Review: The Fallen

Title: The Fallen
Series: The Fallen, #1

Author: Thomas E. Sniegoski
Release Date: March 5, 2003
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Cover Designer: N/A
Age Audience: YA

Genre: Paranormal

Tagline: Aaron Corbet isn't a bad kid—he's just a little different.
Summary: 

On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Aaron dreams of a darkly violent landscape. He can hear the sounds of weapons clanging, the screams of the stricken, and another sound he cannot quite decipher. But gazing upward at the sky, he suddenly understands. It is the sound of great wings, angels' wings, beating the air unmercifully as hundreds of armored warriors descend on the battlefield.
Orphaned since birth, Aaron is suddenly discovering newfound—and sometimes supernatural—talents. But it's not until he is approached by two men that he learns the truth about his destiny, and his role as a liaison between angels, mortals, and Powers both good and evil, some of whom are hell-bent on his destruction....

My Review:
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to believe that Unearthly is not the only good YA angel book out there.
However, I was disappointed once again. I received the first two books in this series, The Fallen and Leviathan, in one volume. I had to make myself finish The Fallen.

The writing was very stiff and stand-offish. I could not connect with Aaron at all. When we’re given back-story about the angels, I almost felt like I was reading the Bible because of the way it was written.
I know this book came long before most of today’s popular YA angel books, but the angel lore hardly had anything original to offer. Aside from a prophecy and a group of evil angels called the Powers, it was almost verbatim to the angels of the Bible. Now, there’s nothing wrong with books based on Biblical legends, but I prefer those legends to be dark and twisted (a la Prophecy of the Sisters).

As for the romance? It was completely unnecessary and did not contribute anything to the plot. The Brazilian girl whose name I can’t even remember was such a flat character. I felt like the author thought he just had to have romance because of the silly train of thought that “all YA books need romance”. Hence, romance that was nothing more than filler content.

For lack of anything else positive to say, I enjoyed reading the few battle scenes in this book. But overall, I don’t regret donating my copy to the library. Reading time has become precious to me, and I’m not going to spend it continuing this series simply to see if it gets better.

★★

Review: Unearthly

Title: Unearthly
Series: Unearthly, #1

Author: Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Cover Designer: Sasha Illingworth
Age Audience: YA

Genre: Paranormal

Tagline: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees....
Summary: Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

My Review:
After the double disappointment of Hush, Hush and Halo, I came to the conclusion that there are no good YA angel books out there. After hearing about Unearthly, I wanted it to prove me wrong.
I’m so, so glad to say that it did.

Clara was such a good protagonist. She was a little selfish, but she knew it, so it didn’t make her unlikable at all. I liked how she already knew she was part angel, so there wasn’t a big part of the book dedicated to Clara finding out about her true identity. I liked all the side characters too. Clara’s mother was over a hundred years (though she didn’t look older than forty), and I was really glad to see that she was wise like someone who had been around for a long time and seen a lot, but didn’t act too old.

The angel lore was simple and clearly explained, which was a good thing! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you do not need to come up with a great big complicated magic system to have a good paranormal romance. Clara and her little brother were quarter angels, called Quartarius, and their mother was a half angel, Dimidius. All the part angels have a “purpose”, which is the task for which they were born to complete. They are also smarter, stronger and faster than humans, but that part is obvious.

As for the romance...I loved how it had so much buildup! Months pass, MONTHS, before Clara as much as kisses anyone. (I won’t say who!) It also meant that the story moved along a little slowly, but I would much rather have that than insta-love. Clara even says that she's "not going to become one of those girls whose boyfriend treats her like crap and she still fawns over him."
Dear Clara, how I wish every female protagonist in paranormal YA could say that.
Another thing I want to point out is that even though the summary makes it sound like there’s a love triangle, I wouldn’t really say that. I can’t explain why without giving away spoilers, but while there were two boys involved, I didn’t think of it as a love triangle.

Especially if you’ve also been disappointed by previous YA angel books, don’t hesitate to read Unearthly. It’s given me hope for future books of its sub-genre. I just wish I didn't have to wait until 2012 for Hallowed!

★★★½

Review: The Death Catchers

This is the review of an uncorrected advance copy. Changes may have been made in the final book. 

Title: The Death Catchers

Author: Jennifer Anne Kogler
Release Date: August 16, 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Cover Designer: N/A
Age Audience: YA

Genre: Paranormal 

Summary: On her fourteenth Halloween, Lizzy Mortimer sees her first death-specter. 

Confused at first, Lizzy soon learns from her grandmother Bizzy that as Death Catchers, they must prevent fate from taking its course when an unjust death is planned-a mission that has been passed down from their ancestor, Morgan le Fay. Only, Lizzy doesn't expect one of her first cases to land her in the middle of a feud older than time between Morgan le Fay and her sister Vivienne le Mort. Vivienne hopes to hasten the end of the world by preventing Lizzy from saving King Arthur's last descendant-humanity's greatest hope for survival. It's up to Lizzy, as Morgan's earthly advocate, to outwit fate before it's too late.

My Review:
The first good thing I have to say about this book concerns the setting. Small towns are nearly a cliche in paranormal YA, but I think Crabapple stood out. Sitting on the edge of the gloomy Pacific, it was an eeire and quaint little town, almost a little European in some ways.

Even though Lizzy, the protagonist, admits that she's "not reading's biggest fan", there's a literary building block discussed at the beginning of each chapter, since the book is a letter Lizzy wrote to her English teacher explaining why she didn't turn in her paper. As a writer myself, I enjoyed this aspect of the book.

But, there were weaknesses too. The one that bothered me the most was in the mythology. It strayed so far from the Arthurian lore everyone knows. You could argue that there's no such thing as THE version of King Arthur's story because there has never been one accurate source, but I still felt like the author just used a few concepts to make up her own mythology that was only loosely based on Arthurian lore.

Another weak point was the lack of physical description. When it came to describing the town and other characters, it was good for the most part. But not in Lizzy's case. What color was her hair? Her eyes? Was she tall or short? Did she wear glasses? We never find out what she even looked like. I also thought it was unusual how close Lizzy was to her seventy-something grandmother. Of course it's normal for someone to talk to and spend time with their grandmother, but being with her more often than you did with your best friend? I didn't buy it. I have another criticism, but it's spoilery so I'll leave it out.

The romance was an upside—it was very realistic. Of course there was tension and kissing and things like that, but it was all more of a side element. Even after Lizzy starts "officially dating", she tells her best friend that "We're not in love." They were just two people trying to see if a romantic relationship would work for them.

To me, The Death Catchers had an equal amount of good and bad, but others who wouldn't be bothered by the things I mentioned might like it better. In any case, it gets bonus points for being a stand-alone and for not having the face of an angsty-looking teenage girl on the cover.

★★★

Review: Clarity

Title Clarity
Series: Clarity, #1
Author: Kim Harrington
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Cover Designer: Danielle Delan
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. And a curse. When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case—but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother—who has supernatural gifts of his own—becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

My Review:
First of all, I don’t like the cover. It’s misleading. It specifically says in the book that Clare is a red-head, but the cover model has blonde hair. Even if not for that, I’d still say it’s quite generic.

I really liked the paranormal aspect of this book. Instead of being something not human, Clare and her family were just humans with supernatural abilities. Clare was a great character too. She was strong and sarcastic, but not rebellious. I also liked how both male love interests were 100% human—at least as far as I know—and Clare was unsure about her feeling for both of them.

The mystery was great. I’m usually very good at predicting, which is why I don’t often read mysteries. But in Clarity, the plot kept twisting and turning. You think you know who did it, then the evidence points to someone else. Although I came very close, I didn’t even predict who the murderer was!

But this book was not without its flaws. Why was Clare labeled as a “freak” and had no friends, but Perry, who had supernatural abilities too, was popular? Why did Tiffany have to be such a stereotypical mean girl? Can’t we have a unique, layered female antagonist for once? And why did Clare’s mother agree to let her teenage daughter investigate a murder? I know she wasn’t entirely your typical parent, but she seemed too sheltering to allow that.

Overall, Clarity was a quick, fun paranormal mystery. It’s not the next groundbreaker of the YA market, but I liked it. I don’t think the story needs to be continued, but since there were some questions left unanswered, I’m going to read Perception when it comes out in 2012.

★★★

Review: Low Red Moon

Title: Low Red Moon
Author: Ivy Devlin
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Cover Designer: Danielle Delaney
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans.

My Review:
First of all, why was it that every time the word “moon” showed up in the book, the text was red? I don’t see what it accomplished, and frankly, it annoyed me. Anyways, since I didn’t have very high expectations in the first place, I can’t say I was disappointed. But this book was not something to get excited over.

I wished Avery had been a little more fleshed out, but at least she wasn’t as bad as Ben. Throughout the whole book, all I knew about him was that he was beautiful, he was dangerous, and he wore moccasins. He didn’t have much of a personality. I also disliked how rushed their relationship was. Only days after they met, they were all “Oh, I’ve never felt this way before.” To me, that’s unbelievable. Even their chemistry was drab and flat.

I think that the author had too many story ideas in mind when she wrote this book. The paranormal aspect and the dull romance could have been taken out and we’d still have a whodunit murder mystery. And then maybe a little extra editing to make the mystery less predictable. I mean, I figured out who killed Avery’s parents almost right away.

The funny thing is, despite werewolves being the paranormal creatures of  this book, the word “werewolf” is not used even once. It was always “the wolves” or “the creatures”. Oh, and why are so many YA paranormal romances set in fictional small towns? It’s not that I don’t like that setting. In fact, I do like that setting. But it’s been used so many times, and it’s getting old.

Predictable, and maybe even a little generic, Low Red Moon was neither good nor bad. It was an okay book, and I don’t regret reading it.

★★½

Review: Hush, Hush

Title: Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date: September 27, 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Cover Designer: Lucy Ruth Cummins
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: 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...until Patch comes 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 whom 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 far 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.

My Review:
Reading Hush, Hush was like watching a bad made-for-TV movie: you stick with it until it’s over, but the whole time you’re telling yourself, “Why am I wasting my time on this garbage?”

I really did not like Nora. She was naïve and unobservant. Every time she went on one of her “investigations”, she ended up making silly choices that drove me mad. And to think that she wanted to get into an Ivy League school!

Patch was just…ugh. I did not like him either. Not because he was snarky and cocky (that is actually normal behavior for a teenage guy), but because he was abusive. Nora states several times that he scares her despite her mysterious attraction to him (does this sound familiar?). Yet he stalks her, plays tricks on her mind, and is all-around abusive.

There were so many things wrong with this book. Why were they learning about reproduction in Biology? Discussing what they look for in a potential mate? Has Fitzpatrick ever been to school? They do not teach things like that. And even if they did, it would be taught in Health, not Biology. Why would Nora’s mother leave her home alone for days on end when Nora’s father had been murdered? An experience like that would normally make a parent even more protective. And Nora is a minor, so why wasn’t her mother ever informed of the several police visits?

The only reason this book is getting 1.5 stars instead of 1 is because the writing wasn’t atrocious. I mean, it wasn’t good, but at least Fitzpatrick can put a sentence together.

Unoriginal storyline, poorly developed characters, and too many Twilight similarities. Don’t make my mistake and buy this book before you read it.
★½

Review: As You Wish

Title: As You Wish
Author: Jackson Pearce
Release Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Cover Designer: Jennifer Rozbruch
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie named Jinn out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn....and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever. Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong...and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

My Review:
I really liked Jackson Pearce’s other book, Sisters Red, and thought it was her only book until I discovered As You Wish. By the way, please do not make the mistake of judging this book by its cover. The cover makes this book look like cheesy chick-lit. Even the summary sounds cliché. But As You Wish was neither cheesy nor cliché.

I loved the dialogue, it was funny and realistic. Viola and Lawrence and Ollie and Xander could very well be people I know. The plot was simple yet thought-provoking, especially when you’re reading from Jinn’s POV. The paranormal aspect was simple too. It was nice to see that Jackson Pearce knew she didn’t have to come up with a complicated mythology to have a good supernatural story.

In any other paranormal romance, I’d say that a little over a week is too soon for people to fall in love. But since Jinn and Viola spent a lot of time together, their relationship had plenty of time to develop and nothing seemed rushed.

As You Wish was generally fun and feel-good. And now that I know that Jackson Pearce has written more than one good book, I can expect whatever she writes next to be worth reading.★★★★

Review: Tempest Rising

Title: Tempest Rising
Author: Tracy Deebs
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Cover Designer: N/A 
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

My Review:
Tempest Rising was an okay book. Better than The Mermaid’s Mirror, but that isn’t very high praise.

This doesn't really have anything to do with this particular book, but I wonder why most mermaid books have surfing. Maybe it's because it makes the protagonist seem close to the water.

Anyways, on to this book. Tempest, the protagonist, was a pretty typical character. I think her name was a little silly, but that’s just my personal opinion. I really hate it when authors give characters a passion that’s more told than shown, yet it happened it this book. Tempest says that she loves painting and wants to be an artist when she’s older. Then why didn’t we ever see her paint?

The romantic aspect included The Dreaded Love Triangle (yes, it is dreaded. I am so sick of love triangles), which was made up of Mark, Tempest’s on-and-off boyfriend, and Kai, a mysterious newcomer who doesn’t seem to be human. Kai sounds like a paranormal cliché already, doesn’t he? And while we’re talking about clichés, Tempest falls head-over-heels in love with Kai only about a week after they meet. But this time, Deebs couldn’t even use the “soul-mates” excuse. I don’t know whether that made it bearable or more pathetic.

The underwater world of Tempest Rising was so-so. Not terrible, not especially unique. However, some of the plot was unrealistic. You might be thinking, “This book is about mermaids, of course it’s unrealistic.” But sometimes it was unrealistic to the point of being ridiculous. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but a couple scenes in this book made me think, “Whaaat?”

One of the only things I liked about this book was that Tempest’s choice to become a mermaid or not wasn’t the main focus. There was more conflict than that. Conflict created by an evil sea witch named Tiamut and a giant squid-like monster. It wasn’t nearly as exciting as it sounds, but it spiced up the story a little bit.

The writing was really repetitive. Every kissing scene was described with almost the same words, so it was like reading the same scene over and over again. Also, did we really need to read that Tempest’s dad looked “more like one of my friends than he did a man who was pushing middle age” every time he made an appearance? We don’t need constant reminding that he dresses like a young surfer.

The ending was vague. It’s never clear whether Tempest decides to stay on land or to live under the sea. Overall, Tempest Rising was a typical YA paranormal romance. If you’re looking for something new and fresh, I don’t recommend this book. Otherwise, go ahead.
★★½

Review: City of Fallen Angels

Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Cover Designer: Russell Gordon
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: A mysterious someone is killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can—training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon—the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side—can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Review:
City of Fallen Angels is one of those books that are difficult to write a spoiler-free review of. But I’ll do my best.

So I’ll admit it: when City of Fallen Angels was announced, I was a little wary since the story was wrapped up so nicely in City of Glass. It’s not that I didn’t want more books, but quantity is not quality. However, once I started reading I wanted to slap myself for doubting.

Since the story was set a few weeks after City of Glass, there are a few recaps here and there, but it isn’t overdone. Actually, the recaps helped because it’s been months since I read City of Glass. Part of the book is told from Simon’s POV, so you get to see more of his character, as well as Isabelle’s and Maia’s. Clary has started training to become a Shadowhunter, but just because she and Jace can be together now, doesn’t mean it’s all happily-ever-after for them…and I’ll leave it at that since this review is spoiler-free.

Oh, and major kudos to Cassie Clare for the new villain. I almost expected something unoriginal like Valentine coming back, but the new villain was someone I really was not expecting (hint: they were mentioned in one of the three previous books).

Though, there was one thing that made me wonder. When Clary and Jace went to the Silent City, one of the Silent Brothers said that when a Shadowhunter is born, they are cast with protections from demon influence. But Clary wasn’t born in the Shadowhunter world, so is she protected…or not? I hope we’ll find out in the later books.

I know I’m one in a million here, but the ending upset me! I mean, I’m not especially attached to Jace, but that was such a cliffhanger! And we need to wait until May 2012 for City of Lost Souls…..ahhh!

But overall, City of Fallen Angels was satisfying and it's a must-read if you enjoyed the previous three books.
★★★★★

Review: White Cat

Title: White Cat (Curse Workers, #1)
Author: Holly Black
Release Date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Cover Designer: Russell Gordon
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Cassel comes from a family of curse workers—people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail—he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago. But Cassel's carefully built up façade of normalcy starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

My Review:
★★★★
White Cat is the first YA book by Holly Black that I’ve read (a while ago I read one of her children’s books, The Field Guide). And I must say, I was very impressed! I liked that the story was told from a guy’s POV; you don’t see that much in the paranormal genre.

There wasn’t a single person in White Cat who I didn’t like (not even the villains). Holly Black creates such intriguing characters! Cassel was a great protagonist, though I can’t put my finger on exactly why he was so awesome. Another character I didn’t stop thinking about was Maura, Cassel’s sister-in-law. She was eerily interesting and creepy. Since Maura was more of a side character here in White Cat, I hope to see more of her in the sequel.

The concept of Curse Working was pleasantly new and fresh. Combine the crime-family aspect, and what you got was absolutely enthralling. What was especially unique was that the general public knew about the Curse Workers; they weren’t hiding their true identity like in, for example, Harry Potter.

Another thing I liked about this book was that there was more action and mystery than romance. I’m not saying that there wasn’t romance; it just wasn’t very integral to the plot. Some people might have a problem with that, but I didn’t mind at all.

Overall, White Cat was an unpredictable and captivating read, perfect for fans of supernatural fiction or crime fiction. I can hardly wait to get my hands on Red Glove!

Review: The Mermaid's Mirror

Title: The Mermaid's Mirror
Author: L. K. Madigan
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Cover Designer: Carol Chu
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Lena has lived her whole life near the beach—walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves. The problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will learn to surf. But her father—a former surfer himself—refuses to allow her to take lessons. After his near drowning years ago, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport. Yet something keeps drawing Lena to the water...an ancient, powerful magic. And one morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman—with a silvery tail. Now nothing can stop Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove. And soon...what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life forever.

My Review:
★★½
The Mermaid's Mirror (which I don't think is a good title, because the story actually had little to do with the mirror) is the first mermaid book I’ve read in a long time, the last one I read was a children's book called The Tail of Emily Windsnap. While I admit that "The Little Mermaid" is one of my favorite fairy tales/Disney movies, I’m not really into mermaids when it comes to literature.
You see, mermaid stories are always predictable. The main character always lives by the sea and needs to have always been “mysteriously drawn” toward it. And for some reason their parents are overprotective when it comes to the water. And then they discover that one of their real parents is a mer-person and spends time with them underwater before they choose whether to live on land or sea.

Anyways, I really enjoyed the first half of this book. It could have passed for realistic fiction. While the detail surrounding Lena’s town and school was chalky, the lush descriptions of the beach made up for it. You could tell that the author actually spent time at the beach rather than just looking at pictures online.
Kai and Lena’s relationship, with Lena unsure of how she really feels about Kai, was pleasantly realistic. However, I didn’t like Lena at all. She was very self-centered. Especially when she goes to the movies with her friends and then tricks them so she can sneak off to go surfing. Lena had so little regard for others!

The second half of the book, in which Lena (this is sort of a spoiler, but this happens in all mermaid stories, so you knew it was coming) goes underwater with her mermaid mother, feels completely different from the first half. In the Afterward, Madigan mentions that The Mermaid’s Mirror was originally going to be a middle grade/children’s book. I think that most of the second half stayed true to the original children’s manuscript. Madigan’s underwater world was underdeveloped and too simple; the mer-people and their way of life were full of clichés. I have some issues with the relationship Lena has with a mer-man, but I don't want to give away too many spoilers. Also, I think that because Lena was half-mermaid, she should have had more magic. For example, she could have had legs when on land and a tail when in the water or something like that.

The ending was good in my opinion. It was conclusive, but the plot wasn't wholly resolved so there's still room for a sequel.

Review: Seeing for the First Time

Title: Seeing for the First Time (What You See is What You Get, #1)
Author: Nicole Zoltack
Release Date: March 8, 2011
Publisher: Echelon Press
Cover Designer: Karen L. Syed
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: For the last ten years, Ana has spent summers with her Gram. With nothing to do, and Gram always in her garden talking to things that aren't there, Ana is bored out of her mind. But one day, Ana sees strange colors floating around Gram as she works in her garden. Gram says they're fairies. She can "See" them, and Ana's a Seer, too. Determined to learn where she fits in, Ana's summer gets a lot more exciting as she sets off to find out what she can "see." Only problem is, she's not sure what to do when she finally discovers the truth. And she's not sure she'll live to tell anyone.

My Review:
★★★
First of all, I really like the cover! Some people might think that it's something simple you could put together on Microsoft Paint (and they wouldn't be entirely wrong). But I really like the fairy art and the font of the words.

Anyways, on to the actual story. The concept of lots of magical creatures instead of just one was really interesting. And despite the length of this story, the characters were well-rounded and not flat or predictable at all. The pace was a bit too fast, but then again, this story was only 17 pages long! There were also a few typos, but most stories published on Smashwords do, so it isn't a big deal.

Although this is just my personal opinion, I would like this better as a whole book than a series of short stories.

But overall, I liked this story and am looking forward to the next episode of What You See is What You Get.

Review: Halo

Since I'm taking longer than usual to finish what I'm currently reading, I'm posting an old review of a book that I read in December so that my blog won't go review-less for long.

Title: Halo (Halo, #1)
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Release Date: September 1, 2010
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Cover Designer: Filomena Tuosto
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: Three angels - Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow and superhuman powers, all the while avoiding human attachments. Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

My Review:
★★
2.5 stars

Things I liked about this book:
-The cover. Admit it, you like the cover. If you read this book, I'm sure you only read it for the cover.

-The fact that the protagonist (rather than the guy) was the angel made this book unique from other angel books. What was also unique is that the angels come to earth to heal rather than fight, making this book different from the dark romances that are popular in angel books.

-The writing. While she's nothing e Things THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK:
-The cover. Admit it, you like the cover. The cover is beautiful. If you read this book, I'm sure you only read it for the cover.
-The fact that the protagonist (rather than the guy) was the angel made this book unique from other angel books. What was also unique is that the angels come to earth to heal rather than fight, making this book different from the dark romances that are popular in angel books.
-The writing. While she's nothing exceptional, Adornetto is a good writer. Especially considering she was only 18 when she published this book.
-It was interesting to see how Beth adapted to living on earth. I especially liked the scene where she asks what a MILF is.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK:
-At first Beth seems like a strong character, but then she gets to the point where she can't go for two days without seeing Xavier. What's with that? Your significant other doesn't have to be your everything. You can have a life too, you know! *sighs* Why are dependent whiner protagonists so popular in YA paranormal?
-The religious aspect was too biased. I think this book would have been better if the religious aspect was kept vague, or at least more diverse.
-It was really slow for the first 300 or so pages. There was hardly any action until the demon whose name escapes me (Jake?) comes along. This book could have been 200 pages shorter and still have covered everything.
-Xavier was a completely predictable, flat character. So was Molly and Beth's other school friends.
-The 50 or so pages about Beth adapting to life on earth were interesting, so I think this book would have been better if it focused on that rather than her relationship with Xavier.
-Since it wasn't Ivy or Gabriel's first time on earth, so shouldn't they have known that their human bodies need food?

So, overall, this wasn't such a good book. But you might like it.

Review: Shadow Kiss

Title: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, #3)
Author: Richelle Mead
Release Date: November 13, 2008
Publisher: Razorbill
Cover Designer: Emilian Gregory
Age Audience: YA
Genre: Paranormal
Summary: For Rose Hathaway, everything seems out of kilter. Ever since she made her first Strigoi kills, a dark shadow has been creeping over her. Looming in the background, too, is another realization: If she follows her forbidden love for guardian Dimitri Belikov, she might lose her best friend forever. And these sleep-shaking worries couldn't have come at a worse time. The immortal unloving are prowling everywhere, famished for vengeance against her.

My Review:
★★★

I really have mixed feelings about the Vampire Academy series. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about this series that makes it...shallow. No, shallow isn't the right word. Like I said, I can't really explain it.

Anyways, on the the review of this particular book.
(Here come the spoilers! Don't tell me you weren't warned!)
I already knew that Dimitri was going to turn Strigoi because I had heard spoilers from the Internet, but it still came as a bit of a shock to me. Usually I read Vampire Academy books when I have nothing else to read, but I finished this wanting the next one! Still, I wasn't attached enough to the characters to cry. If I had been reading Eragon (for example) and something like this happened, I would be blubbering like a baby.

Speaking of the characters, there is a lack of character development in this series, at least where Rose is concerned. Although it's true that she isn't as slutty as she was in the first book, her manners certainly haven't improved. Then again, you know how boring this series would get if she was like Lissa?