Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Written in Red
by Anne Bishop
Read: May 6-8, 2013
Published: March 5th 2013 by Penguin
Source: Library
Category: Urban Fantasy, Adult

No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow. (From Goodreads)
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The more I think about Written in Red, the more I like it, and I liked it a lot right after I finished it. Anne Bishop's world, and its cast of characters featuring humans and terre indigene or Others, are complex and well imagined. I was fascinated by the characterization of each type of Other - the huge and scary wolves, who might eat humans, but like to run and play; the crows' attraction to shiny things; the ponies who can cause massive elemental destruction but also loves sugar lumps. These animals and creatures are unapologetic about being not-human, and can be scary and dangerous. But this story isn't about them trying to conform to the human world, it's about Meg fitting into theirs. Along the way she changes them too, but they are always going to be dangerous and Other, which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much. 

Anne Bishop's story is highly detailed and slow moving at first, as she takes time to introduce her society and build her story. But Written In Red is definitely worth the extra time spent investing in it. The story follows several characters, but the plot centers around the human and blood prophet, Meg Corbyn. Although a third person limited perspective, featuring several voices can slow down a storyline a bit in the beginning, I actually love this writing style. Especially seeing a broader picture of the society and action, finding out what the different players thought of each other, and watching them strategize and underestimate one another.

Although Meg is physically weak at first, because she has been kept that way by her Controller, she is clever and resilient. I know some people don't like heroines that aren't kick-butt and appear naive and needy at first. But they are sometimes my favorite, because they are almost always underestimated. Meg is that type of heroine. Because of her captivity she sees the world differently, and her ability as a blood prophet is fascinating and terrifying. I enjoyed watching her immerse herself into the lives of the Others, and also surprise and sometimes outsmart them. Along with Meg, many other characters stole my heart including Tess, Grandfather Erebus, Simon, Monty and especially Sam. 

Besides the pacing at the start of the book, there are two other aspects of this story that bugged me. First, for all the descriptions of the Others' community and Meg's daily life, there are some details that seem notoriously absent. For instance, we are told that Daphne was Sam's mother, but there is never a mention of his father. We also know that Elliot is Simon's father but a mother is never mentioned. Perhaps I missed something, but this seemed like an odd omission. In fact almost nothing is officially said about the mating/child rearing nature of the culture, or how exactly families or packs operate. However, I have a feeling that some of these details will come out in the future. Second, although the characters were usually very perceptive, and I enjoyed watching them out maneuver each other, there was at least one instance near the end, when they seemed overly obtuse and didn't pick up on some details that I thought were fairly obvious. Or maybe it's just that there was a certain character that I wanted taken out much sooner. 

Written In Red does not feature any sort of visible romance, and I think it's better because of that. What this book does have is a slow building connection that has the potential to be one of my favorite types of love stories. I don't know where Bishop will take her characters next, but I really like the foundation that she built between some of them. I can't wait for them to figure out (and be forced to deal with) what is going on between them. My most favorite romances are always the very slow burn kind. But even if it never happens, this is a great book. 

Despite a few minor hiccups, I really fell for Written In Red. I found Anne Bishop's world and it's inhabitants to be complex and believable. It is clear that she spent a lot of time imagining  this society, and I got completely lost in it. 

Written In Red is wraps itself up well. The action is completed and there is no cliffhanger. However, it is part of a series and many issues are brewing that will come to play in the future. I cannot wait to get my hands on Murder of Crows in 2014.

Love Triangle Factor: None or N/A
Cliffhanger Scale: Low

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To 
by Katie McGarry
Read: May 8 - 10, 2013
Published: May 28, 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Around The World Arc Tours
Category: Contemporary YA Romance, companion series
Series: Pushing the Limits book 2

NOTE: Dare You To is the second book in a companion series. Book 1 Pushing The Limits featured Echo and Noah, while this is Beth and Ryan's story. These books can be read separately or together. Although some characters overlap, the stories are unique. 

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all.... (From Goodreads)
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If you've read Pushing the Limits, I'm sure you're a bit confused about what this book is all about. So before I start off my review for Dare You To, I'm going to go ahead answer your burning questions. 

1) Wait! Who is this Ryan guy? I thought Isaiah was supposed to end up with Beth. 

I know! I thought that too, and it took me some time to emotionally disengage from Isaiah as Beth's love interest. But in the end I think that you are going to love Ryan and Beth together. They are very different, but a better (and healthier) match. However, this book only served to increase my affection for Isaiah, and I'm am very excited for his book to come next. 

2) Does that mean that this is going to be a love triangle? 

Not really. First, only Beth and Ryan have voices in Dare You To, which is always a big tell that they are going to be the winning couple. Also, though it takes Beth some time to sort through her feelings, it is always clear that she is headed towards a relationship with Ryan. She cares about Isaiah, but her feelings for him are different, and I respect her for realizing that. 

3) Is that kissy rain scene featured on the cover going to be part of the book, because I want to read about that?!

Sort of. Although there is not a scene in Dare You To that features Ryan and Beth kissing in the rain against a brick wall, there IS a very important and swoony scene in the book that features these two and rain. I think you will be pleased. 

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On the surface Ryan and Beth do not appear to be any sort of match that would work. Ryan is wealthy, athletic and from a well respected family in his community. Although Ryan can be a little cocky and he likes to win, especially baseball games and dares with his group of friends, he could also be called nice and well-mannered. Beth's life is nothing like Ryan's. She lives with her aunt because her mother is a drunk with a violent boyfriend who likes to hit her (her as in both Beth and her mom). Beth also has a well deserved bad reputation and is closed off emotionally. She is angry and doesn't trust easily, especially jocks like Ryan.

But Ryan's perfect life on the surface is falling apart. His brother has been kicked out of his house for reasons you will discover, his parents are barely speaking to each other, and Ryan feels caught in the middle. However, Ryan can't telly anyone what's going on in his family, because in his home, outward appearances are everything. Although Ryan meets Beth because of a dare, he likes that she is a no frills, and unapologetic about who she is. When he begins to get a glimpse of the broken, honest girl below the tough exterior, he's drawn to her even more. She challenges him in ways that no one has done before. 

Beth can't believe that a guy like Ryan would be interested in her, but the more she gets to know him, the more she hopes that his feelings are real. He treats her with respect and stands up for her, but nothing in her life has ever gone the way she wants, and she's sure there must be some kind of trick. 

Although almost nothing about Beth's life is like my own, I found myself easily connecting to her. I was angry and sad and determined right along with her. One of the most heartbreaking parts of this story to read was Beth's relationship with her mother. Beth's feelings of guilt and responsibility about her junkie mom were hard to read, but I thought that Beth's emotions were realistic and believable, as was the way that their relationship was left at the end of the book. I also really enjoyed the growth of Beth's relationship with her uncle Scott, and how much she struggled to trust him. Like Beth, I wasn't sure about him at first, but I enjoyed watching her slowly see how much he cared for her. 

It took me a bit more time to warm up to Ryan, and to see the chemistry between him and Beth, but as the story progressed I did believe in them together. I could also sympathize with Ryan as he came to the terrible realization about the huge mess his family had become. And I was especially pleased when he began to take a stand for himself outside of his parents' expectations for his life. Although I was very worried about Ryan's role in The Dare plotline - asking a girl out because of a dare almost never ends well - I was  very thankful that the climax of the book wasn't when Beth discovered that she was the subject of a dare (because I've seen a lot of movies and books that go that standard route). 

I'm a big fan of companion series, especially when the second couple wins me over just as much as the first. I also enjoy getting a glimpse at the first pair, without dealing with the excessive drama that happens when they're the star of the book. Dare You To is exactly that kind of follow up to Pushing The Limits, and after reading the sneak peak at Isaiah and Rachel's book Crash Into You, I'm even more excited to for their story. 

Love Triangle Factor: Mild

Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone, part of a companion series

Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & The Bookish

Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

I realize that I tend to list the same few books over and over again, so I purposefully tried to include ones that I haven't talked about a lot - or at all. All of the books I chose below affected me strongly. 

Spoiler warning: Some of the subjects in these books are self explanatory, but some of the specific issues could be a spoiler if you haven't read the book yet. I made the title big and put the issues under that, and typed very small the issue, so it's easily skipped over. 

1) Sold by Patricia McCormick 

Child slavery/prostitution

2) Hopeless by Colleen Hoover 

Suicide, child molestation

3) Me Before You by JoJo Moyes  

quadriplegia, physician assisted suicide

4) What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton 

Date rape, eating disorders

5)  Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Child abuse 

6) You Against Me by Jenny Downham 

Rape, including a trial

7) North Of Beautiful by Justina Chen 

 MC has a large birthmark on her cheek: explores beauty and self worth.

8) Small Damages by Beth Kephart 

Teen pregnancy

9) Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta 

Depression

10) Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara

grief, multiple sclerosis 

Three Recent Reads:

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler - early onset Alzheimer's 
Wild Awake by Hillary T. Smith - mental illness (hypomania, schizophrenia)
Vain by Fisher Amelie - Children/families affected by Joseph Kony's rule in Africa. 

The Summer Series Challenge is coming soon! 

Have you signed up yet?

This Girl by Colleen Hoover

This Girl
by Colleen Hoover
Read: May 1-2, 2013
Published: April 30, 2013 by Atria Books
Source: Net Gallery
Category: Contemporary (older YA/NA)
Series: Slammed book 3

NOTE: This Girl is the third book in a series. This review is spoiler free for the series. If you haven't started these books and are curious about them, read my thoughts on Slammed, HERE. 

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache. 

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from hispoint of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series. (From Goodreads)
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I fell in love with Slammed the first time I read it. For me it was a great example at how amazing the world of self-publishing can be. I could not believe how much the story captivated me, and then I felt so proud when the book began to show up in stores. Hoover's characters are engaging and just a little bit quirky. And her story was emotional and filled with heartache, but also a gripping romance between two people who stole my heart. 

If you loved Slammed and Point of Retreat, and especially Will Cooper, than of course you will like This Girl too. It is the icing on top of the cake. This Girl is the events of Slammed told from Will's perspective, but thankfully it's not just a straight recap of the first book. Instead, This Girl gives the reader a sweet look at Will and Layken during the weekend after the end of Point of Retreat. (If you've read the book, you know what I mean by that statement.) As Will tells Lake his side of their story from the beginning, the reader gets a look at what Will was thinking at each major point along the way, as well as Lake's reactions to his words. Some of what Will tells Lake may surprise you as much as it did her. Also included are a few new scenes and poems. I love love all of the slam poetry in the series. This Girl is not meant to be read as a standalone, but instead a compliment to Slammed and Point of Retreat. 

After so much drama and heartache in the first two books, it was incredibly rewarding to be given a glimpse of happiness between Will and Lake. Of course a book can't be made up entirely of quiet couple moments - and I definitely relived the drama of Will and Lake's past right along with them, but after watching them fight to be together, I ate up all of their peaceful moments. Of course this series wouldn't be as wonderful without Hoover's entire cast of characters, and they are all back as well - Lake's mom Julia, Caulder and Kel, Gavin and Eddie, especially. 

This Girl also features an epilogue that was perhaps a little too sweet for me, especially because it's pretty much the standard end to a contemporary romance. But some people like a lot of sugar, and I adore Colleen Hoover, and continue to love her characters. I hope they have lots of happiness ahead. 

Love Triangle Factor: Still NONE
Cliffhanger Scale: Series Finale! 

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The Book of Broken Hearts
by Sarah Ockler
Read: April 
Published: May 21, 2013 by Simon Pulse **UPCOMING**
Source: Edelweiss for an honest review
Category: Contemporary YA (after high school)

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking. (From Goodreads)
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It is the summer after high school has ended for Jude Hernandez (yes, that's a girl's name), and she is spending it hanging out with her father who has just been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Often her father seems perfectly normal, but his bad moments are ever increasing and Jude is struggling to understand how this powerful man that she has looked up to and loved her entire life, is falling apart.

In an effort to keep her father's mind active and present, Jude decides they are going to restore his old motorcycle. Because while her dad may not remember what is going on at any given moment, he can recall every detail of his past, especially his youth spent on that bike. Since Jude has no understanding whatsoever about motorcycles or how to fix them, she hires a local mechanic to do the work. OF COURSE he ends up being none other than Emilio Vargas, whose older brothers emotionally destroyed two of her three older sisters. And whom Jude has been conditioned to stay away from her entire life. But should her sisters' past experiences with the Vargas family dictate her own? Can Emilio be trusted? After all, his brothers were charming at first too. And is there anything she can do to help her father? 

The Book of Broken Hearts is about the realities of growing up and the inevitability of aging. About what it's like to be a part of a big, messy, opinionated family. About making your own decisions and not being afraid to live your own life, despite what that life throws at you. About realizing that you've moved on from old friends (or that they've moved on from you). About the fact that actions speak louder than words. And about not being afraid to open yourself up to love, even when it's scary. 

Three Loves:

1) I loved Jude's relationship with her father. Her care and fear for him, as she watched him lose his mind was incredibly heartbreaking and moving. Jude does not see taking care of him as a burden but as an opportunity. She does not spend any time moping, but feels a tremendous sense of responsibility to her dad. I could feel Jude's anguish during many scenes in this book. Also, in one of the great ironies of life, this diagnosis brings Jude closer to her father, and she learns so much about him and his past, that helps shape her own future. 

2) I love the Colorado setting. Sarah Ockler writes some great lyrical scenes that occur out in nature. One that I especially loved took place high on a mountain and involved both Jude and Emilio. I have never been to that state, but I could picture the vast sky and the big mountains and the way that being on a motorcycle brings you closer to it all. 

3) I love that Jude is part of a close Latino family with a rich heritage. I enjoyed hearing about Jude's father's travels in Argentina and the fact that her mother cooks delicious food to unwind, and about how much Jude looks up to her three older sisters. Jude trusts her sisters, and looks up to them, but she also learns to be her own person in this story. In many ways Jude stops living in their shadows and being the baby in their, and her own, eyes. The thing about family is that no matter how you feel about them, they aren't going away. I love the way that Jude's family clung together over her father's illness, even when they all disagreed. They constantly loved and supported each other. 

Three Wishes:

1) I wish that we'd gotten more of Emilio. He was swoony and surprising, and the way that he accepted and cared about Jude's father spoke louder to me than anything else he said or did. I wanted more of his history and what made him tick. We do get a piece of it, but I wanted to know him even better. 

2) I wish I'd realized that I'd read another Sarah Ockler book before I started The Book of Broken Hearts. This is going to sound silly, but because of the Latin culture in the book, and Emilio's supposed bad boy edge, I kept thinking that this would be more of a romance like Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry. However, once I realized that I had read Fixing Delilah, which is by the same author, I felt like the clouds went away and I understood the type of contemporary this was going to be. Closer to a Sarah Dessen story than a Elkeles (that comparison isn't perfect, but more to lean you in the right direction).

3) I wish The Book of Broken Hearts had a different cover. The pretty purple one above makes the book appear like an up-beat, fun chick-lit. To me it doesn't really fit the characters or the emotional impact of this story, and I overlooked reading it at first because of that. Thankfully, my friend Heather @ The Flyleaf Review (check her review tomorrow) read this one first and encouraged me to pick up a copy, and I'm glad I did. 

"He smiled, shy this time, and I smiled back, and then we were kissing again, pressing our mouths and bellies together while the rest of the world eroded around us, one pointless breath of wind, one insignificant grain of dust at a time."*

Love Triangle Factor: None

Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

*I read an unfinished advanced readers copy of this book, quotes may change in the final version. 

Top Ten Books On My Go-To Shelf

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & The Bookish 

Top ten books on my go-to shelf. 
(Pallet cleansers)

Some of these books are intense, or may not be inherently seen as "light" or "fun" but they are all indulgent, go-to books for me. I rarely re-read, but these are all stories that I have picked multiple times - or plan to soon. They don't stress me out, because I know how they end and that can be reassuring at times. 

I know you guys have seen most of these books on my lists before. Sorry! I'm nothing if not predictable. 

1) Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella - Laugh out loud funny. Kinsella writes heroines that are quirky and ridiculous, while also being endearing. This book is also so much fun in audio.

3) Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - I love everything about this book, but especially the amazing writing and characters. I love to pick this up randomly and flip to any passage and get swept away again. 

4) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Sometimes I just need a classic to sort me out when I'm in a funk. Elizabeth and Darcy are sure to do that every time. 

5) Sempre by J.M. Darhower - Despite the fact that this book is dark and gritty at times, I cannot get enough of rereading it. For some reason, I love this book with reckless abandon. 

6) Shark Bait by Jen Cooksey - Another self published book that I read recently. This one is all about the big emotions of high school, but also how to scheme to get a guy and figuring yourself out as well. I enjoyed myself immensley reading it. 

7) Going too Far by Jennifer Echols - Johnafter and this book make me smile so hard. My favorite Echols so far. 

8) Any Percy Jackson book by Rick Riordan - I love Greek mythology and Riordan makes it engaging and fun. Love the complete cast of characters, Percy and friend's adventures and learning all about Greek mythology. Because there are so many of these, I haven't had to do any rereading. 

9) Heist Society by Ally Carter - I love books about spies and thieves and this is one of my favorites. This series is smart and fun, and good for all ages. Plus there's Hale. 

10) The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - Another book that is amazing in print and audio, and another book that features small but powerful scenes that I love to flip back through. 
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Spring is here and Summer is coming. Don't miss these two posts:

1) Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

Win one book of your choice worth up to $20. 

This is an international giveaway. Click HERE for more information. 

2) Find out about The Summer Series Challenge, and sign up today. 

Click HERE for details.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Goddess

by Josephine Angelini

Read: April 22 - 24, 2013 

Published: May 28, 2013 by HarperTeen *UPCOMING*

Source: Around the World Arc Tours

Category: Paranormal Romance

Series: Book 3 Starcrossed

NOTE: Goddess is the third book in a series. The first two books are Starcrossed and Dreamless respectively. I tried to make this review as spoiler free as possible for the series. But if you are adamant about avoiding spoilers, I caution you to read ahead at your own risk. This review is safe if you've at least read the first book.  

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched. (From Goodreads)

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Starcrossed was probably the first paranormal romance I read after Twilight and realized that there were others out there. I devoured it quickly and was enamored by the whole story. Plus it takes place on Nantucket, which is an island that's part of my state (though I've never been there). The only element in the story that threw me off a bit was the Greek-inspired world building, since it is structured differently from most stories based on classic myths. Unfortunately, after really liking book one, I was very disappointed by book two Dreamless. This was partially because of the pseudo-triangle that develops, but also because I didn't think the characters accomplished all that much for most of the book. After feeling very muddled about the first two books, I was hopeful that the finale would bring it back around for me. 

Although I felt like the mythology was the strongest in Goddess, I was never able to work up to the momentum and wonder I felt when reading Starcrossed. I also had a lot of trouble engaging back into this story and its characters. I think spreading my reading of the books out over 3 years affected my reaction to them. But I have started to wonder if I'd love the first book as much if I went back to it again. 

Goddess is a big story. The past and the present converge, gods show up, secrets are finally revealed, lines are drawn, not everyone is who we though they were, and neither will they all survive. After having trouble grasping the mythology in the first two books, I felt like it ended up being the best part of the third. I really liked the role of the fates and the way the modern characters' story plays off historical Greek events. We have always known that Helen is a descendent of Helen of Troy. In this book, Helen Hamilton has dreams of her historical character, which worked really well in this plot.

One of the elements that I struggled with in Goddess was also what made it feel like such a big story, namely the fact that so much information is held back from being revealed until this book. Because there were lots of different characters and details converging, Goddess features several switching perspectives. We even get a few new characters popping up. Although I do like third person rotating perspective, I think all the different POVs slowed down the story in places, and it took a long time for the various pieces to converge. I always get impatient when the reader knows certain information but has to wait for the characters to figure it out. There is a big secret that's been hanging around since the first book, and waiting this long to see it revealed became tedious. Also, several characters in this book make decisions that they think are the best for everyone, but without telling anyone else what they are doing, and it causes major drama that could have been avoided with a bit more communication. 

This series features one of those love triangles that isn't really one. You know the annoying kind that is like a fly buzzing around your head? It isn't actually going to do any damage but you just want it to go away. From book one it has always been clear whom Helen loves best (and he loves her too), so it was frustrating to have this other guy in the picture. I actually did like guy #2 and he was important to this story. But it just felt like we were all wasting our time investing in him as a potential love interest. This is a personal preference, but I enjoy seeing a couple actually be able to function together throughout a series, instead of road block after road block until the end for the sake of tension. Thankfully, the triangle at least didn't drag out too much in this installment.

I am actually really bummed that I could not muster more enthusiasm for Goddess. I even tried to convince myself that I liked it better. But the more I've stepped away from the story, the more I realize that I just didn't feel connected to it. However, I think that if you have been invested in this series all along, enjoyed Dreamless (and don't have the same love triangle quirks that I do), you will probably end up loving Goddess. I think many will find it be an epic and satisfying conclusion to the series. 

Moments to watch for: 
A classic love triangle move: I love you! But I love him more!
A scene on a beach in Cape Ann, Massachusetts - only for the fact that it's where I live.
A scene right out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Daphne finally cracks and reveals her master plan.

Love Triangle Factor: Mild
Cliffhanger Scale: Series finale

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron

Deeper We Fall
by Chelsea M. Cameron
Read: April 25 - 26, 2013
Published: January 24, 2013 by DRC Publishing
Source: Kindle purchase
Category: Contemporary New Adult (college)

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face. 

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen. The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache. (From Goodreads)
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Two years ago Charlotte (Lottie) Anders and her best friend Lexie went to a party. Neither of them came home the same. Lexie was involved in an accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury, and Lottie has been wracked with guilt and anger ever since. Now a freshman in college, Lottie is working hard to move on with her life. But her plans are derailed when Zach and Zan Parker, the brothers responsible for Lexie's accident, show up at Lottie's school. It's immediately clear that Zach is still as selfish and destructive as ever. But though Lottie is reluctant to admit it, she discovers that Zan is different. Much to her dismay, she finds herself drawn to him. But in choosing Zan is she forsaking Lexie? 

1) Thankfully not the standard Trauma Victim Plot: Although I do love this New Adult - between high school and adult life/ self-discovery - genre, the story lines have started to seem similar to me. Whenever I see a book featuring the girl-dealing-with-a-past-trauma plot I've started to feel like I'm reading a scripted story. Although I've had my eye on Deeper We Fall, and think the cover is lovely, I have been wary about picking it up for that reason. But from the beginning these characters felt like they could be real people, and they did not follow the script. That made the story feel fresh, and helped me connect with it immediately.

2) The Two Voices: (This one's long, sorry!) Deeper We Fall is narrated by Lottie and Zan, and I was able to connect with both of them in this book. In many ways Lottie is still struggling to come to terms with the accident that hurt her friend two years ago, an event which has given her a unique perspective on life. She is not interested the college drinking and partying scene, but is still open and able to make friends. Lottie even talks to her friends about what happened two years ago. I know this sounds like a small thing, but in so many of these New Adult books, the main character doesn't open up about anything, and it causes a lot of tension in the story. Lottie acknowledges the accident as part of her past and she isn't awkward or weird about it. In fact, Lottie tends to talk too much - or as she says 'vomit of the mouth' and there are some funny moments in this book because of that, all of which just made her more endearing.

Zan has had a harder time personally since the accident. He was sent to a juvenile facility because of his involvement, which was rough on him. He has also developed several bad coping habits - drinking, drugs, violence. But he has a great counselor (she is one of my favorite characters, though we only ever meet her over the phone) and is working on trying to deal with his anger in safer, healthier ways. Zan comes across as dangerous because he is mysterious and has a questionable past, but in many ways he is just a lost and vulnerable boy. He loves to read and run and listen to albums on his grandfather's record player, but he's also insecure and bit awkward socially, because of what he has gone through. 

In many ways Lottie and Zan are the same, and I found that I liked and sympathized with both of them (though maybe Zan a little more). They are each harboring guilt and anger about the accident, although Lottie's anger is directed at Zan and his brother Zach, and Zan's is mostly directed at himself. From the beginning Lottie is honest with Zan about how she feels about him. Although it's tough at times to read her hostility from Zan's perspective, I could definitely understand her viewpoint and emotional struggle over reconciling the current Zan with the past event. I also appreciated that these two characters already knew each others' pasts, so the tension in the story wasn't based around them trying to open up to each other about the things that happened to them. 

3) College Family: Besides Lottie and Zan, Deeper We Fall features a fantastic cast of characters that all popped off the page. Many I loved, a few I did not, but even those were complex and believable. I really enjoyed the college atmosphere that Chelsea Cameron developed, especially the feeling that you create your own family in college. I enjoyed watching these characters make friends and have each others' backs, in tough situations. But along side that, these characters did not forget their parents, and I appreciated that they were always a distant presence in their children's lives. 

4) Siblings: I always love when a book highlights sibling relationships, and this one features several that are done well. Lottie and her twin brother Will are so close that they claim to have 'twindar' and can always tell when the other one is in trouble or hiding something. They are supportive of each other, hilarious together, and their relationship was one of my favorite parts of this story. Zan has an uneasy and complicated relationship with his older brother Zach, whom he knows is trouble. I really appreciated how the author tackled Zan's complex feelings for his older brother. Zan loves Zach but also despises him at times, and worries about his erratic behavior. I have a feeling that the third brother - sister relationship will come more into play in the second book in this companion series. 

5) To Kill a Mockingbird: My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, but I rarely see it talked about in other books (usually in YA it's Wuthering Heights, ugh). But I love how the classic was used as a theme in Deeper We Fall. One of the characters even has an awesome tattoo inspired by the story. Zan's connection to the misunderstood Boo Radley, and Lottie's librarian mother always trying to use the story to solve her daughter's problems, were details that made me like Deeper We Fall even better.

6) Not perfect: However, for all I liked about this book, Deeper We Fall does have a few problems. The typical self-published grammatical and editing mistakes are present. Although this story felt fresh, because it didn't follow the Trauma Victim Plotline, it does employ some standard contemporary book elements. They didn't bother me so much though. There were a few places where I didn't think it was necessary to see the same interaction from both Lottie and Zan's perspective, though the author did less of this as the story progressed. The biggest trouble I had in this story, was the fact that the middle felt bit muddled and awkward, especially regarding the transition of Lottie's feelings and the change in her relationship with Zan. I wish a few things had happened a little smoother. 

Overall I really enjoyed Deeper We Fall and found it to be a great addition to the New Adult/College Years genre. 

Love Triangle Factor: None 
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone part of a companion series.