DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry

Dare You To
Katie McGarry

Rating: A-
Release Date: 06/01/13
Synopsis:
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

My thoughts on the book:
McGarry does it again in her latest contemporary novel, Dare You To. I read this entire novel in one sitting, even though it's 462 pages. While there are a few very small things that I didn't like, overall this novel is phenomenal. McGarry once again created believable characters, realistic and tragic situations, and a beautiful romance. This is one summer read that cannot be missed. 

Beth is an extremely complex character. While she got on my nerves at times, I understood her actions. She just wants to protect herself because she's been hurt so much. However, sometimes she came across as an ungrateful brat, and I wanted to smack her. I know that she's just a kid and had to grow up fast to take care of her mom, and I know that her situation and reactions are extremely realistic, but that doesn't mean that I didn't want to knock some sense into her. More often than not, I liked and sympathized with her character, though. Ryan is amazing, and while he comes off as a jerk at first, around the middle of the book, I fell in love with him. He's actually a really good guy, but like most teenage boys (or just guys in general), he doesn't think about how his actions affect those around him. He and Beth make a good team and challenge each other, which makes them both grow constantly throughout the course of the novel. 

The plot starts off a bit slow, in my opinion, and for the first 70-80 pages, I was actually a little bored. I know that McGarry is showing Beth's and Ryan's lives so that we can get to know them better, but I felt like it dragged on a bit too long. However, once things picked up, I was so engrossed in the story that I couldn't put the book down (which led to me reading until 4:30am and not getting much sleep). You can't help but care about these characters, and I had to know how the story ended before I could go to sleep. McGarry, again, is a master of showing instead of telling, and through her prose, she enables the reader to feel exactly what her characters are feeling. 

Overall, I'd recommend this novel to anyone. I'm not a huge fan of contemporary (I like a couple of contemporary novels/series, but that's it), and I really adored both this book and Pushing the Limits. The cool thing about this series is that you can read Dare You To without reading the first novel in the series, though I don't see why you'd want to. Both books are amazing, and this is, by far, my favorite contemporary series. I'd venture to say that this will be one of the best reads of the summer. You can't miss this one. 

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IF I SHOULD DIE by Amy Plum

If I Should Die
Amy Plum

Rating: B
Synopsis:
I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

My thoughts on the book:
If I Should Die did not live up to the super high standards I had in place for it, but it was still good. The whole novel just seemed a bit anticlimactic to me, especially after the ending of the second book. The ending itself was satisfying, if convenient, and there wasn't much character development throughout the course of this installment. The plot was intense, but I just couldn't make myself feel that sense of urgency that the past two books had. This is a hard review for me to write because I'm just not sure how I felt about If I Should Die.

Kate doesn't really evolve at all in this novel. She's still the same rash, irrational, stubborn girl that she was in the previous installments. I like Kate because she fights for what she believes in, but the girl needs to learn to control her emotions some and not make such idiotic decisions. Kate is smart, though, and I love that about her. She's also cultured and a researcher. There is more I like about her than not. Vincent is as sickeningly sweet as ever. I like his character, too, but I wish he had at least a bit of a dark side that we could SEE. Kate seems to have blinders on when it comes to him, and that annoys me a bit. I like my heroes to be a bit rougher around the edges than he is. Georgia is still annoying and childish. Mamie and Papy actually do grow some, and I enjoyed getting to know them better. There are a few surprising revelations with some of the secondary characters as well, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, so I'm going to leave that alone.

As previously stated, the plot is intense, but I couldn't make myself feel a sense of urgency. Many of the occurrences were much too convenient, and it was blatantly obvious that Plum was manipulating the story to her liking. I don't like when I can see an author's manipulations. The characters are supposed to have trial after trial after trial, not one trial that works out neatly without any mess. One of the glaringly obvious moments is when Kate is looking for something in the dark and the moonlight JUST SO HAPPENS to shine on her necklace and reflect on what she is looking for. Seriously? At least have her feel around and search until she finds it. That'd be more realistic. There are a few moments like that in the book, and those moments pulled me completely out of the story. Regardless, I couldn't put the book down, and I had to know what happened next. I never felt bored. I was invested in the story, even though I wasn't necessarily on the edge of my seat the entire time. In the end, everything wraps up nicely and neatly, and I would have liked a little more mess there, too. However, the ending was satisfying, and I don't feel like the author neglected to complete anyone's story. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of the series and this series to anyone who wants a less gruesome spin on zombie tales. These zombies are hot, and the world Plum has created is pretty awesome and definitely unique. The first two books in this trilogy are unbelievably amazing, and this one is pretty good as well. 

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THE TEMPTATION by Alisa Valdes

The Temptation
Alisa Valdes

Rating: D
Synopsis:
His touch was electric. 
His eyes were magnetic. 
His lips were a temptation.... 
But was he real? 

After crashing her car on an empty highway, Shane is miraculously saved by Travis, a mysterious cowboy who walks out of nowhere. She is instantly attracted to him, and for the first time, she believes in “soul mates.” But Shane soon discovers that Travis is dead and that strict rules from the Underworld govern kindred spirits of different dimensions. Breaking these rules could destroy both their souls. And while Travis is almost impossible to resist, temptation proves to be the kindest enemy they encounter. 

Can true love surpass the power of pure evil? Part love story, part supernatural thriller, this first book in the Kindred trilogy will leave readers lusting for more!

My thoughts on the book:
The Temptation was a major disappointment for me. I didn't have extremely high hopes for this book, due to the mixed reviews, but I did expect the narrator to at least be tolerable. None of the characters were very well developed. The plot was ridiculous, and the insta-love was unhealthy to say the least. The world-building and writing were pretty good, and the pacing was okay. Due my absolute hatred of Shane, though, I just could not enjoy this book. 

Shane has got to be one of the most obnoxious narrators I've ever read. The girl overreacted to everything. EVERY-FREAKING-THING. She'd get intensely terrified at the drop of a hat. By page 100, I was wishing that she had just died in the car accident in the beginning of the book and that the story had been about someone else. Also, her obsession with Travis? Creepy to the extreme. When she's not throwing herself at him and whining and begging for a kiss, she's basically stalking him. I mean I try not to judge all novels that have insta-love, but this was not a healthy situation. And Shane is so STUPID. She makes one dumb mistake after the other, and for some ungodly reason, she insists on taking her dog with her EVERYWHERE. Then when something happens to the dog, which obviously it will because you're taking it to inappropriate spots in the first place, then she blames everyone but herself. She's self-absorbed and doesn't care how her actions affect others. She does what she wants, then whines and apologizes like an idiot later. She's the weakest and sorriest excuse of a main character I've seen lately. Okay. I think I'm done with this rant. *Takes a deep breath*

Moving on, the rest of the characters are extremely bland. Travis is nothing special, in my opinion. He's just some guy who happens to not be a sociopath, like Shane's boyfriend Logan. Logan, however, is a boring sociopath. He loves killing animals (which is disgusting), but he doesn't do anything that I'd consider off the wall for a creepy psycho. Kelsey, like Shane, is dumb as a rock and obnoxious. Shane's mom is a cookie cutter image of what someone thinks a mom would be... you get the idea. No one is developed and no one has an actual personality. Reading interactions with the overly dramatic Shane and a non-developed character extremely painful. 

The plot is kind of ridiculous, in my opinion, but whatever. It didn't blow me over, and I really didn't care what happened. I just wanted Shane to shut up and die. The world-building is actually pretty good, and Valdes' writing isn't bad. If I hadn't hated Shane so much, I'd actually be tempted to try some of Valdes' other works, but if she creates characters like Shane, then I don't need to read anything by her. The pacing was pretty spot-on, and everything flowed naturally. 

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone unless they wanted to read from the perspective of one of the most obnoxious characters ever created. However, if you can get past Shane, the book isn't half bad. 

TRANSPARENT by Natalie Whipple

Transparent
Natalie Whipple

Rating: D
Release Date: 05/21/13
Synopsis:
Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

My thoughts on the book:
Transparent is not what I expected. For some reason, through no fault of the author, I thought that Fiona could turn invisible, but wasn't invisible all the time. Therefore, when I realized my mistake, I couldn't get into this book. Don't get me wrong, Whipple's writing is fine, the concept is interesting, and the plot is full of suspense, but I just could not wrap my head around a character being invisible constantly. Because I couldn't willingly suspend my disbelief, I was unable to enjoy this book. 

Fiona is a well-created character, and I wanted her to succeed. However, because of the whole invisibility thing, I never could fully connect to her. I know she can't help being invisible and all of that, but I just couldn't  relate to her at all. I felt very disconnected from both her and her mother. I vacillated between having sympathy for her mom and wanting to smack her because she's so weak sometimes. On many occasions, Fiona is much more grown-up than her mother. Her father is truly a terrifying and evil bad guy. He's complex but awful. 

The plot is full of action, suspense, and intrigue. As I stated, the concept is extremely unique. The people who can get past the invisibility thing will adore this book. The pacing is spot on, and even though I couldn't get fully into it due to the aforementioned reasons, the plot kept me reading. Whipple does an excellent job at creating a one-of-a-kind, albeit (in my opinion) unbelievable world. The rules of this world are expertly woven within the prose - there are no info dumps in this narrative. The writing is top notch, and the ending will leave you begging for more. 

Overall, I would recommend this book to people who can accept the idea of someone who is completely invisible constantly. If you can accept that, then you will enjoy this novel immensely. For those of you who, like me, can't wrap your head around the idea, I'd say skip it. 

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BLACK HEART by Christina Henry Cover Reveal!

I simply adore this series, and I am super excited to share this cover with you guys!

Black Heart

By: Christina Henry

Release Date: 10/29/13

Synopsis:

As a former Agent of Death, Madeline Black is no stranger to witnessing violent ends. But being the one to cause them is an entirely different story…

Despite her having saved Chicago from a vampire invasion, the Agency wants to get Maddy off their payroll—permanently. With the deadly Retrievers hot on her trail, she has no choice but to trust Nathaniel to port her to safety. But even the exotic and dangerous world that she winds up in is not as peaceful as she would have hoped. Caught in a turf war between a group of fae and a disturbingly familiar foe, Maddy soon discovers that the twisted plots of her grandfather, Lucifer, and his brothers extend even into this unknown realm.

Now, with enemies gathering on all sides, Maddy’s fate is looking darker than ever. And to protect her unborn son from her adversaries, she may have to tap into a power she hoped never to access…

THE GIRL WITH THE IRON TOUCH by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch
Kady Cross

Rating: A+
Release Date: 05/28/13
Synopsis:
In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken 

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives. 

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin. 

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine. 

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

My thoughts on the book:
These books just keep getting better! The Girl with the Iron Touch is my favorite Steampunk Chronicles book to date. Cross takes readers on an adventure they'll never forget. This installment is full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. The characters grow, new characters are introduced, and relationships evolve. From the first page I was hooked. I couldn't put this novel down. 

This story is told in third person limited from alternating points of view. It switches between Emily, Finley, and a new character named Mila. Normally I hate when viewpoints switch, but each of these characters offer something that the others lack. Also, the various viewpoints allow the readers to get to know all of the characters better and from different perspectives. Finley is still my favorite, but I really enjoyed learning more about Emily and getting introduced to Mila, too. 

Finley grows a lot in this novel, and so does Griffin. I really love how both of them are changing and how these changes affect their relationship. Emily and Sam also change over the course of the story, but not as much. The relationships between Finley and Griffin as well as Emily and Sam evolve quite a bit, too. It's interesting to see how the dynamics between all of the characters develop as the relationships grow. I'm also interested to see how Mila fits in with everyone. Additionally, I loved getting to know Jack better. He's just more and more of a mystery. I'm totally team Finley and Griffin, but I adore Jack, too. I just don't think he's right for Finley. 

The plot is intense, and while there is some action, it's not necessarily action-packed. Cross starts the book with an action scene, but as the story line progresses, the action takes a back seat to the mysteries and suspense. I was completely invested in the story, though, and wasn't bored for a second. Also, the pacing is perfect, and the world that Cross developed keeps growing. The ending, which I love, resolves most of the issues in this book, but it leaves a few things open ended for the next installment. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves steampunk. Cross really outdid herself with this novel. It is amazing. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry.

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