Hourglass by Myra McEntire

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

I've been waiting for this book to come out for months. So, it's a darn good thing it was amazing, or I'd be mad about spending so much time pining over it. When I first heard about this book, I thought it sounded awesome. Now that I've read it, "awesome" doesn't even begin to describe it.

Emerson (killer name, by the way) was everything I love about main characters. She was strong and fearless and sassy. I love the description of her. The entire book there's a running joke about how short she is, but she's a brown belt in karate. She flips a grown man over her shoulder and lays him out flat on his back. I wouldn't mess with her. I'd totally be her best friend though.

I can't even imagine living the life Emerson has. Both of her parents were killed in an accident and Emerson is full of guilt about it. She's living with her brother Thomas and his wife, Dru. They're the only ones who know the extent of her "condition" and Thomas is constantly finding new people who claim they can help make Em's visions stop. Just when Emerson decides she's had enough of meeting with crazies who aren't helping her, she meets someone who turns out to be legitimate. Enter Michael Weaver.

Oh, Michael Weaver....swoon. (Hold on... I think I just drooled on my keyboard.) Any guy that is described the way he is--basically tall, dark, and handsome--is shooting to the top of my "sexy male fictional characters" list. Throw in "Mediterranean"? Oh. my. yum. What did he do in the story? I couldn't tell you. I was too busy fantasizing. (I really do know what happened. But just barely. :D )

This is another one of those "first in a series" books. Argh. I won't be able to keep them all straight. I am excited for more of Emerson and Michael though. And Kaleb. Did I mention him? Shame on me. I am so glad I bought this book. I kind of want to go read it again now. I can't believe I have to wait for yet another sequel. Oh well. At least I know it will be worth it.

Happy Reading!

Trends

So, we all know about a little trend that became a MASSIVE trend a few years back. I'll give you a hint--it centered on vampires and werewolves. Thank you for that, Stephenie Meyer. Much to my heart's delight, it's a trend that's starting to fizzle out. Finally. Not that I didn't dig my fair share of Stephenie Meyer, or vampire/werewolf books, but enough is enough.

A friend of mine is in the process of trying to get her book published, and we were talking about her next book ideas. She told me that if you have a book containing vampires and werewolves, it probably will not even get looked at for a very long time. Hallelujah. Thankfully, none of her ideas contained either.

So, I've been thinking about the "fads" that are replacing what I like to call the Twilight wannabe boom. As I've pondered this, there were two trends that were glaringly obvious to me:

1. Mythology, in any kind. I've already read at least three of these that were released in the last 2 months. I'm not hating it though. In fact, I love it. I can't gush enough about this book, but if you haven't already heard, The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter is totally where it's at this year. Love, love. You seriously have to read it if you haven't already. And if you have, read it again...and again...and again. You can read my review of The Goddess Test by clicking HERE.
2. Reincarnation. Again, I've read a bunch of reincarnation stories this year, and even a few towards the end of last year. Some (cough, cough, Timeless) haven't been very good, while others have been stellar. One that I read at the end of last year that I particularly loved was The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller (Read my review of it by clicking HERE). I'm also reading one right now that I really like so far called Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz. I've had an ARC of it for a while, but I am just finally getting a chance to read it. It actually came out Tuesday (June 21st) so you can check it out too! My review will be up next week, so watch for it.

Once I got thinking about it, I thought of a few more "crazes":

Dystopian books. Holy cow. There are so many of these lately. Granted, I've read a ton of really good ones, but I've read some not so great ones too. Overall, I love Dystopian, I just think it needs to be done well, or not at all. Some that are done well: Matched by Ally Condie (Review HERE) and Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Review HERE).

Fractured Fairy Tales. These are popping up pretty steadily lately too. One that I loved was Entwined by Heather Dixon (Review HERE). I've read others that I didn't like much, or at all. Again, I think these need to be done well or not at all. It's tricky when you take a classic story that everyone knows and try to put your own spin on it. Not many people can do this without completely botching it. Still love fractured fairy tales though. Another author who writes these well is Jessica Day George.

These are just a few of the major trends I've noticed in the YA Fiction world lately. I'm sure there are so many more and I'm excited to discover them!

Happy Reading!

Possession by Elana Johnson

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

 

I have a quick story--bear with me. I started reading this book last Thursday night. Friday morning, I woke up and my cell phone was freaking out. It was answering itself when I wasn't even in the room, it was sending blank or half-written texts to everyone I know, and I couldn't figure out a way to make it stop (and I seriously tried everything--short of flushing down the toilet). Then, I've been trying to post a review for this book all week, and my computer wouldn't cooperate. It was like all my electronic devices were possessed. Coincidence? I think not. Creepy? Um...yeah.

 

Anyway, I FINALLY got everything to obey my every whim so I could post my review for this awesome book. I literally loved pretty much everything about this book. Even during the times when I was thinking, "What the heck (Yes, I say heck. It's a Utah thing.) is happening?!?!???", I still was completely drawn to this book. The only thing I can say was a tad annoying was how dramatic Vi and Jag were. There were a few times when I wanted to slap them and say, "Get over yourselves!". I resisted though, and forged onward in my reading.

 

When I got to the end of this book, all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. I hate very strongly dislike that no one is apparently able to write a stand-alone novel, but this is one series I am really looking forward to reading more of. I am glad that this book isn't a sad, solitary book, because I want more time to get to know Jag and Vi and Zenn.

 

Please add this to your pile of books to read. As a matter of fact, just put it on top of the pile. Better yet, put down whatever you are reading and start this. Like, yesterday.

 

Happy Reading!

***EDIT: This was supposed to post yesterday. I have no explanation for why it didn't, other than to prove my point that my computer is "possessed". Sorry!

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

I have been wanting to read this book forever, it feels like. I first heard about it quite a while ago, and it piqued my interest when I found out the author is the older sister of some of my old high school theater buddies. She actually grew up in the same small town as me. Wild, right? But then I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it, to be honest. What if I hated it?? What if I was forced to write a bad review about it that would be forever floating in cyberspace? The logical response to this is "LIE THROUGH YOUR TEETH!", but I've never really been the lying kind. I'm just not good at it. Bummer, right? Well, lucky for me, a major crisis was averted-- I loved this book!

Entwined is actually a rather long book--just shy of 500 pages-- and it's based on a fairytale, I'll admit, that was completely unknown to me until I read Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (Read my review of it by clicking HERE) last year. Though Entwined has many of the same basic elements, these two retellings were strikingly different. Actually, if I can share a small secret with you, I think Entwined was far better. In this version, the princesses don't dance because they are forced to, they dance because they need to. Their mother died, they are stuck inside a dark, quiet house day in and day out--forbidden from opening curtains, winding the clocks, wearing color or comfortable footwear, going outside, and especially dancing--due to restirctions of mourning. To add insult to injury, their father, the King, has abandoned them all to head to war. Being the oldest sister, Azalea becomes her siblings' impromptu guardian practically overnight. When Azalea discovers a passageway that leads from their room to a magic silver forest, along with a pavillion that is the perfect setting for dancing, the twleve princesses can't resist. The handsome Keeper of the pavillion allows them to dance there every night, as long as they want. For the first time in months, the girls don't feel so sad and alone. Dancing was something they shared with their mother, so they feel close to her again when they visit the pavillion each night.

Soon, the Keeper reveals who he is and tries to bribe the girls into helping him get what he wants. The book gets quite dark as it progresses, but I loved all of it. It was so beautifully written that I completely lost track of time and pages as I read. As I said, it's nearly 500 pages long, but I would find myself reading along and suddenly one hundred pages had passed me by, then another hundred, and another. I don't feel like it dragged at all, and I thought the story tied up nicely.

Even if you don't care for fractured fairytales, this is a book you don't want to miss. It's beautiful!

Happy Reading!

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Release Date: June 28, 2011

The first boy disappeared on the day of his birth, on a night when the pale yellow moon of the nighttime sky turned red and bathed the heavens in the ghastly color of blood, on the same night the Kingdom of Cokyri abruptly ceased its merciless attack.

Across the land of Hytanica, under the shadow of the crimson moon, infant boys continued to vanish. Not until the blood had faded from the sky did the disappearances stop and the bodies of the murdered infants were found outside the gates of the city, a final word from the greatest enemy Hytanica had ever known. For the next sixteen years, peace reigned, but one mystery remained unsolved. The Cokyrians had abducted forty-nine newborns, but returned only forty-eight bodies.

Now, as seventeen-year-old Princess Alera of Hytanica is besieged from all sides by suitors vying for the Throne, a teenage Cokyrian boy, Narian, is encountered within the walls of her Kingdom, a boy who will show Alera a world where women serve a purpose and not just a husband. As Narian helps Alera find her voice, she struggles against an arranged marriage that will shatter the life she has scarcely begun to live. And when Narian's shocking past is uncovered, and war with Cokyri looms once more, he must fight to defy a fate ordained at his birth.

I'm almost reluctant to review this book because it is the first in a planned trilogy. There were so very many things that I loved about this book, but after I finished it, I was....well, frustrated. I just don't see how this could end in my favor.

I loved Narian. Probably one of my favorite characters ever. Ever, ever. Why is there something so hot about insanely dangerous boys? I don't know. But I really want to know more about this particular insanely dangerous boy. You don't really learn much about him in this book, but trust me, it's enough to fall in love. I am very excited for the rest of the series, just so I can figure out what makes him tick. Why he is the way he is. How he was raised. How he's going to change his destiny--or rather, if he is.

I am amazed that this was written by someone so young. I read (and correct me if I'm totally mistaken on this) that Cayla Kluver wrote this (or it was published) when she was SIXTEEN. Although it's a bit slow, it's one of the most well thought out and executed stories I've ever read. I absolutely loved the storyline. Like I said though, I just can't figure out how things are going to pan out. As I was reading, and nearing the end, I was thinking that it was a predictable story and I knew exactly what was going to happen. Well guess what? It didn't happen anywhere in the vicinity of what I thought. Which I really enjoyed and really loathed at the same time.

I loved all the characters--they were all very defined. Does that even make sense? Sometimes a story has a lot of mediocre characters that kind of blur together. Sometimes a story even has incredible character that, for whatever reason, just don't mesh well. This book had neither. It had amazing characters, yes. But they were all very strong individual characters that meshed quite nicely, which I think is more rare than it should be. Other than Narian, I particularly loved London. I am also anxious to know more about him. The character development, overall, was very well done.

Again, seriously--sixteen?? Wow.

You should most definitely read this. Even though by the end you may be wanting to tear your hair out, it's well worth the time put into reading it. Plus, then you can all anxiously await the next one with me, getting worry lines in the process, fretting over what will happen next. I'm pretty sure reading should not cause me so much stress. The joys of fiction.

Happy Reading!

**I received this egalley from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Totally Random

I know. It really is totally random for me to post something this late on a Friday night. But hey--every party has a pooper and that's why they invited me, right? (Name that movie?)  The reason for my totally random post is because I am so excited I could literally burst. I got a new book today!! (Surprise, surprise) I read about it a little while ago on a blog and then completely forgot about it until it started to surface again in the past few days. It's called Possession by Elana Johnson.

Isn't it beautiful??
I honestly haven't seen such a simple cover in so long. Too long. It's refreshing. While I love so many of the in-your-face covers, I love the small picture and minimal color. It reminds me a lot of the cover for Ally Condie's books (Matched and Crossed). Anyway, here's what Possession is about:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Holy. Crap.
It seriously gives me chills.
I CAN NOT wait to read this. Please, pile of books beside my bed, DISAPPEAR! Tee hee hee.

The only book I may be even more excited about (Is that possible? Apparently.) is this lovely little number:

It comes out this Tuesday, June 14, 2011. If Amazon works its magic, it'll be on my doorstep that very day. If Amazon chooses not to comply with my wishes it will be a day or two later. Everyone cross your fingers for me! Want to know what Hourglass is about? Here you go:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
 
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
 
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Hold on a second-- I think my heart just stopped for a second..............Alright. I'm okay now.

I have a feeling this is going to be the summer of AMAZING Young Adult books. It's already off to an fantastic start!

Just thought I'd share my mini-freakout-of-excitement with you!

Happy Reading!

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Release Date: July 26, 2011

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. Even though it was rather violent, it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book.

The book opens with Ashline ("Ash") picking a fight with the girl her boyfriend cheated with. Eve-Ashline's sister-shows up, everything escalates, and Ash ends up across the country at a prep school in hopes to escape the path of destruction Eve leaves behind her. From there it's pretty much action-packed until the very last page.

The author of this book is male, which I could definitely detect in the writing style--especially since it was written from a female (albeit a very hardcore female) point of view. Mostly it didn't bother me, but some parts of the book I was thinking, No girl would ever really say/do that. There weren't very many of those moments though.

I have to say, when I read the last page or two of this book, I had a mixed reaction. I don't know whether to be confused or furious or just plain shocked. I'm not really sure what happened, but there was a MAJOR twist at the very end (Don't you DARE cheat and read ahead--it would ruin the entire book. I kid you not.) that I never in a million years expected. It makes me want to know what's going to happen next. Like, right now. I have a serious love-hate relationship with books like these. Argh.

There has been a bit of a theme with YA books this year that I've noticed-- there have been a lot of god/goddess books lately, which I absolutely love. And while this fell into that category, it definitely had an original spin on the idea. Most books I've read about mythology have been about Greek gods and goddesses. This book had all different kinds--ranging from a Polynesian goddess to a Norse god. Although there were many loose ends by the final page, I loved the general, original storyline.

Like I said, this book was quite violent. So if that bothers you at all, this is not the story for you. It also had some language and some sexual references. Even with all that, I still can't wait to read the next one. The only thing that was overly distracting to me was the violence, but when there's war, it's bound to get ugly, right?

If you think you can handle it, add this to your list of books to read. It's not one to miss!

Happy Reading!

*I received this egalley from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Give said the little stream....

Or maybe that was Chantele?

I am a total slacker this week. I have no shame in admitting it. The book I am reading is moving at a snail's pace so far. Since the end is nowhere in sight, I thought I'd share a little secret with you.

My friend Chantele is turning (censored) next week and to celebrate, she's giving away a YA book of YOUR CHOICE. Awesome, huh?

If you don't know Chantele, you want to. Trust me. She's awesomesauce (This is her favorite word, by the way. So if you comment on her blog make sure you use it A LOT. hehe). This is the same Chantele that always recommends fantastic books to me, so she knows what she's talking about. Head over to her blog My Writing Bug to enter her birthday contest by clicking HERE.

And as always.... Happy Reading!

Between the Lines by Tammara Webber

When Hollywood It Boy, Reid Alexander, arrives on location to shoot his next movie, his goals are the same as always—film another blockbuster hit and enjoy his celebrity status to the fullest while doing so. His costar is a virtual unknown with whom he had blazing hot chemistry during her auditions. The universe is lining up nicely to grant whatever he wants, as usual, until he’s confronted with unexpected obstacles on location like a bitter ex-girlfriend and a rival for the first girl to spark his genuine interest in years.

Emma Pierce just got her big break after more than a decade of filming commercials for grape juice, department stores and tampons, and more recently, bit parts in made-for-TV movies. Nailing the lead role in a wide-release film sent her agent, father and stepmother into raptures, and should have done the same for her. The problem? Emma is experiencing a building desire to be normal, and starring in a silly, modernized adaptation of one of her favorite novels—opposite the very hot Reid Alexander—isn’t going to advance that aspiration.

Graham Douglas doesn’t fear playing the part of a nerdy dimwit; when it comes to choosing film roles, if it pays, he’ll do it. Besides, his friend Brooke Cameron snatched up the role of the bitchy hot girl and could use his help as a buffer, because her ex is the star. Graham has no problem keeping a handle on the situation, until he finds himself attracted to Reid’s costar, Emma, the girl Reid is pursuing full-throttle with his standard arsenal of charm, good looks and arrogance.

*EDIT: Between the Lines Author Recommendation:
Mature Young Adults

I'm still trying to sort out my feelings about this book. I liked the storyline, but there were a lot of elements of the book that I didn't care for. This book had quite a bit of sex (nothing really graphic, but a lot of references), underage drinking, and language. Just an FYI. It's not so much that these things in a book bother me much in general, but the fact that this book is geared, by definition, to young adults, I'm a tad bugged. Is this really the influence we want books to have on our children? I have teenage sisters and I'd never want them to pick up this kind of book. That said, here's my official review:

I've never really thought much about what it would be like to be a celebrity--other than to think that I would hate to be one. Having your every move followed by millions of people? That would seriously suck. Between the Lines is about actors. Celebrities. Joy, right? The book description intrigued me enough to read it though. Emma finally gets her "big break" into movies and immediately snags the attention of her sexy costar Reid Alexander--household name and fantasy of every female in America (or close to it). Enter Graham. I love that name, by the way. Graham and Emma hit it off as friends right away. Soon it begins to develop into more, only to be overshadowed by the giant ego of Reid. I loved Graham from the beginning and was rooting for him the whole book.

Oh, Reid Alexander.... What can I say about you....that's nice? I really wasn't a fan. When he "claimed his territory" with Emma, it made my skin crawl. I used to know guys like Reid. The "king of the mountain" kind of guys. Guys that want you because you're the hot commodity of the moment, but once they "get" you, they move on. I saw friends of mine with guys just like that in high school. Not. Cool. (Jerks.) 

Then there's the movie. It was an "adaption" of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It was set in modern-day high school. Seriously?? I bet Jane Austen would roll over in her grave if she knew that her beloved Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy were even referenced in this book. I kind of wanted to roll over in MY (future) grave, you know, so to speak. You just don't mess with P&P. Ever. Reid was definitely no Darcy. It's even a bit painful to even think of him as such.

So, just so we're clear-- liked the Emma/Graham story, but the rest was kind of crap. Don't think I'd recommend this one. Sorry!

Happy Reading!