Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

Author: Sean Cummings
Title: Poltergeeks 
Publication: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Source: Publisher

Synopsis

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection. 

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Thoughts:In a matter of a days, Julie's world gets all kinds of twisted, literally. A poltergeist attacks a neighbor's house that she just happens to stop by and from there things just get more extreme and dangerous. She is an adept (witch in training) still learning under her mother about magic and she longs to prove she has the capabilities to handle things on her own. She just never expects that her mother getting injured would give her that opportunity to be in the spotlight. Julie is in for the challenge of her life as she learns about her heritage and begins to see her best friend, Marcus in a new light. If only she had to time to sort through all these confusing feelings. As she fights against time and the evil out to get her, she discovers that those you trust the most can be your worst enemy.

Fast paced and action packed this has the potential to be an interesting series. The focus is not so much on the romance but Julie's friendship and family relationships. I like Julie, she has spunk, wit and determination that is great to see in a female protagonist. Marcus, her best friend, has substance and though he feels there exists a scientific explanation for everything; he takes to Julie's life in stride and several possible concussion-worthy occasions. Gotta love a trooper. Overall, the story is good and the characters are cool. This is a nice start to a new series, looking forward to more to come.

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Title: The Assassin's Curse
Publication: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemisty
Rating: 3.5 out 5
Source: Publisher

Synopsis
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. 

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Thoughts:Longing for freedom, to be her own master, Ananna escapes a marriage that she doesn't desire only to find herself face to face with an assassin that she thought was a myth. Naji, the killer for hire by the scorned Hariri family hunts Ananna down cornering her in the desert only to hesitate momentarily and this will cost him dearly. Now, they are bound together until they can find a way to break the curse. These two must also fight to survive the many enemies that hope they fail.

I liked this story, it made me think of Aladdin just from looking at the cover but the pirate/assassin concept fascinates me. The curse the author adding in just adds to the complexity of the story. Basically, pretty cool idea that translates well onto the page. The characters are both unique but the mystery that is Naji, compelled me to want to bury myself into the page because I want to figure out who is really is and what he is hiding. Amana in comparison comes off as more open yet witty. I love her personality and her vulnerability. I think she may crack the puzzle that is Naji and hopefully fall in love along the way. The writing is clear and the pace steady. The plot is okay, I wasn't expecting the ending but other than that, good read. Overall, full of adventure, deception, humor and pirates!

Undeadly by Michelle Vail

Author: Michele Vail
Title: Undeadly
Publication: November 20, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Source: Around the World Arc Tours

Synopsis
The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.



Thoughts:A world where zombies’ walking around is normal....uh, I'll pass. This is crazy, crazy but comical. People have the right to takes someone who is dead be it a spouse or whatnot and have them zombified. O_o Okay, so Molly is special, on her 16th birthday she is visited by Anubis, who asks if she will serve him and thinking it's just a normal dream, she says yes. Then, things get really weird her friend, Rick has a freak accident where he dies but something even stranger happens, she brings him back to life but he just doesn't seem the same, a reaper named Rath appears and for whatever reason she can see him. On top of all of this she learns a heartbreaking secret about her family that changes everything she knows about her life and how she feels about her future. Now, in a whole new world at the Nekyia Academy she must embrace her destiny or fall at the feet of those out to see her fail.

At first this book through me for a loop, I have never read anything like it. Zombies that live with people as the norm and people that have the powers to raise the dead integrated into a society that is aware of their existence...double odd. Molly's sister is an advocate for zombie rights, which I thought is hilarious. Zombie rights, yeah! What seems interesting is how the author integrates zombification with Egyptian lore, which made me think mummies. I was intrigued by the history of the different heka powers. In the beginning, I did feel bogged down in all of the information on why this world is this way but once the action started, things progressed much better. Molly has a snarky wit about her and it made her seem more real and I think I like her character but we shall see if I love her in the next book. 

The story is okay and the concept has piqued my interest. The writing is fine though I felt the pace in the beginning lagged just a tad but picked up a quarter of the way in and that's when all the fun really started to pop off. The characters are unusual but intriguing and I await the next piece to the puzzle. Because there are a lot of things, I want to know and hope that they are answered soon. I also look forward to some romance between Molly and a certain hot reaper. Overall, this is good story about family, death and destiny. 

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Author: Sarah Crosson
Title: Breathe
Publication: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Rating: 3.5 out 5
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Synopsis
Inhale. Exhale. 
Breathe. 
Breathe. 
Breathe . . .
The world is dead. 
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina

has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.

Quinn

should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea

wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Thoughts:Alina is exotic and she appeals to Quinn's male senses. He sees her as a challenge, fun and exciting. He just wasn't expecting all the adventure that being around Alina brings. Quinn is the privileged premium that has to want for nothing, not even extra air to do physical activities. True, he is generous and kind to Bea and he seems to have a good heart but he is very naive about the world around him. He also seems absolutely dense to the fact that his best friend Bea loves him. At one point in the story, he is so hyped about meeting Alina, and he goes on to Bea about how green her eyes are that it's rare that you see that color. Well guess what color Bea's eyes are...green. The boy is oblivious. Now, Bea is an auxiliary. Her family struggles to have just enough to maintain the oxygen they need to survive and Bea has highs hopes that she will get into Breathe, so she can help her family more.  She hopes that someday, Quinn will actually look at her and realize she is the girl for him. She would have to be my favorite character, I like her integrity. Alina, Quinn and Bea are all thrown together by unexpected circumstances that will change their lives forever.

Unusual concept, though one thing came to mind...the Lorax. Yes, Dr.Seuss, mostly because of the whole oxygen issue. People can't run without getting in trouble for using excess oxygen that is unless they are premiums. No dancing, no romantic encounters without having the necessary air, which is costly to those that can't afford it. Now, the plot flows fairly well throughout the three part perspectives of the main characters. I liked getting the viewpoints from each of them without the scene being repetitive, and I thought the author did a great job with the continuity of the story. The characters are different and unique, each coming from a various backgrounds. My favorite part of the story is when all the characters had the moment where they changed each other and became more aware of what's really happening in their world. They grew into more than they were before they journeyed in the Outlands together. 

 I have many questions that I hope will be answered in the next book. I'm trying to understand how this world got to this point. Who is Abel and what is his purpose in the story? I would like to know more about the Drifters and the Resistance. I'm just really curious the direction the author is going to take with this one. Overall, interesting beginning and look forward to the next book.

Review: Sweetness by Lindsay Paige

Author: Lindsay Paige
Title: Sweetness
Publication: November 11, 2011
Publisher: Createspace
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Source: Author

Synopsis
Emily wished she was invisible. But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world.

Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love. 

Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together.

Thoughts: This story will tug at your heart. The chemistry between Emily and Jake develops beautifully throughout the story. It is nice to see Emily gradually become more open to how Jake feels for her and in a way it helps her become more receptive to how she feels. The story begins with Emily's mother verbally abusing her and making her believe that she is the reason her father left. In addition to that, she is submitted to physical abuse that her mother allows to be done to her. Thankfully, her father gets her out of that situation but the emotional damage simmers inside Emily. 

Emily finds a kindred spirit in Jake, who also has to deal with the emotional strain that he could have saved his mother. According to his father, who tends to see the world from the bottom of a bottle, Jake carries the burden of her death. Jake, also takes on the responsibility to see after his little brother, who needs some stability, that at the moment their father appears incapable of giving. It amazes and infuriates me when I think about what these two go through with their parents. It's just not right.

Can Emily and Jake find peace in the midst of all the chaos in their lives? Maybe. I really like this one. I think the characters are well developed and the emotional depth is great. The writing is good and the story flows smoothly. Overall, a touching story about overcoming fears, family and love.

Review: Shift by Kim Curran

Author: Kim Curran
Title: Shift
Publication: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Rating: 3.5 out 5
Source: Publisher
Synopsis

When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he’s not so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Thoughts: 
 It's time travel but not really, they are only able to shift their own realities and it's only if they can pinpoint a choice they have made that they would like to change. Scott is late to the game because usually signs start showing at an early age but in his case, thankfully they show up when he is trying to prove himself to his classmates. He takes the dare to climb some electric tower (Pylon) and as he reaches his hand to the touch the Pylon, he plummets to the ground only to discover that he never climbed it at all or so his onlookers think. He finds himself under arrest for unauthorized shifting by the beautiful Miss Aubrey Jones, who isn't much older than him and she tells him he is a Shifter. He discovers that Aubrey is a member of a secret agency called ARES, which is tasked with regulating Shifters. He is ecstatic about the news that he is a part an elite community that has the power to alter time. Aubrey on the other hand is bitter about the whole situation and tries to convince him that it's not all it's cracked up to be but Scott is too eager to heed her advice and finds himself caught up in a murder conspiracy. 

This is an interesting read, full of humor and wit. I find that I have many questions and am wondering if this is going to be a series. Scott and Aubrey are cool characters. The concept of this book is awesome.  The plot has plenty going on with the Shifter community, murder mystery, and a hint of romance between the two main characters. Scott has much to deal with, even as he runs away from the fat man that tries to eat him. I would recommend this one to fantasy lovers that liked Tempest or time travel in general.

Review: Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

Publication: June 12,2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages:224
Audience:Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 out 5
Source:Publisher via Netgalley

At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.

Review: This book is told from multiple viewpoints but mostly it seems to revolve around Roth and his interest in Morgan, the popular girl in school. The story begins with a pep rally that Morgan, senior class president, has worked hard to get approved. Things are going well until someone sets off fireworks and in the mayhem some students get mildly hurt. Morgan is now determined to find out who the culprit is and her suspicions lead her to bad boy, Roth. In the meantime of these two playing cat and mouse, two unknown students take it upon themselves to do something that will immortalize them for life; set off a bomb that will change the lives of many, forever. 

There is much going on in this book, Morgan and her boyfriend Trent are dealing with being separated after graduation. Roth wonders if he will graduate and longing for a chance with Morgan. Kelli, Morgan's best friend,  seems distant and is keeping a big secret from her. The detonation of the bomb and the aftermath for the characters. This book is very emotional and violent. I feel like the ending was left open and it would be nice to have some finality to it. The writing is well done but the pace was slow. The subject matter is realistic and believable. The sad thing about the this book is its truth, some people are cruel, sadistic and violent for no reason but to be that way. This story is emotionally raw and I feel that teens experiencing the situations that some the characters do, will be able to connect with Red Heart Tattoo.