Review: Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Darklight #1

Release Date: October 2^nd, 2012

Number of Pages: 274

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: NetGalley

GR - Amazon - BD - Chapters

Darynda Jones, author of The New York Times bestselling series that began with First Grave on the Right, brings us Death and the Girl Next Door, a thrilling Young Adult novel garnering high praise and early buzz from major authors  

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace.  Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home.  For Lorelei, life goes on.  

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be.  Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it,  standing outside her house in the dark, night after night.  Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school.  Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.  What does Jared know about her parents?  Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei?  And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?  Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.

I requested Death and the Girl Next Door on a whim, and I have no regret getting it. I hadn’t read anything by Darynda Jones, but I really enjoy her first Young adult series. I didn’t really think I would start this book and end up reading it in one sitting. There is something addicting and fun about Darynda Jones’ writing. The book might not have been perfect, but I still enjoyed reading this book a lot more than I expected. This is the kind of book that will make you forget what is going on around you, and make you forget about time.

I have to say, I really liked the characters in Death and the Girl Next Door. Lorelai was a fun main character to follow, and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic with her two best friends, Brooklyn and Glitch. They just look like the kind of people you would have fun with, the kind of people you want as friends. Then, there’s Cameron, the loner who suddenly starts stalking Lorelai. He has many secrets, and most of them are related to Jared, someone he seems to loathe. Jared is the mysterious love interest, with secrets and abilities that will keep you wondering the truth of his power. I was really curious about him, and that kept me reading. There was just something about him that made me swoon and made me want to read more about him.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is addicting, entertaining and fun. This is the kind of book that will keep you hooked from the first few chapters. The characters will make you laugh; smile, and it will leave you wanting for the sequel Death, Doom, and Detention. Death and the Girl Next Door is a promising beginning to an interesting series.  I will definitely keep on reading this series, and I will definitely check Darynda Jones other work. This was a great and original read.

About the Author:

From GoodReads

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones won the 2009 Golden Heart® in the paranormal category for her manuscript FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. After the Golden Heart final, she pimped herself as best she could, landed an amazing agent and has sold 8 books to St. Martin's Press. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

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Review: Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Release Date: January 15^th, 2013

Number of Pages: 240

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: eARC from NetGalley

GR – Amazon – BD - Chapters

Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know. Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical,  Uses for Boys  is a story of breaking down and growing up.

Uses for Boys made me feel many things. This is definitely not a fluffy and cute book. If that’s what you are looking for, it’s not the right book for you. This book is sad; it’s heartbreaking. It’s a little dark, and it’s definitely not what I would have expected from the cover. Uses for Boys may be short, but it’s the kind of book that will stay on your mind hours after you are done.

Anna goes through so much. I felt so heartbroken for some of the things she has to live with, the way her mother is so absent from her life. This didn’t stop me from being disappointed in some of her choices, even though I could understand where she comes from. Still, her story is full of ups and downs. I have to say that it made me smile a little when I could see some changes happening within her. Anna really made her way into my heart, making me want to push all the bad people from her life, and to try to show her who the good people were.

One of the characters I really liked was Sam; the one person I felt like could make a real good influence on her. He has the family she deserved in some way, and I really liked most of their interaction. He was the one character I really wanted to see make his place in Anna’s life.

The story made its way into my heart, and I have to say I was really glad to have read it. It was a really short novel, but it is totally worth the time. It is the kind of book that you need to read once. I do have to say; the story is not for the younger audience, as there are some more mature themes that are included.

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Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake by Amanda Hocking

Watersong #1

Release Date: August 7^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 309

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: ARC from Raincoast Books

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong. Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group. Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Wake was an interesting book, despites its flaws. When I first heard of the book, I thought is sounded intriguing, and I really liked the concept. Yet, there was a little something missing for me to really like it. One of the things I did enjoy about the book was the romance. People, rejoice: There is no love triangle in this book. That’s one of the thing I really found fun. Both sisters have their own love interest, and only one.

The thing with this book is that I just couldn’t get into the story, there was something stopping me from being captivated by the world Amanda Hocking created. I can’t really define what this was, because most of the things that annoyed me with this book aren’t aspects that usually stop me from being captivated if the story is addicting. Another flaw that got slightly on my nerves is the narration. I found it to be sometimes confusing. It is third person, but it still changes between both sisters through the novel, even sometimes really in the middle of everything. I had trouble knowing who was thinking what.  It made it harder for me to follow the story easily.

If we talk about the characters, I have to say I can’t really tell you much about them. They were slightly flat, and a little unmemorable for me. Sometimes characters make a really big impression on you, but with this book, none of them did. I find it hard to really remember more than just who they were in the story. I actually needed to lock back in the book and in my notes to really be able to do this review, and even then, I don’t have much to say.

I do hope the book will go through some editing before being release, because there are a few things that could make it easier to read for me. Overall, I guess it simply wasn’t the book for me. It was a great concept that simply didn’t catch my attention well enough.

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated by Alyson Noel

Soul Seekers #1

Release Date: May 22^nd, 2012

Number of Pages: 306

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: Raincoast books

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy. 

I have read both The Immortal series and the Riley Bloom series by Alyson Noel before reading this book. The first series I did enjoy (though I didn’t LOVE it), but the second really wasn’t for me. I was quite curious to see where this new series would take me. I have to say, I did find it to be better than her other work. Now the question is if the story will keep getting better or if it will go the other way.

I have to be honest; if you really dislike her other work, don’t bother. You probably won’t suddenly fall in love with her work, because it is similar to what she has done before. I personally think that it’s part of her style, which isn’t something everyone will love. It’s okay. That’s why there are so many different things out there.

I do have to confess, there were a couple of things that did annoy me in this book, the kind of things that makes you stop and wonder. First, I found it hard to believe that the mother could send her daughter to a veterinarian for help. I get that he’s a friend of her grandmother, but still. Not mother of the year material. The fact that Dari dated many movie stars wasn’t really necessary, wasn’t it? I could get one (the last one as a matter of fact), but still. I just didn’t get why she needed to have that history.

One of the things that really made me stop was the brothers. I find it funny that their names are Dace and Cade. After all, just switch the consonants and you get the other’s name. How original…. Talking about the brother, I have to say that I did like Dace, as he was really sweet, but I do hope we won’t get the ‘way too perfect male main character”. Now, Cade was a guy I would have gladly punched in the face. He’s clearly a jerk. Now, Daire was one of those characters that I neither love nor hate. I think I just need to see more of her to make up my mind. I there is one thing for sure, I really hated the mother while I really like the grandma.

Overall, it wasn’t the best book I had read this year, but I still curious to see where Alyson Noel will take us next. I found the idea of the Soul Seekers quite interesting. Fated is a book that I believe will please fans of Alyson Noel and the Immortal series.

Guest Post: C.C. Hunter + Giveaway!

Thirteen Things You’ll Learn From Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter

1.     The only thing worse than trying to help a woman with amnesia remember her name and life is trying to help a dead woman with amnesia remember hers.

2.     Be careful what you wish for—you might just get it . . . and the reality will probably not be anything like the fantasy.

3.     The person you think is your enemy could just turn into a friend who'll do anything to save you.

4.     The scariest thing in the world isn't ghosts or rogue vampires bent on murder—it's falling in love.

5.     Explaining why you have a skunk curled up in your arms to your mom and your old best friend is as easy as eating a brownie while brushing your teeth.

6.     We all make mistakes, which is why it's so important to practice forgiveness.

7.     The only thing worse than a pissed-off shapeshifter is a pissed-off shapeshifter in love.

8.     Sometimes the earth really does have to open up and swallow you whole before you can accept the truth that's right in front of you.

9.     Vampires have no sense of humor . . . especially when they get turned into a kangaroo.

10.  Free will gives us choices, but even making the right choices can't change destiny . . . and learning to accept that can be the most painful lesson of all.

11.  People aren’t always who they say they are, even if you really want them to be.

12.  Sometimes when you try to save someone, they end up saving you instead.

13.  Never get between a dragon and a warlock on the war path.

I have one copy of Taken at Duck up for grab, thanks to C.C. Hunter and St.Martin's Press. 

US/Canada only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers.  Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean.  But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together.  Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever could have imagined.

Taken At Dusk was release on April 10th, and it is the third book in the Shadow Falls Series. You can find my review of Born At Midnight, the first book in the series, here. My review of Awake at Dawn will be posted on Wednesday and my review of Taken at Dusk on Friday.

Review: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Title: Born at Midnight

Author: C.C. Hunter

Series: Shadow Falls

Release Date: March 29^th, 2011

Number of Pages: 398

Publisher: St.Martin’s Griffin

Source: Bought

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams,  Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Born at Midnight is one of those novels I didn’t really any expectations about. It was one of those books that sit in my bookshelves. I finally read it last week, and I simply couldn’t put it down once I started it! I really had no expectations about this novel, as I hadn’t read many reviews about it. All I knew was that it was about a camp full of supernatural. Yet, HOLY SMOKE! THAT WAS SOOO GOOD!!!

I didn’t think I would get into the story as much as I did. That’s why I had decided to start the book before going to bed. WRONG IDEA! I ended up reading it in one sitting, only to finally be able to go to bed at 3AM. I just had to know what would happen next, to discover what Kylie really was.

The first novel in this series more about setting the tone for the series, and about presenting the characters, yet it never got boring to me. Even though there wasn’t killing action in most of the book, there was some action toward the end. Still, the characters in the novel really made it interesting, in my opinion. Kylie was interesting to me, especially since she didn’t simply want to believe she was a supernatural. I liked that about her, as it made her more believable in my eye. Her ex, Trey, was one character that I really dislike, as he was such a prick. I had trouble believing he acted with Kylie sometimes. Derek was one character that I started disliking toward in the middle of the book. There was just something about me that made me unable to trust his intentions towards Kylie. I can’t really say why though. Then, there’s Lucas that I ADORE. There’s just something about him that made me swoon. I can’t wait to read more of him in the next book.

C.C.Hunter created a series that will get you addicted. It is a novel you should really pick up soon if you haven’t yet. I can’t wait to finally discover what Kylie is!

In My Mailbox 41

In My Mailbox is a Meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren. It is a way to share with other bloggers what you got during the week.


I got:

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
This is not a Test by Courtney Summers


Thanks to Raincoast and St. Martin's Press!


What did you guys get?