Iridescent by Carol Oates (book trailer)

So, coming in October is the blog tour for Iridescent which is book two in the ember series. I'm excited to say my blog will be one of the many (and I mean many) stops during this tour. I'll be posting reviews on the 14th of October but untill then, enjoy this book trailer of the book :D




Ember synopsis:

When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn't her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra's very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.

Sounds cool, huh? I'll post more information on the tour later :)

Summer Reading Blog Tour: Destiny's Fire Review + Giveaway

Title: Destiny's Fire
Author: Trish Wolfe
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Synopsis:
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate... if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.





Review:

By the first paragraph I was hooked onto this fantasy/romance/steampunk-type book and by the end of the chapter, I could hardly take my eyes off it's pages. If you've read the book, then you know why. The book takes off in the middle of an action-y scene that leads you to meet three of the most interesting characters in the book (Jace, Lana, Nick). Honestly, it was the first chapter that set the books pace; it kept moving along at a constant rate from then on, running headlong from one amazing scene to another with out rushing and lack of detail. That's one of the best things, really; the author knew how to give the right amount of buildup in the plot to justify her story from beginning to end.
But despite the amazing story line and everything I LOVED about this book, I clouldn't help but wish for a little more of a stronger... first impression... pretaining to the characters. Throughout the course of this book you end up knowing/loving/hating/wanting to slap the majority of the characters as you go but when they were first introduced, it was too much of a BAM! here they are. I would have liked it to have a little bit more of an intro so I could get a firmer grasp on the vision certain characters were made to create. What I'm trying to say is that first impressions were only so-so but as the book went, you got a clearer picture of what you hould have seen in the beginning. Wow. I'm trying to put my thoughts into words while making it make sense...but it's not working well so I'm moving on. :)
Dez is different in more ways then one. The most obvious to everyone is her lack of preference for the more "girly" clothing in their time. She dislikes the skirts and corsets her best friend is always pushing at her. To me, this shows that her character doesn't give care much of what others may think of her and I respect that in her. Anyway, the less obvious complication/difference in her is the fact that she doesn't fit in her own race of Kythan Guardians, the Shythe. Not to mention she's the outcome of a "failed" experiment between the Shythe and the Narcolym (two races of Kythan that have been at war for a long time).
Jace... ahh... famous Shadowhunter he is not. But he is one kick a** Shythe with a knack for fighting and being constantly moody. To me, the thing that make him who he is is how extreme he gets about everything, be it their fighting club, his hate towards the Narcolyn or his need to keep his siblings and Dez safe. At the beginning I was seriously rooting for Jace and Dez, I mean they obviously liked each other and had been friends for there entire lives... not to mention the fact that Jace is totally smoking ;)
Reese was raised as a Narcolym (the enemy of the Shythe race) and ends up more or less pushing his way into Dez's life. Of course, being the "evil" race of the Kythan, Dez and her triplet friends don't like or trust him. At least... not untill he catches Dez's interest.
Lana is that best friend who is always joking and pushing you to do things you normally wouldn't. Let's face it, everyone has one of those and we all love them to pieces. Anyway, Lana is extreme in a completely different way then her brother. For her, everything she does, she gives 100%. She can the silliest person in the world or the most serious. Honestly, without her, the book would have been not necessarily dull but it would have been definitely not as exciting and moving as it was.
To me the most responsible and levelheaded of Dez's friends (and the triplets) is Nick. I honestly there was a bit more of him in the book because while he was in the book, he was mostly a presence in the background.
Now that you have the lowdown on someone the more main characters, I'll move on.
To me, everything past the climax of the book was the most exciting parts of the book. But, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the ending.
The ending had the most drama and the most action then nearly any other part in the book. You discover so much about certain characters and one side of the Kythan races. As I read it, I literally stayed up all night and felt both nocturnal and sleep deprived for three days afterward. Now, I am counting down the days until the release of the next book of the Kythan Guardians series. I am eager for more of Reese, Jace, Dez and I can't wait to see what will happen between the Shythe and the Narcolym in the next book.
Destiny's Fire has the perfect amount of action, love, conflict and plain awesomeness to keep the reader enthralled until the very end and then begging for the next book the second they turn that last page. For this reason and countless others you can only understand if you've read the book, I give this book a sincere rating of an A. Recommended for paranormal romance lovers and people who like steampunk-type books. Oh, and anyone following this blog tour around the internet, will probably like it, too. :)

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Now, the very awesome people of Omnific Publishing and AToMR tours have readied a giveaway for you all. So enter, have fun, tell your Twitter page, and check out the other stops on the tour by clicking---> here<----



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Deja Vu Thursday #7

Deja Vu Thursday is a weekly post that I am starting on my blog. It focuses on similar book covers, may it be design, cover model, etc. It's like seeing doubles! And, let's face it, midweek, everyone feels like they are loosing their mind anyway.

 

The ]left cover is called  Masque of the Red Death. The middle cover is the German cover. The right one is the cover for Die For Me. Both the cover for Die For Me and the German cover of Masque of the Red Death have the same cover modles and the designs are very similar in many ways. The color schemes are both red and each have a city in the background. Also, if you look closely at the German cover of Masque of the Red Death you can see an overlay swirls near the top ; it's more obvious in the cover of Die For Me, though.

Masque of the Red Death synopsis:

Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Die For Me synopsis:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.
Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

*I'm sad to say that I have not read Masque of the Red Death yet, but I did love Die For Me.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Gathering
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Release Date: April 12th, 2011
Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.



Review:

Contrary to belief this is not the fourth book in the Darkest Powers series, unfortunately, seeing as that one was cut a little short :( . But The Gathering is the first of a spin-off series called Darkness Rising. Honestly, I've been hesitant to read this book, fearing that it would not be as good as the Darkest Powers Trilogy because of the new story line and characters... Turns out I was wrong and had nothing to fear.
The Gathering was as intriguing and brilliant as any book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy, even if it lacked the Lyle House for "crazy" kids, werewolves and ghosts. The readers gets to experience the world the author established in the first series in a different perspective. Instead of an asylum and meds you get a small town in Canada based around a medical research lab. If you read the Darkest Powers Trilogy first then you know that there is something wrong with the scientists and you know their plan. And if you are like me, then you may feel the sudden urge to gently yell at the characters to run as fast as they can in the other direction.
Anyway... like I mentioned before, the story revolves around the small town and research facility, but it's main focus is Maya, one of the 200 towns people.
Maya is blunt and sarcastic and she knows. She doesn't like to turn down a challenge but she is good at making sure she doesn't get into too much trouble. Like every characters, she has a struggle, but her's is more than your average teenage angst. You see, Maya was adopted at birth and knows little to nothing about her real Native heritage, and for her, that's a major issue when she goes into town and is called a witch or, more accurately, a skin-walker.
Daniel is Maya's best friend but he honestly acts more like an older brother: protective and comforting. He knows her better than anyone and he's the first person she goes to when weird things start occurring. Also, he as this weird ability to "feel" things and "know" when something is wrong, the ability is like a gut feeling and he always listens to it because it's always right.
Another one of Maya's friends is Rafe...okay, "friend" is sort of pushing it, she can't really stand him in the beginning of the book. But that's how most attractions start, right? Anyway, they grow closer throughout the book and... well, you can find out the rest. Just keep in mind that not everyone is 100% truthful in their motives.

There are a few sketchy characters in the books to, like Hayley who doesn't like Maya and Sam who seems to like Maya okay but also seems to be harboring secrets. And let's not forget Mina Lee and the notorious Dr. Davidoff who didn't show his face in this book but only his name. It's sort of ironic that even out of the Lyle House in the  Darkest Powers Trilogy, people don't like him much.
Anyway, there are other characters but I'll let you meet them yourselves.
I forgot to mention this earlier but the first chapter is what initially grabbed me and pulled me under (no pun intended). You see conflict from the beginning and that particular conflict fuels some of the characters' motives in the book.
Now, skipping to the ending... This author has a thing for cliffhangers, it seems. Just as the book reaches it's peak of the story and the reader is glued by their nose to the pages, she cut's it off in a squealing halt. Okay, that's a little bit of an exaggeration because she let's the action die down enough to were it's a good ending to the book but it does leave the reader begging for more. I noticed this pattern in the Darkest Powers Trilogy, also. This is what, in my opinion makes Kelley Armstrong such an amazing author. she knows how to keep us interested from beginning to end. Plot to cliffhanger, apparently.
For all the reasons stated in this review and everything I left out because of spoilers, I give this book an A- and highly recommend it to anyone who read the Darkest Powers Trilogy and now has The Gathering siting on their desk collecting dust because they are, like I was, fearing it wouldn't be as good as the others. Also reccomended to all of you who like YA, books about evil scientists and paranormal/supernatural stuff.

Waiting on Wednesday: Reached

Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Synopsis:
Cassia faces the ultimate choices in the long-anticipated conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Matched Trilogy

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times bestselling Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

** I have really fallen for this series and the characters throughout my journey reading this book. I am highly anticipating the release of Reached. Sadly i have only reviewed Matched and not Crossed (even though I've read both). So check out my review! :)

**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Deja Vu Thursday #6

Deja Vu Thursday is a weekly post that I am starting on my blog. It focuses on similar book covers, may it be design, cover model, etc. It's like seeing doubles! And, let's face it, midweek, everyone feels like they are loosing their mind anyway.

image link

The first picture is the actual book cover of "Chosen" the third book in the HoN series. The one to the right is what's called a stock photo. Cover artists buy the photo's and their rights to it from either individual photographers or companies like ShutterStock. When they have the photo's they usually use software like PhotoShop to manipulate the photo in a way they (the cover artist) sees suitable for the cover and the image they have in mind. In this particular cover, they replaced the cross for the half-moon symbol of Nix that creates the necklace of the Dark Daughters in the book.

Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

Waiting on Wednesday: Enshadowed

Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Synopsis:

Varen Nethers is trapped in a perilous dream world -- a treacherous and desolate realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel Lanley, plagued by strange visions and haunted by the nightmares of Varen's creation, is the only one who can save him.
Isobel knows that her only hope lies within a Baltimore cemetery. There, in the early morning hours of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, a mysterious stranger known as the "Poe Toaster" will make his annual homage at the legendary poet's grave.
Only the Poe Toaster holds the key to the way between worlds. But even greater dangers lie ahead for Isobel. An ancient evil, draped in veils of white, is watching, challenging her for Varen's affections. When Isobel finally finds Varen, he is no longer the quiet and brooding boy who once captivated her, but a dark force, powerful and malevolent

**I read and reviewed the first book to this series, Nevermore. You can find it here.

**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2)
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton (her website)
Release Date: February 1, 2012
Synopsis:

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.
She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.
She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Review:

This series has rapidly made it's way to one of my top favorites (even though I have a bazillion other "top favorites", but aside from that I'm serious). Wings of the Wicked was an extraordinary, action-packed sequel to Anglefire which , as you may know from my review of the book, was superb. But, honestly, I think I've grown to like the sequel more than the original.
To me, Wings of the Wicked had more room to grow then Angelfire. In the sequel, the reader didn't have to wait till the end of the book to discover that Ellie was an angel in human form because we've already discovered that in the first book. The author was able to build the book in that different way that most sequels seem to obtain. This book introduced more reapers, good or bad, you can find out. There was probably twice as much action, and a million times more Will (okay, maybe not a million time more, he just dominated every page he was on.)
Speaking of characters.
Ellie is as kicka## as usuall (excuse my hash tags ;). There isn't much more to say about Ellie than what I've already covered in my  Angelfire review and I also don't want to reveal too much. I will say, though, that she has some seriously strong and slightly scary (depending on which one) powers that start to show themselves. Oh, also, Ellie's character has grown a lot in this books. She has a firmer grasp on herself (even if that hold is still kind of loose), who she is, and what she has to do to keep the world safe. Her only issue is the fact that she till wants the semblance of a normal life.
Will....*insert enamored smile*... does anyone else notice that a lot of the amazing demon hunters are nameds Will? (Will Herondale, this Will, and I'm positive that there is another that I forgot...). Anyway, Will isn't as tense with Ellie now that she remembers who she is, but he's still just as protective and amazing (translate: hot) as he has always been. Oh! I just remembered another Will... Will from Firelight by Sophie Jordan (he's a dragon hunter). Anyway, Ellie's Will hasn't changed too much from the last book but he has become acustomed to hiding particular parts of his past from Ellie (and her name is Ava).
It took me a while to actually like Ava, she seemed so I-art-better-than-thou or however you wanna say it. But I have to admit that her claws are pretty cool when they enlongate...you know, I bet she started the record for longest nails... Back on topic, she has her flaws and her stone face (pun intended) she uses to hide her feelings. And honestly, she grows on me throughout the book and she seems like the kind of person you don't want on the other team, she's better on your side.
For some reason, I see Marcus as the best friend/ big brother of Ellie. They clash at points and bicker but a lot of times they seem to be fine. Also, of what Ellie remembers and briefed the reader about, they seemed to have a lot of fun in her past lives. Marcus can be cocky at times and seemingly reckless and like the I-do-what-I-want kind of person (reaper?) but that's what makes Marcus himself. And despite all of the traits from the list I just named, he is also very loyal and a good asset to have when fighting.
After his betrayal of Bastian in Angelfire, Cadan seemed to really turn around for the better. He defies Will's claim that the demonic reapers can turn good. Cadan is also very confusing at times, especially where Ellie is concerned. anyway, like Ava, he has grown on me.
Speaking of demonic reapers, there is a whole bunch of new ones introduced and they are far worse than the ones who appeared in Angelfire. Most are nightmare worthy and I can honestly say no one in their right minds would want to go face to face with any of them.
In my review of Angelfire, I claimed that the defeat of the Enshi was a little "too easy" and the answer was "too obvious" and I still sort of think that because, how hard is it, really, to  drag something out of the ocean? Give someone (a demonic reaper) the motivation (the urge to destroy the Prelator) to get it back, they will find the means to do so. And who's to say there aren't any fish-like reapers out there? It's thoughts like that that make me a wary to go to the pacific again...
Anyway, while we are on the topic or endings... this book had a horrible ending. And that's not the  "this book was horribly written so i hate it" kind of horrible. Nope, it's the "Oh my gosh! What the heck! (and a whole bunch of other IM letters) That's horrible for that character because they are so awesome and don't deserve that" horrible. So basically, it's the cliff hanger that has you throwing the book in the air and getting glared at in the middle of class for not doing your math homework because your reading instead...
Luckily for me I was in my room and not in class.
Anyway, I'm going to be honest with all of you and admit that I teared up, cried, and almost-cried at so many parts in this book, it's ridiculous. I've fallen in love with these characters though out the course of the series so it's horrible to see (read) all of this bad stuff happening to them.
To end this review, I'll say that Wings of the Wicked could not have been a better addition to Angelfire and for that alone it get's an A from this reviewer. The justification of my rating is endless so i'll start by saying, it's in the book and my review and, despite the emotional roller coaster the book throws us dedicated readers onto, this book was nothing less than magnificent. Severely recommended for anyone who read the first book, to paranormal lovers, anyone who's read a book with a demon slayer named Will, and for YA fiction/fantasy lovers of all ages.

Waiting on Wednesday: City of Lost Souls

Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release date: May 8, 2012
Synopsis:

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

** I've read this entire series multiple times and I've been waiting for this one :) ever since i finished City of Fallen Angels... If you haven't read the series yet, what are you waiting for?! This author is pure genius and creativity personified! 

**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen (her website)
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Synopsis:

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.





Review:

I'll start by saying how much I LOVE the story of Robin Hood. He's a hero if I've ever read of one, not even Spiderman can succeed him. Now that that is settled....
This story is amazing! It's a seriously awesome retelling of the Robin Hood story in Will Scarlet's POV. What's so amazing about that? You may ask? Well, first off knife throwers are deadly and seem to have a liking for the mysterious rolls in books and/or movies, and secondly, Will is a she. Don't worry, you read me correctly, Will Scarlet is a girl dressed in a disguise that even fooled Robin at first. Girls can kick butt, too :) But, before I get into detail about Scarlet, I have a few things to say.
The setting of this book is in the times of the Crusades for the holly lands in Europe (thank you world history) and King Richard I. Now, I'm going to give you guys a few details i learned from the "Authors Note" in the back of the book. In this time Prince John really did tax the people of the kingdom horribly to pay for the Kings ransom when he was captured in the Crusades. The whole thing, apparently happened in England, and, in this story, it's mainly focused around Nottinghamshire. Also, historians believe that Robin Hood really was an outlaw in the 12th century.
Something I really like about this book is the fact that Scarlet's past isn't immediately put out for the reader to see. The author gives then a little bit at a time and some clues that leave you guessing and wondering what made her the way she is.
Now, I'll move on to the characters.
Will Scarlet is your regular, moody, knife throwing thieve...or, at least, that's what she wants you to think. Scarlet dresses as a boy for multiple reasons that are relieved throughout the book. I like to think that the main reason has to do with the fact that it would be nearly impossible to run, kick and fight in a dress. Scar is very good at hiding her emotions so it would be easy to think that she is fearless. But that's far from true. She is just is better at hiding it more than most people. Or just hiding from fear in general. Throughout the book, I've come to admire Scar as a character because of all the traits she possesses, the good and bad. She can be almost exactly like Robin (see below) but also very different. She, like him, have gone through losses in her past that left her with scars that aren't as visible with the one on her face. Scar is truly one of the strongest characters in this book and there's so much about her that is revealed in the book and not in my blog.
Robin Hood is a born leader. He knows responsibility and sacrifice and loss and that's what makes him a strong leader. I've had a crush on Robin Hood my entire life because of what he does for the his people and just because he's, well, him. So this book has a huge appeal ;) Anyway, Rob's characteristics are very...mixed. He has his moments were he can be very deep or blunt. He can be the nicest, most calm guy in the world or he can be angry. He can be fierce or concerned. And above all, hero-complex prone. Bottom line is that Rob has many sides that are revealed in the book. True, he's moodier that most retellings but he's also only 21 and in a teen book and he has to deal with Scarlet... so he has the right.
John Little is a big guy. Muscles wise and in height. He throws punches that make you cringe just thinking about how horrid it would be on the receiving side. He is, as Scarlet puts it, a charmer. You know, the kind of guy that like to toy with girls but not to be mean, just for some fun. Actually, he's a very nice guy, always being the protective big brother and using his muscle and heart to look after others. In my opinion, that's what makes him such a great addition to the band.
Much has had a hard life, like most of the band, his hardship started with his family in need of food and ending with his hand being cut off from stealing. I see Much as shy and sometimes not very confident of himself. He  has a habit of taking hard comments and critisism hard. Even then, he has a way of charming people in an entirely different way than John. Some people just feel bad about his hand and other just like him because he's a nice kid. Either way, Much is a loyal addition to the group dispite his handicap.
The Sheriff is a bad man from afar and crueler up close. Through the book you don't see to much of him, he's just like a presence that you know is in the book...at least, until the end. He like to think that the he cares for the people of the villages he oversees when the truth is that all he cares for is the money that they are forced to give him. Typical, money hungry villain... and not the only bad guy in this book.
But I won't say much about the other "bad guy" so moving on.
I like how in this book, the author incorporated the narrator's (Scarlet's) way of speaking. She has horrible grammar (Ex: I were fearless)  but it matches her as a character and the way she speaks. I will admit though, the first time I read this book (I'm on the third now since I got it last Friday) I felt like cringing a bit. Luckily, so many other things (Characters, plot, action, awesomeness, etc.) superseded that. Actually, I've been so enraptured by this book that I've had to catch myself and try not to speak like Scar. Her expressions are pretty catchy and so is the accent I imagine her having with her words.
Now, on to the ending...
I honestly love-hate the ending.Love because of obvious romantic reasons that nearly had me saying "Awwwww!" every second. Hate because of the fate of a certain character that is not very liked (by "not very liked" I mean "extremely detested"). But you all can read the book and find out more that certain someone's fate.
I'm highly anticipating a sequel and I'm crossing my fingers hoping that it will happen because I think that the book has so much to grow off of. It has so many things that seem to end with loose ties that i want to see tied up and not hanging...so basically I really want to see a sequel. Okay, maybe i just really want more Robin but that's not a crime...it just have to dodge Scar's knives.
I realized, about two days ago, that this book has to be one of my new top favorites. I've been telling anyone who will listen about the things that go on in the book until they are only pretending to listen. I even gave the book to one of my friends to read and she came back with it smiling and saying she really liked it and how much some parts shocked her. We had a ten minuet discussion on the middle of English class.
I could co on for days so I'll stop myself by saying that this books broke my rating scale with it's incredibleness (it's a word now) so i'll have to go with the closets rating on my scale... an A+ for everything I wrote in this blog and all the little things I didn't reveal in my blog due to spoilers or lack of room. I highly recommend this book for any and all Robin Hood fans, fans of books where the girl is a bad A** who isn't always running and hiding and being saved, books that just plain rule and basically if you enjoy YA.

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Title: Dead Rules
Author: Randy Russell
Release Date:
Synopsis:

When high school junior Jana Webster dies suddenly, she finds herself in Dead School, where she faces choices that will determine when she, a Riser, will move on, but she strives to become a Slider instead, for the chance to be with the love of her life--even if it means killing him.

Love wasn't all red paper valentines and candy hearts. Sometimes love was despair. and sometimes love was wrong. Jana loved Michael enough to kill him for it. Jana loved Michael to death.

Review:

Dead Rules has sort of a psychological thriller vibe to it. Yeah, not my usual daily read but not any less entertaining.
When the book first started, I was confused. I didn't realize that Jana was in the Dead School, I honestly didn't think that she would be the one to die either. Sometimes I don't read the back off a book because I want to be surprised when something happens. For this books, though, i did read the back and what I discovered was just a cryptic little paragraph thing. "Love wasn't all red paper valentines and candy hearts. Sometimes love was despair. and sometimes love was wrong. Jana loved Michael enough to kill him for it. Jana loved Michael to death." I thought Jana going to go psychotic and murder her boyfriend. Turns out that I was wrong.
Anyway, throughout the book the author introduces a bunch or characters from the Dead School and with each new character, a story of their death follows. in a way all the deaths seem sort of Final Destination with the spontaneous way they happen. One minuet you're riding a motorcycle, the next, half your face is smeared across fifty feet of asphalt... What really sucks for the people of the dead school is that however they look like when they die is how they look for the rest of their afterlife.
Well...onto slightly less morbid topics...
Jana is the main character of the book. Her death the product of a practical joke gone awry, but that's all the detail that I'll give you about her death. (You guys can find out more if you read it and if you have read it, then you know what I'm talking about.) To me, Jana seems slightly disturbed, mentally speaking. Something about her seems off when the author focuses around her thoughts. She has this insane idea that because she died, her boyfriend can't live on with out her. The very thought has her convinced that she has to kill him so they can live together at the dead school. Yeah...insane with a capitol "i".
Mars isn't your typical bad boy... at least not totally. Most of the students at the dead school see him as incorrigible and all around bad news because he is a Slider. Sliders are people who died while doing something bad and they are closer to earth then the Risers (people who died that aren't Grays, Virgins, or Sliders). Anyway, what some of the other students don't see is that he is more than just another rule-breaking Slider, but I'll let you see what I'm talking about by reading the book... overall, Mars is smart and determined. He has a habit of thinking about others since his death and that had really changed him and made him drawn him and Jana sort of closer... no matter how in denial she can be.
Avra is the kind of person that is 100% by the book. She's very disapproving of the Sliders and Jana's association with them throughout the book. She can sometimes get annoying with her "Better-not" attitude and way of trying to tell Jana what to do but she's just trying to look out for others.
Wyatt is Mars's best friend in his afterlife and it's easy to see why. With only half a face and a bad limp, he can still be funny and occasionally upbeat despite his grotesque looks.
The last character i'll talk about is....wait for it....Michael. He's still alive, don't worry. Anyway, I'm not going to go into a lot of detail because of later events. Michael seemed like a good boyfriend, from Jana's memories. Loving, loyal and all that good stuff. They seemed perfect together and they were widely known around there school and town as Webster and Haynes. It makes Jana's death all the more tragic.
As much as I liked the book, the Dead School didn't make a lot of sense. I mean, I get that it was is was designed to make dead kids to feel "normal" but where do all the dead people go who are to old for the high school scene. Not all of them can be teachers...right?
Moving on from that short rant. The ending for this book was as good as an ending can get. It ended in a way that gives the reader a sense of closure without there needing to be a sequel. But, that doesn't mean a sequel wouldn't be welcome. There's a lot of things that would be great to expand on (Mars and Jana in particular).
Well, on that note, I'll end this review by saying this book deserves the rating of B- because despite the few things I may not have liked about it, there were a lot of good things, too. The whole story was like mystery mixed with a psychological thriller mixed with a horror. Recommended for anyone who thought this book was interesting either because of my review or the synopsis, anyone who likes a good ghost story/ romance and/or someone who, like me, is/was looking for something different to read.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Synopsis:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.



*Spoiler Alert... it's mostly just stuff you get in the beginning so unless you really don't care as to whether or not some aspects of the story are revealed to you before you can read it...stop now and come back later...you've been warned ;)...if you have read the book please continue :)


Review:

I couldn't put this book down after the first page. It's addicting and intense. And it's not just because of the story line (though that was truly amazing). What made it a million times more amazing was the writing style. It portrayed the main characters thoughts in a way that was like nothing I've ever read. The use of imagery and metaphors and similes was, in a word, beautiful. The way it was written made it obvious that the character (and the author) see the world with different eyes then most. I really loved where she explained the sun set and how the sky "falls down every day." She was able to reach into the characters head and take lay every thought down on the paper. Tahereh Mafi is the kind of author whose style and mind could never be replicated.
Continuing on...This book has the whole dystopian society going on. Basically the world has nearly fallen apart and this group who call themselves the Reestablishment has taken over. Like most governments in dystopian books, they say they are doing good for the people when it's actually the opposite. They aren't the only thing that's wrong in the world. The clouds are the wrong color, food is scarce, and animals that people once hunted for food are poison. While everyone starves, the people who run the Reestablishment eat and live like nothing is wrong... Yeah, they do a lot to help...
Juliette has a gift, but at points, it might as well be a curse. She can't touch anyone for fear that she would kill them. (Imagine Rouge from X-men and her power but with more screaming.) Because of this she draws into herself and stays there for days at a time and even then she's nice to people who wouldn't hesitate to throw rocks at her or lock her up for 264 days. Throughout this book, her character has grown, becoming stronger and begining to take action. I noticed that Juliet's writing became less unsure and not as many things were being crossed out. It was a good way to show her growth as a character and how much things changed her. I don't want to go into too much detail about how her character had grown, so I'll stop by saying that she has easily become one of my favorite heroines.
Adam was locked up with Juliette in the beginning but not because he is insane or dangerous. He was sent in to watch her and see if she was or wasn't insane. Nice, right? The sad part is that Juliette knows him from several years ago and he didn't seem to even remember her...even after years of going to school together. To me, Adam is the kind of person who has had life throw everything back at him then laugh at his face. Not that he let it keep him down...he's grown from his struggles, everything has made him stronger and determined to keep others, especially a certain person, safe.
Warner is the son of the leader of the Reestablishment. He is malicious and has knack for getting what he wants. In this case, he wants Juliette. Nearly everyone, even her own parents, see her as a monster, Warner sees a weapon. He's convinced himself into thinking that Juliette is just like him, but that's a far cry from the truth. He's the kind of person that doesn't take care much about human lives, save him own. The sad part is that he had tricked himself into thinking he could love Juliette, or maybe he's just in love with the idea of her loving him...That's something to think about.
There are a few more really cool characters but I'll hold off before I start saying anything about them, mostly because they introduced later in the book. You guys deserve to build you're own opinions too, you know ;)
Anyway. I really like the ending of this book. It melts pretty well with the rest of the plot line even if it was a little surprising. You get a strong sense of safety and temporary closure for the characters which come sometimes be lacking in books with multiple installments. And like I said before, this story had me hooked by the first sentence and now I can hardly stand to wait for the rest of the trilogy. So, my rating for this book is a well deserved A for the amazing story line and captivating writing style. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes dystopian books, superpowers, something-different-from-the-usual, YA fantasy books and/or anything X-men. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Infamous

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon (her website)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Synopsis:


Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.


*Okay, how can you not like this series? There's so much interesting aspects and sarcasm. So I can't wait for Infamous!
**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Title: Desires of the Dead
Author: Kimberly Derting (her website)
Release Date:
Synopsis:


Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

*WARNING! Spoiler Alert! If you have not read The Body Finder (book 1), do not continue. There are major spoilers from book 1 because this is a review of book 2 of the series. (I won't spoil any of book 2, though) ...continue at your own risk...you have been warned :) 

Reiview:

I'll start off by saying I wish I'd reviewed the first book along with this one. It was great. There's so much that I want to say about it! Maybe one day I'll reread it and review it for you guys.
Now, Desires of the Dead was, without a doubt, just as great as the first one. The suspense of not knowing who the killer is. The surprise when you're wrong and the "Ah-HA!" moment when you are right. The way the author profiles the characters in a way that makes you wonder if you should really trust them. What I thought was brilliant about this book was the way the author did these sections where the chapter was in italics and it was set in a different character's head. She never revealed the names of the person who those chapters were supposed to revolve around, the most the reader gets are some clues. Basically could have been anyone's head that it was set in. Granted, she used that particular tactic better in The Body Finder, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a brilliant way to get the reader thinking about the other characters in a different way.
This author brought originality to a plot that consists of a body finder (no pun intended....well, maybe a little). I'm referring to the echo's. The way they pull in Violet with out her being able to control it and how the imprints of murder attach themselves to the killer and body in a unique form. Sent. Sound. Color. It always amazes me, the depth of creativity that lies in an authors mind.
Speaking of body finders and compelling echos...I'll start off with one of the most interesting aspects of this book: Violet.
As we discovered in book one of the series, Violet has a knack for finding bodies. Dead bodies that is. This got her in some serious trouble with two serial killers. The bodies send a signal to her called an echo and when they call, it's difficult for her not to answer. She is probably the only girl you will meet with a gravyard of dead animals in her back yard. Her supernatural traits has made Violet strong. She doesn't fear much and when she does, it isn't the imaginary monsters in the closet. Her monsters are real. Many would expect her to be sort of drawn into herself, blocking out the world, but she is not. Her friends are proof that she's easily liked (with few exceptions) because of her personality. There are people that help her cope with her ability and they are what keep her from drawing in. Her family and her best friend are those few who know what she can do.
Speaking of her best friend... Jay. Simple name but not that simple of a guy. He loves Violet with his life which is seriously adorable considering how long they've known each other. According to Violet, he's something to look at. Girls fawn over him, but he could care less when his girlfriends is standing with him. Yes, that girl is Violet. He's the only person, outside of her family, that knows of her body finding skills. The thing that makes him about a million times more awesome is the way he accepts what she does and does anything he can to help her.
Violet has a few other friends (Jules, Claire and Chelsea) but the one I'm going to talk briefly about is Chelsea. She has absolutely  no filter between her thoughts and mouth. She says what she thinks and couldn't careless what others thought. Until Mike comes along...
He's Jay's new "boyfriend", as Violet likes to say, and he has a big impact on Chelsea . I won't go into too much detail because of later events though.
Speaking of later events, that brings me to Rafe. You can easily describe him in a few words: dark, mysterious, and silent. Near the end, there's more to him, though.Something really interesting about Rafe is the fact that he works for an FBI agent named Sarah.
Here is Sarah in a few brief sentences: Sarah discovered something special about Violet and now she wants to know what that something is. She believes that Violet's "something" could be useful. Persistent is an understatement when it comes to that particular character.
I think I'll cut off descriptions there, so you all can read about them yourselves. It's more fun that way.
This book had a bit of an odd ending. It wasn't bad but it had sort of a what-the-heck-just-happened effect on me. I'm not talking about the very end, just the part in the woods for those of you who have read the book. Anyway, it was great and answered nearly all the questions a reader could have. The very end of the ending was what left an opening for the next installment to the series. It makes you wonder what will happen with Violet and the FBI, now.
I will end this review by saying that Desires of the Dead, while completely awesome, didn't completely triumph the first book. Either way, I believe that it still receives the rating of an A because of it's amazing originality and perfect amount of suspense. YA readers will love the compelling echo of the story line that seems to sit in your brain as you read it and even after you have finished. Recommended for those of you who like books with psycological twists, murder cases,  and, of course, those of you who have read The Body Finder. I honestly can not wait for the next installment in the series.

In My Mailbox #7

In my Mailbox was created by The Story Siren to show the books bloggers have acquired over the week.

 

I just realized that my webcam made the video mirrored... Oh, I now have a YouTube account so check that out if you ever have a chance :)  http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleEpidemicReview?feature=watch

Anyway, here are the books in order of appearance:

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Betrayals by Lili St. Crow

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Shadow of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne 

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

Dark Passage by M.J. Putney

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly 

Be My Valentine, Tucker Avery

http://razorbill.ning.com/profiles/blogs/be-my-valentine-book-boyfriend-list

Tucker (Tuck/Friar Tuck/Fry) Avery: Cynthia Hand, author of Unearthly and Hallowed, brought the world one of the hottest Book Boys...Tucker Avery. What's so great about him? you may ask. Well first. *gasp!* What isn't so great about him?! And Second, well, he's no bad boy Shadow Hunter or Immortal Angel and/or angel-blood, not even close. This boy is just one totally rockin cowboy. Rodeos, Stetson, boots, you name it, he's got it. This cowboy is a major fan of rodeos. Tucker competes in them and he's in the club/team. He raised his horse, Midas who is his rodeo horse, since he was a calf. Aside from rodeo's, Tucker has about a billion part time jobs. One of which is at a ski lodge where he teaches people (kids mostly...and Clara) how to ski. He owns a rusty old truck, Bluebell is another thing that is very important to him and he get's defensive if you dis it. Men and their trucks... He uses Bluebell toe cars out of the snow, sometimes. Oh, and this boy is a walking contradiction...a cowboy who doesn't like country music but listens to it all the time at the rodeo. [I think everyone's stereotypes just got ruined ;) ] Blue eyed with golden blonde hair, this rodeo riding cowboy is a total heartthrob.  Plus he loves outdoor activities. His sun tanned skin is proof of this. I don't know how tall he is, but he's a foot taller than his twin sister, if that helps... either way, I imagine him being pretty tall.  Muscle lines his arms and chest from excessive work and rodeo riding. So, basically, he is a hard worker and athletic. Plus he has stubble, which, in theory, is pretty hot. He doesn't cuss if he can help it which is seriously adorable and says a lot about him. Tuck is also the kind of guy who is unflinchingly honest. Did I mention he's a cowboy? I like cowboys :D See why he's totally freaking awesome yet? I thought so... ;D

Ideal date: For the purpose of this post I'm going off of Tucker's dream in the book. We'd go back in time (using a time machine) to ride the range in the days before fences. I'd take my boots and cowgirl hat with me and have Tucker teach me how to ride a horse. We'd ride out in the heat with the little dogies and he'd drive them across the land like a real cowboy while I tired drawing him on his horse. Then we'd have dinner in a small town with one sheriff and ride off into the sunset (back to my time machine). No kisses, though, he doesn't seem like the first date MOS (make out session) kind of guy to me :P But he'd be a serious gentlemen and drive me home when we got back to our time period. Seriously and original and romantical date. ;) 

Appearance: 

• hazy blue eyes                  
• golden brown hair
• sun tanned
• stubble on jaw
• he has dimples! :D
• short spiky hair
• muscles
• Cowboy :D

Style:

• Tee shirts
• plaid button down shirts
• jeans
• Cowboy boots
• Stetson (AKA cowboy hat)
• He wore a tux to prom and looked unbelievable awesome
• cowboy!

Personality:

• sweet
• hard working
• jokes a lot
• sarcastic sometimes    
• animal lover
• doesn't cuss
• seriously honest
• romantic
• Cowboy!! ;)

Quotes:

Tucker: "Oh, and, Carrots..."

Clara: "Yes?"

Tucker: "If you end up going to prom, save me a dance, okay?"

(Unearthly, page 215)

Clara: "You're different than I thought you were."

Tucker (smiling as he drives): "What did you think I was?"

Clara: "A rude hick."

Tucker (laughing):  "Geez, blunt much?"

Clara: "You thought i was a spoiled California chick."

Tucker: "I still think you're a spoiled California chick."

(Unearthly, page 292)

Tucker: "I'm looking at you. Why are you always trying to hide how pretty you are?"

(Unearthly, page 307)

Clara: "Not red."

Tucker: "I always felt like there was something off about your hair."

Blara: "So you thought you'd torture me by calling me Carrots?"

Tucker: "I thought I'd never seen anyone as beautiful as you."

(Unearthly,  page 349)

Tucker: "What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?"

Clara: "What?"

Tucker: "Dam!"

(Unearthly, page 403

Falling Under

Title: Falling Under
Author: Gwen Hayes
Release: March 1, 2011
Synopsis:


Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

**small spoiler alert**


Review:

I can honestly say that I didn't get into this book very well. It was a bit out of my taste. I mean, I usually like Paranormal Romances, but this one was over dramatic. I'm not saying it was horrible, because it was anything but that, it was just very repetitive in the plot/theme. The whole book was she likes him, he likes her, he pretends to not be interested while trying to make her jealous. It was a circle without a visible ending other than the back cover. The only parts that were a break from the circle were the "dreams" that Theia had about Haden. Those are creepy and romantic in a run-from-the-demon kind of way. Despite the circling plot line, this author  has good descriptive qualities (I think that's the phrase I'm looking for) anyway, when she explains the dreams, the details are exquisite. That's the only word that really fits. The way she explained the skeletal people dancing and the sound of their bare bones grinding was easy to imagine. The whole settings in the dreams are dark and slightly ominous, at least at first, and it's interesting how well the author captured that. Another thing she was able to capture in her writing was the music. Be it from the dreams or from Theia's violin, it could almost here it in my head. On a totally unrelated note, for some reason, these paranormal romantic tragedies make me cry because of, well, a tragedy happens.
Now, on to characters...
Theia is a seriously sheltered child. And i'm talking seriously sheltered. Her dad pays people to buy her clothing, decorate her room, pack her lunch and cook her food and he decided that she should take violin lessons and only play classical music. I could go on and on, but I was focusing on Theia...Anyway, it's no wonder she was becoming sort of rebel. Theia is shy, very much so, only her close friends and Haden really get her to come out of her shell.
speaking of the almost devil...
Haden is pretty creepy for the majority of the book, by that I really mean the beginning. He pushes back his feelings because where he comes from, there isn't any good emotion. He's a jerk, just so you know, and, in my opinion, he's the reason for the endless circle I keep referring to. That may have something to do with the fact that the's a demon... His more positive characteristics are his determination and courage that shines mostly in the end.
Donny (she's a girl!) is the reckless one out of Theia's trio of besties. She convinces them to try different things (like sneaking out) and she's not afraid to speak her mind. What I noticed about her character is she's afraid of getting hurt so she uses blunt rudeness as a defense mechanism.
The last character I'll talk about is Amelia, mostly because some of  the other major ones come near the end. Amelia is the kind of girl who can't see how pretty she is, even when others tell her so. She is a vegetarian and peace-lover who can kick major butt at Call Of Duty. She's as shy as Theia unless a topic she's passionate about (fortune telling) comes up but she's not sheltered. She's also a rainbow goth...if that makes sense.
Finally, like I said, I wasn't really into the book...at least, not till the end. At the end I was sort of in the middle as far as interest goes. There was a twist after the initial action in the book that caught more of my attention. Up is down. The only way anyone could have saw that coming is if they were a) psychic or b) the author...but even then, I think she might have been surprised at the stories turn. Or, on the other hand, she was probably laughing manically. Anyway, as I continued to the end, I was glued. I needed to know what would happen next. I'm not joking when I say that I couldn't sleep without finding out first. Now that I think about it, it was the characters that kept me, too. I sort of fell in love with them and their story slowly, even if it didn't appeal to me in the beginning. Now, I want to see if the author can make the story thrive more, since the endless I-love-you-now-I-don't circle has subsided. Either way, I'll finish the series because if I don't, I know it'll bug me for the rest of my life, whispering, "What happens next?" in my ear. So, I don't regret picking up this book, and I doubt that a lot of people feel different.
The book deserves a C because all though it was a circle throughout most of the book, I think it has potential. Recommended to those of you who can't get enough of paranormal romances and/or the Twilight kind books (and I don't mean that in a bad way). 

Interview with Jennifer White

OTHERWISE SYNOPSIS

Reluctantly, Delilah Gray has returned to her childhood home—a ramshackle cottage where her compulsive, hoarding grandmother, Meema, raised her. Meema’s ghostly manifestations refuse to let Delilah clean the filthy house, or to stay there peacefully. And that’s just the beginning of Delilah’s problems. Lonely, angry, and hiding a painful secret, she tries to find a place for herself in a town that she once discovered was “in-between”—a portal to the worlds of the supernatural. Upon her arrival, Delilah unwittingly gets caught in the middle of important business between The Keeper, whose job it is to keep souls on the physical plane, and The Sender who helps speed the dead on their afterlife journey. When Delilah discovers that she is connected to Lily Defoe, a woman who leapt to her death many years ago, and to a man who refers to himself as The Gravedigger for Lost Souls, she realizes there is more to her homecoming than she anticipated. Who she is, and who she’s been, crosses the boundaries of life and death. Nothing—not the people she meets, not this very moment in time, not even the tragic death of her daughter—is what it appears to be. Not only does Delilah have her own “soul searching” to do, but she must work with some of Green Lake’s oddest characters to uncover the mysteries of several unsolved deaths that have never been forgotten. While strange and supernatural occurrences threaten Delilah’s already fragile emotional state, she still has a crucial choice to make that will change everything. She comes to understand that there are some things that are worse than death. There is Otherwise—to be confined to a twilight state between the spiritual and the physical worlds.

INTERVIEW

Can you explain a little more the world you created in Otherwise? (the creatures, the Sender, the

Keeper, the Otherwise, etc.)

OTHERWISE is a story that launches its main character, Delilah, right into the middle of paranormal occurrences that she can’t, at first, understand. When she finds herself back at the dilapidated cottage on Hermit Meddler’s Way where she grew up with her hoarding grandmother, Meema—who’s been dead for some time—she tries to make the best of things. But, immediately someone—or something—begins groaning, a low, throaty, guttural sound. Delilah flees through tunnels of trash and out of the house.

While she tries to understand the new characters that are dropping into her life, Delilah soon realizes nothing is what it appears. Whenever she cleans and fixes up her home, she finds all her endeavors are quickly, and inexplicably, undone. Swirling around her is the unsolved deaths of several people in town—mysteries that have never gone away. She finds herself mixed up with seven elderly oddballs who are all connected to Delilah’s deceased grandmother. 

As she stumbles through her new existence, trying to figure out who is truly on her side, she begins falling in love with a man she’s attracted to, and yet keeps at bay. He covertly shows up and, seemingly, disappears, all on his own schedule. 

Over time, Delilah encounters three Incarnations—The Keeper, whose job it is to keep souls on the physical plane, The Sender who helps speed the dead on their afterlife journey and the Gravedigger for Lost Souls. Other characters she discovers include the Sender’s fetches, message-bearers that can appear as animals and are links between the living and the dead. And of course, there are the “otherwise”—those that are confined to a twilight state between the spiritual and the physical worlds.

Can you explain the connection between Delilah and Lily a bit more?

Not without shouting, “Spoiler Alert!” (Although it’s a great question!) Let’s just say Delilah’s past is connected to Lily.

Do you believe in soul mates and/or ghosts?

I absolutely believe in soul mates and twin flames. (Take a peek at my book dedications!) I also believe in ghosts, and many other scientifically inexplicable things. To quote Hamlet, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in my assumptions. A third of Americans say they believe in ghosts, according to a poll by the Associated Press and Ipsos. About 23 percent, also say they’ve actually seen a ghost, or believe they’ve been in [a ghost’s] presence.

Which character do you relate most with?

I think I relate, in some way, to every character I’ve ever created. (And by character, I’m referring to the human ones!) I believe that we’re all human and therefore share similar human emotions and experiences. 

Although I’m not male, nor elderly, I can still relate to the human condition and the situations that I put those characters into. I feel for them when they have a dilemma, I worry when they’re anxious, I cheer when they’ve overcome obstacles. 

As a writer, I need to know, understand, and relate to them, better than anyone else before I can write about them and have them become lifelike… to the point of almost walking off the page.

Are you planning on writing a sequel to Otherwise?

I have sequels for both OTHERWISE and DEAD ASLEEP. While both stories wrap up completely at the end—I’m a sucker for a great ending—there’s a deliberate door I’ve left ajar for the next installment. Also, I’ve received threats from readers that if I don’t deliver sequels, minions will be sent to haunt my dreams in horrible ways.

Can you share any upcoming projects?

Absolutely! I have many projects in the works that I’m working on now that will take me through this year and into 2013. 

I’m giving a final edit to my book, Hummus for the Holidays that was also adapted for film, and is currently being reviewed by a major film company. While I’m preparing sequels to OTHERWISE and DEAD ASLEEP, I’m also writing a new Young Adult/Crossover that’s the first in a trilogy and will have accompanying movie scripts. (I’m very excited about it!) 

While I continue to write Hollywood taglines, I’ve also been working on Independent film with my business partner; writing the script for a conspiracy thriller with supernatural elements. 

If that’s not enough, you can always read my latest blog on my website, and the one I write for “Write Anything.”

QUICK AND RANDOM QUESTIONS

Who is your writing inspiration?

Stephen King. I know… I’m alone in this. The poor man has sold only 350 million copies of his books. Really, more readers should check out his work! He doesn’t know it yet, but we’re going to be very good friends.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Anything that has tons of strange and crunchy things in it. Ben & Jerry’s knows what I’m talking about.

If you could visit any place on earth for a week, where would you go?

Could we make this time travel, too? I’d go back to my college, or even high school, but take with me all the experience and knowledge I've already acquired. I’d love to see my friends witholder eyes, or really pay attention in History class!

What is the most difficult part of writing?

Making my fingers keep up with my brain. I’m prolific, so getting ideas and writing them aren’t my problem, it’s finding the time to do it all! If I could, I’d clone myself, so we could all sit around writing and discussing our newest story ideas. Actually, one of my clones is the one that’s answering these questions now.

Use three words to describe yourself and your writing.

Authentic. Intriguing. Witty.

Why do you write?

I can’t not. (Oops, was that a double negative?) I’ve been doing this so long, it defines who I am. I’m passionate about what I do. I love every minute of it, and I feel bad for people who think this is a terrible vocation! They don’t know how cool it really is! (Should I share that notion with some middle school kids?)

Anything you want to add?

Sure! For anyone who wants to get to know me better, you can check out my Facebook, website www.JenniferBWhite.com, send me a pithy shout out on Twitter, or email me. Just be forewarned—if you’re funny, I might want to be really good friends with you. As in favorite all your tweets, send you plush toys at the holidays, or even bump Stephen King’s phone call.


Thanks For the interview Jennifer :) 


By the way, don't forget to read my review for Otherwise: here