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Book Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

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Glass Sword CoverBook: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Published February 2016 by HarperTeen|444  pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from library

Series: Red Queen #2

Genre: YA Fantasy

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

After reading The Red Queen earlier this year, I knew I had to read The Glass Sword, so when I saw it at the library, I knew I had to check it out!

I really liked it, and I feel like the more we learn, the more questions I have about what’s going on.  The ending to this book had me wondering what would happen next, and it makes me glad that I read the first two fairly close together. There’s going to be waiting for the next book, of course, but at the same time, that means plenty of time to read both Red Queen and Glass Sword again.

There is a lot going on, and we see quite a few new characters.  There were definitely times where I had trouble keeping up with who was who, and who had what ability, and what was going on, and so I found myself re-reading parts of it because I kept missing stuff.  It’s not Aveyard at all, it’s just me not paying a lot of attention. Maybe another read will help things sink in.

There’s a lot of action, and there weren’t any lulls, which kept me reading, because I wanted to know what would happen next.  I’d be really curious to see what this series would be like if it were adapted into a movie (or even a t.v. show) because there are definitely parts of it that seem made for being on screen.

I really wish Cal and Mare had more chemistry.  It’s nice to see a fantasy that’s light on romance- actually, it seems pretty rare- but at the same time, it seems like there might be something between them, and yet them together…something seemed off.  I did like Mare, who really is different than the Mare we see in the first book. She’s selfish and makes mistakes, and yet…she really has been through a lot, and became someone who wanted to protect the newbloods as much as she could.  We really see what this is doing to her, and how much it’s changing her…into a much different person, who seems less naive and a little bit more cruel.

And doing what she did at the end of the book…it’s definitely a cliff-hanger for sure, and it makes me wonder what’s in store for the books to come.  It’s sort of surprising, since this series is 4 books, and the way it ended is what you’d expect for the end of a 2nd book of a trilogy.

I didn’t mind it all that much, though, because it has me hooked.  And again, it really raises the stakes and makes you wonder what’s in store for the next 2 books.

Now that I think about it, something about Mare reminds me of Tris from the Divergent trilogy.  Going through the things that both Tris and Mare go through, it changes them.  It’s been a while since I’ve read Divergent, and I don’t really know why I was suddenly reminded of Tris, but they both had to make some tough decisions.  I don’t really know where I’m going with this, so I’ll leave it at that.

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4 stars.  There are definitely some twists and turns, and there’s quite the cliffhanger at the end!  I can’t wait to see what happens next!

ARC Book Review: False Illusions by A. Cramton

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False Illusions CoverBook: False Illusions by A. Cramton

Self-Published in April 2015|222 pages

Where I Got It: I received an e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Series: False Illusions #1

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Blog Graphic-What It's About

Madison had it all: the wealth, the amazing condo and engaged to the boxing Heavy Weight Champion of the World.
But in reality all she had was loneliness.
Until he showed up.

Yoel’s plan was bulletproof.
Get in and get out, win the title.
He did his homework but not well enough.
He wasn’t prepared for her.

One night changes everything.
One lie blurs the lines.

When the lust and smoke clears will everything just be a false illusion?
Or will it be the biggest fight of all?

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I absolutely loved this book!  I made the awesome mistake of starting it during my lunch break, and I was not happy when lunch was over because it meant I had to stop reading and go back to work!

I just loved the characters, and more than that, I loved Yoel and Madison together.  I love the chemistry they had, and when I was finished, I was really sad that I was finished, because I wanted to live in their world more.  I understood why Madison stayed with Marcus, but I was so glad when she broke things off with him and went to New York to do her own thing.  And her going to New York was even better once Yoel was involved!  I just love them together, and how they gave each other space, but also seemed to support each other.  They definitely had their ups and downs, but I loved that they worked it out.

Oh, Marcus!  I wasn’t a big fan of Marcus, but I also want to know what his deal is!  And Madison’s mom…even when she was being nice, I had a hard time liking her.  I definitely got the impression Madison’s happiness wasn’t important to her at all, but I’m glad Madison did what was right for her!  And that she and Yoel had such awesome friends (and that Yoel had a pretty cool family, from what I could tell).

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5 stars.  False Illusions really made me wish I read more contemporary romance.  I think I might have to after reading it!  The characters were amazing, and False Illusions was such a hard book to put down.

Book Review: Night Study by Maria V. Snyder

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Night Study CoverBook: Night Study by Maria V. Snyder, Narrated by Gabra Zackman

Published January 2016 by Harlequin|Length: 11 hours, 33 minutes

Where I Got It: I got the audio book from audible.com

Series: Soulfinders #2

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Blog Graphic-What It's About

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek…secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realize it’s far more sinister that they could have ever imagined.

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I really liked Shadow Study.  Even though I really like this series so far, I’m finding that I don’t like it as much as her Study series (which I want to re-read now, because it’s been a while, but that’s besides the point).

There’s a lot going on, and a lot of things are happening that I never expected.  Like, we get to spend a lot of time with Valek, and we learn so much about him…I’m not sure why I was surprised by one particular revelation, but yet, I didn’t expect it or how it came about.  Part of me wondered if maybe it has to do with the loss of Yelena’s magic, and why she lost it.  I still want to know more about what’s going on with her magic, since it’s definitely different…and it may or may not have to do with some stuff going on.  Yelena without magic is just weird, but you also get to see her adapt to life without it, and how much she really relied on it.  And you don’t realize how much her magic is needed until we need her to use it.

I can’t wait to see how the new characters fit in and how they change things, because I’m sure that will happen.  The changing things, I mean, not the fitting in thing, though I’m sure we’ll see that in the next book.

Speaking of the next book, I need to know what happens!  Will Sitia and Ixia go to war, or can they stop it? There are so many things that I never saw coming, and I’m really curious as to how it will all work out.  If you look up one more chapter in the dictionary, I swear you will see this book next to it, because every chapter ended on a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t annoying because I wanted to keep going.

And everything with Fisk and the Helper’s Guild…I liked getting more with them, and now I want more with them. Maybe, one day, there will be a book focused on Fisk, because he really is an interesting character.

Reviewing this book while not giving anything away is a lot harder then I thought!  Just believe me when I say that there’s a lot at stake, and I’m mostly looking forward to (but also dreading a little) the last book.

And since I listened to the audio book, we can’t forget about Gabra Zackman as the narrator.  She’s done such a great job narrating this series (and the Study series as well), and I can’t picture anyone else narrating these books.  Which reminds me, I really should take a look at what else she’s narrated…

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4 stars.  I really liked Night Study!  I don’t know how Snyder is going to tie everything together, but Night Study has me wanting to know what’s going to happen next!

Book Review: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda CoverBook: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Published April 2015 by Balzar + Bray|303 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Blog Graphic-What It's About

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I liked Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda!  It was cute, fun, funny, and there was a lot of heart to this book.

I really liked Simon, and I liked watching him and Blue fall in love even more.  I loved seeing their emails back and forth, and when they met in person…I was so happy that they finally got to meet each other.  Their romance is definitely cute, and it’s a good cute.  I really do think it’s because they’re emailing each other, and you get to see it unfold.

It just made me happy to see Simon surrounded by people who support him.  I really liked his relationships with his friends and his family, and yes, there are people who aren’t so supportive, and seem to be generally stupid, it was also nice to see that people have his back, and won’t put up with homophobia.  It’s (overall) a happy book, and I liked reading something so happy.

I will say, Martin…not a good guy.  Especially with how he blackmailed Simon.  And that other thing he did?  Not cool.  Not cool at all.  You don’t do what he did…it really wasn’t for him to tell, just because he didn’t get the girl. He really did take something away from Simon.  I get why Martin did what he did, and he did seem to feel bad about it, in the end, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it one bit.

And while I’m not a big quote person, I loved this quote a lot.

“Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn’t be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying.”

And also this one:

“White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default.”

It really got me thinking (for a few minutes) about how there are defaults, especially with sexuality, and how there’s a certain default until proven otherwise.  Those two quotes are part of why I like Simon so much.  And he references Harry Potter a lot, which was also pretty awesome.  It’s just cute and funny, and that’s really all I have to say.

Actually, I really like the title.  It makes a lot more sense after reading the book, and when it clicked, I actually liked the title a lot more.  I’m not a big fan of the cover, but it fits with the book pretty well, and honestly, I’m not sure what would make a better cover.

Blog Graphic- My Rating

4 stars.  I didn’t like the whole thing with Martin (hence 4 stars, instead of 5), but overall, Simon is a great book for everyone who likes cute, sweet, light books.

Book Review: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

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Rogue CoverBook: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Published April 2015 by Harlequin Teen|457 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Talon #2

Genre: YA Paranormal/Dragons

Blog Graphic-What It's About

From the limitless imagination of bestselling author Julie Kagawa comes the next fantastic adventure in the Talon Saga.

Deserter. Traitor. Rogue.

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I randomly picked up Talon when I was at the library, being really about what happened in this book.  I thought the first book in the series, Talon, was okay, and definitely my least favorite Julie Kagawa book, but she’s one of my favorite authors, and I knew I wanted to read this one.  Surprisingly, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would, and it makes me want to re-read the first book to see if maybe I just read it at the wrong time.

We pick up a while after where we left off in Talon, and there’s a lot going on in this book!  Like, we learn more about Cobalt, and why he left Talon, which I really liked, because I felt like he was really mysterious, and his chapters reveal a lot more about him than I expected.  I also liked his chapters (and Dante’s to an extent) because they show the lengths Talon will go to in order to eliminate those who aren’t with the program.

And everything with Ember’s brother hunting her down!  It’s not that surprising, and I totally get why Talon would want to test his loyalty.  Ember is important to him, but he’s in too deep with Talon, and I don’t think anything will change that.  Even though I want him to change his mind so badly!

I think what I liked the most was how Garret realized that not all dragons were bad, and that St. George really wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be.  And while it was never outright said, somehow I got the impression that there’s something either Talon and/or St. George is hiding.  Maybe it’s because we see Garret change, and I want someone to be hiding something, but I feel like there’s more going on than what we see in the book. There’s something about this book that’s very big picture.

Maybe it’s because we see different narrators- it worked really well in this book, and you see how big this world really is.  That might be why it seems like there’s something else going on with St. George and Talon.  You really do see a little bit of everything in this book!

We also have a love triangle, and I quite like this one!  Yes, Garret and Cobalt represent two different sides of Ember, and she is torn between balancing human and dragon, but you see how torn she is and how hard of a choice it is for her. It’s not clear who she would pick and in a weird way, I’m rooting for both.  It’s not the main focus of the book, since there’s so much going on, but it’s still a pretty important part of the book.

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4 stars.  I didn’t love it, but it was everything I wanted Talon to be.

Book Review: Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike

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Life After Theft CoverBook: Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike

Published April 2013 by HarperCollins|226 pages

Where I Got It: I own the e-book

Series: Life After Theft #1

Genre: YA Paranormal/Ghosts

Blog Graphic-What It's AboutAprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series, shines in this stand-alone novel that offers a humorous twist on ghosts and is perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Rachel Hawkins, and Kiersten White.

Kimberlee Schaffer may be drop-dead gorgeous…but she also dropped dead last year. Now she needs Jeff’s help with her unfinished business, and she’s not taking no for an answer. When she was alive, Kimberlee wasn’t just a mean girl; she was also a complete kleptomaniac. So if Jeff wants to avoid being haunted until graduation, he’ll have to help her return all of the stolen items. But Jeff soon discovers that it’s much easier to steal something than it is to bring it back.

Paying for your mistakes takes on a whole new meaning in this hauntingly clever twist on The Scarlet Pimpernel.

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I’ve been a huge fan of Aprilynne Pike ever since I read her Wings series, and I knew it was finally time to pick up Life After Theft!

I liked it, and Kimberlee is definitely sarcastic, which I thought added some really interesting but funny moments between her and Jeff.  I really liked Jeff, and Kimberlee was pretty unlikeable, especially in contrast to Sera. Especially once we start learning more about Kimberlee when she was alive, and that made me like her even less. I didn’t mind not liking her, though, with Sera, we see how much Sera tried to change, while Kimberlee seemed to be stuck and unable to move past anything…not just in death, but in life too.  Kimberlee is pretty selfish, and I think she does start to realize how wrong her past actions were, but it was a little too late.

Jeff really was the perfect person to see Kimberlee, though.  He’s new in town, and he doesn’t know Kimberlee, and he’s such a good guy that he was willing to help return all of the stuff she stole.  It is interesting that he’s the only one who would see her, and it does sort of make me wonder why he could see her when no one else could.  Him being new probably has a lot to do with, but now that I think about it, I wonder if there are other reasons for it was him, and no one else.

I also kind of wish we saw more of Kimberlee’s perspective.  I’m not the biggest fan of dual narration, but I think it could have worked really well in this book.  Still, even though Kimberlee was a character I didn’t like, and even though she did some pretty horrible things, she was still an interesting character, and maybe seeing at least a chapter or two from her perspective would have changed how I saw her.  Or maybe not, but either way, I wouldn’t have minded that at all.

As a re-telling of The Scarlet Pimpernel…I’ve never read it, and I have no idea what it’s about, but I have heard of it. So, I don’t know if that’s why I liked it, and didn’t love it, and if it would have made a difference in how I felt about the characters, or if I still would have felt the same way about the book.  And I obviously can’t speak to how it is as a re-telling.

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3 stars.  I liked it, especially the characters and how witty some of them were.

Book Review: The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro And Chuck Hogan

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The Strain CoverBook: The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan

Published June 2009 by HarperCollins|373 pages

Where I Got It: I own the e-book

Series: The Strain #1

Genre: Adult Apocalyptic/Thriller/Vampires

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A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.

In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing.

So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city – a city that includes his wife and son – before it is too late.

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I’ve wanted to read The Strain for a while, and finally picked it up a few weeks ago.  It was a pretty interesting book, and I liked the idea of the book a lot.  Vampires by way of a virus isn’t a new idea (Julie Kagawa’s Blood Of Eden trilogy comes to mind), but I liked seeing it as it happened and as the CDC tries to figure out what’s going on.

I did like The Strain, and I know at one point, it was a t.v. show- I have no idea if it’s still airing, but either way, the entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how it would be a great t.v. show.  It really was written like it was meant to be on t.v., and I’m not sure if it’s because the book was written with the intention of eventually being adapted for t.v., or if it’s something that, because of what it’s about, would be great to watch.

It was hard to put down, though, and I found I really liked Abraham Setrakian.  The other characters…not so much, but since it’s been a few weeks since I’ve read the book, Abraham is the only character I actually remember.  I think I vaguely remember a nanny from Haiti, and I vaguely remember her being really interesting, and wanting to know more about her story, but other than that, I couldn’t tell you about any of the other characters if my life depended on it.

Blog Graphic- My Rating

3 stars.  I did like The Strain, and it was definitely a page-turner that would be really interesting to watch. Most of the characters didn’t stick with me, but I did like the premise of the book, and the vampires were definitely horrible and creepy.

Book Review: Delirium Stories by Lauren Oliver

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Delirium Novellas CoverBook: Delirium Stories: Hana, Annabel & Raven by Lauren Oliver

Published March 2013 by HarperCollins|208 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the paperback from the library

Series: Delirum # 0.5 (Hana), 1.5 (Annabel) and 2.5 (Raven)

Genre: YA Dystopia

Blog Graphic-What It's About

For the first time, Lauren Oliver’s short stories about characters in the Delirium world appear in print. Originally published as digital novellas, Hana, Annabel, and Raven each center around a fascinating and complex character who adds important information to the series and gives it greater depth. This collection also includes an excerpt from Requiem, the final novel in Oliver’s New York Times bestselling series.

Hana is told through the perspective of Lena’s best friend, Hana Tate. Set during the tumultuous summer before Lena and Hana are supposed to be cured, this story is a poignant and revealing look at a moment when the girls’ paths diverge and their futures are altered forever.

Lena’s mother, Annabel, has always been a mystery–a ghost from Lena’s past–until now. Her journey from teenage runaway to prisoner of the state is a taut, gripping narrative that expands the Delirium world and illuminates events–and Lena–through a new point of view.

And as the passionate, fierce leader of a rebel group in the Wilds, Raven plays an integral role in the resistance effort and comes into Lena’s life at a crucial time. Crackling with intensity, Raven is a brilliant story told in the voice of one of the strongest and most tenacious characters in the Delirium world.

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I randomly saw this at the library and thought it might be interesting to read!  This one is the three novels set in the same world as Delirium trilogy, and I loved Hana but thought Annabel and Raven were okay.

Hana is definitely my favorite of the three.  I liked seeing Hana on her own, and something about her story really struck me.  Maybe it’s because she really just needed to have her moment of rebellion before going back to her life.

Annabel’s story was okay, as was Raven’s.  I could care less about Annabel, but we do see her life now and through flashbacks, but I’m so ambivalent about her that I can’t outright hate her story.  And Raven’s was just re-hashing what we already knew about her.

I’m not sure if the individual stories were published as the series was coming out, or if they were all published later on, but having read all three after reading the series has come out, I wasn’t super into it.  They didn’t really add much in terms of world-building, and other than Hana and Annabel, I feel like we don’t learn a lot about the characters. Annabel and Raven’s stories are also pretty forgettable, because I’m writing this several hours after reading Annabel and Raven, and not much has stuck.

I don’t know if re-reading the series would have made a difference in liking it more, or if, at this point I just don’t care.  And while I liked the series overall, I’m not sure if I liked it enough to read the novellas…which I did because I was curious.

Blog Graphic- My Rating

2 stars.  Overall, it’s pretty forgettable, especially if you haven’t read the Delirium trilogy in a while.  And for me, it didn’t add a lot to the series or the world.

Book Review: Where The Streets Have A Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah

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0-545-17292-6Book: Where The Streets Have A Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Published January 2008 by Scholastic|313 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Blog Graphic-What It's About

Thirteen year old Hayaat is on a mission. She believes a handful of soil from her grandmother’s ancestral home in Jerusalem will save her beloved Sitti Zeynab’s life. The only problem is that Hayaat and her family live behind the impenetrable wall that divides the West Bank, and they’re on the wrong side of check points, curfews, and the travel permit system. Plus, Hayaat’s best friend Samy always manages to attract trouble. But luck is on the pair’s side as they undertake the journey to Jerusalem from the Palestinian Territories when Hayaat and Samy have a curfew-free day to travel.

But while their journey may only be a few kilometers long, it could take a lifetime to complete…

Humorous and heartfelt, Where The Streets Had A Name deals with the Israel-Palestinian conflict with sensitivity and grace and will open a window on this timely subject.

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I liked Where The Streets Had A Name!  Not as much as the other books I’ve read from her, but I still really liked it!

Unfortunately, the conflict we see in the book is something that I know nothing about, but I really am glad that Abdel-Fattah wrote such a great book.  I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to live in Hayaat’s world, and it definitely made me realize how little I pay attention to what’s going on in the world.

I think there may be an assumption that the reader knows at least a little bit about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and I think an author’s note would have been nice.  Not that I, or other reader’s, can’t learn more about it on their own, but…it still would have been nice.  It didn’t take away from the novel at all, and it’s a story I think everyone needs to read.  And even though I’m not at all familiar with the conflict we see in the book, I think this book is so important because I think it’s about a side that probably doesn’t get the coverage that the other side does.

You still get a clear picture of what life is like for Hayaat and her family, especially with some of the flashbacks/stories we see in the book.  I really felt for them, and Abdel-Fattah does such a wonderful job at showing several different perspectives, and how everyone…they’re just people.  It would have been so easy for her to write one side as…bad…but she doesn’t.  She’s very neutral, but it’s also clear that it was important to her that this story be told.  While it’s very different than her other books, I am glad I read it because it’s about hope and courage and how important family is, even when things have changed so much.

I also really liked the glossary at the end of the book, and I did find myself flipping back and forth when I came across a word I didn’t know.  It was really helpful to have!

Blog Graphic- My Rating

4 stars.  I really liked it, but I didn’t love it.  I still recommend it, though!

Book Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

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The Distance Between Us CoverBook: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Published July 2013 by HarperCollins|218 pages

Where I Got It: I own the e-book

Series: None

Genre: YA Contempoary

Blog Graphic-What It's About

Money can’t buy a good first impression.

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom’s porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence—he’s tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander’s loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

Blog Graphic- What I Thought

I thought I’d like The Distance Between Us a lot more than I actually did.  I loved On The Fence, and thought I’d be reading something sort of similar, but it was something I didn’t like as much as I thought because it left me feeling like I was reading something really different than what I thought I was getting.

I did like the humor in the book, and I think that’s something West does well.  But I think, of the books I’ve read by West so far, this one is my least favorite.

I didn’t care about the romance and it was a bit too much on the Cinderella-side.  It’s not that a guy like Xander couldn’t be interested in Caymen, because he could, but something about it felt a little too fake.  It’s a little hard to believe that a guy with Xander’s social status would be interested in Caymen.  It seemed a little too cliche, and it wasn’t done in a way that made me not care how cliche it was.  I just felt like there was no chemistry between them, but I did like that they were both trying to find their place in the world.  It felt more platonic than romantic.

I also felt like their financial situation and why Caymen never knew her grandparents was a little bit forced.  The grandparents showing up seemed really abrupt, and things were perfectly fine, even though they weren’t part of her life until that point.  Even though I can understand why her mom had issues with wealthy people, it also seemed a little fake, like it was there just as a random obstacle coming between Xander and Caymen.

I also wish we saw more of the relationship between Caymen and her mom, because while Caymen talked about how good of a relationship, I also wish we saw it instead of having it be told to us.

Actually, now that I think about it, a lot of the elements of the book reminded me of Gilmore Girls…but as a book, and not as good.  I just felt like some of the issues that we see in the book weren’t given a lot of attention, and even though I really like the premise, this book just didn’t work for me.  Adult me wasn’t a fan, but I think maybe teenage me would have loved the book.

Blog Graphic- My Rating

2 stars.  The Distance Between Us was just okay.  I liked how Caymen was really sarcastic, and her dry sense of humor, but the romance felt forced and cliche.