Unearthly

Goodreads Synopsis:

 In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

 As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

 Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. The concept of the book was so quickly revealed that I wasn't sure where it could go. I also wasn't sure how interesting a book about a teenaged angel could be. But it was surprisingly interesting and I couldn't put it down.

As usual with me, there were a couple of things that I didn't like. I thought Angela's character was overdeveloped. I expected her to have more involvement because of how much she was set up. Cynthia Hand wrote so much about Angela's research on Black Wings and the Black Wing section was less than a chapter. I thought that was unnecessary. There are at least two more books in this series so perhaps Angela and all of her research will become more important in the next installment. I was also very frustrated by the ending. I think it was geared that way and it definitely worked. I was furious that I didn't know what was going to happen between Clara and Tuck or Clara and Christian or Clara and her mother. And what the heck is going on with Jeffrey. I was left with so many unanswered questions. I'm sure that the questions are taken care of in Hallowed but I think that there might have been a few too many cliff hangers. It made the book seem incomplete versus it leaving you in suspense. There was no real conclusion. I found that irritating.

Beyond those things, I thought this was a very well written book. It packed a lot of punches and kept you guessing until you found out the truth about Christian. Cynthia Hand is a creative writing professor at Pepperdine University so she knows a little bit about writing a great story. I'm excited to see what happens next!!

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Tacky Tuesday!

I work at Walmart. Right now we are trying to raise money for Children's Miracle Network.

It's a good cause and I'm happy to ask customers if they would like to donate. I typically end each transaction by saying "Would you like to make a donation to Children's Miracle Network?" It is a simple yes or no question that you think would be quick and easy to deal with. "Yes I would like to" or "No, thank you" are the desired responses. I'm not upset or offended when people say they don't want to donate. I do get upset when people are rude about it. Walmart is paying me to ask for donations. I don't think anybody gets paid well enough to deal with daily barrages of verbal abuse. I used to work at a student loan call center so I know what it's like to deal with angry people who can't afford to pay their bills and are looking for someone to take it out on. That is totally different than getting upset with a cashier in a supermarket because you don't want to donate $1 to sick children. It is just plain uncalled for. I especially love it when people want to get angry and rude in front of their own kids. They are setting the example for the charity donators of tomorrow. I've seen so many rude children parrot the things that their rude, undereducated parents say. One parent said that he wouldn't donate because the world is over-populated and letting children get sick and die is how we control it...in front of his kid. He wasn't being sarcastic either. I have never been so appalled in my life. I think that he will feel differently if something horrible ever happens to his child. I don't wish that for him but I also hope his kid grows up to be less of a jerk. It is a vicious cycle and it hurts me to see it.

Some customers even go as far as saying that I can't ask them to donate and that they have a right to shop without being asked to donate to Walmart's bank account. Here is some education for the haters of big business asking to support a charity: 100% of the proceeds from our fundraiser are going to local families in need. Also, Walmart can try to sell you anything they want to while you're in Walmart. If they want to give you samples of food you hate, say "no, thank you" and deal with it. If they want to ask you to take coupons for a product that you don't want, say "no, thank you" and deal with it. If they want to ask you if you would like the opportunity to donate to sick children in your area and you don't want to, say "no, thank you" and deal with it! Your cashier is much less likely to bag your eggs in the bag with the 10 lb pickle jar if you aren't rude to them. I, of course, would never do that...I'm just saying! Beyond that, there are options. We live in a town of 12,000 people that has three grocery stores. We are a town that is close to bigger towns and cities that have even more options. If you don't like the way that Walmart does business, shop somewhere else. Beating up on the cashier just makes you look stupid. Cashiers have no power. We can't make any decisions for ourselves and have absolutely no control over anything. So yelling at me and telling me where I can stick it just doesn't make any sense at all. It makes a person look petty, rude, and disrespectful. There are a lot people who apparently don't mind looking like a jerk with no manners and I understand that I have to deal with that. But...I definitely think it's tacky.

Movie Monday!

On June 1st Snow White and the Huntsman will be wide released into theaters near you. I'm not sure why I'm so excited. Could it be that I want to look at Chris Hemsworth some more? Could it be that I enjoy watching Kristen Stewart destroy every role that she takes on? Could it be that Charlize Theron stuns me with every character she portrays? I can't say what the main source of my curiosity is. I can say that I'm going to see this movie. There are quite a few movies being released that use the story of Snow White. Mirror Mirror came out in March with Julia Roberts at the helm. Snow White: A Deadly Summer came out in March with a cast of unknowns steering the ship. Now we have this version. I think it has the potential to be the best rendition of all the attempts. If the screenwriter was smart, he would have written lots of action and not so much talking for our lovely little Snow. I just think things are better when she doesn't talk. Physically, I think she has the perfect look for Snow White and with proper direction, the film could be great. I have high hopes with a backup plan of low expectations. Have a peek at the trailer below and cross your fingers that it turns out to be an awesome cinematic adventure.

Cold, Camping, Magic Flute, and Sexy Saturday

I'm finally over my cold! I only had it for about 3 weeks...because that isn't obnoxious at all. I'm going to try singing tomorrow and I have pretty high hopes. This cold has made functioning miserable. I've been having to convince myself to leave the warm comfort of my bed. I don't hate my life anymore so I'm trying to get pumped for the summer. It seems to be flying by quickly and I'm tired of missing it because of my sinuses. Bring on the sunshine. Memorial Day brings many things that I love. The one I love most is the opening of the swimming pools! I can't wait to lounge in the sun by a chlorinated water source full of sugar-jumped children. These are the memories that we live for!

Despite my open dislike for children, pools are my savior. I've been resorting to lounging by the river in the sand bar. This is pleasant except for the sand...everywhere. I recently went camping in the sand bar with Adrian and Phil. I had a lot of fun playing in the sand by a raging fire. Sleeping in the sand doesn't suck quite as much as sleeping on hard ground and I had so much fun that I didn't really care anyway. The one thing I couldn't get over was the sand covering everything that we own.
It just embeds itself in every nook and cranny of your existence. I just can't handle it anymore. I will still go to the river and enjoy the solitude. I just need a more exfoliate-free avenue for sunning myself. Yay pools! Adrian was talking about us going to Wild Water West this coming Monday and I'm totally game! Woot water! I've never been before and I can't wait! We are also planning a camping trip for late June and then we are headed to Yellowstone in early August. I'm getting pretty good a roughing it for a girl who went camping for the first time last summer. Call me Annie Oakley!

I got cast in the chorus for Sound of South Dakota's production of Die Zaubeflote! I got an email last night and I couldn't be happier. A lot of people from USD were cast which is very exciting. Rehearsal starts August 18th and the finished product shows on September 15 and 16. I'm so excited to get started. It is going to be such an amazing experience. I'll be moving to Chicago right in the middle of everything and I anticipate being overstimulated and euphoric throughout the entire process. I'll probably cry. Lots of hugging. I'll never admit to a thing. :)

SEXY SATURDAY!!!!

I know it seems like I only post on Sexy Saturday. It isn't just that I love eye-pleasing specimens. It is mostly because I am available most Saturdays. I'm not heartbroken by this and am excited to let you know who I think is hot this week! I recently went to the movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting". This almost forced me into highlighting the entire cast again. This is a very good looking cast of people. The most notable being Cameron Diaz, Chace Crawford, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid, Elizabeth Banks, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Rodrigo Santoro, Chris Rock, and the current object of my affection...Joe Manganiello.
I began following him on True Blood. He played a sexy werewolf that we would all want to join a pack with. When his rippling abs wandered across screen in "WTEWYE", my whole day was better. More than that, there was a preview for a different movie that Mangianiello will be in called "Magic Mike". When this movie comes out, it will definitely show up here on the nearest Saturday. It also has a sexy cast including Alex Petyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer, Channing Tatum, and of course Mr. Manganiello. The movie could be the most horrible thing that's ever happened to cinema, but you can bet that I'll be in the front row drooling over the actors' new found stripping techniques. I have a new hobby. Wherever Manganiello goes shirtless, I will be there. That's dedication. :) Check out the trailer below and join my obsession!

City of Fallen Angels

Goodreads Synopsis:

 The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out he’s a vampire and now he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.


City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have been waiting to get my hands on this book for a while. I read the other three books fairly quickly and was excited to see how the story ends. A fifth book recently came out and revealed to me that this is apparently an ongoing series. The jury is still out on how I feel about that.

Back to this book! Cassandra Clare has developed these characters in a way that I really like. With the exception of Alec, Magnus, Jace and Clary, everyone has more depth and more character. Simon has turned into an alluring ladies-man. Isabelle is finally considering surrendering her heart to someone. She is possessing more human emotions this time around and I like this new vulnerability she now has. Maia's story unfolds and she has potential love re-introduced to her, Luke and Jocelyn and finding bumps in the road to their happy ending, and lots of interesting new characters are introduced. There's Jordan (Maia's ex), Camille (Magnus' ex and mega old vampire), and Lilith (the mother of all demons and Adam's first wife...yup...THAT Adam). Hijinks ensue.

The most unfortunate part of the story is how angst ridden Clary, Jace, and Alec are. Alec isn't around for the majority of the book, but when he shows up he is bitter because he has just realized that Magnus is crazy old and (shocker!) has had other lovers...male and female. Alec can't handle the constant reminder that he isn't going to live forever and is taking it out on Magnus. It is incredibly immature and I get tired of reading about it almost immediately after it begins. Jace is being cryptic and distant because he feels bad about being Valentine's son. He's having dreams that he's going to kill Clary and his answer to that is to kiss her senseless one moment and ignore her existence the next. I personally find this method far superior to just telling her what is up and using their logic to figure out an answer. They do that eventually, but we suffer through a couple hundred pages of him brooding and her being heart-broken and confused. I suppose we should be glad that he is a glutton for self-loathing because it is the reason that Sebastian comes back to life and creates a cliff hanger for the next book. If Jace would have taken the time to be with the people who care about him, we wouldn't have this seemingly endless series of books ahead of us. Maybe I'll end up being thankful...we'll find out.

Clare knows how to write a nice suspenseful climax in a story. She knows how to draw out the action and make it interesting. If she would apply that tone of writing to her main characters, I think the series could have a lot more staying power. As it is, I am so sick of the main characters that I look forward to sections that are about secondary characters. That's not good! If Clary and Jace could stop being the typical pair in all the YA books that people are tired of, these books would improve drastically.

I liked the book, I like the author, the pacing is nice, the action is interesting, and the book is rather hard to put down. Injecting some emotional maturity into the main couple will make all the difference. I will definitely keep reading the series to see how things turn out.

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Thirteen Reasons Why

Goodreads Synopsis:    

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.




Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I have to admit that I was so sucked into the story that I wasn't really paying attention to the writing style. I'm going to assume that I didn't mind the writing style because I didn't notice it.

That being said, I thought this book had a very powerful message to send. I thought that the message was realistically portrayed. The imagery was perfect and I could see this girl being taunted and bullied into killing herself. Ultimately, I don't know how I feel about the girl sending tapes to the people who tormented her. It serves them right but I don't know if that accurately portrays the mind-set of a girl who has been tortured into ending her life. It just seems like so much planning and scheming went into it and a girl who is in that much pain doesn't strike me as capable of pulling all of that off. Even less realistic is the random boy, who has no relationship with Hannah at all, ensuring that the tapes move on their path. What incentive does he have? That is never really explained. According to Hannah, he would have sent the tapes to the press and exposed all of the people who led this girl to kill herself. All of these things might lead people to think that I didn't like the book. This is not the case. I was impacted by this book more that I could ever express in words.

I don't know what about it got to me so much. Maybe it was all of the misunderstandings that led up to this girl wanting to commit suicide. Maybe it was that we were following the story of the one boy that she felt she needed to explain herself to. She wanted him to know that he wasn't a factor but that she needed to tell him her story. She needed to let him into her world. She viewed him as the one good person she knew and she wanted him to know how she felt about him. Following Clay's feelings and reactions to her tapes was a powerful and sad journey. I was so attached to Clay and wanted him to feel better. He wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock and make Hannah feel wanted and appreciated. The other people on her tapes were probably glad she was gone. They wouldn't want the things that they did to her to become public knowledge. For some of them, it would destroy their image. For others, it could have them put in jail. I wouldn't have wanted to read this story from any other perspective.

I went on the journey of a girl who was bullied and victimized and made to feel less that human. I read that the girl cried out for help in many ways and was totally ignored or brushed off. These are things that I believe happen every day. Parents, teachers, and students ignore problems because they don't want to believe that it could be happening. This book definitely spoke to an issue that is prevalent in schools today and Jay Asher did a wonderful job. I have already recommended this book to many people and I hope that it impacts them the way that it did me.

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The Replacement Wife

Goodreads Synopsis:
 Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone. But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.

 The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started this book with a lot of excitement. The plot sounded so heart-breaking and real. I thought that Eileen Goudge had found something sensitive and touching to write about. I was right. This book was wrought with frailty and human emotions that are very easily believed. I cared about all of the characters and wanted so much to see them become whole again. That is where the book's short-comings come in.

First of all, the characters were over-detailed and over-developed. I usually have the opposite problem so this was a strange feeling. The book was about 100 pages too long to get her point across beautifully. That problem caused all of my other issues with the book. Goudge gave too much information about the side characters. There were conversations that Camille would have or Elise would have with people that just went on and on about the other person's life. They weren't important enough characters to the plot for me to need to know that much about them. If Goudge would have cut all of the extra junk out, the book would have been more reader friendly. It would have had better pacing and been a better length. I'm not intimidated by a long book. I just want the long book to be packed with relevant information. That was not the case with this book.

Goudge also broke my heart when she tidied up all the character's lives and made them happy. Everyone was coupled up (except Camille of course). Everyone was getting married, and happy, and getting along with everyone else. It was kind of sickening. She took the reality out of it at the very end and that makes me sad. It just doesn't make sense that all those people would find exactly what they need at exactly the same time. She really sold herself short by giving the book and ridiculously happy ending. She had me hooked until then.

All in all, I like the book. It could have used a little tidying up, but it was heartfelt and nice. I would definitely read other books by this author.

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Graduation, Jobs, and Sexy Saturday!!!

I'm done! I am officially a graduate. I have no idea what that really means, but it is something I've been working on for a long time. I don't have to really plan for anything for a while. It is a really nice feeling to be able to be a little spontaneous. I'm looking forward to getting my masters, but I'm so glad that I decided to take time off. I didn't realize that it was the absolute right choice for me until recently. I had so many questions in my head, but now everything seems so clear. I need time. Time to get a grown up job and move to a new city and meet new people. It's corny, but I feel like I've been searching for myself (as my blog title would suggest). I am starting to feel like I'm on the right path. Once I find myself (to continue the corn) I'll be ready to jump back into my education. It is never as simple as it sounds though. I can't lose all of the work and training that I have. I need to remain focused even while I explore. I need to keep getting better at refining my art. It will be fun, frustrating, tricky, and exciting. I'm ready!

The one thing separating me from my epic adventure is grown up bill paying with grown up money. In order to move away, I need to pay for moving expenses and a deposit plus first rent. I also need to have enough money to be unemployed while I find a new job in a new city. Life is expensive and I've been so immersed in school and paying for it that I don't really have anything left for living. My parents help as much as they can, but I need to stand on my own two feet. I started a new job at Stream Global Services. I got to about the 3rd day of training before I realized that I wouldn't work out. They aren't willing to work with my schedule at WalMart and they think that they own all of their employees. They willingly lie to their customers about their services and I wasn't really feeling that. There were other things as well, but the bottom line is that it is over. So now I'm giving myself the next two weeks to find a new job. I have been given a job as a private contractor for a politically affiliated call center. I would be able to work from home and clock some serious hours. I'm hoping that it works out but I'm not counting on it. If I can't find a good job in Vermillion, I'm moving back to Aberdeen. I just won't be able to afford to stay down here with one job. I'm confident that everything is going to work out. Whether I'm here or in Aberdeen for the summer, everything will be alright.

SEXY SATURDAY!!!

I went to the Avengers last night with Adrian and Phil. I died and went to sexy super hero heaven. It was a really tough job trying to decide which one of them was hotter. I finally gave up and decided that they are all deserving of a salute. They will all be pictured individually below because I really like to look at them. I'm going to put them in order of how much I like to look at them. It is really tough, but I'm up for the task. 1)First up is the impossibly gorgeous Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. Even when he was evil I was rooting for him. His stunning blue eyes and chiseled facial features make him hard to resist. I've loved him since he made the movie SWAT back in the day. His career has really blown up lately and I couldn't be happier. 2)Next we have the man made of iron. Who could play a genius, billionaire, playboy better than Robert Downey Jr.!? His wit and rebel-without-a-cause attitude on life makes him even hotter. Gotta love a man in metal! 3)The next stunner has become even more hot recently. I originally basked in his beauty when he was playing the bad boy in the Fantastic 4. Chris Evans was wild, sexy, and literally on fire. Recently, he has redeveloped his hotness into the "boy next door with super powers" Captain America. He is old fashioned, principled, respectful, and very easy on the eyes. 4)Can't forget about the demigod. Chris Hemsworth as Thor is a truly divine experience. I could have used some scenes with him shirtless but I understand that, under the circumstances, that could have turned into a shooting contest with such a hot cast. 5)Not to be forgotten is the lovely Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. I'm sure watching her run around in tight spandex for two hours is the most tedious thing that men all over the country have had to do. Especially when she is speaking Russian and kicking butt. She is a face that can't be ignored. 6)Last but barely least is Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. He is a genius with a little bit of an anger management problem. His trick for control...he's always angry. I find that unbearably attractive. He isn't as much of a physical specimen as the others but that doesn't take much away from his appeal. He plays his character well and I think any woman would love to tame the wild beast.

And that's that. I also found myself attracted to Tom Hiddleston as Loki but he is the bad guy so he isn't getting pictured. That's the risk you take when you want to be evil! My homage to the Avengers is complete...for now. :)

Dentist, Finals Week, Vacation, and Thespian Thursday

I am living a wisdom toothless existence. Woe is me when the pain medicine runs out.

Luckily, that won't be anytime soon. The dentist gave me more than enough to feel nothing for a while. I was really nervous about the entire process. She did my fillings first and she had a really hard time getting my lower jaw numb. It took several shots and a lot of table gripping before I was ready. I only had one wisdom tooth on the top left and as she went in to rip it out I about gave myself and aneurism! I'm kind of a pansy and I was so afraid, despite my ridiculous amounts of Novocaine, that I was going to start spurting blood and feeling endless, relentless pain. I imagined myself screaming at the top of my lungs and ultimately losing it. Thankfully, none of these things happened. I didn't feel much of anything and it was over before I knew it. She said that the tooth looked different than usual and I kept it because I'm weird. It is pretty cool looking. Some people might think that it's gross. I prefer to think of it as bad ass. Three roots with kind of a sweet hook. Oh yeah!

I finished my last paper of my undergraduate life a few minutes ago. It would have been bittersweet if it had been for any other subject but XDIS. I'm so happy to be done with that class. I've been procrastinating turning in the paper because I was waiting for my feedback on my rough draft. I never got any so I resubmitted the rough draft, in case something went wrong, and then submitted my revised final draft. Hopefully, I don't suck and they'll like my paper. I'd really love to pull a 4.0 this semester. We'll see what happens. Tomorrow is the Chamber Singers Barbeque. We'll eat, enjoy each others' company, and vote for next years officers. This is always a strangely exhausting process. People rally for a specific outcome well in advance of the barbeque and I'll be very interested to see how things turn out. I'm not really invested in the outcome because I don't have to deal with the results, but I still have friends in the choir that are very dedicated and deserve a position if they want one. It will be fun to be around all of those people for the last time. After tomorrow it is going to be a brand new choir with a brand new style. They won't sound the same, look the same, or feel the same. I'm excited to see where the choir goes from here. Dr. Holdhusen was saying that he was hoping they'd go to Kansas City next year. I think that sounds like tons of fun and I know that everybody is going to have a great time. I wish them all the best in whatever happens next.

I'm trying to plan a vacation for Erin and I in July. We had originally talked about going to the Bahamas. Then we talked about Jamaica and now I'm thinking about finding a cool broadway package in NYC. Erin has never seen Wicked and there are a bunch of shows I would love to see.

It is turning out to be rather inconvenient to travel around in NYC so I'm back to planning something tropical again. I want something all inclusive and warm. I have found a few resorts with complimentary horseback riding on the beach and that sounds like heaven to me! I've found quite a few trips that are very affordable too. I just need to get everything sorted out and then run it by Erin and then hopefully we'll be booking a tropical trip to wonderland. Beaches and bars...here I come!


THESPIAN THURSDAY!!!

I know that it is technically Friday but I'm not really freaking out about anything right now so we're going to go with Thursday. There's a show that everyone has been raving about and now I'm starting to jump on the bandwagon as well. I don't know a lot about it, but the songs that I've heard are hilarious. I'm talking about The Book of Mormon.
It is by the creators of South Park and Avenue Q. The South Park thing would normally discourage me, but it isn't nearly as bad as that awful television show. The whole show is religious satire that mocks the Mormon beliefs. You can check out the plot...here. Like I said, I don't know a ton about it. The music is really funny and well written and I'll leave a video for your viewing pleasure so that you can get a little taste of the offensive religious joy that is The Book of Mormon. Stephen Colbert introduces this Tony performance of "I Believe" sung by Andrew Rannells. Enjoy!

Ascend

Goodreads Synopsis:

Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself. If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe. But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them? The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end. Everything has been leading to this moment. The future of her entire world rests in her hands—if she’s ready to fight for it.

Ascend by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I got this book in the mail and read it right out of the box. I finished it later that day and was left feeling...unimpressed. It was better written than the other two books in the series and I was glad to see that growth in Amanda Hocking. She added more character development, she gave the main characters more complicated thoughts, and she made the story more interesting. I was genuinely attached to Tove and Loki throughout most of the book. I cared about their well being and their feelings. That is a step in the right direction for Hocking.

Unfortunately, there were still a lot of problems with the book. I'll never say this again, but she over-developed her characters. She took them from 0 to 60 in about two sentences. These characters that we new next to nothing about from the previous two books were suddenly bombarding us with emotions and complexities. It was too much at too late in the game. Wendy's mother suddenly was soft and caring and loving. Even in the face of death, it just didn't seem true to the previously developed character. She dropped a lifetime's worth of behavior overnight. I just don't buy that. Loki was beating us across the face with how sensitive he had become. Wendy spent the entire book being a martyr and whining about how everything was her fault. Finn popped in an out and was completely uninteresting. Willa did a complete 180 and was no longer pompous and condescending. Everything was coming unhinged very quickly.

I also took issue with the fact that everybody was coupling down. The story very much went for the happily ever after effect. It made sure to tell us that everything wasn't perfect but it was still nauseating how everyone was madly in love and on the right track to happiness. It was a nice opportunity for a realistic point of view and Hocking breezed right by it with fluff and flare and teenaged pregnancy. Finn finds the love of his life, Matt and Willa, Tove and Bain, and of course Wendy and Loki. The kingdoms are united, the bad guys are dead, there is no more conflict. Now Wendy has to take on the task of convincing everybody that people are equal and can marry who they want. If only that were Obama's only problem.

The climax of the book was another problem. She doesn't know how to maximize on suspense. The climax of the book lasted for about two pages. I was appalled. So much build up and then it was just over. That is a reoccurring theme from the other books in the series. The rise and fall just doesn't exist. She improved a bit. Adding in conflict and cleanup earlier in the book made it more interesting. But the whole point of the story is that Wendy has to kill her father. When she goes to do that, you would expect that process to take longer to unfold than the details of their travel to his palace. Such is not the case. It was frustrating and disappointing.

I'm glad that I read the series. The story was an interesting idea. They were short reads that made for a nice distraction. Amanda Hocking has a long ways to go on the path to becoming and truly great author and I can't wait to see how she continues to grow.

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