Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
543 pages, Hardcover
Published on August 31, 2010
Summary: 

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

--

Isobel was one of the best protagonists I've read about for a really, really long time. She was relatable, smart, and her reactions were totally believable. My only real problem with her was the fact that she was dating Brad and hanging out with a bunch of jerks for so long. It seemed like she was smart enough to see how shallow they all were, and unrealistic that she would have stayed so shallow for so long when she was obviously an intelligent girl. Her slowly developing affection was played out beautifully, too. Varen Nethers is pale, skinny, wears all black, and is practically living in his own world. So why would I dump every single one of my fictional boyfriends for this goth boy with an attitude? Probably because he was so mysterious, poetry-obsessed, quiet, and passionate. Craegh created main characters that were diverse and realistic. Brad was a jerk and mean and I basically hated him through the whole book, but I still managed to understand Isobel's actions when it came to him. That was probably the second best part of the novel: how Craegh did a wonderful job of making everything feel real, even when the world was upside-down. Lastly, Gwen was the best friend I've always wanted to have; she was quirky, funny, caring, and awesome in every meaning of the word. Even the characters I hated I loved reading about. The villains (again, I'd give away too much to say who they were) were chilling and left me staring at the dark around me late at night.

The story was gorgeously crafted. I've never really read Edgar Allen Poe before, but after this novel, I'll be going to the library to check him out. The mystery was bone-chilling and kept me up until morning reading them. The story wasn't always fast-paced, but it was always well-paced, never boring or useless. And this was by far the most original young adult paranormal romance I've read ever. Craegh not only created a world that was dark and dangerous, but one that had never before been touched on. To be honest, I've gotten sick and tired of werewolves and vampires and demons and angels. There were a few demons in this story, but other than that, everything was brand new and I loved it. I even loved how the author never fully elaborated on everything, some things remaining a mystery. I truly only had one complaint: the ending was a total and complete cliffhanger and I'm not sure I can live all that much longer without knowing what happens.

Oh, what to say about Craegh's writing. I've been reading a lot of books lately that have had good stories and moderate writing. Not at all the case with Nevermore. The story was fantastic, the characters felt real, and the writing was the best part of this novel. While I was reading quickly to see what was going to happen next, I found myself re-reading paragraphs because of the delicate way Craegh wrote. The descriptions were unbelievably detailed and beautiful. From the way Varen's hair framed his porcelain face to the lace on Isobel's dress, everything was so perfectly recorded, like an actual event taking place. The excerpts of Poe's writing and Varen's notebook entries were expertly inserted and added much to the well-developed story line. I can't tell you how many times I would have to stop and admire the intricate way Craegh portrayed everything. Even the way she described Isobel's emotions was amazing. I'll definitely be picking up every one of Cragh's new novels if she keeps up this work.

Overview: Nevermore is one of the most original, best written, detailed YA books I've read. It was well-paced, realistic, and had lovable (and hatable) characters that were three-dimensional and interesting. The story line was unlike any I've read before and the writing was smart and beautiful. While I was flipping pages, I was also slowing down so that I could absorb the detail of everything. It was the kind of book that gets into your head and makes it near impossible to think about anything else. I've found myself less and less interested in the paranormal romance genre, but Nevermore sucked me in and refused to let go until the last page. And even once I had closed this book it had a grip on me. Surprisingly, it was even thought-provoking, touching on topics about dreams and what is real and what isn't. Isobel's struggle to figure 

out what was real and what was her (or Varen's) imagination run wild. It was creepy at times and breath-takingly romantic at others. It had that kind of romance that makes you weak in the knees while making your heart pound. The only way I could imagine someone not enjoying it would be if they hated all things romance. There was nothing major for me to complain about, other than the fact that I'm literally dying to read the sequel.

Cover Rating: 5 stars
Character Rating: 5 stars
Plot Rating: 5 stars
Writing Style Rating: 5 stars
Overall Rating: 5 stars

Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

479 pages, Hardcover

Published August 21, 2010

Summary: Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

--

First off: happy Thanksgiving, all of y'all book nerds/lovers. Second of all, I'm gonna be trying a new format for my reviews for a little while. I was going through some of my old reviews and realized I'm slightly sloppy when I write my rants (understatement of the year...). I love a lot of blogs with clean, detailed reviews and therefore, I'll be putting a slightly bit more time into creating mine. I'd really love feedback on this, so feel free to admonish my poor formatting skills or praise them. That being said, these reviews will be longer. A. Lot. Longer. So feel free to skip to the end and read the wrap-up paragraph.

So I picked up this book the instant I realized it was out (the day after it was released) and I've been dying to review it since the day after when I finished it. But then I realized I wanted to do the Mortal Instruments reviews first, so here this review is, a few months late but with a little more retrospect now.

Okay, so, Tessa is definitely not a strong character in the beginning of this book. By then end, however, she has been transformed and was practically a warrior. However, the journey between the two stages was a bit murky. She was smart and beautiful, a normally killer combination, but somehow I found her annoying. First of all, she was kind of helpless even when she had available assets. Her personality was okay, but nothing special; no sarcasm or quick remarks whatsoever from this young lady. Other than her gentleness verging on push-over status, I liked her better by the end. Now, for a quick rant: I have no clue what Tessa saw in Will; he was basically Jace without his caring side. He was mean more than half the time and was a total cad. Jace had redeeming qualities; Will had sarcasm and good looks. I just didn't get it. That being said, I absolutely adored Jem. He's officially my fictional boyfriend. At least until Jace breaks up with Clary. Anyways, Jem was sweet, funny, beautiful, a musician, and genuinely cared for Tessa it seemed. Jessamine, Clare's obvious reincarnation of Isabelle, was basically the same character with less to love. I just wanted to scream, "When you're a warrior it is not key to act like a lady." I wanted to slap her throughout the entire book and found her entire demeanor bothersome. Even her little heroic stunt at the end had me scoffing. Magnus Bane is back, which was awesome, but his small role wasn't all that redeeming. Lastly, not to give to much away, the villain was more of an ass than anything else.

Now, to the plot. Perhaps the books small saving grace. While Clare worked hard to keep her characters the exact same (but worse) as from the Mortal Instruments, the plot was actually interesting. It wasn't great or shocking (maybe the middle, a little) but it was intriguing and kept me up late flipping pages. The Dark Sisters weren't all that imposing, and neither were the later villains, save the vampires; they were actually kind of imposing and scary. Tessa's strange powers were definitely interesting, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she uses them later on. There's endless possibilities.
The writing was descriptive, but nothing special really. While in the Mortal Instruments readers were learning about this strange, mystical world with Clary, in Clockwork Angel we already knew about this world and I found it irritating how much time Clary put into re-explaining everything, from the miniscule details to the big, obvious things even new readers probably knew. This series was geared toward fans of the first series set in the Shadowhunter's world, and yet the actual book seemed to be made for new readers.
Overview: I'm still having mixed feelings for this book. It was interesting, gripping, and a couple of the characters were amazing. But at the same time I'm not going to go spouting off about how awesome it was. I'm not dying to get the sequel, but I'm definitely going to get it. The characters were generally moderate, not greatly developed or disastrous. The plot was original (I love all things steampunk, even if it plays a small part) and creative, but not nail-biting worthy. In general, I really enjoyed some of this book and hated other parts. An okay novel recommended to fans of the Mortal Instruments series or fantasy historical fiction fans.
Cover Rating: 4 stars
Character Rating: 3 stars
Plot Rating: 4 stars
Writing Style Rating: 3 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
--
This novel was everything I could ask for of YA lit and more. Forbidden love + a love triangle + steaminess + kick ass werewolves = one of the best YA books I've read in a long time. Calla was an amazing protagonist; she was strong and smart and gorgeous with an attitude to match. Ren, the other alpha werewolf she must marry was sexy and had that bad-boy thing going on that I drooled over, while managing to have a human side that actually cared about Calla. And Shay--oy vei, don't even get me started on Shay. He was amazing; funny, smart, strong, and in love with Calla. Even the supporting characters were amazing. Ansel, Calla's little brother, was probably my favorite character; he was so sweet and adorable and I loved the bond he had with Calla. The story line was great; intriguing and gripping and intelligent. Cremer didn't try to baby the audience and take us through things step by step. She plunges you into the heart of the story on page one and keeps going until the last page. There were twists that felt real and yet caught me totally off guard. The only thing I hated was the ending and that's because it was such a cliffhanger. I'll be dying for it to be July all through the winter and spring. Sorry for the extremely short review, but I think you get the gist: I absolutely loved, loved, loved Nightshade and everything about it. Oh, and for the record, I'm most definitely Team Shay.
5 stars and a recommendation to all teen readers. Even if you're not a fantasy fan, you'll probably love it.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.
As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. 
Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They are Virals.
--
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed Virals. I knew it would be a sort of light, action-packed read with a mostly predictable story line--I was right, but it was still engrossing. Even as I shook my head at the over-the-top genius of the four 'sci-philes' and the somewhat cheesy dialogue, it was captivating and had me staying up late to finish it. Now, don't go into this novel looking for deep, thought-provoking plots or heart-wrenching tragedies. The book was easy, fast-paced, and action-packed; basically, all the things I expected. It was a fast read, even though its a hefty 454 pages. Tory was easy to like, if not all that much relatable; Ben was my favorite character, even though we don't really find out much about him. Maybe I was the only one hoping for some kind of romance there, since Tory mentions in the first few pages that Ben might be flirting with her. Shelton was awesome and nerdy in all the right ways, while Hi was probably my second favorite character because of his weirdness. The characters were wacky and out-there, but I grew to like them a lot more by the end. I was definitely into the story, which, while a bit far-fetched, was good overall. I was a bit surprised by the very end's twist. The story line was predictable, until that final twist at least. My main problem was that the Virals faced no obstacles in their breaking & entering stunts. At least ten times, they caught tremendously easy breaks, even when it became ridiculous how obvious they were. A lot of luck must've been involved. Still, for the type of book it was, it was fitting and I found I didn't mind quite so much once the action got going. The characters were a bit stereotypical, especially the snobs at their school, but consistent. The other thing that bugged me was how some of the Virals spoke; one second they were talking like regular teens, the next they were talking like they were from another century. Other than that, this book was a roller coaster ride of action and mystery, perfect for teen readers looking for a light read. I'll definitely be reading the sequel (if there is one).
3 stars and a recommendation to fans of murder mysteries/action adventure.

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?
Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Timesbestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.
--
The conclusion to the Mortal Instruments trilogy was without a doubt my favorite book in the series. Yeah, the ending was a given, and yeah, there was a little bit of an easy conclusion, but it was still great. Clare has woven a world extremely intricate and beautiful, while maintaining characters that were complicated and three-dimensional too. Jace remained snarky, but his human side showed more in this book, and I don't know about everyone else, but that made him all the more smoldering to me. Clary was great in this book; she became the strong, confident, emotional character Mortal Instruments fans have come to know and love. The love story in City of Glass was fantastic and I was just about screaming by the time I was a hundred pages in. Clare really knew how to drag out the inevitable. Simon's story got a little complicated, which I liked, since his story basically revolved around Clary a little bit too much in the first two books. Isabelle wasn't nearly as annoying and Alec was the sweetheart that I loved from book one, but with a little more of his story revealed. I couldn't get over how cute he was with who he ended up with. Magnus Bane was fabulous, once again, and probably one of my favorite secondary characters ever. Aside from the characters, the descriptions weren't quite as intense in this book, but they were still good, adding some, if not a lot to this book. The story couldn't have been better; the twists felt real and they managed to surprise me (somewhat). The ending was definitely one of my favorite endings to a series in forever. So many authors pull a twist at the end that leaves readers gasping, and while Clare didn't go there, it made it all that much better; the characters (basically) got what they deserved.
5 stars and a recommendation to fans of the series. Definitely, definitely, definitely read the entire series.
--
Side note: I'm still not thrilled about the next installment in this series. I can't help but feel like it should've stayed a trilogy. Not only that, but what Mortal Instruments are left? Someone'll have to tell me whether City of Fallen Angels is worth reading first.

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go—especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil—and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings—and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

--

This review will contain spoilers; I just can't help it, there's so much to rave about with this series. FIrst of all, by the time I was on page 2, I was this close to tears because Jace and Clary couldn't be together. Clare really knew what she was doing when she decided to make them siblings, because I know I wasn't the only one sniffling at the end when Clary keeps quiet as Jace says he'll only be her brother from them on. Simon was cute throughout the second book of the series, but I found him a little annoying with his whole you-love-him-and-not-me routine. Yeah, she did love Jace, but jeez, it's not her fault she doesn't love you too. I was team Jace/Clary all the way, my apologies, Team Simon. Valentine wasn't one of the most imposing villains, and he was one of my complaints; he didn't really seem capable of all the evil he did. I loved the story line a lot more for this book, probably because it was better paced; the first seemed too fast, considering we had so much information to take in too. But the information was just right, with enough to keep you intrigued and guessing and not enough to confuse you. Magnus Bane, the flamboyant warlock, quickly became one of my favorites in this book and he's probably in my top 20 characters that need to be real. Isabelle wasn't quite as annoying in this book either, while Alec fell behind a little in terms of great characters. He got a little too love-struck in my opinion. Clary was fantastic, a strong lead maintaining her newfound status as Shadowhunter extremely well. This book was my least favorite in the series, but it was still one of the best urban fantasy books I've ever read. Most of that is probably due to Jace's continued sarcasm and arrogance. Overall, a fantastic read.

4 stars and a recommendation to fans of the series; go back and read the first book first, urban fantasy lovers.

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

--

It's been a long while since I gave a vampire series a try, but I'm definitely glad I've given this worn-out subject another shot. Vampire Academy centers around Rose, the POV character, who is a Dhampir, a half-vampire/half-human. The first thing I liked about this series was that all the characters were vampires/vampire hybrids, because quite frankly, I'm tired of human characters taking fifty pages to process the fact that their boyfriend/girlfriend is a vampire. Another thing i liked was that the Moroi (vampires who are still alive) society was already set up, with rules and laws and even a hierarchy. I also loved the fact that the Moroi were alive, and that the Strigoi, their enemies, were not. It put an interesting twist on the vampire genre and I enjoyed it. Rose is an extremely strong protagonist, and while she wasn't always on my good side (her bad girl side was a little too bitchy for my taste occasionally) she was constantly entertaining. Lissa was a little moody for me, but she was also a deep, well-written character. Mead really does a fantastic job of making three-dimensional characters. And Dimitri--while I stop drooling, I'll just say God, it should be illegal to have a sexy Russian accent, bad-ass skills, and be considered a god. I mean, Jesus, I was slayed by the time Rose noticed his Russian accent. I loved the whole bond thing between Rose and Lissa, along with the weird over-the-top attraction between Rose and Dimitri. The story was good, not particularly strong or gripping, but interesting and full of twists I didn't see coming. Overall, I really enjoyed this beginning to what seems to be a rave-worthy series.

3.9 stars and a recommendation to vampire fans.

Uglies (Uglies #1) by Scott Westerfield

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

--

Since I just re-read The Mortal Instruments series and I'm currently a new book away from starvation, I've decided to re-read another of my favorite series. Uglies is a dystopian novel (there seems to be a lot of these in YA lit recently...) about a society where everyone is considered ugly, until they turn 16, when they have the pretty operation, their only jobs being to party and continue the human race. Enter Tally, an average 15-year-old, anxiously awaiting her birthday, where she will join her best friend Peris in New Pretty Town, where he's already a 'pretty'. Enter Shay, another 15-year-old who isn't quite sure she wants to join the pretties on the other side of the river. As their friendship grows, Tally discovers Shay doesn't intend to ever have the pretty operation and when she runs away, Tally is accused of aiding Shay in her escape. The 'specials' that take Tally tell her she must find Shay and betray her in order to have her operation. Well, the premise is confusing, and one of my complaints was the lack of explanations until quite late in the story. But I absolutely loved the story line. And Westerfeld has a real knack for descriptions. So much is happening in this book that you almost miss all of the in-depth descriptions of the scenery. My favorite part of the book was the riddled poem Shay leaves Tally to find her, and in my opinion, the first half of the book was the best, as Tally travels across  beautiful landscapes that humans have long-since abandoned. This series takes place several centuries in the future, and i appreciated the history given, since so many futuristic books skim over the details of how/why society has changed so. The second half, once Tally has found the rebels' encampment, was great, and I was most definitely in love with David. The whole book was great in general. The only other big complaint I had was that there was a startling lack of adults in the futuristic world; I get that they were separated, but it still seemed odd that there were practically none in New Pretty Town or Uglyville.

4 stars and a recommendation to fans of dystopian societies and futuristic science-fiction.

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

--

Sigh. This series is absolutely one of my favorites, and since I've read quite a few reviews recently, I decided to re-read the books and write reviews on here. Some books I've loved, then re-read and wondered what I saw in them the first time; this was definitely not the case with City of Bones. If it was anything, this novel was fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action. From the prologue to the last page, this book was action-packed, and when it wasn't biting-your-fingernails fast, it was beautifully written. Clare has really created a gorgeous, complicated world that readers are sucked into immediately. It begins with Clary noticing a boy no one else seems to notice; after following him, she discovers Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, three Shadowhunters. The Shadowhunter world revolves around them killing demons escaped from other dimensions. Okay, so I know I said that I'm tired of the whole seeing-invisible-faeries/other-mythical-creatures, but it was extremely well-done, and Clare is great at explaining things slowly, making it easy to follow. The information about this new invisible world is presented in a readable way, not overcrowding or leaving too much to the imagination. The characters were some of my favorites all time; Clary was great: the perfect amount of sweet, naive, and holding her own. Jace... Oh, Jace, what can I say about you? He's got to be in my top five fictional characters that should be real. He's an arrogant, smart-ass, sensitive, gorgeous blonde. What more can you ask for? I loved Simon, Clary's best friend (was I the only one who realized where their conversation in the peotry cafe was going before Jace pointed it out?), mostly because he reminded me so much of myself. Isabelle was too snotty in my opinion, since she took a really, really long time to warm up slightly to Clary. Alec was my second favorite; he was so adorable, and I, honestly, was surprised by the twist in his love story. Made me sad, but I'm a Jace/Clary fan all the way. The story line was great, as I said before, and even though in my opinion it was a character-driven novel, it's easy to see why it could be considered a plot-driven book. Lastly, I loved how the world Clare created had demons, angels, werewolves, faeries, vampires, and creatures of her own creation. I wish I lived in this world.

5 stars and a recommendation to action/romance fans and any teen readers. I've recommended this book series to just about all of my friends, even non-readers.

Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely #1) by Melissa Marr

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.

Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.

Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.

But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21^st century faery tale.

--

Since I finally found Ink Exchange, the second book in this series, I decided I'd write my review for this stunning faerie tale even though I read it a while ago. Okay, so the story opens to Aislinn hanging out in a pool hall where she watches as humans play pool and faeries--that no one else can see--mess with the humans, unbeknownst to them. While I love the whole, there's-another-world-we-can't-see concept, lately it has been a little too overused in YA literature, but I tried to ignore that fact. And I found it easy actually, because Marr has created such a beautiful, dangerous, complex world of faeries that immerses you the second you step in. If this book was anything, it was consuming, and I finished it in one sitting, not because it was an especially short or easy read, but because I was so into it I didn't notice when it had gotten late. I loved Seth and since I have a thing for best friends falling in love, I found everything about their slow-developing relationship sweet and again, I appreciated the slowed-down, realistic love story. My only complaint regarding their relationship was Aislinn's casual attitude about it. The romance was a little too played-down for my taste. But then again, the main focus was Keenan's sudden obsession with Aislinn. Keenan was a great character, and while he wasn't my favorite--that honor would have to reside with the Winter Girl, Donia--he was great, for one main reason: he wasn't all good or all evil. Beira, the Winter Queen, proved a stark contrast to Aislinn, as she is completely bad and Aislinn is described as all good. So Keenan's lack of complete darkness or light made the book more interesting, since his decisions weren't easy to guess beforehand. The plot moved fast and my only problem with it was the conclusion; it seemed a little too happily-ever-after and while I know the second book doesn't revolve around the same cast, but it seemed like all of the conflict was solved, making a sequel not quite as highly anticipated. That being said, I'm thrilled to be reading the second one. 

A little side note: I loved the little quotes before each chapter. A lot of books have poetry now before each chapter and I found the literature quotes, both factual and fictional, refreshing.

4 stars and a recommendation to modern faerie tales.

Echoes by Melinda Metz

Can't believe she did that... at four-thirty I have to... I HATE THIS PLACE...
Rae Voight is losing her mind. When she walks down the halls of Sanderson Prep, she hears voices... even when no one is talking. Other people's thoughts crowd her head, a confusing tangle of insecurities and dark secrets. Just when Rae reaches her breaking point, one voice comes screaming through the din, loud and clear:
Rae must die...
If Rae doesn't figure out who the thought belongs to soon, she could lose more than just her sanity.
--
Okay, so there's three books from the FIngerprints series in Echoes, but since they're all under 200 pages, I'm just going to do a general review for all of them. They all follow the same story line, kind of like one big book anyways.
Lately I haven't been so into the supernatural abilities genre. But Echoes was fantastic, and I loved it so much I'm willing to re-try this overused plot. The story revolves around Rae, a girl who thinks she's going insane because she hears other people's thoughts, and Anthony, a dyslexic with anger problems. First of all, I loved Rae's reaction to her mind-reading abilities; I've been saying for a long time (and my friends will vouch for me) how ridiculous some character's reactions are to their superpowers. Especially psychic abilities; I doubt that if I randomly heard voices in my head saying things I wasn't thinking, my first reaction would be to have a lightbulb moment and realize I was psychic. Like Rae, I would have probably freaked out and ended up in some asylum, thinking I was going insane. Second of all, the turbulent relationship between Rae and Anthony was a great factor. I totally agree that way too much YA lit is about falling in love in a day, so the fact that Metz has dragged out what is inevitably going to become more than just a friendship makes these books great. As far as the murder-attempt mystery, it was well-played and I liked the fact that there were other main plots. Too many books revolve solely around one problem, making them boring and slowing them down; by having so many extraneous story lines, the book was fast-paced without racing through anything. My main problems were mostly Rae's choices; she went back and forth a lot on whether she wanted to get back together with her ex. I mean come on, he's either a jerk or he's a sweetheart every other page. It was annoying. Also, Yana got on my nerves; I just have something against those hot, obnoxious, loud, way-too-smart female sidekicks. That list keeps growing, along with another one. FInally, sigh, I've fallen in love with yet another fictional character. Anthony had that bad-boy attitude down to a science and I gobbled up every bit of it. He was just bad-ass enough to make him swoon-worthy while he had a fragile side that made him human and kept me alternately wanting him to just kiss Rae already and make him hold back. Someone should really ban me from reading books with male characters who are so attractive... I really can't wait to buy the next books.
4.5 stars and a recommendation to supernatural mystery/romance fans.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

There was a time when the world was sweeter...when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats...when something happened to a seventeen-year-old boy that would change his life forever. Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood. 
--
This review is going to contain spoilers, just to let you know, even though I'm fairly sure everyone's at least seen the movie. I love the movie A Walk to Remember; maybe that's why I actually liked it more than the book version. I know the book version is almost always better, but in the book, if it's possible, the characters seemed less developed than in the movie. A lot of the scenes from the movie connected me to the characters, especially as Landon was falling in love with Jamie. When they all make fun of her in the cafeteria (in the movie) and he catches her just as she's about to run, I was just as much in love with Landon as Jamie. But in the book they hung out, got kind of close, and then bam! he's in love with her. It didn't seem like anything happened other than him seeing how sweet she was. Another difference from the movie was the lack of personal things. Landon didn't seem to know Jamie at all, only what she'd done and how she acted around him. Their love seemed forced in the book and the ending seemed far-fetched. All movie-comparisons aside, I liked the book just fine. It wasn't tear-jerking or even all that emotional, but it was good and I'd recommend it to my girlfriends who like sappy romance novels. But for once, I understand critics bad reviews of a Sparks novel; they were right, everything was just a little too forced, a little to pressed for and formulaic. I don't know, maybe Sparks got better over the years. This book was a miss to me. But I know some people who haven't seen the movie and loved the book. I suppose whichever order you saw/read them made a huge difference.
3 stars and a recommendation to sappy romance fans.

Seeds of Yesterday (Dollanganger #4) by V.C. Andrews

Flowers may die, but secrets live forever...
Chris and Cathy have moved on from their days in the attic, but the sins and secrets of their past continue to catch up to them. Now their children are doomed to repeat their mistakes.
If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday continue the ominous saga of the Dollanganger family. Savor the thrilling conclusion.
--
Just when I thought the Dollanganger family tree couldn't get any more twisted, Seeds of Yesterday comes around. When I realized Cathy wrote this book too, I was torn between groaning and falling asleep. I love Cathy, don't get me wrong, but jeez, it didn't seem right to give her another book, when the main focus was clearly her children, Bart and Jory. Okay, so here's where If There Be Thorns left off: Bart was a pain in the butt and went psycho, killing animals and pissing off John Amos, causing Foxworth Hall to finally burn down. Okay, so maybe it was asking too much of the author to expect Foxworth Hall to remain burned down, because this fourth book in the series opens with Cathy and CHris arriving at Foxworth Hall. That ticked me off a little; how much backtracking can you do, Andrews? Moving right along, I absolutely loved Jory in this novel; in the first he was a little too peppy for me, Bart's insanity-laced rants more my style. But in Seeds of Yesterday, he's married and, of course, pursued his mother's dream of him becoming a ballet dancer. He's married to Melodie, who was trouble, I just knew it. Bart was some sort of billionaire, though the author didn't really elaborate as to how he got his money. One of the main focuses was the conflict between Bart and Jory and CIndy, and I loved that aspect; Bart was a character who screwed everything up, in a great, interesting way. Another main focus of this novel was Bart's obsession with getting his grandmother's money, seeing as she burned to death in the book before. One thing that really, really bugged me about this book: at the end of the last book, Cathy screamed to their mother's grave that she forgave her; about five pages into this book, Cathy says how she could never forgive her. WTF? Anyways, this book was the second best in the series in my opinion. The main improvement had to be more of a shifted focus, to Bart and Jory. Their story was only slightly less disturbing than Cathy and Chris', but it was still lighter. While Bart was a man-ho, he slowly turned into my favorite character. While Jory remained static much like Chris and Cathy, Bart was constantly changing, morphing my view of him. He was evil, insane, and a genius at first; then he was a lost, child-like adult who just needed help. No matter what else was happening, you didn't really know what Bart was going to do. My final complaint: the ending was so dang happily-ever-after I wanted to scream. I got that after tragedy struck, everyone realized their mistakes and moved on with their lives. But, really, was it necessary to make Bart and Cindy sing hymns together? It just seemed like a cheesy wrap-up to a dark, despairing series. Maybe she was going for the whole Chris was an optimist, so let's end his story optimistically spin, but I was disappointed. In a non-sadistic way. (Sorry for the long review).
4 stars and a recommendation to fans of the series. I recommend the series to fans of dark tragedies. I'll admit to having cried at the end of this one, before the cheesiness set in.

Geek Charming by Robin Palmer

Dylan Shoenfield is the princess of L.A.'s posh Castle Heights High. She has the coolest boyfriend, the most popular friends, and a brand-new "it" bag that everyone covets. But when she accidentally tosses her bag into a fountain, this princess comes face-to-face with her own personal frog: selfprofessed film geek Josh Rosen. In return for rescuing Dylan's bag, Josh convinces Dylan to let him film her for his documentary on high school popularity. Reluctantly, Dylan lets F-list Josh into her A-list world, and is shocked to realize that sometimes nerds can be pretty cool. But when Dylan's so-called prince charming of a boyfriend dumps her flat, her life and her social status comes to a crashing halt. Can Dylan with Josh's help pull the pieces together to create her own happily-ever-after?
--
Forgive me for putting off my inevitably long review for Stray, but I read Geek Charming last night and I'd much rather write about a silly teen read than an adult read. So, to get to the point: Is it totally terrible that I hated Dylan, the queen bee who is later de-throned because the king bee (king bee? really? I must be tired) just dumped her, from the first page to the last page. I think we were supposed to see that popular people are just like geeks, but I didn't get that; I got that Dylan Shoenfield is a bitch, Josh Rosen is way too forgiving and Hannah and Lola were even bigger bitches. Sure, by the end I wanted to slap Lola and Hannah for being so terrible to Dylan, but mostly because it was infuriating the way they got their way. And yeah, sure, Dylan got what she 'deserved', getting kicked off the Ramp (how overly obnoxious was it that the popular kids are actually elevated at lunch?), but she gets to be best friends with Josh, who, despite his makeover, remained pudgy and pale, in my imagination. Last complaint: I totally thought the book was going one direction; it was so freaking obvious that (spoiler) something was going to happen between Dylan and Josh. Half the time they seemed to be flirting, and then that party scene totally made me scream when the author decided, no, they weren't going to be a couple, just best friends. Ugh. Okay, so, as a pessimist disguised as an optimist, I'll look for some redeeming points. I loved the movie references in the book, they just added so much, and I must admit, I'm fairly sure I've seen every movie mentioned, despite their geekiness. And, while I grumble beneath my breath, I'll admit to liking the whole documentary thing. It was believable, while a lot of books where geeks turn into princes do it so unbelievably I'm groaning as I read it. My main complaint is that there was no real closure.
2.5 stars (a bit harsh maybe) and a recommendation to those of you looking for a quick, light, frustratingly popularity-based novel.

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste… 

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

--

First off: Ever is one of my favorite characters. I just loved her, despite the little nagging things that weren't great about her. SHe just seemed perfect. Okay, so moving on from my very tiny girl-crush on a fictional character... Damen on the other hand was not one of my favorite characters, and neither was Haven. They kind of bugged me a lot, for very different reasons. In my opinion, this series is more character-driven than plot-driven, since the plot is a lot Twilight-ish. The whole immortal world is basically like every other vampire book, except without the vampires. So why do I love this series? Okay, so a little bit of that is Ever, and a lot of it is the addicting quality Noel captures. Even when I was bordering on rolling my eyes, I was still turning pages. Another thing I loved was how technical Damen gets about how the immortal world works; so many books never bother to go into the details, but Evermore got into the details (as sketchy and nonsensical as they are) and follows the rules strictly. And Riley; gosh where do I start with how much I loved her character. Her story was tragic (I felt so bad she never turned thirteen.. I get way too emotionally involved) and yet I loved how she got to come back and hang out with Ever. Not to dwell on my girl-crush longer than necessary, but I loved how her name was Ever; it was just so pretty-sounding. Finally, the plot moved super-fast, which, in novels where the story-line isn't so strong, is a great quality. Whether she was sitting in class or hanging out with the elusive Damen, everything was at light speed. And lastly, I loved the bad guys (in my opinion, totally bad-ass, in a vampire-esque way), and the ending left me drooling for more. Almost literally. In general, not great, but worth the read.

3.5 stars and a recommendation to Twilight fans (ouch) and vampire fans in general. They're not vampires, but I think they're similar enough.