{Review}: This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not A Test
Author: Courtney Summers Website | Twitter
Genre: YA/Horror
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (June 19th 2012) 
Paperback: 322 pages
ISBN:  9780312656744 
Source: Publisher
Available On: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook

Description from GoodReads:

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.
To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.
But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. 
When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

My Review

First Impressions: I don't usually read horror stories. I have an overactive imagination and reading such books leaves me sleepless for a few nights. Yet, when This Is Not A Test arrived and I read the synopsis I was intrigued because it sounded more like a book about a girl finding a reason to survive then a gory retelling of people's flesh being torn off by the living dead. 


Plot & Characters: Sloane has had it with life. She decides to end it but in a strange string of events she finds herself in her Cortege High taking refuge from the living dead with five other teens. I usually find it hard to relate to a character that wants to end her life and dislike when they are written in an over dramatic way but Courtney Summers does a wonderful job with Sloane. I loved the character and was almost praying for a fictional character. 


The five other students are great because they show very different reactions to a catastrophic event. They have to not only deal with the zombies at their door but like typical teenagers the relationships between them.There are a few extremely sad moments as well as many very scary scenes. This Is Not A Test contains very little romance, it is more about raw human emotions in a time of crisis. Just as a warning, know that Courtney Summers is not scared to kill a character you really like and are hoping will survive. 


Final Thoughts: This Is Not A Test does not have a dull moment. From beginning to end I was biting my nails scared for Sloane's life. If you enjoy contemporary books with tough issues or if you enjoy zombie/horror I think you will really enjoy this book. I wouldn't recommend this book to a younger audience because of the tough subject matter.


Buy, Borrow or Skip: Buy, but if you have an overactive imagination DO NOT read at night.


My Rating:

{Book Review}: Above by Leah Bobet

Title: Above
Author: Leah Bobet Website | Twitter
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books  (April, 2012)
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN:  9780545296700 
Source: Publisher
Available On: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook
Description from GoodReads:

Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee’s wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above—like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers.
But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe’s history and the shadows’ attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home—not just for himself, but for Ariel, who needs him more than ever before.

My Review

First Impressions: Above sounds like a fun read full of adventure and wonderful characters. It sounds different from anything that I have read.


Plot & Characters: I wanted to love this book but I was completely confused at the beginning. The book is written to reflect Mathew's background. He lacks a proper education so he is missing words, or just strange structure in his sentences. I found the writting style interesting but had difficulty understanding. It brought to mind me the book Room by Emma Donoghue not in the subject matter but in the writing style since Room is told by a child.


After a few chapters I was able to relate to Matthew and understand him. However, I was not able to get into the story and found it difficult to finish this book. Above is more the story of individuals that are trying to find a place where they belong than a story about supernatural creatures and their adventures. 


Final Thoughts: This is one of those book that you will either love or hate. If you enjoy books that are written in creative ways then this may be the book for you. If you are looking for a fun read where you will read the adventures of the beautiful bee girl in the cover of this book then read the synopsis again because the cover is deceiving. I think the cover is beautiful but a bit misleading.


Buy, Borrow or Skip: I would say borrow for this one. 


My Rating:

{Review}: Halflings by Heather Burch

Title: Halflings
Author: Heather Burch Website | Twitter
Stand Alone or Series: (Halflings, #1)
Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Zonderkidz (January, 2012)
Hardcover: 287 pages
ISBN: 9780310728184
Source: *NetGalley
Available On: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook

Description from GoodReads:

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.
A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

My Review

First Impressions: Talk about an action packed start. In the first pages Nikki is chased by hell hounds.


Plot & Characters: Not one, not two but three supernatural mysterious guys. Mace, Raven, and Vine are trying to find out what it is about Nikki that causes the forces of darkness to want her dead. I enjoyed the love triangle, the strong female character and learning about the history and role of Halflings. The mysterious villain is someone I wish to learn more about in the next installment of this series.


There are many parts where you can predict what will happen next and wonder why it is taking the character so long to figure things out. There are other parts where you are left wondering and trying to figure out what is going on. The writing is good but I just don't feel that Halflings offers anything different from the rest of the YA angel paranormal romance novels that are out there. I enjoyed it and will read the next one mostly because I want to find out more about the villain.


Final Thoughts: If you are a hard core YA paranormal romance reader that cannot get enough  love triangles, mysterious bad boys, "I love you but It's better if we are not together" conflict and demon fighting angels then you will enjoy Halflings.


Buy, Borrow or Skip: Borrow for now, I really have to see where this story is going. The first book was good but nothing stood out.


My Rating:

Book Trailer: 


*Thanks Zondervan and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read Halflings prior to its release in exchange for an honest review.

Feature & Follow 4/20/12

Feature & Follow Friday hosted by parajunkee.com and alisoncanread.com

The main idea behind FF is to discover new blogs, and follow the ones you like (and they’ll follow you back!) It’s a total win/win, so take a peek around and follow me!

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee &Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Q: Fight! Fight! If you could have two fictional characters battle it out (preferably from books), who would they be and who do you think would win?

A: Elyse from Opression by Jessica Therrien and Helen from Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini. I know the question says fight but I would like these two characters to meet. They both have god-like powers and are new to them. If they did fight I think Helen would end up winning because of her strength.