Captive by Aimee Carter

Captive by Aimee Carter
Release Date - November 25, 2014
Publisher Website - HarlequinTeen
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  304 pages
My Rating - 3.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

Aimee Carter's Pawn started of her Blackcoat Rebellion series filled with promise. I was excited to get my hands on the sequel. The sequel provided a few new twists and turns to the story, but ultimately left me eager for the finale so that the events could unfold.

Aimee has captured this deadly, dark, and often nauseating world in vivid detail. The sequel does expand upon the atrocities that plague this world and the inhabitants. After the first novel it would have been hard to conceive of how it could have been made worse, but it's accomplished within these pages. The consequences and dangers are real, and swift. The truth is a rare commodity in a world filled with lies. Kitty is someone who is just trying to survive, and is floundering through. I think many will bemoan her choices and decisions, however, I felt it was within her character. She's rash, impulsive, and headstrong. She is only beginning to show change because she's too busy dealing with what is happening to her to take it all in. People want her to be a fighter, but she's just a girl who just wants a quiet life and her freedom.

Knox continues to intrigue me. He keeps you guessing. You never know his true motives or what side he's on. He kept the storyline progressing and I am hoping to see much more of him in the next installment. This is a rare scenario where I ship the 'bad' guy instead of the 'good' one. I find the chemistry between Kitty and Knox electric and filled with potential. The relationship between her and Benjy feels more sibling like in comparison. I, personally, didn't get a sense of their chemistry. It is known and comfortable, but doesn't push her the way Knox does. He's like the bridge between who Kitty was and who this world is turning her into. I am not sure he's going to fit as neatly into this new Kitty's world.

This novel felt like a placeholder to the ending, instead of really developing or changing anything in the story. In the end I felt the same about most of the characters, and the world, as when I began. I wouldn't say we end up in the exact same place, but it was a journey that didn't feel vital. I was entertained and enjoyed the story, but I am not sure how much it progressed the plot. I may, however, feel differently after reading the final book.

Aimee Carter has created a darkly dangerous world, a heroine who gets by on chance and determination, and a complicated web of deceit. This may not have been my favourite of the trilogy, but I am more than intrigued enough to finish out the series and follow this rebellion to, what will surely be, the deadly end.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

This week a few books made their way into my book closet!

First up is a book I borrowed from a fellow blogger!

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord (Goodreads)

Thanks, Katie for letting me borrow this! I loved her first book and cannot wait to read the second. Hoping to get to it ASAP!

I also received to e-ARCs for review!  

Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole (Goodreads)
The Secrets Between You And Me by Shana Norris (Goodreads)

A huge thank you to both publishers for these! I am part of the blog tour for Shana Norris' book and I am excited to share the fun interview we did when the time comes!

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

I've been sidelined by a fever, and basically feel insanely gross so this will be short. You can expect next week to be heavy on the reviews since I missed one this week!

BOOKS

cover for Drowning Is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley (Goodreads)

This is one of my 2015 Most Anticipated reads and I am so happy that it has a pretty cover to go along with the amazing synopsis.

Cover for Charlotte Huang's For The Record (Goodreads)

This has a dream like feel to it, and it just looks like a really fun party! I am excited to check out this novel that revolves around a girl who becomes a lead singer in a famous band.

What are you obsessed with this week?

All The Bright Place by Jennifer Niven

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Release Date - January 6, 2015
Publisher Website - Random House
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 384 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

If I had a describe All The Bright Places using only two words I would pick sadly beautiful. Jennifer Niven's highly emotional story is filled with stunning highs, and brutal lows that reflect the depression the plagues one of the main characters. It's a wonderfully written, important novel that made me instantly want to read more from this author.

For all the sadness in the novel, there is beauty too. The writing itself is wonderful and creates the tone of the novel effortlessly. It captures the emotions perfectly. Jennifer has a real talent that is subtle, but powerful. It captures the essence of these characters and their journey. The connection that Violet and Finch have is filled with promise. It's the blush of first love. There are moments that are sweet and tender. Violet's journey though is one of hope. The synopsis says that she learns to not count away the days and start living them. This is, perhaps, what grabbed me the most. Live each day, don't just exist in them. Make them lovely because those every day moments are what create our story.

The sensitivity in which the subject matter is handled is woven through each page of this novel. Those who have dealt with depression in some manner will feel that the author handles it with a delicate finesse. It looks at how it impacts not only the person going through it directly, but also those who care about them. It demands you look beyond labels, and see the person rather than the illness. It is a powerful message as our society puts a lot of emphasis on labels.

People who suffer from depression, and other mental illnesses, are horribly unsupported. There are not nearly enough support systems, and programs in place to help those in need. While things are slowly changing, there is still a certain stigma attached and I feel this novel showcases how important education and conversation are to assisting those who are suffering from these illnesses. A quote from the novel haunted me as I was reading

“It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life I wish for measles or smallpox or some other easily understood disease just to make it easier on me and also on them.” 

This simple truth shows how necessary novels like this one. Ones that reach your heart, and make you want to shout about them to everyone. If this novel starts even one discussion, prompts one person to seek out help, or even gets someone to ask questions the author would have been successful.

The message of the novel, and it's importance aside, the story is engrossing. I easily fell in love with Violet, Finch and their story. Their journey to discover their state leads to many self discoveries, and it builds a connection between these two broken people who try to help each other through their sadness, and grief.

Violet and Theodore's story is one that left a deep impact on my heart, and one I will not soon forget. Jennifer Niven took something incredibly personal and poured her heart into creating something achingly beautiful that has the potential to create discussions and even the power to change someone's life.

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Release Date - December 30, 2014
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 384 pages
My Rating - 3.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Love and Other Theories is a fast-paced twist on the coming-of-age novel . . . and the romantic comedy.

Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak--they don't realize that these rules could just as easily keep them from opening their hearts and minds. And when new boy Nathan Diggs moves to town, Aubrey starts to think that some rules are meant to be broken.

With equal parts bite and romance, topped off with an irresistibly engaging voice, Alexis Bass's debut novel is one you won't want to miss.

After reading the synopsis for Love and Other Theories I thought I was in store for a cute, maybe a little fluffy, romance infused novel. I instead got a much deeper, more complex, character driven novel that really surprised me.

This novel is an example of characters that you may not like very much. Aubrey and her friends are not perfect. They make mistakes, and part of that involves making decisions that you may not make. The beginning part of the novel, in particular, showcases this. If you are a reader who normally gives up if you don't 'like' the characters, I URGE you to stay with this one. The notion of 'likability' is not something that motivates me with characters. Do I understand their motivations, and does it fit within the character being presented to make these decisions? If the answer is yes, the author has done their job. The character does not have to do what I would do for me to read about them. I want characters that challenge me. I want ones that make me think. These characters do this in spades. There are great parts to them too. There are moments in their friendship that made me smile. Even some of the 'theories' are founded in good intentions. It's the messy stuff, the grey area, that muddles everything. People are complicated and a good author captures that.

The most striking part of this novel is that as you are reading you feel your perceptions changing. As I mentioned, I thought I was getting one novel, and was presented with something else entirely. You learn about these characters, particularly the girls. It's much deeper than I anticipated from anything presented, this included the beginning of the novel. I like that it slowly unravels, and little by little sneaks it's way in. You care about these characters and are left wondering when exactly they won you over.  This novel will bring to mind your own highschool friends because of how well these characters embody the essence of girls I knew at this age. The most heart tugging part of this novel is the moments where the friendship aspect shines through and you see the carefree, fun times they have.

The theories themselves are, obviously, a huge part of the story. My opinion on the theories bounced around as much as my opinion of the characters themselves. Ultimately what it says about love, forgiveness and what you choose to risk is not simple; kind of like love itself. The book uses a Marilyn Monroe quote to open "A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." and this novel shows that perhaps the wisest girl  is one who speaks up for what she wants, and chooses to whom she gives her heart. One that determines, for herself, what matters and what is worth the risk.

If you want something that will surprise you, and sneakily make you care about all the characters, you will not want to miss this one. A solid debut from an author, that while not perfect, shows tons of promise for future work, and establishes this author as one with a voice worth watching.

Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven
Release Date - December 23, 2014
Publisher Website - St Martin's Griffin
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 416 pages
My Rating - 2.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time.

Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks 

I've mentioned previously that New Adult is hit or miss with me. There have been some I really enjoyed. I have recently started to feel like I am reading the same story repeated over and over. I was delighted when I heard about Bad Romeo. It sounded different enough to interest me, while retaining what the NA genre is. Bad Romeo, sadly, ended up being like most of the other books in this genre.

The sheltered girl, the bad boy (who is actually just a jerk wrapped in a pretty package) and some scorching sexy scenes is the go to formula for New Adult. Character development and plot are often put on the back burner in favour of sexing up the story. Bad Romeo has a plot. It has a journey that the characters should take. The element that is missing to complete this is the characterization. I finished the novel not knowing much about either of them. I felt like I got to know surface level stuff about both the main characters without venturing deeper. A connection is needed to enjoy this type of story and it was missing for me.

The writing is enjoyable. It's extremely readable, and I would love to read a different genre from this author. However, the layout of the story didn't quite work for me. It felt disjointed at times. There are times where it is taking place in the present, and flashbacks to their time school. There is no pattern to it. It switches back and forth at various moments without any clear, concise format to link it all together. The storyline also becomes rather repetitive with them taking turns to push each other away. It feels stretched out to have two books instead of one more cohesive story.

The biggest element missing in Cassie and Ethan's relationship is the why. What about Cassie is so different that Ethan wants to let down those walls? What about Ethan makes Cassie let him in? Other than physical attraction and sexual chemistry there is nothing there. At least nothing that comes through the pages. It reads more as lust than love. I didn't feel the connection to the characters, or feel invested in the outcome of the relationship as a result. If there is not something that pulls me to the characters, it's harder to connect to the story.

There is a glimmer of character growth and development in the present time sections of the story. Ethan and Cassie are both acting a little more rational. This is the part of the story that I was expecting to find within these pages, but the focus is the 'flashback' element. The contrast between the Ethan and Cassie of past and present is glaring, and jarring with no exploration on what happened in between. It's something that is glaringly missing, particularly with Ethan. His present self is so different from the boy of the past. What changed him? We're told it's Cassie. I wanted to see that transformation, not have it happen off the page. That is the payoff of getting invested in these characters, and seeing that growth happen would have been welcome.

A novel that held a lot of promise, but sadly turned out to not be for me. I think that perhaps it is me though as the other reviews seem quite favourable. I, perhaps,  keep expecting more from my New Adult reads, and they keep remaining surface level in terms of character development. I would check out other books by Leisa Rayven as I enjoyed the writing. Those only looking for hot chemistry and plenty of angst will most likely enjoy this book more than I did.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

This week I received two books from Random House Canada that were high up on my wishlist!

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins (Goodreads)
All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Goodreads)

A huge thank you to Random House Canada for these books. I've already read All The Bright Places and thought it was really well written. It's not the type of book you 'enjoy' but it was sadly beautiful. Look for my review coming soon!

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!