Reviews written by Alanna Shaw

Well, well, well... Beautiful Choas got everything right this time around. I guess the saying, "The third time is a charm" has some merit after all. There was so much going on in this book that it's hard to narrow down one point worth...

I am a huge fan of retellings, especially Shakespeare (or other classics). I just love how a good retelling can make an otherwise intimidating book more accessible to younger readers. However, Exposure just didn't work for me. As far...

I decided to switch things up a bit from my normal reading this month, and try Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian . I was expecting a typical teenage angst filled story full of revenge and back stabbing. What I ended up with was something slightly...

I thought my heart would only beat for Tris and Four, but now I have met Ruby and Liam. Ohmysweetgoodness. What a wonderful combination in The Darkest Minds. There is no crazy love triangle (*cough Hunger Games *cough) to pull at your head and cloud your...

If you are familiar with this series, then you know it is told from Ethan's point of view. I am almost always a fan of YA books with a male narrator, since there doesn't seem to be enough of them out there. The Caster Chronicles is unique because it's a...

Why did I let this series sit on my bookshelves so long before I read it? WHY?! This blew me away. The setting, characters, and plot were phenomenal. Loved every page. I'm a Southern girl, so when I find a (good) YA book set...

Oh man. I am so conflicted with this one. I don't know whether I loved it or hated it. So, this review will be a bit different. First off, why I did not like the book: the ending. Normally, I am a huge...

Amazing. Simply amazing. Another hit for Sarah Beth Durst. Ice was one of a kind and exceeded all expectations. This has to be one of the best settings for a story that I have read in a long time. It was highly original. You...

This was one part Frankenstein and one part Romeo and Juliet. I fully expected to be slightly creeped out by one or more characters in the book, but what I didn't expect was such a hot and steamy romance. There are many interesting characters in Broken....

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore Sarah Beth Durst? Probably, but it's worth saying again. I love how each book I pick up is completely different from the one before it. Durst obviously has a talent that is above par. While Enchanted...

As much as I love this series, I have to say I was a little disappointed with Crimson Frost. Maybe it's just me, but this series is dragging on. I really thought this would be the final book, and I was sad when I started... BUT, now I'm ready for...

This was certainly meant for younger readers! It had a cutesy feel to it, but it was still fun to read. I thought Mermin was adorable. He looked more like an aquatic frog crossed with the Creature from the Black Lagoon than a mercreature....

Well, I have to admit this one didn't make much of an impression on me. It had a fairly nice story to pull me along, but beyond that I wasn't feeling much. Let's start with the plot, shall we? I do love a good...

When I started this book, I was completely confused. Seriously. The new lingo and the cryptic nature of the story itself had me thrown for a loop. In fact, I really didn't care for the story much because of it. But, since I picked this book...

This was different from what I expected. I wasn't sure what I would be reading when I started this book. I knew Maus was a Holocaust story, but I didn't know what type of story it would be. Calling it a "contemporary classic of immeasurable significance" is an understatement. I...