My Friends Are Fiction

Review and others on my blog My Friends Are FictionActual rating 3.5The Story:Born of Illusion starts out with a very leisurely pace which allows the reader to soak in the time period and setting of the 1920's New York. It was a comfortable book to delve into, though I didn't feel like I couldn't put it down because I had to know what was going to happen next.Many pages focused on developing Anna's character and delving into her relationship with her mother. The reader gets to experience how it might have been to live such an unusual lifestyle focusing on séances and magic shows. There was an ever present aura of mystery that I enjoyed and the question of never knowing exactly who to trust.After the midway point there was the feeling that something big was just around the corner. When I got to the reveal I honestly was a tad disappointed, I wanted a bit more. It wasn't bad; I just expected so much.The Characters: As stated above, Born of Illusion focuses on showing the reader aspects of Anna's personality and experiencing her search to find out if the rumors are true about who her father is. Along with that mystery she also realized that her magical abilities are stronger than they ever have been, and they just might have to do with the new people in her life.On her journey we meet some really interesting characters, Mr. Darby being my favorite side character. He is her downstairs neighbor and is hosting one of her love interests. Did you catch that? One of her love interests...yes, there is a love triangle but Brown does it well and it didn't detract from the story for me.I found Anna's mother, Marguerite Van Housen, to be a very intriguing character though I didn't exactly like her. I was happy to see Brown progressing the character's relationships and giving them a realistic edge though the story consisted so heavily of illusion.Final Thoughts: Overall I enjoyed Born of Illusion, especially the time period and descriptions of magical stage shows. My biggest issue was with the ending, I felt it lacked creativity.

This review and others on my blog My Friends Are FictionThe Story:Siege and Storm picks up shortly after Shadow and Bone left off. It took me no time at all to be completely immersed back into the story. I expected that like a lot of second books there would be a good amount of reading before any of the action or story progression occurred, but Bardugo wasted no time.The entire book had me captivated and I would even say that this was a stronger story (maybe) than Shadow and Bone. Both books are perfect examples of an expansive and creative world populated with diverse characters. I am impressed and surprised with the turns the story has taken.The Characters: Bardugo really explored Alina and Mal's character growth in the way they are dealing with their roles and identities alone and with each other. Bardugo does a beautiful job balancing her character's desires and responsibilities and showing the reader the pain and agony associated with not wanting what your future might hold. It was an emotional journey watching Alina accept herself as the Sun Summoner and realizing that she is not normal and will never be the Alina of before.Bardugo introduces a new character, Sturmhond, who adds a touch of humor. I immediately loved his character and think he added a great dynamic to the overall story. I can't think of any character from Shadow and Bone that was not accounted for in this latest installment. All continue to have depth and unique personalities.Romance is a factor but not really in the forefront of this book. I was happy to see how realistically Bardugo represented Mal and Alina and the issues they would be dealing with in their situation. The Darkling has an important role, of course, but he is spoken of more than actually present.I have to commend Bardugo on creating characters with such depth and personality that I worry about them and sincerely fear for their fates. My concern is not exclusive to only the main characters.Final Thoughts: I fell in love with Shadow and Bone so I had almost unrealistic expectations for this follow up and yet Siege and Storm met all of my expectations and even exceeded them. I will read anything Bardugo writes and she remains one of the best fantasy writers out there.

See this review and others on my blog My Friends Are FictionI read Gameboard of the Gods with Scott Reads It and Bibliopunkk , two amazing bloggers--check them out!The Story: As stated above, Gameboard of the Gods had me close to giving up at one point. Since I typically read young adult I wasn't used to the slow build up and times where I felt lost, so it took me midway to really get into the rhythm. I am so happy I stuck with it because it would have been a mistake to have given up.The slower pacing aside, the story was interesting and complex. It took ample time (and pages) for Mead to build her world and with such complexities there were instances of info dumping that just confused me. Overload of information occurred most often with descriptions of the different castes, jobs, and technology. My mind ached trying to keep all of this straight while trying to get to know the characters and figure out what was happening. Once past the midpoint the action picked up and I started to see where Mead had been going with all the loose ends. I'm confident that the majority of world building occurred in this first book so the next should be easier to become absorbed in.As for genre, I couldn't really say which Gameboard falls under. It has a lot of science fiction elements mixed in with mythology. It had elements that actually reminded me of Neil Gaiman (American Gods).The Characters: At first I really didn't like Justin. He seemed egotistical, sleazy and all around jerk. He was supposed to be the top of his field and yet for the first bit of the book I felt that Mead told us about his abilities but never showed them. This changed midway and my like and respect for him grew. I started to get a fuller understanding of the mechanisms he used to defend himself and he became well rounded.I immediately liked Mae's character. She is hard edged, strict and a type A personality. This could be perceived as boring but somehow Mead accomplished making a very complex and interesting character. I loved the tidbits of insecurity and emotion Mae exhibited on occasion.A third character, Tessa, was thrown in though she didn't have as large a role as Justin and Mae. I wasn't blow away with her story though I know that she will become more intriguing as the series progresses.Mead did a good job in building up a cast of secondary characters that felt real and populated her world well. I found myself fond of many of them and wonder how important they will be later in the series.Final Thoughts:Gameboard of the Gods was slow to pull me in but once it did I was hooked. I will check out the following in the series and now want to read the Vampire Academy series even more--yes, I've not read them yet!Thank you Dutton for the opportunity to read and review Gameboard of the Gods prior to its release.Gameboard of the Gods will be available June 4, 2013Thank you Dutton for a review copy in exchange for a honest review!

Read this and other reviews on my blog: My Friends Are FictionThe Story: Howson's idea behind Linked was very interesting and had a lot of potential to create an exceptional book. It started off enjoyable and I was excited to be diving into the story. I wanted to know about Elissa's visions, nightmares and what was causing her physical harm. I wanted to know about her mysterious twin and why some entity was experimenting on her. What was the purpose behind all this? Sadly, after Linked took off it stalled out. The ideas and descriptions (though often too wordy for me and verging on info dump) were present though none of it was able to consistently keep my attention.A lot of our character's time was spent on running, running, and then more running. I felt like a few areas could have successfully been cut out and would have moved things along better for me. I found myself skimming over areas and even with the sections of action the pacing felt slow to me. I can't pinpoint why because the writing was well crafted, the ideas strong. I knew as I read that the author had a very vivid world developed and a story that was well thought out but it never just grabbed hold of me.The Characters: The beginning had a lot of characters introduced but most of them weren't around later in the book so they felt very background. I didn't get their motivations but I have a feeling that some might make appearances later in other books.I never connected or related to the main character Elissa in any substantial way. Her relationship with her twin sister was grating at times due to the bickering (though I have a sister so I can't say that's not realistic), but it did not make for an interesting read for me. Elissa's twin, Lin, was bland and nothing happening caused me to worry about her survival. The worst thing about this entire book was not caring. I never felt invested, not in Elissa and Lin's relationship or her relationship with her love interest.Final Thoughts: Overall, my biggest complaint about Linked was its slow pacing and my lack of interest in any of the characters. I couldn't even muster the energy to hate any of them. Howson writes well and I would find myself latching onto some of her writing; acknowledging the beauty of her words but it just wasn't enough to hold my interest. I don't think I'll be reading the following books in the series.

Find this review and others on my blog: My Friends Are FictionActual rating 3.5The Story:For me, Dance of the Red Death moved at a faster pace than the first. I was more invested in the story and felt more comfortable with the world and events. I could really see the influence of Edgar Allan Poe's gothic short story, The Masque of the Red Death. I loved finding the corresponding attributes which enhanced my reading experience.There is a masquerade ball! I absolutely love when a story's climax takes place at a dance and masquerade dances are the very best. I can pin-point the moment I fell in love with them, watching Labyrinth starring David Bowie a hundred times when I was a pre-teen. I won't reveal the details of Griffin's ball, but I really enjoyed it and found it so wonderfully disturbing.Griffin wraps up her story arc very neatly and it doesn't seem that there will be another in the series. Loose ends were tied up and I had all the answers I required.The Characters: I felt that Araby was much stronger and self assured in Dance of the Red Death, which helped me enjoy her character more than in the first. However, for the majority of the book I could not fathom why she was involved in the love triangle because both men had committed wrongs that I would not easily or ever forgive.From the first book, (SPOILER IF YOU'VE NOT READ BOOK 1) Will gives her over to Malcontent! Yes, it was to save his siblings, and I think he might have thought about telling her but still that seems pretty unforgivable. Of course, if that's not enough he printed out flyers about Araby's father that created hate towards him and Araby by association. I really liked Will and still see some redeeming qualities, but those are some pretty heinous things to have to forgive to make a relationship work.Now Elliot, he held her over murky, swamp water infested with not only disease but crocodiles. For me personally, that alone would turn me off him for good.Okay, rant over. I don't usually rant like that but it bothered me so much that I had trouble enjoying the interactions and the romantic aspects. I was so sad that I couldn't get fully behind either love interest.Griffin really dives into Prince Prospero's depravity in this book, so much so I felt squeamish at parts. I do wish that she could have focused a bit more on his character just to add some dimension to him. He seemed pretty one dimensional to me; I tend to like my villains to be incredibly complex. Fingers crossed Bethany Griffin will treat us to a novella about him.Final Thoughts: I have some problems with the series as a whole: the love triangle being the worst offender for me. But the atmosphere, gothic aura and nod to Edgar Allan Poe make up for a lot of that.

Review also is on my blog My Friends Are FictionThe Story:Masque of the Red Death is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's gothic short story of the same title. Poe's story centers on Prince Prospero as he hides from the Red Death, a horrible plague, ravages his land. He invites all the nobles and they have a masked ball in an effort to stay secluded and hide from the death and despair. Griffin's novel takes some of these gothic elements and presents them in a dark tale with bits of steam punk sprinkled in. There is no set time period or location, leaving this all to the reader's imagination.The plague destroying the land is called the Weeping Sickness and it causes weeping sores and is highly contagious. With it being air borne masks are required to survive but only the rich can afford them. I found this idea unique and enthralling. The imagery of people with masks covering the majority of their faces really stuck with me. This idea of seeing someone's face being rare and even intimate and having to read people's emotions when you can't see their smiles or frowns; just a really wonderful concept. Griffin was able to capture beauty even in a city in the midst of destruction.The Characters: Any problems I had with the book came with the characters. I felt that Araby was hard to connect to and many of her choices seemed so naïve and careless I was constantly annoyed with her, especially in the beginning. She did seem to grow into herself and mature as the novel progressed which I was very grateful for.There is a dreaded love triangle, I'd have preferred there not to have been. At first I could not find any reason for the attraction to Elliot. His personality was not endearing or alluring to me. His arrogance irked me and I was frustrated with Araby's trust in him. I preferred Will and really enjoyed his interactions with his young siblings. I thought the scenes with the family together were touching and some of my favorites.Final Thoughts: I actually have begun to appreciate Masque of the Red Death more after absorbing it for a couple of days. As I read there were moments I was eager for more to happen and I was frustrated with the main character, but upon reflection I enjoyed the world building and gothic elements more than my annoyances.Look for the next in the series, Dance of the Red Death, coming June 11, 2013. I will post my review in the next few days.

I had to DNF..I just couldn't :-(

This review also appears on my blog My Friends Are FictionI read this along with Scott Reads It read his review here The Story:Reboot is an original concept, pulling inspiration from the American zombie narrative but adding such an unique twist I'm not entirely sure zombie would be the right category. I loved the concept of the amount of time one is dead determining how much of their human emotions they possess.I was impressed with the world creation and depth and found it was easy for me to imagine and visualize. Tintera created a story that moved smoothly that had a lot of action through out. The story did slow down about midway but picked up again to a nice pace near the end to a great conclusion that has me very eager for the next book.The Characters: Wren and Callum are a great mix of opposites attracting and having wonderful dialog. Wren was dead for 178 minutes causing her to hold very little of her human attributes. She is a well oiled killing machine until Callum, who was dead for a short 22 minutes, shows up. I almost wished Wren was colder even after meeting Callum and I have to admit I was disappointed at how easily she thawed in his presence. But, this was just a small qualm that did not detract from my overall enjoyment in any way.Tintera wrote Callum with such a realistic sense of humor and he seemed incredibly real to me. Each character had a very distinct and unique personality. This goes for the secondary characters as well. Attention was given to their interactions with each other and our main characters which helped to create a vivid world.Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed Reboot because of the creative concept and great character dynamics. I will certainly read the next in the series and anything Amy Tintera releases.

First half was amazing...second half was good but I liked the survival story in the beginning much more. Full review soon.I keep thinking about this book--thinking might add a half star

Review is also on my blog, My Friends Are FictionThe Story:Perception had some interesting concepts. I enjoyed thinking about what a society would look like once the ability to extend life presented itself. Strauss created a world with only the wealthy having the ability to extend their lives, the others live on the fringes. Of course, this creates a social hierarchy associated with who has been genetically altered versus those that have not either due to choice or inability. The science of how the advances were made was barely touched upon though Strauss does give details into how the city and it's citizens looks. Overall, the future Strauss created was not one I'd want to read further about or live in.The Characters: The characters and the romance lacked for me. Zoe wasn't overly likable and try as I might I could not feel connected to any of the characters. I didn't care that Liam, Zoe's brother, was missing. Zoe referred to her parents by their first names which I didn't care for, and also confused me in the beginning when I was trying to remember who everyone was. She does have a substantial amount of growth throughout the novel.The romance was rushed and I never felt the moment where the two leads fell for each other. Zoe and Noah had electric pulses when they touched, which always make me roll my eyes. I would say that Noah Brody was probably the best character and he had the most depth to me because of his religious views and his connections and dedication to his family.Final Thoughts:Perception wasn't a bad book just not one I felt very connected to.

So not my typical type of book.. Though it's not my genre I really was swept away with Park and Eleanor. My gut was twisted in knots for the last bit and ..yeah..it was good. Very good. And very well written.

Probably closer to 2.5. I don't know why but this one didn't work for me :-( I'll try to construct my thoughts for a review soon.

My Friends Are FictionThe Story:The 5th Wave has been seriously hyped, almost to its detriment. I've seen boasts that this is the best YA book of 2013 and that it is Ender's Game meets The Passage. I've not read The Passage but it's on my TBR list now, so there goes some great reverse marketing. This book was good. The story was engaging and I was interested. The beginning had me terrified. I had already cried and been totally freaked out maybe 50 pages in. The beginning had the feel of Susan Ee's Angelfall to me; kick-ass heroine fighting against all the impossible obstacles stacked against her. I thought to myself that this was what an alien book should be; what I had always wanted to read and experience.Then things changed, the aura shifted and my terror waned. It was still really intense and engaging but it fell more typical of other books I've read. Yancey takes us on a few twists and turns but for some reason I saw them coming. I wish I'd been more surprised but there were some pretty obvious clues and foreshadowing. I think the hype started to really get to me midway. I kept looking for that moment of complete awe to hit me upside the head, but it didn't really ever happen. Did I enjoy The 5th Wave? Yes, but it wasn't the most amazing thing I've ever read.The Characters: I really liked Cassie (short for Cassiopeia) our heroine. I felt connected to her journey and I could really visualize her (and that teddy bear). Through her point of view I felt, fear, sadness, confusion and just pure terror. I found most of her dialog to be very funny and a nice break from the serious nature of the story. Yancey did a fairly good job of giving his female lead a genuine voice.Yancey also incorporates other point of views: Sammy, Cassie's little brother, Zombie, the leader of an adolescent army and even a taste from the invader's point of view.There is a smidgen of romance, though I felt it was one of the weaker aspects of the novel. It felt rushed and almost felt insta-love but I kept trying to see it from the characters point of view (world is crashing around you...not much time to waste).Final Thoughts:The 5th Wave was action packed with moments that terrified me and overall was well executed. I think I was a bit let down because of all the hype and the insane expectations I had.

Didn't enjoy this one as much as the first but still happy I read it.Full review soon

What a fun adventure this book is! Full review soon

This review is also on my blog, My Friends Are FictionThe Story: I confess when I requested this title I did so on the high ratings I'd seen other reviews give it and the cover. I didn't know it was a spin-off and I'd never read a Rachel Hawkins book. I have no idea how I never read (or heard of) the Hex Hall series but it's on my list now. With nothing to base School Spirits on I dove in blindly and really enjoyed the experience. The pacing was perfect and the characters were likeable. The story wasn't complicated and I must admit it wasn't overly original. Pretty standard story arc but the witty dialog made it stand out. One of the only negatives I had was that the ghost was sadly absent through most of the book. I never felt scared or even stressed. But sometimes, it's a nice change to read something light hearted.The Characters: I really grew to love the characters in School Spirits, especially Dex. He was adorably sweet and I loved his sense of humor. And really, who doesn't love a guy in a pea coat (and a purple one no less)? I enjoyed seeing Izzy's point of view; I found her to be a good main character and rarely did she do anything that made me frustrated. I am intrigued with Torin and all his years being trapped in the Brannick mirror. Does he make an appearance in the Hex Hall books? There was not a single character I didn't like, which is a nice change from the books I've read recently.Final Thoughts:School Spirits is a really engaging, lively read that opened my eyes to Rachel Hawkins and now I must go and read the Hex Hall series.