Review: Divided (Dualed #2) by Elsie Chapman

Divided

(Dualed #2)

Elsie Chapman

5/27/14

Random House

The hunter becomes the hunted. . . .

West Grayer is done killing. She defeated her Alternate, a twin raised by another family, and proved she’s worthy of a future. She’s ready to move on with her life.

The Board has other plans. They want her to kill one last time, and offer her a deal worth killing for. But when West recognizes her target as a ghost from her past, she realizes she’s in over her head. The Board is lying, and West will have to uncover the truth of the past to secure her future.

How far will the Board go to keep their secrets safe? And how far will West go to save those she loves? With nonstop action and surprising twists, Elsie Chapman’s intoxicating sequel to Dualed reveals everything.

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Last year, Elsie Chapman’s Dualed thrilled and enthralled me with it’s unique, twisted premise and surprising heroine, and I’m happy to report that the second book in this duology, Divided, is a solid, equally captivating read, with plenty of action, twists, and romance.

West Grayer thought she was done killing. Her Alt is dead and West is deemed the worthy one, but then the Board comes to her with an offer she really can’t refuse: just three more kills and West can finally be free of her past. But when one of her targets turns out to be eerily familiar and long silenced truths start trickling out, West must decide what and who is worth killing for.

Picking up several months after the ending of Dualed, in Divided we find our unexpected heroine, West, grappling with her Striker past and bravely trying to forge a future for her and her boyfriend Chord...something the Board is not making easy. Once again, Elsie Chapman has crafted an intelligent and thought-provoking story with complex layers, page-turning action, and wonderfully built characters.

Over the course of these two books, I’ve come to really connect with and root for West as she bravely and desperately tries to survive in this intense, almost impossible dystopian world. West isn’t your typical YA heroine, which makes her that much more fascinating and relatable. She’s so breathtakingly flawed and real; as selfish as she is protective. She’s a killer and her reasons for killing are not always noble; she doesn’t enjoy killing, but she doesn’t kill simply out of survival either. Chapman does a superb job of delving into the psychological and mental complexities of this girl. West is put into impossible, terrifying, heartbreaking situations and I loved every twisty minute of wondering how she would get out of them.

And this dystopian world is further explored and expanded in Divided. Chapman takes us deeper into Kersh’s torrid history and exposes some of it’s surprising secrets. I feel like I got a much better sense of this society and its reasons for making Alts, in book two. However, I still found the overall world-building a bit lacking and incomplete. I know the main focus of this duology is on West and the walled city she lives in, but I really wanted to learn more about the Surround...mostly because Chapman does such a great job of building such intrigue about it!

There’s quite a bit more romance in this book than in book one, and I actually really enjoyed these elements. West and Chord have a very sweet, yet intense and realistic romance. This is most definitely not insta-love or make-you-wanna-puke-cheesy-love either.

Thankfully, Chapman gives readers, and West, a satisfying, yet unexpected ending...but, I’d TOTALLY be up for more thrilling escapades with West ;)

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: With its exciting twists and turns and thought-provoking premise, Divided is a thoroughly engrossing and entertaining ending to a wonderfully innovative duology.

MY RATING

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ELSIE CHAPMAN grew up in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, before graduating from the University of British Columbia with a BA in English literature. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two children, where she writes to either movies on a loop or music turned up way too loud (and sometimes both at the same time). For more information, please visit Elsie at ElsieChapman.com.

Review: Crest (Ondine Quartet #3) by Emma Raveling

Crest

(Ondine Quartet #3)

by Emma Raveling

9/17/13

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Illusion. Power. Identity.Tensions are reaching a fever pitch everywhere Kendra Irisavie turns.Darkness settles over elementals as a new threat stirs suspicions of a betrayal from within. Details of recent events spread through Haverleau, prompting doubts over Irisavie leadership. The mysterious Selkie Kingdom finally opens its doors, but the gesture only fans the flames of division. And despite the perils involved, Kendra finds it difficult to ignore the demands of her heart.As the body count rises, pressure also grows to shift the tides of war. The sondaleur is on the hunt, but tracking the Aquidae leader is the greatest challenge she’s ever faced. With the Shadow playing a deadly game of obsession and horror, Kendra’s best chance to win is to unravel a tangled web of deception spanning back to the origins of the elemental world.Nothing is what it seems and the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her pursuit for answers becomes.When the unthinkable happens, Kendra must decide if survival is worth the sacrifice.Conflicting loyalties, fierce passions, and irrevocable choices ignite in the electrifying third installment of the Ondine Quartet.

I received an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review

Quick note before I begin my actual review- since this is the third book in its series, I may refer to events in the previous books. I’ll try not to spoil any of the big stuff, but if you’re new to this series and don’t want to be spoiled at all then I suggest you read my reviews of Whirl and Billow and then skip down to My Final Thoughts below.

OH. EM. GEE y’all! I loved Whirl and Billow (books one and two) and Chevalier and Warrior Prince (the novellas), but Crest blew me the fuck away and reminded me why I totally heart Emma Raveling…not that I could ever forget. I mean I’m the president of the Emma Raveling Fan Club- I’ve got the badge, tattoo, and totally non-creepy shrine to prove it ;)

The Ondine Quartet is one of those series that seriously just keeps getting better and better with each new addition. I walk away from each book in this series completely impressed, thoroughly entertained, and excited for more. Crest, book three in the Ondine Quartet, finds our heroine, Kendra Irisavie, traveling to NYC with Julian to hunt Aquidae and locate the elusive Shadow and traveling all the way to the mysterious Selkie Kingdom…and shizz gets real! Deadly battles, heartbreaking losses, steamy romance, painful betrayals, Crest is filled to the brim with it all and so much more. This book took me on such a complex and enthralling ride through almost every emotion imaginable.

It goes without saying that I think Emma Raveling is a spectacular storyteller. She seriously writes some of this most breathtaking and palpable scenes in YA. Over the course of three books and two novellas she has woven such an intricate and beautiful story that feels truly epic and special. Like books one and two, Crest has phenomenal world-building. The complex and rich history of the Ondines and Selkies and their enemies is explored and laid out even further and deeper in book three, and the social/cultural/political structures of this world continue to enthrall and fascinate. This is a world that, despite its magic, feels so incredibly real, as if Haverleau must exist somewhere out in the real world. With the addition of the Selkie Kingdom, the physical world-building in Crest is by far my favorite so far. This mysterious kingdom is crafted with such wicked cool imagination and striking beauty.

The action, thrills, and stunning twists are plentiful in Crest, but it’s very much an emotion driven story. Kendra, her friends, her family, and fellow people have been through so much up to this point and we really get to see how the events in books one and two have affected the characters and defined their paths. Kendra especially has had so much thrown at her- being the sondaleur and the future Governor, being responsible for stopping the Shadow, and facing devastating losses- and Emma does such a wonderful job of exploring this emotional arc. Every emotion, every loss, every choice has meaning and purpose.

Kendra continues to be one of my fave YA heroines, and for good reason. There is so much depth and complexity to this girl. She is everything a heroine should be (smart, brave, selfless, badass), but is always relatable and real. I love her snarky, smart mouth and temper that always gets her in trouble, her ability to kick ass, and her poignant moments of vulnerability and honesty. She continues to surprise, amaze, and entertain me.

And of course, there are the two swoon-worthy fellas, Tristan and Julian. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, the chemistry and genuine connection Kendra has to both guys and the way Emma Raveling has carefully crafted these relationships makes this triangle feel very non-love triangleish. I love both guys and they are each complete, layered characters on their own, but I’ve so enjoyed their interaction with Kendra since book one. I won’t spoil anything for ya, but I will say that in Crest Kendra is finally honest with herself and with the guys, and where her heart truly lies is revealed…and OMFG, things get HOTHOTHOT *fans self*

And all the emotion, action, and romance lead to one hell of an ending that has me DYING for book four.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Crest had me reading until 4 am and blew me away with its awesomeness. I am so in love with this series and cannot wait for the final book (2014 hurry up please!). Fans of the series will not be disappointed by Crest and new readers have an incredible book three to look forward to. A MUST read book in a MUST read series.

 MY RATING

Emma Raveling

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Emma Raveling writes urban fantasy and fantasy books for teens and adults. Hopelessly addicted to coffee and diet coke, she is currently working on completing her young adult series, Ondine Quartet.

Paradox Blog Tour {Review and Giveaway}

I'm so thrilled to have the Paradox Blog Tour stopping by today with my review and a blog tour wide giveaway...

Paradox 

by A.J. Paquette

6/25/13

Random House BFYR

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Ana only knows her name because of the tag she finds pinned to her jumpsuit. Waking in the featureless compartment of a rocket ship, she opens the hatch to discover that she has landed on a barren alien world. Instructions in her pocket tell her to observe and to survive, no doubt with help from the wicked-looking knives she carries on her belt. But to what purpose?

Meeting up with three other teens--one boy seems strangely familiar--Ana treks across the inhospitable landscape, occasionally encountering odd twists of light that carry glimpses of people back on Earth. They're working on some sort of problem, and the situation is critical. What is the connection between Ana's mission on this planet and the crisis back on Earth, and how is she supposed to figure out the answer when she can't remember anything?

(I received an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review)

A.J. Paquette's Paradox is an out of this world post-apocalyptic adventure that features an intriguing premise, a strong, capable heroine, and cool sci-fi elements.

Paradox begins with Ana waking aboard a spaceship with no memory of who she is or where she is. Ana soon discovers that she is on a desolate planet called Paradox and has clear instructions to observe and survive. This planet is home to a terrifying and huge worm like creature, as well as strange streams of light that give Ana a glimpse of life back on Earth. Ana encounters three other teens who have the same instructions and the four set out to the sea and the safe-haven colony supposedly there. But the worm creature follows them and the four must face dangerous obstacles and their own fears as the critical situation on Earth depends on their success.

I was instantly drawn to Paradox because of its wicked cool sounding premise (and maybe because the worm-like creature on the cover reminded me of the Graboids in the “Tremors” films!), and, for the most part, the premise really lived up to my expectations. Paquette took me on a wild, twisted, sci-fi filled thrill ride full of the unexpected and the intriguing.

The world-building in Paradox is really great. Paquette has crafted a complex, layered, and fully realized world that is both refreshingly post-apocalyptic and sci-fi. Like Ana, readers “arrive” on Paradox with no preconceived ideas or information regarding this strange planet, and we get to discover all the wondrous and unusual things this dangerously alluring planet has to offer. And Paradox the planet, with its pink sky; two suns; purple sands; and green ocean, makes for an awesome setting. Tidbits about the dire situation on Earth and the events that have led up to the exploration of Paradox are sprinkled throughout the book in the form of news articles. I appreciated this background information, but think this aspect of the story needed some fleshing out and further explanation to create complete logical reasoning behind the sci-elements.

Ana begins her journey with no memories, but I loved that we still get to know who she was and who she is in the present, and I really liked her as whole. She's got a great feisty, curious nature and is a capable, clever heroine. The flirty interaction between Ana and Todd is fun and amusing, but I like that the romantic aspects don't dominate the story.

Ana's time on Paradox takes some thrilling and shocking twists and turns, creating a refreshingly unpredictable plot. Paquette weaves a really clever and innovative story that leads up to a thought-provoking climax. Expect the unexpected, y'all!

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Paradox is a fast-paced, thrilling read with really awesome and well crafted sci-fi elements. A.J. Paquette's imaginative and innovative world kept me entertained and enthralled from beginning to end.

MY RATING

A.J. Paquette

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A.J. Paquette has been writing stories since early childhood. She and her sister would spend hours creating masterpieces of stapled paper and handwritten words, complete with pen-and-ink covers and boxed illustrations. The road to publication was long and winding, peppered with many small successes including: a variety of national magazine publications, being a 2005 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award honoree, and receiving the 2008 SCBWI’s Susan Landers Glass Scholarship Award, for the book that would later become Nowhere Girl. Her first picture book, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, was published in 2009. She now lives with her husband and two daughters in the Boston area, where she continues to write books for children and young adults. She is also an agent with the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. 

A.J. Paquette is giving away three Paradox ARCs during this tour in a blog tour wide giveaway!

(US/CAN)

You can enter below:

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Week Two Schedule

June 24th -Word Spelunking- Review (that's me!)
June 25th -Emilie's Book World- Guest Post
June 25th -Confessions of a Readaholic- Review
June 26th -Nick's Book Blog- Interview
June 26th -Magna Maniac Cafe- Review
June 27th -A Book and a Latte-Guest Post
June 28th -I Am A Reader Not A Writer- Guest Post 

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The awesome The 5th Wave comes out today and you should totes read it...

The 5^th Wave

(The 5^th Wave #1)

by Rick Yancey

5/7/13

Penguin

Format: ARC

Source: pub

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After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

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Rick Yancey's The 5^th Wave is a hard book to review...not because I didn't love it, because I did. I loved it like aliens love to probe..but because it's one of those books that I want to gush about, but not spoil anything at the same time. And this is the kind of book that you don't want to spoil for those who haven't read it; you want to let them discover all its supreme awesomeness and epicness on their own. So, if my review lacks in-depth details or ends up being quite brief, just know it's because I'm trying to be as spoiler-free as possible...and if you take just one thing away from this review, let it be this: READ THIS BOOK!

The book blurb above does a great job of giving readers a clear idea of what The 5^th Wave is about: an alien invasion. The aliens have come to Earth and they've Fucked. Shit. UP! They've unleashed four deadly and hellish waves already, leaving 16 year old Cassie alone and on a mission to rescue her baby brother. Cassie follows one simple rule: trust no one. But then she meets Evan Walker, and the idea of trusting someone suddenly seems worth more than the fear of betrayal.

Aliens, spaceships, painful deaths, oh my! Where's the Doctor when you need him?! I mean, he'd pop onto Earth in his sexy TARDIS and have those pesky aliens fleeing in no time, right? But lucky for us (not so lucky for Cassie), Rick Yancey doesn't give his characters such an easy out. Oh no! He subjects his characters to bloody deaths, heart-crushing goodbyes, terrifying encounters, and impossible choices...all for our sheer reading pleasures. Mwahahahaha!!! But don't go applauding Yancey yet (ok, go ahead and applaud his greatness), because that pleasure comes with a helluva lot of feels for the reader too.

So. Many. FEELS!

This is an utterly riveting and deliciously terrifying post-apocalyptic story that is felt soul-deep. I felt so many emotions while reading this book- fear, excitement, grief, hope, pride, anger, etc- and I felt them with every part of me. Yancey has done something that not many authors have done in the past for me: he's created something that consumed me whole and had my undivided attention from beginning to long after the end. Yancey is a superbly effective storyteller, who has mastered the art of writing a page-turner.

Told from multiple perspectives, we are given in-depth looks at every aspect of this ravaged world and placed within every important setting. I really enjoyed this multiple perspective format and how it gives readers a complete look at everything that is happening. The 5^th Wave's post-apocalyptic, alien infested world is a harsh, but mesmerizing one. This world feels so incredibly real, and frighteningly so. The idea of an alien invasion may be considered just sci-fi fiction, but Yancey infuses this fiction with such thought-provoking plausibility. And Yancey's captivating take on aliens and their appearance on Earth is so refreshing. These aren't your cookie-cutter, been-there-seen-that, aliens!

The multiple perspectives introduce us to several integral characters, but to remain spoiler-free, I won't tell you about them all; just know that they are all well-developed and intriguing. I can discuss our main gal Cassie though, who I ended up loving a lot! She's tough and smart and badass when she needs to be, but she's vulnerable, thoughtful, and genuine as well. She's also witty and adds a great deal of fun snarktastic humor. This is a heroine that readers will relate to and believe in.

The 5^th Wave is so smartly and intricately crafted, with every scene and conversation having an integral purpose. This isn't the kind of book you can (or should) merely skim (no skipping ahead!), it demands careful and complete attention, but is SO worth it! The twists and turns will shock and surprise you, the betrayals and revelations will affect and awe you.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Epic. Breathtaking. Badass...The 5^th Wave is all of these things and so much more! This post-apocalyptic story is equal parts an alien invasion sci-fi, a harrowing survival tale, and a complex exploration of what it means to be human...and 100% awesome. I want book two now! I NEED book two now! A MUST read (so read it, yo!)

MY RATING

Rick Yancey

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.
Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, for young readers, and The Highly Effective Detective, for adults. Both books are set in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Rick lived for ten years before returning to Florida. 

Review: That Time I Joined The Circus by J.J. Howard

That Time I Joined The Circus

by J.J. Howard

4/1/13

Point

Format: ARC

Source: pub

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / IndieBound

Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

That cover! That beautiful circus-y cover! Y'all, I wanted to love this book for the awesome cover alone...but, I didn't. The prettiful cover couldn't distract or shield me from the disappointing story inside *strokes cover with sad face*

That Time I Joined The Circus follows music obsessed, NYC born and bred Lexi has she travels from her beloved city to Florida. After a tragedy and huge mistake on Lexi's part, she is forced to leave NYC in search of her long absent mom. Lexi is told her mom has joined a circus in Florida, but when Lexi arrives all she finds is the circus. Broke and with nowhere to go, Lexi stays, working several circus jobs, finally landing the part as a fortune teller. Lexi soon finds herself a part of a whole new family and entangled in several romantic relationships. But when a few faces from Lexi's past show up, she has to decide what she wants and where her future will take her.

Aside from the lovely cover, this book has a pretty cool title, right? I mean, who hasn't wanted to run away and join the circus? Unfortunately, little else about this book captured or excited me. What could have been a quirky, thoughtful contemporary, turned out to be a mess of a story with trite romantic aspects and an annoying main character. On page five the word “retarded” is used, not as a way to show how ugly that word is, but as a humorous insult on the MC's part, and I just knew that this was a sign of what was to come...

This is a quick read, that can easily be read in one sitting, but I found my attention wavering because of the overall predictability of the story. From Lexi's huge mistake, to the friendships and relationships she develops in the circus, to the faces that show back up again, to where Lexi ends up in the end, everything is easy to see coming. There's only one real surprise in the book and it ended up angering me. When I say the story is messy, I don't mean it's hard to follow, I just mean it isn't put together well enough or tight enough. One of my biggest issues with That Time I Joined The Circus is the fact that there's such a big and important emotional arc being built after Lexi loses her dad, and then all that emotional building is pretty much torn down with the big surprise revelation Lexi learns toward the end of the book. I felt like this revelation was put in merely for shock value and not as a genuinely thoughtful way to grow Lexi's character. And the impact this revelation has on Lexi is not explored in a full way.

All the romantic elements (and there's A LOT) simply left me exhausted! They're not really the swoon-worthy kind of romantic elements, nor are they particularly well-developed. And I really hate who Lexi actually ended up with in the end, even if I saw it coming from the beginning.

Now, let's talk about our main character Lexi *sigh*...honestly, I just didn't like her much at all. She has a very hipster-ish, so above it all, snarky for the sake of snarky vibe that just annoyed the heck out of me. She constantly points out how different she is from her rich, stuck up private school peers and even looks down on her BFF Bailey, even though Bailey didn't come across as mean or stuck up. Lexi makes excuses for her “huge mistake” and makes it seem like Bailey almost deserved Lexi's betrayal. There's no real character growth when it comes to Lexi and I don't think she really learned anything at all by the end of the book. Also, I can't stand music snobs and Lexi is a huge (self-proclaimed) music snob *snore*

I do wish the actual circus setting was explored and utilized more. I mean, it's the friggin circus! You can't get a cooler setting that could be used in SO many ways (but it isn't).

There ARE a few things I did like about this book (and why it gets two cupcakes and not one)...Lexi may be a music snob, but the lyrics added at the beginning of each chapter were cool and the chapter titles themselves were funny. And I didn't dislike all the characters. The people Lexi meets at the circus, and who become her new family, are interesting and likable enough.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I didn't hate That Time I Joined The Circus, but I have no real love (or even a strong likening) for it. The predictable plot, annoying main character, exhausting romantic elements, and lackluster world-building just disappointed me...but that cover is still gorgeous!

MY RATING

J.J. Howard

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J.J. Howard is wearing headphones right now, most likely. She grew up in York, Pennsylvania, obsessed with music, movies, television, and pop culture. You can call her if you ever need to phone a friend for trivia on any of the above topics, but don’t ask about sports, because she is hopeless at those (along with math). 
J.J. graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in English and Tiffin University with an MH in Humanities. She has been some of her students’ favorite English teacher for a quite a few years (she even has a mug somewhere to prove it). THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS is her first young adult novel. 
J.J. would love to hear from her readers and is always ready to trade playlists. Visit at jjhowardbooks.com.

Review: Chemistry by Jodi Lamm

Chemistry

by Jodi Lamm

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You don’t want to read this book. I’m warning you. This isn’t a heartwarming, boy-meets-girl, high school romance. I wish it were—God, do I ever. No, if you read this, you’re going to be angry… with me, mostly. You’ll probably yell at me, if you’re the type of person who yells at books. You’ll tell me not to be so stupid, but I won’t listen. I’ll be exactly as stupid as I need to be to destroy everything I love because that’s who I am: a walking, talking tragedy. That’s who I’ve always been. But if you’re determined to read on despite my warning, I may as well introduce myself. My name is Claude Frollo, I’m nineteen going on ninety, and this is my story. It isn’t pretty, but it’s honest. And it’s the only story I have left to tell.

Jodi Lamm's Chemistry is a modern retelling of the classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame, set in a high school and starring a cast of teenage characters. You don't have to have read The Hunchback of Notre Dame to enjoy this book, but I do think a simple understanding of the classic's basic plot could be helpful when reading Chemistry. You can find a brief summary on Wikipedia HERE.

In Chemistry, Jodi Lamm has taken a classic tale and created her own twisted, intensely dark, and captivating story. Chemistry is narrated by the 19 year old main character, Claude, and explores how Claude's life takes a tragic and hard turn upon the arrival of the beautiful Esmeralda. Like several of the main characters, Claude becomes infatuated and obsessed with Esmeralda, but she only has eyes for the handsome Phoebus. Both Claude and his deformed best friend (in the Quasimodo role), Valentine, fall hard for Esmeralda and set out to protect her from the dangerous Phoebus and his friends. An almost rape, literal back-stabbing, rescue gone awry, and deep betrayal all lead up to an explosive and deadly conclusion.

Much of the classic plot remains in Chemistry, as well as most of the character names, but Lamm has definitely crafted something that is all her own. The classic story translates very well in this modern setting with its modern and relatable situations. Lamm proves to be an effective storyteller and superb character developer.

The story in Chemistry is very dark, twisted, and disturbing in the most engrossing way. Lamm doesn't hold anything back, which creates a wonderfully layered story. This isn't an “easy” read and deals with some very heavy and hard subject matter (rape, murder, abuse, drug use, etc), but all of these things are necessary to capture the story being told. The plot moves at a steady pace, and while some storylines aren't explained as much as others and some seem a bit messy, Claude's main story is deftly laid out.

And it seems to me that Chemistry is more a character study than anything else...but this isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, I found myself incredibly entranced by Claude's narration and inner monolgue/stream of consciousness. Claude is such a delicately complex character and Lamm shows his internal struggle between good and bad, light and dark, in some really breathtaking ways. I was both enamored and disgusted by Claude, usually at the same time, which is the sign of a truly well-developed character. He's impossible to ignore and forget.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: As far as retellings go, Chemistry is a great one. This dark, unputdownable book, with its unforgettable narrator and twisted story, will shock and captivate, and leave readers both entertained and thoughtful.

MY RATING

Jodi Lamm

Website / Twitter 

   If you care to know the usual, I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I currently live in the Sonoran Desert with The Other Lamm, three furry creatures (only one of which is an honorary dragon), and a variety of musical instruments. I write for the love of storytelling. I’m addicted to fantasy, ghost stories, and anything with just the right amount of eerie romance.

Review: Fairyvision (Songs of Magic #5) by J.L. Bryan

My reviews of books 1-4 in this series can be found here: book 1, book 2, book 3, book 4

Fairyvision

(Songs of Magic #5)

J.L. Bryan

2/15/13

Format: ebook

Source: from author for review

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Purchase: Amazon / B&N

The fifth book in the Songs of Magic series!Jason, Erin, and the other Zebras go on a world tour with their enchanted instruments, only to encounter the mysterious supernatural Folk of India and the Far East. While they tangle with their record company, Erin tries to avoid dealing with the secrets she's learned about herself, while Jason pieces together a mystery surrounding a very special golden guitar called Caliburn.In Faerie, Aoide the Lutist and her troupe finally return home from their long adventure. They're struggling to get new gigs, but Aoide senses opportunity in the form of special new magic mirrors that can broadcast concerts, plays, and other entertainment all over Faerie...

I had just finished reading a rather disappointing book when I decided to finally dive into J.L. Bryan's Fairyvision, the fifth book in the Songs of Magic Series. Now, I have plenty of books to read and many I need to read, but, after a super meh book, I knew I needed a great read, so I turned to one of the few series that never disappoints or fails me...and Fairyvision was beyond awesome!

No matter how much time has passed since I read each of the books in this series, each time I open a new one it feels like coming home and hanging out with a group of my besties! I've come to love the Songs of Magic series THAT much,and Fairyvision is another fantastic edition. In this fifth book, the now super famous Rioting Zebras are sent on a world tour and encounter new, fierce magical creatures (and overly enthusiastic fans) in Japan, India, and Australia. Followed by a camera crew taping a reality show, tempers start to fly among the Zebras and fame begins to take its toll. In Faerie, Aoide and her merry group of musicians also find fame and issues when T.V comes to this magical world. Both bands have gotten the fame and wealth they wanted, but the price they have to pay may end up too high.

I love everything about Fairyvision and Bryan does everything right in this book: the world-building, the storytelling, the humor, and the characters. Like books 1-4 before it, Fairyvision is a wild and uber fun ride full of the fantastical and funny.

There's real magic in Bryan's storytelling and he hits ALL the right notes! Even though this is the fifth book in the series, the superb and captivating storytelling hasn't slowed down at all. Bryan still manages to surprise and dazzle me with each new book. The world-building simply rocks! The world of Faerie is created with such vivid imagination and head-spinning creativity, and I just adore it all! This world is all explosive color, sparkle, and whimsy, but also has elements of wonderful eeriness. In Fairyvision we get to explore even more of Faerie and meet new and exciting creatures, places, plant life, and customs , and I have no idea where Bryan comes up with all of the crazy-awesome stuff! Two words: Cupcake Harvest...I like to think my cupcake-ness rubbed off on the dear author ;)

One of the things I love best about this series, is the humor. Silly humor, snarky humor, ironic humor, plain laugh-out-loud humor...these books have it all. Bryan infuses so much great humor in the Rioting Zebra's journey from a nothing band to a world-wide phenomenon and creates such a smart tongue-in-cheek look at materialism, the entertainment industry, and life in general.

The heart of this series remains to be the well-crafted and developed characters. Bryan has created so many layered and believable characters; some that readers will love, some that will make you laugh, some that you love to hate. The four teenage members of the Rioting Zebras continue to be some of my all time fave characters! I love feisty Erin, sweet Jason, friggin awesome Dred, and even ironically whiny Mitch. These are characters that feel real, feel like friends, and who readers will continue to root for.

Fairyvision takes readers on an exciting and unpredictable trip all around our world and Faerie, and has one heck of an ending (seriously J.L. Bryan?! You end it like that?!) that has me SO ready for book six.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Songs of Magic series will delight and enchant both older and younger readers (it's totally appropriate for middle-grade readers). Fairyvision is a fantastic fifth edition in a rockin' series that I can't recommend enough. If you're a fan of the series, pick up this book now, and if you haven't started the series yet, get to it! A MUST read book in a MUST read series....you can get book one for FREE for Amazon Kindle.

MY RATING

J.L. Bryan

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J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, dogs Violet and Tiger Lily, and cats Shadow and Sue.