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Monday, May 2, 2011

Taking a Break for Tuesday

In the interest of spending quality time in the foreign language lab working on my French, I will be taking Tuesday off from blogging. So, I will not be posting any memes or reviews tomorrow. I have a French final on Wednesday that I need to prepare for, so I will see you all after noon on Wednesday!

Review: The Reckoning

by Kelley Armstrong
publisher: HarperTeen
date published: April 1, 2010
format: hardcover
pages: 400
source: library
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
challenges: Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge; 2011 YA Reading Challenge

From Goodreads:

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

What I Thought

Kelley Armstrong has done it again! I loved The Reckoning every bit as much as I loved The Awakening. I loved it so much that I want more books featuring these characters and this story line. I'm definitely going to pick up The Gathering since it looks as though there will be a tie-in by the last book in that set.

A pretty impressive, complex subplot was revealed in this book that left my head reeling. I hadn't thought more danger than they were already in possible, but I was proved wrong. I loved the element of surprise that cropped up time and time again throughout the story. There were adversaries from unexpected corners and allies that I never would have thought of. Take all of the added ghosts and poltergeists into consideration and you've got quite the action-packed book!

The characters continued to grow from The Awakening, which made me very happy. Tori finally came into her own, which was a relief since she had been so annoying in the previous books. Derek continued to be his grouchy self, but he did have many more moments that kept me cheering for him. He still needs to work on not being such a grumpy know-it-all, but I think he's on his way out of that phase. Chloe finally came into her own as far as her abilities go. I felt very smug for her when she showed up the necromancer she meets, even though such a display of powers came with complications. As for the love triangle hinted at in The Awakening, it finally came to the forefront and Chloe made her choice, which was one that isn't quite par for the typical course of YA PR. I kind of liked that about this book, even though you have to wonder about Chloe because of her choice.

Overall, I loved the action that this book contained. There was intrigue, fight sequences, and some of the creepiest ghost encounters and raisings yet. I definitely want to read more about Chloe, Derek, Simon, Tori, and Liz in the future. I read this book in one sitting, just like the last one, which is a mark of success in my book. I give The Reckoning 5 hoots.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

It's Monday! What are you reading? May 2, 2011

It's Monday! What are you reading is a weekly meme that comes to us from Sheila at Book Journey. To participate, simply post what you finished reading in the past week and what you plan to read this week. It is a good way to find other books you may enjoy reading. After you write your post, head over to Sheila's blog to leave your post's link on the link entry form at the bottom of the What are you reading? post.

I had an amazing reading week. I've read and reviewed five books since last Monday! I don't know how this week will shape up as of yet. I still have to take finals, after all, which will require some studying. I hope to at least finish up my library pile, though, as well as the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy so I can get them back to my friend.

What I Finished

Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange
The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Abandon by Meg Cabot

What I'm Reading

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Up Next

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Review: Abandon

by Meg Cabot
publisher: Scholastic
date published: April 26, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 320
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
challenges: Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge; 2011 YA Reading Challenge

From Goodreads:

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

What I Thought

Considering how long I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Abandon, I didn't like it quite as much as I thought I would. That isn't to say that I didn't like it, because I did. I just didn't like it with the intensity I had expected based upon the teasers I've read and the subject matter. I think what kept me from being really enthusiastic about this book was the manner in which the protagonist, Pierce, seemingly beats around the bush when explaining what had happened to her. Some allusion is fine, but it seemed as if it took her several chapters, not pages, to get to her point. She beat around the bush about why she and her mother moved; how she died; who the "he" she refers to is; where she went; what the significance of the necklace is; all of it. I have to wonder if things hadn't been so drawn out whether or not this would be a full-length novel.

The story line is a very interesting one. I like the concept of a modern-day, American Persephone and Hades. I only know of one other book that attempted such a plot, but that book was written by P.C. Cast for an adult audience. I haven't read it yet, though, so I don't know whether it incorporates another interested characteristic of this novel: Furies. I was intrigued by the chosen villains for this series, even though there wasn't much time spent on them in this particular book. The explanation for Furies along with their goal is definitely going to provide some action in the books that are yet to come.

There is one other thing that bothers me about Abandon. That thing is the interaction between Pierce and John. At first, I thought she was going to be a pretty strong character. She isn't perfect (a good thing) and she seems willing to not let anyone push her around. She also has a protective quality that is very nice. However, when it comes to John, she is a bit of a soft-touch. No matter how horribly he behaves toward her, her resistance of him isn't quite what one would expect. There comes a point when she seems to just, dare I say it, take on some very Bella Swan-like characteristics (and I'm not usually one to do Twilight comparisons) that left me sighing (not in a sentimental way). I just don't know what to make of her.

I will definitely give this series another chance. I think there is some great potential in the up-coming books if only Pierce can get to the point and the action isn't left until nearly the last minute. I want to see where Cabot goes with the Furies story line and how Pierce is going to handle the outcome of the events at the end of this book. Because it just didn't pull me in like I would have hoped and because of the above-mentioned reasons, I give Abandon 3 hoots.

In My Mailbox - May 1, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme from The Story Siren where you can share your new acquisitions. They can come from anywhere: through the mail, via the library, purchased from a store, or downloaded as ebooks. It's up to you!

All I wanted for Mother's Day was books, so books I got. I have a great haul this week. I've got so many books that I want to read that my head is almost spinning!

Books Bought