Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

Pages: 384

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Series: Arkwell Academy #2 

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: Mar 4, 2014

Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn’t make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school’s jokester, Lance Rathbone, is accused of the crime, Dusty’s as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that’s easier asked than done. Eli’s dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies. 
To make matters worse, Dusty’s ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, to discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty’s heart.
As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they’re connected to something bigger. And there’s something very wrong with Eli’s dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have ever imagined.

I have to admit, I loved The Nightmare Dilemma a lot more than The Nightmare Affair and I was absolutely thrilled to get an early copy!
Writing a review of this is actually going to be pretty hard, so expect this review to be short guys! All you really need to know, though, is that I absolutely loved it.

Dusty is a fun character and there was absolutely no limit to her snark and she's just as smart alack-y as in The Nightmare Affair. She's a lovable character who brings some comic relief to the story and I absolutely adored her loyalty to her friends and how determined she was to protect the people she loved.
All the side characters were just as amazing and all their personalities were developed more. Selene, while I felt like she didn't get much face time, still had her awesome siren rebellion going on and Lance, while he was still a bit of a jerk, was a bit less hostile and I liked him a lot more. (Also? Him with Selene would be absolutely adorable.)

The romance again took a back seat to the plot and I really loved it this time, though there were romantic moments that made me absolutely squeal. Paul is back and while I was a bit worried about a love triangle, it's clear that's not really a problem. The surprise complication between Eli and Dusty, however, was a bit shocking, though I felt like it was a bit cliche, though it definitely made for some intriguing romantic tension!

And speaking of intrigue, that's what this book was filled with. The mystery had me on my toes and, unlike in book one, I was at a complete loss as to what was going to happen. There were twists I didn't expect and everything from powerful, corrupt people, to betrayals, to sinister cults were mixed in with the mystery and I was completely hooked in.

The Arkwell Academy series is a cute paranormal series with dark twists and The Nightmare Dilemma, thankfully, doesn't suffer from Sequel Syndrome at all! It was a magnificent read that grabbed my attention and made me fall in love with the characters all over!

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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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Imposter by Susanne Winnacker

Pages: 288

Genre: Thriller/Sci-fi

Series: Variants #1

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Damn, Imposter, I really didn't expect you or what happened.

Okay, so I absolutely loved the plot. While it wasn't very dark as a thriller, it was still a great mystery that absolutely hooked me. The first line? It starts with "The straitjacket corseted(...)" Umm, hello? Even before we're told about our mission, things are interesting. After? Oh God, everything just speeds up and has me flipping through excitedly (and a bit anxiously). It was absolutely kickass and I loved every second. Remember expect the unexpected? Well the unexpected is the expected...which could be the unexpected. And yes, I'm being confusing on purpose. But know that I could not guess who our killer was. At all. 

And oh, I loved the romance! We have Tess, our main character. We have Alec, our love interest. And we had Kat, the girlfriend. Things get...interesting. But the romantic tension between Tess and Alec? It made everything the better! I loved them the entire time and I really wanted to push Alec towards Tess! They were just too adorable with each other and, though we don't focus on the romance, you just can't help but love them. Even if Alec was a...tad overprotective.

Okay, so a bit more than a tad. He sometimes got a bit annoying, and I still don't understand why he's with Kate (thought I'm sure we'll find out in the sequel! There seems to be...something behind it.) but when he was with Tessa...you just can't help but love him a little more.
And oh Tessa. She was such a dynamic character and I absolutely loved her. But...it was so sad and a bit horrible to see how much she changed, from this bubbly and half carefree person to someone who was so hard on herself who was, while stronger, a bit colder and weighed down. It was a beautifully terrible transformation, but hopefully Alec warms her up...eventually. I loved how while she was a bit in the dark about some things, she wasn't naive or ignorant and she did whatever she could to help and was logical about it. That's sort of rare in these books, you know!

I do wish we'd delved into the Variants more, discovering why they were, why there were so many of them, how their powers developed, etc. And it did get a bit typical when we learned of the "rebellion" of Variants, though I'm hoping the sequel will be much more interesting than the cliches!

Imposter was a book that I didn't want to finish, for the sake of not having it end. But when it did, it left me absolutely astonished! I loved the originality, I loved how ended, I loved pretty much everything. I can not wait to get my hands on the sequel and to discover more about Tessa, Alec, and every secret that the government seems to be hiding (oh those governments. You know how they are.) Definitely pick this up for a fun read that's light on the sci-fi but heavy on the action! 

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Pretty Sly by Elisa Ludwig

Pages: 368

Genre: Suspense/Contemporary

Series: Pretty Crooked #2

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: March 18, 2014

Willa Fox was told to stay out of trouble. In fact, it was an order from a very serious juvenile court judge.However, that was before Willa found her house ransacked and a mysterious email from her mother telling Willa she had to leave Paradise Valley for a while and not to come looking for her. Willa knows her mom’s in danger and that no one at school will miss her after her recent sticky-fingered stunts with the Glitterati. So with the help of her pal Tre and with her degenerate crush Aidan as her wingman, Willa violates her probation and hits the California highway in search of her mom.But when Willa and Aidan’s journey turns dangerously criminal and they wind up being the focus of a national manhunt, they realize it’s sometimes easier to escape the law than the truth—and that everything Willa thought she knew about her mom, and her life, was wrong.

(I read this as the early early ARC that had the old cover, so I'm unsure whether it was significantly changed or not!)

I loved reading Pretty Crooked last year--it was sweet, it was cute, and it had an undercurrent of sinister happenings that undoubtedly perked my interest. In Pretty Sly, we explore those happenings and we discover that things are a lot more complicated than we thought and a lot more dangerous.

Pretty Sly starts off right where Pretty Crooked ended and things go crazy from there. Suddenly Aidan and Willa are on the run from cops in four states and, surprisingly have a fan club. And that's one of the things I really loved about this! Even though it isn't shown halfway throughout the book, the fact that they had a Facebook page and a Kickstarter and all these crazy things made me LOL so many times! It was another one of the cute elements that managed to sneak itself into the more dangerous plot and that's one of the things about it. Even though Pretty Sly should, by all means, be a thriller, it somehow ended up being as cute and hilarious as the first! And that's not a bad thing at all!
There were so many other things that made me laugh and giggle and I just loved it all. They were just little things like Willa leaving little notes behind and getting a free slice of cake or something and, even though technically they were so absolutely unrealistic, it just made the book so cute I couldn't help but fall in love with it!

Willa went through quite a bit of character development, though I'll admit--she did get on my nerves once in a while. She honestly didn't seem to have a plan and didn't seem to always understand how much the others were risking for her. But she was an amazing character who was hilarious and snarky and pretty much made my day! (We'd totally be BFFs.)

Aidan, oh Aidan. I never will know what runs through that boy's mind--but I'm sure it'd make me swoon and drop dead at his feet. He's sweet and cocky, charming and he knows it. I loved him so much and he's by far my most favorite character. He's a swoony love interest that was so sweet towards Willa and was unbelievably protective. He did make a few stupid decisions sometimes, though, but then again, who doesn't? (Or am I being blindsided by my love for him. Darn, not again.)

The plot was quick paced and I absolutely loved it, being whisked from one place to another quickly and never having a dull moment. It's an intense ride that you can't help but be sucked into and with all the twists, it's a ride you have to pay attention to! I couldn't predict anything and their next step was always surprising. I was anxious throughout the book, so sure that they'd be captured and locked up the next chapter in.

Pretty Sly is a thrilling sequel that absolutely must be read! I'm in love with the fluffy, yet enthralling and suspenseful feeling that Elisa Ludwig manages to capture and can absolutely not wake for book three! I need more Aidan! And Sly Fox. But mostly Aidan.

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Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr

Goodreads Blurb

Behind-the-scenes secrets could turn deadly for Desmond and Riley
Life in the Heights has never been easy for seventeen-year-old Riley Frost, but when she's publicly dumped and outed at the same time, she becomes an immediate social outcast at her high school. So Riley swears off romance and throws herself into solving the shocking murder of her favorite teacher, Ms. Dunn.
Riley turns to her best friend, budding filmmaker Desmond Brandt, for help. What she doesn't know is that Dez has been secretly directing her life, blackmailing her friends, and hoping his manipulations will make her love him. When his schemes go too far, Dez's web of lies threatens to destroy both of their lives.

Cutting Room Floor sounding amazing and thrilling, but I ended up having a lot of rather conflicted feelings about it.

I loved that Riley seemed confused about herself and her wants, something that teens go through, and in the process also making her a rather relatable character. She was still trying to find herself and know who she was and that made her feel real, but beyond her confusion, Riley really wasn't an...ideal character.
She decided to accuse and avoid her supposed best friend (besides Dez) based on a random video and, despite all her friend's evidence against Dez, always ridiculed and laughed against any accusations against him. She never tried to ask why someone broke up with her either, something I found a) unrealistic or b) stupid. It irritated me that she was so susceptible to Dez's lies and never really thought that hey, maybe there was something Dez was hiding.

Dez was an interesting character. His mind was complex and twisted--definitely a well written character! I could never really trust his POV because of his obsession with Rye and how he viewed anyone even remotely close to her. While I didn't understand his actions (actually, some of them disgusted me) he honestly seemed to think it was for Rye. I guess he really did love her, but the fact that he basically isolated her annoyed me. He did at least know it was wrong, but I felt like that took away from his twisted mind which would've honestly made things a lot more interesting. Instead it made him seem like a sort of pathetic stalker, but I did sympathize with him.

The way Klehr wrote the book was also amazing. At the beginning of every other chapter (i.e. Dez's POV) we would be introduced to the chapter like a script and it fit the book so well! It made the reading experience so much better and how it didn't overdo the details too much.

The mystery was definitely interesting, but it was overshadowed by the blackmailing Dez had going on. A few of our questions are still left unanswered by the end, but I can't deny that it was a thrilling read! While the mystery wasn't that quick paced, the drama made everything the more enthralling and I loved it. I didn't really expect the ending, though, so points for twists!

Fast paced and a quick read, Cutting Room Floor was a great read although I did have a few issues with it! If you like mystery thrillers, you may like this one, but I think it's more for the psychological thriller fans out there!

Pages: 336

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: Oct 8

Rating: 3.5

Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Goodreads Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.
What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides— especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own.
Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.
Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Oh dear God.

Before I go into this, know that I actually clung to a wall. Literally. I hugged a wall. I also literally rocked back and forth in both history and Math. My friends can attest to this. One of them is probably even reading this. I screamed. I went on a high pitched rant about this book to 4 of my friends. I laughed hysterically.

Obviously you know you should read it.

I ABSOLUTELY COULD NEVER GUESS ANYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING. I’d have on theory, discard it, think of another, take back the old one, discover that the second one was right…it was so very unpredictable. Everything happens quickly, and you never know what to expect next. This is so my kind of thriller! 

I was in shock half the time while I was reading The Naturals! Remember when I said I rocked back and forth? Blame it on the plot. Actually, blame everything on the plot. It was absolutely mind blowing. In my notes (yes, I take notes…shhh), I wrote “Holy Crap” over and over and over. And then I gave up on notes and just wrote Holy Crap over the entire page.

And, every so often, Barnes would delve into the killer's mind, giving us a creepy look on what was happening, and giving hints on who it was. I guessed but was so sure I was wrong!

Seriously. The plot was wild.

Ah, so, I guess we should go on to talk about the other things. Like the romance. Yes, there was a love triangle. No, it wasn’t annoying! It was more of a subplot, and we never really focused on it. Though the attraction was…quick, it wasn’t insta-love. This is so hard to explain: it created more conflicts, though, and I’m all for that. The romance was subtle, really. And fun. TEAM DEAN ALL THE WAY. I always pick Team Bad Boy. Hmm.

While I was expecting something typically paranormal, the Naturals' "abilities" aren't really paranormal at all--they just seem like natural abilities. They picked up on hints, actions, behaviors, etc. and pieced them together. That was all it was! I was definitely surprised by that and, though I would've liked to learn a little more about them, it didn't take away from the book at all! I loved seeing them practice, and I loved how they still had to work to discover things, rather than having it magically appear in front of them.

I loved our characters! They each had their own flaws, and they were all so individual! I loved them all! Michael's cockiness and arrogance, Dean's mystery and quietness, Lia's...complicated personality, Sloane's quirkiness, and Cassie's all-around personality. I loved their interactions, and I loved seeing all of their relationships build! 

The Naturals is a thrilling must-read for fans of YA. Engaging, hypnotizing, and absolutely creepy at times, The Naturals isn't one that you'll want to miss--it'll have you gasping in shock and clutching the edge of your chair. 

Pages: 304
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: Nov 5, 2013
Rating: 10/5 Stars

Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor

Goodreads Blurb
In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.
Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school. 
When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Oh God, I wanted so badly to like this! It had a great premise and I love mysteries, but I could barely stand it! Or, rather, her.

My biggest issue with this book was definitely Anne. I knew there might be a chance I wouldn't like her, but I knew that there would be some kind of character development. And there was!But all that changed was her snobbishness, and that wasn't where my annoyance with her ended. She was so assumptive and paranoid too! The slightest thing and she would suspect someone in the murder without giving them a chance. Soon enough she had about ten suspects and was nowhere closer that she was before her "investigation". There was this one moment I hated when she called someone else "nosy". It was pretty hypocritical considering she was breaking into offices and stealing things. Anndddd she also judged Lee (a suspect) without even talking to him. And he just...gah! She also acted like she knew Isabelle better than her other classmates when she only knew her for a week compared to their years of knowing her!

But I did admire her quick thinking and how she tried to do what was right. I sort of loved how the popular crowd just seemed to gravitate towards her and that it wasn't that cliche "Queen Bee Turned Loser" scenario. She was snarky and fun, so I sort of love/hated her (although she did annoy me more than I wished.)

The mystery was absolutely amazing and I had no idea who the killer was and what to expect. I loved how many clues Anne discovered, to the murder and other...scandals. It was fabulously deceiving and wonderfully plotted, and I have to hand it to Taylor--she sure knows how to write a suspense.  It was a super fun adventure and an engaging mystery for sure!

The romance...love triangle, le sigh. Anne just sort of latched onto the two most "important" guys. School Golden Boy Brent and dead roommate's delinquent brother. It was kind of awkward, but I absolutely loved Brent. He was sweet and adorable and I loved how he acted around Anne! On the other hand, Anthony...well, I didn't really understand him. Kara Taylor did manage to create awesome realistic characters, I'll give her that but they weren't really easy to connect to or really understand.

While a brilliant novel, the main character and supporting characters brought my rating down by a lot. I definitely would've enjoyed this better if I could've ignored Anne's...misgivings, but I couldn't and was just irritated the entire book. The mystery was absolutely brilliant though, and I seem to be a black sheep in this, so I recommend giving it a go!

Pages: 305

Genre: Suspense/Drama

Series: Prep School Confidential #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: July 30, 2013

Rating: 2.5

The Last Academy by Anne Applegate

Goodreads Blurb

What is this prep school preparing them for?
Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? 

The Last Academy was...disappointing, let's say. I had such expectations because, a) the cover?GORGEOUS and b) it sounded absolutely mysterious and thrilling! But...it wasn't. Not really.

My first problem was that it was actually a bit boring and I couldn't finish after 2 weeks even though I typically finish a book in 3 days tops, 1 day usually. I couldn't get into the book, so, eventually, I skimmed maybe 25 pages in the last half. So I guess I didn't see the "She is suddenly plagued by odd memories" part. So unless I missed something in the first half (totally possible. I couldn't really get into it and forgot most stuff besides what's in my notes), there were only maybe 3 odd memory scenes--not really plagued by them.

And the insta-love. Oh my gosh, the insta-love. It annoyed me to heck and I was not happy. The romance was based on...what? Looks? They barely knew each other! It was like, a small crush, but the L word came out. I didn't understand. They went super fast as a couple, that's all I'm saying.

Ah. Characters. For me? They were a bit flat. I couldn't like them at all and, to me, Camden was annoying. She was so...stupid sometimes, so easily led! And, also, who talks to teachers like that? She pretty much said, to a teacher "You are a dork." except, she said it like "You two/guys are dorks to the level of ten" or something. Mmm...mmmm...no. But she was definitely witty. My favorite? "She usually seemed so...I dunno. Southern. It was like watching Scarlett O'Hara scratch her armpit."

This book really redeemed itself with it's complete originality, though it only really showed up at the end. The very end. I loved it and, honestly? I never would've expected it. How come I never expect these kind of plot twists?! I loved how it was explained and how everything clicked into place--it was the perfect ending! But things never really got interesting until well into the book--maybe two thirds in. The first two thirds? A bit typical high school except with a disappearance--and barely any snooping on Cam's part.

I wouldn't really recommend Last Academy, sadly. Loved the cover and the synopsis sounded thrilling! But it just fell way flat.

Pages: 320
Genre: Paranormal/Mystery
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Point
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Rating: 2.5-->2 stars

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 Rules For Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Goodreads Blurb

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.
Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.
But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

This was simply amazing! I knew it sounded interesting, but I honestly wasn't sure whether I'd love it or hate it, or have no feelings at all. But I'm  SO glad to say that The Rules of Disappearing had me captivated from start to finish!

I think this is a blend of a Thriller and a Romance. It was adorable, but there was a definite edge to the plot that made you aware that this was also a Thriller in it's own way, but it wasn't quite as Oh-my-gosh what's going to happen? thrilling. It was just it's own style which I loved!

I'm just putting this in now, but we discover the real reason their in the Witness Protection Program a little less than halfway through the book and the rest is...well, you'll have to figure it out!
I loved the pacing in The Rules for Disappearing; it fit the book perfectly and I never got bored and never wanted to put it down! And I didn't. It's a one sit-one read book! But while it was never slow, the action significantly picks up in the second half and that's where the pages turn faster and faster until the end, where helllooooo cliffhanger!

The romance in this was, like I said, completely adorable! I was in love with Ethan from the start and I was cheering them on since page one! Every time Meg would push him away, I wanted to push them closer together--they just fit each other like little pieces of a puzzle, excuse the cliche, and together, they were just wonderful!

Ethan was a mix of sweet golden boy with just a little bad boy and just the type of character I loved as a love interest. He was so nice to Mary and so concerned for Meg and incredibly, incredibly clever. Surprised me for sure! Here's a slight SPOILER: He figures everything out on his own, which is more than I can say for some characters, so there was that!

Meg was a character that's easy to like and easy to connect with. She's hungry for answers and she loves her family, despite all their dysfunctions--she just doesn't always realize it. She tries to do what's best for others and she strives to be indifferent--something that we know firsthand isn't easy. Falling in love, getting comfrotable, making friends--all against her Rules for Disappearing. But then, she can't really help herself!

The Rules for Disappearing is it's own unique book that fans of Chick Lit and Mystery will enjoy, also giving off a type of fantasy vibe without the actual fantasy! If you're looking for an edgy, but light read, this is definitely the one I'd recommend!

Pages: 320
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Contemporary
Series: Rules for Disappearing #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Notes From Ghost Town by Kate Ellison

Goodreads Blurb

They say first love never dies...
From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it's only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death. 
There's a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there's a good chance she's losing her mind completely--just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn't really there?
With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It's the only way she can save herself.

This book was...interesting. I have so many conflicted feelings about this! On one hand it was amazing, with absolutely gorgeous writing, a likeable love interest, with a decent plot, but on the other hand it was predictable and didn't focus on the mystery as much as I would've liked. Not to mention that her colorblindness doesn't seem to be a key role or anything and while I was hoping for one of those character-you-can't-trust stories, I didn't get it.

The writing was simply stunning! There were so many gorgeous examples, but I decided to choose this one since I think it's my favorite of all (and it's actually the first paragraph too.)
"Think about a moment, a little centimeter of time you'd happily exist in forever, if time could be laid out along the spine of a ruler. Maybe it haunts you in that blue inch of half consciousness just before you're fully awake."
Instantly I fell in love and I think that's when my hopes went soaring. The writing flowed well and I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the lull of these words. If I had an audio version, I bet I'd be listening to it forever!

As a mystery, this book was disappointing, but as a contemporary and realistic fiction, this book had it all. I loved (this will sound mean) how her life just fell apart all at once, and showing how delicate family and friend bonds can be. I loved how Olivia dealt with these problems, truthfully, and I just loved the book as a whole. It shows how a seemingly great, if not perfect, life can spiral so quickly out of control and how it's best to let go.

As for the romance, is there a love triangle? Not really. Because Stern is...dead. And Olivia knows that. So while she does still have feelings for him, I got the vibe that she knew she couldn't really do anything about them besides telling her that she really did love him. Then there's Austin who, while I did love him, was a stereotypical character--hot, rich, a bit of a player, smug, and interested? I think we've seen that. But I have to admit, I find them a lot better than sweet innocent guys. I don't know, I'm weird like that! But the romance is sweet and it has a bit of a twist!

As for the mystery part, it wasn't really a mystery since it was predictable, sadly. Right when we met the culprit, my mind was jogging, thinking, "He/she's going to be important...". so while it was an enjoyable read, it didn't necessarily have me at the edge of my seat. If it wasn't as obvious, I'm sure I would've completely adored this book! But with the ARC, I just couldn't love it as much as I wanted.

By the end, I had a thousand questions left unanswered, but...I liked it. The reason for Olivia's colorblindness was never explained, but the way this conflict was resolved symbolized something, though I can't tell you just yet! Something that irritated me, though was that *SPOILER* Almost everything becomes a Happy-Ever-After and I was disappointed by that. It sort of ruined the ending, and as evil as it seems, I honestly think some things should've been left as a tragedy rather than a miracle.

Pages: 336
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: February 12
Rating: 3.5--->3 stars

Burning Blue by Paul Griffin

Goodreads Blurb

How far would you go for love, beauty, and jealousy?
When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.
Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty.

The one thing that jumped out at me almost immediately was the writing. It was beautiful, lyrical, just stunning writing.  But the thing about the writing is that while it had that poetic feel to it, it didn’t have much dialogue in the first half of the story and that honestly bored me. Without dialogue, the story just loses its interest and tension. I ended up reading 10 or so pages per day instead of the 150+ I usually read. When the action did start to pick up, I found it harder and harder to close the book. The ending? Totally unexpected. I can’t believe that it was that person who wanted Nicole’s face ruined! Gasp!

This is my first contemporary thriller (yes, I know!) and I’ll definitely picking up more soon. It was filled with anticipation as you tried to figure out on your own and realized you were completely wrong. The funny thing about Burning Blue is that (SLIGHT SPOILER) Paul Griffin actually insinuated that it was this person and then had Jay dismiss the notion. And of course, I fell for that old trick because there was just so much proof that it wasn’t that person. Sigh. We gullible readers.

I loved reading from Jay’s POV. He was an awesome character who wasn’t very naïve and didn’t fall for as much, being the super smart hacker he is. This book just racked up another point with Jay! As for Nicole, I loved her personality and how she handled getting burned. I mean, she kept it together when I would’ve hidden away and refused to come out ever again. But I felt her as too perfect, you know? She was popular, super pretty, and super nice. She handled everything well, was the go-to girl for everything, barely anyone hated her, etc. And I’m not saying that every pretty girl has to be mean, but she was just too good to be true, you know? Anyhow, she was an enjoyable character who stood strong throughout the entire story, so I can’t complain too much!

The romance was my favorite part! It definitely wasn’t insta-love and Jay and Nicole got to really know each other before they fell and it was so darn sweet! I could actually believe that they cared for each other and it wasn’t forced like I thought it may be, so you can imagine my relief! I sort of wish I was in that situation. Without the acid. And pain. And hacker stuff. Ok, so maybe not.

Overall, I was definitely impressed by Burning Blue and you can bet I’ll be checking out more of Paul Griffin’s stuff! This is definitely one to pick up when you get the chance! It’ll keep you on our toes and shock you with the ending! ACK! I still can’t really believe it!

Pages: 288

Genre: Thriller/Romance/Mystery

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Dial Books

Release Date: October 25

Rating: 4 stars

"What day is it? What night?I'm burning, burning, burning, blue."