Review: Moonstone by Marilee Brothers

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you to Net Galley and Bell Bridge Books for allowing me to review and give my honest opinion.

Synopsis:
A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command. "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

Review:
Aimed at 14-17 year olds, The Moonstone tells the story of Alfreido, or Allie to her friends, who discovers she from a long chosen line of Star Seekers. This isn't just a story about a girl discovering magic. Allie's life is complicated enough. She looks after her mother and lives in a tiny trailer in Uncle Sids back yard. Allie knows nothing about her father because her mum won't tell. So when the Child Protection Service come knocking on the door to investigate her mother, Allie learns how to do magic with the help of a Moonstone, given to her by an adult friend whose family are romany gypsies. When a group known as the Trimarks start making things difficult for Allie she must put her trust in her friend Junior to help. But Junior is two years older than her and rigged with a bad reputation, especially when it comes to girls. Was her trust in vain?

This book was so much fun with proper laugh out loud moments. I loved the writing style. Yes, its written for the younger YA age range but it made me love Allie for all her zany thoughts and quirkiness, she's gutsy and thinks on her feet. This adventure story flowed so easily and the characters were all terrific. Ah, Junior!! Be still my heart..

This ARC came as a series so I'm off to continue Allie's adventure now in Moon Rise.

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Review: Deadly Little Secret (Touch #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

My Rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:
Until three months ago, everything about sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at an art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes far from ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. Instead she's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help – but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something...but he's not the only one with a secret.

Review:

This was a very quick, light read. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 because that's all it really deserves, there was no real wow factor.

But I still liked it. It was quick and pacey, the story was entertaining and mysterious. The characters were all pretty good too. The author brings in more intrigue with the alternate points of view, spaced throughout the book. Camelia's relationship with Ben is unusual and the ending was sad though not one to really pull at my heart strings.

All in all a pleasant read to fill the time.

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Review: Need by Carrie Jones

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear

Review:
Despite thinking that the evil in this book sounded a little too stupid - yes we're talking pixies that are like faeries but not faeries, they're pixies! - I really enjoyed this book.

From the beginning, the story starts in a nice quirky way that grabs your attention. Zara is hung up about phobias, she knows most of them, and recites them to keep her sanity from going under.

The writing is fluid and pacey, there aren't that many lulls in the story where you start getting bored. We have a girl starting a new school, moving in with her grandmother and the normal YA tropes that might sound similar to other books.

But overall, I enjoyed it. Things I didn't like were small such as nearly all the characters turn out to be something fantastical. The plot is a little too predictable in places but, hey, I've just finished a book that disappointed me immensely so this was a nice boost on the enjoyment side.

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Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Synopsis:
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart

Review:
The plot of this book is a mixture of Romeo & Juliet with a little Taming of the Shrew thrown in. The reviews of this one have been good so I had to find out if it was really THAT good.

Its enough to say YES! It IS! I loved the chemistry between the two main characters (pardon the pun). I thought the writing was beautiful, fitting and poignant throughout the book. I particularly liked the spanish thrown in to emphasis moods and emotions. It didn't matter if you didn't understand half of it (I googled some!) but you could tell when the atmosphere of a conversation was about to change for good or bad.

The main characters are completely open and easy to imagine with their own situations and demons they have to face while growing up in very different circumstances. One minute you feel your heart warms to them and the next, well, a spanner gets thrown in the works, and you just can't believe things won't go right, I mean, give them a break!

I enjoyed the whole book. There wasn't any part I didn't like. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was because the end finished too quickly and skipped several months which I thought could have easily been filled. I don't know whether the Author had gone over her allocated page count but I would have like more.

So, overall, if you like YA romantic then this ones for you!

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Review - Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy 3) by Richelle Mead

4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret .... She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

My Review:
The darkest book so far. Rose and Dimitri get much closer in this novel. Rose also has Adrian peering into her dreams. She's seeing Mason as a ghost, and she begins to realise what it is to be 'Shadow-kissed'.

Rose begins her field experience and falls short immediately. But she's too scared to tell anyone the reason why because no one will believe her. She visits the Court for Victor Dashkovs trial. The evil villian threats to expose her and Dimitri's secret but he starts baiting her with her shadowkissed past.

Eventually when she returns from the Court she confides in Dimitri after passing out on the flight back. Their relationship climbs to new levels and when Strigoi attack the school she starts to feel more like his equal. Except the worst thing imaginable happens to Dimitri and ultimately she must make a decision. Does she stay at school or do what must be done?

Brilliant story that will test your emotional levels to the max!

Review - Frostbite (Vampire Academy 2) by Richelle Mead

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead

4 out of 5

Synopsis:-
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…
It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.
But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

My Review:

Rose Hathaway has great attitude! She starts by winding up her mother and Dimitri Belikov (her mentor) and pushes them both away. She feels rejection from Lissa who is spending more time with boyfriend Christian leaving little left for Rose. And soon she meets Adrian Ivashkov (who we all love!)
The characters start to get wrapped up in their own adventures and sooner or later Rose has to be the voice of reason. We see Rose start to grow up and think rationally (especially when Dimitri is concerned).
A follow up is always harder than the first book but Frostbite covers all the bases. The romance is gorgeous and beautifully written and the story doesn't stop from beginning to end.
Definitely a great read if you like the first VA book.

Review - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My Review:

After starting this one I really didn't think I'd like it. It was so slow and drawn-out in the beginning. Almost everyone's rated this book between 4-5 stars, with the majority being 5, so I expected more. Maybe that was what ruined it for me, but it took almost the whole first part of the book to keep my interest. After that, it still felt a bit slow but picked up right after the first spark of love interest--can't stay away from the romance!

When the Games finally began I was hooked. Was I blown away? No. But I did truly enjoy it! And I'm extremely glad that I didn't give up in the beginning, because I can't wait to get hold of the next one. I felt for Katniss the whole time, she had both courage and skills to pull off winning the games, as well as a bit of rebellious streak. As for Peeta, he had my heart from the beginning and I loved every scene with him. He was so charming and supporting! The end of the Game was nerve-racking and the ending of the book had me extremely frustrated. I'm longing to know how it all turns out for these two!

The Hunger Games really is one of a kind. Horrible really, if you think about it; how little these people from the Districts mean to the Capitol. But it was good and I would recommend it! I'd just say be careful not to expect too much in the beginning, but instead give it a chance to deliver what I know it can, in it's own way