Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

From Goodreads: Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her tribe is furious--and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her. Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale. The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice - she must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate - or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst is a slow fantasy that explores themes like sacrifice, destiny, faith and independence using an interesting premise. In Vessel, the people of the desert have a dreamwalk where their destiny is revealed to them. Those who are to become vessels have their lives irrevocably changed as their bodies no longer belong to them but to the deity associated with their nomad tribe. While their family and friends have normal responsibilities, vessels instead prepare for a day when their souls will be released from their body in a ritual that allows their deity to be summoned from the dreaming and inhabit the vessel’s body. The vessel’s sacrifice ensures their tribe’s survival for the next century as the god or goddess in a physical form can perform magic capable of bringing rain to the desert and increasing the tribe’s herds.

What I loved most about Vessel was the worldbuilding because Durst made it really easy to imagine the desert. Through Liyana’s eyes, the reader can see both the beauty of the desert as well as its dangers, real (e.g. scarcity of water, snakes, etc.) and fictional (e.g. sand wolves and salt worms). I also liked Durst’s incorporation of fables and creation myths since it added an extra layer to the story and solidified the worldbuilding.

Another thing that I liked was how the different vessels perceived their fate. At first, Liyana is accepting of her fate, but when Bayla doesn’t come and Liyana realizes that she can have a life, she becomes more hesitant at the thought of giving up her body. At the same time, Liyana knows that without her sacrifice, her tribe won’t survive. It was nice to see that struggle between individualism and altruism and contrast Liyana’s reactions with that of Pia, a blind singer completely dedicated to her deity, and Raan, who questions why she should have to die for her goddess. 

Vessel is by no means a flawless read, however. My main complaint about the novel is that the journey of Liyana and Korbyn as they go from tribe to tribe to collect the other vessels soon feels repetitive because it makes up quite a huge portion of the book. Also, I found the romance to be very weak – fortunately, it’s not a major component of the novel – and thought that the character of the emperor was a bit underdeveloped.

Vessel was released in 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry Books. 

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover is gorgeous and eye-catching. I also love that there’s no whitewashing.

Mini Reviews: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

From Goodreads: The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them ... until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although the ending felt a bit rushed, I found Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door to be a fun read featuring a very cute romance and a family that's easy to fall in love with. The YA novels I read tend to have dysfunctional families or absent parents so it was really nice to see how close-knit the Garretts were. There were eight Garrett children, and Fitzpatrick made each one of them seem like individuals. Jace may be the one I was supposed to swoon over (and I did), but George and Patsy quickly became my favourite Garretts.

My Life Next Door was released by Dial Books For Young Readers in 2012. 
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From Goodreads: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. When one of the strangers - beautiful, haunted Akiva - fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself? 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: After seeing so much praise for Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, I finally decided to give it a try. Despite a tiny bit of predictability and a romance that had a touch of insta-love, I ended up loving Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it! The story was absorbing and beautifully written, and the description of Prague and all the places Karou traveled to were incredibly vivid. Taylor’s own fantasy world of Eretz seemed as real a place as her earthly settings because of how well developed it was. I also loved how Taylor managed to make each character important in their own right since none of the secondary characters felt like they were there simply for convenience.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2011.

Canada Day Blog Hop

I may still be on my blogging break, but Canada Day is coming up ... and for the third year in a row, I'll be participating The Canada Day Blog Hop being hosted by Aislynn from Stitch - Read - Cook, Chrystal from Snowdrop Dreams of Books and Carmel from Rabid Reads. 

For the hop, I'll be giving away any book of your choice written by a Canadian author and worth up to $10 CDN from The Book Depository. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mini Blogging Break

It’s been pretty quiet here lately, and that’s because I’ve been busy attending weddings and birthday parties. Things should be back to normal by the end of next week. So, I probably won’t be posting or leaving comments until then. My apologies in advance!

Reviews: Pivot Point by Kasie West and Parallel by Lauren Miller

Thoughts on the Novels: The theme of parallel universes/alternate realities seems to be a growing trend in YA. So much so, that HarperTeen released both of the debuts that I recently read – Kasie West’s Pivot Point and Lauren Miller’s Parallel. As such, rather than reviewing them separately, I’ve decided to a compare and contrast type of review.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Set up of Plot: As a Divergent, Addie has the ability to Search how two options presented to her can affect her life on a day-to-day basis for however long she chooses. When her parents tell her they’re divorcing and her dad will be leaving the Compound to live in the Normal world, Addie decides to Search which parent she should live with. Chapters therefore alternate between how Addie’s life would be like were she to live with her mom versus if she were to live with her dad. Essentially, it’s like reading two stories at once, with some common events between the two. 

Protagonist: Addie is someone I can totally picture being friends with! She loves to read, is organized, doesn’t care about popularity, and prefers hanging out with a smaller group of close friends than going to something like a party. 

Worldbuilding: In Pivot Point, the Para-community does its best to ensure that its existence is kept a secret from the Normal world. They hardly interact with Norms, and appear to be mentally and technologically more advanced. 

Romance: Since I thought Trevor, Addie’s Norm friend, was sweet, and disliked Duke, Addie’s romantic interest in the Compound; I hoped that Addie would opt to live in the Normal world because it seemed like her decision would ultimately be based around a guy. So, I was pleasantly surprised that Addie’s choice wasn’t influenced by a guy in the end. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Set up of Plot: In Parallel, two universes collide, with the alternate universe being a year behind in time of the present one’s. As a result, alternating chapters reveal how the older Abby’s current circumstances are affected by her younger alternate’s decisions every day. Like the older Abby, I was constantly confused as to what was going on in the beginning because details of her reality kept changing. But, I liked how Miller showed that even a small choice can change a person’s course of life dramatically. 

Protagonist: I was never able to form a connection with the older Abby. Meanwhile, alternate Abby was sort of nosy and seemed kind of dumb. Who thinks it’s a good idea to walk around barefoot in a construction zone?! Also, both versions of Abby seemed to develop crushes very easily. 

Worldbuilding: By far the best part of Parallel was the theory behind alternate universes because Miller explains the physics in such a simplistic manner. 

Romance: I didn’t really care which guy older Abby ended up with because neither captivated me. There was also lots of talk about soul mates, a concept I don’t believe in. 

Overall Comparisons: Despite the fact that both Pivot Point and Parallel have very romance-centric plots, it’s a lot more obvious in Parallel. That, combined with West’s engaging writing and my preference for Addie over Abby means that I’m more likely to recommend Pivot Point over Parallel. Where Parallel wins though is definitely the worldbuilding. 

In exchange for an honest review, Parallel was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via Edelweiss.    

Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

From Goodreads: Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning - New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally. Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although I enjoyed Julie Kagawa’s The Immortal Rules last year, it took me quite a while to get into the story because I found the first half kind of slow, especially when Allie was on the run by herself. Thankfully, it didn’t take that long for things to become interesting in The Eternity Cure.

While I continued to like both Allie and Kanin in The Eternity Cure, I also found myself viewing Zeke more favourably. I think it’s because he stopped seeming like such a goody-goody in this book.

Another character for whom my feelings changed was Jackal. Before beginning The Eternity Cure, I vaguely remembered him as the villain from the previous book. After having Allie spend so much time with him in this novel, I definitely consider him a memorable character now due to his sarcastic, witty banter.

I also liked how instead of just hearing about the vampire hierarchy and politics, we finally get to see it in action. When Allie goes into the Inner City to rescue Kanin, her experience illuminates how different the life of those living in the Fringe is compared to that of the vampires and their pets. I’m hoping we get to see the same in the next novel, using the free humans of Eden as the measure of comparison.

The Eternity Cure was released by Harlequin Teen in April 2013.  

Comments About the Cover: I’m not sure how this cover relates to the story. It also doesn’t match the cover of The Immortal Rules. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

From Goodreads: Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation). Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line - or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Reboot by Amy Tintera was a fast-paced read with solid worldbuilding and a unique take on zombies. Unlike most zombie novels, I enjoyed Reboot since Tintera kept the violence but not the gore. The focus on romance, however, decreased my enjoyment of the novel somewhat.

Although the backstory of how the world in Reboot came about is kind of vague, Tintera’s world is believable as it presently is. With a virus decimating the population, it’s not hard to imagine a corporation arising to take advantage and the rich segregating themselves from the poor to avoid the spread of the virus.

One effect of this new virus that it can cause those who have/had it to reanimate after death with better physical abilities and a lack of emotion. The longer the time between death and revival, the corresponding increase in physical abilities and decrease in emotionality afterwards. This makes Reboots great soldiers, and so they’re taken by HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation) to find criminals or those who are sick without the risk of infection.

Among Reboots, Wren is famous for rebooting after one hundred seventy-eight minutes. Feeling little emotion and having no qualms about killing people, she’s one of – if not the – best of HARC’s soldiers. Callum, on the other hand, reboots after twenty-two minutes and therefore almost resembles a human physically and emotionally. As a couple, I liked how the two of them balanced each other because Callum drew Wren out of her shell and made her question the state of things whereas Wren helped him become a stronger Reboot. But, I also thought the romance was very insta-love because as soon as this cute guy shows up, you start to see Wren becoming more emotional.

Reboot was released by HarperTeen on May 7, 2013.  

Comments About the Cover: I think it’s a simple and effective cover. I like how the top half is a bar code that emphasizes the numbers 1, 7 and 8. The number 178 is important of course, but bar codes also have a vital role in Reboot as they help to deindividuate a person.  

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via Edelweiss. 

Review: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

From Goodreads: She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky ... But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last. Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules - and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself. But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters - survival. 

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston is a breezy read if you’re not thinking too hard about how farfetched the plot is. Unfortunately, I found that the book started to lose steam one Meg discovered why she was in the Witness Protection Program.

Meg herself was someone I had a few problems with. Although I liked how much she cared about her younger sibling, I thought she complained a bit too much about her situation and didn’t treat her parents very nicely. I also thought Meg wasn’t exactly the brightest character; and when coupled with the plot’s predictability, I was left disappointed by the mystery in The Rules for Disappearing.  

The romance was another thing I had an issue with. Sure, Ethan was sweet, but I found it unbelievable that he would risk his safety for someone he had only known for a few days!

Even though I ended up thinking The Rules for Disappearing was an okay read, the ending suggested that there will be a sequel. If there is, I’ll probably pass. 

The Rules for Disappearing will be released by Disney Hyperion tomorrow! 

Comments About the Cover: I don’t really like it. It’s kind of boring looking and has me wondering why the girl isn’t wearing any shoes.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Disney Book Group) for free via NetGalley. 

ETA: A look at Goodreads has confirmed that there will be a sequel to The Rules for Disappearing.

Review: Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Meg Fellowes is a wry, resourceful thief forced to join an elite group of female spies in Queen Elizabeth’s Court. There she must solve a murder, save the Crown, and resist the one thing that will become her greatest freedom - and her deadliest peril. For Meg and her fellow spies are not alone in their pursuit of the murderer who stalks Windsor Castle. A young, mysterious Spanish courtier, Count Rafe de Martine, appears at every turn in the dark and scandal-filled corridors of the Queen’s summer palace. And though secrets and danger are Meg’s stock-in-trade, she’s never bargained on falling in love ...

My Rating: Wavering between 3 and 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: You know those books that although you liked, still disappointed you because you were expecting more from them? Well, that was my experience with Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan.

When we first meet Meg, she’s a thief who’s looking forward to leading the street thieves of her acting troupe and hoping to eventually have enough money to live the life that she wants. One mistake, however, results in Meg ending up as a spy for Queen Elizabeth I or risk having the other members of the Golden Rose troupe branded as thieves as well. For a book involving thieves and spies, Maid of Secrets wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be.

I also didn’t feel like I got to know the characters completely. It just felt like something was missing to make them memorable, and this stopped me from really caring about them or becoming fully invested in the romance (which I thought could have used a bit more spark). Two secondary characters that I did find interesting though were Rafe and James. We know right from the start that there’s more to Rafe than meets the eye, but I think the same may be true for James too. And, although I thought there would be a love triangle, that wasn’t the case at least in this book.

As a historical fantasy, I think Maid of Secrets could have been better written to make the historical aspects not so dry. With some historical fantasies, you just absorb knowledge about the time period without even realizing it. I don’t feel like that can be said about Maid of Secrets because McGowan would give details about people or situations rather than showing the reader things through her story. 

Maid of Secrets will be released by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers tomorrow! 

Comments About the Cover: I’m a big fan of weapons being featured on a cover – especially if it’s the cover of a fantasy novel – because it makes me excited about the possibility of plenty of action and violence. I also like how the model has a secretive smile on her face. It’s as if she knows something that we’re not privy to, and that makes me want to know what her secret is. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Edelweiss.

Mini Reviews: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris and Riptide by Lindsey Schiebe

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle's mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared. And that was before she died ... and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth's destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I can’t fully put my finger on what I enjoyed about Elizabeth Norris’ Unraveling so much, but I ended up loving the book. The writing was simple but fluid; and I liked how Unraveling started off with a bang, with the main character getting hit by a truck. From there, the story continued to remain action-packed since the plot involved humans being melted by radiation, an unstoppable device ticking down to the end of the world, and the concept of alternate universes. I also liked Janelle, who I found very relatable because she sounded like a typical teen, and yet didn’t disappoint me by making stupid decisions. The secondary characters like Alex, Ben, Cecily and Elijah were great as well. The only thing I didn’t really love about Unraveling was the romance. Yes, it was sweet, but I thought Janelle developed feelings for Ben quite quickly. 

Unraveling was released in April 2012 by Balzer + Bray.  

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From Goodreads: For Grace Parker, surfing is all about the ride and the moment. Everything else disappears. She can forget that her best friend, Ford Watson, has a crush on her that she can’t reciprocate. She can forget how badly she wants to get a surf scholarship to UC San Diego. She can forget the pressure of her parents’ impossibly high expectations. When Ford enters Grace into a surf competition - the only way she can impress the UCSD surfing scouts - she has one summer to train and prepare. Will she gain everything she’s ever wanted or lose the only things that ever mattered? 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: When I requested Riptide by Lindsey Schiebe, I figured that there would be a lot of surfing in the novel. What I wasn’t expecting was Riptide to be an issues book that used surfing as a metaphor for Grace's life – and quite heavy handedly, I might add! Another problem I had with Riptide was that I couldn’t care about Grace, which made the book feel even longer. Lastly, Riptide had a second, unexpected main character – Ford. Unfortunately, Ford’s POV detracts from Grace’s story rather than being a meaningful alternative perspective because the two narratives aren’t linked very cohesively. Also, Ford’s POV made him came off as sort of a jerk. (Grace, on the other hand, seemed kind of selfish from both perspectives.) I think Riptide would have been a better story if it had just been Grace’s story. Ultimately, when I compare Riptide to Kirsty Eagar’s Raw Blue, another issues book with a lot of surfing scenes, I find Riptide to be severely lacking. If you’re an older reader or enjoy New Adult, I’d definitely recommend reading Raw Blue instead.  

Riptide will be released by Flux on May 8, 2013. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Flux) for free via NetGalley.

Excerpt: Blood and Snow

Every thousand years the Vampire Queen selects a new body, always the fairest in the land, and this time she's chosen Snow White. Snow isn't an ordinary girl. She doesn't know that yet. When Snow gets bitten by a Hunter, her life is thrown into a whirlwind of change where instead of worrying about what to eat, she has to fight not to drink the blood of fellow high school students. She becomes a revenant - not quite human, not quite vampire. With the help of an eccentric old Professor, his seven adoptive sons, and her best friend, Snow learns to control her blood craving. Sort of. She drinks a bloodlust tea, but she'd rather drink from her Hunter. Or, a human. She also discovers a whole other realm, one filled with fairies, dragons, and magic. And not only does the Vampire Queen want her, but there's a pendant called the Seal of Gabriel created for Snow by the Vampire Queen's twin sister. And Snow's supposed to use it to restore balance to all magical creatures. Including vampires.

As part of the blog tour for Blood and Snow, I have an excerpt from the book:

“Welcome to my secret fortress, Silindra,” Titan said. 

I grunted my response, walking past him to the doorway in the mountain, its entry bursting with light. The surface my feet touched was smooth and hard, like polished rock. But it wasn't rock. It was some kind of iron. It swayed slightly, and I grabbed hold of the rails.  

"This is incredible," Snow White said. 

I agreed wholeheartedly. Metal catwalks crisscrossed each other, reminding me of a spider’s web. Tall beams rose to the ceiling where millions of lights shone. It was as though Titan harnessed a portion of the sun, and somehow held its ray’s captive within. 

In the center of the mountain, and vertical, reaching the top and I guessed touching the bottom, was a thick grated tube. Inside the tube were two sets of stairs. One used to walk up, and the other for down. A steady flow of occupants used them; exiting through archways onto walkways like the one I was on. The walkways led to large, cylinder-shaped holes carved into the mountain. 

Cautious, I glanced over the side and felt my throat drop into my stomach. A seemingly endless amount of walkways weaved from the center stairs, and downward. 

I took a deep breath, noting the tang of something sour, like curdled milk. The voices of thousands echoed as trolls, fairies, gremlins, and other magical creatures busily rushed around. Like a strange city. 

“What is this place?” I finally asked. 

“This is Varden. The place where all the scientific magic happens,” he responded, pushing his bulky body past me, walking briskly along the path. The metal shuddered under his weight, and I held my breath. Snow let out a tiny scream. 

I tried to calm my nerves and Snow’s. 

"It’ll hold him," I told her and myself. 

And I hoped I was right.When he reached the stairs, he turned. “Do you want the strength of a troll or not?” 

Lifting my chin, I said, “Of course I do.”

Blood and Snow can be bought from: [Amazon] 

The Rules by Stacey Kade

From Goodreads: 1) Never trust anyone. 2) Remember they are always searching. 3) Don’t get involved. 4) Keep your head down. 5) Don’t fall in love. Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival - and that of her adoptive father - depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.” But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening - and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules ...

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Before I started blogging, a book I read and enjoyed was Stacey Kade’s The Ghost and the Goth. Although I still have to read the next two books in The Ghost and the Goth trilogy, I thought I’d give Kades’s latest novel, The Rules, a go. Though not as entertaining as The Ghost and the Goth, The Rules was still a nice read nonetheless.

One of the reasons I liked The Rules was because it really wasn’t a sci-fi novel. Other than the notion of aliens existing and a mention here and there of human-alien hybrids being created, there isn’t much science-y talk in The Rules. In fact, I’m still not fully clear about what GTX’s goals are or what Project Paper Doll is. The Rules, instead, is more of a contemporary novel with some paranormal elements (since one of the main characters happens to be a hybrid teen). So, although there’s a lot of high school drama, I’d pick that over a very sci-fi-ish novel.

The other reason I liked The Rules was because of the characters. Despite not being as memorable as Will and Alona, Ariane and Zane are still likeable. A seemingly stereotypical jock at the beginning, Zane manages to learn to stand up for himself and others by the end of the book. Meanwhile, Ariane has no problems defending herself or others even though she should be blending in.

Through Ariane’s and Zane’s alternating perspectives, you understand both characters more fully and see them come together with a mutual plan to thwart Rachel’s attempt at controlling them. While the romance wasn’t swoon-worthy by any means, it did feel believable. Since the two hadn’t gotten together for long, I also liked that there was no declaration of love. 

The Rules will be released by Disney Hyperion today! 

Comments About the Cover: I like how the focus of the cover is the girl’s eye which I actually find kind of freaky. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Disney Book Group) for free via NetGalley. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Testing

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on. 

Title: The Testing

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Date of Release: June 4, 2013

Goodreads Description: The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing - their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies - trust no one. But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Why am I waiting? I'm not normally a dystopian fan but I love the sound of The Testing, especially the idea of not being able to trust anyone. I also like the two options presented to Cia: "love without truth or life without trust." I really hope The Testing lives up to my expectations.

Review: Prophecy Girl by Cecily White

From Goodreads: I was born to slay Crossworld demons. Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom. Then he shows up. Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? Wrong. Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Getting it done without falling in love ... that might take a miracle. 

My Rating: 1 heart

Thoughts on the Novel: When I first saw the synopsis of Cecily White’s Prophecy Girl, I got excited about reading the book because it reminded me a little of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy and Jennifer Armentrout’s Covenant series, two of my favourite series. Unfortunately, after reading Prophecy Girl, I can say that it is nowhere as well written as the previously mentioned series. The worldbuilding wasn’t fully fleshed out, the plot ended up thoroughly confusing me, the characters were hard to care about, and the romance wasn’t at all what I was expecting it to be.

Let’s start with the worldbuilding. When we first meet Amelie, she’s out demon hunting with her friend Lisa. Considering she’s a Guardian, I figured we’d eventually learn all about the different types of demons in her world – kind of like with Jana Oliver’s The Demon Trappers. Instead, the demons in Prophecy Girl appear to be mere distractions that crop up once in a while to supposedly show off how badass Amelie is. Another thing, for example, that was hardly touched upon in Prophecy Girl was the angel bloodline. It appears that a Guardian’s bloodline isn’t based on genetics, but we aren't told what it’s based upon nor is there a clear reason as to why it couldn’t have been based on genetics. We’re also not given much information about the benefits or drawbacks of having one bloodline as opposed to another. 

Initially, the focus in Prophecy Girl was on why Amelie’s instructors at school were dying. Later on though, the original conspiracy turns out to be part of a greater plot to cause problems with other Crossworlders – namely, vampires and werewolves. By the end, I had no idea how White made everything tie together as I was just waiting for the book to be over.* I did however accurately predict who the villains would be. 

In terms of the characterization, I found most of the secondary characters – Luc was an exception – to be unmemorable. Meanwhile, I thought Jack lacked complexity – oh, and he wasn’t Amelie’s trainer; thanks a lot misleading synopsis! – and disliked how Amelie became more and more special over time, especially since she was so foolhardy.

Although I disliked Amelie and Jack as individuals, they were even worse as a couple because Amelie kept throwing herself at him and he kept giving her mixed signals. As well, the romance was a total insta-love situation despite the author trying to make it appear not as such. 

An incredibly frustrating read, Prophecy Girl was released by Entangled Teen on April 2, 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Entangled Teen) for free via Rockstar Book Tours.   

*Sidenote: The climax was absolutely ridiculous! Highlight for spoilers: We of course can’t have the romantic lead dying so Amelie is able to save Jack with her super special abilities. The problem is that for her to give life back, she has to take a life. But, that would mean that our main character is now the one who’s dying and we definitely can’t have that! Luckily for Amelie, Jack has a vampire friend who can prevent her death. Problem solved!  

Review: My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

From Goodreads: Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it's all too much - she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of. And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family? Now her life is completely different ... every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: The topic of HIV/AIDS hasn’t really been tackled yet in YA so I applaud Jessica Verdi for doing so skilfully with her debut novel, My Life After Now. Her book was informative. It was touching. And, it was thoughtfully written.

As a character, Lucy makes some unwise choices both before and after she gets HIV. It would have been all too easy for me to get annoyed by her. Instead, I found Lucy to be an incredibly sympathetic and relatable protagonist.

Through Lucy’s journey in trying to come to terms with her positive HIV diagnosis, Verdi makes the reader think about how a simple mistake can utterly change one’s life. How would you react if you were to be diagnosed with HIV? Would you tell anybody at all about your diagnosis, and if so, who? Verdi also shows the reader how something inconsequential like trying to get a cut treated can become a huge obstacle to navigate for someone with HIV. Finally, through Lucy’s research and conversations with Roxie, the reader learns factual information about HIV.

As great as My Life After Now was, I did think it was a bit idealistic because of how lucky Lucy was in terms of her support system. Her parents are a gay couple and while shocked by her diagnosis, are quick to accept the news and extremely understanding. Lucy’s best friends act like her positive diagnosis isn't life changing at all. The girl who Lucy dislikes (and vice versa) doesn’t spread the news like wildfire when she accidentally finds out that Lucy is HIV-positive. And, the two times Lucy isn’t happy with how she’s treated leads to threats of suing … which is so convenient because one of her dads just happens to be a lawyer.

Still, My Life After Now is worth a read. I dove into it not knowing what to expect, and finished it amazed with how brilliantly Verdi dealt with the topic of teen sex without being preachy about the importance of safe sex.

My Life After Now was released on April 2, 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire. 

Comments About the Cover: Since anybody get an STD, I like that the model is turned away as it gives her an air of anonymity.  

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley. 

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

From Goodreads: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Insta-love is a pet peeve of mine in novels so I was a little hesitant to read a book titled The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Although Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight did actually end up being a cute, fluffy read; I felt like its romantic aspect was over emphasized by both the cover and title since a relationship can only develop so far in seven hours while on a plane. The more meaningful relationship that’s explored - through flashbacks and Hadley’s conversation with Oliver - is that between Hadley and her dad.

Aside from one scene at the wedding where Hadley acted childishly, I found Hadley to be a pretty relatable protagonist. It was easy to understand why she was so angry and upset with her dad and why she wanted to keep her distance from him. I also liked how she eventually conversed with her dad, knowing that she might regret it one day if she kept pushing him away.

I didn’t like Oliver quite as much. He got points for being British and being well read, but he didn’t reveal anything deep about himself to Hadley – and therefore the reader – while the two were on the plane. In fact, he kind of evaded her serious questions and/or changed the subject. As a result, I didn’t feel like I got to know him until the end.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was released by Poppy in January 2012. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s cute!

Random Thought: Why didn’t Oliver and Hadley exchange contact details right away if they wanted to keep in touch? Considering most people have cell phones, it shouldn’t be that hard to give your phone number to someone else!

Prophecy Girl: Author Spotlight and Giveaway

Amelie Bennett. ... Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.

Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.

Then he shows up.

Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?

Wrong.

Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

As part of the Prophecy Girl blog tour, I'd like to spotlight Cecily White, the author of Prophecy Girl. 

Cecily Cornelius-White, Psy.D. makes a habit of avoiding boredom whenever possible. She has enjoyed careers as a hand model, GAP salesgirl, movie projectionist, psychotherapist, yoga instructor, university professor, artist, dance choreographer, eating disorders specialist, psych diagnostician, book reviewer and copy editor. None of which are as much fun as writing novels.

She currently lives in Springfield, MO with two FABULOUS kids, and a schizophrenic yet well-mannered cat. She can swear in Klingon, take down an alien aggressor using only her mind (or a pair of chopsticks), and kill giant spiders without getting schmutz on her shirt.

When not singing to herself, she spends time creating new worlds and thinking up ways to make this one better … 

Thanks for letting us know more about yourself, Cecily! Cecily can be found on: her website, Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. 

Prophecy Girl can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository] 

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Book of Broken Hearts

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on. 

Title: The Book of Broken Hearts

Author: Sarah Ockler

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Date of Release: May 21, 2013

Goodreads Description: Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath - with candles and a contract and everything - to never have anything to do with one. Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle - which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas? Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away - no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak ... unless her sisters were wrong? Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Why am I waiting? I enjoyed both Twenty Boy Summer and Bittersweet, and am currently reading (and liking) Fixing Delilah. So, it just makes sense that I'd be excited about The Book of Broken Hearts. It looks as if Ockler will continue to emphasize familial relationships, which I love. And, of course, there's going to be a cute guy to swoon over :)