Cat Lady Lori

• Rated 4 stars

“I'm not sure what I was expecting from Every You, Every Me, but I should have known it would blow all of my expectations out of the water. I am a huge, huge fan of David Levithan. I have never read anything by him that I didn't love and this book was no exception.

I was not expecting this book to be so dark. Levithan has a way with writing such realistic characters that are so fraught with emotions. In Every You, Every Me those emotions take a turn for the dark with these troubled characters. This is definitely a psychological thriller written is an extremely unique style. It is utterly compelling. I read it all in one sitting because it was impossible to put down.

On top of David's extraordinary writing you have these great photos throughout that almost add a sense of eeriness to the plot. I did read the ARC of this so all the photo were in black and white, but that didn't take anything away from the story for me. I can only imagine that the effect of the photos in full color would be amazing. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy.

I think it's incredible that David Levithan can go from something like Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (which I LOVED) to something dark and twisty like Every You, Every Me. He just blows me away every time I read one of his books and if you haven't read any of them then you are missing out on some of the best, most well written YA out there.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Why did y'all let me wait sooo long to read this book? Why!? I guess I can't blame this all on you guys--although I'm going to blame it mostly on you guys--I did buy the over a year ago. It's been sitting on my shelf ever since. I finially decided that I must read it asap because I was going to the Decatur Book Festival during Labor Day weekend and Rachel Hawkins was on one of the panels. For the second year! So, I though it was probably time for me to read it.

I'll admit that maybe it took me just a little while to get into the book, but once I finally did I had a absolute blast. The world of Hex Hall is so unique and quirky. It's Harry Potter with snarky teenage girls. There's lots of magic and sexy cellar shenanigans ([that is a direct quote from Rachel Hawkins). After I got into the story there was no looking back.

Sophie is so fun. She was witty and smart. I giggled out loud on a few occasions. I was very surprised at some of the events in Hex Hall. I loved that Hawkins was not afraid to put her characters in bad situations. People keep saying Demonglass is even better and I really can't wait to find out what happens, so I will be reading it soon.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“The Night Circus is like nothing else I have read before. It's been a long time since I was so fully enchanted by a novel. I was so caught up in the mystery, the magic, and the writing of this book that everything else in the world disappeared. It was almost like I stepped through the gates of Le Cirque des Rêves and the rest of the world ceased to exist.

The Night Circus is written in a very unique way. It's told in third person, focusing on several different characters. The time line jumps to the future and to the past with ease. It was all so very well organized. The threads of the story twist and turn until you have no idea how things are possibly going to turn out. Eventually they are woven into this beautiful and complex tale that surprised me at ever turn.

I'm going to say and I'm going to mean it: Erin Morgenstern's writing was very reminiscent of J.K. Rowling for me. That's the only person that I can think to compare it to, and really it needs no comparison because her writing is magnificent all on its own. Every page is filled with unimaginable magic that I can in no way explain. There is no other story out there like this. I was consumed by it when I was reading.

Everything about this book is fabulous. The unique writing, of course, but also the subtle passion between Marco and Celia. The tangible mysteriousness of all the other characters. The surprises! And the Circus itself. There is so much detail in the Circus. It feels so real that you might think that Erin Morgenstern actually stumbled upon it one evening and has kept it a secret from the rest of the world until now. I was utterly enchanted by it.

Really, the bottom line is that you need to read this book. Soon. My review in no way does it justice. You just need to discover the awe inspiring magic of this story yourself.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“ All is not what it seems in Live Oak, SC. Sweetly starts off with a bang right away. It's filled with the magic and mystery you expect from a fairytale retelling, but Jackson Pearce also manages to fill it was fascinating characters and great back story.

Gretchen, the main character was very well done. She is still grieving the lose of her twin sister all these years later. She has had a very hard life, but she's a very likable character. Ansel is too, even though he didn't play as big a role as I thought he would. Although, the star of the book is Sophia Kelly without a doubt. She's charismatic, charming and mysterious. You can tell she's not all together a good person, but you kind of can't help but like her. I felt just like Gretchen felt about her.

The story was good. I liked that it wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be. But I did kind of figure out what was going on early on in the book, but I didn't know the why of it so that kept me turning pages very quickly.

Over all, if you were a fan of Sisters Red then you definitely need to check this one out also. Jackson's retellings are imaginative and unlike any other. But I will warn of one thing: Have some chocolate on hand when reading this book. The candy descriptions will have you drooling and it's very unfortunate if you have no sweets around. ”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Oh, you guys...What can I even say? You loved Anna and the French Kiss, right? Of course you did! Everyone did. But I am going to go so far as to say I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door even more! Yeah, I said it. Now let me tell you why.

I want to be Lola Nolan when I grow up. She has crazy style and a lot of confidence, even if she doesn't realize it. She's super witty and her internal dialogue made me laugh out loud on many, many occasions. She has an awesome job, an awesome best friend, and two awesome dads. Not to mention the older bad boy boyfriend! What I am trying to say is that Lola is the kind of girl you want to be BFFs with...or maybe you just want to be her. She was completely believable and just a overall fantastic protagonist.

Now as you can see from the blurb, hot rocker boyfriend is not the boy next door. No, that title belongs to Cricket Bell. And there lies the problem...Nothing. NOTHING makes me fall for a boy more than him pining after her. That's what made me fall for Cricket even more than St. Clair. Cricket has feelings for Lola and he makes that very clear from the beginning. That made him irresistible! Really I loved everything about him, which is something I couldn't say with St. Clair. Cricket is such an individual. He's completely unique, there are no other swoon-worthy YA boys out there like him. He has his own style and a subtle confidence that makes him absolutely alluring. Plus, he has this boyish charm....sigh....I could just go on and on...

One other thing loved about Cricket is that he completely reminded me of my adorable husband when we first met. He had to put a little effort into getting me and he was always very honest like Cricket. So their whole relationship dynamic just spoke to me!

You know how sometimes in romance driven novels you get frustrated that the characters don't just get together already!!!? Yeah, I never felt that way during this book. Everything about it was so compelling. I never lost any patience with it. I honestly could have read more. That's how in love with these characters I was!

Oh and Anna and St. Clair are in this book a lot! I was so excited by that! Sometimes with companion novels you only get a scene with past characters, if that! But Anna and St. Clair played a big role in the book and that made me fall even more in love with it.

I'm going to stop now, because I could probably gush for a few more paragraphs, but I won't bore you. I just want to state that Stephanie Perkins is a master at creating the most unique and believable characters. This book is to die for and my review in no way does it justice. Just read it!”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I really, really loved The Adoration of Jenna Fox. I read it at a time when my only experience with dystopian was The Hunger Games, and I devoured it all in one sitting. Although it's been a few years since I read Jenna Fox my love for it hasn't waned. I still recommend it often. So it goes without saying that I was thrilled to hear about the sequel and all of that might have lead to my ultimate disappointment with this book.

Like I said it's been years since I read Jenna Fox, but I remember feeling very satisfied with the ending. I never even fathomed that it would have a follow-up of sorts. So maybe that's why I just didn't like The Fox Inheritance as much as I wanted to. Plus, it was just very different.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is told from Jenna's point of view. It was very introspective and emotional. It was almost horrifying to step into Jenna's shoes. With this book those emotions weren't there. The book is told from Locke's point of view and it starts out a year after he has been 'woken up' or placed into a new body. This book focuses more on action than emotions. That's what I missed the most.

All of that being said, I still enjoyed the book. I just wish I wouldn't have went into it expecting something like the first book. This one is filled with intense action and all of the sci-fi creativity that was only hinted at in the first book. Mary E. Pearson does have a knack for the sci-fi elements and I really enjoyed all the talk of bots and new technology.

Overall, this was just an okay book for me. I suggest that if you were a huge fan of the prequel go into this one expecting a totally different book.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“ This is only 1 of 2 adult that I have kept up with since my love for YA took over. That should tell you how much I absolutely adore it. One Grave at a Time was no exception. I think it's pretty incredible that this is the 6th book in this series and it is still just as fresh and fun as book 1 was.


Cat has a new bad guy to contend with in this edition and I think he might be one of my favorites. The villain is a ghost! A very evil ghost that still kills people. How are Cat and Bones supposed to kill a ghost? You will have to read to find out. But rest assured it is just as action packed as you come to expect.


The characters definitely deliver on the butt kicking and they also deliver on the sex appeal. There is no other vampire out there quite like Bones....sigh. That British accent....Anyway, Cat and Bones are just as witty and fun in this book. There's also some interesting twists and turns I wasn't expecting. That makes me anxious for book 7 already!


This is a fantastic adult series. I recommend it to anyone and everyone who is looking for a great urban fantasy. You won't find many better than these.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Oh those Fuentes boys...Alex, Carlos, and now Luis...They are absolute trouble, but oh so much fun. Chain Reaction, the third and sadly last edition in the Perfect Chemistry trilogy is just as utterly captivating and heart stopping as the first two.

These are books that make me giggle and swoon and make me frustrated beyond belief at these characters (in a good way). I think Chain Reaction's story arc was just a tad bit different (if I remember correctly) in that the the love interests, Luis and Nikki, weren't completely at odds throughout the book. I loved that! There was some much tension--sexual and just plain tension--between them that it was so fun to get to see them together, but know there are things going on that will come between them.

Nikki was a headstrong and sometimes frustrating character, but she had very valid reasons for her trust issues. It wasn't just that a boy did her wrong and that brought a lot of depth to her character. Luis, Luis, Luis...oh Luis. You were the baby and the good kid, but you definitely aren't any more. Luis is crazy smart, but he still makes dumb decisions like any other teenager. Except his might have more dire consequences. Luis was fantastically done. I think he might be my second favorite brother after Alex.

You might be wondering about the sexiness factor? Rest assured that it is 100% there. Simone Elkeles knows how to write sexy scenes with grace and finesse, but they will still make you drool (ungracefully). Really, Elkeles has a talent for writing steamy but real romance like no other author in the YA genre.

As you can tell I loved Chain Reaction. It was compelling and unputdownable. I'm very sad that the trilogy is over but I can't wait to see what kind of Awesomeness Simone has in store for us next. If you have started this trilogy, do so NOW. You can thank me later.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Wow. Just...wow. I really, really love high fantasy. I just said in a recent post that it's probably my second favorite genre. I just don't read it often because it's a little time consuming (but so worth it) and there just doesn't seem to be that many awesome high fantasy YA's. Until now. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is utterly amazing from page 1. Sometimes it's hard to get your bearings in the beginning of a fantasy, what with being introduced to so much world building and information. That's wasn't the case with this book. The use of foreign words took a few pages to get used to, but after that there was no looking back.

The element that made this book so completely compelling was Elisa. She was an incredible character from the very beginning, but she had no idea of all these things she was capable of. It took getting her away from all of the comforts in her life for her to start really understanding who she is. The development from Elisa in the beginning of the book to Elisa in the middle of the book (not to mention the end!) is astounding. This is some of the best character development I have ever read. Plus, is she completely loveable and relateable. She has 'flaws' that you don't find in YA often but need to be in YA so much more. She is very intelligent. I love that she made decisions that weren't always good for the individual but for the greater good. Sometimes I lose patience with characters that won't make tough decisions because someone might get hurt. Really, I just loved Elisa. She was everything I adore in a protagonist.

This book is epic. I don't like using that word because it's way overused, but that's the only way to explain it. By the time you get to the end of the book you feel like you have been on all these journeys with the characters. It's exhausting , and unbelievable, but really incredible. I'm amazed at how much story is in this book and how every single second of it was great. The plot, the Godstones, the world building was remarkable and spot on. Rae Carson is not afraid to do painful things to keep the story going, I absolutely love that. Carson has created something kind of magical with this debut. All of you must read it.”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I love dystopia like no other. The political corruption! The tension! All the horrifying consequences for just being yourself. All those things usually add up to a very captivating story for me. The plot and world in Dark Parties was no exception.

Sara Grant has created a interesting world. It's unique and I really liked the idea of the Protectosphere. The question of what remained outside of the Protectosphere's boundaries made me turn pages faster and faster. Unfortunately the pacing was a tiny bit slower than I would have liked, but I was still on the edge of my seat for most of the book wondering when Neva's actions would catch up with her.

Neva was somewhat of a underwhelming protagonist for me. I understood her actions when it came to wanting to find out about The Missing and what was outside the Protectosphere. She was brave, maybe a little too brave for her own good. The thing I didn't understand or connect to was the romance.I just didn't feel it. I wanted to, but there was no spark. I don't know how much this had to do with the fact that the love interest should have been strictly off limits, no questions asked or if it was the writing. Either way I didn't like it. But the romance really doesn't even play a big role in the story. Neva is mostly on her own throughout the book, so this really wasn't a huge issue.

Overall Dark Parties was a good read. I think the series will only get better. I'm anxious to learn more about this world, so I will definitely be reading the sequel. (If there is one)”

Cat Lady Lori wrote this review Sunday, September 18, 2011. ( reply | permalink )