Review of Passion by Lauren Kate

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have chosen me. Forever."

Luce would die for Daniel. And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

When we left Luce and Daniel in Torment, Luce had jumped into an Announcer to escape the misery of being in danger and struggling to understand the relationship that her and Daniel share. In Passion, Luce and Daniel both skip through their past lives, Luce looking for answers and a way to break the curse, and Daniel trying to find Luce so that she doesn't rewrite history. They are not the only ones running through the past though. Shelby, Miles, and Cam have all followed them through the times trying to get Luce home safely and without destroying herself or anything else in the process.

In Passion, we are offered a glimpse into the past of Daniel and Luce and I have to tell you that I adored every second of this book. I love learning about their past first-hand instead of only hearing stories from Daniel's perspective. I felt that Luce grew in this book more than any that preceded it and she found out that the love she felt for Daniel was real and significant, among other things. In all of her lives, Luce was taught a lesson that brought her closer to the ultimate truth that she learns by the end of the book. The love that Daniel and Luce feel in every lifetime if breathtaking, and Daniel's heartbreak from every one of Luce's deaths in excruciating. In Torment, I grew angry at Daniel and became a fan of Miles, but in Passion I grew to love Daniel more than I ever did in the beginning.

Daniel's Journey in this book is also important because he is not just chasing Luce, he also finds himself revisiting important moments in his own history that make him remember why he never gave up after all this time. He renews his own hope and understanding of his situation and believes in his choice all over again. The setting of the individual lifetimes come to life and I really enjoyed all of them. If there is one book that you read this summer, make it this book!

Booklist Beggining

It is about that time that I begin my 2012 book list. While I only know the first few books that come out in 2012 I can begin this list now to stop myself from having an OCD fit every time I look at my Amazon Wish List. This will be organized in the same order as my previous list starting with the month in the middle. Underneath the month will be the date of release, book title, author and series in that order. Enjoy.

2012 Book List

January
3- Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer (A Nightshade Novel)
3- Charmfall by Chloe Niell (A Novel of the Dark Elite)
10- A Million Suns by Beth Revis (An Across The Universe Novel)
17- Fracture by Megan Miranda
24- Everneath by Brodi Ashton
24- Life Eternal by Yvonne Woon (A Dead Beautiful Novel)

24- Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (An Unearthly Novel)

31- Destiny and Deception by Shannon Delany (13 to Life Series)
31- Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire Trilogy)

February
7- Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

8- Pure by Julianna Baggot

28- Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Delerium Trilogy)

March
6- Everlasting by Elizabeth Chandler (Kissed By an Angel Series)

6- Balthazar by Claudia Gray (An Evernight Novel)
6- Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

13- Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (A Hex Hall Novel)
13- The Savage Grace by Bree Despain (A Dark Divine Novel)

April
17- The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder Series)

May
1- Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
1- Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready (Shade Series)
8- Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
8- Endure by Carrie Jones (Need Series)
8- Until I Die by Amy Plum (Die For Me Sequel)
10- Endure by Carrie Jones (Need Series)
22- Taken By Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (A Raised by Wolves Novel)
22- Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent (A Blood Bound Novel) (ADULT)

June
5- Arise by Tara Hudson (Hereafter Trilogy)
12- Timepiece by Myra McEntire (Hourglass Sequel)
12- Rapture by Lauren Kate (Fallen Series)
19- The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead (A Bloodlines Novel)
26- Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers Series)

July

August
7- Rivals and Retribution by Shannon Delany
21- The Rise of Nine (The Lorien Legacies Series)
28- The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton (A Blood Journals Novel)

September
4- Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck (A Tiger's Curse Novel)

Review: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Synopsis: In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.

Die For Me is refreshing, charming, and will make you want Vincent just as much as Kate does. The revenants that Plum invented are new to the YA scene and that was the first thing to entice me into reading this book. The Paris setting is crisp in detail but because I have never been I could only imagine the scenery that was portrayed in the book. Kate is a girl that has lost both of her parents in a tragic accident that changed her life forever. Living with her sister and grandparents in Paris has done nothing to change the fact that she is miserable and sliding deeper all the time into a dark hole of despair. That is, until she meets Vincent, the charming, handsome and mysterious boy that seems to bump into her everywhere.

I really liked being in Kate's head. I found that right from the very first page I liked her point of view and description of the world around her. I could follow her through almost any story and enjoy every word. I found the attraction that she felt towards Vincent and vise-versa very rushed and too strong too fast. It had a very our-eyes-met-from-across-the-room sort of feel to it. I felt that the rest of the storyline progressed well and I found it easy to follow the action of the story.

There are many different aspects of the story that will make readers interested in Kate and Vincent. Vincent's approach to wooing Kate is both adorable and a little bit creepy. That being said, as much as his spying on Kate may have pushed me away a bit, he is incredibly polite, well-meaning, and protective of her. I would think that many fans of The Twilight Saga would love this book because Vincent is very much like Edward Cullen but he equally has his own personality. Vincent has chivalry down to a science and makes Kate, and readers, wait impatiently for him in his absence. Overall, a good read for people of all ages.

Review: Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Synopsis: AURA'S LIFE IS ANYTHING BUT EASY. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past--the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura's search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets...and her heart.

First thing I would like to say would be OH MY GOODNESS! I really like Shade, book one of the Shade trilogy, but this book exceeded my highest hopes for book two. Oh Zachary, totally sexy, tall, dark and accent! I love Zachary. Anyone who knows me has heard my undying love confessions for Edward Cullen, but I would gladly give him to the next girl in line for Zachary.

Aura has been mourning Logan's Shade since his concert the night he was supposed to pass on. She put her life on hold and tried every night since then to get him to return to the world as a ghost. Finally, at the beginning of the book, she finds herself face to face with Logan as a shade. Not only does he change from a ghost to a shade, but he also becomes solid again. Aura and Logan cannot think of anything except their unfinished business on the night of his birthday, the night they were supposed to make love for the first time. But to both their disappointment, Logan loses his solid form after about fifteen minutes. When she tells Zachary about what happened, on the same night that he asks her to prom, he can't believe that after all of this time of patiently waiting for her to move on that she would attempt to be with Logan again, and he withdraws his invitation.

Aura spends a lot of time in this book understanding how it is she feels about Zachary and Logan. This book is a much sexier story than the first because Aura can't seem to control her urges. Aura finds herself stuck in the middle once again. At the same time that Aura is going through all her troubles over the boys in her life, she is faced with a new discovery about her past and the secrets that may have created the Shift, and her involvement in it. Worse, someone has been watching her and may know more about Aura than she would like. This book is absolutely amazing and the romance in it is breathtaking. The mystery of the Shift and all the clues that Aura, Zachary, and Logan are given are well thought out and make you want the third book, Shine, to fall into your lap at the end. This will be another of Smith-Ready's books that I will add to my list of favorites.

Review of Clarity by Kim Harrington

Synopsis: When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?

 
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
 
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

 
And a curse.


When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

I can honestly tell you that I read this book in a few hours only because I could not put it down. I started it thinking I'd read a chapter or two and wait until after I finished my school work for the day and then finish it. My mind screamed for more every time I tried to stop reading.

Clarity, Clare, and her family are blessed with gifts. Clare has the gift of visions, she can see people's perspective of specific moments when touching objects they have touched. Her brother Perry is a medium who can speak to the lingering dead and her mother is a telepath capable of knowing every lie she tells by reading her mind. They live in a tourist town in Cape Cod and most of the townies think they're freaks. Then, the town hires a new detective and everyone is talking about him and his son.. until a girl is murdered.

Clare's brother confesses to her that he was with the girl that night and becomes a prime suspect for murder, which in turn makes her want to work harder to protect him and find the real killer. There are many times where even Clare doubts her brother in this book. Clare works on the case with the detective's son, the hot and mysterious Gabriel Toscano, and her ex-boyfriend Justin. Clare is an easy character to like. She's sassy and entertaining. I did find at the beginning I had trouble connecting with her but after two or three chapters I enjoyed her point of view a lot. There is constant suspense and almost every chapter ends on a cliffhanger making you want to continue onto the next page.

This book is fast paced and will make you want more. Even after I finished I hadn't had enough. I'm really excited to read the book's sequel and cannot wait. There are many boys in this book that will make you swoon and my favorite was Perry. If you are heading to a bookstore soon, you should pick up this book, especially if you like a good mystery.

Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Synopsis: Nine of us came here. We look like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you with you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They Killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

Review: I Am Number Four is a great story. John Smith, a.k.a. Four, has been running for as long as he can remember. He is from the planet Lorien, a planet that is much more advanced than earth. This planet had already gone through their destructive behaviors and started to kill their planet. They reversed this process and were given powers, or Legacies, as a way to take care of their planet. When their planet was invaded by the Mogadorians, another race from another planet that have ruined their own planet. They destroyed all of Lorien and their people-except nine Garde, those with Legacies, and their Cepan, their protectors. They were sent to live on Earth, the closest life-sustaining planet, to hide from their invaders, and save their race.

John is finally coming into his Legacies at age fifteen and can now fight back. He has never had a need to fight before he moved to Paradise, Ohio. He finally has his first friend, Sam, and his first girlfriend, Sarah. Everything he has ever wanted, including feeling normal for the first time, will not last long because the hunt is already under way. Because the Garde can only be killed in order of their numbers, John is next. The first three have been killed by the Mogadorians and they are looking for John next. John's struggle is mostly with himself in this book. He tries to live a normal life while at the same time trying to develop some sort of defense to protect himself and his Cepan, Henri. Overall a great story that will make you want to read the next in series, The Power of Six, to be released August 23.

Review: Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Synopsis: At the age of four, Bryn watched a rogue werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by the mysterious Callum, the alpha of his werewolf pack.Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes her.

But the pack;s been keeping a secret and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's direct orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

Bryn is as bad ass as any female can be. She's kept to herself, mostly, her whole life while living amongst a pack of werewolves. At the beginning of the story I found myself a bit confused by the dynamics of the pack and its rules and how the humans in the book came into it, but after a few chapters I felt my confusing subside and I was absolutely delighted. Barnes brought me into a world where not only did a pack full of werewolves have laws and government, but also, that treat the humans within the pack like their own, actually more like possessions. This book was really well written and I adore Devon! *swoons* Right from the time that you meet Chase you understand why Bryn is so drawn to him and then one or two times later it makes total sense.

While the powers and things of being a werewolf don't really change much than other books,  it's unnecessary because there are other factors that are different and hypnotizing about this pack of werewolves. Bryn's world and her many relationships, strange and not so much, make this a great book all around and I will be buying the next book, Trial by Fire, on its release date, which happens to be June 14th.