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The Story Siren

The Story Siren

Hey! It's me Kristi. Thanks for checking for checking out my shelf! Yes, I love to read!
I also review books, mostly young adult. But I like to read everything.

Check out my blog at www.thestorysiren.com

When I'm not reading I enjoy scrapbooking, shopping, swimming, cooking/baking, watching movies, and walking my rottie...more »
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  • member since Saturday, January 12 2008

Profile: Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 137 reviews
  • Severed Ties (Volume I)
    • Rated 2 stars

    “At two tears of age Nyne Harper tragically lost her mother in a house fire. She only survived because she was rescued by her father. Fast forward eighteen years and met Nyne Harper college freshman by day, a killer by night. Determined to take down the corporation that killed her mother, Nyne will stop at nothing to get her revenge.

    Initially I wasn’t sure what to expect from Severed Ties, I’d never read the author, but I’m always up for a good suspense novel. I’d saw some good reviews around the YA blogging circuit, so I was expecting to like the novel as well.

    I was disappointed. I had the entire plot figured out within the second chapter. Ugh, I hate when that happens. Actually no, I don’t hate when that happens, I just hate when it’s too obvious and I’m not really enjoying the story. Because there have been many times where I’ve figured out a plot line in a book and still been able to enjoy the book.

    Complaint number one... *Spoilers ahead* Sorry, I try to avoid spoilers, but I just have to in this instance. Okay so the girl is going around killing the heads of this corporation that supposedly killed her mother. Does that bother anyone else, that a 20-year-old “normal” girl is going around killing people and is “okay” mentally? I hate to say it but I think that is would be impossible to kill people and be normal. Yeah I’ve heard people say... oh yeah Jeffery Dahmer seemed like such a normal guy I would have never thought that he was a killer, yada yada yada.. Okay he “acted” normal, but there was obviously some sick a** shit going on in his head, no one can deny that, so I just can’t seem to understand how this girl can go around killing all these people and not be the least bit affected by it. At least she didn’t eat her victims. Call me crazy!

    To top that all off, it turns out she is killing her own family! So what, now I’m supposed to feel sorry for her! Not going to happen, sure it sucks but, bad things happen when you go around killing people and not giving it a second thought! I know the fact that she was killing her family is supposed make me feel sorry for her, but I just didn't. But then again I had no love for her character from the beginning.

    The writing itself wasn’t bad, the dialogue seemed a little irregular to me at times, but I just couldn’t get past the aforementioned complaint to find myself enjoying the read. ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • In Your Room
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Molly’s mother is getting married again, and she is dreading having a new potential father. She’s even less thrilled to be joining the newly weds on their honeymoon.

    Charlie was looking forward to his summer riding his bike in the mountains of Colorado discovering new trails to conquer. However, his two mothers have a different summer planned for the family and it’s nowhere near the snowy peaks.

    Little do they know Molly and Charlie are in for the most memorable summer of their lives. Molly’s family will be heading to Colorado and Charlie’s family will be heading to L.A. it’s a house swap!

    Getting to know the other person by staying in each others rooms is one thing, but these two end up finding out more about themselves in someone else’s room.


    Let me just start out saying that I loved this book! It was fun, it was fast, it was cute! I’m a sucker for a good love story, what can I say?! Yes, it was a love story, but it wasn’t an over the top too cheesy even for me love story. It was balanced and possibly even believable. So, don’t let that turn you away!

    We have Molly the fashion guru, timid, pretty, afraid to get her heart broken. Then there’s Charlie, the mountain bike maniac, genuine, hot, 100% guy. I don’t know if you could get much different, but somehow it works.

    I love the fact that they literally fall in love with each other’s personalities, I mean it’s like match.com, but without the stupid questionnaire and compatibility test. Not that I’ve ever been to match.com, or even know that they have a questionnaire. I mean you’ve seen the commercials too, right? Anyway, it’s like they bring out the best in each other and they do it from thousands of miles away. Sucker for the romantics, I know!

    Still, Charlie isn’t like some made up version of a guy from a Nicholas Sparks novel, he is flawed and the poor guy he screws up. I can’t say that I really blame him though, but that’s beside the point. The point is their relationship works, because they have this crazy thing that they do called communication! It also helps that they are actually attracted to each other too, I mean you do have to have some level of attraction, I don’t care what you say!

    I can’t really pinpoint one thing that made me like the story so much, I think maybe it was a combination of the characters and just the whole premise of the novel itself, but I just picked it up and I just had to know.... are these two ever going to get together!

    And believe me, you’ll want to know too!

    My only complaint..... I want more!
    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The War of the Witches
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Anaid is a smart, dependable, often overlooked teenage girl. She is the exact opposite of her beautiful, fun spirited and exuberant mother. It’s hard to believe that the two are even related. On the morning of Anaid’s mother disappearance, she discovers that there is much more to her mother than meets the eyes. Selene, her mother, is a witch. “The Chosen One” to be exact, the witch that is prophesied to end the war between the two witch clans.

    Taught and trained by four other women of her mother’s clan, they discover that Anaid is more powerful than any other witch they have come across. She seems to be the only one that can save Selene from the rival witch clan.

    Redefining the term of witch, Carranza immerses her readers in the tale of an unlikely girl, whose powers come from the natural elements found around her. Although the cliche of the unnoticed teenager destined for great things is often overplayed, the actual logistics for this transformation is an astonishing addition to the plot! Teen readers will find themselves easily relating to Anaid and her wish for friendship and her perseverance through her struggles.

    Even though the novel starts out slow, it makes up for lack of intrigue in the remaining chapters! While there are many tales of witches, the mythology relating to the history of the clans is sure to captivate the curiosity of any reader. The multiple plot twits will keep readers guessing until the very end!
    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Shift
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Adrian Havoc lives in a world much like our own. Actually it is our world, or could possibly be our world sometime in the future. Somewhere, somehow something went wrong and now half of the country is toxic due to the fallout. The government controls every aspect of society. You do what they say, when they say, no matter what. You believe in God, period, under no circumstance do you question religion. The northern part of The United Christian States is full of unbelievers and crazies from the blast. And if that isn’t bad enough the end of the world is coming soon, the Shift will be here any day.

    Okay so seriously this book kinda scared the shit out of me. Perhaps not so much the book itself, but what the book implies. Because if anything it is totally possible if not probable that something like this book could happen. It’s definitely one of those thought provoking novels. I think I would have like to seen more detail in the overall storyline. In terms of reality, how likely is it that a teenage boy could break into a government establishment and not be detected and detained. Not very likely. I think that’s really my only complaint about the novel, the climax was mediocre , I think it could have been much more, but even so, the actual climax was interesting. In terms of religion I didn’t think this book was at all anti-religion, but simply expresses disdain of anti-establishment.
    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Nailed
    • Rated 4 stars

    ““When Many takes an unusual summer job– in construction– she has to prove she’s just one of the guys. But she gets more than she bargains for being the only girl on the job. The mixture of hot guys, sunscreen, raw wood and testosterone proves to be an elixir she can’t protect her heart from. Brooding Boston and flirty AJ find themselves looking at Mandy as more than just a girl who swings a hammer. Mandy soon finds herself not only lost in a whirlwind of a male-dominated world, but also the center of an inadvertently “constructed” love triangle”


    I liked this book, I really did. It didn’t “WOW” be my any means, it was cute, fun, easy. Usually I have some preconceived notion of whether or not I’m going to like a book before I read it. Most of the time I’m not to far off, but then there are other times when I am truly surprised. I wouldn’t say this was one of those times when I was truly surprised, but I was surprised.

    First off I just want to comment on the cover. I’m human, which like I’m sure most of you are. And lets face it we judge things by appearances, don’t act like you don’t, because you know you do. It’s human nature, we can’t help it, we can only rise above it. But anyway, back to the cover, can I just say, NO! I mean what is it! It’s repulsive that’s what it is! What is that girl about 30, she sure doesn’t look like she just graduated high school to me. And the guys, don’t even get me started. I will give them credit for the red bandana and the Red Sox cap and that is it. With all that said, don’t let the cover turn you away, because it’s actually a good read. I’m not even going to comment on the title......

    Mandy’s dad own the construction business so it’s not to far fetched to say that she would want to work in the same field. Not exactly my cup of tea, but then again I’m not Mandy. I related to her character, I liked her. When I can relate to a character, I usually get more enjoyment out of the story.

    Laurens writing style was easy and fun to read. I hate it when I have to reread a page five times to figure out what is going on. Laurens has a nice flow to her writing. It was easy to read chapter after chapter and not realize I had read so much. I’ll most likely continue to pick up her books.



    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Deirdre Monaghan is a very gifted harp player, one of the best in the nation. But she is much more than an exceptional harp player, she is also a cloverhand– one who can see faeries. The realization of this unlikely talent all happens when she meets the mysterious and dreamy Luke Dillon.

    They–they fey, have noticed Diedre as well and their attention can only spell out disaster. The Faerie Queen has sent an assassin to kill Deirdre and it’s only a matter of time before They succeed. Unsure what exactly Luke is, could he be one of Them, Diedre battles with her desire to find the truth and her desire of Luke.

    Lament is Maggie Stiefvater’s debut novel. The characters are exceptional! Deirdre’s character develops throughout the story and she is the embodiment of the perfect female heroine, unsure, imperfect, smart and real. Luke’s role as the tragic hero is perfectly written. I relished in the satire and witty comments of Deirdre’s best friend James, he may just be my favorite character along with Deirdre’s tell it like it is grandmother. The villains, while were not prominent in the entire novel still stood out within the story.

    While the fey are common in literature, I loved Stiefvater’s take! I also enjoyed the musical element that was displayed throughout the novel, it added so much to the novel and the plot. The plot itself was paced well and was thoroughly engaging! I had a very hard time putting this book down, even when I really needed to!! Lament has a little bit of everything; suspense, romance, intrigue, and action. The bittersweet ending will leave you yearning for more.
    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review Sunday, September 7 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Fringe Benefits
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Adora Benet will be spending the summer by herself. She initially thought her two best friends, Eli and Liza, and her boyfriend, Noel would be in town for the summer. That was until Eli announced that she would be heading to New York for the youth’s orchestra, Liza is going to Bermuda to spend the summer with her parents and Noel is going to be hiking the Appalachian Trail with his estranged father. It couldn’t get much worse... but it does.

    Her mom and dad have cut her off, financially and insist that she will be getting a job this summer. But what Adora thinks is going to be the summer from hell, ends up being a summer to remember!

    I have to say that I haven’t read any other books in this series! And I hate to do it, but my library didn’t have the other titles, either did bookswim and I didn’t have the extra cash to buy the first three books. So, I did something that I’ve never done before.... I read a book out of order! But I have to say, I didn’t feel lost at any time and I really enjoyed it! I might just have to find a way to get the first three books, because I would love to read them! Fringe Benefits was funny and entertaining. It had interesting and memorable characters, and a fast paced story line. Frankel’s writing was enjoyable and easy to read. She made me feel like these characters were real people! Adora’s problems aren’t unlike what many teens face and she finds her way through adversity, resulting in the ultimate understanding what makes her, her! ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review Friday, September 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Queen Geek Social Club
    • Rated 2 stars

    “I have recently acquired a copy of Prom Queen Geeks by Laura Preble, which is available as of September 2nd. I really hate to read a series out of order, although I will do it every once in awhile. But I’d been interested in reading this entire series before I receited the aformentioned book, so I thought I would start from the begninng. Here is a summary of The Queen Geek Social Club from the back of the book.

    I’ll be the first to admit it– I’m a geek.

    Shelby Chapelle is a happy being a geek army of one..... Here’s the thing about friends: You can’t just put a poster up at school and advertise for them. You’d just look pathetic and desperate. And if you’re somebody like me– smart, witty, pretty, charming, humble– it’s even more challenging to find that special someone who becomes your Best Friend.

    Until the new girl moves in... But no freakishly tall Becca Hallagher has moved to town from L.A., with her dragon tattoo and wild ideas. (Suddenly my mad-scientist father and out robot, Euphoria, seem normal.) We become best friends instantly. But Becca wants to chake things up at school and look for “others of out kind,” so wer’re starting the Queen Geek Social Club.

    And a joock in geek’s clothing threatens to crash the party.... The thing is, this guy, Fletcher Berkowitz, keeps nocing around, asking lots of questions aout the Queen Geek Social Blog. He’s cute and interesting, and I think he likes me. Therefore, I mist torture him. One good thing about ebing a loner: N one can break your heart.....

    I find myself at an impasse with this book. While I don’t necissarily love it, there were certainly elements of the story that I did enjoy. There wasn’t anything in this novel that grabbed me. I never had that “moment” where it was no longer a choice if I should continie reading, but that I must! But that’s not to say that I didn’t completly enjoy reading this novel. The characters were a toss up for me as well. I didn’t particular like any of them besides Euphoria. Shelby and Becca seemed... what’s the word I’m looking for here... sporadic, perhaps perplexing. Ugh, needless to say they aren’t my all time favorite literary characters. Euphoria, however, was the most human character in the novel and she is only a robot!

    The plot was semi interesting. I guess, that maybe, I just didn’t get the whole Queen Geek Social Club. I mean sure it’s possible, but is it probable? Not saying that something has to be probable to make a story work, but something about it just didn’t settle with me. The pace of the story seemed slow, hence never having that “moment” of an attention grabbing ephiany.

    Overall, while there were obviously things that I found lackluster in this novel, it was a satisfying read. I will continue to read the series, it has snagged my attention at least that much. And perhaps the series will get better as it contiues as so many do.

    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review Friday, September 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Queen Geeks In Love
    • Rated 3 stars

    “First rule of the Queen Geeks, never let guys get in the way.

    This year, Becca has big plans for the Queen Geeks. She thinks working on the club’s website and planning GeekFest (a talent shoe of geek-tastic proportions) should be Shelby’s number one priority. Guys have always been strictly secondary to the goal of spreading geekiness to every corner of Green Pines High School..... and then the world.

    But sophomore year heats up when Shelby is swept off her feet by the karaoke stylings of a guy named Fletcher. Then Becca and Amber fall for the same guy, which results in a cursed love triangle. (Or a doomed love rhombus, if you count Shelby and Fletcher.)

    The going can get tough when Queen Geeks fall in love, but Shelby knows that being true to your inner geek is the most important thing. Than, plus peace, love, and chocolate.

    Summary from back of the book.

    I did enjoy Queen Geeks in Love more than The Queen Geek Social Club, but I still found this novel wanting. I didn’t have a problem with the Queen Geek Club as much this time. Maybe because their projects seemed more realistic and also maybe because it wasn’t such a huge factor like in the first book.

    Through the second novel I have come to loathe Shelby. Initially she got on my nerves, but this time she sent me over the top. I know being a teenager is hard and at times... okay most of the time very confusing, but Shelby was just ridiculous. I know she likes Fletcher, but her character is in no way shape or form mature enough for a relationship. Gah! She drove me nuts. So nuts that Becca didn’t really bother me this time, although I won’t go to saying that I like her, because I really don’t. Thank goodness for Euphoria! I was hoping to be dazzled and I wasn’t. I will continue to read the series, third times a charm, right?

    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review Friday, September 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Prom Queen Geeks (Berkley Jam Books)
    • Rated 2 stars

    “The Queen Geek Social Club is in full force. Becca’s ideas never seem to wane and her latest idea may be the biggest of them all.

    It is prom times at Green Pines High and the student government is set to sell outrageously priced tickets to the Junior/Senior Prom. The Queen Geeks manifest the idea to have their own prom, Geek Prom! Becca not only wants to invite the students from Green Pines to the Geek Prom, but she wants people from all over the world to be invited, in a world wide cyberific Geek Prom night!

    Shelby is torn once again between Fletcher and Becca and the Queen Geeks. She wants to help Becca out with the Geek Prom, but she also wants to attend the “real prom” with Fletcher.

    Prom Queen Geeks is once again the same old song and dance, no pun intended. The Geek Prom was a very neat idea, but I think that Becca was doing it for all the wrong reasons. Only justifying my overall dislike for her character. Shelby did redeem herself slightly in this novel, but I wish she had stood up for herself a little bit more and not took “the easy way out.” The series did continue to get better as it went along, but I think that maybe these books just aren’t for me. It might have had something to do with the fact that I read them back to back.... but I am geeked out!
    ”

    The Story Siren wrote this review Friday, September 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 137 reviews


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