When Book Quotes Meet Reality....

I've had a bad weekend to say the least. I've experienced my first funeral as an adult and as a parent. It was of a seven week old baby (not mine.)  It is heart breaking - my heart still hurts for so many reasons including the fact that the father of the baby referenced my son during the funeral. 

Anyway, I just finished Notes From Ghost Town by Kate Ellison |goodreads|author website| It was flippin' fabulous, by the way. 

So, on page 321 of my physical ARC I came across a short passage, a liner really. And to say it completely did the book justice and also made me crack all at once is an understatement. 

"People die. They die too early, sometimes. And there is grief that almost crushes everything." 

I'm not sure if it is my age and/or life experiences, the more I read Young Adult books I realize how much these fictional stories really cross over to real life. Sometimes, like now, I really wish it didn't. 

Thoughts? 

 xoxo-stacey

Alexandra Monir Alert : Secrets of the Time Society

Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely, positively adored TIMELESS by Alexandra Monir. It was such a well put together, well researched love story that was based on so much more than just love. There was history, mystery and just so much goodness, how could I not love it?

Alexandra Monior isn't only a literary love of mine. Written and performed by her, Alexandra has also given us with songs made for TIMELESS.

To help tide you over until TIMEKEEPER, with a tentative release date in December, we have been given SECRETS OF THE TIME SOCIETY, a bridge between the first and second in the Timeless Series.

To also celebrate SECRETS OF THE TIME SOCIETY, TIMELESS has been reprinted in trade-paperback by Random House Children's Books.

Secrets of the Time Society 

(Timeless 1.5)

$1.99 e-book 
| Random House | Goodreads | Alexandra |

There exists a secret society where one's ability to travel through time is "gifted" to members only by blood. Those who try to enter the society quickly come to realize that time is a force not to be reckoned with. Alexandra Monir's short story exclusive eBook, SECRETS OF THE TIME SOCIETY, sheds light upon the world created in her novel, TIMELESS, and forecasts the fate that lies ahead for its protagonist, Michele Windsor. Now that Michele is gifted, there are some who will do anything to take that power away

If you haven't read TIMELESS yet, I highly recommend that you do so, I know it has sat at the top of my favorites and will continue to do so. Then after you read that I recommend that you download SECRETS OF THE TIME SOCIETY, watch for my review soon.

-Stacey

ARC Review: Legacy

Legacy by Cayla Kluver
Release Date: June 21, 2011
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 496 Pages, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: NetGalley + Publisher, in exchange for an honest review
Overall: Flippin Fabulous! 
|Author Website| |Twitter|

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. 

My Thoughts:

I couldn't imagine being born into blood which mapped out my destiny for me, being forced to marry for status and wealth turning away from love.  Come to think of it, I couldn't imagine being born into royalty, being bred to take a throne or being part of world that was colored just like a page out of a fairy tale book complete with ill fated love, tragedies and all.

Our main character Alera couldn't have been a better fit for our female lead.  Alera was beautiful but not only in her appearance.  So much of her beauty came from the fact that she had her own mind and wasn't afraid to think outside the confines of what the woman's mind and body was supposed to inhibit in the land of Hytanica.  Beauty wasn't Alera's only characteristic which made her so appealing.  She was quirky, playful and knew how to use her mind. To say Alera is a push over where her father, The King, is concerned would be accurate but not in the capacity where I found myself rolling my eyes at Alera.  Despite the situation Alera was strong willed and spoke her mind to those who she could trust.  Though faced with an impossible situation Alera proved her strength and loyalty, in all facets of the word even if only in her hopeful thoughts.  

There wasn't a shortage of characters who helped make Legacy what it is.  From Alera's parents, The King and Queen, her sister and all of the guards which came into contact with Alera, there was never a lack of surrounding action and personality.  Nor was there a lack of prospects for Alera, including one in which The Kings standards for a suitor were constructed around, Steldor, and another being the infant boy who returned sixteen years later and is everything what the King of Hytanica could never be.

Don't let Legacy's intimidating length fool you, at no time did I find myself skipping lines or skimming text.  Every word was delectably devoured and appreciated. While I wish I could say I wishing for more, Legacy left off in a wonderful place making the wait for book number two bearable with just the right amount of itch.  Nothing is worse than a cliff hanger ending which almost makes you angry you have to wait for the next installment after you just spent so many pages vesting yourself into a cast of characters.     

Beautifully depicted and written, a mixture of fairy tale and fantasy, with a a splash or two of deception, mystery, loyalty and love, Legacy is a book which my reluctance to read was not at all justified.  Our surroundings, the emotion and the situations were layered delicately yet exquisitely.  Legacy has easily come to sit in the top of my favorite books list.  I absolutely can not wait for book number two of this trilogy, Allegiance. 

ARC Review: The Merchant's Daughter

The Merchant's Daughter
Melanie Dickerson
Release Date: November 29, 2011
Young Adult, Paperback, 304 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
Source: Netgalley + Publisher, in exchange for an honest review
Overall: Flippin' Fabulous!
| Website | Blog | Goodreads |

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

My Thoughts:

With The Merchant's Daughter, Melanie Dickerson brought to life a not-so-modern not-so-quite retelling of Beauty and the Beast that was flowing with emotions and faith all wrapped up in a wonderfully historical package.

I have to tell you, our main character, Annabel was an extremely lovable, albeit naive, character and was one of two characters who truly made this story what it was. There were many qualities about Annabel that made her read absolutely stunning. She was beautiful and compassionate and naive. Having been the daughter of a wealthy merchant, Annabel was extremely educated for a young woman in her day completely rounding out the package of a young woman who would be an extremely favorable choice as a wife and mother- if not for the status that followed her.

I have mentioned Annabel's tendency to be naive. I won't lie and say that she was not and I won't say that some of her naive thoughts and beliefs came from her inability to see situations from both sides. Something I will mention, as this may affect some reader's desire to read The Merchant's Daughter, is that Annabel's naivety also came at the side of her faith. A faith she did question, she did at times almost falter with and she didn't always understand until a certain breaking point in the book in which her wildest dreams were made her reality. (Remember, this is historical fiction and her wildest dreams are probably not the same as they are today.) Annabel's at times naive personality and her faith are what bound this story together along with a certain 'beastly' Lord in which she is in servitude to.

Lord Ranulf, the other character I will mention, is what some would call, and does call, beastly. His attitude toward life isn't exactly that of sunshine though with time his own story is unfolded and brought to our attention. The part Lord Ranulf plays in Annabel's life changes throughout the course of the book and it is his own naive tendencies and his own faith, like Annabel's, that is the backbone of this story. As unlikable as Lord Ranulf can be let me assure you there are other's to despise on a deeper level. There are also others to love (almost) as equally as Annabel and him.

The Merchant's Daughter is really a story of many facets. Even for those who do not wish to read about faith, rest assured, I did not find that Melanie Dickerson pushed faith upon anyone in the book beyond that of the characters which already embraced it and at that, even then, believe me, not all did.

I found the story and it's reference to faith completely compelling truly making The Merchant's Daughter true to it's time. The questions, the concerns, the behaviors of others all made this story all the more real and likable Don't let my mention of faith deter you from noticing that I said there are many intriguing facets to this story. The romance, although not as racy as some of today's was completely addictive and fulfilling in its own right. To see the elements of love and romance evolve in this story, requited or unrequited, it was like watching an artist paint layering the paint onto the canvas. I was completely enamored with the sequence of situations that arose for Melanie Dickerson's characters and all of the wavering emotions that came with it.

The Merchant's Daughter is a historical story of coming-of-age, self-realization, compassion and love, sense of family, faith, and even romance. There was no lack of action or high running and deep emotions. As sad as I was to see Annabel and Lord Ranulf go, as well as others, the story of The Merchant's Daughter was left off in a positive and complete manner. This is definitely a book that will sit toward the top of the stack waiting for a time to re-read.

Review: Gifts of the Blood

Gifts of the Blood by Vicki Keire
Released: January 01, 2011
Young Adult
Source: Author, in exchange for an honest review
Overall: Flippin' Fabulous!
| Author Website | Goodreads | Twitter |

Caspia Chastain, art student and barista, is gifted (or plagued, if you ask her) with the ability to draw the future, usually at the worst possible times. Her parents are four years dead; everyday she watches her brother Logan fight his cancer diagnosis. Things get worse for Caspia the day she draws an angry stranger framed by planes of light and violent, bloody images. That exact same stranger walks up to her out of nowhere mere hours later knowing things he shouldn't, like her name, her brother's illness, and her strange ability. That's when Caspia discovers her hometown is a refuge for supernatural beings both Light and Dark, and she and her brother find themselves caught up in a war between the two that predates their very birth. In order to protect herself and her brother, she turns to the one who seems to have started it all: the man who walked out of her sketchbook calling himself Ethan.

But Ethan has his own agenda, Logan's getting sicker fast, and Caspia finds that drawing the future isn't the only strange thing she can do. Meanwhile, someone really wants all of them dead. In a town where Dark doesn't equal Evil and Light isn't always Good, Caspia and Ethan find themselves making strange alliances and even stranger sacrifices in order to protect those they love.

My Thoughts:

Gifts of the Blood... Where to start?

Do you ever read a book and you just don't know how to explain it to someone and it sure isn't for a lack of trying? Do you ever enjoy a book so fabulously much that you stumble over every attempt to explain just how much? Gifts of the Blood is one of those books for me, Vicki Keire truly grabbed me within the first few lines.

Gifts of the Blood was full of dynamic characters with real life struggles, issues, and emotions. At times they seemed like they were all over the place but in the end it all made sense to me. While the Gifts of the Blood is based on those that aren't-so-human it doesn't mean that they didn't experience real life emotions and real life experiences.

I could touch base on the characters one by one but I won't, there are simply too many to do so. You may hear that and wonder how a book can accommodate a wide cast of characters but believe me when I tell you that Vicki Keire has done just that. I learned each character and could pick them out of a verbal line up even just after one meeting. Every character had a unique voice which made the many characters acceptable. It didn't stop at having unique voices, each character had strengths and weaknesses and characteristics and situations unique to them.

Gifts of the Blood is a book that blends the people of the dark and the people of the light and where the lines of good and evil were blurred. Take everything you know about Fallen Angels and kick it out the front door then take everything you know about all the other facets of the paranormal and let that be rewritten. Vicki Keire didn't just bring to us Fallen Angels, humans with gifts, and a typical small town with quirks. Vicki Keire gave us her own unique spin on all of thee above and did it with a fabulousness that I absolutely adored with a fabulous attention to detail which made the story come to life.

Do you think it is slightly premature for me to say that Vicki Keire is one of my newest favorite authors ever? No. I didn't think so. When does the third book come out? Wait, did I mention I purchased book number two right I read this one? No? Well, I totally did.

Unique, action and romance packed, full of twists and turns with paranormal characters/places/things(?) coming out of the woodwork, Gifts of Blood is a fabulous start to a fabulous series by Vicki Keire.

On a side note...I don't think I've ever been so taken with a bad character before. In the Gifts of the Blood there is no character off limits to your heart strings. All characters have their own stories who made them who they are.

On an additional side note, making two more than I normally include... I can't remember the last time I felt so emotionally vested to a small group of characters before. The familial bond between three of the characters Vicki Keire introduced us two was absolutely amazing and heart breaking all at the same time. The situation between the three had me sitting on the edge of my seat and my heart pounding throughout the duration of the story.

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood
Kendra Blake
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Young Adult, Hardcover, 316 pages
Source: Kismet Book Tours + Publisher
Overall: Flippin Fabulous!
| Website | Blog | Twitter |

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.   Via Goodreads

My Thoughts:


Non-stop action.  Love.  Vengeance.  Ghosts and things that go bite in the night.  Anna Dressed in blood is a brilliantly painted tale of Cas a ghost hunter, Anna a revengeful ghost with a story, and everything that made them who they are.  Anna Dressed in Blood is a story that fully embodies everyone in the tale and will amaze you with its descriptive detail.

I can't remember the last time when I read a book with a protagonist like Cas.  His whole persona was a perfect mixture of witty and strong with a slightly vulnerable edge.  Usually when I come across male main characters their voice isn't very believable or they are beyond cocky with a head bigger than their body.  It was nice following a kick-butt character like Cas around.  His opening scene had me giggling then immediately gasping.  I was able to see what kind of potential Cas held all the while seeing who he really was. I think it is safe to say if I were a ghost I definitely wouldn't want to cross paths with Cas, I might just be heart broken to have finally found someone to listen to me then take me out just as quick.

Anna, our other main character albeit a ghost, was a little more complicated than Cas.  While her intentions were as clear as day there was still a part of her, a reviving quality, that made her not the monster I expected her to be.  Not to mention, she isn't what Cas fully expected either.  He knows who she is, knows what she does, yet there is that quality about her that makes it impossible to look away.  She is a mystery worth solving and worth risking.


Anna and Cas aren't the only characters that built their story.  Our secondary cast of characters all had their moments and their purpose. Thomas.  Carmel.  Morfan.  Cas' mom.  Cas' dad.  Will.  Mike.  They all played a part and had a story of their own which added to the tightly woven threads that brought Anna and Cas together.  Some were likable and others not so much.  The back story of Cas' parents also built this story up and shed light onto the story of what drove Cas, where his passion came from.

Kendare Blake told a fabulously brillant story of love and friendship paired with the chilling truths of loss and revenge.  I can't forget to mention the witty tone of humor that Kendare Blake laced throughout Anna's story that had me giggling even in the most stressful of times.  


If you want to try your hands at a hauntingly creepy tale I suggest you pick up Anna Dressed in Blood.  It is definitely a book worth reading even if it is slightly out of your comfort zone and slightly on the horrific side. It truly is unputadownable and completely re-readable.  


Don't forget to check out my Anna Dressed in Blood Blog Tour post on Tuesday, September 13 to find out more about Anna and have your chance of winning a Kindle3 WiFi complete with Anna Dressed in Blood skin and book.

ARC Review: Wherever You Go

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
Release Date: November 14, 2011
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 320, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Overall: Flippin' Fabulous
|Author Blog| |Author Twitter|

Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?     As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?     Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob,Wherever You Gois is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light. Synopsis via Goodreads.

My Thoughts:

With a hauntingly different take on the typical YA love triangle, WHEREVER YOU GO is a painstakingly beautiful story about family, loss and love and all that it entails.  Heather Davis has brought something special to WHEREVER YOU GO by touching on some of the deepest rooted emotions and aspects of life and putting it all into one, clean yet emotional and fulfilling novel.

Our main character, Holly, isn't living the life of the perfect teenager socialite.  Holly isn't the most beautiful of girls, she isn't the most popular, in fact she is the opposite and she definitely doesn't come from money to help hide all the imperfections in her life.  Instead, Holly comes from a broken home, living with her mom and sister in a run down apartment where there never seems like there is enough money even with her mom working two jobs, leaving the burden of her little sister on her. Things only further deteriorate when her Alzheimer's stricken grandfather, Aldo, moves in with them and she goes from being the primary care taker of her sister to her sister and  her grandfather. One thing that Holly did have, despite curious minds, was a loving boyfriend, though, he was killed when they were in a car accident.  The amazing thing about Holly was, even in the midst of her shutting down or throwing a fit was her uncanny ability to always end up putting others first.  She complained and wished her situation was different, but when she opened her eyes to her grandfather and had encouragement from someone she didn't think she'd find a friend in, her true colors shone through and her true beauty took over.

Rob, Holly's dead boyfriend, is the second character we follow.  Though he is dead, Rob is battling his unresolved emotions from his death and struggles with many emotions, including jealousy, seeing the world go on around him.  Despite the sensitivity of of the situation, Rob finds purpose in his afterlife beyond his own need for closure.  Rob helps Aldo in a way that not only helps him cope with his own situation but helps Aldo and Holly in their quest to help Aldo remember what he never wanted to forget.  Rob's voice got a little aggravating at times, he saw things forgetting to look at the whole, but what more could you expect from someone who died young and with unfinished business.  Even through his whiny aspects, learning about Rob and the truths behind his life touched base on some very realistic teenage scenarios.

Jason, the third character we follow is Rob's best friend and the person who is there, is alive, and can do everything Rob can't.  Though he is rich, hot and popular, Jason steps away from the spotlight of his peers and starts perusing the need to get close to Holly and to help her.  Despite stereotypes that I may have cast on Jason he quickly pushed those thoughts to the side and proved to me, while he isn't perfect, that he could think on his own despite the urgings around him and that he does in fact have a decent soul.  Even though the way they got there, I think Holly brought out the best in Jason, giving him a glimpse of the man he could be and would be if he took the time to appreciate what was around him.

Through the point of views of Holly, Rob and Jason we are taken on separate yet parallel sets of emotional roller coasters.  With each person we experience a different set of raw emotions and group of real situations.  With a cast of characters that grew from the first page to the last with their life's lessons and morals following them, WHEREVER YOU GO is full of ups and down, sadness and happiness and most importantly hope.  Everything about this story felt so real while it tackled everyday issues.  WHEREVER YOU GO is a book I am confident in recommending to you for those willing to tackle all matters of the heart.  With a beautiful cover to boot, you can't really go wrong.

|Pre-Order at Amazon|

Arc Review: Shift

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
Release Date: May 03, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Young Adult
Pages: 384, Hardcover

Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Overall: Flippin' Fabulous!
|Author Website| |Author Twitter| 

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.
As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

My Thoughts:

For those of you who haven't read Shade, the first in the Shade series, you absolutely must.  It is one of my favorite books of all time.  I originally purchased it as a e-book but that wasn't enough and ended up lucky enough to snag a hard cover as well.

So what do I think about Shift?  Jeri Smith-Ready got it right yet again.  Shift is one of those books that even through the stressful parts I was still falling in love and reading each word intricately and appreciating it for all it was worth.  Wanting more.  Needing more.

Aura is the same torn, loyal, and wonky self-proclaimed outcast she was in Shade.  Her emotions still waver but she seems more steady despite her stumbles.  She has matured as much as a girl can in that amount of time and dealing with what she is.  Her grief is still thick, though 'what is right' is easier for her to swallow and accept.  Though, in her search for what is right she finds herself in several unlikely and unpredictable situations which end up opening her eyes to her true feelings and what is around her all while entertaining us and having us pulling out our hair.

Zackary has a bigger role in this book and is still at a silent competition with her un-shaded, ghostly (ex?)boyfriend Logan.  Both Logan and Zackary have matured if only slightly, despite their guy-ish habits and the fact they both want what they may be withheld.  The pressure really falls on these leading guys forcing choices to be made on both of their parts.  Logan is still dealing with his death and the fact that his family, including Aura, wants him to move on and try to find the light.  Zackary is dealing with the affects The Shift had on him as well as family matters which will tear at your heart as they did at his and Aura's.  Aura's relationship with these guys, and even their families, really shines in this installment and it really shows how much the friendship and love that flows between her and these two guys.

The plot that drove Shift, beyond the wavering and ever-growing romance, was just as put together, well thought out and brilliantly painted as it was in Shade.  The twists and turns were impeccable and honestly most of them I didn't even foresee which kept the story fresh and kept me turning the pages.

The romance really heated up this go around.  Logan and Zackary were still both in the forefront, but the differences between Logan and Zackary really became prominent and really offered a clear path for Aura to start conquering the obstacles which stood between her and her heart.  Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems and there are times, depending on which team you are on, you find yourself gritting your teeth and urging Aura to go back the other way or to open her eyes to what is in front of her or maybe behind her.  All truly does come full circle in the end with a bearable cliffhanger that keeps you wanting more but at leasts sedates your urges to go insane while waiting another year.

Jeri Smith Ready gave us a fabulous follow up to Shade, with Shift.  Shift is an all encompassing book with mystery, romance, and almost realistic fiction  which sets it apart from some of its counterparts.

Shift truly is Flippin' Fabulous and Shine, the third installment of the Shade series, can't come fast enough!

Other Books in the Series:  
Shade |My Review|

|Buy Shift from Amazon|
|Buy Shade from Amazon|

Review: Second Hand Heart

Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Released: September 02, 2010
Published by: Black Swan
Pages: 460, Paperback
Adult/Young Adult
Source: Purchased
|Author Blog| |Author Twitter|

Overall: 5 Stars - Flippin' Fabulous

Vida is 19 and has never had much of a life. Struggling along with a life-threatening heart condition, her whole life has been one long preparation for death. But suddenly she is presented with a donor heart, and just in time. Now she gets to do something she never imagined she'd have to do: live. Richard is a 36-year-old man who’s just lost his beloved wife, Lorrie, in a car accident. Still in shock and not even having begun the process of grieving, he is invited to the hospital to meet the young woman who received his wife’s donor heart. Vida takes one look at Richard and feels she’s loved him all her life. And tells him so. Richard assumes she’s just a foolish young girl. And maybe she is. Or maybe there’s truth behind the theory of cellular memory, and maybe it really is possible for a heart to remember, at least for a time, on its own. Second Hand Heart is both a story of having to learn to live for the first time, and having to learn to live all over again. Synopsis via Goodreads.

My Thoughts:

Catherine Ryan Hyde has proven she has a way of touching hearts and brining books to us that touch some of the deeper meanings of life.  Second Hand Heart is no exception.

Second Hand Heart couldn't be a more fitting title for the story of nineteen year old Vida and her heart.  Vida's life is quite tragic, living an existence where every breath can be her last since she brushed death on the day she was born.  Her heart condition doesn't only affect her diminishing heath and ability to live a normal day-to-day life, it also affects the person she is... her heart.

When Vida is given a second chance at having a heart we are introduced to the scientific anomaly of cellular memory.  When Vida meets Richard, the husband of the woman whose donated heart saves Vida's life, the story of the heart takes over and takes us on an emotional roller coaster side by side with a girl dying to live and show a grieving man that her heart remembers him.

Like Vida is intense, Richard is grieving and this sets the tone for Second Hand Heart.  Their journey together isn't pretty and it literally tugs at your heart.  Catherine Ryan Hyde makes it impossible to take sides, willing Vida to back away and find herself or willing Richard to give in to the girl who holds the heart he felt he would be eternally bound to.  Both main characters are likable and strong in their own right.

Other key characters help build this story's character.  Abigail, Vida's mother,  paved the way for Vida's need to let go and intense feelings.  Esther, Vida's best friend even though over half a century her senior, helped instill Vida with strength and faith she carried close to her literally and figuratively.  It was the way she accepted Vida when she accepted few others which created a mini-story within a story equally as touching.  Then there is Victor, Victor who saw Vida, noticed Vida and was ready to accept Vida.  Victor was there to help Esther and Vida do what they had to, to finally move on in life, to let go of what needed letting go of.  Then he was just there, in his possibly gothic style and all.

Second Hand Heart is an extraordinary story and completely unforgettable.  I've cried before but very rarely does a story keep tears dancing in my eyes from the first page to the last.  It was hard to stop the way the  journal pages of Vida and Richard's story came to life.  This will be a book I hold onto.

Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Re-readable: Yes, I think so
Overall: 5

ARC Review: Exposed

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
Released:
Published by: Random House Books For Young Readers
Pages: 288, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Publisher, Thank You!
|Author Website|

In the dim light of the darkroom, I'm alone, but not for long. As white turns to gray, Kate is with me. The background of the dance studio blurred, so the focus is all on her legs extended in a perfect soaring split. The straight line to my squiggle, my forever-best friend.  
Sixteen-year-old Liz Grayson is photogirl—sharp, focused and ready to take the world by storm with her camera. But Liz's entire life is called into question when her brother is accused of a crime—and the accuser is Liz's own best friend. As the aftershocks from that accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself, shifts out of focus. And for the first time in her life, Liz finds herself unable to trust her own point of view. Told in stunning, searingly raw free verse,  Exposed is Kimberly Marcus's gut-wrenching, riveting debut and will appeal to fans of Ellen Hopkins, Laurie Halse Anderson and Virginia Euwer Wolff.  Synopsis via Goodreads.

My Thoughts:


Kimberly Marcus brought us a fast pitched and deep novel in Exposed.  Like Exposed, a novel in verse, a typically formatted review simply won't do.  So while this will be short, don't let the word count fool you.


So much about Exposed was predictable but the execution made it unique and it was the key focuses of the book that made it so much more then what I expected.  I never expected the topic of photography to be such a deep rooted emotion and life lesson in Exposed.  It truly took the title of the book and the main character's driving passion in life to another level.  It wasn't just a hobby it was a way of life and a definition for what makes up real life, which was completely fitting for this slightly coming-of-age tale.


The thing for me with novels in verse are the fact they paint a picture in a completely different light than other novels.  An author writing in verse really only has one shot at making an impact and driving home the emotions we strive to feel while reading.   Luckily for me, a reader who rarely picks up verse novels, Kimberly Marcus delivered her young adult debut effortlessly and with a style that read flawless of any seams.

Kimberly Marcus didn't hold back where other authors could have.  Exposed was extremely empowering, personal and raw.  I will definitely be picking up all future works by 2011 YA Debut Author, Kimberly Marcus.

ARC Review: Stay

Stay by Deb Caletti
Release date: April 05, 2011
Published by: Simon Pulse
Pages: 352, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab
Overall: 5 stars- Flippin' Fabulous
|Author Website|

Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.
Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough.... Synopsis via Goodreads.

My Thoughts:

Stay came to life as Deb Caletti brought an exceptional book to the table which could have easily been mistaken for someone's life story, rather then a work of fiction.

With a main character like Clara, a girl who struggled with doing what was right, letting go, and moving on, you would think it would be difficult to love her.  I thought I would yell at her throughout the whole story, trying to get her to do the smart thing. That wasn't the case.  Clara may have not always done the smart thing but it didn't detract from the kind hearted, good natured character that she was.

There were several important characters that we are introduced to in Stay. Clara's father who is absolutely supportive and had secrets of his own but did everything in his power to protect his daughter and give her what she needed, trying to make up for what he thought Clara lacked and felt she needed.  Christian, Clara's less-then-perfect (ex)boyfriend, was the cardboard cut out for the perfect guy with a sexy accent to boot but had issues that stemmed deep within him, adding to the intensity of his relationship with Clara.  Everything with Christian turned out to be polar opposites.  Confident and jealous.  Sweet and bitter. Manipulative and unassuming.   Finn, is a character we meet later and has his own dark clouds but is able to see Clara's situation for what it is and is able to pull Clara out of her shell and show her what it is to trust, live and love again.  He gives her acceptance and support when she needs it and has his own support system that only adds smiles to Clara's story.  It was amazing how each person we were introduced to gave some to Clara she needed, showing us the true importance of having people in our lives.  It all seemed so real.

Clara's journey in Stay is a combination of her telling of her past with Christian and her journey to find a fresh start while on a summer getaway with her father, in a place that not only brings a fresh start for her but her and her father as well.  Even with the delicate subject of abuse, as well as several sub-plots which bear a equally heavy weight, Deb Caletti was able to paint it with such understanding, hope, and elegance.  I wasn't sure what to expect with this story but I was pleasantly surprised by that no one side was jaded, both were real and raw and depicted how even ugly situations can become beautiful and how gifts come in severals forms and at what may seem like the most inopportune times.  

Stay is a gripping book, one which makes your heart hurt, your heart love and makes you think about bigger issues in life.  Deb Caletti did a wonderful job keeping it consistent with what a teenager may experience and how they would react.  This isn't your typical love story and definitely not a love triangle.  There is actions and consequences explored and well as truths and lies.  Extremely moving, tragic and hopeful, Stay is something that will definitely be picked up again.

Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Re-Readable: YES!
Overall: 5

ARC Review: Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Released:
Published By: Harper Teen
Pages: 441, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
|Author Blog| |Author Twitter|
Overall: 5 stars- Flippin' Fabulous

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. 
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.  Synopsis via Goodreads.

My Thoughts:


I can't even begin to imagine living in a time when love is viewed as a disease and the right to love is taken away from me and is punishable by death if I try escaping The Cure.  Amor Deliria Nervosa, that was what you were supposedly at risk of contracting if you fell in love.  

Lauren Oliver created a world in Delirium which never felt safe and felt so foreign that I couldn't believe I could actually see this happening.  I mean, really, if you think about it, I could see there being a time when the government says humankind's downfall is our emotion, our love.  That thought alone added another factor of fear to the story, one that was already elevated from the start.

Our main character, Lena, was about to turn eighteen, to graduate, and about to embark on what would be the test that eventually led her into the loveless, content, arms of a man she would be told to spend the rest of her life with.  Her match.  She would make a life with this man, have children with this man, yet never actually feel the driving passion behind what is otherwise considered Amor Deliria Nervosa.

Lena fears her government, with right, and despite what she has been trained to think and feel she can't help but see more then she should.  She isn't the only one in her story that sees more then they should ever admit.  Her best friend is who opens her clouded vision to a secret word that exist between their walls, one in which people hold on to every last bit of freedom before they are forced to give themselves up to The Cure.

Lena's struggle with accepting The Cure is rooted deeper then most.  It isn't basic anxiety or the fear of being herded like cattle that truly hurt her, it is the story of her Mother and the fact that she is unable to pull her eyes away from a guy, Alex, who is introduced into her life in an abrupt and dangerous manner.  By a second chance meeting her life is thrown into a whirlwind of struggle and acceptance for what are the truths behind her life, her government, and Amor Deliria Nervosa.

All of the characters I was introduced to played their parts well.  The only characters I found flat, weren't really flat, just tight knit into their rolls in a society where the only emotion that really ran high was fear.  Lena, despite being set in her ways, grew while her story did and most everything she did or said was justified by how she grew up, it wasn't just some random unexplained action void of motive.  It only made her story that much more tragic as it began to unfold.  Alex, was the perfect compliment to Lena.  He was able to make her feel things she never had before, and it was more then just a flutter in her tummy.  He was also able to show her truths about her life which helped her make the biggest decisions of her life.  Even if their story would have ended when it came her time for The Cure, the only thing their time together lacked was more time to be together.

Despite the slow-going first part of this book, once I crossed that threshold I really couldn't put it down. I became immersed in a world I was scared to death of but felt like I was living in.  Every anxiety felt like it was connected to me, every pitter-patter of Lena's heart, or Alex's, my own mimicked.  The shade of the sunset let me fall in love, just as it had its affect of Alex and Lena.  When you read it, you will know what I mean.

Read on from this point with caution, no big spoilers, just a nice warning to those weak of heart:

Prepare yourself for the cliff hanger and the possible ruin that will be yourself if you are not careful.  There is a possibility you will need your inhaler, if you own one, and a box of tissue.  I still haven't recovered from what has to one of the most intense and heart wrenching endings I have ever experienced.

Lauren Oliver brilliantly painted a portrait of a world we had reason to fear but wanted to fall into, if just to feel that longing and love Lena did.  Book number two, Pandemonium, could not come fast enough.


Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Re-Readable: YES!
Overall: 5

ARC Review: Long, Long Sleep

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Releases Date: August 9, 2011
Published By: Candlewick Press
Pages: 352
Young Adult
Source: netgalley
Overall: 4- Fabulous!

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for 62 years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all.

My thoughts:

I honestly don't know how I would categorize A Long, Long Sleep beyond a mix of all things good.  Dystopian-ish, sci-fi-ish, romantic-ish, mysterisy-ish.

Anna Sheehan painted us a world in a time where the concepts of life are still ultimately the same with the new wave of electronics and communication systems, along with evolving transportation and fad words, in a light which left me truly seeing the slightly foreign world from Rosalinda Fitzroy's eyes.  The sci-fi-ish-ness (love that word there?) of this new time isn't so over the top it is overwhelming.  A Long, Long Sleep is touched by the sci-fi factor and it wears it well, not too thick and perfect for those who tend to neglect the sci-fi-ish books, like myself.

Money and power seem to be a driving force in A Long, Long Sleep, which actually, in a way, paves the way for the whole story with Rose and how she ended up in her stasis tube, only to be awoken 62 years later.  The power and money influences weave themselves throughout the book justifying what is, what isn't and what happened.

The romance in A Long, Long Sleep was all over the place but it worked.  I loved how, like the sci-fi aspects, it wasn't too thick and there was a real story line beyond Rose's past, unrequited, and possible love factors.  The connection between Rose and Xavier, the boy she loved before her 62 year hiatus, was one that was brought to life by the moments Anna Sheehan showed us before Rose's extended stasis.  Rose's new friend, and possible interest Bren, is another which is brought to life by Anna's hand.  The connection, the moments, the way Rose feels her past in her future.  I will admit there is a certain oddity to the love between Rose and Xavier but it worked and it wasn't anything but tasteful and true.  We can't forget Rose's friendship with Otto, a supposed failed-experiment.  It was a connection that was true to them and their time.  Neither the past or previous connections dictated the sincerity and understanding between the two and I absolutely adored that about those them.

Honestly, this whole story was a pleasant surprise for me.  Never did I expect to be up until two a.m. finishing this book after starting it at eleven.  I devoured every word of this Rose's story and enjoyed doing it.  All aspects of this book were balanced beautifully.  The love, the abandonment, the betrayal, the loyalty, the past, the future.  

With beautiful writing like this I will definitely picking up anything else Anna Sheehan may put out.  As well as Rose's story was concluded my feelings definitely wouldn't be hurt if at some point we received a report to see how Rose, Bren, Otto, and Xavier were doing.  And at the risk of sounding fan-girlish, I'm Team Otto all the way.

Cover: 4
Characters: 5
Plot:4
Re-Readable: I think so, yes.
Overall: 4

ARC Review: The Vespertine

The Vespertine by Saudra Mitchell
Release Date: March 07, 2011
Published by: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 293, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: netgalley
|Book Website| |Author Twitter|
Overall: 5 stars- Flippin' Fabulous!

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

My Thoughts:


I think there is something so magical and romantic about YA historical stories when the characters speak and act accordingly to their time.  There's something about corsets, courting and the sinful thoughts of young women, and the objects of their affection that ropes me and makes me otherwise useless to the world.


Saundra Mitchell brought to us everything I look for in a historical setting and story.  She brilliantly painted a world that I could see as I played the part as the hidden guest as she unfolded a tale about a forbidden romance between two young equally mysterious individuals, Amelia van den Broek, a girl already facing misplacement in her chaotic world, and Nathaniel, an artist which is considered beneath her and an unsuitable beau.

There wasn't anything I didn't like about any of the characters I met on Amelia's journey.  The characters, their dialog and their stories all played accurate to the year 1889, and kept me hanging onto their every whim.

I loved how Amelia saw the world, she wasn't stuck on herself, nor did she think she was willing to succumb to the social standards in which she was expected adhere to.  She seemed pretty normal with worries and strengths, hopes and dreams.  Her instant friendship with Zora is believeable and they happen to balance out each other and the story, when one is haughty the other absorbs the energy around her and when one needs a pick-me-up the other is there to reassure and hold her.  More so, while Zora is willing to conform to societies rules for courting, Amelia finds herself unable to conform setting the tone for a story, pulling us both ways, excited and anxious all at once.  When out from under her brother's thumb she allows herself to grow into the young woman she strives to be and not hide the unexplainable talent she possesses. Unfortunately, it is that talent which can be the reason for the burden and guilt she bears.

Nathaniel and Thomas were much like Amelia and Zora in relations to their thoughts on social status and life.  Just as Amelia and Zora were the same, so were Nathaniel and Thomas.  Just as Amelia and Zora were opposites, so were the guys.  Both guys held an air of mysteriousness to them and their intentions, especially the rather smooth and secret Nathaniel.  Like Amelia, Nathaniel possesses a talent, one equally as unexplainable and one even more hidden from the world.

Saundra Mitchell roped me in within the first few pages.  I thought perhaps I had only read a few and was surprised when my nook told me it had been 24.  Her writing was stunning and addictive.  Then there was one line in the story that my throat began constricting and the tears threatened to spill over because of its weight and its truth.  One line was all it took.  Hook, Line, and Sinker.
"Am I with you there?"

When you read that line, you'll know what I mean.  One thing I did notice. once I really thought about it, was the plot didn't seem thick in this book but it didn't take away from my complete love for the story or how I never stopped wanting more.  There was a plot, and subplots, but the mysteries this book opened were subtle and instead of searching for answers I enjoyed the tale I was escorted on.


Just as Amelia is drawn to the enigmatic Nathaniel, I fell in love.  Saundra Mitchell weaved a hauntingly extraordinary and sinful tale of love and the unexplainable magic instilled in life, magic which adds to the fairytale every girl wants and magic which turns into your deepest nightmares.  With a wonderful conclusion, I couldn't have asked for me out of this story.  Once I started there was absolutely no letting go.

Cover: 5
Characters:5
Plot:4
Overall:5  

On the cover:  Like the one line that hooked me and tested my emotions and investment into this story, this scene on the cover was even more brilliantly painted in the book.  It couldn't be more fitting and I think it great representation on what you are getting when you read this book.

ARC Review: Demonglass

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Released: March 01, 2011
Published By: Hyperion Books CH
Pages: 386, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Traded (Thanks, Jacinda!)
|Book Website|
Overall: 5- Flippin' Fabulous! 

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. 
That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth. 
Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers. 
But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

My Thoughts:


I forget where I read it but I read that the second book in a series usually falls flat compared to the others.  I can pretty much say with absolute positivity that this isn't the case with Rachel Hawkin's second installment of the Hex Hall series, Demonglass.  Demonglass stood wonderfully on it's own, reminding us of where we left off with Hex Hall, and transitioning into an action packed and emotional second book.


I took this out of my Hex Hall Review because it stood true to Demonglass as well as Hex Hall.
"...Rachel Hawkins provided us with an array of colorful characters that should not have been easily blended, yet she achieved it... Rachel provided each mentioned character with a personality which let each character stand alone.  Never once did I confuse two characters and not see them standing in front of me whether they were defined by their looks or personality."  Even with new additions to our cast of characters, and the loss of some, I still believe that, like book, the characters all had their own worth and could stand alone.  They each had their leading roll in getting this book to its last page.

Sophie Mercer, our returning main character, was just as naive this go around but adoringly snarky and hilarious!  Her wit never ceases to amaze me. "Sophie, although a strong heroine type of her own sort she wasn't completely immune to the charms of a certain resident bad-boy making her even more real."  And still, it couldn't be more true, except this time not only is she still attracted to said bad-boy, Archer, she is stumbling over her feet around someone she never expected to be thrown into such an intense and possible volatile situation with, Cal, Hex Hall's yummy fix-it-mystery-boy.  This is definitely no where near your typical YA Love Triangle.

Cal's character really added another aspect to Sophie's story.  He added a gentle touch to where jagged edges would get in the way.  I knew to expect him in this story, just not in the capacity in which he actually was and I loved it.  I think Cal definitely earned himself a Team Cal shirt this go around, although I am still a bit worried with his choice of last words to Sophie that I may never get a chance to really wear said shirt.  This added storyline definitely was created to tug at your heart and try to split your allegiances you may have formed with any of the other characters.

Don't let my review trick you into believing this is only a story of Sophie and Cal.  Jenna, Sophie's pink-loving vampire B.F.F and Sophie's Father make their presences known and add to the twists and turns of the plot along with a new cast of characters that you can't help but keep your eyes trained on.  Sophie was forced to open her eyes again where Jenna was concerned, showing the realness of the story, the part we can all connect to despite this fantasy world they live in.  Sophie was also forced into a strained situation with her father where they both had to over come growing pains and truth was brought to the forefront in the form of scary truths and emotional hope.

Demonglass really kicked it up a notch with its ever-expanding storyline, fast paced action, and twisted love interests.  Rachel Hawkins has tightened the weave on what had once appeared to be a simple storyline.  With no chance to rest, I have been further brought into Sophie's world leaving me already asking for book number three of the tale. 
Cover:5
Characters:5
Plot:5
Overall:5

ARC Review: Wither

Wither by Lauren Destefano
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Published by: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 356, Hardcover
Young Adult
Source: Publisher, in exchange for an honest review
|Book Website| |Twitter|

What if you knew exactly when you would die? 
Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. 
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. 
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left

My Thoughts:


Set in the future, when our version of life is a haunting, repressed memory and hope, Wither, the first of The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano opens us up to more then just a world unlike our own.

In Wither, we are introduced to a small circle of characters who all have their leading role in the story.  As much as this story centers around Rhine, our main female character, it also centers around the epidemic that is the ultimate reason why young girls are forced into prostitution and marriages and why young women are dying at the young age of 20 and young men at 25. 


Rhine is only one of three current wives to Linden, a young man from a prominent family and plenty of money.  Jenna, the eldest and nearest the end, and Cecily, a eager-to-please thirteen year old are the two other chosen young women to live as Linden's wives.  Despite the situation, all three girls come to rely on each other in one way or another and bonds are formed.  The feeling of sisterhood shows when it counts most even if it means putting on a false smile to preserve what is left of the innocence of a young bride or admitting that there is no cure to save them.  Each girl's place in the threesome becomes defined and they act in those roles accordingly and willingly.

The loyalty and makeshift-family doesn't end with the sister wives.  It expands, even if only selectively and thinly, to the houseful of knowing, yet trapped (read: trapped within the virus and under the thumb of a very desperate House Master Vaughn, father to Linden,) kitchen staff, maids, and servants who help take care of the wives and house grounds.  Of course some are closer than others and an unlikely ally is found within Gabriel, the servant who Rhine wakes up to and looks forward to seeing daily.

Despite knowing eyes and knowing better, Rhine finds herself enamored with Gabriel and he with her.  The situation puts a new spin on the popular YA-love-triangle.  Neither are free to explore their friendship, their loyalty to each other is put to the test, and they both give each other what they are missing being victims to a virus and a household which slowly sucks the life out of your heart and hopes.  Hope flourishes between the two, even if it may result in their premature deaths.  Neither can let go when the ultimate question is presented.

The strength and vulnerability of Rhine is one of the facets that contribute to Wither being such a real read.  Our main character isn't perfect, even though she is strikingly beautiful and unique.  Her emotions and actions falter, providing us with another aspect to this story, human emotion and the downfalls of having them.  Even when she internally fights the actions and emotions of being married, and is a self-proclaimed bad wife, she still is special and adequate in her own way to the only person who can provide her with the minor salvation she needs to find her opening for escape.  What Rhine gives Linden eventually proves to be more then just the lingering memory of his dead love and the more apparent that becomes for Rhine the easier it is to settle into the life of being first wife.

Linden's actions and revelations later in the book prove many things about him, things that change the truths about everything that truly matters.  None of those truths though are enough to give Rhine the contentment she needs to let go of her plan of getting out before she is given no choice but to bear a child of Linden's and the stirring emotions she feels when she is around him further cloud her vision.  Beyond Gabriel's hope, the thought of her twin, alone and worried, drives Rhine to keep a clear mind to push forward not letting go of what she promised herself.


Dark themes revolving around death and sex make this a Young Adult read something for the more mature.  We aren't given quick glimpses but whole scenes as we travel down the halls, into the kitchen, through the basement and gardens.  The bedrooms aren't black holes but a place where intimacy and heavy conversations take place. 

Wither is brilliantly painted by Lauren DeStefano and easily sits in the top tier of my favorite books.  I also have to give kudos to Lauren for her ability to tie up the book without a maddening cliff-hanger yet keeping the readers yearning for more.  Book number two of The Chemical Garden trilogy couldn't come fast enough.

Cover: 5  
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Overall: 5
Re-Read Factor: 5


On The Cover:  I find the cover simply gorgeous.  Everything about it seems symbolic of something related to the book and just right.