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my rating |
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| 0385741774
| 9780385741774
| 0385741774
| 3.69
| 16,802
| Nov 13, 2012
| Nov 13, 2012
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None
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Notes are private!
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0
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not set
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not set
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Dec 20, 2012
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Hardcover
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| 4.14
| 287,885
| Nov 29, 2011
| May 08, 2012
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liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 23, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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Paperback
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| 4.23
| 185,250
| Aug 14, 2012
| Aug 14, 2012
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really liked it
| Actual rating: 4.5 Wow. Favorite new Paranormal Romance series, thy name is Lux. I've said before that from the moment I first started seeing the Lux b Actual rating: 4.5 Wow. Favorite new Paranormal Romance series, thy name is Lux. I've said before that from the moment I first started seeing the Lux books floating around, I avoided them. But the thing that finally convinced me to check it out was Julie's review over at All Things Urban Fantasy, where she said, "As much as I enjoyed OBSIDIAN, ONYX was even better." Confession time: Sometimes I start a book series just to get to a certain book in that series. The best example would have to be Julie Kagawa's The Iron Queen from The Iron Fey series or even Richelle Mead's Shadow Kiss from Vampire Academy. Even though I do believe that each book in a series should be able to stand on its own merit, I will often tell people to read those series just to get to that special book. And I know that there is more to come from the Lux series, but until then I'll be saying to read this series to read Onyx. Because where Obsidian was fun, addictive and sexy, Onyx does it so much better. Armentrout wasn't fooling around with Onyx. From the very beginning it seemed she had a plan to really up the ante with book two and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. We have a noticeable amount of deeper character growth for both Daemon and Katy, all-around better plot, and of course, more banter & steamy scenes. So obviously that makes this a more difficult review to write without spoilers. Onyx picks up shortly after Obsidian and we have Katy, still sarcastic as ever, and Daemon, determined to prove to Katy his feelings are true and not just the result of their newfound alien connection. In fact, the biggest change in Onyx is Daemon and his attitude for Katy. Gone is the "douche canoe" from the previous novel and let's just say I can totally see when the dude has a Facebook page called Daemon Invasion. ;) But Katy pushes Daemon away at every chance she gets. And while this did get a bit frustrating as a reader, I can understand her reluctance to him considering his past actions, no matter what his intentions were. Unfortunately, her stubbornness ultimately ends with devastating consequences that I honestly never saw coming. I'm not going to give it away, but I'll say I shed a few tears. One thing I was sad about was Dee's character being slightly put on the back burner in this novel. I missed the relationship between her and Katy. Instead, Katy's time in Onyx is almost completely monopolized by a new character, Blake, or as Daemon would call him: Bozo, due to his jealously that he manages to marginally hide from Katy. I wish I could tell you more about Blake, but that would give away way too much of the plot. However, I did think there was a love triangle brewing... and I'm happy that I was wrong. But the best part of this new character? Fun, fun, fun banter! "Jesus." Blake rubbed his throat. "You have anger management problem. It's like a disease." That's all I'm saying about that. The plot is so much deeper, suspenseful and complex too. I thought I had an idea where things were going at the end of Obsidian, but I was so wrong. There were so many twists in this book and not a shred of a Twilight similarity, I might add. ;) What I once thought was simply black and white (the DOD, Dawson and Bethany's disappearance, Katy and Daemon's connection) was turned upside down. Just... wow. And the steamy scenes between Katy and Daemon? I knew based on a guest post at Xpresso Reads that Armentrout didn't plan on shying away from sex in a YA novel, because really, it's a part of life and coming of age. But, oh, my damn. Time stopped for us. The world and everything I'd been part of only existed outside the closed bedroom door, but in here, it was only us. And for the first time, there was nothing between us. We were open, vulnerable to each other. Pieces of our clothing disappeared. His shirt. Mine. A button came undone on his jeans... and on mine, too. [image] Anyway, I'm not sure what it is about the Lux series or Armentrout's writing that has me begging for more, but I know I am now desperately waiting for Opal. And if the cliffhanger at the end of Onyx is an indication of anything, it's that the Lux series is like a fine bottle of wine, getting better and better with age. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 31, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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Paperback
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| 4.09
| 43,168
| Feb 20, 2012
| Feb 21, 2012
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liked it
| Actual rating: 3.5 stars Usually I don't like reading novellas. I find that I have a harder time connecting with the characters with such few pages. So Actual rating: 3.5 stars Usually I don't like reading novellas. I find that I have a harder time connecting with the characters with such few pages. So I was surprised that by the time I read the last page of Shadows I found myself missing Dawson and Bethany. Perhaps it's because I devoured Shadows right after completing Obsidian. I'm not sure. Or maybe it's because despite Dawson and Bethany's absence thus far in the series, I can still feel that they play a much bigger role than perviously realized. Whatever the case, I found this novella to be entirely bittersweet. If there is one thing that I take away from reading Shadows it's the reasons behind Daemon's interactions with Katy in Obsidian. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make his actions okay in any shape or form. But it does give the reader better insight. Basically, it's nice to know Daemon wasn't just being a complete jackass just for the hell of it (though, I do think he enjoyed tormenting Katy at times and she him). What's interesting was seeing the almost the exact same events that happened with Daemon also happening with Dawson; something Daemon tried very hard to prevent. Going into the novella, I already knew the general story behind what happened to Dawson and Bethany since it's referenced a bit in Obsidian, but to actually see it play out was a different story. Dawson is the kinder twin of the Black family, so it was relatively easy to grow attached to him and root for his determination at staying with Bethany despite the obstacles in their relationship. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same feelings for Bethany as I did Katy. She wasn't a bad character and I didn't dislike her, but I don't feel I got a good feel for her. I think it's because most of the events were focused around Dawson than Bethany. And not to mention I was still riding my "Katy high" when I dived right into Shadows. I did like Dawson and Bethany together. And I usually don't like "love at first sight" stories, but there wasn't any insta-love to be found, just instant attraction that later turned into something more, which is perfectly realistic. If fans are looking for a more action packed story, this one probably isn't it since it does focus mostly on Dawson and Bethany's first meeting to their getting-to-know-you's and dates. It's a much slower paced book than its processor and less witty. I thought that was appropriate considering the novella carried a certain level of foreboding from the first page that demanded seriousness. All throughout the novel you are watching them go through the motions, attempting the impossible, all the while heading for the inevitable. I wanted to reach out and tell Dawson to not go to that movie theatre that night, but alas, the book was already written. *sigh* All in all, this was a very good novella and I will definitely be continuing with the rest of the series. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 23, 2012
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Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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ebook
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| 0425266745
| 9780425266748
| 0425266745
| 4.08
| 228,171
| May 25, 2012
| Nov 06, 2012
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it was amazing
| Okay, let's get right down to business: Easy is one of the best books I've ever read. I finished it almost two weeks ago and I still think about the c Okay, let's get right down to business: Easy is one of the best books I've ever read. I finished it almost two weeks ago and I still think about the characters because I was on such an emotional roller coaster, fully immersed, while reading. It says something about a book that can do that do you. Easy surprised me right from the start with a very troubling scene of Jacqueline being attacked, making my heart jump into my stomach. And I'll admit to being worried about how Webber would handle such a delicate topic. But I think she did it very well and touched on many of the myths that are attached to rape. But Easy showed not only how a victim feels after an attack, but how a family copes and how a community reacts. And if there is anything I've taken away from the story it's that I need to enroll in a women's self-defense class in the near future. This book was filled with so many moments that just made me sigh inwardly or cheer on. The playful banter between Jacqueline and Lucas during their email exchanges was incredibly sweet. The scene where the sorority leader gave that speech on rape had me in tears. And the entire ending was just sheer perfection! But I will give a warning to some: There are a few disturbing scenes and if this is a trigger for you, it may be best to skip. It's been a while since I've added a book to my all-time-favorites shelf. This book was so powerful, so amazing, so emotional. When Jacqueline was attacked in the beginning I was like: [image] Then she had to endure being harassed by that asshat again and endure shame from the student body, I was like: [image] Then another girl is attacked and that fucktard RUINED her and people were concerned about his reputation, I was like: [image] At that point, I needed to take a break, because this book was tearing me up inside. Some of this happened: [image] Okay, okay. Maybe some of this too: [image] Then Lucas and Jacqueline get into a spat and I'm like, "WHY??????" *SORROW* [image] THEN SHIT GETS REAL... AGAIN and I'm like: [image] By the end of the book, I'm in a glass case of emotions and I'm like: [image] So basically, what I'm trying to say: The highest of recommendations. More reviews and other fantastical things at my blog Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 09, 2012
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Sep 26, 2012
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Aug 20, 2012
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Paperback
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| 0983650322
| 9780983650324
| 0983650322
| 2.00
| 992
| Oct 01, 2011
| Jan 10, 2012
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did not like it
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Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you failed. Badly. To say Revealing Eden is offensive is such a massive understatement. I couldn't even stomach more that a few pages at a time. It was like taking a spork to your eye, but then it breaks leaving you with only the handle to carry out your dark deed. Even with the obvious racism aside, the Revealing Eden is simply not good. From the dialogue to the characters to the plot, it was very badly written. A tragic mess. There are a few things you should know before reading this review: 1. I am an African-American. 2. I went into this book knowing I would probably dislike it. Why? -Because I'm obviously masochistic. -Because I'm taking one for the team. You're welcome. -Because Foyt made a statement that not many African-Americans had read her book. Here I am and yes, we still exist. 3. I will most likely address a few statements made by Foyt about her novel as it pertains to Revealing Eden. 4. Oh, and this review is kinda long. Sorry about that. LOADS to cover. >.< Apparently, according to Victoria Foyt the population of white people have plummeted due to an increase in sun radiation, leaving black people in charge. My first issue was with the lack of science in that premise. (And no. Throwing out random scientific names of insects, animals and plants does not signify that you've done your homework.) If the sun's radiation was *that* bad, being black won't do you that much good. What's even more odd is that for majority of the novel, Eden is hanging out outside in the sun without her coating (more on that later). I kept waiting for her to complain about how hot it was or that her skin felt burnt, but it never happened. Her father is working in a lab attempting to genetically alter people so that they have animal traits and no one has created a better sunblock or, I don't know, CURED CANCER?! Where is the logic in that? Whites in this novel are considered a burden to society since they have such a low rate of survival. If one does not have a mate by age 18, they are to be sentenced to death. There seems to be an obvious solution to this hypothetical problem: breed out the weaker genetics. But instead white people are oppressed just for the sake of oppression. And even though Eden knows she has had two mating offers, she refuses to accept either one, choosing to wait for her "Dark Prince" in hopes that he will pick up her mating option. Her reasoning? "Because I don't want my child to be all Pearl. I'd rather be dead than mate with one of my kind." *sigh* I can't believe I have to break this down, but if a black person and a white person have a baby, that doesn't automatically guarantee a dark-skinned baby. In fact, some may have very fair complexion. Funny thing the way genetics works. But what did I expect? Almost all the dark-skinned people in Revealing Eden were black as night. The one person who is mentioned with brown skin is assumed to be mixed. *Shaking my head* It was then I should have realized that logic was not going to be Revealing Eden's strong point. In order for Eden to fit in, she walks around with a coating of "Midnight Luster" on her skin and hair. She talks about dying her hair black and I couldn't figure out why she was doing that. Doesn't Foyt know that black peoples' hair is not actually black? Is that a common misconception even today? It's weird because it's something I've never thought of before. Sure, there are some whose hair is black, but it's not very common at all. It was the little things like that were I noticed a trend beginning: Foyt did absolutely no research on African-Americans or any other race for that matter. It is very evident by her constant reliance on black stereotypes applied even to white characters. *Warning: Many quote-inducing headdesking ahead. Applying black stereotypes to a white female to generate sympathy for the main character: "White people were lazy good-for-nothings with weak genetics." A black woman's figure categorizing her status in society: "Voluptuous, with raisin-colored skin, everything about Ashina screamed ruling class." *facepalm*: "On the main stage a band of Coals performed in whiteface." Oh and I can't forget about the constant theme running rampant that black people are out to get the white people. As if black people, that are now in charge, have nothing else better to do with their time than antagonize others. White women everywhere are doing the "White Woman's Workout." >_> Every black person in the world is out to get white people: "She suspected that each and every Coal passerby wanted to hurt her..." [image] It's always black people: "All of a sudden, she heard two men behind her. Coals, she figured by their careless, drunken laughter." Songs about black men raping a white girl: Little Pearly whirly, [image] Even more rape comparisons: She felt more violated than if she'd been raped. Go on and scream. Let it out. [image] And on and on it goes. But then it gets worse when because there doesn't seem to be any indication that slavery or the Civil Rights Movement ever happened. How was she being oppressed? Well as far as I can tell, white people were well-fed, had their own places, had jobs etc. The biggest thing against them was the mating age, having to wear their "coating" (I'm not sure if that was a law or anything) and getting rude remarks from black people. On a few occasions Eden even wishes the world could go back to a time where white people were free to go outside with their white skin without being persecuted. She frequently says that a black person couldn't possibly understand what it was like to be in her shoes. *slow blink* "Someday, when you're locked up in a cage, Bramford, maybe you'll understand what it feels like to be an outcast." Yeah, that's not offensive at all. Not one bit. #sarcasm And then there is the issue of the FFP A.K.A. the Federation of Free People, "a militant organization of Coals that vowed to rid the planet of Pearls." Pause. *deep breaths* How am I supposed to take that? The Federation of FREE People? Get me off this planet. I'm just going to leave that alone before I start seeing blood-red. Too late, I just saw red. Excuse me. [image] Okay, sorry about that. That was a tad awkward. I also want to address the titles given to the races. White- Pearls Asian- Ambers Latino- Tiger Eyes Black- Coals Albino- Cottons Are you kidding me? Coals? As in black as coals? Pearls? As in precious pieces of jewelry? Cotton? As in what my ancestors were forced to pick in the fields? Do I even need to explain how offensive that is? And Foyt's response to the backlash of these titles? "Why are whites called Pearls, while blacks are called Coals? Imagine a gritty, post-apocalyptic world where all that matters is survival. What good will a pearl do you when luxury items have no use? Coal has energy, fire, and real value. It is durable and strong, not easily crushed like a pearl. Pearl is a pejorative term here. Coals are admired. Coals oppress Pearls because they fear that those with light skin will add to a population unable to survive “The Heat,” and drain meager resources." [image] No, no, no, no. NO! You do not give a title that has been used as a racial slur to a people who have been oppressed. You do not do that. And if you think any of that is okay, something is deeply wrong with you. By no stretch of the imagination can "Pearl" be considered a racial slur. Unless, along with common sense, this society has happened to lose every dictionary in existance. In which case, I shall provide the definition. pearl1 [purl] noun 1. a smooth, rounded bead formed within the shells of certain mollusks and composed of the mineral aragonite or calcite in a matrix, deposited in concentric layers as a protective coating around an irritating foreign object: valued as a gem when lustrous and finely colored. Compare cultured pearl. 2. something resembling this, as various synthetic substances for use in costume jewelry. 3. something similar in form, luster, etc., as a dewdrop or a capsule of medicine. 4. something precious or choice; the finest example of anything: pearls of wisdom. 5. a very pale gray approaching white but commonly with a bluish tinge. Yup, that is just the title I would give to a group that is being oppressed. Tell them they're worthless while giving them a name that literally means precious. Moreover, if "Coal" supposed to be a positive title, highlighting their strengths, then why is "Cotton" considered derogatory? By definition cotton is a very useful resource. It's strong, durable, able to withstand cold and hot temperatures. So what's the deal here? Only Cottons, the derogatory word for albinos, were lower, and they were extinct. I don't think for a second Fyot didn't know what she was doing when she wrote that because in the beginning of the novel she calls "Coal" a racial slur herself. Before she knew it, she blurted out an incendiary racial slur. "Gets your hands off of me, you damn Coal!" First of all, I'm surprised she was still alive after saying that to someone of the elite class. Surely if Pearls are so worthless and oppressed, there would be severe consequences for an action like that? Second, Foyt is again baking her cake and trying to stuff her face with it too. Which one is it? It's either a positive term or a racial slur. It cannot be both. I'll tell you what I think. I think Foyt was just trying to smooth things over with her choice of words. And failed, I might add, because my bullshit meter is about to explode. In the second half of the novel I had no idea what was going on half the time. The scenes were very jumbled with no clear direction of where the plot was headed. World building left way too many holes in the story. Because surely there are more races on Earth that just the ones listed in Revealing Eden. Character interactions were much of the same confusion. But I think that it mostly had to do with the fact that Eden was a fucking idiot. Her stupidity burned. For real. [image] From this day forward I can never say Bella Swan was the worst. Eden is the worst protagonist I have ever read. Not only does she completely miss the point over and over again, regardless of how many times it is spelled out, but she is extremely selfish and all around unlikable. There is a scene in the novel where Eden happens across an anaconda and I felt myself rooting for the snake. Sadly, he didn't win. *weeps* One thing that was clear was how Eden suddenly became attracted to Bramford after he became half beast. One minute she is talking about how sexy he is and the next she is calling him names, even after he saves her life several times. (Bold is mine.) That dumb beast had been gone since yesterday afternoon. Also she likes to ride him like an animal: She sunk her fingers into his long silky hair, like reins on a horse. As if she controlled the beast. Eden knew it wasn't true, but she enjoyed the illusion just the same. What. The. Hell. A black man is turned into an animal and you have your white protagonist daydreaming about riding him like a frickin' pony? I just... can't. When I finally finished reading Revealing Eden I had to ask myself what kind of person would think any of this would be remotely okay? Foyt says: "So yes, this book is meant to provoke the white community that has never experienced racism or been oppressed because they have been in the majority in this country." I take issue with the white community only able to be provoked by featuring a white girl who is oppressed by black people using the very same stereotypes we fight against everyday. So, yes. I taking extreme offense to that. If Foyt is indeed "color blind" as she claims then making readers connect with a black character shouldn't be a problem for her. But instead she chose to "turn racism on its head" and say, "Black folk, I know you guys have dealt with some really rough shit in the past, but what if it happened to white people?" No, just no. The African-American community exists *because* of the oppression. It is our history, our roots. It is the one thing that must be left alone. You can't just take that away from us and apply it yourselves and make us look like the bad guys in your novel! This is one of the few times where I had to sit back and wonder who could possibly enjoy this book. "And if you ask if all these reviewers are white then consider that you have a racist point of view." Oh, really? Racist point of view? Racism isn't dead. It's something that many of us has to face everyday. As a people, it is ingrained in our society that our features are less desirable than that of whites. There are somethings some people will never understand. They have never had to walk in the shoes of another race and therefore they have limited understanding on what it means to be a Person of Color. When you get followed around in a clothing store because of your skin color, when you can't go into the 7-11 with your hoodie on, when a job tells you your natural hair is "unprofessional," when your 4-year-old daughter asks you why her hair doesn't "go down like a princess" as if hers could never be considered as such, when you see celebrities of your race white washed in ad campaigns, when your male relatives are arrested for looking suspicious, when you see your grandparents cry after Obama was elected because they thought they would never live to see the day where a black man held office, when you know there are some parts of the country where you are just not welcome because of your skin color, or when you walk down the aisle of your local book store and all you see on the book covers are white people, with a small section devoted to African-Americans, you realize you are living in a white world. Racist point of view? Wherever would one have gotten that? I think this goes without saying: NO STARS FOR YOU! *SARCASM ALERT* You didn't think I'd just leave it on that unhappy note did you? Pfft, as if! Ay yo, if black people truly ruled da world we damn sure wouldn't be toting 'round some whack name like "Coals." Naw, we'd go for something MUCH more gangsta like, Chocolate Thundas. Then we'd go n' elect Snoop Dogg as our president and Dave Chappelle as our VP, ya feel meh? We'd give women back control of their bodies. We'd legalize MJ and the national anthem would be "Young, Wild and Free." We'd move the capital to the ATL, where we like to "throw dem bones." Grillz would be covered by dental insurance. Free health care to all citizens. Oppress white people? Naw, we ain't got time fo' dat shit, man! We'd be too busy spending our reparation money from da Gov'ment, giving back to the economy. Chicken spots n' drive through liquor stores would be on every corner. You welcome! (So what, we get drunk...). 12pm would be a mandatory nation wide nap time, which no one would pay any attention to. Fuck the system! (So what, we don't sleep...). Though dey should 'cause "The Itis" is a very serious condition affecting 1 out of 2 black folk e'rywhere. And finally, random flash mob dances would be to songs like "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" and "We Fly High" (We just havin' fun and we don't care who sees...). We stay fly. No lie. You know dis... [image] Book was provided by publisher/author via NetGalley for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 03, 2012
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Aug 18, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0374349053
| 9780374349059
| 0374349053
| 3.85
| 4,278
| Oct 16, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
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liked it
| These days every time I go to pick up another Paranormal Romance I know I'll end up with some form of vampire, werewolf, zombie or ghost. And while th These days every time I go to pick up another Paranormal Romance I know I'll end up with some form of vampire, werewolf, zombie or ghost. And while there is nothing wrong any of those types of characters, it tends to get a little "tell me something I don't know, would ya?" I wanted something different, creative and imaginative. So when I first discovered The Shadow Society, I was really excited to read a novel that featured an entirely new Paranormal creature: Shades, children of the shadows (badass tagline, right?). Now even though in my bio it says I love reading Paranormal Romances, I am so picky with that genre because it has the biggest habit of falling into tropes that either annoy me or disturb me. At first I thought that would be The Shadow Society's fate as well. When our main character, Darcy, an orphan with a mysterious past, meets the new boy at school, Conn, they lock eyes and she finds herself thinking about him from that point forward. Do you see where this could have gone? Straight to my Did Not Finish list, that's where. But then I noticed something. Darcy and Conn started spending good, ol' fashion time together, getting to know each other without claiming their undying love. And just when I thought this would be a simple cutesy novel, betrayals, revelations, and mysteries ensue and I found myself wrapped up in the plot. If there is one thing that I have to commend Rutkoski on, it's how the novel is crafted around one real life story involving a knife and a fish tank. When Darcy discovers that she is really a Shade from an alternate dimension and that her kind are terrorists, she is heartbroken. All her life she has wanted to know about her past she couldn't seem to remember, but the longer she spends in the alternate division the more she discovers that it's filled with more that just shadows. I could easily sympathize with Darcy and loved how the book was told through her point-of-view. She doesn't always make the best decisions in the novel, but unlike other heroines, I have to give her credit for trying to fix her mistakes. The highlight of the novel is easily the secondary characters. They were hilarious with vibrant personalities, especially Jims. I LOVED him so hard. I only wish I could have seen a lot more of him and Darcy's friends. Conn, the love interest, was a confusing character for majority of the novel. It's understandable given his role in the plot (which I won't spoil for you even if you beg!), but it made it harder to connect with him. However, I did enjoy the romance and readers can rest assured that insta-love is absent from The Shadow Society. And while it is an important factor in the story, it never drove the plot, which I liked. Of course, this isn't a perfect novel. There were a few times where the story did slow down significantly and while I wasn't bored, it could be an issue for other readers. I also found the third boy's romantic interests in Darcy a bit unnecessary. She already had two admirers, one who reminded me of Blake from Onyx (if you've read Onyx, you'll know that isn't a compliment to that character), and Conn, the good guy. And no, there wasn't a love triangle. Then there was the issue of the friends somehow finding the alternate dimension and making a life there in such a short amount of time. But when Jims referred to himself as "Daddy," I quickly let that little issue slide. LOL. And finally, I felt that the ending's resolution ended a little too swiftly for my liking after so much build-up. If someone were to ask me if I'd recommend The Shadow Society, I think I would tell them to sample the first few chapters first. The Shadow Society gives me the same feelings Throne of Glass did in that it's very readable with an interesting premise. It won't change your life, but being a standalone read, it works well for one of those rainy days where you want to read something a little lighter with a satisfying ending. ARC was provided by Macmillan. Thank you! Want to enter for a chance to win the ARC? Visit Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 05, 2012
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Sep 13, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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Hardcover
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| 0062125958
| 9780062125958
| 0062125958
| 3.44
| 2,057
| Jan 08, 2013
| Jan 08, 2013
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did not like it
| I feel like I'm in a slump right now. I've been craving some sci-fi, but they last two books have done less than impress me. What is going on? What do I feel like I'm in a slump right now. I've been craving some sci-fi, but they last two books have done less than impress me. What is going on? What do I have to do, start lowering my standards? Is it too hard to ask for a dynamic cast of characters, action, drama, mystery and romance?! Oh...wait. Didn't this book promise me that? Huh. Well, let's get one thing out the way right now. That blurb is misleading. But before we get into all that, I want to take you on a flashback. Yes, a flashback. Back to yester-year... I don't know why, but I have this soft spot for robots. Perhaps even more than the average person should. Every time I see a book or TV show about them, I have this strong uncontrollable urge to read/watch it. Now, a few years back, there was this show that came on FOX called The Sarah Conner Chronicles that showed John Conner's life as a teen on the run with his mom. I faithfully DVR'd it every week. I thought it was gripping and amazing. Though, clearly my opinion mattered very little because the show was eventually moved to Friday night - which is the kiss of death in TV land - and then, later cancelled. I was pretty bummed out about it. I mean, why do they cancel all the good shows? WHY? *ahem* Right, so about Revolution 19, because I'm betting you didn't click this review to find out my life story and robots (or did you?). Believe it or not, the above paragraph had a point. The point being, when I heard about Revolution 19 I knew I had to have it. I was SO excited and hoped that I could somehow fill the void in my robotic heart that FOX left in my chest like a leaking hole of utter despair. But I was failed again! A-a-and the hole just keeps getting bigger with every awful YA sci-fi book I read until I feel like it's just gonna swallow me whole and I can't breathe and I'm sitting in a corner, singing a Justin Timberlake song, crying a river and, and, and.... oh dear. It's like I've become the Anti-Steph: Bella Swan. I've become emotionally compromised. Quick! Someone get Spock! [image] Long story short, Revolution 19 disappointed me for three very good reasons. The Characters: So the blurb says, "With a dynamic cast of characters..." Okay, yeah. Let's go with that and pretend that was the case here. Maybe, just maybe this book could have gotten 2 stars from me if I cared about one character. But the truth of the matter is that none were developed enough. Ever heard of the phrase 'one track mind'? That's similar to how I found these characters. They were all 'one track-traited'. The three protagonists are each given basic traits that they embody throughout the novel. Kevin (13) likes technology, Cass (15) is athletic and Nick (17) is brave/stubborn/fearless/determined/stupid? That's all we know about these characters and it seemed that was all they knew about themselves too. Take, for example, Kevin. Everything was going to shit and all he could think about at times was, "Oh! Is that a 3D TV? Check out the resolution on this!" He did this every time and new, shiny piece of equipment was introduced like clockwork. Nick chose any and every opportunity to do something stupid at the personal risk of people trying to help him. He displays a blatant disrespect for the family that takes him and his siblings in by sneaking out and disobeying their rules of remaining hidden from the robots. But he's labeled as being brave. Is he remorseful for the trouble he causes them? Not in the slightest because he does it over and over again. I have a feeling that this novel was extended thanks to the sheer stupidity of most of his decisions. Don't get me wrong, I expect a certain level of mistakes being made by a teen cast (or any cast of characters for that matter), but I also expect common sense to be utilized. And then there is Cass, whose role I'm not entirely convinced was needed besides Rosenblum throwing an athletic girl into the story just to say, "Hey, look! Progression!" Great. She can run. But, of course, she gets subtly sexually harassed by two characters, one of whom throws so many sexual innuendos at her, that she later ends up liking. Of course. The other one really disturbed me: The kids find some guy living in the woods, who stares at Cass the entire time, licking his lips. She folds her arms over her chest and the narrative alludes to her being uncomfortable. Who wouldn't? That was the book's first biggest strike for me. Some dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels do this thing that irritates me: Female character + sexual harassment (minor or on larger scale) = LOOK HOW BAD MY WORLD IS! I just do not like how female characters are used like that. And one could argue that her role will be larger in book two (based on the ending), but it just feels like a convenient way to include her into the story line. Or better yet, move the plot along when it's clear her role serves no other purpose. The supporting cast only serve to provide a way out to the main characters. Every time they get in trouble we are then introduced to another character that has just the skill set needed to get them out of the fix they're in. They have no substance, especially Lexie, who claims she risks her life for them because she is bored and is looking for some fun. -_- Right. Furthermore, there is no romance. A couple of smiles dispersed throughout the novel and two kisses made of random, do not equal romance. The Writing: Definitely not my cup of tea. I like my narrative with a little more depth and complexity than Revolution 19 offered. Have you ever read a movie script before? That's how this book reads. It's very fast paced and not in the sense that things are just happening rather quick. It's more of an issue of things not being properly explained, giving off an over all rushed feeling. Though this should not surprise me since Revolution 19 was planned from the beginning to be both a YA series and film. And in that respect, I could see this working well on-screen with good actors, but it didn't translate well in book form. For example, there is virtually no world building and it feels like the author is heavily relying on the reader's knowledge of The Terminator to build his story. There is a brief prologue saying robots took over world and that's pretty much all you get. Let me not forget the weird slang/terminology of the time period that seemed entirely forced and distracting. The Robots: I knew going into this book that the author and company was pulling heavily on The Terminator to create this story. And I was okay with that because in my mind I got to see scary robots destroying things, chasing little humans around. Not unreasonable, right? Well imagine my surprise when robots are described as having flat and featureless faces except for rectangular openings for their eyes. Oh and did I mention they roll? So basically, the world has been taken over by a bunch of Wall-es, huh? [image] Oh, whoops! They are also 8ft tall. So the more accurate depiction would be Number 5 from Short Circuit . [image] Awesome. Mankind gets enslaved by evil robots, whose true crime will be reminding us forevermore of bad 80's movies. The world is so screwed. (Okay, so I totally loved that movie, but that is besides the point, people!) I mean, is that even remotely scary? The other 'bots' are no better as just pieces of metal that hovers. But the thing that gets me, is that the robots take themselves so seriously that they TALK IN ALL CAPS. All the while, I'm thinking why are humans afraid of these robots? Oh, right. Their "lasers". *snort* You remember that moment in Toy Story where Woody is chewing out Buzz at the gas station? Well, every time one of those 'bots' came rolling around I'm like: [image] Random Thing that Has Nothing to do With the Story, but Still Annoyed Me: Why is the cover model a girl? (Yes, it's a girl as she is wearing eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara on the cover.) In the novel, it's Nick that has the robotic eye and I'm pretty sure he is of Y chromosome variety. Cover, y u lie 2 meh? In conclusion, I'm sad this didn't do much for me and I can't say I'd really recommend it to anyone either. When it all boiled down to it, Revolution 19 is a lackluster novel with a premise that had potential, but instead yielded a boring plot, boring cast of characters and equally boring robots. I will have to continue on my search for fabulous YA Sci-Fi reads. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 14, 2012
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Dec 18, 2012
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Jul 07, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1426846037
| 9781426846038
| B0088NH1VC
| 4.16
| 14,801
| Sep 01, 2012
| Sep 01, 2012
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really liked it
| This series makes me so happy. <3 |
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1
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Oct 04, 2012
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Oct 07, 2012
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Jun 27, 2012
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Kindle Edition
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| 0545284104
| 9780545284103
| 0545284104
| 3.69
| 40,231
| Apr 26, 2011
| Apr 26, 2011
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did not like it
| NO STARS. I've heard a lot about Meg Cabot's books. And it may surprise people to know that this was actually my first Meg Cabot novel. I'm not complet NO STARS. I've heard a lot about Meg Cabot's books. And it may surprise people to know that this was actually my first Meg Cabot novel. I'm not completely unfamiliar with her works. One of my favorite movies of all time was adapted from one of her novels-- The Princess Diaries. All that being said, I think I made a huge mistake in having Abandon pop my Cabot novel "cherry". Insta... love. Guys, this book has INSTA LOVE! [image] Deep breaths, Stephanie. Deep. Breaths. It took me till page 300 to realize why I felt like I wanted to give up reading Abandon several times. And really that's pathetic that I didn't see it. I mean, I really should have peeped that way earlier. But it's not my fault because Abandon was so hard to even follow thanks to Pierce's convoluted ramblings about her pathetic life and her intermittently reminding herself to check yourself before you wreck yourself. This book left me confused, angry and HIGHLY disturbed. Therefore, this review will have major spoilers. Deal with it and let's explore these emotions. "What Just Happened?" It's probably not a good sign for a reader to finish your novel and not have a single clue what the point was. Not even an inkling for what you were trying to accomplish. And believe me. I wanted so much to understand and like this book, but the narration ran circles around my wee little mind. The entire first half of the novel has Pierce alluding to several past scenes as if the reader knows what was going on. Pierce would say something like, "Oh and I don't want anything to happen like it did that one time." And I'm sitting here thinking, "Oh yeah? What? What happened?! Tell me already!" I get what Cabot was trying to do, but it didn't work for me. And it definitely didn't need to go on for majority of the book. That was just cruel and wrong. It made me incredibly frustrated. Now, the parts that did manage to make some type of sense were cancelled out by Pierce's sheer stupidity. Saw dust for brains. I really don't want to say it, b-b-but.... BELLA! *gasp* And that, my friends, brings me to the anger. "What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate!" No, what we have here is just a failure. Pierce is one of the worst heroines I've read this year. Now, keep in mind I read both Starcrossed and Fifty Shades of Grey so far, so that's saying something. And not a good something. Moving on. Pierce meets John, a death deity, when she is a just seven-years-old. Later, when she dies at age fifteen, she sees him in the Underworld and he recognizes her too. They have a brief conversation which goes a little something like this: "Omg, it's so cold and wet here." "Hey, you wanna get outta here?" "Sure, whateves." *poof* [image] So what does her do? He whisks her away to his bedroom, dresses her in a white dress and gives her the biggest diamond he could Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Meanwhile, a year and a half later... They meet again... in a graveyard, where this poor, unfortunate soul seems to hang out. Of course, that doesn't stop our heroine from asking the all important, universal question: "Why me?" Are you kidding me? But I have to remember, the problem with Pierce is that she's so stupid, she doesn't realize how stupid she is. Instead of running away from the crazed stalker, she apologizes to him for throwing the tea in his face. You know, when she was busy escaping. Pop quiz: What do you get when you mix not-so-bright heroine with a gallon of selfless? Mary-Sue. [image] So, yeah, the graveyard. Here they are, in the rain, having a "lover's spat" over... well, I'm not exactly sure why they were fighting, but John ends up getting semi-violent, throwing her diamond and demolishing the cemetery gate. Lovely guy. Do you see why this book made me angry? Here we have yet another YA heroine with a controlling, violent male, trying to not be involved with him, and she's apologizing for getting away. Unbelievable. It was at that point where I really didn't think this novel could get any worse. Until, of course, I got to the disturbing part. The Return of Pedobear (I wish I were joking): Somehow the cemetery sexton gets involved and Pierce opens up and confides in him. She goes on and on about how he randomly has shown up in her life, how he scares her, how he's a nightmare, how bad things happen when he's around, etc. Do you know what he says to her after that? "So if I might make a suggestion for all our sakes, why don't you try"--his brown eyes were pleading--"just being a little sweeter to that boy?" Yes, that's right girls. When you are in an abusive relationship, trying to escape, it's not his fault. It's totally your fault for not being sweet enough to him. Because there is no such thing as personal accountability and it is your job to make sure he remains calm enough to not destroy you and everyone you love in a hurricane. But don't worry. He loves you. Gag me. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Excuse me while I rage across my living room. Ohhhhh... but it gets better. I mentioned before how I didn't recognize the insta-love until page 300. That might seem really strange. And it is. It's mostly because Pierce and John spent so much time trying to "non-avoid" each other and argue that I completely didn't see it. Well, on page 300 John confesses his love to Pierce. His LOVE, people. Pause. Love? What love? In all of their encounters (six by my count, including when she was seven), they probably spent no more than thirty minutes together at a given time. And I'm being generous. And then I remember Pierce's dear, sweet granny. The one that took her to the graveyard when she was seven, in hopes that John would run into Pierce and--I hope you're sitting down for this one--fall in love with her. At seven-years-old. That's why he kidnapped her, because he was in love with her. He stalked her because he was in love with her. He got violent when she ran away screaming from him because he was in love with her. He fell in love with her at seven-years-old. Shall I check myself before I wreck myself now too? HUH?! [image] Eeny, meeny, miney, moe. Catch a kiddie by the toe... Then in order to protect her from the Furies, he kidnaps her again (to the bedroom!), changes her clothes (AGAIN) and tells her she must stay there forever with him. But don't worry it's for her protection. Totally legit. And this time he even remembers to lock the door. She smiles. The end. I know that this is a retelling of Persephone. I get that. But this is in no way, shape or form okay with me. Abandon had everything I hate in a book. Controlling, violent, abusive male. Check. Submissive, passive heroine with very little common sense. Check. Insta-love. check. Mary-sue. Check. Poor plot. Check. Why? Why do I continue to see the same awful tropes over and over? Why are impressionable, young girls consistently being marketed these types of book? Please, please make it stop. Give them strong, independent heroines, loving love interests, safe and healthy relationships. Dear Literary gods, Hear my pleas. Can you do me a solid and provide more alcohol and chocolate if I continue to run into these books? [image] A finished copy was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 30, 2012
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Jul 12, 2012
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Jun 19, 2012
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Hardcover
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| 0306822008
| 9780306822001
| B06XCS7ZZJ
| 3.28
| 4,327
| Jul 2012
| Jul 10, 2012
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really liked it
| Very fun read! Just what I needed right now. :) |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 22, 2012
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Nov 26, 2012
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May 24, 2012
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Kindle Edition
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| 1595145842
| 9781595145840
| 1595145842
| 3.78
| 61,854
| Dec 11, 2012
| Dec 11, 2012
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really liked it
| This marks the second book I've read of the Breathless Reads collection from PenguinTeen and so far, I have not been disappointed. And now, I'm making This marks the second book I've read of the Breathless Reads collection from PenguinTeen and so far, I have not been disappointed. And now, I'm making it my personal mission to check out the others in the collection. With Origin I had edge-of-my-seat suspense, but with Falling Kingdoms I had conspiracies, action, war... blood. :D Falling Kingdoms follows the story of four young people from different kingdoms whose destinies become intertwined during the strain of peace between the lands. We have Cleo, a princess of Auranos; Jonas, a peasant from Paelsia; and Lucia & Magnus from Limeros. At first I was a little overwhelmed with remembering who was who, because besides the main characters, there are also quite a few important secondary characters to keep track of. Thankfully, the plot picks up rather quickly and kept me interested long enough to focus. Since Falling Kingdoms essentially has four storylines built into one and is very character driven, it's probably easier to review by analyzing the book by each character. Cleo: I struggled to like Cleo and most of the characters involved in her story arc. Much of the time I generally found her to be incredibly frustrating and immature. She's also spoiled, stubborn and selfish. But she does have a good amount of character growth by the end of the novel. The sad part is that it comes at a really high price for her. I also disliked most of her storyline. The entirety of the events in Falling Kingdoms begins with her friend Aron (also known as the most infuriating character ever) murdering a Paelsian peasant after trying to cheat the family out of money for wine. Dude just claims his life as if he owned the place. Then somewhere along the way there is a bit of insta-love between her and another character that I REALLY didn't care for. In fact, I thought that whole love story was poorly executed given the novel's fast pace. Even given those dislikes, I feel like I will enjoy her character much more in book two. Jonas: Jonas is the brother of the murdered peasant and through his thirst for vengeance, a revolution begins. He helps rally his people and forms and alliance with the King of Limeros to siege Auranos. I enjoyed his story arc much more than Cleo's because he is clearly the under dog of the four. But I do feel he received the least amount of page time than the other main characters. However, based on the ending, it looks like he will play a much larger role in the next book. Lucia and Magnus: Ah, those two. Let's just call them Luke and Leia for now, minus actually being blood relatives. Or better yet Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series. Okay, so this was the storyline that really drove this novel since the prologue is about Lucia's past. Their arc had the most plot twists and turns along with shocking revelations. Or perhaps, not so shocking if you have read similar character situations. Magnus hides his feelings from Lucia and with their story I sat on the edge of my seat just waiting for when the secret was bound to come out. All the while, war on Auranos approaches. What's interesting is that even though it's clear (at least, right now) Limeros is the bad guy, they don't seem to be bad characters. But considering how they had large roles in the conquering of Auranos, it'll be interesting to see how their characters, especially Magnus, redeems their selves. I really think Rhodes applied the right amount of anticipation throughout the novel. I never felt bored and at times I stayed up late into the night reading. And while each main character did seem to incite moments of great frustration, I liked them because they are all so flawed and do a lot of growing. It's one thing to be plagued with an annoying character for the duration of the novel, but to see genuine progress really makes the difference. These characters are young and virtually "play things of the gods" used as pawns for bigger purposes unbeknownst to them. Rhodes pushes her characters to make really difficult decisions, causing them to step up to the plate and face their fates or destinies. I have to commend her for taking their individual arcs and weaving them together so flawlessly as if it were always ment to be that way. The biggest thing that felt off to me was the pacing. Time passes very swiftly from one PoV change to the next and the reader is just told how much time has passed in the beginning of the chapter. This didn't work too much for me because I didn't necessarily feel or see the change myself. This led to small incidents of confusion like with the above insta-love I mentioned. Though despite my small issues, that are just that, small, I really enjoyed Falling Kingdoms. So much so that I found myself thinking about the story long after I finished. It looks like the next book is shaping up to be even better than it's processor and I can't wait! If you are still on the fence, you could try checking out a sample of the first few chapters on the Breathless Reads Facebook page. But I really think those few, short chapters doesn't even come close to doing the book justice. Big thank you to Anna from Literary Exploration for lending me her ARC! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 08, 2012
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Sep 09, 2012
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May 22, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0062090364
| 9780062090362
| 0062090364
| 3.69
| 11,770
| Mar 12, 2013
| Mar 12, 2013
|
liked it
| I had a very difficult time rating this book. One one hand, I did relatively enjoy it. But on the other hand, it had a few issues that stuck out like I had a very difficult time rating this book. One one hand, I did relatively enjoy it. But on the other hand, it had a few issues that stuck out like an angry throne for the entire duration of the novel. So what does that exactly equate to? A big ol' pot of "meh" for the most part, but not to the extent that I wouldn't recommend the book. When I first heard about MILA 2.0, I was ridiculously excited to get my hands on it. The blurb sounded right up my alley and I expected a lot of action, fight scenes, technology, government conspiracies, etc. And this did happen, which is why I believe it will make a great TV show. BUT, and here's the kicker, it was the awkward romance - that's not really much of a romance - that bothered me the most, along with Mila's internal monologuing that mirrored Tris from Insurgent. *headdesk* Spoiler: That's not a good thing. I do want to point out that writing style and plot were serviceable and enjoyable. Mila is introduced as a 16-year-old girl who has no clue she is an android. Instead she believes she is just moving to a new town with her mother after the loss of her father. After an accident that reveals Mila's truth, she and her mother find themselves on the run from bad guys. Unfortunately, they were later captured and Mila must come to terms with her android self in order for her and her mom to have any chance of survival. Doesn't that sound awesome? The chase scenes and fight sequences are where Driza truly shines in MILA 2.0. She took her time and gave a fair amount of anticipation and thrill for the reader. However, a novel can't rely on that alone. So even though I enjoyed this book overall, I have some big complaints. The Characters: I felt like the characterization could have really used some work. The only character that I slightly cared about was Mila and that's pushing it due to her borderline Mary-Sueness. This is not because they were bad characters, it's just that I didn't feel a connection to them. There isn't a lot of time spent with any one character besides the evil General Holland (and obviously, he wasn't exactly huggable) and another scientist named Lucas (BTW, what are gold-tipped eyelashes??). They all seemed very conveniently placed in the story to help Mila in some way, but in actuality, we know nothing about any of them. Mila's mom was a scientist. Hunter is a new boy at school. Lucas is a scientist that goes to MIT. General Holland is evil. Kaylee is a mean girl. They were nothing more than pawns on a chessboard. I mean, where is the depth? Why should I care about any of them just because Mila thinks about them? Furthermore, the relationships were very flimsy to me. There was no development between Mila and her mom. Or Mila and Hunter. Or Mila and Kaylee. They were just sort of thrown together and the reader is supposed to accept things for the way they are. The Love Interest: Okay, so this is weird for me because I think this is the first time where I actually would have liked there to have been more romance. Not because I wanted romance in the story, but because of the way Hunter's character was introduced and later left completely left out. The beginning is set up so that you believe there is going to be a heavy romantic storyline included between the new guy at school, Hunter, and Mila. Her best friend, Kaylee, also likes this Hunter guy and they end up fighting over him. Now this makes me angry for two reasons: 1. The introduction of the love interest turns a female character into a complete bitch and female stereotype. 2. Mila turns into a complete pushover and never really attempts to repair the relationship until it's too late. All that happens in maybe a week or so. The whole thing felt like such a setup. So by the time Mila goes on the run, she has had a total of three encounters with Hunter (who we know nothing about), including an almost kiss. Yet, she thinks about this guy constantly throughout the entire novel. She thinks about his eyes, his hair, his "lopsided grin." I mean, the loyalty of their "relationship" made no logical sense to me. But I tried to give the novel the benefit of the doubt. I *think* Driza was trying to symbolize Hunter as a metaphor for a certain freedom Mila desired, to be a human with human feelings that didn't just mimic real emotions. The problem is that is his role seemed really random. As I'm reading, I kept thinking that maybe he had a bigger role. Because why would Mila keep bringing him up over and over? I thought it was a bit of poorly used foreshadowing at first. But that wasn't the case here and it just ended up annoying me every time Mila mentioned him. Mila would be in the midst of an action scene and she'd randomly think of Hunter. I felt like I was being pushed to care about a character with no basis. Based on the ending there does seem to be more romance in the second book, but again I don't feel one way or another about Hunter and I'm not sure why he likes Mila or would risk anything for her. The Ending: Predictable. It was about as subtle as a grenade in a bowl of oatmeal. But it does feel like Mila has had a bit of character growth, so I think I may enjoy book two more. And then there is the blurb: ...and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel. There was no cliffhanger. None. I'm not sure why it's advertised as having one. That's not a bad thing, but I was expecting it and the book kinda just ended very anticlimactic. Maybe it's left out of the ARC? All in all, even though I complained through most of this review about things that probably wouldn't bother the average reader, I do think MILA 2.0 will be a popular novel. The storyline is good and I do still plan on continuing the series because it feels like it has potential. I was tempted to rate this book 2.5 stars based on just my feelings of "meh" and disappointment, but that feels too low for it since it's not a bad book. So instead, I'll say it's an okay read for when you need a bit of action on a rainy day, but not an absolute must read. ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 27, 2012
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Dec 12, 2012
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May 10, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0062091093
| 9780062091093
| 0062091093
| 3.50
| 3,886
| Jan 02, 2013
| Jan 02, 2013
|
it was ok
| Actual rating is around 1.5 stars On the back of my ARC it reads: "It's Graceling meets Eon in this action-packed fantasy adventure by debut au Actual rating is around 1.5 stars On the back of my ARC it reads: "It's Graceling meets Eon in this action-packed fantasy adventure by debut author Ellen Oh." In all honesty, I think that statement does a huge disservice to all three novels. And because of that one little sentence, I went into Prophecy expecting something epic with rich descriptions, epic fight scenes and a main character worth rooting for. Unfortunately, I found none of that. I tried to love Prophecy. Truly, I did, but it just never worked out and I'm really sad it didn't because I love Ellen to bits. Prophecy and I had a very rocky time together that could mirror a relationship from a Taylor Swift song. The saddest part of it all is that I know I could have enjoyed this novel a lot more if it weren't for three very important factors. The Characters: Cookie cut-out, cardboard characters. That's the best way to describe every last character in Prophecy. Sure, the bare bones was there. We have Kira, the main character, who is a strong, warrior girl. Her sworn duty is to protect her younger cousin and Crowned Prince, Taejo, from any and all harm. She is also hated by everyone in the land, despite the fact that her job is also to protect those very people from demon attacks. In fact, the people call her The Demon Slayer, which is kind of funny considering we are told the people are kept in ignorance of the existence of demons. So why do the people call her that? No clue. It really never made much sense, and really, that's the least of Prophecy's problems. All of this is TOLD to the reader in the first two chapters. What does Kira like to do? Fight demons. Does she have any long-term aspirations? Protect the Prince forever and ever. Is that nobel? Sure. But how is it really any different from Bella's obsession with Edward? I'm not sure it is. The other characters are no better. We are given a brief introduction to Kira's mom and we are TOLD how kind she is. We are TOLD her dad is a great general. And Taejo. Taejo is the most infuriating character out of the bunch and only serves as a damsel in distress to give Kira something to do since her life long goal only includes taking a bullet for him. In the beginning, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but as the novel wore on, I began to wonder if he possessed any sort of training at all or courage or bravery or balls. Apparently, none of those things. And don't get me wrong. I love a strong female character that saves herself and friends, but not at the expense of the others looking useless or helpless. The rest of the characters did show promise, but they were never fleshed out and served more as sidekicks than anything else. For example, the love interest, Jaewon, I did like. He seemed to have a good story behind him. Troubled past filled with pain and a chance for redemption. Unfortunately, it was never really tapped into. Though, perhaps Oh is saving that for the subsequent novels along with the romance that was never fully formed, but instead thrown in at a blasé sort of way. Because of that, I felt the little line where he says he'd "always do whatever she asked" was a little much. Why would he? What sort of connection did he develop with Kira with their brief interactions in between fight scenes? However, I will say that I did appreciate the romance not being in the forefront. Show. Don't Tell: Immediately, from the first chapter I had a sneaky suspicion that this would be an issue. Readers are told entirely too much about the characters instead of getting to know them for themselves. With every character we are introduced to, the reader is told what kind of person he or she is. There is no surprise with thinking one character is good, but later turning to the dark side. It made Prophecy incredibly predictable and with flat characters, the element of surprise could have saved this novel. I'm supposed to like Taejo because he is young and the prince and is good. But I don't. I'm supposed to like their uncle, King of the neighboring Kingdom of Guru. Then Kira decides she doesn't trust him because slight ruthless nature, but it doesn't matter because I never liked him anyway. I'm supposed to like Kira because she is the main character who has poor self-esteem and must find her way in a kingdom that doesn't appreciate her. But I don't. See the problem here? I'm not shown enough about the characters to actually develop any feelings toward them one way or another. Also, because there was mostly telling the fight scenes were shorter and less descriptive than what I would have liked, making them just as eventful as if they were all frolicking through a meadow. This caused the pacing to feel very off at times. One paragraph they are fighting, then the next it's suddenly over and they're walking to an inn. Basic Writing: And even with the other negatives, I could have enjoyed it more if the writing style meshed better with me. This is the biggest problem with it being compared to Eon and Graceling. It's like a little kid trying to put daddy's pants on. He looks awfully cute in it, but just isn't ready to wear those digs. This is where I really think Prophecy would have been better marketed to the Middle Grade audience instead. There is just way too much hand-holding and explaining terms that are better left inferred to my liking. Prophecy does a lot of what Stormdancer did, where it used foreign terms (in this case Korean) that readers my not be familiar with. If there was more showing, the reader could have easily used context clues to guess the meaning. It just felt like there was a lot of "talking down" to the reader and it completely turned me off to the story. This lead to a very basic plot with predictable twists, causing the heroine to appear very slow on the uptake. And that in turn caused me moments of great frustration similar to when Eona couldn't figure out how to call her dragon for majority of a 531 page novel. *headdesk* (Oh, hey, look! There's the comparison.) Sad to say, veteran high fantasy and critical readers will not be impressed by this. Still, while Prophecy did hold significant faults for me, I do appreciate the amount of research Oh obviously invested into the novel. She had a clear outline of her world building and it showed. And there were a few lines that made me chuckle. I just wish there had been a little more time to develop everything. Truthfully, Prophecy isn't a bad novel and if my daughter was around age 10, it'd be a book I would buy her. For anyone else, I highly recommend anyone considering it to seek out a sample chapter first. But as for me? It's not really my thing. Maybe the series will get better in the next book. Maybe all my concerns are cleared up. But Prophecy and I are like a pair of incompatible, bickering lovers. Fine on our own, just not so great together. And we're probably "never ever, ever getting back together." An ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 05, 2012
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Nov 18, 2012
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May 09, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1595144358
| 9781595144355
| 1595144358
| 3.83
| 28,338
| Feb 02, 2012
| Feb 02, 2012
|
it was amazing
| I have a confession to make. I actually bought this book without reading any reviews. That is highly unusual for me because I rarely buy any books (I' I have a confession to make. I actually bought this book without reading any reviews. That is highly unusual for me because I rarely buy any books (I'm a library girl through and through) and when I do, it's under two circumstances: 1) I've read it before, loved it and would read it again or 2) It comes with the highest recommendations from my most trusted reviewing friends. Chopsticks is a bit of an enigma for me because out of all the books to choose from at Books-A-Million, I chose it simply because of its first impression. I was just about to leave out the door, unable to decide on which book to invest in or which one to waste my money on, when this huge "photo novel" with the weird title caught my eye, sitting on the end of a top shelf. One glance through the book and I knew it was for me: The entire story is told in photos of everyday things. It amazed me in five seconds, so I bought it. When you first look at the cover, what do you think it's going to be about? Well, for me I thought it was going to be your usual girl meets boy, yada, yada, yada. But Chopsticks is so much more than that. You see, depending on how you interpret the novel, it could actually tell two different stories. It could tell the simple contemporary story of sixteen-year-old Gloria "Glory" Fleming, a piano prodigy, who falls in love with Francisco Mendoza, a boy who becomes her escape from her stressful life. Sounds fluffy, right? Well, it can also tell the deep and dark story of a lonely, broken, child star pushed so hard to perform to perfection that she slowly loses her mind, causing you to question everything you see in the book or thought you saw. Do I have your attention yet? Chopsticks is simply brilliant. The amount of time and skill it took to arrange the photos to tell this mind-bending story is commendable. The phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" definitely fits the bill here because there are hardly any narrative text in the book, yet I felt a very strong connection to the characters. This book really doesn't need the extra words. Instead, the reader must follow the pictures of Francisco's drawings, Glory's concert programs, family photos, letters and images of household belongings. Chopsticks is very intimate in that way because it feels like you've been peeping into someone else's life for eighteen months in only 272 pages. It's the kind of book that you could zip through in thirty minutes, but by the ending it'll make you go back and re-read it more slowly. It's that easy to miss something. I went out on a limb and purchased Chopsticks and I'm so happy I did. It took me on what I thought would be a simple fun read to an involved story that I couldn't stop thinking about after I finished. I know I could read again and still have a healthy appreciation for the complexity of the story. So, if you are a visual person like myself and you're looking for something totally different from your usual fair, Chopsticks may be the book you've been looking for. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Apr 30, 2012
not set
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Apr 30, 2012
not set
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Apr 27, 2012
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Paperback
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| 0374316414
| 9780374316419
| 0374316414
| 3.71
| 18,791
| Oct 16, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
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really liked it
| Without a doubt Crewel is the most creative novel I've read so far this year. When I first read the blurb I thought, "A dystopian society where people Without a doubt Crewel is the most creative novel I've read so far this year. When I first read the blurb I thought, "A dystopian society where people are weaving time?! YES! Gimme! Tell me more!" The dystopian genre has really taken off lately and sometimes it can be hard to find a novel that separates itself from the pack. Crewel does just that and does it well. It completely stands out with its complex concept, feisty heroine and a plot that kept me guessing over and over. Whoa. Can I pull out the winning gif? [image] The beginning of Crewel reminded me a lot of Matched by Ally Condie. Now before you start cringing and exiting out of this browsing window, let me assure you that it's not what you think. The set up is only similar because both societies involved tight monitoring of its citizens. This means they are given a small pool of marriage options, limitations on the amount of children they can have, restricted access to other parts of the society, jobs chosen for them, etc. That's where our similarities end and where the awesome begins. Adelice, our main character, has the ability to weave time on an actual loom. It is a highly coveted ability in her society because it pretty much guarantees a woman a higher social status and a comfortable lifestyle without needing a husband. I'll admit I was worried about how Albin would pull off a society that was generally misogynistic. There are really only two outcomes for that: fail really hard or win. Even though woman were considered second-rate in this world (needing a husband, only having secretarial type jobs, no real positions of power, can't travel without a man, etc.) and were held to unfair higher standards than their male counter parts (Spinters had to remain "pure", women were expected to always appear a certain way in public: Make-up, dressed up and heels, act like a "lady") I never felt that this was ever accepted by the main character or by other secondary characters. And while I contemplated how I could ever survive in a society that forced me to wear heels ALL THE TIME (I freakin' live in my Converses, dude), I realized that these ideals were being challenged especially through Adelice's character. She was a strong, formidable heroine who did not back down or allow anyone to push her around. She took action at her own personal risk. She was bold, gutsy and witty. I was like, "YES! You tell that man, girl. Give 'em a piece of your mind!" As for Arras, this is yet again another book that makes talking about the world building difficult, mostly due to how Albin tells the story. She doesn't lay out the world building in the beginning over the first few chapters like most dystopians. In fact, for the first half of the book I still had quite a few questions on how the society in Crewel actually functioned. But the reader is given pieces bit by bit. As I learned more about the world, the plot continued to open up along the way. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about that style because I like my world building straight up, but it grew on me and by the end of the book I had an appreciation for how it was told. One thing I have to mention was the plot twist. This is again why I'm reminded of Matched because they were forced to either marry or stay single. Anyone see a problem with that? I almost thought Albin was going to go down that same tired road Condie did with an unrealistic world. But then Albin threw in that plot twist when I was least expecting it. She must have known I was questioning the validity of a society that didn't even mention gay people. Then BAM! The plot twist came out of nowhere and backhanded me. All I could do is sit back, ice my face and nod my head in silent approval. [image] Oh, Albin, I totes see what you did there. "But, Steph!" you say. "Why aren't you giving Crewel 5 stars? This book sounds amazeballs!" Why, yes it was amazing, but I still had a few questions (if the neighborhoods are segregated by gender of the children, what happens if a couple has a boy and a girl?) not to mention I didn't fall in love with the *gasp* triangle of love. That really doesn't shock me because I'm usually not a fan of love triangles in the first place. I could probably count on one hand how many I actually did like. Crewel's love triangle didn't bother me to the point of "headdesk-ation", but I did feel that the relationships were underdeveloped and generally unnecessary. To me it felt like you could easily take out the romance of at least one beau (preferably Jost) and the story wouldn't suffer one bit. But the story is not yet over. Who knows what could happen! Overall, I really like Crewel and think dystopian fans who are looking for something completely different, will eat this up. I don't usually say this that often, but Crewel is definitely a debut that lives up to the hype and will have readers hungering for more. I know I am. ARC was provided by the publisher for review. Thank you, Macmillan! *Want a chance to win this ARC? Check out Cuddlebuggery's Anniversary Giveaway and enter to win! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 21, 2012
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Aug 03, 2012
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Apr 26, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0062114875
| 9780062114877
| 0062114875
| 3.77
| 15,969
| Sep 18, 2012
| Sep 18, 2012
|
really liked it
| Actual rating: 4.5 stars Dystopian novels have been disappointing me left and right these days. I don't know why. I'm not that hard to please. Yeah, I Actual rating: 4.5 stars Dystopian novels have been disappointing me left and right these days. I don't know why. I'm not that hard to please. Yeah, I see your eyes rolling at that. *grin* But seriously, give me likable characters, solid world building and a good conspiracy theory and I'm good to go. Well, I guess there are only so many ways to tell the story of a deranged society killing off its children for the greater good. So, I went into What's Left of Me with, how do I say this? Er... low expectations. And wow. I was not expecting to love this book, but wow. I absolutely LOVED it! I mean, geez. Where do I even begin? Should I start at the premise? How about the realistic characters? Or maybe I should just make this entire review into a fangirl's shrine of amazing prose? This book is all of those things and more. Let me start with that gorgeous cover for a minute. I have a confession, which is more or less public information: I'm a cover whore. There. I totes said it. Yes, yes. I know the drill, "BOO, YOU WHORE!" It's just that I get a peek of a beautiful cover and my eyes gloss over with desire. I know I should heed the advice and not judge the book based on the cover, but I can't help it. I'm a judgy little judger. Usually, this just sets me up for a supreme let down when I actually get a chance to read the book. But occasionally, I find those diamond in the roughs like What's Left of Me, where not only does the cover scream, "Pick me up, dammit, and read me!" but the story fully captivates me. That is the bread and the apple butter, my friends. And not only does the cover look stunning, but it truly captures Eva and Addie. Eva, the recessive soul that should have disappeared according to her society, was born and marked for death. And Addie, the dominate soul, destined to forget her best friend and other half. But they share a secret. They are hybrids, a title coined to those with recessive souls that refused to just fade away. To the government they are deemed a threat to society and therefore must be locked up, contained, fixed or be killed. The best part of What's Left of Me was the relationship between Addie and Eva. I have to sit and applaud Zhang's skill at crafting two very different characters, who share the same body, yet they struggle to portray just one person to everyone else. Against her better judgement, Addie agrees to practice letting Eva take control of their body. She knows what this could mean for them if they are caught and discovered. However, she also knows how much it means to Eva to not just be the soul everyone else thinks is gone. Eva wants to be real. So they take the risk and their worst fears are, unfortunately, realized. We'd been born with our souls' fingers interlocked. What if we'd never let go? The bond and love these two sister had for one another was phenomenal and, at times, tear jerking. Though, I should say I did not cry during this novel. But I will say it was deeply emotional when the sisters internally struggled to fulfill both souls' needs without depriving the other. Of course, this was nearly impossible. Eva is the recessive soul and as such is used to literally taking the backseat to whatever Addie needs or wants. At times that frustrated me to no end because I could just feel Eva ready to burst free and be her own person, but Addie would take those moments away from her. I was caged in our body and caged in his arms and, somehow, the former was the real prison. And while I remained angry at Addie for her selfishness, Eva not once blamed her sister for the way she felt. That is not to say they always got along. There were quite a few times they stopped talking to each other in the novel, but I just loved how they made up. Side note: Can you imagine having a fight with your sibling in your head? I mean, if my sister and I shared one body... let's just say it'd be WW3 up in there. There'd be major ass kicking. Bet on it. Probably something along the lines of this: [image] Any who... Not only did Zhang have to keep track of Addie and Eva's characters, but she created two characters in one body in several different instances. Now, I know from reading that sentence, that may A) not make a lot of sense or B) not sound very difficult. But it fascinated me how Zhang pulled it off. There were times where Addie and Eva would be talking with a character only for him/her to switch mid-conversation to their other soul. So you have two different mannerisms, facial expressions, tone, ect. for this one person and you have Addie and Eva able to not only tell the difference between the two, but to also convince the reader of the switch. And I'll even take it a step further to say that after a certain point I could tell which soul was who before Addie and Eva confirmed it for me. I think this is a testament to just how well these characters were crafted. And that is where the pacing and plot come into play. At first I thought the book was moving too fast in the beginning because I was getting introduced to a bunch of new characters and STUFF was happening very quickly, but I think it works well that way. Looking back, What's Left of Me doesn't really have much downtime because something is always happening, but at the same time it doesn't read like a thriller either because it's not exactly action packed. Oxymoron? Why, yes. But it was riveting and I felt I NEEDED to figure out the mystery to why the hybrids were treated so badly. Interestingly, I would usually take this time to point out and complain about world building flaws. There is very little mention of the outside world and how they deal with hybrids. BUT, and you're going to have to trust me on this, it works in this instance. The reader is intentionally kept in the dark until a few plot twists are revealed. Even after completing the novel, I feel like there is so much more to come. So, yeah, I rambled there a bit, but this novel was so fascinating and awesome. After all that I just have one last thing to say: More now, please. ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuudlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 29, 2012
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Jul 05, 2012
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Apr 20, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0312583516
| 9780312583514
| 0312583516
| 3.52
| 14,469
| Oct 02, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
it was ok
| Actual rating: 1.5 stars Before there was Harry Potter there was Animorphs. I was in love with that series as a child. It was pretty serious. Half my c Actual rating: 1.5 stars Before there was Harry Potter there was Animorphs. I was in love with that series as a child. It was pretty serious. Half my closest was dedicated with Animorph books and I had a special shelf full of them right next to my bed. And honestly, looking back I'm surprised I didn't have an Animorph shrine a la Helga G. Pataki. [image] Obsessed? I like to think of it as an extreme hobby. So when I saw Eve and Adam go up on NetGalley, I'll admit this freely, I squealed. I waited with bated breath for Macmillan to approve me for this title and dove in not long after receiving it. Unfortunately, it's not at all what I was expecting. When I think back about Eve and Adam I just have an overall feeling of "meh." In fact, there isn't much I like at all about it. Not the plot, not the characters and not the ending. Okay, wait. I like the cover. There. *happy sigh* Now that I have that out the way, I won't feel too bad for giving two of my favorite authors a negative review. I had a feeling that Eve and Adam and I wouldn't get along right from the beginning. Readers are immediately introduced to Eve via a car accident where she loses a leg. Then her mother, Terra Spiker of Spiker Biotech, whisks her away to her facilities to be looked after. There she heals faster than humanly possible, meets a boy named Solo and begins working on a project to create her perfect boy, Adam. And all that happens in the first 15% of the novel. It felt like a lot of events was happening in a very short amount of time and I was still attempting to process that the girl had lost a leg. Then you add it the random sexually promiscuous best friend who's in love with a loser drug dealer sub-plot, the insta-love and the perfect boy, Adam, who literally stops traffic with his good looks and you've pretty much lost me as a reader. A part of me isn't sure where to begin with what didn't work for me with Eve and Adam. Was it the characters? The plot? The slut-shaming? The insta-love? I think I've come to the conclusion that it's actually two things that stood out the most: 1. Show, don't tell. Right from the beginning we are told about Evening's accident and how horrible it is. And as the novel goes on, it is referenced a few times, but with the same old, "It was so horrible. I lost a leg." Even after finishing the book, I never felt I had a good understanding of what actually happened during the accident. It wasn't necessarily terribly important, but it did bother me. This is also done with Solo's dislike for Eve's mother, Terra Spiker. As a boy he lost both of his parents in a car accident and Terra Spiker (his parents' employer) ended up looking after him. He constantly says how evil she is, how he hates her, etc. But we never actually see proof of that evil beyond what he tells the reader. Sure, she wasn't the friendliest character in the book, but it didn't equate to the evil that he accuses her of. Then of course we have Le Hottie McHottiekins, A.K.A. Adam, the perfect boy Eve has been tasked to create while she recovers from her accident. We are told over and over how incredibly gosh-darn howt he is. And when he goes out in the world looking for Eve, everyone - male and female - stops what they are doing for a moment of silence for the baby angles that obviously died for his magical existence. So I guess you're supposed to feel your ovaries exploding at that point. [image] But the descriptions used to describe his howtness? He has blue eyes, black hair and he's just perfect in every sense of the word. Riiiight... 2. The characters The other major thing that bothered me were the characters. First off, the novel flips back and forth from Eve to Solo's PoV and later Adam's. But the thing is, they all read like the same person. And I was told that the novel was supposed to funny, but I think I may have chuckled a grand total of one time. Their personalities along with their interactions resembled robots or cardboard characters. They we unrealistic like so: Eve - The girl loses a leg in the very beginning of the novel and she gives exactly two shits that it was at one point attached to her body. The day after she is admitted in her mother's facility she doesn't even show concern over her injuries. She doesn't even find it weird that she is healing so fast nor does she even look at her leg. Her explanation is that the doctors and nurses told her not to look at so it wouldn't upset her. She also thinks her lack of pain is due to the strong meds they have her on. I'm sorry, but I don't buy any of that. She doesn't ask any questions about her recovery? She's not the least bit concerned? Those were simply convenient allowances to move the plot along. Solo - I never liked this kid. From the moment he entered into the story thinking Eve was hot as they wheeled her and her detached leg from the hospital to when he thinks she is checking him out while she screamed in pain from her injuries, I thought he was a douche. I know she's checking me out. Fair enough, because I'm checking her out. I mean, who actually does that? I'm not sure how I was supposed to react to that. Was it meant to be funny? Also, I could never understand his intense hatred for Terra Spiker. So she's mean... okaaayyyy. But she's taken care of him, given him a job, etc. Yet here he is determined to bring her and her company down. Oh, and did I mention the insta-love? After only a handful of interactions, Solo feels conflicted about taking his evidence of Terra's illegal activity to the Feds because he is in love with Eve. HUH? I wasn't even aware that they were friends. There was absolutely no time for them to develop any type of relationship. Note to self: Staring+two conversations=love. Adam - "I'm so howt, but why is everyone staring at me? Someone hold me." *eyeroll* For his name to be in the title, he had the smallest role in the book. Terra Spiker - "I'm evil bitch incarnate and I know it." <=== The only character personality given to readers. She also loves to slut-shame Eve's best friend, calling her a "drunken slut" any chance she gets. Aislin - Eve's best friend who has only one purpose in the novel: To make Eve look good. By coming off as the self-destructive, drunken BFF who happens to also enjoy sexy times (honestly, why is this portrayed as a bad thing?), you have a character who Eve can spend her free time worrying over and protecting. This makes Eve look caring, kind, thoughtful and selfless. It also provides a clever way for the main character to admit they wish they could be like the BFF while never actually engaging in the more risqué behaviors. Instant innocence. Take out Aislin's character and Eve has no real depth to her. She'd also be boring considering she'd have no reason to put her Under Dog cape on and save anyone in her spare time. Oh, and I can't forget the other scientists featured near the end who make perverted statements toward Eve. "You haven't tapped that little piece yet? She's no great beauty, but she's cute enough, and she's got a nice little body." Did I mention these men are probably old enough to be her father and grandfather? I get that they were supposed to be evil, but the layer of sexism wasn't necessary to drive that point home. All it did was turn me completely off to the book. While Eve and Adam didn't do much for me, it is readable. But I was, unfortunately, left disappointed, confused and underwhelmed. *sigh* The only other possible positive is that the novel is a very quick read. You could probably read it in only a few short hours. However, I sadly can't recommend anyone wasting those precious hours reading Eve and Adam. ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 31, 2012
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Sep 02, 2012
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Apr 20, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0312642962
| 9780312642969
| 0312642962
| 4.24
| 435,185
| Feb 05, 2013
| Feb 05, 2013
|
really liked it
| I have to give it to Ms. Meyer for one again combining your favorite fairy tales with sic-fi/fantasy. Seriously, well done! The Lunar Chronicles is qu I have to give it to Ms. Meyer for one again combining your favorite fairy tales with sic-fi/fantasy. Seriously, well done! The Lunar Chronicles is quickly becoming one of my new favorite series and for good reason. It has kick-ass protagonists like Cinder and now Scarlet. When we first met Cinder in book one, she was shy and timid, eventually coming into her own strength. And when I heard that we would be introduced to a new main character, I was a little nervous. I was worried that I'd end up comparing the two and dislike Scarlet. But let me tell you! When Cinder was unsure of herself in the beginning, Scarlet is fierce. Who's afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf? Not Scarlet. I should warn you that this review *will* contain spoilers for Cinder. So, if you haven't read book one... [image] Scarlet picks up directly after Cinder left off. Cinder's busy breaking out of jail, Kai is trying to placate Levana (the wretch) and we get to meet Scarlet (yay!). And if you can't remember the finer details about what happened previously, there is a nice little recap. The biggest difference between this installment and Cinder is the point-of-view flipping. And with that, you have two different main characters with two separate goals. Scarlet's is to find her missing grandmother, who was abducted and Cinder's is to escape from the Eastern Commonwealth and... not get caught. Somewhere along the way their paths intertwine and revelations are had. Now, here's the thing: Though, overall, I did enjoy Scarlet, there are still a few things I really disliked about it too. Don't give me that look! There is method to my madness. Things I liked: 1. The new characters - Along with meeting Scarlet, we also are introduced to two other characters, the wolf, who travels to Paris with Scarlet in search of her grandmother and Carswell Thorne, a womanizer and fugitive that escaped prison with Cinder. I thought they were both great characters, especially Thorne, who I happen to love and hate at the same time. Wolf is a bit more complex because of his past (which I can't talk about due le spoilers), but I like the mystery surrounding his character. Scarlet is fantastic. I mean, the girl wears a red hoodie and carries a gun in her belt. Sweet and innocent? *pfft* How about sweet and deadly? She's all about action and doesn't take "no" for an answer. She doesn't sit back and wait for someone else to save her grandmother. And I think the best way to describe her would be to quote Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus: "Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!" So, while she isn't a perfect character, she certainly is determined to do whatever it takes to reach her goal. I loved that about her and I think other readers will too or at least respect her spirit. 2. I also really enjoyed the plot and back story. We get to find out more about Cinder's past and how she ended up ended up on earth and who helped her. I really think Meyer did a good job at telling two different stories and later having them weave together. And I really like seeing Scarlet and Cinder together. I only wish that they had teamed up sooner than the ending. Things I didn't like: 1. At times it felt like there was too much story to tell. (Maybe this was just me wanting more from Scarlet.) Even though Scarlet is longer than Cinder, I'd even say that I think that there was too much happening in this installment and not enough time spent developing the new characters or the new relationships, which, incidentally, leads to my next con... 2. I'm not sure I liked Scarlet and Wolf's relationship. Since the novel very frequently flips back and forth from Scarlet to Cinder and even Kai, there wasn't much page time the reader is left developing some kind of connection with their relationship. Actually, they themselves didn't even have much time developing anything and by the end, I found it all rather cheesy. And while they do both admit that they've developed feelings for one another (in a matter of days), it never felt real because I was too busy keeping up with all the story arcs. 3. I missed Kai and Cinder being together. Kai is in the book, but I missed the chemistry they had in Cinder. I think Wolf and Scarlet's romance was supposed to fill the void temporarily, but since I didn't really spend much time with them, the sparks never flew for me. Perhaps in book three, Cress, things will be different. But right now, I have my doubts considering it looks like we will be meeting even more characters. I'm starting to wonder if this world is just too big for this series. Ah, well. We'll see. The Ending: 'Cause, yeah, it needs its own section. Kai. WHY?! WHY? WHY? WHY? [image] Okay. I think I need a moment to process that ending. *breathes in and out* Did that just make you want to read this book even more than you already did? Oops. So, in conclusion, even though I liked Cinder more, Scarlet was still a fun and exciting read. Meyer has built an interesting world, making "old faces" from fairy tales new again. And I know you're probably giving me dagger eyes for the little bit above, but just think how hard it will be for me to wait for Cress. It's torture, I tell ya. ARC was provided by Macmillan. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ---------------- GAH!!! LOOK AT THE PRETTY COVER!!! And I just found out about the new Sailor Moon anime!! Too much awesome for one day. I shall be off in my corner spontaneously combusting. http://t.co/29QLtAD3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 17, 2012
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Oct 26, 2012
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Apr 12, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1595145958
| 9781595145956
| 1595145958
| 3.89
| 16,060
| Sep 04, 2012
| Sep 04, 2012
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really liked it
| There are a lot of things I expected from Origin. Mystery, a jungle backdrop and even a bit of romance. But, wow. I did not expect to be grabbing the There are a lot of things I expected from Origin. Mystery, a jungle backdrop and even a bit of romance. But, wow. I did not expect to be grabbing the edge of my seat, turning page after page in anticipation. However, this novel is not for the faint of heart due to a few shocking scenes. But carefully placed gentler moments are woven in with the call of the jungle. Between the bitter-sweet blossom of first love and the nail-biting storyline, I was robbed of precious sleep... I was captivated. The Characters: Pia, our main character, is immortal. She was created and raised by a group of scientist with the intent to create a new human race at any cost. Nothing can pierce her skin. She has heightened hearing, sight, smell and speed. At first glance it may seem like she's just going to turn out to be your run of the mill Mary Sue, but Pia has her weakness, normal strength and endurance along with her stubbornness that at times really frustrated me, but I enjoyed seeing her grow. She lives a very sheltered life because she has never left Little Cam and she is curious about the outside world. Unfortunately, the scientist never allow her to know anything about the world. She's never seen a map, TV, Internet, heard music, etc. She's been told that all those things are a distraction from her destiny: To create even more immortals like her for the betterment of the human race. And for a time she believes them until one day an opportunity presents itself, she explores the jungle and meets Eio, who makes her completely question everything she has been taught. Speaking of Eio, when we are first introduced to him he immediately reminded me of someone. Remember Mimi-Siku, A.K.A. "Cat Piss", from Jungle 2 Jungle? [image] Eio, the love interest, jungle boy, half Ai'oan. He's honest and kind. And unlike Pia, he sees the danger of Little Cam and urges her to abandon the facility. Even when she resists over and over, determined to remain there, he doesn't abandon her. He shows her things she's never seen, things that don't fit into her perceived perfect, scientific ideals. And while he does make a statement early on that could be seen as misogynistic (telling Pia she needed a big strong man to walk her through the jungle), to me it felt more like him trying to make a good impression and be chivalrous. He's from a culture that is virtually cut off from modern society (Little Cambridge excluded), so the intention of the statement never felt insulting. I could always tell he truly cared about her. Every time Eio spoke to Pia, I could hear Mimi's voice in my head. I could just picture his raw, honest facial expressions behind every sentence. They were so simple, but so much emotion was packed into it. "I will climb that fence, if you ask it of me, and I will bring you out." Romance: This was an interesting reading journey for me because Origin technically has a big thing that I usually hate in books: Insta-love. I can only remember one other book where it didn't bother me and that was Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Tayler, which I LOVED. Books like these really affirm my belief that there isn't necessarily anything *wrong* with a story that features fast building love as long as the relationship is believable to the reader. For me it was. Even though the book does take place in perhaps a little over a week, it felt much longer than that. Pia and Eio meet in a very unique circumstance so it's hard to compare their courtship to, say, Patch and Nora of Hush, Hush. -_- Because unlike other YA couples, I felt that Eio and Pia really loved each other. I think a big part of me believing in the romance was due to Khoury's prose. The scenes between Pia and Eio were delicately crafted and I'm a sucker for pretty prose. It wasn't the dreaded purple prose. It was simple and its subtlety in the heat of the moment had me feeling some kinda way. I think of my eternal people. Of brothers and sisters and friends who will never die. An immortal family, untouched by pain and death, knowing only life and love and beauty. I try to imagine it, try to see their faces in my mind... but all I see is a blue-eyed boy sitting by the river, giving me the stars. It was like watching Mimi-Siku giving Karen the pot. *wipes tear* World building: The beginning of Origin definitely sets the tone for the rest of the book and if the first scene bothers you, chances are this book will not be for you. There are a few animal testing scenes where animals are harmed. But the general tone of the MC and book was that this was frowned upon so it wasn't endorsed. But since Pia lives in that kind of environment where the scientist are looking for immortality, it makes sense that they would have animal test subjects. Pia hated that they ran those tests on animals and never wanted to be apart of it. Nevertheless, it is there and it is disturbing. I love when I can tell that an author has done their homework and Khoury did just that. The Amazonian rainforest is well-developed and vivid. You can see the detail used especially when plants and insects are described. At one point I had to google one of the insects mention, the titan beetle (don't click the link if you are squeamish), and then I was like: [image] *shudders* I'll never look at a beetle the same way again. By the end of Origin I realized something about myself. I often complain and complain about how standalones are almost non-existent in YA Land, but this time I actually found myself wishing it was a series. The jungle was done with me, but I wasn't done with the jungle. So if you are looking for a Sci-Fi type mystery, I'd say give Origin a try. It just might surprise you. ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you, Razorbill! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 2012
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Aug 08, 2012
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Apr 06, 2012
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Hardcover
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 3.69
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not set
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Dec 20, 2012
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||||||
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| 4.14
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liked it
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Aug 23, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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|||||
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| 4.23
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really liked it
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Aug 31, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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|||||
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| 4.09
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liked it
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Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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|||||
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| 4.08
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it was amazing
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Sep 26, 2012
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Aug 20, 2012
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|||||
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| 2.00
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did not like it
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Aug 18, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.85
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liked it
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Sep 13, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.44
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did not like it
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Dec 18, 2012
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Jul 07, 2012
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|||||
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| 4.16
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really liked it
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Oct 07, 2012
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Jun 27, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.69
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did not like it
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Jul 12, 2012
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Jun 19, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.28
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really liked it
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Nov 26, 2012
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May 24, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.78
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really liked it
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Sep 09, 2012
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May 22, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.69
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liked it
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Dec 12, 2012
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May 10, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.50
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it was ok
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Nov 18, 2012
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May 09, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.83
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it was amazing
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Apr 30, 2012
not set
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Apr 27, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.71
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really liked it
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Aug 03, 2012
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Apr 26, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.77
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really liked it
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Jul 05, 2012
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Apr 20, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.52
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it was ok
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Sep 02, 2012
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Apr 20, 2012
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|||||
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| 4.24
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really liked it
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Oct 26, 2012
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Apr 12, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.89
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really liked it
|
Aug 08, 2012
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Apr 06, 2012
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