Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Series: Starbound (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, SciFi, Romance
Published: December 10, 2013 by Disney Hyperion
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive -- alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.

I finished this book in December of 2014, and I have to say, I loved it. I love Sci-Fi overall, and this one didn't do much damage to my love. A lot of people recognize this book as "Titanic in Space", and it is true, because, I mean, the richest girl and a poor soldier? Yep. Titanic. It's your normal romance book, so you can guess what happens to them in the end, but I jumped into this book for the survival, and the space, and if whether or not, they get rescued from the planet they crashed on.

This was written nicely. I would skim through some parts...but realize that I did skim through the pages because I didn't understand what was happening, and I had to rewind back a few pages, and read through it...and that was...not fun, I'll tell you that.

There were, however, very few characters, and that was a fifty percent on both my dislike and my like scale. Because, reading the same two characters for like 90% of the book is kind-of boring, you know? At least, there was no love triangle(wanted to point that out), but it was also nice, because we were able to get to know them better, especially when the book is written in both of their point of views. One of my favorite parts in the book was the pages in between the chapters, because they were sarcastic and funny to read. It kind-of spoiled it, because you can obviously tell that it's a questioning session with 'someone' and our soldier, Tarver. And you know what happens when you know it's a questioning session with Tarver? It means he survived. Yep.

The suspense scenes were real suspense scenes. It's so scary that it has you on the edge of your seat. You don't know what would happen next, and seriously, this is a wrong thing to do, but I flipped a few pages ahead to see what would happen. I mean, I can't handle the mystery, alright? The world building was alright. I couldn't really imagine much scenes, and we don't really know where they are actually at because they didn't describe the places. The aliens. Let's talk about them.  To be honest, I didn't even know they were 'aliens', because the characters, Lilac and Tarver just had to make up  stupid name like "The Whispers". Like, dude. For real?

Reading this was so weird, because everything was practically fake. Lilac didn't even know what rain was, and I was like, "Oh right. Everything is fake in Lilac's world." It was just so weird, but I liked it, but it did leave me dumbfounded, because I mean, rain? Water falling from the sky is...just..normal. Lol.

I read this book, thinking it was a standalone, but I found out it wasn't. Well, Nice job.

Book Review: The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#0.1 - 0.5)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Short stories
Published: March 4th, 2014 by Bloomsbury Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Contains all five novellas.

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

I have to say that this was a well written third person point of view novellas into novel, adaptation. I don't think any author that I know can trump Ms. Maas's 3rdPoV of writing. It's simply amazing. For me, I prefer 1st person, but reading this, it felt sometimes I was reading in first person. Unlike dual PoVs, this was less confusing, because sometimes I forget which character's mind I'm reading from and I'd have to flip to the Chapter beginning to find out who it is, or I'll just confuse myself even more. But this, this is pure...I'm ecstatic to even talk and rant about this. I could tell exactly who  she is talking about, it's one of the best writing style I've read. Just to throw this out: I love Marie Lu's writing.

In my opinion, I felt like this book of novellas had a hint of mystery to it. It was just fun to find out and read the next move Celaena will do, and what Arobynn has in mind.

#0.1: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord

It starts off with the assassins in a meeting, then Arobynn proceeding to tell them some fascinating news. You know, I liked how she wrote the fighting style. It's not too simple like: She turns around and whips the back of his head, hard, with a slap of her palm. No. It's not like that. But it's not too complicated either like this: She jumps up and flips twice backwards before landing onto the table (like what?!), feet planted firmly, not loosing her footing; she narrowly avoids the rapids swings and strikes from the hilt of his sword. (I mean, that's not complicated, you could follow the sentence I just wrote, but like...I'm not a good writer, but I'm pretty sure you get the gist of it). You're able to follow Celaena's graceful and snake-like movement, picturing it clearly in your mind.

This particular novella shows Celaena's kindness and loving for others. It's clear. She's able to risk her life for a hundred others. You would think she'd win all her fights, but that wouldnm't make it interesting....or would it? I wouldn't find it interesting. I mean, the whole point of a novel is the drama/action/mystery in it.

#0.2: The Assassin and the Healer  

This one was a bit confusing on Celaena's personality. Was she the kind girl, or the 'not caring' type of girl? I mean, I guess she was both, but yea., If you read it, you'll get me. This showed more of how Celaena fights, giving us a less broad view of her fighting style. Her kills are clean and fast, and Ms. Maas makes sure the viewer knows that Celaena is the best.

I'd say so myself, that this was a short read, but a fascinating one. Where the opposite meets the opposite.

#0.3: The Assassin and the Desert

Where everything starts going downhill. I mean, I guess her life was already a roller coaster of downhills and bumps, but this is where it really starts to go down. This was a fun chapter! It showed how weak/strong Celaena is. It shows her limits and how far she will really go for something. I kind of ship her with the Desert master's son, but I'm good if she ditches him. (Can't really say if she does, or doesn't, because that would be a spoiler). Celaena is so cute and adorable! She's blushing when something happens, she's able to show her face, and meet new friends(although I can't say if they'll last or not.)

 Again, this chapter/novella shows how nice Celaena really is. She's able to spare someone's life, no matter how much damage they did. Do you ever wish to be like her? I mean, mastering both hands to kill and murder, but at the same time, be nice with a short temper?

#0.4: The Assassin and the Underworld

This one, I've got to say, is the most boring. I liked skimmed through this one...well, not skimmed, I only skimmed over the detailing because I could care less. If I read it a bit more carefully, maybe it would've been more interesting, but really, I was just getting sick, tired and bored of The Assassin's Blade. Like...no? The last mission, and most...weird one is in this chapter. It was pretty...unique. Arobynn starts getting creepy and confusing that I don't know what to even think of him anmore. All I know is that I'm glad for Celaena.

#0.5: The Assassin and the Empire

 This is where I develop my hate for the empire. Hahaha. Don't blame me. Blame the king and his stupid Captain of the guard, and ugly, Durian (Dorian). For some reason, again, I could care less about them after reading and finishing The Assassin's Blade. Inside me, my heart just screams, "HOW DARE THEY!" Yea. It's that much agonizing. Oh and the vaults. Yes. I need to compare. When I was reading this last part, I reached the "vault(ing)" part of the book, and if you guys have read Legend by Marie Lu, then this should remind you of their boxing scenes. I forgot the name, oopsy daisies. My bad. To read how Celaena meets her end of the assassin career, it's totally lame. I mean, I expected more of a grand escape, but considering what practically happened to her lover(I dislike the word "lover", ), I guess it's normal/natural?...

Book Review: Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux (#5)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance,
Published: August 1st, 2014 by Entangled Teen
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

Hold up...Can I just like, rant about the cover real quick? Because seriously, It's not cute. I mean, at least they remembered that Daemon's eyes were green, but like...a close up of half of his face isn't cute. Like, why would you do that? And the fact that you make the series name stand out more than the actual title, for me...is just weird. I mean, do it like Origin, where it says a font size smaller "A Lux novel". And in the background is like a shadow figure...of I'm guessing is Katy? This cover doesn't match with the previous, old, BEAUTIFUL, 4 covers. I mean, I know they made new ones so they match, but the new ones aren't too pretty either.

"You've got a big heart, Kitten."

Also, Hold up, let me rant about my copy of the book. The one I received included a Bonus Prequel and I didn't expect the bonus prequel to be so long. So like, when I reached the "epilogue" part of Opposition, I was mad. I was like.."I'm only 3/4 of the way through the book." and I flipped through a few pages and found the prequel "Shadows" and I was like..."why is Shadows like...1/4 of the book." Oh but don't worry, There will be a review on the prequel soon after I finish it.

Anyways, back to the legit review. The previous four books, I've given 5 stars, but Opposition? It's 4 stars. Maybe, if I reread it later on in the future, my rating will change, and I'll make an updated review, but as of now, I'm not as fond of it as I am for Obsidian, Onyx, Opal and Origin. I want to start talking about the feels first. I expected to get hit by a roller coaster and start breaking down or beaming every few paragraphs. But no, all I got was a few laughs here and there. When the sad parts came, I didn't really cry. I was just like ":(" but I wasn't feeling much. I felt like Jennifer L. Armentrout could've built up more relationships with the characters in the previous four. If she did, I would've probably been able to be a bit more sad about losing that character. Don't get me wrong, I have a heart...I just didn't feel it this time around.

Who in the hell is this chick to think she can even say anything?

Next up, Let's talk about the plot. The four books in the Lux series was fun and entertaining to read. They were all about intense action that could get your heart beating, with a few romance scenes here and there. But now, I didn't feel snapsickles. The very intense, burning action scenes that I've been waiting for was pretty good, but practically everywhere were romantic scenes. I mean...I guess you could say I get it, but I don't? Maybe, because this is the last book, she wanted them to be more...together? But there were too many random sex scenes that didn't even feel appropriate. Oh yeah, and then the way Ms. Armentrout wrote Dawson's words in the book just makes me mad at Beth. I feel like, when reading that Dawson doesn't really care about his family and his only priority is Beth. I mean, I know he loves his family, but the writing doesn't show. Like in the beginning, he kind of left Dee for Beth and I was like "For real? -.- "

Also, I felt like I drifted apart from Daemon. He's not the same, arrogant boy I knew since the very beginning. Now, he's all mushy mushy and cheesy. Sure, they know not to take their time for granted, but I just miss the old Daemon! I just need more of him. Also, all the love going on between different characters, I felt were the same. The boys were all overprotective and they didn't really show much of a difference in personality. Like, they were the same Daemon. Annddd, I didn't expect the boy(Sorry, can't say the name because of no spoilers in this review)to come back to Katy so soon. They encountered each other in the first 100 pages and I was like "Already?!"

I'm sorry. Those two words blazed through my consciousness. I can't allow this.

Now, let's talk about the good parts, because I don't want this review to be all negative. I liked the characters and the world. The characters, I loved. They were the same ones I love since the first book.(Although the characters didn't really grow in their personalities...to much.) They weren't there for show, they were there to be legit and have and play out a part. I also love Luc and Hunter. Like, they were the bomb. All the guys in this series are freaking hot and smoking. I expected Luc to be like 11, for some reason, but turned out he's probably around 14 and 15. Hahaha. Not too young, but he's pretty strong. Strong enough to have contact with practically everyone in the world (exaggerating). Oh, I'm sorry, I can't rant about Hunter, because that would be a spoiler.

And the world was simply amazing. They practically traveled around the world in cars. CARS. Sooo legit, it's too funny.

Oh, and the dual POV aspect was nice. I liked being able to feel what the other character is feeling. And the writing isn't dip-snapsickles either. Her writing is very detailed, and she's able to capture their minds and their feelings. It's not a dull, monotonous feeling when you read it, it's actually there. The feelings..I mean. And Katy...Omg. She's soo kick-butt and she was able to use the source so well, I'm actually proud of her. Okay, to be clear, I never criticized Daemon and Katy's romance, I just talked about their out-of-nowhere sex scenes, got it? So let me rant about my OTP. They are so cute! I swear. Daemon can just sputter "I love you" anytime and be cute and adorable. Oh yeah, Don't miss out on this, BUT READ THIS AFTER YOU READ OPPOSITION: Click HERE.

Or copy this AFTER YOU READ OPPOSITION: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/a-special-thank-you/

"Holy shit, you really were going to let me go all yum-yum on you."

Ooohh, and I loved the whole plot in general. HEARTS ARE FLYING EVERYWHERE. The Aliens in High School aspect kind of got cut off in the previous books, but it was still funny. I loved the poking and practically everything Katy and Daemon! So I want to thank Kat (from Katytastic on Youtube) for making a video that includes the "Obsidian" book and introducing me, indirectly, to the beautiful Lux series. I want to thank Armentrout for actually, receiving the idea from a friend of hers (Yes, I read the acknowledgments) and writing it out. Thanks for making a Katy and a Daemon, and a Dawson and a Beth, and an Archer, a Luc, a Hunter, a Dee and practically everything. I'm am sooo going to miss this series, but I know I have to get over it soon, but it'll always have a special place in a special part in my heart.

Oh, and before I forget, I also want to apologize for my lack of blog posts and reviews. I am so sorry! I haven't been busy, I won't lie to you guys, but I HAVE been in a reading slump and I just can't get into any book. All I've been doing is rereading books I've already reviewed, so I didn't have any new reviews to write for you, but I promise, I'll be doing my reviews more frequently now, because I've received books that have piqued my interest. :D

Book Recommendation: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Published: December 18, 2012 by Disney Hyperion

Series: The Darkest Minds #1

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

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.

YOU CAN PREVIEW THIS ON GOODREADS.

*NOTE* Sorry for the lack of posts guys! I'm in a reading slump and currently, can't get into reading! Due to that, I don't have many reviews, but I'm going to see The Maze Runner soon, so look forward to a movie review! (:

Book Review: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Series: Rebel Belle (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance
Published: April 8th, 2014 by Putnam Juvenile
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

This book was a very, very fun read! :) I loved the main character, Harper. She's just awesome...You know what I mean? Relationships are very important to her, so you on't really have to worry about her betraying you. She will love you lots and be prepared...she doesn't curse..well....I don't remember her cursing. I love her personality, it;'s quite unique, if I must say so myself. When Saylor had asked if she was prepared, she was like "No." Just a blunt 'no', and I laughed for like hours because I expected her to say 'yes'. Oh my goodness, it's just a fun read.

This novel was such a funny one! You'll practically be laughing every page or two! The plot twist in the beginning was certainly, unexpected. I totally expected a big plot twist just like the one in the beginning, to happen in the middle. The fact that she used the heel or her heels and stab it into the neck....of this person..was something that hurt my stomach. I laughed to my death, and I especially loved how she was like "this is embarrassing". The writing wasn't too good, but it was good enough, it did have enough detail. My favorite aspect of the novel was the storyline. A. m. a. z. i. n. g.

I love how there wasn't the stupid fight of jealousy between her and her boyfriend, like the usual cliche novel, BUT, they decide to calmly negotiate and it didn't turn out to be a full blown fight. I loved her ex boyfriend though. He's soo sweet and has his own unique personality. You would think he's the playboy type, but he came back! And unfortunately, another huge plot twist happens near the end. Like what happens with their powers and stuff? The questions that remained in the air at the end is enough to make a good second book, but the ending of Rebel Belle is simply enough to leave it at that. It gives us enough room to make and imagine what's going to happen next. It's a very fun read! :)

Book Recommendation: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Author: Laini Taylor

Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (#1)

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Goodreads  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Wow. You guys only get one review for this month. I feel sad. I haven't been able to catch up on reading, and I'm not going to make any excuses up so I'm just going to flat out say that this month was a blog tour month. Woopsie Daises. But in all seriousness, I sincerely apologize and I will try to make up for my lack of review posts next month!

Series: Under the Never Sky (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure
Published: December 1, 2011 by Atom
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

I'm not particularly fond of this book. It was a nice read and it's one where you can usually skim through and never understand (nah, just kidding. It's not to that extreme, but it is confusing). Although you have questions, you don't get answers. You have to search for it. I'm not sure what to think of it, I guess some things I could pick up on and some things I couldn't. I just went along with it and assumed what I thought was what, and that helped me throughout the reading process. Teeheeee.

Also, Peregrine (The name though...) AKA Perry is someone who can invade your privacy. Stay clear from him if you were to ever meet him in reality okay? Ok. Joking. But seriously, I'm someone who hates invasion of privacy and/or lack of privacy. Like, I want to keep some (maybe a lot)of things to myself, alright? So back off. I'm fine if you ask questions, but if you do it on purpose and the other party dislikes that invasion of privacy, it's annoying. And I just want to point out that Perry's nose can smell what kind of feeling/emotion you have and that is just creepy and something that I couldn't stand while reading this novel. Especially when she got her period and he was there to witness and smell everything. I just feel embarrassed in her place.

Also, I don't know if I'm the only one, but I have no idea what the title means. I also like the fact that they have 'smart(-)eyes'. It's a nice useful advanced piece of technology that must hurt a lot, especially because you're practically attaching it to your eye's inner membrane.

In the beginning, I was actually hoping to read a romance novel like this where the guy (who loves to invade your privacy) loves/likes (whichever word you use to interpret the romance in the beginning) the girl, but the girl has no feelings, but nope. Not going to happen. The girl, obviously, later on in the novel starts to fall for him (I'm not really sure if that should be counted as a spoiler, because it's very obvious?)

The world building was insane though. Although, there were little details, it gave you a lot of room to imagine what the places would look like. From the Realms to the Outside world, everything fitted in place. And the dual PoV's was fantastically written, especially since it was from third person point of view - if I'm not mistaken.

I have one last thing to say. To me, the SciFi books that I've read so far are confusing. But at least, you slowly start to catch on right?

Book Review: The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Hey Guys! Sorry for the lack of posts! I'm vacation now, so I have a bunch of plans. I promise I'll spam you for the last four days of June and for July too! I can't guarantee though.

Series: The Mortality Doctrine (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Fantasy, Adventure
Published: October 8, 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.
And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.
But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

This book by James Dashner truly caught me by surprise. His best selling series, The Maze Runner, was very similar, whereas both books focus on mystery and action. They're both SciFi and Dystopian novels, with high tech advancements in the future. The only thing that was vastly different was the storyline. The Eye of Minds focused on computer hacking and games that start within your game coffin. The Maze Runner focused mainly on escaping the maze.

That storyline aspect of a novel is very unique and important to me. I read for entertainment and I review to recommend. Therefore, if the storyline/plot is boring, then I will be bored, which will cause me to review this with below 3 stars. :D  But I loved the world building and how Dashner makes the characters seems so realistic. I don't find much of the main protagonists very mysterious but that's what makes the characters seem so realistic, because they each have their own personalities and they don't really annoy me. The best part of this novel was the world building, so let me get into that element.

For obvious reasons, this reminded me of the anime; SAO (Sword Art Online) and that's what intrigued me to read EoM. The world building of the VirtNet was very interesting and differs a lot from the SAO world. And the amount of thinking that goes into writing must be insane. You just want to live in that beauty of a world. I mean, think of staying at home all the time. It must be boring, but when you get to experience a different world in your mind? It's just insanity.

I wasn't worried at all about the similarities between SAO and EoM. I was excited to read it. When SAO had ended, I was very sad. I wasn't devastated, because I'm pretty used to book series/anime series ending off, but I was just excited to read a novel that sounded a lot like SAO. That's the thing though. My first sentence of this review:  . . .caught me by surprise because it was a completely different plot. The VirtNet and the three protagonists was that aspects that changed my worries about the similarities.

Book Review: Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux (#4)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Paranormal. Fantasy, Romance
Published: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

If you guys followed me before on my old blog(which I doubt), I'm guessing you remember this?

" Wow. Amazing book. Not on my #1 favorites, though I would give it a 5/5 notes rating."

Right. When I did that review, I guess that was what I was feeling because I had typed it down, but this book...I'm going to have to change my mind. It's the best out of the series. It isn't my least favorite, and it still deserves a 5 star rating. Very good Ms. Armentrout! This is the only book where I've reread a dozen times (even more) without getting bored. It's just the feeling you get when you're reading this!

Jennifer's writing style is amazing, she puts in every little detail and no matter how sad, or happy the scene/moment is, she manages to make it seem so real. It feels like I'm living in this book, and that I'm Katy, which to me, happens very rarely. Usually, it just feels like I'm watching third PoV. Katy and Daemon are my OTP and a couple that I ship very dearly! Kaemon? LOL. Or... Daty? LOL. Okay. Stop playing Jessica.

The new characters in this book are total hotness too. I mean, do perfect guys exist? Yea. Sure. But not yet. . .for me. But in books, totally! I also love the dual PoV in this book1 The only thing killing me is the cliffhangers in some PoVs because...seriously? You get me right? The feeling you get when you read a cliffhanger and then you have to wait for the next book, or read through the next PoV? Omg. I wish I had a Daemon. GAHHH. It's frustrating reading this and not having a Daemon, but everytime I read, I KNOW I have a smile or a frown on my face. It's that emotional.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has surprised me thus far, with me giving 5 star ratings to the whole Lux series, I'm excited to see how far the next book will go. Will I give it a 1 star? or a 5 star? This series is just THE BOMB of YA genre of the 21st Century!

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#2)
Genres: Young Adult, Adventure, Fantasy
Published: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Wee. I'm in love with Sarah J. Maas's writing. This book was amazing! So much more better than the first book, although Throne of Glass was amazing too! The plot was a whole different story and for some reason, I'm proud of Calaena for making such a choice against Chaol. The missions she gets sent out to do, the looks she gets when she returns. The way the characters are written are impressive, especially in third person PoV.

Crown of Midnight had so many more intense and dramatic scenes. You just can't stop thinking about it. And the fact that I got caught up in the story without noticing it was third PoV is amazing, because I read mostly first person PoV, so I immediately notice when it's third. I just kept reading along until halfway through the book. Haha. If you haven't read Throne of Glass yet, just pause yourself from reading this review and come back to this review later because you need to read Throne of Glass. It's amazing, but just not as amazing as CoM if you're reading it right after.

If you were to compare all the books I've read to CoM then CoM would dominate all my books, including my favorites. It's just that amazing. The love triangle is ridden. No more burden. There's a ton of more action and magic/secrets/mysteries and...betrayal(which is the part where I got so happy and became proud of Calaena for literally the rest of the book).



Calaena was simply the character you wish to be if you love stealth and murder/assassinations/blood. It's just cool like that. And you get to work with the king. *HALLELUJAH* Let's not forget, she still has her passion for reading. Now who's team am I on now? now? now? Chaol? Dorian? Now? Now? I have no answer so I'm just going to repeat Now? Now? Now?

Let me mention the cliffhanger at the end. OMG. FLATTERING? CHAOL. OMG. OMG. YOU JUST CAN'T READ IT WITHOUT REREADING IT AGAIN. It's just surprising you know? And the names that Ms.Maas comes up with is so lovely. If I were to say it out loud in my way, it would sound so..melodic? Hahaha. This is literally all I have to say. It's just an amazing book with a five star rating.

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Series: The Maze Runner (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy
Published: October 6th, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Oh..Wow. One word. Superduperamazing. The plot was splendid and unique, the world building was fine. The characters though, was another aspect. Plain and simple, nothing unique.

Usually in my reviews, I don't type out what this book is about, but really, I just want to explain it..The whole summary from goodreads. So, Thomas, is a boy. A teen, if I were to be more precise. He wakes up in a box and has amnesia...only remembering his name. The box opens and he's now surrounded by strangers. More boys he doesn't know. They drag him out of them box, and he lands in a place the boys call, "The Glade". The Glade is a room, I guess that's the best I could describe it, but outside the barriers(the stone walls) is a maze. One that changes it's routes every so often. And everyone is trying to escape.

Yep. That's The Maze Runner to you. I just wanted to give you a brief explanation of what The Maze Runner truly is. Not a confusing story. Well, it is. The mystery is well kept and something I would never tire of. I wanted answers, but the only way to get them was to read through the characters' points of views. So, you just kind of have to bear with it and go along with their mysterious lives. Now the characters on the other hand are simply the downside of the book. Makes the book less worth. They're all similar with their amnesia and the way they landed in The Glade. They only remember their names and their only goal is to escape. Very....un-unique. Boring. Plain. Not the type of characters I was expecting in a spectacular book like this.

The Plot...Oh my gosh. Fangirl. Sooo good! Haven't read a book like this in soo long, one that captured my attention every moment of my life. For some reason, it didn't really bother me not getting any answers..y'know? I'm not sure if everyone feels like they need to have answers, but I felt like I could get along with the book just fine with the few answers Dashner has given us. The world building was also fine and on point. It had the grievers and the maze and overall, everything in general. I really have nothing to say about this book, for it has few faults and many...cool scenes. Um..Emotions that I was feeling? I never really felt sad when we lost a character, so I would've liked it more if Thomas interacted more with the other characters before Dashner killed them off so that I could..you know..have emotions when someone dies.

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Well, I'm aware that my last review was on May 4th, but currently, books aren't interesting to me right now.

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Fantasy, Dystopia
Published: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Very interesting book. I must admit though, the beginning was kind of confusing, but that didn't stop it from becoming more and more intriguing. The story was awesome. If I remember correctly, it was told from different points of views, which, made it more interesting. However, I kind-of got confused while we switched back and forth, especially when it didn't tell who's perspective/brain we were in. Overall,this was an awesome book! The second book Scarlet; the main character will be Scarlet. I guess..Right?Or did I do my research wrong?

This story is basically "inspired"...or a retelling of Cinderella, except Adri(stepmother) and the sisters are described more than the step mother and sisters in the short story: Cinderella. As like in Cinderella, Adri is such a bloopz. Her youngest daughter catches the plague, she blames Cinder and signs her up for plague research. To be honest, I don't even think Adri can feel a thing. I HATE HER. I hate how she's her legal guardian. I hate everything about her.

The reason why it had lost a star was because of two reasons.

1 - It took me a while to get into the story. I guess that's because it was confusing by the POV's switching, but it was also not...very interesting in the beginning. The hook of the story beginning wasn't enough to make me seem interested into the book.

2 - It has a slow start. I guess I kind-of mentioned that in reason number one; where I couldn't get into the book. I stopped reading it at one point, but decided to give it another try. It turns out, I won't be regretting that decision. After all, It does have a 4 star rating.

Now enough of the book rant. I loved the characters. Like, you know in Cinderella? The Disney one?  It was just a very short story about a girl who's lost her shoe at the ball and the young prince goes around from house to house and eventually finds the perfect fit: Cinderella. Then they get married and live happily ever after. But no. This Cinder was amazing, the characters and the storyline was different, but similar in some ways, which is nice. I loved the "SciFi" aspect of this novel, with the lunar people and Prince Kai. Cinder also isn't your typical average teen. She's like...amazing and not stupid.

Also, the world building. Simply fantastic and can outdo most of the world building in many popular YA novels out there. It's just extraordinary and something you would want to read and savour for the rest of your lives. This is nothing like Cinderella, but is something like Cinderella.

Book Review: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux (#3)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Published: December 1st, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Review ~
This book was a killer book. Purely amazing. There are many important factors authors need to consider when writing a book, and so far, Jennifer L. Armentrout has exceeded my expectations for both Obsidian and Onyx...and Opal two. World Building, Characters, Plot/Climax, emotion and premise. Ms. Armentrout has hit all of the factors that I look for in a book. The premise was amazing, not too slow, not too fast(is that possible?). The world building in this book was amazing too. It's simply a new world where the characters are amazingly written and it's.. just new. You know the feeling you get when you get "deja vu" and it sort of gets boring because you can predict what'll happen next? Well, this book ruled that out. I didn't know what was going to happen or which character was going to appear next, this just kept the suspense and story going unpredictably.

The amazing cliffhanger at the end...is something I look forward to in a book too. It's obviously sad and you're just anticipating what will happen in the next book and you can't wait to get your grabby fingers on the new book that will explain everything that has just happened. Drama Time? It was cool. Drama kept the story going, the jealousy and anger towards different people was funny to read too. The solutions weren't solved in one page, but kept the mystery going throughout the whole book.

The characters have their own personality, which is common to most characters in books, but they're unique in a way. This unique trait that you don't know just keeps you reading and the fact that you want to find out what's that unique thing about the character makes you more excited. Turns the book into a thriller. Hahah!

The story/plot was very interesting too. And Kat and Daemon was still the kick-ass couple you've always wanted to have in your life/wanted to experience it. They're both amazingly written and it's something you rarely see in a different book!

Book Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Series: Altered (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance
Published: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Review ~

I loved the story in this! In fact, that was the only thing that kept me reading. Oh. Very unpredictable. I didn't know that the person was going to betray them. I didn't know they were going to make it. The only let down was the near death situations, and how they still survived. Also, the main character?
Anna? She annoys me. She's your typical stuck up and nosy teenage girl. I mean leaving them alone and more of a punishment for you than to them? Obviously, you got that right. Like seriously, all you think about is yourself.

The boys are the best characters in the whole book. Sam though, we need to see more of his real side, not the masked side. Not much character development between the boys either. As of the world building, not much either. The plot was the best, earned the book three stars and a half. Anna and the boys dragged it down. Haha. Alright book. Will I read the next one? Yea, if I have time though.

Drama. Yes. The most crucial part of a book. It was solved very quickly. Like, just a page or two of the characters discussing the matter and then they either forgive each other quickly or forget about it for the rest of the book. I also loved the plot(I said that), but like the part..you know, I love how Jennifer Rush includes the brain being altered, "telepathy" and other scientific notes.

One thing that was confusing. Who loved who? I mean, maybe its my fault and I don't mean to be slow, but I wasn't fully into the "romance" of the book, I was into the scifi and mystery/thriller/suspense in it. I don't know, but those aspects were simply amazing and captured all my attention.

Book Review: Unforgiven by Jessica Miller

Series: The Wanderers (#3)
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal
Published: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All it took was three magical words…

Tristan…is…alive.

Ella knew leaving was wrong. She knew there would be consequences but what was at stake was far more important than anything she could have done if she stayed. She just had to see for herself.
Ella also knows Josie’s time is limited. With the help of her friends, Ella takes off and introduces herself to a foreign land. She hoped to keep her whereabouts a secret but it isn’t long before her father discovers where she is and threatens to take her back kicking and screaming. Things quickly go awry and Ella finds more than what she was looking for in her search for Tristan.
Ella knows eventually she must return home and face the aftermath of her sudden departure. But her head and heart aren’t sure they can handle it.
Will Roman forgive her? Will Gabe and the rest of her friends hate her for abandoning them in their time of need?

Review ~

Well, this was good for the third book of The Wanderers series. I liked it. BUT...the characters..Oh dear. Save me. They all need to mature and grow up. And Tristan changed. I can't really wrap my finger around it, so I can't really rave about him changing, but all I can tell is that I liked Tristan before(a lot), but now I like Roman better than Tristan now and dear, why does it have to be Roman who has to be the one everyone pities? Ella is 19, no? She needs to grow up because she's...immature. I guess. She just needs to make more rational decisions and her friends...


Remember when she ran away to go find Tristan? Just no. No. No. No. No. NO. I mean, she loves him and all that but no matter how much she "feels" it, I don't feel even a twinge of sympathy coming from her for Roman. She led him on and she has to fix it instead of going for the loved one she thought was dead. I mean, yea, Tristan was one she loved a lot, and she has to move on, but I think the person who makes the most sense in this book was Roman.

Anyways, this book had some unpredictable moments and I liked it. Made everything come as a surprise. I also liked the pacing in this book. Not much was thrown at Ella everything as once. And the end of the novel. Woah. Well, you just need to read it to find out. Also, not to be a Disney obsessed or anything, but now, the name Ella just reminds me of Elsa(Frozen).

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#2)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Action, High Fantasy, Adventure, Paranormal, Mystery
Published: August 15th, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for. 

Review ~

By the Wyrd! I loved this. I think this was even better than Throne of Glass. Has anyone been on Team Chaol since the beginning? Because I have. And I probably always will be. I just don't know why I don't like Dorian. You know my nickname for him? DURIAN. If you don't know what durian is, I advise you to search it up. Stinky fruit. 

“The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.” 

Celaena was just AWESOME. She's kick-a** and bad-a**. People were underestimating her because she's a girl. Well they thought wrong. Chaol was just sweet and kind. I hope that Dorian will become a great king. I want the king dead. Crown of Midnight contained more action, betrayal, secrets and trust. I loved the romance and character development between Chaol and Celaena. I totally ship them. CHAOLAENA. And shoot, if you don't end up with him, I will gladly take him.

"And in that world... Celaena swallowed hard. She and Chaol would never be a normal boy and girl, but perhaps in that world they could make a life of their own. She wanted that life, Because even though he'd pretended nothing had happened after the dance they'd shared that night, something had. And maybe it had taken her this long to realize it, but this man ― she wanted that life with him."

MAJOR SPOILERS START HERE

There's one part I would like to talk about. So Crown of Midnight is split into two parts. When I read part two, it was just depressing when reading it. I hated how Celaena acted after the death of her beloved friend, Nehemia. She blamed and wanted to kill Chaol. I mean, I do agree that Chaol should have at least warned the guards about the anonymous threat to Nehemia. Nehemia saw it coming. She basically planned it out. Chaol just thought he was protecting you, while Nehemia had been lying to you about many, many things. "You will always be my enemy." do you know seeing how much Chaol was hurt hurt me. Her saying that kept coming up in his mind, The way she was acting afterwards, I was like, "Get it together, Celaena! Stop!" She was burning everything that he had touched. I mean come on, I'll take whatever he touched then.

“Why are you crying?"
"Because," she whispered, her voice shaking, "you remind me of what the world ought to be. What the world can be.”

One of my favorite parts was when it was the night of Chaol's birthday. Celaena had arranged a dinner in the greenhouse. And it was so sweet! Chaol had said he hadn't had something like that since he was little. I was just like, "Awwww~". And then they have this one discussion (which I'm not gonna say what since she basically tells him what she's been doing in the beginning) and then they make out and then they make love. <3 I love the scenes with Celaena and Chaol.

“And because she was young, and so damn clever and amusing and wonderful, wherever she made her home, there would be some man who would fall in love with her and who would make her his wife, and that would be the worst truth of all. It had snuck up on him, this pain and terror and rage at the thought of anyone else with her. Every look, every word from her... he didn't even know when it had started.”

We learn some things about Celaena towards the end of the book. I knew one of them because I saw a spoiler on Goodreads, you know, just one simple sentence reveals a lot and that was actually the last sentence of Crown of Midnight. And I was like, "Oh my god. All the possibilities." THE ENDING WAS JUST HEART-WRENCHING AND TEAR-JERKING. Oh, the tears came when Chaol made a deal with his father to discuss to the council or whatever to have Celaena shipped to Wendlyn (for a really heart-wrenching reason) and for that he would have to move back to Anielle. And when Celaena was boarding the ship to Wendlyn and Chaol didn't tell her that he would move back to Anielle and said he loves her, I just died. It just hurts thinking about it right now. Seriously.

There's a little something-something with the Wyrd keys and one of the competitors involved in the mystery. I'm not gonna go into that since either you've read it or you haven't yet.

I just recently found out that the third book is called HEIR OF FIRE. You know what that means right? By the Wyrd, we have to wait for 5 more months. Waiting for the cover reveal...