Me on Waiting on Wednesday (366)

Waiting on Wednesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. :)

Title: Out of the Blue
Author: Sophie Cameron
Release Date: May 15, 2018
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan imprint)

From Goodreads:

Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes.

Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived.

Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand this obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother’s sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she’s determined to stay out of it.

When her best friend disappears and her father’s mania spirals, things hit rock bottom and it’s at that moment something extraordinary happens: An angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive. Finally she is forced to acknowledge just how significant these celestial beings are.

Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, OUT OF THE BLUE tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are. But it’s also about love and acceptance and finding your place in this world as angels drop out of another.

There's a lot in the summary, a lot that's made me rather interested in both the story and how it'll all turn out. It all sounds rather interesting, Jaya caught up in her grief, her secrets, and the angels falling from the sky.

Me on Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz. When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love. But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz, something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world. From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Dreams of Gods & Monsters is an epic and powerful tale of pain and magic, of hopes and dreams, of life and death. The end is coming, a war is coming, and Karou and Akiva stand at the brink with their patchwork army against a tyrant and a secret huntress no one sees coming. Will they survive, live to continue their dream of peace, or will their hopes shatter at their feet?

Karou and Akiva, while together, still manage to be heartbreaking. Different sides, different missions, but the same dream for the future. After the first two books, after their revelations and actions, their plans and surprises, what are they to each other? Not enemies, not anymore, but not lovers. Well, not exactly. They're prevented from being together, by the coming battles and by themselves, by what they've seen around the other and inside their own hearts and minds. Their first story, the story of Akiva and Madrigal, was tragic, ending in screams of pain and misery. This one, their second chance, started with surprise, with hopes renewed, and continued again down that path of despair and death. They've battled long and hard, with chimaera, with angels, with monsters, and now the end is coming. But what kind of end?

Something that's always pulled me in with this series is the world-building and this book is no different. Earth, Eretz, the skies, the stars. Everything is something the author has crafted, and crafted beautifully. The vast deserts, the caves of the Kirin, the streets of Rome. Pulled from reality or from imagination, the locations have a life of their own. And they expand as the story expands, as it reaches out and pulls in more characters, more hopes and fears. It grows almost too big, nearly overwhelming the story, but it's all connected in curious and magical ways.

So primal are the emotions felt by those in this book. The burning need to survive. The bitter flame of anger. The crippling sadness. The cold, shaking fear. The bright shine of hope. The gentle pulse of love, like a heartbeat felt by pressing an ear to the chest of a loved one. No emotion is spared. It is enough to bring one to their knees.

There is a lot of anticipation in this book, a lot of build up. Something is coming, something big, something overwhelming. And then the explosion happens, then everything happens, and everything is revealed. Before reading this I re-read the previous two books, taking in the entire story in one long gulp instead of tiny sips over time. Doing that left me wondering if any words I could express about this book would be enough. I don't think I've been more overwhelmed than I have with this book and this series. I've been left in a magical, painful, and glorious head space, dripping with dreams and starlight.

(I purchased a copy of this book.)

Day 10 - Lisa Voisin

Day 10. What I like about this event is no author is exactly the same as another. They all have different backgrounds, different stories, and different paths to publishing. Everything's all diverse, but all of them have a love of writing. :)

Lisa Voisin currently lives in Vancouver, BC. After studying English literature in Toronto and creative writing in Burnaby, she had the great fortune of being mentored by Nancy Richler and A.M. Dellamonica through Betsy Warland's Vancouver Manuscript Intensive solo program. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she lives on a steady diet of coffee and fiction. When not writing, she can be found meditating in the mountains in an attempt to counteract the caffeine. Her debut YA novel, The Watcher, was published by InkSpell Publishing this past March. You can find her at her blog and on Twitter (@lvoisin). :) (Bonus at the end of the post.)

Q: Since it's an event featuring Canadian authors, I figured I'd ask all the authors who chose the Q&A to say how they would count as a Canadian author, be it they were born here, lived here, or moved here. So, how Canadian are you?

A: I was born in Canada and I’ve lived here all my life. My father is from Belgium, so I’m first-generation Canadian on his side of the family, and second generation on my mom’s side.

Q: Can you briefly discuss your March debut, The Watcher? What's it all about?

A: Simply put, The Watcher is a YA paranormal romance about a girl who finds herself caught between two fallen angels, both of whom share a past with her. It’s also about a love that transcends time, and the way trauma from the past repeats itself. It's also a tale of redemption.

Q: It seems that, for the past few years, the market has been packed with paranormal romance, both adult and YA. What do you think is that spark or moment in The Watcher that sets it apart from similar books? What do you hope will draw in readers?

A: I hope to draw readers into the story by the characters and the world they’re in. In so many angel stories, the angels are either really dark or squeaking clean. I wanted to introduce the idea of angels being spiritual and being capable of sinning, and thus redemption.

Q: Your publisher, Inkspell, is a small and (from what I've seen on the website) mainly digital publisher. Do you like your publisher?

A: I do. I’m very grateful to Inkspell for everything they’ve done for me. I’ve learned a lot along the way. When I first signed up with them, they weren’t established as a digital-only imprint yet. They assured me print copies would be available (even in Canada!) through a major distributor. I appreciate the steps they took to make that happen.

Q: What did you love about writing The Watcher the most? Or the least?

A: The Watcher is my first book, so I loved writing the first draft. It was like a honeymoon phase of challenging myself to see if I could actually write a novel-length piece. All the while, I was amazed I was actually writing it. I became addicted to the story as I wrote. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have finished it.

I enjoyed the editing process. The part I liked the least was recognizing how much I had yet to learn. I think the first time someone completes a book, they want to get it published RIGHT NOW. This had been a great boon for companies that help writers self-publish. Waiting, learning, editing, seeking professional feedback, rewriting, editing and learning more is a rigorous process. Once I got past my initial reaction to how much I had yet to learn, I began to embrace the entire learning process. To this day, though, the fun part is hashing out that first draft.

Q: What's next after The Watcher?

A: I’m currently working on the second book in The Watcher series and mapping out the third.
Q: As a fellow Lower Mainland resident, you're accustomed to how much it rains over the fall, through the winter, and straight on into the spring. What's your favourite thing to do in Vancouver when it rains?

A: I’m a big fan of curling up by the fire with a book, a cup of tea, and a cat on my lap. I also take courses. I took sword fighting lessons with Academie Duello this fall. That was really fun!

Many thanks to Lisa for dropping by. Go check out The Watcher now! :)

BONUS! Today's Q&A is doubling for Lisa's current blog tour for The Watcher. There's also an ongoing giveaway Lisa's holding where prizes include a print and e-book copies of the book as well as a winged necklace. The Rafflecopter form for the giveaway can be found here. :) Good luck to those who enter!

Me on Days of Blood & Starlight

Title: Days of Blood & Starlight
Author: Laini Taylor
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group imprint)

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to dream of a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world. Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she's sought. She knows who she is... and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: she loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it. Now she has to decide how fall she will go to avenge her people, but while she and her allies build an army out of dust and starlight, an angel wages a different sort of battle. A battle for redemption, for hope, if hope can be salvaged from the ashes of a broken dream.

Like its predecessor, Days of Blood & Starlight is darkly magical, eerie, and dangerous. Pages filled with lyrical, descriptive prose show readers the after. After the handprints on the doors. After the explosions. After a tear ripped through the sky. So many questions race through the minds of readers. Where's Karou? Where's Akiva? Where's Brimstone? What will happen now, now that Karou knows who she is, where she came from? Will the world still be the world she knows when everything ends?

For Karou, she must determine her next course of action after traveling through the rift in the sky, but that all depends on what she finds there, if it be friend or foe, if she's capable of completing the task at hand. Everything is in the balance: her love of Brimstone and the chimaera, her love of her human friends, and her love for a certain angel.

For Akiva, his search for Karou, to discover whether she's alive or dead, is hampered by a larger task at hand. War is looming, and he will be forced to rejoin his angel brother and sister and the ranks of solders, forced to march on in an age-old battle, and forced to make a choice between his people and his love.

This book is dark, mysterious, and earthy, born from complicated dreams and sweet nightmares. A fantasy where monsters are human, where angels are monsters, where humans are magic, and deep down, everyone is the same, hoping for the same thing. A world to live in free from pain and terror where one can live peacefully with the ones they love most. If such a world exists for Karou and Akiva, their battle for that world will be long and hard, and my heart weeps at the journey they must take.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Hachette Book Group Canada through NetGalley.)

Me on Dark Kiss

Title: Dark Kiss
Author: Michelle Rowen
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Samantha doesn't really do dangerous. She's smart and super careful, but she just could pass up a kiss from her secret crush. But then things started to feel different, like she was always hungry. And not for food. Part of her is missing. Then she meets Bishop, a confused street kid look-alike with loads of secrets. But something's moving into Trinity, and Bishop might be the only one who can help Sam before she loses herself to the darkness.

Dark Kiss wasn't the book I expected when I first started reading. I knew there would be mystery and intrigue, loads of teenage girl angst and confusion, but I didn't expect the urban fantasy tweak that I ended up with. Rowen put enough of her own spin on angels and demons to keep me interested, to keep me turning the page. Coupled with funny one-liners, this book was enjoyable to read. It's something I prefer, characters with sass and snark when facing down angels, demons, and the prospect of having your soul sucked out of your body.

Readers are given a rather authentic misfit teenage girl voice when they meet Sam. She's intelligent and careful and oh so cautious, right until that kiss, right until she meets Bishop and everything does a massive 180 degree turn. There was a moment in the book where a discussion got a bit serious and Sam, after asking a question and getting an answer, went and freaked out like a normal teenage would. That moment was great. No false bravado, no faking it. Characters who realize their fears, who know they have them and still struggle to keep on going, are awesome. Everyone's afraid of something, but you still have to man up, or girl up in Sam's case, and face it.

There's nothing new these days in urban fantasy, but twists and tweaks and unique interpretations are always welcome. Rowen took angels, demons, and the idea of stealing someone's soul and changed it just enough to stand out. In a way, it reminds me of Leah Clifford's A Touch Mortal, but it other ways is doesn't. I don't think this series will be as dark.

I kept reading this book all the way to the end because I wanted to know what was going on. I needed to know. At times there was just enough information to fill in some blanks, at others there were hints and guesses. I always wanted to know where the story was going, what made Sam so special, what had happened to Bishop, and why everything was happening. At the end, I was left cursing the fact that, while the book had an ending, I still have to wait for the next book in the series.

(I received an e-galley of this book from Harlequin through NetGalley.)

Me on Immortal City

Title: Immortal City
Author: Scott Speer
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin imprint)

Jackson is the hottest young Angel in a city full of them and he's days away from becoming a Guardian. People around the world are hoping to be watched over by him. Everyone is obsessed with the Angels, except for Maddy. She's possibly the only girl who doesn't watch the TV shows or read the gossip blogs, so when she first meets Jackson, she has no idea who he is. But he's captivated by her. Maddy's quickly caught up in Jackson's world, a bright flash of glamour, red carpets, and now murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for police to find. Even the Guardians are powerless, and it might be up to Maddy to save Jackson.

Immortal City was interesting to say the least. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much, I'm not a fan of books that focus on fame, reality TV shows, gossip, and paparazzi, but there was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me reading. It also didn't hurt that there were some unexpected plot twists, those are always appreciated.

But I'm torn between taking this book one of two ways in terms of the fame and popularity aspect. I can either take it seriously, like this is how the world treats its celebrities and reality stars and fawns over them for doing nothing but look good, or as satire because of the outrageous antics of the reporters, gossip columnists, and Angel fans. I would love to take it as satire, as the author poking fun.

There's a clear class distinction in this book between the privileged and the rest of society, the haves and have-nots (to borrow a cliché from high school). There will always be more than one side of any situation. In this book we have Jackson who's always had everything handed to him and everything expected of him, and we have Maddy who's as normal as can be and struggling, maybe not struggling to stay above the poverty line but struggling all the same. Everyone has their own opinion of normality, about a normal life and what's normal to them, but when you try and force your way onto someone else, someone who doesn't want it, you run the risk of ruining what someone's worked hard for. Both Jackson and Maddy have to learn this.

The purpose of the Guardians is to watch over normal humans and protect them, but only the rich humans, only those who can afford it. I'm curious if the author was making a comparison between the Angels saving lives for money and the heath care system.

The idea of fame is interesting, of being recognized wherever you go. Not everyone wants it. Jackson's always had it, but Maddy's happy enough without it, with living a normal life with normal struggled and high school and college. There's no pressure in her world, but in his, it could crush him if he's not strong enough.

It was good that there was some intrigue, some action in terms of the dead Angels' wings and the murders, the questions that kept arising, and the honest life or death aspect. Without it, it's possible I wouldn't have finished this book.

I'm sure there will be some who liked it and some who didn't, some parts I enjoyed and others I found impossible and outrageous, some I expected and some I didn't. A certain crowd will enjoy this book, those who enjoyed L.A. Candy and the popularity aspect, those who enjoyed Hush, Hush and its angels, romance, and mystery.

(I received an advance copy to review from Penguin Canada.)

Me on Illuminate

Title: Illuminate
Author: Aimee Agresti
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books

Haven is brainy and shy, but then she's offered an internship in Chicago and heads off to the big city, along with her friend Dante and fellow classmate Lance. They end up at the Lexington Hotel, a very stylish hotel run by owner Aurelia Brown, her second-in-command Lucian, and a stunning staff known as The Outfit. But then Haven learns they're not what they seem, that in the secret passageways underneath the hotel, Aurelia's in the business of buying souls. Haven's left with a choice, joining them or thwarting their plan.

This book was mysterious and complicated, rather lush with a gorgeous setting, and subtle hints at danger growing as the book continued. A different take on a YA novel involving angels, Illuminate told an interesting story, but the length kept me from enjoying this book.

It was clear that the author drew from The Portrait of Dorian Gray in this book, the portraits of the members of The Outfit altering over time, showing their true selves. The original book is about good and evil, an exploration of the soul and the evilness that taints it but leaves appearances pure and young, about deals with the devil and acting without consequences until you wonder whether you're living or merely existing, if you deserve to live. This book isn't necessarily about all those things, but it does include Haven's own search to discover who she is and what power she has.

Haven was intelligent, cautious, and very careful. She knew what had to be done, what secrets to keep from others. She wasn't rushing blindly into situations (unless it called for it). Her mysterious book was something of a cliché, though. Still, I was curious as to who was sending her messages.

And I was surprised there wasn't as much romance as I'd expected. Yes, Haven's drawn to Lucian, but she has her suspicions, has her own worries, has her own questions, and she doesn't always have time to fawn over him, especially when she starts learning The Outfit's secrets.

Unfortunately, the length of this book kept turning me off. There were so many details about setting, and so much set up over the slowly increasing tension and confusion and danger. At over 500 pages, this book is rather long. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I can't get past the length.

Even with the large page count, I'm sure there will be some readers that appreciate the gradual discovery and the suspenseful climb towards an explosive climax.

(I borrowed an advance copy from another book review blogger.)

Me on A Touch Morbid

Title: A Touch Morbid
Author: Leah Clifford
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HC imprint)

Eden won the battle, but the war is just beginning and everything is coming apart. She's suffering, keeping it a secret from Az. Kristen's mind is crumbling, and she doesn't know who to trust. Gabe and Az are battling their own demons. And the Siders have attracted the interest of the Bound.

So much of this book is life and death, love, purpose, choices. It goes up and down, touches angels and devils and the Siders in between. There's darkness and destruction. No one knows what's true and what's a lie. There's loving and wanting and craving. Things are falling apart, and everyone is at risk. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to know who to trust, what to believe.

I felt something when reading this, but I was never sure what it was until the end. It was because I never knew where everything was going until the end, that I never knew who to trust and what the consequences were. This book was dark and twisted, always exploring the shadow-drenched side of life and death and choices.

A Touch Morbid is more multiple stories all woven together than another book all about Eden. There's Eden and Az and what's happening to the both of them. There's Gabe, who's lost and confused, his memories spotty at best. There's Kristen, lost without Gabe to anchor her, slowly losing her mind and her strength until she turns to Luke. There's Jarrod and a newcomer, and their connection is dangerous. Plus there's Madeline with her own motives different from the others, she has plans of her own but doesn't always see the need to share.

Then there's the Bound, the angels, and their interest in the Siders. There's Eden, unsure of whether or not hers go Upstairs or Downstairs.

It's difficult to talk about this book without spoiling any of it, but I will say that the reader puts a lot of trust in the author for most of it. You have to believe that Leah Clifford will bring everything together, that it's all connected when it doesn't look it, and that the ending will leave you breathless.

Honestly, the ending leaves you hanging off the edge of a roof. Metaphorically, of course. The despiration to find out what happens next is so great. And the title is so true. The first book was a touch mortal, and this, a touch morbid.

(I received an advance copy from another blogger.)

Me on On a Dark Wing

Title: On a Dark Wing
Author: Jordan Dane
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Five years ago, Abbey cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but at the expense of her mother's life. After she crossed paths with death, by taking the hand of a boy made of clouds and sky, her life would never be the same. Now, on a trip with her still mourning father, she's being courted by mysterious ravens. Apparently, Death doesn't forget.

On a Dark Wing was haunting, emotional, and chilling. It cuts deep to the heart of the story, the story of a young girl and her brushes with Death, of some people around her, and of Death's unfinished business with her. I did not expect the journey this book took me on, into the depths of Abbey's raw and troubled soul, but I was glad to be there.

Abbey reminded me of a teenage girl shunned by most of her peers. She seems depressed after the accident that took her mother, she has body issues (like almost every teen girl), she hides junk food, she's been bullied and tossed aside by her classmates, and she and her friend Tanner suffered from harsh and degrading cyber-bullying. Life for Abbey is bleak, pointless except for Tanner and the crush she has on Nate. She has Death on one side and high school on the other, both of them chipping away at what little self-esteem and hope she has left. But she won't talk about it, even with Tanner. It's all bottled up inside, eating away at her like a horrible disease.

The alternating points of view gives us multiple sides of the story, not just Abbey's. There's Nate's, with his about survival and his own brush with death. There's Tanner, with his own less than perfect life but his need to help keep Abbey from the edge, his need to make things better for her. The characterization was wonderfully crafted, everyone felt so real, even Death and his fascination with both Abbey and with humans in general.

This is the story of Abbey finding herself, of Abbey pulling herself away from the edge. Death happens, and it is tragic, but we can't waste our lives waiting for it to catch us and take us. Life doesn't have to be brutal and painful, we can fill it with friends and family and happy memories after tragic events. This book doesn't sugar-coat anything. Life as a teenager often sucks just like Abbey's does, but there's always something to live for.

(I received an e-galley of this book to review through NetGalley from Harlequin.)

Me on Waiting on Wednesday (52)

Waiting on Wednesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. :)

Title: Immortal City
Author: Scott Speer
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin imprint)

From Goodreads:

L.A. Candy meets the mystery and romance of Fallen in this sensational debut.

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He’s days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone’s obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect—everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy’s the one girl in Angel City who doesn’t breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn’t recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson’s scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi—and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels’ wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat … and this time it’s up to Maddy to save Jackson.

Finally, this book has a cover. This is the third (and hopefully last) one I've seen. The first was in Penguin's Winter 2012 catalogue and I thought it looked good. The second was the ARC cover I've seen in people's IMM posts. I thought it was a bit dodgy and the colours didn't work. This one is far better than the second (but I still sort of prefer the early not finalized cover).

Then come my reservations about this book. The first line of the summary says it all. I haven't read L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad, and I will admit that I hate most reality TV and its subculture of semi-/totally scripted shows. Also, while I did enjoy Fallen by Lauren Kate, the next two books in the series didn't necessarily work for me. Plus, this book was recently plugged on Twitter by the author's girlfriend, actress and singer Ashley Tisdale (the only think I actually like that she's done is the cartoon show Phineas & Ferb, which I watched when I tutored young kids).

That being said, there's still something about this book that makes me want to read it. It's probably both Maddy not knowing who Jackson is despite him being famous (what is fame, really?? it all depends on what you expose yourself to, look at authors and readers & review bloggers; to us, authors are famous) and the serial killer aspect. You know, it's probably just the serial killer aspect. Without it, I might've given it a pass. I really really hope this book is good.

Me on The Space Between

Title: The Space Between
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin imprint)

Thirty-two days ago when I first read this book, I hoped I would find the words needed to describe it adequately. With any luck, I have finally found them, or what could be considered a close approximation.

Daphne is half-demon and half-fallen angel, the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life, for her, is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie suddenly goes missing with no clues to be found, except possibly in the memories of a broken human boy Obie tried to help. Determined to find him, Daphne leaves Pandemonium for the streets of Earth, but everything up there is colder and more terrifying, and she struggles between her demon instincts and the growing - yet unfamiliar - feelings for the broken Truman. As they search, they must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in their way. But Daphne also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

A breathtaking novel of discovery, purpose, identity, and most of all love, Brenna Yovanoff gives readers a book sure to leave them lost and broken at the end, grasping at the edge, clawing with broken fingernails, trying to stay afloat, all in the amazing way novels can. I've been left broken and bleeding, begging for more, for one more glimpse into this heartbreaking world, forgetting that it's the one I currently live in. This book is so incredibly visual, the city of steel and chrome so clear in my mind, the characters full of hope and fear and blood rushing through their veins.

I don't know what I expected from Daphne, but what I found I love. All she cares about is finding Obie, finding the one person that makes life bearable. She doesn't understand Earth, she only knows what she knows and goes about finding her information without deceit or guile. So honest, so basic, so clear and so unexpected. And Truman. He's broken, tired, searching for the end because the world has become pointless to him, but then Daphne finds him, Daphne needs him, and it's up to him whether or not he wants to make that journey away from the edge.

My heart instantly latched onto Truman, to his desperation and defeat, to his loneliness. The world will hurt you, it will beat you down, it will cut deep and make you bleed until your arm tingles and goes numb, but it does get better.

What is in the space between the dark and the light, the good and the evil, the black and the white? This is what's in that space, living, thriving, surviving. This is what's there when the lines are blurred and you can't tell which is which. This book is dark, conjuring up a part of the world often kept locked away behind hidden doors, the darkness, the side of danger and sin and death and terrible choices, but you can't keep it locked away forever. It all applies to being a teenager, to their learning about the world and their eventual mistakes (because there will be a lot of them), including the dangerous decisions they make about alcohol and drugs, about street fights, about cutting and suicide/attempted suicide.

The Space Between stole my breath, leaving me shattered, picking up the pieces of myself. Gorgeous prose, gorgeous storytelling, absolutely heart-wrenching and utterly perfect. If you are not moved after reading this book, if you have not read between the lines to discover what it means to be human and what it means to love, go back and read it again. Please.

(I received an advance copy to review from Penguin Canada.)

Me on The Mephisto Covenant

Title: The Mephisto Covenant
Author: Trinity Faegen
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA

Sasha wants to find out who murdered her father. When learning the truth leads her to pledging her soul to a figure called Eryx, she learns more than she bargained for - Sasha is Anabo, a pure and bright daughter of Eve, the biggest threat to Eryx and his evil plans. Jax is a son of Hell, immortal, bound to Earth, looking for redemption in The Mephisto Covenant - God's promise he'll find peace in the love of an Anabo. When Jax meets Sasha, saves her, he knows his search is at an end. But will Sasha give up her mortality? Will Jax be able to keep her safe and win her over?

I'll say this book was intriguing, which it was. The mythology was interesting and different (as different as fallen angels looking for redemption can get), and I enjoyed the snippits of Russian information. It's not every day you read a book with connections to Russia and espionage and spies and secrets. Well, not every day for me.

I've seen some early reviews and early comments on how there was some instant love between Sasha and Jax, but to me it was another case of instant attraction and instant connection. Like in Kelly Keaton's Darkness Becomes Her. Maybe instant lust, which isn't surprising given the fact that they can't stop kissing.

The pacing seemed rather quick at the beginning. So much was revealed in the first chapter, some things that I'd assumed wouldn't pop up as potential issues until halfway through the book. It almost felt like a third of a book had been crammed into the first chapter or so, and then came the rest of the book with Sasha discovering what it meant to be an Anabo, her learning what Jax was, what their connection meant, why she was changing.

I was slightly turned off by Sasha's aunt and evil cousin (you'll know who I mean if you've read the book), but because their evilness was so outrageous and petty and cruel. I think I know why Faegen wrote them that way, and I hated them, which was supposed to happen. They were totally unsympathetic and I wanted to punch them both in the face.

The book seemed to read more like a paranormal romance as opposed to a YA paranormal romance, which didn't necessarily bother me, I've been reading those types of books since I was 14 (and I didn't have to sneak them into the house, either). Some readers might be a little scandalized at the few graphic scenes, and maybe some parents, but like I said when I reviewed Kody Keplinger's The DUFF, teenagers will and do have sex.

I'm glad that each book in the series will be about a different brother finding an Anabo. It reminds me even more of a paranormal romance series in that sense.

A book on redemption, on discovering who you are, on learning the truth, on good and evil, light and dark. Intriguing, complicated, lush and sexy, this book will suck you in.

(I received an advance copy of this book from a fellow blogger who picked it up for me at BEA this past spring.)

Me on Unearthly

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins imprint)
Pages: 435 (Hardcover)

I bought this on a whim about a month ago when I spotted it in a bookstore. It was another case of books that come out in the US but don't really end up in Canadian bookstores for another month. *sigh*

Unearthly was one of the sweeter YA angel books I've read in the past while. It didn't feel overly dark and mysterious like Hush, Hush or Crescendo, it wasn't full of action and fight scenes like Angelfire. It was more relaxed, more journey of an angel to a new place so she could help people kind of book. Which I didn't mind. Not every book has to be like a Buffy episode.

Clara was sweet as the heroine. Not overly strong or powerful, perhaps a little meek and curious, but that's how I found her character and enjoyed her. She wasn't one to totally run in and beat everyone up, but she isn't supposed to be. She's an angel blood, a quarter angel, and after learning what she does from her mother, sees angels as benevolent and helpful, going out into the world to protect people. It wasn't until further into the book that the hint of danger comes into play.

Now, when I say sweet, I don't mean sugary and syrupy and overwhelmingly girly. It was such an easy-going book, such a quick read. I felt eased into the story, almost like I was gliding through it, coming across the twists and surprises like I was riding rapids down a river before hitting another calm spot.

The Wyoming setting was really nice. Not urban and with so much natural beauty highlighted by the author in her descriptions of the setting.

The vague love triangle, while getting tired and overdone in YA, didn't totally bother me. Clara is drawn to Christian, of course, but then there's Tucker. And even with the connection to Christian, there's no chemistry there like there is with Tucker. The second he became one of those needling getting on her nerves rubbing her the wrong way kind of guys, I just knew there was going to be something between him and Clara. It was obvious.

This book was almost devoid of pressure, apart from Clara's task to determine what her vision means and who she has to save, and so I enjoyed reading it. So peaceful to read, so gentle and easy. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Me on A Touch Mortal

Title: A Touch Mortal
Author: Leah Clifford
Release Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins imprint)

Bored and alone, Eden didn't expect to meet Az, but she also didn't expect to end up stuck between living and dying, didn't expect to be ripped from his side after falling in love with him, didn't expect to have the ability to ruin people with her touch. But Eden's a girl who knows her heart, and isn't going to give up, even if Az is a Fallen angel tossed out of heaven.

This was the third YA book I've read in hardcover (Unearthly and Angelfire being the other two), all three even have the same publisher (if not published by the same imprint), but it had a different twist to it and so I wasn't totally bored while reading it.

It started off a bit different with Eden all depressed and possibly contemplating suicide, but what drew me in was the third person point of view. I think I've read far too much first person YA novels. This was so refreshing, following characters through terrible situations and being in more than one person's head. Often, there's more than one character in a book and sometimes you want to know what's going on in their head instead of just speculate about it with the narrator.

The Siders were really interesting, a new wrinkle in the eternal struggle between angels and the Fallen. It shows a different side to those who commit suicide, that they don't all end up in Hell, that there might be another place they go to, a place between life and death.

The darkness and death was almost too much, almost overwhelmed Eden's relationship with Az. I wanted more Eden and Az as the book went on.

Still, I found Leah Clifford's debut rather interesting, even if after reading it I was a little tired of reading angel YA novels. Not as much romance as I expected, more good versus evil and what happens after death/suicide, but still interesting. If there's a book two in the works, I'll read it.