Rites of Passage by Joy Hensley

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 416 Pages
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Narration: First Person: Sam
Genre: Military/Contemporary
Series: Stand-Alone
Book Trailer: Here

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.

At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

My Review:

Boot camp full of dudes. First girls ever to enroll. Now this...this had entertaining written all over it. I was very close to squealing after I read the synopsis. It was a little out of my usual range of genres, but how exactly do you say no to a synopsis like that? Heck, I was about to grab a bag of popcorn to top it off.

So in the beginning of the story, we're introduced to a girl named Sam. Sam was raised in a military family with a dad who lived and breathed military. He was the type of guy to think that girls were weak and dependent, and because of this, Sam was determined to prove him wrong. Did she ever. I cannot even begin to explain the the utter crap that this girl had to put up with. *Insert nonsensical rambling here* There were an infinite amount of times when I just wanted to knock heads together. Especially Matthews. How I hated, how I excreted disgust from my very pores for this boy. I had to get up and kick air for a few moments, because this guy flipped my bitch switch.

Back to Sam. I had to give her props. I'm used to leading female roles who are strong and fierce because of their magic superpowers, but Sam was relentless through sheer force of will. Like I said, the absolute crap she had to deal with...it was enough to drive any person insane. On top of that, she fought back without ever really fighting back. This is the military. You can't yell at your higher ups because things are unfair or you don't agree with what they're doing. Yet she stood up for herself in the simple fashion of not letting anything phase her. They yelled at her. She nonchalantly did what was asked. But at the same time, she wasn't some unfeeling robot who always triumphed. She had feelings. She had emotions. She endured failures. She almost caved a couple of times under the pressure, but she kept herself together.

However, despite how much I loved her, I also felt like she thought the world revolved around her. When everyone else had issues, she gave it 2 seconds of thought and got over it. These are your supposed friends. They've made mistakes, yeah, but there might be reasons or circumstances why they did. She just jumped to the conclusion that everyone was evil and out to get her. Admittedly, there were an awful amount of people out to get her, but still. Towards the middle to end, very rarely did I see her ask about other people instead of being wrapped up in her own issues. In the beginning, she looked out for her friends, but that sort of just disappeared. I know she had a lot on her plate, but it struck the wrong chord with me.

The romance between Drill and Sam was unique. Unlike many YA stories, it didn't happen straight off the bat. They saw each other a bit; there was that initial physical attraction, but it didn't go anywhere. The romance sparks around the middle of the book. This rushed it to an extent, but it was still nice to see something new. Drill was definitely drool-worthy. I think I fell in love with him myself. Throughout the book, he seems so much older than he actually is. It was nuts. They mention that he's 17 often, but you can't help thinking that he's at least 21 or something. 

When the story started, I literally had my eyes glued to every page. I think that was mostly because I was so excited to see everything go down. It was intriguing to learn about all the military rankings (Kind of got mixed up on those) and all of the traditions and various uniforms. However, the pace started to slow for me around 65%. There were still tons of things going on, but it wasn't as heart-racing as it was in the beginning.

In conclusion, this is a must read. So far, I believe it's still a stand-alone, but Rites of Passage is definitely set up for a series. There are so many things unresolved, relationships open ended, and people who still have karma coming for them. The writing was excellent, the theme unique, the protagonist diverse. Plus, who can skip out on a book with a synopsis like that? Grab the popcorn. This is going to be a good one.

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 4.5/5
Action- 3.5/5 Tapered off in the middle
World-Building- 4.5/5
Loved learning about the military world
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4/5

Honey Queen by Christina Mercer

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Kindle: 270 Pages
Release Date: May 31, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: First Person: Melaina
Genre: Mythology/
Contemporary Setting
Series: Stand-Alone

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Love is honey sweet, but it comes with a fatal sting . . .

Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family’s ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won’t let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there’s no easy way out, especially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen—savior to honey bees—intensifying her charms.

To help her fulfill the curse’s demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd’s gay. And an expert in mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline. Melaina's magic—tears to save honey bees from endangerment—could be enough to persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death. 

My Review:

When I first read the synopsis, I was skeptical. Honey bees? Honey Queen? Authors really have to dig deep now to find any YA ideas that haven't already been bled dry. To be honest, I found the idea laughable at first, kind of like the theme of Hungry by Swain, though admittedly not to that extent. Who's ready to get hungry?  However, there was also a part of me that was intrigued, so I decided to give it a try.

Melaina's power over bees stems in Greek Mythology, from a goddess named Aera whose domain lies over honey bees and virginity. In order to shirk her duties as a goddess, Aera created a line of female descendants whose main purpose in life was to tend her honey bees and live out a life of chastity. However, things go awry when the first of her line falls in love with a demigod. They have a daughter, but not without consequences. Angered by the act of love, Aera curses the family. From that day on, the mothers are cursed to have carnal urges for men until they get pregnant and continue the long line of daughters. To make matters worse, the men fall ill soon after and die as soon as the baby is born.

Aera always needs someone to care for her honeybees. For Melaina, that isn't a problem, since it's her passion in life, as it was for her mother, grandmother, and so on. However, another downside of the curse is that if she leaves the honey bees for a long period of time, she eventually withers and dies. Uplifting, isn't it? 

As for Melaina's character, I could never connect with her. She showed compassion and thought of others, but it was all on the surface. I never felt it. Throughout the entire book, her thought processes consisted of, "I hate this goddess," "I really, really like Sam, but I can't be with him, because it'll kill him," "I must seclude myself in misery," "What am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" It was irritating to hear the same thoughts over and over again. 

One time, she sees a really hot guy and tries to restrain herself. But then, she thinks, You know what? I can prove to this goddess bitch that I'm above this curse. I'll just kiss him..just a little bit. Then I'll back off, I promise. *Insert eye roll* Like that's gonna happen. You already know that you're raging hormonal, yet you decide to tempt fate anyways? 

The romance wasn't much of a romance. There were some flashbacks of when Melaina and Sam were kids, but that wasn't enough for me to want them to be together. If there were more, perhaps I would've understood their friendship better. The lust curse hit Melaina pretty early into the story, so the conversations between Melaina and Sam consisted of more making out than anything. When they weren't making out, Sam was knocking on the door or basically stalking her, trying to get her to talk to him, which eventually led to more of the aforementioned making out. The depth in their relationship was nonexistent.

Overall, Honey Queen was a superficial story. Things were happening on the surface, but they all felt fake and unreal. I can't even explain it. I give props to the author for the honey bee theme though. It's definitely a breath of fresh air, and Greek mythology is always a good thing. The writing wasn't bad, but the explanations were confusing at times. Perhaps this just wasn't my cup of tea.

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 3/5
World-Building- 3.5/5
Writing- 3/5
Overall- 2.5/5

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Appropriate For: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 432 Pages
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Narration: First Person: Meira
Genre: High Fantasy

The Snow Like Ashes Trilogy
Book .1: Icicles Like Kindling
Book One: Snow Like Ashes
Book Two: Untitled (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

My Review:

The concept was super interesting. I loved how Snow Like Ashes focused on a mythical land centered on the seasons themselves. I mean, how can you get cooler than that? Winter 24/7? Sign me up. I've always had a bit of Elsa in me. (Frozen reference if you didn't catch that. xD) Plus, it's not an idea that's been overused, which is saying something in this YA era. I have to admit, I was a bit confused at first by the explanations and world-building, but after awhile it clicked.

I wasn't too big a fan of Meira. I found her whiny, irritating, immature, and reckless. 16 is definitely old enough to stop throwing foot-stomping, arm-waving tantrums, especially when those tantrums are completely idiotic and have no merit. For example, one time, Meira's little refugee group was discovered by a couple of scouts and one escaped to tell the bad guys of their position. What's her first reaction? I AIN'T GOING, MAN! I'VE HAD ENOUGH RUNNING FOR A LIFE TIME. Common sense impaired thought. Even she realized it later, telling herself that the scout could easily send back enough numbers to overwhelm them. Well gee, I wonder why you wasted the time at all to hiss about it when you were in possession of a smidge of common sense after all. 

She also loves yelling the word No and Stop, as if those words alone had the power to stop whatever horrific event was happening. A couple of times, I even felt like she was surprised that her order wasn't obeyed. Another thing that irked me was how she needed so badly to be needed. I have no issues with protagonists having insecurity. In fact, I find it gives a character more depth. If she basked in the glow of praise or if she felt disappointed when she was ignored, understandable. However, when you're sole need is to be wanted and when you put that need over the lives of other people....we've got a problem.

Snow Like Ashes also sports a love triangle that is or is not a love triangle? I was a little confused by Meira's sudden change in emotions for a certain someone. I felt like certain things were rather abrupt and unrealistic, but since I'm still not sure where Sara is going with that relationship, I'll keep my mouth shut. Not going to delve deeper than that for fear of spoilers.

Overall, this wasn't a bad read; it just didn't meet my overly high expectations. I try hard to not get too excited for a first book in series, because I'm scared of how it's going to turn out. Unfortunately, with a cover as epic as that, I had no choice in the matter. The writing style was smooth, transitioned nicely, albeit some ideas were explained weirdly. Although many events happened throughout the span of this book, I never felt truly involved or gripped by the story. It was alright; nothing more nothing less.

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2.5/5
Left me a tad confused...
Action- 2.5/5
World-Building- 3.5/5
I adored the theme! Worldbuilding was average.
Writing- 3.5/5
Overall- 3/5

Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen

Appropriate For: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 469 Pages
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Narration: First Person: Cecile, Tristan
Genre: Fantasy/ Historical Setting
Paranormal Type: Trolls

The Malediction Trilogy
Book One: Stolen Songbird
Book Two: Hidden Huntress (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling 

comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

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

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

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

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

My Review:

Trolls. Trolls? My first thought: Shrek 

Is Shrek even a troll? Anywho, fortunately that wasn't what a troll looked like in Trollus, which by the way, is a horrid name. About half the trolls were beautiful and otherworldy looking, while the other half was deformed and misshapen due to inbreeding. This was interesting to me, because for the first time in forever *Breaks into Frozen song*, we don't just have a race of perfect, gorgeous people. It's not that big a deal, but to me, it stood out.

Another thing I liked was that the heroine was down to earth and overall, very normal, yet strong. Although she was prophesied to be the savior who broke the curse that trapped all the trolls under the mountain, she failed. It's not like I wanted her to fail, but for once, I wanted a heroine to not be perfect, to not be able to pull off amazing feats just because she was the big and powerful "chosen one." She made her fair share of mistakes, but she always learned from them. She was intelligent and cunning, yet she could also be stupid. She was compassionate, but she wasn't willing to throw her life away or put it in danger before she knew exactly what she was fighting for. Cecile had depth, and I enjoyed that about her.

I also very much admired Tristan, the love interest. My heart broke for him over and over again throughout the story. All his life, he's had to act like someone he's not. He's had to paint himself as the bad guy, bearing the hatred from those who didn't know him any better all in order to make the world, or more like cave, a better place for the half-bloods who are constantly being discriminated against. Ever since he was young, his father tried to instill in him a sort of ruthlessness, but Tristan always followed his own moral compass. When Cecile comes along and bonds with him, he's most afraid of her seeing through his deceptions. The only place where he's ever been allowed to be himself is in his own mind, and with the bond, that's taken away from him. Because of this, Cecile and Tristan's relationship starts off a bit rocky. There's a mistrust between them, but that mistrust turns into a reluctant friendship, which then in turn morphs into something more. The romance wasn't instant; it was gradual.

Although I really enjoyed those aspects of the story, this novel dragged a bit too. At times, I skimmed the pages just to get to the interesting stuff. The action wasn't slow persay, but it did have its moments. The writing style was average. Things were explained well and the sentences flowed. Overall, I enjoyed Stolen Songbird because of its uniqueness, not only story wise, but character and romance wise as well.

Heroine- 5/5
A special snowflake that lacks specialness. However, despite her failure, she held her head up high and lived with it.
Romance- 4.5/5
A nice change.
Action- 3.5/5 Dragged in places.
World-Building- 4/5
Unique. How many stories do we hear about trolls?
Humor- 4/5 Lots of pointed jabs between the happy couple.
Overall- 4/5

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 417 Pages
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Narration: First Person: Alina
Genre: Fantasy/Magic
Source: Amazon
Trailer: Trailer One ! Trailer Two

The Grisha Series
Book One: Shadow and Bone
Book Two: Siege and Storm
Book Three: Ruin and Rising

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The capital has fallen. 

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Review:

Cover Thoughts: Hurrah! Consistent cover schemes! 

An idea that is seemingly unheard of in YA novels nowadays since publishers seem to love irritating book-buyers. The Grisha series is my favorite set of covers on my bookshelf. I mean, come on, have you seen the spines side by side?

WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS FULL OF SERIOUS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK. 

On a side note, it's also full of incoherent ramblings, 

so I apologize if it doesn't make sense.

Ruin and Rising was nothing like I had expected. All the little notes I scribbled down depicting what I believed would happen (who am I kidding, I don't write notes) never came to pass. To be honest, Alina losing her powers was a plot twist that never even crossed my mind. In YA novels, we've seen main characters die, we've seen their love interests die, we've seen their animal companions die, actually now that I think of it, most plot twists involve an awful amount of death. Alina and her sun summoning abilities seemed to be a package deal, permanent. When they just disappeared...I was like, "Nah, they're has to be something more to it." But as time progressed, I realized that it was set in stone, that she would never be a summoner again. One thing that I really liked was how she reacted to losing her powers. She wasn't a perfect heroine who felt all rainbows and butterflies for having saved Ravka; she mourned the loss of her power because it had been a part of her for so long. She was ashamed of her shallowness, considering all of the people who died in the battle, but she accepted it.

Originally, I was shipping Nikolai and Alina together. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who did. From the reviews on Goodreads, it looks like everyone was either for the Darkling or for Mal. The Darkling wasn't exactly evil, but I felt like he was too far gone to be redeemed within one novel. Maybe, if there were still more books in the series, Alina could've brought him back from the deep end, but since this was a trilogy, I predicted that they wouldn't be together in the end. If they did, I would've stabbed myself. Don't get me wrong, I felt for him and all the burdens he had to carry, but he was such a horrible person the majority of the time. The part where he said that Alina was nothing when she lost her powers? I was about to get violent. However, I do admit he still had his heartfelt moments.

 “In this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.” “Aleksander," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.”

Despite this smidgen of goodness in him, he was still pretty evil to me. 

On the other hand, I had nothing concrete against Mal. He was a childhood friend, understood her personality in ways no one else could, and had this undeniable bond with her since the start. Fate brought them together. Yet, I felt that Mal would never understand the Grisha side of her. He saw her as Alina, his best friend, the orphan he grew up with who taught him to not be afraid of the dark. He didn't see her as a powerful Grisha who had this immense power within her, who was afraid of herself because of the growing greed inside her. Not being a Grisha himself, he couldn't comprehend the nonstop struggles that came with suppressing her powers. While Mal was strengthened by normal, every-day living in normal every-day cities, Alina was weakened by it.That's why I felt like Nikolai was the best match for her. For one thing, he grew up surrounded by Grisha and was used to commanding his own crew of them. Although he wasn't a summoner, which for some reason I thought he was, he understood her powers better than Mal ever could. Although the Darkling understood her the best of all, he wanted to use her power for nefarious purposes, which is why I counted him out. Nikolai was like the center between two extremes. The Darkling represented exploitation. Mal represented suppression. Nikolai was the balance. 

Reason number two: His humor.

“I saw the prince when I was in Os Alta,” said Ekaterina. “He’s not bad looking.”

“Not bad looking?” said another voice. “He’s damnably handsome.”

Luchenko scowled. “Since when—”

“Brave in battle, smart as a whip.” Now the voice seemed to be coming from above us. Luchenko craned his neck, peering into the trees. “An excellent dancer,” said the voice. “Oh, and an even better shot.”

“Who—” Luchenko never got to finish. A blast rang out, and a tiny black hole appeared between his eyes.

I gasped. “Imposs—”

“Don’t say it,” muttered Mal.” 

This part of the book almost killed me. Tears were literally pouring out of my eyes! His sense of humor matched Alina's perfectly.

“On the fourth day, we came upon a cavern with a perfectly still pool that gave the illusion of a night sky, its depths sparkling with tiny luminescent fish.

Mal and I were slightly ahead of the others. He dipped his hand in, then yelped and drew back. “They bite.”

“Serves you right,” I said. “‘Oh, look, a dark lake full of something shiny. Let me put my hand in it.’”

You see? I loved both of these characters so freaking much. However, when she lost her powers in the end, I knew that she would end up with Mal. To me, that was really the only way she could end up with him. If she had kept her powers, she would've had to ascend to the throne and become Nikolai's queen. Someone said in the story, forgot who it was, that it was best for there to be both a human ruler and a Grisha one. That way peace could be preserved because both races were represented equally in court. However, without her power, there really was no need. Nikolai still wanted her to be his wife, but she had already made her choice by then.

Now that Alina was "normal" again, without her Grisha abilities, Mal and Alina could be together again. What really drove them apart in the first two books was their inability to connect with each other and Mal's reasoning that she was meant for greater things. The way Mal and Alina were living at the beginning of Siege and Storm, when they were hiding away from the Darkling, was a perfect example of how they would have lived together if Alina still had her power. The way Ruin and Rising played out at the end was necessary in order for them to ultimately be together. 

Overall, although Ruin and Rising was in no way what I expected it to be, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The action was non-stop, and I wasn't able to put down the book for more than ten minutes without getting anxious. The setting and descriptions of locations were as beautiful as always, and the writing was smooth and poetic. Contrary to the general population, I'm happy with how the love quad ended and how everything tied together. I know that a lot of fans are upset about the Darkling's death, but I felt that it was necessary for the novel to end. Originally, I had expected Alina to end up with Nikolai, but with the sudden, drastic turn of events, I agree that Mal was the better choice. The Grisha series is by far my favorite High Fantasy series out there. I'm sad to see it all end, but it was worth seeing Alina grow as a character and watch her discover who she was and what she was capable of overcoming.

The first winter, when it was time for her friends to leave, 

the girl ventured out into the snow to say goodbye, and the stunning raven-haired Squaller handed her another gift.

"A blue kefta," said the math teacher, shaking her head.

 "What would she do with that?" 

"Maybe she knew a Grisha who died," replied the cook, taking note of the tears that filled the girl's eyes. They did not see the note that read, You will always be one of us.

Cover- 6/5

Heroine- 5/5

Romance- 5/5

Action- 6/5
Humor- 6/5

Writing- 6/5
Setting- 6/5

Overall- 6/5

Control by Lydia Kang

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 393 Pages
Release Date: December 26, 2013
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Narration: First Person: Zelia
Genre: Dystopian
Source: Library
Trailer: Click Here

The Control Series
Book One: Control
Book Two: Catalyst
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

An un-putdownable thriller for fans of Uglies

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

My Review:

Cover Thoughts: Really digging the cover. Love the font of the title and the color scheme they used.

Other Thoughts: After reading Control, I still have no idea how the title or the slogan ties in with the novel. Maybe Control means the control group of an experiment? If that's the only way it connects to the novel, that's kind of sad. And "There are no accidents?" Not even a smidgen of a clue there.

I dove into Control with mixed feelings, so I can't say if it met my expectations or not. It was definitely confusing at first, no doubt in that. Lydia takes no time dawdling and immediately jumps into the stream of things, which was a good and bad thing. Good, because I wasn't stuck with a dragging info-dump, yet bad because I had no idea what I was reading about.

"Down the hallway, I smell my little sister walk by. This month, it's Persian freesia. 

Dad says nothing about her pricey scent downloads."

First time around, I skimmed this part and just thought, "Ok, so she likes perfume." But after a few more sentences, I was wondering, "Wait, what did she just say?" It took me a while to even realize that this story took place so far into the future. I mean, I knew that this world was going to have all sorts of genetic mutations, but for some reason, I still expected the world to be more modern rather than futuristic.

Another thing I had trouble coming to terms with was the sometimes, who am I kidding, most of the time irrational reactions the characters had to traumatic situations. For example, when Dylia and Zelia's dad died, both of them were upset. However, after a few hours, Dylia is fake-crying and primping herself up to catch a guy's attention? Geez. Adding onto the irrational reactions, things just....didn't make sense. Questionable actions were taken, yet the obvious questions weren't asked. People were happy to let others get away with things that seemed highly suspicious. 

The romance was utterly ridiculous as well. Not a classic Insta-love romance. Nope. Instead, it was a Insta-Hate THEN Love romance. And it was so predictable that I almost flung the novel across the room. As soon as the protagonist set eyes upon the "resident bad boy," I knew she was a goner before she even knew his name. Things went downhill straight from there. Shortly after they got over their mutual, seemingly intrinsic hate for each other, the love interest suddenly feels this weird, spontaneous need to protect her above all costs! Gah.

Even though I mostly disliked Control, there were still some aspects that I found rather fascinating. For example, the mutation/genetic modifications. Instead of the superpowers you would usually think of: invisibility, telepathy, telekinesis, teleporting, there were weird mutations like: extra ligaments, extra brains, or highly sensitive nose glands. Admittedly, I missed the old variety of superpowers, but I applaud Lydia for her originality.

Heroine- 2.5/5

Romance- 1.5/5

Please, let us never speak of this again.

Action- 2.5/5

Writing- 3/5

Overall- 2.5/5

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 613 Pages
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Narration: Third Person: Numerous
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Paranormal Type: Angels/Chimaera
Source: Library

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series
Book One: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Book Two: Days of Blood and Starlight
Book 2.5: Night of Cake and Puppets
Book Three: Dreams of Gods and Monsters

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Goodreads Synopsis:

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. 

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? 

And does anything else matter?

My Review:

Holy crap that was the longest book I've ever read. No, really.

"There is the past, and there is the future. The present is never more than the single second dividing one from the other. We live poised on that second as it's hurtling forward-toward what?" Pg. 79

One thing that I loved about this book was that it took a reasonable amount of time for the seraphs and the chimaeras to unite against a common enemy. It wasn't just a magical "OMG, we have to fight together to stop the end of the world, and then be best friends forever" sort of nonsense. Bad blood doesn't disappear that quickly. It was a gradual, quite excruciating climb toward not friendship, but acceptance. There were so many obstacles in the way. Every time something happened to impede the united front that Karou and Akiva dreamed of, I flinched and wanted to cry big, fat, ugly tears. And even though it was physically painful for me, it was realistic, and that's what counts in the end. This is no fairytale. It's life. And life? It ain't easy.

"Absence has presence, sometimes, and that was what she felt. Absence like crushed-dead grass where something has been and is no longer. Absence where a thread has been ripped, ragged, from a tapestry, leaving a gap that can never be mended. That was all she felt." Pg. 497

Laini Taylor has SUCH a magnificent way with words. She uses a lot of similes and metaphors in her stories, and I absolutely love them. Some authors utterly fail at this style of writing, but Laini? She's a pro. The images her words brought to life in my brain were stunning.

“You are a conniving, deceitful hussy. I stand in awe." 

"You're sitting."

"I sit in awe.” 

And then there's the humor. Hilarious, dead-pan humor. Zuze is the best possible friend any protagonist could ever have.

Now you may ask, if I loved the story so much, why the four stars? Well, for one thing, I'm not too big a fan of Karou. She was awesome in the first book, especially the opening scene, but throughout the series, she's grown more and more obscure. I'm not saying she's a weak character, because that definitely isn't true. She's intelligent and brave, but I still expected more from her, some character growth. For the majority of the novel, she was like this shy, delicate flower who blushed every time she was in Akiva's presence. *Eye rolls* However, that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the romance. In fact, I loved it. This series is the epitome of star-crossed lovers. Not slight star-crossed lovers or intentional-but-not-really-star-crossed-lovers, but true, hard-core star-crossed lovers. It pained me to see all the events that tore these two people apart. My soul and body literally ached for them to find any kind of happily ever after.

Just a warning for all of you out there, this novel has a huge amount of different POVs. For the most part, Laini handled it well, but I still found that it detracted from the story. I always knew who was talking, but the constant character shifts threw me off balance.

If she wanted to, Laini could write a fourth novel in this series. Probably not gonna happen, but I would like to see the war against the monsters of the outer realm.

On a totally unrelated note, Akiva. Is. Such. A. Badass. Had to get that out there.

Karou- 4/5
Akiva- 6/5
Romance- 5/5
All of the romances in this novel were phenomenal.
Action- 4/5
Lost my attention once in a while.
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 4/5

Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 368 Pages
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Narration: Third Person: Otter
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Series: Stand Alone
Challenge: None
Source: Library

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In the world of Sorrow’s Knot, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry and nearly invisible, something deadly. The dead can only be repelled or destroyed with magically knotted cords and yarns. The women who tie these knots are called binders.

Otter is the daughter of Willow, a binder of great power. She’s a proud and privileged girl who takes it for granted that she will be a binder some day herself. But when Willow’s power begins to turn inward and tear her apart, Otter finds herself trapped with a responsibility she’s not ready for, and a power she no longer wants.

My Review:

DNF. Gave up at page 183. My review only reflects the part of the novel that I read.

The story wasn't completely horrible. As most books do, Sorrow's Knot had its strengths and its weaknesses, However, I do put extra emphasis on the weakness part. On the up side, the theme was original and the writing flowed nicely. However, it's important to note that just because the writing style is poetic and seemingly profound, doesn't mean that it makes sense. On the contrary, it can sound like a whole lot of gibberish. 

Nothing was thoroughly explained in this novel. We were left with half-answers, grasping at straws, wondering what the hell we were supposed to know. Concrete ideas were withheld, and I felt like there were too many contradictions. Either that, or I subconsciously jumped to conclusions, because I wasn't quite sure what to believe. The characters were also very dry and emotionless. There comes a time in the book where one of the characters kills someone by accident. Even if it wasn't on purpose, don't you think the normal response would be to cry or show some outwardly sign of deep remorse? Perhaps, go into a state of shock or horror? Nope. Instead you can just stare blankly at the body while it's being dragged away. 

Another thing that didn't feel realistic was the overall atmosphere of the townspeople. Basically, all they did was stare and whisper to each other conspiratorially. Even when there was a crazy woman in their midst, a woman with the capability of ending all their lives, they just calmly questioned her on what she was doing. Despite the blatantly obvious information right in front of their faces POINTING TO HER UNSTABLE MIND. What kind of society is this? In fact, we don't even get to know anybody in this town, tribe, whatever you want to call it. Well, maybe with the exception of two or three people, but other than that, nothing more than a glimpse of their faces or outwardly appearances.

I never became immersed in this world. There was little action, at least from the portion I managed to get through. I've read from other reviews that it picks up towards the end when the love interest makes a sudden appearance, but sadly, I just can't find it in myself to care. 

This story seriously had a HUGE amount of potential, and it always saddens me to see that potential wasted. I, for one, am completely fascinated by Native American culture and their interactions with nature, which is why I started this with such high hopes. Unfortunately, Sorrow's Knot just....didn't do it for me.

Heroine- 2/5

Romance- N/A

Love interest doesn't enter 

until the latter portion of the book.

Action- 2/5

Dragged, and dragged, and dragged.

Writing- 4/5

Unique and well stylized. However, it does 

make the plot feel slower at times, 

especially in the climatic scenes.
Overall- 2/5

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