Book Review: Ruse (Want #2)

Title: Ruse (Want #2)
Arthur: Cindy Pon
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Genre: SciFi, dystopian, YA
Page Count: 336
Publication date: March 26th, 2019

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In near-future Shanghai, a group of teens have their world turned upside down when one of their own is kidnapped in this action-packed follow-up to the “positively chilling” sci-fi thriller Want.

Jason Zhou, his friends, and Daiyu are still recovering from the aftermath of bombing Jin Corp headquarters. But Jin, the ruthless billionaire and Daiyu’s father, is out for blood. When Lingyi goes to Shanghai to help Jany Tsai, a childhood acquaintance in trouble, she doesn’t expect Jin to be involved. And when Jin has Jany murdered and steals the tech she had refused to sell him, Lingyi is the only one who has access to the encrypted info, putting her own life in jeopardy.

Zhou doesn’t hesitate to fly to China to help Iris find Lingyi, even though he’s been estranged from his friends for months. But when Iris tells him he can’t tell Daiyu or trust her, he balks. The reunited group play a treacherous cat and mouse game in the labyrinthine streets of Shanghai, determined on taking back what Jin had stolen.

When Daiyu appears in Shanghai, Zhou is uncertain if it’s to confront him or in support of her father. Jin has proudly announced Daiyu will be by his side for the opening ceremony of Jin Tower, his first “vertical city.” And as hard as Zhou and his friends fight, Jin always gains the upper hand. Is this a game they can survive, much less win?

Review:
Disclaimer: I received this book for an honest review through NetGalley from the publisher.

I've been awaiting this book since I finished Want just after it first came out. Want was my first book by Cindy Pon and made me buy two more - which I haven't read yet, but #booklife problems - and it was amazing. It blew me away. It was young adult dystopian, which I thought I was just over - the market had been saturated and I wanted nothing more to do with it.

The market was saturated, that's not a lie, but it was saturated with white, US based dystopian fiction. All of it taking place in the US - honestly I don't remember very many taking place outside the states, even - and so this felt amazing.

It was a very feminist, intersectional book, with a cast of people of color and also casual queer characters - meaning their being queer didn't really matter, it was just who they were as they were while trying to save the world.

The plot of this surprised me and I was scared it was going to go in a direction that'd make me angry but it didn't go that route. To be honest, I'd almost call this wholesome dystopian, but really it's just good, old (but new) YA dystopian where the heroes, of course, win.

Not without losses and, if you haven't read the first book I won't spoil it here but their plans are ambitious and intense. And they complete them.

The one thing in this book, following up Want that I really enjoyed was seeing a different city in this world. Not far from their city of Taipei, they end up in China - Shanghai to be exact - to help out a friend and to, once again, screw over Jin Corp.

To wrap this up, so I don't just continue to spew love - I really enjoyed this duology, and this book was even better then the first. Fast paced, fun, good characters that you wanted to root for, and also an important look at what our very near future may look like because of climate change.

That's one of the main reasons this book is so important to me because it's terrifying how close we are to this future - this dystopian future - but also maybe people reading this book will get a kick in the pants about the world around them.

Highly, highly recommend this duology, this book especially, and I'd love to chat about it in the comments if you guys have read it or plan to.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Fresh Ink (anthology

Title: Fresh Ink
Editor: Lamar Giles
Authors: Malinda Lo, Melissa de la Cruz, Daniel Jose Older, Gene Luen Yang, Nicola Yoon, Sara Farizan, Eric Gansworth, Walter Dean Meyers, Thien Pham, Jason Reynolds, Sharon G. Flake, Schuyler Bailar, Aminah Mae Safi
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 208
Publication Date: August 14th, 2018

Plot (from goodreads):
In partnership with We Need Diverse Books, thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors come together in this remarkable YA anthology featuring ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

Review:

(disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review).

Overall, this was a solid collection. There were some I loved more then others, but none of them was I 'meh' on, which is pretty rare for an anthology with more then a handful of authors. The idea behind this anthology and the stories inside are so important. 

And the stories are good as hell. There's a few that I wish we could see full stories of, but I also like the idea of people getting to imagine the next part, create their own end for the story. All the authors I'd read from before were, of course, amazing and I was glad to return to their work. (For example: love Malinda Lo's everything. DJ Older's + Jason Reynolds's writing. And the others I've read. 

And was blown away by some of the people I hadn't read yet - We'll talk about my favorite story last, and I don't want to just talk about a few but also don't want to get too in depth. These are, obviously, short stories so I feel like mentioning anything gives almost too much away. I just want to say that these writers are all incredible and this anthology blew me away. Especially, honestly, considering how short it was, I was left wanting more but definitely not in a bad way.

Especially from the last story in the collection by Nicola Yoon - about a black kid whose a superhero. I was a little confused at first but as soon as I learned what was going on, my heart joke broke. And, to be honest, this is the one that I was about a whole series about. It hit my hard and is so important and was incredible. 

Book Review: Tash Hearts Tolstoy (Bibliothon Day 2)

Titles: Tash Hearts Tolstoy
Author: Kathryn Ormsbee
Genre: Contemporary YA
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 367
Publication Date: June 6th, 2017

Plot (from goodreads):
After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar vloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral.

Her show is a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina—written by Tash’s literary love Count Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy. Tash is a fan of the forty thousand new subscribers, their gushing tweets, and flashy Tumblr GIFs. Not so much the pressure to deliver the best web series ever.

And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL—if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Tash wants to enjoy her newfound fame, but will she lose her friends in her rise to the top? What would Tolstoy do?

Review:

First off - I've never read any Tolstoy, so if that's why you're putting off this book then don't bother. Yes, they do mention it at points and I had no real clue what they were talking about it, but it didn't really take away form the story for me? It was like - ah, yes, ships, good. And then his work isn't that important to the plot, though I do love that she has conversations with her poster of him. I felt that.

Tash is our main character and she definitely acts like a teenager - which isn't a bad thing considering she's suppose to be a teenager. It drove me crazy a time or two, as happens in all YA novels, but I remember being a teenager like it was yesterday (how did I turn 22 recently? That feels fake). Anyway - what I mean is that she is so focused on her that she doesn't take others feelings into account or notice things right in front of her. And that doesn't make her a bad person, I'm not saying she's selfish, she's just... trying to figure herself and everything else out at the same time.

Now. The miniseries. I don't know if this was like an 'official' quote, but I've heard a few people make the reference and I definitely felt it - their webseries made me think so much of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (which I rewatched on the fifth anniversary. If you haven't watched it's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice through vlog form and is incredible. Love it so much). I'm getting off topic again, but - if you watch any actually webseries I think it'll bring a smile to your face to see them filming it.

The main thing I loved about this book, which I have saved for last, is our main character is asexual. And they use the word in the text - she even talks about how, when she was trying to figure out what she identified as, she came across demisexual and greysexual. I just appreciated it, and loved how it was handled, so much. She's heteroromantic asexual, just to be clear, and I hope we start getting more and more books with all kinds of LGBTQIA+ characters.

Overall - this book was a good, fun young adult novel. The writing didn't stick out too much for me, her best friend Jack I want a whole book about (if you agree, let's talk in the comments, I kind of want her to bench press me?). It was cool, though, that she was a vegetarian and, I believe, a buddist. There was also talk about how her family came to be where they are - talk about her mom's family living so far away, their Czech history.

That's where this book was completely solid - the charaters. I really loved Tash, her two best friends, the cast of the webseries. And the way social media was handled seemed very realistic.

I'd definitely recommend checking this out out if you're interested in something like that - rich characters, some ace rep, webseries production, teen angst. 

(if you know of any reviews by heteroromantic aces let me know so I can link them here to speak on the ace rep, or just asexual)

This challenge is being hosted by Kassie over at MissSassyKassie.

Happy Readathoning!

Series Review: The Grisha Series (by Leigh Bardugo)

Series: The Grisha Trilogy
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA High Fantasy (Adventure, Romance)
Overall Series Rating: 5/5
Books:
Shadow and Bone (5/5)
Siege and Storm (5/5)
Ruin and Rising (5/5)

First Book Synopsis (Goodreads):
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

My Background (with the series):
I bought the first book when it very first came out, probably the week of, and the same with the second - and then didn't read either of them. And then just decided to wait until the third one came out. So I did, I preordered it, and it came in the mail - and then I read them all in a row. Three days, three books (June 17th - 19th. Started and finished book one on the 17th, and finished book three on the 19th).

And since I read them so quick I didn't have a lot of exposure to the fans/fandom of the series, or the discussion and such. And I was so confused and surprised (and confused) about why everyone was obsessed with The Darkling. Guys, I'm sorry to break it to you, but he was kind of evil (I mean, he was entertaining, but we didn't get to know him at all). And he hurts people, using them, and I just honestly don't get it because he doesn't have any redeeming qualities that I could find. I mean sometimes I adore villains because of how evil/insane/whatever they are - but seemed to have honestly wanted him and Alina to get together. Pretty sure that would of been bad.

I also don't understand why people seem to hate Mal. Okay hate might be strong word for some, but for others I don't think it is. I mean he wasn't my favorite, but he wasn't bad (Sturmhound, and I think the logical way was him, the "follow your heart" was Mal for her).

Review:
I don't know what it was that made me enjoy this series so much. It wasn't, like, overly fantastic in any way (the plot was okay, interesting, but not wow, original and the writing was just good), but for some reason I really loved this series. Now, rethinking it, I'm considering lowering the ratings on the books - but I'm not going to because I just feel like I should, and that's an awful to reason to do anything.

I did really enjoy these three books though, this series. And the romance aspects, oddly, never felt out of place or pushed into where they shouldn't be. I feel like that's a common problem when warlike things are happening or the worlds in danger - the romance can just feel not right, out of place, and/or ridiculous. But this book wasn't like that - the romance was there and that was that.

The world might of been my favorite part - the supernatural parts and the historical fantasy world being my main favorite parts. I loved how the supernatural parts were mixed in and how the worldbuilding didn't feel too much like info-dumping. I did like the writing, overall, her style was good, not too flowery, but also not too simple.

I think I'm in the majority, as well, for liking how the trilogy wrapped up (I mean, I didn't love it, but it was cute / I was fine with it).

Series Review: The Mortal Instrument (by Cassandra Clare)

Series Name: The Mortal Instruments
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fanasy
Overall Series Rating: 4/5
Books:
City of Bones (3/5)*
City of Ashes (4/5)
City of Glass (4/5)
City of Fallen Angels (4/5)
City of Lost Souls (5/5)
City of Heavenly Fire (5/5)

Book One Synopsis (from Goodreads):
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...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

My Background (with the series):
I feel like this is important for understanding my feelings about the series, and I promise to keep it short. I started this series before the third book was out in middle school (yes, I had to wait for the third book - and we didn't know some stuff that's pretty common knowledge now. It was torture). And, honestly, I don't know if I had just first read them now, if I would of enjoyed them as much as I did.

Series Thoughts:
First off, I think that the reading order for this series and The Infernal Devices should be, either publication order - or read the original trilogy of these, ID, and then the last three of this. And I don't think you have to of read Infernal Devices to finish this series, but it will kind of ruin the ending of that series and you won't be able to appreciate everything.

I have a few problems with this series and, at some points for another series, they would of been enough to make me want to not continue with the series - but these books are so easy to read and they're fun, that I kept reading them. But I didn't care about the characters, really at all, and definitely not as much as I ended up caring for the characters in The Infernal Devices.

And I think I know why - these characters grow, but not a lot, not as much as they could have, maybe even should have, but I think it's because it takes place over such a small amount of time. This series is six books long and takes place in a few months - a few months, that boggled my mind when I first realized it, but it explained a lot. They're still very, very young - throughout the whole series - but I'm not sure that can excuse my next problem: bad, awful, teenager decisions. It does get better in later books, but not too much better.

That's what I'm calling it, because that's what I feel these are. Sometimes the characters make informed... ish decisions, but most of the time I can't understand why they're doing what they're doing. Sometimes this works out in their favor, sometimes it doesn't and you want to shake them, but either way - it's infuriating.

That being said, with those problems a few more, I do really enjoy this series. It's a lot of fun, easy to read, the world is kind of awesome (it's not too intricate or hard to follow, but it also doesn't really feel flat or underdeveloped, for the most part). Clare's writing isn't amazing, but I like the humor woven in, though it's not for everyone.

* ratings on these books are from my rereading them (if I'd read them previously, of course).
The Infernal Devices series review

Series Review: The Infernal Devices (by Cassandra Clare)

Series: The Infernal Devices
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult - Historical Fantasy
Overall Series Rating: 5/5
Books:
Clockwork Angel (4/5)
Clockwork Prince (5/5)
Clockwork Princess (5/5)

Book One Synopsis (Goodreads):
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

My Background (with the series):
I started this series right when it first came out - because it was new Clare in the shadowhunter world and it looked like it'd be steampunk-esque (it does have those elements, but not heavily, just tidbits), and I thought the first book was - alright, on that first readthrough, it was fun and interesting. I read the second book, also, when it first came out. And then procrastinated the third because that's, apparently, what I tend to do for trilogies.

And then this year I read the whole thing, in a short period of time (I read this series and most of The Mortal Instruments series such a short period of time it was probably unhealthy), and it changed my opinion on them. The first one, I still think, is just an introduction - and then the next to destroy your heart.

Review:
I love these books - I love these books so much. If you haven't read this series, then you need to read it, because so good oh my god.

Now to try and be coherent, because I hear that's important. My hands down, favorite thing, about this book series is the characters. I just connected to all of them in a way I didn't really the TMI characters. Maybe it was the way things were written, how they spoke to each other (specifically this for the boys), and how everything was described. And these characters are definitely more mature, probably due to the time period it's set it, I feel like a lot of stuff is because of that.

The main trio in this book - Tessa, Will, and Jem - are a fantastic set and I never really thought of them as a love triangle until it hit me that they technically were that, but I didn't mind them as that because it was perfect. I don't know what it was, but these three were perfect together. Will and Jem were just fantastic - parabati (this brotherly, fighting bond) and so ridiculously close from that.

And their relationship was why I loved this book so much, also them with Tessa (and Henry, Charlotte, the Lightwood boys, Sophie - all the characters were fantastic), but specifically the boys. It was one of the reasons I didn't mind their love triangle thing because the boys weren't jealous of each other, didn't want to hurt the other, loved each other. It was - ridiculous and painfully beautiful, which sounds ridiculous but that's the only way I can think to describe it. The time period that this is set it - made it so that their exchanges, the things they could say to each other that present day guys wouldn't was probably what made their friendship (brothership?) so perfect to me.

There's a series arc about automatons and stuff going down, which is also awesome, and parts of it can be completely ridiculous (the worm scene in Clockwork Princess, what was that?), but it was a ton of fun. And definitely a series to read for the characters - and all of the characters, like I said, not just the main three.

I think, to get the most out of this series and The Mortal Instruments - that you should read this series before you read books four to six of TMI, definitely before you read the last one because you'll miss things/not understand them, and it'll ruin the ending of this series for you.

The Mortal Instruments series review

Book Review: Mortal Danger

Title: Mortal Danger (Immortal Games #1)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance - YA
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 372 (hardcover)
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014

Plot (from Goodreads):
Revenge is a dish best served cold.

In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.

Review:
At the beginning of this book the world felt unreal, in some way, and I'm not sure why. After a bit, that passed and I was fully immersed, but there was still something that felt like it was missing. And, this might of been me, but that also felt intentional - the way that you couldn't quite believe what was going on, because the main character wasn't really accepting it all at first, either, and she wasn't being told a lot, almost nothing.

On the other hand - I really loved the writing and the characters, and the very real portrayal of depression, at the beginning, and I really liked Edie as a character because she was flawed and hurting, at the beginning, but I didn't like how quickly that changed. I didn't like how quickly she was no longer depressed, and had all of this confidence that she didn't have thirty seconds ago, and I think that's one of the things that added to the beginning of the book feeling a little off.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. I had some problems with it, those listed above mostly, but I also just really enjoyed it. As soon as things started to pick up and we started to learn more, I instantly just wanted to know more about the mythology, about this world, about what the hell is going on and what's going to happen next.

I'd mostly recommend this book to people who like Young Adult urban fantasy that is heavy on the romance side of things.

I was approved for an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends #1)

Title: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends #1)
Author: Kelly Armstrong
Genre: High Fantasy, Paranomal/Magic, Adventure, Romance (Young Adult)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 416 (hardcover)
Publication Date: April 8th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)
Twin sisters Moria and Ashyn were marked at birth to become the Keeper and the Seeker of Edgewood, beginning with their sixteenth birthday. Trained in fighting and in the secret rites of the spirits, they lead an annual trip into the Forest of the Dead. There, the veil between the living world and the beyond is thinnest, and the girls pay respect to the spirits who have passed.

But this year, their trip goes dreadfully wrong.

With all the heart-stopping romance and action that have made her a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and set in an unforgettably rich and dangerous world, this first epic book in the Age of Legends trilogy will appeal to Kelley Armstrong's legions of fans around the world and win her many new ones.

Review:
I've never read anything by Kelly Armstrong before, but I'm definitely going to end up picking up some more of her books in the future (if you've read hers - let me know which I should read next). This was a fantastic high fantasy, young adult novel that had duel points of view (POVs), which can be hit or miss with a lot of people. I felt like it really worked for this, you get these two girls, who are twins, and their points of view and I think the reason it works is because their voices were completely different.

This book had me sucked in, wanting to find out what happened next to these characters that I had already fallen in love with before page 50. I read it in one sitting and just loved it: the characters, the plots, the twists - and how everything unfolded. The romance aspect felt a little cheesy at points, but it wasn't really in a bad way, if that makes sense, I don't tend to mind cheesy if it's done well.

I'd definitely recommend this book, and to wrap up why: a fun, high fantasy, with adventure, strange creatures, and romance.

Book Review: Open Road Summer

Title: Open Road Summer
Author: Emery Lord
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Young Adult)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 352 (hardcover)
Publication Date: April 15th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)
After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence.

This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

Review:
I haven't heard a lot of talk about this book besides someone recommending it to me (by the way, thank you so much). This is a book about two best friends and a country road trip that is also a tour, a 24-city tour. And it was so good.

I don't know if I could put a finger on why this book was so enjoyable then the other things I've read that are similar to it. However, I'm almost positive it had to do with the fact that this book wasn't just about the romance. It was also about these two girls, Reagan and Dee, and their friendship and their recent problems. Reagan is also into photography, which is one of my many loves, even though I don't do much of it, and I enjoyed reading the small tidbits of what she was doing.

Not to say that the romance isn't completely adorable or that the guy isn't swoon worthy (he is, I'm not normally swoon-y over these book guys, but he's pretty great), and it was cheesy at points but it was so good for that. And it introduced me to the beginning of a problem, a weakness, I discovered recently: the normal person dating a famous person and the drama that entails trope. It's a great trope (feel free to recommend me books, I love that, any kind - especially that trope, though).

To wrap this up: a fantastic book, that I would definitely recommend, about two best friends, a tour/road trip, and boys.

Book Review: Everything Leads to You

Title: Everything Leads to You
Author: Nina LaCour
Genre: Contemporary, Romance (LGBT) - young adult
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 307 (hardcover)
Publication Date: May 15th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

Review:

I don't know if I can be articulate and intelligent about this book, I've been rolling in my head around how to review this book since I finished it. And I just keep coming back to these same words to describe it:

gorgeous, beautiful, breathtaking, awe inspiring, fantastic

And I think that says a lot, if not everything, but I want to try and be more specific then just a few words. Though they are very good words, I feel like they might not be considered a full review.

We're going to start with the characters, because characters are most important to me. The characters felt very real to me, and I think my favorite part about this was Emi's job. I mean they were more mature then most teenagers are, but that doesn't make it unrealistic, and they weren't perfect and were very much still teenagers, they didn't make perfect decisions and while it's a little infuriating, as the one reading it, it makes them more real.

That another point - the writing. I don't know what I can say about the writing, besides that it was lyrical and beautiful and made everything seem brighter somehow, more important and more beautiful. I'm just going to get to the end of this review, it's going to be short and sweet because I start to fangirl about words.

Basically: read it.

This book made me cry at a few points, and then made me laugh while I was crying. The writing, the characters, the plot - the last paragraph or two of this book is my favorite and I wish I could share it with you without spoiling the whole story. 

Book Review: Fire and Flood (Fire and Flood #1)

Title: Fire and Flood (Fire and Flood #1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Genre: Science Fiction (dystopian, survival, adventure) - young adult
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 366 (paperback)
Publication Date: March 6th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own. 

Tella's brother is dying. He's got cancer, and Tella is helpless to save him. Or so she thought. When an invitation arrives for Tella to compete in the Brimstone Bleed, a deadly competition that will lead her through treacherous jungle and scorching desert, she doesn't think twice. Because the prize is a cure to any illness. But Tella will be facing more than just the elements.

Review:
I know there's been so many comparisons between this and The Hunger Games and while they do have some basic similarities (doing some for a young sibling, a screwed up society, a game), they're also very different, different enough I had trouble seeing where people who'd read the book compared it to that, because those themes are in a lot of books.

First off let's talk - pandoras, which are the animal companions in this book. They continue to make me think of Pokemon, and they might of been one of my favorite parts of this world. It's so interesting and I want to learn more about them and you do learn a bit, but not a lot.

I did really enjoy this book, but - I had a few small problems with it which is why it's not five stars, they weren't huge issues. That is to say, that didn't bring me out of the story or stop me from enjoying it. The characters were good, but I felt like we didn't get to know any of them really well but our narrator. It also felt like the world was, not under developed, but too... present, there didn't seem to be any other future things because the pandoras and the game.

 Overall - I would recommend this book to some people. It's fun and entertaining and packs a lot of action into a book that's less then 400 pages.

Book Review: Grim

Book: Grim
Author: Anna Waggener
Genre: Fantasy (Paranormal, Mythology) (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 320 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Probably Jeremiah, I'm a sucker for angels. (I also really enjoyed most of the brothers)

Plot: (From Goodreads)

A fantastic debut from the winner of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards novel contest.

When Erika wakes up after a horrific car crash, she finds herself somewhere between earth and heaven, between life and death. She doesn't want to accept help from Jeremiah, who she's not sure she can trust, even as she finds herself drawn to him, following him into a grim city of souls. She's not sure who wants to help her and who wants to hurt her. And she's desperate to get back to her children.

Shawn's never thought about having to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his young sister Megan and his reckless older sister. And he never imagined that the three of them would find themselves in a haunted wood, sometimes chased, sometimes assisted, never sure where they're headed.

With Grim, the terrifically talented Anna Waggener delves into the place where myth becomes reality, where family can distort you as easily as it cares for you, where death and eternity meet.



Review:
I speed through this book faster then I expected. I didn't know much about it when I picked it up besides the fact that it was about angels, a debut, and the cover was gorgeous (and it actually ended up being relevant to the story, which I love when that happens). But I ended up really enjoying this one.

This is a book that was just so intriguing in the way it was written. It wasn't just focused on one person and it wasn't focused on just the 'main' time period either. There were pages in the middle of chapters that were black with white writing and they were flashbacks, so it speak, and so very interesting. So the writing, the way it was written, was one reason this book got such a good rating for me.

Also, I enjoyed the characters and the plot, the idea of the whole world and how it worked, and the underlying darkness of it all. This isn't a lighthearted read but I don't think it really could of been. I'm not going to say anymore as to not give anything away. It really good, though, even if it had me tearing up a bit in places. You should check this one out, though, because this is Anna's first book and it's quite a stunning first book at that.

Book Review: The Looking Glass Wars

Book: The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wards #1)
Author: Frank Beddor
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Steampunk (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 358 (Paperback)
Favorite Character: At the very beginning it was Dodge, but I think at the end it was Alyss. Or Hatter, who is kind of in the background a bit, but he was awesome. I mean, I obviously still really like Dodge's character but just, sometimes... Well, you'll see.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook.

The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss? parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong. Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.


Review:
Let me start this review off with saying that if you're a diehard Lewis Caroll fan and don't like when people take his world and turn it upside and inside out, then this just isn't for you. Beddor takes such an interesting take on Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland and I loved it. I enjoy retellings and one of my favorites is one that took the story and changed it, remaking it as that person's one Wonderland. (It's the TV miniseries Alice from 2009. I've watched it so many times, it's ridiculous. But I love it).

Anyway, this is a retelling in which Alyss Heart is the daughter of the Queen of Hearts and is trapped in London for many years after her aunt tries to kill her. It sounds interesting, doesn't it? It was so very well done. I love the way that the world is built and how this were explained and how 'Imagination' was explained. I'm not going to say anything about it, but I truly just loved that.

The only read that it's not 5/5 stars (or looking glasses) is because I just, well, I struggled through the middle part in London. I mean, I know it had to be there, but I still struggled through it, a lot. Especially when she's just gotten there. However, the world building, as I said, was good and interesting. The characters were also interesting and it's interesting to see what they'll decide on. The description in this book was very good, it felt like I was walking the streets with them, so to speak. Also, there are illustrations in here, only at one part in the middle, a bunch of color ones. And those just added something extra to the story that I really enjoyed, (I secretly - not so secretly now - wish that more novels had illustrations. For example, the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, those were awesome!)

Book Review: Grave Mercy

Book: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassins #1)
Author: Robin LaFevers
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Historical (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 549 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: It might have to be Anne. I mean I loved Ismae, but I try not to pick the main character for this. And I really like Anne, she was young and smart and quick.

Plot: (from Goodreads)

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?


Review:
It took me a while to make my way through this book just because of it's length, but it was so worth it. This book is amazing for many reasons. And I'm going to try and tell you all of them now. In short, this book has lovable character, a writing style I loved, good world building, and an interesting and intricate plot.

I loved the world building in this story and that it does take place over a longer period of time then most. The world in this story is just amazing and I loved being able to read about it. Historical novels are one of my favorite to hear the world building and to dive into, because it's as close as I'll probably get to time travel.

The characters were amazing, you just can't help but love and root for some of them just because of everything that's happening. Ismae is who this books follows and she's a handmaiden of Death, an assassin, and I really loved her personality. I may have laughed a little every time she asked if she could kill someone or her hand automatically went to her knife or something like that.

I rated this book 5/5 stars because of all of those things. I just truly loved this book and I can't wait for the next one in the series. (Also, random fact I learned through Twitter about the cover, I'm sorry to say I can't remember from who - if it was you tell me -, that she's holding a real crossbow on the cover. Those things are heavy! It's a beautiful cover, though).

Book Review: The Selection

Book: The Selection (The Selection #1)
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 327 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Besides America, I think it would have to be Maxon.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

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 the palace and compete for the heart of the 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.


Review:
The Selection is about a contest to become the next princess and then queen of this country. Our main character America enters it not because she wants to, but because a boy asks her to and her family could really use the money that is given to the contestants. I really liked America, I thought she was strong and stubborn in some aspects and sometimes sarcastic, but that's on of the reasons why I liked her so much. Some of her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud, how she said some things were just so funny to me. This might be because I, too, can be quite sarcastic. I feel like if America was real, we'd get along, which is probably one of the reasons I liked her character so much.

Also, I want to talk about the writing. Kiera is technically a debut author, but she has a self-published book called The Siren, that you should total check out here is the Goodreads page and a link to Amazon. Anyway, I knew I liked her writing style because I'd loved The Siren, but I'd forgotten just how much I enjoyed it and this book definitely reminded me of it.

I can't wait for the next book in the series! And let's just draw away from the actual story for one second to say: that cover is gorgeous, I love it so very much! And now that's taken care of, I love a good Dystopian and this is definitely one of them. Kiera's a debut and this is a way to enter in with a bang.

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Book: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 236 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Oliver. (Why can't I ever sit next to an adorable, cute British boy on a plane? Oh well).

Plot: (Taken from Goodreads)
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review:

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, but I've come to realize I love the banter that is happening in this book. I love the story of it happening over 24 hours. I'm not going to spoil anything, as this is just a review, but I did love both of the main characters in this book. They were quirky and funny and complimented each other really well.

And the story, overall, wasn't just about their romance, though that was a big part, obviously. There was other subplots that were important and you cared about them, too. I really loved this book, so I guess I'll have to read some more contemporary. Anyway, though, I'd definitely recommend this. It's pretty short and really cute and adorable. And the banter, guys, just the banter alone is worth it. If you've read it, tell me what you thought about it and if you haven't read it yet then are you going to?

March Wrap-Up

These are all the books that I read in March, what they're about, and a very short little idea of what I thought of them.

I read quite a few books this month, so let's just go right into it.

Eureka: Dormant Gene (5/5)
This is a graphic novel and it's based on the SyFy show Eureka. It's about, obviously, some problems with people's genes. It was much better then I thought it was going to be and there was a little thing about this book that was a spoof of Twilight and it had me giggling as I read about the effect on the genius population. Normal kids just put on eye liner, genius' can change your gene code.

Clarity by Kim Harrington (5/5)
This is a story about a girl who is a psychic and is kind of dropped in the middle of this mysterious murder. Now, I really enjoyed this book, even though murder mysterious aren't normally what I read. It was just too interesting to not enjoy. There's more to say, but really I just really liked it. I hope to put a full review of this one soon.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (3/5)
Now, I wasn't going to read this book because of the name, because that is just not a good name. It's much too romance-y for me and I don't like romance books. This book wasn't that bad, though, it was entertaining, but at points I feel like some spots didn't need to last so long and others maybe a little longer.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood. (5/5)
Loved it. I loved everything about it. My full review can be found here, but if you like witches and/or alternate history stories then I suggest you check this on out. It's by a debut author and this is really quite a debut.

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle (3/5)
I got this as a galley and the full review will be up closer to the release. I enjoyed it, it was cute, it's not going to change the world, but I don't think that was the point of it. I'd suggest checking this one out if you think the full synopsis sounds interesting.

Oppression by Jessica Therrien (5/5)
If you want to see my full review you can go here, but over all I really enjoyed this book. I liked it's mythology and history and I adored the characters.

Duma Key by Stephen King (5/5)
This book, just, this book. I adore this book. I first read it two years ago and I'd forgotten just how lovable and relatable these characters are. I've never gone through what they have, but they're human and their emotions are just so pure, it's impossible not to feel for them. Everyone should read this book, just everyone. So much story in these pages. Hopefully I'll be putting a full review up of this one soon.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (5/5)
I started a post to review this book and I don't even know where to start. It was amazing, if you still have doubts about reading this book, just read it. It's not perfect, but on the other hand it kind of is. I think when you'd wish something different had happened so that some characters could be happier then you've become invested in them. And there are a lot of amazing, in depth, characters in this book. They're not all lovable, but they are all amazing. You should definitely read this book!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (5/5)
This book was so much better then what I was expecting. I was blown away by this book just because I didn't expect what it was. Because it's not just a silly love story, it's so much more then that. And Austen's writing is just, well, it's perfect. I'd recommend checking this one out if you haven't already.

Beastly by Alex Flinn (4/5)
I wasn't sure when I first started this book because I hated Kyle, but he got better and then I really started to like him. This is just what you've heard a modernized version of the tale of Beauty and the Beast and it's amazing and just a little bit more then that. It has a depth that I wasn't expecting. It's a short, cute book, with amazing characters.

Whew! That was quite a few books and a good percentage of them were 5/5, so we're calling this a really good reading month. I read 10 books overall and I hope yours was just as good. I hope your day/night/week/month is awesome.

Book Review: Oppression

Book: Oppression
Author: Jessica Therrien
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy, Romance (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 346 (Paperback)
Favorite Character: Probably Elyse, I try to stay away from picking the main character, but I really loved her.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Review:


I wasn't expecting this book to have as much depth as it did, I even enjoyed how it ended, no crazy cliffhangers. I liked the characters, all of them really, and I had fun guessing who was descended from who before it was revealed. (I was right a good number of the time, I have a love for Greek Mythology). Anyway, though, this book is pretty short, at least on my Nook it was only about 200 pages, but there is a lot of story in those pages. But it wasn't overwhelming, which is what I was hoping for.

I love a good, well written, book based on Greek Mythology. And this is definitely one of those, but I'll stop raving about it now. I'd recommend it to people who like Greek Mythology or people with "superpowers" or hilarious/lovable characters.

Book Review: Born Wicked

Book: Born Wicked
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Genre: Historical Fantasy (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 330 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Cate. I just really liked her.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

Review:

Witches. I love witches, so I might be a tad biased in that area. However, this was a very good book. I liked the writing, how their powers worked, and that this book went ways that surprised me. It's been a while since a book surprised me as many times as this one did and it made me excited. The characters, also, were all so different and, I thought, likable. And they surprised you, which is what people do. Their powers, though, were interesting to read about. How the spells were derived from Latin and how they could be spoken out loud or done nonverbally. And, of course, how they were related to their emotions. They were written well, though, and in a consistant manor, they were fun to read about.

And the historical aspect was done well. And the history of witches, the burnings, was interesting. I live in New England and that made me a little more interested in how the author would incorporate the witch trails, if at all. Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who like witches or historical fiction with a bit of a paranormal twist. There's even some romance sprinkled throughout, which was just perfectly done.

Book Review: Evermore

Book: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 306 (Paperback)
Favorite character: Ever, I guess. None of them really stuck out to me.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school-but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head-wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea who he really is-or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

Review:
I wasn't sure going into the book, because it sounded like so many other YA books out there. And while it does kind of feel like that at the beginning, I loved how it changed from the normal pace of things. And for some reason I had this preconceived notion that this book was about vampires, but it's not. (I don't know why I thought this, but I was so relieved it wasn't.) Anyway, I enjoyed the pacing and the plot and the way the aura's of people are described.

Also, anything with past lives is something that makes me interested in what could come of it because there are so much stuff. I'm not going to spoil anything by going about that further, but I'd recommend this book to a lot of people. It's not a fun and fluff book, though, she's not a very happy person for most of the book with the sensing auras and hearing thoughts and other things. But, overall, I really did enjoy this book and I really didn't think I would.

If you've read this book: tell me what you thought of it. And if you haven't, what's one of the favorite book you've read this year? (Or just recently if it's too hard to choose, I know I have problems choosing.)