The Iron King [BOOK REVIEW]

The Iron King
By: Julie Kagawa
Published: Feb. 1st, 2010
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Summary: 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 absolutely loved this book. I gotta say thought that it took a while for me to get into the story during the first 50 pages or so because it was totally not what I read from the summary. But once the adventure started, there was no way I was able to put it down. The book had so many different adventures with a variety of characters that was both terrifying yet interestiing to read about. There was a mix of faeries and goblins, trolls, and dragons and other worldly creatures like the Redcaps pixies and many more. The world building was terrifying yet beautiful once you read it.

The characters were great. I don't know why but I really like Grimalkin even though he kinda reminded me of the Cheshire cat and that cat absolutely terrified me. But slowly throughout the story, he started to grow on me and I didn't think of him as that evil. Meghan was also a great character because she is kinda different and she also doesn't get on my nerves at all. And Puck was a super funny character because he acted so carefree. Also, I don't really agree with what the summary says about the prince's "icy heart" because of what he decided to do towards the end of the book.

Overall, this book was super awesome, I would list this as my favorite, but I felt as if some characters were not really what I expected. Sort of. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an amazing adventure into the Nevernever with unexpected romance.

Heist Society [BOOK REVEIW]

Heist Society
By: Ally Carter
Published: Feb. 9th, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Summary: When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre . . . to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria . . . to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteens, she planned a con of her own - scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's priceless art collection has been stolen and he wants in returned. Only a master thief could have pulled off this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and, hopefully, just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's (very crooked) history - and with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

The characters in this story, to be truthful, were kinda confusing to understand. I don't know, maybe I'm just not that used to Ally Carter's writing style yet. But for some reason, sometimes I can understand what the characters are trying to convey and other times, I have absolutely no idea what they are trying to say to the reader. When I did understand, the characters were pretty enjoyable. I loved Kat's personality and what she is trying to do save her father and I absolutely love her spy abilities. There's also a lot of the other character like Hale who was cute but sometimes I felt like smacking him in the head for some reason. There was also Nick and others in her family that were awesome. They are definitely not the normal family you would find lounging in the park on a Sunday afternoon.

The overall plot was great. This is probably the first book that I have read that is about heists and a whole family of thieves and that was something totally fresh. It has the concept of traveling to different countries and such but it doesn't put that much emphasis on the specific places and that's understandable since it's about their plans and how they are going through with their heist. However, the plot didn't completely overwhelm me because I think I was expecting a little more from the idea of going through the different countries. It also had quite a few different twists and turns here and there which surprised me especially when new characters were introduced and the quick problems they had to face and endure.

The reason I did not give this a higher rating was because sometimes I just did not understand what the characters were trying to convey. Sometimes the feelings in the book felt too bland. But I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet romance, filled with adventure, thieves and heists.

EON [BOOK REVIEW]

EON
By: Alison Goodman
Published: August 31, 2010
Publisher: Firebird
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Summary: For years, Eon's life has been focussed on magical study and sword-work, with one goal: that he be chosen as a Dragoneye, an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; the penalty is death. When Eona's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a struggle for the Imperial throne. Eona must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic . . . and her life.

The characters were great. I noticed that there was a lot of relationship building and trust between all the characters which could easily be broken by a single lie. I think the trust that Eon had with his friends throughout the story was absolutely amazing because during that time period with the emperors and rulers and such, finding trust and loyalty with others is pretty rare. I also liked a lot of the side characters like Ryoko, Lady Dela, Rilla and Chart, and the Master and the other Dragoneyes that were siding with the Emperor. But I hated Lord Ido. He was absolutely evil and cunning and the ending was absolutely weird but in a good way. There were times were I would get pissed with how Eon thought of himself because even though she had a lot of pride, she always questioned herself especially with the end result of the ceremony. I mean she's got to have some faith in herself at least through the middle of the story.

I absolutely enjoyed this book but I did not fall in love with it because there was points where I kinda got annoyed with the main character but now that I finished the entire book, I understand why the plot was the way it was. This book appeared to have a lot of story building but I did like how the story jumped right into it. I was not bored at all in because most books would usually give like a general background and such and I really liked how this book was different. The plot also had a lot of mystery and twists and with a lot of action which was one of the best parts of the story. I also loved the mix of their traditions with the dragons and the connections that they would have. The plot was absolutely amazing.

I would recommend this book looking for a good book that's similar to some aspects of Mulan but not completely. Someone who enjoys twists of magic, and dragons, and action with adventure, then you should totally read this book. I actually wasn't disappointed that there was no romance in here. With the plot of this book, I think that it was OK that there was no romance. I absolutely cannot wait to read the sequel EONA. (:

Stargazer [BOOK REVIEW]

Stargazer [Sequel to Evernight]
By: Claudia Gray
Published: March 24, 2009
Publisher: Harper Teen
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Summary: Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one. But she has fallen in love with Lucas, a vampire hunter who infiltrated Evernight Academy, the exclusive vampire boarding school she attends. Bianca will do anything to be with Lucas, even if it means lying to powerful vampires of Evernight. Her deceit leads her to dig deep into the mysteries of the school, and Bianca discovers that even those she trusts the most have their own dark secrets. when a ghostly force begins attacking Evernight - and targeting Bianca - she learns a shocking truth about her past that will forever change her future.

Ok I seriously enjoyed this book a lot more then the second book. This one's got more action, and love tension and it was a lot more fast paced then the first one. The first one was OK, but it was a little boring. The one thing that I probably did not like about this book was how easily the paperback version could be damaged so easily. Like how the cover could bend really easily.

So the characters in this book had A LOT of character development from the first book and I actually really enjoyed that. we got to see more of Balthazar, and Raquel and how they grew from the first book. But all of this happened only because Lucas was out of the picture. But I actually like Lucas and Bianca together as a couple the most. With them separated in this book, it made them truly appreciate what it means to love and to endure for each other. Not a lot of books do that. even thought they were apart, they still had trust in each other even when they couldn't see each other everyday. Most books is just where one loses touch with the other for the entire story and they don't pop out until either the next book or at the end of the book. Balthazar was enjoyable to read and I learned a lot about Raquel's true life back at home and what happened that made her who she is.

The plot was also great. There was a lot of different twists and turns that I didn't expect especially about what Bianca discovered at the end. I think that Claudia Gray put a lot more thought into the plot of this book because it was great. I loved being able to see the traveling done between some of the characters. The introduction of new characters, new enemies, and new secrets brought this book to a whole new level. I absolutely cannot wait to read the third book, Hourglass. (:

I would recommend this book to people who like vampires  but it's not as cheesy as the Twilight series I think. And there's also a love triangle, and it has some action mixed in. It's not all bad.

She Said Yes [BOOK REVIEW]

She Said Yes The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall
By: Misty Bernall
Published: September 1, 2000
Publisher: Pocket Books Nonfiction
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Summary: She Said Yes is an "intense and fascinating memoir" of an ordinary teenager growing up in suburban Colorado, and faced - as all teenagers are - with difficult choices and pressures. It is only now, when the world knows Cassie Bernall as on the of Columbine High Students killed by two rampaging schoolmates, that the choices she made offer a profound relevance for us all. Once a rage-filled young woman who walked a path similar to that of her killers, Cassie found a way out of her personal snares and, through her faith and a family's love, chose to embrace life with courage and conviction.

I remember getting this book when I was super young because I heard that it had a great message and a touching story that should be read by everyone. But since I was so little, I could only get so far into the story before I got lost and decided to put it down. Now that I'm a little older, I picked this book up again, and I could finally finish what I started years ago. This story was truly touching. I was not able to put it down once I got into it. It showed the pressures of what teenagers were going through and how the choices they made affect who they became. After reading this story, I thought for a long while about how I was treating my parents and how it affected them considering that I am in my teen years and how my attitude and choices can really affect how they feel. This story was told from the perspective of Cassie's mom along with some of her family and friends thoughts. I think the purpose of this story is to spread the message to teens and parents about connecting with each other and communicating before a wall starts to build between them because once it does, it is hard for two people to truly reconnect again. this was shown throughout the story. But to truly understand the Cassie's story, you are going to have to read it for yourself.

Pariah Issue #3 [BOOK REVIEW]

Pariah Issue #3
By: Aron Warner
Published: September 2011
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Again, this issue is told from a different perspective of the first and second issue. I'm guessing the author is trying to get the perspectives of all the different vitros that reside in their world. This also takes place in the future with the narrator Robert Maudsley. He has the ability to make people do what he wants them to do because he basically controls them "psychologically". All he needs to do is to figure out what makes them happy or gives them a happy emotion. I think that's a pretty awesome ability. But its also dangerous because he can also make them do dangerous things like convince them to rob a bank. He believes that he has the ability to control the world is he had the chance but he's too lazy to do any of that stuff. There are also people out on the hunt for him because he's a vitro. This issue was different from the first two issues because it was more on observing how the people would react psychologically.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a paranormal or psychological twist to society and what it can do to someone.

Pariah Issue #2 [BOOK REVIEW]

Pariah Issue #2
By: Aron Warner
Published: August 2011
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Well this second issue was a little better then the first.  I think that that's because it gave a little back-story as well into what actually happened. To be truthful, I was kinda surprised to see how the story didn't continue from the same perspective of Brent Marks from the first issue, but I guess this works too. It was also cool to see this from the perspective of a girl and one also controlling the entire pack of people when they were in trouble. The girl is called, Lila Ellerman. She was known as a genius vitro because she worked with government corporations in labs. I'm not really sure was her real job but they were experimenting different things and trying to find a working technique. And also since this issue is told from a girl's perspective, it had a touch of romance in there but it wasn't all that amazing. I'm not complaining about it, just saying it had a touch of it.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for paranormal stories with a touch of romance, and all out war between two different groups of people.

Pariah Issue #1 [BOOK REVIEW]

Pariah Issue #1
By: Aron Warner
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Ok. So this isn't like a normal stand alone book, it's more of a comic. To be honest, this book was only OK for me, because it was kinda confusing, especially in the beginning, I kept on having to re-read specific parts a couple of times, just so I could understand what they were trying to say to the reader. The story takes place in the future where some people are called "vitros". The first issue talks about a boy named Brent Marks and he is obviously a vitro. A virtro is basically someone with enhanced abilities which makes them smarter. Most of these vitros are wanted because they are known to bring "unnecessary things" into the human world. Brent is able to create things and he spends most of his time in his room doing just that. He wants to show the world what he can do and the benefits of the creation but like most people, he is ignored with his creations.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for any supernatural beings in a futuristic world. And, it's also a pretty quick read.

The Lost Saint [BOOK REVIEW]

The Lost Saint (2nd Book)
By: Bree Despain
Published: December 28, 2010
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Summary: Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process. Desperate to fine Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one. Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.


The characters were always kind of going at a steady pace. I didn't see any major character development in the story. But the characters were still good. I can't really say that Grace annoyed me cause most of the time, she didn't. I thought that Daniel was kinda annoying because all he ever did was hide things throughout the book. It got to a point where I didn't even care anymore because Talbot filled in the empty spots of where he was supposed to be. I think I liked Taylor's character the most. And Jude annoyed me. He was always acting so mysteriously throughout the book, I couldn't really know what was on his mind. And April! I'm so glad that she got mentioned a whole lot in this book. She wasn't much but she did a good break from all the paranormal guys throughout the story.

The plot was great. I didn't get bored of it all. I just got annoyed at some parts when it didn't really go the way that I wanted it to, but the ending was OK. There were some fighting scenes that was sprinkled in here and there and with some love tension between specific people. Also the had new terminology of the different species like Gelals, and Akhs, which I thought was interesting. Everything in this book was pretty unexpected especially the end.I'm just hoping that the thing that did happen doesn't stay that way. I won't say that this is my favorite wolf book, because it didn't really catch on me after I finished it.

I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for paranormal romance, and wolves, and with some action. This is the second installment to The Dark Divine.

Silence [BOOK REVIEW]

Silence (3rd Installment)
By: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: October 4, 2011Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Summary: When silence is all that's left, can the truth finally be told? Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tries to get her life back on track. Go to school, hand out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge her mom's creepy boy friend. But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows. And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing. Then Nora crosses path with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers . . . and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.

The characters are once so much better compared to that of Crescendo. I mean, Nora did not piss me off in this book and that was one thing that I got worried about when I started reading this book. She's still very irrational and she does alot of things without thinking about the consequences, but I guess after reading about her in two books, I kinda get that that is part of her personality and it would suck if she didn't have that trait. Then it would make the book kinda boring. And wow, Jev was totally unexpected. I didn't think of him as the person I thought him to be but you kinda get the hints, halfway through the story. He was very dark and mysterious and kinda pretty much the same. And he still cares about Nora, no matter what she decides to do. That was probably the sweetest part.And Vee. I thought that Vee wasn't mentioned as much and I don't know, it felt like she changed somehow, but I'm not sure how or what, but her character feels a little different.

The plot was absolutely amazing! I loved how there was a lot of dark elements, a lot of fighting and some action parts, and the idea of fallen angels against Nephilim. This story kinda plots together why things happened the way they did in the first and second book. The plot had so many different twists and turns that it kept me hooked. And I regret not reading this book at night cause I read the first half in the afternoon. But the perfect atmosphere would be at night while it was raining. Hahas. I also loved the bits of mystery parts mixed in. I wish that this book lasted longer because it was really good and I think that this is definitely going to be on my favorites list.

I really don't know why so many people are bashing this book just because of what they read in Crescendo and how Nora was so annoying, because I truly enjoyed this book. I'm just hoping that the fourth book comes out to be even better! That would be super awesome! Anyways I would recommend this book to anyone looking for paranormal romance, fallen angels, and a lot of the super-dark-elements that I enjoyed the most.

Birthmarked [BOOK REVIEW]

Birthmarked
By: Caragh M. O'Brien
Published: March 30, 2010
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Summary: In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and faher are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

The plot was very well thought out. It took place in a society where some of the poor people were living on the outside of the wall, and if you were one the the first 3 babies of each month to be born, then you would get to live on the inside of the wall. But then you wouldn't know about your parents anymore because you weren't allowed to meet any of the outside families once you were in. The story had a mix mystery and some "edge of the seat" parts cause you wouldn't know if this was going to happen or what's going to happen to them. I just wish that sometimes throughout the story, the Enclave wasn't so uptight about specific things and I think that was the part that annoyed me the most.


The characters were awesome. I absolutely loved Gaia's character. She was well developed and I think she was one of the most beautiful characters in the entire story. (Not physically, but on the inside). Even though she had a scar on her face, she didn't think about it that often. Not to say that she was outgoing and a confident person. But she was still very kind and she didn't show hatred towards the people that pitied her. Leon was also great. He had alot of character development throughout the story. He comes of as a very stoic person in the beginning but he slowly grows on you. And there are alot of other great characters like Gaia's parents, and the Enclave, which I hated because they are just evil and they seem so much more like stalkers.


I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great dystopian/well-thought-out romance/mystery read.

SPOILER ALERT!

Towards the end of the book, it felt as if the concept of this book was very similar to that of Delirium's if you've read that one as well because of the "inside" group and "outside" group. And especially with the cliffhanger and what Leon did, it was exactly like what Alex did in Delirium, just in different story lines.

Storm Born Chapters 1-3 [Book Review]

Storm Born Chapters 1-3
By: Richelle Mead
Published: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Here's the summary from my point of view:
So the basic plot line of this book starts with a girl named Eugenie Markham and most people call her Odile from the Dark Swan. (There's a significance to her name). Her job is to send "spirits" or creatures back to the otherworld. And due to some prophecy, her name has been spread around the other world where it has made her the most popular bachelorette. That sends her into fighting unnecessary creatures all the time.

There wasn't a wide variety of characters in the first three chapters, so I hope that it's going to improve. However, Eugenie is a great main character. I love how she is such a strong female heroine because there isn't that much out there. There's also her mom and her dad and her dad is really carefree but that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about Eugenie. There was also Kiyo and I was not expecting him to be what he was. And also her helpers but they were also creatures. But I loved those characters. Volusian looked the most evil but I don't know, I think there's more to him then his goal of going free. Theres also other creatures that are the "evil-doers". But the seemed only ok to me because they didn't have the killing vibe in them and I think that's because they just want to "do" Eugenie.

The plot was great. There wasn't alot of story building, more like an introduction to the character of Eugenie and what she does, but I think that will improve in the next couple of books. There was also alot of action and fighting being done here and there and that was just the first 3 chapters so I can't wait to continue the series.

I'm kinda excited to find out what happens next because after the 3rd chapter, it left me on a big cliffhanger. I would also recommend this book to anyone looking for a strong female heroin, crazy-underworld-creatures, and fighting or action.

I received this from the publishing company (Sea Lion Books) to do a review, so thank you! I really enjoyed this series. (:

Fixing Delilah [Book Review]

Fixing Delilah
By: Sarah Ockler
Published: December 1, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Finished On: September 24, 2011

Summary: Things in Delilah Hannaford’s life have a tendency to fall apart. She used to be a good student, but she can’t seem to keep it together anymore. Her “boyfriend” isn’t much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems is a Hannaford tradition. Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family’s painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Everyone knows that it’s impossible to find a perfect family and it’s OK to not have one and this book portrays that concept beautifully. I loved this book. It definitely deserves a 5 star rating but I can’t say that it’s one of my favorite books. It brought out many different emotions going from confusion, sadness to happiness and from angry to crying. It was filled with emotion that anyone can relate to especially in Delilah’s life. This book did not have any boring moments at all. I was able to read this book at a reasonable pace without having to put it down for a long time just because it was boring. And there was also many quotes that were amazing.

The characters of the book were written very realistically. it felt as if I could see these people living in my world. There was a lot of character development from Delilah and her mother because they both learn to face their past and the secrets and problems that her mother has kept hidden. Delilah and Patrick were great characters and all but in the middle I found them to be a little annoying when they were together but I think that was because of their stubbornness. Emily was super nice and sweet and I never expected the secret that she spilled.

The plot was great and the secrets and relationships between all the characters developed slowly. The ending was good but somewhere between the middle and the end of the story made me cry. That was totally epic and unexpected. I think that Sarah Ockler did a great job in writing all of the characters and we were able to get a lot of them in just one book. Not a lot of authors are able to do it in one book. Though I did with that “CC” showed up in the story because I felt he was a pretty vague character but he had a huge impact in the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for quick, heartbreak to heartwarming summer read (even though summer is over), and also to anyone looking for romance and family issues. This book teaches a great lesson: Family. It’s not always a perfect fit.

The Maze Runner [Book Review]

The Maze Runner
By: James Dashner
Publication: October 6, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4/5 Stars.
Finished on: September 17, 2011

Summary: When Thomas wakes up in the life, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to eh Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as  long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the Maze after dark. The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival.

There were a lot of Gladers in the story but there were only a couple of main ones. Thomas was or is the bravest of them all because of the actions that he chooses to do for others. I also like Minho, Newt, and Alby but I didn’t like how they were always keeping so many secrets in the beginning of the story. It got to the point where I was so bored because there was no “new” information that kept me interested. And I felt so sad for what happened to Alby and Chuck. Chuck was probably my most favorite character. His ramblings even though they were stuck in the maze seemed like he was a normal kid trying to make conversations.

The overall plot was amazing. I just wished that they would have release little by little info throughout the beginning, and middle of the story because it was just really slow for me in the beginning. I think according to most people, it would be considered a “reasonable pace” but I like books where it just grabs me into the whole story. Or it was probably because I had my hopes too high since many people said it was super good. However, after you get through the beginning, the rest of it is just awesome.

My only problem was the pacing in the beginning of the book. But this book had a lot of thrillers, and fighting and action and scary monsters, and killing, so if you like those things, go for it! xD

Divergent [Book Review]

Divergent
By: Veronica Roth
Published: May 3,2011
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Finished on: September 6, 2011

Summary: In Beatrice Prior’s Dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful) and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chose. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves … or it might destroy her.

Ok so I had to put this book a couple of times before I actually gave it the chance of being a good book because the first time I picked it up, I couldn’t even get through the 1st paragraph. But truly, this book is super good and I never thought that the plot would be what it is. (: I’m giving this a 5 stars <3

The plot of this book was absolutely amazing because it kept me interested enough to keep on turning the pages and onto the next chapter. There was never a dull moment in the story. There are always new twists and turns and there were probably only a couple of predictable parts but other than that, it was great.
The characters were amazing as well. I really do believe that when Tris is selfless, that that is when she is the bravest otherwise, she wouldn’t fall into the selfless factor. And oh my gosh … I loved Four’s character. He comes off as mysterious because he only lets certain people see who he really is and there are also secrets that he hides (you have to find that out for yourself. Sometimes when Four comes out I, I thought that it was the number four and not that name which confused me only in the first couple chapters. But you get used to it really quickly. And I felt soooo sorry for Al. I felt like crying when Tris did what she did before he’s … you know. And also Will and Christina, I wonder how Christina is going to react in the end. And Peter! He’s your typical annoying-bad-boy and I don’t like him. But yes.

And the romance tension in this book was awesome but I don’t wanna say who it was because I was spoiled with that. I really want to read the 2nd book now.

I would recommend this book to anyone that liked the Hunger games, and also anyone that likes dystopian with a mix of romance that just cranks up the entire story.

Stolen: A Letter to my Captor [Book Review]

Stolen: A Letter To My Captor
By: Lucy Christopher
Published: May 4, 2009
Publisher: Chicken House Ltd
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Finished on: August 29, 2011

Summary: A Girl: Gemma, at the airport, on her way to a family vacation. A guy: Ty, rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar, eyes blue as ice. She steps away. For just a second. He pays for her drink. And drugs it. He takes her, before she even knows what’s happening. To sand and heat. To emptiness and isolation. To nowhere. And expects her to love him. Written as a letter from a victim to her captor, this is Gemma’s desperate story of survival. Ty has stolen her body. Against every instinct screaming inside her, will he also steal Gemma’s heart?

I think this book deserves a 4/5 stars. i don’t know cause I feel like the ending could have ended differently but I’m also satisfied with the ending.

OK. so I love Lucy Christopher’s writing style of putting it into first person and also into a kind of letter which made it really easy to connect with the main character which was Gemma. Only Gemma always said “you” instead of “Ty” which I thought got confusing sometimes. But you get used to it after a couple of pages.

The characters were amazing. I actually really loved Ty’s character because throughout the story, you slowly get to understand his background and where he comes from and why he does the things he did. It’s not like other stories where they pour everything into the last 20 pages. He spills a little about himself throughout the story so you won’t get bored easily. Gemma’s character was understandable because I think if I was in her situation, I would have probably done the same thing. And her choice at the end of the book, wasn’t what I would have expected but it’s a really “mature” choice and she does have a lot of growth development throughout the story.

The plot went at a reasonable pace where it kept me interested because most books get me bored easily in the beginning probably because of the story building. But this book started with a great beginning and finished with a great ending. I also love the concept of it taking place in Australia but I didn’t feel the vibe, probably because it was in a desert.

But I would recommend this book to people that are find with the concept of kidnapping and with a little bit of romance in it.

Fire [Book Review]

Fire
By: Kristen Cashore
Published: September 24, 2009
Publisher: Gollancz
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Finished on: August 26, 2011

Summary: She has been hidden away. Now she is choosing to use her power. It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. Young King Nash clings to the throne, while rebel lords, in the north and south, build armies to unseat him. War is coming. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose startling appearance is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her. Everyone … except Prince Brigan.

I’m giving this book a 4/5 stars. I liked it, but not to the point of totally loving it. (:
Kristin Cashore’s writing style is very different from any other book that I’ve read and it showed much more in Fire then in Graceling. Or maybe it’s just because I don’t read other books that contain these elements: like pregnancy and prevention. I’ve never read books that contain these unless it’s school related books but I’m not complaining that it’s bad either.

The plot was kinda slow for me in the beginning. But it’s got nice adventure scenes and some love tension between some characters which was nice. It took me like 200 pages before I got totally engrossed, but I loved how it ended <3 It was way better than the ending for Graceling. xD

The characters were awesome, and for some reason, Brigan reminded me of this one disney character’s personality but I can’t remember who. Once you get towards the middle of the story, there’s an introduction of multiple different characters and I enjoyed all of them. I thought that it was funny to read about how Nash tries not to show his affection but he tries so hard and that’s pretty admirable considering Fire’s position. And I also loved how I got to know more about Leck and his past.

To be truthful, I enjoyed Graceling much more than Fire. I think it’s because Graceling was so good in my opinion, I had such high expectations for Fire that it didn’t just cut it for me. And the book I got had many different review in the inside flap and one mentioned that it was going to be a “memorable love story” and I love romance in my books, but their connection didn’t cut it for me. It was good but not compared to what was written about them. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it.

I don’t know if it’s just me and that I’m not paying close enough attention but I got confused throughout the story quite a lot of times. But I think that this book had some unanswered questions that I didn’t get. I hope that it all ends well with the final book (:

13 Little Blue Envelpes [Book Review]

13 Little Blue Envelopes
By: Maureen Johnson
Published: October 1, 2006
Publisher: Harper Teen
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Summary: Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket. In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat. The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist. Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/bloke-about-town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous-though utterly romantic-results. But will she ever see him again? Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the13 little blue envelopes.
The plot was simple but ????????

In my opinion, I love how the plot revolved around traveling around Europe but sometimes, I just didn’t get the visual imagery or maybe it’s just me cause sometimes when I read the description of all the different places mentioned I just get kinda bored. I know that there are other people out there that mentioned that they loved this book especially the concept of traveling, and yes it mentions a lot of the different cities in Europe. I think that I liked Amsterdam the best though.

The characters? … . I don’t really know, they had their own personality and to be quite honest, most of the time, my favorite characters are usually main characters but this time, I liked Mari the best. xD Her personality showed alot more in the story than anyone else besides Ginny’s aunt. Keith wasn’t “bad” either but he was kinda similar to Ginny and considering that he was the love interest of the story, he didn’t pop up that often which kinda sucked.

The one think that I really really really really really didn’t enjoy was the connection between Ginny and Keith. To be honest, I didn’t feel anything between them during the story. I thought that her love interest was really supposed to be a “starving artist” but I didn’t figure that out until something happened between them and I was like “what??” Seriously, there was like ZILCH, NADA, NOTHING between them and then on one page, she’s like, “I think I like him”. Other than that, it was a pretty relaxing read.

I don’t really remember it that well cause I finished it a while back but the main things are the important facts. OH! and I wish that the pictures that they described were actually real! the painted pictures mentioned seemed so realistic I wish I could see the real details and colors in real life. The funny thing was that I read this while traveling, but I was traveling to a national park which kinda defeats the point of Europe but at least I got the traveling part.

Finished on: August 23, 2011

- James (Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater)

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception [Book Review]

Lament The Faerie Queen's Deception (Book 1)
By: Maggie Stiefvater
Publication: October 1, 2008
Publisher: Flux
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Summary: Sixteen year old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She’s about to find out she’s also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy names Luke who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his increase in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie name Aodhan shows up with a deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren’t so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn’t exactly what she had in mind.

The plot was great also because it kept me interested and reading till the end just to know what will happen with Deirdre and Luke. Earlier I thought that this book was going to be similar to the Iron King’s settings (which I have not read yet but I heard that Megan was brought to a fairy world) but everything took place in her own town.

The characters were awesome as well. But then it felt as if the villains were only doing an OK job. Usually I would be screaming at the book because of the evildoing’s but I didn’t have that much of a reaction on this book. Deirdre didn’t get on my nerves at all and Luke was trying to be mysterious, if you know what I mean. James was probably the funny character because everything he mentioned had a joke to it.

This was an awesome read. I went at a reasonably fast pace. At first, I was skeptical to actually read this at all because it seemed very vague and I didn’t expect to love this book either at all. Surely enough, it wasn’t what I had expected it to be at all. It’s got romance, with a mix of mystery in it as well which I loved. This is the second book that I have read from Maggie Stiefvater and I definitely enjoyed this a lot more than Shiver.

The reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars was because there were specific parts in the story that I felt they didn’t explain enough. Like it was just “glossed over”. Let me know if you felt that way as well if you’ve read it as well. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy and quick read and is also looking for a story with a mix of romance, mystery, and faeries. [:

Finished on: August 15, 2011