{NIN} Review: The Truth About Forever

I have to say that The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen is a most excellent read. As {Ja} stated before, there is no Love-Pow! (PS) in this story but a believable progression from friendship to sweet love between two people.

Macy has had a rough year (understatement), adjusting to her father's sudden death and trying to prove to everyone that she is "fine just fine" by striving for perfection. She even has the "perfect" brainiac boyfriend who's about as interesting as mud to go along with her facade. Seriously, this guy is so goal-oriented and so obviously not that into Macy that you have to wonder if she was just another checkbox on his list of goals. "Find girlfriend - check!"

When stupid, useless boyfriend goes off to Brain Camp for the summer, Macy is left to fill his "so very important" position at the library with two snide and condescending co-workers who think stupid boyfriend is dating down when it comes to Macy. Day in and day out, she is forced to endure their snotty comments and torturous silent treatment with a smile. And the stupid boyfriend has no sympathy for her. Seriously, when she tells him about it, all he can say is, "I don't think you're taking the job seriously enough. You didn't answer my last question about whether the reference documents came in," or some such nonsense that doesn't even acknowledge the real emotional issues Macy is feeling. If that was not a sign to dump the guy's sorry arse, I don't know what is. It was incredibly frustrating that Macy did not have enough of a spine to dump him right then and there when she received that email. Yes, yes, I know she was having emotional issues and what-not b/c of her dad, but still...better to be alone than to be with a stick-in-the-mud that drags you down like that.

But then, there would be no WES to come along and show how right the world can be if you just find the right person.

ANYHOO, like I said, Wes...total "sa-woon!" Since {Ja} gave a most excellent review already about where and how Macy met Wes, I'll just move on to the more important stuff, like what makes him so awesome.

Hot, down-to-earth, approachable, not full-of-himself, hot, easy-going, family-oriented, artistic, and hot.

Yup, that about sums it up.

But their progression from friendship to more was simply...perfect. And after reading some of the books I've just read (Angel Star, Heavenly - more on those later), I've realized that it's supremely irritating when all you get from a book is a Love-Pow! and you have no clue why two people should be together (I can throw in Linger here too). Not so with Macy and Wes. They learn the other person's history, what makes them who they are, and how their past has shaped who they are today. Slowly, but surely, the connection is made and it's a match that is just so right.

So next up...the rest of Sarah Dessen's book. Cuz if The Truth About Forever is any indication, Sarah Dessen's books are the thoughtful and realistic cure for the prevalent Love-Pow! books in YA lit today.

JaReview: More Randomness

Here is my rendition of Nin's "bursts of thoughts" on books I've recently read, but dont really know what to say. As you can tell, I havent read anything stellar lately. Well, except Clockwork Angel, which I might like more than TMI. But more on that later.

When it Happens by Susane Colasanti
This was another one of those dual perspective books, alternating between Tobey and Sara. She’s the quintessential student government smart girl. He’s the slacker, rocker boy. But Tobey didn’t really do it for me. Perhaps because it was in his perspective, so it took away from the mysterious, enigmatic boy persona. You always know what he's thinking and sometimes, I really did not want to know. The alternating perspective got a bit dull after a while, lots of repeating the same scene only from a different point of view. It was sort of like watching an episode of the Event. And call me shallow but I just cant get behind a guy name Tobey.

Didn’t suffer to terribly


Fallen by Lauren Kate
I did not like this book. At all. It was a major case of love-pow. Luce is inexplicably drawn to Daniel but she cant figure out why. Sure you get glimpses of their past lives together, the ones that always ending with her untimely demise. But there didn’t seem to be any real connection in the current life. It was way too reminiscent of Soulmate by LJ Smith or the Immortals series by Alyson Noel, only with less significant interaction between the couple. But the sequel is on my queue. So I suppose I’m partially vested.

Didn’t suffer to terribly (but should probably be Never Again)


Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
I waited forever to get this book. So quite possibly I built it way too much in my head and, thus, it was doomed to fall short of expectations. If the Ministry of Magic ever had an alternative to Hogwarts, where they’d send all their misbehaving underage witches and wizards, Hex Hall would be it. The main character, Sophie, is ordered there after a love spell gone awry.

Upon arrival at Hex Hall, she accomplishes all the requisites of any teen novel. Piss off the most popular (and mean) girl in school. Check. Tries not to but falls for the hottest boy in school (who’s dating said mean girl). Check. Befriend the school outcast (in this case a vampire girl happens to be her roommate). Check.

Of course add to that learning the truth about her parentage and amassing more powers then the other kids. But, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the story. Though, it did seem like the events that transpired happened at the cost of character continuity (like what's her face's sacrifice at the end). And that didn’t sit well with me. But there’s a sequel, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I digs


Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
Since I totally dug Halpern’s Wild Nerd Yonder book, I decided to give this one a try. Anna Bloom is institutionalized by her parents, much to her dismay. It was interesting because she didn’t seem to have a clear mental illness aside from maybe depression. It’s not as though she was hearing voices (who doesn't?) or anything concrete like that, but perhaps that’s what made her more relatable to a wider audience.

There are some comical characters, such the boy who claims to be a servant of the Dark Lord (and, no, I’m not talking Voldemort). Then there are some seemingly normal people that make you wonder why they’re locked up. Anna’s narration is snarky and filled with the Damn the Man thoughts, which was entertaining. I digs mostly because it was completely different from any YA I've read and a nice change up from the norm.

I digs

Need by Carrie Jones
Becoming seriously depressed after her stepfather’s death, Zara moves to Maine to live with her stepgrandma. When she finds out that her stalker, who she thought was just a figment of her imagination, is not only real but also a pixie, the sleepy, snow ridden town of Maine becomes a whole lot weirder. There are a few different takes on the normal paranormal rules, but overall the story was rather predictable. The only thing that made Zara relatively interesting was her obsession with phobias and naming them. I thought if anything I could get somewhat smarter by remembering the names of random phobias (like the fear of glass or the cold) and try to work into normal conversation but alas, I’ve forgotten them all.

Probably – Never Again

Miss Match by Wendy Toliver
This book is part of the Teen Romantic Comedy series and probably the worst one I’ve read to date. The RomCom series is much like regular trashy romance novels sans the trashy bits. When Sasha begins her match making business, setting up her classmates with their crushes, she finds it difficult to remain professional when her own crush hires her to hook up with her sister.

You don't have to read the book to know how it ends (because obviously it’s going to work out for the heroine, it always does). However the ending left me wondering, what the heck? I get that it all gets wrapped up in a pretty little package, but what I don't understand is the why and the how. Aside from the fact that it’s supposed to because that’s how all romcoms end. It was like- Bam! You’re nearing the end of the book, must get to happy ending now.

Never Again

Prada & Prejudice by Amanda Hubbard
I’m not quite sure why I picked up this book. I have an inkling that maybe Nin read one of her books and, seeing as how I have to copy everything Nin does (I am Kakashi the Copynin hehe), I had to get my hands on something by Hubbard.

Callie is your typical high school outcast. But after her besty moves away, she finds that scoffing at the cool kids isn’t as much fun when you’re all alone. So in a misguided effort to belong, she winds up buying a pair of Prada heels. (Sidenote, don’t know what high school y’all went to but at my school Chinese Laundry and Nike’s were considered chic.) Unfortunately, barely outside of the store, Callie takes a tumble and winds up in 1815. She is mistaken for a long-lost best friend and is taken to the home of a Duke. Chaos ensues as this modern, feminist girl tries to adapt to becoming a proper lady. All this while trying hard not to fall for the handsome, yet completely git-like Alex, who just happens to be the aforementioned Duke.

The book itself was interesting. Callie is snarky and smart, but then she’s also dumb and clueless. Totally contridictory but it seems to work for Callie. However, the ending was totally confusing. I still don't quite get what happen. But I cant discuss without giving it away. I think I need someone to read the book (hint hint) then explain to me what the heck happened. Still, I'd have to say -

I didn’t suffer too terribly

{NIN} Review: Linger

Linger is the sequel to Maggie Stiefvater's novel, Shiver. Sam has been cured of his werewolvism and can now look forward to a future with Grace. As the snow melts and winter slowly turns to spring, Sam waits to see who of his wolf pack family will return to human form... or if none will return at all. Grace is looking forward to a future with Sam but hiding a secret that threatens to take her away from him forever. Isabel is dealing with the guilt of her brother's death on her conscience and is mysteriously, magnetically drawn to newly turned werewolf Cole, who is full of his own dark secrets.

Told between alternating views of Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole, the novel unfolds as all four deal with the tragedy and heartbreak that the future holds for each of them.

Linger, like its predecessor, moved excrutiatingly slow for most of the novel. I was seriously bored and struggled to read through it. The most annoying part was Sam and Grace pitching and mooning at each other the whole entire time. I never really understood why Sam and Grace were so in love from the very first book since all she did was stare longingly into some wolf's eyes for most of her life, or why Sam was so obsessed with her. I realize it had to do with her getting bitten when she was younger but never changing, but really, that's the only reason?

The saving characters of this novel was definitely Isabel and Cole. Although Isabel has her own issues to deal with and secrets to hide, she at least was not paralyzed by fear or guilt or whatever it is that affected Sam and Grace. Cole started out as a selfish bastard seeking to run away from his past, but his evolvement and coming to turns with his own internal demons was fascinating and somewhat touching to see.

In the entire book, it only got really interesting in like the last 3 chapters. But I seriously don't know if I will read the last book in the series because the novels have moved so slowly, and Sam and Grace don't really do it for me.

{NIN} Review: The Clockwork Angel

I love Cassandra Clare. She got me to start reading YA Lit again with The Mortal Instruments series. Actually, I guess I should say it was {Ja} since she introduced me to TMI, but it was Cassandra Clare's City of Ashes that hooked me, line and sinker. I was such a Clace shipper, quite shameless actually. I {heart}ed Jace a lot! :-)

So when I heard about her next series coming out after City of Glass was released, I eagerly checked my local library's hold list religiously each day for the past 6 months until the day it became available to be put on hold. And it totally paid off! I was #17 and got the book on the first round of releases. Never before touched pages of a brand new book - aaaahhh... I digs.

The Clockwork Angel, the first book in The Infernal Devices trilogy (for now, since TMI was supposed to be a trilogy but now it's going to be a 6 book series), takes place in the same Shadowhunter world that we were introduced to in TMI, but in the year 1878 and in London, no less (which is awesome because I can read all the characters lines with a Bri'ish accent...in my head...).

The protaganist of the story is Tessa Gray, an American who journeys to London at the behest of her brother. She arrives only to be kidnapped by a mysterious pair, the Dark Sisters who reveal a startling truth to her - Tessa is a warlock with the rare ability to shape-shift. Threatening harm to her beloved brother Nate, the Dark Sisters force Tessa to hone her warlock skill in preparation for her betrothal to the mysterious Magistrar, who wants Tessa's power under his control.

By fortuitous occurrence, Tessa is rescued by the dashing Shadowhunter of piercing blue eyes, Will Herondale (Jace's forebearer of some sort, I suppose), who had been investigating a series of mysterious mundane deaths that all pointed back to the Dark Sisters. Will brings her back to the London Institute where Tessa is introduced to the world of Shadowhunters, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, and fairies. Together with the Shadowhunters, Tessa endeavers to learn the truth about herself, her parents' past, her brother, the strange mechanical creatures that are attacking them, and the mysterious Magistrar who controls them.

I definitely liked this book a lot, though it did not elicit the same gushing obsession that TMI did. The book is set in Victorian England, so the decorum of the day is somewhat interesting to read about, and London sounds like it was pretty bawdy in the late 1800s. But other than that, the setting, dialogue, and expressions used by the characters didn't seem that much different from American English. In something like Harry Potter, the British slang was definitely more noticeable (bloke, snog, take the mickey), but not so with The Clockwork Angel. Perhaps it has to do with Cassandra Clare being American. Or did Londoners have expressions more similar to Americans back in the day? Anyhoo...

The character recipe for The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments are quite similar:

• Tessa = Clary as in girl new to Downworld who learns that she's not quite the average human she thought she was.
• Will = Jace with the handsome and sarcastic overlay covering his true internal tortured self.
• Jem = Alec in the sense that he is another Shadowhunter boy living at the Institute and Will's parabatai.
• Jessamine = Isabelle of the bizotchy superior attitude.

Magnus Bane also makes an appearance, which is great because I love crossovers. His role is rather limited in this novel, but I expect his role will expand in the coming sequels.

Tessa is an interesting character - loyal almost to a fault, struggling with the idea that she may not be human afterall, and learning the baffling and scary ways of the Downworld. She is also highly attracted to the sarcastic, tempermental, and cocky Will Herondale (sounds just like Jace, eh?) who behaves hot and then [really] cold to her for no apparent reason. And of course, no hot male lead would be complete if he were not TORTURED, and Will most certainly is. His arrival at the Institute at age 12 is a mystery and he refuses to speak of his past. We get flashes into his past (from what I gather, his trauma has to do with...a box), but he is tight-lipped and brusque on any questions about his past. Will's behavior towards Tessa is simply abhorrent at times (Colin Firth says stuff like "abhor" and he's British...hehe...). I seriously wanted to smack him at times...but I also wanted to love him because Tessa is attracted to him, and frankly, I love his cocky attitude. Will is just waiting for Tessa to heal his damaged soul, I know it, even if he doesn't, the bastard. So I guess Cassandra Clare has got me there with the romantic aspect of the story.

Cassandra Clare also manages to weave just the right amount of sarcastic and snarky dialogue into the story, especially from our dear Will, that left me cracking up. I also love that Tessa isn't a meek, submissive girl who isn't afraid to dish it back out to others, even to Will. On Will proclaiming he has a tryst later in the evening with an attractive person, Tessa replies: "Goodness, if you keep seeing Six-Fingered Nigel like this, he'll expect you to declare your intentions." How can you not love that??!! Most awesome!

The mystery is rather intriguing as well - who is the Magistrar and what are his intentions? What is the truth about Tessa's parentage? And what the heck is Will hiding???

It's hard to wax philosophical and analyze this book fully since it's part of a series and character growth will most certainly occur over the course of three books. However, by the end of this book, Tessa has most certainly grown - less naive, accepting of reality (of certain...stuff, I don't want to say and give it away), and possibly moving on the path of making peace with her non-human nature. As for Will? I don't know yet, but I sure hope the cocky tortured bloke gets some sense smacked into him (preferably by Tessa, whom he will then fall madly in love with. But don't lose the sarcastic comments and become wussy like Edward. I don't digs that).

All these questions have got me waiting eagerly for the next installment, The Clockwork Prince (due out in Sept 2012 2011 sorry for the freakout, Ja!!).

JaReview: The Truth About Forever

In the beginning there was this hot boy name Wes.

Tall, dark and handsome. Do you need any more than that?

Alright. Fine.

There’s actually a girl name Macy too (but we mainly care about Wes).

I’ve heard several sources recommend Sarah Dessen. And her story, The Truth about Forever, was #4 on Persnickety Snark’s Top 100 YA books. So why did it take me so long to actually pick up a Dessen book? The only excuse I can think of is that I was ignorant and oh-so oblivious. In a nutshell Sarah Dessen is a smashingly awesome writer. Just brilliant really.

The Truth revolves around Macy, a teenager who’s recently lost her father. Add to that her stick-in-the-mud boyfriend (and trust me, he makes Hermione Granger seem like an irresponsible party girl) has just left for summer Brain Camp. Macy finds herself at a crossroad in her life, only I don't believe she’s aware of it. She’s got her entire future (or at least the summer) planned out. Studying for the SAT’s and maintaining the image of a picture perfect daughter and girlfriend. However, when she meets Wish Catering, run by a lovable but scatterbrained Delia and a crew of other assorted characters (including the previously mentioned Wes), she finds that maybe there’s more to life than just studying.

Do you get the picture? Now can I gush about Wes?

It’s been a while since a “love connection” has reduced me to a squealing schoolgirl, but what can I say. Dessen’s definitely got a way with words. I absolutely loved the fact that Macy and Wes didn’t just fall into a relationship. It was not your average "love-pow" YA romance. It was not a love connection based on his otherworldly beauty, the way she smelled or some other inexplicable force that just draws them together. Furthermore, this amazingly romantic and squeal-worthy book would rate an almost non-existent on the PDA factor.

But how can that be you might ask? How in the world does an author create a relationship with off-the-charts chemistry and there isn’t any scandalous (or innocent) action to be had?

It’s because the sparks aren’t coming from raging hormones or superficial lust. Well…obviously there’s the “whoa he’s pretty hot” reaction. But, more importantly, it’s a slow build up of dialogue, sharing and connection. Dessen slowly pulls you up to the precipice, inch by inch with every secret, buried fear and experience, before she flings you off the edge. And before you know it, you’re jumping up and down, screaming “Kiss her, kiss her!” in a public park and people staring at you.

It’s way too easy to simply write a character as tall, dark and handsome. And what can I say, usually I go for it because I’m shallow. But the hook, it’s when they have that “sparkling” (and I’m not just talking about glittering in sun) personality to go with it. Wes had a troubled past and could have played up the whole tortured artist card. Instead he is to the core incredibly stable and has as much integrity as he’s got devastating good looks. Which is to say, he’s got it in spades.

And of course there is the forbidden love factor. Sure it’s not the standard “he’s a vampire and I’m just a wimpy mortal girl” or “He might be my brother.” But there are extenuating circumstances that add just enough angst, trauma and, more importantly, interest to the storyline.

All in all, it’s been forever since I’ve read a really good swoon worthy couple that doesn't rely on immediate danger or death defying situations to bring them together or maintain the relationship. There is no doubt that The Truth about Forever delivered and Sarah Dessen totally lived up to the hype.

{NIN} Review: Guardian of the Gate

The second book of the Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy by Michelle Zink starts off…really slow for me. It took me a long time to get into it because the book’s pace was so darn slow (and boring) at the beginning. Also, it didn’t help that Mockingjay came out while I was in the middle of reading Guardian of the Gate, so that quickly got put on the backburner while I read, then re-read, Mockingjay, then re-read Catching Fire (I had to get my fill of Katniss/Peeta action in!).

But since Guardian of the Gate was due soon at the library, I knew I’d better finish it soon, so I forced myself to read it, no matter how uninterested I was. However, when I reached a certain point in the book (Chapter 13), the plot got interesting (because hot new love interest entered the scene). After that, I couldn’t put the book down and very quickly finished the rest of it.

Guardian of the Gate picks up where Prophecy of the Sisters (Book 1) left off. Lia has left behind everything of her former life in America (family, friends, boyfriend) and is in London, honing her powers and preparing herself for the final battle she must eventually have against her twin sister Alice. Lia journeys from London with a trusted party of friends to the hidden isle of Altus, home of her Aunt Abigail. Lia needs to find the missing pages from The Book of Chaos that will tell her how to defeat the Souls and end the Prophecy, and only Aunt Abigail knows its location. It is a long and dangerous journey, and they are pursued by Hellhounds bent on keeping them from reaching their destination. Along the way, an unexpected and staggering betrayal occurs, finally forcing Lia to realize that she cannot trust and rely on anyone as wholly and innocently as she once did.

As I said in the beginning, the book started off really slow… but then I got to Chapter 13 and Dimitri Markov.

Helloooo, nurse!

Tall, dark, handsome, exuding power, and a sense of calm. Wowzas. I dig it.

Dimitri is a member of the Grigori sent to watch over Lia as she makes her journey. His role is to not intervene, for good or bad, in her journey but to ensure that she does not violate any laws of the Grigori as she works to end the Prophecy. However, we learn early on that Dimitri is really, and I mean REALLY, attracted to and protective of Lia, and she finds that she quickly and unabashedly feels the same, despite the nagging guilt in the back of her head for James. Their relationship develops at a fast pace but in a believable manner as they just have that instant and soul-wrenching connection. They have so many sigh-worthy moments that I happily got my fill of YA (innocent) romance.

Lia certainly develops into a much stronger person in this book. While still fearful of her sister’s power, she slowly grows into her own, and her self-esteem and self-reliance increase. I enjoyed seeing her fall for Dimitri, yet she is not so blindly in love that she won’t put him in his place when his over-protectiveness irritates her (because actually, it was starting to irritate me too). I thought the book’s conclusion was a worthy display of this self-reliance and growth in her character.

Overall, the book was okay. But now that Dimitri is on the scene, I must finish the series for the sake of finding out what happens with the Lia-Dimitri-James love triangle. Never mind the Prophecy. :)

I really want to give this book two ratings:

Ch.1-12: Didn't Suffer Too Terribly

Ch.13+: I Digs

But I suppose as a whole, I give the book...

JaAuthor Wrap-up: Elizabeth Scott

Or what should really be called “I’m getting freaking sick of the frenemy.” Honestly, is it too much to ask for the main character’s besty to not be an evil back stabbing, slutastic, boy stealing, bit of a witch? Though to be fair, I admit that not all of Elizabeth Scott’s books included the frenemy. And I had been reading a few non-ES books in between that did deal with the wicked besty. Hence the frenemy induced overdose.


Stealing Heaven - This actually started off better than it ended. The beginning entertained me right off the bat. Here’s a girl, Dani, who’s been living her life as a grifter and thief. Her accomplice and teacher is her beautiful but cunning and manipulative mother. I thought her mom was a bit one dimensional and a little distant. Their relationship was more of a partnership between criminals, lacking that mother and daughter bond.

Upon arriving to a small town called Heaven, Dani befriends two people. Allison should be the snotty rich girl you’d love to hate but she’s not. She’s kind, loyal and open. Normally someone so inherently nice would annoy me, but in Allison’s case it’s not fake. I loved Scott’s ability to create a likeable character who isn’t snarky, rude or moody (qualities I normally dig). Greg was adorable, though he definitely lacked in that burning flash of attraction found in characters like Jonah, Gale or Gabriel. But his charm and thoughtfulness made him endearing and definitely likeable.

Unfortunately it seemed to slow down near the end. But the story left me wanting another Scott fix so I’d have to say –

I didn’t suffer too terribly.


Something, Maybe - A story about a girl who remains constantly embarrassed by her mom (yeah her mom’s a step above a porn star, but seriously, who doesn't have parents that embarrass them), in love with the “deep thinker” (who’s really just an intellectual poseur), and deals with an absentee father (who reads like a Hugh Heffner if he ever did the Real World). The main character in this story was so clueless to the obvious; I felt the need to bang her over the head with a blunt object in hopes that she’d get the point. The true object of her affection, not the wannabe tree hugger, is cute but the main’s obtuseness seemed to detract from the story.

It also ended rather abruptly. I would’ve liked to see a bit more development in the characters and a little bit more….closure.

I didn’t suffer too terribly.


The Unwritten Rule – Again, I’ll say this, I’m sooo tired of the Frenemy. Although, I'm not quite sure if this is really a case of the Frenemy. Did her besty knowingly and intentially poach the boy she liked? Or was her besty clueless to the whole thing?

I believe a true besty would know who you crush on, regardless of how secret you try to keep it. I mean T ferreted out my crush on “Flatface” in the 7th grade and I swear I was so covert about that. Either way, it begs the bigger question. Why can’t these main characters have good bffs that aren’t total witches? Do they need to take classes in character judgement? Should that be a recommended class course: Identifying the Frenemy 101 (or "Sorry dude, but your besty is an evil witch"). Nin and I argued the point, but the only conclusion we could come up with was that the main needed to grow a back bone and her love interest to cease from being a stupid boy.

I digs.


Perfect You – This story was good but it was also a bit redundant. Girl’s father goes nuts, quits job and peddles miracle vitamins at the mall. Girl loses besty and becomes social outcast. Girl argues with cute boy from class. Girl struggles to find her way in the story of life, occasionally stopping to kiss said cute boy.

Similarly in Something, Maybe, the love interest is painfully obvious. However there was just enough of turmoil and trauma in the relationship (mostly due to communication and misunderstandings) to keep me entertained. Because you know me, I like my love stories to be epic. Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined and bloodshed. Not that there was really any bloodshed, but there was most definitely a hickey or two.

I digs.


Of all four Scott books, I liked Perfect You the best. Though because of the overwhelming redundancy of the frenemy plot, I’ve since transitioned back to the darker realm of YA-lit, the one that deals with vamps and other assorted things that go bump in the night. But Elizabeth Scott’s books definitely made for entertaining reading.