TEMP HOLDER

The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

Summary

A good girl.

A bad boy.

A fairy tale that’s true.

A truth that is no fairy tale.

It begins the day Anna finds the child’s doll on the floor of the student lounge. When it’s claimed by Abel, the school drug dealer, Anna becomes determined to learn more about this mysterious boy with the military haircut and deep blue eyes. She follows him after school and discovers a secret: Abel is caring for his six-year-old sister, Micha, alone. Anna listens in as he tells her a fairy tale, the story of a little orphan queen pursued by hunters across the oceans for the treasure she carries: her pure, diamond heart.

It’s a story with parallels to reality. Social services and Micha’s abusive father could take her from Abel if they discover the truth. Despite friends’ warnings, Anna is drawn to Abel and Micha, and falls under the spell of the story of the little queen and her desperate voyage.

But when people Abel has woven into his tale turns up dead, it’s Anna whose heart is in danger. Is she in love with a killer? And has she set out on a journey from which there is no return?

Number of pages: 416

Review

Never before have I read a story like that of The Storyteller. In a way, Antonia’s story went above and beyond everything that I expected considering nothing is as expected in the lives of Anna, Abel, and Micha, but there was also a bit of a let down. Call me a sucker for happy endings, I guess.

 The Storyteller’s story in the book is unlike any fairy tale I have ever encountered. I really feel like someone was telling me the story rather than me just reading the words and absorbing them on the paper. Abel tells the story to Micha and Anna part by part as the story of their lives unfolds before them, inspiring the story of the little cliff queen (Micha). As I read the story and compared it to the fairytale, Antonia guided me through it, making me assume things and think that I had it all figured out way ahead of time. It was incredible really how I felt and thought exactly what the author wanted me to feel and think. There were parts where my original reactions to things described in the story made me want to fling the book far away, but then the author would describe something about the characters and the actions and it would just make me go along with it. It was as if she made me feel empathy for things that I would never usually feel for. She also made me think that I had all the puzzle pieces together even though I knew some pieces were missing. In reality, I had had all the pieces, just in a different order and waiting for new fabricated pieces to arrive. This all probably sound confusing the way I am explaining it, but this story is one that I can not explain in just simple words. It’s all about feeling it as you go along.

The writing was simply beautiful. It was poetic . . . lyrical even. Usually I tend to stray away from flowery writing because I get distracted in the detailed descriptions and what not. In this book, that was not the case (at least, not often). There was a slight change in writing style, I thought, between the story of their lives and the fairytale story. I assume it was because Abel was the one telling the fairytale story, not Antonia as the author. Antonia also wrote about very different characters, ones whose personalities and problems are not that of the ones I usually encounter. Take Abel for instance: he is as unique a character as I have ever read, but I didn’t even get to discover that until piece by piece the author revealed Abel at the end as he was meant to be. And Anna: she was one of those main heroines that you feel for and understand but also want to beat the crude out of her for the way she handles things or the way she reacts. Some of her actions seemed so naïve to me—or just stupid—but then the author was make me feel she was justified by doing that whole empathy thing again. In the end, I didn’t know whether to love or hate those two. Micha I adored, wholeheartedly. That little queen captured my heart from the start, and I ached over the things she went through and the things she saw during that cold winter in their little city in Germany. I can’t blame the author for anything that happened in the end because looking back I realized that I always knew this story of the little queen and her friends was one of heartbreak, which is exactly how I was left feeling. From 1-10? The brilliant work of tragedy is a 7 to me.

P.S. I feel like a heads up is in order. While this book was very good, I do not recommend it for those who are young. Many things happened in this book that are not G rated, nor do I think that all of it is comfortable reading about to some of you i.e. murder, drugs, rape etc. 

Guardians: The Fallout by Lola St. Vil

Summary

Just because she has wings,

doesn’t mean she’s an Angel…

It's front page news on every Angel gossip rag:

“Marcus & Ameana: Gone The Way Of “Brad & Jennifer.”

So, Who Is The “Angelina?” Emmy Baxter—a mere mortal!”

Ameana tries to avoid her ex and his new love by focusing

on the other evil out to destroy the team. But soon her pain

turns to fury.

And before the end…a girl plots revenge, a leader is on the edge

and an Angel falls.

• Number of pages: 350

Review

Oh my god. I was just stopped cold. Like dead cold. The book ended, and I was left  . . . waiting. I honestly don’t know what to do now. The book is over and it’s going to be quite some time before book THREE comes out considering this just came out today and I was fortunate to coerce (*cough* begged) the author into giving me an ARC.

When we last saw our doomed characters, a big revelation about one of the Guardian’s actions was reveled leaving you with a feeling of unease. This book starts off in the point of view of Ameana, Marcus’ ex-girlfriend. Boy does this girl have some serious issues. At times I couldn’t blame her, and at others I just wanted to kick her. You do get to witness a more vulnerable side to the girl, which is nice to see and to know that she isn’t a complete robot. I’d have to say that two thirds of the book was in her point of view where as one third is done in the point of view of our spunky and stubborn human, Emmy. Most of the time Ameana tries to make Emmy seem like a real loser and a complete waste of space. At times I had to agree with her because of some pettiness I spotted, but when you took the time to look into the way Emmy reacts and composes herself under pressure, you can’t help but feel admiration for her. Honestly, after looking at both girls I felt admiration for both. And not only did I see a lot of different aspects of them, but also from the other characters. Anger from those I didn’t think were that capable, selflessness when I thought they were all hard, even love in one case where there was no WAY there was before. Each book seems to open up a different layer of everyone.

The plot line was interesting in this one as well. The same goals to save the earth still apply, but there were very different obstacles that I thought were great and nerve wracking at the same time. I don’t want to give out too much information on book two so I will just say that this continuation of The Guardians is not something that will disappoint. I read one chapter for every math problem I completed (I like to think of it as a reward), and when it ended I was left not only speechless, but also feeling slightly fainted. All I kept thinking was that it COULDN’T end that way. I COULDN’T be left hanging that bad. But I was, and not only does it frustrate me, but I am also dying to get my hand on the 3^rd book A.S.A.P. That isn’t likely to happen soon so until then I will just have to be satisfied with rating it from 1-10? An 8.5

Side note: I understand that the given summary doesn’t really tell you what this book is about, but I’ll post something different up if I find it a little more specific or helpful. Either way read the first and then this one! Trust. 

Timepiece: An Hourglass Novel by Myra McEntire

Summary

Kaleb Ballard was never supposed to be able to see ripples—cracks in time. Are Kaleb’s powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Before Kaleb can find out, Jonathan Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, reappears. Why is he back, and what, or whom, does he want?

In the wake of Lander’s return, the Hourglass organization is offered an ultimatum by a mysterious man. Either they find Landers and the research he has stolen on people who might carry the time gene, or time will be altered—with devastating results for the people Kaleb loves most.

Now Kaleb, Emersion, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their extraordinary powers to find Landers. But where do they even start? And when? Even if they succeed, just finding him may not be enough . . .

• Number of pages: 336

Review

Interesting story line. Interesting characters. It was all very interesting, which makes it good. It was a good plot and I had a good time reading it. But that doesn’t make it great.

Really there is nothing bad I can say about this book. I didn’t encounter any definite flaw, nor did I have a bad time reading, it just ended up being average. The story itself is not average in the way that we see lots of these time travelling and science fiction stories, but it wasn’t like I was left with my mouth open and the adrenaline rush I get from a really great book. Sure it wasn’t the best, but I’m glad I read it.

The first book in the Hourglass series is narrated by Em, and Kaleb narrated this one. I can’t say which character I like better as the lead, but it was very different between the two people. I found myself missing having Em as the leader of the thought process. Anyway, their personalities, their struggles, their connection to the happens of the book, but I found this one a little bit more cliché than the last one. Honestly, I would be lying if I told you that there was something wrong with this book, it’s just something that I can’t put my finger on, and I don’t want anyone reading this thinking that they shouldn’t read the book because of it. This is just the feeling that I had, and I am sharing. Yours may be completely different than my own, and I completely accept that. With that said, I am also going to write why I thought this book was good. Kaleb has a strong personality and it was interesting seeing how that played off in his inner thoughts. He is an empathy, which means he can feel the emotions of people he is connected to or around him. Read this I would continuously be thrown the different emotions of people around Kaleb, and that was interesting seeing how he reacted to the different emotions. It was also great to see how he changed for the better, though like I said before it was a tad bit cliché. Then again, who doesn’t like a little cliché in their lives? Your opinion is just as good as mine. I will say that I am looking forward to the next book for two reasons: the story continues into a new adventure, which will obviously not settle me until I find out how it is resolved and I am looking forward to seeing who is the narrator of the next book. Em the first, Kaleb the second, who is next? Michael? Lily? Someone new? I wonder . . . I wonder . . . From 1-10? 5.5

Two-Year Blogaversary & Guardians: The Girl Giveaway Winners!

This post might end up being the cheesiest thing in the world, but it must be done. It must be done because today marks Nap Snack Read’s two-year blogaversary! 730 That’s right . . . 730 days where I have written all my thoughts on the great acts of literature that I have read. I am honestly so happy that my dad pushed me to start Nap Snack Read as a stupid little hobby, which turned out being s lot more.

Ok, cheesiness is over! It’s time to announce the winners of the Guardians: The Girl Giveaway! This was my first giveaway, and I appreciate those who participated. It meant a lot. I also want to thank the author, Lola St. Vil, for all her help on this little project. Thanks Lola! Well here are the winners!  Congratulations to . . .

Jesse

Adriana D.

Lindsay C.

If you read this, you will be receiving an email with your prizes tonight. I hope you guys enjoy the books!

Seeds of War by Rachel Fisher

Summary

The mission of Eden must be fulfilled and Eden’s best Seekers are needed. Forming a new group they dub the Seeders, Fi, Asher, and Sean are joined by a new addition as they set out to bring hope and support to the Topsiders in the form of radios and heirloom seeds. As radio broadcasts begin to reconnect the survivors, the Seeders stumble upon mysterious broadcasts from unknown stations. When two of their own new radio stations go silent within days of each other, Fi and her companions realize that something is terribly wrong. Eden finds itself pitted against a growing and unknown force as their very mission lights the flames of war.

• Number of pages: 262

Review

First off, if you haven’t read book one in this trilogy then read it. Once you are finished go straight to this one. Book two picks up right in the moment where it ended in book one, and there is lots of information in both books so you wouldn’t want to miss anything, trust me. I had to reread the first book in its entirety because there was no way that I was going to remember all the little details that were present, but then again that could be just me.

If you have read my post on the first book then you will have noticed that I emphasized that book as a survival book. So what does that make book two, Seeds of War? For that I will have to steal a word from the book itself, and that word is “Reconnection”. What does that mean exactly? Well, Fi and her Family have made it to Eden, they have settled in, they have revived their strengths, and now Fi is out to reconnect with the people living in the world, the “Topsiders”, and to replant the original plants and grasses that were first created when the Earth was young, before humans tampered with it. Sorry if that gave away a few spoilers of book one, but there is no other way for me to describe what is going on in this one. So mainly, Fi, Asher, Sean, and a new friend named Sara are off to save the world by helping the scientists of Eden recreate the Earth’s original properties, but along the way trouble starts to brew.

After reading both books, I feel like I have traveled Topside right along Fi. The characters were amazingly created by Rachel Fisher, who seems to have a real talent for making a story real. The plot has always been amazing, intricately created with points that make it seem like everything that has happened to these people in 2030 something is very possible in our future, but what I found most interesting was the characters. And what I love about this author is that although Fi is the main character that we usually follow, we still jump from character to character to character depending on the scene. I really got to know all of them in a deeper way, which was great for my nerdy side. And they felt believable because of it in a sense that if I was tromping in the forest with three other people with the weight of the world sort of literally on my shoulders, this is how I would feel. These would be my concerns, if that makes any sense. I also got the sense that unlike book one, this was more of a moral or ethical book. I loved how these moral and religious questions popped up in Fi’s mind because I would think that is normal. What if God was punishing them? What if killing someone meant saving someone else? What are your choices? It all heightened the sense of survival and the problems they were all facing.

Anyway, I again found Rachel’s work great. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and I am just dying to get my greedy little hands on book three. (Hope it doesn’t take too long!) It was an excellent story, but it is also a "thinking" kind of book. Lots of scientific stuff and theories. At times confusing, but never unbearably so. Something I do think I should warn you about is that this book may not be for the faint hearted. This is still survival of the fittest, kill or be killed. There were parts where it may be a little bit bloody or scary and pretty intense, but it was all done to heighten the sense of danger that the author was giving off. At least, that’s what I felt. Either way I feel like this was a wonderful book, and the series is turning out to be a real mind opener, not just some silly little love story. I really like that. (Though the love story in this book is amazingly sweet, just saying.) So from 1-10? Seeds of War is a definite 8.5

Guardians: The Girl Giveaway! Info & Rules

The time has come for me to try something new. It was bound to happen, to try to spice things up a bit and give you guys a chance to interact with me and win an awesome prize. So what better time to do that other than on Nap Snack Read’s two-year blogaversary? The day is coming and it is my wish to celebrate it with my first special giveaway!

So here are the details. The author who has agreed to partner up with me for this special event it Lola St. Vil. She is the author of Guardians series, and has agreed to present the winners with a free copy of the first book Guardians: The Girl in kindle format, nook format, and pdf format. If a different format is needed, just let me know which type you'd need and I'll see what I can do. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this book, click here to see my review on Guardians: The Girl and a full summary of the story. Trust me on this, I highly, highly recommend this book, so you might as well try to win a copy here, right? So take the chance, and apply to win on July 24, which is five days from now. Set your alarms . .  . take note of it in your calendar . . . because this is one book you will want to try to win.

Giveaway Rules

1. Contestant must be a follower of Nap Snack Read (follow the steps indicated on the right hand side, above Blog Archive)

2. Contestant must send an email to napsnackread@yahoo.com with your name and follower profile name or comment on this post with the information

3. Email/comment must also include the type of book format you prefer

The winners of this giveaway will be announced on the 24th of July and be given their prize accordingly. Good luck to you all! 

The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble

Summary

Addie Sullivan leads a quiet life in a northern California lighthouse. She mourns the death of her father and endured her mother’s bitterness, until the night a storm brings an inured stranger and a dark secret to her home. The man insists she is not who she thinks she is, but rather “Julia Eaton”—the child long lost and feared dead by her wealthy family. Seizing the chance to be reunited with the Eatons, Addie leaves her lighthouse home but decides to keep her true identity a secret until they can unravel the mystery.

Addie loves the Eaton’s palatial home tucked away among the California redwood forests. She feels secure with the jovial family, adores the young boy who is her charge as a governess, and finds romance with his father John, a young widower. But sinister shadows overtake Addie’s joy. As dusty rooms and secret compartments give up their clues about her past, Addie finds a faith and a love she could never have guessed. To embrace this new world of promise is to risk her life; but to run away is to risk losing the greatest love she’s ever known.

• Number of pages: 306

Review

If you have read the summary to this book then you will understand that this is a Christian book with lots of spiritual messages intertwined with each word. Being a Christian, I myself enjoyed this book thoroughly as it opened up a few points in my faith. Books like this one tends to remind me of things I’ve either overlooked in my faith or never acknowledged. That how it works for me, but, understandably, that is not how it works for every, and I respect that. Which means I also appreciate respect back on my own views.

With that said, I will get on with my review of The Lightkeeper’s Daughter. This is just the kind of book that I use to read when I was younger, when I first started opening myself up to the love of reading. It reminded me of that time because it was sweet in nature, mystery to decipher, a simple love story, and is takes place in the past. I have always had a special sweet spot for historical fictions, and this one happened to take place in one of my favorite times. A time of ladies gowns, bowler hats, and manners is where I found Addie. The time gave the characters a charming nature where I really felt the differences between my time and theirs. That has always interested me, and it was especially highlighted in this book.

The plot itself was interesting enough. Don’t you just hate when a mystery’s answers seem obvious? That wasn’t the case with this book. Well, to be honest, when the mystery was coming to a close I found myself anticipating the answer before it was revealed, which was kind of disappointing in a way but didn’t ruin the whole book’s experience at the same time.

On the religion aspect of this story, I found it subtly yet firm in its beliefs. I liked that. I didn’t feel like the main character, or in this case the author, was shoving her beliefs down my throat, but being a Christian who was looking for the religiousness of the story was intrigued by the little lessons I received from it. I found that while there were obvious religious feelings, I do believe that if you aren’t of the same faith you could still pick up the book and enjoy the story. It was a sweet story if that is what you might decide to do. So from 1-10? The Lightkeeper’s Daughters  is a 6.5

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Summary

 As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she ahs the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into the chaos. But the hardest task of all with be forgetting Lucas Delos.

• Number of pages: 487

Review

I remember reading the first book in this sage, Starcrossed, and saying it was such an amazing book. I read it so long ago, and yet I can still remember how excited I was by it. Dreamless, I’d say, was very good as well. I really like how the story was picked up from the last one, and yet the whole plot was completely different—different goals, different struggles, different sides of the well-loved characters. If I were to compare the two books, I would have to say I like the first one better. But I will say that this book, if it were to stand on its own, was very, very good.

The whole point in this book was for Helen to do the impossible and break the curse that plagues all Scion Houses. The adventure was great in the sense that I had no idea what was going to happen, and I was thrilled by the surprises that were in store. Honestly, the end was the best part for me because it set up perfectly for the next book, and made me look forward to it (even though it won’t come out for another YEAR)!!

Now, maybe not every one is very familiar with Greek legends and stories, but if you are then this book in particular would be exciting to read. I got a thrill every time a character or a story from ancient Greece popped up. I would stop and grin because I knew who they were, they were familiar. I think the way that Josephine Angelini incorporated all those stories and people was incredible. It wasn’t an overload, but it was enough to notice her extensive knowledge on the subject. She definitely did her homework! I think Dreamless was a good follow up as book 2, and I am really looking forward to seeing what comes up in book 3. From 1-10? I give it a 7!

A Bite's Tale: A Furry Fable by Veronica Blade

Summary

A Cinderella who spends her nights as a wolf. A prince with a taste for blood.

Seventeen year old Cydney struggles against her werewolf nature, trying to keep everyone around her safe. No way will she risk exposing the beast at the prince’s ball, no matter how her two cousins try to persuade her. As she attempts to carve out some semblance of a life, Cydney can’t forget the boy she loved three summers ago — or what she did to him after losing control.

Turned into a vampire to save his life, the prince refuses to live up to his royal duties. He just wants to find the girl he loved and lost...the werewolf girl who bit him. But his father, the king, commands him to attend a ball where he must choose a wife. Can he find his Cinderella before he's forced to marry another? He doesn’t even have her real name, much less a glass slipper.

• Number of pages: 165

Review

It’s short stories like this one right here that just makes me wish that it were longer. I was saddened by how fast I polished off this quick read because of how much I enjoyed reading about Cydney and Remy. They were just too cute.

I think short stories are far more difficult to write than the average length books because there is only some much time for the author to squeeze in the introduction of the characters, set up the plot line, and wrap up all the loose ends. Now, if the book is a bit lengthier then the author has enough leisure the do it with enough time. Short stories are to the point, and they can’t lose you attention for a minute. Personally, I think that this particular short story was very well proportioned. Proportion in the way that the intro didn’t take too much time or the climax was too short. It all fit. The plot itself was unique, I thought. The country that they live in is the only one to harbor and protect the super naturals. I loved how it seemed like that average thing, no big deal. Remy and Cydney were the perfect combo of attitude and love and sarcasm and all the rest befitted as roles of main characters. I thought it was great altogether. From 1-10? It’s a definite 8. 

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly

Summary

In the wake of the Second Wave, the angel menace has exploded, and Alex and Willow are on the lam. Willow has a prophetic dream that points them to Mexico City, where they connect with a fledgling group of angel killers, Alex takes the team in hand, training them for a rush attach on the Seraphic Council, an elite group already under watch by Willow’s angel-father, Raziel, who wants “The Twelve” dead for the sinister reasons of his own and will stop at nothing.

What Alex doesn’t know is that there was also a boy in Willow’s dream, one she felt overpoweringly attracted to. and when enigmatic Seb shows up in the flesh, he turns out to be another—possibly the world’s only other—half angel.

Seb’s been searching for Willow all his life . . . and as the team prepares for grim warfare against a divine enemy, Willow must weigh her love for Alex against the truth of her nature, with everything to lose.

Number of pages: 638

Review

I am emotionally drained from this book . . . in a definitely good way. Angel Burn was everything I expected from book 2 of this trilogy. In fact, I think it was even better than the first book. Mainly I think it’s better because in the first book, the only characters that really get viewed is Alex, Willow, the bad guy, and a handful of people that pass by. Most of the time it was just Alex and Willow. In this book, you see a wide range of characters. My favorite of those new characters being Seb. I loved him. The whole chemistry between Seb and Willow, even the chemistry between Seb and Alex who were always at odds was extremely entertaining.

I liked how it ended a lot. Sometimes in a series like this, the ending either leaves you unsatisfied or so satisfied that you don’t want the next book to come out because it ended off just the way you want it. This book ended in a way that left me with all the loose ends lied up . . . for now. But then it also left a whole new plot to open up in the next book. I found the way L.A. did that was just great. The story did seem a little drawn out to me in the middle, but overall enjoyable. From 1-10? It’s a definite 7.5

Quick opinion on the cover . . . I didn’t like it at all. Honestly, I understand it after I read it, but it looks completely demonic to me, and I didn’t much care for it. If it weren’t for the fact that I have book one in the hardcover format I probably would have gotten book 2 in kindle because the cover really bugs me. 

Eden's Root by Rachel E. Fisher

Summary

It is 2033, and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. Is the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Thirteen-year-old Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her at a young age. But when her dying father makes a shocking confession, Fi realizes that her toughness will be pushed to its absolute limits.

Saddled with an impossible secret and mission of saving her little sister, Fi gets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental . . . and that love can be intentional.

• Number of pages: 376

Review 

Eden’s Roots deserves a round of applause and a cheer or two. If any other bloggers have read and reviewed this book along with me, then I hope it is safe to assume that they were just as equally captivated by this amazing sci-fi story as I was, but I would love to put my two cents in as well. Fi is a narrator and Leader like no other. I followed her like a member of her Family would, and I am proud to say I survived this journey right along side her. The world is coming to an end in the ways of the normal every day-to-day life. To be honest the details as to what exactly is going on left me a little fuzzy, but I will try to summarize and explain the details without giving too much away. Food, regular food, has been contaminated over the years, processed and manipulated so many times that over eventually it has generated so much disease and created the “Sickness”. The “Sickness” in this book refers to cancerous diseases, though I believe other kinds of diseases are considered as well. The amount of Sickfood soon starts to kill all forms of vegetation, and basically the world is in for a global Famine. Anyway, no one really knows about the Sickfood, except a selected few such as scientists who are preparing for the worst and have created a safe haven where they can reconstruct and rebuild. One of those few people is Fi’s dad who is one of the main scientists working on the effort to build this haven, Eden. When he becomes Sick, he and his family are crossed off from the list of candidates allowed to join this new colony and have a better chance of survival. Before his death he gives all he knowledge to his daughter in the hopes that she can lead her sister and mother to safety.

It was incredible seeing how a girl that is pictured as normal, as ordinary, is transformed into this character with the burden of much older and wiser people, a person who leads many souls to safety. The process written in which she does become a warrior with all the fighting and toughness included was a bit lengthy, but overall created a picture of complete and utter dedication. Fi is really no average girl, but then again isn’t there something more than average in all of us? Along the way she meets and connects with a group of people that I have come to love as well. Each and every individual was spectacularly created to contribute and share some love with me, as the reader. The journey was arduous, the conditions frightening, and I felt it all first hand.

I really want to focus on how this book was written in regards to point of views. It had a switching view from Fi, to her best friend Sean, to another boy that you meet along the way. They all tie together, obviously, but it was Fi’s mind that was kept dominant. She was the core of the story, as well as the core of her Family being Leader. I felt her burden, her determination, and her uncontrollable rage. That’s what really made the story amazing. It made it real, you know? It wasn’t a story about a girl who become a super hero and a hard ass and overall seems untouchable, neither about a girl who is weak and in the end shows her true colors. This was a book of survival, and it emanated off of Fi like an odor. She felt pain, fear, and worry along with happiness, excitement, even peace. I admit to some well-deserved tears on my part (much to my families amusement). It wasn’t laugh out loud funny, but I also felt humor and love written between words. I found it a great experience.

I also loved how real the situation all seemed. This book frightened me in that aspect a bit. The Famine, the Sickfood, the fact that a lot of the things that we have and do today were portrayed in a different light to show how terribly it could all go wrong. It seemed possible. I do have to warn my readers that this book is mild in many ways, but it could get very graphic in many others. Like I said, this is a survival story, and the things done in this book were things that may seem out of hand, but it was done in order to survive. It brought up some serious questions that I found interesting to think about. What would you do to survive? What would you give, sacrifice for the good of yourself and loved ones?

As I look over my review I realize that it is a bit long, and I am pleased with that. Why? Because it means that this book opened my brain a bit more, and had me thinking, reaaaally thinking. It wasn’t a book to just follow along. I really thought if that makes any sense. It was . . . and “intelligent” book, I guess. Like food for thought! From 1-10? Eden’s Roots gets an 8.5

The Siren by Kiera Cass

Summary

“You must never do anything that might expose our secret. This means that, in general, you cannot form close bonds with humans. You can speak to us, and you can always commune with the Ocean, but you are, essentially, a weapon. I won’t like to you, it can be a lonely existence, but once you are done, you get to live. All you have to give, for now, is obedience and time . . .”

The same speech has been given hundreds of times to hundreds of beautiful girls who enter the sisterhood of sirens. Kahlen has lived by these rules for years now, patiently waiting for the life she can call her own. But when Akinli, a human, enters her world, she can’t bring herself to live by the rules anymore. Suddenly the life she’s been waiting for doesn’t seem nearly as important as the one she’s living now.

• Number of pages: 276

Review

The Siren was a new kind of story, with some flair of the usual. I can’t say it was the average story either because the plot line was very interesting to follow along. It’s the story about Kahlen’s sentence as a siren. She takes you through each of the biggest episodes in her 100 years as siren, and how, along the way, she discovers a person who she is willing to risk anything and everything for.

Like I said, the story was interesting, but I couldn’t help but get tired eyes as I read the book. It was long and it was monotonous at times. It’s not that the story was boring, only that many parts were extended and it made me tired to read it at times. It’s like she kept ranting in her head or something.

Something that I found extremely great was how the author gave life to the Ocean. She was real, and She felt and loved and thought as well. I can’t really explain it, only that I felt connected to the Ocean. I thought that was just amazing. So adding all the qualities together, from 1-10? I’d say The Siren gets a 6. 

My Life in Black & White by Natasha Friend

Summary

What if you lost the thing that made you who you are? Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi’s face goes through a windshield. Now she’s not sure what’s worse: the scares she’ll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her trombone-playing, defiantly uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she’s much more than just a pretty face.

• Number of pages: 304

Review

Short and to the point, this book started off depicting an average, beautiful girl and showed to process she went through to become someone who accepts herself for who she is. And the process to get there wasn’t pretty let me tell you.

The story was cute in and of itself. Personally I found parts to be a bit overplayed, but it really got the connection through as to how she was hurting. I can’t say that a lot of the things that happened surprised me. There was an undertone of cliché moments, to be sure, but it was nice to see how it ended. It was definitely an “okay book” if not “good”, but I can’t say that I was on the edge of my seat or anything. It was a classic “bad thing happens-disaster-everything turns out okay” story, and there is nothing wrong with that. I did like how in the end, when Lexi starts getting a clue and finally starts fixing her life, the tone of the book became very . . . philosophical. From 1-10? I deem it a 5. 

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Summary

Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen’s not fully convinced that Emma’s the one he’s been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may ne the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help—no matter the risk.

• Number of pages: 336

Review

Charming and laugh out loud funny, Of Poseidon was truly a special treat. As I sit on a recliner in the middle of a spectacular ocean view, I fantasize that I can see Emma and Galen as they try to discover more about Emma’s past and Gifts right on the ocean floor. What mostly captured me about the whole book was the dialogue and interaction of the characters. It was charming and super realistic . . . funny too. When I said laugh out loud funny I wasn’t joking. My whole family probably heard my peals of laughter around the house. The plot and story line was particularly interesting. It’s not a typical story. The whole mystery about what exactly Emma is and the wonder of how Emma and Galen’s love for each other can actually survive their trials was captivating. All the characters in this story were created in a way that you know they were real, in a sense. Like they could actually be the kind of people I would find in my high school . . . except for the fins. I didn’t put the book down once. In fact, this is the second time I read it in less than four days! That’s got to say something right? Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed myself. From 1-10? I give it a good, solid 8 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Summary

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to the future she never imagined.

• Number of pages: 336

Review

Originality to the max! Not only was the whole Selection competition completely creative, but also the whole kingdom where this book takes place is so unique and yet so familiar! Basically this all takes place who knows how much into the future where the United States of America is now a kingdom after two more world wars and who knows what else. All of history was rewritten, but it all seemed familiar to me what with planes and phones and such. The biggest difference had to be the new caste system. It was weird to think that that was how my country would function into the future, but interesting to think about.

Anyway, I thought the whole book to be completely original from the usually love triangles I read about, so there are definitely huge brownie points because of that! The characters were nicely created if not a bit predictable. It was enjoyable nonetheless. I had a great time reading the “Bachelor-like” competition, seeing girls swoon for the prince and get eliminated in the mean time. I loved BOTH Aspen and Maxon, it was so hard not to! What did kind of irk me was how the story closed off. This is a trilogy, but I didn’t like how it just stopped. Nothing big happened leaving me wondering, or anything like that . . . it just seem to “pause”. I think that ending could have set me up for the next book in a better way. But what do I know? It was just a feeling that I thought I would share. I do want to look up the next and see what’s going to happen, but, for now, from 1-10? I’ll give it a 6.5

Mortal Instrument Series Book 5: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Summary

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

The Clave’s magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can’t stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s magic has wrought—Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil.

Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus,, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to gorge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sister’s can’t help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell—a risk that could claim their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Number of pages: 534

Review

I’m not sure what to say. If you’ve read my reviews on the Mortal Instruments series, even the Infernal Devices series that is also by the same author, you know that I adore these books. The writing, the characters, the plot line, all of it is constructed in a way that leaves you literally on the edge of your seat (in my case it’s my bed) and hooked on every word that is written between the very detailed covers of the book. City of Lost Souls, book five in the Mortal Instruments series, has all those aspects as well, but I can’t help feel that the whole plot line is being dragged on a bit. There are so many added twists and dramas and conflicts . . . why can’t they have an ending, preferably a happy one? I would go into detail as to why, but that would be a direct violation of my no spoilers motto. Trust me on this one, if you haven’t read the series and you want to start, you won’t want me ruining anything by giving up any info.

Other than feeling like Clary and her friends’ story will never end, the book was all right. The characters were magnificently played out, as always. I fell in love with Simon in this book, no biggie. I laughed so hard in this book, and yelled with excitement a few times. There were some creepy and disturbing parts, so I do not recommend any of my younger readers to get a hold of this book, at least not until they are ready. I rate it a strong PG-13. I felt like new sides of each of the characters were shown. Those you never thought would do anything bad ended up betraying people, while those who are hard and stoic half the time were surprisingly tender and sincere. I feel like the conflict in this book was a little much. Like I said I want to know the ending (ahh!), even if I don’t want this series to end. Then again . . . that’s what rereading is for. Anyway, not only did read a book that I really like though it was drawn out, I also have to wait until who knows how long for the next and final book in the series to come out to see how everyone ends up even though I am going to have to RE-re-read all five books again to remember how things left off. Tedious, I know. After all this, they better end up in a good place, or else I am going to go crazy. From 1-10? I’ll give it an 8. Mostly because I am a bit biased, not going to lie.  

Poetic Nights by Dwight Francis

This isn’t exactly a review. I couldn’t do a review on a book of poems because prose and poetry are two very different things. I couldn’t very well review a whole book when each poem written in it is unique and completely different in many ways. This is a book of poems that I received from my awesome guidance counselor at my school. He is the author of this book, and it was great seeing a different side to Mr. Francis through his writing because I feel that is what poetry is all about, right? It’s about writing what you feel, the innermost part of your heart and bearing it out for others to see and experience with you. I really felt that here, as I read about his family and friends and life and goals.

I wrote down some of the poems that I enjoyed instead of an overall review. I hope you enjoy them! “Live long, live free, live happy for me.”

My Quest for Greatness

I traveled the world for all to see,

a shining beauty destined to succeed.

I am full of delight soaring above and beyond,

The skies is the limit, so please prepare my flight.

The road was rocy—full of rain and thunder,

But I had no fear, because this tiger is a hunter.

Meet me at the river, that’s where I lay,

From this turbulent journey, to God I pray.

You can rest assured I will not stray . . .

Forward into battle, a continuous movement

That involves no play.

So day-by-day I will fulfill my quest,

Striving for greatness to be the very best.

Blue Skies

As blue as the sky

I am vivacious and warm.

Fulling my heart with compassion,

Students embrace me with affection.

Loving and always nurturing, my sensitivity

Ignites a fire in their eyes, and that’s why

My love will always shine bright . . .

As bright as the blue skies.

Torn by Ashley S. Morgan

Summary

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her.

Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it. Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

Number of pages: 231

Summary

This summary was sent to me by the author a week or so ago, and I finally got around to it. It seemed like an interesting plot, not exactly the typical star-crossed lovers. It was a nice quick read, but I did have some issues with Torn that kind of turned me off to the idea of the story.

For one thing, the characters to me seemed a little  . . . off. It was like looking at a high school society as how and adult may see it. There were interesting characters, but they just seemed to interact like as if they were in a bad sitcom. The language used between the characters was pretty off. I don’t know if it is just my friends and me, but we don’t talk like the characters talked. It just seemed kind of fake to me.

As you can see by the bullet above, the book is 231 pages and not much at all. I am not opposed to small books, I actually enjoy a nice quick read every once in a while, but this story seemed to use a lot of those pages up for things that didn’t seem all that important. I feel like there was some stuff missing and then all of a sudden the big event came up.  Other than that stuff, I felt like the plot was pretty interesting. It is definitely not a plot that you see often, but the bad sitcom feel of it really turned me off to the story line. From 1-10? I give Torn a 4.

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Summary 

Two climbed up. Two fell down.

One woke up.

Robin Saunders is a high school sophomore with an awesome best friend, a hard-working single mom, and a complicated relationship with a sweet guy named Reno. She's coasting along, trying to get through yet another tedious year of high school, when Em suggests something daring. They live in Florida-- tourist central--and Emily wants to sneak into a theme park after midnight and see what they're made of.

When things get out of control, Robin wakes up in a hospital bed and Emily doesn't wake up at all. Just getting dressed becomes an ordeal as Robin tries to heal and piece together the details of that terrible night. Racing to remember everything in the hopes of saving Emily, Robin writes a series of notes to herself to discover the truth.

• Number of Pages: 158 (estimated)

Review

This seemed like a huge heartfelt novel the moment I read the summary. I pictured a book where the heroine goes through something and grows from the experience. That is exactly how I can sum it up. Robin isn’t really a heroine, just a regular girl who did something stupid with her best friend and is living with the consequences. This is a coming of age book, where real feelings come to light and how the character deals with these emotions. Once Robin wakes up, she is once again confronted with her usual problems with friends, family, popularity, etc. The difference is that this time she starts to see it from a different perspective. She sees it with new eyes.

It was great seeing how her memories took me back with her, and then brought me back to the present with how she now feels about that moment in time. It was very sincere and genuine. From 1-10? I give it a strong 6.

Fearless by Francine Pascal

Summary

Gaia Moore is brilliant and beautiful. She’s trained in three kinds of martial arts, has a reflex speed that’s off the charts, and can break codes in four languages.

She’s also missing the fear gene.

All Gaia wants is to be like everyone else. Instead, she’s left wondering about her past, her missing family . . . and the unavailable boy she’s falling for. But everything changes when she learns that someone is hunting her down for her special skills, and they’ll do anything to get her to.

But Gaia isn’t worried.

She is FEARLESS.

• Number of pages: 856

Review

Definitely not your average girl, that’s for sure. Gaia, pronounced “guy-uh”, is a rational, badass character that really knows how to fight  . . . mostly for good. She’s cranky, judgmental, and a bit of an outsider. She’s badass. I said that already, but I’m just trying to make sure you understand how badass she is. She kicks butt and is too cool to take names, if that makes any sense. While she may have only one friend and no family that she can call her own AND is constantly a target of some kind.

This was definitely not your average book. The story was a complicated and complex story that rotated from many, many different points of view. Off the top of my head I would say there were at least 8 different characters’ points of view that you jump into, but guaranteed there are a few more that I forgot to mention. I have to say it was pretty cool sensing the whole story from basically everyone’s point of view, but there were time that it was tricky to handle, namely when it jumped from one seen to the scene before but with a different character. Make any sense? Of course after a while you see the connection, but there were some frustrating times where I was just like “Whaaaaaat?” You definitely just have to try to keep up, and not let yourself get lost.

Now you are probably wondering how this whole “no fear gene” works. I wont give up any details because you will probably want to read about it yourself, but I will say that you see her feel every emotion except fear. The lack of fear doesn’t mean there is a lack of emotion in this book. In fact, there were times where the lack of fear constituted a stronger set of emotions. It was interesting to see how the author wrote about it like that. The plot was interesting as well. There were many different conflicts, but the main conflict didn’t come up until the second half of the book, way way off near the end. Through the first half, though it was entertaining, I sometimes felt like I was waiting for the real to take place, you know? It was just a restless feeling I had when something was prolonged a bit. The way it was written was highly entertaining as well. There were some very funny LOL moments for me  . . . actual laughing out loud.

Something I feel like I should definitely warn you about is how this book can get a little graphic. Everything was on overdrive and there was some talk that I felt was unnecessary and a little inappropriate. Some fighting scenes as well were a bit graphic and sometimes were disturbing. It kind of made me a bit uncomfortable.

This is a very big book, but it also turns out to be the first book in a series! So if you do decide to read this book, do not be surprised when you see that it did not end completely. Expect another book accompanying it! From 1 to 10? I give FEARLESS a 6.