Tag: Dystopian (Page 30 of 31)

BOOK REVIEW – The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson

August 13, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)
by Mary E. Pearson
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

**Arc kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

It can take years to mold a dream. It takes only a fraction of a second for it to be shattered.

Admittedly, I had started this months ago when I first received it from the publisher. I was SO excited because it was the only book I requested that I just REALLY wanted and HAD to have. But as I jumped right into the story, I started to gradually notice how little I felt for the characters and how bored I was….but I knew there was a chance that if I kept going, I might find that it was just the beginning I didn’t care for. Well, here we are months later, and I can say without any hesitation that, while I DID have to skim quite a bit and was STILL disappointed up to a certain point, I WILL be continuing onto the next installment.

If one can’t be trusted in love, one can’t be trusted in anything. Some things can’t be forgiven.

At first, when I started reading this again, I just knew there was no way I could finish this and that I’d force myself to get to 60% at least, no matter what. I am SO glad I did. I rarely tell myself that I am going to DNF something and then finish the book, so I think that tells you how much better this got….at around 60%. Ironic, isn’t it?

That’s the way of death. There’s no dignity in it.

The thing I want to make abundantly clear is that while the story was not doing it for me, the writing was what kept me reading-it’s as simple as that. There were no errors, it had a nice flow that kept me reading even as I wanted to put it down-I saw something great in the writing that made me think that there was something the author was leading up to, something bigger than our main character, Lia. And I was right.

His arms circled around me, his face nestled in my hair, holding me so tight I could almost believe we would never part again. I breathed him in, his touch, his voice, and for a moment as long and short as a heartbeat, all of the world and its problems disappeared and there was only us.

I think my biggest problem with the story was Lia. She was dreadfully boring and I found myself skimming the parts she was in without the two male leads. I felt the only interesting thing about their love triangle was the presence of the two males, Rafe and Kaden. One is a prince, one is an assassin sent to kill Lia-but we don’t know which one it is. At the beginning of the story, Lia was about to marry the Prince whom her father, the King, had arranged a marriage for….but it wasn’t for love, and it isn’t what she wanted for her life, so she fled the palace with her best friend early on the morning of her wedding…never to be heard from again.

I will find you.
In the farthest corner, I will find you.

One of my favorite things about this book would have to be the fact that the author completely tricked me on who the Prince was-I was literally reading the story thinking about one man as the Prince and one the assassin and then when they were revealed, I literally just stopped reading, went back a few pages, and tried to see what I had missed-had I skipped a chapter?? Was I looking at it wrong? So I went back EVEN FARTHER to about 20% when they all meet and tried to see how I could have been reading this so plainly-as if I just knew what was going on when I wasn’t even close to knowing at all. It was baffling to me and made me laugh, because I had no doubt in my mind what and who I was reading about. So…that was embarrassing.

I swallowed. He closed what gap was left between us, and I had to lift my chin to see him. He looked down at me. “Because ever since that first day I met you, I’ve gone to sleep every single night thinking about you, and every morning when I wake, my first thoughts are of you.” He stepped impossibly closer and lifted his hands, cupping my face, his touch so gentle it was barely there. “When I’m not with you, I wonder where you are. I wonder what you’re doing. I think about how much I want to touch you. I want to feel your skin, your hair, run every dark strand through my fingers. I want to hold you, your hands, your chin.” His face drew nearer, and I felt his breath on my skin. “I want to pull you close and never let you go,” he whispered.

I have to comment on the two men-one is the Prince, and one the assassin. All I will say is that while I like both guys, my Prince fetish flared to life again like a raging inferno in the last 30% of this book and it took me totally by surprise. I was just reading along, finally happy with where the story was going (out of that boring city they were in for 60%) and all of a sudden they are both revealed and I did something similar to the emoji scream face where your jaw totally drops and you look like a moron. Both sweet, considerate guys, but, for me, the Prince stole the show. (And no, I can’t even gush about their attributes because it would give it away. Grr).

The wind swirled between us, threw mist in our faces. Whispered. In the farthest corner…I will find you.
I wiped at my eyes, the real and true blurring.
But I knew this much. He came
He was here.
And maybe, for now, that was all the truth I needed.

So all in all, I would say that this is a pretty well put together novel, indeed. I didn’t think the random quotes and passages fit in very well, seeing as they were sporadically spaced throughout (maybe I missed the pattern before chapters?) and I know I skimmed quite a bit. I had this pegged as a two because I didn’t think there was a possible way the excellent writing and the two men could be the sole reason I gave this a three, but when the action started and these men showed their true colors, everything changed for me. A DNF case became an ‘I have to finish this and not skim‘ in a matter of seconds. The last 40% drew me in more than I could have imagined and I was so happy I decided to keep going. The ending had an awesome cliffhanger that left me begging for more, and now I have a very long wait before I get some answers. This is going to suck.

BOOK REVIEW – Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

August 13, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Allegiant (Divergent #3)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Review:

This book broke my heart into a million pieces. I have never sobbed so hard or for so long while reading a book. I guess that’s because I’ve never read a book that can be so true to life. In real life happy endings don’t always exist and life is not always fair. We see this every day in our lives yet we rarely see this in books. And truthfully, I did love this book. I loved this book all the way until the end. The end is NOT what I wanted and I was so upset that I wanted to rate this book a 1 star. BUT when I thought it through, I still loved Allegiant and I realized that the rating should be based on EVERY part of the book, not just the ending. And again I found myself lost in the action, I fell in love with the dialogue, there were so many characters that I loved and loved to hate and I was enraptured with how the story progressed. I was so lost in this book that I was ignorant to think the ending could be what really happens. Looking back, I can see that Allegiant flows perfectly with how the two previous books progressed and it sticks with the theme Veronica Roth has created and doesn’t deviate from it. That in itself I highly value. Ultimately, I will read whatever Veronica Roth writes in the future BUT I will go into the books being realistic and knowing that I may need a huge box of tissues.

Tris: I fell in love with him. But I don’t just stay with him by default as if there’s no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me.

This book starts off exactly where Insurgent left off. Tris and Christina are locked in a cell since Evelyn sees them as traitors and she and the factionless are now in charge of Chicago. Everyone, including Tris, is still reeling from Edith Prior’s revelation about what lies outside of the fence and that being Divergent is more important than they ever could have thought. When Tris and Christina are released as traitors they learn that there is a group, called the Allegiant, and they are allied with the original purpose of the city – sending people outside the city to help and living in factions. Upon hearing of this, Tris becomes resonate in her plans that she has to escape the city. She HAS to know what is out there. And again, from here I became completely absorbed in their world. Between the action, the knowledge we gain, how the relationships blossom and wither apart and the way the story progresses, Allegiant is addicting!

Tris: He is stronger than anyone I know, and warmer than anyone else realizes; he is a secret that I have kept, and will keep, for the rest of my life.

This time we get to alternate between being in Tris’ and Tobias’ head. I loved being able to listen in to both of their thoughts and see the situations from both of their points of view. I loved being able to see the logical process of why Tris wanted to do certain things and then how Tobias viewed what Tris did and how he reacted to it. It made me feel as though I knew them both inside and out and I felt that much closer to them. I finally understand what makes them tick and why they both do the things they do. Sometimes they can be neurotic but in the end their love for each other is beautiful.

Tobias: I feel like what I have become is halfway between my mother and father, violent and impulsive and desperate and afraid. I feel like I have lost control of what I have become.

I was so happy to see that Tris seems to have more of a grasp on who she is. Her compassion, her strength and her ability to analyze situations amazed me and even though she still struggled I felt as though she was confident with who she was and the choices she makes throughout the book. Tris is back to someone that I would want to stand behind in times of great unrest and danger. Tobias is a little bit different……since we get to see inside Tobias’ brain we finally get to see how much he struggles in this book. It reminds me of how Tris struggled in Insurgent. He is desperately trying not to become who is parents are and he is also struggling with trying to figure out what is really right and wrong. Even though I wanted to yell at him a few times he is still sexy as ever. His love and loyalty for Tris is a force to reckon with and I think that’s what makes me love him the most.

There are so many ways to be brave in this world.
Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else.
Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.
But sometimes it doesn’t.
Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.
That is the sort of bravery I must have now.

I LOVED the huge revelation of what was outside the city. I was so excited to find out that it went along with what I thought from the beginning when Tris sees that the gates on the city’s fence lock from the outside and not the inside. Overall, I love this series. Did I wish it ended differently….uhh yeah! But in the real world and Divergent you don’t always get what you want. And sometimes that can be ok and other times you just have to the make the best of things and think of all of the wonderful moments you got to experience while going through this journey.

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

BOOK REVIEW – Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

August 12, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Insurgent (Divergent #2)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful.

Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Review:

This book was potent, but in an exceptional way. I got to run through the gamut of emotions again, I laughed, I cried and I got the ever loving crap scared out of me time and time again. I swear Veronica Roth made my heart stop a few times! And the ending? I am shocked, and I have no clue where in the world this series is going to go from here! I love being overwhelmed in a good way – so much action, tension, old faces, and an overabundance of emotions still had me asking for more in the end. And all of these things thrown together make a highly addictive book that is impossible to put down.

Both of us watch the purification happen, and I wonder if he is thinking what I am; that it would be nice if life worked this way, stripping the dirt from our lives and sending us out into the world clean. But some dirt is destined to linger.

The book starts off exactly where Divergent ended; with Tris, Tobias, Marcus, Peter and Caleb riding the train to seek refuge and regroup at Amity. From there I can’t say much more other than Marcus dangles something in front of Tris which could force her to lose Tobias forever, Tris finds out who her true friends are and who leaves her up a creek without a paddle (I was definitely shocked on both fronts!), and we get to see inside Amity, Candor and Eurodite which only helps us become more intertwined and engrossed in Tris’ world.

He still believes that I am strong. Strong enough that I don’t need his sympathy. I used to think he was right, but now I am not sure.

Tris was so strong in the first book but now she is drowning in her sorrows. From losing her mother, father and being forced to kill Will she is PAST her breaking point. She feels so weak. It doesn’t help that she doesn’t tell Tobias that she killed Will. That secret is slowly tearing them apart from one another and it has become a poison in her system that is slowly eating her away. While their whole world is crumbling around them I was broken hearted to see that instead of finding strength in one another they started to crumble also. But in those times of desperation I kept hoping that eventually she would shove the weak Tris down into the ground and stand up and be the selfless, brave, smart girl we all fell in love with in Divergent.

“Nothing else is all right.” His whisper tickles my cheek. “But we are.”

Tobias isn’t this mysterious man anymore. We know his faults, weakness and we come to learn the full extent of what love means to Tobias. His love for Tris is absolutely beautiful. And one of the hardest things to watch was what Tobias WOULD do and WOULDN’T do out of love for Tris. Both are heart-wrenching and cry inducing but in the end you love Tobias more for it. Even though this book was so heavy for me I loved that in the beginning we get to see a completely different side of Tobias. He banters a lot with Tris and oh my goodness that was smile inducing. They are hilarious and I’m thankful the book started off on such a light foot. There is a scene where Tris is a little “out of it” and the conversation she has with Tobias is most definitely giggle worthy.View Spoiler »

I can’t tell him I need him. I can’t need him, period – or really, we can’t need each other, because who knows how long either of us will last in this war.

The only fault I can find in Veronica Roth’s books is that she has this unnerving knack for being able to kill anyone off. It is disturbing and absolutely frightening because none of your favorites are safe. I understand that their world isn’t safe, well unless you go hang out with the ever so cheerful Amity but what would be the fun in that? Anyways, that is my only gripe and I am absolutely terrified of who will be on her radar to kill in the third book!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

BOOK REVIEW – Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

August 12, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Divergent (Divergent #1)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
This first book in Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy is the novel the inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers.

Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series, Divergent and its sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant, are the gripping story of a dystopian world transformed by courage, self-sacrifice, and love. Fans of the Divergent movie will find the book packed with just as much emotional depth and exhilarating action as the film, all told in beautiful, rich language.

One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

Review:

This book will forever have a place in my heart. Tris’ courage, Four’s mysterious sexy self and the spellbinding storyline are making me kick myself that I didn’t read this sooner. I became enraptured in Tris’ world and every time I had to put this book down I couldn’t get it out of my head. It contained all my favorite things and I think I felt every emotion under the sun. I laughed, I got butterflies in my stomach, I held my breath, I had sweaty palms, and I cried. I cried not only because I felt Tris’ sadness and pain but also because I was so over the moon happy. I don’t think I’ve ever cried because I was happy while reading a book. Can you tell? I LOVED Divergent.

Abnegation is what I am. It is what I am when I’m not thinking about what I’m doing. It is what I am when I am put to the test. It is what I am even when I appear to be brave. Am I in the wrong faction?

This storyline makes you forget that the world exists around you. The city is Chicago and the all of the people have been divided into five factions. It’s such an interesting concept because depending upon what you believe caused chaos in the world is what faction you belong to. Amity blames aggression, Erudite blames ignorance, Candor blames duplicity, Abnegation blames selfishness and Dauntless blames cowardice. Tris belongs to Abnegation but since she just turned 16 she will now undergo a mental stimulation test which in turn tells her which faction she should belong to. When Tris undergoes her test her results come back as inconclusive. She is shocked to find out that she is now something dangerous, she is Divergent. Not only that but she is now faced with the tough decision of whether she should stay in her faction or permanently move to two other factions that she could very well be suited towards. And from here is where I start to become VERY attached to the book. I loved the way the story progressed, I loved how my questions kept getting answered and I loved how Tris grows throughout all of her trials and tribulations.

It will be difficult to break the habits of thinking Abnegation instilled in me, like tugging a single thread from a complex work of embroidery. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else.

Honestly, I didn’t connect with Tris in the first few chapter. She seemed so meek and timid and that turned me off. The fact that she was trying to comply with such a foreign selfless lifestyle rubbed me the wrong way. I definitely was clueless in the beginning because I missed to see the good in her. The good of what her faction believed in and how that would help mold her into the person she would become throughout the book. And I came to love that person she slowly emerged into! As each chapter progressed THAT Tris was slowly merging into a NEW Tris and the combination of those two personalities was BEAUTIFUL. She was still selfless but she started to become someone more sure of herself, someone not afraid to show her stubbornness, someone not afraid to stick up for others and someone who asked questions when no one else was. She struggled with the decision of what was right and what was wrong but at some point it just all clicked for her. She became someone I admired and while I didn’t agree with every choice she made along the way she became a force to be reckoned with. The trials and tribulations she had to endure were at times suffocating and the lack of choices had me screaming at the unfairness of life, but then again even though this is my least favorite saying EVER, who ever said life was fair.

Suddenly he presses a hand to my stomach. His fingers are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches one side of my rib cage, his fingertips still touch the other side. My heart pounds so hard my chest hurts, and I stare at him, wide-eyed.

Four was, sigh, he was everything I love – tough demeanor, calculating mind, capability to be authoritative and lead, a secretive past and an ability to completely melt someone into a puddle. He had an innate way to keep me constantly intrigued and constantly asking for more. While I didn’t always understand his actions and even if he was seeming to act like the biggest jerk on the face of the planet, I knew that I could trust his reasoning behind each action and all would be forgiven. He also had this wonderful way of putting people in their place. There were a few times when he verbally slammed one of the people I hated into the ground and you couldn’t knock the smirk off of my face! And going back to the melting someone into a puddle, well, this is kind of silly but there is this one scene that had me smiling SO huge that I swear I fell asleep with a smile on my face!View Spoiler »

“People tend to overestimate my character,” I say quietly. “They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can’t possibly be cruel. But they’re wrong.”

But truly, I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, the unknowns, and everything in between about this book. I know people either love or hate this series and I’m desperately hoping I won’t be in the latter group because this book has definitely become one of my favorites!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

BOOK REVIEW – Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

August 10, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Opposition (Lux #5)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Everything had started with Dawson and Beth.
“Kat?”
My breath caught as I heard his voice. My chin dipped to my chest as I slowly wheeled around.
And everything ended with Daemon and me.

I can’t believe it’s over. I just can’t. Believe. It’s over. Not too long ago I picked up Obsidian on a whim, and my whole reading persona was irrevocably changed from that moment on.

Gone was the girl who only read random contemporary romances because she couldn’t find anything else to read-this girl was opened up to a whole different world where romance and peril accompanied each other like peanut butter and jelly (GRAPE jelly, if any of my weird best GR friends are reading this-GRAPE is the correct jelly). If anyone ever wondered what happened and why all of a sudden my GR shelves changed from normal romance to bizarro and crazy perilistic…they can thank this series. My life was never the same after.

I was in so deep. We were in so deep, and I didn’t want her here. I wanted her far, far away from all of this, but it was too late.
Too late for both of us, and maybe for everyone else, too.

Daemon and Katy are yet again in the middle of chaos. People are different, the Lux have invaded and, oh shit, View Spoiler » so who knows what’s going on with that. I don’t want to say a ton so as not to ruin the plot, but things will never be the same after this. Lives are at stake, people of earth are dying, and no one is safe. How can the world ever move on after this? What if there isn’t an after?

…I couldn’t sleep. Not when Daemon was out there somewhere, and not when the whole world was on the verge of…hell, turning into a dystopia, like one of those novels I used to read.
Sigh. Books. I missed them.

I think that while I had always been obsessed with book boys, this is the first guy who embedded his way into my whole heart. It took forever, and I do mean forever for any other book guys to get up to his level. Maybe it’s his snark, maybe it’s the way he was always so protective of Katy even when they weren’t a couple, or maybe it’s because he acted so damn tough and impenetrable like he could never love Katy…but had loved her all along. I don’t know. But what I do know is that nothing will ever be as simple as that moment when Katy stepped on his porch to ask for directions and he all but kicked her to the curb. Life will never be so simple…and not everyone will make it.

Daemon closed his eyes, and several long moments passed before he spoke in a voice that ripped up my insides. He only said one word. “Go.”
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and then took another I didn’t need. I tried to step back, but his grip was fierce. I gently grasped his arms, and it took everything in me to force him to let go.

I loved seeing Daemon protect Katy-even when it’s at the cost of his own life, he would die protecting her. I love that. Will always love that. I loved his vulnerability when it came to her, to his family, to saving the only people in the world that mattered to him. But Katy? He chooses her. Will always choose her. Guess he’s selfish like that.

Closing my eyes, I moved my mouth to the base of her neck and made myself a promise I would do terrible things to keep.
There would not be another scar on her body.
Not one.

So…admission time. I cried. I admit it. She got me. Not just ‘Oh muh God, Oh no’ tears-she got me on the ‘Oh, God, Oh no, it’s the end of one of my all time favorite series ever‘ tears. I don’t cry those often-but she got me-TWICE. TWICE in the same damn book. I love these people. I’ve been with them since book one. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it came to these guys. I’ve grown up with them and seen them learn from their mistakes-seen their heartaches and devastation and the impossible choices they’ve had to make. I’ve seen it all, so it’s extremely hard to say goodbye. It pains me that I’ll never hear ‘Kitten’ in the same context and extremely perfect way Daemon says it or feel Katy’s reluctant smiles and frustrations when Daemon pokes her in the back with his damnable pen in the classroom….no more ‘Bart’ or ‘Bimbo’ or ‘Barf’ comments and no more adorable jealousies as Daemon tries to win Katy’s heart. That’s over. Forever. And it sucks. But they’ve come full circle and nothing more could possibly happen without it being way too much, so it’s time to lay it to rest.

Did I miss school? Not really. Did I miss life before this crap, when it was just me, my trusty pen, and Kat sitting in front of me?
Yeah. Sometimes.

And…the elephant in the room. The pissy pink elephant in the room (hehe), for me, is the dialogue. Only sometimes did I kinda get aggravated, but I mean I can only hear about monkeys or ninjas or alien babies so many times. I’ve always adored Armentrout’s writing style-always. So it sucks to say that I didn’t love all the ‘humorous’ ways of saying, let’s admit it, ‘oh shit.’ Why can’t they ever just say that? It’s just as effective and so much more mature (come on, it’s bad when the word shit is mature). I’ve always loved her dialogue and cracked up at all these phrases-maybe I’ve changed a little or perhaps in this final installment she amped up the addition of these phrases, who’s to say? Either way, I still loved the book, I just wish some of those phrases would have been nixed.

Daemon kissed like he was staking a claim, but he already had me-all of me. My heart. My soul. My whole being.

Damn. I’ve been putting this off…..soooo this is it. My final paragraph (is it sad I have to address this as if my review is an essay or a book in itself? Hmm) of my final Daemon review. I don’t know how else to say this so I’ll make it brief. Books one through three will always be my favorite-they hold the angst and youthful portrayal of a skewed world where aliens and humans can fall in love in high school. I still liked the last two-they were just more serious. I don’t know. They all rock, but in the end, I wanted to make it clear that book one stole my heart, and book three cemented it in stone-that cliffhanger will forever be one of my all time favorite crazy endings-it was amazing. So, goodbye to Daemon, Dee, Dawson, View Spoiler »Beth « Hide Spoiler (I kinda hated her. Is that weird? So mousy…), Archer, Luc, and even that creepy old Blake (hey, he added a ton of snarky humor from Daemon so I’ll forever be grateful for his presence). I will forever re read these books and never get tired of them…and I am so glad they are sitting happily on my book shelf-even if Armentrout pulled a hail Mary and changed the last book cover in the series and ruined my collection of the previous four. Ugh. Oh well, I’ll deal.

“Together,” I whispered.
Daemon bowed his head, lowering his mouth to mine, as a sudden rush of noise caused the blood to freeze in my veins. I feared that this was it-the end.

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Shadows #0.5 Reviews: Jen	Obsidian #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Onyx #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opal #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Origin #4 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Obsession (Companion novel) #4.5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opposition #5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Oblivion #Companion Novel OBSIDIAN, ONYX & OPAL Told by Daemon Black Reviews: Jen

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

BOOK REVIEW – The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson

It can take years to mold a dream. It takes only a fraction of a second for it to be shattered.

If one can’t be trusted in love, one can’t be trusted in anything. Some things can’t be forgiven.

That’s the way of death. There’s no dignity in it.

His arms circled around me, his face nestled in my hair, holding me so tight I could almost believe we would never part again. I breathed him in, his touch, his voice, and for a moment as long and short as a heartbeat, all of the world and its problems disappeared and there was only us.

I will find you. In the farthest corner, I will find you.

The wind swirled between us, threw mist in our faces. Whispered. In the farthest corner…I will find you. I wiped at my eyes, the real and true blurring. But I knew this much. He came He was here. And maybe, for now, that was all the truth I needed.

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BOOK REVIEW – Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Synopsis:

Review:

Tris: He is stronger than anyone I know, and warmer than anyone else realizes; he is a secret that I have kept, and will keep, for the rest of my life.

Tobias: I feel like what I have become is halfway between my mother and father, violent and impulsive and desperate and afraid. I feel like I have lost control of what I have become.

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BOOK REVIEW – Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

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Both of us watch the purification happen, and I wonder if he is thinking what I am; that it would be nice if life worked this way, stripping the dirt from our lives and sending us out into the world clean. But some dirt is destined to linger.

He still believes that I am strong. Strong enough that I don’t need his sympathy. I used to think he was right, but now I am not sure.

“Nothing else is all right.” His whisper tickles my cheek. “But we are.”

I can’t tell him I need him. I can’t need him, period – or really, we can’t need each other, because who knows how long either of us will last in this war.

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BOOK REVIEW – Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

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Abnegation is what I am. It is what I am when I’m not thinking about what I’m doing. It is what I am when I am put to the test. It is what I am even when I appear to be brave. Am I in the wrong faction?

It will be difficult to break the habits of thinking Abnegation instilled in me, like tugging a single thread from a complex work of embroidery. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else.

Suddenly he presses a hand to my stomach. His fingers are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches one side of my rib cage, his fingertips still touch the other side. My heart pounds so hard my chest hurts, and I stare at him, wide-eyed.

“People tend to overestimate my character,” I say quietly. “They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can’t possibly be cruel. But they’re wrong.”

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BOOK REVIEW – Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Everything had started with Dawson and Beth. “Kat?” My breath caught as I heard his voice. My chin dipped to my chest as I slowly wheeled around. And everything ended with Daemon and me.

I was in so deep. We were in so deep, and I didn’t want her here. I wanted her far, far away from all of this, but it was too late. Too late for both of us, and maybe for everyone else, too.

…I couldn’t sleep. Not when Daemon was out there somewhere, and not when the whole world was on the verge of…hell, turning into a dystopia, like one of those novels I used to read. Sigh. Books. I missed them.

Closing my eyes, I moved my mouth to the base of her neck and made myself a promise I would do terrible things to keep. There would not be another scar on her body. Not one.

Did I miss school? Not really. Did I miss life before this crap, when it was just me, my trusty pen, and Kat sitting in front of me? Yeah. Sometimes.

Daemon kissed like he was staking a claim, but he already had me-all of me. My heart. My soul. My whole being.

“Together,” I whispered. Daemon bowed his head, lowering his mouth to mine, as a sudden rush of noise caused the blood to freeze in my veins. I feared that this was it-the end.

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I will find you.
In the farthest corner, I will find you.

The wind swirled between us, threw mist in our faces. Whispered. In the farthest corner…I will find you.
I wiped at my eyes, the real and true blurring.
But I knew this much. He came
He was here.
And maybe, for now, that was all the truth I needed.

Everything had started with Dawson and Beth.
“Kat?”
My breath caught as I heard his voice. My chin dipped to my chest as I slowly wheeled around.
And everything ended with Daemon and me.

I was in so deep. We were in so deep, and I didn’t want her here. I wanted her far, far away from all of this, but it was too late.
Too late for both of us, and maybe for everyone else, too.

…I couldn’t sleep. Not when Daemon was out there somewhere, and not when the whole world was on the verge of…hell, turning into a dystopia, like one of those novels I used to read.
Sigh. Books. I missed them.

Closing my eyes, I moved my mouth to the base of her neck and made myself a promise I would do terrible things to keep.
There would not be another scar on her body.
Not one.

Did I miss school? Not really. Did I miss life before this crap, when it was just me, my trusty pen, and Kat sitting in front of me?
Yeah. Sometimes.

“Together,” I whispered.
Daemon bowed his head, lowering his mouth to mine, as a sudden rush of noise caused the blood to freeze in my veins. I feared that this was it-the end.