The Selection by Kiera Cass [REVIEW]

TITLE: The Selection (The Selection #1)
AUTHOR: Kiera Cass
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
PUB DATE: Apr 24 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

"Thirty-five beautiful girls. Thirty-five beautiful rivals…

It’s the chance of a lifetime and 17-year-old America Singer should feel lucky. She has been chosen for The Selection, a reality TV lottery in which the special few compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon's love.

Swept up in a world of elaborate gowns, glittering jewels and decadent feasts, America is living a new and glamorous life. And the prince takes a special interest in her, much to the outrage of the others.

Rivalry within The Selection is fierce and not all of the girls are prepared to play by the rules. But what they don’t know is that America has a secret — one which could throw the whole competition… and change her life forever."

Rating:

I was drawn to The Selection’s cover the minute I saw it on Goodreads, as many readers have mentioned, it is quite captivating. But the big question is, is the story just as captivating?

If you ask me, the synopsis didn’t really give me the urge to read it. Probably because, I know there weren’t any ass-kicking to occur (really it’s not that kind of book). I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I do not normally read slow paced books, but with the promise of a dystopian world encased in The Selection, I thought to give it a go. Although I did start on it thinking it was just another book to pass the time, and not expect too much from.

So the reading begins... My initial thought after reading the first few chapters was: “Is this going to be like that reality show, The Bachelor?” which I am not exactly a fan of. But knowing how that show went, it really did sound freakishly similar: The prince of Ilea is to choose his bride from amongst the 35 girls sorted from hundreds, even thousands who wishfully wanted to be part of the Selection. Yup, definitely The Bachelor.

Readers are introduced to the harsh life of America Singer, who well, sings for a living. That’s quite a pun by the way. While many girls want to get into the Selection, and get the chance to change their lives, America wants nothing more than to stay where she is and be with the boy she loves, Aspen. But fate is cruel and decides to let her become a part of the one world she does not wish to be at. After being left heartbroken by the one person she least expected to hurt her, she falls into giving the Selection a shot. As it turns out, the Prince isn’t as bad as she thought he would be...

Renegade by J.A. Souders [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Renegade
           (The Elysium Chronicles #1)
AUTHOR: J.A. Souders
PUBLISHER: Tor Teen
PUB DATE: Aug 20 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

"Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all."

Rating:

Step into the underwater world of Elysium, and meet Evelyn Winters, the Daughter of the People. All her life she sees the law, the people, everything in her little world is perfect. Or so she thought…

Mother has always told her that Surface Dwellers are dangerous, but she need not to be alarmed, for she is safe in the palace, in her little garden. Everything is at it should be. Until Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller accidentally stumbles upon her while she worked on her garden. Suddenly everything isn’t all right anymore. She has memories she can’t recall having at all. She finds out that the one person she trusts the most has lied to her all her life.

And now Evie is on the run. She plans to escape with Gavin, but one dark secret is going to keep her from freedom, a secret that could lead them to destruction…

Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris [REVIEW]

TITLE: Unravelling (Unraveling #1)
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Norris
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
PUB DATE: Apr 24 2012

 Summary from Goodreads:

"24 meets the X Files in the biggest teen blockbuster of the summer…

STOP THE COUNTDOWN. SAVE THE WORLD…

Leaving the beach, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit head on by a pickup truck.

And killed.

Then Ben Michaels, resident stoner, is leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, she knows Ben somehow brought her back to life…

Meanwhile, Janelle’s father, a special agent for the FBI, starts working on a case that seems strangely connected to Ben. Digging in his files, Janelle finds a mysterious device – one that seems to be counting down to something that will happen in 23 days and 10 hours time.

That something? It might just be the end of the world. And if Janelle wants to stop it, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets – and keep from falling in love with him in the process…"

Rating:

I might be ranting off for this entire review, so be warned.

Janelle Tenner was hit head on by a zooming pickup truck while walking on the side of the road after her shift from work.

She knew she died. But how is she still alive now? She can’t explain how it happened, only that Ben Michaels, known stoner in her high school, somehow brought her back to life.

While Janelle wonders over all this, her father, a special FBI agent, is working on a strange case. Unidentified people are turning up dead, burned as if exposed to too much radiation. Ever curious girl that she is, Janelle starts to look into her father’s files. She finds a device that shows a countdown… but a countdown to what?

The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse [REVIEW]

  TITLE: The Forsaken (The Forsaken #1)
  AUTHOR: Lisa M. Stasse
  PUBLISHER: Orchard Books
  PUB DATE: Aug 2 2012

Summary from Goodreads: 

"Alenna Shawcross is a sixteen-year-old orphan growing up in a police state formed from the ashes of Canada, the US and Mexico after a global economic meltdown.

But when she unexpectedly fails ‘the test’ - a government initiative which supposedly identifies teens destined to be criminals - she wakes up alone on a remote island reserved for the criminally insane.

Terrified and confused, she soon encounters a group of other teen survivors battling to stay alive, including Liam, a boy who will become her love... and her lifeline.

Soon Alenna makes the terrifying discovery that there’s more to the island (and her past) than she could ever have guessed... But who can she trust? And can she ever escape?"

Rating:

The world has fallen to pieces, people are starving, a global economic meltdown has occurred. What’s left of Canada, the United States and Mexico form the United Northern Alliance. The UNA was formed to salvage what remains of their countries. What citizens didn’t expect is a government ruled by a dictator.

Orphaned and taken in by the government, Alenna Shawcross has to take the Government Personality Profile Test just like everyone else. The GPPT is designed to identify if a young individual has potential aggressive behaviors that may lead to future outlaws committed to murder, robbery and all sorts of crime. The test is to ensure safety within the UNA, and since Alenna has been raised by the government itself then she’s unlikely to fail, right?

That’s what she thought up until Alenna wakes up on the remote island specifically held in reserve for those who would fail the GPPT. Not too long, she stumbles upon a band of survivors, she then learns to fight for her life, meets a boy she feels a strong attraction to, and then some. Not only does she get to discover herself, but she also discovers things about the island, their enemies, the government... and something about her past...

Crewel by Gennifer Albin [ARC REVIEW]

     TITLE: Crewel (Crewel #1) 
     AUTHOR: Gennifer Albin
     PUBLISHER: Macmillan 
      Children's Publishing Group 
     PUB DATE: Oct 16 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

"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."

Rating:

In the land of Arras, young women are required to take a test. A test to determine their ability to weave. There are only two options for them: Succeed, be called one of the Gifted, and become a Spinster – the catch? You may never see your family again. Ever. On the other hand, if you fail, you may stay... and have the government arrange a marriage for you. But what is life if you don’t have the freewill to choose what you want?

Adelice Lewys wants nothing more than to stay with her family, even if it means getting paired up to someone she doesn’t have the slightest  clue about. Just as long as she gets to see her family. When it was time for Adelice to show her ability to weave, try as she might to fail, she has been chosen to become a Spinster. And life as she knows it, is never the same again...

Ironskin by Tina Connolly [ARC REVIEW]

Ironskin 
(Ironskin #1)
by Tina Connolly

Summary from Goodreads:

"Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again."

Rating:

Five years have passed and the Great War between human and fey has long gone. But the tragedy brought upon the world still lurks within the victims of the war. They are called, the ironskin, and Jane is one of them.

Seeming to want nothing more than to live as normal as possible, Jane takes on the job of a governess for the mysterious Mr. Rochart’s fey-cursed daughter, Dorie.

As Jane struggles to teach Dorie to learn how to suppress her curse, she begins to develop feelings for Mr. Rochart… but does he have the same feelings for her in return?

Later then, curious Jane suddenly uncovers mysteries surrounding Mr. Rochart’s residence… and although the fey seem to have disappeared and let the humans live their lives after the war; it doesn’t mean they have yet left them alone and live in peace…

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff [ARC REVIEW]

Stormdancer
(The Lotus War #1)
by Jay Kristoff

 Summary from Goodreads:

"A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire."

Rating:

Readers, step into the world of Stormdancer, and feast your eyes into a fantastical realm like no other!

Yukiko, proud descendant of the Fox clan, and daughter of the great hunter, Masaru, stands witness to the environmental destruction brought by humans to the land of Shima. While the once rich and beautiful land achingly dies from the treacherous, toxic Lotus plant; as the sky bleeds red from all the pollution; while men continue to create diabolical machines, and as the rich and powerful thrive and the poor starve and die, the empire’s Shogun, driven by greed and ambitiousness, sends Masaru and his company, along with Yukiko, to capture a thunder tiger. Thunder tigers have long been known to be extinct, along with all the other great spirit animals that once roamed the lands. Although knowing that the task at hand is impossible, defiance and failure of the Shogun’s orders only mean death, and so the hunters go forth.

Goodness, have they been blessed to seize one, in spite of all the odds! But Yukiko has just about run out of luck. She finds herself stranded in the wilderness with the crippled thunder tiger. And here is where Yukiko uncovers something within her, something she has kept secret for fear of her own life. Now she must use it to save herself, to save her loved ones, to save a friendship she has just earned, and most of all to save an empire…

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [REVIEW]

Throne of Glass
(Throne of Glass #1)
by Sarah J. Maas

 Summary from Goodreads:

"Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?"

Rating:

Throne of Glass introduces us to Celaena Sardothien, the deadliest assassin in all of Adarlan. At long last, she comes across the chance to taste freedom again. After spending a year in the salt mines of Endovier as her punishment for the crimes she has committed, she finds herself being offered a clean slate in exchange of becoming the young Prince Dorian’s champion in a fight-to-the-death tournament hosted by the King of Adarlan, and Captian Chaol Westfall is to help her train and prepare for it. Even though being a little out of shape from spending a huge amount of time slaving amongst the mines, she is determined to come out of the tournament victorious. But it seems the tournament isn’t the only thing Celaena needs to worry about...

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi [REVIEW]

      

Under the Never Sky
(Under the Never Sky #1)
by Veronica Rossi

Summary from Goodreads:

"Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure."

Rating:

Under the Never Sky introduces readers to Aria, a Dweller living comfortably and safely in the Reverie, an enclosed city where every citizen gets to enjoy the virtual environments called the Realms. Like everyone else, she has a Smarteye that she uses to access the Realms. We are also introduced to Peregrine, or Perry for short, an Outsider with exceptional abilities. But for some reason he seems to be an outcast even in his own tribe. Fate bands them together to embark on a journey that challenges them in a way they have yet encountered. But that’s not the only thing that fate seems to have in mind...

I loved the way Aria’s character developed in this book. She wasn’t really an attention grabber at first but as she travelled through their world with Perry, I saw a lot of changes in her. I even found myself rooting and cheering her on during her dire moments. Now moving to Perry... I must say that I have developed a little crush on Peregrine. He’s not the typical kind of hero I used to see, and I find some of his actions a bit annoying sometimes, but the roguish side of him just grew on me. It was adorable.

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama [ARC REVIEW]

Monstrous Beauty
by Elizabeth Fama

Summary from Goodreads:

"Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago."

Rating:

If you’ve been on the YA bandwagon for quite a while, mermaid tales have become the new vampire hype… or something like that. Having thought so, you probably also think you’ve already seen everything. But lo and behold, Monstrous Beauty comes into picture!

Monstrous Beauty alternates between past and present events in a small town in Massachusetts, shifting from multiple points-of-view (I think about four or so? Sorry, I lost count), but mostly on Syrenka and Helen’s.

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu [ARC REVIEW]

Glitch (Glitch #1)
by Heather Anastasiu

Summary from Goodreads:

"In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy."

Rating:

That cover just screams: READ ME! So yes, dear Glitch cover, I accept.  

People please meet Zoe, a girl who lives in the underground city, the Community, where every individual is implanted with a computer chip that wipes out any destructive human emotion. Each person is connected to the Link where every thought is manipulated and controlled. Of course, every controlled environment has its flaws, and Zoe is one of them. She is a Glitcher, someone who has a chip that breaks from the Link. A malfunction that occurs from time to time, giving leeway for her to act on her own, and feel her own thoughts and emotions. Her Glitch also enabled her to develop Telekinetic powers which she has yet to learn to control. Struck with fear of getting caught and being disposed, she hides her Glitch only to find that she is not alone, Adrien and Max come into picture and things get a lot more complicated...

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth [REVIEW]

       

Struck
(Struck #1)
by Jennifer Bosworth

Summary from Goodreads:

"Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn't who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything."

Rating:

How often do you come across a lightning addict protagonist?

That alone made me want to read Struck. Add it with a plot where a cult leader brainwashes people to become followers and leave out destruction to the rest of the world, and you just completely sold me a good story. Unfortunately, this book fell short to me.

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams [REVIEW]

       

The Alchemy of Forever
(Incarnation #1)
by Avery Williams

Summary from Goodreads:

"After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.


Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?"

Rating:

It only takes a good plot and/or an amazing cover to get me to read a book. Alchemy of Forever caught me by its very intriguing plot. Not that I haven’t read anything like it, but I was curious enough to find out how this goes.

Alas, a book with so much potential but fell short.

At first I couldn’t figure out why the book felt off for me. Then I kept thinking, it was okay but there just wasn’t enough clarity for me. I had to do a bit of review reading over what exactly was my problem with the book because I really don’t know the reason behind it. Reading the reviews did help, and one word stuck out among them: brief. *facepalm* That’s it!

2012 Debut Author Challenge

[Click here for planned partial list of books to read for this challenge]

List will have updates as challenge progresses.

Set Goal: 15 Books of 2012 Debut Authors
[Sorted according to date read]

1. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
2. Partials by Dan Wells
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
5. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
7. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams 
8. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth 
9. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu 
10. Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama 
11. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 
12. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 
13. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
14. Ironskin by Tina Connolly
15. Crewel by Gennifer Albin 
16. The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse
17. Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris
18. Renegade by J.A. Souders
19. The Selection by Kiera Cass

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo [ARC REVIEW]

      

Shadow and Bone
(The Grisha Trilogy #1)
by Leigh Bardugo

Summary from Goodreads:

"Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart." 

Rating:

Have you ever watched Avatar: The Last Airbender series? Or have you at least heard of it? You know, where the characters are given the abilities that wield the natural elements, may it be the earth, water, fire or wind; well say hello to an even greater take on that idea with Shadow and Bone!

Leigh Bardugo introduces readers to a world of magic and discovery along with the spiteful taste of deceit... in more ways than one.

I didn’t think I was going to finish this book. When I first started reading it, the first few pages were a bore. I thought I was in for a story of a girl and guy desperately not wanting to part and the whole soul mate – ugh! – cliché again. Add the fact that the protagonist, Alina, is described to be not pretty, doesn’t fit in, blah, blah, blah. Now where have I seen that before? Hmmm...

I had trouble with some of the words used in this book as well...up until this point I never thought Google could let me down. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Either that or I was probably too lazy to do deeper research. Want to know why? Well let me ask you this, what the heck is a Kefta??? I only realized it was some sort of special cloak as I read through.  I don’t know if the words are Russian or not, yet the setting felt like so. I even sifted through the last few pages to see if there were any appendices of sort describing the unfamiliar words but I sadly didn’t find any. Any chance there’d be one on the finished copy?

Anyway, with all that I felt like setting this book aside. But something inside me told me to keep going... and there it was!

Oh how amazing did this book turn out to be! Reading Shadow and Bone reminded me of Muhammad Ali’s infamous fighting style: Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Yes, I just got stung!

The moment Alina discovers the power she never thought she had, each event just got better and better. I think it’s nice that even though Alina was formed with the usual protagonist features, her personality had a purpose... and it’s not because a guy will make her feel good about herself; a little, I guess, but this story shows what real self-discovery and personal development is.

The love story wasn’t so bad either.  For a minute there I was also fooled by the Darkling. Man, you are real villain! And the way Alina and Mal’s relationship developed was not the usual approach I encounter romantic interests in books develop, so kudos!

Now do I even have to say that I recommend you to read it? I think everything I’ve written above sums that up. Now go get copy, I order you! LOL.

*Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the copy of Shadow and Bone

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks [ARC REVIEW]

      

Of Poseidon
(Of Poseidon #1)
by Anna Banks

Summary from Goodreads:

"Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .


Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance."

Rating:

Cute... but I’m brewing with tons of questions.

Of Poseidon takes us into the world of mermaids... no, wait Syrena – the term “mermaid” insults Galen and company, but come to think of it they actually mean the same. I’m from the Philippines and I’ll give you a small trivia or translation that Syrena actually means mermaid/siren in the Filipino language, only it’s spelled “sirena” and we call the males “sireno”.

Wikipedia says: In Philippine Mythology, Sirena is mythological aquatic creature with the head and torso of human female and the tail of a fish. Also, they’re guardians of water, so to speak. Doesn’t sound so different to a mermaid’s definition to me so why the feeling of insult? Just saying.

Now readers are introduced to Emma and Galen, and you’ll be reading through shifting points of view from them.

Emma is a “human” or so she thought she was until Galen, a royal Syrena, indentifies her as one of their kind. Only the evidence contradicts with Emma’s way of living and the fact that she doesn’t have fins, among other things.

I’m not particularly a fan of any of the characters in this book. Emma was too stubborn but then again, she’s a teen so like there’s anything new to that. Galen is what every merman’s image is: muscular, hot…the works, in other words, typical. They both are. Characters shaped into what we have read, seen, or heard of already. Typical.

Also I think the whole half-Breed thing is a cliché, been there, done that.  But it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading this. It’s hilarious!

I like it that I didn’t get stuck with an overly brooding, why-so-serious male character. Galen has a naughty *giggle*, hot-tempered, witty and cute personality and it just drives Emma crazy, as she does too with Galen. The romance is light and sweet but not so cheesy that you just happen to squirm in your seat while reading.

I guess my problems are with how the narrative came about.

Let me just put it out there (for the nth time) that I am a very, VERY impatient reader. LOL. So, when I didn’t get explanations regarding Galen’s theories about Emma’s lineage not until he explained it to her (which is probably near half of the book while his statement was near the beginning), I was annoyed. His certainty was just unnerving that if I were in the book I’d probably knock him on the head and ask him when he’s actually going to let me in on the details. I think a little history on the beginning would help but I guess that’s not the author’s style since the details were done in the middle part of the book… *shrug* o well.

Another thing that confused me was the fact that Emma can’t breathe under water (she can hold her breath longer than an ordinary human) and yet she can talk normally underwater. So how is it possible that she’s holding her breath and talk at the same time? I’m trying it right now but I just sound stupid. Ha! Ha!

I also don’t get how the “bonding” (wedding) of Syrena goes. How could a girl get married without being present on the wedding??? Ooops! You might be wondering who got married… well, just read who it was but don’t worry I didn’t spoil you that much. *evil snicker*

I’m not sure how to settle my opinion about this book, there are a few slips on the details but reading this was still fun. I admit that at first I was cringing while reading it but it kind of grew on me as I read through. And that ending… oh for crying out loud! I’ll leave it at that.

*Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the copy of Of Poseidon.

2012 Debuts RED Giveaway

Hello there!


Now you're probably wondering what that card above is, right? Right.


So, that card right there is what I call a Red Giveaway Card. Alright, I know what you're saying; you're going, "Really? That's what you called it?" Well I must condone that it sounds good... and I have no other idea on what to call it so I just did the obvious. Also I happen to be a fan of the red color. Ever notice why most of my banners have a red touch to it??? Yup, love red. ^_^


Coincidentally, the books I thought of giving away had a touch of red to it too so I found it reasonable enough. [Excuses, excuses...tsk. tsk. tsk.]


Anyway, so here we go!


I've taken part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge and I've been enjoying the experience. Now, I'm giving away one* of these books to one* lucky winner.
The choices are:

• Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (Click to see review)
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Click to see review)
• Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (Click to see review)

I gratefully had the gracious opportunity to read the ARC ebook copies of these books from NetGalley and I absolutely love them! and one of the best ways to show my appreciation is to let another fabulous reader experience the beauty of them.

So how are you going to win a Paperback copy of one* of those books? 

All you have to do is fill up the form below.

Of course, a few rules and guidelines to be noted:

• Contest is open INTERNATIONALLY provided that the Book Depository delivers to your area. Click the link to check: List of countries the Book Depository delivers to
• Entrants must be 13 years old or above
• The winner will be chosen via Random Number Generator
• The winner will be announced on this blog by the end of the contest
• All entrants will receive an email** containing an image of their name on the Red Giveaway card, but only the Winner's card will be flashed upon announcement. The name you provide on the form will be the name shown on the card
• Winner will receive an email and will be given 48 hours to respond else a new winner will be chosen.
• Winner will receive a Paperback copy of their choice among the 3 books up for grabs.
• Contest ends on JUNE 1, 2012
• Only one entry form per person please. 

**Email serves as confirmation of your submitted entry and number of points you have acquired.
*I may throw in a little surprise by the end. ^_^


Go ahead... you know you want to. [Looking at blogpost reader with hypnotic eyes]

- Giveaway is now CLOSED-

Thank you to all those who've entered.

Good Luck!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers [ARC REVIEW]

       

Grave Mercy
(His Fair Assassin #1)
by Robin LaFevers

Summary from Goodreads:

"Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?"

Rating:

Grave Mercy kind of reminds me of the time I read the Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas. I was expecting action and suspense, not mystery and political assaults. Only the difference is, unlike my disappointment with the Three Musketeers, I actually had fun reading Grave Mercy. Probably because I read the Three Musketeers at such a young age (I think I was about 8 or 9 years old then) where I was naive and ignorant about the topic so the book didn’t particularly catch my interest. I think I should reread it to see if I still feel the same way.

Anyway... so yeah, Grave Mercy. And may I just say WOAH! I absolutely LOVE it! With just one book, I am fan of Robin LaFevers!  Her writing style is just incredible! I’m not much of a mystery-fan and politics is definitely not my favorite subject so I don’t know what makes this book so gripping for me... but I don’t care! Oh it’s just so fabulous! *fan-girl moment*

Alright, I’m calming down now... Let’s get down to business.

Grave Mercy introduces us to a broken-spirited girl named Ismae. She’s been saved from an abusive father and a husband she has just been sold and “married” to. She finds refuge in the convent of St. Mortain where the sisters worship the ancient gods. Now here is where Ismae’s life turns around. She finds out that she is blessed by the god of Death and is gifted with extraordinary gifts. What is her profession? Well, she’s one of those lovely assassins trained to do His bidding! 

Now you see why I expected an action packed story. Assassins! I did get some action of course, but not as heavily as I thought it would be. It was more of mystery solving and learning the game of politics...and a sweet, sweet, SWEET romantic story. I still feel all giddy and I giggle like a school girl over the romance between Ismae and Gavriel. It’s rare to find myself being all hopelessly romantic over book characters but I couldn’t help myself when it came to these two. I even found myself anticipating the time that they’d actually... you know. *Snicker*

...and as much as that moment was sweet and I hear myself go “finally!” *LOL*, it was also a teeny bit awkward given the situation Gavriel was in. (I know it’s vague, read the book to find out. *chuckle*)

I really didn’t see a love story forming here but I feel incredibly rewarded! I love them both.  In fact, I love a lot of the characters in this book; each one all the more interesting. And just as Ismae struggles to find out who she should trust, readers get the same confusion of trying to find out who is deceiving and who is telling the truth.

I strongly recommend Grave Mercy. You don’t often come across a historical fiction like this and I think this is going to be a series worth looking out for, filled with plots and characters like no other.

*Thank you Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the copy of Grave Mercy.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer [REVIEW]

     

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
by Marissa Meyer

Summary from Goodreads:

"A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth's fate hinges on one girl...

Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future."

Rating:

You know that feeling when you see a book’s cover art and find it sooo appealing that you just had to know what it’s about? Or sometimes, you just grab it off a bookstore’s shelf and buy it without knowing what it’s about? Well I didn’t feel that way with Cinder. I wasn’t completely sold on the cover; I’m not saying it’s awful, I just don’t find it extremely striking or attention grabbing. Then I read the title, and I tell myself, “Cinder? Hmmm… Looks like a retelling of Cinderella… with some sort of… robotic feature?!”

I cringe at the idea. Is that even possible? That’s a bold move, Marissa Meyer; but it doesn’t seem convincing. So I let the book go and moved on to looking at other books.

After some time, I came across several blogs that received copies of Cinder… so I decided to check the book’s synopsis and I thought, “huh. Sounds interesting enough…”

Still skeptical yet curious, I decided to give Cinder a shot and… BOY, DID IT BLOW ME AWAY!

I curse myself for not getting this book sooner!

Marissa Meyer’s Cinder is like no other retelling of Cinderella. If you think you’ve read, seen or heard every possible remake or reiteration of this story, well get ready to be proven wrong. It’s amazing what really creative authors can do, and I can strongly say that Marissa Meyer is an author to watch out for.

The plot of this book is something I find unique and refreshing. It’s not completely based on the classic but the important details or the commonly known facts of Cinderella [the stepmother and stepsisters; Cinder being forced to work by her stepmother; the whole prince and the ball event, not to mention the leaving behind the slipper thing] were of course, presented in this adaptation (if you’re thinking of the Disney version, note that there’s no fairy godmother here, sorry), and yet you’ll be surprised with how those things will turn out. And did I mention this is set in a futuristic world? Pretty cool, huh? Wait ‘til you get to actually read about it ‘coz this author has one hell of an imagination!

Now Cinder’s character is rather interesting. Being a cyborg and having a built-in internet-like system within your vision is enough to keep me turning page after page, after page. Add the fact that she’s the best mechanic in all of New Beijing considering she’s a girl, bravo on that idea! Sadly, I feel like I didn’t get to know Cinder that well. Her personality’s still a bit vague to me. Maybe she’ll grow as this series progresses so I’ll be keeping an open mind about that.

Are you waiting to find out about Cinder and the Prince (his name’s Kai by the way)? Hmm… Let’s just say there are few bittersweet moments to watch out for.  By few I mean waiting for the next book to come since the relationship is still in the process of development. Bummer!

So I did mention that the fairy godmother has gone AWOL, but that doesn’t mean we’re short on villains too. Cinder is already taking in the wickedness of her stepmother and a particular stepsister when she also catches an evil queen’s attention. Poor, Cinder… and to think the journey to a happily ever after ending has just begun.

Did I just say: “begun”? Yes, you read that right, because you better be prepared for a major, and I mean MAJOR, cliffhanger. Seriously?! These authors are deliberately cruel! Why? Why must you torture your readers? *Wailing uncontrollably* LOL.

Needless to say, I absolutely love this book. It’s an enchanting book that successfully gives this classic story a new and invigorating twist that’ll keep you wanting more.

Partials by Dan Wells [REVIEW]

     

Partials (Partials #1)
by Dan Wells

Summary from Goodreads: 

"Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question--one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.

Rating:

Partials is one of those books that you’d feel incredibly grateful that you stuck through it ‘til the end.

My first theory about Partials when I saw it was: this human [girl] protagonist would eventually fall for a guy from the enemy lines and then she’ll be a fugitive... blah, blah, blah... love... tragedy...rescue or find a way to be with true love...ending...  then wait for the next book. This is one of those moments that I’m so happy I was wrong!  What’s even great is that my prediction wasn’t even close to what Partials offered.  *laughing like an evil queen in fairy tales*

Okay I’m sounding completely like a crazy person... moving on...

Partials is more of a plot-driven book. With the growing list of YA books belonging to the Dystopian category (which in Partials case is Dystopian AND Post-Apocalyptic), I’ve gotten used to the character-driven ones (majority of those I’ve read are), so hooray for change!  

For those who might be planning on reading this and thinking it would fall on some sort of romantic story, you may want to not keep your hopes up on that. There aren’t much gushy scenes here (a few here and there, still I don’t think they count) but that doesn’t make this book less interesting. In fact, you hardly even notice the absence of it. The story itself keeps you on your toes, not to mention the scientific stuff and all that genetic discussions that you’ll encounter. Trust me when I say if you’re not a fan of those then you’ll have to pay close attention as best as you can.   

Have you ever had that feeling when you’re watching a movie that you come to a scene where you can’t make sense of what the characters are talking about but you go along with anyway since you are very eager to see how the entire story ends? Well, that’s kind of how Partials made me feel. Seriously, I feel like one of those characters from Japanese Anime cartoons with blood running down their noses when Kira was explaining her research! LOL. Now don’t be intimidated, it’s not that hard to understand, the author has done his best to explain it in the simplest terms, it is just a little out of my field so I had to reread a few lines back.

Anyway, I guess I was pretty much caught up by the plot more than the characters. I’m not saying they’re not memorable, Kira’s a fine protagonist. I just didn’t have that much chance to get to know her deeper. Forgivable, given that her role in saving the human race from extinction is far more important than discovering her inner personality. I’m not a fan of her boyfriend though. The other characters where pretty much okay considering what role they play, but I do believe that Samm and Jayden stood out most. Speaking of Jayden... *sigh* ... Jayden, Jayden, Jayden *shaking head in dismay*. I think he deserved to be given more credit. *sniff*

Now to sum up how I feel about Partials, I only need two words: FREAKIN’ AWESOME!!!

Readers just have to stick with it and have the patience to go along with some of the technical parts to fully appreciate the story. I know the first part may drag a bit but the wait would definitely be worth it. Partials is a really good book that you wouldn’t want to miss out.