So with my new job, I have gotten quite a bit behind on writing these reviews. I have read several YA books in the last few weeks, and do not have the time for a full review on all of them. Due to that, here is a short one on each book. Hopefully, I will be able to keep up now.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, by April Genevieve Tucholke 2 Stars
Violet lives in a large house on the seaside. She lives with her brother as her parents have been in France for quite some time. In order to bring in some income, she rents out her guest house. The boy who starts living there is gorgeous, but something else is going on with him, and as soon as he appears, strange things start happening in her small town. The plot was interesting to be sure, but I could not stand Violet’s character, she was weak, and dependent on her new male renter. Just as bad as Bella Swan, and there is nothing I dislike more than a pathetic female lead.
The Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater 3 Stars
The sequel to The Raven Boys, takes on a bit more interesting of events in my opinion. Ronan is having quite a difficult time with his nightmares, as they seem to be seeping into his real life. On top of that, some very strange characters are searching for the same things that the Raven Boys are after. Who will find the key to the puzzle first, and how will Ronan’s dreams play into the story? The beginning of the book was a little confusing to me, and in turn, not so very interesting. However, in the end it seemed to flow better and pique my interest more. I liked it better than the first in the series.
City of Ashes, by Cassandra Clare 3 Stars
The sequel to City of Bones, shows Clary settling into her life as a Shadowhunter. Its not that she doesn’t wish that her life would go back to normal, but she accepts that it never will. In this second installment, Valentine is back to collect another one of the mortal instruments. All sorts of trouble seem to ensue. I know that is vague, but I hate to give spoilers to the first book. This book was a solid decent in my mind. I feel like Clare did not do quite so well in world building, but there was a bit more to the plot. I have some severe issues with Simon as a character, and got pretty irritated by his part in this story. I’ll keep reading, but not as eagerly as I wished I would be. Side note, I listened to the audio book. The narrator was good. No too dramatic, and not too boring!
The Program, by Suzanne Young 3.5 Stars
In a world where teen suicide has become an epidemic, society has found a solution. Whenever a teen does not seem perfectly happy, they are entered into The Program. During the program, much of their memory is erased, so that the teen will have nothing to be upset about. This is the story of a group of friends fighting to stay together, stay alive, and avoid the program. Decent book. The beginning was completely heartbreaking, and pulled at many memories of being a teen, the end, seemed a bit more cliche. It seems at if Young tried to combine aspects of realistic fiction with dystopian writing. It worked, to an extent.
Another Little Piece, by Kate Karyus Quinn 3 Stars
Annalise had been missing for a year, when she was found several states away from her home. She doesn’t remember a thing about her old life. Throughout her first few weeks she begins to have memories of her life before, but she also has memories of different girls lives. This book is a bit choppy, and can be a bit confusing because of this. I liked the writing, and the characters. Nothing about this book was stellar in my opinion.
A Curious Bookshelf 