There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.
After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.
Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.
Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.
When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.
This book was predictable (like completely) but it was still cute so it's getting a good review. It's the classic boy-meets-girl-who-is-tortured-on-the-inside-but-then-he-breaks-through-her-shell-and-they-fall-in-love. That being said I still finished the book because the characters were interesting and funny and realistic. If I can't relate to a character then there is no way I can finish that book, but Rowen's narration is totally entertaining. We share the same feelings about working on a ranch and country music so that made me like her even more.
I also like that right after she met Jesse they weren't Romeo and Juliet. They didn't get along great (completely because of Rowen, Jesse's a perfectly nice guy) and it wasn't 'OMG you're totally my soulmate!!'
The love triangle was a little forced, but I get why it was there. It gave Rowen a little more depth and made Jesse that much more likeable.
And I just want to point out that Jesse's family is the most amazing group of people to ever be in a teen book! They are the most supportive parents and go completely out of their way to be nice to people they don't like, but if you mess with their family unit they will GET you.
*That scene where they totally bitch out Rowen's mom for bringing her attempted rapist over for dinner?!?! I LOVEDDDD that*
Overall, this was a good summer read. It was light, easy and quick but the characters had enough depth to give the story a little bit of spice. 4 stars
Friday, August 1, 2014
The Merciless by Danielle Vega
Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.
Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.
Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .
First I just want to comment on how beautiful this cover is. I LOVE the fact that it doesn't have a book jacket (I really hate those things - they get bent and fall off, ugh I hate them) and the gold is just shiny enough that you're intrigued to see what's going on inside.
If the cover wasn't awesome enough the book itself was also pretty amazing. A lot of other reviews compare this book to mean girls which is fair, but The Merciless takes the definition of 'mean girl' to a whole new level. The main characters are ruthless and the scenes are extremely graphic so the 'mature audiences only' warning on page 1 is totally justified.
I don't want to give too much plot stuff away but this is one of the best psycho thrillers I've read in a really long time. From page 1 you hit the ground running with action packed suspense, I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the entire book and I even stayed up late to finish it. Also the fact that I finished this book at exactly 12 midnight gave me the creeps in addition to me being totally freaked out by the ending.
So enough blathering on from me, just go read this book. It was awesome and I cannot wait for Vega's second novel!! 5 stars
Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.
Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .
First I just want to comment on how beautiful this cover is. I LOVE the fact that it doesn't have a book jacket (I really hate those things - they get bent and fall off, ugh I hate them) and the gold is just shiny enough that you're intrigued to see what's going on inside.
If the cover wasn't awesome enough the book itself was also pretty amazing. A lot of other reviews compare this book to mean girls which is fair, but The Merciless takes the definition of 'mean girl' to a whole new level. The main characters are ruthless and the scenes are extremely graphic so the 'mature audiences only' warning on page 1 is totally justified.
I don't want to give too much plot stuff away but this is one of the best psycho thrillers I've read in a really long time. From page 1 you hit the ground running with action packed suspense, I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the entire book and I even stayed up late to finish it. Also the fact that I finished this book at exactly 12 midnight gave me the creeps in addition to me being totally freaked out by the ending.
So enough blathering on from me, just go read this book. It was awesome and I cannot wait for Vega's second novel!! 5 stars
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
This has been on my 'to be read' list for a while so I was super psyched when I finally was able to read it. But unfortunately I think I hyped this book up so much in my head that there was no possible way it could live up to my expectations. I was expecting a shocking horror story and a very mysterious plot twist every 100 or so pages. What I got: bratty children and freaky pictures. Talk about a let down.
Jacob's grandfather is by far my favorite character...Jacob on the other hand is the book's main narrator and he is extremely annoying. The first 150 - 200 pages are not terrible, actually it's the polar opposite. The backstory of the children and the accompanying pictures really set the scene. Everyone thinks Jacob is crazy and he sets off on a mission to prove he's not. Then we get to the island...
It's a small island so Jacob finds the abandoned house fairly easily and therefore all the children and Miss Peregrine. *Enter very elaborate and random backstory* I understand the book is called 'peculiar' but my God this was just nonsense. Suddenly shit hit the fan and everyone was running for their lives...
The monsters were what I really wanted to read about but like everything else interesting in this book it was just glossed over in favor of a creepy love interest between a century old woman and our main character. Gross.
2 stars
PS - I will never look at a bird the same way again
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
This has been on my 'to be read' list for a while so I was super psyched when I finally was able to read it. But unfortunately I think I hyped this book up so much in my head that there was no possible way it could live up to my expectations. I was expecting a shocking horror story and a very mysterious plot twist every 100 or so pages. What I got: bratty children and freaky pictures. Talk about a let down.
Jacob's grandfather is by far my favorite character...Jacob on the other hand is the book's main narrator and he is extremely annoying. The first 150 - 200 pages are not terrible, actually it's the polar opposite. The backstory of the children and the accompanying pictures really set the scene. Everyone thinks Jacob is crazy and he sets off on a mission to prove he's not. Then we get to the island...
It's a small island so Jacob finds the abandoned house fairly easily and therefore all the children and Miss Peregrine. *Enter very elaborate and random backstory* I understand the book is called 'peculiar' but my God this was just nonsense. Suddenly shit hit the fan and everyone was running for their lives...
The monsters were what I really wanted to read about but like everything else interesting in this book it was just glossed over in favor of a creepy love interest between a century old woman and our main character. Gross.
2 stars
PS - I will never look at a bird the same way again
Redemption by R.K. Ryals
A fateful car accident, a strange Abbey ruled by an even stranger Abbess, an insane Demon, a world where right and wrong becomes dangerously twisted, and a confident, rebellious teenager . . . .
Dayton Blainey is a foul-mouthed, grief-stricken young woman forced to live with a religiously eccentric aunt who favors her moral older sister. But when Dayton's life becomes intertwined with a dangerous stranger, she suddenly finds herself at the center of a war fought since the beginning of time. Trapped between what she believes is right, and a forbidden attraction, Dayton must come to terms with betrayal and her surprising lineage to stop a war before it even begins.
This book was free on Amazon so I set my expectations SUPER low. Little did I know that this book was actually super entertaining!
Dayton is pretty much me if I was forced to live with nuns for 10 years, so I definitely found her to be relatable. Also I kind of love her best friend Monroe, their relationship is quirky and generally interesting to read about. These two things are what got me through the first half of the book, because it definitely wasn't the plot. I've never in my life read a book that actually takes place at school as much as this book. Yeah, all the main characters are teenagers but the first 100 or so pages are about how boring and confining school is. I lived that, I do NOT want to read about it. Don't worry though, after that it gets way better.
After her 18th birthday things really start to pick up and we get introduced to new exciting characters and she officially begins her adventure. Pretty much everything after that is a spoiler so I don't want to say too much about it but if you can get through the first half of this book then the rest is definitely worth it.
I wish book 2 was free because then I'd probably be done with it by now, but the fact that I actually have to go out and find the thing means that it's going to be on my 'want to read' list for a while :(
All in all, this book is interesting and relatively fresh in terms of plots, I just wish I could erase the first half of the book and jump right into everything. 3 stars
Dayton Blainey is a foul-mouthed, grief-stricken young woman forced to live with a religiously eccentric aunt who favors her moral older sister. But when Dayton's life becomes intertwined with a dangerous stranger, she suddenly finds herself at the center of a war fought since the beginning of time. Trapped between what she believes is right, and a forbidden attraction, Dayton must come to terms with betrayal and her surprising lineage to stop a war before it even begins.
This book was free on Amazon so I set my expectations SUPER low. Little did I know that this book was actually super entertaining!
Dayton is pretty much me if I was forced to live with nuns for 10 years, so I definitely found her to be relatable. Also I kind of love her best friend Monroe, their relationship is quirky and generally interesting to read about. These two things are what got me through the first half of the book, because it definitely wasn't the plot. I've never in my life read a book that actually takes place at school as much as this book. Yeah, all the main characters are teenagers but the first 100 or so pages are about how boring and confining school is. I lived that, I do NOT want to read about it. Don't worry though, after that it gets way better.
After her 18th birthday things really start to pick up and we get introduced to new exciting characters and she officially begins her adventure. Pretty much everything after that is a spoiler so I don't want to say too much about it but if you can get through the first half of this book then the rest is definitely worth it.
I wish book 2 was free because then I'd probably be done with it by now, but the fact that I actually have to go out and find the thing means that it's going to be on my 'want to read' list for a while :(
All in all, this book is interesting and relatively fresh in terms of plots, I just wish I could erase the first half of the book and jump right into everything. 3 stars
Sweet 16 to Life by Kimberly Reid
Thanks to skills learned from her undercover-cop mom, Chanti Evans has saved lives and exposed lies at her exclusive private school. But taking down Langdon Prepsters is one thing. Does she have what it takes to go up against hardcore criminals?
After a semester with Langdon’s most rich and snobby, Chanti knows all too well that trust is tough to find and keep. So when her old hood friend, MJ, turns to her for help, Chanti is determined to protect her from vengeful gang member Lux. But that means mending fences with her irresistible ex-boyfriend, Marco, and enlisting his very reluctant assistance. And when Lux suddenly vanishes, Chanti and MJ become prime suspects. Now to clear their names, she must uncover secrets that will strike much too close to home, putting her place at Langdon—and her future—on the line…
This book was super cute and sassy! Chanti is a teenage girl who means business and that's not a type of character you see a lot now-a-days. To be fair I did jump into this book without reading any others in the series, but I was still able to keep up with the action and the plot left me interested enough to continue reading. Any 'need to know' background knowledge that I'm sure was covered in book 1 was glossed over but provided just enough insight for me to know what was happening and I appreciate when an author does that.
A thing to note is that this book is basically a modern day Nancy Drew novel. Personally, that made this book even MORE appealing to me because who doesn't love a good Nancy mystery?? But if you are that person, then maybe this one isn't for you.
But other than that, the book was exceptional. The characters were real enough to relate to and didn't fade into the background (which tends to happen to characters who are not 'the killer' or the main character) and Chanti's narration kept things fresh and moving along. The ending did leave you with a cliffhanger, but that's to be expected in a series.
Overall I will be reading the next Chanti adventure and I'm excited to see how everything plays out with her father!! 3 stars
*This book was provided to me by the author through a Goodreads Giveaway which in no way affects this review...if anything it got another reader hooked on this series!*
After a semester with Langdon’s most rich and snobby, Chanti knows all too well that trust is tough to find and keep. So when her old hood friend, MJ, turns to her for help, Chanti is determined to protect her from vengeful gang member Lux. But that means mending fences with her irresistible ex-boyfriend, Marco, and enlisting his very reluctant assistance. And when Lux suddenly vanishes, Chanti and MJ become prime suspects. Now to clear their names, she must uncover secrets that will strike much too close to home, putting her place at Langdon—and her future—on the line…
This book was super cute and sassy! Chanti is a teenage girl who means business and that's not a type of character you see a lot now-a-days. To be fair I did jump into this book without reading any others in the series, but I was still able to keep up with the action and the plot left me interested enough to continue reading. Any 'need to know' background knowledge that I'm sure was covered in book 1 was glossed over but provided just enough insight for me to know what was happening and I appreciate when an author does that.
A thing to note is that this book is basically a modern day Nancy Drew novel. Personally, that made this book even MORE appealing to me because who doesn't love a good Nancy mystery?? But if you are that person, then maybe this one isn't for you.
But other than that, the book was exceptional. The characters were real enough to relate to and didn't fade into the background (which tends to happen to characters who are not 'the killer' or the main character) and Chanti's narration kept things fresh and moving along. The ending did leave you with a cliffhanger, but that's to be expected in a series.
Overall I will be reading the next Chanti adventure and I'm excited to see how everything plays out with her father!! 3 stars
*This book was provided to me by the author through a Goodreads Giveaway which in no way affects this review...if anything it got another reader hooked on this series!*
Monday, July 21, 2014
Captured by Erica Stevens
Captured, taken from her beloved family and woods, Aria’s biggest fear is not the imminent death facing her, but that she will be chosen as a blood slave for a member of the ruling vampire race. No matter what becomes of her though, Aria knows that she must keep her identity hidden from the monsters imprisoning her. She has already been branded a member of the rebellion, but the vampires do not know the true depth of her involvement with it, and they must never know.
Though hoping for death, Aria’s world is turned upside down when a vampire named Braith steps forward to claim her. He delays her execution, but Aria knows it’s only a matter of time before he drains her, and destroys her. Especially once she learns his true identity as a prince within the royal family; the same royal family that started the war that ultimately brought down humankind, reducing them to nothing more than servants and slaves.
Aria is determined to hate the prince, determined not to give into him in anyway, but his strange kindness, and surprising gentleness astonish her. Torn between her loyalties to the rebellion, and her growing love for her greatest enemy, Aria struggles to decide between everything she has ever known, and a love she never dreamed of finding.
I downloaded this book for free off of Amazon, so naturally I didn't read the full description, and by the time I got around to reading it I completely forgot this book was about vampires (oops!) but I guess that ended up being this book's saving grace for me.
Aria is a kick butt warrior girl who is a part of the human rebellion against the vampires. She gets abducted and sold into blood slavery for the eldest prince in the royal family. She hates him but also loves him which is something she can't deal with because she grew up to hate ALL vampires, but Braith is different...naturally.
After some Stockholm syndrome moments the book actually picks up. Things from Aria's past begin to come up and they begin to crack the edges of her perfect prince love bubble. The end of the book is pretty much a cliffhanger leading to an all-out war: vampires vs. humans, who will come out on top? (I have no idea because that's where the book leaves off!!)
I wish the first part of this book had been quicker because I could have given it a higher rating. Listening to Aria whine about her friends and family back home is annoying and pointless. On page 1 she was abducted so we really don't know anything about these people she misses so much. And since this book is in 3rd person after we read pages and pages about Aria whining we get to switch to Braith's perspective and listen to him whine about Aria's whining...I was so glad I decided to read this one!
But after you get past all the craziness and separation anxiety the book really picks up and it makes it worth the read. 3 stars
Though hoping for death, Aria’s world is turned upside down when a vampire named Braith steps forward to claim her. He delays her execution, but Aria knows it’s only a matter of time before he drains her, and destroys her. Especially once she learns his true identity as a prince within the royal family; the same royal family that started the war that ultimately brought down humankind, reducing them to nothing more than servants and slaves.
Aria is determined to hate the prince, determined not to give into him in anyway, but his strange kindness, and surprising gentleness astonish her. Torn between her loyalties to the rebellion, and her growing love for her greatest enemy, Aria struggles to decide between everything she has ever known, and a love she never dreamed of finding.
I downloaded this book for free off of Amazon, so naturally I didn't read the full description, and by the time I got around to reading it I completely forgot this book was about vampires (oops!) but I guess that ended up being this book's saving grace for me.
Aria is a kick butt warrior girl who is a part of the human rebellion against the vampires. She gets abducted and sold into blood slavery for the eldest prince in the royal family. She hates him but also loves him which is something she can't deal with because she grew up to hate ALL vampires, but Braith is different...naturally.
After some Stockholm syndrome moments the book actually picks up. Things from Aria's past begin to come up and they begin to crack the edges of her perfect prince love bubble. The end of the book is pretty much a cliffhanger leading to an all-out war: vampires vs. humans, who will come out on top? (I have no idea because that's where the book leaves off!!)
I wish the first part of this book had been quicker because I could have given it a higher rating. Listening to Aria whine about her friends and family back home is annoying and pointless. On page 1 she was abducted so we really don't know anything about these people she misses so much. And since this book is in 3rd person after we read pages and pages about Aria whining we get to switch to Braith's perspective and listen to him whine about Aria's whining...I was so glad I decided to read this one!
But after you get past all the craziness and separation anxiety the book really picks up and it makes it worth the read. 3 stars
Taken by Erin Bowman
There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.
They call it the Heist.
Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.
Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?
Nope. Didn't like this one at all. It's been a while since I've disliked a book so much that I didn't really care what happened at the end. And unfortunately this book just didn't provide enough action for me to be invested in any part of it.
Gray is really boring. I am personally not a fan of male character leads to begin with and Gray is the perfect example. He is all talk and no action. Even when there is action it is just a means to get to the next 'plot twist', a.k.a. sitting and talking about this one thing a character said 30 pages ago that is somehow significant now.
This book had all the ingredients of a classic dystopian novel: post-war towns rising from the ashes of battle, a single leader running the rest of civilization into the ground, and of course the rebellion against said leader. This book didn't give me anything new to think or get excited about. As soon as we learned the town was surrounded by an impenetrable wall, we KNEW Gray had to cross it. And OF COURSE he'll live, he's the main character!
Nothing in this book was suspenseful for me, I could see every big reveal coming a mile away. So about halfway through the book I no longer had any desire to read about Gray and his so-called 'adventures' and that was the most disappointing part. If I'm not motivated to read, then why bother? But I did bother and skimmed the rest of the book to see if I was right...and I was.
I will not be reading any more of the Taken series, I just can't bring myself to do it. 1 star
They call it the Heist.
Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.
Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?
Nope. Didn't like this one at all. It's been a while since I've disliked a book so much that I didn't really care what happened at the end. And unfortunately this book just didn't provide enough action for me to be invested in any part of it.
Gray is really boring. I am personally not a fan of male character leads to begin with and Gray is the perfect example. He is all talk and no action. Even when there is action it is just a means to get to the next 'plot twist', a.k.a. sitting and talking about this one thing a character said 30 pages ago that is somehow significant now.
This book had all the ingredients of a classic dystopian novel: post-war towns rising from the ashes of battle, a single leader running the rest of civilization into the ground, and of course the rebellion against said leader. This book didn't give me anything new to think or get excited about. As soon as we learned the town was surrounded by an impenetrable wall, we KNEW Gray had to cross it. And OF COURSE he'll live, he's the main character!
Nothing in this book was suspenseful for me, I could see every big reveal coming a mile away. So about halfway through the book I no longer had any desire to read about Gray and his so-called 'adventures' and that was the most disappointing part. If I'm not motivated to read, then why bother? But I did bother and skimmed the rest of the book to see if I was right...and I was.
I will not be reading any more of the Taken series, I just can't bring myself to do it. 1 star
The Lake by AnnaLisa Grant
At 17, Layla Weston is already starting over. Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt. The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less- than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity, she must learn how to allow herself to be loved and cared for once again. Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love. When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.
This story was adorable. A young girl who has suffered through tragedy and lost herself slowly learns to love and trust again. It is your run-of-the-mill happy go lucky books. And that's exactly what I needed when I picked this up (well actually I bought it virtually on Amazon but it's the same idea).
Layla's struggles are real and I found it easy to sympathize with her and all she's been through. And then of course her first love is literally 'love at first sight' and even though the idea is tired and recycled, to read it from Layla's point of view is both adorable and relatable.
As she is slowly accepted into the tight-knit community she landed in you can't help but cheer for her to enjoy her life and be herself because she is FINALLY able to. Like any other main character in any book she has her struggles and obstacles to overcome but they are all dealt with in a timely manner which keeps the reader engaged and wanting for more.
The only criticism I do have for this book was the fact that the author had to keep restating how Layla's past was terrible and it beat her down emotionally for years on end. I clearly know about Layla's past, I've only been reading about it for a couple hundred pages or so. Usually in previous books I've read, the re-stating of facts is followed by additional details that give the reader insight into what really happened or finally put together the pieces of the character's past...but not in this book. We knew from page one what Layla's life was like with her grandparents so the reiteration of events was not necessary.
Other than that I really did enjoy reading this book! It was cute, timely and a twist on the classic feel-good novel. 3 stars
This story was adorable. A young girl who has suffered through tragedy and lost herself slowly learns to love and trust again. It is your run-of-the-mill happy go lucky books. And that's exactly what I needed when I picked this up (well actually I bought it virtually on Amazon but it's the same idea).
Layla's struggles are real and I found it easy to sympathize with her and all she's been through. And then of course her first love is literally 'love at first sight' and even though the idea is tired and recycled, to read it from Layla's point of view is both adorable and relatable.
As she is slowly accepted into the tight-knit community she landed in you can't help but cheer for her to enjoy her life and be herself because she is FINALLY able to. Like any other main character in any book she has her struggles and obstacles to overcome but they are all dealt with in a timely manner which keeps the reader engaged and wanting for more.
The only criticism I do have for this book was the fact that the author had to keep restating how Layla's past was terrible and it beat her down emotionally for years on end. I clearly know about Layla's past, I've only been reading about it for a couple hundred pages or so. Usually in previous books I've read, the re-stating of facts is followed by additional details that give the reader insight into what really happened or finally put together the pieces of the character's past...but not in this book. We knew from page one what Layla's life was like with her grandparents so the reiteration of events was not necessary.
Other than that I really did enjoy reading this book! It was cute, timely and a twist on the classic feel-good novel. 3 stars
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Forever Ours by Cassia Leo
After eight years of being tossed around from one home to another, never forming any meaningful friendships or bonds with her foster families, Claire's caseworker gives her an ultimatum: Behave or your next home will be a halfway house.
When fifteen-year-old Claire arrives at the home of Jackie Knight and meets Jackie's fifteen-year-old son, tattooed guitarist Chris, she fears she'll be seeing the inside of that halfway house soon. But Chris isn't like any other guy Claire has ever encountered and he soon gains her trust through his music and unwavering patience.
Claire has finally found her forever home and she and Chris soon find themselves falling in love.
But Chris's dreams of musical stardom and Claire's need for a stable home soon put their love in jeopardy. Chris struggles deeply with his plans for the future, entirely reluctant to leave Claire behind; until Claire does something that may break their love -- and the only home she's comes to know -- forever.
Wow. This book. So good.
I went into this book blind. It was the best experience, especially compared to some of the books I've been reading lately.
This book was real, raw, oozing emotion and I loved every minute of it. Granted it was a bit graphic during the sex scenes but this is most 'real' book I think I've ever read. Claire and Chris jump off the page. They struggle with real relationship issues and the ending broke my heart.
I am DEFINITELY reading the rest of the series!! 5 stars <3
When fifteen-year-old Claire arrives at the home of Jackie Knight and meets Jackie's fifteen-year-old son, tattooed guitarist Chris, she fears she'll be seeing the inside of that halfway house soon. But Chris isn't like any other guy Claire has ever encountered and he soon gains her trust through his music and unwavering patience.
Claire has finally found her forever home and she and Chris soon find themselves falling in love.
But Chris's dreams of musical stardom and Claire's need for a stable home soon put their love in jeopardy. Chris struggles deeply with his plans for the future, entirely reluctant to leave Claire behind; until Claire does something that may break their love -- and the only home she's comes to know -- forever.
Wow. This book. So good.
I went into this book blind. It was the best experience, especially compared to some of the books I've been reading lately.
This book was real, raw, oozing emotion and I loved every minute of it. Granted it was a bit graphic during the sex scenes but this is most 'real' book I think I've ever read. Claire and Chris jump off the page. They struggle with real relationship issues and the ending broke my heart.
I am DEFINITELY reading the rest of the series!! 5 stars <3
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Every girl who had taken the test has died. Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.
If she fails...
How do I even begin to review this book? I downloaded it to my iPad in April but just finished it a few days ago. The story wasn't gripping enough for me to want to spend my day with Kate, her dying mother and Henry.
Also all the mythology is wrong.
That might have been what did it for me. I took Latin in high school and Greek mythology was taken very seriously. This book just glosses over all of it. If you know nothing about the myths then this probably won't be a big deal for you - but it really bothered me.
That being said I kept waiting for the seven tasks to present themselves and to see how Kate was going to overcome them. I waited, and waited, and waited. Then finally she gets a test!...It's a paper test, an exam from her tutor and she fails. But just kidding, that didn't matter. It was just to make sure she was paying attention. *insert frustration here*
We finally get to understand the tests at the end of the book (so at least there's no cliffhanger in that department) but they were so lame that all the build up was unnecessary.
So overall I will NOT be reading the next installment of the series - I can't justify spending time on a series where the main character whines the whole book just to get a happy ending. ugh
3 stars
Five by Christie Rich
Rayla Tate dreams of escaping her ordinary world for a bright future in the art world. Throw in an overbearing aunt who is keeping major secrets, a disgruntled best friend tagging along to college, and a bunch of fae warriors waiting in the wings to claim her the minute she leaves her sleepy little town, and Rayla's dreams are about to shatter.
She soon discovers she is a coveted Elemental with power she never knew she possessed--a power that could change the world. Everywhere she turns another man tries to woo her. The weird part is she's drawn to each one of them. Who are these strange men, and what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using any means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.
This was a free download through the Amazon Kindle app. (translation: my expectations for this book were VERY low)...that being said I actually liked this book. It was engaging and fast-paced which is good because I read the whole thing on my phone (a.k.a. the place where books are destined to be unfinished). This was a book I'd read during my lunch break at work and after a while I started looking forward to lunchtime because I would be able to get that much farther into the story.
I mean the book is definitely fantasy so that means everyone is attractive and the main character is totally reckless, but somehow manages to escape death/punishment/abduction narrowly every time. So naturally this gets a little redundant.
I can only give this book 3 stars because it's not my ideal genre (see the afore mentioned reasons) but all in all it's a solid book. When I finished it I really thought about buying the next one...but then didn't.
She soon discovers she is a coveted Elemental with power she never knew she possessed--a power that could change the world. Everywhere she turns another man tries to woo her. The weird part is she's drawn to each one of them. Who are these strange men, and what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using any means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.
This was a free download through the Amazon Kindle app. (translation: my expectations for this book were VERY low)...that being said I actually liked this book. It was engaging and fast-paced which is good because I read the whole thing on my phone (a.k.a. the place where books are destined to be unfinished). This was a book I'd read during my lunch break at work and after a while I started looking forward to lunchtime because I would be able to get that much farther into the story.
I mean the book is definitely fantasy so that means everyone is attractive and the main character is totally reckless, but somehow manages to escape death/punishment/abduction narrowly every time. So naturally this gets a little redundant.
I can only give this book 3 stars because it's not my ideal genre (see the afore mentioned reasons) but all in all it's a solid book. When I finished it I really thought about buying the next one...but then didn't.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.
I just feel so let down by this book. The contemporary novels I read have to be engaging and feel really real but this book just didn't do that for me. The premise didn't do much for me either...should a teenage girl in a coma stay in her body and live out the rest of her life, or totally give up and join her family in spirit.
I'm sorry but for me that isn't really a choice - I'd stay with my remaining family and live out my life like my parents would have wanted me to. The fact that just giving up is even an option is what mostly deterred me from this book. But it's being made into a movie so of course I had to read it.
My biggest problem with this book was the language it was written in. Mia would be weighing her options, then suddenly out of nowhere we'd be looking back on a memory that conveniently tied into exactly what she was thinking about. *repeat for 200 pages* Then she finally made a decision on page 201, but by then I really didn't care anymore.
Had I resisted the urge to read this book and just see the movie like most normal people I probably would have liked it SO much more. In my opinion this book was written to be a movie. Just re-format the text and you have a well-written screenplay. Because of this I will probably go see the movie and hope for decent acting or else I'll have even more to complain about.
2 stars
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.
I just feel so let down by this book. The contemporary novels I read have to be engaging and feel really real but this book just didn't do that for me. The premise didn't do much for me either...should a teenage girl in a coma stay in her body and live out the rest of her life, or totally give up and join her family in spirit.
I'm sorry but for me that isn't really a choice - I'd stay with my remaining family and live out my life like my parents would have wanted me to. The fact that just giving up is even an option is what mostly deterred me from this book. But it's being made into a movie so of course I had to read it.
My biggest problem with this book was the language it was written in. Mia would be weighing her options, then suddenly out of nowhere we'd be looking back on a memory that conveniently tied into exactly what she was thinking about. *repeat for 200 pages* Then she finally made a decision on page 201, but by then I really didn't care anymore.
Had I resisted the urge to read this book and just see the movie like most normal people I probably would have liked it SO much more. In my opinion this book was written to be a movie. Just re-format the text and you have a well-written screenplay. Because of this I will probably go see the movie and hope for decent acting or else I'll have even more to complain about.
2 stars
Monday, July 7, 2014
Twilight by Meg Cabot
Suze has gotten used to ghosts. She's a mediator, after all, and communicating with the dead is all in a day's work. So she certainly never expected to fall in love with one: Jesse, a nineteenth- century hottie. But when she discovers that she has the power to determine who becomes a ghost in the first place, Suze begins to freak. It means she can alter the course of history ... and prevent Jesse's murder, keeping him from ever becoming a ghost -- and from ever meeting Suze.
Will Jesse choose to live without her, or die to love her?
This is the last installment of the Shadowland series (for the time being???) and I'm still crying hours after finishing this book. I love this series so much. All the characters are likable, especially Suze - she is the girl I wish I was in high school. Her narration is witty and honest, you can really feel the entire range of her emotions. That being said, this is a book for readers interested in the love affairs of a teen girl who also happens to kick butt. The action in this series is not sub-par, but it is also not always the main plot line which may leave some people slightly bored. Personally, the narration more than made that up for me but that's just my personal taste in books.
This book especially was based on the 'love triangle'. Literally the entire book was about whether Suze and Jesse were going to be together or if Paul was going to get in the way. There were no extraneous ghost or sibling issues and the fact that there is a whole book dedicated to just this and still be great is amazing to me. It justifies Meg Cabot's dedication to characters and ability to write.
Really this book was phenomenal. I won't go into any spoilers but supposedly the next (adult?) installment of the series is coming out in 2015 which I am now torn about reading. It wouldn't be the first time that some of my favorite characters have been brought out of the woodwork just to be ripped apart by an author trying to make another buck. I sincerely hope that is not the case and I WILL read the new book because I love this series and I don't think I would be able to overlook anything surrounding Suze and her adventures.
5 stars...duh.
Will Jesse choose to live without her, or die to love her?
This is the last installment of the Shadowland series (for the time being???) and I'm still crying hours after finishing this book. I love this series so much. All the characters are likable, especially Suze - she is the girl I wish I was in high school. Her narration is witty and honest, you can really feel the entire range of her emotions. That being said, this is a book for readers interested in the love affairs of a teen girl who also happens to kick butt. The action in this series is not sub-par, but it is also not always the main plot line which may leave some people slightly bored. Personally, the narration more than made that up for me but that's just my personal taste in books.
This book especially was based on the 'love triangle'. Literally the entire book was about whether Suze and Jesse were going to be together or if Paul was going to get in the way. There were no extraneous ghost or sibling issues and the fact that there is a whole book dedicated to just this and still be great is amazing to me. It justifies Meg Cabot's dedication to characters and ability to write.
Really this book was phenomenal. I won't go into any spoilers but supposedly the next (adult?) installment of the series is coming out in 2015 which I am now torn about reading. It wouldn't be the first time that some of my favorite characters have been brought out of the woodwork just to be ripped apart by an author trying to make another buck. I sincerely hope that is not the case and I WILL read the new book because I love this series and I don't think I would be able to overlook anything surrounding Suze and her adventures.
5 stars...duh.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...
So this book series gets such high praise from everyone I know and with every recommendation comes a warning: suffer through the first book. I never really understood how the first book in such a beloved series could be so bad but after completing City of Bones I can understand the frustration. The first 100 or so pages are not bad; classic backstory and character building, so naturally a little dull, but the story still had potential. Then the action comes to a stand still and we have to go on a side adventure which has nothing to do with the main plot at all. Had those 100 pages been cut out I feel like this book would have been SO much better. Yes, we were introduced into the 'world of darkness' and those that inhabit it, but I feel like that will happen in future books anyway so it was completely unnecessary here in book 1.
If that mini-adventure had been cut out I would really have no major complaints about this book. Clary was only annoying in that part (at all other times she was manageable) and the Institute was interesting...to a point. Jace got a little whiny at the end but I could understand where he was coming from. Actually the only character who really irked me was Simon. I can officially say I greatly dislike him, especially because the mini-adventure was his fault and he didn't even have a good reason for causing all the trouble!!!
Unfortunately the way book 1 left it, I can only assume Simon gets a more major role in the upcoming books but I sincerely hope not. I honestly think he should have died - it would have provided much better character development for Clary and then he would finally be out of the picture.
Overall I will continue to read the series but I do not plan on re-reading this book any time soon. 3 stars
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...
So this book series gets such high praise from everyone I know and with every recommendation comes a warning: suffer through the first book. I never really understood how the first book in such a beloved series could be so bad but after completing City of Bones I can understand the frustration. The first 100 or so pages are not bad; classic backstory and character building, so naturally a little dull, but the story still had potential. Then the action comes to a stand still and we have to go on a side adventure which has nothing to do with the main plot at all. Had those 100 pages been cut out I feel like this book would have been SO much better. Yes, we were introduced into the 'world of darkness' and those that inhabit it, but I feel like that will happen in future books anyway so it was completely unnecessary here in book 1.
If that mini-adventure had been cut out I would really have no major complaints about this book. Clary was only annoying in that part (at all other times she was manageable) and the Institute was interesting...to a point. Jace got a little whiny at the end but I could understand where he was coming from. Actually the only character who really irked me was Simon. I can officially say I greatly dislike him, especially because the mini-adventure was his fault and he didn't even have a good reason for causing all the trouble!!!
Unfortunately the way book 1 left it, I can only assume Simon gets a more major role in the upcoming books but I sincerely hope not. I honestly think he should have died - it would have provided much better character development for Clary and then he would finally be out of the picture.
Overall I will continue to read the series but I do not plan on re-reading this book any time soon. 3 stars
Monday, June 30, 2014
The Hunt Series by Andrew Fukuda
Don't Sweat. Don't Laugh. Don't draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can't run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn't hurt him and he doesn't have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It's the only way to stay alive in a world of night--a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he's chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene's carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He's thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible--and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever--but is it worth the cost of his humanity?
I had such high hopes for this book series. The praise it got from fans and other authors
alike made me really want to enjoy this story.
And I don’t know what happened, but I just didn’t connect with this
character at all.
Gene is a human living in a vampire world. He is constantly hiding and living in shame
of what he is. Enter the hunt: a select lucky few of the population are
chosen to get to eat ‘real people’ (aka hepers) and all of it is televised to
improve population morale. Surprise! Gene gets chosen and his charade is pretty
much up. How can one heper live under
such scrutiny and not be exposed? Honestly
I don’t know. This book portrays
vampires as complete morons. At home
Gene can supposedly wash the heper scent off himself but at the hunt lodging he
isn’t given so much as a toothbrush and after a few days he begins to smell,
BAD. But of course he convinces everyone
around him that they are just psyching themselves out and they don’t actually
smell anything. AND EVERYONE BUYS IT.
So obviously he doesn’t get exposed until the hunt is right
about to happen and he must flee. But his
escape plan backfires and he barely makes it out of the city with his life. He meets some other hepers along the way and
they go on crazy adventures until things run too smoothly. Then:
plot twist!! Suddenly our main
characters have to do the right thing and completely ruin their chance of
survival. (Maybe that’s why humans are
endangered in this universe – they run TOWARD the blood-sucking monsters)
Now I really wanted to like this book but there were two major
problems that I just couldn’t overlook.
One: Gene is really
whiny and only has a one-track mind. He
can’t piece together anything and that makes reading from his point of view confusing
and slow. By the time he figures out
what’s happening it’s literally about to happen. For some people that creates a lot of
suspense and action-filled cliffhangers, but for me it was just annoying. Of course he could never think of a good
plan, he would have to know something in advance, which apparently is too much
to ask from our main character.
Two: Nothing was ever
explained about the vampires and how they live.
I only assume they have families and houses because neighborhoods are
alluded to. I know they have relationships
because weird vampire ‘sex’ was explained in GREAT detail. (Because I really
wanted to know about that…gross) After
reading three books about these people I still only know the basics: they melt the sun, they drink blood and their
favorite thing to eat is hepers.
I really wish those issues had been flushed out more, maybe I
would have gotten a bit more out of the series.
Overall there was a good story in there, you just can’t pay attention to
the details or you’ll lose the momentum of the story and then it’s all over.
3 stars
Friday, June 27, 2014
Under the Never Sky Series by Veronica Rossi
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.
Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.
If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.
I thought this book was super cute. I mean it was the classic boy-saves-girl-they-hate-each-other-then-they-don't story that we've all heard a thousand times. Except this edition is in the future, so it's like a whole new concept again.
Aria's life in the dome was really cool to read about, I wish we could have stayed there longer, but because stories must move on one thing leads to another and she gets kicked out to die. But guess what? She lives!! (otherwise this would have been a really short series)
Perry finds her and takes care of her, but they hate each other until they're attacked by cannibals...then they become besties! (whatever works right?) They then set off into the sunset on various adventures that span 3 books and caused me A LOT of tears (especially at the end of book 2).
The Perry/Aria love connection was adorable and there was no cheesy love triangle. But all that aside Roar was my favorite character. He was spunky, full of life and stood up for what he believed in no matter what - even when everyone around him told him he was crazy. I wish he would have been more of a major player, but I'm glad as a reader I got as much information about him as I did. Normally side characters don't get as much attention as they deserve, but Roar defies the odds!!
The only thing I didn't like was Aria's unknown origins. Her mom doesn't provide much of an explanation and her dad she simply refuses to acknowledge most of the time. Then the book ends.
But other than my obsession to know everything in great detail (even side stories that don't really have any relevance) I can't think of anything that I really disliked about this series. 4 stars*
*I'll give 5 stars for an installment where we discuss Aria's family tree!!
Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.
If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.
I thought this book was super cute. I mean it was the classic boy-saves-girl-they-hate-each-other-then-they-don't story that we've all heard a thousand times. Except this edition is in the future, so it's like a whole new concept again.
Aria's life in the dome was really cool to read about, I wish we could have stayed there longer, but because stories must move on one thing leads to another and she gets kicked out to die. But guess what? She lives!! (otherwise this would have been a really short series)
Perry finds her and takes care of her, but they hate each other until they're attacked by cannibals...then they become besties! (whatever works right?) They then set off into the sunset on various adventures that span 3 books and caused me A LOT of tears (especially at the end of book 2).
The Perry/Aria love connection was adorable and there was no cheesy love triangle. But all that aside Roar was my favorite character. He was spunky, full of life and stood up for what he believed in no matter what - even when everyone around him told him he was crazy. I wish he would have been more of a major player, but I'm glad as a reader I got as much information about him as I did. Normally side characters don't get as much attention as they deserve, but Roar defies the odds!!
The only thing I didn't like was Aria's unknown origins. Her mom doesn't provide much of an explanation and her dad she simply refuses to acknowledge most of the time. Then the book ends.
But other than my obsession to know everything in great detail (even side stories that don't really have any relevance) I can't think of anything that I really disliked about this series. 4 stars*
*I'll give 5 stars for an installment where we discuss Aria's family tree!!
The Darkest Minds (and Never Fade) by Alexandra Braken
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.
This book's premise was pretty awesome: kids born in the newest generation were developing super powers, but to make sure adults didn't lose control the kids were sent to concentration camps - locked away until they could find a cure or make the problem extinct.
I wished Ruby had stayed in the concentration camp longer so I could fully grasp her character and I just thought it was really interesting : )
But of course, as all action novel heroes must, Ruby escapes and is on the run from not only the government that will send her back to the camp but also another organization that wants to train the special kids to fight back.
Ruby is a great character to read about and I love the way she thinks. Her voice is very strong throughout the whole book and even during the non-actiony bits I was still interested in how she interacted with her fellow escapees.
Unfortunately this cannot be said for the second installment in the series: Never Fade. Don't get me wrong it was still a good book, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it as much as the first. Ruby's adventure was tired and up until the end I was passively reading about her escapades. Once we finally hit the plot twist however, things got really good. So I guess the sequel just falls into the filler category, as most sequels tend to do.
Overall I'm definitely going to read the last book once it comes out because I have to know how it ends - and that is hallmark of a good book! 4 stars
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.
This book's premise was pretty awesome: kids born in the newest generation were developing super powers, but to make sure adults didn't lose control the kids were sent to concentration camps - locked away until they could find a cure or make the problem extinct.
I wished Ruby had stayed in the concentration camp longer so I could fully grasp her character and I just thought it was really interesting : )
But of course, as all action novel heroes must, Ruby escapes and is on the run from not only the government that will send her back to the camp but also another organization that wants to train the special kids to fight back.
Ruby is a great character to read about and I love the way she thinks. Her voice is very strong throughout the whole book and even during the non-actiony bits I was still interested in how she interacted with her fellow escapees.
Unfortunately this cannot be said for the second installment in the series: Never Fade. Don't get me wrong it was still a good book, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it as much as the first. Ruby's adventure was tired and up until the end I was passively reading about her escapades. Once we finally hit the plot twist however, things got really good. So I guess the sequel just falls into the filler category, as most sequels tend to do.
Overall I'm definitely going to read the last book once it comes out because I have to know how it ends - and that is hallmark of a good book! 4 stars
The Selection Series by Kiera Cass
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Well this book was a surprise. Sometimes it makes the book better if you know nothing about it and you get sucked into the craziness of it all...well for me that was this book. I picked it up one day on a whim and the next thing I knew I couldn't put it down! I ran out and got the second book then when the last one came out I ran to the bookstore as soon as I could.
This story is kind of girly but if you can past the in-your-face love triangle there's some pretty good action in there too. America is no slouch when it comes to fighting and she would never back down if challenged (this is proven time and again in each book).
To be honest a lot of the 'plot twists' I totally saw coming...from like 10 miles away, but that didn't take away from the overall excitement of the story.
Frankly the only thing I didn't like was America's name: America Singer. She's a singer (like that's her job) and she's from America. Her parents were NOT creative.
But I really can't complain about anything else. The pacing was timely, the love triangle struggle was real and the contest was actually really interesting. You would think a contest that lasts a few months would not be able to fill 3 books, but it does and it doesn't really get boring.
5 stars!
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Well this book was a surprise. Sometimes it makes the book better if you know nothing about it and you get sucked into the craziness of it all...well for me that was this book. I picked it up one day on a whim and the next thing I knew I couldn't put it down! I ran out and got the second book then when the last one came out I ran to the bookstore as soon as I could.
This story is kind of girly but if you can past the in-your-face love triangle there's some pretty good action in there too. America is no slouch when it comes to fighting and she would never back down if challenged (this is proven time and again in each book).
To be honest a lot of the 'plot twists' I totally saw coming...from like 10 miles away, but that didn't take away from the overall excitement of the story.
Frankly the only thing I didn't like was America's name: America Singer. She's a singer (like that's her job) and she's from America. Her parents were NOT creative.
But I really can't complain about anything else. The pacing was timely, the love triangle struggle was real and the contest was actually really interesting. You would think a contest that lasts a few months would not be able to fill 3 books, but it does and it doesn't really get boring.
5 stars!
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.
Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both of them legions of faithful fans.
I hated this book. After reading the summary and many reviews I decided that this book was going to be the ONLY book I was going to bring to the airport for my weekend holiday. That was a bad decision on my part because not only did I get bored with this book but I had no other alternatives so I had to push my way through it and it was painful. There were a few times I just had to put the thing down and let off some steam, which because I was travelling alone meant me talking to myself, and that got quite a few stares from various airport staff. This book literally made me crazy!!
This was the first John Green novel I ever read and now I understand his style of writing but at the time it was just monotonous detail and very little actually going on. It didn't help that it was a collaboration book; I feel like both authors were too afraid to get all up in the other's business so they just went with whatever crossed their minds first and tried to make it work.
The story just wasn't there for me, the characters were too dull and it took a long time for just SOMETHING to happen which frustrated me to the point of really disliking this book. I wasn't aware of the contemporary nature of this story so the fact that there was no genetic lab making twins in the secret of night was really disappointing.
(If it isn't obvious already...) 1 star
Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both of them legions of faithful fans.
I hated this book. After reading the summary and many reviews I decided that this book was going to be the ONLY book I was going to bring to the airport for my weekend holiday. That was a bad decision on my part because not only did I get bored with this book but I had no other alternatives so I had to push my way through it and it was painful. There were a few times I just had to put the thing down and let off some steam, which because I was travelling alone meant me talking to myself, and that got quite a few stares from various airport staff. This book literally made me crazy!!
This was the first John Green novel I ever read and now I understand his style of writing but at the time it was just monotonous detail and very little actually going on. It didn't help that it was a collaboration book; I feel like both authors were too afraid to get all up in the other's business so they just went with whatever crossed their minds first and tried to make it work.
The story just wasn't there for me, the characters were too dull and it took a long time for just SOMETHING to happen which frustrated me to the point of really disliking this book. I wasn't aware of the contemporary nature of this story so the fact that there was no genetic lab making twins in the secret of night was really disappointing.
(If it isn't obvious already...) 1 star
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, hallways hum “Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. Until they are not. Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her - normal.
This book is strange to read as a college student. I think I would have liked this book so much more if I had read it 6 or 7 years ago. Even though the characters in the book are supposed to be in high school I feel like they still act like they're in middle school. I don't know, I'm not 16 anymore. What I do know is that I was the WRONG audience for this book.
That being said I didn't hate the book, but it was the classic high school clique scenario and the new girl is weird and not accepted, until she is, then she isn't again. This book was hugely popular when I was younger so when I finally came across it recently I decided to finally pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. To be honest I was disappointed; not with the book but more with myself because I missed the bandwagon.
Another issue I had with this book was Stargirl's downfall. The first half of the book I spent dreading the second half. Her rise to fame was interesting to read about and kept me entertained. Her downfall was confusing - even though the author explained why it happened I still didn't get it. The actions of her classmates didn't seem realistic to me. But maybe I missed something.
After 'the incident' the book just didn't hold up for me. The ending was NOT satisfying at all. Problems were never resolved, it was just a bunch of what ifs and maybes. I hate when books end like that. Fictional characters should always have an ending, it doesn't have to be pretty or popular but it should at least exist.
Overall I give this book 3 stars. It is definitely for a younger audience.
This book is strange to read as a college student. I think I would have liked this book so much more if I had read it 6 or 7 years ago. Even though the characters in the book are supposed to be in high school I feel like they still act like they're in middle school. I don't know, I'm not 16 anymore. What I do know is that I was the WRONG audience for this book.
That being said I didn't hate the book, but it was the classic high school clique scenario and the new girl is weird and not accepted, until she is, then she isn't again. This book was hugely popular when I was younger so when I finally came across it recently I decided to finally pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. To be honest I was disappointed; not with the book but more with myself because I missed the bandwagon.
Another issue I had with this book was Stargirl's downfall. The first half of the book I spent dreading the second half. Her rise to fame was interesting to read about and kept me entertained. Her downfall was confusing - even though the author explained why it happened I still didn't get it. The actions of her classmates didn't seem realistic to me. But maybe I missed something.
After 'the incident' the book just didn't hold up for me. The ending was NOT satisfying at all. Problems were never resolved, it was just a bunch of what ifs and maybes. I hate when books end like that. Fictional characters should always have an ending, it doesn't have to be pretty or popular but it should at least exist.
Overall I give this book 3 stars. It is definitely for a younger audience.
Shadowland by Meg Cabot
Suze is a mediator -- a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind ... and Suze happens to be in the way.
I love this book. Plain and simple. I cannot believe I missed this when it first came out (forever ago!!) because my teenage self would have read the entire series at least 10 times by now. The main character is sassy but smart and just crazy enough to constantly be putting herself in danger and then narrowly escaping it.
Keep in mind this book is totally for chicks. There's boy gossip and hot guys and dating mishaps (#firstworldproblems much?!?) so the actual storyline is not that intense, but it is a nice break from all the serious contemporaries I've been reading lately. On top of everything each book is only about 300 pages so I've been averaging about one book a day - which is pretty good for this working girl!
All in all, this book series is very light and fun. It's a really good travel read or beach book, there's not too much thinking involved, but there is just enough mystery to keep you invested.
5 stars!!
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind ... and Suze happens to be in the way.
I love this book. Plain and simple. I cannot believe I missed this when it first came out (forever ago!!) because my teenage self would have read the entire series at least 10 times by now. The main character is sassy but smart and just crazy enough to constantly be putting herself in danger and then narrowly escaping it.
Keep in mind this book is totally for chicks. There's boy gossip and hot guys and dating mishaps (#firstworldproblems much?!?) so the actual storyline is not that intense, but it is a nice break from all the serious contemporaries I've been reading lately. On top of everything each book is only about 300 pages so I've been averaging about one book a day - which is pretty good for this working girl!
All in all, this book series is very light and fun. It's a really good travel read or beach book, there's not too much thinking involved, but there is just enough mystery to keep you invested.
5 stars!!
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
This book has been a must read for a while but I never had the mindset for it. The whole concept seemed a bit morbid to me but also strangely interesting. I finally just had to know why this girl killed herself.
Now I just want to say that this is not supposed to be some great insight into bullying or teen angst, just simply one girl and 13 problems that she just couldn't deal with anymore.
The format of this book was strange because the voice on the tapes kept being interrupted by Clay and his thoughts, actions and memories. If it wasn't for the font change I don't think I would have been able to tell the difference. But after you get into the groove of the book it gets easier to distinguish due to the nature of the information on the tapes.
I really did like the fact that this book doesn't mess around. It gets right to the point. In the first 30 pages Clay gets the tapes and begins to listen to them, eventually deciding to listen to them all in one night (exactly like I would have done).
As he moves through the tapes you get sucked up into Hannah's universe and I personally was waiting for the last straw. The final act that made her commit suicide. And when that finally happened it really hit home for me. I was in shock for a while - even after the book ended.
I can't give this book 5 stars because of all the hype. I haven't known anyone to dislike this book so I was expecting something AMAZING, but all I got was something great. I was still satisfied with it though, so I can happily give it 4 stars.
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
Kind of the worst book summary ever. Now I'm not one for contemporary books but this one got such great reviews that I had to bite the bullet and read it.
...and holy crap I'm glad I did.
I finished this book in two days (it would have taken less time but I just started back up at my summer job so my schedule's been a little hectic) but more to the point, I couldn't put it down. The characters were interesting and even though I had almost no plot summary to go off of I didn't care. After about 3o pages into the book I was hooked.
The only thing that struck me was the weird use of metaphors. As a reader I was taking everything literally and I usually had to backtrack and figure out what was actually going on.
Other than that I have no critiques. I loved this book and I won't say another word about it because the less you know the better.
5 stars!!!
*side note: if you have any insight as to why they are called the Liars, please let me know. I cannot figure it out for the life of me
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
Kind of the worst book summary ever. Now I'm not one for contemporary books but this one got such great reviews that I had to bite the bullet and read it.
...and holy crap I'm glad I did.
I finished this book in two days (it would have taken less time but I just started back up at my summer job so my schedule's been a little hectic) but more to the point, I couldn't put it down. The characters were interesting and even though I had almost no plot summary to go off of I didn't care. After about 3o pages into the book I was hooked.
The only thing that struck me was the weird use of metaphors. As a reader I was taking everything literally and I usually had to backtrack and figure out what was actually going on.
Other than that I have no critiques. I loved this book and I won't say another word about it because the less you know the better.
5 stars!!!
*side note: if you have any insight as to why they are called the Liars, please let me know. I cannot figure it out for the life of me
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