Review: Neverland by Shari Arnold

Neverland by Shari Arnold

Published: April 7th 2015
Publisher: CreateSpace
Page Count: Paperback, 358 pages
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult
Find The Author: Blog, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon
Add It To Your GoodReads Shelf

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.
But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound. 
Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?
In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for?

This book is a total love letter to the fantastical and beloved world created by JM Barrie. With that being said…It is also a thoughtful, caring look into the world of grief, innocence, and the challenges of the whole coming of age process.

It was solidly written, possessed a creative premise, and delivered strongly. The main character isn’t one of those characters that you end up kind of hating - she’s a caring young woman going through a huge experience. A girl who just wants to do the right thing. The world and imagery that Arnold creates to express the world of JM Barrie is beautiful and enticing. At one point (mild spoiler alert!) I seriously wanted to dress up in a costume and go take over an abandoned carnival. The ending was satisfying and bittersweet and happy. A great recipe for a YA novel.

Yet, I struggled a little bit to write this review. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what was going on. Like, it has all the ingredients and I definitely, absolutely recommend it for a future read. However... I didn’t feel an emotional connection the way I normally do with characters like Livy Cloud. I feel the same way about my little sister as she did hers. And I would be crushed beyond belief if I ever even came close to losing my sister the way she did hers. It just...I think that there was so much discussion and actions and not enough time spent on emotions.

She was grieving and lost but the plotline was so focused on Meyer and the outside forces working around her that she never became a real, grieving person for me. She was going through some massive things and her parents..her friends...the little girl she was trying to save...it all should have hit a more deeper emotional punch with the reader than it actually did. It was a good read, a good story, and a good tribute to JM Barrie. It just...wasn’t all that it could have been. Of course, I’m like one of those people that NEEDS to be able to connect with the main character. I wonder if it had been written from Meyer’s view point if there would be a connection problem.

Either way, I give it….four out of five stars. Why? Because as I said before - written solidly, creative premise, solid plotline, and a completely magical twist on a beloved and known fairy tale.

Go read it - Did you like it??? Did you relate to Livy Cloud??? Am I crazy or did you have the same difficulties? Please come back and discuss - I’ll keep an eye out for your comments! :)

Waiting on Wednesday: A School for Unusual Girls & Daughter of Deep Silence

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS (STRANJE HOUSE #1) BY KATHLEEN BALDWIN
Release Date: May 19th 2015

It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...

The description reminded me a little of an episode of one of my favourite shows on television right now, The Musketeers (BBC). The idea of women going behind the scenes and doing great things -- one of the episodes actually played with that idea. Anyway, it sounds like an exciting and interesting book and I can't wait to read it!

DAUGHTER OF DEEP SILENCE BY CARRIE RYAN
Release Date: June 2nd 2015

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process. Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose. 

Liza put me in the direction of this book. I'm not going to lie - I don't think I've ever heard of this author. She's definitely caught my eye. 'Daughter of Deep Silence' intrigues me from the title alone. Then there's the whole lover of her enemy and friend to a dead girl thing. Very enticing!

Review: Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: August 14th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Page Count: Paperback, 366
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-fi
Find the Author: Good Reads, Website, Twitter, Facebook, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.
But then everything changes…
I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?
No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies… 

This book has officially sealed my undying love for Daemon! I questioned whether or not he might have gone too far with his mood swings in the first book, but in Onyx, he was definitely redeemed. There were even numerous times when I was sympathizing with him. And on top of that, Jennifer L Armentrout can write some hot scenes! 

In this installment of the Lux series we pick up right into more action and questions and a few mysteries that have answers pop up throughout the book. There were a few good surprises thrown in that I liked a lot, and I'm definitely ready to read the next one so I can find out more! 

If you love sci-fi and young adult romance, definitely check this out!

Favourite quote of the book:

“Okay, you're prone to moments of great dickdom, but you're not that bad.” 

                                                              5 out of 5 Stars

Review: Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand

Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand

Published: January 22nd 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins
Page Count: Hardcover, 438
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook, Blog
Buy This Book:  Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Well, it's finally over. And I'm a little sad. Sad because it's over, and a little saddened by the ending. I'm going to try to keep this as spoiler free as I can, so I won't mention any names, but the way I phrase things might give away something, so read ahead at your own risk if you haven't read this book yet.

I have a few complaints about this final installment of the Unearthly series. For me the outcome of the love triangle wasn't very good, and I'm trying not to give spoilers away here, but I felt that Cynthia Hand spent a little too much time away from the one that the focus should have been on and there grew an attachment to another and then it seemed as if she just pulled the rug out from under me and it's like, "wait, who's THAT guy? And why does she care so much? Where is the connection? He hasn't even been there for her!" And then the ending was all very tidy and smooth and it just didn't feel right to me.

But, I did love many other things about Boundless. I loved that Clara was able to connect more with her Father and I loved that she grew stronger in her angel skills and I actually teared up with the Samjeeza story line -- definitely a very good subplot throughout the series and I was satisfied with how it played out.

Overall, I'd still recommend this series, but it didn't end as well as I had hoped. So I'll only be giving it...

                                                              4 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Page Count: Paperback, 361
Source: ARC
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-fi
Find the Author: Good Reads, Website, Twitter, Facebook, Blog
Buy This Book:  Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
If I don't kill him first, that is.

This review is long, long overdue. I read it while I had a bunch of life stuff going on last year and had to let my blog slide for way longer than I wanted to. Anyway, here are my immediate thoughts I posted on GoodReads I posted after reading:

"UGH I AM SO MAAAAAAD! I thought the second book was out already for some reason, so as soon as I finished this I rushed to get the second one... only to find out it doesn't come until August! FML!"

Yeah, that's exactly how it went. I was tricked, I tell you! I had some assumption that the next book in this series, Onyx was already out. It wasn't. I was seriously upset. Which leaves you with a big chunk of information: you're going to want to get right to the next book after you read this one. It's aaaamaaaazingly addicting! 

I remember hating Daemon at first. I loathed him hard... and I remember thinking, "Good! She needs to stay away from him. He's trouble! He's an ass!" I even remember thinking that Jennifer L Armentrout might have taken 'bad boy' a little too far, and I wasn't sure if he could be redeemed.

Luckily, I was wrong. Daemon is seriously amazing and I'm in love! I'm in love with her writing, her characters, her stories: Jennifer L Armentrout... I'm not sure she can do any wrong.

And the main character Katy is amazing. She's a book blogger, she's strong, she's opinionated and she's just a very realistic girl you can love. 

Please, read this series! It's has an interesting sci-fi twist that reminds me a lot of the tv show I loved back in my teens, Roswell and instead of sweet Max, we have Daemon, who definitely good at hiding his inner good boy, but it's definitely in there, I know it! 

                                                           5 out of 5 Stars!

Review: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

Published: January 17th 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Count: Hardcover, 416
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Blog, Good Reads, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 
Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

This was an excellent follow-up to Unearthly. I'm glad to see a fabulous angel trilogy out there and I'm especially glad to see that this book lived up to the first and even rose above it. 

There were a lot of tears shed during this book, but it was totally worth it. The person she loses actually hit me out of nowhere and it was surprising and very saddening and written very well. 

I know this isn't a very long review, but I hate to spoil and overall, please read this series if you haven't. It's pretty much golden! And for the emotional rollercoaster it puts you on and the heart wrenching scenes, I'll have to give it...

                                                        5 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Published: February 5th 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins
Page Count: Hardcover, 461
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

tick tick tick tick tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Tahereh Mafi, you devil, you! You have me hook, line and sinker!

The first quarter or so of the book really dragged for me. There was a lot of whiny Juliette and sometimes I just wanted to reach in and smack her around a little. And sometimes it felt like there was too much Juliette and not enough interaction with others, but that changed throughout the book and I ended up being hooked and I loved the character developments. 

And I'll try to zip it here and keep my fingers from saying the name of the person who deserves a lot of credit for making this book amazing, but I will say his name starts with a W and oooh la la, he stole my heart! 

So, overall, this book had me rolling my eyes a little in the beginning, and sometimes I even felt like I was drowning in metaphors, but it heated up and I couldn't take my eyes off of the pages! Definitely recommend to those who love steamy scenes (there are some really good ones in this), love triangles and overall really good writing!

                                                                               4 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

Published: July 10th 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: Hardcover, 304
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

In this humorous love story from the author of Two-Way Street, an unlikely romance is the best sort of surprise—but the wrong secret can ruin everything. Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out. But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on track at Concordia High.
Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.
When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before...But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth. 

I read this book last summer and this review is long overdue. I've just been really bad about blogging because I've been flying and driving all over the world. My apologies! 

The Thing About The Truth threw me off at first, because it begins in the current time, hooks you, and then goes back in time, then jumps back to the current time and jumps back again and so on and so forth. Normally I would find this annoying, but for this novel, it really worked to tell the story in a very interesting way and I think it helped it shine more. 

The main character Kelsey was a realistically and brilliantly flawed teenage girl who made a mistake that made feel sorry for her and you watch her deal with the consequences of her lies, or omissions of the truth as it could be said. And Isaac was the real deal in the world of book boyfriends, he was definitely my cup of tea and I loved their romance! 

Overall, I loved this book. It was one of my favourite reads during the summer of 2012 and while it didn't keep me up all night itself, it did help me stay awake while my son, who was a newborn wanted me to stay up all night! Thank you, Lauren Barnholdt, I think you might have saved my life, for at least a night! 

Go forth and read this if you haven't and love Young Adult Contemporary! It's a good one! 

                                                                        5 out 5 Stars!

Review: Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: October 23rd 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page Count: Hardcover, 464
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

Finale was a very good finale to the Hush Hush series. I dug into it right away in favour of anything else and read straight through to the end. Without stop. Any sort of stop. Seriously... 

In the last installment we find Becca pretty much exactly where Silence left off. A bound-by-oath leader of the Nephilim Army. She's not very favoured by the higher ups because they worry of her loyalty, so she has a lot to prove, which she works on throughout the book, as well as trying to figure out a way to be loyal to both sides.

I really love this series. I have had complaints about Nora throughout the books and a lot of my interest in this series was driven by Patch. I also lovelovelove Vee, whom I would have liked to see more of in this installment. I've found it sad that Nora usually kept her best friend in the dark and I personally think it would have been better if Vee had been more KNOWINGLY involved in Nora's Angelic/Nephilim struggles. The storylines throughout the series actually intertwine well and I was surprised by a few little people who popped back up in this one. 

Overall, this was good. Really good. I love this series and I know I'll be re-reading it again and again in the future. 

                                                                              5 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Published: June 5th 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Page Count: Hardcover, 304
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog, Tumblr
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.
Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.
Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about. - Good Reads

This is my first Kody Kepling book and it definitely will not be my last. I've been meaning to read her other books, but never managed to get to one until A Midsummer's Nightmare. Something about the cover drew me in. I think because that cover girl looks a little fierce. And the main character of this story; Whitley Johnson is definitely fierce. A fierce bitch. I hated her at first. She was mean. She was heartless. She was whiny. And then the amazing author that Kody Kepling is, made me slowly start to feel for Whitley and begin to sympathize with why she is the way she is and it felt legit. No convenient excuses for her actions. You see it all played out over the course of the book. And I started to feel angry for Whitley, rather than angry at her. I think that is half because of the authors skill and half because I can totally relate to Whitley's situation. I still get those feelings of jealousy with my Father and step family at 27 years old. When her Father kept repeatedly blowing her off, I felt for her. I also loved the secondary characters, who really weaved into the story perfectly. They didn't feel like props just thrown in there: they definitely belonged there and added feelings and momentum to the book. I didn't really feel the love story a whole lot until a bit later into the book and I think what shone more in this book was the character growth, but the romantic interest was good and I felt those required (well, a requirement for me, that is. I love feeling that way when I read...) flutters a few times! 


Overall, a good read and one I'd definitely recommend to those who love the Contemporary Young Adult genre.

                                               4 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler

The Future of Us by Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler

Published: November 21st 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Page Count: Hardcover, 309
Source: ARC [From a Friend]
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Romance
Find the Authors: Jay Asher: Blog, Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook // Carolyn Mackler: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.
Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.
Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.
Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out. - Good Reads

The summary of this book caught my attention right away. I remember the days of AOL and dial-up. A lot of my growing up was in that era. Looking back at those times, the internet was such a primitive place and it's amazing to think of how much it's grown in just my little lifetime. I remember the first time I ever logged onto the internet in 1995! 


The Future of Us is a hard book for me to sum up. I liked the premise of the story. The fact that two teenagers log on to the internet for the first time and see their future on Facebook. I loved that and it was interesting to see how it affected them in their present and how their changes of attitude in the present would in turn change their future. But I can't say I fell in love with the characters or the book. I wasn't always satisfied with how the story was playing out... I really enjoyed the nostalgia factor the book offered though and I'm glad I read it. I received a copy from a friend, but this is something I would have mostly likely bought for myself and I can't say that I would have regretted it. I know that sounds confusing and a little contradictory, but that basically sums up how I felt about it. 


RECOMMENDED TO
Those who read the summary and know it something they want to read for the nostalgia factor!


                                    3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!