Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready: Review

Yup, three different versions of the cover for your viewing pleasure. :)

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Yes, I am ashamed to say that I just recently read Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready. I wasn't gonna, but so many factors pushed it up the TBR pile. First, during the Crush Tourney, Shade was buzzed about, and Zach was able to beat Tod. Plus, I heard so many good things about it. And a few weeks ago, I joined an author chat held by Mundie Moms that was a part of the Crossroads Blog Tour, and Jeri actually talked to me! It was so cool being able to chat with so many amazing authors. (Including the awesome Rachel Vincent! I was soo happy!) Jeri was really nice, so it just made me want to read her book more.

And I've decided on a new way of reviewing. It will be broken down into four parts, like what I've done below. Let me know whether you guys like it. So enough of me blathering, and on the the review.

The Bad:
The pace. I understand that Shade is a love story. I usually avoid these, since I'm not a fan of stories which are purely about romance, but the ghost aspect made me read it. However, the pace was a bit slow. I couldn't see the point of the story at first, and felt that it was a bit dragging. However, just bear with it, since it quickly picks up later on.

The Good: 
The plot. Beneath it all, the concept was totally unique. The idea that everyone after the Shift can see ghosts? Cool. The whole ghosts-turn-to-Shades when they get mad? Epic. Plus the love triangle between the ghost of the dead boyfriend and the new sexy Scottish student? Loved it. Jeri-Smith Ready gives us a fresh new take on paranormal romance.

The mystery. Luckily, there's a bit of mystery involved. What's up with Aura's mom? And what's the deal with her being the First and Zach being the Last? How is Aura able to turn Shades back to ghosts? How is Zach able to ward off ghosts? These questions left me hanging, wanting to read more.

The Awesome:
The ending. Okay, the ending was epic. It made up for whatever flaws the story had. It was heartbreaking and painful to read. I could feel Aura's pain when Logan turned shade. The part where Logan said "Don't wait for me!"? I got goosebumps. I devoured the last few pages, needing to know how it ended.

The love triangle. Yes, I hate love triangles. But I can't help but take sides in this one. Team Kilt, in favor of the sexy Scot Zachary Moore? Or Team Logan, the talented rocker ghost? Personally, I'm Team Kilt. Logan was too whiny and irresponsible for me. Zach though, was there for Aura through it all. But during the last few pages, I somehow connected more with Logan and I felt really sorry for him. Who knows, I might change sides after reading Shift.

The Rating: 
So overall, I loved it. I was able to look past whatever I didn't like about it, and I loved the world Jeri created, the mystery surrounding it, and the unforgettable cast she made. I'm giving Shade 4 out of 5 stars. This book is for those who love love triangles and choosing sides. And if you like a little mystery and a good heart-wrenching story, then pick this book up now!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

PS- I totally dissected the book, don't you think? :P

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So did you love Shade? Which cover was your favorite? Leave your thoughts below!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini: Review

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

You guys probably know that like all bloggers, I write reviews for free- mainly because I simply want to share my thoughts on the book I read. For this case however... Well, I have an ulterior motive. :) Josephine Angelini is giving away an ARC of Dreamless, and all you have to do in order to be entered in the contest is to post a review somewhere. So here I am, writing this. Now, I read Starcrossed months ago- so I don't really remember the details that much. Plus, it was before my pre-blogging days, so no review for that.

Anyway, where do I start? I remembered loving Starcrossed. There were so many things that drew me in. The cover is completely gorgeous, so bonus points for that. That's what made me obsessed with reading the book as soon as I could in spite of my huge TBR pile. Of course, Dreamless' cover is just as amazing. Here's both book covers side by side:

Okay, so enough with the eye candy and on to the plot. Starcrossed was pretty good. I love all mythology, especially Greek. And of course, the whole Helen of Troy was a totally unique plot twist. I devoured the book quickly- and that was a pretty thick book!

One of the things I love about Starcrossed was that there wasn't insta-love like in many other YA books- I actually loved the fact that Helen wanted to kill Lucas at first! I wanted them together, but then there's the whole forbidden love thing... Well, I found it a bit annoying, since I'm not a fan of those, but thank God that there was no love triangle.

True, Starcrossed did remind me a bit of Twilight... But it's way cooler that Twilight. And I had a love-hate relationship with Helen's mom, but hopefully things will get patched up in Dreamless. I have high hopes for that book, and hopefully it will surpass Starcrossed.

Starcrossed was a quick fun read, but it didn't really create an impact on me. Yes, I enjoyed it, but it was a tad forgettable. Right now, I've forgotten what the Scions, Outcasts, and Rogues are. Plus there was a huge character list- so I pretty got confused with the HUGE Delos clan. But aside from that, I didn't find anything wrong with the book.

Overall, I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. I'd give it 5, but I'm going through a phase wherein I only love books that are about survival. But in a way, Helen was fighting for her life, so it was pretty good. I recommend it to fans of Greek mythology, and those who love a good forbidden romance. And if you also love characters with kick-ass super powers, then this book is for you.

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Have you also read Starcrossed? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Do you love the covers as much as I do? Let me know!