Top Review: June 2011 Adult - Jackie from My Ever Expanding Library

Congratulations go to Jackie at My Ever Expanding Library for being this months adult Top Reviewer.
 Check out her blog here and show your support.
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Hardback
235 x 159mm
320 pages
ISBN 9780441018642
04 May 2010
Ace trade paper
18 - AND UP

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry...

So, I was trying to figure out ways to do this review without having spoilers, but as you can see from the publisher's synopsis above...well, the biggest one for me is already in it.

I read Dead Until Dark last year but was trying to pace my reading with my viewing of the HBO series TrueBlood (though I haven't gotten to Living Dead in Dallas yet.) There seems to be a fairly close correlation between the two yet enough differences that I, personally, wouldn't give up on either one.

My first impression of Dead in the Family was that it seemed to be a much larger book than any of the previous ones. As I started reading it, I found after about 30+ pages, a page entitled "Chapter 1", so I scratched my head, thinking "What?" and flipped back through to see if I'd missed something. Nope, didn't say "Prologue" or anything like that, it just mentioned a general date time frame. Once I caught on to this I realized it was just a bridge of sorts between the last book to this one. Sookie was needing some recovery time, but this format also served as a way for the reader who hadn't read the previous book (like myself) to catch up to speed.

What I love about this series is that there is a languid quality to Harris' writing that you feel totally invested in the Bon Temps/Louisiana laid back lifestyle. But it has such a sensual feel also, that you are completely engrossed and really don't want to put the book down, even when Sookie's performing mundane tasks.The chemistry between Sookie and Eric is fantastic (I'm totally team Eric, lol) and their moments together are definitely enough to leave a girl weak in the knees!

Harris maintains such an intricate world of vampires, weres and other "two-natured" types, including their hierarchies and politics, that I'm in awe she keeps it all straight and can clearly bring her ideas across to the reader fluidly. She also builds in other previous storylines without making them tedious in the process. I very much enjoy when she brings a figure from history as someone that's been turned (ie. "Bubba" from previous books). This time, the new name involved had me thinking..."geez, that sounds so familiar?!" As the story of this person was explained, I was impressed with how the author handled it while tossing in a little history lesson (this has always been a story that I found beautiful yet sad and ultimately tragic.)

I really can't say enough about Charlaine Harris' wonderful characters, settings, writing style, etc. They are light reads, really, but at the same time offer some depth in emotion, history, and Southern waitressing. Dead in the Family is another winning offering in the Sookie Stackhouse series and if you haven't started reading these books, summer is the perfect time to work on it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Generation Dead Top Reviewer

Our Generation Dead Top Review is from Sarah's Book Reviews:

Review: Generation Dead - Daniel Waters

The dead boy reached for her, his pale eyes glowing in the darkness.

All over the country, teenagers who die aren't staying dead.

Against her better judgement, Phoebe finds herself drawn to Tommy Williams.  He's gorgeous, funny, on the football team.  And dead.

But not everybody is as accepting as Phoebe.  There are those who would like to rid the community of this sinister phenomenon, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve it...


Generation Dead Series:
Generation Dead
The Kiss of Life
Passing Strange (July 2010)

For more information visit the Daniel Waters' Blog



Review:
All over America teenagers who have died are coming back from the dead but not as your traditional zombies.  They have very slow speach and aren't very fast at moving but other than that they are basically able to carry on as normal - even attending school.  No one knows how or why some teenagers are coming back but it is happening more often and the living-dead community is growing larger.  Some people are very understanding but the majority aren't happy - some even think that it's a sign of the end of the world. 

I have really mixed feelings about this book, I thought the premise was brilliant and I really thought I was going to love the story but unfortunately I was disappointed.  To start with the positives I thought the way Daniel Waters dealt with the relationship between the living and the not quite dead was very well done.  I'm sure if teenagers ever do start coming back as zombies then the reaction from society in general (and teenagers in particular) would probably be very similar to how it was described in the book.  The book tackles important issues regarding discrimination and prejudice and it did make me think a lot about racism.  I love a book that can make me think so I really enjoyed this aspect of the story - especially as we are able to get inside the heads of both the people who are prejudiced and those who are being discriminated against.

On the other hand I found it really difficult to relate to Phoebe who was the main character.  Even half way through the book I was feeling that I hardly knew anything about her & I still have no idea why she was interested in Tommy.  I think if she'd known Tommy from before he died then it would have been a lot easier to believe her attraction to him.  I actually found the fact that she had a crush on a dead guy that she'd never even spoken to & knew absolutely nothing about really creepy.  I was also really unimpressed by Tommy - as a friend or a minor character he would have been fine but he just didn't strike me as main love interest material and I spent most of the book thinking "please don't go there Phoebe". 

My favorite character by far was Adam who is Phoebe's best friend.  I thought he was great - at first he doesn't seem like the nicest guy, he's got anger issues who gets in fights and hangs out with a rough crowd but it soon becomes clear that he is changing.  He isn't happy with his old crowd and although he isn't keen on the living dead characters to start with he doesn't like the way his old friends bully them.  Throughout the book you really get to see him grow up and come into his own and I loved him for that.

It took quite a long time for the story to suck me in but once it did I was curious to find out what was going to happen.  I'm don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say I was gutted by the ending!  I'm going to have to read the second book just to find out what happens next.

Source: Library

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien - Top Reviewer

Miss Havoc @  Cry Havoc!

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Here is her review:

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien(formerly THE ORION TATTOO (formerly THE BABY CODE))

(ARC woo-woo!)

Synopsis: (Publisher synopsis)

After climate change, on the north shore of Unlake Superior, a dystopian world is divided between those who live inside the wall, and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. It’s Gaia’s job to “advance” a quota of infants from poverty into the walled Enclave, until the night one agonized mother objects, and Gaia’s parents are arrested.

Badly scarred since childhood, Gaia is a strong, resourceful loner who begins to question her society. As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she herself is arrested and imprisoned.

Gaia carries an encoded ribbon from her parents, and its secrets hold vital information about certain advanced children who were "birthmarked" by tattoos. The Protectorat, who safeguards the population within the wall, needs Gaia’s code and its genetic counterpart to offset the hemophilia that plagues the Enclave. Sgt. Grey, a young, handsome guard of the Enclave, is used by the Protectorat to manipulate Gaia and gain her cooperation with decoding the ribbon. As Sgt. Grey faces his own complicated past and Gaia recognizes the moral ramifications of her actions, they take desperate steps to escape.

Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, BIRTHMARKED explores a colorful, cruel, eerily familiar world where one girl can make all the difference, and a real hero makes her own moral code.

Review: I really liked this story. I'm really hoping there is a sequel. I'm still getting into the groove of reviewing without it sounding like a book report, or worse, not telling you anything about the book at all. (which is really all I've done so far-yikes!) So, lets start with Birthmarked and see how I can make this better. Birthmarked is set in a dystopian future. Where Gaia, a sixteen year old midwife, must "advance" the first three children bore every month to the Enclave. The Enclave is a gated city full of wealth and a better life, that Gaia lives outside of. When Gaia's parents are arrested, she sneaks into the Enclave to rescue them. Without spoilers, she finds herself way over her head and dealing with more than what she thought was going on. With the help of a high ranking officer, Gaia breaks the "baby code" and helps her people find their families. At times it's full of action, at others blooming with romance, Birthmarked just HAS to have a sequel to satisfy my curiosity of "what happens next!"

I highly recommend this to others who enjoy dystopian novels.

I've already loaned it to my sister! 4/5 stars!

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - Top Reviewer

Stella @ Ex Libris!

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Here is her review:

Grade: 5 stars

Novellus Perfectus!

Amazon appetizer:

Elena, heroine of Kelley Armstrong's impressive debut thriller Bitten, never planned that a casual sexual encounter would transform her into a werewolf. Neither did Clay, her lover and one of the leaders of the exclusive werewolf clique known as the Pack; women do not generally change or survive if they do.

Elena's considerable reservations about her new life come to a head and she walks out on the Pack to return to something like normality, finding herself a boyfriend who turns a blind eye to her occasional disappearances in the middle of the night.

She may have done with the infighting of werewolves, but they have not done with her; her former family call her back when they find themselves under threat from those they have excluded and dominated. Kelley Armstrong is very good on the sheer exhilaration of shape-changing, of running on four feet through forests, suburban greenery and urban back alleys; if there is a weakness here, it is that Elena's relationship with the taciturn, untrustworthy Clay is sometimes a little too conventionally romantic--but the dark poetry of the best of the book overcomes this entirely. --Roz Kaveney

My thoughts: Bitten is the first in the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. It is narrated by Elena, a beautiful willowy young woman, who happens to be the only existing female werewolf! The story is fast-paced and exciting and Elena's voice is fresh and laugh-out-loud funny in Kelley Armstrong's typical sarcastic, witty way.

I discovered the paranormal, urban mystery universe 2 years ago, and Bitten by Kelley Armstrong was the 3rd book I have read in the genre, and the best one of all. Ever since discovering the Women of the Otherworld series and Kelley Armstrong, this series has been one of my favourite UF novel and Kelley my favourite UF author!

The writing style and quality are amazing, really brilliant! It made me determined to read more from Kelley Armstrong. (And apparently Angelina Jolie after reading the novel and loving it so much has bought the rights to do a movie of Bitten, so the movie is in the works.) What I love about her writing is not only the truly interesting twisting plot, but her quirky, funny dialogues, the dry wit of her characters, they make me laugh out loud, they are not only entertaining but also have so much humanity, that they are believable, real, 3D characters, they leap off the paper.

Not only the writing style is fantastic, but it is funny, bitingly sarcastic at times, and the heroine, Elena, is a great one. It all praises Kelley Armstrong's storytelling qualities that even though the heroine keeps resisting the hero's advances, that she keeps on hating him, being angry with him and not forgiving him for being the one responsible for changing her, she won't even consider or hear him out why he did it, that in spite of all this you don't want to slap Elena and tell her a piece of your mind. No, thanks to Kelley Armstrong's great writing you feel for her frustration and anger. Even though you see and understand why Clay changed her, and your heart goes out to him, at the same time you sympathize with Elena too and completely understand her anger and bitterness. Kelley Armstrong does it all brilliantly.

As Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat (quite a different kind of book, is it not?) has said of this book: "It's clever, quirky, hip, and funny, skating between genres with style and grace. More please!" I can only second that. This book has so many sub-genres, it is quite hard to label it.

Verdict: An amazing debut novel for a fantastic urban fantasy series! A must for any UF fans!
If you like urban mystery or paranormal novels, I would definitely recommend this book and author as they are exceptional!

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Embers - Top Reviewer

Amanda-Lee @ Storywings!

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Here is her review:

Review: Embers

Series: Embers – Book 1

Author: Laura Bickle

No. Of Pages: 359

Release Date: 30 March 2010

TRUTH BURNS.

Unemployment, despair, anger – visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit’s unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

 

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya – who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern – suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil’s Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya – with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team – can stop it.

 

Anya’s accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she’s risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she’s ever faced.

 

My Thoughts:

 

Embers wasn’t what it could have been.

 

After an interesting start things started happening that were just plain odd, and not in a good way.

The storyline about a fire investigator was intriguing, it’s just a pity that we had about two chapters of investigative work and the rest was filler.

 

Anya presents as an interesting character, she is intelligent, quick-witted and gutsy. Anya is a Lantern, a fire elemental, and I just wish in one book involving powers that someone would actually be inquisitive enough to explore what they can do and be completely ignorant of them until halfway through the middle of the story. It became quite boring seeing how much Drake, the evil guy who is also a Lantern could do that Anya couldn’t.

 

My favourite character would have to be Sparky, which would be inevitable for most people as he is a funny little creature who is like a playful puppy. Sparky is a salamander with a taste for electrical currents and a love for his plastic glow worm.

 

The other secondary characters didn’t really fit in with the story, some were meant to, but others just didn’t work.

 

Ciro was excellent, smart and dependable. Jules was annoying because he was an overbearing bible basher that took everyone around him for granted, he was too narrow minded to really fit in with what he was supposed to be doing. Max was a pointless character who caused too much trouble, not in a funny way though, in a what the hell are you doing kind of way. Max didn’t bring anything interesting to the table at all. Katie is a witch, but I kept getting the feeling that she was fake, for all of the magical beings around her she just didn’t square up with her massages and salt throwing, and yet she relied upon for her “talents”. She just didn’t really work as a character.

 

Brian goes both ways for me; he’s almost a nerdy version of tall, dark and handsome. He also seems too good for Anya, and he was. He fell into a coma early into the novel, and it seemed like that was just so Bickle could get him out of the way while Anya consorted with other men whilst trying to convince herself she was in love with Brian. 

 

The sex scene was kind of pointless, and I’m a person who likes a bit of smut in her novels, but the fact that the love scene was lacking the love interest and was just a one-night stand with some dude was completely irrelevant. 

 

I have been taught when writing that if it doesn’t attribute to character development or the storyline, it’s not worth putting in. Bickle has obviously never heard this saying.

 

I know I went on a lot about the characters, but they are what stood out to me this story. There was no storyline, it fizzled out in the first four chapters, it was all Anya, and it was boring.

 

If I manage to snag a free copy of Sparks, from a sale or a contest, I will read it, but I’m not going to go out and buy it based on Embers.

The Iron King Top Reviewer

Our Top Review and winner of the $10 Amazon Gift Card is... Mel @ Mel's Books and Info

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Here is her review:

Title: The Iron King

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: 2/2010

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Purchased copy for review.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not since Alice went down the rabbit hole, or Dorothy flew over the rainbow, has there been a book so exciting. Iron King is a wonderful fantasy adventure that takes us into Nevernever, the heart of myths and fantasies, where danger lurks behind every turn. This book was too good to put down, as our heroine escapes one perilous situation only to stumble into more trouble at the next turn. Iron King has something for everyone; action, adventure, danger, friendship, and forbidden romance.

Tired of her life on a pig farm, Mehgan Chase looks forward to her sixteenth birthday, when she hopes getting her drivers permit might add some excitement to her dreary life. When she comes home and discovers her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped by faeries and replaced with a dangerous changeling, Meghan gets more excitement than she had bargained for, as she resolves to save Ethan from the faeries who have captured him. After her only true friend, Robbie, reveals to her that he is actually the mythical Puck or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan enlists his help to venture into Nevernever to save her brother. As Meghan embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, she has no idea what dangers and revelations she will soon face.

There have been a lot of faery books published lately, and most focus on faeries interacting and living in our world. It was refreshing to see a book that dares to venture into fairyland, and the resulting story is top notch. Kagawa created a world where creatures of myth and legend roam, and what you say and the deals you make can have serious consequences.

My one criticism would be that the story’s climax came too swiftly. The entire story had been building towards this confrontation, but it was over in a matter of a few pages. The ending was a bit of a letdown after all the dangers and obstacles they face trying to get to the climax, but the journey to get there could not have been better. This quick ending may be partially due to the fact that this is the first book in a series, but still I feel with the time I invested in this novel I should have gotten more from the climax than the few pages it was given.

Still this was a fun and entertaining read and I find myself lamenting the fact that I have to wait another five whole months for the next installment in the series. I am anxious to see where Kagawa will go with the next book. Overall I found this book to be a very pleasant surprise. If you are looking for something to tide you over while you wait for the next installment, you might try Carrie Jone’s books Need and Captivate or the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. The next book, The Iron Daughter is due out in August 2010.

View all my reviews >>

Discussion Questions:

1. What did you think of the feud between Puck and Ash? How do you think that might play out in the next two books?

I felt that the feud between Puck and Ash was somewhat manufactured. I understand why Ash feels the way he does, but I think the author put it in simply to build the romantic conflict. There had to be some reason for the two to hate each other so that the competition over the girl is stepped up a notch. It creates more resistance to the relationship between Meghan and Ash. Kind of an Jacob/Edward type relationship and I feel it is being slightly overused in the genre lately.

I hope in the next two books that they find a way to get around Ash’s vow to kill Puck. I am hoping that Meghan can barter with Ash and get him to relinquish his vow for vengeance. Even Ash believes that it might have been hasty, but faery promises can’t be broken.

2. Favorite scene or line from the book? Could you relate to any of the characters?

The scene that made me chuckle was the one in New Orleans where Puck hales a carriage pulled by a mule and Grim hops up next to the driver and tells him “Historic Voodoo Museum and step on it.” For some reason that cracked me up.

Many of the characters were difficult to relate to because they were so unusual. You have dark and brooding Ash, and playful Puck, and Meghan who thinks she is ordinary but is actually extraordinary.

3. With whom did you identify with the most? And Why?

I could really identify with Meghan at the beginning of the book the most. I remember what it was like in high school being somewhat of a loner. Yeah I had friends, but admittedly I was a geek and was always afraid of being made fun of. It didn’t help that I wore my heart on my sleeve and you could make me cry at the drop of a hat.

4. Did you find the concept behind the Iron King- being a technology fueled modern day faerie- original or unbelievable?

The book has a very environmental theme. Our technology could be our undoing, and I can see this as becoming a more common theme in literature. Kagawa’s treatment of the topic is however most original in that the technology has spilled over into the fairylands. I think though, that they made the enemy almost too invincible since the ordinary fey can be killed by iron. It makes the tasks of Meghan and her friends in the future books nearly insurmountable.

5. Kagawa used a lot of mythical faeries in The Iron King, such as King Oberon, Queen Mab and Puck. Which fae from myth would you have liked to have seen added into the pages of The Iron King besides the ones she used?

I was happy with her choices.

First Drop of Crimson - Top Reviewer

Amanda-Lee @ StoryWings

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Here is her review:

Book Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Review: First Drop of Crimson

Series: Night Huntress World – Book 1

Author: Jeaniene Frost

No. Of Pages: 371

Release Date: 9th February 2010

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shape shifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

My Thoughts:

Mrs. Frost, you have done it again.

I knocked this book over in a day; it was of the same quality as the Cat and Bones books.

I always loved Spade, ever since his first appearance in Halfway to the Grave he has been a character that I have wanted to see more of. Spade was a Baron before he was turned so he still has those gentlemanly qualities that we wish would crop up in everyday life. Even something as small as him helping people out of the car would make me sigh.

Denise is a strong woman; she was never one of those characters that made an impact for me though, just a person in the background. In FDOC though she absolutely shined, I know that is the point, but still the character that was portrayed was not what I was expecting at all. Denise was strong minded, strong willed and stubborn. This to me is a beautiful combination.

The banter between the two had some laugh out loud moments, which was also something I wasn’t expecting. Denise was a character I think that so far I am most like in how she talks, and also with the constant worry of the cost to other people. The moments when she was trying to calculate in her head whether her entire house would cover the expense to Spade on their journey was very funny.

As for the storyline, it was another huge surprise. Usually I can tell what’s going to happen during most of the novels I pick up. FDOC was a complete rollercoaster ride for the entire book. Everything was exciting, new and completely unexpected. After reading the Cat and Bones books you think to yourself “yes, this will probably continue on with their war and their story” but it is completely different. I love that Frost has incorporated such a closeness between the characters yet such a separation because they can go for two years without seeing each other and still be best friends.

The demon storyline was very interesting as I have only covered demons recently in one other book. I love the vampires, but for a vampire series with a focus on a demon, just because they feel like it, is refreshing.

Cat and Bones showed up late in this novel. It was almost wrong in a way not to be reading from Cats point of view when she showed up, just because I love her so much. But that awkwardness (and my stupidity) only lasted about two sentences before I was grinning because I got to hear Bone’s voice in my head again.

The romance in FDOC was different to Cat and Bones story, because Spade and Denise had both suffered a loss. I was so grateful to Frost for how she addressed the issue and didn’t wipe out the previous feelings with undeniable love and mind controlling lust. The characters accepted the past for what it was and also came to terms with the fact that they weren’t replacing their loved ones or forgetting them but that the new love was love as well and it is possible to love again. It is inspiring, especially for me.

I think that, if I had to choose, the only thing that I don't like about this book is the cover. Even when I first saw it months ago, that is not how I see Spade or Denise in my head. It looks trashier than what this book is. FDOC is tender and very caring, but that cover portrays Spade as dirty and Denise as easy, which neither of them were, in any way.

Overall First Drop of Crimson is of the same calibre, and fits perfectly into the Night Huntress world. The romance was beautiful, the characters were a scream and the storyline was unique. I have to undoubtedly play favourites and say that I still love Cat and Bones more (probably because they have four books), but that Spade and Denise’s story is not one to be missed. FDOC would definitely work as a standalone novel if one hasn’t previously read the Night Huntress series.

Wondrous Strange - Top Reviewer

Monica @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog

Monica because of her great review is also the winner of a signed copy of Darklight, provided by Lesley Livingston herself. Great job Monica, and send me your address so I can forward it over.
parajunkee at gmail dot com

Stay tuned, this probably will not be a one time thing (award for Top Reviewer) so start getting ready for our The Host reviews! I don't think we will be getting anything from Mrs. Meyer, but word on the street says we have some cool Blog with Bite swag hot off the press.

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Here is her review:

Book Review: Wondrous Strange by: Lesley Livingston

Summary: Kelley Winslow is living her dream. Seventeen years old, she has moved to New York City and started work with a theatre company. Sure, she's an understudy for the Avalon Players, a third-tier repertory company so far off-Broadway it might as well be in Hoboken, but things are looking up—the lead has broken her ankle and Kelley's about to step into the role of Titania the Fairy Queen in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Faeries are far more real than Kelley thinks, though, and a chance encounter in Central Park with a handsome young man will plunge her into an adventure she could never have imagined.

For Sonny Flannery, one of the Janus Guards charged by Auberon, the King of Winter, with watching over the gate into the lands of Faerie that lies within Central Park, the pretty young actress presents an enigma. Strong and willful, she sparks against his senses like a firecracker and he can't get her out of his mind. As  Hallowe'en approaches and the Samhain Gate opens, Sonny and Kelley find themselves drawn to each other—and into a terrible plot that could spell disaster for both New York and Faerie alike.

Lesley Livingston certainly knows how to weave an awesome faerie tale. Ms. Livingston uses a lot of classic faerie elements as well as a TON and a half of classic Shakespeare....some of it being the same thing. These are both very good things. Shakespeare in itself is hard for a young reader to understand and feel. I think in this book Ms. Livingston gives Shakespeare a platform for young readers to understand and comprehend. When your favorite character is standing, acting out a Shakespeare scene, and the author is describing the emotions, the other characters, it clicks in the head and all of a sudden you have a teen who has had their possibly first dose of Shakespeare at his greatest, instead of it being crammed down the throat in high school English.

The characters are strong and willful but I don't think the author gave the reader enough time to truly get to know some of them. I liked Sonny, but by the time the story ended, I didn't know much about him and I wasn't head over heels in love with him, which is something I quite like in my male protagonists.

The plot is quick paced, but I think the the author could have done so much more with it, this book could have been huge; at the same time, if the author made it even larger it might be more difficult for young minds to wrap around. There were also a couple points in the plot that were a bit predictable...the whole deal that Sonny makes, totally saw that coming from a mile away. Faeries are tricky like that.

Overall this book is pretty good, I am really excited to read the next book in this series, Darklight.


Discussion Questions:

- Faeries seem to be very big in YA lit lately, how does Wondrous Strange compare to others in its genre such as Lament, Wicked Lovely, etc.?

I think Wondrous Strange was set strongly on Shakespearean Fae as opposed to Lament which was set strongly on Celtic Fae. Technically Fae is Fae but the source of the folklore differs.

- How did you view the relationship with Kelley and Sonny, was it a believable romance?

I think we didn't get enough time to get to know Sonny and I don't think Kelley did either, so it can use some work.  

- Wondrous Strange was written in the typical fashion of paranormal literature, with the protagonist unaware of her supernatural abilities, meets boy who introduces her to the world... do you find these plot lines tiresome in their likeness, or do you believe there are always similarities within fiction and it is all about the deeper story?

It depends on my mood to be honest, sometimes I get bored with it, but its usually the mystery I get bored with. All the shadows and guessing games. I can continue reading plot lines like this...as long as they don't have so much clouding it interrupts the storyline.


Received from: Purchased from Books-A-Million

For more information or for purchasing visit Lesley Livingston's webpage.

I give this book 4/5 stars. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Soulless Top Reviewer - Strange & Random Happenstance

Miss Eliza @ Strange & Random Happenstance

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Here is her review:

Soulless: The Parasol Protectorate Book 1 by Gail Carriger
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: September 29th, 2009
Format: Paperback, 382 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

It is the reign of Queen Victoria and the British Empire is vast and ever expanding, thanks in part to the Werewolves and Vampires. The supernatural are acknowledged the world over, but only England has truly accepted them into their daylight world and even into Victoria's government. They even have their own watchdog agency, BUR, the Bureau of Unnatural Registry. This revelation has resulted in technology exploding in the industrial era to harness the power of steam and create a veritable Wellsian world. Now Alexia Tarabotti enters into our story. Alexia deftly straddles these two worlds, not supernatural and not fully human, she is preternatural, soulless, and can cancel out supernatural powers. Preternatural's being used for centuries, particularly by the Templars, to hunt and kill supernaturals. But these are not Alexia's concerns...she's more worried about finding a nice cup of tea and a little something to eat...if a party says that there is to be food, food there should be! What else is a spinster who tragically takes after her dead Italian father in looks and is extremely outspoken to do at parties specifically designed to marry off her two step sisters? But her peace, and the treacle tart, are destroyed by a surprisingly ignorant vampire. She prevailes with her trusty parasol and BUR, in particular, Alpha Lord Maccon and Beta Professor Lyall, arrive on the scene to tidy up the loose ends.

The next day dawns surprisingly normal, till out on a walk with her best friend, and fashion victim, Ivy Hisselpenny, Alexia is invited to the hive of the Vampire Queen, Countess Nadasdy. From there everything goes pear shaped and it's up to Alexia to sort it out, despite Lord Maccon's interference, in more ways then one, some of them surprisingly intimate. There are disappearing rogue vampires and werewolves, and not even her trusty go to gossip, the vampire dandy Lord Akeldama knows what to make of it. With the full moon fast approaching will Alexia be able to keep her overly large nose out of this supernatural business? Or will she storm into the fray, trusting parasol (made to her specifications) in hand And will she get the man even though she has been a resigned spinster since the age of 15?

Soulless is the author Gail Carriger's first published work. I have to say I'm surprised and impressed. Surprised in that it is such a well written polished piece with great Victorian vernacular and lots of wit. Plus as an aside, I only found maybe two typos, it's unheard of for a book to be that well copy edited! But what impressed me was the author's world creation. The England of dirigibles and dandys is wonderful. I found the science and the history she created to be easy to understand, despite it's complexities, and I can't wait till the next book to re-immerse myself in this world...too bad I have to wait till March! The interaction of science with the supernatural was also so well done and logical, you never once felt that she was trying to force one or the other on a preexisting history of the British Empire, but was explaining the oddities of the British Empire itself with the world she created. If only Prince Albert were still alive...I can picture him with Professor Lyall, both equipped with Glassicals and studying the latest scientific aspects of chloroform while waiting to give a presentation to The Royal Society.

Overall the book was able to work on many levels, one of which was to overcome typical romance genre stereotypes. I don't think I'll ever really like Ivy Hisselpenny, she is too, wide-eyed innocent best friend who Alexia will endeavor to find a good match for in subsequent books. Also the throwing together of the heroine with the gruff hero so early in the novel was surprising to me, usually they wait till the very last moment. But Carriger made this work in the end with not the least bit of diluted suspense and the conclusion made me wish I hand Changeless right away to dive into to read of Maccon and Alxia's further adventures. Alexia herself is so wonderfully abrasive and forthright and knowledgeable with such a love of food you can't help embracing her instantly. Who cares that she's the typical spinster stereotype, because when you get down to it, there is nothing stereotypical about her. She is a woman who takes after Victoria herself, not those insipid heroines always needing a man to save them.

But now I must get to my favorite character, Lord Akeldama. He's a dandy to be sure, and a rogue vampire due to a mysterious disagreement over waistcoats, but he's so much more. He's a complex little spy who loves Alexia because she makes him feel human. But his spy network is really where it's at. His trusty Drones, led by Biffy. These dandy's are everywhere and hear everything, but at the same time are so stereotypical and a product of their time that they are a part of the scenery. They are perfectly calculated by Akeldama to be his eyes and ears lending him the appearance of omniscience. Also lets not forget they are great little helpers, in every sense of the word. Do to their cackling dandy herd mentality and the name of Drones and knowing that the author is a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, I can't help myself envisioning a whole different take on the Drones Club. This one would be more stylish, with lots more purple silk and more overt Wildean overtones. I would pay to read about that...really I would. Perhaps in an upcoming sequel by Gail Carriger...

I'm reposting my review as part of Blog with Bite's Soulless propaganda. This book is so wonderful and original and funny and easily one of the best books I've read recently! So, I figured, if you're on the fence or newer to my blog, you might need a gentle prod... consider yourself prodded!

Beautiful Creatures Top Reviewer

Monica @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog

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Here is her review:



Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Summary: There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. 

There were quite a few things that were different about this book, that were enjoyable. The POV in this book is from the main character Ethan, so it was different reading a YA novel from a male teen's POV. I liked it, it might not be completely believable, because Ethan is a 16 yr old male, but it was still different in an excellent way.

The length of this novel was also very nice, there was some over desciption sometimes, but most of the time the descriptions in the story were rich and vibrant, almost like textiles that you can reach out and run your fingers over each one. The gothic undertones of Lena's family were also very vibrant and excited to learn and read about, it was almost as if there needs to be a dictionary just to list each of her family members and explain more about them.

The fact that there are no vampires or werewolves in this story was refreshing, the retreat into witch lore is always intriguing, seeing as its always different and its a classic in literary terms; there is always more to learn about in regards to beliefs and how others perceive witch's. Might not be a great thing to be a witch in a severely southern "bible-belt" town. Definitely not.

This book was interesting, engaging, and after a slow start picks up tremendously, it drags the reader into a world of magic and love that is a bit Romeo and Juliet-esque. The frequent mention of different authors and their works was also refreshing and interesting because I myself have never read some of the authors mentioned and will now look into them. If I myself am intrigued by some of these classics maybe some teens that wouldn't give them the time of day before will look into them with a fresher perspective than mandatory reading. I would definitely recommend this book to others and will keep it on my shelf for future reads, after I mail it to my teen sister to borrow.

Received from: Purchased
For more information or for purchasing visit Kami Garcia or Margaret Stohl's webpage.

I give this book 4/5 stars. ★ ★ ★ ★

Discussion Questions:
1. All the lies and deceit that was occurring in the book to the teenagers seemed a bit much, right? Do we lie to our children to protect them, or brutal honesty? It seems like a reoccurring theme in Hollywood and literature, but is it a reoccurring them in real life?

I think once a child or young adult is old enough to grasp a concept of something then they should be informed completely about said concept and be able to act in a manor that befits knowledge instead of ignorance. If you teach a teen about sex, how to protect themselves, and why they shouldn't have it before marriage (or whenever) then they will understand it better than when you say "Just don't do it", and then when the time comes to make a decision, they will know the correct path.

2. Do you feel Lena and Ethan were too chaste, with only random kissing? With rampant teenage pregnancies and condoms being distributed in schools, do you feel these YA novels that stick to just kissing and no cursing aren't reality, or do you agree with their good show of morals?

Sadly, I think that no...teenagers face sex every single day. With hormones, peer pressure and pressure from the opposite sex sometimes even, its hard to remain an outsider as a teen in that sort of environment. Maybe though this situation is more normal for severely religious and small towns, but I doubt it. I am not saying there should be sex in YA romance...but, it shouldn't be hidden either, this goes with my answer to the first question.

3. Obviously the authors lean towards a very strong liberal political viewpoint...the story does a great job labeling conservatives as bible thumping, closed minded racists who burn books........in that sense how do you feel about censorship and do you feel its fair to label all conservatives this way?

Definitely not. I am conservative in my political views and such, but I am the opposite of a bible thumper, I am a card carrying Pagan, and I am definitely not racist or closed minded...so nope, don't agree with that view point at all.

4. Southern, small town close-mindedness is a big feature of Beautiful Creatures, did you find the towns reaction to Lena something that could really happen, or a gross Southern, small-town stereo-type?


Nope, unfortunately I think small-town close mindedness is a very prevalent thing in the South and even in the North...its still very much a real issue.

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie BWB Top Reviewer - by Alyssa Kirk @ Teens Read and Write

by Alyssa Kirk @ Teens Read and Write

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Here is her review:

James Morgan has an almost unearthly gift for music. And it has attracted Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and then feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. James has plenty of reasons to fear the faeries, but as he and Nuala collaborate on an achingly beautiful musical composition, James finds his feelings towards Nuala deepening. But the rest of the fairies are not as harmless. As Halloween—the day of the dead—draws near, James will have to battle the Faerie Queen and the horned king of the dead to save Nuala's life and his soul.

To kick off my reading of Ballad, I first read Lament which focuses more on Deidre -- her problems, her relationships. One problem I had with Lament was that there was not enough of James and his amazing-ness.

Luckily, Ballad highlights my favorite James traits: loyalty and cheeky/cocky attitude. Nuala is just as spunky and forward which makes for a perfect match for my fave musical smart aleck.

The chapters switch from first person James to first person Nuala. My brothers always knew when James came back into the story because they could hear me chuckling or see me smiling.

I read Ballad in one day, just a few hours, because, unfortunately, I started skimming...a lot. In general, I prefer plot/action driven novels rather than predominately character driven ones so the fact that I finished Ballad is a testament to how wonderfully fun and snappy James is written.

I would have loved this book a lot more if I hadn't read the book jacket which had me waiting for things to progress to the James battling the Faerie Queen and the horned king of the dead to save Nala's life and his soul part. That doesn't happen until about the last 100 pages.

I thought the faerie plot was lacking. I understood that James couldn't do too much detective work because, you know, he's human. He can't see faeries unless they want him to (and they typically never do), and you can't find clues or skillfully interrogate things you can't see or hear. But since we flip to Nuala's perspective about every other chapter, I assumed we'd make discoveries along with her. But, you know what happens when you assume...

The faeries work hard to keep Nuala out of their business and what little we learn of the faerie plot doesn't allow you to make a guess at what will happen. That's part of the fun - trying to solve the mystery, but you really can't until the very end when everything is laid out for you.

Ah, the love triangle. Deidre...Dee is annoyingly Bella-like in her helplessness and treatment of Jacob, uh, I mean James. It was irritating to have to read her whiny unsent text messages. It does tie in towards the end, but that doesn't take the edge off the vexation. Deidre actually makes you love Nuala more, especially when the soul-snatching faerie echos your own thoughts of Deidre.

James. Let me just say...Yum. James is fantastic. Nuala is on the same playing field. The romance is simultaneously hot and sweet. It's a solid read for those desiring paranormal character driven romance but the romance is the plot and I prefer more action. But even accepting that it is a straight romance, I didn't feel any major conflict with the lovers until over halfway through the book and I felt the conflict should happen earlier to give the plot more meat.

Perhaps reading Lament and Ballad back-to-back wasn't the smartest move because I kept comparing the two... and Ballad came up short. On it's own, Ballad is a solid paranormal romance that has interesting characters who will stick with you and leave you wondering about the rest of their story.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. James is a flawed and heart broken character, do you find his mental peculiarities charming or annoying? Please do explain.

I found his mental peculiarities oh so charming. I loved James. He perceives the world in a unique way. He's smart, uber smart, so the world and those in it bore him. It makes him arrogant and he has to work hard to cope with his boredom. It's his individuality that makes him so likable and his flaws that make him relatable.

2. What did you think of James and Dee's kiss? This being a pivotal moment for their relationship, how do you think it changed James?
I thought it was hot. I so got my hopes up and Dee's words crushed me like I really was James before I flipped into a protective Nuala-like mode and instantly deemed Dee as unworthy. I think the kiss allowed James to let Dee go in the end.

3. Whom do you prefer Dee or Nuala?
Nuala! Nuala! Nuala! She's saucy. She's confident. She keeps you on your toes. Dee is a wimp. Yes she has a hard life, but so does Nuala and the faerie rises to the challenge with sass.

4. What's your verdict on the best way to read Ballad? Is it a stand alone book or do you need to read Lament first? If you read Lament, what did it add/not add to Ballad? If you haven't read Lament, do you think it would have added to your reading of Ballad?
Do NOT read Lament first. Ugh. I so wished I hadn't. Yes, Lament sets up James' and Dee's relationship, how close they were and how it fell apart. But in Lament, Dee is strong and smart. Her character pulls a one-eighty in Ballad, morphing into a wishy-washy whiner with no backbone.
You don't have to have read Lament to be able to understand everything that goes on in Ballad. Ballad focuses on James and Nuala's budding love. Lament focuses on Dee and the different kinds of faeries bothering her. By reading Lament I understood a bit more about the faerie politics going on, but I don't think I would have had trouble following Ballad if I hadn't read Lament.

I suggest reading Ballad first and Lament second. Both love stories, both wonderful.

5. We've been reading a lot of stories with fairies as the central paranormal creatures. What are your thoughts on the "Fair Folk". Do you believe in faires?
I don't so much believe in faeries, but I do like them as villains. In fact, they're my favorite paranormal villains. They're coy, clever, cruel and have no shame.

Queene of Light Top Reviewer - Poisoned Rationality

By Lexie @ Poisoned Rationality

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Here is her review:

Queene of Light is the first book in Jennifer Armintrout’s new series Lightworld/Darkworld. This time she focuses more on Fae creatures and the Faery Court than vampires, however (which suits me fine).
The book begins with Ayla in the middle of an assignment tracking a werewolf through a disgusting, stinky sewer. Armintrout does a very good job of setting atmosphere throughout the entire book—from the dank, dreary, and stench-ridden Darkworld to the only slightly better-off Lightworld—visually. Actually, I thought I could smell the sewers that are Ayla’s home at one point.

The world Armintrout builds is just this side of desperately bleak. Between the denizens of the Lightworld (who seek to re-take the above from humans by any means necessary) and the inhabitants of the Darkworld (who at least don’t want to eradicate humanity, but are nasty critters in a multitude of other ways), hope seems to be as foreign as sunlight. Selfishness, greed, violence, hatred...these emotions drive most of the characters’ actions.

Ayla and Malachi's relationship begins rocky, continues to be pretty rocky and manages to smooth out just enough so that they're not at each other's throats, at least. They don't go from enemies to "'Oh, my God, I love you!" quickly (thank goodness). In fact, Malachi spends a good deal of his time away from Ayla devising ways to kill her with his bare hands, and Ayla alternately hates him and feels guilty over his condition.

My favorite character, hands down, is Keller. He is a Bio-Mech (a human that believes that a body's everything can be easily interchangeable with mechanical parts...pretty much a cyborg, but seems to be more a way of life/belief) and helps Malachi out. He’s just plain fun—takes the world as it is and makes something from it. I wouldn’t say he’s an optimist, but he’s a good deal happier than almost every other character we meet.

A good start to the series, I’m eager to find out the consequences of the final chapter and see where the future shall bring Ayla (nowhere comfortable and happy, I’m willing to bet).

Discussion Questions

#1 Did you have an understanding of the world created by this novel, or did you find the complexity too much?

I wouldn't say that I found it to complex to understand, but I did certainly have some nagging questions in regards to motivations and societal justifications. As a rule Armintrout didn't stray too far from the well known ideas of the various creatures and the inhabitants lived a pretty easy code of 'me first, all you guys come in distant places behind me' ways of life.

#2 In a book that it appears many have trouble liking, what is one thing that you like about this book?

Keller. I'll be flat out honest, I would have smacked Ayla or Malachi pretty quickly otherwise. He amused me to the point where I went along with the rest of the book and ignored the nagging doubts I had about decisions made.

#3 Did you agree with the author’s decision to make Ayla a fierce assassin in battle and a weakling in her emotions? For example her obvious contempt for Garret but yet her willingness to be his mate and subject herself to his demeaning manor?

I think that its a classic archetype for female roles. The strong, stoic fighter who can't handle being thanked or complimented without getting anxious. She wasn't raised in a very warm and loving environment to begin with and the Court minions lived to prey upon weaknesses and emotions. In the Garret case, Ayla began the book with very certain ideas about how things go. Through the course of the novel she didn't see evidence that those certain ideas weren't the best way to survive so she stuck to them.

#4 What do you think the significance of the the baby Ayla carries is/will be?

Ahahahaha...I actually can't answer this one because I *know* what the significance is (having read half of book 2) so I can't remember what I thought was the significance and what I learned was the significance. It doesn't mean rainbows?

#5 What do you think of Ayla's ascension to the throne? Do you believe she accepted her own destiny too easily?

I want to say that her ascending the throne was well-earned and in no way a cop out for her...but I didn't see it coming at the end. Heir or otherwise, the book didn't seem to point to the conclusion that the novel drew. It was one of the more confusing aspects honestly.

BWB's Never Cry Werewolf Top Reviewer

http://www.caitlin-petersonbooks.blogspot.com/

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Here is her review:

Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

This post is going to be in two parts. The first part will contain the discussion questions that were provided by the group administrators. The second part will address anything not covered by the discussion questions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Q#1 - What do you think about stereotypical characters? Do characters like "Honey bun" - the evil stepmother & Shelby - the teen acting out, bother you, or are you accepting of them?

I find it hard to say characters are "stereotypical" in a book. The author wrote the character's personalities to best fit the story. Readers can relate and better understand the stereotypical characters. Besides, the story would have been totally different had the stepmother not been evil and the teen been a happy, obedient child. I don't think the characters in this particular story was a generalization of their groups. Not all stepmothers are evil, and not all teens act out. They just did in this story. So I guess I'm accepting of the characters the way they were written.

Q#2 - How did you feel about the immediate attraction and relationship between Shelby and Austin? Do you think it worked in this story or not?

Okay, this quetion addresses one of the issues I have with the book. I was really disappointed in the lack of punch when the two characters met. Just because they are teenagers doesn't mean that the awesomness of love at first sight (or attraction, whatever floats your boat) can't be powerful. There was no power in the "love at first sight" theme in this book. None. Zippo. Maybe a slight sizzling, but oh so forgettable. I wish it would have worked in the story. I think the story would have been ten times better had the attraction at first sight been more... more.

 
Q#3 - What did you think about the attempts the camp staff made to connect with Shelby? Were they at all effective? Did the staff have a point in their position on her personal life?

I've never been to a so-called brat camp. I have no personal knowledge of what the counselors would be like at such a camp. But it bugged me how A. they never listened to her, and B. they only perception they had of Shelby came from her parents. What was Shelby's take on her personal life? Did she ever have a chance to speak up for herself? Nope. That always bugs me when a character has no say whatsoever.

 

I do have to admit though, that I did appreciate the counselor's advice about her mother and the issues involved with that. I also thought that the letter writing idea was genius.

 
Q#4 - What is your opinion on parents who send their kids to reformation camps - the ones who need to be "reformed" and the ones who don't?
 

Is it okay for me to not have an opinion? I guess I was raised that if you have kids, they are your responsibility. Problems and all. Would I ever send my child to a brat camp? Probably not. Do I think badly of other parents when they do? No. It's their children and they can make whatever decisions regarding their upbringing that they want to. Who am I to judge?

 
Q#5 - Do you wish there would have been a bit more mystery regarding Austin being a werewolf, letting us get to know his character first and then the big reveal?
 

Yes, I do. The whole reveal went so quick! I practically blinked and all of the sudden he's a werewolf. There was no lead-ups, no mysterious happenings.. it was quite disappointing. I didn't even have time to wonder what he was, or ponder on why he wasn't quite acting "human".

 
Q#6 - Do you think this novel has enough momentum for a sequel? There was some hinting at the possibility (the scratch), do you think this would be a good follow-up?
 

I'm divided on the sequel question. One one hand, I wasn't interested enough in the characters or the story to continue on with another book. On the other hand.. I would love for Heather Davis to try again and hopefully write a better story this time. So if she does write a sequel, I might read it just to give her another chance.

 
 
IN MY OWN WORDS
 
I'm not sure if you could tell from the discussion questions, but I wasn't a huge fan of the book. These are the main reasons why:
 
1. The book was SOOO short. And not in a I'm-so-in-love-I-never-want-to-it-to-end kind of way, but in a that's it?!?! kind of way. It was too short to fully develop the characters. I didn't get to know Austin (the love interest) and was totally ambivalent towards him. He could have been a really nice guy, I just didn't know him. And everything went so fast. The big reveal was super quick, and the whole story was just over in a blink. It literally only took me an hour to read. I just couldn't get into it.
 
2. The other thing that bugged me was that Shelby was scared of Austin for more than half of the book. I just feel like if you're going to write a paranormal love story, the heroin needs to suck it up and be brave. Maybe there is an initial fear to make it realistic, but then she needs to come to terms with it and fall madly in love with him. But that's just me.

I did however, like the ending. I thought it was a great romantic gesture that Austin showed up at the camp to go through it with Shelby. And as far as the kiss went.. it was all right. Not the best on-page kiss ever, but it was okay.

Like I said, for the most part I didn't love the story. It wasn't memorable, and I didn't feel like the hour it took to read it was a good use of my time. There are so many other great YA paranormal/fantasy books, and this one doesn't measure up. Would it be dishonest to return the book even after I've already read it?