Book Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Series: Shatter Me (#3)
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Published: February 4. 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

Review ~

Here's the thing. About 50% of the readers disliked this book, or was disappointed. Me? I wasn't disappointed the least bit. I think it was the best out of the books. The only thing was the characters and their ranting and frustration and their arguments and stuff. It took a lot out from the book, I felt like it could've had more details and more plot twists instead of reading their dumb arguments between Adam and Juliette. A third of the readers can't hate Adam, and I understand. I totally do. However, I can't agree. Sad faces. I liked him...in Shatter Me and part of Unravel Me, but that's the thing. He changes. And the last sentence he speaks with Juliette was something I'm proud of him for...finally admitting it.

"Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures. No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh.”

I am forever Team Warner. I mean, I guess he rarely has any humor (Especially when talking to a 10 year old) or at Kenji, but he was totally better than the "changed" Adam we now know. Besides, we get to know the true Warner, the side we never knew about him. And Kenji. Oh dear, Officially one of my favorite characters around. He was the funny one with the mask, the one everyone expects to be funny and to lure them out of their grief. But even he has his limits, and I think that's my favorite part. Ms. Mafi shows that Kenji can be real and someone one can relate to. And the mission? It wasn't Warner or Adam. It was Kenji. Oh...Kenji. Sweet, funny Kenji.

"I am no longer afraid of fear, and I will not let it rule me. Fear will learn to fear me."

The love triangle? It was an abnormal one. Obviously, you could place your team by the way Adam acted, but it was one where you just wanted the character you hate to just back up and leave. Like seriously? I know you're worried about lack of food and stuff, but if you're here to insult and not fall in love? Just back the fudgesicles up. And Juliette. She's changed, and Adam finally admits it. I do sincerely hope that he finds a new love life in the near future with Alia or Lily. Anyways, Juliette was the kick-ass heroine I've always wanted her to be. In Shatter Me and Unravel Me? You can tell from the cover. In Unravel Me, she's stuck frozen in her own mind to the point where she can't even change and stays the coward everyone hates for her to be. And in Ignite Me, it's all nature and flowers where you can tell she's obviously blooming. I love the covers for these books! I just couldn't tell what to expect in Shatter Me, because the cover is a girl in a white dress...

"Ignite, my love. Ignite."

Oh right. Warner. The King and Commander of Sector 45. Ahaha. He's amazing and perfect. Although in this book, I found he has no humor, but even he has the perfect closet every (most likely: fashion/beauty) girl wants. Oh my, it is huge. I can just imagine all his suits and clothes he has in there, and imagine if they were replaced with my clothes...I would be in HEAVEN. This book was certainly the best out of the whole trilogy if I may say so myself. It had all different kinds of aspects, and if I were to say the Love triangle did a good deed in this book, I will, because all though this book could've replaced the arguments with plot twists or more detailing, it played a magnificent role where readers can enjoy Juliette kicking Adam out of her life.

I think this is probably the only Dystopian book I've ever read that has a happy ending. Each Dystopian, is sad and tragic(The endings). Like Allegiant and Champion? Holyyy, you have no idea how much it hurts.

Book Recommendation: Wishing for a Parallel World by Arriah Kiprujistho

Title: Wishing for a Parallel World
Author: Arriah Kiprujistho
Series: Stand Alone
Published: March 28, 2013
Publisher: CreateSpace

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Wishing for a Parallel World is the story of a world and a world beyond... a parallel world.

On one side, these celebrities are living in a limelight struggling between two different lives, reel and real. On the other side, these six friends are living their peaceful and extraordinary life far away from the limelight. But one incident brings those two sides together and then the journey of true relationships, true friendship and true love begins...

Story of two different lives, which have only one thing in common between them... their world.

What is the reality of those two worlds?

What destiny has decided for them?

Will reality change everything?

Will Friends remain Forever?

Will Love find it's way back to Love?

Discover...

Excerpt ~

     I am - free, independent, lively, caring, curious, sensitive and cheerful girl. I like spending time in the lap of nature and above all,
     I love to love.
     This valley comes in my love list too. Whenever I want to stay alone for some time, away from the crowd, this is the only place I can think of. A place where I can talk to the nature, dance with it, lost myself in its serenity, where my every action leads to a reaction. When I laugh, it seems to be laughing along with me, when I cry, it seems to be consoling me, when I speak, it seems to understand and reply.
     A calm and quiet place, which is filled with green grass and flowers and beautiful butterflies hover around them all day long. There is a river that is surrounded by mountains and contains a crystal clear water where the slow waves make one of the mountains look like as if it is floating on it. . . where dew drops look like shining pearls that slowly run down the leaves and hide themselves in the sand as they fall on the ground and flowers dance with the breeze spreading their fragrance all over this big and beautiful valley.
     This valley is called Yosemite Valley, which is carved out by the Merced River and is situated in the Western Sierra Nevada Mountains of California State.
     This place has always made me feel very connected to it. That's why I bought one 'home sweet home' just at the five minutes walking distance from here. It is situated at the outskirts of this glamorous city, which is around 4-5 hours away and is the famous hometown of big celebrities, a glamour world as one can call it.
     No doubt, both places are attractive in there own way.
     It was month of October when I came to that Valley again. Fall had arrived.
     I could see that place ablaze with colors of leaves and flowers splashed across the ground. It looked so beautiful but unlike other times, it gave me a different feeling all together. I couldn't figure out what that feeling was. I took some fallen leaves in my hand and sat down at the river bank. I started placing those dried leaves on water one by one and watched them floating and making different patterns as they moved along with the flow.
     While I was embracing the beauty of nature, my eyes suddenly caught a sight of something that was at a distance of a few meters. One diary was lying open on the grass next to a big stone that took away all my attention.

First thoughts based on the excerpt above:

Very detailed! I could see everything in my head very clearly. This is most likely a book where you can enjoy all it's nature scenery by the details that Ms.Kiprujistho has written already! And the dairy lying open! Oh, don't you want to know what the main protagonist would do with it?

Cover Reveals 4.1.14 - 4.5.14

Title: Love and Other Unknown Variables
Author: Shannon Alexander
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Expected Publication: October 7th, 2014

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he'll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover the solutions to the universe's greatest unanswerable problems. He's that smart.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she's counting on the present. She would rather sketch with charcoal pencils, sing in her pitch-perfect voice, or read her favorite book than fill out a college application.

Charlie's future blurs the moment he meets Charlotte. She's not impressed by the strange boy until she learns he's a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job. At Charlotte's request, Charlie orchestrates the biggest prank campaign in Brighton history. But by the time Charlie learns Charlotte is ill and that the pranks were a way to distract her sister from Charlotte's illness, Charlotte's gravitational pull on him is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he's always relied on or the girl he's falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second).

About the author:

Mother of two, and furry dog owner. Shannon is also a former middle school language arts teacher, book addict, and late bloomer. She only just figured out what she wants to be when she grows up.

She is represented by the wonderful Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. Currently, she's working with Heather Howland at Entangled Publishing on her debut young adult novel to be released fall 2014, LOVE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VARIABLES.

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Title: Camp Forget-Me-Not
Author: J.K. Rock
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Series: Camp Boyfriend #3
Expected Publication: October 7th, 2014

Playing it safe and fitting in may have rocketed Kayla West into the “In” crowd at Camp Juniper Point, but it’s left her lonely. The only person she’s ever been herself with was her former best friend, Nick, an outsider that pushed her to join the most popular girls cabin two years ago. Too bad being a Diva meant pressure to break up with Nick. Of course, Kayla had her reasons, but Nick can never know the real one.

She always thought she’d forget him one day and move on. Until he returns to camp a super-hot Olympian snowboarder. Now, every girl wants him and Nick seems determined to show her what a mistake she made. Or at least, she thought that’s what he wanted. But when Nick starts sending her private notes—just like he used to—she wonders what kind of game he’s playing. Nick’s attention is making it tougher to stay in the background and play in safe, forcing Kayla to make a decision—stay on the sidelines and get overlooked? Or take a chance on trusting Nick and, maybe… herself.

About the authors:

J. K. Rock is the pseudonym for YA writing partners - and sisters-in-law - Joanne & Karen Rock. After years of comparing notes on their favorites books and films, often dreaming up new endings to suit them, they decided to write their own stories. Their first Young Adult book, CAMP BOYFRIEND, is part of a three-book series. CAMP PAYBACK will be an April 2014 release, and CAMP FORGET-ME-NOT arrives in Fall 2014. Individually, Joanne Rock is an award winning Harlequin author published in 26 countries and translated into 20 languages. Karen Rock writes critically acclaimed stories for Harlequin Heartwarming including her latest, HIS HOMETOWN GIRL.

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Title: Forecast
Author: Rinda Elliott
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Series: Sisters of Fate #2
Expected Publication: August 4th, 2014

The Lockwood triplets are charged with helping to save the world—but at a high cost.

Coral is always in the middle, always the family peacemaker. She’s the sister with the most to prove. When a freak snowstorm halts her Florida summer, signaling the Norse end of the world, she tracks down Taran Breen—a would-be warrior carrying Thor’s soul. A boy who’s fought his temper all his life and is now a suspect for murder.

One who looks at her as no other has before.

As roaring seas surge and terrifying underworld creatures emerge for battle, can Coral control her goddess magic and protect Taran? Because now she has a chance for more than her crazy life—as long as she and Taran win….

It is written that three Sisters of Fate have the power to change the world’s destiny.

But only if they survive…

About the author:

Rinda loves unusual stories and credit growing up in a family of curious life-lovers who moved all over the country. Books and movies full of fantasy, science fiction and romance kept us amused, especially in some of the stranger places. For years, she has tried to separate her darker side with her humorous and romantic one. She published short fiction, but things really started happening when she gave in and mixed it up. When not lost in fiction, she loves making wine, collecting music, gaming and spending time with her husband and two children.

She's represented by Miriam Kriss of the Irene Goodman Agency.

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Book Releases 4.1.14 - 4.5.14

Title: Learning Not to Drown
Author: Anna Shinoda
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Drama, Realistic Fiction
Release Date: April 1st, 2014

There is a pecking order to every family. Seventeen-year old Clare is the overprotected baby; Peter is the typical, rebellious middle child; and Luke is the oldest, the can’t-do-wrong favorite. To their mother, they are a normal, happy family.

To Clare, they are a family on the verge of disaster. Clare: the ambitious striver; Peter: the angry ticking time bomb; and Luke: a drug-addicted convicted felon who has been in and out of jail for as long as Clare can remember—and who has always been bailed out by their parents.

Clare loves Luke, but life as his sister hasn’t been easy. And when he comes home (again), she wants to believe this time will be different (again). Yet when the truths behind his arrests begin to surface, everything Clare knows is shaken to its core. And then Luke is arrested. Again.

Except this time is different, because Clare’s mom does the unthinkable on Luke’s behalf, and Clare has to decide whether turning her back on family is a selfish act…or the only way to keep from drowning along with them.

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About the Author:

Raised in a town so small it lacked a stop light, there was little for Anna Shinoda to do except climb trees, go on hikes and read books. Her voracious appetite for reading led to writing, and by the fourth grade, Anna had her first book bound through the Young Authors program. In middle school and high school, she served as editor for her high school paper. Upon graduation, she was awarded scholarships on the merit of her writing and pursued a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies at Long Beach State. Anna worked in music Public Relations for several years after college and eventually discovered a love of writing for young adults.

Soon after devoting full-time attention to writing, Anna became a member of the Society Of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her work has been nominated twice for the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award.

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Title: The Ring and The Crown
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, 
Series: The Ring and The Crown #1
Release Date: April 1st, 2014

Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the Lily Throne, and Aelwyn Myrddn, bastard daughter of the Mage of England, grew up together. But who will rule, and who will serve?

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second, Supreme Ruler of the Franco-British Empire. With the help of her Head Merlin, Emrys, Eleanor has maintained her stranglehold on the world's only source of magic. She rules the most powerful empire the world has ever seen.

But even with the aid of Emrys' magic, Eleanor's extended lifespan is nearing its end. The princess must marry and produce an heir or the Empire will be vulnerable to its greatest enemy, Prussia. The two kingdoms must unite to end the war, and the only solution is a match between Marie and Prince Leopold VII, heir to the Prussian throne. But Marie has always loved Gill, her childhood friend and soldier of the Queen's Guard.

Together, Marie and Aelwyn, a powerful magician in her own right, come up with a plan. Aelwyn will take on Marie's face, allowing the princess to escape with Gill and live the quiet life she's always wanted. And Aelwyn will get what she's always dreamed of--the chance to rule. But the court intrigue and hunger for power in Lenoran England run deeper than anyone could imagine. In the end, there is only rule that matters in Eleanor's court: trust no one.

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About the author:

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat. Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

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Title: Dorothy Must Die
Author: Danielle Paige
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings
Series: Dorothy Must Die #1
Release Date: April 1st, 2014

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

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About the author:

Danielle lives in NY. Before turning to YA, she worked in television & was nominated for several Daytime Emmy's. Dorothy Must Die is her first novel.

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Book Review: The Mystic Wolves by Belinda Boring

Series: Mystic Wolves (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy
Published: January 19, 2012
Publisher: Moonstruck Media
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?

Someone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason's commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she'll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength - once given, oaths are unbreakable ... even if it means risking it all.

Review ~

Mason is the alpha of his pack. ... Hold up? You're the pack leader, but your girlfriend doesn't obey any of your requests. What? Darcy makes the worst decisions, flirting your way out of a gun isn't going to work. There was this death at the beginning. What's it supposed to make you feel? Grief? Sorrow? Joy? Pity? I felt nothing. Nothing at all. Death at the beginning of a book to me makes no sense. Just a waste of time to read that, we didn't get to know the character at all, aside from the fact that she was a werewolf who couldn't control herself or her "inner wolf".

The ending too. Cliffhangers don't bother me. But when a cliffhanger leads to a very predictable ending? Becomes boring. It wasn't even part of the story, the story did not build up at all for this surprise ending, I had expected an epic conclusion because I must say that the world building was good and the characters were well written too.(They're just idiots.) And the most likely love triangle? I've never read ANY of Belinda Boring's literary works, so I can't really base my opinion on the love triangle(aside from the fact that the new girl won't win Mason), because I really don't know how she'll write it.

I really don't have much to say. I also didn't like the fact that it just jumps to random scenes throughout the book during mourning period or after a make-out scene. However, I did like the world building and the unique characters, but they never developed...which is terribly sad. Ummm, let's see...I liked the fact there was no love triangle until the end(great job!) and there were some good characters that I would sort of describe as perfect(no names. (: )

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.