Review: Take Me with You When You Go

Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ezra thinks it is a normal day until he finds out that his sister has run away.  She didn’t leave a note and left her phone in her room so she couldn’t be tracked.  Ezra is now left in a house with a stepfather who treats him badly and a mother who could care less.  In a place only Ezra would think to look he finds an email address.  When he logs in he finds he can contact his sister.  Bea may have left Ezra behind, but she is hoping to find someone who hasn’t wanted to be found.

 

Take Me with You When You Go is a stand-alone realistic fiction book that is written in an unusual format.  This book is told from multiple points of view (primarily Ezra and Bea) through email exchanges and some letters.  The format makes this a very quick read and I enjoyed the casual style of learning about these characters and what they were going through.  Levithan and Niven have co-written a book that will tug at the heartstrings and have readers wondering what they would have done.  I enjoyed this novel and expect readers who are fans of these authors will also enjoy it.

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Review: Eyes of the Forest

Eyes of the Forest by April Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bridget has always thought of herself as RM Haldon’s biggest fan.  She was proved right at a book signing when she knew more details about the books than he did.  Now she works for him and cross-checks facts and insures the characters are on point.  Haldon has been working on the final book in the series, but he can’t seem to get started.  It doesn’t matter that he is years behind what even his publishers would like to see.  Now, Haldon is missing and no one has noticed.  Bridget doesn’t understand why she hasn’t heard from him, even if he has writer’s block.

 

Eyes of the Forest is a stand-alone mystery that will have readers thinking about Stephen King’s Misery.  How Haldon got into the situation becomes clear quickly, but the solution to the dilemma will take readers to the end.  This is not a long book and I found myself glad I could finish it quickly.  Henry has written a completely unexpected book.  Most of her novels have a young girl getting out of a tight situation, but this had a man in a tight situation with a young girl needing to help him out.  Eyes of the Forest is an enjoyable read and I might go back and reread Misery for the thrill of it.

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Review: Fairies and Frosting

Fairies and Frosting by Christina Bauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elle and Alec are back together but they have new troubles on the horizon.  Alec’s business is losing money and may go bankrupt.  What do they do?  They craft a scheme that is meant to rescue Le Charme.  Of course, nothing goes smoothly with these two and the Unseelie are at it again.  Not only do they want to destroy Elle, but they also want to destroy Alec and his gemstone empire.    Will Elle and Alec be able to save what they love?  Will the Glass Slipper Festival take place or will it need to be sacrificed?

 

Fairies and Frosting is the sixth book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series.  This fantasy novella is quick to read and readers will need to pay attention.  Bauer has filled the pages with twists and turns and I found myself rereading sections because I thought I missed something (and I was right).  These characters are fun to lose ourselves with and the next novel is already in progress.  This is a fun escape read and should be enjoyed before moving on to your next book.

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Review: Ashfall Legacy

Ashfall Legacy by Pittacus Lore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Syd has spent his life on the run.  His mother has a series of identities they can easily use to hide and stay safe.  It hasn’t been long since he learned the truth.  His father is an alien from the planet Denza and has been missing for years.  Everyone assumes he is dead.  When Syd beats an unbeatable game that is connected to the Internet … he is found.  Lucky for him he is found by his uncle.  Now Syd must leave Earth and complete his own mission.  What will he learn about humans and himself?  Will Syd be able to adjust to being half human and half alien in a world of aliens?

 

Ashfall Legacy is the newest Science Fiction novel by Pittacus Lore.  This book is currently listed as a stand-alone novel, but any reader who makes it to the end will see that more books should be written in this world.  This book had me quickly turning pages AND wanting to throw my device across the room.  There is a lot of world-building and I am hopeful the next installment (if there is one) will jump more quickly into the story.  This book is not related to the Lorien stories and should be judged on its characters.  Not one of my favorite reads this summer, but I will look out for a continuation to see if things improve. 

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Review: Red Wolf

Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Adele has always known that monsters live in the dark woods.  She watched her father burned when she was 8 years old because he had been attacked by a werewolf. Everyone in the village of Oakvale knows to stay away from the woods unless it is necessary.  Adele’s grandmother lives in the woods, though, and during one of her visits, she learns that she is from a long line of guardians.  She can change into a wolf, but she doesn’t hunt humans, she protects them.  What will Adele need to give up to keep the village safe?

 

Red Wolf is a stand-alone fairy tale re-telling.  Vincent introduces Adele’s legacy early on and readers can explore what this means as Adele discovers the truths herself.  Even though this is a fairy tale re-telling, readers will see connections to their own lives and decisions they might face in the years to come.  I didn’t want to put this book down.  Even though this is a one-and-done, I could see more books in this world Vincent has created.  I recommend this book to everyone of every age. 

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Review: Steel Fear

Steel Fear by Brandon Webb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finn is a Navy SEAL sniper who is trying to get home.  His transport is the USS Abraham Lincoln.  He can tell that something is wrong, but his concerns are raised several levels when crew members begin to disappear.  In the beginning, they are believed to be suicides, but as the numbers increase it becomes evident that a serial killer is on board.  Finn is at the top of the suspect list since he is the new guy on the ship.  He has gaps in his memories, but this mystery might just be what he needs to prove he is still worthy to be called a Navy SEAL.

 

Steel Fear is a stand-alone thriller that takes a bit of time to get rolling.  For the first third of the book, I was wondering why I chose this book to review.  Once I was able to make it to the halfway mark, though, the pages almost turned themselves.  The point of view changes often so that the reader can have more knowledge than any one character, but these changes are not distracting.  I wouldn’t say this is a must-read, but in the end, it was a good escape read.

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