Blurred Lines by Lauren Layne

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

A New Adult story in the form of a more traditional romance is a refreshing change.  There are no gimmicks, no “mystery” element that isn’t much of a mystery, no deals, bets, or games, and there is nothing supernatural or magical.  Frankly, it’s a relief.  In book world there seems to be a trend of 50 Shades-type fetishism, or a story with little to no plot that is only driven by sexual encounters.  Layne gives us a story that we can become immersed in that is driven by Parker and Ben and the simplicity of their story.

The dual narration is great- Ben is a normal guy whose thoughts and conversations aren’t profanity-laced idiocy masquerading as an authentic voice.  He’s a strong character who is presented well on the page and in his interactions with other characters.  Alternately, Parker is not a wishy-washy girl who doesn’t realize how amazing/attractive she is.  She’s a realistically drawn, independent, confident character who can easily be a fictional role model for readers. 

As usual, Layne’s writing is spot-on.  There are many genuinely funny, laugh-out-loud moments that are characteristic of her New Adult stories.  She definitely knows her intended audience and her characters are always representative of them.  The pacing is excellent, the plot progresses at an excellent rate, and although it seems as if there can’t possibly be a satisfying conclusion for both Parker and Ben, there is never a sense of being forced or rushed.  Nor are there any overly sappy, trite moments that make readers want to gag.    

Blurred Lines by Lauren Layne- Definitely read this one.  You won’t regret it.  Available from libraries and booksellers now. 

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A devastatingly real portrait of the brutality faced by teenage girls, All the Rage will haunt you.  Summers has a talent for relating horrifying events and their aftermath  succinctly and with precision.  Her writing style is flawless and her plots are never as straightforward as they seem.  Despite the fact that she writes stories that are hard to wrap the head around, I am always left with a sense of hope that sentimental books fail to deliver.  All the Rage is beautifully narrated and is not to miss.  Available from libraries and booksellers now.

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seeker is a bit slow and dull in the beginning.  And by beginning, I mean 200 pages or so.  I found the four narrations to be quite scattered from each other and had a hard time drawing everything together in my mind. 

Making cohesive connections between Quin, John, Shinobu, and Maude was difficult for most of the book.  As a reader you have to sort through four pasts leading up to the point of intersection, and then through four perspectives of events after they join to become the same story line.  I had a hard time relating to any of them, but I am a fan of books in which I don't particularly like the characters.  So I kept going.

There weren't really an plot twists that I hadn't already been anticipating.  The writing, however, is solid.  The characters might be hard to relate to, but they are all dynamic, evolving people who push the novel forward.  I do think that Seeker would have benefited from being shorter (i.e., not including every tiny detail of everyone's pasts, making readers wonder when this story is going to continue, never minding where it's going).  I did like it, though.

Yes, I did like it.  The action, when it finally happens, is intense and quickly paced leaving us on a cliffhanger and wondering where the story could go in the next installment.  I"ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel. 

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton: Get through the slow parts and it's definitely worth it.  Available from libraries and booksellers now.

Deviation (Clone Chronicles #2) by Heather Hildenbrand

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this installment of the Clone Chronicles.  There were parts that were excellent and full of action.  And there were parts that didn't make a lot of sense, story-wise, and were overflowing with cheese-tastic dialog, characters that had been dynamic suddenly falling flat, and a sense of being rushed through the reading.

Ven really irritated me this time around.  She was whiny, irrational, and not herself.  Which sounds odd to say about a fictional person, but it felt almost as if the book were narrated by someone else posing as Ven.  Several scenes seem to be just tossed in for the sake of inclusion rather than any actual pertinence to the story line. 

Regardless, Deviation is still the second part of this series and I feel it necessary to read if only because you'll miss a few important things and might be confused during the third installment.  You might not be a fan of this one individually, but to get a sense of the encompassing plot of the entire set. 

Deviation (Clone Chronicles #2) by Heather Hildenbrand: A must if you're going to read the series.  Otherwise mass chaos and confusion will ensue.  Available from libraries and booksellers now.

Waiting for April by Jaime Loren

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is decent if you're looking for just a romance.  The problem overall, however, is that it's not just a romance.  There the angle of reincarnation, with a theme of soul mates who will find each other in any time or place. 

The characters are presented well, each being fairly memorable and unique.  The concept of the story is a good one.  Sadly, it just doesn't mesh together.  There is entirely too much time devoted to the coupling-up of April and Scott.  A mystery is hinted at.  Intrigue is introduced.  Danger is definitely dangled.  But the development of plot isn't really there. 

I felt as if the ending was rather slapped together, not to mention unsatisfactory.  If you have read any of my other reviews you'll know that I am not always a fan of a happy ending.  I love an ending that leaves you feeling a little cheated, so long as the ending makes sense for the rest of the story.  But the suspense is quickly flung into an overly dramatic, not-clearly-explained mash-up of plot twists that leaves you dangling over the edge of a cliff by your fingernails. 

Waiting for April by Jaime Loren: I can't say I recommend this book, but I'll leave it up to you whether or not you'll read it.  Just don't be surprised if you're not a huge fan by the last page.

Curse Breaker: Guild Assassin by Berley Kerr

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I intensely disliked this book. I didn't finish it for numerous reasons, the foremost being my extreme irritation with Wendy as the narrator and protagonist. While the first chapter of the book is full of action, the majority is rife with boring details leading her up to the action that takes place in that first chapter. I couldn't relate to Wendy at all. She didn't seem to have any narrative emotion and came across as more of a neutral recording of events, even though some pretty traumatic things happened to her throughout the story.

The writing leaves a lot to be desired. There is so much description that I often forgot what was happening around whatever scenery was being discussed. The cover leads one to believe that this will be an steampunk story, but I was surprised to find out that it takes place on several different planets and involves quantum physics in addition to magic.

Overall the premise of this book was good, with an intriguing backdrop. Unfortunately, the narrator and the writing put me off of the story and leave me with no desire to find out what happens at the end of Guild Assassin, let alone what waits in the next installment.

Curse Breaker: Guild Assassin by Berley Kerr: 1 out of 5 stars.        

Handpicked by Dani Oden

As an introduction to college life, Handpicked is fairly accurate and occasionally humorous.  As a mysterious peek into the deep, dark secrets of sorority life where people go missing and someone is stalking the girls of a certain Greek organization, this story leaves a lot to be desired. 

There is a lot of lag time between a girl going missing and a severed hand being left for someone to stumble upon it.  There is even more lag time between the hand being found and the solving of the mystery.  Mostly that time is filled with stale descriptions of classes and parties, and completely inane chatter about the locations of closets, desks, and beds in a sorority house.  By the time the resolution finally rolls around, it feels rushed, disjointed, and frankly, uninspired.

I can't honestly say I'd recommend this, and after reading it I wouldn't buy it for my own collection.  I'm sure someone, somewhere would really love it, but it leaves a lot to be desired in the suspense arena.  The only thing that does recommend it is that the writing style is decent.  Sadly, that just can't override an tepid plotline and a slapdash conclusion.

Handpicked by Dani Oden: 0 out of 5 stars.