The Crown (The Selection #5)

Title: The Crown (The Selection #5) 
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA Dystopian
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

The Crown follows the events of The Heir, and we are once again swept up in Princess Eadlyn’s tumultuous life.

Following the Queen Mother’s heart problems, Eadlyn is thrust headfirst into the position of Regent of Illéa. Now not only does she have to navigate her own Selection, she also has to rule a country that seems to hold great dislike for her while her father stays by her mother’s side, and her brother has run away to get married.

Faced with the prospect of imminent rebellion in her beloved country, Eadlyn has to make some tough choices — both in her personal life, and in her public one, as Regent, and learn that sometimes in life, compromise is a must... and that others, a firm hand and steely determination is what is needed. Alliances are tested and truths are exposed as she tries to hold on to control of her own life.

I really enjoyed this last instalment to Cass’ series. Eadlyn’s journey felt true and relatable; her struggle to find a viable balance between her duty and work as a monarch, and her own heart and desires is one that is easy to relate to. And the way Cass presented Eadlyn throughout the novel made her an easy narrator to root for — an important factor, considering it’s a first-person narrative.

It was also nice that Cass managed to keep a level of uncertainty regarding Eadlyn’s chosen suitor from the Selection. Until it happened, we are kept unsure of whether or not she will actually go through with what her hearts wants her to — or if she will yield to the responsibility her birth has placed on her.

Cass presents an engaging novel about finding strength in yourself, learning to trust your instincts and be true to your heart. Eadlyn’s age and gender are never a problem in the novel, despite others trying to make it one. Cass’ protagonist is a spunky, take-no- prisoners kind of princess, who has no time for anyone’s thoughts on what she should or should not be allowed to do because of her age or the fact that she is a girl; she takes to her tasks with gumption, and proves that a woman can rule just as well — if not better, in fact — than a man, and be very happy while doing so.

Special mention to Cass’ excellent handling of the LGBT+ community representation in this novel. Until books are no longer advertised as ‘LGBT’ if the main character is queer, there will always be the need for better representation in literature, and especially in Young Adult Lit. The way Cass added it in here was both surprising and tastefully done. The characters weren’t defined by their sexuality, and were allowed storylines outside of it; their romance wasn’t rushed and neither one of them died — always a decided plus. 

Cover Love: The Crown

The cover for the last book in Kiera Cass's The Selection series, The Crown hit today, and, keeping up the tradition of stunning covers, here's another beauty:

What do you think of Eadlyn's new look?

The Crown is due May 3rd 2016.

The Heir

Title: The Heir (The Selection #4)
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

"Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.
But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.
Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought."

***

I had forgotten why I loved these books so much. Cass' writing is like a breath of fresh air in the sameness of YA today.
I was a bit wary, because historically, I don't deal too well with authors changing the POV of their books. Usually, that happens after one book though, and the reason I don't like it is because I've only just started getting that character as the protagonist, so to have another one shoved at me is disconcerting and unpleasant. With this though, it was obvious that America's story was done. She'd said her piece, so changing narrator actually felt pretty organic. It helped that Eady was an absolute delight.
It was wonderful to read about this young girl who is terrified to love because she thinks it will make her weak. The thought of Eadlyn being aromantic actually occurred to me quite a few times, but I guess we'll see how that plays out. Seeing her go from "no, I will not find a husband, ew husbands!" to actually wondering about the merit of the entire thing was a great journey.
And for the most part, I loved seeing Mer and Maxon as parents, and meeting all their crazy kids.
And the boys from the Selection were awesome. It feels weird to have finished the book and not have a favourite in mind. I've grown very attached to Henri, Kile and Erik, and I seriously hope that, whatever happens, she and Henri are still friends by the end of it. Really looking forward to the next instalment!

The Twelve Books of Christmas: Day 9

Day 9:
Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi

Strong female protagonist who is badass and also surprisingly vulnerable? Check.
Stupidly hot villain who actually has mush for a heart and is a cutie pie? Check.
Incredible storytelling? Check.
Equally as hot, cute and sweet guy who desperately wants to help our hero? Check.
Ensuing love triangle? Check (sort of... it kind of resolves itself in book #2 without Juliette actually having much a decision to make)
Amazing world building? Check.
Should you read this/give this to someone else as a present? Yes, yes, yes!

Juliette Ferrars has a problem: everyone she touches, she tortures. Her touch can kill. Her touch is literally torture. She's locked away for it by her own family, isolated and alone.
Until one day she's offered a chance to escape and change her life. Warner wants her to be his weapon and his queen. Adam wants to save her - from herself and from the world. But can she be saved? And most importantly, does she want to be saved?
These books are Young Adult, but don't let that fool you: they are absolutely brilliant, and Juliette is a delight as a narrator. It helps that I have a deep, unconditional love for Warner.
For all my thoughts on the last book of the trilogy, Ignite Me, here's my review.

Mirror X Blog Tour

Mirror X by Karri Thompson

BLOG TOUR November 17 – 21, 2014

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Mirror X! Here's an excerpt of the novel to get your interested, and all you need to know about the book and where to buy it!

        "After Ella left, I was a naked, semi-invalid with Standup, a giant Gumby, on my back. I drew my arm across my breasts and rounded my shoulders as the shower’s lights, set on “tranquility mode,” exploded and sparkled against the glass walls like the inside of a geode. A melody echoed from the floor like a distant tribal song, its vibrations invigorating the soles of my feet.

As the blood-warm water pulsed down my back, all I could think about was Michael. There was just something especially alluring about a guy who had the power to wake up a girl from the dead. Did he lie to me? Yes. Did he keep me from the truth? Yes. But I couldn’t hold it against him. He had to. It was his job. And due to his job, we couldn’t be together.

When I left the shower, the mirror above the bathroom sink bore the refection of a girl. The image grimaced at the hollows under its eyes and the paleness of its cheeks, but then it smiled, pleased its lips were still plump and red, and that its irises glistened like sapphires. Its brows were thin and perfectly arched and its eye lashes long and full despite a one thousand year sleep of death. It was hard to believe that reflection was me."

Cassie Dannacher wakes up in a hospital over 1,000 years into the future after her space capsule is retrieved from space. She soon learns that 600 years prior to her arrival, the earth was struck by a plague, killing over half of the world’s population. Naïve and desperate, Cassie, who longs for home and is having trouble adjusting to the new, dictatorial 31st century government, is comforted by Michael Bennett, the 20-year old lead geneticist at the hospital where she was revived.

But why is Cassie in genetics’ hospital in the first place, and why do several of the people around her seem so familiar, including Travel Carson, the hot and edgy boy she is fated to meet? Soon she discovers there is a sinister answer to all of her questions – and that they want something from Cassie that only she can give.

BUY IT AT:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/MXAmazon

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/BnNMX

iTunes: http://bit.ly/MXiTunes

Kobo: http://bit.ly/MirrorXKobo

~*~ABOUT KARRI~*~

Growing up in San Diego, California, Karri Thompson spent much of her years at the beach, reading novels, tanning, and listening to music. At SDSU, she earned a BA in English, MA in education, and her teaching credential. As a wife, mother, and high-school English teacher, she began writing novels, giving all of the compelling plots and unique characters in her head a home. Victorian literature rocks her socks, and when she’s not writing, jogging, going to concerts, or watching her son play football, she’s reading Dickens.

Find her at: http://www.karrithompson.com/

Shipping Saturdays #7: Igniting the Love

The winner of last week's Shipping Saturdays was: Will Herondale!

Welcome to Shipping Saturdays! Basically, I talk about my favourite ship in a book/series, and then you guys get to vote on which favourite pairing of that book/series you prefer. If there are any couples you'd like me to talk about, let me know in the comments (along with what book they're from, in case I haven't read it yet!) and I'll add them to the list.

Hello there beautiful bookworms! Today I'm talking about a ship that is very close to my heart for various reasons (not least because I love the guy to absolute bits).
It's time to talk the Shatter Me books.

In many ways, I think Aaron Warner is very similar to Damon, whom I talked about here, in that both of them are "the bad brother" (though with Warner we only find out about the brother thing on much later on) in the triangle, but ultimately they really just have massively soft hearts that have been hurt one too many times.
No, of course that doesn't excuse murder. If it did, every killer only had to plead guilty and tell the jury a sob story and they'd go off free. But I digress. Warner's tragic daddy issues don't excuse his less than stellar actions before he met Juliette, but that doesn't change the fact that he's perfect for her. In a world where it's kill or be killed for her, he brings out the strong, the confident, the side of her that can accept who and what she is, accept it fully and use it to make the world a better place; Adam accepted her and loved her as she was (which is more than can be said for Stefan), but he was also terrified of Juliette, and therefore she was terrified of herself.
It was only Warner's unwavering belief and encouragement for her to embrace her powers as part of who she was that Juliette was able to overcome her fear and control her powers, to use them for good. So no, while Warner's actions can't be excused, you'll have to present me with a very solid case to convince me that Warnette isn't one the most beautiful ships out there.

Aaron or Adam?

Adam!

Warner!

Kenji! (?)

Poll Maker

The Infinite Sea

Title: The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave #2)
Author: Rick Yancey
Genre: Dystopia
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 7/10

Okay. Okay. It's taken me nearly a week to write this review, because I was sorting through in my mind what I could say without sounding like a whiny teenager. Fact is, after the awesome that was The 5th Wave, I was expecting to be blown away by more awesome in The Infinite Sea, but... alas, I was disappointed.
Talking it through with Kim, I realised that my main point of contention was that it felt like the book started, and then ended basically in exactly the same place it had started.
I missed Cassie, and would have liked to be in her head more - and, as Kim agrees, there was a distinct lack of Evan, which was very sad.

I did love Ringer, though. At first, I dismissed her, thinking we'd get a couple of chapters in her POV and then go back to mainly Cassie, but as it became more and more obvious that that wouldn't happen, I started paying more attention to her, and actually really liked her. She's not as easy to like as Cassie; she's more prickly and cold, but I loved her single-minded determination to get stuff done. Plus, the whole thing with Razor. I'm still in firm denial over that entire scene.

Sadly, due to the events of the novel, I felt like Cassie, Ben and Sam (and Evan) showed little to no character development... again, mostly because we spent the majority of the book with Ringer, only to have them end up in pretty much the same place they'd been when the book started. Slightly annoying, if I'm honest. I did very much enjoying Cassie and Evan bickering like an old married couple, though.
All in all, a solid 4/5; and I hope #3 shows more character development in more than just one character (and even then, quite dubiously so)

Mockingjay Trailer

How awesome does it look? :)

The One

Title: The One (The Selection #3)
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10 (as usual)

Contains spoilers regarding the end pairing, so kindly avert your eyes if you don't want to know.
I could go on endlessly about why I love this book. But really, it comes down to the fact that I got to high-five my kindle at the end.
Just kidding.
Sort of.

No, but honestly, though. Throughout The Elite, the pain and heartache of a love triangle always kept me on the edge about whether or not my pairing would... pair out, pun intended. I had a feeling that was the only way to go, but you never know, what with authors taking drastic (and courageous) decisions lately, like killing off their protagonist (I don't need to name names, you all know what I'm talking about), so I wasn't quite sure. And I sort of loved that - that uncertainty right until the end, because I'll be honest, I always thought Aspen and Mer had more of a friends' relationship than anything, so when she starts looking at him a lot towards the end, it did make me worry for a second there. But, no, she pulled through in the end, and boy WHAT an end! 
I was nearly in tears, because holy shit Maxon, for a guy who swore up and down never to write a love letter, you sure wrote one pretty amazing one, damn you. And then I wanted to strangle him, and it was perfect. Absolutely perfect, because even at 98%, I still didn't know if he'd made it, and I just love it when books can keep me on edge like that. Bravo, Ms Cass, beautifully done.
As for America herself, well. She's spunky and I love her, what can I say? She does remind me of me a little, with all her foot-in-mouth situations, though I'm obviously no princess, so no one really cares ;)
It's sad that this is the last book - I was really looking forward to something about life in Ilea after the castes are gone... who knows? Maybe one day we'll get a short story revolving around married bliss that mentions how everything's going. I think I'd like that very much, cause I will miss that pig-headed prince (woops, King now!) of theirs.

Half Bad

Title: Half Bad (Half Life #1)
Author: Sally Green
Genre: YA dystopia
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 7/10

I... wow. Okay. First off, can I just say how refreshing it was to have a male protagonist? Don't get me wrong, I love me some strong, badass female protagonist just as much as the next person, but I haven't come across a male one since Percy Jackson, and before that, only with Harry.


But moving on. Nathan was... different. I will say, this book gets a 4.5 rating simply because some of the indecision bored me a little. However, I want book 2. It's not a desperate desire for it, but I think there's loads of potential in it. The whole idea (which is really only explored in the epigraph from Shakespeare, but which, I think, is likely to be explored more in the next instalment) of there not being any good or bad, just people's pre-concieved notions of good and evil, really intrigued me, and I can definitely see how that would translate into Nathan's life.

As for the romance angle, I don't know. Annalise seems to me like the fantasy of a 14-year old boy. A lot can change in 3 years, though, and to be perfectly honest, I felt that Nikita (Ellen) was a better match for him than Annalise. Or, if he turns out to swing that way, I'm all for Gabriel, too.

Either way, a very good book - and an easy read, too. Despite the possibility for a deep, psychological search in book 2, Half Bad sticks quite nicely to the physical aspect of growing up without parents and having to deal with the doubts and questions about who you are and how, if at all, your thoughts and feelings during your teenage years will shape who you become in the future.

Ignite Me

Title: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Dystopia, YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

Five stars aren't quite enough to describe this book. Even Adam's bitchiness was perfect. My one issue with it is this: it's YA! Oh the potential for smut! With my two beautiful babies, too. My heart still cries over what could have been.
But in a way like this fit them perfectly too. I didn't mind so much not getting to see that softer, more intimate side of them together because Mafi wrote it in a way that it didn't need to go into explicit details to show that softer side. And it was utterly, entirely, completely beautiful. 
And now I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. I'm just sitting here in stunned silence, thinking maybe I need to go back and read chapter 55, cause chapter 62 doesn't hold a candle to it. And I want more. I want to see them grow old together, bickering the entire way just because he loves to see her when he's mad at him. I want to see his relationship with James grow. Hell, I even want to see him and Adam grow closer.
I want it so much and it hurts so damn much because I know there isn't more.
Juliette was perfect in this book. The darkness I always knew was there finally broke through, and boy did I enjoy her putting Adam in his place. Jealousy because your ex is moving on is fine, but it turned into something much, much uglier, and if she'd given into her, she would have become just another victim of male oppression, always trying to be someone she's not because otherwise her boyfriend would go ballistic on her. No. And Warner, he brings out her strength. He pushes her to be only herself, to not be ashamed of who she is; and in turn, she makes him a better man. Not because she doesn't accept him the way he is and wants to change him, but because her love gives him the strength to do the right thing. And watching them bring out the best in each other out was mesmerising. Though the two stubborn mules were frustrating at times, his love for her shone through every single action of his, and that's why the ending was perfect...
... and yet not nearly enough.
But for this one, I clap and I bow to you, Tahereh. Perfect ending to a beautifully crafted series.

Book Covers: Ignite Me, The Selection Stories and The One

I'm doing some hasty catching up here, and putting together all the beautiful covers we've been given of late:

"The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end."

Now if that doesn't pique your interest, here, have the blurb for The Selection Stories, out February 4th, right along with Ignite Me (above):

"The two novellas set in the world of Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series are now available in print for the first time. The Prince and The Guard both offer captivating views into the hearts and minds of the two men fighting to win America Singer's love. This collection also features exclusive bonus content, including a sneak peek at The One, the eagerly anticipated final novel in the Selection trilogy.

Before America arrived at the palace to compete in the Selection, there was another girl in Prince Maxon's life. The Prince opens the week before the Selection begins and follows Maxon through the first day of the competition.

Raised as a Six, Aspen Leger never dreamed that he would find himself living in the palace as a member of the royal guard. In The Guard, readers get an inside look at Aspen's life within the palace walls--and the truth about a guard's world that America will never know."

No? Still not good enough? FINE, then. Here, have the breathtaking cover for The One, out May 6th. And yes. That does look suspiciously like a wedding dress.

Sadly, no blurb for that as of yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Confessions of a Book Worm #3

Yesterday, I heard someone on a podcast (I'm not going to name names here, 'cause I don't think that's cool) talk about how they thought Hunger Games was a 'soft' dystopia, for those who didn't have the guts to read the 'real stuff', i.e. Battle Royale, etc. They went on to say how ridiculous it was that 40-year-olds were taking Hunger Games seriously.

Listening to that, I wanted to punch something. It reminded me of why I don't usually listen to podcasts, because stuff like this gets spewed out without real thought of what is being said. First of all, Hunger Games is dystopia, yes. Whether you think children being forced to kill each other brutally due to the government's power is 'soft' or not is, I suppose, up to you, so I'm going to hold judgment on that one. However, saying that it's ridiculous that people (even adults) take the story seriously is a whole new level of ridiculous in and of itself.
The world we live in is in chaos right now. Sure, the news channels are trying to downplay it to stop worldwide fear from coming through, but we have protests in Brazil, Greece, Texas, UK, Russia, Australia... We have people fighting for better education and welfare, and living in fear that their protests will result in a military dictatorship. We have women fighting for the right to own their bodies. It's a continuation of the fight for feminism, yes, but just as serious as the fight for the vote, or for equal rights, because guess what - we're still not equal. No one tells a rapist he needs to become an eunuch because he raped a girl and got her pregnant. And yet men want to tell women what to do with the result of the rape. We have have communities fighting for the right to love who they want to, without being called sinners, or being imprisoned for it.
This is a turning point in so many ways. And Hunger Games tells us all about a turning point that went south. We don't see too much of anti-feminism or anti-LGBT in Hunger Games, but the message about conforming to those in power comes through loud and clear. We see mothers being told what to with their children, wit no options. We see couples being broken up because of the government. We see unfair imprisonment. We see a young girl fighting with all she has for her life, her freedom, and her ability to marry who she wants, when she wants, and not be told she has to by the president.
Sound familiar?
So don't come and tell me that Hunger Games shouldn't be taken seriously. It should be taken very, very seriously. Not only because of the message the books sends about standing up for your individual rights as a human being, but also because what happens if this turning point we're at right now turns south too?
Don't even try telling me that no one would ever think of killing kids as coercion. It's been done before, thousands of times, throughout history, so what's to stop it from happening again? Because if this shit goes bad, it's going to be a free-for-all. Then, my friends, 'may the odds be ever in your favour'.

Gameboard of the Gods

Title: Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10 (not sure what/how it links to the story, but the swirls are pretty)


I know I shouldn't; I mean, you'd think that after ten adult books and nine young adult books, I'd be used to it. An yet, this woman's ability to captivate me with her stories never ceases to amaze me. And honestly? I'm hoping it never, ever does. Because, boy do I love the crazy rides her increasingly crazy main girls take me on.

To those of you familiar with Richelle's other works, the only way I can describe Mae (and I won't even try to spell her surname. I'm still trying to tackle Danila's. One crazy name at a time, please) is like, quite literally, a grown up version of Rose if Dimitri had stayed Strigoi, and Rose hadn't broken up with Adrian. Now, that was never a future that appealed to me, because in Rose's case, Dimitri was in the picture, and really, there's just no question when it comes to those two. But with Mae, I was happily surprised.  The similarities between Jason and Adrian can be quite astonishing for those who know what to look for, but at the same time, they're intrinsically different. Still, it was quite a shock to find myself yelling in my mind for them to just get it on already. Of all the books to make me reconsider my feelings on indulging, vice-imbibing, asshole-inclined, superior-minded, arrogant pricks, this was not the one I expected. But it did. And god help me, I fell head over heels in love with Jason. The jury's still out for Adrian, though.
Even more interestingly, is Tessa. The best way I can describe her, if we're still going with the Richelle Mead book examples, is as a bizarre cross between Sydney and a pinch of Rose. And yet something else too, because she's endearing - and while I love both leading ladies mentioned above, neither can be called endearing.
So what's the book about, and what makes it so amazing, you may ask? Join those three characters above, add in some crazy magic/god action, sexual tension thick enough to give even Georgina and Seth a run for their money, politics that are actually, bizarrely, quite intriguing, a dystopian-like country, and top it off with the trademark Mead snark and fabulous dialogue, and you have your answer. And if that doesn't sell you on reading this, then you should just read it because it's a Richelle Mead book, and I've come to learn that that basically means it'll blow your mind.
One thing that was, at first, a bit of the shock, is the third person narration that I wasn't used to with Mead's stories. However, once the book gets going (around page 2, as usual), it only ever stood out again whenever I had to stop reading, and then got back to it. Otherwise, in the flow of the narrative, the story lends itself quite well to third person, and it actually helps to keep the tension up, and kept me curious about the backgrounds of Mae and Jason, making me want to read on even more.
Also, to any budding YA readers out there who want to read more RM stuff, but are weary of the adult content, this is a pretty safe place to start. Leave Dark Swan and especially leave the Georgina Kincaid books alone until you can deal with explicit scenes; Gameboard of the Gods is really quite tame considering the usual amount of debauchery I've come to associate with adult books, although I suspect that might change in the next book. No swearing either, so safe enough.
Otherwise, definitely worth a read to any lovers of Richelle Mead, and/or good supernatural books. With a hint of dystopia to boot ;)

The 5th Wave Giveaway!

That's right, my first giveaway!
If you live in this world and like dystopia, then you've most likely heard of Rick Yancey's new book, 'The 5th Wave'. In case you haven't, though, here's my review of it.

Now down to the fun stuff. I'm giving away a bran-spanking-new copy of The 5th Wave. You might well ask yourself why the hell I would do that? It just so happens that the copy I reviewed was an ARC, and so I got this extra one lying around. So I figured a great book like this should be read - and now you get the chance to do so, for free! :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 5th Wave

Title: The 5th Wave

Author: Rick Yancey

Genre: Dystopia

Rating: 5/5

Cover: 8/10

Oh, my. Not so long ago, I was asking myself where were all the fabulous books this year. Well, here's one of them.

This book is described like a good read for people who liked Hunger Games. And, yeah, sure, it's dystopia, and it's dangerous, and kids fighting, but wow. Don'y scoff at it because you think 'been there done that'. No. Trust me. You haven't. There is nothing like this book out there. Nothing. It has the best characteristics of Hunger Games, and then a heap of its' own wonderful traits. Joined together to make a simply fabulous book. It literally had me on the edge of my seat throughout the book, always trying to guess what was going to happen next, or what was happening then to the other characters.

Because that's part of the book's charm: it has multiple narrators. And while the first switch might come as a bit of a shock, by the end of the book, you can guess in the first paragraph which character is narrating. The switching narrators gave the book an entirely different feeling; more embodied, more full; something that wouldn't have been possible if the story had been told only from one person's POV, so the changing really does add that extra edge to the plot.

I really liked Cassie's fresh voice. Reading her thoughts, it many times made me laugh, because what she says and what she thinks are so in tune with what we adolescents think and say now, that the contrast it creates is just... it's mind-boggling. Cassie's world is destroyed and in ashes. And yet she comes out with some snarky comments that you could hear if you went out for a stroll in the street, and that's just great, because it reminds us that even though her situation is very different from ours, she's still just a teenage girl trying to make sense of a mad world.

Definitely read it. Though, word of warning for fans of future-based dystopia: this isn't in the future. It's very much based in the present world, only their world has alines. There is no special tech, no floaty cars or anything like that. Just your average BMWs, guns and good old-fashioned punches.

The Elite

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA, dystopia
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I want to cry because of Maxon, but at the same time, I just want to dance and celebrate because of Aspen. I'm not sure how forthcoming I've been about who I ship with who in the series, so hopefully that statement confuses you. 
I can't even start explaining all the emotions this book put me through, at least not without spoiling something major which you need to not know until the very end so that you can enjoy the book. I can, however, say that I read this in one day - and I had a 3-hour meeting, too. I read walking to the station, on the train, on the tube, walking to my meeting, and all that again on the trip back. It's dangerous and I nearly missed my stop on the way back, I was so engrossed in the book. It might also have something to do with the fact that I was having my heart ripped to shreds on a bloody train, and had to fight back tears.

America... I can safely say I'd forgotten how incredibly girly she is. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but usually authors seem to have a need to sow their heroines as incredibly strong physically, and less girly - they don't giggle or gossip much. But America is very much like a real girl in the sense that she does all that, she worries about what she's wearing, and how she looks; but she also has an inner strength that can be surprising, if one only focuses on those traits, and dismisses her as an airhead. She's so far from that, but appearances can be deceiving. So when she delivers her punch, let me tell you, it hits hard. I did have a very hard time with her constant switching from Aspen to Maxon every time something went wrong with Maxon, but I've seen this happen so many times now, it hardly even bothers me for the right reasons (because she's stringing them both along to a certain extent... though, you know, so is Maxon, kind of. And Aspen... well. Spoilers.), but because I've already figured out who she's going to pick, and just get mad at her for not sticking with him and saving them both heartache. If book characters heard my yelled instructions, their lives would be SO much easier. Their loss ;)

Maxon... I have my reservations towards his character, just like Mer did at times. Which is a first in a situation like the one I found myself in after finishing the book. Still, I believe that, deep down, he's a good guy, and I mean, really... a worse king than his dad, he cannot be, so there's that. My reservations come mostly from the fact that, though he professes his love for Mer, he is still essentially seeing people on the side. I know it's not really his fault, but it does add a certain feeling of, shall we say... cheating. And that's just the tip of it, but I'm keeping quiet. Spoilers and all...

Aspen. Oh god. I can't stand him. Which is weird, cause I do have very strong feelings about who he should end up with (but then, the same goes to Maxon, so don't read too much into that statement... or maybe do! haha) I'm pretty sure he explained to Mer why he broke up with her before the Selection, but it must have been a piss-poor reason, cause I've already forgotten it. So I really dislike him. But I love the idea of him being with the person I have in mind. UGH. CONTRADICTIONS!


Anyway. Read, read, read. It's wonderful, and I need someone to discuss it with ;)

Cover Reveal #2!

We're full of covers today! Ally Carter has promised the Heist Society #3 cover for today too, but for now, I leave you with the beautiful cover of The Chemical Garden #3, Sever by Lauren DeStefano, along with the blurb. Sever is scheduled for an early 2013 release.

"What if you knew exactly when you would die? In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering has turned every newborn into a ticking time bomb — males only live to age 25 and females only live to age 20.

In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When 16-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by "the Gatherers" to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Rhine has only one purpose after she has been married to her new husband, Linden: to escape and find her twin brother.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant to whom she is dangerously attracted, Rhine is desperate to learn the truth and protect those closest to her. But, as her sister wife Cecily keeps insisting, her role may be much bigger than that.

In the first two books of the Chemical Garden trilogy, Wither and Fever, Rhine struggles to escape the mansion and then to navigate the brutal world outside. Now in Sever, the third and final book, Rhine uncovers some shattering truths about the past that her parents never had the chance to tell her and the alarming implications regarding her own genes. She may be the one who can save the human race."

Under the Never Sky

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Genre: Dystopia
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

Frankly, I have no idea what took me so long to pick this book up. I really don't. The cover is lovely, the title is intriguing... And while I am now glad that it took me longer to read it, because I have to wait less for the next one, it is also sad that I went on for all that time, not knowing what an awesome book it was.

*ahem* Yes. Under the Never Sky is the story of Aria. In Aria's post-apocalyptic world, society was forced into pods to escape the Aether storms - imagine super-frying lighting storms - which almost decimated the population years ago. Inside the pods, everyone lives through a computer mechanism, the Smarteye, which simulates being in different places, while your real body isn't actually doing any of those things. When Aria's mom, who is working in another pod, stops contacting her for a week, Aria gets desperate. She misjudges people's agenda... She gets kicked out of the pod.
Left to starve, die of dehydration, to be eaten by a wild animal, or worse of all, to be killed in an Aether storm, Aria is sure she won't survive to see her next day rise.

Can I just take a moment here to appreciate how amazingly this story was written? It's in two different POVs, so you get a very, very profound understanding of both Perry's - the outsider, tough, and somewhat mean guy who will fight till his last breath for those he loves - and Aria's - the insider, scared and sometimes whiny (though admittedly, she has her reasons) girl who finds herself alone in a place which, according to everything she's been told all her life, means certain death for her - backgrounds.
And it is true beauty to see both of them get over their prejudices, and their previous concepts of each other's worlds.
Plus, Under the Never Sky has it all. You want to see something heartbreaking? Check. You want to read action scenes? Check. You want romance? Check. Sexual tension? Double check. Character development? Triple check. Plot twists? Check again. Paranormal side? Check. Family intrigue? Check that one ten times, and then some. Whatever you're looking for in a book, Under the Never Sky has it, plus a few things you didn't even know you were looking for, but that complement the story flawlessly.

If you haven't yet, go read it. I promise you, it will not disappoint.

Book Review: Insurgent

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: YA, Dystopia
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10

It took me a day to write this review, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this book.
Insurgent starts off exactly where Divergent ended, with Tris, Four (sorry, I refuse to call him Tobias; he'll always be Four to me), Caleb, Peter and Marcus escaping the attacks, and if, like what happened with me, it's been a while since you last read Divergent, you might get a little confused about what's going on, but you'll get back on track pretty fast. The five head to the Amity compound, where the secrets and lies start to bubble to the surface.
Once Tris and Four leave, chased out by Dauntless-Erudite men, the book does not stop. If you want an easy book, with lots of laughter, look somewhere else. What follows is a harrowing tale of two adolescents battling to stay alive within a society that ostracises them because they don't belong in any of the factions. As the hunt for Divergents gets more and more intense, Tris and Four must try to discover who they can trust, who is telling the truth, and who just wants them dead - all while trying to fight the grief. Secrets are revealed, alliances are made, trust is broken, and one family is forever torn apart. The Erudite faction is determined to end all Divergent people, and with half of Tris and Four's adopted faction siding with Erudite, even friends and family may not seem to be who they say they are.

What I really loved about this book, was how Roth portrayed Tris. The girl is 16, saw both of her parents get killed for a "greater good" no one is willing to talk to her about, and had to kill one of her best friends to save her own life. No one in their right mind could blame the girl for being shaken. What I see happen so many times in books, and that makes me a little skeptical, though I've come to accept it, as it happens 99.9% of the time, is that the main character will go through terrible things - lose their entire family, have your best friend killed, be tortured, or anything else in plots, and then they cry for one night, and wake up ready to kick ass again. I'm sorry, but that is just not realistic. When you lose so many people, or even just one person, that's close to you, you do not just rebound that easy. I messes you up. And so yes, I understand Tris's trust issues, I get her apparent desire for suicide. I get it. And I loved that Roth put it in there. It made Tris more than Divergent; it made her human.
That doesn't mean I liked other things. Mostly, I'm giving Insurgent 4.5/5 because I felt that, while the level of depth with Tris was noteworthy, a few other characters were a little lacking, like Caleb and Susan.
And that ending. Holy cow, that ending! It's one thing to talk about cliffhangers. It's another to end a book with one of the biggest plot twists I've ever seen. If nothing else, read Insurgent only to marvel at the amazing skill that is that last plot twist of Insurgent.