Sound by Shelley Workinger

Release Date: November 1, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 218
Series: Solid #3
Review Source: eBook from author for review

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Clio Kaid's had one crazy summer.

After learning she was one of a hundred teens who were genetically modified before birth, she and the others departed for "camp" at a classified military site.

Besides discovering her own special ability, uncovering a conspiracy, and capturing a killer, she's also forged new friendships, found love, and managed to lose them both.

With no answers and the end of summer closing in, Clio's terrified of going home more lost than when she arrived.

Will she finally find everything she's been looking for?

Find out in this exciting conclusion to the Solid trilogy.

My Thoughts:
The Solid books are always enjoyable reads that you can fly through fairly easily, and Sound is no exception. I really enjoy the “super powers” aspect, especially when it started off with a government conspiracy, and that aspect of the tale remains interesting. Where Sound is successful is in the great group dynamic that’s at play. There are all these different characters, but you feel like you get to know each of them because of their distinct personalities and abilities.

Clio is the main character and she does some growing up in this book, reaffirming some friendships that were lost by the end of the previous book. Where Clio remains the same is that she’s a character who doesn’t like to sit back and let others handle things. She’s determined and she likes to get involved and try to fix things. Sometimes this can be to her detriment, but it makes her a character you can respect, because you know she always wants to know the truth and have answers given to her and her fellow ‘campers’.

Sound provides a great conclusion to the Solid trilogy, wrapping up plot lines and bringing about answers, but it also contains an intriguing epilogue that makes you think that Shelley Workinger has more up her sleeve when it comes to these characters, or at least to this world. Overall if you’re looking for some quick and lighter reads (despite the sometimes heavier subject matter) then look no further than this trilogy.

The Cover:
Not really a fan, unfortunately.

Rating:
[3/5]

Find Sound by Shelley Workinger on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Release Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pages: 304
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

My Thoughts:
I’m a sucker for a ghost story, despite being a total wuss, so I knew I had to get a hold of this one as soon as I read the synopsis. Kim Harrington has a great talent for writing paranormal elements into contemporary settings and making it feel real, and this book is no exception. Genius that I am, I started reading this book at 11 o’clock at night, and there were definitely a few moments when I was really creeped out. Thankfully for those of us that are easily scared the book doesn’t get too frightening. It has that perfect creepy feeling without scaring us out of our minds.

Probably one of the best parts of the book was Jade’s relationship with her little brother Colby. I loved how much she cared for her little brother, and how far she was willing to go to protect him. Also great is the growing friendship and potential for more between Jade and Donovan. Of course this relationship is complicated by the fact that Donovon is the former boyfriend of Kayla Sloane, who just so happens to be deceased and is currently haunting Jade’s house. Kayla was an interesting character because as much as you feel sorry for what happened to her, she is a very unsympathetic character for the most part. I actually enjoyed this, because too often the mean ghost character is meant to be pitied and empathized with despite what a horrible person they were in real life.

I really enjoyed ‘The Dead and Buried’ overall. The characters were interesting, the mystery was actually difficult to figure out (a rarity these days, it seems), and the whole premise was intriguing. Kim Harrington really knows how to make a book flow and keep the reader hooked until the very end.

The Cover:
I like it alright, but I actually prefer the original cover -- I feel like it represents the book better.

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Find The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where bloggers feature upcoming book releases that they're looking forward to.

This week I'm eagerly anticipating...

The Indigo Spell

by Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: February 12, 2013

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Add it on Goodreads.

I really need more Sydney/Adrian in my life pronto. That's all I can coherently say, because I'm basically flailing in anticipation for this one.