Review + Giveaway: Uninvited

Check out the rest of the tour schedule!

Uninvited by Leah Spiegel and Meg Summers

Publication Date: February 11th, 2012
Genre: Humorous YA Chick-Lit
Amazon/Author Website

When Alley started her senior year at Upper East High in the South Hills area, it was supposed to be the usual drag of hanging out with people who spent more on one outfit than Alley did on her entire wardrobe. That was until Kirsten, a girl in their clique, suddenly goes missing and the only people who seem to care are her friends. All evidence leads to the new comer Shane, a cocky and self-pretentious person in Alley’s opinion, but the police seem uninterested so she and the rest of the girls start a little investigation of their own. 

But they are nowhere closer to finding Kirsten than when they started and now they had the police’s attention; just not in the way they expected. The girls have to start over and discover that maybe it wasn’t an outsider who took Kirsten, but someone within their own clique who has something to hide; a secret that just might have gotten Kirsten killed.

Review

Uninvited was a pretty awesome read! The book doesn't take itself too seriously yet I was still intrigued by the story and mystery. It was even more enjoyable after reading a few darker reads beforehand. I gobbled this light book up, even though I am not always one for the genre. I would recommend Uninvited to anybody looking for a reading vacation.

I really enjoyed Ally's narration. For the most part, she is very likable, and very vivid. I have the feeling we could be friends! Also, she made me laugh out loud a lot. Speaking of laughing, my favorite character, Shane, had many comments that had me bursting out in laughter. The witty banter between the two characters was incredibly entertaining. (Note: This is more of a fun, intriguing read than a serious, thriller mystery.) And it is fun watching all the trouble Ally and Val get into as they meddle!

Ally's best friend, Val, was an amusing character to add to the cast. She is clumsy, and endearing, and stubborn! (And loyal. Wow. Another adjective.) On another note, I really enjoyed the romance. It was not insta-love! Yes. Also, the couple didn't even kiss in this first book. The fact that the romance was sweet, fun, and realistic earned Uninvited serious bonus points in my book! I really hate it when a book just dives straight into a romance between two characters after a couple chapters and the reader is left behind wondering what on earth happened. 

The one thing that kind of bothered me was that I felt like most of the people in Ally's clique were not genuinely good people. Are the readers supposed to feel that way? Hmm. You know what? I am not going to think about that now. I enjoyed the book too much. I read the whole book in one sitting. Also, I loved the mystery. I enjoyed picking up clues about what happened to Kristen. The authors seem to have put the perfect dose of fun and mystery into the book. And who doesn't love all the juicy secrets?

Overall, I ended up really liking the beginning book in the South Hills Sidekicks series. I will definitely be picking up the second book in the future. This book is a perfect novel to bring to the beach... so keep your eye on this book! Uninvited was fun, clever, addicting, and entertaining! Wow, upon re-reading my own words, I think I went adjective-crazy in this review. Nothing is wrong with that, right?

4/5 bookcases

And, now...

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Authors

Although we moved down to North Carolina several years ago, we’re originally from the Pittsburgh area. (That’s why a lot of our characters either live in the Burgh or reference our hometown football team, The Pittsburgh Steelers.) And yes, we even have the Southern accents to show for it now. Although Megan’s is considerable thicker, Leah still can’t understand the locals.

We are known as ‘the sisters’ among our neighborhood; when actually we’re probably really known as ‘the sisters with the Yorkies’. Our pups, Skippy Jon Jones and Captain Jack Sparrow, were given long names to compensate for their small size but not their large personalities.
If Leah’s not glued to her electronic devices, AKA her Kindle Fire and various laptops, you can find her training ‘the attack dogs’, running on the treadmill while conceiving the next great book idea with the Dave Matthews Band, Muse, Florence and the Machine, The Lumineers, and Pink (just to name a few) blaring out of her earphones.
If Megan’s not glued to her electronic devices AKA her iPad and Nook Color, you can find her teaching fourth graders, swimming marathon style at the pool, or cuddling with ‘the attack dogs’ as she watches Duck Dynasty, Gold Rush, Scandal, Person of Interest, Morning Joe, etc.
Leah graduated from Edinboro University with a BA in Art Education. Megan received her teaching degree from Edinboro University and Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Technology from Grand Canyon University. 

Stacking the Shelves #20

This is my 20th STS! Oh yeah!

Hosted by Tynga's Reviews...

I am pretty pleased with my haul this week! I just finished The Fairest of Them All, which was amazing! Also, I read Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott the same day which also rocked my world! What have you been reading?

For Review

Witchling by Ari Harper

Atone by Jessica Grey

The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon

    

The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain

White Space by Isla J. Bick

The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick 

Also, if you want to, check out my first BLI post!

What did you receive this week? I would love to have some links!

-Emily :)

A Book Lover's Inquiries- Not those tropes again!

Today's Question: What is your opinion on Love Triangles and Cliffhangers? 

Both tropes are commonly used in books these days and I know they can annoy some readers to piece's while others eat them up. To me, the actual problem is that most books don't perform the love triangles and cliffhangers well.

So, what do you think? Do you like one more than the other? Do love triangles and cliff hangers   bother you? Or do you enjoy a good off-the-edge ending or engaging triangle?



So, as I said above, I have nothing against these elements of books... as long as I feel the author put time into making the idea actually work.

Love Triangles

There are some good love triangles out there, in my opinion. The Unearthly trilogy is a great example! To me, I never felt like Clara was playing with either of the love interests. That is step one in making a good triangle. Don't let the heroine/hero jump between love interests like a bouncy ball between toddlers! Otherwise, the readers will get annoyed. Fast.

Another love triangle I enjoyed was the one between Tessa, Jem, and Will in the Infernal Devices trilogy. The two guys don't become "mortal enemies" (this aggravates me so much in books!) just because they like the same girl! They still are best friends and are totally considerate of each other's feelings. Woot!

However, a lot of love triangles are less than satisfactory... I will not name them as there is not one right off the top of my head. However, there are lot's I have problems with, from minor to major. (Tiger's Curse, The Elite, Twilight, Switched, Wings, and more. Wow.)

Okay, I guess I lied. I just named quite a few. Some of the books I enjoyed otherwise though. So having a less than satisfactory love triangle does not always affect the rating. However, most of the time it does affect the rating... it just depends if the problems are larger than "minor annoyances".

As a little note, the love triangle in the Hex Hall series might be my all-time favorite love triangle. I am having a hard time justifying this though. Another one is the triangle in the Alanna saga. That triangle, however, is for me, the original.

Cliffhangers

I actually love a good cliffhanger. It's what makes me buy the second book the moment it is released and start reading as soon as I find a place to curl up with hot chocolate. What's life without a little excitement? However, if I read the book and absolutely NOTHING is resolved... I will feel so jipped, and, I won't lie, the fact will big time affect the book's rating.

Here are some recent cliffhanger's I thought were emotion-provoking, unique, and/or thrilling:

I thought Insurgent has a pretty promising cliffhanger! (Me. Want. Allegiant. Now.) The ending resolves some things but opens a whole world of new and previously unthought of possibilities up at the end, which I love!

Another cliffhanger that fits the ticket of "surprising and thought provoking"is Pivot Point. At the end, most things are solved, yet in a different way with new edge-of-your-seat information... leaving an unknown future that we are anxious to find out about in the next novel.

Also, the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series have those cliffhangers that tear you apart inside. I am known to get very emotional at the end of Mead's books. They normally have me screaming "No! nononono! You can't end the story there! What about this person? And what happens after this thing on the last page that causes a tidal wave of emotion?" When I feel like this, I know that the book was a great one. I care for the characters, and I am definitely picking up the next book. I guess you won another round Richelle Mead...

What is you answer to today's question? Your answers are what BLI is all about!

A Rambling Review: Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Genre: YA High Fantasy
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.


The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.Warning: If you have not read Shadow and Bone, read it! Then come back and read this review of the second book! 

Warning: If you have not read Shadow and Bone, read the book immediately. Then come back and read this review of the second book!

Wow, this is how a good sequel should be done. Siege and Storm was an amazing addition to the Grisha Trilogy! The book had everything I loved about the first book (Shadow and Bone), plus more. This series is quickly becoming one I would recommend to people searching for a refreshing trilogy.

While reading, I was completely sucked into the world. Bardugo has mastered the art of perfect descriptions, explanations, characters, and plots. Also, the fast paced beginning helped. We immediately jump into the action after a re-introduction to the characters and their location. And "the action" includes ships, The Darkling, battles, and A New Character!

A lot of reader have been going on about the new character, Stormhund (He has a lot of other names besides this. However, I am not going to spoil the surprises by telling you!) And now, I completely understand the excited chatter. Stormhund is funny, and surprising. I loved all his identity twists! Is he another love interest? I am not sure. I think Alina, the main character, is still into Mal, her best friend and main love interest. We will see in Ruin and Rising! I am kind of hoping that Stromhund will become a more prominent love interest. His witty comments had me smiling! I think he is a good character. Right Barugo? Please?

Mal, of course, is also a great character. He did seem a little whiny in the second half of the book. Alina is choosing to save the world over spending time with you? What a shame, you should go pout some more! (Note: It really isn't as bad as I made it sound. Mal is great, just the whole ordeal of war is changing him. However, I am still annoyed at his lack of understanding.) Also, the plots are as great as ever! Leigh Bardugo has such an amazing imagination and, as I said before, her ideas are vivid and fully formed. I cannot wait to learn more about the Darkling in the next book, as he is rarely actually seen in Siege and Storm. However, he is often mentioned and the readers never forget about his threats and the danger he imposes.

Overall, I loved Siege and Storm! I loved the characters. Alina is so realistic, and strong! And Stormhond is just so... amazing. I also forgot to mention the amazing character growth (both good and bad) and the realistic faults in all of Bardugo's characters. I felt like everyone I read about was a real person. Seriously, I could pass Alina in the grocery store and barely be fazed. Leigh's writing is that vivid! The series has, so far, been very unique and a definite favorite. Now, is anyone else dying for the hopefully epic finale, Ruin and Rising?

5/5 bookcases

Sorry if the review was too long! I was a bit more ramble-y than usual. 

Waiting on Wednesday #18

Hosted by Breaking the Spine!  

This Week I Am Waiting On...

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Publication Date: September 24th, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

 But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.

 Nobody fights the Epics... nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

 And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

 He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

Steelheart has been getting awesome reviews, and both my friend, Zoette, and I agree that the synopsis sounds extremely interesting! What do you think? Other W.O.W picks we debated were To All the Boys I've Loved Before, The Eye of Minds, and Pawn. There are so many books we are waiting for! Steelheart wins first place though...

What was your WOW pick this week?

-Emily & Zoette

I'm Back from Summer Camp!

Hello! If any of you saw... the notice below has been up for all of last week:









And now I am back!

So, well, the title says it all! I had a fantastic time at camp. I hiked, swam, creek-walked, and all sorts of other fun stuff! At camp, I got to meet a lot of awesome new people, and I got to bunk with my best friend. AND the weather was pretty nice during the day. How could it not be a blast?


However, after all the fun, I am now exhausted, bug bitten, and scratched. (I somehow managed to trip over a log, but that is a different story...) I cannot convey the relief I felt upon coming home and falling asleep in my own bed. Also, the shower and electric heater were pretty awesome.

Anyways, I am back now! I will start posting regular bookish posts tomorrow...

So, how has everyone been? Has anything interesting happened to you this week???

Review: Sisters Red

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Publication Date: June 7th 2010
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Fiction (???)
Purchase: Amazon/B&N

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.


Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Sisters Red was an unexpected mix of the Little Red Riding Hood tale and "Werewolves". I mean, isn't that a really cool idea? And Jackson Pearce pulled the idea off perfectly. I especially loved how there were "clans", "potentials", and other intriguing elements. This book is definitely a must-read for fans of retellings, twists, and all things paranormal.

To me, the characters in Sisters Red were the novel's strongest point. Scarlet and Rosie, the inseparable sisters, were pulled off beautifully. They definitely had a strong bond, but you could see how they also wanted different things. Scarlet's passion was the hunt, while Rosie is starting to realize she wants a little more than just to fight the Fenris (wolves). She wants a semi-normal life... or at least to start up some of her own hobbies and maybe pick up a boyfriend. Both of these girls were strong-willed, just in different ways. In the end, the reader will respect both of them.

Silas, Scarlet's best friend who also happens to know about the Fenris, is also a key character to the story. He tries to help both of the sisters by getting Rosie to start thinking more about what she wanted to do beside the hunt, and helping Scarlet realize what Rosie wanted. I also loved all the action and how the whole book was well paced. In the more action-y scenes, I loved Pearce's descriptions and how strong and independent the girls were. And, there was a certain twist at at the end that wow-ed me.

The setting in the little town was wonderful. Once again, I will state that the writing made the whole book feel vivid. Another thing that caught my eye was the strong prologue and epilogue. They were told in 3rd person, unlike the alternating first person point of view from the sisters in the numbered chapters. And they were woven very differently. They were lyrical, beautiful. Although the prologue did have a "very scary and violent and suspenseful" factor to it. And the epilogue had a sense of an ending and beginning.

Overall, Sisters Red was a pretty rockin' story. The tale was lyrical, a touch gory but only in a PG-13 sort of way, touching, humorous, and original. I cannot wait to read more by Jackson Pearce. Also, as a forewarning, I must inform you that this book was pretty addicting. I read Sisters Red in one sitting. You have been warned.

4.8/5 bookcases

I do believe this has companion novels! Have you read this series? What did you think? If not, do you want to read Sisters Red?