Mini-Reviews: If I Tell and Tempestuous

Time for another set of mini-reviews! The books featured here are If I Tell by Janet Gurtler and Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston.

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If I Tell by Janet Gurtler 

It was like watching a train wreck. I wanted to look away but couldn't take my eyes off them.
Her best friend and her mom's boyfriend. Locking lips. This is the secret Jasmine Evans has to keep at all costs. Because her mom is pregnant, and Jaz doesn't want to ruin her life-again (just being born did it the first time). But the harder Jaz tries to pretend everything is okay, the faster her life spins out of control. Until Jackson. He doesn't care about the popularity of her friends or the color of her skin. But can she really trust a guy who just transferred in from reform school? She might be willing to chance the heartbreak, but telling him everything and risking the truth getting out is a whole other level of scary.

Review: 

I really enjoyed Janet's first book, I'm Not Her, but I had a hard time connecting with If I Tell. I love a good contemporary and the plot intrigued me right away. The fact that the main character, Jaz, had a secret that was weighing her down was very interesting and I wanted to know more about this girl and what she had seen. Unfortunately, I found Jaz hard to connect with because of her poor attitude. I understood that she felt confused about her racial identity, but I wish she didn't complain so much and rather tried to find herself in a different way. I felt for Jaz because it must be hard growing up bi-racial with two white grandparents and no one else to relate to, but she seemed to never want to try and fit in but always just pushed people away. The plot was fast paced and I liked the uniqueness of Jaz's character, as well as the large role her family played in the story. All in all, I enjoyed Janet's second novel, but I wish I could have connected with Jaz more. I will definitely be picking up more by Janet in the future because her novels always deal with very real and contemporary issues. 

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

October 1, 2011/Sourcebooks Fire/244 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher

Other books by this author: I'm Not Her, Who I Kissed, How I Lost You (2013)
Links: Author Website/Goodreads 

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Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston 

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."
That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.
But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

Review: 

I flew through the first two books in this series and was beyond excited when I got a copy of Tempestuous. But, for some reason, it has just been sitting on my bookshelves for way too long! I wanted to catch up on some series over my winter break, so I finally read Tempestuous! It took me a little while to get into this one, but it soon picked up and I was caught up in the action and adventure I had come to love in the Wondrous Strange series. I kind of wished I had re-read Wondrous Strange and Darklight first because some aspects of the magick and different characters were a little fuzzy to me. Still, a lot of things came back to me the more I read and the last 100 pages or so had me on the edge of my seat. There were a lot of twists and turns and revelations in Tempestuous and while this wasn't my favorite of the series, it was a satisfying conclusion to what I feel is one of the best written YA series. Sonny and Kelley are two of my favorite characters and I will certainly miss them! I highly recommend this series even if you are not normally a fan of faeries and I can't wait to see what's next for Livingston. 

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

December 21, 2010/HarperTeen/368 Pages/Young Adult/Book Three

Source: Publisher 

Other books in this series: Wondrous Strange, Darklight
Links: Author Website/Goodreads 

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Look for more mini-reviews soon! 

Review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was Faerie royalty, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved New York City from a rampaging Faerie war band. When a terrifying encounter in Central Park sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful—but cut short. For they’ve been plunged into a game of Faerie deception and wavering allegiances in which the next move could topple a kingdom...or part them forever.

Review:

Darklight picked up rather quickly after Wondrous Strange left off, so if you haven't read Wondrous Strange- you need to before you pick this one up!

Lesley Livingston has a way with words that draws the reader in and holds them to the pages until the end. Her descriptions are beautiful and to the point. The plot is also amazing, I was on the edge of my seat through most of the novel, and by the end when I thought I had everything figured out- BAM, new secrets are revealed, characters are different than you originally imagined, and there are twists and turns in the plot throughout. Sonny is still the great guy I loved in Wondrous Strange, but his past is more complicated than you ever imagined. Kelley was also still the awesome, kick-butt, strong female lead. The chemistry is great between her and Sonny and readers are rooting for them throughout.

There are many new characters, and some of the original characters are more developed in Darklight. Fennrys has a pretty big role in Darklight and while in Wondrous Strange I never really thought twice about him, I love him now! We get to see more of the other Courts and their leaders (Spring and Summer) and a few new species are introduced. Including leprechauns. I never thought I'd come to say this but: I HATE LEPRECHAUNS! They are vile and evil and.... *shivers*. There was a lot of action involving the leprechauns and the end fight scene with them was OMG. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and praying that my favorite characters would come out unscathed.

The ending definitely left me hanging. I need book three NOW! There were a lot of questions left unanswered and some loose ends I really want to see tied up. I'm hoping to have all my questions answered in the third, and final, addition to the Wondrous Strange series.

Once again, if you're thinking Darklight may be less amazing than Wondrous Strange- think again! It may have been better! This is a fantastic series that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. With great characters, an intriguing plot, and beautiful writing, Wondrous Strange and Darklight will captivate readers. In addition, I just have to quickly mention the covers. I love the covers for this series!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

December 22, 2009/HarperTeen/312 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: Publicist (Hardcover)

Other books in the series: Wondrous Strange and Tempestuous

Review: Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

Review:

Wondrous Strange was a fantastic mix of mystery and romance, and the plot was completely original, with great characters and suspense that made me sit for two hours straight and read. From the first page I was pulled in. Kelley’s script for A Midsummer’s Nights Dream was the first thing I saw when I opened up the book. It immediately intrigued me, as I have acted in that very play before. Kelley was a great main character, but at times I think she accepted things too quickly. Kelley’s romance with Sonny was terrific. It was so believable and real. One of my favorite parts of this book was how you never knew who was who. Many people Kelley thought were mortal were not and this really kept the book moving. The setting was such a great idea- Central Park in New York City. It was such a creative place to have the majority of the novel take place.

I’ve read a few other faerie books like Wings and Wicked Lovely and I’ve loved them all. Something about faeries really intrigues me. Wondrous Strange was an original idea and I loved that faeries weren’t the only creatures in the book- Sirens, kelpies, Black Shucks (don’t ask), all made an appearance. The Wild Hunt added a whole new dimension to the book and the ending involving the Hunt made me feel like I couldn’t read fast enough! It was so intense and exciting. I have to mention Sonny again- I loved him! He was brave and knowledgeable and never gave up on Kelley even when she hated him at first. Sonny was honest and the character I’m most excited about hearing more things about in Darklight. The ending of Wondrous Strange was just…amazing! Fight scenes, drama, excitement…it had it all and I was literally at the end of my seat at some points. Definitely go pick up a copy of Wondrous Strange as soon as possible (it recently came out in paperback!) because not only is it an amazing book, the cover is just gorgeous!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

September 22, 2009 (PB)/HarperTeen/327 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Bought (Paperback)

Other books in the series: Darklight and Tempestuous