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BOOK REVIEW – Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

Legend (Legend #1)
by Marie Lu
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

I’m not sure what I expected of Legend, but I certainly didn’t expect what I just read. This was a very interesting concept and I really enjoyed all the main characters. I think I finished more than half the book in one sitting, and that’s saying something. This is a hard review to write, because so much happened and I don’t want to write a review that flings spoilers everywhere.

I’ll start with Day. He is a wanted criminal by the Republic, and he is on the run for his past crimes. All throughout the book we see Day coming back to visit his family in the Lake sector, checking out for their well-being and continually fretting his mother or two brothers will have caught the plague that simultaneously pops up in the poorer sectors. When something goes wrong and a special red X is marked on his family’s door, Day’s whole world collapses-he would do anything for his family. One thing leads to another and Day becomes the prime suspect for the murder of a Republic Soldier.

In comes June. The only prodigy to ever receive a perfect score-1500/1500. It’s unheard of and makes her a special tool for future use by her oh-so-beloved Republic. Always begging her brother (and her mentor, since their parents died in a car accident) to let her tag along on missions, June and her brother have a very close relationship that not even little mishaps at school can deter. But, a special bond is severed when her brother is murdered on the streets one fateful night-the same night Day makes a move to get the medicine his family needs. And, coincidentally, the night Metias was going to talk to June about something of great importance.

The murder of Metias sets the whole book in motion, causing every trivial event that happens after to become of the utmost importance. Even something as simple as a hand gesture that has become habit could tip someone off. Everything matters. But, more than that, we start to see people’s true colors, even if the characters in the book don’t want to see them. This swings both ways-for the good and the bad. Not everyone is who they seem, and some people, are who they have always claimed to be.

The familial relationships in this book seemed to shine compared to the romantic aspect, in my opinion. Day and John’s relationship was admirable and heartwarming. June and Metias’s relationship was adorable and heartbreaking. The emotions evoked by these families were heavy ones, ranging from the slightest joy to the most overwhelming heartbreak. I can’t even begin to explain how much I adored these family ties-they were very powerful, and I don’t normally care all that much for families in a story.

I think the hardest thing for me to grasp onto was the world they live in. If you look at the beginning of my review, I have merely mentioned two different ways of living-Republic and the poor Lake sector. Even now as I try to explain the different sectors or parts of the ‘country’, I don’t know how to say it or what to say. I didn’t completely grasp every territory, and this is probably a large part in my confusion.

I liked the idea of Day and June being together, and while there were some cute moments, there wasn’t anything that evoked strong emotion out of me. I think that made me sad as well. I loved the story/storyline, but I didn’t completely feel the connection between the two. Oh, I know it’s there, but I didn’t feel a lot of passion like I had expected to. Normally I would have, but for some reason, I am just waiting for more between these two before I will be satisfied.

A very fun, entertaining read that I definitely killed in one day’s (haha) time. I am very anxious to start Prodigy, the next installment, because it seems to be a winner among the Legend fans. I also hear through the GR grapevine that I need to be prepared for a cliffhanger that tops all cliffhangers. Or maybe I read it was an ending that tops all crazy endings? I don’t know. I think I’m numb when it comes to cliffhangers, because I just keep reading books that will only make me squirm and plead for the next and final installment. I guess we will see what Prodigy brings and if I’ll survive another ending that is sure to destroy me further.

BOOK REVIEW – Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Crescendo (, )
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

There isn’t much more to say than what was already said in my Hush, Hush review, in the negative sense. Many of the same problems were present in this second installment. But that is understandable since it is, in fact, the same author. There were some things that were better, though. So I will just review on what I liked and what I didn’t.

What I liked: Despite the romantic turmoil throughout, I have grown fonder of Patch. He genuinely cares about Nora and he did his best to look out for her. I can identify with the jealous boyfriend type-only to an extent. If he is dating or screwing around with someone else, that act doesn’t fly nor is it cute. I love the creepy factor in these books.

It tends to be an undertone to each story and the scenes in which dangers lurk really get to me. It seems every time I get under the covers to read, one of those creeptastic scenes pop up and I have to look around a little in the dark room. Oh sure, I read all day with none of those scenes and then-BAM! Right when I get in bed, something that freaked me out would happen ha. And Detective Basso-FINALLY he listens to Nora. I couldn’t have been happier that he started doing his JOB. ‘Nuff said. I loved Nora’s badass demeanor when it came to Patch (i.e. There is a scene with his Jeep at the beach that I LOVED). Yes she was jealous, bitter, sad, and angry, but she also took action so many times I couldn’t help but to chuckle and agree with her actions.

What I didn’t/don’t like: Again, Vee has gotten better, but she still has this annoying quality that she needs to drop. She did improve, but not enough. I hated the fact that Patch was hanging out with Marcie incessantly. It was sickening to read about and he is just horrible with words to help explain himself when confronted….or worse, maybe he just didn’t care enough. This is all explained and went over at the end, I just can’t get over how I felt as the story unfolded. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t resolved, (for those diehard fans who might be reading this) I just had a very hard time digesting these sequences in the story. Again with the unrealistic-ness…so many conversations and scenarios are just full of crap. Not the paranormal or otherwordly parts mind you, but the damn dialogue, inner dialogue, or lackthereof.

I don’t know if this even counts as a review, but I felt shoddy not at least saying something about the book. I feel incomplete after I finish something and then don’t talk about it a little bit. So to finish up I will just say that I bet the third installment will be good and I am anxious to read it after a couple other ARCs I received first.

BOOK REVIEW – Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
by Sarah J. Maas
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

She brought her mouth close to his ear. “My name is Celaena Sardothien,” she whispered. “But it makes no difference if my name’s Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I’d still beat you, no matter what you call me.”

I have a very strong suspicion….that my feelings for book two are going to leak onto this review-unintentionally, I might add. Book one, as many said, was not as it claimed to be, but I found that I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn’t my favorite book, but it wasn’t a dud either. I think my disappointment comes from the description at the beginning of the book. Sure, there were certain perilous elements that made me giddy with excitement, but for the most part, I was lead to believe (through strongly worded explanations of the competition when Celaena gets to the castle) that there would be several fight to the death situations in which many would suffer and die-you know, a la Hunger Games style (In my mind I thought that-it never said that). But, to my dismay, it seemed that there was far more telling than showing on most of the competitions and far less action than I’d have liked-BUT the final competition was so badass and exactly as I would have hoped that I couldn’t help but to add that last half star-plus the romance was adorable.

“Mock me again,” she spat at Verin, “and I’ll do that with my sword the next time.” She turned from him, and found Brullo’s face slack. “Here’s a lesson for you, Weapons Master,” she said, stalking past him. “Give me real men to fight. Then maybe I’ll bother trying.”

The Prince has chosen to seek out one of the most famous assassins of all time to represent him for the King’s right hand man and protector-what no one knows is that this elusive assassin is none other than an 18 year old girl. The Prince knows she can/will win the competition, but to do so, she will have to compete in a series of duels and trials ultimately leading up to a final duel among the strongest and last standing candidates in the competition. In exchange for competing and representing the Prince, she will ultimately win her freedom after having to serve a year in a slave camp residing in mines-after four years of serving the King, that is. There is more to the story, but I think the above states enough to satisfy without giving too much away.

Libraries were full of ideas-perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.

I adored the final duel-it was fierce. It was not easy. It was gripping. It was what the whole book should have aspired to be. I don’t think I could have been happier for the final trial. I just wish that we could have seen even a glimpse of that during the rest of the book. There were many gruesome occurrences to tide me over, sure, but not enough of what I had come to expect.

Something evil dwells in this castle…Destroy it…

And now for the romance…this is the part where bitter feelings may seep in for book two even though I will try my best not to let this happen. As many people know about me, once I pick a guy to invest my time into, I go ALL IN. I get giddy, breathless, excited-I gush like there’s no tomorrow. As that sentence about turned into a rant, I will cut it in half and do what I said I always do-I will talk about the guy that stole the show for me. Apparently I have a fetish for Prince characters…this is new to me lol.

Dorian turned from the balcony and strode off into the darkness of the hall beyond. Chaol watched the prince disappear, his red cape billowing behind him, and sighed. He knew jealousy when he saw it, and while Dorian was clever, he was just as bad as Celaena at hiding his emotions. Perhaps bringing the Prince along had done the opposite of what he’d intended.
His feet heavy, Chaol followed after the prince, hoping Dorian wasn’t about to drag them all into serious trouble.

Prince Dorian-dark haired, blue eyed, (my FAVORITE ATTRIBUTES IN MY BOOK BOYS) and living in a world where he feels he doesn’t belong. Where his father is harsh, manipulative, and cruel, Dorian is kind, caring, and wants to make the world they live in a better place. He is the complete opposite of his father when it comes to their kingdom. While Dorian is somewhat of a ladies man, when he fetches Celaena and starts to banter with her and get to know her, he begins to feel something deep inside that he has never felt before. All he knows is that he can’t stay away from her or keep his eyes from wandering wherever she is-he tires of the mindless girls he had once found amusing and falls head over heels for this charismatic girl who has opened his eyes to everything a woman should be. But how could a Prince and an assassin ever work? Can it?

His sapphire eyes flashed. “You marry the person you love-and none other,” he said, and she laughed. “You’re mocking me! You’re laughing in my face!”
“You deserve to be laughed at for such foolish thoughts! I spoke from my soul; you speak only from selfishness.”
“You’re remarkably judgmental.”
“What’s the point in having a mind if you don’t use it to make judgments?”
“What’s the point in having a heart if you don’t use it to spare others from the harsh judgments of your mind?”
“Oh, well said, Your Highness!” He stared at her sullenly. “Come now. I didn’t wound you that severely.”

And then there’s Chaol. He is the guard who is essentially with her every minute of every day-he makes sure she stays in line and doesn’t threaten the crown or even the Prince…who seems to have affections and interest in the deadly assassin. Chaol is also responsible for getting her back into shape and helping her to become what she once was-its his job to return her to her former glory. There was a scene that was absolutely perfect during her final duel and it showed that there is much more to come for these two (sigh), for the connection they share is both heartfelt and tragic in it’s own right. The looks shared and banter exchanged was definitely the beginning of something deep-rooted and more than sibling rivalry-there are some hidden feelings that haven’t quite come to the surface…..and it turns out that he’s quite jealous and protective of this annoying girl who seems to hold the (also jealous) Prince’s heart.

He narrowed his eyes, taking the bait. “I won’t apologize for speaking the truth.”
“The truth? You treated me like a crazed criminal!”
“And you said that you hated me more than anyone alive.”
“I meant every word of it.” However, a smile began to tug at her lips -and she soon found it reflected on his face. He tossed a piece of bread at her, which she caught in one hand and threw back at him. He caught it with ease. “Idiot,” she said, grinning now.
“Crazed criminal,” he returned, grinning, too.
“I really do hate you.” -Celeana and Chaol.

If I’m being honest, I must say that what the boys felt for Celaena was more than justified. She is a strong, funny, loyal, overly empathetic, and brave/daring girl. It was refreshing to see someone so strong who didn’t need other’s help for every little thing. But the best part is, and probably what stood out the most, was that even though she is beyond strong, she still needed a little help in the end-things didn’t just pan out perfectly for her, especially with the petty jealousies of a scorned, young woman, the King, a competitor, and a certain Duke out to get her. No, with everyone, it seemed, but the Guard and Prince out to get her, it was an action packed final duel, indeed.

“We each survive in our own way.”

So, that about wraps it up. While I did thoroughly enjoy book one, book two seems to have the action. I can’t say I didn’t mix a few of my feelings in above ^^^ but what I can say is that overall book one was pretty exceptional and quite the page turner. I think it has a little something for everyone and most people will find they enjoy it. So, seeing as I’m at 65% in book two, I will trudge forward and finish it now-for better or worse.

BOOK REVIEW – Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Silence (, )
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

What a breath of fresh air! I was really starting to think I was never going to rate a book in this series more than 3 stars! It’s like Fitzpatrick has all these awesome, creepy ideas, but didn’t know how to execute them! Well, I am happy to say I really and truly enjoyed the third installment in the series and I’m glad I didn’t give up on it.

Patch is finally a guy I can relate to-protective, sweet, helpful, vulnerable, and jealous. Guys who are mysterious and quiet for each and every story in their series are not for me (well, that might be a lie, maybe I just couldn’t relate to Patch-whatever, moving on),

so I was ecstatic when I realized he had dropped the facade.

I have never disliked Nora, so again, Nora was cool, and it appears she has gotten a little smarter in her decisions. Sooo I liked her even more. What I liked the most, though, was the lack of Vee. That girl just drives me insane. She is loyal, sometimes funny, yes, but she really makes the stupidest decisions and aside from helping Nora, she is totally self-centered and thinks only of numero uno. So, yes, I was very happy with the lack of Vee in this installment.

Now, I am going to go out on a VERY shaky limb here and say that I don’t get Nora’s venemous attitude toward Marcie ALL the time. Yes, Marcie is a bitch, but in the past two books she honestly hasn’t been as bad as Nora previously described. More so in this story I feel Marcie was actually pretty decent. She, of course, has a hidden agenda, but she isn’t evil. Her father is evil-of course she has a ‘tude. We probably all have people we don’t like or didn’t care for in HS-I know I did. But the fact is, my senior year, we tolerated and talked to each other. It happens-people grow up and get nicer or, I suppose, more tolerable. Idk. That’s just my opinion. I’d much rather have Marcie plastered all into the story than Vee. She is WAY more interesting and makes funnier comments than the latter.

This is definitely my favorite in the series and I am happy to say it left me wanting more. There is an epic battle to come, from what I hear, and I hope it will satisfy in both action and peril. I can’t wait to see what happens in the finale of the Hush, Hush series. (haha, incidentally, Finale is the name of the last book, funny)

BOOK REVIEW – The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)
by Michelle Hodkin
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

*sighs* I don’t know what went wrong here…and there really isn’t much I can say to justify why I feel this way without throwing a spoiler in every two sentences.

Was the plot line intriguing? Yes. Did I enjoy the first half of the book? Yup. Was the male lead undeniably sweet, attentive, and attractive? Absolutely. But here is the most important question of them all: Was Noah the ONLY thing that made me want to finish after 65%? It’s sad to say, but it rings true. Noah is literally the only thing this story had to offer. I was fooled by the first 100 some pages, I’ll admit that. There was cute banter between Mara and Noah and I thought this might turn out to be kind of fun. I mean, I chuckled a couple times to myself so I’ll admit that also. But the point remains-at a certain area in this book, and I’m not sure when, Mara went from being a poor, tolerable girl suffering from unfortunate circumstances to an annoying (let’s admit it) psycho who quite frankly was too dumb to deserve Noah and his help.

More than once I wished Noah could be taken out of this story and placed into another more well-rounded novel. But then we wouldn’t have a story at all, would we?

The dialogue became corny and forced, and the situations became so…I don’t even know the word….wonky? That I could hardly contain my laughter. (view spoiler)

The thing is, I feel that what can only be described as a cliffhanger was supposed to save the story. You know, make people want to come back for more. But sadly, while it was kinda cool (if not completely silly and unrealistic) it wasn’t enough to save what I can only label as a time waster. Yes, I wasted 4 days wading through this swamp of crap and have nothing to show for it. And more than that? I can’t stand the thought of spending 9.99 on the next installment, even if I was a little curious about this mysterious cliffhanger and the fate of Noah.

And believe me when I say this: Kris-If it wasn’t for you, reason numero dos, I most likely wouldn’t have kept going. So, yeah, thanks for not making this a total waste of time…essentially. lol