Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Appropriate For: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 390 Pages
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Narration: Third Person: Cinder
Genre: Fairytale Retelling/Futuristic
Trailer: Click Here

The Lunar Chronicles
Book One: Cinder
Book Two: Scarlet
Book Three: Cress
Book Four: Winter (2015)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Review:

I can't freaking believe that I gave up on this a year ago.

At the time, when I was still horrifically naive to the world, I decided that Cinder wasn't worth my time because it sported a very creepy picture of a metal leg on its cover. Cyborgs have never interested me before, and quite frankly, they scare me. Never has a book changed my opinion so fast. After I got over my initial cringe at the robotic part of things, this book was smooth sailing. 

I absolutely loved Cinder's character. She had such a strong, courageous personality, and despite her machinery, she was undeniably human. She had her doubts, she over thought things, yet in the end, she followed her heart. It was so fun and great watching her be a fumbling, awkward teenager. Her entrance at the ball almost killed me. I literally tossed my Kindle on the couch and started jumping around, waving my hands in the air while simultaneously hitting myself in the face because of the inevitable mortification to come. I felt for her. She was real and full of depth.

Another strike for my initial repulsion for this book was that it was a fairy tale retelling. I've never read one and enjoyed it. In fact, I have some less than savory experiences with that particular genre of books. However, Cinder threw all those reservations to the wind. This was an AWESOME retelling. It had a huge amount of references and events from the original Cinderella story, yet I never felt bored, as if I was reading an old, worn out tale. It had its parallels, yet it also stood out in stark contrast with it's fairytale counterpart. 

The romance was nicely written. Although the attraction sparked quickly, it was definitely not insta-love in the slightest. In the beginning, it was really only Cinder's infatuation with the prince. I mean, come on, if a prince arrived at my shop, I would definitely be making googly eyes at him. However, as their interactions became more commonplace, their relationship grew as well. I fell in love with Kai every time he made an attempt to court Cinder in his own cutesy way, and I laughed obnoxiously whenever Cinder answered with sarcasm and jabs to get him to leave her alone. I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops. 

If you're new to this series, you might be wondering how Cinder and Kai's relationship might develop since each book is focused on a different fairytale. Although each book does introduce a new person, all of the books in the series are told in alternating third person perspectives from everyone. In the end, all of the stories will intertwine into one package of awesomeness. Slightly like Game of Thrones, though not nearly as messy with all the backstories and whatnot.

In conclusion, I'm ecstatic that I decided to pick Cinder up, despite my initial cringe reaction. The writing style was beautiful, and I absolutely adored Cinder's dialogue and inner commentary. It was action packed, so much so that I read it in one sitting, never allowing my attention to wander. Filled with an familiar yet unique storyline, a sarcastic mechanic, an adorable romance, and a fast-paced adventure, Cinder is definitely a book you want to check out.

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 6/5 ADORABLE! Another plus was that it was there, but it wasn't overpowering.
Action- 5/5 Couldn't stop reading!
Humor- 5/5
World-Building- 5/5 She made a futuristic, robotic world that didn't terrify me. That in itself is a huge feat.
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Reading Level: Ages 10 and up

Hardcover: 352 Pages

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Narration: First Person: Sage

Genre: Fantasy

Source: Netgalley

 

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The Ascendance Trilogy

Book One: The False Prince

Book Two: The Runaway King

Book Three: Untitled

 

Author's

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Goodreads Synopsis:

 

A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

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

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!

 

My Review:

 

My reaction when I was accepted by Netgalley:

 

 

The first novel in the Ascendance Trilogy, The False Prince, literally changed my life forever. Every time I was caught in a sticky situation, I immediately asked myself, "What would Sage do?" In fact, I was surprised that I even had the ability to talk coherently or function like a normal human being after I finished it. Jennifer Nielsen is that good! So when I saw that the sequel already had a epic name and donned a simple yet intriguing cover, I was absolutely ecstatic! If I had to wait another whole year just in order to get my hands onto The Runaway King, I would've probably broke down sobbing uncontrollably. Still, three to four months is a hell of a long time to wait when your this excited about something. I'm sure my fellow bookworms here would know what I'm talking about. ;) And I'm so relieved that Jennifer decided not to end The False Prince on one of those jaw dropping cliffhangers. If she had, I would've spent a long time staring despondently at a wall with thoughts running rampant, trying to figure out where the story would go next.

 

Now if you've read The False Prince, I have no doubts in my mind that you have already fallen in love with Sage, our protagonist and the heir to the throne of Carthya. And if your a guy? Well, I have no idea how a guy's mind works, but I'm guessing that you would love to have him as a best friend. I had such a hard time picturing Sage as a fifteen year old boy in The False Prince, because he talked and acted in a way that seemed beyond his years. Forced to grow up just to survive the horrendous world he lived in. But after getting to know him better in The Runaway King, his crazy antics and unrealistic goals helped me remember just how young he really is.

 

Now don't get me wrong, he's still quick on his toes, compassionate to the less fortunate, and as smartass as he ever was. But, even though he can be wise when he wants to be, he also has a tendency to do impulsive and irrational things. To go through with plans even when he has no chance of winning.This flaw, amongst others, made me believe that he wasn't some perfect prodigy prince ready to take on the world. He's made mistakes, a lot of them I might add, but he makes them in his own unique way, and always has good intentions. He realizes that he's not invincible, that he can get hurt, that others can get hurt because of him, and finally admits to himself that he's not always right. He grows as a character throughout this novel, and I was super impressed by how it was all executed.

 

The humor! Oh the humor! Sage is the type of person to crack jokes at the most inappropriate times! Almost everything he said had a sarcastic undertone and that had me laughing through a good chunk of the book! Although I did find the comedy in The False Prince to be a smidge better, The Runaway King was a worthy contender!

 

The romance. While there was close to no romance at all in the first book, we see a deeper connection grow throughout The Runaway King. I don't think it's a spoiler to mention who the lucky girl is since it was pretty much implied in The False Prince, but if you don't know who she is, then spoilers up ahead! Imogen was not the damsel in distress. She was a strong, independent girl who wasn't afraid to tell Sage off, even if he was the King of all of Carthya. Some people might find that ostentatious title a little intimidating, but Imogen  never hesitated when she had to knock a little bit of common sense into Sage's sometimes thick head. She was intelligent, a think things through type of gal who definitely is a perfect fit for Sage!

 

However, even though there is a romance in this book, it's very subtle and makes sense. Not one of those wretched Insta-Love connections when two people are "destined to be with each other." I know a lot of guys are put off by the relationship stuff that seems to be present in every single YA novel, but this one wasn't like that at all! It was plot driven rather that love driven. If I had to compare the relationship between Sage and Imogen with characters from another book, it would have to be that of Percy and Annabeth in the prominent Percy Jackson series.

 

The Runaway King dragged me in from the very first page! I had to curb the urge to sneak my Kindle into Trigonometry to read in front of my math book instead of learning quadratic equations. xD Although I did successfully stop myself from reading by repeating the mantra, "Don't turn on the Kindle. Don't turn on the Kindle." over and over again in my head, I finally lost the mental battle warring in my head during Spanish class in hopes of finding out what happened next. Sadly, I was so absorbed with the happenings that were occuring, that I failed to notice when the teacher called on me. Suffice to say, my Kindle got taken away. -_- Back to what I was saying, you can never get tired of the intriguing fantasy world that Jennifer created, filled to the brim with dark secrets, treacherous politics, assassination attempts, and heart pounding sword fights.

 

Overall, although I didn't hyperventilate over The Runaway King as much as I did The False Prince, it was still a worthy action filled sequel that satisfied my almost unreasonable high expectations. This is one of those novels that I would recommend to anyone, including guys, and especially if your a fellow Percy Jackson fan like myself. This captivating series doesn't focus on the romance aspect, but instead spotlights the mind gripping action and high stake chases. A very refreshing read to those who are tired of the same old typical love driven YA novel!

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

"Everyone gets scared at times. It's only the fools who won't admit it."

 -The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen

 

"Wherever our lives lead us, one thing is certain. You and I will always be connected. You might be able to deny that, but I can't. Even I am not that good a liar."

-The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen

 

Hero- 5/5

Romance- 5/5

Action- 5/5

Comedy- 4.5/5

Writing Style- 5/5

Overall- 5/5

*An ebook copy was provided by Netgalley

in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.*

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Narration: First Person: Juliette
Genre: Dystopian
Source: Bought

Shatter Me Series
Book One: Shatter Me
Novella: Destroy Me (October 2, 2012)
Book Two: Unravel Me (February 5, 2013)
Book Three: Untitled (Fall 2013)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
 

My Review:

*Originally Posted in August 2012.

This was actually one of my first reviews, so I apologize if it sucks. xD

  

Holy macaroons! Shatter Me was a breathtaking work of art! When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what it was about and who the author was but the cover looked interesting so I decided to pick it up. When I read the summary in the back, I literally got chills down my spine!

"I have a curse.
I have a gift.

I'm a monster.
I'm more than human.

My touch is lethal.
My touch is power.

I am their weapon.
I will fight back."

Gahhh! Chills! From the first page, I was immediately sucked into the world Tahereh created. Juliette has been locked up for 264 days. She hasn't talked to anyone in 264 days. Hasn't eaten anything or drank anything but the bare minimum of what she needs to survive. Her parents gave her away as a child. They said that she was a monster, that she didn't deserve to live, and that she took away their only happiness in life. Sad thing is, Juliette herself believes she's a monster too. She has blamed herself her whole life for killing a child accidentally by using her touch.

I love the character that Taherah created! Juliette was a survivor. After being locked up in a room for 264 days with no human interaction and nearly being starved to death, I would have gone mad. Juliette stayed strong and unbreakable through the whole time. Even when she was let out and was given the chance to live in luxury by working for the government, she didn't cry and thank them for sparing her life. She said she would rather die then hurt people for them.

Tahereh has a unique style of writing that I've never seen before. Her writing is filled with metaphors and analogys, which I loved by the way! However, the most unique aspect of her writing is the crossed out words. I have never seen, in my days, a book with crossed out lines in them. I thought that I wouldn't like it but I was wrong! The crossed out words are what Juliette really wants to say but is to afraid to say them. It made the writing even more epic and breathtaking to read. Five Stars all the way! Can't wait for the next novel Unravel Me coming out February 5, 2013!

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

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Throne Of Glass Novellas by Sarah J. Maas



Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Page Number: 70-104 Pages
Release Dates: January 13-July 20, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Narration: Third Person: Celaena
Genre: Fantasy

Prequel Series:
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire

Throne of Glass Series:
Book One: Throne of Glass

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My Review:

I have always disliked novellas. It doesn't matter if it's written by my favorite author or the author I loathe the most, I treat them all the same. However, after reading a glowing review that promised that I would love the novellas if I enjoyed the original book, I decided to give them a chance before I automatically threw them in my not interested pile. I was so happy that I did! Sarah managed to entrance me with her plot, her story, and her characters. It takes a truly talented author to make me feel so many strong and overwhelming emotions within the span of 100 pages, or less.
 
Celaena Sardothien (Bless her heart!) is definitely on my list of top ten favorite heroines of 2012! All of the actions she took were true to her character! She was headstrong, brave, and unable to be broken. But even though she seemed so untamable and resilient on the outside, she was still human. And being human meant that she still had faults. Her most prominent ones being arrogance, vainess, and vulnerability when it comes to feelings. Even though I can't wield a dagger as deftly as Celaena or even have the guts to do what she was forced to do at the young age of eight, those faults helped me connect and understand her character better. It was enlightening to read about Celeana's background story and how she came to be "The Spirit Who Could Not Be Broken" in Throne of Glass. Every hardship she went through, from defeating the Pirate Lord to earning the Mute Master's respect, made her stronger and braver.
 
I was looking forward to Sam's character the most! In Throne of Glass, we see little snippets of information on who Sam was and still is to Celaena. At first, I was confused while reading The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, because they seemed to hate each other with a passion. And rather then be madly in love, they were at each other's throats every single second of the day. However, as the story progressed, my eyes were opened to the connection they had built over time. Instead of seeing Sam as her competition and enemy, she starts falling in love with him little by little. Sam was thoughtful and always payed attention to her wants even when she was just joking around. There were so many moments when they each sacrificed something for each other, which induced so many "Awwww!" reactions from me.
 
Every single one of these novellas were well paced! Sarah managed to include just the right amount of action and romance. There was NEVER a dull moment when I was wondering if there was going to be something more interesting on the next page, as I usually do with other novellas. The humor was funny as well! Sam and Celaena start off with a hate relationship that resulted in alot of snappy comebacks and witty conversations (Hilarious by the way!) and even when they did finally admit their feelings for each other, Celeana didn't let her love get the best of her. She still remained the strong, capable character she was, and argued with Sam every time something didn't go her way.
 
Overall, I'm going to agree with the previously written statement. If you read and loved Throne of Glass, you'll love the novellas as well! Each novella consists of a quest or mission that either Celeana alone or Celeana and Sam, work to overcome. Every task she encounters, she undoubtedly succeeds. Every hardship she's faced with, she overcomes. Every time someone knocks her down, she gets back up again. And that's why I loved these novellas so very much! :D

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Comedy- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Hardcover: 528 Pages

Release Date: November 6, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series

Book One: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Book Two: Days of Blood and Starlight

Book Three: Untitled (2013)

 

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Amazon Summary:

 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

 

This is not that world.

Ar student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

 

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

 

My Review: 

 

"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

              It did not end well."

Karou and Akiva did the impossible. They fell in love. If you have never read this series before, you would ask, "What's the big deal"? But you see, Karou and Akiva are not your everyday humans. Karou was once a chimera who was scorned by her people for loving the enemy, but was given a second chance for life. Akiva is a seraph, the bastard son of the infamous King Joram. Both races have been destined to war against each other from the beginning of times. There was always hate, so much hate. Never before had a chimera and seraph been friends, let alone lovers.

Until Now.

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love

            and dared to imagine a new way of living."

Karou and Akiva once had a dream that one day in the future, both their races would live in harmony. That they would spread their ideas of a world of peace, a world where mothers and children didn't have to constantly be worried if they would survive the next day. In Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Akiva broke Karou's trust. It was not intentional, but because of both of their actions, Karou's entire family and almost all of her race was annihilated by seraphs. She has almost completely lost her hope of a perfect world, she called it naivete and dreams of a child. Can Akiva teach Karou how to hope again? Will they succeed in a dream long forgotten?

I had to wait two days in order to write a review on this book. Right after I finished Days of Blood and Starlight, I was reduced to excessive fangirling and crying my eyes out. I couldn't explain in coherent words how much I absolutely adored this book without jumping around in the air again. Not sure if I'm ready to write a review right now.....but lets hope for the best!

The one characteristic that I loved the MOST about this novel, was the message it sent to the readers. Here are two characters who have been repeatedly bombarded with problems and situations where I would've probably given up. But they never lost hope. Yes, there were times when they wanted to throw in the towel, but they never did. They continued to fight for a dream everyone else considered impossible to achieve. It was just so awe inspiring and beautiful....and I should probably change subjects before I start massively weeping again.

I didn't love Karou as much as I liked her in the first novel. Not sure why, but it didn't matter much to me because the other parts of the novel made up for it completely. Throughout the first part of Days of Blood and Starlight, she was dejected and had given up, almost. She did what she was told to do with no questions asked because she felt like it was her fault that her race was so close to dying. Yes, she did bring events into motion that led to the war, but even if she had never been born, the war would've been fought sometime in the future anyways. Tensions were running high and both sides hated each other. It was like a ticking bomb, just waiting to blow up. However, after a certain event happened (Can't say or I'll give away spoilers!) she regained her drive and motivation to live. For those of you who absolutely loved Zuzana (Like me xD), don't worry she'll definitely be making an appearance along with her boyfriend Mik in this novel. She hasn't lost her signature witty comebacks and recklessness which I'm so very grateful for! Every single one of her comebacks made me laugh like a madwoman and the conversations she had with Mik (One in particular) were so sweet!

Such a tragic star crossed romance between Akiva and Karou! My heart literally wrenched when I read about them together. It seemed like they were ripped apart just when they needed each other most. Fate is a cruel cruel thing. I understand where Karou stands, why she hates Akiva and why she promises to kill him, but I just wanted them to get together throughout the whole novel. Of course, we can read from both Akiva and Karou's perspectives so we know things that the other character doesn't.

Only particular problem I had with Days of Blood and Starlight, was the abundance of POVs. When I started reading this novel I had trouble keeping up with who was who, and  sometimes there were also these random sections about characters I'd never met before. However, as the story progressed, the POVs got smoother and soon I was too immersed to even care.

The Days of Blood and Starlight is one of those books where everything is intricately woven together. If you missed something in the last chapter, you'll be floundering around for the rest of the book. So I suggest that if you don't understand a sentence's intended meaning, read it again until you know, because if you don't, it'll come back to bite you in the end.

I loved the style of writing that Laini used! I'm so used to the regular American contemporary writing, that reading about how people speak in the cities of Praugue and their funny sayings are like a breath of fresh air! I'm so envious of how easily Laini can string sentences together and how they all form into one big picture. And of course with a theme this unique, you need amazing wordbuilding as well. Laini didn't disappoint! I knew exactly what type of castle they lived in, what each of the chimera looked like, and even how certain scenes smelled!

Overall, I loved Days of Blood and Starlight very much. If I was asked to choose whether I liked Daughter of Smoke and Bone or this one more, I would be at a loss for words, because there both equally amazing! The twists and turns were jawdropping and I was left flipping page after page begging for more. Be sure to set aside a couple of hours to read this book, because once you pick it up......you won't be able to put it down until your finished.

Favorite Quotes:

"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil held a wishbone between them And its snap split the world in two."

 

"Brimstone once told me that to stay true in the face of evil is a feat of strength."

 

"Akiva had always been the right to Thiago's wrong, the heat to the Wolf's chill, the safety to this monster's menace."

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 5/5
Comedy- 6/5
Action- 5/5
Writing- 6/5
Overall- 5/5

Gravity by Melissa West

Reading Level: Ages 16 and up
Paperback: 400 Pages
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: Aliens/Sci Fi

The Taking
Book One: Gravity
Book Two: Hover (8/6/13)
Book Three: Unknown (2014)

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Author's
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Amazon Review:

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

My Review:

The first thing I noticed about Gravity, was the motto, "Don't. Ever. Peek." It was probably supposed to aspire curiosity out of the reader, but in my opinion it sounded sorta cheesy. However, after reading the summary, I couldn't resist the temptation to open the book anyways. I was so happy I made that decision.

Gravity takes place in a futuristic America, during the year 2040. At this time, the world was in ruins because of the devastation left by World War IV, a war filled with nuclear bombs and weapons. Without food, humans could not survive, so they turned to the Ancients, an alien race with special powers, and asked them to help rebuild Earth. The Ancients, at that time, also needed certain nutrients that they could only find in humans, so a treaty was made. In exchange for there help, Ancients were assigned to a specific human, and every night the Ancients came at midnight to collect the nutrients needed for them to survive. There was only one rule that all humans were supposed to abide by. One rule that could never be broken. One rule, that if broken would cause dire consequences. "Dont. Ever. Peek."

Ari Alexander, broke that rule.

The night of the Taking, Ari couldn't find her patch. The patch was a device that was specifically designed so that a human would not be able to feel or see what was happening around them. She knew that she didn't have long until her assigned Ancient arrived, but she searched to no avail. Ari finally accepted the fact that she would just have to close her eyes and deal with it, and that's what she did. However, when her Ancient arrived and started the Taking, she couldn't help but open her eyes. Surprise, surprise, the Ancient that was assigned to her was none other than Jackson Locke, one of the hottest guys at school and her biggest competition.

Jackson explained to her that if she didn't help him, then life as they knew it would change. War was coming, and it was up to them to stop it. Will they stop the war before it's to late?

This is probably only the third Alien novel I have ever enjoyed. When I think of aliens I usually think of green martiany dudes with big black eyes that say, "Take me to your leader." Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout and I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore totally changed my perspective! I mean let's face it, with Alex Pettyfer as Number Four and Daemon with his infuriating good looks, Aliens are rather hot nowadays. Jackson Locke is no exception. The romance between him and Ari was believable and not one of those stupid Insta Love connections! I'm so happy about that! I think I can speak for all of us when I say that instant connections between the main characters are overused and very very annoying. Ari didn't immediately fall for Jackson's swoonworthy good looks. She started off rather skeptical about his intentions and wondered what he really wanted from her. She asked herself if what she was doing was right and if she was being played or not. Every single one of her reactions were believable and I feel like the author really captured the voice of a teenage girl. She was compassionate and hated death, but knew that it was neccesary in order to survive. Ari never ceased to amaze me with her bravery and kindness.

Jackson was a great character as well. I expected him to be some kind of arrogant ass that loved getting under Ari's skin, but he wasn't. Yeah he had his cocky moments but deep down he was a big softie. Jackson always thought about the well being of Ari first, and understood her in a level that no one else did.

The action and worldbuilding were amazing as well. It was fast paced and had my pulse racing at times. I was constantly entranced by the twists and turns of the story, and nothing ever fell flat. I ended up talking to myself alot, trying to figure out who the good and bad guys were. The worldbuilding was descriptive, but at the same time didn't bore you with overzealous details. If you enjoy hot aliens, believable romance, heart racing action, and two very stubborn and badass characters, you should definitely check out Gravity today!

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Comedy- 4/5
Action- 5/5
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Paperback: 360 Pages
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Mythology

Covenent Series
Book One: Half-Blood
Book Two: Pure
Book Three: Deity
Book Four: Apollyon (April 9, 2013)
Book Five: Sentinel (Unknown)

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Amazon Summary:

History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time.

Alexandria isn’t sure she’s going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she’s a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that’s not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she’s caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed… and destroyed. Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

My Review:

Let me ask you one quick question Jennifer. Do you enjoy torturing us? That ending!??? No no no no no no! This is literally what happened after I finished the last page.

*Stares*
*Reads over one more time*
*Stares again*
*Turns off Kindle calmly*
WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT? *Throws temper tantrum and kicks table*

That hurt really badly by the way, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. Seriously, if I had a physical book in my hands instead of a very breakable Kindle, I would've launched that book at the wall. To all of the people who hate cliffhangers...you are going to be seriously PO'd. I finished the book last night and I'm still freaking out over that ending! I need Apollyon....like NOW!

*Calms heart rate down* Alrighty then, now that I've got that out of my system, let's talk about the actual book. xD I really don't know which book in the series I like best. There just all so amazing in there own unique way. If you fear that Deity won't be as good as the last book, rest assured because Deity. Is. To. Die. For!

Alex, bless her daimon slaying heart, is the best protagonist I have ever come across in my life. She's everything you could ever want in a heroine, all rolled up into one! She's intelligent, has a tendency to be reckless, not afraid to kick some butt when necessary, compassionate, and witty. Alex is driven by passion to protect the people that she loves, no matter the consequences. The actions that she took near the end of the book had me bawling like a baby. It was just so beautiful! I wanted to take a moment to collect myself, but I just couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the page. Another great characteristic about Alex is that she never gave up hope. It didn't matter if everyone around her stood back defeated, she would continue fighting until she was 100% sure that whatever she was fighting for could no longer be saved.

I have been an devoted Team Seth fan for the first two novels.....but I have to say that my loyalties have switched since then. I'm not claiming that I ever had anything against Aidan, it's just that Seth was the type of guy who could always make you laugh and had this kind of boyish charm about him. To all of you Seth fans out there, this book will have you screaming in your head, "Whyyyy!? Seth Whyyy!!??." In the beginning he started off pretty normal, he had the same cocky attitude and charisma. However, as the novel progressed, I started questioning his motives and wondering which side he was really working on. But even though Seth acted like a jerk at times, I kind of felt bad for him because he naively believed that what he was doing was right.

You should've been able to deduce from my last paragraph that I am now a Team Aidan fan. In Deity, we finally see Aidan shove the rule that says pures and halfs are forbidden to be together and we see him express his true feelings for Alex. He both has this badass side about him that's deliciously possessive and also this sweet and vulnerable side of him. Throughout the book, Alex learns that Aidan isn't this perfect impeccable guy that she always made him out to be. He had his flaws and vulnerabilities, and that just made me love him even more.

Leon, oh my gods, oh my gods. I soooo did not see that coming at all! I thought something was suspicious about him in one part of the book but I quickly dismissed it because I couldn't connect it to anything. I don't want to give away any spoilers....but you will definitely be surprised by what he has up his sleeve......

The action was well paced in this book, like all of the other books Jennifer has written (with the exception of Cursed). I never wanted to put it down and I even had to curb the urge to glance down a paragraph just to see what happened next. The romance was super super steamy. Since Pure focused mostly on Seth and Alex's relationship, to make it fair, Deity focused more on Aidan and Alex's relationship. We all know by now that Halfs and Pures are forbidden to be together and because of that rule, this makes Aidan and Alex's relationship all the more tense and exciting.

Deity is a definite must read to all you Jennifer Armentrout fans out there. And the ending? It'll leave you begging for more! I will be anxiously awaiting for the release of Apollyon on April 9, 2013!

Heroine- 6/5
Romance- 5/5
Comedy- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

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Toxic by Jus Accardo

Reading Level: Ages 15 and up
Paperback: 400 pages
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: Superpowers

Denazen Series

Book One: Touch
Novella: Untouched
Book Two: Toxic
Novella: Faceless (November 2012)
Book Three: Tremble (May 7, 2013)

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My Review:

So I've been anxiously waiting to read Toxic ever since I finished Touch, because Hello!? Have you ever read this book? If you haven't read this series then I strongly STRONGLY suggest that you PICK THIS UP RIGHT NOW!!!! That's right, bolded, underlined,and four exclamation points. The Touch series was the second series I have ever read that had to do with "Death Touches". The first one being Shatter Me, which was also a pretty good book, but not even semi close to Touch on my awesome meter. So as you can see, the Death touch concept isn't one that's been exhausted yet, but I'm willing to bet that in the future it'll be incorporated into alot more books due to the success in the ones that are out right now. Anyways, when I looked up the release date for Toxic, it said October 16, so I'm like ok I can survive that long (barely). When October 16 rolls around  and I go buy the book, it just so happens that the release date was wrong and it was actually released on September 11! Gahhh I'm so upset! I could've gotten my dose of the hot sexiness known as Kale a whole month ago!

Well that about concludes my rant, onto the actual story. The summary on the back of Toxic, gives away alot of information. To be honest, after I finished the novel, I really wished that I hadn't read the summary. Everyone has different opinions though. Some people enjoy knowing as much about the book as possible before buying, and others enjoy just skipping over reviews and reading books with no expectations. If you agree with the latter, then heed my advice and DO NOT READ THE SUMMARY! If I hadn't read the summary, I probably would've enjoyed it even more than I originally did. Unfortunately, since I did read it, I felt like I knew what and when something was going to happen.

Dez (short for Deznee) has been one of my absolute favorite heroines of 2012! She was fierce, strong, and brave to the point of recklessness, yet she was still compassionate and had a good heart. Dez is the kind of girl who doesn't take bullshit from anybody and often resorts to violence to solve her problems.Through the first novel, she was nothing but secure. When she wanted something, she did everything in her power to get it and usually succeeded where others would've failed. In Toxic, Dez puts up a brave and secure front, but underneath the strong and "Nothing can hurt me" shell she uses to protect herself with, she starts showing a little insecurity. This tiny bit of insecurity makes her more realistic and easier to connect with because every single teen in this world, no matter how confident they seem on the outside, has felt self doubt before. That's just the way we are. Were not infallible. Were not perfect. We all have our flaws and that's what makes us human.

Kale, is one of the most unique, interesting, and of course capital H-O-T guy I have ever read about. In Touch, we learn that all Kale has ever known, is the life he had in Denazen. And when he escaped? He didn't understand anything about the outside world. Even the simplest things, things we take for granted, like rain falling from the sky or touching another human being. All he's ever known is death and destruction. When he meets Dez, everything changes. He learns what is truly right and wrong and how beautiful love can be. Kale has lost his innocence to the corruptness of man a long long time ago. Yet, even though he's anything but naive to death he still has this adorable innocence of the world. He doesn't understand things like expressions (For Example: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.) Kale would take it literally. Or if someone flat out lied to him, he would maybe question it once but then let it go because he doesn't believe that a friend would ever do that to him. He was just soo unbelievably adorable! All I wanted to do was hug him like a giant stuffed teddy bear! Yet even though he reminds me of a cute puppy, he also has this dangerous and badass vibe about him. He's a freaking ninja when it comes to martial arts and there's also that fact that it only takes one single touch to become ash scattered in the wind. 

The action was well paced, I never wanted to close the book and never got aggravated with it. I read it in two sittings which I would've read in one if I didn't have school the next day. Ahhh school. Oh happy day. Jus also used a style of writing that I enjoyed thoroughly. She has a amazing sense of humor that had me laughing through the whole novel. Kind of even reminded me of the protagonist, Alex I believe, in the Covenant series by Jennifer Armentrout.

That ending!? no. no. no. no. NO. NO. NO!!!!! OMG I need the next book NOW! Why must you make us wait 7 more months!?? I can't live without Kale for 7 whole months!
*Throws Temper Tantrum*

 

 

 

Heroine- 5/5

Romance- 4/5

Action- 5/5

Comedy- 6/5

Overall- 5/5

The Rise by H.D. Gordon

Kindle: 429 KB
Release Date: September 24, 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Paranormal

Book One: Blood Warrior
Book Two: Half Black Soul
Book Three: The Rise
Book Four: Redemption (December 2012)

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So I was just scanning through my recommendations on Amazon, minding my own business, when BAM! I see the link for the third book in the Alexa Montgomery series! This was my reaction......

 

  And then after the shock wore off......

 

 

So as you can obviously see, I have been waiting for this book to be released for a long long long time! The Rise starts off right where Half Black Soul ends, and it doesn't disappoint. Like the last novel, The Rise is mainly switched between two different POVs, Alexa and her little sister Nelly. Although, it's mainly between these two characters there are also less common POVs, from the evil and diabolical King, Alexa's boyfriend, Kayden, and last but not least Jackson, Alexa's werewolf friend.

Alexa is badass, maybe even more so, than she was in the last two books. Sometimes she can be a little rude and has some certain anger management problems, but that's understandable because if you really think about it, she's still just a teenager, thrown into a world she still dosen't understand. Into a world where everyone thinks of her as their savior, a person who was going to defeat evil once and for all. I don't know about you, but if I was in her position, I would be feeling a little pressured as well. Another great thing I loved about Alexa's character, was that she had alot of conversations in her head. When she feels her monster rising within her, demanding that she solve things with violence, she beats her "monster" side into submission by acting as if it was another person. And the only way to pretend that it was a different person was to give that person a separate voice. That made for some very....interesting conversations, because she was essentially arguing with herself. Even though Alexa tends to be violent and harsh, she also has a softer side to her. Sun Warriors tend to be motivated and driven by either anger or love. After protecting her sister for years and years, a bond sprang between them. There was nothing in the world that Alexa would not give up for her sister. Even her life.

Although Nelly is not strong in the physical sense, she is undefeatable in the mental sense. If you have read the past two books you would know by now that she is Half Searcher and Half Lamia. Her Lamia side makes her Searcher side even stronger. It was amazing to see how much Nelly grows throughout the first two books. In the start, Nelly resorted to sucking her thumb when she was scared, which annoyed me because it was so childish! But now, after all the things that she's seen, all the problems that she's faced and overcome, she grew into a character that I both respected and admired. However in the third book......let's just say that she's not completely herself.

I loved the style of writing in this book. Although there were a few spelling errors and grammatical errors, it was easy to overlook because i was just so immersed into the story! This was a very fast paced novel and I enjoyed every second of it. When I started reading The Rise, I thought that it was the last and final book in the series, but I was wrong. The conclusion of this series is called Redemption and is expected to be released sometime in December 2012! Can't wait! :D

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Comedy- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 480 pages
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Genre: Fantasy/Dragons

Book One: Seraphina
Book Two: Dracomachia (2013)

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Amazon Summary:

In her New York Times bestselling debut, Rachel Hartman introduces mathematical dragons in an alternative-medieval world to fantasy and science-fiction readers of all ages. Eragon-author Christopher Paolini calls them, "Some of the most interesting dragons I've read in fantasy."

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

My Review:

 

***Contains Minor Spoilers that could probably be predicted***
 

Seraphina has a secret. She's not completely human. In the far far away land of Goredd, the forty year peace treaty between humans and dragons is wearing thin. Humans, think that dragons are disgusting, revolting, and nothing more than abominations that need to be extinguished. Certain dragons are starting to rebel against the peace and want to take over the human population so that they can hoard treasures and knowledge once again. Seraphina, a talented musician and singer is a half dragon. Can she unite the dragons and humans so that they can keep the peace treaty intact? Or will she instigate a full blown out war that not everyone will survive?

Seraphina, is the type of novel that can speak to your very soul. I was absolutely stunned and amazed by the emotions that this author can invoke just with her words. Her style of writing was beautiful and even close to poetic. Even though the names and different words in the dragon's language did confuse me a bit, there was a glossary in the back that explained everything (Of course, I didn't see the glossary until after I finished the novel but ehh. xD).

Seraphina, the protagonist, was one of my favorite heroines of all 2012! She was a natural born leader, had good virtues, wanted to protect all of those that she loved, and was still vulnerable at times. My heart reached out to her, because she had spent her whole life hiding and lying about what she really is because if she told the truth she would be undoubtedly killed and tortured. Although Prince Lucian Kiggs wasn't the greatest looking love interest, he was cunning, smart, and thoughtful and that definitely made up for it! The best thing I loved about this novel was that the romance was NOT an Insta-Love! I was so excited about this that I even did a happy dance! Seraphina and Kiggs didn't just instantly have this random attraction toward each other. They both were strangers in the beginning, and slowly got to know each other and learn about each other's quirks before finally feeling drawn toward each other. It was slow and building and eventually led up to something beautiful and structured!

However, even though I loved Seraphina and Kigg's roles in the story, my favorite character wasn't either of them. Orma, Seraphina's dragon teacher and uncle, was the one that I was most interested in and the one that I ended up loving throughout the whole novel! Dragons, back then were not supposed to feel emotion. They balled up their emotions and shoved them into imaginary boxes, where no one in the world could see. Why did they do this? Because emotions were considered dangerous and love was considered the most dangerous of all. Orma, broke those rules, and put Seraphina before everything else and loved her like a real uncle should! There were times that I was even left bawling like a baby from the conversations exchanged between these two!

Overall, you do not want to miss this book! Seraphina was filled with forbidden love, life threatening secrets, deception, and everything else you could want in a novel!

Heroine- 5/5
Secondary Characters- 6/5
Romance- 6/5
Action- 4/5
Comedy- 3/5
Overall- 5/5

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