Review: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 344 pages

April  17, 2012, Balzer + Bray

What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?

And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?

When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.

Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

Source: Phoebe Kitanidis (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

First of all, the story started with two teens - a boy and a girl, waking up naked in a bed. They were both amnesiacs, having no idea why they were in bed together, having no idea where they were and who they were. It was a problematic, awkward and panicked beginning for Elyse and Marshall. Together, they ventured out into the streets of Summer Falls and discovered that something was very, very wrong.

Elyse was pretty, petite, popular and perfect. But the girl who woke up, not remembering who she was, didn't possess the confidence that the true Elyse did. She didn't want her eyes, her hair, her height, her body and even her name. She felt that everything in her life was randomly assigned to her by a superior being, like everything she had didn't fit with who she felt and imagined she would and should be. Throughout the novel, she struggled to blend in and to find out who she really was. She had a pretty mom, Liz, who ran the family business, a BFF, Carla and a boyfriend, Dan, who was convinced that she was the one for him.

Marshall was the hero-type of guy. He was considerate and protective gentleman. He wanted to make sure Elyse was okay at all times. He was quite attracted to her, too. Unlike Elyse though, no one in Summer Falls seemed to notice or know him at all. But as he and Elyse dug deeper for answers, he started to find out more and more about himself. He was not exactly a nobody in Summer Falls. He was somebody - the type of somebody who could make a change. Marshall was one of the most complex characters I've read about. He has changed drastically from the beginning of the story to the end. He has lost, gained and learned so much.

Elyse and Marshall's relationship was complicated. They were partners in uncovering the truth. They trusted each other. There was a zing of something between them - a lightness, a magnet and a warmth that drew them together. They had that compatible thing down. But what they were about to discover would change them and affect them forever.

Summer Falls was the perfect place for a vacation. It had the perfect weather and the happiest people on earth. But something dark and sinister plagued Summer Falls. Ghosts were everywhere. People kept losing consciousness, lost in a heatnap which was normal in the town. Everyone only remembered happy times. Summer Falls' perfection was its own imperfection. 

The plot that Kitanidis weaved was perfect. There were twists and turns here and there. The mystery was sustained very well. She never forgot to drop hints throughout the novel. Her style of writing also matched the progression of the story. When Elyse and Marshall woke up as amnesiacs, she named them 'Him' and 'Her' and as the story progressed and Elyse got her name while Marshall didn't, she named him 'Dark-Eyed-Boy' as Elyse called him.

Glimmer is beautiful, sinister and intriguing. Be lost in a world filled with magic, memories and forgetfulness. Glimmer reminded me a bit of the Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves minus the monsters and hunters, plus ghosts, happy zombies constantly having heatnaps and two amnesiacs bent on uncovering the truth. This unpredictable read will suit paranormal readers.

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Review: On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 272 pages

October 19, 2011, Lands Atlantic Publishing, LLC 

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.

Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.

As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.

Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

Source: Courtney King Walker (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Claire was still alive although she died for a little while on her 16^th birthday. She was still in the phase of mourning for the death of her childhood friend and love, Daniel. I was amazed with the depth of her emotions for Daniel. But I knew what it was like to have someone’s face and someone’s voice in your head for a very, very long time so I could relate to how she was feeling. When she realized that Daniel could possibly still be on earth, Claire started to hope.

Daniel was dead. But somehow he hasn’t moved on to the other world. He was attached to Claire but mind you, he barely remembered or even realized this, not until he was dead. Daniel’s experiences as a ghost were intriguing. I liked how the creativity and imagination that the author showed through her concept of traveling and reliving memories. It was a common idea that when people die, they see a flashback of their life surging in their heads. Walker took this idea to the next level by integrating it to ghost life. Daniel was living ‘on the fringe’ and there, not every ghost was as harmless as him.

They were a cute couple albeit an unconventional one. Their relationship was fueled by the second chance to be together. For them, every minute was important. It was justifiable since the two have been friends since childhood and they knew each other well. They have seen each other’s best and worst and I suppose that made it easier for them to be close. Their relationship was a combination of the sweet and nostalgic quality behind the relationship of Grace and Daniel from The Dark Divine by Bree Despain and the complication of Amelia and Joshua’s relationship from Hereafter by Tara Hudson.

The author did a good job with the action, scary scenes and tension-filled scenes in this novel. The flashbacks and the jumping from past to present were smooth, vivid and well-done. Overall, On the Fringe was enjoyable but I felt that there’s still room for improvement on the thrill and unpredictability department.

On the Fringe is what I imagine would be the baby of The Dark Divine by Bree Despain and Hereafter by Tara Hudson. Bittersweet, tragic, imaginative and against-all-odds, On the Fringe will appeal to paranormal romance readers! I recommend this!

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Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 404 pages

June 7, 2011, Harper Teen

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Source: Netgalley and Tara Hudson (Thank you!) I got this from Netgalley but I also received a signed ARC from Tara!

My Thoughts:

Hudson’s version of the afterlife was very imaginative and unique. The ghost world was a strange place filled with secrets, hopes, desires and sadness. Amelia had no memory of her life before death. She had no identity. I loved every moment that I shared with Amelia. She was an unforgettable ghost, wandering around the river and the bridge, watching. She has never been seen, touched and heard until Joshua came. As she matured as a ghost, she noticed changes in herself that would help her understand the life she had, her death and her future.

Amelia’s relationship with Joshua was full of life, hopeful yet heartbreaking. Amelia felt alive when Joshua noticed her. He was the first human to do so ever since Amelia woke up. Together they tried to put together the bits and pieces of Amelia’s life. Joshua was gorgeous. He was thoughtful, sweet and understanding. He was into sports and he was the kind of guy that got the attention of girls in his school. I was thankful that he was unlike other male main characters. He had a natural humor that was really endearing.

Hudson’s writing was amazing, beautiful and breathtaking. I found myself sucked into Amelia’s world, hypnotized by her story. Amelia’s narrative was easy to adjust to. Her musings were interesting and never boring. She had so many questions that a terrifying fellow ghost, Eli, could answer. Eli has been around for a long time. He knew things about Amelia – things that Amelia herself did not know. But more importantly, could Eli be a friend or an enemy? My heart ached for Eli. He had his own past, his own losses and his unattained desires.

Joshua’s town reminded me of the Gatlin of Beautiful Creatures, a town with secrets. The only difference was that there was a higher mortality rate in Hereafter. The dead could not seem to leave the living alone. When Amelia’s freedom and future hang by a thread and by Eli’s word, could Amelia save herself with the help of Joshua and make sure that no one else gets hurt?

Hereafter has the charm of Before I Fall and the sweetness of Shiver, a tantalizing story in a dark, frightening world. I loved every page of this heartfelt, heart-pounding, heartbreaking novel. I highly recommend this to fans of paranormal romance!

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Review: Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Warning: May contain spoilers for those who haven’t read Hourglass!

Book Description:

Hardcover, 360 pages

March 8, 2011, Harper Teen

The fourth book in this electrifying vampire series has all the romance, suspense, and page-turning drama that have made Claudia Gray’s Evernight books runaway successes.

Having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him, combat the forces determined to drive them apart—and find the power to claim her destiny at last.

Readers have fallen in love with Bianca and Lucas, and they will be thrilled to read this exciting conclusion to their romantic adventure.

Source: Harper Teen & Erika (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

In the fourth book, the starcrossed lovers Bianca and Lucas encounter another reason that set them apart from each other. After his transformation, Lucas awoke as a bloodthirsty vampire – craving more blood than the usual newborns. He hated himself for feeling what his enemies feel. Without her body, Bianca could only help him minimally. She faced her own struggles with being as wraith. When she was in Evernight Academy, wraiths have attacked her but now that she was one of them, she struggles to understand their intentions. With the help of Maxie, Bianca goes to Christopher in the world of lost things to search for answers and explanations.

As always, I loved the pace and the unpredictability of Gray’s last installment. I have grown to like Bianca’s narrative. It was familiar and soothing despite the obstacles and problems that she and Lucas encountered. They seek the protection and guidance for Lucas in Evernight Academy, the territory of Mrs. Bethany – the headmistress who wants nothing more than revenge against the wraiths for the havoc they wrecked.

I love that the characters have grown. They have learned to conquer their fears and to deal with the challenges of life or afterlife in some cases. The twists and turns made everything better. I was constantly surprised with the turn of events. I got to know the other side of some of the characters that I normally would not pay attention to.

This was a great end to the Evernight series. Gray sustained the drama, suspense and action. She never failed in delivering the best to her readers. Afterlife is the shocking, heart pounding, tragic and romantic conclusion to Lucas and Bianca’s struggle with their love and lives.

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Review: Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Book Description:

ARC, 384

April 5, 2011, Harper Teen

Every ghost has a story to tell.

The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.

Source: Jennifer Archer (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Being the new girl for the nth time, Tansy was not pleased to be stuck in Cedar Canyon. With a school that only had two hall ways, filled with people who have known each other their whole lives, Tansy was finding it hard to fit in. No one really cared about the new girl. That was until she met Bethyl Ann aka Stinky, a genius thirteen year old who kept spewing Shakespearean quotes. I liked how every character had a story to tell.

Through the lens of her camera, she not only saw a different side of Cedar Canyon and its people but she also a black-and-white world – Henry’s world. There was a bird that relentlessly sings to her, a journal filled with strong and emotional poetry, a teardrop-shaped crystal and a golden watch stuck at 12:22. Through these things, Henry Peterson connected with Tansy. It was strange, freaky and frightening. As Tansy tried to make sense of what message Henry was trying to tell her, her grandfather’s situation got worse and so did her life in school.

The time-travel through the photographs was very vivid and intriguing. I found myself looking forward to them through the photographs. But Through Her Eyes was not only about the paranormal. It was also a novel about adjusting, making friends, opening up to people, seeing the good in them and accepting who they were. Opening up to complete strangers was difficult but in the end she learned to do that and to forget about her preconceived notions about people. I loved how Tansy learned to see who she was and discovered where she belonged through her paranormal experiences.

Through Her Eyes is a great debut filled with strangeness, creepiness and sad and tragic stories. I loved how Archer built the tension between Tate and Tansy and how she stirred them to a fragile friendship. It was very realistic for me. The ending was very peaceful and satisfying – a perfect end to a troublesome and disturbing experience.

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