Book: Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Published January 2011 by Penguin Group|Pages: 448

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Across The Universe #1

Genre: YA Science Fiction/Dystopic

Goodreads|Follow Beth Revis On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone – one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship – tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Across The Universe was definitely one of those books I was putting off because I was scared that I would be that weirdo who didn’t like it.  Thankfully, that hasn’t happened!  I didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it a lot, and I’m sort of kicking myself for taking so long to read it.

It did take a while to get into.  Part of it was the dual narration and the two very different stories.  But the dual narration actually wasn’t horrendous, and it did work surprisingly well.  For me, it took a little  bit of time for the two stories to come together, but once they did, I found myself really enjoying Across The Universe.

The lies that have built over the years and everything that was done to keep a ship that is way behind schedule…while horrible, I also understand why all of the elders did the things they did.

We do learn about why a lot of scientists (and other important people) were frozen and sent to another Earth-like planet.  And while it’s enough to give an idea of what’s going on, I was hoping for a bit more.  I don’t mind the details we got, and I have the feeling we’ll be learning more as the series goes along.

I do like Elder and Amy together.  I don’t love them together, but I think I’ll warm up to them…while I love romance, it wasn’t a major element of the book.

What I did find interesting was that Amy’s parents expected her to stay on Earth, and not go with them across the universe.  Like, at all.  So I can imagine that learning that piece of information would be hard to handle.  And that because she was unfrozen 50 years earlier than necessary, she’ll be older than her parents when they are finally unfrozen.  Oh, and someone running around unfreezing certain people and making sure they die so that they can’t be forced into slave labor or fighting on the new planet…there’s definitely a mystery, which does get solved by the end of the book.

I was actually very much reminded of Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder.  I think it’s the structured community on a spaceship floating towards something that they have in common.  They are two very different stories, of course, but there is a very similar feel to both books.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked Across The Universe!  There’s definitely an interesting cast of characters, and a very interesting world on Godspeed.  If you like Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder, you’ll like Across The Universe.  Across The Universe gets 4 stars.

Book: Home To Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak

Expected Publication is July 30, 2013 by Harlequin Mira|Expected Number Of Pages: 409

Series; Whiskey Creek #4

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Home To Whiskey Creek is an e-ARC from netgalley.com

Goodreads|Follow Brenda Novak On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Sometimes home is the refuge you need-and sometimes it isn’t Adelaide Davies, who’s been living in Sacramento, returns to Whiskey Creek, the place she once called home. She’s there to take care of her aging grandmother and to help with Gran’s restaurant, Just Like Mom’s. But Adelaide isn’t happy to be back. There are too many people here she’d rather avoid, people who were involved in that terrible June night fifteen years ago. 

Ever since the graduation party that changed her life, she’s wanted to go to the police and make sure the boys responsible-men now-are punished. But she can’t, not without revealing an even darker secret. So it’s better to pretend…. 

Noah Rackham, popular, attractive, successful, is shocked when Adelaide won’t have anything to do with him. He has no idea that his very presence reminds her of something she’d rather forget. He only knows that he’s finally met a woman he could love.

Whiskey Creek seemed  interesting, and there were some things I liked, but for the most part, Home To Whiskey Creek was okay.

I did like the small town feel, and how everyone knows what’s going on with everyone.  It’s a town full of secrets and you know everyone has their own history with everyone.  Whiskey Creek is one of those series where everything is set in the same universe but there isn’t one continuous story.  You definitely don’t need to read the previous books to understand what’s going on with this one, but there were a few times when I felt like there was a story that I needed to read.

I didn’t care for the romance, and I didn’t feel like there was a lot of passion or chemistry between Addy and Noah.  Even though they went to high school together, he has no clue who she was and didn’t seem interested in Addy until she told him she had no interest in him.  And Addy had a crush on him in high school, and has held onto that crush to the point that her feelings for Noah were a factor in her divorce from her first husband.  There were other factors, of course, but her feelings for Noah were one such factor.

I did like the relationship Addy had with her grandma, and overall, Addy has some…interesting…relationships with other people in town.  Actually, a lot of the relationships in the book were interesting, and felt very much like the relationships you’d see in a small town.

I thought Addy struggling to come clean with her rape over a decade earlier was interesting.  There are consequences to finally coming forward with it, especially in a town where people are more likely to not like her or believe her story.  Her dilemma was fairly compelling, but I found the characters to be a little uninteresting, and I didn’t feel completely connected to the characters.

Final Thoughts:

Home To Whiskey Creek was okay.  I liked the small town feel and Addy’s dilemma, but the romance wasn’t there for me.  Home To Whiskey Creek gets 2 stars.

Book: Shadow Embraced by Cheree Smith

Published April 2013 by Dark Cherry Press|Pages: 234

Series: Haven #1

Genre: YA Paranormal/Vampires

Goodreads|Cheree Smith

Shadow Embraced is an e-ARC from netgalley.com

Goodreads Summary: No escape. 

Those words haunt Scar’s dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn’t real, but when she’s abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn’t some monster.

She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight.

When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed.

The only problem is that she’s not entirely sure she’s innocent.

Shadow Embraced is definitely interesting.  It reminded me of an edgier Hex Hall, I was also reminded of Vampire Academy, and I think it’s because there are some similarities between Rose and Scar.  They’re both pretty tough and feisty.  I think people who like both books may want to give Shadow Embraced a try.

An underground fight club made up of vampires, werewolves and witches is unique, and I am curious about the Centurions and Ghost. There are a lot of fights (well, obviously) and there’s a lot of action, which makes the book move along at a fast pace.  Scar is considered a freak, even amongst the people at her school, and given she’s a Dhampir- which has to be kept a secret at all costs- Scar has a lot to deal with.

I’m not the biggest fan of Scar, and for me, there was no connection whatsoever.  She seemed a little bit self-absorbed, and I felt like I didn’t really get a chance to know her. I just wanted to see more of her struggles at being cut-off from her former life, and how she felt about being at Haven.

I was also hoping for more details about Haven and this magical/paranormal world, but for me, I felt like those details took the backseat to the fight club part of the novel.  I think there’s a lot of potential, because people sticking to their own..groups…and their offspring pretty much being illegal is interesting.  I’m hoping that we get more of these interesting elements and details about Haven in the next book, as well as a bit more development in terms of all of the characters.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, Shadow Embraced was just okay for me.  I think I’m intrigued enough to keep reading, but Shadow Embraced gets 2 stars.

Book: Out Of Breath by Rebecca Donovan

Published July 2013 by Skyscape|Pages: 420

Where I Got It: Paperback from Barnes And Noble

Series: Breathing Series #3

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Goodreads|Follow Rebecca Donovan On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Emma leaves Weslyn and everyone in it behind to attend Stanford University, just as she always intended. A shell of her former self, she is not the same girl. She is broken, and the only way that she’ll be whole again is through forgiveness. Emma must find a way to forgive herself and recognize her own worth before she can receive the love she deserves. This final installment will have readers holding their breath until the very last page.

Out Of Breath is my favorite book of the year, hands down.  I’ve been a huge fan ever since I read Reason To Breathe and Barely Breathing last summer, and Out Of Breath is a completely amazing ending to such an unforgettable series.  I honestly could not ask and hope for a better ending.

Emma’s changed so much, and once I started crying, I couldn’t stop.  I had the feeling I’d be crying at some point, and there was a pretty decent-sized pile of tissue next to me by the end of the book.  My heart broke for Emma, who is still dealing with her past, and I could relate to her in a lot of ways.  I’ve never experienced what Emma has, but one thing that I love about Out Of Breath (and the previous two books) is that you see Emma struggle with her childhood and that Donovan shy away from what Emma’s experiences were really like.

While I didn’t always like Emma’s decisions, I understood them completely.  I am glad that Emma FINALLY started to make peace with all of the things that she cannot change and I want her to be happy.  If there’s any character who deserves true happiness in life, Emma would be my first choice.  And Evan needs happiness too.  They really deserve it.

I loved the alternating POV’s.  And it’s not done in the typical way- you’ll be reading Emma’s story, and all of a sudden, you’re reading things from Evan’s perspective.  And it worked so well!  It flowed really well, and I liked seeing the same event from Emma and Evan’s eyes.

There was part of me that didn’t want it to end, because I’ve gotten so attached and invested in Emma’s story, but I couldn’t help but read the entire book in the span of a few hours.  It’s definitely a roller-coaster of emotion, but it was worth every minute I spent reading Out Of Breath.  I really cannot gush about Out Of Breath enough- actually, I cannot gush about this series, enough.  Because Out Of Breath really is that amazing!  

Final Thoughts:

I thought Out Of Breath was completely amazing.  It’s such a perfect ending for a series that I’ll never forget.  There’s something very beautiful about Emma living in the moment and finally coming to terms with everything that’s happened.  Out Of Breath gets 5+ stars.

Book: Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith

Self-Published In February 2013 by G.J. Walker-Smith|Pages: 218

Series: Wishes #1

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Goodreads|G.J. Walker On Facebook

Saving Wishes Is A Free E-ARC from netgalley.com 

Goodreads Summary: For Charli Blake, being seventeen is a tough gig.

She’s been branded a troublemaker, her reputation is in tatters and she’s stuck in Pipers Cove, a speck of a town on the coast of Tasmania.

Thankfully, it’s temporary. Her lifelong dream of travelling the world is just months away from becoming reality. All she has to do is ride out the last few months of high school, which is easier said than done thanks to a trio of mean girls known as The Beautifuls.

When Adam Décarie arrives in town, all the way from New York, life takes an unexpected turn. His arrival sets off a chain of events that alters her life forever, convincing her of one thing. Fate brought him to her.

Saving Wishes is the story of a girl who doesn’t quite fit the life she’s living, and the boy who helps her realise why.

I really liked Saving Wishes.  There’s something really heart-warming about it, and I really liked the relationship that Charli had with Alex.  I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting the family secret that came out regarding their relationship, but looking back, it’s something I probably should have figured out.

There was a lot of humor but there were a lot of heart-felt moments, and there was a really good balance of the two.  I also liked her friendship with Nicole.  Well, for most of the book, anyway.  There’s a point towards the end where I was so angry at Nicole, and I really felt for Charli at that point.  I mean, I really felt for her for pretty much the entire book, but there were a couple times when I really felt for her.

I love Adam and Charli together, and I was heartbroken when Adam left Piper’s Cove.  I so want them to be together and happy, because they both deserve.  Same for Alex and Gabrielle.  And I love Adam’s arrival in town changed so many things in Charli’s life.

I so love Charli.  She’s a special character, and you can’t help but love her.  I loved Alex just as much as Charli, and they have a unique brother-sister bond…until you learn the family secret that changes things.  That secret just made me love their relationship even more.  I cannot gush about them enough.  I really can’t.

Final Thoughts:

Initially, I didn’t like Saving Wishes, but once I got into it, I really liked it.  The ending is a little sad, but I can’t wait to read the next book.  Saving Wishes gets 4 stars.

Book: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch|Narrated by Tai Sammons

Published March 2013 by Blackstone Audio|Run Time: 7 hours, 51 minutes

Where I Got It: Audiobook|Audible

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Goodreads|Emily Murdoch On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Fourteen-year-old Carey and six-year-old Jenessa have lived in the woods with their mother for as long as they can remember. Now abandoned, they must fend for themselves until they’re found by Carey’s father and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of comfort. Carey desperately wants to believe in this new reality but is held back by loyalty to her mentally ill mother, who gave Carey her violin and taught her to play the music that helps her survive. And then there’s the other piece of Carey’s past that haunts her, the story of what happened to her and Jenessa that night in the woods- the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken in over a year.

I have such mixed thoughts on If You Find Me.  There were things that just didn’t make sense for me throughout the book- but mostly in the beginning of the book.

I’m normally willing to overlook things, but If You Find Me is one of the rare books where I found myself not liking certain details.  Like, the social worker who comes to get Carey and Jenessa comes with their dad.  And Carey, Jenessa, and the social worker share one hotel room, while Carey’s dad is in the room next to them.  Because it’ll be really late by the time they get to a group home, where Jenessa and Carey should be staying.  Or Carey believing that her dad abused her and her mom when she was really little.  That turns out to be lie told by Carey’s mom, but considering Carey believes that her dad was abusive for most of the book…I don’t just know.  For the most part, I’m willing to overlook details like these, but it just really irritated me that the social worker didn’t talk to Carey or Jenessa on their own before the hearing.  Or even that they were found so late in the day.  I get they were hard to find because they were in a trailer in the middle of the woods, but that they got back so late…all of these details together were a bit hard to take in.

I get that Carey wants Jenessa to be happy and that Jenessa should have everything Carey didn’t.  I get Carey doesn’t want her and Jenessa to be separated, and that it’s hard for Carey to talk about things, even if it means Carey doesn’t talk about how she remembers her dad hitting her and her mom.

Carey is a pretty unreliable narrator, and while I like that she remembers things differently (if she remembers them at all), I also found it slightly predictable.  It just didn’t stand out to me, and I think that made it harder for me to connect with Carey.  And while Carey pieces everything together in the end, it was too late for me at that point.  I just didn’t care about what really happened to Carey when she disappeared with her mother or even what happened the night Jenessa stopped talking.  I wasn’t surprised by a lot of the events of that night, but I will say it was the teensiest bit hard to listen to.

Speaking of listening, I thought Tai Simmons did great at narrating the book.  While I didn’t completely feel like she was Carey, I still thought that she brought Carey to life.

So…Jenessa.  Something I couldn’t figure out for a lot of the book was Jenessa’s age.  Because there were times when it seemed like Jenessa was just a little kid, but there were other times when it seemed like she was a little older but had developmental problems.  She seemed to adjust to everything really well, considering the fact that living in the woods was the only thing she had ever known.  And Carey seemed to adjust really well too, but adjusting seemed a little bit harder for her than it was for Jenessa.

I do need to bring up Delaney for a second.  It had to have been hard for her, living in the shadow of Carey’s disappearance.  It seems like things get better between her and Carey, which is nice.

Final Thoughts:

I thought Jenessa was adorable and I liked how protective Carey was of Jenessa.  I did think her relationship with Delaney was interesting, and I also liked her friendship with Pixie.  I also liked that Carey started to make peace with everything that happened to her growing up.  Unfortunately, so many of the details made it hard for me to care about what was going on.  If You Find Me gets 2 stars.