Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Tags: YA, paranormal, vampires, romance

Summary

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

Review

I'm not the type of reader to instantly dismiss all vampire stories out of vampire fatigue; as long as it's written well, I can enjoy it. And THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN is written well. It brings me back to Holly Black's Tithe era, with its grungy urban landscapes full of disaffected, multiply pierced, dyed-haired teenage characters who are simultaneously cooler and yet more vulnerable than you'll ever be. Black's narrative swirls between settings and time periods and points of view in a style that I imagine is like what being on raver drugs must feel like. Slightly disorienting, swirls of more-than-they-seem interactions and side-goings-on piquing the corners of your vision, disorienting your understanding of reality so slyly, so insidiously, that when you pause to take a breather from reading this story, you blink and for more than a second think that Black's world could very well exist, unobserved, in your own. Gavriel, the male vampire love interest, even gets me hot and bothered just like the icy-hot Roiben (Rath Roiben Rye, Rath Roiben Rye) of Tithe did.

Verdict? If you love your vampire tales slightly darker and hipper and more insane, get up this alley. If, like me, you spent your formative years gorging on Holly Black's classic urban fantasy YAs, get at this one. If you like your paranormals more romance-y and plot-driven, then this will probably not be your cup of tea.

Cover discussion: ...Wow. Somehow, in the time between when I read this (on my Kindle) and now, I had completely forgotten about the cover. I guess there's some implication in there about how uneventful this cover is...?

Little, Brown / Sept. 3, 2013 / Hardcover / 421pp. / $19.00

e-galley offered by publisher for review. Thank you!

Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners, Book 1

Tags: young adult, historical, paranormal, 1920s

Summary

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

Review

All hail Her Royal YA Highness Libba Bray, who can write about anything she wants in any genre or mix of genres and have it be a critical and commercial success. In her new series, which begins with THE DIVINERS, Bray returns to the stomping grounds that had first gotten her fans: a solid ensemble cast of characters with a dollop of very atmospheric paranormal elements.

Evie is a mouthy, flighty, manipulative, and sometimes silly ball of energy. She is, in short, whom part of you always wishes you could be like, and also everything you would never want to have to deal with in another person. Evie may drive you crazy with her impulsiveness and selfishness at times, but it is those characteristics of hers that allow her to be such a one-of-a-kind protagonist. Her lines and actions literally dominate the pages. If ever there was a character who was bigger than the words describing her, it would be Evie. And I’m sure she would be happy to hear that about herself.

Evie, however, is not the only star of this book. Her new friends are strong characters in their own right. In THE DIVINERS, Evie’s friends and acquaintances don’t seem to be in the book for the sole purpose of convenient info-dumping or plot-hopping: it’s not difficult to see them as protagonists of their own stories—Theta, the glamorous Ziegfeld girl with the troubled past; Memphis, the golden boy from Harlem; Mabel, who is just coming out of the shadow of her idealistic, revolutionist parents; Jericho, strong and silent with a secret that could blow apart everyone’s conception of humanity; and Sam, the pickpocket whose suave exterior hides a grimly driven purpose. Along those lines, the dash of romance in this book will surprise and, I hope, delight you. Bray does not go the expected route, and neither does the romance impose upon the main plot in any way. Dare I say that this is one YA romantic setup that I actually can’t wait to see play out in the sequel?

Speaking of “main plot,” though…Well, sometimes it’s hard to tell what that is. The synopsis sells the premise of a supernatural serial killer, but that’s just the surface—fitting, for a 600-page book. The languid, almost irresponsibly lazy pace of the first half of the book nearly killed it for me. It’s necessary setup for future books in the series, and I appreciate that because of this thorough setup the future books will not beat a finished plot to death, but boy did it divide this book for me.

Overall, an extremely enjoyable novel, particularly for Libba Bray fans but also for those new to her books.

Similar Authors
Sarah Rees Brennan
Maureen Johnson
E. Lockhart

Cover discussion: It's unique! But, um, I feel like it didn't take the opportunity to make the most out of the characters' quirkiness and Bray's rich depictions of the times.

Little, Brown / Sept. 18, 2012 / Hardcover / 592pp. / $19.99

e-galley received from publisher and NetGalley.

Review: Saltwater Vampires by Kirsty Eagar

Tags: young adult, paranormal, thriller, vampires, Australian lit, surfing

Summary

This New Year, Jamie and his avid surfing friends have more on their mind than catching good waves, making money, and enjoying themselves at the local music festival when they stumble upon a 400-year-old vampire plot and employ all the resources they have on hand in order to save their town.

Review

There are few authors I would trust to write a truly original and good vampire story. Kirsty Eagar is one of them, and she delivers beautifully with SALTWATER VAMPIRES, her sophomore novel. Quirky, fast-paced, and sprawling, SALTWATER VAMPIRES should be your next read if you’re looking for a book that’s, well, pretty much like no other.

Usually the adjectives “quirky,” “fast-paced,” and “sprawling” aren’t used together to describe one book, but hey, this is Kirsty Eagar we’re talking about here, and she defies norms. SALTWATER VAMPIRES is quirky because, as others have said, it is a purely Australian vampire thriller. It combines elements of the paranormal, thriller, horror, and YA contemporary, presented in a distinctly Australian writing style, by which I mean, in addition to some Australian slang, a deep respect for readers’ intelligences: the book is not going to pause for you to get with it, so you had better not have a lazy reading mind and expect everything to be laid out clearly for you.

SALTWATER VAMPIRES’ fast pace comes from its thriller aspect. The book channels some Dan Brown and Stieg Larsson for its exciting premise. Don’t expect a melodramatic romance here: these 15-year-olds are trying to save their town, and their actions and reactions befit that of one of their age and predicament—that is, they (especially the boys) are going to occasionally say some really stupid things that make you want to clip them upside the head the way you would a younger brother. I truly enjoyed how realistic yet personable the characters were, and would not trade their occasional awkwardness and dramatically heroic decisions for the much more boring and unbelievable antics of a pair (or trio) of luv-struck-dumb teenagers.

Finally, this book is sprawling because of the way it successfully handles its convergence of multiple genres, time periods, and perspectives. In between setting up the Batavia backstory to following the thoughts of some vampire-connected adults on their journey to Australia, the book remains true to its YA genre by treating its teenaged characters the way they should be treated: sympathetically, but with attention paid to their idiosyncracies and (occasional) idiocies.

SALTWATER VAMPIRES doesn’t make vampires out to be anything other than single-minded monsters. It also doesn’t delve too much into the subtle mindsets of adolescents, so if you’re looking for something akin to Raw Blue, you won’t find it here. On the other hand, if you want an exciting read unhampered by teenager melodrama, you’ll want to basically date this book.

Similar Authors
Dan Brown
Stieg Larsson
Jonathan Maberry

Cover discussion: Erm, I'm not the biggest fan of it--books with staring eyes on them creep me out--but I can see why it fits the horror/thriller-esque mood of this book.

Penguin Books Australia / Aug. 30, 2010 / Paperback / 384pp. / $23.99

Personal copy.

Review: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Lynburn Legacy, Book 1

Tags: YA, paranormal, mystery

Summary

Kami Glass’ family has always lived in the small village of Sorry-in-the-Vale, which used to be rule by the mysterious and intimidating Lynburns from a grand mansion overlooking the town until the Lynburns all left a few decades ago. But now the Lynburns are back, stirring up old feelings, but no one will tell Kami anything about them and why she should stay away from them.

Kami’s journalist instinct cannot let the mystery rest. Finding what little information there is available about the Lynburns is hard enough, but things get extremely complicated when the boy whose voice Kami has been hearing in her head ever since she can remember appears in real life…as a Lynburn.

Review

A slow plot. A long book that could’ve been cut down by 150 pages. An important reveal that should’ve happened 100 pages earlier. A love triangle (sort of). An average but not particularly memorable protagonist. These are the qualities that seem to be characteristic of YA bestsellers these days—and, since, UNSPOKEN had all of these, I’m sure it has a shot at getting on the bestseller list. Unfortunately, because of all these qualities, this book didn’t end up being my thing.

Kami fancies herself a “sassy female detective,” but Veronica Mars she is not. This is in part, I think, due to Brennan’s rather strange choice of telling the story in third person, instead of from Kami’s point of view. I LOVED Kami’s voice in the first-person opening, and was initially shocked, then eventually disappointed, when the rest of this long long overly long book proceeded in third-person. Presumably this was because sometimes, randomly, the POV switched over to Jared’s—but the main characters were so forgettably bland anyway that having a few pages from their POV didn’t impress them upon me more. So anyway, my point here is that any potential for the Veronica Mars-esque sassiness that Kami claims to possess was unfortunately smothered by the third-person narration.

Speaking of “long long overly long”… At less than 400 pages, UNSPOKEN is shorter than a lot of books I’ve read and loved, but even that length was unnecessary for the events—or lack thereof—that transpired. Maybe the idea suffered from YA trilogy-itis? I read this on my Kindle, and the Important Big Reveal, the revelation that would justify the characters’ (and readers’) confusion and curiosity up till then, didn’t occur until more than two-thirds of the way through the book. Come on. That’s just basically assuming that readers will be pulled along by sheer curiosity instead of anything actually substantial—which I suppose some readers might be, but I’m thoroughly not put over the moon by a bunch of villagers being all “Hush, we don’t talk about the Lynburns” while initially nothing scarier than the common fear of a haunted wood happens.

The first two-thirds of UNSPOKEN (you know, the part that should’ve been condensed to half its length) consist of Kami running around—sometimes by herself, sometimes with Jared—picking up clues but then not acting on them because she’s so busy agonizing over her confused feelings about Jared vs. Ash. True, she’s no Bella Swan over boys, but still. Kami. Girl. Don’t be the person who loses all common sense in the midst of a crisis because you can’t decide how a certain boy feels about you.

With the exception of a few good quips, Kami and Jared don’t hold a candle to the supposed supporting characters (and let’s not even talk about Ash). I loved the casual yet loving banter among Kami’s family members, and Kami’s friends Angela and Holly stole the scene every time they appeared. (Why couldn’t Angela have been the protagonist instead? I could totally get behind a people-hating protagonist.) Alas, the vibrancy and attractiveness of the supporting characters meant that the main characters’ “conflicts” felt terribly clichéd in comparison. I found myself not caring much about how Kami and Jared struggled to deal with their feelings for each other. YAWN, YA TROPE ALERT. For an author in a position of literary influence (I thought that Sarah Rees Brennan’s Demon’s Lexion trilogy was great, and she belongs to a literary circle of some of the most influential YA authors in the past decade), I was greatly disappointed by all the clichés and tropes that this story ended up using.

In this review I once again dredge up what I find frustrating and lacking in the so-called “YA bestsellers” of these days. Which means that the majority of YA readers will love this, and I will be the curmudgeonly old lady in the ratty overstaffed armchair in the corner of a drafty room furthest away from the fireplace, knitting and talking to my friends the rats and cats.

Similar Authors
Maureen Johnson
Marta Acosta
Lee Daniels
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Jessica Spotswood
Kendare Blake

Cover discussion: It's a pity about this book, because I love that cover. It's so striking. It would've looked great on my bookshelf, but alas.

Random House / Sept. 11, 2012 / Hardcover / 384pp. / $18.99

e-galley received for review from publisher and NetGalley.

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna, Book 1

Tags: YA, horror, ghosts

Summary

Cas Lowood’s unusual but steady life as ghost-killer, traveling constantly in search for his next task, takes an unexpected turn when he attempts to confront the ghost known as Anna Dressed in Blood. Anna Korlov has apparently violently killed any human who tries to enter her haunted house for the past 50 years…but, for whatever reason, she doesn’t kill Cas. As Cas unravels the dark and disturbing mystery surrounding Anna’s own violent death, and the evil thing that compels her to perform violence, he finds many things in his life turning upside-down, including his former loner status and the path he is slowly but steadily taking to avenge his father’s death by a dangerous ghost.

Review

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD came highly recommended by lots of different readers. Unfortunately, this strange tale of horror and romance between a human boy and the ghost girl he’s supposed to get rid of was decent, but didn’t blow me away.

Good things first. Cas was a great narrator. He goes about his business in a no-nonsense yet wry manner, which not only makes his narration and adventures enjoyable to read, but also delights readers when his dealings with Anna unexpectedly trip him up.

Unfortunately, Cas’ genuineness was not enough to offset the tired stereotypes and underdeveloped supporting characters. ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD contained too much awesome to be stuffed into a generic high school setting, and yet it was, with the result that there were awkwardly dramatic confrontations with too-idiotic-to-be-real jocks and underwhelmingly catty girls. Blake makes an attempt to add uniqueness and depth to Cas’ friends, but I never felt like they could have had life beyond the page: there was just something off about the way they spoke, kind of like aliens trying to act like real teenagers or something.

Horror is not my favorite genre, so I’m far from the best person to appreciate and judge it; however, I wanted more from this story. I was confused about the mythological and historical basis for Anna’s violent haunting: what cultures or stories was ANNA drawing from to create its version of ghosts and voodoo? What made Cas and his friends so special that they were able to achieve what no one had done before them? The book’s explanations for these and other similar questions I had left me dissatisfied and, ultimately, dispassionate about the story.

Not every book is for every reader, and ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD wasn’t one for me, though it certainly was for a lot of people. If you’re a fan of ghost and horror stories with a tinge of myth-based supernatural concepts, a la Lee Nichols or Laurie Faria Stolarz, give this a whirl. It might be just your thing, though it wasn’t mine.

Similar Authors
Lee Nichols
Stephenie Meyer
Marta Acosta
Laurie Faria Stolarz

Cover discussion: Ohh, I like. It's a creepy combination of realistic and illustrated, and that blend of styles conveys the ghost aspect of this story more than the actual elements in the picture do.

Tor Teen / July 3, 2012 (reprint) / Paperback / 320pp. / $9.99

Personal e-book copy bought for $2.99 on Amazon.

Review: Feed by Mira Grant

Newsflesh Trilogy, Book 1

Tags: dystopian, paranormal, zombies, journalism, blogging, politics

Summary

In the years following a zombie apocalypse that changed our world as we know it forever, adopted siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason work hard as first-class blogger-journalists, combining the hard truth with exciting stories. When Georgia, Shaun, and resident technogeek/fiction writer Buffy are selected to be the exclusive blogging team for Senator Peter Ryman’s presidential campaign, little do they know how much their lives are going to change. For it seems like there’s a murderous conspiracy underfoot, and Georgia, Shaun, and Buffy are going to get pulled right into the middle of it.

Review

For years I had been pulled along by the neverending tides of high praises for FEED before I could finally read it. And while FEED, in my opinion, didn’t quite live up to all that praise, it is still one of the better zombie books out there, albeit gratingly slow-moving at times.

The best thing about FEED is unarguably the world-building. This is what world-building should be like: everything with a reason to be, the science behind the Kellis-Amberlee virus that turns people into zombies explained, the far-reaching consequences of the existence of the virus into every facet of people’s lives, from where they live to how the media has involved since the present day. I was impressed by how well Grant thought everything through in her world.

Unfortunately, the very thing that makes FEED so great is also what primarily contributed to its lowered rating for me. Perhaps in excitement over the amazingly detailed world she created, Grant overindulges in the world-building details—I know, right?! Me, complaining about overindulgence in world-building? How strange. The narration, however, doesn’t leave the world-building well enough alone once the world has already been thoroughly established. Instead, even on page 400 or so, readers still encounter “As you know, reader…” sentences everywhere. The repetition is unnecessary and thoroughly grating, at least on me. It made me feel like Grant didn’t trust the reader to have a complete picture of her Newsflesh world, and thus had to keep on emphasizing the same points, over and over: Shaun’s suicidal Irwin tendencies, Georgia’s antisocial nature, the blood tests (and their annoyance over how often they have to do it—if they’re annoyed, can you imagine how readers might feel, having to read about their blood tests and their irritation over it in every chapter?), and so on.

FEED’s strength—and weakness, at least for me—lay in its world-building, but the characters are good enough as well. Nothing to call home about, but Georgia’s cool and collected narration was admirable, and Shaun and Buffy’s exuberance provided a welcome contrast to her personality. I saw the shocking thing at the ending coming early, so wasn’t that affected one way or another by it.

Overall, FEED should impress those who enjoy postapocalyptic or zombie stories with an emphasis on thorough and believable world-building. It didn’t blow me away emotionally, and the Inner Editor That Could insists that the book would’ve been much better had 200 pages been cut from it, but I still more or less enjoyed the time I spent with it.

Cover discussion: Brilliant. Really conveys the convergence of zombies and blogging in a memorable way.

Orbit / May 1, 2010 / Mass Market Paperback / 608pp. / $9.99

Personal copy.

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Blood of Eden, Book 1

Tags: YA, paranormal, dystopian, vampires

Summary

Allison Sekemoto survives as a fierce, unregistered scavenger in a world where master vampires have laid claim over entire cities and keep the humans in line with scheduled blood-letting. However, tragedy strikes, and Allie is forced to become the monster she has always hated. Her creator, Kanin, is a vampire with a dark, mysterious past and many secrets, the biggest one of which drives Allie out of the city, to survive outside on her own.

Allie meets up with a group of humans on their way to find the rumored Eden, an island city untainted by vampires, where humans live as they did before. But Allie can never fully belong among the humans, no matter how nice Zeke is to her. Society will force her to always remember who she is now, and the situation will arise when she needs to acknowledge just how much of her is human…and how much is vampire.

Review

Despite the oversaturation of the market with vampire stories, I’m still constantly on the lookout for something fresh. Julie Kagawa brings a refreshing grittiness to vampires in her new paranormal-dystopian series, starting with THE IMMORTAL RULES, which, while far from perfect, is still an enjoyable read for the forgiving, vampire-crazy reader type.

I like that Kagawa’s vampires don’t glitter. They don’t try desperately to mimic humanity for the sake of a romantic story. They are manipulative and volatile and scary as all hell—and thus, when the uncommon vampire displays some semblance of human emotion or empathy, you know it’s because of the character, not just for the sake of a story.

THE IMMORTAL RULES is also written in a controlled yet smooth-flowing manner, keeping a tight rein on potentially overdramatic situations, and yet moving the story along from event to event, dialogue to dialogue, in a natural-feeling way. It was nearly effortless—at least for me—to become immersed in the story. It’s not fast-paced, per se (to be quite honest, I have no idea how this book managed to run longer than 400 pages; that number of pages was probably not all necessary but it didn’t deter from my reading experience either), but it is easy to read.

I was quite keen on the first part, where Allie learns about being a vampire and begins to see her city in a different light, but where THE IMMORTAL RULES stumbled for me began when Allie met the humans. There is no nice way to say this, because the human characters in this book are such clichés. There’s a mean girl whose hatred of Allie is unfounded—no, really, I’m not even being overly subjective here, the girl heard that Allie came from a city and was all like, “You beeyotch”…uh, wut?—whose main purpose for being in the story seemed to be to make readers even more sympathetic to Allie’s difficult situation…but if you liked her enough in the first part of the book, then you already are sympathetic to her. There’s a preacher-esque leader who speaks in the “destiny-speak” of adults who think they know everything. Even Zeke, as a love interest, was bland in his perfection: the guy is nice to everyone, likes Allie even though she’s sullen and secretive, and—this is my favorite—engages in very lame banter with his male BFF. I’m telling you, the humans come straight out of a CW beach town drama. I found myself groaning and wishing we were back in Allie’s old city (with Kanin, he of the badassery and no-nonsense nature).

I’m not sure how there came to be such a disjuncture between the effortless grittiness of the first part of the book and the forced camaraderie/backstabbing/bravado of the rest. The villain talks like a done-thrice-over villain from a 1940s comic. Science gets pushed to the wayside for the sake of good triumphing over evil (the wet gun, the wet gun!). My best guess is that Kagawa had a great setting and the ideas for sequels and didn’t allow her characters to get from Point A to Point B without a whole lot of interference in characterization from her.

Despite my frustrations with this novel, I would still be interested in reading the sequel (but there better be fewer stupid humans), because I found Allie sympathetic and the vampire-human tension interesting. THE IMMORTAL RULES won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who enjoy True Blood over The Vampire Diaries or Twilight might consider giving this one a try.

Similar Authors
Stephenie Meyer
Cynthia Hand
Michelle Hodkin

Cover discussion: Oh my g--MY EYESSSS. THEY BURNNNN. WHAT IS THIS CRAP. First of all, if that's supposed to be a tear, it's in the wrong location. Tears are produced in the inside corner of one's eye. They don't just leak out from wherever the hell you feel like it. Secondly, ALLIE IS VERY CLEARLY ASIAN IN THE BOOK. This girl's only Asian if you have yellow fever and are stoned out of your mind. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a strong contender for the Worst YA Cover of 2012.

Harlequin Teen / April 24, 2012 / Hardcover / 512pp. / $18.99

e-galley received for review through publisher and NetGalley.

Review: Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Immortal Beloved, Book 2 (Book 1: Immortal Beloved review)

Tags: YA, paranormal

Summary

At River’s Edge, a sort of rehabilitative haven for wayward immortals, Nastasya is struggling. She’s only just beginning to realize the full extent of the horror that she and her friends inflicted on innocent mortals over the years. There’s also the pesky problem of her continued attraction to the dangerous immortal and her fellow River’s Edge inhabitant Reyn, a former Viking “god” known as the Butcher of Winter, whose family killed hers many centuries ago.

But Nastasya’s biggest challenge yet will come from her self-doubt: her fear that there is an incurable, inescapable darkness within her. When she crosses paths again with her old friends, Nastasya must figure out where she belongs, and what she is capable of.

Review

These days I usually stay away from YA paranormal romance as if they have contagious diseases. But this series snagged my cynical YA PNR affections from the first book, Immortal Beloved, and dug its hook in deeper with this worthy sequel, DARKNESS FALLS.

There’s something about Nastasya’s voice. There really is. There’s probably no other explanation for why I enjoy this series so very much. Nastasya is sardonic and witty without being dramatic. Her commentary is very much 21st-century, which sometimes takes away from the authenticity of her past identities, but is nevertheless appealing to readers. Nastasya’s narration carries her past some subjectively large bumps in the story, such as the slooow plot, the sputtering romance, and the melodramatic climax.

For there is not much plot: the majority of DARKNESS FALLS involves Nastasya reflecting on her previous actions and wondering whether or not she is incurably dark. The romantic development with Reyn is put to the wayside as Nastasya grows as a person, which can be frustrating for Nastasya-Reyn shippers. And the melodramatic climax is exactly that.

However, there really is something special about the character of Nastasya, because I never got bored, or rolled my eyes (too much), or felt apathetic. I enjoyed snorting at Nastasya’s commentary and silently cheered her on as she learned and suffered and remembered and grew.

In the end, then, I guess I can say that the Immortal Beloved series is one I would recommend to those who think they are seriously tired of YA paranormal romance, and those who love snarky protagonists. I can’t wait to read the third and final book!

Cover discussion: Forget the cover. (Forgotten.) Has anyone noticed that this book and Immortal Beloved are both copyrighted Gabrielle Charbonnet? Does that mean Cate Tiernan doesn't exist, or that Gabrielle Charbonnet is once again ghostwriting for previously successful authors?

Poppy / Jan. 2, 2012 / Hardcover / 400pp. / $17.99

e-galley received from publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly, Book 2 (Book 1 review)

Tags: YA, paranormal, angels

Summary

Lost after what happened the day of the forest fire, Clara Gardner continues to struggle with the many duplicities in her life. She is part-angel, and yet her mother won’t tell her the full truth about who she is and what she’s meant to do on earth, and in the meantime she has to pretend to be a normal girl attending high school in Jackson, Wyoming…which is beginning to feel like it’s home to a few too many angel-bloods. She loves her boyfriend Tucker—wholly Wyoming hottie, wholly human—but cannot deny her connection with Christian, the angel-blood who had been appearing in her visions even before she moved to Jackson.

When Clara begins having visions of someone she loves dying, she is forced to come to terms with the fact that she belongs to a complicated, and sometimes even dangerous, world that will never be as normal as she wants.

Review

By now most of you know how I feel about YA paranormal romances. We’ll just leave that at that. But there are a handful of YA paranormal books that I would be less skeptical of, less hesitant in considering reading, and Cynthia Hand’s interesting and well-written angel series is one of those few. Despite it unfortunately taking on a few more “YA paranormal cliché” characteristics, HALLOWED remains a well-written and even funny second book in the trilogy.

One of my favorite parts of Unearthly was Clara and her narration. Too many paranormal YA female protagonists have no personality, no sense of humor. Clara has both. I can’t get enough of the moments when she actually pokes fun at her own fictional genre, referencing the melodramaticness of YA paranormal romances, love triangles, and stalker paranormal love interests. I love when fictional characters are, metaphorically, self-aware: it happens so rarely that I’m inclined to laugh out loud and share with everyone around me when it happens.

Unfortunately—although in some ways I suppose it was inevitable—HALLOWED acquired a few more YA paranormal conventions as it continued Clara’s story. Despite its subtle jabs at Twilight, Twilight fans will like this series, and HALLOWED reminded me of that pervasive YA paranormal franchise more often than I would have liked. HALLOWED dilly-dallies: the story within probably could’ve been told in 150 pages instead of more than 400. It contains few surprises: a large portion of the book seemed to consist of Clara waffling between Tucker and Christian.

Sadly, the attractive and confident Tucker of Unearthly is reduced to being stubborn and petty and just not all that appealing in HALLOWED. Methinks I spot a setup for the third book in here…? And Clara finds out something shocking about herself, thereby changing her from “(relatively) ordinary girl we can empathize with” to “character whose struggles are legitimized by her newfound understanding of herself and her role.” If Hand had wanted to blow readers away with so-called shocking revelations and twists in HALLOWED, well, let’s just say that all I felt was a tickle of a breeze.

HALLOWED wasn’t as strong of a read as Unearthly was for me, but fans of Unearthly should still love this second installation in the series. Despite its at-times conventional plot development, HALLOWED is still a well-written and unique take on the angel concept—emphasis on “well-written.” A strong successor to both the deserved and not-quite-so-deserved financially successful YA paranormal series.

Cover discussion: What was a stunning cover in the first book last year just seems kind of stale now. I suppose my tastes have evolved.

HarperTeen / Jan. 17, 2012 / Hardcover / 416pp. / $17.99

e-review copy provided by NetGalley and publisher.

Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly, Book 1

Tags: YA, paranormal, steampunk, zombies

Summary

Several centuries into the future, Nora Dearly, daughter of a renowned and recently deceased doctor, lives in New Victoria. Her physically comfortable but emotionally stifling life is shattered when she is kidnapped by what appears to be an army of good zombies…and finds out about a virus that infects humans and turns them into either good or bad zombies.

As Nora learns more about “the Laz,” the government’s cover-up, and the truth behind her father’s death, she spends time with Bram, an intelligent and kind-hearted zombie. Bram may technically be dead, but he still cares about others—especially, as they get to know one another better, Nora.

Can Nora and Bram’s feelings for one another find a place in the midst of the looming catastrophe?

Review

Oooh. DEARLY, DEPARTED was fun, fun, fun. If one overlooks some inconsistencies in worldbuilding, supporting character development, and plot, then Lia Habel’s paranormal/steampunk debut is a charming read that’s sweet and funny.

I’m at the point now with my YA reading where any mention of a romance in the synopsis puts me on guard. Because, come on now, how many more insta-romances, too-good-to-be-true boys, or dickwad love interests do we really need? This, however, is why Nora and Bram stood out to me so much. The multi-POV narration (admittedly unnecessary at times) really added to this couple’s attractiveness, both to one another and to us readers. Bram is a total sweetheart who is nevertheless also a guy, not some ideal creation of a love interest.

The premise is moderately well-developed and the pacing uneven at points—quite action-packed in the beginning, followed by uneven spurts of information and a climax that felt the tiniest bit rushed. But it’s the characters that make DEARLY, DEPARTED stand out from the pack of paranormals or steampunks being released. These characters are a RIOT! They deliver the most wonderful zingers in their dialogue that made me literally guffaw. DEARLY, DEPARTED may be set in a futuristic/anachronistic world that may require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but these characters could be kids in any high school today. Lia Habel fills her characters with heart instead of ideals, with the result that readers will have a good time hanging out with Nora, Bram, & Co.

If you’re looking for a funny and romantic speculative fiction read this fall, consider checking out Lia Habel’s debut novel, DEARLY, DEPARTED and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained!

Similar Authors
Cynthia Hand
Scott Westerfeld

Cover discussion: It's a lovely image, one that I would love to have as a print. However, after reading the book, I'm not sure if I think this picture does the story justice. That girl just doesn't strike me as having Nora's feistiness. But hopefully this will encourage paranormal romance lovers to pick it up...?

Del Rey / Oct. 18, 2011 / Hardcover / 480pp. / $16.99

Sent by publisher/author for review. Thank you!

Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Shades of London, Book 1

Tags: YA, paranormal, ghosts, murder, mystery, boarding school, London

Summary

Rory thought that the most difficult part of transferring to a fancy boarding school in London would be adjusting to the British culture and making friends. But it turns out that that autumn, her school’s neighborhood is the setting for a series of murders that almost exactly follow the Jack the Ripper murders from over a century ago. The murders gain international notoriety. Why hasn’t the murderer been caught on London’s extensive CCTV security camera system?

It turns out that Rory sees a murderer suspect whom no one else seems to be able to see. And then Rory gets recruited by a secret police group who explain to her the truth about the existence of ghosts…and the handful of people who can see and talk to them. Rory’s skills might help them catch the killer…but it’s a dangerous game they play with a murderer who can’t be killed—again.

Review

I thought that I was done with stories about boarding schools, ghosts, and/or secret societies. But it turns out that all I needed was the expert hands of a talented author. THE NAME OF THE STAR introduces a freakishly delicious creepfest of a new series that had me gasping, shuddering, and turning pages almost faster than I could read them.

At first glance it seems like THE NAME OF THE STAR has the odds stacked against it. Rory’s a decent protagonist, though she doesn’t quite stand out; the plot doesn’t drag, but it does move languidly; and secondary characters can feel a little, well, secondary. But it’s a testament to Maureen Johnson’s skill that she can take all of these average-sounding elements and spin them together into a tight and suspenseful story.

I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m not much of a horror fan. But THE NAME OF THE STAR is just so creepy in its deliberate slowness that I found myself simultaneously wanting to squeeze my eyes shut and devour the book in one sitting. The person behind the murders is a true villain, very, very scary. I was biting my nails through the last two-thirds of this novel, and couldn’t even relax when Rory and her friends discovered the killer’s identity, that’s how dangerous this killer is.

If you’re a fan of horror, this is a must-read. If you enjoy Maureen Johnson’s novels, this is a must-read. Don’t miss out on this creepiest of creepy reads this fall.

Similar Authors
Lee Nichols (Deception)
Rosemary Clement-Moore
Carolyn McCullough (Once a Witch)

Cover discussion: Initially, I thought that this cover was simply mediocre, a tad too Photoshopped for my taste. After having read the book, however, this just creeps me out in a very good way. *grins*

Putnam Juvenile / Sept. 29, 2011 / Hardcover / 384pp. / $16.99

Won on LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program, sent by publisher.

Review: Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Tags: YA, paranormal, sci-fi, synesthesia, mental hospitals

Summary

Alison Jeffries is a synesthete—a person whose senses are “crossed” so that she experiences multiple sensory experiences whereas most people just experience one—but she doesn’t know this. All she knows is that she’s been this way her whole life, and has to hide her ability, and that this condition may or may not have killed her classmate, Tori Beaugrand. Locked in a mental institute, Alison struggles to understand who she is and what she’s done, but it’s not until the arrival of a sympathetic researcher that she finally begins to understand…and, in doing so, has her world turned upside-down.

Review

R. J. Anderson steps away from faeries and tackles an entirely new genre and writing style in her latest novel, ULTRAVIOLET. ULTRAVIOLET is weird and crazy, but surprisingly, this genre-defying novel is an enjoyable success.

The less you know about ULTRAVIOLET before you read it, the better your reading experience will most likely be. ULTRAVIOLET’s plot doesn’t quite twist and turn, per se, but reader engagement is primarily predicated on unexpected revelations. This means that the characters feel somewhat lacking. Alison doesn’t stand out as a protagonist, though she is, fortunately, not a damsel-in-distress. Supporting characters take on rather one-dimensional roles: you’ve got yourself a plethora of fairly stereotypical mental patients, and the lifelong tension between Alison and her mother feels undeveloped.

Fortunately, the odd appeal of the story makes up for lackluster characters. While the writing is elementary, the story inexplicably sucks you in: you’re right there alongside Alison, having your mind blown and trying desperately to figure out where in this new version of the world you fit. Just when you thought the story couldn’t get any stranger, R. J. Anderson throws you another curveball. It’s pretty incredible, actually, how far she manages to stretch the story while still making everything fit together logically!

Overall, ULTRAVIOLET is not a masterpiece, but it was an entertainingly crazy read. Definitely recommended to readers who look more for originality in their reads.

Similar Authors
Myra McEntire
Robin Brande

Cover discussion: I am, apparently, shallow and love all photographic covers that are extremely detailed and play intriguingly with light and shadow. Tee.

Carolrhoda Books / Sept. 1, 2011 / Hardcover / 306pp. / $17.95

Received for review from NetGalley.

Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Tags: YA, paranormal, time travel, romance

Summary

Emerson has been seeing visions of times past since just before her parents’ death. These visions have affected Emerson’s day-to-day functioning, and nothing she’s tried has helped her. When Michael Weaver arrives at her brother’s recommendation from an organization called the Hourglass, Emerson reluctantly decides to give the Hourglass a try.

Neither Emerson nor Michael can deny their seemingly fated attraction to one another, but as they unravel the mystery behind Emerson’s visions, and what the other people in the Hourglass can do, it becomes clearer to them that something life-threatening is at work…

Review

HOURGLASS is an atmospheric and witty debut that combines bad-ass female attitude with time travel and mystery. While sometimes the plot felt a little rough, I was thoroughly engrossed by the characters and their predicaments.

I like Emerson, the protagonist. She has the kind of snarky narrative voice that always attracts me, and which in this case actually helps her a lot through her ordeals. Emerson has built up this armor of snark because of all that’s happened to her: we see that, and understand it, and empathize with her for it—not to mention it made her a fun protagonist to follow.

HOURGLASS feels a little like “sci-fi lite”: we don’t get much explanation into the time travel and other concepts that the Hourglass deals with, which didn’t detract from the plot but will probably make a science nerd like me raise an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. The pacing is a little on the slow side, and it took a long time for the story to finally get around to talking about the secrets behind the Hourglass. The slow pacing didn’t bother me in the beginning—probably because I was too busy being distracted by Emerson’s shininess to notice—but more than once I did find myself beginning to wish that the book could be shortened.

The climax and resolution of HOURGLASS happened so cleanly, so unambiguously, that I couldn’t help but feel a little let down, especially after I had grown to like Emerson so much. The villains are caricatures, and the romance is a lot of “I like you but we can never be together due to circumstances”—not really my cup of tea.

Myra McEntire’s “sci-fi lite” offering deserves to be read, however. It defies traditional genre lines and offers readers, particularly paranormal lovers, their beloved romance type set in a world with different enemies.

Similar Authors
Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures)
Rosemary Clement Moore
Jeri Smith-Ready

Cover discussion: I might be in the minority in not liking this cover. Does that model's pose strike anyone else as being awkward?

EgmontUSA / June 14, 2011 / Hardcover / 400pp. / $17.99

Received from publisher for review.

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Tags: YA, paranormal, retelling, Greek mythology

Summary

Pierce Oliviera’s life started unraveling the day she died and met the man who she had once met in a cemetery when she was very young. The man, John, occupies a space between the dead and the living, and seems to want to keep Pierce as a companion for himself. However, Pierce managed to escape, although John has continued to show up in her life whenever she least wants him to, and create lots of trouble.

Now, Pierce is trying to start over on Isla Huesos, an island off Florida. Returning to her family’s roots, however, seems to make her life intersect again with John’s…

Review

ABANDON is the first book in Meg Cabot’s latest YA trilogy, a retelling of the Hades and Persephone Greek myth. Unfortunately, I have found myself less and less satisfied with Cabot’s books, and ABANDON, while marginally better than Cabot’s Airhead series, still uses too many of her usual writing techniques—little forward action, a heavy emphasis on flashback—to endear itself to me completely.

I like Pierce: she is, in my opinion, a little mellower than many of Cabot’s protagonists. And at the beginning of ABANDON I was reminded very much of earlier Meg Cabot books that I loved, such as All-American Girl. Pierce displays a sense of poise that may or may not be the result of her constant encounters with near-death experiences, but nevertheless is very appealing. I even have a tiny little crush on John, who’s protective but not overbearingly so, and really very sweet in his interest in Pierce.

It was the way the story was presented, however, that didn’t gel with me. Practically every other chapter is a flashback. Granted, they are very important flashbacks, explaining how Pierce first encountered John and showing her subsequent (unwanted, but lifesaving) encounters with him and the troubles he has caused for her. However, why does the story have to be presented half in flashback? Pierce’s backstory was so much more interesting than her present story of being the new student at her school, making new friends (or nemeses) of questionable characterization, and slowly uncovering her family’s very melodramatic secret. Why couldn’t the story simply be presented chronologically? I think it might’ve made for a more engaging read, instead of my being frustrated that, once again, Meg Cabot was resorting to cliff-hangery comments that are supposed to pique readers’ interest and have us reading frantically to figure out whatever happened, but instead feels like trickery, a manipulation of our emotions.

Overall, though, I think ABANDON will be a great read for younger readers, particularly those who have read much of Cabot’s books or other paranormal reads. It has an interesting pair of lead characters and decently good writing. I just couldn’t fully get behind the awkward story structure.

Cover discussion: Considering how I cover lusted after this a long time ago, I think it's safe to say that I am attracted to it and just might want a make-out session with it.

Scholastic / April 26, 2011 / Hardcover / 320pp. / $17.99

Sent by publisher for review. Thanks, Scholastic!

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Tags: YA, paranormal romance, angels

Summary

Clara’s mother is half-angel, which makes her quarter. She still has superhuman physical abilities, wings, and a purpose that she needs to fulfill, though. When her visions of reaching out to a boy standing in the midst of a wildfire brings Clara, her mother, and her younger brother to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, however, she does not realize the scope of what she has stumbled into.

At her new school, Clara meets and feels an instant connection with Christian, the school’s godlike idol and the boy of her visions. But her attempts to get to know him don’t seem to go right, and then Clara finds herself getting closer to another boy. Meanwhile, a new friend introduces Clara to more angel lore than her mother ever taught her, and it seems like something sinister is out there, just waiting to get them. Will these unexpected complications in her life steer Clara irreversibly off course from her purpose?

Review

I thought the paranormal romance YA genre was truly done for. It seemed like every single paranormal romance YA I read in the past two years were, at best, shoddy imitations of Twilight, or shoddy attempts to be the anti-Twilight. But Cynthia Hand’s debut novel, UNEARTHLY, brings some much-needed quality back to this genre.

I enjoyed, and would recommend UNEARTHLY, because of its characters. Clara is a gem. Even she, I think, would make fun of all attempts to label her as a personality-less damsel in supernatural distress. Clara has a refreshing sense of humor and attitude. She is above the need to engage in high school drama, which makes the drama she does inevitably get involved in easier to read about. I also really liked her family, how the hidden depths of her mother’s character slowly unfold throughout the course of the novel, and Clara’s younger brother is wonderful, and their relationship, is so real, and relatable, despite the fact that, you know, they’re angels.

The love triangle was, I think, as reasonably good as a paranormal love triangle will get these days, in that both guys are actually very viable choices. Christian is the school god, yes, but he’s also just a really good guy. But so is Tucker, despite his initial rudeness towards Clara. You really can’t decide who Clara should end up with…though sometimes I suspect that Hand tries so hard to make both guys equal that they lose some appeal and realness as a result.

Definitely give UNEARTHLY a whirl if paranormal romance is your thing. And if it’s not, you can still give this book a try. It’s the best YA book about angels out there. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Similar Authors
Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire)
Stephenie Meyer
Bree Despain (The Dark Divine)

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 4.5 out of 5 - This cover had me falling hard when I first saw it, and it's even more stunning in person, if you are lucky enough to see it.

HarperTeen / Jan. 4, 2011 / Hardcover / 435pp. / $17.99

Borrowed from library.

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Tags: YA, paranormal, suspense, serial killer

Summary

Her whole life, Violet has been able to see what she calls “echoes”: psychic residues imprinted on dead creatures and their killers. Normally she only stumbles across dead animals, but then she is drawn to the bodies of dead girls, and she realizes that there is a serial killer among their community. Teenage girls are disappearing and dying at a horrifying rate, and only Violet, also juggling strange new feelings for her best friend Jay, has the ability to find the killer…even if it means putting herself in great danger.

Review

THE BODY FINDER is a frightening and disturbing debut YA novel—and I use those adjectives in the best sense. The plot is fresh, the romance butterflies-inducing, and—despite its flaws—it’ll be hard to get this book out of your head.

THE BODY FINDER’s unique and suspenseful plot is the driving force behind this book. In between third-person narration that follows Violet around, we get flashes into the killer’s mind, which will make the hair on your arms stand on end—until you realize that the watcher (Violet) has also become the watched, and then you’ll be clutching your blanket in raw fright. The paranormal element is unobtrusive enough to still keep the setting firmly planted in our world, which only adds to the suspense.

Violet and Jay are a delightful pair of main characters. Individually they’re unfortunately not especially stellar: the narration felt curiously distant from Violet, despite her being the protagonist, and she seems like a real wallflower character (not just in her world, but also in the YA genre), not really doing much until external circumstances force her to change. Together, however, their connection is strong, well developed, and believable. It’s rather sad that a YA romance that does not involve insta-lust or a perfect boy chasing after the girl is rare enough to make me sit up and nod my head vigorously in approval, but that’s the truth of the matter. Violet and Jay have definite chemistry going on, and it was a delight to read about them discovering their growing feelings for one another.

So Violet is a little too passive, and secondary characters unfortunately too flat and unbelievable, for me to lose my heart to this book. But if, for whatever reason, you want a book that will raise goosebumps on your skin, check out THE BODY FINDER. It’s a taut thriller with a great romantic sideplot.

Similar Authors
Annette Curtis Klause
Anne Spollen
Vivian Vande Velde

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5


Cover discussion: 2 out of 5 - Ehh, I'm not that impressed, unfortunately. They aren't how I pictured the echoes, and if they aren't that, then they just look like moody imitations of the Twilight-esque dark paranormal cover to me.

HarperTeen / March 16, 2010 / Hardcover / 329pp. / $16.99

Out in paperback in February 2011!

Copy borrowed from library.

Review: Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Tags: YA, paranormal, sisters, murder, horror

Summary

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are more than simply sisters: they’re practically the same person. The daughters of an infamous killer, the girls keep to themselves, yet are always aware that their father’s tendencies may manifest in them as well. So when they begin to kill—only those who deserve it, of course—the sisters are not all that surprised.

What shocks Fancy, however, is when Kit begins to want to branch out beyond their close relationship. The more Fancy kills, the more she tries to hold on to the way things were, the more things change. Turns out there are some things more horrifying than killing, and that may be acknowledging the real world.

Review

Dia Reeves is like a bucket of cold water on YA lit’s face…and I mean that in the best way. Her debut novel, Bleeding Violet, turned paranormal inside out and made it fascinating, in a sexy and gruesome sort of way. Her sophomore novel, SLICE OF CHERRY, is like a twisted childhood fantasy come true. Which is to say that I LOVED it.

As she did in Bleeding Violet, Dia kind of simply throws readers to the wolves and makes you fight to understand and be sympathetic to what’s going on in the story. In a world where some YA writers seem to “baby” their readers, this is a refreshing challenge. Things are not outright explained to us, but rather allowed to unfold gradually over the course of the book’s many pages. SLICE OF CHERRY focuses greatly on the horrors of the human psyche. I mean, Portero is weird enough on its own, but Kit and Fancy’s sociopathic behavior could technically happen in any normal American town, which is the truly creepy part of this novel.

The characters in SLICE OF CHERRY are fantastically messed up, definitely out there in a caricature-like but still completely understandable way. Little time is wasted on backstory, on explanations of what made the girls the way they are. Instead, they—especially Fancy—believe so thoroughly in their oddness that they leave us no room to question how they came to be that way…and that was totally fine with me. We don’t need complicated psychiatric explanations because they are so fully realized, their bizarreness so beyond our comprehension of typical human behavior that they successfully straddle the line between the real and the macabre.

SLICE OF CHERRY is in a genre all its own. If Bleeding Violet didn’t convince me that Dia is a genius, then this book most definitely did. This book will appeal to anyone who has even a pinch of darkness to them, who ever felt like they were weird and enjoyed things that no one else seems to.

Similar Authors
Cecil Castellucci


Cover discussion: It's not what I'd expected. I had wanted something darker, something that perhaps shared elements similar to the cover of Bleeding Violet. But that doesn't mean I dislike it. It may be a bit misleading for anyone who's heard nothing about this book, but I like its unusual creepiness.

Simon Pulse / Jan. 4, 2011 / Hardcover / 512pp. / $16.99

Review copy sent by Simon & Schuster on behalf of the author. Thank you!

Blog Tour Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Caster Chronicles, Book 2

Tags: YA, paranormal, romance, South, magic

Summary

Ethan Wate knew that his romance with powerful Caster girl Lena Duchannes was never going to be easy. But, in the wake of Lena’s uncle’s death, things seem almost impossibly difficult. Lena is pulling away from Ethan and hanging out with her Dark cousin, Ridley, and a mysterious boy who is but is not quite an Incubus. Even worse, old and new nemeses return, struggling to stake a claim on Lena and her Caster powers.

With the help of his best friend, a new Keeper in town, and an unexpected Caster ally, Ethan sets off on a journey through mortal and Caster worlds, chasing a Caster myth that may or may not hold the answer to Lena’s changes.

Review

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS is a worthy sequel to Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s bestselling debut novel, Beautiful Creatures. Everything that fans loved in the first book appear here as well: the lush Southern atmosphere, comfortable teen speak, forces of good and evil battling, and a romance that triumphs over impossible obstacles.

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS occurs on what could be considered a grander scale than Beautiful Creatures. Stakes are higher, adventures are more far-reaching. Events unfold at the same almost maddeningly leisurely pace as the first book, but past the first 150 pages, I found myself absorbed by the epicness of Ethan’s struggles. I loved that the plot takes you miles across Southeastern US and beyond that, in the Caster realm. The physical movement of the characters in BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS now matches the sprawling grandiosity of this series’ premise—something that BC fans will devour.

The second book reveals to us more of the core group of characters’ inner turmoils, from Ethan and Lena’s conflicting emotions and dedication towards one another, to Link and Ridley’s evolutions; introduces several compelling new characters; and adds mysterious depth to some already larger-than-life Gatlin residents. A more or less successful web of characters and their development set this series apart from most other paranormal romances.

The Caster Chronicles works, for me, on the most basic level of sweeping good vs. evil conflicts and romances that conquer all. It is, to be honest, not great writing. I find Ethan’s voice to be generally unconvincing, a boy lacking in truly attractive distinction. All too often the writing contains sentences that make points that the average reader will be able to infer for him- or herself: “duh” reactions to events or revelations. The magical element of this series is still a bit murky for me; I feel like it relies mostly on the characters’ insistence of its malevolence for its impact (or lack thereof). Critical revelations occur with insufficient forewarning, and I was left scratching my head and wrinkling my forehead sometimes in confusion and disbelief.

Those points being made, BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS and the first book have accomplished what the series set out to do: create a slightly different paranormal romance world that Twilight fans will greedily devour. If you’re not too hampered by a need for literary sophistication, then this is one of the most entertaining and epic paranormal series out there.

Photo credit: Vania Stoyanova.

Similar Authors
Stephenie Meyer
Anastasia Hopcus
Maggie Stiefvater

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 4 out of 5 - I love how nice it looks alongside the Beautiful Creatures cover. The stairs in the background allude to the Caster Tunnels that feature so prominently in this book.

Little, Brown / Oct. 12, 2010 / Hardcover / 503pp. / $17.99

ARC received at BEA.

This review was brought to you as part of the Beautiful Darkness blog tour organized by Novel Noise. Another tour stop occurs today at Raw INK Online, and the next blog stop on the tour is Monday, October 18 at GreenBeanTeenQueen. Happy book birthday, Beautiful Darkness!

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Tags: YA, paranormal, urban fantasy, historical paranormal, Victorian London

Summary

Tessa Gray arrives in Victorian London with the expectation of meeting her brother. Instead, she is kidnapped by members of the Pandemonium Club, where she discovers that she is not human, but a Downworlder, a magical being with the rare ability of being able to transform into another person. The leader of the Pandemonium Club, the Magister, wants Tessa’s power for himself, and it is only with the aid of the Shadowhunters that Tessa manages to escape.

At the Shadowhunters’ London Institute, Tessa learns about the existence of Shadowhunters and Downworlders, and befriends Will, cheeky and close-lipped about his past, and Jem, calm and sensitive but with a shocking secret. Will they manage to find Tessa’s brother? What is Tessa, exactly? And which boy will she choose?

Review

CLOCKWORK ANGEL is the first book in Cassandra Clare’s highly anticipated new series, The Infernal Devices, sort of a prequel to the Mortal Instruments series. It delivers Clare’s now-signature mix of gritty urban fantasy, fights, witty banter, and love triangles, and, while there’s nothing really new about the setup, it will still satisfy TMI fans, and is one of those rare books that I know will get better with subsequent guilty-pleasure rereadings.

There’s a decent amount of good to be said about all of Cassandra Clare’s books. Technically, not that much happens in the 400 or so pages her books span, but you don’t realize it because you’re so caught up in the drama and the smirk-inducing dialogue that makes you wish you had thought of that quip yourself. Her books don’t have the depth that the setup has the potential for—there is a LOT of political discussion that could surround the Shadowhunter/Downworlder dynamic—but—at least for me—the love triangle and the dialogue are typically so well done that I don’t even care that the potential for deeper issues isn’t explored.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL follows in this mold. The first 100 or so pages were frustrating for me because, I’ll be honest here, I read Clare’s books for the love triangle and the snark, and it was mostly just Tessa being damsel-in-distress-y at the clutches of the nefarious Dark Sisters. Then suddenly it was Page 200 and I’m wondering, “Did anything actually happen, or was I once again seduced by Will’s quips into not noticing that little has happened by way of plot so far?”

The actual plot of CLOCKWORK ANGEL unfolds almost painfully slowly, if we were to actually examine it. Like in the Mortal Instruments series, the villain of the book, the Magister, retains a status of “villainy” that never fully manifests into true villainy. Like Valentine, the Magister is the villain mostly because all of the other characters insist that he is and whisper fearfully about him. I suppose, though, that this is part of my emotional disconnect from the book, in that reading it felt, for me, like watching a silly-good TV show in which everyone says funny things, and drama happens, but then I shut off the TV and their voices go quiet in my head.

This is not at all saying that this is a bad book, not at all! CLOCKWORK ANGEL is good at what it is: a sinfully entertaining paranormal series with lots of flashy fights and swoony romances. Will is too similar to Jace in his humor and mannerisms for me to actually crush on him (Jace is number one in my heart, after all), but Jem’s genuine (at least, let’s hope it’s genuine) sensitivity towards Tessa’s endears him to me. The main female character is once again a breathless ninny inclined to shrieks and rescues, but hey, whatever, okay, if it floats your boat.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL once again displays Cassandra Clare’s writing strengths: snarky humor and swoon-worthy (albeit a bit predictably so) guys. Comparison to the Mortal Instruments series is inevitable, and there are a troubling number of similarities between the two books so far. I’m hoping there will begin to be differences in the next installment, but meanwhile, I’m keeping this on my shelf to reread whenever I need some smile-inducing, flutters-in-my-stomach pick-me-up reads.

Similar Authors
Charlaine Harris

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5


Cover discussion: 4.5 out of 5 - I absolutely love all of her covers. Love the metallic sheen of this one, even if that doesn't really look like the Will in my mind.

Margaret K. McElderry Books / Aug. 31, 2010 / Hardcover / 479pp. / $19.99

ARC from BEA.


P.S. Have you entered my giveaway to win one of two finished copies of Clockwork Angel plus some swag yet??

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Tags: YA, paranormal, urban fantasy, shapeshifters

Summary

16-year-old Evie, the only known human who can see through paranormals’ glamours, works for the IPCA, capturing and tagging stray paranormals in an effort to keep track of them and keep them under control. This is normal life for her, until the day a shapeshifter boy like nothing she has ever seen breaks into headquarters and is captured. Against her boss’ wishes, Evie befriends the shapeshifter, named Lend, who forces her to question her role in the IPCA. Does she really have free will, or is she as trapped as the paranormals she captures?

On top of that, however, it appears that there is something out there that is threatening the existence of all paranormals…and Evie might be in the center of it, if the fairy Reth’s extra attention towards her is any indication.

Review

PARANORMALCY is a fun, fast, and furious new read, a wonderfully fresh addition to the YA paranormal genre.

Kiersten White’s debut novel contains elements that will appeal to both the girly and the tomboyish. For instance, Evie has an incredibly female-power role of policing paranormals, getting to kick butt and show off her combat skills. But at the same time, she also LOVES her fair share of girly stuff, from the color pink, to fashion, to flirting with cute boys, to naming her belongings. Evie’s snarky but assuredly feminine narration had me grinning like an idiot from cover to cover. I typically don’t even like girly-girls all that much, but Evie’s personality balanced the book’s darker, more sinister plot.

PARANORMALCY is not your typical YA paranormal read: indeed, it has more in common with an elaborately written adult urban fantasy series. While the book doesn’t dive too deeply into the potentially interesting topics such as what the world outside of IPCA headquarters looks like, I appreciated how it brought up thoughtful questions about the distinction between employer vs. prisoner, true free will vs. imposed (though still broad) boundaries, and more. Kiersten White has created a marvelously complex paranormal world that I’d be excited to read more about in sequels.

Bringing the feminine to the gritty urban fantasy genre or complexity to an already female-oriented paranormal genre—whatever way you like to spin it, PARANORMALCY is one heck of a great read. Evie’s story reads smoothly, a breath of fresh air. I can’t wait for more!

Similar Authors
Julie Kagawa
Jeri Smith-Ready

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 4.5 out of 5 - Wow. Talk about gorgeous. The girl's a little fiercer-looking than I imagine Evie to be, but I love how the darkness of this cover accentuates that part of the story, while, y'know, in the story, Evie's girlishness holds her own. Chyeah.

HarperCollins / Aug. 31, 2010 / Hardcover / 335pp. / $16.99

ARC received from Around the World Tours.