The Kiss of Deception, by Mary E. Pearson

The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1), by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Historical-Fiction, Adventure

Rating: 5/5 stars

Publication: July 8, 2014, by Henry Holt

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed, but WILL BUY ASAP)




Goodreads Summary: A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

Review:

  "We screamed, we yelled with all the power of our lungs, knowing the wind, hills, and distance plucked our nervous freedom from any ears that might listen. We screamed with giddy abandon and a primal need to believe in our flight. if we didn't believe, fear would overtake us. I already felt it nipping at my back as I pushed harder."

   Mary E. Pearson is one of my favourite authors, period. I ADORED THE KISS OF DECEPTION in ways that you're unable to understand. 

     Beautiful book...

      I adored this book to death. It's probably my favourite book that was published this year, right next to Dissonance, by Erica O'Rourke. Pearson is the newest Stephen King, or any super popular and amazing author to qualify her as. 

      I originally had this at a 4.5 star rating, but now when I think about it, it definitely deserves a 5. I got that excited feeling in my stomach when thinking about that beautiful reading experience that it gave me, and so much more. 

      This is about Princess Lia, who's the First Daughter of Morrighan. She is about to get married, to a man that she's never met before. She unexpectedly flees from the royal lifestyle she's known forever with her mother's assistant, Pauline, and they end up in a small village where they begin to take a large responsibility of handling an inn and making new friends. There are two mysterious people there that Lia doesn't know about--and that's the prince that was off to marry her and an assassin that's off to kill her. 

       One of the reasons why this book was amazing is because Pearson kept us guessing. The chapters were split into three points-of-view--Lia's, the assassin's, and the prince's. We don't know who these people are, and we don't find out until the wee-end of the novel. I had my guesses, and I ended up completely darn-wrong.

        The idea of this book was gorgeous. I love these medieval-dystopia-historical types, and coming from the protagonist of a princess-now-rebel? I'm absolutely hooked. This is absolutely fantasy, but it's not like we hear about faeries flying and goblins dancing. This is something believable and intriguing.

         "Terravin is not paradise, Lia. Of course Terravin had its own problems. I didn't need Gwyneth to tell me it wasn't perfect. But in Civica, the air itself was tight, waiting to catch you, beat you down, always laced with the scent of watching and warning. Here in Terravin, the air was just air, and whatever it held, it held. It didn't take anyone hostage, and this showed on the townfolk's faces. They were quicker to smile, wave, call you into a shop for a taste, to share a laugh or a bit of news. The town was filled with ease."

          I was drawn into this splendid world immediately. The world-development was mythical and stunning and let me with no questions asked, and this is the first novel in a series. The plot was amazingly defined and developed with thousands of plot-twists that left me scurrying for more. I was hooked, and unable to do anything else until I finished the 486 pages. 

          

           Lia was the perfect heroine that I've been looking for in a YA novel. She was a princess, yes, but she wasn't selfish or rude or inconsiderate. She was relatable, and a real jewel. You don't normally find characters like her in books, and when you do, they're a real treasure. Her POV was my absolute favourite.

           The assassin and the prince were kick-ass, too. When Pearson revealed the magic and wonders behind who was who, I was shocked. You never saw it coming. :') The action on what happened afterword when Lia found out about the assassin just laid the book into a beautiful ending and is getting its readers to snap for more. 

           If I had a million dollars, I'd spend it to have the sequel for this book. (Okay, maybe. Instead, what about a time machine?)

     

            Gorgeous and petrifying with excitement and feels, The Kiss of Deception will take the top spot in your bookshelf.

Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2), by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action

Rating: 5/5 stars

Publication: August 27, 2013, by Bloomsbury

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)




Goodreads Summary: "A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Review:

"Leave the talking and charming to me." Chaol raised his brows. "So I'm just here for decoration?" "Be grateful I consider you a worthy accessory." (p. 56)

  This book was like an action TV show in my head. It probably was even better than the first book!

    We all know that Sarah J. Maas masters her books every time. I've only read 2 of her books, and from there, I can see that she's easily a favourite author of mine. By every chapter, she keeps improving her writing and our captivation. She immensely makes everything better and better before we know it. Our time reading this book goes by so quickly, and before we know it, we're having a pretty achy book hangover and our world is slowly falling apart because we realize that the next book in the series is coming (for those who don't have access to pretty review copies.) 

     This book was another fantasy YA literature masterpiece. There was no signs whatsoever of second-book-syndrome (which we all dread) and the action and romance here was better than ever. This book has a mixture of almost every book genre you may think of. Romance, yes (highly), action, adventure, fantasy, magic, suspense, fairies, mystery, EVERYTHING. I love books that incorporate that sort of variety and diversity of different genres.

      If you haven't read the first book or currently are, I would highly not recommend reading on with this review. Just saying. Many SPOILERS will be announced from the previous book and from this one. Take a precaution.

       Celaena has won the fight to become the King's Champion. It was a tough fight that required a lot of fighting and came with consequences, but Celaena has done it. Now, things aren't going to become easier. Secrets and mysteries will unravel beside the fact that Celaena has some drama with her own love relationships going on. Then, adding to that, a big catastrophe came to be. Nehemia DIED. Celaena's only true best friend and person who understood her died, and everything slowly collapsed around her. Could things seriously not get worse?

        In two separate motions, here are two feels that will overcome you and your bookish friends:

       Happy because of the romance between Celaena and Chaol (I literally screamed) and then sad because of the unspeakable tragedy that Sarah really had to add. (Not that it didn't hurt me too much. *sarcasm*)

       But I strongly believe that when a book gives you different and crazy feels, then it's even better. Every book is supposed to be an addicting TV show, with drama, action and romance in between. Feeling things are the best. And this book definitely deserves the Emmy Award.

       When completing the first book, I was in a hazardous book hangover and needed the sequel. A few days later (more like two) I went to the library and picked this one up. I began it sooner than I knew it, and finished it in a matter of three hours. Three hours of screaming, crying, tears, and squeals. Three hours of about 420 pages. I really would like to give myself a big pat on the back for that. :)

        This book still held the same amount of fantasy, a little more romance and amazing action as the previous novel. I love the concept and I think that this is surely the best fantasy-romance book out there.

        I just loved the whole book. There were no moments when I was bored or slightly blinking an eye. Every moment was addicting and unspeakable to any other person. I finished it off with a huge headache of wanting the next book (which I will get to soon because I got a review copy, haha). The plot was a whole enjoyable roller coaster and Celaena's voice was better than ever.

        So imagine this. I loved the first book so dearly much and gave it a 5 gazillion star rating, and this was even better. Imagine my love for this one now. I'm probably giving it an infinite amount of stars. :)

        The character-relationships between Celaena and the men gradually improved even more. Chaol and Celaena FINALLY KISSED and I kept saying, "I wish I was Celaena," so many times out loud. I kept squealing and making a fool out of myself in my own very home. xD Although Celaena and Dorian are now just-friends, I really wish that their love will come back. It's not safe to love the Captain of the Guard, and it isn't safe to love the Prince. So both ways, Celaena would be taking a risk. *grumpy cat face*

          Celaena was just the same as ever. She's a definite favourite heroine of mine, and I wouldn't trade my love for her for anyone else, except maybe Tessa Gray. *apologizes* But Celaena is such a badass girly character. Just my type of woman. 

          And obviously, I have a huge love relatable relationship to the men. Chaol and Dorian both have something so special about them that no fictional men can beat. I, a girl, can even relate to them. I dream every night that they can hold me in their arms.

        By the end, I was a broken mess. I was struggling very hard to deal with the loss of Nehemia, one of my favourite characters. And then the whole action scene with Chaol got me thinking, and then BAM WE FOUND OUT SOMETHING HUGE. And of course, Sarah J. Maas left us with a terrible cliffhanger and I'm going to have to read the next book very soon.

         :') I JUST CAN'T WAIT. But honestly, what a beautiful book.

         

          My favourite quotes:

    

          "The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home." 

          "The moonlight and the garden and the garden glow from the ballroom blurred together, now miles away. "We'll never be a normal boy and girl, will we?" she managed to say. "No," he breathed, eyes blazing. "We won't." (p. 134)

            "Is that... chocolate cake?" "I thought you might need some." "Need, not want? A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and he almost sagged in relief as he said, "For you, I'd say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need." (p. 173)

             "He will kill you, Celaena." He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "He'll kill you, and make me do it as punishment for being your friend." That was the terror that he grappled with--the fear that plagued him, the thing that had kept him on this side of the line for so long." (p. 186)

              "I would be the greatest fool in the world to let you go alone." And then there were tears rolling down her face, and her mouth became a thin, wobbling line. He pulled back, but didn't let her go. "Why are you crying?" "Because," she whispered, her voice shaking, "you remind me of how the world ought to be. What the world can be." (p. 187)

             "The kiss obliterated her. It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing. His lips were hot and soft against hers--still tentative, and after a moment, he pulled back far enough to look into her eyes. She trembled with the need to touch him everywhere at once, to feel him touching her everywhere at once. He would give up everything to go with her. She twined her arms around his neck, her mouth meeting his in a second kiss that knocked the world out from under her." (p. 188)

             "But he couldn't help imagining it--the glimmer of the future and how it would be to forge a life together, to call her his wife, to hear her call him husband, to raise a brood of children who probably be far too clever and talented for their own good (and for Chaol's sanity). (p. 212)

             "What does that mean?" he demanded. She smiled sadly. "You'll figure it out. And when you do..." She shook her head, knowing she wouldn't say it, but doing it anyway."When you do, I want you to remember that it wouldn't have made any difference to me. It's never made any difference to me when it came to you. I'd still pick you. I'll always pick you." (p. 413)

These Broken Stars, by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1), by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Romance

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Publication: December 10, 2013, by Disney-Hyperion

Format: Hardcover Edition





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

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

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

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

Review: 

"Tarver is so certain I'm me, I'm his girl--but how can he know? I want to believe him. Sometimes I almost do. I want to believe I'm more than imaginary smoke drifting from an imaginary chimney. But for the scrape of fabric against my bare, raw skin as I dress, I would think myself no more than a memory."

  

  There are rare times when you can possibly classify a book as "beautiful." But, this book was, inside and out. This was an addicting, gorgeous book that went through a whole different stage than most sci-fi dystopia books do. This was literature brilliance.

   I'm so glad that I requested an ARC of the sequel from the publisher. I NEED IT ASAP.

Lilac LaRoux is the daughter of the richest man alive. Tarver is just an ordinary soldier, a guy who knows better than what it seems. When the humungous spaceliner that they live on, the Icarus, crashes into the nearest planet after its yanked out of hyperspace, Lilac and Tarver realize that they're the only two around. They must work together to find help and rescue and survival, and at the same time, they fall in love into each other's arms, but never knew it until the end. Lilac hears whispers calling their names, and mysterious sightings of people and supplies have been shown around. They must figure out the secrets behind the reason why they were thrown onto the planet, before it's too late.

    We've all read those sci-fi dystopias where people live in ships heading towards a new safe planet after the Earth was demolished. But then of course, something comes in the way of the happiness, and action and a trilogy of romance with a love triangle begins. NO. This book is something completely different, thrilling and more beautiful. This is These Broken Stars, an unique YA novel that has never been done before. This is about a powerful, thrilling romance and survival story that will cause you to bite your fingernails until their tips. You will laugh, cry, and scream with Tarver and Lilac as they find out the truth behind everything and still struggle to survive, because hey, crashing into an unknown terraforming planet is difficult, right?

     This idea was unstoppable. The two fantastic authors have just created a masterpiece right here, and I recommend it truly to everyone out there. It has a mix of everything for everyone and isn't your typical YA novel. It's something more and bolder. The concept and idea was just amazing.

     Before beginning the novel, I was very afraid to see the outcome of this book. I knew that I've never read anything like it. The first time for everything can either end up good or bad, aren't I right? But from the start, I had an insta-love moment with this book. From the moment Tarver and Lilac set eyes on each other, I knew that this book was going to end up being one of my favourites; and look where we are now!

      As I went on with the book it got better and better. I needed some clarification with things, though. Why are they on this ship in the first place? How did Tarver get onto the ship? Why an army if they live on a spaceliner? More information on how the spaceliner looks please, and the purpose of this whole spaceliner/hyperspace thing? An answer to those questions, and I would've been good.

       There wasn't a moment in this book when I wasn't bored. It was thrilling and amazing the whole time and I couldn't set the book down. It was like a drug that you get this addiction effect from. You like awesome and thrilling plots? Go for this, and for the other reasons as well.

       Tarver and Lilac were perfection. They were such amazing characters, you can't even imagine. In my eyes, their connection was just unbeatable. You can't possibly take another set of characters and compare them to Tilac. (OTP) I'm sorry, Fourtris, but you've just got beaten by the newest couple in town.

        Their situation was like, if you're here, I'm there for you. The love and beautifying thing they had going on since the moment they met (but they just couldn't admit it until they couldn't stop kissing each other, hehe) was one of the most enjoying parts of the book, not that everything else wasn't.

         "But just now, as we wait for the engines to kick in, all of that is far away. For a moment the image before us is frozen: our world, our lives, reduced to a handful of broken stars half lost in unchartered space. Then it's gone, the view swallowed by the hyperspace winds streaming past, blue-green auroras wiping the afterimages away. Until that's all left of us."

        So.. Can I be part of that world?

   

     Hey, that looks like Lilac!

     Yes, so the world-building in this book was also perfect. I really felt like I was part of the world that Tarver and Lilac were living in, and we actually feel like we absolutely ASAP need to be in that world or else we'll suffocate ourselves. Yeah. It's that mind-crazing. 

      This book was unbelievably amazing. It's one of the best of the year, and certainly one of my all-time favourites. Sadly, the sequel isn't from the POV of Tarver and Lilac. :( Hopefully the next pair will be just as KICK-ASS.

The Winner's Curse, by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1), by Marie Rutkoski

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Dystopia, Science-Fiction

Rating: 4/5 stars

Publication: March 4, 2014, by Farrar Straus Giroux

Format: Hardcover Edition





Goodreads Summary: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Review:

"If you think it's stupid for me to go to the Firstwinter ball," she said, "you can be certain that it is far worse for me to take you along." He lifted one shoulder. "Or it could send a bold message of what we both know to be true: that you have nothing to hide."

  

   The worst thing that I care to admit: I hate historical fiction. It's basically the only genre that I hate that's been given so many chances by the boss ME. But of course, although I hate it so much, I still love to pick up those books that fall in the genre and have gorgeous covers. And obviously, you can see that I've picked this one up, and really liked it, according to the star rating system. 

    Marie Rutkoski has really made me proud to read this book. It had the mixture of many genres all in one, and it didn't give us loads of info-dumping, which I cannot stand in books. The Winner's Curse was one of those books that you will want to read every single paragraph, over and over again to catch every detail and feeling, because it's just that good.

     This story all begins with Kestrel, the general's daughter, going off into the village, where she's not supposed to be in. There, she finds a young male slave ready to be auctioned. Kestrel ends up buying the slave but all she doesn't know is that she's going to fall in love with him. Kestrel has a choice: to be married or join the war. Either way, it's a tough decision, and it's all said with one word.

      Wise words for Kestrel: 

  

    Kestrel spent this whole book trying to find out who she is and what she wants her life to be. And she had to go through some tough decisions. It's not easy when you're stuck in the situation that she was stuck in. I guess you could say that that was the point and concept of the book, but it was also about her and Arin's tough relationship. A slave and a general's daughter falling in love? Hmm... probably not so easy to deal with in their world. 

     Kestrel was a wise, willing character. I've read reviews that have noted that she was stuck-up and selfish, but I think otherwise. Kestrel had a capability in her that most protagonists don't show that fast in the novel or sequence. She was kick-ass and didn't care what the other characters thought of her. She just could blast her country off the Earth's surface and still could be walking out of there like a boss.

      I had issues with Arin. This time around (which rarely ever occurs with fictional men) I didn't like him. He was so rude most of the time and acted like he was the "boss" around. He thought that he was the best around and treated Kestrel like a loser. If you don't treat a girl right,

     The romance in this book was real cute, though. 

     "If her heart were truly a scroll, she could burn it. It would become a tunnel of flame, a handful of ash. The secret she had written inside herself would be gone. No one would know."

      In the end, I realized that Kestrel and Arin had a connection that most people don't have with each other. They understood each other and had an insta-love that was too powerful to tear apart. Together, they could rule the fictional world, right next to Tris and Four. :')

      The other flaw that this book had was the plot. It was kind of slow through the middle, but I had a bigger problem with Arin. Nothing could beat my anger with that man. Grr. But overall, this book was great. I recommend it to lovers of Game of Thrones, although I didn't get to read that yet. It has a medieval/dystopia feel to it and is very unique compared to others. I am looking forward to the thrilling sequel! 

K is for Kiera Cass, author of The Selection

  “I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them.”

   This is it. This book, is written by one of the most extraordinary authors of all time, Kiera Cass, and I'm dedicating this post to her. Kiera, girl, this one's for you, even though I know, that you'll never see this. 

    Hellooo? Where am I? Am I still in that dystopian world with a prince looking for his bride? Oh why, of course not! Sorry, I'm just drowsing in my fictional book world, like many of us do sometimes, just because our problems are sometimes too hard to deal with all at once!

    I'm dedicating this post to Kiera for mainly one reason, The Selection. The Selection just made me speechless when I read, and finished it. It was like The Hunger Games, meets The Bachelor, like many of us describe it, and it's true! The characters, details and plot makes you smile inside and out, knowing that there's no other book like this out there.

   I've heard a few complaints that this may be related to Wither, by Lauren DeStefano... But, don't listen to the haters! There's many love triangles out there, and this one just happens to be one of them, but totally unique in its own way!

   Okay, now that you've heard me babble on and on about my fangirling problem, here's the summary. Okay, so America Singer, yes that's her name, is put into a lottery to be Selected. Prince Maxon is looking for his bride, and America happens to have a chance to become one, but it's her worst nightmare. Being Selected means leaving her family, and her boyfriend, Aspen behind, for a palace home, and thirty-four other girls waiting to be chosen for a dream life. When America meets Maxon, her life is torn apart. She starts to question her life that she left behind, and imagine the future that she could have. All it takes is one choice, to change her life forever...

    Sounds terrific, doesn't it? Well, for those of you who have already read it, and enjoyed it as much as I did, guess what? On April 23, 2013, yes this year, the sequel, The Elite is coming out, in paperback and in hardcover! YAY! I'm seriously counting down the days, complaining to my friends, it isn't out yet? Aww... 

   But, don't worry! It's out soon, and Kiera definitely plans for the series to become a trilogy, which is even better, and some rumors that I've heard tells me that there might even be a show! I'm so stoked that all of my favourite books are become television shows and movies! Just look at The Host! 


    To infinity and beyond...

-Michelle