A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery

This is the kind of story, which attracts the type of reader, who is looking for a bit of heartbreak with their romance. I have to say the characters are still quite young and the story leans towards the teeny side of YA.

Avery covers quite a few important issues, such as omitting the truth to keep someone safe and the way grief is dealt with individually. In the midst of all the heartache, tears and general drama there are some rays of light.

Would you make the same choice to keep someone safe and from unravelling if they are in a combat zone? Knowing or assuming the truth might just break them or be the one thing that takes their attention away from more important situations. The kind of situations, which may just cost their life or others lives.

Was Kelsey’s choice wrong? I think there can be some debate about that, because I think her decision was instinctive, altruistic and made with the best interest of Peter in mind. Was it also about holding on and not being able to let go of Michelle? Absolutely, but I don’t believe Kelsey was aware of it at the time she made the choice.

Is it predictable, well yes, but I think many who use that particular word tend to forget the fact romance readers really do like a specific pattern to the stories they read. Predictable then becomes exactly what I needed and what I wanted to read today.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery

This sort of reminded me of a YA version of Scream. The reader is introduced to group of teens fairly quickly and they disappear one by one just as fast. One death more horrible than the next.

Thinking about it, it is certainly more a YA than a teen read from a plot perspective. The actual 100 Society the title refers to isn’t given much attention. I think it could have done with a wee bit more space in the story, as it is it just sinks into a quagmire of trivial details instead.

The author sets it up well with the line you’ve been tagged, let the games begin, but fails to deliver a decent game.

A pity really, because as a reader I felt as if the author had let the chance to create an interesting back-story and history slide through her fingers.

How was Grace’s brother involved and why is he against her involvement in the society? How did it get started? Why, who and what kind of tags?

Overall I found it all a little rushed and underdeveloped. The characters lacked depth and the plot was predictable. With some fleshing out it could have been much better, but it wouldn’t change the fact it is a killer kills everyone one by one Scream scenario.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Dangerous Dream by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This digital short Dangerous Dream is a lead up to the Beautiful Creatures book Dangerous Creatures. This prequel introduces the story of Ridley and Link, or rather what happens to them when Ridley gets in over her head.

Dark Caster Ridley is a narcissistic diva with a heck of attitude and no regard at all for any casualties she leaves in her wake. She is quite simply a Siren.

Her elitist attitude is what gets her into a heap of trouble. Ridley ends up overestimating her own deck of cards and owing a very dangerous Caster a lot more than she is willing to give up.

Leading up to the actual introduction of the main plot of the next book the reader gets  to experiences all the characters at their graduation ceremony.

A wee bit of a half leg in and half a leg out, as far as creating a solid platform to introduce Dangerous Creatures. The game and Lennox scenes are enough to create interest, but they only take up a few pages.

The rest was and is rather weak for the purpose of creating hype for the book Dangerous Creatures..

I received a copy of this novella via NetGalley.

Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer

I think it is a story that will appeal to the young romantics with a penchant for heartbreak.

Allie has been taken back to the scene of a traumatic experience, one that fills her with guilt, despite her lack of blame. I was surprised by the fact she hadn’t felt it necessary to share any details about the incident prior to her conversation with Damien. No police? How about the poor parents, surely they would have asked how and why?

There was a wee element I found disturbing, which kept seeping into the story and was part of both Allie and Damien’s story. The way the author described and referred to one of the three youths, who late take the girls to a party. In the second half of the story one of the Samoan guys says something similar. I found it borderline racist.

Apparently this is New Adult, strange I had it pegged as YA, especially due to the teeny feel and lack of romp action. Not that the lack of romp was or is a negative factor, but the story seems to be more geared towards the younger reader, hence my surprise at finding out it isn’t.

Damien and Allie have a connection and they share a past, although only one of them knows it. It is time Allie took a deep breath and a dive into the cold murky waters of her past.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Pawn by Aimée Carter

What if a number on the back of your neck determined the rest of your life?

Dystopian settings are all the rage at the moment, especially in combination with YA books. Hierarchical social systems vs survival has been done and done again.
However I have to admit to really liking the clever concept Carter has come up with. The reason I think it is clever is because it mirrors certain school systems in Europe. The number you are allocated determines the job you do and the life you are expected to live. No deviation from the route because the powers that be do not allow certain numbers to meld with others or rise above their number. The test you take determines which number and those with money skew the results by helping their children achieve higher results (tutoring).
Putting our own criteria of social systems and those who belong upon which level into a Dystopian setting is quite interesting. It should make us take a step back and ponder how barbaric and unjust our society is by showing it in the bright light of a new world setting. Kudos to the author for that.
Towards the second half the book seemed to fall into the gaping hole of ‘the audience expects this’ YA plots. It became very flighty, bubbly and sped along twice as quickly as before. I was a little disappointed, especially after such a strong start.
I would like to see the author develop the anti-voice more, the element of dissent and the voice of the people rising up against the system.
On a more personal note, how small and rubbery is Kitty if she can fit in all the vents? It looks like she could give Plastic Man a run for his money.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.