Showing posts with label Mini-Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mini-Reviews. Show all posts

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Mini-Reviews: School Spirits and Shades of Earth

I have gotten behind in reviews the past year since beginning college and I figured doing some mini-reviews would be the perfect way to share some quick thoughts on those titles I never got around to fully reviewing. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~


School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins
Release date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 297
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Series: Book 1
Source: Publisher
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads 

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars
Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Mini-Review:

I am a huge fan of the Hex Hall series, so I was beyond excited when I found out Rachel Hawkins was writing a spin-off about Izzy. While I did enjoy this one, it wasn't as good as I had hoped. Izzy was a fun and likable heroine. Her family history of hunting magical creatures leads to her sister's disappearance and from there Izzy's life changes forever. She starts attending a new high school and quickly learns that there is something dark plaguing the students there. While Izzy expects to figure out the problem and prove herself to her mother, she does not expect to make close friends and meet a cute, but unique, boy. I enjoyed the mystery angle of this story and watching Izzy navigate her new life. She was a character I could root for and I liked how different the secondary characters were- it made them stand out a lot. While I did enjoy School Spirits, some things felt a little rushed to me, particularly the ending. I also found myself not as engaged in the story as I would have hoped. For such a short read this one took me awhile to finish. The characters and plot were fun, but the rushed pace and lack of connection I felt to the story at times left me disappointed. Hopefully news of the sequel will be released soon because I think this series does have the potential to develop into something better.

~~~~~~~~~

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
Release date: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 369
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 3
Source: Publisher
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.
But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.
Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Mini-Review:

I can easily say that this is one of my all-time favorite series. I devoured Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and Shades of Earth and was left feeling quite sentimental when I turned the last page in this action-packed and romantic trilogy. Just when things seem to be working out for Amy and Elder and the rest of the passengers aboard Godspeed, they land on Centauri-Earth. The joy of reaching their new home is quickly shattered when the planet reveals it's darker side. Nature is attacking them and it seems they are not the only ones calling the planet home. I think this was definitely the most intense read of the series, especially because I was so attached to the characters at this point. Amy and Elder are put to the test over and over again and I was worried they might never find happiness. Beth Revis is an incredible writer and story-teller and I am heartbroken that this series has come to an end. I don't want to give anything away, but if you read and enjoyed the first two books in this series you will love this final addition to what is easily one of my favorite new series. I can only hope Beth's next offering will offer up such brilliant plot twists, lovable and strong characters, and sweet romance as the Across the Universe series did. 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Mini-Reviews: Divergent and Insurgent

In this set of mini-reviews, I will be discussing Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth-- two of my favorite books! Since most of you have already read these books or know a lot about them, I figured it would be easier to just write up short reviews to give a snap-shot of my thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~


Divergent by Veronica Roth 
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Mini-Review:

I had Divergent sitting on my TBR pile for a long time and when I finally read it, I fell in love! In love with the characters, the setting, the plot... I adored everything about Divergent and was so happy that the sequel was already released so I could dive right in. Tris was such an intelligent and independent character; she was not afraid to speak her mind and did not let anyone mess with her. Tris faced many difficult moments throughout Divergent and learned a variety of things about herself and the world around her. Veronica Roth created such a unique and fascinating world in Divergent and I could not set this book down for a second. There was romance, but it was not at all the focus of the book. Even the smallest characters were well-developed and everyone Tris met had some affect on her. She made incredible friends and terrible enemies, but she always stayed true to herself. I am eager to see this world and these characters brought to life on the big screen and I have already passed this book on to several of my friends. If you are one of the few who has not read Divergent yet, I highly recommend remedying that ASAP because it is a fast paced, intense, twisted, and exciting read with fantastic and complex characters that will leave you thinking and scrambling to start the sequel. 

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars 

May 3, 2011/Katherine Tegen Books/487 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Purchased
Other books in this series: Insurgent (Book Two)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Insurgent by Veronica Roth 

** summary and review may contain spoilers for Divergent, but not for Insurgent**
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Mini-Review:

After devouring Divergent, I immediately started Insurgent and wow, Veronica Roth has written a killer sequel. At first, I was worried this one would not live up to my love of Divergent, but all those worries quickly disappeared as my heart was torn to pieces and brought back together again repeatedly as I flew through this book. Everything was brought to a whole new level in Insurgent and the stakes were much, much higher. Everything was falling apart and Tris was right at the center of it all. This sequel was fast paced and thrilling and brought out a wide range of emotions from me. Tris was just as strong and kick-ass as she was in Divergent, but she has also grown up a lot. No one is what they seem and Tris and Four face many challenges over the course of this novel. It is hard to put into words my thoughts on this book because when I turned the last page my reaction was just shock! I cannot believe Insurgent ended in the way that it did and it truly changed everything. I cannot wait for more information about book three to be released because I am dying to know what will happen next! 

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

May 1, 2012/HarperTeen/525 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: Purchased
Other books in this series: Divergent (Book One)

~~~~~~~~~~

Look for more mini-reviews soon! 

Friday, January 25, 2013

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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 

~~~~~~~~~~

Look for more mini-reviews soon! 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Mini-Reviews: A Beautiful Dark and Fever

Since I haven't been able to write many reviews lately, I've gotten quite behind, but I decided now was the perfect time to work on some more mini-reviews! In the first set are two books I read a few months ago, A Beautiful Dark and Fever: two very different books!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies 
On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites--like fire and ice--Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move--only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

Mini-Review: 

A Beautiful Dark was an intriguing debut that took a unique spin on the idea of angels, but it did not completely live up to my expectations. After Skye's seventeenth birthday things begin to get a little weird, especially when two mystery boys show up in town. I liked how normal Skye was, but I never could completely connect with her. Skye had some incredible opportunities, but she never became the person I hoped she would be. She let people make decisions for her and was way too indecisive. Especially when Devin and Asher entered the scene. The love triangle, unfortunately, made certain aspects of the book extremely cliched. It was frustrating to see Skye waffle back and forth between the two of them. Plot wise,  I very much enjoyed A Beautiful Dark. Things were very fast-paced and it did keep me reading. I also liked how  Davies worked her mythology into the book. There were some intriguing twists in the story and the ending was one hell of a cliffhanger. I will be picking up the sequel because I am interested in seeing what happens next and hopefully A Fractured Light will not be as cliched. Overall, this is worth a read if you can get past some of the obvious comparisons to other works out there and focus instead on the unique take on angels and the variety of mysterious plot twists.

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

September 27, 2011/HarperTeen/390 Pages/Book One

Source: BEA (ARC)
Other books in this series: A Fractured Light 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Fever by Lauren DeStefano 
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

Mini-Review:

Wither is one of my all-time favorite books and Fever had a lot to live up to. While I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I did Wither, it was still an exciting and well-written sequel that left me eager for book three! Fever picks up soon after Wither left off and we are once again caught up in Rhine and Gabriel's world. I have to say Lauren DeStefano has an amazing imagination and has developed an incredible, but frightening, world in this series. Rhine is such a strong and admirable protagonist and she experienced even more horrible things in this addition to the series. There were so many edge-of-your seat moments in Fever, but some parts were a little slow. I still had a hard time putting this down and felt like I was experiencing everything right alongside Rhine. All of the characters were developed even more in Fever and we got to see a different side of both Gabriel and Rhine. Overall, Fever was a solid sequel to Wither and while I didn't get the same wow spark I did from Wither, I enjoyed this book and am counting down the days until Sever is released. 

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

February 21, 2012/Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/341 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: Purchased (Hardcover)
Other books in this series: Wither (Book 1), Sever (Book 3- 2013)

~~~~~~~

Look for more mini-reviews soon!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Mini-Reviews: Across the Universe and I'm Not Her

I posted mini-reviews of Where It Began and Incarnate last week, now I'm sharing my thoughts on two more books I read awhile back and never wrote full reviews for-- Across the Universe and I'm Not Her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Across the Universe by Beth Revis 
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. 

Mini-Review: 
I feel as though I was one of the last people to read Across the Universe, but I just was worried because I am not always a huge fan of science fiction. But I definitely had nothing to worry about. This book was awesome! It was packed full of mystery, romance, and death and always had me on the edge of my seat. The whole premise was fantastic and it was apparent Beth put a lot of thought into every inch of this book and especially the ship, Godspeed. I was immediately drawn into this book and had a hard time putting it down for a second. I love a good mystery and Across the Universe certainly had that. The book is told from alternating points of view between Amy and Elder (the future leader of Godspeed) and it allows the reader to get to know the characters extremely well. Amy is one of those characters that I know I would like in real life. She is very strong and independent and I felt for all that she was experiencing. Across the Universe definitely lived up to all of the hype and it was such a unique and original debut. I am extremely excited to pick up the sequel because I still have so many questions. One advantage of starting the series late is that I don't have to wait for A Million Suns!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

January 11, 2011/Razorbill/416 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (ARC)
Other books in this series: A Million Suns, Shades of Earth 

~~~~~~~~~~~


I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler 
“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel envy…”

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?



Mini-Review:

I can't deny that contemporary novels have a special place in my heart and I'm Not Her was no exception. This was an emotional and intense read that will impact every reader in different ways. Although I am an only child, I could understand Tess's and Kristina's relationship. Cancer is a topic that is not often dealt with in YA today, but I think it is an issue that most likely affects many of us. Unfortunately, cancer is something that has probably touched every person in some way and Janet Gurtler did a wonderful job of showing not only how it affects the victim, but how it affects the entire family. I'm Not Her was told from Tess's point of view, and we were able to witness her come to terms with the fact that her perfect older sister was dealing with a life-threatening disease. My heart went out to Tess, because even though people at school were suddenly talking to her, she was still alone. Especially because her parents were not handling things well. Tess grew as a character over the course of the novel and the reader gets to see just how Kristina's cancer affects not only her family, but her friends and classmates. My only complaint was that sometimes I felt a disconnect from certain characters and wanted to see more of the family's interactions with Kristina. Overall, Janet is a great writer and certain scenes made me so emotional. I am extremely glad I read this novel and I am anxious to pick up more of Janet's novels. She doesn't seem afraid of tackling serious issues and her future releases all sound just as interesting.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

May 1, 2011/Sourcebooks Fire/285 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher 
Other books by this author: If I Tell, Who I Kissed

~~~~~

Look for more Mini-Reviews soon!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Mini-Reviews: Where It Began and Incarnate

I have several books that have been sitting on my "need-to-review" list for quite awhile now and rather than writing full reviews for all of them I thought I'd write shorter, mini-reviews to give a brief overview of my thoughts on the books. This first set of mini-reviews will focus on Where It Began and Incarnate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~


Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler 

Sometimes the end is just the beginning.
Gabby Gardiner wakes up in a hospital bed looking like a cautionary ad for drunk driving—and without a single memory of the accident that landed her there. But what she can recall, in frank and sardonic detail, is the year leading up to the crash.
As Gabby describes her transformation from Invisible Girl to Trendy Girl Who Dates Billy Nash (aka Most Desirable Boy Ever), she is left wondering: Why is Billy suddenly distancing himself from her? What do her classmates know that Gabby does not? Who exactly was in the car that night? And why has Gabby been left to take the fall?
As she peels back the layers of her life, Gabby begins to realize that her climb up the status ladder has been as intoxicating as it has been morally complex... and that nothing about her life is what she has imagined it to be.

Mini-Review:

Have you ever read a book where you just couldn't find the words to describe it? This was the case for me and Where It Began. I read it quite awhile ago and kept struggling to figure out what to say in my review. So, I'm going to stick with a mini-review. Where It Began is a beautifully written young adult debut that will definitely appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and possibly bring new fans to the genre. I loved the way Ann wrote this book, from the short chapters to the three sections, it made the book more intriguing to read and added to the overall affect of the story. Going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was hooked immediately. Where It Began begins with a bang and immediately draws the reader in. I loved the mystery angle and the ending was one of those that makes your mouth drop open with surprise. The plot was very original and captivating and Gabby's narration made the book that much better. I didn't always connect with her and of course she frustrated me at times, but she was a real teenager and I felt for her because of all she had been through. All in all, I really enjoyed this YA debut and am looking forward to seeing what's next for Ann Redisch Stampler. 
Overall: 4  out of 5 stars

March 6, 2012/Simon Pulse/369 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher/Author (ARC)

~~~~~~~~~


Incarnate by Jodi Meadows 

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Mini-Review:

Another book that I read a little while ago and never wrote a full review for! Anyway, Incarnate was a book I was anticipating for a long time and I was thrilled to receive a review copy. While I was a little disappointed in it, I think the concept was very original and compelling. In a sea of dystopian novels, Incarnate was a unique look at a utopian future. The idea of reincarnation and souls was something that really drew me to the book; I wanted to see just how Jodi was going to tackle it. I never fully got the answers to all of my questions, but I have to say I was always anxious to learn more about the world Ana lives in. Ana, the main character, was someone I liked, but was often frustrated with. I understand her confusion and felt for her, but I also wish she was more independent. Going into this, I was expecting much more complicated plot twists and action, but Incarnate focused more on the romance. Ana and Sam had a slow-moving relationship that really allowed the reader to get to know Sam and understand his past. Although sometimes I wondered how exactly the reincarnation thing worked, I think this book focused more on providing a foundation for the two main characters and hopefully the next book will provide more answers. I took a little longer to read this than I would have hoped because certain parts got a little slow, but I did enjoy the book and am interested in seeing what will happen in the sequel. Jodi Meadows certainly has a creative imagination and her writing style is great. While this might not have been exactly what I was anticipating, it was still a book that showed promise and I am looking forward to checking out Asunder when it comes out in January. 

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars

January 31, 2012/Katherine Tegen Books/374 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (ARC)
Other books in this series: Asunder (2013)

~~~~~~~

Look for more Mini-Reviews soon!