Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Pivot Point
Series: Pivot Point #1
Author: Kasie West

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

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.

MY THOUGHTS

Pivot Point is the first book in the Pivot Point series by author Kasie West.

When I first saw the cover for this book, it sparked an interest in my mind.  I love that cover and I applaud the cover artist for it.  Then I read the summary and I was definitely interested in reading about Addison.  Then I read the book and can honestly say that I loved it.  I loved the theme, suspense, plot, and characters so much more than I though I would.

Since Addie can see into the future and see which decision she makes will have the outcome she wants.  She is called a Searcher and the name fits the power.  She has to search the outcomes to see which one would be best.  When her parents divorce, she sees one future with her living with her father and one future where she is living with her mother.  In both futures there are love interests and her best friend.  There is also mystery and suspense in each as well.

With each chapter alternating between both outcomes, we get to see the decisions that Addie is going to be forced to make in each one.  The author did a wonderful job of balancing the dialogue and narration without over doing it on either.  The characters were enjoyable and I found myself telling my family ‘just one more chapter’ before doing something for them.

If you are looking for a fresh and new paranormal read in the young adult genre, then Pivot Point should be your starting point.  I can’t wait to see what the author is going to bring us for the second book in the series!

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

Review: Louder Than Words by Laurie Plissner

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Louder Than Words
Author: Laurie Plissner

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

Since the snowy night when her family’s car slammed into a tree, killing her parents and little sister, Sasha has been unable to speak except through a computer with a robotic voice. Nothing is wrong with her body; that’s healed. But, after four years, Sasha’s memory, and her spirit, are still broken. Then one day, she’s silently cussing out the heavy book she dropped at the library when a gorgeous, dark-haired boy, the kind of boy who considers Sasha a freak or at least invisible, “answers” Sasha’s hidden thoughts — out loud. Yes, Ben can read minds; it’s no big deal. He’s part of a family with a host of unusual, almost-but-not-quite-supernatural talents. Through Ben’s love, Sasha makes greater progress than she has with a host of therapists and a prominent psychiatrist. With him to defend her, bullies keep the world from ever understanding Sasha, he pulls away. Determined to win him and prove her courage by facing her past, Sasha confronts her past — only to learn that her family’s death was no accident and that a similar fate may wait for her, in the unlikeliest of disguises.

MY THOUGHTS

Louder Than Words is the debut novel by author Laurie Plissner.

The summary of this book was what intrigued me instead of the cover.  While I can say the cover did absolutely nothing for me, the summary itself is what drew me into wanting to read it.  I loved the premise of this book — to the point to where I thought it was well outside the box of normal when it came to young adult paranormal.  The romance was a little on the darker side without the sweetness you would expect, but one that was different but good.  While I can’t say I was a fan of each of the characters, I can say that the author did have a great voice in her narration and execution of story.

It is kind of hard to describe how I felt upon reading the last page of this story.  It was good, but it wasn’t one that blew me away.  It had moments I enjoyed, but it also had moments that I didn’t.  While some parts I wanted to reread again and again, there were also parts I wanted to skim over to get to the next part of the story. There were several things going on at one time that led the reader down a different path than what you really wanted to read about.  At times it became too much and I wished the author would have just stuck with one or two things to keep me interested.

While this book is good for a debut author,  I feel it could have been better.  I think the book just needed a little more polishing before the ending was revealed.  Even though it wasn’t a favorite book of mine this year, it is an author I will keep an eye out for in the future for more.

MY RATING

If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it!

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Pushing the Limits
Series: Pushing the Limits #1
Author: Katie McGarry

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

MY THOUGHTS

Pushing the Limits is the first book in the Pushing the Limits series by author Katie McGarry.  The main characters in this book are Echo Emerson and Noah Hutchins.

You see that boot over there?  That would be the boot that left the red mark on my behind for waiting so long to read this book. What was the matter with me?  I had heard great things about this book, but for some reason I had waited to start it.  I am so glad I finally got to sit down and read Echo and Noah’s story.

Echo was attacked by her mother and left with scars on the outside. Mentally, she has the incident blocked and can’t remember what exactly happened that fateful night that changed her life entirely.  She had recently lost her brother while fighting in the Marines, and then her mother does the unthinkable to her.  Afterwards, she saw a therapist who pushed her mind too fast to remember that night.  She ends up having a nervous breakdown from it.  When she starts school again, she is now the outsider. She used to be one of the most popular girls in school, but now she finds herself withdrawn and hiding from everyone.  The kids at school call her freak and have basically cast her aside from their social circles.  Not only has she lost family, but now she must cope with being a freak with no friends.

Enter Noah Hutchins. Noah, the sexiest stoner in school who is also known as a ladies man that pleases the women and then leaves the women when he is done with them.  When Echo finds herself tutoring Noah, they both find an attraction that shouldn’t be there.  Noah lost his parents in a house fire.  He saved his two younger brothers from the fire, but they were eventually torn apart in the foster system.  His main goal is to get his brothers back and make them a family again.  To increase visitation with his brothers, he must apply himself to school work and be tutored by Echo.

I loved the character of Noah.  I really liked how he was willing to put everything before himself.  He wanted his brothers back and was willing to give up college and his dreams to raise them.  He was also willing to help Echo with her problem of rediscovering that lost night that ruined her life.  Echo seemed a little self absorbed and whiny at times, but overall it wasn’t too bad.  Luke — Echo’s ex-boyfriend — was a jerk and I couldn’t stand him when he was given page time.  Grace — Echo’s ex-best friend — was also one I wish we could have erased from the story.  I didn’t like how her reputation of being the popular girl was more important than her friendship with Echo.  She treated Echo horribly and was glad that she wasn’t featured as much as I thought she would be.  The rest of side characters were great.  I loved Isiah, Beth and Lila. I loved the bickering and the wit each of them showed.  They were engaging characters that really helped move the book forward.  I am looking forward to reading more about those side characters in future books.

Again, I wish I had read this book sooner.  I am still going to be kicking myself in the pants for a few days while thinking about Noah and Echo’s story.  I can’t wait to start the next book in the series! An engaging read that will keep you up all night reading!

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

Review: The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

The Thing About the Truth
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Genre: Young Adult

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

In this humorous love story from the author of “Two-Way Street”, an unlikely romance is the best sort of surprise—but the wrong secret can ruin everything. Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out. But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on track at Concordia High.

Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.

When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before. But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth.

MY THOUGHTS

I really enjoy the writing by author Lauren Barnholdt.  She seems to capture the language of teens and it comes across as real to the reader.  The problems I had with this story were actually rather minor, but they were things that ended up lowering my rating for the story.

First when we look at the cover we assume it is Isaac and Kelsey.  They are the main characters and they have alternating POV chapters.  The cover is sweet and gives the reader a small hint about them.  So here I am reading a book thinking the guy is going to have dark hair and the girl is going to be blonde.  I have the character all set up in my head because of it.  Then while reading the story, the actual descriptions do not fit what I see on the cover. The characters are completely different than what we see on the front.  I understand that the cover art department does this and that the author has nothing to do with this. If this sort of thing bothers you, well then you have been warned.

Now for the story itself.  The story does jump from present to past and back and forth again.  I think I would have enjoyed the story better if it was beginning to end.  I loved the slow building of the romance between Kelsey and Isaac.  These are two people with two different lifestyles and somehow they end up working on a project together.  Those few sentences would have been perfect for a sweet young adult read.  When the author brought in the secrets and lies, I think that is what was suppose to make it so dramatic.  Unfortunately, I felt the whole thing was a pretty weak one.  You have the amazing book and you are reading about them trying to figure out a way to work together and become friends.  After the big day where everything goes down, I still don’t see much of a fallout because of it.  They end up reconciling right afterwards.  I also never could really understand the reason Kelsey did what she did to her ex-boyfriends car.  To me it seemed a little extreme and just used as a plot point to move the character from one school to the new school.

By the time the book came to a close I had to realize that the conflict for the climax of the story was brief and didn’t hold much of an impact.  I just never could get the characters to connect with each other. Overall, this was an easy and fluffy read to pass the time.  It was okay and enjoyable,  but also not one I would want to be jumping through hoops to read again.

MY RATING

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

Review: Hush, Hush – Graphic Novel

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Hush, Hush : A Graphic Novel
Series: Hush, Hush Graphic Novel #1
Author(s): Becca Fitzpatrick, Jennyson Rosero

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She”s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora”s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can”t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life! This title also contains an exclusive, original story written especially for this book by the author. This bonus story tells what happens to the characters between Book 1 and Book 2 of this series and will only be available in this book.

MY THOUGHTS

Graphic Novels can be either an introductory to a series or a refresher on a series.  At least, that is my thoughts on them when they are based on a novel in the Fiction world.  I am a casual reader of these novels and usually only read them after I have read the regular series first.

This graphic novel was honestly the worst ones I have read.  The artwork isn’t horrible as a whole, but it is such a contradiction to the original series and characters that obvious flaws are on every single page.  Where one person is suppose to be dark haired, in the graphic novel this person is blonde.  Where one person is suppose to be conservative, the graphic novel reveals seduction and tramp.  I am a firm believer that if you are going to base a graphic novel on a series, keep the descriptions and details the same.  It felt like the illustrator took what the characters are suppose to be and drew the complete opposite.

The only saving grace of this book was the cover.  It had the dark and gritty feel of the original cover, but that is where it ended.  This is definitely not a Graphic Novel that you want to use to form an opinion on the original work.  This is one that you need to take it for what it is, but realize that it doesn’t stand up to the original work of fiction.

MY RATING

       
I did not like this book at all!