Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Spinning Starlight
AUTHOR: R.C. Lewis
PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion
PUB DATE: Oct 6 2015

Sixteen-year-old heiress and paparazzi darling Liddi Jantzen hates the spotlight. But as the only daughter in the most powerful tech family in the galaxy, it's hard to escape it. So when a group of men show up at her house uninvited, she assumes it's just the usual media-grubs. That is, until shots are fired.

Liddi escapes, only to be pulled into an interplanetary conspiracy more complex than she ever could have imagined. Her older brothers have been caught as well, trapped in the conduits between the planets. And when their captor implants a device in Liddi's vocal cords to monitor her speech, their lives are in her hands: One word and her brothers are dead.

Desperate to save her family from a desolate future, Liddi travels to another world, where she meets the one person who might have the skills to help her bring her eight brothers home-a handsome dignitary named Tiav. But without her voice, Liddi must use every bit of her strength and wit to convince Tiav that her mission is true. With the tenuous balance of the planets deeply intertwined with her brothers' survival, just how much is Liddi willing to sacrifice to bring them back?

Haunting and mesmerizing, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans strings the heart of the classic with a stunning, imaginative world as a star-crossed family fights for survival in this companion to Stitching Snow.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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"Slower doesn't sound better, but really, sometimes it is. If you give your mind a quiet moment, that's when the best ideas come."

At first I thought Spinning Starlight was a continuation of Stitching Snow, which I've said in my review was an 'okay' story and was better left a standalone book. So when I saw Spinning Starlight, I was hesitant to read it. Stitching Snow had a fitting ending all on its own, what more could you tell of that book? That was my reaction when I saw the cover design and author's name on Spinning Starlight, and yes, I did jump to conclusions without reading the synopsis yet. Pardon my impulsive retort.

It was a very bold move of the author to choose a fairy tale that isn't as popular as Cinderella, Snow White, and the like - and guess what, it worked!

If you're not familiar with Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans, you may find yourself a little lost. That is, if you're hoping for some fairy tale familiarity of the classics that often get remade and reimagined. This isn't one of those. But get ready for a spectacular sci-fi fairy tale experience! This may even make you want to check out the original.

There are a lot of complexities in Spinning Starlight. Complex setting. Complex time differences between worlds, and what is up with those moons? Complex jump rope game (that's a lot of rules for a kid's game). Complex scientific terms. Heck even their alphabet is also complex! What kind of language does this world have? But do not fear! Lewis does not leave her readers blind. For example, the planetary system of Liddi's world was a lot to take in but the author provides vivid descriptions that readers can fully immerse themselves into these details.

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner [REVIEW]

TITLE: This Shattered World
(Starbound #2)
AUTHOR: Amie Kaufman &
Meagan Spooner
PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion
PUB DATE: Dec 23 2014

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. His sister died in the original uprising against the powerful corporate conglomerate that rules Avon with an iron fist. These corporations make their fortune by terraforming uninhabitable planets across the universe and recruiting colonists to make the planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage against the military occupying his home, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape base together, caught between two sides in a senseless war.

The stunning second novel in the Starbound trilogy is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.

Source: NetGalley

Rating:

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“Maybe we wouldn’t even like each other if we weren’t fighting for our lives every second of every day.”

I think majority of those who’ve been anticipating This Shattered World were readers who have been hooked over Tarver and Lilac’s story in These Broken Stars, hoping to see more of these two lovable characters take on a new adventure. Boy, were we all crushed to find out that there are new sets of characters taking hold of the second book!

But that feeling of disappointment was short-lived. Once readers have gotten to know Jubilee and Flynn, you get to fall in love with them just as well. True, they’re not Tarver and Lilac, but they come off just as memorable and worth rooting for all the same.

Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Stitching Snow
AUTHOR: R.C. Lewis
PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion
PUB DATE: Oct 14 2014

Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“Feelings can’t be wasted. Knowing they’re real for however long they last makes worth having.”

You know you’ve read a really good book when you start comparing it to other books with the same genre. Stitching Snow had a very similar vibe to Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles: the sci-fi feel and fairy tale reimagining. It was no wonder that I was drawn to Stitching Snow. But how far did it go to impress a fairy tale retelling junkie like me?

Stitching Snow offers its readers a not so typical protagonist. Essie, aka Princess Snow – that’s not a spoiler by the way, you’ll probably guess it around a chapter or two – is not your dainty little princess in distress. She’s a mechanic/robotics technician by day and a cage fighter by night…well, some nights. She lives a simple life on the planet Thanda, which eventually changes when a mysterious guy named Dane accidentally crashes into the planet…

Essie and Dane were characters I find likable, but I have to admit there’s not much to go on from there, other than their hidden identities. When all that is revealed, I felt like they didn’t come out as strong and as memorable characters that I was hoping them to be. They’re not the kind of characters that would be the first ones to come to mind when a random question about book characters would come about. Nevertheless, for Stitching Snow, they are the kind of characters you would appreciate reading about.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: These Broken Stars
(Starbound #1)
AUTHOR: Amie Kaufman and
Meagan Spooner
PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion
PUB DATE: Dec 10 2013

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“I was scared of having you, then losing you again. But it would be worth it a thousand times over. I was an idiot. I’m sorry. ”

I do believe there is no heart out there that Tarver Merendsen cannot melt into a puddle of goo with the story brought by These Broken Stars.

This book has defied every thought I conjured up at every step of the way. First, on the Icarus, a Titanic-like tragedy occurs, I thought it ought to be just another tragic love story. And then comes the crash to an unknown planet. Another moment I thought it might turn out to be another survival of the fittest situation, and yet it was more than that.

Tarver and Lilac’s character’s were very well established and come with definitive backgrounds that solidify their qualities. It also makes for a more empathic approach once readers get to see changes in them during the time spent on the mysterious planet after the crash.

There are but a few authors who are capable of writing alternating points-of-view that a reader can truly tell apart the characters’ personality and voices. I’ve read some that make them sound so much alike, and trying hard to make them seem like they are just coincidentally thinking of the same things.

Rebel by Amy Tintera [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Rebel (Reboot #2)
AUTHOR: Amy Tintera
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins / HarperTeen
PUB DATE: May 13, 2014

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“I sort of liked the sound of bones breaking. It was like home.”

Wren is back and even more badass than ever!

I adored Wren’s character in Reboot. The once shell with only a smidge of humanity was an interesting aspect I eagerly read through. I revered watching her slowly grasp back on human emotions after finding herself falling for a low-numbered reboot named Callum. Watching her grow and develop into someone with more empathy, and still remain as a tough and unwavering heroine was exhilarating.

One of the best things I liked about Reboot was the fast pace and smooth storytelling Amy Tintera provided her readers. I expected nonetheless for Rebel. Well, that is before I reached the reboot “sanctuary” chapter, I have to admit I was kind of starting to doubt that thought. When I did finally reach Micah’s territory, things quickly picked up from there. Only then was I assured that Amy Tintera would definitely be delivering one epic story.

If you loved Wren’s fighting energy as I did, wait till you see Callum! My goodness! I didn’t expect him to be just as badass as Wren. Although he remains his non-killing morals, and he may be a bit of a goody-two shoes, I love that he has learned to fight back and defend what he believes is right.

The Hunt by Stacey Kade [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Hunt
(Project Paper Doll #2)
AUTHOR: Stacey Kade
PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion
PUB DATE: Apr 22 2014

Ariane Tucker has finally escaped GTX, the research facility that created her. While on the run, Zane Bradshaw is the only person she can trust. He knows who-and what-she is and still wants to be part of her life.

But accepting Zane's help means putting him in danger.

Dr. Jacobs, head of GTX, is not the only one hunting for Ariane. Two rival corporations have their sights set on taking down their competition. Permanently. To protect Zane and herself, Ariane needs allies. She needs the other hybrids. The hybrids who are way more alien and a lot less human. Can Ariane win them over before they turn on her? Or will she be forced to choose sides, to decide who lives and who dies?

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“I tried to warn you... You aren’t meant for life outside.”

The Rules, the first book from the Project Paper Doll series, was more of a paranormal romance story. While The Hunt continues on to where the first book left off, it also opens readers to the sci-fi element that this story has not tackled on before. And wow! Was it an intense sequel? Although I can’t say it surpassed its predecessor.

Although Ariane and Zane’s relationship started off as a high school plot for revenge, it became clear that these two were definitely meant to be together. I love them both for being so dedicated to each other. But there comes a time in every couple’s lives that they have to face issues, and Ariane and Zane are no exception. Truthfully, they’d be the ones first in line given the current state they are in. Oftentimes, I encountered them both voicing out a lot of insecurity over their differences. It was a little disappointing to see them fall hard over the circumstances they faced here in book two.

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Into the Still Blue
(Under the Never Sky #3)
AUTHOR: Veronica Rossi
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
PUB DATE: Jan 28 2014

The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“What brought you out here Aria?” he asked.

She looked up, right into his eyes. “I needed to find you.”

“I know,” he said. “The second I left you, I felt the same way.”

There are only a few couples that can make me swoon so much, even with just the tiniest details, as Perry and Aria. I’ve read Brooke’s novella beforehand and it got me really excited to read about Perry and Aria once again. And I must say I am so glad they did not fail me. Err… with regards to their relationship, that is.

I have no qualms over this lovely couple’s connection. The kind of love they have for each other is so gushy and sweet and all things colorful (I know it sounds like I’m describing Sugarland with lots of rainbows all around, but it is how it is). I love the moments that Perry and Aria had, even the times where my dear, sweet Perry was in pain.

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Never Fade
(The Darkest Minds #2)
AUTHOR: Alexandra Bracken
PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion
PUB DATE: Oct 15 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?"

Rating:

Be wary, this would contain spoilers from the events that occurred in the first book, The Darkest Minds.

“I love you... I love you every second of every day, and I don’t understand why, or how to make it stop–”

In the events that follow The Darkest Minds, readers find Ruby in Never Fade as a member of the Children’s League, one of the groups she has been desperately trying to run away from after escaping the camp. Narrowly dodging being captured and brought back to the camps after finding the Slip Kid, Clancy, then getting separated from her friends, and having to deal with Liam so the League would leave him at peace, Ruby is just trying to keep it together... long enough for her to get the chance to escape and to hopefully find her friends. But having one of the most powerful abilities among the gifted kids, she is assigned “Leader” to her specific group, and one mission puts a halt to her plans and changes everything...

I was stunned to find Ruby in such a different state of character from how I met her. The once scared and despondent girl from The Darkest Minds has turned into one badass chic. Although she still has that fear over being corrupted by her powers, she is a lot more confident than before. I like the change. It goes to show how much she had to grow up to survive at such desperate times.

I may love the grace of independence I witnessed grow into her character, but I was still longing to see Ruby reunited with Liam. The result of the reunion? So. Many. FEELS!!! It was messy, confusing and gushy, and although heartbreaking, was also swoon-worthy all at the same time!

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout [REVIEW]

TITLE: Origin
(Lux #4)
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Armentrout
PUBLISHER: Entangled Teen
PUB DATE: Aug 27 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?"

Rating:

“Oh shit. ET so phones home kids.” Damn cliffhangers!!!

I’m taking back what I said on my review of Opal that that was my favorite book among the series. THIS is my favorite! The Lux series has gone far from its first book, Obisidian. What I once thought as a simple paranormal romance between a human and an alien turned out to have an even deeper story than I imagined. Origin has really done this series justice!

The previous books from the Lux series have been in Katy’s point of view alone, but since J.L. Armentrout loves us [even with the damn cliffhangers], she gives us snippets of chapters with Daemon’s point of view as bonuses. And that is one of the things that sets Origin apart; here we get to see the story through alternating points of view of Katy AND DAEMON. How awesome is that?

I am really happy to see the kind of change Katy has developed over this book. At first I was afraid she was doomed to repeat the same mistakes she has done in the past but she proved otherwise. So, thank you, Katy for finally trusting Daemon.

If I had loved Daemon even more in Opal, I am so close [maybe I’m already there] to worshipping this hottie alien in Origin. Talk about a man who is really smitten!

Reboot by Amy Tintera [REVIEW]

TITLE: Reboot (Reboot #1)
AUTHOR: Amy Tintera
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
PUB DATE: May 7 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders."

Rating:

“Humans had a brightness to them, a glow that only death extinguished.”

This is a zombie book…but not at all what it may seem. As all zombie stories begin, it starts with a virus. This virus turns humans, not into brain-eating undead creatures, but into the ultimate weapons of destruction they call reboots. They are killing machines, and they are the perfect set of soldiers to do our bidding. That sounds just as awesome as how Rebo0t turned out to be.

In the world of our protagonist, Wren, once the virus takes place in a human’s body, your time is right about up. But once you die, you come back to, uhm, well not life, but human bodies become reanimated. The longer you stay dead, the stronger of a reboot you become. Now, reboots pretty much look like your average human, the only difference is (aside from the undead factor) they’re faster, stronger and are able to heal themselves in a manner of seconds that no ordinary human is capable of. Our small but terrible heroine took 178 minutes before she woke up from death, making her one of the most lethal reboots to have existed. But here’s the catch, the greater the number, the less a reboot is likely to possess human emotion.

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: All Our Yesterdays
(Cassandra Chronicles #1)
AUTHOR: Cristin Terrill
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Childrens
PUB DATE: Aug 1 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"A brilliantly brain-warping thriller and a love story that leaps back and forth in time - All Our Yesterdays is an amazing first novel, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games.

Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet.

Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future."

Rating:

“The truth is, the world is a f*cked up place sometimes.”

This book is pretty much as effed up [in a good way] as well. Wow! I am still overwhelmed. Let me get my bearings here... *breathes in deeply*

All Our Yesterday is a time-travel story told in the eyes of Em and Marina. Em is from the future. She travels back in time, with Finn, to save the world from the catastrophic environment it has ended up at. Marina is a girl from the present time that Em and Finn have traveled back to. This is probably one of the trickiest kinds of alternating points-of-view I have read. But damn, was it awesome!

I have to admit that the first 20% of the book was confusing. Information overload! There were so many things I had to sink my brain into: who Em and Finn were, who is this doctor and why is he torturing Em, what secret does Em hold that makes him so intent on getting it, what does Marina and James have to do with what was going on in the future, what/who the heck is Cassandra? I am telling you, it was a lot to take in. I was constantly asking myself, “What the hell is going on?” It was that crazy, and I always like books that get me into deep thinking. So as puzzling as it was, I could not stop myself from reading through.

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna [REVIEW]

TITLE: The Lost Girl
AUTHOR: Sangu Mandanna
PUBLISHER: Balzer + Bray
PUB DATE: Aug 28 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

"Eva's life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. She was made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her "other," if she ever died. Eva spends every day studying that girl from far away, learning what Amarra does, what she eats, what it's like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But sixteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything and everyone she's ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she's forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself."

Rating:

“Amarra used to read books about battles. Great heroic battles. Swords and shields and knights and honor. Battles like that don't happen anymore, yet I feel like I am caught in one. Once I may have hoped to fight for my life with all those things: swords and shields and knights and honor. But I don't have a sword. My shield is broken. I don't know what is and isn't honorable anymore. And now I've sent my knight away.”

I was wary about reading this book when I first saw it. It didn’t seem like something I would enjoy considering the plot wasn’t like the ones I’m accustomed to reading. And yet, surprise, surprise! I was an emotional wreck after reading The Lost Girl. Never thought I’d find myself clinging to a paranormal story this much!

While I have read stories where characters have the ability to jump their souls from one body to another, it was uncommon to find one such as The Lost Girl, where clones are weaved to replace their dead human counterparts. These clones are called Echoes.

Eva didn’t strike me as an astonishing character at first. I didn’t see anything special about her, not until much later when she came to replace Amarra. I think that was one of the hardest lives I had to read through emotionally. It’s not enough that teens have to struggle to fit in anywhere, but being and Echo too… well, that was just heartbreaking.

Fragments by Dan Wells [REVIEW]

TITLE: Fragments (Partials #2)
AUTHOR: Dan Wells
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
PUB DATE: Feb 26 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival."

Rating:

Whew! I took me quite a while to finish Fragments. I had to stop around page Page 40 and read something else because I felt that the first half of the book was really dragging on. I was most especially uninterested in Marcus’s POV. I’m sorry, but I really don’t care about what happens to him. I’m being mean aren’t I? It’s just that I feel Kira deserved a better male lead. So whenever I came across the chapters were Marcus was narrating, I just didn’t want to see it. I was debating whether to just add this book to my DNF list, but my reading buddy, Maria, had convinced me [a month later] to give it a shot again.

Sure enough, once Afa comes into picture, things finally picked up the pace. Like most of those who’ve already read this, I really wish it was edited out more. There were a lot of narratives describing an already too long journey that I couldn’t help but complain a lot. Sorry.

But don’t think this book didn’t have its perks. For one, I got to know Heron a bit more. I kind of both love and hate her. She’s not exactly one of the good guys, but her personality’s pretty interesting. Then we have Nandita’s little surprise which really gave off a very interesting twist yet to be seen in book 3. But what I believe to be one of the most captivating parts of this book was Samm’s one and only chapter! Damn... really? Just one? Marcus has like, what, three chapters more or less, and this hot Partial gets one?! So unfair!

It was kind of sad to see that after all Kira and Samm went through, they ended up exactly at the moment they were trying so hard to avoid, with all the hardships they went through, and the losses they’ve had to encounter.

It’s a relief to finally get to finish this book. I don’t like letting them stay on my “Currently-reading” shelf for too long. Although Fragments and I started off on the wrong foot, we got through one interesting story with a follow up worth looking forward to. I just hope this time I won’t be left with more questions than answers like Partials and Fragments.

Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Shutdown (Glitch #3)
AUTHOR: Heather Anastasiu
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Griffin
PUB DATE: Jul 2 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy"

Rating:

Warning: If you have not read Glitch and Override, this review might contain spoilers from these books.

The Glitch Trilogy is a series of books that I haven’t given much thought of when I read them. I didn’t have any expectations about them. That’s probably a good thing, considering that it let me keep an open mind about whatever was in store for me.

Shutdown, the third and final instalment to the Glitch trilogy, gave off a very promising introduction during its first few chapters. Although I knew that Zoe’s world is on a brink of war, I did not expect the mayhem that went about in between all the planning and preparing to overthrow the Chancellor. While some wars and campaigns during the medieval times were done with honor and proper decorum (although still brutal), this war between the Resistance and the Chancellor is ruthless and vicious, and without show of mercy and sparing of the innocents.

I thought of Zoe to be nothing but a simple protag during Glitch, then I came to respect her in Override, and now I just adore her in Shutdown. I’ve always thought that the weight of being seen as beacon of revolution and the one to lead all to freedom was a really tough image to carry. It’s not only pressuring but also hovers the feeling of guilt and fear that she might lead them only to fail.

I feel sorry for her for not only does she bear such a big burden, she has Adrien to worry about. I understand her inclination to wanting the Adrien she knew before to finally be back. And yet I cannot deny I feel sorry even more for Adrien. I see it’s not easy for him to try and be the person everyone expects him to be when he doesn’t even know who he once was. I understand his need to be known for who he is now than to be expected to go back to whom they once knew. Did I make sense? LOL. Let’s just say, it’s just a topsy-turvy situation.

The Human by Keary Taylor [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Human (The Eden Trilogy #2)
AUTHOR: Keary Taylor
PUBLISHER: Keary Taylor Books
PUB DATE: Jun 5 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"The city of New Eden is cleared, but it won’t stay that way forever. The Bane continue to advance in horrific ways that will wipe humanity from the face of the Earth. A storm is coming, one none of them could have dared imagine.

When a group of outsiders come to the city, everyone is on edge. They have too many questions and not enough answers about where they are from or what they want. Just because they are human doesn’t mean they can be trusted.

Eve made a choice–one that could have deadly repercussions. Desperate hearts bring about desperate actions. Now she must make another decision as her world continues to crumble: come to terms with who she really is, or risk her sanity. She thought she had unlocked all the secrets from her past, but there are truths still buried that leave her questioning what is real and what is not."

Rating:

I was highly impressed by Keary Taylor’s The Bane, the first book in the Eden Trilogy, so when I received an invite for a chance to read an ARC of book two, The Human, I immediately jumped for the opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to get the chance to view stories they enjoyed firsthand before its release?

Apart from the impressive predecessor, I was intrigued with The Human because of its cover. Ever since I saw it, I was curious to find out why Eve had a shaved head. Last time I checked she had long blond hair, and now it’s gone – what gives?

The Human starts off rather slower than The Bane. Just like Eve, I was used to her and the people of New Eden constantly have their guards up and tense at protecting themselves from the Bane. Now that the people are trying to re-establish a semblance of normal life before TorBane came about, Eve has nothing to do, and it’s making her depressed without her knowledge since emotions are relatively new to her. It’s a good thing she has Avian. I don’t think Eve can handle such without someone supporting her, also considering she’s still suffering from guilt over what happened to West, it really is a lot to take in for someone like her.

Speaking of Avian and West, I have to say this is one messy love triangle. Not that there are any non-messy ones but this whole Avian-Eve-West love affair puts a lot of the others to shame. Although I find West a jerk here, I can’t blame him for being bitter.

Acid by Emma Pass [REVIEW]

TITLE: Acid
AUTHOR: Emma Pass
PUBLISHER: Corgi Children's Books,
  Random House Children's Publishing
PUB DATE: Apr 25 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago."

Rating:

Acid is a story told of a world a hundred years from now. This future world is controlled by the brutal, dictatorial ACID, which stands for Agency for Crime Investigation and Defense. Here, we meet Jenna Strong, the only female inmate in an all-male high security prison for a crime she can barely remember doing. She is given a chance for freedom when a group of rebels decided to break her out of prison. Now, she must learn to fight this oppressive government and eventually learn the truth behind the darkest days of her past.

The plot was very well laid out and I really liked the world building. Also, the fact that although this was a hundred years in the future, the author managed to make the sci-fi terms very simple and easy to settle in.

I also think the news clips, letters, feed updates, etc made excellent side stories and fill-ins between events that occurred in the book. It was a creative note from the usual way of having the protagonist tell the story through his/her point-of-view.

What I admire most was seeing a rebellion against a domineering government try to fight for their rights in a less aggressive way. They would go through the formal process, though it may be a slow progress, even though ACID had the upper hand. It’s nice to find a story that shows there are other ways to fight off cruelty without resulting to violence themselves.

The Rules by Stacey Kade [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Rules
            (Project Paper Doll #1)
AUTHOR: Stacey Kade
PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion
PUB DATE: Apr 23 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…"

Rating:

They walk among us... Doesn’t that phrase immediately make you think of alien-conspiracies? Well, that is the kind of vibe that The Rules gives off.

Meet Ariane Tucker, a simple high school student... except she’s not really Ariane Tucker. She is an extra-terrestrial being who has taken the name of a girl who died from cancer, hiding in plain sight after escaping the GTX facility where she was used as an experiment.

Arianne’s life was the picture of a typical high school environment, only slightly more different. Where we normally find our protagonist either struggling or acing her school works, we find a girl with advanced intelligence but hides it and tries to be an average student instead. Where we usually encounter a girl wanting to be either in the in crowd or making a statement of her own, we find someone who wishes to be invisible or non-existent. Where we often see girls/guys pining over the opposite sex and trying to score a date with him/her, we find someone who does not bother to involve herself at all.

Dualed by Elsie Chapman [REVIEW]

TITLE: Dualed (Dualed #1)
AUTHOR: Elsie Chapman
PUBLISHER: Random House
PUB DATE: Feb 26 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better."

Rating:

It sure is hard to find a good dystopian story these days... Dualed was one of my most anticipated debut novels to read for this year. Sadly, I just couldn’t find it in me to appreciate anything about it.

When I first read the summary of Dualed on Goodreads, I was ecstatic. A world where having a twin is mandatory, an Alternate as they call it. Citizens must prove themselves worthy to live on Kersh by eliminating their Alts within a month of being “activated”. If not, both Alts would self destruct. Kersh may be a safe haven from the war outside its borders but here, only the strong survive and the weak must be purged...

I don’t get the logic behind killing your Alt. West says: “All for peace... fighting ourselves in here, so we don’t have to fight the world out there...” I feel that it wasn’t a good enough reason, but I let that go. Eliminating ones Alt gives the victor the chance to live a life of luxury and privilege. Okay, I guess that’s a good bout. Then I came upon the purpose behind eliminating the weak. I forgot the exact words but this is pretty much the idea: when in case the war does break through they have soldiers prepared to send out. WTF? (Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s a part in this book that talked about this and this is how I understood it). It would have been a viable, albeit wrong and unjust, explanation but with how vague it was described and how messy it was laid out just didn’t suffice.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer [REVIEW]

   

TITLE: Scarlet
            (The Lunar Chronicles #2)
AUTHOR: Marissa Meyer
PUBLISHER: Feiwel and Friends
PUB DATE: Feb 5 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner."

Rating:

*Gasps* Wolf! *dreamy-eyed*

Wolf... *giggles*

Oh, dear Wolf... *sighs heavily*

Oh. What? Review? *wide eyed* Whoops! Sorry. I... I’m just... you see... *sigh* Wolf!

Okay... I’m snapping out of this trance – for now. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Wow! This was such spectacular book! What an adventure! I can’t stop admiring it. I can’t stop myself from smiling every time it crosses my mind or whenever I see it on my shelf. I can’t stop thinking about how much fun it was to read. I can’t stop fan-girling over Wolf! (I’m sorry. I know I said I’d snap out of my trance but it’s. Just. So. Hard! LOL).

I had loads of fun reading Cinder, the first book from the Lunar Chronicles, but Scarlet just put all that awesomeness to a whole new level! The characters are even more striking than before. Of course, I’m really glad to see Cinder and Kai again. But the addition of Thorne, – I’m sorry, that’s Captain Thorne – Scarlet and Wolf just made the story more exciting.

Meeting Thorne made Cinder’s journey, although strenuous and filled with danger, amusing and worth looking forward to. Thorne is one of those characters that would be loved by many despite being a wanted criminal. As for Scarlet and Wolf, they are just oh-so lovable. I say “Scarlet and Wolf” because it doesn’t feel right describing one without the other. If there’s one couple I’d strongly “ship”, it would be Scarlet and Wolf. They’re just perfect for each other.

Unremembered by Jessica Brody [ARC REVIEW]

      

TITLE: Unremembered 
           (Unremembered #1)
AUTHOR: Jessica Brody
PUBLISHER: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)
PUB DATE: Mar 5 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"A catastrophic plan crash leaves one survivor: a girl with no memory.

Who is she?

Where does she come from?

Nobody knows and no one comes forward to claim her.

Haunted by a looming threat she can't remember and plagued by abilities she doesn't understand, she struggles to recall who she is. But every clue leads to more questions. And she's running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a boy who claims they were once in love.

Alone and on the run, who should she trust? And what if she discovers that she is safer with a past that stays unremembered?"

Rating:

Unremembered’s premise showed a lot of promise of mystery and romance. With a protagonist who does not remember a single thing about her past and a boy who claims to be in love with her once, the warning of danger and the confusion of who she must trust and how will she get her memory back... seriously, it was leading me on to think it was going to be epic. Meh... not so much.

I’ve seen this all before.

Apparently I’ve been muttering that for the most part of reading Unremembered... The time travel thing and the on-the-run drama – I’ve seen them all happen in Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin. The only differences are: this is way shorter, a lot more romantic, and much easier explanation on how they did the whole time-travel situation.

Before I started reading Unremembered, I allotted an entire page of my journal to write down my thoughts on this book as I read through it. Sadly, I didn’t get to write much. By the time I finished the book, I had only written down nearly half of the page I provided. So what does that tell me? It’s not as stimulating as I expected. Usually when I read a book, I write down every thought I get that I want to look back on once I start reviewing the book, but with Unremembered... There just wasn’t that much to think about.