Venus City (Legacy of the Sares, #1)

May 22, 2012 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

I'm a sucker for anything dystopian/post apocalypse. I get this unnatural urge to need to read any and all. Maybe it's a sign the apocalypse is coming and my intuition knows I need to be prepared (and I will be!). Obviously, having read so many, my expectations have become quite high. It needs to stand out, become memorable and exciting with strong leads. Sadly, this one didn't quite succeed.

Braya is spoiled rotten. She's always gotten what she wanted, until now. I actually didn't mind her high...more I'm a sucker for anything dystopian/post apocalypse. I get this unnatural urge to need to read any and all. Maybe it's a sign the apocalypse is coming and my intuition knows I need to be prepared (and I will be!). Obviously, having read so many, my expectations have become quite high. It needs to stand out, become memorable and exciting with strong leads. Sadly, this one didn't quite succeed.

Braya is spoiled rotten. She's always gotten what she wanted, until now. I actually didn't mind her high and mighty attitude at first. It was amusing and kind of entertaining. But then... (yep you knew it was coming), it just never stopped. She is constantly rude, then she gets these violent outburst; I did not like her, at all. My problems with her aren't restricted to her attitude. Her whole personality strongly clashes with the type I can relate to. When she meets the Asher, the main male character, she wakes up with him having binded himself to her making it so he can control her. He can order her to do anything he wants, and she has to obey. If she doesn't, the pain she feels is so severe she passes out from it. If it was me, I would have been PISSED off. Braya? She complains a bit, then shrugs it off. She doesn't even ask why. Why her? What does he need control over her for? She wasn't very unconcerned about it at all and to me that's either incredibly naive, or simply unbelievable.

-"The link that bonds us", he said […] "has nothing to do with mind control, as you suspect. It's merely a tool meant to make you do as I say"

-"Oh Bray. I had hoped we could be the type of master and slave who got on well. Became friends. Built trust. Braided each other's hair."

Oh really? Is that all, Asher? Manipulator extraordinaire; not only does he call their "bond" master-slave, he can also turn invisible and uses this to follow her without her knowledge. Why is it that so many YA books nowadays have male leads that are complete jerks who we're supposed to fall for (yes, Braya develops feelings for him)? I can not root for these guys. It's just not in me. There are two main type of male personalities that I despise: one is the controller, the other is the creepy stalker. Asher, falling in both categories, makes my skin crawl. Furthermore, he refuses to give any answers to Braya about his whole purpose at Venus City, which to me felt like nothing more than a way to keep the reader in the dark. It's a good approach when it's suspenseful. But in this case it's only irritating as there are no apparent reasons to be keeping secrets from her.

The dystopian future starts out very interesting and original. It reminded me vaguely of Wither: the girls are brides and they go through the training with their sister wives. The similarities end there, howevere. This one combines a lot of unique elements, from the addition of magic to intriguing lore. It's strange, but I liked it. From the start I noticed it was more showing rather than telling. We have to go with the flow, getting bits and pieces of the world building periodically throughout the story. There are still a few dark holes left at the end, though. Mostly, I wanted to get to more of the bigger picture, especially further details about the war, past and present. Nonetheless, the world is creative, it has some beautiful imagery, and the plot is captivating. I also enjoyed the sister-wives who are all especially charming. I loved their butting differences and witty personalities. If it wasn't for my dislike of the main roles I'm sure this novel would have appealed to me a great deal. But as it stands, it wasn't enough to keep my interest and I ended up skimming the last 60 pages or so.

With so many dystopians, I have to say that Venus City does have some unique factors that makes the premise especially compelling. Regardless, I can't really recommend it because I cringe at anyone being exposed to these behaviors and thinking they are acceptable.

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Jun 09, 2012 Majibookshelf Juhina & Farah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Venus City by Tabitha Vale is the first Urban Fanatsy YA novel I read. The novel revolves around a girl called Braya. she is from a Crown family and her mother is very powerful. She lives in a city where males are void of emotions such as anger, lust, jealousy, and passion, and where beautiful women are groomed to marry and produce beautiful babies to enhance the pretty gene pool. Problems start when Braya is assigned the role of a bride which brings anger and frustration from her and shame to h...more Venus City by Tabitha Vale is the first Urban Fanatsy YA novel I read. The novel revolves around a girl called Braya. she is from a Crown family and her mother is very powerful. She lives in a city where males are void of emotions such as anger, lust, jealousy, and passion, and where beautiful women are groomed to marry and produce beautiful babies to enhance the pretty gene pool. Problems start when Braya is assigned the role of a bride which brings anger and frustration from her and shame to her Crown family name. She then gets tangled with a group that is infiltrating her city and is forced into a master-slave bond (nothing x-rated here!) and ends up having to follow orders from Asher, who never fails to remind her that she lives in a bubble, literally. Venus City has closed itself off using some magic power to stay far away from the war that has occupied the rest of the world.

What I didnt enjoy in the book is how WHINY and SPOILED and NAIVE Braya was. She kept on constantly complaining that she isn't fit to be a bride because she IS a crown and that she is better than all those Finches (think muggle status in harry potter) and that men are all beneath her because her mommy dearest has taught her that. When she gets the bride role her mother starts treating her like crap, kicking her out of the house, calling her a rotten apple and a shame to the family name. What frustrated me is that Baraya STILL gives her excuses! i mean no sane mother would say such things.

I have mentioned previously that I am a fan of dialogue in books. I really get sucked into the story when the book has a ton of dialogue or even internal conflicts, however in Venus City, there is a lot of descriptions and details. Descriptions of buildings, surroundings, people's clothes; I admit that I skipped many paragraphs like that because if I didn't I would have felt restless and that the story was progressing very slowly. However whatever dialogue that was in the book was entertaining, especially between her and Asher.

Overall Venus City kept me entertained and even though I had a few issues with it, overall it was a good read, especially towards the end when the action really starts. I must say, that this type of series is where the second book in it would be better because the protagonist has finally matured and developed so I will be checking out the second book as soon as I can(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Alexa Cloudstrife rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Braya Vace, the main character in Venus City, is a spoiled girl that encounters many problems. Throughout this book, you feel as though you are developing with Braya. The way Braya is portrayed really is quite interesting. She is shown to be very spoiled and self-centered, but aren't we all? Even though she is a little abrasive at first, you really get to understand her situation and like her. She makes you want to read the book even more. With twenty-two chapters it feels like you could be sat...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

When I first started reading this book, I disliked the main character Braya. I thought to myself "This is the heroine? I don't like her." I learned to appreciate that about this book. Ms. Vale does the opposite of what most authors do. Instead of having you love the main character from the beginning, she has you slowing coming around as the story progresses. You learn more about Braya and the world she lives in. A world were women are dominant and men are second class citizens. Where the beautif...more When I first started reading this book, I disliked the main character Braya. I thought to myself "This is the heroine? I don't like her." I learned to appreciate that about this book. Ms. Vale does the opposite of what most authors do. Instead of having you love the main character from the beginning, she has you slowing coming around as the story progresses. You learn more about Braya and the world she lives in. A world were women are dominant and men are second class citizens. Where the beautiful people are put together to create more beautiful offspring. It's a different concept to see women as the power in the world rather than men. Braya takes that to heart and swears she hates men. She wants nothing to do with them. That includes her brother Aspen. Someone she was close to, she now shuns him because he is the opposite sex. I think that deep down she does care for him but she doesn't want to disappoint her mother, Charlotte. Gaining her approval seems to be what is most important to her. Braya has spent years listening to her mother's crazy view on things and thought that she was right in those views. Then she meets Asher and her whole world crumbles around her. She is not sure what to believe. She believed what her mother believed. The world she has always lived it is not how it may seem. As she learns the truth, I start to see her in a different light. I realize that it is not her fault. She was sheltered in some ways. She is a product of how she was raised. As Braya starts to learn the truth, she starts to fall for Asher. This is new for her. She never thought that she would have feelings like this. She is suppose to marry another though. She is a Bride. Her job is to create beautiful offspring. She has to decide who she will choose.

What I wasn't happy with was I wish I knew more about Asher. I wanted to know his back story. But I guess that we have to wait for the next installment.

Ms. Vale writes a compelling, edge of your seat story. She takes you along for a ride with the characters. You learn as the characters learn. You really get a chance to get to know them. There were some surprises that had you going, "No Way." It is a story with an underlining fact, maybe you shouldn't judge till you have all the facts. I liked the author's writing. It's detailed but not overly so. She does a great job appealing to her audience. You have action, drama and a love triangle. What more could you want? (:

Overall Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book. It surprised the hell out of me. I couldn't put it down. I would have finished it sooner if life didn't get in the way. The author did an awesome job. I recommend that you read this one. It has a dystopian feel to it. I would say that it is appropriate for ages 13+. It's not overly violent and the language is not to harsh. Great read and I can not wait for the next installment.(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 Juhina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, ebook

Venus City by Tabitha Vale is the first Urban Fanatsy YA novel I read. The novel revolves around a girl called Braya. she is from a Crown family and her mother is very powerful. She lives in a city where males are void of emotions such as anger, lust, jealousy, and passion, and where beautiful women are groomed to marry and produce beautiful babies to enhance the pretty gene pool. Problems start when Braya is assigned the role of a bride which brings anger and frustration from her and shame to h...more Venus City by Tabitha Vale is the first Urban Fanatsy YA novel I read. The novel revolves around a girl called Braya. she is from a Crown family and her mother is very powerful. She lives in a city where males are void of emotions such as anger, lust, jealousy, and passion, and where beautiful women are groomed to marry and produce beautiful babies to enhance the pretty gene pool. Problems start when Braya is assigned the role of a bride which brings anger and frustration from her and shame to her Crown family name. She then gets tangled with a group that is infiltrating her city and is forced into a master-slave bond (nothing x-rated here!) and ends up having to follow orders from Asher, who never fails to remind her that she lives in a bubble, literally. Venus City has closed itself off using some magic power to stay far away from the war that has occupied the rest of the world.

What I didnt enjoy in the book is how WHINY and SPOILED and NAIVE Braya was. She kept on constantly complaining that she isn't fit to be a bride because she IS a crown and that she is better than all those Finches (think muggle status in harry potter) and that men are all beneath her because her mommy dearest has taught her that. When she gets the bride role her mother starts treating her like crap, kicking her out of the house, calling her a rotten apple and a shame to the family name. What frustrated me is that Baraya STILL gives her excuses! i mean no sane mother would say such things.

I have mentioned previously that I am a fan of dialogue in books. I really get sucked into the story when the book has a ton of dialogue or even internal conflicts, however in Venus City, there is a lot of descriptions and details. Descriptions of buildings, surroundings, people's clothes; I admit that I skipped many paragraphs like that because if I didn't I would have felt restless and that the story was progressing very slowly. However whatever dialogue that was in the book was entertaining, especially between her and Asher.

Overall Venus City kept me entertained and even though I had a few issues with it, overall it was a good read, especially towards the end when the action really starts. I must say, that this type of series is where the second book in it would be better because the protagonist has finally matured and developed so I will be checking out the second book as soon as I can(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

4*s
Review posted here
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

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Jun 07, 2012 Shardae hharris rated it 1 of 5 stars

The plot seemed good but I just couldn't stand the way it was written

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Apr 01, 2013 MarieThePaperGirl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mar 08, 2013 Stephanie Gorero marked it as to-read

Feb 20, 2013 Emily (Book Jems) marked it as maybe

Feb 06, 2013 Tiffany added it

Shelves: maybe-read

Jan 14, 2013 Danielle (Ladybug Literature) marked it as to-read

Dec 07, 2012 Shadow rated it 2 of 5 stars

Nov 01, 2012 Myan marked it as to-read

Oct 08, 2012 Gia Han marked it as to-read

Shelves: teen-adult

Aug 31, 2012 Ira marked it as to-read

Aug 25, 2012 Lauraloves marked it as to-read

Jul 23, 2012 Moiety marked it as to-read

Shelves: kindle, fantasy

Jun 25, 2012 Alyson marked it as to-read

Jun 20, 2012 Amy Soler marked it as to-read

Jun 13, 2012 Katrina (Kindred Dreamheart) marked it as to-read

Shelves: amazon-freebie-promo, e-reader, curious-about

Jun 13, 2012 Stephanie added it

Jun 07, 2012 Tara marked it as to-read

Shelves: have-need-to-read

Jun 02, 2012 S.J. Wist marked it as to-read

May 28, 2012 Marissa marked it as to-read

May 25, 2012 ♥ Books ♥ Chocolates ♥ Music ♥ Gossip Girl ♥ marked it as to-read

May 23, 2012 TayteH marked it as to-read

May 22, 2012 Ula marked it as to-read

May 22, 2012 Debra marked it as to-read · review of another edition

May 21, 2012 Christina marked it as ill-get-to-it

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Venus City (Legacy of the Sares #1)

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