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| # | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating |
num
|
date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read | date added | date purchased | owned | purchase location | condition | format | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8
| 
| 0373210493
| 9780373210497
| 4.19
| 26,286
| Jul 31, 2012
| Jul 31, 2012
|
Rating: 4.5 Stars For some reason, Pushing the Limits took me completely by surprise. I expected a typical, run-of-the-mill contemporary romance wit...more Rating: 4.5 Stars For some reason, Pushing the Limits took me completely by surprise. I expected a typical, run-of-the-mill contemporary romance with teasing banter, heavy romance, and a plethora of family issues that would most likely work side-by-side or take a backseat to the blooming love story at stake. However, with her debut, McGarry pushed aside whatever assumptions I had previously made and delivered a novel that was heart-wrenching, raw, and painful, all while containing a bittersweet romance that took a glorious backseat to the pressing issues in these teens lives and only added to the flavor and essence of this remarkable tale. In all honesty, I think McGarry’s debut is by far my favorite contemporary debut I’ve read so far this year and I cannot wait to see what this talented new author has in store for the future. Ever since the death of her older brother and a freak accident that happened with her bi-polar mother, Echo has retracted into herself and lost her standing as Ms. Popularity. All she wants to do now is remember – remember what happened that night with her mother, remember how she got the bruises that frame her arms and force her to wear long-sleeved shirts, and remember how life was before her father re-married and started up a new family along the way. For Noah, all he wants is to bring his family back to together. Ever since Noah’s parents died in a house fire, he has been separated from his two younger brothers and paraded around to foster home after foster home. When Echo and Noah strike an unlikely alliance seeded in tutoring and a common goal to attain their top-secret files which contain secrets both of them want, neither of them counts on one very unpredictable thing happening – love. Pushing the Limits has got to be one of my favorite dual narrative contemporary novels. While I’m not a huge fan of multiple perspectives, I loved how both Echo and Noah’s voice was distinct, remarkable, and lively. Yet, what I admired the most about McGarry’s writing, is the fact that she was able to introduce us to two characters who are broken and torn in ways that most of us cannot even begin to imagine, yet she enables us to understand them. I don’t know anyone in my life who has gone through some of the traumatic events that Echo and Noah have, but reading their narration, I felt as if I could relate to them on a deeper level. I truly loved how McGarry enabled the reader to understand that while we could not fathom the surface situation these two were in, we could come to terms with their more rooted feelings of loneliness, abandonment, loss, and confusion. I think it is very rare for an author to be able to do this effectively with characters so vastly different and torn, but McGarry did a remarkable job. In addition to their utter realistic-ness however, the love story between Noah and Echo managed to be true to this theme of realism as well. Their romance was slow-to-build and I truly enjoyed how Echo and Noah got to know each other through conversation, trial and error, and multiple meetings. I also really liked the unique manner in which their relationship unfolded. Unlike most novels where the two main characters get together and all their problems begin to mysteriously solve themselves, McGarry made her characters work for their “forever”. We were able to see the culmination of Echo and Noah’s relationship as they ventured into each others’ vastly different worlds and struggled to do what was right for them, their families, and their multiple obligations. I thought the tough situations in this novel were handled extremely realistically and I admire McGarry for taking on such broken characters and making them heal in a manner that was wholly satisfying and not the slightest bit cliché. Echo and Noah aside, I loved the exemplary cast of secondary characters in this novel. I liked that McGarry made Echo and Noah’s friends such a huge part of their lives. I see so often in contemporary novels that the story seems to only revolve around the two love interests and their parental situation, so I was glad to see that Isaiah and Beth, Noah’s best friends, and Lila, Echo’s best friend, also got to play a large role in their lives. Furthermore, the school therapist, Mrs. Collins, was easily one of my favorite characters because of all the time and energy she devoted to Noah and Echo. Both Noah and Echo needed different things in their lives to get them back on track; Noah a promise to be with his brothers again and an incentive to work for it and Echo a much-needed closure and resurfacing of her suppressed memories. Mrs. Collins was like their guiding angel during this time and more than being a simple social worker, she was their friend. All the angelic people aside, this novel had more than its fair share of villains. Echo’s parents were definitely a piece of work and I liked how McGarry left Echo’s relationship with them still open towards the end. It is hard to elaborate without giving too much away, but as bits and pieces of Echo’s memories begin to return to her and layers of her past come crumbling down, she begins to realize that the people she thought she could trust really weren’t there for her after all, and this realization is like a kick in the gut to both Echo and the reader. I found her story to be the most heart-wrenching because of all its pain and torture and unhappiness, but I do admit that I cried far more while reading Noah’s story as I kept imagining my own younger brother and myself in his situation. I really liked how Noah’s story unfolded though and while his issues affected the romance between these two, I think they were stronger for working over that hurdle and Noah went through immense character growth and maturation as well. In all honesty, I could keep telling you about this remarkable story. I could tell you how it had my eyes tearing before I’d even reached the hundredth page. I could tell you how I much I admired the growth I found, not only within both these characters, but many of the secondary characters as well. I could tell you how Noah’s interactions with his siblings were like pulling a heart-string or how Echo’s slow revival into her artwork and her determination to stand up to others was incredibly inspiring. I could tell you all that and much more, but I won’t. Pushing the Limits is a story that demands to be felt and experienced and while it isn’t a novel that changed my world upside down, it is one that I will remember, cherish, and would love to re-read. It is, by no means, perfect – a few phrases that Noah uses are unnecessarily repeated, a scene or two tended to drag, and some of the actions were too melodramatic – but none of that affected the brilliance of this story. Pushing the Limits is a sparkling debut with a talented new author whose sequel I am already waiting to get my hands on and I can bet, so will you. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jul 17, 2012
| Jul 18, 2012
|
May 18, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
13
| 
| 1599906953
| 9781599906959
| 4.14
| 14,616
| Aug 07, 2012
| Aug 07, 2012
|
Throne of Glass is not a novel I would put on a throne, or any kind of pedestal for that matter, whether it be made of glass or brick or wood. If an...more
Throne of Glass is not a novel I would put on a throne, or any kind of pedestal for that matter, whether it be made of glass or brick or wood. If anything, it is a novel I am throwing – or have already thrown actually – into my Cavern of Disappointments where I can hopefully forget it ever exists and satisfy myself by re-reading assassin novels where the assassins actually assassinate! You see, like so many novels before it, Throne of Glass had an immense amount of – wait for it - potential. Yet, like so many unfortunate novels before it, it failed to take its potential and hone it into something truly remarkable, mind-blowing, and fantastic. Celaena Sardothien is rumored to be the most dangerous assassin in all of Erilea, but she is imprisoned in the deadly mines of Endovier. Thus, when Crown Prince Dorian and his Captain of the Guard, Chaol, make her an offer – stay in Endovier where she will certainly die within months, if not years, or participate in a competition and win to become the King’s Champion, or his personal assassin – she cannot refuse. Yet, the competition isn’t the only thing on Celaena’s mind; many of the competitors are being mysteriously killed, or mauled, by what seems to be a nameless beast. Thus, while Celaena is competing for her freedom, she is also fighting – for her life. I’ll come straight out and say it – I didn’t buy this story one bit. Throne of Glass is filled with superfluous descriptions of how the kingdom of Erilea is terrified of Celaena Sardothien, of how they dread her power, and of what an incredible assassin she is. Yeah, guess what? Celaena doesn’t assassinate anyone in this novel, not even a measly little fly. Thus, you can only imagine my disappointment at discovering that no, this is not a novel about dangerous assassins doing what they supposedly do best – assassinate – it is actually a novel about a series of trials which are different stages of a looong competition. If that wasn’t enough to turn you off about this book, perhaps the thought that these trials include mundane tasks such as archery, scaling walls, and poison identification certainly will. *queue snores* Yet, to make matters worse, Maas glosses over and doesn’t even describe to the reader the majority of the trials which take place, casting them in a realm of total insignificance. Okay, so assassinating isn’t important, an assassin competition with trials isn’t important, so what is? One word: romance. Celaena Sardothien, assassin extraordinaire whose goal in life is to eliminate nobles and those of high rank, winds up falling for not one, but two guys. Yes, you have my permission to smack your head against the wall – I know I did. I despise love triangles, but if it is well-done, I can certainly appreciate and enjoy one. Unfortunately, the love triangle in Throne of Glass is not one I liked at all. Maas attempts to make these relationships far more complex than they seem through intense conversation and a prodding of deep secrets, but for all the discussions she throws in, she fails to succeed. Why? You see, it isn’t simply enough for two character to have a conversation – that conversation needs to play an integral role in their romance. Crown Prince Dorian and Celaena, for all their meaningful discussions, are attracted to each other purely because of their killer-good-looks, making their romance no different from your usual, run-of-the-mill, insta-love story. On the other hand, I really liked Chaol – from his quiet demeanor, to his initial distrust of Celaena, to his gradual admiration and deep caring for her, Chaol totally won my heart. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be sticking around to see if he wins Celaena’s heart too. (Translation: You’ll have to pay me to continue this series.) Nevertheless, all those qualms aside, what really grated on me were the little things that could have made this story better but failed to do so. Throne of Glass is marketed as being a fantasy novel, but the world-building is rather lacking. While we know the main idea and overarching premises of this land, we are kept in the dark about the specifics that readers so desperately crave to glean a better understanding of this story. Furthermore, the mystery in this novel was incredibly predictable. It was the type of story that had me rolling my eyes and yelling, “do you really think I’m that dense?” at the novel multiple times – yeah, not good signs. I think if you are the type of reader who liked stories such as Cinder or other books with predictable plots this won’t grate on you so much, but I hated the fact that even this oh-so-mysterious-and-dangerous element of the story was ruined for me far before I even neared the end of this tale. For all my complaints about this novel though, there were a few things I liked. Celaena was a character I never loved, but I did appreciate her for she was simultaneously flirtatious and feminine while maintaining her aura of kick-ass and deadly. (Key Word: Aura. She didn’t actually prove she was kick-ass and deadly at all.) Furthermore, I liked the fact that she was flawed and suffered from vanity, arrogance, and stubbornness, just to name a few shortcomings. It made her far more realistic and while it did render her in the role of an irritating protagonist, it didn’t bother me too much. Yet, where Celaena fell out of my good graces was when she began to lead on the two men who held affections for her. Enough about Celaena though, let’s talk about the one character I actually loved in this story who wasn’t Chaol – Nehemia. Nehemia is the princess of a land which is looking to rebel against the iron fist of the king, Dorian’s father. She quickly becomes one of Celaena’s closest friends and their friendship, as well as Nehemia’s own individual strength, was some of the best aspects of this story. Ultimately though, this isn’t a novel I would recommend. If anything, I’d tell you to pick it up from a library to read or just skip it all together. It isn’t a story about assassins, it isn’t a novel chock-full of mystery, it doesn’t contain a well-written romance, and it most certainly does not have any of the killing, danger, or badassery promised in its synopsis. In fact, while many readers were worried about this story becoming another Hunger Games, I almost wish Maas had simply locked up her assassins in a glass castle and told them to fight each other to death – it would have made for a far more interesting tale. Plus, as far as originality goes, Maas loses the award on that front as well as her story is astonishingly similar to Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study except without, you know, the complex romance, incredible world-building, and actual assassin who assassinates. If you’re looking for a book about assassins, this just isn’t it; instead, go check out Graceling by Kristin Cashore. I promise you, real assassinating really does happen in it. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Aug 08, 2012
| Aug 11, 2012
|
Apr 05, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
30
| 
| 1620610094
| 9781620610091
| 4.50
| 14,474
| Dec 01, 2012
| Dec 11, 2012
|
Opal
is, without a doubt, the best novel in the Lux Series by far. Not only are the stakes amped up immensely, with the arrival of Dawson, the death...more
Opal
is, without a doubt, the best novel in the Lux Series by far. Not only are the stakes amped up immensely, with the arrival of Dawson, the death of Adam, and Katy's slow acceptance of her powers, but the characters are all far more grown up and well-developed. Gone are the days of playful bickering, of laughter and happiness, of dumping pasta on the head's of utter idiots. Instead, constant training, plan-making, and serious espionage are at hand, all with the classic dash of Armentrout's typical humor, amusement, and romance. If this is Armentrout's growth as an author, I simply cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
Opal opens up normally enough - or as normally as things can be in Katy's life. Dawson is back, but he's a different person and estranges himself from his family. Dee avoids Katy like the plague, Will still hasn't been heard from, and there's no sign of Blake. Until, suddenly, he arrives back with a proposition, agreeing to reveal the location of Beth, Dawson's girlfriend, and divulge the secrets of how to break her out if the Luxen will help him break out Blake's friend, Chris, as well. Dawson, as expected, is all for the plan, but Daemon and Katy can't help but feel uncertain...can Blake really be trusted after all? One of the best aspects of this book was, hands-down, the character development. Daemon, especially, is far removed from the arrogant alien he was when we first met him. Now, he's as attentive and caring as Dawson was in Shadows, all while retaining his ego, vanity, and alpha-male-persona. Still, he is incredibly like-able now and his relationship with Katy takes on a very realistic edge. Although both Katy and Daemon have their faults and both of them want different things from their relationship, with Katy attempting to retain her individuality and strength while coming to accept that she needs to depend on Daemon at times too, their journey into forming a balance between their expectations and learning to trust and compromise with each other is wonderfully written. Furthermore, fans of the pair will "ooh" and "aah" plenty of times for Daemon sure knows how to pull out the romantic gestures and let me tell you, things get hot in this one! ;) In addition to Katy and Daemon, however, I loved Dawson. I'd already given my heart to him in Shadows, but seeing his gradual return to his usual self, his interactions with Dee, Daemon, and especially Katy, all just about mended my broken heart together. Dee, despite her initial cold-ness in the beginning of the novel, slowly begins to thaw and change as the story progresses and her realistic reaction to Adam's death was also very well portrayed. Furthermore, I am thrilled to report that as a villain, Blake doesn't fall short of development either. It is easy to see him as a black-and-white individual, but Armentrout slowly peels back his layers and reveals to us the gray that our angry judgement clouds over. It's kind of brilliant, if I do say so myself. Yet, as with every Lux novel, the pace is heart-pounding. At times, the build-up to an event itself made me want to run around in circles from anticipation and the constant action was thrilling. Opal is slower than the other two novels, in a sense, since there is a greater emphasis on character and growth after all the events in Onyx, but this never bothered me. It never felt as if the story lagged or fell back in any part or even as if the romance took over, so I can ultimately pleased with the overall package that is Opal. Fans of this series are bound to be more than a little satisfied with this installment and begging for more since the cliffhanger ending of this is deadly. If you thought Brennan's ending in Unspoken was bad, think again! >.< Nevertheless, that qualm aside, Opal is a sequel that can't be missed, no matter what! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Dec 04, 2012
| Dec 08, 2012
|
Aug 24, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
29
| 
| B009R44MQ8
| 4.57
| 12,315
| Sep 05, 2012
| Nov 13, 2012
|
Rating: 4.5 Stars I went into The Sea of Tranquility a little skeptical, a little excited, and just a little wary too. When novels have been hyped up,...more Rating: 4.5 Stars I went into The Sea of Tranquility a little skeptical, a little excited, and just a little wary too. When novels have been hyped up, much like this one has, I always have to face the fear that it will disappoint me; that it won't be as good as I want it to be. With The Sea of Tranquility, however, I needn't have worried. Katja Millay's debut is flawlessly written, hitting the reader right in the gut, making them feel every emotion as if it were theirs. It's the type of contemporary that might as well have been written for me - slow-burn romance, heavily character-driven plot, flawed characters, and two tortured souls. It isn't a perfect novel - very few are, after all - but it is a novel that deserves its hype, its following, and to be read by every reader, no matter their genre preference. The Sea of Tranquility is not an easy novel to read. While its first half can be excruciatingly slow, developing our two main characters and enriching the plot, it's the second half of this heartbreaking story that, contrary from making me cry, made my entire body shake in fear, disgust, and sadness. It was the type of deep despair that renders your eyes tear-less, but your soul broken anyway. The Sea of Tranquility alternates between the perspectives of Nastya, the new girl in town, and Josh, the boy who has witnessed his entire family die before his eyes and, as such, the entire town leaves him alone. Nastya is broken, physically and mentally. While she keeps a tough exterior, a past traumatic experience is eating at her from the inside and against her own will, she is drawn to Josh, another kindred broken spirit. While their initial interactions are far from friendly, slowly the two of them begin to form an unlikely friendship and, most surprisingly, trust. While they seem impenetrable, obscure, and downright strange to the rest of the world, they find solace in one another and creeping manner in which their quirky friendship turns into love is incredible to behold. It's the type of slow-burn that will take your breath away and at the same time, you understand that the feelings these two have for one another run far deeper than simple affection; they are, for lack of a better term, each others family. In each other they find the redemption and comfort and understanding they don't even realize they're looking for or need to complete themselves. In addition to the romantic element, however, a heavy undertone of mystery remains present throughout the story. We, as the reader, are left in the dark when it comes to Nastya's mysterious past and while we can observe, physically, that she has scars and her left hand doesn't work quite alright, we still don't know what happened to her or the full extent of that mental damage. With alternating perspectives, we are witness to the slow changes that Josh and Nastya inflict upon each other, but we are also witness to glimpses of Nastya's past and if those flashes of horror don't frighten you, the eventual truth definitely will. I've mentioned that The Sea of Tranquility isn't a perfect novel - and it isn't. It is a deeply psychological tale of two tortured teens and it is told with a talent that I find breathtaking. Yet, the beginning of this story is rather slow. It takes awhile to get going, but once it does, you won't be able to put this down. Nevertheless, the most important part of this story, its ending, was strangely lacking. Millay spends chapters upon chapters building up Nastya and Josh into characters we love and she then spends chapters upon chapters creating their love story. Through all this, the reader is immediately sucked in and utterly invested in the tale. Once the drama begins to creep in, our hearts have been ripped out and when the eventual revelation of Nastya's past comes to light, our hearts are just shards of broken glass. Unfortunately, however, the manner in which Millay pieces them back together and glues them is a little...off. I truly enjoyed this novel and while my initial gut-reaction was to give this 5 Stars, I found, upon reflection, that I couldn't. The Sea of Tranquility is one of the most surprising, original, and heart-wrenching tales I've read - ever - but its ending left me a little unsatisfied. While I know many readers will disagree with me on this front, as they may have found the ending to be wholly satisfactory, I did think it was a little rushed. We are cheated of the opportunity to see Nastya grow and change and confront her past which she has been hiding from for such a long time. In fact, the monumental impact of Nastya's past is covered rather quickly in one chapter and then another very short epilogue of sorts. I found myself wishing for both a quick injection of Josh's perspective and perhaps even a more conclusive epilogue that revealed a little of Nastya's conditions after her ordeal. Normally, I would have been satisfied by the nicely wrapped-up ending, but I found that for a novel that spend so much time just introducing us to the characters and later creating their romance, the eventual revelation of their journey to discovering the truth about each other and dealing with it was a little short in comparison and just a tad-bit of a cop-out. Nevertheless, I cannot recommend this book enough. Truly, it is a story that took my breath away and the depth of emotion I felt for these characters is unparalleled. It's one of those novels that will stick with you for a long time to come, just because it is so different from everything else out there and the basic fact that it inspires so much feeling. I feel as if I know Nastya and Josh nearly as well as Katja Millay herself probably knows them - that is how well she enables you to understand these characters. Furthermore, the troubles they faced were realistic, were never over-dramatic, and the cast of secondary characters that graced this tale were beyond phenomenal. I cannot adequately express my awe for Millay or my love for this story - one that I will never forget - and I am already eagerly anticipating whatever Millay writes next. Truly, this is one novel you will regret missing out on. If it doesn't make you think or change your life just a little bit, then you're reading the wrong story. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Nov 25, 2012
| Nov 27, 2012
|
Sep 30, 2012
| Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
3
| 
| 1434764338
| 9781434764331
| 4.13
| 6,271
| Feb 01, 2011
| Feb 01, 2011
|
Rating: 2.5 Stars Waterfall is probably one of the most misguided books to have ever been marketed. The title Waterfall implies that there will be at l...more Rating: 2.5 Stars Waterfall is probably one of the most misguided books to have ever been marketed. The title Waterfall implies that there will be at least a mention of a waterfall throughout the book. Let me tell you now, there isn’t! The cover of this book is gorgeously deceptive and seems to portray a girl going through a gateway of some kind. I’ll spoil something for you again: there’s no gateway. The synopsis of Waterfall will tell you that this is an adventure novel about time-travel – wrong again! All Waterfall really is is one giant dose of a love story, sorry lust story. You know, the type where the romance between the two characters stems from “charged electricity” and has nothing to do with personalities or conversation whatsoever. Yeah, those kind. Waterfall was a disastrously disappointing read. I had high hopes for this one, but it didn't even come remotely close! I think if this was targeted to younger readers they might appreciate it more, but ultimately it fell flat. “Honor. Sacrifice. Love. Make no mistake, words such as these are the lifeblood of Bergren’s series.” Let’s take a look at this lovely comment about this not-so-lovely book shall we? When Gabi and her sister Lia decide to explore their archaeologist mother’s off-bounds excavation site, they get sucked back in time to Medieval Italy. Now, caught in between a fierce battle, wrought with enemies, knights, and treachery, Gabi must struggle to somehow find her younger sister, who mysteriously became separated from her, and return back to her own time. However, Gabi may soon find out that returning is not something she wants to do… Honor. I have to admit, honor is a definitely a large theme in this novel. Set in medieval Italy, the cast of Waterfall consists of real knights-in-shining-armor. However, despite the honorable setting, I finished this book learning nothing new about medieval Italy that I didn’t know before, and believe me, I don’t know much. Perhaps this is the biggest fault I have with this book. When you are setting out to write a time-travel novel, the setting and historic background is one of the most important aspects. Although the setting of this novel was described well, I was unable to grasp the true history behind this time period and in many ways, it felt extremely modern. For instance, Gabi uses many modern phrases and is extremely assertive, a quality which is non-existent for women of the age. Yet, instead of being appalled by Gabi’s behavior, all the men in Italy now find themselves vying for her affections! Furthermore, Gabi is conveniently equipped for medieval Italy. Being the daughter of two archaeologists, her father has taught her how to wield a sword, speak fluent Italian, read Latin, and even speak medieval Italian like that of Dante’s Inferno! This was all just a little too perfect for me and ultimately took away from the historic setting. Gabi’s ease in medieval Italy made it seem like a theatric set opposed to real life. Yet, despite these shortcomings, Gabi did prove to be a brave and courageous character. However, her sword-prowess was honored by Italian society – a feat which, I am quite sure, would not have actually happened in medieval Italy. Instead, the woman would be shunned from society for not being a docile housewife and no man would wish to marry her. Luckily for Gabi, the very opposite happens! Wonderful for her, not-so-wonderful for us, the reader. Sacrifice. Many YA novels have a prevalent theme of sacrifice, whether it be for family, friends, or love. Okay, who am I kidding? It’s all for love. Waterfall is no exception to this irritating cliché. Gabi, despite wanting to return home, is constantly conflicted over leaving “the love of her life” Marcello. Marcello is probably one of the most boring male protagonists I’ve come across. He is macho, head-strong, and can fight well. That’s it. That is all there is to him! He loves his family, he doesn’t want to marry the woman he is betrothed to, he will most likely become heir of this estate, but that’s it! He shares no similarities with Gabi, anytime they actually converse they disagree, yet there is that undeniable attraction between them. Gosh how I hate that “sizzling air” crap. Gabi is equally as bad, boring, and bland if not worse than Marcello, so I suppose they make a rather perfect couple. Lia on the other hand, is a remarkable character. She was not swayed by the handsome hunks around her, she never took her eyes off the goal of getting home, and she sacrificed an immense amount of her childhood innocence to grow up quickly and acclimate herself with the horrors of war surrounding her. I almost wish this story was told from her perspective since it would truly be a refreshing change from every other YA novel out there. The sisterly love and affection between Gabi and Lia is not lost on the reader and in my opinion, what they sacrifice for each other should have been played up more than what Gabi sacrifices by having to contemplate leaving behind her “lover.” Love. I think by now you already know that this book is a romance, the love between Gabi and Marcello can hardly be called love, and ultimately the love story took away from what could have been an amazing historic story. Waterfall truly had all the necessary ingredients and potential to become so much more, but it didn’t rise up to the occasion. In many ways, I believe that this should have been targeted towards a younger audience. The love story in this novel may have been better appreciated by readers who were not accustomed to well-developed and slow-to-build romances. Furthermore, the two heroines with their kick-ass fighting moves and skills may have also gained a larger fan base amongst younger children who were not expected a realistic overview of life in medieval Italy. To me, the only reason Gabi and Lia were so spectacular was because they had been trained before-hand (how lucky for them!) and there were no other females to compare them with. Being the only girls who ventured beyond their societal norms (technically not even their own societal norms) cast them in an adoring light when they truly did not deserve to be in one. I don’t think I need to say anything more about the despicably boring love story, although I am near positive I can predict the next two books in the series due to the utter unoriginality of this one. If you’re looking for something unique, Waterfall is not it. Ultimately, Waterfall is not a book I can recommend to anyone but younger readers who are just beginning to venture into YA fiction. The time-travel twist is unrealistic, the historic setting is non-existent, the characters are un-likeable, and the romance is not truly love. The honor, sacrifice, and love that these reviewers describe to exist within this book do not actually exist. Just like the title, cover, and synopsis of this story, the quote too was utterly unreliable. Although this story ended on a cliffhanger ending, which I have found impossible to resist in every situation, I have to make an exception for this book. This is simply one series I will not be continuing… This review was inspired by Inge’s review of Fallen which also used a quote to highlight multiple aspects of the story. You can read it here. :) Thank you to Lisa Tawn Bergren for sending me a copy of her book through Goodreads First Reads! (less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 22, 2012
| May 23, 2012
|
Apr 30, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
23
| 
| B005C7CVG2
| 3.98
| 4,504
| Aug 02, 2012
| Oct 30, 2012
|
Rating: 3.5 Stars I think we're all aware, and familiar with, the concept of the second novel in a trilogy being the weakest link of the series. Rebe...more Rating: 3.5 Stars I think we're all aware, and familiar with, the concept of the second novel in a trilogy being the weakest link of the series. Rebel Heart, however, for all its flaws, is actually a much stronger novel than Blood Red Road ever was. If we think back to Blood Red Road, it was nothing more than an engaging, fast-paced, and page-flipping dystopian novel. Yet, Rebel Heart, despite its page-flipping action, is also a much slower, deeper, and intoxicating tale. Yes, there were moments when I felt like pulling my hair out and crying into my pillow. Yes, there were characters I wanted to shoot down and plot threads I wanted to burn. Yet, this book was perfect. I can't think of any other way this story could have gone and when you step back and really think about this novel, disregarding your own conflicted emotions, you will come to see that Moira Young is an unbelievable author, for she lets her characters lead the story and that truly does make all the difference. Rebel Heart starts out with Saba, Lugh, Emmi, and Tommo on their way to a new, and better, life in the west. Saba, however, is tormented by dreams of Epona and she feels as if the spirits of the dead are walking with her. Thus, when she stumbles upon a small village with a woman who claims she can help, she takes her chances with the strange magic this woman claims to be able to control. Yet, before Saba can fully be cured, she receives a message – from Jack. Thus begins, yet again, a thrilling and tortuous journey to The Lost Cause, an inn in the north where Saba is set to meet Jack. Along the way however, Saba will be forced to confront her inner demons, her strained relationship with Lugh, and most dangerous of all, her own heart. I think what prevented Rebel Heart from being a 5 Star read were just a few plot threads that went haywire. For one, I found that the beginning of the novel, with Saba’s grief and guilt over the death of Epona, were remarkably well-written, but it was solved rather strangely, not to mention abruptly. In addition to that, Lugh, Saba’s brother, seems to be the ultimate downfall of this novel. It is evident that Lugh has undergone a terrible experience during his time with the Tonton, but we are never told what actually happens to him. Instead, we can simply watch as his relationship with Saba wilts away and while these sibling dynamics were brilliant, Lugh’s angst, rudeness, and constant anger simply wasn’t. If anything, he became an extremely annoying character and I felt like smacking him every time he opened his mouth. Lugh never undergoes any type of character growth throughout this novel and ultimately, he winds up remaining a flat character which was rather disappointing. Those qualms aside, I loved Rebel Heart. Moira Young’s conscious decision to make this a slower and more brooding novel was definitely the right choice as we are able to see some of the after-effects that the events in Blood Red Road have wrought upon Saba. Furthermore, we are privy to a whole new side of Saba, which only goes to further give her more depth than she already had. While Rebel Heart had its fair share of incredible action, I feel as if it was Saba more than the plot that drove this novel forward. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed the crew of new characters we got to meet as well as the turn in relationships that we were able to witness with some of the older characters. It is hard to imagine just how firmly these fictional beings worm their way into your heart, but they really make a home there, immersing you, the reader, even more fully into this tale. In addition, there were plenty of jaw-dropping plot twists, unexpected reactions, and betrayals to keep this plot moving wonderfully, so fans of Blood Red Road will not be disappointed on that front either. Now that I have discussed my issues with this tale, as well as the change of pace, new characters, and the heart-pounding plot line, it’s time to turn our attention to the one aspect of this book I am sure everyone is eagerly waiting to hear more about – the romance. I know there are rumors floating around of a love triangle in this novel, but there isn't one! Yes, we do have another guy creep into Saba's thoughts, but this only happens during the last quarter of the novel. Furthermore, I hardly see this as a love triangle. In my opinion, a love triangle is a situation where the MC is torn between two guys, but Saba is not torn. Saba loves Jack, end of story. Does she make some terrible decisions in this book? Yes, she does. Is she conflicted over another man? Yes, she is, but not in a romantic sense. I may just be in extreme denial, but from my perspective, what occurs with the other man in this novel is a combination of many things and love is not one of them. So, while there isn't a love triangle in this, there is another prominent male figure during the last 25% of this novel which definitely makes this difficult to read and worrisome for the sequel. In all honesty though, I wouldn’t worry. Moira Young, more than just being a wonderful author, has proved with Rebel Heart that she knows what she’s doing. I found her characters and their reactions to every situation to be spot-on and while I didn’t particularly like the direction the last quarter of this novel headed and while I am worried beyond anything for the sequel, that doesn’t mean I don’t see the necessity and truth behind it. I think many authors would have steered away from the path that Young took, but I’m glad she took the more difficult – and frankly speaking, controversial – route. Yet, I must reiterate this, that when you step back and look at this novel without allowing your emotions to distort your perception of it, you can see that everything is just perfect. Yes, even the romance because although Jack and Saba aren’t together for the large majority of this novel, they always remain in each others thoughts and their love only grows stronger with their separation. Overall, Rebel Heart is a novel I wound up enjoying much more than its predecessor, despite the fact that my rating for this is slightly lower than that for Blood Red Road. While I doubt I’ll be re-reading this installment as much as I will Blood Red Road, there’s no doubt about which book is the stronger one and it is refreshing to see such an original take on this plot line. I will warn you though that plenty of plate-smashing is there in the future of this story and once you finish this, you will spend a countless number of sleepless nights waiting for – and worrying about – the sequel, but it is so worth it. Rebel Heart is yet another wonderful installment from Moira Young and has made me a much bigger fan of hers than I ever was before. I doubt everyone will love this novel like I have, but I truly believe that if you look into the heart of Rebel Heart, you will only find something to love. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings. Pre-Review Discussion... DO NOT READ THE SPOILER TAGS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK. THEY ARE FOR DISCUSSION WITH THOSE WHO HAVE READ IT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I just wanted to run some theories by those of you who have read this one, so if you could comment and we could discuss that would be great! :) (view spoiler)[ THE HEARTSTONE! I seriously find it hard to believe that two men can be someone's heart's desire. We're talking about the heart and love. It just doesn't seem right to me and we know that Saba doesn't love DeMalo. If anything, I thought her encounter with him was a strange product of "Jack betrayed me!", alcohol, and the weird brain-washing that DeMalo wrought with his vision. Even Saba was under his spell, so it seems obvious to me that she would have jumped him/sought comfort from him at that stage in her life. Yet, she did the right thing and put DeMalo to sleep, essentially betraying him, at Resurrection. I know it seems as if she should have killed him, but I think she didn't because no matter what, she has a connection with him and she already feels so much guilt over killing others. So, in conclusion, Saba doesn't love DeMalo. So what's up with the heartstone? I have two theories and both are a little...out there, but whatever. I am a die-hard Jack and Saba shipper and nothing, especially not some dumb stone, is getting in the way of that! >.< Theory #1: The Rule of Three. DeMalo has saved Saba's life three times, so now that she essentially belongs to him, I think the heartstone warms up whenever he is near. I don't know quite how it makes sense, but since the heartstone enables you to find people, Saba belonging to DeMalo would forge a connection between them and make her able to find him. I don't know...it's out there, but the rule of three plays such a huge role in these books, so maybe it has some basis. Theory #2: Baby. I don't like this theory too much, but if Saba is pregnant, couldn't it be the desire of her baby to be with her father? I know it's completely unrealistic as the baby isn't even fully formed yet, but DeMalo seemed so confident that he had impregnated Saba and...well, it makes more sense than DeMalo being the heart's desire of Saba... GAH! I can't see anything positive coming out of this in the sequel. Plus, TOMMO? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Seriously, how did he have time to fall in love with Saba? I'm 99.9% sure he's going to tell the others about Saba's dress and then the truth about DeMalo will come out and then Saba will be forced to go on alone and she'll wind up joining forces with DeMalo somehow and...that's as far as I got in Book 3 Predictions. I also | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Sep 2012
| Sep 04, 2012
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Jul 23, 2012
| Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
18
| 
| B007RMYB0Y
| 3.62
| 3,845
| Oct 02, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
Eve and Adam is...well, it wasn't what I was expecting. I went into this novel confident that it would be yet another sci-fi novel that would fail t...more
Eve and Adam is...well, it wasn't what I was expecting. I went into this novel confident that it would be yet another sci-fi novel that would fail to surprise me and after the first few chapters, I thought I had the romance and plot figured out. Well...I hate to admit this, but I was wrong and I am so glad I was! Eve and Adam, contrary to my expectations, did manage to be an exciting, intriguing, and unique novel - all aspects that make it stand out in its over-populated genre. Yet, despite its redeeming qualities, I am sorry to say that in the end, I still felt as if Eve and Adam was simply...missing something. Eve and Adam starts out with its main protagonist, Evening, getting into a bad car accident and consequently, barely surviving in a critical condition. When her mother, the owner of a well-known genetic research lab whisks her away from the hospital and to her own facilities, Evening doesn't question her. Instead, she heals at an alarmingly quick rate and resorts to working on one of her mother's latest gadgets - designing the perfect human. While there, Evening meets Solo, the handsome son of her mother's now-deceased business partners and an unlikely friendship is struck between the two. Yet, dangerous - and possibly illegal - things are happening at the research facility her mother owns and while the truth lays before her, Evening has to make the choice whether to accept it or not. I've said it before, but it demands to be repeated: Eve and Adam was very unexpected. For one, I did not expect this novel to be told in dual narration, switching from the perspectives of both Evening and Solo and later on, Adam, the human Evening unknowingly helps create. Unfortunately though, this dual narration falls short simply because Evening's perspective is dominating. Solo has very few chapters dedicated to his narration which I believe is one of the more egregious flaws in this novel, simply because Solo's narration is far more interesting, compelling, and intriguing. Yet, even beyond the issue of the narration, I was surprised to see that the first-half of this novel was practically entirely dedicated towards character-development. I am all for character-development, but nothing truly happened during the first-half of this story and everything that did happen revolved around Evening's best friend, Aislin. Aislin's boyfriend, Maddox, is involved with drugs and this issue is then used as an excuse for Solo and Evening to bond together while also developing the friendship between Evening and Aislin. I truly appreciated the friendship between Evening and Aislin - especially as the novel progressed - and I even liked how the relationship between Solo and Evening was developed quite well too, but I think this could have been done in a manner that contributed to the plot opposed to one that veered off from it rather randomly. Thus, comparatively, the second-half of this story had a tight, concise, and fascinating plot that the first-half rather lacked. It was fast-paced and interesting, but it also showed the inner dilemma Evening faced between the truth of her mother's genetic facility and her own confused feelings towards a mother who obviously loved her, but never spent enough time and affection on her. I especially loved this conflict as well as the issues that stemmed between Aislin and Evening as well as between Solo and Evening. I think more than just the plot of the second-half, the relationships took an interesting turn that I definitely wasn't expecting and I loved that. What else wasn't I expecting? Well, let's just say that there's a major jaw-dropping moment nearing the end of this novel that completely made my day. It took me completely by surprise and although I think I should have seen it coming, the fact that I didn't went in favor of this story. Still, despite the fact that I enjoyed reading this novel immensely, I have to reiterate that it lacked something; something was simply missing to take this incredible idea from a great concept to great execution. I doubt that many others will have this same feeling, but for a reader who plans on becoming a Biology Major with a specialization in Genetics, I just wanted more. I loved the setting and idea for this novel, but I wished we could have gotten more details, particularly about the genetic lab. We are told that horrible things occur in this facility, from green pigs to dogs with human ears, which is obviously disgusting and terrible, but I never quite felt the horror we were meant to experience. Furthermore, I wanted Eve and Adam to focus on the motivations behind these scientists, on the corporate politics clearly taking place in this situation, on what other functions the lab served for, etc. It simply could have given us so many more details and the lack of world-building made this story feel flat to me, so I wasn't exactly invested in this. Overall, Eve and Adam is a remarkable story that is unique, intriguing, and definitely has its fair share of plot twists. Yet, in the end, it is also a novel that seems to lack just a little something more to take it from good to great. While I wasn't overly impressed with this book, I am still curious enough to want to pick up the sequel, especially due to all the unanswered questions the reader is left with at the end of this novel. It is a short story and one that I wish could have had a little more in it as it had the potential to be a lovely stand-alone, but I'm interested to see in which direction its plot goes. It also helps that there isn't a love triangle at all in this one and that the characters and lively, headstrong, vivacious, and actually intelligent. Eve and Adam has a lot going for it and I am confident that even newcomers to the science-fiction genre will fall in love with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Aug 27, 2012
| Aug 28, 2012
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Aug 06, 2012
| Kindle Edition
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17
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| B0080K3D10
| 3.79
| 3,836
| Oct 16, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
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Rating: 2.5 Stars I think we’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not you, it’s me!” and while I would love to claim that my disappointed feelings c...more Rating: 2.5 Stars I think we’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not you, it’s me!” and while I would love to claim that my disappointed feelings concerning this book stem from me, and not the book itself, I honestly don’t think I can. Yes, my unusually prolific knowledge on dystopian and science-fiction novels definitely played a role in my lack of amazement at the so-called creativity of this novel and that same understanding enabled me to predict the ending of this novel far before the half-way mark of this book was even reached, but overall, I really do think it’s the book as well, not just me. Yet, then again, with my reputation of being a black sheep, you could just say this book wasn’t for me, but who knows? Ultimately, the point is that Crewel was a disappointing read with a lot of potential which failed to live up to the immense amount of hype surrounding it. Adelice lives in Arras, a world where unmarried women with weaving talents, known as Spinsters, can control time and matter. Ever since she was young, Adelice has discovered that she has this power as well, but she has struggled to keep it suppressed due to her parent's fear of Adelice becoming separated from her family and taken away to the lone towers where the Spinsters live their lives. On the day of testing, however, Adelice fails to fail and when The Guild, the totalitarian government which controls every aspect of their lives, comes to take her away, her parents force her to run away. Nevertheless, Adelice is soon caught and taken to become a Spinster where she causes as much trouble as she possibly can. Yet, as she will soon find out, there is more to The Guild than what meets the eye and her parents just may have been on to something when they begged her to run away… Wow, a dystopian novel where women control time? Awesome! Original! Creative! Riiight? Wrong. I’ve heard all those three words used to described this novel, but in reality, Crewel is no different from any other dystopian book. We have our classic government which controls everything, from who you marry to what you study to what you eat and how many children you have. We all know that dystopian novels are about fixing the wrongs on Earth and restoring control, so really, this is nothing new. Furthermore, the whole idea of being able to kill people at mere whim isn’t anything new either! Lois Lowry did it in The Giver, Kurt Vonnegut did it in his short story “2 B R 0 2 B” and I’m sure countless other authors have done it in the past as well. While I’m not denying that Crewel does have an immense amount of originality in its conception – which we see only after the 50% mark of this novel has been passed – for the most part, this story just focuses on a dystopian government like any other. If anything, I found it to be formulaic and extremely typical, which was all rather disappointing. Speaking of disappointments, I think the characters were what ruined this story for me. On the surface, Adelice is an amazing heroine – she’s a strong protagonist, she’s clever, she’s intelligent, and she sticks up for what she believes in. Yet, like any building, her foundation was off, which only made her overall character topple down as the story progressed. In Crewel, Adelice is credited for running away from The Guild on her own and for being a rebel – a role she quickly assumes without much reason. I think we were supposed to realize that the reason Adelice caused so much trouble was because her parents were killed, but this was hardly mentioned. It felt, to me at any rate, that she lacked true motivation for her actions and was falsely perceived as a rebel throughout the novel when she made it quite clear that she wouldn't have run away if it wasn't for her parents. Thus, the question for much of the novel which begs to be answered is why does Adelice do what she does and cause trouble for herself and for others as a Spinster when she doesn't even know why her parents hated The Guild? We never find out and while Adelice receives plenty of answers later, for the most part, her actions lack logical reasoning. In addition to Adelice though, the villains in this story were mediocre at best. If anything, they were predictable, unoriginal, and almost cartoon-like in their anger, misbehavior, and evil deeds. In general, they failed to impress me and didn’t add anything to this novel. Furthermore, they were vastly underdeveloped – much like the love interests in this story as well. Yes, that’s right, love interests, plural. We have, ladies and gentlemen, another love triangle on our hands! While this wasn’t as bad as some I’ve read previously, it was still extremely irritating. Still, I have to admit though that Jost was an extremely developed character and I loved him throughout the story, although I did think the “problem” between him and Adelice was way too easy to see coming. Erik, on the other hand, was as flat as paper and seemed to pine after Adelice for no reason, so that aspect of their romance irritated me. Overall though, the love triangle really could have been worse. Crewel is one of those novels that had so much potential, but just fell flat. I really loved the manner in which Albin revealed to us that this novel was a dystopian and some of the cruelty she exposed and horrors of the The Guild and the life in Arras were beautifully written, as was the character of Adelice’s mentor. Yet, despite all those good qualities, it still remains that this novel was predictable, contained mostly underdeveloped characters, lacked originality, and had an extremely slow pacing to start with. I feel as if so much of the beginning could have just been cut out and if the second half of this was better edited, it would have been a much better story. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’m going to continue with this series. I really do think I can predict most of what will occur in Book Two already, so that definitely does not bode well. If you haven’t read a lot of dystopian or science fiction novels in the past, I think this will blow you away, but if you have, this might just wind up being another typical dystopian story for you. Ultimately though, Crewel joins my pile of extremely disappointing reads – after all the hype, I think I was just expecting more. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Aug 23, 2012
| Aug 25, 2012
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May 02, 2012
| Kindle Edition
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10
| 
| 1595145958
| 9781595145956
| 3.85
| 3,640
| Sep 04, 2012
| Sep 04, 2012
|
Rating: 2.5 Stars I feel as if my journey with Origin has been a tough one. For starters, it took me nearly a week to finish, which may not seem ver...more Rating: 2.5 Stars I feel as if my journey with Origin has been a tough one. For starters, it took me nearly a week to finish, which may not seem very long, but for me it is looong. Not only that, but I was completely baffled and utterly torn over what rating I should ultimately bestow upon it. You see, Origin had a lot to love, but it had, in equal parts if not more, aspects of it which I didn’t enjoy. Unfortunately, I feel as if the negative aspects of this novel trumped the positive ones and I am forced to admit that Origin simply did not live up to the hype and could definitely do with a large dose of character-development, romantic flavor, and all-round editing. Pia has grown up in Little Cam, an isolated laboratory in the heart of the Amazon Jungle where she has been created to start a new race of immortal beings. Now a teenager, all Pia has ever wanted is to join the Immortis Team and help create a race of immortals so that she won’t be alone. On the night of her seventeenth birthday, however, when a hole appears in the fence separating her compound from the jungle, Pia’s curiosity, newly instilled by the arrival of a lively new scientist, is aroused and she ventures away from her home for the first time. In the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a native of the forest, and as her excursions to visit him increase, so do the mass of swirling questions in her mind about what lies in the world outside. It is then that Pia slowly begins to uncover the deadly secret behind the basis of Little Cam – one that could change her life forever. I have to admit, I was extremely impressed by the amount of research that Jessica Khoury put into this novel. Not only are her descriptions of the Amazon beautiful, atmospheric, and filled with languid prose, she truly made you feel as if you were there yourself. I love the feeling of becoming immersed within a setting and the exotic – and original – setting of this story has only made me want to go there someday myself. Yet, more than simple research on the habitat where she has placed her characters, Khoury did an enormous amount of research behind the concepts in her novel as well. While immortality remains to be an age-old mystery than mankind has often lusted after, Khoury explains her take on it in a simple and realistic manner, using previous ideals of biology and genetics to make her complex ideas plausible. Yet, despite its authentic premises, the characters and pace of Origin failed to draw me in. In all honesty, I think I truly appreciated and connected with one – maybe two – characters in this entire tale. I feel as if the entire cast of Origin was vastly underdeveloped and those who did have some development, such as Pia, were distant and difficult to connect with. While I appreciated the ideas behind the character of Pia – a living experiment who had never asked to become a test subject but was forced to live with the results of her experimentation – I was disappointed by the execution of her character. Pia has the potential to be such an interesting character and while some of her thoughts and conversations were very deep, for the most part she is indecisive – constantly going back and forth between Little Cam and Eio in the jungle – and for all the desperation of her situation, is difficult to sympathize with. Furthermore, beyond mere curiosity, beauty, and the intelligence that comes from being immortal, I found it tough to really find who Pia was beneath all the labels she carried. I think Khoury tried to half-heartedly develop her in the second half of this story, throwing in situations that showed us Pia’s moral status, her kindness, and humanity, but it didn’t help me connect with her in the least. Thus, while I liked that we were able to see some of the dangerous affects of immortality through Pia, I still don’t feel as if I truly know her – or even want to actually – which prevented me from really enjoying this tale. Now, looking back, my connection with Pia was broken in the first few chapters of this novel itself when I found it difficult to believe that Pia, a teenager who has grown up as a scientist and been raised to ask questions, was never curious about the outside world until the arrival of Aunt Harriet, the new scientist who gifts Pia with a map and encourages her to think beyond the walls she has known all her life. If that wasn’t enough to make me jump on the Skeptical Boat, the very fact that Eio was proclaiming his undying loyalty and love to her after just a few scarce meetings, definitely was. Eio, in my opinion, is the least developed of all the characters and while he did have a few interesting conversations with Pia, for the most part his entire character didn’t serve much of a purpose beyond that of a friend. I didn’t care for the romance in this story in the least and Eio is such a weak character than beyond his kindness and naivety, he is easily forgettable. Other forgettable characters include the scientists of Little Cam. While I found them to be deliciously evil, there wasn’t much to them beyond their inherent badness, which I disliked. I wish that the small bout of corporate/scientific politics that was thrown into this tale had been better developed and built around the personalities of the scientists that Pia grew up with, but instead these characters were simply written off as being greedy, corrupt, and power-hungry, which was a mistake as I am sure there is much more to them than just that; yet, we were unfortunately unable to see this side of them. Origin, while not being a tale I would recommend to others, is, by no means, a bad novel. In fact, many of my most trusted reviewers have given this story high ratings and I am glad that they were able to fall in love with this unique story in a way that I wasn’t. For me, more than the slow pacing and bouts of extreme animal cruelty that tainted the pages of this book, the characters were a deciding factor on my negative rating. I simply did not enjoy reading this and while I was pleasantly surprised by the plot twists at the end, by that time it was simply too late to make me appreciate a story in which I didn’t feel anything for the characters or the difficult situations they found themselves in. As far as debut novels go, Origin is teeming with possibility and promise, but it simply fell flat in my opinion. Yet, I am quite confident that this is a story I will be seeing on many favorites shelves before the year is up. Once again, I seem to be the exception, not the rule, of general hype. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Aug 02, 2012
| Aug 07, 2012
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Jul 23, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
11
| 
| 0373210523
| 9780373210527
| 4.07
| 2,948
| Aug 28, 2012
| Aug 28, 2012
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Rating: 4.5 Stars In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dove into Speechless. I picked it up for one reason and one reason alone – Han...more Rating: 4.5 Stars In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dove into Speechless. I picked it up for one reason and one reason alone – Hannah Harrington had written it. I knew, from the moment I requested it, that I would love it, but I never expected just how much. Harrington has a habit of surpassing even my wildest expectations – she did it with Saving June and she constantly does it again, every time I re-read her debut novel. Thus, while I was expecting nothing short of brilliant when I began this story, I was still awed, shocked, and, yes, speechless as I read the remarkable and richly woven new tale that she had created. Speechless is one of those few novels that needs no introduction, no synopsis, and no plot summary to come before it. It is a story that demands to be delved into blind-folded and will be all the more appreciated for that, hence the reason I refuse to rob you all of the opportunity to read and love this story in all its raw beauty. In fact, all I can tell you about the plot of this story is that it revolves around Chelsea Knot. Chelsea is a girl we all know – she’s that girl in high school who knew all the latest gossip and didn’t hesitate to spread it around. Yet, when one tiny rumor has deadly repercussions, Chelsea decides that it would be far more prudent of her to be silent than blab her big mouth, so she takes a vow of silence. While Speechless is, in many ways, Chelsea’s journey of silence, it is never portrayed thus. Admit it – when you think of a vow of silence, you think of monks in Tibet remaining silent to become closer to God or to gain higher spiritual truths, don’t you? Yet, Harrington never portrays Chelsea in this light and maintains that she is simply a teenage girl trying to find her way in the labyrinth of life. Chelsea isn’t perfect for taking a vow of silence – if anything, her faults are constantly thrown in her face, her failures never leave her, and she is never able to forget about the guilt she carries; but all these qualities only make Chelsea all the more real and tangible to the reader. Yes, Chelsea is a dangerously flawed and unlikable character, but that is exactly why I love Harrington so much – she has a talent of taking seemingly terrible people and showing us their more vulnerable, better, and kinder side. Each and every one of her characters contains an immense amount of depth and I loved reading Chelsea’s narration of this tale – it is brutally honest, raw, and truly eye-opening. I have to admit that Saving June still remains to be my favorite Harrington novel, but Speechless is an impeccable sophomore novel regardless. It is one that explores the complex hierarchy of high school, that analyzes human nature, and that reveals some of the most basic truths behind happiness. Prior to the scandalous event that forced Chelsea to take her vow of silence, she used to be one of the most popular students in school but just as quickly, she fell faar down the ladder. Nevertheless, while Speechless seems like your usual run-of-the-mill high school tale, except with a slight twist, it goes much deeper than that and explores themes such as popularity, superficiality, and what it means to be yourself and find a niche that accepts you for you. It is an integral message that deserves to be heard and Harrington conveys it in a very subtle and beautifully written manner. Speechless also contains one of my favorite cast of characters ever. Asha, the petite Indian girl who befriends the now silent Chelsea, is exactly the type of best friend you want for yourself. Plus, she’s Indian! I feel as if authors always think diversity means Japanese, Chinese, European, or African-American characters, but it’s so rare to see other races also portrayed and I was thrilled by Asha’s appearance. In addition to Asha though, Chelsea winds up becoming very close friends with Sam who is a total sweetheart. I usually have a problem with guys who are too-good-to-be-true, but Sam has his flaws as well, even if they are harder to see. Furthermore, his romance with Chelsea developed wonderfully, starting out as a strong friendship, and I loved the fact that it never detracted from the overall story in the least. Chelsea also carries on extremely complex friendships with all the members of Rosie’s Diner, the restaurant where she eventually finds a job, and with her parents too. I was glad to see them appear and make such a marked impact on Chelsea’s life which was a nice change from the usual Missing Parent Syndrome. Ultimately though, Speechless shines, not because of its rich characters or subtly woven messages, it shines because of what it enables the reader to take away from it. More than anything, this is a story of forgiveness – of forgiving yourself, of accepting your mistakes and moving on from them, and of realizing that everything happens in life for a reason. Speechless is more than just a novel about a girl who chose to be quiet; it’s a novel about accepting your sexuality, being brave, facing your fears, and becoming a better person. It’s about not conforming with society and in many ways, it reminded me of a teenage Scarlet Letter or silent version of “Easy A” but so much better than what you could imagine those books to be like. While I did dislike the rather stereotypical portrayal of Kristen, Chelsea’s ex-best friend who shuns her, it is a small qualm to have in a novel this wonderfully written. Hannah Harrington was already one of my favorite authors, but with Speechless, she dared to explore something entirely new and take her trademark genre to new levels, which has consequently earned her my respect. I am waiting, with bated breath really, to see what she comes up with next and am utterly confident that it will be just as spellbinding and speechless-inducing as her previous works. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Aug 07, 2012
| Aug 07, 2012
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Jul 18, 2012
| Paperback
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16
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| 144245413X
| 9781442454132
| 4.04
| 2,851
| Aug 28, 2012
| Aug 28, 2012
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If I Lie is easily one of the better written contemporary debuts I've come across this year, if not the best. It is powerful, thought-provoking, and...more
If I Lie is easily one of the better written contemporary debuts I've come across this year, if not the best. It is powerful, thought-provoking, and is beautifully written. While it touches upon a variety of subjects and something or the other is constantly happening throughout the novel, at its core, it is a character-driven story like no other. I guess if I had to, I’d describe If I Lie as a cross between The Scarlet Letter and Speechless, but really, it is a novel that manages to hold its head high and stand all on its own, for although it covers a similar subject matter, it also covers so much more. It is a novel not only about bearing burdens, facing a cold shoulder of shame, torn families, friendship, and the army; it is also a story about hope and perseverance and the ability to find strength and courage even in the darkest of times. When Sophie Topher Quinn is caught kissing a guy – a guy who isn’t her marine boyfriend, Carey – it is the worst thing she can ever do in her small town. Where Sophie lives, nearly every family has had, or still does have, relatives in the army, so when Carey goes MIA, far from being ostracized, she is utterly ruined. Yet, the truth of the matter is this: Sophie didn’t cheat on Carey. Nevertheless, despite her innocence, Sophie is forced to take the blame for her heinous act because not doing so would reveal the truth - a truth that would break Carey apart. If that isn’t enough on her plate, Sophie is constantly compared to her mother who left her military father years ago, running away with his brother instead. In a world of lies, where Sophie is branded as a whore, a traitor, and must deal with her broken grief about her ex-boyfriend’s status in the military, it seems uncertain that the truth will ever come out. If I Lie is an intense and heart-breaking read. I think what struck me the most about this novel though, for all the issues it undertook, was the fact that every character was multi-dimensional. I don't know how it would be like to have a mother who cheated on my father or have friends who shun me or be a mother who abandoned her child, but I felt all those emotions and understood the reasoning behind these acts so clearly. Jackson paints such a vivid and unforgiving picture of Sophie's life, of what she's been through, of what the people she's known have been through, and of what compels them to make the actions that they make that I am simply in awe of her skill. Here, dear readers, is an author to look out for. What else is there to look out for in this compelling read? Well, first and foremost, you will need tissue boxes for this novel - I don't care how freaking cold-hearted you are, you will need them. I didn't think I would and honestly, I didn't cry when all sorts of horrible things happened to Sophie, but I did sob my eyes out when it came to George, the old veteran who becomes a father-figure to Sophie and is an integral part of this story. I Yet, its wonderful characters and its richly developed and realistic relationships aside, I think one of the best things about this novel is its ability to have silver linings despite all the sorrow within it. Yes, it is an intense and emotional read and yes, Sophie goes through some terrible situations both in school and her community, but despite all of that, at the end it is her who comes out as a stronger person and one who knows who her true friends are. Furthermore, the messages and themes that come out of this novel are so realistic and have such a large degree of truth to them that you cannot help but ponder over them for hours afterwards. Even the romance, which is subtle, takes a well-deserves backseat to the other issues this story tackles, and is the very definition of bittersweet; and the rocky relationships Sophie sustains with her parents, which gradually develop into something better while managing to maintain its realistic roots, contain such deep and provocative messages that they will keep you thinking into the wee hours of the night. I can say so much more about this book, but I almost don’t want to. I don’t want my interpretation of this story and its characters to influence yours. I want everyone to go into this novel not knowing what to expect and emerge from it a tear-stricken mess, but one whose heart is infinitely lighter and happier than it was before. If you like Melina Marchetta, Hannah Harrington, Markus Zusak, or Kirsty Eagar novels, you'll love this one. It follows the same themes of self-discovery, strength, and family that those authors often write about and If I Lie is a debut that simply cannot be missed. It will make you think. It will make you reflect. It will make you sob. It will make you smile. It is so realistic that I am floored by the unique path Jackson chose to take this novel on and I love her all the more for it. I am so grateful to have gotten a chance to read this novel just days before its release as I might have overlooked it in favor of the other reads releasing on the same day, but believe me, this is utterly remarkable. I don't believe I've ever had occasion to say this before, but if you skip out on this phenomenal tale, then you are truly missing out. Read it. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Aug 18, 2012
| Aug 18, 2012
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Jun 20, 2012
| Hardcover
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14
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| B007M2ADJM
| 3.98
| 2,469
| Jun 26, 2012
| Sep 11, 2012
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Rating: 3.5 Stars Shadowfell is, I am ashamed to admit, my first Juliet Marillier novel. While I doubt it is her best, I can already see why she h...more Rating: 3.5 Stars Shadowfell is, I am ashamed to admit, my first Juliet Marillier novel. While I doubt it is her best, I can already see why she has such a huge fan following. Not only is her writing simply beautiful, but her world-building also manages to be exceedingly unique as her story grabs you in, even from the start. Furthermore, each and every one of Marillier’s characters is wonderfully developed, containing an immense amount of depth. While Shadowfell’s main fault seems to lie with its protagonist, it is still a thrilling tale that will engage readers and perfectly sets us up for an epic trilogy in the making. It is a dangerous time in Alban, especially for Neryn. King Keldec has nearly wiped out all the magic in the kingdom, but his deadly Enforcers still search for Neryn, a girl rumored to have unique powers. Thus, when Neryn is given off to an enigmatic traveler, Flint, and loses her remaining family, she decides to travel to Shadowfell, a mysterious safe-haven for those with abilities like her who can see the Good Folk. Neryn will soon learn, however, that her journey to Shadowfell may not be as easy as she once thought. You see, Neryn possesses a unique gift – one that has not been seen in Alban for years and has the potential to overthrow Keldec. Yet, to use her gift, Neryn must pass through a series of tasks, all unknown to her, during her travels. Neryn’s journey will not only test her strength and morals, but they will test her bonds of loyalty, friendship, and perhaps even…love. Shadowfell, despite being a novel that I simply loved, mostly because of its genre, was one in which the heroine unfortunately fell flat. When this novel begins, we don’t know much about Neryn and are rather confused by her innate goodness, kindness to the Good Folk, and respect for ancient lore. Yet, as the novel progresses, we slowly begin to understand Neryn a bit more and are able to see the events in her past which have made her the way she is. Still, throughout the novel, Neryn is a very naïve character. In a world filled with desperation, evil, and tragedy, I found it hard to believe that Neryn managed to remain so pure and trusting without having the faults of the world she lived in damage her personality. Furthermore, Neryn constantly fails to learn from her mistakes and there is very little character growth in this installment. Neryn does begin to change during the end of this novel, so I am hopeful that we will be seeing a different Neryn in the sequel, but the Neryn in Shadowfell was quite a disappointment. I admired her resilience, her strength, her kindness, and her hopeful nature, so I definitely did like her and I even understood how so much of her past had made her the way she was, but I was still hoping for something more from her overall which I, unfortunately, did not get to see. Neryn aside, Shadowfell was a remarkable novel. I loved the world-building straight off the bat as it was a unique blend of fey lore and Celtic mythology, combining together to create the Good Folk. Furthermore, the story of Alban was not only extremely interesting, as were the politics of the nation, but it was also something you felt. While originally seeming to be similar to Throne of Glass in the sense that both novels were set in fantasy realms with kings who despite magic, Marillier, unlike Maas, enables us to see and truly witness the misfortune that befalls this nation and Alban itself became a character of its own. Even the Good Folk, who are mysterious creatures, were wonderful to read about and I was thoroughly immersed in the many tales they told, their history, the slow uncovering of their importance to the story, and the many gifts they possessed. Yet, what really made me love Shadowfell was Flint. From the surface, it seems as if Flint is your typical tortured male protagonist. As the story unfolds, however, it is evident that Flint, while remaining to be a tormented character, is also one with an immense amount of courage, strength, and heart. Furthermore, Flint’s pain stems from the fact that he carries a heavy burden – one no one should have to bear – but that only makes him all the more likable, admirable, and ultimately inspirational for it. In other words, there is simply so much more to Flint than what first meets the eye and I fell hard for the budding romance between him and Neryn. It was written with a beautiful subtlety and was incorporated into the story in such a breath-taking manner that I was completely invested in it. I honestly can’t remember being so taken by a romance in a long time, so it was extremely refreshing. Furthermore, Flint really drove this novel forward as the scenes with him in it were much more fast-paced, contained a lot more action, and simply seemed to have more of everything. In other words, it is Flint and not Neryn who controls much of this story and while I found this to be a strange balance of power, I still loved it. Overall, Shadowfell is a great start to a new series. It has all the right ingredients to become a remarkable trilogy and I love the fact that everything is set up so perfectly for us. It is evident that Marillier has a set plan for this series and her lore, ideas, and plans are all very well thought-out and executed. It rarely happens, but I do believe that the sequel to Shadowfell will be a much stronger novel overall. While Neryn did bring the quality of this story down a bit, I still enjoyed it a lot, so if you’re looking out for a new fantasy novel, you should seriously consider picking this one up this month. It may not be Marillier’s best work, but it is a remarkable piece of fiction regardless. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Aug 26, 2012
| Sep 2012
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Jul 19, 2012
| Kindle Edition
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35
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| 0373210639
| 9780373210633
| 4.21
| 2,354
| May 28, 2013
| May 28, 2013
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Rating: 3.75 Stars When it comes to Katie McGarry’s sophomore novel, I don’t quite know where to start. For one, I have to admit that I didn’t love thi...more Rating: 3.75 Stars When it comes to Katie McGarry’s sophomore novel, I don’t quite know where to start. For one, I have to admit that I didn’t love this as much as I did Pushing the Limits. For some reason, I wasn’t as emotionally invested in this tale, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I had my misgivings about it even before I started, mostly because I was a little confused as to why Beth and Isaiah were not the couple in this novel, but McGarry had proven that better than anyone else, she truly knows her characters inside-out and she makes us, as the reader, get to know them on that level of depth as well. Truly, McGarry is one of the few contemporary authors who I can count on to deliver a romance that is equal parts heart-wrenching and sweet, making her stories close to perfect. Dare You To is a very different story from Pushing the Limits. While McGarry’s debut had an undercurrent of mystery to it, her sophomore story takes on a more typical route. On one hand we have Beth, a heroine we already know; we know her mother does drugs, we know Trent, her mother’s boyfriend, hits both Beth and her mother, we know that Beth has been taking care of her mother since she was eight, not vice versa. On the other hand we have Ryan, a boy who seems to be perfect from the outside but whose family is falling apart, whose brother is gay and has been kicked out of the house, whose goals are so intertwined with his father’s dreams that he no longer knows what he really wants. When extenuating circumstances force Beth to move in with her Uncle Scott, a baseball player and huge inspiration to Ryan, a baseball player himself, the two find themselves unexpectedly meeting and talking and then, without even knowing how, falling in love. First and foremost, I want to get out of the way that in retrospect, I am thrilled that this isn’t Beth and Isaiah’s love story. McGarry makes us understand as this novel progresses that Isaiah is Beth’s rock – the friend she can always count on – but that doesn’t mean that he necessarily does what’s best for her. If anything, the two are too similar, too broken, and too messed up to help each other truly heal, which is why Ryan and Beth are made for one another. Dare You To starts out a little disjointed, taking awhile for the reader to grow accustomed to the narration. It is still the characteristic dual perspective used in Pushing the Limits and, once again, it works beautifully, but it takes awhile for this story to really get started. Once it does, however, it is impossible not to be drawn into both of these characters. Beth is a character we all know – tough exterior, but utterly vulnerable underneath. While Ryan’s original interest in Beth stems from a dare and the fact that her uncle is a famous baseball player, something he himself aspires to be, he slowly begins to see the girl she is underneath. As Ryan falls in love with Beth, so do we and our heart breaks for her and her and her helpless situation. In a lot of ways, McGarry’s sophomore story reminded me of Lara Zielin’s The Waiting Sky since both novels feature protagonists who are constantly taking care of their mothers, unable to understand that there is nothing they can do for them. Like Zielin, McGarry too crafts this storyline with poise, elegance, and feeling. Beth becomes so three-dimensional and real, despite the fact that her problems are so far away from our own. Ryan, comparatively, is easier to relate to because his life is more like ours and so are his problems. Yet, I love that both Ryan and Beth have to learn to find their own happiness, without that added pressure of pleasing others. McGarry builds this theme so perfectly, the idea of living for yourself and learning to trust not only others, but also yourself with the idea of happiness. It’s beautiful. If there are any flaws within this novel, they lie mostly within a few plot structures. I, for one, wanted a little more of nearly everything. McGarry tackles on a lot of issues in this novel, which is ambitious, and she makes it work for the most part too, but I craved more of Ryan and his interactions with his parents, especially when it came to his gay older brother, Mark, who his family shunned and his own personal struggles in convincing his parents that he wanted to go to college and pursue writing instead of directly joining pro baseball leagues. In addition, I wish that Beth’s relationship with Scott’s wife, Allison, had also had a little more of a foundation. It sprung up out of seemingly nowhere by the end of the story and while Scott and Beth’s progressive growth and trust of their relationship was excellent, Allison and Beth were a little shaky. Even Beth’s friendship with Lacy, the girl who used to be her best friend, was all slightly glossed over in favor of expanding Beth and Isaiah’s friendship troubles. Lastly, and this is minor, is the fact that Ryan and Beth's attraction started out purely physical, which grated on me a bit, but I'm glad it moved into a realm where they found genuine love and acceptance in one another for who they were, not what they looked like. While these issues were never overly large or looming, I did feel their absence and I hope McGarry takes on slightly less in her next novel. What I do appreciate about her books, though, is that they seem typical and dramatic, but the drama and misunderstandings all serve a greater purpose; at the end of them, the relationship between the people involved is always changed for the good, so it never seems to be a plot device that is simply there to prolong the story. I know many readers were irritated by the drama in Pushing the Limits, so I can’t promise that it’s not present in this one either, but in my opinion, both books used the drama in them to further their tale. Plus, despite Ryan and Beth facing such dissimilar issues, McGarry manages to make them both seem equally as important, dangerous, and life-changing, which goes a long way in creating their depth. Fans of Pushing the Limits will definitely not be disappointed by McGarry’s latest, which is another page-turning, heart-pounding romance that will make you swoon and cry, all at the same time. Beth and Ryan’s voices are so different from that of Noah and Echo, so it feels as if I’ve never read this story before, even though I’ve read so many various versions of it in each contemporary novel. Nevertheless, if there’s one author I can count on to help me escape to another world for a few hours, to forget about my own problems and immerse myself in someone else’s, it’s Katie McGarry. Somehow, this author has turned into one whose books I just can’t say no to and I’m already excited to get my hands on her next book. (less) | Notes are private!
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| Jan 11, 2013
| Jan 12, 2013
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Jul 23, 2012
| Hardcover
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7
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| 1250001404
| 9781250001405
| 3.92
| 2,288
| Sep 18, 2012
| Sep 18, 2012
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“… I wanted to write a book with heart; a book about a friendship that bloomed despite all obstacles. A bond that would grow to become a thing of leg...more
“… I wanted to write a book with heart; a book about a friendship that bloomed despite all obstacles. A bond that would grow to become a thing of legend in this nation on the edge of ruin—a friendship that challenged the might of an empire." ~Jay Kristoff In my opinion, to be a writer is not only one of the toughest tasks in the world, it is also the most courageous; for to be an author is to take on the challenge, not only of pouring yourself into a novel, but in reaching an audience and making them feel the heart and passion you put into a story as well. In all honesty, very few authors truly succeed in this - writing is hard, who said it wasn’t? Thus, I can count on one hand the number of authors who have really gone above and beyond, who have truly pulled me into their worlds, and made me weep, laugh, sob, and smile - all in the span of a few hours. Jay Kristoff, ladies and gentleman, is one of them. Yes, this debut author happens to be one of those few authors whose novel has truly impacted me, perhaps not in my life overall, but definitely in the few hours I spent reading it. While Stormdancer is, by no means, a perfect novel, it is a novel with creativity, originality, and most importantly, with heart. If that isn’t enough to constitute it as a masterpiece, then I don’t know what is. I think the first thing that strikes you about Stormdancer, aside from its gorgeous cover, is the amount of research Kristoff obviously put into his novel. The futuristic Japan of Stormdancer contains many of the same cultural aspects of society, politics, and government that present-day Japan possesses which makes for an extremely authentic read. In Kristoff’s world, the land has been destroyed by the planting of lotuses, the skies are red with pollution, and Yoritomo, the power-hungry leader of this dying land, seeks a legendary thunder tiger. Griffins, what we would call a thunder tiger, are believed to be extinct, thus, Yoritomo’s request to Masaru, the best tracker in the kingdom, and his daughter, Yukiko, is believed to be impossible to fulfill and bring about certain death. Yet, against all odds, Masaru and Yukiko do find a thunder tiger and it is at that moment when Yukiko’s life slowly begins to change. When the lies she believed were truths are exposed and the enemies she believed were friends are revealed, Yukiko finally comes to accept her true destiny and challenge the might of her corrupt empire itself. I’ll admit it - Stormdancer and I got off to a rocky start. While I soaked up the rich world-building in the first few chapters of the novel, I also found it to be rather cumbersome to read as it was bogged down by detailed descriptions of practically everything. Since I am an avid Dickens’ lover and tend to appreciate long-winded and descriptive writing, I was able to trudge through the first couple of pages until the real action began; yet, I think for a lot of readers, the beginning of this novel will be a real challenge. Nevertheless, the world-building is one to truly admire in this story. Kristoff has covered practically every aspect of his world, from social and cultural norms, to political and governmental conspiracies, and from the city mindset to that in the rural areas as well. It is a richly imagined and vividly real world that the reader is thrown into and I loved every minute I spent in it. While Stormdancer is most certainly notable for its world-building and even its scintillating plot filled with politics and rebellion, it is the characters that really make it shine. Yukiko, our strong-willed heroine, is a unique and refreshing character to come across. I loved her maturity, her courage, her bravery, her strength to fight for what was right, and most importantly, her bond with Buruu, the thunder tiger. Theirs is truly a remarkable friendship and I found myself to be charmed by its slow development and moved by the heart and soul it contained. While Yukiko and Buruu are remarkable characters on their own, together they form an unbeatable team and often times, it seems as if they are one person. Yet, while their thoughts flow together seamlessly, it is easy to tell them apart by their distinct traits which I believe is a true testimony to Kristoff’s writing abilities. While Yukiko and Buruu most definitely have the most interesting relationship in this novel, the most heart-warming one is that between Yukiko and her father, Masaru. I loved the manner in which this relationship evolved – it was complex, confusing, heart-breaking, yet truly impactful. I could feel all the conflicted emotions Yukiko felt towards her father in my own gut and felt such a strong pull towards the relationship between these two, perhaps because we all have fathers ourselves. Even Yukiko’s changing relationships with Masaru’s tracking friends, one of whom happens to be the woman he slept with while Yukiko’s mother was still alive, were very realistically written and developed. I also felt a strong bond towards Yukiko’s dead twin brother and I admired how wonderfully Yukiko herself had been shaped surrounding this grief. While she is initially a tough character to like, her relationships with others and her rocky past makes her a flawed character, but an understandable, relatable, lovable, and admirable one as well. I fear this review is going to be a long-winded, but there is simply so much to love about this tale. I love the manner in which the political schemes played out in this story and especially Kristoff’s portrayal of women. Kristoff shows us that women, for all their beauty and charm, can be just as deadly and cunning behind the doors and decked in pretty dresses. I think he truly captured the female mentality and portrayed it in an extremely positive and strong-willed light. Even in his romance, Yukiko always seems to have the upper hand and remains to be unattached to her lover – for the most part at least. I suppose my only complaint with this was that I never really felt anything for the small romance in this novel, but then again, I don’t think we were meant to. Yukiko doesn’t need a man to define her and similarly, this novel doesn’t need a romance to define it. It is so much more than a love story, a friendship story, or even a political one. It is a blend of all these ideas and even more than that. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Stormdancer has heart. It makes you feel for the relationships and friendships that are inside. It makes you hate the villains who are clever, cunning, and cruel – deadly combinations for sure. It makes you feel the fire of revenge, the cooling rain of friendship, and the wondrous feeling of loyalty. In fact, reading Stormdancer is so much like being Yukiko and living in her world that it is hard to catch your bearings when it is over. While it does have its flaws and I am sure many readers will find more faults with it than I have, I love Stormdancer for its originality, creativity, and for its ability to immerse me in a world with characters I can connect with. Furthermore, Stormdancer contains many subtle themes that blossom as the novel continues and while its ending isn’t a cliffhanger, it leaves you yearning for more. In every sense of the word, Stormdancer is a true literary wonder and an amazing Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Jul 16, 2012
| Jul 18, 2012
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Apr 12, 2012
| Hardcover
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2
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| 1933718757
| 9781933718750
| 4.07
| 1,825
| Oct 09, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
|
It is a well known fact that the second book in a trilogy tends to be the weakest book of the series. It drags, it sets up the story for the epic conc...more
It is a well known fact that the second book in a trilogy tends to be the weakest book of the series. It drags, it sets up the story for the epic conclusion, and it is simply an all-round fest of boredom for the reader. Mike Mullin’s Ashen Winter however, is (thankfully) one of the few exceptions to this rule. Ashen Winter is filled with danger, romance, and heart-pounding action that is certain not to disappoint. While Ashfall followed the story of Alex and his journey to reach his parents in Warren, Ashen Winter follows the journeys of Alex and Darla as they struggle through the freezing cold winter to find Alex’s missing parents. The story opens with the two finding a gun that belonged to Alex’s father in the possession of a bandit – a rogue who clearly has information about the current whereabouts of Alex’s parents. However, if Alex and Darla found travelling through the snow to reach Warren to be difficult, this endeavor only proves to be more of a challenge this time around as now the people are more desperate, more ruthless, and the weather has only turned more brutal. Furthermore, the support they have always depended on from one another just may be ripped away and Alex may find himself searching for more than just his parents in this scintillating sequel. In all honesty, I did not enjoy Ashen Winter nearly as much as I enjoyed Ashfall. That being said, I still think that Ashen Winter was an extremely respectable follow-up novel to Mullin’s surprising debut and like its predecessor, it managed to keep my attention while I flipped frantically through its pages, unable to stop reading. What I liked best about Ashen Winter though, was the fact that Mullin really took human nature into account. In this novel, we are exposed to the more savage, unrelenting side of humanity and are shown to just what extents people are willing to go to get what they want and live. Ashfall showed us some of these extremes, but Ashen Winter truly went deeper. As more time passes by while humans are forced to survive in the raw wilderness that is now their home, a far more brutal and ugly side of despair and what it can do to you is shown. I felt as if all this was very realistically and effectively portrayed through Alex, who proves to be an engaging and empathic narrator once more. Speaking of Alex, I really enjoyed seeing his character development throughout this novel. The volcanic eruption that turned his life upside down also managed to make him into a tougher, strong-willed, and more morally aware human being. His interactions with Darla, his family, and other complete strangers all slowly exposed different sides of him that we weren’t able to see as much in Ashfall and I think the manner in which he grew was very realistically portrayed as well. There is a lot more I wish I could say on the matter of Alex, but I would hate to reveal any more for fear of spoilers. Thus, I can only assure you that Alex continues to be the determined and faithful protagonist that we all fell in love with in Ashfall and Mullin only makes it easier for us to side with him, root for him, and revel in his unique narration. That being said, Ashen Winter did have a major flaw that I was unable to reconcile with. One of my absolute favorite characters was not present for over half of the novel and this loss was felt very keenly. Although I did like seeing the impact this had on Alex and how it drove the original plot-line of the story, I definitely would have enjoyed this book more if that character were present for just a little bit more of the book. In addition, I felt as if some areas of this story tended to drag and only the last couple of hundred pages truly seemed to pick up the pace. Yet, these are small qualms to have with such a brilliantly written novel and although I frowned upon them, I still managed to enjoy this novel despite it. Ashen Winter is a truly spectacular sequel to Ashfall - one that leaves you satisfied, on the edge of your seat, and waiting for more all at the same time. I can definitely admit that the most difficult part about reading this book will be waiting for the third installment in this amazing series to release. Mike Mullin has quickly become not only one of my favorite authors, but an author to definitely watch out for. Not only is his work extremely well researched, fantastically written, and remarkably balanced out with action, suspense, romance, and relationships, but he also does not hesitate to reveal the darker aspects of humanity and the gory parts of human survival. This series has quickly become one of my most anticipated reads every year and I can guarantee that fans of Ashfall will not be disappointed by this far-from-disappointing sequel! Thank you to NetGalley and Tanglewood for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Jun 13, 2012
| Jun 19, 2012
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May 11, 2012
| Hardcover
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1
| 
| 1908844019
| 9781908844019
| 3.84
| 1,812
| Oct 01, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
This, ladies and gentleman, is how you write a spectacular debut novel. Clarke’s first book is a masterful mix of imagination, thrill, suspense, and...more
This, ladies and gentleman, is how you write a spectacular debut novel. Clarke’s first book is a masterful mix of imagination, thrill, suspense, and a subtle, but underlying, romance. Although I do have my own qualms with this book – which I will get to in a little bit – I can’t deny that it kept me entertained, forcing me to devour it all in one sitting. I fell in love with the character interaction and rich world that Clarke had created and I am already eagerly anticipating the sequel of this fantastic story. In fact, my only complaint at having received this as an ARC is the fact that I have to wait longer than anyone else to get my hands on the sequel, but you can bet that I’ll be one of the first ones to do so. Seventeen-year-old Ananna, the daughter of a rich pirate lord, wants nothing more than to become captain of her own ship, sailing the seas with a crew of her own. However, when she is forced into marriage with a boy she does not love and barely trusts, she does the only thing she can think of – she runs away. Pirates, however, are not known to be forgiving people and before she knows it, Ananna has an assassin on her trail. Yet, Ananna’s assassin is no ordinary killer and when Ananna unwillingly saves his life, she finds herself bound to him in a way she never wanted. Naji, the enigmatic assassin who is sent to murder Ananna, is victim to a terrible curse causing him to live his life protecting Ananna and forcing him to experience severe pain when she is away or injured. Thus, is it with reluctance that the two of them embark on a journey to find a cure to Naji’s “impossible” curse. Yet, as time will tell, there is more to fear on their adventure than pirates and assassins and their deadliest threat may come from what, to Ananna, is completely unknown… In all honesty, the plot of this story reminded me a lot of Brightly Woven. Both novels feature a tortured male protagonist who is suffering from a curse and a female protagonist who is forced to remain with him, slowly falling in love with him as time passes. Although these similarities were egregiously obvious throughout the story, The Assassin’s Curse threw in something completely different and original that made it stand out. For one, Ananna is an admirable heroine. She stands up for herself, doesn’t back down from a fight, and knows how to hold her own. Although she comes across as young, juvenile, and even quite less-than-kick-ass at first, that quickly changes. I thoroughly enjoyed Ananna’s narration – her quick wit, brilliant humor, and rapid banter made this novel one that I couldn’t put down. Furthermore, she is far from any typical “Mary Sue” character that I’ve come across and isn’t shy to argue or challenge Naji and the predicament they find themselves in. Speaking of Naji, I think it’s safe to say that I’m in love with him. There is simply something about tortured characters that rips out my heart and tears my soul, making me sympathize with and eventually fall head-over-heels in love with them. Naji was no different. At first, Naji can come across as cruel, strange, and even hard to like. However, Clarke does a spectacular job developing his character as we progress through the story. She doesn’t hesitate to show us Naji’s weak, vulnerable, and ugly sides just as much as she knows us his compassion, pain, and total badassery. Naji, despite being a handsome man, has a scar across his face which disfigures him, causing him to be extremely self-conscious. Although it seems as if taking on so many issues – a curse, an adventure, pirates, assassins, murder – seems too much to do justice to without adding on the classic theme of don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover, Clarke does a remarkable job of balancing everything out. In fact, I think this idea, more than even the curse, truly made Naji stand out to me and revealed a whole other side of him we previously didn’t get to see. What I loved most about it though was how Ananna found it in herself to love him and see him for all his positive aspects rather than his ugliness, murder, and killing. All in all, I feel as if I’ve gotten a truly thorough and complete picture of both Naji and Ananna’s characters after reading this novel and I couldn’t be any happier. The romance in this book is very subtle and slowly creeps up on both Ananna and the reader. I don’t want to give anything away so all I’ll say is that I can’t wait to see where it goes and how it progresses in the sequel! Gushing aside, I still had a few qualms with this book. First and foremost, it should be noted that this novel takes place in an entirely different world – a world which I still, unfortunately, don’t know too much about. This lack of information did not hinder the story in any manner and was, in fact, probably a very calculated writing maneuver as the narrator, Ananna, obviously knows about the world she lives in, but as a reader I found myself wishing there was more importance given to the world-building aspect of this story. I definitely think we will be getting a lot more information about this world and the multiple detailed intricacies of it in the sequel, but this all goes back to another issue with this novel: the pacing. Now, when I discuss pacing I don’t mean that this book was slow or lagging in any aspect, because it wasn’t. This was a true page-turner. By pacing I mean that there was a flood of information given to the reader during the first few chapters and then the plot took over and there was more information-dumping in the last chapter. I know I would have enjoyed this book more if the intrigue and mystery about Naji’s curse was not revealed to us in the very beginning (or in the synopsis for that matter) and if the world-building had steadily progressed and increased throughout the course of the novel. Overall though, The Assassin’s Curse is a debut novel you should definitely watch out for. It is entertaining, filled with heart-pounding action and characters that you cannot help but love. Even though this novel comes across as juvenile in some parts, I think it is an excellent addition to the small cluster of good YA fiction out there. Plus, who can resist that beautiful cover? Not me, that’s for sure! I am thrilled to see where Clarke is taking this series and I’ve enjoyed every minute I spent in her world. So, when October rolls around, don’t let it take a curse (or me cursing you) to read this! Pick up this amazing debut – you won’t regret it!(: Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry for providing me with an ARC of this book and giving me the opportunity to read and review it! You can find this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jun 13, 2012
| Jun 13, 2012
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Jun 12, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
39
| 
| B00AEC8PA6
| 3.82
| 1,552
| Mar 05, 2013
| Mar 05, 2013
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Rating: 2 Stars/DNF From first glance, Arnett's debut seems to have a lot going for it. An eye-catching cover? Check. Gorgeous title fonts and imagery...more Rating: 2 Stars/DNF From first glance, Arnett's debut seems to have a lot going for it. An eye-catching cover? Check. Gorgeous title fonts and imagery? Check. A fascinating new idea? Check. Unfortunately, however, The Nightmare Affair is - no pun intended - a nightmare to read. While it starts off promising enough with a unique premises, it soon deteriorates into nothing more than a stereotypical paranormal mystery, riddled with a Hogwarts-eque boarding school and topped off with silly, unrealistic dialogue and characterization. The Nightmare Affair starts out well enough, grabbing the reader in from the first chapter itself as we are introduced to our protagonist, Dusty, and her nighttime duty of gracing humans with nightmares. On this particular night, she happens to be in the home of Eli, an extremely good-looking guy from her former high school. Usually, kneeling over a hot, shirtless guy while he sleeps to give him a nightmare wouldn't be a problem, but tonight, everything goes wrong. For one, Eli's nightmare takes place on the grounds of Dusty's current school, a place for those with paranormal powers - such as werewolves, faeries, and nightmares - to hone their powers and, also, a place that Eli should know nothing about. Yet, to make matters worse, when Eli wakes up, Dusty's magic refuses to work on him and the girl they've both seen dead in his nightmare is found to be murdered just hours later. Needless to say, with such an engrossing beginning, I had high hopes for this one. Yet, to my immense disappointment, Chapter 1 is as good as it gets. Dusty is whisked away, back to her boarding school and from there, everything just gets worse. One of my biggest issues with this debut is the dialogue. It is obvious that Mindee Arnett doesn't really know - or understand - teenagers. Not only are the conversations in this story riddled with cliches, but the interactions with adults seemed too stereotypical and unreal to truly seem plausible. Dusty's mother, Moira, is cast in an utterly ridiculous light, failing to provide a foundation for a strong mother-daughter bond and Dusty's rivals in her school are just as predictable as your run-of-the-mill blonde cheerleader, from their expressions to the next words that come out of their mouth. If all this wasn't bad enough, the romance set-up between Eli and Dusty is obvious - and far too boring - from the very beginning. As characters, Eli and Dusty bring nothing new to what we've already seen done time-and-time again and as a reader who went into this book looking for originality, I came across only the same old bland story lines, characters, and settings. From what I've heard from my trusted friends, it turns out that Arnett's debut has a love triangle to top this all off, one that seems wholly unnecessary since even I can already tell you who Dusty will chose, despite not having met the second guy yet. Honestly, this book is just too simplistic, poorly executed, and unoriginal to be worth my time. I gave it nearly a hundred pages before giving up and simply have to arrive at the conclusion that it is not for me. I know plenty of readers who have found to be a fun and enjoyable piece, but I am unfortunately not one of them. If you don't mind a rather typical, but entertaining, paranormal mystery, The Nightmare Affair will most likely be your cup of tea, but if, like me, you were drawn to this novel because of its potential uniqueness in an overdone genre, look elsewhere. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Feb 02, 2013
| Feb 04, 2013
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Jan 22, 2013
| Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
20
| 
| 0316198684
| 9780316198684
| 4.07
| 1,508
| Oct 09, 2012
| Oct 09, 2012
|
What Happens Next is one of those novels that, quite honestly, you feel guilty for saying anything bad about. It’s powerful, it’s moving, it’s thought...more
What Happens Next is one of those novels that, quite honestly, you feel guilty for saying anything bad about. It’s powerful, it’s moving, it’s thought-provoking…but it also has its flaws. While this wasn’t my favorite novel that tackled on the tough topic of rape – that honor is reserved for Kirsty Eagar’s Raw Blue, - it was a story which surprised me by its unique expression of this scarring event. If anything, I am left in gaping awe of Colleen Clayton’s talent for capturing the human soul with its wrought emotions, trauma, and vulnerability so perfectly in a novel that is only her debut. I’ll be the first to admit it: What Happens Next isn’t perfect. It has its moments of weakness, its cluttered scenes, and plot threads that could have been cut out to make this novel much stronger overall, but that doesn’t detract from the provocative – and truly life-changing – story underneath. Can one harmless school skiing trip snatch everything you loved away from you? Cassidy “Sid” Murphy didn’t think so, but when she meets the handsome Dax Windsor at a ski resort and wakes up the next morning in a strange bed, she realizes that it can. Sid has no memory of the previous night except to know that she had snuck out to meet Dax, an enigmatic guy who lavished attention upon Sid when no other guy ever would. Thus, with yawning holes in her memory and denial over what really happened to her, Sid slowly begins to spiral away from those who love – and could possibly help – her. But, as Sid will soon learn, your problems won’t go away by running away from them; you have to face them head-on. “…the awful truth about that night, about the horrible thing that happened to me last winter, about the rape I can’t remember, and at the same time, can’t forget.” ~ What Happens Next ARC (Page 298) What Happens Next is one of those books which start out with a bang, the writing sucking you in from page one. Clayton takes you on the same journey Sid has been on, letting you experience her insecurities, her happiness at being noticed by a handsome guy, and eventually the horror of what really happened to her. Thus, even from the start, it is obvious that What Happens Next is both an emotional and extremely dark read. Sid, as our protagonist, is someone who is startlingly easy to understand and the drastic changes that occur with her psychological mindset after her rape are jarring. You see, Sid has a voluptuous figure that she’s always been self-conscious about, but after her rape, she begins to fear the manner in which men view her. Now, this is where the plot of this story begins to become more…complicated. Clayton introduces a variety of multiple plot threads, from Sid’s new obsession with running to her on-again-off-again eating disorder and to her conflicts at school with her best friends. While I was initially confused – and rather disappointed – by these multiple plot threads which seemed to be irrelevant, they all do come together by the end of the novel to form a bigger picture of Sid’s grief and trauma. Nevertheless, that being said, I do believe this novel may have been stronger without, for instance, Sid’s eating disorder. It never felt fully fleshed-out to me and detracted from some of the overall message this novel gave out, but ultimately, I was glad to see some different side-effects of rape. Each rape and each victim is different and so is each rape novel and for Sid, I think this managed to work itself out. Yet, what really makes What Happens Next shine and stand out as such a compelling debut is our inside look into Sid herself. In everything she does, Sid continually sees Dax and what he took away from her. Not only did he forcefully strip her of her innocence, peace of mind, or virginity, he cut off a lock of her hair and she can’t help but constantly think of him even when she doesn’t want to. To me, this type of reaction felt so real and like a kick in the gut. We, as the reader, keep hoping Sid can be happy and find a way to move on in life despite her tragedy, but there are always small, insignificant things that make Sid go back to that terrible night. It is in these moments that we are able to experience some of the horror of this event for ourselves and Clayton’s talent as a writer shines in these areas. “’Were you safe? Did you use protection?’ he asks, looking at me dead-on this time. No. I was not safe. No. I was not protected. But that’s not what I say. What I say is the lie.” ~ What Happens Next ARC (Page 254) In addition to Sid, I was pleasantly surprised and moved by the rest of the cast of What Happens Next. Sid’s single-mother and her half-brother are an important part of her life and it was nice to see the lack of Missing Parent Syndrome in this story. Furthermore, Sid’s best friends were like her pillars of reason, of logic, and of love. I admired the easy manner in which Clayton managed to make them such an integral aspect of Sid’s life as well and their friendship was one that was extremely beneficial to Sid. Corey, however, was hands-down my favorite character of all. Not only was their love story slow and extremely unique, it was absolutely adorable. I loved the way in which Corey and Sid brought out the best in each other and Clayton managed to portray an extremely normal high school relationship. Contrary to what the synopsis of this book may detail, Corey wasn’t the only factor in allowing Sid to move on – so much of that came from herself which I just loved. Strong protagonists are ones I absolutely adore and Sid’s strength and independence, despite her healthy relationship with Corey, was one I truly appreciated. In conclusion, What Happens Next is another phenomenal debut of 2012. While the ending of this book tied together everything quite nicely, I would have still liked to see more of Sid’s healing process opposed to a novel based solely on her reaction to her rape. Still, it goes without saying that What Happens Next is a novel that will make you shake with horror, laugh with joy, and sob with grief. It is beautifully written, startlingly moving, and has only made me want to further explore the effects of rape and in particular, date rape drugs. If you’re looking for a strong contemporary read that is provocative and slowly romantic, look no farther: What Happens Next is the book for you. *All quotes were taken from an uncorrected ARC of this novel and are subject to change in the final draft. I was given a copy of this book from the author, Colleen Clayton, on behalf of the DAC ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. Thank You! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Sep 16, 2012
| Sep 18, 2012
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Jun 13, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
38
| 
| 1419701223
| 9781419701221
| 4.17
| 1,479
| Feb 01, 2011
| Jan 01, 2012
|
None
| Notes are private!
| none
|
0
| not set
| not set
|
Feb 25, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
32
| 
| 1599907879
| 9781599907871
| 3.74
| 1,317
| Mar 26, 2013
| Mar 26, 2013
|
If you're looking for a book that is cute, fun, and a complete time-pass, Going Vintage is the book for you. If, however, you're hoping to get a littl...more
If you're looking for a book that is cute, fun, and a complete time-pass, Going Vintage is the book for you. If, however, you're hoping to get a little more depth from this novel, a little more insight into the life of a teenage girl, I'd suggest Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi instead. You see, Going Vintage isn't a bad book - not at all - but it's kind of silly. It seems like that from the cover and synopsis too, but I guess I was just expecting something a little more, especially with all the praise for this author. In other words, this was interesting and engaging, but ultimately, just kind of forgettable. Going Vintage starts out with Mallory, the protagonist of our tale, discovering that her boyfriend, Jeremy, has an online girlfriend he's been cheating on her with. Upset over this obvious betrayal, Mallory decides to swear off of technology, which seems to be the bane of her existence at the present, and live life like her grandmother did in high school - vintage. Ever since finding her grandmother's high school yearbook - where her grandmother looked more than just a little happy - and a list of goals, Mallory decides to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and find happiness again. What she doesn't quite count on is the interest of Oliver, Jeremy's hipster (but VERY hot) cousin, family secrets, or even that a research paper could be so hard without the internet. Within the first quarter of this novel, I considered dropping it on probably...three or four occasions. Really. Going Vintage gets off to a slow start, telling us of Mallory's messy break-up and then just...continuing on with it. We see Mallory's family, all which are important to the tale, but the real story doesn't really begin until we meet Oliver. Mallory and Oliver have known each other for awhile, but when Oliver helps Mallory form a pep club in their school and then finds out his cousin dumped her, he begins to hang out with her more and, surprisingly to her, Oliver actually gets Mallory. Unlike Jeremy, he understands her witty jokes and the two of them become close friends...until something even more begins to brew between them. What I love about the budding relationship between Mallory and Oliver is that it is solely based on conversation. We can see how compatible these two are from their discussions and understanding of one another and best of all, Oliver knows how to treat a girl right. Mallory, just through with a messy break-up, needs space, which Oliver truly respects. Without a doubt, this romance is very easily the best aspect of the novel. Unfortunately, that's the only part of Going Vintage that is truly great. You see, family plays a big role in this book, which I appreciated, but it was a little...underplayed, I guess. Mallory, first of all, is a rather endearing protagonist, despite her silly habits. I found her relationship with her younger sister, Ginnie, to be charming, full of realistic squabbles and affection. Leavitt obviously attempts to build a bond between the women of this novel, establishing their solidarity; this is a more successful plan in the mind rather than on paper. Ginnie and Mallory have a complex relationship with their mother, who has a complex relationship with her husband, who in turn has a complex relationship with his mother. Ginnie and Mallory also have an ever-changing relationship with their grandmother and these threads were all set-up to come together perfectly - which they did - but without the desired effect. ...how to explain this? Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta's debut novel, is a perfect example of contemporary done brilliantly. Why? Well, it explores the life threads between three generations of women in a deep and heartfelt manner, truly touching the reader. Going Vintage attempts to do something similar with the family situation in this novel and while a valiant effort for sure, it doesn't even begin to compare to Marchetta. Nevertheless, what it does manage to do is establish the fact that although life may have seemed easier without technology in the past, it was still full of heartbreak and confusion. I love that Leavitt made this such a modern story as it really does appeal to today's teens and connect to issues that we all have with technology from time-to-time. Ultimately though, I have to say that if you're used to reading deep, heartfelt contemporary, you might want to skip this. If you generally pick up a contemporary read for the romance, then you definitely don't want to miss the love story in this book - it's perfect. Yet, it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of connection and depth I felt with other aspects of this novel. It was a very cute story and sweet read, one that I don't regret spending time with, but I doubt I'll remember it for very long after. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jan 29, 2013
| Jan 29, 2013
|
Dec 10, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
15
| 
| 0375989307
| 9780375989308
| 3.81
| 1,206
| Jan 23, 2012
| Sep 11, 2012
|
The Brides of Rollrock Island is one of those novels that left me with the thought that there is no possible word in the English language that could e...more
The Brides of Rollrock Island is one of those novels that left me with the thought that there is no possible word in the English language that could even attempt to summon up the strange, ethereal, and mystifying experience that is chronicled in this book. As my first venture into Lanagan’s world, I have to admit that Brides simply blew me away, leaving me utterly breathless. It is a slow, intriguing tale that often reminded me of Darwin’s An Origin of Species, since, in many ways, Lanagan seems to be recording the evolution of the magic on Rollrock Island through her multiple PoVs, characters, and generations. Brides is a story that sucks you in from the very first page and just keeps sucking the emotions, feelings, and deepest desires of your soul right out until you close the last page, a secret smile upon your face as your mind is a little more intelligent, your heart a little more accepting, and your world a little more different than ever before. It is difficult to properly summarize The Brides of Rollrock Island in any way that could possibly do it justice or cease to reveal one-too-many spoilers. It is suffice, I hope, to say that much like Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races is a tale of the island of Thisby and its deadly water horses, Brides is a tale of Rollrock Island, a mystical island on which seals loiter about, giving way to the legend of beautiful brides emerging from these seals, only to pine for the ocean every waking hour they spend away from it. It is on this island that Misskaella is born, to a family like any other except for the stark difference that a generation’s buried affinity for magic has been successfully suppressed, until the birth of Misskaella herself. It is these two seemingly un-similar occurrences – a forgotten legend and the birth of a woman with magical abilities – that spark the story arc of Brides. Within her latest novel, Lanagan weaves a complex tale of carefully extracted revenge, using seven different PoV’s to transition between past, present, and future; woman, child, and man. Each PoV is unique, different, and surprisingly deep. As each one unfolds, the overarching arc of the novel becomes clearer and clearer as Lanagan carefully peels back the intricate layers of her world, its psychology, its people, and its world in and of itself. The Brides of Rollrock Island is not a tale of happiness, but neither is it one of despair. If anything, it is bittersweet at its finest, a blend of subtle joy sprinkled amongst a sea of troubles, injustices, and unfairness’s. Yet, at its core, it is a beautiful and touching story, one that gives strength, lends hope, and leaves you thinking for hours afterwards. The Brides of Rollrock Island, despite being a story of revenge, is not a story that puts blame on any one person or group of people. In fact, Lanagan masterfully weaves her story in such a way that it is impossible to tell right from wrong. All we are able to glean from this novel, at the end, is that its course was inevitable. Any one of us, if thrown into the positions of these characters, would have mostly likely reacted the same way, making this a strangely believably tale. Furthermore, the undertone of doom, of history living on to repeat itself again and again, of men falling prey to the beauty that is beheld by eyes and not the heart or mind, to women falling prey to trust of men who woo them with words, of children falling prey to the prejudices of their parents…all this is within human nature and its cycle will repeat itself and the events that occur on Rollrock are all bound to occur yet again, in another hundred years or so. If anything, it is this theme of being unable to control one’s fate that is so aptly felt. Yet, the subtle undertones of this novel indicate otherwise. Whether it be the women of Rollrock Island who have the strength and courage to leave her husbands who want beautiful sea wives to a new life in a foreign town, or the children of the sea wives who find it in themselves to defy the fathers they look up to and grant their mothers the happiness they seek, or whether it is the witch of Rollrock herself who finds a way to love and happiness despite her estrangement from society which was granted to her based solely on her appearance and gift of magic she couldn’t control, The Brides of Rollrock Island is full of characters who take fate into their own hands. Of characters who decide to mold what they want from life, despite what circumstances have thrown at them. It may be a story of aching sadness and despair, but it is also a novel of so much strength and hope and courage that one cannot help but come away from it an inspired individual. Nevertheless, what I loved most about The Brides of Rollrock Island, is, without a doubt, its ending. For once, here is a novel that starts out strong, builds and keeps getting better, and ends with the strongest note of all. If there is such a thing as a perfect novel, it is probably this one as its prose is beautiful, its story mesmerizing, its characters three-dimensional, and its capacity to make you open your mind and think and revel and accept is simple astounding. I just cannot recommend this novel enough. It is a story that will stick with me for a long time to come and one that I will undoubtedly return to in a matter of years, confident that I will come away from it with even more knowledge, more questions, more wisdom, and more mind-blown than ever before. If you choose to read just one Margo Lanagan novel or one Aussie Fantasy or just one book, let it be this one. It lacks the capacity to disappoint; trust me. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Dec 16, 2012
| Dec 16, 2012
|
Aug 05, 2012
| ebook
| ||||||||||||||
9
| 
| 0765330598
| 9780765330598
| 3.32
| 1,100
| Oct 02, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
Rating: 2.5 Stars I’ll be the first to admit that I had expectations for this book - high expectations. Yet, the reason they weren’t met doesn’t lie...more Rating: 2.5 Stars I’ll be the first to admit that I had expectations for this book - high expectations. Yet, the reason they weren’t met doesn’t lie with the fault of this book entirely. I feel as if many other readers will truly love Ironskin, and they should. It has a lot to love, but somehow, it wasn’t the right book for me. For one, Ironskin is a based quite loosely off of the story of Jane Eyre, a classic by Charlotte Bronte that happens to be one of my favorite novels ever. Thus, there was quite a bit of comparisons I couldn’t help but make with it and consequently, I found that Ironskin simply didn’t live up to the literary masterpiece that Jane Eyre was and frankly speaking, I don’t blame it. It is a near impossible task to challenge the work of an author such as Charlotte Bronte and while I admire Connolly for her creativity and attempts at distinguishing her gothic romance from that of Bronte’s, I think avid Jane Eyre fans will be disappointed. First and foremost, I must give credit where credit is due. I loved the world-building ideas that Connolly created surrounding Ironskin, - a world where war with the fey had cursed many war victims, leaving them with no option but to wear an iron mask, covering their curses and preventing them from spreading to other victims. Furthermore, I admired the fact that Jane, our protagonist, was a survivor and remained strong despite her constant estrangement from society due to the iron mask that adorned her face. In addition, I even enjoyed how thoroughly Connolly immersed us into her world, bringing forth cultural sayings and superstitions surrounding the fey. Yet, for all these wonderful concepts, I was still quite unable to completely grasp many aspects of this universe and was left with many questions by the end of the novel. In fact, I am still unsure of exactly how the Great War between man and fey began, why the fey withdrew from it so mysteriously, and exactly what purpose it served to the story either than the obvious conclusion of needing a reason for Jane to become an Ironskin. That being said, I did appreciate Connolly’s efforts to distinguish her story from Jane Eyre. Jane, the protagonist of Ironskin, is very similar to Jane Eyre herself, yet while Jane’s governess duties are not an extremely important part of the plot, they are here. Dorie, Jane’s charge, is a young girl whose mother was cursed by the fey and as a result, she possesses a few fey abilities herself. Thus, Jane must help the girl while simultaneously figuring out the enigma that is her employer, Mr. Rochart. Yet, while Jane is an acceptable character and the secondary characters in the house she resides are quite amusing, as well as Dorie herself, Mr. Rochart fails quite miserably to live up to the Mr. Rochester of Bronte’s novel. Not only is the romance between Jane and Edward Rochart vastly under-developed in my opinion, Rochart himself is portrayed as more of a confusing madman than Rochester ever was. Furthermore, I didn’t think that Rochart’s “big secret” was as much of a surprise as Rochester’s was and it most definitely did not have the desired effect on neither his character nor the plot itself. Thus, I found myself to be rather disappointed as the novel progressed and wondered both why Jane loved Rochart and how Rochart could love Jane when he spent so little time with her. Leaving those qualms aside, I found some areas of this narration to be rather slow and didn’t particularly like the direction the novel took towards the end. In addition, I felt as if Jane had too many light-bulb moments that both seemed unrealistic and ruined the pacing of the story as it suddenly made events happen too fast. Furthermore, by the end of this story, I was unable to find a purpose to it. It is clear from the synopsis itself that beauty and appearance are a large factor to this tale and while I was enjoying the developing message of true beauty that I believed to be emerging, some of the events during the end of this story quickly tossed aside that theme and left the novel hanging, not only on a cliffhanger ending, but also in a state of confusion and I could not figure out the point the story had been trying to make in the least. It felt, ultimately, as if the parts emphasizing Jane’s strength in relying on her character opposed to her beauty to get ahead in life were simply crushed and the already unconvincing romance between Jane and Rochart lost me that much more, so I found that all to be extremely disappointing. Nevertheless, there were still distinguishing aspects of Ironskin. I’ve already mentioned the originality of this tale, but I also enjoyed the comparisons between Jane’s life and that of society during that time, so while this novel didn’t have the political scheme I was hoping for from The Great War, it did have social politics mixed in, which nicely added to the culture of the setting. In addition, I thought the relationship between Jane and Dorie was extremely well written and developed and I particularly loved reading about Jane and her wealthy sister and how they compared their lives and hardships. It enabled the reader to see both sides of the multiple situations during their time period and was another convincing relationship. Yet, for all its originality, Ironskin simply failed to live up to my expectations. I believe that other readers will immensely enjoy this gothic tale and most probably will not experience the difficulties I did, unless, of course, they are avid Jane Eyre fans, which is why I would still recommend this one. However, if you love Jane Eyre, you will be prone to comparing this story with the classic it has been built upon and, like me, will most likely have your hopes crushed. Thus, while Ironskin remains to be an intriguing novel on its own, it is, by no means, a novel for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor/Forge Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jul 25, 2012
| Jul 26, 2012
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Jun 23, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
22
| 
| 1612184421
| 9781612184425
| 4.14
| 1,031
| Oct 16, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
|
Sanctum is one of those books where you think you know what you're getting into when you start it, but it manages to surprise you at every turn. You s...more
Sanctum is one of those books where you think you know what you're getting into when you start it, but it manages to surprise you at every turn. You see, I had this craazy idea that Sanctum was a paranormal/fantasy story of sorts about this girl who went into a mysterious land to rescue her best friend; I suppose that, from the surface, that is exactly was this book is. Yet, it's also so much more multi-layered, deep, and provocative than I ever imagined a paranormal/fantasy novel to be. It's a story about death, about loss, about grief, and about depression so acute you don't want to live anymore. It's a story about strength, about forgiveness, about getting back up when you think you can't stand up again. It is, at its very core, a story about holding on, about seeing that light at the end of the tunnel and, of course, about hope. On her first day of school, the last thing Lela expects is to become best friends with Nadia, the most popular girl around. Yet, that is exactly what happens and Nadia's friendship transforms Lela from a hopeless case who has been to one-too-many-foster-homes to a girl with a future. When Nadia unexpectedly kills herself though, entering the Suicide Gates, a place Lela almost went to a few years back, Lela knows she has to rescue her best friend - it's the least she can do after all that Nadia did for her. Thus, quite by accident, Lela finds herself at the Suicide Gates and at the mercy of its Captain of the Guard, Malachi. While the Suicide Gates are a dangerous place, with Malachi, Lela may just have a chance to find her friend...and fall in love too. Sanctum is a whirlwind journey of adventure, mystery, and dark pasts. Lela is a narrator who took awhile to grow on me, but before long, I was thoroughly invested in her tale. She's stubborn, strong-willed, and has had an extremely painful past, but through it all, she keeps persevering, thus becoming one of the most admirable characters I've come across in literature. Furthermore, the sheer force of her friendship and her conviction that she can rescue her friend is utterly heart-warming, making you wish you had someone like Lela at your back too. Yet, despite all her incredible traits, Lela is a three-dimensional character chock-full of flaws as well and her journey to live past her prior torture and grow into a more trusting individual was remarkably well-written. While her past has shaped who she is in the present, the eventual person she becomes by the end of this story is so different and truly an inspirational figure for those who have suffered at the hands of tormentors or even those who have ever contemplated suicide themselves, like Lela once did. In all honesty, Sanctum is a very dark tale. It's set in a world where those who have taken their lives are set to roam in the land within the Suicide Gates until they are ready to go before the Judge and enter the Countryside, or Heaven. While Fine's alternate take on the Heaven/Hell scheme is unique and well-built (although I do have to admit that the world-building took a liiiitle while to kick-off), it never becomes preachy or even mentions God at all. In reality, the world she has created is simply a character of its own which emphasizes the devastating repercussions of suicide and that, contrary to popular belief, suicide is not an escape. I was quite surprised by some of the darker turns this novel took, but ultimately, I am in awe of them. Fine explores the horror of this situation both from the side of the person left behind, helpless and lost about what to do, and the person who committed the act themselves. It's a delicate balance she strikes and this can only be seen during the last few chapters of this novel, but I'm glad it was present and I'm also glad it was only there for a short duration of time - it was long enough to make an impact, but not long enough to turn this tale into a dark and brooding story. I must apologize - I've made you all terrified to pick this up because now you all think it's a gritty story, yes? Well, it isn't. While Sanctum explores some very dark themes for sure and Fine allows us to understand suicide like never before, the dialogue in this novel is sharp and witty, the character relationships and vivid and lively, and Lela's voice is simply so much fun to read. In addition, if you needed more persuasion to pick up this novel, the romance is simply to die for. Malachi is a tortured soul himself, although of a completely different degree than Lela, but instead of this making him an irritatingly stereotypical bad-boy, Malachi is utterly decent, sweet, and one of the kindest people you will meet. Yes, he's deadly with his weapons and can probably kill you before you blink, but only if you get on his bad side. Although I do think that Malachi and Lela's romance moved a little quickly, I still found the pace to be perfect considering their situations. Furthermore, I love that Malachi and Lela, despite being attracted to each other physically, were in love only with who the other person was inside. It was a beautifully written romance that truly struck a cord within me and while I know other readers will find things to pick at, I loved it. Sanctum truly is one of the most unexpected debuts I've read this year. I hadn't heard of it until very recently and although my expectations for this novel were turned upside down, it was in the best possible way imaginable. I love the world Fine has created, the manner in which it serves as an analogy to the themes in this novel, and the characters in this tale were phenomenal. It wasn't one of those it-blew-me-away stories - I doubt anything could be considering I read The Lost Girl and The Scorpio Races recently - but it was a novel I was thoroughly invested in and came away loving. Would I recommend Sanctum? Hell, yeah! (No pun intended, of course!) ;) An enormous thank you to Amazon Children's Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Sep 22, 2012
| Sep 28, 2012
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Aug 01, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
25
| 
| 0765332450
| 9780765332455
| 3.88
| 989
| Aug 20, 2012
| Nov 13, 2012
|
Rating: 4.5 Stars Wow. I honestly don’t know where to start when it comes to Renegade. While I was excited beyond measure to first read the synopsis o...more Rating: 4.5 Stars Wow. I honestly don’t know where to start when it comes to Renegade. While I was excited beyond measure to first read the synopsis of this novel, and even later when it’s beautiful (and very relevant) cover released, I found myself dreading the moment it would arrive for me in the mail as, with each passing day, I became convinced that Renegade would be “just another” dystopian novel with insta-love, predictability, and downright flat characters. Well, let me reassure you now: Renegade is not “just another” dystopian novel. Although its premises mirrors that of other utopias, only underwater, Renegade is the rare example of that typical dystopian plot done right and believe me, it is spectacular. Elysium is an underwater utopia, ruled by a woman who calls herself Mother. Evie, the adopted daughter of Mother, has been hand-picked for her set of perfect genes and is the Daughter of the People, training to become the next Mother. Evie’s life is just about perfect, but her world is turned upside down with the arrival of Gavin, a Surface Dweller. Gavin, unknowingly having found an entrance into Elysium, is held as a prisoner in the underwater utopia Mother built away from the wars, famine, and pain that regales the lives of those living above. Upon interrogating Gavin though, Evie slowly begins to realize that not only is everything Mother said about the Surface false, so is everything else about her life: Evie has been brainwashed time and time again, conditioned only to remember what Mother wants her to remember. With this newfound knowledge, Evie sets out to help Gavin escape, but unknown to them all is that Mother still has plenty of deadly cards up her sleeve… I really have to hand it to Souders – the woman knows how to write. Renegade opens up by introducing us to the extent of Evie’s brainwashing, even from page one. We can see that Evie thinks the thoughts she’s meant to think and whenever she’s just beginning to break free of that mold, her memories are wiped out. It’s all rather horrifying and the glimpses of the real Evie we get to witness in-between her conditioning only make us admire her resilience, strength, and loyalty. Thus, I really liked Evie; she was everything I look for in a protagonist and her story kept me flipping the pages, frantically needing to know what happened next. Evie aside, I loved the world Souders had created. Not only is Elysium beautiful, but the world-building surrounding it is richly detailed and complete. Souders slowly peels back the layers surrounding this mysterious realm, from its creation, to the inner workings of its independence from the Surface, to the madness that drives its ruler, Mother, to brainwash the members of her land. Yet, what impressed me most of all was that Souders approached her utopia with a new kind of cunning. In the majority of dystopian novels, we are given a faulty utopian society and eventually, the citizens come to realize this and they rebel. In Renegade, however, Mother knows that her citizens will rebel – which is exactly why she brainwashes them and uses genetic manipulation to get her way. It’s all eerily haunting and remarkably cunning at the same time, making Mother a villain to fear. Nevertheless, despite my enjoyment of this novel, I did have one slight qualm with Renegade: the romance. I’ve heard the romance in Renegade be called insta-love, but it isn’t. Gavin and Evie meet quite by accident and with time, they become friends. Evie is the only person Gavin can trust in the strange realm he’s found himself in and to Evie, Gavin is the one person who seems to truly know what’s happening and help her remember when her brain resorts back to its conditioning. From the moment these two escape though, their friendship turns into romance and I wasn’t really feeling it. I loved Evie as a character on her own and Gavin is a really nice guy, but I never felt as invested in their love story as I wanted to be, perhaps because Gavin could, at times, be extremely cheesy and almost unrealistically male. I have to admit though that I was overjoyed by the ending of this story, which made me realize that while Gavin and Evie’s romance didn’t do much for me for the duration of the action and fast-paced adventure that graced this tale, I ultimately still did really like them as a couple, even if it was only by the very end. Frankly speaking, Renegade is a novel I might have skipped over if I hadn’t received an ARC, so I’m warning you all now: this is not a book you want to miss out on. Souders creates a deadly utopia, part dystopian and part psychological thriller, which is bound to keep your eyes glued to the page. Furthermore, her characters are well fleshed-out, her romance is realistic, her world-building is absolutely, and her villain deserves a hearty round of applause for her evil schemes. J.A. Souders is a debut author I will be eagerly watching out for in the future and I am already counting down the days until the sequel to Renegade releases. If the first novel was this could, can you imagine how mind-blowing the next installment will be? ;) I was given a copy of this book from the publisher on behalf of DAC ARC Tours in exchange for a honest review. Thank You! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Oct 27, 2012
| Oct 29, 2012
|
Feb 02, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
31
| 
| 1442441852
| 9781442441859
| 3.35
| 983
| Jan 15, 2013
| Jan 15, 2013
|
Rating: 3.5 Stars For me, the biggest appeal of Level 2 was the fact that it was written by a blogger. I was so enthralled that a blogger had been able...more Rating: 3.5 Stars For me, the biggest appeal of Level 2 was the fact that it was written by a blogger. I was so enthralled that a blogger had been able to get her book published and, best of all, who else knew best the pitfalls that most authors stumbled across better than a blogger herself? Thus, Level 2 seemed like a novel that could do no wrong. In many ways, it couldn’t (although it’s synopsis seems to think it’s going to get more readers by hinting at a love triangle when there is no love triangle in this story at all). Yet, despite the unique concept, excellent writing ability, and creative characterization, it is disappointing to note that Level 2, is, after all, missing something. Appelhans’s debut is one of those novels where revealing too much can ruin the story. Thus, I will keep my synopsis brief enough to merely say that it is an original spin on afterlife. As humans, we live on Level 1, or Earth, and are then transported to Level 2, an in-between place between Earth and Heaven, Level 3. On Level 2, everyone who has died now has access to their memories and the goal of this level is to ultimately come to terms with your death and move on. Felicia, the protagonist of our tale, is living in Level 2, blissfully unaware of a rebellion that is going on with the angels who guard Level 2. When Julian, her ex-best friend’s boyfriend, shows up promising Felicia that she can be re-united with her boyfriend, Neil, she doesn’t hesitate to join in the rebellion. Only, there is more to what is going on in Level 2 than what Julian initially has Felicia believe and even after all these years, Felicia isn’t quite sure she can trust the boy she lost her best friend for… What Level 2 excels in is its characterization. From the very beginning, we are thrown into memories of Felicia’s past and through her eyes, we re-live her romance with Neil, a budding and beautiful story, her fall out with her best friend, her days spent making out with Julian without telling her best friend, her strained relationship with her parents…we see it all. We witness Felicia’s ups and downs and although it all comes together very slowly, the pieces of her traumatic past and her ultimate death seeming to take forever to unfold, it’s worth the wait. I love that Felicia is a flawed and unlikeable protagonist; I love that it is her who is the bad guy, the one who messed up, the person who is wrong. Yet, what I love most is that we can see that it isn’t all her fault and that, deep inside, just as her boyfriend Neil sees, is some good. In this manner, Felicia is one of the most in-depth characters I’ve come across and her relationship with everyone, from her friends to teachers to parents to her own boyfriend, are all richly complex and a thrill to read. Even her unfolding romance, one that is endearingly sweet, only adds to the multi-faceted characterization of Appelhan’s protagonist and really, it was this aspect of the story that truly made Level 2 such a powerful novel – the part of it that resorted to becoming a contemporary tale. Unfortunately, however, Level 2 is a science-fiction novel and it is in this genre placement that the novel falters. While the mystery of Felicia’s past kept me flipping the pages in anticipation, forming bonds with the characters and barely containing my excitement to find out what really happened, the present action of the rebellion utterly lost my interest. Felicia, with the help of Julian, essentially explores the place known as Level 2, breaking the bonds of the regulations set forth there and attempting to help her friends. I hate to say it, but this so-called “action” was extremely dull. Furthermore, with the exception of witnessing ones memories from the past, there were no truly innovative gadgets or sci-fi elements to this novel, which was a huge disappointment. I could, perhaps, forgive all this for the plot twists were superb and much of the novel is focused on the past, not so much the present, but the ultimate ending was rushed. It had an engaging plot thread, concluding with a plot twist that had quite an element of surprise to it, but then the rest of the novel, to its rather astonishing ending, was a blur. Thus, I have to say that Level 2 is a novel that I’d more recommend for contemporary instead of science-fiction lovers. Perhaps if you are new to the sci-fi genre, Level 2 will captivate you in a manner that this novel failed to captivate me in, but if you’re more looking for hard-core sci-fi, I’d suggest look elsewhere. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Appelhans’s debut and with her strong characterization, unique thought-processes, and lush writing style, I am already eagerly anticipating her next novel. A slight change of expectations can render this novel a definite favorite among many and joining the ranks of authors to look out for is Lenore Appelhans – without a doubt. I was given a copy of this book on behalf of DAC ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. Thank You! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Dec 08, 2012
| Dec 13, 2012
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Aug 18, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
6
| 
| 1423146654
| 9781423146650
| 3.78
| 872
| Oct 23, 2012
| Oct 23, 2012
|
I think I should start out by saying that, contrary to what you might read, Dark Star is not a superhero novel. I'll say it again: Dark Star is n...more
I think I should start out by saying that, contrary to what you might read, Dark Star is not a superhero novel. I'll say it again: Dark Star is not a superhero novel. At least, not the usual type. When I think superheroes, I tend to think of a scene similar to The Avengers with a bunch of kick-butt people in colorful suits battling evil with their epic skills. Yeah, that scene from The Avengers? It's not there in Dark Star. In actuality, Dark Star is a novel about a teenage girl who discovers that her world is not quite what she thinks it is. Sounds familiar? It is. Yet, there are a few plot twists in this story that manage to make it shine just a tad bit despite its formulaic-ness. Audrey has known she was special ever since she was the little girl. It's hard not to, really, when you're the daughter of Morning Star, the superhero vigilante who saves the city by night and saves her one-mom household by day. But, in addition to that, Audrey has always had her Knowing - abilities that enable her to Know what lies in the past and future and conduct tarot card readings with expertise. (In other words, she's a psychic...more or less.) So, when girls mysteriously begin to disappear in her small town, only to be found dead a few days later with their ankles slashed, she doesn't just know something is wrong, she Knows something is wrong. When Tink, Audrey's best friend, nearly gets kidnapped herself, Audrey takes it upon herself to find out once and for all just what is happening, why her mother isn't putting a stop to it, and just who - or what - she really is. Yeah, not many superheroes in that synopsis, I know. I actually think I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if I wasn't expecting it to be a Marvel-comic-book-turned-YA-adventure, so perhaps other readers can avoid the disappointment I felt when I first cracked open the spine of this novel. That being said, Dark Star still has a lot going for it. For one, it was a relatively engaging read and while I thought the world-building came in just a tad bit too late, I really enjoyed Frenette's take on demon lore and the manner in which she explained her world. Furthermore, I think the characters she created were remarkably interesting and I truly loved the lack of a missing-parent syndrome. Morning Star, Audrey's mother, was very much apart of her life and I was thrilled to see that and experience their mother-daughter relationship. In addition, I really have to give Frenette props for the unexpected plot twist at the end. It was something I definitely wasn't expecting and I loved it. Nevertheless, despite its many positive aspects, Dark Star had a few qualities that were good, but could have been better. For one, the romance. Leon, Morning Star's sidekick and, as we later find out, Audrey's romantic interest, is one hell of a guy. Not only is he remarkably different from most male protagonists, he is kind, intelligent, kick-butt, and his relationship with Audrey is a firm friendship filled with witty banter. While I loved it, and him, to pieces, I was surprised when their friendship quite unexpectedly turned to romance during the last couple of pages of this story. Up until that point, I had loved the fact that Dark Star had been devoid of romance - no he-stared-into-my-eyes, no he-held-onto-my-hand-for-longer-than-was-strictly-necessary, nothing. Zip, zilch, zero. It was refreshing and put a well-deserved amount of focus onto the scintillating plot, but all that changed suddenly. I was hoping that their road to a love story would be a little more well-developed, especially as I didn't sense any romantic intentions from Leon's side, so I'm holding out for an explanation in the sequel as well as more growth to both their characters. In addition to my qualm with the romance, I found I was a tad bit let down by the characters. I loved the cast of secondary characters that graced this novel, from Audrey's best friends Tink and Gideon to her cousins, grandparents, math teacher, and friendly-neighborhood-cop. Yet, I failed to feel a true connection with any of them. Yes, I liked seeing them interact and found them to be interesting and original as they failed to mold into stereotypical roles, but Frenette failed to make me really care, not only for her secondary characters, but for Audrey as well! While I admired Audrey's stubbornness, determination, and her nature in general, I didn't truly feel for her and by the end of this novel, I was left feeling as if I had only gotten a glimpse into her life opposed to a full-fledged novel. I am hoping that this is a simple debutante's error as I have seen more than one author develop their protagonist in later novels as they know their story is a series, but I was still a tad bit disappointed. Overall, I would not say that Dark Star, is, by any means, a bad read. I found myself to be disappointed with it as it didn't contain the superhero awesomeness it promised and its story was relatively formulaic. However, it was still enjoyable and I'm holding out for a better sequel than debut. Dark Star is the type of novel that I know for a fact a lot of reviewers will gush over, but I'm just not one of them. It reminded me a little too much of City of Bones in some ways, except with less humor, hot guys, kick-ass characters, action, and a different take on demon lore. So, while I have to admit that I liked Clare's take on this paranormal creature much better, Dark Star was still a fascinating mystery to read and I'll be keeping my eye out for the sequel when it releases. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jul 15, 2012
| Jul 25, 2012
|
Mar 07, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
26
| 
| 1620610027
| 9781620610022
| 3.66
| 671
| Dec 11, 2012
| Dec 11, 2012
|
Enter here to win a copy of Greta and the Goblin King! Greta and the Goblin King is one of those novels that starts out with a bang, but ends, quite un...more Enter here to win a copy of Greta and the Goblin King! Greta and the Goblin King is one of those novels that starts out with a bang, but ends, quite unfortunately, with a whimper. Nevertheless, Chloe Jacobs debut is certainly a novel to look out for and it is a start to a refreshing new series that I can already see myself eagerly following through till the end. In the harsh, winter land of Mylena, humans are said to be the cause of a centuries-old curse. Hence, they have long been hated and the land is ruled by goblins and sprites, beings who lose themselves and turn into the most hideous versions of themselves every eclipse. Greta, a human girl, has unwillingly been thrown into this land. Upon saving her brother from an evil witch, Greta finds herself in Mylena, forced to fend for herself and survive, keeping her human lineage a secret all while searching for a way back into her own world. When Isaac, the new Goblin King, and an evil demon, Agramon, find out that Greta is, in fact, a human, she is forced to go on the run. Now, with the eclipse looming closer and closer, Greta has only days to find a way out of Mylena. Little does she know, however, that a great evil brews ahead... Greta and the Goblin King is one of the few examples of Young Adult Fantasy done right. I was astounded by the world-building in this novel and the story of how Greta comes to be in Mylena is very slightly reminiscent of Hanzel and Gretel, which only further drew me into this tale. With its goblins, sprites, rich lore, and beliefs, Mylena is a character of its own, taking on a depth I wasn't expecting and leaving me feeling bereft when I left its land. I definitely look forward to learning more about this land shrouded in the enigma of a portal and although we are given more than enough information to satisfy us in this installment, I am certain that there is even more to this nation that we don't know. Mylena aside, Greta was a fantastic protagonist. I enjoyed her sarcastic, witty narration and although she is an absolutely kick-ass bounty hunter, she is, at the same time, intensely vulnerable and oh-so-human. I appreciated her struggle to hold on to her humanity as her memories of her human life slowly slipped away and her uncertainty about whether or not to escape back to her own land if she could find a portal was strangely realistic. Greta is a changed woman in Mylena; the land has forced her to resort to some of her most primitive instincts, making a fighter out of her and a girl who would fail to assimilate back to the human world. Nevertheless, Greta's constant determination to let nothing deter her from her task was admirable and truly, she is a heroine that many will love. Yet, for all its good qualities, Greta and the Goblin King unfortunately lost me when it came to the romance. While I loved the novels breathtaking landscape, intriguing protagonist, heart-pounding pace, and plot full of unexpected twists, turns, and heart-warming characters, Isaac, the Goblin King, failed to woo me as a love interest. When Isaac and Greta first meet, Isaac tricks Greta into allowing him into her dreams and as such, Greta begins to distrust him. Isaac then winds up taking the throne, even when he swore he didn't want to be king, and from there on out, Greta refuses to be taken in by his charms. At around the half-way point to this book though, something changes. Greta and Isaac suddenly begin to make-out as the attraction between them is raised higher and higher. While I definitely felt the chemistry between the two, I was left lost and confused as to why Greta suddenly began to care for Isaac. Isaac redeems himself in Greta's eyes, certainly, but never enough for the type of romance that bloomed between them. Furthermore, there is a hint of a potential love triangle in the sequel which made me cringe, especially as I so evidently love the second romantic interest, not Isaac, who is sure to win the Love Triangle Battle by the end of this series. If there is anything rewarding about the romance in this, it is that it never overpowers the plot. It doesn't make itself very known until the second-half of the novel and even then, Greta's priorities are clear and the plot never veers away from its intriguing premise. Thus, Greta and the Goblin King is a debut I was immensely impressed by. Although I had a rather major qualm with its romance, that was easily outdone by the superb world-building, fascinatingly original plot, and kick-butt heroine. I am certain that Greta and the Goblin King is bound to make many "favorites" lists by the end of the year for this is a novel that many will appreciate and even a romance that many will come to love, unlike I have. Now I can only sit back, kick up my feet, and wait eagerly for the sequel to this phenomenal debut to release - I can't wait! You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Nov 2012
| Nov 02, 2012
|
Sep 04, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
43
| 
| 0805094601
| 9780805094602
| 4.56
| 347
| Jun 04, 2013
| Jun 04, 2013
|
While Shadow and Bone was the debut of a magical new realm, of a complex villain impossible to fully understand, of new power, of old allegiances, of...more
While Shadow and Bone was the debut of a magical new realm, of a complex villain impossible to fully understand, of new power, of old allegiances, of politics and confusion, all mixed together with a gentle, calming love, Siege and Storm is the aftermath of all well-intended decisions, the destruction of formerly stable relationships and the creeping movement of darkness, not light. Like any strong sequel, Siege and Storm is as far removed from its predecessor as is possible. Although I loved Shadow and Bone, its sequel is far more mature, unpredictable, and thrilling as a whole. In other words, Leigh Bardugo has surpassed my wildest expectations and if this is any indication, Ruin and Rising will promise to be the best novel in this trilogy by far. Siege and Storm picks up promptly where Shadow and Bone left off with Mal and Alina on the run from the Darkling. As you can imagine, their freedom is short-lived and they are soon back to being puppets, operating only by the choking hold of the Darkling himself. Yet, not all is the same. Alina’s previous battle with the Darkling left him with scars, but also with an ancient, more evil power than before. Now, the Darkling can create shadow creatures of his own and to combat him, Alina will need more power than one amplifier can give her. In the midst of this battle enters Sturmhond, the captain of the ship that the Darkling hires to sail after Mal and Alina. Sturmhond, however, has plans of his own and as Alina will soon learn, she has friends in the unlikeliest of places…if only they don’t turn into her enemies too. Siege and Storm is a stronger novel that Shadow and Bone merely because of its maturity. With Shadow and Bone, Alina was insecure, constantly fearing the Grisha she was newly surrounded by. Now, however, Alina is forced to accept her power. Although she starts out running away from her past, she quickly realizes that she must embrace her abilities and join the throng of politics that will enable her to become a player, not a pawn. In fact, Alina’s growth throughout the novel is simply remarkable. As always, she retains her inherent flaws, such as her insecurity, but it is expressed in different ways now as she must battle the evil within her, one that thirsts for power and ambition. Nevertheless, Alina’s rise to who she needs to be to ultimately face the Darkling in the conclusion of this trilogy is perfectly timed, complexly written, and seamlessly arrived at. In addition to Alina, though, Mal too grows immensely in this novel. For the first time, we see Mal as a character on his own right, not simply Alina’s childhood friend. Yet, there are hurdles that prevent these two from further developing their relationship and rather, it fades away slowly as the novel progresses, leaving us with only a sliver of hope by the end. With Alina as the Sun Summoner, the power imbalance between her and Mal only increases with time. Not only is Mal not a tracker anymore, having deserted the army, but he pales in comparison to the royals that Alina is forced to spend her time with. And, to make matters worse, Alina can’t help but be consumed with a thirst for more power, pulling her away from Mal. What makes their relationship so heart-breaking is that we’ve seen them before Alina claimed her powers as Sun Summoner and an imbalance of power existed then too, with Mal having the upper-hand. As such, it seems almost impossible for these two to work through their differences and see each other again amidst their new roles in life. Yet, the question arises if Alina has any other options but Mal for he loves Alina for who she is, not her power, and all the other men in her life, no matter how charismatic they are, all want Alina for the power she holds more than they want her for the person she is inside. Still, the Darkling remains a strong contender for her heart. Although the Darkling may not love Alina, he certainly understands her in a way no one else does, a fact she must slowly come to accept as her relationship with Mal declines and they are unable to understand each other. Granted, the Darkling only has true screen-time for roughly ten percent of the story, but he remains a constant fixture in Alina’s mind. I, for one, found this to be all the more alluring and creeping. Without even appearing for much of this story, the Darkling manages to cause a rift between Alina and Mal and, even more, his words never escape Alina, practically haunting her. It remains true, then, that our resident evil lord is just as sexy, bad, and unpredictable as ever – just the way I like him. Siege and Storm, though, shines not because of any of the characters we’ve already met, but rather because of ones we are about to meet. Sturmhond, the privateer of the ship the Darkling originally hires, is a force to be reckoned with. Seriously, this guy could charm all the books off your shelves – that’s how charismatic he is – and he isn’t afraid to use his skills to get what he wants. Although Sturmhond has an agenda of his own, he is more friend than foe to Alina and I found myself unable to resist his charms. I wound up underlining nearly all of his lines in this novel – he’s just too witty for his own good – and it is his presence that I am most eager for in the next novel. And, to add to his appeal, there is a plot twist or two surrounding this mystery man – all brilliantly executed, I might add – which only improve this stunning sequel. In fact, I have to admit that many of the decisions that Bardugo made with this novel surprised me. We have the incorporation of the Darkling – how he was present in Alina’s mind, but not within the actual plot – a clever decision that both increased his power, maintained his mystery, and allowed for the screen time of other characters, all while keeping him very much within the story. Even more surprising, though, is the sudden importance given to the Apparat. In Shadow and Bone, the Apparat was a rather creepy figure we all were more than happy to brush off, but he makes a startling appearance in Siege and Storm, rallying up followers of “Saint” Alina. Although this sudden introduction of religious fanatics, all believing that Alina possesses other-worldly abilities, isn’t explored in too much depth in this novel, it is important and its role in Alina’s growth is subtle, but surprising. For me, though, the most astonishing aspect of this novel was its ending. You know you’ve written a good book when your readers don’t like the ending, but they accept it for what it is and come to slowly see the brilliance of it. Now, looking back, I am able to appreciate the infusion of themes re-iterated throughout this story line, particularly the fact that deadly repercussions can result from even the best-intended decisions. We all try our best in life and even when our actions have terrible consequences, we are forced to keep going on; perhaps this is why I love this trilogy so much. It may be fantasy, but its themes and ideas are just as prevalent to all our lives, Grisha or not. With such an impressive cast of characters, it should come as no surprise that Siege and Storm can do no wrong. Its plot, although a little slower than that of Shadow and Bone and slowing down considerably after the first half, is vital to the continuation of the story arc of this series, which I truly appreciate. Unlike with most trilogies, this second novel isn’t a filler story, merely meant to make money and keep readers entertained. Rather, it allows its characters to grow, change, and reach the necessary areas in life mentally and emotionally to be ready for an earth-shattering conclusion. I, for one, am prepared for what Leigh Bardugo has in store for us next. After all the heart-break that I went through with this novel, my duct-taped heart can bear anything. And if not, I’ll just have to have a Corporalnik Healer nearby. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Mar 08, 2013
| Mar 10, 2013
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Jun 26, 2012
| Hardcover
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42
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| 0545397367
| 9780545397360
| 3.91
| 346
| Sep 18, 2012
| Apr 01, 2013
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Rating: 4.5 Stars It always pains me to have to write a review for a book that I know very few others will truly come to love. I don't deny that there...more Rating: 4.5 Stars It always pains me to have to write a review for a book that I know very few others will truly come to love. I don't deny that there are those who will pick up A Corner of White and persevere on through its slow start to eventually like this book, but the amount of readers who will possibly enjoy that slow beginning, the way I did? Few and far between. Nevertheless, A Corner of White is a splash of color in a genre suffering from cliches; a genre where originality has become a thing of legend. As such, although it is not a book everyone will love, it is a book I firmly believe everyone should read. Or at least try to. A Corner of White is the tale of two teenagers, both who have lost their fathers in different ways, but both who feel lost in their own worlds in the same way. In Cambridge, England, we are introduced to Madeleine, a girl who used to run away often until, one day, her mother ran away with her; away from their rich father and into the cramped flat they now reside in. For much of the novel, Madeline remains an enigma. In fact, what we do learn about her, we learn from best friends Jack and Belle. Jack, who has a massive crush on Madeleine, sees her as a spirit who won't be tied down, as someone who adds color to the world. Belle, slightly more cynical, is quick to call into question the opulent past lifestyle that Madeleine used to lead, along with her strange-named friends who seem unreal. Yet, all Madeleine really aches for is the familiarity of her father and she detests being tied down both to England and her mother who seems to be half-crazed at times. Although she is an avid fact-collector, the fact that her mother attempts to be the same - unsuccessfully - in the hopes of winning a game show competition, frustrates her. As things in Madeleine's life slowly begin spiraling out of control, it is the letters she writes to a boy named Elliot who lives in Cello, a world she firmly believes in fake, that keep her from cracking. In Cello, a parallel world, Elliot has just returned from another fruitless search for his father. In Elliot's world, Colors are dangerous creatures that can either attack or cause the inhabitants of the towns they pass to feel a multitude of emotions. Only a few years ago, Elliot's uncle was found dead, torn apart by a Purple, next to their truck and Elliot's father and the high school physics teacher found missing. Although many townspeople believe that Elliot's father ran off with the teacher, Elliot refuses to let go of the belief that his father is being help captive by a Purple. Now, back in his town, Elliot finds that his father's shop has been rented out to the Twinklehams, that the famed Butterfly Child is due to arrive in a jar any time in Cello, and that the Princesses are on a grand tour. In the midst of this, though, Elliot finds a letter in a small crack in the sculpture his friend made and thus begins a correspondence between himself and Madeleine. Although neither of them take their initial letters too seriously, with time, their bond of friendship and trust deepens until, surprisingly, they become the solution to each others problems. A Corner of White has so much going for it that I hardly know where to begin. Each chapter of this novel alternates between Our World and Cello with the third person narration of Jack and Madeleine or Elliot and the Sheriff of Cello. Additionally, within the sections concerning Cello, Moriarty uses excerpts from Tourist Guides to explain her world and magazine clippings written by the Princesses on their tour to give us full insight into the political system present in her fantasy realm. Surprisingly, this method worked very successfully, mostly because it was used sparingly. Nevertheless, through it and the letters Elliot sent Madeleine, Moriarty was able to paint a thorough image of Cello in our minds, astonishing me with the depth of her world-building. Yet, what makes A Corner of White such a special novel are the characters themselves. Madeleine, as I've said before, is a protagonist we are rather unsure of at first. As we slowly glean more glimpses into her life, however, our hearts go out to her. A Corner of White, it will surprise you to know, is a classic find-your-way-in-the-world novel, only in an entirely different way. What I love is that Madeleine has been running away all her life, unable to realize who she is or discern the harsh realities of her past. Only now, through strong friendships, bonds with the mother she never truly knew, and a grounding home is she able to look into herself and see the blessings she's been bestowed in life. Madeleine, in particular, enjoys metaphors and when she is assigned a project to become Isaac Newton, she begins to see him in every aspect of her life. Although I am never one for enjoying extended school assignments, especially in novels, the facts dispersed throughout this novel about Newton only served a greater purpose and the clever allusions and larger metaphors all came back to pleasantly blow my mind. Along with Madeleine, though, Elliot too is lost in his world. Despite being the "star child" of his town, Elliot doesn't know who he is without his father or without the purpose of finding him. Yet, though Elliot is revered in his town, we can see that he has a bitter side to him as well. Using his wit, Elliot manages to sabotage any business the Twinklehams attempt to begin in his father's mechanic shop. Very cleverly, Elliot and his tight group of five other friends offer to fix broken items themselves or take them, free of charge, to the stores of other mechanics. As such, we can see that Elliot is not as perfect as he seems to the world. Moriarty shows us the dual sides, the depth, to her characters in such subtle ways that we continue to love them, but in the back of our minds, these alternate personalities still linger. If you thought that was clever, though, just wait till you get to the last page of this novel. Although A Corner of White is a slow story, with Elliot and Madeleine simply living their lives and dealing with the problems that life throws at them, all while writing to each other, it does have a greater plot thread that emerges towards the end. And, trust me when I say that the wait is worth it. A Corner of White reads suspiciously like a set-up novel to a great series - and it is one - but as a stand-alone too, I find myself to be utterly in love. It is, very honestly, a strange novel, but it is one that is so easy to understand and resonate with, without even trying, that you cannot help but utter only one word when you're all finished with it. Beautiful. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Mar 24, 2013
| Mar 25, 2013
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Nov 06, 2012
| Hardcover
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28
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| B007HUD5QC
| 3.99
| 334
| Jan 10, 2013
| Jan 10, 2013
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I suppose, in many ways, I didn't give The Cadet of Tildor much of a chance. I painstakingly read through the first quarter of this book before giving...more
I suppose, in many ways, I didn't give The Cadet of Tildor much of a chance. I painstakingly read through the first quarter of this book before giving into my desire to skim the pages until I was nearly half-way through the novel and began to realize I was well and truly wasting my time. The Cadet of Tildor is not a bad novel, but it just wasn't one for me. As a high fantasy junkie who has grown up reading Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, and Megan Whalen Turner, Alex Lidell falls seriously short of other fantasy writers of this age. The Cadet of Tildor starts out strongly enough, introducing us to a fierce and strong-willed protagonist, Renee. While I instantly admired her for standing up to her father and willing to follow her dreams of completing her training as a Cadet, despite the fact that she was up against stronger men, I was unable to feel much of a connection with her as the novel wore on. From the onset, her friends were flat and two-dimensional and the revered trainer seemed to lack personality as well. Or, perhaps, they didn't lack personality and it was just the fact that they were so like every other fantasy character out there that I was unimpressed. The Cadet of Tildor is excruciatingly unoriginal and, upon skipping to the end, I can already inform you that its last line is the exact same last line from Turner's King of Attolia, only without a complex situation and three novels to back it up. In addition to my lack of feeling for the characters, I simply felt very underwhelmed. Nothing much happens during the beginning and neither are the characters or world set up in a manner I found to be interesting. In fact, I virtually have no grasp of this world or its politics whatsoever. Ultimately, Lidell's debut is a disappointment for me simply because I go into fantasy expecting more from it and this one just didn't live up. Unlike the contemporary genre, which often lets me down and I've come to accept as a hit-or-miss genre for me, fantasy usually never fails to amaze me, but the recent revival of YA Fantasy certainly has. For newcomers into fantasy or those of you who are unfamiliar with the works of Megan Whalen Turner or Tamora Pierce, The Cadet of Tildor is likely to take your breath away. It is extremely well-written and the words flow smoothly from the page, proving that Lidell can, indeed, write. Yet, when compared to other fantasy works, it falls short of a masterpiece by far. Of course, the novel may drastically improve, but as I already feel nothing for the characters, I sincerely doubt I'll enjoy this one too much more. You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Dec 15, 2012
| Dec 15, 2012
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Aug 28, 2012
| Kindle Edition
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