Review: Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Hello fellow readers!

I am thrilled to be part of the book tour for Pretty Is As Pretty Does. Read on to find out more about the book and read my thoughts on it.

Title: Pretty Is As Pretty Does (Class Reunion #1)

Author: Debby Mayne

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: June 1 2013

Pages: 304

Format: Paperback

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis: 

Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren't exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth and she may be surprised at what she discovers

Want to try it out? 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ABINGDON PRESS

Melissa's Musings:

Reunions are supposed to be nostalgic, in a way.  A chance for you to relive your high school memories, meet up with old friends, compare lives. That's what happens here. But, with a bit of a twist, so to speak. Throughout the planning and preparation for the reunion, old feelings, and old rivalries and even old crushes are brought to the surface.

At times, you might even think the characters were back in high school all over again with the way they behaved. But, as the novel progresses, so do each of the characters. They learn from their mistakes, realize they aren't in high school anymore, and start to grow up and move forward.

The book is told from multiple perspectives, with labeled chapters, which works really well here. You get to see the reunion from people from different "cliques" perspective. And also from Tim's (who's an outsider to the graduating class) so that makes it really interesting. It reminded me of The Breakfast Club as I was reading it.

All of the characters were really well developed and had distinct personalities, even the secondary characters. And they all experienced growth, even just in small ways. Priscilla is a strong main character. She's determined, knows what she wants and goes after it. She's not without her weak moments, especially when it comes to Maurice, but she is also one smart girl so she's able to see through the haze of his good looks and charm and recognize what he really is before he ends up hurting her.

I felt the most for Tim, as he's so smitten with Priscilla and would do anything to be in her good graces. She doesn't really give him much in return though. She's a good friend, but that's all she wants to be, and he wants more. Since this is a series, there may be more that happens between them, which I'm interested to see.

There are some religious undertones to the story, so if that isn't your cup of tea, be forewarned. They are very subtle, and light.

The antics of this group make me glad that I didn't have to go to my ten year reunion (which was supposed to be this year, but I don't think anyone planned anything.) After reading this, it seems like more stress than it's worth. While it would be fun to reminisce with some people I haven't seen in a while, I don't think I'd like the pressure of having to prove myself, or feeling small when those same popular, successful people walk into the room.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If your looking for a cast of unique characters, complete with Southern charm and hospitality, this is the book for you. I'm glad this is a series, because I can't wait to see what all of these characters get up to next.

Did you go to your ten year high school (or college) reunion? Or, do you plan to?

About the Author:

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.

You can visit Debby Mayne’s website at www.debbymayne.com.

Connect & Socialize with Debby!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Pretty Is As Pretty Does Tour Page:

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/06/24/virtual-book-tour-pretty-is-as-pretty-does-virtual-book-publicity-tour/

Character Guest Post: Danielle Levine from OCD, The Dude, & Me

Hello Fellow Readers!

Today I'm welcoming the main character, Danielle, from the book OCD, The Dude, & Me to Melissa's Midnight Musings, as part of a blog tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book Tours. Read on to find out more about the book, the author, and Danielle's struggles with OCD and ADHD.

About The Book:

Title: OCD, The Dude & Me

Author: Lauren Roedy Vaughn

Publisher: Dial

Published: March 21, 2013

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 240

Synopsis:

With frizzy orange hair, a plus-sized body, sarcastic demeanor, and "unique learning profile," Danielle Levine doesn't fit in even at her alternative high school. While navigating her doomed social life, she writes scathing, self-aware, and sometimes downright raunchy essays for English class. As a result of her unfiltered writing style, she is forced to see the school psychologist and enroll in a "social skills" class. But when she meets Daniel, another social misfit who is obsessed with the cult classic film The Big Lebowski, Danielle's resolve to keep everyone at arm's length starts to crumble.

Seventeen-year-old Danielle Levine is your typical high school teen-ager – if you count having OCD and ADHD as typical. Danielle’s “special” conditions lead her to a school for students with learning disabilities, and, even here, she struggles to fit in.

How Danielle navigates her status as a “learning-challenged” teen pariah is told, with equal parts pain and hilarity, in Lauren Roedy Vaughn’s debut Young Adult novel, OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME, which Kirkus Review has hailed as a “must-read.”

Told through a mélange of Danielle’s class assignments, journal entries, emails, texts, and letters to the school psychiatrist, OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME chronicles Danielle’s efforts to fit into a world that, to her, can be as alien as a distant planet. Yet, Danielle will be recognizable to her readers, with her body-image issues, her crush on an unattainable boy, and her feelings of insecurity over the rigid social code of high school life.

Just as things seemingly couldn’t get worse for her, Danielle meets a new friend, Daniel, who turns her on to the Coen Brothers’ classic cult film THE BIG LEBOWSKI and its indelible main character, the ever-cool, ever abiding Dude. Daniel and Danielle end up going to the prom together and to Lebowski Fest, an annual event celebrating the Dude and his Buddha-like philosophy, which says that things will work out if you “abide.”

Purchase your copy online:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND | BOOKPASSAGE

Character Guest Post

From inside Danielle Levine’s OCD brain

I’m sitting at dinner with my mom and dad and staring down at my thighs. They take up way too much space on the chair. I’m trying to mentally suck in my thighs. My mom’s thighs only take up a fraction of space on the newly upholstered dining room chairs; her thighs are as lovely as the chairs. Not so much mine.
I’m currently worried that the mash potatoes I’m eating will travel straight down to my thighs and burst open the seams of my jeans. I know that’s impossible, but I can’t stop myself from thinking about it. These are the kinds of thoughts I have during dinner. This is just how my mind works.I put the cloth napkin over my thighs so a huge portion of their real estate is hidden from view. Okay, Danielle, stop thinking about your thighs. Force yourself to have some other thoughts.
Good thoughts I force myself to have during dinner:
1.      I’m on page 226 of Pride and Prejudice. I’m rereading it for the fourth time. Very satisfying.

2.      If my thighs don’t explode during dinner, maybe I can watch a Jake Gyllenhaal movie before bed. Awesome.

3.      Aunt Joyce is coming over this weekend. Fabulous. She’s taking me to a see theRestoration comedy that she designed the costumes for. Can’t wait.

4.      I hope she can snag me a dress and a few hats after the run of the show.

5.      Will try on all my hats after dinner.

6.      Had to have a sixth thought because I don’t like to end on odd numbers.


I’m uber glad people can’t hear my thoughts. They would think I’m as nuts as I know I am. That reminds me that I better check the lock on my me-moir binder. All my writing, all my thoughts, all my emails and secret journals live there, and I can’t remember if I locked it.
           “Mom, may I be excused?”
           “You just sat down to dinner.”
           “I’m not that hungry and I’m protecting my thighs.”
           “Finish your dinner and then you can be excused. Your thighs are perfectly fine.”
           Sometimes my mom is clueless.

Connect With Lauren Roedy Vaughn:

Ms. Vaughn is especially equipped to write Danielle’s story. She has been a special education teacher and a writer for nearly 20 years. In 2005, she received the Walk of Hearts Teaching Award, and she serves on the Board of the International Dyslexia Association’s Los Angeles Branch. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, when she was in elementary school. She came to California for college, met her husband at the University of California, Irvine, and they have lived in Southern California ever since. Together, they share a love of The Big Lebowski. When not teaching, reading, or writing, Lauren is usually on a yoga mat.

Her latest book is the contemporary humorous young adult fiction, OCD, the Dude & Me.

You can visit Lauren Roedy Vaughn’s website at www.laurenroedyvaughn.com

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Review: Strike: Dawn Of The Daybreaker

Title: Strike: Dawn of the Daybreaker

Series: The STRIKE Trilogy Book 2

Author: Charlie Wood

Publisher: Createspace

Published: October 9, 2012

Genre: Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Pages: 211

Source: Received from author

Read: March 13-23 2013

My Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads: Add To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

It has been seven months since Tobin Lloyd became the superhero known as “Strike,” and the city of Boston, Massachusetts has never been safer. Yes, it turns out Tobin is pretty good at this superhero-stuff…even if he has to balance it with hanging out with friends, doing homework, and trying to graduate from high school.

However, a threat is looming that Tobin is unaware of: the red giant named Rigel—the last follower of the super-villain Vincent Harris—is still alive, and he is plotting to continue Vincent’s invasion and enslavement of the planet Earth. To do so, he is searching for a bizarre creature known as “The Daybreaker,” a super-villain so powerful that no one on Earth (or Capricious) will be able to stop it.

Will Tobin and his friends—Orion, Keplar, and Scatterbolt—discover Rigel’s plan before it is too late? Exactly who is this Daybreaker, and where did he come from? And even if the heroes succeed, will anything ever be the same again?

Featuring new characters, new locations, and new revelations, STRIKE: DAWN OF THE DAYBREAKER is the thrilling sequel to the young adult fantasy novel STRIKE: THE HERO FROM THE SKY.

Tobin Lloyd’s adventures are about to continue…whether he is ready for them or not

Melissa's Musings:

Tobin's adventures pick up 7 months from where he left off. He's still trying to find a balance between normal life and that of a superhero, and it's definitely a challenge for him.

This book is full of action and cool stunts, and quip filled dialogue. While the action is full, as are the twists and turns to keep things interesting, I have to say that for me, this book suffered a bit of the sophomore slump. 

Yes, there's action, yes there are twists and turns, but it feels like the author was struggling a bit in this middle book of the trilogy, leaving the really juicy dialogue and descriptions for the last book in the series. Some of the descriptions are repetitive in spots, and some of the sequences just seem a little too formal, they don't mesh with the flow you might expect.

In other spots, some of the action sequences in particular, I could really imagine the scenes as they were happening. At a few points I found myself thinking that this set of books with some polishing would make a really neat superhero franchise.

There are a few elements that I really liked. For instance, the introduction of Adrianna as a love interest for Tobin. She's supposed to be on the opposing team, but then she ends up helping Tobin out a few times as well. The love interest element is simple, and not overdone, which is great.

I also like the attention to some of the smaller details such as the Chrono Key. I really like the fact that this super hero gadget allows the user to travel through time, but only into the past, because the future hasn't happpened yet and is constantly changing with every decision that's made. Often times, stories with elements of time travel can account for suspected futures, but it makes a person wonder what they're really based on and what shaped these futures. The past has already happened, so you have a solid base to go back to, and as a reader you (usually) know what has happened so it's easier to navigate through than imagined futures might be.

That's not to say that I don't like stories with future time travel, I just think that the author made a wise choice in making it so that the Chrono Key can only take someone into the past.

The copy that I have has a different cover than the one posted here, and  I have to say I like the cover on my copy better. The cover pictured above is just cold and a bit stiff. The one I've got is more vibrant and colorful which is why I enjoy it more.

The story is solid and sets up well with an enticing cliffhanger that makes you wonder just how it's all going to turn out in the end. I'd recommend this for anyone who likes stories about superheroes.

Review: A Part to Play

Title: A Part to Play

Series:  N/A

Author: Jennifer L. Fry

Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press

Published: August 10, 2012 

Genre: Young Adult

Format: Kindle

Pages: 261

Source: Received from author

Read: February 27-March 3, 2013

In A Few Words: Intriguing at first, but then loses momentum
My Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads: Add To Your TBR Shelf

Synopsis:

When fifteen-year-old actress Lucy Carter loses her older sister in a car accident, her mother shuts down and her father can’t hold the family together. Their only choice is to ship Lucy off to the Edmond School for Performing Arts. But boarding school is no cure for Lucy’s grief. With failing grades, wooden stage performances, and curfew violations, Lucy is threatened with expulsion. For the once talented Lucy, it feels as though she has nowhere to turn.

One night, Lucy hears mysterious music drifting through the school’s old heating system. The music leads her to a troubled but passionate songwriter whose brilliance gives her the strength to perform like never before. Yet their intense relationship puts Lucy in a precarious position: if she follows her muse, will she lose herself? And if she breaks it off, can she stand on her own again?

Melissa's Musings:

This story started out a bit stiff, though the opening paragraph, comparing a storm to Lucy's mood was enough to draw me in. 

I did feel that the backstory was somewhat lacking. There are only brief snippets of explanation of Kate's accident and then Lucy ends up shuttled off by her parents to a music/drama boaridng school. I felt that there could have been a little more buildup here, maybe in the form of more flashbacks to life before the accident and right after, that would have helped to build the setup for her parents sending her away, that would have helped facilitate the transition. Without it, it just seems harsh and stilted, and the end doesn't seem quite as well rounded in terms of Lucy's relationship with her parents as it could have been.

In the beginning, Lucy's character is almost completely unfeeling. That in itself is fine, given the situation, but I was surprised with the fact that there was no real challenge to her behavior from her teacher's or her friends, until she gets in major trouble for sneaking out. 

While Isa's lack of pressure was concerning to the overall story, her easygoing nature was one of the things I loved about her the most. That and her semi-rebellious nature and her fiesty attitude. Isa's character had an edge to her that's quite likeable.  

I actually felt more connected to the secondary characters in the story than I did to Lucy. The secondary characters felt more fleshed out, and seemed to have more of a consistency to them. After a while Lucy's character just seemed to be inconsistent. She felt like she was running hot and cold. One second she was pissed off about her situation and angry at her parents, and the next she was thrown in to her romance with Chris and everything else became secondary to her including her friends. That bothered me because for someone who feels like they've been abandoned you'd think that she would understand and not put so much of her time into a relationship with a guy. And she does try to balance her friends and Chris, I will give Lucy that.

Chris makes things very difficult for her with his personality. As I was reading I became more and more put off by him. I found myself saying things like "what an asshole". while reading, that's how negative his character is. He has mood swings that to me bordered on being bipolar and a very controlling nature.  He started out all nice and sweet and things get progressively darker from there. I won't give away what happens between them, but lets just say there's a nice bit of growth on the part of one of the characters.

As for the story itself, I have to admit it was a lot more interesting in the beginning when Chris's character was a mystery man, possibly a ghost seranading Lucy with his music at night. I really liked the story up until the point of his introduction, but once Chris's character comes in, the story loses some of its' momentum, and it seems to become more about the trials and tribulations of dating than about Lucy coming to terms with her own demons and making her peace, which is what I felt was really at the heart of the story. The ending feels rushed and too wrapped up, which I feel conflicted about.

The reason I feel conflicted about the ending is because the author gives us a glimpse of Lucy's life after the end of her sophmore year. Most of the time, I love when an author gives us tiny glimpses like this. But in this case, it just doesn't feel right. It feels like it's wrapped up a little too neatly with the perfect happy ending. Especially the situation with Lucy's mom. They go from not talking at all, to one or two phone calls, to her being at Lucy's play, showering her with compliments. It felt like Lucy's mom got off too easily, the resolution wasn't quite as significant as it could have been.

Overall, this is a well thought out story, and the twist of having Lucy be sent away after the death of her sister is certainly a unique one in the subset of books that deal with family tragedy.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton Books

Published: January 10, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 318

Source: Library

Read: November 20, 2012

In A Few Words : Powerful

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads: Add This To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Melissa's Musings:

This is my first John Green book. I checked out An Abundance of Katherines once, but it got lost in the stack of library books and had to be returned before I could read it. Now that I've read The Fault in Our Stars, I want to gobble up the rest of Green's books as fast as I can if they're all as powerful as this one.

I've been seeing reviews of this book around the blogosphere for months now. Nearly all of the reviews have raved about it, so I was the tiniest bit skeptical that it would live up to all the hype, but it definitely did.

The Author's Note for this book is one of the more interesting ones I've seen.

"This is not so much an author's note as an author's reminder of what was printed in small type a few pages ago: This book is a work of fiction. I made it up.

                Neither novels or their readers benefit from attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea that made-up stories can matter, which is sort of the foundational assumption of our species.
                  I appreciate your cooperation in this matter."

When I first read this I thought it was strange that he would point this out. But, as the story goes on, I see why he did. I'm not sure that I fully agree with this point, though. Simply because I'm always wondering what an author's motivation is for writing a story they way they do and whether there are any hidden facts inside stories. As the saying goes, "Write what you know" so in many cases some of these stories must contain hidden facts. I don't, however, think that these efforts, should any reader choose to pursue them, attack the idea that made up stories can matter. If I did, I doubt I would have been nearly as attached an emotionally invested in this book as I was.

This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, so be prepared. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may even laugh while crying, like I did. This book packs a serious punch.

Hazel is such a great character. She's sharp, witty, philosophical, and yet still teenagery at times, as her mother puts it. Hazel might seem bitter or cynical about her diagnosis to some, but I took it more as realistic than anything. Her voice in the story is real. It's natural and the dialogue, especially her internal monologues, flow so smoothly.

Some of Hazel's quotes are deep. I know this one has probably been quoted a million times, but it really speaks volumes about the story and about how Hazel feels.

"I'm like. Like. I'm like a grenade, Mom. I'm a grenade and at some point I'm going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay?"... "I'm a grenade" I said again. "I just want to stay away from people and read books and think and be with you guys because there's nothing I can do about hurting you; you're too invested, so just please let me do that, okay? I'm not depressed. I don't need to get out more. And I can't be a regular teenager, because I'm a grenade." (Green, 99)

This quote speaks volumes about how it must feel to live with cancer. I couldn't imagine it. And when I read this, I felt like I'd been punched. Hazel is realistic about her diagnosis. She doesn't like it of course, but she seems to have reached a place of acceptance.

And then there's Augustus. The oh so cute boy who happens to walk into the support group that Hazel and Issac attend. And he's interested in her.

I loved Augustus' character. He was the perfect mix of sweetheart and bad boy. I also love the touch of him having an unlit cigarette in his mouth all the time, and the reason for not lighting it. You'll have to read it to see what I mean. Augustus always knows just what to say. And I love how he calls Hazel "Hazel Grace" I don't know exactly why I love this so much, but I do. Their romance is solid, steady, and real. 

A quote of his that I really loved:

"I'm in love with you," he said quietly.

"Augustus," I said.

"I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you. 

 (Green, 153)

Isn't that just perfect?

I also love that Hazel and Augustus bond over books. Hazels' love of a book called An Imperial Affliction. Though they do bond over the book (and much more) it's their experiences surrounding it that have taught me never to put authors I love on quite as high a pedestal because you never know what may happen to change that rose colored view of them.

There's so much more that I could say about this book. But it really is one of those books that you just have to experience for yourself. It's an amazing story that deals with so many important ideas and themes, that are not only important to teens but to adults as well.

This has definitely become my new favorite book of 2012 and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a powerful, moving story.

Four in the Morning by Christi Goddard

Title: Four in the Morning

Author: Christi Goddard

Publisher:  Immortal Ink Publishing

Published:May 2012

Format: E-book

Pages: 202 pages

Source: Received in exchange for

an honest review

Read: November 26

In A Few Words: Surprising

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads: Add This to Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

Kathleen Hayson thinks her biggest problem is her mother. The only runner up—her mouth. With a wit sharper than her mother's perfectly manicured nails, her clever remarks create more problems than they solve.

But it's not her clever remarks landing her knee-deep in trouble. This time, Josh Colby is to blame. Kathleen's former childhood friend has become the school's most stuck up jerk. Before, she'd have told him to piss off and write his own stupid letter to the town slut/minister's daughter. Now Kathleen's escalating problems at home force her to reevaluate how flexible her principles are. She agrees to write the controversial letter Josh has requested.

Enter Rigel, a smartass magical creature who invades her room one night, promising he has come to help. When a boy Kathleen hates turns up dead and her mother goes missing, the letter becomes a key piece of police evidence—implicating Kathleen. As she fights her way out of a web of lies, the trust she has in those closest to her shatters. In the end, she's pushed to a terrible choice: who lives, and who else dies.

*also available in print*

Melissa's Musings:

Let me start off by saying, I finished this book and the first thought that popped into my mind was "What the fuck?" Excuse the swearing but that really was the first thought I had. The last portion of the book is just so strange, so that phrase fits perfectly. 

The story does a good job of pulling you in immediately. Kathleen is a tough character full of sharp wit and snark, which I really liked. Kathleen sure as hell needed it to put up with her mother. This kind of character profile  can be hard to pull off at times, but Goddard does a great job of making her likeable. Her character profile is really well done and it's easy to relate to her. 

Kathleen and her mother have a lot of problems. For as likeable a character that Kathleen is, her mother is ten times as unlikeable. I kept finding myself thinking, "Wow, her mother is such a bitch." I haven't said that about a character in a while. Here's just one quote as an example of how awful Kathleen's mother is to her:

"No boyfriend still?" Mom said. "Not that I'm surprised. Boys tend to give flowers when they want something. Or already got something. Payment for services rendered, perhaps?"

"Yeah, 'cause I'm a big fat ho."I grabbed a vase off one of the shelves in the curio and headed upstairs, stomping the whole way just to hear my footsteps reverberate through the house."

Goddard, Kindle location 725.

That's just one of the choice interactions between Kathleen and her mother. There are a few others that are equally as bad if not worse. You do end up finding out why their relationship is so sour, but I won't spoil the whole reason for it. Part of the reason is that Kathleen's mother is psychotic. She holds a grudge towards Kathleen and takes it out on her in unusual ways, such as punishing her for not eating a dinner of eggplant by making her take a cold bath with the eggplant in it.

In addition to a psychotic mother, Kathleen has a virtually non existent sister and father, a cryptic best friend, a bully who likes to torment her and another boy who is interested in her but won't really tell her that. Add to that a talking skunk with a British accent, who's something else entirely more creepy altogether, a couple of crimes and  you have an odd paranormal mystery type story on your hands.

This was the first time I'd read about a talking skunk in any stories, and he is definitely an odd character. You'll see what I mean when you read this.

There is quite the balance of moments that will make you laugh out loud, as well as those that will have you shaking your head saying "WTF?"

This is definitely different than anything I've read lately and I'm curious to see what will come next from Goddard. If I had one thought or piece of advice to offer I'd say, "Remember that things and people are not always what they seem." The crazy turns of events will definitely keep you on your toes.

The only thing I was confused about was the title. I might have missed the clue on this one and not been reading carefully enough, but I'm just not sure what the significance of the title is.

Has anyone else read this? If so what did you think?

Shifted Perspective by J. Bridger

Title: Shifted Perspective (Tails of Change #1)

Author: J. Bridger

Publisher: Self-Published

Published: August 28, 2012

Format: E-book/Kindle

Pages: 231

Source: Received From Author

in exchange for an honest review

Read: November 24-25

In A Few Words: Interesting take on shape shifting

My Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads:  Add this to your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:
Caleb Byrne is a bright high school senior who has enough to deal with between college choices, taking care of his single dad, and dealing with his headstrong girlfriend Joanna and an eccentric set of cousins in California. He was managing to get by until the day he woke up a Cocker Spaniel. Even if it only happens monthly and is more embarrassing than painful, the so-called ability is something that he's anxious to be rid of.

He didn't realize his transformations would drag him into a hidden society of canine and lupine shape shifters as well as a family legacy he hates. To make matters worse, after moving to Los Angeles to learn more about his heritage from his Aunt Moira and his cousin Kalista, Caleb now struggles through life-and-death matters. He keeps angering the werewolves in charge of the shifter world, especially Kalista's boyfriend Peter, the Southern California alpha's son, who also happens to be grade-A sociopath. Worse, Caleb's floundering to keep his secret from Joanna.

While his family offers him some support, they may not be enough as Caleb realizes that the rules in shifter society---number one is supposed to be don't kill humans---are not so ironclad. Some werewolf out there is leaving a blood-soaked trail across the Midwest and it might just be with the alpha's blessing...

Melissa's Musings:

This is an interesting take on shape shifting. I don't think I've ever read a story where the main character shifted into a cocker spaniel. I have to admit that at first  I thought this was really strange. I just couldn't wrap my head around shifting into a dog. I know that werewolves aren't that far of a stretch, but a cocker spaniel was just...different.

I was slightly disappointed that there wasn't more backstory about Calebs' mom, and her leaving them. That's just a personal preference of mine though, I'm always curious about the characters' backgrounds. Even though I was hoping for more of their background, I see now how not explaining it works well to set up the story and leave Caleb wondering about his shifter heritage.  

The writing flows easily for the most part. There are a few patches where the wall is broken and instead of speaking in character, as Caleb, the author seems to be speaking directly to the reader. Sometimes this can work, but in this case it breaks the flow slightly.

There are a lot of nice touches in the details, regarding the shifting and Calebs' abilities. When Joanna starts having seizures, Caleb has times when he realizes when they're coming and helps her through them. 

The romance between Caleb and Joanna is sweet, and definitely realistic, not insta-love. I thought for a second that there might be a love triangle between Penny, Caleb and Joanna, but thankfully there's not. Though, now that I'm thinking about it would be unusual in some ways because most if not all love triangles I've read lately have involved a girl and two guys, so it would be interesting to see a love triangle from a guys' perspective. That being said, I hope that doesn't happen. Penny and Caleb's relationship is perfect as is: friends/working partners.

Overall the story is good. It's well paced and has just enough detail to leave you guessing.  I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a unique twist on shifter stories.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Published: March 22 2011

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 359

Source: Library

Read: September 15-16 2012

In A Few Words: 

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads: Add this to your TBR shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Melissa's Musings:

A few days ago, I posted my review of Hex Hall. Let me just say that Demonglass is just as good. I was so involved in the story that I didn't quite see all the twists and turns that come up in this book, so I was nicely surprised there.

There is a love triangle, but to be honest I really kind of enjoy this one. I know that I've said in the past that some love triangles are horrible, but this one is really well done. The dynamics that Sophie has with each of the guys are really different, so they're easy to differentiate, and she really has different feelings for each one. It's kind of a forced love triangle in a way since Cal is betrothed to her, but it still works well. I feel for Cal, he's so nice and it's clear that he cares for her a lot, so it's a shame that she doesn't feel the same way. Although judging by some actions toward the end of the book this may change, it'll be interesting to see what happens between them in the next book.

There's a lot of action in this book, and a lot more magic and spells. A lot more dark magic, of course, now that Sophie knows she's a demon. There's cool teleportation, Sophie's bound to a ghost, people are trying to kill her, it really is jam packed. But, the laugh out loud humor is still there, which is awesome. I loved it in the last book and I loved it in this one too.

The progression of the relationship between Sophie and her father is really great to watch too. At first, she's unsure, and doesn't trust him. I wouldn't either, if he'd been gone from my life for 17 years. But then as she starts to trust him a little more, she grows to care for him. It's clear that she wants to make him proud, and that she recognizes that he has a lot that he can teach her. 

The story leaves you wanting so much more. I don't want to put in any spoilers but let me just say that I'm so disappointed that my library doesn't have the third book, I'll have to get it ASAP so that I can find out what happens.