Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Title: Awaken
Author: Katie Kacvinsky

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children;
First Edition edition (May 23, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0547371489
ISBN-13: 978-0547371481

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Review:

I sincerely enjoyed Awaken because while the romance was a bit predictable, the originality of the plot was entertaining enough to keep me reading.

Cons: It is a short read that could have had a more fulfilling ending and the uneven pacing left me a little disoriented when the main character went from running away from the authorities to walks on the beach. The pacing resembled an erratic heart beat with multiple roller coaster dives and inclines that were, to say the least, a bit dizzying. Sadly, while reading the book, I tended to shift toward the negative aspects more than the positive. There were too many elements that I couldn't overlook because of their frequency. One thing that was constantly annoying me was the preaching. It is made clear throughout the novel that the main character, Madeline, is intelligent academically and has a knack for technology. A very useful capability in her world. However, this was negated by the fact that she was being preached at every other page by Justin, the love interest and quasi leader of the rebels against Digital School. It really made Madeline look stupid and naive whenever Justin explained things to her. I can understand that she was inexperienced in many things due to her "grounding" but there's a huge difference between teaching someone things normally foreign to them and treating them like an invalid. That was exceptionally annoying. In addition to that, there were many moral cliches being thrown around in the book plus a repetition of previously stated concepts or opinions.

Pros: I know you're probably wondering why I gave Awaken a C instead of an F, and I have to admit that it has to do with the story line and the future the author created that was detailed and realistically relatable. I also admired Maddie's character for being as daring as she was to go against her own father for what she believed was right for her country. She had the drive and tenacity to support a rebellion even after seeing the effects it had on her family and especially to the relationship between her and her father. She also admitted to herself that she was in love with Justin because he was her savior in a sense that he was reintroducing the outside world to her in a whole new light. And for all of Justin's condescending flaws I can at least say that he was a decent person and was generous with his time to gradually transform America back to a nation whose citizens were motivated, independent and uniquely amazing.

As for whether or not I'm going to attempt the sequel, Middle Ground, I don't think I'm going to run out for a copy any time soon. Because even though I found the story rich and thorough, it doesn't make up for what I found lacking in Awaken.

C-

Source: Bought

LiLi

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: Vessel
Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
(September 11, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1442423765
ISBN-13: 978-1442423763

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Review:

So in order to immerse myself into a novel with self-sacrificing characters, I knew I had to come to terms that it was the desert's people's way of life and they only way they knew how to survive for the next hundred-year cycle. I had to look at it this way or I would have gone mad thinking that all these crazy people  were in accord with human sacrifice for the greater good. Which, I suppose, they are. What I enjoyed so much about this book was the fact that this little nugget of disturbance did not go unnoticed throughout the whole, and was addressed accordingly.

Liyana saw early on that in order for the children of her clan, the Goat Clan, to have a prosperous future, she had to sacrifice her body as vessel for their goddess, Bayla. After performing the summoning ceremony, having exhausted herself dancing for the goddess, she realizes that Bayla isn't coming. That begins the domino effect that keeps the ball rolling throughout the rest of the plot of the novel. Because of Bayla's nonattendance, Liyana's clan exiles her and soon after she encounters the trickster god of the Raven Clan, Korbyn. Between the two of them they must find the other unsuccessful vessels of the starving clans, figure out who is stealing the gods and goddesses from their clans, and how to get them back. The only lead they have is the direction of their enemy and that it leads them away from the desert.

My favorite aspect of this novel was not only the creativity behind the unique world building but also the focus that was put into the journey that the travelers faced and not the destination. The vessel characters that traveled across the desert to save their respective deities included serene Pia of the Silk Clan, bombastic Fennik of the Horse Clan and flighty Raan of the Scorpion Clan. These characters had as much a significant role to play as did Korbyn. I don't mention Liyana in that list because she plays a more important role later on in the novel when she becomes more the heroine of the story than just another vessel seeking her deity. Overall, it's astounding how much each character that this motley crew of vessels encounters influences the story line. 

The maneuvering of obstacles and challenges presented in the plot was very evenly paced in Vessel, and I must credit Ms. Durst for accomplishing the installment of gods and goddesses roaming among humans. Another likable aspect I found when reading Vessel was the multitude of stories that were told about the history of the desert people. They gave the novel more of an established setting. Almost all of them depicted how something began or came to be in their world. And the stories weren't just read as tools to "fill in the blanks" about how the desert came to be, they were more of a traditional norm in how history was passed down from generation to generation. It also distinguished the "traditional" versus "modern" juxtaposition that occurs later on in the story when the "enemy" is introduced.

Finally, I have to mention how incredible the ending was for me because it included a little of "the circle of life" theme that most fantasy fiction novels don't tend to end with. When some of you read Vessel, you may not like it but I can see the hope and the second chance behind that little pool of water. (Plus, who doesn't like The Lion King?)

A

Source: Publisher

LiLi

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass
(Throne of Glass, #1)
Sarah J. Maas

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
(August 7, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1599906953
ISBN-13: 978-1599906959

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review:

Adarlan's Assassin was never supposed to be more than that. The Crown Prince saw her as an escape from the routine life of royalty, the Captain of the Guard saw her as nothing more than a killer for hire, and the King has nothing but a means to an end. Nobody expected her to be their savior, but that's exactly what she was.

After suffering through Endovier's torture of a jail, after being betrayed by someone she thought was the most loyal, Celaena Sardothien has to agree to win the fight to be the King of Adarlan's Champion. She knows she has what it takes to put up with four years of following the King's orders to get her freedom, but the challenges soon become nothing to worry about when Champion candidates start turning up mauled to death.

I liked the fact that Throne of Glass was told through third-person perspective as well as from multiple points of view because it gave this mythical yet medieval world more depth. The love triangle could be spotted a mile away in this book, but I do have to give it points for originality. However, with all the little hints made that Celaena came from Terrasen's royal family, I got the vibe that the Crown Prince and Celaena would do better as siblings than love interests. I was probably far off in that assumption but I can't really say that they go well together, romantically speaking. I guess this puts me in a more Team Captain Chaol than Team Prince Dorian. Chaol was more of a repressed character in this book and I would like to see him subtly get closer to Celaena, as well as both of them getting to know each other better.

As far as the writing goes, I had no problem with the flow of the novel, and have to say that the descriptive portions with the creatures and otherworldly power was honestly spot on and thrilling. I know this has to do more with the plot than with the writing, but I liked that Ms. Maas was able to incoporate the gruesome scenes and Celaena's fighting scenes so flawlessly into the story line. The true problem that I had with the plot was that there were so many hints and clues that there was more going on with the kingdom, the castle, and its King, but there were very little answers. I understand that there's going to be more installments but I would have appreciated a more concrete standing in this world that these amazingly dynamic characters live in.

Overall I think it was a decent start to a series with a haunted assassin with too many demons and only freedom in mind. Though there were too many questions about her past that were not addressed in this installment and perhaps a bit too many secret plots, there's hope for Celaena and her mismatched crew that consists of a besotted Crown Prince, a no-nonsense foreign Princess, and the hardy Captain of the King's Guard.

Also, for those who really liked this book I would highly recommend reading Maria V. Snyder's works, especially Poison Study, the first in the Study series.

C+

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

LiLi

Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson, #3) by Darynda Jones

"Equipment had toppled over and light fixtures hung from the ceiling by wires. And my father looked at me. And he knew."

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
(January 31, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1250001544
ISBN-13: 978-1250001542

Paranormal private eye. Grim reaper extraordinaire. Whatever. Charley Davidson is back! And she’s drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake because, every time she closes her eyes, she sees him: Reyes Farrow, the parthuman, part-supermodel son of Satan. Yes, she did imprison him for all eternity, but come on. How is she supposed to solve a missing persons case, deal with an ego-driven doctor, calm her curmudgeonly dad, and take on a motorcycle gang hellbent on murder when the devil’s son just won’t give up?

There will be spoilers from the previous books in this series, but not from the book I'm reviewing.

Review:

So, I've become a bit numb to the word "series" since it is so often used nowadays. For this reason alone, I was subconsciously waiting for that tipping point. You know the one...(most basic example, House of Night series). It's the point where even though you loved the books in the beginning, it just became to be too much to continue on with the series, even if you desperately want to know what happened to the characters because really, they weren't all that bad, right? However, with the very adult and funny as hell Charley Davidson series, I'm thinking that if it does evidently have a tipping point, it was not in this installment. Hah, if half of the YA authors could be as talented as Darynda Jones, I wouldn't have three shelves full of books that I'm still trying to get rid of. It just seems that publishing houses are maximizing on the word "series", and I don't know about you guys, but it is becoming such a huge turn off.

Anyway, we were all heartbroken when Reyes didn't want Charley to see him at the prison. I mean really, who wouldn't be? But of course, Charley being the cool cat she is, completely ignores this--or tries to--and throws herself into another case of a missing woman. Really, they're selling those like hot cakes. After meeting Dr. Nathan Yost, her would-be client and the missing woman's husband, dick Charley immediately knows that he's guilty. It's what he's guilty of that soon becomes confusing and a bit too tangled for her to just be rid of the case so soon. Alas, what more could possibly add to her troubles except being carjacked by an escaped convict who also claims to be the son of Satan and innocent of killing his cruel kidnapper of a father?

Charley is still the sassy, smart mouth that we all know and love, but Ms. Jones decided to bestow some just development on our girl that really made her shine. More of her beacon-light shown through as we got more of an insight into the supernatural world that overlooks her reality. I'm looking forward to the "powers" she supposedly possesses because the glimpse I got in Third Grave Dead Ahead was abso-freaking-lutely awesome. Reyes, of course, is always a bonus in these books. Even though they love each other but don't ever say it, I got the feeling that the romance took a back seat in this book and let the other sub-plots dominate. Not to say there weren't any Yummy, Sexy Times, but throughout the majority of the novel, I liked the fact that Charley was able to show more of her bad-assness and crime-fighting, mystery-solving skill.

Once again, I must applaud the rest of the cast of characters because really, they just add to Charley's charm. All the men that we know and love, like Garret Swopes and Reyes, and all the new men we are introduced to, like the bikers, are all so...delectable. Cookie, with her spunky mama-bearness; Uncle Bob for his resiliency when it comes to putting up with his adorably, misunderstood niece; Mr. Wong for his consistency of doing nothing. I love them all.

And that ending. Oh God, it wasn't till I got to the last chapter that I started bawling. I knew it was coming but why, oh why did it have to be him? For the sake of not revealing too much--and because it's wonderful to watch you squirm--I'm going to end it here. Parting with a mention that Ms. Jones can do no wrong.

A

Source: Bought

LiLi

Eon (Eon, #1) by Alison Goodman

Eon (Eon, #1)

Alison Goodman

Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Firebird; Reprint edition (August 31, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0142417114
ISBN-13: 978-0142417119

Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured. When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

Review:

When I first attempted to read Eon, I was all for it; as in, I loved the Chinese Zodiac animals and how they were incorporated into the book was genius. However, when I actually started to read the book, this is how my mind spoke to me: "Nice visuals I'm getting with all the descriptive detail...whoa, the dragons are so majestic...gah, more descriptive detail? Where's the action?....I can't take it anymore, must know how it ends..." In fact, I only ended up reading the first quarter of the book and then skimming the rest. That, I knew later, made for a very bad understanding of the series of events that occurred in the book. So that is why I decided to give Eon another chance.

Take Two:

Eona was in a serious dilemma when she was approached by her new master while she was working the salt farms. She had seen so many of her "colleagues" and friends die from a coughing sickness induced by just being there. If she wanted to survive and have a chance to come into riches herself, she would have to follow her new masters orders and become a boy forevermore. Eon was then known as one of the twelve candidates vying for the position of Rat Dragoneye Apprentice. Being cripple and one of the smallest boys in the bunch, the odds were not in his favor. (Actually, since the ceremony of the choosing would be somewhere the whole town could watch, they were placing bets and Eon's was 1:1000. Yikes.)

Characters: Eon was going through what manga readers know as a "gender-bender" situation, meaning he was so undercover that he couldn't be a girl if he tried. Pros of his character would be his ambition (ironically, enough), his...Well, there wasn't much else. Cons of his character is a different story; his constant fears and worries of what others would do to him if they knew the truth got annoying real fast. His cowardice to face the problems and deal with them made me want to punch him numerous and say, "Grow a pair." His indecisiveness was frustrating and the constant doubt made me want to skip pages again. Through all of this, I still didn't think badly of him because I knew the full extent of the circumstances he was in. All of the pressure that was on him to succeed was overwhelming to say the least. In one interaction that Eon had with another very important character made me question, "Has anyone ever told Eon that they love him?"

The other characters and people who are introduced became far more prudent to plot line than side characters would normally be. In fact, while I enjoyed every interaction that Eon had with all the other characters, Eon would barely speak twice in their whole conversation. Rilla and Chart were most dear to my heart because their loyalty to Eon's master's house was unquestionable, and Chart's "deformity" just pulled at my heartstrings. Speaking of Eon's master, Heuris Brannon was indeed a terrifying man but it was clear the underlying emotion he felt toward his trainee. Lady Dela and Ryko were two of my favorite characters because they made a great team and their opinion of him mattered very much to Eon. Now, I must mention the dragons because their role in this book meant everything to the other characters in the story. Like I said before, these beasts were definitely majestic, but they were also calculating, cunning and cooperative in times of worldly distress. Their faculty was to help when the land was in crisis, whether it be to a monsoon, an earthshake, or anything else that could affect the land and its harvest from prospering.

Plot: Eon was one of those books that follows the constant of taking the hero/heroine to their lowest point before even thinking of capitalizing on their strength and courage to help others. I was dreading the time when all his secrets would come light and the possible punishment it would mean for all who helped get to where he is. And this is where the twists and surprises in the plot came in, because I remember when I first skimmed the book, I spoiled one of the best secrets for myself, so when I went back to read it the second time, I knew the best thing that could happen and didn't have anything to look forward too. But boy was it a good secret...and it made Eon look like an absolute fool which I liked because I knew that he could only grow as a character from that point on. His desperate decisions and his deception were all seen to by the end of this book

Another consistency that I read through more thoroughly the second time around was the descriptive detail, and yes it drove me crazy to read through it all but I was able to fully appreciate the pain-staking process the author went through to provide such vivid imaginings and in my mind's eye it was beautiful.

Originality: Its obvious how much thought and love went into creating Eon because after reading all about all its characters and the world-building, there's no doubt in my mind that this book is one of a kind. Where else will you find a society that depends on the magical power of a multitude of twelve dragons and their handlers to keep you and your property safe from natural disaster? However, while the mythical aspect of this book is unique, the protagonist and his struggles were interesting but more of the same: rookie mistakes, slow learning curve, and final revealing revelation.

Overall: I have to recommend this to readers who have been in a reading slump but only to those who want to slowly get back in the game. Mostly due to the fact that while there are battle and fight scenes, the book isn't as fast-paced as an action-packed book would be.

C+

Source: Bought

LiLi

Teen Book Scene: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

The Summer My Life Began

Shannon Greenland

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Speak (May 10, 2012)
ISBN-10: 014241347X
ISBN-13: 978-0142413470

Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.

Review:

Em first made it onto the island looking for nothing more than a great half-summer and a little truth about this second part of her family she knew nothing about. As she starts relaxing and having fun with her cousin and aunt in the Pepper House, Em starts to learn what it really means to have the confidence to do the things you love and not worry about disappointing others. The Pepper House soon becomes the B&B that feels like home and the people who work there like family.

Coming from the world of constant expectations bombarding you to paradise island where freedom is comforting, Elizabeth Margaret immediately goes with the flow and adapts to the life she never thought she could have. The mystery with the family secret being the main plot, I thought that Em's insistent investigative nature was helpful to push the story along and an admirable trait. It was the sub-plots that I enjoyed the most: Em's passion for cooking, the budding romance between her and Cade, the awesome cousin she shares a bonding connection with. They all amount to the developments Em makes as a character, and the developments the other characters make as well. It felt appropriate for them to have grown in different forms considering all their personalities and backgrounds. That's one thing I loved about Ms. Greenland's writing style, the fact that every person introduced in the book sounded authentic and realistic.

During the time I was reading the book, I made some off-hand reference to The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han because some of the characters in this book made similar connections with the protagonist that reminded me of another summer-beach read. I won't say they're the same because once I started The Summer My Life Began, I absolutely grew addicted and wanted to go to Outer Banks for a summer vaca, too. I certainly didn't enjoy The Summer I Turned Pretty for various reasons that I won't elaborate on in this review. However, the tone of these two books were comparatively similar and I wouldn't put it past the reader to pick up Ms. Han's novel after reading Ms. Greenland's.

I'm glad this brief summer read is being published close to the summer months because it will just add to the wonderful experience of reading the book under the warm sun.

A

Source: Teen Book Scene

LiLi

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 22, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1250003326
ISBN-13: 978-1250003324

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

Review:

I breezed through this book, only took me 2 days--mind you, I have school to contend with as well. There's so much jammed pack information about the Triton and Poseidon territories to start this series off, but for me it still wasn't enough. 

Plot: We've got Emma whose violet eyes connect her to the Syrena, both Triton and Poseidon house, but her white hair and skin are anomalies since Syrena have olive skin and dark hair. Her ability says she's of Poseidon, more connected to the sea world and its creatures than any known Poseidon Syrena. One fatal tragedy in the deep oceans on the Florida coast brings out her astonishing capability in the ocean, but too late to stop the shark before it bites. She didn't know that earlier, the strange boy and girl she'd crashed--literally, she's quite the klutz--into were twin royals of the human-loathing Triton house who, after seeing her violet eyes and sensing her through touch, could . Galen may be a prince of Triton but he's also their human ambassador. He knows that if Emma is a descendant of Poseidon himself then she should be the Syrena that mates with the next in line for the Triton throne, his brother Grom. It would be the only way to stop the current bloodless war between the two Syrena from escalating to violent methods. In order to protect the people he loves he has to follow Emma back to New Jersey where he can make her understand. He doesn't anticipate, however, how difficult that might be, for her and him.

Writing: I know that the tragedy spin is supposed to give the book a somewhat darker spin--or at least, that's what I surmised from the Goodreads synopsis--but Of Poseidon was more humorous than daunting. I didn't anticipate my love for this book to grow with every page but I'd spend a long time zoned out and thinking about the dynamics Ms. Banks presents in the mythology and mythological creatures that make up this book. I've become a little wary on the topic of first books in a series since I know it's the introduction into a fantastical world that's going to unfurl as the books release. It's almost always the execution that rubs me the wrong way because some authors have all this information and creativity in their minds but the structure of their novels don't always match the level of originality. This, however, is far from spetactular execution of Ms. Banks debut novel, for something couldn't me more intriguing to read than a book from an author that knows the voices of young adults so well and can communicate that in her writing. Bravo, Ms. Banks, Bravo. 

The pacing kept me flipping the pages at break-neck speed, and the use of dialogue between characters was funny and entertaining, but sad and disheartening when called for. Is it ironic that teared up a bit in English class in a particularly discouraging scene, or just sad?

Characters: Emma and Galen have so much sexual tension writhing between them that it's plain as day to everyone but them. They got to know each other better before deeper feelings made it into the picture.  The fight and resistance that their relationship creates between them produces a tantalizing romance that made me want to see develop into something more. Rayna, Galen's twin, was also a bit of obstacle when she saw Galen getting friendly with Emma before she could even develop into a full-blown Syrena and meet their brother Grom. I suppose that's what made me like Toraf so much for putting up with her and taking her away every so often. While being able to meet all these new people becomes special to her, Emma questions her past and parents, faces the decision of what to do in the future and how to come to terms that she is part fish.

Originality: More and more sea-related stories are being written and published in the YA genre, but Of Poseidon has taken the cake in creativity and imaginative disposition. 

Now, the one thing I would caution potential readers about and feel I have to mention becomes it seemed fatal was...the cliffhanger ending almost damned me. I said so many OMGs and was pacing around my house before I could fully calm down to get a well-deserved rest. WHY?! Why do authors do such cruel things to their readers? Sigh. Sadly (or fortunately), this in no ways stops me from dragging everyone by the hair to buy this book when it hits store near you.

A

Goodreads I Amazon I B&N

Source: Netgalley

LiLi

Endure (Need, #4) by Carrie Jones

Endure

Carrie Jones

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; (May 8, 2012)
ISBN-10: 159990554X
ISBN-13: 978-1599905549

It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.

Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

Review:

With the escalation of missing-persons in Bedford, Maine, Zara White decides to take the duty of being the pixie queen of Astley's pixies seriously, especially since the world's about to end and all. She feels the weight of what it is going to take to fight all of Frank's pixies and find out what she has to do in order to keep the world intact. Help comes from her multitude of friends and family that she has accumulated since arriving in the tiny town of Bedford. In the middle of all the chaos, Zara soon comes to realize that the love she and Nick shared has been treading on a razor blade edge since she saved Nick in Valhalla. So many challenges face Zara as the pixie queen, as "the chosen one" in the mysterious prophecy, as Astley's partner. In the end she'll have to ask herself, "Is she willing to risk it all for the prosperous lives of the people and world she loves?"

As far as the romance that simultaneously lessens and grows in Endure, I'm super glad about the outcome. Nick is the same macho, bossy, brutish character he was in Entice and I wanted to slap him numerous times. And of course Astley's wonderfully sweet nature doesn't change and I wanted to kiss him numerous times. Pixie fate doesn't sound so bad, right? Back to Nick, though....There was one particular scene in Endure that some of the characters go back to Iceland--not going to say why--and Nick decides to tag along this time. There's a little respite from the chaos and Zara and him get to talk. Let's just say, if you were holding out for Team Nick to pull through, this scene will flush any chances of that happening down the drain. What's funny is that he thinks he hasn't done anything wrong by Zara till that point, and I'm like, "Seriously?"

Guess I should talk more about the gloom and doom climax since that's primarily what the book centers around. I don't think Ms. Jones could have down a better job at putting every piece of the puzzle in its place to cinch up the final book in the series. While I think she could have adjusted the execution of all the Norse mythology as things were heating up in the book more structurally, I liked how she re-introduced the important events that happened in previous books and made everything wrap up nicely. It was ironic how easily the whole pandemonium of the apocalypse was avoided but that didn't leave the book without its own fair share of battle scenes and war chaos. The challenges that Zara faces include standing up to multiple gods and goddesses, ruthless pixies, and acceptance that even when she thinks she's lost and there's no way they can win, it only takes the power of something she's had all along to stop the world from ending.

I sincerely loved and enjoyed reading the Need series. All the characters that I met throughout all the books develop into people with the strength to fight and endure till the very end. I would recommend the whole series to people not afraid of blue-tinted skin, razor-toothed mouths and shapeshifters who need an attitude check.

A-

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Source: Publisher via Netgalley

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Rae Carson

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (September 20, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062026488
ISBN-13: 978-0062026484

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Review:

Ever since I caught a glimpse of this book at my local indie, I knew I would love it. And by glimpse, I mean reading the first chapter and absolutely dying that I couldn't buy it right then. I wanted to know more about this chubby princess who was soon to be known queen in a kingdom she'd never been before. I wanted to read about her new husband who's kind but a bit of a ditz when it comes to actual battles. And most of all, I want to warm to the history of the Godstone and all its previous bearers. All this is introduced in the very first chapter and it was this that kept me in the book's thrall till I could get a copy of my own.

Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza is a known princess in her country, Orovalle, for being chosen soon after birth by God, to fulfill an important service. Unfortunately, due to her country's beliefs, Elisa was kept in the dark of what exactly the service my entail and the true fatality that's more than likely to occur were she to fail completing the service. It's with the help of new friends that Elisa makes in her new home country that she realizes the complexity and enormity of her service unto God. While war is something Elisa enjoy reading about in her Belleza Guerra, she never thought she'd be asked to put her expertise into the real makings of war. The Girl of Fire and Thorns depicts a fantasy world where war is an all to real prospect, and where the identity of the Godstone-bearer is a fundamental element to both sides, where the power it represents could make or break a nation.

Characters: Of course, I must start with Elisa; for she is my favorite character and main heroine in all this. Even though I knew in the very beginning that she was a tad too immature to govern a whole nation because she's been mostly living on sweets and the Godstone to get her by, she had the potential makings for a magnificent ruler.With the help of her nurse, Ximena, and her lady-in-waiting, Aneaxi, Elisa was a well-rounded person capable of compassion and grace with a healthy level of insecurity that throughout the book flourishes into quite the polar opposite. Her development was in part due to the strength she constantly saw in the people making the decisions around her and her own belief that she could be an asset instead of a hindrance. Most of the other important characters had their individualistic roles to play, like Alejandro King of Joya d'Arena, Lord Hector his personal guard, both influential Priest that help guide Elisa, and of course the Malficio. Each person and group of people that Elisa meets, in some way make a difference and enhance the plot with presence. Even the evil dudes, the Invierne, have their own spotlight for a time that illuminates their cataclysmic tendencies.

Plot: The unpredictability of The Girl of Fire and Thorns was my favorite aspect of the whole book. Even more than the characters because I loved how it always kept me on edge and I honestly could not predict what was going to happen with the Godstone until it was all unveiled in the last stint of the book. The flow and pace as which the story progressed was suitable to the constant twists that the author liked to input every two chapters or so. I couldn't fully grasp some of the paths that Ms. Carson took the book in because it took my expectations and incinerated them with an Invierne amulet; I was riveted the whole way through. Unbelievably so, this book will have you thinking about it even after you've finished and have you guessing numerous times as to what book two could entail.

Originality: Seriously, who could up with this stuff? Ms. Carson, you're fan-flipping-amazing. Not only did the characters bring something new to the YA Genre but the settings and vivacity of the change in scenery every quarter of the book kept it alive and refreshing. One moment you're in a desert, the next you're deep in the forest and mountain ranges, and then you circle back to the monstrous palace. It's absolutely incredible what this author can do with words.

Overall: You could not prepare for how epic this book is, so I suggest you just enjoy the escape it provides and thrive in the experience.

A

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Source: Gifted ebook

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The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

The Probability of Miracles

Wendy Wunder

Hardcover: 360 pages
Publisher: Razorbill (December 8, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1595143688
ISBN-13: 978-1595143686

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review:

The Probability of Miracles was one of those that I developed an appreciation for and had a connection with because the whole cancer issue is close to my heart and ended up liking the book, but...that's where it ends. It was just a decent read. For some odd reason, I felt like I couldn't get a grasp on the main character. She was all over the place for me, and she would constantly contradict herself; it ended up driving me nuts.She'd stick to saying and thinking that miracles and believing and magical wonders are just fantasy, not something she could put her trust in. That was understandable after all she'd been through, but she'd deny that those things could happen so much so that it became obvious she didn't believe herself. A bit too "Thou doth protest too much" type of thing. Then, of course, by the climax she does a whole 180 on herself and I'm left a little dizzy with all the different attitude changes. The only characteristic I could truly admire about Cam is that she does genuinely love her family and try to make it so everyone around her doesn't just think about her as the sick girl. Her makeup and background was one of my favorite character outlines ever; it was so original. This Samoan teenager who's father recently passed, who's mom dances in the Polynesian hotel exhibit in Epcot, likes to work in the hotel's kitchen, who has a terminal diagnosis of cancer and a little Norwegian half-sister, is somebody new to me. And I liked that.

So basically her doctors tell her "Your life is over", and her mom decides it's time to do something a little more drastic, like take the summer off to live somewhere that births miracles daily. There Cam runs into the "catalog kids"--model lookalikes--who become her friends and she starts to slowly take matters into her own hands to make her last few weeks in such a cool beach-side environment to die for. While the plot does take a while to take off because the road trip included making two stops to Cam's best friends in North Carolina and her grandmother in Jersey, there were more and more characters that affected Cam's life exponentially. I did not by any means like Cam's friend, Lily, who was also terminal because the brief instance where her character played a significant part she acted just like Cam offhandedly described, like a spoiled child. I didn't get her appeal whatsoever. 

Asher, the quiet team player, has the pleasure of seeing Cam's crazy family up close since they are staying at his house while he lives in the nearby cottage. Even though Ms. Wunder includes the basics of who Asher is, his personality and appeal besides his good looks is a bit nonexistent. And when Cam was right--as she usually was about everything--about his secret pleasure, I was stunned. It came completely out of left field. She predicted it because she thought she had him figured out but overall, The Probability of Miracles when a little extreme at times. I kept asking myself, "Why take things so far?

The pros that outweighed the cons for me mostly had to do with the crazy shenanigans that Cam did in Maine, and Promise, Maine in general. After reading this book, I would seriously consider convincing my mom for a lengthy road trip just to see the beach, the purple dandelions and flock of flamingos. I loved the author's descriptions of the scenery and her upfront and humorous writing style.

C

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Source: ARC Trade

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Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (January 31, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0062060759
ISBN-13: 978-0062060754

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Review:

Ana signifies nosoul, alone. No one has ever been there to help Ana or teach her the ways and practices that have existed for thousands of years. Li--Ana's mother and guardian--makes sure she gets as little exposure to the public as possible but when her eighteenth birthday finally arrives, Ana decides to venture to the center of it all; the one place where she might find some answers for her existence, Heart. When she takes a wrong turn and ends up going in the opposite direction of her destination, she's put into a near-death situation but is unexpectedly rescued. Sam saves her, but seeing as how this is the first time anybody has tried caring for Ana, she's understandably hesitant to trust him. One thing binds them together though, music.

With the help of Sam and his friends in Heart, the encompassed white-wall enclosure where most of the population lives in Range, Ana is able to live with him and allowed to explore their libraries to learn more about how the million souls, under the rule of the Council, live.

My first impression of Ana's character was that she had trust issues and questioned everything about the way the oldsouls lived. Ms. Meadows goes into her story head-on but throughout the book, she unveils the reasoning and thought process for Ana's decisions and attitude. I grew to like her brave impulsiveness and polar opposite personality from Sam. She definitely grew into her own person even if she didn't see that herself at first. Sam was a sweet love interest that indulged Ana more than he probably should have. His protective and hesitant  nature flourished due to Ana's influence and vice versa. They both developed simultaneously and learned from each other.

I liked reading about the other characters involved in the Ana's life as well. I appreciated their roles and how they reflected on Ana's life but I could also see how their individual lives were part of the million souls.

The secretiveness and distaste behind Ana's existence is evident from the very beginning. Ana's quest to find out more about her raison d'être takes hold of the story's plot line as does the intensity behind her relationship with Sam.

I had some problems while going through the book because I wanted more of the technological background for the oldsouls, less to do with their feuds with dragons and all the other mystical creatures and more about how they live, what their individual jobs are, how the Council makes its decisions and keeps track of everything. All of these elements are mentioned but never truly gone into depth about. The only truth given for Heart's creation was that a being named Janan supposedly built it for the humans that were being reincarnated. And what bothered me the most was the mysterious structure that stuck out like a sore thumb in the book: the temple. We only get the answers and reason behind the temple's creation towards the end of the book and even though, I was so confused I was getting wrinkles. All the answers that Ms. Meadows was trying to give at the end had too many gaps and just left me frustrated and wanting to shake the book--in this case, my Kindle--for more thorough explanations.

Another smaller issue I had a problem with was how the climate and time-telling inside heart was different than outside the walls. This also leads to my problem with how one year is called the Year of Drought, the next the Year of Souls. There's no explanations for the cycles or when they know another Year of Souls is coming up.

I will be reading the sequel for Incarnate just to follow along and see if I can get some answers to my questions and that will be what determines if I read the rest of the Newsoul series. I do recommend picking up Incarnate because of its originality and new twist on the ever-growing popularity of the dystopian genre.

Grade: C

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Source: Netgalley

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Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Title: Overprotected
Author: Jennifer Laurens

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 465 KB
Print Length: 254 pages
Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing (February 9, 2011)
ASIN: B004N637DO

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

Review:

The reasoning behind Ashlyn's father's--Charles--overprotective nature is what built up the tension for the Adair family from the start. It is only when an "old family friend"--as Ashlyn's mother, Fiona puts it--takes authority of being Ashlyn's bodyguard that things start to go haywire in the family's townhouse on Fifth Avenue.

When Ashlyn Adair started to feel uncomfortable with her bodyguard Stuart, she knew it was time to convince Daddy to let her have her freedom once and for all. But, as per usual, Charles ignores his little girl's wishes--and by this time she's almost eighteen--and decides to hire another bodyguard that'll annoy Ashlyn just as much, Colin Brennen. The strange feeling that Ashlyn gets around Colin hasn't ceased to grow inside her since the last time they saw each other but the bullying that Colin administered when they were younger is particularly unforgettable. This by no means stops Ashlyn from acting out her longing wish of freedom.

Since I've read four other books by Jennifer Laurens and one under her pseudonym J.M. Warwick, and since I loved ALL of them, my expectations were very high. But honestly I was just glad to be able to read another book by her again. When I first read the synopsis for Overprotected, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and when I finally did, it took no longer than two days to breeze through it.

While the romance that slowly kindled between Ashlyn and Colin was passionate and tasteful, I think the core of the plot centered on Ash's familial issues. And there were plenty to be dealt with. All the imperfections that surrounded her didn't deter her determination to fulfill her one wish of freedom. Her love of music and playing the piano with an excellent skill provided the "innocent" quality that others see in her and a humbleness since she doesn't realize her own innocence. For some reason, going into this book, I expected Ashlyn to be more outspoken and rebellious; and while she does rebel against her father when she can find the courage, her subdued demeanor radiates a sense of inborn class. I admired Ashlyn for her individualistic character while in a household that feels more like a cage than a home. Colin wasn't as mischievous as I thought either, but whenever he flashed those intense blue eyes and crooked smile, I could admit to myself that his protective FBI persona was hot.

The writing was not any less addicting than in Ms. Laurens' previous novels, but every once in a while I'd catch myself in the middle of one family argument and had to stop and take note of the impressive manipulative skill that was demonstrated in the conflicting personages of each individual. Charles' irrationality when it came to his daughter's freedom and expression made me reflect on how parents' final decisions can ultimately affect the child--or children--and have their own repercussions.

I would recommend Overprotected for the sole reason that it is by Jennifer Laurens, but for those in need of more persuasion, I'd say to pick up the book because you won't want to miss how one girl separate from the outside world becomes the missing girl everyone in New York is buzzing about.

Grade: B

Source: Amazon Purchase

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