Category Archives: Romance

Great Summer Read: Torn by Avery Hastings

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

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Torn
Avery Hastings
St. Martin’s Griffin

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A grim diagnosis sends Davis to a corrupt recovery facility called TOR-N. There she meets Mercer, a fellow patient and determined optimist. Together they craft a plan to escape the facility and expose the truth about the crumbling facility and poor patient treatment. Davis embraces Mercer’s enthusiasm, but even his charms aren’t enough to make her forget Cole.

After faking his death to spare his family from government retribution, Cole is in hiding. Only his best friend knows he’s still alive. Day by day he develops a plan to get out of the slums and earn enough money to build a life for him and Davis. Then he’ll rescue her from TOR-N and they’ll live happily ever after. That is, if he can manage to keep his identity hidden and beat the genetically enhanced Prior contestants in the Olympiads.

The story begins after Davis’s diagnosis and transfer to TOR-N and after Cole’s faked death and funeral. From page one, tensions run high. Not only are both characters already in pretty dire straits, but they’re separated, and Davis believes Cole is dead, so she’s wrestling with grief on top of everything else. Davis has been diagnosed with Narxis, a plague that’s been ravaging her people – the Priors, those genetically enhanced to excel.

Unfortunately, it’s the genetic manipulation that’s made the Priors vulnerable to disease. Cole’s friend claims to be close to a cure, but his experiments may be too costly to complete. Intriguing moral issues make this story difficult to put down. Genetic improvements make people vulnerable to a new disease (are the enhancements really enhancements then?) Potentially life-saving experiments can only be completed at a high moral cost. Is the sacrifice worth it? What if the test subjects aren’t fully informed of the risks?

The conclusion unfolds rapidly, maintaining the high tension that began on page one, but also speeding past some moments that warranted a little more time in scene. I wanted to know more about Davis’s relationship with her father and why she felt so compelled to seek her estranged mother. There were definitely scenes that included information about those things, and they were nicely tied into the story, but it definitely left me wanting more. Torn is the second book in The Feuds series. Some of the moments I crave are probably waiting for me in the first book in this series. I’ve already purchased the first book in the series and added it to my reading list so I can find out.

At the beginning of Torn, I wasn’t sure I’d like Cole’s character. He’s a bit immature and not the sharpest when it comes to relationships with others. He grows quite a bit and really earned my respect. By the end, I could definitely see what Davis saw in him. As with Davis’s story, Cole’s speeds through some final scenes. I wanted to see more of the Olympiad games. I suspect all that would have made a lot more sense to me if I’d been more familiar with the series. I definitely recommend reading the first book before starting Torn, but it’s not essential to do so. I was able to follow the story without knowing the first book, but I think I would have gotten more out of it if I’d read them in order.

Hastings has done a great job setting up this really complex story world with a lot of big moral conflicts. Fans of Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (These Broken Stars) or Scott Westerfeld (Uglies) will enjoy the moral issues over advanced technology highlighted in Torn. Readers looking for an action-packed drama with sweet romance will definitely want to add this one to their to-be-read lists.

Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
References to a night spent together (Davis and Cole) on top of a hospital. Kissing is mentioned, but nothing further.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Cole attacks a researcher when he discovers a mistreated patient. Cole battles other contestants in the Olympiad, a high stakes, physically competitive game.

Drug Content
Cole is offered a supplement that Priors use to enhance senses during his Olympiad trial. It’s clear that without these advantages, he doesn’t stand a chance against his opponents.

Avery Hastings is an author and former book editor from New York City. Avery grew up in Ohio, graduated in 2006 from the University of Notre Dame and earned her MFA from the New School in 2008. When she’s not reading or writing, Avery can usually be spotted lying around in the park with her affable dog. Like her protagonists, she knows how to throw a powerful right hook and once dreamed of becoming a ballerina. In addition to New York, Avery has recently lived in Mumbai and Paris, but is happy to call Brooklyn home (for now).

Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Elite by Kiera Cass
HarperCollins

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The pool of potential brides for Prince Maxon has been narrowed from its initial thirty-five to the final six. America Singer, one of the remaining six is under more pressure than ever to choose the man she will spend her life with: the kind-hearted future ruler, Prince Maxon or her first love, the charming castle guard Aspen.

As America vies for more time and desperately scrambles to sort her feelings for the two boys, the country faces a graver threat. Rebels continue to attack the castle, bringing death and destruction to any who oppose them. A chance encounter with rebels leaves America wondering whether they are all really evil and whether the caste system is really fair. If she were to choose Maxon, she might have an opportunity to make a real difference in her homeland, but to do so means she’d have to give up Aspen forever.

I’m not much for reality TV shows like The Bachelor, but something about this story definitely makes me want to find out whom Maxon and America choose. Because while Maxon is definitely running The Selection and narrowing down his options for a potential bride, America is definitely running her own smaller version of the game as she tries to choose between Maxon and Aspen.

Sometimes America drove me nuts. She’d fall into Aspen’s arms and realize she loves him and could never give him up, etc, smooch, smooch, and then launch into fits of jealousy at Maxon for taking the other Selection girls on dates.

While America does have a couple of lucid moments where she recognizes she isn’t being fair, she continually holds Maxon to a very different standard than the one to which she holds herself. She expects total honesty from him, but never considers telling him about her relationship with Aspen. She even allows Aspen to risk everything by continuing to see her in secret. It was hard for me to get over the deep selfishness motivating some of her choices. I’m hoping that there’s a huge reckoning coming for her in the next book where she has to own up for her behavior. Which might sound silly – I’m already planning to read the next book, but I had some real issues with this one. I can’t help it. I guess really I’m rooting for Maxon and hoping that he gets to give America a pretty sizable set-down. He’s good for it.

Beyond that, a lot of the story is written in passive voice. “I was walking down the hall,” rather than “I walked down the hall,” etc. It really keeps the reader at a distance, almost like we’re watching the story unfold through a field of mist or listening to America describe a fading dream she once had. I wanted to be right there, in the middle of the action. Not sitting back reading about it.

What I liked about the series is that it maintains a high level of romantic tension without really bringing it down into a lot of lusty sexual tension. There is some kissing, but I’d call the series pretty clean, and there aren’t a lot of teen romance novels that can make such a claim. So from that standpoint, it’s a great one to read and recommend.

I also liked that Cass brought in a little bit about the political situation in the kingdom. There’s a bit more about the whole rebel situation, definitely enough to keep us guessing and kind of raising the bar for the future queen – she’s going to walk into a big scary situation. I feel like America has the chops to face whatever the kingdom throws at her, so I’m anxious to see if she decides to agree.

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
America and Aspen cultivate a secret romance, exchanging kisses and promises. No clothes are removed during these interludes, but the scenes are steamy nonetheless. America and Maxon share kisses and one another’s arms as well. At one point America leads Maxon to her bed, thinking that’s what he wishes. It’s unclear whether she means as a place to sit or that she’s offering to have sex with him. They do not have sex. America catches Maxon kissing and making out with the other girls. Since she’s made no promise to be his bride, he is keeping his options open.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Rebels infiltrate the castle, some killing or wounding guards and destroying property.

Drug Content
America is offered wine at a state event. She drinks and worries about how it affects her ability to make decisions after that.

Review: Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca
Simon Pulse

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Kelsey and David were best friends the summer before freshman year. Then a misunderstanding turned the whole school against her, including David. A family move gave her a chance to start over in a new town at a new school, but just when Kelsey thinks she has rebuilt the perfect life, David sets her whole world spinning by transferring to her school. Committed to maintaining a casual peace, Kelsey keeps him at arms’ length… until she can’t. The fierce chemistry between them reemerges, and she finds herself faced with a terrible dilemma: the boy she’s dating isn’t the boy she loves. But is it too late to tell David the truth?

This story is packed to the roof with teen melodrama. She wants him, she doesn’t want him. No, she wants him. But does he want her? Maybe he does, but no, he can’t! He mustn’t! Wait, she mustn’t! If you’re looking for an oozy gooey romance, this definitely fits the bill. While some of the plot twists could be considered a bit farfetched, it’s easier to believe they’d play in the high school arena. Many of the characters outside Kelsey and David were a bit two-dimensional. David’s sense of honor and integrity is refreshing. Their family histories also add a bit of depth to him and Kelsey.

Language Content
Extreme profanity, moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Kelsey has been having sex with her boyfriend. While there aren’t scenes in which the dirty deed is described, she references her feelings about it and they make plans to have sex while her house is empty. She hears rumors about David with other girls and when he starts dating and being pretty cozy with one of her friends, she assumes he’s having sex with her, too.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
One boy attacks another and beats him up. Few details.

Drug Content
Kelsey’s friends do quite a bit of drinking alcohol at parties.

Review: Summer by Summer by Heather Burch

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Summer by Summer by Heather Burch
Blink YA/Zondervan

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After tragedy turns Summer’s life upside down, a summer in Belize caring for a charming young boy seems like the perfect escape. Then she meets her charge’s older brother, Bray. His smooth talk and good looks only remind her of everything she wanted to leave behind.

Bray doesn’t get Summer. He doesn’t understand why she hides herself beneath miles of ugly flower print dresses and avoids fun like it will bite. He resents her assumptions about him, even if some of them may be true.

When a boat tour and a terrible storm leave the two stranded on an uninhabited island, they have only each other to lean on for survival. Summer must learn to trust Bray and depend on his strength. As they grow closer, Bray must decide the kind of man he wants to be. When hope for rescue fades, the island give up a dangerous secret. Summer and Bray risk their lives to find a way home.

This book is every bit a romantic fantasy. A handsome guy and a heart-wounded girl trapped alone on an island. Let the romantic tension begin! While Summer and Bray keep boundaries on the physical part of their relationship, the struggle is pretty plain, especially for Bray. Despite the romance being decidedly in the forefront, some unexpected twists in the plot keep the pages turning.

The emotional journeys of the characters are a bit juvenile, which is probably okay since it’s YA… still, I wanted more depth from the characters. Sometimes it seemed as if I was getting the prettied up version of things rather than a deeper, realistic expression. I tend to enjoy grittier stories, so it could just be that personal preference rather than any flaw in the story. Either way it’s a great, light, summer read. Perfect for the beach, reading poolside or curled up next to a sunny window.

Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Bray has a history of hooking up with girls at parties, but he doesn’t mention details other than not being a virgin. Things between him and Summer get pretty steamy. There’s a lot of tension between them, but they commit to waiting until they are married to have sex.

Spiritual Content
Summer wrestles with some major doubts about her faith since the death of her best friend. Bray doesn’t seem to have a spiritual background but they do discuss what she believes and how important it is to her.

Violence
A man is shot, and it appears a woman may be held against her will.

Drug Content
Bray and his friends drink alcohol at a party. The legal drinking age in Belize is 18. Summer reflects on how drinking alcohol destroyed the life of someone she loved.

Review: Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Storm Siren (Storm Siren #1)
Mary Weber
Thomas Nelson
Published August 19, 2014

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About Storm Siren

Since her parents’ deaths, Nym has lived as a slave with one unusual problem. An inexplicable ability erupts from her when she’s terrified or furious. Storms and lightning explode from the sky and take out her oppressors as well as any innocent bystanders. Nym carries memories of their deaths marked into her arms: the owners as rings on one arm, the innocent as an intricate mural on the other.

When a new owner purchases Nym and reveals that she’ll be trained to use her ability as a weapon to save her kingdom, Nym balks. Then she meets the handsome trainer whose skill and ability make her feel safe for the first time. Gradually he draws her out, builds her trust, and captures her heart. With the advancing army drawing ever nearer, Nym doesn’t have time for romance. A powerful foe threatens civilians. Nym can’t stand the thought of more innocent lives lost. She rushes into battle as a treacherous plot unfolds, one which could destroy her people before she even has a chance to save them.

My Review

Throughout the story Nym remains a complex character. It’s so easy to root for her, to want her to give in to her love for Eogan, her trainer, and to trust her new friends Rasha, Colin, and Breck. The whole cast of characters is well-balanced and interesting. From the cheerful blind servant girl, Breck, to Nym’s highly volatile new owner Adora, each character has a distinct personality and contributes something essential to the story.

The story may begin with gentle pacing, but it doesn’t take long for things to begin to rocket forward, growing more and more intense. Other reviewers commented on wishing for more world building. It’s true that there isn’t a lot of time pausing and going into the politics and history of the story world, but I enjoyed the fact that it kept the pace quick and allowed for more focus on the characters. There are things I would have wanted to know more about, but I’m hoping they will be revealed in subsequent books. I have a feeling there are reasons we weren’t told certain things… yet.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I’d requested the second book, Siren’s Fury from NetGalley to review it and had started reading it before I realized I was just too interested in the characters and backstory to start with book two. I definitely recommend starting with Storm Siren if you’re new to the series.

Content Notes

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing. One very brief reference to Nym’s past in which she was forced to work in the “Favor House.”

Spiritual Content
Nym’s people (Elementals) possess powers, things like controlling water, wind, earth, etc. One very powerful man can shape shift and take over someone else’s body.

Violence
Nym trains for battle in a war her people are currently losing. Her powers have accidentally killed several people in the past, including her parents. She bears a lot of guilt for these deaths.

A terrible monster attacks Nym and her ally in the woods on their way to battle. Nym and another warrior battle an army. Descriptions are brief and not gory.

Drug Content
None.

Extra Goodies
Read an interview with author Mary Weber on the blog Love is Not a Triangle.

Check out the book trailer from You Tube:

Review: Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Siren’s Fury (Storm Siren #2)
Mary Weber
Thomas Nelson
Published June 2, 2015

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About Siren’s Fury

Nym’s power saved her people, but it wasn’t enough to save those she loved most. While there’s still hope, she vows rescue and revenge. But to have even a chance, she’ll have to risk harnessing herself to a darkness that may destroy rather than save. As Draewulf rallies his armies to march into surrounding kingdoms, Nym and her friends scramble to keep ahead of his plot. To understand Draewulf’s plan, Nym must uncover truths about who she really is, facts she may not be ready to face. She and her friends must face an even more terrifying question: what if every move they make simply brings the dark wolf one step closer to his ultimate victory?

My Review

Weber’s second novel begins with the same intensity with which its predecessor ended. It’s a wild ride from page one all the way to the ending. I thought the plot had good layering. I’d start thinking I had things figured out only to discover that there was another layer I hadn’t accounted for which altered everything.

As with the first book, the characters really make this novel shine. I loved the development of relationship between Nym and Rasha. Even some minor characters, like Kel, the boy Nym meets on the airship, really added to the story. I found myself wishing he’d been more of a part in the tale’s resolution, but that was a small disappointment.

Honestly, I do recommend beginning this series with the first book. I started reading this one first and quickly found myself so intrigued I had to go back and read the first one. If you do start with book two, it’s not impossible to piece together the important bits of what you missed in book one. I did find myself scrambling to figure out what was going on several times before I went back for Storm Siren.

Some of the questions readers had about the relationships between kingdoms and politics will be answered in this novel. Still, many things are just hinted at as important clues preparing readers for the final installment of the trilogy.

Content Notes

Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing. When Nym goes to Myles’s room in the middle of the night, she reluctantly allows guards to think she’s visiting him as a lover.

Spiritual Content
Nym’s people (Elementals) possess powers, things like controlling water, wind, earth, etc. One very powerful man can shape shift and take over someone else’s body. A woman uses her ability to kill men by internal injuries and control an army of dead. They’re pretty creepy. A witch offers powers to the right buyer.

Violence
Nym and her allies fight an advancing army from behind the lines. Descriptions are brief and not gory.

Drug Content
None.