Review: Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


When she was nine, Megan Meade met a group of terrible, mean, Popsicle-goo-covered boys, the sons of her father's friend -- the McGowan boys. Now, seven years later, Megan's army doctor parents are shipping off to Korea and Megan is being sent to live with the little monsters, who are older now and quite different than she remembered them.

Living in a house with seven boys will give Megan, who has never even been kissed, the perfect opportunity to learn everything there is to know about boys. And she'll send all her notes to her best friend, Tracy.


My review:


This was one of those times that my real life probably got in the way of my starting out with a good impression. Put it down to having two teenaged boys (though honestly, she utterly nailed the teenage boy part of it) and the fact that I don't know any parent that would send their sixteen year old daughter to live in a house with seven boys - half of which were around her own age. Or put it down to spending 21 years as a Navy brat and another 21 as a Navy wife and knowing just how orders work...and that you're told well in advance of a change of orders, especially overseas. And that for two career officers of high rank (which they would be to have a sixteen year old daughter) to be sent to Korea, for two years, isn't something that's likely to happen.


Again - something probably only other service wives/brats would cotton to but since the premise didn't ring true, the story started out in the negatives. I was able to set it aside, though, because the story itself did grab me.

I loved Megan's emails to her BFF in Texas, and probably because I have two teen boys, I loved the way they acted...like boys. Walking around in their boxers without a care, leaving the bathroom looking like something out of a truck stop that hasn't seen a good cleaning in decades, all of that. I loved Miller, totally associated with Regina being so thrilled to have a girl in the house for a change. I hated Hailey with the intensity of a thousand suns an she totally earned it.

I seriously loved the way she showcased the soccer - and that Megan was a hardcore player. The author did an excellent job of explaining the action sequences in the practice - the way Megan took the ball up the field to how the illegal hits tripped her up and flattened her to the grass. I also loved that Megan was a serious player and took it all in stride. That part was brilliantly done.

In the end it comes down to...well, the end. Without too many spoilers it fell flat to me. No clear resolution at all. It just sort of...stopped. And mostly, the one defining thing was Megan's crush(es) with the McGowan boys and as the story wound down, after the dramatic climax, there wasn't any reunion. There was the main conflict resolution and then...boom, a motorcycle, an ultimate frisbee game, what could have been a great reconciliation and then...the end.

If we'd just seen that one reunion - the two together after their aborted Moment of Truth. But it wasn't meant to be. Still, I enjoyed reading it but it won't be one I go back to again.

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look. 

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. 

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.


My review:

A little change of pace. My reviews are going to be here and here only from now on. I'm not deleting the blog, just abandoning it as a failed experiment.

Hell with it. I'm game if you are.

The reason this one lands at 3 stars instead of 4 comes from the genius of the movie/stage play Amadeus. At one point, the Emperor declares that Mozart's opera has "too many notes." That's how this book felt to me - too many words.

Stephen King is a self-proclaimed sufferer of "diarrhea of the word processor" but with his stories, the words provide detailed histories, backstories. In this book, it was more like...endless description about things that really didn't matter. The whole scene with the report that went on....forever. I'd have more examples but, to be dead honest, I started skimming a lot of it.

I liked the characters fine but it was hard to form strong attachments around the endless scenes of Peril followed by expostion followed by lies/misdrection followed by More Peril followed by...you get the idea.

Still. The ending intrigued me enough to want to finish the series out. But for right now I'm planning on holding off until the third book is out, or close to being out.

Review: Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:

"Think I can turn that boy bad?" 17-year-old Jen turns her life upside down when, out of boredom, she makes a bet that she can turn school geek Trevor into someone like her. Instead, the goth girl finds herself sucked into his world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even-ugh!-bowling. To truly belong with him-and with her new foster family-she must first come to terms with her violent past.

My review:

Have you ever picked up a book on Sunday morning, intending to read a few chapters, get an idea of the story while you finish your coffee....then look up, realize it's noon already, and you've read the whole thing?

It's not the first time it's happened to me, but this was the first one that had me crying over my coffee. And not at the parts one would think.

I'll grant that the story follows the usual pattern - the bet, the slow fall into unintended areas, the discovery, the aftermath - but Jen's voice is so refreshing, it all feels new again. I also liked the new spin - taking the geek and not making him popular, but making him bad.

And the reason, when Jen finally revealed it to herself, and to us, broke my heart.

I think what I loved most about this book was that it wasn't just a girl-meets-boy love story. There were other love stories intertwined - family, friends, beautiful secondary characters. And the moments that made me tear up were the ones from these secondary relationships.

I don't have any words for Trevor because he was, in a word, beautiful. He was also flawed in his own way, but not afraid to speak up when things just didn't make sense. Then there's the way my heart sped up every time this happened:







I have a feeling I could gush for hours on hours about the story but since I'd have to skate over the spoiler line, I won't. If the story of a young girl coming into herself, and to terms with a past she had no control over, appeals to you, this one's worth checking out.

Review: Avow (and Awry) by Chelsea Fine

Avow by Chelsea Fine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Scarlet remembers. Everything. Her past lives, Tristan, Gabriel, Nate: she remembers it all--including how to get to the Fountain of Youth. But time is running out. 

Heather and Gabriel have been kidnapped by Raven, while the curse that has plagued Scarlet and Tristan for centuries has shifted, putting the star-crossed lovers in more danger than ever before. Water from the Fountain of Youth is the only thing that can save Scarlet and her loved ones. But the water comes at a price.

With lives--and hearts--at stake, Scarlet leads her friends on a dangerous journey to the Fountain of Youth. Where eternal life is possible, but death is certain.


My review:

I did some heavy wavering between three and four stars for this one - another time I wished desperately for half stars in there somewhere.

This is also going to be a combined review for both Awry and Avow for two reasons. First, work did not allow me the brainspace to review Awry when I finished it and second...they could have very easily been combined into one book. Thus the reasons for the waver between three and four stars.

Overall, the series itself was a strong one. Lots of action, great characters, dialogue that had me laughing out loud and a love story that truly touched my heart. It also had a triangle...but not. There wasn't any of the angst and chest-beating over 'whomever shall I choooose...' here. Or, at least, it didn't feel that way to me. With all the Team X and Team Y going around, it was refreshing to see the triangle explored the way it was in this series.

The problem I had with Avow was the inordinate amount of time spent over Scarlet's memories - what felt like over half the book, some of which had already been alluded to in other flashbacks (which, to my mind, had been handled better in the previous two books via small chapter glimpses into the past. Was it interesting to see all of Scarlet's past lives? Yes. But it took me out of the current story and honestly had me skimming after a while to get to what I really wanted...Scarlet's last life before waking up in Amazon.

And, I'll say it. Even though this was Scarlet's story from start to finish, by the middle of Avow - or the middle of the present-day part of the book - I wasn't reading so much for Tristan and Scarlet but for other reasons. Reasons that shall remain uncommented on for possible spoiler issues. My favorite secondary character was involved and I'll leave it at that.

I enjoyed the series as a whole very much and due to cliffhangers, I'm very glad the entire thing was out before I started. Nothing like reaching that Noooooo ending and knowing the next book is sitting right on your Kindle, waiting for you to touch it and bring it to life.

Review: Anew by Chelsea Fine

Anew by Chelsea Fine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice. 

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer. 

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.


My review:

I seriously hate it when life gets in the way of both reading and reviewing. Unfortunately, this was one of those weeks. Sick with a sinus infection as well as stupid busy at work does not leave a lot of brainspace at the end of the day.

I'm very much hoping that this is not a disturbing trend.

Anyway, on to Anew.

Probably the strangest thing, to me, about this book, was reading one in third person again. So many YA books these days are first person, I kept having to shake myself that the main PoV was Scarlet and not "I." Thankfully, it was a quick transition.

I initially read the Kindle sample months ago (after falling ridiculously in love with Sophie & Carter) but in deference to my sometimes over-visceral reaction to any sort of triangle, I decided to wait until the third book was out (and then, of course, I got sidetracked by new and shiny.

I'll say this. I'm glad I did because when I got to the end of the first book...it was primal scream time.


The story itself is intriguing as hell and I've read my share of the paranormal. I was particularly drawn to the curse that is the center of the story. It's there and stated out clearly (which I like) but there's the element of why. Why would Raven craft such a curse? Then little bits start to come out. Things that make you think there's more to this curse than what Scarlet, and we as readers, have been told. Perfect use of keeping the reader engaged while still leaving questions to keep them wanting more.

There's Gamer Nate, whom I adore to bits, but the silly exterior hides much more, I think, and we get just enough of a hint to intrigue. He's like an iceberg character - so much of him under the surface and totally unseen.

I think I could write paragraphs about my love for Tristan, my frequent desire to smack the crap out of Gabriel, and how much I love Scarlet and how she copes with her world being upended. She gets angry, yes, but she doesn't hole up. She confronts both men, she finds ways to try and keep her life normal in spite of her amnesia and then learning her real story, her real past.

I doubt it will be any real secret based on my first line which camp I'm in, and I'm excited to see if my theories are correct, but not just that, I want to know all the whys that are being hinted at - why the curse, what happened leading up to it, and what's got Nate so serious sometimes.

Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered by Jennifer Rush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.


My review:

There's something to be said about being laid out flat with a sinus infection. Not only do you get a lot of reading time, but family tends to steer clear of your sneezing moaning self so that reading time is largely uninterrupted. Bonus.

The only downside is, my brain doesn't appear to be as sharp as usual. So please to be excusing if I sound completely out there.

The story had a lot of the same elements as "Touch" - father involved with the super secret group, mother supposedly gone, a breakout from the Secret Government Agency, life on the run, etc.

To my mind, though, this one definitely had the tighter story. For one, there wasn't any insta-love between Anna and Sam. An attraction, sure. A connection, oh yeah. But it wasn't the automatic "omgwantyounow" I've seen before. Amazingly enough, that did nothing to pull away from the chemistry (and the inevitable heartache.)

Anna was lovely, Sam was a delightful hardass. Nick, Cas, Trevor, even Dad. The secondary characters were all fabulous and the story itself was very well written and tight. Just enough mystery to keep me interested, but enough progression so that I don't feel like I'm floundering in the dark. I loved the details with their tattoos, and the experiment. (And i have a very sneaky triangle suspicion I hope is wrong.

Already have the next one on my TBR list even though it doesn't have a title or cover image yet.

I know. Short review. My bad. The Kindlecave is a hospital ward today. I'll be better next time!

Review: Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer

Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.

Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .


My review:

Life seriously got in the way of reading and reviewing this week. Between work stress, kid stress and being sick as hell...yeah. Funtimes.

Finally wrapped up the second in the Fenestra series though and while it was a fine read, I think I'll be leaving the world here. The sad part is, there isn't a real defining reason why. I just got to the end of the second book and there was absolutely nothing pushing me to hit Overdrive for the third book. It was more of a "that's done" kind of feeling instead.

I wish I could pin it down to one thing, but I can't. The story was compelling (even though it did have more than a few holes in it) and I absolutely loved being back with Tens and Meridian agan.

I do love Tens, even more in this one than I did in the first one. I understand him a lot better than I did in the first book, and get what drives him to do the things he does...even when I want to reach through the pages and shake him for them.

The supporting characters were a little weak this time around an I think that might be what kept me from really falling in love with it. Rumi was supposed to be cute and quirky with the obscure SAT words but all that did was pull me out of the story. Joi was a little...too much, I think. Too quick to accept, to quick to jump in and give them a place to live, etc.

For Juliet and her crew - again, there wasn't a strong connection to the newest fenestra in town. Maybe I'm just over "ten years of unimaginable suffering" in a character, but I really am. It's just too hard to believe that residents went in to DG and no one ever came to see them again. it's one of those "out of reality" things that seriously keep me from accepting a story. I know I'm reading about half-angels, but I'm sorry. If there are family members paying for care, they'd be there to see the place. If they were being paid from Medicare, they'd be inspected. Someone would have noticed something. Especially in small town Indiana.

Anywho. It's a good series and strong stories, it just didn't pull at me enough to have me continuing.