Review: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Book: Everbound (Everneath #2)
By: Brodi Ashton
Published: January 22, 2013
Published by: Balzer and Bray

Description: Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

My Thoughts: We begin this story right where the last left off, with Nikki in the normal world and Jack in the Everneath feeding the tunnels. Nikki feels terrible for what happened, and wants to find a way to fix it, at any cost. 

The story starts off a bit drab. Nikki is extremely depressed and mopes most of the beginning of the story, and is absolutely obsessed with finding a way to get into the Everneath to rescue Jack. She’s not at all herself, and is obsessed with finding Cole to figure out a way to get to Jack. Unfortunately, Cole Likes Nikki, and wants her to stand by his side as Queen of the Everneath, so the fact that Nikki wants Jack doesn’t help her cause.

As you may assume, things don’t turn out too well, and though she eventually gets him to take her, things aren’t even the slightest bit safe for her or her companions. Her journey to find Jack becomes a journey that will change her in more ways than one, and may, in its way, be the end of her life.

Once I got into it, I was really hooked. Cole became a completely different person to me in the beginning of this story. I began to actually like him, and want Nikki to be with him instead of Jack. I began to trust him, and feel sorry for the hand he’s been dealt. Things happened between them and I was too excited to see the way Nikki and Cole would soon grow. In addition, we learned a lot more about the Everneath and how it worked, and why Human’s should never go there. Everything connected and it was quite interesting to read.

The end though…I can’t even say how I feel. It hurt my feelings, and smacked me in the face all at the same time. How dare I be so stupid! I won’t ruin it for you, because you deserve to learn the truth for yourself, just know it’ll make you angry for a second, though your feelings on the characters may or may not change. This book is not at all predictable, and I loved how the story was woven. I can’t wait for the final book in the trilogy; Evertrue. This is a great series. My rating is 4.5 stars. 

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
By: Marissa Meyer
Published: January, 3, 2012
Published by: Fiewel and Friends

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: I went into this with absolutely no expectations, and came out of it loving a new series. I'm a fan of Cinderella all the way, but not really a fan of people taking it and putting a spin on it, besides the whole musical spin, or the regular Disney version. I like what I like. That being said, I absolutely loved Cinder. They took a fairy tale that I loved and made it so much better, and turned it into a story all its own.

It began much the same way Cinderella began. There's Cinder, the "slave" of the family who's "stepmother" and "sisters" take for granted and treat like crap, only in this one, one of the sisters likes Cinder, and Cinder has someone else as a friend. Then there's the Prince who she meets in the marketplace, only in this one, he comes to her for mechanical help, after all she is the most gifted mechanic in New Beijing. She's also a cyborg, a race of people who (from what I can tell) are people who encountered a traumatic event and were then "fixed" with the use of machinery. For that reason, they're seen as less than human, and property, and often treated quite badly.

There;s also this disease that's been plaguing the entirety of the world. They've been testing out the cures on the cyborgs, and after an unfortunate series of events, Cinder finds herself in the castle as a test subject. It's then that we learn that Cinder is quite special, and we learn what special really is.

I loved this book and will definitely be reading the next one in the series, Scarlet. It was so good. Though this story was definitely taken from Cinderella, it was different enough that you didn't feel like you were reading the same old same old all over again. Oh, and for those of you who think you know how this will end in terms of happy fairy tale endings, you don't. I absolutely loved Cinder, and I can't wait for the next one. I give it 4.5 Stars.

Quickie Review: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Book: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
By: George R. R. Martin
Published: September 1996
Published by: Bantam Books

Description: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
My Thoughts: Most of you know all about A Game of Thrones, so I'll make this quick. I loved reading about it and learning things about the characters I didn't already know from watching the HBO show. That being said, this is one book-to-screen adaptation that sticks close to the book. Besides the inner thoughts and a few unnecessary scenes in the book, the show is pretty much the exact same. For that reason, the audiobook of this book bored me at times (never mind the calming effect of the narrators voice. I loved him, but still, his voice was too relaxing and comforting). I already knew what was going to happen. I think I'll be reading the next ones, and probably not too deeply. Still, George R.R. Martin is a genius! 5 Stars!

Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Book: Mind Games
By: Kiersten White
Published: February 19, 2013
Published by: HarperTeen

Description: Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

My Thoughts: Mind games was a great read told through the two MC's POV in the format of a stream of consciousness and thought. It was a great fast paced book that told its readers that anything is possible, if you try hard enough.

We follow Fia and Annie. Fia has ridiculously flawless instincts and her sister, though blind, can see the future easily. At a young age, they get roped into joining a school, even though Fia's gut instinct tells her not to, and after that, life is difficult for them. Fia's instincts are never wrong, but she joins the school because her sister begs her too, and slowly but surely she realizes that the school isn't all it's sold to be. It's one that uses those with special powers for monetary gain, and Fia's one of a kind. She fights amazingly because her instincts are always right. The school won't let her go, and are willing to threaten her sister to keep her there. Soon, it becomes obvious that they need to get out, but how do you get out of a school that's comprised of people who can see your future and read your thoughts. They know what you're planning before you even have a solid plan together which means, the only way to plan escape, is to not plan at all. A feat easier said than done.

Because Fia knows of those people's abilities around her, her instincts force her mind to run through things quickly. She plans nothing, jumps from decision to decision following her instincts completely, causing the Seer's difficulty when trying to see her future, and forcing the readers to have headaches whenever they try to delve into her mind. For that reason, the reader feels right in the moment. We don't have time to think about what we're reading, we just read, and think later. It's a great change from traditional books.  Annie is less important in the book in my opinion, she's Fia's weakness, and she knows it, and all she wants is to find a way to make Fia happy, better, good. She has no idea how.

As for love interests, this book has two, though it's not a love triangle, more than just interest in two people and a quick and easy decision between the two. Adam is the good boy outside the school who Fia likes but isn't sure she can actually be with. James is the sexy bad boy inside who accepts what Fia has done, and wants her to help him rise to the top. The decision isn't as obvious as it seems, and at the end, you'll be super shocked with what happens.

This was a great book. I liked the characters, though Fia was often pretty psychotic I really liked her. It was random and great and interesting and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. I give it 4.5 stars.

 

Review: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Book: Why We Broke Up
By: Daniel Handler
Published: December 27, 2011
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Description: I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped

My Thoughts: So, I've recently been getting into contemporary fiction thanks to my local library, and I picked this up on audio format and it was a great choice.

This story reminds me a bit of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher with the whole box of items thing, but I liked it a lot more because it didn't have the suicide aspect and I could relate so much more. We're pretty much reading a letter from Min Green to Ed Slaterton. They have broken up, and we get to see exactly why it happened by a series of items she's collected (the items she's sending back) over the course of their relationship. This story is so cute/interesting and very reminiscent of first love and all that. Funny thing is, at the end it was pretty much the exact same as my first love, minus her obsession with his looks.

Min is quirky and fun and happy and innocent and naive. I loved her so much. Ed is the typical guy. This book is so interesting in that, you knew the whole time how it would end, but the excitement was seeing how it would get there. I would certainly recommend this, though I'm not quite sure which is better. The book has some pictures in it, that you miss out on in the audiobook, but the narration of the audiobook is awesome. 5 stars.

Review: The Maze Runner: James Dashner

Book: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)
By: James Dashner
Published: October 6, 2009
Published By: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Description: The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series—The Maze Runner is a modern classic, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

My Thoughts: This was one of those books I picked up because I heard a lot of hype about it, and then got afraid that it wouldn’t quite stack up, so it stayed on my shelf for forever. I finally picked it up the other day, and I read through it in a day. All in all, it was a pretty good book.

We follow Thomas, who’s been dropped in the center of this Maze with all these other guys. The ultimate goal of course, is to get out. Unfortunately, it’s been 2 years, and none of the other guys have been able to find a way out, so they doubt the possibility that Thomas will be able to. The difference between then and now though is, Thomas has been able to do things no others can do, he has secrets in his mind that imply that he knows more than others, and they no longer have as much time as they want. With the addition of a Female to the environment, things in the maze begin to change, and the lives of everyone are at stake.

The story started out pretty slow. We were dropped in the story and were just as clueless as Thomas. Though I understand the author’s reasoning, this was utterly frustrating. I hate not knowing what’s going on, and as Thomas asked questions that went unanswered by people that knew the answer, I grew pretty annoyed. It got better as I went on though, and more things were revealed. The storyline was well thought out and it was an interesting book. That being said, I don’t like Thomas. I can’t quite put my finger on why though; I just know I don’t like him. I think if I met him in real life, I would ignore every word out of his mouth.

I think the hype surrounding this book messed it up for me. If I had just picked it up with no expectations, I would probably have given it 5 stars. It was certainly good, just not as good as I’d hoped. I give it 4 stars.

Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Book: Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2)
By: Laini Taylor
Published: November 12, 2012
Published by: Little, Brown

Description: Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

My Thoughts: After reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone (DSB), I absolutely couldn't wait to begin Days of Blood and Starlight (DBS2). DSB left us as a cliffhanger with the split between Karou and Akiva, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen. DBS2, though I don't believe it was quite as addicting and amazing as DSB, was good and interesting in its own way. In my attempt to avoid spoiling the first book for everyone who hasn't read it, this review will probably be brief.

DBS2 started us off with a broken heart. It was slow, and angry and betrayed with hints of sadness, worthlessness and regret mixed in. I honestly didn't like it. Karou's life away from Akiva actually sucks, as his does without her, and the way they beat themselves up about it is even worse. I didn't like the skulking person Karou became. I didn't like her weakness and I was very disappointed in her. As the book progressed however, things got better. Karou got stronger and became closer to the person I expected her to be.

This will never be my favorite book of the series due to the sadness, and the darkness it possesses, but it was absolutely necessary. It works and makes this series so much more than any other. I loved all the characters again, even the bad ones. They knew how to really make me happy, angry, sad, or absolutely terrified (chapter 71 anyone?) and that's what I expect out of a book. It was well written and, since I listened to the audiobook, well read by the Narrator. It was perfect and imperfect at the same time. I both hated and loved it. I will give it 4.5 stars. The slow start bothered me, as did my constant unease/sadness, but it was necessary and was a wonderful sequel to DSB.

Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Book: The Faerie Ring (Faerie Ring #1)
By: Kiki Hamilton
Published: September 27, 2011
Published By: Tor Teen/ Macmillan

Description: Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.
The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

My Thoughts: I have been eyeing the Faerie Ring for quite some time. After hearing all of the many reviews on it, I was worried that once I read it, it may not live up to the hype.

We follow Tiki, a recently turned orphan with a strange tattoo who lives with a family of fellow orphans in London. In order to survive they tend to pickpocket and steal, and are really quite good at it. After nearly being caught pickpocketing a drunk and ruthless man, Tiki sneaks aboard a carriage and after uncharacteristically falling asleep, she finds herself at a party. Entering the kitchen reveals platters and platters of food, which, of course, she steals some of. She nearly gets caught. It's then that she runs through the halls of the building and ends up in the library crouching below a table. One thing leads to another and soon, Tiki is slipping out of what we learn is Buckingham Palace with a ring.

We soon learn that this is no ordinary ring, it holds and binds the treaty between our world and the otherworld, and without it, destruction begins to befall our world, and danger begins to stalk Tiki. She has to make some very tough decisions if she ever plans to come out on top.

This was a good book. As I stated before, the hype over it made me expect a lot out of this book and I was a bit let down. My heart wasn't pounding and my fingers weren't glued to the pages. It was a great storyline though and I really liked it, I just didn't love it as much as I thought I would.

The ending wasn't a cliffhanger despite the fact that there will be more books and for that I was thankful. It ended with a nice bow and some sprinkles to make you feel quite hopeful. I would have hoped for a few more answers, but I suppose that's why there is another book coming soon.

In terms of the main guy, Reiker,  I didn't "swoon" over him. He was nice I guess, but he was a bit of a stalker. I did love the supporting male, Prince Leo. I'm not 100% sure why though. He just had something that Reiker didn't.

All in all, this was a good book. I will most likely read the next book in the series. My rating is 3.5 stars.