctor, not a necromancer. But Tsar Alexander III forbids women to attend medical school; his interest in Katerina extends only to her ability to raise the dead. Twice now, Katerina has helped him by using her power to thwart the forces of darkness—vampires bent on resurrecting the lich tsar Konstantin Pavlovich so that he can take what he sees as his rightful place on the throne. Katerina thought she had bound Konstantin to the Greylands, the realm of the dead, but he has found a way out. Now he is searching for the Morning Star, a sword that will allow him to command a legion of supernatural warriors.
Katerina must find the sword before Konstantin does—and she must travel to Egypt to do so. Along the way, she puts up with unwanted attention from her former fiancé, the nefarious Prince Danilo, and struggles with her feelings for her true love, George Alexandrovich. But with the looming threat from Konstantin, Katerina's focus remains on the sword. Russia's fate will be determined by whoever wields the Morning Star—and delivers the final blow.   Quoted from Goodreads

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I'm kind of sad to see this series end. Part of me also hates to see things drag on and on, so I'm a bit conflicted. It was fun, I love the different/magical take on history, and I finally figured out most of the Russian titles (I was really confused in the first book). 

What I loved.  First off, the history.  I know that sounds silly in a book full of vampires, necromancers, fairies, etc. but it's true.  You can tell the author really did her research, lining up certain events in the book with real, historical happenings.  It makes this series stand out from so many others.  I love that George Alexandrovich really did travel to Egypt about that time, that Tsar Alexander III forbade women from attending medical school in Russia.  It all played into the book's magical plot, but also fit historically.

Second, I really do love Katerina and George. Their relationship was adorable.  I love how Katerina is, in many ways, a girl ahead of her time, but not in that annoying, transplanted 21st century girl thing so many books fall victim to.  I love her passion for medicine and how that also fits into history.  Then there's George.  After the first book, I immediately had to look up what happened to him in real life.  We all know what happened to his famous/tragic brother, but him? I had no clue.  The nice thing about this series, too, is that despite its parallels to history, it offers more hope for change.

As for the action, there's plenty of it to go around.  We get some interesting new threats, plus all the old ones come back . . . often in ways I didn't expect.  There are Katerina's private struggles, her moments to shine, then there's the epic battle you sort of knew the three books were building towards.  As for our villains, one is delightfully evil, the (sort of) other, ambiguously complex, and I love that.  It keeps everything from getting too black and white, while also not allowing things to get too twisted into knots in the grey area.

All in all, this is a fun series, especially if you like alternate history or Imperial Russia. Honestly the book is probably a 3.5 stars for me, but because I enjoyed the series so much, I'm bumping it up to a 4.  It's a very different book from so much of what's coming out right now, that I found it refreshing, interesting, and so much fun to read.  I can't wait to see what Robin Bridges does next.

Book Review: Infinity Glass

The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series.

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time travelers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order.

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does.
But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?  Quoted from Goodreads

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Expectations make a big difference.  For example, I didn't know quite what to expect with Hourglass, and ended up really enjoying it.  Then Timepiece came along.  I hadn't bothered to read the back of the book.  I trusted the author, so what was the point? Book two in the series, what else did I need to know? Suddenly it wasn't from Em's POV, which irritated me, and was definitely suffering from sophomore slump.  It wasn't that it was so bad, just not what I expected.  Kaleb's powers weren't nearly as cool as Em and Michael's, and after the ending of the first book, I was hoping for more time traveling.

I didn't quite know what to make of this third book.  From the blurb I couldn't tell who would be narrating, so I wasn't sure quite what to expect.  Honestly, this may be the best book in the series yet, or at least on par with the first one.

What we get is Hallie and Dune, duel POV, and I loved them both.  Dune always cracked me up as the body-building nerd with power over water.  Okay, he's more than that, but that was my impression from the first two books.  Hallie is our delightful new character and the titular infinityglass.  She's strong, sassy, and a strange mix of sheltered and jaded.  She goes after what she wants, and she's confident in herself.  It's an excellent mix, and I loved both of them.

This story is, in some ways, more action-packed than the first two books.  Most of the world-building has already been done (though we do move locations this time around), so there's less explaining and more happening. There were a few twists I wasn't expecting (and not all of them came at the end, either).  Plus, the ending was excellent, perfect even.

We also get to see all our favorite characters from the last two books show up. Everyone helps, though the final showdown is focused around Hallie and Dune (they are our main characters this time around). It's fun to see how everyone works together after their individual happily ever afters at the end of their respective books. Plus, we get the epilogue from Em's POV, bringing the story full circle.

The pacing is good, with plenty of internal and external conflict. There's Hallie's complex relationship with her parents, Dune's transition from thinking of the infinityglass as an object to a person.  Their budding romance, and Hallie's changing abilities.  This book kept me turning pages long after I should have been doing something else (like sleeping or something).

All in all, this is a must read for fans of the series, and if you haven't picked this up before, you really should now that it's over.  I love the way it wrapped everything up and the different ways their abilities came into play.  it's a strong 3.5 stars for me, 4 if I take into account the series as a whole.  Now I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.

Book Review: Indelible

Some things are permanent.

Indelible.

And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future . . . and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies . . .
THE TWIXT.   Quoted from Goodreads

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I enjoyed this book surprisingly a lot.  This is one of those I was on the fence about.  The idea sounded fantastic, the cover was beautiful, but a guy who tries to cut out a girl's eye as a love interest?  You can see why I wasn't sure.

Like I said, this actually was a really fun book.  Even the eye part.  First, the author gave a decent explanation for what he did . . . sort of.  If Ink were a normal person it would still be inexcusable, but with his character in the beginning, I understood why and what he did. Ink's character was one of the ones I enjoyed the most. First, he changes---drastically.  He's not the same person in the beginning that he becomes in the end, both emotionally and physically (you'll have to read the book to really understand that one). He's a unique romantic lead and a refreshing change from the sarcastic, bad boy who only the main character can truly see or understand.

I thought Joy was a good, albeit rather average, main character.   She was brave when she needed to be, and I really liked her attitude about being indispensable.  It helped her handle the challenge of the Twixt and Ink.  I did get a little sick of her issues with her mother. I might understand her feelings, but, for me, it sort of detracted from the rest of the book and added an unneeded level of angst that wasn't even resolved particularly well.

The world-building was excellent.  There are all sorts of mythical creatures that are new and unique and, honestly, a bit dark.  The Twixt, while it has it's good moments, is really more of a dark, strange place than some fantastical fairy world.  It took a while to see where this book was really going, but I loved the climax in the end and the way everything resolved.  I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a series, but it could be one book, and I really liked that.

The supporting characters were fun.  I especially liked the beings from the Twixt as opposed to Joy's human friends and family, mostly because they were far more interesting.  I should probably say something about Inq here.  She's actually rather the stereotypical love interest's "sister," and I wasn't a fan of the Q at the end of her name, but I did enjoy the contrast between her and Ink.  She's mysterious enough that I want to find out more about her in later books, and I loved her devoted group of guys.

All in all this is a fun, albeit slightly dark, read.  It's a strong 3.5 stars for me.  Some things happened a little too fast and there were a few transitions that confused me a bit, but overall I liked it.  It's a new, unique world, and I look forward to future books.

Book Review: Earthbound

Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. 

Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go.

Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson.
Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do.   Quoted from Goodreads

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This has been quite the summer for Aprilynne Pike.  First we got Life After Theft, now Earthbound.  

I quite liked this book.  While certain elements reminded me of other works, the plot as a whole was in a totally different format from those books, and I enjoyed the way it meshed together. Actually I think it combined a few prominent themes from a few years ago (not vampires, so no worries) with some plot structures/antagonists that are popular now, which is a nice twist.  Okay, I know that was vague, but I don't want to give too much away by mentioning specifics.  

Probably what I loved and disliked most about the book was the romance. First, I wasn't a huge fan of the love triangle angle, but it ended up being a pretty important part of the book.  That being said, I'm hoping it's mostly over in the second one. Actually, the way they left things, I'm really excited for the second book.  The thing is, I like the idea of both Benson and mystery boy, Quinn.  They're both play an important role in the story and are good characters in their own right. I just wish there was a little bit less kissing. 

Shocking, I know!  

Still, the characters make out a lot in this book, and every kiss is sooo intense, that after a while they stop meaning all that much.  I wish we would have gotten our first kiss maybe around the half way point instead of the first third.  It would have meant more at that point, since while Tavia knew Benson for a while, we as readers didn't, and I needed more time to fall in love with him as a character before she started making out with him.  As for Quinn, I liked the way that relationship progressed.  It wasn't exactly normal, but it worked.

The adventure/conspiracy, I really enjoyed.  It's got plenty of twists and action that kept me reading just one more page.  Plus, a lot happens in a short amount of time.  The whole book takes place in something like a little over a week, so every day matters and takes it's toll on Tavia. As for Tavia, herself, she grew on me.  She started the book recovering from a traumatic experience, one that defined her whole life, and then to have all this other stuff thrust upon her really tested her, both physically and mentally.  Despite that, I think she handled things pretty realistically, all things considered.

All in all, this is a fun read, and seems to be setting up a great series.  That's kind of how I felt about Wings.  The first book was good, but the series got better as it progressed, so I have high hopes here.  Plus, the way the ending left things, the second book definitely looks to be more exciting/fun than the first. It's a lovely 3.5 stars, with bright hope for future installments.

Book Review: Shadow of the Mark

Their love could destroy them all.

Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.

Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.
But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked line.  Quoted from Goodreads

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In a nutshell, if you like the first book, you'll probably like this one, if not, this book isn't going to sell you on the series.

Really, I think this book is pretty much just like the last one.  It's mostly Megan and Adams relationship---they can't be together for some reason or another connected to their powers, but they're determined to make it anyway---and then the very end we get some action. 

Here's the thing. I love the mythology in this book.  I enjoy the world Leigh Fallon created, the lies and conspiracies, the way their powers evolve, etc.  My one problem is Megan and Adam's relationship.  Sure, they're cute together, and to be honest it bothered me less in this book just because this is the second book in the series, so their relationship had already been established, but the fact of the matter is, I have no idea why those two are together.  Sure, there's this mysterious pull that made them fall instantly in love, but that's all we get.  Even after they're together, we never get to see why they work so well as a couple.  They just go around making out and declaring their never-ending love.  We never know why they were drawn to each other in the first place or why they're still together.  If there were more action, more focus on their powers and the conspiracy surrounding them, it wouldn't be such an issue, but like I said, their relationship is the backbone of this series, and I'm afraid it's a bit lacking.

Still, like I said before, I really do like the mythology.  I love the ideas she plays with.  My favorite part is probably the way Megan's powers interact with Rian and Aine's. I won't give anything away, but it was probably the twist I loved most in this book. Seriously, there were parts that cracked me up.  

I also really enjoyed the addition of Chloe to the mix and the part Caitlin plays in everything.  I won't give away more because of spoilers, but they were both great additions to the plot.  Even Petra, Megan's Dad's girlfriend was a nice addition though I didn't love her as much as the other two.

Plus, we finally get introduced to the true villain of the story!  In the first book the whole kidnapping thing was really weak, in my opinion.  This ending was slightly better.  Plus we're given a concrete evil that Megan will have to overcome.  I realize life isn't always like that, but this story was begging for  a solid antagonist and now we have one.

All in all, I think this book is a definite improvement over the first one, but like I said before, if the first one didn't grab you, this one probably won't either.  Still, I'm invested enough in the series that I need to see it end. Plus, with the way the this book concluded, the third one looks to be a definite improvement, and may even solve all the hang-ups I have with the first two.  At least I can hope.  This book is a nice 3 stars for me.  I love the cover and am hoping the third one finally grows into the story's potential.

Book Review: The Nightmare Affair

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.  Quoted from Goodreads

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If I were to sum this book up in one word, I would have to choose fun.  I suppose there are other, more creative words out there (bubbly, vivacious, effervescent, to name a few) but I'm sticking with fun.  I'm not going to claim it's the most original story, but it's still rather delightful.

Like is says in the summary, Dusty is a Nightmare, a creature who feeds on dreams. There's a lot of different ways to slant this.  Rachel Vincent went for a little bit darker take in her Soul Screamers series.  Mindee Arnett, on the other hand, plays it to full comedic effect.  Sure, there's the whole clues to a murder mystery hidden inside Eli's dreams thing, but there's also the awkwardness of sneaking into a cute boy's room at night to feed off his dreams.  In fact, the whole situation is rather hilarious.  

Dusty is a fun, strong character with a distinctive, witty voice that I really enjoyed.  I also quite liked Eli, the other half of Dusty's dream-seer team.  Sure, he follows the standard YA trope by being gorgeous, popular, but secretly really sweet, and his girlfriend just doesn't get him, etc.  Still, I really did enjoy his interactions with Dusty.  After waking up to find her sitting on his chest in the middle of the night and the resulting chaos, he has every right to be a bit disturbed and hostile towards her.   

I also adored the whole idea behind this world.  I liked how Dusty had to search out the murderer both in Eli's dreams and in real life.  The whole dream-seer team, and I found this to be a wonderful interpretation of the Nightmare mythology.  I also enjoyed how it played out in Dusty's magic.  The whole thing was really creative.  

Unfortunately, there were also a lot of things in this story that reminded me of other books.  This is one of the few books I really do want to compare, world-building-wise, to Harry Potter, but it's also pretty reminiscent of the Hex Hall series.  Sure, they're both great books, so the comparison isn't bad, but the world itself isn't memorable because of it.  The mystery was also a little bit weak. I liked the visions twist, but I wish there had been more of a sense of urgency or pertinence to Dusty in particular. 

Still, like I said before, it's a really fun, fairly quick, read, one that made me wish I had read it sooner. I'm awarding it a solid 3.5 stars, and I will absolutely be reading the next one.

Book Review: The Feros

After using your newfound super powers to defeat the most evil villains on the planet, what could you possibly do for an encore? 

After defeating their villain mentors, the Vindico, James, Hayden, Sam, Emily and Lana are finally ready to join the League of Heroes. But as their induction into the League draws near, they are framed by a group of rogue Heroes and given life sentences on the Perch.  Thunderbolt, the League’s leader, is the only one who can clear their names, but he is missing. To make matters worse, the Vindico are mysteriously let out of prison and a group of strange Shadow people start trailing the teens’ every move. Unsure of who to trust or where to go, the teens put their new skills to the test once more as they fight to save themselves—and their families—from an unknown foe. But how will they defeat an enemy they can not see?  Quoted from Goodreads

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Straight up, excellent adventure.  There's not much more to say, really.  When I heard there was a sequel to The Vindico, I wasn't quite sure where it would go.  Would it be a straight forward super-hero book, or would the villains come back.  Would something happen to set some of the kids back on the path to super-villainy or would they stay strong.  There are so many directions this book could have gone, but I really like what Wesley King did with it.  It's an absolute must read if you enjoyed The Vindico, and even if you didn't, I think this book might even be better.

What I loved: First, our excellent five main characters.  I'll admit Hayden is my favorite. He's hilarious, quick-witted, and absolutely cracks me up, but it wouldn't work if he didn't have James to tease and Lana to roll her eyes at him.  Sam is as adorable as ever, and I love Emily's insecurities.  It sounds weird  but after the first book the rest of the kids are so confident in what they do, she really rounded out the story.  It also showed another side to her we didn't get as much in the firs book.

I also adored the whole idea that the heroes made their own nemeses.  The Vindico aren't after power or world domination like so many evil characters you read.  Instead they want justice for what the League of Heroes did to them.  They want revenge.  I know that's addressed in the first book, but it's further explored here, and I'm glad the author carried the idea over.  

Plus, this book starts with a bang and never lets up.  Seriously, these poor kids are constantly trying to snatch a few hours of sleep in-between attacks, car chases, prison breaks, etc.  The tension never stops.  Each kid has to deal with his or her former mentor, plus a delightful new villain, multiplying the layers of conflict. If you're looking for a fun, fast, action-filled read, look no further.

To sum up, this book is a blast.  It's a heroic  3.5 stars for me.  It's a straightforward adventure with fun characters and excellent villains. If you haven't read The Vindico check it out, and then you need to pick this up. 

Book Review: Ink

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I'm a bit conflicted about this book. There were elements I absolutely adored and then certain aspects that bothered me. Still, overall, it's a fun read, one you should definitely check out if you love YA literature.  

First, things I love.  I thoroughly enjoyed all the Japanese culture references.  This book practically oozes Japanese lifestyle and traditions as see through Katie Green, the American transfer.  She made the perfect interpreter for everything that was going on because she was the outsider experiencing it for the first time.  But she wasn't exactly an ignorant outsider.  Her aunt lived there, she had friends, and she studied about the place where she was living, so she never came across as stupid or clueless, just a good interpreter.  Plus, the book is replete with phrases in Japanese (spelled out in English, obviously, not the characters) that you could look up in the back of the book.

I also really liked all the Japanese mythology the book is based on and how it was translated into the moder world. The magic system was fascinating, as were the characters it affected and what, exactly, it did to them. It also led to four very different, very separate problems (or villains).  I won't give them away, but I love when a book has pressure from more than one angle.  It sort of embodies the saying, "the enemy of my enemy is . . . my enemy."

So what's my hangup?  Well, despite the exotic location and subject matter, this book follows the stereotypical ya formula point for point.  Hot, mysterious, possibly dangerous boy who only the girl understands? Check.  Possible love triangle?  Check. The girl is special in some way that no one quite understands? Check. Insta-love? Check. Girl recently suffered an emotional trauma? Check.  The list goes on.  So if you're looking to mix the expected in a fabulous new location, look no further.  It's not that this book isn't good, but it follows a tried and true pattern that will probably work with a lot of people.  I just wish it didn't follow it so completely.

My second problem was with Katie.  Don't get me wrong, I mostly liked her character.  I thought she dealt with her change of location and the loss of her mother really, really well.  Seriously, for the most part she's a normal, well-adjusted teen dealing with a difficult situation that keeps getting worse. My one problem with her was her fascination with Tomohiro.  I get it's not normal to see a person's drawing move, but she pushed things too far.  He accuses her of being a stalker, and she totally was. She follows him on her bike (especially acquired for this purpose), joins the club he's in, etc. 

In the beginning, she believes he just cheated on his girlfriend and got another girl pregnant. He also acts like a jerk to her every single time she sees him, and she's still following him around?  As far as she knows, he's with his pregnant girlfriend. She even sees them hugging on the bridge, swollen belly and all, and she still stalks him! It just pushed things too far for me.  Even though the whole situation is explained away later, it seemed forced, and there were some chapters there that I really didn't like Katie at all.

After the whole mythology secret thing comes out the book gets a lot better.  The action picks up, the conflict really begins to happen. I just wish the author had chosen a better way for Katie and Tomohiro to end up together.  It was too insta-love/stalker fest for me.  

So would I recommend this book? Yes.  It has some great elements I really enjoyed.  Just know what you're getting into from the beginning and try not to judge Katie too harshly for those few chapters when you honestly can't understand what in the world she's thinking.  The villains and the mythology were fantastic, as was the setting.  For me, the end of this book was more of a 4 star thing with the stalker chapters averaging more of a 1.5, so I'm awarding this book 3 stars.  Still, I have really high expectations for the next one.  There is so much potential for this series, I'm hoping it lives up to it.

Book Review: Of Triton

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?  Quoted from Goodreads

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Okay, so you want to know hands down what the best part of this book is?  It's that it actually resolves and ties everything up kind of nicely.  Not everything is perfect, but things are worked out.  And it's only the second book. Seriously, I was wondering whether or not there was going to be a third on to this series (which there is) it ties up so nicely. I love that.  So many second books are torture to read because they a) suffer from sophomore slump or b) leave you with a cliff-hanger ending so horrible you want to curse the author's name for making you wait a year or more to find out what happens. Fortunately this book doesn't do that.

In fact, this book is pretty much up to par with the first one, if not better.  Anna is a bit more mature about the way she handles things, and she's not so traumatized by her best friend's death.  Granted, she has all sorts of other issues she has to deal with, but I feel like she handled things a bit better in this book.  Plus, there was very little (maybe even no) high school drama, which sort of distracted from the whole underwater plot that was going on.

Plus, we get a bit more action in this book. Of Poseidon was all about the mystery of where Emma came from and discovering her heritage/abilities.  This book  has more conflict.  First we get Nalia running away from Grom (who she is convinced is dead and that she's wanted for murder), having tied of Reyna and kidnapped Emma.  After that, we have a political conflict involving Nalia's return and the position of all the royals, really, and their right to rule.  Finally, we have the whole humans discovering the Syrena problem.  All in all, it keeps the book moving.

I just have one major complaint.  It's sort of established that the two underwater kingdoms (Triton and Poseidon) are having conflicts.  But when Nalia comes back there's not the conflict between them like the synopses suggests.  Instead, a slimy political maneuver sort of puts all the royals on trial for their right to rule, and you can't really tell where one kingdom ends and another begins.  It didn't really make sense, especially if they really are two kingdoms.  Maybe they didn't explain enough about the underwater society in the first book, but half of it is from Galen's POV, so that's not really an excuse.   

All in all, this is a great 3.5 stars for me.  It's also one of the better mermaid/sea creature type book I've read recently.  So if you're looking for a great beach read, you really should check this out.  I'll admit, I kind of wish I had waited to read this by the ocean.  Then I wouldn't have to be so jealous  reading about sand between their toes and swimming in the ocean.

Book Review: Transparent

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.
Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl. Quoted from Goodreads

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Finally, a fun, paranormal standalone!  Don't get me wrong.  I like series.  I adore series.  I just also find it refreshing to read a book that I don't have to wait two more years to finish the story.

This really is a fun book, but you have to have the right expectations.  The beginning starts off with a bang.  We get to see the sort of things Fiona's dad forces her to do and why, exactly, she had to run away.  It kind of slows down after that. It's much more about her learning to accept who she is as an invisible person, and of course the inevitable romance, than it is about her serving as a mobster assassin or thief. It takes place mostly in a small town, there's a lot of high school involved, and while her father is a constant threat, he doesn't make an appearance until the climax of the story. 

Knowing that, this really is a fun read.  I loved watching Fiona grow up. Being away from her addictive, mobster father lets her finally figure out who she really is.  I also enjoyed exploring what it would be like to live your life as an invisible person.  While I did wonder why she couldn't ever dye her hair or put on heavy make-up for a quick glimpse of what she really looks like, it's still a fun concept to explore: growing up without ever seeing your own face.

I also adored the love interest.  I won't give away what's so great about it, but it's nice that it avoids a lot of the stereotypical pitfalls of YA romance.  

I really enjoy how real so many of the characters in this book are.  Sometimes it's almost annoying, but it gives the story a feeling of reality despite all the super powers the characters possess. Fiona gets to make some great friends, and even her family (dysfunctional as they  may be) grow and their story arcs play out really well.  I especially love her brother Miles.  He's always there for her, and the more you get to know him, the more interesting (and mysterious) he becomes.

All in all, this is a really fun, light book. Personally, I thought it was a lovely 4 stars.  If you're looking for a paranormal stand-alone, this is it.  Seriously, gun new book; fun new author.  You should pick it up.

Book Review: If I Should Die

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.
After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?    Quoted from Goodreads

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Absolutely perfect ending.  I'll admit, I was a little bit afraid for this book. Don't get me wrong, I love the first one, but the second suffered a bit from sophomore slump syndrome. Still, I was hoping this third book would live up to the first.  It completely surpassed it.  Maybe because it was a bit more up my alley.  This book was more action, more history, less insta-love and broken hearts. Don't get me wrong, it still had that, but it was much more an action based book and less your standard paranormal love story. 

First, with two exceptions, I felt like everyone in this book really stepped up. They were all great people to begin with, but each was given a chance to shine. We've had two books to get to know and love these characters, and now, in this third one, each one has grown into someone special, had to confront their fears, something that makes you love them more. Kate, especially, grew up and came into her own.  She was always good, and they still sometimes shove her into her "oh, you're human" corner, but she never gives up.  She's always fighting for Vincent and the rest of the people she loves. 

Secondly, we get an ending that is, in some ways, a beginning.  It resolves off the major plot points, and we get a world full of hope.  There are just enough changes that the outlook is hopeful, without changing the world and the mythology so much you're left not knowing what's going to happen to them all.  Of course there are a few sad points. Relationships change. People die, and not in the I'm coming back in three days kind of way, but it makes everything more realistic when there are sacrifices involved.  

Plus, I really loved what happened to Jules.   Okay, this paragraph may be a little spoilery, so don't read if you don't want a few hints about what will happen.  This book was never a love triangle.  In fact, one of the things I liked least about Die for Her, the short novella from Jules POV is that he was so in love with Kate. Still, when there are two boys in love with the same girl, you pretty much know one of them is going to be unhappy for a time.  What most authors do is introduce a second love interest (usually halfway through the last book) as a sort of consolation prize, so everyone can get their happy ending (Breaking Dawn, anyone?).  This does not happen here, and I'm grateful.  That always comes across as a little contrived to me.  I still enjoy Jules as a character, but I'm glad everything isn't tied up with a nice, neet, overly artificial bow.  Plus, maybe Amy Plum will do a spin-off series like Richelle Mead.  I haven't heard anything, but I could easily see that happening.

If you're looking for another great sereis that is now complete, you should check this out.  I mean, we get Paris as our setting and a unique mythology that really is different from most everything out there.  This is a lovely 4.5 stars for me (a solid one star more than either of the two previous books).  Honestly, I couldn't put it down.  Yes, I was excited for it to come out, but it was so much better than I expected, it really surprised me, ensuring I'll absolutely check out what Amy Plum is writing next.