Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little Brown
Publication Date: Dec 2009
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Thoughts:

I have had a copy of this book for several years but I never got around to reading it until I knew the movie was soon upon us.

The characters in this book are interesting to say the least. I liked Ethan from the start and I continued to enjoy his character growth throughout the book. I loved that even though he was the popular boy in school he really didn’t want much to do with that crowd and wanted even less to do with them once Lena came to town. I loved that Ethan wanted more out of life and he was able to change throughout the story in order to become the man he needed to be. While I really liked Ethan’s character, Lena took much more time to grow on me. She was rather awkward and just seemed to me like we didn’t learn enough about her in order to form a complete opinion of her. Then there was Link who was a nice comic relief, his mom who was just an evil woman but I guess she had her reasons. Oh and I can’t leave out the adults in this book, Macon was such a mysterious man and I always wanted to know more about him and Amma was such a presence in the book and I wanted to know more about her powers as well.

The story line simply put was a Southern Gothic tale. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book because the Gothic elements of the book really stood out and it was fascinating to read about since I have not read any stories with this particular setting or feel to them. However, as the story went on I will admit that I got a little bored. This book is over 550 pages long and sometimes I felt like there were some scenes in the middle that could have been cut out just so the book could move a little faster, even if only 50 pages were taken out. The last 100 pages of the book really made the story special, everything just came together and the way the book ended left me saying NO NO NO that can’t be all now I need to read the second book.

Overall, I really did think this book had a very unique feel. I enjoyed the gothic story as well as the fact that we got to read a YA book from the male pov. Ethan was a really special character and I can’t wait for more of his story, his love of Lena, and his bravery in the face of the unknown Caster world.

Title: Paper Valentine
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: Jan 2013
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

My Thoughts:

When I picked up this book I was so excited for a darker YA story about a paper valentine killer who was coming for Hannah. I soon started the book and realized I was in for something very different than what I thought I was going to read.

I will admit to only making it through about 100 pages of this before I had to call it quits. The reason I had to stop with this book was because the story was sold as one thing and was about something completely different.

I was hoping for that darker story with mystery, a killer, and two girls who would do anything to stop him. What I got instead was a sad story about a girl named Lillian dying from anorexia and how Hannah stood around and let her pass. WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!? Yes that is exactly what I said as I started to realize the reason Hannah would save small pieces or bites of her food was because that is the only food that Lillian was willing to eat in a day. Lillian felt if something didn’t come from her own portion of food on her own plate then she could eat it. The reader realizes that Lillian has to be dead from her lack of eating and the fact that she literally wasted away in front of Hannah and a few other girls who called themselves her friends. Again I must say WHAT!?!?!?!?

This story was so utterly ridiculous to me that I can’t even wrap my brain around it. Hannah even states at one point that she literally let Lillian waste away in front of her and she did nothing to stop it. I just can not even begin to imagine standing around while I let my best friend die in front of my own eyes! I had to give up on this book because I could not believe Hannah was actually a human, no human should stand by and watch someone die of something so stupid.

This was DNF for me.

Title: Rewrite Redemption
Authors: J.H. Walker
Publication Date: January 25th 2013
*Review Request

Goodreads Summary:
She’s sixteen. He’s seventeen. They don’t know each other…at least not yet.

She has a secret and her whole life revolves around keeping it. Every few months and with little warning, she simply disappears, pulled into the past for hours or even days. She’s terrified it will happen in front of someone, changing her life forever. So far, the only witnesses have been her parents, and that didn’t end well. She has no control over it and no idea why it happens to her.

She wants answers.

He has answers—at least he understands what’s going on. He has a secret, too. He’s part of an organization that goes back in time to rewrite reality. But he also has a problem. He broke the organization’s number-one rule by altering his own timeline. As punishment, he’s been blocked from time travel, which is most unfortunate. Because the changes he made to his timeline, accidentally resulted in disaster for his family. A disaster he’s now prevented from repairing. No one can travel beneath the organization’s radar except a Shadow. But they’re rare, so rare he’s never even met one.

Then he moves to her town.

This is a contemporary YA romance with paranormal/sci-fi elements

My Thoughts

All A.J wants to do is stay under the radar and keep the family she has now together but when you have powers like she does none of that is going to be easy. Her mother’s death ruined her father to the point where A.J takes care of him more than he does her. He wasn’t the terrible person I thought he was going to be in the beginning but he was definitely lost. Thankfully she had others to help build up her family. Her best friends Lex and IPod (thought this was the weirdest nickname ever but got used to it. The mention of some “Bratz Doll” bullies also strange. Didn’t get used to that description) know what happens to her, live with her and support her through everything. They might not have unexplainable abilities mucking up their lives but they both have some messed up parents that don’t make things easy for them.

A.J. may be clueless about her abilities but she isn’t the only one who can travel as she does. Constantine knows exactly what and why she can do the things she can. Before majorly screwing up his life by breaking some rules he could jump back in time too. One huge mistake takes that ability away though and leaves his family in rough shape. He knows there is no one to blame but himself. When he discovers A.J. one move from Seattle to Boulder could end up being his fix for everything. All he has to do is actually meet her. For at least half the book, the story alternated between A.J. and Constantine pov without them even meeting. At first I thought this would be annoying but I thought it was actually pretty well done and made things more interesting.

The concept of traveling back in time really intrigued me. Although, the beginning was a bumpy start for me I ended up getting really into it. I was excited to find out how it all worked, why they could do it, and discovering what else A.J and Constantine were capable of.  It was pretty cool getting to go between the past and present and discovering just how much could be changed in the process. There was so much going on with them and slowly being opened up to what was possible at the same time as A.J. learns was great. Walker had me eagerly waiting to see what would happen next. I must say that I did feel like so much was smooshed together at the very end that it made it hard comprehend all the info.  

Rewrite Redemption was such a different story but what I loved about it most was how much family was emphasized and being able to read and really see all the character growth that took place. J.H. Walker really showed how family isn’t always blood related. Yes, A.J had her father but the Lex an IPod are the other two who really made up her family and she theirs. They were so close and the love was strong there. Lex and IPods biological parents didn’t deserve to be considered family. She also showed just how fragile life can be and how much chaos one mishap can create. Constantine’s family was really struggling, their sanity hung on a string, and all Constantine wanted was to get their lives back.

When the book started A.J was stuck in the same cycle, never coming out of her shell, and always worried about what could happen. She seemed to always be resourceful after all her years of being pulled to the past but she never really tried to be tough, to be strong all on her own. She was too busy worrying. Then, although Constantine’s intentions were always to help his family he had a tendency to think mostly about himself. Fixing things would fix things for him. His mind was set on his outcomes. Overtime though Walker turned her characters into some people you could be proud of.

Title: The Essence
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: Jan 2013
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

“Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

My Thoughts:

After really enjoying the dystopian and yet historical feel to The Pledge I could not wait to get my hands on this book. I needed to know how Charlie would deal with being the new Queen of Ludania and what exactly was going to happen to the essence of the evil queen that seemed to still reside with Charlie, even after she was suppose to be dead.

The characters in this book are good. Charlie seems very real and normal, she doesn’t know how to be queen and I like that we got to see her strong side and her weak side. I would be terrified of making a mistake ruling over so many people, so it was wonderful to watch Charlie struggle with ridding a horse, making decisions for her people, and for her love of Max. I think that when you go into this book you have to connect with Charlie otherwise you will be left unhappy with the progression of this book because Charlie really is the main focus. She is separated from her friends at times so mostly we just see her with some side characters who come and go as the story sees fit. I did enjoy the few times we were able to see Max, Xander, Aron, and some other side characters from the first book. However, I felt a few times Brook got on my nerves. Her character seemed to not know what to do several times. So one moment she was happy and in charge of her troups and the next she is trying to push people away, then she is lost, then she is in control…her over reaction to everything that was going on just grated on my nerves and this time she was the only down point in the story for me.

I feel the plot in this book really shines. I love when rebels come after a kingdom or queendom as the case is in this book. I don’t know why but I always seem to love books that are historical about castles and queens and romance and I of course love watching it all fall apart when rebels think they know better than their rulers. I really enjoyed the rebel plot lines and I wanted to know who was coming after Charlie. Along with the rebels I loved, LOVED, the side plot of Sabara and Niko. This dynamic was so interesting to watch because we love to hate the “dead” queen but I couldn’t help but fall for her character and plot line. While I think Sabara has made some horrible choices in life, such as stealing queendoms away from other queens and then taking over their body, I couldn’t help but open my heart to her and Niko. I know that if I were Sabara I would be doing anything I could to stay with Niko for as long as my life line(s) allowed me to.

Overall, I highly enjoyed the plot being a little slower than some books I’ve read recently. There was plenty of action, romantic moments both with Charlie and Max and with Sabara and Niko, queendom duties, and character growth was key here. I loved watching Charlie grow and change as the book went on. I loved watching her struggle to make the people around her understand what was going on, I felt for her and when I fall for a character I know I’m hooked in the book. So for once instead of being hooked to a male leading character I’m hooked to the female lead and I can’t wait to see how she will rule, grow, change, and love in the third book.

Title: Burned
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: March 2006
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

I do know things really began to spin out of control after my first sex dream.

It all started with a dream. Nothing exceptional, just a typical fantasy about a boy, the kind of dream that most teen girls experience. But Pattyn Von Stratten is not like most teen girls. Raised in a religious — yet abusive — family, a simple dream may not be exactly a sin, but it could be the first step toward hell and eternal damnation.

This dream is a first step for Pattyn. But is it to hell or to a better life? For the first time Pattyn starts asking questions. Questions seemingly without answers — about God, a woman’s role, sex, love — mostly love. What is it? Where is it? Will she ever experience it? Is she deserving of it?

It’s with a real boy that Pattyn gets into real trouble. After Pattyn’s father catches her in a compromising position, events spiral out of control until Pattyn ends up suspended from school and sent to live with an aunt she doesn’t know.

Pattyn is supposed to find salvation and redemption during her exile to the wilds of rural Nevada. Yet what she finds instead is love and acceptance. And for the first time she feels worthy of both — until she realizes her old demons will not let her go. Pattyn begins down a path that will lead her to a hell — a hell that may not be the one she learned about in sacrament meetings, but it is hell all the same.

In this riveting and masterful novel told in verse, Ellen Hopkins takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride. From the highs of true love to the lows of abuse, Pattyn’s story will have readers engrossed until the very last word.

My Thoughts:

I couldn’t wait to read this book because I have never read one of the famous Hopkins books before. I know so many people, including my co-blogger Bianca, love her books so I figured I couldn’t go wrong. I love verse books as well so the powerful emotions I was promised mixed with powerful feelings and themes all put in verse format is something I love.

The characters in this book were good I did like Pattyn and everything she had to go through. She seemed like a person I could really relate to. She was trying to find a way in her oppressed society and she wanted to make a place for herself. I was also trying to do the same while I was in high school. I thought it was so interesting to watch her grow and change for the better, to see her experience new things and try to stand up for herself even if it meant the wrath of her father.

The plot was something I loved right away, it was even better than the characters in my opinion. I loved the slightly feminist edge to the story. Girl is oppressed by a man driven society and wants to step out of the bounds of a 50s stay at home house wife whose sole goal in life is to pop out kids like there is no tomorrow. I was really into feminism and women’s roles when I was growing up do I connected with this right away. I just really enjoyed the overall plot direction…until the end that is. The ending of this book really killed some of the progress Pattyn had made and that really ruined this book for me. I was all for Pattyn growing, changing, finding herself, standing up to her abusive father, finding the love of her life but that ending was horrific! I just can’t love this book after the way it ended.

Overall, I really did like the characters and the plot was so awesome I could barely breathe while I was reading this story. Like I said though the ending was really hard for me to swallow but I heard that there is a sequel to this book so I hope that clears up a few things for me.

Title: Apollyon
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date: April 2013
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

My Thoughts:

I really do like this series as a whole so I couldn’t wait to read this book after the cliffhanger in the third book.

Honestly I feel that this is the book where everything slows down right before the big moment. This book is about showing you how Alex has changed in small ways and what she is looking for in her life at this point. It shows her needs as a girl who is really growing up and understanding the world around her that much more. Alex was a little immature when this series first started but I have loved watching her grow and I love really enjoyed watching her figure out just what it is that she wants out of a relationship. I feel her growth in this book was what I really liked best about it. Another thing I really enjoyed was seeing more of the Gods/Goddesses. I have always loved when Greek mythology is added to teen stories so I’m really happy that Armentrout took the series in this direction. I feel the Gods have something to add to this story and I just wish that we would have been able to see even more of them.

I ultimately think that this book will bring some clarity to certain situations. The series has always gone back and for between Seth and Aiden and the differences between the two guys. I’m happy that Alex has decided where she is going with these guys and yes there are some heart breaking scenes where the two guys are involved and I really enjoyed watching every second of it unfold. I’m also really happy that Armentrout was not holding back this time. This has turned into an older teen series and let me tell you there was some steam going on in this book! I love that authors are pushing the boundaries of where teen crosses over into new adult.

Overall, I really did like this book for the fact that it did slow down all of the drama and action in order to help the characters take a pause. Sometimes characters need a break to reconnect with their surroundings in the book and with you as a reader. There were a few things that I didn’t like about this book and that had me putting down the book from time to time. Sometimes I would be right there with the characters but sometimes it was just a little too much so I would have to put the book down for a day or so in order to come back to it but overall I’m still happy with the series as a whole.

Title: For Darkness Shows the Stars
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publication Date: June 2012
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

It’s been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth–an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret–one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

My Thoughts:

Where to begin with a story that I was thinking was going to be a beautiful read, an epic read. I expected heart stopping moments, love that could weather any storm, and finding one’s place in the world. I know I know I expected a lot but I expected all of those things because this book did get so many fabulous reviews from some of my favorite bloggers. I had to at least give it a try, right?

The characters were not the first thing I paid much attention to. Shocking I know! I was actually more interested in the plot lines because I wanted to see what it meant to be Reduced, how did this Reduction happen, what did this all mean for the world and the people living in it. During the first parts of the novel not much is said about all of these things so I was drawn in because I needed to know more about the background to the plot points. I also needed to know more about the background relationship that Elliot and Kai had before he left. I was basically addicted to knowing more.

The characters came second and I have to say I really did like Elliot most of all. She is the type of heroine I would have put in any YA book if I were a writer. She seemed to have lows and highs and really cared about the Reduced people even though she was suppose to be above them by social standings. I liked her the whole time I was reading about her and I bought into her pain and struggle from when she let Kai go. I wanted to know more about Kai because not much was told about him or his relationship with Elliot before he left.

This all sounds pretty good right?

Well let me tell you that it all went downhill as I hit the 150 page mark and realized the story wasn’t going anywhere. I had a whole bunch of questions and was expecting great adventures out of the plot and yet I wasn’t getting anything I wanted! At 200 pages I called it quits with this book because I just couldn’t stand it anymore! Kai was an ass to Elliot and we never really knew why. Maybe this was talked about in the second half of the book but honestly I just couldn’t bring myself to care anymore. I wanted romance, adventure, growing up and experiencing the world and all I got was 200 pages of Kai being an ass for no real reason and Elliot just letting him act that way. This was not what I signed up for and so I have to say this book was a DNF for me.

Title: Touch
Author: Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication Date: Nov 2011
Classification: YA Novel

Summary from Goodreads:

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

My Thoughts:

 I have been wanting to read this book for a while now since many people seemed to be saying great things. I always look forward to reading books that are by smaller publishers or self published and I feel a lot of great bloggers were raving about this book when it came out.

I have to say when I started this book I liked the main character Dez and some of the side characters but I’m not completely taken with the male lead. Dez is a strong willed girl who never likes to play by the rules. Her sole goal in life is to piss of her father by doing anything she can. This includes making her dad mad about the fact that she brings home some random boy from the woods named Kale. Kale is quite and doesn’t seem to really understand the world around him. He is shy and seems a little stupid at first, a little slow to understand life around him, but he packs a lot of power and he has a big heart once you get to know him. However, little does Dez know that bringing home Kale will start a whole chain of events that she can’t help but get tangled up in.

The storyline was something that seemed at one point unique and original and yet at another turn it didn’t feel quite special enough for me. It was a good plot that was surprisingly darker than most with all the violence and killing that the kids working for the organization had to do. It was interesting to see the powers that certain people had and see who was on what side. It was also great that Kale and Dez got to have some more older teenage moments, I would even say that this book might be a little like a New Adult genre book instead of just YA. However, while the plot was interesting I felt there should have been more. I got a taste for what was going on but I needed more. I guess I’m just impatient to learn why this all started and where it is going, which isn’t a completely bad thing to want more.

Overall, I did like the characters and the plot but to me it was just missing something. I can’t even really put my finger on what I was missing. I was entertained but I didn’t fully connect with the book. Maybe once I learn more about why the organization exists and what their main goal is and who they are always sending out “agents” to kill I will like the book more. Plus I feel like Kale could use a little more personality beside just being a boy lost in a new world. Hopefully I will get what I’m looking for in the second book.

Title: My Ex From Hell
Authors: Tellulah Darling
Publication Date: April 1st 2013
Publisher: Te Da Media
*Approved through Netgalley

Goodreads Summary: Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:

a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

My Thoughts

After reading Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls back in September I was really looking forward to reading more books written by Tellulah Darling. That was such a fun book. When I read the summary for My Ex From Hell I was like “I WANT IT NOW!” Then not too long ago while surfing around this wonderful website called Netgalley I found it was there. One request and I finally got to read it. After reading my first book by Tellulah I knew I had to try another one and now I can officially say I am a fan. This lady can really make me laugh.

With a summary like that of course there is no big reveal as to who Sophie really is. No surprises there but the second Sophie gets her first flash of her true identity there is all of a sudden so much to find out. What happened to her? What is she cable of? What does she do now? What to do about Kai? There were just so many questions and even with what was uncovered I am pretty sure I am left with even more questions than I started with.

When Sophie first discovers something isn’t right with her she doesn’t automatically go along with the idea that she could be a goddess. She much rather blame drugs or a brain tumor on her strange and painful flashes. After a while things get too weird for her and she knows the truth and that there is no denying it. All of a sudden her life gets complicated and quick. Now she has a past she can’t remember, gods out to kill her, abilities she knows nothing about, and a guy in her life that she has history with that she can’t remember. Sophie is only sixteen but she has a lot of feelings she needs to work out, a past she needs to piece together and quick, and a current mystery to solve. People are missing and someone has to find them.

I have to say I love Tellulah’s characters. I loved Sophie, Hannah, Theo and Kai. Theo was usually mister serious and I had my moments were I wasn’t sure if I liked him or not but in the end I did. Hannah was super smart and I loved how she used it all her knowledge.  Plus her and Sophie were just hilarious. I loved their friendship. Then of course their is Kai. Bad boy, son of Hades, Sophie’s ex. Really though I wouldn’t say ex covers it. I would definitely slap on a big IT COMPLICATED on their relationship. Although I  wished to still get to know a little bit more I am definitely liking Kai. He was a pain in the ass for Sophie and a huge flirt. The banter was great between the two. I loved it and could have definitely read even more conversations between these two. Looking forward to getting more of it in the next one.

I loved the characters, the dialog between them and the story as a whole but there were a couple minor things that had me frowning. First of all the book isn’t very long (less than 300 pages) so I felt like everything happened very quickly. I wouldn’t totally say this is a bad thing because I know some things can be drawn out too much and also leaving things out builds anticipation for more in the next one but I was just hoping for some more suspense, more investigating, more drama, more of that banter I love. I was also really hoping to see Sophie slowly grow to learn to use her awesome goddess powers. I wanted to see her training them and learning new things. I am hoping there is still time for that later. Overall though My Ex From Hell was pretty great and I am dying to read the next one. October is too far away.

Title: Fields Of Elysium
Authors: A.B.Whelan
Publication Date: December 12th 2012
Publisher: InMotion Capitol
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Goodreads Summary:
How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Would you fight to be with the one you truly love? What cost would you be willing to sacrifice for that love?

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

My Thoughts

I was drawn to read Fields of Elysium by its pretty cover (the glowing butterflies just grabbed me lol) and its interesting summary. I was excited to dive into this new place that Molly discovers and find out what Arkana was all about. It sounded like it had the potential to be an exciting read and although it had its moments I ended up being pretty disappointed. It just wasn’t much of what I expected and a I feel like a lot of it had to do with the structure of the story.

Going in after reading the summary I thought I knew what some of the big problems were going to be and I was looking forward to figuring out the why of it all and how things would be resolved (or not resolved) but as I read I felt like things were a little all over the place. There were quite a few problems and I felt like it was just jumping around from one thing to another without spending much time on a specific thing. Then I felt like some of the big moments in the book came out of nowhere all of a sudden. Also, I felt like some things that were mentioned started out sounding like a really important part of the story and then it would only be mentioned again off and on way later.

Also, no one really stood out to me as being someone out to ruin everything. I was expecting someone(s) to really get in Molly’s way and although there were people to fill this role every once and a while i felt like it didn’t last long. Even the people I thought would create biggest obstacles seemed to not play as big a part in the story as I thought. I was expecting a big presence from the Sentinels, the ones who dislike people from Earth, but we didn’t really meet them. It was more of a struggle just inside Victor.

Now although the previous threw me off, and made it hard to fall in love with the book, I didn’t dislike everything. I didn’t build a very strong connection with the characters but I did not dislike them. They had their moments where I could connect with them. I didn’t feel like Molly was the total outsider that I thought she would be. She fell into a group and they liked her at her school but she did feel disconnected from them (it wasn’t for a lack of others trying though). I liked her adventurous side and her lack of fear when traveling to Arkana but I also felt she didn’t try too hard to make friends and she could be rude. Victor was usually quiet and angry so that was intriguing and he’s had an unfortunate past. I didn’t dislike their romance either. I was able to get into their relationship fairly easily at times but then other times I felt like things got serious too quickly.

I was also really into the world that A.B. Whelan created. There were new names of things to learn and so many gadgets and toys. Arkana seemed like a complicated place. It had its perks but had many problems as well. It had its beauty and its flaws. I am sure there is a lot more to know about Arkana and its people. A lot seems to be going on there and I am curious to know more. For me I just wished there would have been a little more of a structure and focus.