Review -- Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: Lynburn Legacies (1)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Adults
Release Date: 11 September 2012
Date Read: May 2013
Rating: ★★★☆

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Kami has had an imaginary friend her whole life- Jared. He exists in her mind- having conversations with her, the one she turns to when she's had a bad day, her best friend. Imagine her surprise when Jared arrives to her tiny little town of Sorry-in-the-Vale and he's real. Their close proximity means that their emotions, thoughts, secrets are more open to each other more than ever before. Their friendship, so carefree and innocent before, has now turned into their worst nightmare. They know every detail in their lives, every event, every secret, every fear.

"The idea of it's kind of romantic," Holly said. "But it wouldn't be, would it?"

But how do they know whether or not they're going to turn against each other and spill their secrets. I love that Brennan took a different direction with her characters and their 'special bond' than most YA novels. Jared believes their connection is a gift. Kami, on the other hand, can't stop thinking about the fact that she's never alone. Jared will always be with her, in the corner of her mind. She can't even be sure whether the thoughts and emotions in her mind are her own, or just a projection of Jared's. The lines of their own individuality is slowly, but surely blurring together and they don't know how to stop it.

That being said, I love Kami and Jared's relationship. I love it when they're together but I love them as individuals, too. Kami is cheeky, smart, independent, strong, determined and she can flip a guy twice her size over her head. There is no line she won't cross to find the truth, and for justice to be served- a true journalist. She once held a petition to get one of the teachers in her school fired, which then resulted in said teacher to chase her around the school with a hockey stick. Girl has balls. Jared is the resident bad boy, and even though I have soft spots for bad boys, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like Jared. He's witty, caring, fiercely loyal but at times, he was quite dependent on Kami. He's never had other friends so he never wanted to lose her. He worked so hard to try and satisfy and make Kami happy. But again, kudos to Brennan for acknowledging the fact that you can't find happiness in making other people happy. Seriously, Kami and Jared's relationship development was one of the funnest rides ever.

One thing that usually happens in YA novels is when the heroine finds herself a man, her friends literally doesn't come back for chapters and if they do, it's usually just for a minor appearance and off they go again, doing author-knows-what. But Angela and Holly are Kami's best friends and they were all kinds of awesome. They're the two most beautiful girls in school, one dubbed as a slut, Holly, and the other more of a prude since she turns down every guy, Angela. Angela hates everyone and everything, unless it's a couch or a bed and she can sleep on it. Holly is new to their group of friends but she is welcomed all the same. She doesn't feel sorry for herself, being called a slut just because she grew boobs at 11. I was surprised that she was so upfront about using her assets and not feeling guilty about having them at all. As she should. It was refreshingly different from all the pity parties these character tropes have in other YA novels.

Brennan's writing style is so different. I don't think I've read something quite like it, to be honest, in a while, at least. There's a fairytale-like quality to her storytelling, which of course, fits the novel perfectly. I would like more world-building in terms of the magical aspects and legends of the story. But apart from that, I loved it. It was witty, clever, whimsical and vivid, all the things it needed to be.

Unspoken is hugely character-driven. Looking back, it could've all gone horribly wrong so easily. But it didn't. I'm massively late for reading this just now but at the same time, I'm grateful because it means not having to wait quite so long for the sequel. And trust me, I need that sequel because the ending is just not ok.

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Review -- Night School by C.J. Daugherty

Title: Night School
Author: C. J. Daugherty
Series: Night School (1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: 21 May 2013
Date Read: May 2013
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Allie's world is falling apart...

She hates her school. Her brother has run away. And she's just been arrested.

Again.

Now her parents are sending her away to a boarding school where she doesn't know a soul.

But instead of hating her new school, Allie finds she's happy there. She's making friends. And then there's Sylvain, a suave French student who openly flirts with her. And Carter, the brooding loner who seems to have her back.

Soon, though, Allie discovers Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Nothing there is as it seems. And her new friends are hiding dangerous secrets.

I got nothing of what I expected from Night School. It had a misleading title, misleading cover and a misleading synopsis.

I thought it was going to be the type of boarding school where select students are secretly paranormal/supernatural. The main character doesn't know she's got some special blood in her, a little romance on the side and something that makes it stand up against all the other YA novels out there.

Allie is shipped off to the middle-of-nowhere-boarding school Cimmeria Academy after being arrested one too many times. Her parents are hoping this strict private school will straighten her out. No internet, no cellphones, no tv, no going out, no life that exists outside of the Cimmeria walls.

I found the first few weeks of Allie's new life interesting to read about. She's focusing hard on her studies, making new friends, real friends and a couple of maybe-more-than-friends friends. I thought it was really good exposition, and the story and characters are being set up nicely. I was having fun. That is, until I realized the whole book was going to be a big set up for God knows what. It went on and on and on, Dear God, and on and on. Daugherty tried to go the 'mysterious plot unfolding' route but it just did not work. I don't even understand what the whole point, the real story of Night School is. After chapters filled with nothing but teenage woes, what we've got is a generic Evil Guy willing to do Anything to get Whatever He Wants. What exactly is it that he wants? I don't freaking know, something the Good Guys won't hand over to him. Why does he want it? I don't freaking know, because he's a big baby throwing a tantrum? Oh, and for Some Reason, Allie is special (of course she is) and she is integral to Evil Guy's plan. Why is she special? I don't freaking know. I don't know why the attention is all on her. She's got no interesting personality and boring as watching paint dry.

The romance was filled with such annoying tropes. There was a love triangle with Golden Boy on one side and the Troublemaker on the other. Allie knew she should be attracted to Golden Boy, and she is (he's smoking hot) but she just can't stop thinking about that Troublemaker whom she made eye contact with that one time. She tried to keep him out of her mind by going out with Golden Boy but it all kind of went to shit after he tried to rape her. Troublemaker to the rescue and now they're in love. Later on, Allie finds out that Troublemaker has been watching her in the beginning, looking in her window to 'keep an eye' on her because he didn't trust her.

Doesn't this book sound like just about every other crappy YA novel out there?

But you know what? I'm over it. I'm over Night School. I'm angry and disappointed and I don't care anymore.


An ARC was received from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Review -- Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Title: Spirit
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elementals (3)
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: 28 May 2013
Date Read: May 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

I really wasn't keen on a Hunter novel. I hated him in all the other books of the series and I was so sure I was going to hate him being a narrator in this one. Look how well that turned out! Barely 20 pages in and I already changed my mind about him. 40 pages -I was crying for him because the idiot was too stubborn to do it for himself.

If you hadn't already figured it out, Hunter is one messed up, troubled kid. Hunter was first introduced as the mysterious new kid in Storm then later morphed into the dickhead we all thought he really was. In Spark, we found out that there's more to him than meets the eye and maybe he's not so bad. He became pretty good friends with Gabriel. Then he screwed everything up and became a dick again by the end of Spark. I would like to congratulate Kemmerer for changing my mind and my feelings about Hunter. I went from wanting to strangle Hunter, to wanting to strangle everyone else for not listening or liking Hunter. Talk about reader development. I was sympathising with him and felt so guilty that I ever hated him in the first place.

Hunter's life sucks. It sucks balls. His family, the people who's supposed to care for him, can't even look him in the eye for three seconds. He has no friends and he's pushed away everyone who might've become one. What does it matter, though, because Hunter has always thought they were only after him with ulterior motives. When new girl, Katie, arrives and starts paying special attention to Hunter, he's more than a little paranoid but with good reason. Katie is a Guard undercover and was using Hunter to get close to the Merricks.

Spirit is all about figuring out where your loyalties lie. Us vs Them. Hunter doesn't know where to put his trust, doesn't know which side is the right one. Should he believe the Guards- the ones whose beliefs he's been taught since he was a kid: full Elementals are power hungry; the world must be rid of evil full Elementals. But Hunter isn't so sure anymore when the Merricks are the only ones actually helping him, showing him kindness again and again even when he's sure he doesn't deserve it. If the Merricks aren't the bad guys, what does that make the Guards? His father? Him? Hunter's character development was a roller coaster of emotions filled with the worst frustrations, the happiest moments and everything in between.

Katie is Hunter's love interest and half of the book's narrator. I don't know if I like her better than Layne, definitely more than Becca though. Kemmerer was super ballsy with the direction she took on the romance. I just didn't have as big of an emotional response to it as I did with the rest of the events of the book. That is my only complaint, I think.

Since Spirit is Hunter's book, the Merricks didn't have that big of a presence in it, only little scenes here and there. Michael was being the best though- walking, talking bullshit detector. I didn't appreciate him as much as I should have in the previous books but I have seen the error of my ways.

I don't know how Kemmerer does it but she knows her stuff. She's consistently written three books in six different perspectives now, well. They're all different characters and the development is just ridiculously goooood.

If you had asked me to choose which Elemental boy was my favourite, I wouldn't even be able to give you a straight answer. It changed with each book that's released. If that doesn't showcase Kemmerer's brilliant writing already then I don't know what will. Gabriel and Hunter are currently tied for first place but Nick's story is coming up and that's going to be one hell of a ride. I kinda feel sad that I read this book early, that I got an ARC for it because it just means longer waiting time for the next book in the series. Do you have any idea how addicting this series is? How addicting these boys are? I would sell a bunch of my stuff, and then some, to get my hands on more material about them.

If you haven't read Spirit yet, or worse, haven't started the series, you have to. You are really missing out.

 

An ARC has been received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No gifts or monetary funds were given to sway my opinion.

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Review -- The Diviners by Libba Bray

Title: The Diviners
Author: Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners (1)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 18 September 2012
Date Read: May 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

The Diviners is not an easy book to review. It's not that it was amazing, although it was good, or that it was bad either. There was just so much in this whopper of a 600-something-page novel to think about and absorb. Boy, was it long. I had to give myself a pep talk when I started reading it, for crying out loud. And you can feel those 500-odd pages, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not.

One thing is for sure though. Bray can write. Third person omniscient is probably my favourite of all narratives. It just gives you such a wide view on the story, on the characters, on everything. You can just feel the plot and the story just coming together, all the little pieces being revealed. I had no idea what the pieces actually were or what the big picture was, but I could still feel it, you know? There was greater power at work.

The plot was centered on the rise of the Beast, and also the gradual rise of The Diviners. A cast of special teenagers are working to stop the coming of the Beast, because if he does, he'll bring the apocalypse with him. Raising the Beast requires sacrifices, bloody murders and I loved it. I loved the murderous religious zealot plot. Belief is a powerful, terrifying thing. It can drive people mad and what's scariest of all is that these people truly believe that their evilness is right and justified. It's everyone else that's wrong. Both sides are fighting hard for what they believe to be is right. And the thing is, its not just the Beast, or Naughty John, that has these radical beliefs. He has followers willing to do whatever it takes- hurt, burn, kill - to achieve ehat they believe is right.  

"Naughty John, Naughty John, does his work with his apron on. Cuts your throat and takes your bones, sells ‘em off for a coupla stones."

There's something about a serial murderer just calmly humming a children's 'innocent' rhyme song while he's hacking off body parts of his victims. Actually, it's not just something. It's all of it that's creepy.

Another thing I love is the setting of The Diviners - the roaring 20s. I don't know much about that era, or have read many historical fictions but Bray's world-building is so rich that I was just so fully immersed into it. There was a ridiculous amount of 1920s colloquialisms that I was surprised I really enjoyed. They're teenagers, just like me, but it was so different that I didn't even know what they were talking about sometimes. It was really adorable though! "Oh, that's just the cat's particulars! Just pos-i-tute-ly jake" I'm sorry, but what? Is this how old people feel?

Oh, but the characters were unique and so very different from one another, like it is in reality. The story follows Evie, mainly, in her fight to stop the Beast. Evie is an attention-seeking, vapid, selfish girl. She's also sassy and quick-mouthed, and I kinda love for her that

"But what's as the point of living so quietly you made no noise at all? "Oh, Evie, you're too much," people said, and it wasn't complimentary. Yes, she was too much. She felt like too much inside all the time.So why wasn't she ever enough?"

It's stuff like that that makes me fall in love with Evie's character but then she does something so idiotic, so screwed up, that I wonder what I saw in her in the first place. Whatever annoyances I have with her, her character is very well-established.

The narrative also jumped perspectives to a whole cast of other characters.  Sometimes, it switched perspectives so quickly and naturally that I didn't even realize it switched, you know? I can't even say that anyone was a  'minor' character because it didn't feel like that. Everyone had a backstory. Everyone. You'd think someone is insignificant in the scheme of things. That someone is just a friend, or just an accessory to the main characters, essentially. But no. You'll soon find out you are completely, madly wrong. It makes everyone feel like a real character, a real person, with their own personalitites, history, motivations. I loved the moments where you find out that a character was just hiding out in the corner, waiting to reveal their true identity and purpose until the very right time. It just excited me, to find out what their whole story is and how their decisions are going to play out.

The romance really took a backseat in The Diviners. It was casual and progressive, with none of those annoying YA tropes. There was a love triangle introduced later on in the book that took me by surprise, only because it seemed clear that a relationship was going to develop between two other characters. I don't even mind the love triangle though. I'm in it for the ride.

One last thing, the pace was really not for me in this novel. It took a while for me to get into the story. I started getting interested about 150 pages in but I suppose that's ok since that's, what? 25% of the novel. Sometimes, I just blitzed through it but then other times, I found it so slow that I ended up reading only a couple of pages before I had to put it down. Those were the moments that I felt the sheer size of this novel and it just depressed me that there was still so much to go.

I honestly haven't got a clue what will happen in the rest of the series. There's so many questions, strings left untied, characters to be developed. There's so many variables to even have an idea of what the next one will be about. I have no idea what will happen in the rest of the series but it excites the shit out of me.

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Review -- The Collector by Victoria Scott

Title: The Collector
Author: Victoria Scott
Series: Dante Walker (1)
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: 02 April 2013
Date Read: March 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

It's been a while since I read The Collector, in reviewing terms anyway. I've been putting off writing the review because I wasn't sure how to put into words what I thought of it. Now, I've sat my ass down and told myself to quit procrastinating already and start writing. Almost everyone I know absolutely loved it. I don't quite share their feelings.

What most readers loved about The Collector is Dante Walker. No doubt about it, Dante had a distinct, dominant voice and personality to boot. You know who Dante reminds me of? This guy:


Iron Man. Ridiculously cocky, arrogant, witty, most of the time a dick and, of course, hot, and he knows it. A lot of the traits in a guy that would normally piss most people off. But like Iron Man, Dante just doesn't. It makes him kinda more irresistible and charming. But here's the thing.I don't like Iron Man. I think he's an arrogant prick. (Don't tell the Avengers fandom, though. They'd have me burned alive.) And I didn't like Dante, either. At first I loved his voice, his arrogant smirks, the overconfident swagger. But somewhere along the line, I got tired of him. I caught myself rolling my eyes at some of the dialogues and thoughts he had. I got tired of 'Boss Man', of 'I am the coolest shit this town will ever see', of 'fo sizzle', ugh. Really? You didn't even say that jokingly. Just shut up, please. He eventually sounded like a 13 year old trying hard to sound cool to me.

Apart from that, I enjoyed reading The Collector. The premise is different and interesting and unique and I really love the whole seals thing. It had an exciting pace. Charlie was adorable. She is lovely and funny and quirky nerd. She was exactly what Dante needed. She was tricked convinced into signing off her soul to the devil in exchange for beauty. I was so disappointed in her when she did that but who was I to judge, exactly? Most girls would jump at the chance to become skinner, to have clearer skin, to have silkier hair, to be more beautiful. Me, included. I thought it was very clever of Scott to do that. It clearly portrayed a teenage girl's desire to fit in and be more than who she believes herself to be. I was prepared to rip this part of the book apart in my review but there was no need. Scott was aware of what she was doing, which I can't say for most authors, and didn't disappoint when she righted Charlie's wrongs and taught her about self-esteem. Because you're worth it.

This is worth a shot if you're in the mood for a fun, quick read, with a little bit of oomph. There is a visible character development for Dante, and thank goodness for that. I'm looking forward to the The Liberator because by the sounds of it and how The Collector ended, I think I'll enjoy it more.


An ARC was received from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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A Novella Review -- Breathless by Brigid Kemerrer

Title: Breathless
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elemental (2.5)
Publisher:Kensington Teen
Release Date: April 30 2013
Date Read: March 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

Too many secrets. Not enough time.

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—-the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.

The novella is actually more like a teaser for Nick's full novel than a separate story in itself. The Breathless galley is only 53 pages but it is 53 pages of pure bliss. It focuses on Nick and Quinn's perspective as they struggle with their insecurities and find a place to belong where they can feel comfortable to just be themselves. Nick has always been my favourite brother. He's smart, steadfast and reliable. Nick usually has everything under control but he can't keep hold of everything. The problems and challenges the novella proposes gives a great indication that there will be a massive character development coming for Nick. His full novel will be fantastic. You cannot even possibly fully comprehend the excitement and desire I have for Nick's book. 2014 is awfully far away.

An ARC was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review -- The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Runaway King
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy (2)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: 01 March 2013
Date Read: April 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive?

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars, but I'm feeling quite generous.

Sage Jaron is a very different character than the one we had known from The False Prince, and not just because of his name change. No one in his kingdom, even his friends sometimes, believed in him. I got so angry at how quickly the regents and guards dismissed him as their king, seeing him only as the childish impulsive fool he used to be. Which... *sigh* I suppose is fair enough because that side of his was the only one they know. Jaron has never really gave them any reason to believe otherwise either. But they could have at least given him the chance to prove himself instead of immediately believing the worst. Anyway, quite a fair bit of self-pity stemmed from this. Jaron didn't believe in himself, either. He didn't think he was fit enough to serve and lead his kingdom. But that doesn't mean he would give up his throne that easily. 

After an assassination attempt, Jaron becomes convinced that the only way to save his kingdom, Carthya, and his loved ones from being attacked by the pirates is to destroy them first. Idiotic? Yes, which then proves the regents right. It is a vicious, vicious cycle. And so begins Jaron's trek to the pirates' camp- the ruthless, vicious, fearsome pirates.

Jaron is as reckless, bold and sassy as ever.

[The Pirate King said,] "By the end of this day, there will be no Jaron. I will be king of Carthya."

"You wouldn't want to be king of my country," [Jaron] said.

"Why is that?"

"Well, you're rather fat. I doubt you'd fit onto my throne."

This exchange occurred while Jaron was on his knees at the Pirate King's feet, with a sword against his neck. I don't know if I should give him a high five for the sass, or slap the back of his head for his complete stupidity. It wouldn't be Jaron if he didn't say stuff like this though. But my God, he was a grade-A jackass in The Runaway King. I know his purposes was to distance those he loved away from him, and from danger. I get that, but I feel like Nielsen went a bit too overboard. He was so mean to his friends and it came across as ungrateful. Where was that cunning protagonist I met in The False Prince, and who is this childish, impulsive twat? This is probably because of Jaron's insecurities about being the king and his youth shone through brighter than ever in this novel.

The romance had a bigger presence in The Runaway King, than it did on The False Prince. That is not to say it was a focus or was even a constant thing in the novel. Jaron and Imogen have always found comfort with each other's company but they soon realize that they have more than platonic feelings towards each other. But they obviously can not be together. Jaron is the king and Imogen just a lowly kitchen servant. Not to mention Jaron is betrothed to Amarinda, princess of the kingdom that's  Carthya's only ally. Like I said before, Jaron kept saying and doing such rude things to his loved ones to save them from danger, namely Imogen. I truly admire Imogen's steadfast loyalty, trust and love for Jaron even after all the bullshit he's done. I don't even know what's happening with Amarinda, to be honest. I don't like her. I don't know if Nielsen meant for her readers to like her at all because she's certainly not given us any reason to. Her character could have been developed so much more.

There are a lot more action and fight scenes especially with the pirate's presence. But I feel like The False Prince was a middle-grade book that older audience could enjoy while The Runaway King fits the audience it was written for. Maybe, I'm a little disappointed at the fact that there wasn't like a twist at the end, as well. I'll definitely still read the last book in the trilogy, though, because I feel like Jaron did develop and change towards the very end of it. I'm hoping in the last one he'll be more mature, more trusting of his friends and less likely to make dumb decisions.

Note: I hate writing reviews for sequels, that's why this one's a bit... Eh.

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Review -- Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title: Prodigy
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend (2)
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: 29 January 2013
Date Read: April 2013
Rating: ★★★★★

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

Well, then. That was just... Far out... Yeah.

I was putting off reading Prodigy because Legend was a so-so read for me, just another dystopian novel riding the Hunger Games high. Why bother with the second one if Legend wasn't even anything to get too excited about? I had heard, of course, that Prodigy surpasses its predecessor in every single way but I was still doubtful. It was the pessimist in me talking. If like me, you still don't want to be convinced by almost everyone says, then listen to me now. Prodigy is everything Legend wasn't and more.

The world-building is improved ten-fold. There's more information on the Republic itself, its history, the revolutionaries- the Patriots- and the world outside it- the Colonies and other governments in function. The dystopia has to be obviously more than just the oppressive Republic and Lu showed that. There was hardly any info-dumping and if there was, it was done with clever use of dialogue to integrate the world-building seamlessly.

"Remember who the enemy is"

But how can you be sure who the enemy is? June and Day try to navigate the between the politics and loyalties of the Patriots and the Republic to understand where they should put their trust. Everyone's keeping secrets and it doesn't help the fact that old habits, and tendencies, die hard. June still has a lingering loyalty to the Republic she's been taught to serve and protect her whole life. June was probably my favourite character in this installment. Her uncertainty about the Republic and her identity made for a very interesting read and a realistic character. June struggled to come out of being brainwashed her whole life, and think for herself for once, not just blindly following someone else's orders. Day, on the other hand, has hated the Republic, everything it is and stood for, since he was a kid. He's not so open to new ideas, to the idea that maybe this time, for the first time, someone in the Republic is for the people, not against them.

Another aspect Lu greatly developed was Day and June's relationship. They were in the honeymoon phase in Legend. Now they actually have to work on being a couple, on being in a relationship. Reality has caught up. Do they really love each other? They've only each other for less than a month. How much are they willing to sacrifice for each other? Future, home, safety- is it all worth giving up? June and Day aren't all that comfortable with each other either. They lack the comfort in communication that Day and Tess, or June and Anden, have that comes with having known someone for a long time. Plus, Day and June come from completely different worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the possibilities they entertained in being with someone else instead. It was obvious Day and June were going to end up in the end but that doesn't mean the path has to be straight and narrow.

Like Legend, the novel's narration is split between the June and Day. I can't exactly remember if I enjoyed the multiple point of views in the first one, but I definitely did in Prodigy. It's a great advantage in seeing and understand how different the main characters' personalities are. It also adds to the richness of the storytelling. I loved the quick pace. The heart-pounding-shallow-breaths-anticipation-is-going-to-be-the-death-of-me-I-swear-to-God feeling was present throughout the whole novel. There's plenty of action- explosions, fights, etc but the scenes without the actual fighting still managed to make me want to turn page after page after page. I couldn't read fast enough! Sometimes, I caught myself just quickly skimming because I wanted to get to the next bit already. Then I'd chide myself for skimming, cause not cool, Katrina! Especially if it's as good as this. So I would go back to where I started reading too fast and enjoy every little bit of the story.

I know I had nothing to do with the making of this book but I'm just so damn proud of Lu. It's so satisfying to see her grow into the fantastic author she's proven herself to be. I can't wait to see what she's got for us in Champion. (The cover looks amazing, by the way. It was released while I reading it so that was cool.) If it's even a smidgen like Prodigy, you can bet your tongue it will be spectacular.

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Review -- The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise

Title: The Boyfriend App
Author: Katie Sise
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: 30 April 2013
Date Read: April 2013
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.

But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?

The Boyfriend App was, for the most part, a fresh read with a fun, modern premise. Audrey creates The Boyfriend App as an entry to a competition that promises a college scholarship for the winners. She must win this if she wants to have further education because it's hard enough to make ends meet ever since the accident that led to her father's death. Audrey is an entertaining character and the easy narration made for a quick pace and an enjoyable story.

Obviously, technology plays a big part in the novel. It works as a companion to the story telling.The author spends time explaining, in terms super easy to understand, the inner workings of coding and app building. Audrey has to work hard networking as well to spread the word about her app. I just had fun reading about it because, hey, that's what bloggers do, too!

Aiden, the love interest, was nice, sweet and most importantly, a hot geek. He wasn't one of those overbearing dickwads that currently plague the YA love interest area. But, that he didn't really do anything for me. I, as a reader, didn't feel any attraction not did I swoon as a result to anything Aiden said or did. Nothing. It's not like you can't make girls swoon with nice guys. It's not impossible. There's Augustus, Mal, Po and a bajillion others. So what do they have that Aiden didn't? I hate to say it but, a personality. To be fair, the romance wasn't the main focus of the novel (which is a great) but that doesn't mean you can excuse the lack of character development, with Aiden, Audrey and everyone else.

Halfway through The Boyfriend App, the plot took a turn towards the bizarre and unlikely and that's when I started getting problems with the novel.

Audrey develops her app into The Boyfriend App 2.0. Instead of just matching users as potential couples, the girl is guaranteed to get the guy. No more of those uncertain, relationship problems and just straight to the make out sesions. Only girls are able to download the app, and to put it to use, they must simply point their phone towards the phone of their desired hottie, press the button, and the guy literally would not be able to get his hands off of you. The phone emits a string of notes that triggers the area responsible for love, or lust, in the brain.

Let's pretend that premise is not totally ridiculous, that there is actually a possibility of that happening. Teenagers are portrayed as animals basically unable to control their primal sex drives and would go as far as controlling someone so they could have a make out session. That's probably true for most teenagers- heck, for anyone. Who's going to say no to a chance to make out with Ryan Gosling ? But, call me old-fashioned, but I'd rather have my make out session where both participants have actually given consent to everything that's happening. The app takes away a person's control over their actions and forces them to do something they may not want to do. No one spoke up and said, "Hey, you know what, you're app is wrong and is borderline rape". Are we all supposed to be ok with that? There was a scene in the cafeteria that was just insane. Girls went crazy, competing and attacking each other to covet their dream guys. The guys don't even get a say in all of this. Way to be unique and objectify the guys this time. No one else seems to be bothered by this as much as I am, so maybe I'm just looking too much into it.

It's not a bad book. It's nice and cute (for the most part) but I guess, afterwards, I just felt kinda empty, you know? It didn't leave me with anything, apart from anger towards the second half of the novel. 


An ARC was received from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Review -- Crash by Lisa McMann

Title: Crash
Author: Lisa McMann
Series: Visions (1)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: 08 January 2013
Date Read: March 2013
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first of four books from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Jules sees visions of a truck crashing onto a building, causing a fire and killing ten people. She can try to ignore it but the visions will only get worse, increasing in its intensity and frequency until Jules has no option but to try and stop the event from happening. There is no explanation why and how Jules sees her visions. Nada. Is it because she's the chosen one? Is she like the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter of an ancient magician? Did she get bitten by a spider? Does she have a crystal ball in her head instead of a brain? No one knows. It doesn't seem like McMann knows it herself, to be honest. The mystery and the thrill of Crash focused on the sense of urgency Jules had to solve the clues of her visions. I admit, I was curious as to how the visions would play out.

This surprised me with a funny narrative. I found myself chuckling at the unexpected humour, at Jules' all-too familiar, and quite realistic teenage girl voice. And what teenage experience doesn't come with the unrequited love? Jules Demarco has been in love Sawyer Angotti since they were kids. But her secret love for Sawyer is forbidden because their families are mortal enemies. Someone stole the other family's tomato sauce recipe two generations ago and now they still hate each other. It's some weird Romeo and Juliet thing that was borderline creepy because she just obsessed over Sawyer. Should we excuse her stalking because she was working hard to try to save Sawyer and his restaurant. Yes? No?

I loved reading about Jules' siblings and familial relationships. She's doesn't really have that many friends- actually she has no friends- so she's closest to her older brother Trey, and her younger sister, Rowan, was just as cool. You can really see the bond between the three of them, helping each other with their family business and their parents.

There are a lot of quite serious issues that Crash tries to tackle but I don't think it was addressed that well. Depression, physical abuse, mental instability, adultery and I think it was just handled too lightly.

I'll give the second book a go, since I've liked McMann's previous works. I'm giving you another chance, McMann. You should feel special and don't disappoint.

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Review -- Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Title: Perfect Scoundrels
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Heist Society (3)
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Release Date: 05 February 2013
Date Read: March 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

Ally Carter, you've done it again. I love you so much, it hurts.

This had a very different tone than the previous Heist books. It was somber and I just felt very heavy while reading it. Like I had a 5-tonne boulder resting on my shoulders or something. This time, one of their own is the one getting conned and Kat is working hard to steal Hale back.

Hale is not the Hale were used to. He's not the playful confident inside man we all knew and loved. He's vulnerable after the death of his grandmother, Hazel, possibly the only member in his family that actually cared for him. The weight of inheriting the Hale Empire is on his shoulders after his grandmother named him the sole owner. It was so weird seeing inside Hale's world. The stark contrast to his and Kat's world gives you insight to how much he really loves Kat and her family. Thieving and heists are what he loves to do best. It makes him feel alive so it was such a heartbreak to see Hale broken.

As awesome as this series is, one thing it's not so great at is characterization. Most of the time, it's focused on the heist or the con or the cleverly twisted reveal of the plot. But Perfect Scoundrels comes the closest to developing the series' characters to more than what essentially are one-dimensional characters. Granted, it was mostly focused on Hale but this is a step towards the right direction and I will only expect more from Ally.

I love Ally's writing style. There's this certain... fairy-tale-like quality to it. It just flows really well in my head and it sounds so enchanting. I can't stop listening/reading even if I wanted to.

I recommend anyone who hasn't given Ally Carter a shot to read some of her stuff. The Gallagher Girls and the Heist Society are both fantastic. She's also got a cross-over novella called Double-Crossed if you want a smaller sample.

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Review -- Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon

Title: Strangelets
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Publisher: Soho Teen
Release Date: 09 April 2013
Date Read: February 2013
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
17-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…

All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving.

Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light through the eyes of Sophie, Declan, and Anat, the reader is taken on a dark and unforgettable journey into the hearts of teens who must decide what to do with a second chance at life.

I expected more from this. I don't know what exactly it was I expected, just more than what I got.

It follows Declan, Sophie and Anet as they try to find their way around this unknown environment- an abandoned hospital in one of the busiest city in the country and it seems as if they are the only humans around for miles in every direction. A lot of the novel are the characters understanding what exactly happened to them, and to everyone. It was nice at the beginning, the doubt, the mystery, the urgency of the pace. But the uncertainties just dragged on for too long. I couldn't believe it had taken them so. freaking. long. to figure out what happened to everyone. The novel was also heavy on the science-fiction elements, with quantum physics, multiple universes and aliens involved. It is filled with action-packed scenes one after the other.

I guess my biggest problem was the lack of character development. The novel was told through multiple point of views, Sophie's, Declan's and Anet's. Gagnon was able to provide a wider view of the world than other authors who have tried to use multiple povs. But the thing is, it did not give any insight at all to any of the character's personalities, I think. There was enough distinction between each narrator's voice to determine who's chapter it was but that was it. I was not able to connect with any of the characters nor sympathize with their plight. I honestly couldn't care less if they all just died.

The ending left me with a lot more questions than answers, not to mention a bit anti-climatic. The whole novel was just very focused ton the fact that these teenagers are stuck in this place and they're trying to find their way back home. A lot of trekking, a lot of unknowns, a lot of mystery as to what xactly happened but it all barely amounted to anything, I think. Honestly I feel like I just wasted my time reading the book even if it wasn't terrible. It is mediocrity at its finest. It had an ok cast of characters, with an ok plot filled with ok mystery.

Maybe fans of mystery and sci-fi might enjoy this a whole lot more. Some of my friends gave it quite impressive ratings. Maybe it's for you. Give it a shot. It's not like it was a terrible book.


An ARC was provided by the publisher, and Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Blog Tour -- Review: Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Hey, guys! I'm part of a review tour for Debra Driza's debut, Mila 2.0

Title: Mila 2.0
Author: Debra Driza
Series: Mila 2.0 (1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: 12 March 2013
Date Read: April 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Androids. I repeat, androids. Awesome? Hells, yeah!

Mila 2.0 had one of the most exciting premises I've heard of for this year's release. Mila didn't know she is an android. Mila didn't know she had a GPS installed in her brain. She didn't know she could process thousands and thousands of information in her mind in the five minutes. Mila doesn't know her lungs, heart, her vital organs were just ridiculously good replicas of the real thing installed in her instead. Mila didn't know that she has the ability to hurt someone faster than you can say 'Ouch'. Mila didn't know she was government property. But an accident reveals all the horrible ugly truths Mila didn't ever want to hear and now she is running for her life.

The plot of the Mila 2.0 is simple and straight-forward. It wasn't anything i hadn't encountered before but it was very enjoyable and easy to follow. Driza was superb with the action scenes, which played a big part in the novel and resulted with it having a pretty fast pace.

Fans of light science fiction will enjoy Mila 2.0. There is a lot on exploring what defines humanity. Mila tries to come to terms with her androidness throughout the novel. She struggled to accept herself, seeing her 'parts' as ugly and monstrous. I would have truly enjpyed this part of the novel, if it hadnt been for the fact that the thing that Mila saw her humanity in was a boy, Hunter. This is mostly the reason for Hunter's constant and huge presence in the book even though he is only really physically present in it for about five scenes. Mila pined for Hunter while on the run. He was constantly in her mind. Hunter, this. Hunter, that. I don't believe she went five pages without mentioning his name. And fair enough, I suppose. She believed that Hunter would be her salvation from this mechanic hunk of body she was thrust upon.

"If only Hunter were here, with his lopsided bangs and lopsided smile and his flutter-inducing touch that said there was more to me than what they’d created in the lab."

Hunter makes Mila feel, makes her believe that she is not just a scientist's creation. All she she thought of while on the run was how much she wanted to be with Hunter so that she could prove to herself that she is not a robot, because robots don't get these fluttery feels in the pit of their 'stomachs'. All this time, I kept thinking, Mila, you are a strong beautiful android who don't need no man." She truly doesn't. She can kick anybody's ass from here to Montreal using only her pinky finger. And I don't even see anything that special or remarkable with Hunter (same with Mila, to be honest) personality-wise. The novel lacked in the character development area, sadly. However, by the end of the novel, Mila did improve and hopefully the next one will showcase her kick-assness and independence more.

I am interested to see how this series will play out, especially with Mila's character development and the series' overall plot. I wonder if Driza can come up with some fantastical conspiracies that will steal my breath away. By the way, there's a love triangle in the makings and I hate it. But, I hate all love triangles anyway...

Like I said, fans of light sci-fi will enjoy this. It's also a great read if you're looking for something a bit light, I suppose. Because it is quite light compared to the others in its genre.

Quick reminder to everyone
This is a scheduled post. I am still not back from the hiatus. I will be back and fully functional next week though. Thanks, guys! I love you all. *smooches*

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Review -- Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everbound
Author: Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath (2)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: 22 January 2013
Date Read: April 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

I am angry. Just angry. I'll focus more on how I felt the majority of the time I was reading this because if talked about That Thing That Happened, I'll end up writing a different review, one with spoilers and too many feels. Why would you do that, Ashton? I feel like I just got run over by a semi-truck going 120kph after reading Everbound.

Anywhoooo...

Nikki signs on the help of Cole and Co. to assist her in navigating the world of Everneath to get to the Tunnels and rescue Jack. Ashton maintains and improves the originality of Everneath. I've always admired her unique world-building. She takes a random assortment of myths, mixes and mashes them together to create something completely new and different. Nikki, Cole and Co. must travel through the Rings of Earth, Water, Wind and Fire to get the Tunnels. Each Ring proving to be a bigger obstacle than the last. Each Ring is specifically designed to target the traveler's emotions, mind and physical strengths. Not to mention the hungry Wanderers that lurks in each Ring, always chasing them, always wanting to devour them. Everbound had a much quicker pace and was filled with much more action than its predecessor.

I hated Cole in Everneath. I even wished that he die a horrible, slow, painful death in a hole filled with elephant pee. But I see now, after reading Everbound, that my hatred was misdirected. The rightful recipient of my hate should've been Nikki. More than once, I caught myself wanting to punch her in the boob. She was annoying and felt very... flimsy(?), like she would break if you nudged her too hard. Not exactly the kickass heroine I'd been hoping for. (She is determined though, I'll give her that) Plus, she was ridiculously oblivious. What more do you want from Cole, Nik? What would it take for you to finally realize that he loves you? A blind person can see that he's fallen hard for you. She asked so much of him and the fact that she doesn't even realize the pain he has to endure just to fulfil her wish, risking his life to save the love of her life, just infuriated me even more.

Cole... Sigh. Yes, I hated him in Everneath. But he is a developed character in Everbound. He's got so many layers and gray areas and history. Turns out, this Everliving has got a lot of human in him. Ashton brought out a completely different side to Cole, one of vulnerability and tenderness. I didn't think Nik deserved him but if he's going to be happy with her then fine. I just want my baby to stop hurting.

The love triangle was executed beautifully. This is coming from someone who loathes love triangles. I don't even know what Ashton was doing but next thing I knew, I was suddenly in love with Cole. Ashton maintained Jack's presence with flashbacks from Beck's memories of the two of them. This was enough to remind me how perfect and flawed Jack was. There I was, in cloud nine, admiring Becks and Jack's undying romance. No one can deny that these two belonged with each other. Then BAM! I'd feel guilty at the end of the flashback because Cole had to listen to how much Nikki loved someone else. Do you understand my confusion? My dilemma? Another thing I loved about it is that Nik herself took time to change her perception of Cole. It didn't feel like Ashton just pulled it out of her ass just to add romantic tension. Like "Oh, Jack isn't here right now and I feel really sad. Cole is here so maybe I'll just be with him for the time being." No. Nik was right to be suspicious of Cole. But after seeing the cracks in his tough facade, friendship between the two blossomed where one trusted the other with their life.

Everbound made me want to do such violent things to everyone involved even though I didn't hate the book. I say that's a good thing. I recommend this to everyone. If you're on the fence or didn't enjoy Everneath that much, just read this because it is so much better.

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