Review: Crave by Melissa Darnell

PARANORMAL TEEN ROMANCE

Forbidden to love, doomed to fail...

Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.

For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back...different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences...

Wow! Crave is definitely the most epic, gravity-defying teen love story since Romeo and Juliet. I couldn't have asked for a more detailed, romantic, and overall romance paranormal romance.

First off, the characters are just...brilliant. Mindblowingly so, as a matter of fact. Savannah is the perfect protagonist, conflicted because of so many factors and flawed in several ways, and yet still so loveable by Tristan and so relatable to the readers of Crave. She gives into temptation and still has the decency to regret it, but she's willing to do anything for Tristan. Could Melissa Darnell have crafted anything more romantic? I think not! And then there's Tristan...the hands down most swoon-worthy teen romance hero I've ever read about. This guy totally deserves Savannah. He's so good to her, so sweet, so caring, so considerate, and yet he'll break every rule in the book to spend just a few minutes of his time with her. He'll risk his football career, his parents' approval, his entire life as it currently stands for this girl. And that's what makes him so sweet, so amazing. His family life is explored so in-depth in this book, and the way he handles the outrageous demands of his parents is perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better guy to date Savannah.

Not only are the characters amazing, so is their combination when it comes to romance. These two are so clearly cut out for each other that my inner sap can't help but sigh and swoon over their so pure and beautiful love. I mean, they can connect to each other in dreams! Name me something any more obvious that they're cut out for each other than that, and I'll change my name. These two are head over heels for each other--normally, I'd be jealous, since Tristan is the hottest male to walk this Earth--in books, anyway--but I'm not, because Savannah deserves a loving boyfriend. Precisely, Tristan Glenn Coleman as a loving boyfriend. They were made for each other, and Melissa Darnell has made that so heartwrenchingly clear in this book. The way their characters intertwine through the twists of fate is nothing short of miraculous.

And as if that wasn't amazing enough, the painstakingly perfectly crafted plot is...gorgeous. Does that even make sense? Probably not, but that's the only way I can describe it. There's so much depth in this paranormal world that I can't even begin to describe it. I was swept away by the intense, so well-planned background story of Crave. Not only are Savannah and Tristan falling in love, they're discovering the story behind their very existences. And that's what makes this paranormal romance so outstanding.

Crave is heartwrenchingly beautiful. Melissa Darnell has taken two amazing characters and paired them with a plot that is worthy of Savannah and Tristan. Crave was worth every turn of the page. This lovely romance gets the five stars y'all knew it'd be getting anyway.

Review: Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

PARANORMAL TEEN FICTION

A prom night Mia will never forget...

Quiet, unpopular, noncheerleading Mia is blissfully happy. Rob--super hot football god--has asked her to prom! Life couldn't get any better. Enter Samantha--cheerleader queen and Miss Popularity--who has made it quite clear that Rob should be her prom date. Mia is desperate to makes ure she doesn't end up dumped in front of the whole school. So with prom in just a few days, she turns to Candice--her holistic, hypochondriac best friend--and decides to try a love spell to make Rob stay with her. Unfortunately, she ends up inflicting a zombie virus on her whole class instead, and she is their zombie leader! At first, she loves all the attention. But when she learns from zombie hunter hottie Chase that her classmates will actually try to eat her in a few days, she's not too thrilled. She's sure she and Chase can figure something out, but in the meantime, she's suggesting that no one wear white to prom, because things could get very messy.

Eh. As you could probably tell from the summary, this book does not have very much substance, as far as paranormal YA books go. But along with its flaws, it did have some good points...

Starting off with Mia, our main character, a.k.a. Zombie Queen of Newbury High. She was an okay main character, as far as protagonists go. Her character wasn't particularly hilarious, and I didn't want to root for her--she just didn't have very much depth. But, on the plus side, she was a little clever, which made me warm to her a little more. And she gave up a life of popularity with Rob for her adorable romance with Chase, so that was a nice plus. But, what sucked was the way she spoke. What self-respecting seventeen-year-old-girl says "perhaps" every five seconds and never, ever, ever curses? Yeah, right. All in all, I think she could have been better, and the fact that this is the author's first YA book was kind of reflected in her character, but she was fine.

I think the best character in this book was probably Chase, the zombie hunter who was the first to put his finger on what, exactly, happened with Mia's screwed-up spell. I didn't find out very much about him, which kinda bothered me, but from what I do know, he was awesome. Kinda mysterious and good-guy, what with his zombie hunting skills, but then again, I didn't have a clue about his life outside from Newbury High. Why, oh why did Amanda Ashby not expand on this character and yet tell me all about Mia's life at home? The unfairness of our book world sometimes...tsk, tsk.

To be honest, the plot had potential. Bring on the salivating zombies and their hot hunter! Plus, throw in a hilarious main character who makes me want to root her on all the time, and you've got a fantastic book with depth, mystery, and suspense. When I read the back, I knew this book might not exactly have the most substance, but it could be a great one. But my expectations fell flat. The zombie action was very tame, as far as zombies are concerned, and while Chase was awesome, I didn't even get to know him. And on top of that, Mia was anything but funny and relatable. But the other quirky characters in this book, like Mia's best friend, and Mia's younger sister, kinda added to the plot a little bit. However, in the end, I was not satisfied at all.

Another thing I liked about the book was Mia falling for Chase. Okay, so Mia might not have been the best main character, but the fact that she's getting herself out of her crappy romance with Rob and enjoying life to the fullest by falling for Chase gave her some brownie points, in my opinion. I don't know if they were meant for each other or not, but what I do know is that Chase is definitely boyfriend material, and she was wise in choosing him over the stupid, jock Rob.

In the end, I have to say that this book is not one of the finest pieces of YA literature I've ever read. As a matter of fact, not even close. All I know is that if this author writes another YA book, I'll be a little more cautious in picking it up. Now, for the rating: Zombie Queen of Newbury High is the first book on The Wordy Wench to get a measly two stars.

Review: Cruel Love by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
All good things must end...

For the past four months, Ariana Osgood has led a charmed life at elite Atherton-Pryce Hall, all while concealing her true identity: prison escapee and murderer. But when Dr. Meloni, the psychologist who worked with her in prison, resurfaces, Ariana realizes just how tenuous her new life is.

It's not just Dr. Meloni on her trail. After spotting Reed Brennan, her old rival from Easton, and arousing the suspicions of Jasper, the boy she loves, Ariana realizes she's one wrong move away from losing everything. All Ariana wants is to be with Jasper...but will her cruel love be the end of him?

The Privilege series is officially over! True, Ariana was a psycho teenage murderess who I wasn't a big fan of since she tried to attack Reed, my fave ever book character, but I'm still gonna miss her--and this glamorous world that I've been swept into for twenty-one books. The whole Private series, the whole Privilege series, I've been living in Kate Brian's world. And now I don't know how well I'm going to do, reading other books and hoping that maybe she'll come up with another spinoff series...tragic. Yeah, I am pathetic.

Anyhow, what a sizzling end to the Privilege series! Ariana can't face Dr. Meloni, all her friends are wallowing in their grief ever since Lexa died, and Reed has got to die for all the pain she's caused Ariana. The way Ariana is dealing with this is...surprisingly strong. Other than a few minor panic attacks, she's kept her chin up, is now officially president of Stone and Grave, and has come a long way since the beginning of even the Private series. While I still think she's a bitch who got what she deserved at the end of this book (which I am absolutely not gonna give away!), her character kinda grew on me. She changed, she triumphed, she lost, she felt. As far as characters go, she was one of the most well-sculpted, emotionally crafted characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. And I'm kinda sad to see her gone.

I have to say, this series was super short compared to the Private series. I honestly think Kate Brian could have drawn this one out a little bit more, thrown more action into Ariana's life, brought out challenges that Ariana herself, the conniving murdering little bitch, couldn't deal with. But in six-ish books, it was all over. Private and Privilege have both been ripped out from underneath me. And I was sad after the Private series ended, but I knew I had the spinoff of Privilege to keep me entertained. But now I'm losing the world that I've immersed myself in, and that you have too, if you've been keeping up on the books with me.

On the bright side, I loved all the different challenges Ariana faced in this one and all these ties she had to sever because Dr. Meloni came prancing into her life. There was Palmer, the boy who's threatening to ruin her. There's Jasper, the guy she loves but might have to leave. There are all her friends, who she has to give up even though that's the least she wants. Most importantly, there's the life she's gotten used to. The wealth, the being elite, the status, her every materialistic wish granted...how is she going to live without all that? But she has to, because as soon as she murders Dr. Meloni, she realizes that he cut her--badly. And she can't go to a hospital with that injury, because someone's going to recognize her face and notice that it's actually Ariana, not Briana Leigh Covington...

Anyhow, there's not much more I can say. Goodbye, Private, Privilege, and all the lovely characters I've met so far. I hope Kate Brian writes about you again soon! BTW, congrats to Cruel Love, which lands a fantastic five stars for being an amazing end to this short series.

Review: Pure Sin by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
Best enemies...

After getting rid of her best-friend-turned-enemy, Ariana Osgood should be on top of the world. She's in love with a hot guy. She's a member of Atherton-Pryce Hall's best secret society. And she's one of the most popular girls on campus. But now that Lexa Greene knows a terrible secret about her, everything Ariana has worked so hard for hangs in the balance. Can she keep up the facade...or is her house of cards about to tumble around her?

A great new book that is also the second to last in the Privilege series--I'm so sad! After I read Cruel Love, which is the last book in the Privilege series, I will have no more Kate Brian books to read, at least not right away. But I do have plenty of other books I hope are excellent stacked in my room, so hopefully we'll be able to mourn the loss of this amazing world with more reading.

I still can't believe Kaitlynn is gone. Ariana and Kaitlynn had been fighting forever, but now that Ariana has won, she has taken the major prize: Kaitlynn's life. Kaitlynn's ever so carefully constructed life, most of it erected from the money Ariana stole from a charity fundraiser to keep Kaitlynn's mouth shut. Now Ariana thought all her secrets were buried. But Lexa Greene, the girl who goes way unstable, had seen the murder. And she's going completely OCD, washing imaginary blood off her hands, screaming when red wine spills like red blood. I'm very impressed that the author crafted such a suspenseful conflict even with Kaitlynn gone! I thought she was the major driving force behind the pressure urging Ariana on, and that may have been true for the past three books in the series. But in Pure Sin, it's the lack of Kaitlynn that's causing Ariana problems. Because if Lexa tells, then Ariana's own world is about to be shut down--forever.

Lexa's character really developed a lot in Pure Sin. Obviously, a normal person who had just witnessed someone having a vase cracked over their head and then being thrown out of a window would probably be even crazier than Lexa. But Lexa's always been the mature, kind, understanding, confident, most popular girl on campus. And when she sees Kaitlynn come to an end like this, she goes straight-up crazy. I felt bad for Lexa the whole time, but I loved seeing how she slowly spiraled into another different person completely. That's the magic of characters created by Kate Brian. You can always expect them to show you a different side just when you thought you knew them most.

Now, onto a slightly more critical note. Kaitlynn has come to Atherton-Pryce Hall as Lillian Oswald, and no one knows her real name but Ariana. However, when Lexa witnesses her murder, she screams, or whispers, or something, "Kaitlynn!" Now, how would Lexa know that the girl's real name was Kaitlynn? That's right--she wouldn't. So that really ruined the authenticity of the book for me. And I wouldn't have minded it if it had just happened once--but it happened again and again. People were constantly calling Kaitlynn by her real name, and I'm surprised neither the author nor her editors caught that. Tsk, tsk!

Anyhow, the suspense that's mounting throughout every page in Pure Sin is purely fantastic! (Haha!) With every breath she breathes, Lexa goes just a little bit more crazy. And she's not even safe from mental breakdowns in the arms of her boyfriend. Ariana knows her perfect life will crumble if Lexa says a word. And that's what keeps the book going. I hate Ariana for the innocent people she's murdered, but when it comes down to it, she's almost as kickass of a protagonist as Reed--just a slightly psychotic one. I really want Ariana to have a happy ending but still pay for her bad choices, but she won't be able to have any type of ending if Lexa says anything. Honestly, I actually wanted Lexa to keep her mouth shut, because I hated Kaitlynn Nottingham with a burning passion. And quite frankly, I'm glad she's gone.

Now, I can't say very much about the ending, but it's absolutely stellar! You guys have to read this book, even if only for the ending. But the rest, I say, was pretty good too, because Pure Sin receives five stars!

Review: Sweet Deceit by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
To the grave...

Ariana Osgood has been tapped for Stone and Grave, Atherton-Pryce Hall's most exclusive secret society. But so has her arch-nemesis, Kaitlynn. They go head-to-head during Hell Week, but Ariana has worked too hard for her luxe life at APH to give it up without a fight. When the competition turns deadly, only one girl will walk away from it alive...

Wow! Kate Brian bounced back with an amazing novel after the good but not great Perfect Mistake. In fact, it was so good that right after finishing my review for Perfect Mistake, I grabbed Sweet Deceit and pretty much tore through the pages.

First off, I know I've said this in pretty much every review of the Privilege series, but Ariana's character is only getting better and better. In this one, she's depicted as heroic, strong, independent, resilient, and hardworking. And that's the kind of main character I like to see. Of course, all I'm going to say about the suspense in this book is that her murderous tendencies are back in Sweet Deceit...getting you excited, aren't I? Yeah, so even though she's a murderer (twice!) in this book, I'm still getting more and more convinced by this perfectly executed series that Ariana is actually a great main character.

Now, the action in Sweet Deceit was enough to rival any book from the Private series. There isn't so much pressure from Kaitlynn in this book, but that portion is more than made up for by the other conflicts that Ariana has. Just like any normal girl (ha!) she's got a desire to be the best, wants a boyfriend badly...and not so much like other girls, will do anything, including murder, to get what she wants. Yeah, I know that pisses most people off. Trust me--at first, when I started the Privilege series, I was hating myself for even thinking about picking up a book about a crazy murduress who goes around slaughtering people on a whim. But then I really got into the books, and into Ariana's steadily developing character, and I realized I had made the right choice. Yep, I can always count on Kate Brian. And you, my lovely, devoted followers, can as well, because all of her books have either received five stars or four stars (well, the books that I've read, anyway) on The Wordy Wench. Quite an achievement, no?

Now, I don't want to slip up, but this little tidbit that is sure to get devoted followers of the Privilege and Private series both very hyped up is on the tip of my tongue--well, on the tip of my typing fingers, actually--so I'll just go ahead and blurt it out. One of my fave Private characters makes a reappearance in this book! Gasp! Although, I don't quite like what tragedy befalls her. I was actually about to cry when I realized that this innocent character, while drunk out of her mind, is teetering on the edge of pissing fate off. Like, seriously.

Anyhow, now that I've got y'all salivating, let me bring up another good point I've noticed. In the summaries for the Privilege books, the word choice is kinda vague, as if they don't really want you to know what you're in for when you start the book. Sometimes, that's a good thing, and sometimes...not so much. So if summaries leave you hanging and confused rather than excited and ready for a page-turning marathon, reading my reviews would probably be a good idea. They pretty much go in-depth, as far as analyzing and critiquing the plot and characters go. So make sure you stick around for my two cents after you read the italicized summary above.

I can't wait for the next book in the Privilege series! Hopefully, it's just as good as Sweet Deceit--which, by the way, receives a very well-deserved five stars!

Review: Perfect Mistake by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Make new friends and kill the old...

Ariana Osgood has everything she's ever wanted. A place at elite Atherton-Pryce boarding school. Fabulous friends. A new crush. And most important, a new identity. Now that she's officially become Briana Leigh Covington, Ariana's troubled past is dead and buried.

Or is it?

When the one person who knows her secret arrives on campus, Ariana decides it's time to say goodbye to her ex-best friend--forever.

Hmm...a so-so book after Beautiful Disaster. I mean, it was still great. And the drama at the end was fantastic--in fact, it was heartwrenchingly sad. Anyhow, let's start off with the positive comments I have about Perfect Mistake.

I have to say, Ariana's character, just like in Beautiful Disaster, really grew on me in this one. She's got pressure building on her because of a few bad choices she made (like murder--ha!), and I feel the urge for her to come out victorious in the end. In no way am I saying that her choice to murder several people was justified. But I am solidifying my belief in the fact that she's a much better, well-crafted character. If someone hadn't read the previous books, they'd almost think Ariana wasn't a psychotic bitch who'd just escaped from prison. Note, I said almost. Because, as all bad things go, there are consequences. And boy, is Ariana facing some of those big time.

Now, the plot was excellent as well. Like in the other Privilege books, Ariana's got a long string of conflicts she has to solve, or there will be serious repercussions. One of these things is her major crush on her best friend, Lexa's, boyfriend, Palmer. He's obviously in love with her, and they're going to the NoBash, a huge festival thrown by the school, together. But how can Ariana blatantly come out and say that she's hookin' up with Palmer now that Lexa just got dumped by him? Her other, way bigger problem is Kaitlynn Nottingham, the girl who Ariana thought was her best friend but really turned out to be a sniveling, conniving, lying, murderous bitch. (Not so different from Ariana herself, actually. Except for the fact that she'll go around murdering people to get into a secret society. Ariana won't sink that low.) Kaitlynn, Ariana, and a few other girls, including some of Ariana's friends, are being initiated into Stone and Grave, one of the secret societies at Atherton-Pryce. But only four spots are open, and five girls are being considered. Kaitlynn has told Ariana that the clock is ticking, and she better eliminate some competition--no matter how she does it. Normally, Ariana wouldn't take shit from anyone--but unfortunately, Kaitlynn knows about Ariana faking to be Briana Leigh Covington. Kaitlynn knows all about how Ariana murdered the real Briana Leigh. And if Kaitlynn speaks up, she'll be back in her mental facility before she can land Lexa's boyfriend in bed.

So yeah, that was kind of a long paragraph. But my point is, she's got a lot of pressure. She has several things to get done, one of which is life-threatening, the other which is so confusing she doesn't even know what to make of it. All that Ariana knows is that she has to get into Stone and Grave, Kaitlynn has to keep her mouth shut, and Palmer has to be her boyfriend. Because if she doesn't get what she wanted--a life of Privilege--there was no point escaping from the facility. Ariana's gone to enough trouble to hide her tracks--she doesn't  need a crappy life after that to screw it all up. Because of all this, I think I'm starting to like Ariana a lot more. She's not so casual about murder anymore and actually revolts when Kaitlynn suggests offing one of her friends to get into the secret society. Ariana has gotten more independent, even stronger and more resilient, as a character.

Now, onto the problems I had with this book! I wasn't a huge fan of the slow pace throughout the whole book and then the major drama at the end. Even though the ending was great, and the suspense had been planted, I wasn't feeling the scary vibe throughout the whole book. That could definitely be worked on, Ms. Brian.

But other than that, Perfect Mistake is fantastic! It's got a well-sculpted main character, an intense plot, lots of conflict, and a whole new glamorous setting that is so different from Private yet just as entertaining. Congratulations to Perfect Mistake on receiving a decent four stars!

Review: Beautiful Disaster by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

She's back...

After wasting away in a mental institution for a year and a half, Ariana Osgood is finally back where she belongs. She has a new look, a new name, and a new life--all thanks to her former friend Briana Leigh Covington.

Now enrolled as a junior at the exclusive Atherton-Pryce boarding school just outside of D.C., Ariana sleeps in Frette sheets, flirts with the captain of the crew team, and gossips with the most beautiful girls on campus. She killed to get back her life of privilege. Just how far will she go to keep it?

I'm on a roll today! 1/3 of the Privilege series finished already in one day, especially considering that they're slightly longer than the Private series, is an accomplishment. And it pretty much shows how much I love the Privilege series.

Ariana is back, bitchier and crazier than ever with a shitload of problems. Kaitlynn Nottingham, the girl who knows about Ariana murdering Briana Leigh and who Ariana helped to rescue from prison, is demanding a million bucks so she can have the life of her dream. Ariana has no other way than to commit petty theft, stealing Rolex watches and money earned from a fundraiser that was actually supposed to go to charity. Plus, Lexa Greene, the most popular girl on campus, is dating Palmer Liriano, the hot captain of the team which Ariana is on, and Ariana doesn't like it at all. The very hot Palmer is so obviously attracted to her...but he's with Lexa, so he can't very well show his admiration for her, can he? All that Ariana knows is that she has to keep Kaitlynn's mouth shut and land Lexa's boyfriend for herself...no matter how she goes about to do so.

Love Ariana's character in this one! She doesn't even seem that psychotic. I mean, in Privilege, she was obviously still having problems. But in this one, she seems less like a cold-blooded killer and screwup than a glamorous, popular girl at her new boarding school. I know that murdering people isn't exactly glamorous or popular, but Ariana seems almost normal. Except for her panic attacks and unsuccessful breathing strategies that pop up when she's fearful of something. I could actually relate to her a little bit--she just wants a real life. And even though she might not deserve it, she's doing everything in her power to get it.

Plus, the other characters in Beautiful Disaster are also great. Palmer is so sexy that I'm already swooning for this fictional character. He represents everything that a good guy should--moral values, enthusiasm for his tasks, sweet and loving toward his girlfriend, and easily demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities. Lexa, while holding back everything that Ariana wants, is the sweetest character in this book. She cares for Ariana and her other friends and is devastated when Palmer suspects her of cheating near the end of the book. Soomie, Maria, and Brigit are also great, each of them Ariana's new popular friends. They have their distinct personalities and really are trying to be good friends to Ariana. And last but not least is Tahira, the "tacky" chick who hates Ariana. She's got spunk, I have to say, and while her personality may not be loveable, it defines her well as a character.

Aside from characters, the plot was excellent! Ariana wants--no, needs--this new life, but the twists that pop up along the way are hindering her from reaching her goal. She has so many conflicts, and I'm not saying they're undeserved--she deserves crap from other people for all the murders she's committed and the innocent people she's hurt--but conflicts always spice up a book and make the reader root for the main character. While I didn't want Ariana to be free and killing people left and right, I really was wondering if she had changed and deserved a wealthy, glamorous, fun life. Kate Brian has a way of twisting characters, molding them as horrible at first and then slowly opening up their inner stories.

Fantastic book, overall. I've got the rest of the series as well, ready to be read and reviewed, and I'll be starting the next one as soon as I finish this review. BTW, Beautiful Disaster lands five stars!

Future YA Books on Mondays: #3

As you all know, I try to make our dreary Mondays a bit brighter by showcasing a fantastic new YA book that will be coming out in 2013. Stay tuned, y'all, because you'll be wanting to add today's hot new novel to your to-read list--which is...

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer!


Scarlet is the sequel to the ever-popular Cinder, which was Marissa Meyer's debut novel. Here's a quick summary, straight from Goodreads:

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Now, onto some exciting stats! I was checking out Scarlet on Goodreads, and what I found is a very positive response from readers. For a book that's not even published yet, it's earned 4.52 out of 5 stars! As of this moment, 251 people have rated it, and 194 have added reviws. It is expected to be published on February 5th, 2013--so a week or so before Valentine's Day, make sure you hit the bookstore to grab the hot new sequel to Cinder.

Onto our about the author section...Marissa Meyer's debut novel was Cinder, published on January 3rd, 2012. She lives in Tacoma, Washington and is engaged. She loves road trips, wine tasting, and hunting for antiques. Her official website, where you can check out the latest news on both Cinder and Scarlet, is marissameyer.com, where she has a great blog for you guys to look at after perusing what's up with her two books.

Now, after reading all that, you better be excited. And if you have no clue what the summary is about, I suggest you try her first ah-mazing novel, Cinder. Thanks for reading, guys, and make sure you've got Scarlet on your to-read list!

Review: Privilege by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Most girls would die for a life of privilege...some would even kill for it.

Ariana Osgood ruled exclusive Easton Academy--until she was arrested for murdering Thomas Pearson. She's spent the past two years at the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for Women plotting her escape and is determined to get a second chance at the glamorous life she left behind. And Ariana will do anything to get her way...

From the author of the bestselling PRIVATE novels comes a new series about the dark world of wealth, secrets, and PRIVILEGE.

Wow! I was psyched to be starting a new series by Kate Brian after finishing the last book in the Private series, and I got excellent results from this book.

Now, I wasn't really sure how much I would like a story written from the perspective of a crazy, psychotic bitch who goes around murdering innocent people and hates my fave book character, Reed, with a burning passion. I was willing to give the Privilege series a chance, but I didn't think I'd find it as enjoyable as Private. I was wrong! Ariana is a very complex character, and she definitely deserves to be locked up for her weird way of easily committing murder. But the way she's written about gives the story behind this Reed-hating murderer a new twist...

In Privilege, Ariana's been locked up in a crappy prison cell with her new best friend, Kaitlynn, for almost two years. But she has a plan to break out, and she goes ahead and puts it into action by pretending to commit suicide and then escaping the facility, wiping the permanent smirk off her asshole of a psychologist's face. Once she's out, she has Kaitlynn's stories of the girl's old life to help her in the world. Apparently, Kaitlynn once had a friend named Briana Leigh, who was also friends with Emma Walsh--another mutual acquaintance of both Briana Leigh and Kaitlynn. Then, according to Kaitlynn's story, Briana Leigh wanted her father's money, so she offed the old croaker and landed Kaitlynn in prison by framing her best friend. Ariana believes her friend's story wholeheartedly and uses it to her complete advantage once she gets out. She walks up to Briana Leigh, pretends to be Emma Walsh, and lives with the snotty BL in her huge mansion. All she really wants is the girl's money and a chance to have a new life. But when Ariana's so-called suicide is being questioined by the authorities, and when Briana turns out to be a real bitch, Ariana knows the easiest way to get her every wish granted is to murder the girl...

 I have to say, I'm really impressed by this new series. Somehow, Ariana's casual approach to murder doesn't seem so...crazy anymore. It's almost as if I can understand why she's murdering people left and right to get he way. I mean, if I was in the same position as Ariana, I'd probably try to get BL's money, and while I wouldn't murder her, I'd do anything to land myself a future. And somehow, even though Ariana uses the most awful, gruesome way to do it, I admire her independence and resilience. Girl's got a plan for life, and she's not about to let living in a stupid prison cell and another polka-dot-wearing bitch hinder her.

However, the twist that I get near the ending makes me hate Ariana all over again. I won't give too much away, but all I can say is: Ariana miscalculated Briana Leigh's bitchiness, and it seems that the girl is dead for no good reason...shocking, right? I couldn't stop turning the pages throughout the whole book, but when I got to this part, I was reading at double my normal speed. My heart rate was up, and I was definitely hooked onto the suspense and mystery.


Now, I know y'all might be thinking that Privilege doesn't have half the drama, glamour, suspense, and mystery as Private does. And on some level, you may be right. But the way Privilege satisfies my craving for books is totally different than the way Private does. Both ways, though, the Privilege series is off to a great start, landing five stars!

Review: Vengeance by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

So hard to say goodbye...

Ever since arriving at Easton Academy, Reed Brennan has endured the worst: the death of her boyfriend, the destruction of Billings House, and threats on her own life. But she has also found true love in Josh Hollis, and sisters in the Billings Girls. Billings has meant everything to Reed--it's been her home away from home, and she is devastated that it's now just a heap of rubble on the Easton campus. But not for long.

Noelle and Reed are rebuilding Billings.

Not everyone wants Billings resurrected, and some will go to deadly lengths to stop it. Will Reed get the happy ending she and her friends so desperately need? Or will tragedy strike again?

I can't believe it. Honest to God, I really, truly can't believe it. Private is over. It's over! No more crying with Reed over Josh's hatred for Billings, no more rolling my eyes at Noelle's kickass comments, no more turning the pages knowing that thrilling mysterious, drama, and glamour will satisfy my every craving. It's...gone. Oh my God! It's definitely gone. Now what am I gonna do?

I want to cry, but let's be positive. 'Cause Vengeance was an awesome book, and for all of you are who are eagerly awaiting my review of the awesome conclusion to the bestselling Private series, listen up. I have to say, even with the amazing drama and suspense in Vengeance, I think this was the coziest, best feel-good book in the series. I was all warm and glowy and sappy inside after turning the last page, and I gotta admit, those are three words I never thought I'd be associating with the Private series. The satisfying ending was sweet, victorious for Reed, and a little bit sad all in one.

Now, the shock that I got in this one was fantastic! Okay, so Reed's rebuilding Billings, but someone out there wants to stop her. However, a mystery texter is assisting her. For example, at the awards banquet, someone was trying to kidnap her. But she'd received a message earlier saying not to go to the awards banquet, and it's creeping her out: who knows all this stuff? So when she asks the mystery texter to meet with her, he leads her to the house of the girl she thought died long ago. But what she finds inside scared the hell out of me...

Wow, wow, wow! Old characters were re-introduced, the plot was deliciously complex and twisted, and the stakes were raised as more people try to murder Reed even though she's a kickass main character who just deserves a freaking happy ending which she finally did get in Vengeance. Whoa. That was a super-long sentence, but I think y'all get my point. Vengeance had a bunch of drama, and even though it did, the ending was bittersweet, with all the graduating people leaving Easton, including Josh, but Reed finally getting the happiness she's deserved all along.

Now, onto the characters! I've talked enough about the superb plot, but I haven't really mentioned the characters at all so far. Reed, as always, was spectacular. She made some great choices by rebuilding Billings, and some not-so-great ones, like visiting the mystery texter, but in the end, she came out triumphant. I could feel her every emotion and thought like it was my own through this book, like I always have been able to. But in Vengeance, her relatability as a character was spectacular. I felt like Reed's been my best friend for life. Aside from Reed, Josh was an awesome character. Ever-supportive of Reed, he cared about his girlfriend and knew to 'fess up when Reed was worried about him. And then Noelle, Kiran, and Taylor. The true Billings Girls, the gals who've loved Reed like a sister and have been there throughout the whole series. Amazing, guys, really. These girls are popular, confident, intelligent, and beautiful. And while they don't let anyone forget that for a minute, they really do care for Reed. So I love the concept of friendship and sisterhood in this one.

Congratulations, y'all. Vengeance has received five stars--but y'all knew it would anyway. But most importantly, congratulations on undertaking Reed's perspective for about sixteen books. Congratulations on rooting for this gal right along with me. Congratulations on admiring this author's amazing writing! Seriously, I commend Kate Brian. And I'm actually about to go stalk her on the official Private website, which is privatenovels.com. I can't wait for the Privilege series, and I'm desperately hoping that this spinoff series featuring the psychotic Ariana is just as good as Private. Until next time, guys!

Review: Ominous by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

The beginning of the end...

After they discovered a shocking secret about the original Billings Girls, Reed Brennan and Noelle Lange's world was turned upside down. But it's nothing compared to what happens next.

One by one, Billings Girls go missing from campus.

The entire community bands together to find the lost girls, hoping they're still alive. Reed can't believe tragedy has struck Easton again, and she begins to wonder if the Billings Girls are cursed. But when the first body shows up containing a message just for her, she fears her friends are worse than cursed: they're doomed.

Wow! What a perfect continuation of the stuff I learned in The Book of Spells. I have to say, Ominous was kind of a shock after all this historical speak and lovely new characters I came across, but no worries. It was shocking in a fantastic way.

So Reed and Noelle have discovered that they have the ability to become witches, and several of their friends actually are witches. Until, that is, Reed starts having horrible dreams. In one, Cheyenne kidnaps Astrid. In another, Sabine murders Lorna. In the third, the disaster falls straight into Missy's lap, and she's gone missing. Reed just thinks of them as nightmares at first, until it all starts to come true. One by one, Astrid, Lorna, and Missy are gone. And no one knows what's going on, until Reed comes across a crazy group of Billings alumnae...

Now, I can't say very much, or that would ruin the whole book, don't you think? But what I will say is, the part right before the ending is terrifying and shocking all at the same time. And then the BAM! that the book ends with is so sad that I can barely believe it happened. And it's very vital to the characters and plot, trust me. Am I driving you crazy with all the suspense? I hope so--you need to pick up Ominous if you've read everything in the series before it. It's definitely worth the read.

Another thing I really liked in Ominous was Josh. He really is a wonderful boyfriend to Reed, caring about her, never leaving her side, undergoing all these crazy missions and quests and digging up soil just for the girl he loves. And I found that so, so sweet! I might not have been a huge fan of Reed's boyfriend in previous books in the Private series, but in Ominous, he's fantastic--sweet, caring, loving, understanding, intelligent, and confident. He's got what it takes to be Reed's boyfriend, and I admire that.

I've gotta say that the suspense and drama in this book was unbearable. I know I say that about every single Private book I read, but in this one, the stakes are really upped. So many twists are thrown in that I don't even know what to say! I'm rendered speechless by Ominous.

Oh my God! This is the second to last book in the Private series! I'm so sad. I've got the Privilege series lined up, though, so I'll still be reading more of Kate Brian in the future. But I can't believe I'm gonna have to say goodbye to Reed in my next review! No-o-o-o! Even the greatness of this book can't soothe my sadness. Even though Ominous gets five stars, I'm still super sad about the series's ending sneaking up on me so quickly!

Review: The Book of Spells by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

The year is 1915 when sixteen-year-old Eliza Williams arrives at the Billings School for Girls in Easton, Connecticut. Her parents expect her to learn the qualities of a graceful, dutiful wife. But Eliza and her housemates have a dangerous secret: they're witches.

After finding a dusty, leather-bound spell book, the Billings Girls form a secret coven. Bonded in sisterhood, they cast spells--cursing their headmistress with laryngitis, brewing potions to bolster their courage before dances, and conjuring beautiful dresses out of rags.

The girls taste freedom and power for the first time, but what starts out as innocent fun turns sinister when one of the spells has an unexpected--and deadly--consequence. Magic could bring Eliza everything she's ever wanted...but it could also destroy everything she holds dear.

What a thrilling, mysterious, gripping prequel to the Private series! I was riveted throughout the whole book and honestly couldn't stop turning the pages. First off, the thing that surprised me most was the zero knowledge of the Private series you need to have in order to understand this book--and that's a good thing. So, for you people who have been following my reviews but aren't really reading the books along with 'em, then this book is for you. A magical, enchanting novel that doesn't depend on the rest of the books in the series to make sense.

I respected and admired Eliza Williams as much as I do Reed Brennan. She is a strong, brave protagonist who knows very clearly what she wants. She is passionate about life in general, and while she cannot be described as rebellious, she is not content with living under society's strict norms. I love how she makes her friends, holds her relationships dear, and does what she wants. She understands the importance of truths and kindness, but she's not limited by virtues. She has her flaws, but they're what make her special. Eliza is an independent girl, which is what makes or breaks a protagonist. And this main character is amazing.

Each character in this book was amazing, really. Theresa Billings, the girl whose father owns Billings, is rigid, mean, and sarcastic at the beginning. But when Eliza truly gets to know her and actually befriends her because of the deadly spell that took place in the deep of the woods one night, it turns out Theresa really does have a heart. And since Eliza is majorly crushing on Theresa's betrothed, Harrison, their friendship is almost impossible, but it does happen. And that's what makes Kate Brian an author of amazing miracles, as far as friendship, sisterhood, mysterious, and glamour go.

I have to say, the plot in this one was very complex and enjoyable. I never even thought of associating the Private series with witchcraft, but now it seems like it fits right in. After all, Billings is such an elegant, glamorous, mysterious, dramatic place that anything can happen in that dorm. Especially when that anything goes way back in Billings history. Now I understand the true mystery associated with Reed's Billings's Literary Society book. The only question that remains is, who exactly gave Reed the book? I really hope the question is answered in the series, because I am looking forward to hearing about it.

Anyway, now I'm just rambling. Y'all have probably realized how much I love The Book of Spells and how much you will too, and you also have probably realized that it fits right in with the series because of Reed's newfounded Billings Literary Society. Make sure you check out the rest of my Private and Privilege reviews, guys, because The Book of Spells gets five stars!

Review: Vanished by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Lost and found...

Against all odds, Reed Brennan re-established Billings as an underground literary society. She and the new initiates created a glamorous secret headquarters and were ready to show Easton Academy that even though Billings House is gone, the Billings Girls are stronger than ever. But before Reed had a chance to revel in her success, something horrible happened:

Noelle disappeared.

Now Reed has no idea who wants to hurt Noelle or why, but it's up to Reed to save her. As the clues build up, the clock ticks down, and Reed fears that unless she finds Noelle soon, she'll lose her friend forever...

Oh, the drama, the drama! God, I feel like I'm actually in a soap opera, jus reading this. Except the majestic Italian show revolves around the lives of overprivileged (except for Reed) teenagers.

Now, the kidnappers have been texting Reed all along. She must do these ridiculous tasks in order to get her friend back, and when she receives a video from Noelle that shows her with a gash across her face and pleading for Reed to do whatever they ask of her to do so, Reed knows that she has to. She has to save Noelle's life, after all, and what could be more important than the girl who's stuck by her side for years?

So Reed goes out and does all the stupid tasks. Shoplift, piss off the headmaster, break up with the love of her life, the cutie Josh Hollis, in public, and finally, walk seven miles to find Noelle in a shed. She does this all, for her friend, and my heart breaks. Reed is so strong, so brave, so courageous. She risks her own life, her own health, her own love, her own reputation, to find her friend and save Noelle. Reed does everything in her power to do so, and I was about to cry at these torturous tasks. I know who the kidnapper is now, but throughout the book, I was thinking: Geez! Why would anyone want to hurt Reed like this so badly? And yet Reed does it. Even though Noelle's called her glass-licker, even though Noelle's been stomping on her pretty face ever since Reed was initiated into Billings. But she's out to save Noelle because of the girl's positive side, because of Noelle's personality. Noelle's accepted Reed wholeheartedly, and now it's Reed's turn to give back to her friend.

I think I've ranted enough about the plot, so moving on. Josh was SO cute in this one! Reed has excellent taste in boyfriends, if I do say so myself. When Reed received the first message from the kidnappers, Josh read it, and he vowed to stay by her side for the whole ordeal ever since. I mean, what kind of boyfriend would do that? The immature ones we have to deal with at our schools would probably run away, white as a ghost, and never look back again. Josh is sweet, strong, and though he has his flaws, he's perfect for Reed because he takes care of her so well and makes her such an independent person while making sure that she has plenty of time to kiss him too. What a great guy, honestly.

Kate Brian has really outdone herself in this novel. The plot is superb, with so many twists that you couldn't straighten it out with a Chi flat iron. She's got depth in her characters, the element of unpredictability in her plot, and a world as a whole that draws me in so well I don't want to let go. I know I've mentioned this before, but the plot was excellent. The tasks were outrageous, the ending was hugely revealing and yet kind of pissed me off as well, and...I loved it. What can I say? I loved every minute of this book...

And if you know what's good for you, you will too. Anyhow, congratulations to Vanished, which gets a fantastic five stars! Make sure to check out the rest of my reviews of the Private series. And after the Private series, I'll be reading the Privilege series, which is a spinoff of Private. So yeah--look out for the rest of my reviews.

Review: Scandal by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Brave new world...

After her terrifying Caribbean vacation, Reed can't wait to get back to campus and resume her normal life of classes, shopping trips with the Billings Girls, and late-night gossip sessions. But when she arrives at Easton, she gets the shock of a lifetime.

Billings House is gone.

The administration has razed the scandal-rocked dorm and separated the Billings Girls. Outraged, Reed takes immediate action, turning Billings into a secret literary society--with a whole new set of rules. Eleven spots are open to any girl strong enough to endure initiation. Every girl on campus wants in, and it's up to Reed to pick the best and the brightest. And only the strongest will survive...

Oh, wow. Oh my God--this was so unbelievably AMAZING! I love the Private novels so, so much. And this one was definitely no exception to my absolute and undivided, unadulterated, sheer admiration for this wonderful series.

My heart ached for Reed in this book, but for so many different reasons. First of all, her house has been taken away from her. The haven where she worked so hard to get into is gone, destroyed, wrecked, all because of a new headmaster, Mr. Hathaway, who's son, Sawyer, is definitely hitting on Reed. The emptiness she felt in her heart at the sight of Billings being bulldozed down definitely reverberated in my mind. I felt her pain, understood her reaction. And that's the best part, when you can have a pity party with the main character because you understand her so well. Kate Brian has once again gone and created a fabulously relatable perspective of Reed Brennan, our awesome girl here.

But, wait. I haven't finished. I also felt super-sad for her when she thought about Josh all the time. I know I said before that she was better off without him, but I was so wrong. Now that he's dating Ivy Slade, Reed's friend next door, it's even more awkward, and Reed wants him back so badly it's breaking my own heart. And I'll give you a little spoiler here, so if you don't want me to spoil Reed's love life, don't look at this next sentence: Josh--gasp!--actually breaks up with Ivy and kisses Reed so tenderly, so reverently, so lovingly, that I actually had a tear or two in my eye.

God, I love the idea of Reed falling in love. She's such a strong protagonist that she deserves an adorable, sturdy, amazing boy like Josh. She's needed him, she's wanted him, and he's come to her rescue. In fact, Josh is so cute that I don't even care about Upton anymore. And if y'all don't know who Upton is, check out my previous review. Or better yet--read the previous book in the Private series.

But then I'm rooting for her all the way when she gets this book on her bed and decides to found the Billings Literary Society. She has to break the hearts of her friends, severe connections, and go against every rule of the new headmaster's to do it, but she does. She truly reunites the Billings Girls at the heart of what belongs in every exclusive socialite--the concept of sisterhood, of friendship, of togetherness. And that's what's got me cheering for Reed Brennan all the way. Because she knows what's right, she knows what's wrong, and even though she makes mistakes, she does something so spectacular, so in-character, so true to herself and yet helpful to others that I wish she was my best friend all over again.

However, that's not the best part of this fantastically dramatic book. In the end, they're having a little Billings Literary Society meeting in the chapel, with food and casualties and banter, until...everything goes awry. And what exactly goes awry, I will not tell you, my faithful blog followers. You must read Scandal to find out! And make sure you do check out this fab book, because Scandal gets five stars.

Review: Suspicions by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
Forbidden fruit...

Reed, Noelle, and former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor have been living it up on St. Barths over winter break. The tropical sun has melted away all the tensions of last semester, and for the first time in months, Reed is happy. She's got her best friends by her side, she has a palatial suite with an ocean view, and she's landed Upton, the most sought-after guy on the island.

Reed's falling in love.

But dating Upton makes reed St. Barths'  highest-profile guest--and not in a good way. Upton has a dark past, and he's broken a lot of hearts. One of his exes still wants him. And she'll do whatever it takes to get Reed out of the picture.

Oh my God! After two four-star Private books in a row, I was desperately hoping this one would raise the bar yet once again for this incredibly unputdownable series. And boy, were my prayers answered! Suspicions is one of the most suspenseful, mysterious, dramatic, and intensely glamorous Private novels yet.

Now, the summary's got you introduced to the basics, but Upton and Reed are starting to fall in love, which means Upton is sharing more than just a few secrets with Reed. They ask each other about their first time, the moment that sealed their virginity, and Reed shares her memories of the sweet, precious, reverent time she had spent with Thomas. And it's a perfect confession, until Upton breaks his own news--his first time was an older lady, with an ornate, golden-leaved, sharp necklace that kept cutting his face. And Reed doesn't know who it is, but she doesn't really have a chance to find out because she's kidnapped, by all people, the police! They take her on a boat and drift her away from the island, until she can't see anyone or find her way back, and she's left all alone. For six days, all she does is drink a little bit of water, roam around, and go crazy speaking to herself. Until Upton comes and rescues her...

The drama here was unbearable. I could feel it slowly peaking, peaking, peaking until the story burst--but the best kind of explosion. Secrets came unveiled, dark pasts were shed light upon, and confusing stories finally started to make sense. I know I'm being kind of vague, but I can't give it away, or the book won't be worth reading. But let me tell you, it most definitely is.

First of all, it was great to see all the familiar characters I had met last time, in Paradise Lost, here back again on St. Barths, this lovely tropical island where the Billings Girls are spending their Christmas. Crazy exes, bitter psychos, and a good ol' dose of the faithful sunshine...definitely a recipe for intrigue and mystery. Reed unearths the biggest secret yet in this book simply because of her character, which is what makes her so special as a main character. I would never want to read a book about a lameass protagonist, and Reed is the exact opposite of that. She goes out, finds love on her own, deals after her heart is broken, and narrowly escapes death threats, all the while trying to be a fair and not-shallow Billings Girl. That takes some serious strength and courage, and this girl's got it all.

But...that's not even the best part. By now, I've sorta realized that the Private series has a knack for ending with a bam that makes me want to grab the next book and rip through it like a tornado. But in this one...OMG. I had not seen that one coming from a mile away, and I can tell you, your mouth is going to be hangin' wide open like a donkey when you come across it too. Damn is all I can say.

Now, make sure you read the rest of my Private reviews. Plus, I told you this in my last review, but after the Private series, Kate Brian wrote a spinoff based on the psychotic Ariana's point of view--the Privilege series. And the amazing thing is, I've got that series too! Hooray! Make sure you stick around for those reviews, because the most intense book of the series yet--Suspicions--receives a very well-deserved five stars!

Review: Paradise Lost by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Paradise awaits...

Now that Cheyenne's murdurer has been revealed and Reed knows the truth about who's been stalking her, shse's ready to leave the heartache and turmoil of last semester behind. And what better way to recover than a five-star Caribbean vacation?

Reed is reunited with former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor, and she and her friends take over the exclusive island. They spend their days tanning on white-sand beaches and their nights partying on sixty-foot yachts.

It's heaven on Earth.

But as they raise their champagne flutes to toast their friendship, Reed worries that it's all too good to be true. Because  even in paradise, Billings Girls are never far from trouble--and nothing's more dangerous than the calm before the storm...

Another nice Private book added to my "already-read" list. See, the above summary doesn't say much about this, but the thing is, whichever one of the girls hooks up with Upton, the hottest male species to ever wak this earth who's also staying at the island, first, wins the Upton Game. And that lucky girl will be the envious one out of all of Billings House, because all the ladies are dying to land Upton in bed as well. And this year, it seems like Reed's starting to win this game, just as Upton is winning her heart But along comes Poppy, the girl who's had a crush on Upton forever, and everything goes splat...

I have to say, the suspense and drama in this book wasn't up to par, as far as the usual Private novels go. I would have expected more from this novel, especially since it's set in an exotic location, which gives double the creative freedom to the writer. After all, Kate Brian's already got her characters, and all she needs is a nicely unpredictable, page-turning plot to keep her readers hooked. There wasn't a lot of that in this book, except for the drama with Poppy and then the amazingly terrifying ending. That ending was definitely unexpected, but it was a nice twist to the plot. Especially since the rest of the book didn't have too much suspense.

Now, onto the characters! The new characters that are introduced in Paradise Lost are awesome. Upton is so cute--obviously, he's a major player, but he really makes Reed seem like she cares. And I love any guy who makes my favorite book-character-gal feel amazing. Even though a real clear picture of him has been described, I still think he's uber-hot. And definitely perfect for Reed, who needs to heal after having her heart snapped jaggedly in half twice. You go, girl! Time for you to grab another guy and move. On.

And then, all these characters such as Poppy, Paige, and Daniel, two of whom have already been introduced in Last Christmas. So when Paige and Daniel's mother started hating on Reed, it all made sense--'cause he was dating Ariana, Ariana dumped him for Thomas, etc. Y'all should know this if you've been following my reviews. Basically, the in-depth way each character was touched on in Paradise Lost was superb. I felt like even though the plot wasn't too twisty, the characters made up for it.

YES! I finally got the rest of the Private AND the rest of the Privilege series! Oh yeah! I get to read more about Reed's adventures at Easton, and then I get to check out a fantastic new series through the crazy, psychotic mind of Ariana Osgood...could things in my little book-fantasy-world get any better? I think not! Anyway, make sure you check out my reviews of all these books, 'cause Paradise Lost gets four stars!

Review: Last Christmas by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Ariana Osgood has everything an Easton Academy girl could want: straight A's, the perfect boyfriend, and a coveted spot in the exclusive Billings House. But on the first night of Christmas vacation, a blizzard traps her on campus with irresistible bad-boy Thomas Pearson. Alone. Instead of snuggling with her boyfriend next to a cozy fire in Vermont, she's huddling for warmth with Thomas in Ketlar House.

As the snow transforms Easton into a winter wonderland, Ariana finds herself falling for Thomas. But someone is watching their clandestine romance unfold, someone intent on turnign their holiday weekend into a nightmare...

Wow! It was refreshing to get a story from Ariana's perspective. Don't get me wrong, Reed's a great main character. But sometimes, the other side of the story is exactly what I need at a certain time, and once again, Kate Brian pulled through for her devoted readers and twisted the plot's developments very nicely--this time, through the eyes of the most innocent Billings girl most people have ever seen...

When Ariana starts to fall for Thomas, while they're kissing, someone has taken a photo. She finds the photo, frightened, and looks in the mirror and sees the pattern of a dark argyle sweater. Immediately, the first person who comes to mind is Sergei, the Latvian boy who's always had a thing for her...and she doesn't like it one bit. When Ariana and Thomas go sneaking around in Sergei's room, they find that Sergei's stolen a picture of Ariana blowing a kiss at the camera from her room. He's taking pictures of her left and right--his entire Nikon camera is filled with photographs of Ariana doing one thing after another. And it gets Ariana so creeped out that when Sergei comes into the room, sees her, and runs, she dashes after him.

They get farther into the woods, near a pond. Sergei's not really looking where he's going--the only thing he wants is to be rid of Ariana--but Ariana watches slowly as Sergei tumbles across the ice on the pond, and the ice cracks. He thrashes in the frigid gray water, his fingers turning blue, and Ariana tries to help him up. But then she thinks of the pictures he took of her and Thomas. How dare he intrude their privacy? So she lets go of his arm and pushes him down with all her strength. He's reported dead--an accidental drowning.

But that's not the only murder, guys! There's another one in Last Christmas, one that I'm definitely not about to give away 'cause it's too juicy...but if y'all have been reading the Private series, or at least following my reviews, you know it's related to Thomas.

Anyway, I do have a few complaints. My first one is, Reed always says things like, "Girl has a point." When I read Ariana thinking or saying the exact same thing, it lowers the authenticity level of the characters. And I know, I'm being nitpicky, but I'm so drawn into the series that I want it to be perfect. Each character is a real person to me, and I want to keep it that way--even if it's not necessarily true.

My other complaint is the major hype on the back of this book and everywhere else. Supposedly, it's a shocking developmental twist in the history of the Private series. But I'm done with the book and...it wasn't that big of a shocker after all. Two murders, and Ariana rebelling against her usually shy and innocent personality? Puh-lease. From the moment I read about her, I knew she wasn't the aloof, good girl everyone makes her out to be. This book only amplifies my suspicions, and I wish there really had been some huge scandal that would've had me turning the pages. But this one is a twisted romance--I've already read enough of the Private series to know THAT kind of book was coming sooner or later. However, I did like Last Christmas, and I think it's only fair to say I'm asking for too much.

The best part was the passion between Ariana and Thomas. I mean, she's a crazy, psychotic murderer, but the way she fell in love with Thomas was actually kind of...sweet. It makes her seem human--everyone has their flaws, and while some of them are excusable and some of them are not, like going around killing people, they do have their good side. And Ariana's passionate, loving, caring, brazen side is the side I'm talkin' about. She was outspoken in her love, truly cared for Thomas, fell so deeply into this romance that I was falling in love with Thomas right along with her. So yes, that was amazing. The feelings, the connection, the emotions that run between these two makes it almost--ALMOST--justified to see why she was so crazy.

Anyway, so I'm finally getting the rest of the Private series today, which means I'll have all my reviews posted up here shortly! Yay! And congratulations to Last Christmas, which gets four stars.

Review: Revelation by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
Two months after Cheyenne Martin was found dead in her Billings House dorm room, exclusive Easton Academy is rocked by another stunning revelation: Cheyenne was murdered. No one knows who the killer is, but everyone agrees that Reed Brennan, who took over Cheyenne's role as Billings's presient, gained the most from her death. Once the most powerful girl on campus, Reed is now powerless to stop her classmates' accusing whispers. Rumors begin to swirl that she killed Cheyenne.

And just like that, Reed is kicked out of Billings.

She's lost everything--her friends, her home, her boyfriend--and Reed knows the only way to get it all back is to figure out who really murdered Cheyenne. And she has to do it fast, because the killer is still out there. The more Reed investigates, the more she uncovers. And as any Billings girl knows...secrets can be deadly.

Wow! Wow! Wow! So much drama, so much suspense...God, I'm absolutely in love with this book. With this series, as a matter of fact. For those of you who've been following my reviews, you probably know that already. But Revelation ups the stakes so much more than the other books did, and my heart was pounding when I finished! This book is quite an accomplishment for the author, and I have to say, this review's gonna have almost zero critiquing in it.

Let's start off with the characters. Reed, as always, is a fantastic protagonist who is struggling to make the right choices. But then, BAM! She's kicked out of Billings because of one lustful moment where she made out with Noelle's ex-boyfriend during the Legacy. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, too bad. You should've read the other reviews.) But yet she still holds her head high, displays confidence, and puts her best foot forward. That's the kinda kick-ass main character I've been looking for in other books but rarely found, except for Vampire Academy...which is a totally different subject and I really need to get back to the characters.

Anyway, aside from Reed, Josh, her adorable ex-boyfriend who broke up with her because of what she did with Noelle's ex-boyfriend is now dating the creepy Ivy Slade, who lives right next door to Reed's crappy prison-cell-style room. From what Reed knows, Ivy Slade is the one who killed Cheyenne--she has all these weird pictures in her room of the heads of Noelle, Ariana, and Cheyenne crossed out. What else could that mean? She's a psychotic murderer, that's what. But when Ivy and Reed get talking, it turns out Ivy isn't so deadly after all...

Okay, so I'd been ranting in previous reviews about how much I hated Josh's character. Now that he's gone and dating Ivy, I'm actually really sorry for Reed and just want them to get back together already so that all us romantic saps can dry our tears and put our hands on our hearts. I'm sorry, Reed, for being such a bitch about your boyfriend...ex-boyfriend...guy you still have a crush on...guy who's dating the girl you once thought was your nemesis...guy who did something really sweet for you at the end of the book which I am NOT going to tell.

Anyway, so now the suspects in Cheyenne's murder have lessened. But when Ivy and Reed go hunting together in Amberly Carmichael's room, who's the new freshman that's been chosen to replace Reed at Billings, Ivy accidentally cracks a photo frame in the other side of the room, which leads to what are the clues to the murder and Ivy/Reed's creepy stalker...

Crossing my fingers and hoping I get one of the Private novels that I don't have soon! Keep an eye out for more of my reviews, because Revelation gets a very well-deserved five stars.

Review: Ambition by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

The higher you climb, the farther you have to go to fall...

Reed Brennan knew being elected president of exclusive Billings Hall would change her life. What she didn't count on was being dumped by her boyfriend, Josh Hollis, or being held responsible for a fire that destroyed Easton Academy's oldest building.

And now the administration wants to shut Billings down. Forever.

As president, it's up to Reed to save Billings Hall. What better way to win over the headmaster than to host a glam fundraising event in New York City? Everyone needs a date, and the newly single Reed is the most eligible girl on campus. All of Easton's hottest boys are angling to take her out, and for once, Reed's biggest problem is which one choose.

Reed has never felt so popular or powerful until the police start asking questions about Cheyenne Martin's death. Excited party buzz quickly turns to whispered rumors and dark moods, and one thing becomes clear: There is someone who wants to see Billings, and Reed, go down. And they will do anything to make it happen.

Whoa! For a minute there, I thought the Private series had gone on slight landslide. The past two books haev been rated four stars, after all--something I'd never even considered associating with the Private series. However, Ambition raises the bar yet once again for this incredibly dramatic, glamorous, and bitchy series.

Now, the above summary doesn't tell y'all anything about this, but the night of the Legacy, the exclusive party for which Reed risked everything to get her school into, she hooked up with one of the most popular girls on campus's, Noelle's, boyfriend, Dash McCafferty. Josh, her adorable boyfriend, had just had a fight with her, and she was looking for some consolation. So she turned to Noelle's boyfriend, who at that time she thought was her friend's ex. But when Josh saw them and the evil, creepy girl at Easton, Ivy Slade, caught a video and sent it to everybody the night of the big fundraiser Reed was having to save Billings, it turns out that probably wasn't the smartest idea.

Wow. The drama here is totally major, so full of suspense and so originally creative in only the way the masterful Kate Brian could write it. I swear, if I didn't belong to a religion already, I'd get on my knees and start worshipping this author. I mean, her stories are so kickass--I wonder what she's like! She's got flesh-and-blood characters, complex plotlines, unpredictable twists, and bitchy catfights...all in one stupendous series that I can never put down. Can't get better than that.

Anyway, I've been meaning to get one word in here, the whole time I've been ranting about Kate Brian's awesomeness, which is: if you've been following my reviews, you know that I was totally pissed off that the last book creepily included Ivy Slade, and yet Reed didn't even lift a finger to find out who the hell this girl was. However, I was totally wrong! My apologies, you guys. The thing is, in Ambition, Ivy Slade's true colors are revealed. Her character is developed, she adds to the plotline, and she's part of the major twist in Ambition that Reed even saw coming...

Now, I've finally got the rest of the Private series ready to read and review, except for one book, Suspicion! Yay for the fact that I've collected most of the series. Now, the only thing I  do is get my hands on Suspicion, and we'll be all set. Remember, guys, you might want to check out my reviews of the rest of the series, 'cause Ambition gets five stars!

Review: Legacy by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

After Cheyenne Martin's death, everyone at Easton Academy is struggling to recover from yet another tragedy--especially the girls of Billinsg Hall. With Cheyenne gone, they need to elect a new leader. And who better than Reed Brennan, the ultimate Billings Girl?

As the new Billings Girl president, Reed suddenly has access to power she never imagined. Gossip is reported to her immediately, she has first dibs on everything from dining tables to dorm rooms, and Billings's most powerful alumnae are at her beck and call. So when Easton's students discover they're the only prep school on the East Coast not invited to this year's ultra-exclusive Legacy party, everyone turns to Reed to get them back on the list.

Reed is the most powerful girl at Easton.

She revels in her newfound status, but knows better than anyone that the Billings leaders have a tainted legacy: Ariana was institutionalized, Noelle was expelled, and Cheyenne just died. History has a way of repeating itself at Easton, and now that Reed has everything she's ever wanted, she has everything to lose.

Normally, I don't like to start with negative comments on a book review, but on this one, it's kind of the thing that bugged me while reading the whole book. What happened to the characters, Ms. Brian? They just fell apart! While I wouldn't go so far as to call them two-dimensional, they weren't exactly the flesh-and-blood people I know and love. This is, what? The seventh novel of the Private series? And you choose now to start unraveling these amazingly glamorous, bitchy people? No, no, no!
The biggest complaint I had with the characters was especially on Noelle and Josh. Noelle comes back to Easton in this novel after Cheyenne's death, and she gives up her position as leader to Reed. Now, I can understand a friend doing that--but the way she did it was totally un-Noelle. And then, on top of that, I felt I didn't see enough of her smartass attitude the whole book. What's a Private book worth if it doesn't have a Noelle-ish feel to it?

And then...Josh. The guy Reed's going out with and supposedly loves. Now, it's perfectly normal for a gal to have a crush on another super-hot guy when her boyfriend's a clingy fool. But then why are you still going out with so-mentioned clingy fool? Josh's character didn't bother me in other novels, but in this one, he was getting under my skin. He hates the Billings Girls. We get that. But the way he rubs it in Reed's face, makes her feel like dirt...that was horrible. I don't know if the author did that on purpose, but if she wanted us rooting for Reed's sweet, loving, tender boyfriend, maybe she needs to try again.

And...that's all for the complaints. I'm done with critiquing, now onto telling everyone what I loved about Legacy! Okay, first of all, Reed's position as president is so kickass that I'm a teensy bit jealous. Of a book character. She gets everything, which is awesome! This is what Reed Brennan has deserved all along, and I'm really happy for her because of this new developmental twist in the plot. Plus, while I was ranting above, you may have noticed I did rag on Reed. This is because Reed was a great main character in this novel! She held her own, stood her ground, used her resources, and if she had a little bit of boy trouble, it was totally justified. So you go, girl.

However, if you read my review about the previous book, you'll find out that I was irked by some of the random moments that didn't seem to be resolved. There was a huge one here: a "computer glitch" that's sending Cheyenne's second suicide note, which basically blames Reed, to Reed every single day. Every single hour. Hmm...let's focus on crap about the Legacy and not even bother to explain what the hell this is about to readers, shall we? Argh! That just drove me crazy. I'm so engrossed in the series that I can't help but be a tad angry at the fact that information is kept back from us, as readers. But whatever. I hope she solves it in the next novel.

Now, I've been parroting to y'all that I only have the first half of the Private series ready to read and review at home. While that is true, I've placed requests on the rest of the Private series at the library, so they should be mine soon! Yes! And make sure you come by to check 'em out, because Legacy gets four stars!

Future YA Books on Mondays: #2

Every Monday, for those of you who don't know or don't remember, I bring to you a fantastic new read that'll be coming out in later 2012 or in 2013. These reads are anticipated, hot, and already at the top of the reading lists of many people across the world. Our Future YA Book on Monday today is...

Boundless by Cynthia Hand!



Quick note: This is the third and final book of the Unearthly series, so if you haven't read the first two yet, you might want to pick those up first, as intriguing as this looks...

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Okay, so now you know about the book...but what about the author? Her official website is cynthiahandbooks.com. Unearthly is her debut novel, and she made a huge impact on the YA world by starting out with this series. The next novel in the series, which is also her second published novel, is called Hallowed. She lives in California, and her full-time job is not actually writing but teaching at a university.

Also, on her webpage, you can find one hot tip if you're a fan of the series: Unearthly is being considered by CW Network to be turned into a TV show! Yippee!

Anyway, that's all for today, but stay tuned until next Monday, where I'll have another exciting read for you guys to add to your to-read lists...

Review: Inner Circle by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Reed Brennan arrived at Easton Academy expecting to find an idyllic private school experience--challenging classes, adorably preppy boys, and a chance to create a new life for herself. Instead, she discovered lies, deception, blackmail, and...murder. But, thankfully, the killers were caught and the nightmare is finally over.

The old Billings Girls are gone.

Now, with a new school year ahead of her, Reed steps back on Easton's ivy-covered campus ready to start over. So when the headmaster announces that Billings is forbidden from holding their traditional, secretive initiation, Reed is relieved. She champions the new rules and the six new girls the administration has picked to live in Billings Hall: Constance, Missy, Lorna, Kiki, Astrid, and newcomer Sabine.

But Reed's fellow Billings resident and new nemesis, Cheyenne Martin, believes the changes are a mockery of Billings history. Despite the new rules, Cheyenne vows to keep the old ways alive, no matter what--or who--stands in her way...

Another great installment in the Private series! This time around, Easton is starting with a new year, with all murderers, suspicions, and drama gone. The old headmaster has been replaced by a straitlaced one who will not tolerate any nonsense and doesn't treat the Billings Girl like the privileged, spoiled brats they are. So Cheyenne, the girl who was new last year and is apparently a bitch this year, is none too happy. And therefore, she decides that just because girls are placed in Billings, she doesn't have to treat them like girls who belong to Billings. She's going to go ahead and break every new rule because she. doesn't. like it.

I really did like this novel, but there was one flaw that stood out to me: there are so many unresolved things going on around Reed that she doesn't even take note of. For example, a girl with eyes like Ariana's stares at her. Whoa! If the girl who killed my ex-boyfriend and then tried to kill me on the roof of our dorm stared at me like that, you can bet your ass I'd be over there and shaking her by the shoulders until she spoke. But Reed doesn't do a thing.

Another thing that bothered me was this random character who just popped in, Ivy Slade. Apparently, she's some bad-chick Easton legend, but no backstory's given to me. I don't even know what the heck she's doing in this novel! Reed is terrified of her, and yet she doesn't make a single move to find out what's going on? Yep, totally authentic.

However, the drama, glamor, and suspense were outstanding, as they always are with a Private novel by Kate Brian. The fantastic ending was a real shocker, and I was pleased to find out that the random, stupid moments were compensated for by the ending which totally left me hanging. I won't give anything away, though, because then why would any devoted fan of the Private series want to read the book?

Remember, if you've been following my reviews, you know that I only have a few more books in the Private series available at the moment. I don't have the whole series, so please do not complain or wonder why I'm not posting any more Private reviews after I post the very last review of the last Private book I have, which is Ambition. However, make sure to stick around for the remaining Private reviews, 'cause Inner Circle gets four stars!

Review: Confessions by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Reed Brennan came to superposh Easton Academy to make a brand-new life for herself. At first it seemed as though her dream had come true--she was living in the ultraexclusive Billings Hall, hanging out with the all-powerful Billings Girls, and dating the very hot Thomas Pearson. But Thomas turned out to be different from what she thought...and then he turned up dead. And if that wasn't twisted enough, Reed's new boyfriend, Josh Hollis, was arrested for Thomas's murder.

Now everyone is back to worrying about the regular stuff, like how to sneak to the boys' dorms at night, whether two-ply cashmere is warm enough for fall, and whether to fly to London or Barcelona for Thanksgiving break.

Everyone except for Reed.

Reed is convinced that Josh is innocent, which means the killer is still out there. Now it's up to Reed to uncover the truth. But the deeper she digs, the more secrets she unearths and the closer she gets to the confession that will change everything...if she's alive to hear it.

Omigod (like the Billings Girls would say). I never even saw the twists and turns in this book coming! First of all, I'm so glad she moved off of that sleazy Thomas and onto his adorable roommate, Josh. Score one for Reed! But when the murder weapon is found, Josh's baseball bat, with his fingerprints all over it, Josh is arrested. Reed believes he's innocent, but when she discovers that his roommate at a previous school was murdered and that he takes pills for nearly everything, her sure faith wavers...

There is no way I'm going to give away the killer of Thomas Pearson in this review, because it's just so good that you have to read the book yourself and find out! (Of course, if you haven't read Private, Invitation Only, and Untouchable, you probably don't really care. I suggest you read my reviews of the first three books in the Private series and then come back to this one.) Anyhow, I'll give you all a clue: it's one of the Billings Girls...!

When Reed finds out the truth, the Billings Girl who committed the crime was arrested, and the remaining three are also charged pretty heavily for their part in Thomas's murder. They just thought they'd be teasing him, but it turns out death was the result of their jokes.

This book was really intense and glamorous, just the way I like it. I love seeing how dramatically the high-class live, especially at a boarding school, without any pesky parents to get in the way. Reed was called melodramatic by some reviewers, but I think that's just plain wrong. How would YOU feel if your boyfriend was murdered, and then your new boyfriend was arrested for that murder, and then you found out the truth about your original boyfriend's murder? Mmm-hmm. I thought so.

I also liked how each of the characters were covered in this one. Each of the Billings Girl is dealing with her own problems, but when they come together, the result is drama, mystery, glamor, and of course...death.

I mentioned this before, but if you haven't read the first three books in the series, read my reviews of them first, then read them first, then come to this review and read this book. BTW, I only have the first half of the Private series ready to review, so don't be surprised if I kinda leave you hanging when the eighth book's review leaves you hanging! I'll try to get the rest of the Private series right away, but I only saw the first eight at the library. Anyhow, make sure you take a look at the Private series, because Confessions gets five stars!

Review: Untouchable by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION
Reed's boyfriend, Thomas Pearson--the popular, easygoing, irresistibly handsome and charismatic boy she fell in love with--is dead. No one knows how it happened, and everyone is after the truth. Or are they?

Life at Easton Academy begins to feel very different. Taylor is acting like the poster child for Prozac, Kiran is spiking her cornflakes, Noelle is being kind of...nice, and Ariana keeps floating along as if nothing has happened.

Thanksgiving Break arrives and Reed and Josh find themselves alone on campus. They are forced to confront the feelings they've ben hiding. Those feelings combined with an empty campus result in the hottest hookup Reed could possibly imagine. But when Reed breaks the news about Josh to the Billings Girls, there's no fun game of tell-all. Instead, Josh begins to look like suspect No. 1 in the murder of Thomas Pearson.

The perfect life Reed has constructed as a Billings Girl begins to crumble. And as everyone becomes more convinced of Josh's guilt, Reed's private suspicions lead her somewhere she doesn't want to go.

Wow. I think this was the most intensely thrilling and emotional Private novel I've read so far. Only the third installment in the series and the drama is so upped that I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't read it! And trust me, that's not a bad thing. The stakes are high, the plot complex, and the books addicting.

Now, if you haven't been following my reviews regarding the Private series, you probably don't know what's going on. A brief explanation: Reed Brennan's pill-popping mother is primarily the reason Reed worked her ass off to get a scholarship at the most prestigious boarding school in the country: Easton. And now that she's there, it took her a little bit, but she earned a spot with the most beautiful, popular, and intelligent girls on campus, not to mention landed the hottest boy in school, who she didn't know at the time was a drug-dealer, in bed. Noelle, Ariana, Taylor, and Kiran are the Billings Girls, who rule the school and have accepted Reed into their circle. But if Reed thought things were going to get any easier after becoming friends with the Billings Girls, she was way off...

Anyway, so lately, Reed's drug-dealing boyfriend, Thomas, has been murdered, and Reed's starting to fall for his adorable roommate, Josh. But when she hooks up with him and tells the Billings Girls, it turns out Josh's past--and present--is more shady than anything she could have ever imagined.

I already mentioned it, but Untouchable was the one novel in the Private series that has really stood out to me. I mean, I loved Private and Invitation Only wholeheartedly too. But this one kept me turning the pages even when my eyelids were about to close automatically. There's a LOT of  character development and transitioning in this novel, which is always great, but here, it was fantastic. Each Billings Girl, except maybe Ariana, is undergoing major changes, all of which affect Reed in some way or another. Plus, Reed learns so much that she's starting to become paranoid and doubtful of Easton in general, which definitely raises the stakes.

The glamor, the drama, the suspense, the mystery, the characters, the plotline...is there anything I don't love about this novel?

To all of you who have been faithfully following my Private reviews: I know you're getting tired of this little tidbit that I include at the end, and I'm sorry. But it's kind of necessary for those who are just starting to get into the Private series on my behalf, so here we go:

I have this little basket in my room where I stack all my books from the library. Anyway, so I have about HALF the Private series waiting in my basket. I saw the first half at the library and grabbed 'em, but I don't know how soon I'll be able to get the other half. However, if you think this book sounded great, then you might want to follow the rest of my Private reviews. Oh, and BTW: as if that isn't reason enough, Untouchable receives five stars!