Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet #1) Review

**2 stars**

July 31, 2012

Hardcover Edition

WARNING!  This review does contain spoilers.  If you wish to read the review without the spoilers, please pop over to the review on Goodreads.

It took a little while to actually get into the book, but once the story started to come together and I started to figure out what was going on in the book, I enjoyed it a little more. I am interested in learning more about synesthesia, which I had never heard of until reading this book. In general, I didn't really connect with the characters at all. Alison's parents and Melissa weren't really developed as much as I would have liked. They seemed to just randomly pop up for a few pages then disappear into oblivion again. The story itself seemed to focus more on Alison's time in the psych ward and not really on the "main plot."  Spoiler [Once it was finally revealed that there are, in fact, aliens involved in this whole thing I just got bored. I feel like I have a "spidey-sense" about aliens, since I generally can figure out when they are involved in a story pretty quickly.] I had already figured out the big secret about halfway through the book and was disappointed with how it was handled. Short and sweet isn't really the way to handle the situation.  Spoiler [If you are going to shoot people into another world, at least have them spend more than 50 pages of a 300+ page book in that other world.] Overall, the story was interesting but not one that I loved. It was okay, but I probably wouldn't recommend and I won't be continuing the series.

Fairy Bad Day Review

**3 stars**

July 31, 2012

Paperback Edition

A fun, unusual Buffy-like story.  I enjoyed the idea of the students "specializing" in different creature slayings rather than having a ton of super-slayers running around all the time.  I initially did not like Emma as she spent a good majority of the book whining and complaining, but she finally mellowed out by the end of the book.  Still not my favorite character, but she became tolerable.  I absolutely loved the fairies and their sarcasm.  Skittle-eating, Starbucks-stealing, blog-reading fairies who love hanging out at malls?  Yes please!  I was a little confused by the darkhel's description and ended up just picturing him as a dragon with clothes,  which is sort of how it was described, but I was expecting it to be more fairy-like than dragon-like.  The romance aspect of the book was meh.  Not really believable, slightly ridiculous, but that is usually my opinion on all things romance.  At least there wasn't the typical YA love triangle.  Overall, a good read and would recommend for Buffy fans.

Ladle Rat Rotten Hut (Grimm Diaries Prequels #4) Review

**3 stars**

July 27, 2012

Kindle Edition

Another good prequel to the Grimm Diaries. I thought Ladle was a little childish, but considering she has pretty much been under house arrest her whole life, it is understandable. I liked Wolfy's character the best and the incorporation of Anguish language was interesting. And we finally are starting to learn a little about the Lost Seven and who they are! There is one section of the book, however, that seems like it is missing a paragraph. Once Ladle meets her granma, there is a paragraph that begins in the middle of a conversation but the first part of the conversation isn't there. Between that and a few spelling and grammar mistakes here and there, I was a tad confused at times, but overall the story is good. Still looking forward to the series and the last prequel.

Deadly Cool (Deadly Cool #1) Review

**3 stars**

July 27, 2012

Paperback Edition

Very different from what I have been reading, but I just couldn't pass up the beautiful cover. This book is a YA mystery which I haven't really read before (I'm too used to fantasy and thriller at this point) so it took a little bit to get into the story and adjust to the different writing style and plot. The book was pretty good, although it did take a little effort to understand some of the "text speak" in the book. Different generation, different language. Although I didn't realize that "Dude" is still a term used among high school kids. Seems more like a term from my generation (late 80's, early 90's kids). Somethings never die, I guess. Speaking of death: the plot of this book was good even if I did have it figured out about halfway through. The descriptions of everything from clothes to social group stereotypes was very well done without being too descriptive and annoying. I loved the contrasts given between the Color Guard girls and cheer girls. I didn't go to a "normal" high school (shout out to all homeschoolers out there!), so it was fun to read even if it may not be all true. I also liked how little romance there was in this book. Most YA books feel obligated to shove it in there, but thankfully the author kept it out (with the exception of one very brief scene). I probably won't continue the series since I'm content with how the story ends, but I would recommend the book.

Matched (Matched #1) Review

**3 stars**

July 20, 2012

Paperback Edition

I picked this book up mainly because I love the covers of the series. I was a little hesitant to read it since it is a YA romance which is not my favorite genre, but I'm glad I decided to read it. It started off a little slow and I was afraid it would turn into a similar story as Delirium (which I didn't like), but I was pleasantly surprised. The main character wasn't annoyingly sappy and her life didn't revolve around just two guys. There was a lot more depth to the book than I expected and the romance aspect was written well. I liked that I got to know the characters piece by piece throughout the book and there is still more to learn in the rest of the series. I liked the book (isn't an all-time favorite, but was a decent read) and would recommend to YA romance lovers. I will continue with the series, although probably not for a while.

Don't Breathe a Word Review

** 4 stars**

July 15, 2012

Paperback Edition

Creepy book! It is constantly keeping you guessing and in suspense. I realized quickly that this is not a book that should be read at night in a large empty house on the edge of the woods. At least I don't live in Vermont too. I loved that you never really knew if the fairies were real or just a made up story and if they were good or bad. And just when you think you have it figured out a new twist is thrown in and messes everything up. I would recommend this for those who enjoy a good thriller.

Undead and Unwed (Undead #1) Review

**3 stars**

July 13, 2012

Paperback Edition

Definitely an adult book.  I'm reading along peacefully then *bam,* a scene with a tad too much description in it.  Despite these few scenes and the frequent swearing the story was really good.  I loved the main character, which is surprising as she is a designer shoe addict who cares only for herself.  But then again, how would you feel if you just woke up from the dead and found out that nearly every vamp out there wants you destroyed?  I'd be annoyed and confused too.  Especially if I discovered I can walk into churches, look and touch crosses, and smell garlic without getting harmed.  While the book is definitely "R-rated," I would recommend it to the adult vampire-loving crowd and might read more of the series later on.

ExtraNormal (ExtraNormal #1) Review

**3 stars**

July 12, 2012

Kindle Edition

A fun and interesting "alien" story. I like how the nafarians were the same as humans, just slightly more advanced instead of being strange creatures with superpowers. The author gave some information and background on the differences between the "Old Earth" and "NeoEarth," but nothing too heavy and confusing. The romance aspect wasn't terribly annoying and I loved Mira's parents and Becca. The book moved quickly and smoothly throughout. There are plenty of surprises at the end that I never expected and kept me interested in the series. Would recommend to YA sci-fi readers.

Ethereal (Celestra #1) Review

**1 star**

July 10, 2012

Kindle Edition

Ugh, the characters were completely annoying.  Within the first few pages the main character was making out with some random stranger that she finds so incredibly hot that all can think about all the time is how hot he is (while also considering his cousin hot and also making out with him once or twice).  Irritating beyond belief.  The basic background of the story reminded me a little of Unearthly, but not as well developed.  Could be because it is a short book.  Who knows.  I would not recommend this book.

Sick (Project Eden #1) Review

**4 stars**

July 10, 2012

Kindle Edition

I wish I had known it was part of a series before I started reading!  Way to totally leave the ending open and me wanting more.  Clearly I need to open my eyes and see the "#1" tacked on the book name.  I really liked this book with its complex plot and conspiracy theories.  An extremely virulent virus is just an added bonus.  Let's just say I hope I don't get sick within the next few weeks.  Creepy and well written.  It was fun to follow along and see how quickly the virus spread and see the outbreaks and quarantines from different view points.  I would recommend to sci-fi fans.

Extras (Uglies #4) Review

**3 stars**

July 9, 2012

Hardcover Edition

I starting reading this book under that assumption that the setting would be in one of the two cities that the first three books in the series took place in. It wasn't until probably the middle of the book that I realized it was a completely different setting and even a completely different country. That was the most confusing aspect of the story since the characters in this book speak Japanese while Tally and gang speak English (and I was under the impression that they lived in what used to be America). How everyone managed to move around so quickly was a little confusing to me, but I may have missed an explanation at some point during the series.

The story was similar to that of the previous books as was the language. "-making" was tacked on to pretty much everything and drove me nuts ("dizzy-making" and "bubbly-making" are just two examples to give you an idea of what I mean), just like the over-usage of "bubbly," "bogus" and "icy" drove me crazy in the second and third books.

Overall, the book was okay. Tally was different than I remembered her being, but that is probably mostly due to the time lapsed between reading the books. Some interesting twists at the end and the different aspects of the featured city were interesting. A nice ending to the series.

Brownies and Broomsticks (A Magical Bakery Mystery #1) Review

**3 stars**

July 6, 2012

Paperback Edition

I blame this book for my sudden cravings for sugar and coffee.  The story was a cute little magical chick lit mystery.  I haven't read anything similar in a long time and it was nice to return to this genre.  Especially when there is baking and animals involved.  I'm excited to try the brownie recipe provided at the end, and maybe I'll even try out the scone recipe too.  Back to the story itself: I loved reading along as the main character is always getting herself into trouble and winding up in situations that she finds less than desirable.  The "romance" part of the book (if you can even really call it that) was a little ridiculous and annoying.  The standard two-very-different-guys issue.  I thought it was a no-brainer, but hey.  What do I know?  I thought her heritage could have been explained a little better since it was sprung on the readers and we had to accept it at face-value with very little background (it wasn't a surprise, I just wanted more info).  Overall, I would recommend it for those who enjoy quirky chick lit mysteries with little to no romance.  I'm not sure I'll continue with the series, or at least not anytime soon.

Snow White and Rose Red: The Curse of the Huntsman Review

**3 stars**

July 3, 2012

Kindle Edition

Way too short for my liking.  I wanted so much more!  The plot was good, if a little hurried.  I loved the characters.  I just wish the book had been longer so the author could have gone into more detail and explained more.  I kept getting confused as the narration switched from Rose Red to Snow White, but each section was clearly marked as to who was speaking.  I just forget easily.  I would probably recommend, but not as highly as I would if the book had been longer and the plot moved a bit slower.

Demon Hunter and Baby Review

**2.5 stars**

July 3, 2012

Kindle Edition

First off, I loved the concept. I'm sure first-time moms would like it even more. I mean, a demon hunter who has to balance her life-is-constantly-threatened job with taking care of her first child is pretty much as hardcore as it gets for a girl. Not to mention she is a single mom. In terms of plot... it was okay. I wasn't really impressed, but I wasn't too bored either. I don't think I will remember the story in a few days, but it was a fairly good read. Longer than most Kindle books I've read which I wasn't expecting. Would I recommend? Yes, I think I will just because it is so different and, yes, even a little fun. Buffy fans might enjoy the story.

A Monster Calls Review

**5 stars**
June 30, 2012

Hardcover edition

Absolutely beautiful. This is a very emotional and touching book about grief and the pain of illness (in this case, cancer). The first thing I noticed when I picked up the book is the sheer weight of it. It is deceivingly light as it really isn't a large book. The weight comes from all the ink used in the images. This is a book that absolutely needs to be read in paper form (if you dare read it as an e-book, I will hunt you down. You have been warned). The illustrations add so much more to the story and are stunningly gorgeous. Okay, so back to the story itself. it is about a boy who is visited by a yew tree monster frequently. The way it is written, you never really know if the monster is real or just a dream. The way in which the story is written is heart-moving and even funny at times. The dialogue between the boy and the tree is deep and also light-hearted at times. But by the end of the book, I had tears streaming down my face and had a hard time reading because my eyes were swelling up (this only happens when I cry very very hard). I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. I think that people can relate to this story in many different ways.

Masque of the Red Death Review

**2.5 stars**
July 2, 2012

Hardcover edition

Wasn't as great as I was expecting, wasn't that bad either. I like how it is more of the "background" leading up to Poe's Masque of the Red Death rather than just a retelling. The romance aspect of the book was frankly dumb. I'm not even sure it can be called romance. The characters lacked any real depth and I just got annoyed with how quickly their moods changed. The story also jumped around way too much. One minute Araby is walking down an alley, then next she is having deep conversations with people who suddenly appear in the story (that is not a specific example, just a general idea). Don't even get me started on Elliott's character. Will was the most likable of all the characters, but I still had a hard time connecting. I don't think I will recommend this book. It was okay, and makes me want to read Poe's short story again, but I'm just not that impressed.