Ruthless - Sara Shepard

Ruthless by Sara Shepard

Release Date (UK): 6 December 2011
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 341

Buy Ruthless @ The Book Depository

For years scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania--and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the center of the drama. They've lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it's not over yet. Aria's love life is on the fritz. Emily's exploring her wild side. Hanna's kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer's past--someone she never thought she'd see again--is back to haunt her. But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It's their darkest secret yet and guess who found out? Now A is determined to make them pay for their crime, and the only thing scarier than A is the fear that maybe, just maybe, they deserve what's coming to them.

I adore the whole Pretty Little Liars franchise; I enjoy the books and love the TV series, so when Ruthless came out I had to get my copy straight away!  As always, the four girls are constantly running into problems left, right and centre and A is never far away. 

Ruthless is very much Spencer’s story and we get to see a very different side to her, one that we haven’t seen before.  Normally she has been the smart, consciences girl but in this book this almost gets turned on its head – she takes risks and uses other people to get where she wants to be, never mind the consequences; she becomes selfish.

For the other girls life is still very complicated.  Emily meets a new love interest but as always everything is not as it seems and only causes her more heartache.  And Hanna becomes involved in a Romeo and Juliet relationship, but we all know how that ends!

Aria's story isn’t very predominant in Ruthless, though I can say that Ezra does return.  I was really excited by this at first - I am a huge ‘ezria’ shipper of the TV series, but in the book his return failed to meet my expectations.  He’s very different to the character he was when he left; in this book he is very needy and impatient and in one particular scene he made me fall out with him big time!  I was actually really surprised with myself when I began to like Noel in the end.  But, this book has left me wondering what happened to Aria in Iceland?  I think I read somewhere that the next one will be more focused on Aria’s secrets, so maybe we will find out!

‘A’ is just as ‘A’ always it – full of surprises and just when the girls think they know who it is, they are forced to question everything they believed.  We’re onto the third ‘A’ now so it could be just about anyone.

Overall I will always continue to read the PLL series because they are my guilty pleasure, but in this case I did feel that, especially in some parts of the book ,it had been written just because ...  Because the TV show and the books are so popular so this would be a way to get more money out of it, etc.  But all good things must come to an end, and I would prefer that it ended on a high then for it to be strung out and become pointless.

In My Mailbox (#2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It invites follow bloggers to share what new books they have recieved during the week.

There's quite a few books I've collected over the past few weeks! 

Bought

Dark Heart Forever by Lee Monroe - I've not heard that much about this but the gorgeous cover sparked my interest and the summery sounds good!

Entangled by Cat Clarke - Another gorgeous cover!

Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling - I love Finding Sky so I can't wait to read this one too.

Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt - This has been on my wishlist for a while so I had to buy it when I saw it.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman - I loved and weeped over If I Stay so I just have to read this one right now!

Bookswapped on ReadItSwapIt

 

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez - I love the musical theme of this, it sounds like it will be something a bit different.

For review

Spirits of Glory by Emily Davenport - I've read lots of good things about this so I can't wait to get around to reading it.

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer - Again, I've read lots of positive review for this book too and it sounds really interesting.

The Start Up and The Anti-Social Network by Sadie Hayes - How lovely are these covers? I love that these are a series with another one on the way, they also sound to be right up my street!

What's in your mailbox?

After Obsession - Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel

Release Date (UK):  5 September 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 320

Buy After Obsession @ The Book Depository

Aimee and Alan have unusual pasts and secrets they prefer to keep hidden. Aimee's deceased mother struggled with mental illness and hallucinations, and Aimee thinks it could be hereditary. After all, she sees a shadowy river man where there isn't one. And then there was that time she and her best friend Courtney tried to conjure a spirit with a Ouija board ... Alan is Courtney's cousin. His family moved to Maine when Courtney's father went missing. It's not just Alan's dark good looks that make him attractive. He is also totally in touch with a kind of spiritual mysticism from his Native American heritage. And it's not long before Aimee has broken up with her boyfriend ...But it's not Aimee or Alan who is truly haunted - it's Courtney. In a desperate plea to find her father, Courtney invites a demonic presence into her life. Together, Aimee and Alan must exorcise the ghost, before it devours Courtney - and everything around her.

When I first read the summery for this novel I was very intrigued, yet slightly wary about reading it as I didn't really think 'scary' books were my thing, but I will admit I was wrong.

For me, this book whilst obviously a YA novel, definitely has a scare factor above the level I have ever encounter in this genre before.  It had me hiding in under my duvet at night (but maybe I'm just a scaredy cat) - there is very much a 'Paranormal Activity' edge to it, many times the characters encounter strange noises, smells and images that cannot be explained.

The writing for this novel was very compelling and flowed really easily even though it was written by two authors.  The story is told in two perspectives; Aimee, who was voiced by Carrie and Alan who was voiced by Steven, both are very distinct.   Whilst there is a growing relationship between the two, the forefront theme of the novel is the strange goings on with Aimee’s best friend and Alan’s cousin, Courtney.  Courtney has recently lost her father in an accident and refuses to believe he is gone so invites evil into her life to try to find him.

Aimee herself is no stranger to evil having lost her mother in terrifying circumstances, she also carries a secret around with her about her special abilities which are the base of her relationship with Alan.  Why is he so familiar?

All in all I really enjoyed this novel (even though it was scary), the relationships between all of the characters are really well developed.  It was something different to what I normally read, but would definitely recommend it to anyone who thinks that they would enjoy it, even if they have reservations about the paranormal aspect.

In My Mailbox (#1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It invites follow bloggers to share what new books they have recieved during the week.

4 books came my way this week!

 

Could it be Magic? by Melanie Rose (bookswap) - I have a few of Melanie's other books a whilst I haven't read them yet the synopsis for all of them really makes me want to read them, this included.

Wake by Lisa McMann (bookswap) - This has been on my wishlist for ages and I've finally managed to get my hands on a copy, the idea behind this book sounds really interesting and I've heard a lot of good things about it.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (purchased) - I loved the first two books in the Hush Hush series and this was no exception. Read my review here.

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly (purchased) - I loved Angel, the first book in the series and couldn't wait for this one so when I saw it in the bookshop I had to have it!

What's in your mailbox?

Silence - Becca Fitzpatrick

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date (UK):  29 September 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK
Pages:  448

Buy Silence @ The Book Depository

The noise between Patch and Nora has gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past, bridged two irreconcilable worlds and faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust... and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth.

Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for - and their love - forever. 

Becca Fitzpatrick has done it again!  The Hush Hush series is one of, if not the first, fallen angels series I ever read so it was a new and exciting change to the usual vampire books (not that I don’t love me some vamps!).  All of the usual myths and legends we have heard about angels paint them to be kind, gentle and innocent beings dressed in white. But, in the Hush Hush series Fitzpatrick creates a whole new kind of angel – fallen angels which have been thrown out of heaven.  There’s something oh so wrong (but oh so right) about the fallen angels in these books.

Before I sat down to read Silence I will admit I Wikipedia-ed Crescendo (Hush Hush #2) to refresh my memory on what had happen up until now.  Looking back on this having read the book, I think it was a wise decision.  So much action takes place in each of the novels and it’s easy to forget a key point in the storyline, one of the main downsides in waiting for the next book to be released.  (If you decided to do this too, I would also advise checking up on Patch’s real name – just saying).

I love the title for this book, without spoiling the plot I think it really describes what it going on in Nora’s life, especially in the first half of the book.  I may be wrong but I believe Becca was going to title this one Tempest? Whilst that would have somewhat fit I think it is perfect for what I imagine will take place in the last book (if my assumption is correct and the last one will be titled Tempest).

All the while I was reading this novel it felt very different to the previous two.  To me this isn’t a bad thing.  In the first two books the whole plot is much more ‘easy going’ and whilst there is threat most of what goes on is in some sense normal for Nora (school and theme parks, etc).  In Silence there is a lot more angel theory and mythology involved, which I loved.  It also seems that there is more danger too; in fact for most of the book Nora is discovering and fighting more and more sinister things.  The relationship between Nora and Patch is different too in this book – I won’t go into how or why in fear of spoiling it, but their love for each other will never be the same. 

Still, there were many moments in this novel involving Nora and Patch that made my heart skip a beat.  Every time he calls her ‘angel’, I find it so adorable. 

I don’t really want to spoil anymore, especially as I know the book isn’t out in America yet (finally a perk of living in the UK!) but I will say that if you loved the previous two books in this series I’m sure this third instalment will not disappoint! I myself cannot wait until next year for the final book!

Love Story - Jennifer Echols

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Release Date: 19 July, 2011

Publisher: MTV Books

Pages: 256

Buy Love Story @ The Book Depository

She’s writing about him.  He’s writing about her.  And everybody is reading between the lines.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfil her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true. 

Ahh Jennifer Echols how you make me swoon.  I hadn't read a novel by Echols before this but after reading many great reviews on this book I thought I'd give it a go.  My heart is now all a flutter and I'm eager to read another of her works.

There is a slight edge of forbidden love between Erin and Hunter.  Erin is the wealthy girl who grew up in the large house and even had her own pony.  Hunter on the other hand is the stable boy who along with his dad worked for Erin’s family.  This in itself would have been enough to add tension between the two, but what I loved about this book was that Echols didn’t take the easy route.  She created even more delicious strain between the two, due to past events which we slowly find out about through the short (and thoroughly steamy) stories they both write in class.

Both characters were easy to connect with.  Erin although stubborn knows what she wants in life and is prepared to work for it.  Hunter has a slight bad boy exterior but underneath that we knew he is a decent guy with a heart.

Overall I really enjoyed this book.  It had everything in it that I look for in a book; the strained romance, a mystery and above all characters that I can actually see in my head and a storyline that is thoroughly different to anything I’ve ever read before. 

My only quirk with this novel was that I felt it was slightly too short, the ending felt abrupt to me. I remember getting to an important point in the story and seeing there was only a few pages left and I doubted that it could all be wrapped up in those last few pages.  I think my gut feeling was right, there was a conclusion but I wasn’t quite on board with how it was laid out.

All that said, expect to see another Jennifer Echols novel review in the near future!