Shadow by Amanda Sun

E-novella / Short Story

Paper Gods #0.5

June 2013 from Harlequin Teen

free download

Synopsis:

Meet two teens whose worlds are about to change forever in this paranormal Young Adult novella, a prequel to Ink by debut author Amanda Sun…

Katie Greene’s worst nightmare comes true when her mother dies, and she’s devastated to learn that she will have to leave the only home she’s ever known. Desperate to find where she belongs, she must decide if she has what it takes to start a new life across the ocean.

For Yuu Tomohiro, every day is a nightmare. He struggles to control his strange ability, and keeps everyone at a distance so they won’t get hurt—even his girlfriend, Myu. At night, a shadow haunts his dreams, and a mysterious woman torments him with omens of death and destruction. But these haunting premonitions are only the beginning…

(from Goodreads)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A very interesting prequel for me as I found myself both confused and fascinated! With Ink taking place in Japan, I assumed there would be a lot of new to me elements but what I wasn't prepared for was how the inclusion of so many Japanese terms and names would throw me off. Some things are explained but still, I had a hard time keeping track of everyone.

Things were a little easier the more I read but I don't think I'll be able to keep names straight (especially because different people call people different things at different times). I'm pretty sure I know all the big players but I'll have to wait and see how reading Ink goes.

Shadow gives us two points of view and while I wasn't really drawn to either character I am curious to see how their lives interweave.

If you're thinking about reading Ink but haven't decided yet, I think Shadow will go a long way in helping you make up your mind.

Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars

Book Review: Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gilman

Professor Gargoyle (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #1)

Charles Gilman

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Publication: September 2012 from Quirk Books
Pages: 168
Format: hardcover
Acquisition: publisher sent for review

Synopsis:

In Professor Gargoyle, we’re introduced to 11-year-old Robert Arthur and the strange world of Lovecraft Middle School. It’s a brand-new state-of-the-art facility—so why do so many creepy things keep happening? Why is the science teacher acting so strangely? And where are all the rats coming from? 

As Robert explores with his new friends Glenn and Carina, he discovers that the school may be a portal to another world.

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Professor Gargoyle is an awesome start to what I hope is a long lived middle grade series. With it's male protagonist and paranormal elements I can see young readers really eating this one up!

Every kid has had a teacher they couldn't stand - someone who really got under their skin. For Robert, unfortunately, he has more to worry about besides passing science. As he soon discovers, there is A LOT more to Lovecraft school then meets the eye and he'll be lucky to survive his first week with all his limbs attached, never mind as passing grade.

Robert very much takes thing in stride - which I really liked about him. He kind of has to after finding out the secrets of Lovecraft. And his new friends? A ghost, a bully and a 2 headed mouse? Not exactly what he signed up for but without their help he never would have made it. I really love how these unexpected friends found each other.

A quick read for us older folks, and a thrill ride of a story for the younger crowd. This is definitely a book to introduce to reluctant readers - especially boys, who sometimes benefit from reading about a character they could relate to. Robert is a very relate-able character. He has faults, he doesn't always know what he is doing but he's true to his friends and true to his word.

Will I continue the series?
Yes! In face, I've already read book 2 and it was just a fabulous and Professor Gargoyle. I can't wait for my little one to be old enough to read these herself.

Rating

5 / 5 Stars

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School
#1 Professor Gargoyle
#2 The Slither Sisters
#3 Teacher's Pest (May 2013)

Book Review: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

"...the perfect blend of paranormal elements combined with true to life emotions."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2012
Pages: 304
Series: #1
Format: e-galley
Acquisition: received for review via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all.

(from Goodreads)

Overall Feelings:
Loved it!

My Thoughts:
For me, Indigo Awakening was the perfect blend of paranormal elements combined with true to life emotions. Loosely based on the phenomenon of actual Indigo and Crystal children (seriously, look it up!), this story took me on a fast based emotional roller coaster of a ride with an ending I never could have imagined.

Along with thrills and conspiracies there is also a healthy dose of romance that I felt really drawn to.

I'm actually a little surprised at myself on this one. I absolutely loved how Gabe and Rayne interacted but I really shouldn't have seeing as their relationship was full on insta love! Seriously though - I couldn't get enough of the two of them. I never questioned their motivations and their interactions felt genuine.

This book moves along fast but at no time did I feel like I was missing something. Jordan does a fantastic job with character development. Even though I only spend a short amount of time with Gabe, Rayne , Lucas and the fascinating cast of supporting characters I felt like I really got to know them.

Will I continue the series?:
I love Jordan's writing so I'm eager to see where she takes her Indigo Awakening characters. With that said, I feel that this story also works well as a stand alone. There is a lot more story that can be told but no cliff hangers and no loose ends that need immediate attention. With that said - yes, absolutely I will be continuing the series.

Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

The Hunted Series:
#1 Indigo Awakening
#2 Crystal Fire (2013)

Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

"Tumbling down a deep rabbit hole - fast and uncontrollable - that's how I felt reading The Darkest Mind."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2012
Pages: 496
Series: #1
Format: ARC
Acquisition: received at BEA 2012

Synopsis:

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

(from Goodreads)

Overall Feelings:
A little underwhelmed by the details but very satisfied with the results.

My Thoughts:
Something is happening to the world's children. Something that causes the adult population to react in pretty terrifying ways. It was this dramatic and extreme reaction that I had a problem with at first. Without having a firm background on what exactly was happening, it seemed really out of place.

The world in which Ruby finds herself in is in chaos and if I understand things correctly, it all has to do with the breakdown of our government due to a lack of funding. So, in 5 or 6 years time, almost all of America's children are either dead, in camps, or roaming the decaying urban landscape of what was once a fully functioning society. This dystopian aspect didn't quite fit together as neatly as I would have liked with what I knew about Ruby and her background.

Tumbling down a deep rabbit hole - fast and uncontrollable - that's how I felt reading The Darkest Mind. It was hard telling which way was up and there was nothing to hold on to. Everything in this world is unpredictable. It's a harsh and crewel and Ruby is right in the middle of it all.

Have to say though, I found myself routing for Ruby from the very start. The world she lives in, I did have a few issues with, but I was on her side 100%. Wanting to know what happened to her was a strong driving force that very much helped move the story along.

Will I continue the series?:
Yes! There is too much left unanswered and I really want to know what happens to Ruby.

Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

The Darkest Minds Series:
#1 The Darkest Minds
#2 Untitled (2013)
#3 Untitled (2014)

Book Review: The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

"I wish there was more back story given and I wish the few twists weren't as predictable but overall, a good read."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 2012
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 354
Series: no
Acquisition: I received a free ARC e-galley for review from NetGalley

Summary:

This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance. On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS:
The Peculiars takes place in an alternative late 1800s. While the synopsis calls it steampunk, I wouldn't necessarily put it in that category. Nor would I be hard pressed to call it a fantasy and certainly not a romance. So...I guess I'm having a hard time placing this book in any set genre. It's an alternative history for sure. Most references do come from the end of the 19th century but the author has taken some liberties - which I think is kind of cool.

The peculiars themselves are another issue I had with this book. Are they supernatural beings? Genetic abnormalities? Both? Neither? Does it really matter? For me at least, it was a little bit of a confusing aspect of the storyline. Exactly what a peculiar is or isn't is never really discussed. Some people don't believe they exist. Some think they are monsters but when we actually meet and get to know them, they are just people. Some have deformities and there may have been more to it all but it was never explained.

I did really grow to love Lena. She's had both a hard life but also a somewhat sheltered life. Undertaking the journey she does and the hardships she faces along the way really tested her fortitude and I for one was routing for her the entire way. Now the romance? Honestly, I wouldn't even say there was a romance. Sure Lena finds herself with feelings she doesn't know what to do with occasionally but it doesn't really amount to anything.

FINAL VERDICT:
With an interesting cast a characters and a storyline that was intriguing, overall I would have to say I enjoyed The Peculiars. I wish there was more back story given and I wish the few twists weren't as predictable but overall, a good read.

If you're looking for a steampunk adventure, I'm not sure The Peculiars is the way to go but if you're looking for a good adventure story in general then I would suggest you give it a try. Also, I love when historical aspects of a story are tweaked just a little bit. It gives the characters an extra something to hang onto and make their own.

Overall Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound

Book Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

***2012 Debut Author***
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins / Balzer and Bray
Pages: 256
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: ARC trade

Summary:

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Slide was an amazing read for me. I could have read it in one sitting if I had the time - I really never wanted to put it down. The characters were easy to like (or not) and every action of theirs felt genuine. I can't say enough how much unrealistic characters and social settings can ruin a book for me but with Slide, happily, I felt like everything was real - like it could really be happening to someone I knew.

And speaking of characters, there is one in particular that I absolutely loved! He made the book for me really (not saying who for fear of spoiling the ending!)

Oh! And speaking of endings - I was not prepared for this one. I really really thought I knew what was going on and I was a little disappointed at the predictability of it - BUT! I was so wrong! I love being surprised by an ending. And this wasn't an out of left field type of surprise - it really made sense once I saw all the pieces.

I couldn't help but be reminded of Lisa McMann's Dream Catcher series when reading Slide so if you're a fan of those books, you'll really enjoy this one. On the flip side, I liked Vee from Slide a little better then Janie from Dream Catchers - both in personality and in paranormal ability so if you didn't love Lisa's books I still think Slide is a great book to try.

Final verdict:
With an ending that both gave me closure and left the door open for more, Slide, in my opinion is perfect as a standalone book. However, there will be a sequel and this could not make me happier! Also, the way Slide ends? It's going to be hard waiting for book 2 (because I love the characters so much) but I'm not on pins and needles NEEDING to know what happens next. I WANT to know what happens next and this makes all the difference when it comes to really great series books for me.

Highly recommended! A great YA paranormal read that is quick yet satisfying. The perfect book to read as a pick me up. Jill Hathaway is an author to keep your eye on! Fantastic debut!

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Books in the Slide Series:
Slide
Impostor (March 2013)

Linkage Love:
Author's blog
Goodreads
IndieBound