The Name of The Star (The Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson Review

Name: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
 Release Date: September 29th 2011
Format: E-Book
Buy the book on Amazon
372 pages

Jack the Ripper is back,
and he's coming for Rory next....

Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target...unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables.

Goodreads

My Review:
I've been reading a lot of YA over winter break, and so far, this book has been my favorite from the enormous (virtual) pile I've been working through on my Kindle. It's hard for me to review just this book because when I finished it, I immediately bought the second book in the series (it's called The Madness Underneath and it is, if possible, even more awesome), but I will do my best. There are a lot of reasons to love The Name of the Star, so let's dive right in. 

First of all, there's the main character. Rory has a great voice; she's funny and sassy and although her character is far from perfect, she remains sympathetic throughout the novel. Seeing London through a foreigner's eyes lets readers like me ease into the unfamiliar setting, and even though I've never visited, the place felt like home by the end of the book. Speaking of London, let me just spare a moment to praise the setting: Wexford feels just like a real English boarding school should, and Maureen Johnson paints a vivid picture of the city that surrounds it.

The characters aside from Rory are fun as well. Although her propensity towards giving girls weird nicknames is a little annoying - Rory's real name is Aurora, and the two other major female characters' names have been shortened to Jazza and Boo, respectively - the characters behind them are well-rounded and interesting. And the boys...oh man. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say that the love interest in this series is not who you'd expect it to be, and you're going to fall in love with him right alongside Rory. 

There is a distinct change in the book's tone once Rory discovers she has a special ability (can't tell you anymore, spoilers!). It gets a lot darker and a lot more plot-driven, but the pacing works, and the second book ratchets up the tension even more.

Overall, the Shades of London series is really promising. I can't wait for the third book to come out in 2014!

My Rating:

Allegiant by Veronica Roth Review

Name: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: October 22nd, 2013
Format: E-Book

Buy the book on Amazon

Summary:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

My Review:
Oh man. Ohhh man. I read Allegiant the week after it came out; but I've been stalling on this review up until now. 
The reason why is simple: because I've invested so much love in the Divergent series, and, like a parent whose kid brings home a less than satisfactory report card, I'm not angry with Veronica Roth after finishing it. Just disappointed. 

I guess it's worth noting that a common trend in dystopian YA trilogies is a significant dip in quality from the first book to the second; and again from the second to the third. Even the massive juggernaut that is the Hunger Games trilogy suffers from this problem: if Mockingjay had been the first book in the trilogy, I guarantee you that it would not have become a global phenomenon. And maybe it was stupid of me, but I really, really hoped that Allegiant would be different. 

I mean, Veronica Roth really seemed to care about her world and her characters. There was such a sureness and a sense of purpose in her writing, like she truly knew what was going on and wasn't just making it all up as she went along. I was so excited for her to pull back the curtain on the warring factions and show us all the corrupted glory behind it - and yet when the time came, she didn't deliver. Not even a little bit. In fact, I can think of literally nothing about this novel that didn't disappoint me in some way. 

Tris and Tobias' alternating perspectives sounded great in theory, but in execution, it quickly became clear that not only was this not helping the story, it was actually damaging it. Roth's weaknesses were on display as I found myself flipping back to check who was talking every time there was a chapter break - that's how indistinguishable the main character's voices became. As for the rest of the characters; well, the less said about them, the better - either they fade into the background, meet some undeserved fate, or become completely 2-dimensional. 

The plot, too, is underwhelming; serving up some heavy-handed allegorical lessons without the gutsy, meaty fun that accompanied the original clash between the five factions. Everything I as a reader believed to be important to the world of the series was systematically stripped away and devalued; and not in an awe-inspiring way. Instead, it just left me feeling confused, sad, and very much alone - rather like the characters who manage to squeak past Roth's merciless death count. 

The only thing that truly stands out about Allegiant is its ending, and all that served to do was put the entire series in a new, depressing light. Some people might say that what she does is a bold move, but in reality it's just like the rest of the book: unfocused, heavy-handed, and ultimately empty. 

The sad thing is, the Divergent series used to be my absolute favorite. Now...well, I'm not even sure if I'll see the movie. Sorry, V-Roth, but this effort was subpar at best. 


My Rating:

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

Name: The Bitter Kingdom

Author: Rae Carson

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release Date: August 27, 2013

Format: E-Book
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Summary:
The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

Goodreads

My Review:

Recently, I've found myself afflicted by what I've come to call "Trilogy syndrome." Basically, I find a new YA trilogy and the first book is amazing; so I wait eagerly for the second one...and it's a disappointment. Disillusioned; I read the third one anyways, and find myself regretting my decision to start the series at all. But The Bitter Kingdom - the final book in Rae Carson's excellent Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy - is a huge exception. I'm not surprised, but I am extremely excited that it lived up to my expectations. 

Seriously, though, this book and this trilogy has everything I love: a smart, strong heroine who it's honestly impossible not to root for (her character development over the course of the series is insane and so realistic); a world so well-built that I actually felt like I was living in it, and a romance that had me absolutely glued to the pages. Side note: I love how Hector isn't Elisa's first love/"soulmate," but rather someone she chooses to be with because she knows what mature love is. Their relationship is somehow dynamic and dramatic without being scary or unhealthy at times. I don't know how Carson managed it, but I am not complaining.

In terms of plot stuff; I don't want to give too much away. Let's just say that Elisa learns a lot more about her supposed destiny and heritage; and the book's message of choosing your own fate and the amazing things one person can accomplish is reinforced. The conflict between the Inviernos and Elisa's realm is very well done; as is the direction Carson chooses to take it. 

Overall, I would recommend not just this book, but the entire trilogy. And not to a specific audience, either: to everyone who reads YA at all. Yeah, it's that good; and indeed my only regret about finishing so quickly is that it's over now. I can't wait to read Carson's future novels. She's an absolutely tremendous talent; and I hope she continues to create dynamic, well-drawn YA worlds and characters. 


My Rating:

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

Name: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Random House

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Format: E-Book
Buy the book on Amazon

370 pages

Summary:
Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Goodreads

My Review:

Binge-reading YA books like I did this summer means that, over time, I started to notice patterns in stories. Eventually, I became a caricature of myself, predicting plot twists and love interest drama with the cynical air of an old lady yelling at crazy kids to get off their lawn/start making out already. That metaphor was doomed before it began, but you see what I mean. And then, once in a while, a book comes along that knocks me out of that generic YA slump - a book that actually makes me feel something. For me, that book was Unspoken. 

I'd like to make it clear straight up that the summary of this book is a little bit misleading. From that; it's easy to glean that it's just a simple love story about a boy and a girl who can hear each others' voices in their minds. Only it's really dissecting a common paranormal YA trope of violated privacy; and I love Sarah Rees Brennan for being unafraid to show just how creepy that can be. Kami, the main character, is seen as crazy for her defense of this imaginary friend who's always talking to her in her mind; and when he's revealed to be real, things only get worse, not romantic. Imagine for a second that there was a person who could see into your mind - a person who knew all your terrible thoughts and deepest secrets. Brennan's message is effective, but simple: nobody should have that kind of power over anyone else. 

You'd think that, with such a serious overall message, this book would be heavy; but another reason I loved it so much - and was so torn up over the emotional, angsty stuff - was how funny it actually was. Kami, the narrator, is hilarious; and more than once I had to read a sassy line or a joke to whatever poor soul happened to be sitting next to me while being like "guys, this is so funny, you should totally read this book!" The cast of supporting characters is also stellar - Brennan goes to great lengths to set up a gang of friends so that even when adventures turn dark; someone can spit out a sassy one-liner that perfectly encapsulates the situation. 

Although I would highly recommend Unspoken (and the sequel comes out at the end of this month, so yay!), I would like to caution against one thing: the ending is...interesting. And by interesting I mean there isn't really any sort of resolution; and it left me kind of emotionally destroyed. Because Brennan really makes you care about her characters...and then tears your heart to shreds in the best and worst ways possible. So don't say I didn't warn you.

But yeah; overall, if you like snarky narrators, well-rounded supporting characters, a great setting, mystery and intrigue, and, of course, hot, mysterious dudes with brooding personalities, go read Unspoken. 

My Rating:

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Name: The Assassin's Curse

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Format: E-Book 
Buy the book on Amazon

298 pages

Summary:
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.

To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.

Goodreads

My Review:

I liked this book and its sequel so much that I recommended it to my sister when I was done. She enjoyed it, too; and she made a comment about it that fit so perfectly, I couldn't resist using it in my review: she called the story swashbuckling. Gah. A more perfect adjective to describe this book has never been used. The truth is; I've read YA with more complex plots than The Assassin's Curse, but this novel has something a lot of those books don't: it's fun. Like, giggle to yourself while you're reading it and get weird looks fun. Like, wish you were the main character fun; because come on, who doesn't want to be a badass pirate chick fighting her way across the high seas with a ninja companion?

 The plot is relatively straightforward (and lest you complain of spoilers, it's all in the summary!): girl flees arranged marriage, girl accidentally saves assassin's life, they try to break the curse she put on him, and hilarity/adventures ensue. Also, romantic tension; and let me tell you it is beyond well written. The sequel's already out; so there's no nail biting to see how it all ends - and believe me, if you read this book, you will want the sequel immediately. 

The world of this story is also really intriguing. The way the author slowly fleshes out the setting and the rules of magic is fascinating; and there's some great action sequences that show it off. Both boy and girl save each others' lives multiple times in different ways; and instead of the weird, kind of unhealthy dynamic that can develop when two characters are literally stuck together the way Ananna and Naji are, it actually brings them closer together in an organic way. 

Overall, if you like pirates, ninjas, really well-drawn characters, cool world-building, and sassy manticores with a heart of gold (although those are in book 2, whoops - call it a preview? IT'S IN THE SUMMARY), definitely check this one out. It's a great end-of-summer read.

My Rating:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas Review

Name: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Format: ARC
Pre-Order the book on  Amazon
432 pages

Summary:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.
After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Goodreads

My Review:

When I read Sarah J. Maas’ debut novel, Throne of Glass, last summer, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Crown of Midnight, its highly anticipated sequel and the second in a planned series of six, is even better.  I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy of this book through Netgalley, and I could not speed through it fast enough. This review will be spoiler-free; so any fans who are eagerly waiting for the book’s official release date: it’s safe, I promise. An early warning, though: keep tissues close when you’re reading this. And chocolate, lots of chocolate. You’ll thank me later.

Throughout the entirety of Crown of Midnight, I found myself silently thanking Sarah J. Maas for creating such a well-rounded, flawed and lovable cast of characters. Celaena’s narration, whether it’s hilarious or heartbreaking, is the driving force of the story; and her continued character development is stunning. She is the spark of the series; and yet Maas also spends a lot of Crown of Midnight showcasing the struggles that the other major characters face. Dorian and Chaol continue to prove that they are much, much more than two points on a love triangle; while Princess Nehemia, a real favorite of mine from the first book, also manages to subvert the archetype of “main character’s best friend.”

   
Now that I’ve mentioned the love triangle, it seems like an opportune time to discuss the strong presence of romance in these books. Although an influx of romance can annoy me, I think that in these books, it is an essential part of the story that makes the series a lot stronger. These characters have such fantastic chemistry with each other, and some of these scenes were so intense, so well written, that I was basically ready to yell at the characters to just go make out already. If you want to know whether or not my yelling succeeded, well, you’ll just have to read the book!

  
Another strong point of Crown of Midnight is the deepening of the world’s mythology and the series’ overall plot. As in all epic fantasy, setting is important, so I was glad to see Maas stepping up and showing us that she’s got a clear idea of what the land of Erilea looks like beyond Adarlan. I’m hoping that Maas will include a map in her books at some point; since the world of this story is quite complex.

Although the plot is less straightforward than I would’ve liked, there were many great twists along the way that kept me glued to the pages. However, it is worth noting that one twist, which Maas hinted at for most of the book, was remarkably easy to figure out; and so I spent a lot of the novel wondering how the characters didn’t make the connection earlier. Still, this was a small weakness in a strong novel.

  
Overall, I would recommend this series to anyone who loves strong female protagonists, epic fantasy mixed with believable romance, characters with lots of emotional scarring, or assassins. If you’ve already read Throne of Glass, you should definitely check out Crown of Midnight when it comes out; if you haven’t, go read it. Now. You’re missing out.  

My Rating:

Christine :)