Review: The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Click here to go to this book's Goodreads page

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

Jennifer Castle’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.

One of the most surprising reads 0f 2011 for me! I will admit it, but when I read the synopsis, I thought to myself "This just going to be another If I Stay by Gayle Forman". But it's actually an original story inside itself!

Laurel was a great character. I felt the emotions she felt, and when you read the novel, you honestly feel like you're on the journey with Laurel, it's incredible! I honestly couldn't believe it when I found that this is Jennifer Castle's debut novel!

Jennifer's writing style was amazing. It was descriptive and moving, and that's something rare to find in a debut novel! The Beginning of After really was heart-wrenching and it teaches you to appreciate the things in life that you have, because they can suddenly be taken away from you in a heartbeat.

If you're looking for a tear jerker story, great writing style, and a lesson to learn at the end of the book, I highly recommend The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle. 

The Beginning of After:

Expected Publication Date: September 6, 2011

Format: Online ARC

Publisher: HarperTeen

Average Rating: 3.92 stars

Page Count: 432 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (click on "Imaginary Girls" to go to its Goodreads Page!)

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.


Brilliantly crafted, an amazing story, and an original story, what's not to love about Imaginary Girls? Ruby and Chloe are stunning characters. Their relationship as sisters are just amazing, and Nova Ren Suma's writing style captivated me and I couldn't give enough. After reading this, I'll buy anything that Suma writes. 


I highly recommend Imaginary Girls if you're looking for a great read, a gorgeously written novel, and probably the most original YA novel of 2011!


And how awesome is that cover?!?!


Imaginary Girls:
Published: June 14, 2011
Format: US Hardcover
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 
Average Rating: 3.68 stars
Page Count: 348 pages


Rating: 5/5 stars

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Ruby said I'd never drown--not in a deep ocean, not by shipwreck, not even by falling drunk into someone's bottomless backyard pool.


She said she'd seen me hold my breath underwater for minutes at a time, but to hear her tell it, you'd think she meant days.


Leave your link to you Teaser Tuesday so I can check it out!

Review: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship and her family safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.


I won this novel off Goodreads, so thank you so much VOICE for sending this to me!


When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was instantly hooked on this book. I couldn't imagine how hard it could have been on the men in World War II, and how hard it must have been on the women, too! I loved the idea of What would you do for your family?  


Vivienne was such a great lead character. And with the food decreasing every day and what she did for her family, it was almost heartbreaking for me to read.


I absolutely recommend this read. The reason that it didn't get 5 stars is because some parts were a little slow in the beginning as it was shifting over into the middle.


If you love historical novels, a story about family, and a great main character, you should pick up The Soldier's Wife!


The Soldier's Wife:
Published: June 28, 2011
Format: ARC 
Publisher: Hyperion Voice 
Average Rating: 3.95 stars
Page Count: 416 pages


Rating: 4/5 stars

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Should Be Reading! This weeks muse is...


As a book blogger, does reading others’ blogs spark ideas for what to write on your own?


Absolutely! I love reading blogs and seeing what people write. Their pros and cons of a book or of anything always influences me to think about other things about maybe why I liked a book, or why I didn't like a book. I'm always open to other things and I always enjoy reading what people say. :-)


Leave your link to your Musing Mondays so I can check it out!

Review: Silent Hero by Christine E. Schuzle

The legend continues in a whirlwind of adventure, mystery, and romance in this fan novel from Christine E. Schulze: 

The Triforce, that golden entity set in place by the three goddesses to protect all Hyrule, has been broken—into nine shards instead of three this time. 

Darkness creeps along the fringes of not only Hyrule, but also of Termina and Twilight. These three realms, intimately linked, can only be rescued by... 

A young boy who cannot speak but whose courage will emanate louder than any evil 
he faces. 

A princess as timeless as the shadowy realm from which she returns. 

These two Heroes against three great enemies: Ganondorf, Majora, and the young, ambitious Zaruman, who connects both guardians and enemies of the three realms in ways which the heir of Link could never imagine... 

In a race against time and in a mission which breaks the boundaries of time, Hero 
and Princess must combine courage and wisdom to collect the notes of a powerful 
requiem and use their knowledge of the ancient legends to press forward and resurrect a mighty weapon from Hyrule’s past. Aided by a strange voice, Great Fairies, and their own intuition, will they succeed like the Hero who came before them? 

Can darkness and light converge without creating shadow?


Christine E. Schuzle is such a fantastic writer! I've never played "The Legend of Zelda" before, but this book was very interesting and I loved the storyline of it. 


This might be considered fan-fiction, but it was written so gorgeously that I wouldn't consider it fan-fiction. Maybe it could be just a mini-spinoff to the video game. 


I highly recommend you reading some of Christine's work. I've done a review of another book by Christine titled Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress and you can check out my review of the book by scrolling down to my archive!


Silent Hero:
Published: April 3, 2011
Format: SIGNED US Paperback
Publisher: CreateSpace
Average Rating: 3.85 stars
Page Count: 130 pages


Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress by Christine E. Schuzle

He leaned his head close to my ear and whispered, "Are you afraid?" 

Chrystine had had more reason than any other time of her life, even when facing one of the rampages of her drunken father. But she wasn't afraid. And that was odd, because although Aaryn, the person asking her that question, was her best friend, he was also a vampire. In fact, she was surrounded by hundreds of vampires. 

But they weren't your typical vampires. They were Stregoni Benefici, the good kind. Nor was Chrystine your typical elf. She was the Golden Healer, and she alone could save the Stregoni Benefici from the Dark Enchantress. But can Chrystine figure out the Dark Enchantress' secret and defeat the evil vampires without destroying the good ones as well, without destroying Aaryn? Can Chrystine unravel the dark secret Aaryn keeps so carefully guarded and show him that by choosing to serve good instead of evil, he is still capable of being loved and his past is forgiven? 

Find out as you read for yourself the story of the first vampire.


This. Book. Was. Amazing.


A story about the first vampire, myths, and a great protagonist, mixed in with different elements of rich and great writing style along with an original story line, you have an amazing book. 


Christine E. Schuzle's voice of writing makes you think and feel the emotions of the characters living inside this world that she has created. Chrystine and Aaryn were absolutely great characters. Aaryn had this dark past, but you feel the emotions he feels while you travel along with him and Chrystine in the story. I highly recommend this book! I want more of this story!


Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress:
Published: January 6, 2010
Format: Signed US Paperback
Publisher: Writers Exchange E-Publishing
Average Rating: 4.13 stars
Page Count: 132 pages


Rating: 5/5 stars