Tag: Young Adult (Page 76 of 159)

BOOK REVIEW – This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by Victoria Schwab

July 11, 2016 / Anna

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

So. This Savage Song. Rarely a novel created so many divergent reactions in my feed. If the fact that opinions differ doesn’t strike me as unusual – suffice it to take a look at most romance novels’ pages to see radically different ratings – it still contributed to my confusion before reading because mixing most of them would lead to a hell of an oxymoron.

The world-building is fantastic and original, but generic.
The characters are well-rounded and complex, but rather dull and one-dimensional.
It was unputdownable. It was so fucking boring.
It lacked romance. Thanks god there’s no romance.

I very much enjoyed reading all these interesting and well-thought reviews – and I am not being ironic – yet my questions started piling up with increasing speed : so, what? Would This Savage Song be the first novel from Victoria Schwab that would leave me indifferent? Should I lower my expectations? Would I like, would I like, would I like?

But then I thought : Anna, these reviews aren’t about you. Such a tiny thing, this. So easily forgotten. As much as we start noticing similarities between our tastes and particular reviewers’ over the years, their reviews are never, ever, about ourselves. How could they?

I guess that’s why it baffles me so much when I see people leaving hmm, let’s say, tactless comments on reviews they don’t agree with. Sure, sometimes we can’t change the facts. Does the MC cheat? Is there consent? (because yes, I’m one of these people who think that there’s nothing grey or “blurred” about consent) But most of the words written in a review are opinions and are linked to so many factors : the number of books read in that genre, the personal tastes, the current mood, etc, etc.

We can organize our reviews all we want, use bullet points or dialectical reasoning, who cares, it doesn’t change a thing (or ramble before even talking about the book itself, I know, I know, the irony isn’t left on me).

In the end, sometimes our opinion will only revolve around the chemistry we share with a particular author and her work. This is where I stand when Victoria Schwab is concerned.

Does that mean that I will love every one of her books? Hell no. I only liked Vicious, and This Savage Song awoke the same kind of contradictory feelings in me :

✔ As usual with Victoria Schwab‘s novels, I was fascinated by the concept and the writing managed (without forcing, it seems) to tug at my heartstrings at the most random moments.

✘ ✔ The pacing didn’t suit me during the first 50%, my read was interspersed by at least 10 minutes of rest every few chapters, but once the second half started, the story captivated me so much that I forgot everything that wasn’t August (yes. I am playing favorites) – it started with a whimper, ended with a bang? How fitting.

✔ Verity’s monsters were as disturbing as engrossing to read about, and the darkness lurking enveloped me completely.

“Be careful, parents told their children, be good, or the Corsai will come, but the truth was the Corsai didn’t care if you were careful or good. They swam in darkness and fed on fear, their bodies sick, distended shapes that looked human only if you caught them out of the corner of your eye.”

✘ The somewhat dystopian settings made me think that really, I’m not sure we need to read about a umpteenth version of the decaying United States. I’d rather go somewhere else next time. Really. Please think about it.

✘ ✔ I would say that the characters are pretty generic and trope-ish, because this is what my mind was screaming at first, but I cannot dismiss the fact that they made me care and snort and bite my nails and feel. They left me craving for more. Perhaps Victoria Schwab used an old mold to craft her characters, it doesn’t change the fact that they genuinely interested me and that I, for one, enjoyed their dynamics a lot.

Also, I really have a thing for male leads who sob and whisper. I KNOW. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. But THIS IS WHO I AM. It only works in books, though. Weird how attraction works, ha. In real life I would probably say something along the lines of, [frowns] why the hell are you whispering?! Because of course. Kill Mood Is Me.

“This was the opposite of peace. He felt alive – so alive – but tarnished, his sense screaming and his head a tangle of dark thoughts and feelings and power, and he was drowning and shivering and burning alive.”

► My review, it seems, is everything but helpful. This being said, given the huge fanbase Victoria Schwab has – which she deserves, as far as I’m concerned – I know that my review will hardly change anything in your decision. Read it, don’t read it. One thing is sure : your review will be unique and genuinely interesting to me.

BOOK REVIEW: Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

July 11, 2016 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Shadowland (The Mediator #1)
by Meg Cabot
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
There's a hot guy in Susannah Simon's bedroom. Too bad he's a ghost.

Suze is a mediator - a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.

But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind... and Suze happens to be in the way.

But even on the ninth floor of Bellevue-which is where they lock up the crazy people in New York-I probably wouldn’t be safe from the ghosts. They’d find me.
They always do.

Alright so, it appears that everyone wanted to like my pre-review of fangirlish relations to when I was younger…so I don’t see a large point in writing a long-winded review when it seems everyone has mostly stopped by and saw all they wanted to see. But, along with those youngish nostalgic ramblings, I did want to say why I loved-and still love-this series.

It’s not often a person can look back at a book they read in middle school and say they still love it and it’s almost just as good as they remember. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Maybe I love it so much I’m blind to the fact that it is a little youngish. Maybe it really is just as good as I think it is. Maybe I am biased because I truly believe this author is a witty, sarcastic, and wonderful writer. Or maybe I’m just biased for Jesse. And Suze. I don’t know, and frankly, who the fuck cares?

“Oh, Suze. Not again.”

This series shaped a large chunk of my pre-teen years and gave me countless months, years, whatever of pining and wanting and dreaming of the beautiful Jesse. And, admittedly, my funny story for this is that I read book five first. ME. CHELSEA. The girl who hates spoilers and disorder and messing with the integrity of books. But I guess this just goes to show you that if you are a good author, you can make anything work.

I was OBSESSED with that fifth book, Haunted, and wanted nothing more than for Jesse and Suze’s story to continue. Little did I know, after a little bout of research at the local bookstore (aahhh the good old brick and mortar days) that I had missed four books before!! Imagine how excited I was. I mean, really. Plus, there was yet another book coming! Hey, don’t judge me too harshly. It’s not like I had GR to jump onto so I could see (Mediator #5)! And it certainly didn’t show on the book’s spine, I’ll tell ya that much.

“Yeah,” I said. “Yeah, this is my room now. So you’re going to have to clear out.”
“I’m going to have to clear out?” He raised one black eyebrow. “This has been my home for a century and a half. Why do I have to leave it?”

But in some weird way….I think that’s why I loved this series so much. It was developed and Jesse was in full-blown swoon mode and Suze was funnier than ever-and hey, there was lots of jelly at this point…me likes the jelly boys. So, you know, maybe my little heart needed this one first. *Shrugs* I dunno.

Just before I fell asleep again, I thought I heard something besides the owl. It sounded like someone singing the words Oh, Susannah, now don’t you cry for me, ’cause I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee.
But that, I’m sure, was just my imagination.

Witty, light-hearted, fun, fast-paced, and humorous, I will never get tired of reading about Suze’s escapades as a mediator. I mean really, who gets to have a sexy, mysterious ghost boy as a roommate? Certainly not I….but I sure would have loved to have had a Jesse of my own.

*****

Oh. My. GOD guys….that moment when you realize a childhood favorite is better than anything you remember and you get three times the feels because you can ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND IT BETTER and appreciate your young childhood BBF in the way he deserves AGHHHH.

Sometimes it feels like coming home when you pick up a book again…and that’s all you can really ask for. Those feels, they are unlike anything you’ve ever felt. SO unreal. And so worth it to re read these masterpieces from my childhood.

RTC

***********

Ahhhh nostalgiaaaaaaaa ♥

**********

O.m.g. My favorite book series EVER from when I was in middle school is being made into a movie! You know how many times I wished that would happen 10 or more years ago?! I used to pick out songs that would make up the soundtrack.

I will be there! Hope they don’t ruin it!

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BOOK REVIEW: Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise Kova

July 8, 2016 / Chelsea / 3 Comments

Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1)
by Elise Kova
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Now that I have time, the gravity of what I promised lays heavily on my shoulders. How am I not going to fangirl about a guy?? What’s the point otherwise? I mean, obviously I have a ship and obviously it was my favorite part about the book-I mean, duh-it’s me we’re talking about here. And yeah, sure, there are fifty million things I guess I could talk about, but why bother if I can’t talk about what I want to?

So, alright whatever, fuck it–All I want to talk about is Prince Aldrik, so that’s what I’m going to talk about. Short, sweet, and to the point.

The prince spirited her away the next day, and two days after that. Each time there was some clever excuse, and when those ran out he simply materialized between the shelves in the library and they would slink off together like children.

In a sea of fantasy, Aldrik, wait, scratch that, Prince Aldrik is exactly what I have been looking for. He’s snarky. He’s sarcastic. And, let’s face it, he’s one of those misunderstood bad boys. I. LOVE. THAT. He’s dark-haired and silver tongued and…well, I’m sure you get the picture. Every time he was in the story my heart was pounding and my stomach erupted in butterflies. I really couldn’t ask for more in a story, especially during this busy time for me.

“You are my friend, whatever this commoner’s friendship is worth.”
When he spoke it was slow and deliberate, little more than a whisper. His voice had a richness to it that she had never heard before. “It is worth very much.” His eyes consumed hers.

I will admit that, at one point early on, I put this down because I just wasn’t feeling it-I mean, the writing is nothing special and I’ve never really been a fan of ‘I am’s instead of I’m and other such contraction draw outs. But, honestly, sometimes all you need is a book that makes you smile, swoon, and wish for your ship to sail. And, for that, this book was everything. Onto the next.

*disclaimer* Was in middle of starting second paragraph when I heard news that extremely upset me so this won’t be a good review like I had wanted. I also lost the will to care. At least it’s just the first book. *shrugs*

*****

I am SO in love. Thank you, Brittney…..Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouuuuuuuuu!!!!!

I am so beyond words happy I trudged through and got past that…odd…beginning! Everything after had me all smiley and giddy and excited and a totally happy little monkey. I cannot WAIT to write a review on this….I’ve not seen the guys’ names much in reviews in specifics so this is going to be REALLY hard for me.

Challenge accepted.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

July 7, 2016 / Chelsea / 7 Comments

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to question her sheltered life.

Is it really always better to be safe than sorry?

I’d tried to hold myself apart, showing only what I wanted, doling out bits and pieces of who I was. But that only works for so long. Eventually, even the smallest fragments can’t help but make a whole.

Now that I finally have some time to put together a little bit of a coherent review, I’m excited to give a little more explanation to my thoughts. I’ve been seeing this author on the shelves of every big bookstore for years and never gave her a second look. And while I think that there was something missing that made this an absolute perfect and epic win for me, it also touched me in a way not many books do…and I think that deserves to be said.

Maybe that’s what you got when you stood over your grief, facing it finally. A sense of its depths, its area, the distance across, and the way over or around it, whichever you chose in the end.

In many ways, this author’s writing reminded me of Heather Demetrios’s I’ll Meet You There. This was an absolute favorite for me last year and an absolute shock. It wasn’t particularly fast paced nor was it action packed. But every word, every page, every moment implanted itself into my heart and stole my breath. As the book progressed it was built up in such a way that didn’t bore you, yet you just NEEDED something to happen….this book was a lot like that. However, it lacked all those intense, tugging emotions that made IMUT an emotionally packed gut punch.

Leaning out my window, at the odd angle I was, I found myself almost level with the top of his head. A second later, when he looked up at me, we were face to face, and again, even under these circumstances, I was struck by how good looking he was, in that accidental, doesn’t-even-know-it kind of way. Which only made it worse. Or better. Or whatever.

When what I wanted to happen happened, it certainly made me a total fangirl, but by then I had invested a ton of time and wanted a little more. Does that make sense? I appreciated and loved the slow, syrupy feel of Dessen’s world and her writing, but it lacked one key emotion to make me a forever fan: Obsession.

The silence wasn’t like the ones I’d known lately, though: it wasn’t empty as much as chosen. There’s an entirely different feel to quiet when you’re with someone else, and at any moment it could be broken. Like the difference between a pause and an ending.

Probably my other large gripe was our main character’s mother. Come on. Grief does absolutely horrible, dreadful, unspeakable things to a person, but I don’t think when your daughter is sitting there telling you how much she likes people and how good they are that her kinds of reactions were necessary. A little naivety? Sure. Blase tone? Okay. But that utter disregard for her daughter’s feelings? It bothered me far more than I’m even letting on now.

“What were you two talking about?” she whispered as Wes pulled the doors shut.
“Nothing,” I said. “Running.”
“You should have seen your face,” she said, her breath hot in my ear. “Sa-wooooon.”

And then there was Wes…sweet, adorable, loyal Wes. Always there for her, always making her see herself the way she deserves to be seen. And I think that’s my favorite part about Wes-He doesn’t belittle her. He always makes her search deep within herself for what makes her happy and not other people. And he never makes her feel small. He is just one of those perfect guys and you can’t help but to love him from the moment you meet him-no matter how small his part is, at first.

Events conspired to bring you back to where you’d been. It was what you did then that made all the difference: it was all about potential.

Now, I know I didn’t say much, but I just had to say more than what I did below. This book, while not a heart-stopping and pulse-pounding thriller by any means, is a great coming of age story. And hell, I’m 26 years old and I found some value in the deep, heartfelt words this author wrote through the eyes and mind of Macy. We all can stand to learn something about ourselves and become introspective even if just for a moment. As it is, this book, while not an absolute favorite, came at a time where I looked deep within myself and saw a little of Macy. I don’t want to live a life where I’m living for others and not myself…and I’m glad I can still relate to books like this. What better way to get impartial advice than reading a wonderful book? There is no better way.

********

This was absolutely adorable! Extremely well-written and a lot deeper than I really thought it would be (I was shocked).

It wasn’t until I really got where I wanted to be in terms of the story that I realized I had been holding my breath in anticipation…and that’s a good sign, to me.

A tad slow in places, but building up to something deep, meaningful, and heartfelt. I need more books like this in my life-It’s the same description I’ve used for other books, but I’ll say it again: It was like sitting on the front porch on a hot summer day sipping lemonade with a light breeze. It was just that kind of book.

And this Wes??Such a totally believable good guy who wasn’t over the top perfect that I couldn’t help but wish I had met him first. Sweet, kind, attentive, and only wants what is best for Macy. I fell in love with him slowly..then all at once (hehe bad-stealing lines from other books..).

RTC, maybe. Depends how my weekend goes! 😛

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BOOK REVIEW – P.S. I like you by Kasie West

July 7, 2016 / Anna

P.S. I like you by Kasie West
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

“If only there was a way to transport letters faster, through some sort of electronic device that codes messages and sends them through the air. But that’s just crazy talk.”

Several times during my read I asked myself, “what would it take for P.S. I Like You to reach a 4.5/5 stars?” and in all honesty, I don’t think it could, no matter how cute some parts were. Now, I’m all for rating a novel according to its genre, but where am I supposed to put Kasie West books? In YA contemporary? Sure! Then they can’t – and will never – compete with the raw honesty and the avalanche of feelings I associate with some of my favorites : Please Ignore Vera Dietz, On the Jellicoe Road, Raw Blue, to name a few.

Truth is, P.S. I Like You put a smile on my face and was well, cute, but I cannot deny how unmemorable it is.

Fact #1 : I’ve read all of Kasie West‘s books and I’ve never come across a female lead like Lily, which is to say, the typical quirky girl with weird self-made clothes and notebooks. The tomboy, the popular girl, absolutely. Not the artist.

Fact #2 : Yet I’ve read my fair share of YA novels, and Lily doesn’t bring anything different in the sea of female leads. She likes music, makes (false) assumptions about people, is convinced that no guy would take an interest in her, fantasizes about this crooked-smiling, earbuds-addict guy with cool hair, has one and only friend because people suck (or something). When it comes to analyze someone else’s actions, she’s blind, but aren’t we all? I mean, TEENAGER 101, anyone? I don’t necessarily complain upfront about stereotypes, because sometimes they can be twisted to add something more to a story. Let’s just say that it wasn’t the case in P.S. I Like You.

Fact #3 : Lily’s family is what I like the most about her, but it may be because it is so relatable to me. A four children family and general messiness? It was my playground. Anyone who grew up in a family of six and who looks blank when confronted with the concept of a one child room will easily understand what she goes through. Her family is weird, crazy, annoying, roll-eyes worthy, yet so lovable, with a special award for Bugs Rabbit XD

As for the love interest, given the fact that it’s supposed to be a “surprise” (come on, I knew who it was on page 6 – more on that later), I won’t say his name but he was pretty great, if completely forgettable. I know, I know, I am harsh, but really : no matter how much he made me smile, mark my words : I will have forgotten his name next week. I just know it.

Look, I’m all for pen pals and stuff, as it’s a plot which usually really work with me. Yet if I accept having doubts, I still ask for the story to keep its mystery, at least a little. Take Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, for example. I loved that I did not know if I was right until the very end.

P.S. I Like You, though? I knew who her “mysterious” pen pals was almost instantly, and every time a new event would occur, the threads were always so thick that I felt like I was only waiting for what I already knew to happen. Granted, the story mostly revolved around Lily’s romance with ***, and romance novels are always all kinds of predictable. Yet it annoyed me because given that I knew who it was, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to skim through all the useless scenes with other boys. Just, nope. I didn’t care, and it awfully felt like filler for me.

As for the romance, I cannot deny that Lily and *** shared a great chemistry and that I rooted for them to get together from the beginning. They made me smile, especially when they were writing to each other. But I cannot deny either that something was missing, or perhaps I’m finally too old for this kind of cute, kissing book. Maybe. See, it was adorable to see them getting to know each other, but it lacked some tension and character development in my opinion.

Finally, the music part felt flat and contrived, and rather useless. It’s as if YA contemporaries had to incorporate some kind of artistic vibes, without needing them to add something to the story. I’m quite tired of this.

It’s no surprise that Kasie West‘s writing is addictive and smile-inducing. Her books, how flawed they can be, always manage to make me happy, even if my feelings stay superficial. However, if I really appreciated the letters, the dialogues didn’t flow as well. Although they were often funny, they sounded fake and I forced myself to adapt and ignore the stiffness – or rather, the fakeness. Yes that’s a thing.

► All in all a cute but unmemorable novel. I would still recommend it to anyone who needs to smile.