Tag Archives: teen

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

by

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.–Description from Goodreads

Paperback, 321 pages
Expected publication: April 23rd 2013 by Month9Books
ISBN
0985327812 (ISBN13: 9780985327811)
edition language
English
original title
Pretty Dark Nothing
url
My thoughts:
From the first page, “Pretty Dark Nothing” grabbed my attention and refused to let go. This book is well written and interesting and just grows more mysterious as the pages go by. The reader is fed bits of background on the characters little by little as the story progresses and I felt this helped keep the mystery going in a way that made me eager to keep reading.

Quinn is an interesting character that has a lot of confusion and strange events plaguing her life. Through her journey, the reader is able to see multiple parts of this story. Aaron is another strong and vital character and he makes up the other part of the book that Quinn does not. This book would be suitable for older teens. There is some swearing and sex, but nothing that is intensely graphic or inappropriate.

By about halfway through the novel the paranormal aspect consumes much of the writing space, and I was impressed with the author’s take on this subject. Rather than taking the familiar beaten path, she chose to make her own way using unique paranormal happenings to colour and give life to her writing. There are moments in this book where the activity is so frightening that you almost want to turn your head away from reading and wait for your heart to return to a normal rhythm. There are certainly no dull spots in this book.

There were a few unexpected twists along the way. I actually found the relationship between Quinn and Aaron to be a bit frustrating at times, but if the author intended to go for high school drama that resembles reality, in that respect she did a great job. Nobody in this book knows what they want or how to hang on to it. The indecisiveness of the characters annoyed me a little, but also one must keep in mind that I am not a teen and have a different perspective on things as an adult than a younger reader might.

There are a couple of characters that you will no doubt love to hate. Heather Reid did a super job of making her characters have depth and their own individual quirks and personalities. If you are looking for something to read and like books where the characters make you want to hug them and strangle them at the same time, this is a great choice. I personally enjoy detesting a character. If a book can make me feel something, then it has done the job I asked of it.

The not so good for me was the way it ended. Not sure if this is going to be part of a series (hope so.) If it is, then I could understand why it ended the way it did. Don’t get me wrong, I like a story where everything doesn’t turn up roses at the end. But this one had a huge revelation that was somewhat of a stunner and then it was over. Just like that. Done. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

Overall this was an engaging read that kept me wanting to come back for more. If you like paranormal YA this is certainly a book that I would recommend, even in spite of the abrupt ending.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

Deadly Offer: The Vampire’s Promise by Caroline B. Cooney

by

Althea’s dreams are about to become her nightmares
Althea has always been a sweet, kind girl. In middle school, she had a group of friends to hang out with. She was on the softball team, took gymnastics, and won ribbons for horseback riding. But high school is horrible for Althea. She doesn’t make the cheerleading squad. Her group of friends splits apart to form new cliques, and Althea is left to sit alone at lunch. That is, until she discovers a vampire living in the attic tower of her family home. A vampire who can make her dreams come true: a spot on the cheerleading squad; popularity; a boyfriend. All the vampire wants in return is a small sacrifice, and Althea is in too deep to back out now.
The first book in Caroline B. Cooney’s Vampire’s Promise trilogy reveals the danger behind the door of the Shuttered Room . . .
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Caroline B. Cooney including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.–Description from Amazon.com
  • File Size: 840 KB
  • Print Length: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Open Road Young Readers (January 22, 2013)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00AW54CMA

You can find this book HERE

My thoughts on Deadly Offer:

Overall I thought this was a pretty good book. Maybe as far as vampire novels go this one didn’t have quite the intensity of some others, but I thought the story was well written and was able to get a pretty good sense of the main character and her struggle between doing what was right and becoming who she wanted to be.

The dialogue was interesting and believable. For a book that was written with the young adult in mind, (I would say 12-15) I actually enjoyed reading it even as an adult.

The main character was someone that I really liked at times and other times almost felt my eyes starting to involuntarily roll. She doesn’t have any friends by the time she reaches high school and spends her time more or less attempting to fade into the background, until she gets an offer she can’t refuse. I found places in the story where it was hard for me to digest that she was the age she was supposed to be. Some of her thoughts would have led me to believe she was middle school aged at most.

If I had to choose one thing about this book that didn’t quite work for me, it was the vampire itself. There was not much description put into him and I thought that was a missed opportunity. There is vague description of him and you get an early sense of his intent, but I though the story would have been better if he had been a bit more imposing, demanding and frightening.

The plot was interesting and different from other books I have read about teens/vampires. Whereas a lot of the time these books center on the teenager thinking vampires are awesome until they inadvertently come into contact with one, in this story the main character releases his power upon the unsuspecting victims, but she does it by chance and then chooses to involve him in her life further.

There were some interesting concepts in this story and I thought the author did a nice job of exploring them.

If you have a younger teen that likes vampires, this would be a good choice.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

A War I Never Asked For by Megan Stephenson

by

You can Find this book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BE38AUY/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Carter never asked for her mother to be an alcoholic. She never asked to be basically the sole provider for her little sister, Regan, and she certainly never asked to do all of that on top of only being seventeen. When Carter’s mom introduces Cole to the scene and after school detention causes a chance encounter with the “bad boy,” Luke, Carter’s life gets even more hectic.

How do you stay constantly scared of a man three times your size, protect your little sister, and worry about homework all at the same time? How do you know who to trust when you’re worried about never seeing your little sister again?

Carter may never have asked for this war, but it’s one she has to fight- not only for Regan’s sake, but for her own safety as well.–Description from Amazon.com

My review of “A War I Never Asked For:

“A War I Never Asked for” is a startling, refreshing and emotional book by young author Megan Stephenson. I stumbled across a blog talking about this book the other day and it sounded really interesting. What I wasn’t prepared for was exactly how intense and intelligent this book really is. The author has written this in first person, and for once, I actually think that worked. (Usually it drives me crazy.) I couldn’t have imagined this story being as personal or well-delivered if it hadn’t been for that POV.

The main character is almost your average teenager…on the outside. The trials she faces at home are another story entirely. When she faces adversity, she does not run and hide. She stands up for what she believes is right and does her best to protect someone she cares about deeply. I found this book to have an appropriate level of romance for the ages of the characters. It was hard to believe that this is the first published book by this author. I was also impressed that the characters have a chance to build a strong friendship before their relationship goes any farther.

The editing was excellent and far exceeded my expectations. This story is a tribute to the spirit of survival that children are born with. While this novel has some disturbing scenes in it, they are never graphic and are integral to the plot. I couldn’t have asked for a more graceful way for these issues to be dealt with.

My favorite scene came near the end, when the main character faces a really tough realization about the position she has been put in and her lack of ability to care for someone she loves. In that moment, all of her emotions, hopes, dreams and the uncertainty of her future come together. It was during that portion of the book that I fully realized what an amazing job this author has done of weaving an incredible story that will be hard to forget.

If you are looking for something new to read by a fresh, young voice, you can’t go wrong with this book.

***

This author can be found at: http://18andwriting.wordpress.com/  She’s really nice! Maybe we can convince her to do an interview:)

The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt

by

The Gathering Darkness by Lisa CollicuttThey say “third time’s the charm”, and for sixteen-year-old Brooke Day, they had better be right. She’s been here before, twice in fact, and an evil demon-witch wants her dead a third time.

When Brooke is forced to leave Boston for the small town of Deadwich, she thinks her life is over. Before long, her new friends start acting strange—downright evil. But worse than that, nightmares she’s had her whole life become reality.

Enter Marcus Knight; popular, hot, and the only person Brooke can trust. Not to mention, they’ve shared the same nightmares.

With the discovery of an ancient Celtic amulet, Brooke and Marcus unravel the secrets of her past, which reveals the key to her future.

As the equinox approaches:

Darkness and light merge for the first time in a century.

Soul-mates reunite.

Magic awakens–Description from Goodreads

Paperback, 320 pages
Published September 22nd 2012 by Curiosity Quills Press (first published September 21st 2012)
ISBN
1620070936 (ISBN13: 9781620070932)
edition language
English

You can find out more information here:

My review of The Gathering Darkness:
The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt is one of the best YA paranormal romances I have read so far.

The author has a unique way of dealing with witchcraft in this story and I am pleased to report that it didn’t feel like a repeat of other books that deal with the same subject.

I liked the main character, Brook. She was intelligent and I thought the fact that she expressed fear instead of coming off as an untouchable character, gave her the depth I needed to see in order to care what happened to her throughout the rest of the story.

The way the author chose to give her main female lead choices in male companionship added just the right element of uncertainty to make it more interesting. Rather than the expected teenage melodrama, I felt the romance in this book was much more mature and well crafted than one usually sees in a teen novel.

Ravenwyck Inn was described wonderfully and I really got a sense that the place was creepy and not somewhere you would want to be caught alone in. I love it when a book has such good imagery that it sends a small shiver up your spine. I liked the fictional town Deadwich (great name) and could really see how a girl that age would have struggled to adjust to her new surroundings.

The only thing I would have changed about this book, is that I would have liked to have seen a little more history on the main character. She obviously has a past, but it is barely touched upon.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging and exciting read with plenty of unexpected elements throughout. If you are looking for a very well written and at times intense YA novel, this book is the one to pick up.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

 

Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen

by

 

Wicked Kiss (Nightwatchers, #2)

My kiss can kill.I used to be ordinary Samantha Day, but that’s changed. Now, after one dark kiss from a dangerous boy, I can steal someone’s soul…or their life. If I give in to the constant hunger inside me, I hurt anyone I kiss. If I don’t…I hurt myself.

Bishop is the one whose kiss I crave most, but if I kiss him, I’ll kill him. Then there’s another boy, one I can’t hurt. One whose kiss seems to miraculously quell my hunger. They’re both part of a team of angels and demons that’s joined forces in my city to fight a mysterious rising darkness, an evil that threatens everyone I know and love. I just wonder if I’ll be able to help Bishop—or if I’m just another part of the darkness he’s sworn to destroy….

NIGHTWATCHERS: When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising…–Description from Amazon.com

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (February 26, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0373210647
  • ISBN-13: 978-0373210640

You can find this book available for pre-order here:http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Kiss-Harlequin-Michelle-Rowen/dp/0373210647/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359912588&sr=8-2&keywords=Wicked+Kiss

I must admit that I had not read the first book in this series when I decided to read this one. Good news though, it didn’t really matter at all. I was able to settle right into this book without issue.

Samantha was an excellent character to lead the way throughout this novel. She is witty, at times sarcastic, strong and I felt that she grew and developed a lot by the end of the book. Rather than the usual teen novel with angst over boys and lots of gossip in between, this book gave me a sense of the main character struggling with her own identity and caring about the events that shaped her into what she became. She was compassionate and caring and wanted to protect those around her, even from herself.

This writing is fast paced and I was eager to figure out the mysteries surrounding the history of Sam and her group of outcasts. I loved the way Michelle Rowen developed her secondary characters. Every one of them served a purpose and they all had unique traits that made them integral to the story.

A romantic element is ever-present in this novel, but not annoying. The male and female leads have a genuine reason to be apart and the struggle to right the wrongs and bring them together is epic.

The single thing that impressed me the most was how different the plot was. I hadn’t seen the ideas in this book before and the author managed to excite me with her imagination. She explains her characters through their actions and dialogue rather than boring the reader with detail.

By the end of this book I was so impressed with the writing style, the creativity and the characters I didn’t want to leave behind, that I went on a search for other books by this author.

If you are looking to buy a book for your teen that will keep them interested and wanting more, this is a great choice. Even if you are an adult, I believe this book would be interesting enough to hold your attention. I really enjoyed it!

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

by

Lincoln's grave robbers

A true crime thriller — the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body!

The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln’s body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd –and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln’s tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.–Description from Amazon.com

 

  • Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press (January 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0545405726
  • ISBN-13: 978-0545405720

You can find this book available for purchase by going here:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545405726/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

My Review of Lincoln’s Grave Robbers:

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin was not only an educational read, but an entertaining one at that. I realize that this book was market for kids ten and over, but I felt it might be a little bit advanced for most at age ten. Some of the vocabulary is a bit advanced and there are a few morbid, although historical, descriptions.

Otherwise, this was excellent. I even learned quite a few things I hadn’t known before, such as the original purpose of the CIA, and the problem with fake money being distributed in the late 1800′s.

The setup and background history for how the plot to steal Lincoln’s body does take up a large portion of the book, but I found that made it easier to understand why someone would want to become a grave robber. Rather than just pointing out who did it and what they hoped to accomplish, the author gives a real history of the criminals and what kind of people they were.

I liked that the information was presented in a relaxed format that was fun to read. This book didn’t feel so much like a text book as it did a conversation with an intelligent person.

I think older children would benefit from reading this book, and even adults who like American history or are interested in Lincoln.

This review is based on an ARC copy from the publisher.