Reviews written by Renae M

Books like Wanderlove are the reason I started reading young adult in the first place. Vampires, oppressive governments, and dark and mysterious boys aren’t really my thing, and sometimes I try too hard to make them my thing. But they’re not. I dig contemporary/realistic fiction, and this book was just...

I think this is a perfect example of why Goodreads is so awesome, because I never would have found this book otherwise. The summary for Mary Hooper’s Newes from the Dead had me hooked, and I went out and bought it right away. A 17th century vivisection gone wrong (or...

Cynthia Hand’s first novel, Unearthly, was my first-ever angel book, and I really lucked out with it. I think it’ll always be special to me. However, when it came to reading the sequel, Hallowed, I was less than eager because it was obviously going to have some intense love triangle...

Paranormal romance has never been my genre. I don’t care for vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, ghosts, demons or mythological figures. However, I’ve decided that 2012 is the year I step out of my comfort zone, so I decided to give an angel book a try. Plus, Unearthly was a 99 cent...

I love it when a book surprises me. You come in with certain expectations and in the end they’re blown out of the water. That’s definitely what happened with Torn. I’d expected a gritty “issue” book, but intstead I got a realistic yet heartwarming contemporary novel, not fluffy by any...

I enjoy fantasy novels, but I’m usually leery of picking them up due to the genre’s tendency toward weak characterization, especially with female characters. Of course, Eon seemed to promise at least an attempt at feminist fantasy, and I was all over that. In Eon, Goodman did...

Well! The Luxe is over, and in spite of its ups and downs, I rather liked this series, and Splendor in particular. I think Godbersen definitely improved her storytelling as things progressed, and though I’m not massively in love with these books, I do think they’re worth reading if you’re...

Anna Godbersen’s Luxe series is a tough nut to crack, in more ways than one. All at once, the story of the Holland girls and their scheming peers is utterly ridiculous and yet bewilderingly addicting. However, I think that with the third installment in the series, Envy, Godbersen’s work took...

Rumors, much like its prequel, The Luxe, is a bewilderingly addicting read that’s heavy on drama and light on almost everything else. Godbersen’s writing is full of pretty dresses and vicious intrigue and starcrossed romance. In many (if not most) areas where this series succeeds, Rumors far outdistanced and...

I decided to reread The Luxe because I want to eventually finish this series, and this book didn’t stick in my mind well enough for me to understand future installments. Turns out, there was a reason I didn’t remember much of The Luxe—it’s an entirely unmemorable type of novel. ...

I probably/most likely/definitely never would have picked up Scarlet on my own. It really wasn’t a book I was interested in. However, my little sister is the leading YA epic fantasy/fatasy-esque historical fiction expert, so when she said Scarlet was good, I figured it was worth a try. And wooooo!...

Much like its prequel, Glass Heart is far from your typical paranormal novel, and readers should adjust their expectations accordingly. The magic these characters wield is kept low-key and subtle, and Garvey treats it more like an everyday staple than a specialty item on the menu. The major themes in...

Wren is hiding the zombie remains of her boyfriend in the neighbor’s garage. She resurrected him because, after Danny died in a car crash, she couldn’t move on past her grief. But he’s not the same anymore—he’s not alive like he was, even though he’s not dead. And some way...

Well. I haven’t been quite so surprised by a book in a long time. I walked into Harbinger thinking one thing and I got something completely different. And I mean that in the best possible way. From about page 30, this book had me hooked. Etienne’s writing is crisp and...

Of the very many 2012 YA debut novels I read last year, Kate Ellison’s The Butterfly Clues was one of my favorites. I was captivated by this author’s gorgeous prose, unique and memorable protagonist, authentic romance, and well-written (if predictable) mystery. Notes from Ghost Town was one of my most-anticipated...