Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1)
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 351
Challenge: None
Source: Own
Retailer: BN / Amazon


My Rating:

The undead can really screw up your senior year ... Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction. -summary from goodreads.com

Beth Fantaskey, you totally rocked my world! I was not expecting Jessica’s Guide to be such a brilliant read…. To be honest, I don’t know what I was expecting. The book title really threw me off…. I didn’t know whether to expect an actual fictional guide to “dating on the dark side”, or a storyline. SO glad Ms. Fantaskey decided to go with the story :)

Meet, Jessica; it’s her senior year in HS and she is ready to move on to bigger and better things. Enter Lucius, a handsome exchange student who claims that Jessica is really a vampire princess, the last of her line, and that he's a vampire prince and her betrothed. And if they don’t marry soon, a war is going to break out between the two clans and it is not going to be pretty for either side.

The narration is divided between Jessica and first-person letters written by Lucius to his uncle. These letters were most helpful (not to mention hilarious). I often times found myself laughing out loud at the amusing recollections of encounters with the feisty Jess. Something I really enjoyed about this story was the fact that although Lucius was appealing to Jessica, she did not pine him desperately (as many YA heroines tend to do now days). Her affection for him is gradual and increasingly hard-won.

Lucius was such a fascinating character. He’s funny, charming, sexy…. But underneath, he’s a boy who’s looking to be loved. He struggles constantly against his own desires and the effects of years of physical and psychological abuse. I’ll admit, for a good chunk of the book, I disliked him. Why, you may ask? Because he gives up. I can't stand a weak male lead, but I have to give him credit because Jessica does not make it easy for him, not in the least. He does evolve and seeing him do that is very fulfilling.

Overall, I cannot begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book. I loved it! I hate it when I “know” what's going to happen and I never felt that with this book. The ending totally blew me away, but it all worked out and I really hope to be able to continue learning about Jessica's world.

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1)
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 335
Challenege: None


My Rating:

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.-summary from goodreads.com

Let me begin by saying that Paranormalcy is not your average paranormal novel. If you were to judge a book by its cover; you’d think this book was a bit more dark and mysterious. On the contrary, Paranormalcy is a fun, delightful read that will have you hooked from page one!

The main character, Evie, is witty, sarcastic, funny, and SUCH a teenager. Evie watches the latest teen TV show religiously, has a BFF, has a crush, and wears zebra print with pink heels. On the other hand, Evie’s also vulnerable and asks for help when she needs it; she hurts and is not afraid to show it. The only thing that stops her from being just like any other ordinary teenager is the fact that Evie is a protected employee at IPCA (the International Paranormal Containment Agency), she doesn't leave the facility except for her missions (she has the unique gift to see through the "glamour" that creatures put on to trick us humans) and isn't allowed to go to high school.

Enter Lend; Lend is an unknown paranormal who gets caught breaking into IPCA. He has the ability to shape shift into anyone. While he's incarcerated at the facility, he and Evie become friends and end up developing a crush on each other. Ms. White manages to make things like handholding, kisses on the forehead, and television watching totally swoon-worthy. I had no idea how, but she does! Then there’s Reth, Evie’s ex-boyfriend, who literally bring s a whole different hot mood to the scene every time he's on the page, so no matter what kind of hottie floats your boat, Ms. White’s got you covered. My fav scene; The PROM! *swoon*

This book will keep you guessing till the end, and even then….. As I was reading Paranormalcy, I kept formulating different theories about who might be the bad guy, who was going to end up with whom, and who was really what creature after all… boy was I wrong. The only thing that bugs me about Paranormalcy is that I still have so many questions! I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel; I hope the author ties up all loose ends.

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen (Fallen #1)
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 452
Challenge: YA Series

My Rating:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her. -summary from goodreads.com

One word; CONFUSING. I had heard both good and bad things about Fallen. Sadly, I didn't enjoy it as much. In this story we follow Luce, a troubled girl whose ability to see supernatural, terrifying shadow-things has granted her a one way ticket to Sword & Cross reform school in Georgia. I’m usually a big fan of the southern gothic, and the author perfectly described the school atmosphere in a great descriptive, creating and intriguing way … But come on?! How much school ground descriptions can we take? We don’t get into the story itself until like chapter 5. The first 4 chapters were nothing but filler chapters. Daniel (the main love interest) is a jerk! He treats Luce horribly and avoids her like the plague. You'd think Luce would get the point. I kept waiting for something to happen. Waiting for the moment of figuring out what the whole purpose of the book was…. But it never came. Seriously, not even at the end.

On a positive note, the writing style was good and easy to read. Characterization was also good, when it came to specific characters. Personally, I didn’t like Luce, she didn't feel like a worthy heroine. She’s going crazy trying to get Daniel’s attention, when it’s obvious that he has no interest or holds an unknown personal grudge against her. And when he finally decides to talk to her and its time to explain whats going on, we get this lame “Oh, you can’t know the complete truth cause it might ‘shock’ you to death” excuse. COME ON Mrs. Kate, throw us a bone here…. ! 

*spoiler* (HIGHLIGHT if you want to read)  Ohhhh! And how dare Daniel kiss her knowing that it could kill her!? Tsk, tsk… Don’t even get me started on the ending. Daniel takes off to confront the evildoers, leaving Luce behind to fend for herself in the hands of some less-than-competent bodyguards. Aye ya aye! This book is all sorts of wrong. *end of spoiler*

I’m contemplating whether or not I should attempt to read the sequel. Probably will, but not now. I can get lost in a good novel, but Fallen just put me to sleep after a few pages. Another pet peeve of mine; this book was described as an ultimate love story, but it only had ONE freaking romantic scene out of the 400 something pages! Um, hopeless romantic here *raises hand*! If the main theme is romance, I'd like more than one romantic scene…. And people wonder why I loved twilight so much.

Review: Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2)

Title: Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Challenge: None
Pages: 427


My Rating:

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Path hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something. Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts. -summary from goodreads.com

(This is more of a “let me vent out my feelings” type of review, rather than a “proper review”. Crescendo has left me feeling vulnerable and weak- I hate it! Read at your own risk, there are slight spoilers- mostly about Nora and Patch's relationship.)
 

Having read and adored Hush, Hush, I was truly looking forward to reading this book. Sadly, it didn’t live up to the hype. Crescendo picks up a few weeks after "Hush, Hush", Nora is now in a relationship with Patch (who has transitioned into her Guardian Angel). She's still at odds with Marcie, and still best friends with Vee. You don't get very far into the book when things start going south. *shakes fist in air* How could you do this to us Mrs. Fitzpatrick?!

Ok, where to begin, aha! Patch! Patch really is the hero of this story. He may smirk and wear black, but this archangel-turned fallen angel-turned guardian angel is very brave and reliable. Patch's biggest virtue is the fact that he puts up with Nora, who has got to be the dumbest heroine I’ve read about this year… honestly, can the girl be more BLIND? She's harsh with Patch, then she laments that he's forgotten about her. She tells him various times to get out of her life, then breaks down when it seems like he might have taken her seriously. When Nora tells Patch, "Quit acting like I'm a huge inconvenience! I never asked for your help!", that pretty much did it for me; I was like “Eff  off , Nora!” For starters, she was putting herself in a risky situation just to see if Patch would come find her and worry about her, and when he did, she blames him for saving her. If anything, all this made me love Patch more, and hate Nora. Patch is superhumanly patient and awesome, period.

Overall, Crescendo is engaging, thrilling, and suspenseful. From the very beginning you are pulled in and thrown onto a fast paced, emotional roller coaster. While I did enjoy the twist at the ending, the book had its flaws, but I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series. With an ending like this, I have to know how the whole thing turns out in the end.

Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)

Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 485
Challenge: YA Serires Challenge

My Rating:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.... -Summary from goodreads.com

This is a must read for urban fantasy and paranormal romance fans! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and was hopelessly sucked in. I had heard soooo many things about this book, both good and bad; but I’m super glad I picked it up and now have an opinion of my own... 3 words: I Loved It!

First let’s begin with the basics; in this story we follow Clary; 15 soon to be 16 years old, who has an extremely overprotective mom and she soon discovers that it’s for good reason. Clary’s different from other ordinary teenage girls, she see’s things other people can't see. When her mother is taken, Clary is thrust into the awesome kick ass world of shadowhunters, demons, vampires, and other creatures. Clary, along with some help from her best friend Simon, must quickly seek the truth to her heritage and past, if she is to have any hope in rescuing her mother as well as any hope for her own survival.

As a character, I really liked Clary; she is a take-charge person. She made a fine heroine because she was believable. Sometimes she was a bit of a weakling, she required protection, she craved comfort and attention, but those are the things that make a teenage girl real. At the end, all loose ends came together; Clary proved to us that she was brave, loyal and moral.

Simon and Jace are wonderful, with Jace being especially captivating. There are just so many things that make him stand out. Jace is insanely witty and sarcastic, courageous to the point of being fearless, strong, and unapologetic. His upbringing is his strength and his weakness. He's such a complex character, who’s been through so much and lost even more, so he shuts everyone out, refusing to let himself care. Well, that is until Clary comes along. Something about the two of them together… they really bring out the best and worst in each other.

The attraction between the Clary and Jace began innocently and it evolved to a natural point. I loved the scenes that Jace and Clary had together! I would literally find myself laughing out loud to the one-liners Jace would say. Gosh, that boy is great… I seriously found myself thinking (more than once), “Damn, he’s made of Ink and Paper!”

Overall, City of Bones is an action packed, character driven novel of friendship, love, loyalty, and betrayal and the consequences of knowing the truth. This fabulous book is filled with paranormal creatures, endearing characters, hot romance and unexpected twists that will leave you gasping for more! The only "bad" thing I can say about the book would be the shocking twist at the end. Its one of those endings that leaves you just hoping it’s all a trick because you don't believe the author could really be that cruel. Hopefully future books will resolve this issue, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see :) but I’d still recommended this book to everyone!

Review: Coffeehouse Angel

Title: Coffeehouse Angel
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Publisher: Walker & Company
Pages: 276
Challenge: None




My Rating:

When a random act of kindness involves Katrina with Malcolm, a handsome teenage guardian angel intent on fulfilling her greatest wish, fame and fortune seem like the most obvious requests. But after two botched wishes, Malcolm knows Katrina is hiding something from him. How can she tell him the truth, when her heart's desire has become Malcolm himself?- summary from goodreads.com

Ok, before I begin with all the aw's and squee's, let me give you some important background info. This story takes place in a small town named Nordby, WA. We follow 16-year-old, orphaned, Katrina Svensen, who lives with her grandmother and helps run their struggling old-world coffeehouse. Katrina is desperately trying to balance a normal life with having to help her grandmother pay the bills and keeping up with her best friends Vincent, a talented swimmer, and Elizabeth, an artist.

One morning, Katrina notices a homeless man sleeping in the alley behind the coffee shop. Despite the weight on Katrina's shoulders, she leaves him some day old pastries and fresh coffee. That same day at school, Katrina sees the same homeless man (more like handsome young stud), Malcolm, at her school’s assembly announcing that he must reward Katrina's unselfish deed with her greatest desire. It turns our Malcolm is a messenger angel and won’t leave Katrina alone until she gets what her heart most desires. Telling a stranger what you most desire should be easy, right? HA!

This book was such a great, cute, romantic read! It’s a thoroughly enjoyable story of forgiveness, redemption and selflessness (it even got me analyzing myself). Katrina had me laughing, awww-ing, crying and I’ll admit, at times I’d get frustrated with her for having such low self esteem. But I really did adore her. Katrina is a sweetheart and her emotions are so precise you actually experience her distress for the problems in her life. I often times found myself powerless and wishing I could be in the story just so I could lend a hand to Katrina and her grandmother (I single-handedly wanted to destroy the notorious Java Heaven. I got very emotional when Vincent went over to the dark side…. Read the book. You’ll see what I mean!)

Coffeehouse Angel seriously is such a cute story that will have you smiling until the end.