Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

This was a book that I wasn't supposed to like.  Anna Dressed in Blood, from its shadowy cover to its ghost-killing main character, had every possible turn-off possible in my eyes.  Fact is, I don't do creepy books.  My sensitive but suggestible imagination can't handle it.  Anna Dressed in Blood surpassed all expectations and returned me to a state of readership where I read it for the love of the story, and not because five million people were shoving in my face in an attempt to get me to read it.  The main character, Cas, was captivating and memorable; his friends, seemingly ordinary people who are forced to do extraordinary things; a plot that kept me glued to the pages, and a romance that I cheered for... All wrapped together in an atmosphere layered with history and topped off with a dash of humor.

I think it was the humor that did it for me.  Kendare Blake could've easily turned this story into one that left me unable to close my eyes at night by stripping it of any relief from the suspense.  Instead, Cas's narrative is peppered with quips that had me giggling one moment, before the plot turned and I was left with a screwed up expression of disgust.  Kendare Blake didn't rely on cheap tricks and overly described gory scenes to mess with the reader.  She went past that, into the realm where (we normal people) don't like to go.  Described with simple, skin-crawling details, the story made me cringe as easily as it made me laugh.

I loved Cas's narrative for more than just his wicked tendency towards gallows humor.  His sense of vulnerability made him appear alive to me; he wasn't this fearless guy who sprinted in to slay mean ghosties.  Every move to action was precipitated by a fear of losing something, like his family or his life.  I liked that.

Also, his friends developed in a way that surprised me.  For example, he makes friends with the school's queen bee, Carmel, and I thought she'd drop out of the story completely.  Instead, she becomes one of the main characters and develops a force of her own.  Each character was developed in this way, and it gave the book a unique flavor.

The plot was a straightforward adventure story, and like many of the contemporaries of its kind, it was fast and it was heart-pumping.  Kendare Blake handled it well, presenting enough mystery to sustain the reader without riddling the entire story with lose ends to be gathered up within the last fifteen pages.  The lack of hardcore mystery made it easier, I think, to slip into the world; my brain didn't have to restart itself and think back to the last thing that had happened.  The action scenes were well described, so much so that I could see it projected in my mind like a movie.  (This book would make an awesome movie.)

Even though the romance was entirely predictable and in retrospect, Anna came off as rather flat and one dimensional, I cheered for Cas and Anna all the way.  Their romance wasn't like all the other supernatural pairings that are now a dime a dozen, where the "we can't be together" speech is worthy of an epic eye roll because it seems so melodramatic.  Not here.  I understood what stood in Cas and Anna's way.  I wanted Cas to be able to make it past the obstacles, I totally cheered for him.  Anna came off a bit one dimensional sometimes, but I didn't notice until I thought back on the book.  Fact was, they worked for each other and for me.

I loved the atmosphere Kendare Blake created.  Settled in its spookiness, it was easy to get lost in the world of Thunder Bay.  It was equal parts creepy and intriguing.  It makes me want more of the world, just as much as I want more of Cas and Anna's story.

Anna Dressed in Blood is perfect for those who love a thrill, as well as for those who don't.  I'm so glad I picked it up -- a hearty "thank you" to those five million people who were dying for me to read it.  I loved every page.

Quotes

I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth, the worst of them are the ones that make you afraid in the light. The things that your eyes see plainly and can’t forget are worse than huddled black figures left to the imagination. Imagination has a poor memory; it slinks away and goes blurry. Eyes remember for much longer.

I watch him with amusement. There’s a blue light special on territorial jocks in aisle four.

"I’ve been Obeahed by an Obeahman? Is this like how the Smurfs say they smurfing smurfed all the time?"

Book Info

• pages - hardcover, 316
• published - August 2011
• publisher - Tor Teen
• genre - urban fantasy/paranormal romance
• received via - library :)
• rating - 5/5
• series - Anna
• Anna Dressed in Blood
• Girl of Nightmares

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors, the Colonies.  

Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a military prodigy.  Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country, she is being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest circles. 

Born into the slums of the Republic's Lake Sector, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.  Now, caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. 

But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

When Legend first popped up on my radar, I was turned away by the amateur-style cover.  I was intrigued, however, when the hype drove me to read a sample of it.  I was impressed by how there was an immediate sense of character and that allowed the also-immediate conflict to take effect.  Paired with Marie Lu's effortless writing style and propelled by a both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking plot, I never wanted the story to end.

Legend tells the story of two awesome main characters.  June, with her Holmesian-like logic but warm heart; and Day, the guy we girls would all like to run into on the streets.  I was pleased (and impressed) with how June, the government's prodigy, didn't come off as a cold-hearted anti-hero.  She had a heart -- a big heart -- that wasn't impervious to breaks.  The criminal Day reminded me a lot of Han from Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series, only Day doesn't have silver cuffs branded to his wrists. Mentally, I connected them because they're passionate, flirty, and street smart, and they always take care of their families.

The world of Legend was magnificently displayed.  Lu doesn't fall into the trap of having to explain how everything worlds.  By letting the world affect (or not affect) her characters in certain ways, she lets the world build seamlessly.  It's this showing and not telling that is so effective in creating the swaths of color into the world around the characters.  Sometimes it has a fantasy-like feel to it, and sometimes it feels more sci-fi or dystopian, giving it a well-rounded atmosphere.

What I was most impressed with from Legend was the way Lu built the story.  I understood what was at stake, I knew the risks, and I felt each obstacle resonate within the characters.  It was a story that built stakes like kindling for a fire -- they pushed the characters; they didn't come at a conveniently inconvenient time.  At every turn, I would mutter, "What are they going to do now?" or "How are they going to get out of that?"  The plot was tightly compacted: nothing was wasted, but there are threads to be continued in other books.

So while there were predictable places, it was the moments that took me by surprise that defined my liking for Legend.  With it's fantasy/sci-fi like world and lovable characters, Legend should be a book to get on your shelf.  I'm glad it's on mine.

Quotes

I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine. (p. 45)

“I don't know if anyone's ever told you this", he begins. He doesn't blush, and his eyes don't dart away. Instead I find myself starring into a pair of oceans - one perfect, the other blemished by that tiny ripple. "You're very attractive."

I've been complimented on my appearance before. But never in his tone of voice. Of all the things he's said, I don't know why this catches me off guard. But it startles me so much that without thinking I blurt out, "I could say the same about you." I pause. "In case you didn't know."

A slow grin spreads across his face. "Oh, trust me. I know.” (p. 137)

Book Info

• pages - hardcover, 305
• published - November 2011
• publisher - Putnam Juvenile
• genre - sci-fi
• received via - Half-Price Books :)
• rating - 5/5
• series - Legend
• Legend
• Prodigy
• Untitled #3

Review: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

My first experience with Jackson Pearce's work came many, many years ago with her novel, As You Wish.  As a know-it-all fourteen-year-old, I wasn't that impressed and I never finished it.  It was too short and too kiddy for the likes of me.  Now, after having read Sisters Red, Sweetly, and now Fathomless, I'm intensely curious about that first book I picked up.  I have had my mind blown -- yet again -- by Jackson Pearce's amazingly creative talent for capturing a breathtaking story within three hundred pages.

Like Sweetly, Fathomless kept me up way past my bedtime.  I couldn't let go of Celia and Lo's story, or the world of ocean girls and power triplets.  In retrospect, I'm amazed at how much atmosphere was packed in with the plot and character development.  Almost as if those aspects were fused together, and not separate things.  Short books don't generally appeal to me because they're like a single inch of a foot long idea: they don't reach their full potential.  Jackson Pearce defies this idea.  She establishes atmosphere, character and plot very compactly -- not "quickly," as if she rushes it, but "compactly."  She doesn't waste words.

My sisters love this place.

It smells like sand and cigarettes and cotton candy, like sunscreen and salt.  The scent builds up all summer, and now, at the height of tourist season, it's so thick that I think I could wave an empty bottle around and it would fill with liquid perfume.

She also doesn't fall back on the typical, well-worn templates that lazy writers use.  Jackson Pearce got deep into the characters' minds and strung out every flaw and imperfection that made them human, or inhuman, as the case may be.  I loved the psychological battles that raged between Celia and Lo, as well as Celia and her sisters.  Celia and Lo each had their own motivations -- Lo fought with being human, Celia fought with her power; Celia was one of a triplet, but the odd one out -- and their internal battles inherently affected their relationship.  Those aspects drew me in the most.  They mimicked the same kind of undercurrents that run underneath everyday conversations and interactions.  So even though Celia can read someone's past and Lo is a creature of the deep, the relationships they had with their family and friends bore the same complications and intricacies of real-life situations.

I liked how the romance both did and did not take center stage.  The romance between Celia and Jude was sweet and well-developed without being the main purpose of the story.  The romance, however, was practically the driving force of the plot.  Had there been no Jude, the ending would've fallen apart.  I liked this duality because it's not something I've seen often, and Jackson Pearce pulled it off extremely well by focusing attention on the ups and downs of the plot.

I loved how Jackson Pearce went in and owned this story.  I was pulled in from page one and I couldn't stop thinking about the story until I finally finished it.  I think this story would fit anyone's interests, whether you like contemporary fiction or paranormal romances, even if you don't like mermaid stories (because it's just enough of a mermaid story to appeal to those who loved The Little Mermaid and just unique enough to suit those who didn't.)

Quotes

When it rains, it's beautiful under the water.  It's like the sky and the ocean and the clouds are all connected as we lie on the deck of the Glasgow and stare up at the waves that rock far above us.  They look dangerous even in a small rainstorm like this.  They look beautiful.  They remind us that the ocean isn't something we've tamed, just because we're a part of it. (p. 106)

My name is Lo.  I have dozens of sisters.  I live underwater.  My feet bleed when I walk on land, but I know beauty under the waves better than any human.  I used to be a girl, but now I am this. (p. 264)

Book Info

• pages - hardcover, 304 
• published - September 2012
• publisher - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• genre - fantasy
• received via - Barnes & Noble
• rating - 5/5
• series - Fairytale Retellings
• Sisters Red
• Sweetly
• Fathomless

Review: Path of Needles

Title & Author~ Path of Needles by Hannah Kollef

Publishing Type~ Self-published on October 12th, 2012

Reason for Reading~ Received in e-book format for review.   

Where to Purchase It~ ♦ Amazon ♦ 

Summary~ When 17-year-old Kat Finnegan is warned in a Brooklyn alleyway that her father is going to disappear, she shrugs and walks away. The next morning her father is gone--leaving behind a booby-trapped apartment and a mystery that has slept for a thousand years.

To get him back, Kat and her twin brother Roger will have to unravel the secrets behind the Rose Queen--the fairy queen who ripped apart reality and stitched it back together, transforming the Fey into the memories known as fairy tales. They will also have to come to grips with their emerging powers and discover why they are known to the magical world as "The Truth" and "The Lie."

Hunted by demons and treacherous Fey, Kat and Roger follow the Queen's trail from Manhattan to Newark. But neither the Queen nor her curse is what they expected, and more is at stake than their father's life--and theirs.

Path of Needles is the explosive first book in the Paths series: urban fantasies littered with deadly fairy tales, tangled romance, and heartbreaking betrayals.

On Characters~ Path of Needles was full of strong, well-developed characters. Take our MC, for example, Miss Kat Finnegan. She is relentless to help people--she's sarcastic, too, which many people these days can relate to (*cough* me *cough*). Jim and Roger were both equally important, too. These three characters are the type you won't forget about.

On Writing Style~ Kollef's writing style is overly descriptive. If anything, it's filled with more dialogue than description. Even if there a lot of talking between characters, she doesn't avoid painting portraits with words on things like the setting, the magical world Kat is sucked into, and more. Her words are beautiful. (It's like those creepy things from Harry Potter #3, the ones who suck up your fear--what are their names again?--only Kollef sucks away your breath because her fluid writing is astunding. Actually, that was a really bad example. And it doesn't help I can't think of those creepy things names. *headdesk*)

On Fantasy Element~ Like I said in my introduction, I'm not a super big fantasy fan because fantastical worlds never make sense to me. Either the author doesn't include enough information, or there is too much info in a few short pages. (GET YOUR WORD VOMIT AWAY FROM ME, BEAST!!) Kollef, I think, was in the not-enough section, but to be honest... I'm not certain of it because I couldn't fully wrap my head around this world Kat's brought into. I had to go back and reread. But maybe that's because I'm stupid. Heck, you'll probably understand it better than me. Don't let me dissuade you from reading it.

On Everything Else~ The ending was just asdfghjkl; THERE ARE NO WORDS FOR THE MADNESS. I AM IN LOVE AND HEARTBROKEN. (*sings* When you're dreaming with a broken heart...) *cue Regina George* I just can't... whatever. (You Mean Girls lovers will understand the previous sentence.)

All in All~ Kollef created a beautiful book. Although I didn't full comprehend the fantasy world, I still adored it. You! People of earth! Go read it! I gave you the Amazon link, didn't I? *wags finger* Yes, I did. Now, go read. It's very cheap. (The price, I mean.)

4/5 stars.

Review: Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Book: Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Pages: 384
Source: Bought
Spoiler Free: Yes

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

I've been waiting this book for over a month! The minute it came out, I rushed to B&N (Barnes and Noble) as soon as I could.

I really liked this book (shall I say love?) but I set my expectations a little too high. I read rave reviews about this book, all good. So, unfortunately, not all my expectations were met. However, it didn't stop me from really enjoying this book.

The prose was smooth and easy to follow. I liked the narration, as it was told through third person but through Bridget's point of view. Speaking of narration, I love Bridget. Bridget was a refreshing change in the seas of whiny heroines in the YA genre. She speaks her own mind, and doesn't give in so easily. I especially love her colorful, sarcastic language, it makes her own individual. She also doesn't give in to the tempting lures of the adorable Matt Quinn. I got to give props to Gretchen to making such a swoon-able character!

The romance in this book was great. I love how Bridget doesn't succumb to Matt at first, not like the regular girls who give in to a dreamy guy. She built up a hard shell and slowly shed it as she trusted Matt. Nothing screams better about this than "well developed relationship"!

All the possessions and exorcisms throughout the book weren't exciting as I hoped it would be. Maybe because I didn't read the book at night, but it definitely was not boring. Gretchen spun such creepy descriptions in each of the exorcisms, each of which left a grotesque image in my head. Actually, I think I'm glad now that I didn't read this when it was dark...

It was really interesting to see who was the bad guy in this book. Gretchen kept leading me to a door that suspected one person, that lead to another door that suspected another person! It was totally mind blowing to see who was the true villain.

The ending did pretty much wrap things up, leaving enough space for a sequel although I'm not sure if there will be one. It would be nice if there was.

In all, Possess was fast paced and addicting. The snarky, awesome heroine with her hunky sidekick and the trials she faces were just so fun to read! I can't wait to read what else Gretchen has in store for her readers, because she's just an amazing writer!

Rating: 4.7 Stars

Cover Love? YES! I'm a huge fan of the color blue. The girl on the cover is super pretty too.

Recommend It? If you'd enjoy horror/suspense paranormal with romance, this YA book is for you!

Review: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Book: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
Pages: 324
Source: Bought
Spoiler Free: Yes

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

 And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

  
Falling Under drew me in from the moment I saw its enticing cover and  read its intriguing summary. Did it disappoint? Yeeahhh--- no. It was hella awesome. I really wish I had gotten to this book sooner. I put it off (perhaps a month or so) ever since I bought it and I regret doing so! Where do I start with this review? I'm finding it a bit hard to express how I felt about this book.

Well, let's start with the characters.

Theia is a so-so character for me. She's practically the epitome of innocence and naivety. She was raised in a "sheltered life", thanks to her father, leaving her little to taste as to what life's dangers and joys truly are. I love how she's so innocent, yet I cringe with annoyance when she makes really dumb decisions. Then again, it's not really her fault.

I love Haden. My heart breaks and aches for him! I really hate how these boys don't exist in real life *sigh* He's not really a badass, like most boys nowadays, but he just has this sweet, adorable quality with a razor sharp edge to it. I especially lovelovelove the way Gwen describes him and his cute little outfits both in Theia's dreams and in real life.

The plot was a bit Twilight, Alice in Wonderland reminiscent. Predictable, yet totally quirky and fun. I love all the twists in this book, as well as the Haden and Theia encounters. The electricity and tension between them just bounces off the pages, which only made my heart beat just slightly faster.

One of my favorite things in this book was the world of Under. I'm a sucker for anything like new worlds ranging from the Nevernever (The Iron Fey trilogy) to mythology galore (The Mephisto Covenant, for one). The way Gwen describes Under is just... amazing. Under is kind of like Wonderland but with a gothic feel. I enjoyed all the descriptions of its ghoulish inhabitants to the landscape itself.

The ending was solid, not a gigantic cliff hanger, but it leaves room for a sequel (which there will be! Dreaming Awake comes out in January 2012)

In all, Falling Under intoxicated me with the world of Under with Gwen's smooth prose and her loveable characters. This book was definitely a page turner, and I can't wait to find out what happens to Haden and Theia!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Cover Love: Um... yes! The black roses background as well as the beautiful girl in that stunning dress is to die for! I especially love the black roses and the role it plays in the book. It still makes my heart go crazy!

 

Would I recommend this? YES! This book was so addicting! I'm definitely going to read its sequel, Dreaming Awake.

Review: Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman

Book: Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
Pages: 292
Source: Review copy
Rating: 5 Stars
Spoiler Free: Yes

When high school junior Natalie - or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper - is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected - especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

Ever heard of a movie called "She's The Man" with  Amanda Bynes? I LOVED that movie. In a sentence, a girl cross-dresses and enters into an academy only for boys, and ends up with a really hot roommate. This totally sounds like the book, and in a way, it is! However, Jody weaves this wonderful story into something of her own.

The plot, I admit, is cliche. It was rather predictable, as it had the regular evil blonde Barbie bitch (Regina George, anyone?) and the friends who help the protagonist survive the wickedness of the bimbo and the other hardships the protagonists faces.

However, that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book. There are books that have original plots, something that keeps me guessing, but they were so boring! Nothing exciting happened in those books, blaah! This book was the exact opposite. What I would predict would come true but in a totally surprising yet hilarious way. It's fast paced, which I also loved. No second of this book was wasted in being tedious and dragging.

The characters were so loveable! I love the trio, Chloe, Darcy, and Natalie! They are complete opposites of each other yet they all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Natalie was my favorite! She reminds me of Emma Stone when she's acting in character mode, beautiful yet awkward! And boy oh boy, was Natalie awkward (in a good way though. What girl wouldn't be awkward if they were cross-dressing in an all guys' school?) Reading all the crazy antics she went through in being a guy was laugh out loud funny! Her character developed very nicely throughout the book, making me a happy camper. Emilio is swoon-worthy, enough said. It was nice to take a break from the regular bad boys.

The ending was delightful. Everything wrapped up quite nicely.

All I can say is this was WOW! This book was pure fun sauce, and I can't wait to read Jody's upcoming (hopefully) novels such as this one.

Cover Love: Yes! Yes!! YES!!! I totally love everything about it. The big eyes, the mustache, the title font! This girl is exactly what I pictured Natalie like.

  

Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Book: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Pages: 489
Source: Gift
Rating: 4.7 Stars
Spoiler Free: Yes, but summary isn't.

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

But Rose can't forget what she learned on her journey—whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what—and who—matters most to her. In the end, is true love really worth the price?

Fall in love with Rose and Dimitri all over again in Spirit Bound, the eagerly awaited fifth novel in Richelle Mead's enthralling Vampire Academy series.

Okay, WOW. What I have not said about these series that I haven't yet? Oh, I know. It's super freakin' awesome. I didn't like Blood Promise as much as I had hoped for, so I was expecting Spirit Bound would be a lot better. And boy, oh boy, it was.

Spirit Bound, the second to last installment, was seriously epic. The plot was addictive and jaw dropping, most of the characters were their awesome selves, the prose is very fluid, and the ending leaves enough questions for a cliffhanger! Why, oh why, must Richelle make these cliffhangers? She's killing me here! My only problem with this book was Rose. She wasn't very likeable in this book, and I can't explain without spoiling the book.

Anyways, just read Spirit Bound or even begin the series if you haven't already. It's seriously good.

 Cover Thoughts: I really like this cover! It's really gorgeous. I think it fits with the plot, in a way. My parents didn't approve as they thought I was reading a romance novel. Oh dear.

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Book: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Pages: 390
Source: Bought with my own money
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Spoiler Free: Yes but summary isn't (But warning: there's a rant ahead)

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

 Mockingjay is the final book in this exciting, suspenseful, and heart pounding trilogy. Unfortunately for me, Mockingjay was hardly any of the three. 

I'm just... disappointed. I thought Mockingjay would be the epic finale to all this madness, wrapping up all its loose ends, but it wasn't. My main problems in this book was Katniss and her love triangle which is a fail, how there wasn't any closure on the deaths that happened throughout the book, and how the action was really boring.

The love triangle had been built up to receive a final verdict as to who Katniss will be with as of her own accord, and the biggest point in this triangle is that Katniss didn't really get to choose. Her buddy boy was chosen for her! Mega UGH. The no closure on the deaths really upsetted me the most. Suzanne might as well have said, "______ dies." None of these deaths were tear-jerking or heart-breaking or even memorable, which really disappointed me because some of them were my favorite characters! 

One of the things that kept me going throughout the book was the writing. It's as amazingly fluid and addictive as ever. I applaud Suzanne for having mad writing skills; it's also one of the things that kept me going when I was reading HG and CF! 

The plot is really good. I think the whole plot of the book is the best way to end the trilogy. In my opinion, the only problem was that it was poorly presented. Instead of getting a nice epic-filled, action-packed package of awesome, I got something messy that I'm not even sure it's worthy enough to be deemed "the thrill-packed final installment".

The epilogue (or should I say "ending"? I'm not sure which to say) wrapped up beautifully. I don't want to say anything else in fear of spoiling. The final chapters leading up to this epilogue were in a lack of better words, a little less than decent. Katniss is just moping (which I don't blame her for, I'd be moping too) and at parts, I did feel for her, and at others, I didn't. I'm really mad that they didn't include or provide closure to a certain character at the end. Once again, Suzanne might as well have said, "_____ is living somewhere else."

In all, the Hunger Games trilogy is definitely an exciting read, but instead of the sequels getting better over time, they deteriorated. THG was awesome sauce. CF was awesome, but not enough to be awesome sauce. As for MJ... what happened to the awesome? Seriously, I'd love to know.

Cover Thoughts: Eh. Nothing special.

Recommendations: Seriously, read it if you already read HG and CF. This book has many mixed opinions on Goodreads, but unfortunately, mine leaned towards the negative side.

When can I buy this book?: Now, actually! It's been out for a while and I bought my copy at Walmart.

Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Book: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Pages: 503
Source: Bought with my own money
Rating: 4.5 (4 and 1/2) Stars
Spoiler Free: No

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?  

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

 To read summary, highlight.

After finishing this book, I dare say, the first 300 pages could have been summarized in about 150-200 pages. It drabbled on for chapters and chapters about Rose and her journey to overcome any lingering feelings and hesitation for Dimitri, who's now a full-fledged Strigoi. I don't believe anything is wrong with that though. It's actually a key element in the story, I believe, but it would have been better if it just didn't drag on and on.

Anyways, after overcoming that problem while reading the book, it was smooth sailing. Rose is as cool and funny and kickass as ever, and Adrian has now grown a place in my heart. He's so adorable and swoon worthy, I really do hope he gets together with somebody soon! (And I don't mean a hook-up.) The plot was slow at first, but built up to a dramatic climax and ended with a nice little cliffhanger. Although this book has been my least favorite of the VA series, I really enjoyed the heart pounding moments as well as the twists and surprises.

Cover Thoughts: I love it! The girl in the picture is so pretty, and I love the way her face and neck is angled.

Recommendations: You should most definitely read this book if you have just finished SK (3rd VA book), or if you haven't read the series yet, go check it out! The VA series are awesome sauce. Speaking of which, come check out my spoiler free review on the first book, Vampire Academy.

When can I get it? It's been out for a while, and it's currently in both paperback and hardcover form.

Review: Clean by Amy Reed

Book: Clean by Amy Reed
Imprint: Simon Pulse
ISBN: 1-4424-1344-1
Pages: 288
Spoiler Free: Yes
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary: You’re probably wondering how I ended up here. I’m still wondering the same thing. Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva have one thing in common: They’re addicts. Addicts who have hit rock bottom and been stuck together in rehab to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. None of them wants to be there. None of them wants to confront the truths about their pasts. And they certainly don’t want to share their darkest secrets and most desperate fears with a room of strangers. But they’ll all have to deal with themselves and one another if they want to learn how to live. Because when you get that high, there’s nowhere to go but down, down, down.

A raw and powerful novel with fascinating yet deep characters, Amy Reed does not disappoint. Clean is a thoroughly enjoyable book, which I devoured within a day.

When I was reading this book, the way it was set up was one of my favorite aspects of it. The chapters divided up into "Drug & Alcohol History Questionnaire", "Group", "Personal Essay", and chapters written either in Christopher's or Kelly's perspective. It was really interesting to read each of the characters' back story, as each of the story they had to tell was genuine and real. I loved all the characters in this book, and how each of them developed throughout the novel. Each character was their own individual and unique.

The way Amy writes is really gorgeous. Her prose is very simple to understand, yet there's something I can't explain that draws me into it. The ending wrapped up quite nicely, much to my liking. After reading this book, I became an addict myself... an addict to Amy Reed! I'll be looking into reading her other novel, Beautiful, which sounds just as good as well.

I recommend this book to everyone who likes contemporary, realistic novels. It's very mature, so I'd suggest it for teens 16 and up because of the frequent cussing and such throughout the book. However, if you can handle reading these kinds of books and you're younger, then by all means, go ahead and read this book. You won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't.

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Pages: 374 pages
Source: Bought with my own money
Rating: 5 Stars
Spoiler Free: Yes

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games is a fast paced, engaging book with suspense bouncing off the pages that left my heart pounding and I couldn't control myself flipping the pages, as I wanted needed MORE. I started on page 1, and in an hour, I was already on page 136. I usually don't read that fast, seeing how slow of a reader I am. This just shows how addicting this book was. 

The writing was incredibly smooth and easy to read, not choppy at all. The plot was fast paced and left me breathless at some parts. The action, the adventure, every aspect was amazing. It's a definite page turner.

The characters are so awesome. Katniss is such a badass! She's amazing. She takes her sister's place in the Games, knowing it's practically sending yourself to death row, she's smart, she's not like "Ohmahgawsh, I'm scared *insert boy's name* save me!", and she knows how to defend herself. I also loved Peeta! Peeta was pretty much a mystery for me for like half the book, but still incredibly likeable. It's hard to understand what his true motives lie behind his actions, but I have an idea of what he's truly like. I can't wait to see how his character develops in the sequels.

I'll admit, the romance wasn't hot or anything of the sort. I couldn't tell whether it was a fabricated romance or if the relationship between Peeta and Katniss was real. It was definitely interesting though. Their relationship development throughout the book was thoroughly entertaining, and I was never bored at any time.


The ending wrapped up pretty good, in my opinion, with a small cliffhanger. I'll definitely get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Catching Fire, soon.

Have you guys read The Hunger Games? If so, did you like it or hate it? I'd love to know what you guys thought about this book as well. ^_^

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Spoiler Free Book Review

I bought this book with my own money. 

 Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

The words have been whited out due to spoilers. To read summary, highlight it.

I was at first a little scared to read this. It had been a year since I read The Iron King, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get into it just as I had before... Well, boy was I wrong!

The Iron Daughter did not disappoint at all. The cover is still as beautiful as it's predecessor, and the characters were just as enjoyable. Even if it has been a while since you read The Iron King, Julie makes no mistake as to fill you in on what has happened but not up to the point where Julie is drowning you with recaps of her previous novel. The world of the Nevernever never ceases to fascinate me. Julie Kagawa's splendid writing pulled me in, just as she had worked her magic (or shall we say glamour?) over me in the first book. The fighting scenes were absolutely exciting and my heart raced like there was no tomorrow. My heart did race for another reason though and one other reason only: romance. There are many heart wrenching, tear jerking moments as well as moments that make your heart beat so hard you're practically giggling and squealing like a little girl.

In all, the sequel was just as, in a lack of better words, amazing as the first one. It was extremely hard to put down and when I did have to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking, "What's going to happen next? Ahh, I need this book in my hands. NOW." I have high hopes for The Iron Queen. This book shall also go into a list of my all-time favorites.

Rating: 5 Stars+ ★★★★★+

How was my review? I shortened it a lot, and I didn't really get into details. Do you guys prefer short & sweet, long & detailed (like The Iron King), or perhaps something in the middle? Let me know~

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Spoiler FREE Book Review.

This book was won through a contest.

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart. 

I remember I had won a contest on the blogosphere (long ago before I had a blog) and I decided to order The Iron King. I wanted to change my order because I saw a way cooler book than TIK so I asked the nice blogger if she could change it. Unfortunately, the deed had already been done and she already ordered the book. I was, of course, disappointed. I didn't really want to read this book after I saw that cool looking book. Oh barnacles... In the end, I say, "Thank GOODNESS it was too late to change the order." To be honest, I was a little iffy at first, seeing how it was my first book about the Fey (Fae?). When I thought of fairies, I thought of the tooth fairy and leaning a little on Tinkerbell (but I'm pretty sure she's a pixie). How could I take a book seriously when a girl falls in love with a FAIRY?

Well enough rambling, time to get on with the review!

Now having read a few other books about the fey, I find it common to see the Summer and Winter Court, etc. etc. etc.... The one Julie Kagawa had created was simply magnificent. The Nevernever is such a beautiful world, I can't even begin to describe it. Julie has this way of just sucking you in like a vacuum to practically feel, see, and hear this wonderful land that she delivered to us. I'm beginning to feel that Julie has some magic powers... I mean, this writing is just gorgeous! It takes my breath away, from the fighting scenes to Puck's hilarious comments to the shocking twists to Meghan's and Ash's forbidden romance, what more can a girl ask for?

What totally kept me going was not just the breathtaking Nevernever, the fantastical characters, but Meghan's and Ash's doomed love. The romance scenes, I'll say, aren't hot and heavy. I like hot and heavy romances to be honest. It spices up the book! However, the brief romantic moments Ash and Meghan had were anything but boring. I could feel their emotions, wants, desires to be together through their small yet intimate interactions, knowing it's impossible for their love to ever become real.

Perhaps my review was a bit jumbled, but let me give it to you short and sweet --- I love this book to pieces. It's way too amazing, and it's a DEFINITE must read.

Rating: 5+ Stars ★★★★★+