review

Review: Unremembered by Jessica Brody

March 14, 2013 by Sana

ABOUT THE BOOK

young adult science fiction fantasy published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on 5 March 2013
first book in the Unremembered trilogy

With no memories and no identity, the sixteen-year-old girl who was found floating among the wreckage of a devastating plane crash knows only one thing for certain: nothing is what it seems. Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue comes more questions. And she is running out of time to answer them. Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

THE RATING

THE REVIEW

I had been crazy excited for Unremembered ever since I discovered its existence. What really attracted to me about Unremembered was the main character being the lone survivor in a plane wreckage with a definite memory loss. I thought it didn’t get any better than that. Only it got worse. I wanted to like Unremembered, I really did. But I just couldn’t connect with it. Despite being just over 300 pages long, it took the book more than 250 pages to finally pick up its pace.

Not only that, I felt there was a lot of repetition. It’s one thing for Zen to find her but it took more than a few meetings for him to finally say something substantial to her. I know people are lying to her and what not but I wanted to scream at her to believe the guy already. More so when she almost trusts the wrong guy.

I also had a lot of issues with Cody. He’s supposed to be this 13-year-old foster brother but he acts like he’s Seraphina’s age fellow. He drives cars and can apparently leave and come home whenever he pleases. And it doesn’t help that he has a bit of an attitude despite his claims that pretty girls tend to look through him. Naturally, there is a lot of talk about the supermodel beauty of Seraphina which I got tired of really fast.

Seraphina is a pretty decent character; she doesn’t have a sense of belonging and only a meager amount of clues. She talks in foreign languages without even realizing it and she is this super smart math geek with an urge to count everything around her. However, she lacks depth which could’ve not been the case. Her thought process is predictable and she isn’t memorable at all.

Zen is the love interest and though we only get glimpses of how they fell in love, it is clearly not enough. He doesn’t have much of a back story so you really don’t get to know him. There’s the Sonnet that they just keep repeating throughout the book and the warm feeling Sera gets in between her eyebrows. Their romance is just really unbelievable somehow.

Just when I was about to give up on Unremembered, it decided to get better. The whole mystery was unveiled and while a lot of questions were answered, some are left unanswered. I was quickly awed by the whole mystery of how Sera ends up in the wreckage and who she’s running away from.

Honestly, if the whole book could have had more depth, I’d have definitely loved it. I loved how it ended, I finally felt the ohmigodyes feeling right there. And that was the Seraphina I was hoping to read about. So while I’m not giving up on the series, I just hope Unforgotten is way better than Unremembered.

THE QUOTES

“Forgetting who you are is so much more complicated than simply forgetting your name. It’s also forgetting your dreams. Your aspirations. What makes you happy. What you pray you’ll never have to live without. It’s meeting yourself for the first time, and not being sure of your first impression.”

“Death is not a memory you can fake.”

Thanks to MacKidsBooks for sending me an ARC of Unremembered.

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

February 28, 2013 by Sana

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pivot Point by Kasie West
young adult paranormal fantasy published by HarperTeen on 12 February 2013
first book in the Pivot Point duology

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

THE RATING

THE REVIEW

“I run my finger along the smooth glass, drawing my standard doodle—a line that halfway up splits in two. Then I circle the pivot point. The point right before the path separates. I press my finger into the center. One little choice can make all the difference.”

The split second when the mind is swaying between two things, there is a subtle buzzing. If you ponder too much, you might get paralyzed and ultimately rendered unable to make the right choice. If you don’t ponder at all, you might make a wrong one. What comes to mind in that instance is a wish to be able to see the outcome of each choice, a searing hope. It all happens in a moment that Pivot Point explores.

Addison Coleman is a Divergent so when faced with a choice, she can close her eyes, feel and see the future almost as if it was real. The Compound where Addie lives is full of Paranormals who have a special something in their genes and are much more advanced that the Normals who are unaware of their existence.

Thus, it comes as more than a shock when her parents tell her that they’re divorcing. Even more so when she comes to know that her father has decided to leave the Compound for the Normal world. As easy as it sounds, to make a decision based on the familiarity of the Compound and the unfamiliarity of the Normal world, Addies knows that she has to Search.

The journey between the words ambush and screwed thus ensues. I say this because of the word and its definition at the start of each of the 36 chapters. The events of the next six weeks of the two possible futures occur almost simultaneously in Addie’s mind. Alternating between the Normal and the Paranormal, Addie experiences life like never before.

In the Normal world, she has a hard time adjusting to its ways with electrical switches, locks, and the people. Trevor is the only one who gives her hope that she might just survive okay. While in the Paranormal world, life goes on as it was before with Addie trying to act out and Duke showing interest in her.

One of the things I really loved about Addie was her behavior in each of the worlds. It’s fascinating to see her out of her element in the Norm world and then to really see her make her way into life with the help of Laila, her best friend, in the Paranormal world. I like that she’s a reader, she’s witty and she’s smart. It’s very easy to relate to her and her problems even though she’s a paranorm which makes her so fascinating.

Trevor is a pretty reserved character and as a reader, you really want to get to know what is going on with him. He surprised me with his penchant for graphic novels and the quiet. His capability to put other people at ease is what makes him the perfect choice for Addie to get to know in the Norm world. Duke, on the other hand, is flamboyant, swoon-worthy, humorous and definitely have a way with words.

The abilities in the Paranormal Compound range from being fairly simple to dangerous. There are the ones who have the ability to Persuade and Discern, the ones who can perform Telekinesis, then there are also Memory Erasers, Mood Controllers and of course, Clairvoyants. Essentially, these are mind powers and seeing as how obsessed I’m with anything to do with the brain and its manipulation, I devoured the explosive way they came together to make Pivot Point a thoroughly breathtaking read.

Kasie West style of writing is simple and clever and you really marvel at Pivot Point as it maneuvers its way through tough decisions and laugh-out-loud moments. It is a difficult feat to achieve that balance and still shock the reader at the end of the book. Kasie West made it look easy and for that, I am amazed.

THE QUOTES

“Sometimes I feel like I’m slowly floating away. I’m constantly looking for something to grab on to so I don’t lose myself.”

“And can we just get this out of the way? Your eyelashes make mine want to commit suicide from shame.”

“I hate obvious boys. Tell me that.” “You hate obvious boys. Because heaven forbid you like something that everyone else does. If you don’t have to hunt for it, and carefully plan its capture, it must not be worth having.”

Review: Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy Blog Tour + Giveaway

February 22, 2013 by Sana

ABOUT THE BOOK

Freshman year of college is hard even when you’re not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.

Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she’s in far too deep to turn back.

THE RATING

THE REVIEW

Focus begins a little after the events of Flight as Allie and Hailey are settling in Tulane as freshmen. It felt good to be treated to Allie’s feistiness again and see her stand up for herself. However, as normal as she’d like her college life to be, it isn’t surprising to see Hailey, Owen, Jared and even Levi accompanying her to classes. At first Allie thinks it’s just a Pterons thing but things are much more serious than Levi let on.

As Allie is transitioning into her college and dorm life and making new friends, Levi is hard at work trying to make up to her. But Allie’s indecisiveness is as apparent as it was in Flight. It’s actually relieving to know where it’s coming from because we know it’s not that Allie doesn’t want to be with Levi. She needs time and Levi respects that even though he keeps trying.

What I really like about Focus is how Levi and Allie work on their relationship. As a reader, you get that they belong with each other but it’s not easy to guess how they’re going to work out the kinks. It’s obvious that Levi is a control freak and possessive as hell. But then Allie is hotheaded and stubborn like anything. So it gets really interesting to read about the sexual tension as well as their little arguments.

Focus gives more insight into the secondary characters as well and it felt good to know more about Jared and Owen. Allie’s and Hailey’s friendship also deepens more but I was sad when Jess didn’t make much of an appearance. However, it is understandable because both of them have started college in different states. Allie knows she’s in for good but is having a hard time as any so she immerses herself in her study. Allie also attends a few meetings of The Society and gets to see more of the hierarchy, even though she doesn’t truly understand its dynamics or her role in it.

Focus moved at a regular pace; though at times I found myself wishing that things would get more exciting somehow. It isn’t that there isn’t much action, but it has more to do with the fact that even though there is an underlying buzz that Pterons are being threatened; it’s more of the same. Though I will admit, Focus is much hotter than I was expecting it to be. There’s a lot of teasing going on and we get to see a sexier side of Allie, too. Focus ends in a much similar way to Flight meaning pretty unexpectedly but it left me wanting more because it was a pretty unpredictable end. Found has to be an earth-shattering end to a remarkable series. I look forward to reading it!

THE QUOTES

“Break ups aren’t fair. Why does only one person have power? We both agreed to start dating. Why do you get to make the decision to end it? Shouldn’t it be a joint decision too?”

“Relationships aren’t a democracy. Not everyone gets an equal vote.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Alyssa Rose Ivy can be found at

Buy Focus (The Crescent Chronicles, #2)

THE GIVEAWAY

The following giveaway is part of the blog tour. Enter away and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks to Alyssa Rose Ivy and ATOMR for providing me a copy of Focus for review.

Review: Sweet On You by Kate Perry Blog Tour

February 9, 2013 by Sana

Click the banner for the tour schedule.

Title: Sweet On You (Laurel Heights, #6)
Author: Kate Perry
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Phoenix Rising Enterprises, Inc
Release Date: 20 December 2012
Pages: 122 (eBook)

Synopsis

Sugar and spice and everything…naughty?

Pastry-chef-to-the-stars Daniela Rossi wants one thing: the abandoned building South of Market. Turning it into a soup kitchen for the homeless is the only thing that’s excited her in months. And Daniella needs to feel again. Until she finds herself feeling too much – for the man who’s competition for the property.

Ruthless entrepreneur Nico Cruz wants one thing: the abandoned SOMA building he grew up in, where his brother was killed. Destroying it is the only thing that will set his brother’s soul at peace. And Nico always gets what he wants. But Daniela’s sweet temptation makes him question what it will take to soothe his own soul.

Fortunately, in this bidding war, all’s fair…

My Rating

* * *

The Review

It’s been a long time since I last picked up an adult contemporary romance so when I came across Sweet On You, it sounded just what I needed to get back into the genre. And it was. Sweet On You begins with Danielle who is all but had it with her choice of career. She might have been the best at being a pastry chef but lately, it’s been all work. She’s had enough of people treating her more like a pastry chef and less like a person.

Call it a pre-midlife crisis or call it a change of heart, Danielle knows she won’t be ever going back to her former glamorous life once she spots a kid giving her sister a teddy bear from the trash bin. She’s never known life on the other side of the tracks but she does know she needs to feed the homeless kids. And maybe buy the building they’re living in so that she could turn it in a soup kitchen. It sounds perfect. However, that’s where Nico comes in, he’s had his sights set on the building just so he could buy and have it demolished in order to fulfill the promise he made to his brother. Thus, starts a battle between Danielle and Nico.

Despite what started as a surprising first chance meeting, the instant attraction and the heavy flirtation kind of felt off. Still, it was easier to see how Danielle and Nico fit together and hot to read about. I could see where both of them were coming from and it was easy to predict how it would all end, but it was fun reading about it. Sweet On You is definitely all it promised to be, sugary, spicy and naughty.

Even though I wasn’t expecting Danielle’s assistant Marley to have a story of her own, it was nice reading it. It definitely gave a much clearer insight inside the world of Danielle. What I really liked about Sweet On You is how much Danielle and Marley grow in just over a hundred pages. The pace is fast and the chapters are arranged in multiple perspectives of Nico, Danielle and Marley. It’s refreshing to read them because you get the know-how of what’s everyone thinking and doing but it also leaves space for the reader to be left guessing a little.

Sweet On You is the sixth book in the Laurel Heights series but it can be read as a stand alone. I would totally recommend it as a light read which can be finished in a single sitting. A guilty pleasure read, if you must. I would definitely be reading more from Kate Perry. Also I think I can guess who the next book in the series will be about!

Best Quotes:

“Love doesn’t cause catastrophes and death.“

“No, those are just parts of living.” She cupped his face. “Love dictates how we react to them though.”

About the Author

As a little girl, Kate dreamt of many things. Like becoming a ninja. Dressing up in black and carrying a big sword? Seemed like a no brainer.

However, Fate had other plans for her, and she studied Kung Fu San Soo instead. A Kung Fu Master, Kate now has more weapons than she ever imagined—including several swords.

She lives in San Francisco. Voted by her friends as the woman they’d most want to stroll with down a dark alley, Kate’s as likely to be spotted at the opera as she is doing tai chi in Golden Gate Park. The rest of the time, she’s in her favorite cafe, working on her next novel.

Kate Perry can be found at

Buy Sweet On You (Laurel Heights, #6)

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Thanks to Kate Perry and ATOMR for providing me a copy of Sweet On You for review.

Review: Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan Blog Tour + Interview + Giveaway

January 31, 2013 by Sana

Click the banner for the tour schedule.

Title: Fractured Soul (Fractured Light, #2)
Author: Rachel McClellan
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Release Date: 12 February 2013
Pages: 336 (eARC)

Synopsis

Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

My Rating

* * * *

The Review

Fractures Soul begins with Llona’s first day at Lucent Academy and even though there’s only a slight chance of things getting back to normal, Llona knows her life wouldn’t ever be the same. Her plan is simple: to learn more about the nature and history of Aura, hone her abilities and get out of world the Auras has chosen to live in. However, she is yet unknown to the danger that threatens to wipe out Auras and it seems that trouble has followed Llona inside the protected walls of The Lucent Academy.

The stakes are higher especially when the ones responsible for the safety of Auras are willing to sacrifice it for personal gains. Llona has her own demons to deal with as darkness calls to her, a hunger lodged deep inside her and the smell of blood everywhere. It is no surprise when Llona plans to sneak out at night unable to get rid of her nightmares.

Llona craves destruction and her need to get rid of the energy buzzing inside of her leads her to Vykens present close to Lucent. Llona fights the blood battles despite warnings from Jackson, a Guardian. Christian also arrives but Sophia is against their relationship and makes it clear so. Despite the dangerous ground she is treading upon with him, Llona knows he means too much to her to lose him. Thus, she eventually takes Liam’s offer to help the light within her come to life again.

Rebellious as ever, Llona has to overcome the difficulties she is faced with. Fractured Soul fits perfectly to Llona’s state in this book as she tethers on the edge of darkness. Threats are given, secrets revealed and hearts are broken as it becomes clear that something big is going on. With the help of Christian, Liam, Tessa and May, Llona sets out to fight the danger, loving the thrill it offers to a showdown and another life-changing moment in Llona’s life.

Will she ever find salvation and come to peace with herself? Fractured Soul shows a new side of Llona, but she is consistent with her rebellious streak which is what I love about her. This is one tough nut to break. Fractured Soul is a very satisfying continuation of the series and I’m more than looking forward to how it will end. Three cheers to Rachel McClellan for crafting a yet another brilliant story.

Best Quotes:

“I imagined my skin shimmering, transforming into actual Light, My nails dug into my palms. Change! My body began to vibrate, ratting my insides until I thought I’d break into two.“

“If I could just find him, give him all of my Light to save him.“

About the Author

Rachel was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she’s not in her writing lair, she’s partying with her husband and four children. Her love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was…

Rachel McClellan can be found at

Buy Fractured Light (Fractured Light, #1)

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Starting 4 February, buy the eBook of Fractured Light for only $2.99 for two weeks only!

Pre-order Fractured Soul (Fractured Light, #2)

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The Interview

What is the one thing writing Fractured Light series has taught you about yourself?

Honestly it taught me to be stronger and to face my problems head on. It was amazing how simply writing about a tough girl made me want to be one. No shrinks for me. I write. 🙂

What five words would you use to define Fractured Soul?

Enduring, power, loyalty, strength, and heart-breaking.

Despite being cautious about her survival it’s clear that Llona’s looking for more than just to survive. How does that shape up in Fractured Soul?

It’s one thing to survive outside forces, but I think it’s a whole other beast to survive inner torment. In Fractured Soul Llona has to do just this. In addition she wants desperately to fit in, but not at the cost of giving up what she believes in. That’s why the title of this book is so perfect for Llona.

Manipulation of light. How did you come up with the idea?

I’ve always been fascinated by light. It contains so much power and always chases away the darkness. This is an eternal truth that can never be changed. Because it is so strong, I wanted to give it to a teenage girl to see what she could do with it. I was pleased with the results.

Did you think making Llona’s hair to be so whitish blonde made her stand out more? Or is it only about being different?

I wanted there to be something in Llona’s life that not only made her stand out, but also was something she couldn’t control. Sometimes that’s how how life is–we are different and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Everyone should know that you are – ?

Really into my TV shows, but I don’t just watch them for enjoyment. I study how they are done: when the main conflict is introduced, how the characters develop, how they keep the dialogue focused on the current problem, etc. I love the shows The Walking Dead, Being Human, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, The Following, and Downton Abbey.

Lastly, what question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview and how would you answer that question

Does writing run in your family?

My mother is an excellent poet and has written some short stories. And although she’s the only writer, everyone else in my family is extremely artistic. I, however, can not draw or paint to save my life. Only create stories.

Thank you so much!

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Rachel McClellan and Cedar Fort for providing me a copy of Fractured Soul for review.

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