Review: HALF BAD by Sally Green

Title: Half Bad
Author: Sally Green
Published: March 4th, 2014
Series Half Life #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
POV: 1st person, 2nd person
Pages: 416
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Format: ARC
Source: Vine Program
Rating: The Great Hall

A stunning, magical debut. An international sensation.

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad raises of the question of what makes a person truly evil or good, which makes for a fascinating story overall. There is quite a bit of buzz surrounding this story, and I'm sure this story will entertain many readers. I knew, from the first chapter, that Half Bad would be an intriguing survival story. And, despite a few issues, it truly was just that. Nathan's voice is easy enough to relate with, and I felt all the more sympathy for him during some of the cringeworthy events he is put through. He's genuinely struggling - despite his moody moments, Nathan isn't a bad guy. The novel starts with a bang, then backtracks to earlier years, until the POV catches up to the beginning again. I'm still uncertain as to whether or not this structure hurts or helps the story, but those beginning chapters do serve a purpose in making Nathan someone readers can (and will want to) root for. Half Bad is an interesting story with a fascinating protagonist, but it also has a few flaws.

Highlights: The writing flows nicely, making Half Bad an easy novel to read. The very beginning chapters had me hooked (that 2nd person POV was fascinating), and I like how the writing mimicked Nathan's chaotic state of mind during those chapters. The ideas presented are interesting, and I liked Green's approach to witches. 

Lowlights: I felt like not enough actually happened. In the beginning, I was hooked. But halfway through, I barely managed to force myself to read until the end. I never felt like I had a strong sense of the characters. The romance felt weak, mostly because it ended before it ever really began (it might have been better to drop the romance aspect entirely). The writing style was a bit odd - I loved the 2nd person POV beginning, but then it quickly switches POV's and style to an average 1st person POV for a majority of the novel. 

Rating: The Great Hall (3 to 3.5ish). This is a challenging novel to rate, because I did enjoy some moments while I hated others. I loved the first half, but by the time I reached the end, I didn't believe the plot had enough going for it. It was almost incredible, but not quite there for me. 

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel
Sarah Beth Durst
September 11th, 2012
424 pages (Hardcover)
Margaret K. McElderry
POV: 3rd person
Source: Author/Publisher

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Gods and goddesses, deserts and droughts, fate and freedom....Sarah Beth Durst's newest novel has it all, and then some. Easily one of the best stories I've read all year, VESSEL is a highly creative, richly cultured, and wonderfully executed fantasy novel that sweeps across the harsh desert lands as one extraordinary young woman tries to save her people. Liyana, destined to give up her body to her goddess Bayla, is determined to find her missing goddess and unwilling to yield or give up without a fight.

Despite how very journey-orientated this story is – since Liyana and Korbyn¹ are wandering the desert as they look for the other vessels and the missing gods and goddesses – Durst throws in quite a few surprises along the way to keep a reader hooked and guessing about the final outcome. The pacing picks up and slows down repeatedly, and kept me completely entranced by this story from start to finish. If you're a fan of fantasy stories rich in culture, amusing characters, and brimming with unpredictability, then VESSEL should be the next novel on your To-Read list. 

Highlights: The worldbuilding, characters, story...everything is exceptional in VESSEL. Durst takes her characters in different directions than expected. Liyana's family rocked. Liyana is an excellent and humorous protagonist that's easy to like. I loved seeing the other clans and their vessels. The sporadic second narration kept me curious in the beginning and it was interesting to see how it all tied together with Liyana. 

Lowlights: I was a bit sad about the way the story ended (especially romantically, it didn't work out the way I hoped it would), but it was the best possible ending for the story. It's too bad this book is a standalone, because I really wish there were more books! 

Rating: 

1 Who doesn't love a trickster god? *swoons*

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Release: September, 2011

Pages: 304 (hardcover)

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Source: Netgalley

Summary:

"Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. 

This is not her story. 

Unless you count the part where I killed her."

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible....Read more at Goodreads.

Mini-Thoughts:  From the startling intro, it becomes obvious that Alison is different. Very different, especially in comparison to the myriad of other gals in YA lit out there. The details Alison notices about others (+ how she notices them) and her uniqueness really shines with Anderson's magnetizing writing. Despite Alison's obvious fear of herself, what she might be capable of, and her unusual condition, she was still so easy to like and enjoy. Regarding the storyline, I'm keeping quiet for the sake of the story. What I will say is that it genre-jumps quite a bit, but the constant what-comes-next quality this story has is what makes Ultraviolet incredible. 

Highlights: This story surprised me to no end, and in a great way. Character relations are realistic, and the characters themselves are so vibrant, developed. Anderson's writing is mesmerizing, especially regarding Alison's odd ability....Mysterious, creative and downright surprising, Ultraviolet is a story you will not be able to tear yourself away from. 

Lowlights: I have a personal, negative bias with genre-jumping books. It's a weird experience to read something that feels like genre, then turns into another, and then another. But I found that it didn't bother me too much in this story.

Rating: 4/5 

Romeo & Juliet & Vampires by Claudia Gabel

Book: Romeo & Juliet & Vampires

Author: Claudia Gabel (adapted from William Shakespeare)

Release: August 31st, 2010

Source: Publicist

My Summary: 

Juliet's family, the Capulets, are some of the most bloodthirsty and vicious vampires there are. Yet, Juliet - still a human for a short time - is kind and firmly against harming others. Only problem? She's going to turn into a vampire soon, and she only has two options: Kill and become a vampire, or die a slow and very painful death.

She's entertaining the latter option until Romeo, a Montague, comes along. Coming from a family dedicated to killing her kind, especially her family, they should hate one another.

Against all odds, they fall in love. However, Juliet's time as a human is dwindling, and the two will face more obstacles...and death is an almost certain outcome.

Review: An intriguing and fun take on Romeo and Juliet, Gabel doesn't disappoint with her fresh take on such a classic story.

The characters in this story are very fresh and easy to sympathize with. I found Juliet to be a sweet, sympathetic character, and Romeo an honorable and equally kind. Their romance was sweet, if only a bit rushed (but hey, it's kind of like that in the original). Juliet's struggle with becoming a vampire is an interesting twist, and her parents were downright frightening and intense. The vampire twist seemed to mesh perfectly with the story.

There are, obviously, some differences both major and minor in comparison to Shakespeare's original version.  I was glad for the differences, the twists, and for the similarities. Even if you think you know how it all ends because you read Shakespeare's original, think again.

Highlights: Gabel makes this story readable, which isn't always the case with Shakespeare. I definitely also loved the characters, like Nurse, whom I actually liked more in this version. The story still maintained the essence of Shakespeare's original version, but it was also different and creative in its own right.

Lowlights: A few scenes seemed rushed. I would have definitely preferred the balcony scene to be a bit more fleshed out. But honestly, I enjoyed this one far more than I thought I would.

Rating:    

Minder by Kate Kaynak

Book: Minder

Author: Kate Kaynak

Release: out now

Source: Author

My Summary:

When Maddie Dunn starts hearing people's thoughts after a horrifying encounter, she doesn't know what to do. Luckily for her, she's come to the attention of Dr. Williamson, the man in charge of a school called Ganzfield.

Arriving at Ganzfield, it's nothing like she expected. Some students can literally "charm" their way through anything, controlling you completely. Others are quick to start fires in their sleep by accident. And almost everyone distrusts Maddie for her own mind-reading ability, right from the start.

It can't get any worse, until she meets the right guy for her, and then everything seems to be going perfect...At least, until everything goes wrong.

Review: Minder is an exciting debut, and an wonderful start to a series.

Starting off with a bang, Kaynak jumps right into the story with a very intense first chapter. Maddie, our protagonist, is the loner at her school. But after this frightening interaction, she taps into some special abilities that rightfully scare her. It was easy to sympathize with her in these beginning stages, and to really want her to be okay.

In Ganzfield, Maddie is a bit of an outcast still because of the rarity of having a "Minder" (minder-reader). Most of the students are "Charms", and with Maddie's addition to the school, they start to have a power struggle. The Charms are used to running the show, but Maddie is one pawn they can't control.

The description of the other abilities at Ganzfield had to be the best part, along with the ending chapters. The suspense really kicks into full gear, and once you reach the end, you'll be wishing for the sequel in hopes of discovering more about the questions it leaves you with.

Highlights: This story really is addictive, I could barely get enough of it. The abilities are all intriguing, and the overall story is very creative. Sure, a school for people with special abilities (Hello, X-Men) isn't entirely new, but the people and abilities Kaynak populated it with are all fresh and interesting.

Lowlights: The romance aspect felt very rushed. If "love" wasn't introduced quite as quickly, then it wouldn't have bothered me. It would have been nicer if such a declaration could have been saved for further in the series, especially considering how quick their relationship is. And at times, it felt just a touch too informative at times when explaining things (instead of feeling natural, these explanations could come across textbook-like).

Rating:    

Trailer: 

In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth Review

In A Heartbeat

Loretta Ellsworth

Age: Young Adult (YA)

Release date: February 2nd, 2010

Source: Around the World Tours

Summary (from goodreads): 

When a small mistake costs sixteen-year-old Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition, she leaves many things unreconciled, including her troubled relationship with her mother. From her vantage point in the afterlife, Eagan reflects back on her memories, and what she could have done differently, through her still-beating heart.

When fourteen-year-old Amelia learns she will be getting a heart transplant, her fear and guilt battle with her joy at this new chance at life. And afterwards when she starts to feel different -- dreaming about figure skating, craving grape candy -- her need to learn about her donor leads her to discover and explore Eagan's life, meeting her grieving loved ones and trying to bring the closure that they all need to move on.

In A Heartbeat has a unique idea: that when Amelia receives a new heart, she begins to act more like Eagon (her donor). Her likes/dislikes shift, and even her attitude.

Even with such an intriguing idea, I was bored throughout the story. The story was simple, sweet, but very easy to forget about. Every time I turned a page through Amelia's narrative, I wanted to stop, or at least skip ahead to Eagon's narrative. For Amelia, all that really happens is that Amelia gets a heart. Amelia starts acting differently. Amelia meets a boy. Amelia wants to meet Eagon's family, et cetera, et cetera...I couldn't connect with her in any way. 

Eagon herself is caught in her own little world of memories. These moments were intriguing, definitely more interesting than Amelia's part of the story, but I still wasn't enjoying the novel. Her relationship with her mother and skating was interesting, and her side of the story seemed to be the more touching. I found Eagon to be a bit more developed than Amelia, and her story seemed to be wrapped up neatly by the end. I would have actually preferred the story to be narrated by Eagan entirely, even if I disliked her character, because she was more dynamic.  

Highlights: Ellsworth got creative, and the idea of gaining similar tastes/likes for things your donor liked was very intriguing and interesting.

Lowlights: I really had a hard time liking Amelia, both before and after the surgery. The story seemed a bit flat. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. 

However, I've read wonderful reviews of this novel, so I would definitely recommend you look it up on Amazon or Goodreads first, because maybe you will enjoy it more than I did!

Rating: