Blog Tour: The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Welcome to our stop on the The Summer After You and Me tour for Jennifer Salvato Doktorski. This tour is hosted by Sourcebooks Fire.

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Release date: 5th May 2015
I got it from: Netgalley

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Summary:

Will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

For Lucy, the Jersey Shore isn’t just the perfect summer escape, it’s home. As a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in during Memorial Day weekend, crowding her costal town and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Still, she can’t help but crush on charming Connor Malloy. His family spends every summer next door, and she longs for their friendship to turn into something deeper.

Then Superstorm Sandy sweeps up the coast, bringing Lucy and Connor together for a few intense hours. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm, and Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and her broken home. Time may heal all wounds, but with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, Lucy’s summer is sure to be filled with fireworks.

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About the Author:

Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is the author of two YA  novels and is a freelance nonfiction writer. Her first paid writing gig was at The North Jersey Herald & News, where she wrote obituaries and began her lifelong love of news and coffee. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

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My Review:

Ahh... there's just something about a really good YA contemporary read, especially if it features a beach town, summer, and a quirky MC. TSAYaM has all of those, plus a whole lot more. Now I'm not usually one for making comparisons, but I have to mention that this did have a bit of a feel of Sarah Dessen to it, which I loved about it - she's one of my favourite authors. TSAYaM has similar themes of new and old loves, new and old friends, getting off track and finding your way back again. Plus the whole beach town thing. There are a lot of summer romances out there, but just a few that are special enough to rise to the top of the pile, and this is definitely one of them.

Lucy is a wonderful character. She's intelligent, a bit of a geek, slightly socially awkward, but in possession of good morals. Her mother says of her: 'One of the things I admire most about you, honey, is that you're as responsible as you are fearless. It's a rare combination.'. And it's true. Aside from the social awkwardness, Lucy is the kind of person who knows what she wants and sets out to get it. She's good at school, she knows what she wants to major in at college, she has plans for interning through the summer, she has her boyfriend and her friends and her job - everything seems perfect. Or is it? Of course it isn't. Life doesn't work like that.

What I loved about TSAYaM is that we get to see Lucy's whole life. So many books focus on just one romance, maybe with a bit of friend or family action thrown in. But with Lucy, we're involved with her friends, her boyfriend, her family, her job, her interests - it's all there and it makes it all so much more real. And when Lucy loses her way somewhat in her perfectly planned life (or, in some cases, the way is dragged out from under her feet), that means we get to see all the knock-on effects. Doktorski has created a full and complex life for Lucy, but she's also done a top job with the other characters - each and every one of them, from Lucy's twin brother Liam, to her boss at work, feels wonderfully real.

I have to mention Sandy too - not another character, but the superstorm. TSAYaM is set a few month after Sandy tore up the coast, and it was really interesting to read how it Lucy and her family and friends. Lucy and her family were lucky - they had to stay with her grandmother for a while, while their house was repaired, but they didn't lose everything the way some people did. It still affected them in a big way though. The way Lucy hates the smell of newness - the new flooring, furniture and decor in her house; the newly patched and painted walls at her work - really gives feeling to the devastation that Sandy left behind. Everything is a bit different and unfamiliar, and home doesn't quite feel the same anymore. Lucy doesn't feel the same either - she's going through the motions in her relationship with Andrew, which has turned from best friend to 'more', but she can't stop thinking about Connor, the summer boy next door who she shared a moment with on the day of the storm, only to be ignored by him in the following months. Now it's nearly summer again and Connor is back, and she doesn't know how to react.

Although the romance is not the whole story in this book, it does play a big part. I'm not going to say too much more about it, as I don't want to give anything away. I will just say that I think Doktorski has written this aspect of the book just as brilliantly as she has all aspects. It feels realistic, age-appropriate, and it went the way I wanted it to. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, for lots of reasons. I got totally drawn into Lucy's world, and I didn't want to leave it. This is my first Doktorski read, but I'll definitely be looking up her other books now.

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Here's an excerpt from the book:

Connor opened the gorgeous double doors, each with half-moon stained-glass windows on the top, and motioned me inside. “After you.”

The house had that distinct yet hard-to-describe smell of a beach home that had been closed up for a while. I walked to the center of the high-ceilinged foyer and immediately pic­tured pine garland and twinkling white lights wrapped around the sweeping banister.

“Wow. I’d love to spend Christmas here,” I said and immedi­ately regretted being so sappy.

Connor smiled. “You could fit a twelve-foot tree in this hallway.”

I admit, over the years I’ve had my share of Connor-centric fantasies. However the image of him watching his children pad down the stairs on Christmas morning had never been one of them…until that very second. I liked thinking about Connor that way.

“Come on. You’ve got to see the master bedroom.”

The wholesome image of a Malloy family Christmas van­ished. Aha, I thought. That was the Connor I knew.

“Uh-uh,” I said. “The widow’s walk. I want to go there first.”

“Race you,” he said and took off running.

He beat me up the two flights and was waiting for me in the third-floor hallway toward the back of the house. Off the hallway was an art studio, with a drafting table and a bookcase. There was also a telescope standing near the window.

“Follow me.” He crossed the studio and unlocked the dead­bolt to the narrow door leading outside.

“You’ve already been up there?”

“First thing I did when I got here,” Connor said.

“Not the master bedroom?”

“Nah, that’s the first thing I wanted to do when you got here.”

I thought it was just more flirty banter, but Connor’s flushed cheeks looked as warm as my body felt. He stared at me for a beat too long and my throat constricted. I was suddenly aware that I’d left the house with slept-on hair and no mascara. The look on Connor’s face told me he hadn’t noticed. His eyes never left mine.

Finally he said, “Come on, Luce. I’ll follow you.” The space was tight when I passed in front of him, and the closeness of his body gave me the shivers. I opened the door and stepped outside onto a small patio. I walked toward the wrought-iron spiral staircase that lead to the widow’s walk on the roof and placed my hand on the railing. My knees felt shaky as I began the climb, but I never looked back. 

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And here's where you can buy it:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bdZCrJ

Apple: http://apple.co/1GZ6qq1

BAM: http://bit.ly/1wWFUdw

B&N: http://bit.ly/1ABV3x6

Chapters: http://bit.ly/1EnXK6R

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1EtSUr9
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And here's what you've been waiting for: the Giveaway!

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Review: Salt by Danielle Ellison

Published by: Entangled Teen
Release date: 7th January 2014
Series: Salt #1
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary: Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon. To take back what was stolen.

Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.

Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.

My review:
Salt is one of those precious things - a totally unexpected Netgalley find that I absolutely adored. So I can only apologise about the amount of time it's taken me to get around to writing this review. I've been ill, and I didn't want this to be a short, second-rate review. I need to try and do Salt justice.

I have to admit, when I first started reading I couldn't help but think of Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series, because, well, demon hunters. Plus, I love that series. Salt is something different though.

Ellison is that rare thing - a writer who gives you everything you need, and holds back what you don't need or want. She makes you feel, makes you yearn, and makes you fall into her world, head-first. Every word is considered and important, and there is none of the guff that fills up lesser books.

Penelope is all sorts of wonderful. She's bright, determined, brave, sassy and daring to the point of stupidity. We all hate characters that are too perfect, so that dumb recklessness is important. She's also very down to earth, very real. Then we meet Carter. Cocky, arrogant, hot and secretly vulnerable Carter. At first, the air between these two is just full of snark, which is kind of brilliant. No insta-love to set your teeth on edge - the interactions between Penelope and Carter were laugh-out-loud funny, toe-curlingly intense and full of promise.

Ellison gifts us with a devious plot full of twists, turns, sarcasm and kissing. Her world-building is outstanding - we are treated to a secret society of kick-ass witches, nasty demons, and magic that feels like it could be real. To call it a page-turner is a cliche that doesn't do it justice. I actually had to slow myself down while reading Salt. I wanted to savour it, and while I longed for the end, I dreaded it at the same time, because I didn't want to stop reading.

Turns out this review is kind of short after-all. I don't want to waste time describing what happens though - you've got the summary and that should be enough for you - it was for me. I refuse to risk spoilers, and while a review needs to give and impression of what a books is like, it's also a personal thing and you need to make your own opinion rather than wallowing in mine for hours. Salt is the kind of book that you need to just dive into and soak up.

Review: The Academy - Introductions by C.L. Stone

Published by: Arcato Publishing
Release date: 23rd December 2013
Series: The Academy #1
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone.

When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way. Grateful for an influence outside of her parents’ negativity, she quickly bonds with the boys, hoping to blend in and learn from them what it means to have a natural relationship with friends.

Only the boys have secrets of their own and they’ll do anything to keep her safe from the knowledge of the mysterious Academy that they've sworn allegiance to. Bit by bit, Sang discovers that her friends are far from the normalcy she expected. Will her loyalty change when she's forced to remain in the dark, or will she accept that she's traded one house of secrets for another?

Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy.

The Academy, ever vigilant.

My review:
I had a few issues with the beginning of this book - a couple of things didn't quite tie together as well as they should have done, leaving me questioning a couple of pretty major plot features, however I stuck with it and by the end I was glad I did.

Stone's character building is great - we meet seven different guys over the course of the book, which is a lot of characters to get your head around, but she pulls it off well - each guy has his own distinct personality, and the way they all interact with our heroine Sang really works. Stone is cunning in her use of situations to introduce each boy, making him memorable for one reason or another.

Sang herself is a bit of a weak link to start with - her character veers around a bit, one moment shy and naive, the next flirty and fun. But in a way, it makes sense - she's coming out of her shell, shocking herself at times with her own behaviour and learning what it is to be a friend.

Introductions is the title, and it's an apt one - this book is clearly the set-up for an interesting series. We meet all the characters and get a bit of the back-stories that are obviously essential to the series, but nothing major really happens. Despite that though, it's one of those unputdownable books that once I got into, I just had to keep reading! I'm very interested to see what the next book brings us.

Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Published by: Entangled: Teen
Release date: 5th November 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

My review:
What an interesting idea, a modern-day take on the tale of Oliver Twist - with a twist! In fact, with several twists - for one thing, Oliver is now a girl - Olivia, known as Liv to her friends. And then picking pockets is a bit old hat, so Barnes has translated it into a truly modern tale by having her thieves use cyber-crime to make their money.

Now, it's been a hell of a long time since I read Oliver Twist, or even saw any movie versions of it, so I'm not that au fait with the story. However I did get a feeling throughout the book that certain things were cleverly twisted echoes of Dickens' version. Don't worry though - as far as I can remember, it's not like reading a copy of the original tale. Barnes has made this story all her own, with Liv and Z sharing the limelight, trading chapter for chapter in that time-honoured boy/girl point of view that I've come to love.

Liv and Z are both interesting characters. Liv is so good that sometimes it makes you a little bit sick. She's been through the harsh fostering system and has miraculously remained a good girl at heart. Z, not so much. He's a bad boy through and through, even if he is faking being a nerd. At least, that's what he thinks. How long can the bad boy last once Olivia gets her goody-goody claws into him though? Actually, I really liked the spark between these two. Neither of them want to fall for someone, but sometimes it's just not a matter of choice.

With a supporting cast of orphan hackers, evil foster-parents and the big bad boss-guy, Barnes weaves an intriguing tale that will have you reading long into the night.

Review: The F- It List by Julie Halpern

Published by: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Children's)
Release date: 12th November 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
With her signature heart and humor, Julie Halpern explores a strained friendship strengthened by one girl’s battle with cancer.

Alex’s father recently died in a car accident. And on the night of his funeral, her best friend Becca slept with Alex’s boyfriend. So things aren’t great. Alex steps away from her friendship with Becca and focuses on her family.

But when Alex finally decides to forgive Becca, she finds out something that will change her world again--Becca has cancer.

So what do you do when your best friend has cancer? You help her shave her head. And then you take her bucket list and try to fulfill it on her behalf. Because if that’s all you can do to help your ailing friend--you do it.

My review:
I knew as soon as I saw it that this book was going to be full of brilliance. Browsing through NetGalley, there are always a couple of books that make me think 'hmm, that might be interesting', but then every now and again, I see a book that makes me really, really want it. I don't always get the books - I'm just a small blogger based in the UK, not exactly a dream reader, but when I got that email telling me The F-it List was available to read, I whooped a little bit. 

Alex is brilliant. I love her. She's straight-talking and honest and tragic and amazing. She gets called a cold-hearted bitch, and you can see why straight away but that's not her - she cares, she just doesn't like admitting it to anyone, herself included. Her dad has just died, and now her best friend has cancer. That's a lot to cope with by any standards, and it takes Alex a while to work it out. 

Becca's bucket list is something of a vehicle for the book, but actually it ends up taking a back seat. It's more about Alex and how she finds a way to cope with grief, and then learns to let herself be happy again. Along the way there's tragedy and woe, bittersweet moments, and quite a lot of sex and swearing. Halpern writes in a way that feels very real, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this book in some way or another. The relationship between Alex and Becca is wonderful. There's a lot of humour in there, a lot of honesty and quirkiness. Alex is obsessed by horror movies and Becca loves her sci-fi series and computer games. These are girls who embrace their inner geek and are proud of it. Becca is quite a perv, Alex talks before she thinks way too often, and they just make such a perfect pair in so many ways. They're both completely believable and lovable as characters. 

The female characters are so amazing, it's a shame that I don't feel quite the same about the male characters in the book. Leo, Alex's love interest, seems like a great guy but a little flat. This is understandable to start with - Alex is really just using him, rather than actually getting to know him, so as we're reading Alex's point of view the fleeting impression of niceness we're left with feels right. Later on though things change but we never really get much of an impression of that boy. Then there's homeschool hottie Caleb, who is more of a peripheral character when I feel he should be a bit of a star. 

One-dimensional boys aside though, I loved the hell out of this book. It just felt incredibly real. A tiny bit of a tear-jerker (though not as much as you'd think with the big C involved), funny and honest and a wonderfully entertaining read. I'll definitely be looking up Halpern's back-catalogue. NB It's classed as YA but it borders on NA as the sex and swears might offend some.

Review: You are Mine by Janeal Falor

Published by: Chardonian Press
Release date: 6th May 2013
Series: Mine #1
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.

Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.

My review:
I approach high fantasy with caution. I'm definitely more of an urban fantasy girl, and I like my magic to be dark but believable. That said, I do have a very good imagination and love to get lost in a book, so my range of what's believable is pretty far-reaching. Although I like a real-world setting most of the time, I will delve deeper into the fantasy genre if a book catches my eye, and You Are Mine certainly did that. Am I glad I relented? Oh yes.

This is a brilliant piece of world-building. Falor dabbles with high fantasy while somehow keeping it real enough to relate to. Her uses of magic are inspired, and the races she has created are very well thought-out. Serena's life is completely different from mine, yet Falor writes her so well that I felt I really understood her, and her emotions became mine.

The concept of ownership that men have over women could have come across as trite, but you can tell that Falor has thought about it a lot, and she's created a society that seems very real when you're reading about it. The way Serena describes her life makes you really empathise with her, and the way she talks about how things work in her country makes me almost believe it is a real place.

There is definitely a fairytale aspect to You Are Mine - the magical realms, the evil, domineering father and the bevvy of sisters relying on our Serena's intervention. As for the knight in shining armour, or handsome prince, well you'll just have to read it yourself to see how that goes down. I don't want to give anything away.

Serena herself is a wonderful character. She's strong and has a mind of her own, two things that are not appreciated in her society. Most women in her world are meek and submissive, bowing down to first their father and then their husband's will. Serena isn't like that though - she has thoughts that would earn her a harsh punishment if ever a man heard them. At first, she doesn't know what to do with those thoughts - doesn't believe she can do anything. But when fate deals a twisted hand and changes her life, she grabs hold of the opportunity she's been given. Serena has her whiny moments, but given the circumstances you can hardly blame her - to me, it just makes her all the more real.

I'll definitely be looking out for Falor's next book, eager to hear more about her wonderful, magical world.

UKYA review: Popping the Cherry by Aurelia B Rowl

Published by: Carina
Release date: 19th September 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
You only get one first time . . .

From driving tests to relationships, Valentina Bell thinks she’s a failure, with a big fat capital F. At this rate, she’s certain she’ll be a virgin for ever. So Lena’s friends plan Operation: Popping the Cherry to help her find the perfect man first time.

Yet somehow disastrous dates with bad-boy musicians and fabulous evenings with secretly in-the-closet guys aren’t quite working out how Lena planned.

Soon Lena’s avoiding Operation: Popping the Cherry to spend time with comforting, aloof Jake, her best friend’s older brother, who doesn’t make her feel self-conscious about still clinging to her V card. But could Jake show Lena that sometimes what you’re looking for most is right by your side?

A FOREVER for the twenty-first century

My review:
Ahh, this book was exactly what I needed. After trawling through a bunch of difficult fantasy novels, I was more than ready for this easy-to-read, light-hearted bit of contemporary romance. It was so nice reading a Brit book too - the voice is so different to a US one, but I often forget just how much difference it makes, what with the market being flooded with US fiction. As I'm taking part in the British Books Challenge this year though, I'm doing my best to read and plug as many good UKYA books as I can. Thankfully, books like Popping the Cherry make my job easy - as soon as I read it, I wanted to tell you all about it.

Lena is a great MC for starters. She's so blessedly normal. She's at college studying for her A-levels, but she doesn't really know what she wants to do. She has friends, but she's not uber-popular. She's not geeky, she's not beautiful, she doesn't have that much self-confidence but she's not a complete wall-flower. She's a virgin, which is kind of the point of the book, but she's not a prude. She has a great voice, and I loved reading her story.

Lucky Lena is also surrounded by a bevy of brilliant characters. Her group of friends are spot-on - I can just imagine those girls at college together, Rowl brings them all to life so well. Even the peripheral characters - the parents and other students - are excellently done. Some authors don't seem to realise the importance of secondary characters, but Rowl clearly does, and she does her job with aplomb. And then there's Jake. Ah, Jake. He's a builder by trade, he's 21, he's Lena's best friend Gemma's brother. There are so many reasons why he shouldn't work for Lena, somehow he does. He's not just a builder, he's a director of his father's company, and he's got vision. At that age, a few years difference is definitely a good thing in my mind - girls mature so much quicker than boys, that at 17, college boys are best avoided. The thorny issue of Gemma is more problematic. But is all this relevant anyway? Can Jake really be a contender for Lena's affections? He's definitely not on her cherry-popping list, so he's off-limits, right?

Rowl does breathless romance very well. There were so many moments in this book that had my stomach clenching, butterflies tripping around my insides. It really brought to life those heart-stoppingly awkward but beautiful moments when two people start to realise that there is something more between them than friendship. It's not plain-sailing by any means. Lena runs into more than her fair share of trouble, but luckily there's a certain someone there ready to act as knight-in-shining-armour. By the time I got to the end I was fairly screaming at the book to make it happen already, but that's all part of the fun. The ending itself was a little soppy, but in a nice way.

A perfect blend of teen issues and fun romance, Popping the Cherry is exactly my kind of book, and I hope it is yours too.

Review: Inhuman by Kat Falls

Published by: Scholastic
Release date: 24th September 2013
Series: Fetch #1
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

My review:
I loved this book. Straight-out loved it. I'm not a huge dystopia fan, and there were a few flaws if we're going to get technical, but inhuman had that certain something - that indefinable quality that made me love it, despite all the reasons why I shouldn't!

There's a love triangle which has the feeling at the start that it's been shoehorned in somewhat, but by the end it somehow works on a lot of levels. There's the manimals (part human, part animal) - there is no way a virus should be able to alter a person's physiognomy to that level, but I love the idea of them so much I'll let it slide. It's no more incredible than vampires, werewolves or angels, so why not?

There were predicable elements, but they were off-set by a hundred little twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I revelled in them. Falls' writing is seriously addictive. I felt what Lane felt, I saw what she saw. Lane herself is not the most original character ever - the girl from the soft side forced to survive in the wild - but I loved her all the same. Likewise for Rafe and Everson - hot, bad guy with a secret heart of gold and hot military guy who's just a misunderstood softie - neither of them particularly original, but each of them lovable in their own way. And for the record, in case you were wondering, I'm team Rafe all the way.

Taken to pieces, the only really exceptional thing about Inhuman is the part that gives it its name - those ferals, hybrids and manimals are what holds it all together and makes it special. That, and Falls' addictive, fast-paced and empathetic writing. The dialogue is great, the descriptions make me feel like I'm there, and the world building is out of this world! I can see this becoming a very successful series - it's different, fun and very readable. I know one thing for sure, I can't wait to read the next installment.

Mini Reviews: Anna Dressed in Blood, The Replacement, Wake

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

It's dark and twisty. It gets inside your head, sinks its claws into your brain and refuses to let go. Whatever you're expecting, let go because this probably isn't it. This is better. It's like James Herbert with a sparkly sugar-coating for the YA market. Cas is awesome, and I don't use that word lightly. I love his voice. Somehow this manages to be a proper ghost story, a journey of self-discovery and a teen romance all rolled into one. Prepare to be astounded.

 

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Mackie is one of my favourite characters ever. I love reading the boy point of view, and Mackie's voice is extremely addictive. His world is dark - a gloopy, thick kind of dark filled with proper freaks, the kind that do bad things involving blood. These creatures are casually terrible and old as the hills. Yovanoff's writing is full of brilliance, sneaking into your consciousness and making you believe things that shouldn't be possible. Roswell is possibly an even better character than Mackie. I want more of him.

Wake by Lisa McMann

It's a slim little thing, which worried me at first, as I like to get my teeth stuck into a chunky novel. The style of writing is unusual and full of brilliance though, and somehow makes it more than it is. Third person, present tense, in a series of time-stamps. Staccato sentences, the bare bones of the story, and a collection of important occurrences and conversations. Somehow, in this stilted version of story-telling, we learn, see and feel everything that's important. I don't know how she does it, but it's exceptional. I need to read the rest of the trilogy now, which my library doesn't have, which is so frustrating! Why buy the first book but not the other two? Grr.

Review: When the World was Flat (And We Were in Love) by Ingrid Jonach

Published by: Strange Chemistry
Release date: 3rd September 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.

But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.

When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again.

An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.

My review:
The title of this book alone drew me in. It's a brilliant title, and it fits the book well, because it is a bit brilliant. I have to say, there are faults. Quite major ones in places if I'm being honest. I didn't love the book all the way through, but when I got to the end, it somehow made up for all that. 

The worst fault is the science. The theories used in the book may have stemmed from Einstein, but the way they've been twisted to make the story is kind of whacked-out. There's no getting around it, there are sections where you think 'what the hell?', sections where it's just plain confusing, and sections where you might snort in disgust. But then there are the parts that enable it to recover from all that. It's a mixed bag, but I'd still say it's worth a read. 

Lillie is mostly a good character. Tom, I'm undecided on. I usually fall hard for the love interest, but something about Tom made me keep my distance. I found the beginning of the book very readable - before the science, and Tom, get involved. Lillie's friends, and her mum, are all good, well-rounded characters, and the spark of intrigue from Lillie's dreams keeps it interesting. Then things get messed up for a little while. Keep reading though. I loved the ending. I really wasn't sure how it was going to go, right up to the end, which is impressive, and the way it did go, felt totally right. 

Jonach's writing (minus the bad science) is high quality. The dialogue is really good, the relationships between the characters work well, and it's descriptive enough that you get a good feel for everything, though it doesn't draw you right in like some books do.

Review: Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Published by: Random House Chilren's
Release date: 6th August 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?

In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members of the flock. They moved here following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:

Pioneer is her leader.

Will is her Intended.

The end of the world is near.

Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.

Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands.

My review:
This book kind of blew me away. It's different to anything I've ever read before. It's deep, it's chilling, it makes me question things, and it's a bit amazing. That said, I really don't know how to write about it. 

It's written in the first person, present tense. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. This time it does - it really, really works. We are there with Lyla, every step of the way. We feel what she feels, because Parker gives us the little clues and details that are essential to us in order to share Lyla's thoughts. 

Lyla is a girl who is on the cusp of becomming who she is meant to be. Many kids go through childhood an their teen years being that kid, the one that everyone thinks they are, just doing what's expected of them. And then there's a point, maybe not even a significant one, maybe just an ordinary day, when things start to change. That's exactly where Lyla's at. She's been Little Owl, the quiet, meek one who watches, forever. Then one day she starts to think that maybe that isn't who she really is. Because of the kind of life she has, changing and blossoming into her own person means a lot more than it would for any teen in a normal situation. Thinking for herself is a dangerous thing for Lyla. 

Cody is the catalyst to Lyla's change. If she hadn't met him, talked to him, I'm not sure how things would have gone. He's an incredibly important character, but he don't actually see very much of him. He's pivotal to the story going a certain way, but we never really get to know him. Even so, he, like all of the characters, feels very real. 

The community that Parker has built feels very solid and real. I'm sure she's done a lot of research into cults, and she made it easy to see how people can be drawn in. Pioneer, the leader, was a scary character. Very charismatic, with the talent for saying things in such a way that people want to hear them and will believe them. I'm sure it takes a certain kind of person, in a certain situation, to be taken in by what seems like a completely unbelievable yarn, and the way Parker presented Lyla's family, lost after the disappearance of Lyla's sister, made me able to believe that yes, weak people or people who have lost their strength for whatever reason, are easily preyed upon and persuaded. I had the feeling that Lyla's father was never completely on-board, but for the sake of his wife he went along with it. 

There are lots of twists and turns, but they're subtle enough not to scream at you. Parker is a seriously talented writer. She has that rare talent for getting inside your head and making you look at things in a certain way. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Review: Slumber by Tamara Blake

Published by: Diversion Books
Release date: 16th July 2013
Series: ?
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
Once upon a time, Ruby believed in magic…

When Ruby volunteers to take her mother's housecleaning shift at the gothic Cottingley Heights mansion, she thinks it's going to be business as usual. Clean out the fridge, scrub toilets, nothing too unusual. But nothing could prepare her for the decadent squalor she finds within. Rich people with more money than sense trashing their beautiful clothes and home just because they can. After the handsome Tam discovers her cleaning up after him and his rich friends, Ruby has never felt more like a character from her sister’s book of fairy tales.

Tam sees beyond Ruby’s job and ratty clothes, and sweeps her off her feet, treating her like a real princess, but Ruby is sure this beautiful boy is too good to be true. And as one tragedy after another befalls Ruby and her family, Ruby painfully learns that magic is all too real, and it always comes with a price.

My review:
Ooh, what a delightful little find. This is why I love Netgalley. Because in amongst a load of good books (and a few not-so-good), now and then I come across a real gem that I probably would never have read otherwise. And now it's my job to convince you that you want to read it too!

The mesh between urban life and magic is perfect here. Ruby is as real as it gets - reduced to sorry circumstances, living in a trailer park with her mum and little sister, her grades at school slipping because she has to work and look after her sister too much. Then there's Tam. I'm not going to reveal what Tam is, because it's not mentioned in the summary and I don't want to drop a spoiler. He's, shall we say, different. In a non-spoilery way he's too gorgeous for words, rich, and surprisingly gentle. His friends are all spoiled brats just looking for the next high, but Tam is different. Blake leaves us plenty of clues as to just how different he is, scattered like a sparkling trail of glitter, so I'm fairly confident that you'll figure it out - at least before Ruby does. You can't blame her though - I would have found the truth hard to swallow too. 

There's a delicious darkness to Slumber. Like the best, oldest fairy tales, all is not sweetness and light in Ruby's experience. From the moment she steps into Cottingley something shifts, and we take a walk on the dark side. Blake's descriptive talent brings her world alive with flair and passion. The sights, sounds and smells sink into your brain and make you feel like you're right there with Ruby. Sour champagne and rotten flours fill the air, glitter snd broken glass grind under your feet, and the swathe of destruction is something to behold. Then the inhabitants of Cottingley start to appear, and it becomes clear that this is the aftermath of no ordinary party. 

Ruby herself is a brilliant protagonist. She has a wonderful sense of irony, a wry wit and a willingness to plunge ahead where others fear to tread. She cares so deeply about her family that she will do literally anything for them. Many people say that, not expecting it to be put to the test. Not so for Ruby. The relationship between Ruby and her little sister is so sweet, and I mean that in a real way rather than a saccharine way. I'm no fan of kids, so when I like a child character it means something. 

I now want to read everything Tamara Blake has ever written, which is disappointing as Slumber is her debut. I hope beyond hope that she is currently writing a sequel, because I really need to know what happens to Ruby. Blake has a way of getting into your head and making the unreal seem real, and I want more of it!

Review: The Vampire Underground by Brian Rowe

Published by: Brian Rowe
Release date: 3rd April 2013
Series: Grisly High #1
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
16-year-old Brin Skar hates everything to do with the supernatural, so the obsessive film geek isn't happy when she discovers that her junior year Film class at Grisly High is devoted to the horror genre. She's even more disconcerted when she learns that six groups in the class will be writing and directing their very own horror movies.

Brin and five classmates travel to Bodie Ghost Town in California to shoot their creepy film, but they soon find themselves fighting a real terrifying threat when a clan of mean, bloodthirsty vampires emerge from beneath the surface and start attacking the group. The teens, headed by Brin and the egotistical director Anaya Frost, have no help from the outside and become outnumbered by the vampires a hundred to one.

But when Brin meets Paul, a helpful and smoldering vampire outcast who's had enough of his shameful life, she realizes he might be the only key to her survival.

My review:
A lot of the time this book feels like an antidote to Twilight. The film-buff kids even ridicule poor Bella and Edward's story, favouring instead classics such as Nosferatu. Little do they realise they're going to end up in their own vampire horror film. 

Much of the book reads like a teen horror film. It would, indeed, make a great film. A bunch of kids go to an abandoned ghost town (down a road that's been closed, no less) to make a short movie for their film class, and get a whole lot more horror than they bargained for. In between there's the kooky tale of two best friends, and a fledgling romance that's not too far away from the Twilight the kids have such derision for. What's not to love?

Brin is your bog-standard protagonist, a girl who isn't the most popular, but she's pretty, smart and has her best boy friend Ash to rely on. Ash has two gay dads, but is most definitely into girls. Not Brin though - the pair have known each other forever and are more like brother and sister. They get split up in film class, assigned to different groups in the film-making project. Brin has to put up with poster-boy Chase, girly Lavender, and Anaya, a big, fat bitch (not my words). Her saving grace is Dylan, one person she can actually stand to be around. 

Anaya goes a little loco with the film project, taking over and giving it way more importance than it warrants. To the point of forcing her group to drive through thick snow and ice to a spooky ghost town to make the film. There's a lot of arguing and bickering, and then the proverbial hits the fan. 

Rowe's vampires are suitably scary. They are monsters who act in hunger, without remorse. They have eyes that cast a terrifying red glow, and they can make the ground open up and swallow you. At this point the book gets scary in the style of the best horror films. There's a freaky underground lair, there's vampires dressed as clowns (even more freaky!), there's blood, gore and death.

The book ends with the culmination of a very big, unwanted and horrifying adventure for Brin, but it's clear that there's so much more to come. Bring on book two!

Review: Autumn by Sierra Dean

Published by: Sierra Dean
Release date: 17th June 2013
Series: Dog Days #1
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:
Cooper Reynolds’s life is going to the dogs… literally.

As if being a high school senior in a small Texas town wasn’t hard enough, Cooper has bigger things to worry about than who he’ll take to prom and whether or not the Poisonfoot Padres will win homecoming. He has less than a year before his eighteenth birthday, when a curse placed on his family will doom him to live in coyote form forever.

The last thing he needs to complicate his already messed-up life is a girl, but fate has other plans in mind for him when it brings Eloise “Lou” Whittaker to Poisonfoot. She’s grouchy, sarcastic and has no love for her new Texas home, but she might be exactly the right person to help Cooper break the curse.

The clock is ticking, and Cooper will have to decide if he’s willing to let Lou in on his dirty little secret before it’s too late.

My review:
I don't like to compare books to other books all the time - they all should be seen in their own light - but I just have to mention that Autumn made me think of a mash-up between Twilight and Shiver my Maggie Stiefvater. To me, this is pretty high praise. Say what you like about Twilight, it's damned successful. And Ms Stiefvater is my author hero. So, Autumn is more than good, even if it does remind me of other books.

It's only the opening scenes of the book that are a bit Twilighty - Lou moves to a small town far away from everything she knows, starts a new school and becomes fascinated by the boy who everyone tells her to stay away from. So I found the beginning a little weak, like it needed to define itself better, but it didn't take long after that to get me hooked and speeding through the pages.

I liked Lou. She has a couple of annoying teenagerish lines, but seeing as she's a teenager I'm going to forgive her that. She's snarky and funny though, which I love about her, and she's not all hung up on appearance. I thought she would be more wrapped up in her grief as her father died so recently, but we all react differently and she did have time to come to terms with it as he was ill for a while. She has diabetes, which gives her an interesting edge - I'm not saying that you need to give a character a health issue to make them interesting, just that it's a condition that rules your life, and can change a person, make them more cautious and wary. Cooper makes her feel different though - braver and wilder.

Cooper is adorable. He's a little self-absorbed at times, but considering his fate I'll let him off. And he does realise it himself eventually. He progresses well as a character - from his detached description of his life as an outcast, to a boy who decides to be selfish and let the cute girl who's trying to get to know him get closer, to the boy who finally decides it's time to try and do something about the curse that plagues him.

What I like best about Autumn is the way Dean plays the supernatural card. Ghosts, dreams, curses and magic are all introduced in such a way that it seems perfectly believable. I don't know how she does it, it's just really well written, and woven into the story in such a way that the events unfold naturally.

My main gripe with Autumn is that it's too short and has a hell of a cliff-hanger ending. I can't wait to read Winter now!

Review: A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook & Brendan Halpin

Published by: Egmont USA
Release date: 23rd July 2013
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.
Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.
A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A Really Awesome Mess is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for. 

My review:
I've been trying to work out what makes books like this so appealing. What makes us want to read about a bunch of messed up kids trying to work out what the hell is going on with their lives?

I guess there's a certain happy-ever-after thrill - the inevitable break-through, turning their lives around and working out how to be a fully-functioning member of society, possibly falling in love somewhere along the line, or at least making some good friends. That's not a spoiler by the way - I'm only about a third of the way through the book at this time, so it's more of a prediction. I may be proved wrong.

Then there's the disaster aspect - their lives are much worse than mine, which makes me feel better about myself and my situation. Or for some people, maybe it's identifying with something you've been through yourself.

What actually appeals to me above all else, is the what-if. How many times have you wanted, however deep down, to 'act out' in the way that these kids do? To scream and shout, rant and trash stuff, hit people that annoy you and generally make a spectacle of yourself? I love the parts where the characters are messing things up as much as possible, doing damage to themselves and the people around them, because as a fairly level-headed person I've not actually done those things, but I've been sorely tempted many times. Actually, there is a certain level of identification for me, because I have done stuff, albeit on a smaller scale, that I'm not really proud of.

All of these aspects come together to form a story that, for me, is addictive. But let's get reviewing before this turns into a personal therapy session. I have now finished the book. I'm not going to tell you whether my prediction was right, I'll just say that the ending was my favourite kind - the type that's not really an ending.

There are so many things I love about this book. One of them is the dual PoV. I'm a sucker for it. Why would any book not give me the boy's thoughts as well as the girl's? I want, nay, need them both! Having two writers makes the two characters feel completely real - they're very different people, each with a distinctive voice. Emmy is a good character, a real person. She's got some problems, but they're not all as bad as she thinks they are. Though some are actually worse than she thinks. It's easy to blow everything out of proportion when you're a hormonal teen, and it's easy to react to situations in an inappropriate way. That's what's happened to Emmy - there's nothing fundamentally wrong with her, and I think eventually she can be a happy, well person. This is just a part of her journey.

Justin is another matter - his problems are more easily medically-diagnosed. He's always going to have to fight the depression, which is a major thing to come to terms with. While the book starts with more of a focus on Emmy, whose problems seem worse at the time, by the end the focus has switched to Justin. I think he has further to go than Emmy, which added a realistic tint - it's not all 'oh we'll get better together and then be happy forever!'.

Emmy and Justin arrive at Assland (you'll get it) at the same time, both believing they don't belong there at all, thinking they can just fob off the therapists with some well-chosen words and be out of there in no time. Obviously it doesn't work like that. It takes a while for them both to come to terms with the fact that they need to be there, but while they're doing that they both appreciate having someone to share jokes and eye-rolls with. Once they start to realise that there might actually be a reason for being there, things start to get interesting. That's when the Anger Management group comes in. Emmy and Justin are in the same group, along with a few other 'students', all with different issues. When they come together for sessions, these guys are hilarious. I loved their sessions. The group are made to work together and support each other full-time, and after some teething problems they really click. There's a slightly cheesy element where they all manage to confront their problems in one way or another, but this is a light-hearted read, considering the subject-matter, and that is what they're there for after all.

I'm not going to go into it too much more. Suffice to say that A Really Awesome Mess is all kinds on wonderful. It's a fairly short read, but I loved every minute of it. I've been looking forward to reading it since I saw it on NetGalley, and it's lived up to my expectations, even surpassing them. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel everything. The characters feel incredibly real, and so do their problems. I really want to read more from these guys.

Review: The Wrong Girl by C J Archer

Published by: C J Archer
Release date: 25th May 2013
Series: Freak House #1
I got it from: NetGalley

Goodreads summary:
It's customary for Gothic romance novels to include a mysterious girl locked in the attic. Hannah Smith just wishes she wasn't that girl. As a narcoleptic and the companion to an earl's daughter with a strange affliction of her own, Hannah knows she's lucky to have a roof over her head and food in her belly when so many orphans starve on the streets. Yet freedom is something Hannah longs for. She did not, however, want her freedom to arrive in the form of kidnapping.

Taken by handsome Jack Langley to a place known as Freak House, she finds herself under the same roof as a mad scientist, his niece, a mute servant and Jack, a fire starter with a mysterious past. They assure Hannah she is not a prisoner and that they want to help her. The problem is, they think she's the earl's daughter. What will they do when they discover they took the wrong girl?

My review:
Ah, there's something particularly comforting and indulgent about a good Gothic fantasy. Set in an 1888, a time when ladies wore bustles and corsets, a girl wasn't allowed to be alone with a boy for fear of losing her reputation, and horse-drawn carriages were the preferred mode of transportation, The Wrong Girl is a wonderfully enjoyable bit of escapism.

If I'm to avoid spoilers here I'll have to be very careful, so I apologise now for any vagueness - I'm sure you'll agree it's better to be a bit mysterious than to let something important slip!

Hannah has spent the 18 years of her life so far locked in an attic. This is because she is the companion to Lady Violet, the daughter of earl who is banished to the attic for reasons I won't divulge. It's not that bad a life really. They have good tutors, decent food, clothes on their backs, and even get to go for walks outside. Hannah knows that as the orphan of servants she could be much, much worse off.

Violet and Hannah are best friends, sisters in soul if not in blood. Hannah does her best to protect, amuse and care for Violet, who is a delicate girl despite her strange affliction. But where Violet is shy and scared to venture out, Hannah is brave and dreams of freedom from her restrictive life. She watches the handsome gardener, reveling in the strange feeling she gets inside when she sees him. He seems to seek her out when she and Violet go for walks, never approaching them but always hovering nearby, watching. The last thing Hannah expects however is for him to kidnap her.

The Wrong Girl is a fun bit of historical paranormal fantasy. With its romantic setting and interesting supernatural twist, it's hard to find anything not to like. My only gripe, and it is a very small one, is that Hannah is extremely forward and outspoken for a girl of the time, especially one who has had such a very sheltered upbringing. I also wasn't sure about the existence of microbiologists working on cures for diseases at that time, but I decided that in my ignorance I could easily accept that the author has done at least a little research and has not merely plucked a professor out of the sky.

The way Hannah deals with her situation felt real and true. She wants to protect Violet so she doesn't let on at first that they've got the wrong girl. Then she finds herself becoming fascinated by her captors. For a while she's torn between refusing to co-operate and giving in. Is this a chance for the freedom she desires, or has she merely swapped one prison cell for another? And what will become of Violet without her there to look after her? If she admits who she really is, will she be punished and will Violet be abducted in her place? There are a lot of questions opened up as the book goes on, and lots of twists that will keep you glued and turning the pages at a rate of knots.

I've been reading a lot of contemporary NA recently, so this side-trip into the nineteenth century was a welcome break, and the paranormal aspect was just what I needed. The hint of romance was just right, and the interesting characters kept me gripped throughout. The element of mystery made for an entertaining and enthralling read, and I'll definitely be looking out for the next book in the series. 

Review: Shadow Embraced by Cheree Smith

Published by: Dark Cherry Press
Release date: 29th April 2013
Series: Haven #1
I got it from: NetGalley


Goodreads summary:
No escape.

Those words haunt Scar's dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn't real, but when she's abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn't some monster.

She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight.

When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed.

The only problem is that she's not entirely sure she's innocent.

My review:
Back to good old vampires, werewolves and witches - diss it all you like, in my opinion you can't beat a bit of dark monster action now and again. After a spate of 'let's avoid vampires, they've been done to death so we're going to come up with a random new paranormal thing', returning to the old style freaks is like meeting up with an old friend you haven't seen for ages. 

Scarlet has attitude - a lot of it. She's a fighter, literally. Her dad's a cop but that doesn't stop her from getting into fights when she goes out to clubs. Not only that, she has dark dreams and draws things in her sleep. Oh and she's faster and stronger than your average human, with enhanced sight and hearing too. Scar does her best to ignore these things, trying instead to just live her life, but her friend Alex is always getting her into trouble and then one day, the unthinkable happens. Scar's enhanced abilities step up a notch, she grows fangs and attacks her best friend. 

Luckily, before Scar can drink Alex dry, she's saved. Taken to a school full of vampires, werewolves and witches, where the other students have all grown up knowing what they are and preparing for it. Scar has to pretend that she's just like the other vampires, otherwise her life will be forfeit. She's not like the others though. She has a voice inside her that's becoming increasingly strong, she can't feed on blood without losing control, and she's being encouraged to take part in an underground fight club. Life couldn't get much weirder. 

I enjoyed Scar's transition from normal girl into vampire. She showed credible disbelief at first, but it must be pretty hard to ignore the evidence when you're the one growing fangs and developing a taste for blood. When she starts at the new school, she is submerged into a completely new world, but she copes well. She's not going to lie down and take the crap that some of the others give her just because she's new and doesn't know what she's doing. Scar is strong, and she's determined to make the best of the situation she's landed in. It certainly helps that she's gained the attention of the gorgeous Daemon. 

There's a lot of fight scenes in this book. A LOT. Personally, I didn't have a problem with that - I found it fast-paced and exciting, like watching an action movie. There's more action than substance, but as long as you're not expecting a deep, emotional story or a slushy romance, that's not a problem. Choose this book if you like vampires and you want entertainment. It's fast and frantic, with just a hint of a love interest and a lot of kick-ass moves. There are some elements that could do with improvement - the characters aren't the most developed, there are a few editing issues and some obvious YA/vampire cliches, but overall I enjoyed reading Shadow Embraced and would happily go on to read the next installment.