Winterborne by Augusta Blythe

Winterborne by Augusta Blythe

Published April 24, 2011 by the author

188 pages

Book Source: My ePub copy was provided by the author. The book is currently only available on Kindle for $2.99.

Sixteen-year old Mia Winterborne is destined to be special. Details are sketchy, though, as her dad disappeared with all the answers when she was five. Mia only knows that she'll inherit her kickass superpowers on her seventeenth birthday. Helping Mia prepare for her anticipated ascendancy is Loie Bryce, her best friend and eternal sidekick extraordinaire. The girls' intense friendship has never wavered until now, when Andreas arrives in Salcey Ridge. They both fall hard for the British hottie, who quickly becomes a fixture in their lives. When they discover that Andreas is not who he appears to be, the frightening reality of Mia's powers finally hits home. The nearer Mia's birthday draws, the more the danger escalates and long-buried lies are exposed, putting the girls on a path that they never expected.

--Summary from GoodReads.com

Judging by the cover...: It's a shame that this book in only available electronically, because this is a cover I would flaunt shamelessly. Simple yet gorgeous. Absolutely love it.

Favorite Elements:

• Boy With an Accent - It goes without saying that any boy with a British accent immediately becomes swoon worthy. Andreas is absolutely perfect, and if he had just moved in next door to me (and I was 17), I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to claim him as mine.
• Subtle Supernatural - If you've followed my blog for a while, you'd know I am leery of anything to do with tiny supernatural creatures (fairies, pixies, leprechauns, etc.). There are few authors who can write them without getting sappy and obnoxious. So not the case here! Wee Folk make an appearance, but their presence adds mayhem and mystery, no drama llamas here.
• Super Powers - I will leave what they are a mystery, but when they start to happen, it's pretty freakin' cool.
• Narrator to Love - Loie has the patience of a saint and unfortunately the self-esteem of a termite (do termites have self-esteem?), but I love her anyway. If she was my best friend, I'd do everything it takes to show her just how awesome she really is (luckily she has Katie for that).

Overall: A-

You should know that I don't give out As lightly. It takes hard work and determination from an author to win a spot on my A List, and Blythe has achieved it! 

At the current price, this book is a ridiculously good deal. The world created for us is so simple yet overwhelmingly realistic, it's hard to believe that this isn't real life. Loie's voice and feelings are authentic enough to make you think she is actually telling you the story while you're sitting on your couch sipping lattes, instead of reading it on a page. I certainly hope there's a sequel on the way, because this girl can't wait too much longer to know what happens.

Recommendation: You'd have to be crazy to not buy it right now. There's something for everyone to enjoy: action, romance, fantasy, and a homecoming dance and its length will attract reluctant readers.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Atria Books, April 26, 2011

239 pages

Book Source: Public Library

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com 

Judging by the cover...: Little weird (seriously, what is that red stuff?), but slightly creepy, which fits the book. It's desolate, like the mind of a zombie.

Favorite Elements:

• Zombies - If there ever was a war between Zombies and Unicorns... Oh, wait! There totally was! And zombies kicked the magic unicorn blood out of the, well, unicorns! (And if you haven't read about their epic battle, you must read Zombies vs. Unicorns.) Just like they would any other supernatural creature. Because what harm could you do to a zombie? They're already dead!
•  BFF - Nora is the quintessential BFF. Loyal, loose, and just wacky enough to trust in Julie and R.
• Crazy Theories That Just Might Work - Have you ever read a book and thought, "Wow! That was great! But I wonder what a book would be like from the viewpoint of a zombie..."? Well, I have. Thankfully, Marion had the same idea!
• Spoilerific! - Anything else that I tell you I love will completely give it away! But believe me, there's awesomeness galore in these pages.

Overall: A+
I don't give out As freely, and certainly not A+s. This isn't your typical zombie book, so it doesn't deserve a just any grade. We all know how the Living view the Dead, but what do the Dead think about us? Do they only want our brains so they can view our memories, or could there be something else in there, some piece of humanity left deep inside that only needs a Julie to coax it out? The next time you're out zombie hunting, think about their feelings. 

It's not just the premise that I find so enthralling. I seriously could not stop laughing while reading, even during the "dinner" scenes. The dialog between R and M, best friends since death, is absolutely hilarious, and the zombie culture could not be more entertaining (how many zombies do you know that love to ride escalators?). I heartily raise a glass to Marion for bringing the lighter side of zombies to life. 

Recommendation: Warm Bodies is not for the faint of heart, but if I can stomach their feasts, then I think anyone could. Older teen boys (the frequent appearances of sex and foul language would rule this out for the younger set) will be dying to get their hands on it. And at 239 pages, any reluctant reader will be reluctant to put it down.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

HarperCollins, April 12, 2011

359 pages

Book Source: Public Library

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.

In The Gathering, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com 

Judging by the cover...: Not the worst cover I've ever seen, not the best, but it's nice to see some continuity; the theme matches those from the first trilogy. I quite like the pretty blue, too.

Favorite Elements:

• Native American Myths - It's nice to see Native American heritage get a nod in popular teen lit. With the latest Greek/Roman craze it's easy to overlook our own continent's history.
• It's Witchcraft, Native American Style - More witches! This time, thankfully, it's not Tory-style, complete with razor sharp attitude, because that would get old real fast.
• Top Shelf Shout Out - Holla at my hometown (and the disaster that happened there in the first series)! Let's go Buff-a-lo! Seriously, mentioning that Darkest Powers took place in The City of Good Neighbors never ever gets old.

Overall: B

A solid B is nothing to sneer at. The Gathering is a continuation of the Darkest Powers series, but it isn't necessary to have read the first trilogy (though it would certainly help). Without giving too much away, Armstrong has created a whole new set of superpowers for Maya and other residents of Vancouver Island. Don't worry though; this isn't just a copy of Chloe and her friends. There are new twists and turns around every corner, and the Native American mythology added in keeps the storyline fresh and compelling.

Recommendation: It's not necessary to have read the first trilogy to understand what's going on with Maya, but it certainly helps (there are veiled references to what happened in Buffalo, along with Dr. Davidoff). Pick this up if you liked the Darkest Powers and want to see how the story continues.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Simon Pulse, February 8, 2011

231 pages

Book Source: Public Library

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com

Judging by the cover...: The designers get an A on this one. What you see is what you get here. The desk, the spooky writing, the darkness all fit with the story. Crazy for a cover to do that, I know, but if you think this will be a scary mystery that takes place in a school, you'd be dead on. 

Favorite Elements:

• Small Town - No one thinks that anything happens in small towns, but when you think about it, all the crazy weird stuff happens where no one would expect it. Rural, secluded towns are the perfect place for dark eerie mysteries to pop up, but for now I think I'll stay living in a city, thank you very much.
• For Real - This ain't no girly-girl supernatural love extravaganza. Well, except for the part where the faithful boy who's stuck by the heroine's side is the best-natured creature to walk the earth and the handsome new guy is a complete jerk. Kendall is one of the most down-to-earth, practical chicks to grace the pages of a paranormal mystery, which means that I not only don't get the urge to slap her every ten pages, but I also wouldn't mind being her best friend. Her reaction to everything is so normal it's refreshing; even her OCD is treated as a part of her, not something out of the ordinary.
• Hot Guy - So that jerk I just mentioned? Well, I hate to admit this, but even my blood started to heat up whenever he walked in. Normally I can't take the bad boy behavior (I always fall for the good yet geeky ones), but in this case I might just join the girls of Cryer's Cross in swooning every time he crosses my path.

Overall: A-

Quite a high grade for such a quick read, but McMann really covers all of the bases here. Though we follow the story from behind the viewpoint of a girl, she's practical enough for the story to appeal to boys, too, even before you add in the copious amounts of soccer playing and hardcore farm work. Before every chapter we get a glimpse into the minds of who (or what) is stealing the teenagers of Cryer's Cross, and the reader is kept guessing until the very end.

Recommendation: Get this book, but please be sure to NOT read it at night (says the girl who will probably be checking her window every hour tonight to make sure nothing's out there). This is a good bet for reluctant readers and supernatural fans alike.

Similar Titles: Shine by Lauren Myracle, Reality Check by Peter Abrahams, The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (out this August).

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Dutton Books, June 2011

352 pages

Book Source: This copy was an advanced reader's copy. The release date is set for June 14, 2011.

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

--Summary from GoodReads.com

Judging by the cover: The cover is what grabbed my attention and ultimately drove me to need this book. The watery atmosphere and the corpse-like figure gives the feeling that something is wrong, very wrong, and I just had to know what those secrets hinted at were.

Favorite Elements:

• Extinct Town - I've always been fascinated by towns that were submerged when the need to build a reservoir overcame the need for people to stay in their homes. What would happen if there were still people in the houses when the water came? Would they try to return, try to take prisoners of their own? These are the types of questions that haunt me and they apparently had the same effect on Ruby and Chloe.
• New York State - Though their town is quite a distance away from where I grew up, I can't help but love anything set in "upstate" NY (everything outside of New York City is considered upstate to city residents). New York has some beautiful scenery that can't be found anywhere else, and I relish the opportunity to explore it as much as I can, even in books.

Overall: D+

This book had some strong potential. Suma is very skilled at description; it's almost as if she's developing a photograph in front of your eyes, providing a very real image of the surroundings in your mind. Her characters are extremely realistic, too. Chloe is the faithful little sister, convinced that her older sis, Ruby, is the only person in the world that matters. Ruby knows what she wants and with her enchanting charm is able to achieve just about anything she sets her mind to. Even the secondary characters are powerful: London, Owen, Jonah, and Pete are all people you could imagine yourself having a conversation with, could call on the phone and they'd answer. 

Where the book takes a plunge, however, is the plot. I was confused when I realized that this was not a book about plain ol' sisters and deep family secrets. No, the plot, though it is subtle, is supernatural. This does not automatically make the book bad. The downfall comes when Suma begins dividing her attention between two major points in the story, those of the town of Olive and Ruby's eerie power over the townspeople. If Suma had chosen one of these themes and stuck with it, the story would not, in my opinion, have fallen apart at the end. Instead, the shared attention waters the story down, and the plot, not knowing which direction it was supposed to go in, split itself into too many pieces and shattered just when the going got good.

Recommendation: Though it pains me to say such things about a book with a fantastic cover that begs to be read, I would advise against picking this up.