Black Heart Blue, by Louisa Reid

Title: Black Heart Blue
Author: Louisa Reid
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 274
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Person: first
Tense: Present
Rating: 10 / 10

Blurb:
“‘They tried to make me go to my sister’s funeral today. In the end I had to give in... I’d been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.’
Rebecca’s twin sister Hephzibah was beautiful and daring. She was the one who always wanted more. The one who wouldn’t listen. Now she’s gone, Rebecca is alone.
While there were two of them, they stayed silent about their home life. But Rebecca, who knows the truth about how her twin died, suddenly finds herself keeping too many secrets. Hephzibah dreamt of escape, but failed. Could Rebecca be the one to find freedom?

Original and unforgettable, Black Heart Blue is not just Rebecca and Hephzibah’s story. It’s a story about all of us: a story about the lies we want to believe, the truth we sometimes can’t accept, and having the courage to discover the difference.”

Opinion:
This novel hooked me almost instantly. It’s a review copy, so I didn’t have much choice about reading it - and to be honest, that is the only reason I picked it up, because this is not the sort of novel I normally read. Though I have to say, I’m incredibly glad of it. Black Heart Blue is a thrilling novel about family abuse; it forces you to think (when you aren’t tied up reading it) about the rest of the world and what could be happening somewhere at this moment. The descriptions and storyline are realistic - I actually had to remind myself it wasn’t a autobiography.
The characters emotions become your own, and you feel their urgency, their fear, their need. The book switches point of view, from one twin to another, which I found to be highly effective - even if a little confusing when it switched from present to past and such. I found myself hating along with the twins, I found myself holding my breath as they struggled to survive.
There were two characters I struggled to understand for a good portion of the book, one being the mother. I found it hard to get a sense of the role she played and where she stood in the story; nevertheless, the characters were incredibly lifelike, and could have been people I knew.
This was an unforgettable, amazing read. I highly recommend it, even if it isn’t your preference.           

Guilty Pleasures, by Laurell K. Hamilton

Title: Guilty Pleasures

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Reading Level: Adult

Pages: Paperback - 265

Chapters: 47

Genre: thriller / fantasy

Series: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter:

1-Guilty Pleasures, 2-The Laughing Corpse, 3-Circus of the Damned

Person: First

Tense: Past

Rating: 9/10

Blurb (quoted):

“’I don’t date vampires. I kill them.’

My name is Anita Blake. Vampires call me the Executioner. What I call them isn’t repeatable.

Ever since the Supreme Court granted the undead equal rights, most people think vampires are just ordinary folks with fangs. I know better. I’ve seen their victims. I carry the scars…

But now a serial killer is murdering vampires – and the most powerful bloodsucker in town wants me to find the killer…”

Opinion:

To be honest, I was quite worried picking this book up. I haven’t had much success finding adult books on vampires that aren’t all sex, and I am aware that this particular author has another book series that isn’t exactly suitable for a younger audience, so typically I didn’t have high hopes for this one.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! There is the barest of hints at such content, but it’s certainly suitable for a mature audience – 13+? (Though I can’t vouch for sequels just yet). There is a touch of romance but it doesn't run wild through the story.

I was almost immediately drawn into the book. It has my favourite kind of vampires – the dark, dangerous and sexy kind – with some Shapeshifters and zombies thrown in. Best of all would have to be the snarky, sarcastic protagonist.

Definitely a favourite book and I recommend to anyone who is mature and looking for a bit more than the sappy teen romances hogging the shelves of teen-fic.

City of Ashes, by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Ashes

Author: Cassandra Clare

Reading Level: Young Adult

Pages: Paperback - 411

Chapters: 21

Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Series: The Mortal Instruments:

1-City of Ashes, 2-City of Bones, 3-City of Glass, 4-Cit of Fallen Angels

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Rating: 8/10

Blurb (quoted):

“With her mother in a coma and her father hellbent on destroying the world, Clary Fray is dragged deeper into New York City’s terrifying underworld of werewolves, demons and the mysterious Shadowhunters. Discovering the truth about her past was only the beginning. Now the fate of the word rests on Clary’s shoulders, but can she master her new-found powers and control her feelings for a boy who can never be hers?”

Judgement:

It’s hard to review this book.

I absolutely loved reading it, and it was amazingly detailed and descriptive, it drew me in, it made me laugh, it made me hold my breath.

But it also annoyed the hell out of me. First, near the beginning, I noticed that the way it was written or the writing style… was cheesy and it got on my nerves. Secondly, this is the second book in the series that has ended in a way that frustrates me, though this time it’s just because of the very last page that make me need the next book – which of course is probably what the author wants, but I hate it.

There is definitely a mystery aspect to the story, which makes it a page-turner, but my favourite parts are the ones that made me hold my breath or laugh. The story line pulls on all your stings, it has every emotion.

This book would have a 10/10 if a few things were different, but even as is, I’d recommend the series to anyone.

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 442

Chapters: 24

Genre: Fantasy / Mystery / Romance

Series: 1-City of Bones, 2-City of Ashes, 3-City of Glass, 4-City of Fallen Angels

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Rating: 8.5/10

Blurb (quoted):

“It’s after dark in New York City, and Clary Fray is seeing things. The best-looking guy in the nightclub just stabbed a boy to death – but the victim has vanished into thin air. Her mother has disappeared, and a hideous monster is lurking in her apartment. With her life spiralling into darkness, Clary realizes that she has stumbled into an invisible war between ancient demonic forces and the secretive Shadowhunters – a war in which she has a fateful role to play.”

Judgement:

First and foremost, I must say I absolutely loved this book, and the only reason it didn’t get a higher rating is because I was incredibly frustrated with the ending, which I can’t go into more detail about without spoilers.

The story line is exactly my cup of tea; it’s got an amazing fantasy aspect fused into the world as we know it, and the storyline is captivating (though I wasn’t sure what genre to class it as…). The plot is well constructed, consistent, and mysterious, though I have to say the drastic twist near the end was upsetting and I am now eager to read the second and pray something is not as it seems…

Descriptions aren’t lacking in this book and it became a movie screen in my mind – definitely a page-turner.

I loved this book, I’m keep for the next, and I definitely recommend it.

The Messenger, by Markus Zusak

Title: The Messenger
Author: Markus Zusak
Target Audience: Young Adult
Pages: 386
Genre: Mystery
Person: First
Tense: present
Rating: 7.5/10

Blurb (quoted):

“Ed Kennedy – cab driving prodigy, pathetic card player, useless at sex – shares coffee with his dog and is in nervous love with Audrey. His life is one of suburban routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.

That’s when the first ace turns up and Ed becomes the messenger.

PROTECT THE DIAMONDS
SURVIVE THE CLUBS
DIG DEEP THROUGH THE SPADES

FEEL THE HEARTS

Chosen to care, he travels through town, helping and hurting, until only one question remains. Where are the messages coming from?”

Judgement:

This novel is a very symbolic one, meant to teach the reader a life lesson. I rather enjoyed it actually, but not for the content, rather the writing style. Had this book been written differently, without the humour, the sarcasm, and mocking attitude, I would’ve probably fallen asleep – it’s certainly not a book I’d generally pick off the shelf (we had to read it in English class though).

It’s structure is certainly interesting – set into five parts (each based on an ace of a different suit and a joker), and each part divided up by card numbers (ace to two to jack, etc.). Everything in this book is meant as a message to the reader to teach the moral.

I think most of the characters are identifiable with in that they are hopeless (or feel hopeless) and lost in life. They are developed individuals and very believable. I think what I love most about this novel is that none of the characters are actually ‘bad’, but there is still massive amount of conflict in it, both internal and external/physical.

What did it for me in this book was the way it was written. It is witty and amusing – it keeps you smiling or grinning and thinking.

The mystery aspect of it is present throughout as a side thought, but is never actually thrown in your face as the big question, but it instead focuses on the messages and journey Ed, the main character, must make.

If you like a mystery or even just witty, sarcastic humour, I’m sure you’re enjoy this book.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Title: The Hobbit

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Target Audience: Young Adult / Adult

Pages: 280

Chapters: 19 (XIX)

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure

Person: Omnipresent (?)

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, when Bilbo peeped once from the entrance. He was just about to step out on to the floor when he caught a sudden thin and piercing ray of red from under the drooping lid of Smaug’s left eye. He was only pretending to sleep! He was watching the tunnel entrance…

Whisked away from his comfortable hobbit-hole by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…”

Judgement:

The Hobbit, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a very famous story. Known to be the prelude to The Lord of the Rings, and due to be fully available in film by late next year, it’s the buzz of talk.

I can honestly see why too. The adventure draws you in and drags you right along with it, whether you like it or not – in fact, I found myself wanting to march out my own front door and embark on such journeys!

To be honest, it’s rather like an overview, as it skips over very many days and weeks, though had those bits been included it would have been much too long and gotten rather boring. However, as a result, some parts felt like they dragged on and I couldn’t wait for the story to move on, because it was like a glimpse at something but was never explored and kept you on the surface, which was at times incredibly dull and irritating. As well, it doesn’t dwell too much on description, but still manages to cast a landscape in your mind.

I think it takes a lot of talent to write a book like this, as the main characters total to 14! Yet, I still didn’t find myself wondering who was who; each character had a distinguishable or memorable feature that was mentioned, and either that kept it straight in your mind or at the time it didn’t matter! Because of the sheer amount of characters, there wasn’t much room for character-building, but despite this every single one of them was recognizable and individual.

As for character development, there is a lot of change in opinions and actions among many of the character, but the main character, Bilbo, definitely develops and changes by the end of the book, but still maintains a strong sense of who he was at the beginning, which is done very well.

The plot was well crafted and followed from start to finish in a typical structure, and had an original story line that does more than satisfy.

The style the book is written in keeps in contact with the reader, as it’s literally a story being told and often pauses to speak to the reader very briefly. Normally the downside to this is that it throws the reader out of the world that has been cleverly build in their mind, but Tolkien has avoided this and keeps the reader engaged.

The only other thing I have to mention about this book, is that I found myself reluctant to pick it up – I’m not entirely sure why, but I have the feeling it’s related to my disinterest in putting it down again for many hours. I enjoyed reading this book and think it’s definitely one to read.

Chain Letter and The Ancient Evil, by Christopher Pike

This book is two novels, a first and its sequel, in one printed book. Therefore, I have done a review for each book, in the same document.

Title: Chain Letter

Author: Christopher Pike

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 278 (1 – 278)
Chapters: 18

Rating: 7/10

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“Seven friends, one secret deadly chain letter. One by one they will regret they were ever involved.”

My Summary:

A group of high school teens have a dangerous secret: they killed someone – accidently of course.

But now someone knows, and they’re intent on making them pay for their crime in a sadistic manner told through a private chain-letter that has them all shaking in their boots. When they realise their life-or-death choice between doing the Caretaker’s deeds or hoping for survival, life becomes a finger-pointing game without answers until the final showdown when all is revealed and they have to use wits to work themselves out of a tight-spot.

Judgement:

This book was a little hard for me to read – I don’t know if it was because I was busy and distracted or because the content just didn’t hold me, but I had to check the book out twice to finish it.

However, the storyline is definitely interesting and I can’t call it a bad read; I would say it’s well thought out and planned, and has a definite structure.

The character I think annoyed me. They seemed a little inconsistent and not the type I prefer to read about, but they had personality and specific traits, even though they were all stereotypes.

The ending didn’t make much sense to me. It just didn’t gel with the rest of the story and seemed quite abrupt – it was the only part of the novel that seemed like it was thrown in and made up at the last minute as a desperate attempt to close the story.

What did keep me reading it, and even compelled me to renew the book was the curiosity it sparked. The writing makes the reader desperate to know who’s behind these incredible and disturbing letters that are tormenting the main characters. The story begs for an answer the whole way through but it isn’t given one until the last couple of chapters – and that part was a confusing disappointment.

I wouldn’t advise against reading it, or say it isn’t enjoyable, but it’s not something I’m likely to remember a year or even a few months down the track (not now that I know the ending).

Title: The Ancient Evil

Author: Christopher Pike

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 223 (281 – 503)
Chapters: 18

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“Seven friends, one secret deadly chain letter. One by one they will regret they were ever involved.”

My Summary:

The horror is back when Fran receives a chain-letter in the mail from the caretaker – after the supposed-caretaker’s death. Now it’s a fight to figure out who the new threat is before they’re forced to choose between something dear to them, or their life. With two friends dead, Alison accepts the help of an outsider to follow the trail in hope of saving their souls.

Judgement:

The surprise factor comes when the book seemingly starts over (anew) with a first chain letter, though it maintains the characters and includes reference to the previous story. This time, the novel focuses more on who is behind the torment – even though the culprit is supposedly revealed at the end of Chain letter, it is apparent someone else is in fact responsible.

This novel I consider to be better than the first; it makes more sense and has more clues as to where it’s heading, rather than keeping the reading completely in the dark from start to end. It is also considerably more thrilling – the first one had the fear-factor, but this one is far more worthy of nail biting as the stakes are much, much higher.

I thought there was a little more inconsistency in the characters again, mainly the main character who I felt had inexplicably changed – it’s like she’s one way at the end of the first book, and a different way at the start of the next one.

Parts of it seemed somewhat unrealistic to me, and other parts were downright frustrating. But again, it gave me that need to know what was going on – though it did become painfully obvious somewhere in the middle, it managed still to give a surprise at the end.

Speaking of the ending, it made a hell of a lot more sense than the first and was much more satisfying.

Overall, I’d say this book was readable and interesting, but perhaps could have used some work on the construction side.

Eon: Dragneye Reborn, by Alison Goodman

Title: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

Author: Alison Goodman

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 529

Person: First

Tense: Past

Rating: 6.5/10

Blurb (Quoted):

“Swordplay, dragon magic – and a hero with a desperate secret.

Twelve-year-old Eon has been in training for years. His intensive study of Dragon Magic, based on East Asian astrology, involves two kinds of skills: sword-work and magical aptitude. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye – an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a boy for the chance to become a Dragoneye. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon’s secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic… and her life.”

Judgement:

This book is so detailed – that’s the first thing I have to say about it. The descriptions allow for instant mental images, and I think that is the main part of what drew me into this book. I read it in only a few days (faster than I expected), and though I enjoyed it, it didn’t “wow” me.

One thing about the characters is that the main character, Eon (or Eona), was somewhat an empty shell – she has heart and morals and emotion, yes, but she has no favourites or preferences. Also, the emotions are quite empty in my opinion; someone dies and it’s almost like “yeah, whatever – next!” but at the same time it’s not… The author addresses the emotion, but the reader can’t feel/experience it.

A huge theme in this book is a mix of Japanese and Chinese culture. The whole story is based on their customs and beliefs, though set in a fictional place.

I don’t have much else to say about this book. It was fun to read, and the sequel (Eona) is on my reading list, but it doesn’t make the favourites-cut.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Genre: Mystery / Romance

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 452

Chapters: 59

Rating: 9/10

Person: First

Tense: Past

Blurb (Quoted):

“When Mara Dyer wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there, or any explanation as to why the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her boyfriend and two best friends left her mysteriously unharmed, her doctors suggest she start over in a new city, at a new school, and just hope her memories gradually come back.

But Mara’s new start is anything but comforting. She sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere and now she’s started to see other people’s deaths before they happen. Is she going crazy? As if dealing with all this isn’t enough, Noah Shaw, the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen, can’t seem to leave her alone. But does he have her best interests at heart, or another agenda altogether?”

My Summary:

After Mara is left unharmed from an accident that she can’t seem to remember which killed her boyfriend and two friends, she and her family move to Miami, Florida for a new start. But Mara, suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is haunted by her friends’ faces.

When people start dying after Mara imagines it, she’s positive she’s crazy and struggles to discern hallucinations from reality.

To complicate things more, Noah Shaw, the boy with a reputation, won’t leave Mara alone and she’s swept along in a current she can’t control. But when crazy gets dangerous, Mara discovers a shocking truth.

Judgement:

The story line (coming out of an accident / coma and life being different forever) seems to be becoming pretty main-stream and common – but to say that this book is ordinary would be a lie.

First, I loved this book because not only was it addictive, but it kept me grinning the whole way through – and I’m not just saying that, I seriously had a grin plastered on my face for almost every page.

It’s witty, sarcastic, teasing, even embarrassing… Everything to spark interest and keep you page-turning. I wish I could say this book was a comedy for how much I laughed, but it really isn’t in any way – which doesn’t even make much sense. Point is, I was hooked and found myself up late as well as pulling it out at school.

I have to say, it has quite a twist towards the end and just the last few chapters of the book completely changes the story line. It sort of threw me and that made me a little irritated, but didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

There are a lot of questions to be asked throughout this novel: who was that? Was that real? What does it mean? What’s going to happen next? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? All of which are answered in due time – well, almost all.

The ending leaves it open for a sequel, though it doesn’t actually hint at one (if that even makes sense?) so there could be another, but I can’t see the storyline for it.

I found this quite an enjoyable read, and I applaud the author as this is her debut novel.

Demon in My View, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Title: Demon in My View

Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 176

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Vampire Romance

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

(None)

Summary:

Jessica Alodola has been writing novels about vampires and witches for a few years before one is accepted for publishing and soon comes out under a pen name.

What Jessica doesn’t know is that her ideas that come from her dreams are all real and the vampire’s who’s lives she’s allowed humans to read about aren’t happy about it. It’s not too long before there are bids for her blood and Jessica comes face to face with her favourite fictional character: Aubrey, a decidedly dangerous vampire.

Aubrey is supposed to be hunting Jessica. Instead, he finds himself fascinated by her unexplainable knowledge and obvious ignorance about the world she writes about without a missing a single detail.

But when the attacks start on her life, both Jessica and Aubrey are forced to make some tough decisions – and along the way discover a few new things about both themselves and the past.

Judgement:

I owe a lot of credit to this book; I first read it when I was thirteen, when I was only beginning to discover my book-worm-ish nature, and have since read it several more times. However, this time I found out that the author was around fourteen when she wrote it and decided it would be interesting to reread it, this time in a critical manor, and noticed that the writing style and form is noticeably young-minded, though it sure didn’t affect my enthrallment or adoration of the book.

There are a few poems in the book that were fun and interesting to read and attempt to comprehend, which makes me smile.

The story is a mystery, the puzzle coming together piece by piece as the story progresses, so your mind is continuously flitting around the information to try and figure it out before the author wants you to (which is at the end). The characters have very strong personalities, and there is a bit of development and change by the end.

Though quite typical, it’s an enjoyable read and I loved it – even now, after three or four years and reading it eight times.

It’s a great read probably for more beginner-novel-readers, rather than those who are more mature – though I still enjoyed it, but I might be a little biased because I’ve always loved it.

However, I have to say that the book hasn’t done itself any favours by not including a blurb on the cover.

A Hunger like No Other, by Kresley Cole

Title: A Hunger like No Other

Author: Kresley Cole

Target Audience: Adult

Pages: 356

Rating: 7/10

Genre: Romance

Person: Third

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“A mythic warrior who’ll stop at nothing to possess her…

Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he’s waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is small, ethereal half Valkyrie / half Vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy…

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents – until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae – and their notorious dark desires – ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire…

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?”

Summary:

Emmaline Troy, half Valkyrie, half Vampire, has only just left the nest to search for information on her ever-missing parents when she is suddenly taken hostage by a savage man that terrifies her. When forced to help him return home, Emma doesn’t realise that going with him means changing her life forever – and along the way discovering new things, not only about herself, but about the parents she never knew.

Lachlain MacRieve has been trapped and tortured for longer than he can track, doomed to burn alive repeatedly thanks to his immortality. But when he senses the presence of his mate, the soul he’s been waiting for all his life, it gives him the strength to escape – only to find, to his horror, that she is a vampire, the same species that had tortured him.

But with both of them keeping secrets and a dangerous opponent hunting for Emma, can they possibly survive the trip to the safety of Lachlain’s home? More troubling, can they survive each other and the roiling turmoil inside them both?

Judgement:

First of all, I have to say I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book – I’d never heard of the author before or anything, and I was in a rush, so after the library computer search turned out this books name, I swiped it up and left… Only to discover later the amount of detail in the sex. With nothing to compare it too, I’m not really sure if this one counts as erotica, but honestly I’m seeing a trend – anything in the adult section that involves vampires always seems to have a bunch of sex involved… So I warn you now, this is for a MATURE audience.

Now, other than that surprise, this was a highly enjoyable novel – I liked the storyline, it was very original so far as I’ve read, and the characters have specific personalities that develop and change as the story progresses – though, I think perhaps a few of them change too much, especially the main character who could well be a new character entirely by the end; I’m not sure if I like that about it or not. And honestly, I think the rhetorical question in the blurb is cheesy, typical, and easily guessed, which almost made me not bother reading it, but once I started the novel was compelling enough to keep me reading.

I thought, once so many names started popping up, that I’d get at least a few of them muddled, but the way it was written made it so easy to keep them all straight in your head and always had a way to hint who’s who.

Admittedly, I have a couple of complaints. Firstly, I kept forgetting that Lachlain had a Scottish accent until I read him saying “no’” instead of “not” and then my mind’s voice would automatically jump into the accent again, only to die off when he stopped speaking – though I’m not sure this can be blamed on the author. Also, the names got a little confusing – not to remember, but to pronounce and I had to guess at a lot of them; for example, I had to decide to pronounce “Lachlain” as “Lack-lan”, even though I kept trying to think “Lock-lin” or “Latchlin” simply because the first one sounds normal and the second one is how it appears to be said…

It’s an entertaining read for sure – definitely has it’s highly laughable moments, it’s tension, and it’s romance plus adventure.

Tempest, by Julie Cross

Title: Tempest

Author: Julie Cross

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 413

Chapters: 43

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Sci-fi / Romance

Person: First

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“Today: Jackson and Holly are in love.

Tomorrow: she will lie bleeding in his arms.

Yesterday: Jackson must undo it all.

A booming sound rang in my ears, followed by Holly’s scream. Then everything seemed to stop – my heart, my breath… time.

Jackson has a secret – he can jump into his own past. But when a shocking event propels him further back in time than he has ever been before – he finds he can’t return.

Now Jackson has to find a way to save the girl he loves before they have even met, and time is not on his side…”

Summary:

Jackson discovered he isn’t your average teenager when he was eighteen: he can jump into the past, but only a few days. Only his science-geek friend Adam knows his dangerous secret, but his life is turned upside down and inside out when two men kill the love of his live and something forces him two years into his past, where he is horrified to find he can’t escape.

Now, with secret after secret constantly limiting the number of people he can trust, Jackson must try and find a way to save his future-girlfriend Holly, who he hasn’t even met yet, while evading the growing number of people trying to kill him – which could include his own farther.

As the lies accumulate and the danger grows, Jackson fears he may never return to his own time – and not just because he can’t jump forward, but also because he might not live long enough.

Judgement:

I’m not used to reading books in a boy’s POV, and usually it takes me a little while to adjust, but in this book I was sucked in and nothing was foreign.

The plot and storyline were new waters for me, but I can’t say I’m not a fan! The theme of time-travel is only one of the countless mind twisters in this book, and it’s a puzzle you’re continuously trying to piece together in your head, but the puzzle pieces keep morphing.

The characters weren’t as developed as some I’ve read, though they definitely change and evolve throughout the story, and they had enough details to make them individuals – other than the main characters, there wasn’t much description on appearances and when there was, it was a once-of that I forgot a few pages later.

The emotional side of it is great too (I don’t know if it was just me or the books influence, but I kept thinking about my own boyfriend), and there were definitely a couple of moments when my eyes watered.

There are countless names, though it isn’t necessary to be able to remember all of them, but I do like to know whether a character was the driver or the agent in the last chapter… It also has a lot of dates (every chapter begins with a date and time), but I could never remember the last one I read, so they were a moot point for me.

It has a great writing style, and it kept my mind involved the whole way through, and dragged me right along with Jackson through time. I read the book in two days, and the ending leaves it open for a sequel, and I hope there will be.

My only complaint was slight confusion now and again about what characters were present and when the scene was – which is conveniently important in a book about time-travelling.

I also have to bring out the conspiratory feel to the novel; secret agents and the CIA? It's great.

About the Author:

Julie Cross has worked with children and teenagers for several years as a gymnastics programme director and running teen-writers’ workshops. But most of all she loves reading teen books, so one day in 2009 she decided she was going to write her own. And Tempest, her passionate and pacy debut novel, was born. Julie lives in Illinois USA with her husband and three children.

Fracture, by Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture

Author: Megan Miranda

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 264

Chapters: 20

Rating: 9/10

Genre: Romance / Drama

Person: First

Tense: Past

Blurb (quoted):

“A lot can happen in eleven minutes. Decker can run two miles easily in eleven minutes. I once wrote an English essay in ten. No lie. And God knows Carson Levine can talk a girl out of her clothes in half that time.

Eleven minutes might as well be an eternity underwater. It only takes three minutes without air for loss of consciousness. Permanent brain damage begins at four minutes. And then, when the oxygen runs out, full cardiac arrest occurs. Death is possible at five minutes. Probable at seven. Definite at ten.

Decker pulled me out at eleven.

By the time Delaney Maxwell was pulled from a Maine lake’s icy waters by her best friend, Decker Phillips, her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead.

But somehow Delaney survived – despite the brain scans that show irreparable damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be fine, but she knows she’s far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can’t control or explain, Delaney now finds herself drawn to the dying, and when she meets Troy Varga, a boy who recently emerged from a coma with the same abilities, she is relieved to share this strange new existence. Unsure if her altered brain is predicting death or causing it, Delaney must figure out if their gift is a miracle, a freak of nature – or something else much more frightening.”

Summary:

Delaney Maxwell was under the ice for eleven minutes. She was dead… or at least, she should have been. But when she emerges from a week long coma with no signs of brain damage despite brain scans claiming she should be ‘damaged’, she returns to her same old life – only everything is different now.

Everyone she knows is treating her differently, including parents and best friend, but only she knows that something really is wrong with her. After being drawn to strangers and friends who had later died, Delaney is forced to ask some hard questions: is she sensing death, or causing it?

When she discovers Troy Varga, a boy who emerged from a coma with the same ability, she’s relieved to feel less alien – but is the mystery man with a temper really to be trusted? Delaney begins to wonder what kind of friend she’d made after countless suspicious occurrences.

But most troubling is Delaney’s best-friend-since-childhood, Decker Phillips, is suddenly showing interest in another girl and Delaney doesn’t have a clue why that bothers her so much.

Judgement:

I’m not sure if it was because I had a lot of time on my hands, or if I was addicted to this book, but I found myself picking it up repeatedly over two to three days until I turned the last page.

The story line and plot is one I haven’t actually come across before (which is rare, considering the amount of books out there), which was great for a fresh spin on things. The characters had individual personalities and habits, which is always a must-have for me – I don’t want to be reading about a group of clones!

At first I found the length a little intimidating – not because I don’t normally read large books, but because I wanted to finish it before school went back (two days later), but I honestly flew through it. Also, I like that it was a book you really want to pick up and read, but it’s not going to keep you up all night or distract you from other tasks.

I enjoyed the setting (I live somewhere without snow, so the book being set in a snowy-winter was great). It really draws you into the setting, putting a stream of images through your mind.

However, I have to say the first few chapters were… they weren’t bad, but it wasn’t and instant hook that had you page-turning. The writing style didn’t get on my nerves either, which does happen with some authors, so I was glad when I found I was able to settle down into it.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read and I recommend (though not HIGHLY) it to others.

About the Author:

Megan Miranda was a scientist and high school teacher before writing Fracture, which came out of her fascination with scientific mysteries – especially those associated with the brain. Megan has a BS in biology from MIT and spent her post-college years either rocking a lab coat or reading books. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counsellor. Fracture is her first novel.

Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 390

Chapters: 67

Judgement: 10/10

Genre: Romance / Fantasy

Person: first

Tense: past

Blurb (quoted):

“The Cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf – her wolf – watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn’t know why.

The Heat.

Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace… Until now.

The Shiver.

For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it’s spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human – and Grace must fight to keep him – even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.”

Summary:

Grace’s friends aren’t only humans. The forest behind her house is home to a pack of wolves – home to a yellow-eyed wolf that watches back. Grace loves that wolf in particular – a wolf she feels she knows.

There’s more to Sam than meets the eye. He’s living a double life: in the summers, he is human; but in the winter he is forced to shift into a yellow-eyed wolf. He lives in among the trees during the cold, spending his time watching a girl who watches him.

But when the hunt is on a supposedly dangerous wolf pack, and Sam is able to become human again – and also able to speak to Grace. It’s the one and only time they’ve been together… and if they aren’t careful, it could be the last.

The fight has begun for love to survive in drastic circumstances.

Judgement:

Well… Only two complaint’s, so let’s get those out of the way first:

The blurb irritates me – I’m glad I didn’t base my choice on the blurb, because if I had I wouldn’t have read this book, thankfully it had been highly recommended. The blurb just… It doesn’t do the book justice at all. (Though admittedly, I don’t think my summary is much better).

The second complain is the ending! It’s not really a complaint of sorts I guess, but the way it end is infuriating – there just has to be more. It doesn’t feel like an ending at all. Which leaves me praying that there is a sequel.

Now that I have that out of the way:

I loved this book! It’s a going on my recommended list. It’s descriptive, it’s intimate, it’s everything I love in a novel. It’s not one of those ones that take half the book to get into, it’s just in the moment and it draws you in.

I didn’t sit there for hours on end, unable to put it down, I admit. But I think that has a lot to do with being busy and unproductive. There were definitely times when I couldn’t stop reading  but it wasn’t like that the whole way through – which I think makes the reading more enjoyable in a way, because it’s not the constant desperate for more and enables you to enjoy it in the moment.

Other than that, I don’t have much critique to give.

The story line is pretty original as far as I know; definitely not your average novel!

EDIT: It looks like there's a sequel! Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater.