Read and Reviewed

3.5/5 stars.I am not afraid to say that, like a lot of readers of paranormal books, I am pretty vampired-out. I feel like it's all been done before, and it's been a long time since I've read a vampire book that had a unique idea or take on the old themes. However, when I was contacted by the author to review A Shade of Vampire, the summary gave off that "different" sort of vibe that I was looking for, so I accepted her request. And I'm glad I did, because "unique" is exactly the word I'd use for this book.What I really loved was the world the vampires in this book call home. The Blood Shade is a fully-developed world, and the descriptions of the trees, the Vale, and the treetop penthouses were wonderful to read about. I felt like I could really see exactly where Sofia and Derek were spending their days. While I really felt like I was visiting the Blood Shade, I would have liked more explanation as to how exactly Derek brought his people to the island and set up the beginnings of the world; there wasn't a lot of background or history, which I really think would have added a lot to Derek's character and allowed the reader to see exactly why he was so revered (and also why his brother hates him so much).I adored Sofia. She is headstrong, tough, and stubborn, and I loved her quite a lot. I also loved the slow-burning relationship between her and Derek, how Derek realized she was different (and that his feelings for her didn't hinge on something superficial; he appreciated that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind around him, which I found kind of refreshing) and his feelings for her (and hers for him) slowly started to change. I particularly liked their interactions when they were alone, and how both felt safe with the other to say or do things they would not have done in front of others.I do want to point out that there are a few dialogue punctuation errors littered throughout (particularly if a character "said" something), and I also noticed that the author tended to use "on" instead of "in" (ie. "closed the door on our faces" or "the look on your eyes"). I found the story entertaining enough, though, to overlook these rather easily, but did want to mention it all the same.If you're looking for a different sort of vampire book that still has enjoyable elements like forbidden love, then do check this one out! A Shade of Vampire is a compelling story with a wonderful main character. I am very intrigued to see what comes next for Derek and Sofia!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

As a huge baseball fan, I was surprised that I'd never heard that DiMaggio faced Satchel Paige once upon a time. I liked this story, particularly how it focused on just how great Paige was, and how even the white players who faced him gave him due credit. It's unfortunate that racial relations were what they were, because Paige very much deserved to play in the huge stadiums in front of thousands of fans.One thing that struck me in the writing of this book, though, was the vocabulary used. Words like "barnstorming" and "flummoxed" aren't in my students' vocabulary at all, and while I'm always excited about books that teach them new words, I think this one would definitely be something that would need to be read aloud so that the reader could discuss the word choices with the students. I think it would be too difficult of a book for my readers who gravitate toward the picture books.Still, this is a very well put together book, and I'm glad I gave it a read! I will keep it in mind when it comes time to put together my next book order.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

I was drawn to Dance of Shadows as soon as I saw the cover. I mean, how can you look at that gorgeousness and NOT want to read this book? Add to that the fact that this book is set at a ballet academy - and I adore ballet anything, even though I cannot dance to save my soul - and it was a no brainer for me to pick up this book. Then I started seeing some not-so-stellar ratings and got worried that this would be a dud; for most people, it definitely seems to be just that. But I am happy to report that I, on the other hand, really enjoyed this book a lot and am so glad I went ahead and gave it a read!

Vanessa Adler is living in her sister, Margaret's, shadow. It was Margaret who was first accepted to the New York Ballet Academy, given the lead female role in the school's production, and disappeared without a trace. Wanting some closure and answers regarding her sister's disappearance, Vanessa applies and is accepted to the NYBA to follow in her sister's footsteps. But Vanessa is an even better dancer than Margaret was, and catches the attention of the school's director, who casts her in the same role her sister was dancing when she disappeared: the Firebird.

This book had a fabulous air of mystery to it. While Vanessa attends her classes and goes through the grueling training required to perform her role in the production, she is caught up in the history of the academy (11 girls including her sister have disappeared over the years without a trace), while also getting caught up in Zep, the best male dancer in the school and her counterpart in the ballet. I loved how the author didn't shy away from just how difficult ballet is, and the damage it does to the dancer's body. Vanessa was always full of aches and pains, but she was able to shove that aside when she was performing. Her dancing is literally magical: it is her gift that causes her to play the same role her sister did. Throughout the book you are constantly guessing about what's going on at the Academy, and how things are going to turn out. Even though there were times that I wanted to shake Vanessa in my frustration, particularly when it came to Justin, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Dance of Shadows has a very Center Stage-ish feel to it, with Vanessa catching the eye of the lead dancer, and being surrounded by a wonderful cast of supporting characters (I particularly liked Steffie). While I couldn't help but feel that something was up with Zep, I was still fascinated by their relationship and the way he kept pushing her away only to pull her closer. When they were dancing together - particularly the scene with just the two of them in the underground studio, when he was explaining the steps of the dance - I could definitely understand why people were using the word "sexy" to describe this book!

Don't get me wrong; I can understand why this book would perhaps rub some people the wrong way. Vanessa isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, and there is a LOT of ballet in this book (all the better for me personally, but perhaps not everyone's cup of tea). There's also a love triangle, which usually irritates me but in this case didn't. I dunno. I really think that, for me personally, the ballet overrode everything else that would have usually annoyed me!

All in all I very much enjoyed Dance of Shadows, and am very intrigued to see what comes next. I love that Vanessa is a strong character who just wanted answers and wasn't afraid to face some truly terrifying things. The mystery was really well done, giving the book a very dangerous feel, and even though it took me a while to read this book, it wasn't because it wasn't compelling or entertaining; time just really worked against me this week. If you like ballet and don't mind a paranormal mystery with a sort-of love triangle, do check this one out. I personally can't wait to read book two!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Going in to Pivot Point, I really wasn't sure what to expect. The book sounded so very different from what I normally read - a girl who can see her future based on a single choice - and I just didn't know how well I'd like a book made up of two potential what-ifs instead of a book where things are actually happening. However, I need not have worried, because this book turned out to be really really good.

Addie has a special ability called Divergence, which allows her what's going to happen when she makes a particular choice. The book is made up of those two choices, so while the reader gets to experience her two lives through her Searching, the real Addie spends most of this book lying on her bed while her friend, Laila, watches over her. Of course, this was easy enough to forget, because both of Addie's potential futures are equally compelling, although I personally enjoyed her living in the Norm world more (thanks mostly to the character of Trevor, who I couldn't help but love immensely). I do want to point out that the book can be confusing, but the author made it easier to follow by giving hints in the chapter titles. Each chapter starts with a definition of a word that either has "para" or "norm" in it, which helps keep the reader on track.

I really enjoyed Addie in both of her potential futures. I loved how she slowly integrated herself into the "Norm" world and I loved her interactions with Trevor, as they moved from potential best friends to something more. I love that he was a bit nerdy with his comic book drawings, but also quiet and sensitive and sweet. He was such a huge contrast to Addie's love interest in her other future, Duke. Whereas Trevor was unassuming but still tough and popular, Duke was over the top and in your face with his brashness and arrogance. While there were times that I enjoyed his and Addie's banter, on the whole he just really paled in comparison to Trevor. Obviously this definitely swayed my opinion of which choice I thought Addie should make, at least until the plot twist showed up.

What I really wish we'd had more of was the background for the Para world. I wanted to know how these abilities came to be, how the city they live in was created, etc. This is the main reason I didn't give this the full five stars. It's still a phenomenal book, but I was just left with too many questions (not least of which is what's going to happen next; can I have the as-yet-untitled book two now, please?). Maybe book two will go more in depth with the world building?

All in all, Pivot Point is a really solid debut. I enjoyed every second of it, and found it intriguing and compelling in equal measures. I loved the cast of characters, the diverse worlds, and the fact that we essentially got to experience two books in one. While I did notice a few nitpicky things that made it impossible for me to give this the highest possible rating, I can still wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone!

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To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Like pretty much everyone else, I really loved this book. I don't know if I'll do an official review or not, so let me just mention a few things.1) This book made me cry several times, and made me teary-eyed several more.2) I loved George, and Quinn's relationship with him.3) I really wanted to strangle Carey for everything he put Quinn through.Even though I was late to the party for this one, I'm so glad I ultimately gave it a read!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

A Tangle of Knots is a really cute middle grade novel. There were lots of things to love about this one, including the wide cast of characters, the whimsical aspects (hot air balloons and a girl who loves baking cakes), and the wonderfully appetizing cake recipes scattered throughout. It's also a really fast read; I was finished with it in a matter of hours, and it had a readability factor to it that kept me eagerly turning pages. While it did take me a while to ultimately figure out what was going on and why these specific characters were being spotlighted, I found the ending to be sweet and satisfactory, much like the cakes used in the story.This book really focuses on the journey a person takes to figure out who they are and what they want. In this world, people have Talents; they can be anything from a gift for whistling, to the ability to tie knots, to the gift for playing jacks, to the ability to bake a cake that's perfect for a specific person (and knowing almost instantly what that perfect cake is). I loved how the Talents were sort of strange and different, and while some of them are things you'd imagine, like the ability to write or knit or float two inches above the ground, not all of them are useful (Zane's gift for spitting was one I'm really glad none of my students possess!). And then you had Marigold, who has no Talent at all, and spends most of the book trying to figure out what she's good at (and I loved what it seemed like her natural talent was). Cady's talent, too, was interesting, because it made her focus more on others than herself, which wound up causing her some trouble later in the book.Zane was the character who really spoke to me, particularly since he kept repeating "worthless" over and over again. It makes a person like myself, who works in the education field, really think about how you really can influence your students in both positive and negative ways. I felt terrible for Zane, because he was going through life thinking this terrible thing about himself, and it was impacting his actions and feelings on things to the point where he figured it just didn't matter. For me, his character was the most strongly drawn and written, and I was certainly pulling for him to figure things out.A Tangle of Knots is a busy book. There's a lot going on, a lot of characters to keep straight, and not a whole lot of world-building to explain the Talents and why they exist. But in the end, I found that to not really be necessary, because the heart of the story was able to shine through and everything really did come together in a mostly-satisfying way. I'm definitely adding this to my library's "to purchase" list, and am thinking about picking up my own copy simply for those cake recipes. The chocolate one sounds especially yummy!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

I am the first to admit that I'm a sucker for anything mentioning Greek Mythology retellings. As such, I dove into the first book of this series, Fury, and came away rather disappointed. Yes, I enjoyed it enough to read the second installment, but the book was really slow to develop and I very nearly put it down. I also really disliked Em quite a lot (her actions left a very bad taste in my mouth), which made reading a story from her point of view very difficult. I am happy to report, therefore, that the things I just mentioned as bothering me in the first book are nearly nonexistent in the second installment, and as such, I enjoyed this book much more than the first.This book is very dependent on your reading Fury first, because there are several references throughout to things the reader learned in the first book, particularly when it comes to the name-dropping. So if you're going to read this one, you really do need to pick up Fury first. Whereas Fury took a very long time for things to really happen and develop, you're thrust pretty quickly into the action this time around, which definitely helped with the pacing. And while the actions of the Furies - and the person they target this time around - are borderline horrific and awful, there was a certain compulsion to the words and events that kept me eagerly turning pages (I essentially read the last 300 pages of this in one sitting), even when I was dismayed at what was going on. I so wanted to reach out and shake Skylar because she fell right into their trap; she wanted to be loved and accepted and surrounded by friends, and Meg knew exactly how to manipulate those feelings to their advantage. Her story arc was really terrible and I couldn't help but feel bad for her, even when she was making some truly terrible choices.I also really loved that we FINALLY got some explanation about why the Furies are so focused on the small town of Ascension. That was my biggest question in the first book; why this small town? What was the lure? Now I know and I can't wait to see how things are going to shake out! And while I am not a fan of love triangles by any means, I kind of can't help but be curious about Em's ultimate decision between JD and Crow; while I loved JD in the first book, I wonder if things can be rectified in that regard, and can't help but feel that perhaps Crow is the better way to go for her. I will continue to not be "team anyone" though, and just see what happens in the end, because I really do like them both.There was a turn of events at the end of Envy that I definitely did not see coming, which just makes me all the more excited to read the last book, Eternity, which I have to wait until September to read. September! How's that fair?If you read Fury and liked it well enough, definitely give Envy a try. The faster pacing alone makes it a much more satisfying read, and while we're definitely given more questions and the book is basically just a set-up for the final installment, there was enough new information to keep the book from being overly frustrating. I can't wait to see what happens next!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Goddess Interrupted ended with a massive cliffhanger that I admittedly did not see coming. While I figured that this book would have a lot of action and twists and turns, I was not expecting it to start off the way it did. Even though there was a sort of pulse-pounding pace to the events, I felt strangely disinterested at the start, and it took me a while to get into the story. This made for a strange reading experience, because - while I wanted to know what was going to happen and how everything would come together - I kept waiting for the plot and characters to really grab me. And, while I finished this book at a fairly fast clip (the second half especially reads very quickly), that never really happened.The reason for this was, unfortunately, our main character. Kate has admittedly been through hell in the nine months she was being held captive, and she's put into a situation that I can't even imagine, but, honestly she just got on my nerves. And I don't really think that's what the author was going for. Kate was such a strong person in the first book, and I found myself rooting for her over and over again. Then she turned into a whining, crying girl who was full of self-doubt in the second book. And then, in the third, she turned into that girl that you're screaming at because, if she just would TALK TO HER HUSBAND, things perhaps could have been figured out without all the drama they inevitably end up going through. There's also a lot of circling around the same thing, which was that she couldn't be mad at Henry because he did exactly what she was willing to do, but she couldn't believe he'd done it, but she was going to do the same, etc., etc., etc., and, seriously, enough. There were so many times when I just wanted to reach through my Kindle and strangle her for her stupidity; she was just very hasty and really didn't think things out very well at all. Even at the end, it took someone else to make her realize what needed to be done, and by then I was just really done.Also? Walter is a complete and utter bastard. Talk about someone who needed a swift kick in the arse! Between him and Kate there was plenty for me to shake my fist and mutter about, which I was doing pretty much throughout the book.All of these complaints aside, there were things I really did enjoy a lot. I loved this rendition of Chronos, and also Rhea. I appreciated how villainous Calliope was. Henry was really rather swoon-worthy in this installment, and I enjoyed the mother-daughter relationship between Diana and Kate a lot. I also found this book to be compelling, even if things were driving me crazy. And I loved that we got to see Ingrid again! The twists and turns were also done well enough that I was constantly guessing as to what was happening, which is always a good thing.While I couldn't help but be disappointed in some things, I still found The Goddess Inheritance to be a decent finish to the series, and am glad I read it through to its completion. While I can't help but think the ending was tied up a bit too nicely, I was pleased with most aspects of the story itself. I am a little concerned by the statement at the end of the book that this is the end of the Goddess Test series "for now," though; I really don't think any other installments are really necessary. That being said, Ms. Carter has a new non-Goddess Test book coming out this fall, and I enjoyed her writing well enough that I definitely will be checking that one out!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Fury by Shirley Marr is not your typical Greek Mythology retelling. In fact, it doesn't become apparent until close to the end how exactly the Furies - which are vaguely mentioned early on in the story - even play a role in this book at all. What you get for most of the story instead, is a very angry main character by the name of Eliza, and her circle of friends: extraordinarily smart Marianne, beautiful and sweet Lexi, and new-girl Ella. The book is told in a mix of past and present, with Eliza recounting how she came to be arrested and charged with murder - of whom, you don't find out until close to the end. In fact, all of the flashbacks she's sharing with Dr. Fadden are sort of piecemeal, and don't make a cohesive unit until probably midway through the book, which the trigger for the girls' actions is finally explained.When we think of mythology retellings, we assume we'll see some sort of godly interference, or perhaps a cameo by a character from the myths. That's not at all what you get in Fury. Instead, the story details the way Eliza and her friends went from your average rich girls to a sort of avenging angel - or Fury - wanting retribution for a crime that was committed against one of them. Once everything comes together, the story you get is poignant and thought-provoking, and while I initially was interested because of the tie-in to the Greek mythos, what struck me most while reading was Eliza's journey from someone who was unapologetic, spoiled, and mean, to someone I really felt bad for.When I think hard about it, I find that I ... actually don't like many people. I must be such an angry person. (pg. 178)Reading Fury was strange for me, because for much of the book I really didn't like Eliza at all. Even though she called Marianne and Lexi her friends, she didn't really treat them as I would treat someone I professed to care about, Marianne in particular. There was a definite "mean girl" vibe to this book, and it wasn't limited to the three main girls. Likewise, there are a number of issues that the characters are dealing with, from divorced and absent parents, to unresolved crushes, to wanting to fit in, and that's not even mentioning the incident that really kicks this book off (apologies for being vague, but I don't want to spoil!). I also really wish we'd gotten to see more of Neil, as I found him rather fascinating and really wish I could have had more to read about him, as I came away with a few unresolved questions. The ending, too, was likewise ambiguous; you don't really know how things are going to turn out for Eliza or her friends, but I'm thinking that may have been the point. Considering what they're facing, a nicely tied-up ending wouldn't have been remotely realistic.While not being your typical mythology retelling, Fury managed to grab me nonetheless, and didn't let go until I'd finished the book, almost in one sitting. I found myself thoroughly engrossed in Eliza's story, even if she herself took a while to grow on me. The book is told in the form of a mystery, with the reader not entirely knowing what's happening until everything is finally revealed by Eliza herself. While Fury is unfortunately not available in the US, I'd definitely recommend making use of Fishpond to get yourself a copy; I don't think you'll be disappointed!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

First of all, can I talk about this cover? I'm thinking that the girl is Persephone, and she's probably straining toward the sun, but her pose is really ... awkward. The way her arms are sort of thrust back is just weird. Definitely not a favorite.

ANYWAY. The Goddess Legacy is a set of novellas that focus on the gods/goddesses prior to Kate's birth and eventual ascension to Queen of the Underworld. I think it was this factor - the lack of Kate - that made me enjoy them more than I did Goddess Interrupted (look, I loved Kate in the first book, but her back and forth, constant self-doubt, and whining on about how Henry will never love her like he loved Persephone in the second book just grated on me). Plus, I also really enjoyed seeing the background to Ms. Carter's mythology, because she definitely did some things quite a bit differently than they were in the original stories.

The first story focused on Hera/Calliope, and it definitely explained exactly why Calliope turned into what she is in the books (vague statement is vague). It was hard to read her fall from a youthful, strong woman to one who became so embittered because of her husband's constant affairs. The second story focused on Aphrodite/Ava, and actually set up her development in the third book quite a bit; you really got to see the way she showed her love to everyone, and how she was able to love in different ways. The fourth story (yes, I skipped Persephone's on purpose; I'll get to her in a minute) was probably my favorite, because it gave us some background on Hermes/James. I loved his interaction with Tuck and the way this lone girl had such an impact on him. Plus I have a thing for folks who are headstrong and do what they believe is right even if they're told not to. (And I loved Iris!) And the last story was Hades/Henry's story; it definitely showed how beaten down he was after the death of each of Persephone's replacements. You could feel his weariness and exhaustion with his life, and it also allowed the reader to see behind the solemn mask he so often wears in the series. My only complaint about this was the random switch to third-person for Henry's story; all the others are in first-person, so it was kind of jarring to make that switch.

As for Persephone's story, let me just say that I REALLY did not like her. At all. She cheated on Henry without pause or thought, yet was broken-hearted when one of her lovers did the same to her. It took her ages to realize just how much she was hurting him, and even when she figured it out, she still didn't care. Yes, I get that she didn't want to marry him, and I get that she hated being away from the sun and living underground, and yes, maybe someone somewhere should have stepped in to ask what she really wanted (and I'm thinking their was some interference from Hera somewhere in there as well), but honestly, I don't think I've ever read a character who complains as much as Persephone did. I was thoroughly fed up with her story well before the end of it, and was so glad when they finally granted her mortality so she'd just go away already. It's very hard to be sympathetic to a character's plight when that character does nothing to ingratiate herself!

All in all, this was a nice installment between the second and third books in the series. Having just finished The Goddess Inheritance, I can see how well these novellas tied in to the overall plot, so while they're not absolutely necessary to read, they definitely help fill in some holes and answer some questions. Considering that this book is my favorite of the series, I'm very glad I gave it a read (Persephone excluded, of course).

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3.5/5 stars.First of all, I want to make sure I mention just how gorgeous this book is. Aside from the fantastic cover, the pages are done with that sort of "rough edge" quality (I'm sure this has a fancy name, but I don't know it), and all of them have a really pretty pattern printed on them where they meet the spine. Each chapter also has a black lead-in page with a quote from a thoroughly creepy book. The entire presentation of this book is simply amazing; you can tell that a lot of thought went in to its design and layout.Moving on to the review of this gorgeous book's content, I've mentioned in some of my previous reviews that I am a giant sucker for well done historicals. For me, the main draw of Venom - despite the wide variety of mixed ratings I've seen for it - was the promise of one girl's atmospheric adventures in Renaissance Venice. And, honestly, the atmosphere is where this novel really and truly excels; I adored reading about Cass' gondola trips, her nighttime strolls in the cemetery bordering her aunt's crumbling palazzo, the journeys through Venice's streets. The description and prose used to describe the setting was first-rate, and had me eagerly devouring everything. The book gets a definite two thumbs up from me in that regard.What failed in comparison, was our main character herself. Cass is a girl of wealth and status, who very much doesn't fit in with the rest of Venice's rich female population. She loves writing, enjoys her studies, and is resentful that she's been betrothed to former neighbor boy Luca. Now, honestly, this would be fine, but there were times when I literally wanted to reach through the pages and shake her because she was frustrating me so much. She's engaged to another, and yet spends several weeks running around every single night with a penniless artist named Falco, who - of course - she ends up falling in love with. She also loves to run headfirst into danger, causing the same facepalm from me that those stupid girls in horror films get from the audience; I was constantly shaking my head in disbelief. I also wanted to shake her when she refused to read Luca's letter, and then, when she finally does get around to it, never actually reads it - or the second one - all the way through! She also has a complete disregard for her aunt or those who care about her, simply wanting what she wants when she wants it, consequences be damned. And her childish behavior toward Luca just made me roll my eyes. I seriously wanted to slap her. Having such a frustrating main character accounts for much of the "lost" rating points; it's hard to give a book four or five stars when your main narrator is so infuriating.That being said, there was something very compelling about this book and the story it tells. I was fully engrossed in the plot, wanting to know what was going on with the dead girls, how Falco may or may not have been involved, and how everything was going to come together. Just like Cassandra, I was constantly guessing as to who the person responsible was (although I give myself props for making the correct guess in who would wind up being the killer, although was completely and utterly wrong about the motivations). For me, personally, the mystery was well done and constructed in a way that definitely keeps you guessing.While having a main character that definitely grates, I still found Venom to be thoroughly engaging. I also like the way the book ended, and am hoping it will mean that Cass is a more mature, less obnoxious main character in the sequel, Belladonna, which releases later this year. Fans of well-done historical details will love the setting, and those who are looking for a bit of a forbidden romance will find plenty to swoon over with Cass and Falco. If the book intrigues you at all, do give it a read; I was very pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed it.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Level 2 is a book that left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I appreciated that it was written by a blogger - I always love when people I'm familiar with make it in the publishing industry - and I was also intrigued by her idea of the afterlife and found the premise of this book to be very different. But at the same time, I found myself strangely disconnected from the characters and even the plot; while the book was compelling enough in that it kept me coming back and turning pages, I was oddly uncaring about how things would end up. I haven't ever really had that very shrug-like response to a book before, which makes this a review that's a little difficult to write.

First off, let me say that, even though the synopsis promises "two loves," there really is no such thing. That's right: There IS no love triangle. While Felicia has a history with the two boys, and Julian is with her in the afterlife, she is very much in love with Neil. In fact, she finds herself disgusted and annoyed with Julian due to some circumstances that happened in the past, and would never actually get back together with him. So no cookies for the summary writer, because it's very misleading and might put off some people who are thoroughly fed up with love triangles.

What I enjoyed the most from this book wasn't the promised rebellion (which earned a very blah response from me, particularly the fact that Felicia plays such an important role) or even Felicia's moments in the actual afterlife. Instead, I found her journeys into her memories when she would relive her life to be the most compelling. You'd think that a book essentially filled with flashbacks would be clunky, but it really wasn't; everything seamlessly flowed together and you finally saw how Felicia's life was lived. I have to say that Felicia isn't the best character - she did some things in her life that were downright terrible - and I actually didn't find her to be very likable in the slightest. My feelings for her definitely didn't help me connect with her and her plight, and were probably a major contributor to my mixed feelings about the book.

You also have her constant memories of Neil, the too-perfect, church-singing, guitar-playing boy who captures Felicia's heart. While I appreciate that their love wasn't confused with lust, I found Neil to be too unrealistic, because no one is that perfect (and the whole purity pledge conversation and Neil's concern over the town's feelings about Felicia not wanting to sign it also set my teeth on edge, as it felt very judgmental and definitely rubbed me the wrong way). That being said, I did enjoy some of the church-y memories, and couldn't help but enjoy the Underground Church game; I kind of wish our youth group had done something like that when I was growing up!

All in all, Level 2 is a mostly-compelling read. While I personally wasn't really invested in the story, there were aspects that I enjoyed, and I've seen plenty of other starred ratings that place it firmly in the "good" category. If you're looking for a different sort of spin on the afterlife, then check this one out. It's not perfect, but it's still a decent way to spend a few hours. I do wonder about this being the first in a series, though, because things are decidedly wrapped up in this book; I'll be curious to see what the author has planned for the other two installments.

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of well done historicals, I eagerly dove into Cinders & Sapphires. I was expecting drama and scandal, mostly revolving around the two characters mentioned in the summary, Rose and Ada. And we definitely get that, in spades. But I wasn't expecting all the other stories going on in this book. Pretty much every character mentioned, from Ada's family members, to her father's new wife and her children, to the household staff, have some sort of point of view moment in this book. While overall I did enjoy the book, I couldn't help coming away feeling like there was just too much going on in this single volume.

It's difficult to even know where to start with my review of this story. Ada is our main character; she's spent the past ten years in India, is a very bookish sort, and desperately wants to attend Oxford, which is not really the done thing. Throw in her unexpected feelings for Ravi, a young Indian man she meets on the boat back to England who is also attending Oxford, and things get very complicated, very quickly, and that's just with one storyline. You then have Rose, who has just been promoted to ladies' maid. She has a gift for music, and has spent the past ten years working at Somerton while Ada and her family has been away. The story would have been perfect if we'd just focused on these two girls and their lives, but when you add in the drama with Sebastian and Oliver, Georgiana's crush on her new stepbrother, Michael (and Michael's crush on the new nursemaid, Priya), and the bad feelings and bitterness of some of the household staff toward Rose's new position, and this book began bordering on confusing. I can't help but feel that some of these storylines were added just to create the scandal and drama promised in the summary; they really didn't add anything to the story, and it almost felt like the author was inserting tried and true ways to create problems for the characters.

Nonetheless, this book had a very easy flow to it. It read at a pretty fast clip - I would have been done much sooner if I'd just been able to squeeze in more reading time - and it definitely keeps the reader engaged. I definitely felt for both Ada and Rose, who both had their worlds turned upside down in different ways. Charlotte, Ada's new stepsister, however, is a mean and spiteful character, as is Stella. Their actions and emotions left a bad taste in my mouth, and I really could have done without reading from their points of view. I also think it perhaps would have added a more mysterious atmosphere to the book if we hadn't known what they knew and thought; now it's just a matter of how they'll use the knowledge to further upset things. In fact, Charlotte's final thoughts made me think of a quote by Gandalf in The Return of the King: "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." It definitely bodes ill for Ada!

While I couldn't help but feel like Cinders & Sapphires perhaps tries to do too much with too many people, overall I very much enjoyed Ms. Rasheed's style of writing and the two main characters she's created. If you enjoy scandalous historical novels that focus on both the gentry and working class, then do check this one out; I'm certainly intrigued enough to read the next book in the series!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

John Heldt was the first author to ever contact me to review their book. That book was the first book in this series, The Mine(review HERE), which detailed a trip back in time to 1941 Montana for a rather cocky, self-assured young man named Joel.The Journey follows this same premise, except that this time, it is a 48-year-old widow who makes the trip back in time, to 1979, where she finds herself existing right along with her past self. As such, this was very much a book telling the tale of a woman who wants to try to steer her young self into different - and better - choices than the ones she herself made. If you've ever wished to go back in time and correct a past mistake, I think you might just get along fabulously with Michelle.

As with the first book, I want to commend Mr. Heldt for his historical details and accuracies. This book is set mostly in 1979/1980, which is when the Iran Hostage situation, the US vs Soviet upset in the Winter Olympics, and the explosion of Mount St. Helens all took place. I loved these additions to the storyline, and how Michelle used her knowledge of said events to her benefit, or rather, the benefit of others. It was very interesting to watch Michelle's interactions with her other self; knowing full well where Shelly is headed, she did just enough to steer her to different choices without coming right out and telling her to do something different. I liked watching her tightrope walk between being a friend and being all too aware of what Shelly's life would hold if she followed in Michelle's footsteps.

I did have a bit of trouble adjusting to the dual viewpoints, but this was mostly because I wasn't expecting them. You get chapters from Michelle and Shelly both, and while their voices were similar - they ARE the same person, after all - Michelle's had enough maturity and foresight to never get the two confused. Shelly is very much a girl who's on the precipice of a life change, and isn't sure how to get what she wants, and while she makes some poor choices, everything she does happens for a reason and I enjoyed watching her figure things out. I definitely found myself pulling for her to figure things out and get everything she wanted!

All in all, The Journey is another well-researched, interesting time travel story from John Heldt. It's about a woman who uses her trip to the past to become a different - and in some ways, better - person, while providing her young friends with some sorely-needed guidance and advice, but mostly, a great shoulder to lean on. The ending is perhaps a bit unexpected, but I think it made the ending have more of an emotional impact without becoming cheesy. If you enjoy time travel but want something a bit different, definitely check out this author and his books!

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, dear. Where to start with this one, really? As a giant fan of retellings, and having enjoyed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein quite a bit when I read it several years ago, I was really looking forward to Broken. It's not often that you come across classics retold (or, at least I personally haven't read many at all), so this promised something new and fresh. I wanted something gothic and eery, reminiscent of the original tale. And, in some ways, I suppose the book delivered: set during the Halloween season in Michigan, the descriptions of the setting were spot-on; Emma feels uneasy, she hangs about cemeteries, and there are plenty of descriptions of the lit jack-o-lanterns grinning from her neighbor's porches. I enjoyed reading about her surroundings quite a bit. Unfortunately, the rest of the book wasn't nearly as engaging or interesting, and I found myself in a serious struggle to get through it.For me, the main problem with this book was the slow pace of the plot. For the first 50%, you are stuck reading a minute-by-minute account of Emma's school day, from her teachers' lectures, to her walking the halls, to her waiting in line and getting lunch. This goes on for several days in a row, and, frankly, got extremely tiresome and tedious. It also really slowed the book down. Once she meets Alex, she can tell something's off about him, but she's strangely drawn to him anyway (yes, there's insta-love, although it IS explained toward the end, so I'm willing to forgive it in this case). Cue lots of dirty looks and rude responses from the other girls at her school who were hoping to snag Alex for themselves, as well as a rumor mill that works like greased lightning, and you also get lots of Emma trying to ignore what they're saying while internalizing how much it irritates her. Throw in a school dance, multiple stops at a local coffee shop, and some evenings spent with either Alex or Bree (Emma's best friend) helping her with homework, and you pretty much have the synopsis for the first half of Broken.I also want to mention that I had a really difficult time connecting with Emma. She's supposedly sad, suffering from the shocking death of her boyfriend, and she's mourning the fact that he doesn't have a grave (hence her penchant for hanging about cemeteries), but I never really felt the connection with her grief. It was simply words on a page: they had absolutely no effect on me. This made the first part of the book doubly difficult, because, not only did I not care about how she spent her school days, but I also really didn't care about how she was feeling. Mostly I was just wishing that the book would get to the point, which is not really a good combination of feelings for a reader to have.Broken did have some good parts. While the climax was, for me, too long in coming, once things started becoming clear to Emma, I did like her roiling mass of emotions. I could easily understand being confused and uncertain of what you can do when faced with the information that comes to light. I also liked how the action picked up and things finally started happening. I just wish it would have happened sooner; I mean, knowing this is retelling Frankenstein, most older readers are going to know exactly what's going to happen, so trying to make it into some sort of mystery really isn't going to work. Maybe if I were younger - I'm thinking MG/young-YA - this would have been a completely different reading experience, but for me, personally, it just really didn't work.While promising a modern retelling, Broken sort of falls flat. Fans of romance novels who don't mind a slower-moving plot will probably get more enjoyment out of this than those reading it because it's supposed to retell Frankenstein. For me, personally, there just weren't enough of the original elements to properly call this a "retelling" (although the question of who's really the monster is quite apropos, although not nearly as thought-provoking in this case). But of course, your mileage may vary; if you're intrigued by it at all, then give it a read. Perhaps you'll like it more than I did.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

2.5/5 stars.Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone was a book that I was very much looking forward to reading. In fact, my anticipation was so great that I actually requested that my library purchase the book, instead of waiting for them to come across the title themselves, which can sometimes take ages. When the book was first released, I heard nothing but praise for it. The reviews promised atmospheric prose, gorgeous descriptions, and a slower-paced but still gripping plot. So it was with glee that I dove in to my copy, only to find that, instead of a book I'd love, I instead was entrenched in one that I ... really did not.In order to be a "good" book for me personally, there has to be something that calls you back to the story, and makes you want to pick up the book and lose yourself in its pages. That desire to lock yourself away from the world and read was sorely lacking throughout my experience with Amelia Anne. There really isn't any way to sugar coat this; for me, this book was a slog from beginning to end. Couple that with overly-descriptive prose - sometimes taking several lines of text just to get to the end of a sentence - and I found myself doing something I very rarely do: skimming like crazy. I also really didn't like the main character (one passage in particular when she was recalling her visit to her potential university really set my teeth on edge), which made the reading experience even more difficult because you're stuck inside her head nearly the entire time. What was being marketed as a murder mystery-type book was really more of a character study into a small town girl about to make an enormous life change and leave everything she knew behind; perhaps, had I known that, I may have been a bit more guarded in my enthusiasm.However, there were some things I did like. I loved how Becca and Amelia's lives really mirrored each other and followed the same arc. I also liked the dual point of views; Amelia's outlook on life was so very different from Becca's, full of more sunshine and smiles and laughter, that it helped keep the book from being bogged down in Becca's darkness and uncertainty. And I did like some of the flashbacks, which helped the reader understand how life in this particular small town worked and how it shaped the residents. However, there was TOO much of this in some cases, which really slowed the plot down and, again, made the book drag. I also really loved the atmospheric descriptions of the summer heat: the dryness, the shimmering pavement, the lethargy that takes hold of you when it's so hot. And the descriptions of the scenery that surrounds the town of Bridgeton was likewise perfect. I could have used more of this and less of the metaphors that populated the rest of the book.Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone is a quasi-mystery, in that you don't know "whodunit" until you're nearly at the end. But the path that the book takes in order to get to this ultimate climax was too winding and full of strange tangents for me to really enjoy the experience. While really shining in terms of the atmosphere, overall there was just too much description to make this a quick and engrossing read, at least for me. Obviously, your mileage may vary, as plenty of people have this on their "best of 2012" lists!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!