Untellable

Goodreads Summary:
Aspen Dwyer, recently emancipated from foster care, is searching for a place to hide from a past with secrets too dark to share. Honey Creek, Ohio, presents itself as the best place to start a new life and stay undercover. There she meets Colton Moraine, a man with strong family ties and an even stronger sense of loyalty. His boisterous, loving family welcomes Aspen with warmth she hasn’t felt in years. She’s surprised at how quickly and deeply she falls for Colton. When a dangerous criminal comes to Honey Creek, intent on his revenge against her, Aspen must choose between two options. Should she stay and risk her life and the rejection of the people she’s grown to love? Or should she run again, and leave behind any chance of a happy future?

Title: Untellable

Author: Suzanne Lilly

Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press

Release Date: February 24th 2013

Rating: 3 Stars 

 

Review:

First Take -

A unique and interesting story that draws you in for more. The cover gives a dark and intense vibe, which flows well throughout the novel. Aspen has been emancipated and is on the run from her father. She has had a terribly tragic past and is trying to escape from its shadow.

 

The Characters -

Aspen is a driven individual. She is hardened by the her past yet still an insecure girl that was robbed of a proper childhood. I would have liked her to grow more, which could only happen if the novel was longer.

Colden was the bright light in this novel. He had a great sense of humor and was exactly what Aspen needed. He was someone she could depend on and after living in foster care that is something she has never had the chance to know.

Elise, while you are an interesting character I was not a fan. I couldn't get over the fact that a true friend would never use their friend to get ahead. She fell into the selfish journalist stereotype for me.

Rick, her father, was a terribly scary man. No one should ever have to deal with a guy like that let alone should a guy like that ever have kids. He was an extremely terrifying villain.

 

The Plot -

I really liked the direction this novel took. It could have been longer and an overall more developed, but for the length it was, I enjoyed it. A valuable coin isn't always something to kill for but it worked will in this story. The romance as a subplot to me felt forced and could have used a lot of work. While Colden was a great character and so was Aspen when a romance is forced it just doesn't come across as well as it should.

 

Overall -

This story gets three stars, for the interesting plot that kept me in tune to the story and the characters that were just living their lives.

 

Recommended reads based off of Untellable:

Perfect Chemistry and Going Too Far

Banished from Grace

Goodreads Summary:
Nardia is a young woman who woke up in an abandoned building over four hundred years ago when the plague was sweeping England. It was at this time she discovered that she had a special gift. She could heal the sick with her bare hands. Fast forward to the present day she has not aged and has no recollection of who she is and why she can perform miracles.
Life should be easy for Nardia, she is young and beautiful and could get any man she wanted, she just didn’t expect for two wonderful men to show so much interest at the same time. Nardia is confused and worries that making the wrong choice between the men could have disastrous consequences . One of these men is deceitful and has his own agenda and has not told the truth from the moment they met.

Title: Banished from Grace
Author: Aria Williams
Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

The Characters -
AJ was a great character, he is definitely the reason this book received three stars. He is the kind of guy that is dream worthy. I wish there were more men like AJ in the world, real-life and fiction. He has a lot of depth and is overall a great person. He is my favorite character in this whole novel and he is the main reason I want to read the next one in the series.

Nardia was likable enough. I wasn't a fan of her snarky attitude towards other women, even when mentioning you are just being objective it is still mentioning it and looking down on others. This didn't happen very much, but just enough to catch my notice.

Doctor Raegen was...he is really hard to describe. He was shy and reserved in the beginning and grew in his confidence and comfortability as he and Nardia grew closer. Honestly, in the beginning I didn't really care for him, but towards the end he turned it up a bit. I still don't love him like AJ, but I think he would be an alright friend. I didn't care for his taste in friends, nor his attitude towards Nardia after hearing rumors. But I did like that he stood behind her even when doubt clogged his mind.

The Plot -
The story moved very slow and I didn't get the big climax I was hoping for, but it was paced evenly enough. I was confused on a few parts, regarding her daughter and what she decided in the end, so I am going to have to get that clarified in the next novel, but I assume these endings will be tied together later in the series. I would have liked more from this story, with all the build up we could have had a larger bang in the end. The idea behind this story is great, I love the healing quality and angels being brought to life. The forbidden nature of it all, it is magical and mysterious. The characters were real, they could be anyone around you, anyone you run into. Williams did a great job bringing real life characteristics into the novel. 

My Outlook -
This story is told to you. Never shown to you, it is all said through Nardia. There isn't one interaction we get to experience for ourselves through description. Just through narration. It was like Nardia was sitting in front of me telling me this story. So that was a big frustration, it is much more enjoyable to actually live the story with the character instead of just being told what is happening. The best way to describe this sensation is like if I was blind and watching a movie with only someone there to tell me what is happening. You get so much more connection and you feel more when you actually live it. I hope this improves for the next ones. 

Summary - 
The cons in this novel were that the climax, wasn't climactic enough, we could have gotten more from this story. The story was told to us, we didn't live it. 

The pros, AJ is the best. A great character to read and experience in a story. The premise and the outline of this story is very intriguing. I wanted more and I enjoyed what this book was about. Even for a paranormal type of book it was realistic and the characters were down to earth <- lol literally!


Recommended reads based off of Banished from Grace:
Kissed by an Angel and Hereafter

Motocross Me

Goodreads Summary:
When Hana Fisher moves to the small town of Mixon, Texas to live with her dad, she dreads having to work at the boring pile of dirt he fondly calls a motocross track. But when she gets there, she finds the rinky-dink dirt bike track from her childhood has grown into the most respected racing track in the state.

Now popular by association, Hana endures the pain and sweat of working in the summer heat in order to fit in with a sport she’s growing to love. She gets a real family, a best friend and not just one, but two of the fastest racers trying to win her heart.

When Hana abuses her status as the track owner’s daughter to help the gorgeous Ryan Russo cheat in the biggest race of the year, she risks more than just losing her job. Every good thing in her life is at stake now- her friends, her dad’s trust, and Ash Carter- the kind-hearted racer who may not be as alluring as Ryan, but is proof that nice guys don’t always finish last.

Title: Motocross Me
Author: Cheyanne Young
Release Date: June 26th 2013
Publisher: 336 Love
Rating: 3 Stars

Review:
The Setting - This has to be one of my favorite settings in a book ever! I love motocross (in the past I raced bmx which is bicycle motocross, so being at a track and in this atmosphere is second nature to me.) When I saw the title for this book, I knew immediately I would have to read it. I thank Cheyanne Young for bringing this setting into the beautiful pages of a book. For those that are afraid that they may not be able to follow this story because of the setting don't fear, the main character Hana doesn't know much about the sport either so you will learn with her. 

My Outlook - While I loved the atmosphere, I wasn't ecstatic about the plot. It was entertaining, and I enjoyed this novel, but I found myself face palming often about some of the poor choices Hana made as she is torn between two boys. I can understand her dilemma when presented with two gorgeous but very different men. I still would have liked if she could have seen past some of the superficial glamour and dug a little deeper.  Hana became much better and less face palm worthy towards the halfway point (I said less not completely done face palming here.) Basically, I considered Hana like my misguided love struck friend, who needs heavy guidance about what is truly important in life. 

Hana has a rough past with her mother. She has been sheltered her whole life, so the whole dating world is kind of foreign to her when her only example has been her mom who is on her fifth husband whose half her age. Hana can't take her mothers behavior any longer and moves in with her dad, and this is where her healthy dose of reality is served (in the form of delicious breakfast burritos.) I loved her stepmother Molly, her father, and her little brother Teig (even if I am not completely confident in how I pronounce his name. Teeg? Maybe?) 

Lastly, I love Ash. While he may be quiet, and needs quite a few kick-starts to get him into gear he is lovable and so are the images I have of him in my head. Yum... Anyways, while at some points Hana made me want to rip out my hair, I loved the setting Young brought us in. It is a completely new perspective in YA that I think is very much needed. I wish there would have been more description as the events played out, because I want more. More Ash, and motocross. I would like to know more about her family life after the Nationals race as well. So...if Cheyanne ever decides to write a sequel I will definitely be pouncing on that like a wolf on raw meat. Basically to conclude, Ash has my heart, and you will have to read and find out if he has Hana's as well!

Pick up this lovely novel for an exciting new setting in YA fiction. 

Recommended reads based on Motocross Me:
Playing Hurt and Catching Jordan

About the Author
Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, Xbox and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her daughter, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.

www.cheyanneyoung.com | twitter.com/normalchey

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Shutdown

Goodreads Summary:
The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution. 

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands. 

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults. 

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy

Title: Shutdown (Glitched #3)
Author: Heather Anastasiu
Release Date: July 2nd 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Rating: 5 Stars

Review: 
The stunning conclusion is what this book should be remembered as. A series that gets better and better, unlike common and typical run on series that are just trying to bleed readers dry, this story fully grows and develops along with each passing novel. Finally after the twist of a lifetime in Override, we still have Zoe, trying to save the world by saving humanity and shutting down the Link System once and for all. 

It was great to see how strong Zoe became and how she truly became the YA heroine that we all wanted her to be. The plot was riveting and drew me in. If it has been a while since you have read Override then I recommend you reread it before you pick up Shutdown, otherwise the story will be hard to follow. But reading Glitched and Override would be worth it to reread a million times to read Shutdown, it has become one of my favorite books of 2013.

This is the kind of book that will stick with you. I don't want to give anything away about the plot, I want you to read it, you will not be disappointed. I thank Itching for Books for allowing me to be on this blog tour and I thank Heather Anastasiu for giving out e-arc's to us lucky bloggers. 

This is the kind of series worth investing your time in. I love the unique dystopian world. Written with a beautiful imagination and crisp, refreshing writing. 

Rating:

Recommended reads based off of Shutdown:
Under the Never Sky and Partials

Culture Shock by Jeanette Pekala - Book Blast

CULTURE SHOCK is a witty tale of mystery and romance with a large helping of southern hospitality.

Macy Holmes is a seventeen-year-old socially-isolated introvert since her best friend's death a year ago. When her family decides to move from Manhattan to the quaint country town of Bougainvillea, Florida, Macy finds she's in a completely different world. Macy is no longer the outsider hiding behind designer clothes when she is sought out by three strange students, one of whom she is particularly interested in. The more time she spends with Chad the more things don't add up. When his true identity is finally revealed, Macy is pulled into a supernatural society with its saturation of inhabitants residing in Bougainvillea. 

You would think she has enough on her plate, but no, then her dreams become infiltrated by an external magical force, Macy and her band of supernatural misfits must find the culprit behind the magic-induced nightmares. They must dodge zombie assassins, shifty shape-shifters and high school bullies in order to stop this perpetrator before Macy, her friends or her parents pay the ultimate price. Especially when Macy has the sneaking suspicion that these dreams are reality...

Excerpts from Culture Shock by Jeanette Pekala

There were two guys and one girl. The girl had severely long red wavy hair and flawless fair skin. She was supermodel skinny. Heroin-addict supermodel skinny. Her back was to me so I couldn’t get a good look at her face. 

The first boy was sitting next to her. His back also to me, but when I first caught them spying, I noticed something peculiar about this boy. He was wearing a black hoodie, with the drawstrings tied so tight, the hood was covering nearly his whole face. He had dark aviator glasses on and gloves. Seriously, it’s like ninety-something degrees outside. Why on earth would you wear gloves? His skin, what was showing of it anyways, was even paler than the girl’s. 

***

We found a spot over by the water free of sawgrass. It was a beautiful view. On the back end of the lake was a dense forest. It was dark just beyond the first set of trees. That was the only end of the lake that had remained uninhabited. There was a syrupy mist rising slowly off the surface of the water. It was creepy, but romantic in a sinister way. The sights, sounds, and smells all mingled together to create a scene an artist would love to capture with the stroke of his brush. 

About the Author

After finishing her degree in Sociology from the University of Florida, Jeanette Pekala had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.

While her husband was deployed overseas, she focused on what she loved to do, write, where she has finally found an outlet for her overactive imagination. 

 She lives a not so normal life just a wee bit north of Bougainvillea where she resides with her husband and two children working on Shock Wave, book 2 in the Culture Shock Series.

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Sliver of Hope

Goodreads Summary:

My twin sister was the only person in the world I thought I’d known inside and out. Apparently, I was wrong.

Twin sisters share a unique bond, one that can't be broken by miles, time, or even death. Hannah and Hope Morton are no exception. When Hope takes her own life, Hannah loses a sister and a best friend, a catastrophe she isn't sure she'll survive herself.
With her family in ruins, Hannah is slowly disappearing, drowning in a sea of misery. Even her wild, energetic best friend can't pull her out of her grief. Desperate to help Hannah, her brother comes home from college, bringing his best friend Julian along, the first boy to break Hannah’s heart. None of their efforts are enough to pull Hannah off her self destructive path, though. Julian is the only one who can get through to her, working his way into her frozen soul with cocky remarks and genuine love that warms her from the inside out.
As Hannah works to find answers, she continues to uncover new secrets and people that reveal a side of Hope she had never shared with her twin. Alone now, Hannah must make a decision of her own: move on and start a new life with the people she has left, or let the weight of her grief drag her down with her sister.

 

Title: A Sliver of Hope

Author: Karla J. Nellenbach

Release Date: March 25th 2013

Publisher: Booktrope

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Chapters

Rating: 5 Stars

 

Review:

My initial thoughts- This book is great! The story really draws you in and keeps you there. Such a sad story that really shakes you to the core. Written in diary format, the style is different than what I'm used to, but after only a few chapters I found myself immersed in Hannah's story. You feel her hurt and her want to just understand. If only she could grasp just a sliver of her sister Hope (<-- you see what I did there) she could realize what has happened and move forward.

 

This is a really fast read. I finished in only a few hours. As the story unfolds you just have to keep reading, you want to know what's going to happen next, and you need to know how Hannah is doing. Hoping that she is getting better and praying she will be able to move on. I have never had, nor lost a twin, so I can only imagine the pain it would cause to lose your other half, and I feel Nellenbach did an excellent representation of it in this story.

 

By the end my emotions were worked, from the end of one love, to the beginnning of a new/old one. Through the twisted lies and hidden secrets, Hannah emerges from the shadow of her lost sister and into her own light. She ends with a new beginning and an understanding of how little others show their true selves and how to trust again.

Characters-
Hannah: Seeing as we are reading this story from her diary, I have to say she is an excellent story teller *wink,wink* Even though I don't have any actual experience with this kind of incident, Hannah was very relatable. The girl that lived in her sisters shadow, the girl that was always second best, or an add-on in everyone elses lives. Now she is the main focus, but they still only see her lost sister Hope. It would definitely suck to be identical twins and lose him/her, so that everyone that looks at you is clouded in pain of seeing a person they loved dearly, only it isn't your twin, it's you. I feel for Hannah, that would have been terrible. The story was told so well through her eyes. I feel her struggle.

Hope: I kind of hate her. She seemed to have everything she wanted, but she was depressed and sad underneath it all. Her character honestly seemed unrealistic to me, but then again that depth of depression is hard for me to even comprehend. Overall, I just feel for everyone that was a part of Hope's life, she was adored and loved by so many and she decided to take her life before it really even started.

Julian: Swoon worthy man alert. Hannah and Julian used to be in a relationship, they were the IT couple. Everyone loved them together and I have to say I was loving them together as well. Julian is very supportive to Hannah, he is probably the closest person to her after she loses Hope, and the only one that can truly comfort her in this time of grieving and confusion. He is without a doubt a yummy hearthrob. Can't get enough of him! The book was too short, I need more Julian.

Doug: Is such a good older brother, so sweet. I really enjoyed his part in the book. He had a strong sense of family. He may not have known what to do to help, but he did the best he could.

Overall-
Definitely worth the read! You will go through it fast, so if you were on the edge before you mind as well just dive on in! You really get a great story with good character development. The book has stayed with me long after the last page was turned. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Take Me There

Goodreads Summary:

Dylan has a bad-boy past and a criminal record. He knows that rich, beautiful Jess is way too good for him—but she has always been the one person who sees through his tough exterior and straight to his heart, and he has been hopelessly in love with her from the first time they met. He would change his life for a chance with her.

But trouble follows Dylan wherever he goes, and a deadly mistake soon forces him to hit the road and leave his dreams behind. He’s on the run and in search of answers—answers to questions he wishes he’d never asked.

Title: Take me There

Author: Carolee Dean

Published: July 20th 2010

Review:

Knock, knock...enter a male POV, love story, that does not make me want to throw up. Yay! Take me there was an original. I got more of the bad boy feel that I read in the Perfect Chemistry series. With the sensitive, I am a softy underneath, loooooove connection. You see, Dylan's been loving Jess for forever. She has been a little piece of life in his shitty messed up world. A lot of people mention how they read this for the love story, that they wanted Jess, Jess and more Jess. She was there for a lot of it, but they are right this book does not move day and night with love story. There is more to it than that. It is largely based off of his father, and why he is the way he is. 

I loved that this book did not follow the normal paradigm of YA. But I will not sing praises about it well "execution"(<--- if you read it you will get it.) There is a lot that could have been better about the story. For one, we could have had a major turn around on the ending. This is not your happy go lucky fairy tale, where the bad boy shits roses at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary this is a very real story about how the nice guy finishes last, and justice, is served... but poorly. 

I would have loved to give this story five-stars but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, when the ending brought the novel down terribly. My recommendation is that you read this book. I really enjoyed it and I think it is worth it, it will be a change of pace for whatever you have been reading. Maybe, even make you appreciate what you have been reading a little more. Don't read this book if you only like happy endings where everything is peachy clear in the end, because in this novel Romeo certainly sucks his poison. 

That is all I can really tell you without giving away anything. It was hard enough as it is. One thing that bothered me through this book is...was google not invented, because Dylan certainly could have figured out a lot about his dad if he had just bothered to type his name in a search engine. Anyways, carry on with your day. Reliving this book has me sad again and I need to go eat a Butterfinger or something.

Rating:

Ahh, I wish I could give it more, but that would require a complete rewrite of the ending.

Recommended reads based off of Take Me There:

Playing Hurt and Perfect Chemistry