Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

Jillian’s Review: 

This was an amazingly well written novel. Echols writing style reminded me of Jodi Picoult (writer of My Sister's Keeper). Such great, hilarious sarcasm and real-to-life characters, but it was SO dirty that I just can't give it the 5 stars I would have otherwise.

There was way too much swearing (including the F-bomb, more than once), and the main character had a disgustingly dirty mind. This was nowhere near age appropriate.

but it could have easily been 5 had Echols had kept it clean.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Jillian’s Review:

This was an interesting story but not really well executed. The conversions between characters were unrealistic and the positions of characters were not well defined (i.e. at one point someone is on their hands and knees and then suddenly they're hugging someone).

The characters were okay, but I really felt like I was reading a thin shadow of Twilight: with an annoyingly clumsy main character; a dark, brooding hunk; and a cute, chipper little sister of Brooder Boy. The romantic couple was ridiculous and their relationship was completely based on physical attraction even though Fallon tried to make it more. It just didn't work. They don’t know each other at all yet they’re willing to give up everything for their one true love. Blagh.

I doubt I'll read the next one even though nothing was resolved in this one.

 

2 1/2 stars because the story really could have been good.

The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies, book 3) by "Pittacus Lore"

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.

Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .

I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.

But so are they.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York--but I escaped.
I am Number Six.
They want to finish what they started.
But they'll have to fight us first.

Jillian’s Review:

I actually enjoyed this one more than the first two, I Am Number Four  and The Power of Six. It helps that there are more girl point of view parts. I just don't care for the three boys so far, but the girls are great.

I’m happy to say that the author’s writing improves with each book. I refuse to call him Lore—since this is the name of one of the characters in the novel and I hate that the author is using it as his/her nom de plume just to try to convince us that this is non-fiction we’re reading.

There was more action than I care to read. I found myself skimming a lot through those parts, just as I did in the first two. But I did like the storyline... I’m just annoyed that there was no resolution. So, once again, I'll have to wait to find out what happens. How many freaking books will there be?? Please don't make it be like the Wheel of Time!

 

The Naming by Alison Croggon

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child after her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now she and her new teacher must survive a journey through a time and place where the forces they battle stem from the deepest recesses of otherworldly terror.

Alison Croggon’s epic fantasy, the first in the Books of Pellinor quartet, is a glittering saga steeped in the rich and complex landscape of Annar, a legendary world ripe for discovery.

Jillian’s Review:

I was really impressed with this well-written novel. The story was great, the characters were true to life, especially the main girl, Maerad. She’d been through a lot and had a fear of men  as a result, as would anyone who had been in her situation. Unfortunately, this fear remained with her the entire novel (all 492 pages) which meant there was next to no romance. But it worked because it meant Maerad stayed true to her character... I just would have really liked to have read a little bit of loven'.

I really enjoyed this read until Maerad and her instructor, Cadvan, set out on yet another journey (the story begins with a long journey) which took nearly half the book with painfully tedious detail to scenery and characters. I ended up skimming a lot just to get to the meat of the story.

When Maerad and Cadvan finally reached their destination, so many incredible things happen that it almost made the journey there bearable, almost. Though, I must say, I’m tired of reading books without endings. This was another one of those series novels that had zero resolution and probably won’t have until the last book, which I’m not sure I’ll read since this one was sooooo loooooong.

Still, The Naming is a really great read, if a bit long-winded.

 

The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmersik

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

Jillian’s Review:

I was looking forward to reading this novel after reading some raving reviews but it turned out to be just your run-of-the-mill teenager werewolf novel. It’s not especially well written and very predictable. The romantic couple is once again drawn to each other because of physical attraction, they don’t get to know each other because they’re madly in love, and once again, there is supposed to be more to their relationship that just doesn’t translate to the reader. I did like the guy, but I have to admit, but getting tired of the dark, brooding, over-protective, and almost psychotically stalkerish, hero. Why oh why do they all have to brood? On the plus side, it was pretty clean. No sex and I don’t remember much swearing if any. If you're in need of a were’ fix read the MUCH better written Shiver instead.