Review: The Midnight Star by Marie Lu

From Goodreads: Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained. When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest - though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: After loving The Rose Society, I must say that Marie Lu’s The Midnight Star wasn’t as strong a conclusion as I hoped for for The Young Elites series.

Although I breezed through reading The Midnight Star, I felt quite detached from the characters while reading it. Nowhere was this more obvious than when certain characters died. I feel that a huge reason why I couldn’t make myself care about these deaths was because the characters didn’t feel like they were used to their full potential. For example, it felt like Lu didn’t know what to do with Enzo anymore so she simply killed him off again. Moreover, some characters still weren’t fleshed out enough. A case in point would be Magiano: we learn a little about him, but not enough to explain why he’s so drawn to Adelina and willing to do anything for her. Finally, the religious element was unexpected, and I remain unsure how I feel about it overall.

The Midnight Star was released in October 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. 

Comments About the Cover: I like the cover, but I think The Young Elites’ and The Rose Society’s covers are better.

Mini Reviews: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin and Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

From Goodreads: Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled - by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends - sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo - Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness ... it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Meredith Zeitlin’s Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters was the perfect novel to lighten my mood when I was really stressed and get me out of my reading slump. A quick read filled with hilarious moments, this book features a narrator that’s incredibly easy to connect with as we’ve all been through what Kelsey has – trying to figure out our identity and how to leave a mark, having friendships change, falling in love, etc. I definitely encourage you to give Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters a try, and dare you to read it without giggling!

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters was released in March 2012 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

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From Goodreads: Twelve-year-old Emily is on the move again. Her family is relocating to San Francisco, home of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger, a game where books are hidden all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles. But Emily soon learns that Griswold has been attacked and is in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold and leads to a valuable prize. But there are others on the hunt for this book, and Emily and James must race to solve the puzzles Griswold left behind before Griswold's attackers make them their next target.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman was a book that I decided to read because I loved its premise – hunting for and getting to keep books by having to solve puzzles! However, unlike some MG books which have crossover appeal, it was obvious that the target audience for this book were Middle Graders for two reasons: 1) Emily’s friend James names his cowlick and almost treats it like an imaginary friend, which was annoying to read about as an older reader, and 2) the villain of the story was quite predictable and you knew that the characters were never in any danger from him. 

Book Scavenger was released in June 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. 

Review: The Rose Society by Marie Lu

From Goodreads: Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her. But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Marie Lu’s The Young Elites was good; but its sequel, The Rose Society, was amazing! In The Rose Society, new characters are introduced, new alliances are created, and Adelina becomes a formidable foe!

All her life, Adelina has simply wanted to be loved. Now that she's capable of creating fear in others, she’s bent on getting revenge against everybody who betrayed her. It was so awesome – and scary – to see Adelina become such a dark character in The Rose Society!

Since Adelina decides to create her own army at the end of The Young Elites, the Daggers aren’t featured as promininently in The Rose Society. Instead, we’re introduced to Magiano and Sergio, a former Dagger. While I thought Magiano and Sergio were interesting enough, I didn’t like them as much as the Daggers. I also found Magiano’s development of romantic feelings for Adelina to be quite sudden.

One of my complaints with The Young Elites was that the worldbuilding was lacking. That’s still true with The Rose Society, but we do learn a bit more about the Young Elites. And what we do learn is surprising, to say the least. I can’t wait to see how this plot twist will play out in the next book!

The Rose Society was released by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers in October 2015. 

Comments About the Cover: I can’t help but keep staring at the wolf in the background.

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.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

From Goodreads: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: With my last dystopian read being Veronica Roth’s amazing Divergent a few months ago, and me not being a huge fan of the dystopian genre, Marie Lu’s Legend had some pretty shoes to follow up on. And, oh my gosh, did it ever! While the plot is a little predictable, Legend kept me hooked enough that I stayed up late and finished reading it within a day.

The story is narrated through the alternating perspectives of June and Day who are a little on the younger side – they’re only fifteen – to be living by themselves. I’m willing to let that slide a bit though because June is a prodigy and Day is smart and has exceptional (and totally unrealistic) physical abilities.

June originally comes off as slightly standoffish, but she slowly becomes more likeable over the course of the novel. Despite living a sheltered life and now becoming an agent for the Republic, I liked that June was willing to question things even if they came from the mouth of a known criminal. She could have easily ignored whatever Day said and been a perfect soldier who believed everything that the Republic taught her.

Day was even more interesting to me. I loved his confidence and the fact that it was impossible to break his spirit even after he landed in the Republic’s jail. If I ever get thrown into a dystopian world, I’d want Katniss and Day by my side!

The worldbuilding is a little vague because it’s not clear how the US broke down into the Republic and the Colonies nor is much told about the Republic’s history. Since Legend is the first in a series however, I expect that Lu will reveal more in the books that will follow. For now, all I can say is that the Republic may not be so perfect, and what it does sounds hypothetically plausible.

Rather than a huge focus on romance, Legend instead focuses more on the familial bond. June has grown up under the care of her brother because her parents died in a car crash when she was young and the two have a very close relationship. It’s too bad then that Metias has to die early in the novel, but I enjoyed getting to know him through June’s memories (even if her sadness at his death sometimes felt more like a case of telling than showing). Similarly, the reader learns about Day’s family through his memories because circumstances have made it so that he’s unable to live with them and instead must survive on the streets. Personally, it was somewhat harder to care about them than Metias (except when John did what he did), but it’s obvious that they’re Day’s greatest weakness because he loves them so much.

There is some romance though; and I liked that it wasn’t something that took over the entire book. There’s clearly attraction between June and Day but there’s also a nicely developing friendship, which made me like their relationship a lot more. Lu deserves bonus points for not having her characters make declarations of love when they haven’t known each other for very long. Moreover, June and Day in my mind were greater together than each individually so I can’t wait to see what will happen to them in the sequel.

A highly recommended book for fans of the dystopian genre, Legend was released by Putnam Juvenile in November 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: I like its simplicity, and the gold embossing stands out nicely against the silver background.

Review: The Julian Game by Adele Griffin

From Inside Jacket: It starts by accident, when Raye creates a joke Facebook page for mysterious vixen "Elizabeth." Then Julian friends her, and the real games begin. What Raye hadn't counted on was falling so hard for Julian - and igniting Ella's rage. Now with the real-life Julian interested in her, Raye has to reconcile the temptress he fell for with her real-life self. Meanwhile, she's learning just how vicious Ella can be and how easily her reputation can be shattered. Suddenly notorious, Raye has to find out if she has what it takes to break all the rules. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: The Julian Game by Adele Griffin is a novel that realistically portrays just how easy it is for bullying to occur in schools today. With the popularity of social networking sites, the truth can be manipulated without any difficulty and the effects can be widespread. Griffin also does a good job with Raye’s reaction because although she hates reading the vicious things said about her, she can’t seem to stop herself from seeing what other people are saying. The ending too was appropriate, and I liked the way Raye chose to respond to Ella.

What I wasn’t as fond of were the characters because they seemed stereotypical. Sure, Ella isn’t Queen Bee at home and has OCD, but she’s also the rich and pretty mean girl whereas Raye is the smart, new girl on scholarship who will do anything to join the popular girls. I also didn’t see what Raye saw in Julian. Even without the blatant warnings to Raye that he was a player, it was so obvious that Julian was a jerk that was simply using Raye. Sadly, the two characters that I did like, Natalya and Henry Henry, weren’t featured as much as I wanted them to be. 

The Julian Game was released in August 2010 by Putnam Juvenile. 

Comments About the Cover: I actually checked out The Julian Game from the library based on its cover, which I really like. The pose of the model seems a little menacing, and when combined with the blue wig and the bright green gloves that stand out and the fact that the girl’s eyes are covered by the title, it really symbolizes that cyberbullying can be conducted anonymously. As well, the checkered pattern in the background reminds me of a chessboard, and makes me think that the model is just one of many players in a game, waiting for others to make a move before making one of her own. This goes very well with the title and the slogan "Play or get played." 

Review: The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

From Inside Jacket: Lonely at her new school, Elizabeth takes a job at the New York Circulating Material Repository, hoping to make new friends as well as some cash. The repository is no ordinary library. It lends out objects rather than books - everything from tea sets and hockey sticks to Marie Antoinette's everyday wig. It's also home to the Grimm Collection, a secret room in the basement. That's where powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are locked away: a seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's step-mother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles and has a will of its own. When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth and her new friends embark on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before they're accused of the crime themselves - or the thief captures them.  

My Rating: 5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I was first introduced to Polly Shulman’s The Grimm Legacy when someone was giving an ARC of it away with a bunch of other ARCs. I quickly skimmed the accompanying blurb, and figured it sounded pretty interesting. Plus, I loved my fairytales growing up and so, added the novel to my wishlist. Well, I just finished The Grimm Legacy and I loved it!

Right from the start, it was extremely easy to get lost in the pages of The Grimm Legacy. The world that Shulman has created is so realistic and vivid that it’s not hard to imagine the New York Circulating Material Repository, a building that looks like a normal Manhattan brownstone on the outside but is actually much bigger on the inside, having expanded into the neighbouring properties. I especially love the fact that Shulman began each chapter of the book with a Repository object that would be used in the chapter and a call number. Much like Elizabeth then, I felt overwhelmed at first because the call numbers really aid in imagining how vast the Repository’s collection is, but as the book progresses, I too learned how to read the call numbers and so the library started to feel more like a second home. This neat detail to the book just makes you feel as if the Repository does exist! I love my library, but if there’s an actual place like the Repository, feel free to let me know.

The other thing that I really enjoyed about The Grimm Legacy is the cast of characters. They’re all very fleshed out and I love that it’s a multicultural mix since the Repository is located in New York. As much as I liked Elizabeth though and watching her come into her own, my two favourite characters are Marc and Anjali’s siblings, Andre and Jaya. Readers are introduced to Andre when he comes up to Elizabeth while she’s working and tells her he has to go to the bathroom. A three-year-old miniature version of his brother, I couldn’t help laughing as Elizabeth hoped that he wasn’t Marc shrunk by a shrink ray. Plus, Andre calls his brother “butter” and Elizabeth “Libbet,” which I found so cute! Meanwhile, Jaya is that annoying younger sibling, and her interactions with Anjali bring back memories of growing up with my own younger sister. She’s also smart and witty though, which meant that scenes with Jaya were always fun to read.   

Shulman’s writing was absolutely brilliant! For example, she does an amazing job describing the Repository without spending a huge amount of time on minute details about how the Repository would work – the basic details are covered – or slowing down the story. In addition, while there’s references to many fairy tales, some of which I haven’t heard of, Shulman does a good job determining which objects’ back-stories would need to be explained a little more. Speaking of objects, Snow White’s stepmother’s mirror is featured prominently, and I loved that it would only answer questions when addressed in a rhyme. Then when answering back in a rhyme, although the mirror had to speak the truth, it would make the truth as ambiguous as possible and call Elizabeth by variations of her name simply to annoy her!

Despite the hints of threat though, the novel remains a fun and light read that will appeal to tweens, teens and adults alike. Part adventure, part fantasy and part mystery, The Grimm Legacy was released by Putnam Juvenile in July 2010.

Comments About the Cover: Whoever did the cover is a genius! It’s not only gorgeous and super detailed but the colours and design just convey this magical, ominous feeling, which goes perfectly with the book’s catch-phrase of “Borrow the magic … if you dare!”

Review: Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

From Back Cover: Annika will do anything to fulfill her little brother's only wish before a frightening surgery. The trouble is, he wants the superstar actor who plays Teen Robin Hood to pay him a visit. Annika has only a few days to drive to California and convince the celebrity to come home with her. On an impossible adventure that includes paparazzi, bows and arrows, and one enormous snake, Annika learns a few lessons about family, love, and having her own wishes granted.

My Rating: 5 hearts

 

Thoughts on the Novel: Out of all the books I’ve read by Janette Rallison, Just One Wish would have to be my favourite one. Like all of Rallison’s novels, it’s cute, witty and easy to read, but this one seems to have more depth and has a very unexpected ending! I loved that twist though because life doesn’t always work out the way that we want, and yet Rallison still left me with the upbeat feeling that I’ve come to expect from her work.

I also loved the protagonist, Annika. It’s clear that she adores her brother Jeremy – he’s such a cutie – and is willing to do whatever it takes to make the surgery easier for him. Regardless of whatever obstacle is in her way, she just keeps going and refuses to give up. Rallison however also allows the reader to see the frightened and vulnerable girl beneath Annika’s spunky exterior, which makes Annika a loveable character that you can’t help but empathize with. 

Just One Wish was released by Putnam Juvenile in March 2009.

Comments About the Cover: It’s nice and simple but it makes me think that the story features a fairy godmother, which is totally not true. Fulfilling Jeremy’s wish may have required hard work, creativity and persistence, but there’s definitely no magic involved.

Review: My Double Life by Janette Rallison

From Inside Jacket: My life in suburbia is about as far away from a rock star's life as one can get. So I was more than surprised when, out of the blue, I was offered the job of being Kari Kingsley's double. I may not have Hollywood skills, but I am her dead ringer, and the job will pay for college and get me closer to meeting the dad I've never known. Being Kari has its other perks too. Last month I couldn't even get a date, and now I'm hanging out with Grant Delray, who I've stared at on magazine covers for years. He's everything a girl could want - everything I want. There's just one problem. He thinks I'm Kari. Isn't it ironic that when I do finally find my father and the love of my life, I'm not allowed to tell either of them who I really am? 

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Although the premise sounds pretty far-fetched, I was interested to see how Janette Rallison would explain the eerie resemblance of Alexia to Kari. The reason given has been known to happen in reality but it would have been slightly more sensible if Alexia looked similar to Kari and not exactly like Kari’s identical twin (with the exception of her nose).

The characters were the greatest strength of the book. Alexia is a likeable character that readers can easily relate to. Her yearning to know her father so that she could finally feel complete, her confused feelings about how she would tell her father who she was and how she should feel about him, her worry over whether Grant would like her for herself and her desire to help Kari were all portrayed genuinely.

The evolution of Kari and Grant were also well done and shows that there is always more to people than meets the eyes. While Kari initially appears to simply be a dumb blonde, spending some time with her allows Alexia to learn that unscripted situations with tons of cameras cause Kari to freeze up and make stupid comments. In the meantime, Alexia’s initial attraction to Grant seems more based on his physical looks. Later on however, she realizes that aside from being handsome and rich, Grant is also an unpretentious, funny and amazing guy.  

Though Rallison’s My Double Life has a serious message or two in it, it was mostly a light and breezy novel that will keep readers hooked because pretending to be someone else is just a disaster waiting to occur. Throw in some humorous scenes and a happy ending and Rallison leaves the reader with a pretty satisfied feeling.

My Double Life was released by Putnam Juvenile in May 2010.

Comments About the Cover: I have mixed feelings about the cover. I really liked the idea of the paparazzi with their cameras taking pictures of the model because much like any celebrity, Kari is continually being photographed and asked questions about her life. The paparazzi also play an important role in how things turn out for Alexia and Kari in the later part of the story. However, the model on the cover doesn’t look at like she’s Latina and yet both Alexia and Kari are. Clearly the people responsible for the cover didn’t even bother reading the first few chapters!