Life After Theft Review

Life After Theft
by Aprilynne Pike
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: ARC from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Expected Publication: 04.13.13
Midnight Minute: Your average story of boy starts private school, meets a hot ghost who just happens to have been a kleptomaniac. ;)
From Goodreads:

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

Clash meets sass in this uproarious modern-day retelling of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ This book has been compared to lots of other books, but for me it's like a great cross between The Ghost and the Goth and Deadly Cool.  But it's also a little bit deeper than that, because Kimberlee has some major issues. 
~ I liked that Jeff's family is newly riched, that they actually struggled and made some tough decisions in their lives before finding themselves with the means to send their only child to a private school.  Not every teen mom is a disaster, despite all evidences to the contrary on Mtv.  
~ Jeff is the only one that can see Kimberlee, and I do think there's a good reason for it.  He's very grounded and moral, and she is none of those things.  
~ I was kind of relieved that the big romance is not between Kimberlee and Jeff, because that's been done to death. Go ahead, groan, it's bad pun.
~ Private schools are so awesome!  This one seems a bit larger than I'm used to though, but I guess it gave our five finger discount ghost Kimberlee that many more people to steal from. 
~ Jeff has to read Les Miserables by Victor Hugo for school, which is awesome on two levels- one because it's Les Miz!  And two because it's about a thief who finds redemption. 
~ All the characters had some depth.  Their problems weren't just the typical teen angst of finding a date for prom or passing their mid-terms.  Kimberlee isn't just a thief, she's a kleptomaniac and her compulsions whilst alive are not brushed over.  Also, Sera's past isn't pretty, and Jeff's family isn't exactly Leave it to Beaver's modern day successors. 
~ Mikhail is a cool name, and I like the nickname Khail.  I also really liked his character, and wish there would have been a bit more with him and his secret- which I think is easy to guess- because I think that would have made the book even better. 
~ Jeff's housekeeper is trying to get Jeff's dad healthy so she makes healthy muffins, but asks Jeff to tell his father that they're cupcakes.  I need this lady in my life!
~ I feel like the character of Langdon, who Kimberlee liked, was under used.  I thought he was going to be more of a villain then he was, and felt that he got off too lightly.
~ I like that Sera likes Jeff the way he is, without Kimberlee's makeover, but I also think it's a tiny bit insulting that at first she only seems to be dating him because he's not like her past boyfriends.  But... it also felt realistic. And I think I was just expecting to not like Sera, since there was bad blood between her and Kimberlee, but she definitely grew on me.  Especially since she rescues Jeff.
~ Jeff and the wrestling team were an awesome addition to Jeff's attempts to help Kimberlee. 
~ The Principal of the school is straight out of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, what a snobdouche!   But he added tension and danger to Jeff's mission.
~ I was surprised by just how bad Kimberlee had it in for Sera, but you know, a woman scorned and all that.
~ The only problem I had with the book, and it's a slight one, was that Jeff is agnostic and despite being confronted by a ghost who has unresolved issues on earth, he continues to feel the exact same way throughout the entire book.  I'm not surprised that he's not suddenly going to church, but I was expecting a little more growth there, or to just not have it be a factor at all in the book.  But I get that religion in YA books is pretty untouchable unless you're writing about fallen angels romancing teen girls. 
~ The book is funny!  So funny and so unputdownable that I had to go back and take notes once I finished, because I didn't write many down the first time through. 
~ I was not expecting this book to be this good, but I really, really liked it.  It was unexpected, and even more unexpected, it's a standalone!  God bless you, Ms. Pike!  See, authors, it's totally possible to write a YA Paranormal that doesn't get stretched out over at least 3 books!

Timeless Characters:

Jeff- yes, a main character who is a male! Also, he's normal.  And human.  
Kimberlee- klepto ghost, not very nice, but can be quite funny.
Serafina- pretty much Jeff's dream girl, but Sera (thank God for nicknames!) is not just some bitchy high school cheerleader. 
Mikhail- Khail, Sera's hot wrestler brother, he's got his own reasons to see Kimberlee's ghost put to rest. 
Langdon- he might be one of the view stereotypes in the book, but he plays his role as Cool Rich Kid pretty well.
Halle- Jeff's car.
Jeff's Parents- just know that they are cool.
Sera and Khail's Parents- just know that they are uptight.
 

Midnight Moment:

I was very surprised by what was in Sera's box, and how a certain item got in there. 

Stop The Clock:

Aprilynne Pike does a wonderful job of finding humor without being shallow.  I'm going to give her fairy books a try, which is a big step for me since I pretty much avoid fairy books like the plague.  Which I guess is a bad comparison, since I actively seek out books about the plague... Hmm, I'll just say I normally avoid fairy books like I avoid housework.

  Author Website | Aprilynne Pike

Life After Theft gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Midnight Book Club: Gone Girl

It should come as no surprise that I'm in a book club.  I have a small book addiction. I started my book club on Meet Up back on Feb 19, 2010- almost three years ago!  The Hubs and I had moved to a new town about 6 months prior and other than family, I was lonely.  I had started my book blog, and decided that I would join a book club!  I found out about Meet Up, and realized that I just needed to start my own book club. It's been great, and I've really made a wonderful group of friends through it, but because it costs money to run a group (but not to be a member of a group) we've decided to just switch to Goodreads and continue meeting once a month (twice now that we're adding a dinner and movie get together).  Why continue paying to use a public forum when we already have an awesome book club?  

This will be a monthly feature in which I discuss my book club selections, and since it'll be posted after we meet, there will be spoilers!  DO NOT read further unless you want to be spoiled on plot.  

Our book for January was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Group Take:  Out of 7 of us, we all agreed that the book was total FUBAR!  In fact, if our book club had a word for the book, it would start with F and end with K.  No points if you guessed ForK.  Then ending had most of us upset, and I may have the lone dissenter.  Sandra brought a print out of Gillian Flynn's explanation of the ending- the author likes ambiguous endings. I also read the same interview, and Flynn knows exactly where Amy and Nick are 5, 10 and 15 years down the road, so I'm hoping for a sequel a decade down the line!  We all liked the book, even if we hated both the characters (Nick was weak and an idiot, and Amy was a crazy bitch) and weren't thrilled with the ending.  Most of the gals were quite happy that Amy got duped by rednecks in the Ozarks- I personally hope that Amy tracks them down someday because if anyone knows how to serve a cold dish of revenge it is Amazing Amy.  Lots of jokes flew since one of our members is named Amy, and this made for one of our best book club discussions ever!  The biggest problem we all had was how easy Amy set Desi up, considering he actually wasn't spending all his time with her and we felt that could be weakness in her armor.  All seven of us read the book, which is a minor miracle, and we were all eager to discuss it.  Amy, crazy as she may have been, was impressive, as was Nick's monumental idiocy in all his screw ups!

My Take: This was a re-read for me, and it was even better the second time around!  The first time I read it, I kind of suspected the major twist, but I also was convinced that Nick's dad might have accidentally killed Amy, so it was fun to bring up various theories we'd all had at one point.  I listened to the audio, as had a few others, and we all agreed that it's a great audio listen- well recommended.  The scope of the twists and turns of this book continues to amaze me and I really, really need to make time for Flynn's other books.  I also hope that her next book lives up to some of Gone Girl's fame, which may be hard.  But I don't need it to have a 'gotcha' moment like GG, so I'm not as hard to please as I suspect some readers may be (you know, the ones who only buy books on the top ten list and like their authors to crank out the same story with new character names every few months).  

Verdict:  Gone Girl is the perfect book for book clubs, and it was likened to another favorite read of ours, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.  That's another jaw dropper (actually, it's a bigger jaw dropper) and a book that we discussed just as much as Gone Girl.  

Up next in February: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling!

Am I the only one who thinks the cover looks like some 1970's porn movie cover?

Sundays In Bed With... And Then I Found You

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

 Sorry, Riley! I forgot the flash was on!  Let's try again,

 Emmy with And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

Last night we had book club and we discussed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and basically we were all:

 And we had an awesome discussion, with lots of f-bombs flying, because that is what reading this book does to you.  For reals. 

Also, I'm down with gifs now, so expect more.  I think the right gif makes everything better.  

  What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

Feature and Follow: Reading 'til the Break of Dawn

Increase Blog Followers, gain Book Blog Followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.
The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

 And this week's question is:

Q:  What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

A: A Million Suns (Across the Universe#2) by Beth Revis.  

My friends and I are going to a book signing tonight (Friday) at a Barnes and Noble and Revis was one of the four authors signing, but sadly she had to cancel due to a family issue.  And the reason I found this out was because I stayed up really late Tuesday night finishing A Million Suns (which I had started on audio and then bought on my Kindle so that I wouldn't have to wait any longer!) and then went to tweet Revis about how excited I was to meet her.  Which is when I saw her tweet that she had to cancel.  So I deleted my tweet so that I wouldn't look like a total ass. But my friend Kim and I are driving over an hour to the book signing and we both want to discuss A Million Suns, so I'm really looking forward to that!  And I will be picking up Shades of Earth while I'm there.  Hopefully another chance will come along to meet Beth Revis- I really enjoy her blog and I know that'd we'd be friends in real life if she wasn't all famous and I wasn't a complete nerd.  

 Also, the book signing is allowing me to hang out with Steph and to meet Jessie.  So, yay for book blogger awesomeness!  

Poison Review

Poison
by Bridget Zinn
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: ARC from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Midnight Minute: Young potions master Kyra is determined to save her kingdom, even if it means killing her best friend and future ruler. 
Expected Publication: 03.12.12
From Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ This read a little younger that I expected, but I loved it.  It reminded me of the book Ella Enchanted and makes me think I need to read more fairytale like books.
~ I liked that it takes awhile before we know why Kyra thought she had to murder her best friend.  There were lots of twists and turns, a few I guessed at and a few I didn't see coming. 
~ Fred is charming enough to make the name Fred not seem lame and old man-ish
~ Rosie, the tiny pig Kyra ends up with, is the cutest dang creature in the universe.  The Hubs is not on board with getting a pet pig though. 
~ Kyra is a totally self-sufficient young woman.  She has her own career, makes her own decisions and usually rescues herself.  While there is a little romance in the book, it's not the entire center of Kyra's existence.  She's got a mission and she isn't going to be deterred by a pretty boy. 
~ I loved the medieval fairytale setting of the book.  It was like spending a few days inside a really elaborate Renaissance Faire. And unlike that band from Free Credit Report dot com, I would totally run away and get a job at a traveling faire.  I'm seriously just one bad day at work away from it. 
~ The potions and poisons described in the book were fascinating!  I would have read full chapters on just what was in the Master Trio Potioners house. 
~ I really liked how everything resolved in the end, and I could definitely envision a sequel, but the story works as a standalone too. 
~ The flashback to how Kyra and Ariana became friends was really nice, and it makes you realize what a sacrifice Kyra is making to save the kingdom by destroying her friend.
~ Fred and Kyra are kind of adorable together in a 1940's screwball movie kind of way- Fred's the charming Cary Grant and Kyra's the slightly stuffy Katherine Hepburn.   
~ During the course of the book, one of Kyra's pursuers is Dartagn, a solider who trained her.  I thought Zinn did a good job hinting at their connection, but I really wanted more background on him.
~ Poison has everything- witches, potions, poisons, royalty, magic tracking pigs, thieves, chases, humor, be-ribboned undergarments, lies, adventure and breaking and entering. Basically, all the things I look for in a book. 
~ Arlo has the potential to be a very fascinating character, and I'd love to know more about his band of merry thieves. 
~ This is Bridget Zinn's first book, but I am definitely looking forward to her future novels!

Timeless Characters:

Kyra- founder of the Master Trio Potioners, on the lam for the attempted murder of the princess, who just happens to be her bff. 
Princess Ariana- destined to unleash bad things in the kingdom if Kyra doesn't off her first.
Fred- Kyra meets cute with him and his huge dog Langley, then can't get rid of him.  And trust me, she tries.
Hal- Kyra's ex and one of the Master Trio Potioners
Ned- the one she didn't date and the third member of the Master Trio Potioners.
The Duchess- Ariana's aunt and thorn in Kyra's side.
Arlo Abbaduto- King of Criminals, he and Kyra have a nasty history.
Ellie- hermit neighbor of Kyra's. 
Dartagn- soldier 
 

Midnight Moment:

I really loved the Hansel and Gretel moment Kyra and Fred have in the beginning of their journey!  But my favorite part was what Kyra discovered at the dress shop. 

Stop The Clock:

Cute, charming and fun!  If you like Gail Carson Levine then you'll probably like this too!  I just had a lot of fun reading this one.


Bridget Zinn — Website | Bridget Zinn

Poison gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

 And I actually did stay up late reading this!

Tears in Rain Review

Tears in Rain
by Rosa Montero
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: ARC from Wunderkind in exchange for my honest opinion
Midnight Minute: A intricate sci-fi mystery meets Blade Runner.
From Goodreads:

Death is inevitable. Especially when you have an expiration date.

As a replicant, or “techno-human,” Detective Bruna Husky knows two things: humans bioengineered her to perform dangerous, undesirable tasks; and she has just ten years on the United States of Earth before her body automatically self-destructs. But with “anti-techno” rage on the rise and a rash of premature deaths striking her fellow replicants, she may have even less time than she originally thought.

Investigating the mysterious deaths, Bruna delves into the fractious, violent history shared by humans and replicants, and struggles to engage the society that fails to understand her—yet created her. The deeper she gets, the deadlier her work becomes as she uncovers a vast, terrifying conspiracy bent on changing the very course of the world. But even as the darkness of her reality closes in, Bruna clings fiercely to life.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ The book is partly inspired by the movie Blade Runner, and it is referenced several times in the book, as the techno-humans are often referred to as replicants because of the movie. Of course Bladerunner is based on the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. 
~ The opening Tears in Rain proves why it is never a good idea to answer the door in the middle of the night. 
~ The narration is broken up with computer entries of the history of the replicants (one of the characters is a historian working on the archives), which I thought was a great way to set up the rules of the sci-fi setting and get information to the reader.  I also liked this way of presenting information because I am a nerd and I thought the history of the replicants was really interesting. 
~ It's probably helpful if you've watched Blade Runner prior to reading this book, although it's not completely necessary.  But watch it anyway, because it's a cool movie starring Harrison Ford. 
~ I hope scientists are reading sci-fi books, because it is not a good idea to make artificial life look like humans.  Don't give them emotions.  Just don't!
~ Bruna Husky as a protagonist is bad ass! Shaving her head in order to prevent giving her enemy something to hurt her with?  Brilliant.  Plus her tattoo is cool.  She would scare the crap out of me. 
~ I normally do not read much science fiction, but this book is exactly why I should!  It's easy to see our world on this path- a day where the color of someone's skin might not matter, but someone's species will. 
~ This book also serves as a reminder that reading translations is a good idea.  There are so many good books by authors who don't write in English.  I went through a phase where I read several Japanese authors and then Swedish authors.  I hope to read more translated novels in 2013!  
~ I love the idea that memories are a kind of drug to replicants.  This was not the only book in 2012 that I read that dealt with memories and how important they are to us and how much they make us who we are.  
~  I loved the complicated, intricate relationship between Nopal and Husky.  
~ Bartolo is adorable and my heart ached at how cute he was. He's both cute and pathetic, making you want to both cuddle and strangle him too. I want one!
~ The title of the book comes from a quote in Blade Runner: 

All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

~ I really, really hope there is a sequel!!

Timeless Characters:

Bruna Husky- private detective techno-human.  Will kick your ass.
Cata Cain- Bruna's neighbor, another replicant/techno-human.
Yiannis- human friend of Bruna's, professional archivist.
Roy-Roy- human friend who is a walking billboard.
Myriam Chi- leader of the RRM, replicant, hires Bruna.
Merlin- Bruna's dead lover, seen in flashbacks. 
Pablo Nopal- human, memory writer. 
Paul Lizard- human inspector working the same case as Bruna.
Valo- Chi's lover and head of security.
Habib- Chi's personal assistant. 
Maio- alien that Bruna picks up.
Marari- human with a bionic arm, like Red from Shawshank Redemption, she's the person Bruna goes to when she needs something. 
Bartolo- alien pet. Eats things he shouldn't.

Midnight Moment:

There were so many details in this book that made up midnight moments, but my favorites were anything to do with Pablo Nopal and his connection with Bruna, and Maio's "talent".

Stop The Clock:

For fans of science fiction and dystopian and thrillers! I will definitely be reading more books by Rosa Montero!


Rosa Montero — Website |I think this is her page.

Tears in Rain gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

 ** For you Amazon Prime members, the kindle version of this book can be borrowed for free right now!**

Book Blogger Confessions: Quitting?

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that allows book bloggers to discuss issues unique to what we encounter in the blogging world. Every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month we will post a question and invite you to answer, comment and discuss opinions and different views.

Please keep the dialogue courteous. No bashing!

If you would like to participate in this meme sign up and please feel free to to grab the button to include in your post with a link to For What It's Worth Reviews or at Midnyte Reader.

Question: We've discussed blogging slumps before but have you ever seriously considered throwing in the towel and quitting blogging?  If so, what changed your mind?  Did you discuss it with other bloggers?

Answer: No, I've never honestly considered quitting book blogging.  I haven't been in a reading slump in years (mostly due to all the awesome books I've discovered in the 3 years I've been blogging), but I do find myself in reviewing slumps.  There have been times over the course of my blog that I haven't posted much, but I would say for the last year or so I've been more active.  Going to BEA last year really solidified that this is something I want to do, that this is an online community that I want to be part of. 

I've learned to not be too hard on myself.  Do I wish that I had a big following and boxes of books arriving at my door?  Partly.  But not enough to invest the time and money that it would take to do giveaways and contests and daily posts.  

One reason that I participate in an ARC tour is that it has forced me to review on a schedule, plus it brings books my way that otherwise I'd have to wait to read (and because I don't have endless supplies of money I'd have to go to the library and I'm pretty sure that the Library Police have a wanted poster of me prominently displayed, as I suck at returning books on time). Writing reviews is still a struggle, but I have a review template now and it's making it easier.  I gave up trying to sum up the books and mostly just focused on characters and observations.  I take notes of books I read, and all in all, I find I'm remembering books a lot better. 

I never thought when I started this blog that it would stick.  I've started lots of blogs and never did a thing with them- my blog Movie Hussy, started the same time as Midnight Book Girl, still only has the one post.  I always say that I'd consider quitting if my blog starts feeling like work, but that's not entirely true because blogging is work, but it's work I'm happy to do.  And once I was blogging for over a year, I treated myself to a blog design, which made it all the more real.  Midnight Book Girl is no longer just a blog, it's part of my identity.  So unless I start watching massive amounts of tv and decide books are lame, I just can't see myself quitting book blogging.  

What about you? 

Stacking the Shelves (1)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Stop by Tynga's Reviews to participate!

Books for review:

 Torched by Andrea Lynn Colt- ebook for review by author

Poison by Bridget Zinn- Around the World ARC Tours

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike- Around the World ARC Tours

And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry- Wunderkind PR.

Purchased from Audible (I had a lot of credits and there was a sale): 

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

A Night of Blacker Darkness by Dan Wells

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis

From Amazon (Kindle):

 The Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor #2) by Jill Shalvis

Head Over Heels (Lucky Harbor #3) by Jill Shalvis

So that's my week in books.  Either I'm going to have to take up speed reading or I'm gonna have to live a several hundred years so that I can read all the books I own...

What did you get?

Sever (The Chemical Garden #3) Review

Sever (The Chemical Garden #3)
by Lauren DeStefano
Genre: YA Dystopian
Format: ARC from Around the World ARC Tours, in exchange for my honest review.
Expected Publication: 02.13.13
Midnight Minute: Rhine is reunited with Linden and sister-wife Cecily, more intent than ever to find her brother Rowan.
From Goodreads:

Time is running out for Rhine in this conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden Trilogy.

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ Okay, I love green, but the cover needs a little darkening.  I have to agree that it looks a bit too much like a green screen.  That said, everything on the cover fits nicely with the book, and I like when the cover actually depicts stuff found inside the pages.  Because this is the ARC, it might not be the absolute final cover.  I found this one on Goodreads too, and it's much better:

~ In the beginning Rhine is in the hospital, recovering from all that Vaughn put her through in the last book.  The poor girl deserves a spa day!
~ Cecily, of all the characters, has grown the most through the series, she is by far the most interesting character.  Despite her very young age, she's a great mom and wife, and to Rhine, a great friend.
~ Love Vaughn's mad scientist brother, Reed! Lots of 'r' names in this series though.
~ I forgot how much Rose looked like Rhine... and I kept expecting that to be more than a coincidence, but in the end it was just that.  Or is it? 
~ I've always preferred Linden over Gabriel, but only because Gabriel doesn't do much for me.  Linden is a good man, but he's weak.  For that matter, Gabriel is too weak for Rhine.  I'm glad that the love triangle isn't a major focus of this series, because I wasn't really feeling it. 
~ Rhine stays true to herself throughout the series, determined to reunite with her brother Rowan.  Personally, if I only had a few years to live left, I'd have lived it up at the mansion.  I'd be squeezing out mini-Lindens and sipping cocktails by that amazing pool while my sister-wives braid my hair and cute servant boys feed me chocolates.
~ Several sad things happen, and even though one thing in particular was personally upsetting to me, I thought it fit the characters. 
~ Perhaps I forgot from the other two books, but the term "the chemical garden" and Rhine and Rowan's parents work is explained. 
~ Madame is back!! At first I was like, "NO!", but she adds a lot to the plot.  A lot. There's a few gaspy gasp moments when we find out things that I never even knew to guess at.  Well done, DeStefano, well done!  
~ We FINALLY get to meet Rowan, and he's not the complete douche I've come to believe that he is.  That said, he's still a little douchey.  He acts like he's older by years than Rhine instead of being her twin.  I wish Rhine would have just smacked him a bit and told him what all had happened to her over the past year, but she, for some reason, loses a few IQ points around her bro.
~ Gabriel is missing from the majority of this book, which was fine by me since I maintain that Rhine has better chemistry with almost every other man she encounters (Linden, Vaughn, Reed, her own brother).  Sorry, Team Gabriel-ers, I just never felt the spark.
~ The last third of this book felt a bit rushed, and some of the plot didn't make a lot of sense to me- like the fact that to quell the uprising some brainiac President in the past created super-humans.  Because super long lives and exceptional immune systems will show them to protest against the government!  Also, something happened that I was very unhappy with.  I'm not going to spoil it for everyone, but it was similar to my biggest complaint with the ending of Mockingjay.  However, it's a mark of good writing that I cared as much as I did. Although I didn't like what happened, I appreciate what it did to the overall story.  I guess. *grumbles*
~ Also, although I suspected a plot twist that comes up, it just seems implausible.  Completely implausible, even for dystopian.
~ Vaughn is such and interesting character- part sociopath, part genius, part concerned dad. He's complex, which makes him a good villain. 
~ The ending is a real ending and even if everything didn't go my way, I was satisfied with it.  Again, it felt like everything just fell into place very quickly once Rhine met up with Rowan, but I'd rather have a quick wrap up then trying to stretch this out over another 3 books.  
~ I have to give some points on the names of each of the books, as all three were very fitting, and Sever is suitable in many ways. 
~ Even with some of the plot issues I have problems with, DeStefano has created a interesting dystopian world- I never confused it with any other dystopian book or series I've read (and people, I've read a lot).  I like her writing style and I'm down with whatever she comes out with in the future.
 

Timeless Characters:

Rhine- our heroine, still determined, stubborn and smart.

Linden- Rhine's hubby, nice but weak, he's having a tough time learning his pop's true colors.

Cecily- the last sister-wife standing, she continues to be kind of kick ass. 

Vaughn- Linden's dad, he's not unlike Darth Vadar with a medical degree.

Reed- Vaughn's crazy brother, he's sarcastic and eccentric.  I like that in a person.

Rowan- Rhine's twin, he's lost the script a bit since losing his sister. 

Madame- she kidnapped and imprisoned Rhine in the last book, and she captures her again in this one.  

Gabriel- he really isn't heavily featured in this book, but if your a fan of his, he does make an appearance. 

Rose- yeah, she's Linden's dead wife, but she continues to haunt the present.

Bowen- Cecily and Linden's adorable little boy. 

Midnight Moment:

The airplane scene.  Both of them.  But I kind of suspected the one with Vaughn.  The other one shocked the heck out of me.

Stop The Clock:

I really liked Wither (still one of the most gorgeous covers ever!), but both Fever and Sever failed to really hook me like the first book did.  I'm glad to have read the series though, and I can't wait until the book comes out and I can discuss it with all of you!!


Lauren DeStefan0 — Website |Lauren DeStefano

Sever (The Chemical Garden #3) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

 Book Challenges:
A to Z Challenge
Series Catch Up Challenge
Book Bingo Challenge

Sundays In Bed With... Torched

 

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

 Torched by Andrea Lynn Colt

I've got several books that I need to read and review this week, but I'm hoping to at least start this one today.  It's sounds good, and ya'll know I like me some revenge!

  What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

Under the Never Sky Review

Under the Never Sky
by Veronica Rossi
Genre: YA Dystopian
Format: Hardback borrowed from Kim.
Midnight Minute: Aria, exiled from her protected world, teams up with outsider Perry, both needing the other to complete their goals.
From Goodreads:

 Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ So, I avoided this book for a long time.  I love dystopian, but there's so many of them and it can feel like too many.  But I'm going to a Veronica Rossi book signing, so I finally caved on this one- and lucky I did!
~ I love the title of this book, it's beautiful and poetic.  
~ Soren was crazypants and I really thought his role would be bigger.  
~ So in the Outside, there's people who have highly developed senses- sight, hearing, scent.  I think the scent one has to be the worst, because, really, how often are people really showering in these post-apocalyptic dystopians?  
~ Aria has a beautiful singing voice, which at first had me rolling my eyes because her name matches her gift and usually I find that people do not live up to their names (I know a Sunny that should be named Gloomy), but it turns out her mom genetically altered/planned her so that's less eye roll worthy. 
~ I was a little off put by Perry's certainty that he'd make a better leader (Blood Lord) than his brother Vale, but Vale didn't score a whole lot points with me in the book.  But it's got to suck for Vale, his kid prefers his brother, and his kid brother is all like: You suck, I can do better!
~ I don't like Brooke.  Mostly because she's a potential rival for Perry.  
~ I have seldom wanted someone to die in a YA book than I want Soren to.  May he suffer some nightmarish Greek Mythology punishment in Hades- the kind where buzzards eat his organs for all time.
~ It must be nice to know who your enemies are just by the scent or emotions.  It would have made high school a lot less confusing.
~ LOL- Perry having to tell Aria about her first period! It was very after-school special. 
~Also, wow, eating berries can be sexy as hell. But then bacon cheeseburgers can turn me on...
~ This whole rendering thing, is there a chance I can get Alexander Skarsgard to render to me?  Would the Hubs be cool with that?
~ Am I the only one that kept calling the Crovan the Craven?  
~ It's got to be awkward if your boyfriend can smell you ovulating!
~ I like Perry, but I'd be cool with Aria hooking up with Roar because he is all kinds of hot. 
~ The ending throws some punches.  To the gut. Ouch.  Can't wait until I get the second book!

Timeless Characters:

Aria- having grown up in a protective settlement, she's unprepared for the harsh outside world.
Perry- blonde dreadlocks, super hearing, super scent, super sexy.
Roar- even hotter, funnier and perfect than Perry.
Vale- Perry's bro, Blood Leader of their village.
Talon- Perry's cute lil' nephew, but a bit like Carl from The Walking Dead- should have stayed on the damn porch!
Paisley- Aria's friend, don't get attached.
Soren- crazy creeper.
Marron- the Doc to Perry's Michael J. Fox. He's awesome.
Cinder- young boy that follows Roar around, his name kind of says it all.
Reef- a guy Perry befriends the hard way. 

Midnight Moment:

When Perry saves Aria from some Crovan (they're cannibals), he does so in a shocking way.  At least I was shocked. 

Probably you should be shocked too, or you need to lay off the Tarantino movies and the ID channel.  I kid, I watch those too.  No better way to keep the Hubs in line than to have him catch me watching the Deadly Women marathons. ;)

Stop The Clock:

How could I have not read this book before?  Everyone else has, and they liked it, but nope, I had to be the one person who didn't pick it up.  I think I was on dystopian overload, but Under the Never Sky definitely stands out from the crowd. 



  Veronica Rossi— Website |Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky  gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Challenges:
A-Z Challenge
What's in A Name 6 Challenge
Book Bingo Challenge