Tag: Fantasy (Page 78 of 121)

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. JensenStolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1)
by Danielle L. Jensen
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Review:

***I did NOT like the final book in this series. It was missing everything that I had previously fallen in love with. And that’s not even the worst part. Worst of all was that ending. That ending left me completely unsatisfied and utterly depressed. You can see my review of Warrior Witch here – Warrior Witch: 1/5 Stars***

This book was beautifully intoxicating.  From the feeling of being in past generations from their dialect, to characters that enchanted my heart, to the intricate storyline that kept me glued to the pages, it was impossible not to become lost in their twisted world.  I was completely blown away by how much I loved this book and how Cecile and Tristan’s happiness, sorrow and horror became mine.  Everything that filled these pages was perfection and what I always hope for when picking up a book!

Does a troll know sadness, anger, or happiness? Can a troll love another troll? Or are they as cold inside as the rocks they were buried beneath? – Cecile

Cecile is destined for fame with her opera voice, and her mother has been grooming her for her destiny.  But before her departure to start her new life, she is kidnapped and taken to Trollus.  A city that is trapped underneath a mountain where the trolls have lived for over 500 years because of a witch’s curse.  They are hoping that by creating a union between Cecile and one of their own, a prince, that the prophecy will be fulfilled and that freedom will become theirs for the taking.  But Cecile has her own plans, and those include escaping.  But while plotting her escape, her feelings for the troll Prince, Tristan, start to bloom.  For what shall she do?

And I was done with crying – tears accomplished nothing but exhausting me further and I needed my wits about me if I were going to escape this place. Perhaps not today, tomorrow, or even the next day, but I would stand beneath the sun again. I swore it to myself. – Cecile

Cecile is now on my favorite heroines list.  She was daring, brave, smart and a fighter who truly cared about the hardships of others, even if they were trolls.  Her feelings and reactions to situations felt so real and honest that I had such an easy time slipping into her shoes which helped me become further lost in the story.  But my favorite thing about her?  That she doesn’t lay down and die when her situation is dire.  She plots, plans and bids her time.  Time that is sometimes filled with Tristan, sigh.

If I wasn’t careful, she would be my undoing. – Tristan

You MUST meet the troll Prince, Tristan.  I was all kinds of questionable about falling for a troll BUT he is sexy, infuriating, haughty and sarcastic.  His actions sometimes made you swoon and other times made you want to punch him in the face.  But the swoon worthy moments I promise are worth his jerky moments!  Not only do we get those swoon worthy moments, but we also get a few chapters here and there that are from his perspective.  Plus add in the fact that we get to know what his emotions are from Cecile, once they have bonded, and clearly we can see that there is a lot going on underneath his indifferent facade.  When you combine some of the acts he did without hesitation and the emotions he radiated, it solidified what an amazing troll he was and kept me hoping that he had feelings for Cecile.  He always tried to wear his mask of indifference when it came to her, but the more it slipped, the more I fell for Tristan.

“They aren’t ugly.” I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “More like beautiful things that have had the misfortune of being broken.” Tristan turned his face back to me. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt it in my heart. – Cecile

I had a feeling that I was going to love this book, but so many things still took me by surprise.  The peril was through the roof intense.  It was the type of situations where you can’t read fast enough yet you also want to slow down because you are terrified about how much more horrific everything is going to turn out.  I panicked, I cried, and I even yelled at my book.  Those multiple scenes turned me inside out.  And then on the flipside, the banter and fighting between Cecile and Tristan had me laughing so hard I had tears pouring down my face.  I desperately wanted them to defy the odds and be together.  And I won’t ever forget the setting of Trollus, it felt so real and vivid.  So without a shadow of doubt, Stolen Songbird is going on my favorites list!

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
stolen songbird danielle jensen
Stolen Songbird #1
Reviews:

Jen
Chelsea
Anna
hidden huntress danielle jensen
Hidden Huntress #2
Reviews:
Jen
warrior witch danielle l jensen
Hidden Huntress #3
Reviews:
Jen

BOOK REVIEW – Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

BOOK REVIEW – Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie KagawaRogue (Talon #2)
by Julie Kagawa
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Dragoooooon Gaaame! Please welcome the fighters, I said PLEASE WELCOME THE FIGHTERS, Talon and Rooooooogue!

► I can’t deny that this sequel is action-packed, and that’s why my rating isn’t lower. Moreover, we learn more about both Talon (via Dante’s and Cobalt’s POV) and Riley’s rogue organization. Secrets societies people! You’ve being watched. Controlled. Hunted. All this stuff was pretty cool.

► I’m going to be blunt here : in my opinion none of the characters was fleshed-out in this sequel, except Riley. Indeed Ember and Garret seem to be the shells of themselves, and they often act out of character (especially EMBER, because Garret I can understand his reactions, and he’s fucking trying at least!). I mean, at some point, I felt like book 1 NEVER HAPPENED for fuck sake!

That’s why while I loved Ember and Garret in Talon, here my favorite character was Riley by far : the rogue is loyal, sarcastic, brave, and even if I don’t agree with everything he does, I like him, because he makes me laugh and he knows what he wants (and that’s maybe the only one, sadly). BUT. What bothers me is the fact that I feel like I was supposed to root for him here. That is to say that the whole changes in the characterization sounds rather manipulative to me, because in my opinion Riley is the only character who is fairly treated.


► In my review of Talon, I said that there wasn’t a love triangle, not really. Well. I guess I have to eat my hat now.

Because welcome to the fucking love triangle hell! I’m so mad right now, I can’t even. Ember, remember Ember?? In Talon I really appreciated her personality and sadly, I can’t say the same thing now. Yes she fights, yes she’s sometimes snarky, but overall, she annoyed me something fierce because American Singer syndrome. I can’t deal with that shit anymore. I. Can’t. To be fair, I know that some readers found it acceptable because of the dichotomy between her dragon side and her human side but to me it was schizophrenic, confusing and bloody annoying.

Just tell me : Why makes me care for this storyline if everything goes downhill in the end? Why? It’s predictable and completely unnecessary – I can just see it coming 20 000 miles away. Mark my words : Ember will end with Garret. SO WHY FUCKING BOTHER WITH THE LOVE TRIANGLE? Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure I’m not, and if I am, I’ll eat a hat again, that’s all. But then, the end is scheduled for 2019 so well, let’s say that I’m not that scared >.<


► That’s pretty simple actually, because I felt completely disconnected most of the time in Rogue. Indeed except for some scenes including Riley, I didn’t care much about what happened to the characters and it’s a shame, really, because in the first I felt enthralled. While here, No butterflies. No fears. Everything felt flat, dull, tame.

It’s Kagawa, therefore it’s well-written, duh. Even if I never felt fascinated, I was never bored either, I have to admit. Indeed when it comes to her writing, I can’t help but be hooked from page one, even when the plot struggles to keep my interest.

★ EVEN ★

Results!


Sadly, Rogue was a disappointment to me, as the accelerated action couldn’t make up for the lack of characterization and the useless love triangle, which are part of my biggest peeves. Finally, I didn’t like the ending^^

BOOK REVIEW – Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

BOOK REVIEW – Magonia by Maria Dahvana HeadleyMagonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air.

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live.

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

“Did he just say stormsharks? My inner nerd is elated. Can anything I will ever hear from now until the end of time sound cooler than stormsharks?”

FUCK YEAH. That’s exactly what I was wondering, and damn, how awesome is that, tell me? Let’s clear the air right away : Magonia is unlike anything I read before. Ever.

This being said, I genuinely think that everything you need to know about the plot can be found in the blurb, and I would hate to spoil your read with too many details. That’s why a list review it is.

✔ Don’t get fooled by the blurb : Aza is a sassy, snarky and … yes, sometimes infuriating heroine who won me from page one despite the know-it-all vibes she spreads at some point. Actually, she says it herself :

“But I ask you, wouldn’t it be worse if I were perfect? My imperfections make me less mournable.”

This is Aza for you. An impertinent and unapologetic brat who always knew that she would die young, because strange-disease-named-by-her-own-name. Perhaps she’ll annoy you at first, but damn, I loved her.

Moreover, it’s important to point that her character isn’t set in stone. Indeed character development people! I know, I’m impressed too : we get to follow her evolution throughout the story and yes, that’s as awesome as it seems.

✔ Here comes my little gem : Jason. {{{ insert fangirling }}} What can I say, I am a sucker for different male-leads and Jason was right up my alley : a little OCD (the guy recites PI to calm himself, duh), incredibly clever, loyal, and let’s say, completely adorable. The relationship he shares with Aza is heartwarming and above that, sounds so right, so sweet and yet never dull. Such a sweetheart, I’m telling you. He’s mine.

“I look at that for a minute, trying to get myself together. I’m a fucking mess of rattling pi and things I never said.”

✔ Not to mention a bunch of amazing secondary characters who all have unique voices. And a love triangle which ISN’T really a love triangle, thanks god.

✔ A world-building unlike anything I read before, filled with UFO rumors and ancient mythology and full of creatures who often made me stare at my book wide-eyed and search a ridiculous amount of info on the internet.

✔ An original plot served by a beautiful and evocative writing. Indeed with the exception of a few pages around the middle, I felt captivated during the whole book, eager to learn more about this world and his wonderful set of characters.

“Writing that gets rewritten as the earth moves. If you look at the sky that way, it’s this massive shifting poem, or maybe a letter, first written by one author, and then, when the earth moves, annotated by another. So I stare and stare until, one day, I can read it.”

So. Many. Feels, guys. Truth be told, the ability to make me care determines grandly my enjoyment of a story, and in my opinion it was magisterially executed here : I hoped, I cried, I laughed, I yelled, I loved.

At this point, you must wonder why I’m not giving it 5 stars. Actually, that’s pretty simple : there are several things which aren’t explained or which seem just too … easy for me to buy (Aza’s special status and powers for example). Now, it never prevented me from enjoying my read, that’s why I couldn’t give it less than 4 stars.

{{{ frantically waiting for a sequel }}}

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie KagawaRogue (Talon #2)
by Julie Kagawa
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

It was our job to find and kill as many of the monsters as we could, in the hopes that one day, we could push their numbers over the brink and firmly into extinction where they belonged.
That was what I’d once believed. Until I met her.

Bawling sick upset emotional dying a slow and painful death…. Yeah. So….Is it weird if I’m not okay? This one….wasn’t one of those books that I would say out-shined it’s predecessor in any way, shape, or form. Normally, with Kagawa, I don’t enjoy her first book much, but know I’m in for a treat for the rest of the series, whereas it’s the opposite here-except, I did enjoy it. I did swoon over my dear Garret and his adorable soldier-ness. I did love the action and the perilous situations but…my heart. My heart was torn into pieces time and again, and like my great friend, Anna, I have to agree that some of this heartbreak is unnecessary. However…I disagree with her on one front: I don’t know that there is one certain boy that she WILL end up with indefinitely. I think that, while both guys are great, that this turned into an unnecessary love triangle and it’s clear who she SHOULD end up with, but it’s gotten all twisty and turny and I don’t know that it’s quite that clear, anymore.

I didn’t regret my choice. I’d meant every word I said in the courtroom. And if it came down to it again, and I stood on that beach with the dragon I was sent to kill, knowing that if I let her go I would die instead…I would still choose to save her.

And OMG guys, I love cliffhangers. I am so frikkin’ obsessed with an amazing, well planned out, explosive, heart-breaking, TEAR ME TO SHREDS cliffhanger…but I wasn’t ready for this one. This one gutted me, mutilated me, ripped my fucking heart out and stomped on it. Kagawa chewed up my heart and spit it back into my face. I love Kagawa, but she has finally created a cliffhanger that killed me mentally-it wasn’t a thrilling end-It was a soul-crushing emotional tornado. And I can barely see straight through my tears.


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And that’s what is so funny to me-This wasn’t even a bad ending!!!! Literally no one else will probably have this demented and dramatic visceral reaction to such a simple little folly that so frequently occurs during these fantasy/YA/dystopian/sci-fi/LIFE books. I mean…I knew from my friend’s reaction that things went into a light love-triangle land, but, it was so clear to me that it was the way it was supposed to be and…well, look at that-it’s not. It’s fucked up and heart-breaking and even though nothing horrible even happened, my soul is destroyed, just a little. And I am truly shocked by my reaction. Check-mate, Mother Fucker.

I knew that wishing was wasted energy, and regret changed nothing, but for perhaps the first time in my life, I wished we’d had more time. If I’d known what would happen, I would have spent every moment I could with her. I would have done a lot of things differently, but it was too late now.

So, I am and forever will be, in love with Garret-the soldier that was sent to kill Ember in book one. Mortal enemies. Raised to hate each other from birth. A secret operation that brought these two together by fate-Garret never knew if she was actually the dragon, but even without knowing for sure, he fell in love with her. So Talon turned into a forbidden love story that had my heart soaring and made me choke on butterflies. Now, book one, while scary as we watched everything unfold, was still so light-hearted and fun and care-free…it was young love at the beach, fighting how they’ve been trained to be since birth, never knowing where it could possibly lead…and finally ending in the ultimate sacrifice. My heart still stutters thinking about it. But this installment was no longer care-free. Decisions have to be made, they can trust no one, no place is safe, and they are constantly fleeing….and each of them has a death warrant on their head. And, GD if I wasn’t BEGGING Garret and Ember to just LOVE EACH OTHER ALREADY!!!!!!! All the frustration AGH! You KNOW YOU LOVE EACH OTHER!! Now kiss each other already, damn it!


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I could go on and on and on about Kagawa’s writing and how absolutely fucking fantastic it is, but we all know that. We all know Kagawa is a fucking master manipulator who doesn’t hesitate to rip the rug out from beneath you, but we all still keep reading her wonderfully evil stories. I just never imagined I’d be so drastically bitch-slapped by one of them-and I’ve read them all. So, instead of gushing about Kagawa, because, you know, she ripped my soul to pieces last night, I’ll just show you all how fucking loyal I am-to the point of being more annoying than even I can handle.

Anna: Hmm. I don’t like where this is going.
Me: Whatcha mean?
Anna: Well, they are making it all about Cobalt. He probably will end up alone or dying so why is she doing this? Making us love him?
Me: Hmm…I dunno. She has a reason for everything. I really do like Cobalt/Riley, but I will rip his head off if he takes Ember from Garret.
Anna: I am so mad.
Me: GARRET *heart eyes emoji* AGHHH
Anna: Why is she making this a love triangle? It wasn’t in the first book! Why?
Me: I don’t know…GARRET *heart eyes emoji*
Anna: I am just so upset.
Me: GARRET. OMG. THAT SCENE WHERE OMG YAS HE DID IT AGHHHH YES. Garret *heart eyes emoji*
Anna: Well, I’ve finished. I can’t say anything because I don’t want to spoil you.
Me: Is it a cliffy?
Anna: Hmm…kind of. Yes.
Me: AGHH!!! Garret. It’s guna be epic. EEEEEPSSSS.
Anna: I can’t wait to see what you think…
Me (as she has fallen asleep but I text endlessly on-as per her request for updates): Garret
Squee
Omg
Garret
Squee!! He just….
OMG. My heart. I’m bawling. I’m dying omg.
*And I’ll cut it off there*

At which point, I’m sure Anna was to this point:


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So, as you can see, I wasn’t much fun to read this with…because…Garret. My Garret fangirling was out of control.

I glared back at him. “I wouldn’t let you go, anyway. So you can stop being so damned fatalistic. No one is giving anyone up. We’re getting out of here together, or not at all.”
He blinked, a raw, almost vulnerable look passing through his eyes, and we stared at each other a moment. Outside, it was eerily silent. The sunlight slanting through the broken window caught on shards of glass and glittered red, like drops of blood.

No, this wasn’t what I wanted or expected it to be, but it’s still Julie Kagawa who rarely does wrong in my eyes and she is still a master manipulator of my heart and soul. Soooo, you know, here we are. A ‘not what you wanted’ Julie Kagawa story is better than a great book by an author I barely care about, so, I’ll still take this as a win. As for those who didn’t love the first book-You will probably like this one better. Everyone seems to. As for people like me, who worship the first book, you probably won’t. It’s just an inkling. I still loved this story, but it definitely tried my patience more than once-it’s just like, WHO THE HELL CARES? Ugh. That’s wrong, though. This was a well-rounded story with lots of action, forbidden-and-not-so-forbidden love, and a great back story…for Cobalt. I want people to read this, but ultimately, I am ready for book three NOW. I need more Garret in my life and, oh, hey, oh yeah- FUCK YOU, EMBER!


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******************************

AWESOMENESS, HERE I COME!!!!! GARREEEEEEET! ♥

I NEED YOU, GARRET!!!!

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AAAGHHH! After the ending of that last installment I. Am. Going. Insane!!!!

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I NEED IT NOW

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APRIL 28, 2015. Okay…I guess I can do that…I’m just not happy about it.

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Now, I wait.

BOOK REVIEW: Unwind (Unwind #1) by Neal Shusterman

BOOK REVIEW: Unwind (Unwind #1) by Neal ShustermanUnwind (Unwind #1)
by Neal Shusterman
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

"Characters live and breathe; they are fully realized and complex, sometimes making wrenching difficult decisions. This is a thought-provoking, well-paced read that will appeal widely." School Library Journal, starred review

"[A] gripping, brilliantly imagined futuristic thriller...could hardly be more engrossing or better aimed to teens." Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[A] nail-biting, character-driven thriller." Horn Book magazine

In a perfect world everything would either be black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn’t a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is.

Wow. I don’t know what I expected….but it certainly wasn’t that. I wasn’t expecting a broken, tortured soul of a boy who would win my heart on page one. I didn’t expect a fast-paced plot. I didn’t expect disturbing and grotesque images that would haunt me forever. I didn’t expect a heartbreaking romance that would be exactly what I needed. I didn’t anticipate falling for all these flawed characters no matter their faults….and I certainly didn’t expect that I would immediately want to start book two. But guess what? I got all of these things. And there wasn’t a moment I didn’t want to be reading this book.

People aren’t all good, and people aren’t all bad. We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives.

Is there a word for….HJhfjhfhdfhhfasdfjh? What would that be? Flabbergasted? Shocked? Bewildered? Extraordinary? Sure, this book wasn’t without it’s flaws. There were parts of it I didn’t even like. But I think that marks the work of a great book-that feeling when, even though there are little parts you wish you could skim, in the end, you are so enthralled by it you just. Don’t. Care. That’s right where I am. These characters really meant something to me. And yes, I know I know, I am always talking about how much I love characters in a book I’ve just read-but this is different. This was a case where, even if I hated certain characters, I ended up rooting for them in the end or feeling remorse for what happens to them. That doesn’t happen with me…EVER. If I hate a character, I hate them. End of story.

The better to run. The better to hide. The better to lose himself now that darkness is his friend.

But what happens when the boy who annoyed the shit out of me becomes someone who I couldn’t stand losing? What about the guy who, despite causing PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM, broke my heart because he deserved so much better? And then there’s Connor and Risa-their story, while not a main plot point, had me so enraptured that I couldn’t see straight while I had to reside in ‘the real world’. These characters meant something to me-and not just on the surface-they touched me deeply and I cared about what happened to them to the bottom of my soul. This book was deep-it only fits that my feelings reflect that amount of depth.

Unwinds didn’t go out with a bang-they didn’t even go out with a whimper. They went out with the silence of a candle flame pinched between two fingers.

And how does someone explain this book? It’s dark. It’s gritty. It’s disturbing as fuck. There’s a chilly detachment that isn’t often seen in YA stories. Parents sign their kids’ lives away just to get rid of a ‘problem child’ or just because they didn’t want another member in their family. And that, to me, is the creepiest part. Once you sign?? No negotiations-Your child is now due to be cut up into pieces for the betterment of the world. Someone’s lungs are no good? Awesome!!! We just removed a perfectly healthy left lung today! SOLD to the highest and most eligible bidder! It literally is that cold. Your son is misbehaving? Time for the juvey cops to come pick him up and transport him to the harvest camp of your choice! Let’s name the camps something uplifting (or retarded) like ‘Happy Jack’. Perfection! Now kids won’t be scared as their numbered days wind down (hardy har har) and they lose themselves piece by piece by piece.


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Now, while I could go on and on and on about how creepy this whole process is, I think I need to move on to my favorite part of this story: Connor! You surely KNEW I wasn’t going to skip gushing on my main man, right? If so, you are sadly mistaken. He was loyal. He was sad. He was determined. He would do anything to keep Risa (and even Lev) safe. From the moment I opened this book, I knew I was going to have a deep-rooted connection to this guy, this poor boy who just can’t believe, despite his numerous fights and misbehaving, that his parents would sign him up to be unwound-and not even tell him about it!!!! As the story progressed, we got to see Connor become responsible for his actions and those around him. Some of the things he did were mistakes that might have changed the course of their journey for the worst, but one thing is consistent with his character: Every decision he made was with his heart. And that’s why I truly loved him. His fierce loyalty to Risa and those that couldn’t defend themselves was what broke my heart and kept me addicted to this book. Risa was a stubborn, determined little shit, but her hardheadedness was no match for that of Connor’s.

She takes her time, and seems more surefooted on the steps than she does on level ground. Connor tries to hold her arm to give her support, but she shakes him off, and throws him a nasty gaze. “If I want your help, I’ll ask. Do I look feeble to you?”
“Actually, yes.”
“Looks are deceiving,” she says. “After all, when I saw you, I thought you looked reasonably intelligent.”
“Very funny.”

And one thing I cannot stand is when a story is so amazing, but has horrible writing. Well, this wasn’t the case. I feel like excellent dystopian is so hard to find these days. It’s my favorite genre, yet I rarely read them-why is that? I’ll tell you why-so many authors think a fast pace and awesome plot are enough to excuse shaky or manipulative writing-but that’s not the case at all, and we see that here with this novel. I am super picky before I pick up dystopian anymore, and this is exactly why: I found this excellent, disturbingly realistic portrayal of a futuristic society I would NEVER want to be part of. And not one moment was dull, wasted, or drawn out. It was what it was-stark, harsh, and bleak. No questions, no bending the rules, just cold, hard statistics and surgeries. It was fast-paced and without long scenes that were unnecessary, and every character played a part-sometimes they played too well into the hand they were dealt, and it cost some of them their lives. What would that be like, to be punished for being who you are? You’re manipulative-so is the government. Beat that.

So, yeah. This book wasn’t without it’s flaws-I’d be lying if I said there were parts I didn’t like….but none of that compared to the overwhelming moments where I would cover my eyes and my mouth in horror, or when my heart would beat so fast it felt like I was losing breath-this book wasn’t without it’s butterflies…duh. I do so love a fantastic and bleak dystopian romance. This book will not be for everyone-of that I am certain. But, for those of you wanting to try something different? This is the book for you. And I assure everyone: Just when you think you know what’s going to happen and things couldn’t get any worse? You’re wrong. You bet your ass on that.

 

 

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