The Selection by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Blurb

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I got this ARC in the mail in a blogger trade and I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading it! The blurb, cover, writing, plot, well it all equates into one of the best books of 2012!

What the blurb above does not mention, however, is that before America Singer (add an n at the end of her name. She even sings all the time!) heads off to the castle, Aspen breaks her heart. Of course, he didn't mean to, but he feels guilty that he can't provide for her, that she's providing food for him when it should be the other way around. Oh, Aspen. But that's when my opinion of him went down. I mean, he didn't exactly try to make things work. He. Gave. Up. I'm sorry Aspen, but you should've tried harder if you really loved her.

On the other hand, America is most likely one of my favorite heroines. She wasn't especially different in any way. She cried over Aspen, but not pathetically so, and stood tall 'n proud when she was leaving. Not every normal girl can do that. Especially not when she's about to (unwillingly) compete for the heart of a Prince. She was a character that many of us girls (and some guys) can relate to. America is definitely one of my favorite characters in The Selection.

Onto the writing. The writing was wonderful, descriptive where it needed to be, and vague where it should've been. We, at least I, could feel America's sorrow and her hesitance. I could imagine Celeste's angry face and her nails ripping at the dress. It was dramatic and funny, witty and smart and I adored reading about everything that was going on! However, the dialogue was cheesy and very, very cliche. Sometimes I just stared and the phrase "She said that? You're kidding me! She actually said that!"

The Selection has been called "The Bachelor meets the Hunger Games" and I think that's true. Many of the things that happened did, in fact, happen in the last season of "The Bachelor" and yes, I do watch that show. Celeste? Courtney. Maxon? Whatever his name is (Ben? I'm not sure.) I mean, Celeste did pretend to be another person just as Courtney did in the show. Basically, much of the book was similar to that season.

Summary: Though The Selection does have its bad moments, the good overrides the bad. It was a fun, magical read that made me remember the fairy tales of old. Princesses, Princes, love triangles, they all figured into The Selection and I loved it for that! It was beautiful in (almost) every way.

Pages: 327
Series: The Selection Trilogy #1
Genre: Romance/Dystopia
Rating: 4 stars

"It bothered me, but I knew I couldn’t hold it against them in the long run. We couldn’t afford the luxury of wants. We had needs.”

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Goodreads Blurb

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew

Jen Ryand from www.jenryland.com sent me an ARC copy for free, so thanks! Anyways, I saw many great reviews, so I decided to give it a try. I wasn’t disappointed, but it didn’t meet up to my expectations either.

Haven Terra is offered an opportunity to work for the glamorous Aurelia Brown at the Lexington Hotel. What else could one girl want? And when Aurelia’s right hand man, Lucian, turns out to be an alluring gorgeous man no older than Haven, she think she’s in heaven. The key word being thinks. She discovers a journal with her name inscribed on it and receives letters from an unknown hand telling her things to do and calling her the “winged one”. What does that mean? And then Haven’s best friend, Dante, is pulling away from her, leaving Haven with the third person who came with them, Lance. To make things even more complicated, Haven finds out the Outfit, the prestigious group of beautiful people that work at the Lexington Hotel, have sold their souls for beauty. That includes Aurelia and Lucian who are planning on stealing the souls of Haven’s former classmates on prom night. Can Haven ever get a break?

I was hyped up for Illuminate which may be why it seemed so boring for me. Anyways, let’s look at the cover for a moment. I love the shadows of wings that seem to be sprouting from the girl’s back. It just tells you that there’s something supernatural about our main character, something that’s fairly easy to hide, but when someone finds out, they won’t forget it. It’s just an amazing cover. The model was perfect for what I imagines Have to be.

Onto the content: It took about 300 pages for me to finally get into the book. I’m sorry, but it was kind of boring. I mean, all she did was work and follow the orders she was given. There was a bit of romance between Lucian and Haven, but that was pretty much the only interesting thing besides the messages. But after the 300 page mark, everything finally started becoming entrancing. The action, the danger, and the hidden threat all made me enraptured and I quickly finished the book after that. A—ma—zing! The action finally started and the danger finally showed itself.  The rest of the book was the ideal plot of a paranormal fiction. And that was about 200 pages worth, so I would recommend at least reading it.

I loved the characters though. Even the Outfit. They had different, yet realistic, personalities (excluding the Outfit). The Outfit on the other hand, were the perfect characters to play the soulless slaves. Dante, as much as I loved his character, was a bit on the stereotypical side, being all girly-like. Just because he like guys doesn’t technically make you girly. But overall, the characters get a nine out of ten.

To be honest, I didn’t like Lance because of what happened between Haven and Lance, preferring Lucian more. I mean, no no spoiler, he just seems way nicer than Lance…It helps that he actually stands up to people…

Pages: 534
Series: Gilded Wings #1
Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 3 stars

“Everything sinful is glamorous these days, isn’t it?”

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Goodreads Blurb

Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is

So here's what happened: I was browsing through another blog when I came across Obsidian. I wasn't so sure if I should buy it, so I checked out all the reviews I could find and with all the great reviews, I finally bought it. I was wary; usually 3/10 books I buy are absolutely horrible, but thankfully, Obsidian wasn't one of them!

Generally, I don't read sci-fi with aliens. I mean, come on! It'd just ruin sci-fi for me. After all, I never was a space person. But of course, with all the five-stars going around, I had to buy it. I'm so happy I did! I know I've said this for a few other novels, but Obsidian truly is a breath of fresh air. I bet no other author could make aliens sound so alluring like Miss Armentrout did! Usually, like many of us know, aliens just seem nerdy in fantasy books. No edge, danger, or much action. Obsidian was the opposite of all that, and I loved every moment of reading it!

Here's what happens: Katy moves to a tiny town where everyone knows everyone, so of course Katy feels just a tad nervous, Now imagine what happens when she find out that she lives next to sweet and bubbly Dee, but also gorgeous Daemon. Perfect life? She think so too until it turns out that Daemon is the perfect popular stereotype: gorgeous and a jerk. Cliche? Never. Sure, Katy felt attracted, but she truly hated him, something that stands out among all the "love at first sight" thing going on in the fictionworld.

Katy was a perfect heroine, strong and smart, but with her own insecurities. She wasn't a "total loser" like in some books or a "queen bee" either. She was...normal. And you know what else I loved about her? She had her own love of books, her own book blog even! Even memes like Waiting on Wednesday and In My Mailbox were mentioned. It was fun reading about a protagonist who not only readers can relate to, but even more so for bloggers!

I was ensnared within the first chapter and kept flipping through the pages, dying to know what was going to happen. Obsidian was a great read filled with romance, jealousy, danger, and sacrifice. It's honestly one of the most enticing sci-fi novel I've read!

Okay, turns out I actually hate this. Forget what I said before. The paranormal thing just seemed to be thrown in to make it more mainstream and the writing was awkward. The plot went really nowhere and it had way too many similarities to Twilight.

Pages: 299
Series: Lux #1
Genre: Sci-fi/romance
Rating: 2 stars

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads Blurb

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

One spoiler, but come one, like you weren’t expecting it.

Pandemonium, called the “Most Awaited Book of the Year” was absolutely amazing! As the sequel to Delirium, one of my favorite books, I was a bit afraid to read it. I mean, no Alex!? Crazy! It’s just not possible to make Pandemonium as good as Delirium with no Alex! Was I ever wrong. If possible, Pandemonium was even better than Delirium…except for Julian. I absolutely hate Julian.

Lena’s struggling to remove Alex from her memories, but that’s pretty hard to do when she was in love with him. Now, she’s an Invalid. Pretending to be a citizen. A spy! That’s what Lena is now, and there’s no turning back. Especially when in the middle of a ceremony, “Invalids” (the bad ones) raid the place and take her hostage as well as one other person named Julian. And maybe, maybe, she just falls one more time. Life for Lena is getting tougher and harder by the second.

Pandemonium switches between two different times, “then” and “now” and as confusing as it seems, it really wasn’t. The “then” chapters gave you more information on how hard it was for Lena to let Alex go. He was dead. Gone. But I couldn’t help wishing otherwise. I mean, if you’ve read Delirium, you have to love Alex! He was sweet, strong, protective, and definitely sacrificing. Who couldn’t love him? But when he…no. Just no! I was with Lena all along the way as she struggled with the nightmares that came to her, and the memories that haunted her. I loved Lena. She was strong in her own way, she stood up for herself, and she now realizes the lies she had been fed her entire life. In other words, she’s a great heroine. Not one that has always been strong, but someone who learns the hard way, what it really means to love, to fight for it. Seeing (or reading) Lena go back to her society with a new view on things made you realize how blind humans can be when told the right lies at the right times. How as long as we are safe, we won’t care as much.

We meet new characters, Raven, Julian, and really? I didn’t like either of them. Raven, because although she’s been through much, she’s hardened so much that she’s like stone. Barely anything can penetrate the wall she’s built, and no one can go in. Julian because well, Alex! I couldn’t believe it when Lena fell in love with him! It was just…shocking to say the least. The difference between Alex and Lena and Julian and Lena was that now, Lena was the Invalid pretending to be someone else, teaching someone what love truly means instead of Alex.

The writing was as good as Lauren Oliver’s other books. Her writing was like thoughts, a journal, not like someone was actually recording every little thing, smell, touch. It just made Pandemonium more enjoyable. The writing, the plot, it just pulls you in until you can’t breathe, can’t sleep. Lauren Oliver has done it again with Pandemonium and I’m not even sure where she’s going to take Requiem. There are many different directions the story can go. Which one will she pick? With an ending like Pandemonium had, there’s no way that readers will lose interest. It was fast-paced, adventure-filled, and romantic at all the right levels. Some questions will be left unanswered, others will make you gasp or scream. Pandemonium will leave you at the edge of your seat, willing for everything to be okay.

Pages: 375

Series: Delirium #2

Genre: Dystopian/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

"Everything is chaos: hot bodies and panting. There’s an elbow in my chest and thick arms encircling me, choking out my breath."



Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Goodreads Blurb

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.



Warning: this review may contain minor spoilers.

A disappointment. That’s the first word that pops into my head when I think of Remembrance. I will not be saying “I hated it, I hated it, I hated it.” over and over, so no need to worry. I’ll try to keep this as non-hateful as possible. Oops. I guess some just spilled out…

Remembrance captured my interest because a) it was inspired by “Love Story”, one of my favorite songs ever, b) almost everyone was talking about it, and c) I love reincarnation. The blurb was very cliché, yes, but all books have at least a little cliché in them. I mean, can you think of one that doesn’t? But Remembrance didn’t have a little. 100% was cheesy and very, very, unreal. For those of you who just love fairytales, I guess this one’s for you, but I am not that kind of person who reads that stuff. Sweet and sappy and totally cheesy. Kind of like melted cheese; it melted a few of my brain cells. I’ve also heard it sounds eerily familiar to Twilight so if you like Twilight, I guess that you’d like this too? I mean, a “connection” when the new guy enters scene 1 left stage? The “noise melting into a hum”? I mean, that’s fine and dandy, but when Drew starts dating Chelsea, and she says she think she loves him, you’d think that Liz would tell Chels about her feelings, right? Or at least in the beginning. It’s perfectly fine for two best friends to have a crush on the same guy. Giggle over the same guy, it happens all the time. But having feelings and moving on them while your friend starts loving him? No. I disliked Lizzie. And poor Jeremy. I mean, he was a jerk and all: a dou*** even, but he really loved Lizzie. And she just stomped on his heart. If you’ve read Remembrance, then you should know what I mean by the car speeding part. Those are not words you should lie about. Especially when you know what he feels. So what’s with all this hate towards Chelsea and Jeremy? They’re my favorite characters actually.

I never even understood how Lizzie could take all the info about past lives so easily. I mean, she accepted it, no questions asked. No “what?!” “You’re kidding!” or even a hesitation to believe it. One more thing: I couldn’t even find out where he told her about the past lives. She definitely didn’t figure it out herself. For someone who believed her visions were hallucinations, she sure took it easy. And how did Drew find out? He’s not immortal, at least I think he’s not, he even said that he felt it, knew it, when he first saw her! So how did he figure it out? Obviously he must be very, very, very smart. As in, unrealistically smart. As in, way smarter than any normal person. So yeah.

The writing and pace were wonderful though. Michelle Madow has great potential, she just needs to tap into her imagination a bit more for something more original. I’ve seen a lot of 5-star reviews, so I guess it’s only me who feels this way. I’m sincerely sorry to those of you who love this book, but I guess it just wasn’t for me!  I think I was just a bit cranky when I read the book, and maybe later I’ll re-read Remembrance.

Pages: 314

Series: Transcend Time #1

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 2.5 stars

 "But it was time to realize that I wasn't Cinderella, and no matter how hard I wished it were true, life wasn't a fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after.”

My First Giveaway!

As my first ever giveaway, I decided to do something a bit...pratical. Instead of giving away popular YA books (I know, I know!) I will be giving away the entire Hunger Games series to ONE lucky winner! After all, we all know the movie comes out today! Contest ends on April 15, and the winer will be announced on the 20th.

RULES:

• All you have to do is tell me why you hate/love the Hunger Games.
• Most creative response will get 5 entries!
• No entering twice. Only one entry per person.
• If you tweet about this giveaway, +1 entry
• Like my facebook is +1
• Follow my twitter is +1
• Follow my blog is +5!

Author Interview: Ann Redisch Stampler

I had the chance to talk to the absolutely wonderful author of Where it Began (you can find my review here), Ann Redisch Stampler!

Fiction Freak:  What first inspired you to write about a teen with absolutely no memory of what happened?

Ann Redisch Stmapler: When I was in my early teens, coming out from under anesthesia, I had an odd, disassociative experience of being half-conscious and half-asleep, and not remembering who I was.  I wanted to remember who I was, though, and I kept having very clear visual images of aspects of my life, as if they were still photos or video clips with distorted sound, but I couldn’t put it together for what seemed like a very long time. 

This stayed with me and I think it informed some of Gabby’s experiences.

FF: The world of Where it Began is very well-thought out and very realistic. Do you have any personal experience/knowledge with anything that happened in the book?

ARS: The book really is a work of fiction, and isn’t based on specific personal experiences.

Geographically, I’ve spent my adult life in Gabby’s world.  I wrote this book in Brentwood.  My kids attended private school in the hills, although Winston is not based on their school. And while I made up Estrada for Gabby to live on and created a fictional school for her to attend, I have a feel for the concrete aspects of her environment.  I know those restaurants (although I renamed a couple that were amalgams) and street corners, and neighborhoods.

But have I been up close and personal with a car crash with the ramifications of Gabby’s accident, or a relationship just like Gabby and Billy’s, or the level of corruption that’s depicted in the book? No.

FF: Do you think that anyone goes through what Gabby does? And if they could?

ARS: I do think that sometimes people—male and female, and not always teenagers—can fall in love and become obsessed with people who don’t reciprocate their feelings in the way they would hope.  And certainly, manipulation and betrayal are not unheard of in human relationships.  Unfortunately.

FF: What is the funniest moment you've ever witnessed?

ARS: Visually, okay, my husband was walking down the street with my daughter in a baby carrier slung over his chest.  He was eating a Dove bar, vanilla ice cream with a chocolate coating.  And people kept grinning at us and kind of giggling, as if there were something in the air and our neighborhood was suddenly slightly loony. 

                                                              

But when we got home, and pulled our daughter out of the carrier, we saw that chocolate from the ice cream bar had fallen onto her.  Her face and hands and arms were covered with chocolate; it was smeared all over her face, especially around her mouth, and she was completely blissed out, not unlike all the people who’d been laughing at the chocolate-coated baby.

FF: Can you relate to any characters in Where It Began?

ARS: All of them.

FF: What is your personal opinions about some of your characters?

ARS: I’ve tried to present the characters as three dimensional and as having motivation, sometimes conflicted, for their actions.  I would hate to influence readers’ reactions to the book by going beyond this.

FF: Would you rather read with an eReader or with the book in your hands?

ARS: A book.  I have nothing against eReaders on principle; I think they’re a wonderful thing if they make literature more accessible to more people.  But personally, I like the experience of reading a book.

FF: Tell us something no one else knows about you!

                                                             

ARS: Hmmmm. I’m usually a pretty open person, but if there’s something about me that literally no one else knows, it’s a deep, dark secret!

FF: What is your absolute favorite meal/dessert?

ARS: Anything chocolate.  Cake, milkshakes, chocolate chip cookies, pastilles, mousse, soufflé, cupcakes, brownies.  Do you have all day?  I could go on…

FF: Do you think that reviewers can be too harsh on their reviews or that it's their opinion? And why?

ARS: I’ve been very fortunate with reviews of Where It Began.  There are a couple of bloggers and goodreads folks who have really, really hated it, but the vast majority have been very positive.  So I feel very well supported rather than beaten up.

It’s interesting, before the internet, there were formal reviewers in respected publications, and popular magazine and newspaper reviewers, and that was pretty much it.  And those formal venues for reviews are still there; I very much want my books to be well-reviewed there.  (And so far, Where It Began has been.)

But now, every single person who reads a book has a very public way to express his or her feelings.  And it’s inevitable that some people just won’t like a book.  It’s their prerogative to say so, although, one would hope, not in vitriolic way.  I have seen some bizarre, nasty stuff, but I suspect it is more a reflection of the reviewer than the book in question.

FF: What is your favorite passtime?

ARS: Other than writing?

Alone: reading.  With others: hanging out over a meal, going to movies.  With or without company:  Anything to do with a beach. 

FF: Have you ever experienced writer's block when writing Where It Began? And what parts?

ARS: I don’t want to tempt fate here, so I’m tossing imaginary salt over my shoulder (Truly superstitious people with an Eastern European background will understand!) but I really haven’t experienced writer’s block.  It was challenging to go from the first to the second draft, but that was more of a structural issue than an issue of somehow finding myself unable to put words on paper.

FF: What is the corniest joke you've ever heard?

ARS: This was my son’s favorite joke when he was three or so.  I love it.

Knock knock?  Who’s there?  Banana.  Banana who?  Knock knock.  Who’s there?  Banana.  Banana Who? (Repeat about a dozen times.) Who’s there? Orange.  Orange who?  Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?

FF: Favorite book?

ARS: Pride and Prejudice

FF: If you went into the world of Where It Began and told the Gabby that you wrote her story, what do you think her reaction will be?

ARS: Gabby is tweeting about this a lot at @gabbygardiner.  She is quite annoyed.  At one point she wanted a restraining order and she has a whole series of complaints called “Disasters thanks to Where It Began.” 

Also, if anyone wants to ask Gabby a question directly, there is an “Ask Gabby” function at my website at www.annstampler.com.

FF: Anything to say to us readers?

ARS: Keep reading! 

Where it Began Blurb:

Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.

It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.

Especially if it means everything changes

Short Author Bio:

Where it Began marks the YA debut of Ann Redisch Stampler. She is the author of several picture books, including The Rooster Prince of Breslov. Her books have been an Aesop Accolade winner, Sydney Taylor notable books and an honor book, a National Jewish Book Awards finalist and winner, and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. Ann has two adult children and lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband.

Contact Info

Ann Stampler's Facebook

Where it Began Facebook

Ann Stampler's Website

Ann Stampler's Twitter

Ann Stampler's Blog

Ann Stampler's Goodreads

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Goodreads Blurb

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

As the only human in a world of vampires, Gene has to be careful. He’s been trained by his father: Don’t be noticed. But now, Gene is on his own, his family either dead or turned, and he needs to tread lightly. One wrong move, word, reaction, and he would be dead in an instant, his blood being sucked out. Then, the worst happens; the Heper Hunt. What happens is that the government had captured humans, feeding them, growing them, until they’re “plump enough”. A few lucky winners will be the hunters and will get to suck the humans’ blood. It’s dangerous enough for Gene, but when he’s picked to be a hunter, things get even more edgy. Worse, Ashley June, someone who may, just might, know, or suspect, Gene’s secret. And the only one that Gene is attracted to, and the one who definitely is attracted to Gene. But she’s hiding a secret of her own. And not to mention the fact that the other winners are starting to suspect his race, making it all the more dangerous. No matter where you look, where you go, all you have to do is be careful.

Half the time when Gene was on the verge of being discovered, I just sat there with my heart pounding in my chest, even though I knew that he wouldn’t be killed. Yet. But it was still scary. I mean, we can relate to Gene in many ways, in ways we relate to anyone. If this world was real, I wouldn’t want to be Gene. It’s creepy, having to be careful about my reactions, my smell, my looks. Ugh, no thanks! It would be terrifying, but Gene is used to this, has been all his life. It’s hard to think of.

The vampires in this story seem different than in other stories. Yes, they drink blood, yes they’re bloodthirsty, yes they can’t go in sunlight, but they don’t have to hide what they are. Most vampire books, the world is dominated by humans, and the vampires have to hide what they are; it’s the humans who hunt the vampires. When people say “a new take on the paranormal world” now, The Hunt is what pops into my mind. The story is wonderfully written, twists and turns at every edge.

It was weird seeing them use “unknown” phrases when they were ones we used every day. I just wanted to jump up and say “I know what it means!” When they did something that seemed unnatural I wanted to shout “That’s what you’re supposed to do!” I smiled and shook my head so much, I’m surprised my head wasn’t stuck that way. I trusted Ashley June until about three fourths in because of a warning issued by a stranger. But we’ve learned in books, that those warnings are the ones you have to listen to, right? So that’s what I was thinking. (Currently, I’m still reading…this is on March 14 so that none of y’all get confused.) I’m still not sure whether or not to trust her.

The anticipation killed me in the “final scene” as they call it. I was in shock! Pure shock. And I was so scared. My mom dropped something and was like “Ah!” And I screamed. Yeah, that’s how creeped out I was! The story is just so written that we can imagine ourselves in Gene’s shoes. Which petrified me throughout the entire book. Especially the last 50 pages or so. And the ending? I fell on the floor and was moaning “I should’ve known! Of course it was him!” And when the book stopped there…kill me! There has to be a second book and I will be the first one in line, guaranteed.

Summary: the Hunt was full of intrigue, anticipation, danger, fear, betrayal, and trust, with just a pinch of romance. It will make your heart pound and shivers go up your spine. Be prepared to read one of the most orignial books of 2012.

Pages: 304
Series: The Hunt #1
Genre: Dystopian/Paranormal/Romance
Rating: 5 stars

“A horrific howl rips up the hallway, a screech that rattles the building. A skittering of noises along the walls. Distant thumps. Another howl, softer but with more anguish.”

Perfect Chemistry by Simon Elkeles

Goodreads Blurb

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Perfect Chemistry was a perfect romance. Not only was their love breaking the “rules” of the society, they also broke through the bars of racism and stereotypes, and I think that’s one of the more important aspects of this book. Alejandro (Alex) Fuentes is part of the Latin Blood gang and is one of the bad boys, from the south side. Brittney is the all-popular Queen Bee of the school and captain of the cheer squad. Both are chemistry partners, and suddenly, despite their many, many, differences, they’re drawn to each other, even though they know that their being together will cause problems.  It’s a classic love story—except for one little bet: if Alex…end ups with Brittney he gets a car…a bit petty, isn’t it? He agrees with it, thinking it as a challenge only…until he starts falling—and hard. Cliché? It should be, shouldn’t it? But it’s not. Brittney has to pretend everyday to be perfect while her older sister sits at home, mentally delayed. Brittney loves her sister, but she can’t bring herself to tell her friends about Shelley. Alex saw his father murdered but can’t remember who murdered him and is stuck in gang-business to save his family from harm. So how can these unlikely people be together?

Simone Elkeles weaves this romance so thoroughly that you’re left with no questions asked. Danger lurks in Alex’s life and wariness in Brittney’s. “A thin line between love and hate” is shown in Perfect Chemistry. Alex and Brittney hate each other, and take a jab at each other whenever possible, but of course, start falling sooner than you’d think. Miss Elkeles doesn’t rush into the romance as in some books I’ve read, she takes it gradually as if Brittney and Alex were real people falling into a relationship. Told from both POVs, you get a feel for both their emotions, confusion, determination, and hesitation. Small things, you can expect in this story, but other things just hit me unexpectedly. The last…fifty pages? made  me just love the book even more.

This may be the oldest book I’ve reviewed, about three years old, but I’m definitely glad I read it. It was just amazing, full of romance, intrigue, and danger. It wasn’t “dark and dangerous” in any paranormal way, but it had its own sense of danger of its own way, one that sent shivers down my spine. Perfect Chemistry deals with some serious things as well, like being in a gang, racism, society, and anti-drug dealing, and, like I mentioned above, I think these are the most important things of this book. I think every teen should read this…if it wasn’t for the steamy scenes, that is!

All in all, it was a wonderful book and the epilogue with their son made me smile and laugh. I can’t wait to read book two, Rules of Attraction, starring Alex’s brother, Carlos, and yet another “snow-girl”. I’m sure it’ll be a bit cheesy, but those are the best kind of books.                              

Pages: 360

Series: Perfect Chemistry #1

Genre: Realistic/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

“’Assure me nothing’s going to happen to you.’ I can’t.”                           

Author Interview: Jolene Perry

A Q&A with author Jolene Perry, author of Night Sky, an amazing contemporary romance!

Fiction Freak: Going with the classic question, what first made you think of writing Night Sky?

Jolene Perry: My husband and I were talking movies in the Taco Bell drive-thru, and I wanted to know what happened to the best friend who loved the girl, and didn't get the girl. That's the starting point for the book, and it was a fun place to start from - the story really starts with a bad ending, and then Jameson gets his good ending down the road.

FF: When writing, do you often get sidetracked? And by what?

JP: I get sidetracked by other ideas, and I get sidetracked a bit by blogging, but not too much. Writing time is precious, and when I really want to write, I can tune out almost anything.

FF: What is a book/series that you'd like to recommend to everyone YA reader?

JP: Anything by John Green. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, The Summer Series by Jenny Han, and the Perfect Chemistry series by Simone Elkeles. This is sticking with Contemporary, and there's SO many more I love.

FF: If what you happened to meet someone who resembled your mental image of your character both physically and emotionally, what would you do?

JP: Give myself a pat on the back for creating someone real.

FF: What was your favorite pass time as a kid?

JP: I rode horses. All the time. I did lessons five days a week and show-jumped all through high school and a bit into college.

FF: If you wrote a biography, who would it be on?

JP: This may sound totally sappy, but I'd do one on my Grandma, who I'm named after, but didn't get to meet.

FF: Who was/is your role model?

JP: I don't have one. I see traits in the people around me that I'd like to emulate, but I sort of pick my favorite things about a lot of people.

FF: Since these never fail to make me laugh, what was the funniest moment in your life?

JP: We were out boating with my parents, and had anchored in this small cove where quite a few people were camped out (in the rain, looking frozen) on the beaches to fish. We were staying on my parents' boat.

Both Mike and I had been daring each other all day to jump into the ocean (not recommended, BTW, it really is FREEZING). We both changed into our swimsuits, walked out into 50 degree weather in the rain, and dove off the front of the boat into the water. We got a few stares from the people huddled over campfires on the shore . . .

I don't know that it's all that hilarious, but we had a blast doing it.

 (I live in Alaska - so, to give some perspective, this was in Alaska ocean. Not warm)

FF: Do you prefer HEAs (Happily Ever Afters) or the Ultimate Sacrifice in books?

JP: The ultimate sacrifice has this fabulous romantic quality to it - however, I read for escape, so I have to go with the HEA.

FF: If someone was to randomly appear in your house what would your reaction be? What would you do?Tell my husband to let them have a chance to explain before he shot him ;-O

FF: What is your favorite color, and why?

JP: Grey because it can be anything - warm, soft, hard, cold . . .

FF: What's some personal advice you'd give to an aspiring author?
JP: When you first start writing, learn the technical side BEFORE you spout that your voice is more important than rules. Once you know the rules, THEN you can break them. Also - Keep writing. It takes the right person, in the right place, at the right time, to sign your book.

FF: Were you surprised that you'd become an author, or did you always want to be one? And if not, what did you want to be?

JP: I was a high school teacher, and loved it. Being an author was always in the back of my mind, but it took me a long time to push forward and actually DO something about it. I'm glad it took me so long, because I'm sure my voice is much better now than it would have been. Also - writing tends to take over everything else.

FF:  Are any of your characters based on someone you know?

JP: I'm going to cheat here and say all of them. BUT - my disclaimer is - just like I don't have any one particular person that I look up to, I also pick PARTS of people I know and put them in my characters. I will say that Jameson from Night Sky, is very similar to my husband in high school (yes, we knew each other in high school).

FF: Is there anything you'd like to say to us readers/bloggers?

JP: Just that book-loving people are the best kind of people to hang with.

FF: If you could go into any book and be any character, who would you choose, what book, and most importantly, why?

JP: I don't think anyone. Books are life with added drama. I have enough on my own ;-D At the same time, I feel like I get a chance to be each and every one of my characters as I'm writing their story, so maybe that's also an odd way to answer your question.

Thanks so much for having me!!!

~ Jolene

Night Sky Blurb:

After losing Sarah, the friend he’s loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction – his dad leaves for another woman, his mom’s walking around like a zombie, and Sarah’s new boyfriend can’t keep his hands off of her.

As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums - she's way more than distraction. Jameson's falling for her fast.

But Sky’s need for honesty somehow doesn’t extend to her life story – and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.

Short Author Bio:

Jolene grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. She graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in political science and French, which she used to teach math to middle schoolers.

After living in Washington, Utah and Las Vegas, she now resides in Alaska with her husband, and two children. Aside from writing, Jolene sews, plays the guitar, sings when forced, and spends as much time outside as possible.

She is also the author of The Next Door Boys and the upcoming Knee Deep.

Contact Info:

Night Sky Website

Jolene Perry's Facebook

Jolene Perry's Twitter
Jolene Perry's Website
Jolene Perry's Blog
Jolene Perry's Goodreads

Tribute Books Blog Tours