Review: Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper

WARNING: THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES

Synopsis: *Recommended for ages 15 and older due to mature content.* 

Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.

Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing

Page Count: 365 pages

Edition: Kindle (provided by publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: 

This book was so good. Taking Back Forever was a fast paced, action packed, sit on the edge of your seat kind of book. It gripped me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I literally stayed up until almost two in the morning trying to finish it. I'm still recovering :D. 

The plot of this book is unique to begin with. I have never seen reincarnation done like this. But it still doesn't compare to my favorite reincarnation series, The Eternal Ones. Although I will say that this one is giving it a run for it's money. The characters-essentially all reincarnated souls-were so life like and real. They all had their own personalities. Harmony was not my favorite character though. But she grew on me after a while. Maryah was sweet. But the whole book she was either agonizing over how she lost her memories or agonizing over how Nathaniel wouldn't have sex with her. It got really old after a while. I can understand wanting to have sex. But Maryah just wouldn't give up on it. That was really what made me not give this book a five out of five. That and Harmony. 

I was just going along in this book when suddenly we get to the 70 percent mark. Then BAM! A totally unexpected action scene comes up! I couldn't put the book down after that. When I got to that part I started rocking back and forth in my bed. I was squealing and gasping for the rest of the book. Gregory, you big jerk you. I just want to punch you then hug you. 

For anyone planning on reading this book-first of all, do it!-I would take the author's advice and not read the bonus chapters at the end. Hooper asked the readers not to give anything away so I won't. But I will say if you don't like cliffhangers, do not read the bonus chapters. But I am so glad I did though. It has me eagerly awaiting FIGHTING FOR INFINITY. Just when I thought things would be good for these characters and Maryah.....Nope! Nothing more. 

Please pick up this series. It is fastly becoming one of my favorite reincarnation series. I would recommend this to anybody who likes reincarnation and is looking for a new twist on it. 

Review: Weather Witch by Shannon Delany

Synopsis: In a vastly different and darker Philadelphia of 1844, steam power has been repressed, war threatens from deep, dark waters, and one young lady of high social standing is expecting a surprise at her seventeenth birthday party–but certainly not the one she gets!

Jordan Astraea, who has lived out all of her life in Philadelphia’s most exclusive neighborhood, is preparing to celebrate her birthday with friends, family and all the extravagance they might muster. The young man who is most often her dashing companion, Rowen Burchette, has told her a surprise awaits her and her best friend, Catrina Hollindale, wouldn’t miss this night for all the world!

But storm clouds are gathering and threatening to do far more than dampen her party plans because someone in the Astraea household has committed the greatest of social sins by Harboring a Weather Witch.

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffen

Page Count: 323 pages

Edition: Kindle (provided by the publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 2/5 stars 

Review: 

Weather Witch is an enthralling beginning to a new series. The concept is unique and fresh. The writing is  captivating from page one. Weather Witch will grab you from the beginning and keep you interested until the end. 

With that said, I think it's fair to say that I wasn't a huge fan of this book. All of the things I said above were true. I just don't think this book was for me. You know those kinds of books that you think will be amazing based on the first chapter alone? That's what I thought about Weather Witch. The concept and writing was so captivating in the first chapter and prologue. But then the rest of this story kind of went down hill. 

This book is told from multiple perspectives. I can't remember all of them right now, but I know that there were a lot of perspectives. The story would jump perspectives so much. Right when you were getting settled into one person's head, the story would go to another perspective. A few times you would be in a character's head and it would suddenly switch to someone around that character. After a few paragraphs it would switch back. I don't know if this was just an editing mistake or the way it was formatted on my Kindle or if that's how the story really is. But be warned, if you do not like jumping perspectives, I would not recommend this to you. 

The characters were...interesting. They weren't all totally bad. Like I said above, the story switched perspectives too much. I didn't get used to anyone at all during the story. Chloe was my favorite character because when she wanted something done she would get it done. Chloe was one of Jordan's-who wasn't really a main character at all-servants. It's too bad what happens to her.

Also, while the story is very interesting, there was no world building at all. Here you have this whole world full of Weather Witches and Making and airships but you have no idea why everyone do the things they do. Everyone in this society is afraid of Weather Witches. Why? I don't know. There are airships that suddenly show up during the mid-1800s. Why? I don't know. Are you seeing a growing trend here?

Weather Witch is not a bad book by any means. This would be a great book for anyone easing themselves into the Young Adult genre. I just think that there are better books out there. 

Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Synopsis: In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Page Count: 464

Edition: Kindle (Galley provided by publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Review:

Mae Koskinen and Justin March live in futuristic North America called RUNA. Neither know each other until the fateful night which they meet-twice-and their lives change. Mae is a praetorian, which is an elite soldier with a chip to improve their abilities. At a friend's funeral, Mae starts a fight with another praetorian, which gets her punished. She gets sent to Panama to pick up a Dr. March. Justin March is living in exile in the province of Panama. He is in exile for unknown reasons until later in the book. Some events occur and the two meet. They have a one night stand thinking they'll never see each other again. They were wrong. (Obviously)

I am so sad I had to give this a three star rating. I love Richelle Mead's VAMPIRE ACADEMY series so much. I went into this thinking it was going to wow me. It did and it kind of didn't. I'll just start off with the good things first.

Richelle Mead always writes a tough, cool, and awesome female leads. Mae was no exception. She was tough, smart, and independent. Mae has really bad family issues and a past love that she can't forget(not for reasons you'd think). I enjoyed reading about her. Justin...let's not get into him now. I mean, I liked how interesting things happened to him. I just didn't like him. Tessa was an okay character. I don't know why we had to read from her POV but it was okay.

The whole concept of GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS was so interesting and awesome. The world building was done in such a subtle way that I barely realized I was getting a RUNA 'history lesson'. The RUNA(or Gemman society as some call it) was so freaking cool. It is almost like I imagine our future going. Well, except for the Cain thing. I liked how Richelle Mead went into more pagan religion other than the typical ones you hear about today. And the ending with this Nordic God(can't say without giving away spoilers) was so well done.

GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS had so much action. Every chapter had drama and action. There was no in between for it. It was just constant action. After reading so many romance-y dystopians, it's nice to read a pure action one. Oh yeah. There isn't a lot of romance in this book. Just a lot of meaningless sex(wasn't a huge fan of that).

Now for the things I didn't like and got this book three stars.

I hated how slow this book was. Yes, I did read it in four or five days. Yes, I read a lot of it every day. But it felt like a chore just to read a few chapters. They were all so long and something about the writing or pacing just made it hard to read. I felt like it took FOREVER just to finish one chapter. Don't get me wrong, it was very interesting. It was just so long.

I didn't like Justin. I know, I know. He was described as being arrogant and acknowledged it. But I thought he would change near the end of the book. Instead he got worse.

The last thing I want to mention was how this book just didn't wow me. I waited and waited for a moment where I could say "Wow, this is so good!" but it never came. It was really just okay. Nothing stood out to me. I could have cared less about what happened the characters. The climax didn't have me at the edge of my seat. The action scenes felt bland. The characters were just okay. I'm hoping this series gets better, but for now, I'm not going to set my expectations high.

Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Page Count: 304

Edition: Kindle (NetGalley)

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Izzy Brannick is devastated over her sister going missing. While on a hunt, she accidentily slips. Her mother decided to go to a new town so Izzy can take on a smaller mission. But this mission may not be as small as everyone thinks...

I love the Hex Hall series. I was so happy when I heard this was going to come out. So when I saw it on NetGalley, I jumped on the offer. I was so surprised! Rachel Hawkins uses her humor but not in a way that makes you think that this is a repeat of Hex Hall. This story was so cute and fluffy. I couldn't put it down. The mystery during the whole book reminded me of that old show Danny Phantom. Izzy and her new friends had their ups and downs, all while Izzy was suffering from her sister going missing. I loved Izzy. She was so tough yet sweet. Dex and Izzy are so cute together!

But, this still fell flat for me. It seemed like a middle grade read. It seemed to be going somewhere and it didn't. I hope that this leads up to a better more substantial series.


Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!(

Review: Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

Synopsis: Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen Amanda Hooper’s latest young adult release.

Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing

Page Count: 328 pages

Edition: Kindle (copy kindly sent by the publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 3.5-4 stars

Review: GRASPING AT ETERNITY is about a girl named Maryah Woodsen who endures a tragedy within pages of the story. She is sent of to live with Louise, her godmother, to stay there. There she meets a copious amount of people whom she comes to love or dislike. But something isn't entirely right with the Luna family. Maryah goes on a life changing journey that shakes her world and it comes crumbling down.

THAT is how the synopsis should have gone. It completely ruins the story. Now, with that said, I did find the new concept of reincarnation completely imaginative and unique. I've read the ETERNAL ONES series by Kirsten Miller and that is one of my favorite series ever. So this book had a lot to live up to. GRASPING AT ETERNITY certainly met those expectations, but maybe a little under the bar. The plot was fast paced and I was dying to know what happened to the characters. This wasn't really action packed at all. There was some action at the end, but it quickly disappeared. I like the books I read to leave on an anticipatory note, so I'm dying to read the next book. But this one just ended. It was way to happy and corny for my taste.

The characters in this book were cool. Louise was my favorite by far. I have quotes highlighted by her that were brilliant. She's so smart and wise. Every time she spoke it was like a lesson. The other characters were just bland. I hope to see more of them in the next book. Maryah as a main character fell on the annoying side. At times she was just downright mean, hypocritical, rude and sometimes closed minded. When someone did something she didn't necessarily think was the right way of doing it, she'd say stuff in her head that bugged me. But I hope she develops now that...Oops, almost gave away a spoiler! Nathaniel was so cool. I could really tell that he loved Maryah. It wasn't like with other stories where the love interest just wants her body. No, you could tell Nathaniel loved her for her.

Overall, this book was a good start to a hopefully wonderfull series. I would reccomend this to people who want a dark but light read.
 

Review: Spellbinding by Maya Gold

Synopsis: There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

Publisher: Scholastic Point

Page Count: 272 pages

Edition: Kindle (Galley from NetGalley)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Review:

First of all, I want to say sorry to the publisher because this review is going up really late. I haven't had time lately and today was the only free day I had.

This book is about a girl named Abby. She has no friends(except one), has a crush on the 'hottest' guy in school, has an enemy who just so happens to be her crush's girlfriend, and there is a mysterious guy she has the hots for.

Sound familiar? Yep, this book is basically a YA PNR repeat. It has everything cliche in it. The plot is very interesting once you really get into it though. But it's too short to even be really good. It had great potential. The witch thing was so interesting. Abby doesn't even do anything remotely cool with it though. She just focuses all her energy on this guy she's not even sure she likes anymore. It was really pathetic too. There was a perfectly fine boy right in Salem but she blew him off because she had powers. How ridiculous!

Overall, there really isn't much to say about this. The summary is basically the whole book because of how short it is. The climax was too short to be good. The characters were bland. Abby was a selfish brat. If the book was longer-or maybe a series-I could understand more. But no. I wouldn't reccomend this book to anyone who wants a real story. I found it too juvenile. I'd recommend it to girls going into middle school.

 

Review: That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard

 
Synopsis: 

Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.

When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.

But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.

With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

Publisher: Scholastic

Page Count: 272

Edition: Kindle (A galley from NetGalley)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Review:

First of all, can we all just take a second to just stare at the GORGEOUS cover? It is so beautiful.

This book is about a girl named Alexandra/Lexi/X/Xandra Ryan whose father recently passed away. He left her no money, so she goes on a search for her mother. A clue leads her to a circus in Florida. After finding out that her mother isn't there, she decides to stay in order to make some extra money. She goes through a few jobs before she finally chooses to be a tarot card reader.

I thought this story was going to be amazing. I mean, the cover is to die for, the plot is so unique and different, I love me a good coming of age story, and it just sounded good to me. This book, sadly, did not meet my expectations.

Lexi was an okay character in the start of the book. I could really relate to her because I love to read and I don't have many friends. Lexi loves to read and she only has(had)two friends. But when you get further along into the story you find her changing. While Lexi does change in a good way, I thought that she also took a turn for the worse. She became selfish and let people push her around. I know her dad just died and I wouldn't be the same either. But she was crying in almost every chapter. Death is a hard topic for a lot of people. People grieve in different ways. Sometimes Lexi's emotional break downs were too much. Also, I hated how she quickly jumped from friend to friend to friend. In the beginning, Heather(I think that's her name)was so nice to Lexi. She showed her the ropes and had meals with her. Lina was a complete jerk to her while Heather was so nice. But the second that something better comes along, Lexi quickly goes to Lina, leaving Heather in the dust. Heather is mentioned in the first five chapters then never mentioned again. What's up with that? And when she starts hanging out with Jake and Lina gets "angry" with her for hanging out with him. She just blows him off for Lina. Then Nick comes into the picture. Don't even get me started on that.

I also hated the freaking love square. First it was Jake, then it was Nick, then it was Eli. Nobody has that many love interests in the course of a few months. Especially a girl who is "socially awkward". Lexi was not "socially awkward".

The last thing I wasn't too keen on in this book was how fast everything went. I know that it's not even 300 pages, but it didn't need to be rushed so much. The author had so much that she wanted to put into one book. I think it would have been better if it was longer and more drawn out. We'd go from one thing to another so quickly and I'd get confused. The flashbacks didn't help at all.

Enough ranting from me. Despite the very lengthy rant above, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and light, which was just what I wanted. It didn't meet expectations, but wa still an enjoyable read.

I would reccomend this to middle school kids who want to start going into YA and anyone who wants a light read.