Review: Wake Unto Me

Title: Wake Unto Me
Author: Lisa Cach
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Goodreads | Amazon

Description (from the back of the book):

I see him in my dreams, this mysterious boy. He comes from

a different time,

a different place,

a different reality.

But there is something that connects us. We are supposed to be together -  bound by the heart of another. But that's not possible... or is it?

My Review:

Wow, this story was so different!

I'm surprised that more people haven't yet read this! I'll be honest, I wasn't too sure about it either. I saw that Kristi (The Story Siren) liked it, and they had a signed copy at Powells, so I bought it. I'm so glad I gave it a chance! Perhaps the cover is to blame for it being overlooked? I don't think the cover fits this book well. If they didn't have a signed copy I would have just bought it for my kindle.

Anyways, on to the actual story!

France was such an enchanting location for this love story! A castle set in the French countryside all by itself is romantic, but add Caitlyn's story and it's near perfection.

This story had so much awesomeness! There was a dreamy love interest, aforementioned enchanting location, a mysterious storyline, nightmares, and possible time traveling. Whoa, right?

The mystery aspect was really great. It had a The Da Vinci Code feel to it, without being a blatant replication. I was never one hundred percent sure what was really going on.

I really liked Caitlyn's love interest too! I felt my heart start to race whenever she encountered him. Yummy.

The only thing I really wanted was more! I wish that this story was a good hundred pages longer (it could have been, easily). I felt like the end was wrapped up a little too quickly; I didn't want it to be over!

I'd definitely recommend picking this book up and giving it a try!

Review : White Cat

Title: White Cat
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: McElderberry books (Simon and Schuster)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon

Description from Goodreads:

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

My Review:

Fantastic!

I really liked Holly Black's books about the Fae (Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside), so I'm not sure why it took me so long to pick up White Cat. Maybe I was afraid that I wouldn't like this book as much since it wasn't about fairies? Well, I was wrong! I liked this book even more than her previous books!

The book starts off right in the middle of action- Cassel wakes up from sleepwalking to find himself on top of his school's roof, stuck. How did he get up there, and why did his dream lead him there? As the story unfolds we are told more about the curse workers and their history, Cassel's ties to them, and why he sleepwalks to his (almost) death. Black does a great job of only giving out little bits of information at a time, and keeps up just enough suspense, that makes the reader keep flipping through the pages. There was never a point where I was bored with the story! I wanted to know more about curse workers, more about his family, more about his dreams and the white cat he keeps seeing.

There were things in the story that I never saw coming. Sure, there were clues that I was satisfyingly able to figure out about little events in the book, but the main plot was still a mystery until it was revealed. The twists in White Cat were awesome!

The curse workers were so interesting! I loved the world that Holly Black created around them. What would it be like if there really were people who could change our feelings, luck, or memories? Black's answer is intriguing.

White Cat is a deliciously dark and mysterious story. I can't wait to dig into Red Glove, the next book in this series!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine. It showcases new books that are coming out soon that we can't wait to read!

Title: Blood Rights
Author: Kristen Painter
Publication Date: October 2011
Find it on (Goodreads | Amazon)

 That's right, I posted it huge. You can click on it to make it bigger. :)

Teaser fom Orbit Books:

The lacy gold mapped her entire body. A finely-wrought filigree of stars, vines, flowers, butterflies, ancient symbols and words ran from her feet, up her legs, over her narrow waist, spanned her chest and finished down her arms to the tips of her fingers…

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle’s body bears the telltale marks of a comarré—a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world…and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Normally I like to pick books that are coming out soon, but I couldn't resist the gorgeousness of this cover! The storyline sounds amazing too. I'd like this one now, please. :)

Visit Orbit Books to see a couple teaser pictures of the next two covers!

Review: Paper Towns

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Speak: An Imprint of Penguin Group
Find it on: Goodreads | Amazon

Description from Goodreads:

 Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.

 My Review:

I am a big fan of John and Hank Green's Youtube channel, The Vlogbrothers, so I was nervous about reading John Green's writing; I didn't want anything tarnishing my love for them!

The verdict:

I adored Paper Towns!

It's a clever and quirky story that has a very organic feel to it. The characters and their flaws were so real. And the message in this book? Fantastic.

I thought maybe the ending would leave me unsatisfied, but it didn't. The last paragraph is perfection.

The name Margo Roth Spiegelman will forever be stuck in my brain, like a catchy commercial jingle.

I highly recommend this book. I think that this story is enjoyable on many different levels, and therefor a wide gamut of people could find things to love about this story.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

For those of you who are unaware of whom the vlogbrothers are, please visit them on youtube:

Vlogbrothers

They sing songs, rant about random things, promote awesomeness, and are just generally fun and nice. Want a book related video? Check out John Green at the American Library Association's Annual Conference, appropriately titled:                

  Book Nerd PARADISE

 DFTBA! :)

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a meme that is hosted by The Story Siren. It's a fun way to share what books we got for the week.

 

I had an exciting week! I actually got something "in my mailbox"! I bought a few books too. I can't resist Powells bookstore. :)

I won a book from Electrifying Reviews and it came this week. Yay! I won a signed copy of Angelfire. I can't wait to read it! I'm pretty excited about having a signed copy of this book. I also got some swag with it -  a signed bookmark for A Touch Mortal, a signed bookmark for Sweet Venom, an Angelfire sticker and a bunch of Angelfire bookmarks. Woo-hoo for free stuff! 

Angelfire | Courtney Allison Moulton (Goodreads | Amazon)

Thanks Alex! Here is Alex's blog (visit it! It's awesome!): Electrifying Reviews 

I got a couple of books for review this week from NetGalley (Yay!):

 Bless This Mouse | Eric Rohmann (Goodreads | Amazon)

This one looks so cute! 

 The Betrayal of Maggie Blair | Elizabeth Laird (Goodreads | Amazon)

I also got Wings for free for my kindle this week (I know lots of you probably did too):

 Wings | Aprilynne Pike (Goodreads | Amazon)

You can find it for free for the kindle HERE

 I have been wanting to read this for a long time. I'm excited it was free! 

I also bought a few books this week:

Shadowspell | Jenna Black (Goodreads | Amazon)

I love the cover! I'm really looking forward to seeing where this story is going to go.

If I Stay | Gayle Forman (Goodreads | Amazon)

Hunger | Jackie Morse Kessler (Goodreads | Amazon)

This one is really pretty in person. It has a foil type look to it.

Dark Lover | J.R. Ward (Goodreads | Amazon)

I hope this one is as good I've heard! I could use a good, steamy book. :)

 

Review: Lost Voices

Title: Lost Voices
Author: Sarah Porter
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads
I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley to review.The publication date for Lost Voices is July 4, 2011.

Description:

Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of her grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid.

A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce's own remarkable singing talent makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However, her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

The first book in a trilogy, Lost Voices is a captivating and wildly original tale about finding a voice, the healing power of friendship, and the strength it takes to forgive. 

My Review:

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. Luce has no one. Her parents are both dead and her uncle is an abusive alcoholic. How lonely and depressing that would be! I couldn't wait to see what would happen to her.

After she is left on the cliffs by the ocean, she just gives up. She doesn't want to go back to the only thing she has: a life with her horrible uncle. She falls off the cliff and transforms into a mermaid, leaving her humanity behind.

This is the part I expected her life to change and for things to start looking better for Luce. However, that wasn't really the case. Being a mermaid isn't as wonderful as it would seem. She finds other mermaids, but is still pretty alone.

I don't want to give too much away, but I felt like the story didn't really go anywhere and that there were too many unanswered questions. This is going to be part of a series, so I'm hoping that these questions will be answered. I know that not all stories can be positive, but I really do hope that Luce ends up in a better situation.

Overall, I liked Luce's story, but I'm not sure I loved it. I would definitely give the second book in the series a chance before deciding how I feel about it as a whole. There is a lot built up in this book that could culminate into something great. I hope it does!

Review: The Vespertine

Title: The Vespertine
Author:  Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description: 

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future.

Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

My Review:

The Vespertine is written so eloquently! An example (and one of my favorite parts of the book):

"Clasping the balcony rail, I lifted my face to the wind again. It carried the cold, stony scent of fresh water. All my life, the ocean had surrounded me, saltily pushing me to the west. This spring's sweetness offered to carry me away, off to cold, clear lands that I had yet begun to imagine. Eyes closed, I pressed forward a bit more, parting my lips to catch a taste of that promise."

 Just lovely. I was hooked on her writing from the very first sentence.

One of my favorite parts about this story was all of the Victorian era details - the parties, the courting rituals, and the dresses. Most of all the dresses! I don't know how an author can manage to write about dresses so well that you want to dress up in one yourself, but Mitchell has managed to do just that!

I really enjoyed the storyline, and it went a bit deeper than I was first expecting. Amelia doesn't exactly conform to society's expectations, but things are going well for her. Then, all of a sudden things become chaotic. The last few chapters had me so tense waiting to see what would happen!

I really like the love connection in this story. I do wish that there would have been more details exchanged between them and more of a build up, but I liked their story nonetheless.

I do have to add that I love the cover of this book. It's so pretty! It's one of the things that first drew me in.

I want more! I want more of Mitchell's writing, more Victorian details, and more Amelia! I am sad that there will be no more novels written from Amelia's point of view, but I'm glad that there will be a companion novel. I will be waiting impatiently for it!

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend The Vespertine!

I received this e-book in trade for an honest review

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a meme that is hosted by The Story Siren. It's a fun way to share what books we got for the week.

I bought a few books this week:

Infinite Days | Rebecca Maizel (Goodreads | Amazon)

Isn't this cover so pretty? I'm not usually into photoshopped eyes, but i think this cover is stunning. I found a used copy in pristine condition. Score! They had a shimmery copy also. It was hard to pass up, but the copy I got was cheaper and still really pretty.

Now, these next two I am super excited about! I have recently discovered the Vlogbrothers on youtube. They are so funny and awesome! One of them is author John Green, and the other is his brother, Hank Green. I am totally a nerdfighter now. If you have no idea what I am talking about, then you should go check them out. Here is a FAQ video they made kind of explaining who they are and stuff:

Vlogbrothers

Everyone I have showed them to thinks I am such a nerd, but whatever. I love them.

So anyways, I bought two of John Green's books this week. Best part? I got these two on sale! Yay! I had to dig through the books to find a couple of books not all beat up, but totally worth it.

Paper Towns | John Green (Goodreads | Amazon)
 

An Abundance of Katherines | John Green (Goodreads | Amazon)

I really like this cover in person! I think it's really cute!

 

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Book One)
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Press - Random House
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from goodreads):

In Mary's world there are simple truths.
The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

My Review:

Whoa.

This book was fascinating! From the very beginning I was sucked in and couldn't put it down. The words flowed effortlessly and I enjoyed every moment.

Mary's world is bleak. Her life falls apart, and yet she still has hope. Is there a life for her? Is there more out there for her, past the Forest of Hands and Teeth? Can she be happy living in her village as others demand her to?

I really enjoy stories that delve into what would happen if a sort of sickness was to take over humankind. The people in this book are taken over by something (a disease? virus?) that makes them zombie like; something that makes them crave human flesh. They were terrifying! There was tension at almost every moment in this book - just enough to keep you wanting more without it being too overbearing.

I just devoured this book and I cannot wait to read the next book, The Dead-Tossed Waves!

Review: Sunshine

Title: Sunshine
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Speak - Published by the Penguin Group
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from Goodreads):

Sunshine's mundane existence as the head baker at Charlie's Coffeehouse takes an unexpected turn when she drives to her grandmother's secluded summer camp. While she is taking in the scenic view of the starlit sky reflecting off the lake's calm surface, she is attacked by a gang of vampires and brought to an abandoned mansion on the far side of the lake. They strip her of her shoes, dress her in a blood-red gown, and shackle her to a wall. In the semi-darkness of the moonlit room, she realizes that a vampire is shackled next to her. After some tense moments, the two begin to talk and quickly conclude that if they don't help each other escape, they're both as good as dead.

My Review:

I'm not sure exactly how to begin this review. Did I think Sunshine was a good book? Yes. However, I felt like it didn't blow me away like I expected. When Melissa Marr is quoted as saying "Sunshine is quite possibly the best vampire book published in my lifetime" right on the book, I think you kind of have high expectations.

There were several things I really liked about this book. For one, I really enjoyed how suspenseful the beginning was. I loved the dynamic between Sunshine and the vampire, Con. I wanted more scenes with Con! I also liked the magical world that McKinley built. It was definitely unique and left me wanting to know lots more about it. Tell me more about the magic, the wards, the Others!

Sunshine's character was well built. She had a believable background and I had an easy time seeing how she fit into her family and her job (which pretty much melted together being that she worked in the bakery of her family's coffee shop). Now I feel like going and baking some cinnamon rolls!

I kind of felt like there was too much of Sunshine's thoughts in this story. She confused me sometimes and I had to go back and reread quite a bit.  Usually I love lots of details in a story, but I couldn't understand exactly what it is she was trying to say. Maybe I just don't understand the way she thinks? She is definitely a very different person than I am. Too much of the story was told though her thoughts versus some kind of action.

Also, it seemed like the beginning of the book had tons of action and then the middle got a little boring. There was too much of a lull. I wasn't sure I wanted to finish the book, but I really wanted to know what was going to happen, so I kept reading. I am glad I did, but that middle part was tough.

By the end, the pace picked back up and I was excited to keep reading again. The end completely left me wanting more!

Review: Little Red Riding Hood

Title: Red Riding Hood
Author: Blakely Cartwright/ Johnson
Publisher: Poppy, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from the back of the book):

The blacksmith would marry her.
The woodcutter would run away with her.
The werewolf would turn her into one of its own.

I'm not going to give you the whole description on the back of the book because I feel like it gives too much of the book away. Spoilers are my biggest pet peeve!! I didn't read much of the back or watch the movie trailers before reading, and I'm glad I didn't.

My Review:

First, let me say that the end of this book is not included in the book itself. I stayed up all night, completely engrossed in the story, only to not really get an ending. Ugh! At the end of the book it tells you to go check out the website. They have an excerpt there that is (I suppose) the final chapter. You can find that here (but don't read the bonus material until you've read the rest of the book, obviously):
http://www.redridinghoodbook.com/

I am pretty annoyed that the end is not included in the book. It feels like I have an incomplete copy or something! What about future generations that pick up this book?? Ok, rant over. Maybe I'll just print it out and stick it in the book.  

So, this book is written based off of the movie coming out.  Basically, Catherine Hardwicke (the director of Red Riding Hood) decided that there was so much to the story that she enlisted a friend to write this novel. I was skeptical at first, but this book is wonderful.

I loved this story. The author's narrative is just breathtaking! I really felt like I was reading a fairytale - well, a bit of a scary fairytale! I loved how well she painted the scenes. I can't even articulate how amazing some if the imagery was! I'm hoping that we see more novels from Blakley-Cartwright.

This setting is a bit reminiscent of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. There is a town that is haunted by a creature (in this story, obviously it's a wolf) and the town lives in fear. This book doesn't go in the same direction as that movie, but as I was reading, I couldn't help but feel like the tone of the towns were the same: creepy. dark. a bit paranoid.

There is a bit of a love triangle in this story. She comes to love one man, and her family wants her to love another. Both are great and I found myself liking both of them. Either one would give her a great life. But what to choose? The man you love and have always had a deep connection to?  The safe bet that can take care of you well and that you wouldn't be unhappy with? Maybe even someday learn to love?

Then, there is the whole aspect of the wolf. The big, bad, terrifying wolf.  It's a werewolf that may just be a person whom lives amongst them. This causes paranoia that anyone could be the evil creature they are all afraid of. Is it one of them? 

The end of the book (you know, that chapter you have to go read online?) wrapped up a little too quickly, and I wanted a bit more. It didn't ruin the story for me though.

I feel like I also need to talk about how gorgeous this book is. The cover art is captivating: The way the girl is drawn, her red hood billowing behind her. The way the shadow of the wolf seems to be right on her heels, never letting her feel the slightest bit safe. The touch of red only on the girl and the blood splatters. I adore it. The inside of the book is just as lovely. It has pretty detailing at the beginning of the chapters and even have "once upon a time" written at the beginning. LOVE!

This was a fabulous read, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. I was captivated from beginning to end. Other than the ending not really being in the book (who does that??!), I don't really have anything bad to say.

Review: Glimmerglass

Title: Glimmerglass (A Faeriewalker Novel)
Author: Jenna Black
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from Goodreads):

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her mother, an alcoholic, shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she's had enough of playing the role of her mother's keeper, so she packs her bags and travels to see her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. Dana is a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds. She has always known that her father is a big-deal Fae, but what she doesn't realise is that she could be the key to his rise to power. When she arrives in Avalon, Dana finds herself a pawn in the game of magical politics. Avalon is a place where both magic and technology work, and humans and Fae coexist in something resembling peace. How can she change the winds of fate, find a boyfriend, and make new friends when she's not sure who, if anyone, can be trusted.

My Review:

I've been wanting to read this book for quite some time now. I love a good book about Fae, and this one didn't disappoint!

I think the cover of this book is gorgeous. I think it's actually fitting to the book once you read it.

I love the idea of the glimmerglass. I'm not going to say what exactly the glimmerglass is ( I don't like spoilers!), but I can't wait to see what comes of it in the next book. I also really liked the idea that there could be this city that is the connection between Faerie and our world, and that people know about it. I thought that was pretty unique. In the stories I have read before people don't know that the Fae even exist.

One thing I think was kind of missing in this book is a little bit more info about Fae and their magic. I felt like it was mentioned, but could use some more details about it.Hopefully Shadowspell, the second book in the Faeriewalker series, will dig a bit deeper.

I felt like the end wasn't really an ending. It didn't leave us hanging with a cliffhanger, but it also left the story open. It felt a little anti-climatic or something.

I really did enjoy this book and will definitely be reading on in the series.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by  Breaking The Spine. It showcases new books that are coming out that we can't wait to read!

I've been eyeing this one for a while:

Title: Wildefire
Author: Karsten Knight
Publication Date: July 26, 2011
Find it on Amazon
Find it on Goodreads

Description from Goodreads:

Ashline Wilde never received an instruction manual on how to be a 16-year-old Polynesian volcano goddess. If she had, it might have contained helpful warnings such as:

• Dreaming about your (thankfully) mortal boyfriend may cause your bed to spontaneously combust

• Oven mitts should be worn at all times.

Instead, Ash has to learn these life lessons the hard way as her dormant powers erupt at the most awkward times. In the wake of a hometown tragedy, Ash transfers to Blackwood Academy, a boarding school nestled in California’s redwoods, where a group of fellow gods-on-earth have mysteriously convened. As if sophomore year couldn’t get any worse, her storm goddess older sister, the wild and unpredictable Eve, resurfaces to haunt Ashline. With a war between the gods looming over Blackwood, Ash must master the fire smoldering within her before she clashes with her sister one final time, which leads us to life-lesson #3:

• When warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

A Polynesian volcano goddess?? Yes, please!  I love this fresh, new idea for a story. The cover is amazing as well. I have to have this book!

Review: The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires Series)

Title: The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampire Series)
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: New American Library
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from Goodreads):

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favours beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

My Review:

I am really liking this series. I feel like the storyline is pretty unique. I find the way that the city of Morganville kind of lets the vampires run things very interesting. The characters are pretty well developed as well.

I really wish there was more of a build up with the romance though! I feel like a relationship is just all of a sudden there without a whole lot to back it up. I need more!

I also want to know more about the dynamics with the vampires. I feel like the author is kind of hinting and slowly letting us know about them, which I guess is the right way to do it. It's keeping me intrigued!

Overall, it's a pretty good series so far. I'll definitely be continuing on with Claire to see what happens to her and the city of Morganville!


I actually read this one and Glass Houses in a volume put together in one book that looked like this:

Pretty, isn't it?? I just wanted to review each separately, so I posted them as stand alone books.

Review: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampire Series Book One)

Title: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampire Series Book One)
Author: Rachel Caine
Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group
Find it on Goodreads
Find it on Amazon

Description (from Goodreads):

It's a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. Because in Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows - one that will spill out into the bright light of day.
Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. The popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks on the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. And Claire really doesn't have the right connections - to the undead who run the town.
When Claire heads off campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Hew new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood...

Review:

Wow, the girls in this book are so mean! The popular clique at school is just as scary as the vampires. These aren't your vegetarian, sparkling, do-good vampires either. Yikes.

I have to say that I love the newer covers to this series! So pretty! The old cover for this book makes me not want to read it. Yuck!  The new covers are so nice. Yes, I am a sucker for pretty covers. I totally admit it.

I liked this story. Overall, it was interesting and had a different take on vampires than the other ones I have read. It wasn't all that predictable, which I like.

I will definitely be continuing on with the series. I hope the next book has more of the vampires (I want to know more about them!) and more of a romantic connection. I feel like the romance in the this one needed some more stuff to back it up and it sort of came out if no where.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where the story goes!

Review: Need

Title: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
Published by Bloomsbury
Find it on Amazon
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Description:

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

Review:

I really enjoyed the way that Carrie Jones writes. She adds unusual descriptions of the scenes that kind of give you a glimpse into the way her character is thinking. It was unique and I loved it!

I'd describe this book as a kinda Twilight meets Shiver meets a new twist.

The way she began each chapter with a phobia was so neat and quirky! I enjoyed reading a new phobia each time, and found myself smiling when Zara recited them to herself.

The only thing holding it back from it being a perfect book was a tiny lack in character development. I'm hoping to get to know the characters in the next book! I can't wait to read it!