Read and Reviewed

I don't really have a lot to say about this one, but here's some basic thoughts. I enjoyed this one, but not quite as much as the first. Although I definitely won't say no to more Zach, who I couldn't help but be intrigued by, and ultimately came to like a whole lot. I also really loved the pacing of this book; while being mostly light-hearted and fun, there was something that kept me constantly turning - or wanting to turn - the pages. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series!

 

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

4.5/5 stars.Paper Valentine is the first book by Brenna Yovanoff that I've read, and it certainly won't be my last. The book is written beautifully, with extremely gifted ways of phrasing simple thoughts and feelings. I was not expecting this book to be such an emotional rollercoaster, and will admit upfront that there were two specific passages that brought tears to my eyes. Hannah, our main character, is filled with immense sadness, and this is ever-present throughout the book. Her best friend, Lillian, died of anorexia six months prior, and her death has obviously impacted Hannah in ways even she's unaware of. It doesn't help that she's being "haunted" by Lillian's ghost; even though she's there with Hannah she's not the Lillian that Hannah wants and wishes for, and their interactions were extremely bittersweet and heart wrenching.I want to applaud the way that Lillian's disease was handled, right down to Hannah's guilt over not saying anything or trying to get her friend the help she so desperately needed. While Paper Valentine is a murder mystery, that really wasn't the main point of this novel; instead it was all about forgiveness and finding yourself and becoming who you want to be, which is something that Lillian desperately struggled with. Hannah's memories of the ways Lillian would behave, and the way she changed, and the things that she did while in the depths of her disease were just spot-on and perfect. There is nothing shied away from, however, so if eating disorders are a trigger for you, you may want to give this book a pass, although obviously your mileage may vary.I also want to give major kudos to the romance in this book, which - for me, at least - was exactly what I wanted. On the surface Finny is a troublemaker, a delinquent, a boy who doesn't do well in school and gets into trouble by merely existing. But his interactions with Hannah were so gentle and solemn, and he was such a perfect match for her - making her realize just how she was really feeling and giving her the courage to do things she otherwise wouldn't have done - that I rooted for them wholeheartedly from the moment he showed up. Here's my favorite quote about Finny:"When I open the door, [Finny] doesn't say anything about my calling him out of the blue, or how long it's been since we've seen each other, or why my hair looks like I styled it with a porcupine." (69%)I just really really loved the way Hannah and Finny got each other, how he made her feel safe and happy and cherished, which was something she was sorely lacking post-Lillian. I think everyone wishes for that person you can be completely yourself with, and that's precisely what Hannah and Finny had with each other.As for the murder mystery plot, I loved the way it was weaved into the Hannah-Lillian drama, and became the catalyst for Hannah finally standing up for herself and speaking her mind. I also want to give massive props to the author, because I had no idea who the killer was and was very pleasantly surprised when it was revealed. All of the crimes were written in an appropriately creepy way, made even more so by the fact that Hannah's being haunted by the dead girls' ghosts.The one thing that accounts for the 1/2 star off is that some of the things introduced were never properly wrapped up. Why can Hannah see these ghosts? And - this is the one that kind of irritated me in a very minor way - what was up with the dead birds? I would have liked some closure about that, and there was absolutely none. It's a really tiny thing to be fussed about, but nonetheless was something I definitely noticed.Paper Valentine is so much more than your typical murder mystery. It's a book that tackles some pretty dark subjects - anorexia, child abuse, bullying (in a perhaps not-so-obvious way) - in a way that definitely hits you in the stomach. But mostly this is all about Hannah and her emotional journey, which - for me personally - was just really wonderfully done. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to pretty much everyone!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Quote taken from an uncorrected proof.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

3.5/5 stars.I am a huge, giant fan of romance novels, although paranormal romances aren't typically my thing. But being a lover of mythology of pretty much any kind, I immediately jumped at the chance to read and review The Lure of Shapinsay. The story sounded completely different while still incorporating the aforementioned elements that I love. I also couldn't resist exploring the unique world of the selkies, and the historical setting promised in the summary. While there were certain aspects of this book that I had some issues with, overall I found this to be an engrossing read full of historical flair, atmospheric details, and - above all - an unbelievably heart-wrenching romance.I couldn't help but root for Kait, who is a stubborn, headstrong girl, who doesn't fit in with her surroundings at all. She's too bold, too brash, and too honest; she says what she means and doesn't take crap from anyone. In fact, her banter with her brother, Blair, was perfect and had me grinning throughout. Then you have Eamon, the elusive selkie who captures Kait's heart and her attention, most notably through the use of his Lure. However, Eamon was quite a different sort of paranormal love interest, for he finds himself equally enamored of Kait. What then happened was the part of the book that made me slightly uncomfortable: their absolute codependence on each other.Being a paranormal romance, the infatuation by the human partner was expected, and even the reason for said attraction was blatantly laid out: "Lure" is in the title, after all. And yet, I was unprepared for the absolute besotted devotion that Kait felt for Eamon. She is literally unable to function at all, for fear that he's going to leave her. Don't get me wrong: I KNOW that that's part of selkie lore, so I'm not arguing against it. I'm simply saying that reading about that sort of love and obsession was difficult for me because I just cannot fathom it myself. I did like that the love wasn't one-sided in its furor; not only is she wanting to do anything for him, he likewise wants to do anything for her, and in fact gives up far more than she ever could. The relationship itself just really wasn't a healthy one, at least not in my opinion. But perhaps that was the point. Holle didn't shy away from the insanity ever-present in the back of Kait's mind over Eamon. She likewise didn't mince words when it was Eamon's point of view, and the reader was allowed to see exactly what he felt for her. What comes out of The Lure of Shapinsay is basically your usual forbidden romance, but with a twist that I didn't actually see coming, and which I applaud Holle for introducing and using (apologies for being vague, but I don't want to spoil!). One thing that really DID annoy me, though was the whole thing where  Kait won't let Eamon die for her, and frequently mentions how it would kill her to lose him. And yet, that's EXACTLY what she wants to do herself, every single time she calls out for him to take her into the ocean, thereby leaving Eamon without her. The mind, it boggles! Now please don't read that last paragraph and think I disliked this book, because I didn't. In fact, there was quite a lot that I actually really loved. I adored the setting: the way Holle described the island of Shapinsay, and the waters that surround it. I loved the description of the trees, and the castle, and the islands surrounding Kait's home. I also loved the historical flourishes she added by having the characters speak in dialect. And I loved the character of Tipper, whose story kind of broke my heart. Likewise, the dual viewpoints were also appreciated, as it allowed us to see not only inside Kait's head, but Eamon's as well.While The Lure of Shapinsay is a bit of a departure for me personally, I am grateful for the opportunity to read it. I found in its pages a romance worth rooting for, with stubborn and headstrong characters who are caught up in things they can't control. While part of the romance aspect rubbed me the wrong way personally, I like how closely Holle followed the selkie lore, and was very intrigued to see how things would be resolved. If you're looking for a romance that's a bit different from the norm, then do check this one out!A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Going in to Shadowlands, I really wasn't sure what to expect. The summary had a mystery-thriller-type feel to it, and since it had been a long time since I'd read anything like that, I was pretty eager to start this one. What I got instead was a crazy, intense ride for all 336 pages of the book. I literally could not stop reading this one, and even after finishing, was left feeling uncertain about how on earth I could review a book that had left me reeling, for fear that I would give too much away. Yes, it was THAT good!The book starts off with a bang, when we're placed inside the head of a serial killer, who is currently waiting for his newest victim, Rory, to walk past him. She escapes, and that escape sets off a chain reaction of events that finally culminates in her, her father, and older sister, Darcy, having to go into Witness Protection. However, Brian continues to allow us inside the killer's head, so while Rory and her family are thinking they're getting away, the reader knows just how close he is to them. This made for a very unsettling and absolutely gripping reading experience, because I simply had to know what would happen next.The family is sent to what's essentially a vacation island, where Rory finds herself the focus of the insanely gorgeous and aloof popular crowd. She's unsure what to think of them - and in fact, in the middle of the book, becomes downright suspicious of them when strange things start happening - which just adds to the uneasy feeling of the story. The only part that felt at all lighthearted was when Rory was spending time with Aaron, who I was pleased to see was a generally nice guy. I loved their windsailing adventure and the freedom and happiness that Rory experienced. Good feelings were something that were very few and far between for our main character so it was nice to see her get a bit of a break.Without wanting to get into too many spoilery details, let me just say this: I did not expect the ending we received, and knowing this is part of a series has me instantly intrigued, because I cannot WAIT to see where the author is going to take the story. I have many questions I cannot wait to have answered!If you're looking for something that has edge of your seat excitement, and keeps you constantly turning pages, then this is the book for you. It has something for everyone, from the bruised and battered main character, to the family drama dynamic, to the thrilling insights into the mind of a serial killer. Shadowlands is an exhilarating ride full of non-stop drama and mystery. I can't wait to see what comes next!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Going in to The Dark Unwinding, I was unsure what to expect. The gears on the front made me think steampunk, while the image of the manor behind the girl made me think gothic historical. It is the latter that is actually the truth: for a book being marketed as steampunk, there is very little of that actually taking place, unless you consider clocks to be steampunk. What you get instead is a page-turning mystery, fantastic portrait of mental illness, the societal constraints placed on women of the 1800s, and the search to find oneself.Katharine was a fascinating main character. She's grown up under the thumb of her horrible aunt, whose only concern is her son's inheritance. Knowing that she has no prospects of her own, Katharine is determined to do what she can to keep herself safe and protected, which means finding the necessary information for her aunt regarding her uncle's insanity. However, upon meeting her uncle, and coming to care for those who call his estate their home, her path is no longer as clear and easy as she was hoping. I really loved how well her personal struggle was written; not only does she feel torn apart by what she's supposed to do and what she wants to do, but she's struggling with the uncertainty of her own mind, as she seems to struggle with her own mental illness. I felt like her despair and sadness were fantastically written; I was very connected to Katharine throughout the story, and kept hoping that everything would turn out okay.I also want to give major props for the way Katharine's Uncle Tully was portrayed. He very clearly has some sort of mental illness, but his mind is nonetheless absolutely brilliant, and I loved the way his genius was written, and very much enjoyed watching Katharine slowly get him to step out of his normal routines. There was also the steadfast devotion and loyalty shown to him by Lane - who may be one of my favorite male characters ever - and the way everyone who knew Uncle Tully was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep him safe.Lane and Katharine's relationship was also fabulously done. While Katharine was perhaps a bit slow in realizing just how Lane felt about her, their interactions and banter were spot-on and perfect. I loved Lane's backstory, and the way that was weaved into the plot. He treated Katharine with such gentleness that I couldn't help but swoon over him a bit. (And the rolling scenes! ♥) I loved how he was made up of many layers, and how throughout the course of the book Katharine became familiar with his ticks and habits, to the point where she just seemed to understand him so well, and him her. The romance was definitely done extremely well in this book, without it becoming overwhelming to the point where it was all that mattered. Combine their relationship with more twists and turns than you can count OR figure out, and this book pretty much hit me in all the right places.If you're looking for a strong historical with some different sorts of elements, and a plot that keeps you guessing from start to finish, then The Dark Unwinding is your book. It's definitely one of my favorite reads of 2012!An ARC of this title was received via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

Retellings of the Hades and Persephone myth are quite prevalent in today's YA market. You have Everneath, Abandon, and The Goddess Test, just to name a few. Because of this, it's quite difficult to come up with new and fresh ways to tell the story of these two immortal beings. But that's exactly what Kaitlin Bevis has done in Persephone. While the general gist of the story stays the same, I found myself enchanted by the changes she made in the circumstances surrounding Persephone's abduction to the Underworld and - in particular - the way she wrote and developed the character of Hades.

Set in the modern world where most of the gods and goddesses have died off generations before our main character is born,Persephone follows our main character of the same name, who believes she's simply your typical human girl. She's completely unaware that she's a goddess, that her mother is Demeter, and that she's about to become the focus of the desires of Boreas, god of Winter. Persephone is a very head-strong and stubborn girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her come to terms with the knowledge that she's a goddess, and everything she thought she'd known to that point was a lie. There were other creative flourishes inserted into the story as well - gods can't lie, Hades' personal advisor is the Cassandra, and Hades actually chose his lot as ruler of the Underworld, just to name a few - that kept me eagerly turning the pages of this book. You also have the ever-present threat of Boreas, which kept the plot moving forward at a very quick pace.

Persephone's personal journey was also very interesting to watch. I love how she slowly became more accustomed to life with Hades, and I really loved watching their relationship grow. Hades isn't what I was expecting - so often he's depicted as dark, moody and brooding - and admittedly that threw me off just a bit, because, well, he IS the god of the Underworld. But this Hades grew on me, and he has enough of a vindictive and dark streak in him that the Hades from the original myth hadn't disappeared completely. I look forward to seeing more of the two of them together, and can only hope that the twist at the end of this book doesn't cause too much strife.

If you're looking for a fresh and unique take on a very popular myth and story plot, then I'd definitely recommend Persephone. There are enough of the original tales present in this book to keep the diehard fans of Greek myths satisfied, while also keeping you from thinking you've read this story several times before. The way the book ends will have you clamoring for the second installment - a cliffhanger that's not, for lack of a better term - and I certainly can't wait to see what comes next!

A copy of this book was provided by the author via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

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

3.5/5 stars.As a fan of middle-grade novels, I am always pretty excited when an author of one contacts me about a possible review. My interest in Michaela's Gift was piqued when I read the summary; I adore books with magical elements, and a special gift that is passed down to the girls in a particular family sounded pretty awesome. I'm happy to say that the book didn't disappoint. Michaela's Gift is a solid book, which - while including some definite supernatural elements - is mostly focused on a girl's search for her place in the world and trying to reconcile with a mother she doesn't understand.This book is basically a family drama; Michaela and her family travel to her grandparents' home, where Michaela is promised a special gift that is passed down when the girls in the family turn twelve. There is quite a bit of strife between Michaela and her mother, and we get lots of introspection as Michaela tries to figure out why her mother is so angry all the time. Throw in her artistic aunt, who her mom really seems to have issues with, and the main plot of the story is basically set. Surprisingly, though, the book wasn't tedious in the slightest; it's written in a way that moves everything along nicely and never gets bogged down with too much personal drama. Michaela was perhaps a bit too "old" in the way she talked, considering that she's only twelve, but I was willing to overlook that because the story itself was written in a way that was compelling and interesting. Once the magical elements were introduced - and I absolutely loved the story of the family's background and how the gift came into existence - the book really picked up and I basically read it straight through without stopping.I also want to mention how well the setting was described; the places on the mountain were written in a way that made them easy for the reader to see in their minds. I would have loved to see the fruit tree, the pond, and the cave with the swimming pool! There was quite a bit of creativity that went into developing the setting for the story, and it definitely helped keep the reader engaged.Michaela's Gift is a very quick read with a main character you wanted to root for from beginning to end. If you like creative and unique magic, and don't mind the general simplicity found in middle-grade novels, then you'd most likely enjoy this story. While I didn't walk away from it absolutely blown away, it was certainly a nice way to spend a couple of hours, and I'm glad I got to take a trip to Michaela's world.A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

The Friday Society was a book that had been on my to-read list for ages, so when I saw it available for request on NetGalley I immediately jumped at the chance to read it, and was so excited when my request was granted. Anything that boasts a summary featuring not one but three fabulous female characters was a book I was all over, and I'm happy to say that, for me at least, The Friday Society lived up to my expectations and desires.This book was interesting because, while it's pretty easy to place the setting and the time period, there are embellishments made here and there (via the steampunk elements and some of the verbage the characters use, which is decidedly anachronistic) that took me a bit of getting used to. The girls are definitely from 1900-London- their gowns, professions, the way that women in general are viewed - is very much appropriate to that time period. But the story is told with such a modern flair that it was kind of easy to forget at times that the book does indeed take place in the past. However, I am glad that The Friday Society was my first real exposure to steampunk; those elements were so interesting and entertaining (particularly when Cora would talk of her experiments) that my interest in the genre is definitely piqued.The real strength of this book, however, is the girls themselves. All three of them have their own identity and voice, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them and their adventures. The mystery that drives the book was strong enough to keep the story moving forward at a good pace, and I especially liked how the girls met and wound up coming together. I personally loved Nellie the most - she's definitely feminine as all get out with a fabulous personality and wit, and I found her absolutely charming. I love how the author took the time to develop their backgrounds and made them all so completely unique; you would have known which was which simply by their voices, which is not always the easiest thing to do when writing a book with multiple narrators. While Nellie was my favorite, I also really enjoyed Cora's smarts and intelligence and Michiko's quiet strength and personal journey. I also love how the book was left open-ended; I don't know if this is the author's plan, but I wouldn't mind reading more of these ladies adventures!Full of wit and charm, and not a small amount of fun, The Friday Society was a thoroughly engaging read. There were some things that I figured out plot-wise in advance, but it was definitely not to the detriment of my enjoyment. If you love your female characters more on the kick-ass side, with a ton of intelligence while still being decidedly feminine, then I think you'll enjoy this book. I know that I certainly did!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

3.5/5 stars.Confession time: I am a pretty huge romance junkie. I was one of those girls who devoured those Harlequin Silhouette Intimate Moments when she was in middle school, and will still occasionally - occasionally - pull one out when I want something fun and quick to read. Since starting my book blog, I haven't really had a chance to read much that isn't considered YA, so when I was contacted by Mrs. Swann to review Hit and Stay I pretty much pounced on the chance to indulge.Hit and Stay pretty much follows the same path that most of my favorite Intimate Moments books followed: girl has trouble, needs some help, and a hunky love interest swoops in. Both characters generally have some sort of issue they're working through, and slowly but surely the walls come down. Throw in some danger and intrigue, a mystery, and some hot sexy times, and voila! Happily-ever-afters. Now, I'm typing this with my tongue firmly in my cheek - I definitely don't mean any disrespect to this type of book, because, hello, I've already firmly established that I really rather love them. But by its very nature, and the length of this book, there really wasn't a whole lot of character development or even time to establish a relationship aside from the instant chemistry. I did like Jake, as he seemed to be the best drawn of our two main characters, with his tendency to swoop in and save damsels in distress and what he's dealing with in terms of the fallout from said tendency. I also really liked Burt, the smart aleck newspaper reporter with a good heart under his drive for the perfect story. The suspense and plot development were well-written and kept me eagerly reading; in fact, the entire book had a very readable quality and went extremely fast.My one complaint was the way the reveal was handled. I didn't really like the way everything came out, and found it to be just a tad to neat and clean. I also couldn't see that type of scandal being handled so quietly, so for me personally, that didn't feel very realistic (or maybe that was just my own personal desire for some serious karma; it's hard to say for sure). I just would have liked a bit more public backlash for everything that Andrea was put through.Hit and Stay, while not breaking the quick romance mold, is a fast read with some interesting characters, steamy romance and a nice mix of adventure and intrigue. I do think that the book would benefit from being longer, in order to really establish the relationship and perhaps allow the climax of the story to play out in a way that would have really kept with the suspenseful feel of the rest of the book. Nonetheless, it's a fun read; if you're looking for something fast and engaging, and are a fan of romance, this one would definitely be worth a read.A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

This is a book I'd been hearing about since it was first released, but never actually picked up. However, I'm participating inWinterHaven Books' Sleigh Tour, and our first task was to read a Christmas or Winter-themed book, and this one seemed like a perfect fit (and also a perfect excuse to finally read it). And I'm glad I made it my choice, because overall I did really enjoy this book quite a bit. It definitely had a wonderful holiday feel to it.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares is told in alternating viewpoints. You get Dash, a rather "snarly" teenage boy, who discovers a red notebook hidden in the shelves at The Strand, and decides to take it upon himself to follow its clues and quests. The other narrator is Lily, a (perhaps too angelic and sweet) teenage girl who actually created the notebook (with help). What follows are some rather funny, rather heartfelt, rather cute entries between the two as they use the notebook - and rather funny quests - to get to know each other. I have to admit that I was drawn more to Dash's narration than I was to Lily's, mostly because I couldn't help but love his rather sarcastic and straight to the point way of talking about himself and the world around him. My one complaint is that his voice sounded far older than his supposed age of sixteen, but nonetheless was enjoyable and created several laugh-out-loud moments (particularly their adventure with Boris the bullmastiff). Likewise, Lily also sounded too old for sixteen, and there were little things about her that sort of grated on me. This is not to say I didn't enjoy her chapters, because I did, but I didn't really find myself relating to her as much as I think I was supposed to. This is just a personal issue, though, so of course, your mileage may vary!

I was surprised a bit by the fact that there was quite a bit of personal introspection here; I was expecting all humor all the time, but the journal entries were really quite serious at some points. To me, that helped keep the book from tipping completely over into over-the-top saccharine sweetness (even though there is plenty sweet), which I feel would have been detrimental to the whole point of the book. I definitely appreciated the "aww"-inducing moments, and loved the humor, but was also pleased to see that there was more to the book than that.

If you're looking for a fun holiday read, definitely give Dash & Lily's Book of Dares a try. I think everyone could find something to enjoy about this book, whether you're like Dash and can't stand the holiday, or love it just as much as Lily!

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

As someone who absolutely adored every single word of Croak, I couldn't wait to dive into its sequel, Scorch, and was so excited when the book finally came in at my library. And while Scorch turned out to be quite a bit darker than Croak, and took the plot in a direction I wasn't expecting, it wound up being just as good - and in some ways better - than its predecessor.The thing I really adored in Croak was the absolutely laugh-out-loud funny humor that Damico inserted throughout the book. And while Scorch has its fair share - particularly the lines courtesy of Uncle Mort when referring to Lex and Driggs' relationship - the plot of this one was so much darker than the first that I kind of felt that humor was sort of tempered a bit. There is a lot of danger and intrigue in this book - Zara is on the loose, people are turning up Damned all over the country, and the once-safe town of Croak is no longer safe for anyone, let alone the Junior Grims. Considering that the characters work as Grim Reapers, I was a bit surprised by all the death and destruction! This is not to say that it wasn't well done, of course - this book was, in some ways, more tightly constructed and plotted out than the first, even if it had a much different tone to it - but, again, it was quite a switch from book one and sort of threw me for a loop.The one person I really came to love in this installment was Elysia, who is, quite simply, an absolutely fabulous character and a wonderful friend to Lex and the others. I feel like we really got to see more of her in this book, and I definitely hope that continues in the third one, because she is a character that really sparkles and shines. I loved her line to Lex about being "exceptionally sticky" (meaning she'll stick to Lex no matter what); she was truly a star in this book, and I adored her to pieces.Scorch is a wonderful continuation of Lex's story, and definitely sets the series up for one bang of a finale. I can't wait to see what the plot twist at the end means for everyone, and how things will be resolved. There seems to be quite a bit going on that's going to have to be tied up in the final book, and while I can sort of see how things are coming together, I've no doubt that Damico will throw us a few more curves before its all said and done. Needless to say, I can't wait to read Rogue, and shall be waiting impatiently for its release!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

3.5/5 stars.As someone who enjoyed Leigh Moore's first book, [b:The Truth About Faking|15990074|The Truth About Faking|Leigh Talbert Moore|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346804960s/15990074.jpg|21745866] (review HERE), I was really happy to be able to be a part of the Blog Tour for Rouge. True, this book sounded very different from her first, but I have a love of historicals, and the promise of a book set in a cabaret theatre in 1890s New Orleans was too much to pass up. Plus I kept seeing all these comparisons to Moulin Rouge, which I absolutely adored. Anyway, all of this is to simply say that I definitely wanted to read Rouge, and basically dove in head-first.Mrs. Moore has a true gift for creating atmosphere. Some of my favorite parts of this book were her descriptions of Hale's life at the theatre; the musty, velvet curtains, the small rooms and tiny hallways, and the backstage descriptions of the show. Likewise, when Hale ventured outside of the theatre - particularly her nighttime stroll with Beau - her way of crafting Hale's surroundings made me feel as if I were right there with her. You could feel the humidity, smell the (not-so-great) smells, and experience the music and nighttime life of the city. As someone who likes her historicals to have an authentic flair, this was definitely right up my alley!There is also a fabulous cast of characters in this book. You not only have our main character, Hale, but a whole host of supporting characters who live with her in her cabaret home and surround her day after day. My favorite of this bunch was definitely Roland, who I felt was one of the strongest aspects of the book. I loved his friendship with Hale, and really felt the connection between the two of them. You could tell just how much he cared for her, and she for him, and I loved their interactions and conversations. I also enjoyed watching Hale's love for Teeny, and her willingness to do whatever was required to keep her safe and cared for. This connection to Teeny drives much of this book, and becomes the reasoning behind Hale's decision-making, and I really felt like it was explored wonderfully and done in a way that really pulled the reader in.My one complaint about this book is that I felt like there was a bit of insta-love going on between Hale and Beau. Hale has her entire life planned out, right down to how she's going to get Freddie to propose and take her and Teeny away with him, and I just felt like her connection to Beau occurred too fast. I understand the concept of love at first sight, but I just felt like Hale went from "he's attractive and I want him" to "I love him" a bit too quickly. It just seemed like she was attracted to his good looks rather than anything of substance, which was just totally at odds with how she'd lived and planned her life up to that point.That being said, once Hale and Beau started spending more time with each other, I couldn't help but pull for their love to survive and overcome. Of course, nothing is that simple, and happily-ever-afters typically take a bit of work, and this wouldn't have been half the story if everything had come together clean and easy. The second half of the book was probably the strongest, because Hale was having to deal with things she never thought she'd have to do, and what she'd been working toward was completely turned on its head. She definitely became a stronger character, and I couldn't help but love her all the more for it.Rouge is an extremely atmospheric read, full of love, danger and intrigue that keeps the reader fully invested in its pages. It's amazing cast of characters will make you fall in love with them, and want them all to have their own happy endings, whatever they may be. Hale is a strong, independent woman trying to do her best for those she loves, and not always succeeding. Be forewarned, though, that the ending is rather ouchy, although expected considering this is the first in a series. One thing's for sure, though: I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!A copy of this book was provided via YA Bound Blog Tours for review purposes.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

I am the first one to admit that zombies aren't usually my cup of tea. And yet, I was intrigued by this book, not only because it seemed to be a retelling of Alice in Wonderland, but also because I was drawn to the story of the main character. Alice is a girl who loses everything she loves and seems to come out stronger because of the tragedy. Plus, okay, I may or may not have a thing for bad boys, and Cole seems to be a perfect specimen. And then I started seeing very mixed reviews, some from people who loved this book, and others from those who ... really didn't. Their main complaint was that this didn't seem like a retelling at all, which seemed like a good thing for me to keep in mind as I finally - FINALLY - found the time to read this (I am sure my library will be happy to get it back! I've pretty much maxed out my renewals on it, oops). And those people are totally right, because as a retelling, this book fails spectacularly. But there is a plethora of other things that made this book a success for me personally, and in the end I can't be happier that I decided to go ahead and read it.For a book dealing with zombies - and let's not beat around the bush here, there are definitely plenty of zombies - this book had a surprisingly light-hearted and humorous feel to it. I couldn't help but love Alice, or rather, Ali, as she comes to be known. While she is clearly dealing with the aftermath of the accident that kills her family - and this was done in a very understated, beautiful way - she is still a girl who is full of spunk and sass. Combine her with the absolutely spectacular best friend that is Kat (even more spunk and sass!), and the rather smoldering, ridiculously hot "bad boy" Cole, and you have a cast that drew me in and kept me fully immersed in the story. Plus this book gets major bonus points for Ali's hilariously funny grandparents, who are trying so hard to speak to her in "her" language and make for some of the funniest lines in the entire book. In fact, for me, this book had a very similar feel to Croak by Gina Damico, which was one of my favorite reads of 2012. Both deal with very serious subject matter, but it's done in a way that you don't become overwhelmed by the darkness that exists in the background. But at the same time, if you want darkness without anything light (think This Is Not A Test), then this probably won't be the book for you, so your mileage may vary!I also very much appreciated the different sort of zombie mythology (for lack of a better word) used in this book. These zombies aren't the ones you're used to seeing, and the ways that they're dealt with are quite brutal. There is a lot of time spent on Ali training to fight them, and she doesn't exactly shy away from rather graphic descriptions of what Ali and the others face when they go up against them. These sections are definitely the darkest parts of the book, and the sections that true zombie fans will most likely enjoy the most. As someone who is not a zombie fan (see my statement in the first paragraph), I liked that, while these sections definitely played a part in the overall arch of the story, there were plenty of other things to keep me entertained and help lighten the book's atmosphere. I am talking specifically about the back-and-forth romance between Ali and Cole, which is full of snark, humor, a bad boy who really isn't bad and a girl who knows exactly how to annoy him, and some rather, um, HOT makeout scenes. Let me just say that the romance fan in me definitely loved those makeout scenes!My one piece of advice to anyone thinking about reading this book is to completely disregard the title (Alice in Wonderland this is not, except perhaps in some very cursory ways), and ditch your expectations at the door. I think I enjoyed this book precisely because I did just that, and I am definitely looking forward to book two. If you're okay with zombies, have an affinity for snarky main characters, and love swoon-worthy romance, then I'd definitely recommend this one!***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

First off, let me get this out of the way: Do NOT go into this book thinking it's a standalone! It is the first in a trilogy, and the ending of this book is enough to make you keel over in pain. I'm not sorry I read it, but it's going to be a very long wait for book number two, which is scheduled for release in late 2013. Not only that, but this book will leave you with plenty to think about in the meantime; it's definitely one that reaches out and grabs hold of you and doesn't let go even once you've finished.As someone who works with kids every single day, this book physically hurt me in a way that nothing I've read (except for [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1352395325s/19063.jpg|878368]) ever has. The world-building in this story is truly phenomenal, and so gut-wrenchingly real that it's one of the main things I'm still thinking about days after reading the final words. Imagine, if you will, that almost all of the kids between the ages of 8 and 14 have been affected by a disease which has no cure: you either die from it, or you develop abilities which are so strange and terrifying that it forces the government to lock you away in "rehabilitation" camps to keep everyone else safe from these new things you can now do. At the camps, you're color-coded depending on what ability you have. These abilities range from something completely unthreatening (you can now break codes and have a photographic memory) to the horrifying (mind control over others, or the ability to light things on fire with a simple touch). The camps have the distinct feel of a concentration camp, and Bracken didn't exactly mince words when she described what Ruby and the other kids are forced to endure. Even when Ruby escapes, she spends almost every single moment in fear of being caught and sent back to the camp, and that fear is ever-present and almost tangible in not only her, but the other kids she meets. This is not a fairy dust and rainbows kind of world in any form or fashion, not only for these kids, but for everyone else in the US as well.Ruby is a very compelling main character, one who hates herself for something that's completely and utterly beyond her control, and who is forced to make decisions that no sixteen-year-old should have to make. She cries a lot, and she makes bad choices, and she continually has this sense of hatred about herself that causes her to believe she doesn't deserve anything, least of all Liam. But by the end of the book, Ruby has really sort of found herself, and while I don't agree with her decisions all of the time, I can't deny that she's a much stronger character than she was at the start; Ruby does a lot of growing up, and it's all there in the pages for us to read and root her on.But it's not just the world - or Ruby - that sticks with you. It's Liam, who is probably the first honest-to-goodness NICE  guy I've seen in YA literature in a long time, one who has flaws, carries around an enormous amount of guilt, and who loves Ruby so much that it makes your heart hurt a bit. It's Su, who you can't help but root for, because she's having some of the same issues as Ruby but in some ways had it even worse. And there's Chubs, who takes a while for you to warm up to but turns out to be someone that you can't help but love all the more for it. And it's the ending, which takes your heart and crushes it to little tiny pieces, and makes you wonder how things can possibly turn out right and give everyone what they so very much deserve.The Darkest Minds is an absolutely gripping read that's impossible to put down. It grabs hold of you and wrenches you around, making you root for the characters you can't help but love and wish the bad guys would get their comeuppance. There are twists and turns to the story, to the point where you're constantly guessing about what will happen next, and it's all set in a world that is truly terrifying. If you're looking for a well-developed dystopian world, with wonderfully-developed characters and a "can't stop reading" feeling, look no further than this book. The Darkest Minds will be released on December 18, 2012 in North America.An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

3.5/5 stars.Before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that I tend to be an enormous fan of retellings. Combine that with the fact that I am teaching nursery rhymes throughout this school year to my first graders, and it's pretty much guaranteed that I was going to enjoy this book. Like most anthologies this one has its high and low points, but for the most part I'd rate the stories included in my e-galley 3 stars or above, with just a couple of exceptions. I'm not going to go into major detail on each of the individual stories, however; if you want to see my thoughts on most of the stories I read, please checkout my status updates.Just as a heads-up as well, my e-galley didn't include all of the stories that are found in the completed version, so I can't make any comments regarding Interlude: Humpty Dumpty, one of the versions of Sea of Dew, and The Lion and the Unicorn: Part the Second. All of the other stories, however, were included, and I did read all of them.For me, in order to be a good retelling, you have to be able to see the original sourcework somewhere in the story. Because of this, some of the tales fell a bit flat for me, particularly if it was about a nursery rhyme I was familiar with. It was for this reason alone that Blue was not one that I particularly enjoyed. It was simply too confusing and not explained terribly well. On the other hand, Sing A Song of Six Pence and Wee Willie Winkie were extraordinarily well done. Other highlights for me included Tick Tock (fabulously creepy!) and I Come Bearing Souls (I am not ashamed to admit that I loved this one simply because it included Egyptian Mythology). And then you had Life In A Shoe, which was simply too short; it needed a lot more to allow for the necessary world-building, and ended too abruptly.All in all, Two and Twenty Dark Tales was a solid anthology with some true gems. If you enjoy retellings - particularly of the creepy variety - you would most likely find at least a handful of stories in this collection to entertain you. I know it certainly made me look at some of the nursery rhymes a little differently!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

This review plus a link to a pretty awesome giveaway will be posted to my blog on 10/24/12. Please check it out!***When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was instantly intrigued; a retelling of Phantom of the Opera set in a modern-day high school? For that's really what this is; while the characters are performing the musical themselves, their lives take on a rather Phantom-ish edge. I wasn't expecting the darkness of this book - it reminded me quite a bit of one of those slasher films, because there was quite a bit of death and destruction - and I found myself eagerly devouring every single word, waiting to see how things would play out. One thing Mrs. DeLuca did well was set up the mood and atmosphere of this book; the reader goes between the happenings of play rehearsals through the characters' high school drama, but overlaying it all is this threat of darkness that definitely comes to affect everyone. I also loved how she changed the words of the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber songs to make them her own; the theme of the lyrics stayed the same, but was made to fit the plot of her book, and I find that super creative and give her major props!Now I would be remiss if I failed to mention the one thing I was concerned about the most, and that is the love triangle. Yes, there IS a love triangle, and I know that for some that's probably a really off-putting element. BUT, you have to remember that this book mirrors the musical almost exactly, and there is a rather huge love triangle in the plot of the musical itself. And while it DID grate on me - seriously, the whole "two boys fighting over one girl" thing is not only annoying but also unrealistic, because I have NEVER seen this actually happen in reality - it worked really well with the entire plot of the book. Much of the love triangle actually has more to do with learning to see beneath the exterior that people present and having to let go of your preconceived notions and assumptions, and I think that's a pretty awesome thing to be teaching teens - and anyone else - who may read this book. So while I am not a fan of love triangles, this was one time when I was willing to set my distaste for the trope aside to see what the author had in mind for her readers. And honestly, she handled it really well, particularly with how she weaved the tale of Raoul, Christine and the Phantom together with the "real" lives of Becca, Tom and Justyn.This book leaves the reader constantly guessing as to who the person is behind the threats to Becca and the others. And I am not ashamed to say that I actually had no idea who it was, and the reveal definitely had me raising my eyebrows in surprise; there is no heavy-handed foreshadowing here, and I LOVED that - for once - I wasn't able to guess anything. So kudos to the author for writing the mystery in a way that left me reeling! I can say with 100% honesty that I DEFINITELY didn't see it coming.If you're interested in a book that will have you eagerly turning pages while wrapping you up in a truly suspenseful plot and some very real characters, I would highly recommend Phantom. I can safely say that this book has something for every reader!A copy of this book was provided to me by YANR Blog Tours.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!