Title: Fair Coin
Author: E.C. Myers
Publisher: PYR
Publish Date: March 27, 2012
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Pages: 250
Source: Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Ephraim Scott is horrified when he comes home from school and finds his mother unconscious at the kitchen table, clutching a bottle of pills. The reason for her suicide attempt is even more disturbing: she thought she’d identified Ephraim’s body at the hospital that day.

Among his dead double’s belongings, Ephraim finds a strange coin—a coin that grants wishes when he flips it. With a flick of his thumb, he can turn his alcoholic mother into a model parent and catch the eye of the girl he’s liked since second grade. But the coin doesn’t always change things for the better. And a bad flip can destroy other people’s lives as easily as it rebuilds his own.

The coin could give Ephraim everything he’s ever wanted—if he learns to control its power before his luck runs out.

Ephraim is your ordinary teen about to run headlong into circumstances that couldn't be farther from ordinary. When he finds his mother doubled over, nearly dead from a suicide attempt, Ephraim has no idea that it's merely the tip of the iceberg. His mother was certain she'd seen her son dead at the hospital, but Ephraim's doppelganger died; not him. Among his possessions, Ephraim finds a coin, and he discovers it grants wishes, giving him the power to change bad situations to nearly perfect. His first wish proves that it, and he finds his mother darn-near Stepford. But the wishes might not be all they seem, and they very well might have dire consequences. Ephraim must establish control over the coin before it begins to eat away at everything in his life.

Last year, I complained that there weren't enough YA books on the market told from a male POV. I believe I also said that sci-fi and fantasy were becoming tired and boring, rehashing the same ideas each time. I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you (and hallelujah!) to author E.C. Myers for creating a novel that not only defies the norm but commands the reader's attention. Fair Coin takes an intriguing and utterly original concept and sets a powerfully engaging story in motion with a dynamic set of characters, a heavy undercurrent of morals and a heart-pounding concept that tugs at your conscience long after you put the book down. Not too many stories can keep you guessing late at night what is going to happen next, or questioning your own theories, but Fair Coin does all that and more.

Ephraim was the embodiment of fun and life. I often find that female MCs become a bit washed out and dry, acting as mere shells of characters that you might find in other novels. In Fair Coin, however, we're given a teenage boy that's every bit the average teen, but there's a sense of goodness and caring within him that draws you to his core. The relationship between his best friend, Nathan, too was refreshing and honest. It was a great way to lead into the story, giving us two characters who have a very normal friendship and one that you don't cringe to read - something I find lacking in a lot of female-drama books. Furthering the dynamic cast are Ephraim's crush, Jena and his mother, both of whom are well-rounded and completely engaging. I never once felt they were simple secondary characters. Instead, everything in Fair Coin seemed to have a level of significance. The concept behind the novel isn't altogether new; we've all heard of wishes gone wrong. However, Fair Coin propels it to the next level, giving us adventure, tension and action, as well as a thought-provoking mystery that leads to a heart-pounding conclusion to this first book.

Needless to say, I thoroughly loved this book. Rather than finding just another same-old, same-old book, this one smashed through the mold, and I'm so thrilled to say it's probably my favourite read in 2012 thus far. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend this book to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy male MCs, science fiction and fantasy.

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.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW:

Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne (ARC & Swag) - Thank you, Sara

Fracture by Megan Miranda (ARC) - Thank you, Ivy

Lightbringer by K.D. McEntire (2nd Copy - Finished) - Thank you, PYR

The Clearing by Anne Riley - Thank you, Anne

Vindicated by Keary Taylor, Thank you, Keary

Title: Lightbringer
Author: K.D. McEntire
Publisher: PYR
Publish Date: November 15, 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 300
Source: Publisher

The Never is a place of greys, a world a breath beyond our own, layered just past the memories of yesterday and the fleeting present moment. It is here, in this dismal limbo, that ghosts such as Piotr, Lily, and Elle must sort out an existence, both protecting the children called Lost and themselves from the walking darkness that is the army of rotting Walkers.

Caught between her duty to her calling as the Lightbringer and her concern for her new ghostly friends, Wendy must walk the line between the two worlds, aiding Piotr in his fight against the Walkers as well as searching out the wandering soul of the one who means the most to her. Time, however, is running out and in the end... who will she choose?

Wendy lives in a world that exists right within our reach, yet infinitely far, as we have never known of its actual existence. It's in this world that Wendy, a Lightbringer, follows her destiny and legacy to guide lost spirits into the light and into peace. But when the spirit of Wendy's mother goes missing, Wendy is determined to find out where she has gone and help her find peace. In the same breath, Piotr is having his own problems - his spirit children are being kidnapped, and he doesn't know why. Wendy and Piotr might need to team up to fight the dark forces at play, but there is always a choice. Do either of the two have the strength to make the right choice?

Lightbringer is one of those novels that's nearly hidden in utter obscurity due to the sheer volume of titles entering the paranormal young adult market today. It's a shame, however, because Lightbringer is a hidden gem of complexity that completely envelops the reader in a world entirely different yet wholly tangible for the reader. Debut author, K.D. McEntire has created a mesmerizing and haunting tale rich with engaging characters, tense adventures and a guiding theme of love and trust that seals the deal for the story. Lightbringer might not be a name you have heard of before, but it is one that will surely be passed forward if you give it a chance.

Lightbringer presented a dynamic and realistic protagonist in Wendy. She was strong and capable, albeit perhaps a bit abrasive at times, but then again, who doesn't have their moments. Despite the character flaw, it made Wendy accessible to me and, though she was extremely strong-willed and temperamental, it made me want to find out her motives even more. Likewise, Piotr was an engrossing character, fully-fleshed out and capbable in his own right. Though leagues different from Wendy, the connection between the two was undeniable, and their traits played off one another well. The world of Lightbringer is the true beauty of the novel though. There was such a strong theme of mythology woven throughout that it almost made me believe that the stories of these Lightbringers might very well be true. That's a skill in and of itself. There were a few minor flaws of note in the story - namely the character of Elle who, honestly, felt very false and foreign to me, and the lack of true presence of Wendy's father. Lightbringer redeems itself with a villain, however, that is repulsive, grotesque and so foul that I almost couldn't stomach reading about it. That's how creatively vile the character was.

Overally, Lightbringer was a solid, entertaining read that I'm sure I will read again. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal stories involving ghosts.

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.