Review: Bonds of Fenris by S.J. Bell

Talia Thornwood's life ended one year ago, when she became a werewolf. She survived the attack, and the horrifying transformation a month later, but the life she has now is barely worth living. She lurks about in a filthy, run-down house, with too many werewolves crammed into too small a space. Every day is a struggle against the stress of human contact, the romantic prodding of her obnoxious packmate Pierce, and the gnawing hunger for flesh in her soul. 

She's all but resigned herself to a dreary existence on the margins of society when she meets Corwin. Corwin is a werewolf like none other. He walks among humans as if it was nothing, and can keep his wolf under control even when the moon is full. Talia's mind is suddenly opened to the possibilities before her, and the realization of how little she really knows about lycanthropy.

Corwin claims that he can teach her how to cope as he does, even how to transcend her affliction. But it will not be easy. It is a hard education that requires her to question everything her pack taught her, and confront exactly what she has become. And, more amazingly, what she never stopped being.

I'll come out and say I'm not the biggest werewolf fan, but I was a fan of this book. When I first started this book, I expected some sort of action filled story since that's what I've come to expect from these types of books. However, this story was totally different! S.J. Bell not only goes deeper into the world of a pack, but also breaks down the walls of a werewolf's psyche. I liked that it took a different approach by speaking about the struggle of being a werewolf. I also enjoyed the positive messages of self-acceptance in the book.

Characterization in this book was also really different. Since the book is short and there are a lot of characters in this book, there wasn't a lot of character development. However, as a reader I was still able to get a great feel for each characters personality very quickly because they were all different while bringing something to the story. I was very back and forth with liking and hating the characters. I realize how horrible that sounds,but the characters were very real in that sense. They weren't perfect and all had their faults even when you loved them. My only real quip about the characters is that I felt some of the relationships between characters seemed all over the place at times. The two relationships that tended to bother me the most were Talia with Corwin and Marlene. I always felt a disconnect because one moment Marlene and Talia hated each other then were totally buddies a few scenes later. I get they're a pack and are there for each other, but it just seemed odd. I don't want to say too much on Corwin because I liked them together, but I just couldn't root for them since I never really felt their relationship much.

This is definitely one of those stories that makes you think. I had a lot of moments where I'd just reread a passage to truly understand the deeper meaning of it. I feel like Bell put a lot of thought into the precise words he used at times. It's one of those stories that's deep without having a heavy storyline. I will say the story drags a little bit at times because of things happening in the book, but this was still an enjoyable read. I only hope there will be more so I can have a tad more closure to questions I wanted more information on. If you're okay with some mild language and looking for a quick read with  interesting characters, I'd give Bonds of Fenris a try. Thanks to the author for providing me a review copy

Soundtrack:

Midnight - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Falling in Love with Wolfboy - The Magnetic Fields

Feel it in My Bones - Tiesto feat. Tegan and Sara

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy. Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much… 

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close.... But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

Finally, part deux of this series has come out and we can all get our Bremma(Brendan + Emma) fixes on once again! I couldn't wait to get my tiny hands on this once it was available for request on NetGalley.

The book pretty much picks up where we left off, and this couple can't just find a little down time to relax from crazy psycho people. We meet with all the characters I've come to love (and hate) from the first book. Was Brendan as swoonlicious as last time? Uh, chyea! The relationship is in full force and they're still as cute as ever.

The book does have a slow start, but since I've grown to love the characters, it was something I was able to ignore because I wanted more. Though I enjoyed the new point of view from Angelique, I wished there was more of it. The way it was presented in the book felt sporadic since it was only two or three times. I almost wish Shultz had included all the secondary characters point of views to get a better feel for them instead of the main characters.

I appreciated how this story let the witchy elements come out to play because it was definitely lacking in the first book.  Though the writing was still witty, something about the characterization of the main characters felt a little off to me. I missed the funny quips and comebacks I loved from Emma. Also, I agree that Brendan is one hot piece of literary man candy, but hearing how every girl he came across thought so in Emma's perspective got a little old. Lastly, I really wished I wasn't told so much about the first book in this book. I understand the author needs to touch on things that happened in the first for new people, but I felt there was a little too much rehashing done through this book.

Overall the second book in this series was an enjoyable read. With a little more added magic, Shultz stays true to the feel of the series and keeps the book interesting with all the plot twists. If you're a fan of the series then it's definitely worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy!

Spellcaster Spotify Playlist 

Intangible by J. Meyers

"Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift. 

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it."

This book was definitely different from what I was expecting, and that isn't a bad thing. We're tossed into a fearful scene from the beginning and end up having to work our way backwards. 

Meyers creates a supernatural world that is easy to get lost in even if at times a little far-fetched. Sera and Luke Raine are a pair that you're able to easily care for in a short amount of time. Both main characters are kind-hearted individuals. Luke is definitely the standout character between the two as he takes on the responsibility to change the visions he sees. Even through his troubled visions, he's always a light-hearted character. Overall, both main characters immediately pull a reader into their lives where you want to know more. We're also introduced to a number of side characters as the story unfolds. Fey, the best friend, is a fiercely loyal character who has secrets of her own. Jonas was probably the most interesting side character of all as a vampire. What I liked most about the side characters were that the reader was left to decide who was seen as good and bad. Marc was the only character who fell short for me throughout the book. His characterization was good, but I don't feel he added a lot to the actual story.

The story is told through a number of character views which really helps bring the supernatural world together. With all the different powers throughout the book, character are given a chance to be the center of attention. The multiple point of views do get a little confusing at times when trying to figure out whose head you're in, but with all the different personalities it's still enjoyable. 

The overall story is a refreshing take on supernatural powers. Though the pacing could use a little work at times, I was always intrigued to find out what would happen next. The conclusion does give closure to the main story, but it also introduces aspects for the story to possibly continue. If you're looking for a change from usual YA, Intangible is definitely worth a read. 


Music:

Emily Browning- Sweet Dreams

Green River Ordinance- Healing Touch

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

"When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."

I have seriously mixed feelings about this book. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it either.

Was this book entertaining? Yes, James Dashner really knows how to create a suspenseful plot. The entire idea of having a group of people stuck in a Maze while knowing nothing about who they are or where they are is pretty crazy. The book also kept a pretty great pace overall and never had a dull moment, so why didn't I enjoy it more?

First off, let's start off with characterization. For the exception of one or two characters, I was never able to develop a relationship to any of the characters. I understand that all the characters had their memories swiped, but a lot of the characters always seemed exactly the same. Most of the boys were only distinguishable through certain characteristics like long hair or big biceps. Thomas, our main character, was the only one who seemed to have a developed personality. The developed language was also really distracting at first. I understand a civilization will develop their own way of communicating, but their terms were pretty annoying to me. I was able to get past it after a while, but it never actually flowed for me.

Secondly, though I understood the maze was a pretty dangerous place because of the Grievers, I was never able to picture what an actual Griever looked like. All I got was a slug type of creatures with arms made of metal that also have retracting needles in their body. Oh and they also roll and climb somehow. Yeah alright, that's a little creepy but it's nothing that'll keep me up at night.

I can see why this book has received so much hype, but I think it could definitely use a bit more work. By the end I felt like I spent 300+ pages waiting for some type of answer but instead was just given a lot more questions. However, I will totally be picking up the following book because I'm completely intrigued by the story and seriously need a sense of closure. If that was Dashner's plan, kudos sir, kudos.

Geeks Who Read Book Club

Looking for a place to chat YA with other bookish folks? Come check out Geeks Who Read, hosted by Letters Inside Out and myself. We're looking for a total of 15 applicants to join us on a monthly basis to discuss various YA titles. Want some more information? Click the the button on either side of this post.

Allegiance(Legacy #2) by Cayla Kluver

"Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive. 

An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return...

Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn...."

I was pretty hesitant to read the second installment in this series because of my feelings in Legacy,but decided to give it another try. More than anything, I wanted to see where the story went. I'm honestly still kind of unsure on whether I regret reading this or not.

This book starts off right where the last book left off, and I really thought it'd be better than the first. Though paragraphs were still unnecessarily long and detailed, I found the story to be more interesting. I still pulled for Narian throughout this story, but I actually really started to develop a desire to see things work out with Steldor. Kluver reverses the tables in this book and shows us sides to the male leads that I didn't really ever expect.

Though there were some improvements in this story, there was one major area I was hoping would've been worked on; Alera. In the first book I gave her a lot of forgiveness for being the way she was because she was given a lot of responsibility and was still a child learning. However, it seemed like this book not did nothing about that, but multiplied it by ten. With her position in the kingdom, I hoped she she would've behaved a bit differently and had a little more understanding. I couldn't get past how other characters had this image of her that never actually held up to who she actually was. Like in the first, she never held up to her expectations until told to do so. Bt the time Alera did actually step up to her position, she'd lost most of her respect.

The plot of this story is still engaging enough to read the book, but still lacks in development in areas. Kluver's writing excels in pulling at the heart and mind where it lacked in the first, but still keeps you coming back for more. With an ending that finally gives a little closure, I hope to see Alera finally step into her proper role by the third installment.

Song:

Empty Hand by Eliza Doolittle

In My Mailbox #5

Hosted By:The Story Siren

Won:

Thanks to Epilogue and Ali Cross for the contest!

BECOME: a novel of Desolation

Gifts:

Another piece to my awesome birthday gift from Amanda at Letters Inside Out

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments)

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

"It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. 

And then you're dead. 
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. 
As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn't? "

I think the idea of a virus suddenly attacking people may be one of the creepiest ideas ever. I know movies and some books have covered something similar before, but that's initially what attracted me to requesting this book. The setting of a small Canadian island was such an amazing setting to add to the creep factor of this story because of the seclusion it brings on. Though the book had a really slow almost painful start, I enjoyed how realistic the plot felt.

Kaelyn, our main girl, is written to be somewhat of a loner. I don't know if I'd say that I found her character to be all that believable, but I wished I had felt more of a connection to her. That was a main issue with the book for me; I never felt a great connection to any of the characters. I wanted to know more about the secondary characters and never got the chance. I know it'd be hard to do in the way the book was written, but I feel like it could've helped a bit. 

As I mentioned, the letter format this book has only a main character perspective so there's a lot left to understand throughout the book. I really hated that the relationship to Leo was never really explained. I also couldn't tell at points if she was writing a letter or diary, so that inconsistency somewhat distracted me at times. Though the way the story is written from the very beginning of the infections, is really amazing. It sort of reads like a horror movie. We're able to see how the virus begins to affect people and how the desperation in town sets in. 

Overall the idea was pretty good for a new type of story, but the beginning being so slow really put a damper on the rest of the book for me. I don't know if this book will have others to follow, but with the number of points yet to be resolved and sudden ending, the book wasn't anything I can get excited about to recommend you to read it. 

New Girl by Paige Harbison

"Welcome to Manderley Academy 

I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited…. So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.
It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley—the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by not perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me. 

Then, there's the name on my lips—Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place. 

Waiting to take it back."

Like everyone has said, this is a retelling of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I'll be honest and say I'm totally not "with it" because I haven't heard of the story or author before this. I went in reading this story because the excerpt sounded interesting and let's face it, the cover is pretty cool.

The plot to the story was intriguing because as a reader I wanted to know more about Becca. It kept the mystery going and made me want to continue the story. New Girl only being known as that was a pretty smart idea, but it made it harder to feel like she'd be someone I could know. By the end I was pretty tired of it and started disliking the idea.

The character of New Girl wasn't all that relatable to me just because I really disliked how she let people walk all over her without saying anything. I get that she was trying her best to fit in, but I still wouldn't let people treat me like crap. I did appreciate that she tried to make the best of her situation, I just think she could've gone about it a little better. I don't really get why everyone thought she was trying to be Becca since she obviously didn't know her. Most of the secondary characters made me want to hit them. I'm thinking that was done on purpose, so kudos to Harbison on that aspect. I wanted more Becca because though she was a super crappy person in her life, she made things interesting for me. It also made me question why everyone thought she was so great once more stuff came out about her.

After finishing the book, I think it was an interesting take but nothing that would stay with me. It wasn't something that kept me addicted to reading it, but the mystery of the story definitely kept me coming back to complete it. I just didn't feel fulfilled with the characters. I hoped the ending was a bit better, but it did wrap things up decently well. If you're looking for a mysterious read I'd say to pick this up, but don't expect to be wowed through the development of characters.

In My Mailbox #4

Hosted By:The Story Siren

Holy cheesus I haven't done one of these in a while! I'll be playing slight catch up today, so please don't think I'm totally awesome and get this many books weekly; I don't. However, I must say this week was a 

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time in books! I think my family may think I'm running a side business in smuggling books soon. 


Pressies!! Thanks to Amanda at Letters Inside Out (the most awesomesauce bestie ever) for sending these to me as part of my early birthday gift! I can't wait to start on the series!

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 1)

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner Trilogy)

The Death Cure (Maze Runner Trilogy)

Saving Zoe: A Novel

Won: Thanks to Bewitching Book Tours for the old contest!

How Sweet It is

Black Ties and Lullabies

The Sweetest Thing (A Lucky Harbor Novel)

Review: Thanks to Cecilia and Inkspell Publishing for sending me a copy to review!

Truly. Madly. Deeply. You.

Giveaway & Review- Swirls by F.A. Hershey

"Sixteen-year-old Julia finds herself leaving her London life behind to move with her parents to the Amazon jungle. 

A native descendant, she becomes familiarized with her own roots for the first time in her life. However, she never imagines she is about to discover much more than her own past but also just how crowded our little planet is... "

I initially chose to review this book because it seemed different from other YA books. This book definitely took me a while to get into. Now I'm not saying it was bad, it just took some time for the story to get going. A slow beginning doesn't usually bother me, but I really didn't care for Julia as a character. She was a tad bit too whiny for me. I understood she was sad about moving, but every time she was sad it just seemed like the same sentence. After a while I really just stopped caring that she was sad. On the other hand, I absolutely loved the secondary character named Lola. She was so cute and bubbly. The male characters in this book are written in a way that they come off as very mysterious. You're always waiting to know more about them and who they are. That is one big thing this book really has going for it, it builds suspense up and gives you more and more questions to be answered.

This would also be a great book for people who enjoy a lot of description. I'm a reader who likes it in doses when it's needed, but this story is very detailed in it's surroundings. The descriptions of the Amazon put you right in the characters shoes. There are a few structural flaws in the book, but it isn't anything that deterred me from reading the story. 

The concept of the story is original and gives you insight to a world that hasn't been explored in books. I hope the following books close up some of the gaps in this first book and get into characters at a deeper level. I believe the book can definitely be a bit more edited and developed, but it's a great start to a brand new cultural viewpoint that I look forward to seeing more of. 

Want to win your very own ebook copy? Fill out the form below and cross those fingers! This contest will end on February 17th at midnight 12 a.m. PST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadly Little Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

"Some secrets shouldn't be kept...
Until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia’s life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades, an okay relationship with her parents, and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown.  But when a mysterious boy named Ben starts junior year at her high school, Camelia’s life becomes anything but ordinary.
Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend’s accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She’s reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise.  Instead, she’s inexplicably drawn to Ben…and to his touch.  But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help—but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret."

First off, yay for random library books! I've been wanting this since I saw it on NetGalley a while back but was denied. It hurt my soul when I got that email. Anyways, I finally got my chance to get it as a library ebook and was so stoked to read it this past weekend.

Okay yes, it does have slight undertone of Twilight, but the beginning of this series does stand on its own. I loved the organization of this book because we kind of got a back and forth point of view between our main character, Camelia, and our stalker. I actually wished it had more journal entries from the stalker, but they stopped mid-story sadly. I liked those because it was written in a diary format, and it just added to the creep factor of getting into the stalkers head.

The secondary characters in the book were also pretty cool. I loved Wes and Kimmie's banter as friends, but I didn't feel their characters were delve into much. Though I know there are more books, that was one of the big issues I had with the story; I never felt that I knew any of the characters well. Even the main characters of Camelia and Ben were barely described in my opinion. Their interaction with each other was also odd to me. They liked one another, but I never really felt their connection. I think if the story were a bit more developed on relationships it would've helped.

I also felt the story involving the main characters parents could've either been setup a bit more or just left for another book. It honestly didn't even seem like Camelia really cared about the family issues. Yeah I get she was having a crisis of her own as well, but I think a mother having a near mental breakdown would hit her a bit more than it did.

What I will give Stolarz props for though, is her writing style. It was engaging yet fast-paced and definitely kept me from being bored as I tried to figure out who the stalker was. I love things that are like puzzles, so this book was right up my alley. Every time I chose a suspect I kept second guessing myself with what few clues I had. Though I figured it out kind of early(I watch WAY too many episodes of Criminal Minds), I still wanted to finish the book to see what would happen and see if I was right. The ending was a bit quick for my liking, but with more books out it wasn't a huge issue to me.

I wouldn't say this is a must-read book, but it was enjoyable. So if you're looking for a quick read that you won't want to put down this is a great book! I can't wait to get my hands on the next one in the series to see where the story goes.

Wicked Winter Read-A-Thon

Alright, this is my goal this weekend. I've been slacking in the reading department lately and want to get back in the swing of things. Bad blogger, I know; I swear I'm going to be better! Friday is going to be a bit rough to get a lot of reading in, but yay for iPhone apps right? Anyways here's a list of books I'll be attempting to finish this weekend. I'll be updating here throughout the weekend. Whee! Who else is going to be all hardcore with me? Anyone? Bueller?

Page Goal Total: 1300 pages

Deadly Little Secret (A Touch Novel) (Touch Novels (Quality))New Girl (Harlequin Teen)The Truth About GuysAllegiance (Harlequin Teen)Undeniably Yours (The Kowalskis) Sisterhood Everlasting (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Book 6)Fracture
Friday Wrap-Up:Deadly Little Secret -182 pages
Saturday Wrap-Up:Fracture - 272 pagesThe Truth About Guys - 240 pages
Sunday Wrap-Up:New Girl - 320 pages Allegiance - Only finished 100 pages
Total: 1,114