Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Genre: social issues, romantic drama
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 292
Summary:

Why can’t you choose what you forget and what you remember?

 

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

 

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people—suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon and strangely full of Doug.

 

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Just like Jennifer's first book Going Too Far, Forget You was a wonderful teen romance. Doug and Zoey were such a great pairing even if it was bittersweet.

Zoey's dad was such a jerk! How dare he make her feel terrible about herself? It was frustrating to see Zoey fall into this trap with her father over and over again. Him yelling at her about keeping her mother's attempted suicide a secret and then his complaining that she had gotten into a car accident and lost her memory just to ruin his vacation? Right, because anyone in their right mind would do something that horrible to sabotage a Hawaiian getaway for the heck of it. WTF? Jennifer making the connection Doug had called her a spoiled brat, and then Zoey mentioning it to Doug later on, was great. Their relationship was already tempestuous. Zoey didn't remember the night her and Doug hooked up even though he did. Doug already had this developed relationship with Zoey. Zoey tried so hard to deny that anything happened while at the same time falling in love with Doug...it was a great way to write a love story.

Zoey should have known her relationship with Brandon wasn't really a relationship at all. She spent all summer with him, watching him bounce from one girl to the other. I don't understand why she would think she was any different. I hated how everything was sex with Zoey, too. She thought that if she had sex with Brandon it would restore whatever broken relationship they had in the first place. Then she wanted to redo the night with Doug. She couldn't do that without the love making?

Another excellent summer romance, this one with some drama! The characters were all well-developed. I loved loved loved Zoey and Doug together!

The Cover: I like that Zoey looks a little confused, possibly even tormented by her attraction for Doug while she's "with" Brandon whereas Doug seems happy.

From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas

Genre: comedy, social issues
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 462
Summary:

Kylie: Mexico? What a nightmare! I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY! Wait! Is this a wedding band on my finger??

 

Max: It started with Kylie’s laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics, and it ended in Ensenada. It was hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we’re stranded here, with less than twenty-four hours before graduation.

 

Will: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border—but there’s no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

 

Lily: This CANNOT be happening. It’s like some cruel joke. Or a bad dream. I close my eyes, and when I reopen them, they’re still there. Max and Kylie Flores, freak of the century. In bed together. If Kylie thinks I’m giving him up without a fight, she’s dead wrong.

 

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The events of this book snowballed: first its Kylie and Max at the café, then they're chasing after the guy who stole Kylie's laptop, then they're following the U-Haul truck, sneaking in, and being shipped past the Mexican border, stealing the U-Haul and driving to Ensenada...and that's just the beginning! It was a fast, funny ride!

Max and Kylie are very sincere characters; however, the way they talked took away from any emotional scenes between the two of them. Sure, teenagers will mumble and use way too many "likes" and "you knows" but that doesn't mean its the entirety of their vocabulary. The conversations they had made them sound vapid which contradicted their thoughts.

The biggest character development happened to Kylie. I loved that she learned to let go while she was with Max. An uptight main character is difficult, at least for me. I always just want to them to try something, to go through with the stupid idea, etc. I totally understand her anger toward Max when he denies anything happens between the two of them, but I don't think she should have let him go so easily. Max was made to seem like the dumb jock, but then Stacy and Valerie made him extremely literate...and that's where it stopped. Sure, he was the responsible one in Mexico, but once he was back with Lily he regressed to his beginning dumb-jock self. I wish there would have been a more significant change in his personality. If I was supposed to feel sympathy for Lily, I didn't. Her complaining about how she lost the family fortune wasn't all that terrible; people have it worse. She didn't need the fancy clothes, cars, and houses. Her materialistic attitude didn't change at all. Will was a great character who served his purpose but I don't know how much he needed to change vs. how he was needed to give us perspective on the events happening in the book. Same with Jake.

Wow...that was a lot. The plotline of From What I Remember... was great but the writing left something to be desired. A great summer read.

The Cover: I like how each character is portrayed and all with different expressions. Will (boy, far left) looks as if he could care less. Kylie's frustrated. Max is trying to explain to Lily, who isn't taking his crap.

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

Genre: steampunk, science fiction
Series and Book #: Steampunk Chronicles #3
Pages: 377
Summary:

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken.

 

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What’s left, of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends’ lives.

 

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke’s sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kissed her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him…and for Griffin.

 

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel’s desolate alleyways to Mayfair’s elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

 

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist’s ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she’s to have any say in triumph, she must summon a strength even she doesn’t know she has….

 

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The villain the Machinist is revisited in the third novel in the Steampunk Chronicles. I kind of wish Kady had developed another antagonist. I don't think the Machinist really needed another mention. His main master plot was foiled in The Girl in the Steel Corset. It was unnecessary for him to come back, this time with another plan to kill off Griffin's friends. Same with Mei. I don't like her returning to the books.

Kady has as way of developing romantic relationships rather slowly. Griffin and Finley still have doubts about one another even though they're obviously in love. Emily and Sam care deeply about one another, yet they still hold off from it. The game of will they/won't they is very tiring.

I'm excited to see what happens to Mila. She's an automaton that looks like a fully grown woman, has the IQ of a fully grown woman, but the emotional quotient of a two year old. Her developing relationship with Jack Dandy is sure to be interesting especially since she's not human.

I JUST REALLY WANT TO SEE THE NEXT BOOK COVER!

I wonder what Kady has in store for the next couple of books. I'm sure the Machinist will make more appearances, but it seems like most of the conflicts she's introduced throughout the series have already been resolved. I mean, Finley has already chosen a boy to love. Emily is back home, safe and sound, in Sam's arms. The Machinist is finally defeated in the real world. Now all they've got to do is get him out of the Aether so that he doesn't torture Griffin. There was a little something with the medium who visited Griffin's estate, but that's it. I don't know what to expect!

The Cover: Oh, goodness, these covers! They're so prettyyyy.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

Genre: steampunk, science fiction
Series and Book #: Steampunk Chronicles #2
Pages: 408
Summary:

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling—or dangerous.

 

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her “straynge band of mysfits” have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade—the dangerous device Jasper stole from him…for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

 

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei’s neck tightens. And tightens.

 

From the rough streets of lower Manhattan to elegant Fifth Avenue, the motley crew of teens with supernatural abilities is on Jasper’s elusive trail. And they’re about to discover how far they’ll go for friendship.

 

More than ever, Finely Jayne will rely on the powerful English duke Griffin King to balance her dark magic with her good side. Yet Griffin is at war with himself over his secret attraction to Finley…and will risk his life and reputation to save her. Sam, more machine than man, finds his moody heart tested by Irish lass Emily—whose own special abilities are no match for the darkness she discovers on the streets.

 

Now, to help those she’s come to care for so deeply, Finely Jayne must infiltrate a criminal gang. Only problem is, she might like the dark side a little too much….

 

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I loved the plotline of this novel. Jasper was a character only lightly touched upon in the first novel unlike Emily, Finely, Griffin, and Sam. Since he is a member of Griffin's crew, it only seems only fitting we should have a better glimpse into who he really is.

If Kady had the goal of making Mei's deception elusive, she certainly did the job. Initially, I thought Mei truly loved Jasper. It was only until Wildcat made the comment to Finely she didn't trust Mei that I started distrusting her. Even after that, Mei was an on again/off again character. I couldn't really decide what to believe. It wasn't until the very end it was blatantly obvious Mei didn't share Jasper's feelings.

In The Girl in the Steel Corset, Kady created a love triangle between Finley, Griffin, and Jack Dandy. What happened to that? Finley obviously loves Griffin more than she loves Jack. The love triangle seemed to only be necessary in the first book, when Finley had a hard time uniting the two halves of her personality.

Its a good sequel to the first novel. The book picks up pretty much where The Girl in the Steel Corset left off. The ending was satisfying. Kady sometimes will repeat herself. It was distracting. There are some bits that I hope will find themselves in the third installment of this series, or else there are some questions that need answering.

The Cover: The Steampunk Chronicles must have some of the prettiest covers I've ever seen. Everything about it is gorgeous. The plain background draws the eyes to the lovely purple of the dress. The gigantic collar around her neck just makes me cringe, especially after reading the summary.

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: fantasy, paranormal romance
Series and Book #: Caster Chronicles #4
Pages: 451
Summary:

I’d had nightmares about him before. Before I knew him, or at least knew he was going to be Ethan. But this wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen in any nightmare. It was real.

 

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

 

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan’s return, vowing to do whatever it takes—even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

 

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

 

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I don't really know why there is a fourth book. I think Kami and Margaret could have made it a trilogy and called it a day. Beautiful Redemption seemed like a novel they tacked onto the end because there were some loose ends that needed tying. There weren't any crucial moments in this book that there couldn't have been tucked into the first three novels.

Other than the apparent pointlessness of this book, it was fine. I liked both Ethan's world the dead and Lena's land of the living. I would have liked if there had been more challenges in the labyrinth leading to the Far Keep. It seemed really easy to pass through. Kami and Margaret made it seem like it was a feat no one dared face. Lena wasn't weighed down by grief for Ethan's loss. She was a bit manic in her search for any evidence Ethan was trying to communicate. I guess I would be, too, if my boyfriend had died and told me he would try to speak to me in the afterlife.

Many previous characters were found in this book. I am so glad that all the relationships worked out in the end. Ridley and Link, Liv and John, Lena and Ethan...it seemed everyone got their happily ever after. Amma found her peace, as did Ethan's dad, Marion, and everyone in Gatlin. As cheesy as it may seem, all these characters deserved happiness. I have loved them so much. This was an amazing series that I will never regret reading.

The Cover: I don't really understand the staircase.

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: fantasy, paranormal romance

Series and Book #: Caster Chronicles #3
Pages: 518
Summary:

This summer has changed everything, in both the Caster and Mortal worlds, even if the folks in Gatlin didn’t know it.

 

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impacts of Lena’s Claiming. Even Lena’s family of powerful Supernaturals is affected—and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What—or who—will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

 

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He’s being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn’t by Lena—and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself—forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn’t know why, and most days he’s too afraid to ask.

 

Sometimes there isn’t just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there’s no going back. And this time there won’t be a happy ending.

 

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"When I first met you, that's what I remember. I looked up at the sky and thought, I'm going to love this person because even the sky looks different."

Lena from Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, page 494

 

I hate Ethan for not telling anyone about his dreams or about his getting "sick" (if you call losing part of your soul getting sick, I guess). Because I think a lot of pain could have been avoided if he just had been honest with Lena! The panic in Gatlin is fun to watch. Throughout the series its been made clear that a lot of the citizens of Gatlin are pretty superstitious. Since there are signs of the apocalypse its a welcome change of pace to witness the city suddenly readies themselves for the second coming. Especially since Link has changed, Ethan is slowly losing his mind, and Lena can't control her crazy powerful magic. It's seriously chaos.

In this book, Ethan and Lena's relationship has solidified to the point Lena can stand to let Ethan go, but only because she knows he will do everything in his power to bring her back. Amma, on the other hand, goes to great lengths to change fate so that he won't die when previously she was a firm believer in the Order of Things. Roles are reversed and its great that throughout the series, Kami and Margaret have been able to offer a broad view of the characters personalities. It makes the characters very realistic.

 

*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!* Seriously, though? The ending? Really, Kami and Margaret? REALLY? DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO PUSH ETHAN OFF OF A WATER TOWER? WHAT POINT ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE??????

 

Anyway, I don't know what to say except that Beautiful Chaos is just as excellently written as the first two books of the Caster Chronicles. 

 

The Cover: I don't know what to say other than that it's perfect just like the others 

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: fantasy, paranormal romance
Series and Book #: Caster Chronicles #2
Pages: 503
Summary:

Some loves are meant to be. Others are cursed.

 

Ethan Wate used to think of his small Southern town as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along.

 

Together, Ethan and Lena can face anything, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away. Haunted by strange visions, Ethan finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

 

Now that Ethan’s eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there’s no going back.

 

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The second book is just as good as the first! I'm so upset I wasn't able to continue this series until now, long after I've read Beautiful Creatures. That was such a long time ago.

Lena acts like an actual person mourning from serious loss. Albeit she is a Caster and has a more powerful way of displaying her emotions. Although this whole series is based on Ethan and Lena's relationship, their not being together didn't make the book collapse. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have added enough substance to the novel that it's not boring when Ethan and Lena aren't together. I think that is an excellent way to write a book, because a single relationship shouldn't be the sole purpose of a book. There should be adventure, mystery, and bigger problems than two teenagers who are having trouble in paradise.

There was so much going on but it wasn't overwhelming. I was able to keep all the details straight as I read the book. Ethan, Liv, and Link's treks through the underground world of the Casters were fun if not a good glimpse into the magical world Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are writing about. They are very good at making their setting and characters truly realistic.

The Cover: The lettering is so lovely. Thank goodness they haven't changed the covers. I don't know if I would like any other covers.