Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

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Publication date: 2017
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 384
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 15+
Series: DC Icons

Diana, though princess of the Amazons, has tried to prove her place an Themyscira her entire life. When she rescues a human from a shipwreck, she has the choice to either let her die or to save her. Alia has been overprotected her entire life and just wanted to experience some freedom. What she doesn't realize is that, as a warbringer (a descendant of Helen of Troy), she creates a spirit of discord wherever she goes. It's up to Diana to try to break the warbringer line and bring peace to the world, even if it means sacrificing her place as an Amazon.

There is something I learned from reading this book, and that is that you can't try to fit these new superhero books into what you know about the character and their story line. If you'll remember, I had a problem with that before. It's important to keep this in mind because it doesn't follow the time line of the old TV series, or the new movie. Instead, Warbringer takes place in the present day, though Diana is still a teenager.

I felt like it was slow to get into, with the middle being interesting and intriguing, and the end again slowing down. The twist was unexpected, though I'm not sure how well I liked it, even if it did go against cliches and tropes.

I was also a little disappointed when my copy came and the cover had been printed incorrectly.

There wasn't any language that stood out to me, and very little mention of sex.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Never Ever by Sara Saedi

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 288
My rating:  3 stars
Ages: 14+
Series: Never Ever

On Wylie's seventeenth birthday, she and her brothers sneak out for one last night together and to escape their parents. When Wylie meets a mysterious stranger, she allows them to be swept away to an island where no one ages. But things aren't exactly as they seem and the island has a secret no one will tell.

This was one of those books that I came to the end of and was a little disappointed to discover it was the first of a series. However, I may actually read the second book--the sneak peak at the back seemed promising.

This is a reimagining of Peter Pan, but with darker undertones. These aren't just wild lost boys fighting crazy pirates--this is about children with lost childhoods, with fears that are invisible, and a secret on the island that forces the kids to behave a certain way. Unlike Neverland, this isn't a colorful place with mermaids and fairies.

There is mention of sex off the page and some mild language.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 384
My rating: 4.5 stars
Ages: 12+
Series: The Trials of Apollo

After angering Zeus, again, Apollo lands in New York as a completely mortal teenage boy. Immediately enslaved by Meg, a young demi-god, Apollo and Meg head to Camp Half-Blood for safety. Apollo hopes that he can just hang out until Zeus is ready to reinstate his godhood, but campers have started disappearing, all lines of communication have stopped working, and the Oracle is still missing.

I have come to the point where I will preorder Riordan's books because I know I'm going to like them. This first book in a new series did not disappoint. It is highly amusing, especially since it's told in first-person from Apollo's point of view. Apollo's ego is probably only exceeded by Narcissus's.

Though I usually suffer from "series fatigue" (not wanting to read a book that is the beginning of a series because then I feel obligated to read the rest of the series), I never feel that way with Riordan's books. This is probably because most of the books in a his series have an ending, for that story line at least. I also like how they are all connected in some way, with "Easter eggs" for those who have read his other books.

I think that this book would be best read after having read Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus, just because it gives a nice background to the events leading up to this. However, Oracle could be read without doing that.

I think this is a great way to introduce younger kids to mythology.

No language and no sex.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

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Publication date: 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 357
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 16+
Series: Firebird

When Marguerite's father is killed, Marguerite is determined to avenge his death, even if that means chasing his killer across dimensions. With her parents' invention, the Firebird, Marguerite and Theo jump into different versions of themselves, trying to find the killer. But there is something much bigger going on than just her father's murder, something that could change the world--and all its versions.

When I started reading this book, I thought it was a time travel book, so it was a little hard to get my mind around the dimensions (what would probably most commonly be called "parallel worlds"). However, it was kind of like a time travel book, in a way; each world had advanced at a different pace. I found myself wanting to see where Marguerite would go next.

However, though jumping through several dimensions, Marguerite as a character seemed pretty one dimensional. She seemed a little incapable of taking care of herself or understanding any danger. The settings made up for this, as did Paul and Theo. I was also concerned about the lack of moral responsibility that should have been a larger part of the story. Marguerite and Co. are jumping into other people's bodies and are using them for their own devices. There is a moral ambiguity about whether or not they are themselves, and it does cross their minds, but I just feel that it should have been larger. There are several parts where the bodies are being violated, in varying degrees and meanings of the word.

This book is the beginning of a series (which I didn't know until just now), but though there are a few dangling ends, it could be read as a stand alone.

There is a non graphic sex scene and some mild language.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Beastly Bones by William Ritter

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Algonquin
Pages: 295
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 13+
Series: Jackaby

Abigail Rook has now come to terms with the strange and paranormal--which is good since that's what Jackaby specializes in. Their newest case seems fairly open and shut until their client mysteriously ends up dead. The case sends them off to visit their old friend Charlie, but Abigail is much more interested in the discovery of some dinosaur bones than in the deaths that brought them there. However, the bones aren't simply dinosaur bones. And people continue dying.

Following the first Jackaby novel, Beastly Bones doesn't disappoint. Jackaby is still Holmesian, with the twist of "sight" and a knowledge in all things supernatural. With the house/office haunted by a ghost and shared with a man turned duck, Abigail is surprisingly calm and logical when it comes to their cases. There are new characters to meet and old ones to become reacquainted with.

Using true history mixed with fantasy to create a believable narrative, I'm sure that the Jackaby books will attract a wide range of readers—young and old.

While this, like the first, ends with the story complete, it does introduce a new storyline at the end.

There is no language or sexual situations.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

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Publication date: 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 452
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages:16+
Series: The Mara Dyer Trilogy

After recovering from the terrible accident that killed her friends, Mara and her family move to Florida to get away from it all. But the ghosts of those who died seem to have followed her. With strange things happening around her, Mara is starting to think that maybe she's as crazy as everyone thinks.

This was an interesting concept and I think I would have liked it more if it hadn't been part of a trilogy. I didn't feel like I gained any answers; instead it was just a long set up for the rest of the trilogy. I have no problems with series/trilogies, but the first book has to really grab me and make me want to stay with the characters. Mara just didn't do that for me.

But, as I said, the concept was interesting, the characters were fine, and the writing was good. It just wasn't a reach out and grab me kind of book.

Use of swear words, including the F-bomb.

*I receive no compensation from Amazon.

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier (trans. Anthea Bell)

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 319
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 14+
Series: The Silver Trilogy

Liv has lived all over the world, loves a mystery, and is looking forward to settling down in a little cottage in Oxford with her mom and sister. Things don't turn out the way Liv was expecting and she ends up living in London. Her dreams become vivid and more intense--and then she starts seeing the four hottest boys from her new school in her dreams. And that's only the beginning of the weirdness she encounters in the first few months of her new life.

I really liked Gier's first trilogy (the Ruby Red Trilogy) and I'm so glad that this book has now been translated into English. Gier creates unique and interesting stories that grab you and keep you reading. In Ruby it was time travel and this one it's the dream world. She creates good characters, not just main characters, but secondary and background characters too. And it's obvious that she has the same love of London that I do.

I also feel like there needs to be a shout out to Bell. Her translations are amazing. There are moments when I wonder how on earth she was so flawlessly able to translate something that obviously is a play on words or turns of phrase. That is a talent that I know I will never have (not being fluent in another language . . .) and I admire her work. There were a few times when I think that the language was a little too formal for the characters, but I'm not sure if that was an error in translation or was originally written that way by Gier.

I am so looking forward to the next installment to this trilogy and hope that I won't have to wait too log for it to make it to the states.

Some sexual innuendo and mild language.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

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Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 476
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages: 14+
Series: The Infernal Devices

Tessa arrives in London expecting to be met by her brother. Instead, she is taken prisoner by two old women who show her a talent she didn't know she had. This begins her journey into learning about Downworld, Shadowhunters, and demons. Tessa needs to decide who to trust, learn who she is, and chose who to love.

When I first started reading this, I spent the first 20 pages worried about whether I would understand it or not since I haven't read Clare's Mortal Instruments series. I finally decided to let go of that worry and see what happens. If I did miss something, I didn't realize it. I was more drawn to this book than to the Mortal Instruments because I'm an anglophile, and I love the Victorian Era.

The writing was good and the magic system and cultures interesting. Tessa was a somewhat stereotypical paranormal heroine, but not annoying. The biggest critique I have is that for the first 125 pages, the story was told from one third-person point of view--that of Tessa (excepting the prologue, but then, prologues have their own kind of rules), and then all of a sudden I was going between several character's third-person point of views. It really threw me off, and the switch between point of views could be close together or far apart that it almost made me think that Clare had chosen the wrong main character. Perhaps this is just me, but I feel that the first bit of the book gives certain promises to the reader, in this case, that Tessa was the person I would be following. But, when Tessa wasn't in an important scene (as she wasn't for the confrontational scenes, until the end), Clare chose another person to follow. I think I would have rather that the main character had been Will.

As for the title, Clockwork Angel. This relates to a piece of jewelry Tessa wears, and I believed would play a much larger part in the book. Hold some secret to who she is, or who her parents were. And maybe it does, if you continue the series, but I don't think I'm going to do that.

I did like that the book finished. It's obvious that it's the beginning of a series, as there were things left unaddressed, but the main storyline of the novel ended with this one. This is something that I will always appreciate--I'm not fond of books that end practically in the middle of a sentence, in an attempt to manipulate readers to continue with the series.

There was very little language, no sexual situations. I would recommend this series to teens who have like other paranormal series, or that have previously read Clare's works. Like I said, it had good writing and good descriptions.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon. 

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

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Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 302
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 15+

At 28, Jane Ellsworth is starting to come to terms with her spinsterhood. Her younger, and prettier, sister has charmed the man Jane loves, and though Jane is more skilled in glamour and arts, it's not enough to recommend her. That is, until Mr. Dunkirk starts paying her special attention, and the arrival of glamourist Mr Vincent sparks her interest.

In Kowal's debut novel the reader is introduced to an England with magic, the ability to manipulate how things look, sound, and smell. Other than that, this is a great example of Regency romance. The dresses, the handsome men, the social mores, balls, accomplished woman, scandals, it's all there. And gratefully, with none of the gratuitous sex that pervades so many historical romances.

This is the first in the Glamourist Histories, of which at the moment there are four. However, one of the best things about Shades is that it is a standalone novel, even with the following books. I've already requested the next one from the library and look forward to reading more about Jane, but those of you who only want to read one--you can! You won't be left hanging.

I'd definitely recommend this book to a fan of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, or the book Sorcery and Cecily; or the Enchanted Coffee Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. I'd even recommend it to those who like period movies, but have not yet ventured into reading the books. It's a great introduction to the time period, and the bit of magic makes it appealing to fantasy fans.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

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Publication date: 2013
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 370
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 14+

In an alternate version of America, Joel wants to be one thing--a Rithmatist. Unfortunately, only those chosen by The Master can be rithmatists, so Joel becomes a rithmatic scholar. When rithmatic students start disappearing, Joel uses his knowledge to help uncover the mysterious "Scribbler."

There are so many factors that go into how well you connect to a book, and unfortunately, the factors were not in my favor while reading The Rithmatist. Sanderson is an amazing writer and creator of worlds, and it was very apparent that this book was well written, the magic system thought out, and the mystery interesting and unpredictable. And the thing is, I really want to like Sanderson's books. I think he's a good writer, but his books just aren't my cup of tea.

Because of personal things that were happening in my life, I don't know if this book really got a fair chance. At the beginning I was only able to read a chapter at a time, which doesn't help one get into the story. By the end I was invested more because I sat down and finished it all in one go. I think that readers who are more used to reading a sort of epic fantasy will enjoy The Rithmatist from the start, especially those who are more familiar with Sanderson's writing. It's not long, and I think it's of a "lighter" nature than other Sanderson books that I have read (or tried to read).

This is the beginning of a series.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

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Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Harper
Pages: 307
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 18+

When Angela finds out her fiancé has been cheating on her, she makes a brash decision to leave England and go to New York. With one small travel bag, a pair of Louboutins, and a bridesmaid dress, she arrives in New York with nowhere to go and no one she knows. She soon meets Jenny who uses her Oprah-like advice to give Angela a new look, and a new life.

This book reminded me a lot of the Shopaholic series by Sophia Kinsella. A girl loves shoes, meets an attractive guy or two, there's a problem, she finds herself. There isn't anything bad with this formula, and I find Angela a little less annoying than Becky. This is a fun lite lit for when you need a break from heavier stuff.

That being said, there was some stuff that annoyed me. The language, for one. Hard language is pretty typical in British novels, but it's just not something I like. There is also the fact that within two weeks of Angela breaking up with her fiancé and moving to New York she sleeps with not one, but two men. The last thing that bothered me was the editing. At first I could see that the proofreading didn't seem to have been very thorough--strange extra spaces, the wrong word here and there. And then I started noticing inconsistencies that should have been picked up by an editor; the biggest one being that the chronology would get off. Angela would say she had a meeting the next morning, but she wouldn't actually go to it until two days after she said it; she lived one Monday twice, etc.

If the language and sex doesn't bother you and you can turn your brain off to the editing, this is a fun start to a light read series.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

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Publication date: 2014
Publisher: Vintage Books
Pages: 324
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 18+

In a continuation of the hit TV series and movie comes the beginning of a new book series. Picking up where the movie ended, Veronica is taking on Neptune's corrupt sheriff's department as she tries to find two missing spring break co-eds. With her dad recovering from his injuries, and no money coming in, Veronica must deal with the surprises thrown at her as she goes against Sheriff Lamb, a drug cartel, and her own insecurities.

I'm a big fan of "Veronica Mars" and was pretty excited about this book, hoping to be able to give in to my Mars need with a new story. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed--perhaps my expectations were too high?

Call me a cynic, but whenever I see two names on the cover of a novel, and one of those names is a well known one and quite a bit bigger than the other name, I tend to think that it was really the second person who did most of the work, as an acknowledged sort of ghost writer. While Thomas created the characters, and probably had a supervisory role on the storyline, I just didn't feel that the writing was up to the standards set forth in the series and movie. The one liners weren't as good and it was missing the "noir" feel that really made Veronica Mars unique. Instead, it could have been any mystery novel. There was also a lot of language that I wasn't used to, having the show come from network TV and a PG-13 movie.

I did feel that the plot, mystery, and resolution lived up to what I had come to expect. It kept you guessing, and gave some gasp-worthy twists. For the casual Mars fan, these books would be great. And, you know, despite everything I've said, I may read the other ones. But I don't think I'll buy them.

*I am not compensated by Amazon.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

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Publication date: 2014
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 550
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 14+
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, book 3

In this continuing story, Cinder, Scarlet, and the rest go to rescue Cress--a lunar "shell" being kept on a satellite orbiting earth. In the process of the rescue, the group is split up and must find each other again while coming up with a plan on how to stop the wedding between Emperor Kaito and Queen Levana.

There are few series that I'll read all of, and even fewer that I look forward to the next installment every year. The Lunar Chronicles is one of those. Each book is fresh, without feeling as if the story is being dragged on past its expiration point. I think this is because of the introduction of new characters and a new subplot in each book.

The Lunar Chronicles will be loved by sci-fi fans, as well as fans of fantasy, fairytales, and dystopia. Each new section has a sentence or two from the classic fairytale that book is focusing on, but Meyer presents the familiar stories in a unique and unexpected way--leaving you guessing what's going to happen next, and excited when you recognize a part of the fairytale we all know. The books may be long, but the pace is good, and for teens (even younger teens with a higher reading level) who have read Harry Potter, it will be easy for them to make it through. Book 4, Winter, will come out probably next January.

*I am not compensated by Amazon.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

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Publication date: 2014
Publisher: Full Fathom Five
Pages: 452
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 16+

Amy Gumm has been picked on for years--ever since her dad left, and her mom got addicted. So when she's taken from Kansas to Oz, she's ready for a change to good. Unfortunately, Oz is not the Oz in the stories. Dorothy has returned and the power has gone to her head. In order to save Oz and its people, Amy must kill Dorothy.

I was really intrigued by this book when I saw it at the bookstore; an intrigue which slowly lessened into interest as I started reading it. It was hard for me to overcome Judy Garland's Dorothy and believe that Dorothy had become a power hungry despot who showed way too much skin. This book is full of gray areas and very little black and white, good and evil. Just as Amy doesn't know who to trust, neither do the readers.

My biggest disappointment came as I was nearing the end. I had about 50 pages to go and started wondering how the story could be completed in that amount of time. Simple answer: it couldn't. This was the beginning of a series. There was absolutely no way this could even try to act as a stand alone novel, but there was no clue anywhere that I could see (and I started looking at the back of the book, and on the flaps) that there would be more books. Instead of feeling that I completed a story in 450 pages, I ended the book feeling like it had all been set up to the real story that was to come.

There was some hard swears, but no sexual situations.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

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Publication date: 2013
Publisher: Blink
Pages: 395
My rating: 2 stars
Ages: 14-16

After McKenna's aunt leaves her Scottish cabin to McKenna in her will, McKenna and her best friend Veronica decide to spend the summer after high school graduation there. Veronica needs to get away from her mom and her ex-boyfriend--and the visions of a strange boy in a kilt she has been having. When two rings lead the friends across a bridge into the mythical land of Doon, they must prove that they aren't witches, while being pulled to Doon's princes.

While I felt that the story held a lot of promise--digging deeper into the story of Brigadoon, the town that only appears once every 100 years--I was sadly disappointed by this book. It took me a long time to read because I wasn't drawn to it and the only reason I finished it was because I knew that to give a fair review I would have to. While the story is told both from Kenna's and Vee's point of views, there didn't seem to be any pattern of which chapter was told by whose point of view. The viewpoint only seemed to change to Kenna's point of view when the authors thought that we needed to know something and Vee wasn't there.

As for the writing: It was predictable and cliched. The romances were unbelievable, and every romantic scene kind of made me roll my eyes. The backstory of Doon was convoluted and hard to follow. And then I discovered that it was the beginning of a series, which is always disappointing to discover when you aren't expecting it. I did give it two stars instead of one because the writing is technically good--the story just wasn't delivered well--and because I think that middle school girls would like it (handsome princes, falling in love, the girl saving the guy, soulmates, etc.), but for a more mature reader, this is a pass.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Rock and a Hard Place by Angie Stanton

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Publication date: 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 290
My rating:  2 stars
Ages: 14-16

 In the first of the Jamieson Brothers novels, we are introduced to Jamieson front man, Peter--he of the swoon worthy voice and magical lyrics. While on tour, Peter meets Libby, a beautiful but tragic girl with a penchant for art. Both Peter and Libby feel a strong connection, but can they possibly clear all the hurdles that stand in the way of them being together?

Since I'm all about being honest here, here is what I thought while reading this book: "It's like a teenage fantasy written down." I'm sure I'm not the only one as a teenager that had a celebrity crush and fantasized about meeting him and him falling in love with me . . . (oh, I was?) Anyway, it's a little bit like Jonas Brothers fanfic, except the names of the brothers are changed.

That being said; it was a quick read, a little bit of fluff in what I've been reading lately. I really think that younger teens would enjoy this book, but the writing doesn't shine as anything special, and the story is contrived.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

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Publication date: 2014
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Pages: 355
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 14+

In the last book of the Everneath trilogy, Nikki and Jack need to try to find a way to keep Nikki from becoming an Everliving after Cole tricked her from feeding off him in the Everneath. Cole has Nikki's heart, which means he has control over her. With a Bounty Hunter after them, and only a few days before Nikki dies or returns to the Everneath, Nikki and Jack will have to trust Cole to help them.

A lot of what I liked about the first two books are still there, mostly the things that make this different from most paranormal novels. This includes that the love interest is the "nice, normal boy" instead of the 100-year-old immortal with an obsession. One other thing that makes it different is that there is no clear cut "villian"--it's more gray than black and white, which makes every character more believable and the story more interesting to read.

I like Ashton's style and her story telling abilities. That being said, I personally liked the first book much better than any of the rest of the trilogy. It took me some time to feel interested in Evertrue, though I did become more interested in Nikki and Jack's plight as the story went on. Mostly, though, I felt that their story was stretched to the limit by being turned into the trilogy. Though the ending of Everneath was bittersweet, I felt that it was good enough to stand on its own. The entire trilogy is worth reading if you are willing to make the commitment, but otherwise, skip the last two books and read the first one as a stand alone.

*I do not receive any compensation from Amazon.