Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram | An Old Favorite

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Jamie Baker #1

First Published: 2010

Kindle / Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

You're having a rough week. Life is taking its toll on you. All you want to do is sit and relax, laugh a little, feel warm inside again. Maybe immerse yourself in someone else's life for a short while. Someone else's relationship. God knows you need a good ship to board on this empty pier.

You pick up Being Jamie Baker. And it's everything you've wanted it to be.

I've read this YA fantasy romance three times so far, each time in one sitting. I have forced my cousins to read it and fall in love with it as well. I have recommended it to anyone and everyone who would listen, and some who won't. Because I seriously adore this book. I dare you to read it and tell me you weren't grinning so widely your jaw hurt throughout it. DARE YOU.

So, spoiler alert - you need to get this book. NOW. I'm saying this for your own good.

The best thing about this book is that it makes you desperately wish these characters were real people that you could meet in real life and have real conversations with. And really, isn't that one of the best things a book can do to you?

First, you've got the titular Jamie. Her snark and sarcasm are her main choice of weapon... if you don't consider all the superpowers. Oh, this girl. I love how human she felt to me. I loved how she made me laugh and smile. I loved how she sometimes made the wrong choices or did things I strongly disagreed with. I love how she grew throughout the book. I love HER, okay?

But I am in love with Ryan Miller and their relationship. Like, sometimes you want the book boyfriend all for yourself. And sometimes... sometimes you know you can never compare to their true love, would never fit him as well as she does, and that's okay. That's okay because you're a little bit in love with the both of them, and you love seeing the stars in their eyes when they look at each other and the way they move around and with each other as if they're the other's anchor and sun.

Still, let it be noted that Ryan Miller is at the top of my book boyfriend list, even years later. I fangirl over this guy, okay? it's this bad. Or this good. Depends on who you ask. He is the perfect blend of adorable sweetness, with a shot of cockiness and a dash of condescension. In the best possible ways, I assure you. This guy knows what--and who--he wants. He is not afraid to tell Jamie how she feels and he wills it to become reality just from the sheer, unwavering sureness he presents. And he never gives up. Never. You might as well admit defeat before he starts because this mountain is not budging!

And as you've probably guessed, I adored their romance. It's the kind of romance that makes you sigh, and you don't know if it's because it just fills you with satisfaction or because you want a relationship like that for yourself and goddammit why can't you have this one little thing??

Okay, got sidetracked. Anyways, Ryan and Jamie bring out the best in each other. And the chemistry between them is, shall we say, electrifying. Both figuratively and literally.

And yes, this book is not perfect. The reason Jamie got her superpowers is not quite satisfying. The villain is okay-ish and his plot is so-so. Neither of those things mattered a lick to me, since if you haven't figured yet, Ryan & Jamie gave me life and that's what I was here for, but I feel it's necessary to mention anyway.

So... this book was perfect. For me. 

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Book Review

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Lux #1

First Published: 2011

Paperback

Mature Young Adult, fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Let's go back to the year 2012. It was a simpler time, (did you ever think you'd refer to high school as "simple"?) with simpler reading tastes. Hey, it's true. Looking back at Obsidian, I am reminded of that.

Once upon a time, I've labeled Obsidian a five star favorite of mine. Now, Obsidian is not a bad book by a long shot, as evident by the very respectable 4-star status. There is a reason it took over Goodreads by storm, popping out around every group and every comment. But at the same time, with my new experience in reading, I wouldn't classify it as a 5 star any longer. And definitely not a "favorite", which is a very coveted label I don't give just any book.

I mean, it's been five years and I haven't finished the series yet. I am still stuck on book one. Maybe this will be the year I take it off my currently reading list.

Anyways, I would classify Obsidian as a quick and fun read with a good amount of action and character development, despite the familiar premise. I mean, girl moves into a new town where she meets beautiful yet odd people. Now, where have we heard that before?

Still, there is something charming about this story.

It starts with our main character, Katy. I kind of had to like her, since we share a last name (different spelling). That being said, Armentrout made her easy to love and relate to. She's a normal girl like you and me (albeit one with a sad background); she loves reading and has a book blog, loves gardening, and doesn't let her shy nature to deter her from being courageous. And she ain't gonna bow down to no jerk.

''I checked out your blog."
Oh. Dear. Baby. Jesus. How did he find it? Wait. More importantly was the fact he HAD found it. Was my blog now googleable? That was awesomesauce with an extra heaping of sauce."

That's why I was a bit annoyed by the fact Armentrout kind of had to dumb her down in order to stretch the tension. I mean, how many weird things and how many secret conversations you have to overhear before you figure out the truth? It's STARING you in the eye!

Those secret conversations have to do with her neighbors, Dee and Daemon. Dee quickly becomes Katy's best friend, with her infection nature (described as Tinker Bell on Crack). But Daemon... Daemon is a whole other story. The guy is gorgeous, and he knows it. In a totally obnoxious kind of way.

I kind of expected to hate the guy, based on the many odes to his jerkiness on GR, but for once getting let down by all the hype was a good thing. I ended up actually liking him. Sure, he's a jerk, but in a kind of charming way. I know, I know, how weird and twisted of me. I just couldn't help it! And I think even the most unconvinced of readers would fall for him once you read his POV in the bonus scenes.

The romance between these two is definitely a selling point for this whole novel, as Armentrout does something not all YA managed to do for me. Which is; convince me her two leads belong together. No one would fit Daemon as well as Katy does, because no one stands up to him or challenges him the way she does.  

"Oh, yeah." Carissa nodded. "They were googley-eyes in class on Friday. It was pretty steamy, the whole 'I'm screwing you with my eyes' thing they had going on."

Katy and Daemon have a love-to-hate and hate-to-love type of relationship, where they banter and fight constantly, but it's always in a way that makes you wonder if they're actually flirting. My favorite part about it is that... well, attraction might not be enough. Katy knows what she wants... and that isn't a guy like Daemon, who acts like the biggest asshat she's ever met most of the time. The small moments she thinks she might be seeing the real Daemon aren't enough to make her want a relationship with him. And I loved that. I love the fact that Daemon is going to need to work and sweat for Katy's love and respect. As he should. 

Aside for these core people, there is a colorful cast of side characters that added spice and hilarity to the novel, like Carissa and Lesa, Katy's two friends from school, who double as the angel and demon on Katy's shoulder. 

"I don't know. I mean we haven't talked about it. He literally left afterwards, and all he's done since then is poke me with his pen."
"Probably because he wants to poke you with something else." Lesa said dryly.

The triplets, too, were an interesting addition, although we didn't get to see much of them or Matthew in this installment.

One of my major criticism of this novel back when I read it was that some of the conversations felt off. Like once in a while, one sentences that had nothing to do with anything that came before would pop out and I was left blinking in confusion and wondering what prompted it.

So, yeah, I don't consider Obsidian a 5 star read, but it's a great one nonetheless!

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr | Book Review

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely

First Published: 2007

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.

Wicked Lovely is one of those novels I need to re-read ASAP and continue with the series, because I read this one back in 2012, and has owned it for years before that, and while I remember really enjoying this dark fairy-tale I don't remember enough to be able to move on to book two without the re-read.

It's interesting how strongly I remember liking it, when I had an extremely hard time getting into it at first. I started this book three times before finally moving past chapter three. There was just... something there that wasn't clicking at first. This book is lucky that back then I was far more stubborn about leaving books unfinished, because had it happened today I would've never went back to it. Three strikes and you're out and all that jazz. But, that wasn't the case, and I did go back to it. And then scratched my head wondering why on earth did I have so much trouble with it to begin with?

The world Marr creates in Wicked Lovely was breathtaking and beautiful... despite the ugliness of it, if that makes any sense. It's unique and extraordinary. When I think of that looming re-read (I am going to do that sometime in 2018), the thing I am most excited about is re-familiarizing myself with this world.

And in that world exists Aislinn. No idea if I'm pronouncing that one correctly. Aislinn is a normal teenage girl with slightly... unusual... worries. And by "unusual", I mean of the supernatural verity. Specifically, faeries. Even more specifically; seeing faeries. That's not supposed to happen. Honestly, I don't remember much of this character, and my old review speaks of the fact nothing of her really caught my attention since I just said: "I liked her". That doesn't mean I didn't like her, only that I really need that re-read if I want to recall anything about this main character lol.

Seth is Ash's best friend and the only one she feels safe around. Boy, did I adore this guy. He is sweet, caring and protective. And he does all that while looking like a badass in piercings (which are not really my thing, but when a nice guy wears them I'm okay with it haha).

Donia is The Winter Girl, and parts of the story are told of her POV. She is one of the faeries stalking Ash and I remember really liking her and loving watching the story through her eyes.

Keenan is the other fairy stalking Ash, and this is one character I was just kind of... meh about. I didn't hate him, but then I didn't like him. Like Donia, parts of the story are told from his POV.

Now, the main romance in the novel is between Ash and Seth. And it is one sexy romance! I was honestly so happy both with the fact that there wasn't really a love triangle AND that Seth is the romantic interest because this book made me believe he and Ash belong together! And afraid to read the next books because what if Marr does something to my babies??? 

Another relationship explored in the book is the one between Keenan and Donia. That was intriguing and still full of possibilities...

All of these things accumulate to the ending, which was a mixed bag for me. Some things were darn right underwhelming, considering all the hype the story builds around them. And some things were extremely shocking and subverted any expectation I had! And that makes me very curious to read the next books, even if it seems otherwise considering the 5 years hiatus I put this series on...

A Magical, Awe Inspiring Tale | On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves #MustRead

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

On the Island

First Published: 2011

Paperback

Adult, Romance
Rating:

Re-Readability:

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.
T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments -- instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.
Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

When I first read On the Island, I couldn't stop thinking about it for months. I talked about it non-stop, recommended it to whoever agreed to listen--and some who didn't. I was captured by this story in a way that happens rarely. It even haunted my dreams.

And for a long while after, I wanted to re-read it. But I was also afraid. Afraid this novel, which I remember in my head as total perfection, would fail to bring forth the same feelings in me a second time.

Can someone please hit me over the head with a club forever, ever doubting this magical adventure? Finally re-reading it as I've always wanted to do, I was swept in this storm of emotions once again; fear, exhilaration, awe, disbelief. And so, so much wonder and love.

Anna and T.J go through a harrowing experience, and yet everything that happens on the island--and especially between them--is just magical. It almost feels like a fairy-tale. A really realistic one with some totally heartbreaking moments, but a fairy-tale nonetheless.

And those heartbreaking moments... boy, what heartbreak. But it's the type of heartbreak I recommend. The kind that makes you cry, but also mends something in your heart as you do so.

Anna and T.J's journey takes four and a half years. Four and a half years filled with craziness and danger that brings the two very slowly together. Four years of having no one else to rely on but each other.

Four and a half years to prove that love has no boundaries or rules or conventions. 

T.J starts the journey an almost seventeen years old boy who had just survived a near death experience. This already puts him ahead of his years in behavior and thought process. Being faced with mortality so early in life does that to a guy. So he's adaptable. He is ready to face whatever may come his way, even if it means finding ways to survive a freakin' plane crash and an uninhabited island.

But through the course of the novel, he evolves and grows into a man. And the overwhelming, astonishing part of all this is that you can see it happen right in front of you. He becomes the rock that holds him and Anna encored, and not the other way around. And... he's a swoon-worthy rock. Yes, I went there.

As for Anna, she is a balanced combination of strong and weak. She cries and gets scared easily, but she will still fight for her life and T.J's with a fierce determination. She is a caretaker, through and through.

And the two of them fit. They balance and center each other. They are each other's reason for fighting, for never giving up. It sure as hell didn't start romantic for them, but developed slowly into friendship and then to more in a way so natural it was obvious it was meant to be. Almost as if the whole plane crash was god's way to bring these two together.

The island forged an unbreakable bond between these two. Made them see the best and worst of each other in a way no one has or will see. Made them know each other from the inside out. You can't escape such an ordeal without it leaving a mark. And Anna and T.J's mark is... love.

Now, I'm sure there are those of you who are like "wait, isn't he 17 and she's, like, 31 or something?" Yes, dear reader, they are. And you know what? it doesn't fucking matter. When I first read this novel, I felt like the first thing I had to do was defend the age gap between our lovely main characters. I had to first tell people how adult T.J is mentally, how it grows naturally and yada yada yada. The best defense is offense, right?

Well, fuck that. This book needs no defending from me--it does its own defending well enough on its own. If my adamant love towards this novel doesn't tell you enough on the heavy themes and subjects it tackles so incredibly, nothing I say will.

As for everyone else... do yourselves a service and READ THIS BOOK.

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks | Book Review

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1

First Published: 2012

Paperback

Adult, Historical 

Rating:
Re-Readability:

Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but considered "touched" to outsiders. Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn't speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Eveline taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft, content to stay with her family. But when an arranged marriage with a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, she accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful she can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled he awakens her deepest passions.
Graeme is intrigued by his new bride, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation, whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

Writing this review makes me want to re-read this novel RIGHT NOW. 

I've told you guys this before - while I have reached a point of strongly disliking all of Banks contemporary novels (minus perhaps that one KBI novel), I have yet to find one of her historicals lacking. And Never Seduce a Scot is one of her best works to date.

When I read this for the first time in 2012, and the second time a year later, I had no point of comparison with Banks's "bad books" (which, by the way, are hugely popular. I seem to be the one defective on that front). Looking at it now, I am more impressed with this novel than ever. Especially as I see in my original review words such as "outstanding--as always", when that's no longer the case.

I don't know what it is about historicals, but they bring the best in Banks. They make her beautifully paint the world and setting these characters are in, they make her convince us this couple is perfect for one another, they make her detail the whens and hows and whys of their love by showing us the process.

This book. THIS BOOK, you guys. It made me cry just by having a heroine that is so relatable and adorable that her hurts and insecurities make it impossible not to feel for her. Banks makes it near impossible to separate Eveline from myself.

Eveline simply made me happy. Her mannerism and the way she treated love interest and fellow MC Graeme got me grinning like mad. She is just the sweetest, kindest of souls, but she isn't weak or meek. Au contraire - her disability showed the vast inner strength of this character because of all she had to overcome and the way she never gave up. I loved reading of a disabled character, but I doubly loved reading about this disabled character.

Banks does this character justice by fitting the POV to her disability when we were looking through her eyes, even though the book is written in third person. We never knew what the people around Eveline said unless she knew. It was such a nice and meaningful touch to the whole package.

As for her partner in life, Graeme is the kind of historical highlander that makes me think it won't be all that bad to live in the middle ages and have one of my own. He is a warrior to his bones, but also a caretaker at heart. And the way he treats Eveline, even though she has been forced on him and he has no knowledge of her disability is just heartwarming - this is how man should treat women, even nowadays (ahemTrumpahem). Not to mention it was very hard to hold a smile back when he was overwhelmed by his lady love... either because of her cuteness, or her strength.

These two together is magic. I've always loved the trope of marriage-before-love, because there is something so compelling about the idea of fate conspiring to bring two people together because they are simply destined for one another. And Never Seduce a Scot does this trope down to perfection, with how they are around each other, how they support each other, and how they grow to love each other.

Around these dashing leads we get a glimpse of the rest of the Montgomerys and Armstrongs, who'll all have their own story eventually (if the publishing business gets its shit together). All of them sound promising and make one excited for future ventures, which is great in a series of standalones like this.

I highly recommend giving Banks's historicals a shot, even if you're like me and don't like her contemporaries!

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan | Book Review

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Heroes of Olympus #2
First Published: 2011
Paperback/Kindle
Young Adult, Mythology
Rating:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.
Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth
Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem — when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.
Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery — although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially infront of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely — enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.
Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.

I originally read this book around three years ago, and even back then I felt it was hard to review. I didn't understand why back then, and I don't really understand now. But still, I'm going to try and put my thoughts and feeling in semi-coherent manner.

The first time I read this book, it took me a full week. This might not sound that long, but for someone with an average of two and a half days to read a novel, and someone who read the entire Percy Jackson series in a week, it is. The second time, it fit snugly in the average with three days total.

I feel like this second read may have been "easier" for me because I felt more in the loop, having re-read the entire Percy Jackson series a few months prior so instead of trying to wreck my brain to figure out all the references, I was nodding and being like "yeah, yeah" the whole time.

Much like it's predecessor, The Son of Neptune is split between three heroes, and three point of views told in third person, with four chapter in a row from each. Each character has it's own voice, strengths and weaknesses, and together they make a really interesting team.

But Percy is still my fave #sorrynotsorry. It was curious seeing him from other people's perspective, though, having lived in his head for five books. And it was nice seeing his devoted boyfriend side, without once seeing Annabeth in this book. Though, as much as I like the fact he remembered her, I would have liked more explanation as to why that happened. If Percy made himself remember with his love, then I don't think his love for Sally would lose the match, you know? And if Hera left him that memory... why?

I liked Hazel, the only girl in the group, because she has a really interesting backstory and some cool powers, but at the fight for the coolest child of Hades, Nico still wins by far for me so I guess she was a good character, but not an incredible character for me.

Frank is such a bad name for a hero (imo) but it fits this dorky, mismatched guy. The Heroes of Olympus series seems to be going all out with these crazy backstories, and Frank's just one of those. The most interesting part about him is how unlike his godly father he is. Talk abut a shocker! I just wished Frank's powers went into some more description, because it felt rather abrupt this way.

One thing to think about while reading this book is that Percy Jackson has grown, and so have Riordan's books. Our heroes are not little kids anymore, and love plays a major rule in everything that goes on around them. A much bigger one than it had in PJ. And not only that, but the level of puns, hints and play on words has been upgraded as well.

Much like all of Riordan's books, it's astonishing how clever he is, how funny he can be and how he can use seemingly random events and characters from previous books and give them a starring rule in this one.

The most interesting thing of this book is hands down the Roman Camp, because it's the first time we see a hope for the future for our heroes. Yes, Percy and Annabeth and the gang are strong and have survived so many things, no one really thinks about them possibly dying in the future (prematurely, I mean). But when you think of it, Demi-God mortality rates are super high. All one needs is one monster he's not fast enough at defending against.

The Roman camp crushes that fear and gives us (and the characters) a door to a better future, one with kids and families and normal lives (also, Percy is thinking about that type of future with Annabeth. Total swoon!)

Another super interesting subject the roman camp brings (which I have wondered about the entirety of the PJ series), is that demi-gods decedents can also hold powers, and are still stronger than regular humans. This kind of opens up a whole can of possibilities for Percy and Annabeth's children (what? I'm a shipper. I live for these things haha)

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Saga #4

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
--
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.
Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

TO READ THE SPOILERS - CLICK "READ MORE"

Breaking Dawn is my second favorite in the Twilight series. It's a return to form of sorts. When it comes to Twilight, I don't shy away from the fact I love the series. But loving something and having no issues with it is not the same thing, and books two and three in the series are actually kind of meh when you get down to it.

Breaking Dawn brought back the things I loved most about Twilight, and added its own little spin on things. 

The story is divided into three parts: the first is told from Bella's pov as we've come accustomed to. The second is actually told from Jacob's pov which was great for many reasons, and in the third we go back to Bella. But a better Bella.

Because what Breaking Dawn does is redeem Bella. Finally, after two books that made me despair of her, she's back and better than ever. She's active. She makes choices. She fights and protects what's important to her - first by proxy when she's too physically weak to do it, and then by sheer bad-ass-ness.

She is useful. She is important to the story and the action. For once, without her (actively) they won't even win the battle. Her relationship with Edward is still the reason those conflicts exist, but she is finally an active part of the solution.

Then there's Jacob. While I was still majorly pissed by him (and Bella's reaction to him) in the first part of the book, the second gave much needed insight into his head, making him a character I could like again - which hasn't been the case since he became a major one. So we got to see the depth of his feeling, his sadness, his sort-of loneliness, his inert leadership. Clever move, Meyer.

Another clever move was making Jacob so damned funny. Seriously, Jacob in this book has a sense of humor and I LOVE it! And pairing him up with Rosalie, even just as a comedic pair, is brilliant. Every time this unlikely due was together on page, I laughed. It added some levity to a somewhat dire situation, and gave us a new dynamic to observe, and it worked beautifully.

Speaking of Rosalie... She was not one of my favorite characters in the books, in fact she was the only Cullen I disliked, but this book did a fantastic job at endearing her to me.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

N/A

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Young Adult, Sci-Fi

Rating:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

The Host is by far my most favorite of Meyer's novels, and one of my favorite books in general. Every time I re-read it, which I do about once a year, I am filled with the same emotions I did the very first time I looked between those pages.*

The premise of this book is like nothing I've read before. Aliens have been used and used again, but how many times do the authors make the aliens better than the humans? Make them a race that has barely any violent tendencies, that treats everyone as equals. A race that has no such concepts as thievery or crime in it. 

You must be wondering what kind of conflict could exist in such a perfect world. Well, mix in some human rebels, an alien who sympathizes with them and two people living in one body and things get a lot more interesting. 

Now, before starting the real review I would like to address the first 100 pages of the book, because some will find it very hard to get past them. Like my mother. Well, get past them. They are absolutely necessary to the plot, and from the second reading on I understood the real beauty and perfection of them, but they are admittedly slow. Don't give up. Read on. You won't regret it! 

Now that we've got that out of the way, my absolute favorite character in this novel is Wanda, the alien main character. Wanda is a pacifist who protects who she loves fiercely and always puts them first. Even if it might have disastrous ramifications to herself. I don't always love self-sacrifice, but here it was done perfect.

The dynamics between her and Melanie were very interesting, especially because through Melanie's memories Wanda learns to love those Mel does. So while Melanie is the complete opposite of Wanda in many ways, they can both agree that their family and loved ones come first, which makes them fit like a glove despite their differences and work together. 

Now, it wouldn't be a Stephenie Meyer novel without some romance in it, right? Well, there is that in this book. And I loved how it played out. At first I was very scared I will hate it because it presents itself as a very complicated love triangle at first glance, but it's not. It never was, as you come to understand at the end of this perfect novel.  

Jared, Melanie's boyfriend, is one of those love interests. To summarize him - he's a jerk. Maybe not to everyone, but certainly to Wanda. Does he have an acceptable good reason? sure. but Wanda has been nothing but a doll the entire time so I really couldn't learn to like him. Especially when the only times he was nice to Wanda, it was for Melanie and no one else.  

There there is Ian. 

the guy is major swoon!

He reigns at the top of my Book Boyfriend List. As the story goes on, this character develops into one of the most wonderful, loving and kind guys I've ever read of. The guy's freaking awesome! Honestly, he is the first of the rebels to open himself to the possibility Wanda isn't bad and from then on I was in love. 

Two other noteworthy characters are Jamie, Melanie's adorable brother and Jeb, the Dumbledore of this book. Wise, mysterious and eccentric, he gives Wanda the change to earn her place among the rebels and has earned my eternal love for it. 

And the ending... 

it so beautiful *sniff*

Everything about that ending was beautiful. From what Wanda chose to do to the proof of how much the rebels became her family - and she theirs. It was heartbreaking and courageous and stunning and sad and I can't even with this ending.

*Re-visiting this review made me unable not to re-read the book again. So... I did. 

Book Review: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Saga #3

First Published: 2007

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

"BELLA?"
Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again.
This kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.
--
As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?
Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much-anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga.

Edward's back, Bella is still dependent on others but in a less pathetic manner and all is well with the world again! Well, except.... we still have that annoying love triangle. 

Eclipse was a lot better than New Moon plot-wise, no contest, but that doesn't mean I didn't wish Jacob was erased from the equation. At the very least on the love front. I detest love-triangles. 90% of the time, they ruin my enjoyment of the romance in a book.

And in Eclipse it's especially grating, because Twilight started off as basically the ultimate love story between Edward and Bella. I was behind these two as a couple 100% in book one. But now, how do you expect me to believe they share a pure and deep love if Bella herself doesn't seem so sure of that? In fact, she is so unsure she falls for another guy!

Speaking of Bells, I hoped this book would redeem her to me. It doesn't. For a girl who gave up living when her boyfriend left she is very... fickle. Also, Eclipse emphasizes Bella's most defining feature - she is useless. In the first book, I admired her courage despite this. By the third book, I'm mostly exasperated that her only course of action is sacrifice.

Moving on to Edward. He's better than he was in New Moon, granted, but at this point I feel like I love him more out of loyalty than anything else. He's just so apathetic about this whole thing. His excuse is that he brought it on himself - which, yes, he did - but that doesn't mean you need to appear as if you don't care!

Despite Eclipse being one of my least favorite of the series, it contains one scene that never fails to give me such strong feels. I shall call it the Rejection Scene. Feel free to ask in the comment for explanation, but the bottom line is that it gets me in every way, and I just think that's magical. Even if it's hella painful.

Aside for this scene, my favorite parts of this novel were Rose and Jasper's background. Here are two characters that were always on the sideline, but they get the spotlight for a while and it's cool and it's awesome and it makes you love them so much more and understand them. Especially in the context of the next book ;)

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER 

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Saga #2

First Published: 2006

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfect - not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. TRIED TO WRITE IT WITHOUT IT BUT IT JUST DIDN'T WORK

I've previously mentioned the Twilight Saga is one of my favorite series, so this rating might come as a shock. To be completely honest, I really enjoyed New Moon the first... three times I read it or so. It wasn't until I was more versed with reading that all the issues I had with it sprang at me all of the sudden.

And once I realized all those things, I couldn't unknow it.

Because in terms of plot, this book would now make me throw it against the wall in a raging fit. Like, I'll be the first to protect the Twilight Saga - I still proudly admit to loving it, even when people scoff at me. But this book... This book...

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa | DNF Review

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #2

First Published: 2010

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

DNF at 50%

This was such a painful review to write, you guys. I was almost 100% sure I would love this book because I really enjoyed  the first and then to have this happen... I even held a candle of hope that I'll return to finish this novel when I first wrote this review.

Alas, it was not in the stars.

I WAS BORED OUT OF MY MIND

The one thing I would've never expected in a million years of this books was to be so hella boring. Especially after the last book. Maybe it's me, because even running away from a dragon didn't manage to awaken any excitement in me.

I felt like reading my grocery list would've been more stimulating. Don't ask me why I felt this way when no one else seems to. I just did. I had to force every sentence I read, to try hold down my attention to the book one minute at a time to no avail.

I have no idea what happened. It's far easier for me to pin down what went wrong on the characters front.

I COULDN'T STAND MEGHAN. 

Where is the girl I met in The Iron King and when does she come back? Meghan was a brave, kind, clever girl. Now's she's whiny, annoying and stupid? Maybe she's a changeling? 'Cause that would've been one heck of a twist. But something tells me this is too much to hope for.

I want the girl who held her own in an unfamiliar world. The girl who fooled and outsmarted fairies and trolls. The girl who beat Machina. Not this pathetic excuse of her.

Especially not one exhibiting such a fierce case of THE BELLA SYNDROME

SPOILER ALERT! 

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Saga #1

First Published: 2006

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

About three things I was absolutely positive.
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him—and I didn't know how dominant that part might be—that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
In the first book of the Twilight Saga, internationally bestselling author Stephenie Meyer introduces Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, a pair of star-crossed lovers whose forbidden relationship ripens against the backdrop of small-town suspicion and a mysterious coven of vampires. This is a love story with bite.

Yes, I consider Twilight a five-star read. In fact, it's one of my favorite series. I read all the books in five days, re-read them countless times in the following couple of years after and they share an honor with HP - they got me into reading. While Harry Potter did start it all, Twilight rekindled that love. 

The first book in the saga is my favorite by far; It was before we encountered SERIES SPOILER annoying love-triangles and abandoning boyfriends. Before unplanned pregnancies and imprinting on babies END SPOILER. It was the simplest and purest of the four.

If you don't know the heroine of the Twilight Saga, you've been living under a rock. Her name is Bella Swan, and in this book she is very likable; she's smart, active, knows what she wants and pretty much goes after it. Even if it's a hundred years old sparkling vampire.

Her love interest is Cedric Diggory I mean, Edward Cullen. I think he's pretty swoon-worthy in Twilight. Definitely one of my earliest book boyfriends. He is sweet and caring, always putting Bella's safety first - even if the biggest danger to her is he himself.

The romance between these two is pretty sweet - it really does feel like they're meant for one another. And every turn, they chose each other. She chose to sit with him after she had a good idea of what he were. He chose to stay with her even when he knew things will never be easy. And nothing is too big a sacrifice to help each other.

All those are surrounded by colorful supporting characters from the bitchy friend to the cool sister, who add volume to the story. Which was, admittedly, a pretty simple one. It's not meant to be serious or anything like that - it's a book that's fun to read. A book that's there when you need a break from life and just want to read about two people finding each other.

Anything else is just decoration, and in this particular story I couldn't help but love it #sorrynotsorry

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa | Book Review

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #1

First Published: 2010

Library Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

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.

Well. You can just look on my (many) GR status updates about The Iron King to see it definitely had an effect on me - I kept having things to say about it.

click here to read the rest :3

In all honesty, I wonder if this wasn't because the Iron King was my first buddy-read more than anything else. Because The Iron King was a good book, but it didn't blow my mind... And I desperately tried to hide that.

When I started this book, I pretty much knew nothing about it. The last time I read the synopsis was eons before and I was just a little too lazy to read it again or something. So I didn't know what to expect, yet I was surprised by what I got. Does that make sense?

The world of The Iron King strongly resembles that of Wicked Lovely, with its faeries, courts and michief. In my original review, I stated that I would pick this one over Wicked Lovely. That was a lie. What I actually meant was that this book would appeal more to young adults and ya lovers because of it's adventures and quirky characters. It's the book I would give my bookworm niece to read.

But on a personal level, I probably love Wicked Lovely a lot more.

Our main character is Meghan Chase, and can I just say I was very impressed by her? She shows remarkable cleverness despite the unknown world and rules she falls into, she is brave and loyal and she is such a caretaker. I just wish she'd stop promising deals without a second thought to what it may cause.

Puck/Robin is Meghan's bff. I had really mixed feelings towards him. At first glance, I loved him. But after he showed his true form and started being so harsh and mocking toward Meghan who literally knows nothing of his world instead of explaining things to her, I wanted to slap his face off.

Then there is Ash, a handsome Winter Prince. And... that's it, really. I know everyone is like *fangirl screaming voice* Aaaaaaaaaaaaashhhhhhhhhhhh *normal voice* but I don't see the appeal. He was too all over the place - one minute cold, then sweet, then bored, then caring, with barely a warning in between. Decide who you are, then come back to talk to me, mm'kay?

And because I wasn't really feeling it with Ash, I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. Mostly because it appeared really abruptly. Where is the falling-in-love sense? Where are all the little sweet moment that make up that process? I didn't see them.

I will admit to liking the two of them together after, though. Their first kiss had me tingly all over, so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and hope they will swipe me off the feet in the next book. Oh, and here's to hoping that foreboding sense of a love-triangle will not come to fruition, or at the very least not be heavy on it.

My favorite character is not a human or a fairy though. No, my favorite character is a cat. A wickedly cool one at that. Grimalkin is the Cheshire cat of this universe and I dig it.

And finally.. Ethan. God, the adorableness! I love children in books, and Ethan is just such a cute one. Fingers crossed he is a part of the next book!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare | Book Review

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices #1
First Published: 2009
Paperback
Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Magic is dangerous — but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by — and torn between — two best friends and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

If you've been following this blog for the short while it has existed, you probably already know I gave up on The Mortal Instruments after the third book. So you might be a bit surprised to see this review.

But after hearing so many good things about The Infernal Devices and it's superiority to TMI, I decided to give it a shot, hoping it might be a different reading experience than the former. I desperately wanted it to be. I wanted to be swept into Clare's world like so many others do. But alas, it was not in the stars. Again.

As I've mentioned before, the main issue I have with Clare's books is that they just fail to properly grab me. I always end up reading them really slowly. It tires me. In this particular story, I kept flipping to the end, in the hope of peaking my interest. It mostly didn't help, aside for spoiling the Big Bad for me, which only served to make me upset about the lack of hinting in his direction (that I could note).

Then there was the romance. In TMI (first trilogy), I was kind of on-board. I liked Jace, and I liked that there was never really a love triangle. I was looking forward to the romance in TID, seeing as everyone freakin' loves Will and Jem.

Did I get what I was hoping for? Nope. Aside for the fact I did not swoon for Will (he was kind of too inconsistent for me, hot than cold and over again, and while I'm sure we're going to explore his past and get his redemption, that's not done in this book), I did not understand why Tessa was falling for him.

The few decent interaction they had ended poorly. It was insta love, from start to finish. Jem, at the very least, was very sweet to our MC. Falling for him, especially at this point, would've made much more sense.

To be completely honest, I was way more interested in the side characters, such as Charlotte & Henry, and Sophie. I kept looking forward to their scenes, wanted to see how their stories would play out. If I read on (which will probably happen as I already own the third book), it will be mostly for these guys. Sorry!

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter | Book Review

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Heist Society #2
First Published: 2011
Hardcover
Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating:

"You're a smart girl, Katarina--too smart to take stupid chances. Better thieves than you have gone after that blasted stone, and they have paid"
Uncle Eddie stopped, and Kat could have sworn she saw his hands shake. His lips were a thin hard line when he whispered, "Great thieves have paid dearly."
Kat's voice was different when she said, "I know."
"We do not steal the Cleopatra, Katarina. It is..." Eddie trailed off, struggling for words.
"Cursed," Kat offered.
Eddie turned to her. He shock his head. "Forbidden."

So, if you read my review of Heist Society, you probably didn't expect me to pick up book two. I didn't think I'd do that, either. But then, while looking through my local bookstore, I found a hardcover copy of Uncommon Criminals and I just... thought it was so damned pretty. #Shallow

I was hoping Uncommon Criminals might actually live to the potential of the awesome idea behind these books, but while it was a better read than the first, it was by no mean anything incredible.

Maybe Carter's writing is just not for me - a lot of people praise this book as an exciting and fast story. To me, the book was the complete opposite - it was a fast read, sure, but the content of the book felt slow and somewhat anticlimactic.

I did like Kat a whole lot more in this book. While she's always been likable, she's also been a flat character. In this installment, she's added more depth and felt a lot more rounded. She still lacked a past, but it wasn't as intolerable as in Heist Society.

Alongside Kat, Hale and Gabrielle get an upgrade in the depth department as well. Unfortunately, Simon and the brothers are left as the one dimensional decoration they were in Heist Society which sucks because I really like these characters. Far more than I like Gabrielle.

As for the romance - it was still such a small, undeveloped and unsatisfying part of the plot, but I am proud to say I'm Team Hale, and luckily (if I'm reading things correctly) he's also endgame, so yay for me! Though, I don't think my curiosity in that aspect is enough to make me read on with this series.

One thing that really bothered me and drove me nuts were the heists themselves. Lots of parts were just left out and made no sense at all! Like, the Interpol. For god's sake, how did they make all these things explode? Or the doves and the casino. Maybe those are actually robot doves and that's why they did exactly what they wanted them to.

I felt like Carter thought of all those interesting ideas for the heists, but had no idea how to explain them... so she didn't, believing the reader would just suck it up despite it. It may not bother everyone, but to me this was a major issue.

Maybe book three will be better. Maybe not. I'll probably never find out.