Hereafter Review

Title: Hereafter
Author: Tara Hudson
Publish Date: June 7, 2011
Format: Kindle
Stars: 3.5 stars
Summary: Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.


Review: Covers like this make me envious of people who have mastered Photoshop. How can you not expect a great story with a cover like that? It's (kind of) a lie. Hereafter had unfulfilled potential, but I didn't hate it. It took me a while to get into (I put it down for literally a year, picked it up, and finished it in a day). Once you power through the first 50 pages, the story picks up and finally gets somewhere. Sadly, the characters are not fully realized, but this could be expanded on in the sequels. Will I read the sequels? Yeah, most likely, but they haven't shot up in my to-be-read pile.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Review

Title: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Publish Date: August 15, 2013
Format: Kindle/Library
Stars: 4 Stars
Summary: You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch

Review: When I closed my Kindle after reading this, I literally went WTF? I had no idea what I had just read, but I loved it! What first drew me was the cover. It's so beautiful and eye catching and I was salivating. A girl named Violet lives in this once beautiful, but now decrepit mansion with her twin brother as her parents are in Europe and never visit. She meets this hot creeper named River, who can make people see things. Her town thinks he is the devil (Violet included) but the devil has never looked so good and Violet can't control herself. The main complaint I had was that this book needed a better editor; the plot needed to be tightened immensely. I feel like I can't give a concrete review to this book, but I devoured it and will read the sequel most definitely!

Waiting on Wednesday

Title: Between the Spark and the Burn
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Publish Date: August 14, 2014
Summary: The conclusion to Between the Devil and The Deep Blue Sea, this gothic thriller romance with shades of Stephen King and Daphne du Maurier is a must-read for fans of Beautiful Creatures and Anna Dressed in Blood.

Freddie once told me that the Devil created all the fear in the world.
But then, the Devil once told me that it's easier to forgive someone for scaring you than for making you cry.
The problem with River West Redding was that he'd done both to me.

The crooked-smiling liar River West Redding, who drove into Violet's life one summer day and shook her world to pieces, is gone. Violet and Neely, River's other brother, are left to worry—until they catch a two a.m. radio program about strange events in a distant mountain town. They take off in search of River but are always a step behind, finding instead frenzied towns, witch hunts, and a wind-whipped island with the thrum of something strange and dangerous just under the surface. It isn't long before Violet begins to wonder if Neely, the one Redding brother she thought trustworthy, has been hiding a secret of his own . . .

My thoughts: My review of the first book will be posted tomorrow, but I loved the first book. It left off on a cliffhanger (shocking!), so I need to pick this one up on the first day! 

This Is What Happy Looks Like Review

Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publish Date: April 4, 2013
Format: Kindle
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Summary: In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Review: Every time I read a summary for a new Jennifer E. Smith book, I always think that this book was written for me, but it never quite pans out. I liked (but expected to love) Smith's previous book entitled The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and like this book, something just didn't add up. I determined it to be the chemistry of the two main characters, Ellie and Graham. They just didn't have a spark; I basically would have preferred them to be friends. The plot was slight unbelievable, but isn't that why everyone reads? To escape reality! It was cute, but I can't say I would reread this or that this would be the first book I would recommend.

In my Mailbox

From: Netgalley

 Library Haul: 

 Any new books from you guys?

Midnight Frost Review

Title: Midnight Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Release Date: July, 2013
Format: Kindle/Library
Stars: 3.5 stars
Review: I'm normally a big fan of the Mythos Academy series, but this one did not tickle my fancy. I read the first four books in a row, and had to wait for this one. By the time I got around to this one, I felt like the series had lost its spark a bit (mostly Logan/Gwen lovey dovey scenes were absent). I still love Gwen to pieces and I will finish the series, but this was definitely a forgettable book. I don't want to give spoilers away, but I'm sure the final book will be a step up. This book seems like a filler or set up book for the finale, which I can respect. Oh, the plot? Gwen is nearly poisoned (and Nickamedes is poisoned!) by the Reapers, so Gwen and company go to another Mythos Academy campus, where Gwen meets some new characters and fights some more reapers! The fight scenes were great, but the new characters were kind of unnecessary, though it was interesting to hear more about Gwen's family background.

Meant to Be Review

Title: Meant to Be
Author: Lauren Morrill
Publication: 2012
Format: Kindle
Stars: 4 stars
Review: Ugh, look at that beautiful cover. From the second I saw that cover, I knew that book was meant to be mine. Sadly, the book didn't live up to the cover, but I found the book great nonetheless. Julia, the straight A know it all, is on a class trip and is joined by her nemesis, the cute and loveable Jason. One night in London, she starts receiving strange text messages after a party. The text messages make Julia feel all lovey-dovey and Jason agrees to help her find her mystery man, but only as long as Julia lightens up a bit!

This book was so great, so great, though it was a bit predictable. Just by reading this review, you can deduce who is sending the mystery texts, but it doesn't make the book any less great. I'm pretty sure I finished this book in 1-2 days and can I say they were amazing again? Julia is a bit rough around the edges, but she's smart and independent, while Jason is sweet and funny. You definitely need to give this book a chance!

Waiting on Wednesday

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publish date: August 14, 2014
Thoughts: Stephanie Perkins has some of the best YA contemporary ever. Anna and the French Kissed is flawless and Lola and the Boy Next Door is quite near flawless. I'm sad that this is the last book in her ~trilogy, but this is a book I will buy the first day it is out. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I actually like these new covers?

Top Ten Series I Have Started, but Not Finished

1.) Vampire Academy: I read the first one when I was eighteen and dear lord, did I love this series! I have only the last book to read, but I just haven't picked it up and probably won't unless I do a reread of the entire series. Rose Hathaway = best female character in a long time!

2.) Wither: The first book was so creepy good, but the human trafficking/statutory rape kind of turned me off. Not to mention, the love interest was super boring. I have Fever on my to-read list at the library, so there may still be hope!

3.) The Mortal Instruments: Read the first two, most likely won't pick up the rest. I found CC's writing to be exhausting to read (half of it could be cut out) and the movie casting seriously ruined the images in my head. Jace Wayland (or whatever his real last name is) deserved so much better than Jamie Campbell Bower.

4.) Graceling: I hated Graceling at the beginning and loved it at the end. Fire is on my to-be-read list and I promise to pick it up this year!

5.) Blue Bloods: I LOVED BLUE BLOODS! But the last book (the fifth, I believe?) did not keep my interest at all. More Jack/Schuyler and I'm a happy girl!

6.) Divergent: I didn't make it through the first Divergent and refuse to try and reread it. I do not get the love AT ALL for this book.

7.) Across the Universe: I liked the first book, the second was meh, but the covers were so beautiful. Until they changed them! The final book is on my life and I will probably read it sometime this year.

8.) The Wolves of Mercy Falls: This is a series I'm not sure why I haven't finished as Shiver was flawless. I have been meaning to pick up the author's other books, but alas, here I am.

9.) Hereafter: Another beautiful cover for a 'meh' book. I have no strong opinions about the series, but I should probably finish it just because I started it and didn't totally hate the book. This clearly needs to be a rule of mine.

10.) The Iron Fey: I love this series, but it's gotten lost amongst other books I want to read. This is another author I want to start another series with, but so much to read, so little time!

Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: 2011
Format: Kindle/Library
Pages: 338
Review: I have basically avoided this book like the plague. Friends on Goodreads praised the book, but it never sounded all that interesting. I was on my local library's website and saw that it was available, so I thought 'what the hell?' and got the ebook. So, I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it either. I didn't find it original and I didn't connect too much with Juliette. I though the writing was super pretentious interesting and the romance was fairly run of the mill. However, I could not put this book down! I finished it fairly quickly, but the ending didn't leave me super interested in reading the sequels. What kept me reading? I'm not quite sure, but stranger things have happened. Will I read the sequels? Maybe. Probably. I think it kind of depends on its availability the next time I'm looking for some ebooks. At least the covers are super pretty!

I'm back!

Yes, I am finally back! School is done/I have time again/life isn't so stressful so now I can read more. I hope to post reviews at least once a week, so please be patient! Thank you to those who continue to follow this blog!