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Tag: "Romance"

Review: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

[ 5 ] September 1, 2012

Reviewed by Marcus Hammond

Young adult science fiction/fantasy/horror is popular; we all get that. Now, however, the most popular creations in the genre are being imitated. Series like Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, and the Twilight Saga set the standard for the genre. In The Hunt Andrew Fukuda begins a human/vampire-based series that combines bits and pieces of all these popular genre standards to a disappointing end result.

Gene is a young boy who is apparently the last free human in a world run by starving vampires. Growing up, Gene’s dad teaches him how to live and act like a vampire. He learns to show no emotion, survives on a vampire’s diet of raw meat, and scrubs his body free of hair and odor. After vampires catch his family, Gene successful continues his faked existence until he is chosen as one of seven vampires who get to compete in the Heper Hunt.

The Heper Hunt holds great importance in the vampire society. Once the heper (humans) population became seemingly extinct the government begins to breed and train the last remaining hepers specifically for the hunt. In order to curry favor with the public, a lottery is held to identify who among the vampires will be allowed to hunt down and eat the hepers. Obviously, the starving vampire community clamors for this opportunity. It is, however, the last place Gene wants to be. As one of the hunters, Gene is taken to a government facility along with a female from his school. The female, Ashley June, represents the romantic interest in the story. Gene has always found her attractive, but due to his humanity cannot get close to her.

There’s a lot that drags this story down. The process in which Gene blends into society is too impractical to be believable. He has to remove all the hair from his body, mask his body order, never show emotion, and eat a steady diet of raw meat. When Gene enters the government facility he has none of the supplies that aid him in his disguise. Eventually, his human scent begins to be noticed, and it is ridiculous how there is always a perfect distraction available. I also had a hard time seeing past the likenesses between this story and other novels like The Hunger Games, I Am Legend, and The Twilight Saga. Overall, I found the story to be too unbelievable to be intriguing.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Listen to an excerpt from The Hunt here

After obtaining a Masters in Liberal Arts and Literature Marcus has dedicated most of his time to teaching English Composition for a community college in the Midwest. In his down time, he spends time avidly reading an eclectic selection of books and doing freelance writing whenever he gets the chance. He lives in Kansas with his wife.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by St. Martin’s Griffin. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Beach Season by Lisa Jackson

[ 5 ] September 1, 2012

Reviewed by Jessa Larsen

Beach Season by Lisa Jackson includes stories by additional authors Cathy Lamb, Holly Chamberlin, and Rosalind Noonan

June’s Lace by Cathy Lamb

June MacKenzie is fed up with the world around her. She has called it quits on her high-stress legal career, fast-paced city living, her cheating ex-husband, as well as men in general. She has moved to a quite beach house on the Oregon coast and returned to her original love of creating and selling custom-made wedding dresses for not quite ordinary brides. She swears at the same time that she herself will never be caught dead wearing a wedding dress ever again until by chance she is rescued from near-drowning by the hunky singer/songwriter renting the beach house next door. Now she starts believing that he might be able to change her mind about that wedding dress after all.

The Brass Ring by Lisa Jackson

It’s a beautiful day, perfect for a romantic summer wedding, until Shawna’s hopes and dreams are utterly crushed when she finds out that her fiancé, Parker, has been involved in a near fatal car crash. His injuries have left him in a position that requires months upon months of physical therapy and even worse, he’s developed amnesia and cannot remember Shawna whatsoever. The future seems bleak and hopeless, but Shawna will stop at nothing to regain Parker’s love even if she has to start from square one all over again.

Carolina Summer by Rosalind Noonan

Jane Doyle has decided that she absolutely requires a break from her usual residence in New York and decides to head toward Florida to see if she can’t get a break from life and start fresh. Unfortunately for her, a storm along coastal North Carolina strands her in a beautiful remote town that has the unexpected surprise of making Jane feel right at home. And in addition, the local sheriff has turned out to be quite handsome and friendly, thus Jane finds herself staying longer than she originally planned and thinking about the possibilities of staying…. permanently.

Second Chance Sweethearts by Holly Chamberlin

Thea Foss has recently put a bad marriage behind her whilst staying in the gorgeous vacation town of Ogunquit, Maine. She has firmly decided that what’s past is past and must stay there while she seeks to start fresh. Life goes according to plan until the fateful day on which her first love, a high school sweetheart, turns up in the local diner where she has taken up waitressing. She gets to talking and is reminded of the person she used to be and life she once thought was long and forgotten. She never thought it was possible to go back to the person she used to be. The person she was happy and content with. But perhaps, just maybe, there’s a chance for that idea after all.
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Beach Season is the typical romance type novel. It is full of nonsensical romantic ideas that women love to grasp to and pretend are possible – at least for a little while. I don’t typically care for this genre as I believe it to be more likely that bigfoot is roaming in the mountains than for these frilly romances to ever be based in reality. I do enjoy this author-compilation idea in general as it gives a few extra stories whilst allowing me to enjoy the styles of different authors. The story I liked best in this particular set was June’s Lace as it seemed the most genuine and possibly authentic. The characters were quirky, one-liners were hilarious, and despite the overly predictable plotline, I actually found myself enjoying the story. As for the others, they simply bored me and I would never read this voluntarily.

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

Jessa lives in Utah with her husband, 2 sons, 2 cats, and 2 dogs. She goes to school full time as an English major with a focus in creative writing. She likes anime and reads books and plays video games in her moments of spare time.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Kensington. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Scotsmen Prefer Blondes by Sara Ramsey

[ 3 ] August 8, 2012

Reviewed by Rachel Mann

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in Sara Ramsey’s Muses of Mayfair series, Heiress Without A Cause, and it was a treat to pick up the next of the series, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes, and check in on these amusing characters. A standout supporting character from Heiress Without A Cause, Lady Amelia Staunton, takes center stage in this book, while the first book’s protagonists, Madeleine and Fergus, show up and remind us that their marriage is working out just fine. Ramsey fakes you out at the beginning by starting with another interesting female character, Prudence, but then Amelia outshines her both for readers and the book’s hero, Malcolm.

Amelia is a great, unusual protagonist for a Regency romance because she’s a secret bestselling author. She writes Gothic romances and satires—she seems to be good at just about any genre she tries out—and when Scotsmen Prefer Blondes begins, she’s still incognito. Ramsey is unconventional in presenting readers with Regency heroines who do desire their own careers and want to make art—they’re not content to be wives and mothers, as their society would wish them to be. They’re more like modern women struggling with the conventions of the time in which they were born.

I wish Ramsey could have pushed this unconventionality even more, although that might have been difficult to do while maintaining this Regency setting. Amelia doesn’t seem like someone who’d give up anything for her husband at all, or care about being forced into marriage just because she’s been compromised. After all, she’s got plenty of family money. She has terrible trouble saying “obey” during marriage vows, and I don’t blame her. Amelia doesn’t seem like she’s willing to obey anybody. It’s pretty clear, though, that her unabashed lust for Malcolm, which takes her completely by surprise, unbalances her. In turn, as a good hero should be, he’s handsome, interesting, and troubled. (I don’t know if he quite measures up to Fergus from Heiress Without A Cause, though.)

At least two more Muses of Mayfair books are in the pipeline—it looks like we’ll have to wait until book four to find out what really happens to Prudence.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Also by Sara Ramsey: Heiress Without a Cause

Rachel, who has a Ph.D. in English, is a freelance writer/editor and a voracious reader. You can talk to her about books at http://twitter.com/writehandmann.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Sara Ramsey. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

[ 4 ] August 7, 2012

Reviewed by Grace Soledad

When You Were Mine is the compelling story of a girl that Romeo should have ended up with. It’s a contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet and a light-hearted story with a sinister edge.

What if everybody’s favorite love story was wrong? Rosaline has been waiting for ages to finally admit her feelings to Rob but the last thing she wants to do is ruin their friendship. When Rob and Rosaline’s romance finally starts to heat up, everything goes perfectly. Until Juliet comes to town. Juliet – Rosaline’s cousin who she hasn’t seen in years – is back with a malicious purpose. When Rob ditches Rose for Juliet, Rose has to confront her own feelings for him.

Losing Rob isn’t the only hurdle in Rose’s path. It may have been love at first sight, but others can see what Rob doesn’t: Juliet’s disturbing behavior. Juliet’s back for revenge and will do anything to get it. Rose tries to warn Rob about Juliet but he’s hooked, and Rose worries that Juliet’s unstable tendencies will take them over the edge.

Rosaline is one of the most likable characters that I have ever come across. She has this inner light to her that just shines. She has always been a girl-next-door to Rob and she feels like senior year is finally her year to tell him how she feels. She’s not a loud character but isn’t quiet either. She is fun but thoughtful and her voice infused the book with a refreshing tone. The other characters were so tangled and lovely. Juliet was fascinating in a disturbing way and I found myself changing opinions about characters throughout the book.

Towards the end of the book, everything gets darker as we learn more about Juliet, relationships, and the family feud dividing Juliet and Rose. I second-guessed myself so many times throughout the book about the little things, but guessed what would happen in the basic story arc. The nods to Romeo and Juliet really emphasized the story and it made me see this traditional story in an entirely new way. There are so many interpretations of Romeo and Juliet and this one definitely ranks among my top ones.

Rebecca Serle has written a breathtaking book with alluring characters and an ominous plot. Somehow it manages to be both light in the overall tone with a plot that makes you question everything by the end. After finishing, I just had to think about it for a while. It played with my head in the best possible day and I love it. A sparkling debut.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Grace Soledad is a teenage bibliophile who runs the blog Words Like Silver. She is described as “antisocial” because she constantly has her nose buried in a book or a notebook. When not reading, she can be found dancing, writing, or at the beach.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Simon Pulse. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Crashing Eden by Michael Sussman

[ 2 ] August 6, 2012

Reviewed by Sara Padilla

When 17-year-old Joss is tossed off his bicycle unexpectedly, he wakes up in a hospital bed with severe injuries and an enlightened spirit. Suddenly able to hear a powerful and peaceful hum he calls the OM, Joss is faced with a world of possibility and happiness that he had previously not known.

Returning to school and home life, the influence of the OM is positive and profound. Joss’ mood is lighter and he is able to resolve conflict with former enemies. Unfortunately, there are those who would use the power of the OM for selfish reasons, and there is a dark power that exists beyond humanity that threatens to destroy everything that Joss and his friends hold dear, including the OM.

In an odd stroke of luck, Joss encounters two people who have created a mechanical device that allows others to experience the curious paradise the OM delivers. Word quickly spreads through the school about the magical device, and Joss must learn to harness and share the power of the OM in a responsible way, as well as convince his family that it is the right thing to do. But both of his parents are experiencing deeply felt grief due to the death of Joss’ brother Eli that occurred several months before the bike accident. Joss himself feels responsible for his brother’s death, and has not reached a place in his relationship with his parents where he can give or receive their love. Sussman’s novel highlights the struggle that bereaved parents and siblings experience and the journey toward a new life without a critical family member.

There are lighter moments in this easy-to-read book. Joss enjoys new friendships and discovers romance for the first time. He is a convincing, brooding adolescent boy who is learning more about the world than he ever thought possible. Crashing Eden is a quick and entertaining read, provided the reader is able to suspend disbelief completely.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Ms. Sara Padilla is a freelance writer and maintains a personal blog on family, health and wellness. She resides in the Pacific Northwest.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Michael Sussman. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

[ 4 ] August 3, 2012

Reviewed by Carrie Ardoin

Helen’s life has gotten progressively harder ever since she found out that she was a Scion, or demigod. In fact, her life has never been harder or more complicated. Helen is a Descender, which means she is the only one who can travel nightly down to the Underworld to try to put a stop to the Furies’ incessant tormenting of the Delos clan. She just wants to help Lucas and his cousin Hector…but the Delos family is not the only faction that needs her to succeed. There are ancient, malevolent forces conspiring against all the Scion houses. And the very thing they want is what Lucas and Helen, whose love is forbidden because they are cousins, are fighting so hard against. Help and betrayal come from unexpected places in this thrilling sequel to Starcrossed.

Dreamless was so, so much better than its’ predecessor. I liked that it focused a lot more on Helen and her own journey than the relationship arc.

In the first book I felt like Lucas was always coming to Helen’s rescue, and I’m glad to find that she really stood up for herself in Dreamless. She was relentless in her quest in the Underworld, even when it looked like she could no longer take another sleepless night. Helen really worked hard on doing what needed to be done, and I respect her so much for that.

There were also some very interesting changes happening with the rest of the Delos family. I’m so happy that Helen’s best friends, Matt and Claire, have been brought into the fold. Even though it may mean more danger for the two mortals, they are fully committed to helping Helen…and the fact that they are falling for the Delos twins doesn’t hurt. Lucas, who is struggling with the fact that he cannot be with Helen, eventually goes toward a very dark place during the span of this novel. I’m very intrigued to see what will happen to him from here on out…because once you invite darkness in, you usually cannot rid yourself of it.

As in the first book, my favorite thing about Dreamless was the fresh twist it gave to ancient Greek legends. This story is of course rooted in what happens to the gods, but it’s not ALL ABOUT the gods. Helen and the rest of the Delos family are not about to go down without a fight…and a big fight is surely coming.

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Carrie runs the blog Sweet Southern Home, and is a stay at home wife and mom to one little boy. When she’s not reading, she’s usually watching Netflix with her husband, playing outside with her son, or baking. Her family would describe her as sometimes annoyingly sarcastic, but mostly lovable. 

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperTeen. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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