NetGalley Review: Scintillate (The Light Key Trilogy #1) by Tracy Clark

Entangled Teen
Published Feb. 4, 2014
304 Pages

*I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

When Cora Sandoval was five years old her mother disappeared causing her and her father to leave Ireland for America. Since then her father has been nothing short of overprotective and when Cora gets sick and begins to see people’s auras her father doesn’t let up once.

Not only does she have this ability to see people’s colors but when a Irish foreign exchange student name Finn comes into her world an attraction so intense is born. Her father disapproves and his mother as well forcing Finn to move back to Ireland and leaving Cora.

But Cora isn’t having it anymore. Desperate for answers that her father refuses to give her, Cora goes to Ireland to find out the truth about her mother, her new ability and why her aura is different from everyone else.

This book is very original. A lot of the paranormal books in YA deal with witches, werewolves, vampires and things in that nature. I really appreciated the author taking the step to do something completely different. It made the book much more enjoyable.

As much as I hate to admit this, I really loved the relationship with Finn and Cora. It is extremely intense and not the sappy ‘I can’t live without you’ but the realistic and poetic romance. I thought the author did an amazing job with the details she placed in this relationship and really this whole book.

However, I really didn’t like Cora. There is nothing in me that believed she tried hard enough to find the truth. 1: She didn’t begin really looking til after Finn left, which makes me believe that she was content as long as she had Finn. 2: She always backed down from her father. She would give some fight and then stop. Because of this I felt she didn’t have the strength to follow through. Also she has this new ability and doesn’t really do anything with it. Through the entire book I was saying to myself ‘I know she can do something with that ability why isn’t she trying?’ This was extremely frustrated because I was right and guess what? It happens at the END of the book UGH!

I also think her father was overly dramatic. I understand being overprotective but he was too much. Not only was everything a secret but he would throw fits if he didn’t get his way with Cora or simply walk away from her. I was completely over him.

I am hoping that in the next book Cora ‘mans up’ for a lack of better term and just learn about herself and how to protect herself from danger. I am also hoping that there is something still going on with Finn and Cora. Yes, there is a love triangle happening. If you didn’t expect one whelp you’re wrong.

Overall this book gets: 3.5 Pickles its a bit closer to a four but I am content with this rating.

Kindle Review: Just Breathe (Just Breathe Trilogy) by Heather Allen

Ever Harding, a month away from her 18^th birthday just had a horrible break up with her boyfriend of three years.

Self Published
Published March 20, 2013
292 Pages (Paperback)

This is literally the worst thing of her life. But then she meets Jack, new boy in school with amazing eyes that makes her melt. Their meeting exposes family history that ties Ever to the sea is more ways than one and forces Ever to have to make a choice that changes everything the world has ever known.

This book is about mermaids. I didn’t know this because I never read the summary. This book wasn’t the greatest thing I have read and it wasn’t because of Ever. She was a horrible character. Impulsive, bipolar, immature, completely unable to control her emotions and personally didn’t care about anyone but herself and Jack.

Here is my issue with the relationship: Her breakup so was dramatic I thought I was going to be sick. Ever was dumped outside her house on the front step not only did she pass out, she also stood outside mute in the cold doing nothing until her mother came to get her after dark and then, proceeded to be a jerk to everyone in her family and be moody. I understand teen love and I get the emotions all over the place but she was selfish and she proved to be selfish throughout the entire book.

Now when Jack comes along all of a sudden she’s in love. . . . Are you seriously kidding me? Nothing more needs to be said about that.

However, what I did like about the book was the whole twist of mermaids. I thought it was an original idea and it was well written. There were things I wasn’t expecting and I thought the dramatic of the overall story was great. I didn’t agree with adding her brother’s story into the book. I didn’t because it was added a bit late and his voice wasn’t strong enough. . . Ever completely overpowered it; so I believe it was a last thought.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you can push pass Ever the book will be good for you. If not then don’t even bother it. This book gets 6 out of 10.

Pickles

NetGalley Review: Ticker by Lisa Mantchev

Skyscape
Published Dec. 1, 2014
273 Pages

Penny Farthing is near death when surgeon Calvin Warwick is able to successfully swap out Penny’s bad heart with a brass ticker. But the moment when it is found that Warwick killed people in order to save Penny with an updated Ticker, Penny isn’t so happy that she was saved.

During Warwick’s last day of trial, the Farthing factory was bombed, their house was broken into and Penny and her brother Nic receive a ransom notice, demanding their parent’s secret information in order to have their parents back unharmed.  

With the help of Penny’s best friend Violet, a gentleman around the town (whatever that means) Sebastian and a young army general Marcus, Penny and Nic go on the search for their parents and the truth about Penny’s ticker.

The first pretty cover of the year!!!!!

This book was a dry read. The plot, the characters everything seemed un-lifelike which is crazy considering that the topic of life centralizes the entire book. Penny  lacked development and character. She did what she wanted and how she wanted.  She had little regard for her own life, which again is crazy!

The storyline didn’t really provide enough to keep me interested in the story. As much as I love when books start off in a really great scene, there is a way to do it right and the author did not provide enough of a griping point in order for me to understand why things were moving the way they were. Yes, do you get that information but the vagueness of what happened to her, her sister and the man who gave her a new heart last for way too long for me to enjoy the book.

Also the author added a very unnecessary element to a world of science; paranormal. It was thrown in there without any type of back-story or anything leading up to it to make me believe that the paranormal topic should be there.

What I did like about this story was the steampunk aspect of it. It was detailed and creative and there was a lot of though behind it.

Overall, the book was okay. Nothing spectacular.

2 Pickles