Nocturne (Claire de Lune, #2) by Christine Johnson, Book Review

Some secrets are too dangerous...

After the tragic events of the summer, Claire is looking forward to a new school year. All she wants to worry about is finding the most gorgeous dress to wear to the Autumn Ball with her perfect boyfriend.

But as Claire knows all too well, the life of a werewolf is never that simple, or that sweet.

When Claire’s human and wolf lives start to collide, her worst nightmares come true. She is hurting her best friend. She has been caught lying. And then the unthinkable happens: Someone discovers Claire’s secret.

If Claire’s werewolf identity is exposed, everyone she knows will be put at risk. And the pack’s response comes at a cost higher than Claire can imagine. Claire will be forced to determine just how far she is willing to go to protect her family, her identity, and her life, before she loses it all.Rating: 4/5

[ARC Review]

I received an ARC (advance reviewer copy) of Nocturne, book two (2) in the Claire de Lune series by Christine Johnson from Simon Pulse, and I thank them very much for donating a copy for me to read and review for my blog.

Let me start off this review by praising Claire de Lune, the prequel. Claire de Lune was probably one of the best werewolf books I'd ever read and even before it had hit shelves, I had known that I was going to love it. Claire de Lune tells the story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Claire Benoit who lives in a very small, sleepy town in Washington State named Hanover Falls who finds out around the time of her sixteenth year that she is a werewolf, like every female in her family.

Claire is pretty much thrown into the pack blind-sighted and is pretty much thrown into a whirlwind of lycanthropy without any sort of werewolf/shape-shifter knowledge. Now, on to Nocturne:

Nocturne takes place shortly after where Claire de Lune left off. After enduring one of the most adventurous, complicated summers of her life, Claire returns to school hoping to lead a normal life with her gorgeous boyfriend, Matthew, and her eccentric and flighty best friend, Emily. However, returning to her human side after training in her wolf skin for so long has some side effects on Claire. She no longer has a desire to do the mundane things she had once taken part in. Before reaching the climax of her werewolf transformation, Claire went to the mall, had sleepovers, and did every thing that a normal teenage girl does--but Claire is anything but normal. Now, she spends the majority of her time learning and training to become the best werewolf she can be. A new release for her pent-up tension arrives in the form of running--running is the only thing that keeps Claire calm and relaxed--and from ripping a poor, innocent human's throat out.

As Matthew and Emily compete for Claire's affections, she seems to be pushing them further and further away until she's afraid that if she doesn't do something quick, she may loose them both because of her lycan genes.

Claire is human by day: she shops with Emily, hangs out with Matthew, goes to class, and fights with her mother--things that every teenage girl does. But by night, she's all wolf, practicing ancient spells and rituals and leading intense, action-packed hunts through the night and into early morning.

It seems as if Claire's life--her human life--is quickly deteriorating while her wolf side is thriving and basking in the success that she brings to the pack. Marie, Claire's Alpha and mother, has completely withdrawn herself from the human world, immersing herself with work. You can tell that Marie is very rigid and cold while she is human, but she is strong and dedicated to the pack.

I thought that the plot was great. Not once did I feel like I was being forced to read on, as if a chain was linked around my neck and it wouldn't release until I had read the final word. I felt very connected to Claire, because she is what I like to call a "normal teenager." In most books, the authors attempt to make their teenage characters seem very literate and intelligent and almost too un-flawed. In Claire de Lune and Nocturne, you see the "real teenager" in Claire that goes shopping, fights with her mother, is very insecure and shy, has a normal boyfriend and has an occasional fight with him. As much as I enjoy the more serious and deep characters, it is nice to read from the perspective of such a free character such as Claire.

I thought that the setting of Hanover Falls, Washington was great! I love rainy, dark, dreary, small, and sleepy towns--and all of those acronyms could be used to describe Hanover Falls. Plus, how cool is that name? Washington seems to be a very attractive place for book settings, especially since Twilight was released in 2005. Despite the regional similarities, Hanover Falls is completely different--it's way more advanced and developed than Forks, the main setting in Twilight.

I thought that the characters were very fun, free, and easy-going. The one thing that bothered me was that there wasn't really any depth to the characters as a whole. There were a few select characters that were completely their own such as Marie--cold and strong, and Beatrice--loving and maternal, and Judith--angry and cynical. As much as I wanted more depth to Claire and Matthew, I felt like they were just very generic in a sense. I felt like the characters were very real and life-like, but there was no depth and character development--or, as much as I hoped there would be, anyway.

I felt like the writing style was pretty fast-paced and at a few points, it slowed down, but only when it was necessary to do so. I love paranormal/supernatural romance with a very strong, independent heroine who, while falling in love, attempts to find herself in the process. I felt like Claire was a tad selfish towards the very end of the book--but I guess she had a pretty good reason to be. I mean, she was giving up every normal, human thing in her life so she could give herself to the night, the moon, the Goddess, and her mother. I wished there would've been a more epic romance, but I felt like the whole ARC of the book was self-discovery and finding yourself rather than falling and being in love and maintaining a romantic relationship. I even felt like the platonic relationship between Claire and Emily took residence over the relationship Claire had with her boyfriend, Matthew, you couldn’t help but think: does she really love him? Side note: I was a tad annoyed by how much Claire and Matthew said, "I love you." to each other. I can understand if their relationship was more life-and-death rather than their oddly mundane relationship. I also felt like they fell in love too quickly--I like a book where the two lovers instantly connect and the seed of love is planted in their hearts, and as the story progresses, the flower gradually grows and grows and begins to bloom until the flower has unveiled it's full glory and blooms into something beautiful and amazing--much like my ideal version of love and romance within a story.

I do not like the cover of this book--to me, in my personal and honest opinion, the cover is kind of dull and plain looking. The cover of Claire de Lune was absolutely gorgeous. The cover featured Claire on the cover with her head hung very slightly and the forest, full of pine trees, set as the backdrop with a full, pale, circular moon hanging in the balance, casting a ghostly glow upon Claire's pale skin and dark hair. And all over the cover are blue and black swirls, kind of like when a wolf changes, they swirl into their new form in an instant and I felt like the cover really depicted that well.

The paperback version of Claire de Lune is a plain white cover with two branches on the cover and the hardcover version of Nocturne is a black, glossy cover with two white, skeletal branches flicking out onto the cover like a serpent tongue with the sliver of a crescent moon in the top right hand corner. In blood red ink, "NOCTURNE" is written dead center on the cover.

All in all, this book was a very fun and easy read, and if you have just finished a very deep, heavy book and looking for something to read that's very fast and quick, pick up Claire de Lune and Nocturne by Christine Johnson.

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones, Book Review

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to go into the light. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

Rating: 4/5

Let me start off this review by thanking St. Martin's Press for donating a review copy of First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones in exchange for a 100% honest review. I rated this book four (4) out of five (5) stars.

What instantly caught my eye about this book was the cover, which can be seen at the very beginning of this review. The cover depicts the main protagonist, Charlotte "Charley" Davidson holding a Gothic scythe. This cover depicts the story and the personality of the heroine perfectly.

I found the characters, especially the heroine. Charley Davidson is a part-time P.I. (private investigator) and full-time shrink to dead people. Ever since birth, Charley has seen "Big Bad" she she calls him--and he has always seemed to protect her, as if he's somehow her guardian angel watching over her, but this book is anything but angelic.

First Grave on the Right is the beginning of a strong, independent woman who channels her femininity while kicking some series butt. Charley is a fictional character who feels like flesh and bone to me; she is someone real--someone you'd very much like to be friends with.

First Grave on the Right reminded me of a mash-up of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Mystery Woman, and Medium. The details and forensics that all went into this book required research and observation, that much was obvious. I enjoyed the psychological thriller/curious female sleuth/ and supernatural/paranormal romance that blended together to create a great book.

I do recommend this book to fans of crime dramas or books about characters who touch the "other side" and communicate with vacant spirits. I found that First Grave on the Right is targeted primarily towards adults. Me, being a young adult, felt like the story as a whole would've appealed to me more if Charley was a teenager and dealing with teenage problems, rather than being an adult and facing more mature, adult themes and topics. I didn't feel that the material is out of a young adults maturity, but the overall effect did seem very adult-oriented.

I thought that Darynda's writing style was very free-flowing and funny. I found myself laughing at many exchanges of dialogue between the characters, especially the dialogue coming from Charley. Charley is my kind of heroine--strong, independent, cynical, intelligent, and very feminine but doesn't let her female side override the power that makes her so free.

If you enjoy mystery, thrillers, romance, and anything dealing with paranormal, I suggest you'd give this book a try--whether you check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, or buy it from your local bookstore.

I also received an ARC of the sequel to First Grave on the Right: Second Grave on the Left and hope to read that very soon. Again, thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Griffin for their kindness and generosity.

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater Book Review

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

Rating: 5/5


[ARC Review]



In the third and final installment in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, you immediately start off with an action packed prologue, prompting you to read on.

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Forever from Scholastic Press, and I thank them for that. Maggie Stiefvater is truly one of a kind and one of my favorite authors and inspirations for writing. Maggie and I are kindred spirits, and I found her trademark brand of humor to be very witty and recognizable.

The first time that I read Shiver, I fell in love. I couldn't help but absolutely fall head over heels for Sam and Grace. In Linger, I was bummed out by the fact that Grace wasn't involved in the book as much as I'd hoped she would be, because Grace is an amazing heroine because she is strong, smart, kind, caring, generous, studious, and independent. When Forever came in the mail, I literally dropped everything and tore into the packaging once I saw the Scholastic insignia printed on the front of the package. When Forever slipped out into my hands, my heart race quickened and my fingertips trembled in anticipation to read it.

I quickly finished the current book that I was reading at the time, Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate and tore into Forever. Going into Forever, I knew the end would be hard but I honestly didn't know it would hit me so hard and with so much force that I would literally be left reeling afterwards, much like I was after finishing Shiver and Linger, the first two books in the epic trilogy.

I was ruthless in reading Forever; it was just that good. I wanted to finish, because I wanted to know the outcome of the story, but I had to literally pull myself away to save some of the story for later, because I knew I would suffer from wolf withdrawal. However, I was weak and ended up reading it in 1 1/2-2 days. Now, onto my opinion....

I decided to rate Forever with five out of five stars because I found Forever challenging Shiver in epic greatness. The writing, plot development, visual effects, and characters all added up to the perfect equation for a book. The setting of the story is Mercy Falls, Minnesota. Mercy Falls is a fictional town, but is based on a very real small town in Minnesota called Ely. One of the many things I love about Maggie Stiefvater is her descriptive phrases and how she describes her settings and where she creates lives and loves for her characters. Mercy Falls is definitely one of my favorite settings (real or fake.)

Every time Maggie Stiefvater sits down at a computer and touches the keyboard, imagine a brilliant light followed by the Hallelujah chorus...and you have Forever.

I never say anything is perfect, but Forever really was perfect. I found relationships, both romantic and platonic, being tested at every single corner and I felt comfort while reading this book because the dialogue and vivid descriptions were so enjoyable.

If I were trapped on a deserted island and only allowed to have one book for the rest of my life, it would probably be Forever.

If you have watched any of Maggie Stiefvater's interviews or been to one of her book signings, she explains that the inspiration behind The Wolves of Mercy Falls series came after she read The Time Traveler's Wife for the second time and bawled like a baby. From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to write a love story that will make you cry, particularly while wearing mascara or while in your place of business. Well, Maggie, you succeeded! After I finished Forever, I cried. Tear drops fell from my eyes and rolled down my cheeks like raindrops from the heavens. I know, it may sound lame, right? Well, it's true and I'm not ashamed, as a teenage male, to admit that I cried. For an author to make me feel so much emotion, so much...passion, they have to be pretty darn good.

Towards the end of the novel was when I literally could not stop reading. I felt so much power and energy flowing off the page that my adrenaline was pumping and when something HUGE happened (no, I'm not going to tell you. You're going to have to buy and read the book to find out!) I jumped up and screamed, "NO!" and cried for the first time over a book (except at the end of Breaking Dawn...but those were happily ever after tears. The tears that Maggie had extracted from me in Forever were full of sorrow and shredded heart. To put it simply, Maggie ripped out my heart and poured salt on the open wound.

Anyway, I do not want to drone on and on about Forever because I want every single action to come as a complete and utter surprise to you as they were to me. OH, and when I read the author's note...ugh, tragic, TRAGIC I tell you!

*Reminder: Forever comes out on July 12, 2011 where ever books are sold. If you want more information on Maggie or the wolves, head over to her website: http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/. If you pre-order a copy of Forever from Maggie's local indie bookstore, Fountain Bookstore, you will receive a signed/doodled copy. Check out their website here: http://www.fountainbookstore.com/.

Before I end this post and officially say good-bye to the wolves of Mercy Falls, I would like to announce to y'all that on July 31st, I will be going to Maggie Stiefvater's book signing in Nashville and cannot wait. Also, on August 8th, I will be attending a book signing in Nashville including the following authors: Beth Revis, Myra McEntire, Victoria Schwab, Rachel Hawkins, Julie Kagawa AND MORE! If you would like more information, check out the following blog: http://www.ash2nash.blogspot.com/. Finally, authors are touring the rural south! SOUTHERN PEOPLE READ TOO!

Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate, Book Review

Hell on earth. That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel. It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students -Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous. What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else? The second novel in the addictive Fallen series . . . where love never dies.


Rating: 4.5/5

In the second installment in Lauren Kate's New York Times bestselling book series about angels and demons, the book opens with the protagonist, Lucinda "Luce" Price traveling across the country from the muggy pastoral setting of Savannah, Georgia to the rural dimension of a heavily-wooded area in San Francisco, California.

In Fallen, Luce and Daniel fought to be together and now, in Torment, they fight tooth and nail to stay together. I quite enjoyed the difference in scenery. Shoreline and its students created a magical atmosphere that I found quite enjoyable.

At first, I was disappointed in the fact that characters from Fallen weren't going to be featured in Torment, but I found it delightful that some of my favorite characters made a cameo or two. Characters that you loved from Fallen, such as Arriane and Gabbe, and Roland, as well as some characters that you may have not found as pleasurable: Molly.

As usual, I felt the intense emotions that Lauren Kate is able to create through visual effects. I felt the contemplation that Luce felt while battling feelings for more than one man. I felt sorry for Daniel, one of my favorite literary characters, and desperately wanted to console him in his time of need. I often have the desire to root for the underdogs in books and take them under my wing. Daniel was portrayed as a golden god in Fallen, and I was glad to see a different side to him in Torment. I felt the pain and suffering that he felt, as well as the light radiating from within himself when he finally reunited with Luce.

I missed Daniel in Torment, but when he finally returned to Luce and they had a wonderful, magical reuniting, it literally tugs at your heart strings and makes you want to cry happy tears and hug them.

I was on my seat the entire time, biting my nails, constantly wondering what would happen next. Torment was a fantastic installment in Lauren Kate's Fallen series and I cannot wait to see how Luce and Daniel's love grows further in later installments.

The third book, Passion, is out already and my SIGNED copy is in the mail as we speak. I hope it will come in the mail tomorrow, on Monday. *Fingers crossed*

Right now, I am reading an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater and will finish that up very soon and review it ASAP for you guys. Thanks for following my blog and make sure to share with other book lovers!

Up next: Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater [ARC review]

xoxo,
Casey :)

Fallen (Fallen, #1) by Lauren Kate, Book Review

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Rating: 4.5/5

Let me start off by saying how amazing this book really is. Lauren Kate is author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, but her writing career didn't take off until Fallen was published. Fallen is the first book in a series about forbidden love, an ancient curse, and a wondrous pair of star-crossed lovers. Fallen is a great debut in a series and I decided to rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars (wings, in this case) for the plot line, characters, setting, and writing ability. Kate offers a very refreshing take on what true love actually means.

I really enjoyed this book because I am fascinated with fallen angels and curses and defeating the odds to conquer true love...and this book is all of that summed up into one big phenomenon. I enjoy books that have a lot of action and adventure in them, and even though Fallen is first and foremost a love story, it is still very gripping and entertaining.

I hate how in some books the two main lovers fall in love far too quickly and would happily take a bullet for their significant other on only the second day of knowing them. In Fallen, the main character instantly feels drawn and connected to her lover, but she isn't in love with him. Now, I'll introduce the characters:

Lucinda "Luce" Price is a seventeen-year-old girl who is sent to Sword & Cross, a reform school in a pastoral Georgia setting. Luce is a studious, intelligent girl who was at the wrong place in the wrong time...landing her numerous court trials and countless visits to a psychiatrist who tells her that she's crazy and dopes her up on anti psychotics...until she is ordered to Sword & Cross, an eerie ex-Civil War academy with a large cemetery and restless spirits.

Luce immediately feels connected Daniel Grigori, the 'bad boy' of Sword & Cross. He seems to hate her from the start and tries to distance herself from him, but they can't help but somehow end up bumping into each other...is it fate, or just a strange coincidence? Daniel is a leather and chains kind of guy with the most piercing, intense violet-gray eyes and melodious voice, like honey dripping slowly from a spoon. Daniel is definitely one of my favorite male heroes because of his personality, charm, and wit.

While Luce is on the borderline of stalking Daniel, dying to figure him out, she goes from the stalker to the stalkee when a charming rich boy named Cam Briel befriends Luce. He showers her with unconditional love and affection and gives her plentiful gifts, including a golden serpent pendant, which holds countless meanings tying into the story.

And then there is the 'supporting cast' you could say: Pennyweather Van-Syckle "Penn" Lockwood, an allergic mess with a great sense of humor; Arriane, a tough girl with an urge to be exactly like Luce; Roland, Cam's right-hand man and sneaky messenger, able to get his hands on the special goods that aren't allowed on campus; and, last but not least, Molly. Ugh, Molly is your typical reform school mean girl with numerous piercings and tattoos. She reminds me of leather and glitter, like glam rock...except nothing about Molly seems glamorous: she is a tough chick who doesn't play nice and seems to have a vendetta against Luce on the first day of her arrival.

I think that the setting of this story was a very good choice. Savannah, Georgia is a beautiful place with a calming sort of eerie hush tinged by the haunted spirits of the Civil War, the town marked with history and urban legends. How did I know that, you ask? Well, it's not because I've actually visited Savannah--it's because Kate's descriptive writing style and tone really brought the seemingly undead town to life.

All in all, this book is a winner and deserves to be read by you...yes, you, so go pick this book up today, as well as the sequels, book two (2) and book three (3): Torment and Passion.

Sassy Book Lovers Blog Hop

I am a very big fan of YA (young adult) fiction, especially paranormal/supernatural romance and urban fantasy. While I think it's important to honor the classics and the traditions we have adapted to, I think it's very possible to read a modern novel and learn of the same kinds of morals and ethics and themes reprised over and over again in many classical novels. I will now share with you some of my favorite quotes:

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb."

-Stephenie Meyer, Twilight

"How strongly are you opposed to grand theft auto?"

-Stephenie Meyer, New Moon

"Say 'provoking' again. Your mouth looks provocative when you do it."

-Becca Fitzpatrick, Hush, Hush

"All this time, I've hated myself for it. I thought I'd given up for nothing. But if I hadn't fallen, I wouldn't have met you."

-Becca Fitzpatrick, Hush, Hush

"What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?"

-Lauren Kate, Fallen

"Fight for the only thing she knew was good enough, noble enough, powerful enough to be worth risking everything...love."

-Lauren Kate, Fallen

"Juliet had it easy; she never had to kill Romeo."

-Richelle Mead, Last Sacrifice

I have a lot more favorite quotes, but those were just a few. Don't forget to hop over to Brea Essex's blog for the next clue: http://www.breaessex.blogspot.com/. Be sure to comment on each of the participating blogs. On the last day, some great prizes will be given away! Have fun and good luck!

xoxo,

Casey :)

If I Stay (If I Stay, #1) by Gayle Forman

Rating: 5/5
In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heart achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman is a great read, even though it's not my particularly favorite genre of book. I prefer paranormal and supernatural romance, preferably involving vampires, werewolves, witches, et cetera, et cetera. If I Stay is about a seventeen-year-old girl named Mia who, one morning, is riding along a wet, rainy, slick, snowy, icy (LOL) Oregon road with her family when they are hit, head-on, by an eighteen wheeler. Everyone in Mia's family dies, except for her. She is in coma and can hear and see everything like she is awake, but it's merely her spirit, having an out-of-body experience. Mia has flashbacks of her home-life, her relationship with her loving boyfriend, Adam, etc.
Mia is faced with a choice: return to earth to live out the rest of her life with Adam or go to Heaven where her mother, father, and little brother are waiting for her. I read this book in about an hour, because it was such a fast, easy read. I enjoyed the pace of the book and found myself slightly teary eyed at the end. It is a coming-of-age story about love, loss, pain, and choice. I highly recommend it to everyone, because it literally relates to every single genre. Yes, even non-fiction. Why/how non-fiction, you ask? Well, it's simple, and here's why: scientists, both supernatural and theoretical, and medical doctors have concluded that during coma, 99.9% (I made up that percentage to show how much a person can respond to actual events happening around them...well, that percentage might be true. Oh, well, who really knows? I'm babbling...I'll continue with my review now...) Okay, so, seriously guys pick up this book it's very good. I love the characters, the emotion, the pure blood and spirit of the book. I'm just speechless. Literally, go buy a copy today. OH, and buy the sequel: Where She Went (If I Stay, #2) by Gayle Forman.

*I'm currently reading Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves. When I am finished with it, I will get a review up for you guys. xD

xoxo,
Casey :)