Flying by Carrie Jones

Series: Flying (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Sci-fi/Comedy

Subjects: aliens, alien hunters, cheerleaders

Setting: New Hampshire and Maine

POV/Tense: 1^st person, present tense: Mana

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 249 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Macmillan: Tor

Summary/ product description: “New York Times bestselling author Carrie Jones introduces sassy alien-hunting cheerleader Mana in Flying, the launch of a sparkling new YA SF series.

People have always treated seventeen-year-old Mana as someone in need of protection. She's used to being coddled, being an only child, but it's hard to imagine anything could ever happen in her small-town, normal life. As her mother's babying gets more stifling than ever, she's looking forward to cheering at the big game and getting out of the house for a while.

But that night, Mana's life goes haywire.

First, the hot guy she's been crushing on at school randomly flips out and starts spitting acid during the game. Then they get into a knockdown, drag-out fight in the locker room, during which Mana finds herself leaping around like a kangaroo on steroids. As a flyer on the cheerleading squad, she's always been a good jumper, but this is a bit much. By the time she gets home and finds her house trashed and an alien in the garage, Mana starts to wonder if her mother had her reasons for being overprotective.

It turns out, Mana's frumpy, timid mom is actually an alien hunter, and now she's missing--taking a piece of technology with her that everyone wants their hands on, both human and alien. Now her supposed partner, a guy that Mana has never met or heard of (and who seems way too young and way too arrogant to be hunting aliens), has shown up, ordering Mana to come with him. Now, on her own for the first time, Mana will have to find a way to save her mother--and maybe the world--and hope she's up to the challenge.”

My Review:  Flying is a crazy, hilarious sci-fi thrill ride. At times the humor may seem a little over the top, but that’s the fun of it. It’s sci-fi comedy. This is the first book of a new series by Carrie Jones, author of the Need series, which was also fun and creative. Much like that series, this one is set in New England, New Hampshire and Maine.

Mana is a cheerleader. She’s the flyer because she’s short and her friends September and Lyle are bases. Mana has a crush on a drummer named Dakota, but during a basket ball game a guy attacks Dakota. It turns out that Dakota is an alien and a jerk. The guy beating his up is named China and he’s an alien hunter. China’s a bit cocky and weird and claims that Mana’s mother is an alien hunter and his partner. Mana thinks he means partner in love, even though he’s only in his 20’s. That’s not what he meant, of course.

Mana’s mom is missing and she supposedly has a chip with some important information of it. Enemy aliens are likely holding her hostage if she’s not dead already. Mana and China end up letting Lyle in on this too and they go on an adventure-investigation. They go to a facility in Maine that China works at and met an alien Fae named Pierce. Mana also discovers that she herself has abilities and start to doubt whether she herself is human.

That last 50 pages are so crazy and full of twists. This book may have took me a while to read because I was so busy with back-to-school stuff, but once it gets going it is really fast paces. I recommend it to fans of Daniel X by James Patterson, Taken by Kimberly Derting and Rush by Eve Silver.

Cover Art Review: Very funky. Fits the book perfectly.

Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Series: Earthbound (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance

Subjects: mystery, supernatural, abilities, love, mythology, gods and goddesses

Setting: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Camden, Maine and other towns between

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, present tense: Tavia Michaels

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 338 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover and now in Paperback

List Price: $17.99/$9.99

Publisher: Penguin: Razorbill

Summary/ product description: “Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told.

Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go.

Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson.

Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do.”

My Review:  Going into Earthbound, I had no idea what to expect. I bought the book last year because I loved Aprilynne Pike’s Wings series, and really wanted to read something else by her. I finally just read Earthbound right before the sequel comes out. Earthbound is a paranormal romance with mystery and mythology. It’s not about any specific mythology, but it’s about Earthbound gods. Tavia suddenly has the ability to create things out of nothing, but they only last temporarily. I sound like conjuring, which would be a cool ability to have.

Tavia is living with an aunt and uncle after her parents died in a plane crash. Tavia was injured in the plane crash too and had to under go brain surgery. She’s not disabled, but she does have to go to physical therapy and has a psychiatrist too. While being an orphan may be cliché, it doesn’t ruin the story. I really did enjoy this book. It was similar to other paranormal romance books, but also very different. Part of the story is the mystery behind what Tavia is and what she can do. It reminds me of some angel books I’ve read, but it’s not really about angels. There’s a reincarnation aspect that reminded me of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate.

My favorite character in this book is probably Benson. He’s a great friend and the main love interest in this book. He’s a library nerd and very smart. He calls Tavia nicknames that are pastries or confectionaries. He were glasses. Tavia keeps comparing him to superman, like his glasses are just a disguise. I kept picturing Benson as Alex Garfield from the newer Amazing Spiderman movies, or the guy who played Simon in the Mortal Instruments. I love Benson, and don’t care much for Quinn/Logan, but that could change in the second book. Aprilynne has a way of making you fall in love with both guys. I was Team David in Wings. I’m Team Benson for now in Earthbound.

The book starts out in New Hampshire. I don’t think I’ve read any books set in New Hampshire. Tavia grew up in Michigan, my favorite state to vacation. Tavia and Benson travel to Maine, which I’ve read tons of books set in Maine. Tavia is being chances by some bad people who want her dead or want to use her. Her aunt and uncle may not be who she thinks they are. She can’t trust anyone. Even the one person she trusts the most may not be who she thinks they are. There’s some action, explosions, car stealing and adventure. It’s a great book

If you liked Fallen by Lauren Kate, The Immortal series by Alyson Noel, Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, any books with mythology, gods and goddesses, angels, demon, magic or abilities. Paranormal Romance in general. Try this book. Also if you liked any Aprilynne Pike books, such as Wings, Spells, Illusions, Destined, Life After Theft or Sleep No More, read Earthbound.

Cover Art Review: I love the violet hue of the cover and the opalline paper it’s printed on. The pyramid on the back is awesome. The title looks awesome. The girl may not look like how a picture Tavia, but why go and change the cover to this ugly flower trapped in ice for the paperback?

And then for the sequel’s cover, it looks more dystopian than anything. I’m guessing the paper will be velvety or metallic. Earthquake came out July 8th:

The Beautiful and the Damned by Jessica Verday

Series: Companion novel to The Hollow trilogy (spin-off)

Genera: Paranormal Romance

Subjects: revenants, demons, angels, supernatural, possession, New Hampshire

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 266 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster: Simon Pulse

Summary/ product description: “Cyn’s blackouts have deadly consequences in this sexy, suspenseful spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Hollow series. Cyn and Avian are far from a perfect match. She’s a witch who casts spells on men so she can steal their cars. He spends his time being judge, jury, and executioner to the truly evil in the supernatural realm.

When the blackouts Cyn’s been having ever since her time in Sleepy Hollow start escalating, she finds herself unable to remember where she’s been or what she’s been doing. Frightened, she seeks guidance at a local church, and it’s there she meets Avian.

The unlikely pair soon discovers that her blackouts are a side effect of what she truly is—an Echo—a conduit for souls of the dead. The only way to prevent Cyn from losing complete control is to return to Sleepy Hollow and vanquish the source of her power—but she may not survive the process. And if she does? She won’t ever be the same...”

My Review: I recommend reviewing what happened in the Hollow series before reading this. I completely forgot who Cyn was and what characters were what. You do eventually find out, but it’s nice to refresh you memory. I loved the Hollow series, so I was excited when I found out about this spin-off. I was hoping that it would be set in Sleepy Hollow, but most of it was set in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. I don’t think I ever read a book set in New Hampshire, and this book didn’t really describe the setting much. The opening of the book was Cyn working at a diner as a waitress.

We also get to meet Avian a.k.a. Thirteen. He’s half demon, half angel and also a revenant. I love book with angels in them. I loved the part when Cyn found out he had wings and when she made a comment about how it would be impolite to touch them. We find out early on the Cyn is a Echo, and she’s constantly getting possessed by souls, and now Vincent, who we met in the Hollow also, is inside her. Cyn’s memories of Sleepy Hollow are foggy, but she vaguely remembers Abbey. Cyn’s on the run because she killed her boyfriend Hunter and now a cop whose Hunter’s brother is after her.

The story is a really fast paced, short read. You could easily read it in one sitting because the lines on the paging have a very open leading. This book make a great companion to the Hollow trilogy and is does it justice. We get to meet other paranormal creatures, including Hellhounds and vampires.

It’s really awesome, and if you enjoyed The Hollow, you’ll love this. Also, if you’re a fan of the Sleepy Hollow TV show, you should read the whole series. I wondering if there’ll be anymore spin-off, but it works well as a standalone. I can’t wait to read whatever Jessica Verday is writing next.

Cover Art Review: It fit with the Hollow series. I like the wings and the embossment of the gold edges.