Possession

Possession by Elana Johnson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Realease date: June 7th 2011
Pages: 416
Source: Won from Ally Condie
Summary (from Goodreads): Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

My review:

I'll tell you before starting, this review is either going to be really long or really short.  I'm not sure which yet. Why? Because I have really mixed feelings about Possession. Don't get me wrong, I did like it. But. . . Well, at the same time it was repetitive and confusing.

Vi started out as a great character. She was confident, bold, and strong. She did what she wanted with no fear of the consequences. When you first see her, she's walking in the park after dark with a boy. Completely against the Rule; A hovercopter comes and picks her up because it's the eighth illegal thing she's done. She is then taken to the Thinkers, the bad guys. I found that the world she was in was very well developed. However, lots of things were left unexplained and I spent the whole book wondering what some of the tech-type stuff was.

As I said earlier, Vi was a great character in the beginning, for her good actions. Later on, though, she started to get a slight bit whiny, but I still rather admired her for her courage and strength. She is a very in depth character that I do love to read about. Jag, on the other hand, was just plain annoying. I mean that in the best way possible because he was actually a realistic character, but he left her so much that it started to get repetitive. He'd leave, she'd strike out on her own for a bit and then realize just how much she needed him and eventually found Jag again.  I honestly don't have any thoughts about the love triangle in Possession, because I don't know how to describe it. It was definitely a different sort of love triangle, at least, which is good compared to all the ones that are the same.

I liked the writing. It rather reminds me of Matched, but not quite as poetic (hard to beat Matched on that level!). The description was perfect and crisp. Once again, I really got a sense of the world  in Possession. I, of course, loved the setting. Actually, I almost always like dystopian settings.  This one reminded me of Matched, along with the writing. It also seemed a little like Delirium.  This didn't really help in the originality, because I felt like there was nothing new, like I'd read it before.  That made it slightly less enjoyable because, well, it feels like everyone is trying to get the same big buzz as The Hunger Games.

There were two things that I didn't like.  The first was the plot.  It was very repetitive; they got caught, they escaped, the got caught, they escaped. . .  The climax wasn't very exciting as nothing even remotely interesting happened, and I didn't understand part of it, so it left me confused and unsatisfied.  That's the other thing that I didn't like, the confusion.  For the whole book, I was trying to figure out what exactly they were doing, but I couldn't quite figure it out. It seemed to just sort of trail off, especially towards the end.

 Well, it turned out that that was pretty long, but that's how I feel about the book.  The review did seem more negative than I really felt about the book, and if you like dystopian novels, you may want to pick this one up.

My rating:
Characters: 4/5
Orginality: 3/5
Plot: 2.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

In total,

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston

Publisher: Atria
Pages: 354
Release date: August 30th 2005
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads): It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation, and though he met two charming women along the way, by early afternoon he finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him. It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.
And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston.

My review:

If you've looked around my blog, you'll notice that I don't normally read books like this one.  Between a Rock and a Hard Place was a book that I picked up because of my love of rappelling, rock climbing, and canyoneering.  I was intrigued by the story of Aron Ralston, so I decided this one was worth a try.

There was only one thing that I didn't like about this book, and that was the stories of his past.  For the first few, I really liked them and found them very interesting.  Later, however, I found that they dragged on for too long.  There were things in it that I didn't feel were necessary to know to enjoy the rest of the book. I just wanted to get through that sort of thing and get back to him in the present, trapped by the boulder; that was the part that I wanted to read about.  Reading these other stories made me feel as though he should have expected bad luck to come his way.  He showed a careless attitude to what he did before that, as though he didn't care if he was killed.  For example, earlier in his life he had thrown rocks at a bear, almost lost his backpack with all his supplies as he tried to throw it over a ledge, and created an avalanche that almost killed him and two of his friends (who never talked to him again).

There's not much to say about the characters, as there is only one that is there for more than one character, and that is Aron.  As I mentioned earlier, he did some. . . Harmful things before in his life, and I don't really think that they even changed him.  Or at least, they didn't seem to. There's not much else that I can say about  him, other than that I felt so sorry for what happened to him.

As for the writing, it was really good.  There was so much detail that sometimes it was a bit much.  I would give an example, but they would all be too long. All I can say is that there was a lot.  This did help me imagine what was happening in the book.  I can't wait to see the movie, 127 Hours, and I do recommend this one, though probably none of my readers would be interested in it.

*I was going to do a rating as I normally do with the ratings for plot, characters, originality and writing but I would have a lot of trouble doing it for this book, so I'm just going to do a total:*

Solid

Solid by Shelley Workinger

Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: July 9th 2010
Pages: 221
Source: eBook for review from author
Summary (from Goodreads): Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are brought together at a classified site where they forge new friendships, find love, develop "super-abilities," and even unearth a conspiracy.

 My review:

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started Solid.  The cover gave off a sort of dark vibe, and so did the prologue, but once I started getting into it I found that it wasn't.  The setting,I thought, was great.  I liked the campus a lot because, like the main character Clio, I love the outdoors.  Most of the time, they were in the fresh air for their lessons, or out in the forest.

I enjoyed reading about each of the characters. I really liked Clio, mostly because she was very easy to relate to.  Jack was great, too, and really sweet!  He even made a constellation out of lights in his bedroom for Clio. The other main characters, other friends of Clio's, were really good too.  They had believable personalities, and although one was a bit of a snob, I liked her because there are people like her in life and normally they have something nicer underneath.

The plot was a little bit slow in the beginning, but I was really enjoying Shelley's style of writing, so I got through the first two chapters and started to get quite interested.  By the end I could barely put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen. Some parts of the ending were surprises and other parts confirmed what I had been suspecting for a little while. As long as there's some sort unexpected twist at the end I'll be happy, so that was perfect for me.


Solid is definitely a book that I would recommend, so even if you aren't enjoying it in the start, make sure to just keep reading and you'll hopefully end up loving it like I did!

My rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

In total,

You Wish

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 272
Realease date: August 5th 2010
Summary (from Goodreads): Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin' do.
Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.



My review: 

Okay, you're probably thinking that the cover for this one looks like it's for 7-year-olds, but it's not.  I think the whole boyfriends-girlfriends problem gives that away a bit.  Believe me, I was a little skeptical too as I started the book.

I'm happy to say that I was very impressed by Mandy Hubbard's writing.  There was just the right amount of humor to keep it a light book, but not too fluffy that there wasn't a real point in writing it.  The plot made me want to know what was happening next all the time.  I wanted to know what the next problem entering Kayla's life would be. My only problem was that it seemed to be just a little bit too cute in some bits, like it would be something for younger young adults.  It seems like a good one maybe for newbies to the young adult genre to look at; it's not very intense in romance and is just a sweet tale.

As for Kayla as the main character, I liked her a lot.  She was easy to relate to, because of all her ordinary high school problems.  There's nothing particularly weird or abnormal about her, and she has always been okay with that.  I'm glad of her reaction when the wishes start coming true, which is freaking out.  It seems like the most regular and expected thing to do that is completely easy to relate to. She is definitely a favourite character of mine, though I did find her to be slightly annoying at times.

All the wishes I found were really good.  Each one of them was something that made me laugh, especially the guy named Ken stalking her and calling her Barbie.  That seemed like a good thing to wish for when she was into that sort of thing, maybe, but when she's16, not so much.

I haven't read anything else by Mandy Hubbard before, but she's got quite a few that might be worth looking into, including her debut, Prada and Prejudice, Ripple, and But I Love Him. I look forward to reading more from her!

Anastasia's Secret

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
Release date: 320
Pages: March 2nd 2010
Summary (from Goodreads):  For Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia's last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family's future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?
Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap's new novel is a haunting vision of the life-and love story-of Russia's last princess.



My review: 

I don't have too much to compare Anastasia's Secret to, as I don't know much about the Russian Revolution, and I'm sorry to say that I still don't.


I loved the idea of the book.  Reading the epilogue, I saw that the author wanted to believe that Anastasia, the youngest of the Grand Duchesses, found love before she died.  I want to believe that, as well, but I did have a few problems with the book.  The first thing were the characters.  I liked Anastasia well enough, but I never really got to know the other characters.  They were just. . . There. I wish I could have gotten to know them better, but they were never just in the same scene for very long.  


Speaking of which, there was no plot.  I was never sure what was happening, and there was no pacing.  The story was here. . . And suddenly it was over there.  At the end, it seemed as though the author just decided that she didn't want to write anymore and would just tell us what historically happened.  I found this rather abrupt.  


This isn't a very long review, but I've said all that there is to say.  In all, it wasn't really a bad book, but it just wasn't one that was particularly great.


My rating:
Characters: 2.5/5
Plot: 1.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Originality: 4.5/5

In total,

The Gathering

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Harper (HarperCollins)
Pages: 359
Source: Received as gift
Summary (from Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.
...moreSixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet. 


My review: There is so much I can say about Kelley Armstrong's writing, but I can sum it up in one word: amazing.  There's so much I like about it.


The thing that really stands out to me in Kelley's books is the humor cleverly weaved in.  It doesn't come across as a particularly funny book as your reading it, then suddenly you realize that your laughing in in the most serious parts.  This reminded me a lot of her last book trilogy.  I'm having a hard time deciding which one I liked more, but I think I am leaning towards her last one, but just barely.  The only reason I say that is because I loved Derek, and I don't particularly like Daniel or Rafe.


Having said that, though, I admit that the characters really jumped out to me.  While I never found some of them, like Sam and Rafe, particularly likable it was made up by their realism.  Maya was an excellent main character, with the just the right mix of great and annoying things about her.  Every step she took was like one of my own.


I'm very indecisive about the plot of the book.  At some points I thought it was too fast, at some points I thought it was too slow.  In the end though, I hadn't even considered putting it down at all, so it endedi up being fine.  The main climax at the end of the book was well-paced; not too short, not too long.


All I can say is that if you haven't read anything by Kelley Armstrong, I suggest that you do that now!


My rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

In total,

What Happened to Goodbye

What happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Pages: 402
Release date: May 10th 2011
Source: received as gift
Summary (from Goodreads): In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce. Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance.




 My review: 

I love Sarah Dessen.  This is the sixth book I've read by her, and it definitely won't be the last.  I love everything in her books; however, I'm starting to feel as though they're a little repetitive.

In every single one of her books that I've read so far, the plot is basically the same.  In each one, either the girl's parents are divorced, or one is dead.  She therefore does not believe in love and won't let herself get attache to anyone.  Also, haven't we seen the food storyline before, in The Truth About Forever?

That aside, I loved the book.  What isn't to love?  The characters are not only was easy to relate to, but seem real as well.  The story is told in just the right amount of pages, which was perfect.  It didn't trail off, keeping me waiting and bored, but it wasn't told to quickly with the climax stuffed in at the end. 

There's not much I can say other than that.  I thought that once again Sarah Dessen had mastered the descriptions in the book so that it wasn't too long and there's wasn't too little.  My only complaint is that the end seemed to jump too much and wasn't really explained.

I have no more words, other than that What Happened to Goodbye was amazing, just like all her other books.  Definitely one I would recommend!

A Touch Mortal

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 432
Release date: February 22 2011
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads): Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.


My review: Okay, before I start my review, I'll just let everyone know that I never actually finished A Touch Mortal.  I got about halfway through, maybe a bit more, before I put it down.

There were quite a few things that I didn't like about this book, starting with the plot.  I found that it jumped a lot, and there were quite a few points where I had no idea what was happening. There were many things that weren't explained throughout the book, and while I understand that I didn't read the whole thing, if some things mentioned in the very beginning that are really quite simple and don't need to be mystery aren't explained by midway through the book, I think that there may be a problem.

I also found the characters to be not only unlikeable, but also difficult to connect to.  Eden understood what was going on as you got through the book, but she wasn't in any hurry to explain.  She wasn't a very strong main character, and seemed very spoiled.  I think that there could have been a better fake death for Az, something that happens more often, like a car crash,  that would be easier to relate to.  How many people do you know have fallen off a balcony, and how many have been in a car crash?  Probably more people have been in the latter.  I didn't find the book very realistic, in that way and others.  I didn't think that the character's emotions felt real to me.

The plot was not very enjoyable.  It was jumpy and seemed to skip parts that were important to the book.  I think that this was probably the main reason that I didn't like A Touch Mortal.

I had high hopes for A Touch Mortal.  I really did.  But I have to say that I got it from the library and didn't buy it.  If you like paranormal books, you should read it, though.  I just found that I didn't like it, but I've seen many glowing reviews on Goodreads that you might want to read!

My rating:

Characters: 3.5/5
Writing: 2/5
Plot: 2/5
Originality: 4/5

Overall,

Flawless

Flawless by Lara Chapman

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 272
Release date: May 10th
Summary (from Goodreads):  Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking? 


 My review:  


I thought that Flawless was a great read that shows us that we should embrace our flaws rather than try to change them.  While it focused on a fairly serious subject, I was really happy about the fact that it was quite funny!


I found that Sarah was a good main character, mostly because of how easy she was to relate to, especially for those in high school who may be experiencing the same thing.  There's a part of you that will always want to be loyal to your best friend, no matter what it means.  In Sarah's case, it was giving up the boy she loved in order to make her friend happy.  I admired her for her loyalty, but at the same time I sometimes wanted to yell at her to be a little bit more open.  I really liked this about her.


The reminder about embracing out flaws was placed in the book very well.  Her nose was not the main thing, but more of a part to the side that showed that it was still there even when it wasn't particularly important.  By the end of the book, Sarah had excepted that her nose was a part of who she was.


The ending satisfied me, and I found myself happy that it had ended there.  I have come across many books where there are a couple of extra chapters that aren't necessary.  The conclusion wrapped up the story well, while not making you want to just read the last pages in three seconds because they are so boring.


Rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

              Bubbles!

Overall, 

 *Look out for my post tomorrow for my author interview with Lara Chapman, author of Flawless!*

Aurelia

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 288
Release date: April 17th 2008
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads):  Princess Aurelia is next in line to rule the kingdom of Tyralt, but she would rather be one of the common folk, free to learn and roam and . . . not marry the next tyrannical prince that comes courting. Naturally, the king wants Aurelia to marry for political power. Aurelia wants to marry for love. And someone in the kingdom wants her dead.

Assigned to investigate and protect Aurelia is Robert, the son of the king’s former royal spy and one of Aurelia’s oldest friends. As Aurelia and Robert slowly uncover clues as to who is threatening her, their friendship turns to romance. With everything possible on the line—her life, her kingdom, her heart—Aurelia is forced to take matters into her own hands, no matter the cost.

My review:

I thought that Aurelia was a really good book; the characters were well-developed and I never came close to guessing who was trying to kill Aurelia.


Aurelia was a very interesting character, because she even though she had all the money she could ever want, she would rather be a town commoner.  She spent most of her time in the village, talking with the local folk.  I found this very easy to relate to, because I would probably be just the same.  While I didn't love Robert (he seemed really old compared to his actual age), I did enjoy reading about him because of his growing love for Aurelia.


As for who the killer was, I had no idea until it was actually revealed.  None of the clues pointed to him/her (I'm trying not to give spoilers!) as the culprit, so I think that surprised everyone who read the book.  I had many ideas on who it might have been, but none of my guesses were correct.


There was only one thing that I didn't really like about the book, and that was the setting.  I was a little bit confused about what it would look like, what sort of people lived in the place, or even when this was happening.  The descriptions of the area weren't very helpful to me.


Aurelia is a book that I would recommend to those who like fantasy mysteries!


Rating:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5

                             bubbles!

Overall,

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth  (May 3, 2011)

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 496
Release date: May 3rd
Source: ARC
Summary (from Goodreads):  In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

 My review:  

I admit that I love dystopian worlds.  Many of my favourite books are post-apocalyptic; so it's not a huge surprise that I liked Divergent.

The book started with Beatrice being in the Abnegation faction: the selfless.  Even though she had been raised in this faction, she was not as selfless as everyone else there.  When her test came to see what faction she should choose, her results were inconclusive.  When she was at the choosing ceremony, she finally decided to choose Dauntless.  When she gets there, she finds out that only seven of the twenty there will make it into Dauntless; the others will become factionless.  There are three stages that will earn them their ranks.

Dauntless was a scary, but great setting.  I really got a feel for what it was like there: dark, twisting halls, a sort of spooky feeling hanging over your shoulder.  And then there was the fact that they had to fight each other until one was unconscious to gain themselves ranks.  I really felt what Beatrice (now Tris) felt.  She was horrified and scared, but also very determined.  I thought that she was a great character to read about.

Four (the instructor) was also a very interesting character.  He had many mixed emotions, so I wasn't sure how he felt about Tris.  Sometimes he would act like he loved her, other times he would be yelling at her for being pathetic and weak.  It wasn't until later in the book that I realized who he was and what exactly he was doing when he shouted at her.

The plot kept me eager to keep reading, always making me feel like I needed to know more about what was going on.  There was never really a dull moment, especially with the other Dauntless trainees around, plus there were some exciting twists.  I had quite a few surprises as I read towards the end of the book!

In all, Divergent was a book with vivid descriptions, a twisting plot, a gorgeous setting, and fresh characters!  I loved every page of it!

Rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing: 5/5

               bubbles!

Overall,

The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 276
Release date: May 5th 2009
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads):  Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.



My review:

 I immediately loved The Summer I Turned Pretty, especially liking how Belly measures her life in summers.  I, personally, love summer and find this an interesting way to write a novel.


Belly was a great character, though I did have some mixed feelings for her, and I love her nickname.  It makes her seem young, which is strange, because she seemed older than fifteen.  I couldn't quite figure out all of my thoughts about her.  Sometimes she seemed childish and selfish, but other times she seemed the complete opposite.  Throughout the whole book, I could tell that it wasn't quite right when she was with Cam; I always was on Team Conrad.


And speaking of Conrad, I absolutely loved him, even when he was being selfish and heartless.  There was something underneath that that I could see, and Belly obviously could, too, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself.  It was hard to watch as she tried to love one boy, when she actually liked another, even though she didn't want to.  The Summer I Turned Pretty was a very realistic read, focusing on real problems, making it very likely that it was true, rather than a regular contemporary novel, although it wasn't a true story.

Another great thing was that I had no idea where the book would lead me.  There were no hints as to who Belly would end up with or how the story would end.  This was a very enjoyable fact for me; I can't stand it when I know the end to the book when I'm only two chapters in.  I liked how often the book brought you into Belly's life when she was younger, I found that an interesting change.

If you love contemporary, this is a must-read book!


Rating:
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5

         Bubbles!

Overall,
 

Sisters Red

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 324
Release date: June 7th 2010
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads):  Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

My review:  I'd only read one book with a take on a fairytale before this, and that was Beastly, which I loved.  Sisters Red was easily just as good!  Before I even started reading it, my expectations were high, because I had heard many positive things about this book, I love the cover, and I love the name. And did it ever live up to the high expectations I set!

There were many great things about Sisters Red, starting with the characters.  They were all great, all so full of life.  In the beginning, I liked Scarlett more, but as I got farther, I liked Rosie a lot more.  I found Scarlett to be too overprotective, and was a little disgusted by how much she loved killing the Fenris.  That isn't to say that I didn't like her, though. While I didn't like these characteristics, I found them very realistic, and I don't think that the story would have been quite so interesting without her being like that.  Rosie was sweet.  That's the only way I can describe her.  She seemed younger than she actually was, which made her very likable. Often I find that characters seem older than they actually are, so that was a nice change.

I loved the storyline in Sisters Red.  It never had a dull moment, keeping you interested and wanting to know what was going on.  Even though it wasn't actually exciting, I was also interested in some of the classes that Rosie took without her sister's permission.  I supported the fact that she was doing what she wanted, not just what she felt she should do for her sister.  It seemed as though Rosie was having her own revolution.

Sisters Red was gruesome, but in a good way.  While it did describe the attacks from the Fenris and the fights in fairly detailed description, I didn't feel as though Jackson Pearce was overdoing it.  It reminded me a bit like The Hunger Games in that aspect of the book.  My favourite part was the very end; that battle had me excited and unable to put the book down.  Sisters Red was a great read, and I can't wait for Sweetly to be released!

Rating:
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

              Bubbles!

Overall,

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 351
Release date: February 1st 2009
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads):  The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

My review:

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was quite different from what I was expecting, in a good way.  I was a little bit doubtful from just hearing the name, but the summary sounded fresh, new, and excited.  And am I ever happy that I did pick it up!

The storyline was one of the best I've ever read!  It kept me interested throughout the whole book, though for the first few page I was thinking: haven't I read this before?  Another vampire book where the vamp is always watching the girl?  Perhaps I have read that a lot before, but I began to see that Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side wasn't just like that.  I thought that the most interesting part was that when Jessica actually began to start liking Lucius, he decided that she wasn't good enough for him, and started to flirt with a girl that Jessica hated.  I loved seeing how annoyed Jessica became because of that!


Thank you Lucius, for telling Jessica what you are right in the beginning.  And thank you, Jessica, for not accepting it.  In so many books, the boy finally tells her what he is after lots and lots and lots of suspense (even though it's obvious what he is), and she just accepts it.  Honestly?  Say you were the girl and found out that your boyfriend was a vampire; what would you do?  Just say 'Okay' and go on with life?  I loved how it wasn't just like that in Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.


The characters were exciting and refreshing!  They were so different from a typical character in a book.  There was a hint of humor in each of them, but they were serious at some points, too.  I loved all of them for different reasons, and I have to say that Jessica is now one of my favourite female lead characters!


I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a vampire story that has a different plot, and lots of originality!


Rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

     Bubbles!

Overall,

City of Fallen Angels

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 424
Release date: April 5th
Source: Bought
Summary (from Goodreads): A mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My review: 

I wish I could say that CoFA was my favourite out of all the books, but I couldn't say that honestly. . . They were all just so great that it's too hard to choose!  I love everything about the Mortal Instruments books, down to every last detail!

As with all the others in the series, my favourite thing was the astounding characters that Cassandra Clare formed.  Jace is easily the best out of all of them; he's so tortured and sweet!  I'd seen it coming a little from City of Glass, but I loved how Jace was beginning to doubt if Clary really loved him or not and that was his main weakness when it came to his being possessed.  I also really liked being able to see the boy who turned Maia into a wolf, and was surprised to see how nice he was.  I imagined him very differently.


As with all the other books in the series, the plot was amazing.  Cassandra Clare did a good job in keeping me interested throughout the whole book, while still having a part at the end that really kept me on the edge of the seat.  I didn't think I would as much, but I actually quite enjoyed having much of the book told in Simon's point of view.  In the other books, he wasn't one of my favourites, but now I understand him a little more.


However.  Yes, there is a however.
Why did I have to read it right after it came out?  The ending is a huge cliffhanger, and now I have to wait a long time for the next book!  Oh well.  At least I loved City of Fallen Angels, and even if I had known it had a cliffhanger, I probably still would have been too excited not to read it!  If you haven't read the Mortal Instruments books yet, I advise you to read them  now!


Rating:
Characters: 5+/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing: 5/5

bubbles!

In total,

Unearthly

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Publisher:  HarperTeen
Pages:  435
Release date:  January 4th 2011
Summary (from Goodreads):  In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

My review:  Everyone out there is saying that Unearthly isn't just another angel book, and I must say that I agree with them.  When I think YA angels, I think fallen and creepy, like in Fallen and Hush, Hush.  However, in Unearthly, it isn't like that at all.

The best thing was probably that the girl was the angel, rather than the mysterious guy.  Another bonus was that she wasn't a fallen angel.  Clara was only half-angel, which was a fresh change on the classic stories.  Everything in the book was original and so unlike any other book that I have ever read.

The plot was amazing.  I think that it was made interesting by the way it makes you certain that Clara is meant to be with Christian, but it's actually got another twist to come.  In the start, I didn't like Tucker.  He was rude to Clara, and openly despised her.  However, as I got farther into the book, I grew to like him more, because of the way he spent more time with Clara.  I began to understand him a little more, and I went onto Team Tucker rather than Team Christian.  :)

There's not much to say about Unearthly.  It was simply. . . Astounding.

Overall rating:
Characters: 4.5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing:  4.5/5

In total, Bubbles!

Beastly

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304
My rating: 4.5/5
Summary (from Goodreads):  I am a beast.
A beast!
Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll, stay this way forever ruined unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly...beastly.

 My review:


The main reason I picked Beastly up was because I saw a trailer for the movie, and loved even just that.  I"m not normally a fan of fairy tales, especially the cartoon princess Disney ones.  That's why I loved how modern and realistic the twist on the tale was.  I loved how the beast was actually a boy who was once popular, and who was just in high school.  It was very interesting, I found, to see that the witch was someone from Kyle's class.


My absolute favourite thing was the characters.  It was amazing to witness how much they changed throughout the book.   Kyle was, in the beginning, a good-looking guy who only liked people who were pretty or handsome.  He thought nothing about those who were ugly.  He was horrified when he got turned into a beast because of that.  As he got used to being a beast, he started to realize how looks weren't the most important thing in the world.  Although he first captured Lindy so that she would eventually love him, he began to love her, even though she wasn't pretty.  I loved seeing that he became a much happier person even as he was ugly.


I think that the part about Kyle having a rose garden was an added bonus.  It tied in with the story, and really helped show how Kyle was feeling, and how he was becoming more and more selfless.  Along with the characters, that was one of my favourite things.

The only thing that I didn't really like was the settng.  I understood that the house he was in was more like a mansion, and that it was supposed to be very nice, but I never really got a picture of it in my mind.  I think that more detail on it would have been better.


Beastly was the perfect mix of romance and magic and learning about yourself, and what it really means to be ugly.  I loved it!

The Iron King

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

My rating:  4/5
Summary (from Goodreads):  Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My review:  The Iron King was a new take on the life of the fey that I loved!  Often, I see the same sort of books about faeries all the time, with nothing exciting and original, but this one was definitely an exception.

The thing that really stood out to me was the setting.  For the first part of the book, I was thing: Wow, this is so. . . Normal.  Usual.  Nothing interesting about it.  But my thoughts changed after a little while.  The first thing that got me intrigued was the way the Nevernever was slowly dying.  I wanted to know why it was like that.

I must admit that the book got a lot better as I went along.  I could see the characters changing, and I loved the way that Meghan grew used to the Nevernever.  She began to figure out some of their tricks, even though in the start she was completely blinded to what they really wanted.  I found her an excellent character to read about, mostly because she was so believable.  I can easily see someone growing to adjust to their surroundings the way she did, and having the same emotions.

As I got to the end, it was definitely getting better for me, and the very last pages held me in suspense.  I am still trying to get my hands on a copy of The Iron Daughter from the library.

Nevermore

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

My rating:  2/5
Summary (from Goodreads):  Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game.

Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind.

Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.


My review:

Before I start actually reviewing this book, I'd like to say that I didn't actually finish Nevermore.  I got about a hundred pages to the end, so around page 450, but then I decided to give up on it.  


When I started Nevermore, I loved it.  The writing was good, the words flowing together.  Unfortunately, I couldn't stay interested.  The characters were fine, the writing style was perfect, and so was the description and setting, but the plot?  I found that it was very slow.  I was at page 350 by the time anything interesting started happening.


So what happened, that I lost interest, if I managed to get to the major plot point?  Answer: the major plot point wasn't anything major.  Lots of stuff was happening, yes, but it was all going so quickly that I had no idea what was happening.  I was reading each page a couple times over, trying to follow along, but it all seemed so crammed together that I couldn't quite tell.


I couldn't decide whether to give Nevermore two or two and a half stars, because even though I did quit reading it, I managed to get really far into it.  Maybe sometime I'll try it again; see if I like it any more.

Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

My rating:  5/5
Summary (from Goodreads):  It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend. 


My review:  Once again, Sarah Dessen has left me amazed by her writing.  Along for the Ride was a beautiful read, full of emotions and gorgeous descriptions.


One of my favourite things about the book was Auden's nighttime habits.  I didn't think that staying up all night then sleeping until mid-afternoon the next day was so strange, especially considering what sort of life she had up until that point.  It just made a lot of sense for her, it was like an escape from everything else she has ever known.


Eli was also a very interesting character.  I liked the interesting way that he handled the death of his friends; appearing quiet and not very willing to talk, but deep down, he wanted to still  chat with his friends, but it was his way of punishing himself.  It was quite intriguing that he hadn't actually given up on biking, he just chose to do it when no one would see him.  I loved that eventually, after knowing Auden, he went back out there to the biking competitions.


Another one of my favourite things was how Auden's relationship with her mother and her stepmother began to change.  With her mother, Auden started to break off from her hold a bit more, changing, even though her mom was always saying that people never change.  In the beginning, with Heidi, Auden's stepmother, Auden didn't like her very much.  She was too exuberant all the time, and very girly.  As Auden is staying with her, though, I could see her beginning to adapt to those ways.


Sarah Dessen is one of my favourite authors, and I suggest anyone with a love of contemporary fiction to go and get one of her books and start reading!