Book Blather

Welcome to Gatlin, a small town where there are never any surprises. Ethan Wate is following the rules of the “in” crowd, but longs for the day that he can break free and leave the town far behind. That is until Lena Duchannes appears and everything begins to change. The girl who has been haunting his dreams is now real and Ethan will do whatever it takes to get closer to her. Their connection and attraction is undeniable, but everything is not what it seems. Thanks to a locket, a curse, and a secret danger threatens to destroy them both. Will Lena and Ethan be able to solve the mystery in time or will they be just more victims to an old curse?

The Short of It: Loved it, loved it, loved it. So it may be a little massive and scary, but how could I not love a book that has a viola player in it?! Ok, ok, so even without the viola aspect Beautiful Creatures would be an awesome book. Garcia and Stohl hook you in from almost page one and draw you deeper and deeper into their world to the point that you feel like 600 pages is not nearly enough. So, um, yeah, book two now please?

Plot: Mystery, intrigue, magic, romance…what more could a girl ask for? Garcia and Stohl weave a twisted web that keep you flipping the pages to discover the answers. They do a good job at keeping a reader interested without frustrating you. There were many times I didn’t fully understand what was going on, but I knew enough to draw a close enough conclusion. I still feel as if there are some questions that aren’t answered, like the connection between Ethan and Lena, but I have faith that Garcia and Stohl will reveal the truth when the time is right. I can’t wait to see where their story goes.

Characters: Lena is a viola player, enough said, right? No? Oh, all right. Lena is one of those girls who comes off as aloof and distant on the outside, but once you get behind her wall you understand why she is the way she is. She truly is the tortured soul; yet, she still has dreams of being a normal girl-next-door. It was fun watching her bloom under the attention of Ethan. (And really Link, too!) I also loved that even though she was scared she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. Lena has true strength. I mean really, Bella-who?

Ethan. Well, what can I say about Ethan. He’s the all American boy, but isn’t afraid to loose it all for the girl he loves. Of course, Lena wasn’t the only tortured soul. I just wanted to scoop Ethan up and give him a great big hug. I think it would have been easy for Garcia and Stohl to have him buried in the grief surrounding his parents, but I’m glad they didn’t. I loved that he was able to focus on others that anchored him in the world and didn’t let him go too far away. I was glad that he stood his ground and didn’t let Lena or Amma push him away from what he truly wanted.

Romance: Lena and Ethan have a very awww relationship. Yet, at the same time it’s very push and pull. Lena is so scared of hurting Ethan that she continues to push Ethan away. Even when she knows it doesn’t work, she tries so hard to keep him way beyond arm’s length. But Ethan knows that they belong together and has no plans of going anywhere anytime soon. I love how he tries to give her as many normal high school experiences as he can, even if it usually does lead to trouble most of the time. Yes, Ethan is certainly perfect boyfriend material and I have a feeling their relationship will be hot, hot, HOT.

Writing: Overall, Garcia and Stohl have a nice writing style. There were a couple of times I had to go reread a passage because I didn’t understand what had just happened, but these were few and far between. And really could have been because I was up until after 5:00 am finishing it.

Librarian-Mode: Hmm, I think this could be an easy sell to all the Twilight fans. Most of them aren’t really after the vampires, but the romance itself. But with the paranormal aspects that Beautiful Creatures has it would easily please them. While the paranormal groupies will eat this up, I think it’s an easy sell to other teens as well. Teens should still be able to relate to Lena and Ethan on an every day level even with all the supernatural going on. Definitely an easier sell to girls, but I think some guys may be interested in it, but it’ll take a little more work!

Ok, Contest Time! I have an extra ARC for one lucky reader.

Edit: Contest now Closed…thanks for all who entered~12/09

So here are the rules, fill out the Beautiful Creatures Contest Form to be entered by Dec 8th. You must be a in the US (International if you have someone to ship in US that’s fine, too).

You can earn extra entries for the following:

+1 for being/becoming a follower

+1 for blogging/putting on blog

+1 for posting on social network (Twitter – make sure to include @awaitinserenity, Goodread, etc)

Good Luck and don’t forget to fill out the Contest Form…no comment entries will be counted!

And if you’ve read Beautiful Creatures don’t forget to leave me a comment to let me know what you thought!

Mini Review Time. Here are some books that I devoured during my reading spree that I thought were fantastic. However, many of them have been all around the blogosphere already, so I thought I would just do some mini-reviews.

Everyone will always remember where they were on September 11, 2001. For three New York area teens, Claire, Jasper, and Peter, there will always be a before and after. But don’t let the 9/11 theme scare you away. This story is about how one event can change our lives and redefine how we connect to people during tragic times. It’s about discovering new friendships and bonds as lives intertwine in ways they wouldn’t have before. This has easily become one of my favorite solo Levithan books, second only to The Realm of Possibility. I felt connected to each character and thought their emotions were raw and honest. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey with these three teens and was a little sad to leave them as the story ended.

Say hello to the newest Cinderella retelling. Wait, wait, this isn’t your average Cinderella story. This is a world filled of old magic and fairies. Stories that Ash’s mother use to tell her as a child. It’s those stories that keep her going after her father dies and she is left in the care of her step-mother. Forced from her family home and to be a servant, Ash dreams of dancing and belonging to the fairies. That is until she meets Kaisa, the king’s huntress, and finds herself falling in love and having to decide which world she longs for more. Ash was slow-moving at times, but I really enjoyed the little twists that Lo added. It was refreshing to not have Cinderella chase after the prince. And while I will admit the lesbian aspect is what first drew me to Ash there is much more to it. It’s about self-discovery and finding love and where you belong. While I wish Lo would have explained the fairy world just a little more, I understand it was not what the book was really about. If you’re looking for a new look at Cinderella I would highly recommend trying this one out.

Fire is the last human monster left in the Dells. Fire, with her multi-colored hair, irresistible beauty, and mind control, is considered a huge threat. The danger of being hunted exists even the secluded land that she lives through. The danger only increases when her gift is needed by Young Nash at the capitol. Her powers may just be the thing that can help them win the war that is coming. It the midst of political struggle and power plays, Fire finds herself falling for Brigan, the one person she can’t control…if only she can get him to look past what to is to discover who she really is. While I think Graceling is still my favorite, I really enjoyed Fire. While there were some similarities between the two, the approach is very much different. Fire is more about strategy through political and mind games where as Graceling was all about the action and adventure.  The political games is interesting to me, but it slow-moving and I can see how others can get bored. I really adored Brigan and wish he would have been in the book then he had been. (And so I’ll never repeat this, but I think I may even like him more than Po *gasp*) All in all, Fire was amazing and I can’t wait to see what Cashore has in store with Bitterblue!

Theo’s life has been ruled by the number three. Thanks to a mysterious “illness”, he has found himself in the care of three people who rarely allow him beyond his three locked rooms. The only time he’s let out of his rooms is on his birthday, which is usually only to walk around a graveyard. Yet, this last birthday, promises to change everything. His life is about to be shaken up like the snow in the odd snow globe left by an unknown person. Theo can sense that there’s someone out there that knows more about him, but will they have the answers that will finally unlock the truth? Or will he just be trapped in a new sort of prison?

The Short of It: I’m still not sure what to think about Candle Man. I enjoyed it overall, but often found myself frustrated by not knowing what the heck was going on. Even so, I’m pretty sure I’ll pick up book two once it’s out to see where Dakin takes it.

Plot: If I had to sum up the plot for Candle Man in one word it would be complicated! Half the time I had no idea what was happening or how it would all tie together. There are a lot of characters and plot twists that a reader has to keep track of. I was never quite sure who to trust, who the good guys were, and what the heck Theo was/what was happening to him. Ok, so maybe I did figure those things out along the way, but there were times I wanted to doubt that the good guys were really the good guys. And really, I still kind of have my doubts and will be interested to see where Dakin takes the series.

Characters: Honestly, I didn’t have a strong like or dislike to most of characters. No instant BFFs here. Theo has been shut up since birth and really has no concept of how to interact with others normally. (Does anyone know how old Theo is?!) He’s pretty socially awkward and relies heavily on good manner books that Dr. Saint has given him over the years. I can see a lot of potential in what Theo can be, but right now I really still see him as an infant. He has a couple of choices of roads he can travel and that could drastically change him. It will be interesting to see how much of his innocence is sapped away as he’s pushed into a role he doesn’t seem to truly want.

And then there is Chloe. Talk about a girl with a lot of spunk that is not afraid to leap. She’s the one that I’m most looking forward to getting to know more. There are still a lot of secrets surrounding Chloe (and most of the other characters) and I hope Dakin continues to unravel them. I was kind of sad when her presence left and really wished she had been around more. (Trying to be careful about how much I say here) I can only hope Book One is not the last we see of her!

Romance: None. Theo has a hard enough time trying to deal with normal human interactions let alone a romance! I could see a possible hint of one though, but we’ll see if it actually goes that way in the up-coming books.

Writing: Writing is very simplistic, but then Candle Man is aimed at a younger audience. I’ve read my fair share of JUV books and Dakin fits solidly among them. The writing is easy enough that 4th & 5th graders will be able to read it but still something older kids will enjoy. The only thing that really bothered me was the “That’s so nice of you, Mr. Nicely” & “Very saintly of you, Dr. Saint”. The first time I saw it I kind of chuckled, but after that it got kind of annoying. I was glad that Dakin did seem to use it less frequently as the story moved along.

Librarian-Mode: On the back of the book they mentioned Percy Jackson, but I’m not sure that Candle Man quite falls into the same category. Some Percy Jackson fans may like it, but I have a feeling it would do better among those who like Series of Unfortunate Events or The Mysterious Benedict Society. Those who love mysteries and lots of fast-paced steam punk action will love this book.

Ok, now it’s your turn! Have you read Candle Man? If so, what did you think?

As the new kid at Anton High, a school for wealthy geniuses, eleventh-grader Sarah Black knows she has stepped into a world she doesn’t belong. She may have the brains, but her downfall lies in her lost and found uniform and OCD janitor father. But when a little confusion over where she’s from allows her to escape her unfavorable past she jumps aboard. After all, a few little lies is nothing in the quest to be popular, right? Sara will soon learn that even the smallest web of lies can get out of hand and one little slip could end it all. Will Sara be able to hold her ground among the Queen Bees or will it all come crumbling around her?

The Short of It: I really liked Little Black Lies. It was a quick read that was very hard to put down. Cohen creates very believable characters and setting. I finished the book with no real complaints making this an easy recommend book.

Plot: I thought the story line for Little Black Lies was very believable. I never found myself thinking that her lies or the storyline were too out there. In fact, the only part that made me go really? was the whole petting couch thing. (Think a puppy pile of teens with wandering hands on a couch) But the more I think about it, the more I remember things we could get away with in high school, so it’s really not that far fetched. In fact, everything else was so dead on that I could easily see this story happening in almost any high school across the nation. Kudos to Cohen for that!

Characters: Even with all her lies, I really liked Sara. I could easily put myself in her shoes and sympathize. Sometimes the desperation to fit in takes us to drastic measures. But even in the midst of her lies, Sara still tried to reach out to others. I think the way she talked to the maids and drivers proved that at the core she was still the same old Sara. And with the guilt and consequences from her decisions I think it’s safe to say she won’t do it again. She learned her lesson and realized that being herself was all she ever needed to be.

The only slight complaint I have is the relationship between Sara and her parents. Neither one is particularly healthy. While Charlie does indeed love Sara, his OCD has taken over his life. And while his future does have a promising outlook, I only hope he gets professional help. And then her mother? Oh man, don’t even get me started there. She was the only character I wanted to like, but couldn’t. She had such a selfish attitude and I wish Sara would have stood up to her. However, while I could have wished that everything was perfect, real life never is. Part of me is kind of glad Cohen didn’t make it a white house with picket fences. It was refreshing to see an honest look at real life that didn’t end up all fairy taled.

Romance: There’s not much to say here. There’s a little underlying romance that goes on, but it never really fully blooms. There’s a couple of kisses and promises of something more and that’s about where it ends. The story was not about falling in love though, so the relationship was not a big part of the story. It was more of a natural result thing then the big to-do. However, if Cohen plans to do a sequel, I would love to see where it goes.

Writing: Honestly, no complaints here at all. There was nothing I stumbled over or made me go huh? Cohen writes a tight story. Pacing was good and I never felt like a scene was too long. There were one or two scenes that I wish had been a little longer, but nothing that really bothered me. I also liked the little tidbits about ants before each chapter. I think it added a certain charm to the book.

Librarian-Mode: Overall, I think this will be an easy sell to girls. Although, I’m having trouble deciding what category I can throw it in. There’s not a lot of romance or BFFs so I’m not sure it really fits into the chick-lit category. And while it deals with some imperfect living situations, it’s no Ellen Hopkins read-a-like. But I think if you like honest realistic fiction with a little sass Little Black Lies is the perfect book.

Ok, now it’s your turn! Have you read Little Black Lies? If so, what did you think?

It’s been seven months since Willow has allowed herself to feel. Seven months since she was the driver during a tragic car accident that took her parents’ lives. Unable to bear the grief or guilt, Willow finds a new way to cope with the pain through cutting. At a new school and living with her older brother, no one knows the secrets her arms would tell. No one, that is, until Guy. The only one to know the ugly truth, Guy promises not to tell anyone her secret. But as strangers turn to friends to even more, Willow discovers that Guy’s love will push her beyond the safe, numb world she created. And amongst it all, she’ll have to decide which she loves me: Guy or the razors?

The Short of It: Liked it, but didn’t love it. Although, I would be hard pressed at anytime to say I loved a book about cutting. Hoban does a good job at handling the difficult situations. A few things did bother me, but nothing to make me dislike the book. An easy recommendation for those who like the nitty gritty issue books.

Plot: This is one of those low action, high emotions books. Where the day to day activities are not exciting, but the emotional struggle is what keeps you reading. While Willow deals with cutting, it is not the heart and soul of the book. It is more about grief and coming to terms with an overwhelming loss. About those months after and how a person learns to cope with the pain. An honest view into the world of grief, guilt, cutting, and the consequences it has on cutters and those that love them.

Characters: I had a bit of trouble loving Willow as a character. Most of the time I just wanted to shake her, hoping it would knock some sense into her. I found myself becoming annoyed at how she convinced herself that her own self-loathing/guilt was how others saw her. Even when others showed kindness repeatedly, she was still so hesitant to believe that they weren’t out to hurt her. However, I can’t say I hated Willow all the time. When she relaxed around Guy, I got a glimpse of what the old Willow must have been like. She was quite charming, intelligent, and caring. I only wish I could have seen much, much more of her.

Now Guy….well, Guy I basically loved. He’s that guy who will always have your back no matter what time you call. The type that girls go to mushy romance movies to sigh and dream over. My only problem with Guy is that he kept Willow’s secret. Here’s this girl he hardly knows and he promises not to tell anyone about her self-mutilation? Ok, so maybe as a stranger you wouldn’t care, but I tend to believe that Guy did from the first moment. And you see the signs how deeply he cares the more they get to know each other. Maybe he really thought he could heal her? Or maybe I’m just expecting too much out of a teenager? I’ve never been in that situation myself, but I would hope I would have enough courage to help that friend seek professional help. I just feel so torn on this point. Anyone else feel this way about Guy?

Romance: The romance between Guy and Willow is full of contradictions. If you look at it one way it’s a completely healthy, normal teenage love. Yet, at the same time, it’s built around something that is very unhealthy and causes both physical and emotional stress. And I still haven’t decided if I think Guy is insane or admirable. To willing walk into a relationship that involves someone who is such a wreck is mind boggling. I don’t know that I would ever have the strength to do it myself. Relationships are so difficult as it is without adding in all the elements Willow was battling. Although, Guy really was a perfect boyfriend. While the cutting obviously bothered him, he never allowed it to hinder his ability to be there when she needed him. And he almost always seemed to know the right things to say or do to help Willow inch closer to her old self.

The only issue I really have with their romance is the message is sends. That Willow can throw away the razors because she loves Guy that much. What happens when the romance ends? What if Guy breaks her heart? Will she go back to the razors who have been so faithful before? I’m just so worried that Willow is not truly free of this habit. That if things get to be too much, she’ll pick them right back up. I guess that’s also the reason why I wish Guy would have told her brother. I keep thinking that Willow really could benefit from professional help (even without the cutting issue!) and that without it she’ll never fully heal. I can only hope that down the line Guy will urge her to get that extra help she needs.

Writing: I really have no complaints in this category. The third person present tense did throw me off a bit, but after a while I was able to ignore with only the occasional distraction. I will warn that it does give off a distant and detached vibe. However, it works well as a reflection of how Willow herself is. It allows a reader to understand Willow a little better without actually being in her mind. The other thing I really noticed was how mature Hoban’s writing was. This is by no means a bad thing, but I often felt like I was reading a literature book and not an YA novel. It was quite nice to see, even if it meant I had to read a little slower!

Librarian-Mode: No problems here. I think this will be an easy sell to those teens who like the issue books. Those who adore Ellen Hopkins, Wintergirls, or any of the other down and dirty books will snatch this one up in a heart beat. I already had a copy in at my main library, but after finishing it I made sure to order a second copy for my branch. While Willow deals with some serious issues, I’ll have no hesitation recommending it to my teens. It’s one that I’m sure to push more in the future.

Ok, now it’s your turn! Have you read Willow? If so, what did you think?

Being at a boarding school in South Bend, Indiana is not Viola’s idea of paradise. Stuck in what she considers the middle-of-nowhere, Viola is far from the home and friends she loves in Brooklyn, New York. Yet, like it or not, she’s stuck there for a year while her parents film a documentary overseas. Slow to warm to her new settings, Viola is determined to keep her distance as she hides her video camera. But with a little help from her roommates, she’ll soon discover that a year at boarding school isn’t as bad as it seems. In fact, it may even be one of the best years of her life!

Before I even begin, I should probably put a disclaimer on this review.  I grew up in the South Bend area and it has been my home for the past 20 years. When I first heard about Viola in Reel Life I was so excited to see a YA book set in my hometown. Yet, the thing I was most ecstatic about ended up being the thing that made me extremely dislike the book. Trigiani paints a horribly inaccurate picture of South Bend. Yes, I will admit, that the city can be a little boring, but we are far, far from being a hick town. I know where Trigiani pulled her references from (mainly the St. Mary’s/Notre Dame area), but I felt it was such a poor representation of South Bend. And the more digs that were made about the city, the more I felt my hackles raising. I have tried my hardest not to let that shade my opinion of Viola in Reel Life, but honestly it was a factor. It was very hard to immerse myself into a world that I felt was unrealistic.

Ok, now that that’s out of the way, I’m trying to gather my thoughts on how to voice my other dislikes. I think the best way is to break it down rather than trying to make it flow all nicely together. It’ll be a break from how I normally do things, but will probably stop me from burying the good under the bad. (And if you guys find you like this format, maybe I’ll take it on more!)

Plot: Cute idea. I really liked the storyline of a girl discovering who she was in the least likely place, but frankly not a lot happens. I mean, really, nothing happens. She gets shipped off to boarding school, makes some friends, has a little romance, makes a movie, and then goes home. Nothing earth shattering, right? But then again it wasn’t really meant to be. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone doesn’t have to be all about being wild and crazy. It’s about adapting and find that inner strength you didn’t realize you had. That’s really what Viola in Reel Life is all about, so it’s understandable that there is very little going on.

Characters: At times I found Viola highly annoying. She was quite whiny and self-centered, but then what 9th grader isn’t? It was totally normal teenager behavior, but it did grow tiresome at times. I really wish Trigiani would have shifted the focus to include the roommates more than she did. It was in those characters that I found myself being the most interested in and wanting more of. Although, I have a sneaky suspicion that Trigiani did that on purpose to leave openings for a series. I can totally see her letting each character have their own book. There were a few things that really nagged me, but I do think the characters were believable and quite likable.

Romance: This is both a love and a hate. I adored the cute romance that developed between Viola and Jared. It was fun reading how they worked seeing each other even though they went to different boarding schools in different towns. There were even times that I found myself going awww at. I mean really, he started out at the perfect high school dream boyfriend with snowy kisses, perfect gifts, and lovey text messages. Like I said, ideal perfect high school boyfriend, right? But then…then I don’t know what really happens. The scenes between them at the Film Festival are so out of character that it felt forced. I’m sure that you can chalk it up to stress and competition, but it felt like a complete 180 with no warning signs! And then how she handles it is completely mind blowing. I have never seen a high school girl handle a break up that well, especially not when it’s her first! Where were the tears and drowning sorrows in ice cream? Ok, ok, I know that’s cliche-ish, but I just wish there had been more emotion to it. It just made the whole relationship feel like a piece of sweater fuzz that was being flicked away.

Oh, and then there’s the thing with Andrew. I know there’s no actual dating here, but there were sure hints of the best friends wanting more at every turn. But how convenient was it for him to get and lose a girlfriend the same time as Viola? I’m still not sure if I’m supposed to believe this actually happened or if Andrew just made it up. I keep thinking he just made it up, but with all conversations being through IMs it’s really hard to tell. Could it have been a jealousy-I-won’t-look-like-I’m-pining type thing? I mean he did seem a little jealous and tended to cut any conversation about Jared short. So, yeah, I really don’t know. If anyone else has read the book I would love to hear your thoughts on this relationship!

Writing: The only issue I really have is with the pacing. There were times that the scenes felt a little too drawn out and then others when they felt they ended abruptly. I found myself on several occasions turning the page and expecting more of the conversation only to find a whole new scene; every time I just felt like there was more to the scene that needed to be told. And it wasn’t just little scenes here or there either. The pacing as a whole was the same way. A good portion of the book (read over half) is set mainly in September to December. Then BAM, there’s only a paragraph or so mentioning how fast time flies and then we’re in March and at the film festival. Shortly after that she’s heading home. I understand reading about Viola editing her film may have been a little boring, but it seemed so out of balance. I think if the scenes would have been spread out a little bit more, it would have flowed so much better.

Librarian-Mode: Can I still market this to teens? YES! I could easily sell it to middle school girls as a read-alike to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Those looking for a quick, fun read will most likely eat this up. And really, most younger teens will not even notice the things that really nagged me. (I really blame this on being an English Major!) And for those who have never been to South Bend, the setting will be as believable as the next. Although, I am wondering how South Bend teens will take to it. I plan to pass my ARC off to a friend who works with troubled teens and will definitely be interested in hearing their reactions!

So there you have it! I know I’m in the minority in disliking this book, but it is what it is. While it wasn’t my cup of tea, it may be yours! And, as always, if you’ve read Viola in Reel Life, what did you think?

From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong.     A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.     The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.     But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: If she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .

I have to be completely honest and admit that the ending ruined this book for me. In fact, had the ending been different this may have received a much higher rating. Up until the last 30 pages or so I had really been digging the book. While the social commentary on popularity has been done before (and is a running theme in teen zombie books) it was kind of fun to see Hannah work her way into that “in” crowd. With each new page turn, I kept thinking that something big was going to happen. Lukas, with all his warnings, was going to be wrong and this was just going to be a small town with odd quirks. I mean, hello, she was making out with a zombie and he totally wasn’t going after her brains (or blood). Sure the “in” crowd was a little odd, but they looked and acted too normal to be zombies. How evil could blonde haired, blue eyed next-door-neighbor teens really be? Ok, so maybe that was the point and all. Who would ever think wrong of the All-American teens in a small town? Yet, I was still so disappointed when it turned out Lukas was right all along. And the very end itself just made me scream. (I’m trying very hard not to spoil that point. Very. Very. Hard.) I mean I get it and all, but it was certainly not a satisfying ending. In fact, I was left with a sort of depressed and hopeless feeling. Maybe I’m just too much of a happily-ever-after girl to appreciate this type of ending?

Now, remember, my opinion is just one among millions. I may not have liked Zombie Blondes but you might! I mean, really, it was just the ending that killed it for me;I really liked it until that point. If you have read Zombie Blondes, please leave a comment! I’m very interested to hear others thoughts on it!

P.S. Yes, yes I know I usually write my own summaries, but I’m strapped for time lately. You may see a couple more product description summaries as I try to catch up, but I promise they won’t be here to stay.

Johanna has been attracted  to Reeve for sometime now. She daydreams about their first touch, their first kiss, and eventually becoming a couple. The only problem? They’ve never even spoken and it’s unlikely that Reeve knows she exists. The next problem? There is only a couple days left until High School graduation. With a lot of determination and a little bit of luck, Johanna manages to push her way into Reeve’s life. But she’s soon discovering that love is not all paradise; in fact, there’s a much darker side filled with trouble and abuse. And the tighter Johanna holds on, the further into darkness she is pulled. In a story of first love, Johanna must decide if holding onto a fantasy is worth losing everything else.

This has got to be one of the hardest reviews for me to write. I’ve been looking forward to Rage: A Love Story for months, only to find it didn’t live up to my expectations. I went into it longing for a good lesbian love story, but that was certainly not what I got. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still ADORE Julie Anne Peters. She is a brilliant writer and Rage does not fail in that department. She does a beautiful job at bringing a story to life. The characters were quite realistic and I have no doubt that this situation could/does happen.

Yet, for some reason the plot didn’t sit well with me. There were moments that I cringed and wanted to shake some sense into Johanna, especially when she talked about wearing her bruises as badges of her love. I couldn’t understand how this girl she barely knew meant so much to her. How after only a week or so, she was allowing Reeve to abuse her. Why did she continue to cling to this girl instead of walking away? I can understand how hard it would be if they had been dating months or years, but weeks? The love aspect just seemed to happen much, much too fast for my liking. I do understand that all of Johanna’s fantasies may have given her the illusion of a deeper attachment, but I don’t know.

Now, before I end this review, I have to say that Julie Anne Peters ends the story well. There is a sense of healing that has and will continue to happen on both sides. I was left with the hope that both girls would see happier times ahead. I’m still a little sad that I didn’t get the good, romantic love story I had hoped for, but that’s okay. It will be a hard one to recommend to my teens, though, if only because I don’t know how to sell it. It’s not really one I can add onto a love or LGBT list, however, I can see it being received well by those who thrive on the “issue” novels.

Have you read Rage: A Love Story? If so, let me know what you think!