Review: Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson

Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson
Expected publication: April 10, 2012 (Tom Doherty Associates)
Pages: 336
Rating: Squee-worthy
Source: E-ARC from the publisher
Series or stand-alone: Sentinels of New Orleans (1)
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Find the author online: Twitter | Website


As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.

My Review

Suzanne Johnson's urban fantasy, Royal Street starts off with a bang: a bottle of rum, a junior wizard, and a sexy, undead pirate - and the action and mystery never lets up from there.  As an apprentice sentinel (the sentinel is a wizard who keeps all the creepy-crawly oogly-boogly's from slipping through the barrier of the other side and into New Orleans), Drusilla Jaco, or DJ as she prefers to be called, is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her potions, but lacking in the physical magic department.  She can paralyze you with a potion, but can't throw you across the room - so imagine strong-willed DJ's surprise and frustration when, after her mentor goes missing in the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the wizard's Elder council sends an Enforcer in as her new partner...a sexy-as-hell Enforcer, complete with grenades, hand guns, and a seductive aura to him that DJ has to struggle to resist.  

After Katrina, the normally resistant walls between the afterlife - where you'll find anyone from vengeful pirate Jean Lafitte to Louis Armstrong - disintegrated.  Normally, DJ's mentor and father figure, Gerry would be the wizard sending the dead back where they belong, but with him missing and presumed dead, the task falls to DJ, now promoted to Sentinel, a task even she isn't sure she's prepared for.  She's got a lot on her plate: Alex, her Enforcer - whom she may be falling for - plus Jake, his amber-eyed, big-hearted cousin who she's definitely crushing on, not to mention Jean Lafitte, who won't stay dead, and either wants to kiss her or kill her.  

I had a LOT of fun with Royal Street.  I read it in two days, and would have finished it sooner, but the formatting was kind of weird - it was set by default at a small font, so I kept having to enlarge the font every time I turned a page, but that's neither here nor there.  DJ is an awesome heroine - kick-ass despite her lack of physical magic.  She's resourceful, she's independent and fierce, and I fell for hr instantly.  I connected with her, and couldn't tear myself away from Royal Street and DJ's adventures.  I loved learning about her and her relationships with her family and with Gerry.  I also loved watching her interact with both Alex and Jake.  (It probably didn't help that I'm pretty sure I mentally dream cast Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Alex - he's too old for the role, but mmmmm, that didn't stop me.)

Suzanne Johnson has written a superb first in a series, and it's the most excited I've been about a new series in awhile.  With some books, I feel that a sequel isn't necessary; with Royal Street, I was emphatic that there HAD to be a sequel - and there will be, later this year!  I was impressed with the pacing of Royal Street, as well as how carefully Suzanne crafted her characters, from DJ to Alex, to Jake (*swoons a lot*) to Gerry, and so on.  Drusilla is a fabulous narrator, and I really loved her voice, mixed with Suzanne's snappy writing style.  But she also knows how - and more importantly - when to slow things down for a romantic interlude or a sobering family moment.  There's a wealth of potential here for more stories, and more adventures, especially with the knowledge that we aren't just talking the not-so-resting dead - we're also talking potential for vampires, werwolves, and other such creatures of the night to come into play.  (And somehow, I don't think these vampires will sparkle...)

I was only mildly disappointed with a few aspects of Royal Street - one of them was what was, I assume, supposed to be a big reveal, but I figured it out a LONG time before DJ did.  That's okay, because I still enjoyed Royal Street, but some of the events that happened after the reveal upset me a bit...I felt like all the lead-up had been for nothing, but really, that was my only complaint.  Everything else was great, including the smoking hot Alex and the still water, Jake.  

I'm absolutely torn between the two of them - my heart says Alex is more DJ's type, but you see, Jake is THAT character that I always fall for - the shoulder when you need to cry, the kiss that instantly sweeps you off your feet, the tormented edge that draws you in, the chivalry that makes you fall even harder.  Jake is quiet and stalwart with an edge he doesn't show often, and when the way Royal Street left off with him, I'm both happy and nervous for the next books.  I will definitely be reading anything else in this series that Suzanne Johnson publishes!

Further Thoughts

What's your favorite urban fantasy novel?  Have you read Royal Street - if not, will you?   (I promise you'll like it.)  Do you read a lot of urban fantasy, whether it's YA or adult?  What type of male character do you fall for, the alpha male hotness or the quiet, tormented-but-amazing guy?

In My Mailbox - #19

 { ++ } Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this weekly meme which gives bloggers a chance to highlight the books we bought, checked out, won, or otherwise procured over the last week. And whether I've came into money (brb, laughing forever) or only had the goods to splurge on a book or two, they all deserve some love.

Books Mentioned

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington { Add it on Goodreads } 

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St James { Add it on Goodreads } 

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen { Add it on Goodreads } 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo { Add it on Goodreads } 

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer { Add it on Goodreads } 

Thank you to the Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours, Southern Book Bloggers ARC Tours, MacMillan, and Jess at Gone with the Words!

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Slide by Jill Hathaway
Expected publication: March 27, 2012 (Balzter + Bray)
Pages: 256
Series or stand-alone: Slide (1) 
Rating: Squee-worthy
Source: ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

My Review

 Author Jill Hathaway strikes a mesmerizing balance of mystery and poignant emotional turmoil with her debut offering, Slide.  The story of teenager Sylvia "Vee" Bell, Slide is a murder mystery on the surface, but it's also a story of a broken family trying to piece themselves back together, and it's that aspect that called strongly to me.  Vee's mother died five years before the story starts, and it's that loss that still haunts Vee, her sister, Mattie, and their father, who tells them he loves them in the only ways he can - through the elaborate meals he cooks for them.  Vee and Mattie are both studies in grief, though they both express it in different ways.  I liked Vee right away, but after reading Slide, part of the problem is that I didn't connect with Vee.  

That's not to say that Slide isn't a fantastic story.  Vee may be a diagnosed narcoleptic, but only she knows the truth about herself: when she passes out, she slips into the mind and body of whomever she's last had physical contact with.  All it takes it for the person she touches to be emotionally charged about something, and even them handing her a dollar or brushing against her is enough.  After she "slides" into the body of the person who murdered one of her sister's friends, Vee holds knowledge that no one else does: Sophie did not commit suicide like everyone else thinks. Someone killed her - and Vee's determined to find out who the killer is.  For the first time, she considers her ability not a curse, but a blessing - and a tool to solve the mystery of Sophie's death.  

I was completely engrossed in the mystery aspect of Slide; I will say that Jill Hathaway definitely had me guessing up until the last minute, even throwing in some rather clever red herrings to distract the reader from the identity of the real killer.  That portion of Slide was brilliantly done; however, there were other storylines to the book that I felt got a gloss-over treatment in order to focus (maybe too much) on the mystery playing out.  Vee's strained friendship with her best friend - and maybe love interest - Rollins was well done, and their relationship was my favorite part of Slide, but her blossoming romance with new boy in town Zane was mediocre at best, falling into the overdone "insta love" trap that too many authors step into, rather willingly or unknowingly.  I wanted so much to love them; instead, Zane's potential was badly wasted, and his and Vee's relationship - which goes from zero to sixty in a matter of a few days - felt forced and just tossed into Slide to give it more depth, an attempt that failed.  

Slide is a hard book for me to review - I adored some parts, and wanted to rip out others.  Most of the secondary characters were very sympathetic - I especially felt for Vee's father, once more was revealed about him.  I'll be anxious to learn more about him and about Mattie in the sequel, Imposter.   I did feel like sometimes the choices a few of the characters made didn't make sense, and I'd like to see growth out of Vee and a few others in the sequel/other books.  I also felt like Slide was WAY too short - at 245 pages, I felt like I had barely gotten to know the characters before the book was over, and instead of taking a chance and leaving a few things dangling, Jill Hathaway did what so many authors do, and tried to tie everything up a bit too neatly at the end.  I wish more authors weren't afraid of not a cliffhanger ending per se, but just not having to have every plot arc wrapped into a pretty package as the book ends.  

Overall, Slide is a fun murder mystery that will keep readers guessing, but could have used more depth in a few areas in order to achieve a better balance.  The sequel, Imposter will be out either approximately early next year, and I will read it because even if she's a tough nut to crack, Vee Bell is a fascinating character, and I think this series has a lot of potential. 

Note: A special thanks goes out to the Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!  

Further Thoughts

What's your take on YA murder mysteries?  Have you read Slide, or will you?   Do you get drawn in to the family aspect of contemporary novels, or could you take it or leave it so to speak?

Review: Belles by Jen Calonita

Belles by Jen Calonita
Expected publication: April 10, 2012 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Pages: 356
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Belles (1)  (YAY!)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Twitter


Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. 

Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

My Review

Belles by Jen Calonita was a true pleasure to read.  Told in dual narratives from the point of view of North Carolina Southern cousins Isabelle (or Izzie) and Mirabelle (or Mira), this is definitely a light, fun, spring or summer-time read, a story of family secrets, prejudices, overcoming obstacles, and heart-felt romance.  I actually sat on my back porch reading this one, soaking up the sun, and the story of Izzie and Mira.  I was instantly drawn to Izzie, who, although she does grow a bit over the course of Belles, is already a mature, sensible, compassionate, loyal person when the story starts; Izzie has spent the last few years taking care of her Grams, who helped raise her, but is slowly descending into Alzheimer's.  When Izzie's social worker reveals that her Grams, before she lost her facilities, had arranged for Izzie to go live with her uncle and his family a few towns over, Izzie has to leave behind the only life she's ever known, and despite the kindness of her new family, she quickly feels like an outsider in her new life - complete with a mansion, a private school, and a new social ladder to climb.  

Mira, on the other hand, is a bit tougher to categorize.  Mira lives a comfortable life, and Izzie's arrival tilts Mira's world upside down.  Mira is a member of the popular crowd and she dates a handsome football player, but over the course of Belles it is Mira's personal growth that is really admirable and a joy to watch.  Mira has never dared push the bubble she lives in, hasn't ever stood up to her beset friend, mean girl Savannah, or looked past the surface of her relationship with her boyfriend.  As Mira struggles to accept her cousin for who she is, she also strives to come to terms with both the life she has, and going after the life she wants.  

The plot of Belles is, although somewhat predictable at times, no less adorable and uplifting because of it.  Watching both Mira and Izzie try to accept the changes and challenges in their life put a smile on my face by the end of Belles.   There were times that both girls made a few questionable decisions, yet in their situations, I can't say if I would have made a smarter choice or not!  I cheered a lot for Izzie over the course of the story, and definitely for Mira, too.  Belles made me laugh, made me tear up once or twice, and made me fall in love with a few of the secondary characters, like Brayden, Hayden, and Kellen.  (I totally didn't pick up on the rhyming names until the end...HEE.)  I giggled like crazy over a few of the more romantic moments, and sobered up, breathless, over the reveals throughout the book.  

Jen Calonita knows how to write a compelling novel, for sure.  I had a few quibbles with Belles though - and one of them was that several of the characters felt rather flat.  This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it was definitely something that I noticed.  Savannah and some of the other girls were vapid and one-dimensional; Savannah uttered one of the most insipid and insane lines I've ever heard from a literary character (I was so enraged I tweeted about it!)  And there were two or three moments when the point of view would randomly switch to another character's - once to Brayden, once to a teacher, etc.  To me this was definitely something an editor should have caught.  And the big reveal at the end wasn't anything too huge considering there were several clues dropped throughout the novel; however, it did certainly make everything more interesting!

However, Belles was a great read, full of laughter, smile-worthy moments, and a lovely story of a blended family.  Belles touched my heart, and I will definitely be looking forward to the sequel!

Note: A special thank you goes out to Southern Book Bloggers ARC Tours for the chance to read this book! 

Further Thoughts

Do you enjoy stories that shake the foundations of families with one or two well-placed secrets?  Do you anticipate the big reveal, or try to figure it out before the author reveals it?  

In My Mailbox - #18

 { ++ } Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this weekly meme which gives bloggers a chance to highlight the books we bought, checked out, won, or otherwise procured over the last week. And whether I've came into money (brb, laughing forever) or only had the goods to splurge on a book or two, they all deserve some love.

Books Mentioned

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock { Add it on Goodreads } | For review

Tempest by Julie Cross { Add it on Goodreads } | Gifted

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood { Add it on Goodreads }

Across the Universe by Beth Revis { Add it on Goodreads } 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins { Add it on Goodreads } | For review

Gilt by Katherine Longshore { Add it on Goodreads } 

Torn by Amanda Hocking { Add it on Goodreads } 

Thank you to Harper Collins, the Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours, and to Rhiannon!  

Once Upon a Blogger - #3 Arianne from Arianne Cruz!

Because connecting doesn't stop at the "follow" button!

{ ++ } Once Upon a Blogger is a new feature I've started here at Once Upon a Prologue.  Each month (provided there's an ongoing interest!) I will feature one of my fellow bloggers (preferably a follower of mine) in an interview series designed to get to know my followers better, and also to spotlight other book bloggers.  I want to know who my followers are, beyond a name, and I want to put myself out there so y'all can know me better, too.  

{ ++ } This week's feature is Arianne from Arianne Cruz - she reviews movies, books, and the occasional television show (like The Vampire Diaries...bonus points!)  Have a look at her interview, then hop on over to her blog and show her some love!

I'm an actor, a reader, an occasional writer, a singer, a college student, and a businesswoman. If you want to know more, browse my blog or send me a message! I hope you enjoy your stay! :)

Find Arianne online: Twitter |  Blog

Waiting On Wednesday - #23: Timepiece by Myra McEntire

{ ++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine. You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat. We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

I'm Waiting On...

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong? 


Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results. 


Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough... 


The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Timepiece by Myra McEntire
Expected publication: June 12, 2012
Add it on Goodreads

Why It's Worth Waiting On:  Is this a serious question?  Oh wait, I'm the one asking it.  Okay, honest answer (as opposed to the fangirl answer which is IT'S TIMEY-WIMEY AND ABOUT HOT GUYS AND EM AND WIBBLY-WOBBLY STUFF!) is: Myra is an excellent writer whose characters resonate genuinely, and who knows how to ramp up the action and romance.  Plus, it's about time travel AND IT'S FROM KALEB'S POINT OF VIEW, OMG.  (Sorry, slipped back into fangirl mode for a sec.  HEE.)


{ ++ } What are YOU waiting on this week? 

Top Ten Tuesday - #15: Spring Into Reading

{ ++ } Hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, this meme features a different theme every week, and hey, it's Tuesday - we've got the rest of the week ahead of us.  We all need a little fun, and who doesn't love the challenge of ranking their top 10 anything...especially when it comes to books?!  I know I do, hence why I thought it'd be fun to participate, and spice things up a little!

March  20th: Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

{ 1 } Of Poseidon by Anna Banks.  I haven't read many - or any - mermaid type books, but some reason, this one just CALLS to me.  Plus from emailing and talking to Anna on Twitter, she seems fabulous!

{ 2 } Timepiece by Myra McEntire.  Okay, I know no one is surprised to see this one on here...but yes, you're going to have to put up with me fangirling incessantly over another of Myra's books.  I know this one is really a summer read, but I cheated because it's one of my MOST anticipated reads of this year.  : ) If you don't know Myra, go follow her on Twitter, or read Hourglass - just humor me.  It's worth it. 

{ 3 } Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood.  I bought this one a few weeks ago and am currently DYING to get to it.  Witchy + Historical?  YES PLEASE. Plus, I've read so many great reviews of it!

{ 4 } Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers.  I have an ARC of this one I'm going to start this week and I am SO psyched.  It just sounds so incredibly amazing, a bit different and unique. 

{ 5 } Struck by Jennifer Bosworth.  My awesome friend Suz at A Soul Unsung recently reviewed this on her blog and has me TOTALLY jazzed to read Mia's story.  I've been excited for Struck for awhile; now I'm really aflutter!  Plus Jennifer seems SO nice. 

{ 6 } Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.  I'm like the last person that I know who hasn't read this, I think.  I bought it this month and am hoping in April or May to finally get to it!  I think we ALL know how much I loved ANNA.  :D

{ 7 } Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.  I have an ARC of this one, too, so I'll be reading it next week or so, and I can't wait.  Kathleen is amazing - we've had several Doctor Who chats on Twitter - and I am just so over the moon for the chance to read Hemlock early.  The story itself just calls to me!

{ 8 } Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear.  (I'm totally cheating and picking a few reads off my NetGalley list since there are SO MANY amazing reads coming out.)  I've been fangirling over this one for awhile - between the cover and the synopsis I want to read it NOW NOW NOW. 

{ 9 } Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf.  Jennifer is REALLY sweet, and ever since I first read the synopsis for her book, for some unknown reason, I've been so incredibly drawn to it.  I really hope I love Breaking Beautiful. 

{ 10 } Embrace by Jessica Shirvington.  I recently won a giveaway for a copy of this and HOW excited was I?  *holds arms out really wide*  THIS EXCITED.  I think I'm going to love it, and I hope I do!


{ ++ } Your turn now.  What reads are YOU most excited for this spring?  There are many more I could have listed, but like I said...there are too many to choose from.  :D

Review: Croak by Gina Damico

Croak by Gina Damico
Expected publication: March 20, 2012 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Pages: 311
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Croak (1)
Source: E-ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rock star crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?
 

My Review

Lex Bartleby is a self-professed "equal opportunity bully," a girl who goes in two short years from being a model daughter to the terror of her high school.  When her parents inform her - after restraining her at the dinner table - that she's being sent to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, all hell breaks loose.  Lex goes, albeit unwillingly, and the real fun begins when she meets Uncle Mort and they travel to the hamlet of Croak, possibly the best kept secret and most unorthodox little town you've never heard of.  Hilarity, misadventures, and even a bit of romance ensue in debut author Gina Damico's Croak.  

I was excited to read this book, but when I started it, I was unsure.  It hit me what was wrong after about two chapters: this book is in 3rd person, and I've read mainly 1st person point of view books recently, so that in and of itself is NO fault of Croak.  And, the further I dug into the story, the cooler the setting is (more on that in a minute).  But by far, the point where I fell, heart and soul, for Croak...was when I met Uncle Mort.  Mort is too cool for words, and I may have squee'ed over him for an inappropriate amount of time.  He's not the only well-fleshed out character in the book - he just happens to be the most awesome one.  

Croak is a fun story, considering it revolves around the topic of death.  Gina Damico keeps the action flowing as well as the jokes.  There were a few moments where I literally laughed out loud - something completely unexpected amidst this story of a town full of Grim Reapers, but you see, Croak is irresistibly good.  Gina does a great job at writing not one but several teen characters - under her pen, they seem real, people you'd want to get to know, despite the scythes they carry.  Croak also brings to life the sleepy town through a vast array of hilarious secondary characters, and Gina even managed to surprise me with the identity of the book's villain.  

My only downsides are really quibbles: I wish several of the characters, mostly the other Grims, had been a bit more fleshed out.  As awesome as they were to Lex, befriending her, I'm hoping we get more back story (and possibly a bit less kissing in the case of Kloo and Ayjay) in the sequel.  Gina is talented enough that I'd hate to see her waste that by not living up to her full potential.  Croak proves that Gina is enough of a risk-taker to keep the reader guessing, so I am highly anticipating Scorch, the sequel. 

Overall Croak was an adorable, fluffier fantasy.  I would compare it to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - it kept reminding me of that series (which I LOVE) because at times, Gina would break from Lex's point of view and make a seemingly random statement that nonetheless was funny and fit right in with the tone of Croak.  There were also some very "punny" moments and names, which I loved.  I spent a lot of time giggling, which I think I mentioned, and there was definitely action and danger, and I loved the softer side of Lex we got to see as Croak goes on.  There is even a tinge of romance, but I won't spoil.  Instead I'll say...read this one yourself!

 Further Thoughts

Have you read Croak?  What did you think?  Are you as psyched for the sequel, Scorch, as I am?  Or have you read a similar book you'd like to recommend me?  Are you a fan of YA paranormal books?  I shelved this one as 'YA urban fantasy,' but it was also a bit of a paranormal romance, too - which is cool because I enjoy both genres.  What about you?

It's Once Upon a Prologue's First Birthday!

{ | } SO MY BLOG IS TURNING ONE - TODAY!  I've already put up a giveaway post, (up for grabs: a box of ARCs and as a runner up prize, a book of YOUR choice) but I wanted to take a minute to say a huge, heart-felt "THANK YOU" to everyone for the last year.  I've gained followers (which it still amazes me that anyone want to read this blog!)  It gives me a thrill when I gain a new follower; I never expected a dozen, much less several hundred. 

I've made blogging friends, and while I haven't been lucky enough to meet any of them in real life, I feel like I've started to get to know some truly wonderful, amazing, fun, and supportive people.  I'm still juggling the responsibilities of life with blogging (sometimes I wish my job was my hobby and my blog was an awesome job I got to do every day, though truly, I love my job and I adore blogging, so it all evens out.)  I've hit a few slumps but there have been a few people who've been with me from the beginning, and a few special, awesome followers who have really gone out of their way to welcome me to the blogging community.  I want to give a shout out to ALL of my followers/readers but to these amazing few:

1. Alison at Alison Can Read (She was one of my first few followers and is extremely nice!)
2. Rachel at Parajunkee's View (In case you don't know, Rachel is AMAZING.  She and Alison featured me for Follow Friday last fall and it gave my blog a wonderful boost.  Plus Rachel is such a pillar in the blogging community with her well-thought out reviews and Book Blogging 101 posts!)
3. Mickey at I'm a Book Shark (Mickey is totally fun to talk to, especially over Jodi Picoult novels.  Her blog is a great place to hang out and she's super encouraging!)
4. Anna at Literary Explorations (Her blog is awesome-sauce, and I always enjoy chatting books with her, or whatnot, and ARC swaps.)
5. Marie at Ramblings of a Daydreamer (Marie is one of the sweetest and most supportive people I know, and her blog is always a treat to visit)
6. Mimi at Mimi Valentine (How SWEET is Mimi?  She writes incredibly enthusiastic reviews
7. Michelle at Oh! For the Love of Books (Michelle invited me to participate in a blog hop in the fall and we've had a lot of fun getting to know each other since then!)
8. Jessica at Thoughts at One In the Morning (Jessica is such a passionate blogger, fellow writer, and we've hit it off over books and TV shows, like Castle!  HEE)
9. Caitlyn at The Cait Files (Cait is just plain fantastic!  She's supportive and hosts awesome discussion posts, is fun to chat with on Twitter, and writes amazingly honest reviews, which I LOVE.)
10. And a special, from the heart and soul, thank you to one of my BEST friends... Suz at A Soul Unsung.  Suz is the reason I started my book blog, and sometimes, the reason I kept mine going.  I admire her SO much for all the hard work she's put in to her blog and am so happy for the recognition she's been getting lately.  Seriously, if you don't follow her, please at least consider stopping by her blog.  Suz is "fantastic...and do you know what?  So was I."  (I went a little Doctor Who there at the end, but S won't mind.  ;))

I've had so many great moments and memories from this past year!  I wish I had the time and space to recap them all, but there's just TOO much... from writing my first review, to receiving my first ARC, to figuring out what the heck this whole "NetGalley" thing was, to reaching various followers milestones, being featured in Follow Friday, participating in blog tours...and through it all, reading some FABULOUS, heart-wrenching, life-changing books.  I can't wait for another wonderful, awesome year, and I hope y'all will be with me for the ride!