Review - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

by Stephanie Perkins
publisher: Dutton Books
date of publication: September 29, 2011
format: Hardcover
pages: 338
source: purchased
series: Anna and the French Kiss #2
buy it:

From Goodreads:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

This book has been sitting on my shelves for the longest time, yet I'm just now getting to it.  Why is that?  Heck if I know.  Once I pulled it down and opened that shiny cover, I got sucked in and didn't want to give up reading it. Lola and the Boy Next Door made for a great companion to Anna and the French Kiss, and while it's been quite some time since I read Anna, it still brought back many of the same feelings I had when I did.

Lola Nolan is a girl struggling to figure things out.  She sees herself as much more mature than she really is, evidenced by her choice of boyfriend, a man 4 years older than herself.  That may not seem like much, but at 17, Lola is still figuring out who she is and what she needs.  Seeing Lola get treated like dirt by Max made me very frustrated, almost to the point of putting down the book.  One of her greatest moments of redemption comes in the wake of something horrible he says to her, and it was then that I realized what potential she had as a character.  As she works through the tumult of her thoughts and comes to the realization of who she really is, she really shines.  It is then that you see that Cricket is there to highlight all of the best of her while Max highlights all of the worst.  It made for an interesting contrast and I really enjoyed seeing the culmination of that conflict.

Stephanie Perkins is a very funny writer.  In spite of the heavier issues at hand, she never failed to make me laugh when it was most needed.  The blend of seriousness and humor really worked for Lola and the Boy Next Door and the delivery was much appreciated.  I also loved the subplot involving her dads and her biological mother.  The circumstances surrounding Lola's birth and the lingering effects they left upon her really lent perspective to her overall character.  When combined, it made for an engrossing read that left me alternating between laughter and sniffles.

While I didn't get quite the same level of experience reading Lola and the Boy Next Door as I did Anna and the French Kiss, I still found Lola to be an enjoyable read that ultimately left me with a smile on my face in the end.  The ways in which Perkins incorporated humor and even characters from Anna into the storyline made it even more engaging.  If you're looking for a fun read with some weight at the root of it, Lola and the Boy Next Door should do very nicely.  I would definitely recommend it to all.

Review - Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

by Ava Dellaira
publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR
date of publication: April 1, 2014
format: ARC
pages: 323
source: publisher
buy it: Love Letters to the Dead

From Goodreads:

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.

I don't often read contemporary fiction.  I do, however, enjoy epistolary novels a great deal.  When Love Letters to the Dead arrived unexpectedly in the mail, I was intrigued by its premise.  I knew it was going to be a tough, heart-breaking book, but it was one that called to be read.  As it turns out, I was right on both counts.

Laurel is a character caught in the vacuum her sister's absence left behind.  She is unable to move past her idealized thoughts of her sister, unable to break free from the same spiral May was on before she died.  As you read Laurel's story through letters, you can't help but be angry on her behalf.  This is a girl who has been let down so many times, times when she needs support the most.  When you find out why she holds such a rosy view of her sister, however, it will break your heart.  It makes Laurel one of the most compelling characters with one of the most heartbreaking stories I've read in quite some time.

Each letter is filled with Laurel's raw emotions, as well as an account of her further loss of control over her life.  Not only that, but each letter addresses what happens to the recipients of each letter.  She talks of their short lives and their deaths and all that makes their memories live on to this day.  This adds to the emotion of the book and makes for an even more poignant reading experience.  By the end of Love Letters to the Dead, you'll have tears in your eyes as the implications of everything fully hits you.

Love Letters to the Dead was so much more than I had expected.  It's not a comfortable read, but you know what?  It's an important one.  Things like this do happen and there are children and teens that really deal with this in their day-to-day lives.  What's more, Love Letters to the Dead doesn't fear to touch upon other subjects of vast importance today.  In the end, Love Letters to the Dead is a gritty, moving novel about death, guilt, redemption, and healing.  It's a novel that stayed with me long after I put it down.

Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor: Review

Title: Searching for Sky

Author: Jillian Cantor

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: May 13, 2014

Source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

Sky and River have always lived on Island, the only world they’ve ever known. Until the day River spots a boat. Across Ocean, in a place called California, Sky is separated from River and forced to live with a grandmother she’s just met. Here the rules for survival are different. People rely on strange things like cars and cell phones. They keep secrets from one another. And without River, nothing makes sense. Sky yearns for her old life where she was strong and capable, not lost and confused. She must find River so they can return to Island, but the truth behind how they ended up there in the first place will come as the biggest shock of all.

 

This type of book is a tricky one to write. Every one of us sees the world as it is. If you are part of my generation and younger ones then you’ve never lived without a cell phone in your hand or a computer to use. I’ve never lived a life without cars or electricity or modern amenities. I’ve never lived a life where I didn’t go to school. I’ve never had to life off of the land or life on my own. So it’s really hard for me to imagine how someone who has never known any of this can see the world and obviously it was also hard for Jillian Cantor. This was a tricky book and while it had heart it didn’t quite get the end result that she (probably) wanted.

The protagonist, Sky/Megan, seems very ignorant and not just because she didn’t grow up in this world. I blame this on the fact that her entire life she has been taught to only know the things that she needs to know and never more. She has been taught to never question, to live life on strict routine. Never stray from the routine or break any of the strict rules that Helmut has put forth before them. Basically don’t use your mind. River on the other hand is referenced as a dreamer throughout the book. He questions everything, thinks of things bigger than himself, and is not afraid to be defiant.

Because of his ability to process things and question and understand the world better than Sky, it was River who should have adapted better to this new world of California, but instead it was Sky who thrived. I understand that this was because she had a “team of professionals” to help her, but even at the end of the book there was hardly any growth from River and that was disappointing.

One of the things that made this book so tricky was trying to figure out how people who have never been in modern society. I found it hard to believe that Petal and Helmut (the parents on Island) never called the rocks leading down or up, “steps”. Or that they never said any words, like “awesome” or “sucks” or whatever the equivalent would have been before they left California. It just doesn’t seem realistic to me that Sky would only know a few words. It’s strange that she would call a light the “sun”. She should have been smart enough to know that the sun emits light. She would have known the word light; therefore she should have known that a “light” on the ceiling was not the sun, but rather something that emitted light. Even if she didn’t know what electricity was she would have known the word light.

I have read other book very similar to this one and yet those other books surpassed this was by far. Like I’ve said, this is a tricky subject to write. A tricky point of view to write from and unfortunately for Cantor it just didn’t come out like she was hoping it would.

Review - House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

by Natalie Whipple
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: April 15, 2014
format: eGalley
pages: 352
source: Edelweiss
buy it: House of Ivy & Sorrow

From Goodreads:

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

House of Ivy & Sorrow took some serious thought when it came to rating it.  There were elements I did like, elements I didn't like, and elements I didn't quite know what to make of.  There were times that it was deliciously creepy, and times when it was just too cutesy for words.  Where does that leave me?  So far as I can tell, I'm thoroughly on the fence about this one, which is a very bewildering place to be, much like opening one door and finding yourself somewhere you didn't expect to be (you'll see what I did there).

Josephine Hemlock is no ordinary teenager.  Her grandmother, known as an entomologist to the citizens of their small town, is in fact a talented witch and the head of the Hemlock witch family.  Orphaned by the death of her mother at age 7, Josephine has been learning everything from her eccentric grandmother and is proving to be quite the talent, herself.  You may think that with how seriously she regards her abilities she wouldn't have time for mooning over some guy.  Well, dear reader, you would be wrong.  Here is exactly where the super cutesy aspect of the story I mentioned comes into play.  I read a lot of YA since that's mostly what I review.  That's not to say I'm against some romance.  When I feel as though I'm reading about a 13 year old rather than a 17 year old, as Josephine is portrayed, it's a problem.  You don't want to read bits of "romance" that make you roll your eyes rather than sigh wistfully.

Much of the plot was preferable to me over the characters.  The ways in which magic are presented are different than your average witch story.  Rather than being dark and light, all magic is said to come from the dark.  It is a witch's level of control that dictates what "side" they are on, so to speak.  To completely give in to the darkness is to be Consumed, at which point a witch is virtually eaten alive by the power and becomes a power mad, evil being.  This concept is certainly an inventive one and made the magical aspects of the book more interesting.  There were, however, issues that bothered me to no end.  One such issue is continuity.  There comes a point when the Hemlock's are in need of an ancestor's journal (here called "history").  There is much talk of how important it is that they find her long lost house and, subsequently, her history.  However, at some point along the way it is apparently no longer imperative and it ceases to be mentioned.  At all.  What happened to it?  Wouldn't it still be a good idea to have it?  Why mention it at all if you're just going to forget it exists?  So many questions.

Overall, House of Ivy & Sorrow was a fun way to pass the time.  I don't know that I would necessarily want to read a follow-up, but for what it is, I enjoyed it.  If you're more plot driven, you might find this one enjoyable thanks to the different descriptions of magic, the setting (a truly intriguing one with its magical doors and enchantments), and the conflict.  If you can overlook the overly cutesy parts of the romance, definitely try it out.  Otherwise, proceed with caution.  I almost gave up on it, but in the end I'm glad I stuck it out.

Review - A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

by Susan Dennard
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: July 23, 2013
format: ebook
pages: 406
source: library
series: Something Strange and Deadly #2
buy it: A Darkness Strange and Lovely

From Goodreads:

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

Oh, man.  That was my initial reaction upon finishing A Darkness Strange and Lovely.  I really didn't see this book coming.  After Something Strange and Deadly, I expected more of the same plucky Eleanor, only with missing things she would have to learn to do without.  While that was partly true, what I found was a new, dark side to Eleanor that made her a frustrating yet even more interesting character.

Eleanor was so infuriating throughout A Darkness Strange and Lovely, but you know what?  It worked.  Characters don't always have to be on their best behavior and Eleanor is proof of that.  She finds herself in a very dark situation with few options and she takes the path that, while difficult and against what she originally determined against, seems the best option in order to save her life.  What ensues is a harrowing ordeal with magical addiction that leaves her making decisions with a much less sound judgment than before.  It all made her a much more dynamic character with so many facets.  I still got mad at her but it was truly an interesting reading experience.

Paris always makes for such an amazing setting in books.  There is so much character in the ways the city can be depicted that it always seems to come alive in a way.  Eleanor's time in Paris is nothing short of intriguing.  The mysteries at play are eerie and menacing in such away that an element of horror is brought into the story.  There were some truly horrific moments throughout that made my hair stand on end.  It was tense.  It was alarming.  It was thrilling.  I couldn't get enough of it and wound up finishing the book when I had only planned on reading a few chapters.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely turned out to be an impressive story that has left me so excited for book 3 in the series.  You had best believe I will be reading it soon.  With an ever-changing main character, terrifying moments, and a lot of mystery, A Darkness Strange and Lovely brings a lot to the table.  If you enjoy flawed characters, check this out.  That coupled with the darkness at hand make this such an engaging, exciting read.  If you enjoyed Something Strange and Deadly, you'll should give A Darkness Strange and Lovely a chance.  It really kicks things into second gear and takes on an entirely new level of amazing.

Review - Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

by Danielle L. Jensen
publisher: Strange Chemistry
date of publication: April 1, 2014
format: eGalley
pages: 469
source: Netgalley
series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
buy it: Stolen Songbird: Malediction Trilogy Book One

From Goodreads:

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

The premise for Stolen Songbird intrigued me from the very beginning.  After all, how often do you see a book where trolls play a large part and make up about 95% of the cast of characters?  Not often is the answer.  The story of Cécile and Tristan is one full of danger, subterfuge, and heartbreak.  I couldn't help but get lost in the underground world of Trollus and all of its dangers, politics, and strange beauty.  Each chapter was a new adventure and I couldn't put my reader down.  

Cécile was a well-imagined character.  She is impulsive, rash, and stubborn, along with caring and well-meaning.  She does much of what one would expect a character who has been kidnapped to do.  She tries at every opportunity to escape, though some of those attempts are ill-advised and make you question her from time to time.  There are moments where she isn't altogether realistic, however, especially some of her reactions to her captors.  You wouldn't expect someone who has been kidnapped to spend quite so much time considering how handsome this one or that one is, at least as much as Cécile seems to.  From time to time I sincerely wanted to shake her, but fortunately those moments came in small increments.  For the most part, Cécile and Tristan were well-written, easy to relate to characters with great background stories and vivid personalities.

Trollus is a harsh yet intriguing city that kept me captivated from start to finish.  Descriptions of its curse, while somewhat vague, really add an even more mysterious air to the story and its cold yet glittering glass gardens add an ethereal yet lonely backdrop for some amazing scenes.  The citizens of Trollus make it even more amazing, whether they are good, bad, or somewhere in between.  Such an array of horror and beauty is simply fantastic in every way possible.  It really made the story what it is with its rich and imaginative offerings.

Set in an imaginative underground world, Stolen Songbird is a lush story of intrigue, danger, and romance.  Fantasy fans won't be disappointed with this wonderful new offering and will be left wanting more by the time to last page is turned.  I couldn't get enough of this beautifully frightening world and all its denizens.  If you're looking for a story filled with romance and magic, then Stolen Songbird just may be what you're looking for.

Review - The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

by Marie Rutkoski
publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Books for Young Readers
date of publication: March 4, 2014
format: ARC
pages: 355
source: publisher
series: The Winner's Trilogy (#1)
buy it: The Winner's Curse (Winner's Trilogy)

From Goodreads:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Having just finished The Winner's Curse, I find myself pondering the best way in which to tell you what I thought of this book.  First, it isn't quite what I had expected.  What I got instead was something so much better.  Expecting a war-time romance, what I found was a story of distrust, betrayal, passion, and grave danger.  The tale of Kestrel and Arin is not a tidy one by any means.  Theirs is not an easy love and by the end of The Winner's Curse you will see their individual struggles between what is right and what is wrong when it comes to both love and country.

Kestrel is one of the most cunning, intelligent characters I have been faced with in a long time.  Even though she has the mind of a strategist, she has a love that outshines any ambition for the military life her father wishes for her.  Kestrel is a gifted pianist and it is her love for music that ultimately changes the course of her destiny far beyond anything she ever expected.  Arin is one of those characters that makes you tease out every little facet, every little blip of information from them.  He is strong, silent, and defiant.  What's more, he is not who he first appears to be.  When these two come head to head, there is no denying the nature of their relationship.  There is distrust.  There is heartache.  First and foremost, there is a series of hard choices that ensures a struggle for their love beyond their wildest dreams.

The landscape of The Winner's Curse is both desolate and rich at the same time.  I'm still not sure how Rutkoski pulled this off, but suffice it to say she did.  The impression of isolation from the rest of the empire is there, yet there is frequent mention of the bounties the region boasts.  When bolstered with details of Harrani turned Valorian estates, sumptuous balls, and high-stakes games of chance, the full picture is painted.  Harran is the now jewel of the Valorian empire, one which the Valorians ruthlessly made their own.

In the end, the first line in the book's above description has it right.  Winning isn't always the thing you need or want the most.  Kestrel and Arin learn this the hard way and take us along for the ride.  The Winner's Curse isn't just about freedom or possessions or even romance.  At the heart of it, betrayal, redemption, and heartbreak are the ongoing themes.  The fact that it isn't a perfect love story is part of its appeal.  It really makes you think and, in doing so, you are drawn right into the story, not knowing who is right.  Perhaps no one is.  Either way, The Winner's Curse is rife with emotion and beauty.  You would be hard pressed to find a better story, at least during this half of the year.

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 - Cress by Marissa Meyer

by Marissa Meyer
publisher: Feiwel & Friends
date of publication: February 4, 2014
format: ARC
pages: 550
source: publisher
series: The Lunar Chronicles (#3)
buy it: Cress (Lunar Chronicles)

From Goodreads:

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Things in the Lunar Chronicles universe are really starting to get exciting.  After Scarlet and Wolf's narrow escape, Cinder and company were left to orbit earth in order to avoid the authorities.  Enter Cress, computer hacker extraordinaire and prisoner of the Lunar crown.  Her biggest wish is to be released from her exile in space and to experience the planet she sees from her satellite's port window everyday: Earth.  Little does she know, her chance is about to arrive.

Cress was a very surprising character.  Usually when a girl in a story is daydreaming of being rescued, I'm silently yelling, "Save yourself, girl!"  This time, however, I was surprisingly patient about it.  That's probably due to the location of her prison (space) and the fact that she wasn't exclusively waiting on a prince-like figure to come save her.  While she was attracted to Captain Thorne, she was also aware that Cinder and her cohorts would play a large part in her release from the satellite.  When you take her naivete into account, it makes even more sense.  Here is a girl who has been isolated from interactions with all but one living being.  Her only company is a computer generated voice that she programmed to be her friend, after a fashion.  Seeing her learn her way through life outside the satellite is all the more fascinating because of all the aforementioned reasons.

The plot in Cress is really cooking now.  Here is where all planning ceases to be plans and becomes action.  Here is where Cinder and crew prepare to make their move.  Everything is on the line and the tension is just what it should be.  The world at large is nothing short of spectacular.  It takes on a special emphasis when you observe the characters moving about in it.  All in all, Cress absolutely comes alive.  You can't help but jump right in and get lost for a while.

This series continues to amaze me.  Each book is better than the last.  Cress is no exception.  I can only imagine what book 4, Winter, has in store.  If these past 3 books are indication, it's going to be phenomenal.  If you have yet to pick up book 1, Cinder, trust me.  You must read these books, especially if you enjoy science fiction and/or fairy tales.  The nuances the adaptation of each fairy tale lends to the story overall makes it something you won't want to miss.

Review - The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

by Julie Kagawa
publisher: Harlequin Teen
date of publication: April 15, 2014
format: digital review copy
pages: 416
source: Netgalley
series: Blood of Eden (#3)
buy it: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden)

From Goodreads:

VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

At last we have come to the end of Julie Kagawa's astounding Blood of Eden series.  The Forever Song follows Allison Sekemoto, teenaged girl turned vampire, as she makes the journey to save the world for vampire and humankind alike.  The journey is wrought with danger, sadness, temptation, and grief, but for Allie failure is not an option.  Not when so much is at stake and revenge is on the line.

Allie is going through a lot this time around.  In fact, I'll give a word of warning: If you're going through a time of emotional turmoil, yourself, beware.  Allie is a girl full of conflict, rage, grief, and bitterness.  This can wear on already frazzled feelings, as it did mine.  Even with all of that, however, The Forever Song really brought on the suspense and excitement.  Sarren is just as insane as ever, Kanin just as brooding, and Jackal just as smart-assed.  Each character breathes life into an already riveting story and makes everything oh, so much better.

The landscape of The Forever Song is as terrifying as it is stark.  Picture a winter wasteland mostly devoid of human life, littered with broken cars and inhabited by raging, rabid vampires.  This, folks, is not somewhere you would want to find yourself unexpectedly.  As with the previous novels in the series, the setting is transformed into a character in its own right.  The story really comes to live thanks to the stellar combination of character and setting.

The Forever Song proved to be a great end to a great series.  I'm not usually one for vampire stories, but this series really captured my interest and my imagination.  Paranormal romance and horror fans, take note.  The Forever Song, along with The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure, has something for most everyone.  I found it all to be unbelievably thrilling and, at times, moving.  You can't go wrong. 

Review - Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

by Kristen Simmons
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: February 12, 2013
format: hardcover
pages: 400
source: publisher
series: Article 5

From Goodreads:

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?

Article 5 introduced us to Ember Miller, a girl at the mercy of the totalitarian government that has gained power in what was once the United States.  Being guilty only of the crime of circumstance, Ember finds herself the victim of a horrific reform school and the adults that run it.  Not knowing exactly whom to trust, Ember escapes and must do all she can to reunite with her mother and make it to a safe haven where she has the chance to live her life as she was meant to.  As it turns out, this is not going to be at all easy as several things have already gone wrong.  As we find out in Breaking Point, Ember is struggling even more with both her circumstances and the actions of both the government and the resistance.  On the surface, Breaking Point is the continuation of Ember's journey toward safety.  There is more to it than that, however.  At its heart, Breaking Point is a closer look at Ember's heartbreak, fear, and inner struggle with her own feelings of guilt.

You really have to feel for Ember at this juncture.  As if her world hadn't been shaken enough in Article 5, things just keep getting worse for her in Breaking Point.  Her inner turmoil is evident as she struggles with her trust of those around her as well as her trust in herself.  You can really get the sense that she is on the edge and is barely hanging on.  The one issue I had with Ember this time around, however, was a certain sense of wishy-washy behavior that, after a time, just began to give me a headache.  There's struggling and then there's lack of commitment to one's decisions.  It often seemed that Ember would make up her mind about something only to immediately thereafter do a 180 and go right back to her surly, introspective ways.  I kept waiting for her to find the fire within and fully commit to doing something.  Alas, I never quite saw this from her.  Sure, she went through the motions of fighting back, but it didn't feel like her heart was all the way in it.  I truly hope to see more spirit from her in book 3.

The settings for Breaking Point are superb as ever.  Taking place in Knoxville, TN; Louisville, KY; and Chicago, IL, Breaking Point exhibits some really vivid places with a great sense of desolation.  If you are familiar with any of these cities and are able to compare them with their counterparts in Breaking Point, it truly hits home just how drastic the events that led to things be the way they are were.  Reading about the version of Knoxville seen in Article 5 and Breaking Point is especially striking for me since I grew up a mere 45 minutes from there and even lived there for a while.  Imagining walking through these damaged, more deserted versions of the places I know was nothing short of sobering.  It definitely helped to be able to fully visualize what was going on as I read.

Overall, Breaking Point was a great follow-up to Article 5 and, judging by the last chapter, book 3 is going to be absolutely intense.  Even though I wasn't able to connect with Ember as well, I definitely connected with the intensity of the situation at hand.  Breaking Point is a book chock full of action, thrills, and tension and would make a great read for fans of action-adventure books and movies.  I must reiterate that if you haven't started this series yet, you should.  That the events are so utterly realistic and plausible give this series an edge of horror that is hard to deny.  Breaking Point is a definite recommendation that I can stand behind.

Buy Breaking Point at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

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

 

Review - Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

by Gail Carriger
publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
date of publication: February 5, 2013
format: egalley
pages: 307
source: the publisher via Netgalley
series: Finishing School

From Goodreads:

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Sophronia Temminnick at 14 is a great trial more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners -- and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Her poor mother, desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady, enrolls the lively tomboy in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage -- in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Though I love steampunk, I have a confession to make: Etiquette & Espionage is my first experience reading Gail Carriger's work.  I know!  I've been completely remiss in not reading The Parasol Protectorate series during the 2 years it has been on my TBR list.  Thanks to Little, Brown, however, I had the opportunity to read Etiquette & Espionage, the first in Ms. Carriger's new YA series.  I had heard much praise of Ms. Carriger's writing beforehand.  Now I know exactly why.  To say that Etiquette & Espionage is amazing doesn't even begin to cover how much I enjoyed this book.

I'll admit to at first being thrown off by the main character's name.  I soon adjusted, though, and quickly began to enjoy reading her story.  She's such a spunky, funny girl that you can't help but quickly become captivated.  With each failed curtsey, midnight foray, and discovery, Sophronia proves more and more that she has a future as a force to be reckoned with.  As if that weren't enough, you will also discover that there are some familiar characters to be found within Etiquette & Espionage.  Younger versions of Genevieve Lefoux and Sidheag Maccon can be found within.  Having promptly started reading The Parasol Protectorate series right after finishing E&E, I found it fascinating seeing them as youths as well as the women they become.  Perhaps one of my favorite characters, however, isn't a living, breathing being at all.  Neither is he a vampire.  This character is a gadget known as a mechanimal named Bumbersnoot (trust me, the vast majority of the names in Etiquette & Espionage are hilarious), who proved to be just as humorous as Sophronia.  I loved every minute!

The world-building, though perhaps not quite so technological as that found in The Parasol Protectorate, is nevertheless fascinating.  Not only does Etiquette & Espionage take place at a school, it takes place in a floating school.  It doesn't get much more intriguing than that.  Between the finishing school, the boys' school for evil geniuses, and Sophronia's home, there is so much to discover from page to page.  The rich environments combined with the novel inventions are simply fantastic in every shape of the word.  It makes for a rich world for Sophronia to have adventures in and shows much promise of getting even better in the next installment.

Ever since I finished Etiquette & Espionage, I have been simply devouring everything by Gail Carriger that I can get my hands on.  It has been a while since an author has made me want to read everything they have written one book after another.  If you, too, have yet to experience the writing of Ms. Carriger, take my advice: prior to reading Etiquette & Espionage, make sure you have The Parasol Protectorate books readily available.  If you love E&E as much as I did, you'll probably want them before the warmth from your hands has faded from the pages.

Buy Etiquette & Espionage at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This 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 - Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

by Kerstin Gier
publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
date of publication: October 30, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 368
source: publisher
series: Ruby Red Trilogy

From Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Picking up where Ruby Red left off, Sapphire Blue at first suggests that things are going to progress in much the same manner as before.  Gone, however, is some of Gwen's carefree spirit.  She has been through a lot and it really starts to show in Sapphire Blue.  What I as a reader am not so sure about, however, is whether or not I like where things are going.  There are certain themes that I simply can't enjoy that are starting to crop up in the series that I sincerely hope don't come to fruition.  I don't think I could take it.  I will share those concerns with you as well as the things I enjoyed today.

Gwen.  What do I say about Gwen?  While she still has much of what made her such a great main character in Ruby Red, she is starting to fall victim to that most dreaded theme in YA:  the so-called bad boy.  More often than not, bad boy is code for jackass, which is unfortunately the case for Gideon.  This is probably one case where I would welcome a love triangle just in hopes that Gwen might come to her senses and kick Gideon to the curb.  Unless she falls for that pesky little gargoyle, however, that isn't likely to be the case.  While Gideon has his moments where he isn't completely heinous, there are also points that made me want to reach through the book and slap him on the back of the head a la NCIS.  When you spend more time outraged by the love interest than the villains, you know there's a problem.  Other than her penchant for questionable love interests, however, I enjoyed Gwen's reactions to the experiences she had.  Each trip into the past provided a lot of entertainment and really played up the sparkle of her personality.  I sincerely hope this doesn't go away in the next book, as it is definitely a favorite.

Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy the settings more, Gier pulls off scenes that are beyond all those that came before.  I was especially impressed with Gwen and Gideon's trip back in time to a party that occurred during the Rococo period (at least, I'm pretty sure that's the right one; it's been a few weeks).  As just one example of the vibrancy of Gier's world-building, let me just say that picturing this time period I am only vaguely familiar with was a breeze thanks to the great care taken in describing everything from the dress to the architecture.  That this was accomplished without an overload in information is simply great.

I am still holding out hope for the final installment in this series.  Though I remain not sold on the romance aspect of this story, the world-building and intrigue manage to make up for it.  If you enjoy a good time travel narrative, this series is definitely worth your attention.  With such vivid imagery and just the right amount of tension, Sapphire Blue was able to resist the sophomore slump and leads me to believe that there is still much to look forward to in Emerald Green.  So long as I don't feel compelled to rant and the world building remains as well-done as before, I will be a very happy reader.

Buy Sapphire Blue at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

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

Review - Prophecy by Ellen Oh

by Ellen Oh
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: January 2, 2013
format: digital review copy
pages: 320
source: Edelweiss
series: The Dragon King Chronicles

From Goodreads:

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

Prophecy came as a somewhat unexpected surprise due to the varied opinions I had been hearing prior to reading it for myself.  Some complaints gave me cause for concern, so I started the book with trepidation, only to find that I was a reader who would likely be one of those to enjoy it.  Ellen Oh's tale of good vs. evil set in a land full of Korean-inspired traits and headed by an extraordinary girl is one that I found to be more than enjoyable.  A book that piques even my firmly non-YA-reading husband's interest and keeps me reading until I finish it within 12 hours is definitely a book to be noted.

Kira is truly a fascinating main character to read about from the very beginning.  Oh doesn't hold anything back and immediately shows you what it is that Kira is faced with from chapter one.  As the story progresses, it becomes readily apparent that Kira isn't just a kick-ass warrior, however.  An especially startling thing is that she isn't respected for her skills, nor is she particularly self-assured.  Instead, shades of a typical 16 year old girl can easily be seen as she struggles with self identity, self esteem, and the need for friends.  It all makes for a fascinating character with plenty of room to grow into her own.  I must say, though, that I dearly hope the same can be said for her young cousin and charge, the crown prince.  His high level of neediness, impulsiveness, and penchant for hero worship combined to make for a secondary character that was a bit too much to take at times. 

I really came to enjoy the world in which Prophecy is set.  From its cities to its countryside, Prophecy is made up of a fantastic array of environments and political situations.  The addition to mysterious legends of saviors, prophecies, magic, and demons round everything out nicely into the arresting story it has become.  As the true nature of the world in which Kira lives comes to light, readers are sure to sit up and take notice. 

The temptation to read Prophecy from cover to cover is definitely there, so potential readers, make note.  Keep the refreshments handy and prepare for a long night if you start reading late, for chances are you will get swept away in Prophecy's spell.  Those looking for an action-packed fantasy with a female protagonist would do well to take a look at Prophecy.  The series overall shows a lot of promise with this thrilling and engaging opener.  Give it a try and see what I mean.  Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.

 

Buy Prophecy 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 Edelweiss. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Wings of Tavea Blog Tour - A Review

Welcome to day 3 of the Wings of Tavea blog tour.  Having had the pleasure of participating in the tour for Wings of Arian, I am pleased to be back again to review the next installment in Devri Walls' epic story of fantasy, adventure, and romance.  If you haven't checked this series out yet, it's a must.

by Devri Walls
publisher: Stonehouse Ink
date of publication: December 11, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 450
source: from the author/tour company

From Goodreads:

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros.

Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

Wings of Arian introduced us to a young girl coming into her powers in a land that had long been devoid of evil... or so she thought.  Now Kiora is in for a real shock as she learns just what is really out there.  In Wings of Tavea, you're in for an even bigger whirlwind than ever before.  If you thought you had seen it all in Wings of Arian, well, you haven't seen anything yet.

Kiora continues to grow so much as the series progresses.  As she comes into her own in both her powers and her knowledge, Kiora becomes an even more formidable character.  Emane is every bit as interesting as he was in the previous installment and I had very little to complain about with him.  It is the introduction of Alcander that really puts a new twist on everything as an entirely new dynamic is introduced to the group.  Even though he's a grump, it's hard not to enjoy this new cog in the machine.

The world of Wings of Arian was an idyllic world with evil lurking where few can see it.  The other side of the gate, however, is the exact opposite.  It is a land teeming with evil with good hiding where few can find it.  It makes for such a stark, imposing landscape, a landscape that creates a wonderful feeling of foreboding.  I became so immersed in the story thanks to this land as I waited with bated breath to see what Kiora and company would do and what would become of them.

I've had such a great time getting to know Ms. Walls' writing.  Being a fan of fantasy, Wings of Arian was just what this reader needed.  Filled with danger, humor, and a nice amount of romance, this book was a pleasure to read.  If you, too, enjoy the fantasy genre, Devri Walls is a good author to check out.  This series is bound to continue delivering with each and every new book.

Buy Wings of Tavea at the Following Locations:

Amazon / B&N

The Giveaway

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