Solstice by P.J. Hoover Review

Name: Solstice
Author: P.J. Hoover 
Publisher: Tor Teen/Macmillian
Release Date: June 18th, 2013
Format: E-Book
384 pages

Summary:
Piper's world is dying. 

Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.

Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.

An imaginative melding of mythology and dystopia, Solstice is the first YA novel by talented newcomer P. J. Hoover.

Goodreads

My Review:
I've had this book on my kindle for awhile now but I never got around to reading it. I'm so glad I ended up picking this book to read! It had everything I needed to get out of my reading slump..action, mythology, dystopia, and romance!

What I really liked about this book was how original the plot was. I absolutely loved how P.J. was able to tie in the greek mythology aspect to this dystopian setting. I'm a huge fan of greek mythology and I really liked how well it fit in with this story. I do wish we got a little bit more background on some of the characters in this book--especially a little bit more about Piper. I thought Piper was a really great main character and I liked how she cared so much about others instead of herself.

I also really enjoyed the world building that P.J. used! We really got to see what the underworld looked like and I really appreciated that. The only compliant that I have would be that we didn't get to learn more about the global heating crisis...I know the main plot is based in Texas but it would have been nice to have a little bit of background info about what is going on in the rest of the world.

Overall, I really enjoyed Solstice! It was a great blend of dystopian and mythology, and I highly recommend checking it out this summer!

My Rating:

The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass Review

Name: The One
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: May 6th, 2014
Format: E-Book
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336 pages

Summary:
The highly anticipated conclusion to Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series, The One will captivate readers who love dystopian YA fiction and fairy tales. 

The One is the perfect finale for fans who have followed America's whirlwind romance since it began--and a swoon-worthy read for teens who have devoured Veronica Roth's Divergent, Ally Condie's Matched, or Lauren Oliver's Delirium. 

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants. 

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!

Goodreads

My Review:
After months of waiting, the final book in the Selection series, One, has been released. I'm not going to lie and say that I absolutely loved this book...because I didn't. I thought it was a fine ending to what started as a magnificent series. I absolutely LOVED the first book, and the second book fell flat for me. This book, I definitely went into with an open mind but again this book just didn't hit it for me.

First the bad: what really bothered me about this book was how rushed it was!!! Considering this was the last book in the series, I thought it would be at least 400 pages. I thought the beginning of the book definitely was at a good pace, but the ending of the book felt so rushed and it really left me unsatisfied. Some of the plotlines in this book were either dragged out for wayyy too long, or they were so so so so short. I also didn't like how little worldbuilding we got out of this series. I would have loved to learn more about how the society ended up with the castes and how they got to be under a King. There was so much more to be developed and I still had so many questions at the end of this book. What also disappointed me was that this book felt like it wasn't meant for the YA audience, I could see my middle school self reading this book and loving it, but as an older teen not so much. Yes, the book ended with ******SPOILER****** Maxon and America together which is what I really wanted, but the way Kiera Cass got to that result just didn't seem right to me.

What I did like about this book is of course the romance between Maxon and America. I think they are so sweet together and I am glad they ended up together. I also really liked the minor characters as well, it was nice to see America get along so well with her maids and other members in the royal guard. The drama in this book was great too! Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat at points (even though many parts were rushed).

Overall, what started as a phenomenal series for me ended up falling flat. If only there was more character development, world building, and being longer, I definitely would have liked this book more. Yes, the ending was happy and I was happy reading it--but as a series as a whole Kiera Cass could have done so much more with this book instead of rushing to finish it.


My Rating:

Allegiant by Veronica Roth Review

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

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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:

Divergent by Veronica Roth Review

Name: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher:  Harper Teen
Release Date: May 3rd, 2011
Format: Borrowed from Jaime
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487 pages

Summary:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Goodreads

My Review:
I have heard such amazing things about Divergent but I never got around to reading it. When I came home for college break I had to give this one a shot, especially since I have been a little bit of a reading slump lately. Boy, am I SO glad that I read Divergent!! Definitely a great dystopian read.

What I really liked about this book was the plot. It was really interesting to learn about the different factions and how this dystopian world works. I really liked the different action scenes in Divergent! As the book goes on, the action really picks up which is really great! I also love how there is somewhat of a mystery in the plot...nothing is as it seems and Divergent definitely isn't predictable! The world building that Veronica Roth writes is so amazing, I really felt like I was seeing things going on through Tris' eyes and I could actually imagine what was going on.

I LOVED the main character Tris. At first, I wasn't really sure what to expect of her..she seemed a little bit boring. As the book progressed, however, Tris really started to discover who she is and progressed SO MUCH as a character. The Tris from the beginning of the book is so different then the one at the end. I really loved seeing her grow as a character. I also loved reading about Four!! Everyone this past year in the blogging community made a huge deal about Four, and I hadn't read the books so I had no idea what to expect when starting this book. After finishing Divergent, I could see why so many people love Four. He is so great, he is really a tough guy and can be a little bit scary..but his moments with Tris really make my heart melt.

Overall, I really enjoyed Divergent! I'm really glad I finally picked this book up, and if you haven't you should check this book out.

My Rating:

Doomed by Tracy Deebs Review

Name: Doomed 

Author: Tracy Deebs

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Release Date: January 8, 2013

Format: ARC

pages: 480

Summary:

Beat the game. Save the world.

Pandora’s just your average teen, glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends, until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father, her one key to saving the world as we know it. Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans, and romance fans alike.

Goodreads

My Review:

I started Doomed with high hopes. Judging by the summary, it had everything I love in a book - a potential apocalypse, a strong female protagonist, hot guys, family drama, and a Greek mythology connection. Unfortunately, all the different elements of the story came together in a way that ultimately didn't really work for me. 

Perhaps the biggest problem was that I felt disconnected through the entire plot. The main character, Pandora, never quite felt real to me. Although the author described what she looked like multiple times, I couldn't picture her as I read the book. I didn't find myself relating to her or caring about her problems for the first third of the novel; and even when the action picked up, I just wasn't as emotionally invested as I had expected to be. 

One of the things I'd been most excited to read about was how the digital connection would fit with the Greek mythology aspect of the story, but that also disappointed me. When it did show up, it seemed contrived and forced - like a good excuse to add the "Pandora's Box" angle into the tale instead of actually moving the story along. However, one thing I really did enjoy was how Tracy Deebs managed to make Pandora playing the game and Pandora's real life adventures equally interesting. Unfortunately, most of Pandora's real life adventures involved a whole lot of her love interests, and...well...that didn't work for me either. 

One of my biggest pet peeves (and one of the biggest tropes) in YA literature these days is the inclusion of the obligatory love triangle. When both boys in the love triangle are in the same family, well...let's just say there were times when I actually glared down at my iPhone (I read this on my Kindle app) and shook my head. Yes, Theo and Eli were solid, likable characters on their own. No, I didn't really buy some of the stuff they did. And yes, I saw the contrived resolution to the triangle coming a mile away. 

Despite these problems, however, I was still mostly enjoying the book's fast-paced action and the author's awesome depiction of a world teetering on the brink of apocalypse...right up until the abrupt, anti-climactic ending. I don't think Tracy Deebs intends to write a sequel to this, which makes the way she cut things off even worse. Very little is resolved, and the questions that are answered are ones the readers could've guessed at hundreds of pages ago. 

In the end, I walked away from Doomed with the feeling that Tracy Deebs simply couldn't handle the scope of all the plot elements she had placed in the story - and therefore didn't do a great job with any of them. While the writing was solid, this story was definitely more of a miss than a hit. 

My Rating:

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha # 1) by Leigh Bardugo Review

Name: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha # 1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: June 5th, 2012
Format: ARC copy
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358 pages

Summary:
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Goodreads

My Review:

What an excellent read!  I had heard great things about this book before I started reading it and was pleased to find that it was even better than I had anticipated.  With compelling characters, plenty of action and plot twists, a romantic love story, and a fascinating new world, this book was impossible not to enjoy!

 

While it took some time to learn the meaning of some of the more confusing sounding terms in this book – such as Grisha, Corporalki, Keramzin, and the Shadow Fold – I found myself excited to learn the meaning of these words as the story progressed.  Barugo created a rich and delightful world where the powerful live in a great palace under the rule of a childish King and the powerless fight in the front lines of the army.  It was interesting seeing the life of the Grisha (those with magical powers) through the eyes of Alina, an orphan who finds herself thrust into this complex world when the Darkling (the most powerful Grisha) discovers her hidden powers that could save the world.

 

Alina is a captivating main character who underwent a major transformation throughout the book.  Her transformation can be split into two separate parts: before she mastered her sun summoning power and after.  Before she knew how to control her powers, Alina was a scrawny, frail young girl who never slept or ate well.  She was always so exhausted and weak from the unconscious effort that she expended shoving her power deeper inside herself.  However, after she finally learns how to control her sun summoning, Alina becomes a vibrant, strong, and powerful young woman who is not afraid to stand up for herself and those she loves.  Her transformation was truly one of the most magical parts of the book.

 

Another part that I loved was Alina’s relationship with her best friend, Mal, who grew up in the orphanage with her.  Alina makes it clear from the beginning that she loves Mal, who has suddenly become handsome and popular as they have grown older, even if he does not feel the same about her.  However, once Alina is brought to the Grisha and away from Mal, it becomes evident that Mal has always loved Alina as well, even if it took him some time to realize it.  In comparison to the popular and caring Mal, the complexity of the Darkling made for a wonderful love triangle.  In a typical YA love triangle, both of the guys will be great and it is difficult to choose between them, but in the end the main character will find her soul mate in one of the two perfect guys.  However, that is not the case here; it quickly becomes clear that the Darkling is not particularly sweet.  It was interesting to see Alina fall for the Darkling, or at least the idea of the Darkling, even though she knows that he is dangerous.

 

Overall, Shadow and Bone is an excellent book.  Bardugo creates a thrilling world full of love and betrayal.  I love when authors are not afraid to kill off characters; even though it is sad when some people die, their deaths just make me feel so much more passionately about the book.  I would definitely recommend this book to dystopian romance fans, and I cannot wait to read the sequel!

 

My Rating:

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence Review

Name: Mystic City
Author: Theo Lawrence
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Format: E-Book ARC
352 pages 
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Summary:
For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Goodreads

My Review:
At first, I really didn't know what to expect with Mystic City. I've had a love hate relationship with dystopian books-some I have absolutely loved and others I have really loathed. I am happy to say that I really really enjoyed Mystic City! Has to be one of my favorite dystopian's that I have read in a long time!

One of my favorite parts about Mystic City definitely was the uniqueness of the plot. It was interesting to see what the author imagined what New York might look like in the future. It was cool to see the different advancements in technology and how the world had become such a different place. I really loved how the author was able to use such vivid imagery in describing the city: I could really picture it in my head! What I liked about the plot was that it had sort of a Romeo and Juliet feel to it-but with many twists and turns! I loved how the plot was unpredictable at times and there were so many parts that I didn't expect. The aspect of the mystics was a great part to the plot too! It was cool to see how the author Incorporated that into the plot and made it very unique! I liked learning about the mythology of the mystic too..and I can't wait to learn more about them in the next book!

I also really liked the main character Aria. It was great to see her progress throughout the novel and I really liked seeing her character develop! What I liked so much about her was that she didn't give up-and when she knew something was wrong she wasn't going to give in. She knew that she didn't love Thomas-and she didn't give into all the lies swirling around her. I also liked seeing her relationship with Hunter. No matter what they went through they kept fighting for a chance at love and I really liked them together! I thought their relationship was very sweet and I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.

Overall, I really enjoyed Mystic City! It was a great summer read and an awesome dystopian book! If you are looking for something similar to delirium and shatter me..definitely pick this one up!

 
My Rating:

Beta (Beta # 1) by Rachel Cohn Review

Name: Beta (Beta # 1)

Author: Rachel Cohn
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Format: ARC copy
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304 pages

Summary:
In a world constructed to absolute perfection, imperfection is difficult to understand—and impossible to hide.

Elysia is a clone, created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen year old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of teenaged clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to be created.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air there induces a strange, euphoric high that only the island's workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia's new life on this island paradise is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, the most privileged people in the world who should want for nothing, yearn. And, she comes to realize that beneath its flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When Elysia's one chance at happiness is ripped away from her with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

Goodreads

My Review:

I enjoyed reading this book very much and thought that the idea of creating unfeeling clones to service humans was certainly a new and unique one.  When Elysia is first sold to the Bratton family as a replacement for their eldest daughter that moved away, she is happy to be with them.  Having known no other way of life besides serving, Elysia politely and obediently does everything her adoptive family asks of her, most of which involves playing with her two new “siblings” Ivan and Liesel, and acting as her “mother’s” little toy doll to dress up and parade around town.  However, when Elysia suddenly begins to realize that she is much less “unfeeling” than she should be, she understands that she must keep her defective nature, and her yearning to control her own life and desires, to herself unless she wants to be the next clone to die.

Elysia is introduced to Ivan’s cute yet remote friend Tahir, and almost immediately falls in love with him.  The author may have made her sudden love for the boring Tahir difficult to believe on purpose, since as a clone she is not used to having such deep feelings and thus does not know how to express her emotions, but either way their romance appeared more like physical attraction rather than true love.  Yet, at any rate, Elysia still cannot stop thinking about Alex, the lover that her clone, Zhara, had before she was killed.  She knows that remembering anything about her clone’s life, including her name and what her lover looked like, automatically marks her as a Defect and will lead to her death, but she cannot stop thinking about them, especially Alex.

The Bratton family seems like a relatively normal, loving family at the beginning of the book.  However, as it progresses and more about the family is uncovered, it becomes clear that they are slightly evil and very disturbing.  They treat clones with the utmost disrespect, as though they are merely the playthings of humans and should do their every bidding, since they have no feelings and were made solely to work for and please the humans.  Yet, contrary to popular belief, many of the clones are actually developing feelings and desires, which leads to brief mentions of a rebellion, which I assume will be discussed in greater detail in the second book.

While most of the clones were just so unfeeling that they were difficult to connect with, they were also a great source of entertainment.  The clones have databases embedded in their brains that they use to look up information that they don’t automatically know, but slang words and other phrases are not included in their databases.  Therefore, it was quite comical watching Elysia as she tried to communicate with the other kids her age, since she did not understand slang or sarcasm much at all.  There was also a surprising cliffhanger at the end of the book that made me anxious to discover what happens next.  In general, I thought that Beta was an interesting book and I can’t wait to read the next one!

My Rating:

Origin by Jessica Khoury Review

Name: Origin

Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
Format: ARC copy
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372 pages

Summary:
Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home—and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia’s origin—a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of Lost.

Goodreads

My Review:

This book definitely exceeded my expectations and was much more interesting than I had originally thought it would be! Pia, a young immortal girl created by scientists, was born and raised in “Little Cam” (a small, hidden laboratory in the Amazon rainforest), brought up believing that she was perfect in every single way.  She calls everybody who works in Little Cam either “aunt” or “uncle” and does exactly what they say.  She is not allowed to know anything about what happens in the outside world and she is perfectly okay with that.  Until one day, she isn’t.

Angry at her controlling aunts and uncles, her aloof father, and her cold mother, Pia embraces her curious nature and sneaks beyond the fence enclosing her home.  It is there that she meets the first real boy her age she has ever laid eyes on; Eio is a cute jungle boy who shows her what she is missing in the real world.  Pia then begins to sneak out on a regular basis to meet Eio.  She begins to split herself into two people, thinking of her personality with Eio in the jungle as “Wild Pia”, whereas the Pia in Little Cam is much more reserved and submissive.  However, she soon begins to discover that Little Cam is not the perfect place she has always imagined it was, and Eio helps her uncover the dangerous secrets regarding her home.

One thing I loved about this book was, even though it was about an immortal girl, it was still realistically crafted.  The story accurately portrayed the slow process of undoing years and years of teaching.  Pia was brought up loving her aunts and uncles in Little Cam and believing that everything done in the name of science was acceptable; no matter how despicable it might seem in the beginning, the results always justified the means.  Instead of making Pia quickly understand the dangerous side to Little Cam and running away as soon as possible, Jessica Khoury did a great job of making Pia slowly put together little details that revealed her home’s true malevolent nature, not realizing its dangers until it was too late.  Pia is reluctant to do anything drastic, like run away from home, without viewing sufficient evidence using her own eyes; it is difficult for her to undo years of upbringing in a matter of weeks.  The fact that Pia’s distrust of Little Cam was slowly and delicately built made this book a much more realistic and enjoyable read!

I also liked how Jessica Khoury made this book a single novel instead of a series.  Don’t get me wrong, I love series, but there are some series that are just too long.  However, instead of dragging this book out into another classic YA series, the author found a great way – though the ending was somewhat predictable and I felt that it may have fallen together a bit too perfectly and easily – of making what could have been a drawn out series into one great book!  You should definitely check out Origin if you’re interested in science fiction and want a great, non-series book to read!

My Rating:
 

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles # 1) by Kresley Cole Review

Name: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles # 1)

Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: ARC copy
Buy the book on Amazon
384 pages

Summary:
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side....

Goodreads

My Review:

I was very, very surprised by how much I loved this book!  After looking at the cover and reading the description on the back, I was reluctant to read this; I only picked it up in the first place because I wanted a quick book to read, and The Poison Princess had received a great review on Goodreads.  However, it only took about ten pages for me to realize that I was going to absolutely love this book.

Let me just start off by saying that I wholeheartedly love Jackson Deveaux!  He is a classic hot bad boy with a history of being a player and a horrible (oftentimes flat out mean) attitude, though he always has a reason for the way he acts.  Jack is a Cajun player who comes from the wrong side of the tracks and shows up to the first day of school with a flask of alcohol that he openly drinks, whereas Evie, his beautifully naïve counterpart and the protagonist, is an overly friendly popular girl who dates the football star and waves to every single person in the hallway at school.  However, it quickly becomes clear that they both harbor intense secrets and each have painful backgrounds.

Jackson, whom Evie describes as a criminal hardened by life, comes from a very difficult lifestyle: one that is very different from Evie’s.  He was sent to jail at a young age for killing a man, who had been trying to hurt his mother, with his bare hands.  He fends for himself in every way possible and lives his own life.  Evie, on the other hand, was born into a wealthy family and is given everything she wants.  However, the Evie that shows up to school every day as a popular girl is much different than the real Evie.  The real Evie has been classified by her mother as mentally insane, and even sent to an insane asylum for an entire summer because of the apocalyptic hallucinations she has been seeing and the voices that populate her head.  Yet when Evie’s apocalyptic visions prove to be true and most of the world (though, of course, not Jack) is killed, she must team up with the handy Cajun bad boy who has plenty of real life experience if she hopes to survive.

Not only do I love Jackson, but I also love his relationship with Evie.  The two miscommunicate all the time – Jackson believes that Evie only sees him as “the help” and Evie is under the impression that Jackson thinks she is a useless, pampered doll – but that, and their constant bickering, is what makes them such a great couple.  Jackson, who feels very overprotective of Evie from the start, has an odd way of showing his caring nature.  For instance, when Evie’s stomach growls, although she never complains, Jack openly yells at her, saying that the little princess can’t always have five star meals when they are on the run, when he is really upset with himself for not providing enough food for Evie.  Even though he does not always act like it, Jackson loves Evie and would do anything to protect her.  Without giving too much away, I will only say that I definitely enjoyed the way that their relationship, arguments and all, progressed throughout the book.

Although Jackson sees Evie as a useless, pretty girl, she actually has a great deal of power that she is too afraid to confront, for fear of becoming like the “red witch” in her visions, who murders people for the fun of it.  However, when she and Jackson meets other kids like her, each of whom has their own supernatural powers, and they run into trouble on the way, Evie has no choice but to use her powers if she wants to save her life and the lives of those she loves.

I feel as if I could continue writing about this book for another ten minutes – I hardly even breached the topic of Evie’s surprisingly powerful abilities as the Empress, one of the Major Arcana cards of a Tarot deck – but for fear of this review becoming way too long, all I can say is that I completely loved this book and I cannot wait for the sequel! Everyone should definitely read Poison Princess when it goes on sale in October!!

My Rating:

The Kill Order (Maze Runner Prequel) by James Dashner Review

Name: The Kill Order (Maze Runner Prequel)

Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 14th, 2012
Format: Net Galley E-book
Buy the book on Amazon
336 pages

Summary:
Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

Goodreads

My Review:

After noting the conclusion of the Maze Runner series almost a year ago, I was excited to see that James Dashner had decided to write a prequel.  While this book had virtually nothing to do with Thomas, Theresa, Minho, or the rest of the gang and took place long before their story began, it was a great read nonetheless!

It was interesting to read about how people had first adjusted to life after the sun flares that left the world in scorching heat as well as how the deadly disease that killed off almost the entire population (called the Flare) originated.  This prequel took place about a year after the sun flares occurred, but the main character, Mark, was plagued with nightmares from the horrifying events surrounding the beginning of the end of the world.  I was excited to finally learn what happened when the sun flares first hit Earth, since the three Maze Runner books did not go into too much detail due to the fact that the main characters had been too young at that point.

I also loved the relationship shown between Mark and his friend/mentor, Alec.  While the romantic relationship between Mark and Trina was sweet, the book focused more on the almost father-son (or as Mark often joked, grandfather-son) relationship between the two men.  At the beginning of the book, Mark clearly respected Alec for his wisdom and fighting prowess, but by the end the two had saved each other’s lives so many times that their friendship grew immensely.  They begin to trust and confide in each other completely.  Even though I do love most portrayals of romantic relationships, it was a nice refresher to read a book that focuses more on a friendship.

It was hard reading this prequel knowing that these characters would most likely all have to die for the Maze Runner series to begin.  However, while almost every character in the book ended up succumbing to the Flare, which kills people by making them go crazy, they at least managed to hold out enough hope to save the one among them who was immune to the disease, even though they had no hope for their own lives.  Overall, this book was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the Maze Runner series!

My Rating: