Kiss Me, Kill Me

Kiss Me, Kill Me

written by Lauren Henderson

While I am not a fan of the marketing angle taken from this book (Really? A book called "Kiss Me, Kill Me" with a trashy romance novel cover?), I will concede that it wasn't the story I expected. I thought it would be mindless trashy romance, and for that reason, it took me a while to get into the story. I was thankfully proven wrong. Kiss Me, Kill Me is much more an action/mystery novel than a romance novel, sort of Ally Carter with a regrettable little bit of Gossip Girl mixed in. Some of the storytelling was a little bit shaky, not too compelling, focusing a little more on the life of a rich socialite than anything else, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I was, yet again, disappointed to see that the story was stretched out to fit a series, but like Ally Carter said at LitDay, if a series is going to be stretched out, romance cannot be the driving force, and I'm glad Lauren Henderson took that route in her storytelling. I won't be looking for the sequel, but I also won't say I regret reading the book. It's not something you're going to sit down to read when you're looking for deep content, but as far as fluff reads go, not too bad.

Rating: 3.5/5

Magic's Child

Magic's Child
written by Justine Larbalestier



First of all, I really did like the title of the thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. I really did, as usual with this series by Larbalestier, enjoy the writing and interaction between the characters. I think the most interesting aspect of this comes up with a really frank and open discussion regarding the connection between religion and magic. I loved that Larbalestier was able to fairly show two differing opinions through her characters without sounding preachy or carrying a bias. One bone I do have to pick was the changing points of view. I am usually a fan of this if done well, but really, that bothered me a bit in this book. I don't think it fit in well with the rest of the novel. The final face off was fantastically well done, and really, I don't think I've ever read a book series that would translate so well to film. I hope one day this happens. All in all, it's a slow-paced read, but in a comfortable way, and the ending totally justifies all the preceding events.

Rating: 4/5

Also by Justine Larbalestier:

Magic or Madness (Book 1, Magic or Madness)
Magic Lessons (Book 2, Magic or Madness)

Liar

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Scarlett Fever

Scarlett Fever
written by Maureen Johnson



The Martins are back in full force in this sequel to Maureen Johnson's 2008 release, Suite Scarlett! Scarlett Martin and her spectacularly quirky family are up to their usual funny business, snarky and sharply witty as ever. You thought Maureen Johnson was done with characterization? You were very, very wrong indeed. Characters that seemed to be developed to death got even more complex in their new storylines. I was especially glad to see more of Marlene, even though I found her "big reveal" to be underwhelming, but she was the most fascinating of the Martin siblings to me. There was an even more expanded focus on each sibling, but at the same time, the sibling dynamic is retained, and each character could be looked at as simultaneously an individual unit and a group. It's a rather complex plot, but it all really just comes down to this one heartwarmingly crazy family in the end. Johnson has quite the talent of making sure that her descriptive passages are interesting, rather than falling into everyotherauthor's trap of boring overly-long descriptions. It's a very low-key, laid back, calm, even toned book, even during big events. I did have to question the introduction of Dog-Murray, as he did just seem to be that stereotypical cute doggy sidekick, not serving any larger purpose. One thing I do have to point out--following Maureen Johnson through twitter, her blog, etc, made this really a more dynamic, interesting read. Somehow, having known her a little better, it's almost as if you can hear this crazy stuff that's on page, coming directly out of her, nodding your head all the while going "oh yeah, that's Maureen." Such fun! Next book, please?

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Which do you like best?

or


Cause personally, I wish they'd gone with the latter. What do you think?

Also by Maureen Johnson:
Suite Scarlett

Devilish

I got this book from...:Borders

The Van Alen Legacy

The Van Alen Legacy
written by Melissa de la Cruz



So, I'd firstly like to address the fact that this is not the last book of the series. I don't know why I was led to believe that it was, but let me tell you, it is a huge disappointment to read a book and discover that the saga is still not over when you've finished. I kind of just want to see this series end. I stand by what I said last time, I'm in it for the plot. I do have to commend de la Cruz, as I thought her writing had definitely improved significantly in this book. But it's still a lot of "ooh, look how fancy we are" and not that much substance, and what substance it does have, it moves excruciatingly slowly. I did feel like a lot of what happened, happened too conveniently, too much like wish fulfillment for all of the characters, tied up way too nicely. I'm still sick of the fact that Jack Force...exists. I do suppose that the fact that I feel so strongly about the characters means that they are developed quite well. [And I must ask, did anyone else see the Bliss/Harry parallels? Or is it just the freak in me noticing these things? :P] The one exception to the idea of well developed characters is seen in Mimi Force. I found her storyline boring as ever. I'm left, yet again, with that nagging feeling of not having a clue what a sequel could possibly contain. The defeat of the bad guys, I suppose? There's not much room for character development then, is there? In which case, I'm hoping really hard that the plot moves along faster, or I might give up on these books just yet.

Rating: 4/5

See also: Revelations

I got this book from...:Amazon

The Treasure Map of Boys

The Treasure Map of Boys
written by E. Lockhart



The Treasure Map of Boys begins with a quick recap of events, not getting in the way of the story, but serving as a nice reminder. Ruby is as quirky a narrator as always, and I loved her typical engaging thoughts. Although not that much happens plotwise, Ruby's snarky narration is just awesome enough to keep my interest. I'm proud of how much Ruby has developed over the series, into the self-assured girl we see in this book, reminding me of Meg Cabot's Mia Thermopolis and her endless quest for self-actualization. I felt that the book had a solid ending that would have worked even as an ending to the series. It really felt like a complete work, though, unlike many books found in series, where they sometimes feel incomplete as individual works of fiction. On a different note, I think it is important for readers to realize and keep in mind through the reading that this is a work of fluff fiction, and should not be taken seriously. Ruby overexaggerates a lot, is completely obsessed with boys, and when it comes to it, leads a pretty shallow existence. Don't go into these books looking for a heavy read, go into them for a bit of relaxation and unwinding, a distraction from the busy realities of life. It's a cutesy story about a girl and her day-to-day relatable adventures. Ruby is one of those characters that I know I would hate in real life, but reading it from her perspective, getting her outlook makes me like her. I don't love her, but I see the reasons behind the actions and Ruby makes more sense as a person--as much sense as a fictional character can make. And isn't that what books are all about? A heightened sense of understanding about the world around us?

Rating: 4.5/5

I got this book from...:Borders

The Gospel According to Larry

The Gospel According to Larry
written by Janet Tashjian



I remember reading this book when I was much younger--it was, in fact, one of the first YA books I ever read. I was, however, too young to really understand much of what had happened, and although I had a vague recollection of how the book went, over the years, I found that my recollection was significantly off. The concept behind this book is a fascinatingly unique one, but the characterization is pulled off so wonderfully that Josh's situation ends up feeling entirely realistic. It's written in a way that the reader can relate to this utterly unrelatable, unintentionally personable character. While reading this, I realized what a great choice Tashjian had made when she'd chosen the point of view, whether she'd given any thought to it or not. It would have been a different story entirely if told by one of Larry's fans or something. I'm wondering what on earth the sequels could contain, since there are two of those if I'm not mistaken. Everything was tied up so neatly, so I'm hoping the sequels aren't too destructive to the original. I would have liked to have seen more than some vague hints about Beth and others close to Larry at the conclusion, and I hope the sequels elaborate on them. One final thing I noticed that definitely flew past my younger self's attention is the elaborate biblical parallel evident throughout the story--see if you can catch it, it's amazing how well it's interwoven in the story. Great read, I can't wait to hear more from snarky young Larry.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:www.Bookmooch.com

Fourth Comings

Fourth Comings
written by Megan McCafferty



While I did get a slight sense of growing up coming out of J. Darling (*gasp*, I know! I never thought it possible! She still had her moments of disgusting immaturity, and those moments were more disgusting than all the previous ones combined, but still...way fewer cringe moments), I still cannot believe that four books later, it's still one big massive "will they, won't they" between her and Marcus Flutie. Why can this girl not just decide already? I'm hoping the decision made at the end of this one sticks, but then again, that's what I said last time... I felt like the beginning of the book had the same immature tone as the others, but something happened somewhere around the middle. Jessica Darling somehow grew up. I'm not sure when it happened, or how, but something, somewhere, happened. Maybe it was her temporary falling out with best friend Hope? Maybe it was being asked to care for Marin if Marin's parents died? Maybe it was dealing with her own parents? I'm really not sure, but something changed, and I'm really glad it did, because for the first time, even though it was only momentarily, Jessica Darling became a tolerable character. There really are some characters in this whole ordeal that I have fallen in love with (Hope & Len, to point out two), and some that I have despised (okay, that honor has mainly been reserved for Jessica herself), but all of this, the intense emotions I have towards the characters, only demonstrates how amazing a writer McCafferty is, despite the annoyingness of her protagonist. I was really glad to finally have a book featuring Hope as an actual character, and I felt like she added a lot and fit in wonderfully with the existing cast, again proving how amazing a writer McCafferty is, blending a "new" character in seamlessly. One thing I had severe problems with in this book was the portrayal of Dexy. I was really glad to see a character with bipolar disorder treated as a real person in a McCafferty book, but this book, this book just tore that reflection to pieces and spit on it. What on earth? Why would McCafferty DO that to Dexy? That is not at all an accurate portrayal of a person with Bipolar. Bipolar Disorder does not cause someone to become a compulsive liar overnight. I have serious issues with her only showing the manic side of Dexy's life in this book, because that's just not the way that particular mental illness works. I'm really disappointed. Anyways, I'm really worried about what the 5th book may contain. Following the logical pattern of things, hm, more of Marcus Freaking Flutie. I really hope that's not the case. I've heard good things though, so I'll be looking into that soon.

Rating: 4/5

Also in the Jessica Darling series: Charmed Thirds

I got this book from...:Carnegie Public Library of Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill Branch

White House Autumn

White House Autumn
written by Ellen Emerson White



While I still do enjoy reading about Meg and her family's life at the White House, I felt like this book was way too narrow-focused. I realize that the shooting of the President would be an extremely serious event, but I definitely feel it was far too drawn out and could have easily been condensed, leaving room for other stories. I did like seeing some of the characters develop a little more, particularly Steven, through their interactions with Meg. I felt like Meg's temperament after the shooting was accurate, but again, narrow. I would have liked to see more of how others were reacting. We got a glimpse of what was going through Steven's mind, but not really Neal's or especially her cryptic father's. I mean, at the beginning of the book, I was convinced that her parents were going to divorce, which, horrible as it is, would make a really interesting story. It's a little drastic then, to see the relationship between Meg's parents be slightly awkward, wobbly, and unsure, to the most steadfast, loving relationship out there. In general though, the Powers family just has the most personality of any book family I've read about (except maybepossibly the Weasleys). I think the one most powerful line of this book was Meg's mother talking about her shooter, saying only "I hope he gets help." Such a simple line ends up conveying so much about everything: decorum at the white house, her mother's compassion, her mother's position. Amazing. Again, it's a good book, but I'm hoping it's one of those that's a bridge to better sequels.

Rating: 3.5/5

Second Helpings

Second Helpings
written by Megan McCafferty



Second Helpings, more than anything, helped me realize how much I really really cannot stand Jessica Darling. I mean, can this girl GET any more arrogant?! She takes her intelligence for granted, and more than that, complains about it, and I have to sit and suffer through it, because I think it's genuinely good writing, but dear God why does such a lousy, pathetic character have to be written so well? And give up on Marcus already! She talks about the guy as if he were a God, and it's severely disturbing. Jessica's personal life is much more interesting than her academic one, though, although both aspects just drive me slightly insane. She's just a mean person, and I'm going to keep reading the later books, as I've heard that they are better, but I'm seriously hoping she realizes that she's kind of a...mean girl. Anyways, the book itself is extremely predictable, and my favorite character is one that doesn't appear until the very end (but what an appearance!), Hope. As I said before, the writing is fantastic, but the characters, not so much. The girl is everything you hated about high school in one, the snobby, preppy honors student you just had to loathe, because she's got it all. The most "tragic" thing to happen in her life is her best friend moving away and a breakup. Someone is in desperate need of a reality check, fast.

Rating: 2/5

The Midnighters Trilogy

The Midnighters Trilogy
written by Scott Westerfeld

The Secret Hour



Scott Westerfeld comes up with a fascinating new world in his Midnighters series. It's a brilliant concept to begin with, and one that only Westerfeld could ever have come up with. The book begins with an ordinary girl, and as she learns of her new life in the "secret hour", so do the readers along with her, providing a unique and relatable point of view. While the first novel of the series sets up for an amazing plot to come, on its own, it's nothing special. The writing, particularly the descriptive portions, is at times sloppy and weak, and too much of the focus is put on Jessica (although you do get to know and love all of the other characters as well). Nevertheless, it's worth working your way through, if only for the fact that the next two books will blow your mind.

Rating: 3.5/5

Touching Darkness



Touching Darkness significantly advances the plot from where The Secret Hour left off. All of the characters' stories are told in much more depth, and they are all developed as characters, particularly Melissa, Rex, and Dess, where we mostly only got Jessica in the first book. There is, amidst all the character development, plenty of significant plot development going on, although as a bridge between the first and the last, it does get a little dull sometimes. The dullness, however, is necessary to build up to the stunning conclusion delivered in Blue Noon. I really noticed in reading this particular one the differences between other book series and the Midnighters series. It's not very clear cut at all, it's not one good guy vs. one bad guy. The books introduce a whole new dynamic of a group of kids battling not only their inner demons, but a TIME, an hour, making for a fantastic story. Touching Darkness continues with the series stupendous suspensefulness and plenty of plot-twists everywhere.

Rating: 5/5

Blue Noon



Now here is a man who knows how to end a series with a bang, quite literally. While some of the incessant recapping gets to be incredibly annoying, the plot is moved along really well. You know the characters now, so the things they do make more sense, although Rex & Melissa, v. 2.0's characters are still gradually being advanced. Much like Breaking Dawn, I love how the focus is on logic vs. 'let's go kill things!' Things are thought out, plans are made, and it all involves actually thought and regard for history instead of running into battle, killing things left and right with no clear cut plans whatsoever. Those books just annoy me. Way to bring thinkers into your books, Westerfeld! Loose ends are tied up, and the story is brought to a bittersweet, open-ended close, bringing things full circle. I found myself thinking multiple times of the series as a whole. What if it had been five books, one per character, instead of just the trilogy? Will we ever get a short story or another book even for what happens afterward? My only complaint, in the end, is that we never got to learn much about Jonathan's life, why he thinks the way he thinks, what his home life is like. Not much at all. Nevertheless, it is a mostly satisfying conclusion that I think everyone was happy with.

Rating: 5/5

Final thoughts:
The Secret Hour is for exposition, Touching Darkness is for character, Blue Noon is for plot. I advise you to read them all for a full helping of amazing storytelling.

Love from London

Oh, you guys, I've been so eager to post a review for Wintergirls, but I've managed to misplace the piece of paper I took notes on. I'll find it, I know I will, and I really hope I can get a review up for that spectacular book sometime soon. In the meantime, I've got plenty of other reviews lined up ready to be written, so here goes :)

Love from London
written by Emily Franklin



The spirit is the same in yet another installment of Emily Franklin's fantastic Principles of Love series, but something's just a bit off about this one. While the new hints about Love's mother are certainly intriguing, they were the best part of the book. Love predictably gets another guy, and as well-developed as a character he is, in the end, he's just another one of Love's revolving door of random guys. Love's snobbish side seems to come out full-force in this one and it just wasn't the same. Something was just off, different about this book. It was annoying, really, since it's a series and one book shouldn't stick out as different from the rest of the series, but that's what this book does. Maybe if it were a stand-alone, or a companion novel, it wouldn't feel like filler. Who knows, maybe some of the filler plays a significant part in the other books and was necessary, but something tells me that isn't the case. Looking forward to obtaining All You Need is Love!

Rating: 3/5