Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky #3

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)

Star Rating: ★★

Rating: Bland

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Under the Never Sky has been a trilogy that I've been very much enjoying. I was a giant fan of the first book, and the second book was great. Unfortunately - yeah, you all see where this is going - Into the Still Blue fell completely flat for me. 

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Healer #3

Release Date: January 3, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin

Source: Publisher (NetGalley)

Star Rating: ★

Rating: Bland

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

Okay, so this entire series has been one giant letdown for me. I am a huge fan of Snyder's Study and Inside series, but the Healer series has been disappointing me the whole way through. Why did I keep reading? I hear you ask. I hoped it would get better. Like I said, the previous two series of Snyder's (that I have read) were fantastic. Poison Study remains one of my all time favourite books. I couldn't not try. 

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Publisher: Balzar + Bray
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Star Rating: ★★
Rating: Bland

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

I'm not going to lie to you, I went into this book knowing that I probably wouldn't like it. I had heard tales of instalove and that is never good. My instincts were correct, this wasn't a good book. Which is a shame, because I had high hopes for it before all the reviews started coming out. And the cover is awesome. 

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry
Pushing the Limits #3
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
Star Rating: ★★
Rating: Bland

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

After being rather annoyed over Dare You To and the disaster that was Beth and Ryan's relationship, I was so ready for Crash Into You to bring back the awesome that I experienced while reading Pushing the Limits. I was hesitant, sure, but I was still looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I enjoyed Crash Into You even less than Dare You To, and I ended up completely bored.

Twinmaker by Sean Williams

Twinmaker by Sean Williams
Twinmaker #1
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Balzar + Bray
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Star Rating: 1
Rating: Bland

You can be Improved....

In a near-future world in which technology can transport you anywhere instantly, can a coded note enable you to change your body—to become taller, stronger, more beautiful? Clair is pretty sure the offer is too good to be true. But her best friend, Libby, is determined to give it a try, longing for a new, improved version of herself.

What starts as Libby’s dream turns into Clair’s nightmare when Libby falls foul of a deadly trap. With the help of Jesse, the school freak, and a mysterious—but powerful—stranger called Q, Clair’s attempt to protect Libby leads her to an unimagined world of conspiracies and cover-ups. Soon her own life is at risk, and Clair is chased across the world in a desperate race against time.

Action and danger fuel Sean Williams’ tale of technology, identity, and the lengths to which one girl will go to save her best friend.

I requested this book at the last minute from Edelweiss, because I had recently been auto-approved for Balzar + Bray and I had heard a couple of people rave about this one. Of course, I had to stick my nose in and find out what all the hype was about. 

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

Release Date: October 3, 2013

Publisher: Chicken House

Source: Publisher

Goodreads Stars: 1

Rating: Bland

Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.

A new psychological thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of STOLEN and FLYAWAY. - Goodreads

Having heard a lot of amazing things about Lucy Christopher's Stolen, I was very intrigued to check out her work. I hadn't planned on buying anything else by her until I had read Stolen - which has been sitting on my shelf for a good three years now - but I was sent an ARC from the publisher, followed by a finished copy, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to give her books a go.

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson
Flirting in Italian #1
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 2
Rating: Bland

Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys! - Goodreads

The picture in front of me is like a magnet, drawing me closer and closer, till my shoulder is nearly brushing against its antique gold carved frame.

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I was initially driven to pick this up because of my current obsession with all things Rome. Of course, this book isn't actually set in Rome, but it's close enough. A lot closer than I was to Rome before this Wednesday. I was in the mood for a fun contemporary, so I went ahead and grabbed this one when I was in between books.

The Elites by Natasha Ngan

The Elites by Natasha Ngan
Release Date: September 5, 2013
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Source: Publisher
Goodreads Stars: 1
Rating: Bland

‘There is a rumour that the Elites don’t bleed.’

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures – and racial tension.

Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She’d never dream of leaving – but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel’s president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Packed full of adventure, romance, exoticism and the power of friendship, The Elites is a highly compelling and beautifully written novel from a supremely talented debut author. - Goodreads

There is a rumour that the Elites don't bleed.

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Like the rest of the blogosphere, I was dying to read The Elites. From the cover, to the tagline, to the promise of a badass main character, I was sure this one was going to score with me. Unfortunately, as you can see by the rating, that wasn't the case at all. The Elites was a basic dystopian that has been done time and time again in YA.

Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt

Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 2
Rating: Bland

Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.

Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.

Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead… - Goodreads

When I saw that Lauren Barnholdt had another contemporary coming out, I was so excited. And while I didn't know this was a companion novel to Two-way Street, since I apparently don't know how to read book covers, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Imagine how happy I was when S&S approved me on Edelweiss! That's only happened to me once since this first time. Unfortunately (yes, negativity is coming), I couldn't get into this. I just wasn't a fan of the characters.

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 1
Rating: Bland
Goodreads

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese  Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.

Another Little Piece has been getting a lot of very positive reviews. That's one of the reasons I was so excited to read it this week. I had been planning on saving it for the debut-a-thon, but I just couldn't wait any longer. Unfortunately, Another Little Piece didn't meet my expectations.

Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Transparent by Natalie Whipple
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 2
Rating: Bland

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl. - Goodreads

X-Men. That is what Transparent promised. It lied.

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
Boy Nobody #1
Release Date: May 23, 2013 (UK)
Publisher: Orchard (UK)
Source: Publisher
Goodreads Stars: 2
Rating: Bland

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero. - Goodreads

Boy Nobody started off really well. The book opens with the main character, who I shall call Benjamin because that's one of his undercover names, killing an important Chinese business man after gaining entry to his house through the guy's son. It was all very interesting because Benjamin was cold, calculating, and he got the job done. Later on he took out four Chinese guys by himself. Did I mention that he's sixteen?

The Rules by Stacey Kade

The Rules by Stacey Kade
Project Paper Doll #1
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
Goodreads Stars: 2
Rating: Bland

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 any more, especially not the rules… - Goodreads

I've heard that a couple of reviews say that The Rules is The Hunger Games meets The Host. If you have heard that too, and that's the driving force making you want to pick this book up, I would suggest you take a moment to rethink that plan. The Rules was nothing like The Hunger Games, and overall it was a pretty flat book. There were a few elements that were enjoyable, but all together I was disappointed.