Source: Publisher (Mail)

Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller (Book Review)

Posted July 10, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 3 Comments

Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller
Series: Bermuda Triangle #1
Published by Spencer Hill Press on June 18, 2013
Genres: Paranormal
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot.

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who’s practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser’s suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she’s full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent.

She just has to ask herself one question—how is she going to get out of this mess?

The book synopsis poses a question: what could possibly go wrong? Well… sadly, a lot went wrong with Triangles. I rarely take notes while I read, but I had to in order to keep track of all the things I didn’t like. And eventually I got tired of trying to keep track. And honestly, this “bad” review will be one of the hardest ones I have to write because the author is SO nice. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Unfortunately, the only thing I liked about Triangles was the idea. Triangles was one of my most anticipated books of the summer. I was sold as soon as I read the synopsis, I HAD to have this book. I was SO excited when I received the ARC in the mail and I started reading it as soon as I could. Honestly, though, it was just a disappointment.

2. Autumn is terrible. I REALLY can’t stand her. She is a jerk to everyone (like her older sister, her best friend, and her admirer), she’s unbelievably selfish, and she is a really mean gossip. She says horrible things to people’s faces, and behind their backs. Plus, she is so cocky. She talks about how she looks amazing in her tiny swimsuit, no matter what she eats. She uses Joey, the cute boy she works with that is in love with her. She adds extra “sway to her hips and bounce to her boobs” when a cute boy looks at her, because she thinks she is so sexy. And she is SO shallow! She actually says at one point in the story that she would like to eat her hot pizza cheese off a guy’s chest, before she even knew him. I think that’s gross, not to mention incredibly inappropriate. All she thinks about is sex. I can’t stand her. It has been a long time since I have disliked a heroine this much. And her friend is no better.

3. Then we have the boys: Joey and Marcus. Joey is a stalker, but with sweet intentions. I think his main issue was that he was so socially immature that he didn’t know how else to handle his crush on Autumn. As I got to know him more, he became sweeter, yet dorkier in my eyes. And I wanted to smack Autumn every time she spoke to him, because she was SO MEAN. In the end, I saw him as way too good for her. I have no idea why in the world he took such abuse from her, and the fact that he did actually made me lose respect for him. And then there’s Marcus, who is apparently the sexiest teenager in the world. All I saw in him, though, was a lustful jerk who would prefer all women be naked all the time. And of course Autumn liked him. He’s a terrible flirt, and he seems way too old and worldy. Bah.

4. There was way too much swearing in this book. And yes, that’s common, but more with NA than YA. And this might sound weird, but I can handle it better when the character has a personality to back it up. I felt like everyone was swearing to try to come off as hard, tough, and mature. I wasn’t convinced, though, which made me less tolerant.

5. There were too many unnecessary details. Who cares if the character is eating “generic potato chips” or goes on “5-minutes car rides” in her “used Ford Escort”? I don’t mind details that add to the story, but these ones just made the book longer.

6. Room keys on cruise ships do NOT have the room number printed on them. It’s a security risk! Those keys get lost all the time, so the room number is not printed on the card in case else someone finds it. It works that way in hotels, too. When inaccurate details like this are added in to a story that is supposed to be somewhat rooted in reality, I begin to wonder if any research was done to make those real details accurate.

7. The drama was just too dramatic. Autumn keeps getting thrown into alternate realities, as a result of the Bermuda Triangle. Each reality is so unbelievably dramatic that I just could not handle it. In one, she has a baby. In another, she has terminal cancer and talks about how she is “losing the battle”. Suicides keep happening. Everyone is also super horny in these realities. It was just too much.

8. There were far too many coincidences.

Triangles was ALL over the place, and incredibly frustrating. The drama was off the charts, I hated all but one of the characters, and the detail overload and inaccuracies threw me over the edge. I was hoping for more of a mystery relating to the Bermuda Triangle, but that was not the case. I hardly remembered it was supposed to be the key element of the story. I’m sad to say that I really disliked the book, and I would not recommend it.

Sky on Fire (Monument 14 #2) by Emmy Laybourne (Book Review)

Posted June 17, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 13 Comments

Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne
Series: Monument 14 #2
Also in this series: Monument 14
Published by Feiwel and Friends on May 28, 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
Pages: 212
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.

Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .

Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . . .

If you read my review of Monument 14 last summer, you know I got quite attached to the children in this series. I’m not sure if it’s because I work with children all the time, or what, but I just had to know what happened to all of them–especially the ones who drove off in search of help at the end of the last book. What a cliffhanger to end on! Luckily, Sky on Fire picks up right where we left off and it does not take too much time to refresh your memory before being thrown right back into the action. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. I feel like there was a lot more action in this installment. Half the kids are driving a torn up bus through the ravaged towns and cities in search of a way to a safer world. Their goal is to make it to the Denver airport. All the while, they are trying to keep exposure to the atmosphere at a minimum, due to the dangerous effects of the chemicals in the air. This part of the story was the most exciting, and had me flying through the pages. The kids get attacked, their bus gets stolen, they find a little humanity left in the world, and they really get pushed to the limits. I was SO scared for them as I read.

2. And then we have the kids who stayed back at the store. Most of them become aggressive, murderous monsters when exposed to the chemicals, so they end up waiting things out in the hopes that their friends bring back rescuers. They are faced with their challenges as well including walls being torn down and letting the chemicals in, losing their electricity, and dealing with intruders.

3. I really like how the story flips back and forth between the two brothers, Alex and Dean. Alex, the younger brother, decided to go off in the bus with Niko and the others, while Dean stayed back with a pregnant Astrid and the little ones. We get to read Dean’s story as it happens, and Alex’s in the form of a journal he kept as a letter to Dean in case they didn’t make it.

4. Because such a huge part of the story takes place outside of the store, we finally get to see what’s really going on in the world during this time. The chemicals have absolutely decimated the place. These chemicals are so powerful, that they dissolve rubber after a few hours. The few remaining survivors are pretty much insane, heartless, or not even human anymore. The world has been plunged into complete darkness. Scary! I really liked seeing what’s been going on outside the store.

5. Alex really shown in this novel, whereas I hardly remember him as being anything more than annoying in the first one. He has had to grown up, mature, and learn to remain level-headed. I liked reading his thoughts much more than Dean’s this time around.

6. Dean’s chapters were rather monotonous. There’s only so much that can happen in a store, and though some more intruders arrive and a romance blooms (one I’m not so sure I like, for that matter), I really looked forward to getting back to Alex.

7. Our supporting characters do not play the same dynamic roles this time around, and I really did not get to hear much about them. I missed little doomsday priest Batiste, although he is there piping in every once in a while. I think a little character development had to fall to the wayside since Alex was writing about his impressions, not giving us a play-by-play of what everyone is up to. Honestly, I didn’t mind much. I was so interested in what was going on, and how things would turn out, that I didn’t crave the dialogue between characters as much as I would have if they had all stayed in the store.

8. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. SO much happened! I had to keep reminding myself that these kids had only been living like this for a couple of weeks, because it’s insane how much happens to them and how long it takes to get places.

9. I was super satisfied with the ending (holy crap, it was tense and insane) until the last paragraph or so. I was thinking we were done, but BOOM. Cliffhanger! We are not done with kids of Monument yet, and I’m kind of excited to see where things go next.

All in all, Sky on Fire is a great read. It’s fast, action-packed, and I love those kids! I just want to squeeze them and save them from their world. They still have the strong determination to survive that they did in Monument 14, and I just LOVE watching children being portrayed in books as strong. I still love how much they care for each other. They are tenacious and smart, and they work with what they have. I just loved reading about them. Definitely read this book if enjoyed Monument 14, because I’m pretty sure I like this one better!

Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo (Book Review)

Posted June 14, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 7 Comments

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #2
Also in this series: Shadow and Bone, Ruin and Rising
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 435
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Oh. My. People, Leigh Bardugo is my hero. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved Shadow and Bone. I thought for SURE there was no way to top it ever. BUT Siege and Storm is perfection! I was over the moon when I received my ARC, and I dropped everything to read it. Honestly, I have no idea how to even review this one. No idea. My brain wheels are spinning so fast, but then I type and nothing makes sense! I just loved it, and that’s that. I will do my best, but basically it all boils down to the fact that you just HAVE to read this even if you think Fantastical futuristic Russia, sexy male leads, a kick-butt heroine, and feeling is not for you. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Everything I loved about Shadow and Bone showed up in Siege and Storm. I was flooded with feels, swoons, and gasps. OH MAN. It’s like I’m reliving it.

2. The World. We learn so much more, and we are introduced to new places! Like the OCEAN. And there’s a sea monster and privateers! Need I say more?

3. Alina is SO much stronger! I didn’t think it was possible, but she’s just crazy nuts now. She’s more powerful, and she knows it. And I love watching her struggle as she tries to keep this power in check without succumbing to the darkness. She’s beginning to identify more with The Darkling, which puts a bit of a rift between her and Mal. And I totally understand why she’s drawn to him, as he is still just as alluring in that dangerous bad-boy kind of way. But oh, is he scary. But then he’s not… because he can be so understanding towards Alina. He totally gets her, and this softens me a bit. It’s kind of romantic. He’s like a drug. I kinda love him, but he’s just not good. I’m so torn.

4. So, we have this new guy Sturmhond. I LOVE HIM. He’s one of those suave sailor guys who can’t say anything wrong, and he totally steals the show. He’s just so dashing and cocky that you can’t help but flutter your eyelashes. The things he comes up with had me laughing. He’s so dynamic, that even though he’s new to the scene he makes a place for himself and makes sure he’s not overlooked. He brings out a lot of great things in Alina, as he coaches her and sticks by her side. And he’s really mysterious and hard to figure out because he’s a privateer. Who is he looking out for? Which side is he on? Gah, the complexity. I’m already planning our winter wedding.

5. Mal… I feel like he’s fallen to the back of the pack a little. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s a soldier among Grisha and royalty, if he’s not supportive enough of Alina and her place in this world, or if he’s just got a lot on his mind. Whatever the case may be, I’m totally ok with this because we’ve got more room for action and craziness. Rather than focusing on him and Alina, Leigh has chosen to showcase other characters (like my future husband), as well as the ongoing battle between Alina and The Darkling. I love that this entire trilogy has SO much more going on than love triangles.

6. Leigh’s writing is still gorgeous. She can go from writing deep feelings to crazy battle scenes to detailed descriptions of Grisha powers. I mentioned it in my review of Shadow and Bone, and I’ll mention it again: if Leigh’s writing was not so amazing this book would be just another fantasy novel.

7. And… again… everything happens! There’s no mindless dialogue or details nobody cares about (I really hate needless details). Everything written on these pages is written for a purpose. Events are strung together so fast, but with transitions that do not cause whiplash. I was always on my toes wondering what was going to happen next, and I was completely engrossed. Siege and Storm really reads like a movie.

OH MAN. I want to go back and read S&B and S&S all over again for the first time! I just love this series. Leigh really has jumped to the top of my most beloved authors list. I will follow her and her books to the ends of the earth. Just read them.

Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2) by Anna Banks (Book Review)

Posted April 11, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 11 Comments

Of Triton by Anna Banks
Series: The Syrena Legacy #2
Also in this series: Of Poseidon, Of Neptune
Published by Feiwel and Friends on May 28, 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance
Pages: 246
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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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?

Oh my. I was so excited when I found out about Of Triton, and was even more excited when I received an ARC in the mail! I loved Of Poseidon. LOVED IT!!! It was funny, had amazing characters, I loved the dual perspectives (which we get in Of Triton again), I loved Anna’s take on mermaid and Greek mythology, I loved the intense moments, I loved the writing style and the gorgeous underwater descriptions, and the ending killed me! I was catapulted off a cliff with that ending, and craved the sequel immediately. Of Triton was amazing. Everything I loved about Of Poseidon was there, and so much more. As always, my main points are bolded!

1. I still love the characters so much. Galen is so amazingly protective of those he loves, and I adore that about him. He is always there, and has the back of whoever needs him. Emma has grown in maturity and bravery. I really liked Emma’s mother, as well. She was still protective, but has learned that Emma is smart on her own. She turns into more of a friend than a mom in this book, and I liked her much more. And I loved the secondary characters: Grom, Poseidon King Antonis (who is so grandfatherly and sweet!), Rayna, and Toraf. I loved seeing familiar faces and meeting the new ones!

2. Of Triton is full of just as many one-liners and ohmysweetgoodnesses as Of Poseidon, and I love that the humor is understated enough to make you laugh without being overbearing and roll-your-eyes cheesy. So much of Anna Banks’s sense of humor and personality shines through in her writing.

3. This book is so action-packed! From the first page to the last, Anna holds nothing back. After a quick memory refresher, we’re off! I was whipping through this book. I see no signs of the sophomore slump with Of Triton. Not only do we get to follow up with our favorite friends, we get SO much more information! And the gift of Triton appears, which was SUPER exciting. And we get thrown with crazy twists and turns, plus some really sweet and tender family moments. Oh, and there’s a ton of stuff that needs to be worked out between the two syrena kingdoms. I really could not have asked for more.

4. Anna’s writing is gorgeous. I’m still enamored with her storytelling, her writing style, and her details. She gives us all the details!

5. We get more knowledge of the syrena. Their history, the inner workings, their laws and abilities, etc. And we learn more about some of the main characters. We get all the knowledge!

6. There’s a pretty good chance I loved this more than Of Poseidon. And if you’ve read my review, you’ll wonder how that’s even possible.

Ok, so after reading and re-reading my review, I think it kind of sucks. Haha. But I have no idea what to do to make it better! Basically, I loved Of Triton and wanted to write a short, sweet review that gave nothing away. At all. Because you don’t deserve any spoilers. Anna Banks is now officially on my auto-buy list. I’ve read everything of hers, and I have loved allllll of it! Of Poseidon lovers will not be disappointed at all by Of Triton, well except for the fact that it’s so short. Haha. I can’t wait for Anna to write a million more books!

Unremembered by Jessica Brody (Book Review, Author Guest Post, & Giveaway)

Posted March 5, 2013 by Jana in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway, Guest Post, Young Adult Fiction / 22 Comments

Unremembered by Jessica Brody
Series: Unremembered #1
Published by Farrar Straus & Giroux on March 5, 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Survival, Suspense
Pages: 307
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

Welcome to my stop along the official Unremembered blog tour, hosted by Macmillan Kids! We’ve got a jam-packed post today with my review, The Who is Seraphina? clue #9, a special guest post about the things Jessica Brody hopes she never “unremembers”, and a chance to win a hardback copy of Unremembered!

First of all, happy book birthday to Jessica Brody! Unremembered hits shelves today, and I am SO excited for you all to read and experience this wonderfully exciting book! I love mysteries and I love survival stories. Unremembered is both, plus a little science fiction. You really can’t go wrong with this one! I’m keeping my review short because we’ve got Jessica’s post right after!

1. I love the mystery and frustration that comes with memory loss stories. I mean, OH MY. I was getting so terribly frustrated that Sera/Violet could not remember anything! But at the same time, I was tearing through those pages in the hopes that she would remember. And the intrigue and danger that came with not remembering was really exciting.

2. This story flows really fast, but not so fast that you can’t keep up. I loved that.

3. I really liked Sera. I thought it was really cool that, since Sera did not remember anything, we got to learn about her past right along with her. Sometimes an author throws you into a story and has to teach you what a character already knows about his or herself. That can sometimes end up being tedious and frustrating. With Unremembered, though, we get to experience everything with Sera.

4. I really liked the very little I got to learn about Zen in this story. I’m hoping he plays a more dynamic role as the trilogy unfolds, because I really like what I know about him so far. I hope we get more of his own back story, rather than his past with Sera. I want to know him. And I was hoping for more romance. We get glimmers of it throughout the story, so I know the potential… and I want more! I can see book #2 being amazingly good.

5. The sci-fi aspect is really cool and unique. I won’t give too much away, because I loved not knowing about it when I started the book. Let’s just say there are some evil people, associated with an evil plan, who go to great lengths to get back what they claim is theirs. It was so exciting!

Overall, I loved Unremembered. It’s definitely a step or two away from the books I usually read, and I loved this change. I’d recommend this to people who enjoy a little bit of everything in their stories: romance, sci-fi, mystery, survival. It’s the beginning of a promising trilogy, and even though I know we are all really beginning to tire of trilogies, but this one is worth investing the next 2-3 years in.

And now for today’s clue!

Jessica Brody: Five Things I Hope I Never Unremember

My memory is a pretty fickle thing. It likes to play tricks on me. It likes to make up stuff and convince me they’re real. It has a tendency to completely misplace things and then blame me for it. Basically, my memory is a really annoying younger sibling.

When Jana and I first got in touch to talk about post ideas for this blog tour she suggested two topics: The first was “5 Things You Hope You Never Forget” and the second…well, I don’t think I even read the second because I was too excited about the first and my mind was already churning with ideas!

This topic is so charmingly appropriate. In UNREMEMBERED, my character, Seraphina, thinks she has amnesia after she’s been rescued from the site of a plane crash and has no memories about who she is or where she came from. But she soon learns there’s much more to her past than simple memory loss. Someone has actually been erasing memories from her mind. No bueno. I can certainly think of a boatload of things I hope are never stolen from my own mind but since the topic of this blog post is “5 Things You Hope You Never Forget” and not “A Boatload of Things You Hope You Never Forget,” I suppose I will have to narrow it down.   So…here are the top 5 things I will cling to like a Krispy Kreme in a donut drought, should anyone ever try to erase my memories.

5. The way my dogs look at me after they sneak into the backseat of the car and hope I won’t notice and make them get out.

4. This perm at age 13. Because if I forget it, I may end up repeating it. *Shudders at the thought*

3. The girl who bullied me in the 6th grade. As painful as it was, as horrible as she made me feel pretty much every single day, I know her actions shaped who I am today. Remembering her means remembering that I survived it.

2. The day I signed my first book contract. I had been trying to get published for over 5 years and had a mountain of rejection letters (I still have them all!) Getting that first contract in the mail (all official in a Fedex envelope) was pretty much one of the best feelings in the world. I would never want to lose that.

1. And last but most important, I hope I never forget why I do this job. It’s not for money or acclaim or to see my name on the front of a book. It’s to tell stories. To bring make-believe worlds to life. To entertain people like you. Fortunately, I’m reminded of this with every fan letter I receive and every reader who takes the time to tweet me or leave a comment on my Facebook page. So thank you for making sure I never unremember.

Comments from me: Yay! Jessica, thank you SO much for stopping by the blog today! I loved your answers. Your dogs are adorable, your perm was out of this world (I secretly wish I had a crazy hair style when I was younger, because then I could tease myself…), and you look so happy signing your contract! It was so much fun getting to know you better today. :)

Try your luck at winning your own copy of Unremembered, which Mac Kids is so graciously providing! I hope you win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t forget to stop by the other tour stops! Here’s the schedule:

Monday 2/25 Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday 2/26 IB Book Blogging
Wednesday 2/27 Good Choice Reading
Thursday 2/28 Books with Bite
Friday 3/1 Book Sake<
Saturday 3/2 YA Book Nerd
Sunday 3/3 My Five Monkeys
Monday 3/4 The Irish Banana
Tuesday 3/5 You are here! (That Artsy Reader Girl)
Wednesday 3/6 Carina’s Books
Thursday 3/7 A Patchwork of Books
Friday 3/8 MacTeenBooks Blog

And in case I have not provided enough links for you, here are some other really important ones:

Unremembered Book Trailer
Read and download the first five chapters of Unremembered for free!
Become a fan of the Unremembered Trilogy on Facebook
Follow Jessica Brody on Twitter
Become a fan of Jessica Brody on Facebook
See Jessica Brody on tour!
Check out her website!