The Distance Between Us by Kasie West - BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: July 2013
Format: Paperback, 312 pages
Source: My Local Library
My Rating: 3 stars

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. (Taken from GoodReads.com)

My Review
The Distance Between Us didn't really do much for me.
It is a cute short book about Caymen meeting this rich guy, Xander, and eventually falling for him against her wishes. Caymen and her mom don't like rich people and for a reason, so the only interaction they have with them is through the doll shop her mom owns.

This was a cute read. It felt very short in my opinion, I would have liked to see more in the story. The romance didn't convince me, maybe because the story was short. Like Caymen I didn't trust Xander at the beginning and there were some indications throughout the book that made me mad and wondered what she saw in him. He did though have a nice smile. :) 

I was quite disappointed in the end, not that the story didn't end up well but I would have liked to see how the characters were doing a month or so after those events. We know from the beginning that the store is not going well so I would have liked to see what happens with the store. 
Also we meet some new characters at the end, from her mom's past which I totally didn't see coming. I knew at the end someone would come forward but definitely not them.

Overall the book was ok. It's a quick read perfect for summer reading. I would suggest it to anyone who likes short contemporary stories about the rich and not. 

Book Review: Wake by Lisa McMann

Title: Wake
Author: Lisa McMann
Series: Dream Catcher, Book 1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: 2008
Format: Paperback
Pages: 210
Source: Bought
My Rating: 3 stars

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

It was very interesting to see Janie getting sucked into dreams. Because that was what was happening. She couldn't help but be sucked into someone's dreams when she was near them. Some of them were nice but some of them were pure nightmares and it was almost impossible to get out of them.

The story is short just about 230 pages and the writing is simple and to the point. It didn't take me long to finish it. The plot was pretty much simple too with the big surprise in the end. I did not expect that about Cabel!

The romance between Janie and Cabel was pure sweetness. That's what it comes to my mind-sweet-they were so cute together and you could see how they bonded with each other, because they both have scars and burdens but they helped each other.

Overall I liked it. I wouldn't have read this if I hadn't seen it at the bookstore at the time. It was a sweet story and I'm looking forward for the rest.

Frosy

Book Review: The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Title: The Eternal Ones
Author: Kirsten Miller
Series: Eternal Ones, Book 1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 411
Source: Bought it
My Rating: 3 stars


"So how does it work?" Haven asked. "How do people find each other again?"
"All I know is that we're drawn to the people we've loved before."
"And do we find each other in every life?"
The sorrow in Iain's face gave her a sense of how little she knew. "I look for you in every life, but I don't always find you. And sometimes I find you too late."

What if life refused to die?
Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.
In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves, before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

When The Eternal Ones got out I rushed to buy a copy because I'm such a sucker for love stories and this one promises a love that lasts forever. It deals with reincarnation and when I read the premise I knew in an instand that I'd love it. I haven't read anything before about true lovers being reincarnated and the idea behind the book was exciting and thrilling so I had big expectations when I picked it up. Having the love of your life find you in each life is awesome and epically romantic!

Unfortunately it wasn't what I was expecting. I couldn't see the connection between Iain and Haven and they barely spend any time together. There were of course a few scenes between them but it felt strange. There wasn't enough time between them to see the actual romance. Another downside that put me off at first and thought it was unnecessary was the first 150 pages. It dragged so long at the beginning that I was loosing patient and thought multiple of times to put it down. I understand that the author wanted to give us a feel of Haven's home situation but I think that it could have be done in less pages. I was more eager to learn about Iain's and Haven's story. ;) 

Another reason why I disliked the beginning was probably Haven's family and town. I think I must have found a character that I absolutely hate. Her grandmother was unbelievable! I could not understand this woman! When someone in your family has strange visions or whatever, you'll most likely take them to the doctor not to the priest for a quick exorcism. I got so mad that I had to put the book down for a couple of weeks before picking it up again.

The ending of the story didn't convince me. The bad guy of the story, which I won't name so I don't spoil anything to you, was really bad at being evil. I mean he had them and then left them go?? 

Will I read the next book All You Desire? Definitely. I haven't given up to this story and it has great potential. I'm curious to see what's next for Iain and Haven. Besides the title is just gorgeous! 

Frosy

Book Review: Fate by Amanda Hocking

Title: Fate

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: My Blood Approves, book 2

Publisher: Lulu-self-published 

Release Date: 2010

Format: e-book

Source: Bought it

My Rating: 3 stars

Alice Bonham thinks she's finally found a balance in her life between the supernatural and real life with her brother Milo. Jack - her sorta vampire boyfriend - keeps her at arm's length to keep her safe. As for his brother Peter... she's not sure where he's at, or what he wants with her. Worse still, she's not even sure what she wants with Peter. 

When tragedy happens, Alice finds herself struggling with a terrible choice. Her decision has consequences that reach farther than she'd ever imagined... 

                                                        Taken by Goodreads.com

Review

In the first book Alice our main character didn't really convince me and I found her most of the time annoying but it kind of sufficed in this book. She still acts reckless and doesn't use her brain what so ever but I kind of got used to her. Jack and Milo were they ones that kept me reading this. Alice and Jack's relationship doesn't get better until the very end of the book. Jack acted very childlike and it was hard for me to see how Alice could have fallen for him. Most of the time in the book Jack wasn't with her or was trying to avoid her. 

Milo now made this so worth reading it. At first he is nothing like his sister Alice and I loved how the author portrayed his character. Milo is gay and he has some serious problem admitting it to himself. The moments between him and Alice for that subject were so sweet and full of concern. (Well a few of them anyways lol)  

The story plot was really simple with nothing really over the top to make you want to turn the pages eagerly. It mostly deals with Milo turning into a vampire after an accident and Alice questioning her initial choice of becoming herself a vampire. The book mostly deals with Milo's change and Alice's conflicting emotions. The author throws in a couple of vampires that want to kill Alice and of course the never ending of Jack and Peter battle over Alice.

Unfortunately we get to see very little of Peter and I'm wondering why the author hasn't given us more of him. He still sustains that mystery he has, mostly because we don't know him. I found out by the end of the book that the reason I kept turning the pages was for him. I wanted to see him in this book so badly! Now that I think about it I'm going to read the rest of the books just to find out more about him. We do get to see him in the last few pages of the book where Alice really gets to the point where she has to finally choose. Jack that she thinks she might love or Peter where her blood sings to him and share a special bond? 

Overall I liked it. It isn't the best but somehow I got addicted to it and I'm going to continue to read the series. 

Frosy

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Book Review: Hush Hush

Title: Hush Hush

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Hush Hush, Book 1

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2009

Format: Hardcover

Source: Bought

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis

Patch's eyes were black orbs. Taking in everything and giving away nothing. Not that I wanted to know more about Patch. Since I hadn't liked what I'd seen on the surface, I doubted I'd like what was lurking inside. Only, this wasn't exactly true. I'd liked a lot of what I'd seen. Long, lean muscles down his arms, broad but relaxed shoulders, and a smile that was part playful, part seductive. I was in an uneasy alliance with myself, trying to ignore what had started to feel irresistible.

A SACRED OATH 

A FALLEN ANGEL

A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen-and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Review

Hush Hush is the first book about angels I've read. I picked it up after hearing people raving about how good it is and with a cover like that, why wouldn't it be? When I read it the first time I wasn't impressed. Nora wasn't a strong character and her friend Vee is just plain annoying. Reading it though a second time changed my mind. Maybe I didn't like it the first time because I had read an incredible book before that, and no matter what I read next it wouldn't comprare. That's why I don't let myself read for a while after those kind of books so I can take them out of my system. But I couldn't wait for Hush Hush thinking it was that good. It's wasn't that good but it wasn't bad either.

The story is really good and the main thing that I didn't like was the characters. I have said it before, that I enjoy books mostly because of the plot not because the characters so much. When I have a great story with stunning characters, that's when the book is amazing for me. And the plot in this book was good and I do believe it gets better in the next two books (I haven't read them). But the characters weren't good. If the characters were written differently I may have enjoyed Hush Hush more.

Patch was a little abusive and I just couldn't believe how he talked to Nora and manipulated her without Nora even realizing it. Nora's best friend was just plain annoying and not a true friend to Nora. Vee should believe Nora and support her. It felt like she wasn't a friend to Nora at all. I couldn't believe how Nora could be friends with her. Patch was dark, silent and mysterious. Way too mysterious I would say. Now that I have read the book twice I still don't know Patch. Hopefully in the next book Crescendo I'll get to know him better.

Overall, I enjoyed it but wished there was more to it and I'm definitely going to read Crescendo. Should you read it? Why not. But if you have something else right now, go for that. 

Frosy

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Beastly >> Book Review

Title: Beastly 
Author: Alex Flinn
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 2007
Format: e-book
Source: gift
My Rating: 3 stars


Synopsis
I am a beast. 

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. 

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell. 

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.




My Review
I saw that there is going to be a movie based on this book so I though I should read this before going to see it.

It is a retelling of the fairytale story Beauty and the Beast. I never liked Beauty and the Beast as a kid. I have seen all the Disney movies but never really felt something about this story, except for the little mermaid... I loved that one!
Anyway so I thought why not read this book. I may actually like the story if it is on today's terms.

It's about a boy named Kyle and he is obsessed with his own vanity. He thinks, people that are less than perfect don't deserve any attention at all. And perfect, by his terms, is anyone who has money and beauty.
He doesn't behave nice to people that aren't perfect like him but a witch comes to put an end to that.

Sendra, is a witch that has been watching him for a while and feels discussed by what he is doing.... so she decides to give him a lesson.... an ugly one...

She transforms hims into a beast and the only way to get out of this curse is to find someone to love him in this form.
He has to find a girl to love him and of course he has to love her back in order to break the curse. And all that in two years notice.

I wouldn't say that I loved the book and that is because I don't like Beauty and the Beast so much.... but I can say that I really enjoyed it.
I liked that the book was told by the 'beast's' point of view. I liked how his character changed after his transformation. He wasn't a good guy and I didn't like him at all how he was at the beggining. A guy that was only interested in money and beauty living by his Dad's money and fame.
But all that changed when he became a beast. He became more aware that there is more out there aside from money and beauty.

He relises that he had never loved or been loved before and that seems impossible now that he is a beast.
A girl though comes to prove him wrong.

If you like fairytales being told in today's world and like the Beauty and the Beast... this is for you.

Movie Trailer

Frosy 

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Love Is Hell >> Book Review

Love Is Hell by various authors

(5 short stories)

paperback pages: 263

My Overall Rating 3 stars

Sure, love is hell.

But it's totally worth it.

In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers-Melissa Marr (WICKED LOVELY), Scott Westerfeld (SPECIALS), Justine Larbalestier (MAGIC FOR MADNESS), Gabrielle Zevin (ELSEWHERE), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES)- love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all.

From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your hear, then leave you believing in love more than ever.

My Review

This is a book containing five short stories, called Love is Hell. 

As you can imagine there are five love stories which didn't have a good ending and had paranormal elements in it. 
I will begin by reviewing each one of them. 

SLEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT, by Laurie Faria Stolarz
My Rating 5 stars 
It is a story about a girl seeing ghosts and particularly one handsome boy who died in the house she is living in now. As you can imagine they get to know each other and fall in love. But sooner or later she has to let him go..... 
This is my favourite of all five stories and I think it has potential to be a really good novel. I hope the writer will turn this into a novel. 

STUPID PERFECT WORLD, by Scott Westerfeld
My Rating 3 stars
This story is being placed in the future, where we have teleporting and other technological achievements. It is a sci-fi story where two teenagers fall in love during a class project. They put themselves into our position (how we live today) to see how it was, because in their time everything is taken care by technology; even feelings I might add. During that journey they came across with things that they only new in theory. 
It was a nice story, interesting but to me it felt like a stranger; maybe, because I haven’t read any sci-fi fiction before. But I would gladly read this one if it was a novel. 

THINNER THAN WATER, by Justine Larbalestier
My Rating 2 stars
This story is held in a small village where everything runs like in the old days. No electricity no school for girls after 15, they have to marry. This girl though doesn’t want this life. She wants to go to the city to become a doctor. The day she decides to run away a boy comes and asks her to marry her and convinces her to stay, for a while before they both go to the city. Her parents don’t like him; they think that he is not even a human..... She doesn’t believe them and of course she is happy with him until...... 
I have mix feelings for this one. I like the paranormal stuff but didn’t like the setting. 
I don’t think that I would read this story if it was a novel... 


FAN FICTIONS, by Gabrielle Zevin
My Rating 3 stars
Ok this is not a fan fiction story. That was my first thought when I saw the title. I can’t really say much because I will spoil it, actually I won’t say anything just that it was a girl that read a lot. She was always at the library and was invisible to everyone, until she met him...... Saying even the slightest will ruin it for you but I must say I didn’t expect the ending.
It was a nice story, I think I would read it if it was a novel... 

LOVE STRUCK, by Melissa Marr
My Rating 5 stars
This is also my favourite of the five stories. It is about a girl that gets captured by a selchie. The selchie has no other choice but to follow her. They both are captured into this love-magic and she wants to end it. She starts having feelings for him but she constantly reminds herself that all this is a result of the selchie magic. So she found a way to end it. But now she feels sad...... 
I loved this one; I would defiantly read this if it was a novel. 

Now don’t expect to get attached to any of the character or to get to know them in dept. There are short stories......
Frosy 




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Moonlight >> Book Review

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne 

Dark Guardians, Book 1

paperback pages: 263

My Rating 3 stars

I see him and know what this turmoil inside me means:

He's the one. My forever.

KAYLA is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying-and thrilling-gene that will change her life forever.

LUCAS is dangerous, gorgeous... and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them in harms's way.

As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks. Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny. 

My Review

An interesting story, that begins with this first book in the Dark Guardians series. I was always a vampire fun but these books made me see werewolves with another eye. Of course I will always have a soft spot for vampires but this book was plain wonderful in a kind of cheesy and fairytale kind of way. 

It's basically a romance series with a little action going on. It's all about love, destiny and forever. Werewolves mark their mates with a tattoo on their shoulders and if a guy doesn’t end up with the girl they are destine for, they end up alone forever. There is a special connection between male and female that only exists between werewolves making their love true and last forever.

It sounds cheesy and it felt like it, since the author introduces us to this world through Kayla's eyes really fast. She works at the park, where her real parents died, for the summer in order to get the traumatic experience she had when she was little, over. There she meets the others and among them Lucas that scares her and attracts her at the same time. 

On the verge of a crazy scientist who wants to capture them, she discovers that werewolves are real and she is one of them. And if she doesn't pick Lucas as her mate till the first full moon after her 17th birthday-to help her through her transformation-she might even die.

Loved the book! I will definitely read the rest of them. There are 4 books in total so far. It a perfect book for those that are hungry for some cheesy love-for-ever story.

Frosy 

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Evernight >> Book Review

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Evernight, Book 1

paperback pages: 327

My Rating 3 stars

Bianca wants to escape.

At the eerily Evernight Academy, a Gothic boarding school, the students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either and he likes it that way.

Lucas ignores the rules and stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful-even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between them can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed. 

My Review

I have mixed feelings about this book. The story line was something I hadn’t encountered before and it was a nice change. But the thing that annoyed most was the main character and how she was presented.

Bianca is supposed to be shy, in a case where she can’t even tell her name to someone she just meets. That’s how the author describes her so that’s what I expected but I was sadly disappointed.

You are either shy or not. That’s what I said each time Bianca turned to be shy one moment and then confident the other. You can’t be shy and the second day of school you are hanging with a bunch of people discussing your life. It’s really frustrating and I think her character was poorly developed.

Lucas was a breath. He is so much different from all those other “perfect” boys out there. He is a normal guy, as normal as you can get in a paranormal romance, that is not afraid to show his flaws. He is not the strongest or beautiful or rich and I think that made me like him more because he is the type of guy you will find on your way home. He is such a realistic guy. I was so happy reading about him. Although he was too overprotective but hey he is not perfect! :)

The writing was simple and straightforward, not much to say about it. Most YA books tend to have a really simple writing but that’s what you get when you’re into YA. Of course there are exceptions and that’s when you have a party!

As far for the plot there is something that made mad almost through the book but I am not going to write about it here because I will spoil it for you so I am going to leave it for another post.

Overall I liked it, not crazy about it but there were some scenes that I really liked and that’s why I gave 3 stars. Without them it would have been 2 stars.
Frosy 




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A fan-made trailer for the book.

The Summoning >> Book Review

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong 

Darkest Powers, Book 1

paperback pages: 390

My Rating 3 stars

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again. 

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what means anymore. It all started on the day I saw my first ghost-and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. 

Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before it's skeletons come back to haunt me.

Chloe Saunders used to have a relatively normal life. But now she finds herself in the middle of some really strange situations:

-She suddenly starts seeing dead people.

-She gets locked up in a group home for instable teens.

-The group home isn’t what it seems....

My Review

This book is very interesting and spooky I would say especially if you read at night before bed as I do. I really enjoyed reading this book; I literally couldn’t put it down. Make sure you have the next book because you will be dying to find out what happens next.

Basically the first book starts with Chloe seeing ghosts and other events that happens in Lyle House but it doesn’t explain anything. So you will need the next one.

The storyline is very promising and the writing is excellent. It’s a page turner and as the characters run for their lives you will find yourselves turning the pages like crazy to see what happens to them.

The characters are enjoyable but I didn’t bond with any of them, hopefully the next book will change that.

Overall it’s a good paranormal read nothing romantic going on as I hoped to but there are two more books so cross your fingers!
Frosy 




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