Born at Midnight By: C.C Hunter

One Star

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here

with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

 Let's look at that summary, shall we? "...spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams..." Was it amazing? Totally! Absolutely! Not. Did it steal my heart? No. If I see this book again, I'm running away from it. Does it haunt my dreams? Why yes, yes it did. How did you know, Book, that you would give me nightmares?

"...Shadow Falls- a camp for troubled teens..." The second I saw "camp", I just knew that it would be like The Lightning Thief. But, It'd probably be a screwed up version of it. "...vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies..." Didn't Hex Hall do something like this? "...Kylie’s never felt normal..." That's not like every single young adult book ever. "... enter Derek and Lucas..." Oh, God no. It's a love triangle. And then, the last sentence: "Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…"  Haha. Yeah. Totally original. And, of course, the cover is a girl in a dress. What is she even doing with it? Actually, I don't want to know.

Obviously, I wouldn't like this book. So, why, would I ever read this? My "friend"- you know, I have a lot of these friends- told me it was, "Totally and utterly awesome! And- ohmygod- Lucas is so hot! You totes have to read it! Now! I'll read Angelfall if you read this!" So of course I had to read it. I mean, I had to have my friend find out about good books.

Born at Midnight is about this chick named Kylie. She keeps seeing this ghost. At a party, there are drugs. She got caught at the party and is sent to some rehab camp. But, its actually not a rehab camp. It's a supernatural camp. She gets gets friends, find out she's the most amazing person in the camp, and is in a love triangle.

So this book is in third person. Limited third person. And it is one of the worst third person I've ever read. Maybe if it was first person, it would be slightly bearable. Not enough for two stars, but I would have been able to read this without mentally ripping the pages out, burning them, and burying the ashes.

Kylie thinks she's so funny.Yeah... no. If she was one of those people that think they're hilarious when they're actually really annoying, that would have been alright. I would have pretended that the author had some hidden message. But, no. Kylie is just annoying and whiny. And, of course, she's the specialest person in the camp. Kylie doesn't change throughout the book at all. She started out whiny and annoying. Then, she ended whiny and annoying.

But, we can't a book without some best friends. Sara was a terrible friend. The only reason she was used in this story was so we could all know how bad sex and fitting in is. If I wanted to know about those things, there's a such thing called a counselor. And a Health teacher.

However, Sara was the human BFF. Kylie has two others: a witch and a vampire. The witch was actually not that bad for the first part of the book. And then she became annoying. The vampire was pretty cool, which raised this book from a 0.5 (I always start a book this way, and it is the minimum for me, since I always round up) to a 0.75.

There's also slut slamming. So. Much. Judginess. People have sex. It's a fact of life. Kylie, how else do you think you were born?

The love interests were bad. I mean, she thinks Lucas killed her cat, but she still crushes on him. And Derek wasted a pint of blood for an hour of her time.

The things that happened in this book were unbelievable. The camp is conveniently located next to a zoo. And people sneak lions onto campus. Yes. So realistic.

There was this plot that wasn't really a plot. Things happened. More things happened. And then: The End. Mostly, this book was centered on romance, which I'm fine with, if stuff actually happened. Not just fake things.

The writing was so annoying. It's one of those cases where authors attempt to sound like teenagers and fail miserably.

And, of course, at the end of the book, when nobody cares anymore you find out who the ghost is. And its so predictable. So. Freaking. Predictable.

Born at Midnight was terrible. Utterly and completely terrible. I guess if you were obsessed with Twilight and wanted some anti-feminism, this would be the book for you. Otherwise, if you see this in a bookstore, casually get up and run away.

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The Selection (The Selection #1) by: Kiera Cass

 Two Stars

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts

to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

 I hate pretty covers. You know the inside's going to be bad, but the cover's just like: give me a chance. I'll be good, I promise.

 

And so I went and got it. I mean, the dress! It's so pretty. Now I'm sad I wasted my time. 

Pretty covers get me all the time.

There are so many inconsistencies in The Selection. For example, America is poor, but can afford good food.

The character names are just weird. America Singer. America-wait for it- sings. Who do you know who's name is Aspen? What about Maxon?

The characters themselves were flat. America was so predictable in what she was going to do. She also cried and complained a lot. And when someone called her pretty, she's like, "Don't call me pretty. Everyone calls me pretty." Why don't you just take a complement as it is?

Everything in this book was easy to guess. There were no plot twists that shocked me.

This book is supposed to be dystopian. There is limited world building. I could imagine what it would be like.

The writing and dialogue weren't very good. It seems like a thirteen year old wrote this.

This is supposed to be a Bachelor/ Hunger Games book. I can see the Bachelor portion. I don't know how the Hunger Games is part of this.

However, I like the idea behind it.

Overall, don't read this book. It's really bad.

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Waiting on Wednesday: Frigid

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that showcases upcoming titles we're highly anticipating.

Waiting for: Frigid

Author: J. Lynn/ Jennifer Armentrout

Expected publication: July 30th, 2013

Published By:  Spencer Hill Press

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love. 

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have. 

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

I need this now. As in, right now.

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Sweet Evil by: Wendy Higgins

Three Stars

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
           Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or     her horns?

I finished this, like, a month or so ago, but my friend wanted to do a review. Because I'm the nicest person ever, I decided to let her. Sadly, after a couple of weeks, she didn't email me back, so I had to write one myself.

Look at the cover. That dress is awesome. So, right away, I should have known I wouldn't like it. Think of all the covers with pretty dresses. Yes, that is pretty much all YA books. Now think of how many are annoying. If you said most, you are correct. Here's a cookie.

Now look at the guy next to her. I'm assuming that he is Kai, but who knows. Doesn't he look like a stalker?  Yes, yes he does. Here's a cupcake.

Am I winning you over? Good. So, basically, from the cover, I should have figured I wouldn't like this book that much. Since I'm so awesome, I was right. 

Because I'm such a happy person, let's go with the things I didn't like first.

Anna was an alright main character. However, I though she was too innocent. There were some examples, but I can't be bothered to remember them. She also changed her mind so much. She was supposed to stay away from Kai. Well... maybe not. Keep her angel and demon side a secret. But Kai's so hot! Yeah, it was annoying to read like that.

I have mixed feelings about Kai. On one hand he was so egotistic. On the other, he was sweet. I really liked his POVs on Wendy Higgins's blog.

Patty, Anna's adopted mom was weird. She just lets her daughter go on a road trip with the son of lust. That's not going to end badly at all...

I really didn't like the way Anna's dad acted. Yes, I get that he's the Duke of Substance Abuse (I never knew that was one of the Deadly Sins), but no dad should encourage their daughter to get drunk.

The other characters weren't really thought out well, which was sad.

And why is it, in any YA book, the main character gets almost raped, and the love interest just swoops in and saves her. The protagonist never even brings it up again, and goes on with life like nothing happened.

There was also this random page in the book all about sex. That was just weird.

I have decided that YA books hate anything real. For example, Twilight has sparkly vampires. 

And some other books are also screwed up. But I really like the thought out mythology in this one.

There were also some plot twists that I wasn't expecting. 

If you are looking for a quick read, pick this book up. However, don't expect anything that great.

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{Mini Review} Divergent (Divergent #1) by: Veronica Roth

Five Stars
 

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

One of my most favorite things as a reader is finding good books. One of my least favorite things as a blogger is finding good books. Why? Because for one star books, I can rant and complain. For five star books, it is impossible for me to find bad things. Or its really difficult.

Divergent is one of those books that I can find bad things if I try. But I really like the premise of it. Compared to most of the YA dystopians, this is really good.

I like Tris. At first, I thought she would be one of those wimpy heroines that were being "tough". (Running around swooning over stalker guys.) But she actually learned how to fight and wouldn't be pushed around by anyone.

I really enjoyed the world building. It seems well thought out.

Four is very interesting to read about. Aside from the fact that I don't really think the name "Four" is that sexy or dangerous, Four is a great character. The build up between Tris and Four seems real and not hurried.

The writing flowed smoothly. Everything seemed very vivid.

The plot moved well. There was actually a high point to the story, unlike so many others.

The ending was really good. It wasn't a cliffhanger, thank God, but it left me wanting more.

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Waiting on Wednesday: Burned

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that showcases upcoming titles we're highly anticipating.

Waiting for: Burned

Series: Fever #7 or Dani O'Malley Trilogy #2

Author: Karen Marie Moning

Expected publication: Not here yet. Grr.

Published By:  Delacorte Press

No summary/blurb yet. Sad Alisa.

Seriously. This needs a release date. Or at least a blurb. Please?

What are you waiting for?

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Dead Beautiful (Dead Beautiful #1) by Yvonne Woon

2 Stars

On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”

It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul. 

I  was going to review Sweet Evil. Then I remembered my friend wanted to try and review it. So, I was like," Sure. I'll find another book." And then I was going to review The Selection. But then, I found this book in my browse through Good Reads. And I was like, "Oh... I remember this book! I read it like a year ago!" So now I'm trying to see if I can remember it enough to write a review about it.

Let's see what I can remember... It was bad. And a copy cat. The overall story was like Twilight. With a few Mean Girls moments. And Disappearing Parent Syndrome. And some of Fallen.

 Renee Winters's parents get murdered (DPS- check), and she is sent to some private school. She meets a guy, falls magically in love with him, and finds out he's a zombie.

Yep. A zombie. What zombie do you know that's not rotting? Apparently, Dante isn't the only one. Most of the  school is filled with zombies. And the people taking some sort of Latin class are the zombies. Latin. I thought zombies had no brain power except for eating and walking. Latin. **Snort.

There was some screwed up mythology that I can't remember, but it was something like bury a body six feet under ground or burn it. Why? Because if you don't its going to come back to life. And the zombies only live for a number of years.

If a zombie finds his true love? Mate? I don't know- something, and kisses them, then they won't be a zombie anymore and the person that they kissed will be. So that was the reason Renee and Dante couldn't kiss. Fallen moment- check.

And apparently some people in the school take Latin, but not the special Latin. So Renee pretends to not know the answers of some stuff to spend time with Dante. Mean Girls- check.

Twilight moments are scattered throughout the series. There was that scene when Edward- I mean Dante- does something in Science class correctly, and Bella- totally meant Renee- checks it, and it turns out he's right. That's just one of the Twilight parts. (Others being a girl meeting a guy a lot older than her and "sparks" that fly when they touch).

Renee was an unlikable main character. She made stupid decisions  One of which was to forget that she has a boyfriend and crush on Dante. She's a flat character and has no character development at all over the story. And she was very narcissistic.

Dante- well, I can't remember Dante. I think he was creepy and stalkerish. Or maybe my mind has screwed up in remembering wrong.

Renee's friends weren't actually friends as more of two people that try (and fail) to make Renee seem likable.

The romance was insta-love, as I've already pointed out. Way too much "I'd rather die than be without you!"

The writing was all tell, not show. Some word choices and sentences were weird.

The foreshadowing was well done, even though it was very predictable. Some parts surprised me, though. This is the only reason I didn't give Dead Beautiful one star.

If you want to be annoyed, then pick this book up. If not, good for you. Go the other direction.

Extra long review for not being on for almost a week!

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The Hobbit By: J.R.R. Tolkien

Four Stars

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort. But the wizard Gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves. Soon Bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse unknown dangers. Finally, it was Bilbo-alone and unaided-who had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of an entire countryside . .

I would have liked this so much more if I didn't have to read this for school. So. Much. More. In school, we had to take notes on pretty much every single paragraph. It was so annoying. I got so bored of this book. That being said, at around the halfway point, it suddenly picked up and was much more interesting to read . And I could safely ignore the fact that I would have a test nitpicking this book.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who hates all adventure. Or, he seems to believe he hates it. There are two sides of him: the Took side and the Baggins side. When I first read about this, I thought he was schizophrenic. He wants to go on an adventure. Oh wait, never mind. Forget that last bit, he does. Or maybe not. On the other hand...

This was what the book was like the first quarter. And I can understand it, really! It's just annoying.

The other characters were very interesting. The dwarves, wizard, elves, eagles, orcs, goblins, trolls, and other creatures were well thought out. My favorite character was probably Gandalf because he's a bit eccentric. 

I really enjoyed that this book had no romance. Sometimes, romance is good. In this story, it would have ruined the entire thing.

The setting was awesome. All the places on the route to the dragon's lair were fascinating.

The writing made it seem like I was in the story.

This was a great story. I look forward to reading the Lord of the Rings.

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The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) by: Kady Cross

Three Stars 

Goodreads Summary: 

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her.When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no "normal" Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch....

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of "them." The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if it seems no one believes her.

This is my first Steampunk book, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Finley is a girl that, when she's angry, sad, or scared, changes into some monster-ish thing. Her personality, I mean. Not her actual physical shape. She gets stronger and bolder. That'd be an awesome super power to have, wouldn't you think? But she complains about it a lot, which is really annoying. She wants to control it, which is awesome and all, but girl, stop whining about it! Do you know how many people would kill for the chance to do what you do?

The good thing is that there isn't an almost-rape scene played out as romantic. There is, however, a scene where a guy tries to rape her, but Finley almost kills him. If this was the only good part about the book, I'd still give it two stars instead of one. I really like this scene because it shows that females aren't all spineless.

Griffin was written amazingly. I liked how he was a Duke, but wasn't stuck up.

Jack is the other corner of this love triangle. The conversations with Finley were very fun to read about.

I like both of these characters on their own, but I'm not fond of them as a love triangle.

Emily was awesome. Another great thing about this book. Female characters are smart. Thank you, Kady Cross, for not making me lose my faith in YA books.

I love the setting. The late 19th century time period was really cool. There's a new mineral ore thing that people have found, which is the reason for the gadgets.

I really liked how Finley wasn't the only person this book was centered on. The point of views spiraled between characters, and you get to see what everyone thinks about the things that happen. There were two love triangles written, which I enjoyed.

The writing wasn't anything special, so this is all I'll say on the topic.

The pace of the book dragged a little for my taste. I found myself skimming some areas.

Overall, this was a pretty good book. The negatives were balanced by the positives. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

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Vessel by: Sarah Beth Durst

Three Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her tribe is furious--and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice--she must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

First of all, look at that cover. It's so pretty. So is the dress. And if there's one thing that most of the time, they're terrible (cough, cough: Hush, Hush; Evermore; Marked; Fallen). So, naturally, I was wary of this book. Well, that, and the part where I had no money on my Amazon account.

Vessel is about a girl named Liyana. She has been raised ever since she was born to be a host for a goddess. When the goddess doesn't answer her summons, she gets kicked out of her clan. Soon after, Korbyn, a got, comes along to tell her that the gods, other than himself, have been captured. They go and find the other  hosts of different clans to aid them on their adventure.

The characters in the Vessel weren't the best. Occasionally, they acted idiotically. But they made up for that by having- wait for it- brains and spines.

And sadly, Vessel has a love triangle. It's not even well written, just annoying. Korbyn was the first love interest, and he was pretty interesting. But when the emperor comes in; that was where I was getting pissed off. Liyana and the emperor just fall instantly in love, with no development between the points of meeting and falling in "love". Why, in all YA books, are there always love triangles and insta-love? It's so frustrating!

The setting was very interesting. I loved that it took place in the desert. The feelings all the inhabitants had for the desert were very entertaining to read about.

The pace was mediocre. At times, it slugged. Other parts, it went too fast (cough, cough insta-love).

The writing was descriptive. Not the best, but not the worst, either.

Overall, this would be a borrow, not a buy book. If you're looking for a quick and cheesy read, this would be it.

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The Chemistry of Fate Cover Reveal

Synopsis :
“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.

Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.

Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place.

Ready for the cover?

Book Trailer

Author info:

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

>She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana.

>When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!

>She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!

>If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

Her Website

Her Blog

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