Dying To Know You, by Aidan Chambers

Dying To Know You, by Aidan Chambers

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 1.5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: With Dying to Know You, award-winning author Aidan Chambers has created an indelible portrait of a young man discovering his own voice in the world, and has constructed a story that is as much about the artistic mind as it is the heart.

In this contemporary love story, a teenage boy named Karl enlists a famous writer to help him impress his girlfriend, Fiorella. She has asked him to write her a letter in which he reveals his true self. But Karl isn’t convinced he’s good enough with words, so he tracks down Fiorella’s favourite author and begs him to take up the task. The writer reluctantly assents, on the condition that Karl agrees to a series of interviews, so that the letter will be based on an authentic portrait of Karl. The letter, though effective, has unexpected consequences for Karl, Fiorella, and the writer.

Review:

    What the heck am I reading. That's exactly what I was going through by the time I finished this book. I'm still wondering, why? Why did I want to finish this book so badly, instead of putting it down, throwing it across the room, and stomp on it? One word- yearning.

     I purchased this book because I was craving for something beautiful and wondrous, and that something was bookish romance. What's more cuter than two bookworms and writers falling in love with each other? Nothing, almost nothing. And that's what I wanted, and was looking for the whole entire two hours when reading this book, and I got none of that- except a good character development of Karl. That's just about it- oh and a pretty well written ending. 

     The plot started off fast- too fast for an ordinary contemporary-romance. I didn't get any information about the characters- their pasts, past-exes and all that. I felt like I was watching glue dripping out of a bottle, and that's far more entertaining than this, because you're looking forward to something.

      A little later, everything turned out to be extremely boring and slow, back to the glue dripping idea, and that's the way the rest of the book stayed. I was in a very good mood, so I was being nice with this book and gave it too many chances, but I was never satisfied by the end. Glue, honey, maple syrup, I was watching a whole freakin' grocery store worth of substances dripping, and that's not really fun, if you're asking me.

      The romance was another disgusting element. There was basically NO LOVE. O_o I didn't feel any sparks fly, zero. It was like Karl and Fiorella were acquaintances the whole entire time, I mean, when they "were together as a couple." No difference, broken up or "together." Where was that ultra-passionate gorgeous kiss that showed feelings? Where were the "I love you's?" Zero, nada. 

      

       That's exactly what I felt their relationship was like. Adventure Time gifs rule, by the way. :')

        Now to the somewhat positive part of this book that this get that .5 greatness. Characters, specifically Karl's super jump in development. Karl was a bad character, I really got to admit that. He is not relatable in any way, he's flimsy, clumsy and awkward, haha. I mean, that's probably what the author was trying to get at, but I saw no sign of humour or greatness in him, at least until the end. He made a huge jump in how well he improved as a person and a person who is more capable of showing his feelings, by the end. And I'm proud of him for that.

      Other than that, the characters were unlikeable. I hated Fiorella, so so so much. Why do all female characters have to be so ew-ish lately? Mia from Zac and Mia, and now this one? Ugh. I really wouldn't like to talk about this one, but let me give you a brief two-world recap. Go away. I don't like you. Okay, maybe that's five words, but it's the truth. If you're a strict character judger like myself, then you won't like this freak either, even if she's a writer and reader. She expects too much from a guy and expects him to change for her, for the way she would want him to be, and then basically leaves him and wants even more the next time. It's just disgusting to read about. A character like this better go and stay away from all books, now. 

       I overall think that this was a huge disappointment. Of course, I buy books that I believe I enjoy and possibly will adore, and then I'm left totally stumped. That's sad to feel. :(

The Worlds We Make, by Megan Crewe

The Worlds We Make (Fallen World #3), by Megan Crewe

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Romance

Rating: 2/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: The virus has taken away Kaelyn’s friends, her family, her home.

And now a deadly enemy threatens to take the one hope she has left: THE CURE.

When Kaelyn and her friends reached Toronto with a vaccine for the virus that has ravaged the population, they thought their journey was over. But now they're being tracked by the Wardens, a band of survivors as lethal as the virus who are intent on stealing the vaccine no matter what the cost.

Forced onto the road again, Kaelyn and her companions discover the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is their best hope for finding scientists who can reproduce the vaccine. But with the virus already spreading among them, the Wardens hot on their trail, and hundreds of miles to cross, Kaelyn finds herself compromising her morals to keep her group alive. Her conscience seems a small price to pay if protects them and their precious cargo. Unless even that is not enough...

In the final installment in Megan Crewe’s captivating the Fallen World trilogy, Kaelyn is on the run from her biggest adversaries yet. While she continues to face horrific loss, her resolve is still strong. But to survive this shattered world, will she have to sacrifice all that's left of the girl she was?

Review:

:'(

   The Fallen World series was always one of my favourites. It's the first trilogy that I've ever read about that featured sicknesses in a plague epidemic sort of way. I was very surprised with the end because this trilogy just started off so good for the first two books, and then this ending to the trilogy was really unenjoyable. 

   This was so repetitive and boring compared to the other books from this series. It was short in length, but I felt like I was reading forever, the same thing over and over again. This author did a bad job of starting off from where the second book left off. It's been almost a year since I've read the sequel, and wouldn't it have been nice for a little event-character recap? Most authors do a great job with completing this during the first or second chapter of sequels or so on in the series, but this... almost nothing. I seriously forgot who was who and what was going on. 

   The Plot: ... I found this to be seriously boring. Nothing was happening three-quarters of the time until the end. I mean, things were happening, but they were repetitive just like the previous books. This was a messed up book, I truthfully have to say. I didn't enjoy it, and I'm really sad that I didn't. And what, the author just adds in some dumb depressing road trip? Umm, awkward...

   The Characters- Kaelyn- I always liked this protagonist from the beginning. In this book, she was stupid and didn't know what she was supposed to feel and be doing. Someone died, someone she loves, and she doesn't cry or have feelings? Next thing you know she's moving onto the other guy, the other half of the love triangle without even blinking an eye. WTF. 

This is poor *SPOILERSPOILERGAV's* reaction to this bitch's behaviour.

     Gav- Poor guy. Kaelyn doesn't give him the cure and hogs it all to herself, waiting for someone to be "really sick." Ugh, that beotch.

      Leo- No, no, just get out. I don't like you. Like why does he have to hog Kaelyn. He was probably waiting for Gav to ... so he can take the girl he always have loved. It's just so stupid and unfair and breaks my heart when thinking about Kaelyn's and Leo's stupid behaviour and how they really ruined this book.

     Side Characters- I didn't see any importance in them at all. They were just there, and poof! they were gone. I don't feel much in the mood to talk about these characters, because they were the absolute freakin' problem. 

     The only good aspect of this book was the ending. The trilogy is done, and it was ended correctly and the way it's supposed to. A hideous book, with a great ending. And Kaelyn?

   

Z is for... Zac and Mia

Again, here's one of those books that I just read specifically for the title. Heheh.






Zac and Mia, by A.J. Betts

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-lit

Rating: 4/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Mia's not your typical hospital patient. Her next door neighbour Zac can hear her fighting with her mom and the nurses through their shared wall and he wishes she'd get over herself. But soon they are trading messages that evolve into a bond neither sees coming.

Apart from illness, they have little in common: she's a gorgeous girl with an entourage of perfect friends and he's a soccer-playing farm boy. In the real world, these two seventeen year-olds would have little to say to each other, but in the hospital the usual rules no longer apply.

By the time Zac is discharged, Mia is gone too, and he wonders about her. Is she okay? Is she better? He can't find out. She's left Facebook and won't answer his texts. Until the night he hears a tap at his window.

Told in alternating perspectives, Zac and Mia tracks the relationship of two ordinary teenagers in exceptional circumstances. They're both in remission, but cancer has changed everything, and normal isn't normal anymore. This is a funny and tender novel about hope, love, and courage.

Review:

   I was afraid that this wouldn't be so great, but hey, IT WAS. 

  Zac and Mia was a gorgeous bittersweet contemporary romance, especially for lovers of cancer tales, such as The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, although this one cannot compete with the amazingness of John Green's stellar tale. 

   Here we go. Zac has leukaemia, and has had it since he was seventeen. He has spent a countless number of days in and out of a hospital in Perth, Australia, and countless days going through some extra-horrible chemo therapy. Nurses have stated that he's getting better and that he may be able to go home soon, but when he meets Mia, everything changes. Mia is his hospital-room next door neighbour who listens to super-loud Lady Gaga songs and spends an awful lot of mornings fighting with her mother. Mia also has cancer, but she is a totally different type of person than Zac. She is gorgeous, and totally popular back home. All she can't wait for is to go home and attend the Valentine's Day formal, but with a tumour in her ankle, she's not so sure about that. Zac and Mia have a connection, and they might just realize that their cancers might've brought them together, for infinity.

   This, I have to say, is a very special novel, with a HUGE meaning behind it, and I mean that sincerely. I really enjoyed this book, and I have to say that it was absolutely great. Only a few negative things came in between, but it overall was an enjoyable light read for teenagers looking for something to read on a rainy day at home. 

   The plot was slow-paced, but I have to say in a good way. These type of books cannot be fast-paced, because they will lose their meanings and true passion. This is an ultimate contemporary-romance, and the romance has to take its time to evolve. A.J. Betts did a stellar job completing this, she wrote it just right. *wink* I just wish that this could've been a little more adventurous, and I wish that the characters took more risks and showed their TRUE LOVE for each other, because I didn't see that 24/7.

   The meaning of this book basically outshone everything else. It's such a deep story that has to be taken seriously or else the reader won't understand the specialty of this book. So there's specific times when someone needs to pick this book, it's definitely not an everyday read, and that's another reason why I loved this.

   Character Time. Zac: A totally strong male protagonist. I felt that this story was mainly about him, and his passion, his love, and his journey to fight cancer and to fall in love with the girl next door. He was humorous and a totally fun character that you could just read about for forever and ever. His intelligent remarks just stunned me every time. He was my favourite character.

  Mia: This was the only reason why I didn't like this book, next to the romantic problems. Mia was... selfish. We usually don't find female characters like her, but when we do, she's the basic definition of moody sl*tty female characters. I hated her and I seriously wanted to give her a huge slap onto the face.

   Where was her sympathy and love towards Zac? She didn't care about him, until the end, and I really dislike that. It was like she had no sense and no heart in her. I feel as if she's the weakest and most hated character that I've read about in a long time.

    ... the romance at times made me sad. It was like Zac and Mia were only friends for three-quarters of the book. No kisses, no hugs, nothing. But then when we got to the end, POOF I was happy and POOF the ratings blew high up, straight into the sky. If the romance still sucked towards the end and if the ending was bad, then this would be a 3/5 star rated book, and that's not really likeable in my opinion.

    So there you go. Zac and Mia was a deep and thought-about book that is not for everyone, I have to admit that. Some contemporary-book lovers will adore this, others won't. It's a different styled up teenage romance that I won't regret reading.

Y is for... The Year I Turned Sixteen

   

  I apologize for the ugly blurred out photo above, I never would have done that on purpose, okay maybe I did. Jokesss..

    Okay. Never in a million years I would think that I would adore this book as much as I did. It's been sitting in my bookshelf for years, and I never picked it up before. The cover kind of made me drift away from it and flinch every time I saw the spine. Why did I have wait so many years? It was perfection.

   The Summary: So this is about four sisters- Rose, Daisy, Lily and Laurel, obviously they're named after flowers, duh. This giant mega-book is split into four separate novels, one for each sister of course, and each book focuses on the memories leading to, on, and after their sixteenth birthdays. So even if the book is focusing on one character, you will get to see the character development of the other sisters rise, because they're all featured in each book. (Except for one sister at one sad point.)

    What I adored about this book: The plots. The characters. The romance. The feels that it made me get. And pretty much everything else. I loved this book, and it was such an enjoyment to read. It was full of cliffhangers, romance and fun. I cried, I laughed and it made me feel all warm inside. The author's words caused the reader to think more about life, and I couldn't have asked for it to be even better. The feelings I got were just all over the place- I was going through some serious book-swings. (Get it? Mood swings, book swings?)

     This was the perfect teen summer read by the beach or even at home. I needed a chick-lit/contemporary book, and this one got me right in the mood for more. Too bad there weren't any more sisters, I'd read more from Diane Schwemm any day at anytime!

    The stories themselves: Rose's story was very girly and fun. From her personality, you could tell that she was the eldest sister and by far the most calm. Seeing her grow up in the later stories just made me want to tear up, things became so unexpected for her and I was happy for her, even though this is all fiction. I think that Daisy was the best character. Even though she was a rebel at times, I loved to see her change, from being the goody-two shoes to the hardcore piss-off rebel. <3 Laurel's story was by far the best, even though I didn't like her character at times. I felt that she was too weak and couldn't take so much all at once. Lily was exactly like me. I could relate to her so much, I felt everything that she said. She was a writer, like me, and a wallflower, also like myself. She liked to be alone and away from reality sometimes.

From the best stories to the worst- Laurel, Lily, Rose, Daisy. And from the best characters to the worst- Daisy, Lily, Rose, Laurel. 

   Side Thoughts: Gorgeous and captivating, girls, go on and grab this goodie! The characters ruined me at times because I got so frustrated and sad. What a heartbreaker. :( <|3

   BUY. THIS. RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE. OR SECOND. OR MILLISECOND.

Truth, by Julia Karr

Truth (XVI #2), by Julia Karr

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Romance

Rating: 3/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: An exciting dystopian thriller, and sequel to XVI

Nina Oberon's life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council–ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won't be anyone's stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out . . . and the consequences can be deadly.

Review:

   A LOVE TRIANGLE?! ANOTHER STINKIN' LOVE TRIANGLE?! Ugh, COME ON. 

   Yep, so those are my first thoughts that come to mind after finishing this book. We all've read love triangles, over and over again. Been there, done that, right? I'd never expect this unique book to have this sort of aspect in it. But, it did, and that's my main problem with this sequel. Julia Karr disappointed me with this.

    So after finishing the first book, you could say that I was pleased with the outcome. The idea was okay (but confusing) and the plot was well-written. It didn't have the ending that totally left me wanting more and that was suspenseful, but I did want to see what this series would continue to. 

    Please don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book, but it was rather upsetting compared to the first book. Now, let's get into the inside details, and further into my thoughts.

    So this takes place right after where XVI ended. Nina has learned the truth about her father and inside details about what has been going through the minds of the government and the peers around her. But at the same time, Nina wants to serve justice and righteousness and stop what has happened to continue. Adding to that, scandals going through her family is occurring, and once she joins an organization committed to the Resistance, more secrets will evolve.

    The Plot: This book wasn't really a heart-racing thriller, and I have to admit that it's not supposed to be. I mean, what's supposed to happen? At least this wasn't like those cheesy dystopians where the characters begin to rebel in the sequel. This had some action, but it wasn't too large, and it wasn't boring at the same time either. The plot and events that occurred were just simple-minded and expected, which didn't disturb me too much in this case.

    Romance: This was a yes and a no. Love triangles? NONONONO GET AWAY FROM ME. RIGHT NOW. Why? Why was a new male character added into the book? So he could take care of Dee when Nina was in the hospital waiting for her grandmother's results? But honestly, I now love Chris even more than I've ever liked Sal. He's so charming and cute, and just the perfect guy for bratty Nina, who didn't change a bit from first book to second. She's the same brat who thinks she's too good for everyone else. 

     Everything In Between: 

     I dishonour this book because of the dumb characters and love triangle. But it was okay, overall. A three star rated book is known as "okay/meh" in my standards. Read it, or not, but if you do, you'll need the last book because questions will be haunting your mind. 

     *When is the last book coming? There's no expected release date, title, or cover. -_-*

X is for... XVI

Hey everyone. I just read this book specifically for the "X" post, so I'm going to format and write this just like a regular review, because I just finished it. Here are my thoughts...

XVI (XVI #1), by Julia Karr

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Romance

Rating: 4/5 stars









Goodreads Summary: Every girl gets one.

An XVI tattoo on the wrist--sixteen.

Some girls can't wait to be sixteen, to be legal. Nina is not one of them. Even though she has no choice in the matter, she knows that so long as her life continues as normal, everything will be okay.

Then, with one brutal strike, Nina's normal is shattered; and she discovers that nothing that she believed about her life is true. But there's one boy who can help--and he just may hold the key to her past.

But with the line between attraction and danger as thin as a whisper, one thing is for sure...

For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet.

Review:

   I've always really wanted this book, but somehow I wanted it but had bad feelings about it. XVI was actually written brilliantly, and taken place in a wild dystopian society, where when girls turn 16, they are basically used and are sex slaves, in other words.

   But before I say anything else, don't get that all "shocked-look" on your face, thinking I'm absolutely nuts for reading a book like this. It's actually more of a government-treated dystopian book, and everything is treated mildly, there's even no swearing. 

   It's 2150, and Nina is afraid to turn sixteen. It's everything everyone's been talking about since the government announced the rule thirty-three years ago. Girls have been treated unfairly since then, while many have loved it. The XVI tattoo that everyone receives is the trademark- it's how everyone knows that you are illegible and legal. When a tragic accident strikes unexpectedly, Nina doesn't know what's right or wrong, and when she meets Sal, she can truly find the meaning of all of this.

    I had some issues with this book, but let's begin with the positive facts first.

    The world: I'm very pleased to say that Julia Karr created a brilliant world. The setting is perfect. 2150 means new technology, new ways of living, and through this book, you could tell that it really is 2150. In some books, the future is there, but there's no signs of it except from the protagonist mentioning it. Here you have robot cashiers, and people have stopped eating meat. The world has evolved, and we can all see it, wide and clear. But, don't think it's perfect. No way is it utopian.

     The Romance: Sal and Nina had a very strong bond, and from the moment they met, I knew that they were meant to be together. Sal understands Nina, and he's the reason why she ended up the way she did in the end, and that was a good reason why. He didn't and never would use her the way other guys were, and I felt that he was her own personal bodyguard, keeping her safe and taking things slow and the way Nina wants it to.

    The Plot: I was actually never bored with this book. Having it be a small book, I already knew that many things would occur, because it's what, 200 pages? But even in 200 pages, I felt that I read a 400 paged book. Same amount of action, romance and craziness, all-in-one. What more could've I asked for in this aspect? It was a huge roller coaster ride, from beginning to end.

    Now, let's head onto the few negatives, but trust me, they won't be too bad.

    The Concept: This was my main problem with this book, and this whole slavery concept was very brilliant, please, don't get me wrong, but I was confused with one thing- why? Why sixteen? Why tattoos? Why slavery? There's no reasonable explanation in this book, and I feel that I have to assume everything, make up my own "answer," and seriously, except suspenseful endings, who wants to create their own theories on these sort of things? I really liked the idea but what's the history behind it all? Hopefully we'll discover more in the sequel.

    Nina: I had an issue with this chick. She was too emotionless and whiny, all at the same time! I felt as if she had mood swings. One minute, she's overly confident and thinks that she can get any guy with a snap, 

     

   and the next, she's so moody and bipolar and acts like she wants to kill herself. WTF?! I don't like Nina at all as a protagonist. She think she's so smart and knows everything, but I don't see her as intelligent at all, even though she cared so much for Dee, her little step-sister. 

    Side Thoughts: Okay, the thing that happened with Sandy happened all too fast. One minute, we're saying goodbye to her because she's going to FLS or whatever its called, and the next, poof, bye bye. We lost her too fast! Oh and Sal, I like you. *raises eyebrows* End up with Wei, that would be a cute couple, now wouldn't it be? 

     Overall, XVI was a job well-done. I liked it, and despite the negative reviews, I think that many more individuals will enjoy it as well. 

Announcement: Book Twitter Account

Good morning and afternoon everyone! (Wherever you are)

I have a very special announcement to make.

Guess

Who

Got

Twitter?

I DIDDDDDDD.

   I made a Twitter account last night, in promotion of this blog, and also to interact with book lovers and authors. 

  

      So if you do have a Twitter account, and love my blog and reviews (which I hope you do), please follow me. @a1000liveslived is the username. ^-^ tee hee.

      

Not A Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis

Not A Drop To Drink (Not A Drop To Drink #1), by Mindy McGinnis

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Romance

Rating: 4/5 stars









Goodreads Summary: Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water. 

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

Review:

Wow. I've never read a dystopian story that was more of a survival story, but set in a unsettled futuristic world. This is a book that everyone should know about, because you will be yelling in amazement.

   Lynn has been living the same old life since birth, with only knowing two people's names- her mother's and a man with an injured leg. Lynn and her mother have spent nights on the roof of their house, peering for humanly predators, and fighting for survival. They have a pond next to their house, and need to protect it because it's the only water they have, and they have to purify it to make sure it contains no diseases or unwanted bacteria. This is their way of living, but as they see smoke from far away, that means that unwanted strangers are nearby, and Lynn knows that she has what they want, and they won't stop until they get enough.

   In some ways, you can call this a mixture of The Hunger Games, because in some ways, it does resemble the futuristic gorgeous world of Suzanne Collins. That's the only book I can compare this to, because it's just so unique and unordinary. It's the most unique book I've ever read. No one has written a book like it.

   This story went by so fast. One minute, Lynn and her mother are living peaceful lives, the next, *SPOILER* Lynn's mother is dead. Shot. Done. And after that, Lynn's on her own, until she meets the strangers, and finds out that she has to live and survive with some of them, and that it's the only key.

    Did I mention that this book was a masterpiece? If not, it really was. The characters and romance probably would have to be the only flaws.

     I didn't like Lynn as a protagonist. She was too emotionless, and she thought she was so smart and brave after all that occurred, but really, her mom is the star here. I felt that even after she passed away, she still was watching Lynn and looked down on her and helped Lynn. She was the one who told her and taught her how to deal with the real world and what's really out there. 

 :')

     The romance between Lynn and.. Eli. He was a city boy. He grew up with needs and wants and he got what he needed. He doesn't understand what Lynn has went through and he thinks, 'thought' that he knew how Lynn was feeling the whole bus ride through. I just don't like guys like that. You don't know what this girl has been through, so stop acting like you do.

       Also, lugging a little injured girl around to show that you're tough and all that? Come on Lynn, you're better than that, don't be stupid. You're taking after your mom? Then really be like her.

       This book was a brilliant idea and set in a stellar setting, what more brilliant could've it gotten with that? A book that people sure would re-read over and over again.

Uninvited, by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited (Uninvited #1), by Sophie Jordan

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller/Murder

Rating: 4/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

Review:

  Sophie Jordan has done it again, just like her "Firelight" trilogy.

   I find that books like this give you a low expectation, but then end up surprising you and end up amazing. That's basically what happened in this situation.

  I really wanted to read this, I always have, but I had a feeling that it wouldn't please me. Turns out, it was the complete opposite and I really enjoyed it. So here we go with the summary and what it's all about- Davy Hamilton is living an ordinary life. She has a super-hot boyfriend that every girl at school envies her about and wish that they could be in her place, she is smart, is a music-prodigy and soon is going to be heading to Julliard. She has everything she's ever wanted, until the day she gets a phone call from her mom, announcing that Davy's HTS test results came back in- positive. HTS is the Homicidal Tendency Syndrome and is known as the kill gene, which means that Davy has a possibility to kill someone. Soon enough, her future is ruined, and the people she's ever loved are ditching her and are scared of her. When she meets Sean, her whole world is turned upside down, and everything might be for the good.

   

    So this was basically Davy's feelings to Zac, eventually. I felt so bad that their romance just got ruined because of the stupid freakin' HTS. GRRRRRR. But that was the main point of this book, so without this, we'll just be reading an ordinary lifestyle of Davy Hamilton. I loved Zac, especially in the beginning, and then BOOM! Sophie Jordan just wrecked their romance and bond. Poof! Zac disappeared, and Davy went to Kellar High School.

    Ahah, so this was a fun part of the book. We met the "main characters," Sean, Coco, Gil, and everyone else in between, and the Brock teacher (what was his full last name haha) who made me pee my pants because his personality and threats are just so hilarious.

    Then, the government gave Davy a chance to choose to go to detention camp or a training based centre, which is definitely for the elite. Davy obviously chooses the training centre place, and off she goes to rebel against HTS and the government. So much happened all in one book, I'm definitely shocked on how well this went!

     So this book was a mix of Divergent, Matched, and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. In some ways, trying to make that clear. It's a fresh new idea which was gorgeous, and it really was a thrill-ride.

    

   Come on, a few more drops than that. =_=

   The only flaw that this book was that it was slow-paced. I felt that it took a LOOOONNNGGGG time for the book to get to the action, and the main point. I know that this is the first book out of two, and that this was basically an introductory, but I needed action, not time for Davy to find "who she is" and about her dreams. That affected 1/5 of the rating, unfortunately.

    These characters were absolutely great. Davy was a good heroine, but not the most kick-ass one, I would say. She was weak at times and was annoying with not knowing her dreams and her complaints about Zac and who she is, blah blah blah, but of course, she was likeable.

     The romance wasn't the best either. I didn't feel a strong connection between Davy and Sean. Is that wrong? Am I not feeling it or am I weird or something? Not that Sean was a bad character, it's just, they should be friends. I just wanted to rip them apart.

    

     Okay, I know, I know, cheesiness is getting the best of me. I can't help it. :')

     So overall, this was a very enjoyable read. It was my cup of tea, and I recommend it to any dystopian book lover. It was more on the chill side and not too hardcore, which is great from time to time. 

  

The Ring and the Crown, by Melissa de la Cruz

The Ring and the Crown (The Ring and the Crown #1), by Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, 2014-Favourites, Romance

Rating: 5/5 stars









Goodreads Summary: Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the Lily Throne, and Aelwyn Myrddn, bastard daughter of the Mage of England, grew up together. But who will rule, and who will serve? 

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second, Supreme Ruler of the Franco-British Empire. With the help of her Head Merlin, Emrys, Eleanor has maintained her stranglehold on the world's only source of magic. She rules the most powerful empire the world has ever seen. 

But even with the aid of Emrys' magic, Eleanor's extended lifespan is nearing its end. The princess must marry and produce an heir or the Empire will be vulnerable to its greatest enemy, Prussia. The two kingdoms must unite to end the war, and the only solution is a match between Marie and Prince Leopold VII, heir to the Prussian throne. But Marie has always loved Gill, her childhood friend and soldier of the Queen's Guard. 

Together, Marie and Aelwyn, a powerful magician in her own right, come up with a plan. Aelwyn will take on Marie's face, allowing the princess to escape with Gill and live the quiet life she's always wanted. And Aelwyn will get what she's always dreamed of--the chance to rule. But the court intrigue and hunger for power in Lenoran England run deeper than anyone could imagine. In the end, there is only rule that matters in Eleanor's court: trust no one.

Review:

*Beware of severe spoilers*

 Okay, I am done with this world. Holy moly. 

  

 I am so done. This book has left me so shocked, and so amazed at how amazing this was. I feel as if I was spending a whole day in this gorgeous world, and as if I was a real part of it.

 This takes place all the way back in the 14th century England, and is written in 5 different point of views, Aeywyn's, Wolfgang's, Marie's, Isabelle's, and Ronan's. Five people, five people who came together and made this book wonderful. Five people who loved and hated each other.

  So this book mainly is focused on Eleanor's throne. She has a daughter who is about to marry Leopel, a forming prince, and they together, can rule the powerful nation that they live in. But, they both love other people, and scandals form. Side characters come into the spotlight, and you will absolutely enjoy their points of view too, and plot twists will totally change the way you thought that this book was going to end.

   I usually hate these type of books. Magic in a Victorian era/setting? Uhhh.. nope. But I know that Melissa De La Cruz has usually wow-ed me, and I decided to give this a try because literally everyone's been raving about it.

   For me, I don't like when books have too much magic in them, even if the plot is supposed to focus on it. Nothing hardcore for me, please. Many people, I mean MANY people have complained because of not-large-focus of magic in this book. I'm happy that there isn't a large focus, actually. It was very light-hearted, and I found that the author mainly focused on the romance and scandals, which I absolutely loved, unlike many others.

    This book was so fast-paced, especially for something this genre. Before I knew it, my heart was racing, and my OTPs and ships were already created and I was hoping for somethings to happen. In many, many cases, I was completely wrong, and Melissa De La Cruz surprised me.

    Let's get started with the characters.

    Aeywyn: I liked this chick from the beginning. She was kick-ass and a total magic-making rebel. I totally shipped her with Leo, but as we can see, that never worked. :( It made me really sad because I liked her as a character, and that scene in the beginning when she froze the little boy and took her bag back made me love her instantly. I wish that she could've fell in love with someone, someone special who would've made her smile, but she didn't. :( She had a really strong bond with Marie, but a man would've suited her nicely. <|3

    Wolfgang: Holy CHEESECAKES. This guy made me swoon and I lost my breath whenever he did something or said something sexy to Ronan but I'm not jealous of her... okay maybe I am.

   **HIM This idiot did make me really mad at one point, and you'll know why by the end if you love Wolf as much as I do. He deserves RONAN and she deserved him and they just... UGH. I'm too nice to give spoilers.

     Marie: In the beginning towards the end, I loved this girl. She wasn't like the other royals, she was a rebel and couldn't wait to leave and get out of there. When Wolf just ruined his and Ronan's relationship and something happened with Marie, I was done with this bitch. I COULDN'T STAND HER AND SHE MADE ME FRUSTRATED. My hard feelings towards her suddenly occurred in the final chapter, imagine that. =_= She had like THREE FREAKIN' GUYS WHO LIKED HER. IMAGINE THAT. WHAT A SL*T.

     Isabelle: Surprisingly, I loved Izzy. She was so posh and chic and I was so happy for her in the end, because she was happy. What happened with her and Leo was sad, but all that matters was that she was happy in the end, even if she ended with a baby.

      Ronan: This was my ultimate favourite character. She had points when she was innocent and sweet, and then there were those times when she was kick-ass and a total rebel. I felt so freakin' bad for her in the end, because after everything she's fought for, she didn't get what she wanted. What a disturbing plot twist.

      The worst/best thing about this book was the ending. I was so UPSET with it. Doesn't it suck when you have a specific ship that you love, and it's all suddenly ruined? Yeah, that's how poor me feels right now, and I'm not going to let that depressing feeling slide until I get the sequel. WHEN IS IT COMING OUT BECAUSE I NEED IT RIGHT NOW.

     

       Amazing author, BUT I WON'T BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. SO I WON'T BE MEAN. JUST PLEASE. RELEASE THIS TOMORROW. OR THE DAY AFTER. <33

      Do I recommend? UHH.. DUH!

W is for... Wake

    After reading this book I was literally dying because it was so good. A masterpiece I tell you!

    If you've read any books by Amanda Hocking before, hopefully you've loved and enjoyed them as much as I did. Honestly, this was Amanda's best series yet that I'll never forget about in the following years to come. 

    Gemma has everything- an almost perfect life, attractiveness, a romance with the boy next door, and a strong relationship with her sister, Harper. When strangers Penn, Thea, and Lexi are in town for the summer, nobody can think of a reason why they came to the middle of nowhere where Gemma and her family live. Before she knows it- she's a siren/cannibal creature that swims rapidly fast and is on the hunt for her human prey. Gemma has to make a choice- and it better be quick. She has to choose between staying with her loved ones, which is totally unsafe for them, or saying goodbye to the only world she's ever known and loved, and straight into another dark and mysterious world of wonders.

      

    This was the book that I was dreaming about to read forever. No mermaid/siren books that I've read ever ended up good, they always are hideous and totally unbearable to read. When this came out, the gorgeous cover just struck me, and finding out that it was a work of Amanda Hocking was even better to hear about, I just knew that I had to pick it up as soon as possible. 

    After reading just one chapter of this book, I was done with the world we live in today. Well, just joking, I was only gone for a few hours anyway. This book just hit me so hard with its racing plot twists and wild plot, with many surprises in between. I was NEVER bored, not even once, and every paragraph was like a word of wisdom to me. This is absolute brilliance.

     The characters.... WELL OH MY GOSH. 

    Gemma, the protagonist, was kick-ass and strong, although some people classified her as "weak." But seriously, how would YOU react having to deal with her situation, choosing between an unknown world for the best and for keeping your family safe, OR living unsafely with your loved ones forever, holding a deep dark secret in your heart, not knowing the consequences. JUST STOP PEOPLE. Gemma went through so much and she made it and she was a fantastic character!

    I love how there are TWO beautiful romances going on at the same time in this book, one with Gemma and the other one with Harper, Gemma's sister. I love the bond that the two sisters share, and you barely find that in books, this is something special.

    Overall, I was absolutely pleased, 10000000 times pleased. You will adore this novel, and you will want to read the whole four-book series over and over and over again because Amanda Hocking just can't let you leave this series alone, and of course, dusty in your bookshelf or bookstore. Just go, run, buy this in ebook format, I don't know, just please, go and buy this. 

    BYEEEE. I'm watching you leave right now. ;)

Revived, by Cat Patrick

Revived, by Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Romance, DNF

Rating: 1/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: It started with a bus crash.

Daisy Appleby was a little girl when it happened, and she barely remembers the accident or being brought back to life. At that moment, though, she became one of the first subjects in a covert government program that tests a drug called Revive.

Now fifteen, Daisy has died and been Revived five times. Each death means a new name, a new city, a new identity. The only constant in Daisy's life is constant change.

Then Daisy meets Matt and Audrey McKean, charismatic siblings who quickly become her first real friends. But if she's ever to have a normal life, Daisy must escape from an experiment that's much larger--and more sinister--than she ever imagined.

From its striking first chapter to its emotionally charged ending, Cat Patrick's Revived is a riveting story about what happens when life and death collide.

Review:

     Pew. I'm so upset and done with this book. DNF @ 75%

     I had bad low expectations for this book. Somewhere in my guts I had a feeling that this book would be absolutely horrible, and I knew it, but I decided to go along with it and forget about my instincts because I enjoyed all of Cat Patrick's other books. Revived, on the other hand, what utterly horrible. 

    First of all- this idea. Daisy Applebee (what an ordinary cheesy name) has died five times and has been brought back to life five times at the age of fifteen. And each death changes her as a whole new person. When she meets Matt and Audrey, she finds that she may be able to have an ordinary life someday. 

    What a cheesy mystery/science-fiction story.  Goodness gracious, don't even call it a pure science-fiction story because it just doesn't have the right to be one. This book was just a cheesy mystery story with an absolute of NOTHING happening in between.

     Next the plot. There are moments in books when you are so amazed and proud of the first chapter that you literally feel like the book is sucking you in. Here, I could run a marathon in between (which I never in a million years would want to) and I'd still wouldn't want to go back and read this boring book because nothing IS HAPPENING. Oh yeah, she meets a guy and a girl who "supposedly can change her life and help her from dying again." Wow, now where's the action?

     This was an absolute snoozefest, but I had a feeling that it would get better- but it didn't. So I left this at 75%, felt like I was skimming the book because nothing was happening, but I knew that I should've never even picked this book up from the beginning.

      Don't even get me started on the characters. Daisy was just such a whiny, selfish brat who thought that she should deserve special attention just because she has been brought back to life five times. That is something remarkable, but I felt that she just made too much of a big deal about it, and acted like such a brat around average people. This girl says hi to her at school, and she frowns and basically gives her a death stare back, when the freakin' girl didn't even do ANYTHING. Daisy was seriously messed up, and I'm not even kidding. She's so hateable, and it seems like the author wants YOU to hate her.

      Girl, you're stressing out because of your "problem,"just

     

      So don't even bother to pick this book. It's so unpleasing and I felt like I was reading a book that didn't even have a point. Aha, the dumb irrelevant romance? The "amazing" characters? Nope, I'm sorry.

Anything But Ordinary, Lara Avery

Anything But Ordinary, by Lara Avery

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-lit, Tragedy

Rating: 4/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Bryce remembers it like it was yesterday. The scent of chlorine. The blinding crack and flash of pain. Blood in the water.

When she wakes up in the hospital, all Bryce can think of is her disastrous Olympic diving trial. But everything is different now. Bryce still feels seventeen, so how can her little sister be seventeen, too? Life went on without her while Bryce lay in a coma for five years. Her best friend and boyfriend have just graduated from college. Her parents barely speak. And everything she once dreamed of doing-winning a gold medal, traveling the world, falling in love-seems beyond her reach.

But Bryce has changed too, in seemingly impossible ways. She knows things she shouldn't. Things that happened while she was asleep. Things that haven't even happened yet. During one luminous summer, as she comes to understand that her dreams have changed forever, Bryce learns to see life for what it truly is: extraordinary.

Review:

   That's exactly what I thought about this book. It was tragic, and lovely, all at the same time. It's the type of book that you should sit and read with a cup of tea and crumpets. 

   Anything But Ordinary was a very enjoyable read. I loved the tragedy, and how it strongly it impacted us readers. It seriously begins to compare to Gayle Forman's If I Stay.

   So one reason I may have picked this book up is because of the cover and the summary of course. I love swimming, and am a swimmer, so this is the first 'swimming book' I've basically read about, and it intrigued me so much. And there we go! I read it, and really enjoyed it!

  Bryce ends up in the hospital with a serious brain injury for 5 years. She unexpectedly wakes up, and everything has changed. She is not sure if she could be able to swim ever again because of this, and all of surroundings are falling down- the boy she has always loved is engaged to her best friend, and she is broken. Wasn't it better not to come back?

   

     OF COURSE NOT. DUH. Bryce missed so much of her life, and this book upset me because of Bryce and her attitude towards things. I felt that she was lost, and came back from her coma like, "Where am I? OMG things aren't going the way I want them to so I feel like a wreck and I want to die." This made me upset! Who wants a whiny character that's trying so hard to make us feel sorry for them? Ugh. That's exactly how she was.

     This storyline was very well written. It was so interesting, and in some ways, a gorgeous tragedy. I. Loved. It. Period.

     I barely got bored with this, but when I did, the plot scorched back into its standards, which barely bothered me. I'm feel nice to today, so I'm not going to let that tick me off. ;)

     This basically was formed into a love triangle, which I don't know if is the most brilliant idea for a contemporary novel. But, I guess you could say it seemed to work. Carter's my favourite, and that's been settled since the beginning of the book. Period.

     This was a very enjoyable novel. It had its flaws and unpleasant moments, but it overall became to be pretty good and a great debut novel.

V is for... Vanished

 

      Meg Cabot never was really one of my favourite authors, because I found that most of her books disinterested me and were cheesy, but Vanished probably was Meg's best book yet.

       So this book is a duel-book. It includes the first two books of the 1-800-Where-R-You series, and it really was a brilliant idea. Jessica Mastriani wants to be an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. When she is struck by lightning... everything doesn't turn out to be so ordinary. Jessica suddenly gets up like nothing happened, but she has a whole new ability- she can now locate missing children. So everything's going mad now. The FBI is after her, a senior guy, Rob, now has his eyes on her, and well, she's helping out a specific missing children company out a lot. What will else will her power accomplish?

  

     It's very rare to read about a book that deals with missing children. I've read a few, and they absolutely hooked me because there's always some sort of plot twist in them and something happens that you can never imagine about. That's the magic of writing about these sort of concepts. 

     I guess you could say that this book was a mix of contemporary and supernatural-paranormal, and of course, mystery. You're probably thinking that this idea doesn't really compliment the sort of storyline. Paranormal activities can definitely blend in, and I'll tell you why!

1.     The side characters will begin to question the protagonist, Jessica, on how the heck she can locate these children, in their exact location. It's like a mystery within a mystery.
2. How Jessica got her ability is more natural than in other books- she gets struck by lightning. It's rare, and obviously could happen in reality, unlike being born as a vampire.

       I really enjoyed Vanished. The plot was very well-developed and everything that was happening was supposed to happen, although there were a few teensy dull moments in Code Name Cassandra, the second book out of the two.

       Jess was a snarky, hilarious character! She was one of those tough chicks, which we don't ever find in books, who was smart and knew what she was doing. I loved her in both books, and I'm really looking forward in seeing what she will become in the next two books, which I hope to pick up soon.

       The romance between Jess and Rob was very well-rounded. It made sense to have a romance, and I totally pictured Rob as Jess's body-guard during these two books, well because you need someone to protect you when you're the only girl in the world who has an ability to locate missing children. Get what I'm saying? ;)

     

     Overall, I recommend this book for any YA genre lover. It has almost every genre in it, with a bunch of plot twists and mouth-widening moments. Meg Cabot is the author to be looking out for.

    This book sounds interesting? Visit its Goodreads page to find out more!