Acid by Emma Pass

Pages: 416

Genre: Dystopian

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: Mar 11, 2014

The year is 2113. In Jenna Strong's world, ACID—the most brutal controlling police force in history—rule supreme. No throwaway comment or whispered dissent goes unnoticed—or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a horrendous crime she struggles to remember. But Jenna's violent prison time has taught her how to survive by any means necessary.
When a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed, and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID, and try to uncover the truth about what really happened on that terrible night two years ago. They have taken her life, her freedom, and her true memories away from her. How can she reclaim anything when she doesn't know who to trust?

I've been eyeing this book since early 2013, maybe even 2012, and you have no clue how disappointed I was when I found out that it released in 2014 in the US. Now I know how you INTL folks feel.

So the first thing I actually noticed about this book is that the given synopsis didn't seem to have anything to do with the story. After a while, you realize it has a lot to do with the actual story, and I sort of loved that little bit of obscurity.
The concept was rather unique too, although I didn't know how I felt about the only-girl-in-a-prison thing. It didn't make much sense--no other girl had ever done anything bad enough to land in jail? What? But I did love the rest of it, the on the run plot, and especially the second half of the book where she...re-rediscovers herself?

Yeah, the plot was badass and it was action packed, but there was still something about it that didn't...engage me as much as I wanted it to. I felt like it was too easy to put it back down at times, and the only thing that pushed me on was wanting to get to the ending. It wasn't the urge to figure out what was happening--it was easy enough to guess. The plot was sort of...undeveloped, I suppose. There were so many parts of it that didn't quite fit together and just seemed to be filler chapters. There was no one main goal--so I suppose Acid would be a fascinating TV show, but didn't seem to quite work as a book with it's pieced together plot, though it was still pretty enjoyable most times!

Jenna was such a kickbutt character at first, but after a while she turned...flatter. While she never really annoyed me, she didn't speak to me as much as she did at first. She lost her sass and her snark, and turned...blander, but still managed to be a pretty decent character, I suppose.

I'm unbelievably happy that there wasn't much focus on the romance, but her relationship with the would-be love interest seemed really rushed. She risked so many things for him, and I didn't understand why--maybe out of obligation? But it didn't make much sense, really. And that was about the extent of my feelings.

While it was a pretty decent read, Acid isn't really one I'd recommend much unless it really appeals to you. It maybe wasn't quite my kind of book, but I wouldn't completely turn away from it. 

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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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Waiting on Wednesday

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Theo is better now.
She's eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.
Donovan isn't talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn't do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she's been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.

Okay. What is with all the freakishly gorgeous covers of 2014? Like, are they trying to make all the book nerds broke?
But oh my God this sounds absolutely stunning and I am almost desperate to know HOW she knows this stuff. I fell like this is going to be heartwrenching--so yeah, I HAVE TO HAVE IT

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Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Mar 18, 2014

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

(Review is marked with the slight snark stamp)

Let me be totally honest here--I was unbelievably excited for Side Effects May Vary. I was ecstatic when I got a review copy. I was practically in love with the synopsis before I ever saw the cover. And then it went ahead and, well, disappointed me.

Side Effects went off with a bang, I'll give it that, but things slowly started to go downhill from there.

The absolute first thing that irritated me was Alice. She was, frankly, a huge bitch and I couldn't see why anyone would like her. Sympathize, yes. But like? That was sort of a stretch for me.
She was a bitch to everyone around her and I'm not surprised she didn't have friends. I mean, I guess you could call her "flawed", but that didn't really excuse her for all the terrible things she did. (Yes, I know Luke was terrible and that Celeste and Mindi were terrible to you, but seriously? Then again they did some pretty extreme stuff too.) I think Harvey and his friends were the only decent teen characters in this book, in all honesty, and his friends didn't even really seem that well written.

Harvey, I'm not sure if I loved or what, though I'm leaning towards love. He was sweet, adorable, caring, and undeniably real. I loved that he actually tried to get past his love for Alice instead of pining after her like some lovesick puppy, but the thing is...he sort of just let her walk all over him and just sort of adored her for it. He would never stay angry at her, and while that was sweet, it just felt so weak of him to do that, but can you argue with a man in (puppy) love?

Another thing I wasn't really happy with, but didn't mind so much, was the way the story was told with alternating "Then" and "Now" chapters. Typically, I'm okay with that. In fact, I love it. But there was not set rhythm to them and we'd have maybe five "Then" chapters and two "Now" chapters or something, along with two POVs.

But, you know, as bad as I think I make it sound, Side Effects May Vary wasn't a completely terrible book, and I actually liked some of it. Alice did have her good and kind moments, though they were rare, but those parts redeemed her, if only a little. The story itself though was amazing and heartwarming and there were so many bits of it that just sort of stuck with  me--I just couldn't really get over Alice herself and the way Harvey just let himself be used.

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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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The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain

Pages: 512

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

Series: Into the Dark #1

Publisher: Egmont

Release Date: March 11, 2014

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

I'll admit, going into it, I didn't really know what to expect. From the synopsis it seemed like a typical, cliche paranormal story, but it's so much more than that! The Shadow Prince was actually quite the enchanting read and I actually kept reading until lo and behold, it was 7 AM.

The worldbuilding is the first thing that I noticed. Bree Despain takes Hades and Persephones' myth and twists it into her own creation, somehow making this retelling so much more fascinating. The Underworld had it's own hierarchy system with it's own backstory that set this book apart from all the other retellings. The world was dark and haunting and was quite fascinating. We got to see all the workings of the Underworlder court and how it came to be that way and it was all original and, by the way, a breath of fresh air when we learn that Orpheus plays a rather large role compared to Helen of Troy or Achilles.

As for our characters, I felt like Daphne was a bit flat at times, but she was definitely one of those stubborn and spitfire heroines! She doesn't really dive headfirst into impulsive decisions, but she makes rational choices and decisions, and that's what really won me over.
Haden was quite an interesting character, especially since he was in the mortal world. He was so adorably clueless, but you knew he had an arrogant and dangerous side--after all he was raised in the Underworld. But being in "our world" left him a bit helpless and it was so cute seeing him try to understand how the world worked. Or, more specifically girls.
EX: "My online research into "how to get a girl to like me" had suggested, time and time again, that to win a human girl over, I had to be mean to her. I'd spent the bulk of classes either ignoring her, contradicting her, or acting like a "bad boy", which I gather meant showing off my muscles and leaning back in my chair after saying something sexually derogatory." 
Yep, that sort of summed it up! It was hilarious seeing him navigate the minds of females--or rather, one female. Daphne.

Of course, that leads us to romance. The romance was a bit rushed and I honestly had no idea where it came from. I honestly think that without the romance, Shadow Prince may have been a lot better, but the sudden burst of "I love you" sort of ruined it. Though Haden and Daphne did have a rather interesting relationship that made me laugh out loud one too many times!

The Shadow Prince is told in alternating POVs and I really love how Bree Despain writes. She managed to capture two completely different voices into this story and it was unbelievably easy to see how different Haden's way of thinking was. His POV especially was brilliantly written, especially with the fact that we could actually see him slowly getting more human, bit by bit. That takes talent y'all!

The plot was filled with twists, though I do admit most of them were pretty predictable, but that didn't take away the thrill of figuring out you were right! There were so many little mysteries that weaved themselves into a bigger, more sinister plot, and it was enthralling, trying to untangle all the threads!

While the synopsis seems a bit overdone, the book is far from it and wonderfully executed too! The Shadow Prince was a mesmerizing read that had me on my toes for hours as I flipped through the pages anxiously.The Shadow Prince is  a book I'd recommend to any paranormal/fantasy fans and is definitely one to pick up!

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