Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) Review

Unbreakable (Unraveling #2)
by Elizabeth Norris
Genre: YA sci-fi thriller
Format: ARC I received from Authors On The Web. All thoughts, opinions and snark expressed in the review are my own.
Midnight Minute: From practically the first page, Janelle is once again in a race against time and parallel worlds to rescue the people she loves the most.
From Goodreads:

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Midnight Thoughts:

~ This is one of those books where it probably would have helped if I'd flipped through the first book again before starting the sequel.  Of course me being me, I didn't.  Luckily, I remembered enough and Norris does a good job of introducing past events without doing that info dump thing that I hate (remember Sweet Valley High books, and how they explained in the first few pages of every book what the twins looked like, their differing personalities, and the fact that they had to share driving privileges of their convertible Spider Fiat? Even at 11 it made me roll my eyes.).
~ Like in the first book, each chapter is a countdown of time left before some bad shiz goes down. I find this slightly thrilling. 
~ San Diego, where Jannelle resides, is in ruins, along with the rest of the world, after a series of earthquakes and general Day After Tomorrow-ness. This is why jumping through worlds should be left to the experts. 
~ Because this series deals with parallel worlds, Janelle runs into the version of her love, Ben, that exists in this world.  He's just not her Ben.  So bittersweet.  But this does raise the possibility that somewhere in a parallel world, Johnny Depp is waiting patiently for me. 
~ The series references X-Files quite a lot, but I think the author might have given a shout out to Alias and here's why: Janelle and her friend, Cecily, are helping people gathered in a large stadium.  People are going missing.  The newest missing person is Renee Adams, and she disappears from Section 47.  47 is a very important number in the Alias mythology and was featured at least once in every episode.  My inner tv nerd was completely satisfied.
~ It takes no time for things to get tense.  Janelle is living in a very different America now.  Martial Law scares the crap out of me, and fuels dystopian nightmares. 
~ Because of the state of the world, Janelle was able to join the FBI as a trainee.  Sigh, if only there'd be a world disaster when I was a teen and was convinced I was going to be the world's next Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs. 
~ Agent Barclay is back!!!  I'm sorry, but I love him.  I'm Team Barclay, but I want him for me.  Janelle can keep Ben. 
~ So, it turns out there's a lot of missing people.  And that they're being stolen from our world.  Also, Ben's missing and is suspected of being the one responsible for all the stolen people. 
~ I was intrigued be the idea of the missing and where they go when they disappear without a trace.  
~ Barclay, Mr. Straight and Narrow, is now going all rogue to solve the case.  And he wants Janelle's help.  Also, he calls Janelle by her last name, Tenner.  Which I much prefer. He can call me by my last name any day of the week too. 
~ Elizabeth Norris: not afraid to go all George R.R. Martin on her characters.  Just so you know, if you didn't remember who she killed off in the first book, don't assume anyone is safe. 
~ Janelle is torn between going with Barclay and helping to find Ben and solve the mystery, and between staying and protecting her little brother. 
~ But then someone she loves is taken and J's inner Liam Neeson is set loose!  Because Janelle has a particular set of skills... ;)
~ There is a strange kind of chemistry between Barclay and Janelle and I like it.  It helps that I picture Barclay as particularly yummy.
~ Also, Barclay brews and serves cinnamon tea. Shirtless. I seriously bought some the next day. 
~ The action in this book is almost constant and brutal at times. Janelle may not be as physically strong as some of her attackers, but the girl has some amazing mental skills.  I'm a firm believer that a strong mind is the best weapon. 
~ I tell you what, midnighters, if I could open portals into parallel worlds, I'd be breaking into vaults and grabbing gold and diamonds.  Then I'd break into some libraries and steal some books.  Because just think about all our favorite authors and the books they might be writing in alternate worlds.  Maybe there's a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird where Scout becomes a kick ass civil rights lawyer, or where Stieg Larrson is still happily churning out Lisbeth Salander novels.  The mind reels, people!  I would be the world's richest nerd and my library would be ENORMOUS!! I'd buy either North or South Dakota and fill it with libraries and coffee shops and it would be our very own Disney World.  And you could all come and stay as long as you kept it secret, okay?
~ Elijah provides some comic relief- totally needed in a novel where things have gone just as wrong as they possibly could for Janelle and Ben. 
~ I wrote a ton more notes I can't share without spoiling everything!
~ I liked Unraveling quite a lot.  I remember that the first book lost a little steam at the end, Unbreakable does not.  Norris keeps the pace up and keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat.   Some things that happen at the end might make some readers unhappy, but I'm trusting Norris to keep me reading.

Timeless Characters:

Janelle- our heroine and junior FBI badass.
Ben- Janelle's love from book one, now on the run.
Agent Taylor Barclay- Interverse Agent, back off, midnighters, he's mine.  'Nuff said.
Cecily- Janelle's friend.
Jared- Janelle's little brother.
Struz- Janelle and Jared's guardian.
Renee Adams- among the missing.
Hayley- Barclay's ex. She had better stay that way.
Elijah- Ben's friend.
Derek- Ben's brother.
Meridan- brutish bad guy.
 

Midnight Moment:

The prison break! Holy crap, I must have held my breath for pages and pages!  Seriously, some tense Die Hard shiz.

Stop The Clock:

This is a series I'm invested in, and I think if you enjoy X-Files, anything J.J Abrams, and sci-fi mixed with your YA, then start reading these books!


Elizabeth Norris— Website |liz norris

Unbreakable *(Unraveling #2) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Night School (Night School #1) Review

Night School (Night School #1)
by C.J. Daughtery
Genre: YA
Format: ARC received through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest opinion.  I do not get to keep a copy of the books.
Midnight Minute: Allie's parents send her to the mysterious Cimmeria Academy after Allie gets arrested... again.  But it's not the curriculum that's proving hard for Allie, it's staying alive.
Expected Publication: 05.21.13
From Goodreads:

Allie's world is falling apart...

She hates her school. Her brother has run away. And she's just been arrested.

Again.

Now her parents are sending her away to a boarding school where she doesn't know a soul.

But instead of hating her new school, Allie finds she's happy there. She's making friends. And then there's Sylvain, a suave French student who openly flirts with her. And Carter, the brooding loner who seems to have her back.

Soon, though, Allie discovers Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Nothing there is as it seems. And her new friends are hiding dangerous secrets.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ This book was not what I thought it was going to be about, and I'm so thankful for that!  I was honestly a little worried it would be another House of Night or Vampire Academy type series, however Daugherty keeps things nice and mysterious. 
~ Since her brother disappeared,  Allie has been acting out, and after another arrest her parents ship her off to Cimmeria Academy. 
~ I really wish that I wasn't about to turn 36, or that there was a boarding school for adults, because ya'll, I would totally sign up to go! Cimmeria Academy is no Hogwarts, but it's somewhere, hidden, in England!
~ Bad sign: when the boarding school you're attending is in a secret location and there's no cell phones, iPods or laptops allowed.  That's right, Cimmeria Academy students should learn to be grateful just for electricity.  Actually, I kind of like this idea, because with today's instant media culture, no doubt there'd be tweets and youtube videos of all that mysterious "Night School" society.
~ The vast majority of the kids at the boarding school are legacy students, so Allie garners a lot of attention, speculation and her fair share of distrust for not being legacy.  
~ The Night School is, as explained to Allie, a secret group of "advanced" students.  Hmmkay...
~ Allie has to do detention in the cemetery that's on the school grounds.  That does not sound as horrifying to me as it might to some of my more "normal" readers. ;) 
~ There's two boys, the broody Carter and the charming Sylvain.  Guess which one is the main boy!
~ Carter is a scholarship student, as his now deceased parents worked for the school before they died.  Which adds to Carter's dark broodiness.  
~ Mysterious growling?  Human-sounding footsteps? How are we not thinking werewolf, Allie?!  Seriously, were-wolf.  The description you just gave of what chased you and Jo?  Text book definition of an effing werewolf!!
~ As the mystery deepens, I become aware of the fact that this book is not going to go down the normal YA Paranormal path.  Oh, no, readers, Daugtherty is going all Dan Brown on your butts!
~ Jo teaches Allie how to play chess in the common room, which makes Jo Allie's Ron.  So does that make Gabe her Hermione?  lol
~ Allie visits the school chapel, which has poetry in many languages decorating the walls.  Love that!! Sounds amazing. 
~ Uh, oh, Jo is acting weird.  Or not.  Really, Allie, we barely know this girl.
~ Yeah, that's the second time I spoke to the character like she could hear me.  This book made me do that several times, and I see no reason not to share that tidbit with you.  At times it was like, "No, Allie!  Don't go by yourself in the dark, deadly woods/attic/basement/etc!"  Sadly, she did not always listen to me. 
~ Even though I got the feeling immediately that Carter was endgame, there were several cute moments with Sylvain and Allie.  Until...
~  SPOILER (highlight to read): The author has Sylvain do something so completely awful that despite her best efforts is IRREDEEMABLE.  This really made me upset, because I liked his character, and while I expected him to be revealed to be a jerk, what he actually did should have had him down at the police station recovering from the beat down the cops gave him with their little sticks.   You can't come back from that.  Well, I guess you can, because I used to watch soap operas and two of my favorite male leads (Jack on Days, Todd on OLTL and GH) were magically cured rapists, but I don't think YA is the place for this. No, there's no rape, but Sylvain still does something very unforgivable.
~ There's so much tension between Sylvain and Carter throughout the book, which normally has my eyes rolling, but not so much in this book.  I got why she was attractive to both boys, and not everyone in school was trying to get in her pleated skirt (actually, I can't remember if she wore a pleated skirt as part of her school uniform, but you get my drift, right?).
~ There should be more kissing whilst pressed against walls in this world.  I promise there would be less wars and violence.  Possibly more babies and chapped lips, though...
~ I flip-flopped teams several times until the spoiler thing happened, and I still wish that hadn't happened.  Sigh. 
~ Skinny dipping is "wholesome" fun!  lol And I envision the CW is already in line to make this into a tv show. 
~ Oh, Allie.  I have panic attacks when I'm naked all the time. ;)
~ The dance does NOT GO AS PLANNED.  
~ So, the Night School was slowly revealed, and trust me peeps, it was not what I thought it was.  I felt a bit like Vizzini in The Princess Bride shouting, "Inconceivable!" and Daugherty was all like, "Midnight Book Girl, I do not think the Night School is what you think it is!" Well played, author, well played. 
~  I have lots more notes, but I can't share anymore with you without majorly spoiling the book.  Trust me though, this is like the Da Vinci Code for the YA set to a certain degree, maybe a bit more gothic, a bit less complicated.

Timeless Characters:

Allie- our heroine, reeling from her brother's disappearance and acting out, finds herself at a mysterious boarding school stuck between two hotties. 
Carter- Bachelor #1, step right up!  Broody, hot mess boy.  Only he's not that broody or hot mess-ish.  Secretive. 
Sylvain- French hottie, charming.  Carter is not his biggest fan, and the two boys are pages away of having a dance off for Allie's hand.  
Isabelle- the headmistress of Cimmeria Academy.
Christopher- Allie's missing brother.
Jo- Allie's first real friend at boarding school.
Gabe- Jo's boyfriend, possible a Night School member.
Katie- red-headed wenchy girl, hates Allie, wants Sylvain. 
Jules- prefect, friend to Katie.
Mr. Zelazny- history teacher (but he's pretty much the Mr. Filch of the story).
Lucas- Jo's ex, part of Allie's new friends.
Rachel- gossipy new friend
Lisa, Ruth, Phil- more friends.  Don't get attached. o.0
Eloise- the school librarian.
Mr. Ellison- I think he's the groundskeeper.  He oversees the cemetery detention. 
Clare- Carter's ex. 
Lucinda- mystery woman.
Nathaniel- mysterious mothereffer. 
Mark and Harry- Allie's London friends.  I've recorded their names, but you don't need to.  They are but a blip on the radar, my dears.  OR are they?  (see, Daugherty, I can mess with readers too! ;)
 

Midnight Moment:

I realized that some shiz would go down at the dance.  One expects that.  I did not expect the shiz storm that was unleashed.  Some of it bothered me (Sylvain) and some of it shocked me a bit because I didn't realize this book was going to be that... intense? 

Stop The Clock:

Is this a perfect book?  Nope.  There's a few bumps in the road to a full on Midnight Read, including some truly difficult suspensions of belief, characters acting outside of their established personalities, convenient information supplied by characters who previously had been barely mentioned the first 200 pages or so, BUT, there's promise here.  I really liked that the book surprised me.  I really liked that Allie didn't hold onto her whole "teenage rebel" thing that I figured would only continue at boarding school.  I'm very intrigued with where this book is going, and even though some mystery has been answered, there's lots more to be revealed!  I am in this one for the long haul.  


Goodreads also shows this as a possible cover:

But the ARC I was sent had the cover I include with the synopsis.  I probably prefer the top one, just because I think it invokes the mystery of the novel a bit more.  What do ya'll think?  

C.J. Daugherty — Website |C.J Daugherty 
So, book 2 is already out in the U.K.?  Um, need it!  Plus that cover is Ah-mazing. 

Night School (Night School #1) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

The Rules (Projeck Paper Doll #1) Review

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1)
by Stacey Kade
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Format: Arc received from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Midnight Minute: Hiding in plain sight from a corporation that wants her for unspeakable deeds, half alien Ariane is constantly on the alert and dealing with bitchy high school girls. 
Expected Publication: 04.23.13
From Goodreads:

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

Midnight Thoughts:

~ I've read and loved the first two Ghost and Goth books, but I'm almost afraid to read the last one, since then the series will be over, but I was super excited when I heard about this series, even if I missed the whole alien aspect of the plot.  I really thought it was going to be a YA version of Joss Whedon's canceled tv show Dollhouse.  
~ I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, and even a less fan of aliens, but I trusted Kade to write a story I'd like.  She did not disappoint!
~ The Rules has a duel narrative, flipping between Ariane (how is this pronounced? Because it'd be weird if it's pronounced like Aryan) and Zane.  I really enjoyed this style because I really think it helps move things along and it's a good way to really get to know the main characters.
~ There's no love triangle!  Not that I mind a good triangle, but I'm kind of tired of useless ones- A's got enough to deal with right now.  That said, this is only book 1, and who knows what can happen in book 2!
~ So, Ariane is living in the place of her "dad"s real daughter, who died.  I thought at first that this was one of those books- clones born to take over the original's life, but thankfully it was just an identity that was easy to slip into when Ariane gets out of the facility that made her. 
~ Sadness: for the first five or six years of her life, she thought her name was Wannahseven (not sure I spelled that right), because that's her number: 107.  Jesus, even the mice and chimpanzees get real names.  
~ So, Ariane is a half-human, half-alien hybrid that this shady corporation has cobbled together.  I don't know if she just assumes that her alien half comes from the aliens that reportedly crashed at Roswell, or if that's really where her poor alien ancestor came from. 
~ Even though Ariane has got some cool alien powers, she has enough kyrptonite weaknesses- include very fragile bones, that keep her from being some Mary Sue super alien.  
~ Because she was raised in a facility, most of her knowledge of the "outside world" came from tv and cartoons.  You can only imagine what a crazy, warped world view she had before getting out of the facility- afraid at that any time an Acme safe could come raining down on her head, or expecting animals to talk.  Actually... I wish life were a bit more like cartoons.  It'd be awesome to wear the same outfit every day.  Only my luck I'd end up stuck in a huge mock turtle neck sweater and a skort like Velma from Scooby Doo. ~ So Ariane and her dad are living in the same town as the evil facility, GTX, that she escaped from, because that's the dad's plan for outsmarting the company.  But then GTX "donates" a security system, complete with video cameras, to the school and pretty much Ariane's playing Frogger, but for reals. 
~ Also, the small town setting within powerful reach of the GTX means that the relationships between people are tricky and complex.  The meanest girl in school, Rachel, is one of Zane's besties? Also the granddaughter of the head GTX honcho.  And now she's locking horns with Ariane. 
~ Ariane keeps her head down and only has one friend, but she's got a virtual online life, which I thought was going to figure in more with the story.  I do love the fact that Ariane chooses to date Clark Kent, a computer generated character, instead of finding a hook up in Dreamlife, the site she plays on. 
~ GTX made Ariane do some awful things, leading her to put a self-imposed block on her powers.  Which sucks, because she needs them now.  
~ I have to give props to Stacey Kade for explaining why Mark Tucker too Ariane out of the facility in a non-creeper way. 
~ GTX totally reminds me of The Shop in Fire-Starter by Stephen King.   Although, I suspect Charlie McGee could kick Ariane's butt... at least for now.  Perhaps book 2 will change my mind. ;)
~ Kade is good at writing complex characters- even the evil teen queen Rachel has some depth to her. 
~ In order to take down smug Rachel, er, I mean, help her moronic, Plastics worshiping friend Jenna, Ariane has to break all of her careful stay-under-the-radar rules.  It seems reckless, because it is, but we break rules all the time.  We still gloves from the hospital, we run red lights (this pertains particularly to Virginia drivers), we talk loudly in libraries.  Humans are rule breakers by nature, even if it puts our lives in danger.  This is apparently true for human/alien hybrids too. 
~ The ending guarantees I'll be there for the rest of the series.  Well played, Kade.

Timeless Characters:

Ariane Tucker- 1/2 alien, 1/2, 100% awesome.
Zane Bradshaw- Kade creates some of the best guys in YA, and Zane does not disappoint. 
Mark Tucker- works security for GTX, despite having stolen their unique creation.  Which is the definition of balls of steel.
Jenna- Ariane's only friend, desperate to be in Rachel's circle.
Rachel Jacobs- she reigns supreme in the halls of Ashe High, she ain't no hollaback girl.
Arthur Jacobs- Rachel's beloved grandpappy and head of GTX.
Cami and Cassi- twins, happy juice drinkers in worship of Rachel.
Trey- completely worships Rachel, who treats him like a baby, unless it's a day ending in a y, in which case she treats him like a baby with a stinky diaper.  
Sheriff Bradshaw- actually, maybe he's the police chief?  I forgot to write his title down, but he's Zane's snobdouche dad.  Hates Mark Tucker, wants to be all up GTX's butt because he's, well, a snobdouche.  Zane will never be good enough in Poppa Bradshaw's eyes. 

Midnight Moment:

I really loved Ariane and Tucker's relationship, but my favorite moment was Ariane's misunderstanding of the French Kisses that the French Club's booth at the town fair.  It was hilarious to have her get all mad at Tucker only to have him explain what the booth was giving away.

Stop The Clock:

Maybe science-fiction isn't your thing.  That's cool.  But this book is also a thriller, with some contemporary romance thrown in with a whopping side of humor.  So, if that's your thing, then you need to read this book.  In fact, just put Stacey Kade on your list.  You know what list I'm talking about.  The list of authors you go out of your way to read.  She's that good, ya'll.


Stacey Kade — Website |Stacey Kade

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

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

Thirst No. 4 The Shadow of Death Review

Thirst No. 4 The Shadow of Death
by Christopher Pike
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Format: Owned Paperback
Midnight Minute: Sita/Alisa is back, with a new body and old enemies that she's determined to destroy.
From Goodreads:

 Alisa is a five-thousand-year-old vampire, stronger and more cunning than her adversaries. But now she's trapped in the body of a newborn vampire and at the mercy of a terrible thirst. Worst of all, she's facing enemies whose fierce desire for domination grows ever stronger.

The immortal race the Telar is threatening to release a virus to decimate humanity. But Alisa and her friends can't take down the Telar on their own, and they must turn to the mysterious organization the IIC for help. But the IIC has secrets of its own and may have ulterior motives.

With two rivals and no one to trust, Alisa must rely on her dark side to defeat them. But it could cost her life, or her soul...

Midnight Thoughts:

~ Sita has more lives that a damn cat- she will always come back.  If Pike ever truly decides to kill Sita off it's going to be like Elvis- lots of people will still believe she's out there somewhere.  And I'm sure lots of fanfiction would pop up with clever ways for Pike to bring her back, again.
~ Sita and her Scooby gang are up against a clock- they need to stop the Telar from releasing a devastating virus on the human race, but...
~ They also have to contend with the IIC and their deadly Array. Rock, meet hard place. 
~ Our last vampire, Sita, tries hard not to kill innocent people, but in a new body her thirst is overwhelming, and so she does some bad, bad things.  
~ Despite the fact that everyone that ever gets close to Sita dies, she's mellowed some and has an actual circle of friends.  Her friends are a source of both strength and weakness for Sita, because she will always be more vulnerable because of how strongly she cares for others.
~ I get that Matt is all upset over Teri, but I'll admit, I was hoping that he and Sita would hook up.  I'm shallow that way.
~ I admire how Christopher Pike never dumbs down his YA novels.  Mysticism, ESP, complicated weapons, ancient gods?  Pike brings it all, and introduces quite a few topics you just don't see in YA these days. 
~ The gang soon learns the Array isn't the weapon they must fear- it's The Cradle! Dun dun duuuun!
~ Uses for Vampire Blood #909: Decoding secret passages in journals.  Human blood does not work, I know this because like Sita, I added a few drops of my blood to a spray bottle and sprayed it on the pages of my Harry Potter books, in the hopes that J.K. Rowling had some secret message only for me.  But she doesn't. :(
~ In order to defeat the Telar, Sita wants to join up with the IIC, which quite frankly I thought she should have done in the last book (because then maybe she wouldn't have gone all cannibal like she did in Thirst No. 3). 
~ So, at some point Sita is dealing with the evil Telar, the corrupt IIC, and then she gets this freaky, creepy familiar.  Can this vamp ever catch a break?  She doesn't even take a day off to watch movies or veg around the house.  This makes me sad, what's the point of immortality if every day is full of People/Ancient Races/Aliens/Creepy Children you must kill in order to have a day off? Sita needs to start a vampire union...
~ At times, reading this book is like the scene out of Pulp Fiction when Uma Thurman's character overdoses and gets a shot of pure adrenaline to the heart- the action is intense.  Pike balances this with down time, but Sita goes through A LOT in this fourth book.
~ Sita is an interesting character, for all of her strengths she has a lot of weaknesses, she can be stubborn, she can be impulsive.  It would have been easy to make her a Mary Sue because of all her abilities, but Sita is still very much human at heart. 
~ There is a decision that Sita makes in the end that left me cold, and I kept hoping it would turn out not to have happened, but I understand her reasoning even if I can't support it. 
~ I feel that there were some loose ends involving the police detective and his doctor wife that Sita tangles with early in the book, but again, there's a lot going on in this book- I'm glad I took notes! 
~ I am not in love with the cover model for Sita, she looks nothing like her. Not that I'm knocking the model's looks, since the only chance I have of making a book cover is if they ever use my picture for one of those People of Walmart books... The male model is tasty though.

Timeless Characters:

SO MANY CHARACTERS- I wish I'd had this list, because it's been awhile since I read book 3!
Sita- the last vampire, has a target on her back.
Seymour- Sita's very human, very brilliant writer friend.  I wish he'd get his own book!
Teri- Sita's great-great-a thousand times great-granddaughter and Olympian, her role is pretty small in this book.
Matt- Teri's boyfriend, the object of my lust, and half-vampire, half-Telar hottie. 
Shanti- telepath and part of Sita's gang.
Lisa French- teacher who is on the edges of Sita's gang, but the one who originally informed Sita of the IIC.
Paula- mother of John and possibly a modern day version of the Virgin Mary.
John- possibly a reincarnation of Christ or Krishna, plays a lot of video games.
Cynthia Brutran- leader of the IIC and all around bad ass woman.
The IIC- a billionaire company that uses psychics to make money, gain power, and kill.  
The Telar- ancient, immortal race who want to destroy humanity because they don't see them as worthy to walk the earth.  
Umara- Matt's Telar mom, and wife of Sita's lost love, Yaksha.
The Source- the high ranking jackwagons who run the Telar.
Professor Sharp- the man who mentored Cynthia and the other founders of IIC before his technology was stolen by them. 
Freddy- hippie, and ex-boyfriend of Cynthia, used to be part of IIC before things got so heavy, man.
Mary- Freddy's amazing partner who's got some big secrets.
Jolie- psychic and psycho daughter of Cynthia.
Lark- leader of the children that make up the Lens of The Cradle- sociopath of the highest order. 
Haru- leader of the Telar- related to Umara.
Yaksha- yeah, he's been dead awhile, but his memory looms large in this book.

Midnight Moment:

I found several scenes in the book midnight-able.  I enjoyed Professor Sharp's explanation of how the IIC began and the ESP trials, I found it fascinating. Also, I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 100- what is it? 

When Sita comes back to life, she can't remember what happened to her in the afterlife, and I really enjoyed the chapter that dealt with what went down.  It was very Greek mythology-ish, and I loved it!

Stop The Clock:

Honestly, if you've already read the first 3 books, then you just need to keep going.  Sita is never boring! 


Christopher Pike— Website |Simon & Schuster's Page (his official site is still under construction)

Thirst No. 4 gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Challenges: A-Z challenge, Christopher Pike reading Challenge, TBR and Mt. TBR challenge. 

What Happened to Cass McBride Review

What Happened to Cass McBride?
by Gail Giles
Genre: YA, Thriller
Format: Audio
Midnight Minute: Popular overachiever Cass is kidnapped by a young man bent on getting revenge for his brother's death. 
From Goodreads:

Kyle Kirby has planned a cruel and unusual revenge on Cass McBride, the most popular girl in school, for the death of his brother David. He digs a hole. Drugs Cass. Kidnaps her. Puts her in a box-underground. He buries her alive. But Kyle makes a fatal error: Cass knows the power of words. She uses fear as her weapon to keep her nemesis talking - and to keep herself breathing during the most harrowing 48 hours of her life.
A vivid, complex, and insightful work of suspense.

Midnight Thoughts:

~I purchased this audiobook on a whim.  I really like narrator Khristine Hvam (she does a lot of audiobooks, including the Daughter of Smoke and Bones series), and she's one of the narrators in this book.  Plus it was on sale.  And late at night.   I had never heard of this book or the author, but I ended up really grateful that I took the chance!
~I thought at the beginning of the book I understood Cass and Kyle.  It was kind of easy, at least for my warped little mind, to root for Kyle.  But as the story unfolds I was struck by how complicated Giles managed to make the characters in such a short novel- the unabridged audio is only 3 and 1/2 hours long!
~The story is told by 3 different characters, sliding in and out of time.  One minute we're in the present, then in the past, and then four days ago, or four years ago.  I didn't have any problems keeping up, and I liked the way it unfolded.  
~David was such a sad character, but at the same time he's not completely innocent.  If he hadn't taken Cass's note then would he have still done what he did?
~The part where Det. Ben (sorry, don't remember his last name) described his young partner as a cocker spaniel on speed was hilarious, and accurate. 
~I really enjoyed the investigation that Ben does, especially the interview with Cass's (wait, is it Cass' or Cass's?) mom.  She really changed how I saw Cass.  I think her name was Letha or Aletha?  It's obviously hard to tell on an audio.
~The ending was great!  I thought that it was surprising, but realistic considering what all had gone down.  I really want to read more by this author!
~I thought this subject matter was very relevant in time where we're much more aware of bullying and the damage that it can do.  But this book is only about that on the surface, there's a lot more going on then Cass rejecting David.  
~Despite the dark overtones to this story (and trust me, it gets fairly twisted) there's also a few moments of genuine humor.  With something this intense, the few laughs were especially welcomed. 
~Giles owes me some gas money, due to the fact that I purposely drove around longer so that I could finish the audiobook.  I will accept a WaWa gift card, Ms. Giles. ;)

Timeless Characters:

Cass McBride- You know the term Ice Princess?  Yeah, Cass kind of embodies all that it implies, but like most stereotypes, there's more going on with her. 

Kyle Kirby- he's cute, which may explain why I cut him so much slack in the beginning, and he's determined to punish Cass for his younger brother's death and does so in a very elaborate manner. 

David Kirby- unlike the fate of Cass, we know in the beginning that David is dead, and that he wasn't the golden boy Kyle is. Sometimes the clothes do not make the man (right, George Michaels?- a million points if you get that song reference!)

Ben- detective, smart, clever and patient.  I'm just filling in the blanks and casting him in my head as someone ridiculously handsome. His partner's name might have been Roger or Robert, but he annoyed me so he doesn't make this list. This is the power of the blogger!

Mr. McBride- Cass's dad.  He's a donkey's behind.  And any man that decorates his entire home in white on white on cream without even asking his wife should be smacked.  Hard.

Letha- sorry, have no idea how to spell her name, but she's Cass's mom and she seems like the perfect kind of mom.  I actually really liked the little bit of her we get to see. 

Mrs. Kirby- David and Kyle's shrew of a mother.  Literally, a shrew.  Okay, not literally, because shrew's can't mate with humans because this isn't a YA Paranormal story, but if it was, she'd be a Were-Shrew.  Truth.

The Chick In The Bathroom Who Sees Cass Throw Up And Immediately Thinks She Must Be Pregnant- I can't remember her name, but I'd totally hang with her in the girl's bathroom and gossip.  

Midnight Moment:

There were several times where this book shocked me.  The first one was the manner of David's death and how Cass's friend describes what her coroner mother saw. It kind of gave me the oogies. 
The ending.  I thought there was really only two ways to go, and I thought the one way would be a bit of a cop out, but Giles managed to twist it so that I was surprised.

Stop The Clock:

I am so on board with YA Thrillers!  Giles doesn't water this down any despite dealing with younger characters, which I appreciate.  90's teen thrillers often wussed out and hahaha, the victim wasn't really dead, it was Karo syrup!  Which is why I was practically forced to read Christopher Pike and Stephen King and John Saul.  Because the audio is so short, it would make an excellent Readathon listen!


Gail Giles — Website |Gail Giles

What Happened to Cass McBride gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

The Madman's Daughter Review

The Madman's Daughter
by Megan Shepherd
Genre: YA (Book 1 in a series)
Format: ARC from Around the World Arc Tours, publication date 01.29.13
Midnight Minute: A YA re-imagining of the classic Dr. Moreau's Island.
From Goodreads:

 In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ The story begins at King's College, and in particular features the medical program.  I've read several fiction and non-fiction books that deal with the early beginnings of modern medicine, and for some reason I find it both barbaric and fascinating. 
~ At 10, Juliet's father is labeled a madman and disappears, leaving she and her mother at the mercy of late 1800's English society... so her mom becomes Fantine, and Juliet becomes an older Cosette.  Sadly, there is no singing, and definitely no castle on a cloud. I may have Les Miz on the brain...
~ Juliet is smart and capable, despite her circumstances she hasn't been beaten down by life.  
~ Consumption!  Someone dies of consumption, it's all very sad and tragic.  Of course, in those times it was also very realistic. 
~ I love that on the back of the book (of the ARC) it says that the trilogy was acquired in a "heated auction".  You go, Balzer & Bray!  I bet it was a lot like Storage Wars, and I am eagerly awaiting TLC's newest hit show featuring publishing houses doling out the big bucks for the next Big Novel. 
~ Obviously at some point Juliet must board a ship and go to her daddy's island and the captain is all "women are bad luck!" and I just roll my eyes.  I've never understood this particular superstition because winds die down, rocks break the hull, storms suddenly manifest and tear up ships.  None of these things have to do with vajayjays. 
~ Dr. Moreau is one crazy bastard, and trust me, this is not a spoiler.  The man practically bathes in Bat Shiz Bubble Bath.  
~ The book is a bit on the slow side, but I found it compelling enough to get me through the slow times.  I haven't read Dr. Moreau's Island, but I'm familiar enough with the story to know what was coming.  Even though this book is directed at YA, it will appeal to an older audience. 
~ Yes, there is a bit of a love triangle, although the focus is on Juliet's relationship with her crazy papa. I liked this triangle because to me it made sense.  One girl, the only girl on the island who's of age, and two young men. Of course there's going to be feelings and hormones. 
~ Despite kind of knowing the story, The Madman's Daughter still managed to surprise me a little at the end, and I'm wondering where the trilogy is going, since the first book deals with what happens in the original story.
~ How gorgeous is this cover?  Seriously, I'm in love!  I will definitely be purchasing this book just for the cover!
~ Juliet has an illness, which I assume is diabetes, that she's able to control thanks to her crazy genius, and it just impresses me how much medicine has changed our lives.  
~ I know I've said that Dr. Moreau is a crazy bastard, but he's also a rat bastard.  For reals. 
~ When things go bad, Juliet's dad is able to detach completely from his work, and it echoes the coldness with which he was able to leave his family. So add cold bastard to crazy and rat, okay?
~ Alice kind of won my heart, and of all the islanders, she was easily my favorite. 

Timeless Characters:

Juliet Moreau- grows up with a loving mother and a genius father, but hers is a story or riches to rags.  Has a very scientific mind. 

Lucy Radcliffe- Juliet's bff, suitably silly and flirty.  Although she's a good friend, she's in sharp contrast to Juliet.  I have a feeling we'll see her again.

Adam Radcliffe- Lucy's cousin, and illustrates just how vast the difference from J's past and her present. 

Montgomery- originally a servant to Dr. Moreau and Juliet's childhood friend, he is now a young man with his own skills.  And he's a hottie. 

Balthasar- disfigured servant of Moreau and Montgomery, he is one of the few islanders who can pass in human society... mostly.

Dr. Moreau- I think we've established that he is Juliet's crazy, cold, rat bastard of a father.  Brilliant as he is insane.  

Edward Prince- castaway, and as much as an outsider on Dr. M's island as Juliet is. But like Montgomery, he's got his secrets.

Alice- islander, beautiful young woman with a harelip that makes her shy, seems to care a great deal for Montgomery. 

Jaguar- one of the more "wild" islanders that Juliet encounters. 

Caesar- let's agree that this is not a good name to give to any humanoids, ever.  He's the "minister" of the island.  

There's lots more islanders, but if you're familiar with Shakespeare, than you already know their names.

Midnight Moment:

There's two Midnight moments for me, the first occurs early on, when Juliet goes to the college after hours and comes upon the rogue medical students.  The second moment is when Juliet' spies on her father once she's on the island and fully learns what he's been up to.  Also, Edward's past is fairly mind boggling.

Stop The Clock:

If you have any interest in the story of The Island of Dr. Moreau, or if you like a little historical fiction with your YA (and a fair amount of gothic-ness thrown in), then The Madman's Daughter is for you.   It's a little slow moving, but the pay off is worth it.  Beware, the book is fairly gruesome!



Megan Shepherd— Website |Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter gets a Midnight Book Rating of: