Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

Pages: 352

Genre: Retelling/Historical

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Romeo and Juliet are gone. Will love live on? Despite the glooming peace that's settled on Verona after the recent tragedy, Montagues and Capulets are brawling in the streets. Faced with more bloody battles, Prince Escalus concludes that the only way to truly marry the fortunes of these two families is to literally marry them together. Everyone is skeptical, but none more so than the pair selected, for the most eligible Montague bachelor is Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, still anguished by the loss of his companions, and the chosen Capulet maid is Juliet's older cousin Rosaline, the girl Romeo first loved and whose refusal of Romeo's affection paved the way for bloodshed. Contrary to their late cousins, there's no love lost between Benvolio and Rosaline, yet they forge a bond to end the renewed feud not only to escape their forced betrothal, but to save their lives and the city of Verona itself. 

STILL STARCROSSED STILL STARCROSSED, OR WHEREFORE ART THOU OTHER .5 STARS.

I'm sorry I couldn't help myself. How else better to start out a review for a book based on the famous Romeo and Juliet? Or, rather, the continuation for this tragic love story. Because that's what this is, and that's what made Still Star-crossed such a fascinating read.

So I did ask where the other .5 stars went. And here I will share my only complaint about this book: the romance. I know, I know, it's a pretty big part of the book (or so you think), but really I only had a problem with who she ended up with. I suppose it was pretty obvious, but I just couldn't believe their relationship. It seemed so fake and rushed. I honestly felt like she could've done better with Option #1. But the story goes where the story goes right?

But other than that, oh my, this book was so close to perfect. I have to admire Melinda Taub for writing in Shakespearean, complete with thees and thous and didsts. She did a wonderful job with sticking to it, but sometimes a few modern terms slipped through the book. But I didn't mind! Or rather, I didn't notice. The book just enthralled me and had me mesmerized from Chapter One. While I was a bit wary about it at first, there's something about the writing that just draws you in and enchants you. I never was a fan of Shakespearean talk, but like this? I rather love it!

The characters were beautifully written, something that sort of surprised me. It's hard to shape characters when they've been created by someone else, but again Taub passes the test! They're thought out characters that have likes and dislikes, pet peeves and desires, and we get to learn almost all of them. I started to care for these characters--strange because it was written in third person omniscient, but somehow it worked. I really feel like Rosalie and I would've been best friends--she's just that amazing of a character!

And then we have the plot that surprised me time and time again. While it's been a while since I've read Romeo and Juliet, I think this story stays true to the original, and it really is a great continuation! But, contrast to Romeo and Juliet, this story is far from just a romance. There's a conspiracy that I honestly did not see coming--involving some people I never would've imagined. With a surprising mystery, with surprising twists, Still Star-crossed is more of a mystery than anything else! And a thrilling one at that.

Still Star-crossed is truly a brilliant novel that I have to recommend to anyone who's even heard of Romeo and Juliet (so basically, everyone.) A well written continuation of a star-crossed love gone horribly wrong, mixed with shocking twists, a murder mystery, and a few romantic gestures, this is a book that I think most people will adore--if not fall madly in love with it to the point of death.

Or not.

(P.S. I was tempted to write this entire thing in Shakespearean talk)

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Mirk and Midnight by Jane Nickerson

Pages: 384

Genre: Gothic Literature/Retelling

Series: Strands #2
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: Mar 11, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war—a war that has already claimed her twin brother. When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy—one of the men who might have killed her own brother—and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds—keeping him alive—and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion. Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves.

While I hadn't read Strands of Bronze and Gold prior to this, the synopsis had me wanting and, I mean, it was a companion novel. So I could read it right? And who can pass up a Tam Lin retelling, anyways?

This story takes place during the Civil War, something that fascinated me, especially since it was a retelling of Tam Lin, a story of fairies and magic--what place did the Civil War have in this?
As it turns out, the main plot for most of the story didn't really have much to do with Tam Lin (or Thomas, in this case) as I'd expected. The retelling bit of the book was in maybe the last quarter of the book and we don't even really meet Thomas until halfway into the book. But that didn't really matter to me, by the time I was in that deep.

The story, even without meeting Thomas yet, is exciting or, at the very least, intriguing. It was slow at times and it definitely resembled a plain old historical fiction at times, but it was so much more than that. While I do wish it was more like the last bit of the book, I have to admit, the story was still interesting especially with Violet's rather...well, with all the changes that Violet's family is going through. Sunny and Emily were such contrasting characters and it was interesting to see their personalities start to grow a bit more complex, especially Sunny's. My favorite characters have to be, by far, Miss Ruby (Oliver?), Laney, and Seeley. Nickerson has a knack for secondary characters and I couldn't help but just grow attached to all of them!

The romance was quick and a bit insta lovey, I suppose, but it just seemed to fit the story and made me love it even more. The story really focused on Violet's independence as a woman in this time and how she dealt with all the terrible and wonderful things that were happening in her life at the same time. And I loved that.

There were definitely a few creep factors in this, especially with the voodoo mentioned in it. I definitely wish that there were more scenes like the last, but nevertheless, it was enjoyable and pretty spectacular, for lack of a better word!

The Mirk and Midnight Hour was a completely fascinating read that brought out the Gothic in Gothic Literature and I couldn't help but fall in love with the solemn atmosphere and the supernatural/voodoo forces that pushed the plot on. The historical feel just brought the story alive and the story stands out as something I'd call darkly enticing and hopelessly enchanting. 

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Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Pages: 368

Genre: Gothic Literature/Sci-fi

Series: Madman's Daughter #2

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Jan 28, 2014

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

After the rather terrible (read: heartbreaking) ending in The Madman's Daughter, I was unbelievably anxious to read Her Dark Curiosity so I was ecstatic when I managed to get my grubby hands on an ARC! And then I started reading. And I was a bit disappointed.

My main issue was Juliet herself. She seemed absolutely ridiculous throughout the story and seemed...well, mad. And I suppose that may have been the point, but I just felt like it made her an annoying character rather than an interesting one. She kept repeating over and over and over that she wasn't like her father, would never be like her father, and then immediately turn and do something that's so obviously cruel and terrible, just like her father. (Spoiler at the end of the review) That and she made some obviously-not-right choices that made me twitch in agitation.

More than that, the romance. Unfortunately, our love triangle isn't completely finished (or, it is in the way that Juliet has chosen who she loved. But that doesn't stop a certain someone from pursuing her or her from kissing and other activities with said someone.) I hated how Juliet just seemed to go back and forth, despite her claim of love for Montgomery, and how she justified Edward's actions. Sure, he didn't deserve to die, but she didn't seem to think that much about the harm he's done besides one or two pages.

But despite all that, Her Dark Curiosity was a fascinating read, most especially because of Shepherd's talent with atmosphere and Gothic lit. And a 1800-1900s London? It's the perfect place to set a story of madness, murder, and mayhem! The drizzly ghostly city was creepy with everything that was going on and you have to hand it to Shepherd--she's a genius with her words, if not her characters.

The plot was absolutely spectacular with twists sprinkled throughout the story (the first less than 70 pages in!) and I found myself gaping at the book sometimes, just eager to discover what would happen next. And, like always, Megan Shepherd manages to leave us with a cliffhanger and clamoring for the third book, even if our character isn't how we hoped!

Gothic literature is one of my favorite kinds of stories, and the dark and haunting setting and atmosphere was beyond impressive and I had chills throughout most of the book, especially with murderers and secret, dark science cults.

***SPOILER: She freaking creates her own "creature" and unleashes it on her enemies, scientists, and murders every one of them in cold blood. Then hunts down the survivor and kills him. And she thinks that's justified?

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Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

Goodreads Blurb

"Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness. 
When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England. 
Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion... 
Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.

Oh my God. The cover. The synopsis. Is it any wonder I've been dying for this since the reveal? I loved the idea of this, the magic, and historical is one of my favorite genres! Of course I had to read it.
And, you guys, it did not disappoint.

I loved the worldbuilding in this, though I do wish we had dug a little deeper into it. But it was wonderfully thought out and had a haunting atmosphere that made the book so much more enjoyable than it already was! Historical fantasy is always something I find fascinating since you're both creating a world and mixing in historical references and places. Sometimes, the world is horrible--Chantress's was far from terrible!

I loved Lucy. She was a wonderful character who was real enough to believe in--she wasn't selfish and mean or whiny, but she wasn't Miss Perfect, selfless to the core, and that was a relief!
Our minor characters were my favorite though! They each had such quirky traits and individual personalities! They brought the story to life!

There was, honestly, barely any romance except on the last page. And, sadly, only one kissing scene. THIS ROMANTIC NEEDS MORE KISSING! I did love how their relationship was slow, though, and not rushed like how it usually is in YA. I can't wait to see the couple in the sequel!

The plot was, admittedly, a bit slow in the middle. It started out wonderfully, action packed already, but the pacing slowed distinctively after a hundred pages or so. Not to say it wasn't fascinating and entertaining. It was! It just wasnt as action packed as I hoped.

Absolutely enchanting and magical, Chantress is a book that will leave you absolutely speechless and dying until the sequel!

Pages:336
Genre: Historical/Fantasy
Series: Chantress Trilogy #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->4 stars

Copperhead by Tina Connolly

Goodreads Blurb

Helen Huntingdon is beautiful—so beautiful she has to wear an iron mask.

Six months ago her sister Jane uncovered a fey plot to take over the city. Too late for Helen, who opted for fey beauty in her face—and now has to cover her face with iron so she won’t be taken over, her personality erased by the bodiless fey.

Not that Helen would mind that some days. Stuck in a marriage with the wealthy and controlling Alistair, she lives at the edges of her life, secretly helping Jane remove the dangerous fey beauty from the wealthy society women who paid for it. But when the chancy procedure turns deadly, Jane goes missing—and is implicated in a murder.

Meanwhile, Alistair’s influential clique Copperhead—whose emblem is the poisonous copperhead hydra—is out to restore humans to their “rightful” place, even to the point of destroying the dwarvven who have always been allies.

Helen is determined to find her missing sister, as well as continue the good fight against the fey. But when that pits her against her own husband—and when she meets an enigmatic young revolutionary—she’s pushed to discover how far she’ll bend society’s rules to do what’s right. It may be more than her beauty at stake. It may be her honor...and her heart.

I loved reading Ironskin last year, so I was pretty excited to start in on Copperhead. But, while it was a pretty good read, I just didn't feel it and it fell flat.
The concept of Copperhead, while fascinating, was disappointing, although I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of steampunk and, with more tech than Ironskin, it's possible that that's the reason. But it could also be that there were so many little things that just made me feel...awkward.

While Helen was a fierce character (and I loved that she knew where her loyalties lay) it just irritated me that there didn't seem to be much difference otherwise between Jane's POV and Helen's, as far as I could remember. Jane was also written out as a bit of a boor compared to her own novel, and that was another little thing that went up against the book.
Then again, Helen was a pretty badass character, so I'm trying to figure out if it balanced out or not.

The romance in the story was...hmm. There was honestly no need for it whatsoever and it was completely rushed. They only met each other a handful of times and yet, nearing the end, they were young and in love. Very very rushed, especially considering the fact that they don't really talk/meet until halfway through the book.
Besides driving the plot on, but I really really felt like the story would've gone on a lot smoother without the romance (So honestly, it didn't even drive the plot on that much, so I'm not quite sure...why it was there? Except perhaps, to make the story more YA.)

I really do love the worldbuilding and all the secrets behind Copperhead was absolutely fascinating. The plot was completely unpredictable and I was shocked more than a few times. I have to hand it to Connolly for writing a thrilling plot that had me at the edge of my seat in the second half. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but after a while, I started to love it more! (Although some of the stuff I highlighted before did still irritate me.)
My last complaint is that the ending seemed too rushed, but it was creative nonetheless!


Pages: 304

Genre: Steampunk/Fantasy

Series: Ironskin #2

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013
Rating: 2 Stars

Hideous Love by Stephanie Hemphill

Goodreads Blurb

An all-consuming love affair.
A family torn apart by scandal.
A young author on the brink of greatness.
Hideous Love is the fascinating story of Gothic novelist Mary Shelley, who as a teen girl fled her restrictive home only to find herself in the shadow of a brilliant but moody boyfriend, famed poet Percy Shelley. It is the story of the mastermind behind one of the most iconic figures in all of literature: a monster constructed out of dead bodies and brought to life by the tragic Dr. Frankenstein.
Mary wrote Frankenstein at the age of nineteen, but inspiration for the monster came from her life-the atmospheric European settings she visited, the dramas swirling around her, and the stimulating philosophical discussions with the greatest minds of the period, like her close friend, Lord Byron.
This luminous verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill reveals how Mary Shelley became one of the most celebrated authors in history.

There were a lot of things about Hideous Love I didn't quite expect, and I can't quite say that's a good thing.

Hideous Love was written in verse, something that surprised me, but pleased me. At first. But as I read on, it wasn't as well written as I'd hoped. Verse isn't something you can pull off easily, and I'm afraid Hemphill didn't manage to reach that level yet. While the writing was quite gorgeous and poetic (as it should be. Since--Mary Shelley!) and amazing, the characters came off as flat and it was a tad confusing. And, no matter how beautiful the writing, it couldn't really make the rest of the book interesting.

I really admire how Hemphill tried to make her life seem fascinating and interesting, but it just didn't really stand out to me. It was, essentially, an autobiography written in verse--and I'm not generally a fan of biographies. There wasn't enough to really keep me enthralled. She had a love affair, she had kids, she had money problems, family problems. But they were all just glossed over, the book written like it was. It may have been more interesting written in prose, maybe, but instead it came out as dull and boring.

And then the characters. That's another thing about writing in verse--it's hard to get a feel for the characters, and that's exactly what happened here. While Mary Shelley wasn't exactly a flat character, she was hypocritical, catty, and possessive, making her a distinctly unlikable character. While I did empathize with her at times, it still irritated me and I couldn't really get over that feeling.

But the main reason I disliked her, really was the romance. Twenty five pages in, the words "I love you" are pretty much spoken, and that's fast--even for insta-love. We didn't get to see the progression as they fell in love. It took maybe two poems for them to fall in love. Add to that the fact that he happens to married at the time...and, well, we get a jumble of hot mess.

It's an outstanding premise, really, but the book just doesn't have the same allure after a few chapters. It wore me down until I honestly didn't want to open the book. Something that really disappoints me, since I was so excited to start!

So while it does sound amazing, I wouldn't recommend this, though I will admit--it'd be a lot cooler to read as "research" since it does stick to the facts and is written in quite beautiful verse!

Pages: 320

Genre: Retelling/Historical

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013

Rating: 1.5 stars

The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford

Goodreads Blurb

Laura Reid goes to Leningrad for a semester abroad as Cold War paranoia is peaking in 1982. She meets a young Russian artist named Alexei and soon, with Alexei as her guide, Laura immerses herself in the real Russia--a crazy world of wild parties, black-market books and music, and smuggled letters to dissidents. She must keep the relationship secret; associating with Americans is dangerous for Alexei, and if caught, Laura could be sent home and Alexei put under surveillance or worse. At the same time, she's been warned that Soviets often latch onto Americans in hopes of marrying them and thus escaping to the United States. But she knows Alexei loves her. Right?
As June approaches--when Laura must return to the United States--Alexei asks Laura to marry him. She's only nineteen and doesn't think she's ready to settle down. But what if Alexei is the love of her life? How can she leave him behind? If she has a chance to change his life, to rescue him from misery, shouldn't she take it?

Oh, I had such high hopes for The Boy on the Bridge. It sounded like something I would absolutely love and something that would break my heart at the same time. And while I did enjoy it, it just wasn't something I really loved. 

There was definitely something about the writing, though, that just captivated me. I was just drawn into this so-different world, both fascinated and horrified by the conditions of a 1982 Russia. Standiford does a wonderful job recreating the world with little seemingly insignificant details that make the writing stand out.
And the writing! It's simple yet beautiful in a way and just pulls you in more. It's an intriguing story that just makes you question everything.

Like did Alexei (or Aloysha) really love Laura? I was pondering that the entire story. It was undoubtedly suspicious, but I felt like he really did love her. On the other hand...well, like I said. It was suspicious. You have to love a love story you're unsure of!

But, the love story? It was sort of horrible. It was so rushed and pretty much insta-love. Laura risked so much for someone she barely knew and she snuck him into a foreigners-only place. When they'd only met twice before. It was ridiculous! Laura was so naive, saying Aloysha loved her after only a few meetings, when already, as Laura's best friend said "half our group are already half engaged" (or something like that. I did it from memory!). She stuck up for Aloysha when she should've been suspicious and just trusted him way too much. It was just really rushed and I hated how ignorant Laura was, how she just fell so quickly in love with just a few glances and meetings.

I couldn't really connect with Laura either. She was a bit of a flat character and we never get to really know her, and it didn't seem like Standiford understood her own character that well either.
I did love seeing the other characters and how the interacted with Russia and its locals. I enjoyed reading about Karen and Dan, Ninel and "Binky". They added a sense of humor to this book that was definitely needed.

All in all, The Boy on the Bridge wasn't a terrible read, but it wasn't the best either! I'd recommend trying it out, but it wouldn't be on the top of my list.

Pages: 256 

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: July 30, 2013

Rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour: Belladonna by Fiona Paul

HELLO! If you all know, I'm a ginormous fan of Fiona Paul. As in, I feel like I force her to pick me for all her Venom Things. SO I AM HERE WITH THE BELLADONNA BLOG TOUR and an awesome annotated excerpt that'll make your toes tingle and your book buying side shiver.

Check out my review of BELLADONNA.

Excerpt

Cass couldn’t move. She stood there, transfixed, speechless, letting her eyes wander over his whole body. The moonlight outlined his broad shoulders and the dark brown hair that had grown even longer since she’d last seen him, the ends of it brushing against his cheekbones and dangling below his square jaw. He broke away from his friends with a wave and began to cross the piazza toward her, the collar of his shirt flopping open to expose a triangle of muscular chest. Warmth bloomed in Cass’s cheeks. Her hands had been all over those muscles just a few weeks earlier.

Falco’s jaw dropped slightly as he approached, his lips curving into the lopsided smile she had missed so much.

“Starling,” he said. “I cannot believe it. Are you the product of too much wine or too many wishes?” He reached out, taking one of her hands in his own. “You feel real enough.”

“Hello, Falco,” she managed to say. She felt as if she might explode. Only now did she let herself realize how she had missed every tiny detail of him. More than anything, she wanted to pull him into her arms, to press her lips to the tiny scar beneath his right eye, to bury her face in the warmth of his hair.

Falco lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips gently across her soft skin. It was an innocent gesture, but Cass could sense the urgency beneath it. He felt exactly the same way she did. She knew it.

Pulling her close and cradling her face in his hands, he said, “I have visited Florence’s breathtaking cathedrals and reviewed the works of the masters, but you are the most beautiful thing I’ve seen since I left Venice.”

Heat coursed from his fingers into her skin and the blood and bones beneath it. Falco’s hands smelled faintly of paint. Cass smiled. She couldn’t help herself. For a second the two of them were back on San Domenico, kissing on a bench in her aunt’s garden. For a second, desire budded and bloomed inside of her, as scarlet and fragrant as Agnese’s roses. Intoxicating. For a second nothing had changed.

Only everything had changed.

Fiona’s thoughts: Erm, what? Oh sorry, I got distracted. So again, you all KNOW Falco is coming back in the picture from the flap copy, so I don’t consider this passage spoilery. I figured we couldn’t have a whole blog tour without at least a taste of Falco since the other tours are having Falco-related posts.

The reason I picked this passage is to show Cass’s character development. Clearly, she still has the hots for Falco, but instead of being the wild impulsive girl from Venom who would have run and thrown herself into Falco’s arms, she’s holding back. Inside she’s budding and blooming and freaking out, but outside she’s more like “’Sup?”

This is for two reasons. First of all, she doesn’t blindly trust Falco like she did back when he first ignited all of her hormones. Reviewers like to write about characters acting irrational and how Instalove is so bogus, but dude, I still remember those first couple of guys who set me ablaze when I was a teen and I probably would have followed them off the edge of a cliff. Maybe it isn’t love, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t FEEL like it. Anyway, Cass is a little wary. Falco lied to her. Then he essentially left her to pursue his art after she refused to run away with him.

The second thing going on here is that between Venom and Belladonna, Cass spends a few weeks with Luca, trying to be the fiancée she is expected to be. Even if she doesn’t have feelings for her fiancé at this moment (open for debate) he’s a decent guy who saved her life. It’s a lot easier for her to cheat on a person who she hasn’t seen in years than it is to cheat on a person who just saved her. Especially when that guy is currently in prison and Cass feels indebted to him.

Belladonna Blurb

In the second in the stunning Secrets of the Eternal Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose—the only evidence that will prove he’s innocent.
So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.
Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

Short Author Bio

Fiona Paul lives in St. Louis, MO where she's managed to persuade prestigious universities to award her degrees in psychology and nursing. Between her studies, she traveled around five continents and spent time living in Thailand and South Korea (which is probably why she finds the idea of wearing shoes in the house a little weird.)

In addition to writing, Fiona is somewhat obsessive about coffee, music, and adventure sports. Her future goals include swimming with great white sharks and writing a whole truckload of novels, not necessarily in that order.She also writes contemporary YA under the name Paula Stokes.

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Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Goodreads Blurb

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

So when Annabelle from Sparkles and Lightning recommended this to me, I was a bit unsure about it. I mean, it reminded me a lot, a LOT, of DIVINERS by Libba Bray and I wasn't the biggest fan of it. But she did convince me so I requested it via Edelweiss...and WOW.

Seeing things from a "charlatan's" point of view was interesting--seeing how Anna did her tricks and how her lifestyle was like. She made for an interesting character and I found it interesting how she was pulled between wanting to lead a normal life and wanting to show off her magic tricks, wanting to do both, but knowing that was almost impossible.

The biggest part of this book, really, was the relationship between herself and her mother. It seemed to be a mix of love, hate, jealousy, and greed, but it turned out to be so much more than that. It's definitely something a lot of readers can relate to, that love/hate relationship. I enjoyed it and it definitely came to play near the end and I have a feeling that it'll be a very significant part of the sequel! (Not sure if there is one, but if there isn't, my my, that's a lot of unanswered questions!)

The romance bit definitely was a bit disappointing. It felt much like insta-love, the way the two meet and their reaction. There's literally an electrical charge between them too. Literally. When the l-word came into play, I honestly just rolled my eyes a bit, I'll say that. Otherwise it was pretty sweet! And I loved Cole.

The plot was perfectly paced and I was instantly drawn to this world of conmen and magic. The plot was thick with distrust and there were so many things that just shocked me! ESPECIALLY that ending! While I expected part of it, the other part pretty much blew my mind. There are a lot of subplots that capture your interest and they just built up the suspense until the ending scene. Which I loved!

We don't really learn much about the Society for Physical Research and I found that a tad disappointing, but the way that this story is told fully makes up for that. Born of Illusion is a tale of magic, mystery, and intrigue that will keep you on your toes until the very end! I'd recommend it for fans of Mysteries and HisFics! Especially if you're a fan of In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters!

P.S. while reading this, we were talking about the Roaring Twenties and Reconstruction. Perfect timing!

Pages: 352
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Series:Born ofIllusion #1
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Rating: 3.5--->4 stars

The Beautiful and Cursed by Page Morgan

Goodreads Blurb

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.
And Grayson has gone missing.
No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.
Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

The Beautiful and Cursed was definitely a book I was looking forward to--Gargoyles? In Paris? With that gorgeous cover? How could I not be intrigued?

Oh the atmosphere! It was haunting and chilling and had an absolutely dark tone to it that I had to fall in love with. It had such a gritty feel to it and was absolutely wonderful. This was so much darker that I thought it'd be! It's mysterious and a bit gory, but completely enticing. The mystery is definitely one of the best parts about the story--and the gargoyles? They added a sense of grim allure that just drew me in. Especially in Paris!

Speaking of gargoyles--hello? Who's written about that before! Learning the lore behind gargoyles was absolutely fascinating and I loved Morgan's twist on these old tales! It did seem a bit typical at first, but that's quickly overlooked by, well, the gargoyles. 

With YA you can make pretty much any creature sexy and enticing, huh?

The plot was definitely one of the better parts of the book! It was shocking and twisted, surprising me until the very end. It's a complicated mess--and we all know those are the best when it comes to the plot! The Beautiful and Cursed was definitely at it's strongest in the second half though! Because that's pretty much where a chain of events unfold and where everything just explodes.

The POVs are something of a nuisance for me. I hate multiple POVs, but I loved Grayson's. It added even more of an air of mystery to our already thickening plot and made everything so much more...interesting. But at the same time, I'm no fan of multiple POVs, and this wasn't really an exception.

Now, I should've stopped and thought about the romance when it said "a devastatingly handsome servant". There were almost 2 love triangles (two and a half? Two halves? Does Chelle count? Vander? Ermm...), one for each sister. And the love interests (besides Luc) weren't my favorite. They seemed a bit bland to me in all honesty, and a bit too typical for a YA love interest. (And there were so many guys, I can't remember all their names!) And the insta love between Luc and Ingrid--that just ruined it completely. There was no support for their romance, no building up of chemistry really. It was just...there.

And I didn't even really understand how these two girls could attract so many guys! Ingrid was definitely my favorite of the sisters, but she seemed to...proper for my taste, though Morgan did a wonderful job of creating the perfect attitude for both of these girls! But I usually like my characters more wild--though Ingrid was still, most definitely kickass. But something about her struck me as annoying.
Gabby definitely struck a nerve. She was so naive and irritating--so impulsive too! I'm not sure if she ever really thought before she acted, but it didn't really seem like it. But I did admire her will to fight and to rescue her brother even in the face of doubt!

Just like the title suggests, this novel is truly beautiful and thrilling to its core. While I didn't completely enjoy it, The Beautiful and Cursed definitely had it's good moments and I'll be sitting here waiting for a sequel!

Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy/Historical
Series: The Dispossessed #1
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->3 stars

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Goodreads Blurb

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?
Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

I went into this having absolutely no idea how amazing it would be! Also, blackbirds? They're now terrifying.

So, oh gosh, I love how amazingly (and creepily) real this world was. When they say a book is a time machine...they weren't kidding. I was automatically transported to 1918 and I could see the hopelessness everywhere, smothering everyone in America. The fear of dying everywhere, the paranoia, and the unease when anyone so much as sniffled. It was heartbreaking to read this sometimes, but it had a great atmosphere that haunted you with it's hopelessness.

Mary Shelley, despite being a skeptic at first, didn't annoy me. And you guys, when our character is a skeptic at first, that usually really annoys me. But our main character was so independent and so compassionate towards everyone! She understood what was wrong and did what she could to make the world just a little less bleak. She had such a distinct personality too and she was just someone you admired for still being (sort of) sane after all that's happened to her.
Stephen was our love interest and even though we only get a few glimpses of him, it was enough to make me fall in love. He was such an understanding character and, like Mary, seemed so compassionate. He was pretty much the opposite of his brother, Julian, who I really wanted to strangle. Really.

The romance was so bittersweet like most of the novel. Childhood sweethearts--except one's already died. It was really heartbreaking and I really (I'M SORRY!) sort of wanted Mary to die and be with him. Romeo and Juliet FTW! Except, not really! Well, actually...

The mystery in this was also pretty unpredictable! I. Had. No. Suspicions. Whatsoever. The ending nearly killed me! I had no idea what was going to happen and I'm pretty sure I teared up a bit at a certain part.
The paranormal aspect of this was definitely something to love too since it was done so well and so wonderfully creepy! It still fit the 1918's fashion though with seances and spirit photographers that really never got old!

Haunting and breathtaking, In the Shadow of Blackbirds is one I'd definitely recommend, especially if you've read Born of Illusion early! This book was so beautiful and so raw sometimes, which I loved especially since it was a historical fiction! And while it does have that sense of hopelessness, it also has that one spark of hope in it that I just loved.

Pages: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction/Paranormal

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Amulet Books

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Rating: 7 stars

Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Goodreads Blurb

Cassandra follows a trail of clues about the mysterious Order of the Eternal Rose to Florence. There she runs into a few familiar faces, including Falco, who is now working for a nine-fingered woman known as Belladonna. When Cass discovers Belladonna is involved in the Order, she won’t rest until she discovers the shadowy society’s true purpose, knowledge that will put her—and everyone she loves—in terrible danger.

Wow. Oh wow oh wow oh wow. I can not describe how much I love Belladonna, but I promise to do my best. Let me just say though, that I finished this in the morning at school, then put it in my locker (after squealing so much!) so that it wouldn't be harmed, right? During my entire first period, I couldn't stop thinking about the going  ons of Belladonna and went to my locker ASAP to read it again! I never reread books right after finishing. Moral of the story? Belladonna is a must-read, Venom is a must read, you all MUST READ THEM. They're seriously heartbreaking sometimes, and I wanted to cry. A lot. 

Cass definitely sounds like a noble woman dead-set on her goal. She had all the makings and morals of a noble woman, except she had some definite spunk in her that makes you love her instantly! Honestly, she hasn't changed a bit since Venom, though she's definitely wiser and less naive than before. She's still a strong character, in my opinion, but there's definitely a lot of vulnerability on her side in Belladonna. And the things that brought her down? Oh, I wanted to cry. 

Falco. There was a LOT of Falco in Belladonna, thank God. I just...the extent of my love for him is immeasurable. Even with what's happened in this book. He was just as heartbreaking as before, just as swoon worthy as before, and just as sweet as before. But there's an edge to it, now that she's on a mission to save Luca. But, you guys, he still helps her, and they made me feel a heart tug. Falco still helped her because it's what she wanted and I...I...so, if Cass goes with Luca, can I have Falco? Just asking, of course.

But, just in case you wanted to be sure, Falco is all he was in Venom and so much more!

Luca wasn't really in Belladonna as much as I'd expected (sort of hoped? Sorry guys, I was thinking about Falco here!), but from what we do see from him, I think he's shaping up to be a guy who can almost, not quite, rival Falco in my eyes. He was just so incredibly sweet, willing to let Cass go if it meant she'd be happy. I honestly want my own Luca mixed with Falco. Yeesh, Fiona Paul definitely knows how to make guys we swoon about!

The writing? Do you even have to ask? the writing was just gorgeous! It never gave too much detail, but gave you enough so that you could clearly picture the scene in your head. And I'm no expert on Venice or the Renaissance (no matter what my parents want to believe), but everything felt historically correct at least, and that's pretty much what matters! 

Compared to Venom, Belladonna was a very quick read. It went by and I had no idea how I was already halfway into the book! There was a giant twist to the usual historical--vampires. But, you guys, without fully spoiling anything, I'm pretty sure there was a stage during the Renaissance where people did believe in vampires. And don't worry, Belladonna stays purely historical, thank goodness! But it was a fast plot that was quickly delivered that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Belladonna is definitely one of my favorite sequels, ever! Engaging characters, a quick plot, and amazing writing, Secrets of the Eternal Rose is definitely going to be your next favorite series!

Pages: 339

Series: Secrets of the Eternal Rose #2

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: July, 2013

Rating: 5

White Lines by Jennifer Banash

Goodreads Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control. 

I never am good with gritty books, really. I honestly find it completely ridiculous how characters in these books run run away, do drugs, or just become antisocial because of their troubles. But then, I'm so young I barely know anything about real problems. I think this book made me rethink my stand on this. My thoughts on the ridiculousness, that is.

White Lines...it's one of those books that, while isn't literary-perfect, it still manages to pull on you somewhat. Cat's hasn't had the easiest life. Her mother abused her, her father doesn't seem to care, and she's practically alone in the world. All she knows now is partying, but how far is she willing to go for a little thrill that only holds empty promises?

I'll definitely give it to Banash, she knows how to capture the gritty world of downtown. Almost everything is messed up and throughout the book, things are just slowly, slowly, spiraling down for Cat. She's not a smart character and she copes with her problems in the worst ways possible. She's completely f*cked up, and she has her ups and downs. She's so shockingly real. She tries to cope, and tries to escape, and that's a bit familiar, isn't it? Giovanni, Alexa, everyone. They may not be model characters, but they were fleshed out well enough.

I almost never talk about the writing style, but I have to. It was just gorgeous. The prose told the story beautifully and it was easy to understand. It was stunning writing and I definitely love Jennifer Banash's style. There's just a certain feel to it that makes you fall in love.

The plot was slow at times, though, and I almost put it down maybe halfway in? It definitely got more interesting later on for me, and I was aching to know how this sad story would end. And...wow, did it end. It almost felt too...not fitting. How (SPOILER. SORT OF) everything just fell into a sort of happy ever after. (END)

The romance also seemed to come out of nowhere and didn't seem to really...advance the plot as much as I thought it should've. So there was that.

All in all, I'd recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially Out of the Easy by Ruta Septys, or Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith if you've had the luck of reading that early!

Pages: 304
Genre: Historical/Contemporary
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: April 4, 2013
Rating: 3.5 -->4 stars