Tag Archives: Must-Reads

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Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

Beautiful Lies sounded like a book that was right up my alley. Plus, Warman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. There’s something about the way she writes a real story, one that doesn’t always have a happy ending, that draws me in, even though I always have a feeling my heart is going to be crushed several times as I read.

As a narrator, the main character is completely unreliable. And yet I believed every single word she said. I knew as I was reading that something wasn’t quite right with how she was viewing the world, and I still went along completely with her. She’s so unreliable as a narrator, that she becomes reliable. My heart was aching through the entire book, wanting to make things better for her, to tell her what was going on, to help her.

The plot of this novel had me guessing with every turn of the page. I never knew what was going to happen. I’d think I knew and suddenly there was another plot twist thrown in that had my head spinning is such a wonderful way. I wanted to figure the book out, I needed to, and that only propelled me to read faster and faster.

Beautiful Lies is a completely enthralling, entrancing novel that I couldn’t put down. If you like anything with a good mystery and suspense, read this book.

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Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

It’s rare for me to find an author that I love so much I will read anything they write, be it comedy, drama, or a grocery list. Jennifer Echols is one of those authors and Such a Rush only further cemented her place on my bookshelf.

Leah does not have the best circumstances in life. She lives in a trailer park with a sometimes around mother who brings less than decent men around. She’s been moved around often because of her mother’s lifestyle (no job, creating enemies) and the one good thing that has come out of her several living locations is a love of airplanes and the dream to fly. When she settles in Heaven Beach, she gets a job as the receptionist/gofer of the airport before building up the courage to ask for a flying lesson. That one lesson turns into more and her love of flying only grows.

Cut to the death of the man who taught her to fly and the only father figure in her life. Then the twin brothers she’s watched from a distance take over and she’s blackmailed into working for them flying the banner planes and in trying to get one twin to date her. It’s this that creates the tension that had me anxiously turning pages to find out what was going to happen next.

I don’t know much about planes or how to fly them; in fact I’m pretty terrified of flying. But Echols made the whole process seem beautiful and flowing while keeping the danger involved. There’s enough technical speak to make it feel real, and yet it doesn’t get too overbearing and it’s still pretty easy to follow.

I loved the relationship dynamic between Leah, Alec and Grayson. Leah never really had the best example growing up, and so she has two personalities. The flirt and the serious aviator and she switches between them without noticing depending on what she needs at the moment, including when she’s with the boys. It’s easy to see Alec is the nice, sweet, do anything to help out kinda guy while Grayson is tougher and takes things a little too seriously at times. When Leah is with Alec, she turns the flirty side of her on, but when she’s with Grayson, the more serious side comes out and she’s more vulnerable.

The tension throughout this book was amazing. My heart was beating fast and I was getting so frustrated with the characters for seeing the obvious and then going the other way. But it did make for a great story.

Such a Rush was a fantastic book that had my heart pounding and put a smile on my face. I dreaded nearing the end because once I turned that last page, there would be no more. Echols once again has written a story I’ve fallen completely in love with and I can’t wait to read anything she writes (including a grocery list…I was serious about that).

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Eve by Anna Carey

I held out on reading Eve because I was a little over dystopian novels for a while. There are only so many times in a row you can read about the bleak future of the world before you need a break. I’m actually pretty upset with myself now for how long it took me to read this. I should have read it sooner.

Eve remembers just a little bit of her life before the plague killed her mother and she was sent to School. While there, she becomes the best student of her class and finds a lot of pride in that. On the night before her Graduation, she discovers what the School is really a front for and decides to make a run for it. She heads into land where nothing she knows will help her. She may be book smart by the School’s standards, but when it comes to surviving she’s clueless. And yet she doesn’t think about giving up. All she knows is she does not want to end up like the rest of the girls that graduated from her School. She wants to be herself and not have anyone dictate her life for her. It’s this that gives her the strength of character that has me loving her. She doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do, she just knows what she does not want to do and lets that determination guide her.

Caleb had me crushing. He was sweet and strong and caring. He knows helping Eve won’t be easy, and yet he still helps her because he doesn’t want to see anything happen to her. The way they fall together was perfect and not too fast and felt right. It wasn’t love at first sight and it took time. That made it feel real and even sweeter than most Young Adult romances out there now.

Eve was a fantastic novel with amazing characters and a world just real enough to make it terrifying. The end had me wanting more and I can’t wait to see what Carey has in store for Once.

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Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

I loved Hush, Hush. I was excited to be able to read more Nora and Patch. And then I read the book description for Crescendo and felt disappointed before even reading a word. I was worried there’d be a mostly pointless love triangle (or possibly quadrangle) introduced and I’d spend the majority of the novel annoyed and wishing I could fast forward to the end.

Instead what I got was a slow build up (I see what you did there with the Crescendo, Ms. Fitzpatrick) of emotions and history until it all comes crashing down.

Nora learns a little bit more about who she is and what she is made of in this book. She’s not sure who she’s able to trust, even Patch. Because of this, she has to rely more on herself for the answers she needs. She trusts her instincts more and lets the blood that runs through her help guide her. Of course, this means sometimes she makes decisions that made me shake my head at her, all the while loving that she’s starting to stand on her own more.

The relationship between Nora and Patch hits turbulence in this one and even though it gets rough, it’s very easy to see that everything ripping them apart in Crescendo is also driving them closer together. They can’t be torn apart, even when forces outside their control are trying their hardest. Even when it is them doing the ripping, they still find a way to be together.

The twists and turns in Crescendo had be guessing at every page. Just when I thought I’d have something figured out, the road would turn and I’d be just as clueless as I started. It kept me focused and on my toes.

Crescendo is a fabulous sequel to a great book, and certainly didn’t let me down like I thought it might. The story fits its name and I can’t wait to read what happens next.

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Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

I’m not sure why I wanted to read this book. I’m not usually one for lots of teen drama. If I want a romance, I go for sweet, lovable books. From the description, I thought there’d be way too much going on to make for a good novel. And yet, I am in love with Pushing the Limits.

I was right about this book on one count. There is a lot happening. However, instead of making it seem like drama for drama’s sake, it fit. Every little detail made sense and left an empowering feeling as I read. Each little thing Echo and Noah face helped them grow as characters until the very end. The people that we are introduced to at the beginning are not the people we know at the end. McGarry did character development right and I love her for that.

On the surface, Noah is the typical “bad guy.” He’s a bit of a loner, smokes pot, and has a reputation of using girls. But once you start reading his side of the story, things change and it comes to light that he’s that way as a front, as a way to keep himself from getting hurt. I think that’s why I loved him so much. For all his toughness and macho behavior, he’s still a guy afraid of getting hurt.

Echo starts out a little weak, but it fits. She doesn’t remember a major event in her life. That memory lapse has made her question herself, made her think of herself as less than. As the novel progresses, she fights with those inner demons and comes out on top. She realizes her worth, even if she struggles with it occasionally. She knows she’s worth something to people, and to see that at the end of the novel was wonderful.

Pushing the Limits is probably not a book I would have picked up in the store. This book somehow called to me anyway and made me read it and I’m so happy I listened to that call. Pushing the Limits is a fantastic debut novel and I can’t wait to read more from McGarry.

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The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter

Finally, the Gods and Goddess I know and love. The proud, lying, cheating, crazy lot of them. They seemed a little too good in The Goddess Test, a little worse (in a good way) in Goddess Interrupted, and just perfect in The Goddess Legacy.

I love that I understand the characters just a little bit better. I was never strongly against any character’s actions, but to know their back-stories really gave me a greater understanding and appreciation for the other two books. Actions make better sense and the characters are even stronger. I really enjoyed looking into Calliope and Persephone’s stories. They made me like them, even though they ended up hurting so many people.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I was a little disappointed in Henry’s story. I loved the peek into his head, but something was missing for me that kept me from being over the moon in love with it. I do love Henry a little bit more now, though, and feel like I understand him a lot better than I did the first two books.

Overall, The Goddess Legacy was an excellent group of novellas that gave a necessary peek into the lives of the characters we love to love, or love to hate. It makes them feel a little bit more like complete people, and I feel like I’ll have a better understanding of the choices and actions in the third novel. If The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted left you wanting just a little bit more, this is definitely a great book to pick up.

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Arise by Tara Hudson

I had a couple problems with Hereafter when I first read it. It was good, but the writing felt a little new and I wasn’t completely on board with Amelia and Joshua’s relationship. Both of these issues weren’t even a thought as I read Arise, the only thing going through my head was how amazing this book is.

Arise had a different feel to it. Maybe it was the story taking place in New Orleans, allegedly one of the most haunted cities in the United States. Maybe it was the introduction of new “types” of ghosts. I’m not really sure what it was, but Arise felt more mature and dangerous than Hereafter.

I like to be able to understand character decisions, even if I don’t agree with them. I need actions to make sense, and a lot of the time in Young Adult novels, I’m left a little confused by way a character makes one choice versus another. Thankfully, I didn’t feel this way about Arise. The choices made sense. I wasn’t a big fan of a couple decisions, but they made sense for the character and that was more important than me being 100% on board. Thank you, thank you, thank you Tara Hudson, for being able to write choices that made sense.

Amelia and Joshua’s relationship was the only other problem I had with Hereafter, but in Arise, I was in love with it. They aren’t completely losing themselves to the other person. Sure, they might have to make a bit of an effort, but they are trying to be together without losing their individual selves. And yet, it was easy to see how much they love and care for one another. This is the way relationships in books should be.

Arise is a simply stunning book, and a fabulous summer read. It’s got the romance and the action, all mixed together in a dark, rich location. This is definitely a book everyone should pick up and read.

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Rape Girl by Alina Klein

This is not a happy book. It’s not tied up in pretty ribbons by the end. It’s hard to read and at times, you might have to stop for a moment and catch your breath. It may not be pretty, happy, or easy to read, but it is a powerful, powerful book.

Klein does not need to be overly descriptive or graphic in order to get her message across. Her writing style is simple, yet moving. She doesn’t go into the details of the characters’ lives before. It’s not important what kind of people they appeared to be before. What is important is the after, and Klein does an amazing job of getting that across.

Valerie, despite being the victim, has more to prove than anyone else in this book. In a society where people are innocent until proven guilty, she has the uphill climb of having to prove that she said no. She also has to face the fact that people don’t believe her, that her voice isn’t viewed as equal when compared to the voice of her rapist. It makes the book difficult to read and there were many moments when I needed to stop reading to gain control over my own emotions.

Rape Girl is a highly disturbing book about how reporting a rape can derail one girl’s life more than she thought possible. It deals not only with the rape, but with the emotional aftermath when people are quick to doubt the truth. This is a book that doesn’t fit within any constraints. Teens, girl and boy alike, as well as adults need to read this book. It makes you think and sticks with you long after you turn that last page.

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Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood has been on my to read list for a while now. I put it off for the sole reason that I knew I’d love it and didn’t want to have long to wait before reading the second book.

Blake jumps right into the story and wastes no time in introducing Cas’ life to us. He hunts the ghosts that terrorize people and spends most of his life in moving boxes. His life is all about move, hunt, kill, repeat. Then, for the first time ever, a ghost presents a challenge like he’s never known and his system is thrown a little off balance.

I loved Cas. He was a real guy, and I applaud Blake for being able to write a guy that doesn’t sound like a girl in disguise. The relationship with his mother isn’t strained like a lot of parent/child relationships in Young Adult books today, and I really liked that. Cas and his mother don’t have many secrets and it was nice seeing a book hero rely on his parent when he needed just a little help.

Blake’s writing made this book stand out. She didn’t gloss over anything in an attempt to make it less frightening or disturbing. She tells it like it is when it comes to the ghosts. If they have skin hanging, she tells you. If their head isn’t on quite right, she tells you. She lets the gore speak for itself and that adds a level of tension to the story that made it amazing.

The one thing that held this book back from being five stars was how easily Cas’ new friends believed anything he told them. I wish there had been a little bit more convincing when it came to his friends. After one incident, they all take Cas’ word, and I would have liked just a little bit more conflict there.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a terrifically written ghost story that will have you holding your breath and checking over your shoulder for phantom eyes as you read. It’s got a little something for everyone and I can’t wait to read what happens in Girl of Nightmares.

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Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

I was really worried when I started reading Dreamless. I loved Starcrossed and was extremely worried Angelini would fall victim to the book sophomore slump and I’d be left disappointed. I’m so incredibly happy that this did not happen, and I’m just as in love with Dreamless as I was Starcrossed.

Dreamless was not about the romance. Yes, it’s there and it’s absolutely wonderful, but I think what I loved most about this book was Angelini allowed the love triangle to develop slowly, without being in-your-face, and it was done quietly in the background as the rest of the story happened. It made sense given everything else happening in the story.

As for the rest of the story, holy cow was it amazing. I was holding my breath through most of the novel. There is so much happening, but it all works somehow. Helen descending, her starting to fall apart, the act of the Gods on her…it all somehow manages to fit together perfectly. There’s action where there should be and as soon as I was able to catch my breath after one problem, I was holding it again because Helen was facing something new.

The ending is definitely not the worst cliffhanger I’ve ever read, but it definitely had me growling and grumbling over reaching the end of the book. There is so much possibility and potential for the next book, and I really can’t wait until I can get my hands on it.