Morrighan's Book Reviews: Dystopian

Showing posts with label Dystopian. Show all posts

Friday, July 6, 2018

Book Review: Deviation

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom.
Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.
When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.
Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?

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Monday, April 10, 2017

Book Review: King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

King's Cage
By Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen #3
Ebook: 528 pages
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ( 5 out of 5 Stars )

In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl's spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?
Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.
As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.
When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen
By Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen #1
Hardcover: 383 pages
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Orion
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
4 out of 5 Stars

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Book Review - An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes
By Sabaa Tahir
An Ember in the Ashes #1
Hardcover: 446 pages
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ - 5 out of 5 Stars

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

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Monday, December 1, 2014

Legend by Marie Lu - The Legend Trilogy #1

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Since I read The Young Elites by Marie Lu, a lot of folks recommended this series to me. Another dystopian novel, with a lot of the same plot line that I've come to associate with a dystopian book. Plagues run rampant, government is worse than a police state, executions are not a rarity. I'm not sure the exact reason why, but this police state-world pissed me off a little more than similar dystopians. It could have been due to the fact that the lower class was victimized, almost to the point of a complete removal from society. The government and soldiers controlled every aspect of the characters' lives, and to me, that is a truly terrifying scenario. Being the history nerd that I am, (:D) I have read a lot about the New World Order. Legend had an eerie semblance to this new government: with population control, brainwashing of citizens, and if you have money, you belong to one of the Elite circles. Ugh. It was disgusting, honestly. Disgustingly realistic and terrifying as hell. The privileged class were able to afford a better education, which led to better jobs and immunizations from the "plagues." The world building itself is superb. Not to mention that the capital city of this new Republic is Denver. Conspiracy theorists realize the connection here!

The characters are wonderfully written. I fell in love with Day from the moment Miss Lu introduced him. His wildness combined with an aura of confidence, almost cockiness- is sexy as hell. The sarcastic personality and overall loyalty and love that he has for his family fully won me over, though. It took me a lot longer to like June. Her character at the beginning is awful, the true picture of a spoiled little girl. Honestly, I think that first picture the reader has of her, ends up making us all like her a lot more later on in the story. Her bravery and conviction is powerful, to the point where she doesn't even question doing something, only because it is the right thing to do. June and Day's relationship is ridiculously ill-fated. They meet while she is under cover, looking for her brother's murderer. Day is the prime suspect, but June doesn't realize that it is him when they meet. Day rescues her from danger, and she ends up spending a couple of days with him during her mission before realizing who he is. In that time, June feels happier and more at ease than she ever has. Her life has been nothing but a heavy dose of brainwashing; a military life from birth. But Day is the most wanted criminal in the Republic, and she is a soldier for that Republic. It is her job to arrest him, and she does exactly that. In the process, she is indirectly responsible for the death of his mother. Sigh. There's really no going back from that for June. She ends up redeeming herself to a point, but it's never a healthy relationship from the beginning..

Surprise, the Republic ends up being a bunch of evil, power hungry bastards! They basically lie to the population while preventing them from seeing the truth. It is an uneasy view of what a power-hungry government looks like. A New World Order. Ahem! The plot line is paced well. It feels like something new and exciting is always happening, and I'm racing to keep up with the developments. Every page felt like it could have been the end for either June or Day, and I found myself getting nervous with every page-turn! This story catches your attention and keeps a firm grasp on it the entire way through. A story of survival, truth, and betrayal. Definitely recommend this one to all dystopian fans! It is one of my favorite dystopian series, and I've been reading a lot of them lately!

"“You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my mind, I make a silent promise to my brother's killer. I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.”
"“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time... You try to walk in the light.”
"“You threw everything away." I bring a hand up to touch her face, to wipe the rain from her eyelashes. "Your entire life-your beliefs...Why would you do that for me?" June has never looked more beautiful than she does now, unadorned and honest, vulnerable yet invincible. When lightning streaks over the sky, her dark eyes shine like gold. "Because you were right," she whispers. "About all of it.”
“Day leans in toward me. He reaches up to touch my face. I can tell it still hurts him to use his fingers, and his nails are dark with dried blood. "You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay with someone like me." I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools.”"

Related Reviews
| Prodigy | Champion | The Young Elites |

Connect with Marie Lu
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

I have come to expect certain things from dystopian novels. Among these, an over aggressive government, an outcast group among the population, and some sort of war waged between these two groups. The Young Elites does not fail to provide each of these three scenerios. The story is told from a dual point of view. On one hand, there is Adelina. On the other is Enzo. One thing that I would never expect, though, is a story told from the villain's point of view. And that is exactly what Adelina is. She is the x-factor, the creature that everyone wants on their side, yet is fearful of, for good reason. Her powers are untapped and unpredictable, wild and powerful. The feelings that she has for Enzo caused them to rage more out of control than ever before. Yet she does not want to be without him. These feelings are new and different. Is she in love with him? Possibly. I appreciated that Miss Lu did not jump into the whole, insta-love thing. It took time for feelings to develop between Enzo and Adelina. She is a broken girl. Abuse is an every day occurrence in her young life, with a father that hated her, a sister that pushed her away, and an entire town that was terrified of the markings of her curse. And she acted like a broken girl. Her wariness never fully went away, even when it seemed that the Young Elites had accepted her as one of their own. She still knew in her heart that she could trust no one fully.

Adelina is a calculating character. I never fully liked her, but I respected her power and intelligence. I was not able to connect with her in a way that made me like her though, sadly. It is tough to read an entire book with a character that the reader doesn't like, but somehow, it made the story more interesting. I never knew what to expect from her. It seemed one minute, she was able to trust the Young Elites, the next moment, she was ready to reveal their identity and location. Her mind changed at the drop of a hat, and her decisions were not thought out well. She reacted on feelings and instinct alone, which portrayed her character as very rash. I wasn't a huge fan, Miss Lu! Enzo's character is also cold and calculating. The only bit of feelings that he expresses, he regrets. Although his princely position as leader of the Young Elites, as well as The crown prince puts him in a vulnerable situation, his character is strong and powerful. He controls his power over fire extremely well, and he knows exactly what he is doing when it comes to a fight. His character is sexy and dangerous, my favorite kind! And then there is Taren. He is a total jackass, seriously. His character is focused on power, power, and did I mention, power? It is the only thing that concerns him. That, and his ability to gain more of it, which is his reasoning for doing everything.

The world building is done very well. Descriptions are detailed to the point where I can picture the world in my head. The setting is sometime in the late 16th, early 17th century, as far as I can tell. A plague swept through the lands while Adelina was a child, leaving behind either dead children or malfettos in its wake. Malfettos are children that are marked by the fever, either by oddly colored hair, eyes, or even scars on their bodies. Some of these children have strange powers. Powers that can control wind, fire, animals, and even minds. These ones with power are called The Young Elites, and they often use their abilities to stand up to government control. If the Queen had her way, all malfettos would be executed in the town square. If the Young Elites had their way, the King and Queen would be executed in the town square. It is a violent world, full of unnecessary death and war. Yet I found myself ultimately hoping for the death of the monarchs, and a cleansing of this world of the power and control they have over the less fortunate.

I truly did enjoy this story of violence and struggle, and I am looking forward to the next in the series! The ending was awful, with a cliff-hanger that makes me want to scream at Miss Lu! I am pretty sure I know exactly what will happen with Enzo, but not being completely positive drives me crazy. I can't believe it was ended the way that it was, dammit! I am growing more and more fond of the entire dystopian genre, although it is rather predictable. I feel that the reason behind it is basically: our world right now seems to be falling apart. A dystopian-like situation in the next fifty years is not a far fetched idea anymore. Especially the ones stemmed from ultimate government control. Hey, I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all, but is the idea really that impossible? I feel that is why this genre was so unsettling for me to read at first. Just something to think about (:

"“Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”" -Adelina
"What if I do become one of them? What more do I have to lose? I'm no safer on my own than if I remain with them. But if I want to survive, I need to stay and prove myself. And in order to do that, I not only need to learn how to control my energy- I also need to make some allies. Some friends. Setting out alone hasn't exactly worked well for me. I shiver when I remember the reaction I had to the nightstone, how whatever Raffaele did had forced a darkness from within me and brought it to the surface. What if that's who I am?" -Adelina
"The only way to clamp down on my energy is to erase my emotions, and so I fold them each away, one by one. My sorrow turns to anger, then to ice-cold fury. My soul curls in one itself in defense. I am gone. I am truly gone. I am not sorry.” -Adelina
"“Don't forget one weapon just because of another," he says. A flicker of approval flashes in his eyes. "Or you'll find yourself skewered in no time." "Then maybe you should know which weapons are real.”" -Adelina & Enzo

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Related Reviews
| Legend | Prodigy | Champion |

Connect with Marie Lu
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

In the After Light by Alexandra Bracken - The Darkest Minds #3

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Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

I have one word to describe this book; meh. It was just meh for me, and I was more than a bit disappointed. I'm not sure why exactly I never reconnected to the characters. They just felt shallow and.. I suppose obnoxious is a good word to describe them. I found Ruby, especially, really irritating in this book. She internally over analyzed every freaking thing, and had the whole 'I hate myself' mentality going the entire way through the story, and it got old really fast. I have a hard time enjoying that kind of character, and Ruby was no exception. It seemed she wouldn't accept Liam's love, and then she would, and then she wouldn't; over and over again. She changed her mind at the drop of a hat, and her actions and thoughts were so inconsistent, I didn't know how she really felt from chapter to chapter. It was so frustrating at times. Liam's character was different as well; he had a more jaded personality, like an edge to him that wasn't portrayed before. Don't get me wrong, I did like his character. It just seemed like years had passed and they had all changed, instead of a few weeks since Never Fade. We also find out some crazy things about Cole that I was not expecting at all. All in all, I was pretty disappointed with the overall characters in this last book.

The plot line was about the same as the last two books; run from people trying to kill them, release kids from camps. It was just a continuation of Never Fade. It was full of action and dramatic scenes, and we get to meet a lot more Psi kids throughout. The world building has mostly become established in the first two books in the series, and not much changes from the apocalyptic scenes described in them. Children are still either dead, or locked up in the camps to control their abilities. The only ones that aren't have to run for their lives, stay hidden from adults, and scavenge for everything that they have on a consistent basis. President Gray is still running the country, forcing citizens to believe that their children are safe and being treated for their 'illnesses.' It is a really sad world, yet something that I could envision happening. It is not so far fetched that the impossibility of something like this happening is scarce. We finally find out where IAAN comes from and who is responsible for it. There is talk of a cure, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

I was so disappointed with the ending to this series. I can't say enough how much I love puzzles, and unsolved ones drive me insane! It seems that we will have to live with this unsolved puzzle, because this was the last in the series. There are so many unanswered questions that I am baffled why Miss Bracken left off this way. What happened to the Reds? What will happen to the children? Ugh! If you have read it, you know exactly what questions I mean. The ending left a lot to be desired, and I hope that one day, Miss Bracken will answer the questions that I'm sure a lot of us are asking right now.

As for the romance, it was iffy at best. Liam and Ruby are constantly fighting, lying to each other, or feeling guilty about something they did. It's actually quite tiresome, and I was bored within the first hundred pages. Ruby couldn't make up her mind, and her moods and thoughts changed instantly. One minute, she was completely in love with Liam; the next, she would agree with Cole that Liam should leave the compound. I really just wanted to throw my Nook against the wall more than once. I can't stand a whiny ass protagonist, and Ruby filled that role completely. I don't remember the first two books being like this, and I wish I knew what changed that made me despise this book so much.

I hope I don't disappoint anyone, especially the fans of The Darkest Minds series, but this book was awful. The only reason that I finished it was my love of puzzles and my natural inane curiosity. I was hoping that the book titles together meant something- The Darkest Minds Never Fade in the After Light, but if it did, the meaning was never explained. All in all, I think I just expected so much more than Miss Bracken provided. I am disappointed, and just.. meh!

"It rained the day they brought us to Thurmond. And it rained the day I walked out.” -Ruby
"“Black is the color that is no color at all. Black is the color of a child's still, empty bedroom. The heaviest hour of night-the one that traps you in your bunk, suffocating in another nightmare. It is a uniform stretched over the broad shoulders of an angry young man. Black is the mud, the lidless eye watching your every breath, the low vibrations of the fence that stretches up to tear at the sky. It is a road. A forgotten night sky broken up by faded stars. It is the barrel of a new gun, leveled at your heart. The color of Chubs's hair, Liam's bruises, Zu's eyes. Black is a promise of tomorrow, bled dry from lies and hate. Betrayal. I see it in the face of a broken compass, feel it in the numbing grip of grief. I run, but it is my shadow. Chasing, devouring, polluting. It is the button that should never have been pushed, the door that shouldn't have opened, the dried blood that couldn't be washed away. It is the charred remains of buildings. The car hidden in the forest, waiting. It is the smoke. It is the fire. The spark. Black is the color of memory. It is our color. The only one they'll use to tell our story.”
"“Are you sure this isn't a nightmare?" he asked quietly. "And that we won't just wake up?" I stared ahead at the road, the way the dust blowing in from the desert covered it with a faint golden sheen even as gray clouds began to gather over us. "yes," i said after some time. Because dreamers always wake up and leave their monsters behind.” - Ruby & Liam

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Related Reviews
The Darkest Minds; Never Fade

Connect with Alexandra Bracken
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole - Arcana Chronicles 2

*Warning: contains spoilers for Poison Princess, the first book in the Arcana Chronicles.

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Shocking secrets
Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who've been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It's kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies
With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery
When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she's drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can't remember--but Death can't forget...

Dammit all to hell. Miss Cole just had to throw a love triangle into this up 'til now, perfect series. Gah! I knew it was too good to be true. This series had to include something completely frustrating at some point. I was just hoping that it wouldn't be this. Sigh.

Endless Knight picks up right where Poison Princess ends. With Evie murdering Arthur- the Alchemist Card- while Selena, Finn, Matthew, and Jack look on. Jack sees Evie in all her 'red-witch glory.' But Arthur is only one enemy not standing in Evie's way of reaching her grandmother in North Carolina. Like most things in her life, the quest will not be easy. Along the way, it seems everything stands in her way; bagmen, cannibals, evil slavers, not to mention the many Arcana that are vying for her head.

No longer afraid of her powers, her understanding of the game increases exponentially. But there is a growing fear inside of her since her first kill; can she still be Evie when the blood lust is so alluring? Can she keep Jackson in her life, even though he acts like what she is repulses him?

Gone is the fumbling girl, in her place is an Evie that is strong, powerful, and intelligent. I began to admire her character more and more throughout this book. Forced to play a game that she never wanted any part in, she tries to make her own rules. Convince other Arcana to ally with her, take out Death, and stop the game for good. Too bad her previous lives as The Empress have not given her any credibility to her character. The dreams that she experienced before the Flash were of HER in her previous lives, an evil, blood thirsty witch with the ability to kill at will.

We learn so much more about the characters in this second book; Jack, oh Jack. I still am deeply in love with his character, and so much more is learned about him. He is still mysterious, full of danger and a pent-up rage that never seems to fully go away. Which only made me frustrated when Death came into the story. Dammit Miss Cole. How could you do this to us? We are faithful readers, and this is what we get in return? A messy love triangle, albeit sexy as hell, but still. Death's character is beyond frustrating, yet he has every excuse to be that way. We learn later on through the story what Evie and Death's back story is, and damn, it's a messy, emotional one. I don't know who I want to see Evie with. Both men tried to covet her for their own selfish reasons, and I am so upset with Jack and his part in Evie's misery. I don't want to reveal any spoilers, but dammit, I want to rant about the turn this story took! Anyone who would like to read the spoilers, I'm going to hide them .....right....here...(:

So yes, after sifting through my feelings in my spoiler-filled rant, I am going with Jackson. Yes, he lied to her about certain things, but he never tried to hurt her- physically or emotionally. Death had no qualms about hurting her, terrorizing her, and threatening her. He showed no mercy or pain when she was hurting, so how much can he truly care for her?

All in all, this book did not live up to Poison Princess, and I was beyond disappointed with the whole love triangle situation. It was a great story, and I found myself unable to put it down though. The planet is in ruins, humans are thrown back to their basic natural instincts- kill or be killed, survival in its most basic form. Matthew is still a raving lunatic, only speaking in riddles when he even speaks at all. Selena has grown on me, as her attempts at seducing Jack are not so blatant anymore. Finn is so much fun! I really do love his character; he is charming, funny, and California surfer sexy! And Lark- the Strength Card- Mistress of Fauna; she controls animals. We meet her part-way through this book. I found myself loving her, and hating her, and then loving her again. I never truly did figure out which side of the fence that she was on until almost the very end, but I found myself liking her character regardless.

At this point, all of the cards have been revealed save for six. And there was mention of a card that would remain dormant until their first kill, it would then be activated as a member of the Arcana. I am hoping beyond all hope that it is Jack! I am almost positive that he is Arcana, and if so, him and Evie HAVE to end up together, dammit! Especially if his card ends up being The Emperor, one of the still hidden cards at this point!

To wrap up this ridiculously long review/rant, this book is an absolute must read, as is the entire series. Miss Cole is a masterful story teller, with a multitude of fresh, original ideas! I really did love this book, and if it wasn't for the love triangle, I would have given this one another 5 star review!

""What do you mean by game?" Finn asked. "Strip poker's a game. Quarters is a game. Games are fun." As though the words were dragged from her, Selena said, "Every few centuries, a contest begins, pitting twenty-two kids against each other in a life-or-death conflict. We're called Arcana, and we have special powers, the same in each game." Finn held up his hand. "Whoa, you said before that you didn't know why we had powers." "I lied," she said without an ounce of shame. "The last one standing gets to live until the next contest, as an immortal. Our histories were recorded- on Tarot cards." I glanced over at Jackson to see how he was taking all these revelations. His eyes were narrowed, the wheels turning. Yes, Cajun, we all hid secrets from you, me most of all. Yes, we're not totally, well, human. And oui, you're stuck in a cellar with the freaks. Selena continued, "Some families keep logs of the players and battles, detailed chronicles. My family did. Evie's as well. Her grandmother's a wise woman of the Tarot, a Tarasova. Yet for some reason, Evie says she's forgotten everything about the game." Selena pointed to my hand. "Now Evie's entered the game for real. She made a kill." -Finn, Selena, Evie, Jack & Matthew revealing the truth, finally.
""Matthew, you haven't told him I'm safe! Do it now!" "-Won't lie.-" Another worry to put on the heap of them. But for now, all I could think about was Jack. Voice gone raw, he asked Matthew, "Is that bastard... is he hurting her?" "Tell him I'm fine, just passing time until the storms end! Tell him I'll meet up with you in a couple of weeks. Please, please don't make him suffer like this." Jack looked like he would go insane if this went on for much longer. Which put an even more pressing clock on my mission to win over Death. "Matthew, please, I'm begging you to help Jack." "-He's tempted to beat your location out of me. But you asked him to keep me safe.-" "I thought you couldn't read Dee-vee-oh well." "-Doesn't take a Fool to foresee this! Jack Deveaux talks with his fists.-" "You sound almost admiring." "-Jack is... unexpected...-" Unexpected? That was something for a psychic to say. Even I didn't know what Jack would do if his back was against the wall. And it was. Which meant mine was too. "-Work on the Reaper, Empress.-" "The man hates me. I can rarely even get into the same vicinity." A couple of days ago, I'd hit my limit with everything- being a captive, missing Jack and Matthew, even Finn and Selena. And I'd been fed up with this place. It might have all kinds of luxuries, but no one laughed here, no one conversed or joked. It was like a giant tomb. Fitting." -Evie mind-speaking with Matthew

Dead of Winter - Book 3 in the Arcana Chronicles Release Date: January 6, 2015

Connect with Kresley Cole
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Friday, October 31, 2014

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole - Arcana Chronicles 1

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She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

Holy hell! I really have no explanation why this book sat on my TBR shelf for so long, almost two years in fact. Sigh. I have no excuses, and I am more than thankful that I finally read it. I loved every. single. thing. about this book. The plot line was beyond original; it was creative and masterful, each card of the major Arcana in the Tarot is a person somewhere in the world. How phenomenal is that..?! Miss Cole didn't make it as weird as it sounds, in fact, the plot line flowed so well that I didn't even question it. Tarot cards are people; check. Totally acceptable! I fell in love with each of the characters, and connected with every single one of them. Evie is an exceptionally strong, wonderfully written protagonist. She doesn't whine very much, even though her entire world, literally, is falling apart around her. She had visions of the coming apocalypse, yet did nothing about it, believing herself insane. She does blame herself for her friends' deaths, but she doesn't let it control her. I tend to get really irritated at the self loathing, guilt ridden characters, and thankfully, Evie is not that girl at all! Jackson's character is my favorite, though. He is the male character that I tend to find myself falling in love with. The irritating, cocky asshole male- with a well hidden soft side. He is strong, powerful, and totally sexy, of course! The Moon Card- the bringer of doubt, is the only character I really didn't like, and that's only because she's trying to sleep with Jackson, even though she knows that Evie cares about him. Selena also lied to Evie about a lot of things, and I don't think she is a card to be trusted; although she did help them out and saved their lives a few times. Matthew is crazy like a fox, literally! I think his character is intricate and mysterious, and the way that he talks in riddles drives Evie crazy, as well as me. It adds an extra layer to his personality that I find intriguing. Like Jackson, I love solving puzzles, and I cannot wait to find out more about his character in the next book.

The world building is incredible - a post apocalyptic setting that sounds terrifying, yet intriguing all the same. After the Flash, basically a solar storm that killed most of the humans on the planet, the world has changed completely. No one can be trusted. There is little food or water, let alone transportation. Everything acquired must be fought for, and a typical day is spent searching for nourishment, fighting off slavers and bagmen- humans transformed by a virus that turns them rabid, and fighting through the constant wind storms that sweep across the desert-like landscapes. Plants do not grow anymore, and most of the water was flash evaporated during the solar storm that hit earth. It is a desolate life, but Evie is happy to just be alive. I love that her character tries to find the good in everything; everything except her gifts that she has as the Empress Card. She can communicate with all plant life, as well as grow thorns from her fingernails to use as weapons. These so-called gifts terrify her, and she has no idea how to use them. I am looking forward to her learning more of her powers throughout the rest of the series, as well as solving the puzzle of Jackson and his brooding personality!

To wrap up this review, I loved everything about this book. It was phenomenal; the characters, the world-building, the plot line- everything flowed so perfectly! Thank you, Miss Cole, for this refreshingly original story! I recommend this to everyone, EVERYONE! Read it now, right now!

""This year, I'm taking our flirtationship to a new level," Mel informed me. "He just needs a nudge in the right direction." Unfortunately, Mel didn't know how to nudge. She play-punched hard, titty-twisted with impunity, and wasn't about the occasional headlock. And that was if she liked you."
""Come. Touch," she'd murmered to him. When he'd tripped over his feet to reach her, she'd opened up her palm and a flower had grown- from her skin. With a sensual wink, she'd blown him a kiss across the bloom, releasing deadly spores. He'd started choking, dropping to her feet. His skin had swelled until it split open in places. Putrid boils welled and spurted. She'd gazed on, cheerfully telling him, "How artfully we plants beckon; how perfect we punish.....""
"And his comment about crawling to the hospital Sunday mornings after being kicked in the ribs? I'd just assumed he was referring to injuries from his wild Saturday night bar brawls. Or had he been talking about an earlier time in his life, when he'd been a scared little boy, beaten by his mother's drunken... dates? Maybe that was why he traced his scars. They might be records of near misses or hard-earned victories. No wonder he could be so brutal. I felt a spike of shame that I'd judged him for thrashing that man in his home. No more. "Evie, bed down." Scanning the dark, he murmured, "You doan have to be scared. I've got you." You do, don't you? Here we were in the Bagmen's lair, and I wasn't terrified for my life. Jackson would kill any that strayed too close. In fact, they should fear him. I was with the boy that monsters should fear."
"Soon, I was gasping and he was groaning. His hands cupped my waist, descending to my wriggling hips. He squeezed them, then reached for my ass, gripping me with splayed fingers, wrenching my body even closer to him. Was he shuddering against me? No more control for either of us. I loved his abandoned groans, loved that I could feel them because we were pressed so tight together. Just as he'd promised, we were breathing for each other- and I still couldn't get enough. For me, this was the game changer, a line in the sand. Life before our kiss; life after."

____________________________________________

Related Reviews
Endless Knight - Arcana Chronicles 2

Connect with Kresley Cole
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes
By Sara Raasch
Snow Like Ashes Series 1
Hardcover: 422 pages
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rated:

4.5 out of 5 Stars

____________________________________________

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

I am blown away by this debut novel from Miss Sara Raasch. It took me a while after finishing to fully collect my thoughts, and even when I did, I am still at a loss as to how to convey my complete and utter immersion into this world that the author creates. There are basically 8 territories in the world of Primoria; four seasons- summer, fall, winter, and spring, and four rhythms- Cordell, Paisly, Ventralli and Yakim. The eight kingdoms are ruled by either a Queen or a King, and each ruler has a magickal Conduit- basically an object that they receive their magick through. Certain kingdoms can only be ruled by a woman, and vice versa. The kingdom of winter, where our main character, Meira comes from, was destroyed by Spring before Meira was old enough to remember much about it. She was raised as an orphan with a band of outcasts, trained to fight with weapons at an early age. Her band of rebels has dwindled over the years and now consists of only eight people- the future king of Winter one of these rebels. Mather is an unwilling king, thrown into this life before he had a say in the matter. With most of the Winterians locked up in the land of Spring as slaves, a lot is resting on this young king's shoulders. He must fight to free his people with only his small group of rebels standing by his side. Without the magickal conduit that his mother possessed, he cannot ask for help from any of the other territories.

A quest for the pieces of the stolen conduit leads to Meira almost becoming captured as well, but she is able to bring back half of the necklace that holds her people's power. With this piece, they are able to request the help of a neighboring land, the kingdom of Cordell. But in exchange for their help, Meira must agree to marry their prince and bind herself to the kingdom for life. And the prince is actually a really great character- Theron is nothing like his father. But is the king really willing to help the land of Winter, or is this another game of power and lies?

The characters are wonderfully written- Meira is incredibly selfless and so strong. I connected with her immediately. Her personality leaked through the words and pages like a beacon of hope in a dark sky, and I knew that she would be something more than what the author hinted at in the beginning. No spoilers, I promise! I also connected with Mather's character; he was incredibly strong yet gentle, intelligent yet made the typical stupid male decisions! Sir was a character that I never really liked, yet in the end, his distance and discipline definitely made more sense. And Theron. I truly liked him, but at the same time, I felt that Meira and Mather were better matched. I guess we will see how the romance plays out in the future books in this wonderfully new series!

The world building was hands down, phenomenal. No other word to describe it! I could picture the lands in my mind; Miss Raasch did an amazing job with her descriptions of the different Kingdoms. I loved the idea of Kings and Queens, rulers with a magickal icon that controlled their power, and a land that helped to increase that magickal power. It was an original, creative idea, and the plot line flowed very well. The twists and turns definitely caught me by surprise, and I can't tell if the author just wrote it so well that it wasn't predictable, or if I was too immersed in the story to pay attention to the hints that she left? All in all, for a debut novel, I am again blown away and stunned by the awesomeness of this book! I would recommend this book to any fan of the dystopian genre; hell, any urban fantasy fan in general!

"I aim my chakram at the captain with his boots mucked up in sewer gunk. His eyes swim over me. "The Winterians are sending girls to do their dirty work now?" he sneers. "Why don't you put that thing down before someone gets hurt?" I push out my bottom lip and widen my eyes. "This?" I lower the chakram. It's now aimed at the captain's left thigh. "They gave it to me and said throw! I don't even know how it works-" The soldiers jeer, a deep-throated chuckling that says this is a fight they're sure they'll win. I let the chakram fly as the captain moves forward, my body bending into an arch. The chakram soars through the sewer, slices clean through the captain's leg, and continues its spin back to me in one elegant circle of purpose. He screams and drops into the sewage, grabbing his thigh like, well, like I just sliced through it. "Oh." I run one hand down the flat side of the blade. "That's how it works." -Meira
"Will this be enough? Will reuniting our conduit halves restore our magick, or will Winter forever be the only kingdom in Primoria without magick to make it whole? If so, how will we defeat Spring, a kingdom steeped in magickally induced strength, when all we have are eight refugees and a pretty necklace? Will another kingdom even ally with us once we have the locket whole again, if our only heir is unable to use it?"
""Just once, I'd like to see you leave a meeting with William like a lady, instead of a panting bull."" -Dendera
"My heart thwump-thwumps against my ribs and I don't look away from him, hating how with one glance he can crack me open. Anyone else I'd be able to ignore, to hide my fear from them behind a cocky smile, but Mather sees everything. I know he sees it, because for the briefest moment, he drops his expressionless mask and the look in his eyes shows me he feels the same way. A mirror of every part of myself I can't bear to face."

Related Reviews
The Darkest Minds; Blood of Eden

Connect with Sara Raasch
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds
By Alexandra Bracken
The Darkest Minds book #1
Hardcover: 488 pgs
Published: December 18, 2012
By: Disney-Hyperion
Goodreads Link
Rated: 4.1 out of 5 Stars
Related Reviews: In the After Light - #3; Never Fade - #2

paranormal book reviews

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

The world building in this book was phenomenal. I loved the world that Alexandra created; a dystopian society that was hit with a devastating virus, killing off most children. The ones that didn't die from the virus became.. different. Ruby is one of those children, locked away in an abusive camp with thousands of other children. In this book, she finds herself, and learns to trust others again. I fell in love with Liam instantly, with his outgoing personality and instant trust in her. He is a wonderfully written male character. The "Slip Kid" is a complex and intricate character, and I tried so hard not to hate him (without success). I thought that the 'colors' to describe the types of abilities was pretty cheesy, but effective. The chemistry between Liam and Ruby is instant and absolute. The ending was awful, and I won't give any details, but it was the worst possible ending that could happen without any of the main characters dying. Sigh. On a good note, the Psi generation is ready to fight back, and I'm hoping that the resistance stands up in the future books to try to take back their world. I will definitely continue reading this series, and I look forward to the third book.

The Darkest Minds book #3: October 28, 2014

"Did you know...you make me so happy that sometimes I actually forget to breathe? I'll be looking at you, and my chest will get so tight...and it's like, the only thought in my head is how much I want to reach over and kiss you." -Liam to Ruby
"It feels like we should do something,' he said. 'Like, send her off on a barge out to sea and set her on fire. Let her go out in a blaze of glory.' Chubs raised an eyebrow. 'It's a minivan, not a Viking.'" -Chubs & Liam
"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."

Book reviews relating to this one:

Connect with Alexandra Bracken: AlexandraBracken.com; Twitter; Goodreads.

Tags: dystopian, the Darkest Minds, urban fantasy.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Blood of Eden Series by Julie Kagawa

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable journey begins.

paranormal book reviews
Another vampire series? Julie Kagawa laughs in the face of Twilight with this wonderfully written story. Blood of Eden is one of the best written worlds that I have ever read. Her version of vampires are dark and dangerous, as they should be. The world after a vicious plague has taken more than 60% of the population is the perfect, post apocalyptic world. Humans are greedy and selfish, as is our protagonist- Allie. She is jaded from years of starvation, of being the prey to the vampire rulers of her city. Along comes Kanin, a rare selfless vampire who turns her world on its head. Allie is a character that I could instantly relate with. Real world issues, whether they are post apocalyptic or not, are raging within her constantly. Yet she has the strength to pull herself out of her own darkness and be able to hope for a better outcome, a better world. It is her hope that survives throughout this wonderful story of war, bloodshed, insane vampires and humans alike, and, believe it or not, love. Amazing story Julie Kagawa, I cannot believe this series sat on my TBR shelf for so long! For the urban fantasy junkies out there that see "vampire series" and cringe, this one is definitely for you. (:
paranormal book reviews

"The mighty hunter,” I quipped as we snuck out the backdoor, escaping into the yard. “He can take down vicious rabids and rampaging boars, but one old lady can make him flee in terror.” “One scary old lady,” he corrected me, looking relieved to be out of the house. “You didn’t hear what she told me when I got up — you’re so cute I could put you in a pie. Tell me that’s not the creepiest thing you’ve ever heard.” His voice climbed a few octaves, turning shrill and breathy. “Today for dessert, we have apple pie, blueberry pie and Ezekiel pie.” -Julie Kagawa
“You don't dwell on what you've lost, you just move on." -Allison

Connect with Julie Kagawa: JulieKagawa.com; Twitter; Goodreads

Tags: vampire series, paranormal, urban fantasy, dystopian, julie kagawa, ya, na, teen.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Broken Prince by Jen Wylie - The Broken Ones book 2

Sometimes, when you're broken, you can heal on your own. Sometimes, you need the help of your friends, your family, and the people you love. Keeping those pieces together when the world seems intent on ripping you apart is the greatest challenge of all. Especially when the ones you love, the ones who hold you together, start falling apart themselves. Arowyn and her family continue on their journey to return the Elven Prince, Shael, to his homeland before he fades and dies. A journey full of triumph and horror, love and sorrow, rips them apart with every fighting moment, and yet brings them together as a family. They don't allow the prophecy to rule their lives. Some don't believe, some don't care. Prophecies aren't written in stone. Events can change. People can change. They are only words. From besieged cites, to the elusive Were and wild Fey, nothing quite prepares them to face their deadliest of enemies, one they didn't know existed.
paranormal book reviews, dystopian

This is the second book in The Broken Ones Series, and it picks up almost exactly where Broken Aro ends. The dystopian world that Jen Wylie has created continues to expand and change in this second installment. The world building is phenomenal; it seems to be around the early 17th century. Wars, famine, disease and death run rampant throughout the countrysides as the group of misfits continue their journey to return Prince to his home. Aro's feelings for the stubborn Prince continue to grow, to the point that she can no longer deny them to herself. She is in love with the arrogant elf, even though he is a prince and she is nothing. Just a mortal. Or is she? The fact that she can take the Fury from her fey best friend and mind speak with the Were are hints that she is more than that, though. This story continues the journey; through fighting and death, to happiness and the discovery of more allies. The prophecy, and Dragos continue to haunt her waking dreams. This book is full of action and suspense; the reader gets to know the characters better, and with that comes the sadness when a character no longer has a place in the story. I enjoyed every minute of this book, and I would definitely recommend the series to any urban fantasy / dystopian fan out there. Jen Wylie does an amazing job capturing her characters and world so that the reader feels an immediate connection!
paranormal book reviews, dystopian

"Turning to glance behind her, she watched Prince bravely try to keep up. Though tall, his slim frame seemed weak compared to the others. It wasn't, or hadn't been. Few saw past the beauty of his face anyways. Even dying, he took her breath away. Had he not been an arrogant, tempermental, and impatient prince, he would likely have been a favorite to them all. As it was, quite often the other men barely tolerated him."

Reviews relating to this book: Broken Aro - The Broken Ones book #1

Connect with Jen Wylie: JenWylie.com; Twitter; Goodreads; Smashwords; Amazon.

Tags: Broken Ones Series, Broken Aro, Jen Wylie, paranormal, book reviews, urban fantasy, dystopian, book review.

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First and foremost, I am nothing if not honest. I cannot promise my review will be positive, but I will be professional about a negative review. I accept all genres, save for non-fiction and poetry, although I do prefer fantasy and science fiction. I more often than not will only read physical copies because I do not own an EReader, but will occasionally accept EPUBs.

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