Monday 27 August 2012

Book Review: Bloodrose by: Andrea Cremer

My Rating: ★★★
Date Published: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Philomel
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 406
Do I own it?: Yes


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.



Review: *****MAJOR SPOILERS*****


What.the.hell.

No. Just no.


That was probably the worst way to end a trilogy. I can't believe that Andrea Cremer even wrote that. What was she thinking? I loved both Shay and Ren. I cannot believe that she killed Ren off like that. It broke my heart into a million pieces. AND THEN Anika tells Shay that he has to seal the rift, and that it will return every guardian to their natural form (wolf) WHAT? IM SORRY, BUT NO. WHAT THE HELL??? And then Sabine goes and gives her wolf self to Ansel (okay that was expected and alright) but still...Why couldn't Andrea just leave the characters alone to be happy! Leave them the ability to shift! I am so angry. I don't think I will ever get over this ending.

Apart from that, the book wasn't all bad. The ending was the only terrible part, and it cost the book 2 stars. I liked all the action throughout the book. It kept it interesting and engaging. I loved how Ethan and Sabine were together, and also how Connor and Adne admitted that they are in love with each other. The action was good, but I feel like when they lost Silas, the whole book just went downhill from there. I realllyyyyy enjoyed this series, but the last book could have been a lot better. I am happy to find that there is another book out, a prequel to Nightshade called Rift. I guess i'm buying that next!

Monday 20 August 2012

Book Review: Silence by: Becca Fitzpatrick

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: October 4th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 448
Do I own it?: Yes



Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.



Review:

This book was excellent, of course. I never expect less from Becca Fitzpatrick. The thing is, although this book was really good, it hints that there is going to be a war. I feel like in every book that I read, if it's Dystopian or not, there is always a war at the end of the series. Authors need to start coming up with better ideas than wars all the time! It's understandable if the way has been going on for a while, and they mention that in the first book, but if it's an upcoming war, or a rebellion, then no. It's really getting old.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I really liked Silence, as well as Crescendo and Hush Hush. This is by far my favourite angel series. I think that this series started the whole angel fascination. That and The Mortal Instruments series. I don't think that I could ever get tired of Patch and Nora. They are just too cute together. I liked everything about this book. Including the magnificent cover. I also like the spine of the book. It's going to look fantastic on my shelf:)

I cannot wait for October 23rd 2012 for Finale to come out!

Sunday 19 August 2012

Book Review: Vanished (When Lightning Strikes + Codename Cassandra) by: Meg Cabot

My Rating: ★★★★
Date Published: June 28th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 560
Do I own it?: Yes

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

A gift…or a curse?

Jessica Mastriani has never liked attention. All she wants is to make it to high school graduation like any ordinary girl. But when Jess is struck by lightning, she becomes anything but ordinary: suddenly she has the ability to locate missing children.
Now Jess is getting noticed in all the wrong ways and by all the wrong people. The media is obsessed with her and her story. The FBI is tapping her phone. And what’s going on with sexy senior Rob? Soon Jess learns the hard way that not everyone who is lost wants to be found….

With no one to trust, it's up to Jess to decide what to do with her new power—before it’s decided for her.


Review:

Both books were good, but they weren't amazing. First, there were a lot of grammar errors, like words that weren't spelled right. It was quite frequent, that it bothered me a lot. Second, there were some parts of the book that I found were stressful. That is why I come to the conclusion that this is not a book that I would enjoy reading a second time. I will however say that after reading the book, it makes me want to read the second one. I will most likely buy it later. The second Vanished bind-up is not at the top of my to-buy list.

Apart from that, I did enjoy this book. I thought that the idea for the book was quite original. I also liked the fact that the romance in this book was not the main focus. The novel was serious at some times, but it did have quite a bit of humour and sarcasm which I liked. Also, the ending wasn't a cliffhanger. It was the sort of ending that was cute, and funny. The kind of ending that you can end a series with. This is the first Meg Cabot book that I have read, and I am thoroughly impressed with her work. I really enjoyed the fact that Jessica was sarcastic, had a sense of humour, but was also serious when she needed to be. I will definitely be reading more of Meg Cabot's work, in the near future.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Book Review: Between the Lines by: Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: June 26th, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 358
Do I own it?: Yes!


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

What happens when happily ever after... isn’t?
Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Review:

Two words. SO CUTE! I love fairy tale books, and this is exactly what I hoped it would be! I think that it was a little bit childish at some points, I am surprised at Jodi Picoult's first and successful Young Adult book. The only negative thing that I would say about this book, is that I hate how the author's name is bigger than the book title.

The plot was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I started this book last night, and finished it this morning. I could not put it down, because I had to know how it would end! There was always some action in the plot, or something interesting would happen that would keep me reading. The thing about this novel that I like the most, is the fact that there are so many illustrations to depict what was happening in the story. The pictures were absolutely beautiful! Also, there was different colours for the text depending on who the story was being told from. For Oliver it was blue, and for Delilah it was green. I also really liked how Delilah's first chapter started. "I'm Wierd." Was the first sentence. I thought that that was hilarious.

I fell in love with every single character from the fairy tale. I felt like they were my friends also, and when I finished the book, I was sad because I knew that I would never see them again unless I re-read the book. Since I've been reading so many sequels, I expected this book to have a sequel. Oh well! This novel has made my favourites list! It may be one of the best standalone novels that I have ever read.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Book Review: Hush Hush by: Becca Fitzpatrick

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: October 13th, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 391
Do I own it?: Yes!



Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE



Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.


But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.


Review:

The question that was going through my mind the entire time I was reading this book, was why didn't I pick it up earlier? Hush Hush has received a lot of hate on Goodreads, and I can understand why. The only negative thing I have to say about this novel, is that the plot was sometimes confusing, and there were too many villains. One is enough Becca! Other than that, it was fantastic.

It was the book that I have been craving to read. The male lead was sexy, dark and mysterious (you know, the kind of guys you DON'T find in real life). Although the plot wasn't all that clear sometimes, Becca Fitzpatrick sure knows how to build up sexual tension! The idea of this book was really exciting because it's the kind of books that I like! I enjoyed this book so much, that about 3/4 through the book, I put it down (reluctantly) and took the bus to go buy the second and third book. I didn't think I could wait to get the sequel. The atmosphere for the novel was almost always dark and had a mysterious edge. To me, Hush Hush bordered Paranormal romance and mystery. There was some sleuthing!
Even though the topic on Angels is overrated and over done, I really enjoyed this book, and it probably is one of my favourite angel series.
I would love to rave about this book for a long time, but I want to go start the second one!

Monday 13 August 2012

Book Review: Wolfsbane by: Andrea Cremer

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: July 26th, 2011
Publisher: Philomel Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 390
Do I own it?: Yes!


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.



Very short review:

Wolfsbane was action-packed up until the very end. The ending makes me want to run to the store to get the last book, Bloodrose. Frankly, I cannot wait to see how Andrea Cremer is going to end this trilogy. It is by far the best werewolf series I have ever come across.

I was happy that all the questions I had were finally answered. I still cannot choose which I like better; Ren or Shay.

I was very happy with how this book turned out. It started off right where Nightshade left off, and had the same compelling edge that the previous book did. I thought that everything was very well described and all of the things that were confusing in the first book were explained in this one.

I don't have much to say about this book, but I did find it amazing.

Friday 10 August 2012

Book Review: Nightshade by: Andrea Cremer

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Philomel Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 454
Do I own it?: No (on my to-buy list!)


Synopsis: (taken from Goodreads)

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: 

After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?



Review: *****SPOILER ALERT*****

Fantastic! Nightshade was amazing! There are so many things I need to say about this book. There are a couple of things that I didn't like about this book too. I'll start with the negative. First of all, the romance with Shay progressed way too fast. They barely knew each other. The first time they hung out, Shay told Calla that he would never let anything happen to her even though he barely knew her. This made me angry because it just progressed way too fast. Second, the sacrifice. I knew from the moment her mother wouldn't tell her what it was, that it was going to be Shay. It was way too predictable. I was a little bit disappointed that it turned out to be so predictable. The last thing that bothered me has absolutely nothing to do with the story. I don't like how the cover of Nightshade doesn't match with the covers of Wolfsbane and Bloodrose. I already bought Wolfsbane (yay!) and I love the cover, but I just wished that Nightshade would match:(

Now on to the things that I like about the story. I love that Calla was bad-ass. Nothing for me is better in a book than having an awesome strong female lead. The action in Nightshade was also just amazing. But the thing that was probably the best in this book, was how the author, Andrea Cremer, managed to make me love both Shay and Ren. I could not figure out who I wanted Calla to be with because I loved both of them. Especially near the end when Ren said goodbye to Calla, I was about to cry. It was just so sad. I really do hope that we get to see more of the pack and Ren in the next books to come. The last thing that I am going to rave about this book, is that whenever I was about to put the book down, some amazing scene would come up and suck me back into the book. It made it incredibly hard for me to put the book down! I think I should start Wolfsbane now, because I was not very keen of the ending of Nightshade.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Book Review: The Golden Lily by: Richelle Mead

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: June 12th, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 418
Do I own it?: Yes. 


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)
The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.


Review:

I don't think that I will ever recover from that ending! This book was so amazing. When I thought that Bloodlines couldn't compare to Vampire Academy, The Golden Lily really can. There were so many surprises in this book. A lot of plot twists, and things you didn't expect, although for me, there were a few things that I found predictable. Overall, the story line was perfectly executed. The only thing is that I didn't find that there was much progress with the whole "alchemist free'ing" thing. I think that all the Bloodlines fans would agree with me that they want Sydney to be free of the Alchemists, and be with Adrian. I hop to see some improvement in the next book. I also want to see a wedding for Rose and Dimitri! Or a scene where they are both in the same room. I will not be satisfied until something is done!

The characters were great of course, but I did not like Brayden. He was a useless character this entire book! I kept hoping that he would go away, and he finally did by the end of the book. I just hope that he does not come back in the third book.

It's safe to say that this book got my approval. It was fantastic of course, and I cannot wait to see what's in store for our heroine in the next book; The Indigo Spell.

Monday 6 August 2012

Book Review: Bloodlines by: Richelle Mead

My Rating: ★★★★  
Date Published: August 23rd, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 421
Do I own it?: Yes.


Synopsis:


I wasn't free of my past, not yet.

Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of himans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worls of humans and vampire. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far orse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're hiding, the drama is only just beginning. 

Review: 


This spin-off series of Vampire Academy was exactly what I hoped it would be. Although I admit that I will never love Sydney more than I loved Rose's character, and the same goes with Adrian and Dimitri. Bloodline was action packed, filled with plot twists and turns, and filled with unexpected drama. The thing that I liked the most about this book, was that some of the characters from Vampire Academy showed up in the book, which was really surprising and exciting! The only problem with this book, was that throughout the whole time I was reading it, all I could think of is how much I wanted to re-read Vampire Academy. Surprisingly, I only own the last book in the Vampire Academy series, because I read the rest at the library. When I was reading Bloodlines, it just made me want to go out to the store and buy the rest of the series ASAP. Which I will in fact do very soon. Once I have the whole series, I will do one month where I will read nothing but Vampire Academy.

The plot to Bloodlines was a little bit slow in the beginning. I felt as though it dragged on, and the interesting parts of the book didn't arrive until much later. Which is okay because Richelle Mead needed to incorporate some of the events from the last Vampire Academy book, and put them into the story to have them be explained so that the reader can remember what happened. The characters where excellent in this novel. Sydney, Adrian, and Jill were exactly like I remembered them, and their personalities didn't change. I was extremely happy with how this book turned out, and it did deserve the 5 stars that I gave it! Thankfully, I do already own The Golden Lily in hardcover, so I will start reading that right away, and see what Richelle Mead has in store for Sydney.

Friday 3 August 2012

Book Review: The Selection by: Kiera Cass

My Rating: ★★★★
Date Published: April 24th, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 327
Do I own it?: Yes.




Synopsis:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

THIS WHOLE REVIEW HAS SPOILERS!
Review:
oh my god. There were so many things I loved about this book, but there were also a lot of things I hated. First of all, I loved the world. The whole caste thing was a lovely idea, and it really gives you the impression of how separated the people in this future world are. I also really enjoyed America's family. It was all so cute and friendly. The Selection is also a great idea. It really was like The Bachelor, but a better version of it. Maxon is adorable. I love the fact that America can make him so happy just by doing the simplest things. This is why I want them to be together. NOT ASPEN. I was happy that Aspen was gone, until he came to the castle. I lost it. I wanted to throw my book out the window. GET OUT ASPEN. JUST GO! I was so angry with America for kissing him, but near the end of the book when she told him that she's here for Maxon, and if she doesn't make it she will consider him, I was happy. "You go girl!" Is what I actually said when I read that.

The other girl in the competition are so rude. Especially Celeste. She needs to get out also. The whole thing where Celeste tried to take America's dress made me very angry. Other than that the rest of the characters are alright. Aspen isn't that bad, I just don't want him to end up with America. I really really really liked America's character. She was, again, another strong female lead. I don't know how many books there will be, but I know that I will enjoy every one of them.
Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. I kept reading because I had to know what would happen next. I started this book last night, and finished today. Less than 24 hours. That means that I did enjoy the book a lot. The reason why I only gave it 4 stars out of five, is because of the whole Aspen thing, with him coming back. I did not like that at all. I can't wait to see what Kiera Cass has in store for us in the next book, The Elite.

Thursday 2 August 2012

Book Review: Wither by:Lauren DeStefano

My Rating: ★★★★
Date Published: March 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 358
Do I own it?: Yes. (gorgeous cover)



Synopsis:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

Review:
This book broke my 5 star streak!:( So I have a lot to say about this novel. First, It was really good, but it just wasn't amazing. There were a lot of things that bothered me, like the sister wives. That is, and will always be disgusting. I would never be able to share my husband, and it just bothers me. It really is gross. Another thing, is Vaughn. Everytime he came into the story, I wanted to punch him in the face. Every single time. Cecily was just annoying. I don't know if i'm the only one, but I actually liked Linden. He wasn't a bad guy.


Without a doubt, the cover of this book is gorgeous,and it will look amaing on my shelf. I really enjoyed the world, and what happened to the world was really interesting to read about. It always is in Dystopian books. The idea for this novel was really cool. I loved the idea, but the story could've been a little better. There were some part where I found that I was extremely bored, but I still kept reading, because I wanted to know what happens in the end. And I loved the ending so much. It was probably one of the best endings I've ever read. So, I guess on the review side of things, I'm in the middle. I really liked the book, but I also kinda didn't. It wasn't that the author didn't do a good job, it's just that there were things that bothered me,and just is really gross, like sister wives. Altough I am still very excited to buy the next book in the series; Fever.

Wednesday 1 August 2012

August Book Haul! #1

After so many hours and time spent towards finishing and perfecting my blog, I would like to start off the month of August with a book haul!

Books in picture:
As you all know, I am currently reading Wither by Lauren DeStefano (top right hand corner). I got that novel for only $5.99 at Coles. I am very happy with most o the prices for these books. A lot of these were given to me by a friend. I did receive one ARC from my library.  

(starting from top row, left to right)
-Life as We Knew It by: Susan Pfeffer (given by friend)
-Bloodlines by: Richelle Mead (Bought at Coles)
-The Golden Lily book 2 by: Richelle Mead (given by friend)
-The Selection by: Kiera Cass (given by friend)
-Wither by: Lauren DeStefano
-Hush Hush by: Becca Fitzpatrick (only $4.99 at Coles)
-A Game of Thrones by: George R.R Martin ($9.99 at Coles)
-Vanished by: Meg Cabot (when lightning strikes+Code Name Cassandra. Found for $2.00 on library sale cart)
-The Crown of Embers book 2 by: Rae Carson (ARC)
-Between the Lines by: Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer (%40 off)
-The Host by: Stephanie Meyer (received from friend)


I am almost done with Wither, so expect a book review very soon!