Review: Ramona Blue - Julie Murphy

Ramona Blue 
Julie Murphy
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Ramona thought she had it all figured out. She thought she knew exactly who she was and exactly where she was going, but then everything she thought she knew began to unravel.

This book is about so many things, but if I had to pick one major theme, I would say it's about identity. Ramona spends a lot of this book struggling with her identity, because so many things begin to change, which challenge all these ideas of who she thought she was and the things she thought she could have or do.

Ramona was a sister, and although she was the "little" sister, she was the one always looking out for Hattie. She believed that she had to be the one to take care of Hattie and her unborn child. Ramona was a lesbian. She came out in 9th grade and never looked back. Ramona was poor. She did not see college in her future, because her family did not have the means to pay for it. She believed she would be stuck in Eulogy waiting tables for the rest of her days. Ramona had put herself in a box, and she saw no way out of it.

"But there has to be more. I'm made up of tiny pieces; scattered, they are nothing more than sharp edges. But all those pieces combined are what makes me Ramona."

Enter Freddie, or rather, re-enter Freddie. He was a summer friend from her pre-Katrina life, which included a real house to live in and both her parents. I wasn't shocked that Ramona would embrace and hold tight to Freddie as things around her were falling apart. He was associated with a stable time in her life, a happy time in her life. When they reconnected, Ramona was dealing with a broken heart, her sister's baby-daddy drama, her friends leaving her for college, and a future that seems like a dead end.

"It terrifies me and it excites me and it's not because he's a guy and I'm a girl. It's because he's Freddie and I'm Ramona."

Freddie gave her love and support. He was a wonderful friend to her. His grandmother, who was like Ramona's surrogate mother, pulled her right into the fold, and gave her all the things she wished her own mother was able to give her. They gave her the chance to swim with them, and that led to an opportunity, which could prove to be life changing for Ramona.

"I wish I could just say yes. I wish I could put myself in that box for my sake and his, but I don't know."

This could have been a pity party, but Murphy did not allow that to happen. She wrote Ramona as a survivor, and she gave her the things money could not buy. She had love from family and friends. She had their faith in her, that she could achieve those things that she thought were out of reach. She had her own strength, which kept her moving in the right direction.

"Instead, I've embraced another facet of myself. Life isn't always written in the stars. Fate is mine to pen. I choose guys. I always choose girls. I choose people. But most of all: I choose."

The overall message of this book is so positive. To see that when she finally freed herself from her box, when she finally stripped away the labels, she was free. She was free to expand her horizons and explore new opportunities, and all these things lead her to bigger and better things. I love this idea!

I enjoyed being part of Ramona's journey to self discovery, and was extra pleased that as she began to understand herself, it helped her better understand others.

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. Quotes are from an ARC and may change upon publication.

Do you celebrate Mardi Gras?

Let us know in the comments!

Double Review: Leaving Time - Jodi Picoult

Leaving Time
Jodi Picoult
Series: N/A
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Word Rating: Wild From Start to Finish (see what I did there?)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I love Jodi Picoult books. I've loved Jodi Picoult books for years and I don't think I'll ever get enough of them. When I found out she was signing at BEA, I needed to get an ARC of her newest book signed by her and meet the woman herself. She was lovely, by the way. And this new book definitely hits its mark.

The book centers around a 13 year old girl, Jenna Metcalf, and her search to find her mother -- who disappeared 10 years ago when she was admitted into a hospital after being found unconscious at the site of an elephant trampling and then regaining consciousness, leaving the hospital, and never being heard from again. The elephant trampling thing isn't totally weird and out of nowhere. Alice -- the mother -- worked with elephants and dedicated her life to researching them, particularly patterns of grief among elephants.

Anyway, it's been ten years and Jenna is trying to find out why her mother disappeared and whether she's out there somewhere with the answers to all of Jenna's questions -- and she has a lot of questions. And who does she enlist for help? A psychic, Serenity Jones, who used to specialize in missing persons cases with astounding accuracy and a private investigator, Virgil Stanhope, who was a police officer on the trampling case 10 years ago.

There is a lot about elephants in this book. I appreciate that because I consider elephants to be my favorite animal and this book incorporated them so well. If you aren't really all about elephants or animals or any of that stuff, don't fret, because this book is still for you. A lot of the elephant stuff isn't even about the elephants, it's about the humans. And the stuff that is about the elephants is not obnoxiously so -- things like behavior patterns and memory are discussed, usually with anecdotes, and it's very well dispersed. There is a lot of Alice's point of view and she just talks about things she's learned in her time spent working with and observing elephants from all different places. It's really quite interesting and I loved how it was done and how the lessons we learned about the behavior of the elephants were so connected with the behaviors of the humans in the book.

I also loved all the characterization. First, we have Jenna, who sounds both extraordinarily not 13 but at the same time sounds painfully 13. It's hard to explain, but I liked her as a protagonist. She had drive and determination that is honestly only ever found in anyone her age, and I really liked the way her willpower and demeanor was juxtaposed with Serenity and Virgil, the two main adults she has trying to help her with this case. Both of these adults are jaded, untrusting, exhausted by the world and everything its thrown at them. If people were photographs, they would be really worn and faded and bent around the edges, while Jenna would be new and bright and crisp but a little bent out of shape. I enjoyed reading about them all and the way their dynamics were with Jenna and the dialogue between the pair was great. Serenity and Virgil had chapters in their own points of view and they delved into their past and it really helped add dimensions to these characters you never would have expected to be so complex. Also, Serenity is a psychic and that's a pretty atypical character to have in this type of book, but she is executed extremely well and I think it's a great aspect of the book to have such a different cast of characters. There are also the whole slew of other people -- Jenna's father, the caretakers of the elephants, and all the people she meets in her journey.

The book took me by surprise more than a few times (there were also a few times when it was supposed to take the reader by surprise but I kind of knew where it was going, but that honestly didn't detract from the impact of the events) and I knew it was all leading up to a big reveal at the end, or some big twist and as I was reading I was really excited to learn what it was. I won't give anything away but I liked the direction the story went a lot.

It's so clear that Jodi Picoult put a lot of time and effort into research for this book -- obviously about the elephants, which is impressive in itself, but also about a lot of other aspects of human nature and what a real psychic is and tons of other things you'd never guess she had to research before going in because they're so well integrated into the story.

With such an engaging plot and well-written characters, I devoured this book and highly recommend anyone who comes across it to add it to his or her bookshelf, because it's a wonderful read by an author who is nothing short of amazing.

- Noor

Amrutha's Review of Leaving Time
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Word Rating:  Stellar

I want to start this with the preface that I love all things Jodi Picoult. Over the years I have read pretty much everything she has ever written and believe me when I say she is literally one of the only people (forget authors), who can make me cry very consistently, and if I don't cry (either happy or sad tears), I usually form a very strong emotional attachment to the characters, and Leaving Time did not disappoint.

When Noor and I stood in an hour long wait for this book and to meet Jodi Picoult, I was so excited to pick this up, and boy, were my instincts on par. Side note: Picoult was so nice, Noor and I both loved her, so its just a plus that her writing is awesome as well.

Let's talk about Jenna: she's young and fiery and really determined, which I think really makes me love her as a protagonist. As a young girl who is both 1) coming into her own and 2) has been through a whole lot more than someone her age should've, seeing her as her mom kind of just up and vanished. Jenna was interesting and a great character and was fleshed out well for a prepubescent girl in and adult novel, but Serenity was the real star of the show for me. She is a psychic in the novel, and no matter how much I discount psychics in real life and in fiction, Serenity really captured my heart. Virgil, our washed out, private detective/ex-cop was interesting as well: there isn't a lot for me to say about Serenity, Virgil, Jenna, and even Alice, Jenna's mother, as they are all characterized in the same way that they are in every Jodi Picoult book: as the book goes on, we find out more and more plot-twisty back story, and it added dimension to every character. Picoult never writes static characters and she did not begin now.

The only part of the novel that really lost points with me was the constant inclusion of information about elephants. Like, we get it, elephants are important to the overall plot of the story, but the random inclusions about elephants got to be a little uninteresting for me, and I skimmed through those parts. I guess, however, that I should've expected it: every Picoult novel centers around a researched topic or court scenes or both.

What impresses me so much about Jodi Picoult's writing is that she is so incredibly predictable, but pulls everyone in at the same time. All of her books have the same set up: multiple characters tell the story, there are interconnected point of views, we find out more and more about characters' backstories as the book develops, and everything culminates in a plot twist no one can see coming, all centered around some researched topic of Picoult's, whether it be leukemia (My Sister's Keeper) or elephants. This same set up persists in this novel, and I highly suggest you read it, along with everything else Picoult has ever written.

- Amrutha

Have you ever lost something or someone?
Let us know in the comments!

Triple Review: Since You've Been Gone - Morgan Matson

Since You've Been Gone
Morgan Matson
Series: N/A
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Perfect Summer Read
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I picked up Since You've Been Gone at BookExpo America this year and it's been towards the top of my to-read list. Now that I've gotten to reading it, I can say that I definitely was not disappointed.

The plot of the book centers around Emily Hughes and the summer before her senior year of high school. She was supposed to have the time of her life with her best friend Sloane but all of a sudden Sloane has disappeared, but has mailed Emily a list of 13 things to do, all outside her comfort zone. Emily decides that if she sets out to complete all the tasks on the list, she might figure out where Sloane is.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the character development. As I read the book, it became clear that Emily had this sort of unhealthy view of Sloane, that she she was trying to make her out to be this perfect savior type. She idealized Sloane in her head and made her out to be this perfect person who always knew exactly what to say and how to say it and who to talk to and how to dress and it made me wonder if Sloane had actually been more on the manipulative side all along, and whether or not this was a toxic friendship. And in the beginning, when she has just freshly felt the wound of finding her missing, Emily keep talking about how situations would be different if Sloane were there, about how she doesn't know what to say and how if she was there Sloane would carry on the conversation and Emily could open up around her and add in some comments here and there and be more in her comfort zone. This made me irritated by Emily, but what really got me was one scene where Frank Porter made a comment and Emily thought "If Sloane had been next to me, I would have said So to speak or That's for sure or some other punny remark, since there were actual ropes here and Frank had pretty much opened the door for a joke like that. But she wasn't, so I just looked away..." What?! Emily, what? The other times, I get that she felt insecure without her security blanket but this time she literally had the comment in her head and didn't make it. What????? I really didn't understand Emily on that one. So in the beginning we see her as this totally dependent person and it's kindof strange.

And then we see it fall away, which is where the character development comes in.

It starts with Frank Porter and their continued interactions, each time still slightly awkward. And then somewhere along the line they become running buddies and then even friends and then of course we can see where that is leading but clearly Morgan Matson doesn't believe in insta-love and praise her for that. Their friendship is portrayed so well, her at first describing him as his perfect straight-A class President who she would never imagine ever spending time with, and then slowly chiseling away at his exterior to discover his awesome music taste (awesome to me, not so much to Emily, who likes songs about trucks) and family problems and sense of humor. Emily begins to open up, to really find herself and become a person without Sloane attached.

As the story goes on, Emily also ends up befriending Collins, Frank's friend, and Dawn, the girl who works at the pizza place next door to where Emily works. I really enjoyed reading about how, as chapter by chapter she tries to spend her summer completing items on the list, she ends up surrounded by these dynamic and flawed individuals who all give a lot to the story in their own ways.

From having Frank and Collins talk in Beatles song titles to mixing in their running playlists in the chapters, Morgan Matson does such a good job of focusing on developing the characters and making them seem very real and dear.

Each chapter in the book is Emily crossing another things off the list and the more things she does, the more she changes. One of the big things I noticed is that the more she does these things that Sloane wants her to do, the less she needs Sloane there to guide her through her summer and her life. Each task has some degree of difficulty for Emily, but she gets through a lot of them with her new friends, which makes for a fairly interesting summer tale.

The book is also intertwined with flashbacks, not in a weird figure-out-the-plot sort of way, but usually when Emily references something with a story behind it. These flashbacks help the reader understand Sloane and who she really is and what her relationship with Emily was like. I thought they were nicely done and accompanied the story very effectively.

Overall, I loved reading about these characters and Morgan Matson has a very good narrative voice that made this book a pleasure to get through. I thought there could have been some changes made in the ending but I can't say anything without spoilers so I'm just going to leave it at that. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was a very cute read and perfectly captured the feeling of a summer book (although I think I'd still enjoy it any other time of year).

- Noor

Marlon's Since You've Been Gone Review
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: B+

Caution: I have very mixed feelings about this book. I'm am like the annoying clumps of flour in the cake, not totally dissolved into a decision. 

If you haven't read the blurb, this novel is about a girl named Emily, who's best friend Sloane mysteriously disappears, leaving her a list of things to do.

The novel has a defining characteristic, in that it comprehensively captures Emily's voice. From the moment the novel started, I felt like I knew Emily. She has so many mannerisms of speech (for instance, she's in the business of dropping highish-end grade words like "parse" in casual thoughts) and a distinct thought process (a love for lots of exposition in her head, and never letting any of this outside her head). Emily comes alive so well in the novel that she nearly becomes it, only fuelled by the first-person POV. I honestly started to believe Emily that Sloane was her saviour, that without her, it was like ripping a limb off and refusing to cauterise the wound. She seemed ready to lay at the threshold of Sloane's empty house and die. I felt that this psychological dependence was a bit much, but I could see the connection as bright as day and how it had developed because of Matson's narrative clarity.

At first, this is why I loved the novel. Then, this was why I hated the novel. Now, I realise this is why I both really love this book and hate it a little.

I'll show you why:

Because Emily's are the only eyes through which we see other characters, it isn't until a quarter of the way through the book until I realised that her best friend Sloane, was a lie. This isn't particularly stated, but it's hinted at in flashbacks: for example, Sloane brushing aside Emily's comment on the way to the Orchard. In the beginning, Emily idolizes Sloane to the point where she only ever imagines what Sloane would do in a situation, which always happened to be "the right thing" to do. She is ready to abandon her reckless brother at an indoor extreme sports park just to attempt to find this other girl. 

This is extremely disturbing but totally amazing. Why? This is so rarely done in YA. Friendships are rarely explored in Contemporary or YA works. Instead, there is a tendency to focus on the intricacies of love and/or lust centred relationships. Never have I seen a friendship put at the forefront of a book, and never have I seen a questionable friendship been put at the forefront of a book. Even more amazing is that the love relationship that is displayed in this book is not conventional, it's not instalove, it's barely even recognizable from a Hollywood portrayal: t's a developing friendship that blossoms into something else entirely. This is awesome. 

One thing is certain, this book is absolutely excellent for a specific demographic. Introverted, middle-class, anxious teenagers. Though I admit this is a large demographic, Matson doesn't seem to push beyond this and make the novel any more wholesome and powerful than it has to be. It is effectively the process of Emily, an introverted, anxious, embarrassed-because-of-her-shoe-size etc. teenager losing her safety-net best friend, Sloane, and having to take control of her life and become empowered.

And what I love is that this book is still enjoyable for people who don't fit into this demographic. There is a wealth of other appeal (if you can get past the fairly uneventful and dry first chapter): lots and lots of puns; hilarious dialogue, sometimes in song lyric; and best of all, beautifully flawed characters that help Emily in her development, including a new friend Dawn, the all-over-the-place Collins, and Frank, lovely lovely Frank, who is nothing like the perfect Frank she has imagined for the last three years.

In that same vein, though, Emily was the most boring part of the novel. This can be partially forgiven, because Emily is supposed to be the most boring part of the novel. Yet, though, the transition from the beginning to the end is wonderful, characters like Frank Porter and Matt Collins seemed more worthwhile and a lot less fragmentary and confused as Emily can be. I wanted more depth out of them instead of just a two layer coating of "I'm this way on the outside" and "I have parental problems on the inside". Granted they were well developed, just not well enough.

Also the end? WTF? I don't want to ruin it but the "big reveal" honestly could have been eased into the story better, or at least handled as a narrative device rather than an explosion.

My only other downside is again, Emily. 

Sometimes Emily's thought process is perfectly displayed: when she's having a conversation with Frank early on, she starts flipping out to herself: "I didn't know how to do this by myself and I didn't want to have to learn. Also, I didn't think I'd exchanged more than a few sentences with Frank Porter in three years, so I wasn't sure how we were pending this much time talking about the size of my feet." (Matson, 46)

And sometimes it can be confusing. Page 36 exemplifies the Emily's apparent love for long-winded, semirelated/unrelated exposition by leading off into a tangent about the different childhoods that Emily and her brother Beckett experienced, provoked by . . . well, nothing. . . . Matson transitioned from active voice to reflection by a joke on finding directions. This is damaging since the description in question would be perfectly appropriate in another context, such as a few pages later, when Emily leaves Beckett at IndoorExtreme. Beckett's comfort and security could be shown to stem from living in relative comfort and security. Instead, the reader trudges through an ostensibly random section of information. Emily's thoughts can confound the book in good ways (hiding the questionable relationship between her and Sloane) but also in bad ways, like this.

Also:

No short boys? Why? WHY? GIVE ME SHORT BOYS OR GIVE ME DEATH. I'm just kidding, this book actually did a fairly decent job with beauty, giving the reader an average-looking Frank as the love interest. I would have liked a bit more ethnic and gender variability, though. 

There are so many five star reviews on goodreads that I initially did a double take when finishing this novel. Was I just being cynical? In a bad mood? Not enough tea? But no. This book was great, not perfect, but great, as in, a wonderful Contemporary summer read. But no more, and no less.

- Marlon

Amrutha's Since You've Been Gone Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Word rating: Summery and Delightful 

When I first started this book, the first chapter or so seemed so dry that I was immediately disappointed. However, do not be discouraged by the slow start. Since You've Been Gone soon transforms into an adorable, breezy summer read. I read this book on one of the first days of summer late into the night, finishing it in one sitting, and when I was done with it, I found myself aching for days at the beach (it's funny because nowhere in the novel is a beach mentioned (also I hate the beach). But the summer atmosphere that the book presents is undeniable.

Since You've Been Gone revolves around Emily, our protagonist, who is presented with a list of 13 things to complete during the summer, given to her by her mysterious best friend Sloane, who disappeared without notice. The story immediately evolves into a story about friendship, laughter, and personal growth (all things that I especially, as a senior just starting the summer before her freshman year of college, needed to read about).

Matson really nails this concept of personal growth with Emily, slowly ridding her obsession with Sloane, whom she idolizes, and pushing her to think more of herself. Whether it be skinny dipping or anything else, Emily learns to be fearless, and how to let loose and have some fun. I think a huge moral here for me was that sometimes it is okay to mess up and take risks and deal with the consequences later, so long as you get an overall positive end result or experience. It was a story I really needed to read right now, so it hit pretty close to home.

What I really enjoyed about the story was that Emily was able to make new friends without replacing her old one, as happens so often in YA books about best friends. Collins, Dawn, and of course, Frank all play intense roles in having Emily finish the list, while also propelling her forward into character development. In the beginning, Emily was shy to do things and often knew what Sloane would do in a situation, but was confused as to what SHE should do. Slowly, via some awkward but adorable encounters with Frank, interacting with her ex, helping out her new friend Dawn, or joking around with Collins, Emily completed the list and was left feeling like a new and improved person, who knew what Emily would say, rather than Sloane.

Matson did a wonderful job on this book, and I can't wait to read other works of hers. She really put me in a summer mindset (it's hard to do) and left us with a really lovely story that I'd recommend to just about anyone.

- Amrutha

Do you have a best friend?
Let us know in the comments!

Book Tour Review: Of Stardust - February Grace

Of Stardust
February Grace
Series: N/A
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Brilliant
On Goodreads

About the book:

“Dreams are sacred…”

At the age of twenty-six single, geeky bookseller Till Nesbitt inherits the shock of a lifetime: a huge Victorian farmhouse filled with unique tenants, and the knowledge that there is a reason she’s always been different. She’s destined to become a Fairy Godmother, because the skills are written into her DNA.

Till embarks on her fairy education at Dreams Come True University with much trepidation, guided on her journey by a unique mentor: a Celtic hybrid with a secret by the name of Gus.

When Till falls head over heels for Gus, will she break the most serious law in the Fairy Code, or will the truth of what really happened to Gus’s parents keep them from repeating history?

Review:

I'm not sure what you are doing right now, dear reader, but whatever it is, it is not as important as this book is. February Grace wrote one of the most charming modern fairy tale dramas I have read in a long time, and I strongly suggest you read it.

The story follows Till Nesbitt, who is adorkable and completely easy to empathize with. She handles juggling her new-found life as a fairy godmother with her regular, human life with the assistance of the one and only, Gus, whom I will get to later on. Till, who has magic in her genes, is a little boring before the magic part of her life comes along. She is without quirks, but that can be forgiven, because after she enters the Fairy Godmother realm and goes to Dreams Come True University, that all changes.

The bulk of this novel consists of the construction of the FG realm, where there is teleportation, rules against Gus and Till's love, and of course, mystical magic. Other than the construction of the university and the setting's back story, this book is filled with a slow-building romance. While these slowly simmering romances are hard to find, they are almost unheard of in fairy tale style books. Gus (who is totally swoon worthy, by the way) and Till are adorable together, and the forbidden love kindles this really great spark between these two characters.

I think what I really enjoyed most about the book was the way the author teased a bit with the romance, rather than having it be an over powering lust-at-first-sight type of romance. This author did it tastefully while still leaving me holding on to the edge of my seat. The ending of the book tugged and pushed and pulled at my heartstrings, and believe me when I say I am desperately awaiting a sequel. Honestly, my need for a sequel is the only reason this book didn't get a 5/5 star rating - it was not cool to leave me hanging with a lack of Gus and Till, as it was a bit choppy towards the end.

Although the ending wasn't as stellar as the rest of the book, I would also like to compliment the humor in the novel - Dreams Come True University references other fairy tales, has sassy teachers, and has classes on designing the perfect fairy godmother costume. The book is honestly giggle worthy and cute, and despite the absolute need for a concrete ending to this story, it was phenomenal.

- Amrutha

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBookstore

About the author:

February Grace is a writer, artist and poet who lives somewhere that is much colder than she would like most of the time. She sings on key, plays by ear, and is more than mildly obsessed with music, clocks, colors, and meteor showers. Her poetry, prose, and/or flash fiction have appeared in The Rusty Nail Literary Magazine, Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and Rose and Thorn Journal. Her work can also be found in the following anthologies: Poetry Pact Volume One, Anything Prose...And Poetry, Too! and Orange Karen, Tribute To A Warrior. GODSPEED, her debut novel, is a labor of love she refers to as "Literary romance with steampunk embellishments." Her second novel, OF STARDUST, is a modern, romantic fantasy tale.

Author links:

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

Giveaway:

PRIZES:
2 print books of Of Stardust (US)
7 ebooks of Of Stardust (INT)

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

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Review: Unbound - Georgia Bell

Unbound
Georgia Bell
Series: All Good Things, #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: *Slow Clap*
On Goodreads

I'M CRYING. This was so phenomenal, literally stop whatever you're doing right now and get to this book.

This book is about a young girl named Rachel after her father dies - seems normal enough right? Not at all. Rachel is impossibly scared,but not to worry - she has a guardian angel. The hunky, kind, and oh so mysteriously damaged Eaden.

Eaden, who is immortal, has only one chance to finally die, a chance which can only be given to him by Rachel. However, he soon finds that after meeting Rachel, he doesn't want to die.

Enter a whirlwind romance.

Although I usually feel that whirlwind romances are rushed and never written well, I loved this one. Georgia Bell wrote about two insanely poignant characters that transformed into strong, confident people. The personal growth shown by Rachel and Eaden was tremendous and honestly really inspiring. It's so rare that characters are shown to grow as people in such a short period of time. Bell is a really great author, and I can't wait to see what comes next from her.

The reason this book didn't get 5/5 stars was because there were a few slow parts and one part of the book that seemed a tad unnecessary; however, this book was honestly one of the best I've read in 2013.

The romance between Rachel and Eaden is sparkling, and I ship it ultra hard. Go Raden? Eadchel? I'm still working on their amalgamation.

Enough about their romance. The idea of the book is one of the most creative paranormal ones I've read: I'm not usually a huge fan of this kind of literature, but Bell took my breath away with Rachel's power and her 1500 year old immortal guardian and even the internal power politics of the immortals. Even though this sounds a bit Twilight, I promise this is x19337282 better than that. This book is filled with plot twists and turns that I just cannot bear to give away.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORD OF ADVICE: DROP EVERYTHING. READ THIS. GO. YOU WILL BE GRATEFUL OK I PROMISE. WE CAN AWAIT THE RELEASE OF THE NEXT ONE.

Also, happy holidays guys♥

- Amrutha

How do you feel about whirlwind romances?

Let us know in the comments!

Review: Cleopatra's Daughter - Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter
Michelle Moran
Series: Egyptian Royals Collection (No particular order)
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Stunning.
On Goodreads

THIS WAS AWESOME. STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING, AND READ THIS. It was short and sweet and oh my god, absolutely beautiful (I’ll explain the .5 lacking from the stars in a bit). I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and words cannot express how hard it is to find the good stuff. Mhm mhm good.

Now that I have fangirled, I shall explain. Cleopatra’s Daughter is told by Selene, (who, as can be inferred, is Cleopatra’s Daughter) who is smart and fabulous and so so strong. She tells her epic story and conveys her relationship with her twin brother, Alexander, and her little brother, Ptolemy. Can I take a minute to be really pleased with Selene. She is scholarly and kind and very charitable and is even talented and can draw brilliant architecture – these traits attract Marcellus, the air to Octavian’s throne. I SHIP IT SO HARD. Not only are the sparks between Marcellus and Selene super adorable, so was Selene's relationship with Alex. It’s so hard to find a book that accurately portrays a sibling relationship in a way that makes sense for their situation. Think about this: two scared 11-year-olds have lost their parents and have been moved to a new place, and have to watch over their little brother. The twins are playful and affectionate with one another, mostly because of their super close relationship (which can probably be attributed to their suffering and loss).

This review seems not very put together, but honestly, that’s how I felt about the story. The feels. The criticism I have about the story comes here. Though there were so many tragedies that these kids faced, I don’t believe they were explained in a way that made me truly feel for them. Selene seemed a bit idealistic for her situation, although I admired her for making it through such a tough time. I almost wish that this story would exist between both her and Alexander’s point of views, so that both of their personalities would be exemplified.

Even though there was that minor problem with the story, I really really loved it. The story is both historical and modern, in that Moran stuck to the truth (only straying from real life to create one rebellion that flowed well in the book) and also created a world that I completely empathized with. Selene grows up far from home, with people she doesn’t connect with, and honestly, I get what that feels like. However, she is also placed in a situation where she needs to be able to prove to Octavian, her caretaker, that she is worth keeping around after she enters adulthood. Selene is an appealing and realistic heroine, and I found myself running to the end of the book to find out what happens to her.

I especially love historical fiction because I love two things - history and books - and Moran does a fantastic job of making history come to life in this beyond exciting story - the romance and intrigue in it makes this a great read for anybody.

- Amrutha

How do you like your historical fiction: by the book or more fiction than fact?

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