Mini-Reviews: The Prey, The Good Girls, Messenger of Fear

THE PREY

Title: The Prey
Author: Tom Isbell (@TomIsbell)
Published: January 2015
Series: The Prey #1
Genre: YA Dystopian
Pages: 404
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher (unsolicited)
Find on: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads
Rating: Okay

A hot debut trilogy and a riveting story of survival, courage, and romance in a future where creating a master civilization is the only thing prized, no matter the method. After the Omega (the end of the end), 16 year old guys known as LTs discover their overseers are raising them not to be soldiers (lieutenants) as promised, but to be sold as bait because of their Less Than status and hunted for sport. They escape and join forces with a girls’ camp, the Sisters, who have been imprisoned and experimented on for the "good of the Republic," by a government eager to use twins in their dark research. In their plight for freedom, these heroes must find the best in themselves to fight against the worst in their enemies.

Highlights: The Prey undeniably begins in an intriguing and  utterly brutal world. And once the story gets going, Isbell keeps increasing the intensity as the stakes get higher and the characters are forced to fight for their survival. The action scenes are especially thrilling.

Lowlights: Despite all of the action and mystery, I wasn't really interested in the story or the characters. The characters especially seemed very bland and stereotypical, which made it hard for me to care about them, let alone want to know what happens next for them. While the world is intriguing, it's also very small - Isbell keeps vague about details that could expand this world, and centers the story in a handful locations. All in all, the writing style and this story wasn't for me.

THE GOOD GIRLS

Title: The Good Girls
Author: Sara Shepard (@sarabooks)
Published: June 2nd, 2015
Series: The Perfectionists #2
Genre: YA mystery/thriller
POV: 3rd, multiple
Pages: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher (unsolicited)
Find on: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads
Rating: Really Liked

From Sara Shepard, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, comes the shocking sequel to The Perfectionists--with an ending you'll have to read to believe!

Mackenzie, Ava, Caitlin, Julie, and Parker have done some not-so-perfect things. Even though they all talked about killing rich bully Nolan Hotchkiss, they didn't actually go through with it. It's just a coincidence that Nolan died in exactly the way they planned . . . right? Except Nolan wasn't the only one they fantasized about killing. When someone else they named dies, the girls wonder if they're being framed. Or are they about to become the killer's next targets?

Highlights: The girls from The Perfectionists are back, and if you think you know what's going to happen in this book, guess again. The killer steps up their game in this story, leaving no one safe as the body count rises and the mystery builds. And Shepard makes it quite a fun mystery to unravel. Even after I correctly guessed the Big Bad, Shepard still manage to throw in another plot twist that completely blew my mind and left me with the desire to reread the first novel in order to see how I could have possibly missed it. The Good Girls is a thrilling sequel that pull you in with exciting chapters and twists.

Lowlights: The characters still don't feel like real people. They're easy to differentiate from one another, but the constant jumping back and forth in POV makes it hard to really connect with them or even see them as fully-developed characters. 

MESSENGER OF FEAR

Title: Messenger of Fear
Author: Michael Grant (@MichaelGrantBks)
Published: September 2014
Series: Messenger of Fear #1
Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 272
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publicist (unsolicited)
Find on: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads
Rating: Great

I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself.

And then the games began.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear. 

But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out . . .

Highlights: Grant excels at writing eerie scenes, and I was glued to this fast-paced story from the first page to the last. The Messenger himself is a fascinating side character, undoubtedly full of secrets. His job is both just and somewhat villainous, as he gives those who have done something wrong the chance to play a game in order to atone for their mistakes. Mara's time with the Messenger is predictable, but fascinating as she struggles to find out what she's doing there and why he needs her. Grant packs in a myriad of themes and ideas into such a small number of pages, but it never felt overwhelming. Instead, this creepy story packs a punch with strong morals and ideas. Excellent worldbuilding and an intriguing start to a new series, Messenger of Fear is a disturbing and haunting tale that will leave you eagerly waiting for more. 

Lowlights: Fascinating story, but far too short. The twist was very predictable, and the story far too formulaic (I wonder if it was intentionally written that way, because I know Grant is skilled at writing a surprising and unique story).

Highlights / Lowlights: GET EVEN | GET DIRTY | THE PERFECTIONISTS

Get Even

Title: Get Even

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Published: September 16th, 2014
Series: Don't Get Mad #1
Genre: YA contemporary | mystery
POV: 3rd person, multiple
Pages: 320
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss | Publisher
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars in Gretchen McNeil’s witty and suspenseful novel about four disparate girls who join forces to take revenge on high school bullies and create dangerous enemies for themselves in the process.

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.

When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.

Highlights: A group of girls from different circles band together to get revenge on the more mean-spirited people at their school, and their antics are undeniably fascinating. But, McNeil raises the stakes by introducing a blackmailing killer, who is all too eager to put DGM (Don't Get Mad) out of business for good. Exciting, surprising, and even a little sweet and humorous at times, Get Even is a thrill-ride of a story. 

Lowlights: It took until the halfway point before I was finally able to distinguish each girl and her life from one another. Cliffhanger ending. It felt slightly too long, and there were too many moments where I was already a few steps ahead of the characters. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf: Really Liked, 3+ or 4- out of 5. Just when everything begins to become intriguing, it concludes! But fortunately, the sequel wraps everything up and gives readers the chance to get to know each main character more. 

Get Dirty

Title: Get Dirty

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Published: June 16th, 2015
Series: Don't Get Mad #2
Genre: YA contemporary | mystery
POV: 3rd person, multiple
Pages: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss | Publisher
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

The members of Don’t Get Mad aren’t just mad anymore . . . they’re afraid. And with Margot in a coma and Bree stuck in juvie, it’s up to Olivia and Kitty to try to catch their deadly tormentor. But just as the girls are about to go on the offensive, Ed the Head reveals a shocking secret that turns all their theories upside down. The killer could be anyone, and this time he—or she—is out for more than just revenge.

The girls desperately try to discover the killer’s identity as their personal lives are falling apart: Donté is pulling away from Kitty and seems to be hiding a secret of his own, Bree is under house arrest, and Olivia’s mother is on an emotional downward spiral. The killer is closing in, the threats are becoming more personal, and when the police refuse to listen, the girls have no choice but to confront their anonymous friend . . . or die trying.

Highlights: The killer from Get Even isn't gone yet, and they want Bree, Margot, Kitty, and Olivia to suffer. The stakes are higher, the death rate increases, the secrets multiply, and the mystery only builds with each new revelation. Family and friendship, shockingly, become a much more important part of the story in this novel. 

Lowlights: My #1 suspect from the first novel was, in fact, the Big Bad. A few things were rather obvious, to me at least. I kind of feel like if pieces of this book had been combined with pieces of the first, it would have made an incredibly entertaining mystery. Separately, I couldn't help but to feel like it was one book too many for a mystery that should have been solved in the first novel. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf: Really Liked, 3+ or 4- out of 5. Readers who pay close attention will likely be able to spot a few reveals before they happen, but McNeil still manages to make a few mysteries quite surprising. I'd recommend this duology to anyone who is in need of a good mystery. 

The Perfectionists

Title: The Perfectionists

Author: Sara Shepard

Published: October 7th, 2014
Series: Don't Get Mad #1
Genre: YA contemporary | mystery
POV: 3rd person, multiple
Pages: 336
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss | Publisher
Rating: Tea Party 

In Beacon Heights, Washington, five girls—Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie, Julie, and Parker—know that you don’t have to be good to be perfect. At first the girls think they have nothing in common, until they realize that they all hate Nolan Hotchkiss, who’s done terrible things to each of them. They come up with the perfect way to kill him—a hypothetical murder, of course. It’s just a joke...until Nolan turns up dead, in exactly the way they planned. Only, they didn’t do it. And unless they find the real killer, their perfect lives will come crashing down around them.

Highlights: As with McNeil's Get Even and Get Dirty, Sara Shepard's The Perfectionists is about a group of girls who decide to get revenge on a cruel person who later turns up dead. And every page is very mysterious and exciting to read. The multiple POVs are excellently written, with each girl portraying a distinct personality that makes it impossible to confuse them with one another. As the five girls dig around to find the Nolan Hotchkiss' real killer, many secrets are unearthed, and some of them are quite surprising. The mystery only grows with each new clue, and I am quite curious to see who the killer will turn out to be. 

Lowlights: Perhaps it was because I read Get Even first, but this book seemed like a disappointment. There were many exciting moments, but by the time the story concluded, I felt like barely anything had even happened. The novel is too short, and ends without resolving anything, which I am not overly fond of. 

Rating: Tea Party: Liked, 3+ out of 5. While I had a few issues with The Perfectionists, it was undeniably a fascinating story to get lost in for a few hours, and I cannot wait to see how this mystery unfolds. 

Mini-Review: EVEN IN PARADISE by Chelsey Philpot

Title: Even In Paradise
Author: Chelsey Philpot (@ChelseyPhilpot)
Published: October 14th, 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: Contemporary
POV: 1st
Pages: 368
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden … until now.

Even In Paradise tiptoes quietly into the life of luxury, giving readers a glimpse into a magnetic friendship and a family hiding a secret. Despite how absurdly easy it was to guess the big secret, Even In Paradise managed to give me something more fascinating to focus on: Charlie and Julia's friendship, and Charlie's growth as a character from beginning to end. Being taken in under Julia's wing gives Charlie the chance to glimpse a different life from her own, and it's a life that is as dark as it is vibrant. Even In Paradise is a story where you know things cannot possibly work out perfectly or end in the way you hope, and Philpot executes this story in a perfect, bittersweet fashion. A story about falling in love (both romantically and in the friendship sense), Even In Paradise is a charming debut that will capture your heart. 

Highlights: I'm not sure if it's intentional, but this story is reminiscent of The Great Gatsby – from the names to the glimpses of the upper class, and it's a very nice vibe. There are some moments between chapters where Philpot includes short snippets and scenes, and they feel like glimpses into something that you're not quite sure of at the moment – kind of like overhearing a conversation. Both girls are wonderfully realistic and complicated as they stumble through life and make mistakes. Also, descriptions are quite lovely at times. 

Lowlights: I dislike (but understand) how Charlotte could pull away and ignore her old friends, and her dependence on Julia grew tiresome. Yet, those actions made her realistic. The secret was also incredibly obvious from the very beginning, so that was hardly a mystery. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5). I quite enjoyed Even In Paradise, enough to want a copy somewhere in the royal library. It had a few issues, but kept my attention easily. I'd recommend checking this one out!

Mini-Review: WILD by Alex Mallory

Title: Wild
Author: Alex Mallory (aka Saundra Mitchell)
Published: July 8th 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary | retelling
POV: 3rd person, switching
Pages: 448
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Courtyard

The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving— that’s all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he’s the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger…

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy— he’s stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust back into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he’s not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade’s past tear them apart?

A YA Tarzan retelling.

Wild is a retelling of Tarzan, and it is an interesting take on that story. Cade is a survivor and highly in balance with nature – he knows how to the move and all the tricks it takes to survive in a forest from season to season. Dara, meanwhile, is your average high school teenager who loves photography and finds her relationship with her boyfriend slowly unraveling, especially once Dara and Cade collide. Their connection is immediate, and never wavers as Cade finds himself entering Dara's world. He's a fish-out-of-water, and the media is ready to devour him and his oddness. His character is undeniably the best part of the novel, along with Mallory's descriptions of various settings (especially the forest). A story about difference, friendship, and discovering the truth, Wild is a fresh and intriguing story. 

Highlights: Cade's perspective and his character were great. I loved the chapters that zeroed in on his mindset and loved how he saw the world. He has this innocence and wonder to him as he explored Dara's world, and that genuine sweetness and cluelessness made him an intriguing character. Dara's love for photograph was also nice, and some of the descriptions for her photographs were lovely. I also liked Dara's relationship with her sister, and how it was a bit messy but still realistic. 

Lowlights: I ended up lowering the rating because the story itself, while fascinating, ultimately disappointed. I didn't care about the characters, or for the multiple POV jumps. What little mystery that was present wasn't actually mysterious. And in the end, the only reason I continued reading was to see what would happen, and to enjoy Cade's fish-out-of-water perspective.

Rating: The Courtyard (very low 3 out of 5). I did like this book while reading, so Wild does have permission to hang around the palace grounds. But, the more I thought about Wild after finishing, the more I realized it was lacking that extra spark. It's a likable story, but it has some problems and is ultimately a story I will forget. Regardless, I'd recommend checking it out if you're a fan of Tarzan and are in any way curious about this novel!

Highlights / Lowlights: DEATH SWORN, ALTERED, HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW

DEATH SWORN

Title: Death Sworn

Author: Leah Cypress

Published: March 2014

Series: Death Sworn #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

POV: 1st person

Pages: 352

Publisher: Greenwillow

Format: e-ARC

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: Tea Party

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.

But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

Highlights: The magic system in Death Sworn is fascinating, and it's nice to see a protagonist who struggles and relies on their wits to get them through tough situations. Ileni used to be impressive and powerful, but now her magic continues to fade away, but she doesn't let that hold her back. Even though the setting is limited to the assassin's cave, Cypress writes the setting in a wonderfully detailed fashion that brings every inch to life. The mystery behind what happened to the previous tutors, and what may happen to Ileni, kept me curious and intrigued until the very bittersweet conclusion. Action, secrets, magic - it was truly a wonderful story. 

Lowlights: I wish the setting had been expanded a bit wider. The romance was weak, and the characters could have been developed a bit more. As much as I enjoyed the story, I was left a bit underwhelmed, but I have a feeling the next novel will be even better. 

Rating: Tea Party (very high 3 out of 5). I enjoyed this story very much, enough that I'd like to have it around for a tea every so often. Yet, while I greatly enjoyed Death Sworn, it hasn't earned a permanent spot in my palace. 

ALTERED

Title: Altered

Author: Gennifer Albin

Published: October 2013

Series: Crewel World #2

Genre: YA sci-fi / dystopia / paranormal

POV: 1st person

Pages: 401

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Format: Print ARC

Source: Publicist

Rating: Tea Party

Life. Possibility. Choice.

All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.

But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.

Highlights: I found Albin's debut surprising and fascinating, and the sequel to Crewel proved to be more of the same. Adelice finds herself in a new place, where life is very different than the one she knew as a spinster. Earth is such a different place than it used to be, and the horrifying Remnants make it a dangerous place to be. The secrets that are revealed about her past, her parents, and her new "allies" were so fascinating and shocking. This is one of those stories that keeps you glued to the pages, eager for more. 

Lowlights: The romance was so disappointing. The love triangle is in full force, but I couldn't root for either love interest. I probably would have liked this book so much more without the love triangle. 

Rating: Tea Party (high 3 out of 5). I enjoyed this story very much, enough that I'd like to have it around for a tea every so often. Yet, while I greatly enjoyed Altered, it hasn't earned a permanent spot in my palace. 

HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW

Title: House of Ivy & Sorrow

Author: Natalie Whipple

Published: April 2014

Series: ?

Genre: YA paranormal

POV: 1st person

Pages: 360

Publisher: HarperTeen

Format: Electronic ARC

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf.

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

Highlights: In Whipple's story, magic is a bit dark and always requires a price of some sort – be it blood, a fingernail, or even something more significant. Jo's fierce love for her friends and family appealed to me (and I especially loved her relationship with her grandmother and other odd relatives). The romance, while I had my doubts, was sweet as it built. But the setting of Jo's house intrigued me the most, and I couldn't get enough of the scenes that took place there. Secrets, magic, and more, House of Ivy & Sorrow entertains in each and every chapter. 

Lowlights: Despite the darker moments, Jo's youthful personality causes this story to feel a bit younger (which isn't necessarily a problem, merely unexpected). I found the self-harm (for the sake of magic) to be a bit disconcerting as well. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (very low 4 out of 5). House of Ivy & Sorrow is great and probably worth purchasing (especially if it's on sale). If I do purchase this story, it only earns a spot on the bottom shelves of the royal library. I enjoyed it enough to want to read it more than once, but I do have some issues with the story that I cannot ignore.

Highlights / Lowlights: THE MURDER COMPLEX, SLEEP NO MORE, THE FURY

THE MURDER COMPLEX

Title: The Murder Complex

Author: Lindsay Cummings

Published: June 10th, 2014

Series: The Murder Complex #1

Genre: YA dystopian

POV: 1st person, alternating

Pages: 398

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Format: e-ARC

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Highlights: A brutal world + action-packed story + two very different narrators = one intriguing novel. Cummings debuts with a dark, gory novel filled with plenty of secrets and surprises to keep her readers on their toes. Familial bonds, even if a bit intense, were nice to see. I do believe Zepher's story is initially the more intriguing, but both of their narrations quickly intertwine and become equally fascinating. The beginning is slow, but the novel finishes with a bang that will leave readers curious for so much more.

Lowlights: I wish the romance hadn't of happened. It's not the fastest-paced romance I've read, but I think they could do with a slower relationship considering everything that happens in the book. I'm also a bit confused about the brutality of their world. Explanations are provided, but they seem a bit illogical.

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

SLEEP NO MORE

Title: Sleep No More

Author: Aprilynne Pike

Published: April 29th, 2014

Series: Charlotte Westing Chronicles #1

Genre: YA paranormal

POV: 1st

Pages: 340

Publisher: HarperTeen

Format: electronic ARC

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: The Dungeons

Charlotte Westing has a gift. She is an Oracle and has the ability to tell the future. But it doesn't do her much good. Instead of using their miraculous power, modern-day Oracles are told to fight their visions—to refrain from interfering. And Charlotte knows the price of breaking the rules. She sees it every day in her wheelchair-bound mother and the absence of her father. But when a premonition of a classmate's death is too strong for her to ignore, Charlotte is forced to make an impossible decision: continue following the rules or risk everything—even her sanity—to stop the serial killer who is stalking her town

Highlights: I've always been fascinated by stories about oracles and seeing the future. There's something inherently intriguing about knowing what's going to happen in the future. And, Charlotte's visions didn't disappoint - they're gritty, dark, terrifying, and captivating. Her gift come with a price, and a truly unfair burden on Charlotte. The motives behind the killings was the only reason I kept reading, and I found the truth behind that to be intriguing.

Lowlights: One of the largest problems I had with Sleep No More was that I simply did not care - about the characters, about the story, about the writing. If I wasn't so determined to finish books, I would have stopped reading this one 50 pages in. But, setting this book aside was still an easy thing to do, mostly because everything felt predictable to me¹. And Charlotte? It took everything I had in me to root for a girl who is so stupid and foolish². The romance was also underwhelming and kind of out of place.

Rating: The Dungeons (2 out of 5). Sleep No More had a couple good moments, but it also had many lowlights. I like this story enough not to exile it from the Queendom, but I'm quite annoyed with it, too. So, this novel gets to spend some time in the dungeons. I'd recommend reading a few chapters to see if Sleep No More is for you - it may not be my cup of tea, but it might be yours!

1 I usually find it easy to unravel a mystery early on. In this case, it seemed too easy to guess the bad guy, because it was so obvious, but at least the motive kept me intrigued until the end.

2 I realize that we all make stupid mistakes when we're teenagers, but Charlotte makes huge, harmful mistakes. All it would have taken was opening up to her aunt, being honest, and so much trouble could have been avoided.

THE FURY

Title: The Fury

Author: Alexander Gordon Smith

Published: July 2013

Series: The Fury #1

Genre: YA horror

POV: 3rd person

Pages: 688

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Format: print ARC

Source: Publicist

Rating: DNF

Imagine if one day, without warning, the entire human race turns against you, if every person you know, every person you meet becomes a bloodthirsty, mindless savage . . . That’s the horrifying reality for Cal, Brick, and Daisy. Friends, family, even moms and dads, are out to get them. Their world has the Fury. It will not rest until they are dead.
In Alexander Gordon Smith’s adrenaline-fueled saga, Cal and the others must uncover the truth about what is happening before it destroys them all. But survival comes at a cost. In their search for answers, what they discover will launch them into battle with an enemy of unimaginable power.

Highlights: Brutal, terrifying, and intense, The Fury moves at a quick pace as it follows three very different protagonists during an incredibly horrifying time. Just imagine - one day, everyone you know and love turns on you, eagerly taking any chance they can to tear you apart (figuratively, and eventually, literally). As a horror fan, this book was intriguing to me. There are moments in the beginning where this intense, deadly hatred builds slowly and terrifyingly.

Lowlights: This is one of the few novels I couldn't bring myself to finish reading. While there were aspects I enjoyed, I couldn't get into the author's writing style. The POV switches and characters bothered me, until I finally got to a point where I simply couldn't care enough to finish.

Rating: DNF (did not finish), so there will be no rating for this book. If you're looking for a action-packed, horror novel, I'd recommend giving this one a shot. It didn't work for me, but plenty of other readers seem to be enjoying it. 

Sampler Reviews: THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES & RUIN AND RISING

Title: THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

By: Stefan Bachmann, Katherine Catmull, Claire Legrand, Emma Trevayne (Cabinet of Curiosities Website)

Illustrator: Alexander Jansson

Published: May 27th, 2014

Genre: MG

Pages: 304

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format: e-ARC preview

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

A collection of forty eerie, mysterious, intriguing, and very short short stories presented by the cabinet’s esteemed curators, otherwise known as acclaimed authors Stefan Bachmann, Katherine Catmull, Claire LeGrand, and Emma Trevayne. Perfect for fans of Alvin Schwartz and anyone who relishes a good creepy read-alone or read-aloud story. Features an introduction and commentary by the curators, and illustrations and decorations throughout.

The galley I downloaded from Edelweiss was a preview that included four of the total forty stories (curses!). But, it was enough to intrigue and leave me wishing for more. 

FAIRY CAKES (by Emma Trevayne)

Every year, the fairies visit in the night. While the townspeople usually leave out cakes to satisfy the fairies devasting hunger, this year, things are a bit different....This was quite a story to begin with! Trevayne builds tension nicely with this fast-paced, disturbing, and eerie tale. It's very story-focused, with hardly any focus on characters, which was different and unexpected. 3.5 out of 5

RED SHOWS AND DOLL PARTS (by Claire Legrand)

When a story begins with a girl and her beloved wooden doll, you know it's going to be interesting. Legrand does not disappoint as she presents Jackie and the very creepy Mr. Jimmy. I don't know what it is about dolls, but there's something unnerving about them, and Mr. Jimmy is easily one of the eeriest. This is one of those stories that left me wondering and pondering certain ideas, and I love stories that keep me thinking.  4 out of 5

TRANSCRIPT: INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AN 11-YEAR-OLD MALE, TWO WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT (by Katherine Catmull)

This story, written as a transcript that tells the story of a boy and a prank gone terribly wrong, is my favorite so far. I never knew what to expect, and the reveal at the conclusion was fascinatingly eerie and strange. Even though the main characters speaking in the transcript are not named, the young boy's story evokes strong emotions and tells the reader quite a bit about him. 4.5 out of 5

MABEL MAVELIA (by Stefan Bachmann)

An odd story about a very strange garden that a girl finds once her family moves her to a new home. Mabel is thoroughly unlikable, but that's a part of the story's charm. I'm not sure if it was an intentional allusion or not, but certain aspects reminded me of the "The Yellow Wallpaper", which only added to the eerie quality of Bachmann's story. As much as I enjoyed this one, it felt like something was missing. 3.5 out of 5

In the end, I will likely check out The Cabinet of Curiosities now that it's released, so I can finally read the rest of the stories and see more of Alexander Jansson's artwork. 

Title: RUIN AND RISING Sampler

By: Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 17th, 2014
Series: The Grisha #3

Genre: YA fantasy

Pages: around 64 

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Format: print sampler

Source: Publisher

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

Highlights: Even though the sampler was only a few chapters long, Bardugo's writing style hooked me from the beginning. I love how Bardugo's novels begin in a slightly haunting fairytale fashion, before transitioning into Alina's POV. There's a lot that's happening at the beginning of Ruin and Rising, and the intensity and excitement level picks up very quickly. Since the last novel, everything has changed, and it's difficult to tell who's friend or foe to Alina. If this sampler is any indication, I have a feeling the full novel will be full of surprises, not to mention be a complete thrill to read.

Lowlights: Not enough chapters! Fortunately, the book releases on June 17th, and we can all finally figure out what happens! 

Highlights / Lowlights: RACING SAVANNAH, FATES, CRUEL BEAUTY

Title: Racing Savannah
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Released: December 2013
Series: companion novel, Hundred Oaks #4
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

Highlights: Kenneally's novels are easy to breeze through in a single day. The romance is sweet, if a little frustrating a times. Having an athletic narrator who desires nothing more than to become a horse jockey is awesome - I love how Kenneally usually portrays girls who love sports, especially since those girls tend to become overlooked in literature. The romance is incredibly well done and adorably endearing. I really loved Savannah's family life too - it's a bit complicated, but at the end of the day, they try to be there for each other. 

Lowlights: I'm starting to think I have some sort of character issue with Kenneally's writing style, because while I do enjoy her stories, I never fully connect to the characters or storylines. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

Title: Fates
Author: Lanie Bross (aka Lee Bross)
Released: February 2014
Series: Fates #1
Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 336
Publisher: Delacorte
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Great Hall

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people's fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she is falling all over again--this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

Highlights: Bross's debut exudes creative ideas, and I never quite knew what to expect from Fates because of it. The alternate worlds presented are fascinating, dangerous, and highly captivating. Corinthe's journey was especially intense and exciting, and I loved learning more about her unusual life / history as a Fate. Bross's take on mythology is familiar, yet deviates enough to generate interest. 

Lowlights: I think this story was a bit too ambitious, to the point where everything became slightly confusing. The third person narration distanced me from the two narrators too much, to the point where I hardly cared about either one of them. And I definitely did not believe their romantic connection, which built too quickly (especially considering Corinthe keeps trying to kill Lucas).

Rating: The Great Hall (3.5 out of 5).

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Released: January 2014
Series: ?
Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 342
Publisher: Balzar + Bray
Format: e-ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Highlights: Trained from birth to kill her world's most powerful being? That's an awesome concept, and Nyx's fierce personality didn't disappoint. Nyx is a complicated heroine, who strong, scared, determined, and displays moments of anger and selfishness that remind the reader of the unfairness to her situation. The writing is lush and flows easily from one word to the next. I can honestly say this is the more creative retellings I've ever read. I was never entirely sure where this story was going to end up, and I loved how Cruel Beauty kept me curious and intrigued - which is exactly what I want a book to do.

Lowlights: I wasn't completely sold on the ending or the romance. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

Highlights / Lowlights: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS, DEFY, and RUSH

Title: All Our Yesterdays
Author: Cristin Terrill
Published: September 3rd, 2013
Series: N/A
Genre: YA Sci-fi / thriller
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
POV: 1st person
Pages: 360
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Highlights: The concept for this story is fantastic, plus there's time travel. Cristin Terrill's style of time travel is especially fascinating, and I liked seeing the way things changed in the past/future and worked within the story. The romance was (to my surprise) entirely believable, and very sweet. I also really enjoyed the dual POV, and believe each voice was truly well done. The two different, but similar, narrators grow within the story. The pace is quick and gripping. All Our Yesterdays was a fantastic story overall, and an exciting story to read.

Lowlights: I was surprised to find that I wasn't loving this story as much as everyone else. I like it a lot, but I did not connect with it the way other readers have. I found the ending to be slightly confusing (but, time travel paradoxes confuse me).

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Published: January 7th, 2014
Series: Defy #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
POV: 1st person
Pages: 336
Format: E-ARC / Kindle Book
Source: Netgalley / Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Highlights: Alexa's voice is incredibly accessible, and I was rooting for her from the first page to the last. She's a tough girl who is willing to fight, but she has a vulnerable side. The story moved in unexpected directions, and I was never quite sure what was going to happen next. The world is fascinating, deadly, and expansive. Larson takes readers through a few settings and locations, and each was more intriguing than the last. The fighting scenes, however, were definitely my favorite part, because Larson created so much tension and excitement in those moments. All in all, Defy is action-packed and thrilling to read.

Lowlights: I did have some issues with the romance - Larson somewhat creates a love triangle, but both sides are unimpressive (and one character obviously doesn't even stand a chance, at least in this book). The romance aspect made Alexa less confident in herself and her choices, and that was disappointing. I was really looking forward to the gender-bending aspect, but Alexa's male persona seen through pretty easily by other characters.

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (4 out of 5).

Title: Rush
Author: Eve Silver
Published: June 11th, 2013
Series: The Game #1
Genre: YA sci-fi
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
POV: 1st person
Pages: 361
Format: Hardcover
Source: Won from Epic Reads
Rating: The Great Hall.

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Highlights: Action-packed from the very beginning, Rush is thrilling. I was not sure what to expect, but this story delivered by presenting an exciting story that was undeniably difficult to set aside. The video game aspect was fantastic and one of my favorite parts of the novel. Miki is a very easy to relate with, and she's incredibly realistic about her highly unusual situation. Luka was fabulous, along with quite a few other side characters. Deadly aliens and tough teenagers, this story is a complete thrill.

Lowlights: Carly, the supposed BFF: The reader is told she's usually a great friend, but I don't see it. Jackson, the mysterious and totally badass leader whom Miki falls into insta-love with (after only a week or so of knowing one another). Despite the answers given, I'm a bit confused by certain aspects of the story's concept. And the ending! Honestly, I feel like this novel needed to be stretched out a bit more, with more pages, more time passing, more interactions between characters, and more answers.

Rating: The Great Hall (3.5 out of 5).

Mini-Review: UNDERCURRENT by Paul Blackwell

Title: UNDERCURRENT

Author: Paul Blackwell

Published: July 2013

Series: N/A

Genre: YA 

Pages: 320

Publisher: HarperTeen

Format: ARC
Source: Won from Epic Reads

Rating: The Dungeons

In this suspenseful teen thriller with a touch of the otherworldly, a boy goes over a waterfall and wakes up to find himself in a twisted version of the life he knew. Why did his best friend try to kill him? Why are his parents acting like he’s a sports star all of a sudden? Worst of all, what happened to his older brother? Filled with mind-bending suspense and unsettling thrills, Undercurrent is a grippingly paced teen debut that will pull you under and never let go.

UNDERCURRENT is a novel that had a lot of potential with such an intriguing, parallel-world concept, but it failed to hit the mark for me. From the beginning, it was shockingly easy to solve one of the larger mysteries of the novel, and Callum could have done so much more to figure out what was happening around him instead of acting like an idiot. The beginning is undeniably intense and intriguing, but the excitement quickly fades away as the predictability and the unimpressive writing style take control of the story. Secondary characters were not fleshed out or present enough, and I found Callum's narration / the writing style to be incredibly unimpressive. Yet, this is still a fast-paced story that I am sure some readers will find enjoyable.

I would give this story The Dungeons rating (2.5 out of 5).  UNDERCURRENT had potential, but it was not the story for me. I like elements of this story enough not to exile it from the Queendom, but I'm quite annoyed with it, too. So, this story will spend some time in the dungeons, but I'll release (donate) it after a few days. However, I would still recommend checking out UNDERCURRENT if it captures your interest. While this book was not my cup of tea, it may be the perfect story for you. 

Highlights / Lowlights: STARGLASS by Phoebe North

Title: STARGLASS
Author: Phoebe North
Series: Starglass #1
Published: July 23rd, 2013
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Publisher: S&S BYR
POV: 1st person
Pages: 448
Format: e-ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Great Hall

Terra has never known anything but life aboard the Asherah, a city-within-a-spaceship that left Earth five hundred years ago in search of refuge. At sixteen, working a job that doesn't interest her, and living with a grieving father who only notices her when he's yelling, Terra is sure that there has to be more to life than what she's got.

But when she inadvertently witnesses the captain's guard murdering an innocent man, Terra is suddenly thrust into the dark world beneath her ship's idyllic surface. As she's drawn into a secret rebellion determined to restore power to the people, Terra discovers that her choices may determine life or death for the people she cares most about. With mere months to go before landing on the long-promised planet, Terra has to make the decision of a lifetime--one that will determine the fate of her people.

Highlights: The world of the Asherah, the spaceship traveling to a new planet called Zehava, was nicely developed and highly enriched with culture and religion. This society is both intriguing and subtly terrifying. Terra is a fascinating protagonist who made me love and hate her at the same time, which is always fascinating to read. Relationships between characters kept me hooked, both positive and negative ones. North makes STARGLASS unique, keeping her readers on their toes by having the story wander off in new directions. While certain aspects of the romance were easy to see coming, I enjoyed how complicated both romantic situations proved to be. In the end, the world and characters of STARGLASS are fascinating, and I will definitely be looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Lowlights: The slow pacing of this story is a bit difficult to adjust to – for the most part, not a lot happens. There's a lot of focus on Terra's very complicated "love" life and her work life (I enjoyed the latter a bit more, mostly because I think Mara is a fabulous character). The distorted religious aspect confused me for most of the book. I think the biggest problem was that the interesting part of the story came too late, and it took too long for Terra to "fulfill" her end of the bargain. My spoiler-ish comments can be viewed on Goodreads. 

Rating: The Great Hall. (aka, 3.7 out of 5). STARGLASS was very likable, enough that I want a copy somewhere in the palace, even if it doesn't earn a spot in the royal library (perhaps I'll get it as an eBook, if it's on sale). YA sci-fans who are looking for a story that travels in unexpected directions should check out STARGLASS, because you will definitely be in for a surprise. 

Highlights / Lowlights: UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody

Title: UNREMEMBERED
Author: Jessica Brody
Published: March 5th, 2013
Genre: YA, mystery, sci-fi
Series: Unremembered #1
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux BYR
POV: 1st person
Pages: 320
Format: ARC, paperback
Source: Publicist
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf.

"The only thing worse than forgetting her past... is remembering it.

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?"

Highlights: The pacing in UNREMEMBERED is fast, making it incredibly easy to fly through this story in only a matter of hours. Seraphina's foster family is fabulous - especially Cody, who was such a genuine, amusing, and likable young boy.  Seraphina was interesting enough as a protagonist to capture my attention, and I found her oddities and secret past to be completely fascinating. An edge-of-your-seat, fast-paced story, UNREMEMBERED is one mystery readers will love to unravel and piece back together.

Lowlights: Many of the twists are easily predicted (a few, fortunately, were not easy to predict but were a bit underwhelming). The romance fell flat, and I had a hard time believing in it. While I enjoyed the straight-forward writing, there's really nothing overly special about the writing style.

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (Low 4 out of 5). UNREMEMBERED is very good and extremely engaging, but it's more of a borrow-at-the-library kind of book. I enjoyed it enough that I may want to reread it again in the future, but I do have some issues with the story that I cannot ignore. Yet, if this story calls out to you, I'd recommend checking it out! The action and surprising reveals make it worth a read. 

Highlights / Lowlights: HOW TO LOVE by Katie Cotugno

Title: HOW TO LOVE
Author: Katie Cotugno
Published: October 1st, 2013
Series: N/A

Genre: YA/NA contemporary

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

POV: 1st person, present and past tense

Pages: 389

Format: Printed ARC

Source: Amazon Vine

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice..

Highlights: Reena is an older protagonist who is far from perfect, constantly making mistakes but still managing to grow and learn from them. I enjoyed the Before / After points-of-view, because it was fascinating to see the old and present Reena. Reena and Sawyer's romance is a bit strange - at times, I loved them together. But, at other moments, I couldn't help but to see all the problems they create by enabling one another in their bad habits. As a whole, while I had issues with the romance, I still found it to be captivating. I like the emphasis on family and friendship, even if both were a bit rocky at times. The writing style itself was nice and descriptive, flowing from one word to the next. This is an easy book to get caught up in for a few hours, and the changes Reena goes through make this is a worthwhile read. HOW TO LOVE is an excellent story about family, friends, love, and second chances.

Lowlights: Sawyer. He did grow on me a little by the end, but I still felt like he hadn't proved himself or fixed any of his past mistakes. Even Reena was a bit frustrating at times, too. But, none of this stopped me from enjoying the story. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf. HOW TO LOVE is a great story that is worth owning, and has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues I had with the romance / couple. I would absolutely recommend HOW TO LOVE to other readers.