Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Genre

YA Contemporary

Publication Date

June 26th, 2012

Publisher

Egmont USA

Available At

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Formats

Hardcover

Ebook

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?


As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?


The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.


Review
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


One word. Intense. One Moment had me in a constant anticipation mode, but not the eager anticipation, the nervous anticipation. I was stuck with a perpetual free-falling feeling. You know the one, jittery nerves, rapid heartbeat, stomach jammed up into your throat while you wait for it to drop out from beneath you. Like I said, intense. You want to know what happened, you want to know the secrets that were being kept, but you just know that they will be devastating, especially because Joey is so damn likable. 


Thick in mystery, Kristina McBride leads us on an adventure that will throw suspicions all over the place. I loved that we got information as Maggie got information, it allowed me to connect to her and feel with her. The writing also added to Maggie's character because it was almost desperate, depressed, and a little bit hopeless until that little flicker of light reveals itself to help lead Maggie out of the dark. To say I was captivated is an understatement. I was eager to finish, but also reluctant because I fell in love with so many of the characters. There is no way possible for you to read this and NOT feel the powerful emotions behind this story. They were sometimes suffocating, but only because Kristina McBride successfully portrays each emotion and character to the T. She has amazing talent that has made me a fan for life.


If you want real characters, an intense plot and completely entrancing writing then check out One Moment. Just make sure you have tissues near-by and are prepared to read until the end because this book was simply unputdownable.

*Received my copy of this book from NetGalley*

Review: Tyler Falls by Lori Clark

Genre

YA Contemporary

Publication Date

May 26th, 2012

Publisher

Self-Published

Available At

Amazon

Format

Ebook

By the time seventeen-year-old Tyler Falls meets Emma, his "Thirty-Days-Left-to-Live" plan is already in place -- and falling in love isn't part of that plan.


Tyler has suffered from manic depression for as long as he can remember. Through medication and therapy, he manages to keep his life together. But when his parents are murdered, he decides he's had enough of living as a broken person with a broken life. So, in thirty days, he plans to stick the barrel of his Ruger SP101 into his mouth and pull the trigger.


Emma Perez's brother, Ethan Giovanni, sits in a mental institution for the murder of Dr. and Mrs. Falls. Deemed mentally incompetent and unfit to stand trial, Ethan has one weekly visitor -- Emma. She doesn't deny his guilt, he's her brother and she loves him spite of the fact he's paranoid schizophrenic.


They say when you cross paths with someone more than once, it's fate -- you're destined to meet. Tyler doesn't know Emma is Ethan's sister, and Emma doesn't know Tyler's story either. When Tyler learns who Emma's brother is, the world he's rebuilt around her begins to crumble all over again and it leaves both of them wondering why fate has such a cruel sense of humor.


Review
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars


Tyler Falls is a really sweet romance, but for a story about a 17 year-old guy with plans to commit suicide and that unknowingly falls in love with the sister of the guy that changed his life forever, it shouldn't have been sweet. It should have been a gut-wrenching love story that rips the emotions from you as you read.


The struggles of the characters just didn't come across as plausible, they were too light for the depth that was trying to surface. There should have been many layers to peel back as we read, but I found the story too simple and straight forward to successfully pull me in. Especially with Tyler's tormented past and "Thirty-Days-Left-To-Live" plan. There should have been a monumental struggle with Tyler and how his plan was changing, but there wasn't. He just simply accepted the change in his life and the change of his feelings without any difficulties. The story revolved around a romance when I think it should have been more focused on two individuals that found the power to heal with each other. Which can be classified as the same thing, but it's not.


The story alternated with chapters from Tyler's perspective and Emma's perspective and while in most cases I revel in being able to get inside each characters minds, I was a little put off by the redundancy. Each scene that involved both Emma and Tyler were told from both perspectives with scenes of the same dialogue. There were some added scenes that took place prior or after, but sometimes the wording was different from the scene in the others perspective. 


My favorite aspect was the relationship between Tyler and his Uncle Kyle. That was the one thing that was the most natural and the most endearing. I also greatly appreciated that the characters were portrayed in a more natural light. Meaning: they cursed, drank a little and so on. Tyler Falls is a book that needed that 'uncleanliness' to show the roughness of the characters.


I did enjoy reading Tyler Falls, I just wish that the story wasn't so light considering the heavy-hitting premise. I can say, though, that I'm very intrigued to see what other stories Lori Clark will produce.

*Received to review via the author through Making Connections YA Edition*

Review: Drip Drop Teardrop(novella) by Samantha Young

Avery hasn't had it easy.

When she was ten years old her parents died in a car crash. Now nine years later her Aunt Caroline is the only family member she has left. And Caroline is dying.
So when death comes knocking (quite literally) in the form of damaged and dangerous, Brennus, Avery makes a deal with the reaper in order to save Caroline.

Brennus is Ankou.

One of the many, once mortal men and women, who were given the choice to become an immortal in exchange for ferrying the dead over into their afterlife.
Nine years ago Brennus took Avery's parents and tried to take Avery, but she fought him and won. Amazed by her strength Brennus followed Avery and has watched over her.
Now he knows Avery is the one to offer him freedom from his obligation to the dead.
And he'll stop at nothing to have her.

Authors Warning: YA Paranormal Romance for mature teens(some content may not be suitable                      for younger readers)

Review

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

What I have come to learn is that fans of Samantha Young will never be disappointed. She has such talent spinning new, unique tales that surround characters that pack a punch. Docile and surrendering characters? Never. Samantha's characters all have one thing in common: they are all utterly and extremely badass!

Drip Drop Teardrop is a novella that instantly captures your attention. Do not expect a 'wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am' novella, it reads as a novel as the story unfolds, grasping each aspect of the characters that is important. It even still carries the ups and downs as Avery struggles with her inner turmoil. 

A fast, entertaining read that will have you ready for This Weeping Frost, the companion novella.

Drip Drop Teardrop is available at Amazon