"Exist" by Jennifer Cazey Daniels

I saw an instagram post soliciting bloggers to read an ARC of "Exist."  The book would be free in exchange for an honest review.  Here are my honest thoughts.

Summary:  Ember is a psionic, or a person who is more than human.  She has powers that allow her to read minds and feel/broadcast emotions.  When her soulmate breaks her heart, she disappears.  Although she is no longer visible, the Shadows are able to find her, and Ember must run for her life before they take her over.  As she searches New York City for others like her, she comes to terms with her powers and a legacy she didn't know she had.

My Thoughts:  I think Daniels has several good ideas throughout Exist.  Psychics + love stories + epic battles are a sure-fire recipe for an entertaining book.

However, I feel that Daniels put a lot of plot into her story without truly exploring any of the details for very long.  "Exist" almost feels like a summary an entire series instead of a standalone novel.  I want to read the story of Ember's past:  Ember grew up an orphan, raised by a government agency.  What happened to her while she was there?  The reader is told that she escaped the agency and I'd love to read about her daring and probably brutal escape.  Shortly after her escape she met the love of her life, Aden, and it was a love like no other.  Tell me more...was she able to instantly trust him, or was it a long process for her, seeing as she hadn't ever loved or trusted before.  (Or had she?)

Ember's life changes after her breakup with Aden.  She disappears for goodness sake!  I'd like to read more about why this happened---was it just because the breakup left her feeling insignificant or is there something deeper?  After the breakup, Ember takes off to hide from the Shadows chasing her.  This could be a tale on its own.  How does she get to NYC?  Does she meet anyone or learn anything on the way?  I'd love to see this story end with the epic first showdown with the shadows.

Finally Ember learns about the guild, her past, and the expectations her new society has for her..  This is a great opportunity to go into detail about the different kinds of psionic powers.  Let's see them in action.  Ember suddenly goes from shy girlie girl to warrior, without much in between.  I want to see her transformation!

There is so much unexplored potential in this book - I'd like to read more than what there is.

I'd also like to see Daniels take the time to polish her work.  There were some errors that could be fixed that I personally found distracting, and think others would as well:  the dialogue formatting was inconsistent, making it hard to tell who was speaking.  There were some situations where spell check chose the wrong word (ie her instead of he).  And towards the end of the story some of the sentences changed tense in the middle of the line.

Finally, I'm the type of reader that is frustrated by being told instead of shown.  I had a hard time connecting to Ember because of this.  I felt like she endured crazy, intense, interesting transformations but instead of seeing them unfold, I was just told they happened.  The only times I felt like I got to see what the characters were thinking were through massive chunks of monologue that seemed to go on for longer than was needed to get the point across.  But then again, I'm older than the target audience so it could only be a matter of taste.

Overall I think this is a decent first attempt at a young adult novel.  I like the plot lines and appreciate the creativity and effort that went into the story. It feels like a first draft to me, rather than a second draft or ARC ready copy.  I hope Daniels finds a professional editor who can help her break the story down and refine her ideas.

Rating:  "Exist" has a Mocking Jay meets New Moon vibe that I think the young adult audience will enjoy once the book has been polished and reworked.

Reviewed By:  Tami

Note:  Although I received an Advanced Reader Copy of "Exist" for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Forbidden" by Tina Smith

We were approached by the author of Forbidden to read and review her book.  While we received a review copy of this book for free, please note that all opinions are Tami's and (for better or worse) are honest.

Image from Amazon.com

Summary:  After her parents bitter divorce, Lila and her mother move from the big city to the small town of Shade, where her mother grew up.  While she's not happy about the move to the strange town in the middle of nowhere, Lila tries to make the best of it when she shows up to her first day of school.

Except the school is weird.  The other students don't talk to her, but she can feel their scrutiny in class and in the halls.  And then Samantha, gorgeous leader of the popular clique corners Lila in the lunchroom and everything changes overnight.  Lila is drawn into the close knit and tight lipped circle of popular kids, but the more time she spends with Sam and the gang, the more she feels as if there is a secret she must discover.  When the school's bad-girl-weirdo Cresida starts to stalk her, Lila is torn between loyalty to her new friends and her desire to dig to the bottom of the truth, a truth that only Cresida can show her.

Will Lila remain loyal to her new friends, or will she listen to Cresida....and herself....and get to the bottom of the secret.

What I Liked:

• The premise of the story, a modern day telling of the Greek myth of Atemis and the wolf, is clever and interesting.  After reading the introduction I was excited to read the rest of the story.
• The author kept true to the main character.  Lila starts off as a self-conscious, slightly depressed teen and her responses to the popular kids' interest in her is genuinely described.
• The main characters progression throughout the story was believable and I appreciated that she actually grew into some self strength towards the end of the book.
• The ending was a little unexpected and closed out in such a way that I'm curious to see what's next.

What Drove Me Nuts:

• The story reminded me a lot of Twilight.  Average girl moves to small town and starts a new school.  She meets a gorgeous, exclusive teen clique and unwittingly joins them.  Average girl has forbidden romance with gorgeous teen until a secret almost destroys them.
• I felt like there were a lot of plot points, but also a lot of missed opportunities.  For example, the beginning of the book mentioned that Shade was Lila's mother's home town.  I honestly expected to learn more about Lila's mother, and perhaps a family secret of Lila's own.
• I felt like this book could have used a bit more polishing - perhaps from a professional edit.

Rating:  I'm not a big fan of this type of supernatural romance (don't want to give the secret away) but if you are interested in the supernatural genres related to vampires, shapeshifters or magic, you may like this book.

Also Read By:  N/A

Reviewed By:  Tami

"Dealing With Dragons" by Patricia C. Wrede

I first read this book in junior high, when I stumbled across it while procrastinating in my school's library.  I came across it again on a display at my local library and decided to see if I liked it as much now that I was an adult (and had access to the internet).

I did.

Image from http://pcwrede.com

Summary:  Cimorene is not your usual princess.  Etiquette and embroidery bore her and she doesn't particularly want to settle down with Prince Charming.  To avoid an arranged marriage and a destiny of boredom, Cimorene runs away to the enchanted forest in the hope of finding her own way in the world, outside the normal rules for a princess.  As she runs farther away from home, Cimorene finds herself in the Mountains of Morning and in the company of the fiercest beats in the forest....dragons.

What I Liked:  This story was created by a local Minnesotan author, which always gives me a little tingle of pride.  However; even if Wrede hadn't been from my favorite state, I still would have enjoyed this book.

This alternate take on traditional fairy tales is witty----the main female characters are smart, practical and self sufficient.  "Dealing with Dragons" makes fun of the more ridiculous fairy tale traditions while still embracing the magic and fun of the genre.

"Dealing with Dragons" is incredibly clever.  Wrede uses traditional fairy tale structure, characters and plot lines but gives them a twist that allows for the main female characters to have strength and help themselves and others.

What Drove Me Nuts:  Not much.  At times the story seemed a little slow, but I'm rather impatient so other readers may not notice this at all.

Rating:  A great book for fantasy fans age 8 and up!

Also Read By This Author:  I read all four installments of the Enchanted Forest series in the 90s and hope to re-read them again.

Reviewed By:  Tami

"The Bride Wore Size 12" by Meg Cabot

I added this book to my library reserve list when I was planning my wedding.  At the time I was dying to get my hands on a lighthearted wedding story I could read to get away from the stresses of seating charts and RSVPs.

Summary:  Former teen pop star and current assistant housing director Heather Wells is planning her upcoming wedding at New York's epic Plaza Hotel all while welcoming this year's batch of freshmen to New York College when everything falls apart.  A VIR and his bodyguards cause drama in the dorm, her money stealing mama makes a dramatic reappearance on her doorstep and the curse of Death Dorm strikes again.  Will Heather be able to solve this years mysterious death and still make it to the altar?

What I Liked:  While I love a good and gruesome murder mystery, I also enjoy the more lighthearted (am I really saying this) murder mysteries.  "The Bride Wore Size 12" didn't disappoint.  The plot was downright cute, the dialog was entertaining and the over-the-top characters toed the line at almost unbelievable...but in a way that was so charming it only added to the fun feeling of the book.

What Drove Me Nuts:  There were two things that drove me a little batty, but they were really minor:

1. The plot and characters really did toe the line between hilarious and completely unbelievable.
2. This was clearly a recent installment in a series.  And now I have to go back and read the rest!

Rating:  Go into this story with a light heart and you'll enjoy it!

Also Read by This Author:  Abandon, Underworld

Reviewed By:  Tami

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

This book showed up on my goodreads recommendation page so I decided to pick it up at the library.  It sat on my nightstand for a week before I cracked the cover.  But once I did...I couldn't put it down!

Summary:  Sixteen year old Hazel meets seventeen year old Augusts in the basement of a church.  Almost immediately Hazel and Augustus feel a connection that bonds the two strangers into best friends and eventually soul mates.  Unfortunately Augustus has cancer.  As does Hazel.  And it's terminal.  "The Fault in Our Stars" is a breathtaking love story about two teens who are wise beyond their years due to the tragic circumstances of their illnesses.

What I Liked:  I thoroughly enjoyed this short, easy read.  The dialog was witty and well written, feeling entirely realistic for kids that illness matured a bit too early.  Almost every character was likeable.  Hazel and Augustus are clearly underdogs in the rough game of life, but you never pity them even during the most heartbreaking scenes.  The story was romantic yet tragic.  The author doesn't cheapen the love story because the characters are teens.

What Drove Me Nuts:  As much as I enjoyed this book, there was one huge plot point that made me sick to my stomach:  Hazel and Augustus, two sweet, likable, fantastic characters have cancer.  Cancer!  The reader knows that Hazel's illness is terminal almost from the beginning of the story, so when she meets and falls in love with Augustus, it's with a somewhat sick feeling that we turn the page.

And don't even get me started on the ending.

Rating:  Read this book.

Also Read:  Nothing yet, but I'll definitely pick up other books by John Green.

Reviewed By:  Tami