[Review] Dare you To

English Hardcover

English Paperback Cover

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘Dare you To’ by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits # 2

Synopsis:
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s home life, they’d send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom’s freedom and her own happiness. That’s how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn’t want her and going to a school that doesn’t understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t get her, but does….
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn’t be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won’t let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all…. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I was really surprised and sooo hooked by the first book of this series and accordingly of this, my expectations for that book were also really high. Particularly because now it was about Beth, who though seemed to me in the first book a little bit unfriendly, but has already shown in the first part briefly, that her life isn’t anything but perfect and hence, I could understand her behavior and also her defense.

As well as also here in the second part, in which I still got a lot bigger and more exact look at Beth and her life – particularly on her mother and her relation to her, and also on her flubbed childhood, which I even wouldn’t wish my worst enemy. Therefore I can understand as already said, Beth’s reticence and her actions, which would have led to shaking my head with any other character. Beth often runs away and wants to close her eyes before problems, but then her uncle Scott gets custody for her, she has to live with him and his wife and there she gets to know the sportsman and god-boy Ryan. And, yes, here we also have found our romantic, male protagonist of the book.

First I had my problems with Ryan because he apparently has everything what one can wish for and looked rather superficial. But luckily this has changed during the book and a part for it, was probably also due to the fact that he’s a baseball player, a sports with which I have no interest in it at all. Luckily this aspect became less and less.
I find Ryan was quite okay and a nice character, and then also Beth was a better, but they weren’t as awesome as the couple Noah and Echo from the first book. Unfortunately here I’ve missed this ‘wow-effect’, for which I can’t really find a reason.

Other readers often don’t like it, that in a further book you still see how happy the couple from a previous book is, when they whisper sweet nothings and kisses and so on, but I found that nice and I liked it, that Echo and Noah also showed-up it this book briefly – very briefly – and that they are still happy. I find something like that always absolutely sweet and also okay, if it’s not too much as it was here.

What has disturbed me very much was the fact that there were many clichés in the book, especially Beth, who comes from bad house, and Ryan, from a putatively intact, good and rich family. Also the bet, the reason because he has spoken at first to Beth, was not for my taste. It was not original and too similar to ‘Perfect Chemistry#1’ by Simone Elkeles, even if it has turn into a differently course.

I’m really sorry, but for me the big enthusiasm was missing, because there happened much surprising or special things in it, anyhow it was just too poor. Although I found her uncle Scott very great and it was a pity that at the end, there wasn’t more with him, or more together with him and his wife – or also that there weren’t any more occurrences with her friend Lacy, which I found also very interesting and I liked her at first sight.

At next the third book is coming out in autumn/ winter 2013‚ which will be called ‘Crash into You’, which will host the story of Isaiah. At the moment I’m not so glad about it, because right now I don’t really care much about Isaiah, but I will read it nevertheless, because I would like to conclude the whole series.

Cover Hardcover:
I like this cover as much as the first book and again, here are people on it, which fit well to the descriptions in the book (that’s not always the case ^^)

All in all:
It was a good book and all in all, I also had my fun while reading it, but nevertheless, I’m a little disappointed, because this great wow-effect was missing, which I had with the first part.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)
.

Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

© netgalley.com

.

Quotes:

Chris to Ryan: “You need a girlfriend.”
Lacy: “Exactly! I’ve been saying that for months. Not an evil girlfriend. We are not doing evil again. I was tired of wearing crucifixes. I considered carrying holy water, but then I would had to sneak into a church and then-”
.

Ryan: “You’re a lot like that bird in the barn. You’re so scared that you’re going to be caged in forever you can’t see the way out. You smack yourself against the wall again and again and again. The door is open, Beth. Stop running in circles and walk out.”
.

Beth: ‘That must be love: when everything else in the world could implode and you wouldn’t care as long as you had that one person standing beside you.’

...

Succession:

#1 Katie McGarry – Pushing the Limits »»
#2 Katie McGarry – Dared to You »»
#3 Katie McGarry – Crash into You

.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Katie McGarry:
KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

.

[Review] Truly, Madly, Deeply, You

English Cover

.

..

‘Truly, Madly, Deeply, You’
by Cecilia Robert

.

.

...

Synopsis:
Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.
What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend?  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
This short story is about love, friendship, big feelings, but also about loss, grief and forgiveness – specifically to yourself.

Hence here it isn’t the plot in the foreground and a story full of actions, but the figures in it, and how they feel in each respective situation. Here are the characters in the foreground and here are the people who count.
The beginning was great and has pulled me immediately into story. Unfortunately Liese was sometimes too blue-eyed for me or seen a lot or wanted it to see what happened right before her eyes. Therefore I was also frustrated a little bit by her. In comparison to her, Frey was really great and I really liked him, but he also made me desperate with his caring and thinking always first of Liese and his very slow approach to her. He has fulfilled all her wishes, particularly concerning their two friends Ben and Carmen and this was really annoying, and I would have said Ben my opinion about him much earlier.

In spite of all, it was a honey-sweet story which I could read fast and easy. The writing style was sensitive and written detailed figuratively, which I really liked and has suited the story very well.
Unfortunately it was just a short-story and hence it wasn’t very long and just a short read. But I will read again something of this great and sensitive author.

Cover:
The cover is wonderful and shows for me also perfectly the two main characters. *beautiful*

All in all:
A good idea and a sugar-sweet transformation, which could have been longer! A short-story for romantic hearts. ♥

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)

..

.

About the author – Cecilia Robert:
Cecilia Robert lives in Vienna with her two children, has an incurable obsession with books, anything romantic, TV and medieval architecture. When not working in her full time job, catching up with her two children, writing or reading, she can be found, knitting or crocheting, taking photos of old buildings…  (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

.

[Review] I’ll Be There

English Cover

German Cover

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘I’ll Be There’
by Holly Goldberg Sloan

...

Synopsis:
Sam Border wishes he could escape. Raised by an unstable father, he’s spent his life moving from place to place. But he could never abandon his little brother, Riddle.
Riddle Border doesn’t talk much. Instead, he draws pictures of the insides of things and waits for the day when the outsides of things will make sense. He worships his older brother. But how can they leave when there’s nowhere to go? Then everything changes. Because Sam meets Emily.
Emily Bell believes in destiny. She sings for her church choir, though she doesn’t have a particularly good voice. Nothing, she feels, is mere coincidence. And she’s singing at the moment she first sees Sam.
Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you–sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in ways greater than you could have ever known. Beautifully written and emotionally profound, Holly Goldberg Sloan’s debut novel deftly explores the idea of human connection..   (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Sam and Emily is, as the name already tells, a charming, but also sad story about the chances of life which can lead to luck or misfortune. Small occurrences, considered in little only as vanities, which maybe have to mean nothing, but if you look at them in the big whole of the life with the involvement of other people, they can turn the whole life upside down, or shape a new course and lead to chain reactions.
Goldberg plays with these small chances, with these little twists of fate and leads us on an exciting, amusing trip of the unusual chances, where she never loses the main topic or the general sight of the big picture. And exactly this is it, what makes this book to something special and thereby contrasts with others and for it she earns every single point in my rating.

Unfortunately there are not only positive aspects in the book, but I also have to criticize some things in it, which has diminished my reading pleasure and are also the reason for the lower rating. For me it’s clear that this is only a subjective, personal preference, but it has disturbed me that everything was written from the third person. Especially I didn’t like that there was this ‘omniscient narrator‘, who constantly summarized and told about the people in the book, about their feelings and their past and so.
This kind to writing reminded me very much of the old classics, for example ‘The picture of Dorian Gray‘ which was written alike hence this is a little atypical for nowadays and so one is less accustomed to it – at least I’m. Though thereby one got to know a lot – and also unnecessary things – about every single appearing character, and I think the writing for it is very difficultly, but thereby I could only build up lesser feelings for the central figures. Though they were there, but anyhow I could not grasp them within my fingers, couldn’t feel them.

Sam and Emily were as characters in this book really interesting and I’ve also grown fond of them, the same with Sam’s younger brother Riddle, but unfortunately there were not enough attachment and feeling for them because of this ‘omniscient narrator’.
I rather would have liked to know much more about Sam and Emily or from them as a couple and what they’ve talked about. I would have loved to read their dialogues, and about their feelings when they touched or kissed for the first times, how it was for them when they were together. But this virtually didn’t appeared properly, because this ‘narrator‘ only told about it by the way. Hence, I found this was a pity and I’ve liked it the least in the whole book.

But, nevertheless, I’ve liked this book very much; better than other books, because the story was really tragically and I immediately felt with the central figures. Particularly with Sam and Riddle – I just wished them some luck and a better life. And although this ‘narrator’ – thing has stood between me and this book, there were also moments in it,  which really made  me upset and sad, even so much, that I have lost one or two tears – to be honest, I’ve cried like a baby, but I don’t care!
So, as you can see, the book has its strengths and also its weak points, but it probably lies with every reader whether they like this way of telling a story or not.

German Cover:
The cover has its own charm and in addition the title reflects perfectly the contents of the story. On top one notices the love with which the cover was made and designed with miraculous details and a special material.

All in all:
It was a tragic, but also delighting and emotional book, which I’ve liked very much except for the narrative manner. Who doesn’t have a problem with such an ‘omniscient narrator’, like I had, has here a fantastic book, which I can only recommend.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it).

.

A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

©Arena Verlag

..
.

.
About the author – Holly Goldberg Sloan:
Holly Goldberg Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spent her childhood living in California, the Netherlands, Istanbul, Washington, DC, and Oregon. She has written and directed a number of successful family feature films. The mother of two sons, Holly lives with her husband in Santa Monica, California. I’ll Be There is her debut novel. (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

.

Review: Tempest

English Cover

German Cover

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘Tempest’ #1
by Julie Cross

...

Synopsis:
The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
For me it is difficult to review this book, because it was partly really good, but on the other side there were a few things which have disturbed me. Particularly the beginning has made it difficult for me, not because it was dull or something like that, on the contrary – I found particularly the beginning extremely thrilling and exciting, the thing that happened with Jackson, but I had my problems with Jackson – the central figure. For uncertain reason I couldn’t feel with him at first. For me he was partially too unconcerned, careless, irresponsible and childish. He always only wanted his fun instead of responding to serious obligations – all that was unlikeable for me. Also because he was already nineteen years old, but he doesn’t behaved like that.

Like everything in his life, he also handles his discovered ability of the time jumps very playfully, as he constantly tries out new experiments with his friend Adam and where he only can jump back for a few minutes or the most some hours. In this manner‚ these two are fooling around with his ability, until one day two bad agents appear, when Jackson is with his girlfriend Holly – who gets shot by them. Exactly at this moment Jackson jumps back to the past, but not as usual only for a few minutes, but two whole years, in a world in which he doesn’t yet know Adam and or Holly.

Now it lies completely alone to him to find out what has happened, why he is suddenly stuck in the past and isn’t able to get back to his ‘right’ 2009, like he always could before. Moreover, he also has to face other questions and dangers which concern his father, who is more than it has seemed at the beginning, and Jackson has to play a more bigger role in that whole than him he wants to – it’s not anymore only about him and Holly, but also about the future of the whole world.

Oh this sounds exciting, or? And for me it also was like that for the most part and I couldn’t put the book aside. But, nevertheless, in the in-between it has also stretched sometimes a little and it was described too exactly with the whole ‘technical‘ explanations about his time jumps, although at other places some questions couldn’t be quite adequate answered on this subject. Hence, for me it was every now and then a little bit bewildering and I had to concentrate myself not to mix up the whole times or to lose the central theme. But luckily it was still within the scope and didn’t get me frustrated.
Hence, I liked the storyline much and it could keep up my curiosity almost constantly.

Unfortunately this time I couldn’t feel so much with the characters, than I’m used to. Though Jackson has changed and his character became much more appealing and could change to the positive side, but something was missing. What is probably due to the fact that this book – is not told as usual from a girl – but from the perspective from Jackson. Although it is something new to read the perspective of the male character, I prefer the other way around. I would have liked it the most if it had been told rotationally from him and also from Holly.

What I’ve really liked was the beginning phase in which Jackson has no idea what happened and was badly searching for a way back to his old life. Here I could feel very well his desperation, so much that I almost got despairs myself and therefore I also wanted to know quickly what happened to him and why.

German Cover:
I really like it, especially the colors and the letters look great. Unfortunately, the guy – who should show Jackson – doesn’t look good at all. Hence, personally I would have preferred it without him.

All in all:

A book, which holds some complex and tough information, but also offers an interesting new start of a nice ‘time traveling’ trilogy, which I will follow with interest.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)
.

A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Fischer FJB

..

.
Succession:

#0,5: Julie Cross – Tomorrow is Today (Short Story as eBook)
#1:     Julie Cross - Tempest »»
#2:     Julie Cross- Vortex
#3:     Julie Cross – Untitled
.
…

Success.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Julie Cross:
Julie lives in central Illinois with her husband and three children. She never considered writing professionally until May of 2009. Since then, she hasn’t gone a day without writing.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

.

.

Review: Six Days

English Cover

German Cover

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘Six Days’ by Philip Webb

...

Synopsis:
Will they find the lost treasure before time runs out? A gripping adventure about a desperate race through the wastelands of future London to find a relic of extraordinary power.
For Cass and Wilbur, life as scavengers is all they’ve ever known — rummaging the ruins of London in search of a precious, powerful relic no one, not even their new Russian masters, has ever seen.
But when Erin and Peyto, two strangers from a faraway place, show up and claim they hold the key to locating the mysterious missing artifact, the treasure hunt takes on a lethal urgency. If the kids don’t find the crucial object in SIX DAYS, their world will come crashing to an end!  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Right at the beginning I‘ve thought to myself ‘oh no, this won’t be something for me’ because it is written very youthfully. And with that I literally mean not only like other YA books, but really a young YA book! I would say that the book is exactly for the recommended age, which is on the threshold of children’s book to YA book. So approximately 12-13 years, if I can properly rank it, and therefore the age information with 12-15 fits quite well.

After I’ve got over the first shock regarding the sloppy writing manner, I must admit, that it was really a nice and thrilling entrance, into this postal-apocalyptic world. I got directly thrown into the life of Cass and her brother Wilbur and there I also got to know her surroundings and her hard fight to survive in a hopelessly appearing world.

I had no idea what this book really is about, before I started to read it, but the further I read, the more I could find out about the background story. I got some answers of the questions, like: “Why it has come to this dystopischen world? Why was there a war with the Russians which they won and which lead the new circumstances, which are now ruling in London, where Cass lives?”
Cass, her brother and her father are scavengers and they have to find something special for the Vlads, the so-called Russians, a certain, very powerful artifact and  nobody knows exactly what it looks like or how it works. Only her younger brother Wilbur comes up over and over again with new ideas, where to find the artifact and irritates with his chimeras especially his big sister Cass, because he often goes on his own investigations and then endangers himself with that.
Till one day Cass and Wilbur meets Peyto, and later also Erin, and now Wilbur’s chimeras are all out of a sudden not at all so impossible anymore, but they perhaps even can lead them to the mysterious artifact – which would be great, because without it, this world will be destroyed in the next 6 days.

Sounds quite well and interesting at this point, I think and I must admit that I’ve liked it surprisingly much and better than I’ve thought at the beginning, although the language was really written for very young readers. But it was throughout the story very gripping and I could get well into the story and have felt with the characters. What I’ve like most was at the beginning the representation of this new future and how the life is for the people who are living in London.
Also up to the middle it was still very good, I’ve liked the idea and I also would have almost rated the book with 4 stars, but then the plot has changed more and more into a Sci-Fiction story, what I’ve not liked so much, but here everybody must decide for themselves if they like that or not. Another reason for the decreased rating was that though there was a concluded end without leaving open really important questions, it happened too fast for me and out of a sudden. Though the end was finished and nice, but for me too laxly and without getting answers to some open questions, which would have interested me, because I wanted to know what becomes of the characters afterwards.

Now we are at the right subject –the characters, which were there throughout the story very likeable. They were great and partially they have also fitted to the descriptions of their age. Cass was the central figure and was of course developed the best, but also Peyto or Wilbur could shine and belong to my favorites. Of course the characters are younger than in other YA books and therefore there isn’t a real love story in it, because the focus is laid on the exciting part – the rescue of the world and the artifact – but, nevertheless, there is also a briefly excursion to the world of the feelings and‚ flirtation‘. This wasn’t really necessary or important for the plot, but I found it suitable and cute described and I’ve liked that much because I’m just the romantic type.

Cover:
The German cover has caught very well the postal-apocalyptic atmosphere, but in comparison to the English cover it’s a pity that the characters are not shown on it.

All in all:
It’s really nice book, which is quickly to read for in between, and will make fans of young fantasy and sci-fi book very happy.  Moreover it’s a ‘stand-alone’ book, which is a rarity nowadays in the Fantasy/ YA genre.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)
.

A huge THANKS for the reviewer’s copy to:

©Chicken House

.

.
About the author – Philip Webb:
Philip Webb, author of Scavs, had a happy childhood roaming and exploring, and was fascinated by the local rubbish dump where he played out lots of post-apocalyptic adventures with his friends. He was born in 1967 and works as a user experience consultant. He has a computer science degree and a Master’s in human computer interaction. His interests include travel, art, design, and film. Philip lives with his wife in West London.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit the Website: »»

Review: Rules of Attraction

English Cover

.

..

‘Rules of Attraction‘
by
Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry # 2

.

.

.

.Synopsis:
When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Surprisingly I’ve liked the book really very much again, although Elkeles presents again very penetratingly the clichéd stereotypes and it also was very much alike as the first book in this series. For example with all the drugs and the same problems, with which Carlos has to battle and on which he puts the blame for the fact, that he can’t live a ‘normal’ life like other teenagers.

But, nevertheless, there are a few good differences, so that the reading never becomes boring and again it was that I read constantly very fast, just to get to know what happens next. The reason for that is primarily that the story is full of likeable characters, and secondly because of the nice liquid and also great and easy writing style of Elkeles.

However, I must confess that although I’ve take the characters to my heart, I liked in this book Carlos less, than in comparison to the first book his brother Alex. Though this is a little pity, I already know that this would happen before I even started the book, because I was just so crazy for Alex in the first book.

For me Carlos seemed too enforced and it was to prominent how he appeared as a ‘bad-boy’, and for that, he couldn’t put me on his side for a longer time. His brother Alex is just my darling and I like his character and hence I’m also extremely glad, that in the second book I could also read a little about him and Brittany. *very great*

In return I liked the female main character – here she is called Kiara – a lot more than Brittany in the first book. Kiara is really great, though, brainy and has a great rotted to the soil-attitude, although she also has to fight with a few things in her life and clear them for herself. At some times she appears a little bit too perfect, so that I’ve had a hard time to imagine such a girl also in real life, but she is sweet and so I can overlook that.

Moreover the other characters are also very likeable and I find Kiara’s family just extremely great with their tolerant attitude and their candid treatment of sexuality or drugs. In general I’m of the opinion that such an education for children can only be good and welcome that parents speak openly with them and to clarify that they understand and know, that they can come to their parents with every problem.

Finally just two short points which I would like to state. At first the book was entertaining, but couldn’t keep up with the great first part. Also I hadn’t had to laugh at any parts like in the first book, but there were still a few nice scenes, which made me smile but not more and I like humor and I like it in books.

Secondly the end was similar but not as spectacular as in the first part, and also not with so much feelings and heartache. Here I would have wished for a little more action and a longer preparatory phase. It all happened very fast in the end and therefore I got the feeling that the author just wanted to finish the book.

Cover:
Actually I like it very much and it also fits greatly to the story of the book. The English cover is a little colorless and hence I prefer the German cover with the pink written letters.

All in all:
A nice YA book with pleasant, though partial trivial entertainment, which is perfectly suitable as a summer reading and kidnaps the readers again in their youth and in the first ‘falling-in-love‘.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points

Quotes:

Carlos: “You’re dangerous.”
Kiara: “Why?”
Carlos: “Because you make me believe in the impossible.”
.

Carlos: “This is a team of gay dudes, isn’t it?”
Tuck: “What gave it away? The pink shirts, or half our team drooling over you?”

Carlos: “I’m in deep shit Alex, ’cause I think I’d like nothin’ better than to wake up with her every mornin’.”

Succession:

# 1: Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry  »»
# 2: Simone Elkeles – Rules of Attraction »»
# 3: Simone Elkeles – Chain Reaction
.

Simone Elkeles

.

About the author – Simone Elkeles:

Simone Elkeles is the NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of over seven teen romance novels. She has won various awards and recognition for her books, including the coveted RITA award from the Romance Writers of America for her book Perfect Chemistry and being named Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.
(Source:  http://www.simoneelkeles.net)

Visit her Website »»

.

 

Review: The Gathering

Hardcover

Paperback

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘The Gathering’
by Kelley Armstrong

Darkness Rising # 1
...

Synopsis:
Strange things are happening in Maya’s tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya’s home and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy her paw-print birthmark. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
After I was extremely thrilled by Armstrong’s ‚Dark Powers‘ series, I absolutely also wanted to try her new YA series and I must say that also here again she could completely persuade me.

Not only Armstrong‘s writing style is again great and fluently to read, but also the characters were described well and likeable and above that I also got a female main character which I’ve really liked and was not irritated with a whiny attitude, but she was thinking rationally and has acted realistic and authentic. Also the other figures were nicely worked out, so that very soon I’ve been fond of them and the male combatant are not only physically very attractive, but also from their personality and character.

At some places the plot is partially a little longbreathed or also a bit foreseeable, but not so much that it would have disturbed me.
The only other criticism point here was to me, that the book is simply too short and it seemed to me like a prehistory, to introduce the scenery and the figures, but it is not really very much about the general story behind it.  But that doesn’t bother me much now, because on the one hand I’ll read the next part soon, and on the other hand I already know this approach of Armstrong from her first YA series. And hence, I’m persuaded of the fact that the book two and three will bubble over with tension and thrilling events that I won’t know any more how fast I should read, to get to know everything at once – and I love that!

Cover:
Unfortunately I‘ve the paperback version at home – for financial reasons – but I find the hardcover much more attractively with the illustrated face on it and the dark coloring. It’s really beautiful.

All in all:
An interesting prelude of a new book series, from where I’m persuaded that in the end, it will be one of my favorite series.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points

Quotes:

Maya: “This is so cool,” I said loudly as Dad walked away. “Have you met the tattoo artist? Is he hot?” “He’s a she,” Mom said. “Is she hot? Cause I’m still young, you know. My sexual identity isnt fully formed.” “Your father can’t hear you anymore, Maya.” Mom sighed.

.

Mom said. ‘Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.‘
Maya: ‘Or,’ I said turning to Rafe, ‘if you want to skip the whole awkward meet-the-family social event you could just submit your life story including your view on politics religion and every social issue imaginable along with anything else you think they might need to conduct a thorough background check.’
Mom sighed. ‘I really don’t know why we even bother trying to be subtle around you.’
Maya: ‘Neither do I. It’s not like he isn’t going to realize he’s being vetted as daughter-dating material.’
Rafe grinned. ‘So we are dating.‘
Maya: ‘No. You have to pass the parental exam first. It’ll take you awhile to compile the data. They’d like it in triplicate.‘ I turned to my parents. ‘We have Kenjii. We have my cell phone. Since we aren’t yet officially dating I’m sure you’ll agree that’s all the protection we need.’
Dad choked on his coffee.

..

.
Succession:

# 1: Kelley Armstrong – The Gathering »»
# 2: Kelley Armstrong – The Calling
# 3: Kelley Armstrong – The Rising
.

.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Kelley Armstrong:

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make her produce “normal” stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling “Women of the Otherworld” paranormal suspense series and “Darkest Powers” young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets. 
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

.

Review: One Moment

English Cover

.

.

.

‘One Moment’
by
Kristina McBride

.

.

...

Synopsis:
“This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.”
Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below-dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Sometimes the insignificant books surprise you more than the books for which you’ve waited for months and you’ve started to read cheerfully. This book here I’ve found by chance on netgalley and I started to read it only because I wanted to read a not addicted-making book and I thought this book won’t carry me away so much or occupy me. There I’ve been so completely wrong! Because the book didn’t let me go anymore and now that I’ve finished it already a few days ago, I still think or sympathize about it.

Right at the beginning of the story happens the tragedy, which is also described in the synopsis, and where Maggie’s boyfriend Joey dies in an unnecessary accident. Nevertheless the police intervene and some inconsistencies are being thrown up in connection with Joey’s death and bring some secrets to light, which some would have rather liked to be buried with him.

But who thinks now, this book is about a thriller or a crime novel, than that is wrong, because in the focus stands unmistakably the grief processing and above all the emotional life of the main protagonist Maggie, from whose view the events are told, full of flashbacks from her time together with Joey.
In so doing the author has made it possible that the readers could also get to know Joey, although the reader knows the whole time that Joey is already death. Although I also know that all along I nevertheless felt with Maggie as she remembered her first date with him, their first kiss and everything and I could only cry all the time, because it’s so sweet and sad at the same time – and I have also grouted some tears during this book!

Beside Maggie, it also tells much about the other characters and friends of Joey and how they deal with his sudden death. The narrow clique existed of 3 girls and 3 boys in whom now an important part is missing and instead that Joey’s death bond them together even more, they and also their friendship threatens to break.
I could also like most of these other central figures, but right from the beginning I had problems with Shannon and I also didn’t get along with Tanna from the start but it got better during the book. In return Adam was at the same time my chosen hero and favorite and he could convince me more and more during the plot, although he has also twisted himself in the story and has turned in different directions.

The end remains, let us say‚ half-open‘. I liked that, because I could play a little with my own imagination, but at the same time not too much and without an end. I’m very glad how the story has developed throughout the book and I could feel and hope with the protagonists, also despair, though. Hence, the end after all this strain was that what I’ve wished for and I’m really happy about it.

Cover:
The cover was what got my attention first. So for me the cover shows very felicitous the feelings in the book, the melancholy and naivety, and it also gets the reader into the right mood for the story.

All in all:
A heartbreaking book, which has gripped and hasn’t let me go anymore up to the last pages. The author has made it greatly to bring the emotional life of Maggie by her words on paper and let them share with the reader. I wasn’t caught for a long time into such an emotionally story. *great*

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)
.

Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

.

Quotes:

“Running.
We were running.
Almost there.
But the thunder of my feet crashed through something in my consciousness.
And I knew.
It was like I hit an invisible wall.
One that did not exist for Joey.
I had been so close to flying.
Then, suddenly—I stopped.”

Maggie: “What if it’s as simple as one moment? One tiny thing, like that kiss on the rocks? What if I’d kissed him a little longer? Would he be alive right now? Or what if I’d stayed with him Friday night, what if I’d been with him… wherever he was?”.

Maggie: Above, leaves fluttered in the moonlight, and I wondered if their whispers were meant for me, if they were imprinted with a code that I needed to decipher. Some kind of important message that would help me get this right.

...

.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Kristina McBride:

Kristina McBride, a former English teacher and yearbook advisor, dreamed of being a published author since she was a child and lived across the street from a library. Kristina has published two novels for young adults – The Tension of Opposites (May 2010) and One Moment (June 2012). She lives in Ohio with her husband and two young children.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

.