Thursday, October 30, 2014

Mini Reviews: The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima and The Young Elites by Marie Lu

From Goodreads: Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great - until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts. Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind, part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At their helm sits the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game - a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. As if his bizarre heritage isn't enough, Jack finds out that he's not just another member of Weirlind - he's one of the last of the warriors - at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although I’d never checked it out, Cinda Williams Chima’s The Heir Chronicles was a fantasy series that I’d heard a lot about in the past. With the release of the newest book in the series, The Sorcerer Heir, however, I figured I’d give the first book, The Warrior Heir, a try.

Though I found The Warrior Heir to be an okay novel and thought the worldbuilding was pretty solid, the story just didn’t grip me. Not only was The Warrior Heir quite predictable, but its pacing was slow and the characters were sort of boring. Ultimately, I think my younger self would have enjoyed this book a lot more.

The Warrior Heir was released by Disney Hyperion in April 2007. 
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From Goodreads: Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars - they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites. Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: While I still need to read the second and third books in Marie Lu’s Legend series, I figured I’d give her newest series a try in the meantime. Although it wasn’t what I expected (because I didn’t realize that all the characters in the novel would be anti-heroes), I still enjoyed The Young Elites due to its well-written beginning and ending. Little happened in the middle, however, and the worldbuilding was very much neglected.

The Young Elites was released on October 7, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.

7 comments:

  1. Ooh I really want to read the Young Elites! I also have not yet read Prodigy and Champion from the Legend series.
    Awesome reviews! :P
    Chelsea @ http://abooktastic.blogspot.co.nz/

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  2. I didn't care for the Legend series. I thought Legend was just okay and didn't bother reading book 2 and 3. I was hoping Young Elites would be better. Too bad the world building was weak.

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  3. Aw, and isn't The Warrior Heir pretty long too? That's more of a shame because it has pacing issues. Ah, well. I haven't read Legend either, although I'm not sure about the lack of world-building, hmm...

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  4. I've heard good things about The Heir Chronicles too – sorry to hear the first one fell kinda flat for you! Maybe they get better as the series goes on?

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  5. I've heard a lot of good things about The Heir Chronicles too BUT, I've also heard that they get much better as the series progresses. Maybe the sequel will grip you a bit more :) I really want to read The Legend series AND The Young Elites too! I know what you mean though, when your expectations for a book don't line up, sometimes it can make the book less enjoyable! I hope your next read is/was more up your alley :) Thanks for the lovely reviews ^^

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  6. CWC is an author I've been meaning to read for a while now. She has two series and I always get them mixed up, but one definitely appeals to me more than the other (the more straight fantasy one is the one I want to read).

    I'm disappointed about the lack of middle in the ML book. I'm like you, I need to still read the second and third book in her Legend series, but I was curious about her new series. 3.5 though with a middling middle doesn't seem worth pushing up the TBR at this point.

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  7. Yes the first book in the Heir chronicles is just okay. I even found it boring at times because it was mostly just world building. But with it already set, I think the next book is worth the try! They get better.

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