Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Title: Easy by Tammara Webber

Published: May 25^th, 2012

Source: Purchased for Kindle

Format: eBook

Challenge(s): eBook Challenge, ABC Challenge

Grade rate: A

A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

My Review

Oh my!  What an awesome book (*you can’t see me, but I’m doing a happy dance right now*)!  I purchased a copy of Easy after seeing in many blogs and I cannot tell you how good this book is.  A gentle warning applies here:  This book is for mature young adults as it contains language and has sexual scenes.

Jacqueline was a great character.  She is obviously heartbroken and at a loss when her boyfriend of three years dumps her, but she quickly recovers from the shock and tries to go on with her life.  She goes through a very traumatic event as well and tries to do the right thing about it.  Jacqueline is smart, loyal, understanding and, at the end, brave and compassionate.

Lucas is probably one of my favorite male characters ever.  Only a strong human being can overcome so much and come out shining on the other side.  He is so considerate, tender, loving, talented, and so on and so forth (really, I can write a page about Lucas alone!).  Amazing.

Other characters are well crafted and contribute significantly to the story.  Erin, Kennedy, Dr. Heller, even Buck have their own, well defined personality.  Overall, very good characterization throughout the story.

The plot was simple and surprising at the same time.  It is easy to guess what is going on at the beginning, but then we are confronted with an even bigger twist later.  Ms. Webber is an amazing writer.  Take for instance this quote:

“Love is not the absence of logic but logic examined and recalculated heated and curved to fit inside the contours of the heart”

Awesome, right? 

I also give Ms. Webber credit for touching on many difficult topics, especially when it comes to rape.  This was done in a highly effective and tasteful manner.  Good job!

Easy is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one that I will probably re-read many times.  PLEASE try this amazing story, you will not regret it.  For my part I plan to read Ms. Webber’s books forevermore :)

About the cover:  Very appropriate cover, with both Lucas and Jacqueline in such a tender moment.  Beautiful!

Have you read Easy?  What did you think about it?  

Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons (Article 5 #1)

Title: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Published:  January 31^st, 20152 by Tor Teen

Source: Library

Format: Audio book

Challenge(s): Support Local Library, ABC Challenge, Debut Challenge

Grade rate: B

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Review

Well, Article 5 is a very different dystopian, actually the worst imaginable future.  I did enjoy the story though.

Overall I liked Ember’s character.  She was resourceful, brave, and loyal, BUT I had a few issue with her.  She was impulsive and did things without thinking that nearly got her killed and certainly got her in deep trouble.  The inner workings of her mind were strange.  I mean, anyone could see from a hundred miles away that Chase was crazy in love with her (but her, of course!)  I don’t want to spoil the book for you, thus I will restrain myself of telling you the specifics of the dumb decisions she made.  I am glad that she seemed to be more mature by the ending of the book.

On the other hand, I LOVE Chase.  Ember and Chase were next door neighbors and have more or less been in love with each other forever.  For reasons unknown Ember figures out that he stopped loving her after being drafted; I don’t think she ever thought of what poor Chase had to go through.  Chase is loyal, loving, practical, capable and gorgeous, his one and only focus is Ember and how to keep her safe.  I love knights in shining armor, and Chase did not disappoint.  Other characters are transient and minor, but very well crafted.

The story is disconcerting.  From all the dystopian books that I’ve read this is by far the worst imagined post-war ever.  I’m not exactly sure about the war itself, but the world after is awful.  There is a president that seems to think that reverting back about 100 years ago (in mentality, family structure, and women’s attire) and talking away all the citizen’s liberties was a good idea.  This new world is violent, full of injustice, starvation, want, need, and dictatorial.  I do hope that the resistance can do something about it and I’m looking forward to that.  The plot is really good, and the story is full of action.  The writing is very good, well paced, with enough background for us to understand and follow the story. 

About the cover: Yep, that’s about right.  All major cities are gone; here we see a ravaged city with Ember and Chase looking down.  I love the red elements of the title and Chase’s shirt. 

Review: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey (The Monstrumologist #2)

Title: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

Published: October 12, 2010 by Simon & Schuster

Source: Library

Format: Audio book

Challenge(s): Support Local Library,  ABC Challenge

Grade rate: A+

NOTE: This book falls in the genre of horror, I would recommend it to an older reader

While Dr. Warthrop is attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, his former fiancée asks him to rescue her husband, who has been captured by a Wendigo—a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh. Although Dr. Warthrop considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and performs the rescue—and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo. Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, and whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied? This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness.

My Review

I’m sure that it doesn’t matter how hard I try I can never do this series justice.  The Monstrumologist is a masterpiece and it was hard to imagine that Mr. Yancey would be able to match it, but indeed he did.

The Curse of the Wendigo starts very soon after the end of The Monstrumologist with brave Will Henry as our narrator and protagonist. 

The book can be divided in two parts: first, the expedition to the Canadian forest in search for Dr. John Chandler, and second, the trip to New York City for the monstrumologist’s annual convention.  Both parts have their up and downs and we get introduced to many new characters and a new and perfectly horrid “monster”.  We learn in this book about Dr. Warthrop’s ex-fiancé and one of the reasons why he behaves the way he does (coupled with a very un-loving childhood).  We also meet many of Warthrop’s colleagues in the search for the “Wendigo”.

One of the most fascinating things about this series is not only its mesmerizing story line and plot, but the brilliant writing by Mr. Yancey.   He makes images and pictures come to life just by stringing words together.  He makes a forest comes to life and be another living character, he describes monsters and the monstrosities they commit in a way that had me cringing in disgust and despair.  Take the following paragraph for example:

“There is no future in it, Will Henry,” he said pensively. “The future belongs to science. The fate of our species will be determined by the likes of Edison and Tesla, not Wordsworth or Whitman. The poets will lie upon the shores of Babylon and weep, poisoned by the fruit that grows from the ground where the Muses’ corpses rot. The poets’ voices will be drowned out by the gears of progress. I foresee the day when all sentiment is reduced to a chemical equation in our brains—hope, faith, even love—their exact locations pinned down and mapped out, so we may point to it and say, ‘Here, in this region of our cerebral cortex, lies the soul.’”

Needless to say, I cannot wait to read The Isle of Blood, the third installment in the series.   This series is not for the faint of heart, but it is so, so good.  If you like horror movies (which I do not) give The Monstrumologist a try.

About the cover:  The cover is a lot less scary than The Monstrumologist’s was, and still there is a scary face in the background, kind of sneaking on you.  We can also see the forest and the red symbolizing death and blood.

Review: Illuminated by Erica Orloff

Title: Illuminated by Erica Orloff

Published: December 8^th, 2011 by Speak

Source: Library

Format:  Paperback

Challenge(s):  Support Local Library, ABC Challenge

Grade rate: C-

An epic romance full of mysteries that transcend time—fans of Romeo and Juliet and The Time Traveler’s Wife will rejoice!

Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story—and hers—takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary—and that of Heloise and Abelard’s ancient romance—their romance becomes all-consuming. But Callie knows it can’t last . . . love never does. Will their love that burns as bright as a shooting star flame out, or will these star-crossed lovers be able to defy history?

My Review

Let me put it this way:

Did the book have romance?  Yes, of the instant, all consuming kind.

Did the book have a mystery?  Yes, one that was interesting, but kind of estrange and with historical / paranormal undertones.

Do I believe in soul mates?  Of course I do!  After all I married mine almost 20 years ago!

Did I like the book?  Yes, just not as much as I was expecting to like it.

I think one of the big issues that I have is that the characters were easy to identify with.  We have Callie, which is a sweet and very smart teenager that has many problems with her dad and who enjoys her time with her uncle and his partner a lot more.  Her mother’s past is a mystery and I felt like there were a lot of loose ends.

The story of Heloise and Abelard was new to me and I appreciate the historical undertones of the novel, BUT (you saw that one coming, right?) I feel like the story was all over the place.  There were little details that didn’t make sense to me.  For example,  a ‘book thief’ is introduced and linked to a certain event and there was no follow up; another example is Callie’s mother’s story, it felt disjointed for some reason as well as August’s taking off after what happened to his dad.  The writing was fine.  I don’t know how to express how much I hope to like the story and how disappointed I was that I didn’t.

About the cover:  The cover is truly beautiful, I think it’s the best thing about the book J

Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young (Dust Lands #1)

Title: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Published: June 7^th, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Library

Format: Audiobook

Challenge(s): Support Local Library, 2012 ABC Challenge

Grade Rate: B-

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. 

My Review

 

First, let me start by saying that I listened to Blood Red Road.  I clarify that because I have seen some comments about the dialect used in the book, but since I listed,  not read the book and from my point of view it was perfect.  Although there are some parts of this book that I didn’t like, I really enjoyed Blood Red Road.

Saba is our protagonist and she is not very likeable.  She is rude, has no manners, is stubborn, opinionated, violent, ungrateful and more.  Saba’s fixation with Lugh was a little hard for me to identify with.  I have siblings and I love them dearly, but Saba’s feelings for Lugh seem extreme (then again I don’t have a twin.)  It seems to me that Saba was a mix of Katniss from The Hunger Games and Katsa from Graceling, but not getting quite there yet.  I found hard to believe that a girl that was so sheltered and isolated could be this violent and resilient.  Some of her faults can be attributed to said isolation, I mean when you live with only three other people as companions, I guess manners are not necessary.  On the other hand Saba is strong and inspiring to others, and she did changed and grew up a little.

Emmi is Saba’s little sister and she is very sweet and a saint to put up with Saba!  Lugh doesn’t take a big part of the book, so I’ll reserve my judgment for the sequel.  Other characters were very well developed and are abundant.  Now it’s Jack’s turn.  Jack is kind of hard to figure out.  He is a handsome dare-devil and knows a lot about everything (I think he thinks he knows it all).  He is very easy going and doesn’t know what to do with Saba, but he is very good with people and especially with Emmi.  I really liked Jack and I hope we can see more of him in the series.

Other than my few issues with Saba’s character the story is fantastic.  It takes place somewhere in a distant future, where people don’t read (can you imagine?) and where people are very violent and life is hard and short (sort of like living in the wild west).  The writing is beautiful, well paced, with enough for us to know the setting and background information, but keeping an air of mystery at the same time.  I really enjoyed Blood Red Road and I am looking forward to book two, Rebel Heart, to be published in October of this year.

Have you read Blood Red Road?  Did the dialect bother you?

About the Cover:  The cover is okay for me, nothing exceptional about it. What do you think?

Remember to enter my 600 Follower giveaway here!

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Published: January 2^nd, 2012 by Poppy/Little Brown

Source: Library

Challenge(s): Support Local Library, ABC

Grade rate: A-

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

My Review

Even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, I really liked The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.  It was a quick, but satisfying read; sort of like wearing your favorite jammies and sipping a cup of hot cocoa.

Hadley is a sarcastic, full of phobias, opinionated, and pretty girl that has been irrevocably affected by her parents’ divorce.  I think that in her mind the problems grew out of proportion (like they do for every teenager!) at a point that it affected her more than either her mom or dad.  The divorce changed her view of the world and turned her a little bitter.  I am not saying that what she went through was not real and painful, only that it took her longer to overcome it.  

Oliver is a handsome, British (have to love the accent, right?) student that happens to be headed to London in the same plane with Hadley.  I wish I liked Oliver more, he had all the right ingredients for a great character, but for some reason I didn’t like him as much.  He was obviously raised very differently and he bottled everything up and it wasn’t easy for him to share his feelings. 

Other characters in the book, Hadley’s parents and the future Mrs. Professor were quirky and likeable.  The plot was simple and great; it is amazing that so much happens in so little amount of time!  From Hadley’s change of heart and view of the wedding, to her attachment to Oliver, to the adventure to the unknown, it has all the makings of a good story.  It is a rollercoaster of feelings, attachments, friendships and love.  Do I believe in love at first sight?  Absolutely!  

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a great, easy to read contemporary read, which is romantic without being sappy or corny.  Love it!

About the cover:  I really like the cover and the font.  It portraits that feeling, when you are with your one and only and you feel like you are the only two people in the world.  Remember that feeling?  I know I do!

Please enter my I Love YA Hop Giveaway here!

Please enter Priscilla's Hot Boys in Books Hop Giveaway here and my entry here!

Review: Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton (Goblin Wars #1)

Title:  Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Published: November 15^th, 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Source:  Library audio book

Challenge(s):  Support Local Library, ABC

Grade rate: C+

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

 Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming

My Review

Tyger Tyger was my introduction to Celtic mythology, of which I knew nothing about.  It has to do with goblins which are mentioned in some paranormal/fantasy books in passing, and in Tyger Tyger we get to really learn about them.

Let me start by saying that this was perhaps not the best audio book to listen to.  The names were very difficult to understand and the story (especially the Celtic myths) is hard to follow.  Another thing was that the Irish accents didn’t seem believable either. 

Teagan is loyal, brave, smart, but somehow she was not likeable or easy to identify with. It is curious that she is not aware of anything strange surrounding her until she meets Finn.  Finn is what is expected of a main male character: handsome, brave, selfless, loyal, funny, but still he falls short to me.  I think he is a little too “detached” to everything and it’s amazing to me that he had to live in the streets by himself for most of his life.  He is too “old-fashioned” and too accepting of his heritage that the loneliness that it brings.  

I found Teagan’s friend Abby the character with the most unique voice and I really liked her.  Teagan’s mother death is brushed over; when I know it should have felt as devastating as it was.  Aiden is a little too “know-it-all” for a five year old, he is a human GPS and has both the sight and special abilities that help him in the Goblin realm.  It doesn’t feel as this story is centered on Teagan and Finn, since Aiden is ever present (and I mean, all the time!)

Tyger Tyger was an okay read for me.  The plot was original, but a bit too confusing.  The ending was a total cliffhanger which means, of course, that I will read its sequel:  In the Forests of the Night.

About the cover:  The three might be the entrance to Mag Mel, I still don’t understand the title of the book either.  The cover is mysterious, but not particular pretty.

Review: Forbidden by Megan Curd (The Guardian Chronicles #1)

Title: Forbidden by Megan Curd

Published: October 22^nd 2011

Source: Purchased for Kindle

Challenge(s): ABC Challenge, eBook Challenge

Grade rate:  A

Levi's job is to protect his human until it's their time to go. That's what a Guard does. He's done it for years on end, and he'll spend his eternity doing the same, mundane thing, following the same, mundane rules. 

...Watch from afar.  ...Never share your name.  ...And above all, never touch a human.  What Levi doesn't know is that his newest human to protect, Hannah, just might be the catalyst to tipping the scales between good and evil, and he will be forced to decide which side he belongs to. Which friends will he side with, and who will he ultimately protect: his human, or the delicate balance that hangs on stopping the heartbeat of the person he has sworn to protect?  And, when you're already condemned, what's there to lose by breaking the rules?  THE GUARDIAN CHRONICLES: FORBIDDEN will take you into a world of Guards and Guardians, Light and Darkness. What side will you take?

My Review

Forbidden was a surprisingly good read or me.  Surprising because, even though this is a book about angels it constructs a unique hierarchy that is easy to understand.

The story is told in the first person from Levi’s point of view.  I found it refreshing to have a guy tell the story for a change.  Levi is a Guard and his “Call” or his assignment, so to speak, is to watch over Hannah.  There are many things that are forbidden for a Guard to do and somehow and without meaning to, Levi breaks the rules.  What happens next is an incredible ride, packed with unique characters, action, and an introduction of the world of the Guardians.  Hannah is stubborn, curious, brave, beautiful and good, and her life is turned upside down by a fact that is not her fault.  I think Levi and her make a really good couple. 

As I mentioned above the characters in the book are amazing.  Besides Levi my favorite characters is Ethan.  Oh boy!  He is handsome, cocky, egocentric and rude, but he is so funny and he is loyal to the end.  I can’t wait to see what happens next with him!  Angie is a conundrum and the dialogue between her and Ethan is priceless! I trusted Clay right away and I hope he makes a good mentor for Levi.

The story is very original as well as the angel lore with its hierarchy and rules.  Ms. Curd’s writing is easy to read, well-paced and flows nicely.  As you can see I really enjoyed Forbidden and cannot wait for its sequel.

About the cover: Of course the angel in the cover is what the book is all about.  I like the play of the light and dark, a symbol for the good and bad (and maybe even gray!)

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published: September 29th 2011 by Dutton

Source: Library

Challenge(s): ABC Reading Challenge, Support your Local Library

Grade rate: A

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Review

I have to confess that I was a little apprehensive to read Lola and the Boy Next Door.  Why you ask?  Because Anna and the French Kiss is hands down one of my favorite books EVER.  Thus, I rationalized that Ms. Perkins couldn’t possibly write anything better than Anna.  I was, (as I often are) wrong.  There are several similarities between the two books, like great characters and an amazing romance, but there are enough differences that made reading Lola a unique experience for me. 

Lola is quirky, exceptional, original, funny and a little snarky and this makes her a great character to read about.  She is a loving daughter and a loyal friend.  And she has a “thing” for the boy next door.  How can I start to describe Cricket Bell?  He is insecure, nerdy, trendy, also loyal, observant, and has the patience of a saint.  I really loved Cricket (even if that sounds disloyal to St. Clair) even tough he lacks the same innate charm and charisma, he makes up for it in other ways. 

Another aspect of the story that I loved is that Anna and St. Clair are Lola’s friends.  This is not a sequel for Anna, but rather we take a peek at what their lives together are now and it adds a layer of depth to the story.  I enjoyed Lola’s dads, their dynamics were different and they were extremely overprotective.  I did not like Max, he is one of the biggest jerks ever to grace the pages of a book.  Calliope didn’t warm my heart either.

The story is flawless, the descriptions of San Francisco make the setting another character to enjoy and get acquainted with.  The plot is simple and expertly executed.  I adore Ms. Perkins writing, she takes romance and character building to a whole new level.  My only issue with the story (as well as with Anna) is that in a romantic relationship three is a multitude.  Why must there always be “cheating” involved?  I wished that Lola would have ended things with Max as soon as she realized that she still had feelings for Cricket. 

Ms. Perkins next book, Isla and the Happily Ever After (BTW, Isla means "island" in Spanish) will be published next year and I am already pinning for it. 

About the cover:  I like the cover of the book.  It portraits Cricket and Lola with San Francisco in the background and it is colorful and unique.

Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Title: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Published: October 4^th, 2011 by Simon Pulse

Source: Library

Challenge(s): Support your Local Library and ABC Reading Challenge

Grade rate: B

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.
Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

My Review

Past Perfect is a book by the author of Mostly Good Girls (see my review here), which I enjoyed, therefore I was eager to read this book because it sounded like fun and I loved the cover.

Chelsea was a fun character to read.  She is very opinionated, pretty, a great friend, but full of insecurities.  She was easily persuaded by others into doing something she didn’t want to do, and sadly that is true for a lot of people.  I liked her frankness and several parts of the book were laugh-out-loud funny.  I loved Dan, he was fun, considerate, and handsome and it pained me to see what happened between him and Chelsea.  I also liked Fiona, Chelsea’s best friend, she was a drama queen and so loyal that she deserved an award for sticking to Chelsea and for opening her eyes.  There is a good word to describe Ezra, but I won’t use it since I don’t like to write curse words (you get the drift, right?).  Other members of the Essex Colonial Village were so “high school”, there were popular girls and guys, and just the opposite, but they were all united by the “War”.

The plot was very original and I love the concept of the "War", even when it got a little out of hand.  the only thing that bummed me out is how Chelsea caved in so easily to betray Dan.  It just seemed our of character for her.  Just as her previous novel, Ms. Sales left a lot unsaid and I feel like the end was inconclusive.  I hope that Dan gave Chelsea a chance (it seems like he did.)  The writing was insightful, funny and easy to read. 

It's funny how sometimes we look at something from our past, maybe a childhood memory or that of your first crush through "pink" glasses instead of the way things really happened.  Past Perfect was an entertaining and short contemporary read that I hope you enjoy as I did.

About the cover: I like that the cover is unusual and pretty, although it has nothing to do with the story!

Have you read Past Perfect?  What did you think? 

Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson (Hereafter #1)

Title: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Published: June 7th 2011 by HarperCollins

Source: Puchased for Kindle

Challenges:

Grade rate: C+

Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

My Review

Hereafter is the first paranormal romance that I’ve read in which the main character is a ghost.  In fact, the book is narrated from Amelia’s point of view and we know what it feels like to be a ghost, and be confused and lonely.

Amelia is, as I mentioned, a ghost of an 18-year-old girl that wonders around near the place of her death.  I think she develops a strong personality with a very ferocious sense of right and wrong and protectiveness towards those few that she loves.  Joshua is a sweetheart (not to mention gorgeous!), he is also protective, but ill equipped to defend Amelia.  Eli is evil and obviously the bad guy (or known bad guy) of the story, he has a distorted sense of ownership and a twisted mind. I hoped that Jillian, Joshua’s sister turned out to be one of the “good guys”, but I guess we’ll see in the sequel.  I did not like Josh’s grandmother at all.  She had knowledge about ghosts and demons but sees everything as black and white and is unwilling to help Amelia.  Other characters were minor, such as Joshua’s friends, and parents. 

Hereafter’s plot was original and the story was paced nicely.  I guess that this first book left a lot of questions unanswered and it was a bit confusing.  I honestly don’t understand how a ghost and a human can be together (it’s just creepy, right?) and the instant-love from Josh’s side was a little unbelievable.  I only have good things to say about Ms. Hudson’s writing.  It was well paced, lyrical, and the descriptions seem to take a life of their own.

I will still read Arise, book two of the series due to be published this June, as I want to know how it will all work out for Amelia and Joshua.

About the cover: It is a beautiful cover, very appropriate for the plot as it shows Amelia as a ghost and the dark river.