Nevermore review

okay. so i know i'm not around much these days. i missed Valentine's Day (hope everybody enjoyed their day as much as i did mine!). i just finished a couple of exams (accounting and microeconomics) and i finally feel like i can breathe! school and life are a bit crazy, and meanwhile, my poor blog is being neglected.

i'm sorry.

i can't promise i'll be around more, but i'll try to be better about posting. i promise!! in the meantime....


Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

my thoughts:

i loved the idea of this book the first time i heard it. the whole premise, the cover--it was seductive and enticing. actually the whole book sounded (and felt when i was reading it) like Beautiful Creatures minus the To Kill a Mockingbird influence plus some Edgar Allen Poe influence. if that makes any sense at all.

if you're a fan of Poe and a fan of YA lit, this book is for you. i loved it. i devoured the story. i liked that the author wasn't afraid to use characters that weren't necessarily instantly lovable. she made them dynamic, changing them throughout the story, which i think is missing from a lot of stories; i like being able to watch the character grow as the story goes on. it's more engaging and personal. this change was especially evident in Isobel, who went through some seriously-needed character development.

despite definite opportunities to do so, Ms. Creagh kept the story from veering into what i'd call "the abstract". the abstract never makes any sense to me. she let the story have some creative freedom without completely losing me, and i really appreciated that.

of course, no story is perfect (or at least, almost no story is). my complaint about Nevermore was....you guessed it, the cliff-hanger ending!! i cannot tell you how much these are starting to annoy me. oh well. i guess it means there's more from Ms. Creagh to look forward to, even if Nevermore had no closure.

my rating: 4.6

Hush, Hush review

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen--and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.


my thoughts:

with all the mixed reviews on Amazon, i didn't have terribly high expectations for this book. but i needn't have worried--it was better than expected!!

Hush, Hush was like a slightly less transparent Twilight. it was less predictable. i actually didn't know what the deal was with Patch (unlike in Twilight, it was obvious Edward was a vamp). i didn't know what would happen throughout the story, even right up to the end. indeed, the plot was the highlight of the story.

the setting wasn't very strong, and some of the characters were weaker than i liked. still, the plot was interesting and strong enough to overshadow these flaws. and there was no cliff-hanger ending!!! even though there is at least one sequel, the author didn't feel the need to leave readers without any closure. and yet, i'm still eager for the sequel! nicely done, Ms. Fitzpatrick.

my rating: 4.7