Book Review: World Enough and Time by Emma C Williams

Title: World Enough and Time
Author: Emma C Williams
Links: Blog | Twitter | Shelfari
Publication Date: July 1st 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 158
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari
Buy it: Amazon
Summary from Goodreads;
Anna Jones is an intelligent and spirited girl of 15, whose everyday experiences of growing up are overshadowed by a rare condition called Goldenhar syndrome. While Anna approaches her life with humour and determination, she is haunted by the inescapable fact that she looks a little different from other girls.
Despite the support of her friends and family, she remains convinced she will never be loved – especially not by the gorgeous and intelligent Michael.
Anna’s life is regularly interrupted by a variety of hospital visits, each one of which seems designed to make her feel even more different from the other girls. As she counts down the days until the major surgery that will change the course of her life forever, Anna becomes increasingly doubtful as to whether she will ever be truly normal.
Rating:
4.5/5 : Really enjoyed it, would recommend to a lot of people.
Thoughts:
First of all, the cover. It's so simple! I know it looks nice and simple on screen but once in your hands, the colors are so gorgeous and the detail is truly eye catching! 
Going into this book, I honestly didn't know what to expect besides what was on the synopsis. I was completely surprised by this novel and am truly glad I had the chance to read it. I got this book off my shelves and sat down in my living room, expecting to get through a part of it and then continue it later on but I found myself engulfed by the plot and writing that I finished it in one sitting. 
World Enough and Time is narrated in the voice of a teenager named Anna who has a condition called the Goldenhar syndrome which I didn't know a thing about until I started reading it. I really feel as though I learned a lot during this book. Anna is a very realistic character as are the others in the novel. She was a very complex character due to all that's been going on in her life since her birth yet you can understand her reasoning and logic. She was honest to herself and others most of the time yet she was really understanding of others and their actions. Ashley, Anna's best friend was a great character. Yes, Anna and her had some disagreements but those things were what made her such a realistic best friend. Nevertheless, she always had
Anna's back and was a true friend to her. The other characters had significantly good roles but I wish I'd seen more of Tim.
The romance was really realistic for once. I've come to realize once again just how predictable most, if not all, YA romances are at the moment but the romance in this novel was something much less predictable and more toward the realistic side. I was shocked at how events turned out in Anna's love life but really enjoyed the end results. The pacing of this book is consistent yet it's a quick read. The writing was simple and easy to understand. The novel is set in the UK which I really enjoyed because I love their slang and way of speaking. A couple of places in London were also mentioned which was really intriguing. 
Another interesting thing about this novel is that the main character, Anna has a blog which you can visit by clicking here. I thought I'd include that because you can connect to the story more.
First Sentence:

" "And bend to the right." "

Quotes:

"So, Anna. You know the drill. Are the headphones comfy?"

"What?!" I shouted, pointing to both of my ears simultaneously and tapping the side of my head. "I can't hear you! I've got headphones on!" 

"Very amusing, Anna." - Page 49

ARC Book Review: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Title: Dark Kiss
Author: Michelle Rowen
Series: Nightwatchers #1
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Publisher: Harlequin
Expected Publication Date: May 22, 2012
Summary from Goodreads;
I don't do DANGEROUS. 

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha—that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing—and I don’t know if I can get it back. 
Then there’s Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he’s what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... 
Nightwatchers: When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...
Review:
3 stars, enjoyable but lacked some things.
I requested this book because I liked the synopsis and the cover looked awesome, I mean, look at his wings! They look so cool!

Angels and Demons working together, definetly an enjoyable and interesting story. Michelle managed to keep a consistent pace throughout the whole book but some parts were definitely action-filled. The characters were interesting to read about, but I didn't really like the main character. I mean, yeah, she gets all this crazy overload of information but I wanted to grab her by the shoulders, tell her to calm down and take a deep breath.
Now, the other characters I loved. Bishop has to find others like him to fix something that's going on in the city, and since Sam is the only one who can guide him, he drags her into the action. I liked the people they had to find, although I wished I'd gotten to know them more. I definitely want to read the next book to find out more about what happens to Bishop and Sam. I really enjoyed the ending though, that was my favorite part. It's one of those books that satisfies yet has you yearning for more.

Dark Kiss is an action-filled, suspenseful read that will have you gripping the edge of your seats to know what happens next. A novel that will have you anticipating the next book in Michelle's Nightwatchers series.

ARC Book Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

Title: The List
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Push
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Summary from Goodreads;
An intense look at the rules of high school attraction—and the price that’s paid for them. 

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn’t matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up. 

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, “pretty” and “ugly.” And it’s also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.


Review: 
I'd been patiently waiting for the release of this book and totally pining for it and I could have waited, but fortunately a fellow friend/ reviewer of mine lend it to me. I was so happy I read it and forgot to read the release date, which was rather ironic, considering the fact that I'd been so excited for it's release date.  


Anyway, The List tells the story of a couple of girls whose names have gone up on the list that year and their experiences on being either the prettiest girl in school for her year or the ugliest. This book was so intriguing to read although I wish I'd known that it was in first person. I've grown used to third person POV, it appears. I completely loved the development of the characters and plot( s ) throughout the story. Each girl has a different experience as they see the effects of the list impact their lives and emotions.  Their lives are completely different but due to the list their paths inter cross and you realize that they're as different as they are similar.


I adored Siobhan's The List. It was a quick read, filled with teenage angst and romance.