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

The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 492 Pages
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt
Narration: First Person: Lia,
Third Person: Rafe, Kaden
Genre: Fantasy/Magic
Source: Library

The Remnant Chronicles:
Book One: The Kiss of Deception
Book Two: The Heart of Betrayal
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love

My Review:

DNF at Pg. 336 

Because of this, my review only reflects the portion that I read.

The pacing is so unbearably slow. The whole book, at least to the point I read, basically just revolved around her everyday life. Great. You Work. And pick berries. HURRAH! The setting and the theme were both intriguing, which is why I was pretty interested in the beginning of the novel, but it went straight downhill from there. Most things weren't explained well, if they were explained at all. The book itself had more unrealistic happenings than realistic ones. I found it hard to believe how easy it was for the freaking First Daughter to escape so easy. And after she escaped, only 3 people were able to find her? Everyone goes on and on about her skills in tracking and covering her tracks, but I highly doubt it. From the way she described her getaway, concealing her path was the last thing on her mind. Screaming at the top of your lungs? Yep, that's not telling at all. 

Another thing I was irritated by was her utter lack of concern for her kingdom. Yes, she's been shaped and molded and told what to do and ignored her whole life, but even if she's had that sort of childhood, wouldn't it be decent for her to at least consider the needs of her people over her own desires and dreams? People are dying, and all she cares about is finding her one true love. Which of course brings us to the love triangle. To be honest, I spent the entire first half of the story believing Rafe was Kaden and Kaden was Rafe. So either Pearson's writing was weird or I'm terribly unobservant. I mean, in my defense, their POV titles were The Assassin and The Prince. When Lia actually crossed paths with them, the way they acted made me automatically assume that Rafe was the assassin and Kaden was the prince. Imagine my surprise when the POVs switched near the end to Rafe and Kaden instead of The Prince and The Assassin. As I said, the fault probably lies solely on me, but this has never happened to me before, so I don't even know anymore. Either way, both boys were blah to me. Insta-love connection kills my happiness. That's all I have to say to that.

Update: I finally understand that the POV names were The Assassin and The Prince for a reason and that the author wanted us to be almost as much in the dark about the characters' identities as Lia. Hitting myself at the moment, because of how slow I feel. I give props to the author for introducing the characters in such an innovative fashion; however, I still don't think it was executed well. It would've been mind-blowing if Pearson dropped tiny clues here and there about their true identities so that in the end I could've had one of those Aha! moments. But I really didn't feel it, at least for the portion I read. Maybe things were explained out better at the end? 

Cover- 6/5 Swooning over the cover. *.*

Heroine- 2.5/5

Romance- 2/5 Insta-Connection, Unrealistic

Action- 2/5

Writing- 3/5 Writing style wasn't bad, but it was difficult at times to follow the author's train of thought.

Overall- 2.5/5

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 432 Pages
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Narration: Third Person: Celaena
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Challenge: Paranormal
Source: Netgalley

The Throne of Glass Series:
Book One: Throne of Glass
Book Two: Crown of Midnight
Book Three: Untitled (2014)
Book Four: Untitled
Book Five: Untitled
Book Six: Untitled

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Goodreads Synopsis:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.

But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

My Review:

I read Crown of Midnight quite a while ago and decided to put off the review until we were closer to the release date. Unfortunately, since all this time has passed, I've forgotten some of the details. Suffice to say, I won't be waiting this long to write a review ever again. xD However, even after all this time, Crown of Midnight still holds a candle above all the other novels I've read this year, even surpassing Siege and Storm, a book that I wrote a nearly hysterical review on earlier in the year. For some reason, when I first read Throne of Glass, I marked it off as an alright read...nothing special or even close to remarkable. But after reading it over again, my views have definitely changed, kind of the same case that Angelfall by Susan Ee was for me. Since I loved Throne of Glass oh so much and reread it over and over again like a bajillion times, I had super high expectations for it's sequel. I was ecstatic when it didn't suffer from "second book syndrome" like many trilogies do nowadays and that it went above and beyond my original expectations.

In this novel, Celaena Sardothien was as bad-ass as ever. She knows how to fend for herself and hates it when she has to rely on others for support. She is, by far, the most independent and fierce heroine I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. However, even though she's definitely more courageous and brave than most, she still has her weaknesses. For one thing, she still hasn't gotten over her arrogance, although some light is shined on why she's so confident of herself to begin with. And even though she has a fierce, no BS, mess-with-me-and-I'll-slit-your-throat sort of persona, she's still as vulnerable as any other girl when it comes to matters of the heart. And Holy Crap, the secret that's revealed about her? Mind-Blown. I had speculated about it and even guessed it near the beginning, but immediately wrote it off as impossible, something I shouldn't have been so quick to do.

The romance was a bit confusing. If you've been keeping up with this series, you'd know that there are two love interests, Dorian, the prince and current heir to the throne, and Chaol, the head of the Guard. From the beginning I knew who I wanted her to pick and had no doubt as to who it would be, but now? Not so sure. Dorian....he's growing on me a bit. He's gone through a lot of character development, and although he's still a bit dependent on others to protect him, he's grown a backbone, can stand up for himself, and fights for what he believes in. With Dorian growing up before our very eyes and after what transpired between Chaol and Celaena, I'm not too sure which direction the last installment is going to take. Heck, I'm not even too sure if I know which side I'm on anymore.

This novel never had a dull moment! Every page was filled to the brim with nail-biting and seat-clinging suspense. The action scenes were marvelously written and I felt as if I was watching everything unfold before my very eyes. I was constantly gasping at every little detail and awed by all the amazing secrets that were revealed. We get a lot more history and world building in this one, something that was definitely needed and beautifully done.

Overall, Crown of Midnight definitely did not disappoint or suffer from "second book syndrome." If you came up to me today and asked me whether I liked this novel or it's predecessor better....I would say sort of. Both novels are amazing, but in there own special ways. I wouldn't be able to choose between them. If you've already read Throne of Glass and loved it, this is definitely one book you do NOT want to miss. If you haven't heard of this series yet or have been putting it off for a later date, STOP PROCRASTINATING AND START THIS SERIES NOW!

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Cover- 3/5
Not really into this new cover scheme.
Trailer- 3/5
Heroine- 5/5
Comedy- 6/5
Action- 6/5
Romance- 4.5/5
A bit confusing
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 6/5

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The Elite by Kiera Cass

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 323 Pages
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Narration: First Person: America
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian Challenge

The Selection Series:
Book .5: The Prince
Book One: The Selection
Book Two: The Elite
Book Three: The One

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

My Review:

Beforehand, I wasn't looking forward to reading The Elite. Not one iota. When someone asked me what I thought of the series, the first words that popped into my head were princesses and fluffy dresses, which is definitely not my scene. At least not anymore. A year ago I wouldn't have minded, but now, I've shifted more towards the darker and actiony (Is that even a word? O.o) side of literature, otherwise known as the beloved Paranormal genre. The only aspect of this book that finally pushed me to give it a chance was the cover. Yeah, I know, it's the exact same thing that I just said I despised, but even I have to admit that it's undeniably elegant and beautiful.

I don't remember too much of America's character in The Selection, but I do specifically recall liking her personality. She was compassionate, loyal, not stuck up like the majority of the other princesses, and smart, something I definitely admired in the sea of annoying, whiny, pathetic heroines that seem to be the norm in way too many YA books. That's why I was astonished by her change in character in The Elite. It seemed like she took a complete 180 degree turn and morphed into this selfish, rash, infuriating princess during her stay at the castle. 

When the princesses were asked to come up with a charity idea to help the citizens residing in the lower caste systems, much like what Queen Amberly did when she was just starting out as queen, I was expecting America to be chock full of ideas, because she actually understood what it was like to live as one of the lower caste people. To be forced to hide her love for Aspen just because society deemed it unacceptable. To watch other people starve around her, because there wasn't enough food to go around. Even though she couldn't come up with an idea right away, I still had faith that she would come up with something, anything, that would help her family as well as the other people suffering even worse than she did when she was a five. In the end, she came up with the idea of ________ (Don't want to give away the spoiler. :P), which I would've supported completely if her heart was in the right place to begin with. Instead of stating her idea for the benefit of the public, she said it just to get back at Maxon, because she was angry with him. What the heck is wrong with you!?

Now comes the love triangle. *Slams head on table* Our contenders are Maxon, the adored prince with a painful secret, and Aspen, America's first love who will always hold a special place in her heart. To be honest, I really don't care for either of them. If I had to choose, I would be on Team Maxon, but I still didn't feel any sparks when America described him or when they had personal heart-to-heart conversations. One thing that bothered me the most about Aspen was the action he took after what happened with Marley and Woodstock, I think his name was? Gah, it's so hard to keep myself from saying spoilers. >.<  I can't believe that Aspen would decide to make his move on America then. Of all times, he of course would choose the worst one. It became hard to believe that Aspen cared about America's safety at all. 

The romance between all of them was bland and eye-roll worthy. It seemed like the author divided the chapters up according to which love interest America was going to spend time with. She would literally be set on dating Maxon in one chapter, confident about the love they had for each other, then going after Aspen in the next after some sort of misunderstanding. Back and forth, back and forth to the point where I just gave up on the romance all together.

The action was the only part that I enjoyed. Surprising, because it was the only thing that I feared would suck. Although much of the time was spent on princess protocol and organizing events, I never felt bored with the storyline or put to sleep by the lack of action. I'm not sure how to explain it.....it wasn't action in the literal sense, as in sword-fighting or ass-kicking, it was more of a....political sense? Never mind, you'll find out if you ever decide to read the book. xD We see a bit more of the Southern and Northern rebels in The Elite, and I for one, am very interested in learning more about them and what they really seek when they invade the castle.

Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the storyline but disliked the fact that it came at the expense of a ruined love triangle and an impulsive and selfish protagonist. I will be reading the sequel, probably just because of the gorgeous cover I'm sure it'll have, but I hope that America reverts back to the strong character she was in The Selection and actually takes the time to use her brain to think out her plans thoroughly instead of letting her emotions guide her actions. I haven't lost faith in you yet, America! Please don't disappoint me in The One!

Cover- 5/5 *Stares at creepily*
Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 1/5
Comedy- N/A There were some jokes 
but not enough to rate.
Action- 4/5
Writing- 4/5
No issues with the writing, but it didn't jump out at me either.
Overall- 3/5

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 447 Pages
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Narration: Third Person: Vanessa
Genre: Paranormal
Challenge: Debut & Paranormal

Dance of Shadows Series:
Book One: Dance of Shadows
Book Two: Untitled
Book Three: Untitled

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Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . .

My Review:

As soon as I laid eyes upon the cover for Dance of Shadows, I knew I was a goner. Everyone's heard of the old saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover," but to be honest, we all do. At least to some degree. I first heard of Dance of Shadows on The Story Siren about a year ago, and to this day, I still haven't seen a cover prettier than this one. Everything from the breathtaking costume made of rose petals, down to the elegantly scripted font, just screams "Read Me!". Most important of all, at least appearance wise xD, the cover actually pertains to the book. Something that doesn't happen as often as it should in YA novels. The model's pose as well as the mist so ominously surrounding her automatically makes me think she's baring her soul for some sort of possession to take place. Either that, or Ballerina Zombies. Since the synopsis said nothing about the walking dead, I went with my first instinct. xD Sadly, this book does not do this cover justice.

The first issue I had was with the characters. Bluntly put, they were all bland and had as much depth as a piece of paper. Not a very good comparison, but I couldn't think of anything better. Don't judge me. >.< I couldn't tell the difference between any of Vanessa's friends, because they all acted the same. Vanessa was likable enough in the beginning, but as the the story progressed, I liked her less and less. There were so many times when I wanted to jump in the book myself and smack her silly. She seemed to be bent on ignoring the ones who only wished to help her and desperately following the ones who acted like complete asshats. 

She claimed multiple times throughout the course of the book, that her sole reason for attending the NYBA, or New York Ballet Academy, was to search for her sister who seemed to magically disappear off the face of the earth two years ago. Meanwhile, she did anything but. Not once did she do anything productive enough to even remotely come close to her supposed one and only desire to bring her sister home. Most of the time, she just sat around daydreaming about Zep, her dance partner, wondering why he never responded to her desperate phone calls or never answered the door when she knocked. She refused to see the answers right in front of her, and it took her about three quarters of the book to finally realize that something wasn't quite right.

The synopsis mentions her gaining the attention of three guys, which makes you think that there's going to be a love....square? But in reality, it's only a love triangle. At least I hope it's a love triangle. There were a few times when Vanessa and Josef became intimate in the art of dance, but considering the fact that the book states he's in his late thirties, I really hope that wasn't what the author was trying to imply. Zep, her dance partner in the Firebird and current boyfriend, was a complete jerk. It seemed as if she fell madly in love with Zep as soon as she saw him for the first time. I get that it's completely normal to find a guy attractive, but not in the way she was thinking about him. As if they were destined to be together and that one glance from the dark and brooding Zep meant that he was hopelessly in love with her as well. He ignored and outright lied to her, and all she did was follow him around like a lost puppy, needy for attention. Justin was a little bit more interesting, but I still never connected with his character. He acted like a jerk at times, but I could still see that all he wanted to do was to keep her from following her sister's footsteps, even when the protagonist could not.

Dance of Shadows was also really hard to believe. Girls just happen to mysteriously disappear from one of the most renowned dance academies of the country, maybe even the world, and no one's the least bit suspicious? Yeah, I understand if the police don't want to get seriously involved over one or two runaways, because considering the harsh rules, strict diets, and high expectations, it's very possible for a dancer to get overwhelmed and wish to start over. But were talking about ten girls, maybe more, all who dance the lead role in the Firebird. Am I the only one who finds that a bit sketchy?

Despite the negative comments bloggers have made about Yelena's writing style, I have to say that I disagree. I found that it flowed pretty well and never seemed abrupt or awkward like some of the past books I've read by debut authors. I was also bracing myself for the overuse of the word "sweat", but I found that I didn't have a problem with that either. Although she used that word more often than other authors, I never found it glaringly obvious. It was pretty subtle, and if I hadn't been on the lookout for it, I probably would have never noticed it. On the other hand, the action was a bit too slow for my liking. I found myself skipping pages often and only really got interested in the story near the end when the dance was actually taking place.

Overall, Dance of Shadows had an awesome theme that could've been brought to life at the hands of a more experienced author. I should've listened to the negative reviews pouring in as soon as it was released, but I couldn't help myself because the cover was just too beautiful for me to ignore. I probably won't read the next book in this series, but I will definitely be anticipating the cover for it.

Heroine- 1/5
Romance- 1/5
Comedy- 1.5/5
Action- 2/5
Writing- 3.5/5
Overall- 1.5/5

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Mind Games by Kiersten White

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 256 Pages
Release Date: Febraury 19, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Narration: First Person: Sofia & Annie
Genre: Dystopian/Superpowers
Challenge: Paranormal/Dystopian

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
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Mind Games Duology
Book One: Mind Games
Book Two: Untitled

Author's
(Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two sisters, bound by impossible choices, are determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

James's frozen face melts into a smile. "Do you want to know the trick to getting in trouble under the watchful eye of a psychic?"

I think of the nailed-shut windows. I think of Clarice. I think of the two, the two, the two who are now zero. Tap tap. "Yes, I absolutely do."

"Don't plan it. Don't even think about it. The second you get an inkling of what you could do, do it then. Never plan anything ahead of time. Always go on pure instinct."

I smile. "I think I can do that."

My Review:

When a friend from class pointed this book out to me and asked for my opinion on it, I was ashamed to say that I hadn't read it, and was intrigued enough to purchase my own copy to see what interested him in the first place. If you've read my About Me page, you'd know that my friends.....aren't exactly what you would call book lovers. Actually, now that I think of it, most of them vehemently hate books with a passion. Of course, my friend wasn't the only factor that led me to read Mind Games, a huge percent of it, but not all of it. xD The cover immediately drew me in as soon as I set eyes upon it. Yeah, were all used to YA covers that focus on the face, or on the eyes in particular, but this one stood out to me. It seemed to scream, "Look at me! Look at Me!" The title is easy to remember and the font, although simplistic, sets off the blue hued cover nicely.

Mind Games was not what I expected it to be. As soon as I read the first sentence, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, and at that moment, I knew I was not going to enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. With all the negative reviews pouring onto Goodreads, I should've seen it coming a mile away. If I had read Mind Games back in, I don't know, sixth grade I probably would've thought that this book was the best thing since sliced bread. But after reading such a variety of novels and learning what to look out for, I'm no longer as easily impressed as I used to be.

The writing was just......horrific. I was nearly to the point where I had to restrain myself from tearing my hair out strand by strand to serve as a distraction from the mental pain this book was causing me. The wording didn't flow; They were Short. Choppy. Sentences. Every other page, I kept telling myself, "If she tap tap taps her fingers one more time, I'm going to metaphorically slam her face into a wall. " It was alright the first few pages. I managed to restrain an eye roll here and there, but once she started repeating words words words consecutively just to emphasize her point point point every other page page page, I almost called it quits right there. I was stunned by how juvenile and forced Kiersten's writing came off as since she's a bestselling author who's already had a good amount of experience writing other books, such as her Paranormalcy series. I'm sure that many of her Paranormalcy fans will have no problem with her writing style since they never had problems with it in the first place, but I for one, did not enjoy it. At all.

Mind Games takes place in a sort of dystopian world, none too different from the world we live in today. Except for one thing. In this time, certain girls have supernatural abilities, all relating to the mind. I don't believe that the book delves into where these abilities came from or if there's a common factor tying all of these gifted children together. Every girl who meets the specific requirements or demonstrates the potential of having talents that aren't quite human, is offered a fully paid scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. If the parents of the designated child accepts, the children are automatically sorted into one of three categories, unbeknowest to them. Readers, people who can read the thoughts of others. Feelers, who have the ability to feel the emotions of others. And Seers, the ones who can see glimpses of the future.

Then we have Sofia, or Fia as everyone calls her, who doesn't fit into any of the above. She's different from the others and the only one of her kind. The one who can't be fooled by false promises of a special school where every wish is granted. She can see through the lies of those around her and can sense when danger lies just ahead. The one who can't be tracked by Seers, because she lives in the moment and makes split second decisions based on her impulses. She was born with perfect instincts, a heightened intuition that brings gut feelings to a whole new level.

This story was told from the perspectives of Annie, the older, blind sister who can see flashes of the future, and Fia, a seventeen year old assassin, sent on missions by her elusive boss to take out people who might threaten his chain of power. Some authors can pull off the whole switching back and forth POV, but at the same time, many author's can't. Sadly, Mind Games was of the latter. Most of the time, I didn't even know what the hell I was reading or which POV I was reading in, since both characters had a very similar manner of talking and thinking. The unreliable POV switches were bad enough, not even adding the fact that there were so many unnecessary flashbacks that only succeeded in confusing the reader even more. It seemed like half the time I was flipping pages back and forth just to see whether the chapter was past or present, rather than reading the book itself.

Even though were reading this story from the POV of Annie and Fia, I still have absolutely no idea who they really are. They had no depth, and to be honest, I really didn't give a crap about what happened to them nor would I bat an eyelash if they died.The summary emphasizes the supposed unbreakable bond these two sisters share, but even though they said they would do anything for one another a countless number of times, I never felt it genuinely. Their actions and decisions belied their words. Fia had flawless instincts, yet she ignored them and seemed to put them on mute a lot of the time. I mean, what's the point of having a gift if you just choose to pretend that it doesn't exist? Gah! The only part where I even remotely liked her was near the end when she.....did that thing in order to save her big sister.

There is a love triangle in this book for Fia, but since both of the love interests never meet each other face to face, you don't have to worry about too much angst. I absolutely despised James. He bluntly stated several times throughout the book that he was using Fia for his own agenda. Fia even knew that he was wrong for her yet still always goes crawling back to him and practically begs for his attention, love, and affection. 

"They're offering me me. Free. Whatever, whoever I want to be." He is quiet and I wonder what his face looks like right now, whether he can still feel my lips on his like I can feel his on mine. "You can't have that." "I could." "No, you can't. You don't get to choose that. I need you." "You use me." "I-yes. I use you. I need to use you. I can't let you go; I can't do this by myself."
                                                                       -Mind Games by Kiersten White

He's such a douche, and I really don't understand what Fia sees in him. Does she get turned on by being treated like some sort of fascinating toy who's only purpose in life is to do what others tell her to do? Other than his looks, he has nothing going for him. I understand his reasoning and agree with some of his ideas, reluctantly, but I don't like the way he executes his plans and goes about doing them. Then we have Adam, the gray eyed stranger that was meant to be her next hit. Since Adam is absent for most of the book, we don't learn much about his character, other than the fact that he's wicked smart and has legendary parents. Not too crazy about the way Fia describes him though...

"He is a panting-puppy salvation. He is legs that stick out at grasshopper angles as he gives the spaniel one last ear rub. He is shoes scuffed up and jeans worn thin and dark hair accidentally mussed. He is eyes squinting because of forgotten sunglasses and heavy backpack throwing off his balance. He is too-big hears and too-big smile and too-big eyes and (too-big too-big too-big) too real for me to end."
                                                                         -Mind Games by Kiersten White

Please hold while I slam my head against a wall.

 

The only redeeming quality I found in this novel was the action. Although the writing style made the book hard to read and keep up with, I never got bored with what was happening to the characters as well as what was happening around them. I found this dystopian world where girls develop mental powers to be intriguing, and I really wish that there was more background information to make the story seem just a little more believable.

Overall, Mind Games did not meet my expectations. It had huge potential, and at the hands of a more capable author, it could've been a big hit. Of course, this is only my opinion, but I know that many others would agree with me. I would recommend this book to fans of Kiersten's Paranormalcy series. But if your like me and super picky about writing styles as well as characters, then I would advise you to steer clear and find something else.

Cover- 5/5
Fia- 2.5/5
Annie- 2/5
Romance- 1/5
Action- 3.5/5
Writing- 0/5
Overall- 1.5-2/5

 

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Splintered by A. G. Howard

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up

Hardcover: 384 Pages

Release Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books

Narration: First Person: Alyssa

Genre: Retellings

Series: Stand Alone

 

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Goodreads Synopsis:

 

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

 

My Review:

 

My first reaction to this cover.....

 

I kid you not, it freaked me out that much. Now that I look back on it, I don't really understand why I had this reaction in the first place. Maybe it was the slightly deranged glint in her eye? Or the creepy gnarled vines and way too vibrant flowers in the background? Whatever the reason, it gave me the shivers! However, after I read the summary and the motto at the top, I had a epiphany (I just love the sound of that word. Try it! E-piph-any.....Yeah I'm nuts, I know). After being enlightened about what this novel was based off of, I looked at it from a new perspective and it soon made perfect sense! It was like hearing the light bulb ding above your head or the feel of that last pesky puzzle piece falling into place. The cover portrays exactly what I imagined this dark and twisted Wonderland to be, with a slightly insane girl featured in the middle of it all, who immediately made me think of noneother than Alice herself!

 

I have to admit that I have never read Alice In Wonderland before, and have only gotten the opportunity to watch the movie adaption. There aren't many retellings based off of this story, but from the ones I have read (Alice In Zombieland), I wasn't all that impressed. Splintered, however, was a different story. I thought it was really cool how Howard intertwined both elements from Lewis Caroll's Wonderland with her own imagination and transformed it into a twisted and violent world. Of course since I haven't read the real Alice In Wonderland, I can't judge whether or not it was related to the events that took place in Caroll's version, but from what I remember of the movie, it was pretty clever.

 

At first, the protagonist, Alyssa Gardner, seemed like a pretty cool chick to me. Ever since her mom was committed to an asylum, she tried her best to act and dress like the complete opposite of her crazy mother in hopes that she wouldn't end up like her one day. Even though Alyssa's change of style was partly because of her mom, she was still a tomboy at heart who wasn't afraid to be the odd one out. One thing's for sure, not many people would have the guts to wear the eccentric outfits she wore in this book. Alyssa was the type of person who didn't like leaning on others for support. She was a independent, headstrong girl who fought her own battles, and that was why I loved her character. Her reactions to her mother's situation and all the problems springing up in her life felt realistic, and because of that, I could connect with her character better.

 

However, as the story progressed, I liked her less and less. Although she still retained her independent nature, which was one of her few saving graces, she became annoyingly juvenile, and I ended up having to constrain myself from slapping my kindle around out of aggravation. Prior to reading this book, I already knew it was going to be one of those YA love triangles. Which surprisingly I was looking forward too! However, I didn't feel the romance that the author was trying to place on the characters. Alyssa kept on going back and forth between Morpheus and Jeb like choosing whether she wanted Peanut Butter or Jelly on a sandwich. She treated them like they were just toys to be used and thrown away and even had the audacity to be jealous and reprimand one guy for it, while she was dating, or whatever the heck you can call their relationship, the other guy!

 

As I said above, there were two love interests. Both Jeb and Morpheus have a dark side and a haunting story to tell, but for all intents and purposes, let's just say that Jeb is day and Morpheus is night. Jeb is portrayed as the knight in shining armor. The sun to Alyssa's otherwise gloomy day. I enjoyed reading the conversations that Jeb and Alyssa had, because the playful insults they traded with each other had the potential to draw out a few chuckles from me here and there. Yes, I do agree with other bloggers when they say that Jeb is too overprotective of her and needs to back off and give her some room. But! You can clearly see that Jeb is doing it out of love and truly cares about what happens to her. Jeb grows throughout the novel as well! Not sure when it takes place, but somewhere during their journey through Wonderland, he realizes that Alyssa isn't some defenseless little damsel in distress in need of constant help, but instead a strong and independent woman capable of fighting her own battles.

 

Morpheus. Oh Gosh. From all the descriptions I've read of him, I expected him to be some broody and sexy guy who helps Jeb and Alyssa along the way. I was prepared for the jealousy and the heartache, but Morpheus didn't even come close to my high expectations. Before he made a appearance, I was literally jumping up and down saying, "Is he gonna come now? Is he gonna come now?" but when I did meet him it was a sore disappointment. Yes, he had that bad boy and mysterious nature about him that most girls find irresistible, but in my opinion, he was just a conniver who had his own agenda. He kept on manipulating others into doing his bidding, and I just wanted to smack him throughout the whole book! There were only a few parts in the novel when I felt that he was slightly genuine in his feelings for Alyssa, but other than that, nope, didn't like him.

 

The beginning drew me in right away with its gruesomeness. It started off with Alyssa pinning butterflies and flowers onto easels in order to get them to stop talking to her. Not your most normal introduction xD. The relationship Alyssa and Jeb had was intriguing, and I was thoroughly entranced by everything that was happening. However, as soon as Alyssa fell down the rabbit hole with Jeb trailing just behind her, the action slowly dwindled. Which really should be the other way around. Howard had a great idea with enourmous potential, but the actual Wonderland part didn't fascinate me or make me want to read more about it.

 

Overall, I had high expectations for Splintered, but sadly it fell flat for me. The beginning was fast paced, but as the story progressed, my previously rapt attention soon diminished to a slightly interested but mostly blase feeling. Nonetheless, I loved the way Howard tied in the original elements from Alice In Wonderland and used them to her advantage. If you enjoy reading fantastical novels such as Alice In Wonderland and are drawn to dark and twisted books, you might want to check out what Splintered has to offer.

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

"He laughs, dark and soft, under his breath. "I am a man in every way that counts. Just like you are a woman, even if some people believe you're nothing more than a scared little girl in constant need of saving." -Splintered by A.G. Howard
 

Cover- 5/5

Heroine- 3/5

Romance- 3/5

Action- 3/5

Comedy- 3.5/5

Overall- 3.5/5

This review was entered for the 2013 January Debut Challenge.
 

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Whispers At Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 pages
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Paranormal

Book One: Born At Midnight
Book Two: Awaken At Dawn
Book Three: Taken At Dusk
Book Four: Whispers At Moonrise
Book Five: Chosen At Nightfall (Spring 2013)

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Amazon Summary:

Shadow Falls Camp is back in session with the most explosive installment yet. A shocking new threat will rock Shadow Falls—changing it forever and altering Kylie’s journey in ways she never imagined.

Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf. With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.

As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante. Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway. Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever. In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure. Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

The breathtaking fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.


My Review:

I have always enjoyed novels that had to do with some sort of paranormal school or camp, and when I first discovered Born At Midnight, (first book of the Shadow Falls series if you haven't read them) I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. After reading it, I was soon eager to find out more about Kylie's life and what type of paranormal she actually was. Luckily, the wait time for the second installment of this intriguing series was shorter then the usual time frame between novel releases, but it still had me chomping at the bit because of that jaw dropping cliff hanger!
 
Whispers At Moonrise, is the type of book that you can read in one sitting. Although it wasn't one of my swoon worthy favorites, I still loved every second of it! C.C. Hunter has that type of writing style that leaves off at what I can only describe as a cliff hanger after each chapter, that gives you that "What the heck happens next." feeling. Because of that, I was not able to put the book down even if my life depended on it! (Might be a exaggeration, but still. :P) C.C. also has a funny sense of humor that she incorporates into all of her characters, and even though it didn't have me laughing out loud like I did in Julie Kagawa's Iron King, it still had me smiling then and there.
 
Kylie, is a super super strong character in this novel, much like she was in the last few books. She has parent problems, like alot of teens. Her mom and dad have gone there seperate ways but she still hangs onto the hope that one day they will get back together again and everything will be right in the world. I feel that teens that have problems going on at home can really connect with her through that. Kylie has a unfair load of responsibility dumped on her shoulders that no teen should have to carry alone. Examples? Talking to the dead and dealing with rouge vamps who are out to either use her or kill her. Neither has a good outcome. Adding to that, Kylie has never felt like she really belonged to any part of Shadow Falls.

In the last book Taken At Dusk, Kylie's dad reveals that she's a chameleon. Her first thought? A supernatural lizard. As the story progresses, Kylie discovers who she really is and slowly learns about all of the new powers that she's attaining. Her up to no good sidekicks include Della, a snarky vampire who has a tendency to have a pissy but hilarious attiude and Miranda a dyslexic witch who loves getting into arguments with her. Della was actually one of my favorite characters! Even though she pretends to be unaffected and indifferent, you can see that she really cherishes and values her friendship between Kylie and Miranda and would protect them at any cost. Miranda, in my opinion is more the insecure one and acts lovesick throughout the novel, but also would do anything for both her best friends.
 
The romance was one of those well known and dreaded by some, love triangles. To be honest, I wasn't to crazy about either boys in this novel. No team Derek or Team Lucas for me! Which is kind of depressing because I really love a good love triangle. I was Team Lucas all the way in the last three novels but ehhh I don't know if it's my mood or something completely different, but I really wasn't to crazy about him in this one. It seemed like every time I thought "Oh Kylie's definitely going to pick him" or "No way she'd ever pick him", I was wrong. She bounced back and forth between both boys so much it had my head spinning. Overall, both boys have made mistakes and hurt Kylie in some way or another but the choice is still unclear on who she's going to pick.
 
The action was pretty well paced. One of the things that I loved about this novel was that the author took the time to actually jog your memory a bit. I mean after six months of reading other books, all of the characters and plots of different books sometimes get jumbled up in your head. C.C. Hunter gave just the right amount of background story to remind me of the important characters and yet she didn't give to much information either. She also added some morales to the story as well, like not letting life pass you by and taking chances even when there might be consequences. YOLO! xD
 
Full of steamy romance, action, teenage angst, and life changing discoveries, Whispers At Moonrise will have you flipping page after page, eager for more!
 
The final book in this explosive saga, Chosen at Nightfall, will be released in Spring 2013!

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 4/5
Action- 5/5
Comedy 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

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Outpost by Ann Aguirre

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Dystopian

Book One: Enclave
Book Two: Outpost

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Amazon Summary:

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

My Review:

Since I read Enclave a long time ago, I didn't remember the plot or the characters very well. But I was feeling particularly lazy that day and didn't feel like skimming through the first book, so I cracked open Outpost and hoped for the best.

If you don't remember Enclave very well and still want to read the sequel, I suggest that you recap on a few things. The first ten pages left me super confused because the author doesn't do much to jog your memory. She jumps right into it. After googling some basic information about each of the main characters, my memory of Enclave started to slowly come back to me and by the third or forth chapter I was cruising along and enjoying every minute of it!

Outpost, starts off in the clean and sanitary city of Salvation. Salvation probably wasn't clean in our standards, but compared to what Deuce has been through the past months and the underground sewer sort of city she's lived in for the first fifteen years of her life, it's definitely considered clean! Although, some people welcome her and her companions with open arms, others look down at her for doing a man's job. This annoyed the crap out of me because the citizens of the city believed women to be subservient and only be of use in the kitchen or for pleasurable activities with the men felt like it. I think I got so annoyed at this part of the book that I literally snarled. Snarled! Of course, disgust was probably the emotion the author wanted to invoke out of the reader, and I would say that after what I felt, it was a success!

I admired the way that Ann wrote about Deuce! From what I remember of Enclave, Deuce was an all steel and knives kind of girl. She spent her whole life training and fighting to earn her name as a Huntress. She even had to kill a full grown man when she was just twelve years old to be considered a adult and not a "brat" (the term they used for kid in her enclave) anymore. Throughout Outpost, Deuce still has that fierce and primitive edge to her, to the extent that my eyes widened at some of the things she did (For example, laughing when she was being mobbed by brain sucking Freaks). She kind of reminded me of the protagonist from C.J. Redwine's Defiance. But even though she's volatile, she's cunning and uses her brain in the face of danger, instead of just flashing out and instigating battles that cannot be won, like the main character in Defiance. Throughout the novel, we also see a more feminine and naive side to Deuce. Often in the book, she explains these two sides as Girl and Huntress, and that they are constantly at war against each other. Even though Deuce has clearly lost all innocence while living down below, she still holds a certain fascination and ignorance to simple things like birthdays that are almost childlike. All of these characteristics combined made a beautifully structured protagonist, and I loved reading about her!

The secondary characters, Fade and Stalker weren't as outstanding as I found Deuce to be, but I still liked reading about them. I know alot of people cringe at love triangles, but I have to admit that I have a certain weakness for them! However, the love triangle in this book wasn't to die for. Fade, I kind of both liked and disliked. He was sort of stupid and blinded in the beginning. I can't really say much without giving spoilers away. Stalker, was described as being "the same" as Deuce. They were both fierce to the point of being a little on the scary side and both were always eager for action. Other important characters were Deuce's foster parents Momma Oaks and Edmund. In the beginning I wasn't to crazy about them, but that changed as the novel moved along. You can see that they really do care about her and think of her as their own daughter. The moments exchanged between them were touching and even made me cry!

Overall, this book had an amazing storyline that I both loved and cherished. There was tons of action and hand to hand fighting for all of those who love fast paced books! The characters were well written, but I don't think I can pick between Team Fade or Team Stalker just yet. I'm not to crazy about either one of them, but hopefully that will change after the third novel is released!

Heroine- 6/5
Romance- 3/5
Action- 5/5
Comedy- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5