The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.


Review
I've been a huge Kelley Armstrong fan ever since I first discovered Bitten in 2008. And I've been very pleased with her transition into YA since then. While I always have the lingering feeling that I would have enjoyed her YA more while I was a younger teen, this is at no fault of the author. Her YA books are always well-written and consistent, if slightly subdued.

The Calling is a strong sequel and perhaps an altogether stronger book than it's predecessor. One thing that truly impressed me is that I'm not recognizing her characters from other series. With time, certain authors become bland because while their characters change in appearance and background, they essentially remain the same in personality. This is not a problem with Kelley Armstrong. Her characters are truly different. I don't automatically recognize the romantic interest as a poorly veiled repeat from a previous novel. The romantic interest isn't always the handsome guy, the nice guy, the misunderstood guy, or even the dangerous guy. Every character is a stranger at first. And it's always a pleasure to make their acquaintance.

My only complaint with this novel is that its setting is limited in scope. Her Women of the Otherworld series (originally, at least) is very much rooted in Jeremy's house, but we also get a nice sense of Elena's world away from the Pack. We feel the contrast between civilization with all its technology- and the Pack with its natural wilds. In the Darkest Powers series, the portrayal of the Lyle House is creepily excellent.

The Darkness Rising series has a lot of movement and nature to comprise its setting, but very little depth and sense of direction. I understand that this is partially due to the nature of the kids' escape, but I felt the setting was handled much better in Darkest Powers where kids were also on the run.

The Calling is another success for Armstrong. I'd recommend (re)reading The Summoning before reading The Calling as I found that I often needed to refresh my memory.

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Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman (review)

Summary

Geena's life tangles up rapidly in Triple Shot Bettys in Love. She's completely out of her comfort zone with the way things are heating up with her first boyfriend, Ben, and she's having difficulty keeping up. Then there's Sophie, Ben's "old friend" who is back in town with the appearance of having every intention of stealing Ben away. At school, things aren't any less simple when the gorgeous and profound new English teacher steals away all the female hearts, including that of Geena's best friend, Amber. Amber gets Geena's help to put on a sophisticated front to capture his interest. Geena, a bit besotted herself, agrees to compose messages and texts to be sent to him. In great contrast to Geena's muddled relationship with Ben is her mother's stable relationship with her new boyfriend. Nothing seems to be going right for Geena as her life grows more intricate and abstruse.


Review

Though this book is a sequel to Gehrman's earlier Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, reading the first book is not a necessity for enjoying Triple Shot Bettys in Love, though it may prove helpful. I found this novel to be one of the most delightful I have read in months and was extremely pleased. For one thing, Geena had an impeccable taste in reading (in my opinion), with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre ranking amongst her favorite books.
I loved the dynamic relationship between Geena and Ben and watched in horror as Sophie sabotaged it. And Sophie was truly the boyfriend stealing demon from every girl's nightmares. She proved a fashionable, sleek, and provocative opponent for a not-so-fashionable, slightly insecure skater girl like Geena. At first, readers may be unsure of Geena's views of Sophie stem from Geena's insecurities or from actuality. But by the end, readers will have no doubts of Sophie's true motives. Though Sophie may add to the problems between Geena and Ben, the greatest enemy is Geena's insecurity which is magnified when the Sophie-catalyst is added to the equation. Her feelings of inadequacy are emotions thousands of teenage girls can empathize with.

Gehrman's presentation of the steamy physical aspect of Geena and Ben's relationship was flawless. She aptly described how awkward and almost amusing certain moments can be with one's first boyfriend while other moments are delightfully intense. I felt Amber and Geena's fascination with the new English teacher a little over the top, but not so much that it distracted overly much from the general tone of the novel.

Reader's who decide to pick up Gehrman's Triple Shot Bettys in Love should not be disappointed.
~bella aire~

Triple Shot Bettys in Love (released in late January) can be preordered here:
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Shot-Bettys-Love-Gehrman/dp/0803732481/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226615477&sr=1-2

and the first book, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, can be bought here:
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Triple-Shot-Betty-Gehrman/dp/0142412686/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226615454&sr=8-1

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato (Review by Jeannie Jones- MG)

Review

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato was one of the most awesome, entertaining books I’ve ever read. It’s about a boy named Trevor, but everyone calls him Trev. His family is not very wealthy. Trev lives with his mom, his little sister Tish, and his little brother Michael. Trevor is going to a public school and meets some rich, awesome, soccer-playing boys. Meanwhile Trevor is very good at soccer himself. The boys that become his friends are Xander and Langley. But when Trev threatens Xander’s repudiation as the best soccer player, Xander makes trouble for Trevor.

As a middle school student, it is easy to relate to Trevor. The storyline was strong as well as the author’s writing. Amato understands how the minds of middle schoolers work and never talks down to us because of our age.

I would recommend this fun, realistic fiction novel to any person 5-8 grade. 5 stars.

JEANNIE JONES

Buy Invisible Lines from Amazon here.

Jeannie Jones is in sixth grade.

Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey

Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey

Summary
Talia, a young runaway, is made a herald at the royal court after she rescues one of the legendary Companions. When she uncovers a plot to seize the throne, Talia must use her empathic powers to save the queen.


Review
Mercedes Lackey is a well-known name in the fantasy genre, and after reading Arrows of the Queen, I am beginning to understand why. This book has some rough edges and could use a bit more polish and development, but it has the bones of a truly excellent fantasy novel. And, from what I am given to understand, Lackey has honed her craft since the publishing of this first novel (Arrows of the Queen).

Lackey's world-building is excellent. I'm hoping to see a bit more development, but I suspect that this may be filled out in the sequels in this series. Her main character, Talia, is likable if slightly distant. Some of her supporting characters blend together- and it's a pity since all of them have potential as round characters. On the other hand, there were a few characters who were truly stand out. Jadus and Skif are subtle stars in this novel, each characterizing underrepresented relationships in the publishing industry.

In my own life, I have often bonded with older people. It was refreshing to see Talia and Jadus create such a relationship. Skif is a charming character in and of himself--however, his thwarted romance turned friendship is highly relatable and lovely to see in a novel. Books are too often filled with instant passion and eternal love. Skif provides a realistic comfort.

Overall, Lackey was an absolute pleasure to read. It is no wonder that her work has inspired devotion in so many readers throughout the decades.

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Dark Kiss- Michelle Rowen

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen
My rating: 2.5  of 5 stars

Summary

I don't do dangerous.  Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....


Review

I’m a cautious fan of Rowen’s adult urban fantasy series, so I’m sorry to say that I found Dark Kiss rather predictable and unoriginal. I anticipate that Dark Kiss will do well in the young adult market despite my lack of confidence in the volume- chiefly because while I found the characters uninspiring, Dark Kiss is well written, and it’s about angels and the like. Paranormal romance is extremely popular in the young adult market right now, so I think sales will be fine.

Michelle Rowen’s adult series has something that Dark Kiss is lacking: a spark. Her adult series kept readers on there toes; Dark Kiss feels like something I’ve read many times. I wonder if reading Kagawa’s Immortal Rules prior to Dark Kiss influenced my opinion of it. Immortal Rules had extremely strong world-building, and Dark Kiss fell flat in comparison.

I probably will not read any sequels to Dark Kiss. But I will still recommend it to anyone interested in Paranormal Romance for YA. Maybe the problem is that I’ve always been an urban fantasy girl, and Dark Kiss isn’t exactly in that genre.