Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1)
by Beth Revis

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

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

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

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

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Publication Date: Jan 11th 2011

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Hardcover, 398 pages 

Series: yes

Source: my own copy

________________________________________

My Review

I feel to need to start this review by stating that I am NOT a very big fan of Sci-Fi, and so it took me a while to pick this particular book up. And I only did so because of the slight dystopian flavor to it. 

Sure, most of the Sci-Fi aspects of it (the descriptions of the ship and its engines, the technicalities and the physics of the thing) were, well... skimmed over quite quickly, I'll admit it. LOL. I also skimmed over the parts in which Amy was asleep and kept dreaming of the past. All those things were not of my interest at all. I only cared for what happened IN the ship. And THAT was pure awesomeness.

The mysteries, the weirdness, the beliefs of the people aborad the ship Godspeed were fascinating to me. I I read the whole thing in one afternoon. And the hardcover edition is anything but light. XD

The romance was there, sure, but it wasn't the center of attention. And that was just fine. The most important thing in Across the Universe is not Amy and Elder getting together, but what they DISCOVER and decide to CHANGE together. That is what it's all about. 

I could not believe some of the things Eldest dared to do, and hid from everyone. Most of them, sure, I saw coming from a mile away (the 'Season' and 'Phydus'), but others (the false stars, the uranium)... wow. I could not have predicted those. And I so love being surprised. *-*

All in all, I am so glad to have given this baby a shot. Oh, and make sure to check my review of Glow, to be posted next week. I started it the minute I closed Across the Universe, and though they may be somewhat similar, they are, in fact, VERY DIFFERENT. And Glow was just as awesome, I assure you! But in a creepier way. ;P

Quickie Review: Anonymously Yours by Shirley McCann

Anonymously Yours by Shirley McCann

I'm not usually a big fan of mystery, but "Anonymously Yours" got my eye.

Denise was such a corageous heroine! I could really relate to her, understand her thoughts and actions (it was written in first person), even if I'd never have the guts to do some of the stuff she did.

So... you find a wallet and you return it, right? Easy peasy... not so much. At least not when a freaking body is involved (then missing), and suddenly there is someone following her, the police don't believe her... what the heck is going on? Read the book and find out!

Review: The River Knows by Amanda Quick

The River Knows
by Amanda Quick

The first kiss occurred in a dimly lit hallway on the upper floor of Elwin Hastings's grand house. Louisa never saw it coming....

Of course, Anthony Stalbridge couldn't possibly have had romantic intentions. The kiss was an act of desperation meant to distract the armed guard from catching the pair in a place they did not belong. After all, Louisa Bryce, in her dull maroon gown and gold-rimmed spectacles, was no man's idea of an alluring female. The only thing the two interlopers have in common is a passionate interest in the private affairs of Mr. Hastings-a prominent member of Society whom they both suspect of hiding terrible secrets. Now, brought together by their ruse, Anthony and Louisa are united in their efforts to find the truth.

Each has a reason for the quest. Anthony's fiancèe was said to have thrown herself into the Thames-but Anthony has his own suspicions. Louisa-whose own identity is shrouded in layers of mystery-is convinced that Hastings has a connection to a notorious brothel. When Anthony successfully cracks Hastings's hidden safe-and discovers incriminating evidence-it appears that both their instincts were correct.

Genre: Adult, Historical

Publication Date: April 24th 2007

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Format: hardcover, 368 pages 

Series: no

Source: Used book store

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My Review

Amanda Quick is the kind of hit-or-miss author for me. Either I love her stories from the very first page, or I just instantly know I won't be interested enough to finish it.

Thankfully, this one was a delight from beginning to end. Very much like Mischief was. When Quick gets it right, boy, she gets it VERY right. Her heroines are all so very independent, self-suficient and practical about things, they are very fresh sights for sore eyes in the middle of the sea of too-young and too-silly heroines we usually find in historical romances. No, her heroines are in their middle-twenties, they are generally alone in the world and just have to be clever enough to survive in a world where women are nothing without a man to stand beside them. Or in front of them. 

When women found themselves alone and without means during that time, they were expected to do anything, ANYTHING, mind you, be it becoming a governess, a companion or even a prostitute, anything BUT go into trade. And that was what our heroine did. At least in the beginning of the book. Before she killed a man who was trying to rape and kill her. After that she was forced to fake suicide, and sometime later managed to reapper in Society as a widow called Louisa. She also managed to attract the eye of gentleman Anthony Stalbridge. But that was not all she managed to attract... now there's a killer on the loose and what started with the investigation of a couple of crimes soon becomes three, then four... and, if she is not careful enough, her murder might be next on the list.

Quick's heroes are always very likeable as well. They are the first ones to notice how much they care about the heroines, and then have to convince them to be with them. It's most unusual and diverting. Yes, Quick is very good with influencing her readers to use new/more 'archaic' vocab. :P

I loved Anthony and Louisa and their misadventures. I could almost feel their chemistry, they were so good together. Too bad Miss Quick isn't much of a fan for steamy scenes, because they sure would have been great at one of those. LOL!!! Anthony's family were delightful as well. Very unconventional, like most of her characters. 

That is the perfect word to describe Quick's books: 'unconventional'. That and 'unexpected'.

If you like books like that with strong, proud heroines and amazing, heart-warming heroes, then Quick is the author for you.

Review: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Before I Go To Sleep
by S.J. Watson


Published June 14th 2011 by Harper

'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Publication Date: July 1st 2011

Publisher: Random House

Format: Pocket book, 428 pages 

Series: no

Source: bought

_____________________________

My Review

Christine wakes up every single day not knowing where she is nor who the man lying beside her is. Neither does she know why she is much older than she remembers being.

Everyday her husband needs to introduce himself and explain to her that she is 47 years old, that she's had an accident many years ago, an accident that causes daily memory losses. She can maintain new memories for only 24 hours. As soon as she sleeps, it all becomes lost to her. And Christine has to take his word, this stranger man who calls himself her husband, for it. 

She's impossibly confused, so when a man calls her saying he is her doctor and that they have been meeting for weeks concerning a new treatment for her memory loss, and that she needs to trust him and not tell her husband about it, she's not sure she should trust him. But this man knows to tell her to look into a shoe box hidden inside her closet to find a diary. A diary, he says, she herself has been keeping. A diary that tells very different things from what her husband and, sometimes, even said doctor, tells her.

Now Christine has to decide who to believe in. The mysterious doctor? The loving, but confusing husband? Or the woman who writes in her diary everyday? Can she believe in all she has been writing? Who can you trust in when you can't even trust yourself?

I was so caught up in reading this book that my whole afternoon just flew by. It was like I blinked and the 384 pages were over. 

Christine was felt scared, confused, mad, distrustful, aroused, guilty, anxious, in pain... and I felt all those things right along with her.

I can't very well explain how... how... SATISFIED and GLAD and FURIOUS and INDIGNANT I was when it finally hit me. (I can't say what it is that 'hit me', otherwise the mystery will no longer be a mystery. But I CAN say it was awesome).

It's not that the ending was especially creative or unexpected or anything (and can anything even really be 100% creative nowadays?). It was just very well-thought-of. And simply splendidly delivered. (I'm all adjective and adverb-y today. Must be Dash's fault. ;P).

The whole book was super intense and intriguing. Staggering. Startling. And... okay, enough with the adjective attack. If you didn't get it by now... then don't even bother reading. No,  no. Read it anyway. It's that good. 

And there you have it. It's the (almost) perfect love crime. Go read it. Right now.

Early Review: Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

Hanging by a Thread
by Sophie Littlefield

Expected publication: September 11th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.

And they're not the only ones hiding something.

Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.

In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

Publication Date: September 11th 2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Format: eARC, 272 pages 

Series: ?

Source: Netgalley

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My Review

After her parents were divorced, sixteen-year-old Clare Knight, a.k.a. Cee Cee, and her mother decided to return to the city they both grew up in. To the city where her very eccentric grandmother lives. To the house everybody believes to be haunted. And they move there close to the date when, for two years straight, there have been murders. First, a little boy, Dylan, was killed in a car accident. And a year later, a very popular teen, Amanda, disappeared without a trace. The culprit was never caught for either crime.

Claire creates new clothes from people's 'trash'. She's the ace of sewing and just loves her art. But her mother wants her to study and have a real future, one that does not involve art school. But it's her dream, and she's been saving any money she makes from her line, 'NewToYou' to pay for it. But there's one thing that sometimes give her beloved daily handling of clothes a bit of a bitter taste. Clothes speak to her. Just like they did to her grandmother. And her mother before her. But not all clothes and not all the time, only those wore by people during times of strong emotion. Such as fear. They bring her the vision of the moment lived by the owner of the clothes.

And Claire has just found the jacket Amanda, the second victim, was wearing minutes before being murdered. Now she just needs to fit all the pieces of the puzzle and find the murderer... before he finds her.

This book could've been much better. I have to admit I skipped quite a few paragraphs about sewing techniques and such, because, well... it was just boring to me. But I thought it was interesting to see how much it mattered to Claire, even with her 'ability' bothering her. I couldn't quite believe how fast she and Jack got so chummy, because in one sentence she's telling us how he terrifies her and how she can't trust him, and in the other she's all 'oh, I want his body, I need him to hold me'. I mean, really? Are you afraid or are you horny? Just decide already!  >.<'

About the revelation of the killers.... it took me a while to finally have a good idea of what really happened from the clues the book offered. They weren't exactly predictable because things weren't made very clear at all. I have to say I expected more. The ending felt rushed and kind of bland to me... the tension built and built and then I was like: 'That's what happened?'. Oh, and I still can't understand why there was so much talk about the house being haunted and the origins of her abilities if these things weren't going to be better explained. I mean, why put so much effort in introducing a haunted house if you're not even going to use it in the story??? O.o It doesn't make any sense!!!

Other thing that wasn't explained was what she saw when she touched Jack's shirt, why he was so upset, why she didn't recognize the killer when she was in 'Amanda's shoes' (or clothes, for that matter) and experienced the whole thing. I mean, Clare herself said the person looked familiar. But it took her the whole freaking book to figure it out? Sheesh... there's a lot of useless information in this book. Not even the romance (if you can call that romance) was able to save it for me. Too many loose threads for my taste, no pun intended.

If you like sewing and styling your own clothes, you'll like many parts of this book. But if you're looking for a story that was well planned and well delivered, and narration with content that actually makes sense and are important to the plot, then you might want to look elsewhere.

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Early Review: Blackwood by Gwenda Bond

Blackwood
by Gwenda Bond

Expected publication: September 4th 2012 by Strange Chemistry

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publication Date: September 4th 2012

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Format: eARC, 416 pages 

Series: no

Source: Netgalley

_________________________

My Review

First line: The first time Miranda Blackwood checked the back of her closet for a portal to another world she was eleven.

Last line: "Don't slow down," she said.

Favorite quote: If she doesn't open the door pointing a gun at you, it's progress.

At the end of the 16th century a group of over a hundred colonists came from London to settle on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. One day, out of nowhere. all the 114 of them disappeared. Men, women, children... they all went missing. 

Their disappearance remains unexplained to this very day.

It's the 21st century now, and much has changed in Roanoke Island. But never for Miranda Blackwood. After her mother's death, her father became a 'professional drinker', leaving al the responsabilities to her. As if that wasn't bad enough, the whole town thinks her family is cursed. Bad things always seem to be happening to them. Miranda has always been reluctant to agree to such nonsense, but recent occurences are starting to change her mind on the subject.

Like the first time the massive black ship with strange symbols appeared. It floated over a local theater performance and moved right into one of the actresses, forcing Miranda to try and save the poor girl... only to be ridiculed afterwards. Apparently no one saw the ship but her. The weirdo.

The day after that, people started to go missing. About 114 people, to be more exact. Out of nowhere. They just went POOF. And Miranda was sure her drunk father was one of them...  until the local Chief of Police called her to say her father was found. Well, his murdered body, to be more exact. Oh, and Phillips, local troublemaker and son of the Chief, is back in town.

When the body of Miranda's father disappears from the morgue, his cursed birthmark in the shape of a snape appears in her cheek and the missing people return, acting very strangely, she's sure that something very wrong is happening in the Island. Something that involves her. And Phillips, who can hear the voices of the dead. 

Together they'll discover what really went on in 1589, why it's happening again and how exactly they both fit into it. And, more importantly, how they're supposed to get out of it.

Blackwood was a very interesting tale. Intense and surprisingly to the point. However, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I should have.

The characters were nicely written, the situations were quite attention-grabbing and the mood was well-set, but it still felt like something was missing, for me. Maybe the 'love' relationship fell a little short or felt a little forced to me. Or the alchemy thing was just a tad strange or unfitting, in my opinion. I'm not sure, maybe a bit of both? Anyway, it just wasn't a very good combination for me. I expected something other than what was delivered. 

I did love the presence of a heroic dog, though. A LOT. Sidekick was my favorite character in the whole thing. I couldn't wait to see how the author would make him fit in the story most of the time. LOL. She did a very good job.

If you enjoy mysterious paranormal YA tales, then you'll probably enjoy Blackwood. I may have not loved it, but many others did. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Early Review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Monstrous Beauty
by Elizabeth Fama

Expected publication: September 4th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: September 4th 2012

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Format: eARC, 295 pages 

Series: no

Source: Netgalley

________________________________

My Review

The mermaid Syrenka has loved before and only managed to find pain. But in the year 1872 she can't help but fall in love again, very hard, this time for Ezra, a very hadsome young marine biology student, who's fascinated by every sea creature. Needless to say, he's completely enchanted by her. They are quite happy for a while... but they could never imagine that their 'forbidden' romance would bring a lot of pain and suffering -to themselves and others- for years and years to come.

It's 2002 and seventeen-year-old Hester has just met a very strange, yet very charming man inside a cave by the beach. She is stragenly drawn to him, and can't help but come back and just be close to him. She's falling in love... and it's the worst thing she could ever do. Hester has promised herself to never fall in love. Ever since she was just a kid she's been hearing stories about the women in her family, who always seemed to die just after giving birth to their daughters. Including her mother. So, just to be safe, she decides to not love at all. But no doctor could ever find out what really happened to those women. Not even the modern medicine can tell. Is it some kind of genetic condition? Or could it be something more dangerous, like a curse?

When she mentions the mysterious deaths to the guy from the cave, he suggests she looks deeper into it. And when Hester starts to investigate, she discovers much more than she could ever expect to find. Is teh crypt where her ancestors are buried really haunted? Who is the little girl who used to play with her at the cemetery that no else can see but her? And why is it that everything always leads her back to the ocean? Are the myths of sea creatures really myths?

Gods. So much love, so much tragedy, so much sadness, violence and wasted lives. This book will break your heart and make you cry a freaking river. But you'll love it anyway. Elizabeth Fama is a complete genious. Her writing is perfectly fluid, clearly well planned and well thought of, her characters are very alive and almost spill out of the pages. It is, I daresay, an almost perfect tale. It has it all. Drama, tragedy, romance, true love, action, violence, magic, mystery and paranormal beings. And it all fits superbly.

I can't say I was terribly excited about starting this book. I didn't care much about the other mermaid books I've read recently (found them to be very childish, weak or even downright mediocre...), but, oh, boy. Was I surprised by Monstrous Beauty!!! It blew my mind. I just couldn't stop reading it. I could barely blink! (even bloodshot eyes are totally worth it, I promise!). It's not everyday I give a book 5 stars, so that alone should tell you how much I loved it.

Hester was so strong, so smart and likeable! I usually find main heroines annoying, but this one was just absolutely incredible. Ezra was definitely charming, if quite pitiable. He deserved so much more of life... Syrenka was one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read about. I really wanted her to find the happiness she had been looking for her very long life. Even if she did some very gruesome things while trying to achieve it. And the secondary characters were all captivating in their own ways. Peter, Sam, the priest, Nellie... they were all very complex, even if they had short appearances. Oh, and the double POVs were awesome.

There was nothing I didn't like in this book, except that it was too short. LOL. I wanted to keep on reading it forever. ;) Even if it did make me cry quite a bit.

If you like tales of true love with tons of mystery, drama and quite a bit of action and adventure thrown in the mix, you'll love Mostrous Beauty just like I did, especially if you're not a fan of mermaid books, like I was. And you'll follow my example and pre-order it right away, because it's so freaking good you have to have it. (My beautiful precioussssssss must be on its way. *-*).

* I'm so happy I received an eARC for this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

P.P. (Post posting): I sort of liked the eARC cover better, buuuut.... what's a girl to do, right?

So, do you think you'd like to read this book? If you've read it, what did you think? :3

Early Review: The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

The Unquiet
by Jeannine Garsee

Expected publication: July 17th 2012 by Bloomsbury

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother. 

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists. 

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural

Publication Date: July 17th 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: eARC, 388 pages 

Series: ?

Source: Netgalley

_________________________

My Review:

First line: Sometimes, when I dream, the deadliest moment in my life happens all over again.

Last line: I don't believe you. 

Favorite quote: As someone who's always drawn to the "bad boy" type, I can't explain my attraction to a certified band geek who'll probably major in animal husbandry and end up inseminating cows for a living.

Corinne Jacobs has been a good girl, taking all of her meds everyday, for 3 months and 13 days. Why she's being so careful and counting all the days like that? Because of what happened 3 months and 13 days ago. The time when she decided to stop with her bipolar meds and ended up killing her grandmother.

Now her stepfather hates her and her mother has dragged her from sunny California to chilling middle-of-nowhere Ohio, where she grew up. Rinn doesn't think that moving to this dinky little town will make anything better. But then she actually starts making friends. And the cute farmer boy next door is starting to look way too yummy. Oh, and she absolutely loves her new house and room up in the attic. Until she finds out that the previous owner killed herself up there, of course. Right after her granddaughter was found dead in the pool at Rinn's new school. Awwwwkward. 

And, as if that wasn't freaky enough, she finds out that very strange things have been happening to the people who cross the 'Tunnel' (the part of the gym with the pool where Annaliese's body was found). Weird things have always happened there before, but now another student is found dead by the pool and Rinn's new friends start to act very bizarre. Is it the ghost of Annaliese? Is she haunting the pool area? Is she haunting Corinne? If so, why?

This book had so much in it! So much mystery, so much drama, so much angst and romance!! It really had everything a good book should have. I especially liked knowing/seeing more about how bipolar people act, what they have to deal and fight with everyday, how they really feel about themselves and everyone else. The pressure. The fear. The regret. The desire to just let go. The strength needed not to. 

The Unquiet gives you very strange vibes throughout the book. You start to think that things are getting better, that Rinn herself is getting better and everything and everyone is going to be alright... then the creepiness starts and you have to control yourself not freak out over what's happening in a freaking book! LOL. Miss Garsee has such an engrossing, enrapturing and right-to-the-pont way of writing things that it sucks you right in and makes you feel comfortable... and that's when you should be careful. She makes you forget, repeatedly, that you're actually reading a ghost story, not an ordinary teenage tale. And it sneaks right up to you. Every. Single. Time. O.o

It's been a while since I've found a book's title that is as absolutely perfect or as fitting as this one is. Unquiet. That's exactly how you'll feel during the entire 'ride' that is Corinne's story. And afterwards. Yup. Even after you close the book and start to try to think of something else. It will stick with you. That unquiet feeling. That little chill behind your neck. And you'll love it.

P.S.: And Nate was so adorable!!! *-* It makes me want to move to Ohio, too. Like, right now.

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila 
by Sarah Alderson

Published August 5th 2011 by Simon & Schuster UK

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she’s prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she’s been in love with her brother’s best friend, Alex, since forever.

After a mugging exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust—her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they’ve found them.

In a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone—there are others out there just like her—people with special powers—and her mother’s killer is one of them…

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publication Date: August 5th 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Format: paperback, 318 pages 

Series: yes

Source: bought

__________________________________________

My Review:

First line: Only when the tip of the knife started to shave against the white of his eye like a scapel about to pierce a boil, did I realise I was the one holding it.


Last line: And I believed him.

When I saw how many great ratings this book had, I was curious to see if it was as good as most people kept saying it was.

And... oh, boy. It was even better.

From the moment I read the first phrase I was completely lost into the story. It was incredibly engrossing. Lila was such an adorable character. Feminine, fragile and, yet, strong. I always had a thing for special abilities, and it was just fascinating to read about her trying to control hers. Usually in books (or movies), those with powers like hers just have total control of everything, so it's refreshing to see someone having some trouble with it. LOL.

Lila was a bit imature and stubborn at times... and that made her somewhat irritating, too. But she was 17-years-old, so... totally understandable. And quite fitting. 

Alex was super hot. And Oh-so-romantic. He did act a bit harsh and dry towards Lila later on in the story, but only because he was having some serious internal battles over what he was told and what he was seeing.

As a matter of fact, all of the characters were very believable. They were so well-written and well-described that it felt more like watching a movie than reading a book. They felt very human, very real. It's difficult to get that kind of vibe from books. Books don't normally make you really care about the characters (they should, but not often manage to), they're usually all about the story or the setting. Hunting Lila is about everything. If that makes sense to you.

That is to say: I just loved this book. I absolutely had to know what happened at the end so bad, I stayed up super late to finish it in one sitting. And when I spoke to the author on twitter (she actually thanked me for the 5-star rating!) I could really see why the book had such a gentle and intense feeling to it. Sarah Alderson is such a dear! She is so nice and polite and... well, humble. I was going to buy the second book (Losing Lila) as soon as it came out anyway, but now that I saw how sweet she is, I just feel even more like doing it. 

Let me tell you, it's authors like that that make you want to keep reading. ;)

If you like paranormal thriller YA's with great characters and a great story, then you'll be hooked by this one.

Review: Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Blackbirds 

(Miriam Black #1)

by Chuck Wendig 

Published April 24th 2012 by Angry Robot

Miriam Black knows when you will die. She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.

But when Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.

No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.

Genre: Adult, Supernatural

Publication Date: April 24th 2012

Publisher: Angry Robot

Format: eARC, 416 pages 

Series: yes

Source: Netgalley

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My Review:

First line: Car lights strobe through busted motel blinds.

Last line: "It is what it is."

Favorite quote: "Why, Paul, what do you think of me? I am the very model of chastity." He isn't buying it. She lights the cigarette and waves him off. "Dude, I discarded the key to my virginity belt long ago – just up and tossed it into a river, I did. That being said – no, Paul, I did not bang your uncle."

Once in a while I like to do this thing. That is, I see a book, fall in love with the cover and force myself to read it, regardless of the content. Sometimes, I do the opposite. I go for the blurb, without really caring for the cover. But this particular review is a case of the former.

This time, obviously, it was cover love at first sight.

Blackbirds was one of the most intense, most intriguing and, yeah, sort of the most disgustingly graphic book I've read in a while. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. It was exciting. It was surprising. It was crass and to-the-point and felt like a slap of reality to the face. It was glorious. And I couldn't put it down.

Sure, I enjoy my journeys to fantasy worlds, along with romantic escapades, almost-perfect heroes and even more perfect endings as much as the next girl... but once in a while, crude reality does it for me.

Miriam is damaged goods. She had a traumatic childhood and youth... and she can tell how and and when you'll die as soon as her skin brushes yours. She keeps a notebook with info of some of the people she's touched and have dies, and keeps notes on when others will die. Why? Because a girl needs to eat and dead people don't need their money anymore.

One night, after grabbing a few bucks from a woman beater who died from an epileptic attack after giving her a pretty shiner, she's out in the highway, looking for a ride. A ride to anywhere, as long as it's far away from where she is.

After a brief encounter with a couple of idiot frat boys (who really regretted messing with her, I must add), she jumps in Louis' truck. The interior of his truck is so clean and shiny, and he's so nice that Miriam quickly assumes that this Frankenstein, I mean, Louis is a rapist/murderer/ and/or psycho. Surprisingly enough, he isn't. However, what is even more surprising is what she sees when she touches him. He will die, like we all will. But not from old age or an accident or even suicide. No. He will be murdered. And he'll call her name right before he dies. 

Miriam freaks out and can't jump off his truck fats enough, not accepting his pity and offer of monetary help, but she does listen to him when he tells her there's a bar and motel just a few minutes ahead. Really could use a drink. Or ten. In the bar, she meets pretty boy Ashley, with his feminine name and big smile. But in no time she'll regret ever meeting him.

She knows that it's useless to try and change the future. She's tried before. Countless times. To no avail. And, once again, fate is laughing at her. The more she tries to run from Louis and try to avoid his death, the closer she gets to him. And the date of his death. Which will be her fault. Can she make it in time? Can she stop it? Can she, for once in her life, do something good and useful?

Oh, man. Miriam talks. A lot. Most of it nonsense and usually at the wrong time. And hell if I didn't love her for that. That girl just loved to hear herself talking. She was also a heavy smoker and constant liar. She ate like a lumberjack. And she drank like the world was going to end in the blink of an eye. But she had a hard life (and that's putting it mildly), and those actions fit her perfectly. She was a broken girl with no hope for life or her future, and I loved her. I just wanted her to find some kind of happiness somehow. There was so much wrongness within her, and still I cheered for her.

The entire book was roller coaster ride. That's the only way I can describe it. It kept me on edge the whole time. 'What's going to happen next?', 'Show me more of her past!', 'How is he/she going to die?', 'Will she make it?'. Just... wow. The only thing that still bugs me a bit is that it wasn't very clear how she got that ability. Maybe after that very traumatic episode with the red shovel? Not sure... but I still loved the characters and the story. Sad and bittersweet, as it was. We'll probably find out more about all that in the next book. I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel, Mockingbird. :)

If you like intense books that ensnare you, leaving you unblinking and attentive until the ride is over, and then stick with you even after you're done with it, then run and grab yourself a copy of this crazy good tale.

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*