Keeper of Infinity by Haley Weilmuenster

Released: January 12, 2011
Published By: Dorrance Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 58 (U.S. Paperback)

Synopsis: Do you believe in the afterlife? Is it someplace called Heaven, or possibly Home? Two teenagers meet upon their death in a place where they must decide their final destination. They come from the same hometown, but very different backgrounds. However, unbeknownst to them, there is a possibility their paths have crossed and the same people or events have touched each of their lives. Haley Weilmuenster has written this tale of two seemingly lost young souls who find each other under the strangest of circumstances.

As the story unfolds, providing the backdrop leading up to their meeting, the author weaves a masterful tale that leaves the reader cheering for a good outcome. Can love conquer all?
Review:

For being a junior in high school while writing this is really impressive. I must say, being a junior, and trying to finish a complete book, even though this is more of a novella, is really amazing. With everything going on in her life, and trying to finish a book, finding a publisher and getting it out there is just an extreme accomplishment, not to mention a dream for any writer that wants to be published before leaving high school.

Anyways, on with the review shall we?

 
Airyn and Trent come from very different backgrounds. Airyn has a loving home, doting family, loyal best friends. Trent has none of those things. He has a father who hates him and no friends at school.

But the two have one very important thing in common. They're both dead.

After dying, Airyn finds her way into a colorful room; pictures of her life are everywhere, and file cabinets full of details from her existence on earth (like every shoe she's ever worn and every door knob she's ever touched) crowd the walls. Now she has a decision to make: go to heaven with her memories (the good and the bad), or go to heaven with her mind wiped blank.

Trent has already made his decision, now he is there to help her decide; he is her Keeper of Infinity. In order to make her decision, Airyn must first face the nightmares of her life, and, ultimately, her death.

** 

I am a little torn about this book.

I loved the characters. Airyn and Trent are good people, regardless of the mistakes they've made or the lives they've been thrown into. I was rooting for them the whole book. The story and plot were intriguing! What an idea, that you get to decide what kind of heaven you want to live in. The author gave simple, yet powerful, descriptions of afterlife. And the thought that you can find true love only when your life has ended seems a cruel irony, but it's better late than never!

Weilmuenster shows great potential as an author. Her creativity and gift for storytelling ensure she has a bright future.

However, there are a few things about this book that I did not love.

First of all, given the length of the book, I was quite shocked to find there were literally 14 or 15 uses of the f-word. Really? There is a lot of foul language, which I don't think is appropriate. Besides that, I felt like it wasn't necessary.

There is also a lot of mention of casual sex. There is no detail, thank goodness. But it's flippant and there's no remorse. Call me old fashioned, but it makes me sad to read about a girl who, at the tender age of 13, earned the reputation of being easy and responds with a nonchalant shrug.

The writing in Keeper of Infinity needs a little more development. There were times I was confused who was speaking. The time line is sometimes disjointed. We meet Airyn, and then after a few pages, we read the story of her mother going into labor with Airyn. Then a few pages later we learn about how her parents met. It's fantastic character building, but it seems to come out of order.

But like I said before, Weilmuenster has a lot of potential as a writer.

In the end, I did enjoy this book. I was intrigued and loved the story, but I just can't appreciate alcohol, drugs, sex, and foul language rampant especially among teenage characters.

I received a complimentary copy of Keeper of Infinity by Haley Weilmuenster as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team. 
 
Teaser:
"When I woke up, I couldn't tell if I had been asleep for ten years or ten minutes, and right as I opened my sleepy eyelids it hit me. Every memory, every experience, lesson, and breath I had ever taken; it was a sensation running through my whole body and I felt everything at once. The pain, sorrow, and fear, along with the happiness, love, and excitement; I could feel all this in every part of my body I had never in my life felt so out of control and completely in control at the same instant. However, once that moment was over, I knew I was dead." 
              -Prologue

Rating:

Plot: 13/20
Characters: 15/20
Writing: 15/20
Originality: 15/20
Cover: 10/10
Ending: 8/10

Total: 76/100=C  

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Released: December 8, 2009
Published By: Delacorte Press
Number of Pages: 452 (U.S. Hardcover)

Synopsis:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret... even if it kills her.

Review:

Fallen seems to be a favorite for a lot of readers, but for me, it was more of a "meh" novel. I was excited to read this, because a book with a gorgeous cover had to be a great read right? Ehh, not so much when it came to Fallen.

Reading the synopsis of the book wanted me to read this even more, and picking it off my bookshelf as my next read was even more enthralling. Sadly, I wish to go back to thinking about how great this book was built up in my head. And because I had built it up into thinking that it would be such an awesome read, I had let myself down. Hard.

The writing was amazing, I have to give Lauren Kate props on her abilities. However...the plot had lacked something significantly for the first 350 pages. It was only until the last hundred pages of the book, where it had captured me, and had me reading and begging for more. Perhaps this is the style that Lauren has adapted to, so that it leaves her readers eager for the sequel, Torment.

The characters...some were lovable, others were okay and many I found annoying. I felt that Luce's character was a bit misunderstood at times, and was quite annoying when she couldn't decide between Cam, a lovable guy that worships at her feet, versus Daniel, who seems to find her annoying and idiotic, even though they had never met before. Arriane was a lovable character, and so was Pennyweather (I much rather prefer her nickname Penn).

To me, this novel seemed like it was over a span of a few months, but when the main character Luce would think back to major events in the novel, she would say things like, "Last week," or "Yesterday" even when it seemed like a month had passed. I think the reason for this is because she would leave off on a cliffhanger, and then have it be a different time and scene for the next chapter, creating the allusion that it had been a few days later, but it had been only a mere hour.

Although I hadn't enjoyed Fallen as much as I had anticipated, I think I'll give this series another shot, and I will be picking up Torment, even if it's not at the top of my "to-read" pile.

Teaser:

"Just before she ducked into her first class, she dared to glance back. His face was blank, but there was no mistaking it--he was watching her go."
            -Page 41 

Rating:

Plot: 10/20
Characters: 15/20
Writing: 17/20
Originality: 15/20
Cover: 10/10
Ending: 9/10

Total: 76/100=C    

Teaser Tuesday (#1)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

**Grab your current read

**Open to a random page

**Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

**BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

**Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Fallen by Lauren Kate

"When she ran her fingers through her hair, the sleeves of her black sweater fell back on her forearms and Luce caught a glimpse of a black wristband, dotted with rows of silver studs, and, on the other wrist, another band that looked more...mechanical."
          - Page 32

 

   "Just before she ducked into her first class, she dared to glance back. His face was blank, but there was no mistaking it--he was watching her go."
            -Page 41



                                                                                                                 

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Released: May 12, 2009
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Number of Pages: 391 (U.S. Hardcover) 
Synopsis:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life. (From Good Reads)

Review:
Hush, Hush takes a deeper look at Angels, fallen and heavenly, but it leaves out all the Godly Bible stuff. This book gets five stars for me, because not only did it have me hooked by the first chapter, but very few books get me so intrigued that I read them in one day. The characters were lovable, especially Patch, and every once in a while, I would get the chill that Patch would give Nora. Although, I have to say that in the beginning Elliot seemed like a really compatible character for Nora as well. (I won't go into detail about the characters anymore, because it will ruin the book) The only character I did not like very much was Vee, even though she seems like a great best friend, I found her really annoying. The writing was amazing too, especially for a first time writer (Although a lot of author's are like that...) and I love the font of the text. (I sometimes only get books for either their cover, or for the font : ) Speaking of the cover, it's amazing...I love it! Hush, Hush is definitely a great read for when it's cold outside, or rainy, any day where it's not sunny because this book leaves a cold, mysterious chill in your spine that begs for more of this series.

Teaser:
"When we got outside, I stared at the Neon for a long moment. It wasn't a warm night, but the weather wasn't the cause of the goose bumps rippling over my arms. No smashed driver's-side window. No bend in the door. 'Something's not right,' I said"
              -Page 55  

Rating:

Plot: 20/20
Characters: 20/20
Writing: 20/20
Originality: 20/20
Cover: 10/10
Ending: 10/10

Total: 100/100=A