Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 166

Do Parents Need to be More Visible in YA Books?

This is a question I, and I'm sure a lot of other YA writers and readers, wonder about a lot. Do parent characters need to be more visible in YA books? It seems that most of the time parents get pushed to the sidelines or are perpetually working in YA novels. 
Maybe that's how the teens end up in the situations they do in YA novels; they crave attention, love, and friendship so they befriend the aliens next door (The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout), fall in love with a vampire (Twilight & more), or end up imprisoned in the faerie lands (ACOTAR series), begging the question: Where are the parents when all this stuff is going on?
I mean really, if you were a diligent parent wouldn't you notice that the kids next door are a little odd or that you've never, ever seen their parents?
I think a lot of the time writers think that parents are unimportant in YA novels and that the whole focus should be on the teens and the romance or action (whatever the plot may be).  Instead, they're setting a sometimes unrealistic storyline. I can see in the Lux series that Katy's mom was a nurse, they do work a lot of hours, but you'd think in her downtime Katy's mom would hang out and - I don't know - ask what's new in her daughter's life instead of dating a creepy doctor and just being kind of indifferent to finding Daemon in her daughter's bed. 
The book that really surprised me was If I Stay with Mia's hippie parents. I don't know about you, but my grandmother would have never allowed any teenaged boyfriend of mine to spend the night, yet Mia's parents were completely cool with it - welcomed him with open arms even.
It's kind of like what one of the characters in The Jane Austen Book Club (the movie version) says while they're discussing Sense & Sensibility: "Austen doesn't think anything interesting happens to a woman over thirty-five."
Is that true? Do we YA authors think parent characters are incapable of having interesting lives that could contribute to the story? I know with The Haunting Love, and even with Finding Elizabeth to a degree, my character's parents got shoved into the background. At the time I didn't really think they had much to contribute to the storyline. Sure, there were a few exceptions to the rule: Cecilia's mom in The Haunting Love gave an insight into what made her the way she was, Nate's first set of parents in Finding Elizabeth showed the political climate of the French Revolution then later Nate and Elizabeth's parents, as well as Anton's previous incarnation's mother, had a bigger role in the story. 
When I was writing Out of Darkness and the other books in the Eternals Trilogy I wanted Lizette's parents and the other older Eternals to be more involved in the story. Their choices and mistakes shaped the way Lizette and her friends were and I enjoyed that Mr. and Mrs. Weatherly, Henry, Luna, Claudette and the others' stories, feelings, and desires intertwined with the storyline of Lizette and her friends. 
I also think that sometimes teens forget that their parents were once teenagers too; their parents had wishes, dreams, and desires the same way they do and just because they've grown up and become parents doesn't mean that they're irrelevant. 
Parents are human beings too; they screw their kids up, they form them into what kind of person they will become, and above all, they make mistakes just like everyone else. 
I think both the absence of parents in certain YA novels and the presence of parents in other YA novels lends a hand as to how the story will go and what challenges the characters will face. Does that make any sense?
What do you prefer? Do you like it better when parents are more involved with their kids in YA novels and add to the storyline or do you like it better when the parents are seen as little as possible? 

Book Review: When You Came Back by Yesenia Vargas

When You Came Back by Yesenia Vargas Blurb: Two childhood friends, their blossoming romance, and the tragic secret that stands in their way... 

Katia just saw the last person she’d ever expect. 

Brian, who she hasn’t seen since they were nine years old. Because he moved away without saying goodbye. 

Brian, who was her best friend in fourth grade and made her laugh and made forts with her in the woods. 

Who left her alone when she needed him most. 

Now he’s back. Her best friend, Adam, isn’t thrilled. 

Except Brian’s completely different than she remembers. 

He’s not the boy next door anymore. There’s a darkness inside him, and he won’t tell her what caused it. 

But Katia knows the Brian she remembers is still inside there somewhere. 

She’s seen a flicker of it in his eyes when he comes in close and tells her to stay away. She’s determined to find the real Brian. 


And to find out what happened. 
My Review: I received an ARC free in exchange for an honest review.
Brian and Katia were best friends in the fourth grade. They told each other everything. Then Brian's family up and moves away without so much as a goodbye. 
Katia eventually moved on, but she never forgot her childhood best friend. Now a high school junior with a new best friend, Adam, Katia has learned to block out the popular crowd that tormented her for years. Everything is going fine until Brian walks into her classroom. 
He's back but Brian is not the same boy Katia once knew. He's cold and distant. At times he pretends he doesn't know Katia and others he tells her to stay away from him. But sometimes it's like he wants to be her friend and wants to confide in her again. 
Katia is determined to find out what happened to Brian, why his family moved away, and what changed in his life to make him so cold. Will Katia be able to break through Brian's icy exterior and become his friend (or more) again - without pushing away Adam in the process? 
I really liked When You Came Back. It's been a while since I read a YA Contemporary novel (without a paranormal or fantasy storyline) and even longer since I have read a book with Hispanic main characters but I really enjoyed the storyline being out of my normal comfort zone, it made me learn about how a different culture of people live in our country, with struggles that I've never had to deal with.
In the beginning, I thought Katia was kind of pushy and annoying. If Brian didn't want to spill all his dark secrets to her right away she should have left it alone. But the further I read the more I loved the story. The writing is good and you feel for the characters. Occasionally Spanish words and phrases appear in the book but they're usually explained in English which is great for people who speak very little Spanish (like me). The book ends in a cliffhanger so I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Check When You Came Back out today - there's a **SPECIAL RELEASE PRICE OF 99 CENTS FOR ONE WEEK ONLY***

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #31

This "WIR"-Wednesday I've read a couple different genres of books. Right now I'm reading...
Verity (Cursed #1) by Claire Farrell Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Perdita Rivers has spent her entire sheltered life being told what to do. Lately, she’s felt ready for a change, and the universe seems to agree. Her new best friend’s brother is the boy of Perdita’s dreams. Literally. 
Even though he plays hot and cold, she’s sure there’s more to it, but she’s kind of distracted by the sense she’s being followed - not to mention the rumors of wild animal sightings that seem to mean more to her new crush’s family than they should. Perdy’s on a mission to find the truth, but maybe the truth is the danger she should hide from, after all. 
Why I Chose This Book/ What I Think So Far: I picked this book from my Kindle Library (I had downloaded it free from a Ripley's Booklist Newsletter) after rereading the blurb. After several contemporary books in the past week, I was craving something with a paranormal theme. And I love werewolf stories; I don't believe there are nearly enough books about werewolves. 
In addition to Verity, I also just finished reading...
Now & Then (Now #1) by Brenda Rothert Blurb: Now Emmaline Carson has settled into her career as a graphic designer, though she’d rather be painting or shopping with her sister Layla. But then – in the years before she went to art school in Paris – she was a shy, awkward teenager with frizzy hair, a flat chest and a massive crush on the boy across the street, Cole Marlowe. Too bad her incredibly hot neighbor only had eyes for Layla. Cole is now a confident, laid-back attorney who’s even hotter than he used to be. He’s planning to stay single while working his way up the corporate ladder – until he’s knocked off course by a chance run-in with Emma. Everything is different between Cole and Emma now. He finally sees her in a way she only dreamed of, and their hot chemistry is fueled by a growing friendship. But Emma’s deception of her sister – who wants Cole for herself – and the secret Cole’s been keeping for more than a decade threaten to tear apart what’s only just begun. Because sometimes the only thing standing in the way of now is then. 
My Review: When Emma runs into her childhood crush and former neighbor Cole at a coffee shop all her old feelings come rushing back. Cole is now an attorney and more attractive than ever. And Cole is now finally noticing Emma in a different light. His attraction to the 24-year-old graphic artist is undeniable and he can’t stop thinking about her. 
As they begin spending time together one obstacle stands in Emma’s way, keeping her from really allowing herself to like Cole: her older sister Layla. Emma always felt like she was hidden in Layla’s perfect cheerleader shadow. Emma was the artsy type and Layla made sure to reinforce to her younger sister that nothing she had could be hers; especially Cole. Now an adult, Layla still wants Cole for herself and she relentlessly pursues Cole with the blessing of both their mothers. 
When Cole makes it perfectly clear to Emma that she’s the one he wants, not her sister Layla, will Emma be able to forget the past and allow herself happiness with Cole? Or will a secret from the past tear them apart? 
I loved this book! I could really relate to Emma because of her creativity and her mom and sister remind me a lot of my own family. Cole was so awesome and I loved him and Emma together. What I really liked about this story was the author allowed you to see what was happening in the present time and went back to the past to tell experiences from both characters about what their lives were like as teens. After all, what can sometimes look picture perfect on the outside can be anything but. This is an easy, intoxicating read that will keep you turning pages to see what’s going to happen between Emma and Cole next, because you know at some point Layla is going to find out about them and things will be explosive…My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
I also was lucky enough to read an ARC of Yesenia Vargas's upcoming novel, When You Came Back. Look for When You Came Back, and my review, later this week! 

In the Mail Monday

                 There's not much I love getting in the mail more than books. Today's "In the Mail Monday" brought me....

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon Blurb:  The Tower Motel was once a thriving of rural Vermont. Today it lies in disrepair, alive only in the memory of the three women - Amy, Piper, and Piper's kid sister, Margot - who played there as children. They loved exploring the abandoned rooms...until the day their innocent games uncovered something dark and twisted that ruined their friendship forever.
Now Amy stands accused of commuting a horrific crime, and the only hint as to her motives is a hasty message that forces Piper and Margot to revisit the hotel's past and the fate of two sisters who lived there in its heyday. Sylvie Slater had dreams of running off to Hollywood and becoming Alfred Hitchcock's leading lady, while her little sister, Rose, was content with their simple life. Each believed the other to be something truly monstrous, but only one knows the secret that will haunt the generations to come.
Why I Was Drawn To This Book: I spotted this book one day at Barnes and Noble and the blurb intrigued me. At the time The Night Sister was in hardcover so I decided to wait until it came out in paperback. That was before I read The Winter People, also by Jennifer McMahon, and fell in love with the author's storytelling abilities. I also read love Alfred Hitchcock and I can already picture Sylvie Slater to look like Grace Kelly or Janet Leigh or another of Hitchcock's fair-haired leading ladies.

The Summer Bucket List

This summer I compiled a "bucket list" of things to do before the summer is over to ensure that I don't spend all my time writing. Here is my summer bucket list...

Book Review: Up In Flames by Abbi Glines

Up In Flames by Abbi Glines Blurb: Spoiled. Selfish. Rich girl. Villain. Slut.
As the Prada-clad bad girl of Rosemary Beach, Nan Dillon has been called every vile name under the hot summer sun. Some of her reputation is deserved—she’s never had to worry about anything but maintaining her perfect figure and splitting Daddy’s private jet with her brother, Rush. 
But Nan is far from happy. Rush has another kid on the way and doesn’t have time to catch up with his sister. Grant, the last guy she truly cared about, chose to be with her half-sister, Harlow, instead of her. And Harlow, who has never gotten over the way Nan treated her when she first moved to town, remains distant.
So when Major asks her out, she jumps at the chance to date the gorgeous charmer. Though she doesn’t know much about the sweet-talking Texan, and though it’s clear he doesn’t want to be exclusive, dating him beats hanging out with vapid socialites or watching Netflix alone at home.
For a while, Nan deals with Major’s playboy ways, but after he burns her one too many times, she takes off for an impromptu wild weekend in Vegas. There, she meets Gannon, a darkly seductive and oh-so-dangerous businessman who knows exactly how to handle her.

With Major asking for a second chance and Gannon haunting her dreams, Nan has to decide who to give her heart to. But what she doesn’t realize is that these players are involved in a much bigger game—and they’re already two moves ahead of her.
My Review:  After sexy playboy, Major Colt blows Rosemary Beach's most infamous resident, Nan, off for another girl one too many times Nan takes off for a wild weekend in Vegas.
There she meets Cope "Gannon" Roth, who she is immediately drawn to. Their connection is immediate and sparks fly leading to mind-blowing sex. At the same time, Major keeps texting Nan trying to win her back. 
When Gannon turns out to be too good to be true, Nan returns to Rosemary Beach with a bruised heart. She allows Major to try to win her back but Gannon is never far from her mind, especially with the vivid "dreams" of amazing sex she has about Gannon night after night. 
But is any of it real? Do either Major or Gannon actually care about Nan? Or is she just a pawn in a dangerous game? Will Nan ever get the love she's been craving for so long or will that dream go Up In Flames?
I can't believe it but Abbi Glines actually did it. She got me to like Nan. I never thought it would happen but I give her huge credit for that.  I really didn't care for Major, he was mostly a jerk and a pig and that's what made you feel sympathy for Nan. Cope, on the other hand, whew - Cope was so freaking awesome! The only thing I didn't like about him was the slapping. I mean it's cool if you're into rough sex, no worries, but when he slapped Nan across the face that was crossing a huge line for me. That's not okay and it's wrong for the author to make it sound like it was a hot kinky game. The other thing I didn't like was every time the word "ok" was used it was in all caps. It tended to look like the abbreviation for Oklahoma. Overall I loved this book and I'm glad I gave Nan a chance! Great way to end the Rosemary Beach series! My Rating: 5 0f 5 Stars

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #30

This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading a book that I've been both looking forward to and nervous about...
Up In Flames by Abbi Glines Blurb: Spoiled. Selfish. Rich girl. Villain. Slut.
As the Prada-clad bad girl of Rosemary Beach, Nan Dillon has been called every vile name under the hot summer sun. Some of her reputation is deserved—she’s never had to worry about anything but maintaining her perfect figure and splitting Daddy’s private jet with her brother, Rush. 
But Nan is far from happy. Rush has another kid on the way and doesn’t have time to catch up with his sister. Grant, the last guy she truly cared about, chose to be with her half-sister, Harlow, instead of her. And Harlow, who has never gotten over the way Nan treated her when she first moved to town, remains distant.
So when Major asks her out, she jumps at the chance to date the gorgeous charmer. Though she doesn’t know much about the sweet-talking Texan, and though it’s clear he doesn’t want to be exclusive, dating him beats hanging out with vapid socialites or watching Netflix alone at home.
For a while, Nan deals with Major’s playboy ways, but after he burns her one too many times, she takes off for an impromptu wild weekend in Vegas. There, she meets Gannon, a darkly seductive and oh-so-dangerous businessman who knows exactly how to handle her.

With Major asking for a second chance and Gannon haunting her dreams, Nan has to decide who to give her heart to. But what she doesn’t realize is that these players are involved in a much bigger game—and they’re already two moves ahead of her.
Why I Picked This Book / What I Think So Far: I picked this book because it's the final book in the Rosemary Beach series. I haven't read the past two or three books but since this is the last one I think I should read it. I'm anxious to see if Abbi can make me a fan of the evil villainess, Nan. I skimmed the ending (a bad habit of mine) when I first received the book and I liked it so hopefully, I'll like getting to the ending. We'll see if I'm a #NanLover or not when I finish Up In Flames!
Here's what else I've read since last week...
Lightning Kissed (Lucents #1) by Lila Felix Blurb: Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She's tested her abilities and found them limitless. She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her. Except him. Theodore Ramsey isn't supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations. Theo is the one. He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby. Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits. She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all.
My Review: Colby is loud and reckless, Theo is calm and reasonable. The yin to her yang. Theo has loved Colby since they were kids and she stood up on the first day of school and told the class she hated checkers just because he said he liked them.
But Colby is a Lucent, a female-only species, with lightning inside her that gives her the ability to "flash" (travel) from place to place in the blink of an eye. When Theo tells Colby he can flash too (a rarity for males) Colby breaks up with him. Colby is under close observation by the Synod - the leaders of the Lucents - and Colby knows that being with Theo would put a target on his back meaning the government might come after him to take his gift. Colby shudders at the thought of losing him like she lost her dad or the torture her friend Sway endured when she was captured by the government and had her power stripped away turning her into a powerless Resin.
Theo is unwilling to give up on Colby. He's loved her for so long and he knows she still loves him; so he sets off to learn more about what he suspects he is: an Eldolon, a male lucent with the immense powers. 
When Theo comes clean to Colby about his suspicions Colby is worried for Theo and demands to come with him on his quest. As they travel around the world and find help with a Guardian named Collin and Pema, the descendant of the last eldolon, Eivan, Theo and Colby fall back into love. But trouble is never far behind. Who is the real enemy to Theo and Colby? The Synod? The Government? The Resin leaders? What's their agenda and how far will they go to get what they want? 
I liked this book because it was different. It's a different kind of paranormal/fantasy romance and at times I liked and disliked both Colby and Theo. I liked their love but they were both extremes - Colby could be careless and Theo could be too straight-laced. Collin was awesome and I hope in the next books we get to see more of his awesome character. I'm on the fence about Pema - can she really be trusted? Who's betraying them? The idea of Lucents is unique so if you're tired of the usual vampire, werewolf, fae novels I think you'll really like this book. My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
last weekend I also read...
The Curse of the Bruel Coven by Sabrina Ramoth Blurb: When secrets from the past collide with the present, the consequences may be deadly. 
Growing up in a small town in Louisiana, seventeen-year-old Vivienne Davenport's life is that of an ordinary teenager. At least, until the untimely death of her mother reveals a family secret. She's adopted . . . and her real mom is a witch. 
The truth of her lineage only complicates Vivienne's life further. Buried deep within her family’s history of magic is a deadly curse that has plagued her family for generations. When her birth mom disappears, Vivienne must tap into her suppressed powers in order to save her long-lost mother. And herself. 
Can Vivienne become the witch she needs to be? Or will her newfound powers prove too much for her to handle? Only one thing is certain, Vivienne will soon learn that all magic has a price. 
The Curse of the Bruel Coven, the first book in a new and exciting young adult fantasy series is sure to cast a spell on you.
My Review: When 17-year-old Vivienne goes through her recently deceased mother's photo albums in search of a photo from her childhood that she needs for school she stumbles across a photograph of her with an unfamiliar woman that she has a strong family resemblance to. Vivienne's grandmother "Nemma" confirms her suspicions that she is in fact, adopted.
With the help of her best friend Savannah, Vivienne tracks her mother down in New Orleans and they set off to see her. When they arrive at Claire (Vivienne's birth mother)'s house in the French Quarter there is an instant connection between Vivienne and Claire, but as Claire lets them in her mood is frosty and dismissive. After not receiving a sufficient answer as to why Claire gave Vivienne up Vivienne gets angry and Claire's coffee table begins to shake. This confirms Claire's worst fears: her firstborn daughter's powers have awakened leaving her in high risk of danger from an "immortal" or vampire that's been trying to feed on the blood of a Bruel family firstborn daughter since his creation during the Civil War.
Vivienne doesn't believe Claire's story about witches and vampire and thinking her crazy she and Savannah get up to leave. They're nearly out of the city limits when Savannah realizes she has forgotten her cell phone so they have to go back. When they return to Claire's house everything has been ransacked and Claire is gone. A girl appears at the top of the stairs - Vivienne's half-sister Mira and realizing what has happened she takes the girls to their aunt's apartment above a magic shop in the Quarter.
Vivienne is suddenly introduced to a whole host of relatives she never knew she had; a sister, cousins, an aunt, and a grandmother. When a location spell for Claire goes wrong Grand'Mere (Vivienne's grandmother) asks for her help to locate Claire before it's too late.
Will Vivienne and the others be able to find Claire and stop whatever witches are aiding the immortal one? Can Vivienne get control over her powers or is she not as strong as everyone expects her to be? Is the immortal one really evil?
At first, I was afraid this book was a little too fast paced. The entire book - from Vivienne finding out she was adopted to traveling to see her birth mother to her birth mother's disappearance and the process of finding Claire - transpires in about a week's time. However, the more I read this book the more I liked it. I love that it's set in New Orleans, my favorite city in the world, and the book is really easy to get into - possibly because of the fast pace. I sat down and read this book in one sitting. I really liked Vivienne's dreams that take her back to the past and I look forward to seeing how Vivienne grows, both as a character and into her powers, in the next book. The Curse of the Bruel Coven is definitely an interesting read.My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Curse of the Bruel Coven by Sabrina Ramoth

The Curse of the Bruel Coven by Sabrina Ramoth Blurb: When secrets from the past collide with the present, the consequences may be deadly. 
Growing up in a small town in Louisiana, seventeen-year-old Vivienne Davenport's life is that of an ordinary teenager. At least, until the untimely death of her mother reveals a family secret. She's adopted . . . and her real mom is a witch. 
The truth of her lineage only complicates Vivienne's life further. Buried deep within her family’s history of magic is a deadly curse that has plagued her family for generations. When her birth mom disappears, Vivienne must tap into her suppressed powers in order to save her long-lost mother. And herself. 
Can Vivienne become the witch she needs to be? Or will her newfound powers prove too much for her to handle? Only one thing is certain, Vivienne will soon learn that all magic has a price. 
My Review:
When 17-year-old Vivienne goes through her recently deceased mother's photo albums in search of a photo from her childhood that she needs for school she stumbles across a photograph of her with an unfamiliar woman that she has a strong family resemblance to. Vivienne's grandmother "Nemma" confirms her suspicions that she is in fact, adopted. 
     With the help of her best friend Savannah, Vivienne tracks her mother down in New Orleans and they set off to see her. When they arrive at Claire (Vivienne's birth mother)'s house in the French Quarter there is an instant connection between Vivienne and Claire, but as Claire lets them in her mood is frosty and dismissive. After not receiving a sufficient answer as to why Claire gave Vivienne up Vivienne gets angry and Claire's coffee table begins to shake. This confirms Claire's worst fears: her firstborn daughter's powers have awakened leaving her in high risk of danger from an "immortal" or vampire that's been trying to feed on the blood of a Bruel family firstborn daughter since his creation during the Civil War. 
     Vivienne doesn't believe Claire's story about witches and vampire and thinking her crazy she and Savannah get up to leave. They're nearly out of the city limits when Savannah realizes she has forgotten her cell phone so they have to go back. When they return to Claire's house everything has been ransacked and Claire is gone. A girl appears at the top of the stairs - Vivienne's half-sister Mira and realizing what has happened she takes the girls to their aunt's apartment above a magic shop in the Quarter. 
      Vivienne is suddenly introduced to a whole host of relatives she never knew she had; a sister, cousins, an aunt, and a grandmother. When a location spell for Claire goes wrong Grand'Mere (Vivienne's grandmother) asks for her help to locate Claire before it's too late. 
     Will Vivienne and the others be able to find Claire and stop whatever witches are aiding the immortal one? Can Vivienne get control over her powers or is she not as strong as everyone expects her to be? Is the immortal one really evil? 
       At first, I was afraid this book was a little too fast paced. The entire book - from Vivienne finding out she was adopted to traveling to see her birth mother to her birth mother's disappearance and the process of finding Claire - transpires in about a week's time. However, the more I read this book the more I liked it. I love that it's set in New Orleans, my favorite city in the world, and the book is really easy to get into - possibly because of the fast pace. I sat down and read this book in one sitting. I really liked Vivienne's dreams that take her back to the past and I look forward to seeing how Vivienne grows, both as a character and into her powers, in the next book. The Curse of the Bruel Coven is definitely an interesting read. My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

My Book Rating Scale

Lately, I've been posting a lot of reviews on my blog in addition to my usual "What I'm Reading" posts. So how to I rate the books I read? What makes a 5-star review? How do I decide what to rate different books?
Here's the way I decide ratings:
5 Star Ratings
I'll be the first to admit I give out a lot of five-star ratings. Maybe I should be more strict about my ratings but if I really love a book why shouldn't I give it 5 stars? Criteria for a 5-Star Rating: A storyline that;- blows my mind- is unique- has likable characters- makes sense (doesn't leave me confused)- sticks with me after I'm done reading. 
Basically, a 5-Star Rating is an absolute-I have an obsession-can't stop talking about this book-feeling. 
4 Star Ratings
What is the difference between a 4- and 5- star rating from me? Four-star ratings go to books I really like but I don't necessarily love. I like the storyline, the characters, the flow of the book but it's not as "jump up and down" fantastic as a five-star book. Sometimes if I'm reading a series and the first book blows me away but the second book is good but there's something lacking it will end up with a four-star rating instead of a five. It doesn't mean I didn't like the book... it's just that I liked the first book better. Maybe the author felt the sophomore slump?
3 Star Ratings
A three-star rating means the book was "just okay." I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. Maybe it's just not my style of book, maybe the storyline was hard to follow, maybe there were a lot of errors in the book. If I think the book was somewhat good I don't want to give it too low of a rating so it usually ends up with three-stars. 
I rarely give out less that three-stars when I'm rating a book but here's why a book might score lower:
2 Star Ratings
A book that receives a two-star rating is far from the best thing I've ever read, but it's not the worst thing I've ever read either. I think in my entire time of reviewing books I've only given out one or two two-star ratings. As an author myself I don't like to bash other books because I've had people get downright nasty if they don't like my books and I know how much it hurts. Usually to get a two-star rating the book has to either be a) really unrealistic, b) hard to follow, or c) full of tons of errors. 
1 Star / No Star / No Review-Rating  Ratings
I have never given out a one-star rating in my life. Usually, if a book is that bad I can't even finish it or I don't even bother rating it. I'd rather not rate or review a book than give someone a really negative review. I feel bad that I don't like the book in question, but sometimes it just happens. 
Why do so many books get 4- and 5-star ratings?Usually, when I pick up a book to read I'm pretty choosy. I don't buy books I don't think I'm going to like because that's money out of my pocket. When I'm asked to review a book in exchange for an honest review I've usually read books by that author before or I've read books by an author that recommended this person to me before that I've liked so I know what I'm getting. Another reason: I just really love so many books and think they're deserving of high ratings. 
Ratings other than whole numbers:Sometimes a book deserves a number other than a whole number. For instance, I might read a book and like it but I don't think it's quite worth a four-star rating so I'll rate it 3.5, 3.75, or 3.9 because I think it's better than just a 3-star rating. In some cases, I round up to the nearest number and just give it a four-star rating but other times I give ratings like those above. 
*****Reviewing books and giving ratings is different for everyone. I might love a book and give it five stars but you might read that same book and think it's more like a three-star book. Believe me, I've seen plenty of one-star reviews on Goodreads for books that I've absolutely loved and I sit back thinking, "what are they thinking? How could they hate 'insert name of book' that much?" If we all liked the same things it would be a very dull world, wouldn't it? 
What are some books you liked everyone else seemed to bash? 

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #29

This "WIR" I'm reading a book I'm seriously on the fence about...

A Song For Josh by Susan Rodgers
Blurb:
MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL... 


Discovered while busking on the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Jessie Wheeler – once a teen runaway from Prince Edward Island - is now a popular singer-songwriter and actor. On the day her boyfriend Charlie proposes, he kicks an estranged friend - actor Josh Sawyer - out of his Club. Jessie sees something of herself reflected in Josh’s sorrowful chocolate brown eyes – a deep loneliness and angst. When a part on Josh’s new television series Drifters becomes available, Jessie can’t resist the temptation, despite the fact that taking the part threatens her engagement to Charlie. When a past nemesis, Deuce McCall, makes a tragic appearance in the city, Jessie’s turbulent past catches up with her, threatening any chance she has at a true and sustainable love. 

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think of it so far:
I picked this book for a very strange, secretive reason. A means of picking books that I've never revealed to anyone before... I picked this book because of the title. You see, my boyfriend's name is Josh, and I've found through many past experiences that reading books with either a character with the same name as my boyfriend in it (either a minor or main character) or the setting being my boyfriend's hometown turns out really good. I usually love those books. Usually. Hell, I even decided to give A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas a chance having never read anything by the author before simply because her husband's name is Josh and she dedicated the book to him. And I love that book and its sequel. 
*Dramatic Sigh*... Anyway, on to what I think of this book so far. I honestly am contemplating dropping this book. I'm really disappointed because I've been looking forward to reading this book since I downloaded it onto my Kindle. So far the story is slow going and hard to read. There are long paragraphs and little to no dialogue. As you read this book it is as if everything you're reading has happened in the past and the narration is telling it from a later time with vague foreshadowing thrown in. That initially didn't bother me but usually, when I read a book that's written that way eventually the story snaps back to the present time and we see what's happening to the character now. My Kindle says I'm only 9% into the book but it feels like I've read hundreds of pages instead of only - yikes- 27. At this rate, the book might as well be a thousand pages long. Besides that, the formatting of the ebook is not good. There should be a hard (page) break between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next but there doesn't seem to be any breaks in this book. Everything flows together. I just don't know if I have the patience to finish this book, which really saddens me. I'm going to try to stick it out to see where "Josh" fits into this story; maybe it will get better but I'm not entirely sure. If this book makes it out of the DNF stack I'll be surprised. 

Earlier this week I read the first book in a great series...
Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper Blurb: Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories. 
Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life. 
Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her. 
While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.
My Review: After barely surviving a home invasion attack that took the lives of her parents and her twin brother Michael, 17-year-old Maryah moves cross country to Sedona to live with a godmother she’s never met before. 
Louise and her family are more than welcoming and their home is beautiful but Maryah misses her “real” family terribly and her dreams are filled with what she believes to be her “angel of death.” Feeling the push of her cousin and best friend, Krista, Maryah decides to stay in Arizona. 
At her new school Maryah makes friends with Faith, a friend of Louise’s family, a girl named April, and April’s rock star wannabe boyfriend, River. As she settles into her new life she still wishes that her sexy angel of death would whisk her away to be with her family in the afterlife. Until she comes face to face with her angel and realizes he’s not an angel at all… but Louise’s son Nathan. 
Nathan is not a stranger to Maryah, he’s her soul mate. They’re both Elements, humans who reincarnate with paranormal gifts. But Maryah doesn’t remember anything about their past lives together because at the end of her last life cycle she chose to erase her memories instead of retaining them. Nathan and his kindrily (eternal family) are at a loss as to why Maryah would choose to forget everyone that loves her and everything they’ve been through together. Fearing the worst, Nathan believes that Maryah’s memories of their lives together can never be restored, simply wiped away with her paranormal abilities. 
But Maryah’s powers may not truly be gone. Can Nathan keep Maryah away from harm before someone realizes that her power is still intact? Will Maryah regain the memories of her past lives? Does everyone in her life have her best interests at heart?
I really loved Gasping at Eternity. It was a mix of my favorite things, romance, paranormal abilities, and great writing; not to mention the cover is awesome. Nathan’s kindrily reminds me of a cross between the Cullens in the Twilight Saga (minus the vampire part) and Daniel’s friends and loved ones in Lauren Kate’s Fallen series in the way that they all look out for each other and love each other despite not actually being related by blood. I liked the constant struggle in Nathan and Maryah’s relationship with her reluctance to like him and his fear that she could never be the same again. Despite the ending I also really liked River. I wish the ending could have worked out better for him. As for the reincarnation aspect I thought the story portrayed it in a really cool and unique way and I really liked it. Overall I thought this book was unique and really fantastic. I recommend this book to all fans of young adult paranormal romance. My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars