Review- The Thirteenth Chime

Title: The Thirteenth Chime
Author: Emma Michaels
Series: Sense of Truth #1
Publisher: Bokheim Publishing
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

HATRED NEVER DIES...

Destiny has finally found the life that she has always wanted. She is about to finish college, has a fiance that loves her, and a great summer on the West Coast planned with her friend, Stephanie. But her world is turned upside down when an antique clock mysteriously chimes thirteen times and someone attacks them, sending Stephanie and her mother to the hospital.

Alone, and without any help from the police, Destiny has no choice but to turn to the one man she had left behind a year ago - her ex-boyfriend, David. Together, they must solve the riddle of the thirteenth chime before the clock strikes thirteen again. Yet as they face their own past and hearts, a trap over half a century old is waiting for them to become its prey.

For revenge, fifty years is never too long...

My thoughts: 

The Thirteenth Chime is a great mix of history, an old island prison and straight up creepyness.  I'm so glad I read this around Halloween!  I also enjoyed this book a lot because it doesn't fit into the normal YA mold.  All the main characters are college students instead of high schoolers and most of them already know what they want to do with their life.  

The beginning of the story finds the main character Destiny driving to a remote town with her roommate, looking for a relaxing getaway.  She also recently dumped her long-time boyfriend and agreed to marry a man she barley knows.  Her roommate's mom agreed to let them stay at the house she recently bought and on the first night of their stay, the clock chimes thirteen times and terrible things begin happening.

I liked this story mainly because of the scary factor.  The setting, the state of Washington, is very foggy and has an eerie feel to it.  As readers, we are all given glimpses into David and Destiny's past and we find out about the accident that separated them.  Even though David almost died saving her life, she still broke up with him.  I guess she didn't want that hanging over their relationship.  

There are two very specific things that bothered me about this book and here they are.  1: Destiny was started to get jealous when her friend started to flirt with David.  I wanted to scream, "not only did you break up with him but you are engaged to someone else!"  I understand that she probably still had feelings for him and that it's hard to move on but it just continued happening.  2: The point of view would change multiple times without warning.  Sometimes I was confused on whose thoughts I was seeing.  

Overall, I really enjoyed the creep factor of the book and the whole unfinished business of the long dead prisoner of the island prison.  It's a great book to read around Halloween. 

 

Review- Personal Demons

Title: Personal Demons
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Series: Personal Demons #1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

My thoughts: 

When I heard that Lisa Desrochers was going to be at the Orange County Children's Book Fair, I knew that I Had to at leas read one of her books.  So I picked up Personal Demons and I ended up liking what I read.  I had a hard time getting into the flow of the writing style but the story was just too interesting to give up that easily.

I felt the characters are very distinct and there's no question of whose good and whose evil.  It's very laid out from the start.

Surprisingly, the main character Frannie was my least favorite character.  Mainly because I don't like people who can't make a decision.  And let me tell you, Frannie can't decide between Luc and Gabriel.  To me, there's no need to make a decision at all! I'm with Luc all the way.  But of course, I always go for the bad boy types.  

So we have Frannie who is, more often than not, making out with both of these boys, one a demon and one an angel.  Now I can expect this kind of behavior from a demon but seriously Gabriel! You're supposed to be making sure she remains pure and that her soul is not going to hell! 

Luc's character is very dynamic and he changes dramatically through the novel which makes him one of my favorite characters.  Towards the end he finds himself lost and questioning his purposed and mission.

Personal Demons is definitely one of the more hot and steamier novels in YA right now.  I hope in Original Sin that we get to see some of the scenes from Gabriel's perspective.  

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating. This is one of my favorite memes because not only is my TBR pile so much bigger at the end of the night but also the covers are always amazing!

Title: Disenchanted
Author: Sherry Soule
Hitting the Shelves: January 2012

Elizabeth Blackburn, an intelligent and sassy New Yorker, doesn’t believe in the supernatural until she moves into Summerwind Mansion and begins having nightmares about a young woman murdered in the house. She suspects there’s something strange about this place and it’s not just the bad dreams.

Determined to unlock secrets that have remained hidden for centuries, Elizabeth is plunged into an otherworldly mystery that not even she can explain away. Not to mention, her uncontrollable attraction to the former owner, Dorian Knight. But soon after meeting Dorian, all of her beliefs are tested. He seems so familiar, and as close to Mr. Darcy as she’ll ever get—but Jane Austen never wrote a hero like him--someone who both excites and frightens her.

As the dark history of the Knight family begins to unravel, tensions heighten and old resentments turn deadly. Even though Dorian warns her about a terrible curse–she doesn’t know what to believe anymore.

And Elizabeth starts to wonder which she would rather hold onto—her sanity…or her life…

What are you waiting for? 

Review- Bad Girls Don't Die

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die
Author: Katie Alender
Series: Bad Girls Don't Die #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey isangry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My thoughts: 

I really love scary/horror type books and I usually don't set the bar very high for them either.  As long as they can pretty much scare the crap out of me, I love it.  That's my only criteria.  So when I first started reading Bad Girls Don't Die, I didn't realize that it is supposed to be scary.  It does't start to get creepy until a third of the way through.  And when it got creepy, it got really creepy.  

I mean, what's creepier than a little girl whose eyes change colors, who stares menacingly at her sister and a really old antique doll.  Now, I don't have a deathly fear of all dolls whether porcelain, glass or stuffed, but some dolls are really scary looking.  And I imagine this doll to be especially creepy. 

So this doll acts as a conduit between the ghost that is haunting the house and Alexis and is able to possess Alexis.  We always know when Alexis is possessed because her normal blue eyes turn bright green.  She begins to sabotage her older sister Kasey and gets their mom to believe that she is the blame for every accident that has happened. 

I'm a real big fan of horror and was pleasantly surprised by this novel.  It's not super, super scary, but it definitely has the right amount of creep factor.

In My Mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For review:

Bought: 

New on my Nook:

Giveaway!!!!

Don't forget to check out my Seriously Savvy Super Swag giveaway! There is tons of signed swag and a signed copy of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White that you can win! So what are you waiting for?!? Click here to check it out!

What's in your mailbox?

Fangtastic Friday Read-Along!

I am so excited to tell you guys that I have bought my copy of Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater and I can't wait for the first Fantastic Friday Read-Along! I haven't read anything by Rhiannon Frater yet but Ashley always gushes about her so I have no doubt this is going to be an amazing couple of weeks!  For more information of how this is going down, you can visit Ashley's awesome blog, The Bookish Brunette and find out how you too can participate!  There's going to be awesome giveaways and even more awesome discussions! How can you say no!!

Here are the first discussion questions so that you can get a glimpse of the awesomeness that is Fangtastic Fridays! 

Discussion questions for Ch. 1-6:

1. After reading through Amaliya's 'awakening'... So realistic and freaking horrifying right? *shudders* What are your reactions to such a vivid scene?

2. I know it's EARLY on, and we've only gotten a glimpse of him, but... In YOUR opinion, the man who made Amaliya into a vampire... friend or foe?

3. Amaliya's family are some PIECES of work aren't they??? While I HOPE no one has a family as freaking crazy nuts as hers... We all have a few nutjobs in our family tree right? Tell me about a crazy member of YOUR family... Or a time when you thought, "Please, NO... I am SO not with them!"

4. Pete... Awww, Pete... He confesses his unending love for her, then everything goes to hell in a hand-basket! Who is/was YOUR Pete? Did you have a guy who was hopelessly in love with you for years that you never even knew about?

5. Have you started connecting with Amaliya? What specific instance stands out the most for you? (hopefully you are LOVING her hardcore by Chapter 6!)

Well, I better get started on my chapter readings.  I don't want to be that student who didn't do her homework! I hope you guys decide to participate and make this read-along epic!!

The Latest Author Events

Over the past month, I've had the opportunity to meet some amazing authors and get so many books signed.  I also wanted to share my experiences with you!

The first event I went to was the Orange County Children's Book Festival

Me and Frank Beddor, author of the Looking Glass Wars.

Kami Garcia read from Beautiful Chaos.

The awesome YA Paranormal Panel.  From left: Emma Michaels, Inara Scott, Cindy Pon, and Gretchen McNeil!

Gretchen McNeil reading from Possess.

Katie Alender reading from Bad Girls Don't Die.

Heather Brewer reading from the her new Slayer Chronicles.

Nancy Holder talking about how much she loves being an author and writing stories.  She's awesome!

Me and Nancy Holder after she signed my copy of the Possessions series. 

Me and Heather Brewer after she signed my Chronicles of Vladamir Todd series!

A little bit later, I was able to see Becca Fitzpatrick as she has been launching Silence, the third book in the Hush, Hush saga.  She was so nice, she took pictures with everyone and she gave everyone a signed poster!

Then about a week later, I was so lucky to be able to attend the Dark Days of Supernatural and met a great panel of authors that I love!

Me and Kiersten White! Wow, she makes me look tall!

Me and Claudia Gray after she signed all of my Evernight books and Fateful!

Me and Anna Carey! We talked about Eve being turned into a TV show and the differences there will most likely be. 

All these events were so fun and I wish you guys could have been there to share these wonderful experiences with me! Stay tuned next week cause I'm going to meet Laini Taylor on Monday and I just might pick up an extra copy of Daughter of Smoke and Bone for a giveaway! 

Book Chat- Creepy Covers

Book Chat is really fun to participate in because there's a new topic every week!  For more information, check out Misty's blog at the Book Rat!

This week's topic is: Creepy Covers

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating. This is one of my favorite memes because not only is my TBR pile so much bigger at the end of the night but also the covers are always amazing!

Title: Dark Companion
Author: Marta Acosta
Hitting the Shelves: June 2012

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Review- Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of HarperTeen

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My thoughts:

When I first started reading Shatter Me, I had a very difficult time getting accustomed to the author's writing style.  It's a little bit choppy and weird and I had to concentrate more than I usually would.  But once I got into it, it started to flow a lot better and more quickly.  

As it turns out, I feel that the odd writing style fits the book and the main character's personality perfectly.  Juliette was in solitary confinement for almost a year and, to the best of my abilities, I could imagine that it would be a shock to someone's system for another person to be suddenly thrust into her life.  I felt that her emotions and state of mind were conveyed very well through the writing style.  

One of Shatter Me's main theme is Juliette's internal struggle between what the world thinks she is and who she believes herself to be.  Her society believes her to be a monster who kills people with just the touch of her hand, which is true, but her intentions are always honest and pure.  Juliette's internal struggle is also seen through the author's writing style.  Phrases are scratched out and replaced with more controlled phrases; ones that won't get her into trouble.  "It's a home, a center for troubled youth, for neglected children from broken families, a safe house for the psychological disturbed.  It's a prison."  It's also a way to show how she struggles with her feelings for Adam.  "He sits down next to me and leans against the wall.  His shoulders are so close too close never close enough."

I am so intrigued by the world that Tahereh Mafi has created.  A world that is dying because of what humans have done to it.  In the beginning she weaves such a web of mystery and deceit, that I was questioning Adam's loyalty to Juliette and wondering what his true intentions were.  I was constantly guessing and curious to know what was around the next corner.  

Shatter Me is one of those books makes me want to read as many dystopian books as I can.  It was so good and I can't wait to discover what's in store for Juliette and Adam.  

Seriously Savvy Super Swag Giveaway!

October has been a crazy month for me! I went to so many signings and a book fair and got too many goodies to keep all to myself.  So of course I got some for you guys! 2 winners and 2 prize packs! The first place winner gets their choice and the second place gets the other prize pack! But since they're both so awesome, it's going to be hard to choose!

Prize Pack #1 includes:

Poster/book jacket of Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (signed)
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (paperback, signed)
Dearly, Departed bookmark and 2 postcards
2 The Looking Glass Wars bookmarks and sticker
Beautiful Chaos bookmark (signed)
Original Sin postcard
The Thirteenth Chime postcard (signed) and mini bookmark
The Softwire bookmark

Prize Pack #2 includes: 

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard (hardback)
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (audio book)
Dearly, Departed bookmark, sticker and 2 postcards
Original Sin bookmark (signed) and postcard
The Looking Glass Wars sticker and 2 bookmarks
The Thirteenth Chime mini bookmark
Anasazi mini bookmark (signed)
Beautiful Chaos bookmark (signed)

Rules:

• Must be 13 or older
• US only
• Must fill out the form below
• Ends October 29, 2011

GOOD LUCK!!

In My Mailbox (29)

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

I don't have a vlog this week or even pictures because I didn't get anything this week. That means that I didn't even buy books! I KNOW!!! It's almost unheard of!  I have an obsession with owning books.

Well, I did by one book but it's not for me, it's for you guys! Last Thursday night I attended the Dark Days of Supernatural tour in which I was able to have Kiersten White sign a paperback copy of Paranormalcy for my upcoming huge giveaway!  The giveaway will be posted tomorrow, so be on the lookout.

One prize back will include the signed copy of Paranormalcy and the other will include an audio book copy of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan.  Both prize packs will also include loads of swag but there will be a lot more information on that tomorrow.

I hope you guys had a great mailbox week! Leave me a like to your mailbox and I will definitely check it out!

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating. This is one of my favorite memes because not only is my TBR pile so much bigger at the end of the night but also the covers are always amazing!

Title: Torn
Author: Cat Clarke
Hitting the Shelves: January 05, 2012

Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt.

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares…

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down.

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

A compelling story of guilty secrets, troubled friendship and burgeoning love.

What are you waiting for? 

Review- Bright Young Things

Title: Bright Young Things
Author: Anna Godbersen
Series: Bright Young Things #1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart.

My thoughts: 

Anna Godbersen is literally one of my favorites authors in YA and she has been for a long time now. As a huge fan of the Luxe series, and being terribly disappointed when it ended, I knew that I was going to fall in love with her new series set in the glamorous era of the 1920's.  And I was not wrong!

I love her writing style and the way she chronicles the lives of each girl from their separate perspectives.  I also like that the same scene can be seen from two different girls, each with their own feelings and biases.  It's almost like reading three or four different books in one because of the uniqueness of each character.  I just can't imagine living in the 1920's only having to worry about who I was going to marry or who I was going to invite to my next glamorous and fancy party.  Godbersen also portrays the harsh realities of living a life of wealth and privilege.

There's so much mystery and deceit going on within the various characters lives.  Everyone lies to everyone at least once during the book and it's always leads to more lies to cover up the lies that were said in the first place!  Whether they're lying about relationships, changing their name, lying about money, cheating or just plain being fake, there's always something interesting going on!

My least favorite character was Astrid because she just seemed a little too whinny for me.  She seemed to be the perfect example of the poor little rich girl.  I really hope her character grows up in the next book.  Also, my least favorite scene in the book was the scene with the dogs! I just can't sand it when animals get hurt.  I know that it's a reality of life, but it's a reality I choose to ignore and pretend like it doesn't happen.  If I didn't I would have a house full of cats and dogs that I wouldn't be able to afford to take care of! 

The Bright Young Things series is another slam dunk by Anna Godbersen and sure to become very popular among her fans.  I would recommend it anyone who loved the Luxe!

Review- One Hundred Candles

Title: One Hundred Candles
Author: Mara Purnhagen
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: Past Midnight #2
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Gift from author

It's taken a long time for me to feel like a normal teenager. But now that I'm settled in a new school, where people know me as more than Charlotte Silver of the infamous Silver family paranormal investigators, it feels like everything is falling into place. And what better way to be normal than to go on a date with a popular football star like Harris Abbott? After all, it's not as if Noah is anything more than a friend….

But my new life takes a disturbing turn when Harris brings me to a party and we play a game called One Hundred Candles. It seems like harmless, ghostly fun. Until spirits unleashed by the game start showing up at school. Now my friends and family are in very real danger, and the door that I've opened into another realm may yield deadly consequences.

My thoughts: 

The Past Midnight series is one of my favorite series right now because it's so fun to read and it includes all my favorite elements in a story.  They're about a girl whose family is in the business of debunking ghost stories and haunted houses.  One hundred candles are lit in the second book in the series to symbolize one hundred ghost stories and then they're supposed to become real.  Even though there's these really creepy things happening, the story is not all that scary because the main character doesn't take them seriously.  She's only concerned with proving that they're a hoax.  

This series is really about a girl who is just trying to live a normal life and fit in high school the best way she can.  Just when she thinks she has been making friends, someone at her school plays an elaborate trick on her.  It really made me feel bad for because I know that high school can be rough.  

Charlotte just has a rough life with that demon that is coming after her and trying to make friends in high school in spite of her parents job.  Now there's a huge cliffhanger at the end and I can't wait to start reading the next one! I hope Charlotte's life gets a little better.

In My Mailbox (28) Birthday Haul!!

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review: 

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Between the Sky and Sea by Jaclyn Dolamore

Seed by Rob Ziegler

PaperBackSwap:

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Birthday Books:

Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Screaming Season by Nancy Holder

From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alender

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

Eleventh Grade Burns by Heather Brewer

Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer

Return the Heart by T.K. Richardson

Legends of Erin: Beyond the Castle Door by Meadow Griffin

What did you get in your mailbox??

Review- Remembrance

Title: Remembrance
Author: Michelle Madow
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: eBook compliments of the author

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

My thoughts:

I really love stories dealing with love that is so strong that transcend time in the hopes that it will work out int the future.  I also love stories dealing with reincarnation, history and relics from the past.

After meeting the very dark and mysterious Drew, Lizzie start to have weird dreams and flashes from the past that seem very real to her.  She is also insanely attracted to him, unlike anything she has ever felt.  She starts to risk everything she has ever known for a guy she barley knows but has a deep connection with.

I really enjoyed Lizzie and the connections she had with the dress and the Jane Austen books that seemed to belong to her in another life.  I wish there was more to it though.  I wanted to know the history of the dress and why it was so important to her.  I also would have liked the Jane Austen books to have played more of a part in the story.  I also wanted to know more about the shop keeper and the significance of her importance.  I felt like he could have guided her more.

Even though I enjoyed the story, I felt like it is very typical of many YA novels out there.  There's the instant love and attraction between two character, the whole "I like him but I can't do anything about it because my best friend saw him first", and the main character who is just very indecisive.  I want to read a story about a very strong and independent girl who will risk everything for love that she knows is true no matter what the consequences.

With all that said, I still really enjoyed the book! I don't know if it's a series or not, but I thought that it make a good stand alone book.