The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 368 Pages
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Narration: First Person: Adelina
Third Person: Raffaele, Teren
Genre: High Fantasy
Trailer: Click Here

The Young Elites Trilogy
Book One: The Young Elites
Book Two: Untitled (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Review:

My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.

I finished this book mere minutes ago, and I am flabbergasted, cowed, stunned, and any other synonym that comes to mind. My feelings are in such a form of disarray that John Green is the only man who could describe them. The fantasy, the characters, the worldbuilding, it all tied together to produce this wonderful package of epicness. Marie Lu is a talented dytopian writer, undoubtedly, but she is a phenomenal fantasy writer.

So if you didn't already know, The Young Elites takes place in a fantastical world where kids with paranormal abilities run rampant. Where did these powers come from? Actually, the process is pretty similar to that of The Darkest Minds. An epidemic, called blood fever, spread across the land leaving a death count in its wake. However, this disease affected children differently from how it affected adults. Some kids survived with no marks, some with marks, and others with marks and abilities. The latter category was dubbed, "The Young Elites." In Kenettra, the Young Elites are considered abominations by the majority, because the public fears them as much as they are awed by them. They have powers like control over the elements, affinity to animals, invincible skin, things like that. In the next book, I think we'll see an even bigger variety.

This book definitely had a much darker theme than Lu's Legend series. So much so that I felt like, "Woah, this is some deep stuff man." There was so much pain and suffering and Adelina couldn't exactly be described as a ray of sunshine either. 

We're used to our heroines being all about helping others, self-sacrifice, and fighting for what's right. Adelina does have that to an extent, but she also has another side to her. In fact, her dark side is far more dominant than her light counterpart. She dwells on fear and hatred, revels from it really. It is only when she is brought to her lowest that she can accomplish her greatest feats. She loves her sister, but at the same time, despises her because of all the love she received when Adelina herself was isolated and abandoned. She's not a Mary Sue. Like all humans, this protagonist has her flawed moments, her dark thoughts, thoughts that we ourselves might shame-facedly have. Adelina embodies a true heroine. Someone who has suffered through abuse and hasn't emerged perfectly from it. Someone who understands that she has darkness in her, tries to fight against it, but doesn't always succeed.

The supporting characters were very well written and played much stronger roles than they usually have in YA novels. All of them differed in personalities, which was nice to see as well. None of the Dagger Society were quite so eager to trust Adelina completely when she first joined. They weren't hostile, at least not most of them, but they still kept everything under wraps and stayed cautious. As she continued to train with them, they opened up to her a little bit and tentative friendships grew. I'm hoping to see more developments in the friendship area in the next two novels. Adelina certainly needs it.

I'm thrilled that Marie decided to take a different route with her books. Some authors are too nervous to go out of their genre or comfort zone, but Marie took a leap, and pardon my corniness, she definitely soared. The Young Elites had a dark atmosphere, yet she still kept it afloat from the depressing feels even without the help of humor, which is quite a feat. Adelina wasn't a picture perfect heroine. Her thoughts weren't always good, yet she tried her best to fight against them and remind herself what was right. The romance was there, but it was underlying and didn't overpower the plot itself. Action was nonstop, and I read it in one sitting. Overall, The Young Elites was an awesome read, and it's definitely a series to look out for. If the wait for the sequel doesn't kill you first.

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Humor- None
Very dark themes
World-Building- 4.5/5
Writing- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 Pages
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Narration: First Person:
Ember, Garrett, Riley
Genre: Dragons/Paranormal

The Talon Series:
Book One: Talon
Book Two: Rouge
Book Three: Unknown
Book Four: Unknown
Book Five: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

My Review:

Talon reminded me a lot of Sophie Jordan's Firelight.

Obviously the most prominent similarity being that they both revolve around dragons, but it went much deeper than that. Like Firelight, this book sported a star-crossed romance between a dragon and a dragon slayer. Adding to that, the third person in the love triangle was another dragon. There were more parallels than that, but for the sake of spoilers, I'm going to keep them out.

Talon was a very entertaining, action-packed, humor filled read. I had high expectations for Julie Kagawa after reading her Iron Fey series, and she definitely met them. I have to admit; I'm always quite wary when it comes to having expectations before starting a book, but I should've never doubted Julie's utter epicness. She always writes books filled to the brim with seat-gripping action, swoony romance, and sarcastic humor. What else could you possibly want? Ember was a headstrong, fiery (pardon the pun), and loyal character. She had a temper and was impulsive, but not overly so. Lately, I've been having issues with reading about characters who are too set on getting their way, ignoring advice from everyone else just because they don't want to be told what to do. There's a fine line between strength and stupidity. Ember made mistakes and raged a few times, but she grounded herself with the help of her loved ones.

The love triangle wasn't technically a love triangle....but it sorta was at the same time. We have two contenders at the moment, Garrett and Cobalt. However, despite Ember's attraction to both, it's obvious that her human side has stronger feelings for Garrett. He's the one always on her mind. They gradually fell in love through surfing lessons, carnival rides, and all the other cutesy things they did. With Cobalt, it was more primal instinct than anything else. Their dragons called to each other and when they were in dragon form, they could barely resist each other. What I'm thinking right now is that she'll end up with Garrett. However, there are two major problems standing in their way. One being the obvious "He's the enemy" sort of thing, but really, what's stopped two star-crossed lovers before? In fact, in most YA novels that seems to be the key factor. Impossible lovers = Definite relationship. Though there's also the issue that he's a human...and she's a dragon, a creature that lives for hundreds of years. This isn't Twilight. She can't bite him and turn him into a dragon so they can have a happily ever after. Unless some new secret about Garrett is revealed in the upcoming books, I can't see how they can be together in the long run.

Despite the fun I had reading this, the plot wasn't exactly original. Two radical societies hell bent on the destruction of the other. Two people from each society realizing that the world isn't as black and white as it had originally seemed. Later on in the series other people probably begin to realize the same thing, which leads to some sort of revolution and ends in either the abolishment of the old systems or the epiphany that things must change in order for both sides to survive. It's a storyline we've seen thousands of times before, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. It still had me gripping my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.

Overall, I enjoyed Talon very much. It was fast-paced, fun, and full of humor. The writing was amazing, as Julie Kagawa's writing always is and the dragon lore that was introduced was explained well. I was never left wondering about what something meant or how something worked, but I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the history of dragons in the next novel.

Cover- 6/5 Simple, yet undeniably gorgeous!

Heroine- 4.5/5

Romance- 4.5/5

Action- 5/5

Writing- 5/5

Humor- 5/5

Overall- 4.5/5

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Narration: First Person: Harper
Genre: Paranormal,
Contemporary Setting
Paranormal Type: Paladins/Witches/Seers

Rebel Belle Series
Book One: Rebel Belle
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

My Review:

Rebel Belle was like a refreshing glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day. 

There should definitely be more novels out there like this, both tone wise and content wise. Rebel Belle was light and fluffy, but it still retained that kick-ass, grittier edge that I'm always after. Content wise, I believe that this is the first novel I've ever read focused on paladins. What do I know, there might be millions of paladin books out there that I'm oblivious to, but through my experiences, I haven't seen many of them, besides maybe The Paladin Prophecy, which I have yet to read. 

Rebel Belle was pretty much an equal blend of anything you could ever want in a novel: strong characters, humor, action, romance, and a unique theme. Rachel also has a flowing, hilarious, image provoking writing style that draws you right in! I felt like I was actually in the novel experiencing the emotions that Harper felt. Especially so in the beginning, when David Stark pulled off that huge stunt, which I'm not going to give away for the sake of keeping this a spoiler free review. The aggravation and indignation I felt made me want to hit my head against a wall amongst other things harmful towards my outwardly appearance of sanity.

The romance between Harper and David was slowly and steadily developed as well. They didn't immediately fall in love after discovering how much their lives were really connected. On the contrary, they seemed to despise each other even more. It was the little things, the little gestures and conversations, that eventually led them to deeper, realistic (Key Word REALISTIC) feelings. However, I am a bit ticked off at how Harper treated Ryan whilst this was all going down. Actually, the way she treated all her friends irritated me endlessly. While I understand the choices she made, I really wish she would've stopped dragging a relationship that would never see the light of day again. Every time she ditched Ryan or forgot to call Bee made me want to cover my face in horror.

Other then that, I liked Harper. I have no doubt that some people are going to rip on her because they believe she accepted the supernatural events that occurred too quickly, but I still thought it was believable. People face traumatic and shocking situations in different ways, and Harper's way involved colliding head first with her issues, using sarcasm and wit as her main defenses. Kind of like Percy Jackson now that I think of it. It was her personality that inclined her to react the way she did, not desire to get the storyline moving on the author's part. While her life was crashing down around her, the life she had worked so hard for, she remained strong. I admit I was a bit skeptical of how her character would play out in the beginning. Bluntly stated, I thought she was snobby and superficial. But throughout trying times, she showed her true colors and redeemed herself completely by the end.

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 5/5
Cute and adorable. Realistic in the fullest!
Action- 4.5/5
Badassery included.
Humor- 5/5
In a Rachel Hawkins book, your always gonna have some sort of humor.
Writing- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Narration: First Person: Davina
Genre: Dystopian/Thriller
Book Trailer: Click Here

The Uninvited Series
Book One: Uninvited
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

My Review:

First of all, I want to draw a bit of attention to the cover. My first reaction was, "Meh, ok. Just another variation of the overused face cover." You know the ones with the pretty models staring out into the distance dramatically? Yeah, those. But then. BUT THEN! I saw that her hair was photo-shopped to look like DNA strands! After that, I just felt flabbergasted, and shortly thereafter, I was applauding the cover designer. Really, it didn't make that much of a difference visually, but to me, it made all the difference in the world. I'm weird, I know. But come on, let's be honest. You thought it was cool too, right?

This world was stunning. I grew to fear for my own safety, because this world felt like a possible future reality. As Sophie mentioned at the end of the story, Davina could be any one of us. All the things that happened to her, could one day happen to us, if our world turned into the world Uninvited portrayed. It's not too hard to imagine the government requiring testing done for a killer gene. To them, the good of the many trumps the good of the few. So what if a few innocents get caught in the crossfire? It's a scary, scary thought. 

"All my life people have called me 

Gifted. 

Extraordinary. 

Blessed.

I had all these dreams to become something. 

Someone. 

No one ever said I couldn't. 

No one ever said Killer."

Imagine going from loved, popular, admired, somewhat even worshiped, to reviled, hated, and ostracized. That's what Davina had to go through.

(For people who have already read the novel, notice how I'm using Davy's full name Davina instead of Davy? It's because it reminds me of the Davina from The Originals series on TV, who was an absolute badass. Since both characters have badassery in common, I decided to just call Davy, Davina. Sounds prettier in my opinion anyways.) 

So Davina was facing a major change in her life. She didn't delude herself with the fantasy that her popularity wouldn't plummet. She knew that because of her new status as a HTS carrier, people would avoid her. However, she still clung to the hope that her best friend and boyfriend wouldn't think any differently of her. Understandable. I would've hoped for the same thing. 

On a totally unrelated note, I thought she was a bit of a bitch in the beginning of the story, and even a little after she discovered that she possessed the kill gene. Prior knowledge of her HTS status, she was happy that her supposed best friend was envious of her. She wanted to be that girl that everyone was jealous of, reveled in it really. Additionally, she felt relieved that her "best friend" would be moving hundreds of miles away, so she didn't have to deal with hurting her feelings all the time. I mean, come on, what kind of friend are you?

However, I'm happy to say that she redeemed herself throughout the story. Although she still acted spoiled at times, she stayed strong through rough times and didn't want to lean on anyone for support. She took it into her own hands to fend for herself by working out, going beyond what she was expected to do, to protect herself. Although there was a part of her that was thrilled when Sean, the love interest, defended her, her indignation overcame that feeling. She knew that even though Sean's heart was in the right place, he was hurting her indirectly. She wanted to fight her own battles, and took pains to make sure that she would be able to do so. Because of that, I respected her.

Uninvited was thought provoking. It involved a lot of harsh decisions and difficult situations. What exactly is classified as right? Is it in the eyes of the beholder? Or is it something we should instinctively know? Does the end justify the means? Does the good of the many matter more than the good of a few? There's no doubt that some HTS carriers were really messed up in the head, but do they decide the fate of others? Are the new government laws for HTS carriers decreasing violence? Or are they really making matters worse, causing perfectly stable carriers to snap? 

So many questions. Uninvited was a great read. Although I had a hard time getting into it at first, I became tangled in the story line as events progressed. The action was paced well, and I never reached any slow, dragging scenes. The protagonist, although a little bratty at times, redeemed herself in the end. She was an independent character who I truly admired. When many would've given up, become the animals that society deemed them, she chose to keep fighting in hopes of showing the world that everything wasn't as black and white as it seemed.

Cover- 5/5

Heroine- 4.5/5

Romance- 4/5

Writing- 3.5/5

World-Building- 6/5

Action- 5/5

Overall- 4.5/5

The Program by Suzanne Young

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 405 Pages
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Narration: First Person: Sloane
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian

The Program Series:
Book One: The Program
Book Two: The Treatment (4/29/14)
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, 

teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. 

They are both growing weaker.

Depression is setting in. 

And The Program is coming for them.

My Review:

In this world, the teenage-suicide rate has skyrocketed. So much so that adults have labeled it as an out-of-control epidemic, a contagious disease that spreads from teenager to teenager. Bringing literal meaning to, "If your friend jumps off a bridge, would you do it too?" In order to control the epidemic, adults have developed and begun utilizing something called "The Program." So far, it's only in its beginning stages, which is why it only takes place in certain school districts. The teenagers who have the misfortune of going to those schools are sent to the Program if they show any signs of suicide, self-harm, or depression. All it takes, is one outbreak, one escaped tear, to get someone flagged and sent in for treatments. 

Since The Program boasts a 100% success rate in turning kids back into "normal, happy" teens who can live "normal, happy" lives, parents have become desperate enough to send their troubled teens in, no questions asked about what The Program really does. Despite the fact that government keeps any information about it under lock and key and that no visitors are permitted in the facilities, parents still ignore their misgivings and believe the best about it. Teens in this society live in constant fear of exposing their emotions. There not allowed to grieve or cry for their many lost loved ones, which makes them all the more suicidal. Many teens who are flagged choose death over the Program anyways, because they see what happens to those who enter it. They're wiped clean of memories of their friends, relationships, and anything else worth remembering. A clean slate.

The characters themselves were strong independently. Sloane and James weren't one of those couples who were nothing without the other. Although Sloane did panic a bit in the beginning from having to make decisions by herself, she got over that initial shock, put on her big girl pants, and did her best to remedy the situation. She was truly a strong heroine. Not in the physical sense, but in the mental sense. You would have to be if you wanted to stay sane in a society like this. Never showing your genuine emotions? Even in front of your parents? That's a complete nightmare. Her strained conversations with her parents tore my heart into pieces. I mean, I understand why they would feel so protective of her after losing their first child, but I was still pleading, begging really, for them to listen to their daughter for a change.

Although I really felt for her, there were still a couple of times when her naivete made me cringe. She trusted too easily at times, and when she did have the sense to be paranoid, she did what she was told anyways. Instead of trying to concoct a plan to get out of what she didn't want to do, she decided to live in the here and now, expressing a tiny act of defiance that would've never gotten her anywhere. James was a refreshing love interest. I really loved his personality and how he always tried his best to look after Sloane. But as all people do in reality, he had his faults and made mistakes along the way. This made him feel tangible, relatable in the everyday sense. Plus, he had a hilarious sense of humor, something that was definitely needed to temper out the dark, haunting setting these characters live in.

The relationship between Sloane and James was a refreshing and unique one! By now, I'm used to reading books where the main character falls in love with a character that she meets later on in the novel or with someone she never knew she had feelings for. In The Program, she was already madly in love. The way they interacted with each other was absolutely adorable.

Overall, I'm super happy for picking this up as an impulse read. Usually, I tend to stay away from books that don't involve a lot of action scenes, but this one, was a definite heart-jerker. The writing style was average. Something that I didn't notice too much, but also something that I didn't get irritated at. The theme was absolutely amazing, and I definitely give Young props for that. In a quickly overpopulating dystopian genre, Young manages to weave a chilling, eerie world that distinctly stands out above the rest. The Program makes you feel like a world as dark as this one can actually happen to us one day. A scary thought. In the next novel, I'm hoping that we'll find out more about the reason for the skyrocket in teenage suicides. There were a couple theories tossed around here and there, but nothing concrete. Can't wait!

Heroine- 4/5
Mentally strong, a bit naive.
Writing- 4/5 Nothing special.
Romance- 5/5
Loved the dialogue between these two!
Action- 4.5/5
Not your typical physical action, but
enough to keep me thoroughly engaged.
Sequel? Yes
Recommend? Definitely, although you probably have to be in a certain mood to read it.
Overall- 4.5/5

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 432 Pages
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Narration: Third Person: Everyone
Genre: Japanese Mythology
Challenge: Mythology
Source: Publisher

The Lotus War Series:
Book One: Stormdancer
Book Two: Kinslayer
Book Three: Untitled (2014)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A SHATTERED EMPIRE

The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY

Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM

Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

My Review:

The second I flipped to the first page, I instinctively knew that Kinslayer would be the novel to bring me out of my month long reading depression. That mourning period of time after you read a really really good novel and feel as if you'll never be able to face another with the same enthusiasm. If you're an old time subscriber, you'd already know that I've been away on vacation in China for the past month, which sadly means that I only had the books that I brought along with me annnnd that I had no way to access my poor, neglected blog. Sucks, I know. But that just made the surprise all the sweeter when I came home to not one....but two ARC copies of Kinslayer...which means that they'll be a giveaway coming up very soon, so stay tuned. :D

One of the awesomely unique aspects of this novel is the character directory in the beginning. Something I desperately needed since I forgot most of the minor characters' names. Along with the names came a brief, but helpful, description of the character and the location they were last seen in at the end of Stormdancer. Another thing that I admired about Jay's novel was that he recapped, in a subtle fashion, the major events that occurred in Stormdancer in a way that jogged your memory but didn't leave you bored to tears or irritatingly patronized by rehearing things that you already knew.

All of the characters in Kinslayer played strong roles leading up to the overall outcome of the novel. And since Jay decided to stick to the third person writing style he used in Stormdancer, we saw from all of their perspectives and how the rebellion affected each and every single one of their lives. This tactic.....was both good and bad in my eyes, because yes, I definitely enjoyed knowing what was happening to each character.....but at the same time I was itching to skim pages because my mind was more set on hearing Yukiko's story then that of the other peoples.

I fell in love with most of the characters because they were such capable, independent people, people that you'd aspire to be one day, minus all the killing of course. Even though they were bad a, they were still vulnerable in their own ways, even Michi, who scared the shit out of me sometimes with her ruthlessness. However, the things she did only made me respect her character all the more. After everything that's happened in her past, she's not willing to take chances on anyone any longer. She does whatever is needed for the sake of survival, manipulating the people around her into thinking she's just a helpless young girl seeking some semblance of direction in her life when there's a lethal, cold-blooded killer hiding just below the surface instead. And Yukiko? There were so many times that I found myself being crushed by all the feels when I saw Yukiko losing herself piece by piece to the fury within her after all that happened with her father. Even though life kept throwing seemingly unconquerable obstacles in her way, tripping her over and over again, she still got up and kept fighting, even when most of the world would have just given up.

Jay's unique writing style was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because he always spoke in a melodious, poetic, and elegant way, even when spouting off a joke. Therefore, making the story flow from page to page in a seamless way. There weren't any awkward pauses or stilted sentences whatsoever which I was grateful for. However, it was also a curse, because with so many descriptive details, so much world-building, it made the plot drag a little bit. Nowhere near the way it dragged in the first novel, but still enough to be noticed from time to time.

Overall, Kinslayer was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed, perhaps even more then its predecessor. The twists, turns, and jaw-dropping betrayals had me sobbing hysterically and punching walls. It's truly a rare thing to take me completely by surprise without at least a vague notion of what's going to happen next, but Jay succeeded in doing it anyways. The comedy was absolutely hilarious, best I've seen in a long time. Jay has his very own special type of humor that I just couldn't get enough of. Adding to that, this novel also had a badass, katana wielding heroine and revolved around an amazing Japanese culture centered theme. Love. Love. LOVE. Will be eagerly awaiting to discover where Yukiko and Burruu's adventures will lead me next.

Heroine- 5/5

Action- 4.5/5

Romance- N/A

There is romance....

but it's a little hard to explain.

Comedy- 6/5

Couldn't get enough of it.

Theme- 6/5 Super unique.

Overall- 4.5/5

About The Author:

Jay Kristoff is a Perth-born, Melbourne-based author. His first trilogy, THE LOTUS WAR, was purchased in the three-way auction by US publishing houses in 2011. He is as surprised about it as you are. The first installment, STORMDANCER, is set to be published in September 2012 in the US, UK and Australia.

Jay is 6’7, has approximately 13870 days to live and does not believe in happy endings.

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Giveaway:

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Blog Tour: The Children and the Blood by Megan Peterson

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 350 Pages
Release Date: February 28, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: Third Person:
Ash, Cole, and Police Officer
Genre: Fantasy/Magic
Challenge: Paranormal/Debut Challenge
Source: Xpresso Book Tours/Author

The Children and the Blood Series:
Book One: The Children and the Blood
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

Order On Amazon: Paperback
                              Kindle
                           
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

Goodreads Synopsis:

A forgotten life.

A secret war.

Eight years ago, an exploding gas main killed Ashley’s family and left her with a childhood she can’t remember. Eight years later, the forgotten past is behind her and life on her isolated farm is all she knows.

Until that past comes looking for her.

Until men with superhuman powers hunt her down in the night, determined to take everything she loves away from her again.

My Review:

I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. When I began The Children and the Blood, I was a bit skeptical as to if I would be able to get into the story, because you never really know with Self-Published authors. Sometimes they're a huge success and make you wonder why they weren't picked up by a publishing company. Other times, the majority of the time, their writing needs a bit more polishing before they can actually call their novel, a well-executed novel. However, Megan cleared up my lingering doubts immediately! Within the first few chapters, I was caught up in her writing, anxiously flipping pages to discover what happens next.

If your main issue with Self-Published novels is the grammar and spelling, don't fret! Although I'm nowhere near a Grammar Wiz by any means, I do know enough to tell you that there aren't any glaringly obvious spelling errors, if there were any at all to begin with. Megan's writing style reminded me of that of a much more experienced author. Heck, her writing style is a lot more refined than many published authors period. Her sentences flowed smoothly and she transitioned between viewpoints flawlessly, which is definitely no easy feat to accomplish. I never had any trouble discerning the perspective the story was being told from. In fact, the constant switch between characters was probably the reason why I wasn't able to set the book down. Most of the time, she ended her chapters with a sort of epic cliffhanger that left you grasping at straws. And of course, with my meager self-control with anything book related, I found myself dodging sleep to read just one more chapter.

Now that brings us to the action. For me, action and premise usually share a direct relationship. Look at that! I brought math into this. Curse you, Algebra 2! Basically, the more interesting the premise, the more interesting the action. Makes everything seem all the more....involving, for lack of better term. The synopsis made it pretty obvious that magic was involved, that I knew was coming. However, what I didn't expect was the way Megan incorporated that magic into the story. I loved learning about the origins and history on her innovative twist on magic and how everything came to be in an otherwise contemporary, mundane world. She answered the questions that were forming in my mind, yet left just the right amount unanswered to give it that mysterious and cryptic edge. I don't want to give anything else away, but I will include that her version of magic is pretty darn cool, like control over fire, nothing lame like some stories I've come across.

Since I read this novel about a month ago, the details on the characters are a bit fuzzy. The POVs were told by a police officer whose name alludes me at the moment, Ashley, and Cole. This resulted in a much more diverse read, since we were able to see the story through more than one perspective. Although the police officer's part did sort of aggravate me a bit. Let me explain...Since I was privy to Ashley and Cole's story, I was able to perceive truth from downright lie, and since the police officer had the misfortune of running in the wrong circles, his source of information tended to fall towards the lie side. I wanted to scream, "There innocent!" to him a countless number of times, but I understand why he made the decisions he made. There wasn't a strict switching back and forth rule between the characters, but Megan usually kept the POVs between Ashley and Cole, because they were the main focus in the story.

I admired how quick Ashley was on her feet and how she managed to repress her fear and control her emotions, even when she had no idea what was happening to her. She was a strong and likable person who I would love to read more about! She grew in character as the story progressed, and instead of staying a meek, fearful young girl, she turned into a strong and brave young woman who wasn't afraid to fight for what she believed in. Cole, on the other hand, I didn't like as much. I respected him for looking after Ashley's little sister and taking care of her, but I felt that he was way too impulsive in his actions. He didn't wait and think things through, he just did. He walked into dangerous situations even when he knew they had a high probability of being traps. I mean, even if you wanted answers that desperately, you could at least devise a sneaky way of getting them instead of walking head-first into, I don't know, an ambush? There were so many times when I just wanted to smack some common sense into him. *Shakes head*

Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my time with The Children and The Blood! In the beginning, I really wasn't sure what to expect since it was a Self-Published book. With those, it's usually just a toss up and all you can do is hope that it's one of the good ones. Thankfully, it was! I loved the unique premise Megan created in an otherwise overused genre and the twists she added to make it uniquely her own. The action was stimulating and I enjoyed reading about most of the characters, with one exception. :P I can't wait to read the sequel! This series is one that should not be missed, especially for those who are drawn towards magic and fantasy.

*An ARC was provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours 

in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.

Heroine (Ash)- 4/5 Strong, Brave
Hero (Cole)- 2.5/5 Impulsive, Rash
Action- 4.5/5
Romance- N/A
Comedy- N/A
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5

About The Author:

Megan Joel Peterson lives somewhere between the cornfields of Illinois and fantasy worlds filled with magic and wizards. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois, and has worked a little bit of everywhere over the years. Now she spends her days and nights creating new stories, and thinks writing is the best job she ever could have asked for. The Children and The Blood is her first published novel.

Find The Author:

( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

In The After by Demitria Lunetta

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 400 Pages
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Narration: First Person: Amy
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian/Debut/Paranormal

In The After Series:
Book One: In The After
Book Two: In The End (2014)
Book Three: Untitled

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

Goodreads Synopsis:

They hear the most silent of footsteps.

They are faster than anything you've ever seen.

And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

My Review:

Have you ever been in one of those reading funks where you feel like you'll never find another good book to read? Yeah, I was in one of those for a while, aimlessly reading, hoping to come across a novel by chance that would hold my attention till the end. I never thought that In The After would be the one to break me out of my book-related depression, but it definitely did the trick! I can't believe I procrastinated waited so long to finally give it a try. What I expected to be bland, humdrum, and uneventful turned out to be fast-paced, thought-provoking, and awe-inspiring.

Throughout the span of this book, Amy ages from 14 to 17 years old, which is pretty bizarre for well....any book really. In my opinion, the formatting and structure of this novel was really weird and confusing, but I'll elaborate on that later in my review. For some reason, I started into this expecting Amy to be one of those aggravating damsel in distress types and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that she wasn't remotely close to one at all. What I really admired about her character was that although she was badass and did anything required for her survival, no matter how embarrassing it was, she acted like any other teenager.

When the "aliens" attacked, she broke down, crying herself to sleep every night. This was a pretty understandable and realistic reaction considering the fact that in her mind, she could've very well been the last human alive, stripped of everything that was normal or constant in her life. One second she's complaining about school or hanging out with friends, and in the next, she's isolated in a world that's no longer her own, scavenging for items like food or clothes that she took for granted in the Before. 

However, after she fully grasped the concept that the apocalypse was really happening, she pulled herself together and forced herself to remain strong, not allowing herself a moment to dwell on her hopelessness. She learned to adapt to her surroundings and make the best of what she had, which I really admired about her. She chose to keep fighting when many others would've just given up. Throughout the whole novel, she utilized her exceptional intelligence, honed her intuition, made sure she learned how to properly defend herself, fought for what she believed was right, and retained her take-charge attitude, not allowing things to pass her by when she was able to do something about it.

In The After was fast paced and action packed. Although the plot was nothing I haven't seen before (corrupt governments, forced pregnancies, inventions gone wrong affair), Demitria revealed it in a way that captured my attention and never let go. I was expecting to fit in a couple of chapters here and there, but after getting through the first two chapters, I knew, without a doubt, that that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. I finished In The After in one sitting, oblivious to how much time had passed, because I was just that emotionally invested in the plot and the characters revolving around it.

The only reason that I didn't give this epic novel a five star, or even six star, rating was because I wasn't a huge fan of the way Demitria structured it. Don't get me wrong, she strung sentences together and made them flow smoothly and evenly like a pro, I just didn't like the way she switched back and forth between the past and the present. It was bearable for the first half of the story. Although annoying, I learned to live with it and move on. But the second half? It just irritated me, and no matter how hard I tried to get used to the flow of it, I wasn't able to adapt with the constant change in time frames. I understand what the author was trying to accomplish, but sadly, it didn't work out very well, at least for me.

The romance in this one was surprising as well. Unlike most YA novels, this story focused on the plot instead of the romance, which I was extremely grateful for. The relationship between Amy and said love interest was important and affected how everything went down in the end, probably even more crucial to the overall story for the sequel, but it was on the side. Another thing that kept this novel apart from your average Dystopian novel was that instead of your typical broody, dark soldier love interest with a twisted past, we have a geeky and slightly awkward teen scientist who has mysterious secrets of his own.

Overall, In The After is a fast-paced novel that features a tough, badass, and intelligent heroine who doesn't take BS from anyone. Although the plot wasn't very innovative, I still loved it all the same, because Demitria was able to express it in a way that kept me hooked. The only attribute that irritated me was the way the author structured her novel, but that irritation was still easily overcome by my fascination with everything else. I recommend this novel to both guys and girls alike. Girls, because there's an awesome heroine who's pretty easy to connect to. And guys, because although there is a romance, it isn't the focus of the story, which I'm sure most of you will appreciate. xD

Heroine- 6/5
Rebellious, Brave, Intelligent
Romance- 4.5/5 Adorable and Cute
Action- 6/5 Never a Dull Moment
Writing- 3.5/5
Didn't like the structuring of the novel
Trailer- 5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 314 Pages
Release Date: March 21, 2013
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Narration: First Person: Margo
Genre: Paranormal/Genies
Challenge: Paranormal/Debut Challenge
Source: Library

The Art of Wishing Series:
Book One: The Art of Wishing
Book Two: The Fourth Wish (2014)
Book Three: Untitled

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook


Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Goodreads Synopsis:

He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

My Review:

When I opened this book for the first time, I was eager to get into the heart of the story, because come on, how often do we see novels written about genies? I was expecting all sorts of magic, some really cool world-building, and well, as embarrassed as I am to say this, something along the lines of Aladdin and flying carpet rides. However, I was disappointed by the first chapter and ended up putting it down before anything really magical began. Months later, I decided to give it another go, bracing myself for nothing other than more disappointment. Fortunately, I was completely wrong! Despite the fact that I'm usually not into books of this sort (More contemporary than paranormal), I was charmed by the simple yet undeniably compelling plot The Art of Wishing had to offer.

Margo, the protagonist, was a character that I truly admired throughout the whole novel. She's the type of girl who you'd want to aspire to be one day. Strong, brave, pure-hearted, and determined to keep everyone around her safe. Unlike most YA protagonists, especially the ones who are 100% human, she didn't take on that tone of a damsel in distress. Despite the fact that she was fighting against something otherworldly, she didn't back down or plead with the villain to let her go, instead, she took matters into her own hands and did something about it.

Although it took me a while to get into the pacing of the story, once I did, it was nothing but smooth sailing from there. After I reached the third or fourth chapter, I was a goner. No matter how many times my parents attempted to cajole me out of my reading hole or pry the novel from my hands, I just wasn't able to set it down. Every word demanded my complete and undivided attention. The plot was pretty simple in itself. There weren't any long drawn-out explanations or any intricate world-building. There was a bit of genie history included, if I remember correctly, but the whole description lasted all of one or two pages. Essentially, all you had was the villain, the heroine, and the good guy. There were, of course, more characters than that, but those three were the most significant and the whole story revolved around them. Since I'm used to huge, convoluted, and twisted plots that need to be carefully read in order to be understood, The Art of Wishing was like a refreshing breath of air to me.

A lot of people on Goodreads who reviewed this book before me had said that the relationship between Margo and Oliver was an Insta-Love connection, something that I was deeply dreading as I read on. However, I'd have to disagree. Although their relationship progressed a little quicker than most, they didn't fall in love at first sight. Margo was attracted to him, as any girl would be, because he was hot, not because she felt this instant soul-felt connection to him. There's a huge difference between attraction, which was quite understandable in Ollie's case, and love. Anyways, the romance that they did have was absolutely, freaking adorable. I literally lost track of the amount of times I said "AWWWW!" while reading this story. It's drastically different from the romances I'm used to with steamy make out sessions and broody bad boys, but I loved it all the same!

Overall, I was really surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book! Although the plot was pretty simplistic, I still found myself enjoying every second of it. The romance was a breath of fresh air and completely different from what you find in most YA novels nowadays. Instead of a dark and mysterious love interest with a tortured past, we have one that's cute, funny, awkward, and charming. I recommend The Art of Wishing to anyone who wants a quick and fun read with just a touch of supernatural.

Favorite Quote:

“...Oh God. I'm one of those girls."

"What girls?" he asked, perplexed.

"Those girls. The ones in all those books and TV shows. Some dumb high school girl falls in love with some supernatural guy, and he's all, 'Behold, I am five million years old!' and she's all, 'Oh my god, how can you ever love pathetic little me!' and he's like, 'Because of destiny!' or whatever. It's just so...ew. You know?” 

-The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 4.5/5
A little too fast, but adorable nonetheless.
Action- 4.5/5 Slow in the beginning,
but it definitely picked up pace.
Writing- 4/5
Comedy- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5