Highlights / Lowlights: OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: OBSIDIAN
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout (@JLArmentrout)
Published: November 2011
Series: Lux #1
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Publisher: Entangled Publishing POV: 1st person Pages: 294  Format: Kindle eBook Source: Bought Rating: The Great Hall

Starting over sucks. 
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 
And then he opened his mouth. 
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 
The hot alien living next door marks me. 
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Highlights: New town, new school, new friends, and a few new problems – Katy is off to quite a start. Katy is an amusing narrator, not to mention a book blogger, so it was easy enough to enjoy and relate to her character. OBSIDIAN is an entertaining story to read, and I can see why so many readers love this book. I was grinning, laughing out loud, scoffing, and utterly unable to contain my wide variety of reactions once I began this novel. While I found the romance to be underwhelming, I highly enjoyed character interactions and Armentrout's type of humor. 

Lowlights: Predictable, with an overall plot that is reminiscent of other stories, and some clichés are thrown in as well. Daemon was a frustrating love interest, what with his constant need to act like a jerk. The summary states that there are aliens, but it took what felt like an eternity for Katy to figure it out¹. The alien "reveal" had too much info-dumping, too. 

Rating: The Great Hall (high 3 out of 5). OBSIDIAN was very likable, but honestly, the only reason I bought this book was because it was on sale for Kindle. While there are some flaws, I do think I would read it again, but I'm not sure if I'll ever read the rest of this series. But, anyone who is interested in OBSIDIAN should definitely check it out, because it is a humorous and fun story. 
1 Which sucks, because then you're all "Katy, they're aliens! ALIENS!!" until she finally figures it out. And then once the alien reveal happens, you're like "Duh, I've only been been telling you that they're aliens for how many pages?"² 2 Umm, I mean, there was no talking to fictional characters. I would never do that, because that would be crazy. *walks away innocently*

Review: STARRY NIGHTS by Daisy Whitney

Title: STARRY NIGHTS
Author: Daisy Whitney
Published: September 2013
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA
Publisher: Bloomsbury
POV: 1st person
Pages: 280
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Great Hall

Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.

The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can't help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world's greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they've ever known.

Like a master painter herself, Daisy Whitney brings inordinate talent and ingenuity to this romantic, suspenseful, and sophisticated new novel. A beautifully decorated package makes it a must-own in print.

For Julian, art comes to life. As in, art actually comes to life. Once night falls, the artwork hanging in the museum leave their frames and step into real life. But while dancing Degas ballerinas are fun to watch, there's only one painting that Julian wants to see come to life: The Girl in the Garden. Thought to be long lost but recently found, there's something about her that captures Julian's attention. Add in a personality-filled Bonheur (and his awesome sister Sophie), a little magic dust, and an old enemy who is bent on claiming The Girl in The Garden, and you're in for an interesting story.

STARRY NIGHTS features fantastic characters and an even more intriguing concept. Yet, for all the fun that Julian & Co. provide, I was left wishing for more meaning and originality to the story. Whitney tugged at my emotions with her debut, THE MOCKINGBIRDS, so I was very surprised by how little I felt while reading this story. Simply put, STARRY NIGHTS is a cute and light read that will undeniably entertain readers in the mood for such a story, but it does not come close the excellency of Whitney's other works. If you're looking for a quick and fun library check-out, this book is for you. 

Highlights: Paintings come to life¹. I really liked Julian, Bonheur, Sophie, Emilie and other characters. I loved learning who Clio really was, especially since her true identity was an interesting twist. The art aspect was fantastic, though I wish we could have seen some of it in the story (if only pictures of the artwork could have been included, that would have been amazing).

Lowlights: The romance was unbelievable. As a crush? Sure. As love? No way. So when the l-word was introduced, I stopped believing in the romance. Also, for a Parisian boy, Julian sounds an awful lot like an American teenager. It's been my experience that people from anywhere tend to have their own local/cultural slang that comes with the territory of growing up in a certain area. If I hadn't been told that this story was set in Paris, I would have assumed it was meant to be Anywhere, USA.

Rating: The Great Hall (high 3 out of 5). This book was very likable, enough that I want a copy in the palace even if it doesn't earn a spot in the royal library. STARRY NIGHTS is a likable and entertaining novel, but there are a few issues. 

1 I took a few Art History classes early in college, and they were outstanding. So, it was very cool read about artwork I've studied before, especially in a story where they come to life. Although I'm not going to lie, the Mona Lisa's secret was slightly underwhelming.

Review: TORCHED by Andrea Lynn Colt

Title: TORCHED
Author: Andrea Lynn Colt
Published: September 2012
Series: None
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: self-published
Pages: 370
POV: 1st person
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

"Cheerleader Rose Whitfield's senior year goes up in smoke when she's framed for arson.

Sure that the culprit is her neighbor Paxton, with whom she's been feuding since middle school, she sets out to clear her name and take Paxton down hard--not necessarily in that order."

Rose Whitfield has it all: the perfect boyfriend, a popular BFF, the captain spot on the cheerleading squad and the top GPA at her high school. But, with a little fuel for the fire and the strike of a match, Rose's perfect life goes up in (actual) flames. Framed for arson, Rose quickly learns who her allies are when the people who should stand behind her – her boyfriend, best friend, and even her parents – don't seem to believe she's innocent. With only one person to rely on, and the absolute last person she ever expected to believe her, Rose digs for the truth. But thanks to her history of pranks that sometimes go awry, Rose discovers that she might have made more enemies during the last few years than she could have ever guessed.

A humorous and surprise-filled debut novel, TORCHED is an enjoyable mystery that will keep you glued to the pages from start to finish. Colt writes with plenty of humor, giving Rose an amusing voice that feels fresh and authentic. While the romantic aspect of the story is easy to see coming, it's an endearing inclusion that rounds out this mystery novel very nicely. Speaking of mystery, Colt keeps the suspense alive and burning throughout most of the novel – giving small hints here and there, but saving the reveal until much closer to the conclusion. Even when I originally guessed the culprit, Colt made me doubt my choice left me changing my mind repeatedly. If you're looking for a fun story with a dash of romance and plenty of mystery, I would highly suggest checking out TORCHED. 

Highlights: Colt's writing is fun, fresh, and very easy to enjoy. Rose's transformation and effort to be a better person was gradual and realistic. The romance was sweet and genuine. Each character was authentic in their own right. Honestly, as a whole, this book went above and beyond my admittedly low expectations. I usually equate low novel prices to low quality writing, but TORCHED is the exception. Also, I love that Rose named her car Cloudmonster. 

Lowlights: Rose spends a lot of time focusing on the (obviously) wrong person for a little more than a 100 pages, which I found a bit frustrating. OH! And Rose's parents. My gosh. What is wrong with them?!

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf. TORCHED is a fantastic story worth owning, and it has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues, and would recommend TORCHED to other readers, especially if you're a fan of mystery, humor, and romance. 

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel
Sarah Beth Durst
September 11th, 2012
424 pages (Hardcover)
Margaret K. McElderry
POV: 3rd person
Source: Author/Publisher

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Gods and goddesses, deserts and droughts, fate and freedom....Sarah Beth Durst's newest novel has it all, and then some. Easily one of the best stories I've read all year, VESSEL is a highly creative, richly cultured, and wonderfully executed fantasy novel that sweeps across the harsh desert lands as one extraordinary young woman tries to save her people. Liyana, destined to give up her body to her goddess Bayla, is determined to find her missing goddess and unwilling to yield or give up without a fight.

Despite how very journey-orientated this story is – since Liyana and Korbyn¹ are wandering the desert as they look for the other vessels and the missing gods and goddesses – Durst throws in quite a few surprises along the way to keep a reader hooked and guessing about the final outcome. The pacing picks up and slows down repeatedly, and kept me completely entranced by this story from start to finish. If you're a fan of fantasy stories rich in culture, amusing characters, and brimming with unpredictability, then VESSEL should be the next novel on your To-Read list. 

Highlights: The worldbuilding, characters, story...everything is exceptional in VESSEL. Durst takes her characters in different directions than expected. Liyana's family rocked. Liyana is an excellent and humorous protagonist that's easy to like. I loved seeing the other clans and their vessels. The sporadic second narration kept me curious in the beginning and it was interesting to see how it all tied together with Liyana. 

Lowlights: I was a bit sad about the way the story ended (especially romantically, it didn't work out the way I hoped it would), but it was the best possible ending for the story. It's too bad this book is a standalone, because I really wish there were more books! 

Rating: 

1 Who doesn't love a trickster god? *swoons*

Review: Untraceable by SR Johannes

Untraceable
SR Johannes
November 2011
315 pages (Kindle)
Coleman & Stott
Source: Purchased

"16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves." 

When it comes to self-published novels, I'm rarely a fan. They usually seem unpolished and too underdeveloped. Yet, to my surprise, Johannes quickly made me a fan of her story, her writing, and her characters. As a protagonist, Grace is very endearing with her spunky, opinionated, and fiercely determined nature. While everyone else in her small town has given up on finding her father alive after he's been missing for three months, Grace has invested herself in investigating his disappearance in order to discover the truth. 
Gripping and exciting, Untraceable went above and beyond my expectations. From the romance to the family aspects, each was portrayed as realistically as possible - with all the awkward moments and silly fights you'd expect from each. But it was the characters, and especially Grace's insights, that made this story incredible. The great thing about Grace is that, despite her skills and resourcefulness, she makes mistakes and sometimes needs a helping hand. If you're looking for a mystery you can't set aside with a dash of romance and an outstanding narrator, look no further because Untraceable has it all. 
Highlights: While I was able to guess a few things, Johannes managed to stun me with a couple revelations. Very vivid regarding imagery, excellent pacing, and a wonderful cast of characters. I love how Grace quoted Monty Python¹. The survival tips. The romance seemed genuine. Even with all of the darker elements, Johannes wrote enough humor to keep this story nicely balanced.

Lowlights: Two or three instances with spelling errors. Sometimes, Grace jumped to certain conclusions without any thought.
Note: Descriptions of animal abuse. Also, person-against-person violence. Nothing you haven't seen before in a PG-13 movie. 
Rating: 

1 "It's just a flesh wound"
* Quote on page 99, location 2148 (Kindle)

Review: Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Timepiece
Myra McEntire
June 12th 2012
336 pages (hardcover)
Egmont USA
Source - Netgalley

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The second installment in the Hourglass series, Timepiece introduces Kaleb Ballard as the narrator. Things have been a little crazy since the last book, especially Kaleb's relationships with his friends and family. He's still going out, getting drunk, spiraling downhill and self-destructing. But, Kaleb has more to worry about lately. The time ripples are getting worse and more intrusive, there's a girl he just can't win over, and everything he knows may cease to exist if Kaleb doesn't find Jack Landers soon. Now, Kaleb's left with only two options: Find Jack, or deal with the consequences. 

The risks are higher and the tension is palpable in Timepiece. Initially, I was wary of having Kaleb as a narrator, but there's more to this guy than meets the eye. The story sets off with a humorous moment that turns heart-pounding and somewhat terrifying. From there, the story only continues to grow and shine with each page and plot twist. While the plot alone is intriguing enough to capture a readers attention, Kaleb's voice (and character growth) is what brings this book to life. Timepiece is a solid and standout sequel -- I can't wait to see what happens next in Infinityglass.

Highlights: Kaleb's voice was engaging, amusing, endearing, and completely unlike what I expected from him. His interactions with Lily were hilarious. The mysteries in this book captivated me from start to finish. The romance was sweet and perfectly paced. Also, I love McEntire's inclusion of some architectural terms (the flying buttress scene was particularly amusing) and the overall descriptions because it helped me envision each scene. Also, character growth!

Lowlights: (Maybe a slight spoiler - highlight to read) You can't spend an entire novel talking about the Infinityglass, looking for the Infinityglass, and then never actually find it because you're saving it for book three. Nothing important was actually resolved in this book, so that was a bit frustrating.

Note: Reading Hourglass first is somewhat necessary when it comes to this novel. Even though these books have different narrators, the story in Timepiece will make more sense if you read Hourglass first. Thankfully, both books are thoroughly enjoyable. 

Rating:  

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules
Julie Kagawa
485 pages (hardcover)
Harlequin Teen
Source - Publicist/Netgalley

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

In a world where vampires rule, Allison Sekemoto tries scrape by without drawing any attention to herself. So, when she's faced with an unthinkable choice, she chooses to become a vampire. Suddenly, Allison finds herself trying to learn the rules of immortality while attempting to keep what little humanity she has left. Her stubborn yet dedicated and caring personality becomes more endearing with each page, and Allison eventually becomes a vampire heroine readers will root for.

The Immortal Rules is what a vampire novel should be - exciting, dangerous, and yet surprisingly relatable. Allison's actions in her human life proved she was brave, but Allison's actions in her vampire life brought out more facets to her personality. The more Allison struggled with her emotions and her Hunger for human blood, the more intriguing the story and her character became. Kagawa paints a bleak picture for the world Allison lives in and for the vampires who inhabit this society, and yet Allison's character makes readers question a human's negative view of vampires. Entertaining, frightening, thoughtful, and even amusing,  The Immortal Rules  is a definite hit.

Highlights: Kagawa's view on vampires and rabids was interesting, as was the history this vampire-ruled world. Everything in this novel was fully realized, from world building to character development. The dilemma between good and evil was fascinating. The surprises and twists kept this book exciting and difficult to set aside. Plus, Allison's katana sword was very, very cool.

Lowlights: While the beginning had some exciting moments, it did not grab me the way the latter half of the novel did. It was a struggle to get past those beginning 100 or so pages.

Rating: 



Image + Summary from Goodreads

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Book: Stork

Author: Wendy Delsol

Release: October 12th, 2010

Pages: 357

ISBN: 0763648442

Source: Publisher

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.

Review: With one of the most amusing protagonists and unique storyline I've read lately, Stork is sure to be a hit. 

New to town, Katla's having a difficult time adjusting. To top it off, she finds out she's essentially a Stork. Now she's hanging out in a spooky basement with other members of the order, like the eccentric Hulda or she-just-might-be-bad Grimilla. But things get complicated when Katla's dreams show her people who may or may not deserve a child, and when Katla's own life holds some secrets that even she doesn't know. 

Katla's voice is hilarious and still completely real. She's by far the most amusing character I've come across lately. She truly shines, probably a bit more than all the other characters. The romance aspect wasn't overly rushed like in other novels, and it seemed to make sense. 

Filled with plenty convincing characters, a unique plot, and a completely cool main character, Stork is fun from start to finish. I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who wants a great story and plenty of laughs.

Highlights: Katla was the best part of the entire novel. Her personality was fresh and fun. Some of the things she says and thinks had me laughing hysterically. Another great aspect is that the story is not entirely predictable, there were moments that genuinely surprised me. I wanted so much more of Delsol's writing, it was just so engaging and fun. 

Lowlights: Sometimes it can get a bit confusing, and the ending left me with quite a few questions (but there is going to be a sequel, Frost). 

Rating: