Review: All We Have is Now by Lisa Schroeder

 
Welcome to the tour for All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder! This is a young adult apocalyptic fiction that releases July 28, 2015 by Scholastic. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder

From the author of THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU, a groundbreaking novel about what matters most — when time is running out.

 

What do you do with your last day on earth?

 

There are 27 hours and fifteen minutes left until an asteroid strikes North America, and, for Emerson and everyone else who didn’t leave, the world will end. But Emerson’s world already ended when she ran away from home last year. Since then she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.

 

The city’s quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them that he has been granting people’s wishes. He gave his car away so a woman could take her son to see the ocean for the first time, and he gives Emerson and Vince all the money he has in his wallet.

Suddenly this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in 27 hours — maybe even their own.
 

Amazon | B&N| Goodreads

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Review:
All we have is now is one of those books that I knew that I had to read as soon as possible. I saw it on Goodreads quite some time ago, so I was thrilled when I received the email with sign ups to read and review - and participate in a blog tour. Not only that, but they sent a physical ARC which is just BEAUTIFUL. The cover of it is amazing, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a hardcover copy of the book when it releases on the 28th.

 

My favorite thing about this book is that it so easily rides the line of science fiction and contemporary, which happen to be my two favorite genres when it comes to young adult novels. While the main premise is that an asteroid is coming to hit Earth, and they only have a certain amount of time left to live, that is not made the overall focus. Instead, we get a unique and lovely view of the two protagonists, and the book takes on a positive light instead of dealing with the terror and negativity that would typically come from the given situation.

 

The two main characters, Emerson and Vince, were so easy to fall in love with. Emerson is an innocent young, homeless girl who ran away from home because of issues with her mother's boyfriend. She never would have survived being on the streets had it not been for her best friend, Vince. He had a hard enough life himself, being bounced from one foster home to the next, but you can hardly see it in his demeanor. He is such a wonderful and caring character.

 

As I said, the main focus of the novel was not on the fact that an asteriod is coming and that they are all going to die; instead, Schroeder decided to focus on a positive side of the story, and we see the main characters using their last day together to pay it forward. They decide to go about making things great for as many people as possible in the time they have remaining. None of them are expected to survive, and so they feel they might as well end things on a good note. I LOVED that the book took this turn instead of being dark and depressing - it's certainly a twist that I have not seen before with this plot!

 

As with any contemporary book, there was romance, which is always one of my favorite parts. The romance in this book was fabulous because it was incredibly subtle and sweet, and it was not insta-love or a triangle, or any of those things we see far too much. Instead, we see two young adults who have been friends for quite some time, and their feelings simple develop and the relationship falls together. It's beautiful and heartfelt, and I loved reading these parts.

 

Overall, this book was one that was incredible to read. The writing was amazing, and it left me thinking long after I finished reading. For me, the ending did leave a little to be desired, but the rest of the novel completely made up for that. This was a book that I did not want to put down, and did not want to end as I had grown quite attached to the characters. I simply loved the message that Schroeder portrayed - make the best out of the life you're given, and help others if you have the means to do so. This is a book that I would highly recommend to everyone, of any age. I plan to re-read it once I pick up a physical copy for myself.    
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“Thoughtful, endearing, and surprisingly fun — a reminder of what’s really important in life.” –Suzanne Young, New York Times bestselling author of The Program

“All We Have Is Now is one of those books my teenage self needed — a thoughtfully crafted reminder that every moment is a gift and that we should be kind, especially to ourselves.” –Julie Murphy, author of Side Effects May Vary

“Heartwarming and hopeful. I’d take this book with me to the apocalypse!” –Amy Plum, internationally bestselling author of the Die for Me series

 

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FROM THE AUTHOR

 

How did the idea for ALL WE HAVE IS NOW come about?

 

When I was in high school, I had a leadership class where we did lots of different activities and exercises. One of the most memorable ones was when we all sat in a circle and our teacher, Mrs. Smith, said something like: “Imagine the world is going to end in 24 hours. I’d like you to share with us how you would spend those last 24 hours.” What made it so memorable was how emotional people got as they spoke of the ones they love the most, or relatives they hadn’t seen in a while and wouldn’t be able to see again. It wasn’t long before almost everyone was crying. It was strange and kind of eerie, but also wonderful, because it was such a great reminder of what matters most. Of course, the class clown, a kid named Eric, gave us all a break from our tears when it was his turn and he said something like, “I’d find a girl and we would have a fun 24 hours, and that’s all I’m gonna say.”

 

I’ve always been fascinated with meteors and asteroids. The one that happened over Russia in 2013 was slightly terrifying, seeming to come out of nowhere and creating a huge blast in the sky, injuring over 130 people. As I thought about writing a book that dealt with that question of – how would you spend the last 24 hours – this seemed like a unique premise to play with.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Schroeder is the author of over a dozen books for kids and teens, including the YA novels I Heart You, You Haunt Me and The Bridge From Me to You. She loves tea and cookies, flowers, family hikes, books and movies that make her laugh and cry, and sunshine. Living in Oregon, she doesn’t get nearly enough sunshine, but the hikes are amazing. You can visit her online at www.lisaschroederbooks.com on Twitter at @lisa_schroeder.

AUTHOR ONLINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

The author will be giving away $40 Powells e-gift card (US) OR a signed copy of All We Have Is Now (INT) to the winner of the below Rafflecopter. The giveaway ends August 5th.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Summer Wishlist

Needless to say, with the huge reading slump I have been in lately, I have purchased very few books in the last few weeks. There are quite a few newer releases that I would like to get my hands on AND read with the time I have remaining this summer (I will be spending a week at the beach in August, so that sounds like the perfect time to get some reading in!). Here are some 2015 releases I would like to purchase and read before I get back to work in August.

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

 The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman
What would you pay to cure your heartbreak? Banish your sadness? Transform your looks? The right spell can fix anything…. When Ari's boyfriend Win dies, she gets a spell to erase all memory of him. But spells come at a cost, and this one sets off a chain of events that reveal the hidden—and sometimes dangerous—connections between Ari, her friends, and the boyfriend she can no longer remember.

 The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

 Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal. 

 Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

 Emancipated by M.G. Reyes
The good girl, the bad boy, the diva, the hustler, the rock star, and the nerd. Six teens legally liberated from parental control for six different reasons, all with one thing in common: something to hide.

Now they’re sharing a house in Venice Beach, acting like a family, and living their lies. No parents. No limits. No alibis. One witnessed a crime, another might be a murderer—and one’s been spying on them all.

As they cling to a fantasy of freedom and slowly let down their guards, the past creeps up on them. And when one of them gets arrested, everyone’s carefully constructed facade comes crumbling down. 

Joyride by Anna Banks
A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.

 Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.

Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose.

  The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . . 

There we have it! I would love to get my hands on these books soon. Have you read any of them? What did you think of them? What books do you plan to read this summer? 

Blog Tour + Giveaway | Forever Julia by Jodi Carmichael

Title: Forever Julia

Publication Date: May 1, 2015

Publisher: Great Plains Publications

Author: Jodi Carmichael

Synopsis: Six months ago, Julia's life was perfect. Then her dad died. Now she lives with her grieving mother and sick grandmother in a puny apartment above their bookstore. After a dark bout of depression, Julia is fragile, and mourns both her father and her old life. But she has one thing to be happy about: Jeremy, the most popular boy at school, has chosen her. Jeremy's love for Julia is passionate, even obsessive. As she grows closer to Jeremy, Julia pushes her disapproving friends and family away. But Jeremy only becomes more controlling and Julia has to decide what lines cannot be crossed.

Link to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23140024-forever-julia     

Purchase Links:

Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Review: I could tell going into this book that it was probably going to be a tough read. It is never easy to read about difficult life situations, but they tend to make for beautifully written books. Despite knowing that the book was going to be sad, and perhaps even a little bit depressing, I was also quite eager to read it. I have not read anything by Carmichael before, and I did think that the synopsis was well written. When I received the email with the blog tour invitation, I knew that it was a book that I would want to read. Sure, it might not be enjoyable in a standard way, but I had no doubt that it would be a good read.

The main character, Julia, is pretty easy to relate to. She has lost her father, her mother is struggling to keep them afloat, and Julia is in a pretty dark place in her life at the moment. I do believe that we have all had one point or another when we have been in a bad place and have had to get out of it; I did think that it was interesting to get to experience these things with the main character. Despite the situation, I think that Julia handled things quite better than a lot of people would. Sure, she made bad decisions, but that seems pretty believable in the given situation.

Julia was not the only well-written character, however. Annika, Julia's best friend was a great character as well. She had her own great, strong personality and was not afraid to be herself. She was also a loyal friend, but did not stand down when she felt strongly about something. Their friendship was realistic because Annika could see what was happening in Julia's relationship, and it did lead to some issues between the friends. Jeremy, of course, was not a character I liked at all. I know it was supposed to be this way, and Carmichael did a wonderful job of making me hate him. He could be charming when he wanted to be, but it changed quickly. Then he became obsessive and controlling, and overall just a horrible person to be in a relationship with.

Abuse is something that happens far too often, and it does not seem to get nearly as much attention as it should in order to help people that had suffered from it themselves. We should talk about it more, and we definitely should be reading more stories like this to allow us to see just how bad these things can be. While this was a difficult book to read, it was also beautifully done and eye-opening. It left me feeling so many different emotions, and I still have not stopped thinking about it. I highly recommend this read for everyone.

Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

ABOUT JODI CARMICHAEL:

JODI CARMICHAEL lives in Winnipeg where she can often be found dancing in the living room with her two wildly imaginative daughters, her patient and supportive husband, and a scruffy Border Terrier named Zoe. Jodi’s previous book for young readers, Spaghetti Is NOT A Finger Food, won numerous awards and has been a multi-week Bestseller.

Visit Jodi Carmichael at www.jodicarmicael.com.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads





GIVEAWAY:

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves [47]

I am joining in on Stacking The Shelves, a weekly meme hosted over at Tynga's Reviews. It is an easy way to share what books you picked up that week, and to see what other people have picked up to read themselves.

How to Participate?

• Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my official graphic or your own, but please link back to Tynga’s Reviews so more people can join the fun!
• You can set your post any way you want, simple book list, covers, pictures, vlog, sky is the limit!
• I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.
• Visit Tynga’s Reviews on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you! 
  

THIS WEEK:

Hey everyone! It's been a couple of weeks since I've done a Stacking the Shelves post because I really have not bought any books at all! (I know, pretty shocking!). In fact, I still did not buy any books this week, either. I did happen to get a couple in the mail, though, so I thought that I would go ahead and share those with you!

For Review:

Celtic Portal Receptor by Linda G. Davis

A young adult fantasy fiction novel. The ancient gods and goddesses have moved on to a more modern world - the world of virtual reality and DNA manipulation. When they entered the time portal, they took with them the treasured box that holds the world in balance and their unresolved battle for dominance. Now mortal, two opposing factions are plotting a return to their former glory. Chosen to tip the scales in the balance of power, Fianna, a sixteen-year-old receptor, comes to realize that her presence has unleashed forces she never believed existed. In a world of secret and fluid alliances, it is hard to know who the enemy is. For every good there is an evil, but the odds are heavily weighted against success. Fianna soon discovers that the price of victory may be her life.

Won:  

City Love by Susane Colasanti (arc)
Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are living together in New York City the summer before their freshman year of college begins. With no parents, no rules, and an entire city to explore, these three girls are on the verge of the best summer of their lives.

Sadie is a native New Yorker. She is hopeful, romantic, and an eternal optimist who is ready to find her soul mate. Then she meets her dream boy: cute, funny, and quirky in all the right ways. The chemistry between them is unreal. Could he be the one?

Darcy is a free spirit from SoCal with rebellious tendencies and unlimited financial resources. Moving to New York City is just another adventure for her. Darcy wants this summer to be all about boy adventures—nothing serious. But how much fun is too much?

Rosanna leaves Chicago for NYC so she can put her past behind her and reinvent herself. The only thing standing in her way is the grand total of seventy-three cents she has saved. Then she meets a guy who wants to show her the glamorous side of New York—a side that she would never get to experience on her own. If Rosanna doesn't resist, she may find herself in city love.

Told from alternating points of view, City Love captures the moments in each girl's life when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying all at once . . . in a way it will never be again.

Review: Essence by Lisa Ann O'Kane

Essence
by Lisa Ann O'Kane

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Publisher: Angry Robot Ltd
Publication Date: June 2014
Page Count: 243
Format: E-Book
Source: Netgalley (thank you!)

Goodreads Synopsis: Autumn escaped a cult, but now she realizes she's fallen into another.

Growing up in San Francisco’s Centrist Movement, sixteen year-old Autumn Grace has always believed emotions—adrenaline, endorphins, even happiness—drain your Essence and lead to an early death. But her younger brother’s passing and a run-in with a group of Outsiders casts her faith into question.

Ryder Stone, the sexy, rebellious leader of the Outsiders, claims Essence drain is nothing more than a Centrist scare tactic -- and he can prove it.

Autumn follows Ryder to his Community of adrenaline junkies and free spirits in Yosemite National Park, and they introduce her to a life of adventure, romance, sex, drugs and freedom. But as she discovers dark secrets beneath the Community’s perfect exterior, she realizes the more she risks in search of the perfect rush, the further she has to fall.

GOODREADS . AMAZON

Review: I had hoped to get this review posted much earlier in the day, but better late than never, right? I am all about sticking to my April review goal though, which means I needed to finish writing it out before I allow myself to go to bed, so that's what I'm going to do! I have had this book on Netgalley for awhile now, and I should have gotten to it much sooner (story of my life, I guess). While I was definitely interested in the synopsis when I first requested it, it made me a little hesitant once I was accepted and could actually read it. Sure, dystopians are one of my favorite genres, but this one seemed quite a bit different than the others I have read thus far. Turns out, it was pretty different, though I do not think that it was a bad thing at all. 

Essence was incredibly realistic, which was one of the biggest changes for me. A lot of the dystopians I have read seem pretty impossible when you think about it compared to how we live currently. This book was not the same, though. It takes place in the not-so-distant future, seeing people rebuild after a serious of earthquakes have destroyed much of what they have known. Out of this disaster comes to distinct groups or cults, the Centrist Movement and the Community.

It was very interesting to see the drastic difference between these two groups. We don't get as much detail about the Centrist Movement as Autumn decides to leave them, but we are given enough information to realize why she would not be happy to stay there. They believe that adrenaline and showing any sort of emotion, happiness included, will lead to a much shorter life. I cannot say that I would want to live in a place with people that had those beliefs, either! The Community believes the exact opposite. They believe that having emotions and being adventurous will lead to a much longer life. Ultimately, Autumn has to decide what she believes. 

I do think that this book had a lot of exciting parts to it since a lot of it took place at Yosemite National Park. It was fun getting so much description about where they were and what they were doing. I do think that the writing was very nice as well. O'Kane gives a lot of great details that kept me interested and grateful to know the information. She had a style of writing that had me want to continue reading without putting the book down. 

The only thing I did not love about the book was the love triangle. Don't get me wrong, all of the characters were fantastic. I loved Autumn as a main character, and the author did a wonderful job of describing the minor characters as well, so it was quite easy to like them, too. Love triangles can be pretty hit or miss for me though, and this one made it quite obvious who she was going to pick pretty quickly. This is not always necessarily a bad thing, but it was not my favorite in this book. That is just a minor detail though, and certainly not something that made me dislike the book.

I would highly recommend this book to any other dystopian fans out there. It has a lot of unique, different situations to offer than what we have seen in the popular dystopians lately, and I think that makes it even more enjoyable to read.

Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Review: Shattered Secrets by Krystal Wade

Shattered Secrets

by Krystal Wade

(Book of Red #1)
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication Date: March 2014
Page Count: 300
Format: E-Book
Source: Netgalley (thank you!)

Goodreads Synopsis: After being kidnapped, hogtied, and stuffed in the trunk of a car, seventeen-year-old Abigail Nichols' boy problems seem unimportant.
She couldn't be more wrong.

The boy who saves her holds her heart.

But Derick Crawford also holds secrets.

Magical beings who guide human emotions are fighting an invisible war dating back to the dawn of time, and Abigail's one of them. The more she learns of her heritage, the less she wants to know. Armed with a very old, very massive book to teach them about their history, Abigail and Derick run away to a place where they think they can be safe and happy, only to have their troubles secretly hitch a ride.

Her history book is in a sharing mood, and it tells her to keep a secret of her own.

But has she put her trust in the wrong place?

And will the world survive if she has?

GOODREADS . AMAZON

Review: This is a book that I requested on Netgalley quite some time ago, and I feel bad that it took me so long to get to it. I am trying to be much better about getting caught up on my Netgalley books though, so this is my first step! When I first requested this book, I was definitely drawn in by the cover first before anything else (I can be pretty bad about this, after all). However, then I read the synopsis and decided that it sounded great as well. I am not one to usually read things with a lot of paranormal elements, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it nearly as much as I had hoped to. 

I had a lot of problems with the characters from the very beginning. Abigail was the exact kind of main character that I do not enjoy reading in my novels. The perfect, beautiful girl with the wonderful family and all of the friends and guys who just love and fawn over her. For the most part, that is not realistic at all (it certainly was not for me growing up, at least). Also, I did not like that Abby was such a Damsel in Distress. There was so much room for her to be an awesome independent and strong female lead, but she just never got there for me. She made a lot of naive choices, and she tended to go back and forth with her thoughts and views quite often.

Her love interest, Derick, was really no better either. All of his thoughts and actions seemed to revolve around Abigail and his feelings for her instead of allowing him to be his own character. Sure, he was likable and seemed like a nice guy, but I really hoped that things would become more than that. It was interesting to find out that he had some special abilities and had something very important in common with the main character, but it did not make me like him too much more.

I did think that there were some nice, unique elements that went along with the story. I certainly would not say that it was all bad at all. However, I do think that it could have been so much more amazing. The pacing seemed to be very hit or miss with this book. There were some moments when the plot was incredibly slow and things were boring, but then there were times when things picked up and were exciting, and I could not wait to read the next page. Unfortunately, it would have been much better if it could have stayed the latter the majority of the time.

Overall, this certainly was not the worst book I have read, but I was not blown away by it, either. I may continue the series in the future just to see if it improves at all, but I doubt that I will be rushing to the bookstore to pick it up or anything. I do think that it is likely that paranormal fans will enjoy this much more than I did. I think it would be worth a try if you do get your hands on it at some point. To each their own!

Rating: 2.0 / 5.0