Rambling Reviews

Overall a good begining for a story. It definitely could have used help from an editor as there were several typos and a few inconsistencies. For example, she ends up at the school with presumably no clothes seeing as the way she left things at the mental institution and having to borrow clothes from Kat, and yet there's suddenly a sentence about slipping into clothes she bought from a thrift shop. Uh okay, when did she visit this thrift shop? There was no other mention so as the reader I just feel like they just kind of appeared out of thin air. Nit-picky? Probably. Annoying? Definitely.

Other than that, even with a Mortal Instruments feel, the story was somewhat original and definitely kept me reading. Which is saying something lately. There bits that I was a little unclear on, mostly at the end. But overall a decent story, especially considering how much happened in so few pages. Definitely obvious this is an Indie author, but overall one of the better Indie stories I've read.

I must preface this review by stating that I only made it about 1/5th of the way through. This is one of those stories that I was really looking forward to because of all they hype that surrounded it. However I just kept putting it off because I never seemed to be in the mood to read it. Well I finally decided to just sit down and read the darn thing in preparation for the movie that's coming out later this fall.

As of right now, I'm still considering watching the movie. Afterall, it can only be a couple of hours of pain versus the MANY hours this would take to get through. It's not that I don't see the literary merit this story possesses. I do. But reading it reminds me of the days in high school where we'd be forced to read a "great literary work of art" that I would find abysmal at best. (Don't get me wrong, there were a few I enjoyed, just not all.)

I will admit a small part of me wants to keep reading just to see what happens. But a much larger part wants to just wipe my hands clean of it and move onto something more enjoyable. Afterall, this isn't the only WWII/Holocaust set story. Here are a few reasons why I just can't stand to continue this:

1. The writing. As a whole, it's not terrible writing, as previously stated. But when it's bad, it's BAD. Example: "Chocolate-colored sky" Okay, um, pretty sure I've never seen a brown sky. Sure it can get gray and dark, but I have never seen a chocolate sky, even a "dark, dark chocolate" one. This is just one of many. In fact, the entire prologue I had a difficult time understanding what was happening because it felt like words were just mashed together to form some "great literary prose." To be fair, once into part one the horrible bits were less frequent and the story became easily understood, thus helping to make sense of the prologue as well. However a prologue is supposed to draw the reader into the story (at least last time I checked). The prologue did nothing for me, except make me question why it takes 550 pages to tell a story about a little girl stealing three books. Which brings me to my next point:

2. The Plot. And it's pacing. It's not that I didn't know what this story was about going in, because I did. However for the story being wholly fiction I would have expected for more plot to be thrown in to create the need for such a long story. Now granted, as previously stated, I did only make it through 20% of the book. But that's my point, at 20% there should be something going on that holds the reader captive to at least get to the 50% mark. But really all I can say that happens is she steals a book, goes to foster care, learns to read and write, and gets treated like trash. Okay...and? I kept hoping something would happen to hold my attention, but it never did. I felt like the story was going at a very slow pace and I just wanted to get on with it.

3. Death. At first I thought "okay, cool, things from Death's perspective. This should be intriguing considering the time period and at the very least it's different." Having the story narrated by Death wasn't a poor choice on the author's part. It had a definite potential to work really well. But Death's snarky little inputs and the interruptions in the story, just to add the snarkiness, were so distracting and VERY annoying. Also, looking at it from a very realistic perspective, how does Death know all the details of the story if he's so busy collecting souls? You can't expect me to believe he "watched" her entire life go by. How does that work then? Does he just automatically know everything? (I know it's kind petty, but since I'm tearing this story apart anyway, might as well throw that in.)

I could probably go on about why I will never be able to finsih this story, but let's just suffice it to say that this was just not a writing style that I enjoy. I certainly hope this is one of the very few cases where the movie is better than the book.

For some reason I kept putting off reading this, even though I'm trying to wrap up as many series as I can before I start new ones. Well now I know why I kept putting it off. I instinctively knew this just did not hold up to the previous two books.

It's not that it was terrible. But quite often I found myself getting really bored with Lena's POV, and skimming it. Hana's POV is where the story was really at. However, I don't really feel like this final installment really added anything to the story. Yes, we find out about what Fred is really like. And Hana and Lena do get a brief moment to settle what's between them I suppose. But that's about it. And the very last little blurb about building walls, it felt like a lecture. I get what the author was trying to do there, but I also don't read YA to be lectured at the end of the story.

I'm just disappointed that it was such a blah ending for such a great story. I almost wish she would have just wrapped it up at the end of Pandemonium. Or would have actually tied everything up in a nice little bow (which I don't always have to have from a series, but in this case at least I'd feel like reading this final installment was worthwhile) by the end of this book. Either way, it's just simply ok, and I'm happy that I'm done with the book. And although I hadn't planned on it, after that ending I'm seriously considering trading in my books.

This one had been sitting on my kindle for a little while. I had gotten it as my "free" prime book at the beginning of the month (I'm horrible about remembering to get my prime book every month) and kept meaning to read it, but then something else would sound better. Well since the new month was upon us, I started reading it yesterday afternoon.

This book just would not let me go. I was sucked into it. I felt like I was right there with Emma, Sara and Evan. It is such a heartbreaking and yet heartwarming story. There were moments that seemed a little unrealistic, but having never been in a similar situation to any of these characters, I'm not really sure I can adequately judge it on this. Other than that, I love the characters. They were well written and although I was frustrated by the situations my love for them was never tainted by their actions.

My one real complaint is that ending! OMG I read this thinking it was a standalone. So upon finishing it I was 'a bit' upset about it. Thinking WTH? Really? The author couldn't do that to us. And yet she did. Boy what a relief to know it's actually a series. Whew!

I have to say my biggest pet peeve with this book was the writing. First of all, the whole present tense was a little unique. Not a huge problem though, but then you add in the fact that its so omniscent as far as the povs are concerned, it just doesn't read smoothly, and is rather confusing for the reader. I know I had this same issue with Of Poseidon, but it seems like instead of improving on this issue, it's actually gotten worse. Or at least a lot more distracting.

Overall the story was a good follow-up. I love the fact there wasn't a cliffhanger ending! Not really sure where book 3 will go, seeing as everything seemed pretty wrapped up. But I do love Emma and Galen, and Toraf and Rayna so I'm definitely looking forward to what's next. I just hope that the writing style's improved, and the whole tense/pov issues are worked out a little better.

It wasn't that this was a bad book per say. It had its redeeming qualities. It was funny. I loved Cora. Nellie was pretty cool. Michiko, well it wasn't that I disliked her, I just found her part of the story a little more dull. Also, there were so many chacters and what not going on, it was a little difficult to keep them straight at first.

I suppose I just wasn't expecting what I got from this story. It was decent, but I found my self bored halfway through and just wanting to hurry up and finish (so I did end up skimming parts). Ordinarily I'd give this a 3 star if I hadn't been so bored. Honestly it felt like Charlie's Angeles had gone back in time. So not even wholly originial on the plot side of things.

The book has potential, but I'm just not sure I would delve into another book by this author unless it had really good reviews.

I think had I been expecting this to be anything but the same thing as what I had just read in Because of Low I would have been disappointed. However, I knew to expect the same "recipe" of story. Kid with bad life meets kid with a good life. They fall in love. They break up because of bad life kid's issues. Then they get back together. Happy ever after. So for what it is, it's really good. But I feel like her stories are all the same and I'd love to see something different. She's a great writer, and I would love to see something different, less cookie cutter from her other stories.

That said, this story itself was cute. I just finished Because of Low and had intended to read the next book, but due to lack of internet connection, and the fact it wasn't already on my kindle I ended up reading this one next instead. And although there are a couple details from Cage's story that are given away (nothing major) I really am glad I decided not to read these in order. But I think I might have to take a break before I read Cage's story, as I really don't want to read the same story, just with names changed and situations slightly tweaked.

Awww!! I LOVED Marcus in Breathe, so the fact that he finds his happily ever after makes me super happy. I loved Marcus even more, Low was awesome (albeit damaged) and Larissa was so freaking loveable. I'm super excited to read the last two in this series because I really want Cage to find happiness like Marcus and Low, and even Sadie and Jax have. And who doesn't love Preston for the humor he provides.

I don't have much to say about this one. It was definitely an Abbi Glines story. And while they're cookie cutter in some ways, they're still incredibly sweet and the charcters are what keep it fresh, even if they're very similar. Glines has a talent for writing about love in a way that makes you feel it, and even reminisce about personal experience. It's really the small details that help make her stories so great. The fact that Low had a thing for vintage concert tees, for example.

I really don't have criticisms which is kind of nice. The last few books I've read I wondered if I was just being too critical of them, so I'm glad I came across this gem when I did. Now off to read While it Lasts :)

Everything I heard about this was that it was "SO GOOD" and after reading some of her other works, I didn't doubt this to be true. However, after finishing it I have to say this really isn't a book that's just "SO GOOD" in the typical sense. It was good in a heartbreaking-ly sad way.

The story itself really doesn't take off until the second half of the book. But boy once it does it's almost in a very different direction from what the majority of the first half leads you to think. I can't even describe how I feel after reading this. Excruciatingly sad, yes. Oddly joyful, yes. Hopeful, yes, yes, yes. Weirdest of all, I didn't feel like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I was so ridiculous sucked into Sky's story, and how Holder fit into everything. Best way to put it is probably that my mind has been blown by how well written such a sad story could be while still being uplifting in some odd way.

I don't even really have any criticisms of the book. The closest thing I can think of is that I wish Six would have had a bigger role. But honestly, her's was SO important by providing humor when it was much needed. Overall I'm not sure I would openly recommend this to anyone. However if you want a serious, heartbreaking story (versus an escape from reality) this is definitely a good read.

Where do I start? Well I will admit I did not finish this one. I tried...I kept at it for over two weeks trying to force myself and it just didn't happen.

I went in thinking "ok, second shot at this, movie previews look good. Just have to get through the book." So I get to about page 100 and ask a friend that's read it when it actually picks up and gets good. She tells me to keep reading, it's not far off. Well I made it to page 200.

My first sign should have been that it took me 2 weeks to get to page 200 (when I can easily read a 200 pg book in a matter of hours). Meyer's writing really would have been more tolerable except she rambles on and adds much more information than what is needed. Multiple times I just wanted to get to the dang point.

Now part of the problem that I had, I'm sure, was the fact that it was definitely out of my comfort zone genre wise. But I figured a lot of other people read it simply because of who wrote it, regardless of the genre, and they still liked it so why not?

Needless to say here ends my adventures in reading stories written by Stephanie Meyer. It's not that they're terrible, I just don't think they're worth all they hype. And I have way too much to read to waste my time on something I have to force myself to get into (and still can't).

Maybe it's just the fact that I've gotten older and I'm certainly not the same person I was when I first fell in love with Sarah Dessen's writing, but her last few books have just been okay in my opinion. The only exception would be Along for the Ride.

I love the fact that her books are so innocent and sweet, and also somewhat mundane, that it seems completely plausible and realistic. I tend to look forward to a new Sarah Dessen book like I would a vacation. Reading them is like getting away on vacation without leaving the comfort of your chair.

This was a typical Sarah Dessen novel in that it took place in Colby, many of the places and even a few of the people remained the same as in previous books. The writing was the same as always, however I did get fairly annoyed with the reiteration of the title multiple times. I also surprisingly got a bit annoyed with how often Clementine's and other references to Along for the Ride. I mean I always get a little thrill from seeing the reference to another book, but this just seemed to happen a lot more in The Moon and More, and started to get a little obnoxious.

The other thing which really bothered me was that Emaline's behavior kind of bothered me towards the later part of the book. She redeemed herself at the end, but I just couldn't love her character like I did with some of the main characters from some of her other stories. I also really didn't love either boy. If I had to choose between Theo and Luke, it'd be Luke hands down, but honestly I'm glad she didn't end up with either at the end of the book . I think I was more attached to Daisy, Morris, and Benji than I was anyone else in the book.

If you're looking for a good book to introduce you into Sarah Dessen's writing, I'm not sure this would be the best one. But if you're a long time fan, this is one that should not be missed.

I'd give this 3.5 stars. It certainly isn't the best example of dystopian literature out there. However it did suck me in, and it was a lot better than some of the stuff I've read recently.

I feel so bad for just about everyone in this book. The kids who are terrified of showing any emotion for fear of being sent to the Program. The returners who are empty shells, and may in some ways be improved by having forgotten their tragedys, but they've also been stripped of what made them the people they were. In some ways I even feel bad for the parents who must feel incredibly desperate to go to such extreme lengths.

However, I don't feel like I have a deep understanding of the problem. Suicide, specifically teen suicide, is on the rise. Okay...but why? What was causing it to rise in the first place, prior to the implementation of the Program? I mean clearly the suicide rate is so high because of the Program. But what caused it to be so high to warrant even creating the Program? That was the main question I kept asking myself over and over.

And as for the epilogue, not a fan. It was so incredibly vague, yes it left me wanting more. However it also left me wanting to throw the book across the room. I think I MIGHT have preffered a cliffhanger to that epilogue

The other problem I'm left with from this book is that I feel like it was a little long. The beginning started off great, sucked me in. Then it got a little slow and it wasn't until the second half of the story that I really got hooked again. I think the author could have condensed some of it down a little bit, because I don't feel like I've really read 400 pages worth of story.

Overall the story had some really great aspects. The fact that it was set up for that dreaded love triangle, but quickly sidestepped that huge mistake really impressed me. I feel bad for Realm because she just didn't feel the same way but I also didn't feel like their relationship was so built up that I couldn't choose (and I think I hate that the most when it comes to love triangles). Overall the story was well written, in spite of the fact it could be condensed a little.

I'm trying to get away from being stuck in so many series and trilogies, so it has to be a pretty good book for me to want to continue the story. This one I'm on the fence about at the moment, but I think by the time The Treatment is released, I'll probably check it out from the library.

*I was provided a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I didn't really have any expectations going into this, and that's probably a really good thing. I felt really bad for Twigs and all the crap she was having to deal with, which seemed to have mostly happened over the course of about a week. However all of those things happening so close together just didn't feel very realistic to me. In fact I had a really hard time relating to Twigs versus just feeling really bad for her.

I was pretty annoyed with the fact that she hates the name Twigs, makes a big fuss about wanting to go by Madeline the entire book, but never holds anyone to it. Also she seemed almost bipolar in the fact that she'd go from a walking doormat to being overly assertive and smart-mouthed and back to a doormat in quick succession.

The characters really were just surface characters and I felt like they weren't fully developed with the exception of Helen. I feel like there was so much potential available but none of the concepts were fully played out. Most of the book I spent wondering where the actual plot was. Yes she was having to deal with a lot of crap. And she felt like the only person she could turn to was Brady for a good portion of it, and yet I had no reason to like Brady (in fact I didn't trust him from the first time he was mentioned. And the whole thing with Coop, that could have been better written.

Personally I feel like this was a rough draft of a book more so than a finished product. It certainly has potential, but I don't really feel like it's finished, let alone polished.

Where do I begin? Well I was pretty apprehensive about how this series was going to end after the way the previous book ended. I didn't think I'd be able to handle Vincent being gone gone, or even volant for the entire book. Fortunately I didn't have too! I have to say this final book was on par with the other two. The writing has remained consistent (yay!) but this one seemed to have me biting my nails a lot more. Granted, not only was it the ending of a book (which I expect to have me at least on the edge of my seat) but also the end of the series, so a little more climax is what I expect. And boy did it deliver! Now, I'm not going to say that it took me totally by surprise. In fact it was pretty easy to predict what was going to happen. BUT that didn't stop me from getting sucked into the story.

The ending was definitely an ending in which I'm not halfway expecting for a miraculous fourth book to somehow appear. I really appreciate that. I would have liked to have seen an epilogue, of where all my favorite characters end up. Who's still with who, that sort of thing. But I guess I can't always have what I want.

Overall, I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of YA paranormal and looking for something with a unique spin on the paranormal genre.

I was absolutley hooked from the first chapter on. I liked the fact that some of the less common forensics information was explained in such a way that it wasn't so overly explained that readers who already knew what they were became bored. There were a couple original aspects to this story that I really found refreshing. First off was the "hot" math teacher, and the fact that she saved Autumn from expulsion when she profiled the principal. Another theme that really isn't too common in books is Autum's desire to become an FBI agent.

This leads me to a couple of issues I had that knocked this down to a four star book for me. First of all, I felt like the reader was beat over the head about Autumn being gifted. I was tired of it being brought up by chapter 6. Fortunately it seemed to get a little tamed down for the majority of the rest of the book (either that or I got good at paying no attention to it). So if Autumn is this super smart, math geek, FBI prodigy then I have a big issue with the way she reacted at the funeral. She finds the note in Celeste's hand that say's "I'm sorry." Ok, reasonable. But then she a)jumps to the conclusion it was left by the killer (ok accurate, but in a real case you wouldn't jump to that conclusion until you had proof) and b)calls 911 to talk to the detective? Ok, first off the detective would have given her his business card with his cell phone number. Second, you only call 911 in an emergency, you want to talk to a detective directly, call the freaking police station if you don't have the detective's direct number. Sorry but that seriously bugs the crap out of me. All in all I really liked the characters, in fact the whole story I was fearful of liking Caedon too much in case he winds up being the murderer. And Voss was such a sympathetic soul throughout the majority of the story it was hard not to feel sorry for him.

Overall I really enjoyed this quick read and will likely read the author's future works.

I wound up enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. So I rated it on the higher end because of that. Max and Neve were so awkward at times that they made a very believable couple. But I was so frustrated listening to constant complaints about Neve's size. We get that she THINKS she's fat. Honestly I think if the reader wasn't beat over the head about it so much, it would have been more enjoyable, and a shorter read. That's not to say that there was a lot of unnecessary information thrown in, just more that it was repeated far more than necessary.

This story kind of reminded me of 50 Shades in some ways, and honestly I think this deserves more recognition than the highly popular series. The writing is better and it's an overall better love story in my opinion. This is a way longer novel than I would typically read for this genre, and had I realized that prior to borrowing it, I probably wouldn't have read it. I'm glad that I did read it though as it was super sweet and made my heart flutter a few times because I knew what was coming. Yes, it is a pretty predictable story, but then again that's the case with the majority of books out there anymore.