Mini Reviews: The Adoration of Jenna Fox & Nightshade

Why is it tiny things are always so darn cute?!

 These reviews might not be as cute as the miniature horse, but they are mini! 

Mini Reviews are short reviews of books I have read for my own enjoyment and wanted to share with you. I will describe in a couple of sentences (often fragmented) my thoughts on the book.  I may or may not ever post full reviews of any of these books.  So in the mean time, Enjoy!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

"Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication."

Lots of mystery and wondering exactly what happened to Jenna!?  Strong emotions and very well written.   The writing style reminded me of Maggie Stiefvater. Full of plot twists, elements of danger and a romance that was well paced.  I was happy with the ending and wanted to know more.  This was a great read making it a [9-  Great read! Couldn’t put it down.] for me.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
"Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers.
But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?"

I was confused longer than usual at the start of this book– maybe I was having an off day?  I loved Shay, not so much Ren who apparently has slept with every girl on campus.  Enough plot twists and new paranormal elements to keep you interested, intermixed A LOT of “knee-melting” teenage lust/angst.  Nothing really explicit but you get the idea, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger teens.  It was basically a young adult romance novel with a twist of paranormal.  Happy with the book ending despite the cliff hanger which makes it an [8- Really good!] for me.