Tag: Young Adult (Page 145 of 159)

BOOK REVIEW – Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake

August 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare BlakeGirl of Nightmares (Anna #2)
by Kendare Blake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

I am coming back, is what I was going to say. But this isn’t a game, and that isn’t a promise I should make.

Wow. Kendare Blake has earned my respect in the span of a two book series-not an easy thing to do. What started out as a simple Halloween buddy read became an obsessive impulse to read two books in 3 days. It’s not always about how well known a book is-it’s about how the book is written. What appeals to your taste, your style, your mood, and ultimately what makes you happy.

And these books made me so sooo happy.

It would still be years before I’d go up against ghosts of any real strength-ghosts like Anna Korlov, the girl who could have torn out my spine anytime she liked, but wound up saving me instead.

A beautiful fantasy created to both appeal to your imagination and tug on your heartstrings, Blake succeeded by invading my mind and clouding my vision-this series was all I cared about and all I could see. I would be typing invoices at work, but I wasn’t really typing invoices at work. All I could see was Cas-Cas fighting ghosts, Cas pining after Anna, Anna fighting for their love just as strongly as Cas was, Cas’s broken whispers for Anna…it was unbelievable how strongly I fell in love with these characters.

This must be how a caught fish feels, pulled up onto a dock, the wood pressing into its gills and eye when nothing has ever pressed against it before. Their gills throb to no use. My lungs pull no use. Something is moving in and out of them, but it isn’t air. There’s no sensation of nourishment hitting my blood. I grab my chest.

A world where a boy falls in love with the girl he can never have, where the girl is no longer alive, but in a limbo between death and wherever these tortured souls are supposed to go-A world he must save her from….but where will she choose to go? Will she stay with him, or will she choose to move on…?

She crossed over death to find me. I crossed through Hell to find her.

I can’t even begin to tell you how refreshing it is to read a book that isn’t on everyone’s radar at this very moment-to not know the outcome, to not know whether people are upset about an ending or not. GON isn’t in the limelight, and it was like my own personal, secret treasure that made adrenaline course through my veins and my heart thump with the anticipation of just
not knowing
 what will happen mixed with giddy nerves. Blake’s writing is amazing to me, still. I could literally taste the blood in my throat, I could feel what each individual character felt, every movement and every feeling-it was both exhilarating and rejuvenating.

This place is the thing behind madness. There is nothing good here. Off the map. If you eat frustration it chokes you. This place exists in the wake of a scream.

Had the ending not been so abrupt, this most likely would have been a 5 star read. The depth with which Blake embedded this story into my brain couldn’t be compromised, but I still wish there would have been more of a closing, an epilogue, a future glimpse-something. The quick ending was my only gripe with the story, and it stayed with me until even this morning, so I decided half a star deduction was adequate-I wasn’t disappointed by any means, just a little deflated with the lack of a glimpse into the future. Just a personal preference on my part, and not everyone will feel the same.

He doesn’t want Anna anymore. He has her. I’m the last loose end.

An absolutely amazing and imaginitive series, I was enthralled from page one as Cas tried to take out the route 12 hiker. I enjoyed being inside his snarky mind and hearing his inner dialogue and I’m going to miss him dearly. I’ve only known him for a short time, but it was a wonderful adventure and I have placed these books oh-so-dearly on my favorites shelf-and they will remain there forever.

BOOK REVIEW – The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

August 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye WaltonThe Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

*2.5 Not so Strange or Beautiful Stars*


I loved you before, Ava. Let me love you still.

Well….two months ago when I heard about this book and saw the stellar reviews, I never would have thought this would be the end result. It was beautifully written (contrary to above^^^) and it had a well thought out story line with no gaps to be seen…but…I can sum up this book in one word and, let me tell ya, it’s not groundbreaking: boring. This book was boring. Boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, BORING. Never has a shorter book been more boring.I HATE saying this about such a popular book, but I just could not and did not connect.

I found it ironic that I should be blessed with wings and yet feel so constrained, so trapped. It was because of my condition, I believe, that I noticed life’s ironies a bit more often than the average person. I collected them: how love arrived when you least expected it, how someone who said he didn’t want to hurt you eventually would.

What’s worse is that I barely even highlighted anything…even if I don’t love a book, I always highlight the parts I do love like crazy. So when I hardly felt the pull to highlight something, it really set the alarms off in my head. My biggest problem with this book was certainly not the characters-they were painted vividly and didn’t leave any fogginess as to their personalities or what their purpose was in the story-nothing was left to the imagination. But that’s where it went south for me-this book’s fatal flaw, for me, was what other people said made it so special. I’m the black sheep. I disliked this book so much because, wait for it, it was almost too overdeveloped. I know, right?? We readers and reviewers always want more depth, more description, more world-building….but in this case, the world building and character back stories suffocated me and made me feel like the sole purpose (or at least what I thought the sole purpose was supposed to be) was convoluted and wasn’t even in the story all that long….and I feel like the main character wasn’t even the main character…

Love, as most know, follows its own timeline, disregarding our intentions or well-rehearsed plans.

That’s right people. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender was more about her mother and her lost and longing love than about Ava herself-which bugged me…I’m sorry. I just feel like when the story is said to be about Ava Lavender, it should, in fact, be about GD Ava Lavender…Am I wrong in wishing this? I mean…Ava didn’t even become a factor in the story until, what, 30%? Doesn’t that seem a tad over-excessive for building a back story? Well, it was for me. And, hey, I was okay with it even then. But when she finally entered, it still wasn’t wholly about her and I just wasn’t okay with it then. When it was just the late intro (short book, but still), it was acceptable, because the world needs more well thought out books. But when Ava finally became the ‘sole person’ of the story, it wasn’t overwhelming, my senses didn’t overload, I didn’t love her as a person and…and it just was too little too late-it wasn’t enough to make me love this story and it’s characters.

A person with a curved heart line was a person capable of great warmth and kindness, a person willing to give their whole selves to love, no matter the cost.

It’s all so ironic because I am one of those readers who kinda loves the delayed male entrance into a story-sure, I start jonesing for the male like the rest of the red-blooded females on this site and in the reading community, but I’ve always thought it adds more to the story when he enters-it gets so built up and when they finally meet or see each other again, their connection has became THAT much stronger. So, it’s ironic of me to be a little angry that Ava wasn’t in the story for so long, but I feel I’m justified in my reaction-once she entered, there just wasn’t enough stage presence.

Years later the lights of the growing city would erase the stars from the sky, but back then they shone through the branches like jailed fireflies.

Okay, I’m done whining and complaining-despite my nasty star rating and saying to go along with it, the writing was actually very beautiful. I highlighted some parts despite their lack of significance just because I loved the way the author described something-the writing was never the problem. It just wasn’t enough. And then I did adore the boy Ava fell for. He was sweet, kind, and absolutely adorable (when he was in it). And her best friend was fun, too-pushy, but fun and (most of the time) loyal. The only character I did abhor at times was Ava’s mom. I mean…her story (which turned out to essentially 60% of the book for whatever reason) was, here it comes…boring. At first it was cute-her falling for a guy and it being forbidden love and all-but then she won’t let it go-Years…and years….and years later…and we are still hearing about this dude even though there’s a perfect guy right beside her and-Oh gosh, I started complaining again-but to sum up, the mother drove me insane at times. Which, this became a problem because she was a large part of the story.

“Love can make us such fools.”

I am so so sad that I didn’t love this book. I even had bought an extra copy on hardback at Target as it sat on my kindle app for months because A) it was just so pretty and B) I just knew I’d love it. Sadly, I did not. So, if there was one thing I’d say to people, it would be that Ava was an absolutely sweet and lovely character. If you love stories with very intricate detail and world-building, you will probably love this one too. Her guy is nice, she is nice, the world the author built is nice…I just didn’t fit into it.

BOOK REVIEW – The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly Derting

August 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly DertingThe Body Finder (The Body Finder #1)
by Kimberly Derting
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

A quick, fast-paced read that I almost finished in one day. I literally had to slow down so I didn’t have two reviews to write in the same day because I was just reading THAT fast. TBF was one of those stories that while it wasn’t anything new or groundbreaking, it was fun and took me away from the real world for a bit. It was an escape from reality and it was a change of pace-it came at the perfect time.

He reached out, capturing her hand in his. He laced his fingers casually through hers. Violet leaned against him and the calm finally came, settling over her peacefully. And then he kissed her. Gently. Softly. Not on the lips, as she’d imagined so many times before, but on her forehead. The gesture was sweet and a little possessive. Violet hoped, maybe, it was a start.

I’ve been in two different funks lately-either the books I am reading are SO good that those following don’t stand a chance or I’ve been reading the same old same old and a change of pace is welcoming. Turns out that this time, it was a case of both. I read two or three awesome books in the last week that knocked me off my feet-and while that was refreshing, it also dragged me back into that slump where one of my favorite couples invaded my mind and made it hard to jump into another story (yes, I’m talking Dex and Perry via Ashes to Ashes). I didn’t realize it, but I needed a book to pull me away from my favorite ghost hunting duo and back into that happy medium where more than one couple will do, and this book was perfect for the job.

One of my biggest gripes in books is corny dialogue….and this book was stepping all up in it. BUT, for some reason, and I’m not sure why, I just didn’t care. The best part of it is, I didn’t have to just cringe and deal with it, it just skirted the issue-it would start something that otherwise normally led to full on unrealistic and forced banter, but it would stop before it got to that point. Not only that, the characters in question of being corny (i.e. the best friends and oh-so-present-enemies) were actually likeable. Yes, likeable. I think that plays a big part in my annoyance most of the time.

And even more than that, I hate when the author tells us what is happening or going to happen instead of letting it just show in the scene. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like when the author gives you a play by play of what’s going on instead of letting you decipher what it all means and then adding a quote at the end of the explanation in response to what’s ‘happened’. Probably not the best way to say what I mean, but it’s the best I can do. Luckily, I was so engrossed in the story that it didn’t seem to matter, and that made me very happy.

I loved Jay and Violet-I loved that they grew up best friends and did everything together and still did everything together. It made it so adorable when they finally expressed their attraction to one another and only added to the compatibility they clearly already shared. Although, you guessed it, corny, I loved every minute they were together and every minute leading up to it.

There was suspense, there was jealousy, there was protectiveness, and there were climactic parts that actually had me scanning the pages at lightning speed. I was utterly surprised at the creepy undertone and the idea that young girls were being abdcuted and killed all around our two main characters. It was more than I could have asked for as a filler and I will surprisingly continue this series forward. I can’t wait to see what suspense lays ahead of our girl, Violet.

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BOOK REVIEW – More Than This by Patrick Ness

August 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – More Than This by Patrick NessMore Than This by Patrick Ness
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads


Here is the boy, drowning.

A story built around false truths and a misinterpretation of life, we start this story not knowing where our main character is or where he will end up. We don’t know if he’s truly dead or truly alive, inbetween life and death or in Hell. But we saw him die….didn’t we?

“I wanted so badly for there to be more. I ached for there to be more than my crappy little life.”

I’m no beginner to Ness’s dark style of writing, so I was fully prepared when I started this one. Not quite sure what to expect, I went in with an open mind and a hopeful attitude that I would fall in love with another of his stories.

While I didn’t add another to my favorites shelf like his Chaos Walking trilogy, I did get to experience another expertly written novel that had me on my toes the entire time.

He really is alone in whatever hell this is.
Completely and utterly alone.

Solitude. Solitude shapes the entire story. I can’t even begin to explain the depression our main character feels because of this common thread, and I won’t try. Why? There is literally no way to give anyone a synopsis without either giving something away or confusing them more. But I CAN focus on themes and other areas, so I will attempt to talk about those areas instead.

But then he thinks, No. Because you can die before you’re dead, too.

As Seth starts trying to figure things out and move forward with whatever he is supposed to be doing, we start to see his demeanor slowly become unhinged. Seeing flashbacks everytime he falls asleep (or is he really in the moment, reliving it because of it’s vital importance?) we start to see how he was in that freezing ocean in the first place.

The loneliness. In his accumulating exhaustion, the terrible loneliness of this place swamps him, just like the waves he drowned in.
No one here. No one at all besides him. No one.
Forever.

Getting darker as the story progresses, we wonder how anything good can possibly come from anything that can possibly happen. But, even within the darkest of the dark moments, Ness has a heart-you can see it in everything he writes, see it in every ink-stained page he has produced-his characters always have such big hearts and always burst with so much passion, and even though he’s the reason for many harsh events within his novels, you can’t help but see how strong the characters become because of these events and why Ness chose to do these things in the first place. We see the effects of carrying a burden and how it influences our most important life decisions, making this another story where we learn a lesson while we’re being entertained.

Billions and billions of stars. Billions and billions of worlds. All of them, all those seemingly endless possibilities, not fictional, but real, out there, existing, right now. There is so much more out there than just the world he knows, so much more than his tiny Washington town, so much more than even London. Or England. Or Hell for that matter.

I undoubtedly loved the story and all the mystery surrounding every page. I was pulled in and fell hard once again for the obvious breaks and abrupt cuts at the end of sentences that purposely leave us in the dark and wondering what the character was going to say, adding more to the mystery. It’s like one of those movies that keeps adding layers that confuse you and keep you asking, ‘where does he come up with this shit?!’. It’s amazing and unbelievable at the same time, but he never makes you feel like you can’t or won’t ever understand-he never makes you feel unintelligent. We are all just a part of the game.

A book… it’s a world all on its own too. A world made of words, where you live for a while.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I do feel it was a little over the top at times, making it hard to guess what was behind the next cornerat every turn. It eventually started making since, but was a little too much before we got to that point. I still laughed, teared up, felt deeply, and enjoyed characters who I won’t name immensely, even if things were stagnant at times. The action gradually escalated, making for a fantastic finale that had me on the edge of my seat and begging for more. I will continue to watch for new work from Ness, and I will always be wowed by the intricately layered worlds and characters he creates. If you haven’t read a novel by him, I encourage you to do so-you’re missing out.

“Real life is only ever just real life. Messy. What it means depends on how you look at it. The only thing you’ve got to do is find a way to live there.”

BOOK REVIEW – Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo

August 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh BardugoShadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)
by Leigh Bardugo
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

“I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I’d catch myself walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I’d seen something I wanted to tell you about, or because I just wanted to hear your voice. And then I’d realize that you weren’t there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I’ve risked my life for you. I’ve walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I’d do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don’t tell me we don’t belong together,” he said fiercely. He was very close now, and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see you, Alina. But I see you now.”

A few months ago I read a fantasy book (without even realizing it was supposed to be fantasy) and was totally turned off by the completely over-the-top character/animal developments and the mixture of the two. It was both odd and hard to picture, so I told myself I would either stay away from fantasy or be more careful when choosing another candidate. When I saw Shadow and Bone blown up on GR, I started to become curious. Again, I didn’t realize it was fantasy per se, but when I did start reading it didn’t bother me one bit.

I think that’s what makes someone tick-even though a book or something might be out of your comfort zone, all that matters is how the story is developed and what the author does to make you forget it’s genre at all. It’s what makes you happy and what appeals to your taste. (I’d like to point out that while this was fantasy, there were no humans with animal heads present-thank God.)

Alina and Mal are orphans who grew up together and were dubbed unextraordinary with no Grisha talents to speak of. Being a Grisha provides you with a lavish way of living and would ultimately change, say, an orphan’s life forever. But not if an orphan just wanted to stay with their only friend, not if they push whatever talent they possess to the backburner to be with the only person they care for. All these years later, Alina still feels unnecessary and as if she doesn’t belong, while Mal has grown into an expert hunter who could have any girl he wishes.

“I’m not like you, Mal. I never really fit in the way you did. I never really belonged anywhere.”
“You belonged with me.”

Then one fateful night when the settlement has to move across the dangerous Fold (where it is always dark and winged creatures circle above waiting for easy prey to cross) and many lives are most likely to be lost, Alina’s hidden away talent that she had all but forgotten about resurfaces and saves the lives of numerous people-including Mal, the guy she has loved her entire life.

I absolutely adored this story. We have Alina, this mousy, insignificant girl who has never really fit in. This girl who holds the key to possibly destroying the one thing that all colonies/towns/settlements/whatever fear, and she doesn’t even realize her potential. And with newfound power comes new enemies and new friends, some more pure than others, while some have a hidden agenda. You will fall in love with characters so fast it makes your head spin, and you will be quick to despise other characters-but be careful, those you chose to love might be corrupt, while the characters you chose to dislike might just be Alina’a only true allies.

“The problem with wanting,” he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, “is that it makes us weak.”

I can’t even begin to express how ecstatic I am to have read and fallen in love with this utterly captivating and off the wall book. In all honesty, it reminds me of a magical Hunger Games, which is my favorite series of all time, mixed with a paranormal dystopian. And maybe that’s why I decidedly fell for this book so quickly. It contains all the elements of my favorite stories/genres, and the characters were so fun to obsess over. Once Alina is summoned by The Darkling to both strengthen and showcase her abilities, it all starts to move at a fast pace and you become so engrossed you don’t even realize you’re almost finished. Almost as quickly as I picked up my ereader, I was putting it back down again because I was finished.

Witty, fast-paced, and all around fun, I will be sure to re read this again soon-it was just that good.

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