Review: Split Second by Kasie West

Book: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Series: Pivot Point #2

Released: February 11, 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 360 (Kindle)

Rating: 4.5

Goodreads

 From Goodreads:

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

Let me just start by saying I will read absolutely anything Kasie West writes. This is her third book, and I have loved and adored all 3. She is churning out books {almost} as fast as I can read them. She is a master at weaving complex stories that are still accessible, with a dose of swoony boys, snark, twists and turns, and characters to love.

Split Second is the follow up novel to Pivot Point, so if you haven't read the first one, there will be spoilers for the first book in this review (also, what are you waiting for? Get thee to a bookstore, pronto). I loved Pivot Point (review here), and the follow up most definitely did not disappoint. Each chapter kept me hooked (seriously, it's like there's mini cliff-hangers for almost every chapter), and I couldn't stop reading it.

Split Second picks up right where Pivot Point left off. While Pivot Point alternated between the Paranormal and Norm chapters, Split Second alternates between Addie & Laila chapters (with texts at the top of each chapter to clarify who is talking). While dual points of view don't usually work for me, this one did. They each had a distinctive voice, and even when they are together in later chapters, it is still easy to determine who is talking-even with the texts at the top of each chapter. 

I was already fully invested in Addie's storyline, but the one I didn't expect to love so much was Laila's. We got glimpses of her in Pivot Point, but by having her POV in Split Second, we are able to learn even more about her. She's snarky, damaged, subborn and fiercely protective of her friendship with Addie and her brothers, particularly Eli. Also happening in this book, a love interest for Laila by the name of Connor. Oh Connor, he's a great match for Laila. I enjoyed their conversations, particularly when they would try to one-up each other and not let the other person win.

And then there's the Addie & Trevor feels. I LOVED them together so much in Pivot Point. I was devastated when Addie had Laila remove her memories of Trevor at the end of the previous book. It made me smad.

What West does such a wonderful job of doing in Split Second is totally building Addie & Trevor's relationship. Again. It doesn't feel stale. It feels new and fresh and it totally worked for me. Also spoiler *his three things he kept asking her after she told him may have been my favorite part of their relationship. So sweet.*

One of my favorite minor characters from Pivot Point is also in this book: Brody, Trevor's totally cute little brother. I am so glad we got to see him again. He helps with the meet-cute when Addie & Trevor first see each other again. A great moment for sure.

Duke is back again also. I have such mixed feelings about him. I could not stand the guy for obvious reasons after the first book, and honestly I didn't like him for most of this one either, but he does come through in a few areas over the course of Split Second.

Overall, I felt the actual plot in Split Second is stronger than in Pivot Point. I enjoyed how we got to jump right in to this story on this one (which is one of the reasons I love series so much) and it paid off in action. There are some INTENSE moments in this book. And the story is better for it. I could not stop reading the last 25% of the book for this exact reason. I HAD to know how everything was going to be resolved.

I was happy to hear that while the main story of Addie & Trevor is over, that Kasie West is considering wring a companion novel (or 2, or 3, or 4...). There is so much potential left to explore inside (and outside) the Compound. I hope she writes more about this world.

Review: Splintered by AG Howard

Book: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Series: Splintered #1

Released: January 15, 2013

Publisher: Amulet

Pages: 384 (Kindle)

Rating: 4.5

Goodreads

I love this cover. Gorgeous font. Love it all.

From Goodreads:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

First things first, I have an insane amount of books on my kindle waiting to be read. So many, in fact, that I made my husband choose my next book since I was feeling even more indecisive than usual. He scrolled through all the choices and summaries and immediately decided on Splintered. He's a big fan of Lewis Carroll and the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. I'd been meaning to get to reading this for a long time, and thanks to my husband I finally did. I'm very glad I read this book. I really enjoyed it and even more exciting is upon finishing the book and reading the author bio, I discovered that A.G. Howard lives in my hometown (I live in a small-ish town. So yeah, this was super exciting for me as it never happens). So down the rabbit hole I went.

Obviously this book appeals to people that enjoy Carroll's story and the movie(s), but be prepared, this book is CrAzY and messed up. The world Howard creates in her version of Wonderland is fantastically creepy, and I mean that in the best way possible. She takes the well-known characters and twists them and makes the much darker. The White Rabbit is actually the Rabid White-an antlered creature that is mostly skin and bones. Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are actually two spider-like creatures in charge of the dead. The Mad-Hatter is still mad, but he has no face. Creeeeep-y.

But in the midst of all the creepiness, there's Alyssa. She's a descendant of Alice, THE Alice, from Carroll's stories. We meet Alyssa before she ever steps foot in Wonderland. She lives with her dad and her mom Alison is in an insane asylum. She's a skater girl who works in a vintage clothing shop. What I love so much about Alyssa is how level-headed she is. Even when the world is going bonkers around her she is able to think clearly (well, almost always. coughhuggingMorpheuscough).

Let's take a moment to discuss the two guys in Alyssa's life. Morpheus and Jeb. Ahhh Jeb. He's Alyssa's best friend/crush since she was in 6th grade. He follows Alyssa through the mirror into Wonderland and helps her through all her trials. He's sweet and kind and caring, but also daring. He does everything he can to help her. But then there's Morpheus. He's the one who came to Alyssa in her dreams to teach her about Wonderland. He's all dark, mysterious and has this kind of power over Alyssa.

There were so many twists and turns in this story. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out plot points, but this one kept me on my toes the entire time. Every time I felt I finally had something figured out, BAM, wrong. I loved it. I really enjoy stories that surprise me.

Most of all, the writing in this is absolutely breathtaking. Howard does a magnificent job of balancing the writing to sound like Alyssa and maintaining the beauty of the story. The visuals that are created are stunning. I would LOVE to see a graphic novel of this. The world and this story would lend itself fantastically to one.

ALIENATED Launch & NOOK Giveaway!

Hey everyone! We're excited to be a part of Melissa Landers' launch week party! I've been looking forward to this book for a while, so I'm glad it's finally here. As I've mentioned several times before sci-fi/fantasy is my favorite genre to read, so this one is right up my alley. We're lucky to have a post from the author herself today, so without further ado, here's Melissa!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hey, fiction lovers. I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce that my debut YA sci-fi romance, ALIENATED, is finally available from Disney-Hyperion! Cue the dancers and toss the confetti, because it’s been a long wait!

                              

In a nutshell, ALIENATED is the story of valedictorian Cara Sweeney, who gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to host the nation’s first intergalactic exchange student, the gorgeous but emotionally-stilted Aelyx (pronounced A-licks) from planet L’eihr. The tone is light and humorous, but I explore some deeper themes as well.

What do reviewers have to say?

“The storyline is out of this world and character development paired with authentic voice is superb. Filled with intrigue and suspense, this book will appeal to both sci-fi and contemporary YA fiction fans.” –VOYA

“Interstellar relations heat up in this start to a new romantic science fiction series. Landers [explores] larger social, ecological, and ethical issues in this tense, fast-paced read.” –Booklist

“The perfect blend of sizzling romance, action, and suspense.” –#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

“Smart, funny, and epic. I am now awaiting contact from planet L’eihr.” Julie Cross, bestselling author of Tempest.

“Intergalactic exchange students? Yes, please! I fell in love with this story and couldn’t put it down.” Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

If you like hot, swoony science fiction as much as I do, I hope you’ll give ALIENATED a try. It’s now available in stores and online.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1eHsLaf

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1dZqtBI

Book Depo (free international shipping): http://bit.ly/1hzxOfs

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1dfZHDW

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a Nook Simple Touch. I’ll even throw in a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble so you can fill your new e-reader with whatever you want!

Now for the fine print: This giveaway is open to US residents only. (Sorry, international friends, but you need a US billing address to buy digital content on the Nook.) Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information, or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

 Check out the book trailer below:

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

We're so excited to join in the giveaway! Use the rafflecopter below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Book: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Series: Pivot Point #1

Released: February 12, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 320 (Kindle)

Rating: 5

 

Goodreads 

 

From Goodreads:

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 I've mentioned before that I tend to lean more towards sci-fi/future/dystopian books more than contemporary, but I'm quickly coming to love contemporary more and more. I've read some fantastic contemporary books lately, and this one is no exception. Added bonus? Some fantasy elements which I really LOVED. 

I don't know what took me so long to read this one. I bought it at the end of last year, and sat there and looked at it for weeks on my kindle screen, always choosing to read another book. Finally I decided that I wanted to read it, and now I can't figure out WHY I waited so long. 

Addie is the star of our book. She's a paranormal high school student, with the ability to see or "search" into the future based on decisions she makes. So when her parents announce they are getting a divorce, it should take a simple search into her future to decide which parent she wants to live with, right? Stay with her mom and her best friend in the Compound, or leave and enter the Norm world with her dad. Turns out her decision is not that simple.

 

In one potential outcome, Addie remains at the top secret super Compound with her mom and her best friend Laila (who has memory modification abilities). She starts dating Duke (telekinesis), the hot, all-star quarterback.

In the other potential outcome, Addie moves to Dallas with her dad, and starts at regular high school where no one has even heard of people with super powers. Here she meets Trevor, a super nice and cute boy she wants to make her new best friend.

 

90% of this book switches back and forth between the two potential outcomes. What makes it so interesting, is that Addie is truly living these situations. She'll remember everything from the other outcome while living the one she chooses. While the setting does alternate, I really appreciated that West uses words and definitions to keep each world straight, highlighting which one Addie is currently in.

 

What particularly draws you in, is the characters. Addie is a totally likeable and I was immediately invested in her as our main character. She's funny, kind, and while she doesn't love football (IN TEXAS! This is not okay. It's our state sport...), she has lots of other redeeming qualities, like a love for all books.

 

Hahaha. Sorry, not sorry. :)

I love the addition of the super powers the characters have inside the Compound. It's not over-the-top physical abilities, but mental. Which is totally awesome. Telekinesis? Check! Persuasive Abilities? Check! Mood Control? Check! Memory Modification? Check! Lie Detecting? Check! But they aren't the only characters in the book. It's hard not to love Trevor. He's sweet, nice and just an all around good guy (because, duh, he's a Texan). 

 

I found myself more invested in the NORM story line than the one inside the Compound. Not that it wasn't interesting. While I liked Duke, it was hard not to root for Trevor. I actually found myself switching my preferred OTP throughout the book.

 

One of my favorite things about the book was how there were still elements that intertwined to create the overall mystery that happens throughout the book. While I don't particularly love big mystery books, I love ones that have a slight mystery element (when they aren't the main focus of the book). I love trying to figure out the overall picture (which is also probably why I'm currently OBSESSED with Veronica Mars. For real. I can't stop. It's put a major dent in my reading time), and I liked trying to fit the pieces together from both outcomes to figure out what was going to happen.

OB. SESSED.

I would have loved to see more world-building, and I'm hoping there will be more in the second book, Split Second, but it didn't bother me too much, and definitely  not enough to change my rating. Overall I really LOVED this book, and can't wait for February 11th when the next book comes out.

 

PS. This is today's (1/25) kindle daily deal, so go snag it on amazon for $1.99 right now! You won't be sorry!

 

Review: Intangible by C.A. Gray

Book: Intangible by C.A. Gray

Series: Piercing the Veil #1

Released: December 1, 2013

Publisher: Wunderlust Publishing

Pages: 307 (Kindle)

Rating: 3.5

 

Goodreads 

 

 

*I received this book from Netgalley*

Peter Stewart grew up on a unique version of the Arthurian legends taught him by his father, a harebrained quantum physicist who asserts that anything is possible. But Peter disbelieves anything which cannot be scientifically explained, despite a nagging sense that there is more to the world than meets the eye.

Lily Portman is an orphan with a secret: she can see creatures that are invisible to everyone else. These creatures control every human being she has ever met to varying degrees... until she meets Peter and his father.

When a mysterious stranger stages an accident which nearly costs Peter and Lily their lives, suddenly Lily learns that she is not crazy after all, and Peter discovers the truth of his father’s sto9

.ries… including the existence of Arthur’s ancient nemesis, one who calls himself the Shadow Lord, and a prophecy with implications so profound that it will alter not only the course of their lives, but potentially the fate of the world

 

I've always found King Arthur and his knights fascinating, even though I haven't read much about them since high school. Required reading can burn a person out on certain topics. So when I came across this book on Netgalley, I immediate requested it. It sounded so interesting! A mix of the Arthurian legends with magic and a current day setting? I'm in.

 

This book did not disappoint. Even though I typically read novels with female protagonists, I really liked Peter. He was geeky and interesting. I wanted to know more about him and his father, Bruce (who is totally lovable and nerdy). Peter knows science. Like REALLY REALLY knows science. He struggles in school because he's bored. He gets picked on by his best friend Cole's older brother (Brock) all the time. Life is rough for Peter.

 

The story starts off with a bang. Literally Peter and his friends are in a car crash. And he does something magical. He changes the outcome. But how?

 

We then go back in time to two days earlier. Peter meets a girl named Lily. Who is apparently just as crazy as his father, at least according to Peter. He doesn't know what to think of her. This part of the book is a little slow, at least for me. But it quickly picks up again when we get back to the car crash. For real this time.

Peter and his friends enter a mysterious place to escape being attacked after the crash. That place? None other than Camelot. Turns out all the stories Bruce told Peter growing up are true-to an extent. There's definitely some twists to the classic stories.

 

One of my favorite parts is trying to determine who the child of the prophecy is. Is it really Peter like everyone believes? I mean, he is a doppelganger of King Arthur. Or could it be Lily? Or maybe even the mysterious Kane? I have a theory, and I can't wait to see if its true.

 

A younger version of this guy, perhaps? I'll take it.

 I really enjoyed this story. It kept me on the ball and intrigued. I occasionally struggled with Peter's need to rely on science to explain everything. Especially complicated science like quantum and string theory. But it's easy to get around the more scientific aspects of the book as it moves at a fairly quick pace and the main story keeps you interested.

Also, the ending? The ending is wonderful. While I went back and forth during parts of the book on whether or not I would continue the series, the ending ensures that I will be back for the second book, Invincible.

Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson

Book: Defy by Sara B. Larson

Series: Defy #1

Released: January 7, 2014

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 336 pages (Kindle)

Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Goodreads 

 

 

 

From Goodreads:

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

 

*First of all, thank you to Scholastic for sending me this book via Netgalley*

 

Sigh. I had SUCH high hopes for this book. It was even on my TTT for 2014 releases I was dying to read. On the surface this book had lots of things I like: Gender-bending, mystery, historical-like setting, royalty. Sounds like it would be a home-run for me, right? Wrong. So wrong. And I'm sad.

 

 This book reminded me so much of the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce, but uh not nearly as good. The love triangle in this story pretty much took over the entire story. While I love me some romance, I don't want it to be at the expense of the rest of the story, which is what happened here. It was so promising in places!

The book starts off which Alexa and her twin brother Marcel (hmm, sounds familiar... cough Alanna and Thom cough) seeing their parents die. To avoid being sent to the breeding house, which I'll discuss in a minute, they chop of Alexa's hair and call her Alex so she can join the army. The main story picks up 3 years later when Alexa Alex is part of Prince Damian's elite guard.  

 

Alexa is not as awesome as Mulan.

Let's jump back to the breeding house thing for a minute. I HATED this. And not just for the moral/obvious reasons. The breeding house is where all girls are sent to be raped until they become pregnant to produce more soldiers for the army. Ugh. 1) The war has only been going on for 10 years. This doesn't need to happen. There should still be lots of men to choose from before resorting to this. 2) Alexa needed something to be afraid of (other than snakes), and *this* is the thing you come up with? 3) Yes, it's evil and it conveys how awful King Hector is, but there's lots of other ways to accomplish this other than objectifying women. 4) There's no in-between on women. It's either the women being raped, or Alexa. That's it, really. Even the other somewhat strong women characters in the story have major weaknesses.

Alexa started off as a really strong character. I respected her decisions and her strength as a fighter. I even had sympathy for her during the death of a certain character, which was necessary, but I didn't like the execution. So then, THEN, the love triangle gets introduced, and overtakes the entire story. On one side you have Stefan Salvatore Rylan, who is one of the other elite guards with Alex, and on the other side is Damon Salvatore Prince Damian. How will she choose? There's lots of discussion of their eye color and how she gets lost in their eyes. Or their hot bodies. 

 

One of my favorite parts of gender-bending stories is the reveal. The "reveal" in this book sucked. Because SPOILER Both Damian and Rylan already knew that she was a girl and had been in love with her from the beginning. END SPOILER. I just, ugh. I hated this whole love triangle. Plus, it's totally obvious she likes one a lot more than the other, but won't be with him because of REASONS. Snooze. I stopped caring, especially when you talk about it every 10 pages. 

 

What I wanted to do upon the 3587475 mention of how she can't decide who to pick

 

The one shining part of the love triangle is when she's forced to sleep between the two of them. Awkwardness and hilarity ensue. I wish more of the book had been like this. It was a great scene.

Can I also say how much I despised some of the name in this book? Blevon is a horrible name for a country. And Tanoori? Blah. And General Tinso? Ick. 

So yeah. Totally disappointed with this book. The first 30% started off strong, and then they enter the jungle, the love story takes over, and it becomes fairly predictable. Even the BIG SECRET is totally obvious and I knew it the entire time. So yeah. 2 stars. And you should just go read Alanna because it's fantastic and does everything right that a gender-bending, love triangle, save the kingdom story needs to do. Or watch Mulan. Another solid choice.

 

Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Book: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 

Released: June 18, 2013

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 159 pages (Nook)

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
 Goodreads

"You do not pass or fail at being human, dear."

A middle aged man attends a funeral in the town where he grew up. There he is drawn to the old farm house at the end of the lane, down the road from his childhood home. This is where he meets the extraordinary Lettie Hempstock, along with her mother and grandmother, when he is just seven years old.  

   He hasn't thought of Lettie in over a decade, though he sits outside the old farmhouse, in front of the pond that Lettie claimed was an ocean. It's then that his forgotten memories come flooding back. Memories that are so strange and frightening that they couldn't have really happened to a seven year old boy, could they?

Some forty years earlier and man commits suicide outside of the old farmhouse. This action unleashes a darkness that is unimaginably scary to a seven year old boy. But there's Lettie, the extraordinary girl from farmhouse who promises to protect him no matter what. 

Let me start off by saying that I really, thoroughly enjoyed this short novel. However, I couldn't give it a full five stars. The reason I only gave it four stars is simple, it's marketed as an Adult Fiction novel when to me it read much like Gaiman's children books. I found it to be much more along the lines of "Coraline" or "The Graveyard Book". I just never saw the adult content that would classify it as Adult Fiction. 

That small point aside, I really thought this book was fantastic. This is the third Neil Gaiman book I've read and so far I've never been disappointed with his work. His writing style is wonderfully vivid and imaginative. He's incredibly talented in drawing the reader in and keeping them engrossed the entire time. "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" is a relatively short read (just what a mom with a four month old needs!) The characters were charming and endearing. However, I would suggest reading it during the day. Some parts made my spine tingle and my hair stand on end. The story was magical and scary, beginning to end! 

If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read then look no further. Pick this one up and I promise you will not be disappointed.