Review: The Eternity Cure

Title: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publication date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: I recieved a copy by Netgalley in return for an honest review

Rating: 4.5 stars

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Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

As far as sequels go, I'm glad to say that The Eternity Cure did not disappoint- which was quite a feat considering how much I loved The Immortal Rules. This book made me feel so many things- from anxiety to anticipation to short-lived joy to heartache- that I'm going to have to break down this review piece by piece.

The Characters
Allie. Badass as ever. She is both fierce and fearsome, which makes for a great vampire, yet she also carries vulnerabilities and insecurities, which makes for a great, relatable protagonist. In this book, Allie is really starting to come into her own, accepting and embracing her new vampire life. I'm really excited to see where Kagawa takes this character in the next book. Especially with the way this one ended.....

Zeke. Bookish bad boys better watch out because Ezekial Cross is making the Nice Guy persona very swoon-worthy. My favorite thing about Zeke, aside from his innate goodness is his unwavering loyalty and faith. In that respect, I think he and Allie complement each other very well.

Jackal. Oh, Ms. Kawaga.... what have you done? I think Jackal just became my favorite character in the series!! I loved how I was constantly guessing whether he would end up a hero or a villain. There are little moments when he proves to be a good ally (and great comic relief) but there is always this understanding that he can't be trusted. I guess I'm just a total sucker for morally ambiguous characters with snark. I also enjoyed his twisted sibling relationship with Allie- it brought some much needed humor and lightness into an otherwise dark story.

Kanin...... is such and interesting character. After two books, I'm still not completely sure what to make of him. Kanin takes a bigger role in this book which was quite nice because I love his demeanor, especially in relation to all the other characters. For me, Kanin is definitely the most intriguing one to read about.

And, in case you were wondering, Sarren is still as twisted and sadistic as ever.

The Plot
As always, Kagawa's pacing was perfect. This book had me hooked from the very first chapter and kept me enraptured all the way up to that jaw-dropping ending. Literally, I openly gaped at the book when I got to the last page. But don't worry, no spoilers for you!

The most notable thing about this book was that there was a lot more gore than in The Immortal Rules. On one hand, this was nice because more action was happening throughout the book- and, really, who doesn't love awesome fight scenes? On the other hand, it did feel just a tad bit excessive. There are only so many pages I can stand of sword-slashing and vampiric dismemberment.

The Romance
This is pretty surprising for me to say, but I was a little unsatisfied with the romance. It's not that I didn't like the romantic development (because I totally support the Zeke/Allie ship) but the initial meeting between the two, namely Zeke explaining why he came after Allie, did not feel very natural to me. I may be in the minority here, but, following the events of book 1, it didn't seem like their relationship was at a point where it was realistic that Zeke did the things he did for her.

All in all:
The Eternity Cure was a very riveting read. Kagawa has hit the character-plot-setting trifecta once again.
Warning: this book ends with one heck of cliffhanger. Unless it's 2014 and the third book is out, prepare junk food on hand to eat away the feelings.

Review: Quintana of Charyn

Title: Quintana of Charyn (Lumatere Chronicles #3)
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publication date: April 23, 2013 (U.S. edition)
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 5 stars

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Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

Me before I read a Marchetta book:

Me after reading a Marchetta book:

Melina Marchetta (authoress divine) is one of those rare authors whose writing is constantly improving, constantly pushing the limits of how much I think I can love a book. When I read Finnikin, I felt like I had found The Best Book Ever (aside from Jellicoe Road, of course). But then she wrote Froi and now Quintana and I just have no words. At least, none that I haven't said before.

Quintana of Charyn is, undoubtedly, a conclusion. All the loose ends are tied up and the reader is left in a satisfied place. Actually, it's a rather heart-wrenching place because it's The End, but nevertheless it was a good stopping place. The characters' struggles have been resolved. You know that they're going to be okay, yet there's still an open-endedness that comes with knowing their lives will go on and they will continue to learn and grow.

With most fantasy books, the authors focus on explaining the world-building. What was great about this series was that yes, Marchetta explained the ways of the Lumaterans, Charynites, and co. But she never took the focus away from the characters and their relationships. At the end of this series, you know these characters: their hopes, their fears, their love of country, and their love for each other. You know their hearts- their very essence. And being so close, so darn attached to these characters made me feel ALL of the feelings.

While reading, I had the sudden and overwhelming urge to just take all these beloved characters and, I don't know, hide them in my pocket or something. Just snatch them from the pages and tuck them somewhere safe so that they could stop hurting. Maybe that's a little silly, but these characters have just gone through so much in just Quintana alone, let alone the entire series. There is pain, devastation, loss, grief, and heartbreak. Yet more powerful than all of that is the undercurrent of hope and love that has been there even in the darkest of times. That is Marchetta's true talent—besides the ability to make me want to curl up into a fetal position and sob— she has the uncanny ability to craft these masterful stories of broken people and their broken relationships and somehow make it a story of redemption and love. 

The Lumatere Chronicles has given me more heartache than I thought possible, yet I always crawl back for more. And, to be honest, I would sooner swear off of chocolate than say goodbye to this series and its magnificent characters. I hate goodbyes. I hate the knowledge that once I finish a book, I will never get to know more about a character's life. But knowing that everyone I cared about in this book ended up okay made saying goodbye just a little bit easier

All in all:

There's really only one thing to do now:


I'm just kidding. No. I'm really not.

Good books give you a beautiful happily ever after. Great books pierce your hearts with sadness and linger on your mind long after you've finished. And then there are the rare, phenomenal books that manage to utterly shatter your heart, then somehow heal you at the end and claim an eternal place in your heart. Quintana of Charyn is one of those books.

Review: The Mist on Brontë Moor

Title: The Mist on Brontë Moor
Author: Aviva Orr
Publication date: January 8, 2013
Publisher: WiDo Publishing
Source: author

Rating: 4 stars

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When fifteen-year-old Heather Jane Bell is diagnosed with alopecia and her hair starts falling out in clumps, she wants nothing more than to escape her home in London and disappear off the face of the earth. 

Heather gets her wish when her concerned parents send her to stay with a great-aunt in West Yorkshire. But shortly after she arrives, Heather becomes lost on the moors and is swept through the mist back to the year 1833. There she encounters fifteen-year-old Emily Brontë and is given refuge in the Brontë Parsonage. 

Unaware of her host family’s genius and future fame, Heather struggles to cope with alopecia amongst strangers in a world foreign to her. While Heather finds comfort and strength in her growing friendship with Emily and in the embrace of the close-knit Brontë family, her emotions are stretched to the limit when she falls for Emily’s brilliant but troubled brother, Branwell.

Will Heather return to the comforts and conveniences of the twenty-first century? Or will she choose love and remain in the harsh world of nineteenth-century Haworth?

This book started out as an enjoyable and fluffy read, but holy crab cakes, that ending was an emotional gut-puncher that I did not see coming!!

The Mist on Brontë Moor was a refreshing blend of time-traveling, contemporary problems, and historical figures. Heather, the protagonist, was a narrator that I really enjoyed. She is diagnosed with alopecia, a medical condition that causes her hair to start falling out. Her voice was really relatable and I empathized with her fear of losing all her hair--I think most girls would be quite frightened at that thought! My favorite part about Heather was that while she had insecurities about her alopecia, about what everyone (boys especially) would think of her, but she was not a whiny character.

As for the Brontës, I loved reading about them! It's one thing to learn about Jane and Emily Brontë in my English class and another to actually see someone take bits and pieces of information about their personality from primary sources and bring them to life in this story. Branwell, the Brontë brother most people overlook, is given a spotlight in this book as the troubled yet charming love interest, and despite the fact that I thought his and Heather's romance was a bit rushed and unrealistic, I quite liked reading about his character.

This book had me hooked right from the get-go and once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. I haven't read a whole lot of time traveling books, but I thought this book handled the subject really well. There wasn't a huge deal made about the time traveling, it just sort of happened. The transition between Heather being in the present and her taken to the past was very smooth and I really appreciated that. Also, side note, but I thought it was brilliant that each chapter started off with a piece of Emily Brontë's writing.  :)  Definitely introduced me to some more of her poetry.

Before I end this review, I just have to talk about the ending a little (no spoilers, I promise!) because it was just so.... perfect! Not in a happily-ever-after kind of way, but in a realistic and right kind of way that just gave me so many emotions!! Ye-ah, in case you can't tell, I really liked the way Aviva Orr ended this book.

All in all: really enjoyed this book, and I'd definitely recommend it, if not to people who like the Brontës, then to people who like a fantastic protagonist, an English countryside setting, and a fast-paced story-line.

Review: Splintered

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G. Howard
Publication date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books (Abrams)
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

The description of this book, like a delicious cake you might find at the Mad Hatter's tea party, was utterly irresistible. But here's the thing: appearances can be deceiving. Reading this book was like salivating over a delicious dessert only to find, when eating it, that the icing was too sweet and the cake too crumbly.

Splintered is the story of Alyssa Gardner, a descendant of Alice Liddell, who suffers from a family curse of spiraling into Wonderland-esque insanity. But events unfold, realizations happen, and Alyssa learns that Wonderland is absolutely real, but much dangerous and twisted than the Lewis Carroll story.

While in theory this book sounded like the coolest thing since nutella, the actual read was less riveting than I'd imagined. I think the author tried to include too many aspects, trying to afford each one equal attention that, in the end, the story was smothered by it. The descriptions of the Wonderland creatures, though brilliantly envisioned, were too detailed and lenghthy and were overwhelming to process. The overemphasized love triangle distracted from the plot and led to ill-timed frisky moments just for the sake of romantic development.

As for the characters, I couldn't connect with any of them. Not even the heroine despite being in her head for  nearly 400 pages. Here's the thing: I felt like Alyssa could have been such an epic character. The girl loves to skate, wears colorful dreadlock extensions in her hair, has electric eels for pets, and makes beautiful mosaics out of dead bugs. HOW COOL IS THAT? But unfortunately, my reaction to Alyssa ended up being rather MEH. Didn't love her but didn't completely hate her either. So many of her thoughts were taken up by her unrequited love for Jeb and hatred of his girlfriend and it was just annoying to read about!

I know this book is advertised as having a love triangle, however, despite Alyssa's attraction to Morpheus, it was obvious that Jeb was always the main love interest... And oh how I wished he wasn't!! No offense to the Jeb fans out there, but he was by far my least favorite character in the whole book. I found him to be way too controlling and overprotective (in a whether-you-like-it-or-not kind of way). And at times even douchey. I tried to like him, I really did! But nope. Just couldn't do it. Every time he showed up in a scene, I would mentally groan.

You know when you're reading a book and the main character and love interest have a Moment? Their eyes meet, there's romantic tension, and the whole time you're like:

And when they finally do...

Ye-ah, that wasn't the case with this book. Each time Jeb and Alyssa had romantic moments, it was just awkward to read about. I can't really explain it but it was almost like watching PDA in the real world.

What's more, there is a time and a place for making googly eyes at your crush. And that time, dear Alyssa and Jeb, is not while you are worrying for your survival with crazy creatures trying to hunt you down!

Personally, I much preferred Morpheus's character. The guy was twisted, mysterious, morally questionable.... and I kind of loved it! (Le sigh. I suppose I've always had a thing for the bad boys).

I will say that the world-building was probably the shining gem of this book. This Wonderland that Howard has crafted is so different from that of the original story... and I absolutely loved it! The sheer creativity and imagination that went into creating this twisted land with bizarre customs and grotesque creatures is truly laudable. From the wacky traditions to the Wonderland afterlife, I was fascinated and I dearly hope that there might be another book in the future exploring more of Wonderland.

All in all: I know most of this review has been me talking about the negatives of this book, but I really did enjoy reading this. Yes, the love triangle really wasn't my cup of tea, but I am really glad I read this book because the adventure was action-packed and the world-building was mind-blowingly fantastic.
If you're into Alice retellings, or just retellings in general, then I definitely recommend this book.

Review: His Black Wings

Title: His Black Wings
Author: Astrid Yrigollen
Publication date: November 2012

Claren Maidstone has been forced to flee her childhood home after the death of her parents and a vicious assault from a sadistic young man who intends to marry her. Claren changes her identity and finds employment as an assistant to the handsome Fredrick Lowood, a generous yet mysterious benefactor. However, she soon finds out his generosity comes at a price. Fredrick wishes for Claren to befriend his disfigured son who resides in seclusion at their estate, Westwind.

Fredrick Lowood knows what the history books do not teach, that the Grand Council built this new world of peace and beauty on hidden blood and greed. He has plotted for years to bring down the family that enslaved his own people. Suddenly, he has the last living heir in his grasp.

Etrigan Lowood rejects the world that forces him to hide. He is powerful, plagued with a terrible dark beauty: WINGS. It is these wings that carry him out only at night to watch the unwanted intruder in his home. A creature of refined instinct yet little social grace, he is strangely captivated by Claren but knows nothing of how her family’s dark past is intertwined with his own . Through their blossoming friendship, Etrigan realizes he still retains his human heart and yearns for Claren’s love.

Kurten Wandsworth is the only son of the Mayor of St.Marhen. Kurten lives his life fueled by cruelty and lust. Whatever he wants he takes and he wants Claren to be his wife even it if kills her. Scarred by Claren he hunts her down mercilessly until he can set a trap which she will never be able to escape from.

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His Black Wings is definitely one of the most creative retellings I've ever read. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales, and when I was offered the chance to read this book, I jumped at it!

Astrid Yrigollen has done a fantastic job weaving the elements of the classic fairy tale in a steampunk, futuristic Victorian setting. Sounds a bit strange, I know, but somehow Yrigollen makes it work. The actual story takes place in the future, but the mannerisms and dress of the characters are all reminiscent of the Victorian era. In short, Yrigollen has created a world that is completely unique and interesting.

I will say that the progression of this story was a little... fractured. There is constant switching of POVs between Claren's first person view and the omniscient narration of scenes between Etrigan and his father. Oh, and then there's a rather abrupt switch to Kurten's POV for a chapter. I feel like the flow of the story could have been better, especially when the world-building was finally explained; for 2/3 of the book, I had been full of questions on the origin of the Victorian steampunk world and, rather abruptly, the plot is just paused as the background info is thrust at you. It was nice to learn about the backstory, but the problem was that I felt bombarded by information. It was a lot to absorb in a short amount of time and could have been integrated into the story better.

There is a great cast of characters in this book, all of them bringing something different to the story. Claren was a good protagonist who was very brave and selfless. She came across as a Mary Sue at times, but considering the fact that she represents Belle, I cut her some slack. And then we have Etrigan. Ah Etrigan, I have such mixed feelings about you. On the one hand, I didn't like how possessive and, at time, rude he was. But on the other hand, he was the Beast, so this characterization was pretty spot-on. By the end of the novel, though, I did end up liking him. And I liked him and Claren together.

Something that I really loved about this book was how interesting the secondary characters were. They all had a distinct personality that kept the story interesting. From the hilarious rivalry between Horace and Dekker to the dark nature of Kurten Wandsworth, I was enraptured and entertained. I might even go so far as to say that the secondary characters were my favorites!

On a side note, I found it a bit hard to really connect with the characters. Personally, I really like being able to connect with characters, to get inside their heads; it makes the reading experience more enjoyable. With His Black Wings, even when I was reading from Claren's first person POV, I felt rather detached, as if I were seeing the story unfold from afar as opposed to being in the middle of the action. I think this is really a personal preference, though. I'm sure some people prefer this style of narration since it's similar to reading a fairy tale.

So....
Rating: 4 stars*

All in all: Despite my little critiques in the review, I really did enjoy this book! It's a really cool and unique twist on the Beauty and the Beast story. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys retellings, or fairy tales in general. Or Victorian-era books. Or just someone who's looking for something new and refreshing in a world where so many ideas are overused.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Don't Tell

Title: Don't Tell
Author: Mercy Amare
Publication date: September 21, 2012
Synopsis:

I could be surrounded by a million people, but I would still feel alone. I smile on the outside, but inside I feel like I’m slowly dying. I cry out for help, but nobody sees me, at least not the real me. They see a façade, a mask that I put on to hide the pain.

I pretend that I’m normal, but really, what is normal? Maybe what I’m feeling is normal. The hurt, the disappointment, the loneliness… it could be all just be a part of life. Maybe I will never know what normal is.

I put on long sleeves and makeup to hide the bruises, but they only mask the outside. What happens when I can’t carry my burden alone any longer? What would happen if I told somebody the truth?

This book was the perfect blend of gritty and sweet.

Lucy is a girl who, on the outside appears to have a perfect life, but in reality, behind closed doors, she suffers from abuse inflicted by her alcoholic father. I liked that this book tackled a tough and serious issue, but didn't let it dominate the whole story. This story is also about falling in love and exploring the limits of what someone would do for the person they loved.

This book is written from the dual POVs of Lucy, the girl who is suffering when no one is looking, and Ian, the golden boy of school who has been in love with Lucy for almost his entire life. I'm normally not crazy about dual POVs, but I really enjoyed getting to know both of these characters. My heart went out to Lucy for what she was going through. At times, I wanted to reach into the book and give her a big hug. I love how good Lucy was despite all that she was going through; her life was hell, but she still managed to be a kind person and a good friend. Ian was super sweet, the kind of perfect guy who could have easily become a cliché but didn't. Ian is honest, kind, and quite mature for a high school boy. He's the kind of guy that any girl would be lucky to date.

This book was quite short, but I thing so much was covered in the span of 66 pages. The story was concise, getting right down to the core of the story without any unnecessary drama. Overall, I thought the pacing was nice, however, due to its length, the point of view switched very frequently and the romance felt brisk at times. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by how well I felt I got to know the characters despite the story's brevity, and there was actual character development happening! In only 66 pages! I've seen 300-some page books who never achieved the character development that this book did.

The only thing that really bothered me was how Lucy's beauty was emphasized over and over again. Yes, I understand that she is a beautiful girl, but there's no need to remind me every single time Ian lays eyes on her! She's pretty, yes, but she was also a beautiful person on the inside, always very caring and nice. I wish that had been emphasized more than her physical attributes.

Rating: 3.75 stars*

I think any fan of YA contemporary and romance would like reading this. Literally, you could read this in one sitting, and believe me, it's hard to put this book down. The only thing that's keeping me from giving this a full four stars is because I just feel like I'm missing that extra oomph that probably could've been achieved with some more time for development and transition.

On a random note: 
You want to know the weirdest thing about this book? The fact that the blurb says Lucy always wears long sleeves to cover the bruises, but the girl on the cover is wearing a tank top! O__o

*I received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Review: Rape Girl

Title: Rape Girl
Author: Alina Klein
Publication date: June 5th, 2012
Publisher: namelos

Rating: 4 stars*

Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.

Rape Girl is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength to fight back.

Shell-shocked. Amazed. Appalled. Dumb-founded.

These were all adjectives that described me upon finishing Rape Girl. 

Wow. Just...wow.

This is the story of Valerie, the "rape girl," as she's called by the people who don't believe her story. Why is that, you might ask? Because her rapist is an upstanding member of the community, whose dream, I might add, is to become a mormon missionary.Not exactly the sexually deviant type, and because of that, Valerie gets alienated and ridiculed as the girl who cried rape.

First off, I would just like to applaud Alina Klein for not being afraid to be in-your-face about this. I'm not saying this book is very graphic--it's not. However, from the bold title and the synopsis, Klein does not shy away from the sensitive subject about this book. She could have chosen a less-subtle title. But she didn't.

This book grabs your attention and the story keeps you captivated--whether in a good way or a bad way, that's for you to decide.

Rape Girl was very real. There were no false pretenses that rapists are always violent and scary, or that victims always get justice. Klein depicted the situation, the status quo, as it really is, however disappointing that reality might be. This book is an unflinchingly honest account of a horrible crime and it. Is. Worth. Reading.

All in all: This wasn't a light or happy read. But ultimately I am glad I read it because this book tackles a very tough issue, one that happens all too often, with amazing honesty. This isn't a very long book, but it says exactly what needs to be said.

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Raven Boys

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publication date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Synopsis:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Let me just start off by making this clear: the synopsis of this book does not do the actual story justice. Not by a long shot.
Yes, Blue is apparently destined to kill her true love with her kiss, and yes, she meets four Raven Boys.

More than that, though, this book is about an eccentric family of secretive psychics and a non-psychic daughter, a journey to find a magical ley line, the legend of the Welsh king, Glendower, and the fierce friendship between four boys that is complex and heart-breakingly beautiful.

The best part of this book, for me, is definitely the friendship between the four Raven Boys.

You've got Gansey who is born with unimaginable privilege and harbors an obsession for finding the legendary Glendower. I loved the dichotomy of Gansey's character! On the surface he is the cookie-cutter rich boy, but beneath that there is this inexplicably complex nature, from his deep insatiable yearning for Glendower to his love and protectiveness of his friends. I wish I knew the right words to describe Gansey, but all I can tell you is that he is a truly unforgettable character. 

"In the end, he was nobody to Adam, he was nobody to Ronan. Adam spit his words back at him and Ronan squandered however many second chances he gave him. Gansey was just a guy with a lot of stuff and a hole inside him that chewed away more of his heart every year.

They were always walking away from him. But he never seemed able to walk away from them."

Then you've got Adam, sweet and endearing Adam. He's a tortured hero who has been able to retain this rare kindness and gentleness about him despite the hell he grew up in. Adam comes from nothing and, like Gansey, yearns for something more, but he won't accept anything unless he's earned it himself.

"It means I never get to be my own person. If I let you cover for me, then I'm yours. I'm his now, and then I'll be yours."

Ronan is the bad-boy of the bunch; angry, intimidating, and downright dangerous. However, there is a concealed softer side of him, a side that may not be described as "kind," but definitely shows that he cares more about people than he seems to. His past is shrouded in mystery and I really cannot wait for the sequel to find out more about him!

"Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn't know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves." 

Last, but certainly not least, is Noah, the most mysterious of the four--but just as endearing. Noah harbors a dark secret which plays an integral part in this novel, both in the the mystery of the book and in the relationships between the Raven Boys.

"Noah was a good bellwether for people. He was so shy and awkward and invisible that he could be easily ignored or made fun of."

These four boys are as different as could be, but they fit together like jigsaw pieces falling into place, balancing each other and keeping each other in check. Their relationship is complicated, but so compelling to read about, and before I could help it, I'd fallen in love with each of them.

I've read Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy and part of her Scorpio Race, and in The Raven Boys, her writing is still effortlessly gorgeous! Her descriptions are so vivid it's really like I'm in Henrietta, Virginia with its hot days, cold nights, and mountain air.

The only frustrating part of this book, for me, was the romance. Or lack thereof. As a romanceaholic, I crave that bit of romance in books and as I was reading this, I was constantly anticipating the emegence of the romantic element....but it never came! Not really. There was a slight blossoming of feelings, but for a story that emphasized how Blue was going to kill her true love, there really wasn't a whole lot of love present.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

Let me repeat: It's okay that there wasn't much romance. I still loved this book regardless. The story, the mystery, and especially the characters drew me in and kept me a willful prisoner for 408 pages.

Rating: 4.5 stars*

All in all: I. Need. The. Sequel.
I need it now! This book captivated me while I read and even when I finished, I could not get the story or the characters out of my head. So the question now is, how many "reallys" do I have to put before "recommend" to get you to read this?


*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own

Review: Painted Blind

Title: Painted Blind
Author: Michelle A. Hansen
Publication date: May 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Createspace

Seventeen years old and agoraphobic, Psyche Middleton vows her dad will never see the risqué photos she took during a summer modeling stint abroad, but one of them ends up on a billboard in her Montana hometown. Now everyone—especially her dad—can see it. And yet, somehow, those are the mundane things in her life because she is about to fall unexpectedly, head-over-heels in love with Erik, a mysterious young man who rescues her from a crowd of admirers, and who she’s never actually seen because…he can make himself invisible.

As strange as this may seem, it’s about to get even stranger. Erik takes her to his palace in an idyllic kingdom, and she is swept into the beauty and culture of his world, but his affection has one condition: she may not see him. Overtaken, intrigued, and still not wholeheartedly believing he’s real, Psyche is going to have to decide if she can love him blindly; because if she can’t, she may lose him forever.

Despite my undying love for Greek myths, there is one key characteristic about them that I absolutely detest: insta-love.

Think about it, how often does anyone in Greek mythology actually take the time to get to know their love interest? (If you can name just one, then I owe you cookies.) That's why I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful character depth and romantic development in Painted Blind.

As someone who is well-acquainted with the Psyche and Eros myth, I loved how Michelle Hansen brought this story to the modern world while still retaining the principle elements of the myth. The concept was brilliant and creative and actually quite believable.

Psyche was a very relatable heroine. Sure, she makes some mistakes and she definitely has her own baggage to deal with, but all that just makes her realistically flawed. There were moments when I didn't like something she did, and more than one occasion when I got annoyed by how all the guys were clambering to help her, but overall, Psyche's bravery and perseverance shined through, and I had no problem seeing her as a real girl, as opposed to just a name in a myth.

And speaking of the guys in this book....
holy wowza, there was a whole menagerie of hot males!
All of them were really interesting characters, and NO, I'm not just saying that because I'm a book-boyfriend-obsessed girl. Hansen did a fantastic job making each one of them memorable and unique, giving them back stories that made me want to learn more about them. However, the one who really stole the show, was Eros (AKA Erik), god of love. I mean, obviously! In most retellings of this myth (and in the actual myth), Eros is this really vain and shallow jerk, but in this book, he was so real. He had insecurities and talents and a past that influenced him. He's not the kind of guy who actively seeks out attention. Instead, he's the kind of guy who tends to hang back, quiet and mysterious, and oh my gosh so darn swoon-worthy.

For me, the romance between Psyche and Eros was a whole heck of a lot better than insta-love. As a couple, Psyche and Eros had a lot of hurdles to get through, and when you have to work through stuff like that, you get this wonderful little thing called DEVELOPMENT. Me gusta.

Now I can't end this review without talking about the world-building because OH MY GOSH, it's just fabulous. Hansen expertly weaved together the mortal world and the gods' realms seamlessly! In this one book you get to see so much of the Olympian realm, with each setting beautifully and vividly described.

Rating: 4 stars*
All in all: Amazing! I really really hope Michelle Hansen decides to write some more myth retellings in the future because, if this book is any indication, she'd be really good at it!

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Review: Palace of Stone

Title: Palace of Stone (Princess Academy #2)
Author: Shannon Hale
Publication Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city seems a thrill beyond imagining. When Miri and her friends from Mount Eskel set off to help the future princess Britta prepare for her royal wedding, she is happy about her chance to attend school in the capital city. There, Miri befriends students who seem so sophisticated and exciting . . . until she learns that they have some frightening plans. They think that Miri will help them, that she "should "help them. Soon Miri finds herself torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city. Picking up where "Princess Academy "left off, this incredible stand-alone story celebrates the joys of friendship, the delight of romance, and the fate of a beloved fairy tale kingdom.

Princess Academy, for me, is one of those timeless reads, a go-to when I'm in a reading rut, regardless of how old I'd gotten. I was perfectly happy with the way Princess Academy ended--I thought it was quite perfect and didn't need a sequel. To be honest, I was pretty scared about reading Palace of Stone because when you have that one amazing book, you don't want its memory to be tarnished by a sequel of a lesser caliber.

When I first saw Miri becoming enchanted with the innovation of the capitol and joining the revolution, I wanted to jump up and shout, "No, Miri! Back to Mount Eskel with you! Stay away from all this political turmoil!" and then I would have thrown her over my shoulder and taken her back to the mountain myself...

I did not want one of my favorite characters was changing into someone I didn't recognize, and I feared that the revolution fervor would change preexisting relationship dynamics...Don't tell me you didn't make a horrified gasp at the phrase "Miri finds herself torn...between an old love and a new crush."

 For a good chunk of this book, I worried that I would not like it as much as I had hoped....

...And now we come to the part of the review where I reassure you that yes, Shannon Hale has once again worked magic with her words and created a sequel just as wonderful as the first book. (Hehe, I had you worried there for a second, didn't I?)

It wasn't until about midway through that I fully realized Hale had me utterly captivated with her story. Her diction is still just as beautiful, almost lyrical in a way, and I was taken back to a world of fresh mountain air and endless blue skies. Yet despite Hale's effortlessly gorgeous writing, she captures the spirit  of revolution perfectly. There is life and energy and excitement flowing from the pages!

And I cannot gush enough about her characters! Despite my initial apprehension, I enjoyed watching each character grow while still retaining the very essence of themselves that made me love them in the first place. Miri has and always will be one of my favorite characters and despite my qualms, she is still the smart but stubborn girl, albeit even more awesome in this book!

Rating: 4.5 stars*
All in all: Very rarely do readers get a sequel that is just as good, if not better, than the debut, but Shannon Hale has broken free of that mold as only the truly excellent authors to do. She broke through all of my walls of caution and wariness and has touched me with her story in a way that I feared she wouldn't be able to.

*I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Review: Speechless

 Title: Speechless
Author: Hannah Harrington
Publication Date: August 28th, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

Fact #1: Clichés in YA are annoying to read about.

Fact #2: Hannah Harrington is an amazing author and can make the most overused clichés work.

Speechless is a unique blend of commonly-used themes, such as high school and bullying, and a very refreshing, new idea: a vow of silence.

The high school environment in Speechless is a huge cliché: the popular kids rule and there's a gorgeous queen bee that can make your life miserable if she chooses. Seriously though, whose high school is actually like that?! I know mine's not. This is a cliché used time and time again in YA, and while I wasn't crazy about it in this book, Harrington still managed to win me over with her magnificent characters. 

Chelsea Knot starts off as the typical popular mean girl--the gossiper, the follower. In the beginning, she's the type of character you love to hate. However, as the novel progressed, I fell more and more in love with Chelsea's character. This girl is funny, sassy, and tough as nails. Yes, she made a bad decision, but she chose to do the right thing, despite what it would cost her, and in the face of all the bullying she endured, she kept her head high and she never let it break her. 

Despite the fact that she doesn't actually talk to anyone for most of the novel--vow of silence, remember?--I loved her voice. It's so distinct and utterly relatable and very realistic. Chelsea underwent so much character growth throughout the novel and I loved seeing the inner Chelsea overcome the years of social conforming she did to please her so-called best friend.

The side characters were also fantastic. Chelsea's new friends were super cool people that I wished I could meet in real life and while the romance was a bit slow, I liked the development between Chelsea and Sam.  
But guys. More importantly... HARPER AND JAKE MAKE A CAMEO APPEARANCE!! 
That one little excerpt literally made my day as I read this.  :D

My Rating: 4.5 stars*
This is a powerful and emotional book and even inspirational book, with interspersed moments of utter hilariousness and garnished with sparkling wit. Hannah Harrington had such a strong debut novel that I worried Speechless wouldn't be able to live up to, but she did it. She's crafted an another spectacular must-read novel that I can't wait to add to my shelf!

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review

Review: The Sweetest Spell

 Title: The Sweetest Spell
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Publication Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
*I received a copy of the book via Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline. 

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.

I'm just going to be honest here, for having such a whimsical, maybe even comedic, story line, I really didn't expect this story to as good as it was! To have the ability to make chocolate is cool, and I'd definitely want it, but for that to be the central point around which the story revolved? I was skeptical. But kudos Suzanne Selfors, kudos for taking this strange idea and spinning it into an amazing story with fantastic world-building, great characters, and touched on rather serious topics.

Emmeline Thistle, who is born with a deformed foot, is looked down upon by everyone in her village, and by everyone in all other villages for being born a "dirt-scratcher." This girl was absolutely amazing. Emmeline was such a selfless and caring character and in her journey of fighting for her people, you could not help but root for her success. She goes through so much in this story, yet never loses her strength and faith.

This book is written in dual POVs switching between Emmeline and Owen Oak, a boy who saves her life, and I normally don't like switching POVs, but I think it worked so well in this book! Not only did it give me a glimpse into both Emmeline and Owen's thoughts, it also allowed me as a reader to see much more of this fictional world that Selfors has created.

Selfors creates such a vivid setting in Anglund, I had no problems picturing each place the characters visited. There's an old-timey, fairy-tale-esque feel of this land ruled by a royal family, and the magic of being able to create chocolate adds to that. Yes, the concept is kind of silly, but it's very well incorporated into the novel and Selfors made it very believable. I loved the back story of  how this magical ability came to be.

One of the biggest surprises for me was the group of characters in this novel. Emmeline and Owen were great, but I was really pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the secondary characters. Even the ones who were first portrayed as villains had some back story that gave them some possibility for redemption and made me empathize with what they did. The one thing I wasn't crazy about in the novel was that the romance was a little of the insta-love variety. I feel like Emmeline and Owen's feelings progressed way to fast, it was just too unrealistic. However, as the novel progressed, I really did like them together. I don't consider the romance to be an overwhelming part of the novel, because there's SO much more to the plot than hey-I-just-met-you-and-this-is-crazy-but-let's-live-happily-ever-after.

Rating: 4 stars

All in all: The Sweetest Spell is a delightful and magical story about self-discovery and strength. This novel definitely exceeded all of my expectations and I highly recommend it!

Review: Unspoken

Title: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Adults
Publication Date: September 11, 2012

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Rating: 5 stars*

What do I like about this book? Hmm....

I think the better question is what DON'T like about this book?

Because that list is virtually non-existent.

I just cannot get over how fabulously the author tackled every aspect of this book that could have made it just another typical, clichéd  YA novel!

Just the fact that Kami has been able to talk to this "imaginary" boy in her head for her entire life, this imaginary boy she's in love with, only to suddenly discover that he's real and they now go to the same school! Oh yes, the boy she's told everything to--every secret, thought, insecurity--this boy is not a figment of her imagination. I feel like this set-up could have easily turned into a major case of insta-love, but THANK YOU GODS OF LITERATURE for giving Sarah Rees Brennan a much more brilliant idea! 

Kami and Jared are pretty freaked out at discovering the other is 100% real--understandably so, I might add--They're not sure whether they should be friends, girlfriend-boyfriend, or enemies. They spend a fair bit of time resenting the fact that the other person isn't imaginary and I LOVED IT. 

Their relationship is just so unique in the world of YA--confusing, strained, frustrating, yet at the same time, their chemistry is undeniable. It's just crafted wonderfully and very realistically. 

Now let's just take a moment to appreciate the sheer awesomeness of Brennan's characters. Seriously. They. Are. Magnificent. Not only are they all very distinct, personality-wise, but they're all gifted with impressive wit. I wish I could be funny like Kami and Angela--no actually, can I just be BFFs with them??? Angela was a personal favorite of mine. I mean, how often do you meet a character who loves naps, is super lazy, can seriously kick butt, and hates people? I was like, "let me love you!" Kami was sassy and super witty, very much like Veronica Mars. I fell in love with Kami's character from the moment she made her first joke. Another thing about these characters that was so refreshing was how sensible they all were! Especially Kami! She thought things through, was courageous but not stupid, and didn't let her emotions take over! The best way to describe her would be this quote:

"She didn't want to be the girl who just believed in the guy she liked, no matter what extenuating mind-reading circumstances existed. She didn't want her feelings to blind her. She didn't want anything to blind her. She did not know what her feelings were, or what his were, or how to separate the two. She did not want to drown in what was between them and lose control, or lose who she was." 
If you hated Bella, I think you're going to love Kami. Heck, even if you liked Bella, you'll still probably love Kami because she is just made of awesomesauce. 

All in all: This. Book. Is. Freaking. Amazing. There is a supernatural element present in the book--which I won't spoil for you--but I can honestly say that Brennan's take on this is quite unique and honestly? I did not see it coming. At all. 

*I was provided a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publishers in return for an honest review.