Title:  The Savage Grace [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Bree Despain [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Paranormal
Publisher: Egmont USA
Series: Dark Divine
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher (via Net Galley)
Reviewer: Michelle
Parental Advisory: violence, language, criminal activity
Teachable Moments: teamwork, faith

“I wish I could say that I’d been asleep when the howling started.  I knew it was the white wolf without being able to see him.  The high, mournful wolf’s cry that filled my bedroom now sounded like he was just outside my window – but I knew it came from deep in the forest. He was venturing farther away.  Away from me.  Away from who he used to be.”

Summary (from the publisher):
A troubled soul.  An impossible choice.  A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.
With her boyfriend, Daniel stuck in wolf form and Sirhan’s death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demos.  If she fails, her family and hometown will perish.  Everything rests on Grace’s shoulders.

Opinion:
As much as I’ve enjoyed Grace and Daniel’s I have to admit that the third (and final) book in Bree Despain’s Dark Divine trilogy was the weakest.  Though it didn’t lack in action, which is a good thing as far as I’m concerned, it was far too long for my liking.  The amount of time that Grace pined for Daniel the wolf at the very start was challenging.  Not because it wasn’t believable, because it was, but because it just went on for far too long. There was only so much depression and desperation I could handle before the repetition started to wear me down.  Further, I found that aspect quite frustrating given the strength of Grace’s character in the previous novels.  All of that perseverance seemed to seep away in a flash.  Again, it’s not that it wasn’t entirely realistic.  Of course, she was upset who wouldn’t be?  But it was just so abruptly out of character.  Even with her dedication to finding a way to bring Daniel the boy back from wolf form.

The culmination of the plot — the epic battle for Daniel to be Alpha over Caleb — was unsurprising.  The story had been going in that direction from the start.  As I mentioned before it was quite action filled which I enjoyed.  The fight to overcome picked the pacing of the book to just the right speed for me.  So the last 2/3 of the story was far better for this reader.  I also liked the fact that the romance between Grace and Daniel seemed to take the back seat in this final book.  Sure, it was still there, so those that are looking for payoff in regard are going to get it, but it was much more muted in tone this time around.  This felt like a natural progression given their comfort level with each other and the way their relationship transpired up until that point.  It was clear that each was dedicated to the other and that there was no shortage of love between them.

Jude’s story ties up nicely as well.  I found his role throughout the series to be the most appropriate.  He was a key factor and figure in the story but the focus wasn’t so much on him and what was happening with him as much as it was about his role as a catalyst for other events.  That is the case in this book as much as the others.  That his story played out the way it did made perfect sense.

The most enjoyable aspect of this book was definitely the inclusion of Daniels wolf-pack.  The addition of Brent, Slade, Ryan, Marcos and Zach added a much needed element of levity.  Though they all had their darker more intense moments they also brought the fun as well, which allowed for a bit of down time between the angstier sections.  The way that they interacted with Grace as she was working to help Daniel was endearing.  They were protective of their den mother and weren’t afraid to do what needed to be done to assure her safety.  Even the most rigid tough-guy Slade softened over time.  If I were Despain I would certainly consider writing a spin-off series with this boys.

While not my favorite in the series I will say that The Savage Grace ended the series in a fitting way.  There were no questions hanging out there unanswered, there was nothing left unsaid, and the characters were all in realistically satisfying places in their lives.  Despain has certainly created a compelling and entertaining series for lovers of paranormal fiction.

Title:  Wanderlove [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Kirsten Hubbard [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Series: none
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher (via Net Galley)
Reviewer: Michelle
Parental Advisory: alcohol, drugs, sex, language, criminal activity
Teachable Moments: traveling, geography, wildlife, honesty, interpersonal communication

“I expect instant culture shock when our plane touches down, but the Guatemala City airport looks like every other I’ve seen.  Just with more Spanish.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria wants to be.  In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a tour of Central America — the wrong one.  Middle-aged tourists are hardly the key to self-rediscovery.

So when Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspoken sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.  Bria’s a good girl trying to go bad.  Rowan’s a bad boy trying to stay good.  As they travel through Mayan villages and remote Belizean islands, they discover they’re both seeking to leave behind the old versions of themselves.  The secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.  But Bria realizes she can’t run forever.  At some point, you have to look back.

Opinion:
Aspiring artist Bria is heartbroken after and unexpected break up with her boyfriend Toby at the tail end of her senior year.  Already planning to go on an international trip with her two friends she is further disappointed when they decide she is not in the frame of mind to travel.  Unwilling to let the idea of breaking free of the pressure at home go she books a solo trip to Central America.  Through a tour company she flies to Guatemala to travel the country and see the sights.  Unfortunately, it turns out that the average age of group members is far older than she.  Stuck in a conservative middle-aged tour of an exciting never before seen country her frustration grows until she’s faced with an interesting decision.  Having met a couple of seasoned backpackers her own age she given the choice to stay with her tired boring tour group or strike out on an interesting fun adventure with travelers her own age.

Yup, it’s not hard to guess, Bria chooses fun!  Only, as it turns out, much of the trip from then on out isn’t as much fun as she was anticipating.  Challenged by a young man with questionable motives she’s definitely a fish out of water.  His inquiring mind and his desire to encourage her to be a different other than she is sets her off kilter.  Not because she’s averse to the challenge but because she knows she wants to be the person he wants her to be, only she isn’t quite sure how to get there.  Afraid of disappointing everyone in her life, but more importantly herself, she finds it difficult to open up to new and spontaneous experiences.

This is where the friction rises between she and Rowan.  He is trying to mold her into the person she wants to be (though he is not necessarily aware of her desire) while still trying to remain in his own shell.  It’s ironic, he’s lecturing her on being more open minded and trying to get her to open up about her life yet he is the more shut off of the two.  Hiding his past and closing himself off to everyone but his sister he’s irritating and arrogant as he tries to shape Bria in this vision he likely has of his own life.  Trying to realize his own wishes and dreams through her.

Naturally, this is where the romance comes in.  The two start to build an attraction to each other.  There is a fair share of push and pull between them as Bria feels judged while Rowan feels desperate to hide his secrets.  Ultimately it’s his inability to open up to her and the challenges she places in his way as a result of their relationship that keeps them apart.  But, that’s what I liked best about Wanderlove.  It had a slow building romance that wasn’t the easiest of roads to follow.  They weren’t immediately in love, in fact they weren’t even immediately in like, it was a slow moving relationship beginning with a tentative acquaintance that built into genuine friendship then more.

Hubbard also created dynamic characters in Bria and Rowan.  Not to mention Rowan’s flighty sister Starling and a small cache of secondary characters.  None of these characters were drawn of perfection, each had his or her cross to bear and did so with very little finesse.  The struggle to pull out the reality of their lives, to communicate feelings with each other, felt realistic.  It’s the kind of angst that people this age and in this circumstance really would encounter.

Oh and the travel aspect was cool too.  I was impressed with the way Hubbard included the Central American locale.  I felt every inch of the jungles, beaches and crowded shopping areas.  It was steamy and sultry enough to create an added level of frustration for the characters but also exciting and wild enough to keep them on their toes.  I quite enjoyed taking the ride along with them as they backpacked through the surrounding areas.

An emotional trip through a foreign country with a sweetly challenging romance, Wanderlove is definitely a book contemporary lovers should add to their in flight reading.

Title:  The Academie [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Susanne Dunlap [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Series: none
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher (via Net Galley)
Reviewer: Michelle
Parental Advisory: war, alcohol
Teachable Moments: politics, Napoleonic history

“Although I am alone, I blush, but not with shame.  I have been hoping for this!  Some acknowledgement that he feels as I do, that there is a possibility of something fine and noble between us.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Eliza Monroe — daughter of the future president of the united states — is devastated when her mother decides to send her to boarding school outside of Paris.  But the young American teen is quickly reconciled to the idea when — ooh, la-la! — she discovers who her fellow pupils will be:  Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte; and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general.  It doesn’t take long for Eliza to figure out that the two French girls are mortal enemies and that she’s about to get caught in the middle of their schemes.

Opinion:
I can’t quite wrap my mind around why I am so pleasantly surprised when I’m engrossed in (and enjoy) historical fiction but I always am.  Maybe it’s because I don’t read a great deal in this particular genre or perhaps I tend to forget that history itself is so interesting and therefore fictionalized situations and characters surrounding such events become compelling as well.

Such is the case with Susanne Dunlap’s The Academie. Set in Napoleonic France during Revolutionary times the story follows Eliza Monroe (the future US President’s daughter) as she navigates finishing school.  Her mother has surprised her with the “opportunity” which causes her much angst.  Until, she realizes that two of Napoleon’s cherished relatives are enrolled as well.  The prospect of school becomes much less daunting when encountering the idea of befriending each of them.  Her relationships are complicated, though, by the fact that Hortense (daughter of Josephine) and Caroline (sister of Napoleon) are not fond of each other.  Caroline in particular is confrontational and manipulative when it comes to Hortense.  In fact, she befriends Eliza specifically to keep her away from her niece-in-law.

Told in multiple points of view (four to be exact) The Academie portrays a fairly simple plot that focuses on the interpersonal relationships of these young girls and the boys they set their sights on.  The majority of the story focuses on the girls desire to find love for themselves but it is interwoven with Revolutionary action and no shortage of scheming.  For example, in order for Caroline to position herself in the presence of her true heart’s desire (a military man close with her brother) she is forced to sneak about in dangerous situations.  This, naturally, ends up involving Eliza and Hortense.

A slower read, The Academie includes a fourth story that felt unnecessary.  There is a sub-plot with a young actress (Madeleine) that has fallen in love with Hortense’s brother Eugene.  Though Eugene’s mother does not approve he plans to sneak away with Madeleine regardless.  Unfortunately, Madeleine’s mother (a wretched, controlling woman who uses her daughter as more of a slave) other ideas.  Luckily, the young lady is happened upon by Eliza and becomes a part of a larger plan the girls hatch to move forward in their respective relationships.  This plot has a clear point and fits into the plot well but still extended the story in ways that weren’t needed.  The same character motivations and catalysts could have been encouraged via other means leaving Dulap the opportunity to cut these sections out.

I appreciate Dunlap’s ability to uniquely characterize each of the girls. Eliza is the naive social climber, Hortense is soft-spoken and reserved, Madeleine is the victim and Caroline the arrogant, aggressive manipulator.  Almost all showed development as the story went on but the one who changed most was Eliza.  She gained depth and embraced her desire to do what was right as opposed to what was expected.  I found her the most intriguing and definitely wanted more for and from her.  Caroline is the character that was most cliched (though there is a bit of tie for that title with Madeleine).  Wicked as they come she was all about plotting and scheming to get what she wanted.  She tormented Hortense for sport and generally didn’t care for much that wouldn’t help her get what she wanted.  Hortense was kind of just there, if I’m being honest.  I desperately wanted her to get more of a backbone and stand up for herself more.  The only traces of that potential was in her interactions with Bonaparte and those were limited in scope and frequency.  Like, Eliza she wanted to do what was right by those she favored and many times that made her a victim to Caroline’s whims and schemes.

Though this story was primarily about the way the girls interacted with each other there was a romance factor to the book too.    Each girl had a suitor or object of her affection.  A portion of each girl’s story did focus on how she was going to land her big fish permanently.  Generally speaking I was hoping for more in here.  I understand the focus of the book was not necessarily the romances as much as the lives the girls were living with each other but I still wanted to explore some of the relationships more deeply.  Particularly Eliza and Valmont.  Their love hate relationship was, by far, the most intriguing and undoubtedly had the most chemistry.  That it had little focus in comparison to Hortense and the piano teacher’s son was disappointing.

Well written, Dunlap created a story that had the right combination of prose and dialogue for my reading preferences.  She also didn’t go too crazy on the historical facts.  She incorporated the feeling of the time period and definitely elements of that place in history but it wasn’t over the top with trying to teach me everything there was to know about the Napoleanic era.  With a few exceptions (which I’ve already referenced) the story was well paced, I liked that there was some action and that it wasn’t just about girls back stabbing each other.   The Academie is definitely a good read for those who love historical fiction and those who are interested in experimenting with the genre.

Title: Being Friends with Boys [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Terra Elan McVoy [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series:  None
Format: eBook
Source: ARC via a friend
Reviewer: Andi
Parental Advisory: drugs, alcohol, language
Teachable Moments: friendship, loyalty

“I don’t want to be the person I was being without you…”

Summary(from the publisher):
Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl’s perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys’ band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free…until it isn’t any more.

When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl…and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char…being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

Opinion:
First I must start by saying I am a huge, huge fan of Terra Elan McVoy. I picked her book Pure up on a whim and fell in love with the story. It wasn’t my usual kind of book or subject matter, but it was so fascinating I couldn’t put it down. Basically, I have been a fan ever since. When I heard she was writing a new book I was ecstatic. And then when I was offered an ARC I was so over the moon. And let me tell you it was exactly what I expect from McVoy. Was it as good as Pure for me, no way, but it still was really enjoyable. And part of that is because I think McVoy hit the ups and downs of having friendships with boys.

Being Friends with Boys is a story about Charlotte, a normal girl that is the manager of a band.  The band includes Abe, Trip and Oliver, Char’s three best friends, and she is completely content with that. After all, she has more guy friends than girl friends because girls never seem to be there for her when she needs them. For example, her mother abandoned her when she was younger, her sister is in college leaving her behind, and her former best friend Lish stopped coming around because Charlotte wasn’t cool enough. Charlotte knows that Oliver, Abe and Trip will always be there. She counts on it. But the problem is, things tend to change and change quickly.  Soon Char has no idea which end is up — she and Trip are suddenly barely speaking, he’s out of the band and replaced with new guys, and most scary of all she is suddenly singing instead of managing. Quickly thereafter, she is forming a crush and Lish is unexpectedly back in her life.  Things are on the upswing and starting to look good. But why can’t she get Trip out of her head and why is he ignoring her?  There is no question that her hands are full and as a result of the many transitions her emotions are all over the place.

Honestly, there was stuff I really liked about this book and stuff that I wasn’t crazy about. Charlotte was one of the parts I really liked. There was something about her that was very relatable.  There was an ease to her when she was around all the boys in her life and I liked that. She seemed comfortable in her own skin and in her element. And as much as I liked her relationship with all the guys, my favorite by far was the one she shared with Trip and Benji.  When Char was around Fabian she was awkward and unsure, around Oliver she was constantly looking out for his feelings and reactions, but when she was around Benji and Trip she never once second guessed herself. Well, that is until she tried to force situations with both of them. Truthfully she was her absolute best when around those two boys and that made me really like her as a character.

On the other side, as much as I enjoyed that Charlotte that was friends with the boys, I loathed the Charlotte that was friends with the girls. The girls that Charlotte was friends with, and I use that term loosely, were the complete opposite of the boys and that bothered me. I guess when you think about it there is obviously going to be two different dynamics with these kinds of friendships, with boys and girls being so different from one another, but these girls were just horrible. They used Charlotte and treated her like dirt and I wasn’t a fan of that. The fact that Charlotte let them when she would have never let Trip or Oliver get away with the same behavior was insulting. She was better then Lish and the girls that were using her for access to the band and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why she would take that from them. The friendship with the boys was much more believable than it was with the girls so that was disappointing.

What wasn’t disappointing was the focus on music in the story. I’m not usually one that goes gaga over music in books, but I have to say there was something about the addition of the band’s music that added to the plot. I don’t know if it was Charlotte coming out from behind the scenes and actually being front and center singing her own lyrics, or the places that Sad Jackal played.  The scene’s set — like the Halloween dance that brought me back to high school dances or the bar where Charlotte and Fabian would go with friends and listen to other bands — set a fun and interesting tone. It added an energy to the book that helped feed the emotions Charlotte was feeling. When she was confused she would write and sing out the confusion. When she was hurt she would dance and sing away the pain. It added depth to Charlotte’s character and gave me the ability to look inside her as opposed to the external view her relationships provided. I appreciated that ability.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, entertaining read. It made me look forward to more books by McVoy. If you haven’t read her, check some of her stuff out. If you have, pick this one up and enjoy. I did.

Title: Tessa Masterson Will Got to Prom [indie bound] [amazon]
Author: Brendan Halpin [website] [twitter] & Emily Franklin [website]
Genre:  Contemporary
Publisher: Walker and Company
Series: None
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher (via Net Galley)
Reviewer: Michelle
Parental Advisory: GLBT, language
Teachable Moments: sexual identity, loyalty

“So he’s why.  Lucas needed to know the truth, and I had to be the one to tell him.  Somehow, telling Lucas is like admitting that it’s real.  The it — the liking girls — isn’t going to evaporate.”

Summary (from the publisher):
If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?  If your brother’s been accused of a terrible crime and you’re the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him.  Isn’t Lucas and Tessa’s friendship is the stuff of legend in their small Midwestern town.  So it’s no surprise when Lucas finally realizes his feelings for Tessa are more than friendship and he asks her to prom.  What no one expected, especially Lucas, was for Tessa to come out as a lesbian instead of accepting his heartfelt invitation.  Humiliated and confused, Lucas also feels betrayed that his best friend kept such an important secret from him.

What’s worse is Tessa’s decision to wear a tastefully tailored tuxedo to escort her female crush, sparking a firestorm of controversy.  Lucas must decide if he should stand on the sidelines or if he should stand by his friend to make sure that Tessa Masterson will go to prom.

Opinion:
Tessa and her best friend Lucas have been tied at the hip since they were young children.  Regarded by most in their small town as the “it” couple that haven’t quite gotten it together romantically it is surprising to most when the unimaginable happens.  Lucas and the rest of town discover, after his humiliating billboard sized invite to the prom is declined, that Tessa is gay. This sparks a town-wide revolt when Tessa decides she wants to go to prom with a girl and *gasp* wants to wear a tux to boot.  The furtherance of the book goes on to show the conflict between Tessa and just about everyone — her parents, Lucas, her high school and the townspeople.  She even has to deal with the matter seeping out into larger US population as a whole.

Halpin and Franklin have crafted a quite serious book wrapped in a somewhat light package.  What do I mean by this?  Well, they touch on a young girl’s coming out, the fall out of it as it were, in a way that gives the subject matter appropriate depth and meaning while still making the story entertaining.  This is done not through the plot (which is pretty straight-forward and not all that unique) or the setting (typical small town fare) but rather the dynamic characters.   Specifically Tessa, who (as one would expect) has a pretty tough go of things after her proclamation to Lucas that she’s just not that into him.

So let me start there.  Tessa was a great girl-power kind of character.  She was inspirational in her actions while still being a regular teenaged girl with problems.    What made the book for me wasn’t that Tessa was struggling with her sexuality.  Because, she really wasn’t.  She knew she was gay and didn’t have any problem embracing it.  Where she encountered the struggle was in timing her admission, helping those around her deal with her it and and making sure that her relationships remained in tact.  It took her quite some time to make her sexuality known to the public but once done she did she was willing to fight for her rights regardless of her preference.

Enter the great prom debacle.  Once it was discovered that Tessa was going to go to the prom in a tux and with a girl all hell broke loose.  School tried to ban her and then the prom got canceled all together. As a result her life at school suffered (kids blamed her for the prom not happening), her life at home suffered (her parents livelihood was put in jeopardy), and her friendships undoubtedly suffered (Lucas wanted nothing to do with her).  It’s in the latter that the most enjoyable portions of the book occurred.  Seeing Tessa experience and overcome the loss of a lifelong friend was both emotional and enjoyable.  Watching her journey of self-discovery as it related to the trust and loyalty issues Lucas brought up was quite interesting. While he initially struggled with the fact that she was gay he felt the ultimate in betrayal because she waited so long to tell him.  He was under the impression that their friendship was based on complete honesty.  He shared everything with her only to find out she did not return in kind.  It was devastating for him.

Which brings me to Lucas.  I found him realistically painted.  He was so conflicted over it all.  A true and loyal friend he was genuinely hurt by Tessa’s refusal of his love but then even more so when he discovered she’d been holding back the truth for so long.  Then how widespread that lie by omission really was.  He had his moments of jackassery as a result.  He was childish, spiteful, rude and self-involved when it came to the aftermath of Tessa’s admission.  But, for me, that is what made him true.  He was dependable when it counted and angry when it suited him.

There was some touching family interaction, some sweet romance, and great friendships portrayed thoughout Tessa Masterson’s story.  A quite little book that teaches a lesson loud and clear.