Title: Liv, Forever
Author: Amy Talkington (Twitter)
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publish Date: March 11, 2014
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Mystery
Pages: 280
Source: Publisher

When Liv Bloom lands an art scholarship at Wickham Hall, it’s her ticket out of the foster system. Liv isn’t sure what to make of the school’s weird traditions and rituals, but she couldn’t be happier. For the first time ever, she has her own studio, her own supply of paints. Everything she could want.

Then she meets Malcolm Astor, a legacy student, a fellow artist, and the one person who’s ever been able to melt her defenses. Liv’s only friend at Wickham, fellow scholarship kid Gabe Nichols, warns her not to get involved, but life is finally going Liv’s way, and all she wants to do is enjoy the ride.

But Liv’s bliss is doomed. Weeks after arriving, she is viciously murdered and, in death, she discovers that she’s the latest victim of a dark conspiracy that has claimed many lives. Cursed with the ability to see the many ghosts on Wickham’s campus, Gabe is now Liv’s only link to the world of the living. To Malcolm.

Liv, Forever is the perfect example of a novel that should, but doesn't, have a lot of hype surrounding it. I first fell in love with the cover of the book months ago, but the cover pales in comparison to the meat of the story, which is thrilling, dramatic, heartbreaking and beautiful. There's a certain aura about murder mysteries that often seems so very cut and dried. This singular book, however, proves that there can be so much more to such a story. Quirky and endearing, we're offered a story that's equal parts mystery and romance, giving us characters to believe in, a murder plot to unravel and a story that will easily sweep us along in its haunting embrace.

There's a subtle beauty to this story that goes hand in hand with the gothic darkness that creeps up slowly, alluring and deceiving. The fact that Ms. Talkington was able to give us a tale that's romantic, as well as dark and mysterious, tells a lot about her ability as a writer, as neither element seemed to circumvent the other. Rather, the two seemed to go hand in hand. Just when something seemed too dark, or too messy to be appropriate, the romantic interludes would creep in, giving us a beautiful, albeit sad, shoulder to rest on. As such, I think that the romance between Liv and Malcom was really well done. In some ways, I could see it as an insta-love scenario, but the connection between two very well-developed characters made it much more appropriate and tangible. Their love is what makes Liv, Forever such a masterpiece, as it seems to be that overarching storyline that gives us hope and provides us with a touch of lightness when surrounded by such despair.

Liv was a tricky character. She kept to herself, and as such, I felt like a fellow wallflower reading the novel. She knew she didn't belong at Wickham, but at the same time, she is what made the school bearable. At times, I felt as though she was too accepting of her death in the immediate tense. I would have expected far more dismay and alarm, but she seemed to take her demise in stride. Malcolm, on the other hand, felt it very deeply and, as such, I felt more drawn to his character. Though a Wickham student through and through, he had a sensitive soul that made it easy to fall for him. Likewise, Gabe offered us touches of humour, as well as a snide, derisive persona that worked well to offset the personalities of various ghosts and their agendas.

The plot of Liv, Forever was fast-paced and thrilling. Ms. Talkington gave us a depth and complexity that I'll readily admit I did not expect from such a slim novel. I was surprised and pleased to see that this story is actually multi-layered, giving us a rich, formative history that unfurls as the plot progresses, numerous secondary characters, each of whom plays a significant role in the story and a mystery that I didn't actually manage to solve by myself. Cleverly crafted, it's a novel that exudes a sense of familiarity, as these are characters that we've all known at some point in our lives, but still an air of emotional, heart-stopping, draw-dropping drama. Plus, with a love story that's fully engaged and front and center, we can't help but be completely invested.

I was really, completely surprised and pleased with Liv, Forever. It's a beautiful story that transcends the genre norms and really asks us to think and feel as we follow along Liv, Gabe and Malcolm's journey. Needless to say, it's not a story I'll soon forget. I give it a very high 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy gothic mysteries and paranormal romances.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: The Innocents
Author: Lili Peloquin
Publisher: Razorbill
Publish Date: October 16, 2012
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery
Pages: 259
Source: Publisher

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie. Friends didn't. Boys couldn't. Their family falling apart never would. Until they got to Serenity Point.

In a town built on secrets and lies, it's going to be hard to stay innocent. They're sucked into a strange and seductive world—a world they can't help but hate, and can't help but love. A world that threatens to tear them apart, just when they need each other the most.

I was instantly captivated by the premise of The Innocents because it was touted as a true gothic mystery for the younger crowd. And, surprisingly enough, I wasn't disappointed in that regard. The mystery, itself, was surprisingly well put-together, and I found that I actually enjoyed - and was stumped by - several of the puzzle pieces that made up the novel. I also must say that Lili Peloquin has a beautiful writing style. A third person novel often makes it difficult to truly get to know your characters, but the voices she lent to each one were distinct, original and personable. Furthermore, Ms. Peloquin's prose has an easy, flowing sort of feel, which makes it easy to rapidly become invested in the mystery. 

I must say, however, that I struggled a good bit with many of the characters. Of the twins, Alice and Charlie, Alice was by far the more approachable of the two. She was much more demure, while Charlie often erred on the side of being a tumultuous, self-centered brat. I also felt a bit of a disconnect with the love interests, Tommy and Jude. Both felt a bit flat and one-dimensional to me, and Jude's arrogance left me feeling quite embittered. It made it very difficult for me to want to read more about their respective romantic arcs throughout the novel.

Overall, The Innocents was a quick and fun read - though not altogether imperfect. It definitely succeeded far more in the realm of mystery than in the romantic or character-driven aspects of the novel. It is the start of a series, however, and though I rather enjoyed it as a whole, I'm not sure I am actually invested enough to continue the story. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy a good, fun mystery.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion of this book.

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd (Twitter)
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publish Date: January 29, 2013
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Pages: 432
Source: Personal Copy

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

There is an inherent beauty to gothic novels that lies within the dark and brooding madness; because it's in that twisted maze of darkness that lies a faint glimmer of hope - and truth - that leads the story and the reader in the right direction throughout. The Madman's Daughter stood out for me from the young adult crowd because it's a rarity in which we see an author truly commit to a rather gruesome idea and take a no-holds-barred approach to the nature of the genre. Megan Shepherd has crafted a stunning novel that's powerful in its darkness, vivid in its intensity and wholeheartedly, unsettlingly incredible.

The Madman's Daughter reads much like the title implies. The story is a maze of intrigue and mystery and, at times, the complexity of it seems rather mad. We're given the story of a daughter that is trying to understand the true nature of her father who, for all intents and purposes, is a mad scientist and, in doing so, we're unwittingly swept up into the same whirlwind that Juliet lives everyday. It's an eerie concept to live in a world in which your father is the sole nature of your ruin, and Juliet's quiet resolve to uncover the truth was heartening and truly believable. She was a source of light in an eerie and subtly bleak novel.

The way in which the settings were presented to the reader within The Madman's Daughter is arguably one of the foremost strengths of the novel. The island is a brooding and horrific place, plagued by deformed creatures borne of a brilliantly mad mind. Time seems to stand still on the island, setting it vastly apart from Juliet's life in London and leaving us feeling incredibly isolated and trapped in the lair of a madman. With each twist and turn, I was left with more questions and, inevitably, more shocked by each revelation. The plot was so incredibly layered that, at times, some of the relationships in the novel seemed rather irrelevant.

That, unfortunately, leads me to my one qualm with the novel. The Madman's Daughter errs on the edge of perfection. In fact, it is precariously close to it, but the subtle love triangle between Juliet, Montgomery and Edward felt a bit out of place in such a stellar example of a gothic novel. Overall, the triangle wasn't overbearing, but I felt that it was almost an afterthought in terms of complexity since the rest of the story was so rich and layered. The tension was tangible at times, but there were hints of an instant connection that left a bit of bitter taste in my mouth.

Despite that singular flaw though, I found The Madman's Daughter to be a rich and utterly engrossing read. I think it's safe to say that gothic novels like this might just be my cup of tea, and I can't wait to read what's next to come in this story. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it fans of YA, especially those who enjoy historical fiction and gothic novels.