Thursday, December 26, 2013

Review: Champion by Marie Lu

Champion by Marie Lu
Published:  November 5, 2013
Publisher:
Putnam Juvenile
Pages:
369 (Hardcover)
Series:
Legend #3
Source:
Bought
My Rating:
4 of 5 stars


He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic-and each other0 and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the republic, working within the government's elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

It seems like so many series have been coming to an end recently. And those endings have so far been heartbreaking. If you thought the ending of Prodigy was sad, wait until you read Champion.

I will never get tired of reading about protagonists like June. She's fierce and able to hold her own in a world ravaged by a tyrannical government and war. Yet, she isn't completely fearless and that's what makes her human. Without some weakness it would be impossible to connect with her. June still fears Commander Jameson no matter how much she tries to convince herself that she doesn't and she isn't a coldblooded killer. Day is another example of a character that I love. He's strong, but he isn't invincible. In the first book, it seemed that he could do almost anything, but since Prodigy that has changed. His character development was very well done. He went from a boy that would do anything to see the Republic fall to a someone that wanted to protect the Republic.

June and Day's relationship in this book is strained after the end of Prodigy. It's clear that both of them love each other, but it took them awhile for them to get past the eight months of separation that they put themselves through. It was a little frustrating, but it wouldn't have been realistic if everything went back to the way it was before. It's also very clear that Anden is in love with June, but their relationship isn't annoying, probably because I knew exactly how June and Day feel.

The beginning of the book isn't slow, but it isn't as exciting as the rest of the book. Once the story got going, it is basically nonstop action. It was interesting to get to learn more about how the Republic's political system works and a little about the rest of the world.

Champion is for anyone looking for a thrilling conclusion to an action packed series. It's always sad to see characters go, especially after such a heartbreaking ending, but at the same time the ending was pretty satisfying.

Monday, December 23, 2013

End of Year Book Survey 2013

best books 2013 end of year survey

Best In Books 2013

1. Best book you read in 2013? (If you have to cheat- you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs backlist)

Dystopian-All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Paranormal- The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Science Fiction- The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Contemporary- This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Fantasy- The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater


2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?

Allegiant by Veronica Roth


3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

Just One Day by Gayle Forman


4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people the most in 2013?

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill or Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Leila Sales

7. Best book that was out of you comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

1984 by George Orwell

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

I read Everbound by Brodi Ashton in a day

9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?



11. Most memorable character in 2013?

Ronan from The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

14. Book you can't believe you wainted until 2013 to finally read?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2013?

“I think everything is happening all the time, but if you don't put yourself in the path of it, you miss it.”
― Gayle Forman, Just One Day

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2013?

Longest- Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (570 pages)
Shortest- Macbeth by William Shakespeare (132 pages)

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

I was dying to talk about basically everything about  The Dream Thieves after I finished it

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013 (be romantic, friendship, etc.)?

Athena and Odysseus from Antigoddess
 

19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you've read previously?

Tie between The Eternity Cure and The Dream Thieves

20. Best book you read in 2013 that you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

21. Genre you read the most from in 2013

Either Dystopian or Fantasy

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Finn from All Our Yesterdays

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

All Our Yesterdays

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Either Siege and Storm or The Dream Thieves

25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013?

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?

Allegiant, The Eternity Cure, and Clockwork Princess

27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Looking Ahead...

1. One book you didn't get to in 2013 but will be your number 1 priority in 2014?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2014 (non-debut)?

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa or Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

3. 2014 debut you are most anticipating?

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

4. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014?

The Forever Song, Dreams of Gods & Monsters, and Evertrue

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?

I want to try and post more often. I know I was gone for awhile during October-December because of school but I really want to try and get a lot of reading done this year and post some new stuff.


Saturday, December 21, 2013

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Published:  October 22, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages:
526 (Hardcover)
Series:
Divergent #3
Source:
Bought
My Rating:
3.5 of 5 stars 

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered--fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature--and of herself--while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Initially, I was disappointed by Allegiant. It didn't have the same feel that the other books had and I ended up having to put it down for awhile because I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out how it ends. If you're feeling the same way, then keep reading because the ending was by far the best part of the book.

The beginning to about midway through the book was basically Tris and Tobias kissing at the end of every chapter. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with that, but after awhile it just got old and I wanted something more exciting to happen. I was glad that they worked out most of their problems, but the whole thing with Nita was a tad annoying. Tobias was completely convinced that Tris was jealous of him spending time with Nita because she was pretty. While Tris wanted to convince him that there was something going on. To be honest, the way both of them went about solving that problem was wrong. Tris should not expect Tobias to blindly follow whatever she says. That's just ridiculous. And Tobias shouldn't automatically think that Tris is jealous of Nita just because he would probably be jealous if the positions were reversed. Thankfully they got past that problem, otherwise it would be like the lying in Insurgent all over again.

The dual point of view took awhile to get used to and I understand now that the ending probably wouldn't have been as good if the book hadn't started with Tobias and Tris's point of views. It was hard to tell the difference between the perspectives and I found myself flipping back to the beginning of the chapter to see which point of view it was. They both sounded like Tris to me. There were a few clues that told me that it was Tobias, but his chapters didn't stand out from Tris's and I think that's the first thing that disappointed me.

The ending was heartbreaking and powerful. I realized a little more than halfway through the book what the ending would be, but it still hit me hard. I was fighting back tears as I read so that I could see the pages. Allegiant was weaker than the first two books in the beginning, but it definitely has the best ending.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

New Releases: November 10-16

Release of the Week:





Saturday, November 9, 2013

Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Published:  September 3, 2013
Publisher:
Disney Hyperion
Pages:
368 (Hardcover)
Series:
N/A
Source:
Bought
My Rating:
5 of 5 stars 

What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

This is the book I've been waiting for. Time travel is such an interesting thing and I love reading about how different people imagine it working. The reason I was so excited about this book was because I knew it had time travel, but it was also the reason I was a bit worried about it. Time travel can be a bit confusing even if there is an explanation for it.

The book switched between Em and Marina's POV. Em's world is a future destroyed by the invention of the time machine aka Cassandra and Marina is from the present. It was obvious to me from the beginning how the two characters were connected, especially when Em refused to say the doctor's name and the name of Marina's friend was revealed, but I'm not going to say any more about that. At some points it was difficult to tell the difference between Em and Marina's POV especially at the end, mostly because there were so many characters from the future and the past mixing together. Aside from that, I really enjoyed both of the girl's stories. Em's was a bit more intriguing because her story contains more action than Marina's and in the beginning Marina is very shallow and kind of boring. All Marina ever thinks about in the beginning is how much she loves James, but as the story progressed I warmed up to her because there was more to her than I originally thought.

There is a very complicated love story woven into this book and I'm tempted to call it a love triangle, but that's not exactly correct (and if I tried to explain the love triangle I would end up spoiling some parts so I'm going to stay away from calling it that). The story starts out with Marina already in love with James (her best friend). Normally this would make their relationship less appealing, but the flashbacks to times Marina was with James and the obvious fact that she knew him better than most people allowed me to go along with their relationship. Em and Finn's relationship seemed like that at first, but its clear after awhile that they don't suffer from insta love and that their relationship developed over time. I ended up preferring Em and Finn over Marina and James mainly because Finn is so adorable and sometimes James seemed to be toying with Marina's emotions.

The explanation for time travel was quick so it didn't feel like the author was info dumping and it wasn't overly complicated. The explanation was reminiscent of the one given in the TV show Doctor Who and I don't want to ruin the explanation for anyone because I think it was brilliantly executed so I'm not going to say any more about it.

All Our Yesterdays is definitely one of my favorite books now and I'm going to be looking for more books by this author in the future.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

New Releases: October 27- November 9

Release of the Week:

Series: Legend #3
Publish date: November 5, 2013

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.
 
The new releases for the past two weeks because I missed last week (again):






Tuesday, October 22, 2013

ARC Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Published: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages:
342 (Paperback)
Series:
Call of the Forgotten #2
Source:
Publisher
My Rating:
4.5 of 5 stars 

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as normal as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for; his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, normal simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

It feels like forever since I last read something that was part of the Iron Fey world and to be honest, I was a bit worried about that. Tastes change all the time and I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't enjoy the series as much anymore, but thankfully all my fears were for nothing. It seems like the Iron Fey and Call of the Forgotten will always have a special place in my heart. Any fans of the first series will love the spin off because it means more time in the Nevernever and a few appearances from old characters!

I especially loved how Ethan developed over the course of this book. The difference between him now and the Ethan at the start of the series is very obvious. He's no longer an asshole that pushes everyone away, instead he accepts that the fey are a part of his life and for the most part he opens up to Kenzie. It's clear that it's hard for  him to let Kenzie into that world that he lost his sister to because he's afraid of losing Kenzi too, but he makes an effort to let her in after he realizes that Kenzie is hard to get rid of and that he doesn't want to lose her.

Ethan and Kenzie's relationship in this book wasn't the main focus, but it was still pretty prominent. I think their relationship is adorable because Ethan tries so hard to be a good boyfriend and I think that's the cutest thing. I especially liked that Kenzie helped remind him that not everything about the fey is bad and that his judgement is normally pretty good. She's one of the only optimistic characters in this book and she has no reason to be, but I won't go into that because I don't want to spoiler anything for people that haven't read the first book.

I think my favorite character in this series is probably Keirran. He's just so complex and it's hard to tell which side he's on. I'm not a huge fan of him and Annwyl because there wasn't a build up to their relationship. The series started with them already in love, which makes it harder for me to root for them. It was also really nice to have a few of the old characters back, especially Puck. I didn't even know how much I missed him until he came back. I practically squealed whenever Ash appeared.

Overall The Iron Prince was a very intriguing book. I can't believe the ending because it was so unexpected and it's a cliffhanger. The wait for the next book is going to be a long one.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Did ya miss me?

You may have been wondering why I haven't posted in awhile and honestly I don't have a good answer. I've been in a bit of a reading and blogging slump lately. Plus it's my junior year of high school so I'm a little busy and overwhelmed with the amount of work I've been getting. There's also another reason, but it isn't a good one. Lately I've become addicted to TV shows. Yes I know it's sad. Until the beginning of this year I never watched TV. My life was basically books, school, and friends. I'm still going to blog, but don't expect too many reviews this month or in November. I'm going to be trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and college.

I've been thinking about starting this thing that I will probably call Fangirl Friday or Film Friday because I feel the need to talk about my latest obsessions and/or latest movies I've watched. This year I'm taking a film class at my school and we're learning how to analyze films and stuff like that so maybe I'll post my thoughts on some movies? Just some ideas that I'm throwing out there.

Oh and I'll probably have a review of The Iron Traitor up soon. I'm finishing it up now so I'll probably post it really soon (like Tuesday).

New Releases: October 20-26

Release of the Week:

Series: Divergent #3
Publish date: October 22, 2013

One choice will define you.

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


The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Other Releases: 



Monday, September 30, 2013

Words for the Week #33

“So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.”

― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower