Beauty and the Werewolf, by Mercedes Lackey (Five Hundred Kingdoms #6)

Bella is smart, responsible, and resigned to the fact that she will end up a spinster. She has a plan-learn her herbs and stuff and open an apothecary shop. Then one day on her way to Granny's, Bella is bitten by a wolf. After getting home she is carted away by royal guards to the local Duke's manor and told that the wolf who bit her was in fact a werewolf-the duke to be exact. In order to make sure that Bella doesn't turn lupine and get loose she is required to remain at the duke's castle until they are sure she is safe and fully human. While staying there Bella gets close to the duke and his mysterious gamekeeper, and tries to solve the mystery of how the duke turned werewolf in the first place.

Overall Thoughts:
I love the concept of the Five Hundred Kingdoms novels but haven't loved all the books themselves. The story in Beauty and the Werewolf was cute, and I thought combining Little Red Riding Hood with Beauty and the Beast was clever, but I found the plot kind of messy. At any point I was either really bored with what was going on and completely lost patience with the tedious details, or jumping out of my seat with excitement, desperate to see what happens next. There was no middle ground which could have very easily dissuaded me had I not enjoyed some of the previous Five Hundred Kingdom novels. I also felt like Beauty and the Werewolf would have made a better novella or short story than full blown few hundred page novel. There were many unnecessary details that could have been left out, and I also felt that Bella's adventures with Eric were completely pointless. They accomplished very little storytelling and what they added in detail and collection of information wasn't as valuable as the patience they took away.

Characters:
Bella is similar to all the other heroines in the previous Five Hundred Kingdom novels in that she is smart and a little too sensible. But while I didn't mind that in the other books and actually enjoyed having a heroine with a brain, something about Bella struck me as stuck-up. It seemed as though she judged people and if she decided they weren't smart enough or up to her standards she would write them off as stupid or vapid and act as if she was better than them. What was especially hypocritical was that she would complain and comment about her stepfamily and their friends insisting on living up to certain social expectations while she herself is inflicting her own standards on everyone she meets. Speaking of Bella's family-where were they? They were mentioned so much in the beginning and they were introduced in a way that made me think they'd be prominent characters all the way through but instead they disappeared after a few pages and only made occasional appearances in Bella's thoughts. Either they should have been mentioned more throughout the story or they should have been mentioned minimally in the beginning. Their characters were too developed to act as a real foil to Bella.

3.7 stars.

The magic continues in "New York Times" bestselling author Mercedes Lackey's enchanting new story from the Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series. A beauty must battle some beasts before she rescues her prince.

The eldest daughter is often doomed in fairy tales. But Bella—Isabella Beauchamps, daughter of a wealthy merchant—vows to escape the usual pitfalls.

Anxious to avoid the traditional path, Bella dons a red cloak and ventures into the forbidden forest to consult with "Granny," the local wisewoman. But on the way home she's attacked by a wolf—who turns out to be a cursed nobleman. Secluded in his castle, Bella is torn between her family and this strange man who creates marvelous inventions and makes her laugh—when he isn't howling at the moon.

Bella knows all too well that breaking spells is never easy. But a determined beauty, a wizard (after all, he's only an occasional werewolf) and a little Godmotherly interference might just be able to bring about a happy ending.

The Runaway Princess, by Hester Browne

Amy is a totally average girl. She's pretty, but not gorgeous, smart, but not a genious, and is also a little shy. After a party-crashing disaster, Amy meets Leo, her prince charming. However, it isn't until after they've gone out once or twice that Amy finds out her prince charming really is a prince, 5th in line to the throne of the tiny island Nirona. Suddenly, Amy is thrust into a world she never dreamed of being part of, full of fancy balls and galas and expensive dresses, but she still holds on to her gardening roots (pun not intended-she really is a gardener). When a series of events forces Leo closer to the throne than anyone expected, Amy is pushed even farther into his world and is faced with the biggest dilemma of her life: be with the man she loves and become a totally new person, or stay true to herself?

Overall thoughts:
Totally adorable!!! Hester Browne always adds something to her novels that make them more than just another stupid romance and this one was no different. The main theme of the Runaway Princess was to be who you are and not to change yourself for someone else, which I thought was very similar to the theme in The Little Lady and the Prince. In both books the main character questions how much of herself she should compromise in a relationship with a man she loves, only to discover or learn later that compromise has to go both ways.

What I expected vs. what I got:
Based on the description, I thought that The Runaway Princess would start with Amy and Leo already engaged, and I was pleasantly surprised to find Amy single at the start of the book. I loved how the novel is set up in a way to take the reader on a journey through Amy and Leo's relationship. It gave the plot a depth that it otherwise wouldn't have had because it made me fall in love with them while they fell for each other. If the story had only started once they were engaged and all the drama started then I wouldn't have been committed to Amy and Leo as a couple and probably would have wanted her to dump him for some sweet normal guy, because I love reading the beginning of the love story.

Characters:
I absolutely adored the cast of characters in The Runaway Princess. Every single one was unique, round, and memorable, with totally different personalities. In particular I loved Jo and she was the perfect "quirky best friend". Jo was supposed to play second-string to Amy, as this was Amy's story, but Jo managed to take over any scene she was in with her big personality. This may sound a little off because she was only supposed to be on the side, but I liked it because I felt like this was how Jo and Amy would be if they were real people, just because of Amy's shyness. Jo also had that perfect best friend quality which can be very hard to find, which is a complete lack of jealousy. In a book about a girl being engaged to a prince you'd think that her best friend would be jealous but Browne managed to create a best friend whose happiness for the future princess was one hundred percent genuine.
I wouldn't be able to write about the characters without mentioning Zoe. She had only two appearances but I loved both of them, especially the second one which was so good I nearly started crying (in a good way!!!). I would say more but this part was so good that my words wouldn't do it justice.

5 stars.

If Amy Wilde’s new boyfriend, Leo, treats her like a queen, that’s because he’s secretly a prince himself: Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the ninth most eligible royal bachelor in the world. Amy soon discovers that dating an heir to a throne has many charms—intimate alfresco dinners, glittering galas, and, for a girl who lives in jeans and wellies, a dazzling new wardrobe with tiaras to match. But there are also drawbacks: imagine the anxiety of meeting your boyfriend’s parents multiplied by a factor of “riding in a private jet,” “staying in a castle,” and “discussing the line of succession over lunch.” Not to mention the sudden press interest in your very un-royal family. When an unexpected turn of events pushes Leo closer to the throne, the Wolfsburgs decide to step up Amy’s transformation from down-to-earth gardener to perfectly polished princess-in-waiting. Amy would do anything for Leo, but is finding her Prince Charming worth the price of losing herself?

Outside In, by Maria V. Snyder (Insiders, #2)

To read my review on the first Insiders book, Inside Out, click here.

The fight against the Travas is over and the society in the cube flying through space is on their way to democracy. Or at least, that's what Trella thought would happen after the events of Inside Out. However, trying to install a new system of government is a lot harder than it seems (and it seems pretty hard!!) and the citizens of Inside are facing a new unknown danger. Mysterious explosions are occurring on board and everyone is looking at Trella and her Force of Sheep to save the day once again. With the fate of her world on her hands Trella must explore her homeship for new areas and clues as to the mission of the ship is, and find the villain exploding parts of her home and endangering her friends, all while trying to spend time with her new boyfriend. And when Trella discovers that this new threat is from Outside, everything she knows is turned upside down and inside out (sorry, couldn't help myself).

Overall thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. It took me a while to actually pick it up because when a prequel has a solid ending like Inside Out did, I don't want to mess up the perfect world in my head. However, once I started Outside In I couldn't put it down. I'm not kidding-I read it in one day because I just couldn't go to sleep without finishing it, and that doesn't usually happen to me on a school night. I should probably include though that I did skim parts of the book because of the technical lingo. I knew it wouldn't overwhelm me if I bothered to read it through and understand it, but I just wanted to get to the good stuff and I didn't want to waste time on the boring stuff.

Plot speed:
Very fast. This book doesn't waste time. Once the story started, which took a few pages because we first had to be reminded of what happened in Inside Out and given an update on where things stand at the moment, it went fast. There were very few calm moments, but that didn't bother me because there were still some still moments in the middle of the chaos that allowed Trella (and the reader) time to gather her thoughts.

Characters:
Way too many. I lost track at some point. There were plenty of characters in Inside Out and in Outside In all of those characters return plus some new ones. And it's also important to remember who's good and who's bad, who can be trusted and who can't be and all of that nonsense. I had to reread several parts to keep myself from getting too confused and to remind myself whose on which side and how many sides there were.

My favorite parts:
Anytime sheep were mentioned!!!!! I loved how livestock the characters never saw in real life played such a prominent part in the story and represented a rebellion. Seriously, who would ever consider representing a rebellion with a tame animal like a sheep? Even a goat is less ridiculous! But the sheep (especially Sheepy) were what drew me in and kept me laughing even when I had no right to.

Romance:
This book made my heart squeal. I didn't really like Trella and Riley's relationship in Inside Out because I kind of felt like she was doing all the work and he was just there to be a pretty face, but he did his share of hard work in Outside In to make up for that. Their romance was sweet and innocent in a world where nothing else was.

Sequel possible?
I'm not sure. The ending was very well-rounded and left almost no cracks to slip another novel in, but I would have said the same thing after finishing Inside Out.

5 stars. Despite my complaints, this book was truly awesome. 

 
Me?

A leader?

Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion—between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again—while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside.

And something from Outside wants In.

Reached, by Ally Condie (Matched #3)

Here are reviews of the previous two books in the series: Matched and Crossed

Finals are over and I can finally catch up on my reviews, starting with Reached which I read weeks ago. Cassia, Ky, and Xander are working for the rebellion and are waiting for the the Society to fall so the dystopian society (lowercase s) can be patched up. Told from all three of their points of view, Reached answers all the questions from the previous books and introduces a new concept: plague. A new danger is rampant throughout the land and the Rebellion is working hard to find the cure and save the citizens from both the disease and the government. Cassia is working as a sorter and an archivist, Ky as a pilot with Indie, and Xander is a physic and taking care of people with this mysterious new illness, and all three are working for the Rebellion. But can the Rebellion live up to the hopes and dreams of the people waiting for it?

Overall thoughts:
This was a good end to a series that couldn't really convince me it would be good. My one big complaint, which applies to all the books in the series, is that the entire thing seems abstract. It's an odd thing to explain but something about this book makes me feel disconnected. I know this is supposed to be a book about a possible future but I felt like it was nothing more than a few basic plotlines laid out without any details because of the utter lack of grittiness of any sort. Usually I complain about too much grit but this series has the opposite problem. The worst part is that there were plenty of opportunities to fix this problem and yet it's still so squeaky clean.

My favorite character:
I loved Lei. She was extremely interesting and even though she was a new character her connection to a character from a previous book only made her better in my opinion. Her devotion, commitment, and belief in Xander was inspiring.

My least favorite character:
Indie. I hated her in the last book and wanted her to disappear, and I hated her presence in Reached. She is selfish, a bad friend, and a nuisance.

Romance:*******spoilers ahead*********
The romance in this book was tidy. All characters in love with Ky and Cassia were given an ending, whether it be death or a new significant other. What I found interesting was that Lei was Vick's (from book 2) girlfriend. Vick died because he took one of Cassia's blue pills that she got from Xander. So if you think about it, Xander provided the pills that killed his new girlfriend's old boyfriend.

Ending:
Very good and very neat. I loved how it ended without saying what is going to happen to the government because it shows that that isn't the main point of the book.

4.2 stars.

 
After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #1)

Picture Cinderella in your head. Now picture Cinderella the cyborg mechanic living in a dystopian future where the people are being plagued by a mysterious disease called letumosis and Earth's citizens are working to prevent war with the moon's citizens. After her beloved step-sister is diagnosed and taken away to die in quarantine, Cinder's step-mother volunteers her step-daughter outcast for research. Cinder is taken away to be a guinea pig and learns new things about herself that she never would have dreamed of (I'm not talking about self-discovery, but actual physical things about herself). Meanwhile, Cinder is also trying to fix a droid that may be an issue of national security for the handsome prince while attempting not to fall for him.

Overall thoughts:
There are some books which have plain and/or cliche plots but are written so well that they seem unique. Other books have such unique stories that even if the prose isn't incredible, it doesn't matter. Cinder is one of the latter. The prose wasn't exactly inspiring, but the plot was so different and far-fetched that i didn't care. I will say that this book is extremely predictable so I wasn't very surprised at any of the "OMG!!" moments.

Characters:
Because of the complexities in the plot I felt there wasn't much room for character development. Therefore, the villains seemed entirely one-sided. I understand that Levana is supposed to be evil incarnated, but Adri is supposed to have a tiny bit of good in her. The only time Adri showed that she was remotely human was when she showed grief at her daughter's sickness, but even then she turned that emotion evil when she sent Cinder away.

Supernatural elements:
This book is definitely more sci-fi than fantasy and the author makes sure to quell any bits of fantasy with scientific explanations by explaining that magic is actually bioelectricity.

Stand alone vs. series:
As much as I do enjoy a good series, I also enjoy when a book in a series can also stand alone just in case someone doesn't get around to the next book. This book didn't leave the reader with much choice, and the ending was one desperate for a sequel.

Romance:
The romance between Cinder and Kai was a sweet one that was based on crushes. It wasn't a squealy romance, rather one that was only there to make this a cinderella story.

5 stars. 


Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Swept Off Her Feet, by Hester Browne

Evie is a girl too focused on the past to live in the present. She sees the love and life that had been in antiques and holds on to useless treasures that were sentimental to others a long time ago. When Evie's sister Alice volunteers her to appraise the furniture and possessions in a Scottish castle owned by friends of her boyfriend Fraser's family, Evie could not be more excited. A genuine Scottish castle with all its history, plus time spent with her sister's boyfriend (her secret crush) are Evie's dream come true. However, instead of a peaceful vacation of examining antiques, Evie is faced with a hunt for a priceless heirloom, a ball complete with complicated antiquated dances, and a man who will sweep her off her feet.

Overall Thoughts:
I was a little reluctant to read this book. I knew it would be good, because it's a Hester Browne novel, but I was not very inspired by the description. Although I found the beginning a little boring, the book redeemed itself later and turned out not to be as boring as I had expected.

What I expected vs. what I got:
I'm accustomed to Hester Browne's novels being funny and sweet but this one struck me as a little more serious. I thought it would be more dramatic because Evie's non-crush on Fraser was mentioned in the description. Instead it was just as frothy as the rest of Hester Browne's novels, which was a relief because had it been serious it would have been another of those overdramatic novels about a family heirloom and a dangerous secret. As much as I love Hester Browne's writing, I'm happy she stuck to her usual bubbly story.

Speed of story:
This book started off a little too slow for my taste. Not enough to lower its high rating significantly, but enough that I had to mention it. It was a little boring at the beginning but once it got interesting, it was extremely enjoyable.

Characters:
Hester Browne's main characters in her other books that I've read are cute and smart with a distinct quirk, and Evie was no different. What separated Evie from those other central characters was the uniqueness of her quirk. A twenty-something year old woman obsessed with the past is pretty uncommon and could be too spacey, but the author managed to make her seem more endearing than annoying. The main foil to Evie is her sister Alice who is supposed to be her complete opposite. Alice is a doer, someone who works on instinct and doesn't put up with a mess. I also found her extremely irritating and an overall pain. Her relationship with Evie and Fraser seemed one-sided, as she just did what she wanted and expected them to always love her.

Stupidities that annoyed me:
Evie's crush on Fraser! It was more in her head than in her heart. Evie only liked him because she saw him as the perfect man and at times she even forgot all about her crush. She would only mention it sparingly, almost like it was an afterthought. It was a crush she (masochistically) wanted to have but didn't.

4.6 stars.

Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value. 

Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer. 

As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures—and dusty secrets? 

But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #6)

Here are links to my reviews of some of the previous books in the Pink Carnation series:
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (book #1)
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (book #4)
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (book #5)

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily is another in the Pink Carnation series, which combines modern romance with historical fiction, 18th century espionage, and good old-fashioned romance. In Blood Lily we are reunited with the impulsive and impossible Penelope who has just arrived in India with her new husband, Lord Frederick Staines. Freddie was sent to investigate a British officer in India, and the new couple undergoes numerous adventures on the way. Traveling as their guide in India is Captain Alex Reid, who is more than surprised to discover Penelope isn't the woman he expected her to be.

Overall Review:
This was the most satisfying of all the Pink Carnation novels. The modern story was good because the slow pace was actually okay for once. Eloise and Colin are finally together so the fact that their story would have lost a race against a snail didn't bother me. It was sweet to see their day to day lives as a couple. The historical romance in Blood Lily was satisfying and a lot edgier than the previous books, which made me enjoy it all the more. The other books were all pretty similar, but this one was jarringly different in a wonderful way.

Reading and Plot Speed:
This book, like all the others, was an easy and fast read. And once you reach the exciting parts, you are forced to finish it in one sitting.

Characters:
All the reviews I read about Blood Lily before reading it claimed that Penelope is the best of the heroines in the Pink Carnation series. I was inclined to disagree at the time because I thought her annoying and selfish in previous books. I remembered her as that girl who was friends with Hen and Charlotte and would constantly be putting them down while waiting for them to help her out of whatever heap of trouble she had just gotten into. However, once I started Blood Lily I grew to love Penelope more than any of the rest because she was the first one with not only brain or guts, but both. Another thing I liked a lot was how Alex was of a lower station than Penelope. In all the previous books the girls would marry up, but here Penelope is willing to let go of her extravagant lifestyle as Lady Staines and live life with the man she loves. Alex was a perfect match for Penelope because he completely balanced out Penelope's extreme personality.

Random Thoughts:
My biggest problem with the previous books was how they made sometimes fatal espionage seem fun and harmless. Blood Lily was a little darker and edgier than the others so it did add a bit more genuine historical flavor, but was still a little too fluffy.

5 stars.

The heroines of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series have engaged in espionage all over nineteenth-century Europe. In the sixth stand-alone volume, our fair English heroine travels to India, where she finds freedom—and risk—more exciting than she ever imagined.

Everyone warned Miss Penelope Deveraux that her unruly behavior would land her in disgrace someday. She never imagined she's be whisked off to India to give the scandal of her hasty marriage time to die down. As Lady Frederick Staines waits, Penelope plunges into the treacherous waters of the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, where no one is quite what they seem—even her husband. In a strange country, where elaborate court dress masks even more elaborate intrigues and a dangerous spy called the Marigold leaves venomous cobras as his calling card, there is only one person Penelope can trust...

Captain Alex Reid has better things to do than play nursemaid to a pair of aristocrats. Or so he thinks—until Lady Frederick Staines out-shoots, out-rides, and out-swims every man in the camp. She also has an uncanny ability to draw out the deadly plans of the Marigold and put herself in harm's way. With danger looming from local warlords, treacherous court officials, and French spies, Alex realizes that an alliance with Lady Staines just might be the only thing standing in the way of a plot designed to rock the very foundations of the British Empire...

The Sleeping Beauty, by Mercedes Lackey (Five Hundred Kingdoms #5)

To read my review of The Snow Queen (Five Hundred Kingdoms #4), click here.

Rosamund is a princess in the center of several fairy tales, and she is determined to make the most of them. She is kidnapped, put in a coma, woken up, and orphaned, and Rosamund is determined to control her own destiny. When Rosamund and her fairy godmother/evil stepmother, Lily, feel the Tradition closing in, this unlikely duo teams up to make sure Rosamund and her kingdom get their happy endings.

Thoughts immediately after reading:
OMG BEST 500 KINGDOMS BOOK EVER!!!!!! After thinking about it for a few minutes, I realized that I had this reaction after reading most of the others, so what I'm telling you is that this book is amazing and didn't ruin the books that came before it.

Reading speed:
Slow. I tend to speed through the books I really enjoy but I couldn't speed through this one. I don't know what it was about this, but the words needed a little more processing time. Despite this, I had a hard time putting this book down, which was why it took me over a week to finish.

Characters:
This is going to sound really petty, but my main comments on the characters in this novel are on their names. Siegfried, Leopold, and Desmond are a little too....I don't know the right word but they aren't names I particularly like. None of those names excite anything but snickers in me for some odd reason. Siegfried and Leopold are very old-fashioned and although the book takes place in a time of knights and princesses, it does have a modern feel to it and those names just didn't belong. I did love the name Sable, but sable is a carnivorous weasel and is supposed to have a negative connotation.

My Favorite Character:
Luna the unicorn! Or as I think of her, the Lunicorn! I love her cuteness and awesomeness and I want a unicorn. I also want to be a godmother. Basically, I want to live in the 500 Kingdoms.

Supernatural elements:
For anyone who hasn't caught on yet, the 500 Kingdoms books take place in a world where fairy tales repeatedly come to life, just not necessarily with happy endings. There are no vampires or werewolves, but there are princesses and unicorns which are way better.

Romance:
The romance in this book was scattered but satisfying. It wasn't the focus of the book but it did add a little flair. What was fun about the romance in this book was the doubt over who Rosamund would end up with. Sorry, that was incorrect-it was completely obvious who she would end up with, but I pretended like I didn't know and enjoyed every second of them falling for each other.

Ending:
Don't worry-no spoilers here. All I'm going to say is that it was a cute and satisfying ending and everyone got their just desserts.

Unsolved mysteries:
What was up with that bird? I was disappointed when no information was given about her except that she's a "wise beast." She played such an important role that a name or an explanation would have been fitting. Since she didn't have either she felt more like a crystal ball than a character.

5 stars

 
Heavy is the head--and the eyelids--of the princess who wears the crown...In Rosamund's realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs:For every princess there's a prince.

The king has ultimate power.

Stepmothers should never be trusted.

And bad things come to those who break with Tradition....

But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the guinea pig in one of her stepmother's risky incantations--thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.

When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future...between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a queen.

The moral of the story? Sometimes a princess has to create her own happy endings....

Raised By Wolves, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Bryn was only four when her parents were killed by a rogue werewolf and she was taken in by the werewolves who rescued her. She has lived with the pack for 11 years as one of their own, but when Bryn discovers a boy locked up in chains in the basement of the pack's alpha, everything starts to change. Chase was bitten by a rogue werewolf and Bryn is convinced that he holds the answers to the mysteries of her parents' deaths. Working together with Chase, Bryn goes on a mission to make sure the rogue wolf who killed her parents and tried to kill Chase will never harm a hair on her head. (Or huff and puff and blow her house down.)

In all of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' books that I've read there's been a headstrong, no-nonsense heroine and Bryn fit that description perfectly. Bryn is mischievous and self-assured and it was a pleasure to read the book from her point of view. She had enough personality that I could picture her as I read but I was still able to put myself in her place. Bryn wasn't one of those narrators who describes herself and doesn't live up to the description; she is who she says she is plus so much more.

I don't know why but I loved this book. I think werewolves may be my favorite supernaturals to read about, and this book did not disappoint on that front. Raised by Wolves was innocent enough for younger readers but it wasn't immature or ignorant as many other books are. All in all, I couldn't put it down and I recommend it to anyone looking for a satisfying read.

4.9 stars

 
Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it.  That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two. 

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Juliet Immortal, by Stacey Jay

The story of Romeo and Juliet was not one of tragic young love, but rather one of murder and betrayal. In order to become immortal, Romeo Montague killed his beloved Juliet. Romeo was promised eternal life lived in the bodies of others while spreading evil around the world and getting other young lovers to do as he did, but he never expected that Juliet would be given eternal life as well and that the two would become sworn enemies. The culmination of hundreds of years of fighting has arrived and Juliet finds herself in the body of a quiet and damaged teenager named Ariel. Juliet knows her mission and is determined to complete it and destroy Romeo once and for all, but everything changes once she meets Ben. Stuck in a body not her own, Juliet is faced with choices no girl would ever dream of making.

I was very excited to find this book because clever retellings and modern takes of classic tales appeal to me more than totally original books because they don't hide their origins. There's no such thing as a book that is completely from the author's mind and in retellings the author is telling you before you even pick up the book that the story inside is based on another. This challenges the author to come up with plot twists that both keep the story in line with the original while changing it entirely. Juliet Immortal was not quite a retelling but more of a story based on the characters Shakespeare introduced us to. Juliet makes it clear that Shakespeare's play was based on hers and Romeo's story but less about the lovers dying for immortality and more about the lovers dying for the sake of love (which in itself is stupid but I probably shouldn't go there now).

This book was really good, but at some point I was wondering how the author would resolve the many different problems with one solution. There was no visible solution in place so I wasn't surprised when the author invented new laws in her universe to give everyone who deserved it a happy ending. It was somewhat of a cop-out though and it required lots of imagination (and rereading if you want to understand it). When I closed Juliet Immortal after the last page I was thoroughly satisfied and confused, which is a very interesting blend of emotions to have after finishing a book.

4.8 stars.

 
The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

Glimmerglass, by Jenna Black (Faeriewalker #1)

It's all she's ever wanted to be, but it couldn't be further from her grasp...

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides shes had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl, she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she'll never have a chance with...until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn't sure where she'll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again.

Dana is fed up with dealing with her alcoholic mother and wants to be a teenager for once. So she runs away from home and heads to Avalon to find her long lost fairy father. Upon arrival in the magical city Dana is kidnapped multiple times because of her mysterious Faeriewalker capabilities. As a Faeriewalker, Dana has the power to bring magic into the human realm and technology into the Faerie realm. Dana is the most valuable pawn in the complicated game of politics between Faerie and Avalon and everyone wants to control her.

Faerie stories tend to bore me because I feel like they're all the same. Glimmerglass took the typical and twisted it with the unique city of Avalon. The faeries in Avalon are no secret, in fact everyone knows about them. Avalon is the bridge between the two worlds. It was nice to read a faerie story that was acclimated to the 21st century.

For once there was a heroine who was not completely insipid! Dana was responsible and had the perfect blend of attitude and vulnerability. In a situation where she had almost no control Dana didn't sit down and let everyone toss her around like a piece of cattle but stood up and tried to take care of herself. The complete opposite of Dana is Kimber. At the beginning Kimber seemed to be the ultimate ice queen but she melted way too quickly and instead of giving off the impression of a girl with a hard exterior and soft interior I felt she was just fickle. I do regret not seeing more of the relationship Dana has with her mother because I feel like that would have rounded out her character a bit more and would have explained certain plot elements that confused me slightly.

4.1 stars. This wasn't an amazing book, but a good start to a series.

Dead Rules, by Randy Russell

Till death

Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever.

Do

But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch.

Us

Michael and Jana were incomplete without each other. There was no room for Mars in Jana's life--or death--story. Jana was sure Michael would rush to her side soon.

Part

But things aren't going according to Jana's plan. So Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true--no matter what rules she has to break.

Jane loves Michael. Jana is dead. The only way for Jana and Michael to ever be together again is if he dies. So Jana is going to kill Michael. And then they can be together forever. Helping Jana is bad boy Mars. Mars can't look away from newly dead Jana and likes her so much that he reluctantly helps her on her idiotic quest for true love. In other words, Mars has terrible taste in women. Jana is willing to break all the rules of Dead School to be together with Michael again. But does Michael want to join her? Does Michael even miss her?

This book was, in one word, creepy. It's a book about where teenagers go after they die, and it's not a pleasant place. The concept is original and is based on the idea that a teenager hasn't lived long enough to be placed in heaven or hell and needs a little more time to develop as a person. The gloominess of Dead School was fitting, as it is a school for dead teenagers, but I thought it was a little too gloomy for the story set in it. Don't get me wrong-the story was plenty gloomy, but what little humor there was fell flat because everything else about the book was so depressing and instead of being comic relief, the jokes were just sad. And the personal death stories-don't get me started on how horrid those were

One major thing that bothered me about the whole concept of Dead School were the rules. Sliders are students in Dead School who are on their way down. One becomes a Slider if they die while doing something "bad". What I hated about that was that if a good person does one thing wrong and dies while doing it then they are doomed to go to the fiery pits. Unless they undo their wrong, that is, but that's almost impossible for most of the Sliders so it's practically irrelevant. The worst part of this is that some of the Sliders are better people than Risers (the kids going in the right direction).

Jana is evil. In case you couldn't tell from the summary, she is selfish and doesn't understand what love is. To be fair, Michael doesn't get the concept of love either, but Jana is almost as horrible as Michael with her desire to kill him. While reading Dead Rules I desperately wanted to bang Jana on the head with the book and tell her that if she really loves Michael she'd set him free. But Jana doesn't care about anyone but herself so that wouldn't have achieved anything. She doesn't deserve Mars. She and Michael were perfect for each other. Both are horrible and frankly, they deserve each other.

3.0 stars

The Iron Witch, by Karen Mahoney

Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.


When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.


When Donna was little, her father died and her mom lost her sanity while protecting their daughter. Donna's arms are covered in iron tattoos that were put there to heal her after the attack. Now, teenage Donna must come fact to face with the same dark fairies that killed her father all those years ago when they start reappearing and eventually kidnap her best and only friend, Navin. Donna is a social outcast because of her weird arms and Navin is the only person her own age who doesn't know her secret who stood by her. Helping her rescue Navin is a hot new guy, Xan, whose got some fairy blood in him and would like to discover more about himself and his past. I think you can figure out the rest of the story from those totally unoriginal details I have provided.

I thought the whole thing was pretty cliche and pathetic. There are so many fairy books out there and I felt like this one didn't stand out. It was completely average. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but I wouldn't stop anyone from reading it. It wasn't horrible-just not as good as many other books I could have read in its place. It is very possible that this all stems from the fact that it is meant for younger readers, but even books meant for kids or younger teenagers can be appreciated by adults if they're good.

One would think that in a book where the characters know there are dark evil fairies running around wouldn't be that trusting. One would be wrong. Donna and Xan reveal their secrets to each other after knowing each other for around five minutes which is pretty quick, especially when you consider that it took her years to confess the truth to Navin. I don't care how good-looking he is-when you have a giant secret like that you don't give it away that easily! Donna acted like a know-it-all brat the whole book and her naivete was anything but charming.

Halfway through the book I looked up and realized nothing had happened yet. The action didn't start until the last couple of pages. The beginning contained some minor incidents, drama, and romance, but I wanted more action and fairies. I understand the need for an introduction-the reader needs to know what's going on-but I felt like I was being introduced to the story and the characters for most of the book.

When a girl and guy are best friends in a novel (and both are straight) it is practically a given that at least one of them must have romantic feelings for the other. I always thought that was typical and overused, but I actually missed it in The Iron Witch. While it can be annoying in books that are already stuffed with drama, I felt like a love triangle would have really added to the overall story. Just imagine Donna enlisting her crush's help to rescue her other maybe-crush. The emotional turmoil would have been tortuously amazing to read.

2.7

Palace of Stone, by Shannon Hale (Princess Academy #2)

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city seems a thrill beyond imagining. When Miri and her friends from Mount Eskel set off to help the future princess Britta prepare for her royal wedding, she is happy about her chance to attend school in the capital city. There, Miri befriends students who seem so sophisticated and exciting... until she learns that they have some frightening plans. They think that Miri will help them, that she "should "help them. Soon Miri finds herself torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city. Picking up where "Princess Academy "left off, this incredible stand-alone story celebrates the joys of friendship, the delight of romance, and the fate of a beloved fairy tale kingdom.

Miri and her gang of would-be princesses, along with her sort-of boyfriend Peder, are going to Asland! More specifically, they're going to the palace to be ladies to the princess, their friend Britta, at her wedding to Prince Steffan. Miri and her crew will be leaving Mount Eskel for the year and are expecting to find a land full of riches and happy people. Miri is thrilled to spend her time in her nation's capital in university and is surprised to learn that there is plenty of unrest in Asland besides for what just happened at Mount Eskel as the "shoeless", the destitute peasants, are banding together to rise up against the king and his family. Miri is torn between the rebellion, complete with her new friend Timon and what seems to be right, and her loyalty to her friend Britta and a future with Peder.

The plot of Palace of Stone sounds a lot more serious than it actually is because the entire book has a cotton-candy coating that makes it kid-friendly and adorable. Miri is a big personality in a tiny cute package and a respectable role model for young girls as she teaches readers to never be afraid to speak up. Her romance with Peder is perfect. Princess Academy left off with potential for Miri and Peder and Palace of Stone continued it perfectly. The romance wasn't at a complete standstill, just moving at the same slow pace it was used to which made it seem more realistic. Princess Academy didn't make any promises, but Palace of Stone delivered anyway.

As sequels go, this is one of the best I've read in a while. I say this because unlike many other sequels, this one has the ability to stand on its own. It doesn't completely rely on its readers knowing everything from the first book but it doesn't either repeat everything that had happened over again in a condensed few pages that seem redundant and annoying to anyone who knows the story. Palace flowed in a totally un-sequelly by introducing a whole new plot while retaining many elements from the first book and by referring to its events several times. All in all, this was a fantastic sequel and I urge anyone who hasn't read it or Princess Academy to do so right away.

5 stars. This is a book that girls of all ages can enjoy and I WANT ME SOME LINDER!!!

Alice on Board, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Alice #24)

 In her last adventure before starting college, Alice takes to the open sea for the summer—and nothing can stop the tides of change.Everything Alice has ever known is about to change—from where she sleeps at night to how close her closest friends will be. So Alice is meeting that seasick feeling head-on by setting sail as staff on a Chesapeake Bay cruise ship. And like any last great adventure before starting college, Alice knows she’ll need sunblock, an open mind, and…oh yeah, all her best girlfriends. It’s the perfect summer job.

     Perfect, that is, when things are going perfectly. But when they’re not, Alice has to figure out how to weather unexpected storms of all sorts. Which could be perfect after all—perfect training for her next big adventure—college.

Alice McKinley has finally graduated high school and is spending the summer before college working on a cruise ship with her best friends. She has some tiny adventures, one or two big adventures, and misses Patrick the whole time. The end.

I used to love the Alice books, primarily because of how relateable Alice was. I felt it in this book but instead of enjoying this one I thought it was kind of annoying. Alice felt more like a walking PSA than a teenage girl and her feelings were too defined to seem real. She didn't go through any of that confusing emotional stuff she went through in past books but no one is that clear when it comes to emotions. I will say that the book did flow like life usually goes-lots of little memorable instances with one or two arcs that last for a while but on the whole, unexciting.

For anyone like me who followed Alice all the way to this book I will tell you now: nothing important happens. Don't waste your time on this book unless you have nothing better to do with your time. Please believe me-I read reviews saying exactly this and didn't trust them and look where that got me. I'm excited for the last book and to see what happens to Alice but I'm not excited enough to give this book a good rating. All relationships, friendships, and lives are exactly the same as they were at the end of the previous book, so chill out and read something else.

For anyone who hasn't realized it yet, Alice is going to end up with Patrick. I wasn't sure if Naylor would go the obvious route with Patrick or if she would have Alice be with someone we don't know but this book confirmed (for me) that it would be Patrick. A tiny part of me thought maybe Mitch (new guy in this book) but since Alice is going to college and Mitch is going home I highly doubt that will happen. (Little secret-I actually want her to be with Paul, her brother's roommate, and there were even some hints at the end that that would happen, but I can't see the author getting past the age difference.)

2.4 stars. I'm really sorry Alice, but all good things must come to an end.

Slayers, C.J. Hill

 Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it – these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?

Tori has always had a strange affinity for all things dragon and when her parents finally let her go to dragon camp she couldn't be more excited. When she arrives, however, she finds out that she is part of a special group of teenagers called Slayers who have the ability to fight and destroy dragons. Dragons themselves aren't evil in this book, rather they're wild, extremely dangerous beasts which can be controlled by dragon lords (who are evil). Tori enters training and is faced with snobby girls, two hot guys who maybe sorta like her, and major hair crises. Tori has to decide if she's going to abandon her stereotype of snobby rich girl and join her fellow slayers (who she meets two weeks before she has to make this decision) or if she's going to go back home and forget that dragons exist.

This was one of the most amazing books I've read in a long time. I don't know if I say that often but I literally could not put this one down and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. There were several cliche aspects to Slayers but at this point it seems like every YA fantasy novel is cliche, and Slayers does manage to get away with less than most. The most obvious one is the love triangle. Usually love triangles bug me because if I root for the guy/girl that isn't chosen I get upset and if I root for the one who does make it I get annoyed that the loser is hanging around. With this one I found myself happy with both Dirk and Jesse (I think that's his name-correct me if I'm wrong) and loving the story and the guys too much to pick a side.

Overdrake (the evil dragon lord) has a spy in camp and I knew right away who it was. I would be proud of my intuition if not for my suspicion that the reader is supposed to guess by his first confession who he is. And the author is so good that I think she did do it on purpose. One unique thing about this book was the totally unpretentious main character. She'll be the first to tell you that she's spoiled lazy and has her priorities a little mixed up, but she'll also step up and save the day when she has to. I love that she doesn't pretend to be a hero and is honestly herself through the whole book. Tori is smart enough to see through herself and it made for an utterly satisfying heroine. I loved her vanity, and her approach to dragon slaying was totally me so I appreciated that even more.

Instead of the magic happening to magical creatures (such as werewolves, vampires, and the like) I liked how the magic happened to the main characters. Yes, the dragons cause the superpowers, but the dragons are only animals and the supernatural stuff we focus on is what's happening to the teenagers. Speaking of the teenagers, letting a bunch of 16 year olds save the world actually makes sense in this book, surprisingly enough. At this point I'm so used to the adults leaving the real saving to the kids that I barely noticed that C.J. Hill explained why Dr. B wasn't doing the slaying himself. Once I thought about it though, I realized how genius it was and I am grateful for a book that covers all the why's.

5 stars. READ IT!!!