Category Archives: Young (and New) Adult

All the Young Adult genre book reviews, with some New Adult thrown in.

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Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Rating: ★★★★

I was in the mood for a sweet teen romance that would make my heart flutter and my insides melt. The Distance Between Us is just that kind of book. It’s not an epic love story, it doesn’t have any paranormal aspects, and it doesn’t make you analyze every word. It’s just a sweet, wonderful romance about two people coming together and figuring love out.

Cayman has always been there for her mother. She helps run the doll store her mother owns, even taking time away from school to make sure her mother doesn’t work too hard. After being abandoned by her father before she was even born, her mother’s impression of the rich has worn off on her. They just don’t understand what it’s like to struggle, so she doesn’t really give them the time of day. So when Xander walks into the doll store and breaks a few of those stereotypical rich ideas, Cayman isn’t sure how to handle it. Add in Masen, the lead singer for a band and someone her mother thinks is a better match, more her equal, and you’ve got a fantastic story.

I love Cayman. She says it how it is and her sarcasm and dry humor are what keep this book from being too sappy. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, but it’s easy to see that her sarcasm is a way to protect her from having to deal with the unpleasantries of the world. She has a wall up, with good reason, and her humor is how she defends that wall. It was in the moments when she let that shield down, though, that I found myself adoring her. It was easy to see how much she cares for people, even if she tries to stay aloof. This book could have easily fallen into Hallmark movie cheesiness territory, but it was Cayman that kept the novel feeling light and fresh.

Xander is charming and sweet, just what he should be. Even Masen is wonderful. There wasn’t any competition between the two, but I liked how Masen was there to show that Cayman wasn’t going to settle for something she didn’t feel was right. Masen wasn’t there to provide a distraction, he was there to make sure Cayman followed her heart. And her heart led her to Xander. The fact that they started out as friends was perfect. It made the romance feel authentic. They pushed each other to be more than what they thought they could be. They created a base before building a relationship on it. Yes, there were a few trust and miscommunication issues, but in a teen romance, that’s what you expect. They work through them and in the end it creates a stronger relationship.

There is a bit of a twist at the end that doesn’t really help or hurt the novel, but that’s okay. It was just there and I think even without it, the novel would have been just as good. I can see why West added the plot point though, and it does help move the story along.

Kasie West has written a wonderfully sweet novel about overcoming stereotypes and finding that first love. It could have easily become too cheesy to read, but the characters keep it from straying into that territory. They’re real and funny and sweet and perfect. The Distance Between Us is the perfect read if you’re looking for something that will make your heart flutter.

If The Distance Between Us sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Awaken by Meg Cabot

Title: Awaken
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Abandon series
Rating: ★★★★

After being left wanting a little something more with Abandon and Underworld, Awaken really stepped it up and made an impact. It was the culmination of everything that had happened in the previous two novels and when things finally happened, it was wonderful.

Pierce has accepted her role as consort to the ruler of the Underworld. She’s made her decisions based on how she felt and what she thought was right for her. She’s finally found a place where she feels at home, like herself, and she’s happy to be there. When something goes horribly wrong, she must take on a new role and fight for the ones she loves. She must rely on the help of her new friends to face this new evil and save those she cares about.

The supporting characters are what really make this novel stand out to me. They don’t let Pierce shy away or ignore them. They make sure she knows she can rely on them for help, and they’ll be there for her whenever she needs help, sometimes even before she knows she needs it. They’re a different group of people, I wouldn’t call them normal, but they are there for Pierce and John when they need to be. They provide the real element of the novel.

I’m so relieved the storyline went where it did. Most of the little pieces that had been dropped in the first two novels were put in place. There were still a few things that seemed to fall too perfectly into place, and I wish the rules of the Underworld and real world were fleshed out more, but for what it was, the story was great. I had gone into this series thinking it was a modern take on the Persephone and Hades myth, and in a way it was. But it was more about figuring out how to fit into the world and deal with the things thrown your way.

Sadly, the relationship between Pierce and John still felt off. The spark just wasn’t there for me. They said they loved each other, but I just didn’t feel like it was really there. There was development, though, and I can see how down the road, there will be a great love between them. They finally trust and respect each other. I still don’t feel like it was love, but I can sense the potential and that was enough for me.

The Abandon series was not what I expected, but Awaken was the best ending to the series I could have imagined. It put nearly all the missing puzzle pieces back together and left me with a satisfied feeling at the end. This part of Pierce and John’s story is over, but it’s easy to imagine their future together. Overall a good series, even if it wasn’t quite what I thought it would be.

If Awaken sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
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Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Inc. for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot

Title: Underworld
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Abandon series
Rating: ★★★

Like Abandon, Underworld wasn’t quite what I expected. It’s still not the Persephone and Hades myth I was expecting, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Underworld definitely has more of the myth elements, and the new characters that are introduced are fantastic, but I’m still wishing there was a little more myth influence.

John has taken Pierce away from the physical world and placed her in the safer Underworld. Here, at least, he can work to protect her from the Furies. In this, Underworld is like the Hades and Persephone myth. Pierce understands why John has done this, but that doesn’t mean she likes it. She’s a little in over her head with her new life and has trouble adjusting to the idea of leaving her old life behind. When she sees that her cousin Alex might be in trouble, all she wants to do is help him, not understanding the possible consequences.

A few of my favorite parts of this novel were the cast of characters introduced in the Underworld. The shipmates John relies on to do his job are all interesting, funny characters and they provide a light note, especially little Henry. I wouldn’t mind reading a book about the adventures this little group had gotten into. They were dynamic and really added something to the novel.

The relationship between John and Pierce still feels a little off to me. Maybe it’s because there hasn’t been much focus on it, but things feel rushed and stiff. I don’t see this love they proclaim to have for each other. A deep caring, I see. Love I don’t. It makes it difficult for me to understand the reasoning behind some of their choices. There’s still a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding between them and even though I enjoy the sweet moments, I can’t believe it’s love. It just doesn’t feel that way. I’m holding out hope that Awaken has the relationship development I’m looking for.

I find myself confused by the major plot of Underworld as well. I’m not sure the part Alex and his misadventures will play in the overall storyline, but I do see pieces of a puzzle falling into place. That didn’t stop me from being confused as to the Alex plot, though. It makes the novel feel as though it has split personality. Everything either has to do with the Underworld or with Alex, but not really both. I wish there was a better blend between the two.

Underworld was closer to the Persephone and Hades myth I keep hoping for, but there are still things holding it back. The relationship between John and Pierce doesn’t feel authentic yet and there’s a little bit of a problem with the flow of the novel, in my opinion. Those issues don’t stop it from being an enjoyable novel to read, though. I’m looking forward to finishing the series with Awaken and seeing how John and Pierce work together to figure out their lives in the Underworld.

If Underworld sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
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IndieBound

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Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Title: Abandon
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Abandon series
Rating: ★★★

I’m all about mythology and modern takes on mythology. The Greek myths are especially interesting to read because they come filled with all their own drama. You don’t really have to look far to find a scandal. That’s why I was excited to give Cabot’s version of the Persephone myth a try.The story of Abandon takes place in two ways. We look at Pierce’s life now and how people think she’s adjusted after a near death experience, and we look at what happened during that near death experience through flashbacks. Pierce has her reasons for what has happened in the year and a half since she nearly died, but she can’t fully explain them to people. Her trip to the underworld has given her questions and problems she isn’t sure how to handle.

Not only is she struggling to understand what happened to her, but trouble keeps finding her and John magically appears ready to save her. Pierce’s heart is good and she cares a lot for people, but that caring let’s bad things follow her. I’m hoping that in the next novel, she finds some strength in standing up for herself and being a little bit selfish. I can overlook it because I can sense Pierce’s confusion about what is going on in her life. She doesn’t have the ability to think for herself when she’s trying to protect those around her.

The romance between Pierce and John felt a little stilted, but they weren’t the real focus of this novel, in my opinion. Their relationship felt a little rushed, but I’m hoping Underworld takes the time to flesh it out and make it bloom. The focus of this novel felt more centered on the necklace and setting up Pierce’s history, which worked well for me. It gave me the background to understand Pierce and where she is coming from.

As a retelling or reworking of the Hades and Persephone myth, it didn’t quite stand up. It does however, provide the set-up for the myth. I’m hoping to have more of the mythology come into play in the next novel. From how Abandon ends, I think this is where Cabot is taking it and I hope I’m right.

Abandon is a good novel to begin a new mythology series. It provides an excellent set-up for the world we are about to enter and leaves questions and puzzles open. It wasn’t quite what I had been expecting, but it was still good. I’m looking forward to reading what comes next for Pierce and John.

If Abandon sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
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Review: A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Title: A Certain Slant of Light
Author: Laura Whitcomb
Series: Light series
Rating: ★★★★

A Certain Slant of Light is not what I thought it would be, but that’s not a bad thing. It had been a while since I had read the book description, so I went in a little blind. I’m very glad I did.

Hellen has been Light for well over 150 years. She’s attached herself to different Hosts over the years, trying to stay out of her personal hell. Mr. Brown is her current host, but in one of his English classes, a boy sees her. He is Light, but he has stolen a body to live in. With his help. Helen steals the empty body of a girl at the same school.

James and Helen, the Light souls, learn to live in the bodies and lives of Billy and Jenny. Even though James and Helen find themselves falling in love, the bodies they inhabit are polar opposites and their families will do anything to keep them apart. Billy was a recovering drug addict and Jenny was raised in an extremely religious household. The only similarity between the two was the original souls left their bodies.

As James and Hellen try to continue their romance, the lives of Billy and Jenny continually get in the way. Billy’s brother is on her case constantly ands Jenny has been on the outside of her family’s religious looking in.

It was interesting to see how James and Helen tried to blend into the current world. To everyone else, they had some strange perks; to each other they made perfect sense. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of each side of the characters.

A Certain Slant of Light went a lot deeper than I expected. It is not a simply Young Adult novel; it’s more complex than that. I really think this is a book anyone can read and find meaning in.

If A Certain Slant of Light sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Title: Dead Silence
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder series
Rating: ★★★★

The end of The Last Echo was the perfect set-up for Dead Silence. The little bit of a cliffhanger had me so anxious to read what came next that I picked up the book and didn’t put it down until I had finished, only a few hours later. Everything from the previous books had been building until it finally came to a head in Dead Silence.

Violet is being blackmailed into staying with the group run by Sara. She’s having trouble balancing her normal life with her paranormal life. Things between Violet and Jay are getting messy because she doesn’t understand where to turn when she needs help. The secrets she’s held her entire life are starting to weigh her down and she’s not sure where she can turn. Things in her life are getting messy and she can’t figure out how to clean them up.

The relationship between Violet and Jay is one of the most realistic portrayals of a healthy relationship I’ve read in a while. They love each other, but still have so much to work around before they can be a true couple. Violet may trust Jay with her secret, but she finds it hard to trust him with information related to what she does. She wants to protect him, but she does so by keeping him out of the loop, something Jay doesn’t want to put up with. There really isn’t any outside threat to their relationship, but everything comes from within their relationship. They have issues they need to work through before their relationship can mature and it was refreshing to read something that real.

Something I liked more than I thought I would was the incorporation of Violet’s “normal” friends with her paranormal ones. I knew that she could keep them separate for so long before they would collide, but I wasn’t sure how the collision would be handled. Derting was able to mix the two worlds without giving one or the other extra emphasis, making sure they stayed on level ground as Violet tried to figure out how to mix the two in her personal life.

The killer in this novel was something else. I got chills from the killer in The Last Echo, but this was something else entirely. There was something about how sane his little pieces seemed to be, even as I could tell he was losing touch with reality, that made him all the more evil. I also liked that he wasn’t after Violet specifically; he was just evil because he could be. He thought he was being the good guy, though, and that’s what made him especially villainous.

Dead Silence closes the door on a fantastic series while still leaving a window open for more. Things are wrapped up and taken care of, but it’s easy to picture life going on for Violet, Jay, Rafe, and everyone else. You know the story doesn’t end here, yet there was closure. The Body Finder series has been one of the most interesting and well-written paranormal stories I’ve read, striking the perfect balance between all its elements. This is definitely a must read series.

If Dead Silence sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
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IndieBound

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Review: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Last Echo
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder series
Rating: ★★★★

Derting has an amazing ability to make each story unique and yet tie together perfectly. The Body Finder, Desires of the Dead and The Last Echo are all individual books that bleed together to create an amazingly suspenseful story that kept me turning page after page.

Violet has discovered a group of people with unique abilities and she doesn’t feel so strange when she’s around them. Soon, that side of her starts to take over and her old friendships and life begin to suffer. She’s struggling to find the balance between her paranormal abilities and being a regular teen. Derting doesn’t gloss over this struggle, but uses Violet’s friendships as a way to highlight the two halves of Violet. The one tie between everything is still Jay, the best friend turned boyfriend who keeps her centered in reality.

The Last Echo goes back to the serial killer idea, but there’s something especially creepy about this novel. The glimpses into the mind of the killer are chilling and disturbing and I couldn’t get enough of them. Violet doesn’t mean to enter the killer’s radar, but once she does, you know it can’t end well. Each novel has been building on the deaths of the previous novels, with Violet learning more about herself and her ability each time. She’s tired of relying on others to save her, so when she’s faced with evil and she’s the only one who can fight; she must step up and take control. I’m glad Derting waited until this novel to have Violet find herself. It felt real and I could tell the slow build is exactly what Violet needed to find her strength.

I’m extremely interested to see how Derting handles the relationships going into the final novel. Violet’s friendships with her “normal” friends are starting to suffer and the relationships she’s formed with the teens like her take a hit as well. There’s a not-really-a-love triangle that Violet needs to deal with along with her relationship with Jay. She has to deal with a shift in the family dynamic as her parents start to take more control over her life, creating conflict between what Violet feels is right and what her parents feel is safe.

The Last Echo had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. The mind of the killer is just insane enough to be chilling and knowing that Violet will somehow end up tangled with him had me frantically reading. The build-up from the previous two novels is starting to peak and the set-up for the final novel gave me chills. Derting is proving to be an amazing paranormal series author, finding just the right balance between the normal and the paranormal. The Last Echo makes the Body Finder series a must read and I can’t wait to see how this series is wrapped up. If this book is any indication, it’s going to be a fantastic ride.

If The Last Echo sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
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IndieBound

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Review: Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Title: Desires of the Dead
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder series
Rating: ★★★★

I’m finding myself really loving Derting’s way of writing. It’s not over packed with information, the pacing is wonderful, and she writes characters and situations I can’t help but be drawn into. Desires of the Dead is no different. After being introduced to Violet in The Body Finder, Desires takes the story a step further.

Desires of the Dead doesn’t have the serial killer storyline of the first book, but there is just as much searching for Violet. She’s trying to figure out how to deal with her abilities and keep the people she cares about safe. She doesn’t know how much to share about herself with her family and with Jay. Things have changed now, and she sees how easily her ability can harm those she loves. On top of that, she’s been contacted by someone connected to the FBI about her possible special abilities.

The relationship between Violet and Jay is interesting and real. It’s so easy to see that they are friends who became more, but aren’t quite sure how to handle this new part of their relationship. They don’t want things to change in their friendship, but they want things to change in their romantic relationship. Part of the “normal” conflict in this book is Violet and Jay trying to figure them out and I enjoyed that. Derting didn’t just write the perfect couple and pass it off as coming from their friendship. She’s added in teen challenges that make the book feel like it could have been written about anyone in my own high school.

Not only are the “normal” parts of this book well written, the paranormal parts are, too. That can be a little difficult to find, sometimes. Either the normal aspects take over and the paranormal suffers, or the paranormal is fantastic while the relationships suffer. Derting has found a perfect balance between the two. The paranormal bleeds into the normal, but doesn’t take control. Every once in a while, Derting throws in something that shakes up the normal and reminds you that there is a mystery behind every word. There isn’t the serial killer, like in the first novel, but there is death and echoes. Violet has to figure out different deaths that put her in harms way.

Desires of the Dead is a fantastic follow-up to The Body Finder and sets things up for a wonderful series. It has a little bit of everything I love in a book and leaves me wanting more. I know there’s much more to Violet’s story and after finishing Desires of the Dead I can’t wait to keep reading.

If Desires of the Dead sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
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IndieBound

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Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Title: Wait for You
Author: J. Lynn
Rating: ★★★★

Wait for You is a book about confronting the past and moving on. It’s a little bit cheesy, but mostly sweet.

Avery Morgansten is trying to move away from her past and start fresh in a place where no one knows hers story. She soon finds herself a couple of good friends as well as the attention of the guy with the ladies-man reputation, Cam. Avery knows she can’t do normal, her past has made sure of that, but Cm is determined to break those walls down.

This is where the cheese comes in. I’m not sure why there has to be a “reformed man-whore” in so many New Adult and Young Adult novels, because it is wholly unnecessary to me. I do not understand why this is a common thread uniting so many of the genres’ books, but in most situations, the novel would not lose a bit of impact if that detail was done away with.

Other than that, the characters and story are well-written and enjoyable. Brittany and Jacob are great friends the push Avery just enough. They know when they need to keep pushing and when to back away. They are exactly what Avery needs to make her fresh start.

Cam, ignoring his reputation, is a great love interest. He starts as her friend, even though he wants more, because he knows that’s what Avery needs. He pushes, but waits until Avery is ready before going to the next step. I honestly believe that he would have been a perfect character had he not had a ladies-man reputation. It was completely unnecessary and only made me feel annoyed with the novel.

Wait for You is a good New Adult novel that could have been great. It didn’t need the man-whore ploy and for me, that character point really takes away from the novel. That being said, it is still a good book that is a nice summer read.

If Wait for You sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Torn by K.A. Robinson

Title: Torn
Author: K.A. Robinson
Series: Torn series
Rating: ★★★

This is a hard review for me to write. I wanted to like Torn, I really did. It sounded like the kind of book that would pull at my heart and make me emotional. There’s nothing really wrong with the novel (aside from one mistake I caught), it’s just that I was almost bored while reading. And I hate saying that, because I don’t like being bored while I read. I never want a book to be like that.

Chloe hasn’t had the easiest time growing up, but now it’s her first year of college and her two best friends are right there with her, ready to start fresh. That new beginning, however, doesn’t include falling for the resident bad boy.

There’s a love triangle in this book and I spent the greater part of the novel wishing it wasn’t so. There doesn’t really feel like there’s anything between Chloe and the two guys. One she ended up with because it felt easy and the other because of lust. I’m not saying either of those are bad things, but I don’t like when those situations are written as though it means immediate love. There was a moment when I admired Chloe’s character, but then the ending came and that moment had passed.

Drake is the bad boy of the novel. He’s a womanizer, in a band, and has a cocky attitude. Both boys are a little too possessive and neither one really give Chloe a relationship that makes her stronger. It was a little disappointing, to say the least.

I think the reason I wasn’t able to enjoy this novel as much as I wanted to was because I just didn’t feel that connection with Chloe. I didn’t understand her motivations or her actions. I felt like an outside reading a novel instead of a fly on the wall.

The one mistake that blatantly stood out was that of Drake’s car. The first time we read about it, it’s a 1969 Mustang. The next time we see it, it’s suddenly a 1983 Mustang. Normally I’d let something like that go, but since I wasn’t completely drawn into the novel, it stood out at me.

I went into Torn with high hopes. I wanted to enjoy it, but something just didn’t click for me. I’m sure there are people out there who will devour this book; I’m just not one of them. I will be reading the next book, if only because I hope a book with a little less teen relationship drama might draw me in more.

If Torn sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound
(Please note, the ebook edition has been released, with the paperback edition to follow in September of this year.)

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.