Touched by Cyn Balog

Nick was born Touched, able to see his own future and he's been trying to stick to the "script" as much as possible; at least he was until he met Naryn, a girl who knows about the Book of Touch, what Nick's Touch is, and maybe, just maybe there's a way to undo everything.

I know you've heard me say it before, but for the record, I'm usually not someone who reads books told in first person, male perspective. Why? Because I can't always get into them and let's face it, that can be annoying. However, Touched flows along nicely and as such, it was no hardship to keep reading--that, and I loved the idea of the Touched. I can't actually tell you too much about being Touched as it gets explained in the book and by now you should know my stance on serious spoilers. Let's just say that you should learn everything that you want to know about what it means to be Touched and the consequences as well.

As for Nick and his Touch, it makes for a very interesting first person read--he starts off trying to stick to his "script" as much as possible. But honestly? Asides from Naryn, I loved Nan--who is Nick's grandmother. Why? Because she's the one keeping the household together. His mother has cut herself off from the world due to the Touch and well, things definitely are not easy for Nick. The kids at school call  him Crazy Cross and Naryn is probably the only girl nice enough--and new enough--to give him a chance. However, I don't think he expected that she'd have such an effect on his life--that's about all I can hint at.

Would I recommend Touched to you? Definitely! (Granted that you like the idea of a boy being able to see his own future.) I loved the idea behind Touched and although the ending definitely threw me--you'll see what I mean--I'd recommend this to you.

Overall Rating: ★★★★ and a half.

Touched by Cyn Balog

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, a part of Random House

Release Date: August 14, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

I'll be honest, I thought that this was going to be a light, fun contemporary romance read and it is, but at the same time, there's also an element of danger that I really didn't expect. When Violet sees a painting of a girl who looks exactly like her--painted during a different era--she finds herself wondering if, perhaps, her parents aren't actually her parents. After all, she doesn't look like either one of them. This is what draws her to Italy, to Villa Barbiano, and to Castello di Vesperi, where Violet hopes that she'll find some answers. In order to pull this off, she enrolls herself in an eight week course that will teach her Italian, how to ballroom dance, how to paint, and did I mention that it involves a private tour of Castello di Vesperi? This is how she meets the other three girls--who are also taking the same course--and a very cute (Italian) boy.

When it comes to the three boys--because yes, there are three--I feel a little bit like Goldilocks. Leonardo seems more like a--possible--friend, Andrea is more or less in the background, and then there's Luca, who is the only boy who really seems to pay attention to everything--and the fact that he's not interested in Paige or Kendra certainly helps too. And oh my goodness does he sound gorgeous! The only downside? Elisa seems to have her sights set on him and that Italian girl? Well, she's a bitch. Seriously, she likes to put down the girls that stay at Villa Barbiano and when she's not winning the war (so to speak), she's definitely unhappy.

Did I mention that Violet--our main character--is British? I can honestly say that I loved that about her and that Kelly, the girl with the less than stellar set of luggage is also British. On the other hand you have Paige and Kendra, two girls from the States who happen to know one another and well, they're pretty chic--which, I suppose, makes sense as they both come from money. And no, if you're wondering, not all of the girls live the privileged life. I think my favorite part about the four girls is how they go from disliking each other to really bonding together--as for why that happens, well, I'll let you read about that on your own.

Flirting in Italian flows nicely, has wonderful characters, and Violet's journey to find answers has a few twists that she certainly didn't expect. And you might just pick up a bit of Italian as you read it! Also, Flirting in Italian will have a companion novel that will continue the story--believe me, if it just left off like it did without another book I'd probably freak out. Would I recommend it to you? Definitely! I would, however, like to mention that if you dislike novels in which teens party and drink (not too excessively) that there are such things present.

Overall Rating: ★★★★ and a half.

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

I'm always a bit skeptical when it comes to reading books written from the male main character's point of view--because to be honest, most of the time I find them difficult to read. Happily, this was not the case for Lies Beneath and I definitely ended up enjoying it. Calder's sisters are calling him home to Lake Superior, having found the man they've been tracking for years in an effort to avenge their mother's death; the man in question is Jason Hancock, whose father promised him to Calder's mother many, many years ago. And to get their revenge, they intend to drown him; after all, they're merpeople. But Calder doesn't expect to fall for Lily, Jason Hancock's daughter, and when he does, it'll only make what he has to do that much more difficult.

Calder isn't like his sisters--who have always been mermaids--and he's been fighting the urge to kill for quite some time--and, well, he's been avoiding his sisters whenever he can. I can't really say that he feels remorse for killing most of his victims--as the energy the kills give him is important--but that unlike his sisters, he takes no real pleasure in watching his victims suffer. Yes, the merpeople in Lies Beneath are, well, killers and getting your land legs back is a painful process. Then there's Lily Hancock, the girl that Calder falls for; She's an aspiring poet, adores her younger sister, Sophie, and she doesn't fall head over heels for Calder immediately. The other thing that I really loved about Lies Beneath was how the mermaids (and mermen) can't stay on land for extremely long lengths of time as it dries them out and that they're sort of driven insane if they don't make a kill.

Admittedly Jack Pettit strikes me as a creepy individual and I can tell you that he's interested in the mythology behind the mermaids up near Lake Superior, but I really can't say anymore than that. Let's just say that there's a reason for his interest. Gabrielle I didn't particularly like or dislike as I feel that she wasn't around quite enough to leave an impression on me despite being Lily's friend. As for Calder's sisters? Well, they're definitely not a group of girls that you want to hang around as they will quite possibly kill you--and by "possibly" I mean "really, really likely."

Would I recommend Lies Beneath to you? Yes, if you're looking for a tale with darker mermaids (and mermen) and an easy to follow male point of view. The mythology was definitely enjoyable and I really liked how it ended--almost as if it could be a standalone although it is not. In all, an enjoyable read from a perspective that I don't usually read from and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

If you're looking for a good summer read, this is it. There's traveling, romance, and at least in Bria's eyes, unexpected adventure. I mean, it made me want to try backpacking--although I'm definitely more a hotel girl than a hostel one (and traveling that lightly would freak me out). Okay, okay, I prefer suitcases, hotels, and a bug-free environment--but a girl can dream! I love how wonderful each of the towns sounded and in particular, the lake. Seriously, Wanderlove made me want to travel to Guatemala and Belize--and I'm not exactly known for my adventurous nature.

After a rough break-up with her now ex-boyfriend, Bria Sandoval wants to travel but her two best friends decide that it's probably not a good idea. And that's how she ends up sporting goods store and how the pamphlet for Global Vagabonds ends up in her possession--which leads to her deciding that Guatemala sounds like a great adventure. Only, Global Vagabonds isn't what she thought it'd be. The people she's traveling with are older than her, they only go to the major tourist spots (and cling together), and they seem to avoid experiencing things (like street food) like the plague. Luckily she meets Starling and Rowan who invite her to go backpacking with her and that, is how the real fun begins.

Confession time: I had no idea what spangles were until I read Wanderlove. I'm dead serious; I mean, I'd seen them before, but I'd never had a word to associate with them... until now. But moving on! I love how Bria developed as a character and how the plot kept progressing, even towards the end of the book (I hate it when things come to a halt). I absolutely loved Starling and well, I obviously loved Rowan too. Rowan is a boy with a past but the important part was this: he's trying to change. Bria meets a slew of characters during her journey and they're all very unique--as well as interesting. And the places that she journeys to? They sound stunning!

Overall, this is a book that I'd recommend to you if you enjoy stories that involve travel with a healthy side of romance. To be honest, I'd probably recommend it to you even if you don't--because yes, that's how much I enjoyed it!

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, a part of Random House.

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

If you haven't read The Iron Thorn yet, you might want to stop reading now--if you don't want spoilers from The Iron Thorn (as it was the first book in the series).

The Nightmare Garden begins where The Iron Thorn leaves off, with Aoife Grayson being reunited with her brother, Conrad Grayson in the Mists, the world between the worlds Iron and Thorn. In The Nightmare Garden, Aoife will search for her mother, learn of the Brotherhood of Iron, visit the Erlkin city called Windhaven, and journey to the Arctic Circle as she searches for a way to make everything right. You'll meet the captain of a submersible named Rasputina Ivanova and even meet Queen Octavia of the Winter Court. Needless to say, there's a lot going on in The Nightmare Garden and it's definitely setting up the third book to be pretty interesting.

For the record, I have indeed read The Iron Thorn (although for some reason I've never gotten around to writing my review on it--which hopefully I'll have time to do at some point) and although it's always a bit rough coming back into a series after that year long wait that sits between books, I feel pretty easily back into Aoife's world. She's definitely not the girl that left Lovecraft several weeks before to hunt for her brother and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure that I like her as much as I initially did. Why? Because she seems a bit whiny at times and perhaps not as empathetic as she could be. When you meet Crow, I imagine that you'll know what I mean about Aoife's personality change and hopefully she'll continue to evolve as a character and move past it. (Actually, she starts to towards the end, but I'm hoping that the change is more evident in the next book... which I imagine it will be.)

Alright, there was something that I didn't see coming in The Nightmare Garden and as much as I'd like to tell you about it, there's no way that I can say it without spoiling it for you. Let's just say that hopefully it'll resolve itself in the next book. As for the plot itself, things definitely move along nicely and although I feel like I would've liked a steadier stream of action, I definitely can't complain. You'll see a lot more of the Iron world, a fair bit of the Mist realm, a glimpse of the Iron realm, and lastly a glimpse of a world that isn't exactly a part of any of the others (if that made any sense). Did I mention that you'll get to see the aftermath in Lovecraft? Because you will definitely catch a glimpse of that and Windhaven seems like an interesting city (its residents are also an interesting bunch). You'll run into Cal, Dean, and Bethina (of course) and along the way you'll also meet several new characters that I imagine we haven't seen the last of just yet.

In all, if you enjoy steampunk books with a healthy helping of fantasy, you might want to check out the Iron Codex trilogy if you haven't already. If you've enjoyed The Iron Thorn then I'd definitely suggest that you pick up The Nightmare Garden and if you're curious as to why it's called The Nightmare Garden, I'm assuming that it has to do with the nightmare clock (which you'll learn about in this book).

Overall Rating: ★★★★

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House.

Release Date: February 14, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Starters by Lissa Price

As an unclaimed minor with a younger brother, Callie knows that she has to keep them out of the institutions--which are pretty much prisons for minors until they come of age. This is how sixteen year old Callie decides to go to Prime Destinations, where Starters can make a very tidy sum if they're willing to rent their bodies to Enders who want to experience youth again. It's all very simple, as a Starter you simply fall asleep and when you wake up, you'll be back in your own body and your renter in theirs. At least, that's how it should be. But when Callie wakes up, she finds herself living her renter's life and what she'll discover during her time in her renter's life will put Prime Destinations in a whole new light.

If I'm thinking along the right lines, Starters are pretty much minors that are just starting off life while Enders are obviously getting close to the end of their lives. Everyone between the age of twenty and sixty? Dead. They didn't get inoculated during the Spore Wars and as a result, they didn't survive. Callie has been left to take care of her younger brother, Tyler, who happens to have a rare lung disease and as such, requires a fair bit of care. They also live with Michael, who they've known for quite some time. It'll be interesting to see where his relationship with Callie goes. On the other hand, there's Blake, the grandson of Senator Harrison, who Callie finds herself spending a lot of time with when she wakes up in her renter's life. Let's just call their relationship complicated, shall we? I promise you it'll make sense if you read Starters, but other than that my lips are zipped.

But I can't not mention the Old Man--who runs Prime Destinations--because let's face it, he's a major player in all of this. He's a recluse and is always wearing a mask; in short, no one knows who he is and he's not someone that you cross. (There's a lot more that I could say about him, but trust me, you'll want to learn about him on your own.) The Enders aren't all bad people though--although let's face it, renting young bodies is pretty darn creepy--and they'll prove it, if you give them a chance.

Lissa Price's writing style is absolutely lovely; it's fluid and before you know it, you'll have come to the end of Starters. That is to say, I read it much faster than expected and I certainly loved all of it; can I have the second book now? It definitely lived up to my expectations and I really hope that you'll enjoy it too.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Starters by Lissa Price

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House.

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Old cover

Laura della Scalla is the second daughter of the della Scalla household and as such, has spent the past six years living in a convent. But with the death of her older sister, Beatrice, she is summoned home and finds herself engaged to a horrible man named Vincenzo in place of her sister. But her sister's death was no accident and Laura soon finds herself involved with a secret society known as the Segreta, where secrets are the currency of choice. But can she really trust them?

If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I really love historical fiction and I've been looking forward to reading Cross My Heart for quite some time. Having said that, I definitely feel like it lived up to my expectations. Have I mentioned that there's romance? Because there most definitely is. Better yet, Giacomo (the boy in question) is a painter and well, hot. I definitely liked him quite a bit although I feel that he didn't appear all that often. I think that I--personally--would've preferred a tad more romance as just as I began to really like Giacomo, Cross My Heart ended. Because of that, I'd really love to see a second book--although it's written in such a way that I feel like it could get away with being a standalone.

New cover

If you couldn't tell by now, there's also a very strong focus on secrets. I can't really go into just how important they are, but believe me, they play a huge role and there's also a family vendetta in play as well. Asides from that, there's Carina, Beatrice's old friend who quickly becomes Laura's guide to Venetian society; to put it simply, she's... something else. Don't worry, you'll see what I mean. Then there's Laura, our main character. She definitely makes some mistakes and I wouldn't call her headstrong nor weak willed; to put it simply, she's human.

There were a few times when the plot felt a little slow, but overall it flowed nicely and if anything, I'd love to read more of Laura's tale! I'd recommend it to you if the plot sounds intriguing to you, the idea of a book set in Venice during the late 15th century piques your interest, and you enjoy a bit of a mystery.

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House.

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received via publisher and NetGalley.

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Katerina sees her unique gift as a curse, one that she's been doing her best to keep hidden. However, when a member of the Imperial Family is in danger she has no choice but to use her gift. This leads to Katerina's involvement in the darker matters and it will take a considerable amount of willpower to keep herself from succumbing to the dark. To make matters worse, someone has been raising an undead army and several members of the nobility are turning up dead.

It's not great secret that I love historical fiction and The Gathering Storm certainly delivered. Taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia during 1888 you meet Katerina, a young duchess who would prefer studying medical texts to dancing at balls. She's not afraid to speak her mind and as far as certain doctors are concerned, much too nosy. As for her gift, well, you'll learn about it quite quickly--I promise. Her mother--like most at the time--is very interested in seeing her married off and her father I liked immensely as he only wants to see to his daughter's happiness.

Without going into all of the titles used in The Gathering Storm, I'll tell you that I adore the pairing of Katerina and George--if you're wondering who George is, he's the tsarevich's brother and plays an essential role in keeping everyone safe. Perhaps more importantly, he's wary of Katerina at first and I love it when romances aren't instant. On the other hand you have Danilo, the heir of the Montenegro throne who is definitely dark and mysterious. He's definitely not a good guy and I do think that we'll be seeing more of him in the next book--or so I'd imagine.

There's lots of sneaking about, balls, gorgeous gowns, a dash of romance, and a main character who is definitely not a simpering ninny. The plot can seem a little slow at times, but I promise you that things definitely pick up as the book progresses. Overall I really enjoyed The Gathering Storm and if you like historical fictions with a paranormal twist, I'd recommend it to you. However, as this takes place in Russia, do realize that there are a lot of titles and that there are definitely pet names being used--which is actually quite common.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House.

Release Date: January 10, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Vixen 
Author: Jillian Larkin
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House)
Release Date: December 14, 2010
Edition: Hardcover
* Purchased on my own.

Summary from GoodReads: Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

My Thoughts:

If you forced me to choose between Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen and Vixen by Jillian Larkin, I'd have to tell you that my answer--and new favorite set in the 1920's--is Vixen. Yes, they have some similarities--the era and three main characters--but Vixen is much more so focused on the speakeasies, prohibition, and flappers than I found Bright Young Things to be--although you could attribute this to the fact that Bright Young Things is set later in the era.

In Vixen, our three main characters are Gloria Carmody, Lorraine Dyer, and Clara Knowles. Gloria is engaged to Sebastian Grey--who is publicly against speakeasies and flappers--and she wants nothing more than to become a flapper and experience a sort of freedom that she has never had before. Lorraine Dyer is Gloria's best friend; she also happens to be insanely jealous of Gloria and she's also got a crush on Marcus--another of their friends. Lastly, there's Clara, my favorite character from Vixen. She's been sent to live with her aunt--and thus Gloria--to help plan Gloria's wedding and to effectively keep out of trouble after a stint in New York City during which she was completely engulfed in the flapper lifestyle. However, someone from New York has followed Clara to Chicago and he's been leaving her notes--more importantly, she's afraid that all her hard work of playing the 'good girl' will go to waste if he shows up. Meanwhile, she's falling in love with Marcus, Lorraine is starting to get friendly with Sebastian, and Gloria finds love with a piano player.

Needless to say, I really enjoyed reading Vixen and I'm looking forward to Ingenue which is currently set to be released on August 9, 2011. Each of the girls was certainly an individual and I'm personally partial to Clara and her relationship with Marcus--if you couldn't tell by now. Unfortunately I can't really say much more than that without including spoilers. I will, however, tell you that to me, Vixen is a very good embodiment of the 1920's and what the era makes me think of.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Release Date: October 12, 2010
Edition: Hardcover
* Purchased on my own.

Summary from GoodReads: BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart. 

My Thoughts: 


Admittedly, at the beginning of Revolution, I was not in love with Andi's character. Why? Because she struck me as jaded and the constant, "I'm the one who killed my brother!" wasn't exactly fun either. However, if you are faced with this same problem, read on, for things to get better once she gets to Paris. Once she arrives in Paris, her father (whom dragged her along, so to speak) gets to work on DNA testing on a piece of what is believed to be the Dauphin of France's (Louis Charles) heart. Things get interesting once Andi discovers the hidden panel of the guitar case that her father's friend had been unable to open and the diary inside. 


After that, we are introduced to Alex, a girl who lived through the beginning of the Revolution and who dreamed of performing on the stage. However, instead of doing this, along with her family, she puts on puppet shows; one of which, the royal family happens to see and because she manages to make Louis Charles laugh, her life changes in ways she never would've imagined before. When Louis Charles and his family are put under house arrest, Alex will do anything to keep the little Dauphin laughing and ultimately, this is her downfall. 


Alright, between the diary and Virgil, who Andi meets in Paris, Andi becomes a better person. Or, well, she begins to stop dwelling on her brother's death and she actually begins to live life a little. If it wasn't for him, I would've given up hope for Andi and probably have put the book away for a while. After all, moping teens are generally not my thing. Her other saving grace--as far as I'm concerned--would have to be her friend Vijay who just had so many nicknames for his mother that I found myself looking forward to when he would pop up in the story. My other favorite part of the story would have to be Alex's interactions with Louis Charles and if you read Revolution, I hope you'll understand why. 


If you like the sound of the storyline, I'd suggest that you give this book a go and perhaps even if you're a little skeptical, like I was. Seriously though, once Andi gets to Paris, the storyline--in my opinion--improves and the ball really starts to roll. 


Overall Rating: ★★★★

Waiting On Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Summary from GoodReads: 
In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.
Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.


Why am I looking forward to it? Admittedly it was the cover that drew me in; however, the after reading the synopsis I'm dancing the "Want it now!" dance. Lovecraft? Yes please! Female main character? I wouldn't have it any other way! No, really, I have serious issues with trying to read books with a male main character and when it's a first person male point of view? Er, then it really does depend on how absolutely excellent the book is. Often times, I don't finish. But that's besides the point! If you'd like to read the first two chapters of The Iron Thorn, you can find it on Random Buzzers as a pdf (< clicky, clicky) file. 

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge comes out on Febrary 22, 2011 from Delacorte Press. 


So, what are you waiting on? :)