If I was Your Girl

If I was Your Girl is by debut author Meredith Russo.

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school in Lambertville, Tennessee. Like any other girl, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret. There’s a reason why she transferred schools for her senior year, and why she’s determined not to get too close to anyone.

And then she meets Grant Everett. Grant is unlike anyone she’s ever met—open, honest, kind—and Amanda can’t help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself…including her past. But she’s terrified that once she tells Grant the truth, he won't be able to see past it.

Because the secret that Amanda’s been keeping? It’s that she used to be Andrew. 

The Breakdown:
1. Russo presents an interesting topic in her debut novel of being transgender. It is, sadly, a rarely explored topic in YA fiction. Russo does a great job of making Amanda a character that many can relate to, even if they are not transgender.  Everyone has secrets that they are scared will make others not like them.

2. I love the switch between Amanda's present life and the past.  It helped me to understand Amanda's feelings and her insecurities better. Plus it tales of her transition from boy to girl.

3. I adore Amanda's mother.  She accepted her for who she was no matter what.  Supported her through the hard decisions. She was definitely an amazing woman.

4. My biggest complaint for this book is Russo copious use of the word "ain't." Being from the south myself, I have to say I very rarely use it, and it felt like Russo used every opportunity to use it, not matter the character or the situation.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Art of Not Breathing

The Art of Not Breathing is by debut author Sarah Alexander.

Since her twin brother, Eddie, drowned five years ago, sixteen-year-old Elsie Main has tried to remember what really happened that fateful day on the beach. One minute Eddie was there, and the next he was gone. Seventeen-year-old Tay McKenzie is a cute and mysterious boy that Elsie meets in her favorite boathouse hangout. When Tay introduces Elsie to the world of freediving, she vows to find the answers she seeks at the bottom of the sea.

The Breakdown:
1. Alexander's book is part mystery, and part coming to terms with grief which together make for a great read. She really does a great job of exploring how a death of child and sibling changes a family, and how each individual deals with the aftermath.  Even though the books takes places years after Eddie's death, the family is still raw from the loss, and really appears to avoiding dealing with it.

2.  I really liked the character of Elsie because in big part she was so wonderfully flawed.  She is not the perfect size two girl.  She has bad habits, avoids studying, smoking and shoplifting.  She really is the first to start coping with Eddie's death in her family.  She is dealing with her grief, her guilt, and is trying to put together the pieces of what exactly happened that day, and freediving is helping her to deal with all that.

3.  There are a lot of secrets to discover in this book. First, of course, what exactly happened the day Eddie died, where did her father disappear to, and who was her older brother Dillon looking for.  Then there is why Dillon does hates Tay so much. And what Elsie is hiding between her freediving, and Dillon's declining health.

4.  The books stays interesting between Elsie's life, and flashbacks to her memories of Eddie, and what happened the day he died. It kept me interested from beginning to end.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Blood Passage

Heather Demetrios's Blood Passage is the second book of her Dark Caravan Cycle.

A jinni who's lost everything.

A master with nothing to lose.

A revolutionary with everything to gain.

When Nalia arrives in Morocco to fulfil Malek's third and final wish she's not expecting it to be easy. Though Nalia is free from the shackles that once bound her to Malek as his slave, she's in more danger than ever before.

Meanwhile, Malek's past returns with a vengeance as he confronts the darkness within himself, and Raif must decide what's more important: his love for Nalia, or his devotion to the cause of Arjinnan freedom.

Set upon by powerful forces that threaten to break her, Nalia encounters unexpected allies and discovers that her survival depends on the very things she thought made her weak. From the souks of Marrakech to the dunes of the Sahara, The Arabian Nights come to life in this dazzling second installment of the Dark Caravan Cycle.

The Breakdown:
1. Demetrios picks up the story as Nalia, Raif, Malek and Zanari arrive in Morocco. I love the imagery she creates of Merrakech, the Sahara, and the journey to find Solomon's Sigil.  She makes me feel like I am in these places with the characters.

2. I loved the character development in this book.  From Nalia who experiences great pain, and really comes into her own toward the end.  The way she cares and uses her power really shows that she could be a great leader. Then there is Malek.  Demetrios reveals more of his past, and really shows how much his greed and power have cost him. There are times I really despise him, but at other times he shows hints that he is not all bad.  Raif and Zanari learning to deal with things that Nalia was forced to do in the past. I will admit I was a little disappointed with their reactions, especially Zanari's. Plus, she gives the first real meeting between Calar and Nalia.  Calar is definitely a character I love to hate already.

3. The journey to find the sigil was amazing.  The City of Brass, or as I thought of it, the cave of wonders, was so amazingly written.  The different caverns and monsters they meet are straight out of Arabian Nights. It was definitely the best part of the book.

4. Definitely have a tissue at the ready because there are some serious heartbreaking moments. The ending however has me super excited for the next book, plus with the small preview Demetrios had of the next book has me asking is it done, yet?

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Dark Days Club

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman is the first book of her Lady Helen series.

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

The Breakdown:
1. Goodman's novel is like if Supernatural went Regency London. I appreciate the Goodman did a lot of research regarding the time period, but she need not need to put everything she learned about it into the first half of this book. The first half was so filled with etiquette, clothing, and parties, that I began to wonder if there was going to be a point to the book other than London aristocracies lavish lifestyle.

2. That being said, once Goodman got into the story of Lady Helen's abilities and why she has them, the book got much better. She did still get bogged down in the details of explaining Reclaimers and Deceivers at times, but there were some really great characters and moments in the second half of the book.

3. I did enjoy the character of Lady Helen. She is strong and intelligent.  She is not afraid to be herself, even in a time when a Lady being witty and curious about life was frowned upon.  She is faced with more than one tough decision, and despite possible consequences to her reputation, she does the right thing.

4.  Lord Carlston is an interesting character.  I cannot quite decided if I truly like him or not.  He can be very abrasive most of the time, but there are times where he truly seems to care for others.  Most of the book, I am unsure of his motives for Helen, and there are so many questions about his past and what happened to his wife.

To Read or Not to Read:
All in all, I say read, but probably skim most of the first half.

Allegiance of Honor

Allegiance of Honor is the latest book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

The Breakdown:
1. Singh's latest Psy-Changeling novel is not focused on one couple, but rather revolves around past characters and their growth and bonds that they have created over the series. I loved the catch-up with all my favorite characters.

2. Singh mentions in the forward that this is the end of what she calls part one of her Psy-Changeling series.  I think she really does a job of proving that.  While solidifying things that were set in motion in previous books, but at the same time introducing new enemies and problems.  I am excited to see where the Consortium and problem in psy-net stories continue to grow and develop in future books. Plus what characters she introduces in the future, and what younger characters become major players.

3. I liked that she developed both the BlackSea changelings more in this story and also Bowen of the Human Alliance. I hope to see more of them in the future.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Consider

Consider is by debut author Kristy Acevedo and is the first of her Holo series.

As if Alexandra Lucas’ anxiety disorder isn’t enough, mysterious holograms suddenly appear from the sky, heralding the end of the world. They bring an ultimatum: heed the warning and step through a portal-like vertex to safety, or stay and be destroyed by a comet they say is on a collision course with earth. How’s that for senior year stress?

The holograms, claiming to be humans from the future, bring the promise of safety. But without the ability to verify their story, Alex is forced to consider what is best for her friends, her family, and herself.

To stay or to go. A decision must be made.

With the deadline of the holograms’ prophecy fast approaching, Alex feels as though she is living on a ticking time bomb, until she discovers it is much, much worse.

The Breakdown:
1.  Acevedo presents an interesting concept in her debut novel.  What would you do if presented with a choice of escaping to an unknown world or facing possible impending world ending disaster?  I really liked how she presented this book, and showed the progression of society's state in general has the deadline presented by the holograms comes closer.

2. Alexandra is not your typical heroine.  She suffers from severe anxiety disorder, and at times debilitating panic attacks. I loved seeing how she processed things, and see how she copes with things.  While I don't have an anxiety disorder myself, from what I have read and know of friends who have it, Acevedo does a great job in expressing it in Alex.

3. I really liked both Alex's best friend, Rita, and her boyfriend, Dominick. Rita is funny, and exciting and so full of life, despite her family's deep religious belief that could easily crush a girl like her spirit.  I love the way Dominicl cares for Alex.  Even when she pushes him away, it is clear that he does not stop loving her.

4.  The ending to this book has me dying for the next book.  Avecedo hits you with not only a fantastic twist in the story, but topped it off with a little of a cliffhanger.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane is a collaborative novel by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.

Edward is the King of England.  He's also dying, which is inconvenient, as he's only sixteen and he'd much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown...

Jane is Edward's cousin, and far more interested in books than in romance.  Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there's something a little odd about her intended...

Gifford (call him G) is a horse.  That is, he is an Eðians (eth-y-un for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed- but then he wakes with a mouthful of hay.  It's all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy.  With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own.  But can they pull off their plan before it's off with their heads?

The Breakdown:
1. These authors take one of histories most fascinating stories, to me, and turn it on its head and make their own. The power struggle for the throne of England, plus divided among different factions in England are played out in this book.  The authors just change the factions from Catholic and Protestant to the Verity (humans who stay human) and the Eðians (humans become animals with magic). This book is definitely more a whimsical romantic comedy that tragedy of the true story of Lady Jane.

2. The book's chapters are split from Edward, Jane and Gifford's perspectives so the authors do nicely showing each of their struggles and feelings about the situation they have been thrust into. I liked that each characters' chapter was very unique to them, and their voice so distinct.

3. Probably the thing that I liked that best about this book, was that is was extremely witty.  The characters were entertaining, and their dialogue so well done.  Then there is the excellence of the prologue, midlogue, and the author asides. I loved the author speaking directly to the reader, and multiple times they have me in tears from laughing.  Oh, and keep an eye out to references from some of my favorite movies, like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, etc.

4. If you are looking for a historically accurate account of Lady Jane Grey, this is not the book for you.  If you like a whimsical romance with a conspiracy thrown in, and some historical truths, this is a great read. Oh, and then there is the awesomeness of people turning into animals. (Just an FYI, if you want a little more accurate account of Lady Jane Grey, check of the movie with Cary Elwes and Helena Bonham Carter, Lady Jane.)

To Read or Not to Read:
Read