Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Pages:336
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Series: Of Poseidon #1
Released: May 22, 2012

 

The Story

"Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen--literally, ouch!--both teens sense a connection.

But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she houlds the key to his kingdom..."

Our Heroine: Emma

"I smack into him as if shoved from behind...The fire on my cheeks has nothing to do with the fact that it's sweaty-eight degrees in the Florida sun and everything to do with the fact that I just tripped into the most attractive guy on the planet. Fan-flipping-tastic...I think I can see the shape of my cheek indented on his chest." (p. 1-2)

I absolutely loved Emma! She was funny, spunky, and stubborn. The book alternates between her and Galen's POV, and her's is written in first person while his is written in third. Emma has a very well-developed "voice" and I loved her sense of humor.

Here's a little taste of what I'm talking about: "That Galen found me clear across the country seems more miraculous than a push-up bra." (p. 43) I was grinning/giggling throughout the whole book!

I also adored the romance between her and Galen. At first I was worried because it felt a tad bit like insta-love at first, but as the story went along I felt more that it was instant attraction and she gradually developed deeper feelings for Galen as she got to know him better.

I also appreciated that Emma was a strong character and had a good, sensible head on her shoulders. She doesn't totally lose herself over Galen and melt in a puddle at his feet and throw herself at him. She is attracted to him but she remains sensible and feisty towards him, and she does not give him an easy time of things!

Main Characters

• Galen

 "It feels like...like wrestling with an electric ray. And then when we touch, it's like swimming over a volcano vent. Hot, all over. But it's more than that. You know how you feel when one of our own is near?...I'm not just aware of Emma. I'm...I'm..."
"Drawn to her?" 
Galen looks at his friend. "Yes, exactly." (p. 53)

Galen was sweet, thoughtful, and gentle, though with a bit of a temper and a jealous streak. I loved him and Emma together!

There were also many funny moments because Galen is a Syrena (what the mermaids are called in the book), and even though he can take human form he doesn't know everything about them and sometimes isn't very good at being human.

• Rayna & Toraf

"Galen greets his friend with a strong punch to the arm. "Good to see your tracking skills are still intact after the accident and all."
Toraf stares at Rayna's back. "Accident, yes. Next time, I'll keep my eyes open when I kiss her. That way, I won't accidentally bust my nose on a rock again. Foolish me, right?"" (p. 48)

Rayna is Galen's twin sister, and the mate of Toraf, Galen's best friend. I loved these two characters! Rayna was hot-tempered and strong-willed. Toraf was loyal and totally adored Rayna, who turns down all of his affections.

The interactions between the two of them were funny and sweet, I loved the two of them together! It seems like Rayna hates Toraf's pursuit of her, but Toraf's theory is that Rayna acts like she hates him to make him chase her harder to get more attention.

To Read Or Not To Read? 

Ohmysweetgoodness! I totally fell in love with this book!! I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I was totally captivated by the characters. This is the first mermaid book I've ever read, and I found it very interesting!

Of Poseidon was well-written with characters you will fall in love with and that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. I would definitely recommend it! If you are a fan of the Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White, I think you would really love Of Poseidon because it is written in a similarly feisty, humorous way.

I seriously need the next book, like right now! Gah. I'm going to go crazy waiting for the sequel, Of Triton. I can't wait to read more about these characters and see what happens to them next :]

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

Title: Unwholly
Author: Neal Shusterman
Pages: 402
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Series: Unwind trilogy #2
Released: August 28, 2012

 

The Story

"Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa, and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens, and in the same stroke, providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question."

Connor, Lev, and Risa are all return book. I love their characters and how they grow and develop. I especially love Risa--she was so strong, brave, and independent, and I admired her for refusing the spine of an unwind after her accident even though it meant being confined to a wheelchair.

We're introduced to several new characters in UnWholly as well, and it's interesting to see how their paths eventually cross with the original characters from Unwind. I loved all of the characters, and really got pulled into the story emotionally.

The story follows the journeys of all these different characters, which allows the reader to view unwinding from all different perspectives. I really loved how the author did this! Sometimes, through different character's perspectives, I could actually see how they thought unwinding was a good thing. 

I was really shocked to find myself having mixed feelings about unwinding at some points in the story! But Neal Shusterman does a spectacular job of making you really feel for the characters and see things from their perspective.

There are several different sub-plots of the story, but the main plot focuses on Connor and the Graveyard. He is now in charge of the Graveyard and keeping AWOL unwinds safe, but their safety is threatened because the juvie cops know about them.

Connor knows it's only a matter of time before they take out the Graveyard. He has to come up with an escape plan to get all the kids to safety before the juvies decide to take them down, but he soon finds that he is quickly running out of time.

  New Characters

• Mason Starkey

 "He talks as if Starkey should have known they were coming, but what Unwind ever really knows? Every Unwind believes in their heart of hearts that it won't happen to them....But Starkey's been a potential candidate for unwinding since the moment he arrived on his parent's doorstep." (p. 4)

 Starkey's parents choose to have him unwound because he was an unwanted baby who was 'storked' on their doorstep. He has grown up being teased about being storked and is called "storkey."  When he finds his way to the Graveyard he soon causes problems for Connor that might put all of the AWOL's in jeopardy.

At first, I felt sorry for Starkey. But as I saw more of his character and how it developed, I came to hate him. Oh my goodness I have not hated a character so much in a long time! It's not that he was a bad character--he was a very well-written character. He was just a total jerk.

He was manipulative, cunning, charismatic, deceitful, selfish, and cold. He hates the way storked kids are treated and wants them to be respected and save them from being unwound. His intentions are good, but the way he acts them out are not.

Starkey was a really interesting character and very well-developed--and he had reasons for all the stuff he did. In his mind, he was totally justified. Even though I hated his guts, I understood where he was coming from.

• Miracolina

"The girl has known since before she can remember that her body has been sanctified to God. She has always been aware that on her thirteenth birthday she would be tithed and would experience the glorious mystery of having a divided body and a networked soul...There are people who say it's death, but she believes it to be something else--something mystical, and she believes it with every ounce of her soul." (p. 30)

Like Lev in the first book, Miracolina is a tithe. However, at the last moment her parents decide that they don't want to tithe her after all, but Miracolina completely believes that unwinding is a good thing and her purpose in life. She leaves to be unwound of her own free will.

It was crazy seeing things from Miracolina's perspective, how totally brainwashed she had been. She ends up being rescued by the Resistance, and is furious. I couldn't believe how determined she was to be unwound!

But as we get to know her character more, we understand her reasons and why she thinks unwinding is a good thing. Sometimes I even almost found myself agreeing with her. Her storyline crosses with Lev's, and it was interesting seeing the two of them interact.

• Cam

"That face is a nightmare. Strips of flesh, all different shades, like a living quilt stretched across the bone, muscle, and cartilage beneath...His eyes ache from the sight of himself, and tears cloud them... "Monster!" he says." (p. 59)

Cam was a really intriguing character, and raised so many questions! He is 'created' using the parts of nearly one-hundred unwound kids. People don't know what to think of him--is he human? Does he have a soul? Is he his own person?

I didn't know what to make of Cam at first. I was disgusted, but at the same time I felt sorry for him because he couldn't help the way he was created. He was spoiled and childish, but he was also innocent and caring. He was such an interesting character, and I'm still not sure how exactly I feel about him.

To Read Or Not To Read? 

Oh my goodness gracious, this book was all sorts of awesome!! It was full of amazing characters, tension that left me on the edge of my seat, adrenaline-pumped action, and a premise that had me thinking long after I closed the book.

I think that this book was actually better than the first, if that's even possible. It was a long 5 year wait between books but I can assure you the wait is well worth it and you will not be disappointed!

Also, for those of you who are worried about remembering details about the previous book like I was, the author provides a brief guide at the beginning that helps to jog your memory.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more interesting, Neal Shusterman raises even more thought-provoking questions in this book. This book is seriously deep! This is one of those stories that's going to linger in my mind for days.

If you haven't read the Unwind books, I highly recommend them! Especially if you are a fan of dystopians, this is a must-read. I'm eagerly anticipating that final installment of the trilogy, UnSouled, and I hope the wait won't be as long as the last!


Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Title: Tiger Lily
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 292
Publisher: Harper Teen
Series: Stand Alone
Released: July 3rd, 2012

 

The Story

"Let me tell you something straight off. This is a love story, but not like any you've heard. The boy and the girl are far from innocent. Dear lives are lost. And good doesn't win. In some places, there is something ultimately good about endings. In Neverland, that is not the case." (p.3)

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. When Tiger Lily first meets Peter Pan she is both afraid and fascinated. She soon falls under his spell and finds herself risking everything to be with him.

When Tiger Lily is promised in marriage to an awful man in her tribe, she must decide whether she will accept her fate and hold onto her old life, or run away with Peter to an uncertain future.

Our Heroine: Tiger Lily

"For a long time Tiger Lily took up with the boys, going with them on hunts, dominating in mud fights. Only, she did too well at everything. She was too fast; her aim was too good. Her quiet confidence gave her a reputation for being haughty, and the boys...didn't like being beaten." (p.19)

Tiger Lily was a completely different character from what I was expecting and had imagined, but I fell in love with her! She was wild, quiet, spirited, strong, and beautifully flawed. For all of her strength she is undone by her love for one boy. I could empathize with her tomboyish ways--she is more interested in hunting, swimming, climbing trees, and running through the forest than trying to be like a girl.

Unfortunately, her village frowns upon her behavior. My heart went out to her. Not only did they shun her because she refused to become what they believed an ideal girl should be, but they also shunned her because they believed she was cursed. Because of this she has few friends and is more hardened/guarded.

But even though Tiger Lily acts like a boy, you can see that she still wants to be thought of as beautiful when she is teased about being ugly. She pretends she doesn't care, but in reality her feelings are hurt. How often do young girls say they don't care about their looks when they really do? I could totally relate to this.

Tiger Lily was a fascinating, layered, and flawed character with lots of internal struggles, and I completely fell in love with her!.

Our Villains: Captain Hook and Smee

"To get to Neverland, Hook had begged, stolen, and eventually murdered. He'd searched for years. He'd become the things he'd hated as a younger man. So imagine his surprise when he'd arrived at long last, and realized...it didn't work. He was still growing older... Time had revealed to James Hook a different kind of James Hook from the one he had thought he was." (p. 122)

I was expecting Captain Hook to be the primary villain of the story, but I feel that Smee actually played a bigger role as a villain. These are not the same villains from the Disney movie! Smee isn't the laughable, bumbling pirate--he is a murderer who kills those he admires.

Hook is portrayed as a crazed and broken man. He is obsessed with finding the lost boys and Peter Pan and getting rid of them, but the traditional rivalry between him and Peter is absent which I sort of missed.

I found myself pitying Hook more than fearing him, but Smee gave me chills. This was why I decided that Smee was more of the villain than Hook. I liked that the author made both villains human and gave reasons behind their actions so that they weren't villains for the sake of being villains.

Main Characters

• Tinkerbell

 "To understand what it's like to be a faerie, tall as a walnut and genetically gifted with wings...you must first understand that all faeries are mute. ...It's good in some ways, not to have a language. It makes you see things. You turn your attention, not to babbling about yourself...but to observing. (p.3-4)

I was very surprised when I started reading this book and realized that it was told in first person from Tinkerbell's perspective. I was totally caught off guard! Honestly, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. But as I got further into the book it really grew on me, and by the end I couldn't have imagined the story being told differently.

It was interesting that we got to learn about different things about Tinkerbell's past since it was told from her perspective. I really enjoyed this. I had never thought about where Tinkerbell had come from before. However, this Tinkerbell was different than what I am used to--the jealous, conniving, vicious, sneaky Tink. I wish there would have been a little more of that.

• Peter Pan

"Peter sometimes looked aloof and distant; sometimes his face was open and soft as a bruise. Sometimes he looked completely at Tiger Lily, as if she were the point on which all the universe revolved, as if she were the biggest mystery of life, or as if she were a flame and he couldn't not look even though he was scared. And sometimes it would all disappear into carelessness, confidence, amusement, as if he didn't need anyone or anything on this earth to feel happy and alive." (p. 154)

This was a completely different Peter Pan than what I am used to. I felt that he was more somber, and not as immature, boastful, arrogant, and childish as he is usually portrayed.

I feel like the hardest part of reading re-tellings like this is that you already have the characters so set in your mind that it is difficult to push these feelings aside and open yourself up to new interpretations.

The romance between Peter and Tiger Lily was sweet, child-like, innocent, and at the same time heartbreaking. I loved every moment of it, even the parts that broke my heart.

The Setting: Neverland

"These days, there is no new world. The maps have long since settled and stayed put. People know the shapes of Africa, Asia, and South America. And they know which beasts were mythical and which weren't...The rest is all stories, and stories have been put in their place. Now, the outsiders keep their eyes on their own shores, and we keep our eyes on ours. Too far off route, we've been overlooked, and most of us don't think about the world outside." (p. 2)

This is a completely different Neverland than what you are used to. Forget the Disney version--this Neverland is darker and less magical (no using faerie dust to fly) yet somehow still enchanting.

There are still mermaids and pirates and faeries, however, and people in Neverland don't grow old. But it is a very dangerous place, full of vicious beasts, pirates, and scheming mermaids.

Rather than Neverland being at "the second star to the right and straight on til morning", the author takes a more realistic approach and locates Neverland in an obscure part of the ocean in our own world.

To Read Or Not To Read? 

 

First of all, if you're going to read this book do so with an open mind and a clear head. Forget all of your pre-conceptions about the story of Peter Pan if you want to properly enjoy this book. This was so difficult for me, because I kept wanting to compare it to other versions I'm familiar with rather than take it for what it was.

Second, this book is deep. I loved the different themes in this book--not changing who you are to make others happy, finding acceptance, realizing that there are different types of love and ways to love someone...I'm sure there are many more that I didn't grasp. I would definitely read this book again!

Strangely enough, the thing I liked most about this book was the thing that I also disliked? Is that even possible? I don't really understand it. But it was the bittersweet ending. I appreciated that the author had the guts to write the hard ending, rather than the one most people would approve of.

All in all, this is an underrated book in my opinion! It was amazing, though I can totally see why some people would dislike it. I encourage you to pick it up for yourself and give it a try!

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Title: Seraphina
Author: Rachel Hartman
Pages: 467
Publisher: Random House
Series: Seraphina #1
Released: July 10th 2012

 

 

The Story

"Forty years," interrupted Eskar. "We've had forty years of peace...Only your elders remember the war, but it is not the old who join the Sons of St. Ogdo or riot in the streets. How can there be deep-seated distrust in people who've never been through the fires of war?" (p. 26)

In a world where dragons can take human form, the kingdom of Goredd and dragonkind have been at peace for forty years. As the anniversary of the treaty draws near, tension between humans and dragons mount after Prince Rufus is murdered--and all evidence points to the work of a dragon.

Seraphina, a gifted musician living at the court, joins forces with the captain of the guard Prince Lucian Kiggs to try to find Rufus's murderer and uncover the plot to destroy the peace. But Prince Lucian is a shrewd investigator and Seraphina has her own secret to hide...one that could put her life in danger.

Our Heroine: Seraphina

"I present: Seraphina," Orma said.

Undersecretary Eskar looked down her aquiline nose as if checking human features off a list. Two arms: check. Two legs: unconfirmed due to long houppelande. Two eyes, bovine brown: check. Hair the color of strong tea, escaping its plait: check...Furious or embarrassed redness upon cheeks: check." (p. 28-29)

We find out early on into the book that Seraphina is a half-dragon. She is smart, bold enough to speak up to the princess when need be, has a passion and talent for music, is uncomfortable in crowds of strangers, and though she can be 'prickly' she is kind towards others. Seraphina was a well-developed, interesting, and strong heroine, yet flawed at the same time. I loved her!

Seraphina has scales on her wrist and back that she hides and despises, and she feels like she is a monster. Throughout the story she has this internal struggle of trying to accept what she is and not be ashamed of it, and I really like the way this was developed.

There is one scene that was particularly heart-wrenching where Seraphina tries to pry off one of her scales, and my heart just went out to her. But at the same time I could relate.Who hasn't wished that they could change something physical about themselves? I loved the theme of self-acceptance in this book!

One thing I wasn't too crazy about was Seraphina's 'mental garden' where she keeps her 'grotesques' (strange looking people who appear in her visions). She has to tend to them every night to keep them content so they don't cause her to have visions and black out. It was just really weird to me, and had an Alice in Wonderland feel to it.

Also, I love the name Serapina, it's so cool! But throughout the book the author has the characters call her Phina. Why give your character such an awesome name and then not take advantage of it??

Main Characters

• Orma

"Orma had a scholar's exception from the bell, so few people ever realized he was a dragon. He had his quirks, certainly: he never laughed; he had little comprehension of fashion, manners, or art; he had a taste for difficult mathematics and fabrics that didn't itch...To the rest of Goredd, he was just a man: tall, spare, bearded, and bespectacled." (p. 16)

Orma was such a fun, interesting character! There were lots of funny moments with him that helped to lighten the more serious mood of the story, and you can't help falling in love with him. Dragons don't feel/understand emotions or sarcasm, so a lot of things went over his head which lead to giggles. He was one of my favorites in this book :]

• Prince Lucian Kiggs

"I'd glimpsed the bastard prince across halls at court. He had a reputatin as a shrew and dogged investigator; he worked all the time and was not as outgoing as his uncle Rufus had been. He was also not as handsome--no bear, alas--but seeing him up close, I realized that the intelligence of his gaze more than made up for that." (p. 21)

 I really really loved how the romance between Lucian and Seraphina developed. It was very slow and natural, and I felt everything that Seraphina felt. I swooned. I ached. I yearned. One of the things that I really appreciated was how Seraphina fell in love with him because of his personality, not his looks. No insta-love! Thank you Rachel Hartman!

In fact, we only get a few snippets describing Lucian's physical appearance, and the only time he is described as beautiful is on p. 176: "His enthusiasm made him beautiful." Now to me, that is a thousand times more romantic that a hundred descriptions of how perfect and gorgeous a guy looks!

However, I was annoyed that the author gave him as sexy a name as Lucian but then throughout the book had the characters call him Kiggs. Why??

The Setting: The Kingdom of Goredd

"My eyes flicked invoulentarily toward the dragon ambassador and the goodwill contingent from his embassy, seated behind the nobility but ahead of the common rabble. They were in their saarantrai--their human forms--but were immediately recognizable by the silver bells at their shoulders, the empty seats around them, and their disinclination to bow their heads during a prayer." (p. 8)

 Rachel Hartman has created a very interesting, vivid, and well-developed world. I was wholly convinced that Goredd was a real place.

I loved the idea of dragons being able to take human form, like in Sophie Jordan's Firelight series, but these dragons are very different. Dragons don't feel emotions except for when they are in their human forms. They don't understand emotions and think they are useless, and are forbidden from letting human emotions take over while in human form. If they are suspected of being too influence by their emotions--like falling in love--then they are taken to the Censors who erase their emotions and the memories attached to them.

At times Seraphina can be confusing to keep up with because names of things/places/people are sometimes thrown out without explaining what they are. Thankfully there is a glossary at the back of the book which I took full use of, though sometimes it was annoying to have to stop reading to flip to the back to get more information.

One thing I thought was silly was some of the exclamations of the characters: "St. Daan in a pan" and "Blue St. Prue".  Wasn't too crazy about those x]

To Read Or Not To Read? 

Overall, Seraphina was a very interesting, engrossing read! However, sometimes the plot did get a little complicated/confusing to follow, and it seemed to stray off at times. The description is also misleading because Seraphina and Lucian don't really investigate Rufus's death as much as they try to uncover the plot to destroy the treaty.

In fact, I realized hours after finishing the book that though we found out who was behind everything, Rufus's murder was never fully explained. Though the loose ends still tied up well, this really frustrated me for some reason, I suppose because I thought this was supposed to be the main storyline of the book.

If you are a fan of High Fantasy or dragons, you won't want to miss out on Seraphina! Looking forward to the sequel :]

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone 
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 358
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Series: The Grisha #1
Released: June 5th, 2012

 *Note:* I'm trying out a new review format! Love it? Hate it? I would really really appreciate it if you would leave me some feedback in the comments if you read this review :]

I. The Story

"My great-great-great-grandfather was the Black Heretic, the Darkling who created the Shadow Fold. It was a mistake, an experiment born of his greed, maybe his evil...I've spent my life searching for a way to make things right. You're the first glimmer of hope I've had in a long time." (p. 81)

Alina Starkov and her best friend Mal were orphaned during the border wars. When they are drafted into the First Army, they are sent on a dangerous mission to cross the Shadow Fold, an unnatural darkness that divides the land of Ravka and is home to the man-eating volcra. During the crossing they are attacked, and Alina inadvertently saves them when in her desperation she discovers a power within her that had lain dormant. Alina is taken away to be trained as a Grisha, powerful magic-users who are led by the Darkling. The Darkling believes that Alina is the one person who can destroy the Shadow Fold.

II. Our Heroine: Alina Starkov

"Hey!" shouted the soldier. "Watch yourself!"
"Why don't you watch your fat feet?" I snapped, and took some satisfaction from the surprise that came over his broad face. People, particularly big men carrying big rifles, don't expect lip from a scrawny thing like me. They always look a bit dazed when they get it. (p.8)

Alina is a strong character with lots of internal struggles. As an orphan she has never felt that she belongs anywhere, except with her friend Mal. When she discovers she is a Grisha, she has to come to terms with her new power and figure out how to use it and where she fits into this new world. She was a great heroine with both strengths and weaknesses, virtues and flaws, and I really liked her! However I was annoyed by her poor self-image--what is up with all these YA heroines hating on their physical appearance? :P

III. Our Villain: The Shadow Fold (Or Unsea)

"Somewhere in the crowd, someone was singing. Singing? What idiot is singing on his way into the Fold? I glanced again at that smudge on the horizon and had to suppress a shudder...I looked down onto the ruined farms of the Tula...One day it was a place where farmers tended crops and sheep grazed in fields. The next, a dark slash had appeared on the landscape, a swath of nearly impenetrable darkness that grew with every passing year and crawled with horrors." (p. 9-10)

In Shadow and Bone the villain isn't a who so much as it is a what. The idea of the Shadow Fold was interesting, and definitely not a place I'd like to go! The author did a good job of creating tension/foreboding so that when the characters are in the Fold you are on the edge of your seat. I mean, its ever-present darkness filled with hundred upon hundreds of winged, man-eating monsters--that's at least a little creepy!

IV. Main Characters

• Mal (Malyen Oretsev)

 "No fainting in the middle of the road." said a voice close to my ear as a heavy arm landed across my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. I looked up to see Mal's familiar face, a smile in his bright eyes as he fell into step beside me. (p. 10)

 Mal was an easy-going, sarcastic, likable guy, and an extremely talented tracker. I really liked the relationship between him and Alina, how as orphans they always stuck together. The romance took a little longer to grow on me, mostly because Mal isn't present during the middle part of the book so I didn't get to know his character as well as I would have liked, but by the end he won me over ;]

• The Darkling

"I stared, torn between fear and fascination. He's too young, I thought. This Darkling had been commanding the the Grisha since before I was born, but the man seated above me on the dais didn't look much older than I did. He had a sharp, beautiful face, a shock of thick black hair, and clear gray eyes that glimmered like quartz. I knew that the more powerful Grishas were said to live long lives, and Darklings were the most powerful of them all. But I felt the wrongness of it and I remembered Eva's words: He's not natural. None of them are. (p.41)

I found the Darkling to be a very intriguing character. He was brooding, handsome, charming, and, well...dark. And it only adds to his mystery that no one knows his real name. I wasn't sure whether I should fear him or love him, and that combination made him even more attractive to me.

V. The Setting: The Little Palace in Ravka

"It was a strange name, because though it was smaller than the Grand Palace, the "Little" Palace was still huge. It rose from the trees surrounding it like something carved from an enchanted forest, a cluster of dark wood walls and golden domes. As we drew closer, I saw that every inch of it was covered in intricate carvings of birds and flowers, twisting vines, and magical beasts." (p. 86)

The world that Leigh Bardugo creates in Shadow and Bone (Ravka) is not only interesting and captivating, but it is full of details that makes it come alive. By the end of the book, I felt as though it was a real place. I especially loved the Russian feel to the book with the character's and places names, some of the dialect, the cold climate, and fur clothing.

The Grisha live in the Little Palace and are led by the Darkling. The whole order of the different types of Grisha was difficult to grasp at first and I wish it had been better explained what all they could do, but overall I thought the idea was very interesting. Basically there is the Order of the Living and the Dead (Corporalki), made up of Grisha whose power allows them to heal or kill. Then there is the Order of Summoners (Etherealki), who can summon elements such as wind, water, and fire. Lastly, there is the Order of Fabrikators (Materialki), who use their powers to create things. Each Grisha wears a different colored robe called a kefta depending on what they can do.

VI. To Read Or Not To Read? 

Shadow and Bone is a little confusing at first, but it sucks you right in. I'll be honest, at first I was a little uncertain because I didn't think the book was living up to all of the hype. But in the second half it really delivers! That's all I'll say about that ;] I loved the interesting world Leigh Bardugo created, and I can't wait to visit it again in the sequel, Seige and Storm!

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 4/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: Sold by Patricia McCormick

Title: Sold
Author: Patricia McCormick
Pages: 263
Publisher: Hyperion
Series: Stand alone
Released: September 6, 2006
First Line: One more rainy season and our roof will be gone, says Ama.

From Goodreads: "Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family’s crops, Lakshmi’s stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family.

He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at “Happiness House” full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.

An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family’s debt—then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave.

Lakshmi’s life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother’s words— Simply to endure is to triumph—and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision—will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life?

Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs."

 My Thoughts:

"Why must women suffer so?" 
"This has always been our fate. Simply to endure is to triumph."

Oh my holy goodness gracious! I did not expect to like this book as much as I did! Once I turned the last page I immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it again. This is one of my new favorite books, and one of the best books I have ever read!

I very rarely read realistic fiction, but boy am I glad I read this one! Patricia McCormick tells Lakshmi's story masterfully and beautifully. WRITERS: You NEED to read this book! This is an outstanding example of what good writing looks like! And when I say good writing I don't mean just prose, but the way she tells the story and the techniques she uses to allow the reader to get to know the characters. She makes both the characters and the setting come alive and you wholeheartedly believe that you are there with Lakshmi both in her mountain village and trapped in the brothel.

I fell in love with Laksmi--how could I not? She is an innocent, naive, and sweet 13 year-old who wants to help earn money so her family can have a new tin roof. She names the cucumbers in her garden and calls them her children. She makes a necklace of flowers for her goat, Tali. She thinks her mother with her stooped back is more beautiful than a goddess because she carries the burdens of her family.

This book was heartbreaking to read but impossible to put down. Lakshmi's story is tragic but unfortunately all too true for countless young girls who are trafficked into the sex trade every year. Lakshmi is sold into prostitution by her stepfather, who's gambling problem has landed them in debt. Oh gosh, that man made me so furious, I hated him! This book really shows you how powerless women are in some societies, and how terribly they are treated.

For example, Lakshmi's mother tells her, "Never look a man in the eye...Once you are married, you must eat your meal only after your husband has had his fill. Then you may have what remains...If your husband asks you to wash his feet, you must do as he says, then put a bit of the water in your mouth." Lakshmi asks her mother, "Why must women suffer so?" She answers, "This has always been our fate. Simply to endure is to triumph."

The injustices towards women in this book made me so angry. Lakshmi is treated like property and forced to have sex with men in the brothel to earn the owner money. Why are women so hated in the world? Why are they treated so terribly? After reading a book like this you'd think you'd really be hating on the male gender. But Patricia McCormick subtly reminds us that not all men are bad by having a couple of male characters whom befriend Lakshmi. There is the "Tea Boy" who leaves her free tea, and the "David Beckham Boy" who teaches her how to read and speak some English. These sweet, kind boys give Lakshmi hope--and give the reader a reminder that not all men are like the awful customers of the brothel.

To Read Or Not To Read?

This book is a quick but powerful read. Everyone should read this book! Since it is about sex trafficking it is pretty intense, so I would only recommend it for mature readers (16+). But trust me, you will not be disappointed!

My Rating:

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Title: Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Pages: 403

Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: Unearthly #2

Released: January 17, 2012

First Line: "In the dream, there's sorrow."

From Goodreads: "For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning."

 My Thoughts:

 “Our purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing or failing. There's only us, each moment shaping who we are, into what we will become.”

Oh goodness I loved this book! This is going to be a difficult book to review without giving anything away...

Hallowed was very emotional, and at times heart-wrenching. It made me cry, and it's not often that a book does that. I'm just going to say that Clara is put through a lot in this book, and I could both sympathize/empathize with her pain and struggle.

A huge part of Hallowed is Clara finding out that there is more to her purpose than just saving Christian from the fire, but what exactly that is she doesn't know yet. All she does know is that she believes her purpose might have something to do with Christian. Clara has to decide whether she will accept her purpose or fight it if it means giving up Tucker and choosing Christian. Clara wrestles with this throughout the book, not wanting to be controlled by her destiny and wanting to make her own decisions. I really liked the themes in this book about fate, free will, purpose, and our choices.

In Hallowed Clara is also trying to figure out her feelings for Christian. I'm not a big fan of love triangles, but this one worked for me though it wasn't the best love triangle I've seen. I love, love, Tucker, but I'm not as crazy over Christian. I feel that his character is a little too mysterious and needs more development. I can't really say much here without giving anything away, so I'm just going to shut up x]

While I'm on the topic of characters, Angela is easily one of the best characters in this book! She's smart and quirky, and she made me laugh which helped to balance out the emotional parts of the book. Clara is also a great heroine--she is strong but flawed. She is stubborn, she struggles, and she makes mistakes. There is also lots of character conflict in this book to keep things interesting--conflict between Clara and her mom, Clara and Jeffrey, and Clara, Christian, and Tucker. 

In Hallowed we find out more about the angel-bloods, angels, and Black Wings, and there are also some surprising plot twists. Most of the plot is character driven, but there is a little bit of action too! The ending isn't a cliffhanger and it leaves you satisfied, but at the same time it leaves you anticipating the next book as well.

Recommendations:

 Hallowed is well-written and further develops Cynthia's Hand interesting take on angels with their purposes. I'm very excited for Boundless, especially after the hint near the ending of where it will be set :] I would definitely recommend Hallowed to those who loved Unearthly or to those who love stories about angels!

My Rating:

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5  

 

Review: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Pages:376

Publisher: HarperCollins

Series: Under the Never Sky #1

Released: January 3, 2012

First Line: They called the world beyond the walls of the Pod "the Death Shop."

From Goodreads: "Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky."

My Thoughts:

“She absorbed the terror and beauty of him and his world. Of every moment over the past days. All of it, filling her up like the first breath she'd ever taken. And never had she loved life more.” 

Wow. This is easily one of the best books I have read this year. I had heard lots of great things about this book, but I hadn't expected it to be this good! I have fallen completely in love with Under the Never Sky, and it is definitely one of my favorites now.

 Veronica Rossi has created an interesting and different dystopian world. Aria lives in an underground Pod called Reverie and wears a device called a Smarteye that allows her access to virtual realms where she spends most of her time. The slogan for these realms is that they are "better than real." Perry is an Outsider who lives in a tribe out in the "Death Shop", under constant danger from the violent Aether storms. The Aether clouds are always in the sky, so it is never blue. And then these two who come from complete opposite worlds--virtual and real--are thrown together.

This book is told in alternating points of view (in third person) between Aria and Perry. I'm usually not too crazy about this style of story-telling, but Veronica Rossi pulls it off perfectly. I think that this was the perfect way to tell this story, because we get to see both sides. We are drawn into both Aria's world and Perry's. And then when Aria is thrown into Perry's world we get to see it from both of their perspectives.

Another thing I loved about this tactic was that we get to see how Aria and Perry view each other, and how their views change throughout the story. This is a story about how two people from two different worlds are thrust together and must overcome their prejudice, dislike, and mistrust of each other. And despite how different they may be, they are both working toward the same goal: finding someone they love. For Aria it's her mother, for Perry his nephew Talon.

I loved the characters in this book, especially Perry. Veronica Rossi did a marvelous job with developing these characters and making them feel real. You can see how they slowly change and grow throughout the story, and by the end they are different people than when the story started.

The romance in this book was one of the best I've seen in a while! I'm not a fan of insta-love, which is how a lot of YA romances are. Veronica Rossi develops both of these characters and their relationship and we get to see how they gradually fall in love with each other. To me this made the romance feel so much more real!

Recommendations:

Honestly, I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this book. I stayed up until 1AM finishing it, and was so captured by its spell that I didn't even realize it was that late. That is the mark of an awesome book!

I would recommend Under the Never Sky to everyone! Especially fans of dystopians. Seriously, if you haven't read this one yet you need to move it to the top of your list, you won't be disappointed! My only regret is that I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it.

My Rating:

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Creativity/Originality: 5/5
Kept me interested: 5/5