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samantha_randolph's Reviews (1.59k)
"All Avery Roe has ever wanted is to follow in her grandmother's place and become Prince Island's witch, the person who makes charms and spells to keep everyone safe. Avery's mother has other plans for her when she takes her from her grandmother's and forces her to give up magic. Avery still uses what little magic she has left, namely being able to interpret dreams, until one day she sees her own death. She knows once fate is set, nothing can be done, but with the help of harpooner Tane, she may just be able to avoid death." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=47256
4.5/ 5 stars
Short and Sweet:
The Fall currently holds my top pick for Most Awesomely Creepy Book of the Year. I want to smile because I enjoyed it so much, but it still scared me pretty well several times.
To Elaborate...
Madeline Usher is the current chosen cursed one in the House of Usher. Generations before her have been lost to the madness, and when the house favorites you, the madness is ten times worse. As she searches for a solution to rid her and those she loves of the ancient despair, the house will do its best to keep her in her place.
If you're looking for an eery, dark read, this is quite possibly the book for you. This was my first Bethany Griffin Poe retelling (I've had Masque of the Red Death on my shelf for months but haven't gotten to it), and I'm so glad I read it. I'm really not much of a Poe fan, but I love the transformation Griffin gave The Fall of the House of Usher. This is a clever, distinct, and all together consuming story that will have you biting your nails by the end. I love all the twists so much that I'm literally writing a paper on it for one of my classes this semester.
I really struggled with giving this 5 hearts or 4.5. I decided to go with 4.5, because as much as I loved it, I did have some unanswered questions. There were some areas where the house did something weird, and I wanted a little more information. I know the house is supposed to be mysterious, but it was almost like I needed more information for it to feel mysterious and not random. This definitely wasn't a big problem (it's actually kind of hard to label something a problem when it's a reflection of how much more I wanted to read in the story after having so many great parts already), but I still feel the need to mention it.
Overall, this is an exciting and haunting story that has made me want to start reading Masque of the Red Death as soon as possible.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-fall-by-bethany-griffin.html
Short and Sweet:
The Fall currently holds my top pick for Most Awesomely Creepy Book of the Year. I want to smile because I enjoyed it so much, but it still scared me pretty well several times.
To Elaborate...
Madeline Usher is the current chosen cursed one in the House of Usher. Generations before her have been lost to the madness, and when the house favorites you, the madness is ten times worse. As she searches for a solution to rid her and those she loves of the ancient despair, the house will do its best to keep her in her place.
If you're looking for an eery, dark read, this is quite possibly the book for you. This was my first Bethany Griffin Poe retelling (I've had Masque of the Red Death on my shelf for months but haven't gotten to it), and I'm so glad I read it. I'm really not much of a Poe fan, but I love the transformation Griffin gave The Fall of the House of Usher. This is a clever, distinct, and all together consuming story that will have you biting your nails by the end. I love all the twists so much that I'm literally writing a paper on it for one of my classes this semester.
I really struggled with giving this 5 hearts or 4.5. I decided to go with 4.5, because as much as I loved it, I did have some unanswered questions. There were some areas where the house did something weird, and I wanted a little more information. I know the house is supposed to be mysterious, but it was almost like I needed more information for it to feel mysterious and not random. This definitely wasn't a big problem (it's actually kind of hard to label something a problem when it's a reflection of how much more I wanted to read in the story after having so many great parts already), but I still feel the need to mention it.
Overall, this is an exciting and haunting story that has made me want to start reading Masque of the Red Death as soon as possible.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-fall-by-bethany-griffin.html
3.5/5 stars
Short and Sweet:
While I had some trouble connecting to the story here and there, the authorial voice is absolutely phenomenal.
To Elaborate...
Imogen knows how the world and fairy tales work. The hot, skinny girls get the princes, and the plump stepsisters like herself get nothing. The princess in her story falls in the form of Ella Cinder, her new stepsister whose beauty could easily fit the storybook Cinderella's, but whose personality rivals the meanest wicked witch's. Imogen has to battle through her own depression, anxiety, and insecurity as Ella throws all the malicious tools she has at her.
I had strong highs and lows for this book, so I'm just going to break them down in list form.
Loves:
1.) The voice- Imogen's narrative is ridiculously familiar for anyone who has any insecurity (so basically everyone). She can only focus on her negatives. She is so realistic and more than occasionally heartbreaking because of that.
2.) Grant- He's a keeper book boyfriend.
3.) The stepmother, Evelyn, and Imogen's father- I am so, so, so happy to see a book where the parent/step-parent feels NORMAL. So often they fall into one extreme or the other, which of course does happen in real life sometimes, but it's refreshing to see both the good and bad sides to these parents. Evelyn does not always take Ella's side, and she truly seems to care for Imogen. Imogen's father is rarely home, and that causes lots of tension, but he cares in his own way as well. They go through plenty of family bumps during the story, but it all feels real.
Not-So-Loves:
1.) Imogen's dialogue- This isn't a constant dislike through the whole story, and I completely understand why Imogen is so self-destructive, but sometimes it just got really exhausting. Especially towards the second half, it was easy to get frustrated with her (though I absolutely was still rooting for her).
2.) Ella- While there are some hints that there is a reason why Ella is such a mean person, they aren't explored much. It kept teasing the surface that maybe she was hurt after her parents split up and she dealt with bullies as well, but her character is primarily flat. I would, however, read a companion book with her as the main character in order to find out exactly what's going on with her. *hopes there is one*
3.) Imogen's friends- Not all of them and not all the time, but sometimes I just got annoyed with her circle of people. I get they are in theater, but they took dramatic to a whole new level here and there, and that would get old. I probably liked them about 65% of the time.
Overall, I would recommend this if you want a deeper contemporary read that brings up some intense issues. Even though there were a few things I really didn't like, I still liked it in the end, and I will definitely be looking forward to more from this author.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-damsel-distressed-by-kelsey-macke.html
Short and Sweet:
While I had some trouble connecting to the story here and there, the authorial voice is absolutely phenomenal.
To Elaborate...
Imogen knows how the world and fairy tales work. The hot, skinny girls get the princes, and the plump stepsisters like herself get nothing. The princess in her story falls in the form of Ella Cinder, her new stepsister whose beauty could easily fit the storybook Cinderella's, but whose personality rivals the meanest wicked witch's. Imogen has to battle through her own depression, anxiety, and insecurity as Ella throws all the malicious tools she has at her.
I had strong highs and lows for this book, so I'm just going to break them down in list form.
Loves:
1.) The voice- Imogen's narrative is ridiculously familiar for anyone who has any insecurity (so basically everyone). She can only focus on her negatives. She is so realistic and more than occasionally heartbreaking because of that.
2.) Grant- He's a keeper book boyfriend.
3.) The stepmother, Evelyn, and Imogen's father- I am so, so, so happy to see a book where the parent/step-parent feels NORMAL. So often they fall into one extreme or the other, which of course does happen in real life sometimes, but it's refreshing to see both the good and bad sides to these parents. Evelyn does not always take Ella's side, and she truly seems to care for Imogen. Imogen's father is rarely home, and that causes lots of tension, but he cares in his own way as well. They go through plenty of family bumps during the story, but it all feels real.
Not-So-Loves:
1.) Imogen's dialogue- This isn't a constant dislike through the whole story, and I completely understand why Imogen is so self-destructive, but sometimes it just got really exhausting. Especially towards the second half, it was easy to get frustrated with her (though I absolutely was still rooting for her).
2.) Ella- While there are some hints that there is a reason why Ella is such a mean person, they aren't explored much. It kept teasing the surface that maybe she was hurt after her parents split up and she dealt with bullies as well, but her character is primarily flat. I would, however, read a companion book with her as the main character in order to find out exactly what's going on with her. *hopes there is one*
3.) Imogen's friends- Not all of them and not all the time, but sometimes I just got annoyed with her circle of people. I get they are in theater, but they took dramatic to a whole new level here and there, and that would get old. I probably liked them about 65% of the time.
Overall, I would recommend this if you want a deeper contemporary read that brings up some intense issues. Even though there were a few things I really didn't like, I still liked it in the end, and I will definitely be looking forward to more from this author.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-damsel-distressed-by-kelsey-macke.html
Short and Sweet:
Forbidden has one of the richest worlds and romances I've read, and the whole story is completely moving and beautiful.
To Elaborate...
In the ancient desert, Jayden is set to be princess of her tribe with her betrothal to Horeb, a man whose heart is cruel. Reluctantly bracing herself for an unhappy life, she learns what it means to truly love when a stranger, Kadesh, encounters their tribe. They will have to overcome family disapproval, desert hazards, tribes wars, and more if they ever hope to be together.
This book made me so happy! I love historical fiction that goes wayyyyy back in time, and this one does. The desert setting is simply stunning, and the details of the tribe's everyday life/special rituals for birth and marriage are incorporated beautifully. It's incredible how similar the ways tension arises in Jayden's tribe are to the general tensions we still face in families. The whole story had that timeless element to it combined with wonderful historic detail.
Since the story is set so long ago, marriages/betrothals/any romances were treated very carefully and seriously. It was usually about status, wealth, and producing family lines instead of love. Even so, the woman had to keep the strictest of reputations if she didn't want to shame herself (cue angry grumbles about how, though in a less extreme way, society is just as quick to slut shame now as they were then). I love how Jayden deals with this. She struggles to keep the beliefs her family taught her while learning how to deal with the natural and normal emotions Kadesh brings out in her as they fall in love. Even though they do nothing more than kiss, they have so many swoony scenes.
My one issue is the ending. It left a big question technically unanswered (though there was hope for it going a certain way). There were a few minor questions that left off in the same fashion, but this one had me on my toes. However, that still didn't take anything off star-wise for me, because I still loved the ending. It had so much hope, strength, and determination in it, and it wrapped up the main character's development in one of the best ways I've seen. So, it's still a favorite for me, even though I grumbled a bit at that. ;)
Overall, I'm so ready to read more from this author. Her writing is gorgeous and well done, and I highly recommend this one!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-forbidden-by-kimberley-griffiths.html
Forbidden has one of the richest worlds and romances I've read, and the whole story is completely moving and beautiful.
To Elaborate...
In the ancient desert, Jayden is set to be princess of her tribe with her betrothal to Horeb, a man whose heart is cruel. Reluctantly bracing herself for an unhappy life, she learns what it means to truly love when a stranger, Kadesh, encounters their tribe. They will have to overcome family disapproval, desert hazards, tribes wars, and more if they ever hope to be together.
This book made me so happy! I love historical fiction that goes wayyyyy back in time, and this one does. The desert setting is simply stunning, and the details of the tribe's everyday life/special rituals for birth and marriage are incorporated beautifully. It's incredible how similar the ways tension arises in Jayden's tribe are to the general tensions we still face in families. The whole story had that timeless element to it combined with wonderful historic detail.
Since the story is set so long ago, marriages/betrothals/any romances were treated very carefully and seriously. It was usually about status, wealth, and producing family lines instead of love. Even so, the woman had to keep the strictest of reputations if she didn't want to shame herself (cue angry grumbles about how, though in a less extreme way, society is just as quick to slut shame now as they were then). I love how Jayden deals with this. She struggles to keep the beliefs her family taught her while learning how to deal with the natural and normal emotions Kadesh brings out in her as they fall in love. Even though they do nothing more than kiss, they have so many swoony scenes.
My one issue is the ending. It left a big question technically unanswered (though there was hope for it going a certain way). There were a few minor questions that left off in the same fashion, but this one had me on my toes. However, that still didn't take anything off star-wise for me, because I still loved the ending. It had so much hope, strength, and determination in it, and it wrapped up the main character's development in one of the best ways I've seen. So, it's still a favorite for me, even though I grumbled a bit at that. ;)
Overall, I'm so ready to read more from this author. Her writing is gorgeous and well done, and I highly recommend this one!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-forbidden-by-kimberley-griffiths.html
"Cage fighter and techno genius Essie is hiding one big secret; she's really the missing Princess Snow. After running away from her dangerous father and murderess stepmother, she has remained in hiding for years. When a young man, Dane, tricks her and kidnaps her to use as leverage to get his prisoner father freed, Essie is enraged. As they journey back to her dangerous home, they will realize their end goal is the same, and they will need each other to pull it off." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=47852
"Kate, a 'freshman' at college, is hiding the fact that she's really 29 and trying to do college again like she failed to before. Carter, her sexy RA, is hiding how attracted he is to Kate, so he doesn't have to tell her about the shadows in his own freshman year past. Together, they navigate around the truth as they get closer and closer, but the harder they fall, the more the truth needs to come out." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=47862
Short and Sweet:
I loved this book! Swoony romance, murder mystery, and gah! Beautiful. *insert incoherent gushing*
To Elaborate...
I sat down with this book one morning, intending to just read for a while, and I spent the next 3 or so hours unable to put it down. It is exciting, intense, and completely captivating.
Going into this story, I expected to be challenged by the cousin romance, and I was in the best way. It is the perfect combination of taboo, heart-throb, and INSANE swoon that made me ship Marcus and Jackie so hard. I love how the characters deal with their feelings (especially when they handle it badly). It is moving, sweet, torturous, and unforgettable. It makes you think hard about what is socially appropriate and how societal norms play a serious role in relationships.
But beyond the incredible romance, the plot in How We Fall is just breathtaking. The mystery behind the missing/dead Ellie and the new-to-town Sylvia is engaging and builds in a marvelously paced suspense. I love how real the story makes it. It does a wonderful job of showing characters who are dealing with a lot on a big scale (a missing person, a possible stalker, a taboo romance, etc.), but they also have to face everyday challenges like doing homework, babysitting, and attempting to find some sort of balance between everything.
Overall, I just can't say enough about how much I loved this story. Kate Brauning has a fantastic voice in her writing, and I'm impatiently eager to read more from her. If romantic suspense is your thing, this would be an excellent read to try.
5 Big Hearts!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-how-we-fall-by-kate-brauning.html
I loved this book! Swoony romance, murder mystery, and gah! Beautiful. *insert incoherent gushing*
To Elaborate...
I sat down with this book one morning, intending to just read for a while, and I spent the next 3 or so hours unable to put it down. It is exciting, intense, and completely captivating.
Going into this story, I expected to be challenged by the cousin romance, and I was in the best way. It is the perfect combination of taboo, heart-throb, and INSANE swoon that made me ship Marcus and Jackie so hard. I love how the characters deal with their feelings (especially when they handle it badly). It is moving, sweet, torturous, and unforgettable. It makes you think hard about what is socially appropriate and how societal norms play a serious role in relationships.
But beyond the incredible romance, the plot in How We Fall is just breathtaking. The mystery behind the missing/dead Ellie and the new-to-town Sylvia is engaging and builds in a marvelously paced suspense. I love how real the story makes it. It does a wonderful job of showing characters who are dealing with a lot on a big scale (a missing person, a possible stalker, a taboo romance, etc.), but they also have to face everyday challenges like doing homework, babysitting, and attempting to find some sort of balance between everything.
Overall, I just can't say enough about how much I loved this story. Kate Brauning has a fantastic voice in her writing, and I'm impatiently eager to read more from her. If romantic suspense is your thing, this would be an excellent read to try.
5 Big Hearts!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-how-we-fall-by-kate-brauning.html
"Turner and Naomi, two rockstars in different bands on the same tour, have a complicated history, one Turner doesn't even remember. Now that they are on the same tour, they can't resist being drawn to each other once again in a storm of passion, lust, anger, hatred, and something they don't expect: love. But as someone from Naomi's past starts threatening her, any relationship they might have won't matter if they aren't safe." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=47934
Short and Sweet:
While I really loved the premise for this, several parts of it felt rushed. I'm a bit on the fence about continuing with the series, but leaning towards wanting to.
To Elaborate...
Princess Ophelia is enjoying sneaking out to meet her secret boyfriend (who thinks her name is Leila), but everything changes when she is murdered. When she leaves her body, she is given the chance to become a grim reaper, someone who finds and touches someone who is about to die so they won't feel pain, and their soul will be released. As she struggles to work through being a reaper, she is faced with challenge upon challenge still leftover from her old life.
The first part of this book really captured me. I loved the royalty/paranomal crossover so much, plus a secret/scandalous love interest? Yes, please. The opening dynamic with Ophelia and her sister is really sweet, and it made me hope for a stronger sister story. The grim reaper aspect, while surprising, was really refreshing and original.
However, there were so many areas where the story felt rushed. The story would just say how a character felt instead of opening it up to character development where you see their changing feelings instead of being told them. Though I definitely shipped the romance (and it wasn't insta-love, yay!), it had lots of rushing in it as well, especially given what happens to Ophelia's original love interest.
Overall, I did like the story a lot. I think I like it enough to continue the series, but I'm still a little hesitant. I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a unique twist and premise in a story.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-dead-girl-walking-by-ruth-silver.html
While I really loved the premise for this, several parts of it felt rushed. I'm a bit on the fence about continuing with the series, but leaning towards wanting to.
To Elaborate...
Princess Ophelia is enjoying sneaking out to meet her secret boyfriend (who thinks her name is Leila), but everything changes when she is murdered. When she leaves her body, she is given the chance to become a grim reaper, someone who finds and touches someone who is about to die so they won't feel pain, and their soul will be released. As she struggles to work through being a reaper, she is faced with challenge upon challenge still leftover from her old life.
The first part of this book really captured me. I loved the royalty/paranomal crossover so much, plus a secret/scandalous love interest? Yes, please. The opening dynamic with Ophelia and her sister is really sweet, and it made me hope for a stronger sister story. The grim reaper aspect, while surprising, was really refreshing and original.
However, there were so many areas where the story felt rushed. The story would just say how a character felt instead of opening it up to character development where you see their changing feelings instead of being told them. Though I definitely shipped the romance (and it wasn't insta-love, yay!), it had lots of rushing in it as well, especially given what happens to Ophelia's original love interest.
Overall, I did like the story a lot. I think I like it enough to continue the series, but I'm still a little hesitant. I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a unique twist and premise in a story.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-dead-girl-walking-by-ruth-silver.html
While this didn't wow me, it was super adorable and surprisingly deep.
Oliver and Hadley randomly meet in an airport both headed to London, and they get to know each other on the long flight. Hadley is headed to her dad's wedding, and her and Oliver discuss how much she doesn't want to go and meet her new stepmom. When the plane lands, the two are reluctant to part, but what kind of romance happens in 8 hours?
Going into this, I expected something light and fluffy (which isn't bad at all!), but I was pleasantly surprised at how deep the story went. There is just as much (if not more) family drama/relationships than romance, and in a way because of that, it made the romance even more meaningful. I love the journey Hadley takes, and while the story only spans a smaller amount of hours, it still is packed with so much development and plot that it feels much longer.
I didn't give it 5 stars, because I didn't love it, even though I really, really like it. The continuous flashbacks felt more like an interruption than helpful after a while, though I do appreciate them.
Overall, 4 stars! I can't wait to read more from this author.
Oliver and Hadley randomly meet in an airport both headed to London, and they get to know each other on the long flight. Hadley is headed to her dad's wedding, and her and Oliver discuss how much she doesn't want to go and meet her new stepmom. When the plane lands, the two are reluctant to part, but what kind of romance happens in 8 hours?
Going into this, I expected something light and fluffy (which isn't bad at all!), but I was pleasantly surprised at how deep the story went. There is just as much (if not more) family drama/relationships than romance, and in a way because of that, it made the romance even more meaningful. I love the journey Hadley takes, and while the story only spans a smaller amount of hours, it still is packed with so much development and plot that it feels much longer.
I didn't give it 5 stars, because I didn't love it, even though I really, really like it. The continuous flashbacks felt more like an interruption than helpful after a while, though I do appreciate them.
Overall, 4 stars! I can't wait to read more from this author.