Review - Defy by Sarah B. Larson

by Sarah B. Larson
publisher: Scholastic
date of publication: January 7, 2014
format: ARC
pages: 336
source: publisher
series: Defy (#1)
buy it: Defy

From Goodreads:

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Buckle up, because this review may get bumpy.  There were things that I liked about Defy, don't get me wrong.  However, there were also problems with Defy that really left me taken aback.  On the side of like, you have a fantasy element, magic, loyalty, and romance.  On the side of dislike there is insecurity, loss of a sense of self, and, worst of all, rape as a plot device.  Now, if you saw my review of Kinslayer over at Book Brats, you already know my feelings on this topic.  If you haven't, I'll just tell you that it makes me angry.  Super freaking angry.  That being said, why don't we take a closer look at what worked and what didn't in Defy?

As a character, Alexa had a lot of potential... at first.  She is presented as a strong character based upon the hardships she has lived through and the actions she has taken to survive.  Rather than being taken captive by the king for being a girl (more on that later), she chose to shear off her hair and take on the persona of her brother's twin brother instead of his twin sister.  Having been taught to fight by their father, this is an easy persona for her to enact, as it makes the soldiers far less suspicious as to her having another identity.  This is all a great start.  However, it would seem that even Alexa isn't immune to the dreaded love triangle.  Though she thinks to hold her feelings when it comes to the opposite sex in check, she does, in fact, let it affect her.  When her feelings are involved, she slips.  At times, she slips hard, all the time reminding herself that she is supposed to be coming across as a man.  First and foremost, Alexa is a fighter.  When it comes to romantic feelings, however, that seems to almost fall away at times.  It's incredibly frustrating to have this strong female character reduced to a moony-eyed one who seems to forget that she's strong at the drop of a hat.  I don't even know what to do with that.  It left her less sympathetic to me until the very end when she seemed to really start finding herself.  I expect a character with weaknesses.  What I don't expect is a character who falls apart when faced with the fact that she is, in fact, female.  Why can't she be a fighter and a woman at the same time without one affecting the other?

The setting is a complete mixed bag.  On the one hand, there are mysterious magics and lush jungles, a network of hidden caves and rich palaces.  Then, there are the breeding houses where state-sanctioned rape occurs on a daily basis.  What is the purpose, you ask?  That depends on who you ask.  The king in this story will say that it's to bolster his army with new soldiers... every 18 years.  It doesn't really stand up to scrutiny, does it?  Though the kind claims it's to fuel his war machine, a closer look reveals his true purpose: subjugation.  This becomes glaringly obvious due to later events in the story that are too much a spoiler to share here.  I don't know about you, but sex slavery and rape as a plot device is appalling.  There just has to be a better way of showing the king's cruelty than this.  As I said to friends while reading this part, "I just can't even."  As a woman, I found it incredibly offensive.  As a human being in general, I found it equally so.

While I had great hopes for Defy and did manage to find a few things I liked about it, the cons added up until I was just biding my time until the end came to be.  The writing was engaging and illustrative, but the themes used were more than I could bear.  Will I continue with the series?  If I'm honest, I would say it's highly doubtful.  While some of those elements may disappear within the second book, it has left such a sour taste in my mouth that I find myself unwilling to do so.  Life is too short and there are many other books out there I would rather give my time to.

Review - Glitch

by Heather Anastasiu
publisher: St. Martin's Press
date of publication: August 7, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 371
source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

I'm not even sure where to start with this review.  Glitch left me a confused, frustrated mess as I did my best to finish the entire book.  I did so, but upon finishing I realized that very few things struck me as enjoyable.  Some of the quirks and occurrences gave me much pause and I debated whether or not I wanted to continue.  So much was uncomfortable to read and I couldn't help but wonder why such a thing would be included, especially since the main character never really realized the severity of the situation.  She didn't seem to learn from it, so why?  I still don't know the answer to that question, but perhaps someone with different insight than me can share their opinion with me.

I was not at all impressed with the main character, Zoe.  She just rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.  If she's not freaking out about the spores found above ground, she's allowing herself to be treated like a possession by her wannabe boyfriend, Max.  He practically marked his "territory" and acted like a huge horse's behind.  I know Zoe is inexperienced in real human emotion, but you would think such behavior would frighten even the most naive girl.  As if that wasn't enough, she didn't seem to take anything away from the experience.  What was the point of including a verbally abusive, possessive ahole if she isn't going to realize the situation and impart a warning.  She just goes along with Max's constant bursts of anger.  It all left me with a sour taste in my mouth.  Adrien was the only character with even a shred of common sense, but one character just isn't enough to carry the whole plot, especially when that character is a supporting one.

I had several more questions in regard to the logistics of the plot.  For instance, the citizens of the Community are supposed to be continually wired in to an internet-like network that keeps them complacent.  This whole thing starts because Zoe is becoming more and more prone to disconnecting and acting "anomalous."  What I wonder is just how does she manage to fly under the radar when she gives herself away in many ways throughout the story?  It just didn't seem very consistent with the idea behind the plot.  The only piece that truly evoked interest in me were the powers that began to manifest when Zoe glitched more and more.  That part was actually kind of fun and lead to the one moment that I actually liked her.

Overall, I just wasn't a fan of Glitch.  It just didn't manage to suspend disbelief, which is a fatal flaw in any book.  If you don't often get hung up on small details, you may enjoy this book provided you don't mind the character's personality and behaviors.  As for myself, I wasn't very enthusiastic about it and don't yet know if I will continue with the series.  If the second book continues in the same vein as the last 2 or 3 chapters, I would consider it, but I just can't deal with a repeat experience.

Buy Glitch at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Embrace

by Jessica Shirvington
publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
date of publication: March 6, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 369
source: won in a giveaway

From Goodreads:

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Having heard all the hype surrounding Embrace, I went in expecting a great story with lots of romance and butt-kicking. I was intrigued by the premise as it was described and had been eagerly awaiting the time that I could pick it up and give it a read. Unfortunately, that's where my enthusiasm left off. Though the premise is, indeed, an interesting one, there were several aspects of the book that left me with feelings of disappointment.

The first issue I had with the book was the main character. I'm going to be completely frank here: Violet drove me absolutely bonkers. I don't expect flawless, goody-goody characters, but Violet is something else entirely. Even before there is any excuses for her behavior, she was so irrational and bratty that I soon found myself wishing that Embrace had an alternating point-of-view plot line. Unfortunately for me, it doesn't have that, so I was stuck with Violet for the duration. Not only is her reaction toward Lincoln when her secret is revealed above and beyond what is reasonable, but she constantly flouts warnings of the danger she will be in if she wanders around and does it anyway. It was absolutely maddening and I have the feeling it will be a while before I ever attempt the second book.

Usually, I don't mind the usual love triangle trope that you often see in YA books. However, I have decided that the love triangle featured in Embrace is the mother of all love triangles. It was so over the top and overwhelming that it very nearly consumes all other aspects of the story. The pacing was actually done well, but I almost missed out on that fact due to the utterly distracting relationship quandaries Violet finds herself in. I really wish that the Grigori aspect of the book had had more prominence than it did. Not much else about the storyline really stood out thanks to the near-constant angst that arose from the love triangle.

I wasn't sure about writing this review, but I realized that not writing one wouldn't be honest. I know several people have enjoyed this book, and I really wish I had been one of them. Unfortunately, I wasn't, so now the onus is on me to explain why. Disappointment does not sit well with me, so I hope that my review allows me to get it all out and let it go. I might someday give the series another chance and read the second book, but I think I'll be waiting for quite a while.

Buy Embrace at the Following Locations:

Amazon/ IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Review - Redheads are Soulless

by Heather M. White
publisher: Heather M. White
date of publication: May 25, 2012
format: ebook
pages:
source: the author via SupaGurl Tours

From Goodreads:

High school senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

Sofia Black has had a rough life.  After the sudden, bizarre death of her father seven years prior, Sofia has, for all intents and purposes, grown up alone.  Living a life of abject poverty with her addict mother hasn't been easy.  The cruelty of her classmates has only added to Sofia's misery.  Things begin to brighten, however, when a new boy, Jason, moves to town.  Though she is suspicious of him, at first, Jason could very well be what she needs to help her get through.  Jason's twin, Robbie, might have plans that will put a halt to the new feelings of contentment Sofia is beginning to feel, though.  When the truth of Sofia's background comes to light, things will never be the same again.

Sofia Black, as a character, is a tough nut to crack.  There are aspects of her personality that I enjoyed, such as her determination to better her lot in life.  There are others, though, that I found hard to reconcile.  While I understand that she doesn't trust anyone due to the way she has been treated at school, her initial conversation with Jason were above and beyond anything I would have expected of a sense of distrust.  In an attempt to put up a defense, it almost comes across as Sofia buying into her classmates' propaganda against her.  I didn't get much of a sense that she truly believed herself to be a worthwhile person, and that bothered me. 

The premise for Redheads are Soulless is truly an interesting one.  The mythology involved is new and intriguing and made for an interesting revelation.  I really liked learning more about the different beings that exist in this world.  However, a bit more background to establish the mythology would have gone a long way toward making it more established.  The pacing was another area that I found issues with.  It came across as very rushed when, in all actuality, it didn't have to be.  A few more pages to act as a bridge would have worked wonders.  The speed with which the relationships form especially stick out to me.  They wound up being less believable as a result.  Finally, the dialog was repetitive and, at times, awkward.  There were moments of truly seamless dialog interspersed with dialog that didn't flow so well, lending it a choppy quality.

Redheads are Soulless has a lot of potential.  Its imaginative premise and intriguing mythology puts it on track to become a great story.  However, as much as I wanted to fall head over heels for this book, it just wasn't happening for me.  My aforementioned issues with characterization, pacing, and dialog wound up being too distracting for me to fully immerse myself in the plot.  I would definitely be interested in giving it another go if there are edits, however.  As I said, the story has a lot of potential and I would love to see it come fully into its own.

Buy Redheads are Soulless at the Following Locations:

Amazon / B&N

Review - Goddess Interrupted

by Aimee Carter
publisher: Harlequin Teen
date of publication: March 27, 2012
format: eGalley
pages: 299
source: Netgalley
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

What I Thought

Goddess Interrupted, the next installment in the Goddess Test series, picks up 6 months after the events from The Goddess Test.  As a result, a certain level of continuity is achieved, though it wasn't the type of continuity I was expecting.  Where I expected amazing advancements in the story, I just didn't get what I had hoped for.  In many ways, continuity isn't the best thing.

Kate, Kate, Kate: what can I say about Kate?  I wasn't very sure how I felt about her this time around.  While she had a certain amount of uncertainty in The Goddess Test, Kate was well beyond that in Goddess Interrupted.  Instead of wary uncertainty, she is one big bundle of insecurity.  As for Henry, all I can say is, "What the heck?"  Truthfully, he's a pretty big jerk in Goddess Interrupted.  It's almost as if his behavior from The Goddess Test was kicked up a few notches into the realm of insensitivity and inconsiderateness.  All in all, both Kate and Henry continued down the path their attitudes and issues were leading toward and didn't really branch out into very much positivity.  With the exception of Diana, I just couldn't get behind most of the characters this time around. 

The plot had a nice amount of tension behind it, which is just what you would expect when Kronos is gunning for Kate and her new Olympian family.  Calliope is a formidable foe thanks to her mental status and the belief that she has nothing to lose.  That she believes she can order a Titan about attests to her instability and delusions.  I know I wouldn't want to come up against someone like her.  The premise serves as the highlight of this book and I can at least say that I enjoyed that aspect.

I had seriously hoped to be blown away by this book.  However, that just didn't happen.  While the premise is a good one, the behavior of the characters was enough to turn me off and made enjoying the book difficult.  I know I will likely be the odd duck with my rating.  Nevertheless, I felt that Goddess Interrupted didn't quite come up to the standard presented by The Goddess Test.  As a result, I have chosen to give Goddess Interrupted 2 hoots. 

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review: The Hollow

by Jessica Verday
publisher: Simon Pulse
date published: September 1, 2009
format: hardcover
pages: 513
source: library
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
challenges: Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge; 2011 YA Reading Challenge

From Goodreads:

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

What I Thought

I borrowed The Hollow from the library on a whim. Imagine my surprise at finding out that Jessica Verday is a semi-local girl and is from a town about one hour away from my own. I had hoped that this fact would bode well for the book. Although vicinity has nothing to do with a book's quality, I thought it would be pretty interesting to have the author of a book I enjoy nearby, since book tours rarely seem to come near here. However, it doesn't seem that it was meant to be.

I had a very difficult time getting into this book. For the majority of the story, the most supernatural thing about it was the location: Sleepy Hollow, NY. I kept expecting for things to begin happening much earlier than they did as far as the book's description as being a paranormal romance went. When things did finally come to a head, the book was nearly over and I was left thinking, "That's it?" The revelation just lacked the punch that was really needed to make it earth-shattering news. Another issue I encountered was the relationship between Abbey and Caspian. It just didn't feel very believable to me and I could not get past the fact that Abbey went along with the flirtation so long without asking about such mundane facts as Caspian's last name. I also found several other components of the relationship hard to believe, though I am forced to leave those components out for fear of making this review too spoiler-heavy. Suffice it to say that I was not a fan of this pairing.

One thing that I did not have a hard time with was Abbey's grief for the loss of her friend, Kristen. I found that I was easily able to relate with her on that count, having lost a friend of my own five years ago. Her devotion to the memory of her friend was touching and watching her go through the stages of grief was absolutely heartbreaking. I felt for Abbey very much and wondered how she was going to get through everything going on in her life. Abbey's grief process was probably the only thing I found anywhere near believable about this book.

I'm not sure what else there is to say about The Hollow. It was okay on some levels and just not altogether appealing on others. I don't feel compelled to buy the other books in the series, but might consider checking them out of the library should they come available. I initially thought to give this book 3 hoots, but the more I thought about it, the more dissatisfied I became. I thought it had great potential, but could have been much better than it turned out. I give The Hollow 2 hoots.