Review: The Winter People

Title:  The Winter People
Series:  None (that I can find)
Author:  Rebekah L. Purdy (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Entangled Teen
Publication Date:  September 2, 2014
Source:  An eARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property.
 

Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.

Find The Winter People online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

My Review:  Oh, man, this book had so much potential.  I love the cover and the synopsis but when I started reading...I just could not for the life of me get into it.  I found myself constantly distracted while reading and not engrossed in the story like I normally am when I read.  I think the biggest problem I had was that it felt like I had already read this book before.  While the overall concept sounded interesting, when I delved into the pages, I found myself surrounded by card-board cut out characters and a plot that left me skipping passages and skimming.  Because of this, I marked this book DNF at 47%.  

First of all, the main character made me want to punch a wall.  I was so frustrated with her all the time.  I didn't understand how her feelings could could transfer to different guys so fast.  This was no love triangle.  It was a freaking love square and I didn't understand.  She'd been crushing on this dude for forever and the second she gets a shot with him, she's suddenly fascinated but this other guy (who was very, very creepy the first time they met.  Like, how did she not call the police on him?).  I honestly just didn't know what she was even doing half the time.

And the boys...the boys.  Usually, I have a soft spot for fictional boys.  I mean, c'mon, who doesn't?  But these ones just...annoyed me.  They felt unoriginal and lacking in substance.  There was three of them, first of all.  And it felt like the author just took the stereotypical guy in YA and copied it three times and stuck the character in the book with three different names.  I didn't connect to any of them and I just felt irritated when Salome was swooning over one.  

What I learned about the plot held promise but it didn't grab me enough for me to want to continue.  The book felt mostly centered around the boys and I felt like it could have done better if it centered more around the external conflict.  Like, the villain was important but almost felt like an after thought (from the parts I read).  

I'm disappointed I didn't like this one more.  It had the classic elements of a YA paranormal romance but I just was not feeling it.  The characters didn't interest me and the plot, while it did sound like something I would enjoy, was pushed to the back in favor of the romance.  

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Mini Review: Mortal Danger (DNF)

Title:  Mortal Danger
Series:  Immortal Game #1
Author:  Ann Aguirre (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  Young Adult
Publication Date:  August 5, 2014 by Feiwel & Friends
Source:  A ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.
In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

Find Mortal Danger online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

My Mini Review:  Man, this is a serious bummer.  I was so looking forward to this book but it just didn't work at all for me.  It was not at all like how I thought it would be and, this time, that was for the worst.  

I had three big problems with this novel.  

1.  Insta Love

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in YA literature and this novel was hard core suffering from it.  Not only was Edie's love interest basically her stalker, he was in some shady business with really creepy people.  But, of course, she fell in love with him after three conversations.  I mean, it had nothing to do with his Adonis-like features at all.  

2.  The Plot was Boring

At least, up until the point that I read (which was 38% according to my phone).  Not much had happened.  Her revenge plan had barely even started, there was a lot of really confusing hints about these two rival companies that just frustrated me, and there was really no developments between Edie and Kian because, like I said, they were basically in love the moment they met.  

3.  Unrealistic Portrayals of Beauty and How it Affects Ones Mindset

Once Edie's appearance was changed for her revenge plot, every problem she had had suddenly disappeared.  Her extreme social anxiety?  Gone.  Problems with her parents?  Poof.  Lack of confidence?  Adios.  This just really angered me.  I think it's a terrible lesson to teach young adults.  Being beautiful does not solve all of your problems and that's what seemed to happen for Edie.

Over all, this novel just didn't sit well with me. 

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Mini Review: Fates (DNF)

Title:  Fates
Series:  Fates #1
Author:  Lanie Bross
Age Group:  Young Adult
Publication Date:  February 11, 2014 by Delacorte Press
Source:  An ARC was given to be by Jen over at Jenuine Cupcakes! Thank you!  

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.
She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people's fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.
But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she is falling all over again--this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

My (mini) Review:  So, I didn't finish this novel.  I really hate saying that, but it's true.  I just couldn't bring myself to continue on.  While I loved the sound of it from the blurb and I actually quite liked the cover, I realized as I went into this novel that it really wasn't for me.  It felt disorganized and the world didn't feel real enough for me.  There were a lot of moments when I just sort of sat there and was like "Wait, how can this happen?  Two chapters ago you said this which would mean that this happening is impossible".  I might have been over thinking things but it made it very difficult for me to fall into this one.  

I liked the characters, but not enough to motivate me to continue on with the story to see what would happen to them.  I could see and understand and even sympathize with their struggles and problems but, over all, the characters fell flat for me.  I didn't really feel for Corinthe because she just felt so reserved and unemotional.  Lucas was nice and I really enjoyed seeing the relationships he had with other people but I couldn't quite believe the relationship he had with Corinthe because it happened too quickly.  

Now, I'm not saying there weren't many positive points in this novel.  From what I did see of the world, it was absolutely gorgeous - it could just use some work and fleshing out.  And, like I said, Corinthe and Lucas were nice enough but they didn't come alive as I read.  I just didn't feel the motivation to continue.  But that's not to say someone else won't!

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Review: Torn

Title:  Torn
Series:  Torn Series #1
Author:  K.A. Robinson
Published:  May 7, 2013 by Atria Publishing
Source:  A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!  

Chloe hasn't had the best life. With a mother who is gone more often than not, she has had to raise herself. After graduating high school, she leaves to start a new life away at West Virginia University with her best friends Amber and Logan, determined to leave her demons in the past.

On her first day, she meets a stranger who takes her breath away at first sight. Until she met Drake, no one had ever sparked her interest. Now this tattooed and pierced bad boy is all she can think about, no matter how hard she fights it.

Falling for Drake was never part of her plans, but when it happens, things seem to do anything but fall into place.

Dealing with a tragic past, Drake has never cared about anyone else but himself and his band. But when Chloe takes the empty seat next to him in class, things start to change. Instantly drawn to her, he begins to wonder if one girl can take a cold hearted womanizer and change every part of him?

Long hidden feelings are revealed and friendships tested to the brink.

My Review:  I've heard so many good reviews on this book!  Everyone was raving about how amazing it was.  Unfortunately, I did not fall in love with it as everyone else has seemed to.  In fact, I found myself wondering why it was as popular as it was as I read.  There were moments when I was reading that I just could not go on because I was so frustrated with it.  

Probably my biggest problem with this book is the characters.  I just . . . I couldn't find one thing I liked about Chloe or Drake and I really hate to say that.  I wanted to like them but they made it very hard.  Chloe was just terrible.  She was extremely judgmental and indecisive.  She was so immature and just all around mean to her friends.  And, apparently, she was completely blind to how others felt about her.  It was painfully obvious how much her best friend liked her and she remained blissfully oblivious until after he had to tell her.  And even after that, she continued to lead him on and tease him!  

Drake was supposedly the "bad boy" of the book.  However, he wasn't "bad" at all save for his appearance.  Chloe was all too happy to write him off as too dangerous to date even after his actions proved otherwise.  She immediately assumed he was a terrible person because he had a tattoo and a couple piercings.  I couldn't even root for their relationship because I didn't care much about either of them.  Drake was just plain boring and I didn't understand him at all and Chloe...well, I've explained that already.  I wished I could say otherwise but I just really can't.  

Another thing that was bothering me throughout this was just how stiff and cliche everything was.  It felt like the author had taken lines from every single NA book out there and strung them together and forced them into the characters mouths even if they didn't fit or work with a scene.  The things they said to each other were terribly awkward and I didn't understand how either of them fell for the other.  

The book was so focused on the non-believable love going on between Drake and Chloe that the plot was thrown to the side.  A good and interesting story line was set up but the author never did anything with it.  It went nowhere and had basically no relevance to the book but it should have.  

I really, really wish I had better things to say about this book.  It was not my cup of tea but that doesn't mean other people won't love it!  I had wanted to love it when I began reading but was let down.  I can only hope that the next book in the series makes up for this one!  

 

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