Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?

Book Review:
This is my first book read by Amanda Ashby, and I can honestly say it wont be my last! This story was fun, whimsical, and adventurous. It hit all the right notes for me! I instantly fell in love with the main character, Emma. She is adorable, funny, smart, and creative. I craved to learn more about her. I found her relationship with her mother both touching and inspiring. Despite her mother's death (which takes place long before the story begins), her character lives on through Emma's memories and flashbacks. Emma's friends are fiercely loyal and supportive. Even when the whole world is against her, Emma can ALWAYS count on her friends. I relished that aspect very much. It made the story stronger and more satisfying. Emma's relationship with Curtis was awkward and enjoyable all at the same time. I savored their clumsy romantic moments, and relationship arc. Overall, this was a very fun and entertaining read. I will definitely keep my radar up for future books by Ashby and plan to check out her previous novel, The Zombie Queen of Newbury High. For more information, check out her website.

Favorite Quote:

"She slowly shook her head. This made no sense. No one slayed fairies. Fairies were dumb...and small. In fact, she didn't even know why they were listed as one of the twelve elementals that had come through the gate of Linaria, since the worst she'd ever seen them do was change the food labels at the supermarket." (p. 7)

Cover Art Commentary:
This cover is fun and whimsical, just like the story. The cover is what initially drew my eye to the book. :)

Rating:

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

 

Book Summery (via Amazon.com):
After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Book Review:
I really enjoyed Kade's first book, The Ghost and the Goth. So I couldn't wait to get my hands on Queen of the Dead. While I enjoyed the majority of this second installment, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as its predecessor. First of all, I found the pacing in the beginning a bit slow, speeding up more as the story went along. I cherished Alona's character. I sympathized with her as she despaired over her parents and how the seemingly began to move on with their lives, and stopped grieving over her. Will was a bit more difficult to identify with this time around. He seemed distracted and engaged more into finding out about Mina. I felt like it took some time for him to come around to the character I fell in love with in the first book. Mina...well, let's just say I didn't care for her character very much. I was interested in her connection to Will, but I felt that at times, she was downright selfish and surly. It will be interesting to see if she pops up in future books. Overall,Queen of the Dead was enjoyable. However, I did have a few issues with the characters. There were some interesting plot twists that kept me hooked, especially towards the middle and ending of the story. I am looking forward to the next chapter of Will and Alona's journey. For more info, check out Kade's website.

Cover Art Commentary:
I think this is an improvement from the first cover. Still, it would not have been a book that I picked up solely based on the cover. :P

Overall Rating:

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

 

Book Summary (via Goodreads):
When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Book Trailer:



Book Review:
Where to begin?! This book incorporates music and time travel to tell a lovely story of romance to exceeds the barriers of space and time. How far would you go to be with the one you love? That is exactly what Michele Windsor asks herself when she finds her true love, only he exists 100 years before her time. I was blown away by the descriptions of various eras in America history. I could taste the gigglewater in the speakeasies, feel the pride of our country during world war II, and could hardly bear the strict limitations of the high society of the early twentieth century. I adored the portions of the story where Michele time traveled. It was certainly interesting and unique. However, what made this story fall short of a five star rating, was the lack of development of her modern day life. It's certainly there, just not as developed as it could be. I would have liked to see Michele's relationship with her grandparents flayed out a bit more. There's a potential family secret that is hinted at, but it never fully progresses. Also, I would have enjoyed learning more about Michele's friendships with Cassie and Ben. Again, they are touched on, but never fully established. It seems like Michele's day-to-day living is cast in the shadows, while her time traveling takes the forefront. I would have preferred a bit more balance. Other than those few items, this was a very enjoyable book. I look forward to learning more about Michele in the next installment in the series, due to release sometime next year.

Favorite Quote:

"The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra was playing again, and that night Louis Armstrong was singing as well as playing the trumpet. Michele swayed dreamily as she listened to his signature gravelly voice...On all sides of here were couples dancing 1920s dances, from the Charleston to the turkey trot, their legs and arms flying. The women were loud and boisterous, wearing dresses with plunging necklines and puffing on cigarettes, a stunning contrast to the proper, buttoned-up ladies Michele had encountered in 1910." (p. 229)

Cover Art Commentary:
This cover makes me feel dreamy, mysterious and hopeful all at the same time! Just beautiful! :)

Overall Rating:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

 

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

 
Book Review:
Oh my goddess! What an AWESOME book! First off, Carter gets extra points for basing this book in Michigan (my home state)...W00T! W00T! Secondly, did I mention that this book ROCKED?! I was hooked from page one. It was seriously that good. I eagerly devoured it in two sittings. I most likely would have only needed one, but my pesky job got in the way. ;) This character-driven novel kept the pages flying. Kate is absolutely adorable, she makes a wonderful main character. Told from her perspective, Carter's debut novel takes the reader on a journey of loss, hope, love, betrayal, and endurance. What I love most about Kate is that she is real. She deals with some tough decisions, acknowledging that life isn't fair or easy. But, she perseveres. She instills hope where there is only despair...light, where there is only darkness. She is the kind of character I like read and root for! As wonderful as Kate is, the entire cast of characters are downright sensational and diverse. Overall, I really enjoyed this Greek mythology infused modern-day fairy tale. I wait on the edge of my seat for the next installment, Goddess Interrupted. For more information on Aimee Carter, check out her website.

Favorite Quote:

"I spent my eighteenth birthday driving from New York City to Eden, Michigan, so my mother could die in the town she was born. Nine hundred and fifty-four miles of asphalt, knowing every sign we passed brought me closer to what would undoubtedly be the worst day of my life.

As far as birthdays go, I wouldn't recommend it." (p. 12)

Cover Art Commentary:
Very fitting. The leaves and the girl's outfit highly accentuates the Greek mythology overtones.

Overall Rating:

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Book Summary (via Goodreads):
It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Book Trailer:



Book Review:
Oh my dear Gayle Forman, do you know how to write a book! This is an emotional roller-coaster of love, regret, anger, denial, loss, and acceptance. Forman's prose are so vivid and lyrical, I experience what the characters experience. I live in the moment they are created. Though I have never been to New York City, I feel that I have experienced it through the eyes of Adam and Mia. What a sad and tragic tale they have forgone. It starts in the previous book, If I Stay, which if you haven't already read, do so now! Mia loses her family in a horrible car crash, and we struggle along-side her as she decides if she will live and grieve, or pass away and join the rest of her family. In Where She Went, we follow Adam as he attempts to come to grips with his experience with Mia and how he has dealt with life since. Needless to say, you should have your kleenex handy. Overall, this is a beautiful story (both books one and two). Where She Went gave me the closure I needed, and some well-needed insight into both characters and the paths they both chose to pursue. I am definitely keeping Gayle Forman on my radar! She possesses a talent for superb writing. I hope to see more from her in the future! Check out her website here.

Favorite Quote:

“But still, I find the need to remind myself of the temporariness of a day, to reassure myself that I got through yesterday, I'll get through today.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
I just love this cover! I adore the colors and it looks very nice next to my paperback copy of If I Stay. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see Adam featured on the cover, rather than Mia.

Overall Rating:

Reading Reflections: May 2011

Books Read:

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Choker by Elizabeth Woods
The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Red Glove by Holly Black
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Total Number of Books Read This Month: 7

Total Number of Books Read This Year: 29

Most Anticipated:
Red Glove by Holly Black

Biggest Let Down:
None!
Favorite Read:
A tie between The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch and Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Highest Rank: 5 Butterflies

Lowest Rank: 4 Butterflies

Overall Reflection:
Such a great month of reading! The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch and Graveminder by Melissa Marr, both took me by surprise. Although I'd recommend all the books I read this month, these two really stood out. I highly look forward to the sequels to both of these books!

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.
When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.
Book Review:
There are definite aspects that I like and dislike about this book.

What I didn't Like: The first 50 pages drew me in at the bookstore. I was hooked, and eagerly made the purchase. The next 120 pages were s.l.o.w. It took every thing I had to keep flipping the pages. Then the next 100 or so pages sped up again. It felt unbalanced, and left me wanting more once I hit the good stuff. I would have like to see the relationship between Donna and her aunt splayed about a bit more. I feel like Donna is always telling us how important her aunt is and how great she is, but we never really see it. Also, the relationship between Donna and Xan felt rather forced, I just wasn't feeling their connection. Perhaps it could be because I think Xan isn't really being honest about himself. It makes me leery.

What I Liked: The concept. Alchemy, faery, revenge...it's a recipe for an interesting plot, yes? I really love the cover. It's very dark and mysterious, it's what first drew me into story. The main character, Donna makes for a good main character. She's aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and overall, has a good sense of self. Although, I did find her constantly wondering about if she should or shouldn't touch Xan annoying at times. Donna's friendship with Navin was such an anchor in this story. I honestly would have liked to see more of it. Once I hit the action part of the book, I had a hard time setting it down. I had allllmost given up on the book altogether, but once I hit the core of the story, I was glad I stuck it out. :) For more info, check out Mahoney's website.

Favorite Quote:

"Ironbridge was like a story to her, a fairy tale filled with tricks and trials and monsters in the shadows waiting to take away everything you cared about. Since she was as good as orphaned, Donna felt like that of fairy-tale heroines...At the ripe old age of seventeen, Donna had decided that 'happily ever after' didn't exist for freaks like her." (p.38-39)

Cover Art Commentary:
I find this cover very alluring and mysterious. It beckons the reader to learn more...why are her arms covered in designs? What is she holding? Is she sad? scared???

Overall Rating:

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place--and the man--she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D--a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk

Book Review:
I'll admit, I've never read any of Melissa Marr's works before. Boy, I didn't know what I was missing out on! I read a review of Graveminder over at A Life Bound by Books, and I instantly was hooked. From page one, I was not disappointed. I just love Marr's descriptions. It made me miss living in the country. What I wouldn't of given to sit outside under one of our shady oaks, sipping lemonade while reading Graveminder, as the sun set over our ponds. Needless to say, it brought back some sentimental memories for me. Although I really didn't identify with Rebekkah's character, I did with that of Byron. He was a sweet, honest character, always willing to give 100% of himself. I also enjoyed Maylene's character as well. Even though she's already gone, much of her presence still lives on throughout the story. The concept of the land of the dead, and all that entails was rather intriguing for me. Again, Marr paints a vivid picture. I could practically feel the fabrics through Rebekkah's hands, see the kaleidoscope of people from various eras, and taste the salty air. Overall, this book is not to be missed for lovers of mystery and paranormal romance. For more information, check out Marr's website. I adore the "official" song of the book, you should definitely take a minute to check it out. :)

Favorite Quote:

"For a small town, Claysville had a high number of graveyards and cemeteries. By law, everyone ever born within town limits had to be buried here; consequently, the town had more deceased residents than living ones. Maylene wondered sometimes what would happen if the living knew of the bargain the town founders had made, but every time she'd broached the topic with Charles, she'd been rebuffed. Some battles weren't ones she could win-no matter how much she wanted them." (p. 2)

Cover Art Commentary:
Oh. my. How gorgeous is this cover? Mysterious, spooky, and inviting all at the same time. It was one of the first things that drew me to this book! :)

Overall Rating: