12 Tiny Reviews

I have a ton of posts and reviews in various stages of completion, but my real-life (AKA paying) work just keeps getting in the way of my actually finishing anything. So, I thought I'd post a bunch of rapid-fire tiny reviews. Items with an asterisk (*) are currently planned for a longer post.

Unraveling & Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris (Audiobooks) 

This series was a wonderful surprise, full of action and an authentic teenage voice. I loved that despite that it's a very plot-heavy story, lots of different types of relationships are explored as well.

Amazon | Goodreads

Vampire Academy (books 1-6) by RIchelle Mead (Audiobooks) *

What the hell did I just read?  I have a lot of thoughts on this series, which is terribly written, but compelling nonetheless. I get why y'all like it so much.

Amazon | Goodreads

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway*

Robin's the guest on our next podcast and I quite liked this girl-positive, funny novel about a breakup gone very, very badly. 

 Amazon | Goodreads

Finding Home by Lauren K. McKellar* 

This Aussie debut has quite a bit going for it, particularly in terms of its portrayal of a high-functioning teenage alcoholic, but its potential is unmet due to predictable plot points. 

Amazon | Goodreads

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre (Audiobook) 

My Twitter friend Sarah T. has raved about this series forever, and I am so glad I finally read it. I love that it's science fiction, but accessible, like urban fantasy. I'm looking forward to continuing this series.  

Amazon | Goodreads

Playing Dirty by Jennifer Echols*  

It's not an understatement to say that Playing Dirty is my biggest reading disappointment of the year. I love Jennifer's novels, but I hated nearly everything about this book.  I highly doubt I'll continue reading this series.

Amazon | Goodreads

The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

The Woken Gods is one of those odd books that I didn't finish, but I still recommend. It just had a bit much of a fantasy aspect to it, and I perfect my urban fantasy to tilt a little bit more to the urban side of the scale. If you're interested in stories involving mythology, this is one you'll want to check out.

Amazon | Goodreads

The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace

Theoretically, I like epistolary novels, but I've been striking out with them in a big way lately. The Truth About You & Me followed this trend. Inaccuracies about how higher education works, combined with how poorly the letter format was executed made this a quick did-not-finish. 

Amazon | Goodreads

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Another epistolary novel that didn't work for me. The execution was brilliant, but the mean-spirited humor did not sit well with me at all. YMMV. 

Amazon | Goodreads

Deeper by Robin York*

If you like "new adult" romance, you'll probably enjoy Deeper, since Ruthie Knox' writing is quite good (Robin York is a pen name). However, I am incredibly weary of the sexual violence (in this case digital sexual exploitation) as a plot hook in this genre, so I couldn't finish reading it. I'm going to write more about this novel in the context of the new adult trend in the future.

Amazon | Goodreads

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One & Only by Viv Daniels*

Viv Daniels is a pen name for Diana Peterfreund, whose novels I quite like, and who was writing "new adult" in the form of her Secret Society Girl series before anyone came up with that ridiculous genre name. It's no surprise, then, that One & Only hits where so many contemporary new adult romances miss. It avoids overdone tropes and explores the family complexities as well as romance. It also gets the college setting really right.

Goodreads

Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee*

This was my book club's November read and I can't express how much I loved it. Somebody Everybody Listens To is a novel about having big dreams and the courage to chase them. This seems to be a little-known novel, and I'd love for that to change.

Amazon | Goodreads