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Review: Where You’ll Find Me by Erin Fletcher

Title: Where You’ll Find Me
Author: Erin Fletcher
Rating: ★★★★★

When I decided to request an ARC of Where You’ll Find Me, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. It had the potential to be either really bad and cheesy or really amazing. A teen drowning her sorrow through drinking and partying meets a boy hiding out in her garage. I think if Fletcher has chosen to stay at surface level and focus on the romance, it would have been a bit of a flop for me. Instead, she uses the relationship as a catalyst for Hanley to face her demons, as well as make the reader think about death.

Hanley changed in middle school. She went from being a sweet, behaving daughter to rebelling with drinks and partying. She drowns her pain with alcohol and surface-deep relationships. She knows she’s doing this, but she doesn’t see a reason to change. She’s managed to run away from her problems and keep them from catching up. When she finds Nate living in her garage, things begin to change. Drinking and partying don’t sound as fun. Being with this adorable boy sounds better than anything else. Through their relationship, both Hanley and Nate face their life choices and come to terms with things beyond their control.

Hanley was a fascinating character. She blames herself for things that she couldn’t know. She’s broken, but instead of showing her true pain, she distracts herself and others from seeing the truth with alcohol. If people only see her acting like a misbehaving teenager, then people can’t see just how much she’s really hurting.

Hanley distracts herself from her problems and Nate runs away from them. That’s why Hanley finds him living in her garage. He’s sweet and charming, but vulnerable as well. He kept his secrets hidden even as Hanley opened up to him. It’s clear he’s hurt by the secrets he’s keeping, but he doesn’t see a way to avoid them other than running away. What starts as an easy friendship turns into something more. Hanley’s forced to face her demons, but with Nate there, she has someone to lean on and get strength from. She’s able to speak her mind, say everything she feels, and to have someone there to listen. When Nate is the one who needs help, she’s ready to be there for him. It’s a wonderful relationship that digs below the surface and forges connections based on more than a feeling.

Where You’ll Find Me is about so much more than a girl falling for the guy hidden in her garage. It talks about death, blame, and forgiveness in a real and touching way. It’s a fantastic read.

If Where You’ll Find Me sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

Title: The Edge of Always
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Series: The Edge of Never series
Rating: ★★

I really enjoyed The Edge of Never. Not only did it have a fascinating story, but Redmerski made me feel for the characters. I was pulled right in. If I’m being honest, I didn’t think it needed a sequel. The ending was wonderful, closing the story up while leaving the future open. So when I saw there was a sequel, I was a little hesitant to read it. Unfortunately, the magic of the first novel wasn’t quite here.

Camryn and Andrew suffer a great loss and tragedy. Andrew seems to be handling things okay, but Camryn spirals down to a dark place. After Andrew catches her taking care of her pain in a dangerous way, he decides something has to be done. Wanting to capture the hope and happiness of their lives when they first met, he takes Camryn on a road trip across the country.

I had a few issues with this novel. First was Andrew’s seemingly lack of grief. He’s upset about it, yes, but for some reason it felt like he just didn’t care as much as Camryn. Camryn’s grief is palpable. She’s devastated. We don’t see that from Andrew and I would have really liked to see his feelings about the loss. He talks about Camryn pushing feelings under the rug, but it felt like that’s what he did.

There was a lot of time jumping in the novel. Sometimes this works. This was not one of those times. I would have like more of their road trip. That’s what I fell in love with the first time and those are the parts of the novel I liked this time around. Camryn and Andrew finding themselves while on the road is what made me love the first novel so much. This time around, it felt like Redmerski was trying to get so much done in a condense package. I didn’t need to see all the future stuff. That actually detracted from the novel for me. I would have been completely happy with Cam and Andrew finding their happiness while driving across the country.

I will say that the promises they make to each other throughout the novel really tugged at my heart. Those were there moments where their relationship shined. They were sweet and touching, demonstrating the kind of relationship they both wanted going forward.

Overall, The Edge of Always just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t connect with this novel like I did the first and while there are moments of sweetness; there was a lot that I didn’t find necessary or enjoyable. I’ll probably still reread The Edge of Never, but I’ll pass on rereading this one. I know what happens in their story and I’ll just add those thoughts to the end of The Edge of Never.

If The Edge of Always sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley

Title: The Splendour Falls
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Rating: ★★★

I love how Kearsley can blend history with the present in such a way that it all flows perfectly from one story to another. The history is such an important piece of the present, setting up situations and characters that draw me right in. The Splendour Falls not only has that perfect mix of the times, but it has a murder mystery and a missing person case wrapped up in there as well.

Emily Braden is convinced by her cousin to join him in France. It will be a vacation for her while he gets some research done. When she reaches the hotel, her cousin is nowhere in sight and no one seems to know where he is. This is nothing new for Emily’s family, as her cousin has a habit of not being the most reliable, so she doesn’t worry too much. She starts getting to know the others staying in the hotel, all the while wondering about her cousin’s whereabouts and thinking about the history of the town she’s staying in. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding the events of the past that still has an impact in the present day.

Just like in the other Kearsley novels I’ve read, the characters are unique and amazing. Even Garland, the woman who doesn’t think before she speaks, is a fascinating character to read. Each character has a personality that differs from every other character. It’s easy to see them existing in real life, not just in the pages of a novel. They’re real, with dimensions and flaws, and each one serves a greater purpose in the novel. I might love the way Kearsley weaves history into the present, but it’s her characters that make her books excellent.

The murder/mystery/missing person aspect of the novel was very well done. For once, I didn’t see the twist coming. I figured there’d be one, but my guesses were way off. There’s a lot of cover-up and things hiding beneath the surface. I spent half my time reading trying to figure things out. I do wish there had been a little bit more of the historical mystery written about. It’s there to drive the characters along, but it stays mostly in the background.

The romance of this book is in the background. It doesn’t play a major role, but it’s always there, hovering at the edges. I’m glad that it wasn’t a major focus. It allowed me to fall in love with every character and with the setting.

The Splendour Falls has everything that I enjoy about Kearsley’s novels. When I pick up one of her books, I trust that I’m going to love it. Even if the historical angle doesn’t appeal to you, the characters make this book worth reading.

If The Splendour Falls sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to NetGelley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Title: Into the Still Blue
Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky
Rating: ★★★★★

I had loved every book in this series. The world and characters Rossi created are so incredibly thought out and real that finishing this book felt like saying goodbye to friends. It was a sad feeling, but in the best possible way. After Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night, I had high hopes and expectations for Into the Still Blue. Rossi far exceeded everything I wanted for this book.

At the end of Through the Ever Night Perry had moved the Tides into the safety of a cave. They knew Hess and Sable had teamed up to travel to the Still Blue. They also had Cinder. Aether storms were getting worse and time was running out for everyone. Soon, the storms would destroy everything, including them. Perry brings a team together to rescue Cinder and steal enough hovers for the Tides population. The team is dysfunctional, though, and from the beginning things don’t always go to plan. The rest of the novel is filled with action, drama, romance, and everything I could have wanted.

The relationships in this book, in this series, are what make it so amazing. Of course there’s the love story between Aria and Perry. They’re just as wonderful in this book, having to go through a few rough patches before coming out stronger and better. But every relationship in the book is that way. They all have dimension and feel incredibly real. Aria and Roar have one of the best friendships I’ve read in a book. Rossi could have easily turned this into a love triangle, but she didn’t. Instead she created a friendship that I envy. They are always there for each other, and love each other, but it’s still friendship. One of the strongest I’ve ever read. Even the relationships with the more minor characters are fleshed out and wonderful.

I don’t want to go into too much about the plot. I don’t want to spoil any piece of this novel for anyone. But something I love about how Rossi writes is how she paces everything. It’s not action upon action upon action through the entire novel. Instead, she throws a lot at you, makes your heart race and your breath catch. Then she gives everyone a break, a few chapters to breathe and to recover. There’s sweetness and swoons, usually, in those breaks. The action and plot make you fall in love with the book, the pauses make you fall in love with the characters.

There were times when I was close to tears. Sometimes it was because of what was written. Other times it was because I knew I was nearing the end of the book. I’m not ready to leave the world of Aria and Perry, yet I also loved how the story ended. This is a series I will be reading over and over again. It’s nearly perfect in every way and I’m incredibly grateful to Rossi for writing it.

If Into the Still Blue sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Title: Wildefire
Author: Karsten Knight
Series: The Wildefire Trilogy
Rating: ★★

I wanted to like Wildefire, I really did. A book that includes all gods and goddesses from the world’s cultures sounds like it could be amazing. Instead, the book felt disjointed and the action didn’t really start until near the end. I’m all for a thorough set-up, but the ratio of set-up to plot was off for me. The reason I kept reading, however, were the characters Knight created. They weren’t enough to save the novel though.

The book starts in the middle of a fight between Ashline and Lizzy, a girl at her school. Ashline’s sister arrives and escalates the fighting to a crazy level. From there, the story takes a while to unfold. Ashline leaves her school in favor of a private school, far away from the events of the first chapter.

Knight was able to write fantastic characters. They encompass the teen years perfectly. With each character, not only could I picture them as real, but I could see how they would have fit into my high school circle of friends. Ashline’s sarcasm won me over. She had a quick wit and a dry humor that I loved. Colt is sweet and persistent without being too much. Even Eve, the evil sister was written well. She was evil, but Knight wrote cracks into her toughness.

My main problem with the novel is how long it took to get to the things in the book description. Maybe it’s because I was expecting something else based on that description, but I found myself anxious and not in a good way. I was interested in the action of the book description. It’s quite possible that if someone had handed me the book, told me it was about a teen goddess, and sent me on my merry way, I would have enjoyed it more. I just didn’t find myself enjoying the build-up. It seemed like there was a lot going on, but it didn’t seem to move the novel forward much.

The other thing that turned me off right away was the fight in the beginning. Not that it was over a boy, things like that happen when you’re a teen girl. I was a little bothered by how violent it was even before Eve arrived and made things worse. I’m not usually bothered by violence, but something about these few opening scenes bothered me. It might be because I didn’t know the characters before being dropped into the middle of a violent fight.

Ultimately, this wasn’t the book for me. The characters were well written, but that couldn’t make up for the rest of the novel. Things took a little too long to develop and by the time the action really started, I was already taken out of the novel. I know this will be a book for some, but just not for me.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Wildefire, you can do so here:
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Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: The Firelight Trilogy
Rating: ★★★

I have not read many books about either dragons or the decedents of dragons. The idea interests me greatly, so when I came across Firelight I decided to give it a try. It had some issues, but overall it was a good book with an interesting backstory and plot.

Jacinda is the only fire-breathing dragon in generations. Her future has been mapped out for her from now until the end. In an act of rebellion and defiance, she flies during the day and is spotted by hunters. In her attempt to flee from them, she ends up trapped but meets Will for the first time. A series of events unfold and soon she and her mother and sister are on the run from the pride. She feels entirely out of place at the new school, until she crosses paths with Will again. For some unknown reason he both calms and excites her, putting herself, her family, and Will in danger.

Jacinda was an interesting character. She had good and bad traits, which I liked. I like when characters come across as real people. The dynamic between her and her family was really fascinated me. I think the entire family could benefit from sitting down and just hashing things out. There’s a lot of frustration and disappointment that stems from a lack of understanding from everyone. Jacinda can’t understand why her mother turned away from her draki side, why her sister can’t understand how hard it is for her living away from the pride. But on the flip side, Jacinda doesn’t try to understand their points of view very well.

There were a few issues I had with the book. I wish the dragon world was set up a bit more, maybe a little more background given or have the pride fleshed out a little. It didn’t really take away from the story; I just wish it had been included. Another issue I had was how quickly Jacinda and Will declared they were in love. It’s just difficult for me to believe that without being together for very long, love has blossomed. Maybe that’s just a personal thing with me, but I’d always rather have characters admit attraction and strong feelings instead of calling it love.

Firelight is one of the few books I’ve found that has a dragon understory and is a good read. The story is unique and has a lot of promise. I’m looking forward to reading what comes next for Jacinda and Will.

If Firelight sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Madman’s Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman’s Daughter Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★

Even a day later, I’m still having trouble figuring out what to write about this book. It’s dark, twisted, and a little horrific at times. It brings up an interesting topic and works to address it. There’s a love triangle that doesn’t annoy me. This definitely isn’t a book everyone will enjoy, but I loved it.

Juliet Moreau has lived with the consequences of her father’s actions for years. He vanished in the midst of a scandal, leaving Juliet and her mother to fend for themselves. After her mother dies, Juliet goes to work as a maid. After a series of events, she travels to visit her father, living isolated on an island, accompanied by Montgomery, the son of a former servant, and Edward, a castaway. Once on the island, Juliet discovers the truth about her father’s madness and how she is connected to it.

I’m torn in my feelings about Montgomery and Edward. In Montgomery’s favor is the childhood bond he shares with Juliet. They grew up together and there’s something about childhood friends that lasts a lifetime. But he also witnessed and was a part of her father’s actions, something Juliet isn’t sure she can handle. Edward is mysterious, running away from a past he doesn’t want anyone to know. Juliet can understand that desire after seeing the madman her father has become.

I had never read H. G. Well’s The Island of Moreau, but that didn’t take anything away from the novel. It’s dark and twisted, but not overly so. Things are discussed and Juliet comes to her own conclusions, but for the most part, the evil takes place outside of the novel. We get to see the consequences instead of the actions. I figured out one of the twists and had a feeling about another, but I was so drawn in that it didn’t slow my reading at all.

The Madman’s Daughter poses interesting questions. What is it that gives someone his or her humanity? Is it simply being human? Or can it be created? Dr. Moreau is clearly a madman, conducting experiments that should never happen. Does he still hold on to his humanity because he was born a human? What about the creatures he created? They were not human to begin with, but through the doctor’s experiments, did they gain their humanity? Are they people because they have human emotions, thoughts, and morals? Or are they forever doomed to be nothing more than monsters, the product of a madman’s desires?

The Madman’s Daughter fascinated me. I couldn’t put it down from beginning to end. The content is shocking and a little grotesque, but it is still an amazing novel. I think this is definitely a must read as long as you think you can handle the twisted nature of Dr. Moreau’s work.

If you think The Madman’s Daughter sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: The Sweet Trilogy
Rating: ★★★

Sweet Evil is a perfect title for this book, although probably not in the way Higgins intended. Parts of it are wonderful and had me pulled in, while other parts fell flat and had me scratching my head.

Anna sees and feels the emotions of people around her. Her other senses are stronger than a normal human’s should be. She’s never known why, choosing to deal with things as they come instead of look for answers. Things change suddenly after a chance encounter with Kaidan. Suddenly she wants to know more and is sucked into a world she never knew existed.

I was worried about this book in the beginning. It looked like it was headed for one of those “insta-love” teen books where without knowing each other, suddenly the two main characters are head over heels in love and everything feels a little too overblown. Thankfully, Higgins played most of the romance as major attraction, which I can believe. Unfortunately, this small saving grace came at the cost of good characters. Kaidan is a bit of a jerk and Anna needs to grow a spine.

Anna seems a little weak to me, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt on this one. I’m willing to look past her weakness when to comes to fighting the evils. She’s just been thrown into an intense world where everything she knows is shaken. I am not willing to overlook her weakness when it comes to Kaidan, though. In my eyes, even if it is the most amazingly attractive man on earth, if he behaves like a jerk and treats a woman like Kaidan treats Anna, he is not worth any extra effort. I know it’s for the story, but I can’t overlook how Anna deals with Kaidan. Being rejected by a guy you barely know and who treats you horribly is not a reason to lose yourself. It’s hard for me to look past that.

The one thing that might get me to read the next book is the storyline. It’s interesting and holds promise, even if the characters didn’t really work for me. I was able to look past that and see the bones of the story and I liked them.

Sweet Evil is one of the most appropriately named novels I’ve read. I know some people will love it, but I’m a little lukewarm on it. I’ve read worse, but I’ve also read better.

If Sweet Evil sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Title: The Program
Author: Suzanne Young
Series: The Program
Rating: ★★★★★

I don’t keep my depression a secret. I’ve been to the bottom and fought my way back and I’m proud of that. Something about The Program got to me though. It took a while for me to figure it out, but once I did, I only loved the book more.

Sloane lives in a world where suicide is an epidemic, something that spreads from person to person, killing as it goes. Teens aren’t supposed to show grief or be upset. Crying can get them pulled away from everything they know and put into the Program. Memories are erased, leaving teens as a shell of their former selves. For Sloane, she’s watched even closer. Her brother committed suicide, leaving her more susceptible to the same fate. James, her brother’s best friend and her boyfriend, is watched closely as well.

I adore Sloane and James. Their relationship leapt off the page and had my heart beating faster. James is the perfect mix of cocky and insecure. He clearly puts on a brave face, but lets it down when he must. Unfortunately, this also leads to his downfall.

This is the part that had me invested even more. The idea that depression is something that needs to be hidden, that putting on a brave face is better than being true. It hit extremely close to home because for years, this is what I did. I ignored everything my head was screaming at me and acted as though everything was fine. I managed to keep the act going until I finally cracked. I did this because of the stigma that accompanies depression. I didn’t want to be seen as weak. For years, all I had heard was that I was so brave and strong for dealing with my disease while keeping a smile on my face. I felt that if I admitted how draining it was and how much I hated it, or how often it made me cry, that I would be letting everyone down.

The Program is the fictional version of that stigma. It represents the idea that pushing thoughts and feelings aside, instead of dealing with them, is the cure. Granted, suicide is not an epidemic, but I can see it heading that way. I felt so completely connected to Sloane as I read. Her feelings and thoughts hit home. I could not stop reading because I had to know what came next for her. I spent the entire novel rooting for her.

I didn’t expect The Program to hit me like it did. I figured it would leave some impression, given my connection to pieces of the subject. As I read more, though, I felt myself being drawn further and further into the novel. I’m extremely glad I read this book and I’ll definitely be reading The Treatment.

If The Program sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Series: Paranormalcy
Rating: ★★★

Paranormalcy was a decent book. The characters are interesting and the plot has promise. However, it felt like the book was trying to be too much. There was not only the paranormal aspect, but there was a lot of teen attitude. I had a bit of an issue with Evie, but overall the book was better that I thought it would be.

Evie works to contain and control paranormal beings. She can see through their glamours to what they really are, something no other person can do. She’s grown up in a world of the supernatural; not much surprises her anymore. After years of semi-peaceful existence, things are changing. An unknown being broke into the IPCA headquarters and paranormals are being killed off. The intruder won’t speak of his reasons for breaking in and the IPCA can’t figure out how the beings are being killed. Everything Evie has grown up with is changing and being put to the test.

Lend, the love interest, has his moments. He’s not the most swoon-worthy character I’ve read, but he did come across as a normal teenager. He had sweet moments, cheesy moments…everything you’d expect a normal teen boy to have. I especially enjoyed his insecurity about his true self. It was refreshing to read about a male character that wasn’t the perfectly confident teen. I’ve never met one of those. Instead, he puts on a front of confidence, but the moments when his guard came down were the best. They made him real.

Evie is the one that I struggled with. Putting aside some of her characteristics that I find annoying in any person, her strength was what bothered me. She started out pretty fearless, taking on challenges and figuring her way out of tough spots. Then she became a little too whiny for my tastes. Instead of fighting back like I would have liked her to, she put aside her feelings as to not anger the people around her, but the internal whining was a bit much. Near the end, her fight came back, but it was a little too late for her to be fully redeemed in my opinion.

Paranormalcy is a fine paranormal book and a decent teen novel. It just has a difficult time bringing the two halves together in a way that works and flows well. I’m not sure if this will be a series I continue, but if you really enjoy the paranormal novels, this would probably be a good book to pick up.

If Paranormalcy sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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