Review: Loop by Karen Akins

Title: Loop

Series: Loop #1

Author: Karen Akins

Genre: YA, sci-fi, time travel

Publication date: October 2014

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels... at screwing up.

After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn't go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he's in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn't think he's a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her.

Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tagalong uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.

But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

A little time travel, a little romance... You would think this would’ve been something I loved, but not really. I mean, it was fine. But nothing I was crazy about.

Review: Give Me a K-I-L-L (Fear Street Relaunch #6) by R.L. Stine

Title: Give Me a K-I-L-L

Series: Fear Street Relaunch #6

Previous books in the relaunch: Party Games (#1) | Don't Stay Up Late (#2) | The Lost Girl (#3) | Can You Keep a Secret? (#4) | The Dead Boyfriend (#5) (can be read as standalones)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: April 4th, 2017

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: For review from publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

At Shadyside High, cheerleading can be a scream!

For the first time since the original series, R.L. Stine brings back his most beloved characters—the cheerleaders of Shadyside High.

The cheerleading squad at Shadyside has always been strong, but now there are rumors that lack of funds may mean the end of cheerleading at Shadyside. That would be a shame for Heather Wyatt, who has just transferred from her old school, where she was a star, and is eager to join the squad. There’s only one other girl who stands in her way—rich, spoiled Devra Dalby, who is also trying out for the one open slot. The competition to join the squad is anything but friendly—and it ends in murder. Will Heather make the squad—if there's even a squad anymore—or will she end up dead?

Packed with screams and guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine, this is a terrifying installment in Stine's bestselling Fear Street series.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Gretchen just moved onto Fear Street... poor, poor Gretchen. Lol. At Shadyside High, Gretchen wants to try out for the cheerleading squad where there is only one spot open. She is up against the mean, rich girl Devra Dalby. But someone is out to get Gretchen. Could Devra actually be trying to stop her from stealing her spot on the team? But Gretchen won’t give up, even if she gets herself killed.

Review: The Dead Boyfriend (Fear Street Relaunch #5) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Dead Boyfriend

Series: Fear Street Relaunch #5

Previous books in the relaunch: Party Games (#1) | Don't Stay Up Late (#2) | The Lost Girl (#3) | Can You Keep a Secret? (#4) (can be read as standalones)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 2016

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: For review from publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

R.L. Stine's Fear Street series is back, and in The Dead Boyfriend, he tells the frightening tale of teenage love - and how it can go terribly, murderously wrong.

Caitlin has never had a real boyfriend before. When she starts seeing Colin, she throws herself into the relationship with fervor. She ignores her friends who warn her that Colin may be a phony and that she is taking the whole thing too seriously. Caitlin is smitten. She doesn't care if she loses her friends. All she wants is Colin. When Caitlin approaches Colin with another girl, she completely loses it. She snaps. Everything goes red. When she comes back to her senses, she realizes that Colin is dead - and she has killed him.

But if Colin is dead, how is he staring at her across a crowded party?

My rating: ★★★☆☆
The Dead Boyfriend has such a gorgeous cover and when I first heard about it, I thought it sounded amazing! Plus, it’s freaking Fear Street! I had high hopes for this one, though I don’t know why since the relaunch, overall, has been pretty meh.

Review: Can You Keep a Secret? (Fear Street Relaunch #4) by R.L. Stine

Title: Can You Keep a Secret?

Series: Fear Street Relaunch #4

Previous books in the relaunch: Party Games (#1) | Don't Stay Up Late (#2) | The Lost Girl (#3) (can be read as standalones)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: April 2016

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: For review from publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

How many nightmares begin in the Fear Street Woods?

Eddie and Emma are high school sweethearts from the wrong side of the tracks. Looking for an escape from their dreary lives, they embark on an overnight camping trip with four friends in the Fear Street Woods.

As Eddie carves a heart in a tree, he and Emma make a shocking discovery. It’s a discovery that will lead to the end of friendships—and to murder.

Meanwhile, Emmy is having strange, terrifying dreams about wolves. Are her dreams connected somehow to the real wolf attacks that plague the town of Shadyside?

Emmy, it seems, is about to make a horrifying discovery about herself…

My rating: ★★★★☆
So Can You Keep a Secret? had two sort of intertwined storylines going on at once: First, we got the discovery of a briefcase full of money that was hidden in the Fear Street Woods. Then we have Emma and her strange dreams starring wolves. Also, people around town are turning up dead, being mauled by an animal. A wolf maybe? Coincidence? Who know, but Emma is totally freaked out!

Review: The Lost Girl (Fear Street Relaunch #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Lost Girl

Series: Fear Street Relaunch

Previous books in the relaunch: Party Games (#1) | Don't Stay Up Late (#2) (can be read as standalones)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 2015

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: For review from publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

There’s a new girl at Shadyside High, and she’s to die for...

Beautiful and mysterious, new student Lizzy Walker is the talk of Shadyside High. Where did she come from? Where does she live? No one knows anything about her, but everyone wants to find out. Michael finds himself drawn to her. He can’t stop thinking about her. But the closer he gets, the stranger she seems...

Michael invites Lizzy to join his group of friends on a day of fun in the snow, racing their snowmobiles through the woods. The day ends in a terrifying accident. And that’s just the start of the horrors. Michael is more puzzled than ever. Lizzy can’t be responsible—can she?

My rating: ★★★★☆
I am a HUGE Fear Street fan so I had high expectations for this. Unfortunately, these new books are not what the old ones used to be (or are, since they’re still in existence). The first two books (Party Games and Don't Stay Up Late) left me woefully disappointed (the second more so than the first). But I am glad to report that this one was not as bad as as I feared it would be. It was definitely better than the last one I read. Unfortunately, I wasn't too surprised by the "plot twist," which you know I hate. I just can’t win this one, can I? But you know what, I did enjoy learning what was really up with the mysterious Lizzy.

Review: Don't Stay Up Late (Fear Street Relaunch #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: Don't Stay Up Late

Series: Fear Street Relaunch

Previous book in the relaunch: Party Games (#1) (can be read as standalones)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: April 7th 2015

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: E-ARC from the publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

Ever since a car accident killed her father and put Lisa and her mother into the hospital, Lisa can't think straight. She's plagued by nightmares and hallucinations that force her to relive the accident over and over again in vivid detail. When Lisa finds out that a neighbor is looking for a babysitter for her young son, she takes the job immediately, eager to keep busy and shake these disturbing images from her head.
But what promised to be an easy gig turns terrifying when Lisa begins to question exactly who — or what — she is babysitting.

My rating: ★★★☆☆
I love Fear Street! I've been a fan since I was like in middle school, so was super excited to find out R.L. Stine would be adding a couple more books to the series. In fact, I read Party Games, the first book in the Fear Street relaunch, not too long ago and absolutely loved it! So of course I could not wait to get my hands on this one! Unfortunately, it didn't totally live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong! I enjoyed it--the action, the Fear Street creepiness... I just love this world! But, overall, it was just kind of... meh =/

Review: Party Games (Fear Street Relaunch #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: Party Games

Series: Fear Street Relaunch #1

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: Sept. 30th 2014

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: E-ARC from the publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

Her friends warn her not to go to Brendan Fear's birthday party at his family's estate on mysterious Fear Island. But Rachel Martin has a crush on Brendan and is excited to be invited. Brendan has a lot of party games planned. But one game no one planned intrudes on his party—the game of murder. As the guests start dying one by one, Rachel realizes to her horror that she and the other teenagers are trapped on the tiny island with someone who may want to kill them all. How to escape this deadly game? Rachel doesn't know whom she can trust. She should have realized that nothing is as it seems… on Fear Island.

R.L. Stine makes his triumphant return to Shadyside, a town of nightmares, shadows, and genuine terror, and to the bestselling series that began his career writing horror for the juvenile market, in the new Fear Street book Party Games.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Fear Street... My childhood revisited :) I was SO excited when I found out that Mr. Stine was going to be writing 3 new Fear Street books! How excited? Well...

Review: Override (Glitch #2) by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Override

Series: Glitch #2

Previous book in this series: Glitch

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi

Publication date: Feb. 2013

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: the publishers via Netgalley (thanks!)

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Synopsis:

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

My rating: ★★★★★
Zoe is finally free from the Community and is now with Adrien and the rest of the Rez! Huzzah! Now comes the hard part: finding a way to free everyone else from the Community. Not to mention that Zoe needs training to control her telekinesis (which she is getting really good at...it's amazing!). Oh! And lets not forget the little detail that she's supposed to be a leader! We've also got that other little detail of Zoe's allergies to the Surface...There's SO much on Zoe's plate...how will she deal with it all? I really feel for Zoe and all the hard stuff she's been going through. She is such a likable character and you cant help but care what happens to her!

Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Glitch

Series: Glitch #1

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi

Publication date: August 2012

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

My rating: ★★★★★
First of all, the cover of this book is gorgeous! And the book itself wasn't bad either ;)

Review + Giveaway: Shutdown (Glitch #3) by Heather Anastasiu

Welcome to my stop on the tour! I am so happy I am one of the lucky bloggers who gets to kick off the tour! I've got a 5 star review for you, so...Enjoy! Also, if you have not started this series, I recommend you give it a shot! It's absolutely great!

Title: Shutdown

Series: Glitch #3

Previous books in this series: Glitch (#1) | Override (#2)

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi

Publication date: July 2nd 2013

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: ARC for blog tour

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Synopsis:

The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

My rating: ★★★★★
So it's been about 6 months since the happenings of Override, and, you know, still on the run. When it's not one thing it's always another. But Zoe is determined now more than ever to stop the Chancellor once and for all.

Review: Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly #1) by Ellie James

Title: Shattered Dreams

Series: Midnight Dragonfly #1

Author: Ellie James

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: December 06, 2011

Published by: Macmillan--St. Martin's Griffin

Source: the publishers via Netgalley (Thanks!)

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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I really like books like this...where the main character has some super cool supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities, and how they work, always fascinate me! In this case Trinity sees visions...of the future you could say. These visions were very descriptive and kinda creepy, but I loved them!

Review: First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) by Darynda Jones

Title: First Grave on the Right

Series: Charley Davidson #1

Author: Darynda Jones

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy, paranormal

Publication date: February 2011

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

My rating: ★★★☆☆
(Q & A format)

I have to say, this book was nothing like I expected it to be.

Q: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Review: Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel

Title: Evermore

Series: The Immortals #1

Author: Alyson Noel

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, paranormal

Publication date: February 2009

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

My rating: ★☆☆☆☆

(Q & A format)

I kinda had high hopes for this one…