My Boyfriend Is A Monster Series

With the popularity of all things paranormal these days, there have been a number of books about human/monster relationships to come out. Some have been good, most have been bad. But this quiet little series of graphic novels is one I found to be worthy of notice.

My Boyfriend is a Monster #1 - I Love Him to Pieces - was an absolutely adorable story. I loved the role reversal of Dicey being the uber jock and Jack being the bookworm nerd. Evonne Tsang writes some super cute and often very funny dialog. And this first book does a fantastic job of setting up the world. Clues are given to the reader and the characters at the same time, creating the perfect blend of suspense, action, and tenderness.

My Boyfriend is a Monster #2 - Made For Each Other - takes another classic monster and pulls it into a teenage love story. Frankenstein doesn't sound like he could be attractive, but Paul Storrie writes a totally loveable boy in Tom. He and Maria make a great couple, even around the boundaries that dating a monster involves. Of the two stories, I did not think this one was as strong as the first book, though.

The art is simple black and white drawings, but I thought this worked well for the age range and content matter. There were a few places in both books where the art became crowded and muddy, but for the most part the illustrations were successful in fleshing out the scenes.

So if you're a fan of monsters (and even if you aren't), give this series a try. The stories are short and sweet and will leave you smiling.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Waiting on Wednesay 5/11/11

SHADOWBORN by Alison Sinclair

SYNOPSIS:
Magic dies with the mage, or so the Darkborn believe. That's why Lady Telmaine Hearne has been condemned to death for sorcery. She's escaped but is now bound with her mageborn allies for the Borders and war. Meanwhile, her husband, Balthasar, has learned of his family connection to the Shadowborn-and is fighting for survival and sanity as magic turns him against everything he holds dear.

Not much of a synopsis available, but anyone who has read the first two in this series will know this book is destined to hold great things! I feel the Darkborn trilogy has really been under-appreciated by the media. It's a terrific series, with great writing and an awesome premise!

Release Date: June 7, 2011

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Shannon Dysart may have hired a team to travel with her across the country, but she still feels very alone. With heirloom maps of a lost city, she and her party are on the hunt for gold and riches. When months of searching yields no discoveries, her gang steals her belongings and leaves her for dead. Lucky for her, wandered Gabe Lasley hears her cries for help and comes to her rescue. Though tension is high, sparks immediately fly between Gabe and Shannon. And when Gabe agrees to accompany Shannon on her continued quest, the romance is sure to get hotter. But when Shannon's former crew doubles back with hostile intentions, things in the Grand Canyon are going to get quite treacherous.

How Mary Connealy managed to write an opening that was even better than all of her other book beginnings, I will never know. But she did it. Seriously. Best. Opening. EVER. This book was great. Gabe and Shannon's dialogue is so snarky and yet never waivers from being tender too. It is obvious to any reader that Connealy loves writing about landscapes and nature just as much as she loves writing strong women and tough cowboys. Her descriptions of the Grand Canyon are never long, but the detail she does provide clearly illustrate the beauty and awe the land inspires. She same goes for her characters. Small snipets like "the man spoke through a mustache so bushy his mouth didn't appear to move" are perfect examples of how one little detail can really cement an image in the readers mind. As always, I am looking forward to her next book!

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin

School can be tough for everybody, but for Charlotte Locke, it's even harder. She suffers from a learning disability that makes numbers and letters particularly difficult. Moving to a new school for her senior year doesn't help things either. Then she meets Amanda Munger and Neal Fitzpatrick, two beautiful people with reputations of their own and an interest in her. Amanda is quirky and fearless. Neal is sexy and funny. Charlotte is drawn to Amanda and Neal like a moth to a flame. And like the moth, Charlotte may find herself getting burned if she gets too close.

This book shocked me, mostly with it's content. Be warned: there are a lot of drug and sex scenes in this book! Charlotte ultimately learns her lessons, but throughout most of the story she doesn't have many redeeming qualities. Readers will be able to identify with her insecurities as well as her parents going through a turbulent divorce. I found myself getting annoyed with her attitude and behavior, but I had to consider it was justified in a lot of places, based on her character. I liked how Alexa Martin fleshed out Charlotte's brother James Henry (great name!) and his friend Milton. Those two made me chuckle out loud! So even though it felt like the story took a little bit to ramp up, once the middle of the book hit, it was a climactic read until the last page.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday 5/4/11

SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz

SYNOPSIS:
What’s a girl to do when meeting The One means she’s cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she’s irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can’t stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma’s been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Besides having an absolute stunning cover, this book sounds so interesting!I am usually disappointed by stories that take place in NYC's wealthy private schools, but I am definitely going to give this one a shot.

Release Date: June 21, 2011

Mercy by Rebecca Lim

Mercy is a very different being than the ones you are used to. She awakens in a person's body and inhabits it long enough to help the person through a tough time.Then she is cast out and waits in the ether until her next assignment comes along. When she awakens in Carmen Zappacosta's body, she is disoriented and confused. With very little time to adapt to her new surroundings, she is forced to fill Carmen's shoes and take over as a top-rated soprano for the school's choir group. Then Mercy meets Ryan, a boy with a missing sister and a tortured soul. She desperately wants to help Ryan, but is it not going to be an easy task. There are forces working against her, both strange and frightening.

This book was not as good as I had hoped it would be. My feelings wavered pretty evenly back and forth between being entranced and being bored. It was neat to experience Mercy's thoughts and actions as she navigated through Carmen. I was sure there would be a lot of confusion, but Rebecca Lim kept her two beings straight. Both the main and secondary characters held a lot of depth, and Lim makes sure to let each one have their fifteen minutes. Mercy and Ryan get more time, naturally, but it was refreshing to hear the others get their chance to talk too. I found I was never truly gripped by the mystery aspect of the plot, so the characterization rounded out this reading experience. Fans of the angel paranormal trend will dive right into this book, but those looking to try it out may feel lost or confused by the added super power elements. As the first book in a series, Mercy has tons of potential!

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Bound by Book-to-Movie Law: Water For Elephants

Book-to-Movie Law states that once you have read the book, you are bound by the media to go see the movie based on said book, and therefor compare to two.

When they first announced this movie I was immediately excited, and then almost as immediately hesitant. As one of my favorite books, it's hard to think a movie could possibly do it any justice. I was equally unsure about Robert Pattinson being in it. But when all was said and done, the movie was good. It entertained, it told a story, it had incredible costumes (I want some!). Though this was certainly not an easy movie to watch. There is brutal animal cruelty, and more gory fist fights than I thought would be crammed into a movie about love. August, played by Christoph Waltz, was very good. Even Mr. Pattinson was watchable. All in all, while I loved watching the costumes and sets and animals perform, the book ignited imagination far more.

Bottom Line: The book was better.

Waiting on Wednesday 4/27/11

BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore

SYNOPSIS:
For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren—the highest calling a mermaid can have. Then Dosinia runs away to the mainland, and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood—a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship... and ignite the emotions for a love so great it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Another mermaid title to swoon over! This one sounds like a classic mermaid tale, but I am excited to try out this new author!

Release Date: June 7, 2011

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Kate has just moved to Eden, the small town where her mother grew up and where she now wishes to die. Kate is already miserable, but when a cruel prank goes terribly wrong, she is in hell. Then she meets a mysterious man named Henry, who is not only attractive, but also seems to have otherworldly powers. It is not long before Kate finds herself in a deal with Henry that she cannot break. Yet the more time she spends with him in Eden Manor, the more she comes to like what he has to offer her. But first, there is a series of unknown and possibly deadly tests she must pass.

The Goddess Test opens with an intense first couple of scenes that got me hooked right from the start. I was instantly snagged by Kate's dark and miserable life with her dying mother and new location. I also loved the retelling of the Persephone myth. It's always been one of my favorites, but Aimee Carter does a superb job bringing into modern times. And she makes Henry so dang alluring! Her writing style is very readable, with angsty and moody action that keeps the reader craving chapter after chapter. Kate is a very down-to-earth character, acting as real and as raw as I imagine a real life person would in her situation. This is a book that is sure to linger in your thoughts long after the last page.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schaffert

Essie Myles has been writing obituaries for her small town newspaper every since graduating from the eighth grade. Now at age 83, she has written hundreds of obituaries and has even made a little bit of a name for herself among other obit writers. This also means she knows who everyone in town is and where they came from. Including Daisy, a lonely woman who made local history when she reported her daughter Lenore kidnapped. It has been years since the investigation ended, but a few cult followers (and Daisy) still believe she is alive and waiting to be found. More skeptical residents aren't yet convinced she ever existed at all. When Essie is approached to finally write Lenore's obituary, she navigates through an old story where fact and fiction are often confused.

I felt like I enjoyed this book, but am not really sure why. I wasn't excited to get back to reading it, but whenever I picked it up I would like what I read. The ending did not provide any closure and left me with an end-of-the-book void. I was drawn to Essie's calm and factual tone of voice. And I loved the way she told the events of the story, as if she were sitting next to me, sipping tea on the couch. All of the characters had delightful little quirks, pleasantly humorous and fun to read. When all is said and done, I am not sure I would pick up another of Schaffert's books, but this one was a good read.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday 4/20/11

EVERLASTING by Alyson Noel

SYNOPSIS:
Their darkest enemies now defeated, Damen and Ever are free to embark upon their final quest—to free Damen from the poison lingering in his body. If they can just find the antidote, they’ll finally be able to feel each other’s touch—and reach the bright future they’ve been longing for. But their search will lead them into the most formidable terrain yet… into the dark heart of Summerland.

Here in a land of scorched earth and endless rain, Ever and Damen will discover their relationship’s hidden origins, expose a secret history they never imagined…and come face to face with the true reason fate keeps tearing them apart. Only then, when the final mystery is unraveled and the last secret revealed, Ever and Damen’s future will hinge on one ultimate decision that will put everything at stake… even eternity.

I have honestly really loved this whole series. I love the world Noel has created and the characters that are finding their way through it. It will be sad to see this series go, but I am waiting with baited breath to know how it will all end.

Release Date: June 7, 2011

Fear Street Flashback (16)

Why? Because FEAR STREET was like, my favorite series growing up.

Originally released in January, 1996.

This was a silly installment in the Fear Street series. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, more than usual I thought. But they all had their own personalities and styles, which I totally appreciated. Holly was successfully portrayed as the annoying girlie she was supposed to be, and I admit I took Ruth's side most of the time when it came to listening to Holly's gossip. I never really liked Miriam either, as the main character telling the story, perhaps because I felt like she was weak when it came to dealing with what was happening around her. The ending was worth it though, an honest surprise twist that I did not see coming!

Fear Rating: 1 out of 3 Screams