Manga Mondays (3): Shaman King, Volume 19 [Mt. Osore Le Voile arc Part 1]

Manga Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Alison @ Alison Can Read

Hello my babies 

Hey all! I was doing a major clean-up of my shelves and book boxes last week and came across some of my volumes of Shaman King (and other manga). Shaman King is one of my most favorite manga series and 19 & 20 are my most favorite SK volumes so I thought to reread it since it's New Years and the volumes take place during the season. I used to be a major shipper of Anna and Yoh as well and this is my favorite arc in the series, so why not revisit some old friends?

Warning: Spoilers ahead! 

Shaman King (Shaman King, Vol. 19)
by Hiroyuki Takei
Original Title: シャーマンキング (Shaman King)
Demographic: Shonen
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural
English, Paperback, 210 pages
Published November 4th 2008 by VIZ Media LLC (first published May 13th 2004 by Shueisha)
Purchase link: VIZ Media

Volume Summary:

The unthinkable has happened--Yoh has withdrawn from the Shaman Fight! What happens now? To understand Yoh's future we must revisit his past, back to when he and Anna first met. How did their acquaintance shape Yoh's fate, and what terrible secret still burns between them?

The volume begins with a prologue that picks up after Yoh Asakura decided to quit the Shaman fight in order to revive Ren Tao. I don't remember exactly what happened prior to this, but it has always been Yoh's dream to become the Shaman King but Yoh being Yoh, he easily sacrificed this dream to save a friend. However, the person really affected the most by his decision is Anna Kyoyama, Yoh's fiancee who has made it a point to make him the Shaman King. In the last few pages of the prologue, we see her piling stones on Yoh's oracle bell symbolizing that she's accepting the death of Yoh's dreams whilst remembering the time they first met, which then leads us to the proper start of the arc.

The Mt. Osore Le Voile arc tells the story of how Anna and Yoh met, but more than that, it introduces us to Matamune, a spirit cat that has been serving the Asakura clan for a thousand years. When I first met Matamune, I thought that he was only a passing character which will later be buried in the growing list of SK characters, but no, I was astounded by how huge his role is in this series. He is practically the character that every reader doesn't know is missing from the start till the end of the manga. Matamune is appointed by Kino Asakura, Yoh's grandmother, to accompany Yoh to Mt. Osore to meet his fiance, Anna, which surprised Yoh because, well, he's an awkward 10 year old who doesn't have friends in school and has never even talked to a girl so it really made him nervous. This is an arranged marriage orchestrated by Kino. The Asakura clan is well-known in the Shaman world and as the Shaman fight is fast approaching, Kino wanted Yoh to be married to a powerful shaman in the hopes that she could help Yoh win the Shaman fight.

Alhough I initially thought that Matamune was only a passing character, I came to like Matamune very easily. Not only is he a cat (because kitties are way cute,) but he's also very perceptive, intelligent, likes to read books, and he wears traditional Japanese clothes too. A single glance at him will also tell you that he's old, has depth and has so much story to tell. But more of him in the next volume. Let's get back to Anna and Yoh first because their first meeting is the highlight of the volume for me. :P

If you're looking for a shonen manga with romance in it, Shaman King is not for you. The series has almost no romance in it. We have the YohxAnna couple but these two have the most bizarre relationship in the world of fiction. The readers know that Anna loves Yoh as she openly admits it a couple of times in the series, but she doesn't display her feelings for him in a way normal people do. I don't believe her physical abuse of Yoh is a way of affection because she practically beats up everyone whom she regards as being an idiot or everyone who goes against her orders. But Yoh is much harder to decipher. He's always way too scared of getting beaten up by Anna as is shown by him always shaking like a scared kitten at the thought of Anna's wrath. He never openly admitted that he loves her as well so it made me think that this love is a one-sided thing on Anna's part UNTIL this arc. Um, excuse me while I fangirl, because volume 19 chapter 164 is where Anna and Yoh met for the very first time and you know what happened? Yoh totally fell in love at first sight with Anna while Anna glared daggers at him and told him to "die" just because he was blocking Anna's way. And in a total Yoh fashion, he cries (comically) and flees in fright. Okay, still fangirling here.

This is even funnier because there's a poem that's constantly showed in the previous chapters:

The one who awaits you
Will never let you feel lonely
Know this at least
Know this at least

And the one who's waiting Yoh is Anna who's already making Yoh feel lonely AND terrified.

But really, who knew that the only person who could actually beat Anna in the mean scale is her past self? But as this arc is supposed to shed a better light to Anna, her past is revealed later on. And once
again, I was surprised by the revelations in this volume. I still have a lot of questions about her
origin since the volume only mentions her state when Grandma Kino found her in Mt. Osore and not
where she actually came from, though we did learn that Anna is a very powerful itako who has the ability to read minds and summon oni (demons) uncontrollably. After the meeting with Yoh, she accidentally conjured an oni which was easily defeated by Matamune, and later another one. After the encounter with the second oni and Yoh has proved himself a decent person, they are seen watching music specials on TV awkwardly together since their favorite musicians are both performing. This chapter is another favorite because it shows the start of Anna opening up to someone and also because the moments are fangirl-worthy. Yoh says mushy things innocently to Anna and there's a lot of blushing and perverted thoughts. Anna slaps him in return and Yoh ends up asking her out on a date. Really, not only does this volume captures Anna in a better light but it also does the same to Yoh's feelings for her. I honestly cried out of happiness when I read this again. I remember now why I loved these two so much. Anyway this chapter marks the end of the volume. Next week on Manga Mondays, I'll post my thoughts for the second part of the Mt. Osore Le Voile arc where I'm hoping to cover Yoh's character and Matamune and Anna's connection to Hao. :)

Rating: 5/5 stars

I just realized that I talked about this volume as if you knew this title, lol. I forgot you might not even know what shamans are. I honestly don't know if shamans portrayed in this series are what shamans truly are, but anyhow, here's to hoping that you have at least watched the anime because aside from the crappy ending (the manga has much better and real ending), the anime is actually really good and very funny too!

Waiting on Wednesday (43): Fire & Flood

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine

Happy Holidays! Hope you're all having a great time. :)

My WoW:

Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1)
by Victoria Scott
Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Scholastic Press

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Fire & Flood sounds really exciting and I loved Victoria's Dante Walker books so I'm really excited to get my hands on this. :)

Book Review: Witch Finder (ARC)

Witch Finder (Witch Finder #1)
by Ruth Warburton
Paperback, 374 pages
Expected publication: January 2nd 2014 by Hodder Children's Books
Source: e-ARC from Publisher via NetGalley

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.

Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

Witch Finder is where humans and witches exist together. However, not many humans are aware of the other's existence as the only difference between humans and witches is the magic that flows within the latter. Magic that only those with the special ability can see.

The story begins with Luke Lexton signing up to be a member of the Malleus Maleficorum, those who have taken it upon themselves to rid the world from witches. The last requirement for joining the brotherhood is blindly choosing a witch and killing it within the span of one month. Having chosen Rosamund Greenwood, Luke sets off to live the life of a fake Luke Welling and work as a stable boy for the Greenwood household to fulfill his duty to the brotherhood.

Witch Finder is devoid of humor and so has that gloomy tone to it that perfectly suits its genre. Like with most fantasy with historical backdrop that I have read in the past, the book also starts off with a slow plot, initially focusing more on the world-building but it moves more steadily as it reaches the middle part. I found the characters intriguing despite them being too serious. Luke seems to me like the kind of character that's loyal and always gets his job done. He joined the brotherhood in the hopes of killing the Black Witch who killed his father and he probably would've stayed true to my perceived character of him were he able to choose this Black Witch. However, the fact that Luke chose a sixteen-year-old girl instead became a game changer.

My first impression of Rosa was that she was a really weak character - physically and mentally - with a mother and a brother who are more than ready to ship her off to marry a witch from an influencial family just to secure their family's wealth. Granted, Rosa was also attracted to Sebastian. Sebastian who's dark and alluring and who's also attracted to Rosa. He has this sort of bipolar-ish nature. One moment, he's the sweet and gentleman and the next, he's killing puppies by knocking them against boulders. But despite him being a manipulative and cruel character, I found him even more interesting than the protagonists and I'd love to see what insane things he's set off to do in the succeeding books. At first, I was worried that he would cause a love triangle but I'm glad that Ruth knows better than to incorporate one in this. As well, there is no insta-attraction between our Luke and Rosa. It took them a long time to finally fall for each other however, their lack of serious interactions prior to this point gave the impression like it was rushed.

I am also glad to report that Ruth delivers with protagonists that are both well-rounded. Weak as they are against their opponents, both stepped out and managed to give a good fight. I am really excited to see more growth in their strengths as Witch Finder shows us how much stronger the villains are compared to our protagonists and I am really intrigued as to how Rosa and Luke will overcome these obstacles together especially since their relationship is still new and fragile. I am also a sucker for the kind of plot Witch Finder has - that "I'm supposed to kill you but I fell in love with you and now it's us against the world" plot. But more importantly because Ruth did a wonderful job with this concept.

Witch Finder is a great start to a promising series. Even though it presents the readers a slow build-up in the beginning, Ruth's captivating writing will grab you and hold you to your seat until the last pages. Needless to say, I am very, very much looking forward to the second book in this series.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars!

Disclosure: An e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher (Hachette Children via NetGalley) for free in exchange for my honest opinion. No compensation of any kind was received for this review.

[Book Blitz] The Tearings by V.C. Repetto + Excerpt

The Tearings (The Tearings #1)
by V.C. Repetto
Paperback, 278 pages
Published November 22nd 2013 by Evernight Publishing
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

From the moment the black vans appear to take the sick away, Maya knows there is something wrong. A high school sophomore, she seems to be the only one to question the sudden disappearances at school and the masks everyone is forced to wear to keep from catching the new disease spreading through the entire United States. Even when word of the new “healing centers” reaches the public, no one dares to ask what is happening.

But when Maya catches the disease, the one they call The Tearings, and is taken to one of these centers along with her mother, the truth becomes all too clear. She is separated from her family and forced to work, becoming one of the more fortunate ones who is not sent to the testing wings. Bullied by the guards to the point of death, she meets David Summers, the enigmatic young Captain who appears to loathe his position of power in the camp and who seems as drawn to Maya as she is to him.

When Maya suddenly becomes the disease’s only survivor, she must put her trust on David to find a way to escape the camp and get the truth, and the cure coursing through her veins, out to the world.

Excerpt

My throat was raw, throbbing, and dry. 

Panic rose immediately. 

I was sick. I’d caught it. 

I dug my nails into my hands and tried to get a hold of my galloping fear. Maybe I’d just slept with my mouth open during the night. That could be it, right? It didn’t need to be the worst thing imaginable. Except, I knew it was. 

In seconds I was bolting up out of bed and running to the mirror hanging from my closet door. It hurt to open my mouth. Patches of red and fuzzy white had spread across my tongue and palates, making me wince when I touched them. 

Sudden tears made my vision waver. Whatever this super-flu was, I had it. 

I brushed my tears away with violence. There was no time for that right now. I had to think. My first instinct was to run into Mom’s room and tell her, but I made myself stand still for a few seconds more. Once she knew, she’d call the ambulances; there’d be no stopping her. They’d take us away to the health centers, so this might be the last few minutes I had to face this without needles poking at me.

As much as I tried to convince myself that allowing the ambulances to take me to the centers was a good thing, I couldn’t stop my stomach from clenching at the thought of riding in those black monsters that patrolled the streets. I wanted to stay home. 

On impulse, I grabbed my cell off my night table and pressed one of the speed dial buttons.

Derek picked up on the fourth ring. “Maya?”

“Hi.” 

“Is everything okay?” 

I hesitated. This was it. Once I told someone, there’d be no stopping this. “I woke up with a sore throat.”

Trailer

About the Author

When not planning how to survive the next plague and/or apocalypse, I like to submerge myself in as many Victorian Gothic novels as I can find. It is quite fun in my head, actually, between all the moldy lace and gas masks.

I live in a land far, far away, where people have begun disappearing from their houses and the blackest of vans have been roaming the streets. You are welcome to stay for a bit, if you're brave, though I should warn you, a cold has been making the rounds...

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday (42): Maybe Someday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine

My WoW:

Maybe Someday

by Colleen Hoover

Expected publication: March 18th 2014 by Atria Books

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

I may not be the biggest fan of Colleen's latest series, but I cannot pass up on a book about music. Plus, I think it's cool that the songs used in the book will be made into actual songs. Not entirely sure about this actually, but I think the I'm In Trouble song is actually part of the book. I heard about it on Colleen's blog and tried purchasing it on Amazon but Amazon was being racist and won't let me buy it because I'm from a different country. :/

Book Blast + Giveaway: Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Mistress of the Wind
by Michelle Diener
New Adult/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Paperback, 342 pages
Expected publication: December 19th 2013


Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . . 

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . . 

She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response. 

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . . 

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Praise for Mistress of the Wind:

“Diener’s adaptation retains the familiar elements of the original, echoing both the structure and spirit of the classic, but true to form, she puts her own spin both the plot and the narrative, crafting an intricately alluring tale of self-sacrifice, steadfast devotion and enduring love.“ Flashlight Commentary

“The story is fast-paced and never boring, the world a beauty and Michelle’s writing so wonderfully detailed that I felt I was with Bjorn and Astrid on their journey.“ Book Bird Reviews

Author Michelle Diener takes this re-telling to another level. She doesn’t restrict herself to an East of the Sun, West of the moon retelling. Instead we are also given parts reminiscent of Psyche’s quest. Which just allowed for a much more richer story.  Paperback Wonderland

Mistress of the Wind

by Michelle Diener regarding her new book!

Mistress of the Wind is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It's a fairy tale I've loved since I was a child, but it wasn't until I started seriously researching the origins and mythology of East of the Sun, West of the Moon in preparation for writing Mistress of the Wind that I discovered what a unique fairy tale it is in many respects.

Fairy tales are generally grouped into types by folklorists using the Aarne-Thompson classification system, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon is classified as AT-425A, in the 'husband' group of tales, which also includes Beauty and the Beast and Psyche and Eros.

What is unique about East of the Sun, West of the Moon, is that when the heroine goes in search of her lover, the people who help her along the way do not do so because of any action on her part. Usually in a fairy tale--in fact, almost across the board--an elderly, mysterious figure or animal will aid the hero or heroine because of an act of kindness they have shown, or because of a favor the hero / heroine has done first.

In East of the Sun, West of the Moon, the heroine is helped as if it is her due. This really sparked my interest, along with the magical flying horses that are lent to her, and the assumption by all concerned that the four winds will give the heroine their aid.

I approached the story with the question: why would this be so? Because I was writing a full-length novel off of what is, in my fairy tale collection, only 8 pages of text, I obviously had to make the story make sense. Quite often in fairy tales coincidences, strange happenings and the relationships between characters are never explained, but it is assumed the reader will accept them, even though there is no reason behind them. That obviously wouldn't work in a full-length novel. So I decided to explore all mythology relating to the wind, and came across the myth of the Wind Hag, and I just knew I had found the core of my story.

If you are surprised at the use of the Wind Hag as a powerful heroine, let me explain why the crone or hag is a powerful, rather than a pitiable or evil character. And she doesn't have to be old and ugly, either. The book Women Who Run with the Wolves by Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes first introduced me to the idea of the hag as a force of power and self-determination. Estes looked at a number of fairy tales and myths across many cultures, at a time when the power of the feminine had a strong place in society. As the patriarchal Christian religion encroached on society across Europe, women who understood herbology, kept the (pagan) myths and legends alive and who were respected and whose opinions mattered within the social structure, were a direct threat to the new religion.

It was most certainly in the interests of the Church to demonize and undermine these women and what they stood for, and it is no coincidence that the stereotype of a witch is an old hag or crone. They certainly caught the brunt of the Inquisition's witch hunts, and again, that was no coincidence.

It felt right to weave the myth of the Wind Hag through East of the Sun, West of the Moon, even though it isn't in the original. It fit in some way that was really satisfying, and it felt empowering.

Because this is originally a Scandinavian tale, I used Norse mythology to enrich it, although I made a few of the magical creatures up, from a mish-mash of fairy tale creatures and myth.

One aspect of East of the Sun, West of the Moon which I love is that this is a tale where the heroine rescues the hero. I love how the heroine takes action, refusing to give up even in the face of impossible odds. East of the Sun, West of the Moon has one of the bravest, most proactive heroines of any fairy tale, and her journey is striking in how it can be read from a Jungian point of view.

The Jungian psychologist, Marie-Louise Von Franz, made a life's study out of fairy tales and how they relate to ego and our sense of self. I am in awe of her work. One of the points she makes about fairy tales is how they are reflections of our relationship with ourselves, and I found that true over and over again as I wrote Mistress of the Wind.

I love that the heroine cannot rescue the prince until she has travelled to all four corners of the world, and I saw that very much as an allegory for her needing to explore her strengths and come to understand her own power and worth before she could save someone else.

I wrote Mistress of the Wind continually awed and amazed by the depth and richness of the original tale, and so, while I've woven new things into the story, like the Wind Hag, Norse mythology and some of my own imagination, I also tried to remain faithful to the original tale. I wanted to respect the original, and honor it. And it was certainly a privilege to write it. I just hope I did it justice.

- Michelle Diener

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King's Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle's other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor's Conspiracy).

Michelle's first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads * Amazon * Website * Twitter * Facebook

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Book Review: Across A Star-Swept Sea

Across A Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows the Star #2)
by Diana Peterfreund
Hardcover, 464 pages
Published October 15th 2013 by Balzer + Bray
Source: Purchased

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.

This is the type of book that starts out weak but gradually gets stronger as the story develops. It took me two weeks and 60 pages to get on with the story as I kept dozing off in the beginning. I actually almost abandoned this but I loved For Darkness Shows the Stars and I remembered that this was how the first book started out for me as well, so I tried harder.

Across A Star-Swept Sea is set on a different side of FDStS's world and as both cultures have too much differences, the world-building established in the first book was pretty much back to zero. But really, apart from the slow pacing in the beginning that involves the world-building which was a struggle to get past through, the rest of Across A Star Swept Sea flew by like a breeze.

The protagonists, Justen and Persis, are characters with substance. They are both strong in their own different ways and their romance is something that was very entertaining to watch develop as they have the most opposite personalities, with Persis and her "dumb, happy and fashion-centric" self and Justen with his serious and research-focused mind. Granted, Persis was only disguising her true self but still it was almost hilarious to even think that Justen would fall for a girl like dumb-Persis. 

Justen wasn't totally able to bust her pretense but he did see glimpses of a smart and family-loving girl behind Persis's mask and I think it's what ultimately made her grow on him. As well, even though there were no confessions of undying love and their fake relationship never became real, their romance is as swoon-worthy with an ending that will melt you into a pile of fangirl-goo.

Furthermore, I love that we get to see our favorite characters from For Darkness Shows the Stars here! I almost lost hope that I will ever see them again and it was like a dream come true having the main characters from both books interact together. I also find it ironic that Kai and Elliot made their debut kiss here and not in their own book. Justen and Persis, however, do not need another book for a debut kiss but I would love to see them in-real-love in the third book (if there's a third book).

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

[Blog Tour] Interview with My Name is Rapunzel Author KC Hilton + Teaser + Giveaway

Hey there! Today is my stop in My Name is Rapunzel blog tour and I have here a teaser from the book and a quick interview with the author, KC Hilton.

Interview with KC Hilton

Q: How does [your] Rapunzel differ from the original Rapunzel?
A: My Rapunzel is different because she isn't forced to live in the tower and is cursed to live forever. We watch Rapunzel live many lives and understand where her bitterness comes from.

Q: What’s your favorite retelling?
A: Probably Cinderella.

Q: How do you deal with writer’s block?
A: I haven't experienced writer's block, yet. Fingers crossed!

Q: What do you do when you’re not writing?
A: I love to read (it's so relaxing) and watch movies.

Q: What are you working on now?
A: I've been doing some research for a new book, but I'm torn between a few ideas. So, I'm compiling information to see where it leads me. The information that I don't use, might end up in another book. I love doing research!

Q: Tell us 3 random facts about yourself.
A: I'm a Master Barber Stylist. I work a full time job. I'd rather listen to an audio book than listen to the radio, while I drive.

Teaser

Just go, Henry. Save yourself. I tried to shout, but my mouth wouldn't give way to sound. I was paralyzed. Was it with fear, or something else? The cackling witch at the tree line convinced me it was her doing.

I heard Henry continue to shout for me to flee, but I didn't respond. I didn't move. I didn't run. I was frozen like a lifeless statue in a cold museum. With only the movement of my eyes, I pleaded with him to help me. A tear escaped one of my eyes then rolled down my cheek. That single tear managed to do what my heart and body could not. Escape.

Fear, like unseen hands, gripped my lungs and tried to crush them slowly. My stomach churned and threatened to empty. Would we die here?

The gentle chill of night had turned into a mid-winter's frost. Tiny bumps rose on my arms and the small hairs prickled to attention. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words remained trapped in my throat.

About the Book

My Name is Rapunzel

by KC Hilton

Paperback, First, 302 pages Published November 22nd 2013 by Createspace

Synopsis:

My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did.

My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth.

About the Author

Born and raised in Aurora, Illinois I spent my childhood climbing trees and playing street games with the neighborhood kids. I was a proud tomboy, until the day I didn’t want to hike the land to an old graveyard. From that point forward I was considered a “girl”.

At the age of seventeen I moved to Kentucky and eventually began to raise a family of my own. Having worn several “hats” my life has been an adventure all on its own. Still, to this day, I yearns to be a mechanic and own a pink toolbox with pink tools.

I can usually be found updating my website, reading great books, watching awesome movies or creating videos for my YouTube channel. Most days I craves Diet Coke, pizza and chocolate, in no particular order.

I don’t read scary books or watch horror movies… I’m way too scared! Lol.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/kchilton1
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/KcHiltonAuthor
YouTube- http://www.youtube.com/user/MrsKcHilton
Website- http://www.kc-hilton.com
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Giveaway

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Waiting on Wednesday (41): The Queen's Choice

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

My Waiting on Wednesday:

The Queen's Choice (Heirs of Chrior #1)
by Cayla Kluver
Expected publication: January 28th 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Magic was seeping out of me, black and agonizing. I could see it drifting away. The magic that would let me pass the Road to reach home again.

When sixteen-year-old Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will soon die, her grief is equaled only by her despair for the future of the kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is determined not to take up the queen's mantle herself.

Convinced that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring him home. But her journey is doomed to be more harrowing than she ever could have imagined….

Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop

Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop 

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookhounds 

December 11th to 18th 

Featuring your favorite book or books of 2013. These can be books that were published in 2013 or books that your read in 2013.

Books to choose from

These are the best 2013 reads for me. Sorry for the lack of cover image! :P You'll have to click on the titles to view the book infos.

Pivot Point by Kasie West

World After by Susan Ee

Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

*The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Year by Gayle Forman

*Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Across A Star Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

* Will be released on 2014, so the book will be pre-ordered when available

Giveaway

- 2 winners because the season to be jolly is here!
- Open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you.

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Over 200 blogs are participating! See them all here.

Book Review: Tiger's Curse

Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1)
by Colleen Houck
Hardcover, 403 pages
Published January 11th 2011 by Sterling
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Review:

I feel you, Mr. Goldsmith. The Tiger Saga is one of the more popular and loved series out there so it is with much regret to report that I am not as eager to jump into the bandwagon. This has also been a trend with me lately with the more famous books thus, Mr. Goldsmith’s sentiment.

Tiger’s Curse is the type of book that starts out with a strong promise but gradually weakens. The characters were initially bland but they exude the promise of getting better, so I held my breath. Kelsey seems to be the type character that’s weak in the beginning but gets tougher and more mature as she continues to face the hurdles in life. You know the drill. This trope I can live with however, due to the fact that her character is poorly written, I didn’t get to see any remarkable growth in her character at all. If anything, she just became more immature and therefore, annoying. Ren reminded me at first of Kai from Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles (who’s basically one of my book boyfriends). It was one of the reasons why I thought I was going to like this book. Kai is gentleman and even on paper, he has a smile that can melt a person. Ren is the same. However unlike Kai whose smile I will never get tired of, with Ren, I got full of him by the nth time Kelsey mentioned it. 

I almost always dislike books that are romance-centric and this is not an exception. Also, insta-romance. This is confirmed in the latter part of the book since Ren was a tiger when Kelsey and him first met, but this is pretty much a given what with the way the story was going. And did I mention love triangle? Honestly, I think it's a poorly thought-out plot device for this book. It is anything but necessary and it only made the plot even more contrived. The third corner of the triangle happens to be Ren's younger brother, Kishan, who's practically the main reason why they both got cursed. Kishan is overly flirty, cocky and confident with a hot body to boot. This is another trope that I can get used to, however it just isn't spontaneous enough for me to buy. Colleen didn't even provide an explanation as to why the brothers are so smitten by Kelsey. There's nothing special about Kelsey except maybe that she smells like "peaches and cream" wait, what? But seriously, I could've ignored it with Ren, but Kishan? And in the first meeting too! 

In spite of that, it was entertaining to learn about the Indian culture and I half enjoyed their adventures as well. Half only because this is where the annoying came at full force. Ren and Kelsey often fight about nonsensical things and this is not just the typical playful banter. It's also quite embarrassing to admit that my favorite scenes are those when Ren is in his tiger form when he's doing what cats normally do. These are the moments when I want to pluck him out of the book and snuggle with him forever. I guess one can say that Kelsey's lucky to have Ren as a boyfriend, if ever. Imagine she gets a hot boyfriend and a cute and fluffy pet, all in one, however twisted that is. (eek!)

The ending is something I didn't see coming and I can see how this frustrates some readers. It frustrated me too but in a way, I understand Kelsey's decision, albeit a grating one it is. Kelsey is very practical and realistic. She knows there's nothing special about her even if she smells like peaches and cream. She doesn't have the wealth or features to boast unlike Ren who can have everything at his disposal. But this also shows how much she lacks self-esteem and this proves how underdeveloped her character is. It gives me hope that she'd be more likable in the next books which I really am hoping to see as I still want to read the sequel since I already have the print copy.

Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Stacking the Shelves (18) + Holiday #Readathon

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly bookish meme hosted at Tynga's Reviews.

From NetGalley/Edelweiss:

The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik [Expected pub: April 22nd 2014 by HarperTeen]
Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin [Pub: Dec 1st 2013 by Harlequin Teen]
After the End (After the End #1) by Amy Plum [Expected Pub: May 6th 2014 by Harper Children's]
The Murder Complex (The Murder Complex #1) by Lyndsay Cummings [Expected Pub: June 10th 2014 by Greenwillow]

For Kindle:

World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2) by Susan Ee
Brooke (Under the Never Sky #2.5) by Veronica Rossi
Mitosis (Steelheart #1.5) by Brandon Sanderson

Much thanks to the publishers, NetGalley and Edelweiss!

-----------

Holiday #Readathon is hosted by WhoRuBlog

This is the 4th year of the Holiday Readathon and it's my first time to participate! Registrations are open until Dec 8th and you can win some prizes by joining the mini-challenges. Just click the link below the the Readathon image to read about the mechanics!

So my status so far. I chose to read some of the books featured on this week's Stacking the Shelves. Here they are:

Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson
Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin - Loved this! If you've reviewed this or planning to review, please, please, please, please post on Amazon as well! Tracey will write a scene from Jared's POV if it reaches 25 reviews on Amazon!
Brooke by Veronica Rossi
The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik - I'm almost done with this! And if I finish it before the readathon ends, I'm going to add Into the Still Blue to the list!

I am quite the slow reader so I chose two novellas for this so I'm pretty proud of myself for almost finishing all of these before the last day of the readathon. Also I'm following EST and not PHT since I only learned about this on the afternoon of Dec. 6th.

Happy reading guys!

Waiting on Wednesday (40): A Shard of Ice

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

My WoW:

A Shard of Ice (The Black Symphony Saga #1)

by Alivia Anders
Paperback, First Edition, 308 pages
Expected publication: April 14th 2014 by Red Alice Press

THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED.

When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand.

THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED.

A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends.

Then the dreams start.

The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored.

THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING.

With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

Dude. Seriously. That cover. I initially thought that was all lace surrounding her face. I only realized recently that it's all shards of ice. Looks prettier now if you ask me. Can you blame me for falling in love at first sight with this? I know you can't. ;p

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway of Mindee Arnett's upcoming sci-fi series, Avalon. Check it here.

Giveaway! AVALON by Mindee Arnett + PROXY Teaser

So excited to have this giveaway today. Avalon is one of my most anticipated releases of 2014 and I cannot wait to read Proxy too!

Here's a little something about PROXY and AVALON if you haven't heard of these awesome ones yet.

Proxy (Avalon #0.5)
by Mindee Arnett
ebook, 90 pages
Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Balzer + Bray

Proxy is an action-packed introduction to a world like nothing readers have seen before, and it sets a spark to the powder keg that will explode in Mindee Arnett's sci-fi thriller Avalon.

If you need something stolen from any star system in the Confederation, you need look no further than the Shades. Jeth Seagrave and his band of teenage mercenaries have been making a name for themselves for being able to steal anything—and for disappearing before anyone is the wiser. Their latest job, a jewel heist on Grakkus, should be no different. But when Jeth's boss replaces a key member of his crew just before takeoff, and Jeth discovers a betrayal within his own ranks, he begins to suspect that not everyone is going to be coming back from his job alive.

Avalon (Avalon #1)
by Mindee Arnett
Hardcover, 432 pages
Expected publication: January 21st 2014 by Balzer & Bray

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

Teaser

The thrill of the job never got old. Jeth Seagrave lived for it. For the way the anticipation sent electricity pulsing through his veins, making his blood burn hotter, his heart beat harder, and sharpening his senses until he felt like something more than human. A superhero from one of the ancient myths of First Earth, perhaps.

You’re no hero. The automatic thought skidded through his mind, barely registering. No, he wasn’t. He was a thief. One of the best.

And that was all that mattered. Never mind that he was only sixteen. Never mind that most of his crew was even younger. Together they were an unstoppable force, a gang of teenage thieves their adult marks never saw coming. The thrill pulsed harder inside him, and with an effort he focused on the nav monitor in front of him. They would be entering the patrolled zone around the planet Grakkus soon.

To his left, Celeste piloted the Debonair forward, her hands steady on the control column. Jeth would’ve preferred to pilot this job—he would prefer to pilot every job—but he and Celeste took turns. All of the members of the Malleus Shades held specific roles that played to their strengths. Celeste’s forte was counterintelligence, particularly the art of distracting marks. Jeth’s was strategy, and he typically took point on every job. But when it came to piloting, he and Celeste were equally matched.

Jeth drew a breath, still struggling to focus. He couldn’t help it. The upcoming job was the most challenging, complicated one they’d taken on yet. The target was located in a vault at the top of a tower only accessible through the emperor of Grakkus’s personal bedchambers—not some insignificant politician or petty crime lord, but an emperor. Pulling it off would be like flying a spaceship through a solar storm without getting fried.

A grin threatened to break on his face. The job was going to be fun, and with a payout well worth the risk.

At last the nav computer flashed an indicator that they were heading into the patrolled zone.

Celeste glanced at him, her dark eyes narrowing. Straight black hair hung in a blunt cut down to her shoulders. “Are you going to turn on the stealth drive or what?”

“I’m thinking about it.” A part of him didn’t want to. The so-called stealth drive was brand new and untested, at least by the Shades. If it didn’t work, things were going to get a whole lot more interesting real quick. And if it did work, well, then things weren’t going to get interesting. He couldn’t decide which he preferred.

In the end, Celeste made the decision for him, reaching over to a switch on a sleek new section of the control panel. Jeth sighed. It was the right thing to do, of course, and there would be plenty of risks to be had once they landed.

Or it might not work properly, he thought, examining the nav monitor once more. Best not to blindly trust some newfangled technology. Within minutes he spotted a blimp on the monitor, a patrol to their starboard. The ship was far off, but within range to scan them.

“What should I do?” A hint of panic colored Celeste’s voice. They had never before flown so boldly through a patrolled area.

“Hold course,” Jeth said, not taking his eyes off the blimp. So far the patrol ship hadn’t given any sign that it had spotted them.

“You sure you’re right?”

“Aren’t I always?”

Celeste snorted. “Do you want an honest answer?”

“Nope. I prefer my own version of the truth.”

“Right.” Celeste tightened her grip on the controls. According to the instructions they’d received from their employer, who owned the Debonair, the stealth drive worked best when the ship maintained a constant speed and course. Any sharp turns or drastic acceleration or deceleration could turn up on a system scanning for thruster signatures, stealth drive or no.

Maybe it was for the best that Celeste was piloting, Jeth realized. He would’ve been tempted to test the theory of what constituted “drastic.”

They passed out of range of the patrol a few minutes later, and Jeth sat back in the copilot’s chair, folding his arms across his chest as he tried to ignore his disappointment. They flew within range of three more patrols but moved past them without incident, finally breaching Grakkus’s atmosphere.

Once through, Celeste headed for their rendezvous point, an isolated forested area a few hundred kilometers outside of the capital city. Beyond the bridge’s main windows, the first rays of sunlight were breasting the horizon, heralded by a swath of purple, pink, and vermillion.

At last Celeste set the Debonair down on a large stretch of tall grass the color of seaweed. She powered off the engines and turned on the auxiliary, which would keep the shipboard systems running, including the stealth drive. It wasn’t likely that anyone would spot them out here—the place was well off the main thoroughfares, not to mention how inhospitable the swamp surrounding them was—but Jeth decided not to point that out.

Celeste stood and stretched, the movement languid as if she were part cat. The dark, fitted clothing she wore aided the illusion. “So, what now?”

Jeth checked his watch, which he’d synced to Grakkus time. “I say breakfast or lunch, whichever works, and then a couple hours’ R and R. The setup man’s not due to arrive until fourteen hundred.” They’d had to get here early to avoid being detected during landing. The stealth drive hid them from sight, but it couldn’t disguise the sound of the engines or the wind raised by the thrusters.

“Think I’m going to shower again, before—” Celeste broke off as a voice echoed over the ship’s comm system.

“Um, Boss? We sorta have a situation. You might want to get down to the common room.”

Jeth blinked, all his disappointment from their unadventurous journey vanishing in the space of a single breath. It wasn’t often that Will Shady sounded nervous.

Wondering if maybe the ship was on fire, Jeth turned and headed off the bridge with Celeste quick on his heels. They arrived in the common room on the deck below moments later. Jeth stopped in the doorway, surveying the scene. There wasn’t a fire. There wasn’t anything amiss at all, as far as he could tell. Shady was sitting on one of the sofas, his attention focused on the 3D projection from his portable gaming system, a wave of bloodthirsty robots coming at him, each one falling to his simulated gunfire. The comm unit he’d used to radio the bridge sat discarded on the sofa beside him, in danger of being swallowed by a cushion.

Jeth approached him. “What are you doing?”

“Practicing,” Shady said, not looking up. The scowl on his face as he let off a triple blast, drilling a robot right between its bulbous black eyes, made his features look distinctly leonine, the appearance aided by his shaggy mane of blond hair. Shady’s assigned role in the Malleus Shades was ordnance officer.

Jeth put his hands on his hips. “We’re not going to be shooting anybody on this job. And please tell me this wasn’t the thing I needed to see.”

Shady shook his head. “Nope. It’s in that storage locker.” He pointed to the row of lockers along the wall across from them. “The one in the middle.”

Jeth arched an eyebrow. He considered pressing Shady for more, but knew there wasn’t much point. All the crew dealt with prejob nerves in different ways, and once engrossed in his ritual video game, it was hard to get Shady to concern himself with anything else.

Jeth crossed the floor to the locker in question, wondering where the Debonair had been last. Their employer used the ship for lots of different jobs, and it was possible it had been parked planetside somewhere a wild animal could’ve gotten in. An image of something furry and clawed and with teeth the size of fingers flashed through Jeth’s mind. He wasn’t wearing a gun, and he briefly considered getting one before finding out what had Shady so nervous, but then he shrugged and pulled the door open.

There was something alive in there all right, but it wasn’t a wild animal. Even still, it took Jeth several moments to come to grip with what it was. Who it was.

About the Author

Mindee Arnett lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an i
nappropriate number of cats. She’s addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space. She has far more dreams than nightmares. She's the YA author of The Nightmare Affair (Tor Teen), an urban fantasy series about a girl who is literally a nightmare and must use her skills to solve a murder, and the forthcoming science fiction series, Avalon (B+B, 1/21/2014), where Jeth and his teenage mercenaries need to pull off one last big job in order to earn their freedom.

Website: http://www.mindeearnett.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindeearnett
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Mindee-Arnett/215046761888669
Tumblr: http://mindeearnett.tumblr.com/

Giveaway

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Top Ten 2014 Release I'm Dying To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1. Split Second (Pivot Point #2) by Kasie West

I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. Pivot Point is one of most pleasantly surprising reads of the year for me so I really cannot wait to get my hands on Split Second.

2. Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Simply because I’m obsessed with this series. Lunar Chronicles has a set of characters that are all so likable. They are the first set of characters that has never annoyed me in any way.

3. Minders by Michelle Jaffe

I’m actually partial with this book. On one hand, it sounds like it’s going to end tragically but on the other, I’m loving that synopsis so much I’m crossing my fingers I’m wrong.

4. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

It has the CUTEST premise ever! I swear I faint everytime I read the

summary.

5. The Shadow Thorne (The Ascendance Trilogy #3) by Jennifer Nielsen

I loved The False Prince and The Runaway King so much and the first book reminded me a lot of another favorite series of mine, The Thief of Eddis by Megan Whalen Turner. This is the last book in the trilogy so I’m overly enthused for this!

6. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

I am in love with Rachel Hawkins. I read everything that has her name on it.

7. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I loved Rainbow’s Fangirl and although this is not a YA, I still want need to read this. I also consider this as a stepping stone into my quest to venturing the more mature genre.

8. Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead

I haven’t even read The Fiery Heart yet but I know I’m going to love it and I know that it’ll make more obsessed with the series so I’m just getting ahead of myself here. :)

9. Hexed (The Witch Hunter #1) by Michelle Krys

Did you know that my most favorite paranormal beings are witches? Or that my favorite color is teal? Now can you guess why I’m dying for a copy of Hexed?

10.Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

"In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning." Well, that sums it all up. 

I didn't include my other most anticipated 2014 releases because I already have ARC's of them and some I've featured the last time I participated in TTT.

Book Review: Hopeless

Hopeless (Hopeless #1)
by Colleen Hoover
ebook, 332 pages
Published December 19th 2012
Source: Won

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Review:

I have only read one novella (Finding Cinderella) and two novels (this and Slammed) by the author so far, but I am already getting the gist of Colleen's style. Colleen's fondness of unconventional characters makes hers unique and fun. They always have quirky personalities but at the same time, they have depth and substance. However, they also tend to be more odd and sometimes they come off as unrealistic and trying hard to be different for me. 

Having been adopted by her foster mother, Karen, when she was five, Sky had no memories of her biological parents prior to her adoption, all she knew was that her father couldn't take care of her any longer as a kid so she was sent to be adopted. Karen is a really cool foster mom and she reminds me of Laken's mother in Slammed. She also hates technology so Sky grew up without TV, cellphone and Internet. Sky was also home schooled for the most part of her school life until senior year when Karen finally let her enrol in public school. This is supposed to make her socially challenged but I'm surprised that she can handle herself well amid the high school drama. But then again, she had been trained by her best friend, Six, who introduced her to boys and to cellphone and probably the Internet as well. Even though Six is not physically present for the majority of the book, she still managed to be the bestest friend to Sky and I so love their unorthodox best friendship! Speaking of Six, if you've read my review of Finding Cinderella, I just want to report that I am finally getting used to her name. :) 

The second thing I noticed about Colleen is that she has quite the liking for insta-romance. I cannot stress enough how much I dislike insta-love. Although Sky has been with plenty of boys before, she never really got attracted to them. Even when they kiss her, the only emotion Sky feels is numbness. But guess what happens when she first laid eyes on Holder? She was captivated, obviously. Holder is the town's bad boy who reportedly got sent to juvi for beating a gay. He has quite a depressing past but I didn't really feel for him. I like that he's very supportive of Sky though. He respects her decisions even when he's against it. However, Holder is also full of contradictions and I hate that after he promised Sky that he would never lie to her or answer her questions with vague explanations, it was exactly what he always did. 

I had no intention of reading Hopeless before, but Finding Cinderella was an enjoyable read, so I tried. Hopeless is not a bad book per se. Colleen has unique and unpredictable plot ideas and I appreciate that. Hopeless just touches on some particular subjects that I am the least comfortable with and hope to never read again. It is not as light as Finding Cinderella or Slammed which I was expecting the weight of the drama to be around like. I don't usually read heavy books, so I guess I was just shocked by the revelations Hopeless has in store. Even three days after reading this, I still cannot fully grasp the events that transpired. That's another thing Colleen likes in her works, it seems: surprises. As in major surprises. She'll drown you with funny characters and mushy romantic scenes first and when you start getting comfortable and giddy over them, she'd drop the bombs. Emphasis on the "s" because she doesn't just surprise you with one revelation but lots of them and it's always a "where-the-hell-did-that-come-from" moment. To most readers, it's a brilliant plot device but to me it's a WTF plot device that leaves me dumbfounded in a not so very good way.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars