Mini-Reviews

Lately I've had the chance to read quite a few books, so I thought I'd post some mini-reviews for the week. In other exciting news, I'll actually be reviewing C. J. Omololu's new book Transcendance and hosting a short interview with her in July! As some of you will remember, I absolutely loved her book Dirty Little Secrets. So, I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to read her newest novel. On to the reviews (:

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 1) by George R. R. Martin

Yes, I finally hopped onto this bandwagon. I'm not typically one to pick up large fantasy books, but the television show hooked me. Once I started this book, I found that I couldn't stop. During the week that I read the book, I found myself staying up until three or four in the morning just to see what was going to happen to the characters. I've been told not to get too attached to the characters, but for the most part I have failed at that (except for you, Sansa...). Martin does a great job of showing that his characters shouldn't be labelled good/bad. A great example of this is Tyrion, the dwarf son of the Lannister family. He is funny, and does show some genuine kindness to Bran. At the same time, however, he's doing things for his own best interests.

Rating: A

Surrender (Haunting Emma 3) by Lee Nichols *some slight spoilers below

I've really enjoyed this trilogy, but something about this final book felt different from the first two. I'm not sure if it was the pacing, or if it had just been too long since I had read the second in the series, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped that I would. In terms of the story, everything is wrapped up in a satisfying way. I was glad to see the old characters that I loved (i.e. Coby), and we got to meet some new and interesting characters. Nichols made the relationship between Emma and Bennett strained as he continued to use a drug to enhance his power. I appreciated Emma more as she struggled to prepare herself to take on Neos while also worrying about those around her. Still, I feel that I had a really different reading experience when comparing this book to the previous two.

Rating: C+

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

This was another books that I enjoyed some aspects of, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. I'll start with what I liked, Angelini did a great job with the Greek mythology aspect. The plot is, for lack of a better word awesome! I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that there have been quite a few mythology-related books on the shelves lately, and hers was extremely unique. On the other hand, sometimes I was extremely annoyed with Helen. She wants to control her own destiny, which is awesome...but in some scenes it felt like she was having severe mood swings. The occasional breakdown, I get that. She's learning about her past, experiencing horrifying things, and even has her life threatened. I just think that I would have connected with her better had there been less of this happening. There's also a two plots regarding why Helen and Lucas can't be together. The first is a part of the overarching plot regarding mythology, and this worked well. The second reason I felt was unnecessary, and it has been done before. I don't want to give anything away here, so I'm going to write about it and for those that have read the book (or don't mind being spoiled), you can highlight. The possible siblings storyline has been done. I know that it's supposed to add a dramatic reason why the characters can't be together...but the reader finds out that this isn't true before the book ends. I thought it could have been easily eliminated from the story without losing anything.   I will pick up the sequel, though.

Rating: C

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

I tend not to write about books that get lower than a C rating, but I decided to write a short blurb here explaining why this one didn't click with me. So, it again deals with mythology, but I just didn't like the main character, Ash. I found her to be annoying, and extremely ungrateful at the beginning of the book, and I don't think I was able to overcome that. It was pretty clear that she needed some anger management as Ash beats the girl who hooked up with her boyfriend. SO, because I had no empathy for the character, I don't think I was that interested in her story. I do know people who have liked the book, particularly one friend who was actually surprised that I didn't like it. Alas, it was not to be.

Rating:D+

Spell Bound (Hex Hall 3) by Rachel Hawkins

Be still my heart! I'll admit it, I cried at the end of this one. I, like many people, absolutely loved this series. Waiting after the cliffhanger from the second book in this series was painful, and I found this book to be a great ending (I know that some people felt differently). Yes, the battle at the end of the book was short, but I don't need a long drawn-out battle to satisfy me. The build-up, uncovering of the real plan, and getting to see Hex Hall again were enough for me. This definitely had a different feel from the first two, it felt more serious. Somehow (not revealing how, see what I did there?) the students return to Hecate Hall, and the school is falling apart at edges. In a way, it was the perfect representation to how serious things were for Sophie. Now, Rachel Hawkins just needs to release a new book ASAP

Rating: B+

Crossed by Ally Condie

You know, I actually liked this one quite a bit more than I liked Matched. It still had some of the same issues with world building that the first had (I would have liked more), but this book felt more interesting to me. I think that for the first time Cassia gets to see what life is like beyond what she's known, even beyond the Outer Provinces. It will definitely be interesting to see what Condie does with the final book in the series, Reached.

Rating: B

Book Review:Betrayal by Lee Nichols

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.
As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor. (From Goodreads)

I really enjoyed Deception, the first book in the Haunting Emma series. Since I loved it so much, I had pretty high expectations for the follow-up, and Nichols was able to live up to them. There's more adventure, romance, and ghosts. Plus, a fairly shocking end to the traitor mystery!

Things haven't been easy for Emma since we left her in Deception. Her old friends blame her for the death of Coby, her relationship with Bennett is unable to move forward, and she still has to worry about Neos. As the book moves forward, we get to see her learn more about her powers, and gain more experience using them. Old characters return (the Rake is back!), and we get to meet some new additions to Emma's crew. There's Simon (he reminded me a bit of Giles), and Lukas, and they both kept the book feeling fresh.

The seriousness of Emma's situation seemed to really sink in over the course of this book. Coby's death is being dealt with, and things got violent. I don't want to give away too much of the story, but there were a couple scenes that left me saying "Woah, did that just happen?! What will they do now?" Even in the relationship between Emma and Bennett things seemed grim. After all, he can't exact revenge if he loses his power because of Emma. Still, the romance was there, and the scenes were great! I really love them together, even if Bennett tries to protect Emma by acting cold. The reader learns a bit more about Neos, and experiences how truly evil he is. He pulled out all the stops trying to get Emma out of his way.

I'm always pleased when the second book in a series is just as good as the first book. I'm actually thinking that Betrayal was even better than Deception. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and now I'm dying to read book 3.


Betrayal (Haunting Emma 2)
By Lee Nichols
304 Pages
Published by Bloomsbury USA
Rating: B+
Received for Review

In My Mailbox (February 20)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. All of the synopses you see below were found on Goodreads. Here are the books I got this week...

For Review:

Betrayal (Haunting Emma 2) by Lee Nichols

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.
As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

Published by Bloomsbury USA
Release Date: March 1, 2010

Purchased:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Waiting on Wednesday (December 8)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.

Betrayal (Haunting Emma 2) by Lee Nichols

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.
As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

Published by Bloomsbury USA
Release Date: March 1, 2010

Loved the first book in this series, and I can't wait for this one!

Author Interview with Lee Nichols and a Deception Giveaway

Today I'm happy to host an interview with the author Lee Nichols. She has written five novels for adults, and her first YA novel, Deception (Haunting Emma #1), was released on June 8.

1. What inspired you to write Deception?

I really wanted to write a contemporary Gothic novel with a kick-butt heroine and this is what came out.

2. What kinds of research, if any, went into writing the paranormal aspect of Deception?

No particular research, I just didn't want it to be another ghost story about the heroine helping ghosts fulfill their desires so they can finally rest. So, I came up with something completely different.

3. I loved the way that the New England setting enhanced the story. Why did you choose New England?

Because I love the cold weather, picturesque villages, history, and old houses that look like they could be filled with ghosts.

4. If you were a ghostkeeper, what would your ability be?

Hmm. I think I'd be pretty freaked out and would want the ability to dispel them. Just get rid of them.

5. Are you currently working on any projects?

I just finished the second HAUNTING EMMA book, BETRAYAL, which will be published in March 2010, and have starting writing the third, POSSESSION, which will be out late 2010.

6. What's the most recent book that you've read and enjoyed?

THE MOSTS, by Melissa Senate. Mean Girls, the movie, meets Dairy Queen the book. It's just a really sweet, romantic read for younger teens.

7. Any fun facts about yourself you'd like to share?

No, I am an incredibly dull person. Much less fun than the characters in my books.

You can find her website here: http://www.leenicholsbooks.com/

My review of Deception

I'm also happy to be giving away two copies of the ARC edition of Deception. One will be my gently used ARC, and the second will be coming from the publisher. If you are a resident of the US of Canada, and would like to enter, simply leave a comment below with your email address. This contest will run until 6/30

CONTEST CLOSED

Book Review: Deception by Lee Nichols

When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian’s Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two. (From Goodreads)

When I first heard about Deception, it was described as Private meets Beautiful Creatures. As I enjoyed both of those books, I couldn't wait to pick up a copy. After reading Deception, however, I'd say that it's unfair to compare it to anything else. Nichols has managed to write a paranormal novel that contains mystery, suspense, romance, and is utterly unique.

One of the things that makes Deception such an uncommon story is the way that Nichols dealt with the paranormal. The idea of ghostkeepers, people who have an ability that allows them to interact with ghosts, was, for lack of a better word, really cool. I particularly liked that different ghostkeepers had different abilities. Some were able to summon ghosts, others to dispel them, and some even had the power to compel ghost to do things for them. I also loved that there was Latin incorporated into the story. I took Latin in high school, and college, so I geeked out a bit when I was able to read it.

As for Emma, I felt a little bit of pity for her. Her family has disappeared, her best friend isn't talking to her, and her new friend has just stabbed her in the back. She's also worryied about her sanity for half of the book. I really liked the way that Nichols portrayed this in the book. I thought this was a fairly accurate description of what might happen if a person were really able to see ghosts. They would probably try to deny it, and try to justify their experiences. Despite all of the negative things happening to her, Emma was still a fun character. She was smart, sassy, and funny (especially when speaking in Latin).

There was only one problem that I had with the story, and that was the character Jared. At the beginning of the story, Jared is Emma's crush. In fact, she goes so far as to call him her fixation. Once Bennett appears, though, Jared is practically forgotten. After reading the book, I realized that there are really only one or two other scenes where Jared is briefly mentioned. I didn't really think he was a necessary character, and wouldn't have missed him had he been taken out of the book completely. If he had been removed, I think that I would have been able to truly appreciate the feelings that Emma had developed for Bennett two years prior to the start of the story.

Deception is a great start to the Haunting Emma series. It's suspenseful, spring-tingling, and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for more from Nichols!

Deception
By Lee Nichols
Published by Bloomsbury USA
310 Pages
Rating: B+

Thanks to Kate at Bloomsbury for giving me the chance to read this one!

Check back tomorrow for an interview with the author, and a giveaway

In My Mailbox (June 13)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

Purchased:

Deception (Haunting Emma #1) by Lee Nichols

When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian’s Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two. (From Goodreads)

The Library

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones

Mimi Shapiro had a disturbing freshman year at NYU, thanks to a foolish affair with a professor who still haunts her caller ID. So when her artist father, Marc, offers the use of his remote Canadian cottage, she’s glad to hop in her Mini Cooper and drive up north. The house is fairy-tale quaint, and the key is hidden right where her dad said it would be, so she’s shocked to fi nd someone already living there — Jay, a young musician, who is equally startled to meet Mimi and immediately accuses her of leaving strange and threatening tokens inside: a dead bird, a snakeskin, a cricket sound track embedded in his latest composition. But Mimi has just arrived, so who is responsible? And more alarmingly, what does the intruder want? Part gripping thriller, part family drama, this fast-paced novel plays out in alternating viewpoints, in a pastoral setting that is evocative and eerie — a mysterious character in its own right. (From Goodreads)

Teaser Tuesday (June 1)

What is Teaser Tuesday?
It's a meme hosted by Should Be Reading and here are the rules:
Grab your current read...
Open to a random page
Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on the page
Don't include spoilers

"A stench rose, of rotting food and mildewed mud. His bone-white teeth glinted as he pulled a gleaming blade from his pocket and swiped at me."

-Deception, Page 69, by Lee Nichols

*Note that this quote is based on page numbers in the arc edition, and is subject to change

Happy June everyone!

In My Mailbox (May 23)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

For Review:

Deception (Haunting Emma #1) by Lee Nichols (Published by Bloomsbury USA/Release Date: June 8, 2010)

When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian’s Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two. (From Goodreads)

I'm part of the blog tour for this one, and I'm really excited! Check back for my review in early June.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Published by Arthur A. Levine books/Release Date: June 1, 2010)

Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver doesn't just want a family. She has one of those, and there's nothing terribly wrong with them apart from bickering grandparents, an image-obsessed mother and a brother she describes simply as Jesus. But there's no natural sense of connection between Bronwen and her family, leaving her with the belief -- and the hope -- that she was switched at birth, that she was never supposed to be Bronwen Oliver but someone else entirely.

When she begins dating college senior Jared Sondervan, she finds herself thoroughly embraced by the loving family she has always wanted and does not hesitate to say yes when Jared proposes on her 18th birhday. Plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her junior year of college become plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her freshman year of college. And a wedding so soon isn't exactly what Bronwen wants. But Jared is. And his family is. Or so she thinks.

Before Bronwen can determine what she truly wants, she must first determine who she truly is, and the answer, she discovers, is only partially what she thought it was. She wasn't switched at birth, but she's also not Bronwen Oliver and hasn't been for a very long time. (From Goodreads)
Part of Around the World Tours

Purchased:

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves. (From Goodreads)