ARC Review: Uninvited (Uninvited #1) by Sophie Jordan

Pub. Date: January 28th, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

384 pages

Hardcover

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

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I was blown away by Sophie Jordan’s most recent novel Foreplay (see my review). For that reason, coming into Uninvited, my expectations were really high. Overall, I truly did like this novel. The characters and the story were interesting and outside the box. But, I had one major issue. I feel Uninvited should have been two separate novels. The novel is split into two parts, which gave me a really disjointed feeling as a reader. Both parts had unique identities, with separate story focuses, separate tones, and almost entirely separate casts of characters. I was enthralled by part one - excited by the story, the pacing, and the intensity of what was going on in the characters lives – and confused by the abrupt shifts when I hit part two.

I was drawn into the story and Davy’s character immediately. We have a pretty everyday girl – albeit one from a well off family – doing everyday things. The all too common in dystopia’s ‘I’m the different/ chosen/ unique/ only one who could possibly complete this task - one’, in no way exists here. Yes Davy has skills, but they’re more everyday skills, like musical ability, that any one of us could legitimately hold.

Review: Witchstruck (The Tudor Witch Trilogy) by Victoria Lamb

Pub. Date: September 24^th, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Paperback

320 pages

I’m a huge Historical Fiction lover, which makes me very aware of how easy it is to be disappointed in the historical side of Historical Fiction. Thankfully, Witchstruck doesn’t disappoint.

Not every sixteen-year old has figured out that thing that makes them special. But, not every sixteen-year old is a descendant from a long line of witches. In Tudor England, there is an inherent distrust in anything different. Being a maid to the supernaturally interested Princess Elizabeth, offers Meg a small amount of protection, but trying to stay faithful to her families’ history, while trying to stay alive, is a constant juggle. When the stakes start getting too high for Meg to handle everything on her own, she has to figure out if she can trust anyone but Elizabeth with her secret, but risks fatal consequences if she puts her trust in the wrong place. 

My favorite part of the novel is the dynamic between polar opposites Meg and Alejandro – a Catholic Priest in training sent to convert Elizabeth by her sister Queen Mary. Both characters are unique, 

Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Pub. Date: September 3^rd, 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Hardcover

368 pages

This review has taken me a very long time to write. First, because I loved this novel so much that I couldn't properly express my love without just being gushy, and second because I’ve tried to remain as spoiler free as possible. Here goes.

If you could go back and change one moment, what would it be? Would you stop the car accident that killed your parents; would you make your best friend go to the doctor when they first started complaining that they weren’t feeling well; would you kiss the person you always wanted to kiss, no matter the consequences? When the ability to travel through time is discovered, the reasoning was full of good intentions – prevent wars, save lives, do good. But four years later, ego and avarice have taken over. What if you were to discover the one moment you needed to change was the moment someone makes one of the greatest scientific discoveries? And what if the only way to stop the discovery, is to kill the discoverer?

Review: Doon (Doon #1) by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Pub. Date: August 20^th, 2013

Publisher: Zondervan

Hardcover

368 pages

I was sincerely excited for this book. I loved the Alice in Wonderland, Princess Bride kind of feel I got from the synopsis. But Doon is more Twilight melodrama, than Alice in Wonderland fantasy world building – which isn’t a bad thing; it just wasn’t what I was expecting. The writing was solid and consistent, but as a reader, I was left looking for more fantasy from this ‘fantasy’.

Discontent with her life at home, Veronica wonders if she’s going crazy when she starts randomly seeing a strange Scottish boy telling her to come to Doon. Jumping at her best friend McKenna’s invitation to spend the summer in Scotland at her recently inherited Aunt Gracie’s home, the girls soon find a set of rings and Gracie’s old diary, telling the story of a hidden land over a bridge called Doon. At the mention of Doon Veronica knows the boy she has been seeing is real, and feels compelled to find Doon and him. McKenna on the other hand is not convinced Doon really exists. Finding and crossing the bridge to Doon is easy compared to getting both of Doon’s Princes, Jamie and Duncan, to believe they are in Doon with good intentions. Prince Jamie – Veronica’s dream boy – is especially hard to convince because he suspects they were sent by Doon’s evil witch to destroy his land. The girls know there’s a reason they found Doon, and they need to figure it out before the witch destroys them all.