Saturday, April 27, 2013

Review: Elemental (#0.5) by Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental (Elemental, #0.5)  Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.

As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.


Description taken from Goodreads.  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13418864-elemental

My Review

I was a bit hesitant to start this series and really didn’t have high expectations for it.  Don’t ask me why because I have no clue.  So that’s why I was pleasantly surprised with the beginning novella of this series by Brigid Kemmerer.


Elemental didn’t go into full detail about anything really, but it was just enough to get your feet wet.  It definitely made me want to buy the first book, Storm, in the Elemental Series to see where the story went.  I wanted to know more about Michael and his family as well as Emily and hers and this feud they seem to have going on.  It was almost like a modern day Romeo & Juliet with a supernatural twist.

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The fact that this series is about four brothers that can wield one of the four elements, Earth, Fire, Air and Water, is just wonderfully awesome.  And that is what really drew me to the series in the first place, but I just didn’t think that it would be done well.  But I was wrong.
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 Yup.  The writing was what really kept my interest.  It was witty and sarcastic but definitely had a sweet spot as well.  I instantly fell in love with Michael Merrick and I couldn’t wait to finish Elemental so I could really start the series and be introduced to his three other brothers.  That’s right.  Three. 

And don’t even get me started on the end!  Holy friggens, what a cliffhanger.  The horrible thing was, was that I thought I still had more to read, but nope!  It ends right when I start to hyperventilate and then gives an excerpt for the first book.

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Yea, I wasn’t too happy.  
I just finished Storm, which is about the youngest brother, Chris.  So hopefully I will get that review up later today or maybe sometime tomorrow, I’m not sure.  And if neither happens, then it will definitely be up next Saturday.  So keep an eye out for that because I have A LOT to say about this one people. 

Elemental: 4/5 stars


Saturday, April 20, 2013

Review: Of Poseidon By Anna Banks






Well, this book I literally read in a day.  I was on my way driving (yes, driving) to Florida with some family, I hooked in my ear buds and was immediately immersed into this world that Anna Banks has created.   To be honest, I was a bit hesitant to read this at first.  It had been sitting on my bookshelf for quite some time and figured it would be a good time to read it on the way down to Florida.  Since it is about mermaids, I’m sorry Syrena, I wasn’t sure how it would be executed.  Is it just going to be like The Little Mermaid?  Or will it have a bit of originality to it?  All I have to say is that I was pleasantly surprised with Of Poseidon.


The story kicks right off.  There’s barely any “let’s get to know the characters for a few chapters before anything really exciting happens.”  Nope.  Doesn’t happen.  Anna Banks dives right in and keeps going until the book ends.


The Breakdown:

Characters 


Emma:  Her inner voice was just wonderful.  It was light and refreshing, and a bit sarcastic at some points.  Her paranoia in the beginning was also hilarious and I couldn’t help but laugh at her.  In a good way, of course.  Does that make me a bad person?  Anyway, she’s a very strong and independent girl.  She does not take orders from anyone and she definitely lets a certain someone know that.  I immensely enjoyed Emmas’ journey to self discovery.  


Galen:  Oh, this boy.  I loved this boy.  Right away I fell in love with him.  Galen is the prince of the Syrena, and I mean, who doesn’t love a prince?  I know I do.  He is determined to help Emma discover who she is.  That quality is just so admirable and swoon worthy.


Toraf and Rayna:  Galen’s friend and sister respectively.  These characters were great.  I loved Raynas’ tenacity and Torafs’ sense of humor and the way he is so set in his ways and trying to win the affection of Rayna, while she is so set on trying to get away from him.  They were definitely a great add to this book and I wish Anna Banks would create a novella or something about these two.  I know I would definitely read that.


Romance

Galen and Emma are like two puzzle pieces.  They fit great together, even though they bicker back and forth with each other.  There is also a part that involves a certain ship called the Titanic.  Galen, you just made me love you even more.


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Plot

Since this is the first book in a series, there was a lot of getting to know the characters and the world, so the plot was basically Emma getting to know who she is and learning about Galens’ world and I’m totally fine with that.  It just makes me want to read the next book that much more so that we can plunge ourselves a bit more into this breath taking new world. 

Overall, this book had me squeeing in delight and urgently flipping the pages to find out what will happen, dodging many paper cuts in the process.  And the end.  The end of this book.  Holy friggens.  


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I need Of Triton, like, yesterday.  

I give Of Poseidon 4/5 stars.


Friday, April 12, 2013

Hello Fellow Bloggers and Readers!

Hey everyone!  My name is Courtney and I have wanted to start my own book blog where I review the latest (and not so latest) YA books.  For the past year now, I kept telling myself to start one and I ended up getting into some arguments with myself that I won't share with you right now because I don't want to scare anyone away.  And finally , after going back and forth and back and forth again... Read Between the Books was born.

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I love Supernatural gifs.  Best thing ever.

I'm not quite sure what my schedule will be like yet.  But I'm thinking I might update with a new review every Saturday.  Next Saturday will be my first review and the book will be Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, so stop on over next week to see what my reactions were.

See you next week,
Courtney