Don't Look Back By Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Don't Look Back
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher: Hyperion Teen
Series: Standalone
Release: April 15, 2014
Pages: 369
Review: 5 Stars

Is there anything Jennifer L Armentrout can't right? Heck no. Don't Look Back was AMAZING! Though I don't read a lot of it, I love the YA thriller genre. Also, Jennifer is a book-making machine! She has something like fifteen books coming out this year, two of which I've already read! Don't Look Back was a creepy, fun ride that I couldn't put down!

The main character is Samantha, Sam for short. She reappears four days after she went missing with no memory, she doesn't even know her own name, but without the girl she disappeared with, her supposed 'best friend' Cassie. Sam learns that before she went missing, she took mean girl to the extreme. Sam realizes that the life she was living before is not one for her, and that she honestly doesn't like who she was before. Sam is a likable character that I wish I could read more of, but I believe this is a standalone. I loved Sam's twin brother Scott. He was simply adorable. It was really interesting seeing Sam reunite with some friends and see the truth about others.

While I had some suspicions about how it would go down, I was not prepared for the full extent. I had a few guesses about characters that were involved in some way, but whoa! I definitely did NOT see that end coming! Thank Jennifer for an amazing, surprising ending! The writing was very well done. I feel that it could have used a bit more world-building, especially with her brother Scott and friend Julie, but can be forgiving due to the fact that Sam doesn't have her memory to help out the readers. If you haven't already, run out to the store and get this book immediately! It was SO good! Also, I want to note that this is Jennifer's first book in hardback, at least in YA. I give Don't Look Back a fat five stars!

Novella Review: In Time, Bittersweet Love, and The Moth in the Mirror

I realized that I read a large number of novellas via eBook and don't review them. Since they're shorter, they also might not need as much of a review. So I figured that, every once in a while, I'd make a post with reviews of novellas I have read recently.

Title: In Time
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Hyperion
Series: The Darkest Minds
Release: July 16, 2013
Pages: 190
Review: 3.5 Stars

While I loved The Darkest Minds, In Time just didn't do it for me. I got it when it released, but couldn't get past the first chapter. I would read bits and pieces at a time, resulting in hazy memories of what it was about. When I finally reached the halfway point, I got drawn in enough that I finished the book. I think it was partially because the main character was not the one I was used to. It was a guy (who's name I'm blanking on) instead of Ruby, the heroin of the series. He just wasn't as interesting. The plot was slow building, and I don't know what repercussions it will have on the series. I've heard it had important ones though. After reading it, it made me realize that I need to actually read book two, Never Fade. The book was good, nicely written, but not my style. I give it 3.5 stars. *wanders over to bookshelf to read Never Fade*

Title: Bittersweet Love
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Series: The Dark Elements
Release: December 1, 2013
Pages: 167
Review: Five Stars

It is an undisputed fact that Jennifer L Armentrout can do no wrong! I have twelve posts about her books that can prove it for you. I have read all but one of her YA's, and they ROCK! Bittersweet Love is a prequel novella to White Hot Kiss, the first book in a new series. This also marks Jennifer's first publication with a big publisher. What is the series about? Demons and gargoyles, that's what! Have you ever seen gargoyles as both the good guys and lead creatures in YA? I think not. It's a new frontier that Jennifer conquers brilliantly. The main character is Jasmine. The novella takes place over the course of a few days, where she is deciding if she wants to give in and become the mate of Zayne or make or own path. In the end, she does a bit of both. The novella was amazing and I couldn't put it down! Read it now and you will NOT regret it! I give it a full five stars!

Title: The Moth in the Mirror
Author: A.G. Howard
Publisher: Amulet Books
Series: Splintered
Release: October 22, 2013
Pages: 88
Review: Four Stars

This one was good. The only reason it took so long to read was because it took me a while to pick it up. The Moth in the Mirror is book 1.5 in the Splintered series. It's from the POV of one of the male leads, Morpheus. In it, he's trying to figure out what he needs to do to win the heart of Alyssa and 'defeat' Jeb, the guy who currently has it. Morpheus is an interesting character. I believe that he is good at heart, and I definitely like him more than Jeb, but he's not afraid to fight dirty. To be fair, it's in his nature. He lives in a twisted Wonderland, and everything from the original story is dead wrong. Emphasis on the dead part. I liked the story, but I wish that there'd been more from his point of view and less of just viewing Splintered through Jeb's eyes. Overall, the novella was good and is a great lead in to book two, Unhinged, which comes out in January. I give it four stars.