Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Summary

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangles loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

• Number of Pages: 526

Review

I write to you now in mourning of this series, a series that lived a great life in the dark of my room and through my most vivid imagination. I travelled along this city and beyond its walls with a girl with a love so great and the courage to preserve that love for all, no matter the cost. I mourn because there is no more for me left to follow and these characters must now move on with their untold stories.

Consider me melodramatic if you will, but do not think me insincere. I disclose complete honesty my book reviews, so believe me when I tell you that I finished this book five minutes ago and I still can’t stop crying. This book was the wrap up that no one wanted yet was inevitable. I will not give away any information for those of you who want to start the series of Divergent.

I created a joint review of the first two books in my previous post. I wrote of how great it was, out of the norm, and completely believable in its characters. What was true then is true now. But here is where I write less with emotion and more with facts.

Fact one: This is a great series.

Fact two: This book is slower paced than the rest. (Patience is required)

Fact three: The end is inevitable, but leaves you—the reader—knowing for certain how all the beloved characters end, which is a comfort. 

I remember starting this book with immense anticipation, but was slowed down to a duller pace in the beginning. There is a lot of information given and a lot of planning where there is less action taking place. But once you start this series you need to see how it ends, and the ending is what makes it all worth reading whether it be the ending you wanted or not. I really enjoyed the dual perspective between Tris and Tobias. The first two books are completely under Tris point of view, so it is interesting to see how the author manages to change voices without disrupting what the reader is already use to. In total it was a series worth reading, and I recommend the series to you all. Stick it out in the last book. From 1-10? I give this book a 6, but the series in all is an 8.

Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth Joint Review

 Divergent Summary

In Beatrice Prior’s Dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). ON an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the Decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

• Number of pages: 487

Insurgent Summary

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity, and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guild, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

• Number of pages: 525

Joint Review

Completely different from what you would expect from a dystopian series about to be made into a movie with enough buzz to almost catch up to the Hunger Game Movies. Completely different in a good way, that is. I read Divergent and became instantly entranced in this new societal world where the best virtues are separated into different societies within a society, and how each virtue standing alone could corrupt the very system they were trying to protect. The way this system of factions was set up was absolutely incredible with the amount of detail and surprisingly believability. The characters only served to cement that world into reality with the profoundness of the characters, their depth.

Before I get carried away with the admiration of the characters and their stories, I was to distinguish the assets of this series as a whole because this is a joint review after all. I am writing a joint review because I loved the first book so much that I barely left enough time to drive to Barnes & Noble to get book 2, Insurgent, and start reading. By the time I finished I slowed down enough to realize that the best parts of both books became mashed together in my mind and I ended up seeing it as one really big book. Probably not my best idea for blogging purposes, but it had its perks. In conclusion, this series captured me enough to feel it was absolutely necessary to read it continuously. That’s got to be saying something, right?

Tris is a rock star. I am not even exaggerating that. She was everything a protagonist should be: BELIEVABLE. I think that’s why I liked this book so much. Although completely improbable and we all know that this will never happen in real life, there was reality interwoven between all aspects of it. A huge part of that were Tris and the other characters. They were not too strong, nor were they too weak but miraculously reached their goals or whatever. That kind of stuff happens too often in Young Adult fiction, unfortunately. Tri, for instance, was strong willed but not untouchable. And she was not the weepy-damsel-in-distress-heroine, yet real enough to show emotions, tears, fears, and etc. Very admirable, yet very relatable.

Personally, if I had to say which book was my favorite so far, I would have to say Insurgent (book 2). Which I think is great, my reason being that many times in series like this one sequel sometimes do not live up to the original installment and can leave fans unsatisfied. Insurgent totally satisfies and does much more. Both books alone were great and had great aspects, but Insurgent just seemed to have more depth.  Book one, to me, was very much a set up of everything to come. This world is so complex that I think it needed a whole book to break out the characters and situation, which is clearly does with the amount of information on the initiation and different ways of the factions. Book two really seemed to break the shell set up in the first book and bring the true conflict. There was more variety in scenes and situation, and I was always left on the edge of my seat. Yeah, it was one of those. Amazing.

As I looked up the summary for Divergent for my post, I came across the information for the Divergent movie premiering March of next year. I can definitely say I got chills from the trailers. If those are any indication then I believe that this will fortunately be one of those book adaption movies that stay true to the book’s plot. I CAN’T WAIT. This series was honestly great, and comes highly recommended from me. From 1-10 as a whole? Divergent series (Divergent and Insurgent) gets a 9. 

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

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

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!

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

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.  

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.

Guardians: The Girl by Lola St. Vil

Summary 

Emmy Baxter, a fifteen-year-old, is attacked by demons who threaten to kill she her if she doesn't reveal her dark secret; a secret buried so deeply, Emmy doesn't realize she knows it. Emmy - a bookish, witty student - is rescued by six teenaged angels with powers, called Guardians. They've been sent to elicit the secret from her before the demons can. Emmy later learns that her name is the only clue to locating a sought-after bridge that for centuries, Evil has plotted to destroy; this would in turn bring about the end of humanity.

Things get worse when Emmy falls madly in love with Marcus, the well-intentioned but obstinate leader of the Guardians. He eventually confesses that he is in love with her as well. Unfortunately, Marcus has been warned by his clairvoyant and omniscient guide that should he and Emmy get together, the mission will fail and humanity will perish.    

• Number of pages: 342

REVIEW

Amazing. I have chills. These chills can only come about by one thing: a really good book.

And that is exactly what it was. I was asked about a month back to read a book by an author. The book seemed interesting enough from the summary, but lately I’ve been drowning in a sea of previous school obligations. It’s safe to say that I have not picked up a book in a long, long time. And I am sorry that it took so long because this book was simply amazing. I loved it from start to finish. Not a single moment happened when I wasn’t thoroughly entertained. It was a very good book. I thought that the beginning was flawless. There was complete control as to how much thrilling suspense, sarcastic humor, and heroic action were put into it all. This is a book series for one thing, so the ending was like “ . . . are you kidding me? WHAT HAPPENS?!!?” I was left screaming into my pillow at 2:30 in the morning.

To start off I just want to say that what really struck me about this book was mostly the originality. Something about this story seems to strike unique from the beginning. You can’t really say that about YA books lately. We can all say that we like those books well enough, but when a book comes out that defies the usual you can’t help but thoroughly enjoy it and crave more of it. This is an angel story. Seems played out, but not really, not the way Lola wrote it. Let’s start off with the heroin. Emmy is a nerdy teenager who happens to be the key to saving the entire world. Seems logical enough, right? Well it’s not, nor is the fact that the head angel leader is the perfect definition of a story’s heroic male lead character. A cool thing about the way this book was written was how the first couple of chapters is is all in the point of view of Emmy, then the next few chapters start all over again from the beginning of the book with the exception that it is all through the eyes of Marcus (the really amazing angel guy that is perfect), and then once both parts catch up to each other it goes back to Emmy. That isn’t something you see that often in books. Admittedly there were some parts in Marcus’ section that really bugged me, and I felt really slowed down the story. That was a big part of just explaining everything about the world of the angels and the demons, and there was a lot to explain.

And it had some very cool fighting scenes. When the story decided to get scary, it got scary. When it decided to get sad, it got really sad. And when it decided to get funny, I laughed out loud. There are six angels in total and I loved each and every single one of them.  All their personalities were great, some were funny, some were thoughtful and considerate, some were sweet, it was a great combo all together.   Well, maybe except one, but you’ll see once you read this book. And you will. Read this book, I mean. Because if you don’t you will be missing out. From 1-10? I give Guardians book confident 9

The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare

INFERNAL DEVICES BOOK 1: CLOCKWORK ANGEL SUMMARY

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downlorlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and bvolatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

INFERNAL DEVICES BOOK 2: CLOCKWORK PRINCE SUMMARY

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of handsome, self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister that she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

INFERNAL DEVICES REVIEW

Cassandra Clare has created a completely new masterpiece. I don’t know if you have read my review on her other series The Mortal Instruments, but if you haven’t then let me just say that I adored her other books and I adore this author. When I found out that she had a whole NEW series coming out, I almost had a heart attack. I am going to do a summary of both the first and the second book as one, and when the third book comes out I will review it on a whole different post, so stay tuned!

There are so many changes from book 1 to book 2, but all around both books are amazing. The characters are perfectly created, and I couldn’t imagine any better way to live through the Downworld during the Victorian Era other than through the eyes of these characters. That’s the great thing about Cassandra Clare, she has a great gift for creating life into her characters, characters that you can relate to, hate, love, and trustingly follow as they maneuver the reader through this intricate plot. I always say that the best thing about a good book is the characters, and The Infernal Devices has plenty of that. All the characters are all so different, Will is hilariously witty, Jem is a sweet heart I could just hug and hug and hug and never let go, Henry is the mad and lovable professor/genius/screw up, and Tessa is a strong version of a young lady in a time where they are suppose to be seen, not heard.

Now, I don’t want anyone thinking that this book is going to be like The Mortal Instruments series. Yes, it has all the good qualities that the other series had, but it is a completely different story line and they really don’t have much to do with each other, so I don’t want anyone who has read The Mortal Instruments series freaking out that these books should have been read before or anything like that connecting the two. These books are like the prequels of that series. The cool thing about this series is that it does have small connections into The Mortal Instruments series, things like characters that pop up from the other books and names that any Mortal Instruments fan would recognize. I’m not going to go into detail of what the book is about because the book flap summary really just about covers all the real important stuff, and writing any more will definitely give it away.

If you read my previous ramblings post, you’ll see that something about the second book stressed me out to no end. Don’t worry! I’m not going to tell you what it was, I am just warning you that you will feel the need to chuck the book across the room, grunt in frustration, and then run to pick it up and continue where you left off as if your air supply depended on it. I must have sounded crazy in that post, but no one can judge. All you have to do is go get the books, read them, and then you guys can see for yourself what happened to my sanity after reading it. Trust me, my reaction was not so out there. So all in all go get the books and you’ll see that from 1-10? I’m not crazy to give these books a 9.

The Iron Fey Series Review by Julie Kagawa

 This review will consist of a big series overview with mini reviews of each individual book with as little spoilers as possible.

The Iron Fey Series blew me away! See, for me, the characters are everything in a good book. They are the fabric of the story, the foundation of it all. This series had the characters down pat. They were realistic but magical, funny and determined, brave and vulnerable . . . there were just so many combinations that went into creating these complex characters that I really can’t name them all. My favorite had to be Puck who is one of the funniest/sarcastic characters I have ever encountered. The point is that they were all fantastic leaders through the NeverNever.

When I say that I haven’t been this excited over a book series in a long time, that is saying something. It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed a good book in a while. There have been many interesting books stacked under my night table, but I haven’t been THIS excited about a book in months. You know the kind of excitement I’m talking about. The kind of excitement where I laughed hysterically a Puck’s pranks, teared up considerably at Ash’s coldness, and the kind where there was absolutely-positively-no-chance-in-hell that I was going to put those books down. They were the kinds of books that I chose over sleep. Thank goodness it’s Winter Break, or I would be considerably sleep deprived! The point is that, these books brought that reading excitement back to me. There were times over the beginning of this school year where reading would be put off for homework and such, and I started to lose the feel of staying up until 5 a.m. with a book under my nose. These books brought them back.

Well, enough sentimentality on my part. I’ll get down to the who’s, what’s, when’s, and why’s of these books. The first three books in this series are completely from the point of view of Meghan Chase. She is a regular girl with the annoying reputation of a hillbilly or pig girl if you will. She is an outcast in her school and a little bit at home. She lives with her mother, her stepfather, and her little four-year-old brother. The day she turns 16 is the day everything in her boring yet normal life shatters. From that moment on she is pulled and pushed into the world of Faery, a magical yet cynical place to be filled with rulers and gremlins and who knows what else. And only she has the powers to save the NeverNevers. From 1-10 for the overall series? I believe the Iron Fey deserves a 9!!

PS: here's a little tidbit I just discovered . . . Julie Kagawa wrote 2 mini ebooks that take place between parts of the series! The parts that were never mentioned like Ash and Meghan's travels to the Winter court in "Winter's Passage" and a mini adventure of Ash and Puck completely told in Puck's funny and eccentric perspective. I just read them, and although way to short to satisfy my thirst for all things Fey, they are certainly not to be missed!

          

•      Book 1: The Iron King

Number of pages:363

Book 1 is where all the discoveries of the NeverNever and Faeries come in. Here is where everything unravels for Meghan Chase. Her little brother is replaced by a demon Faery thing and she goes off with her best friend Robbie, who turns out to be a notorious faery, into the heart of the NeverNever in search for her little brother. Here she discovers everything about her past, along with the perils that come with that knowledge. In this book, I have to say I was Team Puck all the way. He was just so funny and lovable! So loyal, I couldn’t imagine the story without him. 

•           Book 2: The Iron Daughter

Number of pages: 359

Book 2 was a strong follow up of book 1. One thing that I sometimes expect is that the sequel to the original book will somehow come out to be disappointing in some way, or just not good enough in general. Mainly that is because sequels continue the story of the first one. The thing about The Iron Daughter is that although technically, yes, it is a continuation of Meghan’s adventures, it somehow comes out to be a different story. I don’t know if that makes sense, but what I am trying to say is that this book has its ties into the first, but cannot be compared to it because it is unique in and of itself. What happened in this book is that Meghan has kept her promise to Ash and is waiting to be rescued by the Summer Court. When she finally breaks free from the promise, and Ash’s cold ways toward her, she embarks on a journey to find the Scepter of the Seasons, stolen by the Iron Fey. She discovers powers she didn’t imagine she could possess, and love she didn’t know she had. 

• Book 3: The Iron Queen

Number of pages: 358

This is the end for Meghan Chase. Actually just the end of her adventures, not her end end. Book 3 is the tying of all the strings, so to speak. It is the grand finale, the curtain call of Meghan Chase. This was a bittersweet book. What you need to understand about the ending is that it does cover all the loose ends, but it will leave you heartbroken and enlightened at the same time. All I can say is thank God Julie Kagawa thought to make a 4^th book! Meghan Chase has been banished, bullied, and attacked way to many times! Once she finally feels like she has a break from Feary, she is once again pulled back into the world of magic along with her best friend Puck and Ash . . . this time with the Courts permission. Here you get a whole new side to the characters. Puck is now more raw, much more cynical, and still just as funny. You also get a more thawed side to Ash, a more caring side. By this point I don’t know what team I was on: Team Ash or Team Puck? Too hard to choose! Something that I found was really cool was that this is also where Meghan starts to fend for herself a bit. It’s understandable that in the beginning books she needed to be protected. Now she starts to kick butt on her own terms, and gets my respect.

•     Book 4: The Iron Knight

Number of pages: 361

The Iron Knight takes a whole new twist to the stories that by now you have become accustomed to. Here we see Ash take control as we follow him on his own journey to find a soul and finally be reunited with the one he loves . . . Meghan. His goals are simple. Find the Cait Sith, get to the end of the world, win a soul, and return to the Iron Realm all without completely murdering his travel companion, Puck. But as the journey progresses, some discoveries come to light that could completely change his resolve to become human. Some things happen that just leave you in a WOW state. And then there were some parts that I found a wee bit tedious during this particular adventure. I just wanted to see how everything turned out to be, but some things were drawn out a bit. Not that I wanted it to end, not by any means. I just couldn’t wait to see what happened to our lovely hero and his funny companion. I admit it, I did cry at one point. But even after all the curve balls thrown in this book and surprises in every chapter, rest assured that there is a happy ending for this book. And this book does come with a little extra something in the end. There is a NeverNever survival guide, and an author’s questionnaire with some special guest that I completely enjoyed hearing from!

Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow by Kelly Green

Series Summary:

Smart and sassy Abby Grace is a seventeen-year-old with a talent for getting out of trouble. Sent to repair the lives and loves of teenagers on the edge of disaster, Abby is the perfect girl for the job. She has everything going for her… except one thing: a body

First Installment Summary: Episode 1

When Abby Grace wakes up in the back of a van, she has no idea who she is, how she got there, or why anyone would want to kidnap her. After escaping her masked captors, she hurries home, only to discover that she unknowingly left her younger brother behind in the van. Unable to answer the police’s questions with her memories gone, she retreats to the safety of her bedroom where she tries to reconstruct her life. Just as she is settling into the belief that things will one day return to normal, she looks in the mirror—and sees a stranger’s face.

As Abby learns next, she has become a Shadow, sent to inhabit the lives of strangers in trouble. With nothing to go on except the vague hints of her cute but maddening Guardian, a 19th century ghostly teenager named Will, Abby sets out to rescue the missing brother. But she will need all of her intelligence, fearlessness, and wit, because if she fails to find him in time, she will remain trapped in this unfamiliar body forever.

• Number of pages: kindle version, not sure how long the story is

Review

As it so happens, I got this put straight up on my “must read” list because the author sent a review request about this series. And I am very happy she did. So what can I say about Borrowing Abby Grace? Ultimately it’s one of those easy reads that takes you for an enjoyable ride without making you do any work. Some books are just hard to keep up, and in the end you are doing the work to trying to piece everything together without getting lost. This book was written in a way where the mystery was easy to follow without being obvious. Clearly if the ending were obvious then the book wouldn’t be any fun. It was a cute story, too, that was nice to read and enjoy.

Abby Grace is a girl who didn’t know that she was Abby Grace let alone where she is, why she’s there, and whom she can trust. This is a girl with no identity, and nothing to go on. This is a girl that doesn’t even have a body. Now the details on that are a little fuzzy for me because I didn’t quite understand what she is since she is always summoned into the body and life of another person. She is what is referred to as a “shadow” sent to help fix the lives of the person whose body she is occupying. This episode is kind of like the explainer of things, I guess you could say. She is sent into the body of “Brooke” who has just been kidnapped along with her brother, and escaped while her brother is still captive. Abby Grace’s job is to fix “the problem” before time runs out . . . or she will be stuck in Brooke’s body forever.

Like I said, it was an easy read that I enjoyed from the beginning. But it wasn’t just easy because it was easy to follow; it was also easy because it was such a small book. Now, I didn’t really know how long the story was going to be because it is kindle versions only (for now, I believe) so I cant say how long it was. What I can say is that it felt like I read only about 100 pages or so, and I finished in about 2 hours and a half. That’s pretty fast, even for me. Usually I don’t go for so short a book, but this book was interesting till the end, not making me want to put it down. Still, I feel like the mystery ended to fast and everything was a bit rushed. I guess that if I want to prolong Abby Grace’s story a little bit longer, I am going to have to just read the next episode! From 1-10? I give Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow a good, strong 7!