Review: Code Name Verity

Author: Elizabeth Wein

Pages: 339

Publisher: Doubleday

Source: Review copy- thank you

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: Two young women from totally different backgrounds are thrown together during World War II: one a working-class girl from Manchester, the other a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a wireless operator. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted friends.

But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in “Verity’s” own words, as she writes her account for her captors.

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Code Name Verity is one of those books that reminds me why I love to read. It's one of those hidden gems that readers are always searching for. It opens up a whole new world to the reader, and by the end of the story we feel like we know the characters so well they could be our friends.

The story takes place in Ormaie, France during the early stages of World War 2. A Scottish spy has been caught by the Gestapo and they are trying to glean information from her through any way possible. So the girl makes a deal. She has two weeks to write down everything she can remember about the Allies, their plans, and stuff about their aircrafts. Code Name Verity is her story of the events leading up to how she got caught. Moreso, it's a story of friendship.

Through her words, we get to know our main character very well. She is beautiful, strong and proud. She's also flawed in many ways- vain, temperamental. Her writing has so much voice that I couldn't help but keep reading. When the words stop, that will mean she has died. It's terrible to think about and the story isn't overly graphic but it is very dark with this threat lying in the background. She is a prisoner and it doesn't seem like she has any chance of getting rescued but as reader I couldn't help but hope for the best.

I said Code Name Verity is about friendship. In the poor girl's writing, we meet her best friend, Maddie. Maddie is a pilot and the two are a sensational duo. I enjoyed how they got to know each other despite their differences. Friendship isn't featured enough in YA so this was very refreshing for me.

The plot is very twisty. I can't reveal almost any details from the story because if I do, it will inevitably spoil some very important, powerful scene. I never knew where the story was going and there were some very shocking scenes. I stayed up very late to finish this book and it captured my attention very well. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that at some points, it felt a little long. Most of the length was necessary though, and I didn't realize why until later on. It's a book that is very easy to get into and also very memorable.

Ultimately, Code Name Verity is a unique view of World War 2 that shows how girls contributed to the war. Historically, it was very interesting learning of the technology back then and women's growing rights. It's not a very historical book though. The story is one of friendship and that is most definitely timeless. 4 stars,

****

Review: Eternal

Author: Gillian Shields

Pages: 368

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Library

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: This third book about the Mystic Sisterhood at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies is another romantic thriller with paranormal elements and deep mystery. This time our heroine is Sarah Fitzalan, the dependable, faithful friend to Evie and Helen, her sisters in the Mystic Way. But this term Sarah finds that their friendship is tested to the limits. Evie is turning her back on the Mystic Way after the sisterhood laid her beloved Sebastian’s soul to rest; Helen is distracted; and a new girl, wild child Velvet Romaine, seems set on stirring up more trouble at Wyldcliffe. Sarah struggles to keep the sisterhood together as the threat of attack from the dark coven looms. 

All Sarah has to keep her going is her connection with her earth powers and a promise she cannot break. Must she sacrifice herself for the sake of her friends and sisters? Will her sisters join her, or will help come from unexpected sources, like her Romany ancestors, and a love she’d only just dared hope for?

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I didn't know what to expect going into Eternal. I had read Betrayal and Immortal all in Evie's perspective so I was surprised upon getting the book that the story was about Sarah. That made sense; Evie's story was finished. I enjoyed reading about Evie's romance with Sebastian but Eternal was about Sarah.

Sarah has always felt like the supportive best friend. She's kind and helps everyone but secretly she wants her own story. I was fascinated by her character. She had a very distinctive personality and I was really curious about her part in the story.

The other characters we've known are there as well as Velvet Romaine, the rich rock star's daughter who's role in everything hasn't been revealed yet. I, again, liked the characters but I didn't love them. Some parts that were meant to be devastating got from me a reaction of basically thinking "That sucks!" and then continuing on. I'm not sure why I wasn't so emotionally invested in the story- I was more so in Evie's. Perhaps it's because I miss reading about Sebastian who I did care about.

Plot wise, there was a lot of suspense and build up. There was again a big mystery and almost the entire book was waiting for the big finish and what would happen. I liked that there was mystery and suspense but I wished all throughout there was as much action as in the end. I know that's impossible but just wanting more action to keep me more focused and hooked would have helped make the book even better.

Eternal is a book that was good but that didn't satisfy me. I think it's personal because I didn't love the story even though it was well done. If you've read the other books, be sure to read Eternal. It ends with a promise for much bigger and possibly awesome things to come . 3 stars,

***

Review: Leaving Paradise

Author: Simone Elkeles

Pages: 303

Publisher: Flux

Source: Library

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

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Simone Elkeles is a genius! I have so much love for her Perfect Chemistry series so when I saw Leaving Paradise at the library I had to pick it up and read it. I'm glad I did because Simone's stories alway appeal to me.

First off, let me tell you about the characters. We have Caleb (I love him!) and Maggie (awesome and strong) who are our would-be couple. In Simone's books there's always a twist as to why the couple can't be together. This time it's because Caleb drove drunk from a party and hit Maggie. He didn't check if she was okay, he just left her there. Maggie was sent to the hospital and resulted in numerous surgeries for her leg and a limp while Caleb had to serve his time at a juvie jail.When I first met Caleb, he garnered very hot and cold reactions from me. I'd like him, but then he'd do something and I'd feel iffy about. Later on in the book though I loved him. He won my respect and trust, plus he was so sexy and protective of Maggie Poor Maggie hasn't had an easy time. The accident left her scared to move on and a loner. She lost her spirit. I really connected with Maggie. Since there were alternating perspectives, I got to see all of Maggie. She's not unlike myself and I enjoyed reading about her reactions

 There were other mentionable characters (like Grandma) whom I also liked. I have to mention that there were many characters who were cliché. Normally I hate that but sometimes it works. That doesn't mean I don't want to know more about the characters' motivations and stuff. If that's something that bothers you, you may have a problem with this book.

Another thing I need to mention was the plot and pacing. After being introduced to the concept the plot slowed down. There was a ton of build up and when I look at that 100 in between pages, I don't remember much. At that point there wasn't anything really drawing me in until Caleb and Maggie finally got together and a plot point was revealed. That point right there made so much sense but I never even considered it. I literally reread the page 3-4 times. I love twists being thrown at readers that way. Keeps the story interesting, you know?

All in all, I liked this story. I still adore Perfect Chemistry more but this is a great choice for a contemporary romantic read. I was sucked in, which is my regular reaction with Simone's books but I wasn't totally enamored. I'm really curious to see what happens next. If you're a fan of Simone Elkeles, check Leaving Paradise out! 3.5 stars,

 *** & 1/2  *

Review: Wildefire

Author: Karsten Knight

Pages: 393

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Source: Library

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: Every flame begins with a spark. Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

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It really saddens me to write this review. In part because there wasn't anything really wrong with the book, except there wasn't that one thing that made me love it. Wildefire had all the makings of a great story but it never satisfied me. I say me, because there are probably many people who loved this book.

I'll start with the good.

1) The characters were all unique and had their own personalities. There were also many of them with a wide range of ethnicities.

2) The plot is twisty and very obviously complicated. It's fast paced and leaves you guessing.

3) The world is one you'll want to explore. The different lesser known Gods are awesome to read about and there will be many questions.

Wildefire had decent plot, characters, and setting. My problem was that I couldn't get into it. While reading, I rarely ever felt like I was experiencing the story rather than reading it. When bad things happened to the characters I didn't really feel much. I wanted to love this book though. That's probably one of the reasons I finished so quickly- I wanted to know what happened and to be so ecstatic and love it. I just didn't.

Another was that I never really connected with any character but the villain. Seriously, that was the character I was most interested in and so you can see the problems there. None of the characters called to me and there was a lot told about them but since there were so many characters, almost none of it was demonstrated.

The plot didn't leave me satisfied too. I know this is the first book in a series but it left me knowing that. Let me explain: I feel like a book should have a beginning, middle and ending which means an individual story. If it's in a series, that story should fit into a larger arc. Arguably, you could say that there was an individual story. Problem is, I don't like the conclusion.

The most important thing missing was my emotional investment. The story never really came through for me. Maybe that was because I already knew stuff like what goddess Ashline was as I saw it in some reviews and I was tired of it being such a big mystery for most of the book when I already knew. That affected my view of the story greatly. It could also have been my mood while reading- tired and with a headache. Whatever the case, I just wasn't impressed.

Overall, I will probably read the sequel because there is potential there and I do think I may like future books. I also may have been expecting too much due to hype. If this book seems interesting to you, read it, but i wouldn't say it's a must read. 3 stars,

***

Review: Where the Truth Lies

Author: Jessica Warman
Pages: 308
Publisher: Walker Children's
Source: Library
Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: On the surface, Emily Meckler leads the perfect life. She has three best friends, two loving parents, and the ideal setup at the Connecticut prep school where her father is the headmaster. But Emily also suffers from devastating nightmares about fire and water, and nobody knows why. Then the enigmatic Del Sugar enters her life, and Emily is immediately swept away—but her passionate relationship with Del is just the first of many things that aren't quite what they seem in Emily's life. As the lies she's been told start to unravel, Emily must set out to discover the truth regarding her nightmare; on a journey that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about love, family, and her own idyllic past.

This companion novel to Warman's critically acclaimed Breathless proves that sometimes the biggest lies are told to the people you love the most.

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I really liked Where the Truth Lies. I didn't honestly expect much, but I was surprised by how this book made me feel. Content, not happy, but accepting towards life. In the end I'm glad to have read it.

Emily lives the perfect life- on the outside. She's sweet, has great friends, rich, and has a loving family. Except for her terrifyingly vivid nightmares there's nothing wrong with her. Then she meets the new bad boy Del and her life unravels.

I love that this book defied my expectations. Some of the characters were really well done. They had insecurities, lives and problems outside of the story. I was surprised at how real they felt. Emily herself was like that. She was insecure about her talents and still trying to figure out who she was.

All the characters were lost and trying to find their way. I enjoyed reading about the backstories and simple day-to-day interactions.

The plot isn't really fast-paced. A lot of the conflicts are within Emily herself. I still found that I was interested in the story. The way everything was written was like life. Not happy or sad, just the way it is. The truth was found in the end and I thought that it was a satisfying ending. I liked that Emily matured and grew from when the book started.

Overall, this is a strange book to review. What happens could happen to anyone really. I liked it. 3.5 stars,

*** & 1/2 *

Review: Legacy

Author: Cayla Kluver
Pages: 496
Publisher: Harlequin
Source: Library
Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.

When the palace guard captures and intruder— a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy— Alera is alarmed… and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.

In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom.

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Reading Legacy was like opening up a portal into another world full of kingdoms and injustice.

Something about this book didn't feel real at all. There was so much detail but I had so many questions. Like what the heck does Alera do on a day-to-day basis? This seems dumb but I never saw her mention a friend of hers beside London who was her bodyguard. Do princesses just walk around gardens to calm their mind and read books all day with the occasional party thrown in? This part of the story really bugged me. Many times a chapter skipped ahead to another month and I was really curious what happens when Alera isn't doing something relevant to the plot.

The plot, the plot, the plot... *sigh* 500 pages. And this "magic" and war we were promised isn't seen until after, what, 300, 350 pages? So, so much was unnecessary. Or if you wanted to keep that huge page number, a bit more drama would have been fun. There were many moments where nothing happened but there was so much potential. At times I could NOT stop reading. Even if there wasn't any action, strangely I still was very into the book. I was hooked anyway.

Much of the story was Alera musing, whining, moping, whatever you want to call it about the fact that as crown princess, she couldn't rule the kingdom on her own and therefore had to marry a suitable husband. Or at least get Father's definition of suitable which could be summed up into one word: Steldor. There wasn't very much action though. Alera can't do much as a woman in that kind of society. The ending was expected but at the same time, very interesting.

Many people complained about the writing... I will say that I didn't pay much attention to descriptions. There were many of them which I just ignored. (You'd be surprised how often that happens.) I prefer content over wrappings. I'm not an amazing writer nor am I particularly literary. At the beginning of the book I didn't like the writing at all. There were way too many commas, long sentences, and unnecessary descriptions. Later on I got used to it and continued on.

From the tone of my review, it may seem like I didn't like this book. That's far from the truth- I did! I acknowledge its errors but I enjoyed the book anyway. Something about Legacy was so alluring for me. I can't put my finger on it yet though. For example, I should hate Steldor. But I don't. I never know what he'll do. I'm curious about his manipulations and love when Alera tried to best him. I love reading about him, as a character he's a pompous jerk but he's a mystery and I can't help but want to read about him. Stuff like this made Legacy an enjoyable read.

There's so much set up in Legacy that I truly have no idea where it will go. Hopefully the author has a fulfilling destination seeing as I may really begin to like this series as a guilty pleasure. 3.5 stars,

*** & 1/2 *

Review: Ingenue

Author: Jillian Larkin 

Pages: 351

Publisher: Random House

Source: Library

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: Power . . . love . . . scandal . . .

There’s never enough to go around.

In the city that never sleeps, Lorraine Dyer is wide awake. Ever since she exposed Clara Knowles for the tramp she was—and lost her closest confidante in the process—Lorraine has spent every second scheming to make her selfish, lovesick ex–best friend pay for what she did. No one crosses Lorraine. Not even Gloria. 

True love conquers everything—or so Gloria Carmody crazily believed. She and Jerome Johnson can barely scrape together cash for their rent, let alone have a moment to whisper sweet nothings in the dark. And if they thought escaping Chicago meant they’d get away with murder . . . they were dead wrong.

Clara was sure that once handsome, charming Marcus Eastman discovered her shameful secret, he’d drop her like a bad habit. Instead, he swept her off her feet and whisked her away to New York. Being with Marcus is a breath of fresh air—and a chance for Clara to leave her wild flapper ways firmly in the past. Except the dazzling parties and bright lights won’t stop whispering her name. . . . 

INGENUE is the second novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic Flappers series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . where revenge is a dish best served cold.

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Ingenue is one of those books who's cover fits it perfectly. There's glamour but there's a bit of the gritty and the dark. It's about fearless people and fun. The cover designers hit a bullseye when it comes to Jillian Larkin's Flappers series.

The atmosphere in Ingenue is amazing. The second I opened the book I was immersed in the pages. The speakeasies, New York, clubs, 1924, were explained so well. I had so much fun reading about the new fashions and all the crazy adventures these people had. This was a part I definitely liked of the story.

Ingenue starts about six months after Vixen and all the shizz that went down in Chicago before Jerome and Gloria left. After killing Tony the mobster Jerome and Gloria are in hiding and kind of slumming it. They're trying to find employment and have resorted to thievery. I really liked their relationship and what happens to them. Gloria has always had this naive girl feel to me and I'm so glad that while she complains, she also is firm in her resolve to stay with Jerome. Their love is adorable and I totally root for them.

The other characters interested me less. Wait, did I say interest? I meant annoyed me more. Sure, they were interesting but I have a thing against Clara. She's in an incredible relationship and I really hope she doesn't mess it up. Although I do think I can grow to like her character someday. Lorraine on the other hand is a petty, foul, awful person whom I'm not sure I could ever like. She's way too selfish and mean-spirited. I think there is a soft side to her but it rarely ever sees the light of day. Her storyline was important to the overall story but I just didn't like her. Vera? GO GIRL! All I'm sayin'.

Plot pacing-wise, Ingenue fell in the middle. We have alternating perspective so most of the book is just putting things into place for the climax. There were some twists but none of them really shocked me or had me really excited or passionate. I guessed one of the biggest ones which isn't very fun. The plot and characters are what I have problems with. Something about them doesn't feel right. You wait for something huge to happen but the climax didn't excite me too much. The characters make decisions that I didn't understand.

Overall, Ingenue is a nice read but not really a must read. I think it's a good continuation and I'm curious to see what happens next in Diva. 3.5 stars,

*** & 1/2 *

Review: Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara

Author: Terry Baldwin

Pages: 212

Publisher: Middleton Books

Source: Review Copy (Thank you!!)

Release Date: August 10th

Challenge: Ultimate Reviewers' Challenge

Synopsis: Thirteen-year old Tess has never been able to compete with her “perfect” older sister, but now she must—if she wants to inherit her grandmother’s priceless tiara. The two girls have been invited to their grandparent’s lake house for the summer to help take care of Grandma who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The sister who earns the most “helpful points” wins the former beauty queen’s crown.

"It’s not easy for Tess, who seems to always get things wrong despite best intentions. And who is that mysterious stranger who’s just moved next door to their grandparents’ summer cottage? 

Does he know that Tess’ grandmother was once the winner of a famous patriotic beauty contest? Or that she keeps her tiara where anyone can steal it? And why doesn’t he have a face?

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Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara is not a YA book. I wasn't expecting that so I had to adjust my expectations a little bit before reading. I'd say it's a younger MG book.

I think it's a very charming read. I haven't read children's books for a long time so I enjoyed putting myself back there. I could relate with Tess a lot. She reminded me of myself when I was a kid- full of hopes and dreams, imaginative and uh, absent minded. My mom would tell you not a lot has changed. Tess made mistakes but she always meant well.

The plot was very easy to follow and amusing. One of my favourite things about the story was how fast every scene moved. The story felt very complete and it was done in a little over a hundred pages. This was not a boring read at all. I was able to finish it pretty much in one sitting. The setting is very clear and I like the simplicity of the descriptions.

What's interesting about this novel is that it speaks about important issues like discrimination but in a clear way. I've been lucky enough to be raised within a multicultural household and go to the most diverse high school in the region. I don't consider myself a discriminatory or racist person because I have so many experiences with different types of people. Tess is in a different situation. She seems to come from a white background and neither she or her family has much experience with diversity. However, she learns and I really liked that part of the story.

Overall, I think this is a pretty good children's story. I'll probably give it to my sister once she's a little bit older and can read better. I like the message and Tess is a great role model. What I don't like is the that Tess is supposed to be 13 but doesn't act like it at all. I thought she was 8-11 based on the way she acted and her thought process. I can't star-rate the book because this isn't my genre so I don't have very many comparables. For what it's worth, I did enjoy it.

Review: Awakening

Author: Karice Bolton
Pages: 320
Publisher: Purely Persistent
Source: Review copy- thank you!
Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Synopsis: Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream.

On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she's just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him. 

Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana's world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she's been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all.

It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds.

Buy the Book (Amazon/ The Book Depository)

Awakening by Karice Bolton was a book I had many issues with. The book doesn't really feel ready and I had a lot of difficulty reading it.

It took me a really long time to finish Awakening. I honestly couldn't get into it. Some of my issues result from my personal preferences, but others are problems the book had itself.

The first would be the writing. In no way do I claim to be some writing expert, but the writing in this book distracted me from the scene and wasn't fun to read. Although there was nice diction, the dialogue sounded stilted and unnatural with the lack of contractions. There were way too many unnecessary details about random objects in a scene that really bogged down the story, and overall the style of writing wasn't easy to read. A lot of this could be resolved by a few more in depth edits. That's what I noticed and the writing really bothered me at the beginning while near the end I was more relaxed.

Another issue I had was absolutely no connection to any of the characters. None. They felt really one dimensional to me. Some of them were way too perfect with no real visible flaws or insecurities. The main character, Ana, didn't do much for me either. I kinda felt she was robotic and I don't really know much about her character beyond what's said about her.

The plot didn't improve the story. It was much too slow for my tastes. A lot of the story is Ana professing how much she loves Athen and her family while they go on parties and trips and stuff. It's not until the end that you realize there's more to it than that, but by that time I found it too little too late. The biggest issues were believability issues. There were many scenes and events that I couldn't relate with or that I found clichéd. The scene when Ana first sees Athen, Arie, and Cyril first comes to mind. Too much description was put there and I didn't feel any of the apparent emotions Ana was facing.

Overall, I hate to write a review like this, but I had a lot of trouble reading Awakening and I probably would have written it off as a DNF had I not agreed to review it. The book has potential and an interesting mythology, it just needs a lot of work before Awakening will shine. 1 star,

*

Review: Lost Voices

Author: Sarah Porter
Pages: 291
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Library
Challenge: Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge
Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder? The first book in a trilogy, Lost Voices is a captivating and wildly original tale about finding a voice, the healing power of friendship, and the strength it takes to forgive.


Buy the Book (Amazon/The Book Depository)

Lost Voices was an unforgettable story of lost, hurt girls. It was unlike any other YA novel I've read this year.

What happens to the poor girls that are broken and have no where to go? They become mermaids that take revenge on humanity by drowning ships. Their beautiful voices lure people to their deaths.

Luce is one of these girls. After her uncle crossed the line she becomes a mermaid with an incredibly powerful voice. Luce is different though. She doesn't feel good about killing humans, even if it would be easier if she did. I really liked Luce. She was relatable and true. She has such compassion and does what's right. Luce, while a bit timid at the moment, is the kind of character I have no doubt will become incredibly strong and wise when she reaches her full potential.

Honestly, I'm not sure what else to say in my review. I want to convey the feeling of struggling morally like Luce did. The plot wasn't exactly fast paced, it was more subtle than that. It sort of lulled you into peace before major events happened making you question the future. The world was addictive full of darkness, anger, loss, but with small, tiny glimmers of hope and redemption. I was thinking a lot about morality while reading Lost Voices.

There were also no romantic interest, which I thought was nice. I love romance, but I noticed when I kept looking for possible matches for Luce while reading Lost Voices that romance wasn't always needed in YA. There may be romance in the future, but it was refreshing to read a book in which friendship prevailed.

I've seen many reviews where readers were put off by the content. It's very dark, dangerous, and a bit twisted. What I liked was that there wasn't an obvious tone of hope. The world has so much darkness and every story doesn't have a happy ending. Lost Voices isn't a very happy book. There is suffering and again, awful stuff happens. If you can deal with that, and the fact that the mermaids aren't Disney-like, I think you'll like this book.

The part I didn't really enjoy can be summed up to one word: Anais. I hate her, I hate reading about her, I hate how the other mermaids act around her. I'd be happy for her to die (since she's in a book, I'm not that hateful toward real people). She's an empty character and I'm still wondering why she's there. Her part in the story is the only part that really disappointed me.

Lost Voices is very different. It didn't feel overdone in any sense. I liked reading it and I think it was definitely one of the better mermaid/siren books. 3.5 stars,

*** & 1/2 *

I'm Participating in the Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge

Hi guys! I just wanted to give a heads up that for the month of August, I will be participating in the Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge. (The button is linked to the signup!) I have so many reviews that I need to write and post and this seems like the perfect time to do so. Expect many reviews in addition to all the other features and discussions usually had on Tantalizing Illusions. There are some really great prizes and I hope you guys enjoy the reviews!

My over under for reviews so far is 20.

And, back to your regularly scheduled Thursday afternoon content...

Review: Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman
Pages: 264
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Source: Library
Other Books in Series: If I Stay Amazon / The Book Depository
Challenge: The Ultimate Reviewers' Challenge Book 11
Synopsis: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. 


Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other. 


Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.


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Were She Went= Sob Fest. I cried so much, a few chapters in, and then about every other chapter for the most part. I will admit that I'm not one of those people who never cry. Some stories just hit me hard and this was one of them.

I'm glad I read this book. It's not just for entertainment. It's written in a way to make the reader understand what Adam is going through. He's been through a lot and he feels alone. He has pushed everyone away and is on the verge of a breakdown. Then he sees Mia again for one night that will change his life.

In If I Stay, Mia was in a hard place but at the end she made a choice and broke through. In Where She Went, Adam has the same possibility of making that choice. Watching Adam go through all his emotions was powerful. At some parts I hated Mia for what she did, but I couldn't hate her for living her life. There was so much raw emotion pouring out through Adam, the prose, the lyrics to the songs (which I loved, btw) that I was overwhelmed.

I love Adam even more than Mia. There is so much to him and I loved his perspective. He's no saint but he is a genuinely good person. A man. His love for Mia is consuming. The kind of love that can last forever if pruned, the kind of love that can save or take a life.

There were several revelations Adam had but the one I loved the most was the idea of closure. I'm bad at goodbyes. They can be painful for me when I don't think about them, and I always end up upset on the last few days of vacation or when a good thing is happening because I'm scared of letting go. The way the idea of closure was presented here really resonated with me in a beneficial way. I thought closure was being over that pain, that sadness but what it really is is excepting the pain and eventually letting it go.

I'm not going to go more in depth than that. Where She Went made me feel strongly, which is exactly why I love it. In most books you see other people, experience others' lives. Where She Went was a personal read, and exactly what I needed. 5 stars,

*****