Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry -- YA Review

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry -- YA Review

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. Blurb via Goodreads

Details: Harlequin Tee, Released July 31, 2012, Paperback, 293 Pages (I read an ARC)
Genre: YA
Source: giveaway
Link: Goodreads

Stars: 4/5

In one sentence: Two people who've seen the worst try to get the best out of each other.

Review:

We meet two teens who have both had horrible things happen to them and they're each dealing in the only way they know how. Echo is trying so hard to be the girl she was before whatever it was happened to her, happened to her. The mystery of what happened to her was well crafted and revealed just enough at a time to keep me interested. Noah gave up trying to be who he was before but he's still trying so desperately to do the right thing, to make things right in the only way he thinks he can. He's the bad boy with the soft and gooey center.

Noah and Echo come from two different worlds but are thrown together and decide to work together to get the answers they need. They're perfect romantic partners but the baggage they carry guarantees a bumpy ride. 

I thought McGarry did a good job of portraying their relationship, how brave they were to give each other a chance and to deal with the consequences of their choices. McGarry made me feel for them, care for them, while making me understand their choices and actions. I could think they made the wrong choice or did the wrong thing but McGarry made sure we understood, I never thought 'why the hell did they do that?'.

Control is a theme throughout the book, Echo and Noah struggle against the people who have control over them, Echo's father, their therapist, the foster care system, etc., it's a long list, and their struggles to assert themselves and control their own lives.

There isn't a happy ending in the traditional sense, but it has a satisfying ending, er beginning.
I enjoyed McGarry's writing style. The story is told in alternating perspectives, giving depth to the story and the characters.

The secondary characters were interesting and purposeful. They illuminate Echo and Noah and show how they interact with the world. I'm intrigued to read McGarry's next book, featuring Beth, and hopefully we'll get a peak at Noah and Echo again.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern -- YA Review

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern -- YA Review

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

Details: Doubleday, September 13, 2011, Ebook, 387 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Library
Link: Goodreads

Rating: 3/5

In one sentence? A great concept but lackluster delivery.

Review: 

The concept was fascinating, dueling magicians who fall in love and I had high expectations, unfortunately the story fell short for me. Morgenstern crafts a beautiful world inside circus tents and fills it with fascinating people but that's about all it had going for it. The story moved slowly. I kept waiting for action, for the story to pick up and it never did though Morgenstern did kept the story interesting enough for me to keep turning the pages.

From the blurb it sounds like the romance between Celia and Marco the romance will be front and center but it was really a small part of the story. They were star crossed lovers, loving each other desperately but kept apart, which automatically gets me rooting for them. Morgenstern did a good job of getting the reader into Celia and Marco's heads, making me feel for them, playing a game they didn't choose to play, where they had no chance, no knowledge of the rules or the stakes. I wished Morgenstern had shown more of Celia and Marco, I think the story would have been richer for it.

I did not like Morgenstern's writing style, it annoyed and distracted me, taking me away from the world she was trying to create. And dialog. Give me some dialog please! I think that Morgenstern chose the wrong platform for her story; while reading I kept imagining how the story would play out on film. I think this might be one time where the movie would actually be better than the book.

Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) by Rachel Hawkins -- YA Review

 Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) by Rachel Hawkins -- YA Review

Image Via Goodreads

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her. Blurb Via Goodreads

Details: Hyperion Book CH, Released March 2, 2010, Hardcover, 336 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Library
Links: Goodreads

Stars? 5/5

In one sentence? Well, two.  Teenage angst in a magical reform school? What's not to love?

Review:

I enjoyed Hex Hall immensely.  I liked the story, pacing, the twists and turns, the characters, and the plot. I appreciated that this was a book about Sophie and the her journey, and though her romance was an important part of her story, it wasn't all about her having a boyfriend. I liked and empathized with Sophie, her struggles to fit in at magical reform school, her mistakes, how she forged friendships and relationships, finding out who she is and deciding who she wants to be.

I liked Hawkins' writing style, her voice and I'm looking forward to reading her next book.

Share the Love of YA

Beth Revis is running an amazing contest. You can win an entire library of YA books. See this:

So why do I love YA? The excitement. The firsts. The angst.

And I don't know about the rest of you but my high school years were boring and for while I can pretend it wasn't.

The Sparkles and Lightning Blog Giveaway Spotlight

The Sparkles and Lightning Blog Giveaway Spotlight

Annabelle of The Sparkles and Lightning Blog is celebrating her blogoversary with an awesome giveaway, 5 winners will each win two books from her list of favorite books. There are 70+ chances to win. Go now and check out her giveaway and stay for the reviews. You've got just a few more days to enter so GO NOW! The Sparkles and Lightning blogoversary celebration day 3

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff -- YA Review

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff -- YA Review

Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him, no matter how hopeless the task.

But the mission proves far less impossible, and far more deadly, than anyone expects – and soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. But trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu soon discover a friendship that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on the brink of collapse. A toxic fuel is slowly choking the land; the omnipotent, machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure; and the Shogun cares about nothing but his own dominion. Yukiko has always been uneasy in the shadow of power, when she learns the awful truth of what the Shogun has done, both to her country and to her own family she's determined to do something about it.

Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu plan to make the Shogun pay for his crimes – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?

Details: Thomas Dunne Books, Released September 18, 2012, Hardcover, 322 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Library
Links: Goodreads

Stars? 2/5

In one sentence? A book with everything from rape, incest, mythical creatures, swords, death, torture, infidelity, betrayal, sex, divided loyalties, surprises, victory and defeat.

Review:

This was another book I wanted to like. It had all the elements of an amazing book: mythology, heroes, villains, a great destiny, a griffin. I expected epic, I got bleh.

I found the descriptions flowery and overwrought, and frankly, annoying. I didn't like any of the characters expect Buruu. I didn't much care what happened to any of the characters except Buruu.

I thought the main character's romance was contrived and meaningless. I felt like the author thought his audience expected Yukiko to have a romance and pushed her into Hiro's arms - and bed. I skimmed, a lot, just to find out how it ended and even that disappointed me, I expected more. When I got to the end I was just relieved it was over.

Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) by Abbi Glines -- YA Review

Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) by Abbi Glines -- YA Review

Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he’d rather forget behind him. But instead, he’s jerked right back to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama due to a family crisis. His dear ol' dad found himself a girlfriend only a few years older than Marcus. So now his sister needs help dealing with their mother who is mentally falling apart. The only bright spot to returning is the fascinating red head who sleeps over several times a week. The problem is she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage York.

Willow “Low” Foster needs a place to live. Running to Cage’s apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn’t exactly a long term solution. Juggling her courses at the local community college and a part time job doesn’t produce excess income. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at her best friend’s apartment isn’t such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus Hardy’s twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there. 

Even though Cage seems a little territorial where Low is concerned, Marcus finds time to spend with Low without upsetting his roommate. Cage may use his small college baseball star persona to sleep with every hot female in his path but he’s still under the disillusion that when he’s through sowing his wild oats, he’s going to marry Low. Marcus intends to change that assumption for both Cage and Low. Until his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected. He’ll have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out.... there’s no other choice. Blub from Goodreads

Details: Released February 7, 2012, Kindle e-book
Genre: YA
Source: purchased
Links: Goodreads

Stars? 4/5

In one sentence? Three screwed up people learning to love, trust and let go.

Review: 

Marcus, Low and Cage are all screwed up. But they're screwed up for a reason. Their past informs their actions and reactions and helps the reader sympathize with the characters even when they're not particularly likeable.

Marcus was presented as the good guy but he's not a saint, he can certainly pack a wallop, and does. Marcus tends to go caveman in regards to Low, but he has lots of redeeming characteristics. He is fierce when it comes to protecting the people he loves. And he was sweet. And he cooks!

Low has the most character development; she wasn't the same person at the end of the book. She was able to make decisions and take actions that she couldn't have made at the begining of the book.

I couldn't help but like man whore Cage. He's a man whore, Glines makes that clear, but when he's with Low he's a different person, the one she can always count on. It's not Cage's story but we even see his growth here, he was able to put her happiness first.

Glines doesn't shy away from the dark places we go - and come from - but she shows how we can survive them. Glines makes it an emotionally wrenching experience for all of us as she tortures her characters, making them face the worst, before putting them back together. 

In all, Because of Low was a quick, entertaining read.

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan -- YA Review

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan -- YA Review

Image Via Goodreads

Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching. Blurb Via Goodreads

Details: HarperTeen, Released 2012, Hardback, 352 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Library
Links: Goodreads

Stars? 2/5

In one sentence? Which team are you on: vampires or humans?

Review: It wasn't for me. I found it depressing BUT it had some great bits. I thought Mel was a strong, resilient, interesting character who was artfully kept from being too perfect and one dimensional.

And Kit. I loved Kit. I loved how Mel and Kit represented the two different worlds, vampire and human, and the ways that was demonstrated, the 'I'll call you' and 'what a kiss means' scenes.

How to Date an Alien (My Alien Romance #1) by Magan Vernon -- YA Review

How to Date an Alien (My Alien Romance #1) by Magan Vernon -- YA Review

Image from Goodreads

High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? Blurb from Goodreads

Details: CreateSpace, Released December 6, 2011, Kindle e-book, 272 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Amazon
Links: Goodreads

Stars? 4/5

In one sentence? Romeo and Juliet with aliens.

Review:

I liked it. But I wanted to like it more than I did. The concept was awesome, Romeo and Juliet with aliens, but it lost me about two thirds of the way through.

I liked Alex especially because she wasn't perfect. She had glasses and hips - as big bad mama points out - and emotional baggage. She had her moments of  incredible bravery, not just going into battle but declaring her allegiance. But at that two thirds of the way through, she lost me. She was willing to make an incredible sacrifice and then she goes all will I, won't I when it comes to how she feels about Ace? And she was listening to what other people said instead of what she thought?

Did anyone else think about the logic of Alex and Ace's relationship? The temperature difference in - shall we say intimate moments?

Ghost of a Chance by Flo Fitzpatrick -- Adult Romance Review

Ghost of a Chance by Flo Fitzpatrick -- Adult Romance Review

Image via Goodreads

Six straight men in the cast plus free Tex-Mex food? My friend Lida Rose sure knew how to persuade me. I signed on the dotted line and dusted off my dance shoes. I knew Bad Business on the Brazos would have them rolling in the aisles and standing up to cheer, whichever came first. But I didn't expect the ghost problem. As in the ghost of Don Mueller, the actor who was killed during the last performance of this show fifty years ago. He's flirting with me in a spectral kind of way ... and a ghost can make interesting things happen to a girl.

Like the gorgeous man on stage with me: Rafe Montez, my secret crush - also known as He Whose Perfect Profile Should Be On A Coin. I'm taking six feet of chiseled yumminess here. Lida Rose thinks Rafe is only acting, but that kiss we share in Act II sure feels real to me. As in earth-shaking, can't-breathe real... From blurb

Details: Zebra, Released August 1, 2004, mm pb, 320 pages
Genre: Romance
Source: purchased
Link: Goodreads

Stars? 4/5

In one sentence? Ghosts, murder, dancing, terrible names such as Delilah Delight and Nick Nefarious and popcorn.

Review:

An entertaining story set during the revival of the play Bad Business on the Brazos. Fitzpatrick has a well paced story that makes you want to keep reading to find out what crazy, insane, dramatic thing will happen next. The cast of characters are amusing and quirky which seems to be Fitzpatrick's forte.

Kiely, the heroine, was a sweet, likable, look before you leap girl who can hold her own. While we see little of Rafe he's the type of guy you want to see more of. Kiely does too. "Four hundred years ago, he would have been wearing armor, conquering Peru. I would have been first in line volunteering to be conquered." (pg. 29)

What I wanted more of: romance.

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade -- YA Review

 The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade -- YA Review

Image from Goodreads

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?  -- Blurb from Goodreads

Details: Hyperion Book CH, Released 2010, Ebook, 281 pages
Genre: YA
Source: Library
Links: Goodreads and Amazon

Stars? 4/5

In one sentence? Kade made me like - and cheer for - the girl everybody hated in high school.

Review: I didn’t expect to like Alona but I did. She’s the cheerleader, prom queen, the girl everybody wanted to be. As I was reading I kept thinking of the song “Girl Next Door” by Saving Jane with lyrics like:

She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band
She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands
She gets the top bunk I'm sleeping on the floor
She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door

And my favorite line: ‘Everybody loves her but I just wanna hit her’

As Alona navigates the afterlife with help, and not so much help, from Will, a guy she wouldn’t so much speak to when she was among the living, we learn that she’s got problems just like the rest of us. Alona is interesting and complex, she’s a survivor. She says what she thinks even though she lacks tact and doesn’t know how to be nice. Her storyline gave her a chance to grow and lead her to places, and choices, she hadn’t expected.

Will was a guy I liked. I saw him struggle with his own issues including his ability to see ghosts and 'the thing his father did'. While teaching Alona about the afterlife he also has things to learn from her and his own journey to take.

I thought the book was nicely paced, there were mysteries and questions that spanned the entire book, keeping my attention and making me want to keep going. Though Kade tied up the story nicely there were still interesting places to go and I’m looking forward to the next book.

Hot Stuff by Flo Fitzpatrick – Romance Review

Hot Stuff by Flo Fitzpatrick – Romance Review

Image from Goodreads.com

She said Yes.

Tempe Walsh is fluent in ten languages - and she can't say no to adventure. Next stop: India! Her mission: find the priceless - and mysterious - statue known as Shiva's Diva. Her man: Briggan O'Brien, a sexy Irishman on the run from the Mumbai Mob. Brig has a strange way of doing business, whatever that business may be. And she's still not sure how she ended up in his arms when the shooting started - but what if her bullet-deflecting earrings don't work the next time?

Brig's too busy to explain why everyone's after the fabulous figurine - he's having a devil of time just keeping one gorgeous American girl out of danger. And there's only one place left to hide: a Bollywood movie complete with villains, lovers, and a mother-in-law from hell. Hey, there's a happy ending - if anyone can find the script...

Details: Zebra, Released 2005, MM paperback, 320 pages
Genre: Romance
Source: purchased
Links: Goodreads and Amazon

Stars? 5/5

In one sentence? Need I say more than: Irish hero?

Review:

Confession: I love this book.

The story starts with a bang –and knives – and the action doesn’t stop. We’re kept guessing throughout the twists and turns and until the very last minute we’re left wondering how it’ll turn out.

I loved the way Fitzpatrick brings her characters to life. I love Tempe Walsh and her red hair and her constant need to eat. I love Briggan O’Brien and his Irish brogue and blather and his many facets. As Tempe says, “My Riverdale Robin Hood had a gift for chicanery and sneaky behavior.” (pg. 269) Even their imperfections are endearing; Brig will scale buildings and walk a tightrope but he’s paralyzed by snakes and haunted by loss. The secondary cast of characters are just as interesting, Asha, the homesick Bollywood film star, and her on-again-off-again fiancé and director, Jake.

Romance is certainly there between kidnappings, elephants and gaelic curses, as is the undeniable chemistry between Tempe and Brig. “He stares at you all the time … It wasn’t because you were just any old person he’d gone on the lam with. The man has it bad. With a capital B, A, and D! It’s as if he’s been looking for you for years and now that he’s found you, well, he’s not losing you.” (pg. 161)

The story left me smiling, wanting curry, samosas and my very own Brig.

What I wanted more of: everything. I wished Fitzpatrick had made a series following Brig and Tempe on their adventures.

The Witches of the Glass Castle by Gabriella Lepore -- YA Review

The Witches of the Glass Castle by Gabriella Lepore -- YA Review

"

"Being a teenager can be hard - all those new conflicts, all those expectations - but when you add to this potent brew the discovery that you're the heir to strange, magical powers, well, then you're really in for trouble...

Sixteen-year-old Mia and seventeen-year-old Dino are siblings like any other - they don't always get on but deep down they are fiercely loyal and protective of one another. But then, when one day Mia seemingly accidentally unlocks their witchcrafting heritage, it soon looks as if their new powers will tear them apart. Sent off to an ancient castle to learn their art, brother and sister struggle to come to terms both with their new selves and with the often perplexing relationships that their intoxicating new world opened up to them." - Blurb

Details: Book Guild Publishing, Released 2011, Paperback, 255 pages
Genre: YA
Source: won in a giveaway
Links: Goodreads and Amazon

Stars? 4/5

In one sentence? A quick and enjoyable read.

Though Lepore uses a popular trope she created a fun read with mostly likable characters and some unique elements. I thought Mia was a bit one dimensional, I would have liked character development in the line of what we saw from Colt. The charming, cocky Colt. I adored him, his constant statements of his superiority and his ... unique ideas about chivalry. (By the way I liked the way Lepore found to connect them) Lepore did a good job of showing Colt struggle between his growing attachment to Mia and his Hunter upbringing. A problem I had? (Spoiler alert: love? They're in love? Really!?)

What I wanted more of? Explanations. I felt the world was underdeveloped, there was little about the lore and about the Arcana and Hunters.

In which I say hello!

Hello world! I'm so glad to meet you.

Introduction time. I'm Clever Girl and I read. A lot. One of my New Year's resolutions for 2012 was to read 365 books in 2012. It's the beginning of August and I'm already at 270. As I said, I read a lot. I read fiction, mostly romance and young adult. I don't intend to talk about everything I read because (for the most part) I believe in 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all'. That said, I reserve the right to write whatever I want to.

Reviews: I'm going to write about what I read. What I think, what I like, what I wanted more of, what I'm left wondering and whatever else I feel like.

Rating system:
5+ = perfect
5 = amazing
4 = good
3 = okay
2 = not for me
1 = I'll pretend this never happened

So let's get to the books...