Friday, June 21, 2013

Review: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward


Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1)
Summary: In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
 
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

Review: 4-4.5
I'm not going to say much because there is way too much I could say. I love the characters, plot, twists, sex, fights, and love. Ward is a wonderful author and I will definitely seeing what the rest of the brothers are up to.

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth


Insurgent (Divergent, #2)
Summary: One choice can transform you, or destroy you. Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Review: 4
I am definitely falling for Roth's writing. I love this series and I loved the very end of this book. Honestly though I was really annoyed by Four's change in behavior with no cause. Makes you not like him and is kind of out of place for what you'd expect but I guess that is part of what makes it unique. I am most certainly dying to read the next book!! 

Review- The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead


The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3)
Summary: In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.


Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Rating/Review: 3.5-4
Honestly Richelle Mead's works have been some of my favorite. I'm a little disappointed by this spin off though. It 's like she stretches everything out so they are long books but not too much every really happened this time. I mean I understand the whole suspense thing but if I can put the book down for a couple days or weeks then something is wrong. I still love the characters and that Sydney is finally coming into her own being. I'm sure glade shes getting stronger or i would be getting bored. The end of the book did kind of make me wanna smack my head. Probably because all the potential problems but I'm afraid part of it is that now how is any fun gonna happy? Is any or is it just going to drag on?

Monday, October 15, 2012

Review: The Casual Vacancy 


The Casual Vacancy


Summary:
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.(Goodreads)

Rating and Review: 4
This book is listed as Jo Rowling's first book intended specifically for adults, however young adult would not be an inappropriate category given the subject matter.

The book is set in a typical west English town, Pagford, and the chaos that ensues when a seat on the local council is unexpected vacated by the death of a town's member. There is a battle for the council seat which provides the important numbers for either marginalizing the town's poor, or helping them, depending on which side of the social strata one lies.  Barry Fairbrother, the deceased council member, himself belonged to the middle to upper class but was an advocate for the poor. His charisma helped to keep the council in check as far as keeping the poor families included in the town's purview. Fairbrother advocated for the local methadone clinic, which was used primarily by the town's less fortunate. Once his death opened a "casual vacancy" on the council board, a battle begins to control the council itself.

During this battle between the various adult factions for control of this one small village, there also occurs a battle between the citizens themselves. Children battle against violent or apathetic parents while trying to navigate the waters of adolescence, the school counselor battles for and against students who clearly need help but don't trust adults (with good reason), and husbands and wives battle against each other over years of perceived slights and secrets locked in a lack of communication and a history of habit.

Rowling is an outstanding story weaver and as usual gives an almost excessive amount of detail to each character. The attention to detail caused the book to be slow reading at times, which is why I didn't give it a rating of 5.  However, Rowling does an excellent job in defining and bringing together all the threads into a final ending. The ultimate point to be gathered from this book is that power, whether it be power over others or over one's own life, is a tenuous thing and can be easily shifted if one is brave enough to make changes.  Most people are not brave enough to make whatever changes are necessary, and sometimes the change is not as good as hoped but rather trading one set of circumstances for another. Interestingly enough, this book points out that adults do not appear to have any more control over their lives than children do. Everyone is subjected not only to the limitations of others but to their own personal limitations. Therefore power is an illusion.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent (Divergent, #1)
Hardcover487 pages
Published May 3rd 2011 by Harper Collins



Summary:
In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.


Rating and Review: 4
For the longest time I put off reading this book because honestly I didn't know much about it and didn't know if I would like and want to read it. I definitely made a mistake doing this. I'm not really sure exactly what it is about this book but I loved it. Tris and Four are amazing characters with so much depth and wonder to them and the world they live in is such a wonder in itself. An amazing one at that that is still in my head almost a month and a half after reading it. I am definitely going to have to finish this series and see where it goes because this one left my begging for it not to end. I wanted to know were they go next and what soo many things meant. Insurgent is definitely high on my to-read list because this is such an interesting world and I'm ready to be back in it and unravel more of the story.


Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead


Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)
Hardcover421 pages
Published August 23rd 2011 by Razorbill


Summary:
Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of himans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worls of humans and vampire. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.


When Sydney torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far orse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're hiding, the drama is only just beginning. (Goodreads)     


Rating and Review: 4.5/5
Richelle Mead is by far one of my very favorite authors. I'm most definitely in love with her writing, characters and stories. She almost gives these little bits that you can follow and guess along but then has something totally random or unexpected thrown in your face at just the right time. Her books are the ones that you sit and wish you were reading all day long. I'll admit at first I was a little bothered by how weak Sydney is at times but shes definitely getting stronger and spunkier. I love that Adrian is back and as dramatic as ever. He is most definitely a fun loved character. Of course everyone misses Dimitri and Rose but I think she is doing a very good job of opening up a story that we will love just as much. Oh and I am oh so glad people get what they deserve in this book it's wonderful. I'm also glad "Old Man" is back because you know something wild has got to happen with him around and I really hope he stays around and continues his entertaining roles. Mrs. Mead also leaves so many little mysteries spinning in your head that you'll be thinking about it for day and dying for the next book. I know I already bought mine and am very excited to see more of one of my favorite worlds. :) Happy Reading 

   

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

The Pledge (The Pledge, #1)
Hardcover323 pages
Published November 15th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry

Summary:
In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. 

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Review and Rating: 3.5-4
My heart says 4 but my mind says 3.5. I really enjoyed the main characters. They definitely had some good twists which really added to the plot. I found the main plot predictable (but what plot isn't now?) but the twists in the characters and minor plots definitely helped make up for it. Derting definitely created a new world and interesting characters. I feel it ended too quickly but that may just be because its addictive and therefore got finished fast. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy to see what happens to our lovely Charlie and others.


Cover:
I really just have to say I love the cover. The contrasting colors definitely catch the eye and with the model its just beautiful. Its definitely a cover well done and when the cover is what catches the eye and raises interest that's a good thing that a lot of books miss out on but this one did great.