Books As You Know It

CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK!!! One of the best werewolf genre books I've read...Oh and Team Jason FTW! Although Kyle is awesome as well ;P

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:

FIRST, OMG SUCH A PRETTY PRETTY COVER!!! The blues and how it connects as the ocean and then the hair floating plus the way the title is put on the cover IT'S JUST GORGEOUS!!!!

Ok now that I've gotten that off my chest...on to the actual story. Unfortunately, Waterfell did disappoint and wasn't as good as I expected. Mermaids have always been a story that was always on my iffy list. All the ones I've read never end up being GREAT just ok or good. It was kind of the same for Waterfell except that the plot and world itself was pretty amazing. Amalie Howard did write a creative story with a original mermaid story plot and it definitely had potential.

However, what the most annoying thing about the story was Nerissa. She was so irritating, selfish, and arrogant!!! She believed she was better than everyone else (Auranthi and human) even though she was the one who didn't even want to be queen. Like she would never object to Soren or Echlios (her guardians) to calling her my lady and I never felt that she felt a bond or sense of love between her and her guardians. Yeah they may have not have been her parents but I'm sure she must have felt some sort of gratitude or some sort of affection to them but we never see much of great interaction/bond between them. She also thought she was invincible but really not. She didn't even have the FULL training needed and wanted to go with Speio and Echlios on a special mission not even thinking that she wouldn't be ready always assuming superiority over others.

Lo, the love interest, wasn't a GREAT character either. He didn't have much character actually...Basic and bland. Bond haired (I think), surfer, abs, cocky but sweet but he just didn't have that oomph that makes me love guys. His relationship with Nerissa also seems to take A LOT of time in the book mainly with Nerissa not being able to come forward with her feelings. Speio was actually a character I could deal with. He was cool and totally protected Nerissa when needed. He was one of the characters that got annoyed by Nerissa's antics and I took his side on a lot of their arguments. I'm still a bit confused of what his feelings are for her or well lack of but hopefully I'll get it soon.

There were some plot twists I never saw coming and it was within the last 75-50 pages were things got A LOT more interesting and things were actually happening. The book seemed to drag on until the last section of the story where everything comes to place and find out all that's happening. Jenna and Sawyer were also awesome side characters. As Nerissa's friends, they were such a cute couple and great for her really. Jenna understood her and was an awesome friend. I wished we saw more connections/bonds with Sawyer, Speio, Soren, and Echlios. It would've made the book a bit more enjoyable.

I think that people would have different takes on this book and that anyone really could give it a try. I do think mermaid fans should give this book a try since they may end up loving or at least liking it. I do not however recommending this to those who never really liked mermaids. It would be hard to give it a try. Overall I believe Nerissa really did give Waterfell a negative drop and made it hard for me to like.

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
Original, creative, and funny, The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise is a contemporary novel I really enjoyed! It's a really light novel about friendship, dating, family, and social class in society/in a teen perspective. Katie Sise did a pretty awesome job writing this novel, especially with the idea of an app competition and how she easily relates to teens with their/our use of technology especially the newest soft wares and how much we depend/use them. Katie managed to write a kind of book that was actually way more complicated then it seemed and it was awesome how it was plotted out.

The one flaw of this book was her app itself. I felt that if Audrey was really that smart then she should have figured out the errors/flaws in the app that she could have fixed. And with the other app she created I feel that she didn't really think it all through like all the chaos and problems she would create by using it. As smart as it was, it was also not the best of ideas.

I really do like Audrey and her gang of friends though. They seemed real and were easily connectable! They supported her and were true friends. One of my favorite characters had to Lindsay, Audrey's cousin! Blogger (fashion, but still!!) and basically queen of the high school, Lindsay is awesome! Unlike other popular cliche relatives, she was cool and was super supportive and helpful when Audrey created the Boyfriend App. She stayed positive and believed in Audrey; a great motivator. I do think it would've been awesome to see more of Mindy a close friend of Audrey's more and see more of her relationship with Audrey.

Then there's Aidan...her best friend and crush. Aidan is super cute and puppy-like in a dark, mysterious, and brooding way!! I have no idea if that even makes sense but it's so true!!!! His feelings for Audrey were a bit obvious except to Audrey :P But he should have done something more to make her see that..even though it is partially Audrey's fault for being that dense. But I do seriously heart their relationship and how he just knows how to make Audrey feel better and it's just adorable. Oh and I also want to briefly touch up on Xander who I actually liked. I think it would've helped to get a feel for him more if he was in the book/had more moments with Audrey even if they were just friendly ones.

This one's for all you contemporary lovers and techy people who are into a book like The Boyfriend App, which may I add does NOT fully focus on the romance aspect. Honestly it was more of a sub-plot that wasn't as addressed than I thought it would be but I liked it enough and thought it had the perfect dose of reality, kissing, and actual plot to make any YA reader enjoy it.

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
Fast paced and definitely a page turner FALSE SIGHT by Dan Krokos leaves you in a frenzy! Right from the beginning everything starts to spiral down and it's all a rush. I didn't even realize how long this book actually was until after reading it and realizing it actually wasn't 200 something pages. Dan Krokos still has me overwhelmed with everything that went down. I think Dan did an awesome job writing this book in a girl's POV because I do realize it is a bit hard (or it seems like it) to write in the other gender's perspective and I'm really not one to read books written by guys in a girls POV because I wouldn't enjoy it as much. Also I am NOT being sexist about this. I do feel like good writers CAN pull this off.

NOW onto the book! I love the world building that's introduced in this book and how creative it was written and invented. It was so easy to imagine myself as a bystander or as Miranda herself. The way everything connects is fascinating and how original Dan is with the story. We learn more about Miranda and the team's origin and more on the clones as well. It was great getting to know more about the way everything was created and how it came to be especially as we discover more of the world.

Miranda was a cool character. Not one I could LOVE but I was able to connect to her. I will say she was a bit something I don't really have the word for. But it was like she was on then off at times. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it. She went through a lot though and the meaning of loyalty, trust, and sacrifice are made clear over the course of the book. We don't really delve into Miranda's relationship with Peter. We definitely see their moments and their relationship has their ups and downs but they make it and it's really sweet. I will say that I may prefer Noah over Peter for either myself or Miranda I'm not quite sure but it his character is a lot of more fun to read about.

Full of interesting surprises, heartbreaks, and full of action, False Sight is a MUST for sci-fi lovers and those who have read False Memory. Guys and girls will get into Dan's story of Miranda and will get immersed into the world created. This book is definitely a book to read for escape!

**Review posted on Books As You Know It**

**Review posted on Books As You Know It**

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
Born of Illusion by Teri Brown was quite an enjoyable read! I absolutely adored the setting and how perfectly described the 20's were. With the flappers, 20's fashion, and hype it was like you were in that moment experiencing the 20's fun! The dialect also reflected the 20's era and it was so entertaining to read especially the magic shows and illusions done in the book.

While this wasn't really paranormal, the magic and illusions used portrayed the way things actually were during that time. What Born of Illusion didn't go into detail with was the back story of how Sensitives came to be and how their magic worked. I would like to think of this book as more of an intro book that doesn't nosedive right into the series with the main plot of it all. It established all the characters and kinda works its way through with Anna questioning a lot of things in her life. I do hope that Born of Deception goes more into the details of the Society for Psychical Research and get answer on how and why Sensitives can do what they can do.

Anna was an awesome character! She's nice, smart, caring, passionate, and brilliant with entertaining others with her magic tricks. She's also a pretty good sleuth too. I loved the way we see how the relationships around her break and form. She is however a bit clueless with guys and I want to say she's naive but she's kinda not. I guess she could have been too focused on one thing to notice other things.

Her mother in the beginning (and a bit now) was just flat out annoying and didn't seem much like a mther at all. I'm not saying she drastically changes by the end but you do end up having some things cleared away and have some sense of understanding between the two. I actually didn't mind her too much in the middle and end, she was in the peripheral region of the book and didn't get into Anna's way as much. Another character I want to touch up on is Mr. Darby! He has got to be my favorite character in the story. I love his relationship with Anna and their funny and witty conversations. He takes on the role of an uncle/fatehr figure in her life quite quickly and it's pretty awesome seeing their relationship.

Cole is literally the definition of tall, dark, and handsome in my opinion...well at least in the beginning. Just my type... I was pretty wary of his intentions considering how little we knew about him in the beginning and how dodgy he is when Anna asked him questions. It took us quite a bit more time than I thought to actually get information out of him. But he's such a cute character especially when he blushes or get nervous!! *pinches his cheeks* It's so out of character for him but something you just have to coo or squeal at!

I wouldn't say that there's alove triangle..because you know COLE. But there is another guy who takes an interest in Anna. Owen seemed more of a best friend type material anyways. I'm not sure why Anna continued to go out with him after he said something. What I didn't get about this book was that I wasn't sure where Anna and Owen stood or Anna and Cole. Whenever Anna went out with Owen I would always have to question whether it was meant to be a date or not. Their relationships are never outwardly said. By the end Cole's and Anna's relationship has developed more and they are definitely adorable together.

Born of Ilusion met my expectations and I look forward to reading more of Teri Brown's book and can't wait to see what she has in store for us! I highly recommend this book historical fiction, sci-fi, steampunk, and paranormal loving readers!

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
The Testing was an iffy book anticipation. It seemed like an interesting book and had enough praise for me to be interested in it but at the same time it also reminded me of the Hunger Games (NOT because it was dystopian) but being chosen for a government like thing. Throughout the story I couldn't help myself from comparing and contrasting them. I know bad idea! The beginning has similar qualities except for the fact being chosen is a GREAT honor and totally not deadly...or so you think. And then there was all this fancy stuff and the kids being underestimated because they came from the colony (kinda like the district thing in THG) However after that Joelle manages to spin her own tale and maintain its originality.

One of the aspects that I enjoyed were how cleverly the tests were done. If I was chosen for the Testing (which probably wouldn't have happened) I don't even think I would have passed the first test. It was that hard and intense. The whole idea of needing the Testing and the tests it self and why it was created was absolutely fascinating.

As for the characters, they were not anything too special. Cia was smart but a bit annoying at times. It also felt like she was perfect and was practically trained for all the tests. And it was like she only had this one flaw that a lot of the book was revolved around. It just got irritating at times. I do admire her curiosity and all her questions on everything; how things worked, people's safety, etc.

Tomas wasn't a character I hated nor LOVED. Like Cia, I didn't feel a huge connection with him and he wasn't TOO swoony either. He was a real character, more tense but omsidering their situation it's totally acceptable. There are some more questions concerning Tomas I would really loved answered in book 2 though. The romance wasn't a huge aspect of the book as the summary seemed to imply. Yes a lot of Tomas and Cia time but not as much as expected of actual moments. They are cute together and Tomas really cares for her. That much is obvious. It would have helped to see them interact before they got chosen or at least memories of them together before they graduated to get a feel for them. Although, I definitely would/do ship Cia and Michal together. But I'm not sure if he's meant to be another love interest or not and he didn't appear that much in the book either...I do hope he has a bigger role in the next book. I wouldn't mind seeing their relationship develop!

All in all, The Testing was a well written sory with flaws that could have been fixed to enrapture a reader's attention. Recommended for dystopian lovers, The Testing is a book that takes trust to a whole another level.

**Review posted on Books As You Know It**

**Review on Books As You Know It by Caitlyn**

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
One word to describe it: HILARIOUS. One phrase to describe it: STORY OF MY LIFE.
Since You Asked by Maurene Goo is a short and funny story that many (especially Asians or people with immigrant parents) can TOTALLY relate too. It's not even funny how many parallels Holly's family and with mine. I absolutely loved Maurene's style of writing and how she easily manages gets into a teenager's head and can manage to create a fabulous and light story! Since You Asked takes you into a pretty realistic life and one that takes you into a story about family, friends, school, and the clash of two different cultures. The plot and story itself was simple but there were some scenes that I felt weren't needed and ones that could have been added to help with character and story development.

Holly is a hilarious character that I adore! Outspoken and rebellious (well to an extent), Holly is one to always speak her mind and usually gets in trouble for it. Then she gets her own column which may I add would love to see in our school newspaper and she lets out her pent up feelings and her columns were on of my favorite things to read! Holly is basically the girl in my head. Literally. The one who says what she thinks to anyone and who does what she wants to do. I have all that...in my head. I talk back...in my head. I say what I think...in my head. Never do I actually say it out loud and Holly is one of the heroines I can relate to the most from any YA book. I'm not sure if this was purposely done or not but I did hope to see more of a development in Holly's character and she did kind of have this slight change at the end of book so hopefully book 2 continues on with that but keeps Holly's personality just the same. Her friends are awesomesauce!! They're super supportive, a bit judgy but they know what the limit is. Also Holly and David? SHIP

The clash of cultures was one of the main aspects that was focused on and I loved the way Maurene tried to show the way it affected teenagers and what families expected. Maurene did show how annoying parents were and disadvantages of the not being fully American were. But she did manage to show all the love and the closeness Holly was to her family. Family is a something will always have its pros and cons but something always needed. Maybe sometimes not wanted, but definitely something a person needs.

Since You Asked is a light, humorous story that will put a smile on anyone's face but creatively deals with problems any teen would face in high school. It's not a book to miss especially for all you looking for a short, quick read and realistic fiction readers!!

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Silobhan Vivian is a different kind of YA book especially genre wise. It wasn't a cute, fluff read but it wasn't necessarily a "dark" kind of read either. Maybe a mischievous read? It does have some main contemporary aspects like family, friendship, and cliques/"mean girl" but certainly hints at a paranormal twist that I hope to see explained in Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2). I was especially exited to read this book since I haven't read a revenge plot in a while and I did have expectations for it and it reached it but at the same time it didn't. I know that doesn't make much sense, but there were some scenes that were plain genius and awesome and at the same time I felt like the writing needed something more that could have been added to the story.

I really enjoyed this story! It's a book that I'm sure many teens felt connected with and enjoyed! I'm not a big fan of dual or more POVs but Jenny and Siobhan did a marvelous job constructing the story so that the story worked better with it than just one. Plus when reading it you felt like it was one author/one mind writing this whole book.

What I really liked about Burn for Burn was how different all the characters were, which also made each of their POVs interesting and helped to story development. All 3 had a vendetta against someone for a particular reason; Mary against reeve, Lillia against Alex, and Kat against Rennie. Mary is your quite, shy, and super nice girl who has her own sad story and I feel for her. Her unexpected bursts of electrical power was the only mysterious part of the book that seriously has me questioning if this contemporary like story is going to turn to paranormal. Reeve is the big guy in town, with the looks, charm, and amazing football skills, he's basically idolized among everyone and sought after by the one and only Rennie, Queen B, of the school. What he did do Rennie was such a jerk move and this is probably the worst thing I could say but I didn't feel much hatred for him which is weird because I usually feel like punching guys like him.

I thought that Lillia was a cool character albeit she was annoying at some scenes. Being the rich one in the book and asian, Jenny and Siobhan did a great job added racial variety within the story and faced downw some racial stereotypes that a lot of teens think of. Alex also was a cool character and I didn't have anything against him for most of the book. Kat was kick-butt! With her wit and sarcasm plus history with her ex-BFF who is now Queen B and treating her like trash, her revenge against Rennie seemed the most reasonable and totally worth it!! Rennie is the most annoying, insecure character ever. >.> She's the kind of girl who's hair you want to tear out and unleash your inner claws at.

There wasn't a huge build on romance. But form what I understand: Rennie likes Reeve who may like either Lillia or Mary. Mary who likes Reeve even through what he did to her. Alex who I think likes Lillia but may have had a thing for Kat. And Kat who liked Alex. All different and I'm not really shipping anyone just yet.

Burn for Burn is for all you readers up for some mischief and lovers of Revenge (the t.v show) just with more teen drama. I would recommend this more to contemporary readers. However, some mystery lovers may or may not like it. Burn for Burn is a hard book to recommend to considering the fact that it borders on a thin line between readers if they would like the book or not. So really, if you think the synopsis seems interesting then go for and read it!

Originally posted on Books As You Know It

MY THOUGHTS:
Money Run by Jack Heath is an action packed story that would appeal to both guys and girls! Jack Heath craftily wrote this story adding awesome, smart yet simple techniques to get past high tech security that had me thinking if that's what spies actually did or how they think when in a mission. At first Money Run didn't seem too interesting and it progressed pretty slowly. I also got irritated by the changing POVs and didn't see the point in them but by the end they all connect and it comes back full circle. The plot did end up developing faster by the middle and that's when the rush of the book kicks in and you want to keep reading and see what happens and where/what it's all leading to.

Ashley and Benjamin are both kick-butt characters and definitely adds the comedy and lightness to the story which I really enjoyed! Both are geniuses in their own ways and Heath manages to show the strong and close bond they have with each other! Ashley knows exactly what she's doing through out the entire book and exactly what she's up against! I love reading what's going on in her head through the various obstacles and how far she was willing to go for the $20 billion. She exudes confidence and one of my favorite traits about her. She believes in herself and NEVER gives up. Benjamin was an AWESOME partner but I had hoped to see more of him in the book which unfortunately he wasn't. He's such an ADORKABLE guy I totally ship him and Ashley even though it might not happen! I hope we get to see more of him in the next book!

Peachey, the hired assasin, is my least favorite character. It's not even the fact that he was an assassin (some assassins are pretty awesome). He just got on my nerves and didn't act like he was the top best assassin in the whole world Plus his motives and thoughts seemed very faux villain and he could have been a much more developed character. He was also made out to have had a bigger role in the story than he actually did and his assassin-ness was over dramatized or that might have just been me. Hammond Buckland was also a pretty cool character and I have dubbed him as Ashley's uncle. Not that he actually is but he seems like the type. I love the way the whole thing was set up and how some rich people might view things as well. This whole story was put in a different perspective that had me pulled!

Money Run is a book to read if you're bored or just in need of a short, light spy/heist thriller that will keep you entertained. While it could have used a bit more development, I enjoyed the overall story and was satisfied by the end!

**Review posted on Books As You Know It

**Review posted on Books As You Know It**

Review on the blog: Books As You Know It