Monday, March 19, 2012

Cover Reveal

I don't know why it says sequel though...I love it anyway!

Review: Legend

Summary:What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Review: I bought this book because I was at the NY stop of the breathless reads tour, and this book was the one I heard the most about. Throughout the book I found myself not really being swayed on way or another about liking it or disliking it. I was really stuck in the middle. I'm not gonna say I liked it, but I also can't say that I didn't like it, which is weird. I've never really been in that situation with a book before. There were a lot of things I liked about the book though, particularly the characters. I immediately became attached to June's brother Metias, in less than fifty pages. The relationship he and June had was really nice and fun to read about. Metias is so protective and loving to her, even when he's angry with her you see the love coming through and that was cute to read  about. Another character I immediately fell for was Day's brother John, he doesn't have a huge part in the book, but his small moments make such an impact on the reader. You really become attached to Day's family and really want to make sure they're okay.
                The chapters are split between Day's point of view and June's point of view, I LOVE when authors do that. It keeps the book from getting boring and being one large monotonous thing. I did find myself enjoying Day's chapters more though, he's so full of action and adventure. One thing I particularly liked about this book was the humanity she gave to Day. Yes, he's a wanted criminal and a badass, but he has a huge soft spot for his family and will do anything for them. He shows pain. A lot of times in books authors won't let their heroes show pain or hurt they're getting their ribs kicked in and lay there silently to show they're a man. Let's be honest, if you're getting beat up you're gonna scream. When Day is being hit and hurt he's screaming in pain, like a normal person. I will definitely read the second one, I can't wait to see how June and Day end up. 

3/5 Stars

Quote I liked: "I'm from a poor sector too. But I followed the rules. I worked my way up, I earned my country's respect. The rest of you people just sit around and complain and blame the state for your bad luck. Bunch of dirty, lazy, cons."

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Review: Fever

Summary:Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind. 

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. 

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary. 


Review: This book was absolutely amazing! Normally a sequel tries really hard to be as good as the first which ruins a book because you can tell the author tried so hard, but this book did not disappoint! I think Lauren Destefano just has this amazing way of writing that is really hardly seen in other young adult books. The book starts off right where we ended with Wither, which I love. I can't stand when books have a few months missing in between and you're left wondering like what did they do for those few months? Anyway, I always love the characters that are brought to the table in these books, no one in Wither or Fever is exactly alike, everyone is so different and you have to wonder where in the world did she come up with someone like this?! There's no in between, you either love them or hate them. So many things unfold in this book, between the plot, and the characters back stories I just found it so amazing. Rhine starts to realize her sister wife Jenna had been keeping secrets from her and it really hurts her...I hope in the next book we hear these secrets because I felt betrayed by Jenna too, why didn't you tell me Jenna?! The detail that Destefano puts into her characters' emotions and surroundings really makes you feel like you're there and you're feeling what they're feeling. At points I really felt like I was running for my life away from the mansion, being chased. You feel the despair, the sick, the hurt, everything, and I loved that. I did like Wither better, but not because Fever was less impressive by any sense, I just always prefer book one on a trilogy/series because you're just getting to learn who the characters are and where their lives are at. I can't wait  for book three and find out what the heck is gonna go down and how everything will play out.

5/5 stars

Quote I liked: "Love unrequited is violent. He loves you so much that he's turned it into hate."

Review: Hallowed

Summary:For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Review: I was really excited for this book because I really enjoyed the first one, so when I finally got my hands on it I started reading it right away. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed and didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed Unearthly. I can't say exactly what it was that made me not enjoy it so much, because I'm not sure. I guess I found it to be a bit boring, in the first one we got to experience Clara trying to figure out her purpose, trying to get close to Christian, and slowly falling in love with Tucker. In this book she's friends with Christian, she already has Tucker, and she's not working on figuring out a purpose anymore, so I think that all equaled a boring book for me. There were some really high action parts, and some interesting scenes, not everything was boring, but when I find myself the majority of the read bored, it sorta cancels out the really good parts. Usually in books where theres a love triangle I automatically pick the guy I like, in Unearthly I knew I was team Tucker, but Hallowed really had me torn! I can't say now if I'm team Tucker or Christian because they really both won me over in this one, and that's a hard thing to do for me! They're completely different characters, but I love them both equal. Props to Cynthia Hand for making two absolutely different, but lovable love interests. Clara had to go through some pretty tough situation in this one and I truly felt bad for her, I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.

3/5 stars