Review: The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney

The Boy Recession

Author: Flynn Meaney
Pages:247
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: August 7th 2012
Author Website | Twitter | Facebook
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Arc from ALA

Where have all the boys gone?

Down-to-earth Kelly is always the friend and never the girlfriend. But as her junior year of high school starts, Kelly is determined to finally reveal her true feelings for her long-time crush and good friend Hunter - that is, until the Boy Recession hits.

Over the past summer, an overwhelming number of male students have left Kelly and Hunter's small high school class. Some were sent to private school and others moved away. Whatever the case, the sudden population shift has left the already small Julius P. Heil High in desperate shape. The football coach is recruiting chess champs for his team, the principal's importing male exchange students to balance out school dances,and Hunter is about to become an unexpected heartthrob.

Content with his role as the guitar-strumming, class-skipping slacker, Hunter is unprepared to be the center of attention. Desperate coaches are recruiting him for sports teams, and the drama teacher casts him in the lead role of the school musical. Even the Spandexers, powerful popular girls in tight pants, are noticing Hunter in a new light - with a little work, he could have potential. He might even be boyfriend material...

In order to stand out from the crowd and win Hunter's heart, Kelly needs a "stimulus package" in the form of cougar lessons from a senior girl who dates hot freshman boys and advice on the male mind from her Cosmo-addicted best friend, Aviva. As if dating wasn't hard enough without a four-to-one ratio!

My Take:

Living in a small town has its advantages, for starters more knowing everyone you come across the downside is when a school so small loses most of the males. So think for a second a whole high school with barely enough boys to go around, let the recession begin. For Kelly its hard to even like a guy and when most leave unexpectedly its tough to even think about dates for home coming or even prom. But with the boy recession, dates are running out and it either pay for an escort or go alone. Since most of school population of guys left at the beginning of school, all the girls seem to look at Hunter in a different light. Not used to the spot light Hunter and his friends try and brace themselves for the attention, celebrity status is just the beginning. Coaches approaching him for tryouts, school lead being pushed in his direction, Hunter seems to need a much needed break if only the girls would give him five minutes.

The moment Kelly hears Hunter perform she can't help but fall for him. It's just one thing in her way the dang recession is pulling Hunter away from her. He maybe their helping her out with teaching kids to play, but when he gets the lead his life changes from being in the back to center stage. Hunter may have his hands full, but even with the work talking to Kelly is a highlight he never takes for granted. With the opening approaching Hunter has but one thing to do, get free from a girl who takes liking someone on another level, and go ask Kelly out for real.

I couldn't help but smile every time Hunter would notice Kelly and vise versa, the two had something that eventually tuned on the same channel. I had to laugh at them getting sick at the same time, and of course thought the link was so strong to get them both sent home. Even though Hunter didn't see himself worthy of the attention, I did like how he came out of his shell and was still able to put a brave face in front of a crowd. I was glad that Kelly was also able to even approach Hunter, because rejection can stink but sometimes timing is important. The Boy Recession will have laughing, and leaving you thinking a recession of boys, who would be the first pick. So ladies and gents watch out you may never know a recession could happen in any city at any time, are you ready.


5/5 stars Charmingly Delicious

Review: Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Cursed

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Pages:312
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press 
Release Date: September 18th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Arc

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

My Take:

To think one touch can end a life, never able to touch one person for the rest your life must suck. For Ember just living was a blessing, but her being brought back came with a flaw. She has the touch of death, so prom is out of the question. Since the accident that killed her father, Ember has been taking care of Oliva by herself while her mother is in a comatose state. Even though money is running low and the bank won't allow her the money in her parents saving accounts, Ember knows that day by day is the key in order to keep Olivia in a routine. It's also to keep people from poking around, because Olivia can bring back the dead, and yes she brought back Ember which resulted in her touch of death, because she literally was close to death.

It's when a very hot looking guy that Ember can't to place that everything in her life changes. His name is Hayden and being taken wasn't ever on her wish list. Mr. Cromwell has the means to help Ember and allows her to stay at his house with one thought tell anyone and suffer the consequences. Rooming with a bunch of 'Gifted' isn't really easy because they all want her out. To make i worse you would think going to a new school wouldn't be so bad, for Ember its the opposite, finding things in her lockers usually would result in going to report it but Ember doesn't want to cause any more grief. The one thing she has going is her is Hayden who seems to be the only one that wants to help her. She of course doesn't realize that she has control all she has to do is learn. Can Ember get a hold of her gift as Hayden calls it, or is she really Cursed.

How can you not love a story that shows growth, I love Jennifer's writing and has since fallen under spell ever since I picked up her book last year. So when I hear a curse + girl can equal into anything add in a smexy guy and swoon is bound to happen. It grabbed me the moment that Ember was taken else where and had me literally gripping my Arc for dear life. I really loved the idea behind the curse, thinking about me not being able to touch my mom or even my dogs yeah that would stink. But I was able to see that Ember really needed guidance and that Hayden was there to help her understand the past she has tried to hide for the better part of two years. Ember showed me strength no one her age would show until they had their own family. Of course when their is a hot guy just lurking around its hard not to like the fact that yes he was their for her (kinda stalkerish!!) but she saw that as he was really their because he wanted to be. He was so sweet had me awing the whole time, and of course I couldn't but picture him smiling so that made me smile. So if you've never experienced a JLA book than Cursed can be your ticket to the biggest show of the year. Because every Jen book is an event of itself. I loved this!!!!!!!!  Hayden = Swoon worthy!!!!!


5/5 stars because with great writing comes me swooning all over it :)

Review: Florence by Ciye Cho

Florence

Author: Ciye Cho
Pages:336
Publisher: Studio Amazepop
Release Date: July  1st 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon

Source: ARR

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

My Take:

Ever feel like an outsider looking in, and everyone looked right past you. For Florence living behind the scenes was her scene and even she was included she really didn't feel included in anything. Not since her dad past away and she was sent to live with her mom who really could care less about Florence, life was just a way to get by, until of course a trip to the ocean with her school that life turns for Florence. For someone used to just looking in was now the focal point in a world no human knew existed. Who knew that this world had so much more you just had to look through the surface to see it. Taken from the world of the outside and being thrown on the inside, mermaids was the one thing farthest from Florence mind, but the world works in mysterious ways,  Florence is the first human to know of their existence and they want nothing to do with her.

Prince Kiren is curious about her, Florence of course is also intrigued about him as well, its not everyday a girl gets to meet a prince or a mermaid. Of course being an outsider stinks, because everyone seems to want her out except Kiren's sister Yolee who seems to see beyond her human self and for the person she really is. But when Kiren start to act differently and of course dreams that paint the prince differently Florence has to set aside her feelings and help those she cares about like Prince Rolan, who always seems to be their for Florence when she least expects it. Florence might be the only hope to save the world of Niemela. Is ready to step out of the shadows and embrace the light or hide away in the dark.

While reading Florence, I couldn't help but see that a world like Niemela could exist. Of course every mermaid story is different, Ciye Cho of course delivers in an extraordinary way, grabbing your attention in so many points of views. It felt right getting all the points across and i loved that even though Rolan seemed the type to not care came through. Florence had the strength no one thought she has and even though she never felt involved above the surface, she was able to find herself below the surface and was able to change all those who sought out to send her away.

5/5  Stars

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Review: Butterface by Gwen Hayes

Butterface

Author: Gwen Hayes
Pages:22
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Release Date: April 21st 2010
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon

Beth isn't pretty. Born with hemifacial microsamia, she's supposed to feel lucky that it wasn't worse, that the surgeries made her almost normal, and that the scars are mostly not noticeable. Nobody told her how to hide the scars on the inside though.

Lucas O'Leary, Lucky, doesn't even notice Beth's face. He's finding out that underneath her granite hard shell, she's really a sweet girl. He enjoys spending time with her and is beginning to realize he might want to be more than just her friend.

But Lucky has a secret--if he doesn't bring Beth to the "dog dinner" party his roommates are having, he's off the team. The soccer scholarship is paying his college tuition--he HAS to stay on the team. But if Beth ever finds out she's his entry in the contest for ugliest date, he stands to lose even more.

My Take:

Always sticking to the shadows and hiding her face, Beth has always felt that even though she was lucky, having scars didn't really feel lucky it made her feel like she wasn't normal. Even when a guy shows an interest and gets to know her, its hard for Beth to let anyone really in. Lucas 'Lucky' O'Leary was as beth would put it a soccer god, he had everything going for him. Good looks, talent on the field and was able to gain a scholarship so being on the team was something he needed.

As time passes though the friendship blossoms into something more, even Lucky can't believe his luck when getting to know her. Its when his teammates want her to come to the "dog dinner" and putting more pressure for Lucky to show up with the ugliest date. He knows it wrong and demeaning, but because Beth has never been, and she wants to see if what she heard was true that the soccer team had a bet going on. It's the moment when she knows what kind of party that maybe she isn't quite as lucky as all would think she is, even though we know Lucky's thoughts leading up to the party its hard not to like the fact that he let her drag him to the party.

Life goes on though for both Beth and Lucky and even though as I was going form one page to another, wishing it not to end I knew that something was still unfinished. I was so happy with the ending though, finally realizing his biggest lost in life was losing Beth to the antics of his own teammates. This was a beautiful story about seeing the beauty that is inside a person and with a little luck anything is possible.


5/5 stars

Review: Lacrimosa by Christine Fonseca

Lacrimosa (Requiem #1)

Author: Christine Fonseca
Pages:344
Publisher: Compass Press
Release Date: March 21st 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: ARR

It's been three thousand years since the fall of Azzaziel and the rebirth of evil; three thousand years since the Sentinal Order, an elite group of warrior angels, returned to Celestium. Their job-rid Earth of the dark creatures, the UnHoly. And with luck, end Azza's rule. As if casting out demons isn't hard enough, five-hundred-year-old Nesy has to masquerade as a teenage girl to do it. Nesy is the best of the Sentinals. She never makes mistakes, never hesitates, never gets emotionally involved. Until she meets Aydan. He is evil incarnate; a fallen angel that feeds off the souls of others. Everything Nesy is supposed to hate. But she can't, because he's also the love of her former life as a human girl-a life that ended too soon, tying her to emotions she was never supposed to feel. Now Nesy must choose between doing her duty-damning Aydan to the fiery depths of hell-or saving him, and condemning herself. And her choice may cost her, and Celestium, far more than anyone realizes. How much will she sacrifice for love?

My Take:

What happens when your put on assignment to take out the one you loved so long ago, for Nesy the choice she makes could put those she cares about in danger. Who ever said sending those you love to the after life could be any walk in the park never really thought the task through, sending a Unholy has never been this tough. Aydan gave up what he was along time ago and turned his back on those he served for the love he thought would last forever, until that love was taken from him. He has been an Unholy, once tasked to take down serving Azra, he is now the monster all sentinals want to take out. The one he thought he lost forever, lives inside the one who is sworn to take him out, and he is willing to sacrifice himself and allow the one he loves end him. Of course Azra, his boss, has a few tricks up his sleeves.

Knowing what she must do, Nesy has only 3 days to end Aydan and protect the world from his evil, but what happens when your task is shadowed by the love you felt so long ago. Even with help along the way, Aydan is still the love of her life, and she must make the hardest decision. Aydan has had centuries to think of his consequences and his actions and even though he was once an warrior destined for greatness his time as an Unholy has pushed everyone he ever cared about, the moment Nesy came back he knew what he was and accepted his fate. The decision to end a life who has taken so many souls may seem easy because of what he or she had done, but what if they showed mercy, would you be able to end the life of the one you love.

The story of Lacrimosa is about sacrifice and how much of your self your willing to lay on the table. Being able to see through both eyes, you the reader was able to see that love was the biggest sacrifice and how much that love can impact all around you. Christine was able to lead us to the forbidden that was an angel in love with a human and turn it around to the angel falling right back in love the good that surrounded the evil. Aydan had me at times going wow he really is seeing the world differently and fighting his nature, while Nesy just fought for what she believed has changed that love really can change ones way of life. The future of course is unknown and with an ending like this I hope Aydan will be able to see the good in him and see that his future is what he shapes it.

 5/5 stars

Review: Obumbrate by Alivia Anders

Obumbrate (Illumine #2)

Author: Alivia Anders
Pages:292
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: July 7th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: ARR

Essallie Hanley just wishes her life could go back to normal. But what's normal when you carry the burden of knowing you're a half-angel created for war, that the only person who can help you is a demon still waiting to kill you, and that your only chance for salvation lied in a boy who died in front of you?
If Essallie had turned her back on everything she'd learned, she could have made the most of her fractured life. That is, until Kayden told her that she's a ticking time-bomb; that at any given moment her blood could betray her, her veins burning her alive from the inside out until nothing but ash remains.

Desperate to find answers, and possibly find her only chance for survival, Essallie heads back for New York City, back to the place where it all began. With every answer comes a price, and with every price the risks and rewards become greater. But when Essallie soon finds herself the target of an unknown hunter determined to kill her, she's at wits' end. That is, until a fellow Nephilim named Ari steps in. But is Ari a piece of the puzzle to her salvation, or the promise of her demise?

My Take:

 Ever felt that life couldn't get any more complicated, for Essallie Hanley being told she is a weapon and can be used that can put one big strain on life. Just days after the attack her ex had orchestrated, getting back to normal can take some time. Esepcially when you lose someone you felt a deep connection with. Not wanting to do anything with being a Nephilim and pushing away those who helped along the way, Essallie just wants the school year to end and go back home. But when the queen wants something she usually gets it, this time she is after the one Essallie can't give her, thats her power. So when attacked Essallie ventures into the last place she wants to go, Charon. Since the place gave her insight before, maybe the same person can give more of an idea of how much time she actually has.

Meeting Ari was a plus because another Nephiim couldn't get worst right. Its until he starts to question why she can't fight for herself. Essallie can see that he cares for her, but at the end of the day her time is running out and starting something is just not possible. Unless Kayden of course shows up with nothing more than a what stare. The problem with Kayden is that he just used her for his benefit and he pushes her buttons. With the three of them, figuring out a plan to see why the queen wants Essallie isn't as easy as any plan would go. One thing for sure Essallie puts her feelings aside and does the one thing she knows to do, question everything there is to be questioned.

While reading this I saw that Essallie was really trying hard to push those close to her, and in doing so she prevented any feelings to get in the way of her actions. Of course realizing Kayden used her really help with being on Team Kayden and of course later on he than changed my mind. Kayden is like that always changing my mind at every turn. Meeting Ari at first I was cautious and as the pages were turned I realized wow he actually cares and she doesn't yet see that he can actually see her. Add in a clock and you have the making of an intense ride. The one thing though to put some tears in my eyes was finding out who her watcher was, it hit me like an arrow to the heart. Of course her journey continues later this year, its just the wait is going to be tough. I want to know more of the queen, and who Essallie picks. Anders draws you in and leaves you wanting more and thats when you wish Christmas came faster.

5/5 stars

Review: Amarok by Angela J. Townsend

Amarok

Author: Angela J. Townsend
Pages:224
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: November 20th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Borrowed Arc 

Life has been hell for seventeen-year-old Emma since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Rejected by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her escape only leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.

Dragged across the tundra by a crazed mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she finds that her gentle touch and kind heart earn her the wolf's friendship, and she names him Amarok, not knowing he was once a young man. When a vicious madman--trapped in bear form by an ancient Shaman--attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to confront her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But there's a catch--she must face down the evil shaman, a powerful Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

My Take:


Ever feel responsible for something you love dearly, and have it taken away forever. For Emma losing her mother was just the start of it, she had to now deal with her step-father swinging punches every so often, life isn't all that great, for Emma its hell. Of course leaving isn't always so easy, his keys are there its just getting out of the house undetected. Once outside and on the rode everything seems on course unless of course your driving down a icy paved rode. The next Emma knows is she is hoisted outside of the car and put on the shoulders of a man that smells like last years socks. You life is just not getting any easier escaping one prick only to be captured by another, it must be thursday. What Emma doesn't know is that her captive has a wolf who seems to understand her, she even gives him a name Amarok, who turns out a young man trapped inside. 


Amarok loves his new name and of course knows she will soon turn out like the others that his master takes. His thoughts are his own, he can think freely, he just wishes for an escape and soon. This girl is different though he feels he needs to protect her from his master, even if it means going up against the Shaman who trapped him so long ago. Emma can see that the wolf is mistreated and always seems to run when she shows even a little kindness. Its until Emma realizes that the wolf is a young man who she has grown to love and even though it can never be possible a man in a wolf's body, Emma puts everything aside and ventures to end his capture. But going against a Shaman with so much power isn't going to easy. When is anything in life easy, Emma of course has to find out if she can and sees if she has the power in herself to move forward in life.


This was a beautiful story, even had me in tears and yelling for Emma to continue. Being inside both Emma's and Amarok head was awesome because you needed to feel those feelings that had build for each of them. Angela took me Alaska and left me wanting more after the last word. Emma's courage really shined through and you saw her grow up in this. You also saw that she was willing to put herself and help the one she loves. Even when it seemed that like time was against them. This is such an amazing story, I feel in love with both POV and even felt an attachment to both the wolf and the young man. 




5/5 Stars