Passion and Pain (Dancers and Divas #1)
by Kathy Petrakis
Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Does passion and desire guarantee success? Can friends really be trusted? Can true love be found beneath lust and deceit?

These are questions tenacious street dancer Elena Martinez faces as she struggles to compete against the most talented students at New York’s top Performing Arts High School. Along with her best friend, the carefree and mischievous Sebastien Duval, they are determined to make center stage.

But the singing diva Letitia has other plans. Beautiful, talented and popular, her desire for revenge could ruin everything for Elena and Sebastien. Now, they must fight against prejudice, treachery and deceit as Letitia sets out to destroy Elena’s friendships, her romance, her dignity and her dreams. Can Elena win the battle for true love, happiness and success?

Can secrets stay hidden forever? Can people really change? Are some mistakes unforgivable? 

As Elena and Sebastian embark on a fresh start, will Letitia keep his secret, or will she use it to destroy them? 

As Veronika falls in love, Frankie is out of rehab and trying to make amends, but will it last for either of them? Meanwhile, as Anya is torn between loyalty to her Nana and love for Darius, could Darius fall for the new temptress, Rosa? With her stunning looks, her powerful, sensual dancing and her desire to seduce, she has everyone nervous but what secret is she hiding? Continue the roller-coaster journey with your favorite characters as they try to survive junior year at the country’s top performing arts school. 

“There is drama, stress and anger all wrapped up in a neat bow just waiting to be unleashed.”

“.. at first, it felt like I was reading a new version of Step Up 2... LOVE... then it merged into a little Glee... then it merged with Center Stage... then in the midst of it all was the Gossip Girl...”

“It is extremely well written, and the plot is very engaging. I couldn't put it down..”

Otherborn (Otherborn #1)
by Anna Silver 
Genre: YA Dystopian
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Published: April 4th 2013 
Source: review copy for tour
Author's website | GoodReads

London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world.


Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her. 


What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future. 


When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them?

Otherborn brought fresh new concepts to the dystopian table and gave me a fast-paced story delivered with dark undertones. The whole concept of it consumed me and made me turn page after page.

Otherborn is set in a world where no one dreams. Most of the population live in poverty and need, while the few who hold power thrive and live in excess. London's father is presumed dead and her mother drinks day to night and they barely have anything, but London has a secret. London can dream, and London can create.  Her 'gift' leads her to other teenagers who possess the same talents and they start to call themselves Otherborns- people who write new songs and poems and create original works of art in a world where everything is reprocessed.

London was an interestingly written character. She would go from strong to fragile, from caring to selfish. But that was it- she was just written. Her character didn't jump from the pages and I couldn't connect to her, or to any of the characters for that matter. Sure, there were inchlings of the connection that I craved for, but it just wasn't enough. I didn't hate the characters, but they just failed to make a mark on me.

The worldbuilding definitely made up for the lack of character depth, though. The writing conjured so many vivid images in my head of what their world was like. It was like seeing everything through London's eyes, and it was frightening and enlightening at the same time. I also loved the whole idea of the Otherborns' alternate selves, or 'Others'. There was romance and it was really cute but the story didn't focus on it too much, which I liked.

Otherborn is dark and gritty, but hopeful at the same time. It had a few shortcomings, but it definitely delivered on it's strengths. The book was imaginative, vivid, and original; Anna Silver knows how to create a realistic dystopian world and i'm definitely on the look out for more.

THE NUB AND GIST: 3 STARS

Anna Silver is an author and artist living in the greater Houston area with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art has been featured in the Houston gallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. She's freelanced for private clients and small publications like the Hill Country Current. OTHERBORN is her first published novel. She is represented by Rebecca Podos and Nicole LaBombard of Rees Literary Agency.

Hidden
by M. Lathan
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: M. Lathan
Published: November 12th 2012
ISBN: 9780989418409
Author's website | GoodReads

Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She’d settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.


That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.

Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.


Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.


Let’s hope she can stay hidden.

Beautiful Creatures (co-written by Margaret Stohl) was definitely something. Unfortunately, on her first work as a solo author, things didn't quite work out.

I really do hate it when I don't like/love a book. As for the case of Icons, I already broadened my discernment on it, but it still fell short with several things. I did my part­—I wanted so badly to like it that I might have actually forced myself too much already­—but Icons didn't do its. I don't believe that there's something such as a bad piece of literature, so I prefer to put it this way: this book wasn't just for me.

To make it simple and to be honest, I was disappointed. I started this book with a very open mind, without any expectation at all. Still, it didn't manage to amuse me. I know this book has tons of potential, but sadly, it wasn't executed fairly. Yes, many alien-invasion-themed books are rapidly rising to the surface these days, but Icons still had a couple of facets that could make it stand out­—that is, again, if it was performed better. In contrary, I also thought it pulled (knowingly or not) a few elements from other dystopian books.

Upon beginning this book, the first thing that bothered me was the writing. It was dry and lacked enough character affection (very ironic, once you knew the ability of the protagonist). I also felt that it was choppy—suddenly jumping from a certain thing to another. The pacing didn't have a smooth transition. Sometimes I needed to reread a passage to confirm where I already am in the story because, honestly, it was confusing. It had depth, though. I'd give it that.

That wasn't the only thing that confused me. The characters' individual personalities also did*. One moment I admire Doloria's mentality and actions, the next I want to slap her. I think that's the reason I found it hard to connect with her. Also, for a first-person POV narration, Dol was still too reserved. It seemed like there's a wall built between the main character and the reader, making it hard for me to empathize/sympathize with Doloria. Doc, the virtual AI, was frankly better and was my favorite character.

There weren't tons of making out scenes and too-cheesy lines (thankfully), but the love interests were the problem. The best way to describe them is they're like 5-year-old kids. Their attitudes were just agonizing­—very childish and immature. Ro and Lucas were like 2 children always fighting over a small toy for no reason (just that they want to).

The world Stohl had created was supposed to be terribly horrifying, but it lacked the elements it should have. I didn't really shudder at the thought that the Lords and Icons were just there, always watching. I felt no suspense until the very last parts of the book, and even then, it was only minuscule. It was hard to lose myself between the pages of this book. I wasn't absorbed in the story until it was too late already.

One (and probably the only) thing I'm happy about Icons was the format. I love the transcripts, excerpts, letters, etc. in between each chapter. They gave hints and bits related to the whole story without really giving away something. It answered a few questions while leaving more. At least it engaged and intrigued me a little to continue on with the book. (Although I think it overdid the mystery-leaving part. Margaret Stohl seemed to know it's okay if Icons didn't necessarily do good as long as it left many questions unanswered, because it'll really make me crave for more. It's like she discovered my weakness.)







*The protagonists' quatro was entertaining, at least.

Secret for a Song
by S.K. Falls
Genre: New Adult contemporary
Publisher: S.K. Falls
Published: June 3rd 2013
Source: review copy for tour
Author's website | GoodReads

Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.

She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.

Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.

For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

The main reason why this book piqued my interest is the fact that it's the story of a girl who has Munchausen Syndrome. Munchausen is a disorder I didn't particularly understand but although I still have questions, Secret for a Song transported me inside Saylor Grayson's head and I found myself slowly understanding her disorder, and Saylor herself, as each page turned.

Saylor's thoughts were powerful. She was a curious character; she knew that something was wrong with her and she considered all of the reasons as to why she's doing things to hurt herself, but she still does it again and again and will go through great lengths to do it. It was evident throughout the book that Saylor would do anything to get a reaction from her parents, and it was then that I slowly started to understand. I was a bit worried about her character because she felt a bit stiff early on and I was starting to wonder if Saylor was strong enough to deliver a story like this. But then I started to get glimpses of this funny, sarcastic, curious, and passionate Saylor and while I don't necessarily relate to her, I can definitely say that I believe in her.

And then there's Drew Dean. This man's strength and determination rivals that of a warrior. Drew is no weak boy; he has suffered through a lot and still finds the might to get up and live life each day. His grip and coordination slowly wavers but he always delivers the best performances on that guitar of his. I can see the reason why Saylor is intrigued by him, and I can feel the admiration coursing through her veins when he talks about him. I felt the exact same way for the other people in the support group.

I enjoyed Secret for a Song, but I also had a few problems with it. There were rough transitions between chapters, the pacing was choppy, and like I mentioned, the characters felt stiff early on. They came alive as the book progressed but I still would have liked it to happen from the very start. The ending wasn't what I expected it to be but I have to say that I liked that the author ended it that way. If you're looking for a fast read with characters that will touch you and possibly make you weep, Secret for a Song is the book for you.

THE NUB AND GIST: 3.5 STARS

A huge fan of spooky stuff and shoes, I enjoy alternately hitting up the outlet malls and historic graveyards in Charleston, SC where I live and imbibe coffee. My husband and two small children seem not to mind when I hastily scribble novel lines on stray limbs in the absence of notepads.

Since no writer’s biography is complete without mention of her menagerie of animals, you should know I have one dog that doubles as a footstool, a second that functions as a vacuum cleaner, and a cat that ensures I never forget that my hands are, first and foremost, for pouring cat food.

Writing style is one of the most critical parts of a book, and Cass did a more-than-excellent job in this area. The stream of words and sentences flowed smoothly and steadily in my head. It has balance­—making everything as comprehensible as possible to the average reader without compromising the professionalism and competency of the work.

Her writing also augmented the likeability of the characters. The inner thoughts and dialogue of America were a great aid to her character development. What I admired about America the most was how she managed to be everything at the same time. Funny, compassionate, determined, competent, resolute, but also immature and unreasonable at times. She's a great character but definitely not a Mary-Sue*. Her errors and mistakes allowed more room for improvement. Although, frankly, as the book neared its end, her decisions and actions became more bothersome and disturbing already.

As for America's love interests, they were a bit inconstant. Let's just say Aspen and Maxon were a little bipolar. Still, given all the situations and dilemmas they're in, it was understandable. It might not be that commendable of them, but I think it's what made them seem very human and relatable.

One thing I also like to compliment is how the author didn't entirely focus on the love triangle (which, unfortunately, is the new trend in YA today­—the plot is pushed farther in the background in order for the love stuff to be the spotlight of the story). The summary gave what it promised. There was the whole tough competition for the crown & prince, backstage drama, a hint of family conflict, and the hindrances of a dystopian society. I certainly felt myself rooting for America and groaning during the Celeste scenes. It's like reality television printed on paper. I did not just read about America's story. Kiera Cass let me experience the story with her (America).

In terms of the content of the book as a whole, all I can say is that it kept me reading. It maintained suspense and constantly surprised me. I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, but there was a lot of foreshadowing and mystery going on. I surely was disappointed and unsatisfied with the answers I got—or the lack of them. It wasn't just enough. But it made me look forward to The Elite even more.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Selection. It was something more light and a bit deviating from the typical dystopian stories. Hard to put down and it kept me on the edge of my seat. There are aspects that can still be enhanced, but it's nice all the same. It's absolutely worth a shot, to say the least.

 






*The "Mary Sue" is judged a poorly developed character, too perfect and lacking in realism to be interesting.