Degrees of Wrong by Anna Scarlett

Release Date: August 28th 2012
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Age Group: Adult/Mature YA
Shelfability: Acquire
Pages: 212
Format: eBook
Source: Author/Blog Tour
Interest: Author
Challenge: None

While working on one of the wounded soldiers Dr. Elyse Morgan finds amidst a battle on her island she is knocked out, kidnapped and sent to an underwater war ship. And she’s so not happy about it. But there might be a few perks to the job. Like a swoon worthy captain. Nicoli. It’s a shame that he is engaged and off limits. Fortunately for Elyse she has a lot to keep her mind occupied, or so she tries. She’s responsible for finding the cure to the HTN4 virus and the UN will deny her nothing to make it happen. She’s not only finding the cure to the HTN4 virus, she also finding the cure for the disease that took her parents life.

Anna Scarlett is also the awesome Anna Banks author of Poseidon, which I LOVED! So, when I heard she had a “romance” coming out, I jumped at the chance to read it. And it’s fabulous people! You might notice the quotations around romance and I did do that for a reason. I would describe Degrees of Wrong as a romance book for non-romance readers. It’s definitely something that an older YA audience would enjoy. There are just a few kisses in this novel, I’d say PG-13. There is some tension, but you could easily find that in any YA novel! But it’s not the normal sexy times romance that I usually read, and I still loved it!

I loved the story. Elyse losing her parents, her personal mission to find the cure for this disease, the interference of the UN and Nicoli. Did I mention NICOLI! Elyse is one of those characters that you can’t help but laugh and smirk at. This girl has a temper, she had a brain and she has snark and she’s not afraid to use them! It can get her in trouble sometimes  and it does!

This was just a fun and entertaining book, I can’t wait for more!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Release Date: UK Paperback: May 24, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Harvill Secker (Random House UK)
Age Group: Adult
Shelfability: Acquire
Pages: 387
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Interest: Story
Challenge: None
Buy the Book: Amazon
Get the Audiobook: Audible

Although The Night Circus is typically shelved in “adult fiction” there is definitely cross-over appeal for young adult readers. Although, The Night Circus isn’t a fast paced action packed book and I can see that may deterring some young adult readers, but stay with it!

Celia and Marco may be the two prominent characters in this story, but it’s not their story alone. We are first introduced to Celia as a young girl. We watch as she is trained by her father, not in the way a loving father would. On the flip side, we meet Marco. And watch as he is trained, quite differently than Celia by his mentor. The two don’t know it, but they are bound together in a competition, pitted against each other by the two men who are training them.

We watch the two of them grow, and struggle. Watch as they meet and watch as they compete. All the while we are introduced to several other characters and their stories. And of course there is the Circus, which is just as much a character in itself.

And all the while we are left wondering…. what exactly is this duel and more importantly, who will win?

The one thing that hooked me in this novel was the atmosphere. It wasn’t so much the characters, I didn’t particularly feel like I knew anyone of them that well, but the atmosphere. Wow. Now that was captivating. I felt like I was at the circus myself. There is a part of the novel where one of the characters Bailey happens upon a tent containing various jars. When he opens a jar he is transported by his sense of smell and hearing to the sea. I felt like Morgenstern did that with her words. I felt like I was completely transported to the circus. Just beautiful writing.

The chapters skip through time, forward and backward. One chapter you might be dated in the late 1800′s the next might be dated to the early 1900′s at times it could be confusing, but once you understand who is telling this part of the story it makes more sense. It was amazing how all the stories came together in the end to make such a seamless ending. It was so good! So, so good!

I would definitely recommend this one for all types of readers! Especially the ones that loved to be engrossed in slow and beautiful story.

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Release Date: June 8, 2010
Publisher: William Morrow
Age Group: Adult Lit.
Pages: 464
Source: Amazon Vine
Interest: Author/Genre
Challenge: None
Buy the Book: Amazon|Indiebound|Powell’s|Barnes & Noble

Sick of vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her; no one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side . . . a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future . . .

If she even has one.

Summary from Goodreads.com

Leave it to Meg Cabot to take something as dark, brooding and oh-so-serious as vampires and turn it into something fun, funny and frivolous! Just when you think you can’t take another vampire book, she throws something a little different into the mix. (Although for the record, I am still riding the vampire wave and loving it.)

This is just such a different vampire story than anything I’ve read. There is so many references to popular ‘vampire culture,’ even my girl Sookie gets a shout out. Cabot is poking fun at the ‘vampire phenomenon’ and yet she draws you into this vampire story! Sneaky, sneaky!

If you’ve read an liked any of Meg’s other adult novels you will definitely be a fan of this one. It was a little slow to start, but soon after you won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough. There is a light romance among the comical aspects…. signature Meg Cabot. I’d even go as far to say that this novel would appeal to older teens that are fans of Cabot’s other books.

The characters where a lot of fun as well. And it was great to get to see the story from their eyes, through the alternating chapters. I don’t think I could even pick a favorite! Even the secondary characters like Meena’s crazy neighbor left a lasting impression.

It’s summer time, if you’re looking for something easy to read and entertaining, this would be the perfect beach read. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel!

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Release Date: September 8, 2009
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Age Group: Adult/Young Adult
Pages: 413
Source: Borrowed
Interest: I wanted to see the movie, and I like to read the book first.
Challenge: 10 in ’10 Teen Chick Lit.

Seventeen-year-old Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father …until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts …and heal them.

I’m not really a Nicholas Sparks fan. The Notebook was required reading for one of my english classes in high school, and I thought it was fantastic! For some reason, I just haven’t had that much desire to pick any of his other novels. I think that The Last Song would be an excellent book for fans of The Notebook.

I wanted to read The Last Song because I was seeing the movie with my sister and I usually prefer to read the book before I see the movie. Although I hated that they casted Miley as Ronnie…. never in a million years would I have pictured her as that character. But anyway…..

I loved this story.

I’ll admit it, I cried. I bawled. I totally saw it coming and I still cried.

I’m a sap for a novel about first love, or really just a novel about falling in love. Such a beautiful thing, I never tire of it.

The change in narration for each chapter was something that really made this novel all the more better for me. Not only did you get inside the head of Ronnie, but her dad, and Will, and even crazy Marcus. I definitely think that helps as a reader to become more involved in the story and have a tighter bond with it’s characters.

Overall it was just a great book.

The Dark-Hunters Vol. 2 by Sherrilyn Kenyon

The Dark-Hunters Vol. 2 by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Age Group: Adult/Young Adult
Pages: 208
Source: Publisher
Interest: Series
Challenge: None
Other Titles in the Series: The Dark-Hunters Vol. 1

In the war against vampires, mankind has only one hope: The Dark-Hunters. Ancient warriors who died of brutal betrayal, the Dark-Hunters have sworn themselves into the service of the goddess Artemis to protect us.

It’s a pact with pretty good perks. Immortality, power, psychic abilities, wealth and a cool wardrobe. But it comes with a few drawbacks: fatal sun poisoning and a new, irreparable dental problem. But aside from the fangs and nocturnal lifestyle, it’s not so bad.

Kyrian is an immortal Dark-Hunter who just lost his Dark-Hunter powers and along with it, his immortality. Now he is faced with the chance to regain not only his humanity, but his very soul. The problem is, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Desiderius is closing in and if Kyrian and Amanda are going to save humanity then Kyrian must take the war to his enemy or it may be too late.

This is the second volume in the Dark-Hunter manga… obviously since it has “volume 2″ on the cover!

These manga’s are based on the paranormal romance series of the same name and by the same author. I don’t have much to say about it, except that is was fun. I’ll probably continue to read the series, they aren’t all that bad. Kinda neat. A lot different from my normal reads.

I’m not exactly all that sure how to feel about a manga in general. This is the only series I’ve ever read, so I’m not even sure what a “good” manga is. There isn’t a deep connection with characters since basically the writing is completely composed of dialogue. It’s hard to get into the mind of the character see what makes them tick, what makes them likable or relatable. It’s also different to shift from taking the authors words and depicting my own visualizations, to having the actual images right there in front of me, showing me the story.

Overall, I think I might enjoy reading the actual novel over the manga itself, but I still find the manga series enjoyable and different. I just enjoy a closeness to the characters that I think is hard to reach when the novel is in manga format.

Instead of rating individual elements, I’ll just be giving an overall rating.