[Review: This is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer]

"This is My Brain on Boys"
Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Series: None
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: May 10th, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Jane Austen’s Emma meets The Rosie Project in this quirky, irresistible, romantic comedy from Sarah Strohmeyer, the author of Smart Girls Get What They Want.

Addie Emerson doesn’t believe in love. Not for herself anyway. With one year left of high school, she’s more interested in snagging a full scholarship to Harvard than a full-time boyfriend.

That doesn’t mean she’s oblivious to the ways of the heart. Or, rather, the head. Because after months of research, Addie has discovered how to make anyone fall in love. All you need is the secret formula.

But will her discovery be enough to win the coveted Athenian Award and all its perks? (See above, full scholarship to Harvard.) Or will she be undone by Dexter, her backstabbing lab partner, who is determined to deep-six her experiments at their exclusive private school?

Those are the least of her problems now that she’s survived a death-defying flight with a mysterious, dark-haired boy, who has delicious chocolate-brown eyes and a few secrets of his own.

With an experiment to mastermind, an infatuated exchange student on her hands, and at least one great white shark (more on that later), can Addie’s prefrontal cortex outwit her heart? Or will she have to give in to her amygdala and find out, once and for all, if this thing called love is more than just her brain on drugs?

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

This book is extremely unique. It's clear going into it that this isn't your normal YA romance, and I loved that about This is My Brain on Boys. As the title suggests, this book is quirky, nerdy, and a little like an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" dropped right into it. If you like the show, you're sure to love this novel.

As a nerd myself, I was excited to dig into Strohmeyer's newest contemporary. And after finishing it, I realize that I'm not quite the same kind of nerd as Addie. Though I did find her to hilarious anyway. She's so socially awkward that it's pretty cute, and she's a total smartass to boot. She kept me laughing, that's for sure. I loved the fact that she's always in control in the book. Not many YA contemporary leads tend to have this good of a grasp on the world. Sure, she might be a tad annoying as well, but she's usually right, so I found myself forgiving her for moments I didn't think I would. Yay, for smart girls who are also smartasses!

Kris was also a great character. Though I'm not sure that I bought the whole "I love animals soooo much" thing. It felt corny to me, but I also thought it gave him dimension, so I'm just going to say that I have mixed feelings about him. He's great for Addie, but he's also a little strange for the story. But maybe that's just me.

The plot itself is a great one. Strohmeyer has this grasp on her story that makes it read really smooth. And the payoff is so good, that you'll have a smile on your face at the end. Because, once again, she makes sure that Addie gets the last word. So much girl power fills the pages of this book, even though the whole book is about love and such. 

If any, and or all of this sounds good to you. Read it!

Rating:

    3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot, but it had its issues!

[Review: Rebel Angels by Anne Blankman]

"Traitor Angels"
Author: Anne Blankman
Series: None
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Historical, Romance, Mystery
Date Published: May 3rd, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects.

Except for Elizabeth Milton. The daughter of notorious poet John Milton, Elizabeth has never known her place in this shifting world—except by her father’s side. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom.

Until one night the reason becomes clear: the king’s man arrive at her family’s country home to arrest her father. Determined to save him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by her father’s mysterious young houseguest, Antonio Vivani, a darkly handsome Italian scientist who surprises her at every turn. Funny, brilliant, and passionate, Antonio seems just as determined to protect her father as she is—but can she trust him with her heart?

When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code, unleashing a secret that could save her father…and tear apart the very fabric of society.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

This isn't my first time reading something from Anne Blankman. She's actually one of my favorite historical writers. Without a doubt it's because she mixes actual people from history, and made up characters into a story together. She uses her fictional characters to give you an understanding of actual historical figures, and Traitor Angels doesn't disappoint on that front. 

Almost all of us have heard of the poem Paradise Lost, and we know that Milton wrote it. Blankman takes that knowledge and throws us into a world of mystery and excitement, one that clearly didn't happen the way she's written it. But also one that's so wrapped up in historical fact and people from history that it feels like it could have. 

She give us a protagonist in the form of Elizabeth Milton. Elizabeth was not an actual person, but the rest of the Milton family is as historically accurate as Blankman could make them. I liked that John made sure that Elizabeth could take care of herself. While other girls are learning how to keep a home, Elizabeth is taught the art of sword fighting, reading/speaking/writing mutable languages, and the art of his poetry. All of these things come into play in the novel, and nothing that Blankman writes goes to waste. 

The book not only plays with the idea of poetry, but also delves into the impact of religion. These are the two biggest things that drive the plot of the novel. Art, exploration, studying the skies, power, and more are also key elements. 

I enjoyed this one a lot, but as I don't love the time period that it was set in, I found that it read a bit slow, but I know that it was just me. It's also got extremely exciting near the end, as Blankman made sure to throw in a few more historical events. That being said I still enjoyed this novel a lot. It's a mystery novel at its heart, and what's better then that.  

Rating:

 3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot, but it had its issues!  

[Review: Revenge And The Wild by Michelle Modesto]

"Revenge and the Wild"
Author: Michelle Modesto
Series: None
Pages: 384
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Historical, Paranormal
Date Published: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

Here it is, my first five unicorn read of the year! This book is so good. It's a standalone, it's kind of historical, it's full of fantasy, and it's got one of those heroines that will not soon be forgotten. This book is something really strange and wonderful. 

Clearly I'm already a Mosesto fan, and this is her first book, so I'd say we're off to a good start. Her world building is spectacular. She gives us this setting that is full of historical detail, but is drenched in a fantasy world. She mixes turn of the century California history with vampires, trolls, magic, and a whole slew of other creatures. It makes the book a little kitchy, but the subject matter is really heavy, so there is a balance that's really nice.

Westie is everything you want from a main character. She's so herself that you never doubt her intentions, or her person. She's in your face, has a foul mouth, and ends up in all sorts of situations, but in the end she's super lovable, and would do anything for her family. Basically, I really liked getting to know her, and would have totally been fine with this being more than one book, and that doesn't happen very often.

The rest of the characters are also amazing, and really well crafted. None of them go to waste, and it's fun to see such evenly matched villains and heroes in one novel. Everyone had their part to play, and they all played it well. Even the characters who had bit parts were vital to the novel, and that's saying something.

I also loved that Modesto wasn't afraid to write such a gory story. When you add cannibals to a story it sometimes falls flat, and I can say that that isn't the case for Revenge and the Wild. Modesto makes sure that these flesh eating people are to be feared, and so they are. 

I must admit that while some of the novel was a tad predictable, most of it was really surprising and fantastic plotted. You might think you have things figured out, but then Modesto hits you with something you didn't even know you should be looking for. 

Everyone, read this book! It's like a toned down episode of Penny Dreadful, and what's not to love about that.

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW! 

[Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd]

"The Cage"
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Cage #1
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Date Published: May 26th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

 An Open Letter To The Cage,

I think I need to break up with all books about aliens. You've reminded me of the fact that I don't really like them. Add in the fact that two POVs is my max, and you had five, and I just didn't get along with you. I'm sure a lot of other people will dig you though, even if we aren't friends.

-The White Unicorn

The Cage wasn't a bad book. In fact it was decent, but I didn't like it. The story was fine, the characters were even pretty cool, but I just didn't connect to it, at all. This stems from the fact that I don't care for books about aliens. I gave Shepherd a chance to change my mind, and I have to say that she didn't. I found the tropes that she used to be predictable and common place. 

The characters were interesting, but I also felt like they were fairly cookie-cutter. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the character bases weren't all that interesting, but Shepherd managed to give them all interesting quirks and back stories. So they all managed to bore me while they kept me interested. There are also five (count them...five) POVs in the book. My cut off is usually two, so that didn't help. I do think that it helped Shepherd tell her story the way she picked to tell it, I just didn't love it.

Also, the whole human girl falls in love with an alien thing is getting old. I wanted Cassian to be an evil jerk. But I guess that's just a personal preference. Honestly, if you like all the things that I have found to dislike about this book, you're going to love it, and since it's pretty well written, that's exciting to me. I just can't back it.

Rating:

 2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!

[Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge]

"Crimson Bound"
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: None
Pages: 448
Genre: YA, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Crimson Bound,

You're the kind of book that I don't like to put down. You tell a story and tell it so well. You're gritty and dark and weird, and so beautifully written that you enrapture your reader. Book, you also managed to tell the story Little Red Riding Hood in such a brand new way, that I didn't feel like I had ever read anything like this version before, and that's a hard thing to do. I applaud you! And I salute you!

-The White Unicorn

It's not a surprise that I LOVED Hodge's first novel Cruel Beauty (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast). I raved about that book as well, and I have to say that I have all the same feelings about Crimson Bound (Little Red Riding Hood) as well. Hodge has definitely just snuck her way onto my instant-buy list. She has this way with words, and this way with blood, and this way with making you feel all the things. Seriously, this book made me feel a lot of different things. 

Rachelle was the perfect lead. She's not a saint, she's got loads of blood on her hands, she doesn't know what to do with herself, but she knows what she must do. She's a bit of an anti-hero, but she's also the kind of anti-hero that you find yourself rooting for. She feels this darkness inside of her that she listens to sometimes, but usually, her very human heart kicks in, and takes over. She's edgy, but she's still someone that you can relate to. 

This is one of the first books that I've read this year, where I didn't feel like I was reading a love triangle, even though there were totally two gents trying to snag some cuddle time with Rachelle. Hodge writes both guys in such a genuine way that they fill different parts of the story. Armand is that hate to love story that will make you feel all the feels, and Erec is the snark-filled-ass that we have all met at some point in our lives. The males in this story are just what they need to be.

That being said, the story is so much more than a love story. It's really a story all about Rachelle finding herself and her life calling. It's about a girl who was fooled by an imposter in the woods, and The Devour that is coming to destroy the world. Rachelle is the only one who feels like she can stop it, even though she's supposed to be on evil's side. 

The mythology that Hodge creates for this retelling of Little Red is masterful. We get to see glimpses of the original tale as Rachelle's timeline also unfolds, and it's the greatest ever. I have to say that I can't find anything wrong with this one. If you like creepy tales that are birthed from stories that you know well, look no farther than this novel!

Rating:

  5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this one NOW!

[Review: Conspiracy Of Blood And Smoke by Anne Blankman]

"Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke"
Author: Anne Blankman
Series: Prisoner of Night and Fog #2
Pages: 416
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Date Published: April 21st, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

The girl known as Gretchen Whitestone has a secret: She used to be part of Adolf Hitler’s inner circle. More than a year after she made an enemy of her old family friend and fled Munich, she lives with a kindly English family, posing as an ordinary German immigrant, and is preparing to graduate from high school. Her love, Daniel Cohen, is a reporter in town. For the first time in her life, Gretchen is content.

But then, Daniel gets a telegram that sends him back to Germany, and Gretchen’s world turns upside-down. And when she receives word that Daniel is wanted for murder, she has to face the danger she thought she’d escaped-and return to her homeland.

Gretchen must do everything she can to avoid capture and recognition, even though saving Daniel will mean consorting with her former friends, the Nazi elite. And as they work to clear Daniel’s name, Gretchen and Daniel discover a deadly conspiracy stretching from the slums of Berlin to the Reichstag itself. Can they dig up the explosive truth and get out in time-or will Hitler discover them first?

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke,

I have to admit something to you. I loved the first book in your series, and I was so excited to read you. That being said, I don't think that you lived up to Prisoner of Night and Fog. You were still wonderful, but until the last quarter of the book, I have to say that I was a bit bored with you. The history was still legit, even if I felt like you focused too much on the love story this time around. So, even though you weren't perfect, I still like you.

-The White Unicorn

I just have to say it. I feel like Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke suffered from some major middle book syndrome, and that makes me really sad. It's not that it wasn't well written, because Anne Blankman is a great writer, but I felt like the story wasn't as exciting at the first book in the series. The story picked up closer to the end, but the beginning dragged... a lot. 

These characters that seemed so dynamic in the first novel ended up being a little one dimensional this time around, which was a bit confusing for me. I think this fact stems from the book focusing on Gretchen and Daniel's love story so much. I'm a sucker for a good love story, but I feel like this book made that the main subject this time around, and I wanted as much action as I got in the first book. Maybe it's just me, but those are the thoughts I was having as I read along. 

The story did pick up for me once Gretchen and Daniel were back in Germany. Their time in England bored me, but once they were surrounded by Nazis again, the story kept me on my toes. It also helps that Blankman has no issues with putting her characters through some really intense events.

Gretchen and Daniel end up hanging out with the likes of some good-hearted-crime-lords in Germany, and that, for me, was when things started to pick up. The characters that we meet in those moments are ones that really made a difference in the feel of the book. I found myself rooting for these fellows who ran crime and had this firm code of honorable conduct. I love that Blankman added them into the story.

The actual mystery of the novel was interesting as well, since it's stemmed in real events. As a girl who's always been fascinated with WWII, that part of the book was also really cool. The fire and the history behind it was so simple, and yet so complicated. 

Even though I was personally a bit disappointed in this book, I still highly suggest that you read it. 

Rating:

3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot, but it had it's issues!

[Review: Little Peach by Peggy Kern]

"Little Peach"
Author: Peggy Kern
Series: None
Pages: 208
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Date Published: March 10th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray/HarperTeen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

What do you do if you're in trouble?

When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.

Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.

But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.

This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Little Peach,

It has taken me awhile to put my thoughts into words about you, and still I'm not sure that I can do it correctly. You're not a pretty book. You're a book that made me cringe and feel uncomfortable and wonder what is wrong with the world. That being said, you're also a very important book. You share an honest look into the world of child prostitution and I commend you for that. You're not supposed to be a pretty book, but you are an important one, so thank you.

-The White Unicorn

I have to come out of the gate with a warning for readers on this one. The book is about teen prostitution and everything that goes along with it. The book deals with things like rape, child molestation and abuse, as well as prostitution. So tread carefully with this one. Though I'd suggest this book to anyone who can stand it, because I think that it's an important read.

Kern gives us a 200 page story packed with brutal truths. It's a story that starts out less than ideal and only gets worse from there. The shiny bits distract from what is really going on and soon you realize just what Michelle has gotten herself into. At the age of 14, she only knows that she has nowhere to go and so when Devon steps into her life and promises her a real family, she doesn't say no. 

Soon we are introduced to a slew of seedy characters. Some we come to actually like, such as Kitty, Baby and Michelle, and the rest end up showing off their true colors. I'm still trying to figure out how to feel about the people portrayed in this book. The lies and deception that they all hold are the kinds that make things feel like they are better than they are, but even that can't last forever. 

It's the story at the center of this book that makes it so good. No matter what happens to Michelle there is this feeling of hope and survival. As she peels away the layers that have become her life, she finally sees just what has become of her life, and once again she tries to change her circumstances. She lives through things that people should never have to deal with and yet she never gives up. 

As you can see I'm still struggling to put to words my thoughts on this little novel, but I can say that it touched me and that I think it is a book that needed to be written and that it should also be read.

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas]

"The Perilous Sea"
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy #2
Pages: 414
Genre: YA, High Fantasy
Date Published: September 16th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

-Goodreads

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 My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Perilous Sea,

Okay, so I liked you. You were a very good middle book in my opinion, though I still had some issues with you. Like the first book before you, I had a hard time getting into you, I found parts of you boring, and yet, by the end, I was crying and cheering and wanting to know what happens next. I'm not sure what it is about you books, but in the end I always end up enjoying you.

-The White Unicorn

The only books I've read by Sherry Thomas are the ones in this trilogy. I'm saying this because I had the same issues with both books. Something about her pacing and I don't mix well. It's not to say that these books aren't fabulously written, because they are. It's more the fact that it takes me so long to really get into her world. I was hoping that that wouldn't be the case with The Perilous Sea, but it was. I still struggled with it, even though I was interested in what was going on, this book had a hard time keeping my attention in the beginning. Then in the middle, I couldn't put it down till I finished.

Thomas tells her story a little different in this second installment and I loved what she did. She gave us two plot lines to see the story through. One that consisted of Fairfax and Titus while they were in school and one where they were in the middle of the desert with no memory of who they are. It was fun to see both plot lines intersect and create a full story. I also happened to enjoy the high action of the desert scenes. They kept me fully interested in what I was reading, while some of the Eton antics seemed a bit boring.

The Perilous Sea was much more of mystery novel than The Burning Sky (at least from what I can remember). There are clues everywhere for Titus and Fairfax to find and they all lead to the same messed up conclusion. I found that some of the details Thomas wove into the story seemed a bit muddled and some of the characters reactions to the happenings in the book didn't seem as heightened as they needed to be. One instance of a Fairfax reaction to something that happens near the end of the book had me underwhelmed. You would think that it would have left her much more devastated than it did. (Sorry for being vague, I don't want to give anything away) For some reason this really bothered me. And I wished that some of the revelations would have held more weight with the characters.

As always Fairfax and Titus are adorable! If there is one thing that Thomas is really good at, it's the witty banter that she creates between these two! I love their relationship and even though there are few bumps in the road they handle it well. 

Thomas also chooses to highlight a few more of the boys in Eton and I liked getting to know them better. Though I still can't believe that none of them realize that Fairfax isn't a dude...

All in all this is a solid middle book and even though it might take me ages, you bet that I'll be reading the finale as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Rating: Actual Rating: 3.5

 

[Review: The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer]

"The Secrets of Lily Graves"
Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: YA, Thriller, Horror
Date Published: May 13th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

With the intrigue of Pretty Little Liars and plenty of romance, bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer weaves a story of secrets and lies—set in a funeral parlor.

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.

But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.

So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.

As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Secrets Of Lily Graves,

Well, you were a fun ride! I don't know if it's because I'm a genius or if other people figured out your secrets early on too, but I kinda had you beg pretty early on. I'm gonna go with the fact that I'm a genius, but who really knows. That being said, you were still an exciting read. I guess I just wish I wouldn't have figured it out when I did.

-The White Unicorn

This was my first Strohmeyer book and I totally understand why people love her writing. It's super readable and enjoyable. She adds a lot of really quirky detail and I find that contemporaries are better that way. Even though I wasn't completely blown away with the story, I did love her writing and that's a good thing.

When all is said and done The Secrets of Lily Graves is a murder mystery. There are a few other things going on, like a love story and a friendship story and a death fascination, but those aren't the main plot points. Lily is trying to find out who killed the main popular girl at school and what they did it with. Sure it looks like suicide, but she knows better then that. It gets intense guys.

This is one of those books that you can't really say that much about. If you do, you might end up writing all the spoilers.  I can tell you that this book is well written and has a lot going for it. But it also left me feeling a little blah. Like I said, I figured the mystery out quickly, so I think that took some of the fun out of it, but I would say if you're looking for something quick, fun, funky and a little sinister this is the book for you.

Rating:

 3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot but it had it's issues.

[Review: Prisoner Of Night And Fog by Anne Blankman]

"Prisoner of Night and Fog"
Author: Anne Blankman
Series: Prisoner of Night and Fog #1
Pages: 416
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Date Published: April 22nd, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Prisoner of Night and Fog,

BOOK!!!  I can't get over how much I love you.  I didn't know that you would end up giving me a history lesson in such detail that I would also read the author's note, wanting you never to end.  Needless to say, that's what happened.  Even though you're a work of fiction, you gave me so much insight into the beginning of The Nazi movement.  I didn't want to get sucked into the glamor or brutality of it, but alas I fell into the rabbit hole that you dug up for me.  Book, I'm a huge fan and I want everyone to read you and the other books that will come later, continuing your story.

-The White Unicorn

Prisoner of Night and Fog is one of those magical books that comes around every once in awhile.  It hits you like a fly ball to the face and makes an impact that's sure to stay with you for a very long time.  It's one of those books that is more history than fiction and that in and of itself makes it a horrifically intriguing read.  So many WWII books come at the war from the view of the oppressed, but Blankman dares to do something different with her narrative, she drops you into the lion's den, she drops you right into Hitler's lap.

It's evident from the first page all the way through the author's note that Blackman didn't mess around when it came to researching the Nazi party and all of it's early key players.  The book is drenched in real historical facts, that are so bluntly stated that you have to remind yourself that most of these things and these people existed and this is indeed how they acted.  The added fictional characters only add to the excitement of the story, instead of covering up the historical elements.

Gretchen is one of my new favorite characters.  The ways that Blackman used her to get us inside the workings of Hitler and his Socialist Party were daring.  She's one of those characters that grows so much in one book.  Of course she's put through the ringer as she learns that she can't trust anyone that she once considered family.  It's through her eyes that we get to see the human parts of Hitler and how, after the layers are pulled back that he was a monster in human form all along.  You know it's coming, but Gretchen doesn't and seeing things through her eyes is a strange and terrifyingly awesome experience.

The characters (whether fictional or not) are all written with such care.  Gretchen's brother Reinhard will make you squirm as you read.  He's evil in it's most pure, natural, human form.  He and Hitler are cut from the same, yet altogether different piece of fabric.  The chills and the shock that these two men (as well as the rest of the Nazi party) give you hang over the book.

The softer, yet still intense part of the novel was the love story between Gretchen and Daniel.  It was awesome to see the two of them come together in a way that didn't drowned out the rest of the plot.  The romance is needed and it is really well written, but it's not the main focus of the novel and I really liked that.  Daniel gives us incite into the reporting side of things and gives a strong sense of the Jewish community in Munich in the 30s.  He also gives Gretchen a chance to grow and change. Confusing the Jewish propaganda that she's been fed for years by her darling Uncle Dolf, and forcing her to start making her own assumptions about what really happened the night her father died.

In short, what I'm trying to say is that I haven't read a historical fiction novel like this in quite some time and anyone who is interested in what really happened in the beginning of Hitler's reign should give this fantastic novel a good ol' read!

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this now! 

[Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge]

"Cruel Beauty"
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Retelling
Date Published: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Cruel Beauty,

You ended up being the first book of the year to blow me out of the water.  It could have been the beautiful way that you were written.  It could have been the complex and flawed characters that filled your pages.  It could have been the twisted retelling that you presented that threw even more than just Beauty and the Beast at us giving it and other tales a new face.  But all in all, I think it was a combo of all of the things that I just mentioned.  Congrats on being awesome and for giving me all of the feels and some really romantic moments.  You've done good!

-The White Unicorn

I'm seriously floored by this book guys!  Rosamund Hodge has created such a fresh and unique Beauty and the Beast retelling.  There are just so many out there and I love a good fairytale retelling just as much as the next person, but you always wonder how they are going to turn out.  I'll tell you that Cruel Beauty did not disappoint.  Hodge took great care in creating a world that was fully it's own.  She pulled in Greek myth as well as hints at other well loved fairytales.  There are nods to Bluebeard and Rumpelstiltskin woven into the story as well.  It's just a epic cluster of greatness that ended up working amazingly well together because Hodge knew just how to make her world come alive.  

It was pretty great to see Greek Mythology used in such a creative way too.  It was an interesting foundation for a fairytale.  It built up a lot of cool story arcs and added this sense of mystery.  I also liked how Hodge chose some of the lesser known myths to weave into her story.  It made even someone who knows a lot about Greek Mythology (like me) stay interested in the bits of the stories that she chose to share.  It kept things interesting for me and I wanted to know more.

Now that I've raved about the world building, I get to tell you guys about what really made this book work for me.  As if the world building wasn't enough, cause it totally was.  The stand outs in this novel were the characters.  Somehow, Hodge managed to give us intense, flawed, complicated characters that are there to captivate you.  I dare you not to be pulled into their stories.  They are all messy.  And when all is said and done they are all as evil as they are heroic and kind.  They are real and they have these deep and raw emotions that just scream at you from the pages.

Nyx was the perfect person to tell this tale.  Seeing everything through her eyes, brought the world to life in the most wonderful ways.  Her relationship with her family is a mess and everyone is hiding things from her.  Her husband is a demon lord who she has sworn to kill.  There is another magical shadow like being hovering on the edges of her life and yet she still manages to hold firm to what she needs to do.  She has these moments where she seems hard and she has these moments where she is one of the kindest souls you've ever met.  She just works as a character.  

There are two "men" vying for her attention.  In my opinion Hodge does a love triangle right.  Both Ignifex and Shade bring something to the table and watching Nyx's interactions with them is a blast.  You just feel all the things that she's feeling about these gents.  And I'd like to say that Hodge knows how to write her swoon worthy moments.  She builds these completely different kinds of chemistry between Nyx and both guys.  One is sweet and innocent and the other is playful, intense and slightly wicked.  I got all the feels guys, ALL THE FEELS!!!

Also, I really enjoyed Hodge's writing style.  It's one thing to be a wonderful storyteller, but I thought that her writing was also beautiful and honest.  She wasn't afraid to give us darkness, but she never forgot to give us hope as well.  She created a story that will play with your heart strings and will also keep you guessing as to how everything will end up.  

So, in conclusion I have to say that I loved pretty much everything about this book.  It is both a retelling and something much more.  I highly recommend this one!

Rating:

        5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this one now!  

[Review: Avalon by Mindee Arnett

"Avalon"
Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: Avalon #1
Pages: 432
Genre: YA, Sci Fi, Adventure
Date Published: January 21st, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

Oh Avalon, how I wanted to love you with every fiber of my being.  I really did.  You're a mixture of things that I love, including Firefly and Danny Boyle's flick Sunshine and even some Star Wars.  You've got all the fixings to be something right up my alley.  In some ways you delivered brilliantly and in others you didn't hit the mark at all.  Sure, even though you weren't perfect, I still enjoyed you, but I wanted you to leave me more excited than I am in the long run.  I'm just left trying to find the "wow factor" I wanted going into you.  Then again I'll settle for what you did deliver on and call it a truce.  

And now that my open letter to the book is over... 

This is my first book by Mindee Arnett that I've read and after hearing so many awesome things about her other novels, I couldn't wait to dive into it.  A book set in space about teenage mercenaries?  Sign me up!  I found the characters interesting and the overall plot to be enjoyable and fast paced.  Arnett sure knows how to keep you on your toes when it comes to throwing curve balls into her plot and keeping things interesting.  But for as fast paced as the action was I found myself struggling through reading the book itself.  

It was odd.  I felt like I had read a ton of the book and I'd look and see that I hadn't gotten very far at all.  I'm not sure why this was, but it made the book feel like it was dragging for me.  Even if the plot was moving along, it felt like I was stuck in the pages and that I couldn't get out.  It was immensely distracting, and personally the flow of my reading experience got in the way of how much I enjoyed this book.  It's the weirdest thing to try to explain.  Exciting things were happening in the story, but they weren't happening in a way that made me excited. 

That being said, I did enjoy the characters that filled Arnett's story.  I like when I find a male protagonist believable and Jeth did that for me.  He had his flaws (in that he wasn't always as assessable as I would have liked) but he had this honesty about him that I found to be really refreshing.  Plus, his loyalty to his crew was something to applaud!  And then throw in how great his was with his little sister Lizzie and he'll also managed to melt your heart every once in awhile.  

Sierra was a great female lead as well.  As was Celeste.  I liked how Arnett wrote really feisty and strong females into her novel.  In a place full of male testosterone, these girls held their own.  Even the younger ones like Lizzie and Cora had their moments of extreme strength.  

The rest of the bit characters also had their moments.  The bad guys had moments that made your skin crawl and we all know that that's what you want in a good bad guy, so that worked out well too.

So, even though I was left wanting more.  Let's be honest, a whole lot more, the things that Arnett did right, she did really really right.  I've got to give her props for all of that, even though I can't start a slow clap for this space ship flying, galaxy traveling, romp of a tale because of the weird pacing.  I have to admit that I'm curious to see where the next book goes...

Rating:

       3 Unicorns = I liked it, but it had it's issues!