Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds #1

Release Date: December 18^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 488

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Source: ARC from BEA

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When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. 

 Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.  

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.  

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Wow. What a disturbingly amazing world. Alexandra Bracken created a strong world, and if there is one thing you can’t say is lacking, it’s the back-story. She gives us enough information to get a good understanding of the world and of the reasons why it becomes what it is. Alexandra Bracken really took us on an emotional rollercoaster ride, keeping us on the edge of our seat. The premises of the novel was one of the main reason why I wanted to read this book so badly, since it sounded like the kind of book I would love, and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed. It felt new and fresh, and it was really addicting. It will even please some of you who are starting to get bored of dystopian.

The story follows Ruby, a young girl who has been stuck in a “rehabilitation camp” for the last six years. This gave her certain strength, but also a weakness. Thanks to everything that has been said about people like her (orange) and what she has seen of others like her, she sees herself as a monster, and she fears what she is. Having been in the camp for so long, she doesn’t know what is going on in the world outside the walls of the camp. I have to say, I really liked seeing her grow because of what she discovers on the other side, and because of everything she has to do to survive. By the end of the book, she has to face some difficult choices that will change her.

Along her way, she meets a group of kid like her, and she joins them on the road. The group had some really interesting characters and I liked seeing them with Ruby. Zu was so cute, and you really can’t help but want to protect her, to see her be okay. Then, there is Chub. He is the one that doesn’t accept Ruby at first, the one who is skeptical about the things she tells them. I like that there was at least one character who was cautious about the appearance of a new girl, as they are on the run. I think most people in their situation wouldn’t have been 100% welcoming. Finally, there’s Liam. He is the kind of character that gives you hope in their world, as he is the one who wants to see the good in people. The four of them together created a group with an interesting dynamic, and it was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The Darkest Minds was an excellent start to a series that promises a lot. This dystopian is dark and addicting, and I can’t wait to see where Alexandra Bracken will take Ruby and us in the next novel.

About the Author:

From GoodReads

Alexandra Bracken wrote Brightly Woven as a birthday present for a friend, and the story grew and flourished during a year of unpredictable, wild weather. A native of Arizona, she is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in History and English. She now lives in New York City.

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Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Legend #2

Release Date: January 29^th, 2013

Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Source: ARC from BEA

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June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector. It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.
 But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong? In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action. 

Wow. I have to say; I think Prodigy was even better than Legend. There. I said it. The sequel was even more addicting than the first book, a book I devoured the moment I got it. I first read Prodigy when I got it at BEA. I just couldn’t wait to get lost in Marie Lu’s world once again. I re-read it months after, to refresh my mind and to savor this book once again. Even if I knew the second time around what was supposed to happen, it still took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. The novel kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending left me heartbroken.

We learn more about Day and June in this sequel, but what I found really interesting was that they both seemed to learn about themselves. They need to learn to trust each other, but also to trust themselves. One of the things I loved about those two is that they challenge each other; they don’t simply accept what the other says blindly. They both are strong characters, and this makes their dynamic so much more interesting to follow. This also makes it that much more interesting to follow their points of view.

Their points of view are distinct, and the difference in their voices adds something really interesting in the story. It gives us a better understanding of what is happening, especially since those two characters come from completely different background. They don’t see things exactly the same ways.

I have to say, this series is probably one of my favorites right now. Marie Lu created an addicting story that simply keeps you hooked until the last page. There are simply no dull moments. If you have read and loved Legend, you will love Prodigy. If you still haven’t started this series, I really urge you to pick it up, especially if you like dystopian novel. This series is simply amazing.

About the Author:

 From Goodreads 

I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.she spends her time stuck on the freeways.

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Blogtour: Review: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms #1

Release Date: December 11^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 412

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: ARC from BEA

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In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:  

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.  

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.  

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.  

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...  

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

For some books, it’s the characters that make me fall in love with the novel. For others, it is the writing. For Falling Kingdoms, it is the WORLD that made this book simply addicting. I may not be the biggest high fantasy reader (though I do read one once in a while), but this one was the most exciting one I had read in a while.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this novel is that, despite having three kingdoms, we still get a pretty good vision of them. One of the reasons we get this much knowledge of the world is the various point of vies, all of which added something really important and interesting to the novel. Yes, I was slightly lost at first, unsure where this book would take me, but this made the book that much more thrilling. It got me really excited to turn the pages and to discover what would happen next to the characters. Despite the different point of views, I did not feel like some of them were lacking. Even if the book was only 400 pages (well, 400 can be deemed short for a high fantasy like this one, as there is a world that need to be build… and because I would have taken more since it was REALLY good…) I did end up having a preference for Cleo, but it doesn’t mean I did not feel for Magnus, Lucia, Jonas and company…

The novel was a good balance of everything you could want from this kind of novel. You get some bloodshed, some romance, some family drama, and a pretty amazing world. This made me want to devour the novel, and I just kept on reading and reading until I found the next page to be blank. I read it in a matter of hours, and I was so glad to have spent the afternoon hidden in my bed with this book as my only companion.

This novel will really captive many readers, and it will bring you in a world fan of high fantasy will fast fall in love with. I’m already dying for the sequel, which will be high on my TBR list. A book I highly recommend!

About the Author:

From Goodreads

Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess -- the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, reality TV, and is an extremely picky, yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a national bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy.



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Review: The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber @SourcebooksFire

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber

Magic Most Foul #2

Release Date: November 1^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: ARC from BEA

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For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.

I’m a little torn with this book. I liked it, but not to the extant I was expecting. Now, I did really enjoy book one, Darker Still. My main problem with this novel is that nothing really stood out with the story to me. I simply didn’t like the main mystery of the novel, with the idea of soul being attached to object, and the kind of Frankenstein aspect of the novel, which is really sad. It is really sad to me, because there were so many things that I did like. Yet, if the main component of the novel is missing for me, the novel won’t really work.

Now, what I absolutely love with this series is the setting. There is something captivating and dreamy about the world it is set in, even if there are demons and spirits in that said world. Doesn’t matter. I love that time period and especially when they are set in England.

Another I did love, but felt like there wasn’t enough (there is never enough) was of Jonathon and Natalie. I like those two together, and I just can’t get enough. I do have to say there were great addition to the group of characters, Rachel and Nathaniel. Natalie’s’ friend Rachel really made me wish I could hear her thoughts, because she seems to have such an interesting story. Then there’s Nathaniel Veil, whose charm just make you want to read more about him. Both additions really added a little something that helped make up for the disappointing story.

Now, I do think many will enjoy the novel, I did to a certain extend. Yet, I have to say that it wasn’t as good as the first book. I was also a little surprised not to get more from this novel, since the summary seemed to be leading me toward a novel full of the kind of action I do love.

Overall, fan of this era will probably enjoy the settings, but I do have to say that the novel didn’t meet my expectations. Would I read a third book from this series? I probably would. Would I recommend this book to everyone I meet? Probably not. Fans of Darker Still should still give it a shot.

About the Author

Taken from Goodreads

An author, actress and playwright, Leanna grew up in rural Ohio, graduated with a BFA in Theatre, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays have been produced around the country. Her novella "Dark Nest" won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in the "Strangely Beautiful" saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Barnes & Noble Bestseller) won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book) and was optioned for musical theatre adaptation currently in development. DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, begins a Gothic paranormal saga set in 1880 New York City, named an INDIE NEXT title; a recommended buy by the American Book Association, a Scholastic book fairs "Highly Recommended" title and is a finalist in the 2012 Daphne du Maurier awards for excellence in Mystery/Romantic Suspense.

Leanna is a proud member of member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the International Thriller Writers. She is a proud co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York City. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in television and film. She is playing the role of Deputy Kellion in Auror's Tale web-series. When not writing or on set, she loves a good Goth club, adventuring about her adopted hometown of New York City, where she resides with her real-life hero and their beloved rescued lab rabbit.

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Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Black City #1

Release Date: November 13^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR

Source: ARC form BEA
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A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

I don’t even know where to start with this book. There are book that will simply hook you in from page one, and for me, this one was one of those. I mean, Black City was simply addicting and an amazing read. There were so many things in that book that I loved, and they really overshadowed anything that could have disappointed me. Don’t ask me about the bad side of this book, because if there were any, I totally missed them.

The novel is dark, and I personally found many aspects to remind me of Nazi Germany (aspects! Don’t throw rocks at me, please), and being to history geek that I am, it really made me get lost in the story in a different way that I would have if I hadn’t made those connections. I liked how well to world was created to me, and I really found interesting how the characters perceptive of that said world felt right to me (and not as in THIS IS HOW I WOULD HAVE TOTALLY REACTED. It was more this is what I would expect form someone like her to react, from her position in society vs. Ash’s one.)

There is a romance, that’s for sure, but it fell into the background for me. The world was really what got me hooked. Yes, there is some kind of vampires (here called Darklings), but that aspect of the characters wasn’t what was the most important for the story to work out. I felt like it was more about them being a minority than some dark creatures.

When it comes down to the characters, I don’t have to say that there is a love that may start a little too fast, but there were so many other things that made me root for Ash and Natalie. Maybe it’s that we can’t stop rooting for what seems like impossible love? Maybe it’s because they both teach one and another, since they don’t know as much as they think they do about the other’s kind.

Overall, Black City kept me awake for hours, unable to put it down until I had read every words of the story. It was an addicting dystopian novel that will leave you hanging for more. Phoenix is already at the top of my To-Be-Read list for 2013. June can’t come soon enough.

About The Author

From the author's website

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.
In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.
Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Find her on Twitter: @theredpenofdoom

Review: Venom by Fiona Paul

Venom by Fiona Paul

Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1

Release Date: October 30^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 432

Publisher: Philomel

Source: ARC from BEA

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape. When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco? Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

Damn you editor, for raising my expectations with that letter. Of course, the only thing it did was make me disappointed with this novel. No this novel isn’t bad, but when you promised something as amazing as what the editor presented, you’re bound to be a little disappointed. The thing is, the first half of the book felt really slow, and with the size of a really great few elements, some were just okay, but none of them left me speechless, which was what I was hoping for.

The one thing that really bugged me was the Italian words and sentences that kept appearing in the novel, and before you judge me, let me explain. To me, unless the sentence is in another language than what the narrator is supposed to speak, or if it’s an expression that has no English equivalent, it usually bugs me. I can’t really explain why, but it really annoyed me. Yes, sometimes I can be that picky.

I have to give Fiona Paul points for her setting. That’s probably the thing that I loved the most about this novel. It really made up for the characters that simply bored me a little for the first half of the book. Cass just didn’t impress me until the very end, and I felt a little disappointed in that. I felt like she fell so easily for Falco, who she seemed to follow way to easily. After all, he’s a perfect stranger, he is clearly a bad influence, and she goes with him when there’s a killer on the loose that wants to kill her. Yes, best idea ever. One thing’s for sure; I wish we could have seen Luca a little more. I know we don’t get much from him, but he did charm me in his few scenes. I really hope to see him more in the next book.

Even though this book ended up being slightly disappointing to me, I’m pretty pumped about the sequel. The ending gave me everything I needed to see the potential for a breathtaking sequel. And to be honest, the world is simply gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want to sink back into that! One warning though, this book has some scene that may not be suitable for the youngest readers. This is definitely a novel for the older YA readers.  

Review: The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

The Innocents #1

Release Date: October 16^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 288

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: ARC from BEA

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie. Friends didn't. Boys couldn't. Their family falling apart never would.Until they got to Serenity Point.
 "The Innocents" is the first in a new series of young adult novels that weave a saga of nail-biting drama, breathless romance, and gothic mystery.

I guess this novel wasn’t really for me. I’ve seen it compared to Gossip Girls (a series I haven’t read), and I can see why, but I found that this book was really hard to get into. The thing is, there’s not much going on during the first half of the book. I like a book that has a goal the main character is looking to reach until the end, this one didn’t really have (and the “goal” doesn’t have to be really extreme. It can be something as simply as finding a truth.) The feeling I got with The Innocents is reading something that could have been a pilot for a series, meaning it sets a story that could be great, but you’re left still unsure if you’ll watch the next episode (or read the next book.)

The two main characters are Alice and Charlie, two different sisters. We get to see both point of views, and I think I would have preferred only to get one, either one of them. The length of the book simply made it harder for me to really get everything I wanted to learn about the characters. It felt like a superficial presentation of those characters, and even with the plot it felt superficial. I wanted to get more.

Alice’s story was a little more interesting to me, with the conflict with Richard, her search for the truth, her secret romance. On the other end, Charlie’s story is full of potential, with a friendship we aren’t sure if it is true or not, a little romance with a guy full of issue, who also leaves us wondering about his true intent. That’s probably the one thing I liked about this book, it’s that were never sure of the other characters motivation when it comes down to their relationships with the girls.

Overall, I think The Innocents is a series full of potential that will please many readers looking for some drama. To me, it felt like it was missing something, and I hope to find it in the upcoming sequel. The first half of the book may have been a lacking in captivating factors, but the second half does get better.

Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner

Skinny by Donna Cooner

Release Date: October 1^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 272

Publisher: Point

Source: ARC from BEA

Find your voice. Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.
 But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over. With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

I have to say I’m a little on the fence about this book. It’s a book was really intrigued with, and I really wanted to like it. This review is something I have been dreading a little, since I find it hard to put word on what this book made me feel. On one side, the internal struggle of Ever really touched me and in a way relatable (to a certain extant). On the other side, the idea of a teenager getting a gastric bypass surgery makes me cringe. I can get where the author wanted to go, but I couldn’t stop myself from getting a feeling that this could make an obese teenager want to surgery. And I think it can help in certain situation, but to me, I felt like Ever’s problem came from a mental problem, which should have been where the help should have been given.

Ever is over 300 pounds, and she has been gaining weight since her mother’s death. That’s the first thing that made me question the gastric bypass surgery on a 15 years-old teenager. Wow. She clearly has an issue, which probably is at the first thing that should have been addressed before getting the surgery. Am I the only one who felt like it’s one of the first real attempts to help her lose wait? A dangerous surgery? Still doesn’t help the issue that is the CAUSE of that weight problem. Am I too harsh? I just have trouble understanding why. The books about weight issue can be really tricky, especially in Young Adult, and this book just doesn’t live up to what I would have expected of the book.

This book just didn’t live up to my expectation. I was a little disappointed to see Ever go to the surgery so fast, and not to see really her dealing with her issue as much as I would have wanted. Some may really enjoy this book, but for me, it just didn’t work.

Review: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Beta by Rachel Cohn

Annex #1

Release Date: October 16^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 304

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Source: ARC from BEA

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.
Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers--soulless clones like Elysia--are immune to.
 At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under-current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care--so why are overpowering sensations cloud-ing Elysia's mind?
 If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi-ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.
 
The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, "Beta "is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor-rupted world.

Wow! Way to throw you a hell of a twist at the end, Rachel Cohn. I’m impressed. What was supposed to simply be a book to keep me entertaining while I was waiting for my dad ended up being a book I simply couldn’t put down. I liked the story, I like the critique that can be seen in the story, and I liked the idea behind the book. To me, it felt more than just a pretty story. There’s a message in there, for those who want to find it (or I’m just reading way too much in this book…)

I found Elysia really interesting. There are a great variety of characters, and I think they help understand the world the story is set in. The other clones share what really goes on with them, the importance of their enslavement in a way. That’s what the clones are for after all. The family she is brought in help us understand how differently a clone can be treated. Some treat her as a normal person; other just treat her as a toy for them to do as they please. When it comes down to Tahir’s relationship with Elysia, it was both interesting and strange. Without giving too much away, I was left with a couple of questions regarding Tahir’s real motives. And of course I can’t forget about Alex, who we can’t be completely sure if he wants Elysia or Astrid’s image.

As much as I liked the book, I have to say that there are a few things that made me really unsure. One comes from the finale twits, which kind of goes against what we were told earlier. Other than that, the book just was a great read. It was easy to follow, interesting, and simply addicting. There’s just so many things that got me hooked; the story, the characters, the world, and all the element of critique that can be seen. It is crazy scary to imagine that we could maybe arrive to that world one day, where we clone people for our own pleasure.

Review: Eve and Adam by Michael Grant

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Eve and Adam #1

Release Date: October 2^nd, 2012

Number of Pages: 291

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Source: ARC from BEA

And girl created boy… In the beginning, there was an apple— And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal. Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy. Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

I was surprisingly excited about this book, since I didn’t know much about it and I hadn’t read anything by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate. I have to say that I expected the story to be connected with the classic story of Adam and Eve, set in a dystopian or sci-fi setting, but it isn’t about that, and I have to say that it was a happy surprise.

There are a lot of things going on in this novel, that’s for sure.  I ended up reading it in a day, since I just wanted to know what would happen next to Evening, and of course Solo. Those two characters really made me enjoy this book, since they were so interesting. The only thing with Eve that annoyed me was reading her thoughts about creating the perfect boy. It sounded wrong to me, all the details she seemed to care for her “Adam”. It was probably the only thing that I didn’t really like about her. I love how caring she seemed to be for her friend, even if Aislin doesn’t always make the right choices. She’s always there for her when it matters. When it comes down to Solo, the only thing I felt really lacking was the backstory of his hate for Eve’s mother. I can get it, but I just wish we could have been shown more about his feeling regarding her.

The story really got me interested from page one. It was the kind of book I could have taken a few hundred pages more, simply because it was addicting. I just wish the authors could have shown us more about the world, about the details. There are things that just needed more information. I’m a sucker for details. I wanted a little more. This didn’t really take away from the experience, but it does make me wish we would get more in the next book. Eve and Adam is a quick and really interesting read. I can hardly wait to read more from this series.

Review: In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

A Tale Dark & Grimm #2

Release Date: September 27^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 312

Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books

Source: ARC from BEA

More Grimm tales await in the harrowing, hilarious companion to a beloved new classic Take caution ahead—Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound. Lest you enter with dread.Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true. Step lively, dear reader . . .Happily ever after isn’t cutting it anymore. In this companion novel to Adam Gidwitz’s widely acclaimed, award-winning debut, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Jack and Jill explore a new set of tales from the Brothers Grimm and others, including Jack and the Beanstalk and The Frog Prince.

If you’ve read my review of A Tale Dark & Grimm, I got really annoyed by the interruption of the narrator. Here, maybe because I expected it, I actually liked it. This book was just so much fun to read! I liked it better than the first one. This book simply got me hooked form the beginning, and I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. That’s a lot better than the first book, which I found painful to read. Here, it was just fun and entertaining. What a 180 from the first one.

Maybe it’s because the story ends up being a little more positive, a little less gory. Maybe it’s because I knew what to expect, or maybe I was just in a better mood. This book will please fan of fairy tales, those of us always curious to see where authors will take the stories we grew up with. Some of the stories used here weren’t tales I really knew well, and I liked that about it. It was nice to see these tales being modified; being connected with others to create the crazy story of Jack and Jill.

The humor really worked better for me in this one, or at least for me. It didn’t feel like I was stopping every time I started reading one of the narrator’s interruptions. Instead, it just went with the flow, leaving me wanting more at every pages. This was really one of my Middle Grade love this year, and I’m really wondering if I should reread A Tale Dark & Grimm, to see if my opinion would change now that I know what to expect. Short and sweet people!!

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Crewel World #1

Release Date: Ocotber 16^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 368

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Source: ARC from BEA

Incapable. Awkward. Artless. That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail. Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested. Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape. Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Crewel really was the kind of book that stays with you once you’re done. Gennifer Albin created an amazing and original world that simply got me hooked from the beginning. Crewel does a great job at distinguishing itself from other dystorian novels. It is the kind of book that will captivate both fan of dystopian and those who might still be on the fence with those. The idea of the Spinster is just so intriguing: the ability to weave the world, control everything. It is a little creepy to imagine someone having that kind of power over everyone.

The characters were also really interesting. We get a nice variety of personality. Adelice is a great narrator, and she brings a nice nuance to the world she is from. Everyone wants to be a Spinster, yet she tries to hide her talent from everyone to stay with her family instead of living this life presented as perfect. The villain in this novel added a nice layer to the story. We have Maela, a cruel Spinster in charged of the training, and we have Cormac, the man in charged of the Coventry. Both are in charge of Adelice’s future in a way, and it can’t be the right kind of enemy to have.

Of course, I cannot not talk about the love interests. Yes, theirs is a small love triangle in the novel. The first one is Erik, Maela’s assistant, and the second is Jost, the head valet. I think it is easy to see which one is her favorite, but it is still a love triangle. I have to say that this one didn’t really bother me that much, but be warned if you can’t stand those. The last character I have to talk about is Loricel, the Creweler (the most gifted Spinster) and I have to say that her she was fascinating. I almost wish we could get a short story about her, about her past, her life.

This novel really made me fall in love with Gennifer Albin’s writing. I simply can’t wait to read what will happen next in the series. This is a book I really don’t regret reading, since the world is simply amazing, and so is the story.

Review: Zom-B by Darren Shan

Zom-B by Darren Shan

Zom-B #1

Release Date: October 16^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 192

Publisher: Little Brown books for Young Readers

Source: ARC from BEA

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke-- but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish.
B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks, or immigrants. And when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks.

That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers.

Was I the only one disappointed by this book? I was expecting a book a lot more about zombies, but I got this mix of anti-racism book with some zombies. I mean, the book starts with Zombies. Then, after maybe 10 pages, we go to the main character’s life, which is a country where the zombies have yet to attain. No, the story is set in England, and the zombies start in Ireland. It takes about half the book for us to see zombies in the first plan again. Before that, we only hear about them in the news.

The father, Todd, was simply horrible. He’s a racist violent bully. I felt so strongly against him, I haven’t hated any character that much for a while. There’s something repulsive about his personality. I find it really difficult not to see the impact his words and actions have on B, but I couldn’t stop myself being disgusted by B too at some points. B doesn’t want to be like the father, but B is becoming like him at first. I saw some kind of growth in B at some point, but I felt like it wasn’t enough to make up for the feeling I had that I was reading two half of two different books, put together.

I think that the biggest problem I had expected a zombie novel, and nothing more. Yet, we’re presented a novel that mixes both the racism problem, through B’s father Todd and B’s own actions, and the zombies. I felt a little cheated because of that, because I was really in the mood for some good zombie horror. I think it felt strange to me to mix those two subjects; maybe that’s why I couldn’t easily connect with the story.  Maybe if I had been aware of all of that when I first started this novel, it would have been easier. Overall, it was still an interesting (and quite quick) read. I’m really curious to see where Darren Shan will be taken us next, as the story is still to be continued.

Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

The Arcana Chronicles #1

Release Date: October 2^nd, 2012

Number of Pages: 284

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Source: ARC from BEA

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.She could save the world—or destroy it. 

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.  

But she can’t do either alone.  

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?  

Who can Evie trust?  

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

Wow. I didn’t expect this book to be that addicting, that’s for sure. Actually, I didn’t really know what to expect from it, since I haven’t read any of her adult books. I knew many who loved her books, but I had never read anything from her. I have to say that I was expecting something a little cheesier in a way (mostly because of the cover, don’t ask me why specifically), but it was so much better than I could have hoped. I ended up reading this book by chance mostly, and I have to say I didn’t regret one minute I spent reading it. I even had to go hide during my lunch break so I wouldn’t be disturb while I was watching it.

With the characters, I was torn at first, because there were characters that I just didn’t like. For example, Jackson annoyed me, and I was a little sad to know that he would probably end up with Evie in the end. Yet, the more I read, the more I learned about him, and the more I liked him. He may be a hot Cajun boy, but he could be so harsh with her that it put me off at first. Now, I just want more. Evie was the kind of character I grew attached instantly. She was strong, and really intriguing with her visions. I was excited to see how she would survive the aftermath of “The Flash” the apocalyptic event that hit the world.

Now, Cole didn’t fail to bring in the amazingness with this book. There was just no time to get bored. I felt like I had just started it when I finally reached the last page. The world she created was so captivating, and I love the idea of teens having powers related to the Tarot Cards. And the romance was just enough not to feel like it was taking over the novel. Everything simply felt balanced to me.

Really, Poison Princess was such a great surprise to me. It may be better for an audience a little more mature than the average YA novel, but it is totally worth reading. This is one of those books that will leave you panting for more, especially because of the ending.