Review: Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier
(The Silver Trilogy #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

Mysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone
statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yep, Liv’s dreams
have been pretty weird lately. Especially this one where she’s in a graveyard at night, watching four boys perform dark magic rituals.

The really weird thing is that Liv recognizes the boys in her dream. They’re classmates from her new school in London, the school where’s she’s starting over because her mom has moved them to a new country (again). But they seem to know things about her in real life that they couldn’t possibly know, which is mystifying. Then again, Liv could never resist a good mystery. . . .

  I just never got into Dream a Little Dream. At first, I thought I'd love it. I'm not sure if I just didn't like the writing style or some things got lost in translation, but the story really bottomed out and dragged for me.

  I'm a very character driven reader. And these characters just didn't do it for me. Instead of connecting with Liv, I spent a lot of time frustrated with her. She didn't stop to think, and I wanted to shake some sense into her! There wasn't much on the romance front, either. There were definitely hints at something that may unfold in future books in this series, though.

  The dream sequences were so strange for me. I think it may have been the translation. I felt like I would have liked them if they had been described more concisely, but they were too vague for me. Or maybe that's all because of my lack of interest in this book.

  A lot of people are fans of this author's other series, and I think that group will enjoy this book. But I'm not so sure that the masses will enjoy it. It could use a better translation with more attention to detail to make it really shine. That being said, this isn't a bad book. It just wasn't for me and became boring for me because of that.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Hit by Delilah S. Dawson

Hit by Delilah S. Dawson

(Hit #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound]

NO ONE READS THE FINE PRINT.

The good news is that the USA is finally out of debt. The bad news is that we were bought out by Valor National Bank, and debtors are the new big game, thanks to a tricky little clause hidden deep in the fine print of a credit card application. Now, after a swift and silent takeover that leaves 9-1-1 calls going through to Valor voicemail, they’re unleashing a wave of anarchy across the country.

Patsy didn’t have much of a choice. When the suits showed up at her house threatening to kill her mother then and there for outstanding debt unless Patsy agreed to be an indentured assassin, what was she supposed to do? Let her own mother die?

Patsy is forced to take on a five-day mission to complete a hit list of ten names. Each name on Patsy's list has only three choices: pay the debt on the spot, agree to work as a bounty hunter, or die. And Patsy has to kill them personally, or else her mom takes a bullet of her own.

Since yarn bombing is the only rebellion in Patsy's past, she’s horrified and overwhelmed, especially as she realizes that most of the ten people on her list aren't strangers. Things get even more complicated when a moment of mercy lands her with a sidekick: a hot rich kid named Wyatt whose brother is the last name on Patsy's list. The two share an intense chemistry even as every tick of the clock draws them closer to an impossible choice.

   Ehhhhh. This book was weird. Some part of me wanted to like it, because it was a seriously interesting idea. But it fell so flat for me. I had issues with the characters. That's a huge deal breaker for me. But, hey. At least it was a quick read? (Except for the info dumping, that is.)

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  Patsy was annoying. I swear, if I had heard her talk about yarn bombing one more time... I would have stabbed her with a yarn needle. It's good to give characters depth. It's bad to have them fixate on one thing that gets endlessly repeated. I found it so hard to believe that a girl who's done some backwoods shooting can bloom into this kick-ass assassin. I had a hard time taking anything Patsy said, did, or thought seriously.

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  The biggest downfall for me was the romance. I really want to use air quotes for that. It just wasn't believable or swoony at all. Possible spoilers, y'all. (But not really 'cause you find this out early on?) Patsy kills Wyatt's father first thing. But he's like HEY-O, who cares about my dead pops?! There's some hottie assassin girl to chase, bros! And they kiss and insta-love and gag and killmenowstopitplease.

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  Hit felt like a conspiracy theorist dream, complete with all of the over the top and unbelievable twists and turns. There was insta-love, info dumping, and unbelievable characters. Basically, everything to make me dislike it. It wasn't the worst book I read, but it wasn't my favorite. There was a cute dog in this story, but even she couldn't save it. I won't be tuning in for the second book in this series, because I just don't care what happens to Patsy.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Feuds by Avery Hastings

Feuds by Avery Hastings

(Feuds #1)

Genres:Young Adult, Dystopian

Publication date: September 2nd, 2014

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

In this breathless story of impossible love, perfection
comes at a deadly cost.

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or “Imps.” A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother’s legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.

Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he’s a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father’s campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.

Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis’s friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's Feuds.

  Eh. That really sums up my feelings about Feuds. It wasn't bad. It just didn't keep my attention or interest. A lot of the time I spent reading this, it felt like a chore. I'd glance over at the never ending piles stack of books on my nightstand and wish that I could read something else. What I thought I was getting was going to be a dystopian with a beautiful cover. What I feel like I got was a tease of dystopian with a heavy helping of romance and a deceptively beautiful cover.

  The potential was there. It was begging to crawl out from behind the insta-love. I think that's why this book was so eh for me. I'm really into dystopians. I will devour them like no other. And while there's a great premise to Feuds, it's never elaborated on. There's hardly any world building. There isn't even much character building. It's just a big ol' pot of 'here's some insta-love, so let's just ignore everything else'. Nothankyounope.

  Sometimes I feel like Young Adult feels like it has to delve out insta-love. But the readers of Young Adult fiction aren't five year olds who watch Disney movies and expect a perfect Prince Charming and a happily ever after. Sure, a happily ever after is nice. But we don't need a perfect set of coincidences to get there. We want something that seems real. Something that we can relate to.

  All in all, I won't be tuning in for another book in this series. As much as I want to know about the society that this story is set in and Davis' past, I just can't sit through more declarations of love lust. The characters grated on my nerves because of the insta-love. There was simply nothing to redeem this book for me whenever I got to the end. It was just a lot of potential that was overshadowed and ignored.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Lazy Weekend Reviews #4

  In an effort to catch up on reviews and indulge in a lazy weekend, I've rounded up a few of my recent reads for quick reviews below. Included are Frenemy of the People by Nora Olsen, Breaking Free by Winter Page, and Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew.

Frenemy of the People by Nora Olsen

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

Clarissa and Lexie couldn’t be more different.
Clarissa is a chirpy, optimistic do-gooder and a top
rider on the school’s equestrian team. Lexie is an angry, punk rock activist and the only out lesbian at their school.

When Clarissa declares she’s bi and starts a Gay-Straight Alliance, she unwittingly presses all of Lexie’s buttons, so Lexie makes it her job to cut Clarissa down to size. But Lexie goes too far and finds herself an unwitting participant in Clarissa’s latest crusade. Both are surprised to find their mutual loathing turning to love.

A change in her family’s fortunes begins to unravel Clarissa’s seemingly perfect life, and the girls’ fledgling love is put to the test. Clarissa and Lexie each have what the other needs to save their relationship and the people they love from forces that could tear them all apart.

  I don't know where to begin. Parts of this book offended me deeply with it's treatment of sensitive issues. As someone who is attracted to more than one sex, I was a bit put off with how the bi-sexual character was treated and stereotyped in this book. Just in general, Frenemy of the People was overflowing with unnecessary stereotypes.

  Aside from that, the characters were lacking. I didn't not get invested in Clarissa, Lexie, or their relationship. I just simply did not care. The same goes for the plot. It wasn't very fleshed out and I could definitely tell while reading this. As much as I wish that LGBT fiction were more prevalent, I don't think this is the way to go about doing it. 

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Breaking Free by Winter Page

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

Raimi Carter is finally a girl, just like she always
knew she was meant to be. At a new school where
nobody knows she’s had gender reassignment surgery, she hopes to finally live the normal life she’s longed for, happy in her own skin.

Life is great until she discovers a dangerous bully is blackmailing head cheerleader, Clare Strickland, threatening to reveal her secret: she’s gay. As Raimi fights to free Clare from his clutches, the two girls move beyond friendship. But secrets from their pasts and their own fears of coming out tear them apart—maybe forever. Baring their souls to each other could cost them everything. For two girls trapped and desperately in love, only strength, courage, and trust in each other will help them break free and claim their future.

  I feel like a jerk for even having to write this review. I'll let the gif speak for me. The author is a younger teenager. That's honestly commendable. I hope she continues to chase after her writing dreams. But on the other hand, it was very obvious that this was written by someone younger. I just can't bring myself to critique the book. I can only hope that this author continues to write and work on her writing style.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Dry Grass of August 

by Anna Jean Mayhew

Genres: Historical Fiction

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

In a personal, powerful debut, Mayhew explores the
explosive tensions of the South in the mid-1950s
through the prism of a young girl's friendship with her black maid and the currents of violence, infidelity, and corruption that run beneath the polite surface of her family's life.

  You know those books that are so good that they pull you into their world without any effort? That was Dry Grass of August after I got over the slow start. It was a very quick read for me and I enjoyed it. The issues covered in this book are definitely ones that capture my attention.

  Fans of The Help will find enjoyable similarities between the two books. It has a very raw feel to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style. This is an unforgettable debut!

Review: Hexed by Michelle Krys

Hexed by Michelle Krys

(Hexed #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

If high school is all about social status, Indigo
Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns
an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

The Good

• Paige

The Bad

• Immature characters
• Insta-love
• Unappealing characters

The Gif

  I know I'm in the minority with this review, but I just can't. My hopes for Hexed were set so high. I love a good witch story. I love YA. It seems like I should have liked Hexed, but I found it to be a huge letdown. Honestly, I should have stopped reading this book and saved myself the torment. But I pressed on and nothing ever improved.

  Indie was horrible. I despised her. She was more shallow than a rain puddle. Honestly, none of the characters except Paige appealed to me at all. Can we just have a book about Paige? The way that Indie treated Paige made me even more annoyed.

Paige shakes her head. "Where's Bianca? Why isn't she helping you?"
Oh. It's like that now? You'd think the girl would recognize a bone when one
was being thrown.

  Seriously, Indie annoyed me so much. I never felt her character changed. She was the ultimate cliche of a cheerleader. I'm not even going to comment on Bianca and Devon except to say that I glared every time they made an appearance. If Robert Pattinson would have combined his roles of creepy stalker Edward and cocky wizard Cedric Diggory, you'd have Bishop. I never saw the appeal. Jezebel was a toughy. While I appreciated her being brutally honest, I hate her nonchalance in the theater.

  The romance between Paige and Bishop gave me the creeps. It totally started out as the "I'm stalking you to protect you" trope that is so overdone. But it went full speed ahead into insta-love land. Something absolutely tragic happens to Paige that should turn her world upside down, but she's focused on Bishop saying in passing that he cares about her. Gag me.

  The voice of Hexed seeps angst riddled teenager. I struggled with exactly how cliche the dialogue was most of the time. Michelle Krys is a good writer, and I'll definitely give her that. But I think I'm just too old for such a cliched voice in a novel. There are so many ways that the premise of a cheerleader turned witch could have gone. I just don't feel like Hexed went a way that I could enjoy.

  If you fall into the actual age group of Young Adult, you could probably enjoy this. I do love Young Adult, but there was definitely too much of a childish tone for me to appreciate it. It goes without saying that witches are the big draw of this book, so fans of witchcraft may find a new favorite with Hexed if you can tolerate a heaping helping of teenage romance. Be warned, there is a pretty brutal cliffhanger.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Michelle Krys and NetGalley.

Review: I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer

I Don't Know What You Know Me From

by Judy Greer

Genre: Memoir

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

You know Judy Greer, right? Maybe from The
Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, Carrie, Arrested Development, or The Descendants. Yes, you totally recognize her. And, odds are, you already feel like she’s your friend.

In her first book of essays, I Don’t Know What You Know Me From, Greer writes about everything you would hope to hear from your best friend: how a midnight shopping trip to Walgreens can cure all; what it’s like to wake up one day with stepchildren; and how she really feels about fans telling her that she’s prettier in person. Yes, it’s all here—from the hilarious moments to the intimate confessions.

But Judy Greer isn’t just a regular friend—she’s a celebrity friend. Want to know which celebs she’s peed next to? Or what the Academy Awards are actually like? Or which hot actor gave her father a Harley-Davidson? Don’t worry; Greer reveals all of that, too. You’ll love her because, besides being laugh-out-loud funny, she makes us genuinely feel like she’s one of us. Because even though she sometimes has a stylist and a makeup artist, she still wears (and hates!) Spanx. Because even after almost twenty years in Hollywood, she still hasn’t figured everything out—except that you should always wash your face before bed. Always.

The Good

• Light and funny

The Bad

• Didn't engage
• Lacked the usual "oompf" of memoirs

The Gif

  I think Judy Greer's acting roles are exactly like I Don't Know What You Know Me From. It isn't interesting enough to be a book on its own. There was never really a moment that made me go "Oh!" and become engrossed in this book. Greer's writing and the content just weren't engaging. There is nothing wrong with us ordinary folk, but I wouldn't read a book about my neighbor's life. And that's exactly what this felt like.

  It was an easy read, don't get me wrong. It was light, funny, and sweet. But that's the thing. It was too light. I didn't feel like there was enough substance to keep my interest for very long. Usually, I enjoy a good memoir. Chelsea Handler's are some of my favorites. A look into a different world are very appealing to me, whether they're in memoirs or fiction works. This book just didn't give off that vibe.

  Ultimately, this book just didn't do it for me. If you have some sort of connection to Judy Greer or her career, I Don't Know What You Know Me From may be more of your type of book.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Judy Greer.

Novella Quick Reviews

Last Request: A Victorian Novel by Jeff Chapman

Genres: Gothic, Horror

[Goodreads | Amazon]

"For the love of God, cut off my head." The last
request in Uncle Silas's will shocks everyone
speechless, everyone except his favorite niece, Anna. More than death itself, the claustrophobic Silas fears a premature burial. Will Anna's elders carry out Silas's request? Anna is certain they will not. It's up to her to do the right thing, even if it is a bit grisly. Armed with butcher knife and candle, Anna heads for the crypt underneath the church in the dead of night. All does not go according to Anna's careful planning.
Step inside a dark story in the tradition of the penny dreadful, at times humorous and horrifying, but don't close the door behind you. Someone might lock you in.

  Jeff Chapman, I am in awe of you. Last Request: A Victorian Gothic was such a satisfying read. The descriptions were much appreciated. Chapman is prolific at building suspense through surroundings, and I was easily able to lose myself in the world he so masterfully crafted in this short story. I flew through the pages because I could not go without knowing what the conclusion would be.

  Gothic, Victorian and Southern, are a soft spot for me. I feel like the author was able to capture the essence of the genre with this story. It worked so well for me as a fan. I cannot praise Jess Chapman enough. Without a doubt, I'll be seeking out more of his work.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Jeff Chapman.

The Breakup Artist by Nichole Severn

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Demi Shepherd breaks hearts for a living—and she learned long ago that love just isn’t worth the pain. But when one of her clients ends up dead, Demi is going to have to put her heart on the line to save her own life.

A professional breakup artist, Demi is hired to end other people’s romances. When one of her clients is murdered—with Demi’s fingerprints on the murder weapon—her only hope for clearing her name and finding out who framed her is Jack Austin, a world-weary hunk who’d just as soon let her rot in jail.

Jack is a hard-bitten undercover agent, driven to expose and bring down a money-laundering organization, and he’s not willing to risk his life or career for Demi. Until Demi proves she’s innocent of the crime—but far from innocent in the bedroom.

With cops and killers on their trail and a smoldering romance ready to ignite, Jack and Demi have to fight together to save their lives, as well as their damaged hearts.

  I really struggled to read this one. Even though it was very short, it was hard to keep on track. The story was very choppy. It seemed to bounce back and forth and never felt like it established a fluid flow. The Breakup Artist never felt like it could happen, either. I had a hard time believing the story that the author was building. It was all over the place.

  Holy insta-lust and insta-love. I am very much a character reader. I enjoy stories more based on the characters in them and how well I relate to them. The characters in this story never got my interest. Their actions were so unbelievable that I could never develop any connection to them or the story.

  If you're looking for a quick read set in Las Vegas, you may enjoy this. There was a lot of stuff I had to look past just to finish The Breakup Artist.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Nichole Severn and NetGalley.

Cavern of Light: The Becoming 
by Larissa Ladd

Genres: Paranormal Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon]

You know it's true, Abby. You are just afraid to face
the facts, and probably a little confused. But this is
who you are. Every word is true. Abby's life is just beginning. It is the time of her college graduation, and she has become an accomplished chef and a lovely young woman. Little does she know, she is about to face a whole new phase of her life-and an entirely different "becoming." When tragedy strikes, Abby is driven to return to her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, despite her avoiding the area due to a childhood accident that has left her scarred. Rising up from the tragedy, Abby finds herself faced with compelling reasons to settle down permanently in Salem. As if this decision weren't overwhelming enough, Abby finds herself having memory lapses, fighting off the strange mayor of the town, and continuing a confusing romance with Jake, a love she had left behind when she went off to college. As the pieces begin to come together, things only become more confusing and challenging for Abby. She discovers a supernatural side of herself she didn't even believe in, and she must learn to adapt quickly when a great evil threatens Salem. Can Abby harness her newly-found abilities while navigating the extreme tides of change and mysterious forces that are overrunning her life? Run wild with the pack and join Abby as she embraces her mystical side in the continuations of Larissa Ladd's captivating Cavern of Light series. Satisfy your hunger for more magical mayhem with Ladd's Eye of the Coven series and experience the supernatural like never before. The gripping tales will have you howling with anticipation to see what mysteries wait ahead.

   This book is a very fast read. It felt like it was over right after I got started reading it. But it packs quite a lot into that small space. It was an intriguing introduction to a series that promises all of the paranormal elements that I love. The characters felt well developed, which I was surprised at given the shortness of this book.

  There are a few editing flaws, but nothing that takes away from the story as a whole. I was easily able to overlook them and get lost in this story. This isn't the first book that I've read by Larissa Ladd, and I hope it isn't the last. I've grown to really enjoy her writing style and characters.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Larissa Ladd.

Review: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

The Here and Now

by Ann Brashares

Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Dystopian

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl
from the future who might be able to save the world
if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

Pretty much.

  I don't know what to say about this book. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't finish it. But it wasn't good enough for me to be excited about reading and reviewing it. The blurb had my attention from the start. Coupled with the gorgeous cover, I knew I had to request it. But I feel like the synopsis was the most exciting part of the book.

  The story felt choppy to me in the beginning. I really had to push through to get into it. Even though the idea could have been great, it really fell flat for me. The characters didn't feel developed. I had zero attachment to any of them, and I was often more annoyed with them than the glaringly obvious plot holes. I don't know. I just had zero interest from the beginning, and I was never able to find anything to be interested in as the story went on.

  The one thing that I enjoyed admired about this book was the message. It was almost like the movie Idiocracy. The world ignored tell tale signs of trouble and reverted back to idiocy. At least that's how I took it. They lost the ability to speak even remotely like we do in less than one hundred years. Yeah. Apparently mothers aren't referred to by Mom anymore in one hundred years. I don't know at this point.

  Can we stop here for a minute to talk about the cover confusion? I knew going into this that it was supposed to be a combination of time travel and dystopian. The cover is gorgeous, yeah? We can agree on that. But it totally gives off this mermaid vibe. Then at the beginning of the story, the love interest casually mentions Prenna (or was it Henny or Prenny or WhatsHerFace?) as like a mermaid whenever she materializes over a pond. I went on for a few pages thinking that the cover and that mention meant I should expect mermaids soon. There weren't mermaids. Just another layer to add to the confusion, I guess.

  I don't know what else to say. This book was absolutely boring. I've felt more emotion while writing this review than I did the entire time I read The Here and Now.

Finally.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Ann Brashares.